In a confidential letter to special counsel Robert Mueller in January, President Donald Trump’s legal team acknowledged for the first time that Trump “dictated” the first misleading statement put out about his son’s controversial 2016 meeting with Russians at Trump Tower. “You have received all of the notes, communications and testimony indicating that the President dictated a short but accurate response to the New York Times article on behalf of his son, Donald Trump, Jr.,” the letter said, according to The New York Times, which published a copy of it. “His son then followed up by making a full public disclosure regarding the meeting, including his public testimony that there was nothing to the meeting and certainly no evidence of collusion.” The acknowledgment was tucked away in the letter, which largely focused on defending Trump from a potential subpoena for testimony and asserted broad executive powers to avoid a high-stakes interview with Mueller. The letter, which CNN previously reported on, was signed by Trump’s attorneys at the time, John Dowd and Jay Sekulow. Dowd left the legal team in March, while Sekulow continues representing the President. The misleading statement, issued in July 2017 to The New York Times, obfuscated the true nature of the June 2016 meeting at Trump Tower, which was attended by Donald Trump Jr., then-Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort, Trump son-in-law Jared Kushner, who is now a senior White House adviser, and a group of Kremlin-tied Russians. One of those Russians, lawyer Natalia Veselnitskaya, brought up the Magnitsky Act at the meeting, a 2012 American law punishing Russian human rights violators that she has lobbied extensively to overturn. She reached out to Trump’s team after he was elected to try to lobby on the Russian sanctions, CNN has reported. While the premise of the Trump Tower meeting was for the Russians to deliver damaging information about Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton, the statement initially put out in Trump Jr.’s name said the participants “primarily discussed a program about the adoption of Russian children” and omitted mention of Clinton. After the initial statement came out, news outlets reported Trump was involved in preparing the statement. Some reports said he helped draft it, others said he personally “dictated” the words. Trump Jr., meanwhile, told the Senate Judiciary Committee in private testimony in September, released last month, that he didn’t speak to his father about the statement, but that the President “may have commented through Hope Hicks,” the then-White House aide, and that some of those comments might have made it into the statement. In their public responses to the news reports, however, Sekulow and White House press secretary Sarah Sanders denied Trump’s role. The letter revealed on Saturday puts to bed the question of Trump’s involvement, but it doesn’t erase the previous denials from the record. Here are those examples. Trump lawyer Sekulow, CNN interview, 7/12/17: “That was written, no that was written by Donald Trump Jr. and I’m sure with consultation with his lawyer. That wasn’t written by the president.” Sekulow, ABC interview, 7/12/17: “The president didn’t sign off on anything. He was coming back from the G20. The statement that was released Saturday was released by Donald Trump Jr., I’m sure in consultation with his lawyers. The President wasn’t involved in that.” Sekulow, NBC interview, 7/16/17: “The President was not — did not — draft the response. The response came from Donald Trump Jr. and — I’m sure — in consultation with his lawyer. … Let me say this — but I do want to be clear — that the President was not involved in the drafting of the statement and did not issue the statement. It came from Donald Trump Jr. Sekulow, statement to the Washington Post, 7/31/17: “Apart from being of no consequence, the characterizations are misinformed, inaccurate, and not pertinent.” White House press secretary Sarah Sanders, daily press briefing, 8/1/17: “He certainly didn’t dictate, but he – like I said, he weighed in, offered suggestion like any father would do.”


Majority Leader (Mitch) McConnell, Mr. Speaker, distinguished members of the Senate and representatives of the House. I would like to thank Congress and the Congressional Institute for the invitation to be here today. The opportunity to visit the United States is always special. And to be invited to be the first serving head of government to address this important conference is an honor indeed. I defy any person to travel to this great country at any time and not to be inspired by its promise and its example. For more than two centuries, the very idea of America – drawn from history and given written form in a small hall not far from here – has lit up the world. That idea – that all are created equal and that all are born free – has never been surpassed in the long history of political thought. And it is here – on the streets and in the halls of this great city of Philadelphia – that the founding fathers first set it down, that the textbook of freedom was written, and that this great nation that grew “from sea to shining sea” was born. Related article British PM May: Praise for Trump -- but strong words, too Since that day, it has been America’s destiny to bear the leadership of the free world and to carry that heavy responsibility on its shoulders. But my country, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, has been proud to share that burden and to walk alongside you at every stage. For the past century, Britain and America – and the unique and special relationship that exists between us – have taken the idea conceived by those “56 rank-and-file, ordinary citizens,” as President Reagan called them, forward. And because we have done so, time and again it is the relationship between us that has defined the modern world. One hundred years ago this April, it was your intervention in the First World War that helped Britain, France, our friends in the Commonwealth and other allies to maintain freedom in Europe. A little more than 75 years ago, you responded to the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor by joining Britain in the Second World War and defeating fascism not just in the Pacific but in Africa and Europe, too. And later, in the aftermath of these wars, our two countries led the West through the Cold War, confronting communism and ultimately defeating it not just through military might, but by winning the war of ideas. And by proving that open, liberal, democratic societies will always defeat those that are closed, coercive and cruel. But the leadership provided by our two countries through the special relationship has done more than win wars and overcome adversity. It made the modern world. The institutions upon which that world relies were so often conceived or inspired by our two nations working together. Related video May: International institutions need reforming The United Nations – in need of reform, but vital still – has its foundations in the special relationship, from the original Declaration of St James’ Palace to the Declaration by United Nations, signed in Washington, and drafted themselves by Winston Churchill and President Franklin D. Roosevelt. The World Bank and International Monetary Fund, born in the postwar world at Bretton Woods, were conceived by our two nations working together. And NATO – the cornerstone of the West’s defense – was established on the bonds of trust and mutual interests that exist between us. Some of these organizations are in need of reform and renewal to make them relevant to our needs today. But we should be proud of the role our two nations – working in partnership – played in bringing them into being, and in bringing peace and prosperity to billions of people as a result. Because it is through our actions over many years, working together to defeat evil or to open up the world, that we have been able to fulfill the promise of those who first spoke of the special nature of the relationship between us. The promise of freedom, liberty and the rights of man. “We must never cease,” Churchill said, “to proclaim in fearless tones the great principles of freedom and the rights of man which are the joint inheritance of the English-speaking world and which through Magna Carta, the Bill of Rights, the Habeas Corpus, trial by jury, and the English common law, find their most famous expression in the American Declaration of Independence.” So it is my honor and privilege to stand before you today in this great city of Philadelphia to proclaim them again, to join hands as we pick up that mantle of leadership once more, to renew our special relationship and to recommit ourselves to the responsibility of leadership in the modern world. And it is my honor and privilege to do so at this time, as dawn breaks on a new era of American renewal. For I speak you not just as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, but as a fellow conservative who believes in the same principles that underpin the agenda of your party. The value of liberty, the dignity of work, the principles of nationhood, family, economic prudence, patriotism, and putting power in the hands of the people.  Principles instilled in me from a young age.  Principles my parents taught me in the vicarage in southern England in which I was raised. And I know it is these principles that you have put at the heart of your plan for government.  And your victory in these elections gives you the opportunity to put them at the heart of this new era of American renewal, too. Related article Friendliness with Trump will give Theresa May a European headache President Trump’s victory, achieved in defiance of all of the pundits and the polls, and rooted not in the corridors of Washington, but in the hopes and aspirations of working men and women across this land, you’re part of his victory, in both the Congress and the Senate, where you swept all before you, secured with great effort, and achieved with an important message of national renewal. And because of this, because of what you have done together, because of that great victory you have won, America can be stronger, greater, and more confident in the years ahead.  And a newly emboldened, confident America is good for the world. An America that is strong and prosperous at home is a nation that can lead abroad. But you cannot – and should not – do so alone. You have said that it is time for others to step up. And I agree. Sovereign countries cannot outsource their security and prosperity to America. And they should not undermine the alliances that keep us strong by failing to step up and play their part. This is something Britain has always understood. It is why Britain is the only country in the G-20 – other than yours – to meet its commitment to spend 2% of GDP on defense, and to invest 20% of that in upgrading equipment. It is why Britain is the only country in the G-20 to spend 0.7% of gross national income on overseas development. It is why my first act as Prime Minister last year was to lead the debate in Parliament that ensured the renewal of Britain’s independent nuclear deterrent. And it is why the government I lead will increase spending on defense in every year of this Parliament. It is why Britain is a leading member – alongside the United States – of the coalition working successfully to defeat Daesh; why we have agreed to send 800 troops to Estonia and Poland as part of NATO’s forward presence in Eastern Europe; why we are increasing our troop contribution to NATO’s Resolute Support mission that defends the Afghan government from terrorism; and it is why we are reinforcing our commitment to peacekeeping operations in Kosovo, South Sudan and Somalia. And it is why Britain is leading the way in pioneering international efforts to crack down on modern slavery - one of the great scourges of our world - wherever it is found. I hope you will join us in that cause – and I commend Sen. (Bob) Corker in particular for his work in this field. It is good to have met him here today. As Americans know, the United Kingdom is by instinct and history a great, global nation that recognizes its responsibilities to the world. Related video May: We aren't turning our back on EU And as we end our membership of the European Union – as the British people voted with determination and quiet resolve to do last year – we have the opportunity to reassert our belief in a confident, sovereign and global Britain, ready to build relationships with old friends and new allies alike. We will build a new partnership with our friends in Europe. We are not turning our back on them, or on the interests and the values that we share. It remains overwhelmingly in our interests – and in those of the wider world – that the EU should succeed. And for as long as we remain members we will continue to play our full part, just as we will continue to cooperate on security, foreign policy and trade once we have left. But we have chosen a different future for our country. A future that sees us restore our parliamentary sovereignty and national self-determination, and to become even more global and internationalist in action and in spirit. A future that sees us take back control of the things that matter to us – things like our national borders and immigration policy, and the way we decide and interpret our own laws – so that we are able to shape a better, more prosperous future for the working men and women of Britain. A future that sees us step up with confidence to a new, even more internationalist role, where we meet our responsibilities to our friends and allies, champion the international cooperation and partnerships that project our values around the world, and continue to act as one of the strongest and most forceful advocates for business, free markets and free trade anywhere around the globe. This is a vision of a future that my country can unite around – and that I hope your country, as our closest friend and ally, can welcome and support. So as we rediscover our confidence together – as you renew your nation just as we renew ours – we have the opportunity – indeed the responsibility – to renew the special relationship for this new age. We have the opportunity to lead, together, again. Because the world is passing through a period of change – and in response to that change we can either be passive bystanders, or we can take the opportunity once more to lead. And to lead together. I believe it is in our national interest to do so. Because the world is increasingly marked by instability and threats that risk undermining our way of life and the very things that we hold dear. The end of the Cold War did not give rise to a new world order. It did not herald the end of history. It did not lead to a new age of peace, prosperity and predictability in world affairs. Related article Bill to begin Brexit process introduced to UK parliament For some – the citizens of Central and Eastern Europe in particular – it brought new freedom. But across the world, ancient ethnic, religious and national rivalries – rivalries that had been frozen through the decades of the Cold War – returned. New enemies of the West and our values – in particular in the form of radical Islamists – have emerged. And countries with little tradition of democracy, liberty and human rights – notably China and Russia – have grown more assertive in world affairs. The rise of the Asian economies – China yes, but democratic allies like India, too – is hugely welcome. Billions are being lifted out of poverty and new markets for our industries are opening up. But these events – coming as they have at the same time as the financial crisis and its fallout, as well as a loss of confidence in the West following 9/11, and difficult military interventions in Iraq and Afghanistan - have led many to fear that, in this century, we will experience the eclipse of the West. But there is nothing inevitable about that. Other countries may grow stronger. Big, populous countries may grow richer. And as they do so, they may start to embrace more fully our values of democracy and liberty. But even if they do not, our interests will remain. Our values will endure. And the need to defend them and project them will be as important as ever. So we – our two countries together – have a responsibility to lead. Because when others step up as we step back, it is bad for America, for Britain and the world. Related article Article 50: UK's path to Brexit, explained It is in our interests – those of Britain and America together – to stand strong together to defend our values, our interests and the very ideas in which we believe. This cannot mean a return to the failed policies of the past. The days of Britain and America intervening in sovereign countries in an attempt to remake the world in our own image are over. But nor can we afford to stand idly by when the threat is real and when it is in our own interests to intervene. We must be strong, smart and hard-headed. And we must demonstrate the resolve necessary to stand up for our interests. And whether it is the security of Israel in the Middle East or the Baltic states in Eastern Europe, we must always stand up for our friends and allies in democratic countries that find themselves in tough neighborhoods, too. We each have different political traditions. We will sometimes pursue different domestic policies. And there may be occasions on which we disagree. But the common values and interests that bring us together are hugely powerful. And – as your foremost friend and ally – we support many of the priorities your government has laid out for America’s engagement with the world. It is why I join you in your determination to take on and defeat Daesh and the ideology of Islamist extremism that inspires them and many others terrorist groups in the world today. It is in both our national interests to do so. This will require us to use the intelligence provided by the finest security agencies in the world. And it will require the use of military might. But it also demands a wider effort. Because one of the lessons of fighting terrorism in the last 15 years or so is yes, killing terrorists can save innocent lives. But until we kill the idea that drives them, the ideology, we will always have to live with this threat. And as they are defeated on the ground, the terrorists are exploiting the internet and social media to spread this ideology that is preying on vulnerable citizens in our own countries, inspiring them to commit acts of terror in our own cities. That is why the UK has led the world in developing a strategy for preventing violent extremism, and why the British and American governments are working together to take on and defeat the ideology of Islamist Extremism. I look forward to working with the President and his Administration to step up our efforts still further in order to defeat this evil ideology. But of course, we should always be careful to distinguish between this extreme and hateful ideology, and the peaceful religion of Islam and the hundreds of millions of its adherents - including millions of our own citizens and those further afield who are so often the first victims of this ideology’s terror. And nor is it enough merely to focus on violent extremism. We need to address the whole spectrum of extremism, starting with the bigotry and hatred that can so often turn to violence. Yet ultimately to defeat Daesh, we must employ all of the diplomatic means at our disposal. That means working internationally to secure a political solution in Syria and challenging the alliance between the Syrian regime and its backers in Tehran. Related video Trump and May: The new Thatcher and Reagan? When it comes to Russia, as so often it is wise to turn to the example of President Reagan who – during his negotiations with his opposite number Mikhail Gorbachev – used to abide by the adage “trust but verify”. With President Putin, my advice is to “engage but beware.” There is nothing inevitable about conflict between Russia and the West. And nothing unavoidable about retreating to the days of the Cold War. But we should engage with Russia from a position of strength. And we should build the relationships, systems and processes that make cooperation more likely than conflict – and that, particularly after the illegal annexation of Crimea, give assurance to Russia’s neighboring states that their security is not in question. We should not jeopardize the freedoms that President Reagan and Mrs. Thatcher brought to Eastern Europe by accepting President Putin’s claim that it is now in his sphere of influence. And progress on this issue would also help to secure another of this nation’s priorities – to reduce Iran’s malign influence in the Middle East. This is a priority for the UK too as we support our allies in the Gulf States to push back against Iran’s aggressive efforts to build an arc of influence from Tehran through to the Mediterranean. The nuclear deal with Iran was controversial. But it has neutralized the possibility of the Iranians acquiring nuclear weapons for more than a decade. It has seen Iran remove 13,000 centrifuges together with associated infrastructure and eliminate its stock of 20% enriched uranium. That was vitally important for regional security. But the agreement must now be very carefully and rigorously policed – and any breaches should be dealt with firmly and immediately. To deal with the threats of the modern world, we need to rebuild confidence in the institutions upon which we all rely. In part that means multinational institutions. Because we know that so many of the threats we face today – global terrorism, climate change, organized crime, unprecedented mass movements of people – do not respect national borders. So we must turn towards those multinational institutions like the UN and NATO that encourage international cooperation and partnership. But those multinational institutions need to work for the countries that formed them, and to serve the needs and interests of the people of those nations. They have no democratic mandate of their own. So I share your reform agenda and believe that, by working together, we can make those institutions more relevant and purposeful than they are today. I call on others, therefore, to join us in that effort and to ensure they step up and contribute as they should. That is why I have encouraged Antonio Guterres, the new UN Secretary General, to pursue an ambitious reform program, focusing the United Nations on its core functions of peacekeeping, conflict prevention and resolution. And it is why I have already raised with my fellow European leaders the need to deliver on their commitments to spend 2% of their GDP on defense – and 20% of their defense budgets on equipment. Related article UK ambassador: Why Winston Churchill belongs in the Oval Office It is also why I have already raised with Jens Stoltenberg – the Secretary General of NATO – the need to make sure the Alliance is as equipped to fight terrorism and cyber warfare, as it is to fight more conventional forms of war. America’s leadership role in NATO – supported by Britain – must be the central element around which the Alliance is built. But alongside this continued commitment, I am also clear that EU nations must similarly step up to ensure this institution that provides the cornerstone of the West’s defense continues to be as effective as it can be. Yet the most important institution is – and should always be – the nation state. Strong nations form strong institutions. And they form the basis of the international partnerships and cooperation that bring stability to our world. Nations, accountable to their populations – “deriving” as the Declaration of Independence puts it “their just powers from the consent of the governed” – can choose to join international organizations, or not. They can choose to cooperate with others, or not. Choose to trade with others, or not. Which is why if the countries of the European Union wish to integrate further, my view is that they should be free to do so. Because that is what they choose. But Britain – as a sovereign nation with the same values but a different political and cultural history – has chosen to take a different path. Because our history and culture is profoundly internationalist. We are a European country – and proud of our shared European heritage – but we are also a country that has always looked beyond Europe to the wider world. We have ties of family, kinship and history to countries like India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and countries across Africa, the Pacific and Caribbean. And of course, we have ties of kinship, language and culture to these United States too. As Churchill put it, we “speak the same language, kneel at the same altars and, to a very large extent, pursue the same ideals”. And, today, increasingly we have strong economic, commercial, defense and political relationships as well. So I am delighted that the new Administration has made a trade agreement between our countries one of its earliest priorities. A new trade deal between Britain and America must work for both sides and serve both of our national interests. It must help to grow our respective economies and to provide the high-skilled, high-paid jobs of the future for working people across America and across the UK. And it must work for those who have too often felt left behind by the forces of globalization. People, often those on modest incomes living in relatively rich countries like our own, who feel that the global system of free markets and free trade is simply not working for them in its current form. Such a deal – allied to the reforms we are making to our own economy to ensure wealth and opportunity is spread across our land – can demonstrate to those who feel locked out and left behind that free markets, free economies and free trade can deliver the brighter future they need. And it can maintain – indeed it can build – support for the rules-based international system on which the stability of our world continues to rely. The UK is already America’s fifth largest export destination, while your markets account for almost a fifth of global exports from our shores. Exports to the UK from this State of Pennsylvania alone account for more than $2 billion a year. The UK is the largest market in the EU – and the third largest market in the world – for exporters here. America is the largest single destination for UK outward investment and the single largest investor in the UK. And your companies are investing or expanding in the UK at the rate of more than ten projects a week. British companies employ people in every US state from Texas to Vermont. And the UK-US Defense relationship is the broadest, deepest and most advanced of any two countries, sharing military hardware and expertise. And of course, we have recently invested in the new F-35 strike aircraft for our new aircraft carriers that will secure our naval presence – and increase our ability to project our power around the world – for years to come. Because of these strong economic and commercial links – and our shared history and the strength of our relationship – I look forward to pursuing talks with President Trump and his new Administration about a new UK/US Free Trade Agreement in the coming months. It will take detailed work, but we welcome your openness to those discussions and hope we can make progress so that the new, Global Britain that emerges after Brexit is even better equipped to take its place confidently in the world. Such an agreement would see us taking that next step in the special relationship that exists between us. Cementing and affirming one of the greatest forces for progress this world has ever known. Seventy years ago in 1946, Churchill proposed a new phase in this relationship – to win a Cold War that many had not even realized had started. He described how an iron curtain had fallen from the Baltic to the Adriatic, covering all the capitals of the ancient states of Central and Eastern Europe: Warsaw, Berlin, Prague, Vienna, Budapest, Belgrade, Sofia and Bucharest. Today those great cities – homes of great culture and heritage – live in freedom and peace. And they do so because of the leadership of Britain and America, and of Mrs. Thatcher and President Reagan. Related video UK PM: Not afraid to speak frankly to Trump They do so – ultimately – because our ideas will always prevail. And they do so because, when the world demands leadership, it is this alliance of values and interests – this Special Relationship between two countries – that, to borrow the words of another great American statesman, enters the arena, with our faces marred by dust and sweat and blood, to strive valiantly and know the triumph of high achievement. As we renew the promise of our nations to make them stronger at home – in the words of President Reagan as the “sleeping giant stirs” – so let us renew the relationship that can lead the world towards the promise of freedom and prosperity marked out in parchment by those ordinary citizens 240 years ago. So that we may not be counted with the “cold and timid souls who know neither victory or defeat”, but with those who “strive to do the deeds” that will lead us to a better world. That better future is within reach. Together, we can build it.


Third defendant faces possible life sentence in Mohammed Abu Khdeir's murder Palestinian teenager's killing escalated tensions before the 2014 Gaza war The third defendant in the 2014 murder of Palestinian teenager Mohammed Abu Khdeir has been convicted after an Israeli court rejected a last-minute insanity defense Tuesday. The convicted man, Yosef Haim Ben-David, now faces the probability of being sentenced to life in prison. Two minors were convicted of murder earlier in the case. A judge sentenced one to life and the other to 21 years in prison. Abu Khdeir, 16, was kidnapped, beaten and burned alive in Jerusalem in July 2014. His charred body was later found in a forest. The Palestinian teen was murdered following the killing in the West Bank of three Israeli teens who were abducted on their way home from school. The teens’ bodies were found more than two weeks later. The separate killings contributed to soaring of tensions between Israelis and Palestinians before the 2014 Gaza war. The judge had ruled in December that Ben-David was responsible for the killing. Tuesday’s ruling rejected a defense of insanity, finding instead that the defendant was responsible for his actions. Speaking to CNN after the hearing, Hussein Abu Khdeir, the father of Mohammed, said he was frustrated with the drawn-out legal process. “This is what we know from the beginning. The court brought nothing new, but it was and still is, wasting time,” he said. “Now, after 36 court sessions, after a year and nine months, they discovered that this was a murder? They burned my son and are still burning the whole family slowly.” The father said he submitted two papers to the court. The first requests the demolition of the killers’ homes, a measure the Israeli government has used only against the families of Palestinian attackers. The second paper requests Israel to revoke the killers’ citizenship. “I am very emotional and angry after today’s session,” Abu Khdeir said. CNN’s Amir Tal, and Abeer Salman in Jerusalem contributed to this report.


Rep. Frederica Wilson is Trump's latest foe on Twitter The President didn't know the name of the service member and his widow "broke down" after her call with Trump, Wilson said President Donald Trump’s latest adversary on Twitter is Rep. Frederica Wilson, a Democratic congresswoman from Florida. On Wednesday, the President accused Wilson of fabricating what she said he told a widow of one of four United States soldiers killed in Niger earlier this month, and said he could prove that she was wrong. “Democrat Congresswoman totally fabricated what I said to the wife of a soldier who died in action (and I have proof). Sad!” Trump tweeted. Democrat Congresswoman totally fabricated what I said to the wife of a soldier who died in action (and I have proof). Sad! On Tuesday evening, Wilson claimed that the President told Myeshia Johnson, the widow of Sgt. La David Johnson, that “he knew what he signed up for, but I guess it still hurt.” Wilson said she was present for the conversation, which she heard on speaker phone. Wilson represents Florida’s 24th District, which includes parts of northwest Miami-Dade and southern Broward counties and is where the Johnson family is from. She was first elected as a Florida state representative in 1998 and became a state senator in 2002 before being elected to the House of Representatives in 2011. Related article Trump, Dem congresswoman feud over his remarks to widow of fallen soldier This isn’t Wilson’s first time disagreeing with Trump. She was one of nearly 70 members of Congress who said they would not attend Trump’s inauguration. It also isn’t the first time she has said something is wrong with Trump. “I believe that the President is desperate for attention and needs psychological help,” Wilson said in a statement in May after The Washington Post reported that the President had shared classified information with Russians in the White House. The Florida congresswoman is known for her work following the death of Trayvon Martin, who was killed in her district. She used her platform to organize rallies in Miami and call for an end to the killing of young black men. She also fought for funding to combat the Zika virus, which swept through the area she represents in southern Florida. Wilson is a widow herself and the mother to three children. She is recognized around the Capitol for her colorful cowboy hats, which she wears in honor of her grandfather. White House press secretary Sarah Sanders said that there was no recording of the phone call between the President and Johnson, but “there were several people in the room from the administration that were on the call, including the chief of staff, John Kelly.” On Wednesday morning on CNN’s “New Day,” Wilson said that Trump didn’t know the name of the service member and that his widow “broke down” after her call with the President. Family member Cowanda Jones-Johnson told CNN Wednesday that Wilson’s account of the call between Trump and Johnson’s widow was “very accurate.” She said she was in the car when the call happened. Trump denied Wilson’s account in both a tweet and a statement made at the White House. “I didn’t say what that congresswoman said. Didn’t say it at all,” Trump told reporters during a meeting on tax reform in the Cabinet Room. “She knows it. And she now is not saying it. I did not say what she said.” Minutes later, Wilson responded on Twitter to Trump’s remarks, saying she still stood by her account. She then told CNN affiliate WPLG that “Mr. Trump is crazy,” hours after she told CNN’s Alisyn Camerota that the President has a “brain disorder.”


Moderate lawmakers were feeling already feeling the squeeze in immigration talks Conservatives balked at the proposal from the "Group of Six" President Donald Trump’s demands on immigration legislation Friday morning threatened to upend delicate negotiations on Capitol Hill, which were already jeopardized in the wake of his “shithole” remark. Republicans have been engaged in a showdown for days over which corner of their party has Trump’s ear in negotiations over the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program expiring in March. But if Trump’s vulgar comments weren’t already making moderates increasingly nervous that they’re losing in the fight to pull Trump to the center, his tweets Friday, in which he listed demands for a DACA deal, were likely to make their efforts more difficult. The President on Twitter demanded increased funding for a border wall and said the proposed bargain put forth by a bipartisan group of lawmakers would result in the US being “forced to take large numbers of people from high-crime countries.” He also said the proposed deal would make chain and lottery migration “worse.” Related article Trump denies making 'shithole countries' comment Democrats, however, have already made clear they would not consider some of the suggestions, and the comments are a major setback for an immigration compromise that seemed possible less than a day earlier. On Thursday afternoon, the bipartisan group of six lawmakers, led by Sens. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina and Dick Durbin of Illinois, agreed on a plan to shield hundreds of thousands of immigrants protected under DACA from being deported. But their victory – first announced by Sen. Jeff Flake of Arizona – was short-lived. The details hadn’t even yet been shopped around to their colleagues when conservatives started balking at the agreement and the only man that mattered in the debate – Trump – sent his party back to the drafting table. Ready to brief Trump on their negotiations, Durbin and Graham traveled to the White House Thursday thinking they would be meeting privately with the President, a source familiar told CNN. When they arrived, they discovered that several other more hardline immigration hawks, including Sen. Tom Cotton of Arkansas, would also be in the room. The surprise was first reported by The Washington Post. Related article Lawmakers condemn Trump's 'shithole' remark A source described at one point Durbin explained to Trump a proposal to end the visa lottery in exchange for Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for countries such as Haiti. CNN reported that Trump responded, according to a source familiar with the meeting: “Why do we need more Haitians? Take them out.” Cotton told reporters when he returned to Capitol Hill after the White House meeting, “There is no deal.” The bipartisan group had spent months meeting and crafting their bill and while it was long-expected to find resistance among restrictionist immigration types, more moderate Republicans on immigration had tried to make the case to the President that it was – Flake put it – the only game in town. Unlike health care or tax reform, the immigration bill would only pass with 60 votes, Flake and Graham repeated. That meant that negotiating with Democrats and finding a bill that could win their support wasn’t an option. “I don’t think we’ll get all Republicans,” Flake said Thursday. “I never thought we would.” But the bipartisan “Group of Six,” which included many of the same players that negotiated the hard right’s much maligned 2013 immigration bill – was being squeezed even before Thursday. “Just because the Gang of Six or gang of whatever agrees to something, it’s going to have to be vetted by the other members,” Louisiana’s Sen. John Kennedy, a Republican, warned earlier this week. “There’s a lot of folks who haven’t spoken up yet.” In the days leading up to their announced bipartisan agreement, some conservatives were more public and pointed about their doubts about the Group of Six’s effort. Texas Republican Sen. Ted Cruz told CNN flatly he couldn’t imagine supporting anything the group came up with. “Passing an amnesty bill that continues chain migration and has only fig-leaf token efforts and border security would be a serious mistake,” Cruz said. And, the Senate’s Republican Whip John Cornyn announced the No. 2s in the House and the Senate, including Durbin, Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy and the Democratic House Whip Steny Hoyer would take the lead in negotiations rather than the bipartisan group. “We are not going to default to existing groups, they were too many groups to count and they were basically getting nowhere so that’s why, I think, the need to move to this level,” Cornyn told reporters earlier in the week about the new power structure. The Republicans, however, are finding themselves in a precarious position. The President gave them a deadline of March 5 and they can’t just pass an immigration bill without Democrats. They don’t have a filibuster-proof majority. Not to mention, many of the most conservative members may never get comfortable with any bill that gives hundreds of thousands of immigrants – even if they entered the country as children – a path to legalization or citizenship, something some members perceive as amnesty. And, even if a bill was voted on and passed the Senate, legislation still faces long odds in the Republican-controlled House where there the differences between Democrats and Republicans are even greater. House Speaker Paul Ryan has far more hardline immigration hawks in his conference. Democratic House Leader Nancy Pelosi, meanwhile, has far more members who are opposed to any kind of deal that set back the parents of DACA recipients either by limiting chain migration or other mechanisms. Still, it’s unclear how Trump’s comments will affect the negotiations for now. A person familiar told CNN that the language was salty on both sides Thursday, but added it shouldn’t be interpreted as poisoning the changes for a deal. “It’s a negotiation process,” this person said. CNN’s Abby Phillip, Ted Barrett, Pamela Brown and Jim Acosta contributed to this report.


There’s tough news coming out of London this morning, so let’s get straight to what you need to know to  Get Up to Speed and Out the Door. You can also get “5 Things You Need to Know Today” delivered to your inbox daily. Sign up here. We know people have died in a fire at a residential building in London, but officials don’t yet know exactly how many. The fire in the 24-story building broke out in the early morning hours and soon the entire tower was engulfed in flames. Witnesses described a hellish scene: people jumping from the top floors, the bodies of children covered in sheets on the ground, the sound of screams. One woman said she saw a man burn to death in his apartment. They also said there were no alarms or warnings. About 200 firefighters are still fighting to put out the blaze. Keep up with the latest on this developing story with our live blog. Attorney General Jeff Sessions was back in his old stomping grounds when he strolled into the Senate intelligence committee hearing to testify. He served in the Senate for two decades, after all, so that’s probably why he felt comfortable pushing back – hard – on allegations he colluded with the Russians during the 2016 election. He called the allegations “an appalling and detestable lie.” Sessions was also ticked off when Democrats said he was stonewalling by refusing to talk about his private conversations with President Trump. And when Sen. Ron Wyden of Oregon didn’t like Sessions’ answers (or non-answers) about the real reasons he recused himself from the Russia investigation, the attorney general went off. “This is a secret innuendo being leaked out there about me, and I don’t appreciate it!” he yelled, adding a little fire to what had been, up to that point, a tense but civil hearing. He said he failed to disclose at his confirmation hearing his two meetings with Russian Ambassador Sergey Kislyak because Sen. Al Franken had asked him “a rambling question” about it. (Is Kislyak the most uninteresting man in the world or what? No one ever seems to remember meeting him.) Sessions also said there was no third undisclosed meeting with the Russian ambassador. So to recap, Sessions testified; Trump and the Republicans were happy with his answers. The Democrats? Not so much. As always, CNN’s Chris Cillizza has the hearing’s winners and losers. And, oh yeah, they tried to cut off Kamala Harris again. The good news is Otto Warmbier is back home on American soil.  The bad news – he’s in a coma. Warmbier, a US college student, was held for more than 17 months in North Korea. He’s been in a coma for over a year, but it’s not clear what happened to him. Someone close to his family tells CNN that Warmbier contracted botulism last year and is in “bad shape.” The North Koreans said he fell into the coma after taking a sleeping pill. His failing health factored into his release. Once back in the States he was rushed to a hospital in Cincinnati. Warmbier was detained back in January 2016 while trying to get home after touring the country. North Korean officials said Warmbier tried to steal a political banner from his hotel. And let’s not forget: there are still three other Americans being held in North Korea. An intense search is on for a pair of inmates who police say killed two prison guards before escaping. The manhunt is expanding beyond central Georgia for Donnie Russell Rowe and Ricky Dubose. And what they’re accused of doing sounds like a plot straight out of a movie. Police say the men, while being transported to another prison, got out of a locked section of a bus and overpowered the guards before killing them. Then they carjacked another vehicle and broke into a house, where they took food and clothing. A $60,000 reward is offered for their capture. It’s probably the most heartbreaking certainty of summer: young children being left in a hot car and dying an unfathomable death. It happens on average about 37 times a year. There were three hot car deaths – two in Texas, the other in Arkansas – just last week. What’s most shocking is that a lot of states don’t have laws in place making it illegal to leave a child alone in a car. Meanwhile, the Annie E. Casey Foundation has come out with its annual report on the best and worst states to raise kids. The best? New Hampshire. The worst? Mississippi. “Actually what it shows is it’s much more likely to be more talking” Uber board member David Bonderman, joking about adding more women to the beleaguered ride share company’s board. He apologized and resigned. Not lovin’ it A woman called 911 after her McDonald’s drive-thru order took too long. Hey, we’re not going to judge because who hasn’t thought about doing that? Not so golden The Golden State Warriors are NBA champs, but don’t hold your breath on that traditional visit to the White House to meet the President. Double take He spent 17 years in prison for robbery, then was released when his lookalike – who has the same first name – is accused of the crime. She’s a hugger Meet the 7-year-old girl on a mission to hug police officers in all 50 states. So far, she’s made it to 16. Flower power London’s still reeling from the terror attack on London Bridge. So Muslim volunteers handed out 3,000 roses near the bridge to help ease the pain. 600 pounds That was the weight of the many meth-laced lollipops – with a street value of $1 million – the cops found in a Houston home $1.65 million That’s how much Rolling Stone is paying a University of Virginia frat after it sued over the magazine’s now-debunked campus rape story House of ‘mmmm’ Ever wanted to make some of that tasty barbecue from Freddy’s Ribs on “House of Cards?” Come learn the secrets. (Click to view)


Highway landings, once a fixture of the Cold War, have not been made in over 30 years The A-10s are participating in a NATO exercise amid heightened tensions with Russia Four U.S. Air Force A-10 “Warthogs” jets landed Monday on the remote Jägala highway in Estonia near the Russian border, the first such practice road landing in over 30 years. The maneuver in Estonia, a NATO member that shares a 183-mile long border with Russia and sits about 100 miles from St. Petersburg, comes amid heightened tensions with Russia. These so-called “austere” highway landings were relatively common during the Cold War as military planners sought contingencies in case air bases were destroyed in a large-scale conflict. But the Air Force has not seen the need to practice this type of landing in the last three decades. Retired Air Force Col. John “JV” Venable told CNN that these landings would be critical if Russia were to ever mount an attack on NATO’s Baltic members. Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania are definitely “targets of interest for (Russian President Vladimir Putin) and Russia,” he said. Related gallery In the U.S. Air Force fleet He added that in the event of an attack, one of the first things the Russian military would do would be to strike the region’s limited number of airfields, thereby making alternative landing areas critical to defending the alliance’s eastern flank. “This was the first time in a long time that we had the opportunity to conduct a highway landing,” said Air Force Master Sgt. Alex Griffin, a U.S. Air Force-Europe public affairs officer. “It was important because it’s necessary our aircrew are familiar with this skill.” The landing was part of a U.S. Army-Europe-led military training exercise, Saber Strike 16, which involves 13 countries training throughout Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania. According to U.S. Air Force Europe, the goal of the exercise is to ensure that NATO and its partners “are ready for and capable of dealing with any contingency.” Last week, NATO announced that the alliance would deploy four multinational battalions, consisting of about 1,000 troops each, to Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and Poland. NATO jets also help secure Estonian airspace through the Baltic Air Policing operation. NATO’s easternmost members, including Poland and the Baltic states, have long sought an increased presence of NATO troops in their respective countries, a request driven in part by Russia’s 2014 military intervention and annexation of Crimea and continued backing of separatists in eastern Ukraine. Related video Remembering the father of the A-10 Russia is also planning on deploying advanced nuclear-capable missiles in its European enclave of Kaliningrad by 2019, according to Reuters. And the commander of U.S. Army Europe, Lt. Gen. Ben Hodges, was quoted teling the German news weekly Die Zeit Wednesday that “Russia could take over the Baltic states faster than we would be able to defend them.” In February, the U.S. Department of Defense announced it was spending $3.4 billion for thed European Reassurance Initiative in an effort to deter Russian aggression against NATO allies. The A-10s’ role in reinforcing NATO’s eastern flank comes as questions linger over the future of the close air support attack jet. The ones that arrived in Estonia on Monday came from the Michigan Air National Guard. The Air Force had originally planned for its version of the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter to replace the A-10. But Secretary of Defense Ash Carter said in February that the A-10 had “been devastating” ISIS and that the next budget would extend its operational life by deferring the plane’s retirement until 2022, at which point it would be replaced by the F-35. Related video Is the A-10 headed for the graveyard? RELATED: Will the Pentagon kill off the Warthog? But in recent months, Air Force leaders have openly discussed replacing the A-10 with a new jet dedicated to the close air support mission. Army Chief of Staff Gen. Mark Milley said Thursday that he did not care which plane was chosen as long as it did the job adequately. “As a soldier and a guy who’s been in my share of firefights, the only thing I care about is the effect on the target. I don’t give a rat’s ass what platform brings it in. I could care less if it’s a B-52, if it’s a B-1 bomber, if it’s an F-16, an F-15, an A-10. I don’t care if the thing is delivered by carrier pigeon. I want the enemy taken care of,” Milley told an audience at the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington. Unlike the multi-role F-35, the A-10 is the only airplane in the Air Force specifically designed for close air support. The A-10 has seen combat in Iraq, Afghanistan and most recently in Syria, where it was able to target enemy forces up close without risking friendly fire casualties because the pilots are flying slow enough to visually distinguish between enemy and friendly forces. The A-10 can carry up to 16,000 pounds of bombs and missiles and is armed with a powerful 30 mm, seven-barrel Gatling gun, which can fire depleted uranium bullets at 3,900 rounds per minute.


Sergey Kislyak is "a well-known, world-class diplomat" -- Russian Foreign Ministry Kremlin says Russia would not interfere in another country's affairs Russia’s Foreign Ministry has angrily rejected allegations that its top diplomat in Washington is a spy amid controversy over meetings he held with US Attorney General Jeff Sessions. CNN reported Wednesday that Russian ambassador Sergey Kislyak is considered by US intelligence to be one of Russia’s top spies and spy-recruiters in Washington, citing current and former senior US government officials. But asked by CNN’s team in Moscow about the report, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova insisted Kislyak was “a well-known, world-class diplomat.” She added, “He was deputy minister of foreign affairs in Russia, who has communicated with American colleagues for decades in different fields, and CNN accused him of being a Russian spy … of recruiting? Oh my God!” Related video What to know about Sergey Kislyak Sessions is facing calls from senior Democrats to resign for failing to disclose in his confirmation hearings two meetings he held with Kislyak last year. He has denied misleading Congress. Speaking at a press briefing Thursday, Zakharova dismissed media reports about the encounters between Sessions and Kislyak as “shameful,” an “attempt at total misinformation” and a kind of “vandalism.” Zakharova also defended the role of Russian diplomats, saying: “Everyone knows how diplomats work and their work consists of making contacts.” House intelligence committee panel sets Russia inquiry Asked to respond to the characterization of Kislyak as a spy, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said, “Nobody has heard a single statement from US intelligence agencies’ representatives regarding our ambassador. Again, these are some depersonalized assumptions of the media that are constantly trying to blow this situation out of proportion.” Related article Russia: The problem Trump can't escape Peskov also insisted that Russia has never interfered in the domestic affairs of another country and has no plans ever to do so. He said the current “overly emotional environment” was affecting the prospects of a future meeting between Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin. “This emotional atmosphere builds up a certain resistance to the idea of developing a relationship with Russia. That’s true. The negative effect is obvious here,” Peskov told journalists on a conference call. Kislyak’s interactions with Trump’s former national security adviser Michael Flynn led to Flynn’s firing last month. Sessions met with Kislyak twice last year, in July on the sidelines of the Republican convention, and in September in his office when Sessions was a member of the Senate Armed Services committee, according to the Justice Department. Sessions, then a Republican senator for Alabama, campaigned on behalf of Trump throughout 2016. Related video Sessions: Russia allegations 'unbelievable' Sessions did not mention either meeting during his confirmation hearings when he said he knew of no contacts between Trump surrogates and Russians. In response to reports of his meetings with Kislyak, Sessions’ spokeswoman Sarah Isgur Flores said there was nothing “misleading about his answer” to Congress because he “was asked during the hearing about communications between Russia and the Trump campaign – not about meetings he took as a senator and a member of the Armed Services Committee.” Sessions also strongly denied ever discussing campaign-related issues with anyone from Russia. “I never met with any Russian officials to discuss issues of the campaign,” he said in a statement. “I have no idea what this allegation is about. It is false.” The House Intelligence Committee signed off this week on a plan to investigate Russia’s alleged interference in the US elections, which includes examining contacts between Trump’s campaign and Russia, and looking into who leaked the details. Democrats have called for an independent investigation. Russia has consistently denied allegations that it meddled in the US election campaign. CNN’s Matthew Chance reported from Moscow and Laura Smith-Spark wrote from London. CNN’s Maria Ilyushina, Carol Jordan and Emma Burrows contributed to this report.


For fugitives on the run, time is running out. “The Hunt with John Walsh” returns Sunday at 9 p.m. ET/PT. #JoinTheHunt Ponce is accused of driving drunk in the wrong direction on I-275, slamming head-on into another car The crash killed 20-year-old William Angel and seriously injured two of his friends It’s been more than three years since Christopher Ponce allegedly slipped off an ankle monitor and skipped bail. The 26-year-old fugitive’s time on the lam came to an end when police arrested him in Spain this week, Florida Highway Patrol Sgt. Steve Gaskins said. Ponce, who was featured on CNN’s “The Hunt with John Walsh” in 2014, was charged with DUI manslaughter after a fatal 2012 car crash in Tampa, Florida. “Extradition is in motion,” Gaskins wrote on Twitter. CAPTURED: Spanish Police locate & arrest Chris Ponce after 4 years on the run; extradition is in motion. pic.twitter.com/ovlGW7wRcH Ponce is accused of driving drunk in the wrong direction on I-275, slamming head-on into another car. The crash killed 20-year-old William Angel and seriously injured two of his friends. For nine months, Ponce was under house arrest, but was allowed to remove the GPS monitor during MRIs for a broken ankle he suffered in the crash. In May 2013, officials say he removed the ankle monitor and disappeared. Jay Davis remembers seeing headlights coming toward him as he headed home after a night out on July 19, 2012. Angel, his best friend since middle school, was at the wheel, merging onto an exit ramp. Davis was sitting in the back seat. And a car was barreling toward them. “When I opened my eyes, I was laying through the windshield, face-down on the engine,” Davis told CNN in 2014. “The first thing that really crossed my mind was, ‘How am I outside? What the hell happened?’ “ Davis and another friend survived. Angel died at the scene. The driver of the other vehicle, Ponce, was treated for his injuries before he was arrested and charged with reckless driving, DUI manslaughter and vehicular homicide. Ponce had a previous DUI arrest, and his license had been suspended after a variety of infractions across the state of Florida. “There are people that really shouldn’t be on the road, behind the wheel of a car, that really should be in jail, and Christopher Ponce is one of those people,” Gaskins told “The Hunt” in 2014. During a bond hearing after Ponce’s arrest, the presiding judge criticized Ponce for his actions, saying, “I think you were drunk. I think you were lucky you didn’t have a girlfriend in the car that didn’t die.” Nonetheless, he released Ponce on bail and required that he wear a GPS ankle monitor while awaiting the results of a toxicology test. The judge issued a stern warning to Ponce: If the test results showed that Ponce had been under the influence, he would be sent to jail. But when the toxicology report came back, showing that Ponce’s blood-alcohol level was almost twice the legal limit, the presiding judge recused himself because of his comments to Ponce during the bond hearing. The new judge allowed Ponce to remain out on bond. The Angel family was shocked and angered by the decision. “You kill somebody with a gun, you’re not allowed out on bail. You kill somebody with a car – I mean, he still killed him,” said William’s mother, Lynn Angel. “So why is he given the privilege of being home?” After Ponce’s disappearance, police said they believed friends or family could be helping him evade authorities. It’s not clear where he’s been since he left his home in 2013. Police in Spain arrested Ponce at a bus stop, Gaskins said. Christopher Ponce, Season1 fugitive, captured in Spain. Been on the run for over 3 years. #JoinTheHunt pic.twitter.com/VMuayHir4d Spanish police could not be immediately reached for comment. The arrest marked a major breakthrough in the case, but it could take time before Ponce is back in the United States. The extradition process could take up to seven months, Gaskins said. But even though more steps must be taken in the case, he said, news of Ponce’s arrest already is helping Angel’s family heal. The Florida Highway Patrol sergeant has a personal connection to the 2012 crash. He was the first person from his agency to arrive at the scene. “I can attest to the absolute violence of the car crash which took a young life and maimed two others forever,” he said Wednesday. “Along with numerous other members of the FHP who all worked as a team to build a strong case, I can tell you we are happy to report that Chris Ponce has been located and will finally be called to answer for his crimes.” CNN’s Tricia Escobedo contributed to this report.


Donald Trump's relationship to Vladimir Putin has been scrutinized throughout the US election The Russian President said Wednesday, "Russian-US relations have substantially degraded" Russian President Vladimir Putin said Wednesday he had recently spoken to President-elect Donald Trump and that their “opinions coincided” that the relationship between the two nations had to be “straightened out.” In a speech at a foreign policy conference in Moscow, Putin said “during my recent telephone conversation with Mr. Donald Trump, our opinions coincided that the current, unsatisfactory state of Russia-US relations, undoubtedly must be straightened out. As I already have said, our country is prepared to go down our part of that road.” “In the past few years, unfortunately, we know this, Russian-US relations have substantially degraded. But this is not our fault,” Putin said. Putin’s remarks are similar to what he said recently after he and Trump had spoken on the phone following Trump’s victory. CNN has reached out to Trump’s transition team for comment and has not yet received a response. “Now, after the uproar of the US election campaign is over, and soon a new president will arrive at the White House, we would like to believe that a chance will appear to smooth relations, which is important not only for the people of both countries but for ensuring international stability and security,” Putin added. Trump’s relationship with Putin has been scrutinized throughout the presidential election, and the US President-elect has praised Putin a firm leader. Over the summer, US intelligence officials accused Russia of meddling in the presidential election by hacking the Democratic National Committee and releasing emails of Clinton campaign officials. CNN’s Deena Zaru contributed to this report.


Former President Obama offered his condolences to those affected by the attack in Manchester Obama said the world is standing in solidarity with Manchester Former President Barack Obama delivered a poignant message to the people of Manchester today following Monday night’s deadly terrorist bombing. “As the father of two daughters, I am heartbroken by the extraordinary tragedy that has occurred in Manchester,” Obama said in a video posted by German Chancellor Angela Merkel’s spokesperson. Kanzlerin #Merkel, @BarackObama + der Erzbischof v Canterbury @JustinWelby wenden sich vom Kirchentag an die Menschen in #Manchester #dekt17 pic.twitter.com/AUNSwUPyGk Standing alongside Merkel and Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby in Berlin, Obama offered his condolences to those affected by the suicide bombing, which targeted a pop concert attended mostly by teenage girls. “To all the families who have been affected, to all those who are still recovering, to those who have lost loved ones, it’s unimaginable to think about the cruelty and the violence that the city of Manchester has suffered,” Obama said. Related article Trump calls Manchester attack perpetrators 'evil losers' “Our thoughts and prayers are with all of you. There are families all around the world who are grieving with you,” he added, appearing visibly moved. Obama said that the city had shown its character in the “kindness and ways in which you are assisting each other” in the wake of the attack, which left at least 22 dead. “Just know that the entire world is in solidarity with you right now,” he said. Obama’s comments followed a tweeted response Tuesday, in which he said “Americans will always stand shoulder to shoulder with the people of the UK.” Our hearts go out to those killed and wounded in Manchester. Americans will always stand shoulder to shoulder with the people of the UK. President Donald Trump condemned the perpetrators of the attack, calling them “evil losers.” “So many young beautiful innocent people living and enjoying their lives murdered by evil losers in life. I won’t call them monsters because they would like that term. They would think that’s a great name. I will call them from now on losers because that’s what they are,” Trump said Tuesday.

Manchester attack victims and affected community


Photographer Leila Alaoui among four French Amnesty International workers to die terror attack Alaoui's passing raises death toll in Burkina Faso attack to 30 Photographer and visual artist Leila Alaoui had traveled to Burkina Faso to work on the kind of project she loved. Alaoui and her driver, Mahamadi Ouedraogo, were there to cover women’s rights for Amnesty International. They were sitting in a car parked outside the Cappuccino Cafe in Ouagadougou on Friday evening when terrorists struck. Al Qaeda-linked militants stormed the cafe, firing on patrons before moving across the street to the Splendid Hotel, where they shot some and took others hostage in an overnight siege that left dozens dead. Security forces stormed in to the luxury hotel hours later. At least some attackers hid among tourists and businesspeople during the day. In the attack, they let off several explosions and then began shooting. Alaoui was shot twice, in the leg and thorax, and was rushed to the hospital for surgery, according to Amnesty. But she suffered a fatal heart attack Monday before she could be evacuated by air from Burkina Faso. American killed in Burkina Faso attack moved there to work at orphanage “Leila was an extraordinary young woman. We wanted to work with her because of her talent, and her passion for helping women, girls and (marginalized) people tell their own stories and claim their rights,” Amnesty said. “As a strong woman herself, she wanted to show women as authors of their own destiny, not as victims. We are all devastated by her loss.” Ouedraogo died instantly in the car. Amnesty International called the father of four who was Burkinabe “a great friend.” “Mahamadi was a dedicated, helpful and caring colleague. His warm smile and discretion were a feature of the many Amnesty missions that he accompanied us on over the past seven years,” the human rights group said. “He did more than drive us safely everywhere; he also joined in to help out during mission activities. His death is a huge loss to us all.” Alaoui was one of four French nationals who died in the attacks. On Tuesday, French President Francois Hollande paid tribute to the artist as well as Arnaud Cazier, Eddie Touati and Antonio De Oliveira Basto, expressing solidarity with their families. Leila Aloui was born in Paris in 1982 and studied at the City University in New York before living in Morocco and Lebanon. Related gallery Leila Alaoui: Portraits of Morocco She used her international experience as a starting point in her art and photography. Her striking and often provocative work was exhibited globally. In July, Alaoui spoke to CNN about the challenges of photographing in Morocco at a screening of her “Crossings” video installation, a searing and beautiful portrayal of the migrant experience of Moroccans making the perilous journey to Europe. Related video Expert: Attacks becoming the new normal Aloui’s passing raised the death toll in Friday’s Burkina Faso attack to 30, according to a Burkinabe prosecutor speaking to state media. Canadians, Swiss, Ukranians, Dutch, Libyans and an American missionary all lost their lives. Seven Burkinabe were killed, more than any other country. The attack came as a shock to its capital unaccustomed to the ravages of terror. “This is a very hard time for us,” said Yalda Alaoui, a cousin of Leila’s based in London. The cousin said she hopes the attack will prompt social media and content companies to fight against jihadi propaganda on the Web. “When will governments and companies declare an Internet war on them?” she asked angrily.


Editor’s Note: Aamer Anwar is a defence lawyer, anti-war activist and prominent opponent of the UK’s anti-terror laws, based in Glasgow, Scotland. He represents the family of Aqsa Mahmood, who joined ISIS in 2014, and is pursuing an appeal against the Lockerbie bombing verdict on behalf of Libyan Abdelbaset Ali Mohmed al-Megrahi and the families of several British victims. You can follow him on Twitter @AamerAnwar. The views in this commentary are solely his. Lawyer Aamer Anwar says ISIS's recruitment tactics differ widely from those of al Qaeda ISIS engages in one-to-one dialogue with potential jihadis while sat 2,000 miles away: Anwar Group runs a slick, modern social media machine distributing messages on different platforms A decade ago al Qaeda would meet potential recruits face to face; now ISIS engages in one-to-one dialogue while sat 2,000 miles away. With what it says is a $2 billion budget, the group produces slick videos in which sexy bearded jihadists are paraded as potential husbands and burka-clad jihadi brides carry Kalashnikovs while extolling the virtues of the utopian Caliphate and a “guaranteed ticket to paradise.” Aqsa Mahmood, 19, left home for university one morning in November 2013 never to return. Instead of going to classes, she travelled to Syria; last February she married a jihadi fighter, and since then she has become a notorious poster girl for ISIS. What is so unusual about Aqsa is that she was given every chance in life: privately educated and offered freedoms that many other Muslim girls would envy. And while most were quick to condemn the Mahmood family for missing the signs of radicalization, 18 months on they remain none the wiser as to what prompted her to run away – Aqsa’s parents had actually warned their children of the need to avoid extremist websites. Following the terror attacks in London on July 7, 2005, the then Prime Minister Tony Blair insisted those responsible were motivated by an “evil ideology,” a “perversion of Islam that promoted absurd grievances,” and that they had nothing to do with the war in Iraq, but he was wrong: the Iraq “adventure” opened the gates of hell, and today young Muslims are being seduced by an updated narrative. Related video Children in war: victims and recruits For over a decade mosque leaders have been asked to eradicate extremism but they are no more than glorified gatekeepers whose lives bear little relevance to those of most modern day Muslims. The need to tackle radical preachers has crushed political debate and created a dangerous vacuum which is now being filled outside of mosques. READ: What is ISIS’ appeal for young people? Every new atrocity is invariably followed by useless public statements of sorrow from so-called “Muslim leaders,” further increasing the anger felt by the younger community – successfully drawing young Muslims away from the path of violence takes more than routine declarations that “Islam is a religion of peace.” It is easy enough to dismiss the words of wannabe radical jihadists as little more than the posturing of nihilistic adolescents, but the steady stream of recruits to ISIS cannot be ignored. Several years ago al Qaeda recruitment propaganda included videos of men with long beards ranting in Arabic in front of a black flag, followed by grainy footage of a truck blowing up as it drove towards Americans. It wasn’t particularly effective as a recruitment tool, but then they only needed a handful of recruits to change our society for ever. Today ISIS runs a powerful, slick, modern social media machine distributing messages daily across many different platforms. Their propaganda contains the same violent, distorted interpretation of Islam but it is more advanced than anything al Qaeda ever produced, and the authorities cannot police it or compete with it. Related video UK police launch campaign to fight ISIS recruitment For many, the greatest shock has been young girls like Aqsa wanting to leave behind their Western comforts and freedoms to join ISIS, but why should it be a surprise that young Muslim women are as angry as their male counterparts? There is no single road map to recruitment, but for a teenager becoming a Jihadi bride or fighter is much more appealing than becoming a suicide bomber, however distorted that logic may seem to us. READ: Why is ISIS so successful at luring Westerners? Full of adolescent frustration, young Muslims are being lured into a romanticized and glamorous world which bears no relation to the misery actually inflicted by ISIS. It doesn’t matter if the narrative is false, because ISIS is winning the propaganda war: the inability of the mainstream to deal with the anger felt by the Muslim community provides cannon fodder for the hatemongers. ISIS is left unchallenged on double standards of foreign policy, Israel, rendition, torture, or Assad’s reign, which has left 200,000 dead, because there is nothing that Western governments can say without being accused of duplicity and double standards. Aqsa’s family describe her as a “bedroom radical” of the type the British Government has been desperate to combat by trying to shut down websites and social media. Related video Inside an ISIS recruit's path to extremism Yet last year the International Centre for the Study of Radicalisation and Political Violence found “little evidence to support the contention that the internet plays a dominant role in the process of radicalization.” A concentration on social media avoids the real world social relationships which help create terrorists. Many young Muslim people asserting their identity in an Islamophobic society detest the hypocrisy of their elders, whose cultural and sectarian traditions they consider irrelevant to modern day Islam. While mosques pay lip service to the “brotherhood of man” they exclude 50% of the community by discouraging women from attending, and anyone below the age of fifty is told to shut up and show respect. As for racial unity, it is at best tokenistic and at worst institutionally racist. READ: The names: Who has been recruited to ISIS? Young British Muslims live a schizophrenic existence, stuck between their immigrant parents’ cultural identity and that of the West which doesn’t want them. Extremists exploit this identity crisis by offering them a new life. Most parents wouldn’t know if their teenagers were drinking or having sex, let alone being groomed by ISIS; many young Muslims – already adept at living a double life – will hide their digital footprint in exactly the same way. Related video What makes ISIS so attractive to some youth? In many cases, there is tremendous relief for parents when a teenager comes home one day and announces she is becoming religious, rather than saying she is pregnant or on drugs, but it also gives rise to a false sense of security. The failure to deal with the grooming of underage girls by ISIS is a child protection issue: when a paedophile makes contact with a child, he builds up trust over several months, convincing the child not discuss anything with her parents. When the time is right he convinces the child to leave her family and join him. The process is identical in radicalization by ISIS. Thousands of young people across Europe are at risk of being trafficked to Syria for marriage and holy war. In any other situation, they would be regarded as children – yet pin the ISIS label on them and the knee jerk reaction is one of condemnation. The exploitation of the politics of fear combined with tougher terror laws has created a climate of fear for Muslims who are portrayed as threatening a “civilized” way of life. We are quick to forget recent history: the disastrous treatment of the Catholic community in Northern Ireland produced a sense of burning injustice which acted as a recruiting sergeant for the IRA for more than four decades. Today, Muslims are being dealt with in the same way.


Tensions have continued to rise on the Korean Peninsula following missile tests This has strained relations between historic allies China and North Korea China is further fortifying its northern border region, which includes North Korea, amid continued tensions on the Korean Peninsula and concerns over potential US military action against Pyongyang. The North Korean-Chinese border stretches 880 miles (1,415 kilometers) across China’s Liaoning province, an industrial and mining heartland prone to heavy smog and painfully cold winters. In more hospitable months, the border city of Dandong plays host to hundreds of tourists coming to gawp at North Korea – from boats on the Yalu River which separates the two countries, or through binoculars on a section of the Great Wall overlooking the international boundary. Related video Can China help the US deal with North Korea? Below the tourists, trucks carrying Chinese goods rumble into North Korea as a small number of shoppers and traders head in the opposite direction. Cross-border interaction has remained largely consistent even as relations between North Korea and its one major ally have fluctuated amid increasing nuclear and missile testing by Pyongyang and angry denunciations from Beijing. But recent reports published on Chinese military and government websites, first highlighted by the Wall Street Journal, show Beijing is moving to reinforce the border as tensions on the Korean Peninsula rise and some in the US call for regime change in Pyongyang. Why neither North Korea nor the United States want all-out war Despite the strong ties between China and North Korea on paper – the two countries’ alliance is said to have been “forged in blood” during the Korean War – the border region is among China’s most militarized, and Beijing has held live-fire and helicopter attack drills in the area in recent months. According to a report published last month on the official website of the People’s Liberation Army (PLA), a “newly formed border defense brigade” is conducting patrols to gather intelligence, assess the situation and more accurately map out the border region – which includes North Korea, Russia and Mongolia. Another report said the “whole area” has newly been placed under “24-hour video surveillance” including drones, patrol cars and high-tech cameras. The North Korea border region is a highly strategic one for China, and has seen conflict during World War II and the Korean War, but one of Beijing’s chief concerns is not military forces pouring across the border, but refugees. “A mass movement of North Korean civilians across the border into China is a major concern, particularly given the dense population centers not far from the border, and the economic importance of Northeast China,” according to a recent report by the US-based Jamestown Foundation. While North Korea has proved remarkably capable of shrugging off economic sanctions, the country has suffered major famines and widespread food insecurity in the past, analysts say a conflict on the peninsula would likely result in hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of civilians heading north into China, the specter of which is a “huge worry for Beijing” according to the Council on Foreign Relations. Just as the Syrian refugee crisis has strained the resources of neighboring countries and caused widespread political strife in Europe, many in China are concerned by the hit the country’s economy and security could take from even a small conflict on the Korean Peninsula. “The stakes are huge,” retired US Adm. Mike Mullen said last year. “Instability generated on the peninsula could cascade into China, making China’s challenge of providing for its own people that much more difficult.” In March, retired PLA Major General Wang Haiyun said it was “necessary to prepare military action as soon as possible for a potential war” on the peninsula. “Once war breaks out, we should also consider setting up an international refugee camp in North Korean territory to prevent the influx of North Korean refugees,” said Wang in an op-ed in the state-owned Global Times. Tensions between Pyongyang and Washington have continued to rise amid recent claims by North Korea that it had tested a nuclear-capable intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM). A US defense official told CNN this week North Korea appeared to be preparing for another test. The Donald Trump administration has sought to bring pressure on China to take action to contain its ally, but despite repeated condemnations by Beijing of North Korea’s weapons testing, little progress appears to have been made. Beijing has also criticized the US and South Korea for their rhetoric on the issue and encouraged all parties to return to the negotiating table. However, such an invitation from Seoul to Pyongyang to resume talks went unanswered this month. Related video Pompeo signals support for N. Korea regime change The situation has led to frustration on all sides, with Trump’s CIA director Mike Pompeo last week appearing to indicate support for regime change in Pyongyang. Tong Zhao, an analyst at the Carnegie Tsinghua Center for Global Policy, said that “given the growing tensions and risks of military conflicts over the peninsula, I am sure China has been enhancing its military contingency plans.” On Monday, a Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) spokesman said “military means should not be an option to solve the Korean Peninsula issue.” A Defense Ministry spokesman declined to comment Monday on China’s war contingency plans. Speaking Tuesday, MOFA spokesman Lu Kang said the country’s military “has maintained normal combat readiness and training status along the Chinese-North Korean border.” Earlier this year, the Chinese state-run tabloid Global Times warned “if the North Korean nuclear issue boils over, a war on the peninsula is unavoidable.” “The war will bring more risks than the tough sanctions on Pyongyang could to China,” the paper said in an editorial. “If China does not tackle the conundrum now, it will face more difficult choices in the future.”


Donald Trump said bringing Syrian refugees to the U.S. could result in "one of the great military coups of all time" "This could be like a Trojan horse," he said Donald Trump said Saturday that bringing Syrian refugees to the U.S. could result in “one of the great military coups of all time.” “This could be one of the great military coups of all time if they send them to our country – young, strong people and they turn out to be ISIS,” he told Fox News’ Eric Bolling. “Now, probably that won’t happen, but some of them definitely in my opinion will be ISIS.” Trump said later Saturday that bringing in more refugees could have long-term effects. “This could be the ultimate Trojan horse. This one could be written about for a long time,” he said at a campaign event in Franklin, Tennessee. “They probably think, ‘This is going to be easy. We will send all these ISIS people.’ So a big percentage could be them.” The Republican front-runner said President Barack Obama wants to take up to 200,000 Syrian refugees. “Obama wants to – listen to this – he wants to take in 200,000,” he added. “You know, 200,000. That’s like an army. Now I’m looking the other day. It’s all men. Like, where are the women? They’re very strong men. Why aren’t they back there fighting for their country?” It was unclear where Trump got the 200,000 figure, and a message left with the Trump campaign Saturday afternoon was not immediately returned. Trump also said the U.S. is “totally unprepared” to handle the possible challenges. He also reiterated his pledge to send the refugees back to Syria if elected president. “If they come in, and if I win, they’re going back. They’re going back,” Trump said to applause. He called for the creation of a “safe zone” in Syria where the refugees could settle. “We have to help them in that sense, but we don’t have to help them by taking them into our country,” Trump said. Last month, Obama ordered his administration to “scale up” the number of Syrian refugees admitted to the United States, directing his team to prepare for at least 10,000 for this fiscal year, which began on Thursday. The 10,000 Syrian refugees would be allocated out of a U.S. quota of 75,000 refugee admissions from around the world. A Senate aide last month said Secretary of State John Kerry told senators that the administration would “seek an additional increase beyond” the worldwide total, potentially as high as 100,000. In all, about 1,500 Syrian refugees have been admitted to the United States since the start of the Syrian conflict in 2011, the vast majority of them in the fiscal year that just ended. Also in Saturday’s Fox News interview, Trump cited areas where he could cut spending, citing the Department of Education and the Environmental Protection Agency in particular. He said Hillary Clinton, who he’s criticized recently on the campaign trail over the controversy surrounding her use of a private email server while leading the State Department, has “become very mean, very nasty.” “She’s become a very different type of person,” Trump said. But despite the attacks from Clinton and other candidates, Trump told Bolling that he’s having fun on the campaign trail. “I’m having a good time, but I think a lot of other people aren’t,” he said. CNN’s Eric Bradner, Ashley Killough, Laura Koran, Elise Labott, Jim Acosta, Deirdre Walsh, Michael Martinez contributed to this report.


A Republican congressman said Thursday night that Congress and the nation may be just days away from James Comey breaking his silence after being fired as FBI director by President Donald Trump. Rep. Will Hurd of Texas sits on the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, which invited Comey to testify next week.  Asked on CNN’s “Outfront” if he believed Comey is still going to testify, Hurd told Erin Burnett, “I’m pretty confident he is.  And that hearing may be as soon as the 24th of May.” .@HurdOnTheHill is "pretty confident" Comey is going to testify, the hearing "may be as soon as...the 24th of May" https://t.co/TwuxZ5hyk9 A senior GOP source previously told CNN it was unlikely Comey would testify publicly now that former FBI Director Robert Mueller has been named special counsel for the investigation into possible ties between the Trump campaign and Russian officials. Hurd also disagreed with the President’s comments on Thursday that the appointment of a special counsel “hurts our country.” “The special counsel is a move that’s going to make sure that the American people can be satisfied with however this ends,” he said. “We’ve got to make sure that this is done the right way, that we don’t react, that we show restraint, that we get to all the facts so that we can be proud of what happens in this investigation.” Hurd added that Mueller is someone who is respected by both sides of the aisle in Congress and, “He has the right law enforcement and legal background to understand the gravity of this situation and to do it in a thorough way.”

special counsel appointment of Robert Mueller


House Intelligence Chairman Devin Nunes’ dispute with Depuity Attorney General Rod Rosenstein and FBI Director Christopher Wray appeared to de-escalate Wednesday after Nunes was given access to the document that kicked off the FBI’s investigation into the Trump campaign and Russia. Nunes had been threatening to hold Rosenstein and Wray in contempt – and to potentially impeach them – if the Justice Department didn’t cooperate with his committee amid stepped-up congressional Republican criticism of Rosenstein as President Donald Trump considers whether to fire him. A Justice official told CNN that Nunes and Republican Rep. Trey Gowdy of South Carolina went to the Justice Department on Wednesday to view the document, known as an electronic communication, which details the origination of the counterintelligence investigation into Trump’s team and Russia that began in July 2016. The official said the document was no longer redacted, except for “narrowly tailored” redactions to protect the name of a foreign country and foreign agent that, if revealed, could undermine “the trust we have with this foreign nation.” The Justice Department also made 1,000 pages of classified materials available to the full House Intelligence Committee, the official said, which the department believes “substantially satisfied” Nunes’ August 2017 subpoena. Nunes disagreed with that characterization, saying the committee’s subpoenas “remain in effect,” but he also had kind words for Rosenstein. “Although the subpoenas issued by this Committee in August 2017 remain in effect, I’d like to thank Deputy Attorney General Rosenstein for his cooperation today,” the California Republican said in a statement. Nunes’ comments were a stark change from his position 24 hours ago. “Well, I can just tell you we’re not just going to hold in contempt – we will have a plan to hold in contempt and to impeach,” Nunes said in a Fox News interview Monday. But Rosenstein isn’t out of hot water on Capitol Hill yet, as Republicans on the Judiciary and Oversight committees have also slammed him over failing to provide documents related to the FBI’s handling of the Hillary Clinton email investigation. Senior Republicans on the key committees in the House bluntly warned that it was time to hold the senior officials in contempt. Related article Senators introduce bipartisan legislation protecting Mueller “I would certainly support that,” Rep. Peter King, an ally of Trump’s who sits on the House Intelligence Committee, told CNN earlier Wednesday when asked about holding Wray and Rosenstein in contempt. “We need these documents and they won’t give them to us. They’ve been stonewalling us for a year on one document after another.” Congressional action against Rosenstein, who appointed special counsel Robert Mueller and has the authority to fire him, could add to Trump’s ire toward the deputy attorney general. And if the House were to take aggressive action against Rosenstein, it could give Trump cover to fire the deputy attorney general, who is ultimately in charge of the Mueller investigation. In addition to Nunes’ demand, House Judiciary Chairman Bob Goodlatte, a Virginia Republican, has subpoenaed the Justice Department demanding a wide range of documents about the FBI’s handling of the Clinton email investigation in 2016. In response, the department delegated dozens of more staff to comply with the request and named a US attorney from Utah, John Lausch, to oversee the document production. Still, Republicans say the response has been paltry, giving ammunition for Trump to go after Rosenstein. “Absolutely,” Rep. Mark Meadows, a North Carolina Republican and close Trump ally who sits on the House Oversight Committee, said when asked if Rosenstein and Wray should be held in contempt. “At this particular point, they have not complied with a subpoena. They should be held in contempt.” Meadows, who met with Lausch on Monday, said: “They can’t tell us how many documents they’re going to deliver, when they’re going to deliver it, how they’ll redact it. Those are three questions that they’ve had five months to answer and they can’t answer it. It’s appalling.” While Republicans have been threatening to hold Rosenstein and Wray in contempt of Congress if they don’t cooperate with both the House Intelligence and House Judiciary committee subpoenas for documents, Nunes’ comments appeared to be the first to suggest impeachment. Meadows said the first step would be for Congress to hold Rosenstein and Wray in contempt, and impeachment could follow if the documents still aren’t produced. “It would be the first step you hold them in contempt, then you have other tools in the toolbox if you do not get the documents,” he said. “But it is certainly on that path to impeachment.” CNN reported Tuesday that Trump is considering firing Rosenstein in the aftermath of the FBI raid of the office of his personal lawyer, Michael Cohen. The top Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee, Rep. Adam Schiff of California, said Wednesday that the threat from the GOP serves “insidious purposes: to intimidate DOJ and FBI, to provide the President with a pretext to fire Deputy Attorney General Rosenstein and FBI Director Wray, and to undermine special counsel Mueller’s investigation.” A GOP leadership aide said Nunes has not spoken to House Speaker Paul Ryan yet about the possibility of moving to hold Wray or Rosenstein in contempt. Nunes had given the Justice Department a Wednesday deadline to provide an unredacted copy of the document, saying what they had previously provided in redacted form was not sufficient. Still, firing Mueller or Rosenstein would prompt a backlash from many Republicans on Capitol Hill, who have publicly cautioned Trump against taking steps against the special counsel’s investigation. King, a New York Republican, said while he supports holding Wray and Rosenstein in contempt if they don’t turn over the documents, he was opposed to any effort that would oust them because of the Pandora’s box it would open with the Mueller investigation. “There’s the consequences of Rosenstein that would open up. It would just create a firestorm,” King told CNN. “Whether it’s right or wrong to do it, the fact is it would create a firestorm that doesn’t make it worthwhile.”