Russian President Vladimir Putin, 65, stripped off to his bathing trunks and immersed himself in the freezing waters of a lake late on Thursday, observing an Orthodox Christian ritual to mark the feast of Epiphany.

Russian state television showed Putin marching onto the ice of frozen Lake Seliger, about 400 km (250 miles) north of Moscow, dressed in a sheepskin coat and felt boots.

With his coat and boots removed, he then walked down a set of wooden steps into a hole in the ice, crossed himself, and dipped his head under the water before surfacing.

Air temperatures at the time were around six degrees Celsius below zero (21 degrees Fahrenheit).

Each year on Epiphany, Orthodox believers immerse themselves in rivers and lakes to commemorate the baptism of Jesus Christ in the River Jordan.

Putin, who is campaigning for re-election in a March 18 presidential election, grew up under Communist rule where open shows of religion were frowned upon. As president, he has become a frequent attender of Russian Orthodox ceremonies, and has given the church a major voice in society.

The Russian leader&nbsp;has a track record of stripping to the waist in public to reveal his torso.

In August last year he was photographed with his shirt off catching fish in a mountain lake in Siberia and in August 2009, a bare-chested Putin was pictured riding a horse during a Siberian holiday.

Air temperatures at the time were around six degrees Celsius below zero.

Russian President Vladimir Putin, 65, stripped off to his bathing trunks and immersed himself in the freezing waters of a lake late on Thursday, observing an Orthodox Christian ritual to mark the feast of Epiphany. Russian state television showed Putin marching onto the ice of frozen Lake Seliger, about 400 km (250 miles) north of Moscow, dressed in a sheepskin coat and felt boots. With his coat and boots removed, he then walked down a set of wooden steps into a hole in the ice, crossed himself, and dipped his head under the water before surfacing. Air temperatures at the time were around six degrees Celsius below zero (21 degrees Fahrenheit). Each year on Epiphany, Orthodox believers immerse themselves in rivers and lakes to commemorate the baptism of Jesus Christ in the River Jordan. Putin, who is campaigning for re-election in a March 18 presidential election, grew up under Communist rule where open shows of religion were frowned upon. As president, he has become a frequent attender of Russian Orthodox ceremonies, and has given the church a major voice in society. The Russian leader has a track record of stripping to the waist in public to reveal his torso. In August last year he was photographed with his shirt off catching fish in a mountain lake in Siberia and in August 2009, a bare-chested Putin was pictured riding a horse during a Siberian holiday.

Putin takes dip in icy lake to mark Orthodox Epiphany

One of Russia&#39;s biggest human rights groups said on Wednesday that one of its offices in southern Russia had been badly damaged in an overnight arson attack, an incident it said was part of a campaign to drive it from the region.

Pictures of the office of the group, Memorial, in Nazran, a town in the Russian region of Ingushetia which borders Chechnya, showed the blackened interior of an office strewn with fire-damaged debris.

Memorial is under pressure in the Muslim-majority North Caucasus region after police in Chechnya detained the head of its office there this month and accused him of possessing a large quantity of cannabis, a crime punishable by up to 10 years in jail.

Concerns about the case of the detained activist, Oyub Titiev, who has written to President Vladimir Putin saying that he was framed and that the police planted the drugs in his car, prompted the United States and Europe to call for his release.

Memorial has angered authorities in Chechnya by reporting disappearances, torture and punitive house burnings there. Titiev&#39;s predecessor, Natalia Estemirova, was kidnapped and shot dead in 2009. Ramzan Kadyrov, the head of Chechnya, has said allegations that Chechen authorities use illegal violence are false and invented to secure foreign grants.

Memorial said it had captured some of the overnight arson attack on CCTV which showed two masked men breaking into its office with petrol cans and called on the authorities in Ingushetia to investigate the attack as an act of terrorism.

&quot;The work of Memorial&#39;s representative office in Ingushetia is exclusively dedicated to human rights problems on the territory of Ingushetia and in no way linked to Chechnya,&quot; Memorial said in a statement.

&quot;Nonetheless, it&#39;s obvious to us that there is a link between the arson attack with those forces who are trying to destroy the work of Memorial in Chechnya and squeeze Memorial out of the entire North Caucasus region.&quot;

Pictures of the office of the group, Memorial, in Nazran, a town in the Russian region of Ingushetia which borders Chechnya, showed the blackened interior of an office strewn with fire-damaged debris

One of Russia's biggest human rights groups said on Wednesday that one of its offices in southern Russia had been badly damaged in an overnight arson attack, an incident it said was part of a campaign to drive it from the region. Pictures of the office of the group, Memorial, in Nazran, a town in the Russian region of Ingushetia which borders Chechnya, showed the blackened interior of an office strewn with fire-damaged debris. Memorial is under pressure in the Muslim-majority North Caucasus region after police in Chechnya detained the head of its office there this month and accused him of possessing a large quantity of cannabis, a crime punishable by up to 10 years in jail. Concerns about the case of the detained activist, Oyub Titiev, who has written to President Vladimir Putin saying that he was framed and that the police planted the drugs in his car, prompted the United States and Europe to call for his release. Memorial has angered authorities in Chechnya by reporting disappearances, torture and punitive house burnings there. Titiev's predecessor, Natalia Estemirova, was kidnapped and shot dead in 2009. Ramzan Kadyrov, the head of Chechnya, has said allegations that Chechen authorities use illegal violence are false and invented to secure foreign grants. Memorial said it had captured some of the overnight arson attack on CCTV which showed two masked men breaking into its office with petrol cans and called on the authorities in Ingushetia to investigate the attack as an act of terrorism. "The work of Memorial's representative office in Ingushetia is exclusively dedicated to human rights problems on the territory of Ingushetia and in no way linked to Chechnya," Memorial said in a statement. "Nonetheless, it's obvious to us that there is a link between the arson attack with those forces who are trying to destroy the work of Memorial in Chechnya and squeeze Memorial out of the entire North Caucasus region."

Arson attack rips through office of Russian human rights group

Russian President Vladimir Putin warned Thursday that armed criminals could be &quot;liquidated on the spot,&quot; calling the blast that tore through a Saint Petersburg supermarket and wounded 14 people an &quot;act of terror.&quot;

Yesterday, a homemade bomb placed in a locker at the supermarket in northwestern Saint Petersburg, Russia&#39;s second city and Putin&#39;s hometown, went off sowing panic among customers and wounding 14 people including a pregnant woman.

&quot;As you know, an act of terror took place in Saint Petersburg yesterday,&quot; Putin said on Thursday, speaking at a ceremony to award officers who took part in Russia&#39;s Syria campaign.

He said he had ordered the nation&#39;s security services to &quot;act decisively&quot; and &quot;liquidate bandits on the spot&quot; if armed militants put up resistance.

His spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters later that the Russian leader was referring to all those &quot;who harbour plans to carry out acts of terror in our country.&quot;

Putin&#39;s 2015 decision to intervene in Syria militarily on the side of Bashar al-Assad has made Russia a priority target for the Islamic State group.

Citing the latest count, officials said a total of 14 people had been wounded in the blast. Six people remained in hospital, they added, noting the wounded would receive financial aid.

The bombing came after the FSB security service said earlier this month it had prevented a terror attack on a key Orthodox cathedral in Saint Petersburg with the help of America&#39;s CIA, which led Putin to thank US President Donald Trump.&nbsp;

A homemade bomb placed in a locker at the supermarket in northwestern Saint Petersburg, Russia's second city and Putin's hometown, went off sowing panic among customers and wounding 14 people including a pregnant woman

Russian President Vladimir Putin warned Thursday that armed criminals could be "liquidated on the spot," calling the blast that tore through a Saint Petersburg supermarket and wounded 14 people an "act of terror." Yesterday, a homemade bomb placed in a locker at the supermarket in northwestern Saint Petersburg, Russia's second city and Putin's hometown, went off sowing panic among customers and wounding 14 people including a pregnant woman. "As you know, an act of terror took place in Saint Petersburg yesterday," Putin said on Thursday, speaking at a ceremony to award officers who took part in Russia's Syria campaign. He said he had ordered the nation's security services to "act decisively" and "liquidate bandits on the spot" if armed militants put up resistance. His spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters later that the Russian leader was referring to all those "who harbour plans to carry out acts of terror in our country." Putin's 2015 decision to intervene in Syria militarily on the side of Bashar al-Assad has made Russia a priority target for the Islamic State group. Citing the latest count, officials said a total of 14 people had been wounded in the blast. Six people remained in hospital, they added, noting the wounded would receive financial aid. The bombing came after the FSB security service said earlier this month it had prevented a terror attack on a key Orthodox cathedral in Saint Petersburg with the help of America's CIA, which led Putin to thank US President Donald Trump.

Terror suspects can be killed 'on the spot', warns Putin

Opposition leader Alexei Navalny announced on Wednesday a series of rallies across Russia in January to press home his call for a boycott of next year&#39;s presidential election, a move likely to draw a sharp response from the Kremlin and police.

Navalny unveiled his plan hours after President Vladimir Putin, who polls suggest is a shoo-in for re-election, registered his candidacy at the central election commission ahead of the March 18 vote.

The commission ruled on Monday that Navalny was not eligible to run against Putin due to a suspended prison sentence.

A furious Navalny, who says the sentence was part of a fabricated case designed to thwart his political ambitions, responded by calling for an election boycott. That prompted the Kremlin to demand an investigation to determine whether his statement broke the law.

On Wednesday, Navalny upped the ante, saying he and his supporters would organise nationwide rallies on Jan. 28 in 85 towns and cities, including Moscow and St Petersburg, to support his call for an election boycott.

&quot;We refuse to call the reappointment of Putin an election,&quot; Navalny said in a statement on his website.

&quot;We are not going to vote and will convince everyone around us not to vote. We are going to campaign (for a boycott) with all our might.&quot;

Turnout

A boycott could pose a problem for the Kremlin which is keen to ensure a high turnout in the election to help confer legitimacy on Putin&#39;s expected victory amid some signs of apathy among voters.

Under Russian law, the time and place of rallies must be agreed with the authorities who have often declined to authorise them in the past, citing conflicting events or security concerns. When the opposition has gone ahead anyway, the police have broken up rallies by force and detained attendees.

Polls show that Putin, who has led Russia for 18 years as either president or prime minister, is on course to comfortably win another six-year term, allowing him to rule until 2024, when he&#39;ll turn 72.

The former KGB officer is running as an independent, a move seen as a way of strengthening his image as a &quot;father of the nation&quot; rather than as a party political figure.

The ruling United Russia party, which he once led and which controls three quarters of seats in the lower house of parliament, has said it will support him, as will Just Russia, a pro-government centre-left group.

Allies laud Putin for restoring national pride and expanding Moscow&#39;s global clout with interventions in Syria and Ukraine.

But Navalny says Putin has been in power too long and that his support is artificially maintained by a biased state media and an unfair system which excludes genuine opponents.

Navalny has made a name for himself by successfully leveraging social media and conducting high profile corruption investigations into senior officials. He has also organised some of the biggest anti-government protests in years.

Opinion polls, whose accuracy Navalny dismisses, put his support in single digits while giving Putin an approval rating of around 80 percent.

Opposition leader Alexei Navalny announced on Wednesday a series of rallies across Russia in January to press home his call for a boycott of next year's presidential election, a move likely to draw a sharp response from the Kremlin and police.

Opposition leader Alexei Navalny announced on Wednesday a series of rallies across Russia in January to press home his call for a boycott of next year's presidential election, a move likely to draw a sharp response from the Kremlin and police. Navalny unveiled his plan hours after President Vladimir Putin, who polls suggest is a shoo-in for re-election, registered his candidacy at the central election commission ahead of the March 18 vote. The commission ruled on Monday that Navalny was not eligible to run against Putin due to a suspended prison sentence. A furious Navalny, who says the sentence was part of a fabricated case designed to thwart his political ambitions, responded by calling for an election boycott. That prompted the Kremlin to demand an investigation to determine whether his statement broke the law. On Wednesday, Navalny upped the ante, saying he and his supporters would organise nationwide rallies on Jan. 28 in 85 towns and cities, including Moscow and St Petersburg, to support his call for an election boycott. "We refuse to call the reappointment of Putin an election," Navalny said in a statement on his website. "We are not going to vote and will convince everyone around us not to vote. We are going to campaign (for a boycott) with all our might." Turnout A boycott could pose a problem for the Kremlin which is keen to ensure a high turnout in the election to help confer legitimacy on Putin's expected victory amid some signs of apathy among voters. Under Russian law, the time and place of rallies must be agreed with the authorities who have often declined to authorise them in the past, citing conflicting events or security concerns. When the opposition has gone ahead anyway, the police have broken up rallies by force and detained attendees. Polls show that Putin, who has led Russia for 18 years as either president or prime minister, is on course to comfortably win another six-year term, allowing him to rule until 2024, when he'll turn 72. The former KGB officer is running as an independent, a move seen as a way of strengthening his image as a "father of the nation" rather than as a party political figure. The ruling United Russia party, which he once led and which controls three quarters of seats in the lower house of parliament, has said it will support him, as will Just Russia, a pro-government centre-left group. Allies laud Putin for restoring national pride and expanding Moscow's global clout with interventions in Syria and Ukraine. But Navalny says Putin has been in power too long and that his support is artificially maintained by a biased state media and an unfair system which excludes genuine opponents. Navalny has made a name for himself by successfully leveraging social media and conducting high profile corruption investigations into senior officials. He has also organised some of the biggest anti-government protests in years. Opinion polls, whose accuracy Navalny dismisses, put his support in single digits while giving Putin an approval rating of around 80 percent.

After polls suggest Putin shoo-in for re-election, Oppn leader calls election boycott rallies

Russia&#39;s ruling party United Russia has extended its support to Vladimir Putin for the 2018 presidential election.

&quot;The party supports nomination of President Vladimir Putin candidate for presidency at the election scheduled for March 18, 2018,&quot; the Russian news agency TASS reported, citing party, as saying, in a statement adopted at the congress.

United Russia&#39;s head and Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev told an annual gathering of the party that it would give Putin &quot;all possible support&quot; now and in the future.

Putin, who will run in the presidential election next year as an independent candidate, won the 2012 presidential election as a candidate from the United Russia party.

Russia has locked March 18 for presidential election.

On December 14, during his 13th annual news conference, Putin said, &quot;This will be a self-nomination. I expect to have support of those political forces (parties and public organizations) that share my view on the country&#39;s development and trust me. I certainly expect this very much.&quot;

&quot;I expect a widespread support of the Russian citizens,&quot; the President added.

On December 18, Russia officially kicked off its presidential election campaign after the upper house of parliament published its resolution.&nbsp;

Russia's ruling party United Russia has extended its support to Vladimir Putin for the 2018 presidential election. "The party supports nomination of President Vladimir Putin candidate for presidency at the election scheduled for March 18, 2018," the Russian news agency TASS reported, citing party, as saying, in a statement adopted at the congress. United Russia's head and Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev told an annual gathering of the party that it would give Putin "all possible support" now and in the future. Putin, who will run in the presidential election next year as an independent candidate, won the 2012 presidential election as a candidate from the United Russia party. Russia has locked March 18 for presidential election. On December 14, during his 13th annual news conference, Putin said, "This will be a self-nomination. I expect to have support of those political forces (parties and public organizations) that share my view on the country's development and trust me. I certainly expect this very much." "I expect a widespread support of the Russian citizens," the President added. On December 18, Russia officially kicked off its presidential election campaign after the upper house of parliament published its resolution.

Russia's ruling party backs Putin for presidential polls

Russian President Vladimir Putin said Thursday that he would seek a new term in office as an independent candidate.&nbsp;

Russia goes to the polls in March.&nbsp;

Putin added that he was hoping for support from more than one party.&nbsp;

Reuters reported Putin, 65, as telling an annual news conference that Russia&#39;s political system must be competitive but that the opposition lacked a strong candidate to challenge him because his opponents, while creating a lot of noise, had very little to offer the nation.

He said he was hoping for support from more than one party

Russian President Vladimir Putin said Thursday that he would seek a new term in office as an independent candidate. Russia goes to the polls in March. Putin added that he was hoping for support from more than one party. Reuters reported Putin, 65, as telling an annual news conference that Russia's political system must be competitive but that the opposition lacked a strong candidate to challenge him because his opponents, while creating a lot of noise, had very little to offer the nation.

Putin says will seek new term, as independent candidate

Russia&#39;s former anti-doping chief-turned-whistleblower Grigory Rodchenkov is working under the control of US special services, Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Thursday.

The scandal over the 2014 Sochi Olympics, triggered by revelations made by Rodchenkov, is part of a broader doping affair that has led to the suspension of Russia&#39;s anti-doping agency RUSADA, the country&#39;s athletics federation and Paralympic Committee.

Putin also said during his year-end news conference that the doping scandal had been fuelled deliberately before Russia&#39;s presidential election due in March next year. He also said that both global anti-doping body WADA and the International Olympic Committee were working under duress.

The scandal over the 2014 Sochi Olympics, triggered by revelations made by Rodchenkov has led to the suspension of Russia's anti-doping agency RUSADA, the country's athletics federation and Paralympic Committee

Russia's former anti-doping chief-turned-whistleblower Grigory Rodchenkov is working under the control of US special services, Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Thursday. The scandal over the 2014 Sochi Olympics, triggered by revelations made by Rodchenkov, is part of a broader doping affair that has led to the suspension of Russia's anti-doping agency RUSADA, the country's athletics federation and Paralympic Committee. Putin also said during his year-end news conference that the doping scandal had been fuelled deliberately before Russia's presidential election due in March next year. He also said that both global anti-doping body WADA and the International Olympic Committee were working under duress.

US secret services control doping whistleblower Rodchenkov: Putin

Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday gave the order for a partial withdrawal of Russian troops from Syria during a visit to the country&#39;s airbase there, news agencies reported.&nbsp;

&quot;I order the defence minister and the chief of general staff to start withdrawing the Russian group of troops to their permanent bases,&quot; Putin said as he visited Hmeimim airbase, RIA Novosti news agency reported. &quot;I have taken a decision: a significant part of the Russian troop contingent located in Syria is returning home to Russia.&quot;

The news was reported by Russia's RIA Novosti news agency

Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday gave the order for a partial withdrawal of Russian troops from Syria during a visit to the country's airbase there, news agencies reported. "I order the defence minister and the chief of general staff to start withdrawing the Russian group of troops to their permanent bases," Putin said as he visited Hmeimim airbase, RIA Novosti news agency reported. "I have taken a decision: a significant part of the Russian troop contingent located in Syria is returning home to Russia."

Putin orders partial withdrawal of Russian troops from Syria: Agencies

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/new-york-police-responding-to-reports-of-explosion-police-tweet-26472">Explosion in Manhattan, trains being evacuated</a>

The New York Police Department was responding to reports of an explosion of unknown origin on Monday morning in midtown Manhattan at 42nd Street and 8th Avenue, according to the police department&#39;s official Twitter feed.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/rahul-gandhi-elected-congress-president-unopposed-26455">Rahul Gandhi elected Congress president, unopposed</a>

Rahul Gandhi has been elected president of the Indian National Congres. He was elected unopposed.&nbsp;

Mullappally Ramachandran of the Congress said 89 nomination proposals were received, all of which were valid.&nbsp;

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/sports/indias-shubhankar-sharma-wins-joburg-open-with-total-score-of-23-under-par-26468">India&#39;s Shubhankar Sharma wins Joburg Open with total score of 23 under 264</a>

Shubhankar Sharma became the first Indian golfer to clinch the Joburg Open today, his maiden European Tour title that also earned him a ticket to the prestigious British Open next year.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/vladimir-putin-orders-withdrawal-of-russian-troops-from-syria-ria-26456">Putin orders partial withdrawal of Russian troops from Syria: Agencies</a>

Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday gave the order for a partial withdrawal of Russian troops from Syria during a visit to the country&#39;s airbase there, news agencies reported.&nbsp;

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/confirmed-virat-kohli-and-anushka-sharma-are-now-married-26476">Confirmed! Virat Kohli and Anushka Sharma are now married</a>

After days of speculation, Indian cricket captain Virat Kohli and actress Anushka Sharma are now officially married. The couple had flown to Italy a few days back with their immediate family members where the ceremony took&nbsp;place.

Explosion in Manhattan, trains being evacuated The New York Police Department was responding to reports of an explosion of unknown origin on Monday morning in midtown Manhattan at 42nd Street and 8th Avenue, according to the police department's official Twitter feed. Rahul Gandhi elected Congress president, unopposed Rahul Gandhi has been elected president of the Indian National Congres. He was elected unopposed. Mullappally Ramachandran of the Congress said 89 nomination proposals were received, all of which were valid. India's Shubhankar Sharma wins Joburg Open with total score of 23 under 264 Shubhankar Sharma became the first Indian golfer to clinch the Joburg Open today, his maiden European Tour title that also earned him a ticket to the prestigious British Open next year. Putin orders partial withdrawal of Russian troops from Syria: Agencies Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday gave the order for a partial withdrawal of Russian troops from Syria during a visit to the country's airbase there, news agencies reported. Confirmed! Virat Kohli and Anushka Sharma are now married After days of speculation, Indian cricket captain Virat Kohli and actress Anushka Sharma are now officially married. The couple had flown to Italy a few days back with their immediate family members where the ceremony took place.

WION Evening News Brief, December 11, 2017

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/new-york-police-responding-to-reports-of-explosion-police-tweet-26472">Explosion in Manhattan trains being evacuated</a>

The New York Police Department was responding to reports of an explosion of unknown origin on Monday morning in midtown Manhattan at 42nd Street and 8th Avenue, according to the police department&#39;s official Twitter feed.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/rahul-gandhi-elected-congress-president-unopposed-26455">Rahul Gandhi elected Congress president, unopposed</a>

Rahul Gandhi has been elected president of the Indian National Congres. He was elected unopposed.&nbsp;

Mullappally Ramachandran of the Congress said 89 nomination proposals were received, all of which were valid.&nbsp;

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/sports/indias-shubhankar-sharma-wins-joburg-open-with-total-score-of-23-under-par-26468">India&#39;s Shubhankar Sharma wins Joburg Open with total score of 23 under 264</a>

Shubhankar Sharma became the first Indian golfer to clinch the Joburg Open today, his maiden European Tour title that also earned him a ticket to the prestigious British Open next year.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/vladimir-putin-orders-withdrawal-of-russian-troops-from-syria-ria-26456">Putin orders partial withdrawal of Russian troops from Syria: Agencies</a>

Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday gave the order for a partial withdrawal of Russian troops from Syria during a visit to the country&#39;s airbase there, news agencies reported.&nbsp;

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/confirmed-virat-kohli-and-anushka-sharma-are-now-married-26476">Confirmed! Virat Kohli and Anushka Sharma are now married</a>

After days of speculation, Indian cricket captain Virat Kohli and actress Anushka Sharma are now officially married. The couple had flown to Italy a few days back with their immediate family members where the ceremony took&nbsp;place.

Explosion in Manhattan trains being evacuated The New York Police Department was responding to reports of an explosion of unknown origin on Monday morning in midtown Manhattan at 42nd Street and 8th Avenue, according to the police department's official Twitter feed. Rahul Gandhi elected Congress president, unopposed Rahul Gandhi has been elected president of the Indian National Congres. He was elected unopposed. Mullappally Ramachandran of the Congress said 89 nomination proposals were received, all of which were valid. India's Shubhankar Sharma wins Joburg Open with total score of 23 under 264 Shubhankar Sharma became the first Indian golfer to clinch the Joburg Open today, his maiden European Tour title that also earned him a ticket to the prestigious British Open next year. Putin orders partial withdrawal of Russian troops from Syria: Agencies Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday gave the order for a partial withdrawal of Russian troops from Syria during a visit to the country's airbase there, news agencies reported. Confirmed! Virat Kohli and Anushka Sharma are now married After days of speculation, Indian cricket captain Virat Kohli and actress Anushka Sharma are now officially married. The couple had flown to Italy a few days back with their immediate family members where the ceremony took place.

Putin on Wednesday said Russia would not prevent athletes from competing at the 2018 Winter Games under the Olympic flag, after the IOC banned the country over a doping scandal.&nbsp;

&quot;We will certainly not declare any boycott, we will not prevent our Olympians from competing, if they want to take part in a personal capacity,&quot; news agencies quoted him as saying during a speech at an automobile plant in Nizhny Novgorod, where he also announced he would run for a fourth presidential term next year.

Putin on Wednesday said Russia would not prevent athletes from competing at the 2018 Winter Games under the Olympic flag, after the IOC banned the country over a doping scandal.?

Putin on Wednesday said Russia would not prevent athletes from competing at the 2018 Winter Games under the Olympic flag, after the IOC banned the country over a doping scandal. "We will certainly not declare any boycott, we will not prevent our Olympians from competing, if they want to take part in a personal capacity," news agencies quoted him as saying during a speech at an automobile plant in Nizhny Novgorod, where he also announced he would run for a fourth presidential term next year.

No Russian Olympic boycott: Putin

Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Wednesday he would decide very soon whether to run for re-election next year, something he is widely expected to do and comfortably win.

Putin, 65, has been in power, either as president or prime minister, since 2000.

If, as expected, he contests and wins what would be a fourth presidential term in March, he would be eligible to serve another six years until 2024.

In a glitzy event in Moscow attended by young people, a host asked Putin if he would be running for re-election in March.

The Russian leader, who polls regularly show enjoys a popularity rating of around 80 percent, asked the audience if they supported him running in the elections. &ldquo;Yes,&rdquo; the audience shouted back, applauding him loudly.

&ldquo;I understand that this decision must be taken in the near future and it will be taken in the near future,&rdquo; Putin told the audience.

&ldquo;And when taking it I will, of course, take into account our conversation today and your reaction.&rdquo;

Putin, 65, has been in power, either as president or prime minister, since 2000

Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Wednesday he would decide very soon whether to run for re-election next year, something he is widely expected to do and comfortably win. Putin, 65, has been in power, either as president or prime minister, since 2000. If, as expected, he contests and wins what would be a fourth presidential term in March, he would be eligible to serve another six years until 2024. In a glitzy event in Moscow attended by young people, a host asked Putin if he would be running for re-election in March. The Russian leader, who polls regularly show enjoys a popularity rating of around 80 percent, asked the audience if they supported him running in the elections. “Yes,” the audience shouted back, applauding him loudly. “I understand that this decision must be taken in the near future and it will be taken in the near future,” Putin told the audience. “And when taking it I will, of course, take into account our conversation today and your reaction.”

Will take decision to run for re-election in near future: Putin

Russia&#39;s justice ministry on Tuesday named nine US media outlets including Voice of America as &quot;foreign agents&quot; after President Vladimir Putin signed a law allowing international media to be slapped with the controversial label.

The ministry said that US-funded Voice of America and Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty and seven of their media affiliates had been recognised as &quot;carrying out the functions of a foreign agent&quot;, in a statement posted on its website.

Putin last month signed into law hastily issued legislation allowing the measure to target media.

Russia said this was a retaliatory move after Kremlin-funded RT television registered as a &quot;foreign agent&quot; in the United States under official pressure.

Rights groups fear the law could have a chilling effect on the ability of outlets to carry out independent reporting.

Voice of America and Radio Free Europe began broadcasting to the Soviet Union in the 1950s, playing a key role in providing its citizens with uncensored news.

Both broadcasters had already been formally warned by the justice ministry that they risked recognition as &quot;foreign agents.&quot;

The justice ministry has now formalised the move, naming them and their affiliates, including Radio Free Europe&#39;s news outlets dedicated to Crimea, which Russia annexed from Ukraine, and the Caucasus.&nbsp;

They also include a television channel run jointly by Radio Free Europe and Voice of America called Current Time TV.

Speaking on Current Time TV in Russian, Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty&#39;s president Thomas Kent said that &quot;as a result, the activities of our organisation can face even greater restrictions&quot;.&nbsp;

&quot;So far we have no concrete information on these restrictions,&quot; the head of the US Congress-funded corporation said.

He stressed: &quot;We remain committed to continuing our work in journalism in the interests of providing precise and objective information to our Russian-language audience.&quot;

&nbsp;&#39;Threat to free media&#39;&nbsp;

The 2012 law previously applied only to non-governmental organisations that had international funding.&nbsp;

Those branded &quot;foreign agents&quot; have to present themselves as such on all paperwork and submit to intensive scrutiny of their staffing and financing.

Many NGOs have closed down as a result, saying the measure made it too difficult for them to operate.

The US State Department said last month that the new law &quot;presents yet another threat to free media in Russia&quot;.

It said it was &quot;disingenuous&quot; of Moscow to equate the move to RT&#39;s listing as a foreign agent in the US since Washington&#39;s measure &quot;does not restrict an organisation&#39;s ability to operate&quot;.

The head of the Russian upper house&#39;s commission for the protection of state sovereignty, Andrei Klimov, said the measure would be strictly enforced but could be reversed.

&quot;If (foreign media) try to get out of it, we will catch up with them anyway, we will force them to obey Russian law,&quot; Klimov told Interfax news agency.

&quot;If Washington comes to its senses and ceases pressure on Russian media, however, in that case we will also consider correcting our decisions.&quot;

Russian MPs are set to vote Wednesday on whether to ban journalists from outlets labelled as &quot;foreign agents&quot; from entering the State Duma lower house of parliament.

The ministry said that US-funded Voice of America and Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty and seven of their media affiliates had been recognised as 'carrying out the functions of a foreign agent', in a statement posted on its website

Russia's justice ministry on Tuesday named nine US media outlets including Voice of America as "foreign agents" after President Vladimir Putin signed a law allowing international media to be slapped with the controversial label. The ministry said that US-funded Voice of America and Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty and seven of their media affiliates had been recognised as "carrying out the functions of a foreign agent", in a statement posted on its website. Putin last month signed into law hastily issued legislation allowing the measure to target media. Russia said this was a retaliatory move after Kremlin-funded RT television registered as a "foreign agent" in the United States under official pressure. Rights groups fear the law could have a chilling effect on the ability of outlets to carry out independent reporting. Voice of America and Radio Free Europe began broadcasting to the Soviet Union in the 1950s, playing a key role in providing its citizens with uncensored news. Both broadcasters had already been formally warned by the justice ministry that they risked recognition as "foreign agents." The justice ministry has now formalised the move, naming them and their affiliates, including Radio Free Europe's news outlets dedicated to Crimea, which Russia annexed from Ukraine, and the Caucasus. They also include a television channel run jointly by Radio Free Europe and Voice of America called Current Time TV. Speaking on Current Time TV in Russian, Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty's president Thomas Kent said that "as a result, the activities of our organisation can face even greater restrictions". "So far we have no concrete information on these restrictions," the head of the US Congress-funded corporation said. He stressed: "We remain committed to continuing our work in journalism in the interests of providing precise and objective information to our Russian-language audience." 'Threat to free media' The 2012 law previously applied only to non-governmental organisations that had international funding. Those branded "foreign agents" have to present themselves as such on all paperwork and submit to intensive scrutiny of their staffing and financing. Many NGOs have closed down as a result, saying the measure made it too difficult for them to operate. The US State Department said last month that the new law "presents yet another threat to free media in Russia". It said it was "disingenuous" of Moscow to equate the move to RT's listing as a foreign agent in the US since Washington's measure "does not restrict an organisation's ability to operate". The head of the Russian upper house's commission for the protection of state sovereignty, Andrei Klimov, said the measure would be strictly enforced but could be reversed. "If (foreign media) try to get out of it, we will catch up with them anyway, we will force them to obey Russian law," Klimov told Interfax news agency. "If Washington comes to its senses and ceases pressure on Russian media, however, in that case we will also consider correcting our decisions." Russian MPs are set to vote Wednesday on whether to ban journalists from outlets labelled as "foreign agents" from entering the State Duma lower house of parliament.

Russia declares 9 US media outlets as 'foreign agents'

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

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

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

Trump denies asking FBI to drop Flynn probe

Russia&rsquo;s ruling United Russia party will support President Vladimir Putin if he decides to run for a new term in office, its leader, Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev, said on Thursday.

Putin, 65, has so far kept silent on whether he plans to seek a fourth term in a presidential election due in March 2018.

&ldquo;Our party, and I personally, will support him in this in every possible way,&rdquo; Medvedev said in an interview with Russian television channels broadcast live.

&ldquo;Because we believe that he is a successful president who is leading our country.&rdquo;

'Our party, and I personally, will support him in this in every possible way,' Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev said in an interview

Russia’s ruling United Russia party will support President Vladimir Putin if he decides to run for a new term in office, its leader, Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev, said on Thursday. Putin, 65, has so far kept silent on whether he plans to seek a fourth term in a presidential election due in March 2018. “Our party, and I personally, will support him in this in every possible way,” Medvedev said in an interview with Russian television channels broadcast live. “Because we believe that he is a successful president who is leading our country.”

Will back Putin if he seeks new term: PM Medvedev

Russia said Thursday that the US decision to add North Korea to its terror blacklist was a &quot;PR move&quot; that could allow the situation on the peninsula to escalate into a global &quot;catastrophe&quot;.

Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova called US President Donald Trump&#39;s move to place North Korea on the list of state sponsors of terrorism &quot;another scaremongering act and PR move&quot; that would not reduce tensions on the ground. &nbsp;

&quot;The answer to the question whether such actions help in lessening the tensions is clear: no, they do not.&quot;

&quot;These sorts of actions push the situation (around North Korea) to the extreme, this can end with a big catastrophe not only of a regional but also of global scale,&quot; Zakharova told journalists in Moscow.&nbsp;

Russia&#39;s Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov will discuss the North Korea crisis with his Japanese counterpart Taro Kono during his visit to Russia on Friday, Zakharova said.&nbsp;

&quot;They will concentrate on bilateral relations but the international situation will be discussed, including the situation in the Korean peninsula as well as the Syrian question,&quot; Zakharova said.&nbsp;

Russia said the US decision to add North Korea to its terror blacklist was a 'PR move'

Russia said Thursday that the US decision to add North Korea to its terror blacklist was a "PR move" that could allow the situation on the peninsula to escalate into a global "catastrophe". Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova called US President Donald Trump's move to place North Korea on the list of state sponsors of terrorism "another scaremongering act and PR move" that would not reduce tensions on the ground. "The answer to the question whether such actions help in lessening the tensions is clear: no, they do not." "These sorts of actions push the situation (around North Korea) to the extreme, this can end with a big catastrophe not only of a regional but also of global scale," Zakharova told journalists in Moscow. Russia's Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov will discuss the North Korea crisis with his Japanese counterpart Taro Kono during his visit to Russia on Friday, Zakharova said. "They will concentrate on bilateral relations but the international situation will be discussed, including the situation in the Korean peninsula as well as the Syrian question," Zakharova said.

Russia says US terror listing of North Korea could lead to 'catastrophe'

US&nbsp;President Donald Trump spoke on Tuesday with Russian President Vladimir Putin and the two leaders stressed the importance of the UN-led peace process in resolving the Syrian civil war, the White House said in a statement.

In the more than hour-long phone call, Trump and Putin also agreed to explore ways to cooperate in the fight against militant groups such as Islamic State, the statement said.

In addition, the two leaders discussed how to achieve peace in Ukraine and the need to keep the pressure on North Korea to end its nuclear programme, it said.

In the more than hour-long phone call, Trump and Putin agreed to explore ways to cooperate in the fight against militant groups such as Islamic State

US President Donald Trump spoke on Tuesday with Russian President Vladimir Putin and the two leaders stressed the importance of the UN-led peace process in resolving the Syrian civil war, the White House said in a statement. In the more than hour-long phone call, Trump and Putin also agreed to explore ways to cooperate in the fight against militant groups such as Islamic State, the statement said. In addition, the two leaders discussed how to achieve peace in Ukraine and the need to keep the pressure on North Korea to end its nuclear programme, it said.

Trump, Putin discuss support for UN peace process in Syria: White House

Speculation is rife that Vladimir Putin will not be run&nbsp;for President in an upcoming Presidential election in Russia.

Russia&#39;s President Vladimir Putin is reportedly reluctant to participate as he is tired and does not want to face another election and will likely&nbsp;retire to start spending his supposed &pound;160 billion of fortune.

Since first taking power in 2000, Putin has won three elections with a four-year break when he had to stand aside in 2008.

But in recent years Russia has seen the biggest protests since Soviet times against Putin and his allies.

Political opponents have also been accusing him of failing to tackle corruption and undermining democracy.

This year in June there was massive anti-Putin protests. Thousands of Russians were protesting against corruption.

According to a report by The Independent, that country is looking to the future of Russia without Putin at the helm.

&quot;Whichever way you play it, this campaign is about transitioning to a post-Putin Russia,&quot;&nbsp;Gleb Pavlovsky, a former Kremlin advisor and head of the Effective Politics Foundation told The Independent.&nbsp;

Most are expecting a resignation by mid-December but uncertainty remains as still no official announcement has been made yet.

&ldquo;There can be no second Putin. When the man goes, the system goes,&quot;&nbsp;Valery Solovei, a professor of the Moscow State Institute for International Relations told The Independent.

Rumours have that Vladimir Putin will not be running for President in an upcoming Presidential election in Russia

Speculation is rife that Vladimir Putin will not be run for President in an upcoming Presidential election in Russia. Russia's President Vladimir Putin is reportedly reluctant to participate as he is tired and does not want to face another election and will likely retire to start spending his supposed £160 billion of fortune. Since first taking power in 2000, Putin has won three elections with a four-year break when he had to stand aside in 2008. But in recent years Russia has seen the biggest protests since Soviet times against Putin and his allies. Political opponents have also been accusing him of failing to tackle corruption and undermining democracy. This year in June there was massive anti-Putin protests. Thousands of Russians were protesting against corruption. According to a report by The Independent, that country is looking to the future of Russia without Putin at the helm. "Whichever way you play it, this campaign is about transitioning to a post-Putin Russia," Gleb Pavlovsky, a former Kremlin advisor and head of the Effective Politics Foundation told The Independent. Most are expecting a resignation by mid-December but uncertainty remains as still no official announcement has been made yet. “There can be no second Putin. When the man goes, the system goes," Valery Solovei, a professor of the Moscow State Institute for International Relations told The Independent.

Russia's Putin may not run in upcoming Presidential election: Reports

United States attorney general Jeff Sessions will testify before the House Judiciary Committee about issues facing the Justice Department on Nov. 14.

The Democrats will be questioning Sessions about his statements regarding contacts between President Donald Trump&#39;s 2016 election campaign and the Russian government.

The judiciary committee will have 17 democratic members.

Special Counsel Robert Mueller is investigating the Russia&#39;s role in the election. He indicated that foreign policy advisor George Papadopoulos made Sessions aware of his Contacts with Russian Representatives.

&ldquo;When you appear before our Committee, we intend to ask you about these inconsistencies. We are providing you with notice in advance because we expect you to respond,&rdquo; ranking committee Democrat Rep. John Conyers and his colleagues wrote to Sessions, according to reports in Reuters.&nbsp;

US Attorney General Jeff Sessions will testify before the House Judiciary Committee about issues facing the Justice Department on Nov. 14

United States attorney general Jeff Sessions will testify before the House Judiciary Committee about issues facing the Justice Department on Nov. 14. The Democrats will be questioning Sessions about his statements regarding contacts between President Donald Trump's 2016 election campaign and the Russian government. The judiciary committee will have 17 democratic members. Special Counsel Robert Mueller is investigating the Russia's role in the election. He indicated that foreign policy advisor George Papadopoulos made Sessions aware of his Contacts with Russian Representatives. “When you appear before our Committee, we intend to ask you about these inconsistencies. We are providing you with notice in advance because we expect you to respond,” ranking committee Democrat Rep. John Conyers and his colleagues wrote to Sessions, according to reports in Reuters.

US attorney general Jeff Sessions to face House judiciary panel on November 14

Donald Trump said Sunday he backed US intelligence agencies who concluded that Russia meddled in the 2016 US presidential election, but repeated his trust in the sincerity of Vladimir Putin&#39;s denials and slammed critics of his relationship with the Russian leader.

Key former Trump aides are under US investigation for possible collaboration with the Kremlin and the issue of whether Moscow interfered with last year&#39;s vote has overshadowed the tail end of the president&#39;s ongoing Asia tour.

Trump returned to the subject in an early morning Twitter storm, which also saw him take a sarcastic dig at North Korea&#39;s &quot;short and fat&quot; leader Kim Jong-Un.

Addressing a press conference in Hanoi, Trump was asked to clarify comments he had made on Air Force One the day before about Putin&#39;s insistence that Moscow had never tried to affect the outcome of the US vote.

&quot;I believe he feels he and Russia did not meddle in the election,&quot; Trump said.

&quot;As to whether or not I believe it or not, I&#39;m with our agencies. I believe in our... intelligence agencies,&quot; he added.

In May, US intelligence chiefs told Congress they agreed with their analysts&#39; conclusion that Russia had interfered in the election.

CIA director Mike Pompeo, who was appointed by Trump, said he still believed in that evaluation in a statement to CNN Saturday.&nbsp;

In his barrage of tweets earlier Sunday, Trump slammed &quot;haters and fools&quot; who questioned his efforts to improve ties with Russia.&nbsp;

&quot;There (sic) always playing politics - bad for our country. I want to solve North Korea, Syria, Ukraine, terrorism, and Russia can greatly help!&quot; he said.

Trump was in Hanoi for a brisk visit with Vietnam&#39;s top communist leaders to drum up trade deals and seek further support on containing North Korea&#39;s nuclear weapons ambitions, which have been a dominant theme on each leg of his Asia tour.

Citing descriptions by North Korean officials and state media of him as an &quot;old&quot; man, another Trump tweet suggested he was disappointed by what he took to be a personal attack from the North&#39;s young leader.

&quot;Why would Kim Jong-un insult me by calling me &quot;old,&quot; when I would NEVER call him &quot;short and fat?&quot; Trump wrote.

&quot;Oh well, I try so hard to be his friend - and maybe someday that will happen!&quot; he added.

Later at the press conference, he insisted he hadn&#39;t been joking about eventually befriending a man he denounced just last week as a &quot;twisted&quot; dictator.

&quot;It&#39;s certainly a possibility. If that did happen, it would be a good thing,&rdquo; he told reporters.

North Korea is extremely sensitive to any remarks that might appear disrespectful of the country&#39; ruling Kim dynasty, whose members are revered as near deities.

Since becoming president, Trump has engaged in an escalating war of words with Kim, trading personal insults and threats of military strikes and raising concerns about an outbreak of hostilities.

Over the past week, Trump has urged Asian leaders to take a united front against the threat posed by the isolated North, warning at APEC that the region &quot;must not be held hostage&quot;.

Late Saturday, Pyongyang hit back, calling his Asia trip &quot;a warmonger&#39;s visit for confrontation&quot; and saying it would only serve to accelerate Pyongyang&rsquo;s push for nuclear statehood.

In another tweet Sunday, Trump said Chinese leader Xi Jinping had agreed to toughen sanctions against North Korea, whose impoverished economy is hugely reliant on trade with its giant neighbour.

&quot;President Xi of China has stated that he is upping the sanctions against (North Korea). Said he wants them to denuclearise. Progress is being made,&quot; he wrote.

The US administration thinks China&#39;s economic leverage over North Korea is the key to strong-arming Pyongyang into halting its nuclear weapons and missile programmes.

Trump leaves Hanoi for the Philippines later Sunday, which will be last stop in his marathon tour through Asia.

Philippines and Vietnam are two countries that have sparred with Beijing on overlapping claims in the resource rich South China Sea.

Vietnam has sought military support from Washington on the dispute, and dealmaker Trump said Sunday he could help mediate the conflict.

&quot;If I can help mediate or arbitrate, please let me know... I am a very good mediator,&quot; Trump told Vietnamese President Tran Dai Quang.&nbsp;

In the past, China has reacted angrily to any suggestion of US mediation, saying Washington has no role in the dispute.

Trump told reporters in Hanoi that he believes his intelligence agencies.

Donald Trump said Sunday he backed US intelligence agencies who concluded that Russia meddled in the 2016 US presidential election, but repeated his trust in the sincerity of Vladimir Putin's denials and slammed critics of his relationship with the Russian leader. Key former Trump aides are under US investigation for possible collaboration with the Kremlin and the issue of whether Moscow interfered with last year's vote has overshadowed the tail end of the president's ongoing Asia tour. Trump returned to the subject in an early morning Twitter storm, which also saw him take a sarcastic dig at North Korea's "short and fat" leader Kim Jong-Un. Addressing a press conference in Hanoi, Trump was asked to clarify comments he had made on Air Force One the day before about Putin's insistence that Moscow had never tried to affect the outcome of the US vote. "I believe he feels he and Russia did not meddle in the election," Trump said. "As to whether or not I believe it or not, I'm with our agencies. I believe in our... intelligence agencies," he added. In May, US intelligence chiefs told Congress they agreed with their analysts' conclusion that Russia had interfered in the election. CIA director Mike Pompeo, who was appointed by Trump, said he still believed in that evaluation in a statement to CNN Saturday. In his barrage of tweets earlier Sunday, Trump slammed "haters and fools" who questioned his efforts to improve ties with Russia. "There (sic) always playing politics - bad for our country. I want to solve North Korea, Syria, Ukraine, terrorism, and Russia can greatly help!" he said. Trump was in Hanoi for a brisk visit with Vietnam's top communist leaders to drum up trade deals and seek further support on containing North Korea's nuclear weapons ambitions, which have been a dominant theme on each leg of his Asia tour. Citing descriptions by North Korean officials and state media of him as an "old" man, another Trump tweet suggested he was disappointed by what he took to be a personal attack from the North's young leader. "Why would Kim Jong-un insult me by calling me "old," when I would NEVER call him "short and fat?" Trump wrote. "Oh well, I try so hard to be his friend - and maybe someday that will happen!" he added. Later at the press conference, he insisted he hadn't been joking about eventually befriending a man he denounced just last week as a "twisted" dictator. "It's certainly a possibility. If that did happen, it would be a good thing,” he told reporters. North Korea is extremely sensitive to any remarks that might appear disrespectful of the country' ruling Kim dynasty, whose members are revered as near deities. Since becoming president, Trump has engaged in an escalating war of words with Kim, trading personal insults and threats of military strikes and raising concerns about an outbreak of hostilities. Over the past week, Trump has urged Asian leaders to take a united front against the threat posed by the isolated North, warning at APEC that the region "must not be held hostage". Late Saturday, Pyongyang hit back, calling his Asia trip "a warmonger's visit for confrontation" and saying it would only serve to accelerate Pyongyang’s push for nuclear statehood. In another tweet Sunday, Trump said Chinese leader Xi Jinping had agreed to toughen sanctions against North Korea, whose impoverished economy is hugely reliant on trade with its giant neighbour. "President Xi of China has stated that he is upping the sanctions against (North Korea). Said he wants them to denuclearise. Progress is being made," he wrote. The US administration thinks China's economic leverage over North Korea is the key to strong-arming Pyongyang into halting its nuclear weapons and missile programmes. Trump leaves Hanoi for the Philippines later Sunday, which will be last stop in his marathon tour through Asia. Philippines and Vietnam are two countries that have sparred with Beijing on overlapping claims in the resource rich South China Sea. Vietnam has sought military support from Washington on the dispute, and dealmaker Trump said Sunday he could help mediate the conflict. "If I can help mediate or arbitrate, please let me know... I am a very good mediator," Trump told Vietnamese President Tran Dai Quang. In the past, China has reacted angrily to any suggestion of US mediation, saying Washington has no role in the dispute.

Trump backs US intelligence agencies on Russia election meddling

President Donald Trump said Saturday he believes Vladimir Putin is being sincere when he denies meddling in the US election that propelled Trump to power, adding that the Russian leader felt &quot;very insulted&quot; by the allegations.

But in Washington, the director of the CIA said he stood by the US intelligence community&#39;s assessment that Russia did try to meddle in the election.

Trump, whose key former aides are under US investigation for possible collaboration with the Kremlin, said he repeatedly asked Putin about the claims during their chats at the APEC summit in the Vietnamese resort of Danang.

&quot;He (Putin) said he didn&#39;t meddle. I asked him again,&quot; Trump told reporters on Air Force One as he flew to Hanoi for a state visit.

&quot;You can only ask so many times...He said he absolutely did not meddle in our election,&quot; Trump said, adding he felt Putin seemed &quot;very insulted&quot; by the persistent accusations, which was &quot;not a good thing for our country.&quot;&nbsp;

&quot;I really believe that when he tells me that, he means it,&quot; added Trump, who is marking one year since his shock election victory.&nbsp;

In May, US intelligence chiefs told Congress that they agreed with their analysts&#39; conclusion that Russia had meddled in the election.

And in January, 17 US intelligence agencies took the extraordinary step of stating publicly that they believed Russia did try to interfere in the election.

In a statement to CNN Saturday after Trump spoke, CIA director Mike Pompeo, who was appointed by Trump, said he still believes in that evaluation.

&quot;The Director stands by and has always stood by the January 2017 Intelligence Community Assessment entitled: Assessing Russian Activities and Intentions in Recent US Elections. The intelligence assessment with regard to Russian election meddling has not changed,&quot; the statement read.

The US president&#39;s latest comments suggest he accepts Russia&#39;s staunch denials that the Kremlin played no part in helping him get to the White House allegations that continue to dog Trump&#39;s administration.

Some US lawmakers criticised Trump harshly for his statement.

Representative Adam Schiff, the senior Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee, said Trump &quot;fools no one.&quot;

Schiff said Trump understands the Russians hacked into Democratic leaders&#39; emails and dumped them, and used social media in a bid to hurt Hillary Clinton and help him win the election and divide the country. &nbsp;

&quot;He understands all this and more,&quot; Schiff said in a statement. &quot;He just doesn&#39;t understand how to put country over self. Or to put it in terms he is more familiar with &mdash; Mr&nbsp;Trump simply can&#39;t bring himself to put America first.&quot;

John McCain, a longtime Trump critic, added: &quot;There is nothing &#39;America First&#39; about taking the word of a KGB colonel over that of the American intelligence community.&quot;

Putin also addressed the allegations on Saturday after his meeting with Trump, describing them as a US &quot;domestic political struggle.&quot;

&quot;I think these are some sort of fantasies,&quot; he told reporters in Danang.

Trump&#39;s former campaign chairman Paul Manafort and an associate are under house arrest on charges unrelated to the election brought by special counsel Robert Mueller, who is investigating the allegations that the Trump campaign colluded with Russia.

Revelations by Facebook and Twitter that Russian-sponsored fake news flooded US social media during the election run-up have further deepened scrutiny on ties between the nations.

Trump and Putin met three times on the margins of the APEC summit, sharing warm handshakes and brief words.

The pair appeared to have struck a chummy tone, with Trump describing a &quot;very good feeling&quot; after the talks, and Putin remarking on the &quot;well-mannered&quot; former reality TV star.

Asked by reporters on Air Force One if he believed Putin, Trump said he was keen to move on to other issues.

&quot;Look, I can&#39;t stand there and argue with him,&quot; Trump said. &quot;I&#39;d rather have him get out of Syria, I would rather get to work with him on the Ukraine.&quot;

The exchanges produced a rare common ground on the war in Syria, a bloody six-year conflict which has seen the US and Russia back competing factions.

In a joint statement, the leaders said there was &quot;no military solution&quot; to the war, an agreement that may mark a small step toward peace.

America First&nbsp;

Trump also gave a loud airing to his &quot;America First&quot; rhetoric at the APEC summit.

In a speech on Friday, Trump said American jobs had been siphoned overseas by countries with cheap labour but little compunction to play by trade rules.

&quot;We are not going to let the United States be taken advantage of any more,&quot; he said, adding his country would now use its economic might to cut favourable bilateral deals.

China&#39;s President Xi Jinping laid out a different narrative to the same hall, positioning the world&#39;s second largest economy at the heart of the future of global free trade as the US retreats.

As a first mark of a new trade era without the US as its pivot point, 11 Asia-Pacific countries on Saturday agreed to press ahead with the Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP)&nbsp;a major agreement abruptly abandoned by Trump at the start of the year.

President Donald Trump said Saturday he believes Vladimir Putin is being sincere when he denies meddling in the US election that propelled Trump to power, adding that the Russian leader felt 'very insulted' by the allegations

President Donald Trump said Saturday he believes Vladimir Putin is being sincere when he denies meddling in the US election that propelled Trump to power, adding that the Russian leader felt "very insulted" by the allegations. But in Washington, the director of the CIA said he stood by the US intelligence community's assessment that Russia did try to meddle in the election. Trump, whose key former aides are under US investigation for possible collaboration with the Kremlin, said he repeatedly asked Putin about the claims during their chats at the APEC summit in the Vietnamese resort of Danang. "He (Putin) said he didn't meddle. I asked him again," Trump told reporters on Air Force One as he flew to Hanoi for a state visit. "You can only ask so many times...He said he absolutely did not meddle in our election," Trump said, adding he felt Putin seemed "very insulted" by the persistent accusations, which was "not a good thing for our country." "I really believe that when he tells me that, he means it," added Trump, who is marking one year since his shock election victory. In May, US intelligence chiefs told Congress that they agreed with their analysts' conclusion that Russia had meddled in the election. And in January, 17 US intelligence agencies took the extraordinary step of stating publicly that they believed Russia did try to interfere in the election. In a statement to CNN Saturday after Trump spoke, CIA director Mike Pompeo, who was appointed by Trump, said he still believes in that evaluation. "The Director stands by and has always stood by the January 2017 Intelligence Community Assessment entitled: Assessing Russian Activities and Intentions in Recent US Elections. The intelligence assessment with regard to Russian election meddling has not changed," the statement read. The US president's latest comments suggest he accepts Russia's staunch denials that the Kremlin played no part in helping him get to the White House allegations that continue to dog Trump's administration. Some US lawmakers criticised Trump harshly for his statement. Representative Adam Schiff, the senior Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee, said Trump "fools no one." Schiff said Trump understands the Russians hacked into Democratic leaders' emails and dumped them, and used social media in a bid to hurt Hillary Clinton and help him win the election and divide the country. "He understands all this and more," Schiff said in a statement. "He just doesn't understand how to put country over self. Or to put it in terms he is more familiar with — Mr Trump simply can't bring himself to put America first." John McCain, a longtime Trump critic, added: "There is nothing 'America First' about taking the word of a KGB colonel over that of the American intelligence community." Putin also addressed the allegations on Saturday after his meeting with Trump, describing them as a US "domestic political struggle." "I think these are some sort of fantasies," he told reporters in Danang. Trump's former campaign chairman Paul Manafort and an associate are under house arrest on charges unrelated to the election brought by special counsel Robert Mueller, who is investigating the allegations that the Trump campaign colluded with Russia. Revelations by Facebook and Twitter that Russian-sponsored fake news flooded US social media during the election run-up have further deepened scrutiny on ties between the nations. Trump and Putin met three times on the margins of the APEC summit, sharing warm handshakes and brief words. The pair appeared to have struck a chummy tone, with Trump describing a "very good feeling" after the talks, and Putin remarking on the "well-mannered" former reality TV star. Asked by reporters on Air Force One if he believed Putin, Trump said he was keen to move on to other issues. "Look, I can't stand there and argue with him," Trump said. "I'd rather have him get out of Syria, I would rather get to work with him on the Ukraine." The exchanges produced a rare common ground on the war in Syria, a bloody six-year conflict which has seen the US and Russia back competing factions. In a joint statement, the leaders said there was "no military solution" to the war, an agreement that may mark a small step toward peace. America First Trump also gave a loud airing to his "America First" rhetoric at the APEC summit. In a speech on Friday, Trump said American jobs had been siphoned overseas by countries with cheap labour but little compunction to play by trade rules. "We are not going to let the United States be taken advantage of any more," he said, adding his country would now use its economic might to cut favourable bilateral deals. China's President Xi Jinping laid out a different narrative to the same hall, positioning the world's second largest economy at the heart of the future of global free trade as the US retreats. As a first mark of a new trade era without the US as its pivot point, 11 Asia-Pacific countries on Saturday agreed to press ahead with the Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP) a major agreement abruptly abandoned by Trump at the start of the year.

Trump says Putin 'means it' with election meddling denials

US president Donald Trump on Saturday said Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin told him that &quot;he didn&#39;t meddle&quot; in US elections that propelled the billionaire former reality star to the White House.

Trump&#39;s relationship with Moscow has stalked the first year of his presidency, with key former aides under a US investigation for alleged collaboration with the Kremlin.

Trump&#39;s former campaign chairman Paul Manafort and an associate are under house arrest on charges including conspiracy to launder money, linked to the investigation by special counsel Robert Mueller into allegations that the campaign colluded with Russia.

The US leader had &quot;two or three&quot; brief conversations with Putin on the margins of the APEC summit in the Vietnamese city of Danang, Trump told reporters on Air Force One on the way to a state visit in Hanoi.

&quot;He (Putin) said he didn&#39;t meddle. He said he didn&#39;t meddle. I asked him again,&quot; he said.

&quot;You can only ask so many times...He said he absolutely did not meddle in our election.&quot;

Trump explained that Putin reiterates his denial &quot;every time&quot; the pair meet, adding his counterpart seems &quot;very insulted&quot; by the persistent allegations.

But he would not be drawn on whether he believes the Russian strongman.

Social media giants Twitter and Facebook have said paid for and free content with Russian links carrying divisive election-related messages spun across their platforms ahead of the crunch poll.

US president Donald Trump on Saturday said Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin told him that "he didn't meddle" in US elections that propelled the billionaire former reality star to the White House.

US president Donald Trump on Saturday said Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin told him that "he didn't meddle" in US elections that propelled the billionaire former reality star to the White House. Trump's relationship with Moscow has stalked the first year of his presidency, with key former aides under a US investigation for alleged collaboration with the Kremlin. Trump's former campaign chairman Paul Manafort and an associate are under house arrest on charges including conspiracy to launder money, linked to the investigation by special counsel Robert Mueller into allegations that the campaign colluded with Russia. The US leader had "two or three" brief conversations with Putin on the margins of the APEC summit in the Vietnamese city of Danang, Trump told reporters on Air Force One on the way to a state visit in Hanoi. "He (Putin) said he didn't meddle. He said he didn't meddle. I asked him again," he said. "You can only ask so many times...He said he absolutely did not meddle in our election." Trump explained that Putin reiterates his denial "every time" the pair meet, adding his counterpart seems "very insulted" by the persistent allegations. But he would not be drawn on whether he believes the Russian strongman. Social media giants Twitter and Facebook have said paid for and free content with Russian links carrying divisive election-related messages spun across their platforms ahead of the crunch poll.

Putin told me 'he didn't meddle' in US election: Trump

US President Donald Trump will not hold a meeting with Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin on the sidelines of a regional summit in Vietnam, the White House said Friday after the two countries sent mixed messages about the encounter.

Relations between Moscow and Washington have plummeted as a US probe has accused Trump&#39;s former campaign aides of secretly meeting Kremlin-connected officials -a charge Moscow denies.

Both leaders are attending the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum in the city of Danang and there had been conflicting indications as to whether a face-to-face was on the cards.

&quot;Regarding a Putin meeting, there was never a meeting confirmed, and there will not be one that takes place due to scheduling conflicts on both sides,&quot; press secretary Sarah Sanders told reporters just before Air Force One touched down in the Vietnamese beach resort city.

However, Moscow on Friday was holding out for a potential meeting between the two leaders, who will be in Vietnam for the next two days.

&quot;There is no clarity yet,&quot; Putin&#39;s spokesman Dmitry Peskov was quoted as saying by Russian news agencies, adding that officials were &quot;continuing&quot; attempts to agree on a meeting.

Both Moscow and Trump had previously suggested that talks were likely to take place.

On Sunday the US president said &quot;it&#39;s expected we&#39;ll meet with Putin&quot; to discuss North Korea&#39;s nuclear ambitions.

Four days later Kremlin aide Yury Ushakov told Russian news agencies that the two would hold a meeting in Vietnam with the time and place still to be determined.

But hours later US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said no decision had been made on talks, which would be the first between the two men since they met at the G20 summit in Germany in July.

Trump&#39;s relationship with Moscow has haunted the first year of his administration.

His former campaign chairman Paul Manafort and an associate are under house arrest on charges including conspiracy to launder money, linked to the investigation by special counsel Robert Mueller into allegations that the campaign colluded with Russia.

Russia has denied allegations of interfering in the US election last year that brought Trump to power.

Relations between Moscow and Washington have plummeted as a US probe has accused Trump's former campaign aides of secretly meeting Kremlin-connected officials -a charge Moscow denies

US President Donald Trump will not hold a meeting with Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin on the sidelines of a regional summit in Vietnam, the White House said Friday after the two countries sent mixed messages about the encounter. Relations between Moscow and Washington have plummeted as a US probe has accused Trump's former campaign aides of secretly meeting Kremlin-connected officials -a charge Moscow denies. Both leaders are attending the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum in the city of Danang and there had been conflicting indications as to whether a face-to-face was on the cards. "Regarding a Putin meeting, there was never a meeting confirmed, and there will not be one that takes place due to scheduling conflicts on both sides," press secretary Sarah Sanders told reporters just before Air Force One touched down in the Vietnamese beach resort city. However, Moscow on Friday was holding out for a potential meeting between the two leaders, who will be in Vietnam for the next two days. "There is no clarity yet," Putin's spokesman Dmitry Peskov was quoted as saying by Russian news agencies, adding that officials were "continuing" attempts to agree on a meeting. Both Moscow and Trump had previously suggested that talks were likely to take place. On Sunday the US president said "it's expected we'll meet with Putin" to discuss North Korea's nuclear ambitions. Four days later Kremlin aide Yury Ushakov told Russian news agencies that the two would hold a meeting in Vietnam with the time and place still to be determined. But hours later US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said no decision had been made on talks, which would be the first between the two men since they met at the G20 summit in Germany in July. Trump's relationship with Moscow has haunted the first year of his administration. His former campaign chairman Paul Manafort and an associate are under house arrest on charges including conspiracy to launder money, linked to the investigation by special counsel Robert Mueller into allegations that the campaign colluded with Russia. Russia has denied allegations of interfering in the US election last year that brought Trump to power.

Trump will not meet with Putin in Vietnam: White House

President Donald Trump gave a spirited airing of his &quot;America First&quot; doctrine in a speech to Asia-Pacific leaders on Friday, vowing his country will &quot;no longer tolerate&quot; unfair trade, closed markets, and intellectual property theft, as he seeks to rewrite the rules of global commerce.

In a speech that by turns lavished praise on Asia-Pacific nations and accused them of undercutting the world&#39;s largest economy, he said US interests had been ill-served by the architecture of global trade.&nbsp;&nbsp;

America &quot;will not tolerate... chronic trade abuses,&quot; he said as he took aim at the World Trade Organisation for failing to police free trade infringements.

&quot;We are not going to let the United States be taken advantage of anymore. I am always going to put America first the same way I expect all of you in this room to put your countries first.&quot;

In a day bringing together the big hitters of politics and business, Trump will share the venue with world leaders including Russia&#39;s Vladimir Putin, Japan&#39;s Shinzo Abe, and China&#39;s Xi Jinping.

Xi is also set to deliver a speech, likely to present a competing narrative casting China as the leader of global free trade, a role vacated by America.

China announced Friday it will further open the country&#39;s financial markets to foreign firms, a key demand from the US and other global investors who have long complained about strict limits on access to the giant economy.&nbsp;

Trump arrives fresh from trips to Tokyo, Seoul, and Beijing, where he sought to build a consensus against North Korea&#39;s nuclear ambitions.

In China he was gushing in his praise of Xi, calling his host &quot;a very special man&quot; in a trip rich with photo opportunities but lacking concrete outcomes on tackling key issues such as North Korea.

As the US retreats behind &quot;economic nationalism&quot;, China will take a stride forward, said Ian Bremmer of the political consultancy Eurasia.

&nbsp;Free trade on the rack&nbsp; 
The White House ruled out any meeting between Trump and Putin, a potential box office event with Russia accused of interfering in the US election last year that brought the billionaire one-time reality TV star to power.

Trump election campaign aides are under intense legal scrutiny in the US over possible ties to the Kremlin, but Russia denies any chicanery linked to his astonishing political ascent.

The rise of Trump as leader of the world&#39;s biggest economy risks unpicking decades of US-led economic diplomacy that webbed global economies together with free trade and low tariff pacts.

He has pledged to wring a better deal from countries the US has large trade deficits with -- including China -- and bring jobs back to the hollowed out industrial heartland that voted for him.

But proponents of free trade, including many allies, have looked on aghast as Trump tears up the rulebook and anti-globalization arguments ricochet through the US and Europe.

Trump has already pulled Washington&#39;s support from the sprawling 12-nation Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) trade pact and vowed to renegotiate NAFTA, a trade deal between the US, Canada, and Mexico.

On Friday, Asia-Pacific ministers were struggling to salvage the TPP deal, with Canada denying reports that an agreement had been struck among the remaining 11 members to press ahead without the US.

Malaysian premier Najib Razak, whose country is among the so-called TPP-11 nations, lamented the wider change of &quot;tone&quot; towards globalization.

&quot;I see the rise of anti-globalization, I see the rise of more inward-looking (nations)... there&#39;s a lot of soul-searching we have to do during this APEC,&quot; he told a room packed with CEOs on the sidelines of the forum.

The annual APEC summit is one of the largest gatherings on the annual diplomatic calendar, bringing together scores of world leaders and more than 2,000 CEOs.

APEC represents 21 Pacific Rim economies, the equivalent of 60 percent of global GDP and covering nearly three billion people, and has pushed for freer trade since its inception in 1989.

America 'will not tolerate... chronic trade abuses,' Trump said as he took aim at the World Trade Organisation for failing to police free trade infringements

President Donald Trump gave a spirited airing of his "America First" doctrine in a speech to Asia-Pacific leaders on Friday, vowing his country will "no longer tolerate" unfair trade, closed markets, and intellectual property theft, as he seeks to rewrite the rules of global commerce. In a speech that by turns lavished praise on Asia-Pacific nations and accused them of undercutting the world's largest economy, he said US interests had been ill-served by the architecture of global trade. America "will not tolerate... chronic trade abuses," he said as he took aim at the World Trade Organisation for failing to police free trade infringements. "We are not going to let the United States be taken advantage of anymore. I am always going to put America first the same way I expect all of you in this room to put your countries first." In a day bringing together the big hitters of politics and business, Trump will share the venue with world leaders including Russia's Vladimir Putin, Japan's Shinzo Abe, and China's Xi Jinping. Xi is also set to deliver a speech, likely to present a competing narrative casting China as the leader of global free trade, a role vacated by America. China announced Friday it will further open the country's financial markets to foreign firms, a key demand from the US and other global investors who have long complained about strict limits on access to the giant economy. Trump arrives fresh from trips to Tokyo, Seoul, and Beijing, where he sought to build a consensus against North Korea's nuclear ambitions. In China he was gushing in his praise of Xi, calling his host "a very special man" in a trip rich with photo opportunities but lacking concrete outcomes on tackling key issues such as North Korea. As the US retreats behind "economic nationalism", China will take a stride forward, said Ian Bremmer of the political consultancy Eurasia. Free trade on the rack The White House ruled out any meeting between Trump and Putin, a potential box office event with Russia accused of interfering in the US election last year that brought the billionaire one-time reality TV star to power. Trump election campaign aides are under intense legal scrutiny in the US over possible ties to the Kremlin, but Russia denies any chicanery linked to his astonishing political ascent. The rise of Trump as leader of the world's biggest economy risks unpicking decades of US-led economic diplomacy that webbed global economies together with free trade and low tariff pacts. He has pledged to wring a better deal from countries the US has large trade deficits with -- including China -- and bring jobs back to the hollowed out industrial heartland that voted for him. But proponents of free trade, including many allies, have looked on aghast as Trump tears up the rulebook and anti-globalization arguments ricochet through the US and Europe. Trump has already pulled Washington's support from the sprawling 12-nation Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) trade pact and vowed to renegotiate NAFTA, a trade deal between the US, Canada, and Mexico. On Friday, Asia-Pacific ministers were struggling to salvage the TPP deal, with Canada denying reports that an agreement had been struck among the remaining 11 members to press ahead without the US. Malaysian premier Najib Razak, whose country is among the so-called TPP-11 nations, lamented the wider change of "tone" towards globalization. "I see the rise of anti-globalization, I see the rise of more inward-looking (nations)... there's a lot of soul-searching we have to do during this APEC," he told a room packed with CEOs on the sidelines of the forum. The annual APEC summit is one of the largest gatherings on the annual diplomatic calendar, bringing together scores of world leaders and more than 2,000 CEOs. APEC represents 21 Pacific Rim economies, the equivalent of 60 percent of global GDP and covering nearly three billion people, and has pushed for freer trade since its inception in 1989.

Trump defiant on trade, vows to put 'America First'

vladimir-putin

Vladimir Putin, News on Vladimir Putin, stories on Vladimir Putin, articles on Vladimir Putin, Vladimir Putin stories at Wion, Vladimir Putin news, Vladimir Putin latest news

vladimir putin

Putin takes dip in icy lake to mark Orthodox Epiphany

Arson attack rips through office of Russian human rights group

Terror suspects can be killed 'on the spot', warns Putin

After polls suggest Putin shoo-in for re-election, Oppn leader calls election boycott rallies

Russia's ruling party backs Putin for presidential polls

Putin says will seek new term, as independent candidate

US secret services control doping whistleblower Rodchenkov: Putin

Putin orders partial withdrawal of Russian troops from Syria: Agencies

WION Evening News Brief, December 11, 2017

WION Evening News Brief, December 11, 2017

No Russian Olympic boycott: Putin

Will take decision to run for re-election in near future: Putin

Russia declares 9 US media outlets as 'foreign agents'

Trump denies asking FBI to drop Flynn probe

Will back Putin if he seeks new term: PM Medvedev

Russia says US terror listing of North Korea could lead to 'catastrophe'

Trump, Putin discuss support for UN peace process in Syria: White House

Russia's Putin may not run in upcoming Presidential election: Reports

US attorney general Jeff Sessions to face House judiciary panel on November 14

Trump backs US intelligence agencies on Russia election meddling

Trump says Putin 'means it' with election meddling denials

Putin told me 'he didn't meddle' in US election: Trump

Trump will not meet with Putin in Vietnam: White House

Trump defiant on trade, vows to put 'America First'