India&#39;s Prime Minister Narendra Modi will hold talks with US President Donald Trump in Washington on June 26, the Indian foreign ministry said on Monday,&nbsp;the first meeting between the leaders.

Ties between the two big democracies grew rapidly under the Obama administration which saw India as a partner to balance China&#39;s growing weight in Asia.&nbsp;

But Trump has focused on building ties with China,&nbsp;seeing it as key to tackling regional problems such as North Korea&#39;s nuclear programme.&nbsp;

The Indian ministry said Modi&#39;s talks with Trump would lay the ground for a further expansion in ties, allaying some of the anxiety that had crept in about a drift in relations.&nbsp;

&quot;Their discussions will provide a new direction for deeper bilateral engagement on issues of mutual interest and consolidation of multi-dimensional strategic partnership between India and the US,&quot; the ministry said in a statement.

The United States has emerged as a top arms supplier to India and the two sides will be looking to move forward with deals such as unarmed drones that India wants for its navy, sources said.&nbsp;

One issue that the two leaders face is resolving conflict arising out of the push they are both making at home to boost industry and create jobs.&nbsp;

Modi has been driving a Make-in-India campaign to press foreign arms suppliers to set up factories in India and transfer technology instead of selling off-the-shelf, which has made India one of the world`s biggest arms importers without any domestic production base.

Trump, on the other hand, has railed against firms moving factories outside the United States and has demanded US companies invest at home as part of his &quot;America First&quot; campaign.

Trump&#39;s review of a visa programme under which thousands of skilled Indian workers go to the United States is also a top concern for India.&nbsp;

(Reuters)

Ties between the two democracies grew rapidly under the Obama administration

India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi will hold talks with US President Donald Trump in Washington on June 26, the Indian foreign ministry said on Monday, the first meeting between the leaders. Ties between the two big democracies grew rapidly under the Obama administration which saw India as a partner to balance China's growing weight in Asia. But Trump has focused on building ties with China, seeing it as key to tackling regional problems such as North Korea's nuclear programme. The Indian ministry said Modi's talks with Trump would lay the ground for a further expansion in ties, allaying some of the anxiety that had crept in about a drift in relations. "Their discussions will provide a new direction for deeper bilateral engagement on issues of mutual interest and consolidation of multi-dimensional strategic partnership between India and the US," the ministry said in a statement. The United States has emerged as a top arms supplier to India and the two sides will be looking to move forward with deals such as unarmed drones that India wants for its navy, sources said. One issue that the two leaders face is resolving conflict arising out of the push they are both making at home to boost industry and create jobs. Modi has been driving a Make-in-India campaign to press foreign arms suppliers to set up factories in India and transfer technology instead of selling off-the-shelf, which has made India one of the world`s biggest arms importers without any domestic production base. Trump, on the other hand, has railed against firms moving factories outside the United States and has demanded US companies invest at home as part of his "America First" campaign. Trump's review of a visa programme under which thousands of skilled Indian workers go to the United States is also a top concern for India. (Reuters)

PM Modi to hold first talks with Trump on June 26 in Washington

President Donald Trump declared Friday that the time has come for Qatar to halt all funding of terrorism, as a diplomatic stand-off between the Gulf emirate and its neighbors escalated.

Trump&#39;s stern warning overshadowed an earlier declaration from Secretary of State Rex Tillerson -- who had also urged Saudi Arabia and its allies to ease their land and sea &quot;blockade&quot; of Qatar.

But US officials insisted that both men were sending the same message that the countries of the region should not allow their differences to hinder the fight against extremism.

The gas-rich emirate is home to the largest US airbase in the Middle East and thus a key ally in the US-led coalition against the Islamic State group in Iraq and Syria.

But it has fallen out with its Arab neighbors, who accuse it of sponsoring extremist groups, some of them allegedly linked to arch Saudi foe Iran, fomenting trouble across the region.

The neighbors also resent Qatar&#39;s ties to the Muslim Brotherhood movement and its sponsorship of pan-Arab satellite television network Al-Jazeera, which has given opposition figures a platform.

Qatar has denounced the allegations of terror funding as baseless and has received the support of close ally Turkey, which has approved the deployment of troops to defend the emirate.

&#39;High-level terror funding&#39;&nbsp;

Having apparently been caught on the hop by the speed with which the dispute has spiralled -- despite meeting all of the leaders&#39; concerned in Riyadh last month -- Trump has asked Tillerson to mediate.

The US president&#39;s rhetoric on Friday, however, did not appear likely to calm spirits in Doha. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

&quot;The nation of Qatar, unfortunately, has historically been a funder of terrorism at a very high level,&quot; Trump told reporters in the White House Rose Garden, as Tillerson looked on.

&quot;I decided, along with secretary of state Rex Tillerson, our great generals and military people, the time had come to call on Qatar to end its funding,&quot; he declared.&nbsp;

&quot;They have to end that funding and its extremist ideology in terms of funding,&quot; he said, lumping Qatar in with other nations which he said must &quot;stop teaching people to kill other people.&quot;

Less than two hours earlier, Tillerson had approached the crisis from a different direction -- warning that the stand-off between the former Gulf allies was undermining the anti-terror fight.

He did urge Qatar to be &quot;responsive to the concerns of its neighbors&quot; and to immediately crack down on extremist funding.

&quot;The emir of Qatar has made progress in halting financial support and expelling terrorists from his country, but he must do more and he must do it more quickly,&quot; he said.

But he also warned the response -- Bahrain, Egypt, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates cut diplomatic ties on Monday and are trying to blockade Qatar by air and sea -- could be counterproductive.

&quot;The blockade is hindering US military actions in the region and the campaign against ISIS,&quot; Tillerson warned.

Previously, US officers had denied the blockade was a problem, but Pentagon spokesman Captain Jeff Davis said the &quot;evolving situation is hindering our ability to plan for longer-term military operations.&quot;

Families separated

But Tillerson also noted that other countries must do more -- and he urged Riyadh and its allies to soften their embargo.

&quot;There are humanitarian consequences to this blockade. We are seeing shortages of food. Families are being forcibly separated and children pulled out of school,&quot; he said.

&quot;We believe these are unintended consequences, especially during this holy month of Ramadan. But they can be addressed immediately.&quot;

Tillerson said he had spoken to many leaders in the Gulf region in recent days and supported&nbsp;efforts by the emir of Kuwait to resolve the stand-off.

The tough US line was a rebuff for Qatar&#39;s efforts to reach out for support from abroad.

Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani spoke to Tillerson and was due in Moscow on Saturday.&nbsp;

Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Egypt and Bahrain released a joint statement listing 59 entities and individuals, including members of Qatar&#39;s royal family as involved in &quot;terrorist&quot; activities.&nbsp;

Also named were Doha-based Muslim Brotherhood spiritual leader Yusuf al-Qaradawi and Qatari-funded charities.&nbsp;

A statement said the list shows that Qatar &quot;announces fighting terrorism on one hand and finances and supports and hosts different terrorist organizations on the other hand.&quot;&nbsp;

The Qatari government said the list &quot;once again reinforces baseless allegations that hold no foundation in fact&quot; and boasted: &quot;We lead the region in attacking the roots of terrorism.&quot;&nbsp;

Meanwhile, the crisis is drawing in more countries.

Turkey&#39;s parliament has approved deploying troops to a base in Qatar and Iran has offered to send food.&nbsp;

Bahrain&#39;s foreign minister, Sheikh Khalid bin Ahmed Al-Khalifa, is expected in Turkey on Saturday to meet President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu.&nbsp;

The moves taken against Doha include banning Qatar Airways from airspace and closing Qatar&#39;s only land border with Saudi Arabia. The Arab states have also ordered Qataris out within 14 days.

Analysts say the crisis is partly an extension of a 2014 dispute, when Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Bahrain temporarily recalled their ambassadors over Qatari support for Egypt&#39;s Muslim Brotherhood.&nbsp;

Doha has for years forged its own alliances in the region, often diverging from GCC policies and taking in leaders of the Muslim Brotherhood, the Palestinian Hamas and members of the Afghan Taliban.

US President Donald Trump said that the time has come for Qatar to halt all funding of terrorism

President Donald Trump declared Friday that the time has come for Qatar to halt all funding of terrorism, as a diplomatic stand-off between the Gulf emirate and its neighbors escalated. Trump's stern warning overshadowed an earlier declaration from Secretary of State Rex Tillerson -- who had also urged Saudi Arabia and its allies to ease their land and sea "blockade" of Qatar. But US officials insisted that both men were sending the same message that the countries of the region should not allow their differences to hinder the fight against extremism. The gas-rich emirate is home to the largest US airbase in the Middle East and thus a key ally in the US-led coalition against the Islamic State group in Iraq and Syria. But it has fallen out with its Arab neighbors, who accuse it of sponsoring extremist groups, some of them allegedly linked to arch Saudi foe Iran, fomenting trouble across the region. The neighbors also resent Qatar's ties to the Muslim Brotherhood movement and its sponsorship of pan-Arab satellite television network Al-Jazeera, which has given opposition figures a platform. Qatar has denounced the allegations of terror funding as baseless and has received the support of close ally Turkey, which has approved the deployment of troops to defend the emirate. 'High-level terror funding' Having apparently been caught on the hop by the speed with which the dispute has spiralled -- despite meeting all of the leaders' concerned in Riyadh last month -- Trump has asked Tillerson to mediate. The US president's rhetoric on Friday, however, did not appear likely to calm spirits in Doha. "The nation of Qatar, unfortunately, has historically been a funder of terrorism at a very high level," Trump told reporters in the White House Rose Garden, as Tillerson looked on. "I decided, along with secretary of state Rex Tillerson, our great generals and military people, the time had come to call on Qatar to end its funding," he declared. "They have to end that funding and its extremist ideology in terms of funding," he said, lumping Qatar in with other nations which he said must "stop teaching people to kill other people." Less than two hours earlier, Tillerson had approached the crisis from a different direction -- warning that the stand-off between the former Gulf allies was undermining the anti-terror fight. He did urge Qatar to be "responsive to the concerns of its neighbors" and to immediately crack down on extremist funding. "The emir of Qatar has made progress in halting financial support and expelling terrorists from his country, but he must do more and he must do it more quickly," he said. But he also warned the response -- Bahrain, Egypt, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates cut diplomatic ties on Monday and are trying to blockade Qatar by air and sea -- could be counterproductive. "The blockade is hindering US military actions in the region and the campaign against ISIS," Tillerson warned. Previously, US officers had denied the blockade was a problem, but Pentagon spokesman Captain Jeff Davis said the "evolving situation is hindering our ability to plan for longer-term military operations." Families separated But Tillerson also noted that other countries must do more -- and he urged Riyadh and its allies to soften their embargo. "There are humanitarian consequences to this blockade. We are seeing shortages of food. Families are being forcibly separated and children pulled out of school," he said. "We believe these are unintended consequences, especially during this holy month of Ramadan. But they can be addressed immediately." Tillerson said he had spoken to many leaders in the Gulf region in recent days and supported efforts by the emir of Kuwait to resolve the stand-off. The tough US line was a rebuff for Qatar's efforts to reach out for support from abroad. Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani spoke to Tillerson and was due in Moscow on Saturday. Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Egypt and Bahrain released a joint statement listing 59 entities and individuals, including members of Qatar's royal family as involved in "terrorist" activities. Also named were Doha-based Muslim Brotherhood spiritual leader Yusuf al-Qaradawi and Qatari-funded charities. A statement said the list shows that Qatar "announces fighting terrorism on one hand and finances and supports and hosts different terrorist organizations on the other hand." The Qatari government said the list "once again reinforces baseless allegations that hold no foundation in fact" and boasted: "We lead the region in attacking the roots of terrorism." Meanwhile, the crisis is drawing in more countries. Turkey's parliament has approved deploying troops to a base in Qatar and Iran has offered to send food. Bahrain's foreign minister, Sheikh Khalid bin Ahmed Al-Khalifa, is expected in Turkey on Saturday to meet President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu. The moves taken against Doha include banning Qatar Airways from airspace and closing Qatar's only land border with Saudi Arabia. The Arab states have also ordered Qataris out within 14 days. Analysts say the crisis is partly an extension of a 2014 dispute, when Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Bahrain temporarily recalled their ambassadors over Qatari support for Egypt's Muslim Brotherhood. Doha has for years forged its own alliances in the region, often diverging from GCC policies and taking in leaders of the Muslim Brotherhood, the Palestinian Hamas and members of the Afghan Taliban.

Trump rebukes Qatar as Gulf stand-off escalates

Fired FBI director James Comey said Wednesday that Donald Trump urged him to drop a probe into former national security advisor Michael Flynn, prompting fresh allegations that the US president tried to obstruct justice.

In a bombshell revelation on the eve of his hotly anticipated appearance on Capitol Hill, Comey said Trump had raised the sensitive FBI probe into Russia&#39;s alleged meddling in the US election in multiple discussions, leaving him deeply uneasy over whether the president was attempting to interfere.

&quot;I hope you can see your way clear to letting this go, to letting Flynn go. He is a good guy,&quot; Comey quoted Trump as telling him on February 14 as they sat alone together in the Oval Office, in prepared testimony for Thursday&#39;s Senate hearing.

&quot;I had understood the president to be requesting that we drop any investigation of Flynn in connection with his false statements about his conversations with the Russian ambassador in December,&quot; added Comey, who was fired by Trump in early May.

However, Trump felt &quot;completely and totally vindicated&quot; by the written testimony, his private attorney said, as Comey confirmed he had told the president he was not personally under investigation.

Comey also said Trump demanded a pledge of loyalty in a meeting on January 27, just days after the Republican billionaire took office under a cloud of allegations that Russia&#39;s interference had helped him win the election.&nbsp;

&quot;The president said, &#39;I need loyalty, I expect loyalty.&#39; I didn&#39;t move, speak, or change my facial expression in any way during the awkward silence that followed,&quot; Comey said.

His comments, which confirmed the details of a number of press reports about his interactions with Trump published in recent weeks, came ahead of his appearance before the Senate Intelligence Committee.

They also came shortly after two top US spy agency chiefs had skirted questions from the Senate panel about whether Trump asked them to intervene in the Flynn probe, as reported by The Washington Post.

Neither Director of Intelligence Dan Coats nor National Security Agency chief Mike Rogers denied the Post story. But both said they never felt &quot;pressured&quot; to act.

&quot;I&#39;ve never felt pressure to intervene or interfere in any way with shaping intelligence in a political way or in relationship to an ongoing investigation,&quot; Coats said.

- &#39;Very concerning&#39; - 
Trump began the day by announcing his new nominee to lead the FBI -- Christopher Wray, a career white-collar crime attorney and former Justice Department official under former president George W. Bush.

Wray&#39;s nomination must be confirmed by the Senate.

Trump fired Comey on May 9, expressing deep frustration with the continuing investigation into whether members of his election campaign colluded with a covert Russian operation against Trump&#39;s rival Hillary Clinton.

In the wake of the firing, the Justice Department named an special prosecutor, former FBI director Robert Mueller, to lead the government&#39;s investigation.

In parallel, the Senate and House Intelligence Committees are leading their own probes, and a number of key former Trump aides as well as his son-in-law Jared Kushner have been asked for, or subpoenaed to provide, information and testimony.

In his statement, Comey made clear he had been uncomfortable discussing an ongoing investigation with the president, even as he assured Trump that he himself was not a target of the probe.

Comey did not say whether he thought the president&#39;s actions amounted to obstructing the investigation -- an issue lawmakers are expected to highlight Thursday in their questions.

&quot;I could be wrong, but I took him to be focusing on what had just happened with Flynn&#39;s departure and the controversy around his account of his phone calls,&quot; Comey said.

&quot;Regardless, it was very concerning, given the FBI&#39;s role as an independent investigative agency,&quot; he added.&nbsp;

At the same time, Comey recalled that in a March 30 phone call, Trump asked Comey how to &quot;lift the cloud&quot; of the overall Russia probe that made it difficult for him to lead the country. 
 
Lawmakers said Thursday&#39;s hearing will focus on whether Trump was obstructing justice -- the charge that led to Richard Nixon&#39;s resignation in 1973.

Asked if Trump had acted appropriately, Republican Senate Intelligence Committee chairman Richard Burr said: &quot;I don&#39;t think that from what I&#39;ve read there&#39;s anything of wrongdoing, but I will match that with his verbal testimony, and weight it against the evidence of our investigation to date.&quot;

Democratic Congresswoman Kathy Castor said in a tweet that Trump&#39;s demand of a loyalty pledge &quot;looks like obstruction.&quot; &nbsp;

And Congressman Al Green said he had drafted articles of impeachment that were under review.&nbsp;

&quot;The question really is not whether the president has obstructed justice,&quot; he said. &quot;The question really is whether the president can obstruct justice with impunity.&quot; 
 
(AFP)

Former national security advisor Michael Flynn was then under scrutiny for his Russia contacts.

Fired FBI director James Comey said Wednesday that Donald Trump urged him to drop a probe into former national security advisor Michael Flynn, prompting fresh allegations that the US president tried to obstruct justice. In a bombshell revelation on the eve of his hotly anticipated appearance on Capitol Hill, Comey said Trump had raised the sensitive FBI probe into Russia's alleged meddling in the US election in multiple discussions, leaving him deeply uneasy over whether the president was attempting to interfere. "I hope you can see your way clear to letting this go, to letting Flynn go. He is a good guy," Comey quoted Trump as telling him on February 14 as they sat alone together in the Oval Office, in prepared testimony for Thursday's Senate hearing. "I had understood the president to be requesting that we drop any investigation of Flynn in connection with his false statements about his conversations with the Russian ambassador in December," added Comey, who was fired by Trump in early May. However, Trump felt "completely and totally vindicated" by the written testimony, his private attorney said, as Comey confirmed he had told the president he was not personally under investigation. Comey also said Trump demanded a pledge of loyalty in a meeting on January 27, just days after the Republican billionaire took office under a cloud of allegations that Russia's interference had helped him win the election. "The president said, 'I need loyalty, I expect loyalty.' I didn't move, speak, or change my facial expression in any way during the awkward silence that followed," Comey said. His comments, which confirmed the details of a number of press reports about his interactions with Trump published in recent weeks, came ahead of his appearance before the Senate Intelligence Committee. They also came shortly after two top US spy agency chiefs had skirted questions from the Senate panel about whether Trump asked them to intervene in the Flynn probe, as reported by The Washington Post. Neither Director of Intelligence Dan Coats nor National Security Agency chief Mike Rogers denied the Post story. But both said they never felt "pressured" to act. "I've never felt pressure to intervene or interfere in any way with shaping intelligence in a political way or in relationship to an ongoing investigation," Coats said. - 'Very concerning' - Trump began the day by announcing his new nominee to lead the FBI -- Christopher Wray, a career white-collar crime attorney and former Justice Department official under former president George W. Bush. Wray's nomination must be confirmed by the Senate. Trump fired Comey on May 9, expressing deep frustration with the continuing investigation into whether members of his election campaign colluded with a covert Russian operation against Trump's rival Hillary Clinton. In the wake of the firing, the Justice Department named an special prosecutor, former FBI director Robert Mueller, to lead the government's investigation. In parallel, the Senate and House Intelligence Committees are leading their own probes, and a number of key former Trump aides as well as his son-in-law Jared Kushner have been asked for, or subpoenaed to provide, information and testimony. In his statement, Comey made clear he had been uncomfortable discussing an ongoing investigation with the president, even as he assured Trump that he himself was not a target of the probe. Comey did not say whether he thought the president's actions amounted to obstructing the investigation -- an issue lawmakers are expected to highlight Thursday in their questions. "I could be wrong, but I took him to be focusing on what had just happened with Flynn's departure and the controversy around his account of his phone calls," Comey said. "Regardless, it was very concerning, given the FBI's role as an independent investigative agency," he added. At the same time, Comey recalled that in a March 30 phone call, Trump asked Comey how to "lift the cloud" of the overall Russia probe that made it difficult for him to lead the country. Lawmakers said Thursday's hearing will focus on whether Trump was obstructing justice -- the charge that led to Richard Nixon's resignation in 1973. Asked if Trump had acted appropriately, Republican Senate Intelligence Committee chairman Richard Burr said: "I don't think that from what I've read there's anything of wrongdoing, but I will match that with his verbal testimony, and weight it against the evidence of our investigation to date." Democratic Congresswoman Kathy Castor said in a tweet that Trump's demand of a loyalty pledge "looks like obstruction." And Congressman Al Green said he had drafted articles of impeachment that were under review. "The question really is not whether the president has obstructed justice," he said. "The question really is whether the president can obstruct justice with impunity." (AFP)

Comey to testify Trump told him to drop Flynn probe

US President Donald Trump offered on Wednesday to help resolve a worsening diplomatic crisis between Qatar and other Arab powers as the United Arab Emirates invoked the possibility of an economic embargo on Doha over its alleged support of terrorism.

In his second intervention in the row in as many days, Trump urged action against terrorism in a call with Qatari Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al Thani, a White House statement said.

&quot;The President offered to help the parties resolve their differences, including through a meeting at the White House if necessary,&quot; it said.

The UAE, Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Bahrain severed diplomatic ties with Qatar on Monday over long-standing allegations that Doha is courting Iran, which they deem the region&#39;s biggest external threat, and supporting Islamist groups, seen as the biggest internal danger.

The four countries also cut transport links to tiny gas-rich Qatar, disrupting food and other supplies and deepening uncertainty about the future of trade and investment ties.

In a sign of economic damage from the dispute, Standard &amp; Poor&#39;s downgraded Qatar&#39;s&nbsp;debt on Wednesday as the country&#39;s riyal currency fell to an 11-year low amid signs that portfolio investment funds were flowing out because of the rift.

S&amp;P cut its long-term rating of Qatar by one notch to AA- from AA and put the rating on CreditWatch with negative implications, meaning there was a significant chance of a further downgrade.

UAE Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Anwar Gargash told Reuters there would be more economic curbs on Qatar if necessary and said Doha needed to make ironclad commitments to change what critics say is a policy on funding Islamist militants.

He later told France 24 television that any further steps could take the form of &quot;a sort of embargo on Qatar&quot;.

Regional tensions

Reiterating comments by Gulf officials, Gargash told Reuters there was no plan to seek a change in Qatar&#39;s leadership, only a change in its policies.

Regional tensions, already high following the diplomatic dispute, ratcheted up further after militants attacked targets in Tehran on Wednesday, killing at least 12 people.

Iran blamed arch-foe Saudi Arabia for the attack, which was claimed by the Islamic State militant group. Riyadh denied any involvement.

Saudi Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir said Gulf states could resolve a row with Qatar among themselves without outside help.

&quot;We have not asked for mediation, we believe this issue can be dealt with among the states of the Gulf Cooperation Council,&quot; he told a news conference with his German counterpart during a visit to Berlin that was broadcast on Saudi state television.

Jubeir declined to confirm a list of 10 demands published by Al Jazeera, which included shutting down the Doha-based news channel, but added that Qatar knew what it needed to do to restore normal relations.

Meanwhile Kuwait&#39;s ruler Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah continued a regional effort to mediate the crisis, shuttling from the UAE en route to Qatar on Wednesday evening, a Kuwaiti diplomat told Reuters.

But efforts to defuse the worst crisis among Gulf Arabs for two decades showed no immediate progress.

The UAE threatened anyone publishing expressions of sympathy towards Doha with up to 15 years in prison and barring entry to Qataris.

Turkish support

Qatar has backed Islamist movements but vehemently denies supporting terrorism. It drew some support on&nbsp;Wednesday when Turkey&#39;s parliament approved a draft bill allowing its troops to be deployed to a military base in Qatar. Turkish exporters have also pledged to provide food and water to Qatar if needed.

Trump&#39;s defence secretary, James Mattis, spoke to his Qatari counterpart to express commitment to the Gulf region&#39;s security. Qatar hosts 8,000 U.S. military personnel at al Udeid, the largest U.S. air base in the Middle East and a launchpad for U.S.-led strikes on Islamic State jihadists.

The sudden isolation has spurred Qatar to hold talks with Turkey, Iran and others to secure food and water supplies, said a Qatari official. He said there were enough grain supplies for four weeks and Qatar also had large strategic food reserves.

Abu Dhabi port authorities in the UAE have eased curbs on non-Qatari oil tankers going to and from Qatar, according to industry sources and shipping circulars seen by Reuters on Wednesday.

Bans on Doha&#39;s fleet using regional ports and anchorages are threatening to halt some of its exports and disrupt those of liquefied natural gas (LNG).

UAE-based newspaper Gulf News and pan-Arab channel Al-Arabiya reported the crackdown on expressions of sympathy with Qatar.

&quot;Strict and firm action will be taken against anyone who shows sympathy or any form of bias towards Qatar, or against anyone who objects to the position of the United Arab Emirates, whether it be through the means of social media, or any type of written, visual or verbal form,&quot; Gulf News quoted UAE Attorney-General Hamad Saif al-Shamsi as saying.

On top of a possible jail term, offenders could also be hit with a fine of at least 500,000 dirhams ($136,000), the newspaper said, citing a statement to Arabic-language media.

Slogans against and in support of Qatar have dominated Twitter in Arabic. Newspapers and television channels in the region have also been engaged in a war of words.

UAE airlines Etihad and Emirates said all travellers holding Qatari passports were currently prohibited from travelling to or transiting through the emirates.

They announced details of the restrictions after Australian carrier and Emirates partner Qantas Airways &lt;QAN.AX&gt; said it would not fly Qataris to Dubai because of the bans.

Foreigners residing in Qatar in possession of a Qatari residence visa would also not be eligible for visas on arrival in the UAE, an Etihad spokesman said in an email.

Gargash, the UAE minister, told Reuters in an interview it would be very complex to disentangle the &quot;very diverse&quot; business ties between Qatar and its neighbours but suggested this might be necessary.

&quot;You cannot rule out further measures. We hope that cooler heads will prevail, that wiser heads will prevail and we will not get to that.&quot;

&quot;Tensions are still high and mediation efforts by fellow Gulf Cooperation Council state Kuwait have yet to lead to a concrete solution, so investors will likely remain on edge,&quot; said one Dubai-based trader. 
 
(Reuters)

Trump urged action against terrorism in a call with Qatari Emir Sheikh QHamad al Thani

US President Donald Trump offered on Wednesday to help resolve a worsening diplomatic crisis between Qatar and other Arab powers as the United Arab Emirates invoked the possibility of an economic embargo on Doha over its alleged support of terrorism. In his second intervention in the row in as many days, Trump urged action against terrorism in a call with Qatari Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al Thani, a White House statement said. "The President offered to help the parties resolve their differences, including through a meeting at the White House if necessary," it said. The UAE, Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Bahrain severed diplomatic ties with Qatar on Monday over long-standing allegations that Doha is courting Iran, which they deem the region's biggest external threat, and supporting Islamist groups, seen as the biggest internal danger. The four countries also cut transport links to tiny gas-rich Qatar, disrupting food and other supplies and deepening uncertainty about the future of trade and investment ties. In a sign of economic damage from the dispute, Standard & Poor's downgraded Qatar's debt on Wednesday as the country's riyal currency fell to an 11-year low amid signs that portfolio investment funds were flowing out because of the rift. S&P cut its long-term rating of Qatar by one notch to AA- from AA and put the rating on CreditWatch with negative implications, meaning there was a significant chance of a further downgrade. UAE Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Anwar Gargash told Reuters there would be more economic curbs on Qatar if necessary and said Doha needed to make ironclad commitments to change what critics say is a policy on funding Islamist militants. He later told France 24 television that any further steps could take the form of "a sort of embargo on Qatar". Regional tensions Reiterating comments by Gulf officials, Gargash told Reuters there was no plan to seek a change in Qatar's leadership, only a change in its policies. Regional tensions, already high following the diplomatic dispute, ratcheted up further after militants attacked targets in Tehran on Wednesday, killing at least 12 people. Iran blamed arch-foe Saudi Arabia for the attack, which was claimed by the Islamic State militant group. Riyadh denied any involvement. Saudi Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir said Gulf states could resolve a row with Qatar among themselves without outside help. "We have not asked for mediation, we believe this issue can be dealt with among the states of the Gulf Cooperation Council," he told a news conference with his German counterpart during a visit to Berlin that was broadcast on Saudi state television. Jubeir declined to confirm a list of 10 demands published by Al Jazeera, which included shutting down the Doha-based news channel, but added that Qatar knew what it needed to do to restore normal relations. Meanwhile Kuwait's ruler Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah continued a regional effort to mediate the crisis, shuttling from the UAE en route to Qatar on Wednesday evening, a Kuwaiti diplomat told Reuters. But efforts to defuse the worst crisis among Gulf Arabs for two decades showed no immediate progress. The UAE threatened anyone publishing expressions of sympathy towards Doha with up to 15 years in prison and barring entry to Qataris. Turkish support Qatar has backed Islamist movements but vehemently denies supporting terrorism. It drew some support on Wednesday when Turkey's parliament approved a draft bill allowing its troops to be deployed to a military base in Qatar. Turkish exporters have also pledged to provide food and water to Qatar if needed. Trump's defence secretary, James Mattis, spoke to his Qatari counterpart to express commitment to the Gulf region's security. Qatar hosts 8,000 U.S. military personnel at al Udeid, the largest U.S. air base in the Middle East and a launchpad for U.S.-led strikes on Islamic State jihadists. The sudden isolation has spurred Qatar to hold talks with Turkey, Iran and others to secure food and water supplies, said a Qatari official. He said there were enough grain supplies for four weeks and Qatar also had large strategic food reserves. Abu Dhabi port authorities in the UAE have eased curbs on non-Qatari oil tankers going to and from Qatar, according to industry sources and shipping circulars seen by Reuters on Wednesday. Bans on Doha's fleet using regional ports and anchorages are threatening to halt some of its exports and disrupt those of liquefied natural gas (LNG). UAE-based newspaper Gulf News and pan-Arab channel Al-Arabiya reported the crackdown on expressions of sympathy with Qatar. "Strict and firm action will be taken against anyone who shows sympathy or any form of bias towards Qatar, or against anyone who objects to the position of the United Arab Emirates, whether it be through the means of social media, or any type of written, visual or verbal form," Gulf News quoted UAE Attorney-General Hamad Saif al-Shamsi as saying. On top of a possible jail term, offenders could also be hit with a fine of at least 500,000 dirhams ($136,000), the newspaper said, citing a statement to Arabic-language media. Slogans against and in support of Qatar have dominated Twitter in Arabic. Newspapers and television channels in the region have also been engaged in a war of words. UAE airlines Etihad and Emirates said all travellers holding Qatari passports were currently prohibited from travelling to or transiting through the emirates. They announced details of the restrictions after Australian carrier and Emirates partner Qantas Airways <QAN.AX> said it would not fly Qataris to Dubai because of the bans. Foreigners residing in Qatar in possession of a Qatari residence visa would also not be eligible for visas on arrival in the UAE, an Etihad spokesman said in an email. Gargash, the UAE minister, told Reuters in an interview it would be very complex to disentangle the "very diverse" business ties between Qatar and its neighbours but suggested this might be necessary. "You cannot rule out further measures. We hope that cooler heads will prevail, that wiser heads will prevail and we will not get to that." "Tensions are still high and mediation efforts by fellow Gulf Cooperation Council state Kuwait have yet to lead to a concrete solution, so investors will likely remain on edge," said one Dubai-based trader. (Reuters)

Trump offers to help resolve Gulf crisis, UAE tightens squeeze on Qatar

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on Wednesday&nbsp;media reports linking Russian hackers to the rift between Qatar and Gulf Arab allies were false.

A CNN report sourcing US&nbsp;officials briefed on the investigation said US&nbsp;investigators believed Russian hackers had breached Qatar&#39;s state news agency and planted a fake news report that contributed to the Qatar crisis.

Lavrov called CNN and other news outlets sources of &quot;mass disinformation&quot; and added: &quot;they are just waiting for the type of story that stinks or some scandal to automatically without any evidence add this episode to the list of Russian sins, Russian hackers or someone else linked to the Russian Federation.&quot;

Lavrov was referencing the current&nbsp;US&nbsp;investigations&nbsp;into&nbsp;what multiple American intelligence agencies&nbsp;say was Russian&nbsp;interference in the 2016 US election. They have concluded&nbsp;that Russia has indeed interfered, and are looking into what they did and what affect it had. They are also&nbsp;investigating whether Trump&#39;s campaign actively worked with a foreign country to interfere in the US election.

More, it was <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/trump-russia-us-intelligence-contractor-charged-with-leaks-16499" target="_blank">reported</a> that not only was there a widespread online campaign launched by Russia to&nbsp;negatively portray&nbsp;presidential candidate Hillary Clinton and help Trump achieve the presidency, but that the <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/trump-russia-us-intelligence-contractor-charged-with-leaks-16499" target="_blank">election campaign</a> software was targeted by a Russian &quot;spear-phish&quot; email scam, aiming to trick recipient into clicking on malicious links to steal data. They were to more than 100 local election officials days before the US election.&nbsp;

There is no evidence that this&nbsp;effort concerning voting machines&nbsp;actually manipulated votes, let alone&nbsp;altered the outcome of the election.

Russia on Syria

Lavrov also said US-led air strikes in Syria on Tuesday, against what it said were Iranian-backed fighters who support the Damascus regime, were a violation of Syria&#39;s sovereignty and threatened the fight against terrorism in the region by targeting the most &quot;effective forces fighting terrorists on the ground&quot;.

A Syrian military source said the strike had caused deaths and material damage and showed the coalition was &quot;in support of terrorism&quot;. The Syrian military command warned against the dangers of escalation, the source added.

The US&nbsp;military had repeatedly warned massing forces to stay away from a so-called &quot;de-escalation&quot; zone near a garrison used by American special forces and US-backed fighters around the southern town of At Tanf.

(WION with inputs from agencies)

The US says Russian hackers had breached Qatar's state news agency and planted a fake news report that contributed to the Qatar crisis

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on Wednesday media reports linking Russian hackers to the rift between Qatar and Gulf Arab allies were false. A CNN report sourcing US officials briefed on the investigation said US investigators believed Russian hackers had breached Qatar's state news agency and planted a fake news report that contributed to the Qatar crisis. Lavrov called CNN and other news outlets sources of "mass disinformation" and added: "they are just waiting for the type of story that stinks or some scandal to automatically without any evidence add this episode to the list of Russian sins, Russian hackers or someone else linked to the Russian Federation." Lavrov was referencing the current US investigations into what multiple American intelligence agencies say was Russian interference in the 2016 US election. They have concluded that Russia has indeed interfered, and are looking into what they did and what affect it had. They are also investigating whether Trump's campaign actively worked with a foreign country to interfere in the US election. More, it was reported that not only was there a widespread online campaign launched by Russia to negatively portray presidential candidate Hillary Clinton and help Trump achieve the presidency, but that the election campaign software was targeted by a Russian "spear-phish" email scam, aiming to trick recipient into clicking on malicious links to steal data. They were to more than 100 local election officials days before the US election. There is no evidence that this effort concerning voting machines actually manipulated votes, let alone altered the outcome of the election. Russia on Syria Lavrov also said US-led air strikes in Syria on Tuesday, against what it said were Iranian-backed fighters who support the Damascus regime, were a violation of Syria's sovereignty and threatened the fight against terrorism in the region by targeting the most "effective forces fighting terrorists on the ground". A Syrian military source said the strike had caused deaths and material damage and showed the coalition was "in support of terrorism". The Syrian military command warned against the dangers of escalation, the source added. The US military had repeatedly warned massing forces to stay away from a so-called "de-escalation" zone near a garrison used by American special forces and US-backed fighters around the southern town of At Tanf. (WION with inputs from agencies)

Sergei Lavrov says reports linking Russian hackers to Qatar crisis are 'mass disinformation'

Iran&#39;s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei lashed out on Sunday against US&nbsp;President Donald Trump and Saudi Arabia&#39;s leaders for their new regional alliance against Tehran, saying it would bear no fruit.

Trump singled out Iran as a key source of funding and support for militant groups during his visit to Saudi Arabia in late May, two days after the Iranian election in which pragmatist President Hassan Rouhani won a second term.

During Trump&#39;s visit to Riyadh, the US&nbsp;sealed a $110 billion arms deal with Saudi Arabia, Iran&#39;s regional arch-rival.

Khamenei called the visit a display of brazenness.

&quot;The US&nbsp;president stands alongside the leaders of a tribal and backward system and does the sword dance, but criticises an Iranian election with 40 million votes,&quot; the supreme leader said in a speech broadcast live on state TV.

&quot;Even with a multi-billion dollar bribe to America, the Saudis cannot achieve their goals in the region,&quot; he said.

Khamenei accused Washington of double standards, saying it turned a blind eye to the &quot;killing of Yemeni people in mosques, streets and their homes,&quot; while claiming to promote human rights around the world.

Saudi Arabia is leading a Sunni-Arab coalition fighting the Iran-allied Houthis in Yemen, part of the same regional power struggle that is fuelling the war in Syria.

The Iranian president championed a nuclear deal with the United States and five other major powers in 2015 that led to the lifting of most sanctions against Iran, in return for curbs on its nuclear programme.

The landmark deal, however, has not led to normalisation of ties between the two countries that Tehran hoped for.

Trump has frequently called the agreement &quot;one of the worst deals ever signed&quot; and said Washington would review it.

European countries, Russia and China have expressed concern that the Trump administration might withdraw from the deal.

&quot;European leaders are now saying the Americans are not trustworthy. Imam Khomeini said the same thing more than 30 years ago,&quot; Khamenei said at the mausoleum of Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, marking the 1989 death of the founder of the Islamic Republic.

Relations with Washington were broken after Iran&#39;s 1979 Islamic revolution and enmity to the United States has long been a rallying point for hardline supporters of Khamenei in Iran.

Khamenei hailed the high turnout in the election, saying that it showed the majority of Iranians still supported the&nbsp;Islamic revolution and its uncompromising values. 
 
(Reuters)

Trump singled out Iran as a key source of funding and support for militant groups during his visit to Saudi Arabia in May

Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei lashed out on Sunday against US President Donald Trump and Saudi Arabia's leaders for their new regional alliance against Tehran, saying it would bear no fruit. Trump singled out Iran as a key source of funding and support for militant groups during his visit to Saudi Arabia in late May, two days after the Iranian election in which pragmatist President Hassan Rouhani won a second term. During Trump's visit to Riyadh, the US sealed a $110 billion arms deal with Saudi Arabia, Iran's regional arch-rival. Khamenei called the visit a display of brazenness. "The US president stands alongside the leaders of a tribal and backward system and does the sword dance, but criticises an Iranian election with 40 million votes," the supreme leader said in a speech broadcast live on state TV. "Even with a multi-billion dollar bribe to America, the Saudis cannot achieve their goals in the region," he said. Khamenei accused Washington of double standards, saying it turned a blind eye to the "killing of Yemeni people in mosques, streets and their homes," while claiming to promote human rights around the world. Saudi Arabia is leading a Sunni-Arab coalition fighting the Iran-allied Houthis in Yemen, part of the same regional power struggle that is fuelling the war in Syria. The Iranian president championed a nuclear deal with the United States and five other major powers in 2015 that led to the lifting of most sanctions against Iran, in return for curbs on its nuclear programme. The landmark deal, however, has not led to normalisation of ties between the two countries that Tehran hoped for. Trump has frequently called the agreement "one of the worst deals ever signed" and said Washington would review it. European countries, Russia and China have expressed concern that the Trump administration might withdraw from the deal. "European leaders are now saying the Americans are not trustworthy. Imam Khomeini said the same thing more than 30 years ago," Khamenei said at the mausoleum of Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, marking the 1989 death of the founder of the Islamic Republic. Relations with Washington were broken after Iran's 1979 Islamic revolution and enmity to the United States has long been a rallying point for hardline supporters of Khamenei in Iran. Khamenei hailed the high turnout in the election, saying that it showed the majority of Iranians still supported the Islamic revolution and its uncompromising values. (Reuters)

Iran's Ayatollah Khamenei lashes out at Trump, Saudi Arabia for anti-Tehran alliance

President Donald Trump&#39;s administration asked the US Supreme Court on Thursday to reinstate its controversial ban on travelers from six Muslim majority nations despite repeated setbacks in the lower courts.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/muslim-ban-iranian-community-protests-trumps-travel-ban-in-a-republican-state-12340">Also Read: Iranian community protests Trump&#39;s travel ban in Republican state</a>

&quot;We have asked the Supreme Court to hear this important case and are confident that President Trump&#39;s executive order is well within his lawful authority to keep the nation safe and protect our communities from terrorism,&quot; justice department spokeswoman Sarah Isgur Flores said following the government&#39;s filing with the High&nbsp;Court.&nbsp;&nbsp;

&quot;The president is not required to admit people from countries that sponsor or shelter terrorism, until he determines that they can be properly vetted and do not pose a security risk to the United States,&quot; the&nbsp;justice department spokeswoman added.

The Trump administration&#39;s filing came just one week after the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals ruling dealt a fresh blow to the government&#39;s effort.

The court said it &quot;remained unconvinced&quot; that the part of the measure naming the specific countries -- Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen -- had &quot;more to do with national security than it does with effectuating the president&#39;s promised Muslim ban.&quot;

It added that it was unclear whether the government&#39;s security concerns outweighed the plaintiffs&#39; concerns about discrimination.

&quot;The stakes are indisputably high: the court of appeals concluded that the president acted in bad faith with religious animus when, after consulting with three members of his cabinet, he placed a brief pause on entry from six countries that present heightened risks of terrorism,&quot; the government&#39;s filing read.

&quot;The court&#39;s decision creates uncertainty about the president&#39;s authority to meet those threats as the Constitution and acts of Congress empower and obligate him to do.&quot;

Trump issued his initial travel ban by executive order in January, but that measure -- which banned entry to nationals from seven countries for 90 days and suspended the nation&#39;s refugee program for 120 days -- was quickly halted by the courts.

A revised executive order announced in March, meant to address the issues raised by the federal judges, deleted Iraq from the list and removed an indefinite ban on Syrian refugees.

It earned widespread scorn nevertheless, including from human rights activists and states led by Democrats.

A district court judge in Maryland issued a nationwide block on the ban&#39;s core provision concerning travel from the shortlist of countries, sending the issue to the Fourth Circuit.

Given the case&#39;s high-profile nature, the full appeals court in Richmond heard the arguments -- bypassing the usual initial three-judge panel -- for the first time in a quarter of a century.

Thirteen of the court&#39;s 15 active judges took part. Two recused themselves over potential conflicts of interest. 
&nbsp;

(AFP)

President Donald Trump's administration asked the US Supreme Court on Thursday to reinstate its controversial ban on travelers.

President Donald Trump's administration asked the US Supreme Court on Thursday to reinstate its controversial ban on travelers from six Muslim majority nations despite repeated setbacks in the lower courts. Also Read: Iranian community protests Trump's travel ban in Republican state "We have asked the Supreme Court to hear this important case and are confident that President Trump's executive order is well within his lawful authority to keep the nation safe and protect our communities from terrorism," justice department spokeswoman Sarah Isgur Flores said following the government's filing with the High Court. "The president is not required to admit people from countries that sponsor or shelter terrorism, until he determines that they can be properly vetted and do not pose a security risk to the United States," the justice department spokeswoman added. The Trump administration's filing came just one week after the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals ruling dealt a fresh blow to the government's effort. The court said it "remained unconvinced" that the part of the measure naming the specific countries -- Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen -- had "more to do with national security than it does with effectuating the president's promised Muslim ban." It added that it was unclear whether the government's security concerns outweighed the plaintiffs' concerns about discrimination. "The stakes are indisputably high: the court of appeals concluded that the president acted in bad faith with religious animus when, after consulting with three members of his cabinet, he placed a brief pause on entry from six countries that present heightened risks of terrorism," the government's filing read. "The court's decision creates uncertainty about the president's authority to meet those threats as the Constitution and acts of Congress empower and obligate him to do." Trump issued his initial travel ban by executive order in January, but that measure -- which banned entry to nationals from seven countries for 90 days and suspended the nation's refugee program for 120 days -- was quickly halted by the courts. A revised executive order announced in March, meant to address the issues raised by the federal judges, deleted Iraq from the list and removed an indefinite ban on Syrian refugees. It earned widespread scorn nevertheless, including from human rights activists and states led by Democrats. A district court judge in Maryland issued a nationwide block on the ban's core provision concerning travel from the shortlist of countries, sending the issue to the Fourth Circuit. Given the case's high-profile nature, the full appeals court in Richmond heard the arguments -- bypassing the usual initial three-judge panel -- for the first time in a quarter of a century. Thirteen of the court's 15 active judges took part. Two recused themselves over potential conflicts of interest. (AFP)

Trump asks US Supreme Court to reinstate travel ban on six Muslim countries

President Trump is expected to pull out of the Paris climate change accord later on Thursday (read WION&#39;s <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/trump-to-announce-paris-climate-deal-decision-thursday-16284">report here</a>.) He has recently even made noises about withdrawing from the <a href="https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2017/04/trump-nafta-withdrawal-order/524463/">North American Free Trade Agreement</a> and cutting funding for the <a href="http://www.reuters.com/article/us-g20-imf-worldbank-idUSKBN17L313">World Bank</a> and <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/nato-allies-not-spending-enough-to-shore-up-defences-trump-16049">NATO</a> military alliance.

So we ask the question, what else could Trump pull the US out of? How else will Trump&#39;s <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/daniel-wagner/trump-and-the-coming-deat_b_12915974.html">hostility to multilateralism</a> manifest itself

Here&#39;s a graphic looking at major international organisations and treaties and how long the US has been associated with them.

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The thing to keep in mind is that there are several treaties such as the <a href="https://www.brookings.edu/blog/order-from-chaos/2016/09/26/whats-the-deal-with-senate-republicans-and-the-test-ban-treaty/">Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty</a>, the Ottawa Treaty (banning mines) and organisations such as the <a href="http://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/statements/2014/apr/24/chain-email/chain-email-says-barack-obama-wants-us-joint-inter/">International Criminal Court</a> that the US is not a part of.

So this&nbsp;unilateral route that Trump is taking is nothing new. Sadly, it&#39;s a road the US has been on for some time now.

President Trump could pull the US out of the Paris climate deal later today. So what does Trump have his eyes on next?

President Trump is expected to pull out of the Paris climate change accord later on Thursday (read WION's report here.) He has recently even made noises about withdrawing from the North American Free Trade Agreement and cutting funding for the World Bank and NATO military alliance. So we ask the question, what else could Trump pull the US out of? How else will Trump's hostility to multilateralism manifest itself Here's a graphic looking at major international organisations and treaties and how long the US has been associated with them. The thing to keep in mind is that there are several treaties such as the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty, the Ottawa Treaty (banning mines) and organisations such as the International Criminal Court that the US is not a part of. So this unilateral route that Trump is taking is nothing new. Sadly, it's a road the US has been on for some time now.

Infographic: After Paris climate accord, will Trump pull out of NATO?

President Donald Trump postponed moving the US embassy in Israel to Jerusalem on Thursday, avoiding a provocative step as he tries to revive the Israeli-Palestinian peace process.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who welcomed Trump to the city last week, expressed disappointment at the delay but made it clear he still values Trump&#39;s support.

And the Palestinian leadership were relieved by a decision that they said &quot;gives peace a chance.&quot;&nbsp;

On the campaign trail Trump repeatedly pledged that he would shift the embassy from Tel Aviv to the city claimed as capital by both Israel and its Palestinian neighbors and he appointed a US ambassador who shares this goal.

But since coming to office in January, Trump has met with both Israeli and Palestinian leaders in Washington and in a visit to the region last week and has committed himself to seeking a long-elusive final peace deal between them.

Congress passed a law in 1995 making it US policy to move the embassy to Jerusalem, symbolically endorsing Israel&#39;s claim on the city as its capital.

But the law contained a clause that has allowed each president since to issue and renew a six-month waiver on carrying out the move.

On Thursday, the waiver came up for renewal for the first time on Trump&#39;s watch, and he followed the example of Bill Clinton, George W. Bush and Barack Obama before him in instructing his secretary of state to hold off on the move.

No retreat&nbsp;

&quot;No one should consider this step to be in any way a retreat from the president&#39;s strong support for Israel and for the United States-Israel alliance,&quot; the White House said, in a written statement.

&quot;President Trump made this decision to maximize the chances of successfully negotiating a deal between Israel and the Palestinians, fulfilling his solemn obligation to defend America&#39;s national security interests,&quot; it explained.

&quot;But, as he has repeatedly stated his intention to move the embassy, the question is not if that move happens, but only when.&quot;

Netanyahu&#39;s office expressed disappointment, but not anger.

&quot;Maintaining embassies outside the capital drives peace further away by helping keep alive the Palestinian fantasy that the Jewish people and the Jewish state have no connection to Jerusalem,&quot; a statement said.

&quot;Though Israel is disappointed that the embassy will not move at this time, we appreciate today&#39;s expression of President Trump&#39;s friendship to Israel and his commitment to moving the embassy in the future.&quot;

Hussam Zomlot, Palestinian ambassador to the United States, also issued a statement.

&quot;This is in line with the long-held US policy and the international consensus and it gives peace a chance,&quot; &nbsp;he said.

&quot;We are ready to start the consultation process with the US administration. We are serious and genuine about achieving a just and lasting peace.&quot;

A US official speaking on condition of anonymity stressed to AFP that &quot;it&#39;s a question of when, not if,&quot; and added that &quot;he doesn&#39;t think the timing is right, right now.&quot;

&quot;In timing such a move he will seek to maximize the chances of successfully negotiating a deal between Israel and the Palestinians,&quot; he said.

Peace process&nbsp;

Trump&#39;s closest advisors are reported to be divided about the wisdom of quickly making good on the pledge, a move that would delight many Israelis but dismay Palestinians and raise concerns among Israel&#39;s Arab neighbors.

White House strategy chief Steve Bannon supports the move, but Secretary of State Rex Tillerson is less keen and has said Trump is &quot;being very careful to understand how such a decision would impact the peace process.&quot;

In Washington, pro-Israel lobby groups are also divided on the policy.&nbsp;

Progressive group J Street, which favors a two-state peace deal with the Palestinians, welcomed the delay to a move that could imperil efforts to find a deal on the status of the city negotiated between Israelis and Palestinians.

&quot;American governments have avoided and objected to actions that could be interpreted as prejudging the outcome of those negotiations,&quot; the group argued.&nbsp;

But the biggest pro-Israeli group in the US capital, AIPAC, expressed concern.

&quot;We are disappointed that the president has not yet followed through on his pledge to move the embassy, and we hope that he does so soon,&quot; it said.

Jerusalem was divided between Israeli rule in the west and Jordanian in the east until 1967, when Israel was attacked by allied Arab armies.

Israel fought back and its victory left it in control of East Jerusalem. Its government is now based in the city, and settlements have been built around it on occupied land.

Palestinians want East Jerusalem -- including the Old City and its sites holy to Muslims, Jews and Christians -- to become the capital of their eventual state.

(AFP)

The US president wanted avoid another flash point in the region as he attempts to revive the Israeli-Palestinian peace process

President Donald Trump postponed moving the US embassy in Israel to Jerusalem on Thursday, avoiding a provocative step as he tries to revive the Israeli-Palestinian peace process. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who welcomed Trump to the city last week, expressed disappointment at the delay but made it clear he still values Trump's support. And the Palestinian leadership were relieved by a decision that they said "gives peace a chance." On the campaign trail Trump repeatedly pledged that he would shift the embassy from Tel Aviv to the city claimed as capital by both Israel and its Palestinian neighbors and he appointed a US ambassador who shares this goal. But since coming to office in January, Trump has met with both Israeli and Palestinian leaders in Washington and in a visit to the region last week and has committed himself to seeking a long-elusive final peace deal between them. Congress passed a law in 1995 making it US policy to move the embassy to Jerusalem, symbolically endorsing Israel's claim on the city as its capital. But the law contained a clause that has allowed each president since to issue and renew a six-month waiver on carrying out the move. On Thursday, the waiver came up for renewal for the first time on Trump's watch, and he followed the example of Bill Clinton, George W. Bush and Barack Obama before him in instructing his secretary of state to hold off on the move. No retreat "No one should consider this step to be in any way a retreat from the president's strong support for Israel and for the United States-Israel alliance," the White House said, in a written statement. "President Trump made this decision to maximize the chances of successfully negotiating a deal between Israel and the Palestinians, fulfilling his solemn obligation to defend America's national security interests," it explained. "But, as he has repeatedly stated his intention to move the embassy, the question is not if that move happens, but only when." Netanyahu's office expressed disappointment, but not anger. "Maintaining embassies outside the capital drives peace further away by helping keep alive the Palestinian fantasy that the Jewish people and the Jewish state have no connection to Jerusalem," a statement said. "Though Israel is disappointed that the embassy will not move at this time, we appreciate today's expression of President Trump's friendship to Israel and his commitment to moving the embassy in the future." Hussam Zomlot, Palestinian ambassador to the United States, also issued a statement. "This is in line with the long-held US policy and the international consensus and it gives peace a chance," he said. "We are ready to start the consultation process with the US administration. We are serious and genuine about achieving a just and lasting peace." A US official speaking on condition of anonymity stressed to AFP that "it's a question of when, not if," and added that "he doesn't think the timing is right, right now." "In timing such a move he will seek to maximize the chances of successfully negotiating a deal between Israel and the Palestinians," he said. Peace process Trump's closest advisors are reported to be divided about the wisdom of quickly making good on the pledge, a move that would delight many Israelis but dismay Palestinians and raise concerns among Israel's Arab neighbors. White House strategy chief Steve Bannon supports the move, but Secretary of State Rex Tillerson is less keen and has said Trump is "being very careful to understand how such a decision would impact the peace process." In Washington, pro-Israel lobby groups are also divided on the policy. Progressive group J Street, which favors a two-state peace deal with the Palestinians, welcomed the delay to a move that could imperil efforts to find a deal on the status of the city negotiated between Israelis and Palestinians. "American governments have avoided and objected to actions that could be interpreted as prejudging the outcome of those negotiations," the group argued. But the biggest pro-Israeli group in the US capital, AIPAC, expressed concern. "We are disappointed that the president has not yet followed through on his pledge to move the embassy, and we hope that he does so soon," it said. Jerusalem was divided between Israeli rule in the west and Jordanian in the east until 1967, when Israel was attacked by allied Arab armies. Israel fought back and its victory left it in control of East Jerusalem. Its government is now based in the city, and settlements have been built around it on occupied land. Palestinians want East Jerusalem -- including the Old City and its sites holy to Muslims, Jews and Christians -- to become the capital of their eventual state. (AFP)

Palestinians happy as Trump delays moving US embassy to Jerusalem

US President Donald Trump has said he will announce Thursday whether the United States will withdraw from the Paris climate accord, as aides reportedly said a pullout is likely.

&quot;I will be announcing my decision on Paris Accord, Thursday at 3:00 P.M. The White House Rose Garden. MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!&quot; the US leader said in a tweet late Wednesday, punctuating the post with his populist campaign slogan.

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
I will be announcing my decision on Paris Accord, Thursday at 3:00 P.M. The White House Rose Garden. MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!
&mdash; Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/870083798981111808">June 1, 2017</a></blockquote>
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Trump has decided he will, in fact, pull the US out of the Paris climate accord, Axios reports, citing two sources with knowledge of the decision.&nbsp;

Details about how they will withdraw are being finalised now;&nbsp;To be decided is whether the withdrawal will be formal or whether to exit the underlying UN climate change treaty--the former can take three years, while the latter is faster but is &quot;more extreme&quot;, Axios reports.

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President Trump has decided he will pull the US out of the Paris climate accord, Axios reports, citing two sources with knowledge of the decision (WION)
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The Paris climate agreement is at the centre of President Obama&#39;s legacy, and is supported by every country except for Syria and Nicaragua.

Donald Trump has, very wrongly, called climate change &quot;a hoax invented by the Chinese&quot;.

Here is a data and graphs released by <a href="https://climate.nasa.gov/scientific-consensus/" target="_blank">NASA</a>, showing&nbsp;that climate change is real and highly dangerous, and that&nbsp;climate change &nbsp;is not just a hoax&nbsp;invented by the Chinese.

(WION)

His aides reportedly said a pullout from the Paris agreement is likely

US President Donald Trump has said he will announce Thursday whether the United States will withdraw from the Paris climate accord, as aides reportedly said a pullout is likely. "I will be announcing my decision on Paris Accord, Thursday at 3:00 P.M. The White House Rose Garden. MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!" the US leader said in a tweet late Wednesday, punctuating the post with his populist campaign slogan. I will be announcing my decision on Paris Accord, Thursday at 3:00 P.M. The White House Rose Garden. MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 1, 2017 × Trump has decided he will, in fact, pull the US out of the Paris climate accord, Axios reports, citing two sources with knowledge of the decision. Details about how they will withdraw are being finalised now; To be decided is whether the withdrawal will be formal or whether to exit the underlying UN climate change treaty--the former can take three years, while the latter is faster but is "more extreme", Axios reports. President Trump has decided he will pull the US out of the Paris climate accord, Axios reports, citing two sources with knowledge of the decision (WION) × The Paris climate agreement is at the centre of President Obama's legacy, and is supported by every country except for Syria and Nicaragua. Donald Trump has, very wrongly, called climate change "a hoax invented by the Chinese". Here is a data and graphs released by NASA, showing that climate change is real and highly dangerous, and that climate change is not just a hoax invented by the Chinese. (WION)

Trump to announce Paris climate deal decision Thursday

US comedian Kathy Griffin may have hoped to make art in holding up a prop depicting Donald Trump&#39;s bloodied, severed head. But the stunt cost her a job with CNN and achieved the unthinkable -- uniting conservatives and liberals in outrage.

The president castigated the comedian on Wednesday, saying she &quot;should be ashamed of herself&quot; for the grisly-looking photograph.&nbsp;

&quot;My children, especially my 11 year old son, Barron, are having a hard time with this. Sick!&quot; he tweeted.

It didn&#39;t matter that the outspoken Trump critic and award-winning performer had already apologized and asked celebrity photographer Tyler Shields to remove the picture from the internet. It was not enough to save her job.

&quot;CNN has terminated our agreement with Kathy Griffin to appear on our New Year&#39;s Eve program,&quot; the network&#39;s communications division announced.

CNN had earlier called the picture &quot;disgusting and offensive, &quot;and said it was &quot;evaluating&quot; its annual New Year&#39;s Eve coverage, which Griffin co-hosted for a decade with Anderson Cooper. The CNN anchor slammed the image as &quot;completely inappropriate.&quot;

First Lady Melania Trump also criticized Griffin, who has twice won Emmys for her reality show &quot;My Life on the D List.&quot;&nbsp;

&quot;As a mother, a wife, and a human being, that photo is very disturbing,&quot; she said in a rare statement.

&quot;When you consider some of the atrocities happening in the world today, a photo opportunity like this is simply wrong and makes you wonder about the mental health of the person who did it,&quot; she added.

The Secret Service also said it would look into the incident, tweeting that threats against protectees &quot;receive the highest priority of all of our investigations.&quot;

In a 31-second video posted to social media late Tuesday, Griffin said: &quot;I beg for your forgiveness. I went too far. I made a mistake and I was wrong.&quot;

But the 56-year-old was initially more defiant.

&quot;There was blood coming out of his eyes, blood coming out of his... wherever,&quot; she captioned the photograph Tuesday in reference to a remark Trump made on the campaign trail about US journalist Megyn Kelly, who moderated a presidential debate.

&#39;Repugnant and vile&#39;&nbsp;

&quot;I do not condone any violence... I&#39;m merely mocking the mocker in chief,&quot; Griffin tweeted later. Both messages have since been deleted and the photograph has been removed from her social media account.

Trump&#39;s eldest son Donald Jr, who runs the family business in New York, and Mitt Romney, the defeated 2012 Republican presidential nominee, were among those conservatives who slammed the photograph.

&quot;Our politics have become too base, too low &amp; too vulgar, but Kathy Griffin&#39;s post descends into an even more repugnant &amp; vile territory,&quot; Romney tweeted.

Even Trump critics vented their disapproval.&nbsp;

&quot;It is never funny to joke about killing a president,&quot; tweeted Chelsea Clinton, the daughter of former president Bill and Trump&#39;s election rival Hillary.

&quot;I think she was thinking she was making some artistic statement, but that image has no place in our political dialogue,&quot; Al Franken, a Democratic senator from Minnesota and a former comedian on long-running television show Saturday Night Live, told MSNBC.

Apart from CNN, Squatty Potty, a Utah-based bathroom products company, suspended an advertising campaign featuring Griffin, calling the picture &quot;deeply inappropriate.&quot;

Shields has not commented publicly since the controversy broke. He is listed on his website as an artist and &quot;Hollywood&#39;s favorite photographer&quot; who has evolved from being the &quot;bad boy of photography.&quot;

US newspapers were scathing on the editorial pages.

&quot;In a strange way Griffin&#39;s shameful stunt might&nbsp;have given Americans their greatest moment of unity since Trump&#39;s unexpected election,&quot; wrote USA Today.

&quot;Those who hate Trump with all their gut, and recoil at the crass and nasty direction he&#39;s taken our politics, should be the first to condemn imagery that normalizes violence against him,&quot; said the New York Daily News.

(AFP)

Kathy Griffin came under a lot of criticism for holding up a prop depicting Donald Trump's bloodied, severed head

US comedian Kathy Griffin may have hoped to make art in holding up a prop depicting Donald Trump's bloodied, severed head. But the stunt cost her a job with CNN and achieved the unthinkable -- uniting conservatives and liberals in outrage. The president castigated the comedian on Wednesday, saying she "should be ashamed of herself" for the grisly-looking photograph. "My children, especially my 11 year old son, Barron, are having a hard time with this. Sick!" he tweeted. It didn't matter that the outspoken Trump critic and award-winning performer had already apologized and asked celebrity photographer Tyler Shields to remove the picture from the internet. It was not enough to save her job. "CNN has terminated our agreement with Kathy Griffin to appear on our New Year's Eve program," the network's communications division announced. CNN had earlier called the picture "disgusting and offensive, "and said it was "evaluating" its annual New Year's Eve coverage, which Griffin co-hosted for a decade with Anderson Cooper. The CNN anchor slammed the image as "completely inappropriate." First Lady Melania Trump also criticized Griffin, who has twice won Emmys for her reality show "My Life on the D List." "As a mother, a wife, and a human being, that photo is very disturbing," she said in a rare statement. "When you consider some of the atrocities happening in the world today, a photo opportunity like this is simply wrong and makes you wonder about the mental health of the person who did it," she added. The Secret Service also said it would look into the incident, tweeting that threats against protectees "receive the highest priority of all of our investigations." In a 31-second video posted to social media late Tuesday, Griffin said: "I beg for your forgiveness. I went too far. I made a mistake and I was wrong." But the 56-year-old was initially more defiant. "There was blood coming out of his eyes, blood coming out of his... wherever," she captioned the photograph Tuesday in reference to a remark Trump made on the campaign trail about US journalist Megyn Kelly, who moderated a presidential debate. 'Repugnant and vile' "I do not condone any violence... I'm merely mocking the mocker in chief," Griffin tweeted later. Both messages have since been deleted and the photograph has been removed from her social media account. Trump's eldest son Donald Jr, who runs the family business in New York, and Mitt Romney, the defeated 2012 Republican presidential nominee, were among those conservatives who slammed the photograph. "Our politics have become too base, too low & too vulgar, but Kathy Griffin's post descends into an even more repugnant & vile territory," Romney tweeted. Even Trump critics vented their disapproval. "It is never funny to joke about killing a president," tweeted Chelsea Clinton, the daughter of former president Bill and Trump's election rival Hillary. "I think she was thinking she was making some artistic statement, but that image has no place in our political dialogue," Al Franken, a Democratic senator from Minnesota and a former comedian on long-running television show Saturday Night Live, told MSNBC. Apart from CNN, Squatty Potty, a Utah-based bathroom products company, suspended an advertising campaign featuring Griffin, calling the picture "deeply inappropriate." Shields has not commented publicly since the controversy broke. He is listed on his website as an artist and "Hollywood's favorite photographer" who has evolved from being the "bad boy of photography." US newspapers were scathing on the editorial pages. "In a strange way Griffin's shameful stunt might have given Americans their greatest moment of unity since Trump's unexpected election," wrote USA Today. "Those who hate Trump with all their gut, and recoil at the crass and nasty direction he's taken our politics, should be the first to condemn imagery that normalizes violence against him," said the New York Daily News. (AFP)

US comedian sacked by CNN over grisly Trump stunt

US President Donald Trump has done it yet again! The president in a late night&nbsp;tweet said &quot;Despite the constant negative press covfefe&quot; as the&nbsp;Twitterati quickly latched on to it trying to find the meaning of the new word introduced.&nbsp;

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/trump-praises-wrong-ivanka-on-twitter-11410">Also Read:&nbsp;Trump praises wrong Ivanka on Twitter</a>

The word &#39;covfefe&#39; started trending worldwide on Twitter with the hashtag #covfefe creating a social media storm.

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
Despite the constant negative press covfefe
&mdash; Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/869766994899468288">May 31, 2017</a></blockquote>
<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">&times;</a></div>

This, however, is not the first time President Trump has accidentally slipped his hands on the keyboard. He had misspelt the word unprecedented with &nbsp;&#39;unpresidented&#39; earlier and had tweeted the sole word &#39;we&#39; leaving the Twitter world to complete the sentence.

As the word began to trend on Twitter, social media began giving its own interpretation of&nbsp;the word&nbsp;&#39;covfefe&#39;.

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
Even Queen is Disturbed ??<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/covfefe?src=hash">#covfefe</a> <a href="https://t.co/djiGpPjRdr">pic.twitter.com/djiGpPjRdr</a>
&mdash; Nabeel Chaudhry (@chaudhry_nabeel) <a href="https://twitter.com/chaudhry_nabeel/status/869831261019398144">May 31, 2017</a></blockquote>
<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">&times;</a></div>

&nbsp;

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
I&#39;m calling it now - covfefe will be in the oxford english dictionary by the end of this year.
&mdash; kickthePJ (@kickthepj) <a href="https://twitter.com/kickthepj/status/869828520142360576">May 31, 2017</a></blockquote>
<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">&times;</a></div>

(WION)&nbsp; 
&nbsp;

US president in an early morning tweet said 'Despite the constant negative press covfefe' as the?Twitterati quickly latched on to it

US President Donald Trump has done it yet again! The president in a late night tweet said "Despite the constant negative press covfefe" as the Twitterati quickly latched on to it trying to find the meaning of the new word introduced. Also Read: Trump praises wrong Ivanka on Twitter The word 'covfefe' started trending worldwide on Twitter with the hashtag #covfefe creating a social media storm. Despite the constant negative press covfefe — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 31, 2017 × This, however, is not the first time President Trump has accidentally slipped his hands on the keyboard. He had misspelt the word unprecedented with 'unpresidented' earlier and had tweeted the sole word 'we' leaving the Twitter world to complete the sentence. As the word began to trend on Twitter, social media began giving its own interpretation of the word 'covfefe'. Even Queen is Disturbed ??#covfefe pic.twitter.com/djiGpPjRdr — Nabeel Chaudhry (@chaudhry_nabeel) May 31, 2017 × I'm calling it now - covfefe will be in the oxford english dictionary by the end of this year. — kickthePJ (@kickthepj) May 31, 2017 × (WION)

What is 'covfefe'? President Trump can explain

The United States on Tuesday began providing small arms to Kurdish fighters battling the Islamic State group in northern Syria, the Pentagon said, fulfilling a pledge that has infuriated Turkey.

The weapons transfers have begun ahead of an upcoming offensive to recapture Raqa, the last major bastion for IS in Syria.

&quot;We have begun to transfer small arms and vehicles to the Kurdish elements&quot; of the Syrian Democratic Forces, Pentagon spokesman Major Adrian Rankine-Galloway said, referring to a Kurdish-Syrian Arab alliance fighting IS.

The weapons include AK-47s and small-caliber machine guns, Rankine-Galloway added.

President Donald Trump this month approved arming the fighters from the&nbsp;Kurdish Peoples&#39; Protection Units (YPG).

But Turkey says the YPG is linked to Kurdistan Workers&#39; Party (PKK) separatists inside Turkey, who have waged an insurgency since 1984 that has killed more than 40,000 people.

(AFP)

Weapons include AK-47s and small-caliber machine guns, Pentagon said

The United States on Tuesday began providing small arms to Kurdish fighters battling the Islamic State group in northern Syria, the Pentagon said, fulfilling a pledge that has infuriated Turkey. The weapons transfers have begun ahead of an upcoming offensive to recapture Raqa, the last major bastion for IS in Syria. "We have begun to transfer small arms and vehicles to the Kurdish elements" of the Syrian Democratic Forces, Pentagon spokesman Major Adrian Rankine-Galloway said, referring to a Kurdish-Syrian Arab alliance fighting IS. The weapons include AK-47s and small-caliber machine guns, Rankine-Galloway added. President Donald Trump this month approved arming the fighters from the Kurdish Peoples' Protection Units (YPG). But Turkey says the YPG is linked to Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) separatists inside Turkey, who have waged an insurgency since 1984 that has killed more than 40,000 people. (AFP)

US starts arming Kurdish fighters to battle IS militants

France&#39;s new President Emmanuel Macron says he was ready for his &quot;moment of truth&quot; with US counterpart Donald Trump -- when they shook hands for the first time.

&quot;You have to show you won&#39;t make little concessions, even symbolic ones,&quot; Macron, 39, told the French weekly Journal du Dimanche on Sunday.

Footage of the handshake as the pair met for lunch at the US embassy in Brussels ahead of a NATO summit on Thursday has gone viral.

As cameras rolled, Macron held on tight to Trump&#39;s notorious power grip as the two men sat next to each other, the Frenchman&#39;s mouth clenched and eyes firmly fixed at the 70-year-old tycoon&#39;s squinty stare.

After some five seconds, Trump was the first to open his hand but Macron insisted on being the last to let go.

&quot;It&#39;s not the be-all-and-end-all... but a moment of truth,&quot; Macron said.

&quot;I don&#39;t miss a thing, that&#39;s how you get respect.&quot;

(AFP)

Footage of the handshake as the pair met for lunch at the US embassy in Brussels ahead of a NATO summit on Thursday has gone viral

France's new President Emmanuel Macron says he was ready for his "moment of truth" with US counterpart Donald Trump -- when they shook hands for the first time. "You have to show you won't make little concessions, even symbolic ones," Macron, 39, told the French weekly Journal du Dimanche on Sunday. Footage of the handshake as the pair met for lunch at the US embassy in Brussels ahead of a NATO summit on Thursday has gone viral. As cameras rolled, Macron held on tight to Trump's notorious power grip as the two men sat next to each other, the Frenchman's mouth clenched and eyes firmly fixed at the 70-year-old tycoon's squinty stare. After some five seconds, Trump was the first to open his hand but Macron insisted on being the last to let go. "It's not the be-all-and-end-all... but a moment of truth," Macron said. "I don't miss a thing, that's how you get respect." (AFP)

Macron speaks about 'moment of truth' handshake with Trump

The US military will try to intercept an intercontinental ballistic missile in a landmark test of a defense system that comes amid broad tensions over North Korea&#39;s weapons program, the Pentagon said Friday.

Scheduled for Tuesday, the test is the first time the military will attempt to intercept an ICBM. Previous trials have been against intermediate-range missiles, which are slower.

Experts will launch a ground-based interceptor from Vandenberg Air Force Base, California at a mock-up of an ICBM fired from the Reagan Test Site on Kwajalein Atoll in the Marshall Islands, the Missile Defense Agency said in a statement.&nbsp;

The exercise will check the performance of the Ground-based Midcourse Defense (GMD) system, which has had a checkered record in previous tests.

Though it succeeded in the last test in 2014, it failed during the three prior attempts.

The technology behind the GMD is extremely complex, and the system uses globally deployed sensors to detect and track ballistic missile threats.&nbsp;

In a move that the Pentagon says is akin to hitting a bullet with another bullet -- though at far higher speeds -- the missile launches into space, then deploys an &quot;Exo-atmospheric Kill Vehicle&quot; that uses kinetic energy to destroy the incoming target.

If the test is successful, it will prove that America has an effective ground-based defense against ICBMs, albeit on a limited scale.&nbsp;

The system will comprise 44 interceptors by the end of the year, so it could thwart an attack from a rogue state or a volley of rockets.

But the interceptors, based in California and Alaska, would be overwhelmed by a full-scale attack from countries like Russia or China, which could fire dozens of missiles at a time.

North Korea this year has conducted a series of missile tests as it strives to build an intercontinental ballistic missile capable of hitting the United States.

Pyongyang carried out two atomic tests last year, and has accelerated its missile launch program, despite tough UN sanctions aimed at denying Kim the hard currency needed to fund his weapons ambitions.

President Donald Trump has called Kim a &quot;madman with nuclear weapons.&quot;

(AFP)

The test is the first time the US military will attempt to intercept an ICBM

The US military will try to intercept an intercontinental ballistic missile in a landmark test of a defense system that comes amid broad tensions over North Korea's weapons program, the Pentagon said Friday. Scheduled for Tuesday, the test is the first time the military will attempt to intercept an ICBM. Previous trials have been against intermediate-range missiles, which are slower. Experts will launch a ground-based interceptor from Vandenberg Air Force Base, California at a mock-up of an ICBM fired from the Reagan Test Site on Kwajalein Atoll in the Marshall Islands, the Missile Defense Agency said in a statement. The exercise will check the performance of the Ground-based Midcourse Defense (GMD) system, which has had a checkered record in previous tests. Though it succeeded in the last test in 2014, it failed during the three prior attempts. The technology behind the GMD is extremely complex, and the system uses globally deployed sensors to detect and track ballistic missile threats. In a move that the Pentagon says is akin to hitting a bullet with another bullet -- though at far higher speeds -- the missile launches into space, then deploys an "Exo-atmospheric Kill Vehicle" that uses kinetic energy to destroy the incoming target. If the test is successful, it will prove that America has an effective ground-based defense against ICBMs, albeit on a limited scale. The system will comprise 44 interceptors by the end of the year, so it could thwart an attack from a rogue state or a volley of rockets. But the interceptors, based in California and Alaska, would be overwhelmed by a full-scale attack from countries like Russia or China, which could fire dozens of missiles at a time. North Korea this year has conducted a series of missile tests as it strives to build an intercontinental ballistic missile capable of hitting the United States. Pyongyang carried out two atomic tests last year, and has accelerated its missile launch program, despite tough UN sanctions aimed at denying Kim the hard currency needed to fund his weapons ambitions. President Donald Trump has called Kim a "madman with nuclear weapons." (AFP)

US to test anti-ICBM system as North Korea threat looms

In a call last month with the Philippines&#39; president, US President Donald Trump described North Korea&#39;s leader Kim Jong Un as a &quot;madman with nuclear weapons&quot; who could not be let on the loose, according to a leaked Philippine transcript of their call.

Trump told Duterte in the April 29 call that the United States would &quot;take care of North Korea,&quot; and had a lot of firepower in the region, although it did not want to use it, according to a transcript of their conversation published by the Washington Post and the investigative news site The Intercept.

The document included a &quot;confidential&quot; cover sheet from the Americas division of the Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs.

A senior US official said the Trump administration did not dispute the accuracy of the transcript and declined to comment further.

Trump requested Duterte&#39;s help in impressing on China, North Korea&#39;s neighbour and only major ally, the need for it to help rein in Kim, the transcript showed.

&quot;We can&#39;t let a madman with nuclear weapons let on the loose like that,&quot; Trump said. &quot;We have a lot of firepower, more than he has, times 20, but we don&#39;t want to use it.&quot;

The US president told Duterte that Washington had sent two nuclear submarines to waters off the Korean peninsula, comments likely to raise further questions about his handling of sensitive information after US officials said Trump discussed intelligence about Islamic State with Russian officials this month.

&quot;We have two submarines - the best in the world. We have two nuclear submarines, not that we want to use them at all,&quot; Trump said.

The Philippines foreign ministry said earlier in a statement that it had no comment on news reports about the leaked transcript.

But it said that under Philippine law there was &quot;criminal and civil liability attached to the hacking, unauthorized disclosure and use of illegally or inadvertently obtained confidential government documents.&quot;

The ministry said it valued the need for transparency, but the release of some information could affect national security and regional stability. &quot;As such, we appeal to the sense of responsibility and patriotism of all concerned,&quot; it added.

North Korea has vowed to develop a nuclear-tipped missile that can strike the U.S. mainland, presenting Trump with perhaps his biggest foreign policy challenge.

It has conducted dozens of missile launches and two nuclear bomb tests since the start of last year.

Trump has said &quot;a major, major conflict&quot; with North Korea is possible and that all options are on the table, but his administration says it wants to resolve the crisis diplomatically with the aid of tougher sanctions.

On May 1, just after the call with Duterte, Trump said he would be &quot;honoured&quot; to meet Kim Jong Un, under the right conditions.

According to the transcript, Trump said he hoped China would act to solve the North Korea problem.

&quot;They really have the means because a great degree of their stuff comes through China,&quot; Trump said. &quot;They (Beijing) are doing certain things, like not accepting calls. But if China doesn&#39;t do it, we will do it,&quot; Trump said, having asked Duterte if he thought China had influence over Kim.

Trump said Kim had the &quot;powder&quot; - an apparent reference to North Korea&#39;s nuclear capability - &quot;but he doesn&#39;t have the delivery system.&quot;

&quot;All his rockets are crashing. That&#39;s the good news. But eventually when he gets that delivery system,&quot; Trump said without finishing his sentence.

While North Korea missile tests have frequently failed, Trump and Duterte spoke before an apparently successful test of a long-range missile this month.

Western experts say that test appeared to have advanced North Korea&#39;s aim of developing a missile capable of reaching the U.S. mainland, although the capability was probably still several years away.

The director of the US Defense Intelligence Agency, General Vincent Stewart, said on Tuesday that if left unchecked, North Korea was on an &quot;inevitable&quot; path to obtaining a nuclear-armed missile capable of striking the United States.

In a show of force, the United States has sent the nuclear-powered aircraft carrier Carl Vinson to waters off the Korean peninsula, where it joined the Michigan, a nuclear submarine that docked in South Korea in April.

(Reuters)

Trump told Duterte in the April 29 call that the United States would 'take care of North Korea'

In a call last month with the Philippines' president, US President Donald Trump described North Korea's leader Kim Jong Un as a "madman with nuclear weapons" who could not be let on the loose, according to a leaked Philippine transcript of their call. Trump told Duterte in the April 29 call that the United States would "take care of North Korea," and had a lot of firepower in the region, although it did not want to use it, according to a transcript of their conversation published by the Washington Post and the investigative news site The Intercept. The document included a "confidential" cover sheet from the Americas division of the Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs. A senior US official said the Trump administration did not dispute the accuracy of the transcript and declined to comment further. Trump requested Duterte's help in impressing on China, North Korea's neighbour and only major ally, the need for it to help rein in Kim, the transcript showed. "We can't let a madman with nuclear weapons let on the loose like that," Trump said. "We have a lot of firepower, more than he has, times 20, but we don't want to use it." The US president told Duterte that Washington had sent two nuclear submarines to waters off the Korean peninsula, comments likely to raise further questions about his handling of sensitive information after US officials said Trump discussed intelligence about Islamic State with Russian officials this month. "We have two submarines - the best in the world. We have two nuclear submarines, not that we want to use them at all," Trump said. The Philippines foreign ministry said earlier in a statement that it had no comment on news reports about the leaked transcript. But it said that under Philippine law there was "criminal and civil liability attached to the hacking, unauthorized disclosure and use of illegally or inadvertently obtained confidential government documents." The ministry said it valued the need for transparency, but the release of some information could affect national security and regional stability. "As such, we appeal to the sense of responsibility and patriotism of all concerned," it added. North Korea has vowed to develop a nuclear-tipped missile that can strike the U.S. mainland, presenting Trump with perhaps his biggest foreign policy challenge. It has conducted dozens of missile launches and two nuclear bomb tests since the start of last year. Trump has said "a major, major conflict" with North Korea is possible and that all options are on the table, but his administration says it wants to resolve the crisis diplomatically with the aid of tougher sanctions. On May 1, just after the call with Duterte, Trump said he would be "honoured" to meet Kim Jong Un, under the right conditions. According to the transcript, Trump said he hoped China would act to solve the North Korea problem. "They really have the means because a great degree of their stuff comes through China," Trump said. "They (Beijing) are doing certain things, like not accepting calls. But if China doesn't do it, we will do it," Trump said, having asked Duterte if he thought China had influence over Kim. Trump said Kim had the "powder" - an apparent reference to North Korea's nuclear capability - "but he doesn't have the delivery system." "All his rockets are crashing. That's the good news. But eventually when he gets that delivery system," Trump said without finishing his sentence. While North Korea missile tests have frequently failed, Trump and Duterte spoke before an apparently successful test of a long-range missile this month. Western experts say that test appeared to have advanced North Korea's aim of developing a missile capable of reaching the U.S. mainland, although the capability was probably still several years away. The director of the US Defense Intelligence Agency, General Vincent Stewart, said on Tuesday that if left unchecked, North Korea was on an "inevitable" path to obtaining a nuclear-armed missile capable of striking the United States. In a show of force, the United States has sent the nuclear-powered aircraft carrier Carl Vinson to waters off the Korean peninsula, where it joined the Michigan, a nuclear submarine that docked in South Korea in April. (Reuters)

Trump calls North Korea's leader 'madman', says he can't be let on the loose

US President Donald Trump on Thursday intensified his accusations that NATO allies were not spending enough on defence and said more attacks such as this week&#39;s bombing in Manchester would take place unless the alliance did more to stop militants.

In unexpectedly abrupt remarks as NATO leaders stood alongside him, Trump said certain member countries owed &quot;massive amounts of money&quot; to the United States and NATO, even though allied contributions are voluntary, with multiple budgets.

His scripted comments contrasted with NATO&#39;s choreographed efforts to play up the West&#39;s unity by inviting Trump to unveil a memorial to the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks on the United States at the new NATO headquarters.

&quot;We will never waiver in our determination to defeat terrorism and achieve lasting security, prosperity and peace,&quot; Trump said in the speech before a dinner with leaders.

&quot;Terrorism must be stopped or ... the horror you saw in Manchester and so many other places will continue forever,&quot; Trump said, referring to Monday&#39;s suicide bombing in the northern English city that killed 22 people, including children.

Trump called on NATO, an organisation founded on collective defence against the Soviet threat, to include limiting immigration in its tasks as well as fighting terrorism and deterring Russia.

NATO leaders wanted Trump to publicly support the military alliance that he had called &quot;obsolete&quot; during his campaign.

But he instead returned to a grievance about Europe&#39;s drop in defence spending since the end of the Cold War and failed to publicly commit to NATO&#39;s founding Article V rule which stipulates that an attack on one ally is an attack against all.

&quot;Twenty-three of the 28 member nations are still not paying what they should be paying for their defence,&quot; Trump said, standing by a piece of the wreckage of the Twin Towers.

&quot;This is not fair to the people and taxpayers of the United States, and many of these nations owe massive amounts of money from past years,&quot; Trump said as the other leaders watched.

Nicholas Burns, a former long-time diplomat and ambassador to NATO from 2001-2005, now a professor at Harvard&#39;s Kennedy School of Government, said every U.S. president since Harry Truman had pledged support for Article V and that the United States would defend Europe.

&quot;Not so Trump today at NATO. Major mistake,&quot; he said on Twitter.

White House spokesman Sean Spicer said Trump was &quot;100 percent&quot; committed to collective defence. &quot;We are not playing cutesie with this. He is fully committed,&quot; Spicer said.

Bare Minimum

Praise was always going to be in short supply after Trump&#39;s sharp election campaign criticism of the alliance, which he blamed for not doing more to combat terrorism.

Last year, Trump threatened to abandon US allies in Europe if they did not spend enough on defence, comments that were particularly unnerving for the ex-Soviet Baltic states on Russia&#39;s border which fear Moscow might try a repeat of its 2014 annexation of Ukraine&#39;s Crimea.

Although he has since softened his tone in phone calls and meetings with Western leaders, Trump&#39;s sharp words on Thursday recalled his awkward meeting with Angela Merkel in March, when he pressed the German chancellor for Germany to meet NATO&#39;s military spending target.

NATO diplomats planned to placate Trump with a pledge on Thursday to agree to national plans by the end of this year showing how NATO allies will meet a promise to spend 2 percent of economic output every year on defence by 2024.

But Trump increased the pressure, calling that agreement made at a summit in Wales in 2014 &quot;the bare minimum&quot;.

&quot;Even 2 per cent of GDP is insufficient ... 2 percent is the bare minimum for confronting today&#39;s very real and very viscous threats,&quot; Trump said.

He also made his presence felt at his first NATO summit, literally, pushing his way past Montenego&#39;s prime minister, Dusko Markovic, whose country joins the organisation next month, in footage that went viral.

Spicer said he had not seen the video but assumed the US president was moving to his designated spot.

NATO nonetheless strived to impress Trump with allied jets flying overhead and a walk through the new glass headquarters, which replaces a 1960s prefab structure.

Trump, a real estate magnate, called the building &quot;beautiful&quot; and joked that he did not dare ask how much it cost.

It was left to NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg to try to hammer home the message of unity.

&quot;NATO is more than a club, more than an organisation. NATO embodies the unique bond between Europe and North America,&quot; Stoltenberg said. &quot;As we raise our flags today, our alliance stands strong united and resolute,&quot; he said.

In one nod to Trump, NATO leaders are due to agree later on Thursday for the Western military bloc to join the US-led, 68-nation coalition against Islamic State in Syria and Iraq.

(Reuters) 
&nbsp;

In unexpectedly abrupt remarks as NATO leaders stood alongside him, Trump said certain member countries owed 'massive amounts of money' to the United States and NATO

US President Donald Trump on Thursday intensified his accusations that NATO allies were not spending enough on defence and said more attacks such as this week's bombing in Manchester would take place unless the alliance did more to stop militants. In unexpectedly abrupt remarks as NATO leaders stood alongside him, Trump said certain member countries owed "massive amounts of money" to the United States and NATO, even though allied contributions are voluntary, with multiple budgets. His scripted comments contrasted with NATO's choreographed efforts to play up the West's unity by inviting Trump to unveil a memorial to the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks on the United States at the new NATO headquarters. "We will never waiver in our determination to defeat terrorism and achieve lasting security, prosperity and peace," Trump said in the speech before a dinner with leaders. "Terrorism must be stopped or ... the horror you saw in Manchester and so many other places will continue forever," Trump said, referring to Monday's suicide bombing in the northern English city that killed 22 people, including children. Trump called on NATO, an organisation founded on collective defence against the Soviet threat, to include limiting immigration in its tasks as well as fighting terrorism and deterring Russia. NATO leaders wanted Trump to publicly support the military alliance that he had called "obsolete" during his campaign. But he instead returned to a grievance about Europe's drop in defence spending since the end of the Cold War and failed to publicly commit to NATO's founding Article V rule which stipulates that an attack on one ally is an attack against all. "Twenty-three of the 28 member nations are still not paying what they should be paying for their defence," Trump said, standing by a piece of the wreckage of the Twin Towers. "This is not fair to the people and taxpayers of the United States, and many of these nations owe massive amounts of money from past years," Trump said as the other leaders watched. Nicholas Burns, a former long-time diplomat and ambassador to NATO from 2001-2005, now a professor at Harvard's Kennedy School of Government, said every U.S. president since Harry Truman had pledged support for Article V and that the United States would defend Europe. "Not so Trump today at NATO. Major mistake," he said on Twitter. White House spokesman Sean Spicer said Trump was "100 percent" committed to collective defence. "We are not playing cutesie with this. He is fully committed," Spicer said. Bare Minimum Praise was always going to be in short supply after Trump's sharp election campaign criticism of the alliance, which he blamed for not doing more to combat terrorism. Last year, Trump threatened to abandon US allies in Europe if they did not spend enough on defence, comments that were particularly unnerving for the ex-Soviet Baltic states on Russia's border which fear Moscow might try a repeat of its 2014 annexation of Ukraine's Crimea. Although he has since softened his tone in phone calls and meetings with Western leaders, Trump's sharp words on Thursday recalled his awkward meeting with Angela Merkel in March, when he pressed the German chancellor for Germany to meet NATO's military spending target. NATO diplomats planned to placate Trump with a pledge on Thursday to agree to national plans by the end of this year showing how NATO allies will meet a promise to spend 2 percent of economic output every year on defence by 2024. But Trump increased the pressure, calling that agreement made at a summit in Wales in 2014 "the bare minimum". "Even 2 per cent of GDP is insufficient ... 2 percent is the bare minimum for confronting today's very real and very viscous threats," Trump said. He also made his presence felt at his first NATO summit, literally, pushing his way past Montenego's prime minister, Dusko Markovic, whose country joins the organisation next month, in footage that went viral. Spicer said he had not seen the video but assumed the US president was moving to his designated spot. NATO nonetheless strived to impress Trump with allied jets flying overhead and a walk through the new glass headquarters, which replaces a 1960s prefab structure. Trump, a real estate magnate, called the building "beautiful" and joked that he did not dare ask how much it cost. It was left to NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg to try to hammer home the message of unity. "NATO is more than a club, more than an organisation. NATO embodies the unique bond between Europe and North America," Stoltenberg said. "As we raise our flags today, our alliance stands strong united and resolute," he said. In one nod to Trump, NATO leaders are due to agree later on Thursday for the Western military bloc to join the US-led, 68-nation coalition against Islamic State in Syria and Iraq. (Reuters)

NATO allies not spending enough to shore up defences: Trump

In a stinging rebuke to President Donald Trump, a US Appeals Court refused on Thursday to reinstate his temporary travel ban on people from six Muslim-majority nations, delivering another blow to the White House in a legal battle likely headed to the Supreme Court.

The decision, written by Chief Judge Roger Gregory, described Trump&#39;s executive order in forceful terms, saying it uses &quot;vague words of national security, but in context drips with religious intolerance, animus, and discrimination.&quot;

In a 10-3 ruling, a majority of judges on the US 4th Circuit Court of Appeals said that the challengers to the ban -who included refugee groups and individuals - were likely to succeed on their claim that Trump&#39;s order violates the U.S. Constitution&#39;s bar on favouring one religion over another.

Citing statements by Trump during his presidential election campaign calling for a &quot;Muslim ban,&quot; Gregory wrote that a reasonable observer would likely conclude that the order&#39;s &quot;primary purpose is to exclude persons from the United States on the basis of their religious beliefs.&quot;

The appeals court was reviewing a March ruling by Maryland-based federal judge Theodore Chuang that blocked part of Trump&#39;s March 6 executive order barring people from Libya, Iran, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen for 90 days while the government put in place stricter visa screening.

A similar ruling against Trump&#39;s policy from a Hawaii-based federal judge is still in place and the 9th Circuit US Court of Appeals court is reviewing that decision.

The Trump administration has argued that the temporary travel ban is a national security measure aimed at preventing Islamist militant attacks.

The March ban was Trump&#39;s second effort to implement travel restrictions through an executive order. The first, issued on January 27 just a week after the Republican president took office, led to chaos and protests at airports before it was blocked by courts.

The second order was intended to overcome the legal issues posed by the original ban, but it was blocked by judges before it could go into effect on March 16.

The case is likely to be appealed to the Supreme Court, which would make the final decision.

(Reuters)

The decision, written by Chief Judge Roger Gregory, described Trump's executive order in forceful terms, saying it uses 'vague words of national security, but in context drips with religious intolerance, animus, and discrimination'.

In a stinging rebuke to President Donald Trump, a US Appeals Court refused on Thursday to reinstate his temporary travel ban on people from six Muslim-majority nations, delivering another blow to the White House in a legal battle likely headed to the Supreme Court. The decision, written by Chief Judge Roger Gregory, described Trump's executive order in forceful terms, saying it uses "vague words of national security, but in context drips with religious intolerance, animus, and discrimination." In a 10-3 ruling, a majority of judges on the US 4th Circuit Court of Appeals said that the challengers to the ban -who included refugee groups and individuals - were likely to succeed on their claim that Trump's order violates the U.S. Constitution's bar on favouring one religion over another. Citing statements by Trump during his presidential election campaign calling for a "Muslim ban," Gregory wrote that a reasonable observer would likely conclude that the order's "primary purpose is to exclude persons from the United States on the basis of their religious beliefs." The appeals court was reviewing a March ruling by Maryland-based federal judge Theodore Chuang that blocked part of Trump's March 6 executive order barring people from Libya, Iran, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen for 90 days while the government put in place stricter visa screening. A similar ruling against Trump's policy from a Hawaii-based federal judge is still in place and the 9th Circuit US Court of Appeals court is reviewing that decision. The Trump administration has argued that the temporary travel ban is a national security measure aimed at preventing Islamist militant attacks. The March ban was Trump's second effort to implement travel restrictions through an executive order. The first, issued on January 27 just a week after the Republican president took office, led to chaos and protests at airports before it was blocked by courts. The second order was intended to overcome the legal issues posed by the original ban, but it was blocked by judges before it could go into effect on March 16. The case is likely to be appealed to the Supreme Court, which would make the final decision. (Reuters)

US Appeals Court refuses to reinstate Trump's travel ban on six Muslim countries

British Prime Minister Theresa May raised her concerns about intelligence leaks over the Manchester attacks with US President Donald Trump at the NATO summit Thursday, her spokesman said.

&quot;The prime minister raised the issue of the intelligence leaks with the president while they were waiting for the family photograph to be taken,&quot; May&#39;s spokesman said.&nbsp;

&quot;She expressed the view that the intelligence sharing relationship we have with the US is hugely important and valuable, but that the information that we share should be kept secure.&quot;

Will prosecute those responsible for intelligence leaks: Trump

Donald Trump described US intelligence leaks over the Manchester bombing as &quot;deeply troubling&quot; and threatened to prosecute those responsible, after an earlier&nbsp;warning by British Prime Minister Theresa May to keep shared data &quot;secure&quot;.

Arriving in Brussels, May warned that intelligence sharing with the United States was &quot;built on trust&quot;.

&quot;Part of that is knowing intelligence can be shared confidently and I will make clear to President Trump that intelligence shared with law enforcement agencies must be secure,&quot; she told reporters.

In a statement issued by the White House, as Trump joined May at a meeting of NATO allies, he said: &quot;There is no relationship we cherish more than the special relationship between the United States and the United Kingdom.&quot;

The British government has expressed its anger at the release in US media of details from the investigation into Monday&#39;s concert attack, including photographs of parts of the bomb which left 22 people dead, including children.

Visiting the military alliance&#39;s new $1.2 billion headquarters with fellow leaders later, Trump led a moment&#39;s silence for the victims of what he described as &quot;a barbaric and vicious attack on our civilisation&quot;.

In his statement, Trump -- who was already struggling domestically to stem a tide of damaging leaks from law enforcement agencies -- said the information coming out in the US media was &quot;deeply troubling&quot;.

&quot;These leaks have been going on for a long time and my administration will get to the bottom of this. The leaks of sensitive information pose a grave threat to our national security,&quot; he said.&nbsp;

&quot;I am asking the Department of Justice and other relevant agencies to launch a complete review of this matter, and if appropriate, the culprit should be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.&quot;

The US President berated NATO allies for not doing enough on terrorism and spending, while stopping short of the public commitment to collective defence they had hoped for.

Trump said the Manchester bombing, claimed by the Islamic State group, showed that &quot;terrorism must be stopped in its tracks.&quot;

&quot;The NATO of the future must include a great focus on terrorism and immigration as well as threats from Russia and NATO&#39;s eastern and southern borders,&quot; the president said.

Trump denounced allies for not paying their fair share, saying that even if they met a commitment to allocate two percent of GDP to defence, it would still not be enough to meet the challenges.

&quot;Twenty-three of the 28 member nations are still not paying what they should be paying and what they&#39;re supposed to be paying for their defence,&quot; the president said.

&quot;This is not fair to the people and taxpayers of the United States. Many of these nations owe massive amounts of money from past years,&quot; repeating a charge he had raised constantly on the campaign trail.

Germany will not forget NATO&#39;s contribution: Angela Merkel

German Chancellor Angela Merkel struck an entirely different note as she unveiled a memorial made up of a section of the Berlin Wall to mark the end of the Cold War.

&quot;Germany will not forget the contribution NATO made in order to reunify our country. This is why we will indeed make our contribution to security and solidarity in the common alliance,&quot; she said.

The surprising mention of immigration was in line with one of Trump&#39;s key election promises to build a wall to keep out immigrants crossing into the United States from Mexico, a plan widely derided in Europe.

Trump&#39;s harsh words came despite NATO saying it would formally endorse joining the US-led coalition against IS at the summit, in the face of reservations in France and Germany about getting involved in another conflict.

His carefully choreographed visits to the EU and NATO in Brussels had been designed to heal divisions caused by the billionaire&#39;s harsh campaign criticisms of both institutions on the campaign trail.

He called NATO &quot;obsolete&quot; and praised Britain&#39;s Brexit vote to leave the EU.

But differences immediately emerged after his talks with the European Union&#39;s top officials Donald Tusk and Jean-Claude Juncker on climate change, trade, and above all Russia.

&quot;I&#39;m not 100 per cent sure that we can say today -- &#39;we&#39; means Mr President and myself -- that we have a common position, common opinion about Russia,&quot; former Polish prime minister Tusk said.

Trump on the campaign trail made restoring relations with Russia a key promise but he has faced bitter opposition in Washington and has since become embroiled in a scandal over alleged links to Moscow.

Tusk also called for &quot;Western values&quot; to be promoted, challenging former tycoon Trump&#39;s world view that self-interested deals best settle international problems.

Trump came to Brussels direct from a meeting with Pope Francis at the Vatican, after visiting Saudi Arabia, Israel and the Palestinian Territories.

On his arrival on Wednesday in Brussels, the city he once said had been turned into a &quot;hellhole&quot; by Muslim immigration, the president was greeted by around 9,000 protesters saying &quot;Trump not welcome.&quot;

(AFP)

Theresa May told Trump the intelligence sharing relationship Britain has with US should be kept secure

British Prime Minister Theresa May raised her concerns about intelligence leaks over the Manchester attacks with US President Donald Trump at the NATO summit Thursday, her spokesman said. "The prime minister raised the issue of the intelligence leaks with the president while they were waiting for the family photograph to be taken," May's spokesman said. "She expressed the view that the intelligence sharing relationship we have with the US is hugely important and valuable, but that the information that we share should be kept secure." Will prosecute those responsible for intelligence leaks: Trump Donald Trump described US intelligence leaks over the Manchester bombing as "deeply troubling" and threatened to prosecute those responsible, after an earlier warning by British Prime Minister Theresa May to keep shared data "secure". Arriving in Brussels, May warned that intelligence sharing with the United States was "built on trust". "Part of that is knowing intelligence can be shared confidently and I will make clear to President Trump that intelligence shared with law enforcement agencies must be secure," she told reporters. In a statement issued by the White House, as Trump joined May at a meeting of NATO allies, he said: "There is no relationship we cherish more than the special relationship between the United States and the United Kingdom." The British government has expressed its anger at the release in US media of details from the investigation into Monday's concert attack, including photographs of parts of the bomb which left 22 people dead, including children. Visiting the military alliance's new $1.2 billion headquarters with fellow leaders later, Trump led a moment's silence for the victims of what he described as "a barbaric and vicious attack on our civilisation". In his statement, Trump -- who was already struggling domestically to stem a tide of damaging leaks from law enforcement agencies -- said the information coming out in the US media was "deeply troubling". "These leaks have been going on for a long time and my administration will get to the bottom of this. The leaks of sensitive information pose a grave threat to our national security," he said. "I am asking the Department of Justice and other relevant agencies to launch a complete review of this matter, and if appropriate, the culprit should be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law." The US President berated NATO allies for not doing enough on terrorism and spending, while stopping short of the public commitment to collective defence they had hoped for. Trump said the Manchester bombing, claimed by the Islamic State group, showed that "terrorism must be stopped in its tracks." "The NATO of the future must include a great focus on terrorism and immigration as well as threats from Russia and NATO's eastern and southern borders," the president said. Trump denounced allies for not paying their fair share, saying that even if they met a commitment to allocate two percent of GDP to defence, it would still not be enough to meet the challenges. "Twenty-three of the 28 member nations are still not paying what they should be paying and what they're supposed to be paying for their defence," the president said. "This is not fair to the people and taxpayers of the United States. Many of these nations owe massive amounts of money from past years," repeating a charge he had raised constantly on the campaign trail. Germany will not forget NATO's contribution: Angela Merkel German Chancellor Angela Merkel struck an entirely different note as she unveiled a memorial made up of a section of the Berlin Wall to mark the end of the Cold War. "Germany will not forget the contribution NATO made in order to reunify our country. This is why we will indeed make our contribution to security and solidarity in the common alliance," she said. The surprising mention of immigration was in line with one of Trump's key election promises to build a wall to keep out immigrants crossing into the United States from Mexico, a plan widely derided in Europe. Trump's harsh words came despite NATO saying it would formally endorse joining the US-led coalition against IS at the summit, in the face of reservations in France and Germany about getting involved in another conflict. His carefully choreographed visits to the EU and NATO in Brussels had been designed to heal divisions caused by the billionaire's harsh campaign criticisms of both institutions on the campaign trail. He called NATO "obsolete" and praised Britain's Brexit vote to leave the EU. But differences immediately emerged after his talks with the European Union's top officials Donald Tusk and Jean-Claude Juncker on climate change, trade, and above all Russia. "I'm not 100 per cent sure that we can say today -- 'we' means Mr President and myself -- that we have a common position, common opinion about Russia," former Polish prime minister Tusk said. Trump on the campaign trail made restoring relations with Russia a key promise but he has faced bitter opposition in Washington and has since become embroiled in a scandal over alleged links to Moscow. Tusk also called for "Western values" to be promoted, challenging former tycoon Trump's world view that self-interested deals best settle international problems. Trump came to Brussels direct from a meeting with Pope Francis at the Vatican, after visiting Saudi Arabia, Israel and the Palestinian Territories. On his arrival on Wednesday in Brussels, the city he once said had been turned into a "hellhole" by Muslim immigration, the president was greeted by around 9,000 protesters saying "Trump not welcome." (AFP)

British PM Theresa May raises Manchester leaks with Trump at NATO summit

Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte flies to Russia on Monday to meet his hero, seek arms and steer his nation&#39;s foreign policy course further away from longtime ally the United States.

The five-day trip will cement a dramatic improvement in ties between the two nations since Duterte came to power last year and began unravelling the Philippines&#39; decades-long alliances with the United States, which he accuses of hypocrisy and bullying.

Duterte will on Thursday meet Russian President Vladimir Putin, whom he has described as his &quot;favourite hero&quot; and proclaimed a personal bond because of mutual passions such as guns and hunting.

Duterte said on Friday one of the top priorities of his trip was to secure Russian precision-guided bombs to use on Islamic militants in the southern Philippines.

&quot;If they can spare us with the precision guided (bombs),&quot; Duterte said when discussing the purpose of his trip.

&quot;We have so many smart bombs but not as accurate.&quot;

Duterte&#39;s seeking of weapons from Russia comes as he dials down cooperation with the United States, the Philippines&#39; former colonial ruler that has for decades been its most important military ally and protector.

He has scaled down the number and scope of annual military exercises with the US, barred Filipino forces from joint patrols in the disputed South China Sea, and called for the withdrawal of American troops from the Philippines.

The shift occurred as China has become more assertive in challenging US might in the region by expanding its presence in the South China Sea, which it claims almost in its entirety.

Despite China&#39;s expansionism extending into areas of the sea claimed by the Philippines, Duterte has been determined to pivot his nation&#39;s foreign policy away from the United States in favour of Beijing and Moscow.

This has partly been due to China and Russia supporting or at least not criticising his controversial war on drugs, which has left thousands of people dead and led to warnings by rights groups that Duterte may be orchestrating a crime against humanity.

Duterte has railed against the United States, particularly when Barack Obama was president, for criticising the drug war.

&#39;Ideological flow&#39;

On a state visit to China last year, Duterte announced the Philippines&#39; &quot;separation&quot; from the United States.

&quot;I&#39;ve realigned myself in your ideological flow and maybe I will also go to Russia to talk to Putin and tell him that there are three of us against the world -- China, Philippines and Russia. It&#39;s the only way,&quot; he said in Beijing.

Duterte, who describes himself as a socialist, and Putin first met on the sidelines of an Asia-Pacific summit in Peru last November.

&quot;Historically, I have been identified with the Western world. It was good until it lasted. And of late, I see a lot of these Western nations bullying small nations,&quot; Duterte told Putin then.

Since then, two Russian Navy flotillas have visited Manila.

&quot;The Russians are with me, I shall not be afraid,&quot; Duterte said while touring the Russian Navy&#39;s guided missile cruiser Varyag during a port visit to Manila last month.

The Philippines and Russia established diplomatic ties 41 years ago but, until Duterte took office, relations remained relatively low key.

This was partly due to the Philippines&#39; alliance with the United States.

Philippine-Russian trade last year totalled just $226 million, according to government data. Philippine-US trade was worth more than $18 billion last year.

Relations remain at the &quot;nascent stage&quot;, but this will change, assistant Philippine foreign secretary Maria Cleofe Natividad told reporters in a briefing on Duterte&#39;s trip to Russia.

&quot;We consider this visit as a landmark that will send a strong message of the Philippines&#39; commitment to seek new partnerships and strengthen relations with non-traditional partners,&quot; she said.&nbsp;

Duterte visiting Moscow will be a &quot;propaganda victory for Putin and a soft-power coup for Russia,&quot; Richard Javad Heydarian, a foreign policy analyst in Manila, told AFP.

&quot;It will be their way of poking the eye of America.&quot;

(AFP) 
&nbsp;

Duterte will on Thursday meet Russian President Vladimir Putin, whom he has described as his 'favourite hero'

Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte flies to Russia on Monday to meet his hero, seek arms and steer his nation's foreign policy course further away from longtime ally the United States. The five-day trip will cement a dramatic improvement in ties between the two nations since Duterte came to power last year and began unravelling the Philippines' decades-long alliances with the United States, which he accuses of hypocrisy and bullying. Duterte will on Thursday meet Russian President Vladimir Putin, whom he has described as his "favourite hero" and proclaimed a personal bond because of mutual passions such as guns and hunting. Duterte said on Friday one of the top priorities of his trip was to secure Russian precision-guided bombs to use on Islamic militants in the southern Philippines. "If they can spare us with the precision guided (bombs)," Duterte said when discussing the purpose of his trip. "We have so many smart bombs but not as accurate." Duterte's seeking of weapons from Russia comes as he dials down cooperation with the United States, the Philippines' former colonial ruler that has for decades been its most important military ally and protector. He has scaled down the number and scope of annual military exercises with the US, barred Filipino forces from joint patrols in the disputed South China Sea, and called for the withdrawal of American troops from the Philippines. The shift occurred as China has become more assertive in challenging US might in the region by expanding its presence in the South China Sea, which it claims almost in its entirety. Despite China's expansionism extending into areas of the sea claimed by the Philippines, Duterte has been determined to pivot his nation's foreign policy away from the United States in favour of Beijing and Moscow. This has partly been due to China and Russia supporting or at least not criticising his controversial war on drugs, which has left thousands of people dead and led to warnings by rights groups that Duterte may be orchestrating a crime against humanity. Duterte has railed against the United States, particularly when Barack Obama was president, for criticising the drug war. 'Ideological flow' On a state visit to China last year, Duterte announced the Philippines' "separation" from the United States. "I've realigned myself in your ideological flow and maybe I will also go to Russia to talk to Putin and tell him that there are three of us against the world -- China, Philippines and Russia. It's the only way," he said in Beijing. Duterte, who describes himself as a socialist, and Putin first met on the sidelines of an Asia-Pacific summit in Peru last November. "Historically, I have been identified with the Western world. It was good until it lasted. And of late, I see a lot of these Western nations bullying small nations," Duterte told Putin then. Since then, two Russian Navy flotillas have visited Manila. "The Russians are with me, I shall not be afraid," Duterte said while touring the Russian Navy's guided missile cruiser Varyag during a port visit to Manila last month. The Philippines and Russia established diplomatic ties 41 years ago but, until Duterte took office, relations remained relatively low key. This was partly due to the Philippines' alliance with the United States. Philippine-Russian trade last year totalled just $226 million, according to government data. Philippine-US trade was worth more than $18 billion last year. Relations remain at the "nascent stage", but this will change, assistant Philippine foreign secretary Maria Cleofe Natividad told reporters in a briefing on Duterte's trip to Russia. "We consider this visit as a landmark that will send a strong message of the Philippines' commitment to seek new partnerships and strengthen relations with non-traditional partners," she said. Duterte visiting Moscow will be a "propaganda victory for Putin and a soft-power coup for Russia," Richard Javad Heydarian, a foreign policy analyst in Manila, told AFP. "It will be their way of poking the eye of America." (AFP)

Philippines' Duterte heads to Russia in blow to US

US President Donald Trump said Monday during a visit to Jerusalem that Iran must never be allowed to have nuclear weapons while also denouncing Tehran&#39;s support for &quot;terrorists&quot;.

&quot;Most importantly the United States and Israel can declare with one voice that Iran must never be allowed to possess a nuclear weapon -- never ever -- and must cease its deadly funding, training and equipping of terrorists and militias,&quot; Trump said in remarks at Israeli President Reuven Rivlin&#39;s residence.

&quot;And it must cease immediately.&quot;

Trump&#39;s remarks were his latest salvo against Iran since starting his first foreign trip after taking office.

On the first leg of his trip in Saudi Arabia, Trump lashed out at Iran, accusing it of fuelling &quot;the fires of sectarian conflict and terror&quot; and calling for its international isolation.

Trump&#39;s Saudi visit &#39;just a show&#39;: Iran&#39;s President Rouhani

Iran&#39;s newly re-elected President Hassan Rouhani dismissed President Trump&#39;s summit with Arab leaders in Saudi Arabia this weekend as &quot;just a show&quot;.&nbsp;

&quot;The gathering in Saudi Arabia was just a show with no practical or political value of any kind. You can&#39;t solve terrorism just by giving people&#39;s money to a superpower,&quot; Rouhani said at a press conference on Tehran, referring to the billion-dollar deals signed between the US and Saudi Arabia.&nbsp;

 
The yawning gap between Tehran and Washington has grown even wider with US President Donald Trump&#39;s latest efforts to isolate Iran, which accused the United States of &quot;milking&quot; Saudi Arabia for petro-dollars.

Trump&#39;s choice of Saudi Arabia, Iran&#39;s bitter regional rival, for his first official foreign visit reflects the deep antagonism of his administration towards the Islamic republic.

The US president signed a giant list of deals, worth a total of $380 billion, including $110 billion for weapons that will invariably find their way into the numerous conflicts of the region -- including Syria, Yemen and Iraq -- where Riyadh and Tehran often find themselves on opposing sides.&nbsp;

Trump also vilified Iran as the greatest source of instability in the Middle East, though many observers noted the irony that his claims came on the same day that 41 million Iranians enthusiastically took part in elections, with a sizeable majority backing President Hassan Rouhani and his policy of engagement with the world.

Relations with the US and Iran have been under deep freeze since the Islamic revolution of 1979, which deposed the Washington-backed shah.&nbsp;

Trump&#39;s team is dedicated to reversing his predecessor&#39;s efforts at rapprochement with Iran, which saw a nuclear deal signed in 2015, lifting many sanctions.&nbsp;

&quot;From Lebanon to Iraq to Yemen, Iran funds, arms and trains terrorists, militias and other extremist groups that spread destruction and chaos across the region,&quot; Trump said in Riyadh on Sunday.&nbsp;

He called on all countries to work together to isolate Iran &quot;until the Iranian regime is willing to be a partner for peace&quot;.

Analysts fear tensions are growing out of control.

&quot;Battlelines are being drawn and it&#39;s worrying, especially when it comes just a day after the election victory of Rouhani which showed a real dynamic in favour of democratisation and opening in Iranian society,&quot; said Azadeh Kian of Sciences Po University in Paris.&nbsp;

&nbsp;&#39;Bastion of democracy&#39; 
 
Iran&#39;s Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif, who spearheaded the nuclear negotiations, reacted sarcastically, &nbsp;comparing this weekend&#39;s elections in Iran to the lack of democracy in Saudi Arabia.&nbsp;

&quot;Iran -- fresh from real elections -- attacked by @POTUS in that bastion of democracy and moderation,&quot; Zarif tweeted, referring to the US president.

Is that a serious foreign policy, he asked, or is the US &quot;simply milking&quot; Saudi Arabia for billions of dollars?&nbsp;

Tehran sees itself as the vital force holding back the advance of the Islamic State jihadist group both in Syria and Iraq, and finds it hard to comprehend US bellicosity.&nbsp;

Shiite Iran regularly points to the Saudis&#39; fundamentalist Wahhabi creed and their efforts to spread it around the Muslim world as the root cause of violent Sunni jihadism.&nbsp;

&quot;Unfortunately, with the hostile and offensive policies of American officials, we see once again the reinforcement of terrorist groups in the region... and the dictators that support them,&quot; said Iran&#39;s foreign ministry spokesman Bahram Ghasemi on Monday.

The US and its Arab allies in the Gulf respond that Iran and Russia&#39;s support for Syrian President Bashar al-Assad has helped perpetuate the chaos.&nbsp;

And they say Iran&#39;s support for Lebanese militia Hezbollah and Shiite Huthi rebel forces in Yemen are deeply destabilising.&nbsp;

But Iran&#39;s Press TV wrote on Sunday that the aggression coming from Riyadh this weekend ultimately reflected the Saudis&#39; realisation that they are losing in conflicts across the Middle East.&nbsp;

&quot;The Riyadh regime has... failed to achieve its objectives despite going to great expense,&quot; it wrote in an editorial. 
 
(AFP)

Trump arrived in Tel Aviv earlier Monday and is due to hold talks with Israeli PM Netanyahu later in the day

US President Donald Trump said Monday during a visit to Jerusalem that Iran must never be allowed to have nuclear weapons while also denouncing Tehran's support for "terrorists". "Most importantly the United States and Israel can declare with one voice that Iran must never be allowed to possess a nuclear weapon -- never ever -- and must cease its deadly funding, training and equipping of terrorists and militias," Trump said in remarks at Israeli President Reuven Rivlin's residence. "And it must cease immediately." Trump's remarks were his latest salvo against Iran since starting his first foreign trip after taking office. On the first leg of his trip in Saudi Arabia, Trump lashed out at Iran, accusing it of fuelling "the fires of sectarian conflict and terror" and calling for its international isolation. Trump's Saudi visit 'just a show': Iran's President Rouhani Iran's newly re-elected President Hassan Rouhani dismissed President Trump's summit with Arab leaders in Saudi Arabia this weekend as "just a show". "The gathering in Saudi Arabia was just a show with no practical or political value of any kind. You can't solve terrorism just by giving people's money to a superpower," Rouhani said at a press conference on Tehran, referring to the billion-dollar deals signed between the US and Saudi Arabia. The yawning gap between Tehran and Washington has grown even wider with US President Donald Trump's latest efforts to isolate Iran, which accused the United States of "milking" Saudi Arabia for petro-dollars. Trump's choice of Saudi Arabia, Iran's bitter regional rival, for his first official foreign visit reflects the deep antagonism of his administration towards the Islamic republic. The US president signed a giant list of deals, worth a total of $380 billion, including $110 billion for weapons that will invariably find their way into the numerous conflicts of the region -- including Syria, Yemen and Iraq -- where Riyadh and Tehran often find themselves on opposing sides. Trump also vilified Iran as the greatest source of instability in the Middle East, though many observers noted the irony that his claims came on the same day that 41 million Iranians enthusiastically took part in elections, with a sizeable majority backing President Hassan Rouhani and his policy of engagement with the world. Relations with the US and Iran have been under deep freeze since the Islamic revolution of 1979, which deposed the Washington-backed shah. Trump's team is dedicated to reversing his predecessor's efforts at rapprochement with Iran, which saw a nuclear deal signed in 2015, lifting many sanctions. "From Lebanon to Iraq to Yemen, Iran funds, arms and trains terrorists, militias and other extremist groups that spread destruction and chaos across the region," Trump said in Riyadh on Sunday. He called on all countries to work together to isolate Iran "until the Iranian regime is willing to be a partner for peace". Analysts fear tensions are growing out of control. "Battlelines are being drawn and it's worrying, especially when it comes just a day after the election victory of Rouhani which showed a real dynamic in favour of democratisation and opening in Iranian society," said Azadeh Kian of Sciences Po University in Paris. 'Bastion of democracy' Iran's Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif, who spearheaded the nuclear negotiations, reacted sarcastically, comparing this weekend's elections in Iran to the lack of democracy in Saudi Arabia. "Iran -- fresh from real elections -- attacked by @POTUS in that bastion of democracy and moderation," Zarif tweeted, referring to the US president. Is that a serious foreign policy, he asked, or is the US "simply milking" Saudi Arabia for billions of dollars? Tehran sees itself as the vital force holding back the advance of the Islamic State jihadist group both in Syria and Iraq, and finds it hard to comprehend US bellicosity. Shiite Iran regularly points to the Saudis' fundamentalist Wahhabi creed and their efforts to spread it around the Muslim world as the root cause of violent Sunni jihadism. "Unfortunately, with the hostile and offensive policies of American officials, we see once again the reinforcement of terrorist groups in the region... and the dictators that support them," said Iran's foreign ministry spokesman Bahram Ghasemi on Monday. The US and its Arab allies in the Gulf respond that Iran and Russia's support for Syrian President Bashar al-Assad has helped perpetuate the chaos. And they say Iran's support for Lebanese militia Hezbollah and Shiite Huthi rebel forces in Yemen are deeply destabilising. But Iran's Press TV wrote on Sunday that the aggression coming from Riyadh this weekend ultimately reflected the Saudis' realisation that they are losing in conflicts across the Middle East. "The Riyadh regime has... failed to achieve its objectives despite going to great expense," it wrote in an editorial. (AFP)

Trumps continues Iran nuclear tirade as tensions mount in West Asia

US President Donald Trump made a 30-minute speech on Sunday in the Saudi Arabian capital Riyadh on his first foreign visit since taking office.&nbsp;

Trump&#39;s speech, preceded by a traditional Koranic reading, held Iran responsible for global extremism, urged Arab and Muslim nations to freeze channels of funding for groups including the Islamic State and Hezbollah, and highlighted US and Saudi commitment to economic development, inter-faith peace and the fight against terrorism.

Here are key highlights:&nbsp;

- On economic ties, Trump said some $400 billion in agreements signed this weekend with Saudi Arabia would create hundreds of thousands of jobs in both countries, and that he looked forward to cooperating in the future.

&quot;This landmark agreement includes the announcement of a $110 billion Saudi-funded defence purchase. And we will be sure to help our Saudi friends to get a good deal from our great American defence companies, the greatest anywhere in the world. This agreement will help the Saudi military to take a far greater role in security and operations having to do with security.&quot;&nbsp;

- Trump said Muslim-majority states should take the lead in combating extremism: &quot;A better future is only possible if your nations drive out the terrorists... Drive them out of your places of worship. Drive them out of your community.&quot;

- He said &quot;terrorists do not worship God, they worship death... This is not a battle between different faiths... this is a battle between good and evil.&quot;

- Trump praised the six-state Gulf Cooperation Council, specifically Saudi Arabia, for &quot;blocking funders from using their countries as a financial base for terror, and for designating Hezbollah as a terrorist organisation, which they certainly are, this year.&quot;

- The president said Iran was responsible for training armed groups in the wars in Syria, Yemen and Iraq, but drew a clear distinction between the &quot;richness and culture&quot; of the Iranian people and the government in Tehran.

- On Iran&#39;s influence, Trump said: &quot;The government that gives terrorists safe harbour, financial backing... It is the regime that is responsible for so much instability in that region. I am speaking of course of Iran. From Lebanon to Iraq to Yemen, Iran funds, arms and trains terrorists, militias and other extremist groups that spread destruction and chaos across the region&quot; and calls for the destruction of Israel and death to America.

- On refugees, he praised Lebanon and Turkey for accommodating Syrians fleeing war at home: &quot;This region should not be a place from which refugees leave but to which newcomers flock.&quot;

- Trump said Arab and Muslim countries had suffered the deadliest toll of radicalism: &quot;Innocent blood soaked into the ancient ground... knows no religion, faith or tribe.&quot;

- He asked: &quot;Behind every pair of eyes is a soul that yearns for justice and years for peace. Today billions of faces are now looking at us, waiting for us to act on the great questions of our time. Will we be indifferent in the face of evil?&quot;

- Trump concluded with the &quot;promise that America will not seek to impose our way of life on others but to outstretch our hands.&quot;

(AFP)

He appealed to Muslim nations to ensure that 'terrorists find no sanctuary on their soil'

US President Donald Trump made a 30-minute speech on Sunday in the Saudi Arabian capital Riyadh on his first foreign visit since taking office. Trump's speech, preceded by a traditional Koranic reading, held Iran responsible for global extremism, urged Arab and Muslim nations to freeze channels of funding for groups including the Islamic State and Hezbollah, and highlighted US and Saudi commitment to economic development, inter-faith peace and the fight against terrorism. Here are key highlights: - On economic ties, Trump said some $400 billion in agreements signed this weekend with Saudi Arabia would create hundreds of thousands of jobs in both countries, and that he looked forward to cooperating in the future. "This landmark agreement includes the announcement of a $110 billion Saudi-funded defence purchase. And we will be sure to help our Saudi friends to get a good deal from our great American defence companies, the greatest anywhere in the world. This agreement will help the Saudi military to take a far greater role in security and operations having to do with security." - Trump said Muslim-majority states should take the lead in combating extremism: "A better future is only possible if your nations drive out the terrorists... Drive them out of your places of worship. Drive them out of your community." - He said "terrorists do not worship God, they worship death... This is not a battle between different faiths... this is a battle between good and evil." - Trump praised the six-state Gulf Cooperation Council, specifically Saudi Arabia, for "blocking funders from using their countries as a financial base for terror, and for designating Hezbollah as a terrorist organisation, which they certainly are, this year." - The president said Iran was responsible for training armed groups in the wars in Syria, Yemen and Iraq, but drew a clear distinction between the "richness and culture" of the Iranian people and the government in Tehran. - On Iran's influence, Trump said: "The government that gives terrorists safe harbour, financial backing... It is the regime that is responsible for so much instability in that region. I am speaking of course of Iran. From Lebanon to Iraq to Yemen, Iran funds, arms and trains terrorists, militias and other extremist groups that spread destruction and chaos across the region" and calls for the destruction of Israel and death to America. - On refugees, he praised Lebanon and Turkey for accommodating Syrians fleeing war at home: "This region should not be a place from which refugees leave but to which newcomers flock." - Trump said Arab and Muslim countries had suffered the deadliest toll of radicalism: "Innocent blood soaked into the ancient ground... knows no religion, faith or tribe." - He asked: "Behind every pair of eyes is a soul that yearns for justice and years for peace. Today billions of faces are now looking at us, waiting for us to act on the great questions of our time. Will we be indifferent in the face of evil?" - Trump concluded with the "promise that America will not seek to impose our way of life on others but to outstretch our hands." (AFP)

Trump in Saudi Arabia: US president calls for isolation of Iran

US President Donald Trump landed in Saudi Arabia&#39;s capital Riyadh on Saturday for the start of his first foreign tour since taking office.

The US president will hold talks with leaders in the ultra-conservative kingdom later in the day and is to give a speech on Islam to some 50 Arab and Muslim leaders on Sunday.

He will seek to rebuild relations with the Muslim world on his first foreign trip even&nbsp;as political scandals mount at home.

Trump can expect a warm reception when he arrives in the oil-rich kingdom for talks with King Salman, but the domestic mood was grim following news that the FBI&#39;s investigation into his campaign&#39;s ties with Russia extends to a current senior White House official.

Former FBI director James Comey has agreed to publicly testify about the probe, piling pressure on the White House as fresh allegations emerged about Trump calling him a &quot;nut job&quot; in a meeting with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov last week and saying his sacking had relieved &quot;great pressure&quot;.&nbsp;

Before departing, the president tweeted he would be &quot;strongly protecting American interests&quot; on his marathon eight-day trip to the Middle East and Europe, that presents a major diplomatic test.

While his predecessor Barack Obama was viewed with suspicion by Gulf Arab states for his tilt towards their Shiite regional rival Iran, Trump is likely to take a harder line against Tehran.

That, together with a more muted focus on human rights and the likely announcement of new arms deals, should please Washington&#39;s traditional Sunni Gulf allies.

&quot;He&#39;s going to be tougher on Iran,&quot; said Philip Gordon, senior fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations.

&quot;He&#39;s not going to lecture them on democracy and human rights,&quot; he added.

Ahead of Trump&#39;s visit to Saudi Arabia, where he will be accompanied by his wife Melania and daughter Ivanka, Washington and Riyadh issued their first &quot;joint terrorist designation&quot; -- blacklisting a leader of the Iranian-backed Lebanese armed Shiite movement Hezbollah.

Late Friday, Saudi Arabia announced it had shot down a ballistic missile fired by Yemeni rebels southwest of Riyadh.&nbsp;

The US provides weapons, intelligence and aerial refuelling to the Saudi-led coalition fighting the Huthi rebels, who are backed by Iran and oppose the government of Yemen President Abedrabbo Mansour Hadi.

&#39;Muslim ban&#39; 
 
Trump&#39;s relations with the wider Islamic world are still strained by his travel ban targeting several Muslim-majority nations.

So all eyes will be on a speech on Islam that the president is scheduled to deliver to dozens of Muslim leaders at a summit in Riyadh on Sunday.

&quot;I&#39;ll speak with Muslim leaders and challenge them to fight hatred and extremism, and embrace a peaceful future for their faith,&quot; Trump said ahead of his visit.

Trump wants Gulf states in particular to do more to tackle extremists such as the Islamic State jihadist group.

&quot;He will encourage our Arab and Muslim partners to take bold, new steps to promote peace and to confront those, from ISIS to Al-Qaeda... who perpetuate chaos and violence that has inflicted so much suffering throughout the Muslim world and beyond,&quot; said Trump&#39;s National Security Adviser HR&nbsp;McMaster.

While most US presidents make their first foreign trip to neighbouring Canada or Mexico, 70-year-old Trump has opted for six stops.

He will hold countless face-to-face meetings including with Pope Francis and France&#39;s new leader, Emmanuel Macron.

It is a trip fraught with peril for the real estate magnate, who is known to dislike lengthy travel.

The avalanche of revelations in the run-up to his departure have eroded Trump&#39;s standing at home -- where the parallels with Richard Nixon&#39;s ill-fated presidency are now being openly drawn.

On Friday, a report by The Washington Post that the probe into his campaign&#39;s Russia ties had identified a &quot;significant person of interest&quot; in the White House, undercut Trump&#39;s insistence his election bid had nothing to do with the Kremlin.

The White House was rocked by another bombshell when reports emerged that Trump said his firing of &quot;nut job&quot; Comey had relieved &quot;great pressure&quot; on him due to the investigation.

The scandals have revived questions about his ability to strike a presidential tone with his foreign counterparts, with Trump declaring himself the victim of the &quot;greatest witch hunt&quot; in American political history.

Arms contracts

His visit to the Gulf is expected to bring lucrative arms contracts for US firms.

&quot;The big question mark that you should bear in mind is if Saudi Arabia signs up for a $100 billion arms deal with oil prices where they are today, how are they actually going to pay that in the future?&quot; said Bruce Riedel, former CIA analyst and counterterrorism expert now with the Brookings Institution.

After Saudi Arabia, Trump will head to Israel and the Palestinian Territories where he hopes to revive the moribund peace process.

He will meet his &quot;friend&quot; Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Jerusalem and Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas in Bethlehem.

The Israeli leg of his trip is already awash in controversy -- from a row over Trump&#39;s visit to Jerusalem&#39;s Western Wall, the holiest prayer site for Jews, to his alleged disclosure of Israeli intelligence to Russian officials.

Trump&#39;s meeting with Pope Francis -- two men at odds on everything from climate change to refugee policy -- remains highly unpredictable, although the pontiff says he will give America&#39;s bullish leader an open-minded hearing.

The president will also meet members of the North Atlantic alliance in Brussels and attend a G7 summit in the picturesque Sicilian town of Taormina overlooking the Mediterranean.

(AFP)

Trump tweeted ahead of his trip that he would strongly protect America's interests during the trip

US President Donald Trump landed in Saudi Arabia's capital Riyadh on Saturday for the start of his first foreign tour since taking office. The US president will hold talks with leaders in the ultra-conservative kingdom later in the day and is to give a speech on Islam to some 50 Arab and Muslim leaders on Sunday. He will seek to rebuild relations with the Muslim world on his first foreign trip even as political scandals mount at home. Trump can expect a warm reception when he arrives in the oil-rich kingdom for talks with King Salman, but the domestic mood was grim following news that the FBI's investigation into his campaign's ties with Russia extends to a current senior White House official. Former FBI director James Comey has agreed to publicly testify about the probe, piling pressure on the White House as fresh allegations emerged about Trump calling him a "nut job" in a meeting with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov last week and saying his sacking had relieved "great pressure". Before departing, the president tweeted he would be "strongly protecting American interests" on his marathon eight-day trip to the Middle East and Europe, that presents a major diplomatic test. While his predecessor Barack Obama was viewed with suspicion by Gulf Arab states for his tilt towards their Shiite regional rival Iran, Trump is likely to take a harder line against Tehran. That, together with a more muted focus on human rights and the likely announcement of new arms deals, should please Washington's traditional Sunni Gulf allies. "He's going to be tougher on Iran," said Philip Gordon, senior fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations. "He's not going to lecture them on democracy and human rights," he added. Ahead of Trump's visit to Saudi Arabia, where he will be accompanied by his wife Melania and daughter Ivanka, Washington and Riyadh issued their first "joint terrorist designation" -- blacklisting a leader of the Iranian-backed Lebanese armed Shiite movement Hezbollah. Late Friday, Saudi Arabia announced it had shot down a ballistic missile fired by Yemeni rebels southwest of Riyadh. The US provides weapons, intelligence and aerial refuelling to the Saudi-led coalition fighting the Huthi rebels, who are backed by Iran and oppose the government of Yemen President Abedrabbo Mansour Hadi. 'Muslim ban' Trump's relations with the wider Islamic world are still strained by his travel ban targeting several Muslim-majority nations. So all eyes will be on a speech on Islam that the president is scheduled to deliver to dozens of Muslim leaders at a summit in Riyadh on Sunday. "I'll speak with Muslim leaders and challenge them to fight hatred and extremism, and embrace a peaceful future for their faith," Trump said ahead of his visit. Trump wants Gulf states in particular to do more to tackle extremists such as the Islamic State jihadist group. "He will encourage our Arab and Muslim partners to take bold, new steps to promote peace and to confront those, from ISIS to Al-Qaeda... who perpetuate chaos and violence that has inflicted so much suffering throughout the Muslim world and beyond," said Trump's National Security Adviser HR McMaster. While most US presidents make their first foreign trip to neighbouring Canada or Mexico, 70-year-old Trump has opted for six stops. He will hold countless face-to-face meetings including with Pope Francis and France's new leader, Emmanuel Macron. It is a trip fraught with peril for the real estate magnate, who is known to dislike lengthy travel. The avalanche of revelations in the run-up to his departure have eroded Trump's standing at home -- where the parallels with Richard Nixon's ill-fated presidency are now being openly drawn. On Friday, a report by The Washington Post that the probe into his campaign's Russia ties had identified a "significant person of interest" in the White House, undercut Trump's insistence his election bid had nothing to do with the Kremlin. The White House was rocked by another bombshell when reports emerged that Trump said his firing of "nut job" Comey had relieved "great pressure" on him due to the investigation. The scandals have revived questions about his ability to strike a presidential tone with his foreign counterparts, with Trump declaring himself the victim of the "greatest witch hunt" in American political history. Arms contracts His visit to the Gulf is expected to bring lucrative arms contracts for US firms. "The big question mark that you should bear in mind is if Saudi Arabia signs up for a $100 billion arms deal with oil prices where they are today, how are they actually going to pay that in the future?" said Bruce Riedel, former CIA analyst and counterterrorism expert now with the Brookings Institution. After Saudi Arabia, Trump will head to Israel and the Palestinian Territories where he hopes to revive the moribund peace process. He will meet his "friend" Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Jerusalem and Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas in Bethlehem. The Israeli leg of his trip is already awash in controversy -- from a row over Trump's visit to Jerusalem's Western Wall, the holiest prayer site for Jews, to his alleged disclosure of Israeli intelligence to Russian officials. Trump's meeting with Pope Francis -- two men at odds on everything from climate change to refugee policy -- remains highly unpredictable, although the pontiff says he will give America's bullish leader an open-minded hearing. The president will also meet members of the North Atlantic alliance in Brussels and attend a G7 summit in the picturesque Sicilian town of Taormina overlooking the Mediterranean. (AFP)

Trump lands in Riyadh on first leg of foreign tour

Washington has agreed arms deals with Saudi Arabia worth almost $110 billion, a White House official said Saturday, the first day of President Donald Trump&#39;s visit to the traditional US ally.

&quot;This package of defence equipment and services support the long-term security of Saudi Arabia and the Gulf region in the face of Iranian threats,&quot; the official said.

It will also bolster the kingdom&#39;s &quot;ability to contribute to counter-terrorism operations across the region, reducing the burden on the US military to conduct those operations,&quot; the official added.

Trump and Secretary of State Rex Tillerson &quot;will attend a signing ceremony&quot; for the deals, the official said.

The official described the agreements as &quot;a significant expansion of the over seven-decade-long security relationship between the United States and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.&quot;

The official did not provide details of the agreements with Riyadh, which is one of the world&#39;s biggest defence spenders.

A preliminary deal worth $6 billion to assemble 150 Lockheed Martin Blackhawk helicopters in Saudi Arabia was separately announced at the Saudi-US CEO Forum held in Riyadh during Trump&#39;s visit.&nbsp;

The programme to &quot;support the final assembly and completion of an estimated 150 S-70 Black Hawk utility helicopters&quot; will support around 450 jobs in the kingdom, said a forum statement.

US defence contractors are major suppliers of weapons to Saudi Arabia, which for more than two years has led a coalition conducting air strikes and other operations against rebels in Yemen.

The new deals come despite mounting pressure on Washington from rights groups to stop arms sales to Riyadh, which has come under repeated criticism over civilian casualties in Yemen.

Saudi Arabia on Thursday announced the creation of a new military industries firm as part of the kingdom&#39;s efforts to boost defence production.

The kingdom&#39;s Public Investment Fund said the new government-owned company, Saudi Arabian Military Industries (SAMI), &quot;aims to become one of the world&#39;s top 25 defence companies by 2030.&quot;

The Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) said in an April report that Saudi Arabia last year was the world&#39;s fourth-largest military spender, spending $63.7 billion.

(AFP)

The agreement further fortifies security partnership between the two countries, especially at a time when it faces threats from Iran

Washington has agreed arms deals with Saudi Arabia worth almost $110 billion, a White House official said Saturday, the first day of President Donald Trump's visit to the traditional US ally. "This package of defence equipment and services support the long-term security of Saudi Arabia and the Gulf region in the face of Iranian threats," the official said. It will also bolster the kingdom's "ability to contribute to counter-terrorism operations across the region, reducing the burden on the US military to conduct those operations," the official added. Trump and Secretary of State Rex Tillerson "will attend a signing ceremony" for the deals, the official said. The official described the agreements as "a significant expansion of the over seven-decade-long security relationship between the United States and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia." The official did not provide details of the agreements with Riyadh, which is one of the world's biggest defence spenders. A preliminary deal worth $6 billion to assemble 150 Lockheed Martin Blackhawk helicopters in Saudi Arabia was separately announced at the Saudi-US CEO Forum held in Riyadh during Trump's visit. The programme to "support the final assembly and completion of an estimated 150 S-70 Black Hawk utility helicopters" will support around 450 jobs in the kingdom, said a forum statement. US defence contractors are major suppliers of weapons to Saudi Arabia, which for more than two years has led a coalition conducting air strikes and other operations against rebels in Yemen. The new deals come despite mounting pressure on Washington from rights groups to stop arms sales to Riyadh, which has come under repeated criticism over civilian casualties in Yemen. Saudi Arabia on Thursday announced the creation of a new military industries firm as part of the kingdom's efforts to boost defence production. The kingdom's Public Investment Fund said the new government-owned company, Saudi Arabian Military Industries (SAMI), "aims to become one of the world's top 25 defence companies by 2030." The Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) said in an April report that Saudi Arabia last year was the world's fourth-largest military spender, spending $63.7 billion. (AFP)

US, Saudi Arabia agree arms deal worth $110 billion

Iran&nbsp;criticised new US sanctions on its missile programme on Thursday, saying they&nbsp;would undermine a 2015 nuclear deal with world powers.&nbsp;

&quot;Iran&nbsp;condemns the US administration&#39;s ill will in its effort to reduce the positive results of the country&#39;s implementation of JCPOA (nuclear deal) commitments by adding individuals to the list of unilateral and illegal extraterritorial sanctions,&quot; foreign ministry spokesman Bahram Ghasemi said on his Telegram channel.&nbsp;

The administration of US President Donald Trump chose to stick by the nuclear deal with&nbsp;Iran&nbsp;on Wednesday, renewing a waiver of nuclear-related sanctions despite his past criticism of the agreement.

But it imposed new measures to punish Iranian defence officials and a Chinese business tied to Tehran&#39;s ballistic missile programme, which it says is in breach of international law because they could carry nuclear warheads in the future.

The decision came just before a Friday presidential election&nbsp;in&nbsp;Iran, in which moderate President Hassan Rouhani is fighting for a second term against hardline cleric Ebrahim Raisi, who has called for a much tougher stance against the West.&nbsp;

Iran&nbsp;denies ever seeking nuclear weapons and Ghasemi said its missile programme is part of its &quot;absolute and legal right to build up the country&#39;s defensive capabilities&quot;.

&quot;The Islamic Republic of&nbsp;Iran&nbsp;will continue its missile programme with power and authority based on its plans,&quot; he said.

Ghasemi said&nbsp;Iran&nbsp;would retaliate by adding nine US individuals and companies to its own sanctions list, accusing them of &quot;clear violations of human rights&quot; in relation to their support for Israel or &quot;terrorist groups&quot; in the Middle East.&nbsp;

Under review&nbsp;

Trump threatened to tear up the nuclear deal during his campaign and has launched a review of its terms, but until then he is required to decide on renewing sanctions relief at regular intervals.

His first deadline fell this week, related to sanctions on oil purchases through the Iranian central bank -- part of a 2012 law called the National Defence Authorisation Act -- that must be waived every 120 days.

The Trump administration will have to waive more sanctions next month if it wants to stick by the nuclear deal.&nbsp;

US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said in April that&nbsp;Iran&nbsp;was complying with its side of the bargain, but has described the country as the world&#39;s leading state sponsor of terrorism.&nbsp;

Washington has maintained a raft of other sanctions related to human rights and the missile programme that continue to stifle&nbsp;Iran&#39;s efforts to rebuild its foreign trade.

This has been a major issue in the Iranian election, with hardliner Raisi accusing Rouhani of making too many concessions without gaining any economic benefits.&nbsp;

Although oil sales have rebounded since the deal came into effect in January 2016,&nbsp;Iran&#39;s continued exclusion from the international banking system has prevented it from signing much needed trade and investment deals with Europe and Asia.&nbsp;

Rouhani, who is still seen as the frontrunner in unofficial polls, has vowed to work towards the removal of remaining sanctions and called for more time to allow the benefits of the deal to reach ordinary Iranians.&nbsp;

(AFP)

But the Donald Trump administration committed itself to the nuclear deal with?Iran?by waiving nuclear-related sanctions

Iran criticised new US sanctions on its missile programme on Thursday, saying they would undermine a 2015 nuclear deal with world powers. "Iran condemns the US administration's ill will in its effort to reduce the positive results of the country's implementation of JCPOA (nuclear deal) commitments by adding individuals to the list of unilateral and illegal extraterritorial sanctions," foreign ministry spokesman Bahram Ghasemi said on his Telegram channel. The administration of US President Donald Trump chose to stick by the nuclear deal with Iran on Wednesday, renewing a waiver of nuclear-related sanctions despite his past criticism of the agreement. But it imposed new measures to punish Iranian defence officials and a Chinese business tied to Tehran's ballistic missile programme, which it says is in breach of international law because they could carry nuclear warheads in the future. The decision came just before a Friday presidential election in Iran, in which moderate President Hassan Rouhani is fighting for a second term against hardline cleric Ebrahim Raisi, who has called for a much tougher stance against the West. Iran denies ever seeking nuclear weapons and Ghasemi said its missile programme is part of its "absolute and legal right to build up the country's defensive capabilities". "The Islamic Republic of Iran will continue its missile programme with power and authority based on its plans," he said. Ghasemi said Iran would retaliate by adding nine US individuals and companies to its own sanctions list, accusing them of "clear violations of human rights" in relation to their support for Israel or "terrorist groups" in the Middle East. Under review Trump threatened to tear up the nuclear deal during his campaign and has launched a review of its terms, but until then he is required to decide on renewing sanctions relief at regular intervals. His first deadline fell this week, related to sanctions on oil purchases through the Iranian central bank -- part of a 2012 law called the National Defence Authorisation Act -- that must be waived every 120 days. The Trump administration will have to waive more sanctions next month if it wants to stick by the nuclear deal. US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said in April that Iran was complying with its side of the bargain, but has described the country as the world's leading state sponsor of terrorism. Washington has maintained a raft of other sanctions related to human rights and the missile programme that continue to stifle Iran's efforts to rebuild its foreign trade. This has been a major issue in the Iranian election, with hardliner Raisi accusing Rouhani of making too many concessions without gaining any economic benefits. Although oil sales have rebounded since the deal came into effect in January 2016, Iran's continued exclusion from the international banking system has prevented it from signing much needed trade and investment deals with Europe and Asia. Rouhani, who is still seen as the frontrunner in unofficial polls, has vowed to work towards the removal of remaining sanctions and called for more time to allow the benefits of the deal to reach ordinary Iranians. (AFP)

Iran irate as US slaps fresh nuclear missile sanctions

Former Senator and Democratic vice presidential candidate Joe Lieberman has emerged as the front-runner to lead the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Politico and CNN reported on Thursday, citing unnamed sources.

Lieberman, who President Donald Trump interviewed on Wednesday, was the vice presidential running mate when Democrat Al Gore ran for the White House in 2000. A senior administration official told Reuters on Wednesday that Lieberman was one of the leading candidates to replace fired FBI chief James Comey.

(Reuters)

A senior administration official told Reuters on Wednesday that Lieberman was one of the leading candidates to replace fired FBI chief James Comey

Former Senator and Democratic vice presidential candidate Joe Lieberman has emerged as the front-runner to lead the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Politico and CNN reported on Thursday, citing unnamed sources. Lieberman, who President Donald Trump interviewed on Wednesday, was the vice presidential running mate when Democrat Al Gore ran for the White House in 2000. A senior administration official told Reuters on Wednesday that Lieberman was one of the leading candidates to replace fired FBI chief James Comey. (Reuters)

Former senator Lieberman is front-runner for FBI post: Politico, CNN

Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu have spoken by phone, a spokesman said Wednesday, as controversy brewed over the US president&#39;s sharing of intelligence with Russia that came from Israel.

A spokesman in Netanyahu&#39;s office confirmed the phone call took place on Tuesday afternoon but did not say who initiated it.

Trump is due to visit Israel next week.

&quot;There was a call yesterday between the president and prime minister for about 20 minutes,&quot; the spokesman said. &quot;The only topic discussed was the upcoming visit.&quot;

Israel meanwhile sought to contain fallout from Trump&#39;s sharing of its intelligence with Russia, while not commenting directly on the move.

Israeli Defence Minister Avigdor Lieberman lauded security ties between the United States and his country, saying it would continue to be &quot;unprecedented&quot; in scope.

But he made no mention of Trump divulging intelligence to Russia that a US administration official said had originally come from Israel.

The United States is Israel&#39;s most important ally, providing it with more than $3 billion in defence aid each year.

The Washington Post reported late Monday that Trump revealed what it said was highly classified information on the Islamic State group (IS) during a meeting last week with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and Moscow&#39;s Washington ambassador Sergey Kislyak.

It said that Trump told Lavrov about a specific IS bomb threat.

A US administration official confirmed to AFP on condition of anonymity that the original intelligence came from Israel, which was initially reported by the New York Times.

(AFP)

The two leaders spoke for 20 minutes after a report suggested that White House shared Israeli intel with Russia

Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu have spoken by phone, a spokesman said Wednesday, as controversy brewed over the US president's sharing of intelligence with Russia that came from Israel. A spokesman in Netanyahu's office confirmed the phone call took place on Tuesday afternoon but did not say who initiated it. Trump is due to visit Israel next week. "There was a call yesterday between the president and prime minister for about 20 minutes," the spokesman said. "The only topic discussed was the upcoming visit." Israel meanwhile sought to contain fallout from Trump's sharing of its intelligence with Russia, while not commenting directly on the move. Israeli Defence Minister Avigdor Lieberman lauded security ties between the United States and his country, saying it would continue to be "unprecedented" in scope. But he made no mention of Trump divulging intelligence to Russia that a US administration official said had originally come from Israel. The United States is Israel's most important ally, providing it with more than $3 billion in defence aid each year. The Washington Post reported late Monday that Trump revealed what it said was highly classified information on the Islamic State group (IS) during a meeting last week with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and Moscow's Washington ambassador Sergey Kislyak. It said that Trump told Lavrov about a specific IS bomb threat. A US administration official confirmed to AFP on condition of anonymity that the original intelligence came from Israel, which was initially reported by the New York Times. (AFP)

Trump, Netanyahu speak by phone amid controversy over intel sharing with Russia

Russian President Vladimir Putin said Wednesday that Moscow could provide a recording of a controversial exchange between Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and US President Donald Trump that has plunged the White House into turmoil.

His comments were the first since Trump was hit with accusations that he shared secrets while meeting Lavrov in Washington, the latest crisis to hit the White house amid existing investigations into whether Trump&#39;s aides colluded with Moscow during the campaign.

Putin said he was pleased with Lavrov&#39;s visit to Washington last week but mocked the idea that Trump had shared secrets during the meeting, calling the allegations &quot;political schizophrenia&quot; and saying people spreading them are either &quot;dumb&quot; or &quot;corrupt.&quot;

&quot;We can see that political schizophrenia is developing in the United States,&quot; Putin told reporters after talks with Italian Prime Minister&nbsp;Paolo Gentiloni in the southern Russian city of Sochi.

&quot;I cannot otherwise explain the accusations of the president that he handed Lavrov some sort of secrets,&quot; Putin added.

&quot;If the US administration finds it possible, we are ready to provide a recording of the conversation between Lavrov and Trump to the US Congress and Senate,&quot; Putin said.

Although Putin used the Russian word for audio recording at the press conference, his foreign policy aide Yuri Ushakov said that &quot;audio is not made&quot; at such meetings.

&quot;There is a recording kept by a special person present at conversations,&quot; Ushakov clarified to Russian news agencies.&nbsp;

Citing unnamed sources, the Washington Post reported that Trump had shared intelligence with Lavrov regarding an Islamic State group terror threat related to the use of laptop computers on airplanes.

According to sources cited in the report, that intelligence came from a US ally who had not authorised Washington to pass it on to Moscow.

&#39;Simply dumb&#39;&nbsp;

The fresh US crisis sank the dollar early Wednesday as well as Hong Kong stocks amid worries that Trump&#39;s economy-boosting and tax-cutting agenda could be derailed, with some experts mentioning possible impeachment.

As news emerged that Israel was the initial source of the intel, it attempted to contain the fallout from the scandal, with Defence Minister Avigdor Lieberman saying security ties would continue to be &quot;unprecedented&quot; in scope.

A US administration official confirmed to AFP on condition of anonymity that the original intelligence came from Israel, which was initially reported by the New York Times.

British PM Theresa May meanwhile said Trump is free to decide what to discuss with White House visitors, while stressing that London&#39;s relationship with Washington was &quot;the most important defence and security relationship&quot; around the world.

Putin mocked the idea that Trump went off-script to share secrets with the Russians, saying he could issue a &quot;reprimand&quot; to Lavrov since the minister hadn&#39;t passed on the information.

&quot;(Lavrov) didn&#39;t share these secrets with us -- neither with me nor with the representatives of the Russian security services. That is very bad of him,&quot; Putin said to sniggers from the audience including Lavrov himself.

&#39;Absolute right&#39;&nbsp;

The visit had already generated its share of scandal after Moscow released pictures of the closed-door Oval Office meeting showing Trump and Lavrov grinning after White House officials presumed they would not be made public.

Trump&#39;s National Security Adviser H.R. McMaster denied the president caused any security lapses while Trump himself insisted he had the &quot;absolute right&quot; to share &quot;facts pertaining... to terrorism and airline flight safety&quot; with Russia.&nbsp;

Adding to the confusion, Russian senator Alexei Pushkov on Wednesday tweeted that &quot;US media were hysterical with Trump because he told us about IS plans to detonate our passenger plane.&quot;

Putin on Wednesday also slammed critics who spread allegations about Trump&#39;s ties with Russia.

&quot;What else will the people generating such drivel and nonsense think of next?&quot; he said. &quot;They are shaking up their internal politics while using anti-Russian slogans.&quot;

&quot;They either don&#39;t understand that they are hurting their own country, and then they are simply dumb, or they understand everything and then they are dangerous and corrupt people,&quot; Putin added.

(AFP)

Putin mocked the idea that Trump had shared secrets during the meeting, calling the allegations 'political schizophrenia'

Russian President Vladimir Putin said Wednesday that Moscow could provide a recording of a controversial exchange between Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and US President Donald Trump that has plunged the White House into turmoil. His comments were the first since Trump was hit with accusations that he shared secrets while meeting Lavrov in Washington, the latest crisis to hit the White house amid existing investigations into whether Trump's aides colluded with Moscow during the campaign. Putin said he was pleased with Lavrov's visit to Washington last week but mocked the idea that Trump had shared secrets during the meeting, calling the allegations "political schizophrenia" and saying people spreading them are either "dumb" or "corrupt." "We can see that political schizophrenia is developing in the United States," Putin told reporters after talks with Italian Prime Minister Paolo Gentiloni in the southern Russian city of Sochi. "I cannot otherwise explain the accusations of the president that he handed Lavrov some sort of secrets," Putin added. "If the US administration finds it possible, we are ready to provide a recording of the conversation between Lavrov and Trump to the US Congress and Senate," Putin said. Although Putin used the Russian word for audio recording at the press conference, his foreign policy aide Yuri Ushakov said that "audio is not made" at such meetings. "There is a recording kept by a special person present at conversations," Ushakov clarified to Russian news agencies. Citing unnamed sources, the Washington Post reported that Trump had shared intelligence with Lavrov regarding an Islamic State group terror threat related to the use of laptop computers on airplanes. According to sources cited in the report, that intelligence came from a US ally who had not authorised Washington to pass it on to Moscow. 'Simply dumb' The fresh US crisis sank the dollar early Wednesday as well as Hong Kong stocks amid worries that Trump's economy-boosting and tax-cutting agenda could be derailed, with some experts mentioning possible impeachment. As news emerged that Israel was the initial source of the intel, it attempted to contain the fallout from the scandal, with Defence Minister Avigdor Lieberman saying security ties would continue to be "unprecedented" in scope. A US administration official confirmed to AFP on condition of anonymity that the original intelligence came from Israel, which was initially reported by the New York Times. British PM Theresa May meanwhile said Trump is free to decide what to discuss with White House visitors, while stressing that London's relationship with Washington was "the most important defence and security relationship" around the world. Putin mocked the idea that Trump went off-script to share secrets with the Russians, saying he could issue a "reprimand" to Lavrov since the minister hadn't passed on the information. "(Lavrov) didn't share these secrets with us -- neither with me nor with the representatives of the Russian security services. That is very bad of him," Putin said to sniggers from the audience including Lavrov himself. 'Absolute right' The visit had already generated its share of scandal after Moscow released pictures of the closed-door Oval Office meeting showing Trump and Lavrov grinning after White House officials presumed they would not be made public. Trump's National Security Adviser H.R. McMaster denied the president caused any security lapses while Trump himself insisted he had the "absolute right" to share "facts pertaining... to terrorism and airline flight safety" with Russia. Adding to the confusion, Russian senator Alexei Pushkov on Wednesday tweeted that "US media were hysterical with Trump because he told us about IS plans to detonate our passenger plane." Putin on Wednesday also slammed critics who spread allegations about Trump's ties with Russia. "What else will the people generating such drivel and nonsense think of next?" he said. "They are shaking up their internal politics while using anti-Russian slogans." "They either don't understand that they are hurting their own country, and then they are simply dumb, or they understand everything and then they are dangerous and corrupt people," Putin added. (AFP)

Putin open to revealing Trump-Lavrov 'intel exchange'

U.S. President Donald Trump asked then-FBI Director James Comey to end the agency&#39;s investigation into ties between former White House national security adviser Michael Flynn and Russia, according to a source who has seen a memo written by Comey.

The explosive new development on Tuesday followed a week of tumult at the White House after Trump fired Comey and then discussed sensitive national security information about Islamic State with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov.

The Comey memo, first reported by the New York Times, caused alarm on Capitol Hill and raised questions about whether Trump tried to interfere with a federal investigation.

The White House quickly denied the report, saying in a statement it was &quot;not a truthful or accurate portrayal of the conversation between the president and Mr. Comey.&quot;

Comey wrote the memo after he met in the Oval Office with Trump, the day after the Republican president fired Flynn on Feb. 14 for misleading Vice President Mike Pence about the extent of his conversations last year with Russia&#39;s ambassador, Sergei Kislyak.

&ldquo;I hope you can let this go,&rdquo; Trump told Comey, according to a source familiar with the contents of the memo.

The New York Times said that during the Oval Office meeting, Trump condemned a series of government leaks to the news media and said the FBI director should consider prosecuting reporters for publishing classified information.

Coming the day after charges that Trump disclosed sensitive information to the Russians last week, the new disclosure further rattled members of Congress.

&quot;The memo is powerful evidence of obstruction of justice and certainly merits immediate and prompt investigation by an independent special prosecutor,&quot; said Democratic U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal.

Republican and Democratic lawmakers said they wanted to see the memo.

Republican U.S. Representative Jason Chaffetz, chairman of a House of Representatives oversight committee, said his committee &quot;is going to get the Comey memo, if it exists. I need to see it sooner rather than later. I have my subpoena pen ready.&quot;

LEGAL QUESTIONS

Legal experts took a dim view of Trump&#39;s comments, as quoted in the memo.

&quot;For the president to tell the FBI to end a potential criminal investigation, that&#39;s obstruction of justice,&quot; said Erwin Chereminsky, a constitutional law professor and dean of University of California, Irvine School of Law. &quot;This is what caused President Nixon to resign from office.&quot;

But the experts said intent was a critical element of an obstruction of justice charge, and the president&rsquo;s words could be subject to interpretation and possibly put into the context of other actions, like Comey&rsquo;s termination.

The fact that the president apparently said he &ldquo;hoped&rdquo; Comey would end the Flynn investigation rather than more directly ordering it &ldquo;makes for a weaker but still viable case,&rdquo; said Christopher Slobogin, a criminal law professor at Vanderbilt University Law School.

Flynn&#39;s resignation came hours after it was reported that the Justice Department had warned the White House weeks earlier that Flynn could be vulnerable to blackmail for contacts with Kislyak before Trump took office on Jan. 20.

Kislyak was with Lavrov at the White House when Trump disclosed the sensitive information.

A spokeswoman for the FBI declined to comment on the details of the memo.

An emailed fundraising appeal by Trump&#39;s political organisation and the Republican National Committee sent out after reports of the Comey memo said Trump was being victimized by an &quot;unelected bureaucracy.&quot;

&quot;You already knew the media was out to get us,&quot; it said. &quot;But sadly it&rsquo;s not just the fake news&hellip; There are people within our own unelected bureaucracy that want to sabotage President Trump and our entire &#39;America First&#39; movement.&quot;

The new development came as Republican and Democratic lawmakers pressured Trump to give a fuller explanation for why he revealed sensitive intelligence information to Lavrov.

The information had been supplied by a U.S. ally in the fight against the Islamic State militant group, the officials said.

(Reuters)

The White House quickly denied the report, saying in a statement it was 'not a truthful or accurate portrayal of the conversation between the president and Mr Comey'

U.S. President Donald Trump asked then-FBI Director James Comey to end the agency's investigation into ties between former White House national security adviser Michael Flynn and Russia, according to a source who has seen a memo written by Comey. The explosive new development on Tuesday followed a week of tumult at the White House after Trump fired Comey and then discussed sensitive national security information about Islamic State with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov. The Comey memo, first reported by the New York Times, caused alarm on Capitol Hill and raised questions about whether Trump tried to interfere with a federal investigation. The White House quickly denied the report, saying in a statement it was "not a truthful or accurate portrayal of the conversation between the president and Mr. Comey." Comey wrote the memo after he met in the Oval Office with Trump, the day after the Republican president fired Flynn on Feb. 14 for misleading Vice President Mike Pence about the extent of his conversations last year with Russia's ambassador, Sergei Kislyak. “I hope you can let this go,” Trump told Comey, according to a source familiar with the contents of the memo. The New York Times said that during the Oval Office meeting, Trump condemned a series of government leaks to the news media and said the FBI director should consider prosecuting reporters for publishing classified information. Coming the day after charges that Trump disclosed sensitive information to the Russians last week, the new disclosure further rattled members of Congress. "The memo is powerful evidence of obstruction of justice and certainly merits immediate and prompt investigation by an independent special prosecutor," said Democratic U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal. Republican and Democratic lawmakers said they wanted to see the memo. Republican U.S. Representative Jason Chaffetz, chairman of a House of Representatives oversight committee, said his committee "is going to get the Comey memo, if it exists. I need to see it sooner rather than later. I have my subpoena pen ready." LEGAL QUESTIONS Legal experts took a dim view of Trump's comments, as quoted in the memo. "For the president to tell the FBI to end a potential criminal investigation, that's obstruction of justice," said Erwin Chereminsky, a constitutional law professor and dean of University of California, Irvine School of Law. "This is what caused President Nixon to resign from office." But the experts said intent was a critical element of an obstruction of justice charge, and the president’s words could be subject to interpretation and possibly put into the context of other actions, like Comey’s termination. The fact that the president apparently said he “hoped” Comey would end the Flynn investigation rather than more directly ordering it “makes for a weaker but still viable case,” said Christopher Slobogin, a criminal law professor at Vanderbilt University Law School. Flynn's resignation came hours after it was reported that the Justice Department had warned the White House weeks earlier that Flynn could be vulnerable to blackmail for contacts with Kislyak before Trump took office on Jan. 20. Kislyak was with Lavrov at the White House when Trump disclosed the sensitive information. A spokeswoman for the FBI declined to comment on the details of the memo. An emailed fundraising appeal by Trump's political organisation and the Republican National Committee sent out after reports of the Comey memo said Trump was being victimized by an "unelected bureaucracy." "You already knew the media was out to get us," it said. "But sadly it’s not just the fake news… There are people within our own unelected bureaucracy that want to sabotage President Trump and our entire 'America First' movement." The new development came as Republican and Democratic lawmakers pressured Trump to give a fuller explanation for why he revealed sensitive intelligence information to Lavrov. The information had been supplied by a U.S. ally in the fight against the Islamic State militant group, the officials said. (Reuters)

Trump asked Comey to end Flynn probe: New York Times

Despite fierce opposition from NATO ally Turkey, US President Donald Trump has approved supplying arms to Kurdish YPG fighters to support an operation to retake the Syrian city of Raqqa from Islamic State, US officials said on Tuesday.

Ankara views the Kurdish YPG militia fighting within a larger US-backed coalition as the Syrian extension of the Kurdish PKK militant group, which has fought an insurgency in Turkey&#39;s southeast since 1984.

There was no immediate reaction from Turkey, whose president, Tayyip Erdogan, is expected to meet Trump later this month.

The Pentagon immediately sought to stress that it saw arming the Kurdish forces &quot;as necessary to ensure a clear victory&quot; in Raqqa, Islamic State&#39;s de facto capital in Syria and a hub for planning the group&#39;s attacks against the West.

&quot;We are keenly aware of the security concerns of our coalition partner Turkey,&quot; Pentagon spokeswoman Dana White said in a statement as she travelled in Lithuania with Trump&#39;s defence secretary, Jim Mattis.

&quot;We want to reassure the people and government of Turkey that the US is committed to preventing additional security risks and protecting our NATO ally.&quot;

The United States has long supplied arms to the Arab components of the so-called Syrian Democratic Forces, which include YPG fighters. White said Washington would still prioritize supplying those Arab fighters within the SDF.

One US official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the equipment could include small arms, ammunition, machine guns, armoured vehicles and engineering equipment.

The US alliance with Turkey has proven decisive in the battle against Islamic State in Syria, providing the coalition with access to Turkey&#39;s Incirlik air base to wage strikes against the militants, officials say.

Mattis, speaking before the announcement, sounded upbeat about working through tensions with Ankara when he spoke to reporters in Denmark after talks with coalition officials, including from Turkey.

&quot;Our intent is to work with the Turks, alongside one another, to take Raqqa down, and we&#39;re going to sort it out and we&#39;ll figure out how we&#39;re going to do it,&quot; Mattis told a news conference in Copenhagen.

Ankara had long argued that Washington should switch support for the planned assault on Raqqa from the Kurdish YPG militia to Syrian rebels Turkey has trained and led against Islamic State for the past year.

But the US administration was sceptical that the Turkish-backed force was large enough or sufficiently trained.

White appeared to allude to that conclusion when she said: &quot;The SDF, partnered with enabling support from US&nbsp;and coalition forces, are the only force on the ground that can successfully seize Raqqa in the near future.&quot;

Saleh Muslim, co-chair of the Syrian Kurdish PYD party, the YPG&#39;s political affiliate, said the US decision was expected.

&quot;The Raqqa campaign is running in parallel with the international coalition against terrorism. It&#39;s natural that they would provide weapons&quot; to the SDF and the armed groups fighting as part of it, Muslim said.

In a sign of recent tensions, Turkish warplanes carried out air strikes against Kurdish YPG fighters in northeastern Syria and Iraq&#39;s Sinjar region late last month, killing less than 30 fighters, according to one estimate.

The United States has played down Turkish accusations of links between the YPG and PKK. Ankara believes the YPG&#39;s advances will fuel anti-Kurdish sentiment in predominantly Arab parts of Syria such as Raqqa, and threaten Syria&#39;s territorial integrity.

Mattis acknowledged the war in Syria had not left the United States with easy choices but he voiced confidence that Washington and Ankara would get past the impasse.

&quot;But we will work it out ... War sometimes doesn&#39;t give you all good options. That&#39;s the nature of war. It&#39;s not a good situation,&quot; he said.

(Reuters)

The Pentagon sees arming the Kurdish forces "as necessary to ensure a clear victory" in Raqqa.

Despite fierce opposition from NATO ally Turkey, US President Donald Trump has approved supplying arms to Kurdish YPG fighters to support an operation to retake the Syrian city of Raqqa from Islamic State, US officials said on Tuesday. Ankara views the Kurdish YPG militia fighting within a larger US-backed coalition as the Syrian extension of the Kurdish PKK militant group, which has fought an insurgency in Turkey's southeast since 1984. There was no immediate reaction from Turkey, whose president, Tayyip Erdogan, is expected to meet Trump later this month. The Pentagon immediately sought to stress that it saw arming the Kurdish forces "as necessary to ensure a clear victory" in Raqqa, Islamic State's de facto capital in Syria and a hub for planning the group's attacks against the West. "We are keenly aware of the security concerns of our coalition partner Turkey," Pentagon spokeswoman Dana White said in a statement as she travelled in Lithuania with Trump's defence secretary, Jim Mattis. "We want to reassure the people and government of Turkey that the US is committed to preventing additional security risks and protecting our NATO ally." The United States has long supplied arms to the Arab components of the so-called Syrian Democratic Forces, which include YPG fighters. White said Washington would still prioritize supplying those Arab fighters within the SDF. One US official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the equipment could include small arms, ammunition, machine guns, armoured vehicles and engineering equipment. The US alliance with Turkey has proven decisive in the battle against Islamic State in Syria, providing the coalition with access to Turkey's Incirlik air base to wage strikes against the militants, officials say. Mattis, speaking before the announcement, sounded upbeat about working through tensions with Ankara when he spoke to reporters in Denmark after talks with coalition officials, including from Turkey. "Our intent is to work with the Turks, alongside one another, to take Raqqa down, and we're going to sort it out and we'll figure out how we're going to do it," Mattis told a news conference in Copenhagen. Ankara had long argued that Washington should switch support for the planned assault on Raqqa from the Kurdish YPG militia to Syrian rebels Turkey has trained and led against Islamic State for the past year. But the US administration was sceptical that the Turkish-backed force was large enough or sufficiently trained. White appeared to allude to that conclusion when she said: "The SDF, partnered with enabling support from US and coalition forces, are the only force on the ground that can successfully seize Raqqa in the near future." Saleh Muslim, co-chair of the Syrian Kurdish PYD party, the YPG's political affiliate, said the US decision was expected. "The Raqqa campaign is running in parallel with the international coalition against terrorism. It's natural that they would provide weapons" to the SDF and the armed groups fighting as part of it, Muslim said. In a sign of recent tensions, Turkish warplanes carried out air strikes against Kurdish YPG fighters in northeastern Syria and Iraq's Sinjar region late last month, killing less than 30 fighters, according to one estimate. The United States has played down Turkish accusations of links between the YPG and PKK. Ankara believes the YPG's advances will fuel anti-Kurdish sentiment in predominantly Arab parts of Syria such as Raqqa, and threaten Syria's territorial integrity. Mattis acknowledged the war in Syria had not left the United States with easy choices but he voiced confidence that Washington and Ankara would get past the impasse. "But we will work it out ... War sometimes doesn't give you all good options. That's the nature of war. It's not a good situation," he said. (Reuters)

US to arm Syrian Kurds battling Islamic State, despite Turkish opposition

Musicians from both sides of the US-Mexican border, and from around the world, will come together next month in a symphonic protest over President Donald Trump&#39;s plan for a wall to restrict immigration.

The crowd-funded June 3 show, announced Monday by the Dresden Symphony Orchestra, will take place in Friendship Park, which straddles the border between the Mexican city of Tijuana and San Diego in California.

&quot;It&#39;s not the only wall in the world. The list of walls around the world is really long,&quot; said Markus Rindt, organizer of the project dubbed &quot;Tear Down This Wall!&quot;&nbsp;

But &quot;nationalism is on the rise. And the (US-Mexico) wall is on people&#39;s minds.&quot;

Rindt, 50, was just a young man when Ronald Reagan in 1987 urged the then Soviet Union to &quot;Tear Down this Wall&quot; in Berlin -- the quote that inspired his project.

This time, Rindt will try to move minds with a combo featuring four Germans, a Swede, and two Latin Americans. Representing Mexico will be performers from Tijuana. US singer Coral MacFarland from San Diego is expected, he said.

Trump made a border wall with Mexico one of his leading campaign themes, claiming criminals and drug traffickers were flooding over the southern US border, and that Mexico should pay for the new wall.

Mexico has so far steadfastly refused, and Trump has yet to secure any of the billions of dollars in congressional funding needed to start his flagship project.

(AFP)

Musicians from both sides of the US-Mexico border will play at the crowd-funded concert on June 3

Musicians from both sides of the US-Mexican border, and from around the world, will come together next month in a symphonic protest over President Donald Trump's plan for a wall to restrict immigration. The crowd-funded June 3 show, announced Monday by the Dresden Symphony Orchestra, will take place in Friendship Park, which straddles the border between the Mexican city of Tijuana and San Diego in California. "It's not the only wall in the world. The list of walls around the world is really long," said Markus Rindt, organizer of the project dubbed "Tear Down This Wall!" But "nationalism is on the rise. And the (US-Mexico) wall is on people's minds." Rindt, 50, was just a young man when Ronald Reagan in 1987 urged the then Soviet Union to "Tear Down this Wall" in Berlin -- the quote that inspired his project. This time, Rindt will try to move minds with a combo featuring four Germans, a Swede, and two Latin Americans. Representing Mexico will be performers from Tijuana. US singer Coral MacFarland from San Diego is expected, he said. Trump made a border wall with Mexico one of his leading campaign themes, claiming criminals and drug traffickers were flooding over the southern US border, and that Mexico should pay for the new wall. Mexico has so far steadfastly refused, and Trump has yet to secure any of the billions of dollars in congressional funding needed to start his flagship project. (AFP)

'Tear Down this Wall!' border concert to defy Trump

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