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.

"It's cooler than (US&nbspPresident Donald) Trump's," one guest was quoted as saying by the RIA news agency.

Putin has in the past publicly driven Russian-made cars in front of television cameras in an effort to nurture patriotism and support the domestic auto industry.

Monday marked the first public outing of the new limousine, part of the "Kortezh" series of cars which is also expected to include a sedan, minivan and offroad vehicle.

Under development since 2012, the limousine is being produced by a Russian research institute known by the acronym NAMI, and will be distributed in partnership with Russian carmaker Sollers.

The new limousine is set to become the heir to the Russian-made ZIL sedans that for decades transported Soviet leaders.

Trade Minister Denis Manturov said state officials would be able to switch to Kortezh vehicles when enough of them became available, TASS news agency reported.

The Ministry of Trade said the cars would be marketed under the brand Aurus and made available for sale from the beginning of 2019, RIA reported.

In his inauguration address, Putin said technological innovation and research were essential for Russia's future to keep pace with global change.

Putin's last six-year term has been marked by a sharp downturn in relations with the West over conflicts in Ukraine and Syria, accusations of Russian meddling in the 2016 U.S. election, and the poisoning of a former Russian spy in England. Moscow denies meddling in the elections or poisoning the spy.

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

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. "It's cooler than (US&nbspPresident Donald) Trump's," one guest was quoted as saying by the RIA news agency. Putin has in the past publicly driven Russian-made cars in front of television cameras in an effort to nurture patriotism and support the domestic auto industry. Monday marked the first public outing of the new limousine, part of the "Kortezh" series of cars which is also expected to include a sedan, minivan and offroad vehicle. Under development since 2012, the limousine is being produced by a Russian research institute known by the acronym NAMI, and will be distributed in partnership with Russian carmaker Sollers. The new limousine is set to become the heir to the Russian-made ZIL sedans that for decades transported Soviet leaders. Trade Minister Denis Manturov said state officials would be able to switch to Kortezh vehicles when enough of them became available, TASS news agency reported. The Ministry of Trade said the cars would be marketed under the brand Aurus and made available for sale from the beginning of 2019, RIA reported. In his inauguration address, Putin said technological innovation and research were essential for Russia's future to keep pace with global change. Putin's last six-year term has been marked by a sharp downturn in relations with the West over conflicts in Ukraine and Syria, accusations of Russian meddling in the 2016 U.S. election, and the poisoning of a former Russian spy in England. Moscow denies meddling in the elections or poisoning the spy.

Putin takes inaugural ride in Russian-made limousine to send patriotic message of self-sufficiency

President Hassan Rouhani hinted on Monday that Iran could remain in its 2015 nuclear deal with world powers even if the United States dropped out but Tehran would fiercely resist US&nbsppressure to limit its influence in the Middle East.

US&nbspPresident Donald Trump, a long-time critic of the deal reached between Iran and six powers in 2015 before he took office, has threatened to pull out by not extending sanctions waivers when they expire on May 12, unless European signatories of the accord fix what he calls its “flaws”.

Under the agreement with the United States, France, Germany, Britain, Russia and China, Iran strictly limited uranium enrichment capacity to satisfy the powers that it could not be used to develop atomic bombs. In exchange, Iran received relief from sanctions, most of which were rescinded in January 2016.

Rouhani said the Islamic Republic had been preparing for every possible scenario, including a deal without Washington - which would still include the other signatories that remain committed to it - or no deal at all.

"We are not worried about America's cruel decisions ... We are prepared for all scenarios and no change will occur in our lives next week," Rouhani said in a speech broadcast live on state TV.

"If we can get what we want from a deal without America, then Iran will continue to remain committed to the deal. What Iran wants is our interests to be guaranteed by its non-American signatories ... In that case, getting rid of America's mischievous presence will be fine for Iran."

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<h5>If they want to make sure that we are not after a nuclear bomb, we have said repeatedly that we are not and we will not be,' said Rouhani, who engineered the nuclear accord to ease Iran's isolation</h5>
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"If they want to make sure that we are not after a nuclear bomb, we have said repeatedly that we are not and we will not be," said Rouhani, who engineered the nuclear accord to ease Iran's isolation.

"But if they want to weaken Iran and limit its influence whether in the region or globally, Iran will fiercely resist."

Tehran has made repeated threats to walk away if Trump does, but several Iranian officials told Reuters last week that as long as Tehran was not excluded from the global financial and trading system, it could consider respecting the accord.

Diplomats say Tehran would rather the deal remain intact out of concern about a revival of domestic unrest over economic hardships that mounted over the years sanctions were in place.

EUROPEAN POWERS VOW TO UPHOLD DEAL

Britain, France and Germany remain committed to the accord and, in an effort to address U.S. complaints, want to open talks on Iran's ballistic missile programme, its nuclear activities beyond 2025 - when pivotal provisions of the deal expire - and its role in the wars in Syria and Yemen.

Whatever Trump decides, France, Britain and Germany will stick to the deal because it is the best way to stop Iran developing a nuclear bomb, French Foreign Minister Yean-Yves Le Drian said on Monday after meeting his German counterpart.

German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas said the deal, which is being policed by U.N. nuclear inspectors, "makes the world safer", and would do everything possible to uphold it.

British Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson, now in Washington for talks, said the deal had weaknesses but these could be remedied. "...At this moment Britain is working alongside the Trump administration and our French and German allies to ensure that they are," he said in a commentary in the New York Times.

"I am sure of one thing: every available alternative is worse. The wisest course would be to improve the handcuffs rather than break them."

Even if Trump rejects a possible remedy being worked out by U.S. and European officials and decides to bring back sanctions, the most drastic U.S. measures targeting Iran's oil sales will not immediately resume.

There are at least two avenues potentially offering more time for talks after May 12.

The agreement has a dispute resolution clause that provides at least 35 days to consider a claim that any party has violated its terms. That can be extended if all parties agree.

And if Trump restores the core U.S. sanctions, under U.S. law he must wait at least 180 days before reimposing penalties on banks of nations that do not slash purchases of Iranian oil.

Iran's clerical rulers have repeatedly ruled out reducing its sway across the region, as demanded by the United States and its European allies. Tehran says its missile capabilities are purely defensive and nuclear ambitions only civilian in nature.

The UN&nbspnuclear watchdog says it is maintaining the "world's most robust verification regime" in Iran and has repeatedly said Tehran is complying with the deal terms.

President Hassan Rouhani hinted on Monday that Iran could remain in its 2015 nuclear deal with world powers even if the United States dropped out but Tehran would fiercely resist US pressure to limit its influence in the Middle East

President Hassan Rouhani hinted on Monday that Iran could remain in its 2015 nuclear deal with world powers even if the United States dropped out but Tehran would fiercely resist US&nbsppressure to limit its influence in the Middle East. US&nbspPresident Donald Trump, a long-time critic of the deal reached between Iran and six powers in 2015 before he took office, has threatened to pull out by not extending sanctions waivers when they expire on May 12, unless European signatories of the accord fix what he calls its “flaws”. Under the agreement with the United States, France, Germany, Britain, Russia and China, Iran strictly limited uranium enrichment capacity to satisfy the powers that it could not be used to develop atomic bombs. In exchange, Iran received relief from sanctions, most of which were rescinded in January 2016. Rouhani said the Islamic Republic had been preparing for every possible scenario, including a deal without Washington - which would still include the other signatories that remain committed to it - or no deal at all. "We are not worried about America's cruel decisions ... We are prepared for all scenarios and no change will occur in our lives next week," Rouhani said in a speech broadcast live on state TV. "If we can get what we want from a deal without America, then Iran will continue to remain committed to the deal. What Iran wants is our interests to be guaranteed by its non-American signatories ... In that case, getting rid of America's mischievous presence will be fine for Iran." If they want to make sure that we are not after a nuclear bomb, we have said repeatedly that we are not and we will not be,' said Rouhani, who engineered the nuclear accord to ease Iran's isolation × "If they want to make sure that we are not after a nuclear bomb, we have said repeatedly that we are not and we will not be," said Rouhani, who engineered the nuclear accord to ease Iran's isolation. "But if they want to weaken Iran and limit its influence whether in the region or globally, Iran will fiercely resist." Tehran has made repeated threats to walk away if Trump does, but several Iranian officials told Reuters last week that as long as Tehran was not excluded from the global financial and trading system, it could consider respecting the accord. Diplomats say Tehran would rather the deal remain intact out of concern about a revival of domestic unrest over economic hardships that mounted over the years sanctions were in place. EUROPEAN POWERS VOW TO UPHOLD DEAL Britain, France and Germany remain committed to the accord and, in an effort to address U.S. complaints, want to open talks on Iran's ballistic missile programme, its nuclear activities beyond 2025 - when pivotal provisions of the deal expire - and its role in the wars in Syria and Yemen. Whatever Trump decides, France, Britain and Germany will stick to the deal because it is the best way to stop Iran developing a nuclear bomb, French Foreign Minister Yean-Yves Le Drian said on Monday after meeting his German counterpart. German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas said the deal, which is being policed by U.N. nuclear inspectors, "makes the world safer", and would do everything possible to uphold it. British Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson, now in Washington for talks, said the deal had weaknesses but these could be remedied. "...At this moment Britain is working alongside the Trump administration and our French and German allies to ensure that they are," he said in a commentary in the New York Times. "I am sure of one thing: every available alternative is worse. The wisest course would be to improve the handcuffs rather than break them." Even if Trump rejects a possible remedy being worked out by U.S. and European officials and decides to bring back sanctions, the most drastic U.S. measures targeting Iran's oil sales will not immediately resume. There are at least two avenues potentially offering more time for talks after May 12. The agreement has a dispute resolution clause that provides at least 35 days to consider a claim that any party has violated its terms. That can be extended if all parties agree. And if Trump restores the core U.S. sanctions, under U.S. law he must wait at least 180 days before reimposing penalties on banks of nations that do not slash purchases of Iranian oil. Iran's clerical rulers have repeatedly ruled out reducing its sway across the region, as demanded by the United States and its European allies. Tehran says its missile capabilities are purely defensive and nuclear ambitions only civilian in nature. The UN&nbspnuclear watchdog says it is maintaining the "world's most robust verification regime" in Iran and has repeatedly said Tehran is complying with the deal terms.

Iran says could remain in nuclear deal if its interests guaranteed: State TV

US President Donald Trump sparked anger in France and Britain by suggesting looser gun laws could have helped prevent deadly attacks in Paris in 2015, and linking a wave of knife crime in London to a handgun ban.&nbsp;

In a speech to the National Rifle Association (NRA) on Friday, Trump mimicked the shooting of victims in the Paris rampage, and said if civilians had been armed “it would have been a whole different story.”

The French government issued its strongest criticism of Trump since he took office, at a time when President Emmanuel Macron has been reinforcing bilateral ties following a state visit.

“France expresses its firm disapproval of President Trump’s comments about the Paris attacks on November 13, 2015, and demands that the memory of the victims is respected,” the foreign office said in a statement.

“Every country freely decides on its own laws on carrying firearms, as in other areas. France is proud to be a country where acquiring and carrying firearms is strictly regulated.”&nbsp;

Other French politicians including the mayor of Paris took issue with Trump’s comments after he acted out the scene of the massacre by Islamist assailants at Paris’ Bataclan concert hall, where 90 of the 130 victims of the attacks died.

“They took their time and gunned them down one by one. Boom! Come over here. Boom! Come over here. Boom!,” Trump said, using his hands in a gun gesture.

Former French president Francois Hollande, who was head of state at the time, said on Twitter that Trump’s comments and antics were “shameful” and “obscene”.

‘KNIVES, KNIVES, KNIVES, KNIVES’

Trauma surgeons in London, meanwhile, said Trump had missed the point after, in the same speech, he linked to knife crime there to an absence of guns.

Comments by Trump have caused upset before in Britain. Relations with Prime Minister Theresa May cooled last year after she criticized him for retweeting anti-Islam videos by a British far-right group.

Trump, who is due to visit Britain on July 13, told NRA members that a “once very prestigious” London hospital, which he did not name, had become overwhelmed with victims of knife attacks.

“They don’t have guns. They have knives and instead there’s blood all over the floors of this hospital,” he said. “They say it’s as bad as a military war zone hospital. Knives, knives, knives, knives,” he added, making stabbing gestures.

London suffered a spike in knife crime early this year and saw more murders during February and March than New York.&nbsp;

Last month, trauma surgeon Martin Griffiths told the BBC that some of his colleagues had likened the Royal London Hospital in east London where he works to the former British military base Camp Bastion in Afghanistan.

But on Saturday he indicated Trump had drawn the wrong conclusion from his remarks.

Griffiths posted his comment next to an animation of a stick figure with the phrase “The Point” flying over its head and also linked to a statement on the hospital’s website by a fellow trauma surgeon, Karim Brohi.

“There is more we can all do to combat this violence, but to suggest guns are part of the solution is ridiculous. Gunshot wounds are at least twice as lethal as knife injuries and more difficult to repair,” Brohi said in the statement on Saturday.

Britain’s government effectively banned handgun ownership in England, Scotland and Wales after a school shooting in 1996.

Trump mimicked gunmen summoning and shooting victims one by one, saying "Boom! Come over here!" and using his hand to imitate a gun being fired.

US President Donald Trump sparked anger in France and Britain by suggesting looser gun laws could have helped prevent deadly attacks in Paris in 2015, and linking a wave of knife crime in London to a handgun ban. In a speech to the National Rifle Association (NRA) on Friday, Trump mimicked the shooting of victims in the Paris rampage, and said if civilians had been armed “it would have been a whole different story.” The French government issued its strongest criticism of Trump since he took office, at a time when President Emmanuel Macron has been reinforcing bilateral ties following a state visit. “France expresses its firm disapproval of President Trump’s comments about the Paris attacks on November 13, 2015, and demands that the memory of the victims is respected,” the foreign office said in a statement. “Every country freely decides on its own laws on carrying firearms, as in other areas. France is proud to be a country where acquiring and carrying firearms is strictly regulated.” Other French politicians including the mayor of Paris took issue with Trump’s comments after he acted out the scene of the massacre by Islamist assailants at Paris’ Bataclan concert hall, where 90 of the 130 victims of the attacks died. “They took their time and gunned them down one by one. Boom! Come over here. Boom! Come over here. Boom!,” Trump said, using his hands in a gun gesture. Former French president Francois Hollande, who was head of state at the time, said on Twitter that Trump’s comments and antics were “shameful” and “obscene”. ‘KNIVES, KNIVES, KNIVES, KNIVES’ Trauma surgeons in London, meanwhile, said Trump had missed the point after, in the same speech, he linked to knife crime there to an absence of guns. Comments by Trump have caused upset before in Britain. Relations with Prime Minister Theresa May cooled last year after she criticized him for retweeting anti-Islam videos by a British far-right group. Trump, who is due to visit Britain on July 13, told NRA members that a “once very prestigious” London hospital, which he did not name, had become overwhelmed with victims of knife attacks. “They don’t have guns. They have knives and instead there’s blood all over the floors of this hospital,” he said. “They say it’s as bad as a military war zone hospital. Knives, knives, knives, knives,” he added, making stabbing gestures. London suffered a spike in knife crime early this year and saw more murders during February and March than New York. Last month, trauma surgeon Martin Griffiths told the BBC that some of his colleagues had likened the Royal London Hospital in east London where he works to the former British military base Camp Bastion in Afghanistan. But on Saturday he indicated Trump had drawn the wrong conclusion from his remarks. Griffiths posted his comment next to an animation of a stick figure with the phrase “The Point” flying over its head and also linked to a statement on the hospital’s website by a fellow trauma surgeon, Karim Brohi. “There is more we can all do to combat this violence, but to suggest guns are part of the solution is ridiculous. Gunshot wounds are at least twice as lethal as knife injuries and more difficult to repair,” Brohi said in the statement on Saturday. Britain’s government effectively banned handgun ownership in England, Scotland and Wales after a school shooting in 1996.

Anger in France, Britain over US president Donald Trump's gun law speech

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is far ahead of other world leaders, including US President Donald Trump, when it comes to popularity on Facebook, according to a study which said 43.2 million people follow the Indian premier on the social media platform.

Trump, who rules the other social media platform Twitter, is in second place with 23.1 million followers, according to the study "World Leaders on Facebook" released today by Burson Cohn & Wolfe.&nbsp;

The study analyses the activity of 650 Facebook pages of heads of state and government and foreign ministers from January 1, 2017, using aggregate data from Facebook's Crowdtangle tool, it said in a statement.

Over the past 14 months, the Facebook page of Trump had by far the most interactions of any world leader on Facebook, with a total of 204.9 million interactions (defined as the total number of comments, likes and shares), almost twice as many as Modi with 113.6 million interactions, the study said.

Modi, 67, has always encouraged use of social media platforms to stay in touch with the public.

Indonesian President Joko Widodo has 46 million interactions and Cambodia's Prime Minister Samdech Hun Sen and Argentina's President Mauricio Macri follow with 36 and 33.4 million interactions, respectively.

The study found that 175, or 91 per cent, of the 193 United Nations member states maintain an official Facebook page. In addition, 109 heads of state, 86 heads of government and 72 foreign ministers maintain personal pages on the platform.

Facebook has become the key platform for world leaders and governments to engage with voters, supporters and citizens. As of March 15, 2018, all pages of world leaders combined had a total of 309.4 million followers. Since January 1, 2017, they have published a total of 536,644 posts which have garnered close to 900 million interactions, it said.

The findings revealed that, while more than half of the posts have photos, world leaders are increasingly sharing videos and a handful are going live to talk directly to their constituents.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is far ahead of other world leaders, including US President Donald Trump, when it comes to popularity on Facebook, according to a study which said 43.2 million people follow the Indian premier on the social media platform

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is far ahead of other world leaders, including US President Donald Trump, when it comes to popularity on Facebook, according to a study which said 43.2 million people follow the Indian premier on the social media platform. Trump, who rules the other social media platform Twitter, is in second place with 23.1 million followers, according to the study "World Leaders on Facebook" released today by Burson Cohn & Wolfe. The study analyses the activity of 650 Facebook pages of heads of state and government and foreign ministers from January 1, 2017, using aggregate data from Facebook's Crowdtangle tool, it said in a statement. Over the past 14 months, the Facebook page of Trump had by far the most interactions of any world leader on Facebook, with a total of 204.9 million interactions (defined as the total number of comments, likes and shares), almost twice as many as Modi with 113.6 million interactions, the study said. Modi, 67, has always encouraged use of social media platforms to stay in touch with the public. Indonesian President Joko Widodo has 46 million interactions and Cambodia's Prime Minister Samdech Hun Sen and Argentina's President Mauricio Macri follow with 36 and 33.4 million interactions, respectively. The study found that 175, or 91 per cent, of the 193 United Nations member states maintain an official Facebook page. In addition, 109 heads of state, 86 heads of government and 72 foreign ministers maintain personal pages on the platform. Facebook has become the key platform for world leaders and governments to engage with voters, supporters and citizens. As of March 15, 2018, all pages of world leaders combined had a total of 309.4 million followers. Since January 1, 2017, they have published a total of 536,644 posts which have garnered close to 900 million interactions, it said. The findings revealed that, while more than half of the posts have photos, world leaders are increasingly sharing videos and a handful are going live to talk directly to their constituents.

PM Modi twice as popular on Facebook as US President Trump: Study

US President Donald Trump said on Saturday a meeting with North Korea could happen over the next three to four weeks.

"I think we will have a meeting over the next three or four weeks," Trump said at a campaign rally in Washington, Michigan. "It's going be a very important meeting, the denuclearisation of the Korean Peninsula."&nbsp;

On Saturday, Trump said on Twitter that he "just had a long and very good talk with President Moon of South Korea. Things are going very well, time and location of meeting with North Korea is being set."

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Just had a long and very good talk with President Moon of South Korea. Things are going very well, time and location of meeting with North Korea is being set. Also spoke to Prime Minister Abe of Japan to inform him of the ongoing negotiations.
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/990225456233316354?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 28, 2018</a></blockquote>
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Trump added that he had also spoken with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe to inform him of ongoing negotiations.

The White House later said Trump and Moon during the call "emphasized that a peaceful and prosperous future for North Korea is contingent upon its complete, verifiable, and irreversible denuclearization."

The White House also said Trump had informed Abe that he would "urge North Korea to promptly resolve its abductions of Japanese citizens."

A senior US official said Singapore is being considered as a possible venue for the Trump-Kim summit.

Speaking on Saturday at a televised news conference in Sydney, Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull praised Trump's negotiations on North Korea and said he helped bring the two Korean leaders together.

"I have given him that credit because Donald Trump has taken a very, very strong, hard line on the denuclearisation issue and he has been able to bring in the support of the global community and, in particular, China," Turnbull said. "North Korea's economic relationship is overwhelmingly with China. And so China's preparedness to impose those sanctions has been the critical change that has put the economic pressure on North Korea."

Turnbull said the pressure from China and the US&nbsp;had brought Kim to the point of denuclearising the Korean peninsula.

"What we've now got to do is not relent on the economic pressure until that goal is achieved," he said.

Australia will send a military aircraft to monitor North Korean vessels suspected of transferring illicit goods in defiance of U.N. sanctions, he said.Iran, facing a possible U.S. exit from its nuclear deal with world powers, welcomed the inter-Korean summit, but said Washington was not a "qualified" partner in the negotiations.

"Iran sees (the summit) as an important step in the right direction that can contribute to lasting regional and global peace and security," Iranian foreign ministry spokesman Bahram Qasemi was quoted as saying by state media.

"The US&nbsp;government is not a credible actor, doesn't comply with its international obligations and doesn't qualify to take part in arrangements between countries," Qasemi added.

An editorial in the official China Daily on Saturday said denuclearisation could end hostilities between the two sides and "usher in a new era of development" on the peninsula, but noted Friday's declaration lacked a plan for achieving the goal.

"The denuclearisation of the peninsula, written into the Panmunjom Declaration, is only a prospect with no specific plan. That is because such specifics can be reached only between the US and North Korea, and South Korea has only limited authority to bargain," it said.

Trump will be meeting with North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un. A senior US official said Singapore is being considered as a possible venue for the summit

US President Donald Trump said on Saturday a meeting with North Korea could happen over the next three to four weeks. "I think we will have a meeting over the next three or four weeks," Trump said at a campaign rally in Washington, Michigan. "It's going be a very important meeting, the denuclearisation of the Korean Peninsula." On Saturday, Trump said on Twitter that he "just had a long and very good talk with President Moon of South Korea. Things are going very well, time and location of meeting with North Korea is being set." Just had a long and very good talk with President Moon of South Korea. Things are going very well, time and location of meeting with North Korea is being set. Also spoke to Prime Minister Abe of Japan to inform him of the ongoing negotiations. — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) April 28, 2018 × Trump added that he had also spoken with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe to inform him of ongoing negotiations. The White House later said Trump and Moon during the call "emphasized that a peaceful and prosperous future for North Korea is contingent upon its complete, verifiable, and irreversible denuclearization." The White House also said Trump had informed Abe that he would "urge North Korea to promptly resolve its abductions of Japanese citizens." A senior US official said Singapore is being considered as a possible venue for the Trump-Kim summit. Speaking on Saturday at a televised news conference in Sydney, Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull praised Trump's negotiations on North Korea and said he helped bring the two Korean leaders together. "I have given him that credit because Donald Trump has taken a very, very strong, hard line on the denuclearisation issue and he has been able to bring in the support of the global community and, in particular, China," Turnbull said. "North Korea's economic relationship is overwhelmingly with China. And so China's preparedness to impose those sanctions has been the critical change that has put the economic pressure on North Korea." Turnbull said the pressure from China and the US had brought Kim to the point of denuclearising the Korean peninsula. "What we've now got to do is not relent on the economic pressure until that goal is achieved," he said. Australia will send a military aircraft to monitor North Korean vessels suspected of transferring illicit goods in defiance of U.N. sanctions, he said.Iran, facing a possible U.S. exit from its nuclear deal with world powers, welcomed the inter-Korean summit, but said Washington was not a "qualified" partner in the negotiations. "Iran sees (the summit) as an important step in the right direction that can contribute to lasting regional and global peace and security," Iranian foreign ministry spokesman Bahram Qasemi was quoted as saying by state media. "The US government is not a credible actor, doesn't comply with its international obligations and doesn't qualify to take part in arrangements between countries," Qasemi added. An editorial in the official China Daily on Saturday said denuclearisation could end hostilities between the two sides and "usher in a new era of development" on the peninsula, but noted Friday's declaration lacked a plan for achieving the goal. "The denuclearisation of the peninsula, written into the Panmunjom Declaration, is only a prospect with no specific plan. That is because such specifics can be reached only between the US and North Korea, and South Korea has only limited authority to bargain," it said.

Meeting with North Korea could happen in '3 or 4 weeks', says Donald Trump

California judge James Otero temporarily put on hold pornstar Stormy Daniels' lawsuit against US President Donald Trump's personal attorney Michael Cohen's for 90 days.&nbsp;

The move comes after Cohen's house was raided by the FBI following which he argued that his Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination may be jeopardized if the proceedings weren't delayed.

The FBI procured&nbsp;records related to Daniels after raiding Cohen's hotel room, home and office earlier this month.

Daniels' attorney, Michael Avenatti, now plans to file an appeal against the delay.

"While we certainly respect Judge Otero's 90-day stay order based on Mr Cohen's pleading of the 5th, we do not agree with it. We will likely be filing an immediate appeal to the Ninth Circuit early next week. Justice delayed is justice denied," Avenatti wrote on Twitter.

The lawsuit will now be heard on July 27.

Daniels emerges at the centre of a controversy that involves US President Donald Trump. She publicly claimed a 2006 sexual encounter with Trump, however, Trump and his administration have repeatedly rubbished relations with the porn star.

Daniels also claimed Cohen orchestrated a payment to keep her quiet during the election. Daniels and Trump have been locked in a legal battle earlier this month. Daniels seeks to invalidate a nondisclosure agreement she and Cohen had signed more than a decade ago. Daniels, in her lawsuit, asks whether the hush agreement was legal, and is looking at whether Trump consented to it. She maintains that the deal is not valid because the US President "never signed it himself".

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

Daniels' attorney, Michael Avenatti, now plans to file an appeal against the delay

California judge James Otero temporarily put on hold pornstar Stormy Daniels' lawsuit against US President Donald Trump's personal attorney Michael Cohen's for 90 days. The move comes after Cohen's house was raided by the FBI following which he argued that his Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination may be jeopardized if the proceedings weren't delayed. The FBI procured records related to Daniels after raiding Cohen's hotel room, home and office earlier this month. Daniels' attorney, Michael Avenatti, now plans to file an appeal against the delay. "While we certainly respect Judge Otero's 90-day stay order based on Mr Cohen's pleading of the 5th, we do not agree with it. We will likely be filing an immediate appeal to the Ninth Circuit early next week. Justice delayed is justice denied," Avenatti wrote on Twitter. The lawsuit will now be heard on July 27. Daniels emerges at the centre of a controversy that involves US President Donald Trump. She publicly claimed a 2006 sexual encounter with Trump, however, Trump and his administration have repeatedly rubbished relations with the porn star. Daniels also claimed Cohen orchestrated a payment to keep her quiet during the election. Daniels and Trump have been locked in a legal battle earlier this month. Daniels seeks to invalidate a nondisclosure agreement she and Cohen had signed more than a decade ago. Daniels, in her lawsuit, asks whether the hush agreement was legal, and is looking at whether Trump consented to it. She maintains that the deal is not valid because the US President "never signed it himself". (With inputs from agencies)

Stormy Daniels' lawsuit against Trump's lawyer put on hold for 90 days

US&nbsp;President Donald Trump hailed the historic meeting between North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and South Korean President Moon Jae-in on Friday, even while sounding a note of caution.

Kim and Moon pledged to work toward the "complete decentralization of the Korean peninsula," and to seek to declare an official end to the 1950s Korean War and establish a permanent peace agreement.

In a series of tweets, Trump appeared optimistic about the outcome of the summit. The US&nbsp;president is planning his own meeting with Kim, expected in the coming weeks, in what would be the first-ever meeting between sitting leaders of the two countries.

"After a furious year of missile launches and Nuclear testing, a historic meeting between North and South Korea is now taking place. Good things are happening, but only time will tell!" he said on Twitter, early on Friday morning in Washington.

He later added: "KOREAN WAR TO END! The United States, and all of its GREAT people, should be very proud of what is now taking place in Korea!"

The first inter-Korean summit in more than a decade took place just months after a surge in tensions between the United States and North Korea, as Trump and Kim exchanged threats and personal insults and Pyongyang made rapid advances in pursuit of nuclear-armed missiles capable of hitting the United States.

In a television interview on Thursday, Trump acknowledged the angry exchanges, including his dubbing of Kim as "Little Rocket Man" and a boast about the size of his nuclear button, as well as the concerns of critics at home and abroad who had accused him of fanning flames.

"Look, it was very, very nasty with Little Rocket Man and with the buttons -- and, you know, my button's bigger than -- everybody said this guy's going to get us into nuclear war," he told Fox News Channel. "The nuclear war would have happened if you had weak people."

Trump has long called on China to use its leverage as North Korea's largest trading partner and sole ally to rein in Pyongyang's nuclear ambitions, sometimes expressing disappointment with Beijing.

In another tweet on Friday, Trump credited Chinese President Xi Jinping for his help, saying: "Without him it would have been a much longer, tougher, process!"

Trump has said he hopes to meet with Kim in May or June, and a White House official has said Trump may seek to meet with Moon beforehand.

White House adviser Kellyanne Conway said on Friday that Trump could still abandon negotiations with North Korea.

"It's this president who has said he is willing to come to the table but he always has an exit strategy. If it's not working for the American people, if it's not working for diplomatic purposes, then he can just walk away," she said in an interview with Fox News Channel.

Trump has long called on China to use its leverage as North Korea's largest trading partner and sole ally to rein in Pyongyang's nuclear ambitions

US President Donald Trump hailed the historic meeting between North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and South Korean President Moon Jae-in on Friday, even while sounding a note of caution. Kim and Moon pledged to work toward the "complete decentralization of the Korean peninsula," and to seek to declare an official end to the 1950s Korean War and establish a permanent peace agreement. In a series of tweets, Trump appeared optimistic about the outcome of the summit. The US president is planning his own meeting with Kim, expected in the coming weeks, in what would be the first-ever meeting between sitting leaders of the two countries. "After a furious year of missile launches and Nuclear testing, a historic meeting between North and South Korea is now taking place. Good things are happening, but only time will tell!" he said on Twitter, early on Friday morning in Washington. He later added: "KOREAN WAR TO END! The United States, and all of its GREAT people, should be very proud of what is now taking place in Korea!" The first inter-Korean summit in more than a decade took place just months after a surge in tensions between the United States and North Korea, as Trump and Kim exchanged threats and personal insults and Pyongyang made rapid advances in pursuit of nuclear-armed missiles capable of hitting the United States. In a television interview on Thursday, Trump acknowledged the angry exchanges, including his dubbing of Kim as "Little Rocket Man" and a boast about the size of his nuclear button, as well as the concerns of critics at home and abroad who had accused him of fanning flames. "Look, it was very, very nasty with Little Rocket Man and with the buttons -- and, you know, my button's bigger than -- everybody said this guy's going to get us into nuclear war," he told Fox News Channel. "The nuclear war would have happened if you had weak people." Trump has long called on China to use its leverage as North Korea's largest trading partner and sole ally to rein in Pyongyang's nuclear ambitions, sometimes expressing disappointment with Beijing. In another tweet on Friday, Trump credited Chinese President Xi Jinping for his help, saying: "Without him it would have been a much longer, tougher, process!" Trump has said he hopes to meet with Kim in May or June, and a White House official has said Trump may seek to meet with Moon beforehand. White House adviser Kellyanne Conway said on Friday that Trump could still abandon negotiations with North Korea. "It's this president who has said he is willing to come to the table but he always has an exit strategy. If it's not working for the American people, if it's not working for diplomatic purposes, then he can just walk away," she said in an interview with Fox News Channel.

Trump welcomes historic North, South Korea meeting

US President Donald Trump makes headlines almost every day but the world of social media loves it when it is for all the wrong reasons.

Whether it was Trump getting caught on camera trying to hold the First Lady's hand during their visit to Israel last year (and later getting a swat on his hand by lady Trump) or the recent incident when a leading American news channel captured his relentless effort of trying to hold Melania's hand at a state arrival ceremony --&nbsp;gossipmongers love to feed on such stuff.&nbsp;

This time around we turn the spotlight on the fact that the US President keeps so busy that he can actually skip getting a birthday gift to Melania.&nbsp;

In an interview to Fox News, the 71-year-old admitted keeping too busy to be able to get his wife a birthday present.

In a telephonic conversation with the news channel, Trump laughed at the question and noted that he didn't get her much on her 48th birthday except for some flowers and a card. Maybe he likes to keep it sweet and simple!&nbsp;

"Well, I better not get into that 'cause I may get in trouble. Maybe I didn't get her so much."

He later chuckled and said that he keeps too busy to be running around buying gifts and presents. We wonder what the First Lady has to say on that.

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Trump trying to hold Melania’s hand reminds me of Pepé le Pew chasing a bewildered Le Cat. <a href="https://t.co/ZlhbtAJDuH">pic.twitter.com/ZlhbtAJDuH</a>
— laney (@misslaneym) <a href="https://twitter.com/misslaneym/status/988798356431495169?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 24, 2018</a></blockquote>
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In what can some say an attempt to mend the damage, Trump lauded his wife for her "fantastic" planning of state dinner honouring France this Tuesday, yes, the same event where he got the most recent hand-swating&nbsp;by the wifey.

Trump-Melania marital ties came under scrutiny after the Stormy Daniels episode.&nbsp; 
&nbsp;

Trump admitted not getting Melania on her 48th birthday except for some flowers and a card

US President Donald Trump makes headlines almost every day but the world of social media loves it when it is for all the wrong reasons. Whether it was Trump getting caught on camera trying to hold the First Lady's hand during their visit to Israel last year (and later getting a swat on his hand by lady Trump) or the recent incident when a leading American news channel captured his relentless effort of trying to hold Melania's hand at a state arrival ceremony -- gossipmongers love to feed on such stuff. This time around we turn the spotlight on the fact that the US President keeps so busy that he can actually skip getting a birthday gift to Melania. In an interview to Fox News, the 71-year-old admitted keeping too busy to be able to get his wife a birthday present. In a telephonic conversation with the news channel, Trump laughed at the question and noted that he didn't get her much on her 48th birthday except for some flowers and a card. Maybe he likes to keep it sweet and simple! "Well, I better not get into that 'cause I may get in trouble. Maybe I didn't get her so much." He later chuckled and said that he keeps too busy to be running around buying gifts and presents. We wonder what the First Lady has to say on that. Trump trying to hold Melania’s hand reminds me of Pepé le Pew chasing a bewildered Le Cat. pic.twitter.com/ZlhbtAJDuH — laney (@misslaneym) April 24, 2018 × In what can some say an attempt to mend the damage, Trump lauded his wife for her "fantastic" planning of state dinner honouring France this Tuesday, yes, the same event where he got the most recent hand-swating by the wifey. Trump-Melania marital ties came under scrutiny after the Stormy Daniels episode.

I am too busy to be running around buying gifts: Trump on not getting Melania birthday present

Germany expects US tariffs on European steel and aluminium products to kick in on May 1, a senior government official said before Chancellor Angela Merkel travels to Washington to meet US President Donald Trump on Friday.

Trade will be a major topic for discussion at the meeting, before an exemption from US tariffs on steel and aluminium imports granted to the European Union expires on May 1.

"From today's point of view, one has to expect that the tariffs will come on May 1," the official said, stressing Germany would continue to negotiate to try to get a broad package including other industries. The tariffs would hit Germany's powerful auto sector especially hard.

"I think the chancellor would prefer a broad dialogue with the Americans. The government is open to extending the package to other duties and trade barriers," said the official.

"Whether we succeed on that, we don't know. For that to happen, we would first need the exemption to be delayed for the long term," he said.

Germany's BDI industry association is banking on an agreement with Trump.

"The threatened tariffs are an acid test for the transatlantic relationship," said BDI President Dieter Kempf, adding one in four jobs in Europe's biggest economy depends on exports.

The official argued that as well as exporting vehicles, German firms operate plants in the United States which provide jobs and export cars around the world.

Merkel's one-day working trip follows a three-day state visit to Washington by French President Emmanuel Macron.

Cautious Merkel has failed to establish as strong a rapport with Trump as she did with Barack Obama and the mood music of her visit is likely to contrast sharply with that of Macron's "bromance" with the US president.

IRAN, RUSSIAN GAS

Macron called on the United States not to abandon a multinational Iran nuclear deal as Western envoys said Britain, France and Germany were nearing a package that seeks to persuade Trump to save the pact.

Trump has threatened to wreck the 2015 accord, under which Iran agreed to curb its nuclear activities in return for the lifting of economic sanctions, by reimposing U.S. penalties next month unless the three European allies agree to fix its "flaws".

"The premise of Macron's proposal is that the agreement remains in its existing form and additional elements come on top," another German government official said. "In our view, this agreement should be maintained."

He said add-ons could include issues such as Iran's ballistic missile programme and its role in the region.

Trump may try to seize on a planned Russian gas pipeline running under the Baltic Sea to Germany as a bargaining chip.

The United States sees the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline, which would double the existing pipeline's annual capacity of 55 billion cubic metres, as a threat to Europe’s energy security.

Despite increased tensions between the West and Moscow in the last few weeks, Merkel appears committed to the project. She has, however, conceded that there are political as well as economic factors at stake and has sought to reassure Ukraine which is worried it will lose gas transit revenues.

The German officials argued that Germany, which gets 37 percent of its gas from Russia, was not making itself more dependent on Moscow and that it was trying to get foreign investors to help Ukraine by investing in its pipeline.

"Our analysis is ... that does not make us more dependent on Russia," one of the two officials said.&nbsp

Trade will be a major topic for discussion at the meeting, before an exemption from US tariffs on steel and aluminium imports granted to the European Union expires on May 1.

Germany expects US tariffs on European steel and aluminium products to kick in on May 1, a senior government official said before Chancellor Angela Merkel travels to Washington to meet US President Donald Trump on Friday. Trade will be a major topic for discussion at the meeting, before an exemption from US tariffs on steel and aluminium imports granted to the European Union expires on May 1. "From today's point of view, one has to expect that the tariffs will come on May 1," the official said, stressing Germany would continue to negotiate to try to get a broad package including other industries. The tariffs would hit Germany's powerful auto sector especially hard. "I think the chancellor would prefer a broad dialogue with the Americans. The government is open to extending the package to other duties and trade barriers," said the official. "Whether we succeed on that, we don't know. For that to happen, we would first need the exemption to be delayed for the long term," he said. Germany's BDI industry association is banking on an agreement with Trump. "The threatened tariffs are an acid test for the transatlantic relationship," said BDI President Dieter Kempf, adding one in four jobs in Europe's biggest economy depends on exports. The official argued that as well as exporting vehicles, German firms operate plants in the United States which provide jobs and export cars around the world. Merkel's one-day working trip follows a three-day state visit to Washington by French President Emmanuel Macron. Cautious Merkel has failed to establish as strong a rapport with Trump as she did with Barack Obama and the mood music of her visit is likely to contrast sharply with that of Macron's "bromance" with the US president. IRAN, RUSSIAN GAS Macron called on the United States not to abandon a multinational Iran nuclear deal as Western envoys said Britain, France and Germany were nearing a package that seeks to persuade Trump to save the pact. Trump has threatened to wreck the 2015 accord, under which Iran agreed to curb its nuclear activities in return for the lifting of economic sanctions, by reimposing U.S. penalties next month unless the three European allies agree to fix its "flaws". "The premise of Macron's proposal is that the agreement remains in its existing form and additional elements come on top," another German government official said. "In our view, this agreement should be maintained." He said add-ons could include issues such as Iran's ballistic missile programme and its role in the region. Trump may try to seize on a planned Russian gas pipeline running under the Baltic Sea to Germany as a bargaining chip. The United States sees the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline, which would double the existing pipeline's annual capacity of 55 billion cubic metres, as a threat to Europe’s energy security. Despite increased tensions between the West and Moscow in the last few weeks, Merkel appears committed to the project. She has, however, conceded that there are political as well as economic factors at stake and has sought to reassure Ukraine which is worried it will lose gas transit revenues. The German officials argued that Germany, which gets 37 percent of its gas from Russia, was not making itself more dependent on Moscow and that it was trying to get foreign investors to help Ukraine by investing in its pipeline. "Our analysis is ... that does not make us more dependent on Russia," one of the two officials said.

Ahead of Angela Merkel trip to US, Germany downbeat on trade tariffs

The New York Times reported on Tuesday that Republicans close to the White House whisper about a possible joint campaign by Haley and Pence in 2020.

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&nbsp;

Rumours of a possible Haley-Pence ticket in the 2020 US Presidential polls also made the rounds after reports surfaced suggesting that Haley was not communicated about White House's change in course on Russia sanctions.

US ambassador to UN Nikki Haley recently shut down Trump administration over calling her "confused". US President Donald Trump was infuriated over Haley's remarks stating that Trump would call for fresh sanctions on Russia while he wasn't planning anything on those lines.

National Economics Adviser, Larry Kudlow called Haley's statement an outcome of her "confusion" to which she responded saying that, "With all due respect, I don't get confused".

While the incident made front-page headlines across the world, experts and political analysts got busy anticipating a possible rift between Trump and Haley.&nbsp;

Trump has already confirmed running for a second term in 2020. Haley's role at the United Nations, which initially raised eyebrows among diplomats, has been widely appreciated. She is often acknowledged for her political skills while her ambitions for a higher office is also speculated.

However, Haley on Wednesday smoothened-out speculations over her sour relationship with the US President calling it "perfect".&nbsp;

A senior administration official said that Haley had not been "freelancing" when she spoke about new Russian sanctions on Sunday. "The president just wanted to slow down the process after she spoke," the official said.

When asked on Wednesday if Trump should be worried about a Pence/Haley campaign, Haley smiled, shook her head and said: "No."

Pence's office did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

(With inputs from Reuters)

Haley is often acknowledged for her political skills while her ambitions for a higher office is also speculated.

The New York Times reported on Tuesday that Republicans close to the White House whisper about a possible joint campaign by Haley and Pence in 2020. × Rumours of a possible Haley-Pence ticket in the 2020 US Presidential polls also made the rounds after reports surfaced suggesting that Haley was not communicated about White House's change in course on Russia sanctions. US ambassador to UN Nikki Haley recently shut down Trump administration over calling her "confused". US President Donald Trump was infuriated over Haley's remarks stating that Trump would call for fresh sanctions on Russia while he wasn't planning anything on those lines. National Economics Adviser, Larry Kudlow called Haley's statement an outcome of her "confusion" to which she responded saying that, "With all due respect, I don't get confused". While the incident made front-page headlines across the world, experts and political analysts got busy anticipating a possible rift between Trump and Haley. Trump has already confirmed running for a second term in 2020. Haley's role at the United Nations, which initially raised eyebrows among diplomats, has been widely appreciated. She is often acknowledged for her political skills while her ambitions for a higher office is also speculated. However, Haley on Wednesday smoothened-out speculations over her sour relationship with the US President calling it "perfect". A senior administration official said that Haley had not been "freelancing" when she spoke about new Russian sanctions on Sunday. "The president just wanted to slow down the process after she spoke," the official said. When asked on Wednesday if Trump should be worried about a Pence/Haley campaign, Haley smiled, shook her head and said: "No." Pence's office did not immediately respond to a request for comment. (With inputs from Reuters)

Haley for President in 2020? Trump, White House see red

Turner Classic Movies has selected Hollywood actor Leonardo DiCaprio to present ace filmmaker Martin Scorsese with the inaugural Robert Osborne Award as part of the 2018 TCM Classic Film Festival’s opening.

DiCaprio has worked with Scorsese in five of his films, starting off with 2002’s “Gangs of New York” and most recently in 2013, “The Wolf of Wall Street.”

DiCaprio will present the Robert Osborne Award on April 26 in Los Angeles to the filmmaker for his decades-long commitment to the legacy and preservation of classic films.

For those who are unaware, Scorsese established the Film Foundation in 1990, a nonprofit dedicated to protecting and preserving motion picture history. The foundation has funded the restoration of over 800 films till date and its World Cinema Project has restored 31 films from 21 countries worldwide.&nbsp;

The Robert Osborne Award will be given out annually at the TCM Classic Film Festival to a recipient whose work has helped keep the cultural heritage of classic films alive.

In another update, DiCaprio and Scorsese have started work on their<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/leonardo-dicaprio-to-play-theodore-roosevelt-in-martin-scorseses-next-20798"> next film together, announced in 2017</a>. In the film, DiCaprio will be essaying the role of former US President Theodore Roosevelt who amongst other things, is famous for carrying out the conservation and preservation of national parks in the States.&nbsp;

The actor-director duo is currently working on a project that will have Leonardo playing former US president Theodore Roosevelt whose efforts to conserve and preserve the country's national parks are considered some of his greatest achievements.

Turner Classic Movies has selected Hollywood actor Leonardo DiCaprio to present ace filmmaker Martin Scorsese with the inaugural Robert Osborne Award as part of the 2018 TCM Classic Film Festival’s opening. DiCaprio has worked with Scorsese in five of his films, starting off with 2002’s “Gangs of New York” and most recently in 2013, “The Wolf of Wall Street.” DiCaprio will present the Robert Osborne Award on April 26 in Los Angeles to the filmmaker for his decades-long commitment to the legacy and preservation of classic films. For those who are unaware, Scorsese established the Film Foundation in 1990, a nonprofit dedicated to protecting and preserving motion picture history. The foundation has funded the restoration of over 800 films till date and its World Cinema Project has restored 31 films from 21 countries worldwide. The Robert Osborne Award will be given out annually at the TCM Classic Film Festival to a recipient whose work has helped keep the cultural heritage of classic films alive. In another update, DiCaprio and Scorsese have started work on their next film together, announced in 2017. In the film, DiCaprio will be essaying the role of former US President Theodore Roosevelt who amongst other things, is famous for carrying out the conservation and preservation of national parks in the States.

Leonardo DiCaprio to present ace filmmaker Martin Scorsese with Robert Osborne Award

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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&nbsp;

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

US&nbsp;President Donald Trump on Twitter praised Western air strikes against the Syrian government on Saturday as "perfectly executed", and added "Mission Accomplished".

"A perfectly executed strike last night. Thank you to France and the United Kingdom for their wisdom and the power of their fine Military. Could not have had a better result. Mission Accomplished!" Trump said in a Twitter post.

Trump's message echoed the words of a banner that hung behind former President George W. Bush when he gave a speech in 2003 from the USS Abraham Lincoln, during the Iraq War.

That visual dogged Bush's presidency as the war dragged out, with worsening American casualties, for the remainder of his two terms in office.&nbsp;

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'A perfectly executed strike last night. Thank you to France and the United Kingdom for their wisdom and the power of their fine Military. Could not have had a better result. Mission Accomplished!' Trump said on Twitter

US President Donald Trump on Twitter praised Western air strikes against the Syrian government on Saturday as "perfectly executed", and added "Mission Accomplished". "A perfectly executed strike last night. Thank you to France and the United Kingdom for their wisdom and the power of their fine Military. Could not have had a better result. Mission Accomplished!" Trump said in a Twitter post. Trump's message echoed the words of a banner that hung behind former President George W. Bush when he gave a speech in 2003 from the USS Abraham Lincoln, during the Iraq War. That visual dogged Bush's presidency as the war dragged out, with worsening American casualties, for the remainder of his two terms in office.

'Mission accomplished', tweets Trump. Says Syria strikes 'perfectly executed'

China warned on Monday that trade talks with the United States were "impossible" under current conditions after President Donald Trump reassured markets by suggesting that the dispute could be resolved.

The two sides have announced tit-for-tat tariffs and threatened to hit each other with more duties, raising the prospect of a trade war that could rattle the global economy.

Asian markets rose on Monday after Trump tweeted that he saw an end to the escalating dispute before the higher tariffs threatened on hundreds of billions of goods would come into effect.

But China's foreign ministry was less sanguine.

"Up to now, Chinese and US officials have not held any negotiations on the trade dispute," foreign ministry spokesman Geng Shuang told reporters during a regular press briefing.

"Under the current conditions, it is impossible for the two sides to have any negotiations on this issue," Geng added.

A few hours later, Trump returned to tougher talk with an early-morning tweet railing against China's duties on US cars.

"When a car is sent to the United States from China, there is a Tariff to be paid of 2 1/2%. When a car is sent to China from the United States, there is a Tariff to be paid of 25%," Trump tweeted.

"Does that sound like free or fair trade. No, it sounds like STUPID TRADE -- going on for years!"

Trump had sounded an optimistic tone on Sunday, playing up his personal relationship with Chinese President Xi Jinping.

"President Xi and I will always be friends," Trump tweeted.

"China will take down its trade barriers because it is the right thing to do."

Trump had tweeted Monday that he saw an end to the escalating dispute

China warned on Monday that trade talks with the United States were "impossible" under current conditions after President Donald Trump reassured markets by suggesting that the dispute could be resolved. The two sides have announced tit-for-tat tariffs and threatened to hit each other with more duties, raising the prospect of a trade war that could rattle the global economy. Asian markets rose on Monday after Trump tweeted that he saw an end to the escalating dispute before the higher tariffs threatened on hundreds of billions of goods would come into effect. But China's foreign ministry was less sanguine. "Up to now, Chinese and US officials have not held any negotiations on the trade dispute," foreign ministry spokesman Geng Shuang told reporters during a regular press briefing. "Under the current conditions, it is impossible for the two sides to have any negotiations on this issue," Geng added. A few hours later, Trump returned to tougher talk with an early-morning tweet railing against China's duties on US cars. "When a car is sent to the United States from China, there is a Tariff to be paid of 2 1/2%. When a car is sent to China from the United States, there is a Tariff to be paid of 25%," Trump tweeted. "Does that sound like free or fair trade. No, it sounds like STUPID TRADE -- going on for years!" Trump had sounded an optimistic tone on Sunday, playing up his personal relationship with Chinese President Xi Jinping. "President Xi and I will always be friends," Trump tweeted. "China will take down its trade barriers because it is the right thing to do."

China says US trade talks currently 'impossible'

China's foreign minister on Thursday called on the international community to oppose the United States' recent trade moves, saying they threatened global economic growth.

Addressing a news conference in Moscow, Wang Yi condemned a move by President Donald Trump's administration to slap tariffs on a list of Chinese goods and said the world should stand up to Washington over what he called its unilateral moves.

"The world community must together resist these sorts of unilateral actions and breaking of the rules, must jointly push for global economic growth and together help bring some common sense to those who think they can do anything they like," he said.

If the United States believes it could benefit from protectionism it is making a mistake, he said after meeting with his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov.

"If the US is using the sanctions stick, then they've got the wrong idea," Wang Yi said.

An escalating confrontation between Washington and Beijing has been inching closer to an all-out trade war since China on Wednesday threatened retaliation against key US exports over looming US tariffs on more than 1,000 Chinese goods.

"Our counter-measures were necessary and sufficient," Wang Yi said, adding they were "a legitimate defence of our interests and our rights".

China's Foreign Minister Wang Yi called on the international community to oppose the United States' recent trade moves, saying they threatened global economic growth

China's foreign minister on Thursday called on the international community to oppose the United States' recent trade moves, saying they threatened global economic growth. Addressing a news conference in Moscow, Wang Yi condemned a move by President Donald Trump's administration to slap tariffs on a list of Chinese goods and said the world should stand up to Washington over what he called its unilateral moves. "The world community must together resist these sorts of unilateral actions and breaking of the rules, must jointly push for global economic growth and together help bring some common sense to those who think they can do anything they like," he said. If the United States believes it could benefit from protectionism it is making a mistake, he said after meeting with his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov. "If the US is using the sanctions stick, then they've got the wrong idea," Wang Yi said. An escalating confrontation between Washington and Beijing has been inching closer to an all-out trade war since China on Wednesday threatened retaliation against key US exports over looming US tariffs on more than 1,000 Chinese goods. "Our counter-measures were necessary and sufficient," Wang Yi said, adding they were "a legitimate defence of our interests and our rights".

China calls on world to stand up to US over trade

US President Donald Trump continued his attacks on Amazon.com on Thursday, targeting the newspaper, owned privately by Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, as the company's "chief lobbyist" in a Twitter post.

Trump, who regularly lashes out against what he perceives as critical articles in the Post and other prominent U.S. news outlets, took issue with a trade story headline on China retaliating with trade penalties against U.S. products.

"The Fake News Washington Post, Amazon's "chief lobbyist," has another (of many) phony headlines," Trump wrote.

Amazon and the Washington Post did not immediately respond to requests for a comment.

Amazon shares rose 1.6 percent in early trade.

Trump has been vocal in his opposition of Amazon’s use of the US Postal Service, claiming the postal service is losing money delivering Amazon packages.

He has also accused the company of not paying enough taxes and putting small retailers out of business, adding to investors' worries that the company could be subject to more regulation. But he offered no evidence to back up his criticisms and did not suggest any actions he would take.

Amazon shares rose 1.6 per cent in early trade

US President Donald Trump continued his attacks on Amazon.com on Thursday, targeting the newspaper, owned privately by Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, as the company's "chief lobbyist" in a Twitter post. Trump, who regularly lashes out against what he perceives as critical articles in the Post and other prominent U.S. news outlets, took issue with a trade story headline on China retaliating with trade penalties against U.S. products. "The Fake News Washington Post, Amazon's "chief lobbyist," has another (of many) phony headlines," Trump wrote. Amazon and the Washington Post did not immediately respond to requests for a comment. Amazon shares rose 1.6 percent in early trade. Trump has been vocal in his opposition of Amazon’s use of the US Postal Service, claiming the postal service is losing money delivering Amazon packages. He has also accused the company of not paying enough taxes and putting small retailers out of business, adding to investors' worries that the company could be subject to more regulation. But he offered no evidence to back up his criticisms and did not suggest any actions he would take.

Trump attacks Washington Post as Amazon's 'chief lobbyist'

In his effort to improve Saudi Arabia’s badly tarnished image and project the kingdom as embracing an unidentified form of moderate Islam, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has hinted that he envisions a conservative rather than an ultra-conservative society. But this is not one in which citizens are fully free to make personal, let alone political choices of their own. Prince Mohammed’s vision, although not spelled out in great detail, seemed evident in an interview with 60 Minutes on CBS News, his first with a Western television program, on the eve of a three-week trip that is taking him across the United States.

The trip is designed to cement relations with the Trump administration following the dismissal of Secretary of State Rex Tillerson. Prince Mohammed and his United Arab Emirates counterpart, Mohammed bin Zayed, viewed Tillerson as unenthusiastic about their hegemonic designs for a swath of land stretching across the Middle East from the Horn of Africa to South Asia, including the Saudi-Emirati-led boycott of Qatar.

The visit comes barely a month before President Donald Trump has to decide whether to pull the US out of the 2015 international agreement with Iran designed to curb the Islamic republic’s nuclear program. A withdrawal could lead to the agreement’s collapse and spark a nuclear arms race in the Middle East. “Saudi Arabia does not want to acquire any nuclear bomb, but without a doubt, if Iran developed a nuclear bomb, we will follow suit as soon as possible,” Prince Mohammed told CBS.

The prince’s trip is also intended to project the kingdom as a beacon of moderation - rather than a promoter of ultra-conservatism - and cutting-edge modernity led by a young reformist but autocratic king-in-waiting. 
Prince Mohammed and President Trump

In a meeting at the White House, Prince Mohammed and President Trump touted the economic benefits of the two countries’ relationship, with massive US arms sales and other deals, including nuclear sales that would involve reducing US safeguards by giving the kingdom the right to enrich uranium. Both leaders asserted that the deals would significantly boost employment in both Saudi Arabia and the United States.

Prince Mohammed is also scheduled to meet members of Congress, think tanks and academics, oil executives, businessmen and representatives of Silicon Valley’s high-tech industry and Hollywood.

Both Prince Mohammed and Trump need to demonstrate economic progress to boost or cement their popularity at home. The crown prince needs to show to Saudis that he is feted as a leader despite mounting international criticism of his conduct in the Yemen war, his domestic power and asset grab under the mum of an anti-corruption campaign, the kingdom’s long-standing political and social restrictions, and its four-decade-long global support for ultra-conservative Sunni Islam.

Beyond concern about the high civilian casualty rate in Yemen and the war having sparked one of the worst humanitarian crises of today, many fear that potentially destabilizing anti-Saudi sentiment in the ravaged country will persist long after the guns fall silent. Those fears are reinforced by contradictory Saudi measures. While on the one hand pledging billions of dollars in aid and allowing at least some relief to get into Yemen, Saudi Arabia has aggravated the crisis by expelling tens of thousands of Yemeni workers in recent months.

Prince Mohammed also needs to demonstrate that he can attract foreign investment despite the arbitrary nature of the arrest in November 2017 of hundreds of senior members of the ruling al-Saud family, prominent businessmen and high-ranking officials, and reports that at least some of them were abused and tortured during their detention.

Most of the detainees were released after surrendering control of assets and/or paying substantial amounts of money. The government said it expects to raise $100 billion from the asset grab. Prince Alwaleed bin Talal, one of the most prominent detainees and the kingdom’s most-high-profile businessman, who seemed to put up a fight during his detention, has since his release in January said that he would be investing in some of Prince Mohammed’s pet projects. 
Reform in Saudi Arabia

Prince Mohammed has bolstered his image by vowing to return Saudi Arabia to an unidentified form of moderate Islam forcing the country’s ultra-conservative religious establishment to endorse his reforms suggesting that the kingdom may halt its massive global funding of Sunni Muslim ultra-conservatism to counter Iran’s revolutionary zeal surrendering control of the Saudi-managed Great Mosque in Brussels granting women the right to drive, join the military and attend male sporting events and creating a modern entertainment sector.

Despite the boldness of his moves, the crown prince has sent mixed messages about how far he is prepared to go. Women and men mix at concerts and theater plays but are segregated in the three sport stadiums that have been declared open to women.

While the crown prince has been decisive in his power and asset grab, he has yet to say a clear word about lifting Saudi Arabia’s system of male guardianship that gives male relatives control of their lives. Similarly, there is no indication that gender segregation in restaurants and other public places will be lifted. Asked about the guardianship, Prince Mohammed evaded specifics. “Today, Saudi women still have not received their full rights. There are rights stipulated in Islam that they still don’t have. We have come a very long way and have a short way to go,” he said to CBS News.

Middle East scholar As’ad Abu Khalil, whose blog is named The Angry Arab News Service, posted a picture of Prince Mohammed meeting with President Trump, noting that there was not one woman on either side of the conference table.

Speaking Arabic despite having learned to speak English by watching movies, Prince Mohammed appeared in his CBS interview to defend allowing a mingling of the sexes in the workplace, while shying away from ultra-conservative Islam’s ban on a man meeting a woman unaccompanied by a male relative in non-professional or non-public settings. “We have extremists who forbid mixing between the two sexes and are unable to differentiate between a man and a woman alone together and their being together in a workplace,” Prince Mohammed said.

The crown prince conceded that women had the right to determine what to wear if their clothes were “decent, respectful clothing, like men.” He did not define what would constitute decent but insisted that it did not have to be a “black abaya or a black head cover.”

No doubt, Prince Mohammed’s social reforms and promised economic change provide him significant arrows in his multimillion-dollar PR blitz. That is getting him the support of the White House. “Getting a strong presidential endorsement of the crown prince's trip to the US. to encourage investment in Saudi Arabia, that, I think, could be something that could be done," said Anthony H Cordesman, the Arleigh A Burke chair in strategy at the Center for Strategic and International Studies.

Translating that into real policy and dollars could, however, prove to be a harder sell.

This <a href="https://www.fairobserver.com/region/middle_east_north_africa/mohammed-bin-salman-us-trip-gulf-news-saudi-arabia-07978/">article</a> was originally published in <a href="https://www.fairobserver.com/">Fair Observer</a>.

(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

&nbsp

Prince Mohammed’s social reforms and promised economic change in Saudi Arabia provide him significant arrows in his multimillion-dollar PR blitz.

In his effort to improve Saudi Arabia’s badly tarnished image and project the kingdom as embracing an unidentified form of moderate Islam, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has hinted that he envisions a conservative rather than an ultra-conservative society. But this is not one in which citizens are fully free to make personal, let alone political choices of their own. Prince Mohammed’s vision, although not spelled out in great detail, seemed evident in an interview with 60 Minutes on CBS News, his first with a Western television program, on the eve of a three-week trip that is taking him across the United States. The trip is designed to cement relations with the Trump administration following the dismissal of Secretary of State Rex Tillerson. Prince Mohammed and his United Arab Emirates counterpart, Mohammed bin Zayed, viewed Tillerson as unenthusiastic about their hegemonic designs for a swath of land stretching across the Middle East from the Horn of Africa to South Asia, including the Saudi-Emirati-led boycott of Qatar. The visit comes barely a month before President Donald Trump has to decide whether to pull the US out of the 2015 international agreement with Iran designed to curb the Islamic republic’s nuclear program. A withdrawal could lead to the agreement’s collapse and spark a nuclear arms race in the Middle East. “Saudi Arabia does not want to acquire any nuclear bomb, but without a doubt, if Iran developed a nuclear bomb, we will follow suit as soon as possible,” Prince Mohammed told CBS. The prince’s trip is also intended to project the kingdom as a beacon of moderation - rather than a promoter of ultra-conservatism - and cutting-edge modernity led by a young reformist but autocratic king-in-waiting. Prince Mohammed and President Trump In a meeting at the White House, Prince Mohammed and President Trump touted the economic benefits of the two countries’ relationship, with massive US arms sales and other deals, including nuclear sales that would involve reducing US safeguards by giving the kingdom the right to enrich uranium. Both leaders asserted that the deals would significantly boost employment in both Saudi Arabia and the United States. Prince Mohammed is also scheduled to meet members of Congress, think tanks and academics, oil executives, businessmen and representatives of Silicon Valley’s high-tech industry and Hollywood. Both Prince Mohammed and Trump need to demonstrate economic progress to boost or cement their popularity at home. The crown prince needs to show to Saudis that he is feted as a leader despite mounting international criticism of his conduct in the Yemen war, his domestic power and asset grab under the mum of an anti-corruption campaign, the kingdom’s long-standing political and social restrictions, and its four-decade-long global support for ultra-conservative Sunni Islam. Beyond concern about the high civilian casualty rate in Yemen and the war having sparked one of the worst humanitarian crises of today, many fear that potentially destabilizing anti-Saudi sentiment in the ravaged country will persist long after the guns fall silent. Those fears are reinforced by contradictory Saudi measures. While on the one hand pledging billions of dollars in aid and allowing at least some relief to get into Yemen, Saudi Arabia has aggravated the crisis by expelling tens of thousands of Yemeni workers in recent months. Prince Mohammed also needs to demonstrate that he can attract foreign investment despite the arbitrary nature of the arrest in November 2017 of hundreds of senior members of the ruling al-Saud family, prominent businessmen and high-ranking officials, and reports that at least some of them were abused and tortured during their detention. Most of the detainees were released after surrendering control of assets and/or paying substantial amounts of money. The government said it expects to raise $100 billion from the asset grab. Prince Alwaleed bin Talal, one of the most prominent detainees and the kingdom’s most-high-profile businessman, who seemed to put up a fight during his detention, has since his release in January said that he would be investing in some of Prince Mohammed’s pet projects. Reform in Saudi Arabia Prince Mohammed has bolstered his image by vowing to return Saudi Arabia to an unidentified form of moderate Islam forcing the country’s ultra-conservative religious establishment to endorse his reforms suggesting that the kingdom may halt its massive global funding of Sunni Muslim ultra-conservatism to counter Iran’s revolutionary zeal surrendering control of the Saudi-managed Great Mosque in Brussels granting women the right to drive, join the military and attend male sporting events and creating a modern entertainment sector. Despite the boldness of his moves, the crown prince has sent mixed messages about how far he is prepared to go. Women and men mix at concerts and theater plays but are segregated in the three sport stadiums that have been declared open to women. While the crown prince has been decisive in his power and asset grab, he has yet to say a clear word about lifting Saudi Arabia’s system of male guardianship that gives male relatives control of their lives. Similarly, there is no indication that gender segregation in restaurants and other public places will be lifted. Asked about the guardianship, Prince Mohammed evaded specifics. “Today, Saudi women still have not received their full rights. There are rights stipulated in Islam that they still don’t have. We have come a very long way and have a short way to go,” he said to CBS News. Middle East scholar As’ad Abu Khalil, whose blog is named The Angry Arab News Service, posted a picture of Prince Mohammed meeting with President Trump, noting that there was not one woman on either side of the conference table. Speaking Arabic despite having learned to speak English by watching movies, Prince Mohammed appeared in his CBS interview to defend allowing a mingling of the sexes in the workplace, while shying away from ultra-conservative Islam’s ban on a man meeting a woman unaccompanied by a male relative in non-professional or non-public settings. “We have extremists who forbid mixing between the two sexes and are unable to differentiate between a man and a woman alone together and their being together in a workplace,” Prince Mohammed said. The crown prince conceded that women had the right to determine what to wear if their clothes were “decent, respectful clothing, like men.” He did not define what would constitute decent but insisted that it did not have to be a “black abaya or a black head cover.” No doubt, Prince Mohammed’s social reforms and promised economic change provide him significant arrows in his multimillion-dollar PR blitz. That is getting him the support of the White House. “Getting a strong presidential endorsement of the crown prince's trip to the US. to encourage investment in Saudi Arabia, that, I think, could be something that could be done," said Anthony H Cordesman, the Arleigh A Burke chair in strategy at the Center for Strategic and International Studies. Translating that into real policy and dollars could, however, prove to be a harder sell. This article was originally published in Fair Observer. (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

Opinion: How far will crown prince Mohammed go?

Former President Barack Obama talked about his future plans for his post-presidency life at a conference Sunday in Japan, addressing how he might shape "a million" new, young leaders in his mold.

The wide-ranging discussion repeatedly touched on the Obama Foundation's efforts to engage the digital space to help young people in the US and across the world get connected.

"If I could do that effectively, then - you know - I would create a hundred or a thousand or a million young Barack Obamas or Michelle Obamas. Or, the next group of people who could take that baton in that relay race that is human progress," Obama told a non-profit conference in Tokyo.

The former US President also praised the potential of the students participating in the "March for Our Lives" rally, adding that the change was needed to stop gun violence in the country.

"This was all because of the courage and effort of a handful of 15- and 16-year-olds, who took the responsibility that so often adults had failed to take in trying to find a solution to this problem, and I think that's a testimony to what happens when young people are given opportunities, and I think all institutions have to think about how do we tap into that creativity and that energy and that drive," Obama stated.

On Twitter, Obama and his wife Michelle wrote in support of the anti-gun violence rally on March 24.

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en-gb">
Michelle and I are so inspired by all the young people who made today’s marches happen. Keep at it. You’re leading us forward. Nothing can stand in the way of millions of voices calling for change.
— Barack Obama (@BarackObama) <a href="https://twitter.com/BarackObama/status/977592827348742146?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">24 March 2018</a></blockquote>
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&nbsp;

On Twitter, Obama and his wife Michelle wrote in support of the anti-gun violence rally on March 24.

Former President Barack Obama talked about his future plans for his post-presidency life at a conference Sunday in Japan, addressing how he might shape "a million" new, young leaders in his mold. The wide-ranging discussion repeatedly touched on the Obama Foundation's efforts to engage the digital space to help young people in the US and across the world get connected. "If I could do that effectively, then - you know - I would create a hundred or a thousand or a million young Barack Obamas or Michelle Obamas. Or, the next group of people who could take that baton in that relay race that is human progress," Obama told a non-profit conference in Tokyo. The former US President also praised the potential of the students participating in the "March for Our Lives" rally, adding that the change was needed to stop gun violence in the country. "This was all because of the courage and effort of a handful of 15- and 16-year-olds, who took the responsibility that so often adults had failed to take in trying to find a solution to this problem, and I think that's a testimony to what happens when young people are given opportunities, and I think all institutions have to think about how do we tap into that creativity and that energy and that drive," Obama stated. On Twitter, Obama and his wife Michelle wrote in support of the anti-gun violence rally on March 24. Michelle and I are so inspired by all the young people who made today’s marches happen. Keep at it. You’re leading us forward. Nothing can stand in the way of millions of voices calling for change. — Barack Obama (@BarackObama) 24 March 2018 ×

Obama wants to 'create a million young Barack Obamas'

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/mark-zuckerbergs-shine-dims-as-guardian-of-facebook-users-36795" target="_blank">Mark Zuckerberg&#39;s shine dims as guardian of Facebook users</a>

Mark Zuckerberg rose to wealth and fame with a mission of connecting everyone through Facebook, but now faces the wrath of users outraged he isn&#39;t doing more to defend their data.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/in-yet-another-shake-up-trump-replaces-nation-security-adviser-mcmaster-with-bolton-36782" target="_blank">In yet another shake-up of his foreign policy team, Trump replaces NSA McMaster with Bolton</a>

US&nbsp;President Donald Trump shook up his foreign policy team again on Thursday, replacing HR&nbsp;McMaster as national security adviser with John Bolton, a hawk who has advocated using military force against North Korea and Iran.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/breaking-the-aadhaar-encryption-may-take-more-than-the-age-of-the-universe-uidai-ceo-36798" target="_blank">Breaking Aadhaar encryption may take &#39;more than </a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/breaking-the-aadhaar-encryption-may-take-more-than-the-age-of-the-universe-uidai-ceo-36798" target="_blank">age</a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/breaking-the-aadhaar-encryption-may-take-more-than-the-age-of-the-universe-uidai-ceo-36798" target="_blank"> of universe&#39;: UIDAI CEO</a>

Unique Identification Authority of India CEO Ajay Bhushan Pandey on Thursday afternoon got a unique opportunity to make a PowerPoint presentation in the Supreme court to defend the government&#39;s ambitious Aadhaar scheme.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/babri-masjid-ram-janmabhoomi-case-supreme-court-to-continue-final-hearing-36785" target="_blank">Babri Masjid case: Supreme Court to continue &#39;final hearing&#39; today</a>

The Supreme Court will continue to hear the final arguments in the Babri Masjid-Ram Janmabhoomi case on Friday. The court will hear 13 appeals filed against the 2010 judgment of the Allahabad High Court in four civil suits.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/china-strikes-back-in-trade-spat-aims-tariffs-at-3-billion-us-goods-36786" target="_blank">China strikes back in trade spat, aims tariffs at $3 billion US goods</a>

China unveiled plans on Friday to impose tariffs on up to $3 billion of US&nbsp;imports in retaliation against US&nbsp;tariffs on Chinese steel and aluminium products, as the world&#39;s two largest economies stood on the brink of a trade war.

&nbsp;

Mark Zuckerberg's shine dims as guardian of Facebook users Mark Zuckerberg rose to wealth and fame with a mission of connecting everyone through Facebook, but now faces the wrath of users outraged he isn't doing more to defend their data. In yet another shake-up of his foreign policy team, Trump replaces NSA McMaster with Bolton US President Donald Trump shook up his foreign policy team again on Thursday, replacing HR McMaster as national security adviser with John Bolton, a hawk who has advocated using military force against North Korea and Iran. Breaking Aadhaar encryption may take 'more than age of universe': UIDAI CEO Unique Identification Authority of India CEO Ajay Bhushan Pandey on Thursday afternoon got a unique opportunity to make a PowerPoint presentation in the Supreme court to defend the government's ambitious Aadhaar scheme. Babri Masjid case: Supreme Court to continue 'final hearing' today The Supreme Court will continue to hear the final arguments in the Babri Masjid-Ram Janmabhoomi case on Friday. The court will hear 13 appeals filed against the 2010 judgment of the Allahabad High Court in four civil suits. China strikes back in trade spat, aims tariffs at $3 billion US goods China unveiled plans on Friday to impose tariffs on up to $3 billion of US imports in retaliation against US tariffs on Chinese steel and aluminium products, as the world's two largest economies stood on the brink of a trade war.

WION Morning News Brief, March 23, 2018

In his effort to improve Saudi Arabia&rsquo;s badly tarnished image and project the kingdom as embracing an unidentified form of moderate Islam, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has hinted that he envisions a conservative rather than an ultra-conservative society. But this is not one in which citizens are fully free to make personal, let alone political choices of their own. Prince Mohammed&rsquo;s vision, although not spelled out in great detail, seemed evident in an interview with 60 Minutes on CBS News, his first with a Western television program, on the eve of a three-week trip that is taking him across the United States.

The trip is designed to cement relations with the Trump administration following the dismissal of Secretary of State Rex Tillerson. Prince Mohammed and his United Arab Emirates counterpart, Mohammed bin Zayed, viewed Tillerson as unenthusiastic about their hegemonic designs for a swath of land stretching across the Middle East from the Horn of Africa to South Asia, including the Saudi-Emirati-led boycott of Qatar.

The visit comes barely a month before President Donald Trump has to decide whether to pull the US out of the 2015 international agreement with Iran designed to curb the Islamic republic&rsquo;s nuclear program. A withdrawal could lead to the agreement&rsquo;s collapse and spark a nuclear arms race in the Middle East. &ldquo;Saudi Arabia does not want to acquire any nuclear bomb, but without a doubt, if Iran developed a nuclear bomb, we will follow suit as soon as possible,&rdquo; Prince Mohammed told CBS.

The prince&rsquo;s trip is also intended to project the kingdom as a beacon of moderation - rather than a promoter of ultra-conservatism - and cutting-edge modernity led by a young reformist but autocratic king-in-waiting. 
Prince Mohammed and President Trump

In a meeting at the White House, Prince Mohammed and President Trump touted the economic benefits of the two countries&rsquo; relationship, with massive US arms sales and other deals, including nuclear sales that would involve reducing US safeguards by giving the kingdom the right to enrich uranium. Both leaders asserted that the deals would significantly boost employment in both Saudi Arabia and the United States.

Prince Mohammed is also scheduled to meet members of Congress, think tanks and academics, oil executives, businessmen and representatives of Silicon Valley&rsquo;s high-tech industry and Hollywood.

Both Prince Mohammed and Trump need to demonstrate economic progress to boost or cement their popularity at home. The crown prince needs to show to Saudis that he is feted as a leader despite mounting international criticism of his conduct in the Yemen war, his domestic power and asset grab under the mum of an anti-corruption campaign, the kingdom&rsquo;s long-standing political and social restrictions, and its four-decade-long global support for ultra-conservative Sunni Islam.

Beyond concern about the high civilian casualty rate in Yemen and the war having sparked one of the worst humanitarian crises of today, many fear that potentially destabilizing anti-Saudi sentiment in the ravaged country will persist long after the guns fall silent. Those fears are reinforced by contradictory Saudi measures. While on the one hand pledging billions of dollars in aid and allowing at least some relief to get into Yemen, Saudi Arabia has aggravated the crisis by expelling tens of thousands of Yemeni workers in recent months.

Prince Mohammed also needs to demonstrate that he can attract foreign investment despite the arbitrary nature of the arrest in November 2017 of hundreds of senior members of the ruling al-Saud family, prominent businessmen and high-ranking officials, and reports that at least some of them were abused and tortured during their detention.

Most of the detainees were released after surrendering control of assets and/or paying substantial amounts of money. The government said it expects to raise $100 billion from the asset grab. Prince Alwaleed bin Talal, one of the most prominent detainees and the kingdom&rsquo;s most-high-profile businessman, who seemed to put up a fight during his detention, has since his release in January said that he would be investing in some of Prince Mohammed&rsquo;s pet projects. 
Reform in Saudi Arabia

Prince Mohammed has bolstered his image by vowing to return Saudi Arabia to an unidentified form of moderate Islam; forcing the country&rsquo;s ultra-conservative religious establishment to endorse his reforms; suggesting that the kingdom may halt its massive global funding of Sunni Muslim ultra-conservatism to counter Iran&rsquo;s revolutionary zeal; surrendering control of the Saudi-managed Great Mosque in Brussels; granting women the right to drive, join the military and attend male sporting events; and creating a modern entertainment sector.

Despite the boldness of his moves, the crown prince has sent mixed messages about how far he is prepared to go. Women and men mix at concerts and theater plays but are segregated in the three sport stadiums that have been declared open to women.

While the crown prince has been decisive in his power and asset grab, he has yet to say a clear word about lifting Saudi Arabia&rsquo;s system of male guardianship that gives male relatives control of their lives. Similarly, there is no indication that gender segregation in restaurants and other public places will be lifted. Asked about the guardianship, Prince Mohammed evaded specifics. &ldquo;Today, Saudi women still have not received their full rights. There are rights stipulated in Islam that they still don&rsquo;t have. We have come a very long way and have a short way to go,&rdquo; he said to CBS News.

Middle East scholar As&rsquo;ad Abu Khalil, whose blog is named The Angry Arab News Service, posted a picture of Prince Mohammed meeting with President Trump, noting that there was not one woman on either side of the conference table.

Speaking Arabic despite having learned to speak English by watching movies, Prince Mohammed appeared in his CBS interview to defend allowing a mingling of the sexes in the workplace, while shying away from ultra-conservative Islam&rsquo;s ban on a man meeting a woman unaccompanied by a male relative in non-professional or non-public settings. &ldquo;We have extremists who forbid mixing between the two sexes and are unable to differentiate between a man and a woman alone together and their being together in a workplace,&rdquo; Prince Mohammed said.

The crown prince conceded that women had the right to determine what to wear if their clothes were &ldquo;decent, respectful clothing, like men.&rdquo; He did not define what would constitute decent but insisted that it did not have to be a &ldquo;black abaya or a black head cover.&rdquo;

No doubt, Prince Mohammed&rsquo;s social reforms and promised economic change provide him significant arrows in his multimillion-dollar PR blitz. That is getting him the support of the White House. &ldquo;Getting a strong presidential endorsement of the crown prince&#39;s trip to the US. to encourage investment in Saudi Arabia, that, I think, could be something that could be done,&quot; said Anthony H Cordesman, the Arleigh A Burke chair in strategy at the Center for Strategic and International Studies.

Translating that into real policy and dollars could, however, prove to be a harder sell.

This <a href="https://www.fairobserver.com/region/middle_east_north_africa/mohammed-bin-salman-us-trip-gulf-news-saudi-arabia-07978/">article</a> was originally published in <a href="https://www.fairobserver.com/">Fair Observer</a>.

(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

&nbsp;

In his effort to improve Saudi Arabia’s badly tarnished image and project the kingdom as embracing an unidentified form of moderate Islam, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has hinted that he envisions a conservative rather than an ultra-conservative society. But this is not one in which citizens are fully free to make personal, let alone political choices of their own. Prince Mohammed’s vision, although not spelled out in great detail, seemed evident in an interview with 60 Minutes on CBS News, his first with a Western television program, on the eve of a three-week trip that is taking him across the United States. The trip is designed to cement relations with the Trump administration following the dismissal of Secretary of State Rex Tillerson. Prince Mohammed and his United Arab Emirates counterpart, Mohammed bin Zayed, viewed Tillerson as unenthusiastic about their hegemonic designs for a swath of land stretching across the Middle East from the Horn of Africa to South Asia, including the Saudi-Emirati-led boycott of Qatar. The visit comes barely a month before President Donald Trump has to decide whether to pull the US out of the 2015 international agreement with Iran designed to curb the Islamic republic’s nuclear program. A withdrawal could lead to the agreement’s collapse and spark a nuclear arms race in the Middle East. “Saudi Arabia does not want to acquire any nuclear bomb, but without a doubt, if Iran developed a nuclear bomb, we will follow suit as soon as possible,” Prince Mohammed told CBS. The prince’s trip is also intended to project the kingdom as a beacon of moderation - rather than a promoter of ultra-conservatism - and cutting-edge modernity led by a young reformist but autocratic king-in-waiting. Prince Mohammed and President Trump In a meeting at the White House, Prince Mohammed and President Trump touted the economic benefits of the two countries’ relationship, with massive US arms sales and other deals, including nuclear sales that would involve reducing US safeguards by giving the kingdom the right to enrich uranium. Both leaders asserted that the deals would significantly boost employment in both Saudi Arabia and the United States. Prince Mohammed is also scheduled to meet members of Congress, think tanks and academics, oil executives, businessmen and representatives of Silicon Valley’s high-tech industry and Hollywood. Both Prince Mohammed and Trump need to demonstrate economic progress to boost or cement their popularity at home. The crown prince needs to show to Saudis that he is feted as a leader despite mounting international criticism of his conduct in the Yemen war, his domestic power and asset grab under the mum of an anti-corruption campaign, the kingdom’s long-standing political and social restrictions, and its four-decade-long global support for ultra-conservative Sunni Islam. Beyond concern about the high civilian casualty rate in Yemen and the war having sparked one of the worst humanitarian crises of today, many fear that potentially destabilizing anti-Saudi sentiment in the ravaged country will persist long after the guns fall silent. Those fears are reinforced by contradictory Saudi measures. While on the one hand pledging billions of dollars in aid and allowing at least some relief to get into Yemen, Saudi Arabia has aggravated the crisis by expelling tens of thousands of Yemeni workers in recent months. Prince Mohammed also needs to demonstrate that he can attract foreign investment despite the arbitrary nature of the arrest in November 2017 of hundreds of senior members of the ruling al-Saud family, prominent businessmen and high-ranking officials, and reports that at least some of them were abused and tortured during their detention. Most of the detainees were released after surrendering control of assets and/or paying substantial amounts of money. The government said it expects to raise $100 billion from the asset grab. Prince Alwaleed bin Talal, one of the most prominent detainees and the kingdom’s most-high-profile businessman, who seemed to put up a fight during his detention, has since his release in January said that he would be investing in some of Prince Mohammed’s pet projects. Reform in Saudi Arabia Prince Mohammed has bolstered his image by vowing to return Saudi Arabia to an unidentified form of moderate Islam; forcing the country’s ultra-conservative religious establishment to endorse his reforms; suggesting that the kingdom may halt its massive global funding of Sunni Muslim ultra-conservatism to counter Iran’s revolutionary zeal; surrendering control of the Saudi-managed Great Mosque in Brussels; granting women the right to drive, join the military and attend male sporting events; and creating a modern entertainment sector. Despite the boldness of his moves, the crown prince has sent mixed messages about how far he is prepared to go. Women and men mix at concerts and theater plays but are segregated in the three sport stadiums that have been declared open to women. While the crown prince has been decisive in his power and asset grab, he has yet to say a clear word about lifting Saudi Arabia’s system of male guardianship that gives male relatives control of their lives. Similarly, there is no indication that gender segregation in restaurants and other public places will be lifted. Asked about the guardianship, Prince Mohammed evaded specifics. “Today, Saudi women still have not received their full rights. There are rights stipulated in Islam that they still don’t have. We have come a very long way and have a short way to go,” he said to CBS News. Middle East scholar As’ad Abu Khalil, whose blog is named The Angry Arab News Service, posted a picture of Prince Mohammed meeting with President Trump, noting that there was not one woman on either side of the conference table. Speaking Arabic despite having learned to speak English by watching movies, Prince Mohammed appeared in his CBS interview to defend allowing a mingling of the sexes in the workplace, while shying away from ultra-conservative Islam’s ban on a man meeting a woman unaccompanied by a male relative in non-professional or non-public settings. “We have extremists who forbid mixing between the two sexes and are unable to differentiate between a man and a woman alone together and their being together in a workplace,” Prince Mohammed said. The crown prince conceded that women had the right to determine what to wear if their clothes were “decent, respectful clothing, like men.” He did not define what would constitute decent but insisted that it did not have to be a “black abaya or a black head cover.” No doubt, Prince Mohammed’s social reforms and promised economic change provide him significant arrows in his multimillion-dollar PR blitz. That is getting him the support of the White House. “Getting a strong presidential endorsement of the crown prince's trip to the US. to encourage investment in Saudi Arabia, that, I think, could be something that could be done," said Anthony H Cordesman, the Arleigh A Burke chair in strategy at the Center for Strategic and International Studies. Translating that into real policy and dollars could, however, prove to be a harder sell. This article was originally published in Fair Observer. (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

President Donald Trump is poised to unveil sanctions against China Thursday for the &quot;theft&quot; of US intellectual property, a White House official said, teeing up a second potential confrontation in as many months.

Spokesman Raj Shah told AFP that Trump will announce actions following an &quot;investigation into China&#39;s state-led, market-distorting efforts to force, pressure, and steal US technologies and intellectual property.&quot;

According to his schedule, released by the White House on Wednesday evening, he will sign &quot;a Presidential Memorandum targeting China&#39;s economic aggression.&quot;

Beijing has already warned the Trump administration against the move, urging him not act &quot;emotionally.&quot;

It is just weeks since Trump short-circuited White House deliberations and announced a raft of sanctions on foreign-produced steel and aluminum off the cuff.

That move prompted the resignation of top economic advisor Gary Cohn, a global stock market selloff, legal disputes and threats of retaliatory measures.

On Wednesday Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell warned that the prospect of a trade war was a growing threat to the world&#39;s largest economy.

But the impulsive president is showing no sign of backing down.

US Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer recently put a separate proposed package of $30 billion in tariffs on Chinese imports on Trump&#39;s desk.

And Trump appears to have agreed to at least that amount, as he tries to fulfil campaign promises to get tough on &quot;cheating&quot; by US trade partners, which he says have destroyed American jobs.

The US trade deficit with China ran to a record $375 billion last year -- but US exports to the country were also at a record.

Washington has long accused Beijing of forcing US companies to turn over proprietary commercial information and intellectual property as a condition of operating in China.

Trump claims to have built up a generally good relationship with his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping whom he has praised for his role in pressuring North Korea over its nuclear program.

However, the trade dispute threatens to cast a pall over those relations, especially given the recent warnings from Beijing.

A laundry list of grievances 
A senior official in Lighthizer&#39;s office said Wednesday that the Clinton, Bush and Obama administrations had attempted over the decades to coax China into respecting market economics and trade liberalization, but had all failed.

The Trump administration opened an investigation last August, acting on a series of allegations against China including that as a condition of doing business, China forces US companies to enter joint ventures and transfer technology and trade secrets to domestic partners and that US companies are not able to license intellectual property in China as freely as Chinese companies.

US officials also allege China has hacked US networks and conducted industrial espionage to steal US intellectual property.

Chinese President Xi Jinping sent his top economics advisor Liu He to Washington this month to discuss the tensions of trade, but the US official said that at no point had the Chinese made a constructive proposal.

&quot;Certainly by November, the background was such that officials in China had reason to know about the concerns we&#39;ve raised ... At least, as of today the administration has not been satisfied with the types of responses we&#39;ve been getting from China,&quot; the senior official in Lighthizer&#39;s office said, speaking on condition of anonymity in a briefing to reporters.

&quot;Obviously the president will have the final say in terms of what we end up doing here.&quot;

&quot;As a general matter, we do have very strong evidence that China uses foreign ownership restrictions such as joint venture requirements and foreign equity limitations to require or pressure technology transfer from US companies to Chinese entities,&quot; he added.

Tariffs talks 
Along with the announcement of that offensive, Washington also held out the possibility of a detente with regards to the EU, which reacted furiously to the news of steel and aluminum tariffs.

In a joint statement, US Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross and EU Trade Commissioner Cecilia Malmstrom said they agreed to immediately begin &quot;a process of discussion&quot; on the tariffs and other matters &quot;with a view to identifying mutually acceptable outcomes as rapidly as possible.&quot;

Malmstrom had called for Europe to be exempted as a whole. Speaking to reporters in Brussels on Wednesday, European Council President Donald Tusk said he harbored &quot;cautious optimism&quot; on the prospects for a resolution.

The White House already said Canada and Mexico, which are major producers of the metals, will temporarily be exempt from the tariffs during talks to renegotiate the North American Free Trade Agreement.

A spokesman said Trump will announce actions following an 'investigation into China's state-led, market-distorting efforts to force, pressure, and steal US technologies and intellectual property'

President Donald Trump is poised to unveil sanctions against China Thursday for the "theft" of US intellectual property, a White House official said, teeing up a second potential confrontation in as many months. Spokesman Raj Shah told AFP that Trump will announce actions following an "investigation into China's state-led, market-distorting efforts to force, pressure, and steal US technologies and intellectual property." According to his schedule, released by the White House on Wednesday evening, he will sign "a Presidential Memorandum targeting China's economic aggression." Beijing has already warned the Trump administration against the move, urging him not act "emotionally." It is just weeks since Trump short-circuited White House deliberations and announced a raft of sanctions on foreign-produced steel and aluminum off the cuff. That move prompted the resignation of top economic advisor Gary Cohn, a global stock market selloff, legal disputes and threats of retaliatory measures. On Wednesday Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell warned that the prospect of a trade war was a growing threat to the world's largest economy. But the impulsive president is showing no sign of backing down. US Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer recently put a separate proposed package of $30 billion in tariffs on Chinese imports on Trump's desk. And Trump appears to have agreed to at least that amount, as he tries to fulfil campaign promises to get tough on "cheating" by US trade partners, which he says have destroyed American jobs. The US trade deficit with China ran to a record $375 billion last year -- but US exports to the country were also at a record. Washington has long accused Beijing of forcing US companies to turn over proprietary commercial information and intellectual property as a condition of operating in China. Trump claims to have built up a generally good relationship with his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping whom he has praised for his role in pressuring North Korea over its nuclear program. However, the trade dispute threatens to cast a pall over those relations, especially given the recent warnings from Beijing. A laundry list of grievances A senior official in Lighthizer's office said Wednesday that the Clinton, Bush and Obama administrations had attempted over the decades to coax China into respecting market economics and trade liberalization, but had all failed. The Trump administration opened an investigation last August, acting on a series of allegations against China including that as a condition of doing business, China forces US companies to enter joint ventures and transfer technology and trade secrets to domestic partners and that US companies are not able to license intellectual property in China as freely as Chinese companies. US officials also allege China has hacked US networks and conducted industrial espionage to steal US intellectual property. Chinese President Xi Jinping sent his top economics advisor Liu He to Washington this month to discuss the tensions of trade, but the US official said that at no point had the Chinese made a constructive proposal. "Certainly by November, the background was such that officials in China had reason to know about the concerns we've raised ... At least, as of today the administration has not been satisfied with the types of responses we've been getting from China," the senior official in Lighthizer's office said, speaking on condition of anonymity in a briefing to reporters. "Obviously the president will have the final say in terms of what we end up doing here." "As a general matter, we do have very strong evidence that China uses foreign ownership restrictions such as joint venture requirements and foreign equity limitations to require or pressure technology transfer from US companies to Chinese entities," he added. Tariffs talks Along with the announcement of that offensive, Washington also held out the possibility of a detente with regards to the EU, which reacted furiously to the news of steel and aluminum tariffs. In a joint statement, US Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross and EU Trade Commissioner Cecilia Malmstrom said they agreed to immediately begin "a process of discussion" on the tariffs and other matters "with a view to identifying mutually acceptable outcomes as rapidly as possible." Malmstrom had called for Europe to be exempted as a whole. Speaking to reporters in Brussels on Wednesday, European Council President Donald Tusk said he harbored "cautious optimism" on the prospects for a resolution. The White House already said Canada and Mexico, which are major producers of the metals, will temporarily be exempt from the tariffs during talks to renegotiate the North American Free Trade Agreement.

Trump to announce trade sanctions against China on Thursday

US President Donald Trump congratulated Vladimir Putin Tuesday on his re-election, as the leaders raised the prospect of a summit in the near future -- while sidestepping both the issue of election meddling and a spy attack that has rocked Moscow`s relations with the West.

Trump told reporters at the White House he had spoken with Putin, two days after the Russian strongman sailed to a fourth term as president, and with ties strained by the Cold War-style intrigue over the poisoning of an ex-spy in Britain.

&quot;I had a call with President Putin and congratulated him on his electoral victory,&quot; the US leader said.

&quot;The call had to do also with the fact that we will probably get together in the not-too-distant future,&quot; he added.

According to a Kremlin statement, the two leaders also stressed the importance of joint efforts to limit an arms race and boost economic cooperation.

&quot;On the whole, the conversation was constructive and business-like,&quot; the Kremlin said, adding that its goal was to help the two countries &quot;overcome the problems that had accumulated in the Russian-US relations&quot;.

Russia is under pressure from London and its allies to explain how its former double agent Sergei Skripal and his daughter were poisoned on British soil, with a nerve agent the UK says is Soviet-designed.

Moscow has denied being involved.

Although the nerve attack has topped global headlines for weeks, it did not come up during the leaders` conversation, according to both the Kremlin and White House.

&quot;I don`t believe that was discussed in today`s call,&quot; White House spokeswoman Sarah Sanders said.

Neither did they address Washington`s imposition last week of a new round of sanctions against Moscow designed to punish Russians responsible for attempts to interfere in the 2016 US presidential elections.

Nor did they discuss the questions that have been raised over the weekend poll in Russia.

&quot;The focus was to talk about areas of shared interests,&quot; Sanders said.Those shared interests, according to the Kremlin, included the crises in Ukraine and Syria, and ways of &quot;developing practical cooperation&quot; in various spheres including the fight against terrorism.

Pyongyang`s nuclear program was on the agenda as Trump pushes forward with plans for a historic summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.

&quot;Satisfaction has been expressed with a certain decrease in tensions around the Korean peninsula,&quot; the Kremlin added.

The leaders also paid &quot;special attention&quot; to &quot;working out the issue of holding a possible meeting at the highest level.&quot;

In the aftermath of an election that appears to have had significant flaws, a prominent American critic of Putin -- and of Trump himself -- offered a stinging denunciation of the US commander in chief`s call.

&quot;An American president does not lead the Free World by congratulating dictators on winning sham elections,&quot; said US Senator John McCain, who is home in Arizona battling cancer.

&quot;And by doing so with Vladimir Putin, President Trump insulted every Russian citizen who was denied the right to vote in a free and fair election to determine their country`s future.&quot;

The White House had earlier indicated that no call with Putin was planned, as the Russian leader played down talk of a rift.

On Sunday, Putin secured a landslide victory in a presidential election that saw him return to the Kremlin with a record vote share of 76.66 percent.

The Kremlin on Tuesday released a list of those who had sent congratulatory messages -- including the leaders of Greece, Germany, Iran, the Czech Republic, Finland, Syria and North Korea.

Western leaders were slow to congratulate Putin as monitors reported ballot stuffing and other alleged cases of fraud, though fewer irregularities were reported than in previous years.

Putin said Monday he would address disputes with the West but stressed that international relations were a two-way street.

&quot;From our side, we will do all we can so that the disputes with our partners be resolved by political and diplomatic means,&quot; he said.

&quot;It goes without saying that not everything depends on us -- as with love, both sides have to be involved, otherwise there can be no love at all.&quot;

According to a Kremlin statement, the two leaders also stressed the importance of joint efforts to limit an arms race and boost economic cooperation

US President Donald Trump congratulated Vladimir Putin Tuesday on his re-election, as the leaders raised the prospect of a summit in the near future -- while sidestepping both the issue of election meddling and a spy attack that has rocked Moscow`s relations with the West. Trump told reporters at the White House he had spoken with Putin, two days after the Russian strongman sailed to a fourth term as president, and with ties strained by the Cold War-style intrigue over the poisoning of an ex-spy in Britain. "I had a call with President Putin and congratulated him on his electoral victory," the US leader said. "The call had to do also with the fact that we will probably get together in the not-too-distant future," he added. According to a Kremlin statement, the two leaders also stressed the importance of joint efforts to limit an arms race and boost economic cooperation. "On the whole, the conversation was constructive and business-like," the Kremlin said, adding that its goal was to help the two countries "overcome the problems that had accumulated in the Russian-US relations". Russia is under pressure from London and its allies to explain how its former double agent Sergei Skripal and his daughter were poisoned on British soil, with a nerve agent the UK says is Soviet-designed. Moscow has denied being involved. Although the nerve attack has topped global headlines for weeks, it did not come up during the leaders` conversation, according to both the Kremlin and White House. "I don`t believe that was discussed in today`s call," White House spokeswoman Sarah Sanders said. Neither did they address Washington`s imposition last week of a new round of sanctions against Moscow designed to punish Russians responsible for attempts to interfere in the 2016 US presidential elections. Nor did they discuss the questions that have been raised over the weekend poll in Russia. "The focus was to talk about areas of shared interests," Sanders said.Those shared interests, according to the Kremlin, included the crises in Ukraine and Syria, and ways of "developing practical cooperation" in various spheres including the fight against terrorism. Pyongyang`s nuclear program was on the agenda as Trump pushes forward with plans for a historic summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. "Satisfaction has been expressed with a certain decrease in tensions around the Korean peninsula," the Kremlin added. The leaders also paid "special attention" to "working out the issue of holding a possible meeting at the highest level." In the aftermath of an election that appears to have had significant flaws, a prominent American critic of Putin -- and of Trump himself -- offered a stinging denunciation of the US commander in chief`s call. "An American president does not lead the Free World by congratulating dictators on winning sham elections," said US Senator John McCain, who is home in Arizona battling cancer. "And by doing so with Vladimir Putin, President Trump insulted every Russian citizen who was denied the right to vote in a free and fair election to determine their country`s future." The White House had earlier indicated that no call with Putin was planned, as the Russian leader played down talk of a rift. On Sunday, Putin secured a landslide victory in a presidential election that saw him return to the Kremlin with a record vote share of 76.66 percent. The Kremlin on Tuesday released a list of those who had sent congratulatory messages -- including the leaders of Greece, Germany, Iran, the Czech Republic, Finland, Syria and North Korea. Western leaders were slow to congratulate Putin as monitors reported ballot stuffing and other alleged cases of fraud, though fewer irregularities were reported than in previous years. Putin said Monday he would address disputes with the West but stressed that international relations were a two-way street. "From our side, we will do all we can so that the disputes with our partners be resolved by political and diplomatic means," he said. "It goes without saying that not everything depends on us -- as with love, both sides have to be involved, otherwise there can be no love at all."

US President Donald Trump  congratulates Vladimir Putin on election, summit on cards

A Palestinian stabbed an Israeli security guard to death in Jerusalem&#39;s Old City on Sunday before being shot dead by a police officer, Israeli officials said.

The stabbing came with concerns over the potential for an upsurge in unrest in the coming weeks as the United States prepares to move its embassy in Israel to Jerusalem.

The security guard was taken to hospital in serious condition suffering a stab wound to his torso, medics said.

The hospital later announced he had died from his wounds. Israeli media reported that he was in his 30s, with some reports saying he was off-duty at the time.

Police spokesman Micky Rosenfeld confirmed the assailant had been shot dead.

Israel&#39;s Shin Bet domestic security service identified the assailant as Abdul Rahmani Faddal, 28, and a father of two from Aqraba near Nablus in the north of the occupied West Bank.

The attack comes after a Friday car ramming by a Palestinian near Jenin in the northern West Bank that the army said killed two Israeli soldiers and wounded two others.

Tensions were high after Palestinian Islamist movement Hamas called for a day of rage on Friday to mark 100 days since US President Donald Trump&#39;s controversial recognition of Jerusalem as Israel&#39;s capital.

Palestinians also see the city as their capital and Trump&#39;s recognition broke with decades of US policy that Jerusalem&#39;s status would be negotiated between the parties.

Palestinian leaders have boycotted Trump&#39;s administration over the declaration, though the White House says it still plans to push ahead with its efforts to restart peace talks.&nbsp;

At least 32 Palestinians and four Israelis have been killed since Trump&#39;s announcement, which set off major protests.

The United States is planning to open its new embassy in Jerusalem in May to coincide with the 70th anniversary of Israel&#39;s founding.

Palestinians commemorate May 15 as the Nakba, or &quot;catastrophe,&quot; marking when hundreds of thousands of Palestinians either fled or were expelled in the 1948 war surrounding Israel&#39;s creation.

Gaza tensions 
There have also been tensions along the border between Gaza and Israel in recent days.

Israel&#39;s military said Sunday it had carried out an air raid overnight against an underground Hamas facility in the Gaza Strip and destroyed a separate tunnel under construction that could be used for attacks.

No casualties were reported in either operation, which came after an explosive device was detonated near the Gaza border with Israel, the latest in a string of such incidents.

Hamas, which runs the Gaza Strip, called Israel&#39;s actions an attempt &quot;to scare the people&quot; and head off planned protests along the border beginning later this month.

Israel &quot;bears all the consequences of the escalation,&quot; Hamas spokesman Fawzy Barhoum said.

Beginning on March 30, Gazans are planning to erect hundreds of tents near the Israeli border in a six-week show of support for Palestinian refugees.

Two explosive devices were detonated Thursday along the border, which had already provoked Israeli attacks on Hamas positions.

Also on February 17, four Israeli soldiers were wounded by an improvised explosive device on the border, sparking intense military retaliation.

It was not clear who was behind the blasts, but Israel held Hamas responsible as the de facto power in the Palestinian enclave.

Israel and Palestinian militants in Gaza have fought three wars since 2008. The strip has been under an Israeli blockade for around a decade.

The stabbing came with concerns over the potential for an upsurge in unrest in the coming weeks as the United States prepares to move its embassy in Israel to Jerusalem

A Palestinian stabbed an Israeli security guard to death in Jerusalem's Old City on Sunday before being shot dead by a police officer, Israeli officials said. The stabbing came with concerns over the potential for an upsurge in unrest in the coming weeks as the United States prepares to move its embassy in Israel to Jerusalem. The security guard was taken to hospital in serious condition suffering a stab wound to his torso, medics said. The hospital later announced he had died from his wounds. Israeli media reported that he was in his 30s, with some reports saying he was off-duty at the time. Police spokesman Micky Rosenfeld confirmed the assailant had been shot dead. Israel's Shin Bet domestic security service identified the assailant as Abdul Rahmani Faddal, 28, and a father of two from Aqraba near Nablus in the north of the occupied West Bank. The attack comes after a Friday car ramming by a Palestinian near Jenin in the northern West Bank that the army said killed two Israeli soldiers and wounded two others. Tensions were high after Palestinian Islamist movement Hamas called for a day of rage on Friday to mark 100 days since US President Donald Trump's controversial recognition of Jerusalem as Israel's capital. Palestinians also see the city as their capital and Trump's recognition broke with decades of US policy that Jerusalem's status would be negotiated between the parties. Palestinian leaders have boycotted Trump's administration over the declaration, though the White House says it still plans to push ahead with its efforts to restart peace talks. At least 32 Palestinians and four Israelis have been killed since Trump's announcement, which set off major protests. The United States is planning to open its new embassy in Jerusalem in May to coincide with the 70th anniversary of Israel's founding. Palestinians commemorate May 15 as the Nakba, or "catastrophe," marking when hundreds of thousands of Palestinians either fled or were expelled in the 1948 war surrounding Israel's creation. Gaza tensions There have also been tensions along the border between Gaza and Israel in recent days. Israel's military said Sunday it had carried out an air raid overnight against an underground Hamas facility in the Gaza Strip and destroyed a separate tunnel under construction that could be used for attacks. No casualties were reported in either operation, which came after an explosive device was detonated near the Gaza border with Israel, the latest in a string of such incidents. Hamas, which runs the Gaza Strip, called Israel's actions an attempt "to scare the people" and head off planned protests along the border beginning later this month. Israel "bears all the consequences of the escalation," Hamas spokesman Fawzy Barhoum said. Beginning on March 30, Gazans are planning to erect hundreds of tents near the Israeli border in a six-week show of support for Palestinian refugees. Two explosive devices were detonated Thursday along the border, which had already provoked Israeli attacks on Hamas positions. Also on February 17, four Israeli soldiers were wounded by an improvised explosive device on the border, sparking intense military retaliation. It was not clear who was behind the blasts, but Israel held Hamas responsible as the de facto power in the Palestinian enclave. Israel and Palestinian militants in Gaza have fought three wars since 2008. The strip has been under an Israeli blockade for around a decade.

Israeli killed by Palestinian in Jerusalem Old City stabbing

Porn star Stormy Daniels will go to court on July 12 in a bid to dissolve an agreement stopping her discussing an affair she says she had with President Donald Trump, according to court papers published Wednesday.

Lawyer Michael Avenatti filed a lawsuit on behalf of Daniels last week seeking to toss out the confidential settlement she signed just days before the November 2016 election.

The lawsuit alleges that Daniels, whose real name is Stephanie Clifford, began an &quot;intimate relationship&quot; with Trump in the summer of 2006 that continued well into 2007.

She has offered to return the $130,000 she received so that she can be free to &quot;speak openly and freely about her prior relationship with the president and the attempts to silence her.&quot;

Daniels is also asking to be allowed to publish text messages, photos and videos relating to the president, Avenatti said in a letter to Trump&#39;s lawyer Michael Cohen.

&quot;I think it&#39;s time for her to tell her story and for the public to decide who&#39;s telling the truth,&quot; Avenatti said last week.

A copy of the settlement filed in court shows that Daniels received the $130,000 from a company known as Essential Consultants LLC in return for her silence.

Using the pseudonyms Peggy Peterson and David Dennison, Daniels and Trump were to sign the agreement, along with Essential Consultants.

But Trump never signed, providing the basis for Avenatti&#39;s attempt to have it thrown out and release Daniels from her obligations.

Daniels is asking for presiding judge Elizabeth Feffer to be replaced, arguing that she has a conflict of interest because she is seeking an appointment to a seat in federal court.

The White House has denied any sexual encounter between Trump and Daniels.

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

Porn star Stormy Daniels will go to court on July 12 in a bid to dissolve an agreement stopping her discussing an affair she says she had with President Donald Trump, according to court papers published Wednesday. Lawyer Michael Avenatti filed a lawsuit on behalf of Daniels last week seeking to toss out the confidential settlement she signed just days before the November 2016 election. The lawsuit alleges that Daniels, whose real name is Stephanie Clifford, began an "intimate relationship" with Trump in the summer of 2006 that continued well into 2007. She has offered to return the $130,000 she received so that she can be free to "speak openly and freely about her prior relationship with the president and the attempts to silence her." Daniels is also asking to be allowed to publish text messages, photos and videos relating to the president, Avenatti said in a letter to Trump's lawyer Michael Cohen. "I think it's time for her to tell her story and for the public to decide who's telling the truth," Avenatti said last week. A copy of the settlement filed in court shows that Daniels received the $130,000 from a company known as Essential Consultants LLC in return for her silence. Using the pseudonyms Peggy Peterson and David Dennison, Daniels and Trump were to sign the agreement, along with Essential Consultants. But Trump never signed, providing the basis for Avenatti's attempt to have it thrown out and release Daniels from her obligations. Daniels is asking for presiding judge Elizabeth Feffer to be replaced, arguing that she has a conflict of interest because she is seeking an appointment to a seat in federal court. The White House has denied any sexual encounter between Trump and Daniels.

Hearing date set for Trump showdown with porn star

US&nbsp;President Donald Trump on Tuesday said he had replaced US&nbsp;Secretary of State Rex Tillerson with Central Intelligence Agency Director Mike Pompeo, and had tapped Gina Haspel to lead the CIA.

The resignation represents the biggest shakeup of the Trump Cabinet so far and had been expected since last October when reports surfaced about a falling out between Trump and Tillerson, 65, who left his position as chief executive of Exxon Mobil to join the administration.

US&nbsp;stock index futures pared their gains and the dollar also trimmed gains versus the yen while extending losses versus the euro amid the news.

Trump publicly undercut Tillerson&#39;s diplomatic initiatives numerous times, including on Monday when the former secretary of state&#39;s comments about Russia appeared to be at odds with those of the White House.

Tillerson also appeared out of the loop last week when Trump announced he would meet with North Korea&#39;s leader and become the first sitting U.S. president to do so.

&quot;Mike Pompeo, Director of the CIA, will become our new Secretary of State. He will do a fantastic job! Thank you to Rex Tillerson for his service! Gina Haspel will become the new Director of the CIA, and the first woman so chosen. Congratulations to all!&quot; Trump said on Twitter.

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
Mike Pompeo, Director of the CIA, will become our new Secretary of State. He will do a fantastic job! Thank you to Rex Tillerson for his service! Gina Haspel will become the new Director of the CIA, and the first woman so chosen. Congratulations to all!
&mdash; Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/973540316656623616?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 13, 2018</a></blockquote>
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&nbsp;

'Mike Pompeo, Director of the CIA, will become our new Secretary of State. He will do a fantastic job! Thank you to Rex Tillerson for his service! Gina Haspel will become the new Director of the CIA, and the first woman so chosen,' Trump said on Twitter

US President Donald Trump on Tuesday said he had replaced US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson with Central Intelligence Agency Director Mike Pompeo, and had tapped Gina Haspel to lead the CIA. The resignation represents the biggest shakeup of the Trump Cabinet so far and had been expected since last October when reports surfaced about a falling out between Trump and Tillerson, 65, who left his position as chief executive of Exxon Mobil to join the administration. US stock index futures pared their gains and the dollar also trimmed gains versus the yen while extending losses versus the euro amid the news. Trump publicly undercut Tillerson's diplomatic initiatives numerous times, including on Monday when the former secretary of state's comments about Russia appeared to be at odds with those of the White House. Tillerson also appeared out of the loop last week when Trump announced he would meet with North Korea's leader and become the first sitting U.S. president to do so. "Mike Pompeo, Director of the CIA, will become our new Secretary of State. He will do a fantastic job! Thank you to Rex Tillerson for his service! Gina Haspel will become the new Director of the CIA, and the first woman so chosen. Congratulations to all!" Trump said on Twitter. Mike Pompeo, Director of the CIA, will become our new Secretary of State. He will do a fantastic job! Thank you to Rex Tillerson for his service! Gina Haspel will become the new Director of the CIA, and the first woman so chosen. Congratulations to all! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 13, 2018 ×

Trump fires US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, CIA director Mike Pompeo to take over from him

The United States President Donald Trump&#39;s dream of getting a military parade will soon be fulfilled. &nbsp; &nbsp;

However, the parade will not involve any heavy military vehicles like tanks to avoid doing damage to the streets of Washington.

According to a guidance memo from the Office of the Secretary of Defense, the event will include &#39;no tanks&#39;.

Though, it will play the host to a heavy air component at the end of the parade, to include older aircraft as available.&nbsp;

Earlier reports said that Trump had asked for a military parade and the Pentagon was reviewing potential dates.

The White House press secretary Sarah Sanders said in a statement that Trump had asked the Defense Department to explore the idea.

&quot;President Trump is incredibly supportive of America&#39;s great service members who risk their lives every day to keep our country safe.&quot;&nbsp;

&quot;He has asked the Department of Defense to explore a celebration at which all Americans can show their appreciation,&quot; Sanders said.

&nbsp;The parade is expected to take place in November, most likely on Veterans Day (November 11), from the White House to the U.S.&nbsp;Capitol Building.

In September 2017, President Trump had shared how impressed he was by the Bastille Day celebrations in Paris.&nbsp;

He had visited French President Emmanuel Macron and concluded &quot;to a large extent, because of what I witnessed, we may do something like that on July 4th in Washington, down Pennsylvania Avenue&quot;.

The cost of the parade, however, remains unclear.&nbsp;

The parade will not involve any heavy military vehicles

The United States President Donald Trump's dream of getting a military parade will soon be fulfilled. However, the parade will not involve any heavy military vehicles like tanks to avoid doing damage to the streets of Washington. According to a guidance memo from the Office of the Secretary of Defense, the event will include 'no tanks'. Though, it will play the host to a heavy air component at the end of the parade, to include older aircraft as available. Earlier reports said that Trump had asked for a military parade and the Pentagon was reviewing potential dates. The White House press secretary Sarah Sanders said in a statement that Trump had asked the Defense Department to explore the idea. "President Trump is incredibly supportive of America's great service members who risk their lives every day to keep our country safe." "He has asked the Department of Defense to explore a celebration at which all Americans can show their appreciation," Sanders said. The parade is expected to take place in November, most likely on Veterans Day (November 11), from the White House to the U.S. Capitol Building. In September 2017, President Trump had shared how impressed he was by the Bastille Day celebrations in Paris. He had visited French President Emmanuel Macron and concluded "to a large extent, because of what I witnessed, we may do something like that on July 4th in Washington, down Pennsylvania Avenue". The cost of the parade, however, remains unclear.

Donald Trump to get military parade but without tanks

Pornstar Stormy Daniels&#39; lawyer admitted that she had a&nbsp;sexual relationship with US President Donald Trump. In a television interview, Michael Avenatti confirmed the same also stating that he was not aware of the $130,000 payoff to buy her silence.

Avenatti was previously unavailable for comments on the matter.&nbsp;

While Daniels denied the alleged affair with the President previously, Trump continued to rubbish the allegations. <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/trump-won-stormy-daniels-legal-case-in-arbitration-white-house-35023">The US President won the lawsuit on Wednesday</a>, a day after Daniels sued seeking to invalidate a &quot;hush agreement&quot; she signed with Trump&#39;s lawyer.

Daniels, whose legal name is Stephanie Clifford, said in the lawsuit that Trump never signed the nondisclosure agreement, designed to keep her quiet about an &quot;intimate relationship&quot; she said she had with him over a decade ago.

Trump&#39;s failure to sign renders the pact invalid, the lawsuit said.

According to the lawsuit, Clifford and Trump had an intimate relationship that began in the summer of 2006, not long after Trump&#39;s wife Melania gave birth to their son Barron and lasted well into 2007.

The White House has had denied all reports linking the US President and Daniels.&nbsp;

(With inputs from Reuters)&nbsp;

Avenatti was previously unavailable for comments on the matter

Pornstar Stormy Daniels' lawyer admitted that she had a sexual relationship with US President Donald Trump. In a television interview, Michael Avenatti confirmed the same also stating that he was not aware of the $130,000 payoff to buy her silence. Avenatti was previously unavailable for comments on the matter. While Daniels denied the alleged affair with the President previously, Trump continued to rubbish the allegations. The US President won the lawsuit on Wednesday, a day after Daniels sued seeking to invalidate a "hush agreement" she signed with Trump's lawyer. Daniels, whose legal name is Stephanie Clifford, said in the lawsuit that Trump never signed the nondisclosure agreement, designed to keep her quiet about an "intimate relationship" she said she had with him over a decade ago. Trump's failure to sign renders the pact invalid, the lawsuit said. According to the lawsuit, Clifford and Trump had an intimate relationship that began in the summer of 2006, not long after Trump's wife Melania gave birth to their son Barron and lasted well into 2007. The White House has had denied all reports linking the US President and Daniels. (With inputs from Reuters)

Pornstar Stormy Daniels' lawyer confirms her affair with Donald Trump

Hope Hicks, one of US President Donald Trump&#39;s longest-serving aides, is resigning from her job as White House communications director, White House spokeswoman Sarah Sanders said on Wednesday.

Sanders told reporters the timeline for Hicks&#39; departure was unclear. She said her departure was not related to her testimony to a congressional committee on Tuesday about an investigation into Russian meddling in the 2016 US election.

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US President Donald Trump speaks with Hope Hicks during an interview in Washington. (Reuters)
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She is expected to leave in the next few weeks.

Hicks, 29, was caught up in a controversy surrounding former White House staff secretary Rob Porter, whom she had been dating. She worked to defend him when charges of domestic abuse against his two former wives emerged. Porter was ultimately forced to resign.

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File photo: White House Communications Director Hope Hicks. (Reuters)
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She was one of the first people hired by then-businessman Trump when he began his campaign for the presidency and is one of his most trusted advisers. Aides said she had approached the president and told him she wanted to leave so she could start exploring opportunities outside of the White House.

&quot;Hope is outstanding and has done great work for the last three years. She is as smart and thoughtful as they come, a truly great person,&quot; Trump said in a statement released by the White House. &quot;I will miss having her by my side but when she approached me about pursuing other opportunities, I totally understood. I am sure we will work together again in the future.&quot;

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Hope Hicks during a news conference at Trump Tower in the Manhattan borough of New York. (Reuters)
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On Tuesday Hicks declined to answer questions about the administration from members of the U.S. House of Representatives Intelligence Committee investigating Russia and the 2016 US election, lawmakers said. Hicks was Trump&#39;s spokeswoman during the campaign.

White House Chief of Staff John Kelly said in a statement of Hicks: &quot;To say that she will be missed, is an understatement.&quot;

Hicks took over as communications director in September after the short, difficult tenure of Anthony Scaramucci, who was fired. She is credited behind the scenes for stabilizing the communications operation.

Hicks said in a statement: &quot;There are no words to adequately express my gratitude to President Trump. I wish the President and his administration the very best as he continues to lead our country.&quot;

"Hope is outstanding and has done great work for the last three years. She is as smart and thoughtful as they come, a truly great person," Donald Trump said

Hope Hicks, one of US President Donald Trump's longest-serving aides, is resigning from her job as White House communications director, White House spokeswoman Sarah Sanders said on Wednesday. Sanders told reporters the timeline for Hicks' departure was unclear. She said her departure was not related to her testimony to a congressional committee on Tuesday about an investigation into Russian meddling in the 2016 US election. US President Donald Trump speaks with Hope Hicks during an interview in Washington. (Reuters) × She is expected to leave in the next few weeks. Hicks, 29, was caught up in a controversy surrounding former White House staff secretary Rob Porter, whom she had been dating. She worked to defend him when charges of domestic abuse against his two former wives emerged. Porter was ultimately forced to resign. File photo: White House Communications Director Hope Hicks. (Reuters) × She was one of the first people hired by then-businessman Trump when he began his campaign for the presidency and is one of his most trusted advisers. Aides said she had approached the president and told him she wanted to leave so she could start exploring opportunities outside of the White House. "Hope is outstanding and has done great work for the last three years. She is as smart and thoughtful as they come, a truly great person," Trump said in a statement released by the White House. "I will miss having her by my side but when she approached me about pursuing other opportunities, I totally understood. I am sure we will work together again in the future." Hope Hicks during a news conference at Trump Tower in the Manhattan borough of New York. (Reuters) × On Tuesday Hicks declined to answer questions about the administration from members of the U.S. House of Representatives Intelligence Committee investigating Russia and the 2016 US election, lawmakers said. Hicks was Trump's spokeswoman during the campaign. White House Chief of Staff John Kelly said in a statement of Hicks: "To say that she will be missed, is an understatement." Hicks took over as communications director in September after the short, difficult tenure of Anthony Scaramucci, who was fired. She is credited behind the scenes for stabilizing the communications operation. Hicks said in a statement: "There are no words to adequately express my gratitude to President Trump. I wish the President and his administration the very best as he continues to lead our country."

Close Donald Trump aide and White House communications chief Hope Hicks resigns

US President will now travel in a new plane. It is just not any Boeing with Super-Luxuries Features and High- End protection. The Pentagon has ordered the fastest and biggest Boeing ever made for the President&#39;s travel.&nbsp;

The White House will soon have two brand new aircrafts for the president. The US president will have two Boeing 747-8, which is the longest commercial jet in the world.&nbsp;

The new Air Force one Planes will replace the aging Boeing 747-200 Aircrafts-that currently serve as the presidential air force one fleet.&nbsp;

The new airborne white house will have similar modifications as the existing presidential plane. But it will also have significant upgrades to communications systems.

It means the new flying white house will be able to fly in worst-case security scenarios, such as nuclear war.

They will be modified with military avionics, advanced communications and a self-defense system. Also, it will offer a much larger upper deck than its predecessor.

Apart from the advanced features, the new presidential aircraft will be equipped with other standard air force one amenities such as over 4000 square feet of interior space, a conference room, a dining room, an oval office, armoured windows, galleys to prepare over a hundred meals for one sitting, a medical facility, plenty of phones for classified and unclassified use, and work and rest areas for the presidential staff, media representatives and air force crews.

The white house says it has signed a deal with Boeing for two new air force one planes at 3.9 billion us dollars. As per the original plan, the new aircraft will be in service by 2024, but the president has asked for the planes to be ready by 2021 - which would mark the beginning of another presidential term.&nbsp;

The new Air Force one Planes will replace the aging Boeing 747-200 Aircrafts-that currently serve as the presidential air force one fleet

US President will now travel in a new plane. It is just not any Boeing with Super-Luxuries Features and High- End protection. The Pentagon has ordered the fastest and biggest Boeing ever made for the President's travel. The White House will soon have two brand new aircrafts for the president. The US president will have two Boeing 747-8, which is the longest commercial jet in the world. The new Air Force one Planes will replace the aging Boeing 747-200 Aircrafts-that currently serve as the presidential air force one fleet. The new airborne white house will have similar modifications as the existing presidential plane. But it will also have significant upgrades to communications systems. It means the new flying white house will be able to fly in worst-case security scenarios, such as nuclear war. They will be modified with military avionics, advanced communications and a self-defense system. Also, it will offer a much larger upper deck than its predecessor. Apart from the advanced features, the new presidential aircraft will be equipped with other standard air force one amenities such as over 4000 square feet of interior space, a conference room, a dining room, an oval office, armoured windows, galleys to prepare over a hundred meals for one sitting, a medical facility, plenty of phones for classified and unclassified use, and work and rest areas for the presidential staff, media representatives and air force crews. The white house says it has signed a deal with Boeing for two new air force one planes at 3.9 billion us dollars. As per the original plan, the new aircraft will be in service by 2024, but the president has asked for the planes to be ready by 2021 - which would mark the beginning of another presidential term.

US President to soon have longest commercial jet

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