Adult film actress Stormy Daniels was physically threatened and warned to remain silent about her relationship with President Donald Trump, her lawyer said on Friday.&nbsp;

Attorney Michael Avenatti would not provide details about the threat against Stephanie Clifford, who uses Stormy Daniels as her professional name. He said Clifford would elaborate on it during a CBS &quot;60 Minutes&quot; interview broadcast on March 25.

&quot;My client was physically threatened to stay silent about what she knew about Donald Trump,&quot; he said.&nbsp;

Pornstar Stormy Daniels will go to court on July 12 in a bid to dissolve an agreement stopping her discussing an affair she says she had with President Donald Trump, according to court papers published Wednesday.

Lawyer Michael Avenatti filed a lawsuit on behalf of Daniels last week seeking to toss out the confidential settlement she signed just days before the November 2016 election.

The lawsuit alleges that Daniels began an &quot;intimate relationship&quot; with Trump in the summer of 2006 that continued well into 2007.

A copy of the settlement filed in court shows that Daniels received the $130,000 from a company known as Essential Consultants LLC in return for her silence.

Daniels is also asking to be allowed to publish text messages, photos and videos relating to the president, Avenatti said in a letter to Trump&#39;s lawyer Michael Cohen.

&quot;I think it&#39;s time for her to tell her story and for the public to decide who&#39;s telling the truth,&quot; Avenatti said last week.

While Daniels denied the alleged affair with the President previously, Trump continued to rubbish the allegations. The US President won the lawsuit last week, a day after Daniels sued seeking to invalidate a &quot;hush agreement&quot; she signed with Trump&#39;s lawyer.

Michael Cohen, who has been with the Trump organisation for almost 10 years arranged the money for the actress, Stephanie Clifford aka Stormy Daniels, in October 2016.

As per reports, Trump and Clifford had the encounter in Lake Tahoe, California, in 2006, a year after he married his third wife, Melania.&nbsp;

Porn star Stormy Daniels will go to court on July 12 in a bid to dissolve an agreement stopping her discussing an affair she says she had with President Donald Trump, according to court papers published Wednesday

Adult film actress Stormy Daniels was physically threatened and warned to remain silent about her relationship with President Donald Trump, her lawyer said on Friday. Attorney Michael Avenatti would not provide details about the threat against Stephanie Clifford, who uses Stormy Daniels as her professional name. He said Clifford would elaborate on it during a CBS "60 Minutes" interview broadcast on March 25. "My client was physically threatened to stay silent about what she knew about Donald Trump," he said. Pornstar Stormy Daniels will go to court on July 12 in a bid to dissolve an agreement stopping her discussing an affair she says she had with President Donald Trump, according to court papers published Wednesday. Lawyer Michael Avenatti filed a lawsuit on behalf of Daniels last week seeking to toss out the confidential settlement she signed just days before the November 2016 election. The lawsuit alleges that Daniels began an "intimate relationship" with Trump in the summer of 2006 that continued well into 2007. A copy of the settlement filed in court shows that Daniels received the $130,000 from a company known as Essential Consultants LLC in return for her silence. Daniels is also asking to be allowed to publish text messages, photos and videos relating to the president, Avenatti said in a letter to Trump's lawyer Michael Cohen. "I think it's time for her to tell her story and for the public to decide who's telling the truth," Avenatti said last week. While Daniels denied the alleged affair with the President previously, Trump continued to rubbish the allegations. The US President won the lawsuit last week, a day after Daniels sued seeking to invalidate a "hush agreement" she signed with Trump's lawyer. Michael Cohen, who has been with the Trump organisation for almost 10 years arranged the money for the actress, Stephanie Clifford aka Stormy Daniels, in October 2016. As per reports, Trump and Clifford had the encounter in Lake Tahoe, California, in 2006, a year after he married his third wife, Melania.

Porn actress Stormy Daniels physically threatened over Trump: Lawyer

After Rex <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/another-sacking-after-tillerson-he-says-looking-forward-to-rest-35704">Tillerson&#39;s unceremonious firing</a>, President Trump is set to remove US National Security Adviser McMaster from his post, the Washinton Post reported today.

The report comes just days after the ex-US secretary of state Tillerson was dumped by Trump in a Twitter message which rattled the administration and took even critics by surprise.

As Tillerson was sacked, rumours swirled McMaster was next in line to be sacked as Trump moves to surround his cabinet with people who are in tune with his campaign promise made during the 2016 presidential run.

The Washington Post report said that Trump is &quot;now comfortable&quot; with removing McMaster from the post but &quot;is willing to take time executing the move&quot; in order to save McMaster from humiliation and choose a replacement.

To this day, I think that a healthy ideological diversity prevails in the White House, but what has changed is that he is no longer willing to allow people to slow roll or stonewall his agenda,&quot; said Andrew Surabian a former White House strategist under Trump to Reuters.

As Trump formally announced global tariffs on imports of steel and aluminium his top economic adviser Gary Cohn, who disagreed with him resigned, Tillerson followed days later, sacked by Trump even as he was touring abroad.

US television commentator and conservative economic analyst Larry Kudlow was named as Cohn&#39;s replacement even as he decided to name Gina Haspel as CIA chief.

&quot;He is looking for people who are in broad agreement with what he wants to do and who are willing to accept that he&#39;s the team leader,&quot; said Republican former Speaker of the House of Representatives Newt Gingrich.

The Washington Post report said that Trump is "now comfortable" with removing McMaster from the post

After Rex Tillerson's unceremonious firing, President Trump is set to remove US National Security Adviser McMaster from his post, the Washinton Post reported today. The report comes just days after the ex-US secretary of state Tillerson was dumped by Trump in a Twitter message which rattled the administration and took even critics by surprise. As Tillerson was sacked, rumours swirled McMaster was next in line to be sacked as Trump moves to surround his cabinet with people who are in tune with his campaign promise made during the 2016 presidential run. The Washington Post report said that Trump is "now comfortable" with removing McMaster from the post but "is willing to take time executing the move" in order to save McMaster from humiliation and choose a replacement. To this day, I think that a healthy ideological diversity prevails in the White House, but what has changed is that he is no longer willing to allow people to slow roll or stonewall his agenda," said Andrew Surabian a former White House strategist under Trump to Reuters. As Trump formally announced global tariffs on imports of steel and aluminium his top economic adviser Gary Cohn, who disagreed with him resigned, Tillerson followed days later, sacked by Trump even as he was touring abroad. US television commentator and conservative economic analyst Larry Kudlow was named as Cohn's replacement even as he decided to name Gina Haspel as CIA chief. "He is looking for people who are in broad agreement with what he wants to do and who are willing to accept that he's the team leader," said Republican former Speaker of the House of Representatives Newt Gingrich.

After Tillerson, Trump set to fire National Security Advisor McMaster: Report

US&nbsp;television commentator and conservative economic analyst Larry Kudlow will replace Gary Cohn as President Donald Trump&#39;s top economic adviser, the White House and Kudlow said on Wednesday, adding another loyalist to Trump&#39;s inner circle.

Kudlow, a Republican who served as an economic adviser to former President Ronald Reagan in the 1980s and also worked on Wall Street, is an ardent advocate of &quot;supply side&quot; economic policies that focus on cutting taxes and reducing regulations.

Kudlow, 70, told Reuters that Trump offered him the job on Tuesday evening and he accepted. White House spokeswoman Sarah Sanders confirmed that Trump had offered him the position. A formal announcement could come as early as Thursday.

Chris Zaccarelli, chief investment officer at Independent Advisor Alliance, said investors on Wall Street generally viewed the pick positively because of Kudlow&#39;s Washington experience and his policy views.

&quot;He&#39;s generally regarded to be more of a free trade advocate than (White House adviser Peter) Navarro or the others,&quot; Zaccarelli said.

&quot;Larry Kudlow is very much a free trader,&quot; said Stephen Massocca, senior vice president at Wedbush Securities in San Francisco. &quot;This shows that (Trump) wants to hear the other side of the argument as well.&quot;

Kudlow, a CNBC contributor, has acknowledged ups and downs in his life, having been addicted to drugs and alcohol before getting sober more than 20 years ago.

The NEC director can have wide influence over the president on a variety of issues from steering economic policy to offering guidance on whom to choose for open positions at the U.S. Federal Reserve.

Cohn, a Democrat who was seen as a moderating influence on the president&#39;s nationalist economic instincts, announced his resignation last week after a disagreement over Trump&#39;s decision to impose steep tariffs on imports of steel and aluminium.

Kudlow, an informal adviser to Trump&#39;s 2016 presidential campaign, had also criticized the president&#39;s decision, saying tariffs would harm steel-consuming producers. Earlier this month, he was one of three authors of an article that argued such tariffs were akin to sanctions on the United States itself.

During an interview with CNBC on Wednesday, he said he was relieved that some countries would get exemptions from the tariffs, did not think they would hurt the broader US&nbsp;economy, and believed China deserved to face tough action over trade.

&quot;China has not played by the rules for a long time. ... I must say, as somebody who doesn&#39;t like tariffs, I think China has earned a tough response,&quot; he said, adding he hoped a coalition of countries could act against China on trade.

Kudlow also said a strong and stable dollar was important for U.S. economic health and that he had no reason to believe Trump disagreed. He echoed his future boss&#39; views that the North American Free Trade Agreement with Canada and Mexico needed fixing and said the European Union had &quot;very bad protectionist policies.&quot;

His appointment comes as Trump increasingly seeks to surround himself with like-minded advisers.

Cohn&#39;s exit and the dismissal of Secretary of State Rex Tillerson have cleared the way for Trump to elevate advisers who are more inclined to implement his campaign promises ahead of congressional elections this year.

The president, who has described Kudlow as a longtime friend, hinted on Tuesday morning that he was likely to give him the job. He said Kudlow had &quot;come around&quot; to view tariffs as a useful tool for renegotiating trade deals.

Kudlow&#39;s television credentials may help him with one part of the NEC job - trying to win over the public on the president&#39;s economic policies, including the White House&#39;s view of the recently enacted tax overhaul as a major economic success.

Kudlow, a Republican who served as an economic adviser to former President Ronald Reagan in the 1980s and also worked on Wall Street

US television commentator and conservative economic analyst Larry Kudlow will replace Gary Cohn as President Donald Trump's top economic adviser, the White House and Kudlow said on Wednesday, adding another loyalist to Trump's inner circle. Kudlow, a Republican who served as an economic adviser to former President Ronald Reagan in the 1980s and also worked on Wall Street, is an ardent advocate of "supply side" economic policies that focus on cutting taxes and reducing regulations. Kudlow, 70, told Reuters that Trump offered him the job on Tuesday evening and he accepted. White House spokeswoman Sarah Sanders confirmed that Trump had offered him the position. A formal announcement could come as early as Thursday. Chris Zaccarelli, chief investment officer at Independent Advisor Alliance, said investors on Wall Street generally viewed the pick positively because of Kudlow's Washington experience and his policy views. "He's generally regarded to be more of a free trade advocate than (White House adviser Peter) Navarro or the others," Zaccarelli said. "Larry Kudlow is very much a free trader," said Stephen Massocca, senior vice president at Wedbush Securities in San Francisco. "This shows that (Trump) wants to hear the other side of the argument as well." Kudlow, a CNBC contributor, has acknowledged ups and downs in his life, having been addicted to drugs and alcohol before getting sober more than 20 years ago. The NEC director can have wide influence over the president on a variety of issues from steering economic policy to offering guidance on whom to choose for open positions at the U.S. Federal Reserve. Cohn, a Democrat who was seen as a moderating influence on the president's nationalist economic instincts, announced his resignation last week after a disagreement over Trump's decision to impose steep tariffs on imports of steel and aluminium. Kudlow, an informal adviser to Trump's 2016 presidential campaign, had also criticized the president's decision, saying tariffs would harm steel-consuming producers. Earlier this month, he was one of three authors of an article that argued such tariffs were akin to sanctions on the United States itself. During an interview with CNBC on Wednesday, he said he was relieved that some countries would get exemptions from the tariffs, did not think they would hurt the broader US economy, and believed China deserved to face tough action over trade. "China has not played by the rules for a long time. ... I must say, as somebody who doesn't like tariffs, I think China has earned a tough response," he said, adding he hoped a coalition of countries could act against China on trade. Kudlow also said a strong and stable dollar was important for U.S. economic health and that he had no reason to believe Trump disagreed. He echoed his future boss' views that the North American Free Trade Agreement with Canada and Mexico needed fixing and said the European Union had "very bad protectionist policies." His appointment comes as Trump increasingly seeks to surround himself with like-minded advisers. Cohn's exit and the dismissal of Secretary of State Rex Tillerson have cleared the way for Trump to elevate advisers who are more inclined to implement his campaign promises ahead of congressional elections this year. The president, who has described Kudlow as a longtime friend, hinted on Tuesday morning that he was likely to give him the job. He said Kudlow had "come around" to view tariffs as a useful tool for renegotiating trade deals. Kudlow's television credentials may help him with one part of the NEC job - trying to win over the public on the president's economic policies, including the White House's view of the recently enacted tax overhaul as a major economic success.

Trump picks TV commentator Kudlow as economic adviser

US President Donald Trump has bashed international efforts to combat climate change and questioned the scientific consensus that global warming is dangerous and driven by human consumption of fossil fuels.

But there is a disconnect between what Trump says at home and what his government does abroad. While attention has been focused on Trump&#39;s rhetoric, State Department envoys, federal agencies, and government scientists remain active participants in international efforts to both research and fight climate change, according to the US and foreign representatives involved in those efforts.

&quot;We really don&#39;t detect any change with the Americans,&quot; said one of the officials, Aleksi H&auml;rk&ouml;nen of Finland, who chairs the eight-nation Arctic Council&#39;s key group of senior officials, who are charged with protecting a region warming faster than any other on Earth.

Over the past year, the United States has helped draft the rulebook for implementing the Paris climate accord, signed international memoranda calling for global action to fight climate change, boosted funding for overseas clean energy projects, and contributed to global research on the dangers and causes of the Earth&#39;s warming.

While the United States&rsquo; participation in international forums - including the Paris accord and the Arctic Council - has been reported, its continued, broad and constructive support for climate change efforts in these gatherings has not.

This business-as-usual approach has surprised some of America&rsquo;s foreign partners, along with some of Trump&rsquo;s allies, who had expected the new administration to match its rhetoric with an obstructionist approach to combating climate change.

&quot;I am concerned that much of our climate policy remains on autopilot,&quot; complained Trump&rsquo;s former energy adviser Myron Ebell, now a research director at the right-leaning Competitive Enterprise Institute, who said it reflects a failure by the administration to fill key positions and replace staffers who oppose the president&#39;s agenda.

The US efforts abroad to tackle climate change have been counter-balanced by Trump&#39;s aggressive push at home to increase production of the fossil fuels scientists blame for global warming. He has also ordered a wide-ranging rollback of Obama-era climate regulations and appointed a self-described climate sceptic, Scott Pruitt, as the nation&rsquo;s chief environmental regulator.

And to be sure, none of the US dealings in international climate efforts since last year have committed the United States to any emissions cuts that would undermine Trump&rsquo;s domestic energy agenda.

The State Department - which handles the bulk of US climate policy abroad - told Reuters it was still developing its global warming policy under Trump.

&quot;The State Department is working with the White House and the interagency to further develop our approach to international climate change diplomacy,&quot; State Department spokesman Ambrose Sayles said in a statement before Trump sacked Secretary of State Rex Tillerson on Tuesday.

&quot;In the meantime, we will continue to participate ... to ensure a level playing field that benefits and protects US interests, and to keep all options open for the President,&quot; Sayles said.

Tillerson&#39;s departure leaves a question mark over the future of US climate policy abroad. Tillerson was in favour of the Paris accord, while his successor, Mike Pompeo, has expressed doubts about the science of climate change. Climate advocates say they hope Pompeo will be too distracted by tensions with Iran and North Korea to change the State Department&rsquo;s approach to climate change.

White House spokeswoman Kelly Love declined to comment.

Trump announced last year that he was withdrawing the United States from the Paris Agreement to fight global warming, raising concerns among other parties to the deal that Washington might attempt to torpedo the accord or disengage from it completely.

That hasn&#39;t happened. Washington sent a 40-strong delegation to talks in Bonn in November to help draft a new rulebook that will provide rules of the road for the 200 participating nations. It was a smaller delegation than Washington had sent to past meetings, but it still won praise from fellow delegates for its work.

For example, Andrew Rakestraw - a climate negotiator for the State Department since 2013 - co-chaired discussions on how to ensure that the pledges by signatories are comparable and use the same accounting standards - a point seen as critical to the success of the accord.

Nazhat Shameem Khan, chief negotiator for Fiji, which presided over the talks, said the United States delegation was &quot;constructive and helpful.&quot; &nbsp;The UN&rsquo;s climate chief, Patricia Espinosa, also called the US role constructive.&nbsp;

Thomas Shannon, the State Department&#39;s chief climate negotiator in Bonn, did not respond to requests for comment. Rakestraw also did not respond to calls and emails requesting comment.

A US source familiar with the US position at the talks, who asked not to be named, said that US delegates in Bonn were pushing an agenda that resembled those of past administrations - stressing that emerging economies like China follow the same rules as developed nations and meet international standards for monitoring and reporting emissions.

There was one jarring note: Washington sponsored a side event to promote &ldquo;clean coal.&rdquo; Some other delegates said they were unhappy with this, as they wanted the talks to focus on renewable energies.

Under the details of the accord, the United States cannot formally withdraw until 2020.

The State Department&rsquo;s delegations to the Arctic Council are also continuing their work in much the same way they did under President Barack Obama - acknowledging that warming is real and should be countered in planning everything from new shipping routes to the protection of indigenous peoples.

Some US agencies are also still bolstering international efforts to fight climate change.

The Overseas Private Investment Corporation, which seeks to advance US policy by financing foreign business ventures, doubled its support for solar projects in 2017 under a climate-friendly policy last updated by the Obama administration.

And NASA, the US space agency, continues to research climate change, publish climate change data, and contribute to international reports, spokesman Stephen Cole said.

Both OPIC and NASA are independent of the State Department, so would not be under Pompeo&#39;s sway.

Scientists representing the United States in the international research say they have also been unfettered by the Trump administration, despite concerns early in the Trump presidency that the White House would seek to silence them or restrict their work.

&ldquo;There has been no pressure on US authors,&rdquo; said one US scientist, who is now helping to write a United Nations report that will call for coal to be &ldquo;phased out rapidly&rdquo; to limit global warming - &nbsp;a direct clash with Trump&#39;s pro-coal agenda.

The scientist asked not to be named because the draft report from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), due to be released in October, is confidential.

&quot;Our US colleagues know that climate change is not a hoax,&quot; said one of the non-US authors of the same report, who also spoke on condition of anonymity.

Christopher Field, a professor of environmental studies at Stanford University who co-chaired a 2014 IPCC report on the impacts of climate change, agreed: &ldquo;I&rsquo;ve not seen any indication that the climate denialism from Trump and other members of the administration has had any influence ... on the alignment of the US scientific community with the scientific consensus around the world.&quot;

Still, scientists worry that while the Trump administration is not interfering with their research it is ignoring it.

The Trump administration made no move to block an assessment by 300 experts last year that outlined the threats and causes of warming in the United States and concluded there is &ldquo;no convincing alternative explanation&rdquo; for climate change than human activity.

&quot;But then they haven&#39;t acknowledged the findings, nor changed their climate science denying stance,&rdquo; said the US scientist involved in drafting the UN coal report.

Trump has bashed international efforts to combat climate change and questioned the scientific consensus that global warming is dangerous and driven by human consumption of fossil fuels

US President Donald Trump has bashed international efforts to combat climate change and questioned the scientific consensus that global warming is dangerous and driven by human consumption of fossil fuels. But there is a disconnect between what Trump says at home and what his government does abroad. While attention has been focused on Trump's rhetoric, State Department envoys, federal agencies, and government scientists remain active participants in international efforts to both research and fight climate change, according to the US and foreign representatives involved in those efforts. "We really don't detect any change with the Americans," said one of the officials, Aleksi Härkönen of Finland, who chairs the eight-nation Arctic Council's key group of senior officials, who are charged with protecting a region warming faster than any other on Earth. Over the past year, the United States has helped draft the rulebook for implementing the Paris climate accord, signed international memoranda calling for global action to fight climate change, boosted funding for overseas clean energy projects, and contributed to global research on the dangers and causes of the Earth's warming. While the United States’ participation in international forums - including the Paris accord and the Arctic Council - has been reported, its continued, broad and constructive support for climate change efforts in these gatherings has not. This business-as-usual approach has surprised some of America’s foreign partners, along with some of Trump’s allies, who had expected the new administration to match its rhetoric with an obstructionist approach to combating climate change. "I am concerned that much of our climate policy remains on autopilot," complained Trump’s former energy adviser Myron Ebell, now a research director at the right-leaning Competitive Enterprise Institute, who said it reflects a failure by the administration to fill key positions and replace staffers who oppose the president's agenda. The US efforts abroad to tackle climate change have been counter-balanced by Trump's aggressive push at home to increase production of the fossil fuels scientists blame for global warming. He has also ordered a wide-ranging rollback of Obama-era climate regulations and appointed a self-described climate sceptic, Scott Pruitt, as the nation’s chief environmental regulator. And to be sure, none of the US dealings in international climate efforts since last year have committed the United States to any emissions cuts that would undermine Trump’s domestic energy agenda. The State Department - which handles the bulk of US climate policy abroad - told Reuters it was still developing its global warming policy under Trump. "The State Department is working with the White House and the interagency to further develop our approach to international climate change diplomacy," State Department spokesman Ambrose Sayles said in a statement before Trump sacked Secretary of State Rex Tillerson on Tuesday. "In the meantime, we will continue to participate ... to ensure a level playing field that benefits and protects US interests, and to keep all options open for the President," Sayles said. Tillerson's departure leaves a question mark over the future of US climate policy abroad. Tillerson was in favour of the Paris accord, while his successor, Mike Pompeo, has expressed doubts about the science of climate change. Climate advocates say they hope Pompeo will be too distracted by tensions with Iran and North Korea to change the State Department’s approach to climate change. White House spokeswoman Kelly Love declined to comment. Trump announced last year that he was withdrawing the United States from the Paris Agreement to fight global warming, raising concerns among other parties to the deal that Washington might attempt to torpedo the accord or disengage from it completely. That hasn't happened. Washington sent a 40-strong delegation to talks in Bonn in November to help draft a new rulebook that will provide rules of the road for the 200 participating nations. It was a smaller delegation than Washington had sent to past meetings, but it still won praise from fellow delegates for its work. For example, Andrew Rakestraw - a climate negotiator for the State Department since 2013 - co-chaired discussions on how to ensure that the pledges by signatories are comparable and use the same accounting standards - a point seen as critical to the success of the accord. Nazhat Shameem Khan, chief negotiator for Fiji, which presided over the talks, said the United States delegation was "constructive and helpful." The UN’s climate chief, Patricia Espinosa, also called the US role constructive. Thomas Shannon, the State Department's chief climate negotiator in Bonn, did not respond to requests for comment. Rakestraw also did not respond to calls and emails requesting comment. A US source familiar with the US position at the talks, who asked not to be named, said that US delegates in Bonn were pushing an agenda that resembled those of past administrations - stressing that emerging economies like China follow the same rules as developed nations and meet international standards for monitoring and reporting emissions. There was one jarring note: Washington sponsored a side event to promote “clean coal.” Some other delegates said they were unhappy with this, as they wanted the talks to focus on renewable energies. Under the details of the accord, the United States cannot formally withdraw until 2020. The State Department’s delegations to the Arctic Council are also continuing their work in much the same way they did under President Barack Obama - acknowledging that warming is real and should be countered in planning everything from new shipping routes to the protection of indigenous peoples. Some US agencies are also still bolstering international efforts to fight climate change. The Overseas Private Investment Corporation, which seeks to advance US policy by financing foreign business ventures, doubled its support for solar projects in 2017 under a climate-friendly policy last updated by the Obama administration. And NASA, the US space agency, continues to research climate change, publish climate change data, and contribute to international reports, spokesman Stephen Cole said. Both OPIC and NASA are independent of the State Department, so would not be under Pompeo's sway. Scientists representing the United States in the international research say they have also been unfettered by the Trump administration, despite concerns early in the Trump presidency that the White House would seek to silence them or restrict their work. “There has been no pressure on US authors,” said one US scientist, who is now helping to write a United Nations report that will call for coal to be “phased out rapidly” to limit global warming - a direct clash with Trump's pro-coal agenda. The scientist asked not to be named because the draft report from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), due to be released in October, is confidential. "Our US colleagues know that climate change is not a hoax," said one of the non-US authors of the same report, who also spoke on condition of anonymity. Christopher Field, a professor of environmental studies at Stanford University who co-chaired a 2014 IPCC report on the impacts of climate change, agreed: “I’ve not seen any indication that the climate denialism from Trump and other members of the administration has had any influence ... on the alignment of the US scientific community with the scientific consensus around the world." Still, scientists worry that while the Trump administration is not interfering with their research it is ignoring it. The Trump administration made no move to block an assessment by 300 experts last year that outlined the threats and causes of warming in the United States and concluded there is “no convincing alternative explanation” for climate change than human activity. "But then they haven't acknowledged the findings, nor changed their climate science denying stance,” said the US scientist involved in drafting the UN coal report.

Weathering Trump's scepticism, US officials still fighting global warming

In the simmering trade war, <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/trump-targeting-60-billion-tariffs-on-chinese-imports-in-100-items-35719">the Trump administration has told the</a> World Trade Organization(WTO) that it was taking action against Indian export subsidies.

The US government is increasingly targetting the two biggest economies in Asia - India and China - in a bid to fix its trade deficit.&nbsp;

AFP reported documents submitted to the WTO by the US which included punishment for violating basic rules, mainly aimed at China. 
&nbsp; 
A White House said on Wednesday it was pushing China to cut trade surplus with the US by $100 billion.

Last week, Trump had tweeted that China had been asked to develop a plan to reduce its trade imbalance with the United States by $1 billion, but the White House spokeswoman said Trump had meant to say $100 billion.

The United States had a record $375 billion trade deficit with China in 2017, which made up two-thirds of a global $566 billion U.S. trade gap last year, according to US&nbsp;Census Bureau data.

China reported its 2017 U.S. trade surplus as $276 billion, also about two-thirds of its reported global surplus of $422.5 billion.

In a Thursday editorial, widely-read Chinese state-run tabloid the Global Times said the United States was trying to play the victim.

&quot;If the U.S. wants to reduce its trade deficit, it has to make Americans more hard-working and conduct reforms in accordance with international market demand, instead of asking the rest of the world to change,&quot; it wrote.

&quot;Once a trade war starts, capable countries won&#39;t bow to the US-China has tried hard to avoid a trade war, but if one breaks out, appeasement is not an option.&quot;

The US government is increasingly targetting the two biggest economies in Asia - India and China in a bid to fix its trade deficit.

In the simmering trade war, the Trump administration has told the World Trade Organization(WTO) that it was taking action against Indian export subsidies. The US government is increasingly targetting the two biggest economies in Asia - India and China - in a bid to fix its trade deficit. AFP reported documents submitted to the WTO by the US which included punishment for violating basic rules, mainly aimed at China. A White House said on Wednesday it was pushing China to cut trade surplus with the US by $100 billion. Last week, Trump had tweeted that China had been asked to develop a plan to reduce its trade imbalance with the United States by $1 billion, but the White House spokeswoman said Trump had meant to say $100 billion. The United States had a record $375 billion trade deficit with China in 2017, which made up two-thirds of a global $566 billion U.S. trade gap last year, according to US Census Bureau data. China reported its 2017 U.S. trade surplus as $276 billion, also about two-thirds of its reported global surplus of $422.5 billion. In a Thursday editorial, widely-read Chinese state-run tabloid the Global Times said the United States was trying to play the victim. "If the U.S. wants to reduce its trade deficit, it has to make Americans more hard-working and conduct reforms in accordance with international market demand, instead of asking the rest of the world to change," it wrote. "Once a trade war starts, capable countries won't bow to the US-China has tried hard to avoid a trade war, but if one breaks out, appeasement is not an option."

Taking action against Indian export subsidies: US tells World Trade Organization

Asian markets tumbled on Wednesday as news that Donald Trump had replaced his moderate secretary of state with a hawk fanned fears of instability in the White House and a more hardline approach to foreign affairs.

News that Rex Tillerson had been sacked rattled US equities, which had been buoyed earlier Tuesday by a soft inflation report that tempered talk of a sharp rise in interest rates.

The former oilman had been seen as taking a more pragmatic line on various issues, particularly on global trade and the Iran nuclear agreement.

He will be replaced by CIA chief Mike Pompeo, who is an advocate of taking a hardline with China on trade and Iran.

Adding to the unease on trading floors were reports Trump is considering hitting China over alleged intellectual property theft, with an announcement on tech sector tariffs said to be lined up for as soon as next week.

&quot;The significance of a shift to a global trade and foreign policy hawk with the US on course for a trade showdown with China and diplomatic negotiations with North Korea, is very significant suggesting the US is readying for hardball negotiations,&quot; said Stephen Innes, head of Asia-Pacific trading at OANDA.

The move, which had been expected in some quarters, comes after Trump&#39;s pro-markets top economics advisor stepped down this month over controversial metals tariffs.

Tillerson marks the latest in a string of senior members of the administration to resign in 14 tumultuous months and reinforces a sense of uncertainty on Pennsylvania Avenue.

&quot;Markets one day may become exhausted if the staff turnover and perceived White House instability continues,&quot; Terry Haines, a senior political strategist at Evercore ISI, wrote in a note. &quot;Trump and the administration will have some work to do to reassure markets.&quot;

All three main US markets ended lower and Asia followed suit.

Tokyo fell 0.9 per cent, while Hong Kong shed 0.5 percent and Shanghai sank 0.6 per cent.

Sydney lost 0.7 per cent, Singapore fell 0.5 percent and Seoul was off 0.4 per cent while Wellington, Manila and Taipei also fell.

The news overshadowed data showing US inflation eased in February from January, which helped to wind back concerns that the improving economy was pushing the Fed to lift borrowing costs four times this year rather than the three earlier thought.

Those figures, combined with the Tillerson sacking, sent the dollar lower against the yen and pound, with sterling also getting support from improving British economic forecasts.

And on Wednesday traders continued to sell the greenback against all its major peers as well as most high-yielding currencies.

&quot;The dollar sell-off can be attributed to the combination of lower (inflation) and the White House revolving door syndrome that exudes little confidence in the administration,&quot; Innes said, adding that &quot;the moves in equities suggest investors are bracing for more worrying protectionist headlines&quot;.

In early European trade London and Paris each dipped 0.1 percent, while Frankfurt was flat.

News that Rex Tillerson had been sacked rattled US equities

Asian markets tumbled on Wednesday as news that Donald Trump had replaced his moderate secretary of state with a hawk fanned fears of instability in the White House and a more hardline approach to foreign affairs. News that Rex Tillerson had been sacked rattled US equities, which had been buoyed earlier Tuesday by a soft inflation report that tempered talk of a sharp rise in interest rates. The former oilman had been seen as taking a more pragmatic line on various issues, particularly on global trade and the Iran nuclear agreement. He will be replaced by CIA chief Mike Pompeo, who is an advocate of taking a hardline with China on trade and Iran. Adding to the unease on trading floors were reports Trump is considering hitting China over alleged intellectual property theft, with an announcement on tech sector tariffs said to be lined up for as soon as next week. "The significance of a shift to a global trade and foreign policy hawk with the US on course for a trade showdown with China and diplomatic negotiations with North Korea, is very significant suggesting the US is readying for hardball negotiations," said Stephen Innes, head of Asia-Pacific trading at OANDA. The move, which had been expected in some quarters, comes after Trump's pro-markets top economics advisor stepped down this month over controversial metals tariffs. Tillerson marks the latest in a string of senior members of the administration to resign in 14 tumultuous months and reinforces a sense of uncertainty on Pennsylvania Avenue. "Markets one day may become exhausted if the staff turnover and perceived White House instability continues," Terry Haines, a senior political strategist at Evercore ISI, wrote in a note. "Trump and the administration will have some work to do to reassure markets." All three main US markets ended lower and Asia followed suit. Tokyo fell 0.9 per cent, while Hong Kong shed 0.5 percent and Shanghai sank 0.6 per cent. Sydney lost 0.7 per cent, Singapore fell 0.5 percent and Seoul was off 0.4 per cent while Wellington, Manila and Taipei also fell. The news overshadowed data showing US inflation eased in February from January, which helped to wind back concerns that the improving economy was pushing the Fed to lift borrowing costs four times this year rather than the three earlier thought. Those figures, combined with the Tillerson sacking, sent the dollar lower against the yen and pound, with sterling also getting support from improving British economic forecasts. And on Wednesday traders continued to sell the greenback against all its major peers as well as most high-yielding currencies. "The dollar sell-off can be attributed to the combination of lower (inflation) and the White House revolving door syndrome that exudes little confidence in the administration," Innes said, adding that "the moves in equities suggest investors are bracing for more worrying protectionist headlines". In early European trade London and Paris each dipped 0.1 percent, while Frankfurt was flat.

Asian markets tumble after Tillerson firing

Students across the United States walked out of classes on Wednesday in a nationwide call for action against gun violence following the shooting deaths last month at a Florida high school.

Hundreds of students from Washington area schools gathered outside the White House chanting &quot;Never again!&quot; and &quot;Enough is enough!&quot; and holding signs reading &quot;Protect People Not Guns.&quot;

At 10:00 am (1400 GMT), students in numerous cities held a moment of silence to honor the 14 students and three adult staff killed on Valentine&#39;s Day at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida.&nbsp;

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<h5>The &#39;National School Walkout&#39; was intended to last for 17 minutes, one for each victim</h5>
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The &quot;National School Walkout&quot; was intended to last for 17 minutes, one for each victim.

But it quickly became apparent that many students at schools on the East Coast decided not to go to classes at all and to demonstrate instead.

The nationwide protest is being held one month to the day after Nikolas Cruz, a troubled 19-year-old former student at Stoneman Douglas, unleashed a hail of gunfire on his former classmates.

The event to honor those slain at Stoneman Douglas is also an act of protest against the firearms violence plaguing the United States, which has more than 30,000 gun-related deaths annually.

Organizers come from the same group behind the Women&#39;s March, which saw millions of demonstrators take to the streets in cities across the country in January 2017 to protest Donald Trump&#39;s White House inauguration.

Trump had momentarily signaled support for increasing restrictions on guns, but now stands accused of bowing to the powerful US gun lobby.

Hundreds of students from Washington area schools gathered outside the White House chanting 'Never again!' and 'Enough is enough!' and holding signs reading 'Protect People Not Guns'

Students across the United States walked out of classes on Wednesday in a nationwide call for action against gun violence following the shooting deaths last month at a Florida high school. Hundreds of students from Washington area schools gathered outside the White House chanting "Never again!" and "Enough is enough!" and holding signs reading "Protect People Not Guns." At 10:00 am (1400 GMT), students in numerous cities held a moment of silence to honor the 14 students and three adult staff killed on Valentine's Day at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida. The 'National School Walkout' was intended to last for 17 minutes, one for each victim × The "National School Walkout" was intended to last for 17 minutes, one for each victim. But it quickly became apparent that many students at schools on the East Coast decided not to go to classes at all and to demonstrate instead. The nationwide protest is being held one month to the day after Nikolas Cruz, a troubled 19-year-old former student at Stoneman Douglas, unleashed a hail of gunfire on his former classmates. The event to honor those slain at Stoneman Douglas is also an act of protest against the firearms violence plaguing the United States, which has more than 30,000 gun-related deaths annually. Organizers come from the same group behind the Women's March, which saw millions of demonstrators take to the streets in cities across the country in January 2017 to protest Donald Trump's White House inauguration. Trump had momentarily signaled support for increasing restrictions on guns, but now stands accused of bowing to the powerful US gun lobby.

'Never again!': Students across US walk out of classrooms against gun violence

Gina Haspel broke another glass ceiling in her illustrious career in the CIA running over more than three decades when US President Donald Trump announced that she would become the first woman to lead the agency.

In a surprise move, Trump yesterday announced that he was removing Secretary of State Rex Tillerson and replacing him with CIA Director Mike Pompeo and elevating Haspel, who was his deputy.

The Senate must vote on 61-year-old Haspel&#39;s confirmation to succeed Pompeo. If confirmed by the Senate, Haspel would be the first women to lead the Central Intelligence Agency.

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Mike Pompeo, Director of the CIA, will become our new Secretary of State. He will do a fantastic job! Thank you to Rex Tillerson for his service! Gina Haspel will become the new Director of the CIA, and the first woman so chosen. Congratulations to all!
&mdash; Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/973540316656623616?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 13, 2018</a></blockquote>
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However, influential lawmakers yesterday indicated that they are unlikely to give her a pass. In fact, they are gearing up to grill her over her role in torture programme.

&quot;Gina, by the way, who I know very well, who I&#39;ve worked with very closely, will be the first woman director of the CIA. She&#39;s an outstanding person who also I have gotten to know very well,&quot; Trump told reporters at the White House.

Director of National Intelligence, Daniel Coats, said Trump has made a strong choice in his nomination of Haspel to serve as the next Director of CIA.

Haspel is a career intelligence officer who joined the CIA in 1985. She has extensive overseas experience and has served as Chief of Station in several locations, he said. She is the winner of George H W Bush Award for excellence in counterterrorism and also the Intelligence Medal of Merit.

On a flip side, Haspel once reportedly ran a secret prison in Thailand where terrorism suspects were allegedly subjected to harsh interrogation techniques like waterboarding.

According to &#39;The Wall Street Journal&#39;, she was part of a team that oversaw the CIA&#39;s detention and interrogation of suspected terrorists, using techniques that many experts and lawmakers since have described as torture.

Top senators were yesterday quick in pointing at her role in the torture programme.

Republican Senator John McCain, Chairman of the powerful Senate Armed Services Committee said the torture of detainees in US custody during the last decade was one of the darkest chapters in American history.

&quot;During the confirmation process, Haspel needs to explain the nature and extent of her involvement in the CIA&#39;s interrogation programme. I know the Senate will do its job in examining Ms. Haspel&#39;s record as well as her beliefs about torture and her approach to current law,&quot; McCain said.

Senator Dianne Feinstein said Haspel has been a &quot;good&quot; deputy director but mentioned that she had her reservations about the CIA&#39;s torture programme.

&quot;It&#39;s no secret I&#39;ve had concerns in the past with her connection to the CIA torture programme and have spent time with her discussing this. To the best of my knowledge, she has been a good deputy director and I look forward to the opportunity to speak with her again,&quot; she said.

Senator Ron Wyden, a senior member of the Senate Intelligence Committee, opposed the nomination of Haspel and called for total transparency about her background.

&quot;Ms. Haspel&#39;s background makes her unsuitable to serve as CIA director... If Ms. Haspel seeks to serve at the highest levels of US intelligence, the government can no longer cover up disturbing facts from her past,&quot; he said.

Senator Martin Heinrich, a member of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, said Trump&#39;s decision to nominate Haspel to serve as CIA Director is &quot;deeply troubling&quot;.

&quot;Her record makes her unsuitable for a leadership role at the agency, let alone to serve as the director. We should not be asked to confirm a nominee whose background cannot be publicly discussed and who cannot then be held accountable for her actions. The American public deserves to know who its leaders are,&quot; Heinrich said.

House Judiciary Committee Ranking Member Jerrold Nadler said the Senate owes it to the American people to take a hard look at Deputy Director Haspel, &quot;whose career at the CIA coincides with some of the darkest moments in recent American history&quot;.

&quot;She oversaw a black site prison in Thailand.? She approved interrogation techniques that were clearly unlawful at the time, and ordered the destruction of evidence of those practices,&quot; he alleged.

&quot;The Senate already rightly denied Deputy Director Haspel a post as head of the clandestine service because of the role she played in the Bush administration&#39;s enhanced interrogation programme. The Senate should not confirm Deputy Director Haspel to lead the CIA,? Nadler said.

However, Senate Majority leader Mitch McConnell got behind Haspel&#39;s nomination, calling her &quot;an outstanding choice&quot;.

&quot;The president has made an excellent choice in asking Gina to take on the responsibilities of leading the CIA and I look forward to working with her,&quot; he said.

Senator Richard Burr, the chairman of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, said his committe would continue its &quot;positive relationship&quot; with the CIA under her leadership.

The Senate must vote on 61-year-old Haspel's confirmation to succeed Pompeo.

Gina Haspel broke another glass ceiling in her illustrious career in the CIA running over more than three decades when US President Donald Trump announced that she would become the first woman to lead the agency. In a surprise move, Trump yesterday announced that he was removing Secretary of State Rex Tillerson and replacing him with CIA Director Mike Pompeo and elevating Haspel, who was his deputy. The Senate must vote on 61-year-old Haspel's confirmation to succeed Pompeo. If confirmed by the Senate, Haspel would be the first women to lead the Central Intelligence Agency. Mike Pompeo, Director of the CIA, will become our new Secretary of State. He will do a fantastic job! Thank you to Rex Tillerson for his service! Gina Haspel will become the new Director of the CIA, and the first woman so chosen. Congratulations to all! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 13, 2018 × However, influential lawmakers yesterday indicated that they are unlikely to give her a pass. In fact, they are gearing up to grill her over her role in torture programme. "Gina, by the way, who I know very well, who I've worked with very closely, will be the first woman director of the CIA. She's an outstanding person who also I have gotten to know very well," Trump told reporters at the White House. Director of National Intelligence, Daniel Coats, said Trump has made a strong choice in his nomination of Haspel to serve as the next Director of CIA. Haspel is a career intelligence officer who joined the CIA in 1985. She has extensive overseas experience and has served as Chief of Station in several locations, he said. She is the winner of George H W Bush Award for excellence in counterterrorism and also the Intelligence Medal of Merit. On a flip side, Haspel once reportedly ran a secret prison in Thailand where terrorism suspects were allegedly subjected to harsh interrogation techniques like waterboarding. According to 'The Wall Street Journal', she was part of a team that oversaw the CIA's detention and interrogation of suspected terrorists, using techniques that many experts and lawmakers since have described as torture. Top senators were yesterday quick in pointing at her role in the torture programme. Republican Senator John McCain, Chairman of the powerful Senate Armed Services Committee said the torture of detainees in US custody during the last decade was one of the darkest chapters in American history. "During the confirmation process, Haspel needs to explain the nature and extent of her involvement in the CIA's interrogation programme. I know the Senate will do its job in examining Ms. Haspel's record as well as her beliefs about torture and her approach to current law," McCain said. Senator Dianne Feinstein said Haspel has been a "good" deputy director but mentioned that she had her reservations about the CIA's torture programme. "It's no secret I've had concerns in the past with her connection to the CIA torture programme and have spent time with her discussing this. To the best of my knowledge, she has been a good deputy director and I look forward to the opportunity to speak with her again," she said. Senator Ron Wyden, a senior member of the Senate Intelligence Committee, opposed the nomination of Haspel and called for total transparency about her background. "Ms. Haspel's background makes her unsuitable to serve as CIA director... If Ms. Haspel seeks to serve at the highest levels of US intelligence, the government can no longer cover up disturbing facts from her past," he said. Senator Martin Heinrich, a member of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, said Trump's decision to nominate Haspel to serve as CIA Director is "deeply troubling". "Her record makes her unsuitable for a leadership role at the agency, let alone to serve as the director. We should not be asked to confirm a nominee whose background cannot be publicly discussed and who cannot then be held accountable for her actions. The American public deserves to know who its leaders are," Heinrich said. House Judiciary Committee Ranking Member Jerrold Nadler said the Senate owes it to the American people to take a hard look at Deputy Director Haspel, "whose career at the CIA coincides with some of the darkest moments in recent American history". "She oversaw a black site prison in Thailand.? She approved interrogation techniques that were clearly unlawful at the time, and ordered the destruction of evidence of those practices," he alleged. "The Senate already rightly denied Deputy Director Haspel a post as head of the clandestine service because of the role she played in the Bush administration's enhanced interrogation programme. The Senate should not confirm Deputy Director Haspel to lead the CIA,? Nadler said. However, Senate Majority leader Mitch McConnell got behind Haspel's nomination, calling her "an outstanding choice". "The president has made an excellent choice in asking Gina to take on the responsibilities of leading the CIA and I look forward to working with her," he said. Senator Richard Burr, the chairman of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, said his committe would continue its "positive relationship" with the CIA under her leadership.

Trump's nominee Gina Haspel faces US Senate hurdle in bid to lead CIA

President Trump&#39;s <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/tariff-tiff-donald-trump-elon-musk-engage-in-war-of-words-on-twitter-35590">administration is targeting China </a>import tariffs upto $60 billion even as Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said the US Senate was &quot;highly unlikely&quot; to pass legislation to nullify tariffs which President Trump has announced.

America is keen<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/wilbur-ross-eu-to-discuss-tariffs-trade-barriers-donald-trump-35569"> to impose tariffs on information technology</a>, consumer electronics and telecoms, newswire Reuters quoted. 
&nbsp; 
The list could include as many as 100 products, the Reuters report said.

China runs a $375 billion trade surplus with the United States. The White House, however, declined to comment on the size or timing of any move.

China had earlier indicated it would strike back against any US move to impose tariffs.

Meanwhile, Senate Majority Leader McConnell said there was still &quot;a lot of concern&quot; about the tariffs among Republicans.

Earlier, Senate Republican Jeff Flake had announced he was introducing legislation to nullify the tariffs.

&quot;You can be pro-growth, you can be pro-tariff, but you can&#39;t be both,&quot; Flake said on the Senate floor.

Overcoming a veto requires a two-thirds majority in both the Senate and House of Representatives, meaning the Republican majority would need significant support from the Democratic opposition.

The Trump administration has already started renegotiating the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) even as Canadian PM Trudeau told Trump last week tariffs would be an impediment to talks on updating NAFTA.

&nbsp;

China runs a $375 billion trade surplus with the United States

President Trump's administration is targeting China import tariffs upto $60 billion even as Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said the US Senate was "highly unlikely" to pass legislation to nullify tariffs which President Trump has announced. America is keen to impose tariffs on information technology, consumer electronics and telecoms, newswire Reuters quoted. The list could include as many as 100 products, the Reuters report said. China runs a $375 billion trade surplus with the United States. The White House, however, declined to comment on the size or timing of any move. China had earlier indicated it would strike back against any US move to impose tariffs. Meanwhile, Senate Majority Leader McConnell said there was still "a lot of concern" about the tariffs among Republicans. Earlier, Senate Republican Jeff Flake had announced he was introducing legislation to nullify the tariffs. "You can be pro-growth, you can be pro-tariff, but you can't be both," Flake said on the Senate floor. Overcoming a veto requires a two-thirds majority in both the Senate and House of Representatives, meaning the Republican majority would need significant support from the Democratic opposition. The Trump administration has already started renegotiating the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) even as Canadian PM Trudeau told Trump last week tariffs would be an impediment to talks on updating NAFTA.

Trump targeting $60 billion tariffs on Chinese imports in 100 items

Indian students suffered after there was a massive drop in the number of visas issued by the United States in 2017, dropping by 28 per cent.&nbsp;

As per reports, the total number of F-1 student visas issued to international students plummeted by 17 per cent from 417,728 in 2016 to 393,573. Indians accounted for the largest drop - from 65,257 in 2016 to 47,302 in 2017.

Other than that, the number of visas issued to students from China dropped by 24 per cent. Excluding China, the overall number fell by 13 per cent.

In China, a 2014 change in visa policy allows Chinese students to obtain an F-1 visa for a five-year period instead of one, freeing them from having to renew their visa each year. This could be the primary factor to the recent declines, reports said.&nbsp;

India and China have the maximum number of students studying in the US followed by South Korea, Saudi Arabia and Canada.

The massive decline in the number of international student visas has left some of America&#39;s top universities and schools in a bit of a toss. Some officials hold the Trump administration responsible for the move.&nbsp;

The drop&nbsp;in the&nbsp;number of visas issued&nbsp;to international students can be bad news for schools that have large international student populations. Nearly 20 per cent of the University of Tulsa&#39;s 4,400 enrolled students hail from overseas.

The decline in the number of foreign students had started before Trump became president - it came down from 644,233 in 2015 to 471,728 in 2016. The significant drop has is a result of high tuition costs and the state of the job market in the US.

Instead, they are going to countries like Canada, Germany and Australia, which are making it easier for international students to stay in the country after they graduate and become part of the workforce.

F-1 visa approvals were trending higher for nearly a decade when they peaked at more than 600,000 in 2015. But they have dropped off dramatically since.

The number of visas issued to students from China dropped by 24%.

Indian students suffered after there was a massive drop in the number of visas issued by the United States in 2017, dropping by 28 per cent. As per reports, the total number of F-1 student visas issued to international students plummeted by 17 per cent from 417,728 in 2016 to 393,573. Indians accounted for the largest drop - from 65,257 in 2016 to 47,302 in 2017. Other than that, the number of visas issued to students from China dropped by 24 per cent. Excluding China, the overall number fell by 13 per cent. In China, a 2014 change in visa policy allows Chinese students to obtain an F-1 visa for a five-year period instead of one, freeing them from having to renew their visa each year. This could be the primary factor to the recent declines, reports said. India and China have the maximum number of students studying in the US followed by South Korea, Saudi Arabia and Canada. The massive decline in the number of international student visas has left some of America's top universities and schools in a bit of a toss. Some officials hold the Trump administration responsible for the move. The drop in the number of visas issued to international students can be bad news for schools that have large international student populations. Nearly 20 per cent of the University of Tulsa's 4,400 enrolled students hail from overseas. The decline in the number of foreign students had started before Trump became president - it came down from 644,233 in 2015 to 471,728 in 2016. The significant drop has is a result of high tuition costs and the state of the job market in the US. Instead, they are going to countries like Canada, Germany and Australia, which are making it easier for international students to stay in the country after they graduate and become part of the workforce. F-1 visa approvals were trending higher for nearly a decade when they peaked at more than 600,000 in 2015. But they have dropped off dramatically since.

28 per cent drop in US student visas to Indians in 2017

The adult-film actress who claims she had an affair with Donald Trump before he became US&nbsp;president offered on Monday to return $130,000 that Trump&#39;s personal lawyer paid her in what she said was hush money to remain silent about the alleged relationship.

Actress Stephanie Clifford, who uses the stage name Stormy Daniels, has said the affair with Trump began in 2006 and lasted several months. Trump has denied he had an affair with Clifford.

Clifford proposed on Monday that she be allowed to discuss her alleged affair with the president freely after repaying the money.

&quot;This is an extremely fair offer,&quot; her attorney, Michael Avenatti, said in an interview. &quot;It accomplishes the goal of allowing the American people to decide who is telling the truth after hearing both sides.&quot;

The alleged affair has become the latest distraction for Trump as he tries to advance his trade agenda and prepares for a proposed meeting with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un. It also threatens to erode the president&#39;s support among evangelical voters.&nbsp;

Michael Cohen, a private lawyer for Trump, has said he paid Clifford $130,000 of his own money during the 2016 presidential election campaign. Cohen did not explain why he made the payment or say whether Trump was aware of it.

Regardless of whether Cohen accepts Clifford&#39;s offer, the money is the subject of a complaint by the watchdog group Common Cause to the Federal Election Commission. The group claims it is an illegal campaign contribution because of the size and purpose of the payment.

Avenatti in a letter to Cohen, a copy of which was seen by Reuters, said the actress would wire the funds to an account of Trump&#39;s choosing by Friday. Avenatti set a deadline of Tuesday for Cohen to respond.

Under the proposal, Clifford after returning the money would be allowed to speak &quot;openly and freely about her prior relationship with the president and attempts to silence her.&quot;

She also would be able to &quot;use and publish any text messages, photos and/or videos relating to the president that she may have in her possession, all without fear of retribution and/or legal liability for damages,&quot; the Avenatti letter said.

The letter also asked that the president&#39;s lawyers agree that neither Trump nor the shell company Cohen used to pay Clifford would attempt to block the broadcast of an interview Clifford taped with CBS News&#39;&nbsp;&quot;60 Minutes&quot; program last week.

And it would require the agreement be signed by all parties, including the president, who did not put his name to the previous nondisclosure deal.

Cohen, did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the letter, nor did Cohen&#39;s attorney. The White House also did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The offer from Avenatti came after White House spokeswoman Sarah Sanders told a briefing last week that Trump had won an arbitration proceeding against Clifford.

The New York Times reported last week that the president`s lawyer had secretly obtained a temporary restraining order to prevent Clifford from speaking out about her alleged affair with Trump.

Clifford in turn sued Trump for the right to speak about the &quot;intimate relationship&quot; she claims they had, saying he never signed the agreement to keep her quiet.

Clifford could be subjected to a $1 million penalty if she broke the nondisclosure agreement she signed. Avenatti told CNN over the weekend that at least 10 people had offered to pay the penalty if she would discuss the alleged affair.

&nbsp;

Actress Stephanie Clifford, who uses the stage name Stormy Daniels, has said the affair with Trump began in 2006 and lasted several months

The adult-film actress who claims she had an affair with Donald Trump before he became US president offered on Monday to return $130,000 that Trump's personal lawyer paid her in what she said was hush money to remain silent about the alleged relationship. Actress Stephanie Clifford, who uses the stage name Stormy Daniels, has said the affair with Trump began in 2006 and lasted several months. Trump has denied he had an affair with Clifford. Clifford proposed on Monday that she be allowed to discuss her alleged affair with the president freely after repaying the money. "This is an extremely fair offer," her attorney, Michael Avenatti, said in an interview. "It accomplishes the goal of allowing the American people to decide who is telling the truth after hearing both sides." The alleged affair has become the latest distraction for Trump as he tries to advance his trade agenda and prepares for a proposed meeting with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un. It also threatens to erode the president's support among evangelical voters. Michael Cohen, a private lawyer for Trump, has said he paid Clifford $130,000 of his own money during the 2016 presidential election campaign. Cohen did not explain why he made the payment or say whether Trump was aware of it. Regardless of whether Cohen accepts Clifford's offer, the money is the subject of a complaint by the watchdog group Common Cause to the Federal Election Commission. The group claims it is an illegal campaign contribution because of the size and purpose of the payment. Avenatti in a letter to Cohen, a copy of which was seen by Reuters, said the actress would wire the funds to an account of Trump's choosing by Friday. Avenatti set a deadline of Tuesday for Cohen to respond. Under the proposal, Clifford after returning the money would be allowed to speak "openly and freely about her prior relationship with the president and attempts to silence her." She also would be able to "use and publish any text messages, photos and/or videos relating to the president that she may have in her possession, all without fear of retribution and/or legal liability for damages," the Avenatti letter said. The letter also asked that the president's lawyers agree that neither Trump nor the shell company Cohen used to pay Clifford would attempt to block the broadcast of an interview Clifford taped with CBS News' "60 Minutes" program last week. And it would require the agreement be signed by all parties, including the president, who did not put his name to the previous nondisclosure deal. Cohen, did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the letter, nor did Cohen's attorney. The White House also did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The offer from Avenatti came after White House spokeswoman Sarah Sanders told a briefing last week that Trump had won an arbitration proceeding against Clifford. The New York Times reported last week that the president`s lawyer had secretly obtained a temporary restraining order to prevent Clifford from speaking out about her alleged affair with Trump. Clifford in turn sued Trump for the right to speak about the "intimate relationship" she claims they had, saying he never signed the agreement to keep her quiet. Clifford could be subjected to a $1 million penalty if she broke the nondisclosure agreement she signed. Avenatti told CNN over the weekend that at least 10 people had offered to pay the penalty if she would discuss the alleged affair.

Pornstar offers to repay $130,000 in dispute over alleged Trump affair

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/supreme-court-compulsory-linking-of-aadhaar-with-bank-accounts-mobiles-extended-indefinitely-35673" target="_blank">Supreme Court: Compulsory linking of Aadhaar with bank accounts, mobiles extended indefinitely</a>

The Supreme Court on Tuesday extended indefinitely till the judgement is pronounced the compulsory linking of Aadhaar numbers with bank accounts and mobile phones.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/trump-ousts-secretary-of-state-tillerson-cia-director-mike-pompeo-to-take-over-from-him-35689" target="_blank">Trump ousts Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, CIA director Mike Pompeo to take over from him</a>

US President Donald Trump announced Tuesday that that CIA Director was taking over from Rex Tillerson as Secretary of State.&nbsp;Trump added that Gina Haspel would lead the CIA.&nbsp;

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/nine-crpf-jawans-killed-in-a-maoist-attack-in-chhattisgarhs-sukma-district-35669" target="_blank">Nine CRPF jawans killed in </a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/nine-crpf-jawans-killed-in-a-maoist-attack-in-chhattisgarhs-sukma-district-35669" target="_blank">Maoist</a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/nine-crpf-jawans-killed-in-a-maoist-attack-in-chhattisgarhs-sukma-district-35669" target="_blank"> attack in Chhattisgarh&#39;s Sukma district</a>

At least nine CRPF personnel were killed and three others injured when Maoists blew up an anti-landmine vehicle in Sukma district of Chhattisgarh on Tuesday, said a senior police official.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/nepal-president-bidya-devi-bhandari-re-elected-to-second-term-in-office-35685" target="_blank">Nepal President Bidya Devi Bhandari re-elected to </a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/nepal-president-bidya-devi-bhandari-re-elected-to-second-term-in-office-35685" target="_blank">second</a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/nepal-president-bidya-devi-bhandari-re-elected-to-second-term-in-office-35685" target="_blank"> term in office</a>

Nepal&#39;s first woman president Bidya Devi Bhandari was today re-elected for a second term in office.&nbsp;Incumbent President Bhandari defeated Nepali Congress leader Kumari Laxmi Rai with an overwhelming majority in the presidential election.&nbsp;

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/japan-considers-seeking-summit-between-pm-abe-and-north-korea-leader-source-35690" target="_blank">Japan considers seeking summit between PM Abe and North Korea leader: Source</a>

Japan is considering seeking a summit between Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un to discuss Japanese citizens abducted by North Korean agents decades ago, a government source who was briefed on the matter said on Tuesday.&#39;

&nbsp;

Supreme Court: Compulsory linking of Aadhaar with bank accounts, mobiles extended indefinitely The Supreme Court on Tuesday extended indefinitely till the judgement is pronounced the compulsory linking of Aadhaar numbers with bank accounts and mobile phones. Trump ousts Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, CIA director Mike Pompeo to take over from him US President Donald Trump announced Tuesday that that CIA Director was taking over from Rex Tillerson as Secretary of State. Trump added that Gina Haspel would lead the CIA. Nine CRPF jawans killed in Maoist attack in Chhattisgarh's Sukma district At least nine CRPF personnel were killed and three others injured when Maoists blew up an anti-landmine vehicle in Sukma district of Chhattisgarh on Tuesday, said a senior police official. Nepal President Bidya Devi Bhandari re-elected to second term in office Nepal's first woman president Bidya Devi Bhandari was today re-elected for a second term in office. Incumbent President Bhandari defeated Nepali Congress leader Kumari Laxmi Rai with an overwhelming majority in the presidential election. Japan considers seeking summit between PM Abe and North Korea leader: Source Japan is considering seeking a summit between Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un to discuss Japanese citizens abducted by North Korean agents decades ago, a government source who was briefed on the matter said on Tuesday.'

WION Evening News Brief, March 13, 2018

President Donald Trump will raise about US $5 million for his prospective re-election campaign in 2020 and for the Republican National Committee at a fundraising event in Los Angeles on Tuesday, a party official said on Monday.

This is the first time in 14 months he will be visiting the populous state.Trump lost California by a two-to-one margin in 2016, worse than any modern Republican presidential nominee, and the state&rsquo;s political leaders have since led the nation in challenging Trump&rsquo;s policies on immigration, health care and the environment.

Trump will headline a fundraiser in Beverly Hills as part of what will be his first trip to California since he assumed the presidency in January 2017.

A party official said the $5 million will come from 90 people expected to attend the fundraiser. RNC Chair Ronna Romney McDaniel and finance chair Todd Ricketts will also attend.

Minimum contributions are $35,000, and guests can pay up to $250,000 each for a roundtable discussion and photo with the president, reports said.&nbsp;

The fundraiser will be hosted by &nbsp;Republican National Committee Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel, national finance chairman Todd Ricketts and deputy national finance chairman Elliott Broidy. 
&nbsp;

Trump will headline a fundraiser in Beverly Hills as part of what will be his first trip to California since he assumed the presidency in January 2017

President Donald Trump will raise about US $5 million for his prospective re-election campaign in 2020 and for the Republican National Committee at a fundraising event in Los Angeles on Tuesday, a party official said on Monday. This is the first time in 14 months he will be visiting the populous state.Trump lost California by a two-to-one margin in 2016, worse than any modern Republican presidential nominee, and the state’s political leaders have since led the nation in challenging Trump’s policies on immigration, health care and the environment. Trump will headline a fundraiser in Beverly Hills as part of what will be his first trip to California since he assumed the presidency in January 2017. A party official said the $5 million will come from 90 people expected to attend the fundraiser. RNC Chair Ronna Romney McDaniel and finance chair Todd Ricketts will also attend. Minimum contributions are $35,000, and guests can pay up to $250,000 each for a roundtable discussion and photo with the president, reports said. The fundraiser will be hosted by Republican National Committee Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel, national finance chairman Todd Ricketts and deputy national finance chairman Elliott Broidy.

Trump expected to raise US $5 million in California re-election

Even as the Trump administration gets ready to open talks with Kim&#39;s regime in May, the US has urged the United Nations Security Council(UNSC) to maintain sanctions against North Korea till it scaps its controversial nuclear weapons programme.

US National Security Advisor HR McMaster after lobbying for support on the issue at the UNSC, said: &quot;We are determined to keep up the campaign of maximum pressure until we see words match with deeds, and real progress toward denuclearization.&quot;&nbsp;

Meanwhile, US Ambassador to UN Nikki Haley praised China&#39;s effort to sustain sanctions against North Korea.

Dutch Ambassador Karel van Oosterom, who chairs the council&#39;s North Korea sanctions committee, said &quot;we have to continue implementing the sanctions as they stand.&quot;

McMaster said the Trump administration wanted to move quickly because of concerns that North Korea was steadily progressing toward major advancements in its military programs.

&quot;We may be able to pursue a diplomatic solution to the complete denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula. So we&rsquo;re determined to pursue that course,&quot; the US national security adviser said.

US Ambassador to UN Nikki Haley praised China's effort to sustain sanctions against North Korea.

Even as the Trump administration gets ready to open talks with Kim's regime in May, the US has urged the United Nations Security Council(UNSC) to maintain sanctions against North Korea till it scaps its controversial nuclear weapons programme. US National Security Advisor HR McMaster after lobbying for support on the issue at the UNSC, said: "We are determined to keep up the campaign of maximum pressure until we see words match with deeds, and real progress toward denuclearization." Meanwhile, US Ambassador to UN Nikki Haley praised China's effort to sustain sanctions against North Korea. Dutch Ambassador Karel van Oosterom, who chairs the council's North Korea sanctions committee, said "we have to continue implementing the sanctions as they stand." McMaster said the Trump administration wanted to move quickly because of concerns that North Korea was steadily progressing toward major advancements in its military programs. "We may be able to pursue a diplomatic solution to the complete denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula. So we’re determined to pursue that course," the US national security adviser said.

Determined to keep maximum pressure on North Korea over denuclearisation: US

US President Donald Trump put responsibility for raising the age limits on gun purchases to the courts and US states on Monday, saying he would wait for judicial rulings before acting.

&quot;On 18 to 21 Age Limits, watching court cases and rulings before acting. States are making this decision. Things are moving rapidly on this, but not much political support (to put it mildly),&quot; he wrote on Twitter.&nbsp;

The proposal to raise the minimum age for buying guns from 18 to 21 was not part of a modest set of gun safety proposals announced on Sunday night by Trump administration officials, which included training teachers to carry guns in schools and improving background checks.

Trump has said he believes armed teachers would deter school shootings and better protect students when they happen. The idea, already in place in some states, is backed by the National Rifle Association gun lobby.

The Republican president, who championed gun rights during his 2016 campaign, vowed to take action to prevent school shootings after a gunman killed 17 students and faculty at a high school in Parkland, Florida, on February 14.

The modest fixes proposed by the White House stepped back from some of the more sweeping changes Trump had considered after the latest school shooting.

"On 18 to 21 Age Limits, watching court cases and rulings before acting. States are making this decision. Things are moving rapidly on this, but not much political support (to put it mildly)," he wrote on Twitter.

US President Donald Trump put responsibility for raising the age limits on gun purchases to the courts and US states on Monday, saying he would wait for judicial rulings before acting. "On 18 to 21 Age Limits, watching court cases and rulings before acting. States are making this decision. Things are moving rapidly on this, but not much political support (to put it mildly)," he wrote on Twitter. The proposal to raise the minimum age for buying guns from 18 to 21 was not part of a modest set of gun safety proposals announced on Sunday night by Trump administration officials, which included training teachers to carry guns in schools and improving background checks. Trump has said he believes armed teachers would deter school shootings and better protect students when they happen. The idea, already in place in some states, is backed by the National Rifle Association gun lobby. The Republican president, who championed gun rights during his 2016 campaign, vowed to take action to prevent school shootings after a gunman killed 17 students and faculty at a high school in Parkland, Florida, on February 14. The modest fixes proposed by the White House stepped back from some of the more sweeping changes Trump had considered after the latest school shooting.

Trump says watching courts before acting on gun age limits

Days after<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/trump-optimistic-about-n-korea-talks-says-itll-work-out-35343"> US president Trump surprised </a>everyone, including his White House staff that he was open to meeting North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, CIA director Mike Pompeo backed Trump&#39;s decision declaring that Kim&#39;s regime was under threat due to the state of the economy.

&quot;Never <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/trump-says-chinese-president-helpful-on-kim-jong-un-meeting-35334">before have we had the North Koreans</a> in a position where their economy was at such risk, where their leadership was under such pressure,&quot; Pompeo said.

As critics lashed out at Trump for seemingly trying to divert attention over several controversies plaguing the White House, the CIA director said: &quot;The president isn&rsquo;t doing this for theatre, he is going there to solve a problem.&quot;

&quot;Make no mistake: while these negotiations are going on, there will be no concessions made,&quot; Pompeo asserted.

Meanwhile, US Defence Secretary Jim Mattis said he won&#39;t be speaking about the North Korean talks as White House and State Department were leading the initiative.

&quot;This is a diplomatically led effort,&quot; Mattis said, adding,&quot;&quot;When you get into a position like this, the potential for misunderstanding remains very high... so I want those who are actually engaging in the discussions to be the ones who answer all media questions about it.&quot;

South Korean official Chung Eui-yong had announced last Thursday that Kim and Trump will meet in May for talks on denuclearisation.

Mattis was among the senior officials present in the White House when Trump accepted the invitation.

US Defence Secretary Jim Mattis said he won't be speaking about the North Korean talks as White House and State Department were leading the initiative.

Days after US president Trump surprised everyone, including his White House staff that he was open to meeting North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, CIA director Mike Pompeo backed Trump's decision declaring that Kim's regime was under threat due to the state of the economy. "Never before have we had the North Koreans in a position where their economy was at such risk, where their leadership was under such pressure," Pompeo said. As critics lashed out at Trump for seemingly trying to divert attention over several controversies plaguing the White House, the CIA director said: "The president isn’t doing this for theatre, he is going there to solve a problem." "Make no mistake: while these negotiations are going on, there will be no concessions made," Pompeo asserted. Meanwhile, US Defence Secretary Jim Mattis said he won't be speaking about the North Korean talks as White House and State Department were leading the initiative. "This is a diplomatically led effort," Mattis said, adding,""When you get into a position like this, the potential for misunderstanding remains very high... so I want those who are actually engaging in the discussions to be the ones who answer all media questions about it." South Korean official Chung Eui-yong had announced last Thursday that Kim and Trump will meet in May for talks on denuclearisation. Mattis was among the senior officials present in the White House when Trump accepted the invitation.

Trump's North Korea talks not theatre, he will solve a problem: CIA chief Pompeo

Taking a swipe at US President Donald Trump for backing out of Paris climate agreement, French President Emmanuel Macron lauded the efforts of India, along with other nations, for making International Solar Alliance (ISA) a reality.

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However, Macron did not name Trump at the founding conference of ISA in the capital today. While hailing the &#39;Solar Mamas&#39;, a group of women solar engineers, he also referred to the countries which decided to leave the climate agreement.

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Addressing the summit in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Macron said, &quot;Mr Prime Minister, You made a dream and we did it. It was about this International Solar Alliance. It was two years ago, it was just an idea at that time and we decided all together to act very quickly and today a big change&quot;.

Expressing his immense happiness and lauding the efforts of Solar Mamas, he said, &quot;Our solar mamas did not wait for us. They started to act and to deliver complete results. They did not wait and stop because some countries (US and others) just decided to leave the floor and leave the Paris agreement. Because they (ISA nations) decided it is good for them their children and grand children. They decided to act and keep acting&quot;.

The oblique reference was towards US President Trump&#39;s decision to pull out of the Paris climate agreement, which was signed by nearly 200 countries in December 2015 in an effort to curb global greenhouse gas emission and limit global warming to within 2 degrees Celsius.

In November last year, Syria signed the deal, leaving the US as the only country in the world not to support the framework deal to combat greenhouse gas emissions.

Interestingly, France is the co-host for the founding conference of the the ISA which is a treaty based international body with 121 prospective member countries.

As many as 60 nations have signed the agreement to join ISA, while 30 have already ratified the agreement and made it possible to make it a legal entity in December last year.

Macron said the countries at the ISA represent three-fourths of the world population. As much as 20-50 per cent of the population do not have access to power.

The joint goal is to have 1 TW of solar energy by 2020 for which &quot;we need USD 1,000 billion,&quot; he said.

Today, heads of 23 nations and 10 ministerial representatives gathered here for alliance&#39;s first summit.&nbsp;

'Mr Prime Minister (Modi), You made a dream and we did it. It was about this International Solar Alliance. It was two years ago, it was just an idea at that time and we decided all together to act very quickly and today a big change,' said Macron

Taking a swipe at US President Donald Trump for backing out of Paris climate agreement, French President Emmanuel Macron lauded the efforts of India, along with other nations, for making International Solar Alliance (ISA) a reality. × However, Macron did not name Trump at the founding conference of ISA in the capital today. While hailing the 'Solar Mamas', a group of women solar engineers, he also referred to the countries which decided to leave the climate agreement. × Addressing the summit in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Macron said, "Mr Prime Minister, You made a dream and we did it. It was about this International Solar Alliance. It was two years ago, it was just an idea at that time and we decided all together to act very quickly and today a big change". Expressing his immense happiness and lauding the efforts of Solar Mamas, he said, "Our solar mamas did not wait for us. They started to act and to deliver complete results. They did not wait and stop because some countries (US and others) just decided to leave the floor and leave the Paris agreement. Because they (ISA nations) decided it is good for them their children and grand children. They decided to act and keep acting". The oblique reference was towards US President Trump's decision to pull out of the Paris climate agreement, which was signed by nearly 200 countries in December 2015 in an effort to curb global greenhouse gas emission and limit global warming to within 2 degrees Celsius. In November last year, Syria signed the deal, leaving the US as the only country in the world not to support the framework deal to combat greenhouse gas emissions. Interestingly, France is the co-host for the founding conference of the the ISA which is a treaty based international body with 121 prospective member countries. As many as 60 nations have signed the agreement to join ISA, while 30 have already ratified the agreement and made it possible to make it a legal entity in December last year. Macron said the countries at the ISA represent three-fourths of the world population. As much as 20-50 per cent of the population do not have access to power. The joint goal is to have 1 TW of solar energy by 2020 for which "we need USD 1,000 billion," he said. Today, heads of 23 nations and 10 ministerial representatives gathered here for alliance's first summit.

French President Macron takes dig at Trump, hails India's efforts at making International Solar Alliance a reality

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/trump-optimistic-about-n-korea-talks-says-itll-work-out-35343">Trump optimistic about N Korea talks, says &#39;it&#39;ll work out&#39;</a>

President Donald Trump predicted &quot;tremendous success&quot; today in upcoming groundbreaking talks with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, adding that the reclusive state had promised not to shoot missiles in the interim. The comments came after the American leader said he has received encouragement from the leaders of China and Japan as he moves toward the high stakes summit, announced suddenly this week.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/inx-media-case-karti-chidambaram-taken-to-tihar-jail-to-confront-his-ca-35355">INX media case: Karti Chidambaram, his CA brought face-to-face in Tihar Jail</a>

The CBI on Saturday brought Karti Chidambaram and S Bhaskararaman, Karti&#39;s chartered accountant, face-to-face. Bhaskararaman, who handled all the business dealings and finance of Karti, was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) last month. The agency had on Friday extended Karti&#39;s custody to make him confront his CA.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/me-my-sister-have-completely-forgiven-fathers-killers-rahul-gandhi-35349">Me</a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/me-my-sister-have-completely-forgiven-fathers-killers-rahul-gandhi-35349">, my sister have &#39;completely forgiven&#39; father&#39;s killers: Rahul Gandhi</a>

Congress President Rahul Gandhi today said that he and his sister Priyanka Gandhi have &quot;completely forgiven&quot; his father Rajiv Gandhi&#39;s killers. During his interaction with IIM alumni in Singapore, Gandhi, when asked if he and his sister Priyanka had forgiven his father&#39;s killers, said: &quot;We were very upset and hurt and for many years we were quite angry. But, somehow, completely...In fact, completely (forgiven).&quot;&nbsp;

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/uttar-pradesh-gorakhpur-phulpur-constituencies-to-go-for-polls-shortly-35344">Uttar Pradesh </a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/uttar-pradesh-gorakhpur-phulpur-constituencies-to-go-for-polls-shortly-35344">bypoll</a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/uttar-pradesh-gorakhpur-phulpur-constituencies-to-go-for-polls-shortly-35344">: CM Yogi Adityanath casts vote as voting begins in Gorakhpur, Phulpur</a>

Uttar Pradesh&rsquo;s Gorakhpur and Phulpur parliamentary constituencies will go to polls on Sunday morning amid tight security. The elections were necessitated due to Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya vacating their respective seats in Gorakhpur and Phulpur constituencies after they were elected to the Uttar Pradesh Legislative Council.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/jeff-bezos-rockets-to-richest-person-on-the-planet-35351">Jeff Bezos rockets to </a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/jeff-bezos-rockets-to-richest-person-on-the-planet-35351">richest</a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/jeff-bezos-rockets-to-richest-person-on-the-planet-35351"> person on the planet</a>

Jeff Bezos is officially the richest person on the planet thanks to the success of Amazon -- but his bold vision extends to space and even time itself. With Amazon&#39;s share price up nearly 60 percent during the past year, the personal wealth of the company&#39;s 54-year-old founder has doubled to more than $110 billion.

Trump optimistic about N Korea talks, says 'it'll work out' President Donald Trump predicted "tremendous success" today in upcoming groundbreaking talks with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, adding that the reclusive state had promised not to shoot missiles in the interim. The comments came after the American leader said he has received encouragement from the leaders of China and Japan as he moves toward the high stakes summit, announced suddenly this week. INX media case: Karti Chidambaram, his CA brought face-to-face in Tihar Jail The CBI on Saturday brought Karti Chidambaram and S Bhaskararaman, Karti's chartered accountant, face-to-face. Bhaskararaman, who handled all the business dealings and finance of Karti, was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) last month. The agency had on Friday extended Karti's custody to make him confront his CA. Me, my sister have 'completely forgiven' father's killers: Rahul Gandhi Congress President Rahul Gandhi today said that he and his sister Priyanka Gandhi have "completely forgiven" his father Rajiv Gandhi's killers. During his interaction with IIM alumni in Singapore, Gandhi, when asked if he and his sister Priyanka had forgiven his father's killers, said: "We were very upset and hurt and for many years we were quite angry. But, somehow, completely...In fact, completely (forgiven)." Uttar Pradesh bypoll: CM Yogi Adityanath casts vote as voting begins in Gorakhpur, Phulpur Uttar Pradesh’s Gorakhpur and Phulpur parliamentary constituencies will go to polls on Sunday morning amid tight security. The elections were necessitated due to Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya vacating their respective seats in Gorakhpur and Phulpur constituencies after they were elected to the Uttar Pradesh Legislative Council. Jeff Bezos rockets to richest person on the planet Jeff Bezos is officially the richest person on the planet thanks to the success of Amazon -- but his bold vision extends to space and even time itself. With Amazon's share price up nearly 60 percent during the past year, the personal wealth of the company's 54-year-old founder has doubled to more than $110 billion.

WION Morning News Brief, March 10, 2018

U.S. President Donald Trump&#39;s condition for meeting North Korean leader Kim Jong-un is that there be no nuclear or missile testing, Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin said on Sunday.

&quot;There shouldn&#39;t be confusion,&quot; Mnuchin told NBC&#39;s &quot;Meet the Press&quot; program, when asked about White House press secretary Sarah Sanders&#39; statement on Friday that there would be no meeting without concrete and verifiable actions by North Korea.

&quot;The president has made it clear that the conditions are that there&#39;s no nuclear testing and there&#39;s no missiles and those will be a condition through the meeting.&quot;

After months of escalating tensions over North Korea&#39;s advancing nuclear and missile programs, Trump decided on Thursday to become the first sitting U.S. president to meet with North Korea&#39;s leader.

On Saturday, Trump said his meeting could fizzle without an agreement or it could result in &quot;the greatest deal for the world&quot; with a denuclearisation of the Korean peninsula.

Mnuchin dismissed criticism that Trump&#39;s decision to meet elevates the North Korean leader&#39;s international standing. He said the Republican president has also been criticized for not using more diplomacy to contain Pyongyang&#39;s nuclear ambitions.

&quot;Now we have a situation where the president is using diplomacy but we&#39;re not removing the maximum pressure campaign,&quot; Mnuchin said. &quot;That&#39;s the big difference here. The sanctions are staying on. The defence posture is staying the same as it is, so the president is going to sit down and see if he can cut a deal.&quot;

Mnuchin said denuclearisation of the peninsula is the objective of a meeting between the two leaders.

&quot;We&#39;ve been very clear ... that&#39;s the objective and that&#39;s what we&#39;re going to accomplish,&quot; he said.

He said he was confident the meeting would take place.

'The president has made it clear that the conditions are that there's no nuclear testing and there's no missiles and those will be a condition through the meeting,' the Treasury Secretary said

U.S. President Donald Trump's condition for meeting North Korean leader Kim Jong-un is that there be no nuclear or missile testing, Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin said on Sunday. "There shouldn't be confusion," Mnuchin told NBC's "Meet the Press" program, when asked about White House press secretary Sarah Sanders' statement on Friday that there would be no meeting without concrete and verifiable actions by North Korea. "The president has made it clear that the conditions are that there's no nuclear testing and there's no missiles and those will be a condition through the meeting." After months of escalating tensions over North Korea's advancing nuclear and missile programs, Trump decided on Thursday to become the first sitting U.S. president to meet with North Korea's leader. On Saturday, Trump said his meeting could fizzle without an agreement or it could result in "the greatest deal for the world" with a denuclearisation of the Korean peninsula. Mnuchin dismissed criticism that Trump's decision to meet elevates the North Korean leader's international standing. He said the Republican president has also been criticized for not using more diplomacy to contain Pyongyang's nuclear ambitions. "Now we have a situation where the president is using diplomacy but we're not removing the maximum pressure campaign," Mnuchin said. "That's the big difference here. The sanctions are staying on. The defence posture is staying the same as it is, so the president is going to sit down and see if he can cut a deal." Mnuchin said denuclearisation of the peninsula is the objective of a meeting between the two leaders. "We've been very clear ... that's the objective and that's what we're going to accomplish," he said. He said he was confident the meeting would take place.

Trump's condition for Kim meeting is no nuclear, missile test: Mnuchin

President Donald Trump predicted &quot;tremendous success&quot; today in upcoming groundbreaking talks with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, adding that the reclusive state had promised not to shoot missiles in the interim.

The comments came after the American leader said he has received encouragement from the leaders of China and Japan as he moves toward the high stakes summit, announced suddenly this week.

US President Donald Trump said on Saturday North Korea had agreed to not conduct another missile test until after proposed meetings with its leader, Kim Jong Un, had taken place, as he sought to rally international support for a potential summit.

&ldquo;North Korea has not conducted a Missile Test since November 28, 2017, and has promised not to do so through our meetings. I believe they will honor that commitment!&rdquo; Trump wrote on Twitter.

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North Korea has not conducted a Missile Test since November 28, 2017 and has promised not to do so through our meetings. I believe they will honor that commitment!
&mdash; Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/972542173030879233?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 10, 2018</a></blockquote>
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&nbsp;

Also, after speaking with his <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/trump-says-chinese-president-helpful-on-kim-jong-un-meeting-35334">Japanese counterpart</a>, the US President posted on Twitter, &quot;Spoke to Prime Minister Abe of Japan, who is very enthusiastic about talks with North Korea. Also discussing opening up Japan to much better trade with the US.&nbsp;Currently, have a massive $100 Billion Trade Deficit. Not fair or sustainable. It will all work out!&quot;

Trump also took to Twitter on Saturday to characterize the leaders of China and Japan as supportive of the potential dialogue, even as he did little to clear up confusion over the timing of any talks and what preconditions would be required.

&ldquo;President XI told me he appreciates that the US&nbsp;is working to solve the problem diplomatically rather than going with the ominous alternative,&rdquo; Trump wrote on Twitter, referring to Chinese President Xi Jinping. &ldquo;China continues to be helpful!&rdquo;

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Spoke to Prime Minister Abe of Japan, who is very enthusiastic about talks with North Korea. Also discussing opening up Japan to much better trade with the U.S. Currently have a massive $100 Billion Trade Deficit. Not fair or sustainable. It will all work out!
&mdash; Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/972523294233710593?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 10, 2018</a></blockquote>
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&nbsp;

Following Trump&#39;s nod to meet North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, Abe announced that he will be visiting the US to discuss North Korea with the US President.

Trump&rsquo;s apparently impromptu decision to begin setting up talks contrasts with Kim&rsquo;s situation -- North Korea has prepared deliberately for decades for a meeting with the sitting US president as a major step toward gaining international legitimacy.

Late on Friday Trump wrote that a deal with North Korea &ldquo;is very much in the making and will be, if completed, a very good one for the World. Time and place to be determined.&rdquo;

The Twitter posts followed a news briefing by White House spokeswoman Sarah Sanders on Friday where she said Trump would not have a meeting &ldquo;without seeing concrete steps and concrete actions take place by North Korea, so the president will actually be getting something.&rdquo;

Kim had earlier invited Trump to join him for what would be unprecedented talks between leaders of the two nations.

The comments came after the American leader said he has received encouragement from the leaders of China and Japan as he moves toward the high stakes summit, announced suddenly this week

President Donald Trump predicted "tremendous success" today in upcoming groundbreaking talks with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, adding that the reclusive state had promised not to shoot missiles in the interim. The comments came after the American leader said he has received encouragement from the leaders of China and Japan as he moves toward the high stakes summit, announced suddenly this week. US President Donald Trump said on Saturday North Korea had agreed to not conduct another missile test until after proposed meetings with its leader, Kim Jong Un, had taken place, as he sought to rally international support for a potential summit. “North Korea has not conducted a Missile Test since November 28, 2017, and has promised not to do so through our meetings. I believe they will honor that commitment!” Trump wrote on Twitter. North Korea has not conducted a Missile Test since November 28, 2017 and has promised not to do so through our meetings. I believe they will honor that commitment! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 10, 2018 × Also, after speaking with his Japanese counterpart, the US President posted on Twitter, "Spoke to Prime Minister Abe of Japan, who is very enthusiastic about talks with North Korea. Also discussing opening up Japan to much better trade with the US. Currently, have a massive $100 Billion Trade Deficit. Not fair or sustainable. It will all work out!" Trump also took to Twitter on Saturday to characterize the leaders of China and Japan as supportive of the potential dialogue, even as he did little to clear up confusion over the timing of any talks and what preconditions would be required. “President XI told me he appreciates that the US is working to solve the problem diplomatically rather than going with the ominous alternative,” Trump wrote on Twitter, referring to Chinese President Xi Jinping. “China continues to be helpful!” Spoke to Prime Minister Abe of Japan, who is very enthusiastic about talks with North Korea. Also discussing opening up Japan to much better trade with the U.S. Currently have a massive $100 Billion Trade Deficit. Not fair or sustainable. It will all work out! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 10, 2018 × Following Trump's nod to meet North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, Abe announced that he will be visiting the US to discuss North Korea with the US President. Trump’s apparently impromptu decision to begin setting up talks contrasts with Kim’s situation -- North Korea has prepared deliberately for decades for a meeting with the sitting US president as a major step toward gaining international legitimacy. Late on Friday Trump wrote that a deal with North Korea “is very much in the making and will be, if completed, a very good one for the World. Time and place to be determined.” The Twitter posts followed a news briefing by White House spokeswoman Sarah Sanders on Friday where she said Trump would not have a meeting “without seeing concrete steps and concrete actions take place by North Korea, so the president will actually be getting something.” Kim had earlier invited Trump to join him for what would be unprecedented talks between leaders of the two nations.

Trump optimistic about N Korea talks, says 'it'll work out'

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/us-seeks-concrete-actions-from-north-korea-before-planned-talks-35266">US</a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/us-seeks-concrete-actions-from-north-korea-before-planned-talks-35266"> seeks &#39;concrete actions&#39; from North Korea before planned talks</a>

US President Donald Trump will not meet with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un unless Pyongyang takes &quot;concrete actions,&quot; the White House said on Friday as it faced criticism for agreeing to talks that would give North Korea international legitimacy.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/french-president-macron-arrives-in-india-on-4-day-visit-35256">French president Macron arrives in India on </a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/french-president-macron-arrives-in-india-on-4-day-visit-35256">4-day</a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/french-president-macron-arrives-in-india-on-4-day-visit-35256"> visit</a>

French President France Emmanuel Macron arrived in New Delhi on Friday on a four-day state visit. He was received by Prime Minister Narendra Modi as soon as he touched down at the Delhi airport. The two had a brief interaction before the French president was whisked away in a waiting car.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/deal-with-north-korea-in-the-making-and-will-be-a-good-one-for-the-world-trump-35275">Deal with North Korea in the making and will be a good one for the world: Trump</a>

US President Donald Trump on Saturday a deal with North Korea is very much in the making and will be, if completed, a very good one for the world. Trump took to Twitter and said, &quot;a deal with North Korea is very much in the making and will be, if completed, a very good one for the world.&quot;

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/loya-may-have-died-due-to-poisoning-ngo-to-supreme-court-35276">Justice Loya may have died due to poisoning: NGO to Supreme court</a>

An NGO, which had sought an independent probe into the alleged mysterious death of special CBI judge B H Loya Saturday claimed in the Supreme Court that he might have died due to poisoning as he had complained of chest congestion.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/gunman-holed-up-at-california-veterans-home-with-3-hostages-35269">Gunman</a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/gunman-holed-up-at-california-veterans-home-with-3-hostages-35269"> holed up at California veterans home with 3 hostages&nbsp;</a>

A gunman who once served in the US military opened fire on Friday inside a California home for disabled and aging war veterans, where he took three hostages and was holding police at bay as negotiators sought to make contact with him for several hours, authorities said.

US seeks 'concrete actions' from North Korea before planned talks US President Donald Trump will not meet with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un unless Pyongyang takes "concrete actions," the White House said on Friday as it faced criticism for agreeing to talks that would give North Korea international legitimacy. French president Macron arrives in India on 4-day visit French President France Emmanuel Macron arrived in New Delhi on Friday on a four-day state visit. He was received by Prime Minister Narendra Modi as soon as he touched down at the Delhi airport. The two had a brief interaction before the French president was whisked away in a waiting car. Deal with North Korea in the making and will be a good one for the world: Trump US President Donald Trump on Saturday a deal with North Korea is very much in the making and will be, if completed, a very good one for the world. Trump took to Twitter and said, "a deal with North Korea is very much in the making and will be, if completed, a very good one for the world." Justice Loya may have died due to poisoning: NGO to Supreme court An NGO, which had sought an independent probe into the alleged mysterious death of special CBI judge B H Loya Saturday claimed in the Supreme Court that he might have died due to poisoning as he had complained of chest congestion. Gunman holed up at California veterans home with 3 hostages A gunman who once served in the US military opened fire on Friday inside a California home for disabled and aging war veterans, where he took three hostages and was holding police at bay as negotiators sought to make contact with him for several hours, authorities said.

US President Donald Trump on Saturday a deal with North Korea is very much in the making and will be, if completed, a very good one for the world.

Trump took to Twitter and said, &quot;a deal with North Korea is very much in the making and will be, if completed, a very good one for the world.&quot;

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
The deal with North Korea is very much in the making and will be, if completed, a very good one for the World. Time and place to be determined.
&mdash; Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/972271520847466498?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 10, 2018</a></blockquote>
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No US president has agreed to sit down with a North Korean leader -- until now. Trump&#39;s move is a sharp departure from 60 years of largely arms-length US&nbsp;diplomacy when it comes to North Korea, not to mention his own previous bellicose rhetoric against Pyongyang.&nbsp;

Trump and Kim prompted jitters around the world last year as they exchanged bellicose insults over the North&#39;s attempts to develop a nuclear weapon capable of hitting the United States, which it has pursued in defiance of UN Security Council resolutions.

US Vice-President Mike Pence said that the US had made &quot;zero concessions&quot; and aims to&nbsp;maintain pressure until &#39;&#39;denuclearisation&#39;&#39; is&nbsp;accomplished.&nbsp;

It also represents another instance in which the Republican Trump, a businessman who promised to shake up Washington, took a completely different direction than his Democratic predecessor.

Trump reportedly accepted the invitation almost on the spot, making a unilateral decision and up-ending decades of US foreign policy.

The remarkable meeting will see the two eccentric, headstrong leaders meet as soon as May.

Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said it was &ldquo;a decision the President took himself&rdquo;, just like his radical announcement on tariffs. The news comes amid further embarrassment for the businessman after a the identity of the porn star who accused him of sexual harassment was revealed.

White House officials said that when South Korean national security adviser Chung Eui-yong relayed Kim&#39;s invitation in an Oval Office meeting on Thursday (March 08), Trump readily agreed, feeling that US-led sanctions were weakening North Korea.

Trump's move is a sharp departure from 60 years of largely arms-length US diplomacy when it comes to North Korea, not to mention his own previous bellicose rhetoric against Pyongyang

US President Donald Trump on Saturday a deal with North Korea is very much in the making and will be, if completed, a very good one for the world. Trump took to Twitter and said, "a deal with North Korea is very much in the making and will be, if completed, a very good one for the world." The deal with North Korea is very much in the making and will be, if completed, a very good one for the World. Time and place to be determined. — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 10, 2018 × No US president has agreed to sit down with a North Korean leader -- until now. Trump's move is a sharp departure from 60 years of largely arms-length US diplomacy when it comes to North Korea, not to mention his own previous bellicose rhetoric against Pyongyang. Trump and Kim prompted jitters around the world last year as they exchanged bellicose insults over the North's attempts to develop a nuclear weapon capable of hitting the United States, which it has pursued in defiance of UN Security Council resolutions. US Vice-President Mike Pence said that the US had made "zero concessions" and aims to maintain pressure until ''denuclearisation'' is accomplished. It also represents another instance in which the Republican Trump, a businessman who promised to shake up Washington, took a completely different direction than his Democratic predecessor. Trump reportedly accepted the invitation almost on the spot, making a unilateral decision and up-ending decades of US foreign policy. The remarkable meeting will see the two eccentric, headstrong leaders meet as soon as May. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said it was “a decision the President took himself”, just like his radical announcement on tariffs. The news comes amid further embarrassment for the businessman after a the identity of the porn star who accused him of sexual harassment was revealed. White House officials said that when South Korean national security adviser Chung Eui-yong relayed Kim's invitation in an Oval Office meeting on Thursday (March 08), Trump readily agreed, feeling that US-led sanctions were weakening North Korea.

Deal with North Korea in the making and will be a good one for the world: Trump

Japanese Prime Minister, Shinzō Abe, on Friday, welcomed the announcement of the meet between US President Donald Trump and his North Korean counterpart Kim Jong Un.

&quot;I highly appreciate North Korea`s change that it will begin talks on the premise of denuclearisation,&quot; Shinzo Abe said, adding that he planned to visit the United States to meet Trump &quot;as early as April&quot;.

Japan has been cautious about a recent Olympics-driven rapprochement on the Korean peninsula. The Japanese Prime Minister noted on Thursday that &quot;talks for the sake of talks are meaningless.&quot;

Abe sounded positive about the planned Trump-Kim summit. He also described the event as &quot;the achievement of cooperation between... Japan, the US, and South Korea to maintain great pressure&quot;.

&quot;We will keep putting maximum pressure (on North Korea) until North Korea takes concrete actions toward denuclearisation in a manner that is perfect, verifiable and irreversible.&quot;

According to Abe, there is no change in policy for Japan and the US.

(With inputs from ANI)&nbsp;

 
&nbsp;

Japan has been cautious about a recent Olympics-driven rapprochement on the Korean peninsula

Japanese Prime Minister, Shinzō Abe, on Friday, welcomed the announcement of the meet between US President Donald Trump and his North Korean counterpart Kim Jong Un. "I highly appreciate North Korea`s change that it will begin talks on the premise of denuclearisation," Shinzo Abe said, adding that he planned to visit the United States to meet Trump "as early as April". Japan has been cautious about a recent Olympics-driven rapprochement on the Korean peninsula. The Japanese Prime Minister noted on Thursday that "talks for the sake of talks are meaningless." Abe sounded positive about the planned Trump-Kim summit. He also described the event as "the achievement of cooperation between... Japan, the US, and South Korea to maintain great pressure". "We will keep putting maximum pressure (on North Korea) until North Korea takes concrete actions toward denuclearisation in a manner that is perfect, verifiable and irreversible." According to Abe, there is no change in policy for Japan and the US. (With inputs from ANI)

Japan's Prime Minister hails and welcomes Trump-Kim summit 

&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; 
President Donald Trump&#39;s team played down talk of a trade war Wednesday as it fought to limit a financial market sell-off, promising a quick decision on contentious tariffs that prompted a popular economic advisor to the president to quit.

Administration big guns Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross and Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin rushed to the cameras to calm market jitters over proposed steel and aluminium duties, which they indicated were still negotiable and would not hurt growth.&nbsp;

Trump is set to formalize the tariffs at a signing ceremony Thursday afternoon, and Canada and Mexico will be exempt initially, Peter Navarro, a top trade advisor, told Fox Business Network Wednesday night.

As markets fell on news that Wall Street favourite Gary Cohn, Trump`s top economic adviser, had resigned from the White House in protest at Trump&#39;s trade decision and global partners vowed retaliation, Ross tried to calm fears of a trade war.

&quot;We&#39;re going to have sensible relations with our allies,&quot; he told CNBC, claiming that Trump&#39;s policy was well &quot;thought through. We&#39;re not looking for a trade war.&quot; Mnuchin joined the effort, claiming that the tariffs, which are not yet finalized, would not hurt the administration&#39;s projections for three percent growth.&nbsp;

&quot;We&#39;re comfortable that we&#39;re going to manage through this so that it is not detrimental to our growth projections,&quot; he told Fox Business.

As stocks fell off on Wall Street, a fierce battle over Trump&#39;s proposals raged behind the scenes in Washington.

Trump surprised and angered Republican lawmakers with his impromptu tariff announcement last week.&nbsp;

Congress is now starting to contemplate legislation that would block the measures from taking effect.

&quot;We are still trying to work with POTUS to avoid that outcome,&quot; a congressional source told AFP.Even Trump&#39;s most accommodating allies have begun to speak out against what amounts to a major break with Republican orthodoxy.

&quot;There is a lot of concern among Republican senators that this could sort of metastasize into a larger trade war,&quot; Senate majority leader Mitch McConnell told reporters.&nbsp;

&quot;Many of our members are discussing with the administration just how broad, how sweeping this might be,&quot; he added. &quot;There&#39;s a high level of concern about interfering with what appears to be an economy that`s taking off in every respect.&quot;

White House press secretary Sarah Sanders also tried to soothe unease, projecting calm and saying a decision would come soon.

&quot;We are still on pace for an announcement on that at the end of this week,&quot; she said, adding that Trump would also quickly move to replace Cohn with a mainstream pick.

&quot;The president&#39;s got a number of people that could potentially fill that role,&quot; she said.

&quot;What I can assure you obviously is he&#39;s going to make a good pick that can help him continue to further building a strong economy and continue creating jobs and continue focusing on long-term economic success.&quot;

Despite Republican agitation, it is far from clear that Trump will back down.

Cohn&#39;s departure has given the president&#39;s &quot;nationalist&quot; advisors like arch China skeptic Peter Navarro and Commerce boss Ross the whip hand.

Cohn, a 57-year-old former Goldman Sachs executive, had lobbied passionately against the tariffs before losing out.

Ross offered an olive branch, claiming, contrary to the statements of his White House colleagues earlier in the week, that Trump could agree to tariff carve outs for Canada, Mexico and perhaps others.

Data released Wednesday showed the US foreign trade deficit widened in January to its highest level in nine years, heaping pressure on Trump, who had campaigned on a promise to reverse that trend.

Trump took to Twitter to blame the deficit on &quot;bad policies &amp; leadership&quot; from his White House predecessors.

He also took aim at perennial trade bogeyman, Beijing.

&quot;China has been asked to develop a plan for the year of a One Billion Dollar reduction in their massive Trade Deficit with the United States,&quot; he tweeted.

&quot;Our relationship with China has been a very good one, and we look forward to seeing what ideas they come back with. We must act soon!&quot;

China warned Thursday it was ready to respond to US tariffs if they materialize.

&quot;Choosing a trade war is surely the wrong prescription, in the end you will only hurt others and yourself,&quot; Foreign Minister Wang Yi said, adding that &quot;China will certainly make an appropriate and necessary response.&quot; 
&nbsp;

Trump is set to formalize the tariffs at a signing ceremony Thursday afternoon

President Donald Trump's team played down talk of a trade war Wednesday as it fought to limit a financial market sell-off, promising a quick decision on contentious tariffs that prompted a popular economic advisor to the president to quit. Administration big guns Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross and Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin rushed to the cameras to calm market jitters over proposed steel and aluminium duties, which they indicated were still negotiable and would not hurt growth. Trump is set to formalize the tariffs at a signing ceremony Thursday afternoon, and Canada and Mexico will be exempt initially, Peter Navarro, a top trade advisor, told Fox Business Network Wednesday night. As markets fell on news that Wall Street favourite Gary Cohn, Trump`s top economic adviser, had resigned from the White House in protest at Trump's trade decision and global partners vowed retaliation, Ross tried to calm fears of a trade war. "We're going to have sensible relations with our allies," he told CNBC, claiming that Trump's policy was well "thought through. We're not looking for a trade war." Mnuchin joined the effort, claiming that the tariffs, which are not yet finalized, would not hurt the administration's projections for three percent growth. "We're comfortable that we're going to manage through this so that it is not detrimental to our growth projections," he told Fox Business. As stocks fell off on Wall Street, a fierce battle over Trump's proposals raged behind the scenes in Washington. Trump surprised and angered Republican lawmakers with his impromptu tariff announcement last week. Congress is now starting to contemplate legislation that would block the measures from taking effect. "We are still trying to work with POTUS to avoid that outcome," a congressional source told AFP.Even Trump's most accommodating allies have begun to speak out against what amounts to a major break with Republican orthodoxy. "There is a lot of concern among Republican senators that this could sort of metastasize into a larger trade war," Senate majority leader Mitch McConnell told reporters. "Many of our members are discussing with the administration just how broad, how sweeping this might be," he added. "There's a high level of concern about interfering with what appears to be an economy that`s taking off in every respect." White House press secretary Sarah Sanders also tried to soothe unease, projecting calm and saying a decision would come soon. "We are still on pace for an announcement on that at the end of this week," she said, adding that Trump would also quickly move to replace Cohn with a mainstream pick. "The president's got a number of people that could potentially fill that role," she said. "What I can assure you obviously is he's going to make a good pick that can help him continue to further building a strong economy and continue creating jobs and continue focusing on long-term economic success." Despite Republican agitation, it is far from clear that Trump will back down. Cohn's departure has given the president's "nationalist" advisors like arch China skeptic Peter Navarro and Commerce boss Ross the whip hand. Cohn, a 57-year-old former Goldman Sachs executive, had lobbied passionately against the tariffs before losing out. Ross offered an olive branch, claiming, contrary to the statements of his White House colleagues earlier in the week, that Trump could agree to tariff carve outs for Canada, Mexico and perhaps others. Data released Wednesday showed the US foreign trade deficit widened in January to its highest level in nine years, heaping pressure on Trump, who had campaigned on a promise to reverse that trend. Trump took to Twitter to blame the deficit on "bad policies & leadership" from his White House predecessors. He also took aim at perennial trade bogeyman, Beijing. "China has been asked to develop a plan for the year of a One Billion Dollar reduction in their massive Trade Deficit with the United States," he tweeted. "Our relationship with China has been a very good one, and we look forward to seeing what ideas they come back with. We must act soon!" China warned Thursday it was ready to respond to US tariffs if they materialize. "Choosing a trade war is surely the wrong prescription, in the end you will only hurt others and yourself," Foreign Minister Wang Yi said, adding that "China will certainly make an appropriate and necessary response."

Embattled White House promises quick tariff decision

The dramatic developments in the Korean Peninsula, over the last few weeks, read like pages of a racy thriller. In a span of just two months, the breeze of d&eacute;tente instead bugle of conflict, has begun to blow. Gone are the threats of death and destruction, replaced by the soothing sound of dialogue, peace and reason. No wonder the Korean theatre has always had observers rivetted.

Consider the following. Out of the blue on January 1, Kim Jong-un (KJU) offered to South Korea (ROK) talks and participation in PyeongChang winter Olympics. The latter acted with equal alacrity and, within weeks, the North and South teams were seen marching together under a common unification flag.&nbsp;

Next, in a deft move, KJU despatched his younger sister Kim Yo-jong with a personal letter of invite to President Moon, for a summit meeting. In the process, she became the first member of the Kim clan to set foot on the South Korean soil. In no time, she had South Koreans swooning over her &lsquo;poise, smile, simplicity, dignity&rsquo; and numerous other accolades that the smitten media showered on her. She did not utter a word in public, shook hands with Vice President Pence and held a luncheon meeting with President Moon. It was a PR coup for Pyongyang.

No sooner had she gone back and the winter games ended that a return visit of ROK special envoys was announced. A five-member delegation led by NSA Chung Eui-yong and including the head of Korean CIA Suh Hoon, arrived in Pyongyang on 5th March.&nbsp;

They met the portly and reclusive North Korean leader over dinner. Hitherto, during his six-year rule, KJU had never emerged for a meeting with a visiting foreign leader or delegation. Setting aside protocol (as the guests were without their spouse) and contrary to Korean custom, KJU also had his wife participate in the dinner. He was clearly on a charm offensive towards his southern neighbour. An enigma herself, she has been a subject of unrelenting speculation in ROK. &nbsp;

The sides have since announced a summit at the end of April at the peace village in DMZ. North Korea (DPRK) now &lsquo;understands&rsquo; that the forthcoming US-ROK annual joint military exercise will take place. The visitors were assured that there would be no further provocations by DPRK, for the time being. And what&rsquo;s more, KJU agreed to unconditional talks with the US and even dangled the carrot of denuclearisation if his regime&rsquo;s security is guaranteed.&nbsp;

President Trump was prompt to tweet &ndash;&lsquo;Possible progress being made in talks with North Korea. For the first time in many years, a serious effort is being made by all parties concerned. The World is watching and waiting! Maybe false hope, but the U.S. is ready to go hard in either direction!&rsquo; USA and ROK have been trying to present a united facade, but they are far from being on the same page. Trump has little patience for diplomacy and Moon is wary of his temperamental American counterpart.&nbsp;

It may be recalled that quite recently North&rsquo;s official newspaper Rodong Sinmun had thundered &ndash; &lsquo;Hoping that the DPRK would abandon its nuclear programs is as foolish an act as trying to wish seas to get dried up&rsquo;. (Japan Times, March 5, 2018).&nbsp; KJU trusts no one and no nation, other than his WMD arsenal and own instincts, honed by three generations of Kims during their 65-year-long uninterrupted reign.&nbsp;

Pyongyang has also drawn the requisite lessons from the fate that had befallen Saddam Hussain and Qaddafi, one of which is that WMD is the insurance for survival. Thus, no security guarantee would be good enough for him.&nbsp;

Then why this huge climbdown? The noose of sanctions had begun to tighten. The squeeze had begun hurting DPRK&rsquo;s fragile economy. The nation&rsquo;s diplomatic isolation was growing. A number of countries had downgraded ties. The Chinese lifeline was becoming tenuous. Hence, there was an urgent need to deflect pressure, buy time and make a pitch for easing sanctions and humanitarian assistance. Somehow a wedge had to be driven between ROK and USA. And what better way than to offer a summit to President Moon, as no ROK leader can resist the temptation of making history.

All this sounds surreal? Yes, because it is indeed too good to be true. The only imponderable is whether the deceptive thaw will last weeks or months. Nevertheless, this round squarely goes to Kim Jong-un.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)&nbsp;

&nbsp;

&nbsp;

Kim Jong came up with an effective response to North Korea's urgent need to deflect pressure, buy time and make a pitch for easing sanctions and humanitarian assistance.

The dramatic developments in the Korean Peninsula, over the last few weeks, read like pages of a racy thriller. In a span of just two months, the breeze of détente instead bugle of conflict, has begun to blow. Gone are the threats of death and destruction, replaced by the soothing sound of dialogue, peace and reason. No wonder the Korean theatre has always had observers rivetted. Consider the following. Out of the blue on January 1, Kim Jong-un (KJU) offered to South Korea (ROK) talks and participation in PyeongChang winter Olympics. The latter acted with equal alacrity and, within weeks, the North and South teams were seen marching together under a common unification flag. Next, in a deft move, KJU despatched his younger sister Kim Yo-jong with a personal letter of invite to President Moon, for a summit meeting. In the process, she became the first member of the Kim clan to set foot on the South Korean soil. In no time, she had South Koreans swooning over her ‘poise, smile, simplicity, dignity’ and numerous other accolades that the smitten media showered on her. She did not utter a word in public, shook hands with Vice President Pence and held a luncheon meeting with President Moon. It was a PR coup for Pyongyang. No sooner had she gone back and the winter games ended that a return visit of ROK special envoys was announced. A five-member delegation led by NSA Chung Eui-yong and including the head of Korean CIA Suh Hoon, arrived in Pyongyang on 5th March. They met the portly and reclusive North Korean leader over dinner. Hitherto, during his six-year rule, KJU had never emerged for a meeting with a visiting foreign leader or delegation. Setting aside protocol (as the guests were without their spouse) and contrary to Korean custom, KJU also had his wife participate in the dinner. He was clearly on a charm offensive towards his southern neighbour. An enigma herself, she has been a subject of unrelenting speculation in ROK. The sides have since announced a summit at the end of April at the peace village in DMZ. North Korea (DPRK) now ‘understands’ that the forthcoming US-ROK annual joint military exercise will take place. The visitors were assured that there would be no further provocations by DPRK, for the time being. And what’s more, KJU agreed to unconditional talks with the US and even dangled the carrot of denuclearisation if his regime’s security is guaranteed. President Trump was prompt to tweet –‘Possible progress being made in talks with North Korea. For the first time in many years, a serious effort is being made by all parties concerned. The World is watching and waiting! Maybe false hope, but the U.S. is ready to go hard in either direction!’ USA and ROK have been trying to present a united facade, but they are far from being on the same page. Trump has little patience for diplomacy and Moon is wary of his temperamental American counterpart. It may be recalled that quite recently North’s official newspaper Rodong Sinmun had thundered – ‘Hoping that the DPRK would abandon its nuclear programs is as foolish an act as trying to wish seas to get dried up’. (Japan Times, March 5, 2018). KJU trusts no one and no nation, other than his WMD arsenal and own instincts, honed by three generations of Kims during their 65-year-long uninterrupted reign. Pyongyang has also drawn the requisite lessons from the fate that had befallen Saddam Hussain and Qaddafi, one of which is that WMD is the insurance for survival. Thus, no security guarantee would be good enough for him. Then why this huge climbdown? The noose of sanctions had begun to tighten. The squeeze had begun hurting DPRK’s fragile economy. The nation’s diplomatic isolation was growing. A number of countries had downgraded ties. The Chinese lifeline was becoming tenuous. Hence, there was an urgent need to deflect pressure, buy time and make a pitch for easing sanctions and humanitarian assistance. Somehow a wedge had to be driven between ROK and USA. And what better way than to offer a summit to President Moon, as no ROK leader can resist the temptation of making history. All this sounds surreal? Yes, because it is indeed too good to be true. The only imponderable is whether the deceptive thaw will last weeks or months. Nevertheless, this round squarely goes to Kim Jong-un. (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

Opinion: Kim Jong wins the first round against US, South Korea

After criticizing video games in the wake of a school shooting in Florida last month, U.S. President Donald Trump will meet with industry executives on Thursday to discuss what the president believes is a link between the games and violent acts.

Trump, a Republican, cited the influence of video games after a 19-year-old gunman was accused of killing 17 people at a high school in Parkland, Florida and injuring more than a dozen others. &ldquo;I&#39;m hearing more and more people say the level of violence on video games is really shaping young people&#39;s thoughts,&rdquo; he said last month.&nbsp;

The White House said that Thursday&rsquo;s meeting will be the first of several and will include an industry trade group, conservative activists and members of Congress, including Republican Senator Marco Rubio of Florida.

Also attending will be executives from two video game-makers, Take-Two Interactive Software Inc, which owns Rockstar Games Inc, and ZeniMax Media Inc, which owns Bethesda Softworks.

The purpose of the meeting will be &ldquo;to discuss violent video-game exposure and the correlation to aggression and desensitization in children,&rdquo; White House spokeswoman Lindsay Walters said.

Trump has made the issue personal by mentioning his concern for his 11-year-old son, Barron. &ldquo;I look at some of the things he&#39;s watching, and I say, how is that possible?&rdquo; he said last week.&nbsp;

The president also has spoken for the need for a new ratings system for games. Currently, the industry employs its own system, which rates games for violence and sexual content.

Dan Hewitt, a spokesman for the Entertainment Software Association, whose CEO will attend the White House meeting, said studies have established no connection between video games and violent conduct.

&ldquo;Like all Americans, we are deeply concerned about the level of gun violence in the United States,&rdquo; Hewitt said. &ldquo;Video games are plainly not the issue: entertainment is distributed and consumed globally, but the U.S. has an exponentially higher level of gun violence than any other nation.&rdquo;

In addition to Take-Two and ZeniMax, the association&#39;s members include some of the biggest names in the industry such as Electronic Arts Inc, Activision Blizzard Inc, Nintendo Co Ltd, Sony Corp and Tencent Holdings Ltd.

It will not be the first time video game-makers have been called to the White House in the wake of a school shooting. In 2013, then-Vice President Joe Biden, a Democrat, met with industry leaders after the massacre at a Newtown, Connecticut elementary school that left 26 dead.

Trump had criticised video games after the shooting, saying 'I'm hearing more and more people say the level of violence on video games is really shaping young people's thoughts'

After criticizing video games in the wake of a school shooting in Florida last month, U.S. President Donald Trump will meet with industry executives on Thursday to discuss what the president believes is a link between the games and violent acts. Trump, a Republican, cited the influence of video games after a 19-year-old gunman was accused of killing 17 people at a high school in Parkland, Florida and injuring more than a dozen others. “I'm hearing more and more people say the level of violence on video games is really shaping young people's thoughts,” he said last month. The White House said that Thursday’s meeting will be the first of several and will include an industry trade group, conservative activists and members of Congress, including Republican Senator Marco Rubio of Florida. Also attending will be executives from two video game-makers, Take-Two Interactive Software Inc, which owns Rockstar Games Inc, and ZeniMax Media Inc, which owns Bethesda Softworks. The purpose of the meeting will be “to discuss violent video-game exposure and the correlation to aggression and desensitization in children,” White House spokeswoman Lindsay Walters said. Trump has made the issue personal by mentioning his concern for his 11-year-old son, Barron. “I look at some of the things he's watching, and I say, how is that possible?” he said last week. The president also has spoken for the need for a new ratings system for games. Currently, the industry employs its own system, which rates games for violence and sexual content. Dan Hewitt, a spokesman for the Entertainment Software Association, whose CEO will attend the White House meeting, said studies have established no connection between video games and violent conduct. “Like all Americans, we are deeply concerned about the level of gun violence in the United States,” Hewitt said. “Video games are plainly not the issue: entertainment is distributed and consumed globally, but the U.S. has an exponentially higher level of gun violence than any other nation.” In addition to Take-Two and ZeniMax, the association's members include some of the biggest names in the industry such as Electronic Arts Inc, Activision Blizzard Inc, Nintendo Co Ltd, Sony Corp and Tencent Holdings Ltd. It will not be the first time video game-makers have been called to the White House in the wake of a school shooting. In 2013, then-Vice President Joe Biden, a Democrat, met with industry leaders after the massacre at a Newtown, Connecticut elementary school that left 26 dead.

Trump to meet with video-game industry in wake of Florida shooting

President Donald Trump pledged Thursday the United States will show &quot;flexibility&quot; to &quot;real friends&quot; as the White House prepares to roll out steel and aluminum tariffs that have sparked fears of a global trade war.

Trump&#39;s impromptu announcement he intends to slap 25 per cent import taxes on steel and 10 per cent on aluminum, has sparked a revolt within his own Republican party, pushed a top aide to quit, and angered major trading partners who vowed retaliation.

The proposed duties -- which have already roiled world markets for days -- are to be formalized at a signing ceremony later Thursday, and Canada and Mexico will initially be exempt according to Trump&#39;s top trade advisor Peter Navarro.

&quot;We have to protect &amp; build our Steel and Aluminum Industries while at the same time showing great flexibility and cooperation toward those that are real friends and treat us fairly on both trade and the military,&quot; the president tweeted -- saying he was &quot;looking forward&quot; to the 3:30 pm White House meeting.

Administration big guns Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross and Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin rushed to calm market jitters Wednesday over the tariff plans, which they indicated were still negotiable and would not hurt growth.&nbsp;

The US would offer temporary relief to Canada and Mexico for 30 days, the Washington Post reported citing senior US officials, breaks that could be extended depending on progress in the ongoing North American Free Trade Agreement negotiations.

But Brussels warned against letting individual European states off the hook -- such as Washington&#39;s close ally Britain -- saying any such exemption would be viewed as applying to the whole bloc.

European Commission Vice-President Jyrki Katainen said Brussels would not accept a carve-out for Britain, which has voted to leave the EU but remains a member until 2019.

&quot;What I have read today is that they are probably considering some exemptions to NAFTA countries... but also they have mentioned the UK and maybe some other countries,&quot; Katainen told reporters.

&quot;So if they try to make (an) exemption for one of our member states it means the EU as a whole.&quot;

Partners promise backlash

The EU had already sounded a stern warning Wednesday as it readied to lash back with US-targeted tariffs of its own on everything from steel to peanut butter, orange juice, cranberries, bourbon and denim jeans.

&quot;Trade wars are bad and easy to lose,&quot; EU President Donald Tusk warned, directly rebuffing Trump&#39;s assertion last week that they were &quot;good and easy to win&quot;.

With markets tumbling following the resignation of Wall Street favorite Gary Cohn -- Trump&#39;s top economic adviser who had lobbied ardently against the tariffs -- Ross tried to assuage fears.

&quot;We&#39;re going to have sensible relations with our allies,&quot; he told a media, claiming that Trump&#39;s policy was well &quot;thought through. We&#39;re not looking for a trade war.

Data released Wednesday showed the US foreign trade deficit widened in January to its highest level in nine years -- heaping pressure on Trump, who had campaigned on a promise to reverse that trend.

Trump blamed the deficit on his White House predecessors, while also taking aim at Beijing.

&quot;China has been asked to develop a plan for the year of a One Billion Dollar reduction in their massive Trade Deficit with the United States,&quot; he tweeted.

&quot;Our relationship with China has been a very good one, and we look forward to seeing what ideas they come back with. We must act soon!&quot;

China meanwhile warned Thursday it was ready to respond to US tariffs if they materialize.

&quot;Choosing a trade war is surely the wrong prescription, in the end you will only hurt others and yourself,&quot; Foreign Minister Wang Yi said, adding that &quot;China will certainly make an appropriate and necessary response.&quot;

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Trump's impromptu announcement he intends to slap 25 per cent import taxes on steel and 10 per cent on aluminum, has sparked a revolt within his own Republican party, pushed a top aide to quit, and angered major trading partners who vowed retaliation

President Donald Trump pledged Thursday the United States will show "flexibility" to "real friends" as the White House prepares to roll out steel and aluminum tariffs that have sparked fears of a global trade war. Trump's impromptu announcement he intends to slap 25 per cent import taxes on steel and 10 per cent on aluminum, has sparked a revolt within his own Republican party, pushed a top aide to quit, and angered major trading partners who vowed retaliation. The proposed duties -- which have already roiled world markets for days -- are to be formalized at a signing ceremony later Thursday, and Canada and Mexico will initially be exempt according to Trump's top trade advisor Peter Navarro. "We have to protect & build our Steel and Aluminum Industries while at the same time showing great flexibility and cooperation toward those that are real friends and treat us fairly on both trade and the military," the president tweeted -- saying he was "looking forward" to the 3:30 pm White House meeting. Administration big guns Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross and Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin rushed to calm market jitters Wednesday over the tariff plans, which they indicated were still negotiable and would not hurt growth. The US would offer temporary relief to Canada and Mexico for 30 days, the Washington Post reported citing senior US officials, breaks that could be extended depending on progress in the ongoing North American Free Trade Agreement negotiations. But Brussels warned against letting individual European states off the hook -- such as Washington's close ally Britain -- saying any such exemption would be viewed as applying to the whole bloc. European Commission Vice-President Jyrki Katainen said Brussels would not accept a carve-out for Britain, which has voted to leave the EU but remains a member until 2019. "What I have read today is that they are probably considering some exemptions to NAFTA countries... but also they have mentioned the UK and maybe some other countries," Katainen told reporters. "So if they try to make (an) exemption for one of our member states it means the EU as a whole." Partners promise backlash The EU had already sounded a stern warning Wednesday as it readied to lash back with US-targeted tariffs of its own on everything from steel to peanut butter, orange juice, cranberries, bourbon and denim jeans. "Trade wars are bad and easy to lose," EU President Donald Tusk warned, directly rebuffing Trump's assertion last week that they were "good and easy to win". With markets tumbling following the resignation of Wall Street favorite Gary Cohn -- Trump's top economic adviser who had lobbied ardently against the tariffs -- Ross tried to assuage fears. "We're going to have sensible relations with our allies," he told a media, claiming that Trump's policy was well "thought through. We're not looking for a trade war. Data released Wednesday showed the US foreign trade deficit widened in January to its highest level in nine years -- heaping pressure on Trump, who had campaigned on a promise to reverse that trend. Trump blamed the deficit on his White House predecessors, while also taking aim at Beijing. "China has been asked to develop a plan for the year of a One Billion Dollar reduction in their massive Trade Deficit with the United States," he tweeted. "Our relationship with China has been a very good one, and we look forward to seeing what ideas they come back with. We must act soon!" China meanwhile warned Thursday it was ready to respond to US tariffs if they materialize. "Choosing a trade war is surely the wrong prescription, in the end you will only hurt others and yourself," Foreign Minister Wang Yi said, adding that "China will certainly make an appropriate and necessary response."

Trump vows 'flexibility' for 'real friends' in tariff row

The Oscars telecasted on the 4th of March this year and hit an all-time low viewer rating.

The politically charged 90th annual Academy Awards drew an all-time low of 26.5 million viewers this year, a 20 per cent drop from last year.&nbsp;

Major feud happened when US President Donald Trump took to Twitter to publicise the news saying, &quot;Lowest rated Oscars in HISTORY. Problem is, we don&rsquo;t have Stars anymore - except your President (just kidding, of course)!&quot;

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
Lowest rated Oscars in HISTORY. Problem is, we don&rsquo;t have Stars anymore - except your President (just kidding, of course)!
&mdash; Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/971013841395027968?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 6, 2018</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">&times;</a></div>

In no time, Jimmy Kimmel, talk show host who also hosted this years Oscars retaliated in rage and also took to Twitter to shun&nbsp;down Trump and said: &quot;Thanks, lowest rated President in HISTORY.&quot;&nbsp;

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Thanks, lowest rated President in HISTORY. <a href="https://t.co/E01UgDaZ3T">https://t.co/E01UgDaZ3T</a>
&mdash; Jimmy Kimmel (@jimmykimmel) <a href="https://twitter.com/jimmykimmel/status/971073765567156224?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 6, 2018</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
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Kimmel focused on Hollywood&#39;s own diversity issues during his opening monologue at the ceremony, though he did manage to throw some shade on Trump, including his assumed dislike for immigrant actress Lupita Nyong&rsquo;o and his probable misunderstanding of the racially based horror-comedy Get Out.

Moreover, critics are now speculating if ABC will have an awakening and take control of the telecast away from the notoriously arrogant Academy, reports said.

ABC executives have long been rumoured to vent privately about the arrogance of the Academy, but the Oscars are still the second biggest night on television after the Super Bowl, so the Academy continues to celebrate Hollywood&#39;s elite exactly how it wants to.&nbsp;

As per reports, viewers have mostly complained about how the Oscars tend to give more regards to self-serving tributes to the yearly tradition of leaving fan favorites out of the &ldquo;In Memoriam&rdquo; segment. This year, for example, Adam West and Glen Campbell were posthumously ignored. Others feel the telecast ends too late, takes too long, is too politically correct and doesn&rsquo;t feature TV stars in an era when television produces household names at the same rate as films.

But, these are not the primary reasons that keep viewers from watching the star-studded event. The two issues that are most commonly mentioned as a turn off for viewers are divisive politics and the lack of well-known movies. While the Academy has a lot of power over the content of the program as its producer, ABC is also responsible for much of the blame, reports suggested.

This is not a one-year trend either. Oscars viewership in 2018 fell by 39 per cent from its ratings just four years earlier, in 2014, when Ellen DeGeneres hosted for ABC. The previous low of 31.8 million viewers came in 2008 when Jon Stewart hosted not long after a lengthy writers&#39; strike ended.

The politically charged 90th annual Academy Awards drew an all-time low 26.5 million viewers this year, a 19 per cent drop from last year

The Oscars telecasted on the 4th of March this year and hit an all-time low viewer rating. The politically charged 90th annual Academy Awards drew an all-time low of 26.5 million viewers this year, a 20 per cent drop from last year. Major feud happened when US President Donald Trump took to Twitter to publicise the news saying, "Lowest rated Oscars in HISTORY. Problem is, we don’t have Stars anymore - except your President (just kidding, of course)!" Lowest rated Oscars in HISTORY. Problem is, we don’t have Stars anymore - except your President (just kidding, of course)! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 6, 2018 × In no time, Jimmy Kimmel, talk show host who also hosted this years Oscars retaliated in rage and also took to Twitter to shun down Trump and said: "Thanks, lowest rated President in HISTORY." Thanks, lowest rated President in HISTORY. https://t.co/E01UgDaZ3T — Jimmy Kimmel (@jimmykimmel) March 6, 2018 × Kimmel focused on Hollywood's own diversity issues during his opening monologue at the ceremony, though he did manage to throw some shade on Trump, including his assumed dislike for immigrant actress Lupita Nyong’o and his probable misunderstanding of the racially based horror-comedy Get Out. Moreover, critics are now speculating if ABC will have an awakening and take control of the telecast away from the notoriously arrogant Academy, reports said. ABC executives have long been rumoured to vent privately about the arrogance of the Academy, but the Oscars are still the second biggest night on television after the Super Bowl, so the Academy continues to celebrate Hollywood's elite exactly how it wants to. As per reports, viewers have mostly complained about how the Oscars tend to give more regards to self-serving tributes to the yearly tradition of leaving fan favorites out of the “In Memoriam” segment. This year, for example, Adam West and Glen Campbell were posthumously ignored. Others feel the telecast ends too late, takes too long, is too politically correct and doesn’t feature TV stars in an era when television produces household names at the same rate as films. But, these are not the primary reasons that keep viewers from watching the star-studded event. The two issues that are most commonly mentioned as a turn off for viewers are divisive politics and the lack of well-known movies. While the Academy has a lot of power over the content of the program as its producer, ABC is also responsible for much of the blame, reports suggested. This is not a one-year trend either. Oscars viewership in 2018 fell by 39 per cent from its ratings just four years earlier, in 2014, when Ellen DeGeneres hosted for ABC. The previous low of 31.8 million viewers came in 2008 when Jon Stewart hosted not long after a lengthy writers' strike ended.

Trump, Kimmel face-off over low Oscar TV ratings

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/emergency-in-kandy-top-un-official-to-visit-sri-lanka-expected-to-visit-riot-hit-area-34942">Emergency in Kandy: Top UN official to visit Sri Lanka, expected to visit </a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/emergency-in-kandy-top-un-official-to-visit-sri-lanka-expected-to-visit-riot-hit-area-34942">riot-hit</a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/emergency-in-kandy-top-un-official-to-visit-sri-lanka-expected-to-visit-riot-hit-area-34942"> area</a>

As the Lankan government announced a 10-day emergency after Muslim, Buddhist riots in Kandy, the UN has announced it will send its political chief Jeffrey Feltman to the riot-hit region. &quot;We are obviously concerned over reports of the ongoing communal violence and we welcome the government&#39;s commitment to addressing the tensions and achieve reconciliation,&quot; UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric said.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/pornstar-stormy-daniels-files-lawsuit-against-trump-over-hush-agreement-34943">Pornstar Stormy Daniels files </a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/pornstar-stormy-daniels-files-lawsuit-against-trump-over-hush-agreement-34943">lawsuit</a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/pornstar-stormy-daniels-files-lawsuit-against-trump-over-hush-agreement-34943"> against Trump over &#39;hush agreement&#39;</a>

As speculation about whether US president Donald Trump had an encounter with porn star Stormy Daniels makes rounds, the adult actress has decided to file a lawsuit against Trump alleging that he never signed a &quot;hush agreement&quot; to keep quiet about their rumoured affair, reports said on Tuesday.&nbsp;

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/will-choose-wisely-says-trump-after-economic-adviser-cohns-resignation-34938">&#39;Will choose wisely!&#39;, says Trump after economic adviser Cohn&#39;s resignation</a>

US President Donald Trump on Wednesday tweeted that he will be making a decision soon on the appointment of new Chief Economic Advisor. &quot;Will be making a decision soon on the appointment of new Chief Economic Advisor. Many people wanting the job - will choose wisely!,&#39;&#39; Trump tweeted.&nbsp;

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/air-india-to-operate-all-women-crew-flights-to-celebrate-international-womens-day-34944">Air India to operate all-women crew flights to celebrate International Women&#39;s Day</a>

The national carrier Air India will operate flights with an all-women crew to New York, Frankfurt, Singapore and various other destinations to commemorate International Women&#39;s Day on March 8. The national carrier on Tuesday said it has planned several flights, domestic and international, operated only by its women employees.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/sports/football-real-on-song-as-psg-falter-again-in-champions-league-34934">Football: Real Madrid on </a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/sports/football-real-on-song-as-psg-falter-again-in-champions-league-34934">song</a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/sports/football-real-on-song-as-psg-falter-again-in-champions-league-34934"> as PSG falter again in Champions League</a>

Real Madrid showed their collective strength in a clinical 2-1 win over Paris St Germain to reach the quarter-finals as the hosts slumped to another early Champions League exit on Tuesday. Zinedine Zidane&#39;s side prevailed at the Parc des Princes with goals by Cristiano Ronaldo and Casimero for a 5-2 aggregate win as they were barely threatened in the last 16 return leg.

Emergency in Kandy: Top UN official to visit Sri Lanka, expected to visit riot-hit area As the Lankan government announced a 10-day emergency after Muslim, Buddhist riots in Kandy, the UN has announced it will send its political chief Jeffrey Feltman to the riot-hit region. "We are obviously concerned over reports of the ongoing communal violence and we welcome the government's commitment to addressing the tensions and achieve reconciliation," UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric said. Pornstar Stormy Daniels files lawsuit against Trump over 'hush agreement' As speculation about whether US president Donald Trump had an encounter with porn star Stormy Daniels makes rounds, the adult actress has decided to file a lawsuit against Trump alleging that he never signed a "hush agreement" to keep quiet about their rumoured affair, reports said on Tuesday. 'Will choose wisely!', says Trump after economic adviser Cohn's resignation US President Donald Trump on Wednesday tweeted that he will be making a decision soon on the appointment of new Chief Economic Advisor. "Will be making a decision soon on the appointment of new Chief Economic Advisor. Many people wanting the job - will choose wisely!,'' Trump tweeted. Air India to operate all-women crew flights to celebrate International Women's Day The national carrier Air India will operate flights with an all-women crew to New York, Frankfurt, Singapore and various other destinations to commemorate International Women's Day on March 8. The national carrier on Tuesday said it has planned several flights, domestic and international, operated only by its women employees. Football: Real Madrid on song as PSG falter again in Champions League Real Madrid showed their collective strength in a clinical 2-1 win over Paris St Germain to reach the quarter-finals as the hosts slumped to another early Champions League exit on Tuesday. Zinedine Zidane's side prevailed at the Parc des Princes with goals by Cristiano Ronaldo and Casimero for a 5-2 aggregate win as they were barely threatened in the last 16 return leg.

WION Morning News Brief, March 7, 2018

As speculation about whether US president Donald Trump had an encounter with porn star Stormy Daniels makes rounds, the adult actress has decided to file a lawsuit against Trump alleging that he never signed a &quot;hush agreement&quot; to keep quiet about their rumoured affair, reports said on Tuesday.&nbsp;

Stephanie Clifford, whose porn name is Stormy Daniels, signed the lawsuit on Tuesday in Los Angeles. It said that Trump did not sign the nondisclosure statement with the actress which refrained her from disclosing their 2006 reported relationship - making the agreement invalid leaving her free to publicly discuss the Trump tryst, according to media reports.&nbsp;

Both Daniels and Trump lawyer Michael Cohen signed the agreement three days before then 2016 presidential election.

In the agreement, Trump is identified as David Dennison and Daniels is referred to as Peggy Peterson, to maintain confidentiality, but the space where Trump was supposed to sign has been blank ever since.&nbsp;

She reportedly claims that Cohen has bullied her into keeping quiet and now she&rsquo;s fighting back.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/after-trump-lawyer-claim-stormy-daniels-free-to-talk-32946">After Trump lawyer claim, Stormy Daniels &#39;free to talk&#39; </a>

Daniels&#39; manager Gina Rodriguez said that Michael Cohen had paid <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/trumps-lawyer-paid-130k-to-pornstar-for-silence-over-trump-encounter-reports-29385">US$130,000 </a>of his own money to the porn star, there was in violation of a non-disclosure agreement with Daniels about the matter. As a result, Daniels believes she can now talk about it publicly.

The payment was made during the 2016 presidential election campaign but the lawyer, Michael Cohen, said he was working alone and that it was not a campaign expense.&nbsp;

Reports quoted Daniels saying that the money was routed through an entity called Essential Consultants LLC. She says the company was created right before the election purely to hide the source of the payment. Cohen has claimed he used his own personal funds to pay her.

As per reports, Trump and Clifford had the encounter in Lake Tahoe, California, in 2006, a year after he married his third wife, Melania.&nbsp;

She reportedly claims that Cohen has bullied her into keeping quiet and now she’s fighting back

As speculation about whether US president Donald Trump had an encounter with porn star Stormy Daniels makes rounds, the adult actress has decided to file a lawsuit against Trump alleging that he never signed a "hush agreement" to keep quiet about their rumoured affair, reports said on Tuesday. Stephanie Clifford, whose porn name is Stormy Daniels, signed the lawsuit on Tuesday in Los Angeles. It said that Trump did not sign the nondisclosure statement with the actress which refrained her from disclosing their 2006 reported relationship - making the agreement invalid leaving her free to publicly discuss the Trump tryst, according to media reports. Both Daniels and Trump lawyer Michael Cohen signed the agreement three days before then 2016 presidential election. In the agreement, Trump is identified as David Dennison and Daniels is referred to as Peggy Peterson, to maintain confidentiality, but the space where Trump was supposed to sign has been blank ever since. She reportedly claims that Cohen has bullied her into keeping quiet and now she’s fighting back. Also read: After Trump lawyer claim, Stormy Daniels 'free to talk' Daniels' manager Gina Rodriguez said that Michael Cohen had paid US$130,000 of his own money to the porn star, there was in violation of a non-disclosure agreement with Daniels about the matter. As a result, Daniels believes she can now talk about it publicly. The payment was made during the 2016 presidential election campaign but the lawyer, Michael Cohen, said he was working alone and that it was not a campaign expense. Reports quoted Daniels saying that the money was routed through an entity called Essential Consultants LLC. She says the company was created right before the election purely to hide the source of the payment. Cohen has claimed he used his own personal funds to pay her. As per reports, Trump and Clifford had the encounter in Lake Tahoe, California, in 2006, a year after he married his third wife, Melania.

Pornstar Stormy Daniels files lawsuit against Trump over 'hush agreement'

The International Monetary Fund warned the Trump administration on Friday that US import tariffs on steel and aluminium would cause damage not only to the countries outside the US but to the US economy itself.

&quot;The import restrictions announced by the US President (Donald Trump) are likely to cause damage not only outside the US, but also to the US economy itself, including to its manufacturing and construction sectors, which are major users of aluminium and steel,&quot; the IMF said in a terse statement.

&quot;We are concerned that the measures proposed by the US will, de facto, expand the circumstances where countries use the national-security rationale to justify broad-based import restrictions,&quot; IMF spokesman Gerry Rice said in the statement.

The IMF did not elaborate on the economic damages.

President Trump said on Thursday he planned to impose tariffs of 25 per cent on steel imports and 10 per cent on aluminium products in order to safeguard American jobs in the face of cheaper foreign products. A formal announcement would take place next week.

A day later, the European Union raised the possibility of taking countermeasures, France said the duties would be unacceptable and China urged Trump to show restraint. Canada, the biggest supplier of steel and aluminium to the United States, said it would retaliate if hit by US tariffs.

(With inputs from Reuters)

he International Monetary Fund warned the Trump administration on Friday that US import tariffs on steel and aluminium would cause damage not only to the countries outside the US but to the US economy itself

The International Monetary Fund warned the Trump administration on Friday that US import tariffs on steel and aluminium would cause damage not only to the countries outside the US but to the US economy itself. "The import restrictions announced by the US President (Donald Trump) are likely to cause damage not only outside the US, but also to the US economy itself, including to its manufacturing and construction sectors, which are major users of aluminium and steel," the IMF said in a terse statement. "We are concerned that the measures proposed by the US will, de facto, expand the circumstances where countries use the national-security rationale to justify broad-based import restrictions," IMF spokesman Gerry Rice said in the statement. The IMF did not elaborate on the economic damages. President Trump said on Thursday he planned to impose tariffs of 25 per cent on steel imports and 10 per cent on aluminium products in order to safeguard American jobs in the face of cheaper foreign products. A formal announcement would take place next week. A day later, the European Union raised the possibility of taking countermeasures, France said the duties would be unacceptable and China urged Trump to show restraint. Canada, the biggest supplier of steel and aluminium to the United States, said it would retaliate if hit by US tariffs. (With inputs from Reuters)

IMF warns Trump tarrifs would hit US economy

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