Jerusalem latest: Donald Trump to have new Israeli train station near Western Wall named after him

Transportation minister hails US President’s ‘historic and brave decision’ to recognise Jerusalem as Israel’s capital
By OP 

Donald Trump became the first sitting US president to visit the Western Wall when he travelled to Jerusalem in May Getty
A new train station close to the Western Wall in Jerusalem is to be named after Donald Trump, Israel’s Transportation Minister has announced.
Yisrael Katz said the stop, which will be called the “Donald John Trump, Western Wall” station, was a tribute to the US President’s decision to recognise Jerusalem as the capital of Israel.

Mr Katz told the Yedioth Ahronoth newspaper: “The Western Wall is the holiest place for the Jewish people, and I decided to call the train station that leads to it after President Trump following his historic and brave decision to recognise Jerusalem as the capital of the State of Israel.”
The announcement comes weeks after Mr Trump ordered the State Department to begin the process of moving the US embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem and recognise the latter as the country’s capital.

  • READ MORE

UN VOTES TO DECLARE TRUMP JERUSALEM DECISION ‘NULL AND VOID’

At the time, he said: “Today we finally acknowledge the obvious: that Jerusalem is Israel’s capital. This is nothing more or less than a recognition of reality. It is also the right thing to do. It’s something that has to be done.”
The move was criticised by much of the international community amid fears it will harm the prospects of peace, but was backed by most Israeli leaders.
Mr Trump became the first sitting US president to visit the Western Wall when he travelled to Jerusalem in May.
One of the holiest sites in Judaism, the wall is the only remaining part of the of the Second Jewish Temple that was destroyed in 70AD.
It is also considered important in Islam as the place where the Prophet Muhammad is said to have tethered his horse, Buraq.

25 December 2017

Members of ice swimming club “Berliner Seehunde” (Berlin Seals) take a dip in the Orankesee lake in Berlin as part of their traditional Christmas ice swimming session, in Berlin, Germany Reuters

The planned train station will be at one end of a new 3km tunnel stretching from HaUma station on the outskirts of Jerusalem to the Cardo in the heart of the city’s ancient Jewish Quarter, close to the Western Wall.
The new line is expected to cost more than £500m and, if approved, would take four years to build.
It is likely to face strong opposition from Palestinians and much of the international community because the route will go through East Jerusalem, which is not legally recognised as Israeli territory by the international community. The area is heavily disputed, having been recaptured by Israel during the Six Day War in 1967.

World War 3? Biological war fears as ‘ANTHRAX antibodies found in North Korean defector

ANTHRAX antibodies have reportedly been found in a North Korean soldier’s bloodstream, sparking fresh fears that Pyongyang could be ready to use anthrax in a deadly attack against the US.

By OP 
World War 3, North Korea, Kim Jong-unGETTY

Anthrax antibodies were reportedly found in a North Korean soldier’s bloodstream

Speaking on the condition of anonymity, a South Korean intelligence official told a local news station that “anthrax antibodies have been found in the North Korean soldier who defected this year”.
It is not known whether the soldier was exposed to or vaccinated against anthrax, the report revealed.
However, the official stated that the unnamed soldier developed the immunity to anthrax prior to his defection from the hermit kingdom.
Anthrax is an infection caused by the bacterium Bacillus anthracis and can occur in four forms: skin, lungs, intestinal, and injection.
The news has come as South Korean officials and independent weapons experts warned Pyongyang could be developing the biological weapons and could be ready to use anthrax.
Former assistant defence secretary Andrew Weber warned about how dangerous the weapons could be if developed by Kim Jong-un.
He said: “The Soviet Union did have warheads that were designed for biological weapons on long-range missiles.
“But it is really not necessary, you could deliver an anthrax attack in Los Angeles or Miami or New York, covertly and have a strategic impact and kill tens or thousands or hundreds of thousands of people.”

Security expert warns North KoreaBiological attack possible

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When asked how many people a “thumb-nail sized quantity of anthrax” could kill if sprayed in the right conditions, Mr Weber said maybe over ten thousand.
The North Korean regime rejected the claim as “groundless” and said that it was fulfilling its obligations under the Biological Weapons Convention (BWC) which prohibits the production or stockpile of biowarfare weapons.
Pyongyang also rejected the reports on the same day that a Japanese newspaper claimed the rogue state had already been successful in developing the weapons.
The article, which cites an anonymous source connected to South Korean intelligence, says: “North Korea has started experiments such as heat and pressure equipment to prevent anthrax from dying even at a high temperature of over 7,000 degrees generated at the time of ICBM’s re-entry into the atmosphere.
Kim Jong-unGETTY

It is unknown whether the soldier was exposed to or vaccinated against anthrax, it has been reported

“In part, there is unconfirmed information that it has already succeeded in such experiments.”
In response, North Korea state media said: “The DPRK, as a state party to the BWC, maintains its consistent stand to oppose development, manufacture, stockpiling and possession of biological weapons.
“The more the US clings to the anti-DPRK stifling move, the more hardened the determination of our entire military personnel and people to take revenge will be.”
The comments come as the United Nations Security Council imposed tough new sanctions on North Korea after its continued missile testing.
The resolution seeks to ban nearly 90 percent of refined petroleum product exports to North Korea.
The resolution also bans exports of industrial equipment, machinery, transportation vehicles and industrial metals to North Korea.
Mr Trump tweeted: “The United Nations Security Council just voted 15-0 in favour of additional Sanctions on North Korea. The World wants Peace, not Death!”

KIM ISOLATED: Figures show China heeding Trump’s demands over North Korea sanctions

CHINA exported no oil products to North Korea in November, customs data showed, apparently going above and beyond sanctions imposed earlier this year by the United Nations.

By OP 

Kim Jong-un faces more isolation over the Chinese actionGETTY•REUTERS

Kim Jong-un faces more isolation over the Chinese action

Tensions have flared anew over North Korea’s ongoing nuclear and missile programmes, pursued in defiance of years of UN resolutions. 
Last week, the UN Security Council imposed new caps on trade with North Korea, including limiting oil product shipments to just 500,000 barrels a year.
Beijing also imported no iron ore, coal or lead from North Korea in November, the second full month of the latest trade sanctions imposed by UN.
China, the main source of North Korea’s fuel, did not export any gasoline, jet fuel, diesel or fuel oil to its isolated neighbour last month, data from the General Administration of Customs showed on Tuesday.
November was the second straight month China exported no diesel or gasoline to North Korea. The last time China’s jet fuel shipments to Pyongyang were at zero was in February 2015.

Inside North Korea: The pictures Kim Jong-un doesn’t want you to see

Mon, November 27, 2017

Photographer Eric Lafforgue ventured to North Korea six times. Thanks to digital memory cards, he was able to save photos that was forbidden to take inside the segregated state

  • Taking pictures in the DMZ is easy, but if you come too close to the soldiers, they stop you [Eric Lafforgue/Exclusivepix Medi]
    ERIC LAFFORGUE/EXCLUSIVEPIX MEDI
    1 of 69
    Taking pictures in the DMZ is easy, but if you come too close to the soldiers, they stop you [Eric Lafforgue/Exclusivepix Medi]

Taking pictures in the DMZ is easy, but if you come too close to the soldiers, they stop youA child watching a screen showing a pistol at the 'Sci-Tech complex' in PyongyangA general view of the entrance to the 'Sci-Tech complex' in PyongyangA child playing a tank-themed computer game at the 'Sci-Tech complex' in PyongyangA general view of the entrance to a computer library of the 'Sci-Tech complex' in PyongyangA general view of a hall inside the 'Sci-Tech complex' in PyongyangA guide standing before a model of a power station at the 'Sci-Tech complex' in PyongyangA girl sits before an interactive exhibit at the 'Sci-Tech complex' in PyongyangA rare example of an undisciplined kid in North Korea. The bus was driving in the small roads of Samijyon in the north, when this kid stood in the middle of the roadIn the art center of Pyongyang, we experienced a power outage, a daily event the North Koreans hate to show. When it happens, they tell you it's because of the american embargoOn the highways, you can see trucks loaded with coal, since North Korea has big problem getting oil like during WW2
Cai Jian, an expert on North Korea at Fudan University in Shanghai, said: “This is a natural outcome of the tightening of the various sanctions against North Korea.”
The tightening “reflects China’s stance”, he said.
The stats follow Donald Trump’s visit to Asia at the start of November which included talks with President Xi Jinping over the North Korea crisis.
Since June, state-run China National Petroleum Corp (CNPC) has suspended sales of gasoline and diesel to North Korea, concerned that it would not get paid for its good
Beijing’s move to turn off the taps completely is rare.
In March 2003, China suspended oil supplies to North Korea for three days after Pyongyang fired a missile into waters between the Korean Peninsula and Japan.
It is unknown if China still sells crude oil to Pyongyang. Beijing has not disclosed its crude exports to North Korea for several years.
Industry sources say China still supplies about 520,000 tonnes, or 3.8 million barrels, of crude a year to North Korea via an aging pipeline. That is a little more than 10,000 barrels a day, and worth about $200 million a year at current prices.
Trump visited China in early November as part of his Asia tourGETTY

Trump visited China in early November as part of his Asia tour

North Korea also sources some of its oil from Russia.
Chinese exports of corn to North Korean in November also slumped, down 82 per cent from a year earlier to 100 tonnes, the lowest since January. Exports of rice plunged 64 per cent to 672 tonnes, the lowest since March.
Trade between North Korea and China has slowed through the year, particularly after China banned coal purchases in February. 
Kim Jong-un has carried out a series of provocations against his neighboursGETTY

Kim Jong-un has carried out a series of provocations against his neighbours

In November, China’s trade with North Korea totalled $388 million, one of the lowest monthly volumes this year.
China has renewed its call on all countries to make constructive efforts to ease tensions on the Korean peninsula, urging the use of peaceful means to resolve issues.
But tensions flared again after North Korea on Nov. 29 said it had tested a new intercontinental ballistic missile that put the U.S. mainland within range of its nuclear weapons.
Meanwhile, Chinese exports of liquefied petroleum gas to North Korea, used for cooking, rose 58 percent in November from a year earlier to 99 tonnes. Exports of ethanol, which can be turned into a biofuel, gained 82 percent to 3,428 cubic metres.

This latest Trump administration move is being called “just insane”

Officials lifted a moratorium from 2014, which now allows scientists to alter viruses and make them more letha

By OP 
MSNBC’s Joy Reid is fed up with the Trump administration and believes that while some of the administration’s decisions are “awful,” others are simply “just insane.”

Reid had made reference to a recent reportthat the U.S. government lifted a moratorium imposed in 2014, which ended the funding of research that alters viruses in order to make them more lethal, as well as transmissible.
Some scientists have argued that they will now be able to use this research to potentially demonstrate “how a bird flu could mutate to more easily infect humans, or could yield clues to making a better vaccine,” The New York Times reported.
Critics, however, have expressed that experimenting with dangerous viruses could lead to serious risks, such as a widespread outbreak.
The Times elaborated:
Now, a government panel will require that researchers show that their studies in this area are scientifically sound and that they will be done in a high-security lab.
The pathogen to be modified must pose a serious health threat, and the work must produce knowledge — such as a vaccine — that would benefit humans. Finally, there must be no safer way to do the research
The moratorium was originally placed on three diseases in Oct. 2014, which halted 21 projects and included the flu, Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS) and severe acute respiratory system (SARS), the Times reported. This means that scientists were prohibited from making those viruses more deadly. Exceptions have been made for 10 of those projects in the years since the moratorium.
New regulations, however, apply to any and all pathogens, which could include, for example, “a request to create an Ebola virus transmissible through the air.”
Richard H. Ebright, a molecular biologist and bioweapons expert at Rutgers University, criticized the research efforts and said, “There’s less than meets the eye,” the Times reported.
Ebright felt the need for a panel review was necessary but explained he’d rather have independent reviews than ones conducted by the government, the Times reported. Ebright also said the rules should apply to all work and not just government-funded research and “clearer minimum safety standards and a mandate that the benefits ‘outweigh’ the risks instead of merely ‘justifying’ them.”

Why Trump isn’t getting the credit he thinks he deserves

By OP 

Updated 1116 GMT (1916 HKT) December 26, 2017

STORY HIGHLIGHTS

  • Trump’s conduct and personality is dictating how his first 11 months in office are perceived
  • Most of Trump’s wins are partisan
Washington (CNN)President Donald Trump is probably right: he doesn’t get due credit for the volume of achievements he’s stacked up during a tumultuous political year.
But to judge his presidency so far simply on bills passed, regulations slashed, executive orders signed and campaign promises kept would be to paint a skewed picture of the most divisive and controversial new administration in generations.
While Trump’s supporters approve of his actions and crusade against the establishment status quo, a majority does not, and it is Trump’s conduct and personality, more than his list of campaign promises kept, that is dictating how his first 11 months in office are perceived.
The President has shown little sign of examining why he may not be getting full political value for a record that, contrary to his claims, is not the most glittering of any first-year president.
Trump, before leaving for his Christmas and New Years break in Florida, took a sarcastic shot at media appraisals of his record.
“With all my Administration has done on Legislative Approvals (broke Harry Truman’s Record), Regulation Cutting, Judicial Appointments, Building Military, VA, TAX CUTS & REFORM, Record Economy/Stock Market and so much more, I am sure great credit will be given by mainstream news?” he wrote on Twitter Friday.
He was still brooding on his unflattering reviews while on vacation at his Mar-a-Lago resort.
“The Fake News refuses to talk about how Big and how Strong our BASE is. They show Fake Polls just like they report Fake News. Despite only negative reporting, we are doing well – nobody is going to beat us,” Trump tweeted on Christmas Eve.

A year of accomplishments

For much of the year, it appeared that Trump would end 2017 with a barren record.
But now, he has secured the most sweeping tax overhaul bill in 30 years, one that slashes the corporate rate by 14% and will give most Americans, for now at least, a bump in their paycheck.
The stock market is roaring, up 5,000 points since he took office. Gross domestic product growth was 3.3% in the third quarter after struggling along at around 2% annually while Barack Obama was President. Trump and his Republican partners have installed a new, conservative Supreme Court justice and are confirming appellate judges at a record-breaking clip. The tax deal fulfilled another Republican priority, repealing the individual mandate, a plank of the Affordable Care Act, more commonly known as Obamacare. Trump is also in the process of hiking defense spending.
“This has been a year of extraordinary accomplishment, by any objective standard,” a satisfied Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said on Friday, reflecting on his party’s performance.
Meanwhile, Trump has fulfilled or moved toward honoring campaign commitments on ending the Iran deal, withdrawing from the Paris climate accord, leaving or renegotiating multilateral free trade deals and reorienting US foreign policy with his “America First” philosophy. ISIS has been routed in Iraq and Syria. Trump’s administration has secured the toughest-ever sanctions against North Korea, which were reinforced again last week.
The administration has taken an ax to regulations, loosening government oversight in the economy and eradicating Democratic rules in areas ranging from school lunches to the number of dolphins and sea turtles who can be killed in swordfishing nets off the West Coast.
Is Trump most consequential President of modern era?

Is Trump most consequential President of modern era? 07:07

Limited appeal outside Trump’s base

So, for a fully paid-up Trump supporter and or even a Republican who has made their peace with the President’s anti-establishment crusade in the interests of a solid collection of the conservative movement goals, there is much to praise in Trump’s first year.
But a critique of Trump’s record would start with the nature of the achievements themselves, and offer a clue as to why he is not getting the plaudits he thinks he deserves. Most of Trump’s wins are partisan, many appear to be designed solely to please his political base alone, and some, like Trump’s targeting of the North American Free Trade Agreement, are radical and risky and could turn out badly.
Obama’s supporters, meanwhile, complain that on the economy and the campaign against ISIS Trump is merely piggybacking on the former President’s achievements and claiming them for himself. Trump’s transparent habit of seeking to eradicate Obama’s legacy whenever he can makes it unlikely that any Democrats will ever join him to forge bipartisan achievements that could secure the President credit outside his own dedicated supporters.
Much of the Republican agenda is almost as unpopular as the President. The tax bill, for instance, while a Trump achievement, is disliked by a majority of Americans, partly because it was described by nonpartisan studies as a huge giveaway to the rich.
But at least the tax bill is now law and difficult to overturn. Many of Trump’s attempts to reshape the economy and American life using executive power could be swept away if he is succeeded by a Democrat in 2021 or 2025, so they cannot be considered as irreversible long-term achievements.
Trump’s foreign policy is just as controversial as his record at home.
Many Americans who do not subscribe to Trump’s transactional foreign policy and nationalist populist worldview are horrified by a diplomatic strategy that they believe goes against everything the US should stand for.
His decision not to make human rights and democratic values an organizing principle of his foreign policy alienates traditionalists and his withdrawal from trade deals like the Trans-Pacific Partnership and hostility to multilateralism are seen by critics as thinning US power and influence abroad.
Trump’s immigration policies, including a much reworked ban on travelers from Muslim-majority nations, and his frequent hostile rhetoric toward Islam, sometimes come across to a broad political audience as being in conflict with foundational national values.
What Trump's tweets taught us in 2017

What Trump’s tweets taught us in 2017 03:31

A combatant-in-chief

Why Trump isn’t getting the credit he thinks he deserves

Analysis by Stephen Collinson, CNN
Updated 1116 GMT (1916 HKT) December 26, 2017
Relive Trump's first year in 2 minutes

STORY HIGHLIGHTS

  • Trump’s conduct and personality is dictating how his first 11 months in office are perceived
  • Most of Trump’s wins are partisan
Washington (CNN)President Donald Trump is probably right: he doesn’t get due credit for the volume of achievements he’s stacked up during a tumultuous political year.
But to judge his presidency so far simply on bills passed, regulations slashed, executive orders signed and campaign promises kept would be to paint a skewed picture of the most divisive and controversial new administration in generations.
    While Trump’s supporters approve of his actions and crusade against the establishment status quo, a majority does not, and it is Trump’s conduct and personality, more than his list of campaign promises kept, that is dictating how his first 11 months in office are perceived.
    The President has shown little sign of examining why he may not be getting full political value for a record that, contrary to his claims, is not the most glittering of any first-year president.
    Trump, before leaving for his Christmas and New Years break in Florida, took a sarcastic shot at media appraisals of his record.
    “With all my Administration has done on Legislative Approvals (broke Harry Truman’s Record), Regulation Cutting, Judicial Appointments, Building Military, VA, TAX CUTS & REFORM, Record Economy/Stock Market and so much more, I am sure great credit will be given by mainstream news?” he wrote on Twitter Friday.
    He was still brooding on his unflattering reviews while on vacation at his Mar-a-Lago resort.
    “The Fake News refuses to talk about how Big and how Strong our BASE is. They show Fake Polls just like they report Fake News. Despite only negative reporting, we are doing well – nobody is going to beat us,” Trump tweeted on Christmas Eve.

    A year of accomplishments

    For much of the year, it appeared that Trump would end 2017 with a barren record.
    But now, he has secured the most sweeping tax overhaul bill in 30 years, one that slashes the corporate rate by 14% and will give most Americans, for now at least, a bump in their paycheck.
    The stock market is roaring, up 5,000 points since he took office. Gross domestic product growth was 3.3% in the third quarter after struggling along at around 2% annually while Barack Obama was President. Trump and his Republican partners have installed a new, conservative Supreme Court justice and are confirming appellate judges at a record-breaking clip. The tax deal fulfilled another Republican priority, repealing the individual mandate, a plank of the Affordable Care Act, more commonly known as Obamacare. Trump is also in the process of hiking defense spending.
    “This has been a year of extraordinary accomplishment, by any objective standard,” a satisfied Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said on Friday, reflecting on his party’s performance.
    Meanwhile, Trump has fulfilled or moved toward honoring campaign commitments on ending the Iran deal, withdrawing from the Paris climate accord, leaving or renegotiating multilateral free trade deals and reorienting US foreign policy with his “America First” philosophy. ISIS has been routed in Iraq and Syria. Trump’s administration has secured the toughest-ever sanctions against North Korea, which were reinforced again last week.
    The administration has taken an ax to regulations, loosening government oversight in the economy and eradicating Democratic rules in areas ranging from school lunches to the number of dolphins and sea turtles who can be killed in swordfishing nets off the West Coast.
    Is Trump most consequential President of modern era?

    Is Trump most consequential President of modern era? 07:07

    Limited appeal outside Trump’s base

    So, for a fully paid-up Trump supporter and or even a Republican who has made their peace with the President’s anti-establishment crusade in the interests of a solid collection of the conservative movement goals, there is much to praise in Trump’s first year.
    But a critique of Trump’s record would start with the nature of the achievements themselves, and offer a clue as to why he is not getting the plaudits he thinks he deserves. Most of Trump’s wins are partisan, many appear to be designed solely to please his political base alone, and some, like Trump’s targeting of the North American Free Trade Agreement, are radical and risky and could turn out badly.
    Obama’s supporters, meanwhile, complain that on the economy and the campaign against ISIS Trump is merely piggybacking on the former President’s achievements and claiming them for himself. Trump’s transparent habit of seeking to eradicate Obama’s legacy whenever he can makes it unlikely that any Democrats will ever join him to forge bipartisan achievements that could secure the President credit outside his own dedicated supporters.
    Much of the Republican agenda is almost as unpopular as the President. The tax bill, for instance, while a Trump achievement, is disliked by a majority of Americans, partly because it was described by nonpartisan studies as a huge giveaway to the rich.
    But at least the tax bill is now law and difficult to overturn. Many of Trump’s attempts to reshape the economy and American life using executive power could be swept away if he is succeeded by a Democrat in 2021 or 2025, so they cannot be considered as irreversible long-term achievements.
    Trump’s foreign policy is just as controversial as his record at home.
    Many Americans who do not subscribe to Trump’s transactional foreign policy and nationalist populist worldview are horrified by a diplomatic strategy that they believe goes against everything the US should stand for.
    His decision not to make human rights and democratic values an organizing principle of his foreign policy alienates traditionalists and his withdrawal from trade deals like the Trans-Pacific Partnership and hostility to multilateralism are seen by critics as thinning US power and influence abroad.
    Trump’s immigration policies, including a much reworked ban on travelers from Muslim-majority nations, and his frequent hostile rhetoric toward Islam, sometimes come across to a broad political audience as being in conflict with foundational national values.
    What Trump's tweets taught us in 2017

    What Trump’s tweets taught us in 2017 03:31

    A combatant-in-chief

    But even the nature of Trump’s achievements and the controversy they stir cannot fully explain why he is not getting more recognition, and why his approval rating in a CNN poll last weekhad sunk to 35%.
    For that, you have to look at Trump’s personality, temperament and behavior — including his Twitter blasts.
    For 11 months, Americans have watched the President tug at the societal, cultural and racial divisions as a method of governing. In episodes like the marching of white supremacists in Charlottesville, Virginia, or his retweets of anti-Muslim videos of a British far-right group, the President has sought discord rather than attempted to heal aggravated feelings.
    Such a strategy is more likely to alienate anyone who is yet to make up their mind on Trump and his record than win him new supporters. And even in this polarized political age, the President’s failure to reach out beyond his own core power base of political support is remarkable.
    The funnel cloud of anger, score-settling, political chaos and divisive rhetoric that swirls around Trump at all times also has the effect of drowning out debate about the nature of his policies and any good press that he does get.
    The melodrama in the West Wing, with its firings, leaks and tensions, meanwhile, has created a picture of White House that has often struggled to implement its agenda or get out of its own way.

    Why Trump isn’t getting the credit he thinks he deserves

    Analysis by Stephen Collinson, CNN
    Updated 1116 GMT (1916 HKT) December 26, 2017
    Relive Trump's first year in 2 minutes

    STORY HIGHLIGHTS

    • Trump’s conduct and personality is dictating how his first 11 months in office are perceived
    • Most of Trump’s wins are partisan
    Washington (CNN)President Donald Trump is probably right: he doesn’t get due credit for the volume of achievements he’s stacked up during a tumultuous political year.
    But to judge his presidency so far simply on bills passed, regulations slashed, executive orders signed and campaign promises kept would be to paint a skewed picture of the most divisive and controversial new administration in generations.
      While Trump’s supporters approve of his actions and crusade against the establishment status quo, a majority does not, and it is Trump’s conduct and personality, more than his list of campaign promises kept, that is dictating how his first 11 months in office are perceived.
      The President has shown little sign of examining why he may not be getting full political value for a record that, contrary to his claims, is not the most glittering of any first-year president.
      Trump, before leaving for his Christmas and New Years break in Florida, took a sarcastic shot at media appraisals of his record.
      “With all my Administration has done on Legislative Approvals (broke Harry Truman’s Record), Regulation Cutting, Judicial Appointments, Building Military, VA, TAX CUTS & REFORM, Record Economy/Stock Market and so much more, I am sure great credit will be given by mainstream news?” he wrote on Twitter Friday.
      He was still brooding on his unflattering reviews while on vacation at his Mar-a-Lago resort.
      “The Fake News refuses to talk about how Big and how Strong our BASE is. They show Fake Polls just like they report Fake News. Despite only negative reporting, we are doing well – nobody is going to beat us,” Trump tweeted on Christmas Eve.

      A year of accomplishments

      For much of the year, it appeared that Trump would end 2017 with a barren record.
      But now, he has secured the most sweeping tax overhaul bill in 30 years, one that slashes the corporate rate by 14% and will give most Americans, for now at least, a bump in their paycheck.
      The stock market is roaring, up 5,000 points since he took office. Gross domestic product growth was 3.3% in the third quarter after struggling along at around 2% annually while Barack Obama was President. Trump and his Republican partners have installed a new, conservative Supreme Court justice and are confirming appellate judges at a record-breaking clip. The tax deal fulfilled another Republican priority, repealing the individual mandate, a plank of the Affordable Care Act, more commonly known as Obamacare. Trump is also in the process of hiking defense spending.
      “This has been a year of extraordinary accomplishment, by any objective standard,” a satisfied Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said on Friday, reflecting on his party’s performance.
      Meanwhile, Trump has fulfilled or moved toward honoring campaign commitments on ending the Iran deal, withdrawing from the Paris climate accord, leaving or renegotiating multilateral free trade deals and reorienting US foreign policy with his “America First” philosophy. ISIS has been routed in Iraq and Syria. Trump’s administration has secured the toughest-ever sanctions against North Korea, which were reinforced again last week.
      The administration has taken an ax to regulations, loosening government oversight in the economy and eradicating Democratic rules in areas ranging from school lunches to the number of dolphins and sea turtles who can be killed in swordfishing nets off the West Coast.
      Is Trump most consequential President of modern era?

      Is Trump most consequential President of modern era? 07:07

      Limited appeal outside Trump’s base

      So, for a fully paid-up Trump supporter and or even a Republican who has made their peace with the President’s anti-establishment crusade in the interests of a solid collection of the conservative movement goals, there is much to praise in Trump’s first year.
      But a critique of Trump’s record would start with the nature of the achievements themselves, and offer a clue as to why he is not getting the plaudits he thinks he deserves. Most of Trump’s wins are partisan, many appear to be designed solely to please his political base alone, and some, like Trump’s targeting of the North American Free Trade Agreement, are radical and risky and could turn out badly.
      Obama’s supporters, meanwhile, complain that on the economy and the campaign against ISIS Trump is merely piggybacking on the former President’s achievements and claiming them for himself. Trump’s transparent habit of seeking to eradicate Obama’s legacy whenever he can makes it unlikely that any Democrats will ever join him to forge bipartisan achievements that could secure the President credit outside his own dedicated supporters.
      Much of the Republican agenda is almost as unpopular as the President. The tax bill, for instance, while a Trump achievement, is disliked by a majority of Americans, partly because it was described by nonpartisan studies as a huge giveaway to the rich.
      But at least the tax bill is now law and difficult to overturn. Many of Trump’s attempts to reshape the economy and American life using executive power could be swept away if he is succeeded by a Democrat in 2021 or 2025, so they cannot be considered as irreversible long-term achievements.
      Trump’s foreign policy is just as controversial as his record at home.
      Many Americans who do not subscribe to Trump’s transactional foreign policy and nationalist populist worldview are horrified by a diplomatic strategy that they believe goes against everything the US should stand for.
      His decision not to make human rights and democratic values an organizing principle of his foreign policy alienates traditionalists and his withdrawal from trade deals like the Trans-Pacific Partnership and hostility to multilateralism are seen by critics as thinning US power and influence abroad.
      Trump’s immigration policies, including a much reworked ban on travelers from Muslim-majority nations, and his frequent hostile rhetoric toward Islam, sometimes come across to a broad political audience as being in conflict with foundational national values.
      What Trump's tweets taught us in 2017

      What Trump’s tweets taught us in 2017 03:31

      A combatant-in-chief

      But even the nature of Trump’s achievements and the controversy they stir cannot fully explain why he is not getting more recognition, and why his approval rating in a CNN poll last weekhad sunk to 35%.
      For that, you have to look at Trump’s personality, temperament and behavior — including his Twitter blasts.
      For 11 months, Americans have watched the President tug at the societal, cultural and racial divisions as a method of governing. In episodes like the marching of white supremacists in Charlottesville, Virginia, or his retweets of anti-Muslim videos of a British far-right group, the President has sought discord rather than attempted to heal aggravated feelings.
      Such a strategy is more likely to alienate anyone who is yet to make up their mind on Trump and his record than win him new supporters. And even in this polarized political age, the President’s failure to reach out beyond his own core power base of political support is remarkable.
      The funnel cloud of anger, score-settling, political chaos and divisive rhetoric that swirls around Trump at all times also has the effect of drowning out debate about the nature of his policies and any good press that he does get.
      The melodrama in the West Wing, with its firings, leaks and tensions, meanwhile, has created a picture of White House that has often struggled to implement its agenda or get out of its own way.
      The constant war with the media is often an effective tactic for Trump, as he seeks to ensure no fraying of his powerful political coalition. But it fosters an atmosphere in Washington where controversy overshadows analysis of the President’s evolving legacy and Trump’s frequent assaults on objective truth also undermine not just his standing but the prestige of the presidency itself.
      The feeling of hyperpartisanship and anger is also fueled by the Russia investigation and attacks by Trump on judicial and law enforcement institutions, including special counsel Robert Mueller and the FBI that continued over the holiday weekend. It is not surprising, then, that Trump’s approval ratings are in the tank given that, as a first-year president, he has already seen four associates charged or plead guilty.
      All of this helps explain why Trump has the worst approval rating in December of any elected President’s first year in the White House by a wide margin — only the second time since the dawn of modern polling that a President’s approval rating sank under 50% at this point. His record of achievement is simply swamped by the deeply set views many Americans harbor about him.
      In the CNN poll, 59% said they disapprove of how Trump is handling his job as president. While 85% of Republicans say they are satisfied with the President’s performance, 56% of those polled said they believed that his actions had changed the country for the worse.
      So, right now, what Trump is doing, and how he is doing it, displeases a majority of voters. It’s no wonder he is not getting credit he says he deserves.

      North Korea SHOCK: Desperate Kim Jong-un ‘looks to open talks with Donald Trump NEXT YEAR’

      NORTH Korea will look to open negotiations with the United States next year in an optimistic outlook for 2018, neighbours South Korea have claimed.

      By OP 
      Kim Jong-un is said to be looking to start talks with TrumpREUTERS

      Kim Jong-un is said to be looking to start talks with Trump

      It comes despite Seoul setting up a specialised military team to confront nuclear threats from the North.
      The United Nations Security Council unanimously imposed new, tougher sanctions on reclusive North Korea on Friday for its recent intercontinental ballistic missile test, a move the North branded an economic blockade and act of war.
      South Korea’s Unification Ministry said in a report today: ”North Korea will seek negotiation with United States, while continuing to pursue its effort to be recognised as a de facto nuclear-possessing country.”
      However, Seoul did not offer any reasons for its conclusion.
      The nation’s ministry of defence said it would assign four units to operate under a new official overseeing North Korea policy, aimed to “deter and respond to North Korea’s nuclear and missile threat”.
      Tensions have risen over North Korea’s nuclear and missile programmes, which it pursues in defiance of years of UN Security Council resolutions, with bellicose rhetoric coming from both Pyongyang and the White House.
      US diplomats have made clear they are seeking a diplomatic solution but President Donald Trump has derided talks as useless and said Pyongyang must commit to giving up its nuclear weapons before any talks can begin.
      In a statement carried by the official KCNA news agency, North Korea said the United States was terrified by its nuclear force and was getting “more and more frenzied in the moves to impose the harshest-ever sanctions and pressure on our country”.
      China, the North’s lone major ally, and Russia both supported the latest UN sanctions, which seek to limit the North’s access to refined petroleum products and crude oil and its earnings from workers abroad, while on Monday Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying called for all countries to ease tension. 
      The speculation comes despite recent aggression from North KoreaREUTERS

      The speculation comes despite recent aggression from North Korea

      On Tuesday, Beijing released customs data indicating China exported no oil products to North Korea in November, apparently going over and beyond UN sanctions.
      China, the main source of North Korea’s fuel, did not export any gasoline, jet fuel, diesel or fuel oil to its neighbour last month, data from the General Administration of Customs showed.
      China also imported no iron ore, coal or lead from North Korea in November.
      In its 2018 forecast, South Korea’s Unification Ministry said it believed the North would eventually find ways to blunt the effects of the sanctions.
      The report said: ”Countermeasures will be orchestrated to deal with the effects, including cuts in trade volume and foreign currency inflow, lack of supplies, and reduced production in each part of the economy.”

      Security expert warns North KoreaBiological attack possible

      Play Video

       
      Fears are growing Kim could lash out after increasing sanctions against PyongyangGETTY

      Fears are growing Kim could lash out after increasing sanctions against Pyongyang

      The latest round of sanctions was prompted by the November 29 test of what North Korea said was an intercontinental ballistic missile that put the US mainland within range of its nuclear weapons.
      The Joongang Ilbo Daily newspaper, citing an unnamed South Korean government official, reported on Tuesday that North Korea could also be preparing to launch a satellite into space.
      Experts have said such launches are likely aimed at further developing the North’s ballistic missile technology, and as such would be prohibited under UN resolutions.
      The North Korean Rodong Sinmun newspaper said on Monday saying that “peaceful space development is a legitimate right of a sovereign state”.
      North Korea regularly threatens to destroy South Korea, the United States and Japan, and says its weapons are necessary to counter US aggression.
      The United States stations 28,500 troops in the South, a legacy of the 1950-53 Korean War, and regularly carries out military exercises with the South, which the North sees as preparations for invasion.

      The hardest countries in the world to visit

      Fri, December 15, 2017

      MAPPED: The hardest countries to travel to – and North Korea ISN’T the worst.

      • The hardest countries in the world to visit [EXPRESS•Getty]
        EXPRESS•GETTY
        1 of 10
        The hardest countries in the world to visit [EXPRESS•Getty]
      The hardest countries in the world to visitThe hardest countries to travel to in the world have been revealedEritrea - One of the most secretive states in the world due to high restrictions on entry, after winning independence from Ethiopia in 1993North Korea - Travellers are unable to tour without a guide when in the country, due to the restrictions on what visitors are allowed to seeTurkmenistan - A letter of invitation must be given to anyone heading to the areaIran - Visa processes can be a long, with tourist visas on arrival often deniedSaudia Arabia - Tourist visas were suspended in 2010, meaning that advance visas must be a business or student visa. Women must be met by a sponsor on arrivalBhutan - Travellers face a steep $250 fee a day to visit. A visa must also always be issued before travelling. Only travellers from India, Bangladesh and the Maldives are excluded from the visa application processAngola - The strict visa regulations of the country mean it is hard for travellers to enterKiribati - Found in the Central Pacific, the tiny island is a difficult one to travel to geographically
      The Seoul claims come after Russia warned tens of thousands of US citizens could die if conflict in the region breaks out.
      Russian Security Council said the 250,000 Americans living in South Korea will be at risk if war ignites.
      The group’s secretary Nikolay Patrushev, made the warning as he slammed Mr Trump’s “cold war mentality”.
      He said: “The United States is not accustomed to regarding the lives of other countries’ citizens to achieve its goals.
      “However, Washington certainly cannot fail to take into account the fact that 250,000 Americans live in South Korea. 
      “In the event of large-scale military operations on the Korean Peninsula, tens of thousands of US citizens will die.”

      Trump’s VERY holy Christmas message: The President quotes the bible as he and Melania give festive address after he pushed Xmas greetings in favor of more inclusive ‘happy holidays’ wishes

      By OP

      16:49 GMT 25 Dec 2017, updated 19:41 GMT 25 Dec 2017
      • Trump tweeted the video Monday, which was pre-recorded before the first family decamped for Mar-a-Lago for the holiday 
      • In the clip, the president and first lady talk about paying tribute to military families and spending time with loved ones
      • Trump also quotes from the book of Isiah about the birth of Jesus   
      President Donald Trump and the first lady on Monday released a joint Christmas Day video message from the White House, quoting passages from the Bible and praising military families. 
      Trump tweeted out the short recording, which was taped before the first family left Washington DC for their holiday vacation at Mar-a-Lago in Palm Beach, Florida. 
      ‘My fellow Americans, Melania and I are delighted to wish America and the entire world a very Merry Christmas,’ the president says at the outset of the video.
      President Trump and First Lady wish the world Merry Christmas

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      President Donald Trump and the first lady on Monday released a joint Christmas Day video message from the White House

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      President Donald Trump and the first lady on Monday released a joint Christmas Day video message from the White House
      Al aglow: A montage in the video shows this year's holiday decorations at the White House

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      Al aglow: A montage in the video shows this year’s holiday decorations at the White House
      Focal point: The video showcases an elaborate Nativity scene, with a lingering shot of baby Jesus and saints 

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      Focal point: The video showcases an elaborate Nativity scene, with a lingering shot of baby Jesus and saints 
      Sending a message: A 'Merry Christmas' banner is seen hanging in the White House

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      Sending a message: A ‘Merry Christmas’ banner is seen hanging in the White House
      Melania Trump, dressed in a lacy red frock, says that at this time of year, ‘we see the best of America and the soul of the American people,’ and pays tribute to ‘our brave men and women in uniform.’
      The video, clocking at 1 minute, 44 seconds, features a montage showing the first family greeting troops and spending time with children, and footage showcasing this year’s Christmas decorations at the White House, including closeups of an elaborate nativity scene and a banner that reads, ‘Merry Christmas.’
      Trump then goes on to say: ‘In the season of joy, we spend time with our families, we renew the bonds of love and goodwill between our citizens and most importantly we celebrate the miracle of Christmas. 
      ‘For Christians we remember the story of Jesus, Mary and Joseph that began more than 2,000 years ago. As the book of Isaiah tells us, for to us a child is born, to us a son is given and the government will be on his shoulders and he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. 

      The Latest: Desserts aplenty for Trump’s holiday dinner

      By OP

      PALM BEACH, Fla. –  The Latest on President Donald Trump and his first Christmas in office (all times local):
      10 p.m.
      The menu for President Donald Trump’s Christmas Day dinner didn’t skimp on the goodies.
      The five desserts to choose from were Piña Colada Crème Brulée, Brilliant Cheesecake, Black Forest Trifle Martini, Bread Pudding and, of course, Trump Chocolate Cake.
      The first family is celebrating Christmas at the president’s South Florida estate and golf club, Mar-a-Lago.
      The holiday menu began with another signature dish, Mr. Trump’s Wedge Salad, the first of four salad or soup options. For an entree, there was Turkey, Char Crusted Filet Mignon and Seared Foie Gras, Braised Short Ribs, Pan Seared Seabass or Diver Scallops.
      The White House says Trump is celebrating with family members but also tending to the nation’s business as needed. He was briefed earlier in the day on a suicide bombing in Kabul, Afghanistan.
      ___
      2 p.m.
      The White House says President Donald Trump is celebrating Christmas like millions of Americans: surrounded by family.
      Trump is spending his first Christmas in office at his estate and private club in Palm Beach, Florida. The White House says he’s working, in addition to spending time with loved ones.
      The president was briefed earlier Monday on a suicide bombing in Kabul, Afghanistan, that killed at least six people. The Islamic State group claimed responsibility for the attack.
      Trump also released a brief video in which first lady Melania Trump joined him to “wish America and the entire world a very Merry Christmas.”
      The president adds that Christmas is a “season of joy” in which people spend time with their families, renew bonds of love and goodwill and celebrate the miracle of Christmas.
      ___
      3:40 a.m.
      President Donald Trump headed into his first Christmas in office by taking note of those he considers naughty — a top FBI official, the news media — and nice — U.S. troops overseas, kids eagerly awaiting Santa’s arrival. He also squeezed in golf, family time and worship.
      Trump sought Christmas Eve to cheer U.S. troops spending the holidays away from home. He told Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps and Coast Guard members that “every American heart” is thankful for them and their families.
      Trump opened the day by tweeting against the FBI’s deputy director and the news media.
      He later joined the first lady to field calls from children eager to know when Santa Claus would come to town. The calls came through a Defense Department Santa tracker program.

      China vows to create ‘overwhelming strategic advantage’ over Taiwan as invasion fears rise

      CHINA has vowed to create an “overwhelming strategic advantage” over neighbour Taiwan as invasion fears up another gear, it has emerged.

      By OP 
      China and TaiwanGetty

      China has vowed to create an ‘overwhelming strategic advantage’ over neighbour Taiwan

      Liu Junchuan, the head of the liaison office of China’s policy-making Taiwan Affairs Office, declared that Beijing favours a “one country, two systems” approach to reunification it claims would be attractive to the Taiwanese people.
      He said: “The swift development and massive changes in the mainland of the motherland are creating an increasingly strong attraction for the people of Taiwan.
      “The contrast in power across the Taiwan Strait will become wider and wider, and we will have a full, overwhelming strategic advantage over Taiwan.
      “The economic, political, social, cultural and military conditions for achieving the complete reunification of the motherland will become even more ample.
      “The basic situation of the Taiwan Strait continuing to develop in a direction beneficial to us will not change, and time and momentum are on our side.”
      A “one country, two systems” approach is similar to that of Hong Kong that operates independently of China in all areas of government except foreign relations and military defence.
      The government of Taiwan has insisted that only its people can decide the future of the island.
      Relations between Taipei, the Taiwan capital, and Beijing have frayed since a pro-independence party won elections last year.
      Island leader Tsai Ing-wen has explained her desire for peace with Xi Jinping, but has warned that any threat to national security will result in defensive moves.
      Despite the increased fears of a forthcoming invasion, China insisted that its moves were part of an effort to “reasonably” expand its islands in the South China Sea in a new government report.
      As China seemingly pushes to bring Taiwan into its sphere of influence, Xi Jinping has initiated a series of persistent drills in an effort to tighten his grip on the island.
      Last week saw Chinese jets carry out “island encirclement patrols” around Taiwan – state media showed pictures of bombers armed with cruise missiles.

      China lets tourists into Pyongyanghelping build nuclear programme

      Play Video

       
      The increased exercises from Beijing could suggest the Asian superpower is gathering intelligence before mounting a shocking invasion, according to a Macau-based military observer.
      Antony Wong Dong explained: “The recent ‘island encirclement’ patrols are very unusual.
      “The air force is conducting very practical and well-planned patrols near Taiwan to collect up-to-date military intelligence.
      Xi JinpingGetty

      Xi Jinping has initiated a series of persistent drills in an effort to tighten his grip on Taiwan

      TaiwanGetty

      The government of Taiwan has insisted that only its people can decide the future of the island

      “But now, the mainland is deploying old and new generations of surveillance planes, fighter jets and other aircraft…indicating the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) is stepping up its preparations for war against Taiwan.”
      Despite issues with North Korea taking top priority for nations around the globe, China has persisted with efforts to install high-frequency radar on its man-made islands in the South China Sea.
      The country faces mounting pressure from the US to tighten its grip on despot leader Kim Jong-un.

      The Latest: Trumps attend services at Episcopal church

      By OP

      The Latest on President Donald Trump and his Christmas holiday (all times local):
      10:50 p.m.
      President Donald Trump is attending Christmas Eve worship services at an Episcopal church in Palm Beach, Florida.
      Trump and his wife, Melania, arrived Sunday night at the Church of Bethesda-by-the-Sea. The Trumps were married at the church in 2005.
      The first lady recently said that attending church on Christmas Eve is a family tradition.
      Earlier Sunday, Trump offered season’s greetings to U.S. troops stationed overseas. He also joined the first lady for the tradition of fielding telephone calls from kids tracking Santa’s progress by way of a Defense Department program. He played golf and had dinner with his family.
      Trump is spending the holidays at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Palm Beach.
      10:15 p.m.
      President Donald Trump’s Christmas Eve dinner was bountiful — and not just because he shared it with family.
      The White House says the menu consisted of turkey, beef tenderloin, cornbread, creamy kale, popovers and mashed potatoes and turkey gravy.
      Trump also could choose from various local vegetable dishes, a seafood display that including local fish and shellfish, and a variety of desserts.
      Trump is spending the holidays at his Mar-a-Lago estate and club in Palm Beach, Florida.
      ———
      10 p.m.
      President Donald Trump has had a busy Christmas Eve, his first as president.
      He has tweeted against perceived adversaries, cheered U.S. troops serving overseas, played golf, chatted by phone with children about Santa visiting their homes, and shared dinner with his family.
      The president is spending the holidays at his estate in south Florida.
      In a video hook-up, Trump expressed thanks to members of the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps and Coast Guard. The troops were stationed in Qatar, Kuwait and Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, and patrolling the Strait of Hormuz in the Middle East.
      Trump began the day by tweeting criticism of a top FBI official he has suggested is biased against him, as well as a dig at the news media.
      ———
      00:00

      The Latest: Trumps attend services at Episcopal church

      • By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

      PALM BEACH, Fla. — Dec 24, 2017, 10:53 PM ET

      Donald TrumpThe Associated Press
      President Donald Trump turns to talk to the gathered media during a Christmas Eve video teleconference with members of the mIlitary at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Palm Beach, Fla., Sunday, Dec. 24, 2017. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)more +
      The Latest on President Donald Trump and his Christmas holiday (all times local):
      10:50 p.m.
      President Donald Trump is attending Christmas Eve worship services at an Episcopal church in Palm Beach, Florida.
      Trump and his wife, Melania, arrived Sunday night at the Church of Bethesda-by-the-Sea. The Trumps were married at the church in 2005.
      The first lady recently said that attending church on Christmas Eve is a family tradition.

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      Earlier Sunday, Trump offered season’s greetings to U.S. troops stationed overseas. He also joined the first lady for the tradition of fielding telephone calls from kids tracking Santa’s progress by way of a Defense Department program. He played golf and had dinner with his family.
      Trump is spending the holidays at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Palm Beach.
      ———
      10:15 p.m.
      President Donald Trump’s Christmas Eve dinner was bountiful — and not just because he shared it with family.
      The White House says the menu consisted of turkey, beef tenderloin, cornbread, creamy kale, popovers and mashed potatoes and turkey gravy.
      Trump also could choose from various local vegetable dishes, a seafood display that including local fish and shellfish, and a variety of desserts.
      Trump is spending the holidays at his Mar-a-Lago estate and club in Palm Beach, Florida.
      ———
      10 p.m.
      President Donald Trump has had a busy Christmas Eve, his first as president.
      He has tweeted against perceived adversaries, cheered U.S. troops serving overseas, played golf, chatted by phone with children about Santa visiting their homes, and shared dinner with his family.
      The president is spending the holidays at his estate in south Florida.
      In a video hook-up, Trump expressed thanks to members of the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps and Coast Guard. The troops were stationed in Qatar, Kuwait and Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, and patrolling the Strait of Hormuz in the Middle East.
      Trump began the day by tweeting criticism of a top FBI official he has suggested is biased against him, as well as a dig at the news media.
      ———
      4:30 p.m.
      President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump are taking questions from children who want to know where Santa Claus is.
      The president and first lady fielded calls on separate phones in the living room of their Florida estate, where they are spending the holidays. The calls came by way of the Track Santa program operated by the North American Aerospace Defense Command.
      Trump told a caller from Mississippi that the state is “great” and predicted that “Santa is going to treat you very well.”
      Trump offered encouragement when a caller from Virginia said he wanted to find building blocks under the Christmas tree. The president, who made his name and a fortune building things, said: “That’s what I always liked, too.”
      NORAD has operated the Santa tracking program for more than 60 years.
      ———
      10 a.m.
      President Donald Trump is sending Christmas greetings to U.S. troops stationed around the world.
      From the Florida estate where Trump is spending the holidays, he spoke by video hook-up on Christmas Eve to members of the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines and Coast Guard, stationed in Qatar, Kuwait and Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.
      Trump told the troops that Americans are thankful for them and their families. He says they’re “the greatest people on earth.”
      He offered renewed praise to the Coast Guard for saving thousands of lives during a series of deadly U.S. hurricanes.
      Trump told the troops that “every American heart” is thankful for them and is asking God to watch over them and their families.
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