He has chaired board meetings, cabinet meetings and starred in a reality television show, but on Wednesday US President Donald Trump will wield the gavel in the United Nations Security Council to denounce Iran for what it sees as its malign regional behaviour.

Trump is able to preside over the 15-member council as the United States holds the monthly rotating presidency, which coincides with the annual gathering of world leaders at the United Nations in New York this week.

"I am sure that's going to be the most watched Security Council meeting ever," US Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley told reporters.

But despite the unpredictable nature of Trump, some diplomats aren't expecting a reality television performance in the Security Council, where nearly every member is likely to be represented by their prime minister or president except Russia and China, which are expected to send ministers.

"I don't think it will be that entertaining at all," said one senior UN diplomat, speaking on condition of anonymity.

"Even those who don't like him, the attitude of all other heads of state and government in a public meeting when faced with any president of the United States of America is to be on their best behaviour," the diplomat said.

It is rare for the council - formed in 1945 to maintain international peace and security - to meet at the head-of-state and government level. This will be the third time the body is chaired by a US president. It has the ability to impose sanctions or authorize the use of military force.

Trump's predecessor Barack Obama presided over meetings in 2009 and 2014 on nuclear nonproliferation and foreign terrorist fighters. In both cases the council adopted resolutions on the topics under discussion.&nbsp;

US Ambassador Nikki Haley said there are no plans to adopt a resolution at Wednesday's meeting.

"We want to make sure (Iran) understands the world is watching. That's the biggest reason for this meeting," she said earlier this month.

'THRILLED'

The topic of the meeting will be nonproliferation of weapons of mass destruction, a broad issue that allows leaders around the horseshoe table to raise a variety of subjects from North Korea to chemical weapons attacks in Syria and Britain.

However, Trump signalled on Twitter he will zero in on Iran, when he posted: "I will chair a United Nations Security Council meeting on Iran." Tehran has accused the United States of abusing the power of the Security Council president.

The US concept note on the meeting circulated to Security Council members does not specifically mention any countries.

"The purpose of this meeting is to discuss ways the Security Council can better enforce the resolutions it has adopted ... to counter the spread and use of the world's most dangerous weapons," it reads.

The role of the Security Council president is typically administrative and neutral. The president is in charge of scheduling and presiding over council meetings and briefing other members states and the press on the council's work.

Trump will have a binder in front of him to read from in order to run Wednesday's meeting. He will make a statement first in his national capacity and then it is likely to take about two hours for all council members to speak.&nbsp;

Haley has twice taken council envoys to Washington, where they have met with Trump.

Russia has shielded Iran from US attempts to get the Security Council to call out Tehran over accusations it supplied weapons to Yemen's Houthi group, a charge that Iran denies.

When asked what he thought about Trump chairing a Security Council meeting, Russia's UN Ambassador Vassily Nebenzia said with a smile: "I felt thrilled." He added: "I don't think we will see any major intrigue in what he will say."

He has chaired board meetings, cabinet meetings and starred in a reality television show, but on Wednesday US President Donald Trump will wield the gavel in the United Nations Security Council to denounce Iran for what it sees as its malign regional behaviour.

He has chaired board meetings, cabinet meetings and starred in a reality television show, but on Wednesday US President Donald Trump will wield the gavel in the United Nations Security Council to denounce Iran for what it sees as its malign regional behaviour. Trump is able to preside over the 15-member council as the United States holds the monthly rotating presidency, which coincides with the annual gathering of world leaders at the United Nations in New York this week. "I am sure that's going to be the most watched Security Council meeting ever," US Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley told reporters. But despite the unpredictable nature of Trump, some diplomats aren't expecting a reality television performance in the Security Council, where nearly every member is likely to be represented by their prime minister or president except Russia and China, which are expected to send ministers. "I don't think it will be that entertaining at all," said one senior UN diplomat, speaking on condition of anonymity. "Even those who don't like him, the attitude of all other heads of state and government in a public meeting when faced with any president of the United States of America is to be on their best behaviour," the diplomat said. It is rare for the council - formed in 1945 to maintain international peace and security - to meet at the head-of-state and government level. This will be the third time the body is chaired by a US president. It has the ability to impose sanctions or authorize the use of military force. Trump's predecessor Barack Obama presided over meetings in 2009 and 2014 on nuclear nonproliferation and foreign terrorist fighters. In both cases the council adopted resolutions on the topics under discussion. US Ambassador Nikki Haley said there are no plans to adopt a resolution at Wednesday's meeting. "We want to make sure (Iran) understands the world is watching. That's the biggest reason for this meeting," she said earlier this month. 'THRILLED' The topic of the meeting will be nonproliferation of weapons of mass destruction, a broad issue that allows leaders around the horseshoe table to raise a variety of subjects from North Korea to chemical weapons attacks in Syria and Britain. However, Trump signalled on Twitter he will zero in on Iran, when he posted: "I will chair a United Nations Security Council meeting on Iran." Tehran has accused the United States of abusing the power of the Security Council president. The US concept note on the meeting circulated to Security Council members does not specifically mention any countries. "The purpose of this meeting is to discuss ways the Security Council can better enforce the resolutions it has adopted ... to counter the spread and use of the world's most dangerous weapons," it reads. The role of the Security Council president is typically administrative and neutral. The president is in charge of scheduling and presiding over council meetings and briefing other members states and the press on the council's work. Trump will have a binder in front of him to read from in order to run Wednesday's meeting. He will make a statement first in his national capacity and then it is likely to take about two hours for all council members to speak. Haley has twice taken council envoys to Washington, where they have met with Trump. Russia has shielded Iran from US attempts to get the Security Council to call out Tehran over accusations it supplied weapons to Yemen's Houthi group, a charge that Iran denies. When asked what he thought about Trump chairing a Security Council meeting, Russia's UN Ambassador Vassily Nebenzia said with a smile: "I felt thrilled." He added: "I don't think we will see any major intrigue in what he will say."

From reality TV to UN, Trump to wield Security Council gavel

US President Donald Trump has said "we got along right from the beginning" of North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un.&nbsp;

The comment was made to the Voice of America's Greta Van Susteren after Trump's summit meeting with Kim on Tuesday. Trump gushed some more about Kim in the interview to VoA.&nbsp;

"Really, he’s got a great personality. He’s a funny guy, he’s very smart, he’s a great negotiator. He loves his people, not that I’m surprised by that, but he loves his people. And I think that we have the start of an amazing deal. We’re going to denuke North Korea," Trump told Susteren.&nbsp;

Susteren of course asked Trump if he was certain about his choice of words. Did Kim really "love his people" considering how many he had starved and brutalised?&nbsp;

Trump covered for Kim by telling Susteren: &nbsp;“Look, he’s doing what he’s seen done, if you look at it. But, I really have to go by today and by yesterday and by a couple of weeks ago because that’s really when this whole thing started."&nbsp;

The "we got along right from the beginning" had come in reply to a question about whether Trump or Kim had given each other ultimatums. Trump said there hadn't been one from either side.&nbsp;

“No, not an ultimatum. We’ve been dealing for three months really and we’ve been dealing through our various representatives including Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, who’s done a really fantastic job. So we’ve been dealing for a pretty good period of time and when we met today, we got along right from the beginning," Trump said.&nbsp;

Commentators however have said Trump was outfoxed in Singapore. And that while Trump has put a stop to the US's military exercises with South Korea — which the commentators add will blunt US and South Korean troops' preparedness for war — North Korea has in return given very little.&nbsp;

They add that Kim might have told Trump North Korea is willing to "denuclearise" but that the country has been saying saying that since 1992.&nbsp;

Trump told Susteren American troops would continue to be stationed in South Korea but that the "war games" are going to stop because they "cost a fortune".&nbsp;

"We are going to get out of the war games that cost so much money. You know where we — cause I think number one, it’s very provocative, and I want to do it, and I think they’re very happy about it because it is so provocative. But it cost a fortune to do it. And we won’t do that as long as we are negotiating in good faith,” Trump said.&nbsp;

Trump went on to say of Kim: "I think he liked me and I like him. And I understand the past and, you know, nobody has to tell me, he’s a rough guy. He has to be a rough guy or he has been a rough person. But we got along very well. He’s smart, loves his people, he loves his country. He wants a lot of good things and that’s why he’s doing this.”

Susteren also asked Trump what he wanted to say "directly to the citizens of North Korea”.&nbsp;

“Well, I think you have somebody that has a great feeling for them. He wants to do right by them and we got along really well. We had a great chemistry — you understand how I feel about chemistry. It’s very important. I mean, I know people where there is no chemistry no matter what you do you just don’t have it. We had it right from the beginning, I talked about that and I think great things are going to happen for North Korea,” Trump replied.&nbsp;

Trump made his comment to the Voice of America after his historic summit meeting with Kim. 'Really, he’s got a great personality. He’s a funny guy, he’s very smart, he’s a great negotiator,' Trump added

US President Donald Trump has said "we got along right from the beginning" of North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un. The comment was made to the Voice of America's Greta Van Susteren after Trump's summit meeting with Kim on Tuesday. Trump gushed some more about Kim in the interview to VoA. "Really, he’s got a great personality. He’s a funny guy, he’s very smart, he’s a great negotiator. He loves his people, not that I’m surprised by that, but he loves his people. And I think that we have the start of an amazing deal. We’re going to denuke North Korea," Trump told Susteren. Susteren of course asked Trump if he was certain about his choice of words. Did Kim really "love his people" considering how many he had starved and brutalised? Trump covered for Kim by telling Susteren: “Look, he’s doing what he’s seen done, if you look at it. But, I really have to go by today and by yesterday and by a couple of weeks ago because that’s really when this whole thing started." The "we got along right from the beginning" had come in reply to a question about whether Trump or Kim had given each other ultimatums. Trump said there hadn't been one from either side. “No, not an ultimatum. We’ve been dealing for three months really and we’ve been dealing through our various representatives including Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, who’s done a really fantastic job. So we’ve been dealing for a pretty good period of time and when we met today, we got along right from the beginning," Trump said. Commentators however have said Trump was outfoxed in Singapore. And that while Trump has put a stop to the US's military exercises with South Korea — which the commentators add will blunt US and South Korean troops' preparedness for war — North Korea has in return given very little. They add that Kim might have told Trump North Korea is willing to "denuclearise" but that the country has been saying saying that since 1992. Trump told Susteren American troops would continue to be stationed in South Korea but that the "war games" are going to stop because they "cost a fortune". "We are going to get out of the war games that cost so much money. You know where we — cause I think number one, it’s very provocative, and I want to do it, and I think they’re very happy about it because it is so provocative. But it cost a fortune to do it. And we won’t do that as long as we are negotiating in good faith,” Trump said. Trump went on to say of Kim: "I think he liked me and I like him. And I understand the past and, you know, nobody has to tell me, he’s a rough guy. He has to be a rough guy or he has been a rough person. But we got along very well. He’s smart, loves his people, he loves his country. He wants a lot of good things and that’s why he’s doing this.” Susteren also asked Trump what he wanted to say "directly to the citizens of North Korea”. “Well, I think you have somebody that has a great feeling for them. He wants to do right by them and we got along really well. We had a great chemistry — you understand how I feel about chemistry. It’s very important. I mean, I know people where there is no chemistry no matter what you do you just don’t have it. We had it right from the beginning, I talked about that and I think great things are going to happen for North Korea,” Trump replied.

'We got along from the beginning,' Trump says of Kim. Commentators say Trump got outfoxed

US&nbspPresident Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un signed a "comprehensive" document on Tuesday following a historic summit in Singapore aimed at the denuclearisation of the Korean peninsula.

There were no immediate details on the contents of the document but Trump said he expected the denuclearisation process to start "very, very quickly".

Although the breakthrough made at the summit marks just the start of a diplomatic process, it could bring lasting change to the security landscape of Northeast Asia, just as former US&nbspPresident Richard Nixon visit to Beijing in 1972 led to the transformation of China.

Before signing what Trump described as a "comprehensive letter", Kim said the two leaders had a historic meeting “and decided to leave the past behind. The world will see a major change.”

Trump said he had formed a "very special bond" with Kim and that relationship with North Korea would be very different.

Also read: <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/trump-says-summit-with-north-koreas-kim-better-than-anybody-expected-143755">Trump says summit with North Korea's Kim 'better than anybody expected'</a>

"People are going to be very impressed and people are going to be very happy and we are going to take care of a very dangerous problem for the world," Trump said.

Asked whether he would invite Kim to the White House, Trump said: "Absolutely, I will."

He called Kim "very smart" and a "very worthy, very hard negotiator."

"I learned he's a very talented man. I also learned that he loves his country very much."

During a post-lunch stroll through the gardens of the Singapore hotel where the summit was held, Trump said the summit had gone "better than anybody could have expected".

Kim stood silently alongside, but the North Korean leader had earlier described their meeting as a "a good prelude to peace".

Both men walked to Trump's bullet-proof limousine, nicknamed "The Beast", and looked in at the rear seat, with Trump apparently showing Kim something inside. They then resumed their walk.

They had appeared cautious and serious when they first arrived for the summit at the Capella hotel on Singapore's Sentosa, a resort island with luxury hotels, a casino, manmade beaches and a Universal Studios theme park.

But, with cameras of the world's press trained on them, they displayed an initial atmosphere of bonhomie as they met on the verandah of the Capella, a refurbished 19th century British regimental officers' mess.

After a handshake, they were soon smiling and holding each other by the arm, before Trump guided Kim to the library where they held a meeting with only their interpreters. Trump had said on Saturday he would know within a minute of meeting Kim whether he would reach a deal.

MARKETS RISE

Inside, they sat alongside each other against a backdrop of North Korean and U.S. flags, with Kim beaming broadly as the U.S. president gave him a thumbs up.

The combatants of the 1950-53 Korean War are technically still at war, as the conflict, in which millions of people died, was concluded only with a truce.

After initial exchanges lasting around 40 minutes, Trump and Kim emerged, walking side-by-side through the colonnaded hotel before entering a meeting room, where they were joined by their most senior officials.

Kim was heard telling Trump through a translator: "I think the entire world is watching this moment. Many people in the world will think of this as a scene from a fantasy...science fiction movie."

Asked by a reporter how the meeting was going, Trump said: "Very good. Very, very good. Good relationship."

Kim also sounded positive about the prospects of peace.

"We overcame all kinds of scepticism and speculations about this summit and I believe that this is good for the peace," he said. "I believe this is a good prelude for peace."

The dollar jumped to a 3-week top on Tuesday and Asian shares rose on the news.

Trump was joined by Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, National Security Adviser John Bolton, and John Kelly, White House Chief of Staff, for the expanded talks, while Kim's team included former military intelligence chief Kim Yong Chol, foreign minister Ri Yong Ho and Ri Su Yong, vice chairman of the ruling Workers' Party.

As the two leaders met, Singapore navy vessels, and air force Apache helicopters patrolled, while fighter jets and an Gulfstream 550 early warning aircraft circled.

Body language expert said both men tried to project command as they met, but also displayed signs of nerves.

After the meetings, the two teams and other senior officials met for a working lunch, where beef short ribs, sweet and sour pork and "Daegu Jormin", or Korean braised cod, were served for the main course, according to the menu. That was to be followed by dark chocolate tarts, pastries and vanilla ice cream for dessert. The North Korean leader's sister and close confidante Kim Yo Jong was among the lunch party.

As the cameras captured the moment, Trump quipped: "Very nice. Getting a good picture everyone, so we all look nice and handsome and thin...perfect".

In the hours before the summit began, Trump expressed optimism about prospects for the first-ever meeting of sitting U.S. and North Korean leaders, while Pompeo injected a note of caution whether Kim would prove to be sincere about his willingness to denuclearise.

Pompeo said the summit should set the framework for "the hard work that will follow", insisting that North Korea had to move toward complete, verifiable and irreversible denuclearisation.

North Korea, however, has shown little appetite for surrendering nuclear weapons it considers vital to the survival of Kim's dynastic rule.

Sanctions on North Korea would remain in place until that happened, Pompeo said on Monday. "If diplomacy does not move in the right direction ... those measures will increase."

The White House said later that discussions with North Korea had moved "more quickly than expected" and Trump would leave Singapore on Tuesday night after the summit, rather than Wednesday, as scheduled earlier.

Kim is due to leave on Tuesday afternoon, a source involved in the planning of his visit has said.

Trump spoke to Moon and Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, both key allies of Washington in the region, to discuss developments ahead of the summit.

"I too, got little sleep last night," Moon told his cabinet in Seoul as the summit began in Singapore.

"I truly hope it will be a successful summit that will open a new age for the two Koreas and the United States and bring us complete denuclearisation and peace."

Before signing what Trump described as a 'comprehensive letter', Kim said the two leaders had a historic meeting 'and decided to leave the past behind. The world will see a major change'. Trump said he had formed a 'very special bond' with Kim

US&nbspPresident Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un signed a "comprehensive" document on Tuesday following a historic summit in Singapore aimed at the denuclearisation of the Korean peninsula. There were no immediate details on the contents of the document but Trump said he expected the denuclearisation process to start "very, very quickly". Although the breakthrough made at the summit marks just the start of a diplomatic process, it could bring lasting change to the security landscape of Northeast Asia, just as former US&nbspPresident Richard Nixon visit to Beijing in 1972 led to the transformation of China. Before signing what Trump described as a "comprehensive letter", Kim said the two leaders had a historic meeting “and decided to leave the past behind. The world will see a major change.” Trump said he had formed a "very special bond" with Kim and that relationship with North Korea would be very different. Also read: Trump says summit with North Korea's Kim 'better than anybody expected' "People are going to be very impressed and people are going to be very happy and we are going to take care of a very dangerous problem for the world," Trump said. Asked whether he would invite Kim to the White House, Trump said: "Absolutely, I will." He called Kim "very smart" and a "very worthy, very hard negotiator." "I learned he's a very talented man. I also learned that he loves his country very much." During a post-lunch stroll through the gardens of the Singapore hotel where the summit was held, Trump said the summit had gone "better than anybody could have expected". Kim stood silently alongside, but the North Korean leader had earlier described their meeting as a "a good prelude to peace". Both men walked to Trump's bullet-proof limousine, nicknamed "The Beast", and looked in at the rear seat, with Trump apparently showing Kim something inside. They then resumed their walk. They had appeared cautious and serious when they first arrived for the summit at the Capella hotel on Singapore's Sentosa, a resort island with luxury hotels, a casino, manmade beaches and a Universal Studios theme park. But, with cameras of the world's press trained on them, they displayed an initial atmosphere of bonhomie as they met on the verandah of the Capella, a refurbished 19th century British regimental officers' mess. After a handshake, they were soon smiling and holding each other by the arm, before Trump guided Kim to the library where they held a meeting with only their interpreters. Trump had said on Saturday he would know within a minute of meeting Kim whether he would reach a deal. MARKETS RISE Inside, they sat alongside each other against a backdrop of North Korean and U.S. flags, with Kim beaming broadly as the U.S. president gave him a thumbs up. The combatants of the 1950-53 Korean War are technically still at war, as the conflict, in which millions of people died, was concluded only with a truce. After initial exchanges lasting around 40 minutes, Trump and Kim emerged, walking side-by-side through the colonnaded hotel before entering a meeting room, where they were joined by their most senior officials. Kim was heard telling Trump through a translator: "I think the entire world is watching this moment. Many people in the world will think of this as a scene from a fantasy...science fiction movie." Asked by a reporter how the meeting was going, Trump said: "Very good. Very, very good. Good relationship." Kim also sounded positive about the prospects of peace. "We overcame all kinds of scepticism and speculations about this summit and I believe that this is good for the peace," he said. "I believe this is a good prelude for peace." The dollar jumped to a 3-week top on Tuesday and Asian shares rose on the news. Trump was joined by Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, National Security Adviser John Bolton, and John Kelly, White House Chief of Staff, for the expanded talks, while Kim's team included former military intelligence chief Kim Yong Chol, foreign minister Ri Yong Ho and Ri Su Yong, vice chairman of the ruling Workers' Party. As the two leaders met, Singapore navy vessels, and air force Apache helicopters patrolled, while fighter jets and an Gulfstream 550 early warning aircraft circled. Body language expert said both men tried to project command as they met, but also displayed signs of nerves. After the meetings, the two teams and other senior officials met for a working lunch, where beef short ribs, sweet and sour pork and "Daegu Jormin", or Korean braised cod, were served for the main course, according to the menu. That was to be followed by dark chocolate tarts, pastries and vanilla ice cream for dessert. The North Korean leader's sister and close confidante Kim Yo Jong was among the lunch party. As the cameras captured the moment, Trump quipped: "Very nice. Getting a good picture everyone, so we all look nice and handsome and thin...perfect". In the hours before the summit began, Trump expressed optimism about prospects for the first-ever meeting of sitting U.S. and North Korean leaders, while Pompeo injected a note of caution whether Kim would prove to be sincere about his willingness to denuclearise. Pompeo said the summit should set the framework for "the hard work that will follow", insisting that North Korea had to move toward complete, verifiable and irreversible denuclearisation. North Korea, however, has shown little appetite for surrendering nuclear weapons it considers vital to the survival of Kim's dynastic rule. Sanctions on North Korea would remain in place until that happened, Pompeo said on Monday. "If diplomacy does not move in the right direction ... those measures will increase." The White House said later that discussions with North Korea had moved "more quickly than expected" and Trump would leave Singapore on Tuesday night after the summit, rather than Wednesday, as scheduled earlier. Kim is due to leave on Tuesday afternoon, a source involved in the planning of his visit has said. Trump spoke to Moon and Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, both key allies of Washington in the region, to discuss developments ahead of the summit. "I too, got little sleep last night," Moon told his cabinet in Seoul as the summit began in Singapore. "I truly hope it will be a successful summit that will open a new age for the two Koreas and the United States and bring us complete denuclearisation and peace."

Trump says Kim 'very smart', North Korea to denuclearise 'very, very quickly'

US President Donald Trump`s decision to pull out of the Iran nuclear accord and re-impose sanctions on Tehran threatens to derail a project to help build Afghanistan`s economy, endangering a key goal of the US strategy to end America`s longest war.

The Indian-backed Chabahar port complex in Iran is being developed as part of a new transportation corridor for land-locked Afghanistan that could potentially open the way for millions of dollars in trade and cut its dependence on Pakistan, its sometimes-hostile neighbour.

Building Afghanistan`s economy would also slash Kabul`s dependence on foreign aid and put a major dent in the illicit opium trade, the Taliban`s main revenue source.

But Trump`s decision to re-impose sanctions on Iran and penalize financial institutions for doing business with Tehran is clouding Chabahar`s viability as banks, nervous they could be hit with crippling penalties, pull back from financing.

"President Trump`s decision has brought us back to the drawing board and we will have to renegotiate terms and conditions on using Chabahar," a senior Indian diplomat said. "It is a route that can change the way India-Iran-Afghanistan do business, but for now everything is in a state of uncertainty."

The White House did not respond to requests for comment.

Launched in 2016, the joint Iran-India-Afghanistan Chabahar project already was facing holdups. It has yet to see significant traffic apart from some containers of donated wheat from India, and the first shipments of Afghan dried fruit to India are not expected before July.

At least three contracts to build infrastructure at the port now have been delayed, with two Chinese companies and a Finnish group left hanging while bankers seek clarity from Washington before approving guarantees, a person close to the project said.

In addition, Afghan traders, who were hoping for an alternative to Pakistan`s port of Karachi, now find themselves cut off from funding and forced to rely on the traditional hawala money transfer system, which is insufficient on its own to transform an economy. Hawala is a trust-based system commonly used in Afghanistan that involves the movement of funds between agents in different countries.&nbsp

"We know our correspondent banks would not let us pay for imports coming through that port," said a senior executive at one major Afghan lender.

Chabahar is among a number of projects of transport and energy networks projects designed to boost Afghanistan`s trade and lay the foundations for a mining industry capable of exploiting its billions of dollars in untapped mineral reserves.

Bypassing the border with Pakistan, which last year was closed for some 50 days over various disputes, Chabahar is seen as a way for Afghanistan to consolidate its relationships with India and other regional powers.

"The only way to get India more involved" in Afghanistan`s economic development "is through Chabahar," said Barnett Rubin, an expert with New York University`s Center for International Cooperation and a former adviser to the State Department and the United Nations. "Our Iran policy is headed for a train wreck with our Afghanistan policy."

Foreign aid

Some 17 years after the US-led invasion to oust the Taliban from power, Afghanistan remains one of the world`s poorest countries, highly dependent on foreign aid.

Apart from illegal opium exports estimated at some $2 billion by the International Monetary Fund, its main products are dried and fresh fruits, and carpets, none of which amount to more than a fraction of the value of the drugs trade.

Initially, Afghanistan would export agricultural produce – such as pomegranates and grapes - through Chabahar, utilizing a section of a road India paid for and then an extension to the Iranian border that New Delhi built, experts said.

Eventually, those exports could expand to mineral resources, something Trump has expressed an interest in gaining for US firms. For India, this would mean using a planned railroad to Chabahar to export iron ore from two tracts at the Hajigak iron mine in central Afghanistan that it won the rights to exploit, the experts said.

"The economic piece is really important to get a glimmer of hope for Afghanistan to move beyond a land-locked, poppy-based economy. We are now shooting that in the head," said Thomas Lynch, a National Defense University expert and a former US&nbspArmy officer who advised the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff on South Asia policy.

&nbsp"There is no other legitimate and reliable way to do that. You can`t do it by air, you can`t do it through Pakistan because they just extort for everything they do," said Lynch. "The lifeline runs through Chabahar."

In addition, by hindering the development of Chabahar, the United States will leave Afghanistan dependent on Pakistan, historically its main trade partner and outlet to the world.

That would undermine another Trump goal of pressuring Islamabad to shutter Afghan insurgent sanctuaries on its side of the border and force the militants into peace talks.

Afghan officials have lobbied hard for exemptions to the sanctions for Afghan companies operating through Chabahar without success and are waiting for clarity from Washington.

"Now the uncertainty is that we don`t know what`s going to happen with Chabahar," said Atiqullah Nusrat, Chief Executive of the Afghanistan Chamber of Commerce and Industry. "We haven`t heard anything so we have to wait and see what happens."

 
&nbsp

US President Donald Trump's decision to pull out of the Iran nuclear accord and re-impose sanctions on Tehran threatens to derail a project to help build Afghanistan`s economy, endangering a key goal of the US strategy to end America`s longest war

US President Donald Trump`s decision to pull out of the Iran nuclear accord and re-impose sanctions on Tehran threatens to derail a project to help build Afghanistan`s economy, endangering a key goal of the US strategy to end America`s longest war. The Indian-backed Chabahar port complex in Iran is being developed as part of a new transportation corridor for land-locked Afghanistan that could potentially open the way for millions of dollars in trade and cut its dependence on Pakistan, its sometimes-hostile neighbour. Building Afghanistan`s economy would also slash Kabul`s dependence on foreign aid and put a major dent in the illicit opium trade, the Taliban`s main revenue source. But Trump`s decision to re-impose sanctions on Iran and penalize financial institutions for doing business with Tehran is clouding Chabahar`s viability as banks, nervous they could be hit with crippling penalties, pull back from financing. "President Trump`s decision has brought us back to the drawing board and we will have to renegotiate terms and conditions on using Chabahar," a senior Indian diplomat said. "It is a route that can change the way India-Iran-Afghanistan do business, but for now everything is in a state of uncertainty." The White House did not respond to requests for comment. Launched in 2016, the joint Iran-India-Afghanistan Chabahar project already was facing holdups. It has yet to see significant traffic apart from some containers of donated wheat from India, and the first shipments of Afghan dried fruit to India are not expected before July. At least three contracts to build infrastructure at the port now have been delayed, with two Chinese companies and a Finnish group left hanging while bankers seek clarity from Washington before approving guarantees, a person close to the project said. In addition, Afghan traders, who were hoping for an alternative to Pakistan`s port of Karachi, now find themselves cut off from funding and forced to rely on the traditional hawala money transfer system, which is insufficient on its own to transform an economy. Hawala is a trust-based system commonly used in Afghanistan that involves the movement of funds between agents in different countries. "We know our correspondent banks would not let us pay for imports coming through that port," said a senior executive at one major Afghan lender. Chabahar is among a number of projects of transport and energy networks projects designed to boost Afghanistan`s trade and lay the foundations for a mining industry capable of exploiting its billions of dollars in untapped mineral reserves. Bypassing the border with Pakistan, which last year was closed for some 50 days over various disputes, Chabahar is seen as a way for Afghanistan to consolidate its relationships with India and other regional powers. "The only way to get India more involved" in Afghanistan`s economic development "is through Chabahar," said Barnett Rubin, an expert with New York University`s Center for International Cooperation and a former adviser to the State Department and the United Nations. "Our Iran policy is headed for a train wreck with our Afghanistan policy." Foreign aid Some 17 years after the US-led invasion to oust the Taliban from power, Afghanistan remains one of the world`s poorest countries, highly dependent on foreign aid. Apart from illegal opium exports estimated at some $2 billion by the International Monetary Fund, its main products are dried and fresh fruits, and carpets, none of which amount to more than a fraction of the value of the drugs trade. Initially, Afghanistan would export agricultural produce – such as pomegranates and grapes - through Chabahar, utilizing a section of a road India paid for and then an extension to the Iranian border that New Delhi built, experts said. Eventually, those exports could expand to mineral resources, something Trump has expressed an interest in gaining for US firms. For India, this would mean using a planned railroad to Chabahar to export iron ore from two tracts at the Hajigak iron mine in central Afghanistan that it won the rights to exploit, the experts said. "The economic piece is really important to get a glimmer of hope for Afghanistan to move beyond a land-locked, poppy-based economy. We are now shooting that in the head," said Thomas Lynch, a National Defense University expert and a former US&nbspArmy officer who advised the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff on South Asia policy. "There is no other legitimate and reliable way to do that. You can`t do it by air, you can`t do it through Pakistan because they just extort for everything they do," said Lynch. "The lifeline runs through Chabahar." In addition, by hindering the development of Chabahar, the United States will leave Afghanistan dependent on Pakistan, historically its main trade partner and outlet to the world. That would undermine another Trump goal of pressuring Islamabad to shutter Afghan insurgent sanctuaries on its side of the border and force the militants into peace talks. Afghan officials have lobbied hard for exemptions to the sanctions for Afghan companies operating through Chabahar without success and are waiting for clarity from Washington. "Now the uncertainty is that we don`t know what`s going to happen with Chabahar," said Atiqullah Nusrat, Chief Executive of the Afghanistan Chamber of Commerce and Industry. "We haven`t heard anything so we have to wait and see what happens."

US sanctions on Iran threaten vital Afghanistan trade project

Chinese President Xi Jinping urged US counterpart Donald Trump to take Pyongyang's "reasonable security concerns" into consideration, in a phone call Tuesday hours after Xi met North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.

Xi told Trump that he supports the planned meeting between the US and North Korean leaders, according to Chinese state broadcaster CCTV.

The Chinees president "hopes the US and North Korea can work together, build mutual trust" and "consider North Korea's reasonable security concerns," the report said.

The North has long demanded the withdrawal of US troops from the peninsula and an end to its nuclear umbrella over South Korea.

Trump said last week that he was not envisaging a drawdown of troops in South Korea for now, but he admitted it was a possibility in the longer term.

The US said the two leaders agreed to keep economic pressure on North Korea. Beijing -- Pyongyang's sole major diplomatic and economic ally -- has backed UN sanctions over North Korea's nuclear programme.

"President Trump and President Xi agreed on the importance of continued implementation of sanctions on North Korea until it permanently dismantles its nuclear and missile programmes," the White House said in a statement.

Xi and Kim met on Monday and Tuesday in the northeastern Chinese port city of Dalian, the North Korean leader's second trip to China in six weeks as the two countries seek to bolster frayed ties.

The meeting came as Kim is expected to meet with Trump in June, possibly in Singapore.

"China is willing to continue playing a positive role for the realisation of denuclearisation of the Peninsula and long-term peace and security of the region," Xi told Trump.

Xi and Trump also discussed trade frictions.

"The economy and trade has always been the ballast and propellor of the China-US relationship," Xi said.

US and Chinese official held talks in Beijing last week, but no breakthroughs were announced.

Xi described the discussions as "frank, efficient and constructive".

"Both sides can maintain communication and strive to find a way to appropriately resolve the existing issues and obtain mutually beneficial win-win results," he was quoted as saying.

Xi told Trump that he supports the planned meeting between the US and North Korean leaders, according to Chinese state broadcaster CCTV

Chinese President Xi Jinping urged US counterpart Donald Trump to take Pyongyang's "reasonable security concerns" into consideration, in a phone call Tuesday hours after Xi met North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. Xi told Trump that he supports the planned meeting between the US and North Korean leaders, according to Chinese state broadcaster CCTV. The Chinees president "hopes the US and North Korea can work together, build mutual trust" and "consider North Korea's reasonable security concerns," the report said. The North has long demanded the withdrawal of US troops from the peninsula and an end to its nuclear umbrella over South Korea. Trump said last week that he was not envisaging a drawdown of troops in South Korea for now, but he admitted it was a possibility in the longer term. The US said the two leaders agreed to keep economic pressure on North Korea. Beijing -- Pyongyang's sole major diplomatic and economic ally -- has backed UN sanctions over North Korea's nuclear programme. "President Trump and President Xi agreed on the importance of continued implementation of sanctions on North Korea until it permanently dismantles its nuclear and missile programmes," the White House said in a statement. Xi and Kim met on Monday and Tuesday in the northeastern Chinese port city of Dalian, the North Korean leader's second trip to China in six weeks as the two countries seek to bolster frayed ties. The meeting came as Kim is expected to meet with Trump in June, possibly in Singapore. "China is willing to continue playing a positive role for the realisation of denuclearisation of the Peninsula and long-term peace and security of the region," Xi told Trump. Xi and Trump also discussed trade frictions. "The economy and trade has always been the ballast and propellor of the China-US relationship," Xi said. US and Chinese official held talks in Beijing last week, but no breakthroughs were announced. Xi described the discussions as "frank, efficient and constructive". "Both sides can maintain communication and strive to find a way to appropriately resolve the existing issues and obtain mutually beneficial win-win results," he was quoted as saying.

Xi urges Trump to consider North Korea's 'reasonable security concerns': State media

US President Donald Trump on Monday congratulated his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin on <a href="http://www.wionews.com/videos/wion-dispatch--vladimir-putin-takes-oath-for-the-fourth-term-as-russian-president-135243">his inauguration for another six-year term</a>, the White House said.

"The president congratulates him and looks forward to a time when we can hopefully have a good relationship with Russia. However, the United States believes that everyone has a right to be heard and assemble peacefully," White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders told reporters at her daily news conference yesterday.

President Vladimir Putin travelled to his inauguration on Monday for a new six-year term in a Russian-made limousine, ditching his old stretch Mercedes to send a patriotic message of self-sufficiency amid increased tensions with the West.

Putin, in power since 2000, wants Russia to reduce its dependence on imported goods and technology, a drive that has gathered pace since Russia was hit by Western sanctions.

Some guests broke into applause at the sight of the car conveying Putin the short distance from his office to the Kremlin hall for the inauguration, Russian news agencies said.

Putin's fourth term comes after he won the presidential election in March, capturing 76 per cent votes. Government members, State Duma deputies and senators, heads of the presidential administration, judges of the Constitutional Court, the diplomatic corps and other officials are obligatorily present at the ceremony.&nbsp;

Soon after the inauguration ceremony, the Kremlin issued a statement saying that Putin had nominated <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/putin-sworn-in-as-russia-president-for-new-term-sticks-with-old-prime-minister-135245">Dmitry Medvedev to be prime minister </a>in his new term. Medvedev, a loyal Putin lieutenant, has held the job since 2012.

Some Kremlin-watchers had speculated Putin might bring in a fresh face as prime minister to kick-start reforms of the sluggish economy and revive foreign investment curtailed by stand-offs with the West.

By choosing Medvedev - seen by people close to the Russian elite as a safe pair of hands whose chief quality is loyalty to his boss - Putin indicated he favoured continuity. 
&nbsp;

President Vladimir Putin travelled to his inauguration on Monday for a new six-year term in a Russian-made limousine, ditching his old stretch Mercedes

US President Donald Trump on Monday congratulated his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin on his inauguration for another six-year term, the White House said. "The president congratulates him and looks forward to a time when we can hopefully have a good relationship with Russia. However, the United States believes that everyone has a right to be heard and assemble peacefully," White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders told reporters at her daily news conference yesterday. President Vladimir Putin travelled to his inauguration on Monday for a new six-year term in a Russian-made limousine, ditching his old stretch Mercedes to send a patriotic message of self-sufficiency amid increased tensions with the West. Putin, in power since 2000, wants Russia to reduce its dependence on imported goods and technology, a drive that has gathered pace since Russia was hit by Western sanctions. Some guests broke into applause at the sight of the car conveying Putin the short distance from his office to the Kremlin hall for the inauguration, Russian news agencies said. Putin's fourth term comes after he won the presidential election in March, capturing 76 per cent votes. Government members, State Duma deputies and senators, heads of the presidential administration, judges of the Constitutional Court, the diplomatic corps and other officials are obligatorily present at the ceremony. Soon after the inauguration ceremony, the Kremlin issued a statement saying that Putin had nominated Dmitry Medvedev to be prime minister in his new term. Medvedev, a loyal Putin lieutenant, has held the job since 2012. Some Kremlin-watchers had speculated Putin might bring in a fresh face as prime minister to kick-start reforms of the sluggish economy and revive foreign investment curtailed by stand-offs with the West. By choosing Medvedev - seen by people close to the Russian elite as a safe pair of hands whose chief quality is loyalty to his boss - Putin indicated he favoured continuity.

Donald Trump congratulates Vladimir Putin on inauguration, hopes for good friendship with Russia

Iran's President Hassan Rouhani staked his legacy on efforts to end decades of tension with the West. With the landmark nuclear deal unravelling, what hope is there for his political future?

Regardless of whether US President Donald Trump tears up the 2015 nuclear deal that was the centrepiece of Rouhani's diplomatic efforts, it is clear that the traditional animosity between the US and Iran has returned for the foreseeable future.

"Rouhani bet big on the nuclear deal and invested all his political capital in it," said Mojtaba Mousavi, a political analyst in Tehran.&nbsp

"Now the deal is gasping its last breaths, and so Rouhani is losing everything -- all his economic and political plans -- that he built on the back of the nuclear deal," Mousavi told AFP.&nbsp

A boon for conservatives

From the start, Rouhani's conservative opponents were deeply suspicious of his negotiations with Washington, and their fears were borne out when it became clear that US pressure would continue to hobble Iran's trade ties even after the 2015 deal.

With his constant threats to tear up the accord, Trump has ensured the world stays wary of doing business with Iran.

"The uncertainty around the JCPOA (nuclear deal) is a victory for the conservatives who feed off the hostility of US foreign policy to reinforce internal repression and limit the reach of the Islamic republic's elected institutions," said Clement Therme, an Iran expert with Britain's International Institute for Strategic Studies.&nbsp

Behind-the-scenes conservative forces have made their presence felt in recent months, with sweeping arrests of dual nationals and NGO workers on espionage charges, the blocking of Iran's most popular social media app Telegram, and pressure on high-profile reformers that forced the resignation of Tehran's mayor and a top environmental official.

Rouhani has overseen a moderate easing of social restrictions, but in Iran the presidency is only one of many power centres.&nbsp

He faces powerful conservative forces embedded in the clergy, the judiciary and a Guardian Council with veto power over laws and election candidates, not to mention the over-riding authority of the supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

"Rouhani has totally flunked on all his promises, but he has doubled down on the reform rhetoric recently, trying to maintain his popular base and finger-pointing at the conservatives," said Ardavan Amir-Aslani, an author and international lawyer with an office in Tehran.

"But opening a few new cafes and letting women push their headscarves back a few inches are not the fundamental reforms that Iran needs," he added.

Need for unity

What may save Rouhani from being completely sidelined is the establishment's fear of a greater unravelling.&nbsp

Protests in December and January showed that anger over the economy and civil liberties was much wider spread than in the past, affecting dozens of second-tier towns and cities.&nbsp

"I think the leader (Khamenei) is still trying to help Rouhani. Protecting the prosperity and unity of the country is his top priority, especially in this tough situation," said Mousavi.&nbsp

Rouhani won a second term as president a year ago, with the backing of reformists who saw him as the best option from the small selection allowed to stand by the Guardian Council.&nbsp

There were never any illusions that he was a radical reformer -- he has been a regime insider from the earliest days of the Islamic revolution -- but many were still disappointed when his promises of reform fell flat.&nbsp

"Some of the criticism is unfair. Rouhani has done great things. There is more openness, less morality police, journalists are somewhat freer," said a reformist journalist, who asked to remain anonymous.

"But he is ultimately a man of the system and wants to remain one. His identity is tied up with being part of the system -- if he denies it, he denies himself."

For now, Rouhani has stuck to his guns, strongly criticising the censorship of social media and slamming officials for failing to respond effectively to popular anger.&nbsp

But he faces a difficult challenge, having to respond to Trump without derailing his wider diplomatic efforts.&nbsp

"The smart move would be to wait out the end of Trump's mandate, stay in the nuclear deal and build up something with the Europeans, however limited. Wait until this blows over," said Amir-Aslani.

"That's what they should do -- but we'll see."

Regardless of whether US President Donald Trump tears up the 2015 nuclear deal that was the centrepiece of Rouhani's diplomatic efforts, it is clear that the traditional animosity between the US and Iran has returned for the foreseeable future

Iran's President Hassan Rouhani staked his legacy on efforts to end decades of tension with the West. With the landmark nuclear deal unravelling, what hope is there for his political future? Regardless of whether US President Donald Trump tears up the 2015 nuclear deal that was the centrepiece of Rouhani's diplomatic efforts, it is clear that the traditional animosity between the US and Iran has returned for the foreseeable future. "Rouhani bet big on the nuclear deal and invested all his political capital in it," said Mojtaba Mousavi, a political analyst in Tehran. "Now the deal is gasping its last breaths, and so Rouhani is losing everything -- all his economic and political plans -- that he built on the back of the nuclear deal," Mousavi told AFP. A boon for conservatives From the start, Rouhani's conservative opponents were deeply suspicious of his negotiations with Washington, and their fears were borne out when it became clear that US pressure would continue to hobble Iran's trade ties even after the 2015 deal. With his constant threats to tear up the accord, Trump has ensured the world stays wary of doing business with Iran. "The uncertainty around the JCPOA (nuclear deal) is a victory for the conservatives who feed off the hostility of US foreign policy to reinforce internal repression and limit the reach of the Islamic republic's elected institutions," said Clement Therme, an Iran expert with Britain's International Institute for Strategic Studies. Behind-the-scenes conservative forces have made their presence felt in recent months, with sweeping arrests of dual nationals and NGO workers on espionage charges, the blocking of Iran's most popular social media app Telegram, and pressure on high-profile reformers that forced the resignation of Tehran's mayor and a top environmental official. Rouhani has overseen a moderate easing of social restrictions, but in Iran the presidency is only one of many power centres. He faces powerful conservative forces embedded in the clergy, the judiciary and a Guardian Council with veto power over laws and election candidates, not to mention the over-riding authority of the supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. "Rouhani has totally flunked on all his promises, but he has doubled down on the reform rhetoric recently, trying to maintain his popular base and finger-pointing at the conservatives," said Ardavan Amir-Aslani, an author and international lawyer with an office in Tehran. "But opening a few new cafes and letting women push their headscarves back a few inches are not the fundamental reforms that Iran needs," he added. Need for unity What may save Rouhani from being completely sidelined is the establishment's fear of a greater unravelling. Protests in December and January showed that anger over the economy and civil liberties was much wider spread than in the past, affecting dozens of second-tier towns and cities. "I think the leader (Khamenei) is still trying to help Rouhani. Protecting the prosperity and unity of the country is his top priority, especially in this tough situation," said Mousavi. Rouhani won a second term as president a year ago, with the backing of reformists who saw him as the best option from the small selection allowed to stand by the Guardian Council. There were never any illusions that he was a radical reformer -- he has been a regime insider from the earliest days of the Islamic revolution -- but many were still disappointed when his promises of reform fell flat. "Some of the criticism is unfair. Rouhani has done great things. There is more openness, less morality police, journalists are somewhat freer," said a reformist journalist, who asked to remain anonymous. "But he is ultimately a man of the system and wants to remain one. His identity is tied up with being part of the system -- if he denies it, he denies himself." For now, Rouhani has stuck to his guns, strongly criticising the censorship of social media and slamming officials for failing to respond effectively to popular anger. But he faces a difficult challenge, having to respond to Trump without derailing his wider diplomatic efforts. "The smart move would be to wait out the end of Trump's mandate, stay in the nuclear deal and build up something with the Europeans, however limited. Wait until this blows over," said Amir-Aslani. "That's what they should do -- but we'll see."

Iran's Rouhani 'losing everything' due to Trump

Iran's foreign minister said on Thursday US&nbspdemands to change its 2015 nuclear agreement with world powers were unacceptable as a deadline set by President Donald Trump for Europeans to "fix" the deal loomed.

Trump has warned that unless European allies rectify the "terrible flaws" in the international accord by May 12, he will refuse to extend US&nbspsanctions relief for the oil-producing Islamic Republic.

Also read: <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/trump-has-all-but-decided-to-withdraw-from-iran-nuclear-deal-sources-134344">Trump has all but decided to withdraw from Iran nuclear deal, say sources</a>

"Iran will not renegotiate what was agreed years ago and has been implemented," Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said in a video message posted on YouTube.

Britain, France and Germany remain committed to the accord as is, but now, in efforts to keep Washington in it, want to open talks on Iran's ballistic missile programme, its nuclear activities beyond 2025 - when key provisions of the deal expire - and its role in Middle East crises such as Syria and Yemen.

A senior adviser to Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei also warned Europeans on Thursday over "revising" the nuclear deal, under which Iran strictly limited its enrichment of uranium to help allay fears this could be put to producing atomic bomb material, and won major sanctions relief in return.

"Even if US&nbspallies, especially the Europeans, try to revise the deal..., one of our options will be withdrawing from it," state television quoted Ali Akbar Velayati as saying.

The European signatories to the deal have been trying to persuade Trump to save the pact, reached under his predecessor Barack Obama. They argue it is crucial to forestalling a destabilising Middle East arms race and that Iran has been abiding by its terms, a position also taken by US&nbspintelligence assessments and the U.N. nuclear watchdog agency.

Zarif said: "Let me make it absolutely clear and once and for all: we will neither outsource our security nor will we renegotiate or add onto a deal we have already implemented in good faith."

Referring to Trump's past as a property magnate, Zarif added, "To put it in real estate terms, when you buy a house and move your family in, or demolish it to build a skyscraper, you cannot come back two years later and renegotiate the price."

Defying Western demands, Iran has repeatedly said it has no intention of reducing its imprint in Middle East affairs and its missile capabilities, which it has said are defensive in nature and have nothing to with nuclear activity covered by the deal.

"It now appears that ... some Europeans have been offering more concessions from our pocket," Zarif said. "This appeasement (of Trump) entails a new deal that would include matters we all decided to exclude at the outset of our negotiations."

Zarif, speaking in English in the YouTube video, said the United States had "consistently violated the nuclear deal, particularly by bullying others to prevent businesses from returning to Iran".

Major European banks and businesses continue to shun the Islamic Republic for fear of falling foul of remaining U.S. sanctions, hampering Iran's efforts to rebuild foreign trade and lure much-needed foreign investment to its economy.

'Iran will not renegotiate what was agreed years ago and has been implemented,' Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said in a video message posted on YouTube

Iran's foreign minister said on Thursday US&nbspdemands to change its 2015 nuclear agreement with world powers were unacceptable as a deadline set by President Donald Trump for Europeans to "fix" the deal loomed. Trump has warned that unless European allies rectify the "terrible flaws" in the international accord by May 12, he will refuse to extend US&nbspsanctions relief for the oil-producing Islamic Republic. Also read: Trump has all but decided to withdraw from Iran nuclear deal, say sources "Iran will not renegotiate what was agreed years ago and has been implemented," Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said in a video message posted on YouTube. Britain, France and Germany remain committed to the accord as is, but now, in efforts to keep Washington in it, want to open talks on Iran's ballistic missile programme, its nuclear activities beyond 2025 - when key provisions of the deal expire - and its role in Middle East crises such as Syria and Yemen. A senior adviser to Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei also warned Europeans on Thursday over "revising" the nuclear deal, under which Iran strictly limited its enrichment of uranium to help allay fears this could be put to producing atomic bomb material, and won major sanctions relief in return. "Even if US&nbspallies, especially the Europeans, try to revise the deal..., one of our options will be withdrawing from it," state television quoted Ali Akbar Velayati as saying. The European signatories to the deal have been trying to persuade Trump to save the pact, reached under his predecessor Barack Obama. They argue it is crucial to forestalling a destabilising Middle East arms race and that Iran has been abiding by its terms, a position also taken by US&nbspintelligence assessments and the U.N. nuclear watchdog agency. Zarif said: "Let me make it absolutely clear and once and for all: we will neither outsource our security nor will we renegotiate or add onto a deal we have already implemented in good faith." Referring to Trump's past as a property magnate, Zarif added, "To put it in real estate terms, when you buy a house and move your family in, or demolish it to build a skyscraper, you cannot come back two years later and renegotiate the price." Defying Western demands, Iran has repeatedly said it has no intention of reducing its imprint in Middle East affairs and its missile capabilities, which it has said are defensive in nature and have nothing to with nuclear activity covered by the deal. "It now appears that ... some Europeans have been offering more concessions from our pocket," Zarif said. "This appeasement (of Trump) entails a new deal that would include matters we all decided to exclude at the outset of our negotiations." Zarif, speaking in English in the YouTube video, said the United States had "consistently violated the nuclear deal, particularly by bullying others to prevent businesses from returning to Iran". Major European banks and businesses continue to shun the Islamic Republic for fear of falling foul of remaining U.S. sanctions, hampering Iran's efforts to rebuild foreign trade and lure much-needed foreign investment to its economy.

Iran says will not renegotiate nuclear deal, warns against changes

The UN's nuclear watchdog said Tuesday that it had "no credible indications" of an Iranian nuclear weapons programme.&nbsp;

The IAEA added that "its consideration of this issue was closed". &nbsp;&nbsp;

The statement from the International Atomic Energy Agency came a day after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu offered "new proof" of a secret Iranian nuclear weapons programme, and as US President Donald Trump mulls over the prospect of pulling out of the 2015 nuclear deal signed between six Western powers and Iran.&nbsp;

Iran has since called Netanyahu an "<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/iran-netanyahu-an-infamous-liar-comments-aimed-to-influence-trump---134057">infamous liar</a>", saying Netanyahu's proof is nothing more than old news.&nbsp;

Iran added that Netanyahu's only aim is to influence Trump.&nbsp;

Iran says, and has always said, that it is not trying to build nuclear weapons. In 2015, it agreed to curb its nuclear energy programme in exchange for the lifting of sanctions.&nbsp;

US President Donald Trump however has for the longest time threatened to pull out of the Obama-era deal, saying it is "the worst deal ever".&nbsp;

Trump has repeatedly accused Iran of flouting the agreement.&nbsp;

He has also said that the deal's "sunset clauses" — which would see restrictions on Iran's nuclear enrichment program lifted after 2025 — are unacceptable. And he has accused Iran of not halting its ballistic missile program. 
&nbsp;

The UN's nuclear watchdog added that 'its consideration of this issue was closed'. The statement from the IAEA came a day after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu offered 'new proof' of a secret Iranian nuclear weapons programme

The UN's nuclear watchdog said Tuesday that it had "no credible indications" of an Iranian nuclear weapons programme. The IAEA added that "its consideration of this issue was closed". The statement from the International Atomic Energy Agency came a day after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu offered "new proof" of a secret Iranian nuclear weapons programme, and as US President Donald Trump mulls over the prospect of pulling out of the 2015 nuclear deal signed between six Western powers and Iran. Iran has since called Netanyahu an "infamous liar", saying Netanyahu's proof is nothing more than old news. Iran added that Netanyahu's only aim is to influence Trump. Iran says, and has always said, that it is not trying to build nuclear weapons. In 2015, it agreed to curb its nuclear energy programme in exchange for the lifting of sanctions. US President Donald Trump however has for the longest time threatened to pull out of the Obama-era deal, saying it is "the worst deal ever". Trump has repeatedly accused Iran of flouting the agreement. He has also said that the deal's "sunset clauses" — which would see restrictions on Iran's nuclear enrichment program lifted after 2025 — are unacceptable. And he has accused Iran of not halting its ballistic missile program.

'No credible indications' of Iranian nuclear weapons programme: IAEA

US&nbsp;President Donald Trump hurled a new set of insults on James Comey on Sunday, challenging accusations the former FBI director makes in a tell-all book that is due for release this week, and insisting that he never pressed Comey to be loyal to him.

"Slippery James Comey, a man who always ends up badly and out of whack (he is not smart!), will go down as the WORST FBI Director in history, by far!" Trump wrote in one of five Twitter posts aimed directly at the fired FBI chief.

The renewed attacks by Trump came as ABC News was set to air an interview with Comey at 0200 GMT Monday&nbsp;in which he discusses his book, "A Higher Loyalty."

Trump fired Comey last May, setting off a firestorm, as the Federal Bureau of Investigation was probing possible connections between Trump's 2016 presidential campaign and Russia's meddling in the American elections.

Russia has denied interfering in the election and Trump has denied any collusion or improper activity.

Reuters and other news outlets have obtained copies of Comey's book before its formal release this week. In it, Comey wrote that Trump, in a private meeting, pressed the then-FBI director for his loyalty.

The FBI has long tried to operate as an independent law enforcement agency.

"I never asked Comey for Personal Loyalty. I hardly even knew this guy. Just another of his many lies. His “memos” are self serving and FAKE!" Trump said on Twitter.

US&nbsp;House of Representatives Speaker Paul Ryan, interviewed on NBC's "Meet the Press," expressed qualified support for Comey. Ryan, asked whether Comey was a man of integrity, said, "As far as I know" but added that he did not know him well.

Asked about Trump's use of the words last week "slime ball" to describe Comey, Ryan said, "I don't use words like that."

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Slippery James Comey, a man who always ends up badly and out of whack (he is not smart!), will go down as the WORST FBI Director in history, by far!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/985504808646971392?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 15, 2018</a></blockquote>
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The renewed attacks by Trump came as ABC News was set to air an interview with Comey in which he discusses his book 'A Higher Loyalty'

US President Donald Trump hurled a new set of insults on James Comey on Sunday, challenging accusations the former FBI director makes in a tell-all book that is due for release this week, and insisting that he never pressed Comey to be loyal to him. "Slippery James Comey, a man who always ends up badly and out of whack (he is not smart!), will go down as the WORST FBI Director in history, by far!" Trump wrote in one of five Twitter posts aimed directly at the fired FBI chief. The renewed attacks by Trump came as ABC News was set to air an interview with Comey at 0200 GMT Monday in which he discusses his book, "A Higher Loyalty." Trump fired Comey last May, setting off a firestorm, as the Federal Bureau of Investigation was probing possible connections between Trump's 2016 presidential campaign and Russia's meddling in the American elections. Russia has denied interfering in the election and Trump has denied any collusion or improper activity. Reuters and other news outlets have obtained copies of Comey's book before its formal release this week. In it, Comey wrote that Trump, in a private meeting, pressed the then-FBI director for his loyalty. The FBI has long tried to operate as an independent law enforcement agency. "I never asked Comey for Personal Loyalty. I hardly even knew this guy. Just another of his many lies. His “memos” are self serving and FAKE!" Trump said on Twitter. US House of Representatives Speaker Paul Ryan, interviewed on NBC's "Meet the Press," expressed qualified support for Comey. Ryan, asked whether Comey was a man of integrity, said, "As far as I know" but added that he did not know him well. Asked about Trump's use of the words last week "slime ball" to describe Comey, Ryan said, "I don't use words like that." Slippery James Comey, a man who always ends up badly and out of whack (he is not smart!), will go down as the WORST FBI Director in history, by far! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) April 15, 2018 ×

'WORST FBI Director in history, by far!' Trump launches fresh tweetstorm against Comey

On Tuesday, the same day that US President Donald Trump announced his intention to deploy the military to help patrol the US-Mexico border, Edwin Valdez and four other Central American migrants were walking through dense brush at a south Texas wildlife reserve, hoping to escape notice.&nbsp;

The men had illegally crossed into the United States that morning, guided by a smuggler who had since abandoned them. Now they were lost and uncertain how to proceed.&nbsp;

In vehicles nearby, US Border Patrol agents had been alerted to migrants moving through the area, and after detecting movement in the bushes, they swooped in to arrest the men.&nbsp;

It was business as usual in the Rio Grande Valley, one of the busiest crossing points for migrants trying to enter the United States illegally.&nbsp;

In just a few hours that morning, 61 migrants, including Valdez, were rounded up in the area. Ten, including four from China, were caught with the help of a tracking dog in a sugar cane field. Two Hondurans were taken into custody at a public park.&nbsp;

Several of those caught said they were unfazed by tough talk from Trump, who has made headlines around the world with tweets railing about border security and threatening to end the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) unless Mexico does more to "stop the big drug and people flows."

Trump's renewed frustration about border security, rekindled over the weekend by news of a "caravan" of Central American migrants moving through Mexico toward the US border, reflects the broader frustration of his administration.&nbsp;

In the months after Trump took office, the number of migrants caught along the US-Mexico border fell dramatically, hitting a low of about 15,700 in April, from more than 42,400 in January 2017, US Customs and Border Protection data shows.

But arrests have crept back up since, and in the first months of 2018 have reached levels at, or near, those seen during the last year of his predecessor, President Barack Obama.

Rising arrests of families and unaccompanied minors along the border are a particular concern.

In March, their numbers surpassed the previous three years and "rivaled fiscal year 2014, when we had a crisis," Manuel Padilla, chief of the border patrol`s Rio Grande Valley sector, said in an interview.

He said about families with children, who are more difficult to deport quickly, form about 49 per cent of the current apprehensions in his region. He said they often walk up to the first US officials they find to ask for help.&nbsp;

"It doesn`t matter how many agents are out there," when it comes to families, he said, "because this population is turning themselves in."

Valdez, 20, who worked as an electrician's assistant in his home country of El Salvador, said he previously tried to cross the border illegally in 2016.

But he was picked up by border patrol officers after wandering lost and dehydrated in the desert for four days. After six months in detention, he was deported last year but decided to travel north again after gangs threatened him at his job.&nbsp;

While crossing has become more and more difficult in recent years, Valdez said, need is a powerful spur.

"Necessity forces people to leave their countries so they can bring a better life to their families," he said.&nbsp;

"That`s why people are willing to suffer through all this."

After his arrest on Monday, Valdez put his personal belongings in a plastic bag, removed his shoelaces and was searched by the agents who arrested him. Then he and his companions were taken to a processing facility.

People who have been previously deported can often be quickly sent home.&nbsp;

Immigrants travelling with small children when caught often spend only a few days in custody, however, because of a shortage of detention facilities suitable for families and court settlements that preclude prolonged detention of minors.&nbsp;

In the Rio Grande Valley, parents are often released with electronic ankle monitors and ordered to appear with their children in court on a specific date for deportation proceedings. Trump has railed against the practice, which he calls "catch and release."&nbsp;

For migrants like Jose Romero, 27, who made the harrowing days-long trip through Mexico with his 8-year-old daughter in the back of a dark cargo truck, threats from the president are a little deterrent.

In his mountain home in Honduras, Romero made just $4 a day as a farm labourer, not enough to feed his family of five, he said. After his arrest and subsequent release to wait court proceedings, he said he doubted if migrants can be deterred.

"They will keep coming," he said, because of violence and poverty south of the border. "The people are afraid."

It is still business as usual in the Rio Grande Valley, one of the busiest crossing points for migrants trying to enter the United States illegally

On Tuesday, the same day that US President Donald Trump announced his intention to deploy the military to help patrol the US-Mexico border, Edwin Valdez and four other Central American migrants were walking through dense brush at a south Texas wildlife reserve, hoping to escape notice. The men had illegally crossed into the United States that morning, guided by a smuggler who had since abandoned them. Now they were lost and uncertain how to proceed. In vehicles nearby, US Border Patrol agents had been alerted to migrants moving through the area, and after detecting movement in the bushes, they swooped in to arrest the men. It was business as usual in the Rio Grande Valley, one of the busiest crossing points for migrants trying to enter the United States illegally. In just a few hours that morning, 61 migrants, including Valdez, were rounded up in the area. Ten, including four from China, were caught with the help of a tracking dog in a sugar cane field. Two Hondurans were taken into custody at a public park. Several of those caught said they were unfazed by tough talk from Trump, who has made headlines around the world with tweets railing about border security and threatening to end the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) unless Mexico does more to "stop the big drug and people flows." Trump's renewed frustration about border security, rekindled over the weekend by news of a "caravan" of Central American migrants moving through Mexico toward the US border, reflects the broader frustration of his administration. In the months after Trump took office, the number of migrants caught along the US-Mexico border fell dramatically, hitting a low of about 15,700 in April, from more than 42,400 in January 2017, US Customs and Border Protection data shows. But arrests have crept back up since, and in the first months of 2018 have reached levels at, or near, those seen during the last year of his predecessor, President Barack Obama. Rising arrests of families and unaccompanied minors along the border are a particular concern. In March, their numbers surpassed the previous three years and "rivaled fiscal year 2014, when we had a crisis," Manuel Padilla, chief of the border patrol`s Rio Grande Valley sector, said in an interview. He said about families with children, who are more difficult to deport quickly, form about 49 per cent of the current apprehensions in his region. He said they often walk up to the first US officials they find to ask for help. "It doesn`t matter how many agents are out there," when it comes to families, he said, "because this population is turning themselves in." Valdez, 20, who worked as an electrician's assistant in his home country of El Salvador, said he previously tried to cross the border illegally in 2016. But he was picked up by border patrol officers after wandering lost and dehydrated in the desert for four days. After six months in detention, he was deported last year but decided to travel north again after gangs threatened him at his job. While crossing has become more and more difficult in recent years, Valdez said, need is a powerful spur. "Necessity forces people to leave their countries so they can bring a better life to their families," he said. "That`s why people are willing to suffer through all this." After his arrest on Monday, Valdez put his personal belongings in a plastic bag, removed his shoelaces and was searched by the agents who arrested him. Then he and his companions were taken to a processing facility. People who have been previously deported can often be quickly sent home. Immigrants travelling with small children when caught often spend only a few days in custody, however, because of a shortage of detention facilities suitable for families and court settlements that preclude prolonged detention of minors. In the Rio Grande Valley, parents are often released with electronic ankle monitors and ordered to appear with their children in court on a specific date for deportation proceedings. Trump has railed against the practice, which he calls "catch and release." For migrants like Jose Romero, 27, who made the harrowing days-long trip through Mexico with his 8-year-old daughter in the back of a dark cargo truck, threats from the president are a little deterrent. In his mountain home in Honduras, Romero made just $4 a day as a farm labourer, not enough to feed his family of five, he said. After his arrest and subsequent release to wait court proceedings, he said he doubted if migrants can be deterred. "They will keep coming," he said, because of violence and poverty south of the border. "The people are afraid."

Migrants at US-Mexico border say Trump's tough talk won't deter them

Domestic equities took a beating Friday amid global selloff after US President Donald Trump imposed $ 60 billion tariffs on Chinese imports -- a move that has fuelled fears of a global trade war.

The BSE Sensex plunged below the 33,000-level, plummeting 471.44 points, or 1.42 per cent, to 32,534.83. The gauge had lost 129.91 points in the previous session.

The NSE Nifty too cracked below the crucial 10,000 mark by diving 153.45 points, or 1.51 per cent, to 9,961.30.

All the sectoral indices, led by metal, realty, banking and capital goods stocks, were trading in the red, falling up to 2.77 per cent.

Top laggards were Yes Bank, Tata Steel, ICICI Bank, SBI, Bajaj Auto, Axis Bank, Tata Motors, Hero MotoCorp and L&amp;T, falling by up to 3.08 per cent.

Investor sentiment turned extremely bearish, in line with sharp losses on the Wall Street and Asian markets, on growing fears of a global trade war after Donald Trump imposed tariffs on Chinese imports and Beijing drawing up a list of retaliatory measures, brokers said.

Meanwhile, foreign portfolio investors (FPIs) continued selling on domestic bourses. On a net basis, they sold shares worth Rs 1,065.99 crore, while domestic institutional investors (DIIs) made purchases to the tune of Rs 1,127.78 crore on Friday, provisional data showed.

In Asia, Japan&#39;s Nikkei fell 3.54 per cent, Hong Kong&#39;s Hang Seng down 2.78 per cent in early deals. The Shanghai Composite index dropped by 3.06 per cent. 
The US Dow Jones Industrial Average ended 2.93 per cent lower yesterday.

Domestic equities took a beating Friday amid global selloff after US President Donald Trump imposed $ 60 billion tariffs on Chinese imports -- a move that has fuelled fears of a global trade war

Domestic equities took a beating Friday amid global selloff after US President Donald Trump imposed $ 60 billion tariffs on Chinese imports -- a move that has fuelled fears of a global trade war. The BSE Sensex plunged below the 33,000-level, plummeting 471.44 points, or 1.42 per cent, to 32,534.83. The gauge had lost 129.91 points in the previous session. The NSE Nifty too cracked below the crucial 10,000 mark by diving 153.45 points, or 1.51 per cent, to 9,961.30. All the sectoral indices, led by metal, realty, banking and capital goods stocks, were trading in the red, falling up to 2.77 per cent. Top laggards were Yes Bank, Tata Steel, ICICI Bank, SBI, Bajaj Auto, Axis Bank, Tata Motors, Hero MotoCorp and L&T, falling by up to 3.08 per cent. Investor sentiment turned extremely bearish, in line with sharp losses on the Wall Street and Asian markets, on growing fears of a global trade war after Donald Trump imposed tariffs on Chinese imports and Beijing drawing up a list of retaliatory measures, brokers said. Meanwhile, foreign portfolio investors (FPIs) continued selling on domestic bourses. On a net basis, they sold shares worth Rs 1,065.99 crore, while domestic institutional investors (DIIs) made purchases to the tune of Rs 1,127.78 crore on Friday, provisional data showed. In Asia, Japan's Nikkei fell 3.54 per cent, Hong Kong's Hang Seng down 2.78 per cent in early deals. The Shanghai Composite index dropped by 3.06 per cent. The US Dow Jones Industrial Average ended 2.93 per cent lower yesterday.

Sensex plunges over 400 points, Nifty cracks below 10,000

British privacy regulators are seeking a warrant to search the offices of the political consultancy Cambridge Analytica late Monday following reports that the company may have <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/facebook-suspends-trump-campaign-data-firm-cambridge-analytica-36332" target="_blank">improperly gained access</a> to data on 50 million Facebook users, according to a Channel 4 television report.

The move came as U.S. and European lawmakers demanded an explanation of how the consulting firm, which worked on President Donald Trump&#39;s election campaign, gained access to the data. In the U.S., members of Congress called on Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg to testify about Facebook&#39;s actions.&nbsp;

Facebook said on Monday it had hired forensic auditors from the firm Stroz Friedberg to investigate and determine whether Cambridge Analytica still had the data.

&quot;Auditors from Stroz Friedberg were on site at Cambridge Analytic&#39;s London office this evening,&quot; the company said in a statement late Monday. &quot;At the request of the UK Information Commissioner&rsquo;s Office, which has announced it is pursuing a warrant to conduct its own on-site investigation, the Stroz Friedberg auditors stood down.&quot;

Facebook shares closed down nearly 7.0 percent on Monday, wiping nearly $40 billion off its market value as investors worried that new legislation could damage the company&#39;s advertising business.

&quot;The lid is being opened on the black box of Facebook data practices, and the picture is not pretty,&quot; said Frank Passable, a University of Maryland law professor who has written about Silicon Valley&#39;s use of data.

Also on Monday, a source said that Facebook head of security, Alex Stamos, plans to leave the company over disagreements about the company&#39;s policies on misinformation. He had been a strong advocate for an aggressive approach to alleged Russian activity on the platform aimed at manipulating elections. His departure was first reported by the New York Times. Facebook declined immediate comment.

In a tweet, Stamos did not deny he was leaving but said: &quot;Despite the rumours, I&#39;m still fully engaged with my work at Facebook. It&#39;s true that my role did change.&quot;

The criticism of Cambridge Analytica presents a new threat to Facebook&#39;s reputation, which is already under attack over Russia&#39;s alleged use of Facebook tools to sway U.S. voters with divisive and false news posts before and after the 2016 election.

London-based Cambridge Analytica said it strongly denied the media claims, and that it deleted all Facebook data it obtained from a third-party application in 2014 after learning the information did not adhere to data protection rules.

However, further allegations about the firm&#39;s tactics were reported late Monday by British broadcaster Channel 4 which said it secretly taped interviews with senior Cambridge Analytica executives in which they boasted of their ability to sway elections in countries around the world with digital manipulation and traditional political trickery.

Cambridge Analytica rejected the allegations, saying in a statement that the Channel 4 report &quot;is edited and scripted to grossly misrepresent the nature of those conversations and how the company conducts its business.&quot;

Facebook was already facing calls on Saturday for regulation from the U.S. Congress after the reports in the New York Times and London&#39;s Observer over the weekend.

Republican Senator John Kennedy called on Zuckerberg to testify before Congress, and Democratic Senator Ron Widen sent a letter to Zuckerberg asking about company policies for sharing user data with third parties.

Facebook usually sends lawyers to testify to Congress, or allows trade organizations to represent it and other technology companies in front of lawmakers.

Facebook and other social media companies including Twitter Inc &lt;TWTR.N&gt; and Alphabet Inc&#39;s &lt;GOOGL.O&gt; YouTube have taken voluntary steps to restrict possible foreign interference and combat false news, but they have not been forced by law or regulation to make changes and legislation on the issue has stalled.

Late on Monday, the Connecticut Attorney General said the office will initiate an inquiry into Facebook data policies.

The Senate was expected to move forward on Monday with a bill that would chip away at the internet industry&rsquo;s legal shield, a decades-old law known as Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act, with a bill intended to address online sex trafficking. The measure has already passed the House and is expected to soon become law.

Facebook said on Friday it had learned in 2015 that a Cambridge University psychology professor lied to the company and violated its policies by passing data to Cambridge Analytica from a psychology testing application he had built.

Facebook said it suspended the firms and researchers involved and said the data had been misused but not stolen, because users gave permission.

Facebook shares fell 6.8 percent to $172.56, dragging the U.S. S&amp;P 500 technology sector index &lt;.SPLOTCH&gt; down 2.1 percent and broadly weighing on U.S. equities. Fears of increased regulation also weighed on shares of Twitter, Google parent Alphabet and Snapchat parent Snap Inc &lt;SNAP.N&gt;.

&quot;(Tech companies) are going to get a lot more scrutiny over what data they are collecting and how they are using it,&quot; said Shawn Cruz, senior trading specialist at TD Ameritrade in Chicago.

&#39;VERY CONCERNING&#39;

European officials, who have been more willing to regulate Silicon Valley companies than their U.S. counterparts, were strident in criticism of Facebook.

The revelations about Cambridge Analytica were &quot;horrifying, if confirmed,&quot; said EU Justice Commissioner Vera Jourova. &quot;We don&#39;t want this in the EU and will take all possible legal measures&quot; including stricter rules under the bloc&#39;s General Data Protection Regulation that takes effect in May, she said.

A spokesman for British Prime Minister Theresa May said the allegations were &quot;clearly very concerning.&quot;

The head of the European Parliament said EU lawmakers will investigate possible data misuse, calling the allegations an unacceptable violation of citizens&#39; privacy rights.

Facebook shares closed down nearly 7.0 percent on Monday, wiping nearly $40 billion off its market value as investors worried that new legislation could damage the company's advertising business

British privacy regulators are seeking a warrant to search the offices of the political consultancy Cambridge Analytica late Monday following reports that the company may have improperly gained access to data on 50 million Facebook users, according to a Channel 4 television report. The move came as U.S. and European lawmakers demanded an explanation of how the consulting firm, which worked on President Donald Trump's election campaign, gained access to the data. In the U.S., members of Congress called on Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg to testify about Facebook's actions. Facebook said on Monday it had hired forensic auditors from the firm Stroz Friedberg to investigate and determine whether Cambridge Analytica still had the data. "Auditors from Stroz Friedberg were on site at Cambridge Analytic's London office this evening," the company said in a statement late Monday. "At the request of the UK Information Commissioner’s Office, which has announced it is pursuing a warrant to conduct its own on-site investigation, the Stroz Friedberg auditors stood down." Facebook shares closed down nearly 7.0 percent on Monday, wiping nearly $40 billion off its market value as investors worried that new legislation could damage the company's advertising business. "The lid is being opened on the black box of Facebook data practices, and the picture is not pretty," said Frank Passable, a University of Maryland law professor who has written about Silicon Valley's use of data. Also on Monday, a source said that Facebook head of security, Alex Stamos, plans to leave the company over disagreements about the company's policies on misinformation. He had been a strong advocate for an aggressive approach to alleged Russian activity on the platform aimed at manipulating elections. His departure was first reported by the New York Times. Facebook declined immediate comment. In a tweet, Stamos did not deny he was leaving but said: "Despite the rumours, I'm still fully engaged with my work at Facebook. It's true that my role did change." The criticism of Cambridge Analytica presents a new threat to Facebook's reputation, which is already under attack over Russia's alleged use of Facebook tools to sway U.S. voters with divisive and false news posts before and after the 2016 election. London-based Cambridge Analytica said it strongly denied the media claims, and that it deleted all Facebook data it obtained from a third-party application in 2014 after learning the information did not adhere to data protection rules. However, further allegations about the firm's tactics were reported late Monday by British broadcaster Channel 4 which said it secretly taped interviews with senior Cambridge Analytica executives in which they boasted of their ability to sway elections in countries around the world with digital manipulation and traditional political trickery. Cambridge Analytica rejected the allegations, saying in a statement that the Channel 4 report "is edited and scripted to grossly misrepresent the nature of those conversations and how the company conducts its business." Facebook was already facing calls on Saturday for regulation from the U.S. Congress after the reports in the New York Times and London's Observer over the weekend. Republican Senator John Kennedy called on Zuckerberg to testify before Congress, and Democratic Senator Ron Widen sent a letter to Zuckerberg asking about company policies for sharing user data with third parties. Facebook usually sends lawyers to testify to Congress, or allows trade organizations to represent it and other technology companies in front of lawmakers. Facebook and other social media companies including Twitter Inc <TWTR.N> and Alphabet Inc's <GOOGL.O> YouTube have taken voluntary steps to restrict possible foreign interference and combat false news, but they have not been forced by law or regulation to make changes and legislation on the issue has stalled. Late on Monday, the Connecticut Attorney General said the office will initiate an inquiry into Facebook data policies. The Senate was expected to move forward on Monday with a bill that would chip away at the internet industry’s legal shield, a decades-old law known as Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act, with a bill intended to address online sex trafficking. The measure has already passed the House and is expected to soon become law. Facebook said on Friday it had learned in 2015 that a Cambridge University psychology professor lied to the company and violated its policies by passing data to Cambridge Analytica from a psychology testing application he had built. Facebook said it suspended the firms and researchers involved and said the data had been misused but not stolen, because users gave permission. Facebook shares fell 6.8 percent to $172.56, dragging the U.S. S&P 500 technology sector index <.SPLOTCH> down 2.1 percent and broadly weighing on U.S. equities. Fears of increased regulation also weighed on shares of Twitter, Google parent Alphabet and Snapchat parent Snap Inc <SNAP.N>. "(Tech companies) are going to get a lot more scrutiny over what data they are collecting and how they are using it," said Shawn Cruz, senior trading specialist at TD Ameritrade in Chicago. 'VERY CONCERNING' European officials, who have been more willing to regulate Silicon Valley companies than their U.S. counterparts, were strident in criticism of Facebook. The revelations about Cambridge Analytica were "horrifying, if confirmed," said EU Justice Commissioner Vera Jourova. "We don't want this in the EU and will take all possible legal measures" including stricter rules under the bloc's General Data Protection Regulation that takes effect in May, she said. A spokesman for British Prime Minister Theresa May said the allegations were "clearly very concerning." The head of the European Parliament said EU lawmakers will investigate possible data misuse, calling the allegations an unacceptable violation of citizens' privacy rights.

Facebook under pressure as US, EU urge probes of data practices

US President Donald Trump on Wednesday tweeted that he will be making a decision soon on the appointment of new Chief Economic Advisor.&nbsp;

&#39;&#39;Will be making a decision soon on the appointment of new Chief Economic Advisor. Many people wanting the job - will choose wisely!,&#39;&#39; Trump tweeted.&nbsp;

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<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
Will be making a decision soon on the appointment of new Chief Economic Advisor. Many people wanting the job - will choose wisely!
&mdash; Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/971186041171439616?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 7, 2018</a></blockquote>
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US President&#39;s top economic adviser, Gary Cohn, said on Tuesday he was resigning, a decision that came after he lost a fight within the White House over plans to impose hefty steel and aluminum tariffs.

White House officials said the dispute over tariffs contributed to Cohn&rsquo;s decision to resign but was not the only reason. One official said there had been several issues that led to the parting, but noted: &quot;His biggest mission was on the tax cut bill, which he got passed.&quot;

The White House said the timing of Cohn&#39;s departure from his role as director of the National Economic Council had not been finalized but was still a few weeks away. It was the latest in a series of high-profile departures from the White House.

Following the news of Cohn&#39;s resignation, the U.S. dollar weakened, while an exchange-traded fund tracking the broad market S&amp;P 500 dipped 1 percent. Prices for U.S. government debt barely budged.

Trump&#39;s announcement last week of his plans to impose the tariffs sent US stock prices tumbling and came after an intense debate within the White House between Cohn and other advocates of free trade, on one side, and protectionist advisers such as Peter Navarro on the other, according to White House officials.

Cohn, who served in the White House for a little more than a year, struck an early rapport with Trump and proved influential in the administration&#39;s decisions last April not to label China a currency manipulator and to renegotiate the North American Free Trade Agreement, instead of terminating it.

He also emerged as one of the main drivers of the tax overhaul package passed by Congress and signed into law by Trump late last year. The overhaul was Trump&#39;s first major legislative victory.

&quot;It has been an honor to serve my country and enact pro-growth economic policies to benefit the American people, in particular the passage of historic tax reform. I am grateful to the President for giving me this opportunity and wish him and the Administration great success in the future,&quot; Cohn said in a statement issued by the White House.

Cohn&#39;s relationship with Trump began to sour last summer, after Cohn disagreed with the president&#39;s tepid response to clashes between neo-Nazis and anti-racism protesters in Charlottesville, Virginia, sources close to Cohn said. 
&nbsp;

US President's top economic adviser, Gary Cohn, said on Tuesday he was resigning, a decision that came after he lost a fight within the White House over plans to impose hefty steel and aluminum tariffs.

US President Donald Trump on Wednesday tweeted that he will be making a decision soon on the appointment of new Chief Economic Advisor. ''Will be making a decision soon on the appointment of new Chief Economic Advisor. Many people wanting the job - will choose wisely!,'' Trump tweeted. Will be making a decision soon on the appointment of new Chief Economic Advisor. Many people wanting the job - will choose wisely! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 7, 2018 × US President's top economic adviser, Gary Cohn, said on Tuesday he was resigning, a decision that came after he lost a fight within the White House over plans to impose hefty steel and aluminum tariffs. White House officials said the dispute over tariffs contributed to Cohn’s decision to resign but was not the only reason. One official said there had been several issues that led to the parting, but noted: "His biggest mission was on the tax cut bill, which he got passed." The White House said the timing of Cohn's departure from his role as director of the National Economic Council had not been finalized but was still a few weeks away. It was the latest in a series of high-profile departures from the White House. Following the news of Cohn's resignation, the U.S. dollar weakened, while an exchange-traded fund tracking the broad market S&P 500 dipped 1 percent. Prices for U.S. government debt barely budged. Trump's announcement last week of his plans to impose the tariffs sent US stock prices tumbling and came after an intense debate within the White House between Cohn and other advocates of free trade, on one side, and protectionist advisers such as Peter Navarro on the other, according to White House officials. Cohn, who served in the White House for a little more than a year, struck an early rapport with Trump and proved influential in the administration's decisions last April not to label China a currency manipulator and to renegotiate the North American Free Trade Agreement, instead of terminating it. He also emerged as one of the main drivers of the tax overhaul package passed by Congress and signed into law by Trump late last year. The overhaul was Trump's first major legislative victory. "It has been an honor to serve my country and enact pro-growth economic policies to benefit the American people, in particular the passage of historic tax reform. I am grateful to the President for giving me this opportunity and wish him and the Administration great success in the future," Cohn said in a statement issued by the White House. Cohn's relationship with Trump began to sour last summer, after Cohn disagreed with the president's tepid response to clashes between neo-Nazis and anti-racism protesters in Charlottesville, Virginia, sources close to Cohn said.

'Will choose wisely!' says Trump after economic adviser Cohn's resignation

US President Donald Trump has again raked up the Harley-Davidson issue with India, for the <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/indias-high-tariff-on-harley-davidson-motorcycle-unfair-says-trump-32799" target="_blank">second time</a> in a month.&nbsp;

Trump had earlier said the 100% duty companies have to pay to import high-end motorcycles into India was &quot;unfair&quot;. Trump had also threatened to increase the tariff on Indian motorcycles exported to the US

India has since then reduced the import duty to 50 per cent.&nbsp;

&quot;When they (Harley Davidson) send a motorcycle to India, as an example, they have to pay 100 per cent tax -- 100 per cent,&quot; PTI reported Trump as saying to a gathering of governors of all US states at the White House.

In the same conversation, Trump referred to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi as a &quot;beautiful man&quot;.&nbsp;

&quot;Now, the prime minister, who I think is a fantastic man, called me the other day and said we are lowering it to 50 per cent. I said okay, but so far we&#39;re getting nothing. So we get nothing. He gets 50 (per cent), and they think we&#39;re doing -- like they&#39;re doing us a favour. That&#39;s not a favour,&quot; he said.

&quot;I wasn&#39;t sure -- he said it so beautifully. He&#39;s a beautiful man. And he said, &#39;I just want to inform you that we have reduced it to 75, but we have further reduced it to 50&#39;. And I said, huh. What do I say? Am I supposed to be thrilled? And that&#39;s not good for you people, especially as governors. It&#39;s just not right. And we have many deals like that,&quot; Trump said.

Trump added that the US, on the other hand,&nbsp;gets &quot;zero&quot; when it buys an Indian motorcycle.

&quot;So when they have a motorbike -- a big number, by the way -- they have a company that does a lot of business. They have a motorcycle or a motorbike that comes into our country -- the number is zero. We get zero. They get 100 per cent, brought down to 75; brought down, now, to 50. Okay,&quot; Trump said.

&quot;It&#39;s a great company. When I spoke with your chairman or the president of Harley, they weren&#39;t even asking for it because they&#39;ve been ripped off with trade so long that they were surprised that I brought it up. I&#39;m the one that&#39;s pushing it more than they are, but it&#39;s unfair. And India sells us a lot of motorbikes,&quot; Trump added.&nbsp;

(With inputs from PTI)

'Now, the prime minister (Modi), who I think is a fantastic man, called me the other day and said we are lowering it to 50 per cent. I said okay, but so far we're getting nothing,' said Trump

US President Donald Trump has again raked up the Harley-Davidson issue with India, for the second time in a month. Trump had earlier said the 100% duty companies have to pay to import high-end motorcycles into India was "unfair". Trump had also threatened to increase the tariff on Indian motorcycles exported to the US India has since then reduced the import duty to 50 per cent. "When they (Harley Davidson) send a motorcycle to India, as an example, they have to pay 100 per cent tax -- 100 per cent," PTI reported Trump as saying to a gathering of governors of all US states at the White House. In the same conversation, Trump referred to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi as a "beautiful man". "Now, the prime minister, who I think is a fantastic man, called me the other day and said we are lowering it to 50 per cent. I said okay, but so far we're getting nothing. So we get nothing. He gets 50 (per cent), and they think we're doing -- like they're doing us a favour. That's not a favour," he said. "I wasn't sure -- he said it so beautifully. He's a beautiful man. And he said, 'I just want to inform you that we have reduced it to 75, but we have further reduced it to 50'. And I said, huh. What do I say? Am I supposed to be thrilled? And that's not good for you people, especially as governors. It's just not right. And we have many deals like that," Trump said. Trump added that the US, on the other hand, gets "zero" when it buys an Indian motorcycle. "So when they have a motorbike -- a big number, by the way -- they have a company that does a lot of business. They have a motorcycle or a motorbike that comes into our country -- the number is zero. We get zero. They get 100 per cent, brought down to 75; brought down, now, to 50. Okay," Trump said. "It's a great company. When I spoke with your chairman or the president of Harley, they weren't even asking for it because they've been ripped off with trade so long that they were surprised that I brought it up. I'm the one that's pushing it more than they are, but it's unfair. And India sells us a lot of motorbikes," Trump added. (With inputs from PTI)

Harley-Davidson issue: After India reduces import duty by half, Trump says US gets 'nothing'

The National Rifle Association pushed back on Sunday against modest proposals by President Donald Trump and other Republicans to <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/trump-backs-ban-on-bump-stocks-on-semi-automatic-weapons-33551" target="_blank">change U.S. gun laws</a> in the wake of a school shooting in Florida that killed 17 students and staff.

The powerful gun lobby group does not support Trump&#39;s proposals to raise the age limit for buying certain types of guns and to ban bump stocks that enable semi-automatic rifles to shoot hundreds of rounds a minute, a spokeswoman said on ABC&#39;s &quot;This Week.&quot;

&quot;The NRA doesn&#39;t back any ban,&quot; Dana Loesch said.

Trump was endorsed by the NRA in his 2016 presidential election campaign and often trumpets his support for the constitutional right to own guns.

But the Feb. 14 massacre at a Florida high school has mobilized high school students to push for restrictions on gun sales, spurred several companies to sever ties with the NRA and energized gun-control activist groups.

As November congressional elections draw closer, Trump and Republicans are under pressure to show they are responding to concerns about school safety without angering supporters who oppose gun control.

Since the Florida shooting, Trump has declared support for raising the age limit to 21 from 18 for buying rifles. The 19-year-old shooter at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida had bought his AR-15 semi-automatic rifle legally.

&quot;That&#39;s what the NRA came out and said, that&#39;s correct,&quot; Loesch said when pressed on whether the group opposes raising the minimum age.

Trump also has asked the Justice Department to develop a regulation that would effectively ban the sale of bump stocks, an accessory used last year by a shooter who killed 58 people at a Las Vegas outdoor concert, the deadliest attack by a single gunman in U.S. history.

Trump has also said he supports legislation to tighten background checks for gun buyers, although he has not provided specific details.

Republican Senator Pat Toomey, a sponsor of a bill that would require background checks for weapons sold at gun shows and on the internet, said Trump&#39;s support could help advance proposals that floundered in years passed.

&quot;Our president can play a huge and in fact probably decisive role in this. So I intend to give this another shot,&quot; Toomey said on NBC&#39;s &quot;Meet the Press.&quot;

Legislation to close background checks loopholes failed to clear the 60-vote threshold in the U.S. Senate after a shooter killed 26 children and teachers in 2012 at an elementary school in Newtown, Connecticut.

DAYLIGHT WITH NRA?

Loesch tried to play down the emerging differences between the NRA and the White House.

&quot;I know that people are trying to find daylight between President Trump and five million law-abiding gun owners,&quot; she said. &quot;He&#39;s really looking for solutions ... so far nothing&#39;s been proposed yet.&quot;

Tweaks to gun laws face an uphill battle among conservative Republicans in Congress. On Sunday, Representative Thomas Massie from Kentucky said he opposed changes to background check laws and other restrictions on gun ownership.

&quot;I wish that background checks stopped criminals or stopped school shootings, but they don&rsquo;t,&quot; Massie told NBC.

Trump has strongly endorsed the idea - backed by the NRA in the wake of the Newtown shooting - of arming trained teachers with guns.

Loesch said the group believes individual schools should decide whether to arm teachers. On Saturday, Trump said on Twitter the proposal would be left &quot;up to states.&quot;

Loesch said more emphasis should be placed on how the FBI and local police missed warning signs and tips about the shooter, calling it an &quot;abdication of duty.&quot;

Broward County Sheriff Scott Israel has come under fire after a deputy at the school at the time of the shooting stayed outside. Several news reports said that three other deputies were slow to enter the building.

Israel said on CNN on Sunday that he had no plans to resign, and that the department would investigate all aspects of the shooting.

The National Rifle Association does not support Trump's proposals to raise the age limit for buying certain types of guns and to ban bump stocks that enable semi-automatic rifles to shoot hundreds of rounds a minute, a spokeswoman said

The National Rifle Association pushed back on Sunday against modest proposals by President Donald Trump and other Republicans to change U.S. gun laws in the wake of a school shooting in Florida that killed 17 students and staff. The powerful gun lobby group does not support Trump's proposals to raise the age limit for buying certain types of guns and to ban bump stocks that enable semi-automatic rifles to shoot hundreds of rounds a minute, a spokeswoman said on ABC's "This Week." "The NRA doesn't back any ban," Dana Loesch said. Trump was endorsed by the NRA in his 2016 presidential election campaign and often trumpets his support for the constitutional right to own guns. But the Feb. 14 massacre at a Florida high school has mobilized high school students to push for restrictions on gun sales, spurred several companies to sever ties with the NRA and energized gun-control activist groups. As November congressional elections draw closer, Trump and Republicans are under pressure to show they are responding to concerns about school safety without angering supporters who oppose gun control. Since the Florida shooting, Trump has declared support for raising the age limit to 21 from 18 for buying rifles. The 19-year-old shooter at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida had bought his AR-15 semi-automatic rifle legally. "That's what the NRA came out and said, that's correct," Loesch said when pressed on whether the group opposes raising the minimum age. Trump also has asked the Justice Department to develop a regulation that would effectively ban the sale of bump stocks, an accessory used last year by a shooter who killed 58 people at a Las Vegas outdoor concert, the deadliest attack by a single gunman in U.S. history. Trump has also said he supports legislation to tighten background checks for gun buyers, although he has not provided specific details. Republican Senator Pat Toomey, a sponsor of a bill that would require background checks for weapons sold at gun shows and on the internet, said Trump's support could help advance proposals that floundered in years passed. "Our president can play a huge and in fact probably decisive role in this. So I intend to give this another shot," Toomey said on NBC's "Meet the Press." Legislation to close background checks loopholes failed to clear the 60-vote threshold in the U.S. Senate after a shooter killed 26 children and teachers in 2012 at an elementary school in Newtown, Connecticut. DAYLIGHT WITH NRA? Loesch tried to play down the emerging differences between the NRA and the White House. "I know that people are trying to find daylight between President Trump and five million law-abiding gun owners," she said. "He's really looking for solutions ... so far nothing's been proposed yet." Tweaks to gun laws face an uphill battle among conservative Republicans in Congress. On Sunday, Representative Thomas Massie from Kentucky said he opposed changes to background check laws and other restrictions on gun ownership. "I wish that background checks stopped criminals or stopped school shootings, but they don’t," Massie told NBC. Trump has strongly endorsed the idea - backed by the NRA in the wake of the Newtown shooting - of arming trained teachers with guns. Loesch said the group believes individual schools should decide whether to arm teachers. On Saturday, Trump said on Twitter the proposal would be left "up to states." Loesch said more emphasis should be placed on how the FBI and local police missed warning signs and tips about the shooter, calling it an "abdication of duty." Broward County Sheriff Scott Israel has come under fire after a deputy at the school at the time of the shooting stayed outside. Several news reports said that three other deputies were slow to enter the building. Israel said on CNN on Sunday that he had no plans to resign, and that the department would investigate all aspects of the shooting.

US gun lobby pushes back against Trump's gun plans after Florida shooting

US&nbsp;President Donald Trump is ready to sign on to a plan that would open a path to citizenship for as many as 1.8 million &quot;Dreamers,&quot; young immigrants brought illegally to the country as children, senior White House officials said on Thursday.

The White House presented the offer as a major concession aimed at attracting enough votes from Democrats. But it includes a number of elements such as tightening border security and deterring new immigrants to appeal to Republican hardliners.

&quot;This is kind of a bottom line for the president,&quot; a senior official told reporters, saying it would be up to lawmakers to determine some of the details. &quot;If it&#39;s realistic, then he&#39;ll sign it. If it isn&#39;t realistic, then he won&#39;t sign it.&quot;

Trump&#39;s plan, which the White House hopes will be first voted on in the Senate in early February, would require Congress to set up a $25 billion &quot;trust fund&quot; to build a wall on the southern border with Mexico and invest in better protections at the northern border with Canada.

Trump, whose hardline immigration stance was a key part of his 2016 presidential campaign, said in September he was ending the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, or DACA, programme for Dreamers that was created by Democratic predecessor Barack Obama unless Congress came up with a new law.

The DACA protections apply to about 700,000 people, but White House officials estimated there were at least that many illegal immigrants who qualified for the programme but did not sign up for it.

Officials said the 1.8 million people could apply to become citizens in 10 to 12 years providing they had jobs and did not commit crimes.

The fight over DACA, which is set to expire in March, was part of the standoff between Republicans and Democrats in the Senate that resulted in a three-day government shutdown that ended on Monday.

They agreed to extend funding until Feb. 8, leaving a small window to come to a deal on immigration. Trump&#39;s plan will help those talks, said Republican Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell.

&quot;I am hopeful that as discussions continue in the Senate on the subject of immigration, members on both sides of the aisle will look to this framework for guidance as they work towards an agreement,&quot; McConnell said.

Republican Senator Thom Tillis, one of the lawmakers working across the aisle on a possible compromise, praised Trump&rsquo;s &ldquo;realistic&rdquo; plan.

&ldquo;The framework proposes policies supported by both parties and the American people,&rdquo; Tillis said in a statement.

&#39;Serious mistake&#39;

But negotiations are expected to be difficult.

After Trump briefly outlined some of the measures to reporters on Wednesday during an impromptu question-and-answer session, his comments sparked concern from conservatives in Congress.

Republican Senator Ted Cruz said it would be a &quot;serious mistake&quot; to grant a path to citizenship for any immigrants in the United States illegally.

&quot;We see Republicans falling all over themselves to gallop to the left of Obama in a way that is contrary to the promises made to the voters who elected us,&quot; said Cruz, an immigration hardliner.

Conservative group Heritage Action called the proposal &quot;amnesty&quot; and said it should be a &quot;non-starter.&quot;

Democrats were also sceptical. &quot;The White House, unfortunately, has proven unreliable and wildly unpredictable,&quot; Democratic Senate leader Chuck Schumer said on the Senate floor. &quot;Within the course of hours, they say different things.&quot;

To become law, the measures would also need to pass the House of Representatives. A second senior official declined to speculate on whether the plan would pass the Republican-controlled chamber.

&quot;I think the House will have an independent vehicle,&quot; the second official said. &quot;We&#39;re not trying to force something on the House.&quot;

No narrow deal

White House officials made clear that a deal could not just address DACA and the border wall, but must include measures to curb legal immigration and deter new illegal immigrants.

The package would require Congress to limit family sponsorship of immigrants to spouses and minor children, ending sponsorship for parents, siblings, and other extended family members.

It would also end a visa lottery system for certain countries, the officials said.

Those measures would cut immigration by 50 percent, said Frank Sharry, head of the pro-immigration group America&#39;s Voice.

&quot;We are going to fight this tooth and nail,&quot; Sharry said.

Congress would have to allocate additional money to border guards and immigration judges, a figure that Trump pegged at $5 billion on Wednesday, but which White House officials said was up for further discussion.

The White House also wants Congress to change rules to allow for the rapid deportation of illegal immigrants from countries other than Mexico and Canada who arrive at the U.S. border, the officials said.

Officials said the 1.8 million people could apply to become citizens in 10 to 12 years providing they had jobs and did not commit crimes

US President Donald Trump is ready to sign on to a plan that would open a path to citizenship for as many as 1.8 million "Dreamers," young immigrants brought illegally to the country as children, senior White House officials said on Thursday. The White House presented the offer as a major concession aimed at attracting enough votes from Democrats. But it includes a number of elements such as tightening border security and deterring new immigrants to appeal to Republican hardliners. "This is kind of a bottom line for the president," a senior official told reporters, saying it would be up to lawmakers to determine some of the details. "If it's realistic, then he'll sign it. If it isn't realistic, then he won't sign it." Trump's plan, which the White House hopes will be first voted on in the Senate in early February, would require Congress to set up a $25 billion "trust fund" to build a wall on the southern border with Mexico and invest in better protections at the northern border with Canada. Trump, whose hardline immigration stance was a key part of his 2016 presidential campaign, said in September he was ending the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, or DACA, programme for Dreamers that was created by Democratic predecessor Barack Obama unless Congress came up with a new law. The DACA protections apply to about 700,000 people, but White House officials estimated there were at least that many illegal immigrants who qualified for the programme but did not sign up for it. Officials said the 1.8 million people could apply to become citizens in 10 to 12 years providing they had jobs and did not commit crimes. The fight over DACA, which is set to expire in March, was part of the standoff between Republicans and Democrats in the Senate that resulted in a three-day government shutdown that ended on Monday. They agreed to extend funding until Feb. 8, leaving a small window to come to a deal on immigration. Trump's plan will help those talks, said Republican Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell. "I am hopeful that as discussions continue in the Senate on the subject of immigration, members on both sides of the aisle will look to this framework for guidance as they work towards an agreement," McConnell said. Republican Senator Thom Tillis, one of the lawmakers working across the aisle on a possible compromise, praised Trump’s “realistic” plan. “The framework proposes policies supported by both parties and the American people,” Tillis said in a statement. 'Serious mistake' But negotiations are expected to be difficult. After Trump briefly outlined some of the measures to reporters on Wednesday during an impromptu question-and-answer session, his comments sparked concern from conservatives in Congress. Republican Senator Ted Cruz said it would be a "serious mistake" to grant a path to citizenship for any immigrants in the United States illegally. "We see Republicans falling all over themselves to gallop to the left of Obama in a way that is contrary to the promises made to the voters who elected us," said Cruz, an immigration hardliner. Conservative group Heritage Action called the proposal "amnesty" and said it should be a "non-starter." Democrats were also sceptical. "The White House, unfortunately, has proven unreliable and wildly unpredictable," Democratic Senate leader Chuck Schumer said on the Senate floor. "Within the course of hours, they say different things." To become law, the measures would also need to pass the House of Representatives. A second senior official declined to speculate on whether the plan would pass the Republican-controlled chamber. "I think the House will have an independent vehicle," the second official said. "We're not trying to force something on the House." No narrow deal White House officials made clear that a deal could not just address DACA and the border wall, but must include measures to curb legal immigration and deter new illegal immigrants. The package would require Congress to limit family sponsorship of immigrants to spouses and minor children, ending sponsorship for parents, siblings, and other extended family members. It would also end a visa lottery system for certain countries, the officials said. Those measures would cut immigration by 50 percent, said Frank Sharry, head of the pro-immigration group America's Voice. "We are going to fight this tooth and nail," Sharry said. Congress would have to allocate additional money to border guards and immigration judges, a figure that Trump pegged at $5 billion on Wednesday, but which White House officials said was up for further discussion. The White House also wants Congress to change rules to allow for the rapid deportation of illegal immigrants from countries other than Mexico and Canada who arrive at the U.S. border, the officials said.

Trump unveils plan offering citizenship, in 10-12 years, to 1.8 million 'Dreamers'

Apple Inc will open a new campus as part of a five-year, $30 billion U.S. investment plan and will make about $38 billion in one-time tax payments on its overseas cash, one of the largest corporate spending plans announced since the passage of a tax cut signed by U.S. President Donald Trump.

The company has been under increasing pressure to make US&nbsp;investments since the 2016 presidential campaign when Trump targeted the iPhone maker for making products in Asian factories.

While Apple has announced no plans to change that practice and experts say it would be economically impractical to make iPhones in the United States, the company has begun to emphasize its US&nbsp;economic impact, from developers who sell software on its App Store to the tens of billions of dollars per year it spends with U.S. suppliers.

Between the spending plan, hiring 20,000 people, tax payments and business with U.S.-based suppliers, Apple on Wednesday estimated it would spend $350 billion in the United States over the next five years.

It did not, however, say how much of the plan was new or how much of its $252.3 billion in cash abroad - the largest of any U.S. corporation - it would bring home. In addition to the $38 billion in taxes it must pay, Apple has run up $97 billion in U.S.-issued debt to pay for previous share buybacks and dividends.

Some investors said the U.S. investments would give the company room to make more stock buybacks or pay dividends without criticism. Apple shares on Wednesday closed up 1.7 percent to $179.10.

Walter Piecyk, managing director for TMT Research at BTIG Research, said he could not yet tell whether the U.S. expansion was an increase from a previous plan or meant investment abroad was being refocused in the United States. Reuters Breakingviews estimated that Apple could have increased U.S. headcount by 24,000 in the last five years.

Trump described the move by Apple as a victory for his efforts.

&quot;I promised that my policies would allow companies like Apple to bring massive amounts of money back to the United States. Great to see Apple follow through as a result of TAX CUTS,&quot; Trump wrote on Twitter.

Asked in an interview with ABC News whether the job creation announcements were directly related to the Republican tax plan, Apple Chief Executive Officer Tim Cook gave a measured response.

&quot;Let me be clear: There are large parts of this that are a result of the tax reform, and there&#39;s large parts of this we would have done in any situation,&quot; Cook said in the interview.

&nbsp;

&nbsp;

&nbsp;

Apple shares on Wednesday closed up 1.7 percent to $179.10.

Apple Inc will open a new campus as part of a five-year, $30 billion U.S. investment plan and will make about $38 billion in one-time tax payments on its overseas cash, one of the largest corporate spending plans announced since the passage of a tax cut signed by U.S. President Donald Trump. The company has been under increasing pressure to make US investments since the 2016 presidential campaign when Trump targeted the iPhone maker for making products in Asian factories. While Apple has announced no plans to change that practice and experts say it would be economically impractical to make iPhones in the United States, the company has begun to emphasize its US economic impact, from developers who sell software on its App Store to the tens of billions of dollars per year it spends with U.S. suppliers. Between the spending plan, hiring 20,000 people, tax payments and business with U.S.-based suppliers, Apple on Wednesday estimated it would spend $350 billion in the United States over the next five years. It did not, however, say how much of the plan was new or how much of its $252.3 billion in cash abroad - the largest of any U.S. corporation - it would bring home. In addition to the $38 billion in taxes it must pay, Apple has run up $97 billion in U.S.-issued debt to pay for previous share buybacks and dividends. Some investors said the U.S. investments would give the company room to make more stock buybacks or pay dividends without criticism. Apple shares on Wednesday closed up 1.7 percent to $179.10. Walter Piecyk, managing director for TMT Research at BTIG Research, said he could not yet tell whether the U.S. expansion was an increase from a previous plan or meant investment abroad was being refocused in the United States. Reuters Breakingviews estimated that Apple could have increased U.S. headcount by 24,000 in the last five years. Trump described the move by Apple as a victory for his efforts. "I promised that my policies would allow companies like Apple to bring massive amounts of money back to the United States. Great to see Apple follow through as a result of TAX CUTS," Trump wrote on Twitter. Asked in an interview with ABC News whether the job creation announcements were directly related to the Republican tax plan, Apple Chief Executive Officer Tim Cook gave a measured response. "Let me be clear: There are large parts of this that are a result of the tax reform, and there's large parts of this we would have done in any situation," Cook said in the interview.

Apple plans new U.S. campus, to pay $38 billion in foreign cash taxes

US President Donald Trump enjoyed a modest bump in popularity over the Christmas break, prompting pollsters to wonder whether he&#39;s more popular when he stays out of the news.

During several low-key days at his sun-kissed Florida golf course, Trump&#39;s approval ratings increased from 36 percent on the eve of his departure to 40 percent on his return, according to the latest Gallup polls.

While he remains historically unpopular, his approval rating is today at a higher level that at any point since June last year -- the honeymoon of his presidency.

That bump has rekindled a long-suspected theory among poll-watchers: the most attention-hungry president in modern times might actually be better off slightly out off out of the limelight.

&quot;It&#39;s hard thing to prove&quot; said Kyle Kondik, of the University of Virginia, who suspects Trump &quot;does a little bit better in approval when he&#39;s not dominating the news so much.&quot;

Kondik and his colleague Geoffrey Skelley have shown that before the 2016 election, both Trump and Democrat Hillary Clinton saw their poll numbers get better the less news coverage they got.

Given FBI investigations and assorted scandals swirling around the two deeply unpopular candidates -- it stands to reason that the absence of predominantly bad news might be beneficial.

Additionally, pollsters Kristen Soltis Anderson and Patrick Ruffini of Republican research firm Echelon Insights found that &quot;in the 30 days before the election, &#39;Donald Trump&#39; was Googled more in states that he lost than in those he won.&quot;

During Trump&#39;s presidency, that apparent trend may have continued.

HuffPost polling director Ariel Edwards-Levy pointed out that when a series of hurricanes hit in the United States around September -- the first news cycles not totally dominated by Trump &nbsp;-- he faired relatively well in the polls.

Over Christmas, he tweeted relatively little, and to audience distracted by family meals and vacations.

Any clear link between his silence and improved political fortunes could have profound implications for the way Trump communicates.

This year promises to be a difficult one for the 71-year-old, with Congressional elections and an FBI investigation looming.&nbsp;

This White House may quickly learn that popularity is the most valuable and fungible currency for any administration.

Since coming to office Trump has almost relentlessly sought the spotlight, trying to inject himself into esoteric debates ranging from American football to aviation safety.

On Tuesday, his first full day back in Washington, Trump tweeted nine times in the space of three hours, before a second barrage of tweets about Pakistan, Palestinians and a boast about the size of his nuclear button.

The White House is defensive about Trump&#39;s proclivity to tweets, with few officials willing to publicly criticize something the boss is likely to do regardless.

Press Secretary Sarah Sanders dismissed suggestions that Trump&#39;s golfing silence may be productive, pinning recent better approval ratings on tax reform, which passed just before Christmas.

&quot;I think Americans like the fact that he got the largest tax cut in history done,&quot; she said Wednesday. &quot;I think they like the fact that they&#39;re going to see a lot more of their paycheck.&quot;

&quot;I think that&#39;s what most Americans certainly were very happy about, particularly as they went into the holiday season, and they had a little bit more money to consider spending as they celebrated Christmas with their family.&quot;&nbsp;

Given Trump&#39;s lust for the limelight, it might be a while before pollsters get another period or relative silence to test their theory.

While he remains historically unpopular, his approval rating is today at a higher level that at any point since June last year -- the honeymoon of his presidency.

US President Donald Trump enjoyed a modest bump in popularity over the Christmas break, prompting pollsters to wonder whether he's more popular when he stays out of the news. During several low-key days at his sun-kissed Florida golf course, Trump's approval ratings increased from 36 percent on the eve of his departure to 40 percent on his return, according to the latest Gallup polls. While he remains historically unpopular, his approval rating is today at a higher level that at any point since June last year -- the honeymoon of his presidency. That bump has rekindled a long-suspected theory among poll-watchers: the most attention-hungry president in modern times might actually be better off slightly out off out of the limelight. "It's hard thing to prove" said Kyle Kondik, of the University of Virginia, who suspects Trump "does a little bit better in approval when he's not dominating the news so much." Kondik and his colleague Geoffrey Skelley have shown that before the 2016 election, both Trump and Democrat Hillary Clinton saw their poll numbers get better the less news coverage they got. Given FBI investigations and assorted scandals swirling around the two deeply unpopular candidates -- it stands to reason that the absence of predominantly bad news might be beneficial. Additionally, pollsters Kristen Soltis Anderson and Patrick Ruffini of Republican research firm Echelon Insights found that "in the 30 days before the election, 'Donald Trump' was Googled more in states that he lost than in those he won." During Trump's presidency, that apparent trend may have continued. HuffPost polling director Ariel Edwards-Levy pointed out that when a series of hurricanes hit in the United States around September -- the first news cycles not totally dominated by Trump -- he faired relatively well in the polls. Over Christmas, he tweeted relatively little, and to audience distracted by family meals and vacations. Any clear link between his silence and improved political fortunes could have profound implications for the way Trump communicates. This year promises to be a difficult one for the 71-year-old, with Congressional elections and an FBI investigation looming. This White House may quickly learn that popularity is the most valuable and fungible currency for any administration. Since coming to office Trump has almost relentlessly sought the spotlight, trying to inject himself into esoteric debates ranging from American football to aviation safety. On Tuesday, his first full day back in Washington, Trump tweeted nine times in the space of three hours, before a second barrage of tweets about Pakistan, Palestinians and a boast about the size of his nuclear button. The White House is defensive about Trump's proclivity to tweets, with few officials willing to publicly criticize something the boss is likely to do regardless. Press Secretary Sarah Sanders dismissed suggestions that Trump's golfing silence may be productive, pinning recent better approval ratings on tax reform, which passed just before Christmas. "I think Americans like the fact that he got the largest tax cut in history done," she said Wednesday. "I think they like the fact that they're going to see a lot more of their paycheck." "I think that's what most Americans certainly were very happy about, particularly as they went into the holiday season, and they had a little bit more money to consider spending as they celebrated Christmas with their family." Given Trump's lust for the limelight, it might be a while before pollsters get another period or relative silence to test their theory.

Trump gets poll boost after golfing silence

The US says it has negotiated a $285 million cut to the UN&#39;s budget for 2018.&nbsp;

The budget cut comes a few days after a majority of UN member countries voted against US President Donald Trump&#39;s decision to move the US embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.&nbsp;

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/un-votes-128-9-to-reject-trump-decision-on-jerusalem-27409" target="_blank">India, over 100 countries vote at UN against Trump decision on Jerusalem</a>

&quot;We will no longer let the generosity of the American people be taken advantage of or remain unchecked,&quot; US ambassador the UN Nikki Haley said in a statement.

Haley added that &quot;inefficiency and overspending&quot; at the world body were &quot;well known&quot;.&nbsp;

&quot;This historic reduction in spending -- in addition to many other moves toward a more efficient and accountable UN -- is a big step in the right direction.&quot;

Haley said the budget negotiations had generated several &quot;successes&quot; with financial cutbacks and a reduction of the UN&#39;s &quot;bloated management and support functions.&quot;

The negotiations had taken place on Sunday, with the UN General Assembly adopting a budget of $5.396 billion for 2018-2019, slightly below the $5.4 billion that UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres had sought.&nbsp;

The budget cut works out to 5 per cent&nbsp;of the UN&#39;s operating budget.&nbsp;

&quot;While we are pleased with the results of this year&#39;s budget negotiations, you can be sure we&#39;ll continue to look at ways to increase the UN&#39;s efficiency while protecting our interests,&quot; Haley added.

The United States is by far the largest contributor to the UN budget, providing for 22 per cent of the core budget.&nbsp;

The UN&#39;s operating budget is separate from its peacekeeping budget, which was cut by $600 million this year under pressure from the Donald Trump administration.&nbsp;

(With inputs from AFP)

The US says it has negotiated a $285 million cut to the UN's budget for 2018

The US says it has negotiated a $285 million cut to the UN's budget for 2018. The budget cut comes a few days after a majority of UN member countries voted against US President Donald Trump's decision to move the US embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. Also read: India, over 100 countries vote at UN against Trump decision on Jerusalem "We will no longer let the generosity of the American people be taken advantage of or remain unchecked," US ambassador the UN Nikki Haley said in a statement. Haley added that "inefficiency and overspending" at the world body were "well known". "This historic reduction in spending -- in addition to many other moves toward a more efficient and accountable UN -- is a big step in the right direction." Haley said the budget negotiations had generated several "successes" with financial cutbacks and a reduction of the UN's "bloated management and support functions." The negotiations had taken place on Sunday, with the UN General Assembly adopting a budget of $5.396 billion for 2018-2019, slightly below the $5.4 billion that UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres had sought. The budget cut works out to 5 per cent of the UN's operating budget. "While we are pleased with the results of this year's budget negotiations, you can be sure we'll continue to look at ways to increase the UN's efficiency while protecting our interests," Haley added. The United States is by far the largest contributor to the UN budget, providing for 22 per cent of the core budget. The UN's operating budget is separate from its peacekeeping budget, which was cut by $600 million this year under pressure from the Donald Trump administration. (With inputs from AFP)

US slashes UN budget after Jerusalem vote

Defying President Donald Trump&#39;s threat to cut off funding, the United Nations overwhelmingly approved on Thursday a motion rejecting the US decision to recognize Jerusalem as Israel&#39;s capital.

The 193-member General Assembly adopted the motion by 128 to nine with 35 abstentions, in what Palestinian UN envoy Riyad Mansour called a &quot;massive setback&quot; for the United States.

Guatemala, Honduras, Israel, the Marshall Islands, Micronesia, Nauru, Palau and Togo joined the United States in opposing the measure.

India was among the 128 countries which voted for the motion.&nbsp;

Also read: <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/un-votes-on-jerusalem-after-trump-warns-were-watching-27403" target="_blank">UN votes on Jerusalem after Trump warns &#39;we&#39;re watching&#39;</a>

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/trump-to-recognise-jerusalem-as-israel-capital-25983" target="_blank">Trump to recognise Jerusalem as Israel capital</a>

Among the countries that abstained were Argentina, Australia, Canada, Croatia, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Latvia, Mexico, the Philippines, Poland, Romania and Rwanda.

Speaking ahead of the emergency session, US Ambassador Nikki Haley warned the General Assembly that the United States &quot;will remember this day.&quot;

&quot;America will put our embassy in Jerusalem,&quot; Haley said in defense of the US move, which broke with international consensus and unleashed protests across the Muslim world.

&quot;No vote in the United Nations will make any difference on that,&quot; Haley said. &quot;But this vote will make a difference on how Americans look at the UN and on how we look at countries who disrespect us in the UN.&quot;

&quot;When we make generous contributions to the UN we also have a legitimate expectation that our goodwill is recognized and respected,&quot; she said.

The resolution reaffirms that the status of Jerusalem must be resolved through negotiations, and that any decision reached outside of that framework must be rescinded.

Without explicitly referencing the US move, it &quot;affirms that any decisions and actions which purport to have altered the character, status or demographic composition of the Holy City of Jerusalem have no legal effect, are null and void and must be rescinded in compliance with relevant resolutions of the Security Council.&quot;

&#39;Unprecedented test&#39; 
The motion was sent to the General Assembly after it was vetoed by the United States at the Security Council on Monday, although all other 14 council members voted in favor.

While resolutions by the General Assembly are non-binding, a strong vote in support carries political weight.

Ahead of the vote, Israel&#39;s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu blasted the UN as a &quot;house of lies,&quot; saying Israel &quot;rejects outright this vote, even before it passes.&quot;

&quot;No General Assembly resolution will ever drive us from Jerusalem,&quot; vowed Danny Danon, Israel&#39;s envoy to the United Nations.

Palestinian foreign minister Riad al-Malki called the vote an &quot;unprecedented test&quot; for the UN, and referenced the US warning that it was &quot;taking names.&quot;&nbsp;

&quot;History records names, it remembers names -- the names of those who stand by what is right and the names of those who speak falsehood,&quot; al-Malki said. &quot;Today we are seekers of rights and peace.&quot;

Trump&#39;s decision on December 6 to recognize Jerusalem as Israel&#39;s capital prompted a flurry of appeals to the United Nations.&nbsp;

The status of the Holy City is one of the thorniest issues in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, with both sides claiming it as their capital.

Trump warned that Washington would closely watch how nations voted, suggesting, like Haley, there could be financial reprisals for those that back the motion put forward by Yemen and Turkey on behalf of Arab and Muslim countries.

&quot;They take hundreds of millions of dollars and even billions of dollars and then they vote against us,&quot; Trump said at the White House.

&quot;Well, we&#39;re watching those votes. Let them vote against us. We&#39;ll save a lot. We don&#39;t care.&quot;

&#39;House of lies&#39; 
The resolution mirrored the text that was vetoed at the Security Council on Monday, and although it does not mention Trump&#39;s decision, it expresses &quot;deep regret at recent decisions&quot; concerning the city&#39;s status.&nbsp;

No country has veto powers in the General Assembly, unlike in the 15-member Security Council where the United States, along with Britain, China, France and Russia, can block any resolution.

Among the 14 countries voting in favor on Monday were Britain, France, Italy and Japan and they did so again on Thursday.

Ukraine, which supported the draft resolution in the Security Council, was among 21 countries that did not turn up for Thursday&#39;s vote.

Israel seized the largely-Arab eastern sector of Jerusalem during the 1967 Six-Day War and later annexed it, claiming both sides of the city as its &quot;eternal and undivided capital.&quot;

But the Palestinians want the eastern sector as the capital of their future state and fiercely oppose any Israeli attempt to extend sovereignty there.

Several UN resolutions call on Israel to withdraw from territory seized in 1967 and the draft resolution contains the same language as past motions adopted by the assembly.

Trump had recently decided to recognise Jerusalem as the capital of Israel

Defying President Donald Trump's threat to cut off funding, the United Nations overwhelmingly approved on Thursday a motion rejecting the US decision to recognize Jerusalem as Israel's capital. The 193-member General Assembly adopted the motion by 128 to nine with 35 abstentions, in what Palestinian UN envoy Riyad Mansour called a "massive setback" for the United States. Guatemala, Honduras, Israel, the Marshall Islands, Micronesia, Nauru, Palau and Togo joined the United States in opposing the measure. India was among the 128 countries which voted for the motion. Also read: UN votes on Jerusalem after Trump warns 'we're watching' Also read: Trump to recognise Jerusalem as Israel capital Among the countries that abstained were Argentina, Australia, Canada, Croatia, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Latvia, Mexico, the Philippines, Poland, Romania and Rwanda. Speaking ahead of the emergency session, US Ambassador Nikki Haley warned the General Assembly that the United States "will remember this day." "America will put our embassy in Jerusalem," Haley said in defense of the US move, which broke with international consensus and unleashed protests across the Muslim world. "No vote in the United Nations will make any difference on that," Haley said. "But this vote will make a difference on how Americans look at the UN and on how we look at countries who disrespect us in the UN." "When we make generous contributions to the UN we also have a legitimate expectation that our goodwill is recognized and respected," she said. The resolution reaffirms that the status of Jerusalem must be resolved through negotiations, and that any decision reached outside of that framework must be rescinded. Without explicitly referencing the US move, it "affirms that any decisions and actions which purport to have altered the character, status or demographic composition of the Holy City of Jerusalem have no legal effect, are null and void and must be rescinded in compliance with relevant resolutions of the Security Council." 'Unprecedented test' The motion was sent to the General Assembly after it was vetoed by the United States at the Security Council on Monday, although all other 14 council members voted in favor. While resolutions by the General Assembly are non-binding, a strong vote in support carries political weight. Ahead of the vote, Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu blasted the UN as a "house of lies," saying Israel "rejects outright this vote, even before it passes." "No General Assembly resolution will ever drive us from Jerusalem," vowed Danny Danon, Israel's envoy to the United Nations. Palestinian foreign minister Riad al-Malki called the vote an "unprecedented test" for the UN, and referenced the US warning that it was "taking names." "History records names, it remembers names -- the names of those who stand by what is right and the names of those who speak falsehood," al-Malki said. "Today we are seekers of rights and peace." Trump's decision on December 6 to recognize Jerusalem as Israel's capital prompted a flurry of appeals to the United Nations. The status of the Holy City is one of the thorniest issues in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, with both sides claiming it as their capital. Trump warned that Washington would closely watch how nations voted, suggesting, like Haley, there could be financial reprisals for those that back the motion put forward by Yemen and Turkey on behalf of Arab and Muslim countries. "They take hundreds of millions of dollars and even billions of dollars and then they vote against us," Trump said at the White House. "Well, we're watching those votes. Let them vote against us. We'll save a lot. We don't care." 'House of lies' The resolution mirrored the text that was vetoed at the Security Council on Monday, and although it does not mention Trump's decision, it expresses "deep regret at recent decisions" concerning the city's status. No country has veto powers in the General Assembly, unlike in the 15-member Security Council where the United States, along with Britain, China, France and Russia, can block any resolution. Among the 14 countries voting in favor on Monday were Britain, France, Italy and Japan and they did so again on Thursday. Ukraine, which supported the draft resolution in the Security Council, was among 21 countries that did not turn up for Thursday's vote. Israel seized the largely-Arab eastern sector of Jerusalem during the 1967 Six-Day War and later annexed it, claiming both sides of the city as its "eternal and undivided capital." But the Palestinians want the eastern sector as the capital of their future state and fiercely oppose any Israeli attempt to extend sovereignty there. Several UN resolutions call on Israel to withdraw from territory seized in 1967 and the draft resolution contains the same language as past motions adopted by the assembly.

India, over 100 countries vote at UN against Trump decision on Jerusalem

Twitter has revised its rules on hate speech after the platform was criticised continually throughout the year for not doing enough to protect those targeted by abuse and hate speech.

In a first, it has suspended the accounts of two leaders of a British far-right group -- Paul Golding, Britain&#39;s First leader and deputy Jayda Fransen, as they allegedly posted anti-Muslim videos.

The suspension came on Monday after the social network&rsquo;s new rules came into effect.

Paul and Jayda can no longer tweet and their past posts no longer appear. Their organisation&#39;s official&nbsp;Twitter page has also been suspended with no access to previous tweets to users.&nbsp;

Twitter suspended their accounts after their posts feature anti-Islam videos that created a furore on the internet.

It came to the knowledge of people more when US President Donald Trump shared these tweets in November.&nbsp;

The strict action comes after Twitter announced in October that it planned on taking a tougher stance against hate symbols as well as those who posted messages that glorified or condoned violence.

It is also stated that those&nbsp;who express an affiliation with groups that use or celebrate violence to achieve their aims will be permanently suspended.

According to the guidelines, hateful imagery such as the Nazi swastika&nbsp;can still be posted, but will initially be hidden behind a &quot;sensitive media&quot; warning, that visitors must disable to proceed. However, such content will no longer be allowed on a person&#39;s profile page. Those who feature these on their profile will be asked to remove and repeat violators will be banned.&nbsp;

In a statement, Twitter said, &quot;The&nbsp;move would reduce the amount of abusive behaviour and hateful conduct&nbsp;on the network. If an account&#39;s profile information includes a violent threat or multiple slurs, epithets, racist or sexist tropes, incites fear, or reduces someone to less than human, it will be permanently suspended. We plan to develop internal tools to help us identify violating accounts to supplement user reports.&quot;

The two leaders were arrested before Twitter suspended their accounts -- on order of stirring up hatred on a separate incident

Twitter has revised its rules on hate speech after the platform was criticised continually throughout the year for not doing enough to protect those targeted by abuse and hate speech. In a first, it has suspended the accounts of two leaders of a British far-right group -- Paul Golding, Britain's First leader and deputy Jayda Fransen, as they allegedly posted anti-Muslim videos. The suspension came on Monday after the social network’s new rules came into effect. Paul and Jayda can no longer tweet and their past posts no longer appear. Their organisation's official Twitter page has also been suspended with no access to previous tweets to users. Twitter suspended their accounts after their posts feature anti-Islam videos that created a furore on the internet. It came to the knowledge of people more when US President Donald Trump shared these tweets in November. The strict action comes after Twitter announced in October that it planned on taking a tougher stance against hate symbols as well as those who posted messages that glorified or condoned violence. It is also stated that those who express an affiliation with groups that use or celebrate violence to achieve their aims will be permanently suspended. According to the guidelines, hateful imagery such as the Nazi swastika can still be posted, but will initially be hidden behind a "sensitive media" warning, that visitors must disable to proceed. However, such content will no longer be allowed on a person's profile page. Those who feature these on their profile will be asked to remove and repeat violators will be banned. In a statement, Twitter said, "The move would reduce the amount of abusive behaviour and hateful conduct on the network. If an account's profile information includes a violent threat or multiple slurs, epithets, racist or sexist tropes, incites fear, or reduces someone to less than human, it will be permanently suspended. We plan to develop internal tools to help us identify violating accounts to supplement user reports."

Twitter suspends Britain First leaders' accounts as it enforces new anti-abuse rules

Pope Francis on Sunday renewed a call for &quot;wisdom and prudence&quot; over US President Donald Trump&#39;s controversial decision to recognise Jerusalem as Israel&#39;s capital, which has sparked protests and clashes.

&quot;The Holy Father renews his appeal for the wisdom and prudence of everyone, and raises fervent prayers so that the leaders of nations, in this time of special gravity, commit themselves to avert a new spiral of violence,&quot; a statement from the Vatican said.

There were fresh protests in the Middle East and elsewhere Sunday over Trump&#39;s declaration, a move that drew global condemnation and sparked days of unrest in the Palestinian territories.

Noting that Jerusalem was sacred to Christians, Jews and Muslims, the pope reiterated the church&#39;s &quot;well-known position concerning the singular character of the Holy City and the essential need for respecting the status quo&quot;.

&quot;At the same time the Holy See reiterates its own conviction that only a negotiated solution between Israelis and Palestinians can bring a stable and lasting peace, and guarantee the peaceful co-existence of two states within internationally recognised borders,&quot; the statement added.

'The Holy Father... raises fervent prayers so that the leaders of nations, in this time of special gravity, commit themselves to avert a new spiral of violence,' a statement from the Vatican said

Pope Francis on Sunday renewed a call for "wisdom and prudence" over US President Donald Trump's controversial decision to recognise Jerusalem as Israel's capital, which has sparked protests and clashes. "The Holy Father renews his appeal for the wisdom and prudence of everyone, and raises fervent prayers so that the leaders of nations, in this time of special gravity, commit themselves to avert a new spiral of violence," a statement from the Vatican said. There were fresh protests in the Middle East and elsewhere Sunday over Trump's declaration, a move that drew global condemnation and sparked days of unrest in the Palestinian territories. Noting that Jerusalem was sacred to Christians, Jews and Muslims, the pope reiterated the church's "well-known position concerning the singular character of the Holy City and the essential need for respecting the status quo". "At the same time the Holy See reiterates its own conviction that only a negotiated solution between Israelis and Palestinians can bring a stable and lasting peace, and guarantee the peaceful co-existence of two states within internationally recognised borders," the statement added.

Pope renews call for 'wisdom and prudence' over Jerusalem

North Korea has lambasted US President Donald Trump for recognising Jerusalem as Israel&#39;s capital, renewing its description of him as a &quot;dotard&quot; in a statement released Saturday on state media.

Trump and North Korea&#39;s leader Kim Jong-Un have traded threats of war and personal insults in recent months as tensions remain high over the North&#39;s missile and nuclear threats.

Now the hermit state has joined <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/us-cornered-on-jerusalem-move-in-united-nation-26295" target="_blank">near-universal condemnation</a> of the US president&#39;s decision on Jerusalem, calling it a &quot;reckless, wicked act&quot;.

&quot;Considering the fact that the mentally deranged dotard openly called for a total destruction of a sovereign state at the UN, this action is not so surprising&quot;, a foreign ministry spokesman was quoted as saying by the state-run KCNA news agency.

&quot;But this move clearly shows to the whole world who is the destroyer of world peace and security, pariah and rogue in the international community&quot;, he said, using epithets usually reserved for the North.

Trump&#39;s declaration Wednesday to recognise Jerusalem as Israel&#39;s capital and relocate the US embassy from Tel Aviv sparked anger across the Muslim world, and drew expressions of concern and disapproval from US allies.

Trump has previously warned Pyongyang of &quot;fire and fury&quot;, telling the UN General Assembly that Washington would &quot;totally destroy North Korea&quot; if it had to defend itself or its allies.

Trump dubbed Kim &quot;Rocket Man&quot; in the same speech -- Pyongyang has tested missiles apparently capable of reaching much of the US mainland -- and days later Kim responded with a personal statement calling him a &quot;dotard&quot;, an obscure term for a weak or senile old man.

According to the latest KCNA statement, the North &quot;strongly condemns&quot; the US move to recognise Jerusalem as capital, and expressed &quot;firm support and solidarity for Palestinians and Arab peoples struggling to win their legitimate rights&quot;.

&quot;The US will be held accountable for all consequences from this reckless, wicked act&quot;, it added.

'Considering the fact that the mentally deranged dotard openly called for a total destruction of a sovereign state at the UN, this action is not so surprising,' a foreign ministry spokesman was quoted as saying

North Korea has lambasted US President Donald Trump for recognising Jerusalem as Israel's capital, renewing its description of him as a "dotard" in a statement released Saturday on state media. Trump and North Korea's leader Kim Jong-Un have traded threats of war and personal insults in recent months as tensions remain high over the North's missile and nuclear threats. Now the hermit state has joined near-universal condemnation of the US president's decision on Jerusalem, calling it a "reckless, wicked act". "Considering the fact that the mentally deranged dotard openly called for a total destruction of a sovereign state at the UN, this action is not so surprising", a foreign ministry spokesman was quoted as saying by the state-run KCNA news agency. "But this move clearly shows to the whole world who is the destroyer of world peace and security, pariah and rogue in the international community", he said, using epithets usually reserved for the North. Trump's declaration Wednesday to recognise Jerusalem as Israel's capital and relocate the US embassy from Tel Aviv sparked anger across the Muslim world, and drew expressions of concern and disapproval from US allies. Trump has previously warned Pyongyang of "fire and fury", telling the UN General Assembly that Washington would "totally destroy North Korea" if it had to defend itself or its allies. Trump dubbed Kim "Rocket Man" in the same speech -- Pyongyang has tested missiles apparently capable of reaching much of the US mainland -- and days later Kim responded with a personal statement calling him a "dotard", an obscure term for a weak or senile old man. According to the latest KCNA statement, the North "strongly condemns" the US move to recognise Jerusalem as capital, and expressed "firm support and solidarity for Palestinians and Arab peoples struggling to win their legitimate rights". "The US will be held accountable for all consequences from this reckless, wicked act", it added.

North Korea condemns 'mentally deranged dotard' Trump over Jerusalem

Special counsel Robert Mueller -- looking into possible collusion between the Trump presidential campaign and Russia -- has subpoenaed Trump&#39;s Deutsche Bank financial records, news reports said Wednesday.&nbsp;

Deutsche Bank, Germany&#39;s biggest bank, is a long-time Trump financier.&nbsp;

White House spokeswoman Sarah Sanders however rejected the reports as &quot;completely false&quot;, as did Trump&#39;s personal attorney Jay Sekulow.&nbsp;

&quot;No subpoena has been issued or received. We have confirmed this with the bank and other sources,&quot; AFP reported Sekulow as saying in a statement.

&quot;We have confirmed that the news reports that the special counsel had subpoenaed financial records relating to the president are false.&quot;&nbsp;

The news of the subpoena had first been reported by German business newspaper Handelsblatt.

Handelsblatt reported on Tuesday that Deutsche Bank had been asked to hand over financial information about Trump and members of his family.

It reported that the subpoena arrived &quot;a few weeks ago,&quot; and that the most important of the files asked for had already been sent to Mueller.

AFP reported one source as corroborating the information.&nbsp;

It reported a second source familiar with the investigation as saying the subpoena was linked to Trump&#39;s indicted former campaign chairman Paul Manafort.

&nbsp;

Deutsche Bank, Germany's biggest bank, is a long-time Trump financier

Special counsel Robert Mueller -- looking into possible collusion between the Trump presidential campaign and Russia -- has subpoenaed Trump's Deutsche Bank financial records, news reports said Wednesday. Deutsche Bank, Germany's biggest bank, is a long-time Trump financier. White House spokeswoman Sarah Sanders however rejected the reports as "completely false", as did Trump's personal attorney Jay Sekulow. "No subpoena has been issued or received. We have confirmed this with the bank and other sources," AFP reported Sekulow as saying in a statement. "We have confirmed that the news reports that the special counsel had subpoenaed financial records relating to the president are false." The news of the subpoena had first been reported by German business newspaper Handelsblatt. Handelsblatt reported on Tuesday that Deutsche Bank had been asked to hand over financial information about Trump and members of his family. It reported that the subpoena arrived "a few weeks ago," and that the most important of the files asked for had already been sent to Mueller. AFP reported one source as corroborating the information. It reported a second source familiar with the investigation as saying the subpoena was linked to Trump's indicted former campaign chairman Paul Manafort.

Special counsel Robert Mueller subpoenas Trump's Deutsche Bank records

President Donald Trump will recognize Jerusalem as Israel&#39;s capital Wednesday, upending decades of careful US policy and ignoring dire warnings of a historic misstep that could trigger a surge of violence in the Middle East.

A senior administration official said Trump would make the landmark announcement -- which flies in the face of warnings from America&#39;s allies across the region and the world -- at 1 pm (1800 GMT) from the White House.

&quot;He will say that that the United States government recognizes that Jerusalem is the capital of Israel,&quot; a senior administration official said, speaking on condition of anonymity.

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<h5>He views this as a recognition of reality, both historic reality and modern reality&#39;</h5>
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&quot;He views this as a recognition of reality, both historic reality,&quot; the source added, &quot;and modern reality.&quot;

Plunging further into a bitter centuries-old argument between Jews, Muslims and Christians, Trump will also order planning to begin on moving the US embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.

&quot;It will take some time to find a site, to address security concerns, design a new facility, fund a new facility and build it,&quot; the official said, indicating that the move will not be immediate.

&quot;It will be a matter of some years, it won&#39;t be months, it&#39;s going to take time.&quot;

The status of Jerusalem is a central issue in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, with both sides claiming the city as their capital, and expectations of Trump&#39;s announcement have roiled the combustible region.

In a frantic series of calls on its eve, the leaders of Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Jordan, the EU, France, Germany and Turkey all warned Trump against the move.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/donald-trump-tells-mideast-leaders-he-will-move-embassy-to-jerusalem-breaking-with-us-policy-25980" target="_blank">Also read: Trump tells Arab, Israeli leaders he plans to move embassy to Jerusalem</a>

Anticipating widespread demonstrations, US government officials have been ordered to avoid Jerusalem&#39;s Old City and the West Bank.

But Trump&#39;s move comes close to fulfilling a campaign promise and will delight his political donors and the conservative and evangelical base that is so vital for the embattled president.

&#39;Red line&#39; 
Most of the international community does not formally recognize Jerusalem as Israel&#39;s capital, insisting the issue can only be resolved in final status negotiations.

US officials talk of &quot;threading the needle&quot; -- fulfilling Trump&#39;s campaign pledge, while keeping the peace process on the rails.

The White House argues that such a move would not prejudge final talks and would represent the reality that west Jerusalem is and will continue to be part of Israel under any settlement.

&quot;President Trump remains committed to achieving a lasting peace agreement between the Israelis and the Palestinians and is optimistic that peace can be achieved,&quot; a second official said.

&quot;President Trump is prepared to support a two State solution... If agreed to by the two parties.&quot;

But critics say Trump&#39;s approach is more like &quot;splitting the baby&quot; and could also extinguish his own much-vaunted efforts to broker Middle East peace while igniting the flames of conflict in a region already reeling from crises in Lebanon, Syria, Iraq, Yemen and Qatar.

The armed Islamist Hamas movement has threatened to launch a new &quot;intifada&quot; or uprising.

Saudi Arabia&#39;s King Salman warned his close ally that moving the US embassy was a &quot;dangerous step&quot; that could rile Muslims around the world.

&quot;Mr Trump! Jerusalem is a red line for Muslims,&quot; Turkey&#39;s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said in a raucous televised speech, echoing alarm expressed by Palestinian and Arab leaders.

&#39;Embassy Act&#39; 
Israel seized the largely-Arab eastern sector of Jerusalem during the 1967 Six-Day War and later annexed it, claiming both sides of the city as its &quot;eternal and undivided capital.&quot;

But the Palestinians want the eastern sector as the capital of their future state and fiercely oppose any Israeli attempt to extend sovereignty there.

Trump was pushed to act on the embassy as a result of the 1995 Jerusalem Embassy Act, which stated that the city &quot;should be recognized as the capital of the State of Israel&quot; and that the US embassy should be moved there.

An inbuilt waiver has been repeatedly invoked by successive US presidents, postponing the move on grounds of &quot;national security&quot; once every six months, meaning the law has never taken effect.

Several peace plans have unravelled over the issue of how to divide sovereignty or oversee sites in the city that are holy for Christians, Jews and Muslims.

The decision upends decades of US policy and risks fuelling violence in the Middle East

President Donald Trump will recognize Jerusalem as Israel's capital Wednesday, upending decades of careful US policy and ignoring dire warnings of a historic misstep that could trigger a surge of violence in the Middle East. A senior administration official said Trump would make the landmark announcement -- which flies in the face of warnings from America's allies across the region and the world -- at 1 pm (1800 GMT) from the White House. "He will say that that the United States government recognizes that Jerusalem is the capital of Israel," a senior administration official said, speaking on condition of anonymity. He views this as a recognition of reality, both historic reality and modern reality' × "He views this as a recognition of reality, both historic reality," the source added, "and modern reality." Plunging further into a bitter centuries-old argument between Jews, Muslims and Christians, Trump will also order planning to begin on moving the US embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. "It will take some time to find a site, to address security concerns, design a new facility, fund a new facility and build it," the official said, indicating that the move will not be immediate. "It will be a matter of some years, it won't be months, it's going to take time." The status of Jerusalem is a central issue in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, with both sides claiming the city as their capital, and expectations of Trump's announcement have roiled the combustible region. In a frantic series of calls on its eve, the leaders of Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Jordan, the EU, France, Germany and Turkey all warned Trump against the move. Also read: Trump tells Arab, Israeli leaders he plans to move embassy to Jerusalem Anticipating widespread demonstrations, US government officials have been ordered to avoid Jerusalem's Old City and the West Bank. But Trump's move comes close to fulfilling a campaign promise and will delight his political donors and the conservative and evangelical base that is so vital for the embattled president. 'Red line' Most of the international community does not formally recognize Jerusalem as Israel's capital, insisting the issue can only be resolved in final status negotiations. US officials talk of "threading the needle" -- fulfilling Trump's campaign pledge, while keeping the peace process on the rails. The White House argues that such a move would not prejudge final talks and would represent the reality that west Jerusalem is and will continue to be part of Israel under any settlement. "President Trump remains committed to achieving a lasting peace agreement between the Israelis and the Palestinians and is optimistic that peace can be achieved," a second official said. "President Trump is prepared to support a two State solution... If agreed to by the two parties." But critics say Trump's approach is more like "splitting the baby" and could also extinguish his own much-vaunted efforts to broker Middle East peace while igniting the flames of conflict in a region already reeling from crises in Lebanon, Syria, Iraq, Yemen and Qatar. The armed Islamist Hamas movement has threatened to launch a new "intifada" or uprising. Saudi Arabia's King Salman warned his close ally that moving the US embassy was a "dangerous step" that could rile Muslims around the world. "Mr Trump! Jerusalem is a red line for Muslims," Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said in a raucous televised speech, echoing alarm expressed by Palestinian and Arab leaders. 'Embassy Act' Israel seized the largely-Arab eastern sector of Jerusalem during the 1967 Six-Day War and later annexed it, claiming both sides of the city as its "eternal and undivided capital." But the Palestinians want the eastern sector as the capital of their future state and fiercely oppose any Israeli attempt to extend sovereignty there. Trump was pushed to act on the embassy as a result of the 1995 Jerusalem Embassy Act, which stated that the city "should be recognized as the capital of the State of Israel" and that the US embassy should be moved there. An inbuilt waiver has been repeatedly invoked by successive US presidents, postponing the move on grounds of "national security" once every six months, meaning the law has never taken effect. Several peace plans have unravelled over the issue of how to divide sovereignty or oversee sites in the city that are holy for Christians, Jews and Muslims.

Trump to recognise Jerusalem as Israel capital

Facing dark warnings of a historic misstep and widespread unrest, US President Donald Trump on Monday delayed a decision on whether to recognize Jerusalem as the Israeli capital and move the US embassy there.

The White House said Trump would miss a deadline to decide on shifting the embassy from Tel Aviv, after a frantic 48 hours of public warnings from allies and private phone calls between world leaders.

The mercurial president has yet to make his final decision, officials said but is expected to stop short of moving the embassy to Jerusalem outright, a central campaign pledge which has been postponed once already by the new administration.

&quot;The president has been clear on this issue from the get-go: It&#39;s not a matter of if, it&#39;s a matter of when,&quot; said White House spokesman Hogan Gidley, who said a declaration on the move would be made &quot;in the coming days.&quot;

Domestic politics may, however, push Trump toward recognizing Jerusalem as Israel&#39;s capital instead, in a gesture towards conservative voters and donors.

The status of Jerusalem is a key issue in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, with both Israelis and Palestinians claiming the city as their capital.

With Trump&#39;s decision looming, leaders from across the Middle East and elsewhere ramped up public warnings against any shift in decades-old US policy.

French President Emmanuel Macron was among those who warned Trump that Jerusalem&#39;s status must be decided &quot;within the framework of negotiations between Israelis and Palestinians.&quot;

Amid internal White House disagreements, several US administration officials were unable or unwilling to say with certainty what Trump would decide.

&quot;The president&#39;s going to make his decision,&quot; his Middle East peace envoy and son-in-law Jared Kushner said.&nbsp;

Israeli&#39;s defense minister Avigdor Lieberman urged Trump to grasp a &quot;historic opportunity.&quot;

But from elsewhere in the region the message was clear: don&#39;t do it.

&quot;If the status of Jerusalem is changed and another step is taken... that would be a major catastrophe,&quot; Turkish Deputy Prime Minister Bekir Bozdag said.

&quot;It would completely destroy the fragile peace process in the region, and lead to new conflicts, new disputes and new unrest.&quot;

&#39;Threat&#39; to stability&nbsp;

All foreign embassies are located in Tel Aviv with consular representation in Jerusalem, and Trump was theoretically due Monday to decide whether to sign a legal waiver delaying by six months plans to move the US embassy from the Holy City -- as successive administrations have done at regular intervals for more than two decades.

&quot;The president is still considering options,&quot; a State Department official said when asked about a possible move.

Trump is expected to begrudgingly sign the waiver for a second time at some point this week.

According to diplomats and observers, however, he may also make a speech on Wednesday announcing his support for Israel&#39;s claim on Jerusalem as its capital.

The Arab League said it was closely following the matter, with leader Abul Gheit warning any such move would pose a threat &quot;to the stability of the Middle East and the whole world.&quot;

&quot;It will not serve peace or stability, instead it will nourish fanaticism and violence,&quot; he said on Sunday, noting that the League was closely following the issue and would coordinate a joint position with Palestinian and Arab leaders if Trump took the step.&nbsp;

Jordan&#39;s Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi also warned that any change to the status of Jerusalem would have &quot;grave consequences&quot;, in a phone conversation with US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson on Sunday.&nbsp;

It was crucial, he said, &quot;to preserve the historical and legal status of Jerusalem and refrain from any decision that aims to change that status,&quot; the official Petra news agency reported.&nbsp;

&nbsp;A move in waiting&nbsp;

In 1995, the US Congress passed the so-called Jerusalem Embassy Act recognizing Jerusalem as Israel&#39;s capital and stating that the US embassy should be moved there.

But an inbuilt waiver, which allows the president to temporarily postpone the move on grounds of &quot;national security&quot;, has been repeatedly invoked by successive US presidents, from Bill Clinton to George W. Bush and Barack Obama, meaning the law has never taken effect.

Israel seized the largely-Arab eastern sector of Jerusalem during the 1967 Six-Day War and later annexed it, claims both halves of the city to be its &quot;eternal and undivided capital.&quot;&nbsp;

But the Palestinians want the eastern sector as capital of their promised state and fiercely oppose any Israeli attempt to extend sovereignty there.&nbsp;

Several peace plans have come unstuck over debates on whether, and how, to divide sovereignty or oversee the sites holy to Christians, Jews and Muslims.

&nbsp;&#39;Disqualifying&#39;&nbsp;

Palestinian leaders have been lobbying regional leaders to oppose any shift in US policy and the armed Islamist movement Hamas has threatened to launch a new &quot;intifada.&quot;

Saeb Erakat, secretary general of the Palestine Liberation Organization, warned that a change in the US stance on Jerusalem would spell disaster, and would amount to an own goal for US peace efforts in the region.

He said in a statement that Washington would &quot;be disqualifying itself to play any role in any initiative towards achieving a just and lasting peace.&quot;

Trump has said he wants to relaunch frozen peace talks between Israel and the Palestinians in search of the &quot;ultimate deal&quot;.&nbsp;

The moving of the US embassy was a central campaign pledge which has been postponed once already by the new administration

Facing dark warnings of a historic misstep and widespread unrest, US President Donald Trump on Monday delayed a decision on whether to recognize Jerusalem as the Israeli capital and move the US embassy there. The White House said Trump would miss a deadline to decide on shifting the embassy from Tel Aviv, after a frantic 48 hours of public warnings from allies and private phone calls between world leaders. The mercurial president has yet to make his final decision, officials said but is expected to stop short of moving the embassy to Jerusalem outright, a central campaign pledge which has been postponed once already by the new administration. "The president has been clear on this issue from the get-go: It's not a matter of if, it's a matter of when," said White House spokesman Hogan Gidley, who said a declaration on the move would be made "in the coming days." Domestic politics may, however, push Trump toward recognizing Jerusalem as Israel's capital instead, in a gesture towards conservative voters and donors. The status of Jerusalem is a key issue in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, with both Israelis and Palestinians claiming the city as their capital. With Trump's decision looming, leaders from across the Middle East and elsewhere ramped up public warnings against any shift in decades-old US policy. French President Emmanuel Macron was among those who warned Trump that Jerusalem's status must be decided "within the framework of negotiations between Israelis and Palestinians." Amid internal White House disagreements, several US administration officials were unable or unwilling to say with certainty what Trump would decide. "The president's going to make his decision," his Middle East peace envoy and son-in-law Jared Kushner said. Israeli's defense minister Avigdor Lieberman urged Trump to grasp a "historic opportunity." But from elsewhere in the region the message was clear: don't do it. "If the status of Jerusalem is changed and another step is taken... that would be a major catastrophe," Turkish Deputy Prime Minister Bekir Bozdag said. "It would completely destroy the fragile peace process in the region, and lead to new conflicts, new disputes and new unrest." 'Threat' to stability All foreign embassies are located in Tel Aviv with consular representation in Jerusalem, and Trump was theoretically due Monday to decide whether to sign a legal waiver delaying by six months plans to move the US embassy from the Holy City -- as successive administrations have done at regular intervals for more than two decades. "The president is still considering options," a State Department official said when asked about a possible move. Trump is expected to begrudgingly sign the waiver for a second time at some point this week. According to diplomats and observers, however, he may also make a speech on Wednesday announcing his support for Israel's claim on Jerusalem as its capital. The Arab League said it was closely following the matter, with leader Abul Gheit warning any such move would pose a threat "to the stability of the Middle East and the whole world." "It will not serve peace or stability, instead it will nourish fanaticism and violence," he said on Sunday, noting that the League was closely following the issue and would coordinate a joint position with Palestinian and Arab leaders if Trump took the step. Jordan's Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi also warned that any change to the status of Jerusalem would have "grave consequences", in a phone conversation with US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson on Sunday. It was crucial, he said, "to preserve the historical and legal status of Jerusalem and refrain from any decision that aims to change that status," the official Petra news agency reported. A move in waiting In 1995, the US Congress passed the so-called Jerusalem Embassy Act recognizing Jerusalem as Israel's capital and stating that the US embassy should be moved there. But an inbuilt waiver, which allows the president to temporarily postpone the move on grounds of "national security", has been repeatedly invoked by successive US presidents, from Bill Clinton to George W. Bush and Barack Obama, meaning the law has never taken effect. Israel seized the largely-Arab eastern sector of Jerusalem during the 1967 Six-Day War and later annexed it, claims both halves of the city to be its "eternal and undivided capital." But the Palestinians want the eastern sector as capital of their promised state and fiercely oppose any Israeli attempt to extend sovereignty there. Several peace plans have come unstuck over debates on whether, and how, to divide sovereignty or oversee the sites holy to Christians, Jews and Muslims. 'Disqualifying' Palestinian leaders have been lobbying regional leaders to oppose any shift in US policy and the armed Islamist movement Hamas has threatened to launch a new "intifada." Saeb Erakat, secretary general of the Palestine Liberation Organization, warned that a change in the US stance on Jerusalem would spell disaster, and would amount to an own goal for US peace efforts in the region. He said in a statement that Washington would "be disqualifying itself to play any role in any initiative towards achieving a just and lasting peace." Trump has said he wants to relaunch frozen peace talks between Israel and the Palestinians in search of the "ultimate deal".

Trump delays decision to move US embassy to Jerusalem

US President Donald Trump attacked the FBI in a series of tweets on Sunday, calling it the &quot;worst in history&quot; and saying that its reputation was &quot;in tatters&quot;.&nbsp;

&quot;After years of Comey, with the phony and dishonest Clinton investigation (and more), running the FBI, its reputation is in Tatters - worst in History! But fear not, we will bring it back to greatness,&quot; he tweeted.&nbsp;

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Tainted (no, very dishonest?) FBI &ldquo;agent&rsquo;s role in Clinton probe under review.&rdquo; Led Clinton Email probe. <a href="https://twitter.com/foxandfriends?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@foxandfriends</a> Clinton money going to wife of another FBI agent in charge.
&mdash; Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/937301085156503552?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 3, 2017</a></blockquote>
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After years of Comey, with the phony and dishonest Clinton investigation (and more), running the FBI, its reputation is in Tatters - worst in History! But fear not, we will bring it back to greatness.
&mdash; Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/937305615218696193?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 3, 2017</a></blockquote>
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Report: &ldquo;ANTI-TRUMP FBI AGENT LED CLINTON EMAIL PROBE&rdquo; Now it all starts to make sense!
&mdash; Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/937314665176207360?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 3, 2017</a></blockquote>
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On Friday, former US National Security Adviser Michael Flynn admitted to the FBI that he had lied about his conversations with the Russian ambassador during the presidential transition.&nbsp;

Special Counsel Robert Mueller is currently investigating whether Trump should be charged with obstruction of justice for firing former FBI director James Comey.&nbsp;

Comey had said Trump had asked him to drop the Flynn probe.&nbsp;

'After years of Comey, with the phony and dishonest Clinton investigation (and more), running the FBI, its reputation is in Tatters - worst in History!' Trump tweeted

US President Donald Trump attacked the FBI in a series of tweets on Sunday, calling it the "worst in history" and saying that its reputation was "in tatters". "After years of Comey, with the phony and dishonest Clinton investigation (and more), running the FBI, its reputation is in Tatters - worst in History! But fear not, we will bring it back to greatness," he tweeted. Tainted (no, very dishonest?) FBI “agent’s role in Clinton probe under review.” Led Clinton Email probe. @foxandfriends Clinton money going to wife of another FBI agent in charge. — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 3, 2017 × After years of Comey, with the phony and dishonest Clinton investigation (and more), running the FBI, its reputation is in Tatters - worst in History! But fear not, we will bring it back to greatness. — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 3, 2017 × Report: “ANTI-TRUMP FBI AGENT LED CLINTON EMAIL PROBE” Now it all starts to make sense! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 3, 2017 × On Friday, former US National Security Adviser Michael Flynn admitted to the FBI that he had lied about his conversations with the Russian ambassador during the presidential transition. Special Counsel Robert Mueller is currently investigating whether Trump should be charged with obstruction of justice for firing former FBI director James Comey. Comey had said Trump had asked him to drop the Flynn probe.

Trump says FBI 'worst in history, reputation in tatters'

US President Donald Trump denied Sunday having asked then FBI director James Comey to stop investigating ex-national security advisor Michael Flynn, who has since pleaded guilty to lying to the FBI about discussions with Russia.

Trump also insisted he and his campaign had not colluded with Moscow in last year&#39;s election, and shifted blame on the Justice Department and his Democratic rival Hillary Clinton.

&quot;I never asked Comey to stop investigating Flynn. Just more Fake News covering another Comey lie!&quot; Trump said in a tweet.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/flynns-actions-during-the-transition-were-lawful-president-trump-25710" target="_blank">Flynn&#39;s actions during the transition &#39;were lawful&#39;, says Trump</a>

But his position was complicated by another Twitter post in which he indicated he had fired Flynn because the national security chief had been untruthful not just to Vice President Mike Pence but to the FBI as well.

That comment appeared to indicate Trump was acknowledging he knew at the time of Flynn&#39;s firing in February that he had lied to the bureau&#39;s agents.

&quot;If that is true, Mr. President, why did you wait so long to fire Flynn?&quot; asked Representative Adam Schiff of California, the top Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee.

&quot;Why did you fail to act until his lies were publicly exposed? And why did you pressure Director Comey to &#39;let this go?&#39;&quot;

White House officials, however, told The New York Times that Trump was only referencing Flynn&#39;s guilty plea for lying to the FBI about his conversations with then Russian ambassador Sergey Kislyak over sanctions president Barack Obama slapped on Russia for election meddling.

And two people briefed on the matter said the Twitter post was in fact written by Trump&#39;s personal lawyer John Dowd, who apologized to the White House for the tactless language.

What the president knew, and when 
After he was fired himself in May, Comey testified under oath before a Senate panel that, a day after Flynn&#39;s firing, Trump asked him to drop an investigation into the former national security advisor.

A lingering part of the drama has been that after the White House learned through the Justice Department that Flynn lied to the White House about discussing sanctions with the Russian ambassador, Trump still waited 18 days to fire him.

Trump said he had the Russia probe in mind when he fired Comey. The move backfired and led the Justice Department to appoint Robert Mueller as special counsel.

Mueller&#39;s focus goes beyond possible collusion with Russia to business dealings and whether Trump himself tried to thwart the investigation.

US media reported that senior FBI counterintelligence official Peter Strzok was removed from the investigation over the summer for sending text messages critical of Trump.

Trump retweeted a post from conservative commentator Paul Sperry about the news that highlighted the fact that Strzok had also worked on the probe into Hillary Clinton&#39;s use of a private email server while serving as secretary of state.

Trump also retweeted another damaging Sperry post critical of Strzok&#39;s boss, FBI Deputy Director Andrew McCabe.

Earlier, Trump renewed focus on the Justice Department&#39;s handling of the Clinton probe.

&quot;So General Flynn lies to the FBI and his life is destroyed, while Crooked Hillary Clinton, on that now famous FBI holiday &#39;interrogation&#39; with no swearing in and no recording, lies many times...and nothing happens to her? Rigged system, or just a double standard?&quot; he wrote.

&quot;Many people in our Country are asking what the &#39;Justice&#39; Department is going to do about the fact that totally Crooked Hillary, AFTER receiving a subpoena from the United States Congress, deleted and &#39;acid washed&#39; 33,000 Emails? No justice!&quot;

As he left for a day trip to New York on Saturday, Trump again insisted his team had not plotted with Moscow to sway the election in his favor over Clinton, who won the popular vote but lost the all-important electoral college count.

&quot;What has been shown is no collusion. There&#39;s been absolutely no collusion. So we&#39;re very happy,&quot; Trump said.

Comey himself seemed to be addressing the latest developments in an Instagram message: &quot;To paraphrase the Buddha -- Three things cannot be long hidden: the sun; the moon; and the truth.&quot;

- Tax win overshadowed - 
The explosive new developments in the Russia probe have overshadowed a major legislative win for Trump: the Senate&#39;s passage of the most significant US tax overhaul in 31 years.

Both the Senate and House versions lower the corporate tax rate to 20 percent from 35 percent, and include more modest tax cuts aimed at individuals across all income levels.

Democrats argue that the plan is too expensive and will accommodate only the rich, and that it could ultimately impact cherished US entitlement programs like Medicare.

The Senate bill was, just 24 hours earlier, on the brink of collapse when a handful of Republican deficit hawks balked at the plan&#39;s $1.5 trillion price tag for 10 years.

Trump hopes to sign a final bill before Christmas. That would be a much-needed victory for the president, who has delivered on hardly any of his major campaign promises, including repealing the health care law known as Obamacare.

'I never asked Comey to stop investigating Flynn. Just more Fake News covering another Comey lie!' Trump said in a tweet.

US President Donald Trump denied Sunday having asked then FBI director James Comey to stop investigating ex-national security advisor Michael Flynn, who has since pleaded guilty to lying to the FBI about discussions with Russia. Trump also insisted he and his campaign had not colluded with Moscow in last year's election, and shifted blame on the Justice Department and his Democratic rival Hillary Clinton. "I never asked Comey to stop investigating Flynn. Just more Fake News covering another Comey lie!" Trump said in a tweet. Also read: Flynn's actions during the transition 'were lawful', says Trump But his position was complicated by another Twitter post in which he indicated he had fired Flynn because the national security chief had been untruthful not just to Vice President Mike Pence but to the FBI as well. That comment appeared to indicate Trump was acknowledging he knew at the time of Flynn's firing in February that he had lied to the bureau's agents. "If that is true, Mr. President, why did you wait so long to fire Flynn?" asked Representative Adam Schiff of California, the top Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee. "Why did you fail to act until his lies were publicly exposed? And why did you pressure Director Comey to 'let this go?'" White House officials, however, told The New York Times that Trump was only referencing Flynn's guilty plea for lying to the FBI about his conversations with then Russian ambassador Sergey Kislyak over sanctions president Barack Obama slapped on Russia for election meddling. And two people briefed on the matter said the Twitter post was in fact written by Trump's personal lawyer John Dowd, who apologized to the White House for the tactless language. What the president knew, and when After he was fired himself in May, Comey testified under oath before a Senate panel that, a day after Flynn's firing, Trump asked him to drop an investigation into the former national security advisor. A lingering part of the drama has been that after the White House learned through the Justice Department that Flynn lied to the White House about discussing sanctions with the Russian ambassador, Trump still waited 18 days to fire him. Trump said he had the Russia probe in mind when he fired Comey. The move backfired and led the Justice Department to appoint Robert Mueller as special counsel. Mueller's focus goes beyond possible collusion with Russia to business dealings and whether Trump himself tried to thwart the investigation. US media reported that senior FBI counterintelligence official Peter Strzok was removed from the investigation over the summer for sending text messages critical of Trump. Trump retweeted a post from conservative commentator Paul Sperry about the news that highlighted the fact that Strzok had also worked on the probe into Hillary Clinton's use of a private email server while serving as secretary of state. Trump also retweeted another damaging Sperry post critical of Strzok's boss, FBI Deputy Director Andrew McCabe. Earlier, Trump renewed focus on the Justice Department's handling of the Clinton probe. "So General Flynn lies to the FBI and his life is destroyed, while Crooked Hillary Clinton, on that now famous FBI holiday 'interrogation' with no swearing in and no recording, lies many times...and nothing happens to her? Rigged system, or just a double standard?" he wrote. "Many people in our Country are asking what the 'Justice' Department is going to do about the fact that totally Crooked Hillary, AFTER receiving a subpoena from the United States Congress, deleted and 'acid washed' 33,000 Emails? No justice!" As he left for a day trip to New York on Saturday, Trump again insisted his team had not plotted with Moscow to sway the election in his favor over Clinton, who won the popular vote but lost the all-important electoral college count. "What has been shown is no collusion. There's been absolutely no collusion. So we're very happy," Trump said. Comey himself seemed to be addressing the latest developments in an Instagram message: "To paraphrase the Buddha -- Three things cannot be long hidden: the sun; the moon; and the truth." - Tax win overshadowed - The explosive new developments in the Russia probe have overshadowed a major legislative win for Trump: the Senate's passage of the most significant US tax overhaul in 31 years. Both the Senate and House versions lower the corporate tax rate to 20 percent from 35 percent, and include more modest tax cuts aimed at individuals across all income levels. Democrats argue that the plan is too expensive and will accommodate only the rich, and that it could ultimately impact cherished US entitlement programs like Medicare. The Senate bill was, just 24 hours earlier, on the brink of collapse when a handful of Republican deficit hawks balked at the plan's $1.5 trillion price tag for 10 years. Trump hopes to sign a final bill before Christmas. That would be a much-needed victory for the president, who has delivered on hardly any of his major campaign promises, including repealing the health care law known as Obamacare.

Trump denies asking FBI to drop Flynn probe

Donald Trump hit back publicly at British Prime Minister Theresa May after she criticised his retweeting of anti-Islam videos.&nbsp;

&quot;Theresa @theresamay, don&#39;t focus on me, focus on the destructive Radical Islamic Terrorism that is taking place within the United Kingdom,&quot; Trump tweeted. &nbsp;

&quot;We are doing just fine,&quot; he added.&nbsp;

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.<a href="https://twitter.com/theresa_may?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Theresa_May</a>, don&rsquo;t focus on me, focus on the destructive Radical Islamic Terrorism that is taking place within the United Kingdom. We are doing just fine!
&mdash; Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/936037588372283392?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 30, 2017</a></blockquote>
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Hours earlier, the US president had retweeted a number of anti-Islam propaganda videos.&nbsp;

They included videos titled &quot;Islamist mob pushes teenage boy off roof and beats him to death!&quot; and &quot;Muslim migrant beats up Dutch boy on crutches!&quot;

'Theresa @theresamay, don't focus on me, focus on the destructive Radical Islamic Terrorism that is taking place within the United Kingdom,' Trump tweeted

Donald Trump hit back publicly at British Prime Minister Theresa May after she criticised his retweeting of anti-Islam videos. "Theresa @theresamay, don't focus on me, focus on the destructive Radical Islamic Terrorism that is taking place within the United Kingdom," Trump tweeted. "We are doing just fine," he added. .@Theresa_May, don’t focus on me, focus on the destructive Radical Islamic Terrorism that is taking place within the United Kingdom. We are doing just fine! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 30, 2017 × Hours earlier, the US president had retweeted a number of anti-Islam propaganda videos. They included videos titled "Islamist mob pushes teenage boy off roof and beats him to death!" and "Muslim migrant beats up Dutch boy on crutches!"

Trump attacks British PM May after she criticises his retweeting of anti-Islam videos

North Korea said Wednesday it had achieved its goal of becoming a nuclear state after successfully testing a new intercontinental ballistic missile that put the &quot;whole mainland of the US&quot; within its range.&nbsp;

After watching the launch of the Hwasong-15, the North&#39;s leader Kim Jong-Un &quot;declared with pride that now we have finally realised the great historic cause of completing the state nuclear force&quot;, the official KCNA news agency said.

The test triggered global outrage with US Defense Secretary Jim Mattis saying it marked a significant step toward North Korea building missiles that can &quot;threaten everywhere in the world, basically.&quot;

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/north-korea-tests-icbm-in-fresh-challenge-to-trump-25388" target="_blank">Also </a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/north-korea-tests-icbm-in-fresh-challenge-to-trump-25388" target="_blank">read:</a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/north-korea-tests-icbm-in-fresh-challenge-to-trump-25388" target="_blank">&nbsp;North Korea test-fires ICBM; &#39;will take care of it,&#39; says Trump</a>

It was the first missile test of any kind since September 15, and squashed speculation that the North may have held back in order to open the door to a negotiated solution to a nuclear standoff.

&quot;The ICBM Hwasong-15 type weaponry system is an intercontinental ballistic rocket tipped with super-large heavy warhead which is capable of striking the whole mainland of the US,&quot; KCNA said.

It said the development of the weapon would defend the North against the &quot;US imperialists&#39; nuclear blackmail policy and nuclear threat&quot;.

While Pyongyang has yet to prove its mastery of the re-entry technology required to bring a warhead back through the Earth&#39;s atmosphere, experts believe it is on the threshold of developing a working intercontinental nuclear strike capability.

Wednesday&#39;s test caused deep consternation among the North&#39;s neighbours.

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe called it an intolerable, &quot;violent&quot; act and South Korean President Moon Jae-In condemned Pyongyang&#39;s &quot;reckless&quot; behaviour.

North Korea said the new intercontinental ballistic missile -- the Hwasong 15 -- it tested on Wednesday placed the 'whole mainland of the US' within range

North Korea said Wednesday it had achieved its goal of becoming a nuclear state after successfully testing a new intercontinental ballistic missile that put the "whole mainland of the US" within its range. After watching the launch of the Hwasong-15, the North's leader Kim Jong-Un "declared with pride that now we have finally realised the great historic cause of completing the state nuclear force", the official KCNA news agency said. The test triggered global outrage with US Defense Secretary Jim Mattis saying it marked a significant step toward North Korea building missiles that can "threaten everywhere in the world, basically." Also read: North Korea test-fires ICBM; 'will take care of it,' says Trump It was the first missile test of any kind since September 15, and squashed speculation that the North may have held back in order to open the door to a negotiated solution to a nuclear standoff. "The ICBM Hwasong-15 type weaponry system is an intercontinental ballistic rocket tipped with super-large heavy warhead which is capable of striking the whole mainland of the US," KCNA said. It said the development of the weapon would defend the North against the "US imperialists' nuclear blackmail policy and nuclear threat". While Pyongyang has yet to prove its mastery of the re-entry technology required to bring a warhead back through the Earth's atmosphere, experts believe it is on the threshold of developing a working intercontinental nuclear strike capability. Wednesday's test caused deep consternation among the North's neighbours. Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe called it an intolerable, "violent" act and South Korean President Moon Jae-In condemned Pyongyang's "reckless" behaviour.

North Korea says 'whole of mainland US' in nuclear missile range