Park due to leave office after a court upheld a vote by lawmakers to impeach her Twin protests staged both in support of, and against, impeachment Thousands took to the streets of Seoul to celebrate the dawning of a new political reality in South Korea. President Park Geun-hye is due to leave office after a Constitutional Court on Friday upheld a vote by lawmakers to impeach her. With Park out, South Koreans’ attention is now turning to what leadership the next election will usher in, and how the new leadership will handle relationships with the US and North Korea. Police presence in Seoul was heavy Saturday, after violent protests following the court’s ruling  which resulted in the deaths of three demonstrators. Pro-Park groups staged an angry demonstration outside Seoul City Hall early Saturday, singing the national anthem and waving Korean and American flags. But as the sun went down the mood of the city was jubilant, as thousands flocked to a giant celebratory rally on the historic Gwanghwamun Square. According to the Yonhap news agency, more than 70% of Koreans support Park’s impeachment. On stage at Gwanghwamun Square, in front of Seoul’s Imperial Palace, rock bands played loud music and there was a festival-like atmosphere. Unlike an earlier pro-Park rally, attendees at the square represented a cross section of Seoul society, as families with children, students, office workers and trade unionists celebrated together. “We finally have our weekend back,” a presenter shouted from stage. Many of those in the crowd have been turning out every Saturday throughout the bitterly cold winter to call for Park’s ouster. One band played a cover of Queen’s “We Are The Champions.” “Today feels like a festival,” Mun Ha-neul, 17, said. “Everyone is feeling happy.” A post shared by Justin Robertson (@cnn_justin) University student Kim Ga-yun, 26, agreed. “We’ve been (protesting) for more than 90 days,” she said. “At least today, we should be allowed to have a celebration.” Housewife Lee Dong-sun, 36, who joined many of the protests against Park, had brought her two young sons to the square. “Before, when there were other protests, I would just sit at home, even when I agreed,” she said. “But after I had children, I felt I could no longer ride on the backs of others … to bring them the future I desire.” Some protesters were wary of celebrating too much. Artist An Hyun-jung, 30, who has been staging performances criticizing Park on Gwanghwamun Square said there was still much to do. “It doesn’t feel like this is the end, I think we will be heading to the next fight,” she said. At a far smaller rally in support of Park earlier in the day, the mood was strikingly different. “We impeach the impeachment,” a presenter shouted from the stage outside Seoul City Hall. Demonstrators, many of them in tears, were encouraged to introduce themselves to each other for the “struggle ahead.” Instagram post not found. Post has been removed or is no longer public. Jung Yun-hee, 64, criticized the verdict, saying that it was unfair and not in keeping with the letter of the law. “Even if Park was responsible for mismanagement, she didn’t personally profit,” she said. “The freedom of the democracy and the constitution are being threatened,” said Kim Jung-hyun, in his 40s. “There was no reason for the impeachment,” Jason Choi, 36, told CNN outside City Hall, where he stood draped in a South Korean flag. “But we will follow the decision of the court.” Both Kim and Choi expressed concern that a potential future left-wing government may reverse the decision to deploy the US-built Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD), a defensive missile system. The first pieces of THAAD reached South Korea last week. Park’s impeachment upheldDownfall of a political princessProtesters, police clashScandal: What you need to knowShe was ‘married to the nation’What this means for South Korea’s economy Park’s impeachment upheldDownfall of a political princessProtesters, police clashScandal: What you need to knowShe was ‘married to the nation’What this means for South Korea’s economy “The next government must support the security relationship with our friends in the US,” Kim said. “We support THAAD deployment because right now North Korea and China are pointing their missiles at us.” Pyongyang weighed in on the impeachment Saturday in an editorial from Rodong Sinmun, a state-run media outlet. “Park Geun-hye is an ignorant and uncouth dictator who squandered the taxpayer’s precious money for her own complacency and pleasure,” the piece read. “How pathetic is her wretched life.” Choi said he was worried that the next government would be “China friendly,” and would stop the deployment of THAAD, which Beijing opposes. South Korea’s first female President remains in the Blue House, South Korea’s executive mansion, for now, despite being ordered to vacate her once childhood home when her father, Park Chung-hee, was President. Prosecutors are expected to begin interrogating Park as early as Monday on corruption charges, and may seek to block her from leaving the country, according to Korean broadcaster YTN. The President is accused of being unduly influenced by her longtime friend and adviser, Choi Soon-sil, who is on trial for abuse of power and fraud. The Constitutional Court agreed with accusations that Park had abused her authority in helping Choi raise donations from companies for foundations she had set up. An election for Park’s replacement must be held within 60 days, and an ad-hoc cabinet meeting will be held soon, a government official told CNN. Experts predict the election will take place May 9. With Park’s ruling conservatives looking out of favor, it seems likely the country will turn to the left-wing opposition, which has signaled it would be likely to pursue a policy of engagement with North Korea, as opposed to the more hard line position offered by Park and her conservative allies. Liberal candidate Moon Jae-in, of the opposition Democratic United Party, currently leads the opinion polls. Moon was defeated narrowly by Park in the 2012 presidential election. “Korea will start again based on this new and surprising experience,” Moon said in a statement on his Facebook page. CNN’s Paula Hancocks, Euan McKirdy, Stella Kim and journalist Taehoon Lee contributed to this report


Perez argued that Attorney General Jeff Sessions can't adequately investigate any possible connections He laughed off the President's assertion that the election of him as DNC chairman itself was rigged New Democratic National Committee Chairman Tom Perez is joining calls for an independent investigation into reported contacts between President Donald Trump’s campaign and Russians known to US intelligence. “What we need to be looking at is whether this election was rigged by Donald Trump and his buddy Vladimir Putin,” Perez said in an interview with CNN’s Jake Tapper on “State of the Union” on Sunday. Perez argued that Attorney General Jeff Sessions can’t adequately investigate any possible connections because the Alabama Republican was a close adviser and supporter of Trump during his presidential campaign. “It’s really unfair to any foxes around the country to say that would be the fox guarding the hen house,” Perez said. White House denies wrongdoing in conversations with FBI Asked about the issue Sunday on ABC’s “This Week,” White House spokeswoman Sarah Huckabee Sanders said it’s too early to call on Sessions to recuse himself from the investigation. “I wasn’t saying that he shouldn’t recuse himself or that he should,” Sanders said. “My point is, I don’t think we’re there yet. Let’s work through this process. You guys want to jump to the very end of the line. That’s not how this works. Typically, you go through a congressional oversight review. We’re doing that. Let’s not go to the very end of the extreme. Let’s let this play out the way it should.” Trump tweeted on Sunday afternoon about the Russia-related news coverage, calling it “fake news” that’s being stirred up for political reasons. Russia talk is FAKE NEWS put out by the Dems, and played up by the media, in order to mask the big election defeat and the illegal leaks! Perez’s comments on “State of the Union” came after Tapper asked him about Trump’s accusation in a Sunday morning tweet that he won the race for DNC chairman Saturday over Minnesota Rep. Keith Ellison, who was backed by Bernie Sanders and the party’s progressive wing, because the process was “rigged.” Trump tweeted: “The race for DNC Chairman was, of course, totally ‘rigged.’ Bernie’s guy, like Bernie himself, never had a chance. Clinton demanded Perez!” Congratulations to Thomas Perez, who has just been named Chairman of the DNC. I could not be happier for him, or for the Republican Party! Perez appointed his rival for the top DNC spot, Minnesota Rep. Keith Ellison as his deputy after winning Saturday and laughed off Trump’s assertion that his 235-vote to 200-vote win was because of a rigged system. Perez wins DNC chairmanship “Our unity as a party is our greatest strength, and it’s his worst nightmare,” Perez said of Trump.


Drug lord "El Chapo" escaped in July  using an elaborate tunnel Mexican authorities suspect prison workers and officials colluded in his prison break Mexican authorities have arrested 13 more suspects in connection with the prison break of Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman, the country’s attorney general’s office said. Guzman, sometimes branded as the world’s biggest drug lord and who is also wanted in the United States, made a well-planned, elaborate escape on July 11. He dropped through a hole in a shower into a mile-long tunnel equipped with a modified motorcycle, lighting and ventilation, and has not been officially spotted since. It was his second escape from a maximum security prison. After his first escape in 2001, it took Mexican law enforcement 13 years to catch up with him. His July disappearance from Altiplano prison and revelations by an investigative reporter have left a trail of accusations of collusion in the escape of the man nicknamed “Shorty” for his stature. Six days after his escape, seven prison workers were charged in connection with it. The new arrests include three high officials from the federal prison system, sources close to the attorney general’s offices said. Celina Oseguera was a coordinator for the prison system, and Valentin Cardenas Lerma and Leonor Garcia were directors at Altiplano prison, where “El Chapo” was held, the sources said. The drug lord walked into the shower of his cell then disappeared out of sight of a surveillance camera watching him. It took guards 18 minutes to arrive at his cell after losing view of him. Nearly another half hour passed before his escape was alerted. Mexico’s interior ministry suspected prison workers helped make the  break possible. A local journalist, citing investigation documents she obtained, reported that officials had plenty of forewarning that Guzman, who has headed the Sinaloa drug cartel, was planning an escape. The government knew as far back as March that Guzman’s people were studying blueprints of the prison, Anabel Hernandez reported. Prisoners complained of excessive noise that sounded like construction work. The documents were a collection of statements from interrogations. Mexico’s federal attorney general’s office declined to comment at the time, citing the ongoing investigation. Sinaloa drug cartel has supplied much of the marijuana, cocaine and heroin sold on U.S. streets. Forbes magazine once estimated “El Chapo’s” fortune at $1 billion. There is a $3.8 million reward for Guzman’s capture. CNN’s Mariano Castillo and Jason Hanna contributed to this report.


Cuba's railroad spans more than 2,600 miles from one end of the island to the other It's one of the oldest train system in Latin America -- and it shows Here’s a note to Americans traveling to Cuba as relations between the two countries thaw: If you need to be somewhere on time in Cuba don’t take the train. The rail system, which began in the mid-1800s, is the oldest in Latin America and it shows; tracks are overgrown with foliage, rail cars are from a bygone era and the departure schedule that can be off by hours or even days. But the scenery is incredible. Today Cuba’s railroad spans more than 2,600 miles from one end of the island to the other. Related article US commercial flights take off for Cuba after more than half-century CNN hopped on board one of the island’s outdated trains to better understand the experience of the Cuban people who depend on the island’s outdated rail system. While we waited for a 4:30 p.m. train out of Havana headed west we quickly learned what many of the riders already knew. Not only is Cuba’s train system old but it’s unreliable. 4:30 p.m. came and went and there was no train in sight. While we waited we met a rider named David. He was in Havana visiting his four children. His 56-mile trip home to Mantanzas would take three and a half hours. He told CNN he was waiting to see when the train would show up, if it even showed up. It’s unreliable, he told us. “Sometimes it works. Sometimes I’m stuck waiting,” he said. “It sometimes take a day or two for the train to get back on service.” Cuba’s trains notoriously fail its riders. From downed cables to broken engines the archaic trains are one of the cheapest ways to get around the island, it cost us less than a dollar to ride. It was nearly 5 p.m. when we heard the sound of a train’s horn. It had finally pulled into the station, albeit 25 minutes late. Related article American ballerina in Cuba The train CNN rode was open air. The windows and doors were kept open to keep passengers cool. On board we met Nelson, the Assistant Train Conductor, whose position is considered government work. He’s held the job for 21 years and  it pays him the equivalent of twenty dollars a month but in a country where work is hard to come by Cuba’s old rail tracks are his lifeline. He said people rely on the train to get to their jobs, to get to the hospital and to visit family. “On  the weekend many people take the train,” Nelson said. It took us an hour to travel just 14 miles by train. The people forced to rely on Cuba’s most outdated mode of transportation do it because they say economically they have no choice. It’s one of the cheapest ways to travel.


Father was among 36 killed in Tuesday's bombing on a Shiite mosque in Herat The all-girls robotics team won award at competition after difficult journey to US The father of a member of the Afghan all-girls robotics team that made headlines last month after overcoming US visa obstacles died this week in an ISIS bombing in Herat, Afghanistan. Afghan authorities confirmed that Mohammad Asif Qaderyan, father of Fatima Qaderyan, was among 36 people killed in Tuesday’s attack at a Shiite mosque during evening prayers. Two suicide bombers blew themselves up after firing on worshippers inside the mosque, a Herat provincial spokesman told CNN. ISIS took responsibility for the attack Wednesday in a series of messages sent to Telegram channels associated with the group. The all-girl robotics team flew to the United States in July to take part in an international competition with students from nearly 160 countries. But the journey to compete wasn’t easy. Team members had their visa applications to travel to the United States denied twice and were only saved after direct intervention from President Donald Trump. They were allowed to enter on a temporary “parole” status, two senior administration officials told CNN at the time. At the competition, the team received the silver medal in the Rajaâ Cherkaoui el Moursli Award for Courageous Achievement. In addition, the girls were given congressional records detailing their journey to America by Sen. Jeanne Shaheen. “You are an inspiration to all of us,” the New Hampshire Democrat told them. #Afghan robotic team received by @NancyPelosi US Democratic party leader. Thanks US for enormously encouraging our team. #Girlspower pic.twitter.com/lhWOzAAjuK Writing Thursday on Twitter, Hamdullah Mohib, Afghanistan’s ambassador to the United States, said his heart went out to Fatima for the loss of her father. “We will defeat the forces trying to dismantle our future,” he wrote. The US Embassy in Afghanistan condemned the attack Thursday as “deplorable.” “We send our deepest condolences to the families and friends of those killed and injured,” a statement said. “We commend the government and security forces … for their response to this latest act of cowardly violence.” Tuesday’s bombing was among a series of recent deadly attacks on civilians and armed forces in Afghanistan by terrorist groups. On Wednesday, two US service members were killed when a NATO convoy came under fire in Kandahar province. Two Afghan workers at the Iraqi Embassy were killed Monday in Kabul when gunmen attempted to storm the building after blowing open the gate. In late May, more than 150 people were killed in a bombing in the center of Kabul’s diplomatic quarter during rush hour.


Editor’s Note: Peter Bergen is CNN’s national security analyst, a vice president at New America and the author of “United States of Jihad: Who Are America’s Homegrown Terrorists and How Do We Stop Them?” The views expressed in this commentary are solely those of the author. Peter Bergen: Trump has blasted the Iran deal while his defense secretary says it's in the US national interest This effort could end up looking a lot like the failed attempts to repeal Obamacare, he writes On the campaign trail, Donald Trump was clear about his view of the 2015 Iran nuclear deal, which delays the Islamic state from acquiring nuclear weapons for more than a decade in exchange for the lifting of draconian US-led sanctions on Iran. Trump told CNN in the summer of 2015, “[The Iranians] are laughing at the stupidity of the deal we’re making on nuclear. We should double up and triple up the sanctions and have them come to us. They are making an amazing deal.” As president, Trump has carried on the drumbeat of criticism of the deal and hinted that he is about to take a major step on it. Trump can try to rip up the deal by “decertifying” that Iran is compliant within the terms of the agreement and have the Republican-controlled Congress act on it, for instance, by imposing new sanctions on Iran. Trump reportedly plans to decertify the agreement by October 15, which is one of the regular deadlines for the continued certification of the nuclear deal. But this move may be the foreign policy equivalent of trying to repeal and replace Obamacare, another key campaign Trump promise that ultimately he has not been able to deliver. In February of 2016, Trump tweeted, “We will immediately repeal and replace ObamaCare - and nobody can do that like me. We will save $’s and have much better healthcare!” Just before the election, Trump promised the repeal would come “very, very quickly.” Related article Iran should call Trump's bluff on nuclear deal Trump has since encountered the reality that Obamacare is now supported by a slim majority of Americans, according to a poll released in June, while the various Republican alternatives to the Affordable Care Act that emerged during recent months are generally unpopular. Similarly, with the Iran nuclear deal – which Trump has called “terrible” and “the worst deal ever negotiated” – the facts aren’t going along with the President’s promises. Secretary of Defense James Mattis testified just this past week that it is in America’s national security interest to remain in the agreement. The International Atomic Energy Agency has also repeatedly found that Iran is complying with the nuclear deal. So if it’s hard to make the case that the deal isn’t working, why else would you tear up this agreement? This is reminiscent of the fix that Trump and many of his fellow Republicans got themselves into when they kept saying that Obamacare was disastrous, but had no better plan to proffer. Of course, Iran operates in other ways outside of the nuclear deal that are inimical to American interests, and indeed the interests of other countries, for instance, by propping up the Bashar al-Assad regime in Syria and supplying weapons to the Houthi rebels in Yemen. But the nuclear deal wasn’t meant to fix Iran’s regional meddling, irritating as that may be. Its goal, rather, was to ensure that Iran doesn’t acquire nuclear weapons, which would then set off a regional nuclear arms race in the Middle East where Saudi Arabia would quickly follow suit. Also, wouldn’t an Iran armed with nuclear weapons behave worse than a non-nuclear-armed Iran? Just take a look at the behavior of North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un, whose antics on the world stage only get attention because he has nukes. Without nukes, Kim would simply be irrelevant. (North Korean GDP is $16 billion, which is considerably less than that of Vermont, which at $30 billion GDP is ranked last out of the 50 American states in terms of economic output.) Related article Trump and his Cabinet are stuck in an awkward embrace Sure, the United States could try to unilaterally impose new sanctions on Iran. These wouldn’t be nearly as effective as the previous US-led sanctions that involved many other countries and forced Iran to the negotiating table to ink the nuclear deal. This time around, the US would not have the support of other major Western powers to sanction Iran. Related article Trump's self-defeating war And to what end would the new sanctions be aimed, since critics of the deal haven’t explained what would replace the current agreement? Then there is the inconvenient fact that Iran will not renegotiate the nuclear agreement. Similarly, Britain, France, Germany and Russia, which also negotiated the deal alongside the United States, have made clear that they want the deal to remain in place. Finally, in Congress there may not be the 51 votes needed to overturn the agreement by imposing new sanctions on Iran. Republican Sens. Jeff Flake and John McCain of Arizona, and Susan Collins of Maine, for instance, all might vote against sanctions that would effectively end the agreement. Sign up for CNN Opinion’s new newsletter.Join us on Twitter and Facebook Meanwhile, Sen. Bob Corker, the powerful head of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, is in a well-publicized spat with Trump, who has taken to Twitter to denigrate him. Corker has little incentive to help Trump out on the Iran deal. This could end up looking a lot like the failed effort to repeal Obamacare.


The countries will focus on disaster relief The announcement comes during military tensions between the US and China China and the US will hold joint military drills in November, officials from both countries announced Thursday. The drills, focusing on disaster relief, will take place in southwest China’s Yunnan Province, and include 134 military personnel from China’s People’s Liberation Army and 89 members of the US military, China’s military spokesperson, Wu Qian, said at a news briefing. The announcement of the joint effort comes even as there have been military tensions between the two counties. As recently as last week, the US drew the wrath of Chinese defense officials when an American guided-missile destroy sailed through the South China Sea to make a point about unimpeded access in international waters. The drills will take place between November 13-18, Chinese state news agency Xinhua reported. “The scenario of the joint exercise and exchange is professional disaster relief in high-altitude regions. It consists of three phases, namely, academic exchange, command post exercise and live troop exercise,” Wu said. US Pacific Command issued a statement confirming the joint exercises. “Next month, US and Chinese forces will be participating in the Disaster Management Exchange (DME), a regularly-scheduled activity that focuses on a multi-national response to a humanitarian assistance and disaster relief,”  Cmdr. David Benham, US Pacific Command spokesman, said in a statement. He added that the drills help “US and Chinese forces prepare to respond to a large-scale disaster.” CNN’s Bex Wright in Hong Kong contributed to this report.


Hollande has said greater cooperation between the United States and Russia is required in battling ISIS The White House signaled Monday that it already believes U.S. contributions to the anti-ISIS effort are sufficient Turkey’s downing of a Russian fighter plane shouldn’t lead to further wartime escalation in the region, President Barack Obama insisted at a press conference Tuesday. But he maintained that Turkey had a right to defend its airspace and charged that Russian air activity near the Turkey-Syria border has contributed to the crisis. “This points to an ongoing problem with the Russian operations,” Obama said. “They are operating very close to a Turkish border, and they are going after moderate opposition that are supported by not only Turkey but a wide range of countries.” Putin calls plane’s downing by Turkey ‘stab in the back’ Turkey said Tuesday it shot down the Russian plane with a missile strike after repeated warnings to the plane that it had flown over its territory. Related gallery Turkey-Syria border: Russian warplane crashes Obama urged Russia and Turkey to communicate about the details of the operation in order to decrease the chance of escalation, a message the White House said Obama relayed in a later phone conversation with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. The downing of the Russian plane complicated Hollande’s visit to the White House, where he pressed Obama for greater global cooperation on battling ISIS, including with Moscow. Obama appeared resistant to forming any new alliances in battling ISIS, saying he’d already convened more than 60 nations in a bid to curb the group’s territorial gains in Iraq and Syria. Opinion: Iraq War’s lessons for Syria Hollande has openly called for a greater international effort to push back ISIS, whose killing spree in Paris two weeks ago was the worst terror attack on French soil in more than half a century. Obama: We are all French now He said Tuesday greater cooperation between the United States and Russia is required in battling ISIS, though persistent U.S. skepticism about Putin’s intentions in Syria have until now prevented any significant military coordination between the two countries. Related gallery Political violence is driving terrorism Putin: Russian airstrikes in Syria aimed at helping al-Assad regime “We want to gather all countries,” Hollande said. “We do not want to exclude anyone.” But he also said Russia must pledge to target ISIS terrorists instead of moderate Syrian forces opposed to the government of Bashar al-Assad, a requirement Obama also insisted upon during Tuesday’s press conference. “Russia right now is a coalition of two – Iran and Russia – supporting Assad,” Obama said. “Russia’s the outlier,” he added, noting that strikes against moderate opposition fighters “bolster the Assad regime.” Obama also cited the incident with Turkey as a reason for Russia to turn its focus to fighting only ISIS in Syria, saying that “some of those conflicts or potential for escalation are less likely to occur” if it narrowed its sights. ISIS brings Putin, Obama together He said the encounter “underscores the importance of our moving the political track along as quickly as possible” when it comes to resolving the Syrian civil war, which ISIS has exploited to seize territory. After the press conference, Vice President Joe Biden told reporters gathered in the East Room that he believed “Putin is coming to the realization that Assad should transition out.” Without any major new commitments to announce alongside Hollande, Obama instead touted a new intelligence sharing agreement announced last week that has helped France target ISIS sites in Raqqa, Syria. And he called on Europe to do more to stop the flow of foreign fighters, share passenger lists and exchange information across borders. Obama and Hollande meet: What a différence in U.S.-French relations Calling ISIS a “scourge” that “must be defeated,” Obama said the U.S. stood with France after the brutal massacre in Paris. “We’ll deliver justice to these terrorists and those who sent them,” Obama said. ISIS “cannot be tolerated. It must be destroyed. And we must do it together.” Later on Tuesday Obama convened his National Security Council to discuss counter-ISIS strategy. That amid a State Department-issued warning to travelers about potential terror threats. The White House said in a statement Tuesday night “the President was briefed that there is currently no specific, credible threat to the homeland from ISIL.” Hollande’s visit to Washington comes amid a spate of jet-set diplomacy for the French leader. He’ll meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday, and German Chancellor Angela Merkel Wednesday. He met in Paris with British Prime Minister David Cameron Monday. Obama, who returned from a week-long foreign swing on Monday, made clear in the aftermath of the Paris attacks he wasn’t considering a change in strategy, saying instead he was planning to intensify the U.S.-led coalition’s air campaign in Iraq and Syria. Related gallery The ISIS terror threat In his first press conference after the attacks, in Antalya, Turkey, Obama argued testily that alternative plans from Republicans ignored realities on the ground, saying that his own interactions with wounded troops instilled a wariness toward war. After coming under intense criticism for his response to the attacks, Obama turned up his rhetoric on ISIS Sunday, saying during a press conference in Malaysia that his efforts to stamp out the group would succeed. But he nonetheless departed Asia insisting the strategy he’s utilized against ISIS is working – and that other options, like sending in ground troops, aren’t being considered. The White House signaled Monday that it already believes U.S. contributions to the anti-ISIS effort are sufficient. Obama seeks tricky balance in fight against ISIS “The United States is certainly pulling more than our own weight when it comes to the contribution behind this coalition,” White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest said. “That’s something that we’re glad to do. That is in line with the long tradition of American leadership. It certainly is a tradition that this president believes in.” CNN’s Greg Krieg and Jim Acosta contributed to this report.


Before President Donald Trump delivered his highly anticipated speech in Saudi Arabia on Sunday, much of the media focused on one phrase: radical Islamic terrorism. Would Trump continue to use the term, as he did throughout the 2016 presidential campaign? Or would he find a less controversial variant, like “Islamist extremism,” in front of his Saudi hosts? In Sunday’s speech, he had it both ways. “There is still much work to be done,” Trump said. “That means honestly confronting the crisis of Islamic extremism and the Islamists and Islamic terror of all kinds.” Briefly, “Islamist” refers to political movements that attempt to implement Islamic law and theology.  “Islamic” refers to the religion itself, and many Muslims take offense at associating their faith with violence. The phrase “Islamic terror” was not in the President’s prepared remarks; his mention of it was an exhaustion-induced oversight, a senior White House official said. But intentional or not, Trump’s language revealed his administration’s two minds on Islam. On the one hand, Trump pleased American Muslims by calling Islam “one of world’s great faiths,” a  departure from his accusation, made just last year, that “Islam hates us.” He also sought to undercut terrorists’ arguments that they embody Islamic ideals. They worship death, not God, the President said. They are “barbaric criminals,” not true believers. “Every time a terrorist murders an innocent person, and falsely invokes the name of God, it should be an insult to every person of faith,” he said. Trump also rejected the “clash of civilizations” narrative pushed by some of his senior aides, notably Steve Bannon, who has warned darkly of a looming battle between the West and “Islamic fascism.” Instead, Trump said: “This is not a battle between different faiths, different sects, or different civilizations. This is a battle between barbaric criminals who seek to obliterate human life, and decent people of all religions who seek to protect it. This is a battle between good and evil.” Shahed Amanullah, a former senior adviser at the State Department, said, “President Trump clearly separated Islam from terrorism, unlike candidate Trump.” Was it “on the job learning, or duplicity?” he asked. Notable that Pres. Trump clearly separated Islam from terrorism, unlike Candidate Trump. On the job learning, or duplicity? #TrumpInSaudi On the other hand, Trump’s speech adopted Bannon’s overall approach to terrorism: that it’s mainly a religious and military problem, and poses an existential threat to the West. And the president cheered his conservative base by addressing “Islamic terror” in lurid, nearly apocalyptic language. “We now face a humanitarian and security disaster in this region that is spreading across the planet. It is a tragedy of epic proportions. No description of the suffering and depravity can begin to capture its full measure,” Trump said. He called on Muslim nations to drive extremists into extinction and touted his new $110 billion arms deal with the Saudis as a necessary measure against terrorism. Trump also urged religious leaders to deliver a stark message: “Barbarism will deliver you no glory – piety to evil will bring you no dignity. If you choose the path of terror, your life will be empty, your life will be brief, and your soul will be condemned.” So, while Trump acknowledged that terrorists have no truck with religion, he nonetheless implied that mainstream imams and other Muslim leaders somehow hold sway over them. If that were true, perhaps ISIS would have heeded the more than 5,000 condemnations of terrorism Muslims have issued in recent years. “He clearly thinks terrorism is fueled by religion,” said Ebrahim Moosa, a professor of Islam at the University of Notre Dame. “He doesn’t make any connection between terrorism and political resentments and the oppression of people.” To be fair, Trump is hardly the first president to insist that terrorism both is, and is not, a religious issue. The Obama administration, which pointedly refused to use the term “Islamic terrorism,” angered American Muslims by hosting a summit on countering violent extremism two years ago that focused almost exclusively on Islam. In a speech at the summit, Obama, like Trump, said Muslim clerics have “a responsibility to push back” on “twisted interpretations of Islam.” But the Obama administration was generally consistent on one point: refusing to grant groups like ISIS the religious legitimacy they crave by calling them “Islamic.” It was a counter-terrorism strategy, though administration officials occasionally wandered into theology, as when former Secretary of State John Kerry called ISIS “apostates.” If Trump’s speech is any indication, a debate about Islam still rages within his administration, and perhaps within himself. One can easily imagine Bannon whispering “Islamic terrorism” into one of the President’s ears, and national security adviser Gen. H.R. McMaster whispering “violent extremism” in the other. On Sunday, Trump accommodated both. CNN’s Jim Acosta and Jeremy Diamond contributed to this story.


This page includes the show Transcript December 5, 2017 As the Trump Administration considers moving a U.S. embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, we’re explaining the significance of the potential decision. Also featured today is an update on the U.S. government’s restrictions on people traveling to the U.S. from eight other countries. And we’re examining the debate over President Trump’s announcement to reduce the size of two national monuments in Utah. TRANSCRIPT Click here to access the printable version of today’s CNN 10 transcript. CNN 10 serves a growing audience interested in compact on-demand news broadcasts ideal for explanation seekers on the go or in the classroom. The show’s priority is to identify stories of international significance and then clearly describe why they’re making news, who is affected, and how the events fit into a complex, international society. Thank you for using CNN 10


Authorities say students took standardized tests for others using fake passports 15 Chinese nationals have been charged in the scheme Fifteen Chinese nationals have been accused of participating in a cheating scheme that helped foreign students fraudulently gain admission to American colleges and universities and obtain student visas. The Department of Justice said the defendants had fake Chinese passports made, which were used by individuals to take standardized tests for other people. The tests included the SAT, the Test of English as a Foreign Language, and the Graduate Record Examination. “These students were not only cheating their way into the university, they were also cheating their way through our nation’s immigration system,” said Special Agent in Charge John Kelleghan for Homeland Security Investigations of Philadelphia. U.S. Attorney David J. Hickton for the Western District of Pennsylvania said on Thursday that 15 people were indicted by a federal grand jury on charges of conspiracy, counterfeiting foreign passports, mail fraud and wire fraud, The majority of the crimes took place in Western Pennsylvania, authorities said. Most American colleges and universities require applicants to take either the SAT or the ACT. Those applying for student visas in the United States are sometimes required to include standardized test scores as evidence they are qualified for the school or programming they are joining.


President-elect Trump promised new revelations about Russian hacking this week The new Congress will be sworn in, and President Obama will visit Democrats President-elect Donald Trump claims to have inside information on Russia’s meddling in the United States’ election – and promises to reveal it “Tuesday or Wednesday.” At a New Year’s Eve party at his Mar-A-Lago estate, a tuxedoed Trump maintained that another culprit aside from Russia could have been behind the election intrusion.”It could be somebody else. And I also know things that other people don’t know, and so they cannot be sure of the situation,” he said. Liberal groups want delay of Sessions hearing Asked to describe what undisclosed information he knew, Trump said: “You’ll find out on Tuesday or Wednesday.” The latest developments in Trump’s denial of the American intelligence community’s assessment – widely accepted by both Democrats and Republicans – that Russia hacked Democratic operatives’ emails in a bid to help Trump defeat Hillary Clinton will be among the leading political stories this week, as Trump’s transition efforts resume and a new Congress is sworn in. Here are five other political stories to watch this week: The Russia hacks aren’t just driving a wedge between Trump and the Obama administration. Some Republicans on Capitol Hill are backing Obama’s moves last week to sanction Russia, and are calling for legislation to add even more sanctions on top of those announced by the White House. The Senate Armed Services Committee, chaired by Arizona Republican Sen. John McCain, will hold a hearing on cyberthreats and the election-related hacking Thursday. The issue could set the tone for relations between Trump and the Republican majorities in the House and Senate. The newly elected Congress will begin its work Tuesday at noon with a vote to officially re-elect Wisconsin Rep. Paul Ryan as House speaker. Several new faces will appear in Congress, including Rep. Liz Cheney of Wyoming and former Republican Florida governor and Senate candidate Charlie Crist, who is set to become a Democratic congressman. So will Florida’s Brian Mast, a Republican and Army veteran who lost both of his legs in Afghanistan. An old face, meanwhile, will appear in the Senate. Vice President Joe Biden will be back in the body where he spent more than three decades to swear in new senators, including California’s Kamala Harris and Nevada’s Catherine Cortez Masto, who replaces retiring Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid. Hill Republicans eye busy first 100 days of 2017 The Senate will quickly move toward confirmation battles over Trump’s nominees – with Democrats complaining that nominees aren’t submitting materials they’ve requested, including their financial information and shouldn’t get hearings and votes until those are provided. House Republicans, meanwhile, will condemn the Obama administration’s handling of a United Nations vote on Israeli settlements on the West Bank. And House Democrats are opposing a GOP-backed rule change that would impose new fines for members who break rules of decorum. It’s an effort to stop Democrats from using platforms such as Periscope and Meerkat to live-stream sit-ins on the House floor, as they did last year. President Barack Obama will make an unusual trip for a lame-duck president – visiting Capitol Hill on Wednesday morning to meet with congressional Democrats and discuss how to fight Republican efforts to repeal the Affordable Care Act. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell is set to push the repeal of Obama’s signature domestic achievement in the first week of the new Congress. Democrats, meanwhile, face a defining moment in the early stages of the Trump era: If party members pledge not to help the GOP pass any replacement, it would place enormous pressure on Trump and congressional Republicans to come up with a way to keep 20 million Americans insured – and get Congress to approve such a program. House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi will hold a conference call with House Democrats Monday on Obamacare. What else can Obama get done before leaving office? He’s still working toward closing the Guantanamo Bay detention facility and could make additional pardons. His farewell speech will also be formally announced Monday. After a holiday getaway at his Mar-A-Lago estate, Trump has several cabinet positions left to fill. He’s expected to soon announce his choices for secretary of Veterans Affairs and Agriculture. Other key roles remain unfilled, as well – including solicitor general, where top aide Kellyanne Conway’s husband George Conway is reportedly a candidate, as well as Director of National Intelligence and deputy secretary of state. Trump will attempt to conclude a piece of older business this week with a deposition at Trump Tower this week. The deposition comes as part of Trump’s legal battle with the chef Jose Andres. Andres was supposed to launch a restaurant in the new Trump International Hotel in Washington. But after Trump’s attacks on Mexicans as he began his presidential campaign in June 2015, Andres withdrew, and Trump sued him for breach of contract. CNN’s Steve Brusk, Deirdre Walsh and Kevin Liptak contributed to this report. This story has been updated.


Trump, Clinton squared off over Putin, ISIS, her email server Controversy erupted over his comments about sexual assault in the military Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump clashed Wednesday over national security issues that exposed deep divides about how to manage the military and conduct foreign policy in an increasingly complex world. The forum offered a preview of how the two candidates will present themselves to the country when they appear on stage September 26 at the crucial first presidential debate. The gulf between them was especially apparent when the discussion centered on Russia and combating ISIS. Clinton has repeatedly slammed Trump on the campaign trail for his embrace of Russian President Vladimir Putin. But at the “Commander in Chief” forum hosted by NBC News, Trump once again praised the Russian leader in comparison to President Barack Obama. “Certainly, in that system, he’s been a leader, far more than our president has been a leader,” Trump said. “If (Putin) says great things about me, I’m gonna say great things about him. I’ve already said he is really very much of a leader.” Trump has also presented varying answers about his plan to deal with ISIS and moderator Matt Lauer pressed the Republican nominee on the issue. “I have a plan … Look, I have a very substantial chance of winning,” Trump said. “If I win, I don’t want to broadcast to the enemy exactly what my plan is.” But he also said he would confer with US generals on his ISIS plan, although he criticized Pentagon brass, alleging generals have not stood up to Obama. “I think under the leadership Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton, the generals have been reduced to rubble.” With less than three weeks until the debate, Trump seemed at ease with the freewheeling style he has often demonstrated on the campaign trail. He caused a stir by defending a tweet that implied military sexual assault is a result of women serving in the military. Meanwhile, Clinton pivoted from questions about her email server to focus on her vision of a robust national security policy. Asked about what critics call her hawkish foreign policy record, Clinton said: “We are not putting ground troops into Iraq ever again and we are not putting ground troops into Syria.” She added: “I view force as a last resort, not a first choice. I will do everything in my power to make sure our men and women in the military are fully prepared for any challenge they may have to face on our behalf, but I will also be as careful as I can in making the most significant decisions any president and commander and chief can make about sending our men and women into harm’s way.” Clinton, who said defeating ISIS would be her “highest terrorism goal,”  spoke of using air power and regional alliances to defeat the group. “We’ve gotta do it with much more support from the Arabs and the Kurds who will fight on the ground against ISIS,” she said. “We have to squeeze them by continuing to support the Iraqi military. They’ve taken back Ramadi, Fallujah. They’ve gotta hold them. They’ve gotta now get into Mosul.” In a press conference Thursday morning, Clinton told reporters that the forum was “yet another test and Donald Trump failed yet again.” “We saw more evidence that he is temperamentally unfit and totally unqualified to be commander in chief,” she said. “He trash talked American generals.” Trump repeated his claim that he was “against” the Iraq War, an assertion that has been repeatedly debunked. He praised the military campaign in Iraq in the first months after the invasion. Trump has repeatedly attacked Clinton over her support for the war, saying it showed poor judgment. Clinton, when asked about her vote to authorize the war, said: “I have said that my voting to give President Bush that authority was, from my perspective, my mistake,” she said. “I am asking to be judged on the totality of my record.” Trump said at the forum that he’d be open to “working” on a way for undocumented immigrants to serve in the US military – a sharp contrast to his tone during a speech in Arizona last week where he said he would focus on deporting undocumented immigrants from the country. “I think that when you serve in the armed forces, that’s a very special situation,” Trump said. “I could see myself working that. Absolutely. Now we have to vet very carefully, everybody would agree with that.” A woman in the audience asked Trump during the forum what he’ll do to stop the “20 veterans” from committing suicide daily. “Actually it’s 22. It’s almost impossible to conceive that this is happening in this country,” he said. “We’re going to speed up the process, we’re going to create a great mental health division. They need help.” Clinton, also asked about the issue, pointed to her recently rolled out mental health policy agenda. “I have a whole section devoted to veterans’ mental health. And we’ve gotta remove the stigma. We’ve gotta help people currently serving not to feel that if they report their sense of unease, their depression, that somehow it’s gonna be a mark against them. We have to do more about addiction. Not only drugs but also alcohol,” Clinton said. The disturbing statistic behind the ’22 Pushup Challenge’ Clinton, meanwhile, repeated “it was a mistake” to have used a personal email account and server while leading the department, and that she would “certainly not do it again.” “I make no excuses for it,” she said. But Clinton defended certain emails, including those that contained information about the country’s covert drone program, as not revealing classified information. “There were no discussions about any of the covert actions in process being determined about whether or not to go forward,” she said. “But every part of our government had to deal with questions, secretary of state’s office was first and foremost, so there are ways of talking about the drone program.” CNN’s Jeremy Diamond and Dan Merica contributed to this report.


Editor’s Note: Jason Steinhauer is the director of Villanova University’s Lepage Center for History in the Public Interest. The views expressed in this commentary are his own. Jason Steinhauer: Historians are weighing in as debates about past rage on social media Only they can provide nuanced analysis based on academic research, Steinhauer says Those distracted by our recent political theater may have missed an extraordinary international incident at the end of May: Russia and Ukraine got into a Twitter war about history. A brief recap of what occurred: Russian President Vladimir Putin held a press conference with French President Emmanuel Macron in France. During the briefing, Putin proudly stated that the wife of French medieval King Henry I, Anna Yaroslavna, was Russian. A Ukrainian Twitter account tweeted that, in fact, Yaroslavna was from Kiev, not Russia. The official Twitter account for Russia tweeted back: “We are proud of our common history … (we) share the same historical heritage which should unite our nations, not divide us.” To which Ukraine tweeted this GIF from “The Simpsons.” You really don't change, do you? pic.twitter.com/HDfS9A8jWZ The exchange garnered thousands of reactions on Twitter, ranging from laughter and shock to citizen historians sharing their own interpretations of what the medieval Slavic states looked like. Absent from the conversation? The voices of historians, who are critical in providing honest assessments based on well-researched evidence. Hundreds of millions of people now consume historical information on social media, either directly or via links. According to a 2016 Pew survey, a majority of US adults – 62% – get news on social media, and 18% do so often. The same study found that nearly 6-in-10 Twitter users get news on Twitter. Few go to academic monographs or journal articles to dig deeper. A forum such as Twitter is therefore an important opportunity to clarify information for citizens and hold political leaders and state actors accountable in their use and abuse of the past. Often on Twitter many of the comments and responses rely on facts from Wikipedia or other sources that may not be thoroughly researched. Additionally, many of the replies (including those from the two nations involved) are politically motivated and as such may not be trustworthy or objective. This is where historians play an important role in setting the record straight. Related article The danger of Twitter, Facebook politics Of course, the issue of historical accuracy isn’t a uniquely Russia-Ukraine story. On behalf of the US State Department, I was recently in Lithuania, where Russian media are asserting that since Soviet troops won the land of Lithuania during World War II, it should now be returned to Russia. This is part of a larger effort by Russian media and military to discredit Lithuanian history and justify a return to a Soviet-style sphere of influence. That’s where we need the voices of historians to cut through the clutter. Indeed, this was my message in meeting with US and Lithuanian officials in addition to scholars and students. It is why a group of historians, media scholars and science communicators nationwide have established the field of “history communication” to train historians to be media-savvy and to empower them to use new media to promote their scholarship. Historians have taken great steps to get out of the classroom and into cyberspace. Dozens of historians are working together on a new history blog for The Washington Post, and there are several history-themed podcasts and websites publishing historical scholarship. But we need to go even further. Many historians, including those who work on Russia, have Twitter accounts. My list of historians on Twitter is now more than 1,100 members. Some historians, such as Kevin Kruse, Joanne Freeman and Heather Cox Richardson, are already taking it upon themselves to interject their expertise into contested exchanges about the past. It cannot stop with them. The subtext for the Russia-Ukraine exchange is complex. And it’s part of a larger Russian effort to establish legitimate claims to former Soviet lands through influencing public opinion. Sign up for CNN Opinion’s new newsletter.Join us on Twitter and Facebook History, of course, plays an important role in this process. Before Moscow annexed Crimea, it set out to establish Russia’s historic ties to the peninsula and rallied support among the residents for a return to their Russian homeland. Whereas in the past these contestations over history may have played out in books, the mainstream media and academia, today they also occur over the Internet and social media. We need historians to be there at the ready to disentangle myth from fact.


A tour bus crash in Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula on Tuesday has left 12 dead and 18 injured, officials said. The bus was carrying 31 people, including tourists from the United States, Italy, Brazil and Sweden, in the state of Quintana Roo, according to Public Security of Quintana Roo. The dead include one child, the agency said in a statement. The bus was traveling from the coastal village of Mahahual to the Mayan archaeological site Chacchoben, according to Public Security of Quintana Roo. Chacchoben is about 110 miles south of the popular tourist destination Tulum. The injured were sent to hospitals in Bacalar and Chetumal. Five were later released. Among the bus passengers were 27 cruise guests from two Royal Caribbean ships, Celebrity Equinox and Serenade of the Seas, the cruise line said. The ships arrived Tuesday in the busy cruise ship port of Costa Maya, a vacation destination on Mexico’s Caribbean coast near the Belize border. Both ships left Tuesday afternoon. “Our hearts go out to all those involved in the bus accident in Costa Maya. We are doing all we can to care for our guests, including assisting with medical care and transportation,” spokeswoman Cynthia Martinez said. “We are working with the local authorities to learn more about the accident.” Celebrity Equinox, a seven-night Caribbean cruise, departed from PortMiami on Saturday, December 16. Serenade of the Seas, also a seven-night Caribbean cruise, departed Fort Lauderdale, Florida, on Friday, December 15. Video of the crash’s aftermath showed a bus on its side in a wooded area off the roadway. Representatives from the United States mission in Mexico are heading to the scene to assist any US citizens involved, State Department spokesperson Heather Nauert said. “We know that lots of families and individuals are traveling this time of year,” she said. “We’re working with local authorities.” CNN’s Michelle Kosinski, Sarah Faidell, Jen Rizzo and Joe Sutton contributed to this report.


UK's top diplomat advises EU leaders to get over disappointment at Donald Trump's win Trump is speaking with EU leaders who have been lukewarm about his victory British Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson told European leaders Friday to stop whining about the US election results following a slew of anxious statements in response to Donald Trump’s shocking victory. “I would respectfully say to my beloved European friends and colleagues that it’s time that we snapped out of the general doom and gloom about the result of this election, and collective ‘whinge-o-rama’ that seems to be going on in some places,” Johnson said at a press conference in Belgrade, Serbia, using British slang for complaining. The comments from the colorful British politician – who was widely tipped to become prime minister after successfully spearheading the campaign to leave the European Union – may have surprised some since he had earlier been outspoken about his disdain for the President-elect. Boris Johnson: His best put-downs Johnson once said he was “genuinely worried that (Trump) could become president.” And after Trump claimed areas of London were dangerous due to radicalized Muslims, Johnson said: “The only reason I wouldn’t visit some parts of New York is the real risk of meeting Donald Trump.” But he appears to have found a silver lining in Trump’s win, saying the election was a “great opportunity for the UK” following Britain’s seismic vote in June to leave the EU. Johnson’s optimism contrasts with the lukewarm response from many EU politicians to Trump – a candidate who lobbed insults at Europe and European leaders during his campaign, and was heavily criticized in turn. Now they are having to put aside their differences with the President-elect and are pledging to work with him. German Chancellor Angela Merkel, whom Trump slammed during the campaign for “ruining Germany” by accepting large numbers of refugees, spoke on the phone Thursday with the President-elect, a German government representative told CNN. Related article World leader Trump admires? The same one he's vilified Merkel congratulated Trump and pointed out the two countries have long-held common values, making them close. Earlier, she had responded to Trump’s win by saying the campaign had been notable for its confrontations, which had been hard to take. On Friday, French President François Hollande – who has said that Trump’s comments on a dead soldier made him want to retch – had a “cordial” eight-minute phone conversation with the US President-elect during which they agreed to work to clarify positions on key issues, Elysée spokeswoman Elise Beretz told CNN. Those issues included the fight against terrorism, Ukraine, Syria, Iraq and the Paris Agreement on climate change, she said. They also “remembered the history and values that the two countries have in common, the amicable relations between France and the United States,” Beretz said. Hollande had earlier congratulated Trump on his win but said the result “leads to uncertainty,” adding that he urged “vigilance because of statements made by Donald Trump.” Russia’s Putin, others pleased as Trump win shocks world British Prime Minister Theresa May also spoke to Trump on the phone Thursday in a call that ended with the President-elect inviting her to visit as soon as possible. May had earlier been diplomatic in her congratulations, saying the two nations shared a “special relationship based on the values of freedom, democracy and enterprise.” Related video Voters explain fears about a Trump presidency “We are, and will remain, strong and close partners on trade, security and defense,” she said. European Council President Donald Tusk responded to Trump’s win by saying he respected the democratic choice of the American people, but was “aware of the new challenges that these results bring.” One of those challenges, he said, was “this moment of uncertainty over the future of our trans-Atlantic relations.” “The events of the last months and days should be treated as a warning sign for all who believe in liberal democracy,” Tusk said. “This means that we should finally get our act together and bring back a sense of direction, bring back confidence, bring back a sense of order.” But while the political establishment in Europe has reacted uneasily to Trump’s win, parties on the right have rejoiced, likening it to the same mood of populist discontent they believe is redefining the political landscape on the continent. Related article Trump gets boost from Brexit leader Farage as he aims for 'American independence' Nigel Farage, the outgoing leader of the UK Independence Party and one of Brexit’s top campaigners, told CNN that he and Trump had both triumphed in “the big battle of 2016.” Farage, who spoke at a Trump rally in August, once called Trump “the new Ronald Reagan.” “I believe in nation-state democracy, I believe in controlling borders, I believe we’ve got to confront the threat of Islamic terrorism, and President-elect Trump believes in very much the same thing,” he said from Miami. But Farage said he considered it unlikely the British government would offer him a position as a mediator with Trump despite British press speculation about such a role. Britain’s ruling Conservative Party was “incredibly snobby about me, they find it very difficult to even have a conversation with me,” he said. Marine Le Pen, leader of France’s far-right National Front, which is riding high in polls ahead of next year’s election, celebrated Trump’s win with a flurry of tweets. “A new world is emerging,” she wrote. Marine Le Pen: ‘Anything but Hillary Clinton’ Florian Philippot, a National Front vice president, tweeted a photo of Le Pen with the caption: “Their world is collapsing. Ours is being built.” CNN’s Richard Quest, Laura Goehler, Stephanie Halasz, Lindsay Isaac, Claudia Otto, Lorenzo D’Agostino, David Wilkinson and Milena Veselinovic contributed to this report.


Scott Walker says President Barack Obama should cancel the visit of China's president "there's serious work to be done rather than pomp and circumstance," Walker said Monday Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker is calling on President Barack Obama to cancel Chinese President Xi Jinping’s September visit to Washington – channeling Donald Trump’s attacks on the United States’ biggest Asian trading partner. Walker, a Republican presidential contender, made his call after U.S. stocks tumbled on Monday amid global fears of China’s economic slowdown. In a statement, Walker – whose standing in Iowa, a key early state, has suffered as Trump has risen in GOP polls – accused China of manipulating its economy, echoing critiques of the Asian giant that have come from populists like Trump. He said Obama should “focus on holding China accountable over its increasing attempts to undermine U.S. interests,” rather than hosting Xi. “Given China’s massive cyberattacks against America, its militarization of the South China Sea, continued state interference with its economy, and persistent persecution of Christians and human rights activists, President Obama needs to cancel the state visit,” Walker said. “There’s serious work to be done rather than pomp and circumstance. We need to see some backbone from President Obama on U.S.-China relations.” Trump has made attacks on China, as well as Mexico, centerpieces of his campaign – accusing U.S. trade negotiators of hashing out bad deals with the countries. The United States doesn’t have a free trade agreement with China, but it did drop tariffs with Mexico through the early-1990s North American Free Trade Agreement. RELATED: Donald Trump on market crash: ‘This could get very messy!’ The United States and China, meanwhile, frequently find themselves at odds in trade talks at the World Trade Organization in Geneva. The two countries have faced off in trade disputes over rare earth minerals, tires and more, and U.S. officials are regularly asked to slap trade taxes on Chinese goods to make up for the government’s intervention in the country’s economy and for its efforts to devalue its own currency in order to gain a price advantage in the United States. Still, a tougher approach to China, and particularly a crackdown on the country’s currency manipulation, is a line most typically pushed by populist Democrats on Capitol Hill – rather than GOP presidential candidates. White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest said Monday that Obama has not called Chinese officials to discuss the country’s currency. He said the Treasury Department has been monitoring global markets – including China’s. He said Chinese currency manipulation and cyber-espionage will be topics of conversation when Xi visits the White House in September. Walker’s proposal to cancel Xi’s visit was mocked by Dan Pfeiffer, a former top aide in Obama’s White House, who tweeted that Walker “is really bad at being Donald Trump.” Scott Walker is really bad at being Donald Trump https://t.co/rSX0MZqy8u In 2013, before he entered the Republican presidential race, Walker met with Xi during a visit to Beijing. There, he reportedly told the Chinese president of Wisconsin’s plans to set up a trade and cultural promotion center in the country, and praised the relationship between China and U.S. states. Walker also supported a company based in Beijing and Milwaukee that helped wealthy Chinese immigrants gain U.S. citizenship. Walker’s Wisconsin public-private economic development arm, meanwhile, is planning a trade venture to China in January, and is joining a larger trade venture as part of a regional group in May. CNN’s Tom LoBianco contributed to this report.


Reports of violence and rape are hard to confirm as access for journalists is limited A government spokeswoman told CNN the allegations will be investigated Myanmar’s security forces are waging a brutal campaign of murder, rape and torture in Rakhine State, a new UN report released on Friday has alleged. Eyewitness statements in the report detail “unprecedented” levels of violence, include burning people alive, raping girls as young as 11 and cutting children’s throats. UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein said in a statement the report indicates “very likely commission of crimes against humanity.” Aye Aye Soe, a spokeswoman for the Myanmar government, said the government has seen the report and is “very concerned about the allegations” “The Investigation Commission headed by the Vice President will look into it. If evidences of the violations are found we will definitely take action on them,” she told CNN via email. Soe said she would respond to CNN with more details at a later date. A United Nations team in Bangladesh interviewed about 220 Rohingya Muslims who had fled Rakhine State after the outbreak of violence for the report. There have been numerous allegations of human rights abuses in Rakhine State in recent months, but CNN has been unable to verify them, due to the Myanmar government’s tight travel restrictions. The United Nations estimates about 69,000 people have fled from Myanmar to Bangladesh since the violence began. Out of the 220 people interviewed, the report said 65% had witnessed killings, while just under half had personally had a family member murdered. A woman from Kyet Yoe Pyin village alleged her 5-year-old daughter was killed when she tried to stop attackers from raping her mother. Related video Rohingya Muslims targeted in Myanmar “She was screaming, one of the men took out a long knife and killed her by slitting her throat,” the report says. A young girl told interviewers soldiers killed her father, then raped her mother before locking her inside the family’s house and burning it down. “All this happened before my eyes,” she said. More than half of the 101 women interviewed by the UN reported either rape or sexual assault before fleeing Rakhine State – the youngest was 11 years old. Sixty-four percent of those interviewed reporting burning or destruction of property while 37% said their own property had been stolen or looted. There were also allegations of torture, including beating and sexual humiliation. Up until now only fleeting glimpses of the situation inside the Rakhine State have emerged. A Rohingya refugee who lost his 16-month-old son Mohammed fleeing Myanmar told CNN they had left after the military attacked their village, burning his grandfather and grandmother alive. Related video Inside the Rohingya resistance “We couldn’t stay in our house. We fled and went into hiding in the jungle,” he said. The Myanmar government has repeatedly denied claims of human rights abuses, saying they are carrying out “clearance operations” against suspects who attacked Myanmar border guards in October 2016. Myanmar’s government is still limiting access for aid agencies and journalists to the area. Former United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan, who is part of a Myanmar-government commission into the Rakhine State, has said he is “deeply concerned” about the violence. Rohingya Muslims, a stateless minority recognized by neither Myanmar nor neighboring Bangladesh, have expressed their disappointment with State Councilor Aung San Suu Kyi, who they’d hoped would help them after decades of discrimination. CNN’s Sandi Sidhu contributed to this report


GOP presidential candidates addressed the Republican Jewish Coalition in Washington on Thursday Candidates took questions from attendees Billionaire casino magnate Sheldon Adelson is expected to spend millions of dollars backing a GOP candidate Republican presidential contenders descended on Washington on Thursday for a conference that was slated to focus on foreign policy but took place in the shadow of another mass shooting in the United States. The candidates planned to use their appearances before the Republican Jewish Coalition to boost their pro-Israel bona fides. But the mass shooting in San Bernardino, California – the deadliest since the 2012 massacre in Newtown, Connecticut – once again inserts the issues of violence, security and gun control into the 2016 race. The day opened with a moment of silence for the victims, and the first speaker, Texas Sen. Ted Cruz, held another one at the opening of his speech. He also said the murders show the nation is “at war” with terrorism. “At this point the details of what happened in San Bernardino is still unclear,” Cruz said. “All of us are deeply concerned that this is yet another manifestation of terrorism, radical Islamic terrorism here at home.” Sen. Marco Rubio was slightly more measured in his remarks, and only briefly touched on the shooting. “We don’t know all the facts yet, but we certainly have learned some facts that are concerning,” Rubio said, saying his “prayers” were with the victims. RELATED: Trump praises police response to shooting that Carson calls ‘hate crime’ In contrast, South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham, who is languishing at the bottom of the polls, devoted most of the beginning of his speech to attacking Cruz for his hard-line positions, telling the audience he guarantees Republicans will lose the election with hard right immigration policies and opposing exceptions to abortion restrictions for cases of rape. “Not the speech you thought you were going to hear, right?” Graham said. “Not the speech I thought I was going to give.” Still, the vast majority of the conference will serve as a forum for the candidates to make their foreign policy pitches before the RJC, a group of influential conservative Jews looking for a candidate strong on Israel and for an active U.S. role in the Middle East. With the Paris terrorist attacks and crisis in Syria putting national security in sharp focus in the race, candidates’ performances may speak volumes about their viability with the Republican electorate. Cruz and Graham both still dedicated a significant portion of their speeches to supporting Israel, opposing Iran and fighting terrorism. Special attention Thursday was on GOP front-runner Trump and two senators rising in the polls: Rubio and Cruz. Trump led the new Quinnipiac University poll released Wednesday morning with 27%; Rubio and Cruz are at 17% and 16%, respectively, with Carson also at 16% as he continues to fall. RELATED: Donald Trump leads as Ben Carson fades Trump announced Wednesday night a planned trip to Israel, and spent most of his speech making jokes about his familiarity with the crowd. “I know everybody in this audience,” he joked at one point after recognizing an associate in the front row. But he also conceded that the room was not his chosen crowd, and got boos from the audience when he refused to take a position on whether Jerusalem should be recognized as the capital of Israel. “You’re not going to support me even though I’m going to be the best thing that ever happened to Israel,” Trump had said earlier. “And I know why you’re not going to support me, it’s because I don’t want your money.” In contrast, the Florida and Texas senators are both comfortable speaking about foreign policy and have historically pro-Israel stances, with Cruz making targeting evangelical voters a priority, especially as Carson has struggled of late, including on foreign policy issues. Both were clear audience favorites for their speeches Thursday morning. Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul was unable to make his speaking time at the forum due to votes in the Senate. All the other senators had morning speaking slots. The senators are also vying for support of Sheldon Adelson, the casino magnate expected to spend millions of dollars backing a pro-Israel presidential candidate. Adelson’s spokesman Andy Abboud said the billionaire will not be in attendance. The audience is larger than just those in the room, however. Gallup polls show that 83% of Republicans side with Israel over Palestinians, up steadily from 53% in 2001, and evangelical voters in particular favor a pro-Israel foreign policy. Thus far in the race, those themes have mostly played out as GOP candidates have railed against President Barack Obama and also his nuclear weapons deal with Iran. RELATED: Donald Trump: I’m going to Israel Each candidate gets 30 minutes, which includes opportunities for questions. Tevi Troy, president of the American Health Policy Institute and a former George W. Bush administration official, said he expects Trump will have to show knowledge and mastery of foreign policy in order to impress the well-informed audience. Cruz and Rubio will have to live up to expectations. Carson had a chance rehabilitate himself on the foreign policy front. The rest of the candidates will be looking to have a breakout performance that could send them back into the top tier. Jeb Bush, for instance, will come out strongly in support of Israel and highlight his long track record of supporting the Jewish state, said Former House Majority Leader Eric Cantor, a co-chairman of Bush’s campaign. Carly Fiorina has often referred to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as her “friend” on the trail. And New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie will seek to avoid a repeat of his speech last year to the group, in which he ruffled feathers by referring to “occupied territories,” as he continues to make the case that he is the most experienced candidate in the race on national security. Carson, however, failed to impress the crowd, and delivered an uncharacteristic written address. Carson said he would be reading his remarks in order to make sure he made all the points he wanted to, but the wooden speech that was heavy on Israeli history and statistics failed to strike a chord with the audience. He also several times throughout the speech failed to correctly pronounce Hamas, the Palestinian terror group that is one of Israel’s biggest adversaries. At one point, he described the Middle East as “really complicated.” “He missed a big opportunity,” said former White House press secretary and RJC board member Ari Fleischer. “He read a good speech but the way he came across, it just doesn’t work, you can’t read a big lengthy policy wonky speech like that – you have to make an emotional connection with the audience and he failed.” “He didn’t advance his goal of showing any foreign policy,” Fleischer added. As for Trump, Fleischer said he entertained the crowd, but didn’t impress. “Trump’s speech was wildly entertaining, it was enjoyable, but he  comes across as if he lacks knowledge and lacks substance and doesn’t know any of the nuance of the issues,” Fleischer said. “For a group that wants to hear his position on an undivided Jerusalem and the ’67 borders, he either didn’t have a position because he doesn’t know the issues or he made a mistake by not saying it.” The Paris attacks have put the spotlight again on ISIS and international terrorism, and that will be reflected at Thursday’s event. “There’s no question” that the Paris attacks have made the RJC forum even more important, said Cantor, who was the highest ranking Republican Jew before losing a GOP primary in 2014. “We are in the process of nominating and electing a commander in chief. The gravity of the threat that continues to present itself as far as Israel is concerned reflects the gravity of the threat to the free world.” For her part, Fiorina focused on the Bernadino shooting, and used remarks lifted from her stump speech to pitch to the group. “Hillary Clinton was tweeting about gun control while we learned that radicalized Islamic terrorists were building pipe bombs,” the former Hewlett-Packard CEO said, one of the final 2016ers to speak, adding later. “The murder the mayhem that we see unfolding in Paris in Beiruit, San Bernardino are a direct consequence of this administration’s polices. We cannot lead from behind.” Winning over the room will have more implications than amplifying a candidate’s image: It will have an impact on the money, as well. “The RJC is an excellent and skilled organization at bundling dollars in favor of preferred candidates,” Troy said. “This is going to be a chance for candidates to talk candidly in real terms about foreign policy after Paris, in the context of Syria, and I think as a whole Republican candidates are going to be able to contrast their understanding of threats facing the country in contrast to the last seven years.”


Saudi general says more than 1,200 airstrikes since campaign began March 26 Three Saudis were killed in attack on border position, source tells CNN More than 500 Houthi rebels have been killed since the start of Saudi-led military operations against Yemeni Shia fighters, a Saudi Defense Ministry official said Saturday, according to the state-run Saudi Press Agency. A Saudi general said Saturday the nine-nation coalition has undertaken 1,200 airstrikes since they began on March 26. Gen. Ahmed Asiri added that the raids aim to keep the rebels from moving toward southern Yemen,  according to the SPA. Clashes took place Friday near the Saudi-Yemeni border, in the Najran region. Saudi forces responded to mortar rounds fired by Houthis on a Saudi border site. Related video Iran calls Saudi airstrikes in Yemen criminal Three Saudi military officers were killed and two others were wounded in the shelling, a defense official said, according to SPA. A Saudi source also confirmed to CNN’s Nic Robertson that three Saudi soldiers were killed in the shelling. The Yemeni Health Ministry on Saturday said 385 civilians have been killed and 342 others have been wounded. The World Health Organization has put higher figure on both tolls – 648 killed and 2,191 wounded – but includes militant casualties in the totals. Yemen has been descending into chaos in the weeks since Houthi rebels – minority Shiites who have long complained of being marginalized in the majority Sunni country – forced Yemeni President Abdu Rabu Mansour Hadi from power in January. And even before the crisis escalated with the Saudi airstrikes, most of the 25 million people in Yemen required humanitarian assistance to meet their most basic needs, the United Nations said Friday. CNN’s Pierre Meilhan and Mohammed Tawfeeq contributed to this report.


The Trump administration is reviewing whether to keep the Iran deal Administration officials have slammed Iran for destabilizing activity President Donald Trump doubled down on the administration’s tough rhetoric on Iran Thursday, echoing his Cabinet officials as he declared Tehran isn’t abiding by the spirit of the nuclear deal. Iran is “not living up to the spirit of the agreement” that curbs its nuclear program in return for sanctions relief, Trump said at a White House news conference with Italian Prime Minister Paolo Gentiloni. “And they have to do that.” Trump said. “I think they are doing a tremendous disservice to an agreement that was signed,” Trump added. The President was following Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, who ratcheted up the rhetoric on Iran Wednesday, declaring the international deal to restrain Tehran’s nuclear program had failed and that Iran continues to be “the world’s leading sponsor of terrorism.” The nuclear deal forged by the Obama administration and allies “completely ignored all of the other serious threats that Iran poses,” Tillerson said from the department’s ornate Treaty Room. On Tuesday, Tillerson – required by law to report regularly to Congress on Tehran’s adherence to the deal – had affirmed that Iran is abiding to the pact curbing its nuclear program. On Wednesday, however, he detailed Iran’s “alarming and ongoing provocations that export terror and violence, destabilizing more than one country at a time,” and said that if Iran goes unchecked, it “has the potential to travel the same path as North Korea.” His statement was the latest in a drumbeat of warnings from the Trump administration that it is set to crack down on Iran and might reconsider the nuclear deal reached between the US, EU partners, Russia and China. But despite the rhetoric, diplomats and analysts say they don’t expect the administration to walk away from the deal, which aims to prevent Iran from gaining a nuclear weapon. Instead, they see the administration’s harsh words as both a warning to rogue regimes such as North Korea and an effort to create political cover for sticking with the deal after Trump’s campaign criticism of the pact as a “horrible deal.” They note that the US is making these moves in the lead up to a quarterly international meeting in Austria to review the deal. “We understand there is some tough talk for internal consumption and the US electorate,” one Western diplomat explained. “But we don’t foresee the US trying to reinterpret the agreement. At least that’s our understanding from the American side for now. We could be wrong.” Another Western diplomat called the administration comments “a politically acceptable way of sending the certification to Congress” that Iran is holding to the deal, describing it as “certification dressed up in rhetoric” of criticism toward Tehran. Related article When it comes to Iran, Trump and Obama aren't yet looking much different “The administration is doing an Iran review, but from what we hear the focus is more about what happens as parts of the deal expire, as opposed to actually opening the agreement up for renegotiation,” the second diplomat said. “None of the other countries would be up for that.” The diplomat said the intensified language is also a shot across the bow by the US to Iran to warn: “Just because North Korea is misbehaving, it doesn’t mean we aren’t still watching you.” But a senior administration official said the White House is serious about its reservations with the agreement, known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA). The immediate concern is the ways in which the financial relief provided by the deal’s rollback of sanctions is being used by Iran to destabilize the region. “The JCPOA was meant to provide economic relief to Iran in exchange for their suspending their nuclear program,” the official said. “It’s not clear we’ve achieved that result, and the economic relief they’ve received has been used on weapons systems and support for terrorism.” The decision the administration is considering “is if providing additional such relief will be in the national security interests of the United States,” the official said. Candidate Trump made criticism of the pact a centerpiece of his campaign, telling the American Israel Political Action Committee in March 2016 that “my number-one priority is to dismantle the disastrous deal with Iran.” He added, “let me tell you, this deal is catastrophic for America, for Israel and for the whole of the Middle East.” While Tillerson blasted the deal because it didn’t address Iran’s destabilizing activities in the region, analysts and diplomats said it was designed that way because more comprehensive negotiations that took in other issues would have tanked the deal. “The deal was limited by design,” said John Kirby, an Obama State Department spokesman and CNN military and diplomatic analyst. “There would have been no way to get a deal if we lumped in everything else we don’t like about Iran.” Like the diplomats, Kirby said the administration may be looking for political cover. “I think they felt he needed to come out and make this statement because (Tillerson) was forced by congressional reporting to admit Iran was in compliance” with the deal, Kirby said. Though Tillerson certified on Monday that Iran is sticking to the terms of the nuclear deal, he announced that the US would be reviewing whether the deal’s requirement to lift sanctions in exchange for Iran curbing its nuclear program is in US national interests. Reapplying sanctions would violate the terms of the deal orchestrated by former President Barack Obama alongside Russia, China and the EU. Proponents of the deal say that abandoning it would make other challenges in the Middle East even harder, emboldening Iranian hardliners and triggering Iran to restart its nuclear program, which could start a nuclear race in the region as other countries rushed to get their own bomb. Ahmad Majidyar, director of the Iran Observed Project at the Middle East Institute, said that “with a nuclear deterrent, Iran would most likely increase its support for groups in the region, which would definitely not improve regional or international security.” The administration official countered that “Iran’s program is ongoing, they continue to enrich uranium, and other regional powers are already considering their options. The hardliners are already emboldened. And our allies, notably Israel, are extremely upset at the moment about Iranian aggression in the region.” The official concluded, “I’m not sure that’s a compelling case to stay in the JCPOA and continue to provide the sanctions relief that is fueling Iran’s belligerent and dangerous behavior.” Administration officials said the US is looking at ways to more strictly enforce the terms of the nuclear deal and impose tougher sanctions related to Iran’s activities in the Middle East, which the US and its allies see as destabilizing. That includes Iran’s support for Houthi rebels in Yemen, its backing for Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and for Islamic militant groups like Hezbollah in Lebanon. But Majidyar argued that scrapping the deal wouldn’t help Washington. “It would more isolate the United States than it would isolate Iran,” he said, noting that other world powers are party to the deal. “What I see is a more strict (US) interpretation of the deal and that interpretation will be different than Iran’s interpretation.” Those parties have been talking for some time to the UN watchdog International Atomic Energy Agency about clarifying various aspects of the deal that were ambiguous to ensure stricter implementation, the first diplomat said. Administration officials have made clear in recent days that they are very focused on Iran. White House press secretary described the attention as a sign that Trump believes there are problems with the deal. “If he thought everything was fine, he would have allowed this to move forward,” Spicer said. In the Middle East, Defense Secretary James Mattis on Wednesday told reporters who asked about Iran’s role in Yemen and elsewhere that, “Everywhere you look, if there’s trouble in the region, you find Iran.” “Right now, what we’re seeing is the nations in the region and others elsewhere trying to checkmate Iran and the amount of disruption and the amount of instability they can cause,” he said after a meeting with officials in Saudi Arabia, Tehran’s Sunni rival. And last week, CIA Director Mike Pompeo told an audience at the Center for Strategic and International Studies that “we’re actively engaged in a lot of work to assist the President in making sure he has an understanding on where the Iranians are compliant and whether they might not be.” Since the pact was signed, Pompeo said, “The list of Iranian transgressions has increased dramatically.” CNN’s Laura Koran and Kevin Liptak contributed to this report.


The woman woke up in an unfamiliar location and realized she'd been raped Police held her in custody after she reported it A Norwegian woman was jailed in 2013 in the UAE in a similar case A Dutch woman who reported being raped while on holiday in Qatar has been jailed since mid-March and could face charges of adultery, according to her lawyer. The 22-year-old woman, whom CNN has identified only as Laura, was at a hotel bar having drinks with a friend, but then had a drink that made her feel “very unwell,” according to Brian Lokollo, a lawyer who was hired by the woman’s family. She reportedly woke up in an unfamiliar location and realized “to her great horror” that she had been raped after her drink was spiked, Lokollo said. When she reported the rape to the police, she herself was imprisoned. “I don’t know what the charges are. To my knowledge she is being held in custody because she reported that she was raped,” Lokollo told CNN Sunday. According to Lokollo, she is due to appear before a judge in the Qatari capital Monday where the official charges will be heard for the first time. Rape: Why is it so hard for countries to combat? The Dutch government and its embassy in Doha are in close contact with the defendant and her family in the Netherlands, according to a statement from the embassy. “We have provided assistance to her since the first day of detention. For the sake of the defendant’s case we will not make further comments at this point,” the statement added. The Qatari authorities could not immediately be reached for comment. “Adultery,” or “fornication outside of marriage,” is a crime in Qatar as well as other countries in the conservative Muslim Gulf regardless of the marital status of those involved. According to Qatar’s Penal Code 2004 (Law No. 11), “anyone who copulates with a female above sixteen without compulsion, duress or ruse is convicted to no more than seven years in prison. The same penalty is also imposed on the female for her consent.” In the nearby United Arab Emirates in 2013, a Norwegian woman who reported being raped by a colleague was sentenced to 16 months in jail, charged for having unlawful sex, making a false statement and the illegal consumption of alcohol. Marte Deborah Dalelv was later pardoned by Dubai’s ruler.


Rep. Devin Nunes step aside from leading the House intelligence investigation last month "I don't talk about intelligence," the California Republican said Thursday The former head of the House Russia investigation, Rep. Devin Nunes, is continuing to review intelligence relating to Russia, a move that has Democrats grumbling that he has violated the spirit of his recusal. Nunes, a California Republican, took a trip to the CIA this week to review Russia intelligence, according to House intelligence committee sources. As word of Nunes trip trickled out among lawmakers this week, it angered Democrats who thought that they had moved past the chaos spurred by Nunes’ coordination with the White House. Rep. Mike Quigley, an Illinois Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee, shrugged when asked if he was concerned that Nunes had not completely removed himself from the House Russia investigation. “He recused himself, so he can set those limits,” Quigley said. RELATED: House intel chairman stepping aside from House Russia investigation Nunes’ clandestine trip two months ago to the White House to review intelligence obtained by White House staff started a three-week stretch of chaos inside the House that almost derailed its Russia investigation. House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi and Rep. Adam Schiff, the top Democrat on the investigation, both called for Nunes to recuse himself from the investigation, accusing him of coordinating with President Donald Trump to sabotage the House inquiry. At the end of three weeks, Nunes announced he would step aside from the House Russia investigation, as he became the subject of a House Ethics probe into whether he revealed classified intelligence. “I don’t talk about intelligence,” Nunes said Thursday, when asked why he was still reviewing Russian intelligence. When Nunes stepped aside from the House Russia probe, he noted that a trio of Republican representatives would be taking his place – but he never said he would withdraw from the Russia investigation completely. “I believe it is in the best interests of the House Intelligence Committee and the Congress for me to have Rep. Mike Conaway, with assistance from Reps. Trey Gowdy and Tom Rooney, temporarily take charge of the committee’s Russia investigation while the House Ethics Committee looks into this matter. I will continue to fulfill all my other responsibilities as committee chairman,” Nunes said in a statement on April 6. RELATED: Meet the man taking over the House Russia probe Since then, Nunes has attended briefings and has retained his spot on the “Gang of Eight” – a select group including the top Republicans and Democrats in the House and Senate and on the intelligence committees. Nunes’ perch on the “Gang of Eight” has given him greater access to intelligence than every other House Russia investigator except Schiff, who is also on the “Gang of Eight.” Schiff declined comment for this article. A senior House Republican aide noted that Nunes is still the chairman of the House intelligence committee and has duties, which still require him to review classified intelligence. The aide added that House Speaker Paul Ryan is not setting the terms of Nunes’ recusal from the leadership of the investigation. The senior Republican aide later said that Nunes never technically recused himself, because he only said he would ask the other Republicans to “temporarily take charge” of the House Russia investigation. Since Nunes’ limited recusal, investigators have worked hard to reset the House investigation – with Schiff and Conaway agreeing on a pair of hearings and Democrats curtailing some of their public criticism of the House probe. A spokeswoman for Conaway did not immediately return a request for comment for this article.


Soldiers who seized state broadcaster were from presidential unit, PM says July 15 attempted coup left hundreds dead Turkey is disbanding its elite presidential guard unit following an attempted coup that left hundreds dead this month, the Prime Minister said. Some of the soldiers who seized state broadcaster TRT  during the attempted coup came from the presidential guard unit, Prime Minister Binali Yildirim told Anadolu state news agency. “We decided that there won’t be a guards unit in this compound anymore,”  he said. Since the attempted coup on July 15, Turkey has cracked down on various agencies and individuals suspected of having ties to it, including journalists, judges and professors. Related video Turkish parliament approves state of emergency The roundup of suspected coup plotters is not the only government response to the uprising. Under a new presidential decree following the attempted coup, suspects can be detained for as long as 30 days without charge and the government can listen in on all conversations they have with their lawyers. A three-month state of emergency declaration issued Thursday grants President Recep Tayyip Erdogan new powers to implement the detention measures. It is expected to be ratified by parliament, where his party holds the majority. Before the coup attempt, Turkey’s detention period without charges was 24 hours, extendable to as long as four days. How people in Turkey feel about the failed coup Related video Who is Recep Tayyip Erdogan? Turkey has shut down more than 2,000 institutions linked to the cleric Fethullah Gulen – the president’s longtime rival, who has been in self-imposed exile in Pennsylvania since 1999. Erdogan accuses him of being behind the coup attempt and has requested his extradition from the United States. Gulen and his supporters have said the government is using the state of emergency “to solidify his power and persecute his critics.” Turkish authorities detained Gulen’s top aide Saturday, according to a source from the President’s office. Halis Hanci, who was taken into custody in northern Turkey, entered the country two days before the military coup attempt, the source said. Gulen’s nephew, Muhammet Sait Gulen, was also detained, Anadolu reported. Obama: U.S. was not involved in Turkish coup attempt Turkey fired or suspended 50,000 people from the country’s institutions and security forces last week. They include judges, teachers, police and journalists. More than 9,000 soldiers have been arrested since the coup, but 1,200 were released Saturday, the government said. Related video Erdogan's popularity a week after the failed coup Turkey’s secular Republican People’s Party has planned a rally for Sunday. The party opposed the coup attempt and supported Erdogan, but it voted against his state of emergency declaration. The secularists have said their denouncement of the coup does not mean they agree with the government measures enacted afterward. The rally marks a rare show of solidarity for a country that has failed to stand together in the aftermath of several terrorist attacks this year. The government’s response to the rally will also widely be seen as a test of its commitment to democratic freedoms. CNN’s Susanna Capelouto and Gul Tuysuz contributed to this report.