Ahmad Khan Rahami was born in Afghanistan and became a naturalized US citizen He made several trips to Afghanistan and Pakistan in recent years The man suspected of planting bombs in New York and New Jersey is a naturalized US citizen – but has made several trips overseas. As authorities investigate whether Ahmad Khan Rahami had any help or was inspired by foreign terror groups, those travels have become a focal point of the investigation. Here’s a look at Rahami’s travel history, according to law enforcement officials: 1995: Move to the United States Rahami, who was born in Afghanistan, comes to the United States at about age 7. His father arrived a few years earlier, seeking asylum. 2003: First US passport Rahami receives his first US passport as a teenager. He gets another one in 2007 after he said he lost his first one. 2011: US citizenship Rahami becomes a naturalized US citizen at about age 23. 2011: Visit to Kandahar, Afghanistan It was not immediately clear what Rahani did during his visit to Kandahar, or how long he spent there. 2011: Visit to Quetta, Pakistan Rahani married a Pakistani woman in July 2011. 2011: Return to the United States Upon returning from Pakistan in 2011, Rahami had to go through secondary screening because he visited Quetta, an area known for its Taliban presence. At that time, he told immigration officials he was visiting family and attending his uncle’s wedding and renewing his Pakistani visa. 2013 to 2014: Visit to Pakistan and Afghanistan In April 2013, Rahami returned to Pakistan and stayed there until March 2014. During that time, he traveled by car to Afghanistan, but it was not immediately clear why. 2014: Return to the United States When Rahami returned to the United States, he was again taken into secondary questioning. He told officials he was visiting his wife, uncles and aunts. A law enforcement official said each time he was taken to secondary screening, he satisfied whatever concerns immigration officials had. After the interview, U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers entered the information Rahami provided into a shared law enforcement agency database, a US law enforcement official told CNN. They included the information in a bulletin sent to other agencies about a “batch” of people who traveled to high-risk areas, another “common” practice, the official said. As a naturalized US citizen, Rahami had certain rights and as a result could not be held longer unless there was good reason. If Rahami had raised red flags during the actual interview, FBI investigators would have been brought him in for further questioning or spoken with him more at the airport, the official said. CNN’s Elise Labott, Shimon Prokupecz, Evan Perez, Jim Sciutto, Samantha Reyes and Nick Paton Walsh contributed to this report.


US and Russia to cooperate on fight against al Nusra front Proposal had been met with skepticism in the Pentagon Secretary of State John Kerry said Friday that the U.S. and Russia had agreed to cooperate in Syria against the al Nusra Front, al Qaeda’s Syrian branch, in an effort to “restore the cessation of hostilities, significantly reduce the violence and help create the space for a genuine and credible political transition” in Syria. But Kerry, appearing alongside Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov in Moscow, declined to provide details of the cooperation, saying “the concrete steps that we have agreed on are not going to be laid out in public in some long list because we want them to work.” Proposals to deepen military cooperation with Russia in Syria have sparked a rift at the highest levels of the Obama administration, with the Pentagon openly challenging the idea that Russia could be trusted to uphold its end of the bargain. US, Russia talk Syria coordination despite Pentagon concerns Kerry seemed to address this skepticism in his Friday remarks. “I want to emphasize, though, they are not based on trust,” Kerry said, referring to the key parts of the agreement. “They define specific, sequential responsibilities all parties to the conflict must assume with the intent of stopping all together the indiscriminate bombing of the Assad regime and stepping up our efforts against al Nusra.” Both the U.S. and Russia have aircraft that conduct operations over Syria, and a draft of the proposed agreement, a copy of which was obtained by CNN, would allow for targeting and carrying out joint air strikes against ISIS and al-Nusra, the al Qaeda branch in Syria. The agreement does not necessarily pertain to ISIS, with the draft saying that each country would reserve the right to strike ISIS independently. The draft also said that the air force of the Syrian regime would largely be grounded as part of the agreement. “The secretary of defense has been clear that he has been skeptical of Russia’s activities in Syria and we have reason for that. There’s plenty of reasons for that skepticism,” Pentagon Press Secretary Peter Cook told reporters Thursday. “And I think he maintains that skepticism.” The Pentagon seemed to be offering a strong signal that despite the agreement, the Defense Department wants to see guarantees Moscow will live up to its part of the bargain. “If Russia can behave in a more positive fashion, then we would be open to that conversation,” Cook said. CNN’s Barbara Starr and Elise Labott contributed to this report.

US-Russia cooperation on fight against al Nusra Front


President Donald Trump’s unexpected announcement on Thursday that the US would “be coming out of Syria like very soon” is raising concerns among some national security officials who warn that withdrawing now would not only undermine American credibility in the region but prompt a significant escalation to an already devastating conflict. While Trump has often touted the gains made against ISIS since taking office, his latest comments caught much of his own administration off-guard – including defense officials who have warned that now is not the time to withdraw from Syria. “We’re knocking the hell out of ISIS. We’ll be coming out of Syria like very soon,” Trump told supporters outside of Cleveland during a speech that was meant to focus on infrastructure.” Let the other people take care of it now.” Related article Trump promise to get out of Syria 'very soon' could be a win for Russia Several US defense officials have told CNN that the Pentagon has not heard any additional details from the White House since the President’s remarks – adding that the policy hasn’t changed and that they are continuing to focus on their fight against ISIS. One official said the assumption is the President has had a number of briefings saying ISIS is about to be defeated and that many assume Trump was just rhetorically taking it to the next step. A National Security Council meeting is set for Tuesday to discuss the administration’s plan for battling ISIS in Syria, a senior administration official confirmed Saturday. Any decision by Trump to pull out of Syria would also go against the current military assessment, a fact that left some national security officials concerned about the impact of a withdrawal, another senior administration official told CNN. The US maintains about 2,000 US troops in Syria, and primarily backs the Syrian Democratic Forces in the fight against ISIS, a group that is about 50% Arab and 50% Kurdish; however, much of the group’s leadership is Kurdish. The President’s apparent desire to exit Syria as soon as possible is likely to raise concerns among US backed groups in the region, particularly the SDF, and could embolden the forces of the Syrian regime, Iran and Turkey, all of which have mostly resisted attacking US allies in Syria due to concerns about US retaliation. Related article Trump says US will withdraw from Syria 'very soon' “A lot of what keeps SDF in the field is the other forces can’t touch them,” according to David Adesnik, the director of research at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies. “Without US support how well will they perform and if they find themselves in a weak position will they cut a deal with regime?” Recently, the presence of US Forces deterred Russian mercenaries and regime forces from attempting to seize oil fields and other territory controlled by the SDF but without the presence of American troops there is nothing stopping those same forces from attacking again. A similar dynamic exists in Manbij and At Tanf, where US Forces have deterred Turkish and regime forces from any large scale attacks. The US is also helping SDF forces secure Syria’s border with Iraq as ISIS still maintains a presence in the area but that job becomes much more difficult without American assistance. If the US were to withdraw, the de facto spheres of influence that have spared eastern Syria the same kind of fighting and bloodshed that the civil war has brought to the west would likely collapse, inviting a major escalation in the conflict. That chaos could be exploited by ISIS which has already benefited from Turkey’s actions in northern Syria. Earlier this month, the US warned that ISIS has begun reconstituting in some areas of Syria because a Turkish military offensive against a northern city has pulled the US’ Kurdish allies away from the fight against the terrorist group. Related article US and British troops killed in Syria blast “We are very concerned about the effect fighting there has had on our defeat ISIS efforts and would like to see an end to the hostilities before ISIS has the opportunity to regroup in eastern Syria,” said Pentagon spokesman US Army Col. Rob Manning, discussing the Turkish offensive against Afrin. The State Department went a step farther, saying that ISIS has already begun to rebuild in places. “The fighting in western Syria over the last two months, including in Afrin, has distracted from the defeat ISIS campaign and provided opportunity for ISIS to begin reconstituting in some areas,” State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert said last week. US officials have been warning for weeks that the Turkish military campaign against Kurdish forces in Afrin, launched January 20, could undermine the fight against ISIS, as Kurdish fighters helping the US battle the terrorist group began leaving to help their compatriots there. But the Turks see the US’ Kurdish allies as terrorists and have strongly pushed back against US claims that their involvement has a negative impact on the campaign against ISIS. Related article Exclusive: On board the 'Doomsday' plane that can wage nuclear war “The claim that the operation conducted against terrorists in Afrin would endanger the combat against DAESH is completely groundless,” said a statement from the Turkish Foreign Ministry last week, using the Arabic name for ISIS. “The approach that actually undermines the combat against terrorism in Syria is the use of one terrorist organization against another.” In a January speech laying out the Trump administration’s policy on Syria, then Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said the US would remain in Syria until the group is routed. “The United States will maintain a military presence in Syria focused on ensuring ISIS cannot re-emerge,” Tillerson said at Stanford University. “The fight against ISIS is not over.” The involvement of both US and Russian forces in Syria has complicated the conflict, leaving the countries conduct a delicate dance in order to avoid directly attacking one another. That hasn’t always worked, though. Several Russians hired as paramilitary contractors to fight with pro-Assad forces were killed by US air strikes in February, according to friends and family of those killed. The US and Russia have maintained “deconfliction” communications channels to avoid direct combat, but the lines do not prevent all conflicts. A US withdrawal would create a vacuum in the area, similar to what happened after soldiers left Iraq, and most foreign policy experts agree that void would likely be filled by Russia. Related article US punishes Russia but Trump hedges bets on Putin Angela Stent, director of the Center for Eurasian, Russian and East European Studies at Georgetown University, told CNN on Friday that “if the US were to withdraw, it seems to me the Russians would have a free hand” in Syria and the forces “fighting Assad would be weakened.” “I do wonder if that is something the President thought about when he made that announcement,” Stent said, noting that any departure would elevate Russia’s status to make it “the main power broker in that area.” Additionally, Stent said, a US withdrawal would help Iran, a country whose forces are fighting alongside Russians in Syria. If the US were to leave its base located at the At Tanf garrison in southeastern Syria, Iran would be able to secure its overland route from Damascus to Tehran, further securing its regional influence. Given Trump has routinely advocated for tougher policies on Iran, the US would be “cutting off our nose to spite our face” by withdrawing from Syria, Adesnik said. Along with Russia, Iran and the Syrian regime could also benefit from the economic advantages of seizing oilfields currently controlled by US-backed allies. The regime lost roughly 90% of its oil production when the civil war began, according to Adesnik. CNN’s Barbara Starr, Nicole Gaouette, Dan Merica and Jim Acosta contributed reporting.


Australian PM says his government wants answers into 'shocking' event Mourners in her hometown pay tribute to much-loved woman in beach-side dawn ceremony Australia’s prime minister has demanded answers to the “inexplicable” killing of an Australian-American woman shot by police in Minneapolis. “This is a shocking killing. It is inexplicable,” Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull told Australian Channel 9’s “Today” program Wednesday, in his first public comments since Justine Ruszczyk’s death on Saturday. “I mean, how can a woman out in the street in her pyjamas seeking assistance from the police be shot like that?” he said. “We are demanding answers, something clearly went tragically wrong.” Ruszczyk had called 911 to report a possible sexual assault near her home, her fiancé, Don Damond, said Monday. Two police officers responded, and one of them, Mohamed Noor, shot her in the abdomen, killing her, according to police and an autopsy report. Police have not explained how the shooting happened, leaving friends, family – and now the Australian government – demanding answers. Australian friends and family gathered on a beach near Ruszczyk’s childhood home to honor the 40-year-old yoga teacher and spiritual healer in a silent vigil at dawn on Wednesday. Around 200 friends and family gathered on Freshwater Beach in the northern Sydney suburbs as the sun rose, holding candles in silent memory of the Sydney native, according to CNN affiliate Seven News. At 7 a.m. local time (5 p.m. ET), mourners silently laid her favorite pink flowers into the swell in a low key ceremony led by her father, John Ruszczyk, Australian media reported. Members of community where she grew up, including former school friends, ex-colleagues and their families, attended the vigil. The community is still coming to terms with her unexpected death on the other side of the world. In a press conference held by Minneapolis Mayor Betsy Hodges, several Australian journalists probed officials about the experience and training of the officers involved, as well as deeper questions about the country’s gun and law enforcement cultures. Mayor: I wish officer would speakWho is police officer who fired shot?Australian PM demands answersWhat we know and don’t know Woman killed was to marry next month Mayor: I wish officer would speakWho is police officer who fired shot?Australian PM demands answersWhat we know and don’t know Woman killed was to marry next month Seven News reporter Ashlee Mullany demanded to know why Ruszczyk’s family in Australia was being kept in the dark as to the progress of the investigation. Hodges said that the victim’s father and brother would be informed when the independent body investigating the shooting had any information that it was able to release. Another reporter asked why two relatively inexperienced officers were responding to the call, and questioned the effectiveness of their training. “Why do you have a law and order culture in this city where you have two rookie youngsters arrive in a patrol car late at night, with guns they don’t seem to know how to use?” asked Paul McGeough, chief foreign correspondent of the Sydney Morning Herald, one of the country’s largest-circulation dailies and the hometown paper of Ruszczyk before she moved to the US. Hodges admitted that the question spoke to the wider culture of policing in the US. “We are in a country where people have guns but… these were two fully trained police officers,” she said. “What I can say is that, even before we had an officer-involved shooting a couple of years ago, even before that, we as a city were doing everything we could to put a foundation of 21st century policing in place.” In his televised interview, Turnbull said that Australian Consul-General Michael Wood, based in Chicago, is demanding answers of the Minneapolis city government. “We are providing all the support we can, but this is… it seems inexplicable, but note, there will be some answers given in due course. “At this point, it is a tragic loss, this young Australian woman and again, our hearts go out to her family with sorrow and with condolence and with love.”


Luciana Vega is an 11-year-old Chilean-American who dreams of being the first person to walk on Mars The doll, accessories and books launched January 1 There’s a new role model encouraging girls to reach for the stars. Luciana Vega is an 11-year-old Chilean-American girl who dreams of being the first person to walk on Mars. And she’s American Girl’s 2018 Girl of the Year. Though American Girl is known for its original line of historical dolls, books and accessories, Luciana isn’t a historical figure. Her story was created with modern girls between ages 6 and 12 in mind – or, as NASA likes to call them, the “Mars Generation.” Luciana is the first American Girl character created to encourage an interest for science, technology, engineering and math, or STEM. The doll and the first two books in her series debuted on New Year’s Day. A third book will follow this year. Her doll can be accessorized with flight and space suits, as well as a Mars habitat and maker station. A purple streak in her hair hints at her colorful creative side. In the first book, Luciana goes to Space Camp, where she works on a robotics project and learns how to pilot a spacecraft and conduct experiments on the International Space Station in a simulated environment. American Girl worked with an advisory board that included astronaut Megan McArthur Behnken, former NASA chief scientist Ellen Stofan, US Space and Rocket Center CEO and Executive Director Deborah Barnhart and NASA’s manager of strategic alliances, Maureen O’Brien. “We wanted to make sure we were getting it right, but we also wanted to bring attention to the fact that there are some really amazing women in this field,” said Julie Parks, director of public relations at American Girl. “This is something that could happen for you. It’s no secret that females are underrepresented in this area. We need strong innovators and a wide range of thinkers.” Related article Teenage girls to launch Africa's first private space satellite The women reviewed Luciana’s stories for accuracy and authenticity, and weighed in with their own personal experiences in field. Though the stories show that Luciana can succeed when she perseveres, they also show the reality of failure. “We have an award at NASA called Fail Smart,” Stofan said. “If you do everything so carefully that you never fail, you never achieve great things. If you look at the history of NASA, every time we made a mistake, we haven’t given up. “I think a lot of girls are sometimes intimidated by STEM careers because they think they have to be perfect in math or the top of their class. But what you really need to have is determination, the spirit to pick yourself up when you make a mistake and keep going. I really think it’s that determination, that will, the ability to come back from failure, that are the most important characteristics. I hope that girls who read these books are inspired by these tales of failure but persistence.” The author and advisory board also thought it was important for Luciana to have a supportive family. Stofan’s own experience with that encouraged her career in planetary geology. “For families reading these books out loud to their daughters, I hope they see that too,” Stofan said. “Girls need to be encouraged and told, ‘you can achieve these things.’ “ Related article Lego's 'Women of NASA' sale lifts off, lands as best-selling toy Stofan said it’s also important to establish for girls that women have been making huge contributions to the STEM fields for a long time. She’s frustrated by the fact that the idea that “girls don’t do science or math” still persists. The popularity of the book “Hidden Figures” and the movie based on it, as well as toys like the “Women of NASA” Lego set, are a step in the right direction, she said. But after visiting classrooms around the world for years to speak with kids about space and science, Stofan wants to see more visibility. She noted that the classrooms are papered with posters of men who have made achievements in their fields but not women like mathematician Ada Lovelace, NASA mission mathematician Katherine Johnson or cultural anthropologist Margaret Mead. Images like those classroom posters matter, Stofan said. Growing up, she saw photos of Marie Curie and Mary Leakey. For a long time, she thought women could only be chemists, biologists or archaeologists, like in the images she saw. And images of diversity are even more important. “Diversity is something we really need in the sciences, and we’ve really not done a good job at,” Stofan said. “Letting girls of color around the world know they can be astronauts or achieve other great things if they try, that was important to all of us. We’re pleased that American Girl decided to make her of Latina descent. My biggest fear is that young girls of color will think, ‘people who look like me don’t do that.’ There are role models out there, like (veteran astronaut and first Hispanic director of Johnson Space Center) Ellen Ochoa and the first African-American woman to travel in space, Mae Jemison.” Related article They did the math: How NASA's black mathematicians multiplied success Girls who discover Luciana and her stories could go on not only to be one of the first people on Mars but to design the spacecraft that takes astronauts there or to solve the problem of how to keep astronauts well supplied on a long-term spaceflight mission, Stofan said. Stofan has talked to enough classrooms full of kids excited about Mars to know that the idea of landing on the Red Planet could have an effect similar to the “Apollo Effect” that those missions had for children in the 1960s. And although Luciana’s character is focused on the main prize of becoming an astronaut and taking the necessary steps to achieve that, like attending Space Camp, her stories aren’t just about STEM. See the latest news and share your comments with CNN Health on Facebook and Twitter. Luciana goes after her goals. She wants to be a good role model and big sister for the baby her parents are adopting from Chile. She strives to be a good friend and leader. And she tries to learn from her mistakes and move on. “We can show girls that creative thinking, collaboration, teamwork and being a decent friend and a kind person, these are things that are more important in their world than ever as we are more divided,” Parks said. “Luciana can bring visibility and valuable lessons to girls at a time in their lives when they are learning about their infinite potential and their opportunities to change the world.”

American Girl's Luciana Vega doll and associated STEM encouragement initiative


Rick Perry said the Gold Star family who addressed the DNC shouldn't get a "free ride" from criticism Donald Trump was slammed over his response to Khizr Khan's impassioned speech Former Texas Gov. Rick Perry said Tuesday that the Gold Star father involved in a war of words with Donald Trump shouldn’t get a “free ride” from public criticism. Perry said Khizr and Ghazala Khan should have known that the Republican Party’s presidential nominee would respond to their Democratic National Convention address. “Mr. Khan is the one that went out and struck the first blow, and in a campaign, if you’re going to go out and think that you can take a shot at somebody and not have incoming coming back at you, shame on you,” Perry, a Trump supporter, told CNN’s Jake Tapper on “The Lead.” Perry added: “Because he had a son that was lost in this war against terror, I mean that gives him a free ride to say whatever he would like against a candidate that he’s not for? That’s not proper, that’s not correct.” The Khans’ son, a Muslim-American U.S. Army solider, was killed in Iraq in 2004. In a fiery speech at the DNC last month, Khizr Khan accused Trump of not understanding their sacrifice, an attack the real estate mogul later called “vicious.” But Perry said Democrats had used the Khan family to score political points as both campaigns pivoted toward the general election. “We love our veterans, we love our Gold Star families, but the fact of the matter is Mr. Khan politically used his time on that stage to go after Donald Trump,” Perry said. “Why in the world he thought that he was going to get a free ride with that is beyond me.”


Sen. Tammy Duckworth is one of only 10 women who have given birth while in Congress Duckworth is a retired Army lieutenant colonel who was a helicopter pilot in the Iraq War Sen. Tammy Duckworth will make history when she becomes the first sitting senator in history to give birth later this year, her office said Tuesday. The Illinois Democrat announced she is expecting her second child in the spring. “Bryan and I are thrilled that our family is getting a little bit bigger, and Abigail is ecstatic to welcome her baby sister home this spring,” she said in a statement. “As tough as juggling the demands of motherhood and being a Senator can be, I’m hardly alone or unique as a working parent, and Abigail has only made me more committed to doing my job and standing up for hardworking families everywhere.” She is one of only 10 women who have given birth while serving in Congress. Her office told CNN she is due in late April. Related article How senators voted to end the government shutdown The Chicago Sun-Times first reported the news of Duckworth’s pregnancy. Duckworth is a retired Army lieutenant colonel who was a helicopter pilot in the Iraq War. She was the first female double amputee from the war after suffering severe combat wounds when her Black Hawk helicopter was shot down. After retiring from the Army, she was elected to Congress in 2013. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin congratulated Duckworth in a statement, calling her “one of the most extraordinary people I would ever meet.” “When she told me several weeks ago that she and Bryan were expecting a new baby to join their little Abigail, I was speechless,” Durbin, also of Illinois, said in a statement. “I couldn’t be happier for her.” She made news Saturday for slamming President Donald Trump as a “five-deferment draft dodger” during her remarks on the Senate floor during the shutdown. “I spent my entire adult life looking out for the well-being, the training, the equipping of the troops for whom I was responsible. I will not be lectured about what our military needs by a five-deferment draft dodger,” Duckworth said at the time. CNN’s Caroline Kenny and Zachary Cohen contributed to this report.


A U.S.-flagged ship was recently intercepted by an Iran Revolutionary Guard naval patrol, the U.S. Navy revealed to CNN Tuesday. The incident occurred on Friday when four Iranian naval vessels surrounded the U.S.-flagged Maersk Kensington in the Strait of Hormuz. The episode came ahead of an encounter Tuesday in which Iran Revolutionary Guard patrol boats fired shots at a commercial cargo ship and then intercepted the vessel, the Marshall Islands-flagged M/V Maersk Tigris, which was also crossing the Strait of Hormuz. A senior U.S. military official told CNN that “the Iranians encircled the Kensington and followed the ship on its course for a period of time before withdrawing and breaking away.” After that, the U.S. Navy Fifth Fleet issued a notice to mariners about the incident. READ: Obama administration sends mixed messages on Iranian ships The crew of the Maersk Tigris container ship is “safe and under the circumstances in good spirits,” Danish shipping company Maersk said Wednesday in an emailed statement to CNN. The Pentagon estimates that about 30 individuals are on board. On Tuesday night, the cargo ship was being escorted toward Bandar Abbas on the coast of Iran by Iranian patrol boats, but it has not reached the shore. It’s currently about 9 miles due south of the port. Maersk said they are still unable to “establish or confirm the reason” for the seizure, and remain in close dialogue with the Danish Foreign Ministry. Referring to Tuesday’s incident, Pentagon spokesman Col. Steve Warren said it was “inappropriate” for the Iranians to fire the warning shots. The U.S. Navy has dispatched one maritime patrol and reconnaissance aircraft to observe and monitor the situation, Warren told reporters. Despite reports in some media, there are no Americans on board, according to a U.S. official. Related video The most lethal arsenal ever put to sea At this point, no U.S. military action is expected on the ship that was seized Tuesday aside from monitoring the situation. The U.S. believes that Iranians will “send the ship on its way,” the senior official said. State Department spokesman Jeff Rathke noted Tuesday afternoon that he U.S. has a security compact with the Marshall Islands on defense issues. But he added that there hasn’t been a specific request for assistance from the Marshall Islands and said it was premature to say whether this could require the use of force. He did state, however, that “it’s a key concern of the United States to ensure that sea lanes in the region remain open and safe.” In Tuesday’s incident, the Marshall Islands-flagged vessel was transiting the Strait into the Persian Gulf on an internationally recognized maritime route when the Iranian military contacted the vessel and directed the ship master to “divert further into Iranian waters,” according to Warren. “The master was contacted and directed to proceed further into Iranian territorial waters. He declined and one of the IRGCN craft fired shots across the bridge of the Maersk Tigris,” said Warren, referring to the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps Navy. “The master complied with the Iranian demand and proceeded into Iranian waters in the vicinity of Larak Island.” After the shots were fired, the Tigris issued a distress call that was picked up by U.S. forces in the area, and the USS Farragut was ordered to head towards the incident. The closest U.S. warship was 60 miles away. READ: U.S. aircraft carrier enters Persian Gulf as Iranian convoy moves “We have been in communication with U.S. shipping industry representatives with regards to how their vessels should respond to threatening encounters with foreign naval forces and how to contact us, ” the U.S. official said, declining to provide the specific advice being given. In the incident Friday, no shots were fired. The senior official pointed out that that historically, Iran Revolutionary Guard naval forces have been more likely to be engaged in hostile contact with the shipping and military vessels in the region than the regular Iranian navy. Contact with regular Iranian naval forces is frequent and “professional,” the official said. Even though the Strait of Hormuz is in Iranian territorial waters, “innocent passage” is applied – ships are authorized to pass through the body of water assuming they abide by all the rules of the sea  – because it is an internationally recognized shipping lane. Warren said it was “to be determined” what the USS Farragut will do when it reached the vicinity of the incident. The M/V Maersk Tigris was seized at the request of Iran’s Ports and Maritime Organization, Iran’s semi-official news agency FARS is reporting, citing informed sources. The Marshall Islands-flagged vessel was seized after a relevant court order was issued, according to the source, indicating that the IPMO had monetary differences with the ship owner. Maersk LInes issued a statement Tuesday that the company’s “paramount concern is the safety and well-being of the crew.” CNN’s Laura Koran in Washington, Mohammed Tawfeeq in Atlanta and Fred Pleitgen in Berlin contributed reporting.


There must be something in the dim sum. For the ninth year in a row, Hong Kong has held on to its crown as the planet’s most visited city. Revealing the results of its 2017 Top 100 City Destinations survey, market researcher Euromonitor International says the Asian territory pulled in 26 million visitors in the previous year – a number predicted to swell to 44 million by 2025. In second place, with an impressive 21.25 million visitors in 2016 and annual growth of close to 10%, is Bangkok. Its big-city rival London has been pushed firmly into third place, with 19.2 million visitors in 2016 and 19.8 million expected in 2017. The ranking is based on Euromonitor International’s research in 100 countries and is based on the number of international arrivals that spend 24 hours or more in a city. “Asian cities are dominating the Top 100 City Destinations, with 41 cities in 2017 and this is likely to reach 47 by 2025,” Wouter Geerts, senior travel analyst at Euromonitor and the report’s lead author, told the World Travel Market, an industry event in London where the report was released. China remains the kingmaker when it comes to the rankings, with Hong Kong owing much of its success to its strategic position and relationship with the mainland. Hong Kong saw a growth dip in 2017 as relations with mainland China became strained, but Euromonitor predicts this will be short-lived. Seoul, meanwhile, saw a decline of nearly 15% in 2017 – with 7.66 million visitors expected – which Euromonitor attributes to tensions between South Korea and China. The importance of cities for tourism has been growing steadily for years. A total of 1.2 billion trips were taken worldwide last year, with visits to the top 100 cities accounting for almost half, at 46%. More than half of all international visitors coming to the UK visit London, with the UK’s second most-visited city – Edinburgh – attracting less than 10% of London’s arrivals. The Scottish capital doesn’t even scratch the top 100. The performance of European cities has been heavily affected by terrorism, with Brussels, Paris, Nice and Istanbul all registering impacted performances. Heraklion, the capital of relatively stable Crete, is 2017’s biggest European winner, registering 11.2% growth and moving three places up the rankings to 66. However, Euromonitor International’s head of travel and tourism research, Caroline Bremner, says terrorism is an issue that no major city can claim immunity from. “You have to accept that terrorism affects all destinations so you have to make sure you don’t say you are safer or better than other destinations as this is not true,” she told an earlier discussion at the World Travel Market. London’s international appeal has proved resilient in the face of recent attacks, and also the domestic turmoil resulting from Brexit. In fact, confirmed Geerts, a weaker pound has left the country “attractive” to visitors. A new report by the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) this week confirmed London as the top city for visitor spending in Europe, with international visitors splashing in the region of $14.7 million in 2016. As for the upcoming Brexit negotiations, Euromonitor predicts that a soft Brexit would be the best outcome for the UK tourism industry, while a No Deal Brexit would most likely be the most damaging option. New York, with 13.1 million visitors expected in 2017, and Miami, with 8 million predicted, were the most popular cities in the Americas with international visitors. The United States dominated the rankings among cities in the Americas but, warns Euromonitor, “global unease” following Donald Trump’s arrival in the White House makes future performance uncertain. The cities showing the strongest growth in 2017 were all outside of the United States, with Cancun, Toronto, Mexico City, Vancouver and Punta Cana leading the way. While the United States remains the largest source market, Mexico is becoming increasing popular with visitors from Europe and Asia – although recent reports have pointed to a decline in US visitors due to drug cartel violence. Dubai, with 7.7% growth and 16 million visitors expected this year, and Mecca, with 9.8% growth and 8.7 million expected, were 2017’s biggest winners in this region. Johannesburg is the only sub-Saharan African city to make it into the top 100, but Euromonitor praises African efforts to open borders at a time when other countries are closing theirs. The African passport, launched in July 2016, allows holders to travel visa-free to all 53 member states, while last year Ghana started to offer visas upon arrival for all AU member states. The top 25 most visited in 2016, and visitor predictions for 2017, are listed below. 1. Hong Kong: 26.55 million in 2016; 25.7 million expected in 2017 (-3.2% growth). 2. Bangkok: 21.25 million in 2016; 23.27 expected in 2017 (9.5% growth). 3. London: 19.19 million in 2016; 19.8 expected in 2017 (3.4% growth). 4. Singapore: 16.6 million in 2016; 17.6 million expected in 2017 (3.4% growth). 5. Macau: 15.39 million in 2016; 16.3 million expected in 2017 (5.9% growth). 6. Dubai: 14.9 million in 2016; 16 million expected in 2017 (7.7% growth). 7. Paris: 14.39 million in 2016; 14.26 million expected in 2017 (-0.9% growth). 8. New York City: 12.65 million in 2016; 13.1 million expected in 2017 (3.6% growth). 9. Shenzhen, China: 12.57 million in 2016; 12.96 million expected in 2017 (3.1% growth). 10. Kuala Lumpur: 12.29 million in 2016; 12.8 million expected in 2017 (4.5% growth). 11. Phuket, Thailand: 10.6 million in 2016; 12 million expected in 2017 (14% growth). 12. Rome: 9.4 million in 2016; 9.6 million expected in 2017 (1.8% growth). 13. Tokyo: 9.27 million in 2016; 9.7 million expected in 2017 (4.8% growth). 14. Taipei: 9.2 million in 2016; 9.3 million expected in 2017 (1% growth). 15. Istanbul: 9.17 million in 2016; 8.6 million expected in 2016 (-5.8% growth). 16. Seoul: 9 million in 2016; 7.66 million expected in 2017 (-14.9% growth). 17. Guangzhou, China: 8.6 million in 2016; 9 million expected in 2017 (5.3% growth). 18. Prague: 8.18 million in 2016; 8.5 million expected in 2017 (4.5% growth). 19. Mecca, Saudi Arabia: 7.96 million in 2016; 8.7 million expected in 2017 (9.8% growth). 20. Miami, Florida: 7.8 million in 2016; 8 million in 2017 (3.1% growth). 21. Delhi, India: 7.4 million in 2016; 10.26 million expected in 2017 (37.7% growth). 22. Mumbai, India: 7.19 million in 2016; 8.9 million expected in 2017 (23.5% growth). 23. Barcelona, Spain: 7.04 million in 2016; 7.6 million expected in 2017 (8.3% growth). 24. Pattaya, Thailand:  7.02 million in 2016; 7.3 million expected in 2017 (4.2% growth). 25. Shanghai: 6.9 million in 2016; 7.2 million expected in 2017 (4.3% growth). This story was updated on November 16, 2017 to reflect revisions to Euromonitor International’s Top 100 City Destinations Ranking 2017 report. Dubai’s data was revised to reflect the publication of more recent official data statistics.


Grassley specifically cited comments made by Jared Kushner's sister At issue are changes to visa regulations proposed by DHS One of the most senior ranking Republican senators is asking the Trump administration for clarification and demanding assurances that no one will be given preferential treatment after the family of Jared Kushner used his name in raising investments overseas. Sen. Chuck Grassley, the judiciary committee chairman and longtime advocate for overhauling the nation’s visa programs, wrote to Homeland Security Secretary John Kelly and White House budget director Mick Mulvaney to share concerns about what was said in the Kushner Companies pitch in China. In an email released Thursday, the Iowa Republican specifically cited comments made by the White House adviser’s sister, Nicole Kushner Meyer, about the EB-5 visa – a program that offers foreigners the ability to apply for green cards if they make qualifying investments in US projects. “In her speech, Ms. Meyer touted the EB-5 ‘golden visa,’ … and alluded to her brother Jared Kushner’s White House position in a manner that some say was improperly suggestive,” Grassley wrote. “One of Ms. Meyer’s colleagues urged attendees to ‘invest early, and you will invest under the old rules.’” Related article Visa program touted by Kushners has fraught political history Grassley went on to note that EB-5 visas typically have a two-year waiting period, expressing worry that “Ms. Meyer’s statements … could seem to imply that foreign nationals who invest with the Kushner Company will receive special treatment and expedited approval.” He called on Kelly to declare that the Department of Homeland Security, which oversees the government agency that manages visa programs, would not give any preferential treatment. Also at issue is an ongoing process started under the Obama administration to raise the bar for receiving green cards under the EB-5 program. DHS has proposed changes, including raising the minimum required investment to $1.35 million and tightening the qualifications for a “Targeted Employment Area,” to ensure that such designations are reserved for areas that actually would benefit high unemployment areas. The comment period of the process ended April 11 with 290 comments. US Citizenship and Immigration Services, a division of DHS, has only said that it is reviewing the comments before finalizing the process when asked by CNN if it would see through the Obama-era effort. Grassley asked Kelly to confirm he would “expeditiously” move forward on the rulemaking. The controversial visa program at the center of the Kushners’ China pitch “The American people are relying on you to prevent fraud, promote security, and protect the homeland,” Grassley wrote. “DHS’s efforts in implementing new regulations to that effect are integral to strengthening program integrity and benefiting the US economy. I strongly support the proposed regulations, and support the Trump administration’s efforts to move forward with implementing these necessary changes in an open, and transparent manner.” The presentation in China by Kushner Companies was seeking investment for a New Jersey development. The company, run by the family of Trump’s son-in-law, has in the past used EB-5 money to fund $50 million, or one-quarter, of another New Jersey project branded Trump Bay Street. Kushner’s attorney said he has divested his interests in the project that was discussed in China and will recuse himself from matters concerning EB-5 in the administration. The Kushner family has apologized for seeming to imply a connection between Jared Kushner’s White House role and the company. Earlier this week, the White House said in a statement that it was “evaluating” EB-5 reform with members of Congress and “exploring the possibility of raising the price of the visa to further bring the program in line with its intent.”


The United States is the largest funder in global HIV response In 2015, more countries contributed to their own HIV control than ever before Fear and concern are consuming the minds of many experts in the field of HIV control and it’s not just because of the 1.8 million people that became newly infected with the virus, nor the 1 million who died of AIDS, in 2016. In fact, experts this week were heralding their progress against HIV during the ninth International AIDS Conference on HIV Science in Paris, with UNAIDS reporting last week that more than half of people living with HIV globally are now accessing treatment. Deaths have halved since 2005. Still, experts worry this may be about to change. Or worse, go backward. The largest supporter in the global fight against HIV and AIDS may be about to make drastic cuts to its level of support. That funder: the United States. Related article Rare case of 9-year-old in HIV remission for years -- without drugs “Things come out of the White House and cause a lot of anxiety and stress,” said Dr. Linda-Gail Bekker, president of the International AIDS Society. “Without resources, we will not be able to do what needs to be done,” she told CNN. Bekker is referring to the Trump administration’s proposed budgets for 2017 and 2018 – the “skinny” and “fat” budget – in which funding for global aid, grant programs, and science institutions, such as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and National Institutes of Health, is set to be cut. Earlier this year, the White House proposed a $242 million cut in funding for the Presidents Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief, known as PEPFAR, in the 2017 budget, equaling a 6% reduction, said Dr. Greg Millet, vice president and director of public policy at amfAR, a US non-profit that supports AIDS research.”This would have devastating effects downstream, including 253,000 adults and 50,00 experiencing (HIV) treatment interruption, and as many as 40,000 deaths,” he said. Greater cuts proposed for 2018 would cause even more of a decline, Millet highlighted, adding that the progress currently being celebrated is largely due to the work of PEPFAR and the international financing organization the Global Fund, to which the US is the largest single contributor. “The US really stands out in this way,” said Dr. Deborah Birx, ambassador-at-large, US global AIDS coordinator and the head of PEPFAR. Birx highlighted that as well as money, the US also provides human capacity in the countries it supports within embassies and field programs to “translate dollars into effective programs.” When asked about the proposed cuts to her organizations budget, Birx didn’t show fear. “I believe this administration are committed to changing the course of this pandemic,” she said. Related article More evidence treatment zeroes HIV transmission during sex while the world awaits a vaccine Birx, and others in the field believe they have shown what they’re capable of when it comes to controlling HIV and that the results should hopefully speak for themselves to ensure continued support. “Traditionally you don’t believe you control a pandemic unless you have a vaccine or a cure,” she said, of which HIV had – and continues to have – neither. Yet this week, her organization announced that in four of the countries they work in – Swaziland, Zambia, Malawi, Zimbabwe – the epidemic is becoming under control. “These are countries that had overwhelming pandemics, where a third of their population was dying,” said Birx. It “went from a humanitarian crisis to us changing course of pandemic.” Others are looking to lawmakers to keep the budget stable, not the administration. Related article 'Trump doesn't care about HIV,' say advisers who resigned “We know that (budget) is not the final say. There are processes,” Bekker told CNN, optimistically. These processes mean  approval by the US Congress which, so far, has not passed budgets that include these cuts. Former IAS president Dr. Chris Beyrer and UNAIDS Executive Director Michel Sidibé are both equally positive that bipartisan support for HIV control in Congress will ensure cuts are not as drastic as the Trump administration would like. “Right now, Congress has not been willing to go along with these very drastic cuts … (and) it is Congress that hold the power of the purse,” said Beyrer. But he believes pressure is going to continue from the administration, making it “incumbent on everyone working in this space to keep Congress understanding how effective this has all been.” “I met most of the senators from the Republican and Democrats and (with) Congress … I am confident that it is so bipartisan and the American citizens are very supportive of PEPFAR programs,” Sidibé told CNN, adding “we will have to wait and see what happens.” There is, however, universal agreement that there will be some form of cuts, if not as drastic as was first proposed. If this does happen, other nations, in both the West and among middle-income countries, will need to up their game, experts believe. The next question then, is who it could be. “The unsettled nature of governments in so many parts of the world today make us anxious,” said Bekker. Throughout the week’s conference, researchers, policymakers and clinicians alike have made constant reference to HIV budget cuts, not just by the US, but the general decline in funding from multiple governments in recent years. A recent Kaiser Family Foundation report found that overall donor funding for HIV fell by $500 million in the last year alone, bringing totals down to the lowest they’ve been since 2010. “We’re concerned about France,” said Beyrer. “The hope was that France would at least meet it’s commitment and do flat funding, as they are the third largest donor to the Global Fund.” French President Emmanuel Macron was due to open the conference on Sunday, but he didn’t attend. As Agnès Buzyn, French minister of solidarity and health, took to the stage instead, she was greeted by activists shouting, “Shame on Macron.” Macron not appearing does not mean he will not honor funding commitments, Beyrer stresses, “but the minister of health had nothing to announce,” he said. “We’re very reliant that France does what it needs to do and the UK,” added Bekker. The UK is the second-largest contributor in the fight against AIDS and Beyrer is also concerned that after Brexit, their voice in support of HIV within the European Union will not be replaced. To date, no country or institution has matched the financial support of the US. “If the US were to implement cuts on the level that the President has proposed, it’s hard to imagine any of these donors being able to step up at that level,” said Beyrer. If the potential loss is not made up by the rest of the West, Sidibé believes it could be low and middle-income countries that step forward. In 2015, the global HIV response saw a change in dominance as the scales tipped and low- and middle-income countries combined to provide more funding to control the infection than donors from the West. That year, 57% of the response budget came from domestic funding by the countries themselves, according to UNAIDS. “We went to the African union and were able to share with heads of state the potential dependency crisis,” said Sidibé. “Kenya, Ivory coast, are all increasing their domestic budget to deal with this epidemic.” South Africa are already spending $2 billion of their own budget on HIV programs, covering most of it, and Botswana pays 80% of its own response, while China and Brazil are also paying for their own control efforts, said Sidibé. “South Africa has taken the epidemic response into its own hands,” said Dr. Peter Piot, director of the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine and formerly founding executive director of UNAIDS. “The country now hosts the largest treatment program in the world financed for the most part from domestic resources.” Piot further highlighted that Brazil was a leading light in the 1990s thanks to its comprehensive and proactive response, becoming the first middle-income country to provide free antiretroviral treatment in 1996. But today, new infections are rising in Brazil, he said, meaning the fight is far from over. Now, Sidibé would like the countries comfortably supporting the control of HIV in their own countries to go to the next level – and become donors. “It’s important to see how they can become progressively contributing to other parts of the world. Not just paying for their own,” said Sidibé. “Countries who are able already to demonstrate they have fiscal space.” Beyrer has experienced, however, that countries often struggle to think more broadly when tackling the HIV epidemic on their own soil. During his time as IAS president, he explained, he spent time working with the governments of Brazil, Russia, India and China, emphasizing the impact of becoming donors, but with little progress. “They continue to make contributions to their own programs, but really did not step up as donors,” he said. Beyrer further worries that if funds are reliant on domestic governments fully paying for their own HIV control efforts, crucial elements of HIV control will be forgotten, or at least not prioritized. At particular risk are those targeting more marginalized groups, such as teenage girls, sex workers and drug users. “Governments are willing to spend money on mother-to-child transmission, keeping blood supplies safe, doing education campaigns in schools,” said Beyrer. “What they’re not willing to fund is needle and syringe exchange … or programs for sex workers.” As a result these programs are currently funded predominantly by external donors. See the latest news and share your comments with CNN Health on Facebook and Twitter. Many experts further believe that the gradual increase in governments of high-rate HIV countries financially tackling their own epidemics, could be jeopardized if they feel like larger countries, such as the US, are bowing out. “It’s not the right time to send the message to them that donors are reducing their funds and disengaging themselves,” said Sidibé . “It will have a major impact on security (and) sustainability.” Furthermore, economists and epidemiologists highlight that the next stage of HIV control is going to be the most expensive – such as enticing young people, sex workers and migrants to get tested, getting men who prioritize working to come into clinics, and helping drug users to realize they are at risk and need to stay protected. “More resources might be required,” said Beyrer. Whatever happens, Birx is ready to make the most of what she is given. “My job is to take the resources that we have and make sure they have the biggest impact that they can possibly have,” she said. She exemplified this by revealing that over the last three years, PEPFAR have almost doubled the number of people on treatment and more than doubled the number of people accessing voluntary male circumcision, which can protect men from HIV by up to 60%, all on a flat budget. “We say this is what’s needed and figure out how to make it happen,” she said.


Editor’s Note: Nic Robertson is CNN’s international diplomatic editor. The opinions expressed in this article belong to the author. Nic Robertson: Diplomats in Munich express unease about what Trump will do next Trump has little time left to create more confusion on world stage While President Donald Trump was busy ignoring the reality of his low approval ratings by bathing in the embrace of an adoring crowd last weekend, his foreign policy challenges were stacking up. He was enjoying the warm applause and sunny skies of Florida as Vice President Mike Pence was enduring darker, damper, colder skies and a somewhat chillier reception at a diplomatic gathering in Munich, Germany. Pence also was on a mission to wow the crowds, but the vice president’s task was far harder. Among his audience were not die-hard fans, but prime ministers, presidents and foreign and defense ministers from around the globe, all thinking about the here and now – not a US election in four years. Staffan de Mistura, the lead UN negotiator at the Syria talks this week, nailed the common thinking in Munich when he commented, “Where is the US in all this? Well, I can’t tell you because I don’t know.” Away from the crowds of diplomats, de Mistura confided to me that he would miss John Kerry, the Obama administration’s secretary of state and top diplomat. He could “rely on Kerry for help on anything.” Related video Major Gen: 'Tough days ahead' in fight for Mosul Brett McGurk, Obama’s point man on Syria, was at the Munich conference, too. He was wondering out loud what the US role should be on Syria: “The United States is looking for a role to help reinforce the Syrian ceasefire brokered by Turkey and Russia,” he told the gathered diplomats. That McGurk is still around is a symptom of Trump’s flat-footed approach to foreign policy. Another holdover from the Obama administration is State Department spokesman Mark Toner. He is still in office more than a month after Kerry left. He still answers questions from reporters but hasn’t held a press conference in a month. For the diplomats at Munich whose first port of call to the United States is often through the State Department, the inertia is surprising – particularly given the rapid rate of executive orders. De Mistura explained to me what he would later say publicly: that Kerry’s replacement, Rex Tillerson, is “a nice man,” but he doesn’t have any direction from Trump on Syria. It wasn’t the only global issue that came to a boil in Munich. Pence’s pronouncements on behalf of Trump pushed Russian President Vladimir Putin into his own chain reaction of decisions on Ukraine. Pence said: “Today, on behalf of President Trump, I bring you this assurance, the United States strongly supports NATO.” The same message – support for NATO – was delivered by Defense Secretary James Mattis and Tillerson. Yet every diplomat I talked to at the Munich conference – from North Africa to Australia, the Middle East to Europe and even America – told me that he or she is still uncertain as to what Trump will do next. Will he stick to this track or reverse course again? Related article Who, exactly, is running US foreign policy? By the time they were leaving Munich, diplomats had had a chance to weigh what they’d heard from Pence at the conference in the elegant Hotel Bayerischer Hof to what they’d heard from Trump during his Florida rally and an earlier rambling press conference. From my conversations, it was clear any illusion of clarity that Pence had brought was lost in the chaos of Trump’s own making. The weekend had only added to concerns of the past month, where many believe Trump has been too erratic to give them confidence. Senior officials in the administration were so busy making amends for Trump’s past comments about NATO being “obsolete” that their appearances at the conference barely amounted to fleshing out one tiny corner of what normally counts as US foreign policy. Pence, like Mattis, made clear Trump’s desire that NATO members must significantly accelerate plans to pay their way in the 28-member alliance. But this point has been beaten home at the expense of so much political capital. Indeed, Trump’s handling of the NATO issue may have helped tip Russia into a far more combative posture. Saudi Arabia’s foreign minister, the reassuring Adel al-Jubeir, told me that the world must be patient and give Trump a few months. British Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson echoed his Saudi counterpart, telling me he thinks Trump will muddle through the chaos of his early days in office. In the long game they may be right. In the short term, Putin is in no mood to wait, and that became clear in the time that we were in Munich. Last week, a watershed was reached, and Putin’s patience with Trump fell a foul of pragmatic Washington politics. Embracing the bear, for now, seems out of the question. Ousted national security adviser Mike Flynn’s apparently unauthorized flirtation with Moscow proved too toxic for all but the most blinkered of Republicans. So while the Munich conference was still underway, Putin pulled the pin on his own piece of explosive foreign policy. The Russian President signed an executive order and authorized the recognition of documents in the pro-Russian breakaway region of Luhansk and Donetsk – in effect taking a step closer to recognizing the pro-Russian separatist region. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov announced a Ukrainian ceasefire, but it appeared to mask Putin’s real play: to take another step toward making Russia’s role inside Ukraine even more permanent. Formal recognition of breakaway documents is in many diplomats’ eyes another step in the direction of formal recognition of the breakaway government. Related article Trump lawyer pushed pro-Russia deal for Ukraine, politician claims So Putin waiting for Trump to put his house in order with regard to Syria seems unlikely. Which right now is a bit of a problem. By the time delegations arrived in Geneva, Switzerland, for the Syria peace talks, the 30-day deadline Trump gave his defense chief to come up with a new policy to tackle ISIS was already uncomfortably close. The executive order explicitly authorizes the former general, whom Trump still likes to call “Mad Dog Mattis,” to find new partners for the United States in the fight against ISIS. At the time the order was written, it seemed the perfect opener for tighter ties with Putin. With Putin looking less like an ally, where that leaves Trump’s policy on Syria now is anyone’s guess: No doubt it’s one of several priorities for Flynn’s replacement, Lt. Gen. H.R. McMaster. And with all these foreign policy issues stacking up, what does Trump do? Makes a statement about a terror attack in Sweden that didn’t actually happen, leading to a week of confusion and confirming American allies’ worst fears about the chaos blizzard currently blowing through the White House. On Sunday, Trump tried to correct himself, tweeting he’d seen a story on Fox News about “immigrants and Sweden.” The next day he was backtracking further: “(M)edia is trying to say that large scale immigration is working out just beautifully. Not!” Related article In Sweden, tensions temper pride over refugee policy Irrespective of what he intended, Trump’s comments fuel the very fears that undermine his pro-NATO message – that he sent Pence all the way to Europe to deliver. Sweden has not been without serious issues from imported Muslim crime gangs, but Trump’s characterization of the country’s problems triggered a global backlash, lampooning him for his crass and ill-informed comments – with suggestions of erecting an IKEA “border wall” to recalling ABBA to “stand guard.” But the most cutting comment came from former Swedish Prime Minister Carl Bildt, whom I first met in Bosnia in the early ’90s when he was the European Union’s special envoy there. He was then and is today a pragmatic and patient diplomat. He responded to Trump’s comments with a clarity revealing the American President’s falsehoods: “Sweden? Terror attack? What has he been smoking?” Sign up for CNN Opinion’s new newsletter.Join us on Twitter and Facebook Bildt’s strong words in the days after the Munich Security Conference were a resounding echo of the sentiments and skepticism I heard about Trump while I was there. With so much on his foreign policy plate, Trump has little time to create more confusion – such is the mood around the world. The United States is entering an era where losing friends may become far easier than making new ones. In diplomacy that is not usually the chosen path.


Officials in Nigeria and Kenya are looking into whether data-crunching firm Cambridge Analytica tried to interfere with elections in their countries by organizing rallies and orchestrating whole campaigns to sway public opinion away from certain candidates. Leaders in both nations vowed to drag the data-crunching firm into court if evidence supports their claims. Their tough talk adds to mounting global fury over the British company, which also was hired by Donald Trump’s campaign and tried to influence American voters in 2016 using information gleaned from 50 million Facebook users. Related article Cambridge Analytica offers new defense of 2016 practices Cambridge Analytica and its affiliate, SCL Elections, did not immediately respond to CNN’s request for comment about the African leaders’ claims. The firm suspended its chief executive amid the US election allegations but denies any wrongdoing. In Nigeria, criminal prosecutions could follow if Cambridge Analytica is found to have interfered with elections, said Garba Shehu, a spokesman for President Muhammadu Buhari. A government committee is probing claims that SCL Elections organized anti-election rallies to dissuade opposition supporters from voting in 2007, Shehu said, according to Reuters. The panel also will examine claims that Buhari’s personal data was hacked in 2015, when he was an opposition candidate for president, he said. “We don’t want to leave it open that Cambridge Analytica could have interfered with these elections,” Shehu told CNN. “The committee will scrutinize reports and allegations made against Cambridge Analytica. The government may prosecute, if the reports are found to be true. We just want to take lessons from what happened.” In Kenyan politics, the managing director of Cambridge Analytica and SCL Elections was filmed telling undercover reporters for the UK’s Channel 4 news that his company managed two of President Uhuru Kenyatta’s campaigns. “The Kenyatta campaign, which we ran in 2013 and 2017 for Kenyatta, we have rebranded the entire party twice, written the manifesto, done research, analysis, messaging,” Mark Turnbull said. “I think we wrote all the speeches, and we staged the whole thing – so just about every element of this candidate.” Related article Kenya opposition leader Raila Odinga swears himself in as 'president' The company also claimed it surveyed 47,000 people in Kenya in 2013. Since revelations surfaced of Cambridge Analytica’s efforts to influence the US election, opposition voices in Kenya have called for an investigation, and opposition leader Raila Odinga   said he will sue the company. “Finally, the world has woken up (to) the fact that there is a real danger posed to democracy, not only in Kenya,” Odinga told CNN. “This was really the extreme end of negative campaigning, and it was so intensive, and I think also capital intensive.” “Somebody needs to take responsibility for this. Somebody needs to be made to answer,” he added. Related article Media censorship casts worrying shadow over Kenya's democracy Odinga was the subject of a video that went viral during Kenyan elections last year titled “The Real Raila Odinga,” which imagined a dystopia in 2020 with Odinga as president and in which “whole communities and tribes are removed from their homes.” The video was made by Texas-based Harris Media, which also worked on the campaigns of Trump and far-right groups in Europe, according to the London-based charity Privacy International. Harris Media did not immediately respond to CNN’s request for comment. In the first round of last year’s elections, courts nullified Kenyatta’s victory over Odinga over “irregularities and illegalities.” Kenyatta went on to win re-election. New information about Cambridge Analytica, however, “puts the results into question, the whole election infrastructure,” Sen. James Orengo told CNN. “The elections which were held last year must be fully audited. I think we’ll see the footprints of Cambridge Analytica, and I think that is why they’re advertising Kenya as a success story.” But a spokesman for Kenya’s ruling Jubilee Party downplayed the British data firm’s involvement in the election campaign. Raphael Tuju, the party’s secretary-general, told CNN it hired SCL “to do analysis of focus group discussions. They did demonstrate to us that they had that kind of expertise. That was it.” Related article Embattled data firm sent foreign workers to US campaigns Tuju, speaking at the party’s headquarters in Nairobi, said the party will not press Cambridge Analytica on the Channel 4 report. “We really don’t have time for that,” he told CNN. On its website, Cambridge Analytica describes its work in the 2013 Kenya election campaign as “based on the electorate’s real needs (jobs) and fears (tribal violence).” Elections in Kenya are tense, and in 2007, more than 1,100 people were killed and more than 660,000 were forcibly displaced during Kenya’s worst electoral violence. Related article Kenyan newspaper publishes obituary for opposition figure -- who isn't dead One commentator said companies like Cambridge Analytica play with lives when they “cling to destructive narratives.” “A negative narrative can flip to violence quickly if it follows a dark manipulative arch,” said John Githongo, a former permanent secretary for governance and ethics in Kenya and a founder of the social movement Inuka Kenya Trust.


Sen. Ted Cruz on Tuesday backed his fellow contender for the Republican presidential nomination Donald Trump in the billionaire’s recent feud with NBC – which was ignited over Trump’s controversial comments about Mexican immigrants. “I like Donald Trump. I think he’s terrific, I think he’s brash, I think he speaks the truth,” Cruz said Tuesday morning on Fox News. “And I think NBC is engaging in political correctness that is silly and that is wrong.” Thank you Ted. https://t.co/MVUzSAn6ru Cruz’s defense of Trump came after NBC severed its business ties to the billionaire and TV reality star after Trump deplored illegal immigration in his presidential announcement speech, singling out Mexican immigrants whom he said are “bringing drugs, they’re bringing crime, they’re rapists.” RELATED: NBCUniversal cuts ties with Donald Trump Trump added that “some, I assume, are good people” and in the following days would go on to clarify that he loves Mexico and Latinos and that he has many friends who are both. “I do great with Latino voters. I employee so many Latinos, I have so many people working for me,” Trump told CNN last week. “The Latinos love Trump, and I Iove them.” READ: Cruz seeks to harness conservative outrage after Supreme Court decisions Cruz, whose father is Cuban, said he doesn’t believe Trump should apologize for his remarks, pointing out that “the American people are fed up” with the illegal immigration problem in the United States. “He has a way of speaking that gets attention,” Cruz said on Tuesday. “And I credit him for focusing on an issue that needs to be focused on.” Cruz and Trump have both proposed erecting a border fence or wall along the U.S.-Mexico border, though Trump has repeatedly pointed out that “nobody builds walls better” than Trump.


South Carolina man is killed by a falling tree limb Flooding inundates Savannah's River Street and The Battery neighborhood in Charleston Editor’s note: This is a developing story that is being constantly updated as the storm progresses. Leaving a trail of devastation in Florida, Irma trudged north on Monday, flooding downtown Charleston, South Carolina, uprooting trees in Atlanta and cutting off coastal communities. A weakened Irma – downgraded to a tropical depression Monday night – still packed power. At least three storm-related deaths were reported in Georgia and one in South Carolina. The deaths occurred mostly when tree limbs fell on victims during the tropical storm that stretched 650 miles from east to west, affecting at least nine states. As Jacksonville, Florida, grappled with record storm surge, the level of the destruction became more apparent in the hard-hit Florida Keys at the southern tip of the state. Areas without water, power or communications are likely to remain so for some time. Irma flooded portions of River Street in the tourist magnet city of Savannah, Georgia and forced police to temporarily shut Highway 80 leading to the barrier island community of Tybee Island. Water also filled The Battery, the downtown Charleston neighborhood where the Ashley and Cooper rivers meet. Charleston police asked residents to avoid downtown in anticipation of high tide. Charleston Police is asking citizens to avoid downtown Charleston until flooding subsides and conditions improve. #chsnews #chswx #chstrfc Waters in Charleston Harbor peaked at nearly 10 feet high, the city’s third-highest reading, topping Hurricane Matthew in 2016, said CNN meteorologist Taylor Ward. A post shared by David Blackmon (@_dblackmon88_) Parts of coastal Georgia and South Carolina remained under storm surge warning late Monday. Irma will continue to weaken, but the rain and wind will spread further north. The storm was moving towards Alabama late Monday. It is forecast to move to Tennessee on Tuesday before fizzling out later this week, forecasters said. – As of Monday night, Irma was centered about 95 miles south of Atlanta, with maximum sustained winds of 35 mph, the National Hurricane Center said. – A 57-year-old South Carolina man was fatally injured by a falling tree limb during the storm, Abbeville County Coroner Ronnie Ashley told CNN. The man was cutting downed limbs with a chainsaw outside of his home when he was struck. -Three people died in Georgia: A 62-year-old man who was on his roof was killed in Worth County, which experienced wind gusts of 69 mph, according to Kannetha Clem, a spokeswoman for the Worth County Sheriff’s Office. Another man was killed in Sandy Springs, an Atlanta suburb, when a tree fell and “literally cut the home in half,”said Sharon Kraun, the city’s communications director. One woman was killed when a downed tree struck her vehicle in Cumming as the car at in a private driveway, the Forsyth County Sheriff’s Office. – About 6.2 million electric customers were without power in Florida late Monday, according to Floridadisaster.org. FEMA chief Brock Long has said some places won’t have electricity for weeks. – More than 1.4 million customers in Georgia were without power, according to Georgia Power and Georgia EMC. – In South Carolina, nearly 200,000 customers were without power, according to utility companies. – Storm surge warnings in Florida, Georgia and South Carolina mean “there is a danger of life-threatening inundation,” the hurricane center said. Irma turned Jacksonville’s Memorial Park into an unrecognizable lake. A post shared by Kristin M Taddia (@italian_creator) “We have very serious, significant river flooding along the banks of the St. Johns River. It’s bad now, it’s going to continue to get worse,” meteorologist Angie Enyedi said. “We’ve already surpassed historic levels, the levels will continue to rise.” In one Jacksonville yard, Irma snapped a tree near its roots, sending it crashing onto the car of an evacuee from South Florida on Sunday. No one was hurt. The tree at the end of Kristine Garcia’s driveway, luckily, didn’t fall on her house. “We’re definitely shaken up. We were in shock when we went outside,” Garcia, 34, told CNN Monday. “If it would have fallen toward our direction, it would have been a … mess.” Irma devastated much of Marco Island, off the southwest coast of Florida, leaving it with no electricity or clean water. Related article Surviving Irma on Marco Island: 'It was a badass hurricane' Roommates Zack Forrest and Krock Indigo rode out the storm on the island and likened Irma to a relentless tornado. “The storm was really intense, it was like a tornado that lasted for an hour and a half,” Forrest said. “No way!” Indigo interrupted. “It was like 5 hours.” By the time Irma finished with Marco Island, it left 15 homes that have either lost their roofs or suffered other severe damage, the fire department said. The good news is that there were no major injuries, said Marco Island Fire Chief Mike Murphy “We were the little engine that did it,” he told CNN’s Ed Lavandera. Tara O’Neill arrived at her house in Goodland, Florida, on Monday for the first time since the eye of the storm hit the small fishing village at the southeast corner of Marco Island. A tree had crushed her home. “It’s never good when you show up and see this in front of your house,” she quipped. The Goodland native bought the home in 1998 when it was a “dump,” she said . She and her husband spent six years remodeling. O’Neil climbed on the hood of her car to get a better look and found humor in her devastation. Looters, she joked, could help themselves to anything they wanted. In Goodland, Florida, Tara O'Neill returns home to find a large tree crushed her home. The eye of #HurricaneIrma m… https://t.co/0xpWTQYm0n pic.twitter.com/vVAYtZl1fS Irma made landfall on the Florida Keys as a Category 4 hurricane Sunday, but the full extent of the damage there is still unknown. Related gallery Hurricane Irma pummels Florida That’s because some islands are extremely difficult to access. Southbound US Route 1 – the only road connecting the Keys – is closed, Florida Keys spokesman Andy Newman said. Large debris is blocking access, and a 150-foot stretch “has some buckling,” Newman said. Crews continued to work to clear US 1. Transportation officials have inspected and cleared some bridges, officials said. Some evacuees from the Keys will get a chance to lay eyes on the devastation early Tuesday when Monroe County allows residents and business owners in Key Largo, Tavernier and Islamorada to return home. But officials urged some evacuated Floridians to be patient and not try to go home yet even though the storm was beyond parts of the Deep South. Why storm surges are so dangerousFloridians share their Irma storiesSome may face weeks without powerFlorida’s economy to take a major hit Photos: Irma roars into Florida Why storm surges are so dangerousFloridians share their Irma storiesSome may face weeks without powerFlorida’s economy to take a major hit Photos: Irma roars into Florida “We’re asking folks to be patient and remain sheltered in place,” said St. Augustine Fire Chief Carlos Aviles. “Stay off the roads, stay off the streets, let us complete our assessment, clear the roads of water, power lines, trees and then you can get out there and determine what happened to your individual property or your neighborhood,” said Fort Lauderdale Mayor Jack Seiler. Track Hurricane Irma’s path The massive storm triggered evacuation orders for 5.6 million people before it made two landfalls in the state Sunday. The first was over the Florida Keys, and the second, over Marco Island, left the island without water and power, authorities said. “It’s the worst storm I’ve ever seen,” said Bill South of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Before slamming into  to the United States, Irma hit Cuba late Friday as a Category 5 hurricane. Related article Hurricane Irma victims need your help On Monday, Cuban state TV announced 10 hurricane related deaths – meaning Irma killed a total of 36 people in the Caribbean before heading to the US. This is the first year on record that the continental United States has had two Category 4 hurricane landfalls in the same year. Last month, Hurricane Harvey devastated much of coastal Texas and killed more than 70 people. Are you affected by Irma? Text, iMessage or WhatsApp your videos, photos and stories to CNN (but only if it’s safe to do so): +1 347-322-0415. CNN’s Chandrika Narayan, Ed Lavandera, Christina Zdanowicz, Rich Phillips, Deanna Hackney, Dave Hennen, Michael Guy, Andrea Diaz, Phil Gast, Joe Sutton, Patrick Oppmann and Chris Boyette contributed to this report


Editor’s Note: Party People is a new podcast from CNN where a pair of conservative CNN contributors talk to influential voices about the future of conservatism and the Republican party. The founder of the conservative think tank Club for Growth and an economist at the Heritage Foundation said President Donald Trump is taking a huge risk when it comes to trade. “On trade, I think he’s playing with fire here,” CNN Economic Analyst Stephen Moore told hosts Kevin Madden and Mary Katharine Ham on CNN’s Party People podcast. “And I think the idea of a tariff against Mexico is a terrible idea. I think it would hurt Mexico a lot, and I think it would hurt American consumers as well. We don’t need a trade war with Mexico.” The White House has floated the idea of imposing a 20% tax on imports from Mexico, in order to pay for Trump’s proposed southern border wall. However, the White House says Trump is weighing other options. Moore also said he views Trump’s trade policy with China differently. “I kind of approve of some of the things he’s doing on China,” he said. “I think he views China as an adversary, and I’ve come to the conclusion that they are a bit of an adversary militarily, and economically. They’re playing a different game economically. They don’t play by the rules. They do cheat, they do steal, and I think taking a tougher stance with China is overdue.” Moore also recommended conservative commentator Bill O’Reilly’s book on Harry Truman’s presidency, “Killing the Rising Sun” to the President and listeners. “I think people like Trump can learn from Harry Truman,” Moore said. “He grew in office in an amazing way. And I think the question we all have about Donald Trump, regardless of what our ideology is ‘can he grow into this office?” Get CNN’s “Party People” podcast at CNN, Stitcher, TuneInRadio or iTunes.


Gen. John Nicholson commands 13,000 US and international forces The general's fate is being discussed in Trump administration circles General John Nicholson, a highly respected four-star Army general with 35 years experience may be in the White House’s political crosshairs and become the first high-ranking military officer President Donald Trump decides to fire. CNN has spoken to more than half a dozen currently serving military and civilian defense officials who say the fate of Nicholson as the commander of some 13,000 US and international forces in Afghanistan is being discussed in administration circles. Officials emphasize that no decision has been made to replace Nicholson. Related article Suicide bombers kill dozens during prayers at Afghan mosque Because he is a serving officer, Nicholson could be removed with a simple announcement that he is being replaced with another commander. If the decision is taken, it’s not known if he would agree to retire or demand to be fired as General David McKiernan did when Defense Secretary Robert Gates replaced him in 2009 as the Obama administration adopted a new counterinsurgency strategy in Afghanistan. The thrust of White House criticism of Nicholson appears be that he has been unable to win the war in Afghanistan. While Nicholson is respected, he has also caused some irritation in senior defense circles. His public comments seeking more troops have been seen by some as getting ahead of a White House decision. Nicholson also made a very public pledge to defeat and eliminate the local Afghan branch of ISIS known as ISIS-K, promising to do so by the end of 2017. To that end he authorized the use of the MOAB bomb, the most powerful non-nuclear weapon in the US arsenal, a decision that made headlines while inviting some to wonder whether Nicholson considered the political impact such a decision might have. He also caused consternation inside the Pentagon by unilaterally changing policy on how the public is notified of troops killed in action in Afghanistan. One official told CNN “it’s just personalizing the President’s frustration,” by singling out Nicholson. White House adviser Sebastian Gorka says the President “absolutely” has confidence in General Nicholson. The Pentagon was less effusive, with spokesperson Dana White issuing a statement saying simply, “Secretary Mattis has confidence in General Nicholson’s leadership.” Related article McCain backs top commander, slams Trump on Afghanistan It’s widely believed Defense Secretary James Mattis and General Joseph Dunford, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, support Nicholson staying in his role over a public firing of a respected general who has spent much of the last 15 years on repeated combat tours in Afghanistan commanding large numbers of troops in the field. The White House meeting also took place before retired General John Kelly was appointed to be the President’s chief of staff. It’s not clear to what extent Kelly may be willing to protect Nicholson. But the calendar may provide a less dramatic solution if the White House wants to remove Nicholson. Nicholson took command in March 2016 for a tour of duty that typically does not last longer than two years. But several recent commanders have served shorter tours for a variety of reasons. Typically the Pentagon would start looking for a replacement candidate to recommend to the President months in advance for a senior job like Afghanistan. Related article Tillerson says US is willing to talk to North Korea This could all lead to Nicholson still being replaced in the coming weeks or months pending what might be a controversial confirmation process for a new commander. Some military officials believe the current national security adviser, Lt. General H.R. McMaster, could be a likely replacement. McMaster is a three-star general but would still have to face Senate confirmation. Officials familiar with the White House meeting say Trump looks at the war against ISIS in Iraq and Syria and sees success. But when it comes to Afghanistan, he doesn’t see a winning effort. Mattis has also said the US is not winning in Afghanistan and Trump is looking for a strategy he can be assured will lead to a win. The chatter about Nicholson, who also has strong relationships on Capitol Hill, sparked an immediate reaction from Arizona Sen. John McCain seeking to defend Nicholson. “He has earned the trust and admiration of those he has served with. And he has earned my full confidence,” the Republican chairman of the armed services committee said. McCain has been publicly critical of the Pentagon, Mattis and the White House for not settling on a new strategy for Afghanistan. “Six months ago, General Nicholson testified before the Senate Armed Services Committee and warned that the United States was not winning the war in Afghanistan,” McCain said in a statement Thursday. “The reason for this failure is a lack of successful policy and strategic guidance from Washington over many years, which has continued in the first several months of this new administration. Our commanders-in-chief, not our commanders in the field, are responsible for this failure.” Related article Mattis, Tillerson talk authorizing ISIS war Mattis had promised McCain a strategy for Afghanistan by mid-July, but missed that deadline when the administration could not agree on what to do next. Multiple officials say the options still being  discussed range from a complete withdrawal to adding to the 8,400 US troops already there. Nicholson has advocated for adding a few thousand US troops specifically in order to “buy time” for the Afghan forces to be better trained and look after their own security, one official close to him told CNN. McMaster has backed sending more troops, so if that option becomes the approved strategy it might bolster the case to send him to Afghanistan, several officials say.


Israel says that it’s done with strikes on Iran – for now. France fears an escalation. Iran has its finger on the trigger. But, really, it’s Russian President Vladimir Putin who sits in the hot seat. Where once the US would have been the brake on spikes in Syrian violence, there is a real possibility President Donald Trump’s withdrawal from the 2015 Iran nuclear deal is greasing the wheels towards a wider regional war. In recent months, the world’s top diplomat, UN Secretary-General António Guterres, has warned that Israeli and Iranian tit-for-tat strikes in Syria could quickly boil over to a regional conflagration. Overnight Wednesday, rockets fired by Iranian forces from inside Syria toward Israel triggered a forewarned robust response from Israel’s military – targeting Iranian military assets in Syria. Related article Israel and Iran trade fire in most direct confrontation yet Since early February, when Israel says it shot down an Iranian drone laden with explosives that was launched from Syria, the Israel Defense Forces have increased retaliatory strikes in Syria at Iranian targets. Some of those strikes are reported to have killed several Iranian fighters. Yet until this point there had been no Iranian retaliation. The sudden surge in the exchange of rockets Wednesday night – on the heels of Trump’s exit from the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action – hints that Iran has suspended its strategic restraint. If so, the likelihood that the Iranian-Israeli confrontation will escalate increases. In Tehran, President Hassan Rouhani warned Germany, France and the UK, that they have only “a very limited time to save the JCPOA.” But he is a moderate. The Iranians fighting in Syria fall under a more hardline command. It’s their comrades who have been killed in Israeli strikes and their patience will have worn thinner than Rouhani’s strategic politicking. Most European diplomats fear that once the Trump’s administration leans on European businesses hard enough, they won’t be able to plug the economic shortfall, something Rouhani needs so he can sell the Iran deal without America at home. In short, the gloves in a potential Israel-Iran confrontation are coming off. The question is this: were Wednesday night’s strikes the opening salvo, or a sign of what is to come? President Emmanuel Macron of France fears the former. His staff in Paris say he is pushing for calm: “He calls for de-escalation and he will talk about this with the German Chancellor today.” Israeli Defense Minister Avigdor Liberman said on Thursday morning that most of Iran’s infrastructure in Syria was hit and that he hopes this chapter of “Iranian radicalism” is over. But indicating that what happens next is down to Iran, he added: “If it will rain in Israel, there will be a biblical flood on the other side.” In Damascus, a Greek reporter asked President Bashar al-Assad if Syria would be the venue for world war three. His response: “No, for one reason: because fortunately, you have a wise leadership in Russia.” Putin – as many international diplomats have warned could happen – finds himself, absent a working peace plan in Syria, riding a tiger. A bigger war in Syria would require a bigger military spend from him – something that would further strain his own stretched economy. Recently reelected, he has plenty of political capital but not a lot of real cash to spare. US and European sanctions have been eating a hole in Russia’s pocket. The ruble has had a rocky ride in recent months. During his Wednesday visit to the Kremlin, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is understood to have warned Putin about strikes on Iran’s military assets inside Syria. As Iran is Russia’s principal ally keeping Assad in power, Moscow is very carefully tracking Israel’s every move. For whatever reason, Putin appeared willing to see Iran hit, knowing the straining and destabilizing effect it may have on their alliance backing Assad. That Netanyahu, Trump’s most ardent supporter in dumping the JCPOA, was in Moscow the day before the attack signals many things – not least the dangerous complexity of having so many powers at play in such a confined conflict. But it also emphasizes the  diminishing US influence in Syria – and the region in general. In Riyadh on Wednesday, Saudi Arabian Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir reiterated his country’s warnings about Iran’s nuclear ambitions, saying: “We have made it very clear that if Iran acquires nuclear capability we will do everything we can to do the same.” After Israel, the Saudis are the biggest backer of Trump’s decision to pull out of the JCPOA. They fears growing Iranian influence in the region – not just to their north in Syria and Iraq, but over their southern border in Yemen. On Wednesday, Iranian-backed Houthi rebels, who tossed Yemen’s internationally recognized government from power four years ago, fired long-range ballistic missiles into Saudi. One was reportedly shot down by a US-made Saudi counter-missile battery just outside the capital Riyadh. Related article Unbridled Trump storms global stage In recent months, Houthis have stepped up missile attacks targeting Riyadh. None have gotten through so far. But patience in Riyadh is running thin – the expectation there is that Trump’s exit from the JCPOA could signal a ramped-up Saudi targeting of Houthi leaders. How Iran would handle its Houthi proxies in this case is unclear. But international concern has been growing, particularly over the past week, as the Saudi-led coalition’s airstrikes in Yemen have allegedly hit several civilian targets recently. In pulling out of the Iran nuclear deal, Trump hinted at the peace benefit for the region: “If I allowed this deal to stand, there would soon be a nuclear arms race in the Middle East.  Everyone would want their weapons ready by the time Iran had theirs.” While no one expected those lofty long-term goals realized already, just two days later, most diplomats hoped the lid could be kept on tensions until everyone outside the White House could figure out the next step forward. There was no “plan B.” It’s being made up on the fly, with no guarantees hardliners don’t derail the world’s diplomats. Escape routes are still open, but the fog and consequences of sudden conflict may soon shut them down. Today, it’s still possible – albeit highly improbable – that should Trump decide, he could give European businesses “cutouts” and allow them to continue working in Iran; then maybe Iran’s moderates can buy more time and rein in their hardliners before it’s too late. But the reality is, exiting the JCPOA has ushered in a new era of international relations where the unexpected and unpredictable have a far greater possibility of rapidly outpacing common sense and routine diplomacy.


Everett Kennedy Brown photographed descendents of samurai using 19th-century techniques He aims to preserve history and provoke a dialogue on our role in shaping it Everything is not what it seems in Everett Kennedy Brown’s captivating photographic series on Japan’s samurai. While Brown’s photographs look like artifacts from the warriors’ feudal-period heyday, they document the unique fashions and aesthetic of modern-day samurai. Blade runners: The powerful mystique of the samurai sword His subjects are members of a community of samurai descendents in Soma, Fukushima, who keep the fighters’ traditions alive today. The American photographer used a 19th-century technique to achieve the look of the images. “The wet plate collodion process dates from the 1850s and the images produced look old and historical,” Brown told CNN of his images, which are on display at hpgrp Gallery in New York this month. Tight squeeze: The secrets behind Japan's coolest micro homes Photographing residents of the town in this style “provided them with an opportunity to think about their place in history,” Brown said. On March 11, 2011, an earthquake, tsunami and nuclear disaster struck Japan’s northeast region of Tohoku, causing mass destruction and loss of life. The damage and fears over radiation forced some residents of Soma out of their hometown. Brown – who has been based in Japan for several decades – traveled up to Fukushima prefecture in the aftermath of the March 11 disaster to connect with the people who live there. Once there, he met Michitane Soma, the head of a samurai warrior clan that stretches back 34 generations, through 800 years of history. Soma wanted Brown to photograph his community using the wet plate collodion technique he was known for. Despite the tragedy, the residents of Soma went ahead with their annual horse race festival that year, during which hundreds of samurai descendents and locals deck themselves out in colorful traditional garb to honor the samurai code. Samurai traditionally wore a short coat without sleeves – known as “jinbaori” – made of deer skin, silk or cotton that could be draped over clothes or armor. In one photograph, Michitane Soma wears a jinbaori made of sik. Abstract geometric symbols also adorn his pants, which are known as “hakama.” The symbols are believed to protect the wearer from evil, Brown said; popular designs include dragonfly, dragon and carp motifs. “The carp symbolizes success, longevity, courage, ambition, and perseverance,” he said. You can't go home again: Rebuilding lives after Fukushima Photographs of people who participated in the festival in the past and the traditional costumes they wore line the walls of present-day Soma residents’ homes, Brown added. Brown photographed 44 people – some from old important samurai families and others whose families have a strong loyalty to the local samurai tradition – over a 2-year period. “We only took one photograph for each person, so for each of these portraits there was only one chance per person,” Brown said. He set up a dark room on location where he made his glass negatives. Each session – from making the negative to developing it – took up to 20 minutes, and the photographs needed to be taken while the glass negative was wet. Each individual had to sit still for up to two seconds. Heads will roll: Japanese artist plays with guts and gore Brown said his photographic series serves as both a record and reminder of a difficult time in the Soma residents’ history, and now aims to place the images in a local museum. Fostering a cultural dialogue Brown said that since the disaster, many residents of Soma have become more determined to pass the samurai tradition onto the next generation as a source of purpose and identity. For his next project, Brown wants to explore how the roots of Japanese samurai fashion can be found throughout the world. “These designs were brought to Japan by the Chinese, by Muslims, by the Portuguese, by the Dutch,” Brown explained. “I want to start creating more dialogue about where this fashion came from, because most people think that it’s just Japanese,” he added.

Everett Kennedy Brown's photographic series on Japan’s samurai