The United States reached a historic milestone on Tuesday evening at the PyeongChang 2018 Olympic Winter Games with Shaun White picking up the gold in the snowboard halfpipe.

With this medal, team USA now has 100 gold medals in its Winter Olympic history.

The 31-year-old delivered an incredible performance in the very last run of the event to score a 97.75 and jump to the top of the leaderboard in South Korea on Wednesday.

Norway currently leads the all-time list with 121 golds, ahead of the U.S. (100) and Germany (92).

Swimmer Michael Phelps, the most decorated Olympian of all time with 28 medals, 23 of them gold, was quick off the blocks to express his delight on Twitter.

&quot;Let`s go @shaunwhite !!! Way to go man!! Nothing like a good comeback right?? Redemption always feels great!&quot; Phelps wrote on his verified account, alluding to White`s failure to win a medal at Sochi four years ago.

From the NFL, Houston Texans defensive end J.J Watt was also impressed.

&quot;That pure emotion from @shaunwhite. That`s what it`s all about. So awesome,&quot; he tweeted.

The US won its first gold medal at the inaugural Winter games in 1924 in Chamonix, France.&nbsp;

Charles Jewtraw took the gold in men&rsquo;s 500-meter speed skating, which happened to be the only time Team USA topped the podium that year. &nbsp;&nbsp;

The 31-year-old delivered an incredible performance in the very last run of the event

The United States reached a historic milestone on Tuesday evening at the PyeongChang 2018 Olympic Winter Games with Shaun White picking up the gold in the snowboard halfpipe. With this medal, team USA now has 100 gold medals in its Winter Olympic history. The 31-year-old delivered an incredible performance in the very last run of the event to score a 97.75 and jump to the top of the leaderboard in South Korea on Wednesday. Norway currently leads the all-time list with 121 golds, ahead of the U.S. (100) and Germany (92). Swimmer Michael Phelps, the most decorated Olympian of all time with 28 medals, 23 of them gold, was quick off the blocks to express his delight on Twitter. "Let`s go @shaunwhite !!! Way to go man!! Nothing like a good comeback right?? Redemption always feels great!" Phelps wrote on his verified account, alluding to White`s failure to win a medal at Sochi four years ago. From the NFL, Houston Texans defensive end J.J Watt was also impressed. "That pure emotion from @shaunwhite. That`s what it`s all about. So awesome," he tweeted. The US won its first gold medal at the inaugural Winter games in 1924 in Chamonix, France. Charles Jewtraw took the gold in men’s 500-meter speed skating, which happened to be the only time Team USA topped the podium that year.

2018 Olympic Winter Games: US wins its 100th gold in Olympics history

America&rsquo;s intelligence chief today warned that Pakistan-supported terrorist groups would continue to carry out attacks inside India, thus risking escalation of tension between the two neighbours.

Director of National Intelligence Dan Coats&#39; remarks came days after a group of Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammad terrorists struck the Sunjuwan Military Camp in Jammu on Saturday, killing seven people including six soldiers.

Pakistan, in fact, will continue to threaten US interests by deploying new nuclear weapons capabilities, maintaining its ties to militants, restricting counter- terrorism cooperation, and drawing closer to China, Coats said in his testimony before the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence.

&quot;Militant groups supported by Islamabad will continue to take advantage of their safe haven in Pakistan to plan and conduct attacks in India and Afghanistan, including against US interests,&quot; Coats said during the hearing on &#39;Worldwide Threat Assessment&#39; of the US intelligence community.

He said Pakistan&rsquo;s perception of its eroding position relative to India, reinforced by endemic economic weakness and domestic security issues, almost certainly will exacerbate long-held fears of isolation and drive Islamabad&rsquo;s pursuit of actions that run counter to US goals for the region.

Without specifically referring to any terrorist incident by Pakistan-based groups, Coats told the lawmakers that he expects tension between the two Asian neighbours.

&quot;Relations between India and Pakistan are likely to remain tense, with continued violence on the Line of Control and the risk of escalation if there is another high-profile terrorist attack in India or an uptick in violence on the Line of Control,&quot; Coats said.

He said Pakistan&#39;s support to terrorist groups have complicated the situation in Afghanistan.

&quot;Complicating the Afghanistan situation is our assessment that Pakistan-based militant groups continue to take advantage of their safe haven to conduct attacks in India and Afghanistan, including US interests therein,&quot; Coats said.

Pakistani military leaders &quot;continue to walk a delicate line,&quot; he said.

&quot;Ongoing Pakistani military operations against the Taliban and associated groups probably reflect the desire to appear more proactive and responsive to our request for more actions against these groups. However, the actions taken thus far do not reflect a significant escalation of pressure against these groups and are unlikely to have a lasting effect,&quot; Coats said.

In the last month, the administration has designated eight militants affiliated with the Taliban, Haqqani Network and other Pakistani militant groups.

&quot;And we assess that Pakistan will maintain ties to these militants while restricting counter-terrorism cooperation with the United States,&quot; Coats added.&nbsp;

The attacks would escalate tensions between the two neighbours

America’s intelligence chief today warned that Pakistan-supported terrorist groups would continue to carry out attacks inside India, thus risking escalation of tension between the two neighbours. Director of National Intelligence Dan Coats' remarks came days after a group of Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammad terrorists struck the Sunjuwan Military Camp in Jammu on Saturday, killing seven people including six soldiers. Pakistan, in fact, will continue to threaten US interests by deploying new nuclear weapons capabilities, maintaining its ties to militants, restricting counter- terrorism cooperation, and drawing closer to China, Coats said in his testimony before the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence. "Militant groups supported by Islamabad will continue to take advantage of their safe haven in Pakistan to plan and conduct attacks in India and Afghanistan, including against US interests," Coats said during the hearing on 'Worldwide Threat Assessment' of the US intelligence community. He said Pakistan’s perception of its eroding position relative to India, reinforced by endemic economic weakness and domestic security issues, almost certainly will exacerbate long-held fears of isolation and drive Islamabad’s pursuit of actions that run counter to US goals for the region. Without specifically referring to any terrorist incident by Pakistan-based groups, Coats told the lawmakers that he expects tension between the two Asian neighbours. "Relations between India and Pakistan are likely to remain tense, with continued violence on the Line of Control and the risk of escalation if there is another high-profile terrorist attack in India or an uptick in violence on the Line of Control," Coats said. He said Pakistan's support to terrorist groups have complicated the situation in Afghanistan. "Complicating the Afghanistan situation is our assessment that Pakistan-based militant groups continue to take advantage of their safe haven to conduct attacks in India and Afghanistan, including US interests therein," Coats said. Pakistani military leaders "continue to walk a delicate line," he said. "Ongoing Pakistani military operations against the Taliban and associated groups probably reflect the desire to appear more proactive and responsive to our request for more actions against these groups. However, the actions taken thus far do not reflect a significant escalation of pressure against these groups and are unlikely to have a lasting effect," Coats said. In the last month, the administration has designated eight militants affiliated with the Taliban, Haqqani Network and other Pakistani militant groups. "And we assess that Pakistan will maintain ties to these militants while restricting counter-terrorism cooperation with the United States," Coats added.

Pakistan backed militants continue to attack India: US national intelligence chief

U.S. President Donald Trump said on Monday he would push for a &quot;reciprocal tax&quot; against countries, including U.S. allies, that levy tariffs on American products, but officials did not provide details on how such a tax would be structured or what goods it would apply to.

During his populist 2016 presidential campaign, Republican Trump railed at countries that had trade surpluses &quot;taking advantage of the United States&quot; and he revisited the theme on Monday.

&quot;We cannot continue to let people come into our country and rob us blind and charge us tremendous tariffs and taxes and we charge them nothing,&quot; Trump told reporters at a White House event to announce a proposed infrastructure plan.

The United States loses &quot;vast amounts of money with China and Japan and South Korea and so many other countries ... It`s a little tough for them because they`ve gotten away with murder for 25 years. But we`re going to be changing policy,&quot; he said.

Trump said his administration will impose a &quot;reciprocal tax&quot; to charge other countries - &quot;some of them are so-called allies but they`re not allies on trade.&quot;

He did not specify how such a tax would be structured, or whether he meant that U.S. tariff rates should be raised to equal to those charged by other major trading partners. Administration officials were not immediately able to elaborate on the president`s comments.

Trump cited motorcycle maker Harley-Davidson as an example of the problem of unfair trade. Harley is building a factory in Thailand, partly because its U.S.-built bikes face a 60 percent tariff there.

The United States has pledged to the World Trade Organization a relatively low, 3.5 percent applied tariff rate, compared to 9.9 percent for China and 5.2 percent for the European Union. For some products, the gap is much wider, such as in passenger vehicles, where the United States charges 2.5 percent tariffs, versus 25 percent in China and 10 percent in the EU.

It was also unclear whether Trump was reviving the idea of a border adjustment tax, an idea rejected by congressional Republicans in last year`s tax reform effort.

Retailers and some import-dependent industries strongly opposed the plan for a 20 percent tax on imports aimed at offsetting the value-added tax refunds that some countries grant to their exporters. The National Retail Federation at the time called it a &quot;bad tax&quot; that would &quot;drive up the prices of countless products Americans use every day.&quot;

Trump asked Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross if he agreed with the idea of a reciprocal tax during the infrastructure event.

Ross said, &quot;sure,&quot; and proceeded to say that the United States for too long had offered trade concessions to other countries that were no longer needed. 
&quot;Well, we gave away so much unilaterally that we really have to claw it back,&quot; Ross added.

Officials did not provide details on how such a tax would be structured

U.S. President Donald Trump said on Monday he would push for a "reciprocal tax" against countries, including U.S. allies, that levy tariffs on American products, but officials did not provide details on how such a tax would be structured or what goods it would apply to. During his populist 2016 presidential campaign, Republican Trump railed at countries that had trade surpluses "taking advantage of the United States" and he revisited the theme on Monday. "We cannot continue to let people come into our country and rob us blind and charge us tremendous tariffs and taxes and we charge them nothing," Trump told reporters at a White House event to announce a proposed infrastructure plan. The United States loses "vast amounts of money with China and Japan and South Korea and so many other countries ... It`s a little tough for them because they`ve gotten away with murder for 25 years. But we`re going to be changing policy," he said. Trump said his administration will impose a "reciprocal tax" to charge other countries - "some of them are so-called allies but they`re not allies on trade." He did not specify how such a tax would be structured, or whether he meant that U.S. tariff rates should be raised to equal to those charged by other major trading partners. Administration officials were not immediately able to elaborate on the president`s comments. Trump cited motorcycle maker Harley-Davidson as an example of the problem of unfair trade. Harley is building a factory in Thailand, partly because its U.S.-built bikes face a 60 percent tariff there. The United States has pledged to the World Trade Organization a relatively low, 3.5 percent applied tariff rate, compared to 9.9 percent for China and 5.2 percent for the European Union. For some products, the gap is much wider, such as in passenger vehicles, where the United States charges 2.5 percent tariffs, versus 25 percent in China and 10 percent in the EU. It was also unclear whether Trump was reviving the idea of a border adjustment tax, an idea rejected by congressional Republicans in last year`s tax reform effort. Retailers and some import-dependent industries strongly opposed the plan for a 20 percent tax on imports aimed at offsetting the value-added tax refunds that some countries grant to their exporters. The National Retail Federation at the time called it a "bad tax" that would "drive up the prices of countless products Americans use every day." Trump asked Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross if he agreed with the idea of a reciprocal tax during the infrastructure event. Ross said, "sure," and proceeded to say that the United States for too long had offered trade concessions to other countries that were no longer needed. "Well, we gave away so much unilaterally that we really have to claw it back," Ross added.

US to push for 'reciprocal tax' on trade partners

North Korea and the United States clashed at a UN forum on Tuesday over their military intentions towards one another, with Pyongyang&rsquo;s envoy declaring it would &ldquo;never&rdquo; put its nuclear deterrent on the negotiating table.

Japan, well within reach of North Korea&rsquo;s missiles, said the world must maintain pressure on the reclusive country to rein in its nuclear and missile programs and now was not the time for a resumption of multi-party talks.

North Korea has pursued its weapons programs in defiance of UN Security Council sanctions and ignored all calls, including from major ally China, to stop, prompting a bellicose exchange of rhetoric between the North and the United States.

North Korea justifies its weapons programs, including its recent threat to fire missiles towards the US Pacific territory of Guam, by pointing to perceived US hostility, such as military exercises with South Korea this week.

US disarmament ambassador Robert Wood told a UN-sponsored Conference on Disarmament in Geneva US President Donald Trump&rsquo;s top priority was to protect the United States and its allies against the &ldquo;growing threat&rdquo; from North Korea and America was ready to use &ldquo;the full range of capabilities&rdquo; at its disposal.

The &ldquo;path to dialogue still remained an option&rdquo; for Pyongyang and it had the choice between poverty and belligerence on the one hand and prosperity and acceptance.

North Korea&rsquo;s envoy told the same forum the North&rsquo;s nuclear deterrent would never be up for negotiation, echoing Pyongyang&rsquo;s regular denunciation of US &ldquo;aggression&rdquo;.

&ldquo;The measures taken by the DPRK to strengthen its nuclear deterrence and develop inter-continental rockets is justifiable and a legitimate option for self-defense in the face of such apparent and real threats,&rdquo; diplomat Ju Yong Chol told the forum, referring to &ldquo;constant nuclear threats&rdquo; by the United States.

DPRK stands for the North&rsquo;s official name, the Democratic People&rsquo;s Republic of Korea.

Regarding joint US-South Korean military exercises that began on Monday, he warned: &ldquo;The ongoing military adventure would certainly add gasoline to the fire, driving the current tense situation to further deterioration.&rdquo;

Japanese Foreign Minister Taro Kono said pressure must be maintained until the North demonstrated it would give up its nuclear program.

&ldquo;It&rsquo;s not the time to discuss (the resumption of) six-party talks,&rdquo; Kono said, referring to stalled negotiations involving both Koreas, the United States, Russia, China and Japan.

&ldquo;It&rsquo;s time to exert pressure,&rdquo; he told reporters.

&#39;Crazy&#39; to share timeline

The head of the US military&rsquo;s Pacific Command said diplomacy was key.

Admiral Harry Harris was in South Korea to observe annual joint military drills with the South Korean military, which the North called a step towards nuclear conflict masterminded by &ldquo;war maniacs&rdquo;.

&ldquo;So we hope and we work for diplomatic solutions to the challenge presented by Kim Jong Un,&rdquo; Harris told reporters at a US air base in Osan, about an hour from Seoul, referring to the North Korean leader.

He said diplomacy was &ldquo;the most important starting point&rdquo; in response to the North&rsquo;s threat, when asked what actions by North Korea might trigger a preemptive US strike against it.

&ldquo;As far as a timeline, it would be crazy for me to share with you those tripwires in advance. If we did that, it would hardly be a military strategy,&rdquo; he said.

The United States and South Korea began the long-planned exercises on Monday, called the Ulchi Freedom Guardian, which the allies have said are purely defensive.

The drills involve tens of thousands of troops as well as computer simulations designed to prepare for war with a nuclear-capable North Korea.

The United States and South Korea are technically still at war with the North because their 1950-53 conflict ended in a truce, not a peace treaty.

Delegations from about 20 countries spoke at the four-hour UN session, including Britain, France, Australia and South Korea, all of which criticized North Korea.

&ldquo;I would like to repeat the appeal to the DPRK to listen to the fact that there is no alternative to stopping the different provocations and to return to dialogue,&rdquo; South Korean ambassador Kim Inchul said.

&ldquo;We have never threatened the DPRK with any attacks and we have never promoted the use of force.&rdquo;

North Korea has pursued its weapons programs in defiance of UN Security Council sanctions and ignored all calls

North Korea and the United States clashed at a UN forum on Tuesday over their military intentions towards one another, with Pyongyang’s envoy declaring it would “never” put its nuclear deterrent on the negotiating table. Japan, well within reach of North Korea’s missiles, said the world must maintain pressure on the reclusive country to rein in its nuclear and missile programs and now was not the time for a resumption of multi-party talks. North Korea has pursued its weapons programs in defiance of UN Security Council sanctions and ignored all calls, including from major ally China, to stop, prompting a bellicose exchange of rhetoric between the North and the United States. North Korea justifies its weapons programs, including its recent threat to fire missiles towards the US Pacific territory of Guam, by pointing to perceived US hostility, such as military exercises with South Korea this week. US disarmament ambassador Robert Wood told a UN-sponsored Conference on Disarmament in Geneva US President Donald Trump’s top priority was to protect the United States and its allies against the “growing threat” from North Korea and America was ready to use “the full range of capabilities” at its disposal. The “path to dialogue still remained an option” for Pyongyang and it had the choice between poverty and belligerence on the one hand and prosperity and acceptance. North Korea’s envoy told the same forum the North’s nuclear deterrent would never be up for negotiation, echoing Pyongyang’s regular denunciation of US “aggression”. “The measures taken by the DPRK to strengthen its nuclear deterrence and develop inter-continental rockets is justifiable and a legitimate option for self-defense in the face of such apparent and real threats,” diplomat Ju Yong Chol told the forum, referring to “constant nuclear threats” by the United States. DPRK stands for the North’s official name, the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea. Regarding joint US-South Korean military exercises that began on Monday, he warned: “The ongoing military adventure would certainly add gasoline to the fire, driving the current tense situation to further deterioration.” Japanese Foreign Minister Taro Kono said pressure must be maintained until the North demonstrated it would give up its nuclear program. “It’s not the time to discuss (the resumption of) six-party talks,” Kono said, referring to stalled negotiations involving both Koreas, the United States, Russia, China and Japan. “It’s time to exert pressure,” he told reporters. 'Crazy' to share timeline The head of the US military’s Pacific Command said diplomacy was key. Admiral Harry Harris was in South Korea to observe annual joint military drills with the South Korean military, which the North called a step towards nuclear conflict masterminded by “war maniacs”. “So we hope and we work for diplomatic solutions to the challenge presented by Kim Jong Un,” Harris told reporters at a US air base in Osan, about an hour from Seoul, referring to the North Korean leader. He said diplomacy was “the most important starting point” in response to the North’s threat, when asked what actions by North Korea might trigger a preemptive US strike against it. “As far as a timeline, it would be crazy for me to share with you those tripwires in advance. If we did that, it would hardly be a military strategy,” he said. The United States and South Korea began the long-planned exercises on Monday, called the Ulchi Freedom Guardian, which the allies have said are purely defensive. The drills involve tens of thousands of troops as well as computer simulations designed to prepare for war with a nuclear-capable North Korea. The United States and South Korea are technically still at war with the North because their 1950-53 conflict ended in a truce, not a peace treaty. Delegations from about 20 countries spoke at the four-hour UN session, including Britain, France, Australia and South Korea, all of which criticized North Korea. “I would like to repeat the appeal to the DPRK to listen to the fact that there is no alternative to stopping the different provocations and to return to dialogue,” South Korean ambassador Kim Inchul said. “We have never threatened the DPRK with any attacks and we have never promoted the use of force.”

US, North Korea clash at UN forum over nuclear weapons

As many as 1.4 million jobs in the United States will be vulnerable to disruption from technology and other factors by 2026, a World Economic Forum (WEF) report said today.

The report, &#39;Towards a Reskilling Revolution: A Future of Jobs for All&#39;, is based on an analysis of nearly 1,000 job types across the US economy that encompass 96 per cent of employment in that country.

&quot;...1.4 million US jobs alone expected to disrupted by technology and other factors between now and 2026, of which 57 per cent belong to women,&quot; the WEF said in a release.

On the positive side, the report said that with adequate reskilling, 95 per cent of the most immediately at-risk workers would find good-quality, higher-wage work in growing job families.

&quot;Without reskilling, only 2 per cent of workers would have an optimal opportunity to transition to new jobs while 16 per cent would have none at all,&quot; it added.

The report, published in collaboration with The Boston Consulting Group, also found that coordinated reskilling that aims to maintain or grow wages have very high returns for workers at risk of displacement as well as for businesses and the economy.

The WEF Founder and Executive Chairman Klaus Schwab said the only limiting factor on a world of opportunities for people is the willingness of leaders to make investments in re-skilling that would bridge workers onto new jobs.

As many as 1.4 million jobs in the United States will be vulnerable to disruption from technology and other factors by 2026, a World Economic Forum (WEF) report said today

As many as 1.4 million jobs in the United States will be vulnerable to disruption from technology and other factors by 2026, a World Economic Forum (WEF) report said today. The report, 'Towards a Reskilling Revolution: A Future of Jobs for All', is based on an analysis of nearly 1,000 job types across the US economy that encompass 96 per cent of employment in that country. "...1.4 million US jobs alone expected to disrupted by technology and other factors between now and 2026, of which 57 per cent belong to women," the WEF said in a release. On the positive side, the report said that with adequate reskilling, 95 per cent of the most immediately at-risk workers would find good-quality, higher-wage work in growing job families. "Without reskilling, only 2 per cent of workers would have an optimal opportunity to transition to new jobs while 16 per cent would have none at all," it added. The report, published in collaboration with The Boston Consulting Group, also found that coordinated reskilling that aims to maintain or grow wages have very high returns for workers at risk of displacement as well as for businesses and the economy. The WEF Founder and Executive Chairman Klaus Schwab said the only limiting factor on a world of opportunities for people is the willingness of leaders to make investments in re-skilling that would bridge workers onto new jobs.

1.4 million jobs vulnerable to disruption in US: WEF report

United States president Donald Trump has been accused of a number of sexual allegations in the recent past. But, Trump was perhaps not the only leader under this loop.&nbsp;

In 1998, Bill Clinton was accused of having a continuous affair with White House intern Monica Lewinsky from 1995 to 1997. However, two decades ago this week he declared that he &quot;did not have sexual relations with that woman,&quot; under oath.

He was later tried for perjury and obstruction of justice which is when he finally admitted to the allegations. The charges were dropped after a 21-day Senate trial, but only after he resigned from the presidency.

Earlier, a lawyer from president Donald Trumps office allegedly paid $130,000 dollars to a former adult-actress a month before the 2016 elections, for her to keep mum about an alleged sexual encounter with Trump.&nbsp;

As per reports, <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/trumps-lawyer-paid-130k-to-pornstar-for-silence-over-trump-encounter-reports-29385">Trump and Clifford</a> had the encounter in Lake Tahoe, California, in 2006, a year after he married his third wife, Melania.&nbsp;

Clifford was 27 at the time and had come to represent the adult film studio Wicked, which made her films. She also got a picture clicked with Trump which had surfaced the net.&nbsp;

He was, though, married at the time and his wife, Melania, had given birth to their son less than four months earlier.

The lack of criticism surrounding Trump&rsquo;s supposed affair with Daniels indicates an ambivalence toward him, and frankly, politicians in general when it comes to plain old sex scandals.

But Trump is no normal politician and in his tumultuous administration, &quot;it&#39;s not even the biggest story of the week,&quot; wrote Aaron Blake in The Washington Post.

Tobe Berkovitz, an associate professor of advertising at Boston University, said Trump displays an uncanny ability to sail past scandals.

&quot;Trump is an anomaly,&quot; said Berkovitz, who has served as a political consultant on numerous political campaigns in addition to teaching.

&quot;Look at the litany of other politicians, celebrities and journalists who have just had the trap door open out from under them for behavior that might not be as egregious or as bad as Trump&#39;s,&quot; Berkovitz said.&nbsp;

Trump and the rest of the men on Capitol Hill won&rsquo;t be hurt by the average sex scandal, and it&rsquo;s because the public expects much worse from them.

Meanwhile, Cohen also denied the reports, saying, &quot;These rumours have circulated time and again since 2011&quot;. &quot;President Trump once again vehemently denies any such occurrence as has Ms Daniels&quot;. 
&nbsp;

Trump and the rest of the men on Capitol Hill won’t be hurt by the average sex scandal, and it’s because the public expects much worse from them.

United States president Donald Trump has been accused of a number of sexual allegations in the recent past. But, Trump was perhaps not the only leader under this loop. In 1998, Bill Clinton was accused of having a continuous affair with White House intern Monica Lewinsky from 1995 to 1997. However, two decades ago this week he declared that he "did not have sexual relations with that woman," under oath. He was later tried for perjury and obstruction of justice which is when he finally admitted to the allegations. The charges were dropped after a 21-day Senate trial, but only after he resigned from the presidency. Earlier, a lawyer from president Donald Trumps office allegedly paid $130,000 dollars to a former adult-actress a month before the 2016 elections, for her to keep mum about an alleged sexual encounter with Trump. As per reports, Trump and Clifford had the encounter in Lake Tahoe, California, in 2006, a year after he married his third wife, Melania. Clifford was 27 at the time and had come to represent the adult film studio Wicked, which made her films. She also got a picture clicked with Trump which had surfaced the net. He was, though, married at the time and his wife, Melania, had given birth to their son less than four months earlier. The lack of criticism surrounding Trump’s supposed affair with Daniels indicates an ambivalence toward him, and frankly, politicians in general when it comes to plain old sex scandals. But Trump is no normal politician and in his tumultuous administration, "it's not even the biggest story of the week," wrote Aaron Blake in The Washington Post. Tobe Berkovitz, an associate professor of advertising at Boston University, said Trump displays an uncanny ability to sail past scandals. "Trump is an anomaly," said Berkovitz, who has served as a political consultant on numerous political campaigns in addition to teaching. "Look at the litany of other politicians, celebrities and journalists who have just had the trap door open out from under them for behavior that might not be as egregious or as bad as Trump's," Berkovitz said. Trump and the rest of the men on Capitol Hill won’t be hurt by the average sex scandal, and it’s because the public expects much worse from them. Meanwhile, Cohen also denied the reports, saying, "These rumours have circulated time and again since 2011". "President Trump once again vehemently denies any such occurrence as has Ms Daniels".

Unites States presidents and history of sex scandals

Just a few days after the major attack in Kabul&rsquo;s Intercontinental Hotel which killed around 22 people, the US White House directed Pakistan to immediately arrest or expel the Taliban&#39;s leaders who operate from Pakistani territory.

&quot;We call on Pakistan to immediately arrest or expel the Taliban&#39;s leaders and prevent the group from using Pakistani territory to support its operations,&quot; White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders told reporters at her daily news conference.

&quot;In Afghanistan, where terrorists attacked a hotel in Kabul, such attacks on civilians only strengthen our resolve to support our Afghan partners,&quot; Sanders said.

&quot;We commend the swift and effective response of the Afghan security forces. Afghan forces, with our support, will continue to relentlessly pursue the enemies of Afghanistan, who also seek to export terror around the world,&quot; she said.

Shortly after the instructions by the White House Pakistani ambassador to the US stated that Pakistan had already removed them and their facilities.

Aizaz Ahmed Chaudhry further gave an &ldquo;open challenge&rdquo; to anyone who could point to surviving safe havens, claiming that military forces had &ldquo;cleaned out&rdquo; all terrorists, their &ldquo;hideouts and sanctuaries and their IED (improvised explosive devices) factories&rdquo; from Pakistan in operations since 2014 and &ldquo;when somebody turns around and tells us that there are safe havens existing there we say to them please show us where&rdquo;.

The Afghan Taliban claimed responsibility for the attack, which happened on Saturday, in which at least 22 civilians were killed, including foreign nationals. The six attackers were killed by Afghan forces, the government in Kabul had said. The Afghan government did not mention Pakistan.

&nbsp;

(With PTI inputs)

Shortly after the instructions by the White House Pakistani ambassador to the US stated that Pakistan had already removed them and their facilities

Just a few days after the major attack in Kabul’s Intercontinental Hotel which killed around 22 people, the US White House directed Pakistan to immediately arrest or expel the Taliban's leaders who operate from Pakistani territory. "We call on Pakistan to immediately arrest or expel the Taliban's leaders and prevent the group from using Pakistani territory to support its operations," White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders told reporters at her daily news conference. "In Afghanistan, where terrorists attacked a hotel in Kabul, such attacks on civilians only strengthen our resolve to support our Afghan partners," Sanders said. "We commend the swift and effective response of the Afghan security forces. Afghan forces, with our support, will continue to relentlessly pursue the enemies of Afghanistan, who also seek to export terror around the world," she said. Shortly after the instructions by the White House Pakistani ambassador to the US stated that Pakistan had already removed them and their facilities. Aizaz Ahmed Chaudhry further gave an “open challenge” to anyone who could point to surviving safe havens, claiming that military forces had “cleaned out” all terrorists, their “hideouts and sanctuaries and their IED (improvised explosive devices) factories” from Pakistan in operations since 2014 and “when somebody turns around and tells us that there are safe havens existing there we say to them please show us where”. The Afghan Taliban claimed responsibility for the attack, which happened on Saturday, in which at least 22 civilians were killed, including foreign nationals. The six attackers were killed by Afghan forces, the government in Kabul had said. The Afghan government did not mention Pakistan. (With PTI inputs)

US tells Pakistan to 'immediately arrest or expel Taliban from its soil,' Pakistan asks for proof

US President Donald Trump is aiming to be the &quot;best salesperson&quot; for American economic interests when he goes to Davos later this week, the White House said Tuesday.

Trump is set to speak Friday at the World Economic Forum, an annual gathering of the global pro-trade elite at the Swiss ski resort, in a move that has raised eyebrows because of his protectionist &quot;America First&quot; policies.

&quot;We&#39;re going to the World Economic Forum to share President Trump&#39;s economic story and to tell the world that America is open for business,&quot; said Trump&#39;s chief economic adviser Gary Cohn.

&quot;We want the world to invest in America and to create jobs for hardworking Americans,&quot; he continued, adding that Trump&#39;s economic agenda -- focused on aggressive deregulation and corporate tax cuts -- had &quot;unleashed the US economy.&quot;

The former real estate tycoon is &quot;firmly committed to being the best salesperson the US has to drive economic growth and drive prosperity and drive a better quality of life for American citizens,&quot; Cohn said.

He continued: &quot;America First is not America alone. I said in my remarks when we grow, the world grows. When the world grows, we grow.&quot;

The Trump administration has repeatedly lashed out at allegedly unfair trade agreements and practices, slapping additional import duties on products from across the world, claiming they benefited from unfair state subsidies.

Soon after he took office, Trump announced the US was pulling out of the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) signed in 2015 by a dozen nations that accounted for 40 percent of the global economy.

The remaining 11 countries announced Tuesday they would move forward with the deal without Washington.

He has also repeatedly threatened to pull out of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), which is currently being renegotiated between its three participants -- Canada, Mexico and the US.

Cohn suggested, however, that the US was working on new bilateral agreements, without providing further details.

&quot;The US is pulling back from nothing,&quot; he said.&nbsp;

&quot;When the president was in Asia he talked about trade agreements and his willingness to have bilateral trade agreements with many of the countries he visited in Asia. We are more than willing to have bilateral trade agreements.&quot;

Trump is set to speak Friday at the World Economic Forum

US President Donald Trump is aiming to be the "best salesperson" for American economic interests when he goes to Davos later this week, the White House said Tuesday. Trump is set to speak Friday at the World Economic Forum, an annual gathering of the global pro-trade elite at the Swiss ski resort, in a move that has raised eyebrows because of his protectionist "America First" policies. "We're going to the World Economic Forum to share President Trump's economic story and to tell the world that America is open for business," said Trump's chief economic adviser Gary Cohn. "We want the world to invest in America and to create jobs for hardworking Americans," he continued, adding that Trump's economic agenda -- focused on aggressive deregulation and corporate tax cuts -- had "unleashed the US economy." The former real estate tycoon is "firmly committed to being the best salesperson the US has to drive economic growth and drive prosperity and drive a better quality of life for American citizens," Cohn said. He continued: "America First is not America alone. I said in my remarks when we grow, the world grows. When the world grows, we grow." The Trump administration has repeatedly lashed out at allegedly unfair trade agreements and practices, slapping additional import duties on products from across the world, claiming they benefited from unfair state subsidies. Soon after he took office, Trump announced the US was pulling out of the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) signed in 2015 by a dozen nations that accounted for 40 percent of the global economy. The remaining 11 countries announced Tuesday they would move forward with the deal without Washington. He has also repeatedly threatened to pull out of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), which is currently being renegotiated between its three participants -- Canada, Mexico and the US. Cohn suggested, however, that the US was working on new bilateral agreements, without providing further details. "The US is pulling back from nothing," he said. "When the president was in Asia he talked about trade agreements and his willingness to have bilateral trade agreements with many of the countries he visited in Asia. We are more than willing to have bilateral trade agreements."

Trump will be 'best salesperson' for US economy at Davos: White House

Michigan&#39;s attorney general promised Saturday a &quot;full and complete investigation&quot; into how ex-USA Gymnastics doctor Larry Nassar got away with abusing young women over the two decades he worked at a university.

Speaking at a press conference, Attorney General Bill Schuette said his department would &quot;put a bright light at every corner&quot; of Michigan State University (MSU), where Nassar worked until 2016.

&quot;This will be done right, period,&quot; said Schuette, also a Republican gubernatorial candidate in Michigan&#39;s November election.

&quot;No individual and no department at Michigan State University is off limits,&quot; he warned.

&quot;My department and this investigation will find out who knew what, and who took action, who failed to take action, what did or did not happen and what should have happened.&quot;

Nassar was sentenced Wednesday to up to 175 years in prison after being convicted of abusing young female patients. The abuse occurred at his sports&nbsp;medicine clinic at Michigan State University as well as training facilities sanctioned by USA Gymnastics.

The case attracted huge attention for its scope and the victims included high-profile stars such as Olympic gold medalists Simone Biles, Aly Raisman, Gabby Douglas and McKayla Maroney.

About 160 women appeared in court or testified anonymously to the emotional pain caused by Nassar.

MSU has come under scrutiny in particular for a 2014 investigation that cleared Nassar of serious wrongdoing.

Mark Hollis, director of MSU&#39;s prestigious intercollegiate athletics program since 2008, announced Friday he was stepping down from his post -- two days after the university&#39;s president resigned.

Schuette said Michigan State University&#39;s board of trustees asked him to examine their handling of the scandal -- but he&nbsp;strongly rejected any input from them.

&quot;Frankly, they should be the last ones to be providing advice given their conduct throughout this entire episode,&quot; Schuette said.

He also revealed that a special independent counsel, Bill Forsyth, has been chosen to direct the investigation.

Forsyth, a veteran prosecutor, said he had &quot;never seen anything with the scope... of this particular investigation&quot; during his 43-year career, and that the investigation would take &quot;a great deal of time.&quot;

&quot;How was he allowed to engage in this behaviour for almost 20 years?&quot; Forsyth asked.

&quot;Who at Michigan State knew or was aware of what he was doing?&quot;

Michigan State Police will contribute to the investigation, joining senior investigators in the attorney general&#39;s office.

State police director Colonel Kriste Kibbey Etue said the unit &quot;welcomes this opportunity to help the attorney general to fully investigate and determine if any other crimes have been committed.&quot;

Nassar&#39;s case has shaken US gymnastics and the US Olympic Committee subsequently announced an independent inquiry into the scandal. It demanded that the USA Gymnastics board resign en masse -- which they did on Friday.

&nbsp;

Nassar was sentenced Wednesday to up to 175 years in prison after being convicted of abusing young female patients

Michigan's attorney general promised Saturday a "full and complete investigation" into how ex-USA Gymnastics doctor Larry Nassar got away with abusing young women over the two decades he worked at a university. Speaking at a press conference, Attorney General Bill Schuette said his department would "put a bright light at every corner" of Michigan State University (MSU), where Nassar worked until 2016. "This will be done right, period," said Schuette, also a Republican gubernatorial candidate in Michigan's November election. "No individual and no department at Michigan State University is off limits," he warned. "My department and this investigation will find out who knew what, and who took action, who failed to take action, what did or did not happen and what should have happened." Nassar was sentenced Wednesday to up to 175 years in prison after being convicted of abusing young female patients. The abuse occurred at his sports medicine clinic at Michigan State University as well as training facilities sanctioned by USA Gymnastics. The case attracted huge attention for its scope and the victims included high-profile stars such as Olympic gold medalists Simone Biles, Aly Raisman, Gabby Douglas and McKayla Maroney. About 160 women appeared in court or testified anonymously to the emotional pain caused by Nassar. MSU has come under scrutiny in particular for a 2014 investigation that cleared Nassar of serious wrongdoing. Mark Hollis, director of MSU's prestigious intercollegiate athletics program since 2008, announced Friday he was stepping down from his post -- two days after the university's president resigned. Schuette said Michigan State University's board of trustees asked him to examine their handling of the scandal -- but he strongly rejected any input from them. "Frankly, they should be the last ones to be providing advice given their conduct throughout this entire episode," Schuette said. He also revealed that a special independent counsel, Bill Forsyth, has been chosen to direct the investigation. Forsyth, a veteran prosecutor, said he had "never seen anything with the scope... of this particular investigation" during his 43-year career, and that the investigation would take "a great deal of time." "How was he allowed to engage in this behaviour for almost 20 years?" Forsyth asked. "Who at Michigan State knew or was aware of what he was doing?" Michigan State Police will contribute to the investigation, joining senior investigators in the attorney general's office. State police director Colonel Kriste Kibbey Etue said the unit "welcomes this opportunity to help the attorney general to fully investigate and determine if any other crimes have been committed." Nassar's case has shaken US gymnastics and the US Olympic Committee subsequently announced an independent inquiry into the scandal. It demanded that the USA Gymnastics board resign en masse -- which they did on Friday.

Michigan launches probe into US gymnastics sex abuse doctor

The Pentagon today denied Pakistani claim that the US carried out a <a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/us-drone-strike-kills-haqqani-network-commander-2-others-in-pakistan-30623" target="_blank">drone strike inside its territory</a> targeting a terrorist hideout.

&quot;In response to Pakistan government claims that the US military conducted air strikes in Pakistan on January 24, I can confirm that there were not any Department of Defence air strikes outside of Afghanistan,&quot; defence spokesman Lt Col Mike Andrews said.

Drone strikes, if any, are normally conducted by either CIA or the military.

The CIA did not immediately respond to a question on the drone strike inside Pakistan.

Pakistan, in a statement, condemned the US drone strike in Kurram Agency, saying the &quot;unilateral actions are detrimental to the spirit of cooperation between the two countries in the fight against terrorism&quot;.

According to news reports, Haqqani network commander Ehsan alias Khawari and two of his companions were allegedly killed during the drone strike in the Kurram Agency area of Pakistan.&nbsp;

'I can confirm that there were not any Department of Defence air strikes outside of Afghanistan,' defence spokesman Lt Col Mike Andrews said

The Pentagon today denied Pakistani claim that the US carried out a drone strike inside its territory targeting a terrorist hideout. "In response to Pakistan government claims that the US military conducted air strikes in Pakistan on January 24, I can confirm that there were not any Department of Defence air strikes outside of Afghanistan," defence spokesman Lt Col Mike Andrews said. Drone strikes, if any, are normally conducted by either CIA or the military. The CIA did not immediately respond to a question on the drone strike inside Pakistan. Pakistan, in a statement, condemned the US drone strike in Kurram Agency, saying the "unilateral actions are detrimental to the spirit of cooperation between the two countries in the fight against terrorism". According to news reports, Haqqani network commander Ehsan alias Khawari and two of his companions were allegedly killed during the drone strike in the Kurram Agency area of Pakistan.

Pentagon denies Pakistani claim of drone strike in its territory

The US today designated Indian-origin ISIS terrorist from Britain Siddhartha Dhar along with a Belgian-Moroccan citizen as global terrorists and imposed sanctions on them, the State Department said.

Also read:<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/who-is-new-jihadi-john-siddhartha-dhar-30586"> Who is &#39;New Jihadi John&#39; Siddhartha Dhar?</a>

Siddhartha Dhar, a British Hindu who converted to Islam and now goes by the name Abu Rumaysah, had skipped police bail in the UK to travel to Syria with his wife and young children in 2014.

Nihad Barakat, a Yazidi teenager held as a sex slave by ISIS, was quoted as saying by the Independent in May 2016 that she was kidnapped and trafficked by Siddhartha Dhar, who was based in Mosul, the group&#39;s former stronghold in Iraq.

Siddhartha Dhar was dubbed as the &quot;New Jihadi John&quot; and became a senior commander of the dreaded outfit, the report had said.

The State Department has designated two ISIS members, Siddhartha Dhar and Abdelatif Gaini, as Specially Designated Global Terrorists under Section 1(b) of Executive Order which also imposes sanctions on foreign persons determined to have committed, or pose a significant risk of committing, acts of terrorism that threaten the security of US nationals or the national security, foreign policy, or economy of the US, a state department spokesperson said in a statement.

These designations seek to deny Siddhartha Dhar and Abdelatif Gaini the resources they need to plan and carry out further terrorist attacks, it said.

Among other consequences, all of Siddhartha Dhar&#39;s and Abdelatif Gaini&#39;s property and interests in property subject to US jurisdiction are blocked, and US persons are generally prohibited from engaging in any transactions with them, it said.

Siddhartha Dhar was a leading member of now-defunct terrorist organisation Al-Muhajiroun. In late 2014, Siddhartha Dhar left the United Kingdom to travel to Syria to join ISIS, it said.

He is considered to have replaced ISIS executioner Mohammad Emwazi, also known as &quot;Jihadi John&quot;, it said.

Siddhartha Dhar is believed to be the masked leader who appeared in a January 2016 ISIS video of the execution of several prisoners ISIS accused of spying for the UK, the statement said.

Abdelatif Gaini is a Belgian-Moroccan citizen believed to be fighting for ISIS in the Middle East. Abdelatif Gaini is connected to UK-based ISIS sympathizers Mohamad Ali Ahmed and Humza Ali, who were convicted in the UK in 2016 of terrorism offenses, it said.

Today&#39;s action notifies the US public and the international community that Siddhartha Dhar and Abdelatif Gaini have committed or pose a significant risk of committing acts of terrorism, it said.

Terrorism designations expose and isolate organizations and individuals, and deny them access to the US financial system. Moreover, designations can assist the law enforcement activities of US agencies and other governments, it said.&nbsp; 
&nbsp;

Siddhartha Dhar, a British Hindu who converted to Islam and now goes by the name Abu Rumaysah, had skipped police bail in the UK to travel to Syria with his wife and young children in 2014

The US today designated Indian-origin ISIS terrorist from Britain Siddhartha Dhar along with a Belgian-Moroccan citizen as global terrorists and imposed sanctions on them, the State Department said. Also read: Who is 'New Jihadi John' Siddhartha Dhar? Siddhartha Dhar, a British Hindu who converted to Islam and now goes by the name Abu Rumaysah, had skipped police bail in the UK to travel to Syria with his wife and young children in 2014. Nihad Barakat, a Yazidi teenager held as a sex slave by ISIS, was quoted as saying by the Independent in May 2016 that she was kidnapped and trafficked by Siddhartha Dhar, who was based in Mosul, the group's former stronghold in Iraq. Siddhartha Dhar was dubbed as the "New Jihadi John" and became a senior commander of the dreaded outfit, the report had said. The State Department has designated two ISIS members, Siddhartha Dhar and Abdelatif Gaini, as Specially Designated Global Terrorists under Section 1(b) of Executive Order which also imposes sanctions on foreign persons determined to have committed, or pose a significant risk of committing, acts of terrorism that threaten the security of US nationals or the national security, foreign policy, or economy of the US, a state department spokesperson said in a statement. These designations seek to deny Siddhartha Dhar and Abdelatif Gaini the resources they need to plan and carry out further terrorist attacks, it said. Among other consequences, all of Siddhartha Dhar's and Abdelatif Gaini's property and interests in property subject to US jurisdiction are blocked, and US persons are generally prohibited from engaging in any transactions with them, it said. Siddhartha Dhar was a leading member of now-defunct terrorist organisation Al-Muhajiroun. In late 2014, Siddhartha Dhar left the United Kingdom to travel to Syria to join ISIS, it said. He is considered to have replaced ISIS executioner Mohammad Emwazi, also known as "Jihadi John", it said. Siddhartha Dhar is believed to be the masked leader who appeared in a January 2016 ISIS video of the execution of several prisoners ISIS accused of spying for the UK, the statement said. Abdelatif Gaini is a Belgian-Moroccan citizen believed to be fighting for ISIS in the Middle East. Abdelatif Gaini is connected to UK-based ISIS sympathizers Mohamad Ali Ahmed and Humza Ali, who were convicted in the UK in 2016 of terrorism offenses, it said. Today's action notifies the US public and the international community that Siddhartha Dhar and Abdelatif Gaini have committed or pose a significant risk of committing acts of terrorism, it said. Terrorism designations expose and isolate organizations and individuals, and deny them access to the US financial system. Moreover, designations can assist the law enforcement activities of US agencies and other governments, it said.

US designates Indian-origin IS man, called 'New Jihadi John', global terrorist

The US-led coalition fighting Islamic State said it killed nearly 150 militants in strikes on Saturday in the Syrian middle Euphrates River Valley.

The latest strikes come as the United States urged Turkey to show restraint in its campaign against Kurdish forces in northern Syria and to focus on fighting Islamic State militants.

The United States has signalled an open-ended military presence in Syria as part of a broader strategy to prevent Islamic State&rsquo;s resurgence, pave the way diplomatically for the eventual departure of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and curtail Iran&rsquo;s influence.

&quot;The precision strikes were a culmination of extensive intelligence preparation to confirm an ISIS headquarters and command and control centre in an exclusively ISIS-occupied location in the contested middle Euphrates River Valley,&quot; a statement issued on Tuesday said, using an acronym for Islamic State.

The strikes took place near As Shafah, Syria and killed between 145 and 150 militants. The statement added that US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), which includes Kurdish YPG fighters, helped in target observation.

Turkey seeks to avoid any clash with US, Russian or Syrian forces but will take any steps needed for its security, a Turkish minister said on Tuesday, the fourth day of its air and ground offensive against Kurdish forces.

The United States and Russia both have military forces in Syria and have urged Turkey to show restraint in its campaign, named Operation Olive Branch, to crush the U.S.-backed Kurdish YPG in the Afrin region on Turkey&#39;s southern border.

&quot;Our SDF partners are still making daily progress and sacrifices, and together we are still finding, targeting and killing ISIS terrorists intent on keeping their extremist hold on the region,&quot; Major General James Jarrard, commander of special operations for the coalition, said in the statement.

The United States has led an international coalition conducting air strikes against Islamic State since 2014. The&nbsp;US&nbsp;troops have served as advisers on the ground with Iraqi government forces and with Kurdish and Arab groups in Syria.

The coalition has said in the past that fewer than 1,000 Islamic State fighters remain in Iraq and Syria, but that the militant group still remains a threat. The figure excludes areas in western Syria under the control of Assad&rsquo;s government and his allies.

The latest strikes come as the United States urged Turkey to show restraint in its campaign against Kurdish forces in northern Syria

The US-led coalition fighting Islamic State said it killed nearly 150 militants in strikes on Saturday in the Syrian middle Euphrates River Valley. The latest strikes come as the United States urged Turkey to show restraint in its campaign against Kurdish forces in northern Syria and to focus on fighting Islamic State militants. The United States has signalled an open-ended military presence in Syria as part of a broader strategy to prevent Islamic State’s resurgence, pave the way diplomatically for the eventual departure of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and curtail Iran’s influence. "The precision strikes were a culmination of extensive intelligence preparation to confirm an ISIS headquarters and command and control centre in an exclusively ISIS-occupied location in the contested middle Euphrates River Valley," a statement issued on Tuesday said, using an acronym for Islamic State. The strikes took place near As Shafah, Syria and killed between 145 and 150 militants. The statement added that US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), which includes Kurdish YPG fighters, helped in target observation. Turkey seeks to avoid any clash with US, Russian or Syrian forces but will take any steps needed for its security, a Turkish minister said on Tuesday, the fourth day of its air and ground offensive against Kurdish forces. The United States and Russia both have military forces in Syria and have urged Turkey to show restraint in its campaign, named Operation Olive Branch, to crush the U.S.-backed Kurdish YPG in the Afrin region on Turkey's southern border. "Our SDF partners are still making daily progress and sacrifices, and together we are still finding, targeting and killing ISIS terrorists intent on keeping their extremist hold on the region," Major General James Jarrard, commander of special operations for the coalition, said in the statement. The United States has led an international coalition conducting air strikes against Islamic State since 2014. The US troops have served as advisers on the ground with Iraqi government forces and with Kurdish and Arab groups in Syria. The coalition has said in the past that fewer than 1,000 Islamic State fighters remain in Iraq and Syria, but that the militant group still remains a threat. The figure excludes areas in western Syria under the control of Assad’s government and his allies.

US-led strikes kill 150 Islamic State militants in Syria

Special Counsel and former FBI director Robert Mueller probing Russian interference in the 2016 US presidential election wants to question President Donald Trump on the issue, a media report said today.

The Washington Post, citing two people familiar with Mueller&#39;s plans, said the special counsel was seeking to question Trump about his ousting of FBI director James Comey and national security advisor Michael Flynn.

The duo told the newspaper that Trump&#39;s attorneys have worked out terms for the president&#39;s interview with Mueller&#39;s team that could be presented to the special counsel &quot;as soon as next week&quot;.

&quot;The president&#39;s legal team hopes to provide Trump&#39;s testimony in a hybrid form answering some questions in a face-to-face interview and others in a written statement,&quot; said the Post.

A day earlier, the US Justice Department had confirmed that Attorney General Jeff Sessions was questioned by Mueller on his investigation on potential links between the Trump campaign and Russia in the presidential election.

Mueller has already interviewed several of the close aides and family members of Trump over the issue.

Trump, earlier, had hinted that it &quot;seems unlikely&quot; that he would allow Mueller to &quot;interview&quot; him.

Meanwhile, the White House today said it supports full transparency around a secret memo criticising the FBI but it was for the House Intelligence Committee to decide whether to release it or not.

&quot;We certainly support full transparency, and we believe that&#39;s with the House Intel Committee to make a choice,&quot; White House press secretary Sarah Sanders told reporters at her daily news conference.&nbsp;

The Washington Post, citing two people familiar with Mueller's plans, said the special counsel was seeking to question Trump about his ousting of FBI director James Comey and NSA Michael Flynn

Special Counsel and former FBI director Robert Mueller probing Russian interference in the 2016 US presidential election wants to question President Donald Trump on the issue, a media report said today. The Washington Post, citing two people familiar with Mueller's plans, said the special counsel was seeking to question Trump about his ousting of FBI director James Comey and national security advisor Michael Flynn. The duo told the newspaper that Trump's attorneys have worked out terms for the president's interview with Mueller's team that could be presented to the special counsel "as soon as next week". "The president's legal team hopes to provide Trump's testimony in a hybrid form answering some questions in a face-to-face interview and others in a written statement," said the Post. A day earlier, the US Justice Department had confirmed that Attorney General Jeff Sessions was questioned by Mueller on his investigation on potential links between the Trump campaign and Russia in the presidential election. Mueller has already interviewed several of the close aides and family members of Trump over the issue. Trump, earlier, had hinted that it "seems unlikely" that he would allow Mueller to "interview" him. Meanwhile, the White House today said it supports full transparency around a secret memo criticising the FBI but it was for the House Intelligence Committee to decide whether to release it or not. "We certainly support full transparency, and we believe that's with the House Intel Committee to make a choice," White House press secretary Sarah Sanders told reporters at her daily news conference.

Mueller looking to question Trump on Russia probe: Report

The U.S. State Department has confirmed that multiple American citizens had been killed during a weekend siege at Kabul`s Intercontinental Hotel.

In a press briefing on Tuesday, state department spokesperson Heather Nauert confirmed the news. However, she did not give any casualty figure.

The terrorists, on Saturday evening, stormed the hotel and started shooting at guests and detonating grenades.

The Intercontinental Hotel, located on a hilltop and heavily protected like most public buildings in Kabul, is one of two main luxury hotels in the city and was due to host an information technology conference on Sunday.

The United States also condemned the attack.&quot;Violence like this has no place in Afghanistan or anywhere else in the world,&quot; Nauert said.In 2011, a similar attack on the hotel left at least 21 people dead, which also included nine attackers.&nbsp;

The Taliban was also responsible for that attack as well.The attack came just days after the US embassy in Kabul issued a warning about hotels in the city.

State department spokesperson Heather Nauert confirmed the news

The U.S. State Department has confirmed that multiple American citizens had been killed during a weekend siege at Kabul`s Intercontinental Hotel. In a press briefing on Tuesday, state department spokesperson Heather Nauert confirmed the news. However, she did not give any casualty figure. The terrorists, on Saturday evening, stormed the hotel and started shooting at guests and detonating grenades. The Intercontinental Hotel, located on a hilltop and heavily protected like most public buildings in Kabul, is one of two main luxury hotels in the city and was due to host an information technology conference on Sunday. The United States also condemned the attack."Violence like this has no place in Afghanistan or anywhere else in the world," Nauert said.In 2011, a similar attack on the hotel left at least 21 people dead, which also included nine attackers. The Taliban was also responsible for that attack as well.The attack came just days after the US embassy in Kabul issued a warning about hotels in the city.

US citizens killed in Kabul attack: State Department

The US State Department on Friday said that they have no plans to meet North Korean officials in the upcoming PyeongChang Olympics.&nbsp;

&quot;There are no plans to meet with North Korean officials,&quot; Katina Adams, a spokeswoman for the State Department&#39;s Bureau of East Asian and Pacific Affairs, said on Friday.

The spokesperson also stated that the US did not have an objection with North Koreas participation and that their participation is not a shocker - she said in response to South Korea breaching international sanctions on the North over their invitation in the games.&nbsp;

&quot;The United States does not determine which countries may or may not participate in Olympic Games. The modern Olympic Games were born out of an ideal for peaceful sporting competition amongst nations. In that spirit, the United States looks forward to participating in the Winter Olympics in South Korea next month,&quot; she added.

She further iterated that North Koreas participation in the games is completely separate from politics.&nbsp;

Earlier, North and South Korea agreed to field a joint women&#39;s ice hockey team and march together under a unified Korea flag at the opening ceremony of the Pyeongchang Winter Olympics.

The two Koreas also agreed to hold a joint cultural event at Mount Kumgang on the North Korean east coast before the Winter Games.

The Winter Olympics is scheduled to take place at South Korea&#39;s Pyeongchang from February 9-25.

The development between the two countries has brought some ease into their strained relations.

The two sides have also agreed to hold military talks on solving border tensions.

The spokesperson also stated that the US did not have an objection with North Koreas participation and that their participation is not a shocker - she said in response to South Korea breaching international sanctions on the North over their invitation in the games

The US State Department on Friday said that they have no plans to meet North Korean officials in the upcoming PyeongChang Olympics. "There are no plans to meet with North Korean officials," Katina Adams, a spokeswoman for the State Department's Bureau of East Asian and Pacific Affairs, said on Friday. The spokesperson also stated that the US did not have an objection with North Koreas participation and that their participation is not a shocker - she said in response to South Korea breaching international sanctions on the North over their invitation in the games. "The United States does not determine which countries may or may not participate in Olympic Games. The modern Olympic Games were born out of an ideal for peaceful sporting competition amongst nations. In that spirit, the United States looks forward to participating in the Winter Olympics in South Korea next month," she added. She further iterated that North Koreas participation in the games is completely separate from politics. Earlier, North and South Korea agreed to field a joint women's ice hockey team and march together under a unified Korea flag at the opening ceremony of the Pyeongchang Winter Olympics. The two Koreas also agreed to hold a joint cultural event at Mount Kumgang on the North Korean east coast before the Winter Games. The Winter Olympics is scheduled to take place at South Korea's Pyeongchang from February 9-25. The development between the two countries has brought some ease into their strained relations. The two sides have also agreed to hold military talks on solving border tensions.

US has no plans of meeting North Korea officials in PyeongChang Olympics

The federal government shut down this weekend, as Congress failed to pass a stopgap spending measure. Many may wonder what this means for the nation&rsquo;s public health battles against threats like the flu and the opioid crisis.

In a shutdown, contingency plans allow the federal government to meet most short-term health care needs. Most American hospitals are privately run. Public hospitals are, with very few exceptions, run by state and local governments, which aren&rsquo;t directly affected. No one will be turned away at the emergency room because of the shutdown.

There are, however, plenty of federally funded programs and a few medical facilities that are immediately affected. The federal government will also likely take longer to respond to emerging health crises, as nonessential personnel are sent home.

Patient care

Most federal funding for direct patient care is appropriated separately from the budget negotiations causing the shutdown. So Medicare and Medicaid will be largely unaffected, for example.

There&rsquo;s also a separate appropriation to sustain medical care for veterans. This has been in place since the 2013 shutdown, which caused Congress to change the way it funds veteran care.

The shutdown does affect the Department of Health and Human Services, where 50 percent of all public employees will be sent home on furlough, or without pay. The remaining workers are considered essential to protect life and property.

HHS provides direct patient care only in a few cases, but Indian Health Services &ndash; the agency charged with providing clinical care for 2.2 million American Indians and Alaskan Natives &ndash; is under its purview. Thankfully, there will be no disruptions in those services, because nearly every IHS employee is considered essential.

The National Health Institute Clinical Center provides medical services, primarily for patients participating in medical studies funded by the federal government. Patients already admitted will continue to receive care, but there will be no new clinical study admissions during the shutdown.

This is one of the few places where the shutdown could result in fatalities. Many patients only participate in medical studies when conventional medicine has failed. It&rsquo;s possible that some would-be patients, who would have received potentially lifesaving medical care, will die without these lifesaving treatments. That probability increases with the duration of the shutdown.

Public health

Much of the federal funding for public health helps local and state authorities preempt and mitigate threats.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention supports local and state authorities in disease outbreaks and coordinates national level efforts to counter them. The urgent response to disease outbreaks, like the this year&rsquo;s record-breaking flu, will continue without disruption.

However, federal investigations of new disease outbreaks &ndash; which are crucial to countering diseases before they become widespread in multiple states &ndash; will be substantially slower during the shutdown. It will also take longer for the CDC to disseminate crucial national public health information to hospitals and doctors, who often depend on this data to administer appropriate care at local levels.

The federal government also ensures the safety and well-being of Americans through food inspections, which keep contaminated meats, eggs, grains and other foodstuffs from making it to the consumer. Many of these inspections will continue without disruption.

Brain drain

While the law mandates that the essential personnel who protect life and property must remain at work, these government workers will not receive pay during the shutdown.

By law, essential personnel have to be reimbursed for their lost earnings once the government resumes full operations. But, in the short run, it changes how government workers can spend money and take care of their families. The government workers who were furloughed are not guaranteed any pay for the period they were locked out.

The public health sector, more so than many other aspects of the federal government, depends on highly educated and skilled employees with advanced degrees, such as medical doctors and researchers. Although government workers often make higher wages than they could in the private sector, that isn&rsquo;t true for those who are most skilled. Many public servants in public health take pay cuts to work for the federal government.

Friday&rsquo;s government shutdown is the second in just five years. With the disruption to the livelihoods of more than a million federal employees, it&rsquo;s understandable that some employees may seek employment in the private sector instead, leaving the federal government less capable in the future.

&nbsp;

This article was originally published on <a href="http://theconversation.com" rel="nofollow" target="blank">The Conversation</a>. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/what-the-government-shutdown-means-for-the-health-of-americans-90430" rel="nofollow" target="blank">original article</a>.

&nbsp;

(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)&nbsp;&nbsp;

&nbsp;

With the disruption to the livelihoods of more than a million federal employees, it’s understandable that some employees may seek employment in the private sector instead, leaving the federal government less capable in the future.

The federal government shut down this weekend, as Congress failed to pass a stopgap spending measure. Many may wonder what this means for the nation’s public health battles against threats like the flu and the opioid crisis. In a shutdown, contingency plans allow the federal government to meet most short-term health care needs. Most American hospitals are privately run. Public hospitals are, with very few exceptions, run by state and local governments, which aren’t directly affected. No one will be turned away at the emergency room because of the shutdown. There are, however, plenty of federally funded programs and a few medical facilities that are immediately affected. The federal government will also likely take longer to respond to emerging health crises, as nonessential personnel are sent home. Patient care Most federal funding for direct patient care is appropriated separately from the budget negotiations causing the shutdown. So Medicare and Medicaid will be largely unaffected, for example. There’s also a separate appropriation to sustain medical care for veterans. This has been in place since the 2013 shutdown, which caused Congress to change the way it funds veteran care. The shutdown does affect the Department of Health and Human Services, where 50 percent of all public employees will be sent home on furlough, or without pay. The remaining workers are considered essential to protect life and property. HHS provides direct patient care only in a few cases, but Indian Health Services – the agency charged with providing clinical care for 2.2 million American Indians and Alaskan Natives – is under its purview. Thankfully, there will be no disruptions in those services, because nearly every IHS employee is considered essential. The National Health Institute Clinical Center provides medical services, primarily for patients participating in medical studies funded by the federal government. Patients already admitted will continue to receive care, but there will be no new clinical study admissions during the shutdown. This is one of the few places where the shutdown could result in fatalities. Many patients only participate in medical studies when conventional medicine has failed. It’s possible that some would-be patients, who would have received potentially lifesaving medical care, will die without these lifesaving treatments. That probability increases with the duration of the shutdown. Public health Much of the federal funding for public health helps local and state authorities preempt and mitigate threats. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention supports local and state authorities in disease outbreaks and coordinates national level efforts to counter them. The urgent response to disease outbreaks, like the this year’s record-breaking flu, will continue without disruption. However, federal investigations of new disease outbreaks – which are crucial to countering diseases before they become widespread in multiple states – will be substantially slower during the shutdown. It will also take longer for the CDC to disseminate crucial national public health information to hospitals and doctors, who often depend on this data to administer appropriate care at local levels. The federal government also ensures the safety and well-being of Americans through food inspections, which keep contaminated meats, eggs, grains and other foodstuffs from making it to the consumer. Many of these inspections will continue without disruption. Brain drain While the law mandates that the essential personnel who protect life and property must remain at work, these government workers will not receive pay during the shutdown. By law, essential personnel have to be reimbursed for their lost earnings once the government resumes full operations. But, in the short run, it changes how government workers can spend money and take care of their families. The government workers who were furloughed are not guaranteed any pay for the period they were locked out. The public health sector, more so than many other aspects of the federal government, depends on highly educated and skilled employees with advanced degrees, such as medical doctors and researchers. Although government workers often make higher wages than they could in the private sector, that isn’t true for those who are most skilled. Many public servants in public health take pay cuts to work for the federal government. Friday’s government shutdown is the second in just five years. With the disruption to the livelihoods of more than a million federal employees, it’s understandable that some employees may seek employment in the private sector instead, leaving the federal government less capable in the future. This article was originally published on The Conversation. Read the original article. (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

Opinion: What the US government shutdown means for Americans

Amazon.com Inc will open its checkout-free grocery store to the public on Monday after more than a year of testing, the company said, moving forward on an experiment that could dramatically alter brick-and-mortar retail.

The Seattle store, known as Amazon Go, relies on cameras and sensors to track what shoppers remove from the shelves, and what they put back. Cash registers and checkout lines become superfluous - customers are billed after leaving the store using credit cards on file.

For grocers, the store&#39;s opening heralds another potential disruption at the hands of the world&#39;s largest online retailer, which bought high-end supermarket chain Whole Foods Market last year for $13.7 billion. Long lines can deter shoppers, so a company that figures out how to eradicate wait times will have an advantage.

Amazon did not discuss if or when it will add more Go locations, and reiterated it has no plans to add the technology to the larger and more complex Whole Foods stores.

Also read: <a href="http://www.wionews.com/business-economy/the-rise-rise-of-jeff-bezos-amazon-14019" target="_blank">The Rise &amp; Rise of Jeff Bezos &amp; Amazon</a>

The convenience-style store opened to Amazon employees on Dec. 5, 2016 in a test phase. At the time, Amazon said it expected members of the public could begin using the store in early 2017.

But there have been challenges, according to a person familiar with the matter. These included correctly identifying shoppers with similar body types, the person said. When children were brought into the store during the trial, they caused havoc by moving items to incorrect places, the person added.

Gianna Puerini, vice president of Amazon Go, said in an interview that the store worked very well throughout the test phase, thanks to four years of prior legwork.

&quot;This technology didn&#39;t exist,&quot; Puerini said, walking through the Seattle store. &quot;It was really advancing the state of the art of computer vision and machine learning.&quot;

&quot;If you look at these products, you can see they&#39;re super similar,&quot; she said of two near-identical Starbucks drinks next to each other on a shelf. One had light cream and the other had regular, and Amazon&#39;s technology learned to tell them apart.

How it works

The 1800-square-foot (167-square-meter) store is located in an Amazon office building. To start shopping, customers must scan an Amazon Go smartphone app and pass through a gated turnstile.

Ready-to-eat lunch items greet shoppers when they enter. Deeper into the store, shoppers can find a small selection of grocery items, including meats and meal kits. An Amazon employee checks IDs in the store&#39;s wine and beer section.

Sleek black cameras monitoring from above and weight sensors in the shelves help Amazon determine exactly what people take.

If someone passes back through the gates with an item, his or her associated account is charged. If a shopper puts an item back on the shelf, Amazon removes it from his or her virtual cart.

Much of the store will feel familiar to shoppers, aside from the check-out process. Amazon, famous for dynamic pricing online, has printed price tags just as traditional brick-and-mortar stores do.

Amazon's new Seattle store -- Amazon Go -- relies on cameras and sensors to track what shoppers remove from shelves

Amazon.com Inc will open its checkout-free grocery store to the public on Monday after more than a year of testing, the company said, moving forward on an experiment that could dramatically alter brick-and-mortar retail. The Seattle store, known as Amazon Go, relies on cameras and sensors to track what shoppers remove from the shelves, and what they put back. Cash registers and checkout lines become superfluous - customers are billed after leaving the store using credit cards on file. For grocers, the store's opening heralds another potential disruption at the hands of the world's largest online retailer, which bought high-end supermarket chain Whole Foods Market last year for $13.7 billion. Long lines can deter shoppers, so a company that figures out how to eradicate wait times will have an advantage. Amazon did not discuss if or when it will add more Go locations, and reiterated it has no plans to add the technology to the larger and more complex Whole Foods stores. Also read: The Rise & Rise of Jeff Bezos & Amazon The convenience-style store opened to Amazon employees on Dec. 5, 2016 in a test phase. At the time, Amazon said it expected members of the public could begin using the store in early 2017. But there have been challenges, according to a person familiar with the matter. These included correctly identifying shoppers with similar body types, the person said. When children were brought into the store during the trial, they caused havoc by moving items to incorrect places, the person added. Gianna Puerini, vice president of Amazon Go, said in an interview that the store worked very well throughout the test phase, thanks to four years of prior legwork. "This technology didn't exist," Puerini said, walking through the Seattle store. "It was really advancing the state of the art of computer vision and machine learning." "If you look at these products, you can see they're super similar," she said of two near-identical Starbucks drinks next to each other on a shelf. One had light cream and the other had regular, and Amazon's technology learned to tell them apart. How it works The 1800-square-foot (167-square-meter) store is located in an Amazon office building. To start shopping, customers must scan an Amazon Go smartphone app and pass through a gated turnstile. Ready-to-eat lunch items greet shoppers when they enter. Deeper into the store, shoppers can find a small selection of grocery items, including meats and meal kits. An Amazon employee checks IDs in the store's wine and beer section. Sleek black cameras monitoring from above and weight sensors in the shelves help Amazon determine exactly what people take. If someone passes back through the gates with an item, his or her associated account is charged. If a shopper puts an item back on the shelf, Amazon removes it from his or her virtual cart. Much of the store will feel familiar to shoppers, aside from the check-out process. Amazon, famous for dynamic pricing online, has printed price tags just as traditional brick-and-mortar stores do.

This store, opening today, will have no checkout counters

The US&nbsp;military has put countering China and Russia at the centre of a new national defence strategy unveiled on Friday, the latest sign of shifting priorities after more than a decade and a half of focussing on the fight against Islamist militants.

In presenting the new strategy, which will set priorities for the Pentagon for years to come, Defense Secretary Jim Mattis called China and Russia &quot;revisionist powers&quot; that &quot;seek to create a world consistent with their authoritarian models.&quot;

The &quot;National Defense Strategy&quot; represents the latest sign of hardening resolve by President Donald Trump&#39;s administration to address challenges from Russia and China, at the same time he is pushing for improved ties with Moscow and Beijing to rein in a nuclear North Korea.

&quot;We will continue to prosecute the campaign against terrorists that we are engaged in today, but great power competition, not terrorism, is now the primary focus of US&nbsp;national security,&quot; Mattis said in a speech presenting the strategy document, the first of its kind since at least 2014.

It sets priorities for the US&nbsp;Defense Department that are expected to be reflected in future defence spending requests. The Pentagon on Friday released an unclassified, 11-page version of the document, which did not provide details on how the shift towards countering China and Russia would be carried out.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, speaking through an interpreter at a news conference at the United Nations, said the United States was using a confrontational approach.

&quot;It is regrettable that instead of having a normal dialogue, instead of using the basis of international law, the US&nbsp;is striving to prove their leadership through such confrontational strategies and concepts,&quot; Lavrov said.

&quot;We&#39;re open for dialogue, we&#39;re prepared to discuss military doctrines,&rdquo; he added.

There was no immediate response from China.

Elbridge Colby, deputy assistant secretary of defence for strategy and force development, said at a briefing with reporters that Russia was far more brazen than China in its use of military power.

Russia annexed Ukraine&#39;s Crimean peninsula in 2014 and intervened militarily in Syria to support its ally, Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. Still, Moscow was limited by its economic resources, Colby said.

China, on the other hand, was described as economically and militarily ascendant. China has embarked on a far-reaching military modernization that Colby said was in &quot;deep contravention to our interests.&quot;

Experts praised the document&#39;s targeting of the largest national security threats rather than the longer lists of risks in some previous strategies. But without knowing the budget commitments, it was difficult to assess if it was a sound strategy.

&quot;If we don&#39;t actually see where the money is, you know, there is the danger that it could become all words,&quot; said Mara Karlin, a fellow at the Brookings Institution think tank and a senior defence official in the Obama administration.

The document also listed North Korea among the Pentagon&#39;s priorities, citing the need to focus US&nbsp;missile defences against the threat from Pyongyang, which beyond its nuclear weapons has also amassed an arsenal of biological, chemical, and conventional arms.

The document said that international alliances would be critical for the US&nbsp;military, by far the world&#39;s best-resourced. But it also stressed a need for burden-sharing, an apparent nod to Trump&#39;s public criticism of allies who he says unfairly take advantage of US&nbsp;security guarantees.

Trump has called the NATO alliance &quot;obsolete&quot;, but Mattis said the United States would strengthen its traditional alliances while building new partnerships and listening more to other nations&#39; ideas.

&quot;We will be willing to be persuaded by them, recognising that not all good ideas come from the country with the most aircraft carriers,&quot; Mattis said.

The Pentagon is also working on a policy document on the country&#39;s nuclear arsenal. While Mattis did not specifically address that review, he said the priority is deterrence.

&quot;How do we maintain a safe and effective nuclear deterrence so those weapons are never used? It is a nuclear deterrent, it is not a war fighting capability unless it is the worst day in our nation or the world&#39;s history,&quot; Mattis said.

Mattis had harsh words for the US&nbsp;Congress and its inability to reach agreement on budgets.

The US&nbsp;military&#39;s competitive edge has eroded &quot;in every domain of warfare&quot; he said, partly because of inconsistent funding. A bill to fund the government only through Feb. 16, approved on Thursday night by the House of Representatives, appeared on the verge of collapse in the Senate.

&quot;As hard as the last 16 years of war have been, no enemy in the field has done more to harm the readiness of the U.S. military than the combined impact&quot; of spending caps and short-term funding.

In sheer spending terms, the United States&#39; military outlay per year is still far more than China and Russia. The United States is spending $587.8 billion per year on its military, China $161.7 billion and Russia $44.6 billion.

In presenting the new strategy, which will set priorities for the Pentagon for years to come, Defense Secretary Jim Mattis called China and Russia 'revisionist powers' that 'seek to create a world consistent with their authoritarian models'

The US military has put countering China and Russia at the centre of a new national defence strategy unveiled on Friday, the latest sign of shifting priorities after more than a decade and a half of focussing on the fight against Islamist militants. In presenting the new strategy, which will set priorities for the Pentagon for years to come, Defense Secretary Jim Mattis called China and Russia "revisionist powers" that "seek to create a world consistent with their authoritarian models." The "National Defense Strategy" represents the latest sign of hardening resolve by President Donald Trump's administration to address challenges from Russia and China, at the same time he is pushing for improved ties with Moscow and Beijing to rein in a nuclear North Korea. "We will continue to prosecute the campaign against terrorists that we are engaged in today, but great power competition, not terrorism, is now the primary focus of US national security," Mattis said in a speech presenting the strategy document, the first of its kind since at least 2014. It sets priorities for the US Defense Department that are expected to be reflected in future defence spending requests. The Pentagon on Friday released an unclassified, 11-page version of the document, which did not provide details on how the shift towards countering China and Russia would be carried out. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, speaking through an interpreter at a news conference at the United Nations, said the United States was using a confrontational approach. "It is regrettable that instead of having a normal dialogue, instead of using the basis of international law, the US is striving to prove their leadership through such confrontational strategies and concepts," Lavrov said. "We're open for dialogue, we're prepared to discuss military doctrines,” he added. There was no immediate response from China. Elbridge Colby, deputy assistant secretary of defence for strategy and force development, said at a briefing with reporters that Russia was far more brazen than China in its use of military power. Russia annexed Ukraine's Crimean peninsula in 2014 and intervened militarily in Syria to support its ally, Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. Still, Moscow was limited by its economic resources, Colby said. China, on the other hand, was described as economically and militarily ascendant. China has embarked on a far-reaching military modernization that Colby said was in "deep contravention to our interests." Experts praised the document's targeting of the largest national security threats rather than the longer lists of risks in some previous strategies. But without knowing the budget commitments, it was difficult to assess if it was a sound strategy. "If we don't actually see where the money is, you know, there is the danger that it could become all words," said Mara Karlin, a fellow at the Brookings Institution think tank and a senior defence official in the Obama administration. The document also listed North Korea among the Pentagon's priorities, citing the need to focus US missile defences against the threat from Pyongyang, which beyond its nuclear weapons has also amassed an arsenal of biological, chemical, and conventional arms. The document said that international alliances would be critical for the US military, by far the world's best-resourced. But it also stressed a need for burden-sharing, an apparent nod to Trump's public criticism of allies who he says unfairly take advantage of US security guarantees. Trump has called the NATO alliance "obsolete", but Mattis said the United States would strengthen its traditional alliances while building new partnerships and listening more to other nations' ideas. "We will be willing to be persuaded by them, recognising that not all good ideas come from the country with the most aircraft carriers," Mattis said. The Pentagon is also working on a policy document on the country's nuclear arsenal. While Mattis did not specifically address that review, he said the priority is deterrence. "How do we maintain a safe and effective nuclear deterrence so those weapons are never used? It is a nuclear deterrent, it is not a war fighting capability unless it is the worst day in our nation or the world's history," Mattis said. Mattis had harsh words for the US Congress and its inability to reach agreement on budgets. The US military's competitive edge has eroded "in every domain of warfare" he said, partly because of inconsistent funding. A bill to fund the government only through Feb. 16, approved on Thursday night by the House of Representatives, appeared on the verge of collapse in the Senate. "As hard as the last 16 years of war have been, no enemy in the field has done more to harm the readiness of the U.S. military than the combined impact" of spending caps and short-term funding. In sheer spending terms, the United States' military outlay per year is still far more than China and Russia. The United States is spending $587.8 billion per year on its military, China $161.7 billion and Russia $44.6 billion.

US military puts China, Russia at centre of new national defence strategy

President Donald Trump was faced Friday with the prospect of marking the first anniversary of his inauguration at the head of a <a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/with-no-deal-in-sight-us-congress-faces-looming-government-shutdown-30110" target="_blank">broke </a>government, after senators failed to pass a stop-gap funding measure.

Republicans and Democrats traded blame for the crisis, which came to a head when the Senate failed to agree to bring forward a motion to fund federal spending and the military from midnight.

Essential services and military operations will continue, but many American civil servants and diplomats could arrive at work on Monday only to find themselves sent home without pay until the political crisis is resolved. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

Trump, who cancelled a trip weekend trip to his Florida golf resort to join 11th hour horsetrading accused the Democratic opposition of putting US troops and border security at risk to score political points.

But Democratic leaders accused Republicans of poisoning chances of a deal and pandering to Trump&#39;s populist base by refusing to fund a program that protects 700,000 &quot;Dreamers&quot; -- undocumented immigrants who arrived in the US as children -- from deportation. &nbsp;&nbsp;

&quot;Not looking good for our great Military or Safety &amp; Security on the very dangerous Southern Border,&quot; Trump tweeted, shortly before the 100-member Senate failed to muster the minimum 60 votes needed to get an emergency funding motion to the floor.

&quot;Dems want a Shutdown in order to help diminish the great success of the Tax Cuts, and what they are doing for our booming economy,&quot; he alleged.

After the Senate vote failed and with half an hour to go before the shut down was to start, White House spokeswoman Sarah Sanders tweeted: &quot;Democrats can&#39;t shut down the booming Trump economy. Are they now so desperate they&#39;ll shut down the government instead?&quot;

Earlier, after meeting top Senate Democrat Chuck Schumer, Trump had sounded more upbeat, saying the two New Yorkers were &quot;working on solutions&quot; to share with Republican Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and House Speaker Paul Ryan.

But Schumer admitted a &quot;good number of disagreements&quot; remain between the two sides, despite a &quot;long and detailed meeting&quot; at which they discussed &quot;all of the major outstanding issues.&quot;

The president shelved plans to fly to Florida to celebrate at his Mar-a-Lago estate the first anniversary of his inauguration to remain in Washington to ride out the storm.

&quot;He&#39;s not leaving until this is finished,&quot; White House budget director Mick Mulvaney said.

Republicans have a tenuous one-seat majority in the Senate but would have needed to lure some Democrats to their side to get a 60 vote supermajority to bring the motion forward.

After around 15 minutes of voting more than 40 senators had voted against the motion, which is not technically closed until the last vote is cast.

When it became clear that this threshold was not going to be reached, Senate majority leader Mitch McConnell launched into a private debate with Schumer on the senate floor.

Democrats had insisted on a deal that would protect from deportation the so-called &quot;Dreamers&quot; -- immigrants who entered the country illegally but as children.

The measure brought to Congress would have extended federal funding until February 16 and reauthorized for six years a health insurance program for poor children -- a long-time Democratic objective.

But it would have cut the Deferred Action on Childhood Arrivals program, known as DACA, that affects Dreamers.

White House officials insisted there was no urgency to fix DACA, which expires March 5.

&quot;This is purely an attempt by the Senate Democrats led by Schumer -- why we call it the &#39;Schumer shutdown&#39; -- to try and get a shutdown the president gets blamed for,&quot; Mulvaney said.

With mid-term congressional elections looming later this year, Republicans risk being blamed by voters when the government stops functioning over lack of funds.

A new Washington Post/ABC poll found that 48 percent of Americans blame Trump and the Republicans for a potential shutdown, and only 28 percent hold Democrats responsible.

There have been four government shutdowns since 1990. In the last one in 2013, more than 800,000 government workers were put on temporary leave.

Essential functions like the military, law enforcement, the White House and Congress would continue working but with reduced staff. Some agencies would shut altogether.

But others in the massive bureaucracy will be sent home without pay.

International ratings agency Fitch said a partial shutdown was unlikely to affect America&#39;s AAA/stable rating for US sovereign debt.&nbsp;

Negotiations with the White House on a bipartisan compromise on DACA blew up last week after Trump reportedly referred to African nations and Haiti as &quot;shithole countries.&quot;

&quot;Tonight&#39;s failure in US Senate can be laid squarely at Donald Trump&#39;s feet,&quot; Democratic congressman Gerry Connolly tweeted.

&quot;Mr. Art of the Deal showed indecision, profound vulgarity and racist sentiments. Today he was barely active in trying to get a deal. Exactly one year in the job he proves he&#39;s not up to it.&quot;

Trump&#39;s unpredictable Twitter outbursts and sudden changes of position also have bedeviled Republican leaders as they maneuver to cut a deal.

Republicans and Democrats traded blame for the crisis, which came to a head when the Senate failed to agree to bring forward a motion to fund federal spending and the military from midnight

President Donald Trump was faced Friday with the prospect of marking the first anniversary of his inauguration at the head of a broke government, after senators failed to pass a stop-gap funding measure. Republicans and Democrats traded blame for the crisis, which came to a head when the Senate failed to agree to bring forward a motion to fund federal spending and the military from midnight. Essential services and military operations will continue, but many American civil servants and diplomats could arrive at work on Monday only to find themselves sent home without pay until the political crisis is resolved. Trump, who cancelled a trip weekend trip to his Florida golf resort to join 11th hour horsetrading accused the Democratic opposition of putting US troops and border security at risk to score political points. But Democratic leaders accused Republicans of poisoning chances of a deal and pandering to Trump's populist base by refusing to fund a program that protects 700,000 "Dreamers" -- undocumented immigrants who arrived in the US as children -- from deportation. "Not looking good for our great Military or Safety & Security on the very dangerous Southern Border," Trump tweeted, shortly before the 100-member Senate failed to muster the minimum 60 votes needed to get an emergency funding motion to the floor. "Dems want a Shutdown in order to help diminish the great success of the Tax Cuts, and what they are doing for our booming economy," he alleged. After the Senate vote failed and with half an hour to go before the shut down was to start, White House spokeswoman Sarah Sanders tweeted: "Democrats can't shut down the booming Trump economy. Are they now so desperate they'll shut down the government instead?" Earlier, after meeting top Senate Democrat Chuck Schumer, Trump had sounded more upbeat, saying the two New Yorkers were "working on solutions" to share with Republican Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and House Speaker Paul Ryan. But Schumer admitted a "good number of disagreements" remain between the two sides, despite a "long and detailed meeting" at which they discussed "all of the major outstanding issues." The president shelved plans to fly to Florida to celebrate at his Mar-a-Lago estate the first anniversary of his inauguration to remain in Washington to ride out the storm. "He's not leaving until this is finished," White House budget director Mick Mulvaney said. Republicans have a tenuous one-seat majority in the Senate but would have needed to lure some Democrats to their side to get a 60 vote supermajority to bring the motion forward. After around 15 minutes of voting more than 40 senators had voted against the motion, which is not technically closed until the last vote is cast. When it became clear that this threshold was not going to be reached, Senate majority leader Mitch McConnell launched into a private debate with Schumer on the senate floor. Democrats had insisted on a deal that would protect from deportation the so-called "Dreamers" -- immigrants who entered the country illegally but as children. The measure brought to Congress would have extended federal funding until February 16 and reauthorized for six years a health insurance program for poor children -- a long-time Democratic objective. But it would have cut the Deferred Action on Childhood Arrivals program, known as DACA, that affects Dreamers. White House officials insisted there was no urgency to fix DACA, which expires March 5. "This is purely an attempt by the Senate Democrats led by Schumer -- why we call it the 'Schumer shutdown' -- to try and get a shutdown the president gets blamed for," Mulvaney said. With mid-term congressional elections looming later this year, Republicans risk being blamed by voters when the government stops functioning over lack of funds. A new Washington Post/ABC poll found that 48 percent of Americans blame Trump and the Republicans for a potential shutdown, and only 28 percent hold Democrats responsible. There have been four government shutdowns since 1990. In the last one in 2013, more than 800,000 government workers were put on temporary leave. Essential functions like the military, law enforcement, the White House and Congress would continue working but with reduced staff. Some agencies would shut altogether. But others in the massive bureaucracy will be sent home without pay. International ratings agency Fitch said a partial shutdown was unlikely to affect America's AAA/stable rating for US sovereign debt. Negotiations with the White House on a bipartisan compromise on DACA blew up last week after Trump reportedly referred to African nations and Haiti as "shithole countries." "Tonight's failure in US Senate can be laid squarely at Donald Trump's feet," Democratic congressman Gerry Connolly tweeted. "Mr. Art of the Deal showed indecision, profound vulgarity and racist sentiments. Today he was barely active in trying to get a deal. Exactly one year in the job he proves he's not up to it." Trump's unpredictable Twitter outbursts and sudden changes of position also have bedeviled Republican leaders as they maneuver to cut a deal.

One year on, Trump leads divided US into government shutdown

President Donald Trump on Friday told the anti-abortion protesters that it&#39;s not correct for babies to be &quot;born&quot;&nbsp;in the ninth month of pregnancy.&nbsp;

Trump was addressing the &quot;March for Life&quot; rally at the National Mall, in the United States.&nbsp;

Trump said, &quot;right now, in a number of states, the laws allow a baby to be born from his or her mother&#39;s womb in the ninth month. It is wrong, it has to change.&quot;

As per news reports, Trump&#39;s &quot;mistakenly&quot; commented saying &quot;born&quot;, instead he meant &quot;torn&quot; in reference to late-term abortion.&nbsp;

He had previously criticised Hillary Clinton&#39;s support of abortion rights, saying &quot;you can take the baby and rip the baby out of the womb in the ninth month, on the final day.&quot;&nbsp;

Hillary told Trump at the time: &quot;that is not what happens in these cases, and using that kind of scare rhetoric is just terribly unfortunate.&quot;&nbsp;

Trump&rsquo;s mistake was mocked by critics on Twitter with some saying that he is mentally unfit to be president.

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Trump said &quot;Babies shouldn&#39;t be born in the 9th month&quot; 
I think this means we still have a chance to abort Trump
&mdash; Franco Harris (@itsfrancoharris) <a href="https://twitter.com/itsfrancoharris/status/954564119050489856?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 20, 2018</a></blockquote>
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And it&#39;s trump. So you can&#39;t just say it&#39;s obvious. The man is an idiot and he could actually be talking about babies born in September
&mdash; XB (@KidTiger__) <a href="https://twitter.com/KidTiger__/status/954593443480707072?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 20, 2018</a></blockquote>
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At least those babies born at 9 months will see a full term, unlike Trump.
&mdash; Dave Jones ????????????????????????????????️&zwj;???? (@WelshGasDoc) <a href="https://twitter.com/WelshGasDoc/status/954478261849022471?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 19, 2018</a></blockquote>
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trump has never changed a baby&#39;s diaper in his life because he thinks raising children is women&#39;s work. 
 
But there he is, pretending he cares about babies. He&#39;s not even going to pretend he cares about women. We all know he doesn&#39;t. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/MarchForLife?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#MarchForLife</a>
&mdash; Aღanda (@GrnEyedMandy) <a href="https://twitter.com/GrnEyedMandy/status/954466079224598528?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 19, 2018</a></blockquote>
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For Trump, who has been pro-abortion all of his life, to address the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/MarchforLife?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#MarchforLife</a> is a total insult. With his constant adultery, how many babies has he demanded aborted to save his ass?
&mdash; Trenaway El Daryl (@Trenaway11) <a href="https://twitter.com/Trenaway11/status/954441762537271296?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 19, 2018</a></blockquote>
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&nbsp;

Trump said, 'right now, in a number of states, the laws allow a baby to be born from his or her mother's womb in the ninth month. It is wrong, it has to change'

President Donald Trump on Friday told the anti-abortion protesters that it's not correct for babies to be "born" in the ninth month of pregnancy. Trump was addressing the "March for Life" rally at the National Mall, in the United States. Trump said, "right now, in a number of states, the laws allow a baby to be born from his or her mother's womb in the ninth month. It is wrong, it has to change." As per news reports, Trump's "mistakenly" commented saying "born", instead he meant "torn" in reference to late-term abortion. He had previously criticised Hillary Clinton's support of abortion rights, saying "you can take the baby and rip the baby out of the womb in the ninth month, on the final day." Hillary told Trump at the time: "that is not what happens in these cases, and using that kind of scare rhetoric is just terribly unfortunate." Trump’s mistake was mocked by critics on Twitter with some saying that he is mentally unfit to be president. Trump said "Babies shouldn't be born in the 9th month" I think this means we still have a chance to abort Trump — Franco Harris (@itsfrancoharris) January 20, 2018 × And it's trump. So you can't just say it's obvious. The man is an idiot and he could actually be talking about babies born in September — XB (@KidTiger__) January 20, 2018 × At least those babies born at 9 months will see a full term, unlike Trump. — Dave Jones ????????????????????????????????️‍???? (@WelshGasDoc) January 19, 2018 × trump has never changed a baby's diaper in his life because he thinks raising children is women's work. But there he is, pretending he cares about babies. He's not even going to pretend he cares about women. We all know he doesn't. #MarchForLife — Aღanda (@GrnEyedMandy) January 19, 2018 × For Trump, who has been pro-abortion all of his life, to address the #MarchforLife is a total insult. With his constant adultery, how many babies has he demanded aborted to save his ass? — Trenaway El Daryl (@Trenaway11) January 19, 2018 ×

'Wrong' for babies to be 'born' in ninth month: Trump's anti-abortion blooper

It is hard to imagine that most Americans have survived a year under the weight of a chaotic presidency. A year ago, the American political landscape was permanently transformed when Donald Trump was elected its 45th President. Trump rose to power by channeling the worst xenophobic and misogynist impulses that had, for long, stayed dormant in American society.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

His economic platform was heavily protectionist and the social one, a dog-whistle to white supremacists. He brought with him a history of sexual misconduct, displayed little grace in international diplomacy, demonstrated a shocking ignorance of American and international politics, and in the past year, has essentially ceded much of America&rsquo;s global leadership.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

Moving forward, the Trump presidency is likely to further damage the credibility of American political institutions and destabilize the liberal international order. &nbsp;

&nbsp;

A year into the Trump presidency reveals several dangerous trends.&nbsp;

First, the president has shown little regard for America&rsquo;s most cherished political institutions &ndash; in particular &ndash; a free press and law enforcement. The liberal press has come under heavy attack for seeking accountability on facts. In what has turned into an hourly ritual, the president takes to social media where he attacks, vilifies, and spreads false information about the press, sowing confusion and breeding ignorance among the average American public.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

Intelligence officials and law enforcement agencies have faced similar persecution. The unceremonious dismissal of the FBI Director, James Comey, in May 2017, for investigating the Trump presidency&rsquo;s links to Russia, was a remarkable abuse of political power. Donald Trump&rsquo;s strong-arm tactics, threats, and coercion signal a dark new reality. America is slowly but surely embracing authoritarianism. A reckless and power-hungry president with no respect for checks and balances threatens to seriously weaken American institutions and some critics correctly predict a possible constitutional crisis emerging soon.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

Second, the Trump presidency has become synonymous with reclaiming white nationalism, evident in the president&rsquo;s inclination for harsh immigration policies (recall the Muslim ban, &ldquo;building the wall&rdquo; with Mexico) and his recent statements disparaging immigrants from non-white countries.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

A combination of exclusionary policies and toxic rhetoric carries a ringing endorsement that unless you are white, you are not American. The Republican party shows signs of moral decay, failing to call out the president on his actions and is complicit in aiding a white nationalist agenda.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

Third, Donald Trump believes America needs a stronger military to win its wars. This means a more muscular approach in foreign policy, sharp increases in defense expenditure, more bombs, more weapons, but little reflection on the lessons of history for America&rsquo;s future conduct of war. While the president swears by the American military, his actual policies and statements on transgender troops and women in the military are deeply prejudiced and will dent the image and professionalism of the American military.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

American civil-military relations often appear to be in tension when the president and his advisors make contradictory statements on matters of national security. While both James Mattis, Secretary of Defense, and H.R. McMaster, National Security Advisor, have shown thought and resolve on pressing national security issues like North Korea and Iraq, it is not entirely clear how much influence they can ultimately exercise in shaping policy independent of the president&rsquo;s political preferences.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

Finally, America&rsquo;s image as the leader of the free world has suffered a major debacle abroad. An understaffed State Department, withdrawal from the Paris Climate Agreement, and a less prominent role in the United Nations are some of the many diplomatic failings of this presidency pointing to the growing absence of global American leadership.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

What might a Trump presidency mean for India?&nbsp;

&nbsp;

The answer here is hard to predict as little value can be placed on the words of an unpredictable megalomaniac. It is unlikely that the Trump administration will significantly deviate from the Obama administration&rsquo;s approach to India. Cooperation in defense, trade, and technology will continue as before and the two countries will continue to maintain a viable partnership.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

The only decisive shift affecting foreign relations of both countries could emerge on the Pakistan front. In recent months and weeks, Trump has taken a much harder line on Pakistan than previous administrations. He has communicated a strong desire to dismantle terrorist groups, called Pakistan a state-sponsor of terrorism, and in the last few weeks, withdrawn aid to the country. Trump&rsquo;s pressure on Pakistan has been welcomed by many of India&rsquo;s top political leaders.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

While this works in favor of Indian security interests, it would be profoundly unwise for India to predicate its Pakistan policy around Donald Trump&rsquo;s plan to isolate Pakistan. As much as Trump believes, in theory, that Pakistan can be backed into a corner, it will be much harder, in fact, for the United States to sever all ties with Pakistan. The United States will require Pakistan&rsquo;s support to fight terrorism in some form and it would be prudent for India to not allow America&rsquo;s relationship with Pakistan to be the defining benchmark of its relationship with both. &nbsp;

&nbsp;

A separate and troubling moral question the Trump presidency poses for India is whether India is going to ignore the revival of white nationalism at its own peril to embrace its security interests first. America has a large Indian-American immigrant population who will, undoubtedly, be seriously impacted by Trump&rsquo;s immigration policies.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

Tata Consultancy, India&rsquo;s largest software exporter, has already expressed serious concerns over the administration&rsquo;s unclear and draconian H1-B policy. Since Trump became president, Indian communities have also been threatened and persecuted by resurgent white nationalist groups. Some have even been murdered. Case in point: Srinivas Kuchibhotla, a 32-year-old Indian immigrant who was shot to death in Olathe, Kansas by a white nationalist.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

There are important moral questions for the future of Indians living in America that are equally vital for India to consider in its current relationship with the United States. White nationalism is a scourge and India is no stranger to the legacy of colonialism. To secure a stronger economic future with America, it should not compromise its moral standing in the world.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)&nbsp;&nbsp;

Trump administration will not significantly deviate from the Obama administration’s approach to India. Cooperation in defense, trade, and technology will continue as before.

It is hard to imagine that most Americans have survived a year under the weight of a chaotic presidency. A year ago, the American political landscape was permanently transformed when Donald Trump was elected its 45th President. Trump rose to power by channeling the worst xenophobic and misogynist impulses that had, for long, stayed dormant in American society. His economic platform was heavily protectionist and the social one, a dog-whistle to white supremacists. He brought with him a history of sexual misconduct, displayed little grace in international diplomacy, demonstrated a shocking ignorance of American and international politics, and in the past year, has essentially ceded much of America’s global leadership. Moving forward, the Trump presidency is likely to further damage the credibility of American political institutions and destabilize the liberal international order. A year into the Trump presidency reveals several dangerous trends. First, the president has shown little regard for America’s most cherished political institutions – in particular – a free press and law enforcement. The liberal press has come under heavy attack for seeking accountability on facts. In what has turned into an hourly ritual, the president takes to social media where he attacks, vilifies, and spreads false information about the press, sowing confusion and breeding ignorance among the average American public. Intelligence officials and law enforcement agencies have faced similar persecution. The unceremonious dismissal of the FBI Director, James Comey, in May 2017, for investigating the Trump presidency’s links to Russia, was a remarkable abuse of political power. Donald Trump’s strong-arm tactics, threats, and coercion signal a dark new reality. America is slowly but surely embracing authoritarianism. A reckless and power-hungry president with no respect for checks and balances threatens to seriously weaken American institutions and some critics correctly predict a possible constitutional crisis emerging soon. Second, the Trump presidency has become synonymous with reclaiming white nationalism, evident in the president’s inclination for harsh immigration policies (recall the Muslim ban, “building the wall” with Mexico) and his recent statements disparaging immigrants from non-white countries. A combination of exclusionary policies and toxic rhetoric carries a ringing endorsement that unless you are white, you are not American. The Republican party shows signs of moral decay, failing to call out the president on his actions and is complicit in aiding a white nationalist agenda. Third, Donald Trump believes America needs a stronger military to win its wars. This means a more muscular approach in foreign policy, sharp increases in defense expenditure, more bombs, more weapons, but little reflection on the lessons of history for America’s future conduct of war. While the president swears by the American military, his actual policies and statements on transgender troops and women in the military are deeply prejudiced and will dent the image and professionalism of the American military. American civil-military relations often appear to be in tension when the president and his advisors make contradictory statements on matters of national security. While both James Mattis, Secretary of Defense, and H.R. McMaster, National Security Advisor, have shown thought and resolve on pressing national security issues like North Korea and Iraq, it is not entirely clear how much influence they can ultimately exercise in shaping policy independent of the president’s political preferences. Finally, America’s image as the leader of the free world has suffered a major debacle abroad. An understaffed State Department, withdrawal from the Paris Climate Agreement, and a less prominent role in the United Nations are some of the many diplomatic failings of this presidency pointing to the growing absence of global American leadership. What might a Trump presidency mean for India? The answer here is hard to predict as little value can be placed on the words of an unpredictable megalomaniac. It is unlikely that the Trump administration will significantly deviate from the Obama administration’s approach to India. Cooperation in defense, trade, and technology will continue as before and the two countries will continue to maintain a viable partnership. The only decisive shift affecting foreign relations of both countries could emerge on the Pakistan front. In recent months and weeks, Trump has taken a much harder line on Pakistan than previous administrations. He has communicated a strong desire to dismantle terrorist groups, called Pakistan a state-sponsor of terrorism, and in the last few weeks, withdrawn aid to the country. Trump’s pressure on Pakistan has been welcomed by many of India’s top political leaders. While this works in favor of Indian security interests, it would be profoundly unwise for India to predicate its Pakistan policy around Donald Trump’s plan to isolate Pakistan. As much as Trump believes, in theory, that Pakistan can be backed into a corner, it will be much harder, in fact, for the United States to sever all ties with Pakistan. The United States will require Pakistan’s support to fight terrorism in some form and it would be prudent for India to not allow America’s relationship with Pakistan to be the defining benchmark of its relationship with both. A separate and troubling moral question the Trump presidency poses for India is whether India is going to ignore the revival of white nationalism at its own peril to embrace its security interests first. America has a large Indian-American immigrant population who will, undoubtedly, be seriously impacted by Trump’s immigration policies. Tata Consultancy, India’s largest software exporter, has already expressed serious concerns over the administration’s unclear and draconian H1-B policy. Since Trump became president, Indian communities have also been threatened and persecuted by resurgent white nationalist groups. Some have even been murdered. Case in point: Srinivas Kuchibhotla, a 32-year-old Indian immigrant who was shot to death in Olathe, Kansas by a white nationalist. There are important moral questions for the future of Indians living in America that are equally vital for India to consider in its current relationship with the United States. White nationalism is a scourge and India is no stranger to the legacy of colonialism. To secure a stronger economic future with America, it should not compromise its moral standing in the world. (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

Opinion: What might a Trump presidency mean for India and US?

Donald Trump&rsquo;s comment about &ldquo;shithole countries&rdquo; during the infamous immigration deal on January 11, 2018, has created widespread outrage across the US and the world. He said this in reference to potentially stopping immigration from countries like Haiti and Nigeria. The assertion that was lost in the furor on his disparaging statement was the bit that followed his comment &ndash; that he&rsquo;d rather welcome immigrants from places like Norway. As a sociologist of immigration, this is the part that struck me as the most alarming.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

That remark, substantiated by the numerous anti-immigrant measures taken in the last year by the administration, is heavily reminiscent of the racialized history of American immigration policy of the early late 19th and 20th centuries. This was an era when immigration policies were constructed to protect the American identity as white and European. Any other identity was perceived as a threat to American way of living.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

Laws were created to keep Blacks, Asians, refugees and anyone perceived as unassimilable out of the United States. All this changed in 1965 when national origin quotas were abolished and laws were passed to allow humanitarian immigration, family-based immigration and employment-based immigration from most countries in the world.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

Trump&rsquo;s rhetoric and actions are uncannily similar to some of the most racist immigration policies the US have had in the last century.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

Within days of taking office, Trump with help of his appointees, such as Attorney General Jeff Sessions, signed a series of executive orders that amplified the fears that many immigrants and people of colour were feeling during his controversial presidential campaign. These ranged from the travel ban from six predominantly Muslim countries, trying to cut all federal funding for sanctuary cities for immigrants, to announcing the end of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals Program passed by Obama.&nbsp; The latter program helped to protect 800,000 young undocumented immigrant children from deportation who came to the US as children.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

Most recently, the Trump administration announced the stripping of the Temporary Protected Status program, an immigration programme that allows immigrants whose countries are affected by war and natural disasters, to stay and work legally in the US. Thousands of Salvadoran refugees are likely to be affected by this ruling.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

In the new year, Trump has escalated his hardline on immigration, presenting a list of demands, that include construction of a wall on the US-Mexico border, hiring 10,000 immigration agents, cracking down on unaccompanied minors from Latin American countries and stopping family reunification policies for American residents. &nbsp;

&nbsp;

His administration has also threatened to roll back the Obama era ruling that allows spouses of temporary highly-skilled workers on H-1B visa to obtain work permits if they are in a queue for lawful permanent residency or green card approval. The people, who are to be most affected by this rollback, are Indian workers on H-1B visas and their spouses on H-4 visas, as they comprise the largest group in the US on those visas.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

My research on Indian families on employment visas shows that they are definitely in a precarious position. It will further destabilise immigrant families and make them insecure and less optimistic about their futures in the United States. The macro-and micro-economic considerations and fallouts of this policy remain to be examined. The administration seems to have reacted to populist positions, not data-driven ones. Families like Indian families on H-1B and H-4 visa who can leave will probably plan on returning to their home countries or move to other parts of the world with better family-friendly immigration policies. &nbsp;

&nbsp;

The Trump administration is making clear it&rsquo;s anti-immigrant stance. The actions and threats of this administration are, perceptibly and clearly, directed toward immigrant families of colour and are based in ideologies of American protectionism &ndash; a protectionism that is racialized and based on further othering of already marginalised populations. It has managed to create a constant strain of fear and panic that has deeply destabilised immigrant families of color.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

One positive outcome that I hope for is solidarities across immigrant groups and concerted efforts at organising and resistance. Immigrants with higher social, cultural and economic capital like highly-skilled Indian immigrants in the US often see themselves as model minorities and as more desirable and deserving of rights and privileges. The stance of this administration is forcing all immigrants of colour to reassess their safety and security in the US.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

I hope that more privileged immigrants, American citizens and concerned individuals see this as an opportunity to reach out and form alliances with marginalised immigrant groups, people of colour and those whose rights are being dismantled every day by this administration. As history has shown that the only real way that America stands out in the world is when it comes together to fight against injustices levied at people on whose back the nation was built and on whose backs it runs.&nbsp;

(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)&nbsp;&nbsp;

&nbsp;

Research on Indian families on employment visas shows that they are definitely in a precarious position. Trump's policies will further destabilise immigrant families and make them insecure and less optimistic about their futures in the United States.

Donald Trump’s comment about “shithole countries” during the infamous immigration deal on January 11, 2018, has created widespread outrage across the US and the world. He said this in reference to potentially stopping immigration from countries like Haiti and Nigeria. The assertion that was lost in the furor on his disparaging statement was the bit that followed his comment – that he’d rather welcome immigrants from places like Norway. As a sociologist of immigration, this is the part that struck me as the most alarming. That remark, substantiated by the numerous anti-immigrant measures taken in the last year by the administration, is heavily reminiscent of the racialized history of American immigration policy of the early late 19th and 20th centuries. This was an era when immigration policies were constructed to protect the American identity as white and European. Any other identity was perceived as a threat to American way of living. Laws were created to keep Blacks, Asians, refugees and anyone perceived as unassimilable out of the United States. All this changed in 1965 when national origin quotas were abolished and laws were passed to allow humanitarian immigration, family-based immigration and employment-based immigration from most countries in the world. Trump’s rhetoric and actions are uncannily similar to some of the most racist immigration policies the US have had in the last century. Within days of taking office, Trump with help of his appointees, such as Attorney General Jeff Sessions, signed a series of executive orders that amplified the fears that many immigrants and people of colour were feeling during his controversial presidential campaign. These ranged from the travel ban from six predominantly Muslim countries, trying to cut all federal funding for sanctuary cities for immigrants, to announcing the end of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals Program passed by Obama. The latter program helped to protect 800,000 young undocumented immigrant children from deportation who came to the US as children. Most recently, the Trump administration announced the stripping of the Temporary Protected Status program, an immigration programme that allows immigrants whose countries are affected by war and natural disasters, to stay and work legally in the US. Thousands of Salvadoran refugees are likely to be affected by this ruling. In the new year, Trump has escalated his hardline on immigration, presenting a list of demands, that include construction of a wall on the US-Mexico border, hiring 10,000 immigration agents, cracking down on unaccompanied minors from Latin American countries and stopping family reunification policies for American residents. His administration has also threatened to roll back the Obama era ruling that allows spouses of temporary highly-skilled workers on H-1B visa to obtain work permits if they are in a queue for lawful permanent residency or green card approval. The people, who are to be most affected by this rollback, are Indian workers on H-1B visas and their spouses on H-4 visas, as they comprise the largest group in the US on those visas. My research on Indian families on employment visas shows that they are definitely in a precarious position. It will further destabilise immigrant families and make them insecure and less optimistic about their futures in the United States. The macro-and micro-economic considerations and fallouts of this policy remain to be examined. The administration seems to have reacted to populist positions, not data-driven ones. Families like Indian families on H-1B and H-4 visa who can leave will probably plan on returning to their home countries or move to other parts of the world with better family-friendly immigration policies. The Trump administration is making clear it’s anti-immigrant stance. The actions and threats of this administration are, perceptibly and clearly, directed toward immigrant families of colour and are based in ideologies of American protectionism – a protectionism that is racialized and based on further othering of already marginalised populations. It has managed to create a constant strain of fear and panic that has deeply destabilised immigrant families of color. One positive outcome that I hope for is solidarities across immigrant groups and concerted efforts at organising and resistance. Immigrants with higher social, cultural and economic capital like highly-skilled Indian immigrants in the US often see themselves as model minorities and as more desirable and deserving of rights and privileges. The stance of this administration is forcing all immigrants of colour to reassess their safety and security in the US. I hope that more privileged immigrants, American citizens and concerned individuals see this as an opportunity to reach out and form alliances with marginalised immigrant groups, people of colour and those whose rights are being dismantled every day by this administration. As history has shown that the only real way that America stands out in the world is when it comes together to fight against injustices levied at people on whose back the nation was built and on whose backs it runs. (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

Opinion: Trump's racialised immigration policy is a threat to Indians in US

President Donald Trump has completed one year in office. When he entered the Oval Office of the White House in the US capital on 20 January 2017, a large number of Americans within the US and a vast number of countries in the world did not expect business as usual.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

Many Americans were concerned that if Trump would implement all of his campaign promises, the country would face a political divide that would be difficult to heal for years. The Hispanics, African-Americans, Americans of Muslim faith, immigrants, temporary workers and poor white workers were particularly worried about a White House under the Trump Administration.

&nbsp;

Uncertainty engulfed the world about the probable US approach to issues of peace, security and development. Both American allies and adversaries faced difficulty in communicating with the new US President. It was because Donald Trump, the presidential candidate, had hardly any positive message for the allies and the perceived US adversaries knew that a Trump Administration would more likely escalate the conflict with them than seek resolution of differences.

&nbsp;

One year after Trump became President, the United States remains socially and politically divided from within. An intense cold war is ravaging on between Trump and the mainstream media. The minorities, immigrants and the poor appear disappointed over Trumpean policies. Many believe that President Trump suffers from personality problem, though the President declares himself to be a &ldquo;stable genius.&rdquo;&nbsp;

&nbsp;

In foreign affairs, there is still no clarity over his policy approaches and strategies. Analysts have no clue about the direction of US foreign policy and international engagements. Critics in the US and abroad have kept bombarding the Trump Administration for its frequent shift in policy statements and ambiguous policies over North Korea, China, Iran, NATO, NAFTA etc. &nbsp;

&nbsp;

Amidst all these complexities and uncertainties, Trump&#39;s followers and admirers have a different take. He is regarded as a leader who has delivered what he promised. He promised to build a wall along the US-Mexican border and seems determined to do so. The US Congress has also authorised a few billion dollars for this purpose.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

Secondly, he was a critic of the Iran nuclear deal, calling it a &ldquo;bad deal&rdquo;. He has stuck to his position and not extended his support to it; and, in fact, has sought to isolate the Iranian regime further.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

Third, he was dead opposed to the way his predecessors&nbsp;handled the North Korean nuclear programme. He took a very hostile and aggressive stance on the &ldquo;little rocket man&rdquo; of Pyongyang, threatening to demonstrate &ldquo;fire and fury&rdquo; against North Korea and, perhaps, take&nbsp;some credit for Pyongyang&rsquo;s decision to send the athletes to join the Olympics along with South Korean counterparts.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

Fourth, he takes credit for arm-twisting military allies in the Atlantic and the Pacific to pay more for the common defense. He also spoke of his secret plan to eliminate the ISIS during the election campaign and now has been credited for the steady demise of ISIS influence in the Middle East.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

He promised to back Jerusalem as the capital of Israel and did so in the face of massive international opposition. Seventh, he criticised Obama for declaring withdrawal deadlines for US military from Afghanistan and, thus, empowering Taliban. Once in office, he reversed that policy, increased the troop&#39;s presence and showed determination to bring the Taliban to the negotiating table.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

In the domestic arena, Trump Administration takes credit for the improvement in the employment situation, economic growth and for ensuring the passage of the massive tax reform legislation in about 30 years. His tightening of the immigration policy has brought cheers to a section of the American citizens who voted for him.

&nbsp;

While Trump will remain a controversial figure in the US and elsewhere in the world, his approach towards India has been comparatively quite positive. First, there is no possibility of Trump backing the creation of a G2 world with China. Second, Trump&rsquo;s pressure on Pakistan through aid cutoff may have some positive impact in the region. Third, the chemistry between President Trump and Prime Minister Modi has been quite positive. Fourth, the National Security Strategy Report issued by the Trump Administration has elevated India&rsquo;s position as a great global power and has given the glimpse of its aspiration to deepen strategic and defense partnership with India for maintenance of peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region. The strategic concept of Indo-Pacific replaces &ldquo;Asia-Pacific&rdquo; and it is very much in Indian interest. The decision of the Trump White House not to push for a revision of H1B visa rules has augured well for the positive trajectory of Indo-US bilateral relations in coming years.

&nbsp;

However, both Prime Minister Modi and President Trump give priority of place to economic growth as an important dimension of national security and, thus, Indo-US differences over economic issues are bound to remain and create periodic irritation in bilateral ties.

&nbsp;

(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)&nbsp;&nbsp;

&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;

While Trump will remain a controversial figure in the US and elsewhere in the world, his approach towards India has been comparatively quite positive.

President Donald Trump has completed one year in office. When he entered the Oval Office of the White House in the US capital on 20 January 2017, a large number of Americans within the US and a vast number of countries in the world did not expect business as usual. Many Americans were concerned that if Trump would implement all of his campaign promises, the country would face a political divide that would be difficult to heal for years. The Hispanics, African-Americans, Americans of Muslim faith, immigrants, temporary workers and poor white workers were particularly worried about a White House under the Trump Administration. Uncertainty engulfed the world about the probable US approach to issues of peace, security and development. Both American allies and adversaries faced difficulty in communicating with the new US President. It was because Donald Trump, the presidential candidate, had hardly any positive message for the allies and the perceived US adversaries knew that a Trump Administration would more likely escalate the conflict with them than seek resolution of differences. One year after Trump became President, the United States remains socially and politically divided from within. An intense cold war is ravaging on between Trump and the mainstream media. The minorities, immigrants and the poor appear disappointed over Trumpean policies. Many believe that President Trump suffers from personality problem, though the President declares himself to be a “stable genius.” In foreign affairs, there is still no clarity over his policy approaches and strategies. Analysts have no clue about the direction of US foreign policy and international engagements. Critics in the US and abroad have kept bombarding the Trump Administration for its frequent shift in policy statements and ambiguous policies over North Korea, China, Iran, NATO, NAFTA etc. Amidst all these complexities and uncertainties, Trump's followers and admirers have a different take. He is regarded as a leader who has delivered what he promised. He promised to build a wall along the US-Mexican border and seems determined to do so. The US Congress has also authorised a few billion dollars for this purpose. Secondly, he was a critic of the Iran nuclear deal, calling it a “bad deal”. He has stuck to his position and not extended his support to it; and, in fact, has sought to isolate the Iranian regime further. Third, he was dead opposed to the way his predecessors handled the North Korean nuclear programme. He took a very hostile and aggressive stance on the “little rocket man” of Pyongyang, threatening to demonstrate “fire and fury” against North Korea and, perhaps, take some credit for Pyongyang’s decision to send the athletes to join the Olympics along with South Korean counterparts. Fourth, he takes credit for arm-twisting military allies in the Atlantic and the Pacific to pay more for the common defense. He also spoke of his secret plan to eliminate the ISIS during the election campaign and now has been credited for the steady demise of ISIS influence in the Middle East. He promised to back Jerusalem as the capital of Israel and did so in the face of massive international opposition. Seventh, he criticised Obama for declaring withdrawal deadlines for US military from Afghanistan and, thus, empowering Taliban. Once in office, he reversed that policy, increased the troop's presence and showed determination to bring the Taliban to the negotiating table. In the domestic arena, Trump Administration takes credit for the improvement in the employment situation, economic growth and for ensuring the passage of the massive tax reform legislation in about 30 years. His tightening of the immigration policy has brought cheers to a section of the American citizens who voted for him. While Trump will remain a controversial figure in the US and elsewhere in the world, his approach towards India has been comparatively quite positive. First, there is no possibility of Trump backing the creation of a G2 world with China. Second, Trump’s pressure on Pakistan through aid cutoff may have some positive impact in the region. Third, the chemistry between President Trump and Prime Minister Modi has been quite positive. Fourth, the National Security Strategy Report issued by the Trump Administration has elevated India’s position as a great global power and has given the glimpse of its aspiration to deepen strategic and defense partnership with India for maintenance of peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region. The strategic concept of Indo-Pacific replaces “Asia-Pacific” and it is very much in Indian interest. The decision of the Trump White House not to push for a revision of H1B visa rules has augured well for the positive trajectory of Indo-US bilateral relations in coming years. However, both Prime Minister Modi and President Trump give priority of place to economic growth as an important dimension of national security and, thus, Indo-US differences over economic issues are bound to remain and create periodic irritation in bilateral ties. (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

Opinion: Trump shares a cordial relationship with Modi but leaves the world confused

China has been invited to participate in a major US-led naval exercise, Chinese officials said Thursday, despite tensions between Beijing and Washington over activity in the disputed South China Sea.

The Chinese military took part in the RIMPAC drill, billed as the world&#39;s largest international naval exercise, for the first time in 2014 and again in 2016.

&quot;We have received the American invitation,&quot; Chinese defence ministry spokesman Wu Qian told reporters. A Chinese delegation has been sent to the US to discuss logistics, he added.

RIMPAC, which stands for Rim of the Pacific Exercise, is held off Hawaii every other year in June and July.

The invitation comes as tensions remain high between the two world powers over Beijing&#39;s territorial claims in the South China Sea.

China claims most of the waterway -- believed to hold vast oil and gas deposits and through which $5 trillion in trade passes annually -- and has built up islands and military installations in the sea.

Vietnam, Taiwan, the Philippines, Malaysia and Brunei also have claims in the sea.

Last weekend Beijing said it had dispatched a warship to drive away a US missile destroyer which had &quot;violated&quot; its sovereignty by sailing close to a shoal in the sea.

American military officials also said Thursday that a US aircraft carrier will port in Vietnam in March, a first for the allies and former foes.

&quot;Freedom of navigation and access in the South China Sea will be critical to (Vietnam) economically, of course, and their security efforts,&quot; US Defense Secretary Jim Mattis told reporters en route to Vietnam from Indonesia on Wednesday.

The Chinese military took part in the RIMPAC drill, billed as the world's largest international naval exercise, for the first time in 2014 and again in 2016

China has been invited to participate in a major US-led naval exercise, Chinese officials said Thursday, despite tensions between Beijing and Washington over activity in the disputed South China Sea. The Chinese military took part in the RIMPAC drill, billed as the world's largest international naval exercise, for the first time in 2014 and again in 2016. "We have received the American invitation," Chinese defence ministry spokesman Wu Qian told reporters. A Chinese delegation has been sent to the US to discuss logistics, he added. RIMPAC, which stands for Rim of the Pacific Exercise, is held off Hawaii every other year in June and July. The invitation comes as tensions remain high between the two world powers over Beijing's territorial claims in the South China Sea. China claims most of the waterway -- believed to hold vast oil and gas deposits and through which $5 trillion in trade passes annually -- and has built up islands and military installations in the sea. Vietnam, Taiwan, the Philippines, Malaysia and Brunei also have claims in the sea. Last weekend Beijing said it had dispatched a warship to drive away a US missile destroyer which had "violated" its sovereignty by sailing close to a shoal in the sea. American military officials also said Thursday that a US aircraft carrier will port in Vietnam in March, a first for the allies and former foes. "Freedom of navigation and access in the South China Sea will be critical to (Vietnam) economically, of course, and their security efforts," US Defense Secretary Jim Mattis told reporters en route to Vietnam from Indonesia on Wednesday.

Despite tensions, US invites China to participate in world's largest international naval exercise

Twitter Inc, which is reviewing Russian interference during the 2016 US&nbsp;elections, said on Friday it would notify some of its users if they come across content generated by a suspected Russian propaganda service.

The company said it would email 677,775 people in the United States who followed, retweeted or liked content from accounts linked with the Internet Research Agency (IRA) during the election.

The IRA is a Russian organization that according to lawmakers and researchers, employs hundreds of people to push pro-Kremlin content under anonymous social media accounts.

Twitter added that because it has already suspended these accounts, the relevant content is no longer publicly available on its platform.

The company in September said it had suspended about 200 Russian-linked accounts, and followed it by suspending adverts from media outlets Russia Today and Sputnik in October.

The top Democrat on the US&nbsp;House of Representatives intelligence committee on Friday praised Twitter&#39;s move and urged technology companies to keep looking into abuse of their platforms by Russia during the 2016 elections.

&quot;The Committee&rsquo;s open hearing last November with Twitter, Facebook and Google revealed the extent to which the Russians exploited vulnerabilities inherent in the openness of our society and social media platforms, and it is vital these companies are transparent with users who were likely exposed to Kremlin propaganda and disinformation,&quot; Representative Adam Schiff said in a statement.

Senator Mark Warner, the ranking Democrat on the Senate intelligence panel, echoed this view, tweeting: &quot;I&#39;ve been tough with Twitter on this, but I&#39;m encouraged to see the company beginning to take responsibility and notify its users of Russia&#39;s influence on its platform.&quot;

The company said it would email 677,775 people in the United States who followed, retweeted or liked content from accounts associated with the Internet Research Agency (IRA) during the election

Twitter Inc, which is reviewing Russian interference during the 2016 US elections, said on Friday it would notify some of its users if they come across content generated by a suspected Russian propaganda service. The company said it would email 677,775 people in the United States who followed, retweeted or liked content from accounts linked with the Internet Research Agency (IRA) during the election. The IRA is a Russian organization that according to lawmakers and researchers, employs hundreds of people to push pro-Kremlin content under anonymous social media accounts. Twitter added that because it has already suspended these accounts, the relevant content is no longer publicly available on its platform. The company in September said it had suspended about 200 Russian-linked accounts, and followed it by suspending adverts from media outlets Russia Today and Sputnik in October. The top Democrat on the US House of Representatives intelligence committee on Friday praised Twitter's move and urged technology companies to keep looking into abuse of their platforms by Russia during the 2016 elections. "The Committee’s open hearing last November with Twitter, Facebook and Google revealed the extent to which the Russians exploited vulnerabilities inherent in the openness of our society and social media platforms, and it is vital these companies are transparent with users who were likely exposed to Kremlin propaganda and disinformation," Representative Adam Schiff said in a statement. Senator Mark Warner, the ranking Democrat on the Senate intelligence panel, echoed this view, tweeting: "I've been tough with Twitter on this, but I'm encouraged to see the company beginning to take responsibility and notify its users of Russia's influence on its platform."

Twitter to notify users exposed to Russian propaganda during US elections

The same day as today, exactly a year back, an event of great political significance took place.

There&rsquo;s no denying that that the entire world closely watched American business magnate Donald Trump lock horns with his Democratic counterpart Hilary Clinton in the run up to becoming the 45th President of United States.

As it turned out, most of America voted for the Republican candidate Donald Trump who took the oath to &ldquo;faithfully execute the Office of President of the United States&rdquo;.

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<h5>It wasn&rsquo;t quite a cordial year for the Pakistan-US ties which touched a new low when the White House decided to pull out a whopping $1.9 billion aid to Pakistan.</h5>
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The Trump administration completes a year today and the US President has successfully clocked-in 365 days of governance that, in a nutshell, has been marred by surprises, chaos, upheavals, revelations and controversies, of course.

A look at Trump&rsquo;s maiden year would certainly involve some of his biggest announcements and strongest of stances over international issues and on America&rsquo;s ties with other countries.

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<h5>It all started somewhere halfway down the year with Trump outlining a new strategy on Afghanistan.</h5>
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While Trump&rsquo;s declaration on identifying <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/trump-recognises-jerusalem-as-israels-capital-sparks-firestorm-26072">Jerusalem as Israel&rsquo;s capital</a> was an event that raked many controversies, his positioning on Iran, North Korea and the Arab world came into the limelight time and again.

It wasn&rsquo;t quite a cordial year for the Pakistan-US ties which touched a new low when the White House decided to pull out a whopping $1.9 billion aid to Pakistan.

It all started somewhere halfway down the year with Trump outlining a new strategy on Afghanistan with an aim to resolve more than a decade old conflict.

But &ldquo;a hasty withdrawal would create a vacuum for terrorists, including ISIS and Al Qaeda,&rdquo; Trump noted in August 2017.

And thus followed his statement on putting considerable &ldquo;pressure&rdquo; on Pakistan with an aim to dismantle terrorist activism breeding on the Afghan-Pakistan border.

Not to mention, the White House, time and again, called out to Pakistan to adopt stringent measures against terrorism that allegedly bred from within its territories.

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Trump recently accused Pakistan of providing &lsquo;safe havens&rsquo; to terrorism and extremist groups.

&ldquo;The United States has foolishly given Pakistan more than 33 billion dollars in aid over the last 15 years, and they have given us nothing but lies &amp; deceit, thinking of our leaders as fools. They give safe haven to the terrorists we hunt in Afghanistan, with little help. No more!,&rdquo; Trump tweeted as the New Year dawned.

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The United States has foolishly given Pakistan more than 33 billion dollars in aid over the last 15 years, and they have given us nothing but lies &amp; deceit, thinking of our leaders as fools. They give safe haven to the terrorists we hunt in Afghanistan, with little help. No more!
&mdash; Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/947802588174577664?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 1, 2018</a></blockquote>
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The Trump administration notes that Pakistan can reverse the aid cut by taking strategic and stringent measures.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/pakistan-can-do-without-us-aid-foreign-minister-khawaja-asif-29980">Pakistan&rsquo;s Foreign Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif</a> recently noted that while the country is trying to better its ties and balance relations with the White House, it will not take anything against its &ldquo;national integrity&rdquo;.

Khawaja also noted that the relationships between the two countries were normal before the US President made scathing remarks against Pakistan. &ldquo;Pakistan can do without the US aid,&rdquo; Asif noted.

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When will Pakistan apologize to us for providing safe sanctuary to Osama Bin Laden for 6 years?! Some &quot;ally.&quot;
&mdash; Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/220976065231863809?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 5, 2012</a></blockquote>
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Pakistan&rsquo;s retaliatory stance is now been speculated with many fearing that the country could clip US access to routes used to supply American troops in Afghanistan.

US State Department added another twist in its plot with Pakistan when it recently announced placing Pakistan on a special watch list for &ldquo;severe violations of religious freedoms&rdquo; under the International Religious Freedom Act of 1998.

The US defense department <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/us-defense-department-blocks-military-payments-to-pakistan-18160">froze military payments to Pakistan</a> in July 2017.

&quot;Secretary Mattis has informed congressional defense committees that he was not able to certify that Pakistan has taken sufficient actions against the Haqqani network to permit full reimbursement of Fiscal Year 2016 Coalition Support Funds,&quot; Pentagon spokesman Adam Stump said.

The past year saw Donald Trump sparing no opportunity to hint at the possibility of clamping down on Pakistan with harsher measures.

&ldquo;We make massive payments every year to Pakistan&hellip; They have to help,&rdquo; the President exclaimed recently.

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It&#39;s not only Pakistan that we pay billions of dollars to for nothing, but also many other countries, and others. As an example, we pay the Palestinians HUNDRED OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS a year and get no appreciation or respect. They don&rsquo;t even want to negotiate a long overdue...
&mdash; Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/948322496591384576?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 2, 2018</a></blockquote>
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The recent cut of aid to Pakistan is just a one of the many ways for the White House to put Islamabad under &ldquo;pressure&rdquo;.

The Trump administration has also given a thought to resorting to more stringent measures like removing Pakistan from US non-NATO allies.

Husain Haqqani, a Former Pakistani ambassador to the United States, previously noted that Trump&rsquo;s stance on Pakistan is indicative of his administration&rsquo;s &ldquo;step-by-step plan to indicate that business as usual is no longer possible.&rdquo;

While the US aid cut to Pakistan prevails, the White House celebrates Donald&rsquo;s Trump one year of governance.

Meanwhile, tensions continue to simmer in Islamabad.

Fresh reports suggest that Pakistan can even decide to close air routes to Afghanistan, a move that will cripple US anti-terrorism military operations in Afghanistan.

Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif recently noted that while the country is trying to better its ties and balance relations with the White House, it will not take anything against its 'national integrity'

The same day as today, exactly a year back, an event of great political significance took place. There’s no denying that that the entire world closely watched American business magnate Donald Trump lock horns with his Democratic counterpart Hilary Clinton in the run up to becoming the 45th President of United States. As it turned out, most of America voted for the Republican candidate Donald Trump who took the oath to “faithfully execute the Office of President of the United States”. It wasn’t quite a cordial year for the Pakistan-US ties which touched a new low when the White House decided to pull out a whopping $1.9 billion aid to Pakistan. × The Trump administration completes a year today and the US President has successfully clocked-in 365 days of governance that, in a nutshell, has been marred by surprises, chaos, upheavals, revelations and controversies, of course. A look at Trump’s maiden year would certainly involve some of his biggest announcements and strongest of stances over international issues and on America’s ties with other countries. It all started somewhere halfway down the year with Trump outlining a new strategy on Afghanistan. × While Trump’s declaration on identifying Jerusalem as Israel’s capital was an event that raked many controversies, his positioning on Iran, North Korea and the Arab world came into the limelight time and again. It wasn’t quite a cordial year for the Pakistan-US ties which touched a new low when the White House decided to pull out a whopping $1.9 billion aid to Pakistan. It all started somewhere halfway down the year with Trump outlining a new strategy on Afghanistan with an aim to resolve more than a decade old conflict. But “a hasty withdrawal would create a vacuum for terrorists, including ISIS and Al Qaeda,” Trump noted in August 2017. And thus followed his statement on putting considerable “pressure” on Pakistan with an aim to dismantle terrorist activism breeding on the Afghan-Pakistan border. Not to mention, the White House, time and again, called out to Pakistan to adopt stringent measures against terrorism that allegedly bred from within its territories. Trump’s reactions on Pakistan came as a shock to the world! × Trump recently accused Pakistan of providing ‘safe havens’ to terrorism and extremist groups. “The United States has foolishly given Pakistan more than 33 billion dollars in aid over the last 15 years, and they have given us nothing but lies & deceit, thinking of our leaders as fools. They give safe haven to the terrorists we hunt in Afghanistan, with little help. No more!,” Trump tweeted as the New Year dawned. The United States has foolishly given Pakistan more than 33 billion dollars in aid over the last 15 years, and they have given us nothing but lies & deceit, thinking of our leaders as fools. They give safe haven to the terrorists we hunt in Afghanistan, with little help. No more! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 1, 2018 × The Trump administration notes that Pakistan can reverse the aid cut by taking strategic and stringent measures. Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif recently noted that while the country is trying to better its ties and balance relations with the White House, it will not take anything against its “national integrity”. Khawaja also noted that the relationships between the two countries were normal before the US President made scathing remarks against Pakistan. “Pakistan can do without the US aid,” Asif noted. When will Pakistan apologize to us for providing safe sanctuary to Osama Bin Laden for 6 years?! Some "ally." — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 5, 2012 × Pakistan’s retaliatory stance is now been speculated with many fearing that the country could clip US access to routes used to supply American troops in Afghanistan. US State Department added another twist in its plot with Pakistan when it recently announced placing Pakistan on a special watch list for “severe violations of religious freedoms” under the International Religious Freedom Act of 1998. The US defense department froze military payments to Pakistan in July 2017. "Secretary Mattis has informed congressional defense committees that he was not able to certify that Pakistan has taken sufficient actions against the Haqqani network to permit full reimbursement of Fiscal Year 2016 Coalition Support Funds," Pentagon spokesman Adam Stump said. The past year saw Donald Trump sparing no opportunity to hint at the possibility of clamping down on Pakistan with harsher measures. “We make massive payments every year to Pakistan… They have to help,” the President exclaimed recently. It's not only Pakistan that we pay billions of dollars to for nothing, but also many other countries, and others. As an example, we pay the Palestinians HUNDRED OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS a year and get no appreciation or respect. They don’t even want to negotiate a long overdue... — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 2, 2018 × The recent cut of aid to Pakistan is just a one of the many ways for the White House to put Islamabad under “pressure”. The Trump administration has also given a thought to resorting to more stringent measures like removing Pakistan from US non-NATO allies. Husain Haqqani, a Former Pakistani ambassador to the United States, previously noted that Trump’s stance on Pakistan is indicative of his administration’s “step-by-step plan to indicate that business as usual is no longer possible.” While the US aid cut to Pakistan prevails, the White House celebrates Donald’s Trump one year of governance. Meanwhile, tensions continue to simmer in Islamabad. Fresh reports suggest that Pakistan can even decide to close air routes to Afghanistan, a move that will cripple US anti-terrorism military operations in Afghanistan.

Trump & Pakistan: Deceit, lies & games nations play

World leaders, including Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Canada&rsquo;s Justin Trudeau and Brazilian President Michel Temer, raised concerns this week at the gathering in the Swiss ski resort of Davos about growing protectionism, in remarks that delegates said seemed aimed at Trump&rsquo;s policies.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Emmanuel Macron are also expected to speak later on Wednesday.

Under his America First agenda, Trump has threatened to withdraw from the North American free-trade agreement (NAFTA), disavowed the global climate change accord and criticized global institutions including the United Nations and NATO.

Trump is expected to arrive by Thursday and deliver a keynote address to the forum on Friday, mingling with the same elite &ldquo;globalists&rdquo; that he bashed during his 2016 presidential run.

In a press briefing in Davos ahead of his visit, US&nbsp;Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross defended aggressive trade actions taken by the United States and said more were to come.

&ldquo;This is about an America First agenda. But America First does mean working with the rest of the world,&rdquo; Mnuchin said. &ldquo;It just means that President Trump is looking out for American workers and American interests no different than he expects other leaders would look out for their own.&rdquo;

Ross said US&nbsp;trade actions were provoked by &ldquo;inappropriate behaviour on the part of our trading counterparties.&rdquo;

On Tuesday, for example, the United States slapped steep import tariffs on washing machines and solar panels, in moves billed as a way to protect American jobs. China and South Korea condemned the tariffs, with Seoul set to complain to the World Trade Organization over the &ldquo;excessive&rdquo; move.

&ldquo;Many countries are very good at the rhetoric of free trade but in fact actually practice extreme protectionism,&rdquo; Ross said.

Many in Davos worry that a brighter world economic outlook could darken if geopolitical threats - from protectionism and climate change to cyber attacks and war - gather pace in 2018.

Trump, the first sitting US president to attend the forum since Bill Clinton in 2000, is a source of much of this anxiety after a volatile first year in office in which he has turned American foreign policy on its head.

The U.S. delegation is the largest ever to come to Davos, with 10 members of the Trump&rsquo;s cabinet and senior White House staff, Mnuchin said. That includes Jared Kushner, Trump&rsquo;s son-in-law and adviser.

When asked about a new agreement that is expected among 11 countries to forge an Asia-Pacific trade pact after the United States pulled out of an earlier version, Mnuchin said the Americans involvement was &ldquo;not off the table&rdquo;.

But he added, &ldquo;We are fans of bilateral trading agreements.&rdquo;

Earlier on Tuesday, Canada&rsquo;s Trudeau called the new trade agreement, expected to be signed in Chile in March, the &ldquo;right deal&rdquo;.

Ross said Trudeau&rsquo;s comments needed to be taken in the context of the latest round of talks on NAFTA. Perhaps there was some inclination to use that to &ldquo;put pressure on the U.S. in the NAFTA talks,&rdquo; Ross said.

Mnuchin also said that he was not concerned in the short term about a weak dollar, saying it is one of the most liquid markets.

&ldquo;Obviously a weaker dollar is good for us as it relates to trade and opportunities,&rdquo; Mnuchin said.

Senior US officials hit back on Wednesday against suggestions that Donald Trump’s 'America First' agenda was hurting globalization and trade, setting an aggressive tone ahead of the US president’s visit to the World Economic Forum

World leaders, including Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Canada’s Justin Trudeau and Brazilian President Michel Temer, raised concerns this week at the gathering in the Swiss ski resort of Davos about growing protectionism, in remarks that delegates said seemed aimed at Trump’s policies. German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Emmanuel Macron are also expected to speak later on Wednesday. Under his America First agenda, Trump has threatened to withdraw from the North American free-trade agreement (NAFTA), disavowed the global climate change accord and criticized global institutions including the United Nations and NATO. Trump is expected to arrive by Thursday and deliver a keynote address to the forum on Friday, mingling with the same elite “globalists” that he bashed during his 2016 presidential run. In a press briefing in Davos ahead of his visit, US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross defended aggressive trade actions taken by the United States and said more were to come. “This is about an America First agenda. But America First does mean working with the rest of the world,” Mnuchin said. “It just means that President Trump is looking out for American workers and American interests no different than he expects other leaders would look out for their own.” Ross said US trade actions were provoked by “inappropriate behaviour on the part of our trading counterparties.” On Tuesday, for example, the United States slapped steep import tariffs on washing machines and solar panels, in moves billed as a way to protect American jobs. China and South Korea condemned the tariffs, with Seoul set to complain to the World Trade Organization over the “excessive” move. “Many countries are very good at the rhetoric of free trade but in fact actually practice extreme protectionism,” Ross said. Many in Davos worry that a brighter world economic outlook could darken if geopolitical threats - from protectionism and climate change to cyber attacks and war - gather pace in 2018. Trump, the first sitting US president to attend the forum since Bill Clinton in 2000, is a source of much of this anxiety after a volatile first year in office in which he has turned American foreign policy on its head. The U.S. delegation is the largest ever to come to Davos, with 10 members of the Trump’s cabinet and senior White House staff, Mnuchin said. That includes Jared Kushner, Trump’s son-in-law and adviser. When asked about a new agreement that is expected among 11 countries to forge an Asia-Pacific trade pact after the United States pulled out of an earlier version, Mnuchin said the Americans involvement was “not off the table”. But he added, “We are fans of bilateral trading agreements.” Earlier on Tuesday, Canada’s Trudeau called the new trade agreement, expected to be signed in Chile in March, the “right deal”. Ross said Trudeau’s comments needed to be taken in the context of the latest round of talks on NAFTA. Perhaps there was some inclination to use that to “put pressure on the U.S. in the NAFTA talks,” Ross said. Mnuchin also said that he was not concerned in the short term about a weak dollar, saying it is one of the most liquid markets. “Obviously a weaker dollar is good for us as it relates to trade and opportunities,” Mnuchin said.

US defends America First agenda ahead of Trump visit to Davos

According to the Jordanian King Abdullah II, the Trump administration needs to rebuild trust to ensure creating an independent Palestinian state with East Jerusalem as its capital.

The King on Sunday attended a meeting with visiting US Vice President Mike Pence.

He noted that it is important for the US to achieve the two-state solution.

US Vice President noted America&#39;s commitment toward the two-state solution provided the same is agreed upon by Israel and Palestine.

The King expressed his concern over Jerusalem and noted that the Palestinian-Israeli conflict can be resolved effectively with the help of dialogue.

He also shared Jordan&#39;s stance on resolving the Palestinian issue and hoped the Trump administration to move in a direction to resolve the conflict.

Abdullah II stressed the significance of a partnership between Jordan and the US to achieve stability and fight terrorism.

Pence visited Jordan to discuss issues of concern involving Jordan and the US.

The vice president appreciated Jordan on combating terrorism.

Pence also noted that the US will continue to work with Jordan to fight terrorism and groups like IS and will extend support for continued coordination on Syria.

He also expressed that the Trump administration identifies Jordan&#39;s role as custodian of the holy sites.&nbsp; 
&nbsp;

The King expressed his concern over Jerusalem and noted that the Palestinian-Israeli conflict can be resolved effectively with the help of dialogue

According to the Jordanian King Abdullah II, the Trump administration needs to rebuild trust to ensure creating an independent Palestinian state with East Jerusalem as its capital. The King on Sunday attended a meeting with visiting US Vice President Mike Pence. He noted that it is important for the US to achieve the two-state solution. US Vice President noted America's commitment toward the two-state solution provided the same is agreed upon by Israel and Palestine. The King expressed his concern over Jerusalem and noted that the Palestinian-Israeli conflict can be resolved effectively with the help of dialogue. He also shared Jordan's stance on resolving the Palestinian issue and hoped the Trump administration to move in a direction to resolve the conflict. Abdullah II stressed the significance of a partnership between Jordan and the US to achieve stability and fight terrorism. Pence visited Jordan to discuss issues of concern involving Jordan and the US. The vice president appreciated Jordan on combating terrorism. Pence also noted that the US will continue to work with Jordan to fight terrorism and groups like IS and will extend support for continued coordination on Syria. He also expressed that the Trump administration identifies Jordan's role as custodian of the holy sites.

US needs to rebuild trust on two-state solution: King of Jordan

Secretary of State Rex Tillerson visited the new $1 billion US embassy in London on Monday, just days after his boss Donald Trump criticised the move to new diplomatic premises as part of a bad deal agreed by the administration of Barack Obama.

Trump earlier this month cancelled a trip to London to open the new embassy, saying he did not want to endorse a bad deal agreed by the Obama administration to sell the old one for &quot;peanuts&quot;.

Tillerson was greeted by US Ambassador Woody Johnson as workmen finished planting shrubs in the grounds of the new embassy. America`s top diplomat then met some of the marines who are stationed at the embassy.

&quot;The embassy actually, is gonna really work,&quot; US Ambassador Johnson said ahead of Tillerson`s arrival.

Asked when there would be a ribbon cutting ceremony, Ambassador Johnson said: &quot;At some point we`re going to do it, but there`s no urgency to that. We`ll do it when the time is right.&quot;

The decision to move the US&nbsp;Embassy from its current Grosvenor Square location in the exclusive Mayfair area of London and to a site on the south bank of the Thames was agreed in 2008 under the presidency of George W. Bush.&nbsp;

The American flag was this month removed from Grosvenor Square where the US embassy has been based since 1938 with the area known as &quot;Little America&quot; during World War Two, when the square also housed the military headquarters of General Dwight D. Eisenhower.

The new embassy is a veritable fortress set back at least 100 feet (30 metres) from surrounding buildings - mostly newly-erected high-rise residential blocks - and incorporating living quarters for US&nbsp;Marines permanently stationed inside.

The $1 billion construction was funded by the sale of other properties in London.

Secretary of State Rex Tillerson visited the new $1 billion US embassy in London on Monday, just days after his boss Donald Trump criticised the move to new diplomatic premises as part of a bad deal agreed by the administration of Barack Obama

Secretary of State Rex Tillerson visited the new $1 billion US embassy in London on Monday, just days after his boss Donald Trump criticised the move to new diplomatic premises as part of a bad deal agreed by the administration of Barack Obama. Trump earlier this month cancelled a trip to London to open the new embassy, saying he did not want to endorse a bad deal agreed by the Obama administration to sell the old one for "peanuts". Tillerson was greeted by US Ambassador Woody Johnson as workmen finished planting shrubs in the grounds of the new embassy. America`s top diplomat then met some of the marines who are stationed at the embassy. "The embassy actually, is gonna really work," US Ambassador Johnson said ahead of Tillerson`s arrival. Asked when there would be a ribbon cutting ceremony, Ambassador Johnson said: "At some point we`re going to do it, but there`s no urgency to that. We`ll do it when the time is right." The decision to move the US Embassy from its current Grosvenor Square location in the exclusive Mayfair area of London and to a site on the south bank of the Thames was agreed in 2008 under the presidency of George W. Bush. The American flag was this month removed from Grosvenor Square where the US embassy has been based since 1938 with the area known as "Little America" during World War Two, when the square also housed the military headquarters of General Dwight D. Eisenhower. The new embassy is a veritable fortress set back at least 100 feet (30 metres) from surrounding buildings - mostly newly-erected high-rise residential blocks - and incorporating living quarters for US Marines permanently stationed inside. The $1 billion construction was funded by the sale of other properties in London.

Rex Tillerson visits new US embassy in London that Trump criticised

Government shutdowns are rare.

This one is unique because the U.S. has never before experienced a shutdown under a unified government, a time when the White House and Congress are controlled by the same party.

The policy consequences of this shutdown are likely to be minimal. And, the shutdown itself will also probably be short-lived.

However, the political consequences and long-term &ldquo;optics&rdquo; may be significant &ndash; and are more likely to negatively impact Republicans than Democrats.

Politics are key

A government shutdown occurs when Congress and the president fail to pass required annual appropriations into law, and they also fail to pass a temporary funding mechanism known as a &ldquo;continuing resolution&rdquo; to keep the government funded. Without these authorizations, the agencies and departments of the federal government literally have no legal authority to spend funds &ndash; even though the law allows some &ldquo;essential&rdquo; government functions to keep running.

This time around, the politics of federal government appropriations are tied to the fate of two other controversial issues.

The first is DACA. Trump gave Congress six months to provide a legislative fix for the approximately 800,000 immigrants who were brought to the U.S. as children and whose legal status is in jeopardy because the Trump administration rescinded an Obama-era executive action allowing them to stay in the country. Time is ticking for these so-called Dreamers, some of whom will lose their protective status beginning on March 5, 2018.

The second issue intertwined with the budget politics is funding of a health insurance program known as CHIP that provides services to 8.9 million children.

Republican congressional party leaders tried to push Democrats into an uncomfortable vote by forcing them to choose between negotiating a solution for DACA or funding CHIP. This maneuver had the potential to score important political points for Republicans during an election year.

But the plan was thwarted by none other than the leader of the Republican Party, President Trump. Whether it was inadvertent or not, the president&rsquo;s tweets made many Republicans nervous that the president might not support the deal that congressional leaders had fashioned to fund the government and CHIP.

The House passed the bill anyway, but the Senate balked.

One might say that the federal government shutdown represents a significant miscalculation by the Republican Party. The GOP is not operating as an effective governing coalition, in part because its leader does not provide a consistent strategic vision for the party.

There&rsquo;s nothing new about Trump being a thorn in the side of Republican party leaders. As a Republican candidate he ran against the party as an outsider and used that image to his benefit. As president, he often seems more concerned about personal advantage than effective party functioning.

Despite all efforts to blame the Democrats, the political consequences of a shutdown, even a brief one, will be more likely to hurt Republicans than Democrats who have much less power in government now. In an election year that is already seeing a huge uptick in Republican retirements and a growing enthusiasm for Democratic candidates, the last thing Republicans need is a loss like this.

There are 290 days until Election Day.

&nbsp;

This article was originally published on <a href="http://theconversation.com" rel="nofollow" target="blank">The Conversation</a>. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/shutdown-under-a-unified-government-blame-trump-90423" rel="nofollow" target="blank">original article</a>.

&nbsp;

(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)&nbsp;

&nbsp;

This government shutdown is unique because the U.S. has never before experienced a shutdown under a unified government, a time when the White House and Congress are controlled by the same party.

Government shutdowns are rare. This one is unique because the U.S. has never before experienced a shutdown under a unified government, a time when the White House and Congress are controlled by the same party. The policy consequences of this shutdown are likely to be minimal. And, the shutdown itself will also probably be short-lived. However, the political consequences and long-term “optics” may be significant – and are more likely to negatively impact Republicans than Democrats. Politics are key A government shutdown occurs when Congress and the president fail to pass required annual appropriations into law, and they also fail to pass a temporary funding mechanism known as a “continuing resolution” to keep the government funded. Without these authorizations, the agencies and departments of the federal government literally have no legal authority to spend funds – even though the law allows some “essential” government functions to keep running. This time around, the politics of federal government appropriations are tied to the fate of two other controversial issues. The first is DACA. Trump gave Congress six months to provide a legislative fix for the approximately 800,000 immigrants who were brought to the U.S. as children and whose legal status is in jeopardy because the Trump administration rescinded an Obama-era executive action allowing them to stay in the country. Time is ticking for these so-called Dreamers, some of whom will lose their protective status beginning on March 5, 2018. The second issue intertwined with the budget politics is funding of a health insurance program known as CHIP that provides services to 8.9 million children. Republican congressional party leaders tried to push Democrats into an uncomfortable vote by forcing them to choose between negotiating a solution for DACA or funding CHIP. This maneuver had the potential to score important political points for Republicans during an election year. But the plan was thwarted by none other than the leader of the Republican Party, President Trump. Whether it was inadvertent or not, the president’s tweets made many Republicans nervous that the president might not support the deal that congressional leaders had fashioned to fund the government and CHIP. The House passed the bill anyway, but the Senate balked. One might say that the federal government shutdown represents a significant miscalculation by the Republican Party. The GOP is not operating as an effective governing coalition, in part because its leader does not provide a consistent strategic vision for the party. There’s nothing new about Trump being a thorn in the side of Republican party leaders. As a Republican candidate he ran against the party as an outsider and used that image to his benefit. As president, he often seems more concerned about personal advantage than effective party functioning. Despite all efforts to blame the Democrats, the political consequences of a shutdown, even a brief one, will be more likely to hurt Republicans than Democrats who have much less power in government now. In an election year that is already seeing a huge uptick in Republican retirements and a growing enthusiasm for Democratic candidates, the last thing Republicans need is a loss like this. There are 290 days until Election Day. This article was originally published on The Conversation. Read the original article. (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

Opinion: Why Trump is to be blamed for the US government shutdown

Anger was growing in Kabul Sunday, a day after a huge bomb hidden in an ambulance <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/kabul-explosion-death-toll-increases-to-103-30982">killed 103 people</a> and wounded scores more, highlighting the ability of insurgents to strike at the heart of Afghanistan.

The attack, which was claimed by the Taliban, took lives of 103 people and left 235 wounded.

It came as both the insurgents and the Islamic State group have escalated their attacks on <a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/at-least-40-dead-140-wounded-after-massive-suicide-bomb-explosion-rocks-kabul-30897">Kabul</a>, one of the deadliest places in Afghanistan for civilians.&nbsp;

Ordinary Afghans took to social media to express their anguish and sorrow at rapidly worsening security, as the Taliban and the Islamic State group step up attacks on Kabul, turning it into one of the deadliest places in Afghanistan for civilians.

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I am crossing this way everyday, I am afraid that tomorrow I will not see the guy who was polishing shoes, the one selling pens, the other one selling juice and many other poor civilians who were working on the street to feed their kids. Tragedy! <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/KabulAttack?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#KabulAttack</a> <a href="https://t.co/ucyLPxiOYm">pic.twitter.com/ucyLPxiOYm</a>
&mdash; Abdullah Yadgare (@Abdullahyadgare) <a href="https://twitter.com/Abdullahyadgare/status/957196931637358592?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 27, 2018</a></blockquote>
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Tired of mourning the loss of innocent lives and feeling utterly helpless. Will there ever be an end to all this? <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/KabulAttack?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#KabulAttack</a>
&mdash; Mursal Juya (@juyamursal) <a href="https://twitter.com/juyamursal/status/957185780606296064?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 27, 2018</a></blockquote>
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It is a massacre! 
Terrorists targeted populated civilian road next to a hospital where 100s were receiving treatment. 
Almost all of the 180+ casualties are civilians and those getting medical care in the Jamhouriyat Hospital. This is inhuman and barbaric! <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Kabul?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Kabul</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/KabulAttack?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#KabulAttack</a>
&mdash; Javid Faisal (@Javidfaisal) <a href="https://twitter.com/Javidfaisal/status/957196169071022080?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 27, 2018</a></blockquote>
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This time the terrorists used an ambulance as a weapon. The creativity of their depravity is sickening. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/KabulAttack?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#KabulAttack</a>
&mdash; Michael Kugelman (@MichaelKugelman) <a href="https://twitter.com/MichaelKugelman/status/957235710783782912?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 27, 2018</a></blockquote>
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At a basic level, people expect govt to provide them w/ security. If a govt can&#39;t guarantee that, then there&#39;s no need for such a govt. Hotel attack killed dozens last week &amp; an ambulance filled w. explosives kill more than 40 today. That&#39;s a lot of blood. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/KabulAttack?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#KabulAttack</a>
&mdash; Abid Amiri (@abidamiri) <a href="https://twitter.com/abidamiri/status/957205620255592448?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 27, 2018</a></blockquote>
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US President Donald on Sunday asked countries to take <a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/kabul-attack-donald-trump-seeks-decisive-action-against-taliban-30943">decisive action</a> against the Taliban and the terrorist infrastructure that supports them, in an indirect but obvious reference to Pakistan.

The<a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/kabul-explosion-the-perpetrators-of-these-dastardly-attacks-should-be-brought-to-justice-says-ministry-of-external-affairs-30922"> Ministry of External Affairs</a> has strongly condemned the massive suicide-bomb&nbsp;explosion in Kabul.&nbsp;The official release noted that the &quot;barbaric and dastardly terrorist attacks in Kabul targeted innocent civilians and the wounded under treatment.&quot;

<a href="http://wioncms.cloudapp.net/dashboard/webdesk/addeditstory.aspx">Pakistan</a>, on Saturday, strongly condemned the&nbsp;terror attack in Kabul that claimed at least 95 lives and called for cooperation among countries for effectively combating and eliminating the scourge of terrorism.

The attack, which was claimed by the Taliban, took lives of 95 people and left 191 wounded

Anger was growing in Kabul Sunday, a day after a huge bomb hidden in an ambulance killed 103 people and wounded scores more, highlighting the ability of insurgents to strike at the heart of Afghanistan. The attack, which was claimed by the Taliban, took lives of 103 people and left 235 wounded. It came as both the insurgents and the Islamic State group have escalated their attacks on Kabul, one of the deadliest places in Afghanistan for civilians. Ordinary Afghans took to social media to express their anguish and sorrow at rapidly worsening security, as the Taliban and the Islamic State group step up attacks on Kabul, turning it into one of the deadliest places in Afghanistan for civilians. I am crossing this way everyday, I am afraid that tomorrow I will not see the guy who was polishing shoes, the one selling pens, the other one selling juice and many other poor civilians who were working on the street to feed their kids. Tragedy! #KabulAttack pic.twitter.com/ucyLPxiOYm — Abdullah Yadgare (@Abdullahyadgare) January 27, 2018 × Tired of mourning the loss of innocent lives and feeling utterly helpless. Will there ever be an end to all this? #KabulAttack — Mursal Juya (@juyamursal) January 27, 2018 × It is a massacre! Terrorists targeted populated civilian road next to a hospital where 100s were receiving treatment. Almost all of the 180+ casualties are civilians and those getting medical care in the Jamhouriyat Hospital. This is inhuman and barbaric! #Kabul #KabulAttack — Javid Faisal (@Javidfaisal) January 27, 2018 × This time the terrorists used an ambulance as a weapon. The creativity of their depravity is sickening. #KabulAttack — Michael Kugelman (@MichaelKugelman) January 27, 2018 × At a basic level, people expect govt to provide them w/ security. If a govt can't guarantee that, then there's no need for such a govt. Hotel attack killed dozens last week & an ambulance filled w. explosives kill more than 40 today. That's a lot of blood. #KabulAttack — Abid Amiri (@abidamiri) January 27, 2018 × US President Donald on Sunday asked countries to take decisive action against the Taliban and the terrorist infrastructure that supports them, in an indirect but obvious reference to Pakistan. The Ministry of External Affairs has strongly condemned the massive suicide-bomb explosion in Kabul. The official release noted that the "barbaric and dastardly terrorist attacks in Kabul targeted innocent civilians and the wounded under treatment." Pakistan, on Saturday, strongly condemned the terror attack in Kabul that claimed at least 95 lives and called for cooperation among countries for effectively combating and eliminating the scourge of terrorism.

Anger grows in Kabul after attack kills 103

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