NEW DELHI: India joined 127 other countries in the UN General Assembly on Thursday to vote for a resolution that effectively rejected United States president Donald Trump s move to recognise Jerusalem as Israel s capital declaring it null and void . The resolution was passed 128 to 9 and 35 abstentions. The US was joined by Israel Honduras Guatemala Togo Marshall Islands Nauru Palau Micronesia and a notable abstention was the US s neighbour Canada. The resolution was in support of the long-standing international consensus that the status of Jerusalem which is claimed by both Israel and the Palestinians as a capital can only be settled as an agreed final issue in the Israeli-Palestinian peace process. This was the second time in a week that the US found itself isolated on this issue. On Tuesday the United Nations Security Council voted on an Egypt-sponsored resolution 14-1 with the US using its veto power to block the vote. On Thursday all key US allies UK France Germany Ireland Belgium Portugal Spain and China voted to condemn US s move to shift its embassy to Jerusalem. There had been speculation that India might vote with the US given its growing closeness with both US and Israel. But in September addressing the NAM (Non-Aligned Movement) committee on the Palestine cause on the sidelines of the UNGA foreign minister Sushma Swaraj said India s expanding relations in the region would strengthen the Palestinian cause. During PM s visit to Israel we reiterated the need for a just and durable peace in the region. The path to this clearly lies in an early negotiated solution between Israel and Palestine based on mutual recognition and security arrangements. It was during India s chairmanship of NAM in 1983 that the committee on Palestine was set up. The vote comes after Trump himself threatened to cut aid to countries who voted against the US. The US s envoy to the UN Nikki Haley was even more blunt. The US will remember this day in which it was singled out for attack in the General Assembly for the very act of exercising our right as a sovereign nation Haley said on Thursday. We will remember it when we are called upon to once again make the world s largest contribution to the United Nations. And we will remember it when so many countries come calling on us as they so often do to pay even more and to use our influence for their benefit. United Nations: More than 120 countries including India defied President Donald Trump on Thursday and voted in favour of a United Nations General Assembly resolution calling for the United States to drop its recent recognition of Jerusalem as Israel s capital.Nine countries voted against the resolution while as many as 35 countries abstained. India s decision to vote against American recognition of Jerusalem as the Israeli capital comes a day after Trump warned countries against opposing the US position. India did not speak on the floor of the Assembly in New York but after Trump recognised the holy city of Jerusalem as the capital of Israel it had said that its Palestine position was independent and consistent.India s yes vote comes even as the NDA government s proximity to Israel and the US has grown. Israel s prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu is expected to visit India next month and Prime Minister Narendra Modi had skipped Palestine during his visit to Israel in July this year.File image of the United Nations General Assembly. ReutersTrump had threatened to cut off financial aid to countries that voted in favour. A total of 128 countries backed the resolution which is non-binding nine voted against and 35 abstained. Twenty-one countries did not cast a vote.Trump s threat appeared to have some impact with more countries abstaining and rejecting the resolution than usually associated with Palestinian-related resolutions.Nevertheless Washington found itself isolated as many of its Western and Arab allies voted for the measure. Some of those allies like Egypt Jordan and Iraq are major recipients of US military or economic aid although the US threat to cut aid did not single out any country.A spokesman for Western-backed Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas called the vote a victory for Palestine but Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu rejected the vote.Earlier this month Trump reversed decades of US policy by announcing the United States recognised Jerusalem -home to major Muslim Jewish and Christian holy sites -as the capital of Israel and would move its embassy there. The United States will remember this day in which it was singled out for attack in the General Assembly for the very act of exercising our right as a sovereign nation US Ambassador to the UN Nikki Haley told the 193-member General Assembly ahead of Thursday s vote. We will remember it when we are called upon to once again make the world s largest contribution to the United Nations and so many countries come calling on us as they so often do to pay even more and to use our influence for their benefit she said.The status of Jerusalem is one of the thorniest obstacles to a peace deal between Israel and the Palestinians who were furious over Trump s move. The international community does not recognise Israeli sovereignty over the full city.Netanyahu described the resolution as preposterous. Jerusalem is our capital always was always will be. But I do appreciate the fact that a growing number of countries refuse to participate in this theatre of the absurd he said a video on his Facebook page.Israel captured East Jerusalem in a 1967 war and Palestinians want it as the capital of a future state they seek.Abstentions Among the countries that abstained on Thursday were Australia Canada Mexico Argentina Colombia Czech Republic Hungary Poland Philippines Rwanda Uganda and South Sudan.Guatemala Honduras Marshall Islands Micronesia Palau Nauru and Togo joined the United States and Israel in voting no.Australian UN Ambassador Gillian Bird said Australia wanted to see the United States continue to play a leadership role in brokering peace and abstained from the vote because We do not wish to see any party isolated from the process. According to figures from the US government s aid agency USAID in 2016 the United States provided some 13 billion in economic and military assistance to countries in sub-Saharan Africa and 1.6 billion to states in East Asia and Oceania.It provided some 13 billion to countries in the Middle East and North Africa 6.7 billion to countries in South and Central Asia 1.5 billion to states in Europe and Eurasia and 2.2 billion to Western Hemisphere countries according to USAID.The General Assembly vote was called at the request of Arab and Muslim countries after the United States vetoed the same resolution on Monday in the 15-member UN Security Council.The remaining 14 Security Council members voted in favour of the Egyptian-drafted resolution which did not specifically mention the United States or Trump but which expressed deep regret at recent decisions concerning the status of Jerusalem. The resolution adopted on Thursday affirms that any decisions and actions which purport to have altered the character status or demographic composition of the Holy City of Jerusalem have no legal effect are null and void and must be rescinded. French UN Ambassador Francois Delattre said in a statement: The resolution adopted today only confirms relevant international law provisions on Jerusalem. France voted for the resolution.The UN action comes a year after the Security Council adopted a resolution demanding an end to Israeli settlements.That resolution was approved with 14 votes in favour and an abstention by former US President Barack Obama s administration which defied heavy pressure from longtime ally Israel and Trump who was then president-elect for Washington to wield its veto.After Thursday s vote a spokesperson for the US mission to the United Nations said: It s clear that many countries prioritised their relationship with the United States over an unproductive attempt to isolate us for a decision that was our sovereign right to make. With inputs from agencies For those who felt they needed the President s permission Donald Trump has declared: We can say Merry Christmas again. Mr Trump repeatedly vowed during his campaign to end the so-called war on Christmas a commonly held belief among many of the President s Christian supporters. His comment came during a speech celebrating the passage of the tax reform bill. Read more MSNBC trolls Trump on Merry Christmas claims Some of Mr Trump s supporters have felt that saying the more neutral and inclusive happy holidays to mark celebrations of Hannukah Eid or other holidays taking place around the same time has undermined the Christian majority in the country. The war extends to some feeling as if political correctness is a forced and unnecessary social practice as well. Dan Cassino a professor of political science at Fairleigh Dickinson University told CNN that Mr Trump is no one s idea as an evangelical Christian but he is very much using the same rhetoric as the war on Christmas...And it fits very much into his worldview that the people he s representing have been left behind by this liberal society . Shelter - Homeless this Christmas 8 show all Shelter - Homeless this Christmas 1/8 Homeless this Christmas Janela 27 is 27 weeks pregnant and lives in temporary accommodation with her six year old son. She works 12-hour night shifts in a packing warehouse in Birmingham. Shelter 2/8 Homeless this Christmas Suleman works in IT and has been living in emergency accommodation since June 2014 with his wife and two children. His youngest only 2 was born while they were living in the hotel. Shelter 3/8 Homeless this Christmas Sarah 40 was living in one room in a B&B with her husband and children including her three-month old baby: We sleep on the bed they play on the bed we eat on the bed. There s just no place for anything. For her daughter Shauna 13 the shame she felt at being homeless impacted on her friendships at school: I don t tell them because in the end you can t trust a friend they could spread rumours about you. I can t explain anything to anyone. I go to school with a smile on my face. Names have been changed to protect the individual s identity Shelter 4/8 Homeless this Christmas Maria and her two daughters (15 and 5) lived in a B&B for more than 9 months before being moved out of area in October. Her oldest daughter is a wheelchair user and had no access to a bath as the bathroom was on a different floor. Maria had to bathe her in a tub in the bedroom. Names have been changed to protect the individual s identity Shelter 5/8 Homeless this Christmas Nicola and her three children have spent the last 9 months in temporary accommodation. She said: We re so squashed in this cold damp place. I say place because neither myself nor the children call this home . It s full of mould and the kids are constantly ill from the damp. I m trying to do the best that I can with what I have. I m training to be a teacher attending counselling sessions and trying to be the best mum I can to my babies but living like this is getting too much. Shelter 6/8 Homeless this Christmas Nathan 28 has been homeless for three months and until recently was living in a Travelodge on the side of a motorway with his 16-month old son where he only had access to a kettle: There s milk and stuff but there s no microwave. It s pretty hard to make food. I ve got to get the jars and stick it in the kettle and then put the kettle on to warm it up so that s the best way to feed him. Shelter 7/8 Homeless this Christmas For Geraldine 45 and her 13-year-old daughter Hannah living in an emergency B&B has taken a huge toll on their mental and emotional wellbeing: My daughter has felt very suicidal. I took her to the GP. They ve referred her to the psychologist. She s constantly breaking down crying. I had to take her to A&E on two occasions because she s having problems she keeps getting palpitations. She shakes. Names have been changed to protect the individual s identity Shelter 8/8 Homeless this Christmas Mariam her two teenage sons and 4 year old daughter Zara were living in a B&B for nearly three months before being moved to temporary accommodation in November. Both places have been extremely cold and Mariam is concerned for Zara s health as she suffers from asthma and anaemia. Shelter Mr Trump claimed on the campaign trail that Americans would say Merry Christmas in every store during his presidency implying that the phrase had gone out of use. Public institutions do have some restrictions placed on them as a way of being more inclusive of the public they serve but Christmas trees abound in several government buildings along with menorahs and Diwali lights. Read more Builders interrupt Christmas party to pay for hotel for homeless woman Why we haven t had a decent Christmas song since 1994 UK revealed as country most obsessed with Christmas MSNBC aired a series of video clips of previous President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle saying Merry Christmas during official White House holiday greetings. Vice President Mike Pence also chimed in during the tax bill passage celebration by saying Merry Christmas America! and referring to the tax cuts in bill a gift to all Americans. With God s help you will make America great again Mr Pence said to Mr Trump. More about: Donald Trump War on Christmas Reuse content Donald Trump has commuted the sentence of a kosher meatpacking executive who was serving 27 years in prison for money laundering - the first time the billionaire has used this presidential power. The decision to intervene on behalf of Sholom Rubashkin came at the urging of numerous members of Congress and law enforcement officials who argued the sentence was far too harsh for a first-time nonviolent offender. The move was encouraged by bipartisan leaders from across the political spectrum the White House said. A list provided by the Trump administration showed Democrat House minority leader Nancy Pelosi was a supporter of reviewing Rubashki s case. Read more Trump firing Mueller could provoke constitutional crisis Trump admits Republican tax bill was deceptively sold Trump jokes being shot is a hell of a way to lose weight Rubashki who ran the Iowa headquarters of Agriprocessors a family-run business and America s biggest kosher meat-processing company was convicted in 2009 for submitting fake invoices to a bank that made the firm s finances appear healthier than they were so it could borrow more. His prosecution came after federal authorities raided the plant and arrested 389 illegal immigrants in 2008. The 57-year-old father of 10 had served more than eight years of his sentence. The White House said the commutation was not a presidential pardon and did not overturn Rubashkin s conviction. Mr Trump has used his pardon power just once sparing former Arizona Sheriff Joe Arpaio the prospect of serving jail time by wiping away a federal conviction over illegal immigration patrols that focused on Latinos. Mike Pence delivers public praise of Donald Trump after passing tax reform Rubashkin s lawyer Guy Cook praised Mr Trump s decision saying his client has finally received justice . The sentence previously imposed was unfair unjust and essentially a life sentence he said. President Trump has done what is right and just. The unrelenting efforts on Rubashkin s behalf have finally paid off. In 2011 lawyers for Rubashkin filed an unsuccessful appeal for a new trial after government documents reportedly revealed the judge who handed down his 27-year prison sentence was involved in the planning of an immigration raid on Rubashkin s plant in 2008. The White House said the President s decision to review Rubashkin s sentence was driven by concerns raised by a bipartisan group of more than 100 former high-ranking law enforcement and Justice Department officials including multiple former attorneys general as well as prosecutors judges and legal scholars. Donald Trump s least presidential moments so far... 17 show all Donald Trump s least presidential moments so far... 1/17 Defending Russian President Vladimir Putin Donald Trump appeared to equate US foreign actions to those of Russian President Vladimir Putin saying There are a lot of killers. You think our country s so innocent? REUTERS/Carlos Barria 2/17 Asked for people to pray for Arnold Schwarzenegger At the National Prayer Breakfast Donald Trump couldn t help but to ask for prayers for the ratings on Arnold Schwarzenegger s show to be good. Schwarzenegger took over as host of The Apprentice which buoyed Mr Trump s celebrity status years ago. AFP/Getty Images 3/17 Hanging up on Australian PM Malcolm Turnbull Early in his presidency Donald Trump reportedly hung up the phone on Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull after the foreign leader angered him over refugee plans. Mr Trump later said that it was the worst call he had had so far. BRENDAN SMIALOWSKI/AFP/Getty Images 4/17 The muslim ban Perhaps one of his most controversial policies while acting as president Donald Trump s travel ban targeting predominantly Muslim countries has bought him a lot of criticism. The bans were immediately protested and judges initially blocked their implementation. The Supreme Court later sided with the administration s argument that the ban was developed out of concern for US security. Bryan R Smith/Getty 5/17 Praising crowd size while touring Hurricane Harvey damage After Hurricane Harvey ravaged southeastern Texas Donald Trump paid the area a visit. While his response to the disaster in Houston was generally applauded the President picked up some flack when he gave a speech outside Houston (he reportedly did not visit disaster zones) and praised the size of the crowds there. AP 6/17 Called North Korean leader Kim Jong-un Little Rocket Man During his first-ever speech to the United Nations General Assembly Donald Trump tried out a new nickname for North Korea leader Kim Jong-un: Rocket Man. He later tweaked it to be little Rocket Man as the two feuded and threatened each other with nuclear war. During that speech he also threatened to totally annihilate North Korea. 7/17 Attacking Sadiq Khan following London Bridge terror attack After the attack on the London Bridge Donald Trump lashed out at London Mayor Sadiq Khan criticizing Mr Khan for saying there was no reason to be alarmed after the attack. Mr Trump was taking the comments out of context as Mr Khan was simply saying that the police had everything under control. Getty Images 8/17 Claimed presenter Mika Brezinkski was bleeding from the face Never one not to mock his enemies Donald Trump mocked MSNBC s Morning Joe co-host Mika Brzezinski saying that she and co-host Joe Scarborough had approached him before his inauguration asking to join him. He noted that she was bleeding badly from a face-lift at the time and that he said no. 9/17 Claiming the blame for Charlottesville was on both sides Trump refused to condemn far-right extremists involved in violence at the march for the right protests in Charlottesville even after the murder of counter protester Heather Heyer AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais 10/17 Retweeted cartoon of CNN being hit by a Trump train Donald Trump retweeted a cartoon showing a Trump-branded train running over a person whose body and head were replaced by a CNN avatar. He later deleted the retweet. 11/17 Tweeting about slamming CNN Donald Trump caught some flack when he tweeted a video showing him wrestling down an individual whose head had been replaced by a CNN avatar. Mr Trump has singled CNN out in particular with his chants of fake news . 12/17 Firing head of the FBI James Comey Donald Trump s firing of former FBI Director James Comey landed him with a federal investigation into Russia s meddling in the 2016 election that has caused many a headache for the White House. The White House initially said that the decision was made after consultation from the Justice Department. Then Mr Trump himself said that he had decided to fire him in part because he wanted the Russia investigation Mr Comey was conducting to stop. Getty Images 13/17 Not realizing being president would be hard Just three months into his presidency Donald Trump admitted that being president is harder than he thought it would be. Though Mr Trump insisted on the 2016 campaign trail that doing the job would be easy for him he admitted in an interview that living in the White House is harder than running a business empire. REUTERS 14/17 Accusing Obama of wiretapping him Donald Trump accused former President Barack Obama of wire tapping him on twitter. The Justice Department later clarified: Mr Obama had not in fact done so. Reuters 15/17 Claiming there had been 3 million illegal votes Donald Trump was never very happy about losing the popular vote to Hillary Clinton by 2.8 million ballots. So he and White House voter-fraud commissioner Kris Kobach have claimed that anywhere between three and five million people voted illegally during the 2016 election. Conveniently he says that all of those illegal votes went to Ms Clinton. (There is no evidence to support that level of widespread voter fraud.) 16/17 Leaving Jews out of the Holocaust memorial statement Just days after taking office Donald Trump s White House issued a statement on International Holocaust Remembrance Day but didn t mention jews or even the word jewish in the written statement. Getty Images 17/17 Anger over Inauguration crowd size Donald Trump s inauguration crowd was visibly and noticeably smaller than that of his predecessor Barack Obama. But he really wanted to have had the largest crowd on record. So he praised it as the biggest crowd ever. Relatedly Mr Trump also claimed that it stopped raining in Washington at the moment he was inaugurated. It didn t. The day was very dreary. Reuters Mr. Rubashkin is a devoted husband and father a deeply religious man who simply doesn t deserve a sentence of this length or anything remotely close to it they wrote in a letter that urged Mr Trump to use his executive clemency power to commute the patently unjust and draconian 27-year sentence imposed upon Sholom Rubashkin - a first time non-violent offender and father of 10 including an acutely autistic child. More than 30 current members of Congress also submitted letters to the White House supporting a review of Rubashkin s case. But former prosecutor Bob Teig who retired in 2011 after serving as a prosecutor and spokesman for the U.S. attorney s office for the Northern District of Iowa said Mr Trump s decision to commute Rubashkin s sentence makes no sense given the President s repeated promises to get tougher on illegal immigration. Mr Teig said every court that looked at Rubashkin s sentence had concluded it was fair and suggested former Justice Department officials and lawmakers who supported leniency were unaware of the facts of the case. The outrage is backwards he said. Rubashkin is an American ultra-Orthodox rabbi belonging to the Chabad-Lubawitch Hasidic group a spiritual revival movement arising from Eastern Europe. He was appointed chief executive of Agriprocessors in 1987 by his father Aaron Rubashkin and oversaw the progression of the company into one of the 30 biggest beef-packing plants in America. Additional reporting by AP More about: Donald Trump commutation Reuse content The top Democrat on the US Senate Intelligence Committee has warned Donald Trump sacking Robert Mueller would be a gross abuse of power which has the potential to provoke a constitutional crisis . Speaking on the Senate floor Senator Mark Warner said the Special Counsel s investigation into alleged links between the Republican s presidential campaign and Russian meddling in last year s election must be able to go on unimpeded. He denounced a growing chorus of voices in Congress the media and the White House who he accused of pushing a coordinated narrative undermining the credibility of the Special Counsel s investigation and the FBI itself . Read more Mueller s Trump-Russia probe could last at least another year Trump is telling people Mueller will clear him soon in Russia probe Mueller obtained thousands of emails unlawfully claims Trump lawyer Republican lawmakers have seized on anti-Trump texts by an FBI agent who was involved in the Russia probe as evidence of bias in Mr Mueller s team. The Special Counsel removed the agent from his team after messages describing the President as an idiot and loathsome human came to light. Republicans on several House of Representatives committees have also announced their own probes into long-standing political grievances including the FBI s handling of defeated Presidential candidate Hillary Clinton s use of a private email server when she was Secretary of State. Mr Trump has insisted he was not considering firing Mr Mueller despite increasing attacks on the lawyer from the President s allies. But Virginia Senator Mr Warner vice-chairman of the Intelligence Committee warned the President s track record on this front is a source of concern . He added he was certain many of my colleagues believed that he wouldn t possibly fire James Comey who was sacked as FBI director by Mr Trump in May during the investigation of former national security adviser Michael Flynn. It s time to draw the line: any attempt by President Trump to interfere with Special Counsel Robert Mueller s investigation would provoke a constitutional crisis. Mark Warner (@MarkWarner) December 20 2017 Any of these actions would be a gross abuse of power and a flagrant violation of Executive branch responsibilities and authorities. These are red lines and we simply cannot allow them to be crossed. Mark Warner (@MarkWarner) December 20 2017 Over the last several weeks a growing chorus of irresponsible voices have called for President Trump to shut down Special Counsel Mueller s investigation said Mr Warner adding that the attacks were seemingly coordinated. Firing Mr Mueller or any other of the top brass involved in this investigation would not only call into question this administration s commitment to the truth but also to our most basic concept of rule of law he added. It also has the potential to provoke a constitutional crisis. The senator called on Congress to make it clear to the President that firing Mr Mueller would have immediate and significant consequences. He added pardoning key witnesses in the probe and sacking other FBI or Department of Justice officials involved in the investigators were red lines that we simply cannot allow.. to be crossed . Mr Trump has refused to say if he will pardon Mr Flynn who has admitted lying to the FBI. Any of these actions would be a gross abuse of power and a flagrant violation of executive branch responsibilities and authorities Mr Warner said. Senator Mark Warner boards an elevator after delivering a speech in the Senate chamber (Getty Images) House Democrats had circulated rumours last week that Mr Trump would fire Mueller this Friday just before the Christmas holiday. White House lawyer Ty Cobb said in a statement on Wednesday that the administration willingly affirms yet again as it has every day this week there is no consideration being given to the termination of the special counsel . He added: If the media is going to continue to ask for responses to every absurd and baseless rumour attention-seeking partisans will continue to spread them. More about: Robert Mueller Donald Trump mark warner Trump-Russia investigation Reuse content Vice President Mike Pence has paid tribute to Donald Trump in a gushing two-minute monologue thanking him for fulfilling miracles and spurring historic optimism . Mr Pence told the US President he had restored American credibility on the world stage as the former real estate mogul looked on approvingly. He also thanked Mr Trump for restoring this country and for achieving his campaign slogan to make America great again . Read more Donald Trump thinks Pence family are low class yokels Mike Pence s wife Karen finds Donald Trump totally vile Trump firing Mueller could provoke constitutional crisis Trump jokes being shot is a hell of a way to lose weight I know I speak on behalf of the entire Cabinet and of millions of Americans when I say congratulations and thank you he told Mr Trump at a cabinet meeting on Wednesday. Thank you for seeing through the course of this year an agenda that truly is restoring this country....You ve restored American credibility on the world stage. We re standing with our allies. We re standing up to our enemies. Mr Trump sat arms-folded and expressionless during the exchange but later thanked Mr Pence telling him: That s very nice. I appreciate that. Americans took to Twitter to express their horror at the exchange calling it excruciatingly stomach-churningly uncomfortable to watch . Award-winning author Steve Silberman wrote: The ritual submission and exaltation is nearly pornographic. This is not America. CNN reporter Keith Boykin said: When Trump finally goes down I want everyone to remember that Mike Pence was complicit in every Trump decision from the beginning. It comes just weeks after Mr Trump reportedly branded his deputy low class and his family yokels for bringing pets to the Naval Observatory the official residence of the US Vice President. Reports of friction between the pair over Mr Pence s religious conservatism have regularly flared since Mr Trump took office and he has repeatedly mocked Mr Pence s Christianity in public. During a discussion about LGBTQ rights Mr Trump reportedly motioned to Mr Pence and said: Don t ask that guy he wants to hang them all! according to the New Yorker s Jane Meyer. Read more Trump has given his supporters what they want. But they will suffer Ms Pence s wife Karen is reported to believe Mr Trump is totally vile according to a former campaign aide. Ms Pence is said to have revealed her true feelings about Mr Trump just after the Access Hollywood video was released which showed Mr Trump boasting about sexually assaulting women. Protests erupt after Trump recognises Jerusalem as Israel s capital 22 show all Protests erupt after Trump recognises Jerusalem as Israel s capital 1/22 Supporters of Difa-e-Pakistan Council a coalition of right wing Islamic parties burn an effigy of US President Donald Trump during a protest in Quetta Pakistan EPA 2/22 Israeli police scuffle with a Palestinian protester outside Damascus Gate in Jerusalem s Old City Getty 3/22 Palestinian protesters burn pictures of Donald Trump and Benjamin Netanyahu following Trump s decision to recognise Jerusalem as the capital of Israel in Gaza City AFP/Getty Images 4/22 Israeli forces disperse Palestinian protesters outside Damascus Gate in Jerusalem s Old City on 7 December 2017 AFP/Getty Images 5/22 Supporters of the Difa-e-Pakistan Council (DPC) an Islamic organization chant slogans as they burn Israeli and US flags during a protest against Donald Trump in Peshawar REUTERS 6/22 Palestinians paint an X over the face of a picture of US president Donald J. Trump which was painted on the Israeli separation wall in Bethlehem EPA 7/22 Palestinian protestors burn the Israeli flag and a poster of US President Donald Trump in Gaza City AFP/Getty Images 8/22 Supporters of a Pakistani religious party rally against Donald Trump in Lahore AP 9/22 Palestinian protesters burn the US and Israeli flags in Gaza City AFP/Getty Images 10/22 A poster depicting U.S. President Donald Trump is burnt during a protest against Trump s decision to recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel in the West Bank city of Ramallah REUTERS 11/22 Israeli forces detain a Palestinian protester during clashes that followed protests against US President Donald Trump recognising Jerusalem as the capital of Israel in Hebron AFP/Getty Images 12/22 Palestinian protesters burn an effigy of U.S. President Donald Trump AP 13/22 Palestinian protesters shout slogans against Donald Trump EPA 14/22 A Palestinian protester wears a Guy Fawkes mask used by the anonymous movement during clashes with Israeli troops in Hebron AFP/Getty Images 15/22 Palestinian demonstrators clash with Isralei troops during protests AFP/Getty Images 16/22 Supporters of a Pakistani religious party chant anti-American slogans during a rally in Islamabad Pakistan AP 17/22 Pakistanis burn a representation of the U.S. flag during a protest rally in Hyderabad AP 18/22 Young Palestinian women look on as smoke billows from burning tyres as fellow Palestinian demonstrators clash with Isralei troops AFP/Getty Images 19/22 Protesters burn a picture of U.S. President Donald Trump at a protest in Islamabad REUTERS 20/22 Protestors shouts slogans against US President Donald Trump as they hold Palestinian and Turkish flags during a protest near the US Embassy in Ankara Turkey EPA 21/22 Palestinian protestors put their feet over a picture of US president Donald Trump during a protest in the West Bank City of Nablus EPA 22/22 Pakistani protesters burn tires at an anti-Donald Trump rally in Multan AP Read the transcript in full: THE PRESIDENT: Mike would you like to say a few words? THE VICE PRESIDENT: Well I appreciate it Mr President. As I told you last night shortly after the Senate vote I know I speak on behalf of the entire Cabinet and of millions of Americans when I say congratulations and thank you. THE PRESIDENT: Thank you. THE VICE PRESIDENT: Thank you for seeing through the course of this year an agenda that truly is restoring this country. You described it very well Mr President. From the outset of this administration we ve been rebuilding our military putting the safety and security of the American people first. You ve restored American credibility on the world stage. We re standing with our allies. We re standing up to our enemies. But you promised economic renewal at home. You said we could make this economy great again and you promised to roll back regulations and you ve signed more bills rolling back federal red tape than any President in American history. You ve unleashed American energy. You ve spurred an optimism in this country that s setting records. But you promised the American people in that campaign a year ago that you would deliver historic tax cuts and it would be a middle-class miracle. And in just a short period of time that promise will be fulfilled. And I just I m deeply humbled as your Vice President to be able to be here. Because of your leadership Mr President and because of the strong support of the leadership in the Congress of the United States you re delivering on that middle-class miracle. You ve actually got the Congress to do as you said what they couldn t do with ANWR for 40 years. You got the Congress to do with tax cuts for working families and American businesses what they haven t been able to do for 31 years. And you got Congress to do what they couldn t do for seven years in repealing the individual mandate in Obamacare. I know you would have me also acknowledge the people around this table Mr President. I want to thank the leaders in Congress once again for their partnership in this. I want to thank your outstanding team your Secretary of the Treasury Steven Mnuchin for Gary Cohn for Ivanka Trump for your great legislative team all the members of this Cabinet who partnered to drive your vision forward over the past six months after you laid out that vision for tax reform. But mostly Mr President I ll end where I began and just tell you I want to thank you Mr President. I want to thank you for speaking on behalf of and fighting every day for the forgotten men and women of America. Because of your determination because of your leadership the forgotten men and women of America are forgotten no more. And we are making America great again. THE PRESIDENT: Thank you Mike. That s very nice. I appreciate that. THE VICE PRESIDENT: Thank you Mr President and God bless you. THE PRESIDENT: Thank you very much. Well I also want to thank all of the members of the Cabinet and I think we have a fantastic team. And next year we re going to go onto really some amazing things. More about: Donald Trump Mike Pence Reuse content Get daily updates directly to your inbox SubscribeThank you for subscribing!Could not subscribe try again laterInvalid EmailDonald Trump has got the go-ahead to build his wall - one of them at least. The US President has convinced planning bosses in Ireland to let him erect a sea defence at his exclusive golf resort on the west coast. Authorities gave the green light for the billionaire to protect his Doonbeg golf links in Co Clare with man-made dunes to keep back Atlantic storms. The work will involve putting in sea defences to protect the first ninth and 18th holes of the course covering about 600m at the south end of Doughmore Bay and 250m at the north end. The aim is to create a sea defence that will stem erosion where severe winter storms have wiped out metres of beach and dune in recent years. Clare County Council said the decision can be appealed within four weeks. Trump International Golf Links in Doonbeg Ireland (Image: David Cannon Collection) Joe Russell general manager of Trump Doonbeg said: This decision demonstrates the council s commitment to support local business and protect the economic future of the region. Trump Doonbeg will continue to engage with all stakeholders throughout the construction process. He also said that the hotel group would press on with ambitious plans to protect and expand facilities at Doonbeg. As part of the planning conditions Mr Trump s resort management will have to keep a close eye on the impact on beach users the Carrowmore dune system itself and plants and animals. A surfers right of way through Doonbeg links must also be protected. Mr Trump will have to fork out more than 265 000 euro ( 235 000) for the County Council to cover the cost of adding or repairing roads and footpaths in the area and other public infrastructure. Most of the work known as revetment will take place on the beach about 12m seaward from where the dunes now stop. The plan involves inserting metal sheet piles into the ground and lay limestone boulders on the base of the piles. The defence would be invisible and covered by sand and a cobble bank at the back of the beach. Other conditions include hiring an ecologist to oversee the work and a commitment that the resort owners will maintain the defence forever. President Trump last year pulled plans for more extensive coastal protection works at Doonbeg amid fierce oppositions to a 200 000 tonne 2.8km (two mile) sea defence. Mr Trump has said he is not a great believer in man-made climate change but in his original application he cited global warming and rising seas as a reason for needing the wall. The dune system is also home to the microscopic narrow-mouth whorl snail or vertigo angustior which has survived since the Ice Age. Mr Trump paid about 15 million euro ( 11.6 million) for Doonbeg and vowed to invest up to 45 million euro ( 35 million). Trump Hotels said it estimated that 15-20m of dune face at the edge of the golf course has been eroded since 2002. Local authorities in Ireland on Thursday gave the green light for a company owned by American President Donald Trump to build a 38 000-tonne sea wall at its golf course in the west of Ireland that environmental groups warn could damage protected wildlife habitats. The Trump International Golf Links Doonbeg owned by the Trump Organisation received permission from Clare County Council for two sea barriers of 630 metres and 260 metres in length that would protect sand dunes that were being eroded - thus damaging the course according to their submission. Clare Council said in a statement: Clare County Council has today issued a decision to grant permission for the development of coastal erosion management works at and adjacent to Carrowmore Dunes White Strand Doughmore Bay and Trump International Golf Links and Hotel Doonbeg County Clare. General view of Trump International Golf Links and Hotel in Doonbeg Ireland (Getty Images) As per the provisions of the planning acts any decision made may be subject to a First or Third Party appeal to An Bord Pleanála within four weeks of the decision date. Local environmental groups had raised numerous objections to the plan resulting in a first effort from the Trump Organisation being scaled withdrawn and scaled down. And protests groups have pledged to fight the wall including the Irish National Trust (An Taisce) Friends of the Irish Environment and West Coast Surf Club. Ian Lumley of An Taisce said: The scientific consensus is that sea walls are not compatible with sand-dune conservation... the golf-course design simply has to change. Read more Donald Trump announces we can say Merry Christmas again Trump s tax bill will allow President to personally save up to 15m Trump firing Mueller could provoke constitutional crisis Trump admits Republican tax bill was deceptively sold The Green Party also expressed disappointment at the decision with party leader Eamon Ryan saying it would likely appeal. This was always about protecting the dune ecosystem and the ecology of this most sensitive coastline site. Building a barrier in the middle of the beach is going to change the whole way the dune system works. This should have been about trying to get the golf course to evolve to the changing dune system and not destroying what is a natural process. We very much understand that there are a lot of local jobs involved from the golf course but we believe that they could be protected by working with nature rather than trying to control the natural system. Trump s organisation wants to build a wall to prevent erosion (Getty) The golf club said that not building the wall would result in a loss of jobs and perhaps the closure of the resort with a permanent and profound negative economic impact upon Doonbeg its hinterland and the wider context of Clare. Eric Trump son of the president said earlier this year: Everyone wants to see the golf course at Doonbeg remain incredibly vibrant because no one wants to see the sea wash it away because without a golf course you don t have a hotel. He also claimed the local community was 100 per cent behind the efforts to build the barrier. More about: Donald Trump coastal erosion Reuse content
Thursday 21 December 2017
UN Blasts Donald Trump Over Israel Embassy Move
NEW DELHI: India joined 127 other countries in the UN General Assembly on Thursday to vote for a resolution that effectively rejected United States president Donald Trump s move to recognise Jerusalem as Israel s capital declaring it null and void . The resolution was passed 128 to 9 and 35 abstentions. The US was joined by Israel Honduras Guatemala Togo Marshall Islands Nauru Palau Micronesia and a notable abstention was the US s neighbour Canada. The resolution was in support of the long-standing international consensus that the status of Jerusalem which is claimed by both Israel and the Palestinians as a capital can only be settled as an agreed final issue in the Israeli-Palestinian peace process. This was the second time in a week that the US found itself isolated on this issue. On Tuesday the United Nations Security Council voted on an Egypt-sponsored resolution 14-1 with the US using its veto power to block the vote. On Thursday all key US allies UK France Germany Ireland Belgium Portugal Spain and China voted to condemn US s move to shift its embassy to Jerusalem. There had been speculation that India might vote with the US given its growing closeness with both US and Israel. But in September addressing the NAM (Non-Aligned Movement) committee on the Palestine cause on the sidelines of the UNGA foreign minister Sushma Swaraj said India s expanding relations in the region would strengthen the Palestinian cause. During PM s visit to Israel we reiterated the need for a just and durable peace in the region. The path to this clearly lies in an early negotiated solution between Israel and Palestine based on mutual recognition and security arrangements. It was during India s chairmanship of NAM in 1983 that the committee on Palestine was set up. The vote comes after Trump himself threatened to cut aid to countries who voted against the US. The US s envoy to the UN Nikki Haley was even more blunt. The US will remember this day in which it was singled out for attack in the General Assembly for the very act of exercising our right as a sovereign nation Haley said on Thursday. We will remember it when we are called upon to once again make the world s largest contribution to the United Nations. And we will remember it when so many countries come calling on us as they so often do to pay even more and to use our influence for their benefit. United Nations: More than 120 countries including India defied President Donald Trump on Thursday and voted in favour of a United Nations General Assembly resolution calling for the United States to drop its recent recognition of Jerusalem as Israel s capital.Nine countries voted against the resolution while as many as 35 countries abstained. India s decision to vote against American recognition of Jerusalem as the Israeli capital comes a day after Trump warned countries against opposing the US position. India did not speak on the floor of the Assembly in New York but after Trump recognised the holy city of Jerusalem as the capital of Israel it had said that its Palestine position was independent and consistent.India s yes vote comes even as the NDA government s proximity to Israel and the US has grown. Israel s prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu is expected to visit India next month and Prime Minister Narendra Modi had skipped Palestine during his visit to Israel in July this year.File image of the United Nations General Assembly. ReutersTrump had threatened to cut off financial aid to countries that voted in favour. A total of 128 countries backed the resolution which is non-binding nine voted against and 35 abstained. Twenty-one countries did not cast a vote.Trump s threat appeared to have some impact with more countries abstaining and rejecting the resolution than usually associated with Palestinian-related resolutions.Nevertheless Washington found itself isolated as many of its Western and Arab allies voted for the measure. Some of those allies like Egypt Jordan and Iraq are major recipients of US military or economic aid although the US threat to cut aid did not single out any country.A spokesman for Western-backed Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas called the vote a victory for Palestine but Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu rejected the vote.Earlier this month Trump reversed decades of US policy by announcing the United States recognised Jerusalem -home to major Muslim Jewish and Christian holy sites -as the capital of Israel and would move its embassy there. The United States will remember this day in which it was singled out for attack in the General Assembly for the very act of exercising our right as a sovereign nation US Ambassador to the UN Nikki Haley told the 193-member General Assembly ahead of Thursday s vote. We will remember it when we are called upon to once again make the world s largest contribution to the United Nations and so many countries come calling on us as they so often do to pay even more and to use our influence for their benefit she said.The status of Jerusalem is one of the thorniest obstacles to a peace deal between Israel and the Palestinians who were furious over Trump s move. The international community does not recognise Israeli sovereignty over the full city.Netanyahu described the resolution as preposterous. Jerusalem is our capital always was always will be. But I do appreciate the fact that a growing number of countries refuse to participate in this theatre of the absurd he said a video on his Facebook page.Israel captured East Jerusalem in a 1967 war and Palestinians want it as the capital of a future state they seek.Abstentions Among the countries that abstained on Thursday were Australia Canada Mexico Argentina Colombia Czech Republic Hungary Poland Philippines Rwanda Uganda and South Sudan.Guatemala Honduras Marshall Islands Micronesia Palau Nauru and Togo joined the United States and Israel in voting no.Australian UN Ambassador Gillian Bird said Australia wanted to see the United States continue to play a leadership role in brokering peace and abstained from the vote because We do not wish to see any party isolated from the process. According to figures from the US government s aid agency USAID in 2016 the United States provided some 13 billion in economic and military assistance to countries in sub-Saharan Africa and 1.6 billion to states in East Asia and Oceania.It provided some 13 billion to countries in the Middle East and North Africa 6.7 billion to countries in South and Central Asia 1.5 billion to states in Europe and Eurasia and 2.2 billion to Western Hemisphere countries according to USAID.The General Assembly vote was called at the request of Arab and Muslim countries after the United States vetoed the same resolution on Monday in the 15-member UN Security Council.The remaining 14 Security Council members voted in favour of the Egyptian-drafted resolution which did not specifically mention the United States or Trump but which expressed deep regret at recent decisions concerning the status of Jerusalem. The resolution adopted on Thursday affirms that any decisions and actions which purport to have altered the character status or demographic composition of the Holy City of Jerusalem have no legal effect are null and void and must be rescinded. French UN Ambassador Francois Delattre said in a statement: The resolution adopted today only confirms relevant international law provisions on Jerusalem. France voted for the resolution.The UN action comes a year after the Security Council adopted a resolution demanding an end to Israeli settlements.That resolution was approved with 14 votes in favour and an abstention by former US President Barack Obama s administration which defied heavy pressure from longtime ally Israel and Trump who was then president-elect for Washington to wield its veto.After Thursday s vote a spokesperson for the US mission to the United Nations said: It s clear that many countries prioritised their relationship with the United States over an unproductive attempt to isolate us for a decision that was our sovereign right to make. With inputs from agencies For those who felt they needed the President s permission Donald Trump has declared: We can say Merry Christmas again. Mr Trump repeatedly vowed during his campaign to end the so-called war on Christmas a commonly held belief among many of the President s Christian supporters. His comment came during a speech celebrating the passage of the tax reform bill. Read more MSNBC trolls Trump on Merry Christmas claims Some of Mr Trump s supporters have felt that saying the more neutral and inclusive happy holidays to mark celebrations of Hannukah Eid or other holidays taking place around the same time has undermined the Christian majority in the country. The war extends to some feeling as if political correctness is a forced and unnecessary social practice as well. Dan Cassino a professor of political science at Fairleigh Dickinson University told CNN that Mr Trump is no one s idea as an evangelical Christian but he is very much using the same rhetoric as the war on Christmas...And it fits very much into his worldview that the people he s representing have been left behind by this liberal society . Shelter - Homeless this Christmas 8 show all Shelter - Homeless this Christmas 1/8 Homeless this Christmas Janela 27 is 27 weeks pregnant and lives in temporary accommodation with her six year old son. She works 12-hour night shifts in a packing warehouse in Birmingham. Shelter 2/8 Homeless this Christmas Suleman works in IT and has been living in emergency accommodation since June 2014 with his wife and two children. His youngest only 2 was born while they were living in the hotel. Shelter 3/8 Homeless this Christmas Sarah 40 was living in one room in a B&B with her husband and children including her three-month old baby: We sleep on the bed they play on the bed we eat on the bed. There s just no place for anything. For her daughter Shauna 13 the shame she felt at being homeless impacted on her friendships at school: I don t tell them because in the end you can t trust a friend they could spread rumours about you. I can t explain anything to anyone. I go to school with a smile on my face. Names have been changed to protect the individual s identity Shelter 4/8 Homeless this Christmas Maria and her two daughters (15 and 5) lived in a B&B for more than 9 months before being moved out of area in October. Her oldest daughter is a wheelchair user and had no access to a bath as the bathroom was on a different floor. Maria had to bathe her in a tub in the bedroom. Names have been changed to protect the individual s identity Shelter 5/8 Homeless this Christmas Nicola and her three children have spent the last 9 months in temporary accommodation. She said: We re so squashed in this cold damp place. I say place because neither myself nor the children call this home . It s full of mould and the kids are constantly ill from the damp. I m trying to do the best that I can with what I have. I m training to be a teacher attending counselling sessions and trying to be the best mum I can to my babies but living like this is getting too much. Shelter 6/8 Homeless this Christmas Nathan 28 has been homeless for three months and until recently was living in a Travelodge on the side of a motorway with his 16-month old son where he only had access to a kettle: There s milk and stuff but there s no microwave. It s pretty hard to make food. I ve got to get the jars and stick it in the kettle and then put the kettle on to warm it up so that s the best way to feed him. Shelter 7/8 Homeless this Christmas For Geraldine 45 and her 13-year-old daughter Hannah living in an emergency B&B has taken a huge toll on their mental and emotional wellbeing: My daughter has felt very suicidal. I took her to the GP. They ve referred her to the psychologist. She s constantly breaking down crying. I had to take her to A&E on two occasions because she s having problems she keeps getting palpitations. She shakes. Names have been changed to protect the individual s identity Shelter 8/8 Homeless this Christmas Mariam her two teenage sons and 4 year old daughter Zara were living in a B&B for nearly three months before being moved to temporary accommodation in November. Both places have been extremely cold and Mariam is concerned for Zara s health as she suffers from asthma and anaemia. Shelter Mr Trump claimed on the campaign trail that Americans would say Merry Christmas in every store during his presidency implying that the phrase had gone out of use. Public institutions do have some restrictions placed on them as a way of being more inclusive of the public they serve but Christmas trees abound in several government buildings along with menorahs and Diwali lights. Read more Builders interrupt Christmas party to pay for hotel for homeless woman Why we haven t had a decent Christmas song since 1994 UK revealed as country most obsessed with Christmas MSNBC aired a series of video clips of previous President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle saying Merry Christmas during official White House holiday greetings. Vice President Mike Pence also chimed in during the tax bill passage celebration by saying Merry Christmas America! and referring to the tax cuts in bill a gift to all Americans. With God s help you will make America great again Mr Pence said to Mr Trump. More about: Donald Trump War on Christmas Reuse content Donald Trump has commuted the sentence of a kosher meatpacking executive who was serving 27 years in prison for money laundering - the first time the billionaire has used this presidential power. The decision to intervene on behalf of Sholom Rubashkin came at the urging of numerous members of Congress and law enforcement officials who argued the sentence was far too harsh for a first-time nonviolent offender. The move was encouraged by bipartisan leaders from across the political spectrum the White House said. A list provided by the Trump administration showed Democrat House minority leader Nancy Pelosi was a supporter of reviewing Rubashki s case. Read more Trump firing Mueller could provoke constitutional crisis Trump admits Republican tax bill was deceptively sold Trump jokes being shot is a hell of a way to lose weight Rubashki who ran the Iowa headquarters of Agriprocessors a family-run business and America s biggest kosher meat-processing company was convicted in 2009 for submitting fake invoices to a bank that made the firm s finances appear healthier than they were so it could borrow more. His prosecution came after federal authorities raided the plant and arrested 389 illegal immigrants in 2008. The 57-year-old father of 10 had served more than eight years of his sentence. The White House said the commutation was not a presidential pardon and did not overturn Rubashkin s conviction. Mr Trump has used his pardon power just once sparing former Arizona Sheriff Joe Arpaio the prospect of serving jail time by wiping away a federal conviction over illegal immigration patrols that focused on Latinos. Mike Pence delivers public praise of Donald Trump after passing tax reform Rubashkin s lawyer Guy Cook praised Mr Trump s decision saying his client has finally received justice . The sentence previously imposed was unfair unjust and essentially a life sentence he said. President Trump has done what is right and just. The unrelenting efforts on Rubashkin s behalf have finally paid off. In 2011 lawyers for Rubashkin filed an unsuccessful appeal for a new trial after government documents reportedly revealed the judge who handed down his 27-year prison sentence was involved in the planning of an immigration raid on Rubashkin s plant in 2008. The White House said the President s decision to review Rubashkin s sentence was driven by concerns raised by a bipartisan group of more than 100 former high-ranking law enforcement and Justice Department officials including multiple former attorneys general as well as prosecutors judges and legal scholars. Donald Trump s least presidential moments so far... 17 show all Donald Trump s least presidential moments so far... 1/17 Defending Russian President Vladimir Putin Donald Trump appeared to equate US foreign actions to those of Russian President Vladimir Putin saying There are a lot of killers. You think our country s so innocent? REUTERS/Carlos Barria 2/17 Asked for people to pray for Arnold Schwarzenegger At the National Prayer Breakfast Donald Trump couldn t help but to ask for prayers for the ratings on Arnold Schwarzenegger s show to be good. Schwarzenegger took over as host of The Apprentice which buoyed Mr Trump s celebrity status years ago. AFP/Getty Images 3/17 Hanging up on Australian PM Malcolm Turnbull Early in his presidency Donald Trump reportedly hung up the phone on Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull after the foreign leader angered him over refugee plans. Mr Trump later said that it was the worst call he had had so far. BRENDAN SMIALOWSKI/AFP/Getty Images 4/17 The muslim ban Perhaps one of his most controversial policies while acting as president Donald Trump s travel ban targeting predominantly Muslim countries has bought him a lot of criticism. The bans were immediately protested and judges initially blocked their implementation. The Supreme Court later sided with the administration s argument that the ban was developed out of concern for US security. Bryan R Smith/Getty 5/17 Praising crowd size while touring Hurricane Harvey damage After Hurricane Harvey ravaged southeastern Texas Donald Trump paid the area a visit. While his response to the disaster in Houston was generally applauded the President picked up some flack when he gave a speech outside Houston (he reportedly did not visit disaster zones) and praised the size of the crowds there. AP 6/17 Called North Korean leader Kim Jong-un Little Rocket Man During his first-ever speech to the United Nations General Assembly Donald Trump tried out a new nickname for North Korea leader Kim Jong-un: Rocket Man. He later tweaked it to be little Rocket Man as the two feuded and threatened each other with nuclear war. During that speech he also threatened to totally annihilate North Korea. 7/17 Attacking Sadiq Khan following London Bridge terror attack After the attack on the London Bridge Donald Trump lashed out at London Mayor Sadiq Khan criticizing Mr Khan for saying there was no reason to be alarmed after the attack. Mr Trump was taking the comments out of context as Mr Khan was simply saying that the police had everything under control. Getty Images 8/17 Claimed presenter Mika Brezinkski was bleeding from the face Never one not to mock his enemies Donald Trump mocked MSNBC s Morning Joe co-host Mika Brzezinski saying that she and co-host Joe Scarborough had approached him before his inauguration asking to join him. He noted that she was bleeding badly from a face-lift at the time and that he said no. 9/17 Claiming the blame for Charlottesville was on both sides Trump refused to condemn far-right extremists involved in violence at the march for the right protests in Charlottesville even after the murder of counter protester Heather Heyer AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais 10/17 Retweeted cartoon of CNN being hit by a Trump train Donald Trump retweeted a cartoon showing a Trump-branded train running over a person whose body and head were replaced by a CNN avatar. He later deleted the retweet. 11/17 Tweeting about slamming CNN Donald Trump caught some flack when he tweeted a video showing him wrestling down an individual whose head had been replaced by a CNN avatar. Mr Trump has singled CNN out in particular with his chants of fake news . 12/17 Firing head of the FBI James Comey Donald Trump s firing of former FBI Director James Comey landed him with a federal investigation into Russia s meddling in the 2016 election that has caused many a headache for the White House. The White House initially said that the decision was made after consultation from the Justice Department. Then Mr Trump himself said that he had decided to fire him in part because he wanted the Russia investigation Mr Comey was conducting to stop. Getty Images 13/17 Not realizing being president would be hard Just three months into his presidency Donald Trump admitted that being president is harder than he thought it would be. Though Mr Trump insisted on the 2016 campaign trail that doing the job would be easy for him he admitted in an interview that living in the White House is harder than running a business empire. REUTERS 14/17 Accusing Obama of wiretapping him Donald Trump accused former President Barack Obama of wire tapping him on twitter. The Justice Department later clarified: Mr Obama had not in fact done so. Reuters 15/17 Claiming there had been 3 million illegal votes Donald Trump was never very happy about losing the popular vote to Hillary Clinton by 2.8 million ballots. So he and White House voter-fraud commissioner Kris Kobach have claimed that anywhere between three and five million people voted illegally during the 2016 election. Conveniently he says that all of those illegal votes went to Ms Clinton. (There is no evidence to support that level of widespread voter fraud.) 16/17 Leaving Jews out of the Holocaust memorial statement Just days after taking office Donald Trump s White House issued a statement on International Holocaust Remembrance Day but didn t mention jews or even the word jewish in the written statement. Getty Images 17/17 Anger over Inauguration crowd size Donald Trump s inauguration crowd was visibly and noticeably smaller than that of his predecessor Barack Obama. But he really wanted to have had the largest crowd on record. So he praised it as the biggest crowd ever. Relatedly Mr Trump also claimed that it stopped raining in Washington at the moment he was inaugurated. It didn t. The day was very dreary. Reuters Mr. Rubashkin is a devoted husband and father a deeply religious man who simply doesn t deserve a sentence of this length or anything remotely close to it they wrote in a letter that urged Mr Trump to use his executive clemency power to commute the patently unjust and draconian 27-year sentence imposed upon Sholom Rubashkin - a first time non-violent offender and father of 10 including an acutely autistic child. More than 30 current members of Congress also submitted letters to the White House supporting a review of Rubashkin s case. But former prosecutor Bob Teig who retired in 2011 after serving as a prosecutor and spokesman for the U.S. attorney s office for the Northern District of Iowa said Mr Trump s decision to commute Rubashkin s sentence makes no sense given the President s repeated promises to get tougher on illegal immigration. Mr Teig said every court that looked at Rubashkin s sentence had concluded it was fair and suggested former Justice Department officials and lawmakers who supported leniency were unaware of the facts of the case. The outrage is backwards he said. Rubashkin is an American ultra-Orthodox rabbi belonging to the Chabad-Lubawitch Hasidic group a spiritual revival movement arising from Eastern Europe. He was appointed chief executive of Agriprocessors in 1987 by his father Aaron Rubashkin and oversaw the progression of the company into one of the 30 biggest beef-packing plants in America. Additional reporting by AP More about: Donald Trump commutation Reuse content The top Democrat on the US Senate Intelligence Committee has warned Donald Trump sacking Robert Mueller would be a gross abuse of power which has the potential to provoke a constitutional crisis . Speaking on the Senate floor Senator Mark Warner said the Special Counsel s investigation into alleged links between the Republican s presidential campaign and Russian meddling in last year s election must be able to go on unimpeded. He denounced a growing chorus of voices in Congress the media and the White House who he accused of pushing a coordinated narrative undermining the credibility of the Special Counsel s investigation and the FBI itself . Read more Mueller s Trump-Russia probe could last at least another year Trump is telling people Mueller will clear him soon in Russia probe Mueller obtained thousands of emails unlawfully claims Trump lawyer Republican lawmakers have seized on anti-Trump texts by an FBI agent who was involved in the Russia probe as evidence of bias in Mr Mueller s team. The Special Counsel removed the agent from his team after messages describing the President as an idiot and loathsome human came to light. Republicans on several House of Representatives committees have also announced their own probes into long-standing political grievances including the FBI s handling of defeated Presidential candidate Hillary Clinton s use of a private email server when she was Secretary of State. Mr Trump has insisted he was not considering firing Mr Mueller despite increasing attacks on the lawyer from the President s allies. But Virginia Senator Mr Warner vice-chairman of the Intelligence Committee warned the President s track record on this front is a source of concern . He added he was certain many of my colleagues believed that he wouldn t possibly fire James Comey who was sacked as FBI director by Mr Trump in May during the investigation of former national security adviser Michael Flynn. It s time to draw the line: any attempt by President Trump to interfere with Special Counsel Robert Mueller s investigation would provoke a constitutional crisis. Mark Warner (@MarkWarner) December 20 2017 Any of these actions would be a gross abuse of power and a flagrant violation of Executive branch responsibilities and authorities. These are red lines and we simply cannot allow them to be crossed. Mark Warner (@MarkWarner) December 20 2017 Over the last several weeks a growing chorus of irresponsible voices have called for President Trump to shut down Special Counsel Mueller s investigation said Mr Warner adding that the attacks were seemingly coordinated. Firing Mr Mueller or any other of the top brass involved in this investigation would not only call into question this administration s commitment to the truth but also to our most basic concept of rule of law he added. It also has the potential to provoke a constitutional crisis. The senator called on Congress to make it clear to the President that firing Mr Mueller would have immediate and significant consequences. He added pardoning key witnesses in the probe and sacking other FBI or Department of Justice officials involved in the investigators were red lines that we simply cannot allow.. to be crossed . Mr Trump has refused to say if he will pardon Mr Flynn who has admitted lying to the FBI. Any of these actions would be a gross abuse of power and a flagrant violation of executive branch responsibilities and authorities Mr Warner said. Senator Mark Warner boards an elevator after delivering a speech in the Senate chamber (Getty Images) House Democrats had circulated rumours last week that Mr Trump would fire Mueller this Friday just before the Christmas holiday. White House lawyer Ty Cobb said in a statement on Wednesday that the administration willingly affirms yet again as it has every day this week there is no consideration being given to the termination of the special counsel . He added: If the media is going to continue to ask for responses to every absurd and baseless rumour attention-seeking partisans will continue to spread them. More about: Robert Mueller Donald Trump mark warner Trump-Russia investigation Reuse content Vice President Mike Pence has paid tribute to Donald Trump in a gushing two-minute monologue thanking him for fulfilling miracles and spurring historic optimism . Mr Pence told the US President he had restored American credibility on the world stage as the former real estate mogul looked on approvingly. He also thanked Mr Trump for restoring this country and for achieving his campaign slogan to make America great again . Read more Donald Trump thinks Pence family are low class yokels Mike Pence s wife Karen finds Donald Trump totally vile Trump firing Mueller could provoke constitutional crisis Trump jokes being shot is a hell of a way to lose weight I know I speak on behalf of the entire Cabinet and of millions of Americans when I say congratulations and thank you he told Mr Trump at a cabinet meeting on Wednesday. Thank you for seeing through the course of this year an agenda that truly is restoring this country....You ve restored American credibility on the world stage. We re standing with our allies. We re standing up to our enemies. Mr Trump sat arms-folded and expressionless during the exchange but later thanked Mr Pence telling him: That s very nice. I appreciate that. Americans took to Twitter to express their horror at the exchange calling it excruciatingly stomach-churningly uncomfortable to watch . Award-winning author Steve Silberman wrote: The ritual submission and exaltation is nearly pornographic. This is not America. CNN reporter Keith Boykin said: When Trump finally goes down I want everyone to remember that Mike Pence was complicit in every Trump decision from the beginning. It comes just weeks after Mr Trump reportedly branded his deputy low class and his family yokels for bringing pets to the Naval Observatory the official residence of the US Vice President. Reports of friction between the pair over Mr Pence s religious conservatism have regularly flared since Mr Trump took office and he has repeatedly mocked Mr Pence s Christianity in public. During a discussion about LGBTQ rights Mr Trump reportedly motioned to Mr Pence and said: Don t ask that guy he wants to hang them all! according to the New Yorker s Jane Meyer. Read more Trump has given his supporters what they want. But they will suffer Ms Pence s wife Karen is reported to believe Mr Trump is totally vile according to a former campaign aide. Ms Pence is said to have revealed her true feelings about Mr Trump just after the Access Hollywood video was released which showed Mr Trump boasting about sexually assaulting women. Protests erupt after Trump recognises Jerusalem as Israel s capital 22 show all Protests erupt after Trump recognises Jerusalem as Israel s capital 1/22 Supporters of Difa-e-Pakistan Council a coalition of right wing Islamic parties burn an effigy of US President Donald Trump during a protest in Quetta Pakistan EPA 2/22 Israeli police scuffle with a Palestinian protester outside Damascus Gate in Jerusalem s Old City Getty 3/22 Palestinian protesters burn pictures of Donald Trump and Benjamin Netanyahu following Trump s decision to recognise Jerusalem as the capital of Israel in Gaza City AFP/Getty Images 4/22 Israeli forces disperse Palestinian protesters outside Damascus Gate in Jerusalem s Old City on 7 December 2017 AFP/Getty Images 5/22 Supporters of the Difa-e-Pakistan Council (DPC) an Islamic organization chant slogans as they burn Israeli and US flags during a protest against Donald Trump in Peshawar REUTERS 6/22 Palestinians paint an X over the face of a picture of US president Donald J. Trump which was painted on the Israeli separation wall in Bethlehem EPA 7/22 Palestinian protestors burn the Israeli flag and a poster of US President Donald Trump in Gaza City AFP/Getty Images 8/22 Supporters of a Pakistani religious party rally against Donald Trump in Lahore AP 9/22 Palestinian protesters burn the US and Israeli flags in Gaza City AFP/Getty Images 10/22 A poster depicting U.S. President Donald Trump is burnt during a protest against Trump s decision to recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel in the West Bank city of Ramallah REUTERS 11/22 Israeli forces detain a Palestinian protester during clashes that followed protests against US President Donald Trump recognising Jerusalem as the capital of Israel in Hebron AFP/Getty Images 12/22 Palestinian protesters burn an effigy of U.S. President Donald Trump AP 13/22 Palestinian protesters shout slogans against Donald Trump EPA 14/22 A Palestinian protester wears a Guy Fawkes mask used by the anonymous movement during clashes with Israeli troops in Hebron AFP/Getty Images 15/22 Palestinian demonstrators clash with Isralei troops during protests AFP/Getty Images 16/22 Supporters of a Pakistani religious party chant anti-American slogans during a rally in Islamabad Pakistan AP 17/22 Pakistanis burn a representation of the U.S. flag during a protest rally in Hyderabad AP 18/22 Young Palestinian women look on as smoke billows from burning tyres as fellow Palestinian demonstrators clash with Isralei troops AFP/Getty Images 19/22 Protesters burn a picture of U.S. President Donald Trump at a protest in Islamabad REUTERS 20/22 Protestors shouts slogans against US President Donald Trump as they hold Palestinian and Turkish flags during a protest near the US Embassy in Ankara Turkey EPA 21/22 Palestinian protestors put their feet over a picture of US president Donald Trump during a protest in the West Bank City of Nablus EPA 22/22 Pakistani protesters burn tires at an anti-Donald Trump rally in Multan AP Read the transcript in full: THE PRESIDENT: Mike would you like to say a few words? THE VICE PRESIDENT: Well I appreciate it Mr President. As I told you last night shortly after the Senate vote I know I speak on behalf of the entire Cabinet and of millions of Americans when I say congratulations and thank you. THE PRESIDENT: Thank you. THE VICE PRESIDENT: Thank you for seeing through the course of this year an agenda that truly is restoring this country. You described it very well Mr President. From the outset of this administration we ve been rebuilding our military putting the safety and security of the American people first. You ve restored American credibility on the world stage. We re standing with our allies. We re standing up to our enemies. But you promised economic renewal at home. You said we could make this economy great again and you promised to roll back regulations and you ve signed more bills rolling back federal red tape than any President in American history. You ve unleashed American energy. You ve spurred an optimism in this country that s setting records. But you promised the American people in that campaign a year ago that you would deliver historic tax cuts and it would be a middle-class miracle. And in just a short period of time that promise will be fulfilled. And I just I m deeply humbled as your Vice President to be able to be here. Because of your leadership Mr President and because of the strong support of the leadership in the Congress of the United States you re delivering on that middle-class miracle. You ve actually got the Congress to do as you said what they couldn t do with ANWR for 40 years. You got the Congress to do with tax cuts for working families and American businesses what they haven t been able to do for 31 years. And you got Congress to do what they couldn t do for seven years in repealing the individual mandate in Obamacare. I know you would have me also acknowledge the people around this table Mr President. I want to thank the leaders in Congress once again for their partnership in this. I want to thank your outstanding team your Secretary of the Treasury Steven Mnuchin for Gary Cohn for Ivanka Trump for your great legislative team all the members of this Cabinet who partnered to drive your vision forward over the past six months after you laid out that vision for tax reform. But mostly Mr President I ll end where I began and just tell you I want to thank you Mr President. I want to thank you for speaking on behalf of and fighting every day for the forgotten men and women of America. Because of your determination because of your leadership the forgotten men and women of America are forgotten no more. And we are making America great again. THE PRESIDENT: Thank you Mike. That s very nice. I appreciate that. THE VICE PRESIDENT: Thank you Mr President and God bless you. THE PRESIDENT: Thank you very much. Well I also want to thank all of the members of the Cabinet and I think we have a fantastic team. And next year we re going to go onto really some amazing things. More about: Donald Trump Mike Pence Reuse content Get daily updates directly to your inbox SubscribeThank you for subscribing!Could not subscribe try again laterInvalid EmailDonald Trump has got the go-ahead to build his wall - one of them at least. The US President has convinced planning bosses in Ireland to let him erect a sea defence at his exclusive golf resort on the west coast. Authorities gave the green light for the billionaire to protect his Doonbeg golf links in Co Clare with man-made dunes to keep back Atlantic storms. The work will involve putting in sea defences to protect the first ninth and 18th holes of the course covering about 600m at the south end of Doughmore Bay and 250m at the north end. The aim is to create a sea defence that will stem erosion where severe winter storms have wiped out metres of beach and dune in recent years. Clare County Council said the decision can be appealed within four weeks. Trump International Golf Links in Doonbeg Ireland (Image: David Cannon Collection) Joe Russell general manager of Trump Doonbeg said: This decision demonstrates the council s commitment to support local business and protect the economic future of the region. Trump Doonbeg will continue to engage with all stakeholders throughout the construction process. He also said that the hotel group would press on with ambitious plans to protect and expand facilities at Doonbeg. As part of the planning conditions Mr Trump s resort management will have to keep a close eye on the impact on beach users the Carrowmore dune system itself and plants and animals. A surfers right of way through Doonbeg links must also be protected. Mr Trump will have to fork out more than 265 000 euro ( 235 000) for the County Council to cover the cost of adding or repairing roads and footpaths in the area and other public infrastructure. Most of the work known as revetment will take place on the beach about 12m seaward from where the dunes now stop. The plan involves inserting metal sheet piles into the ground and lay limestone boulders on the base of the piles. The defence would be invisible and covered by sand and a cobble bank at the back of the beach. Other conditions include hiring an ecologist to oversee the work and a commitment that the resort owners will maintain the defence forever. President Trump last year pulled plans for more extensive coastal protection works at Doonbeg amid fierce oppositions to a 200 000 tonne 2.8km (two mile) sea defence. Mr Trump has said he is not a great believer in man-made climate change but in his original application he cited global warming and rising seas as a reason for needing the wall. The dune system is also home to the microscopic narrow-mouth whorl snail or vertigo angustior which has survived since the Ice Age. Mr Trump paid about 15 million euro ( 11.6 million) for Doonbeg and vowed to invest up to 45 million euro ( 35 million). Trump Hotels said it estimated that 15-20m of dune face at the edge of the golf course has been eroded since 2002. Local authorities in Ireland on Thursday gave the green light for a company owned by American President Donald Trump to build a 38 000-tonne sea wall at its golf course in the west of Ireland that environmental groups warn could damage protected wildlife habitats. The Trump International Golf Links Doonbeg owned by the Trump Organisation received permission from Clare County Council for two sea barriers of 630 metres and 260 metres in length that would protect sand dunes that were being eroded - thus damaging the course according to their submission. Clare Council said in a statement: Clare County Council has today issued a decision to grant permission for the development of coastal erosion management works at and adjacent to Carrowmore Dunes White Strand Doughmore Bay and Trump International Golf Links and Hotel Doonbeg County Clare. General view of Trump International Golf Links and Hotel in Doonbeg Ireland (Getty Images) As per the provisions of the planning acts any decision made may be subject to a First or Third Party appeal to An Bord Pleanála within four weeks of the decision date. Local environmental groups had raised numerous objections to the plan resulting in a first effort from the Trump Organisation being scaled withdrawn and scaled down. And protests groups have pledged to fight the wall including the Irish National Trust (An Taisce) Friends of the Irish Environment and West Coast Surf Club. Ian Lumley of An Taisce said: The scientific consensus is that sea walls are not compatible with sand-dune conservation... the golf-course design simply has to change. Read more Donald Trump announces we can say Merry Christmas again Trump s tax bill will allow President to personally save up to 15m Trump firing Mueller could provoke constitutional crisis Trump admits Republican tax bill was deceptively sold The Green Party also expressed disappointment at the decision with party leader Eamon Ryan saying it would likely appeal. This was always about protecting the dune ecosystem and the ecology of this most sensitive coastline site. Building a barrier in the middle of the beach is going to change the whole way the dune system works. This should have been about trying to get the golf course to evolve to the changing dune system and not destroying what is a natural process. We very much understand that there are a lot of local jobs involved from the golf course but we believe that they could be protected by working with nature rather than trying to control the natural system. Trump s organisation wants to build a wall to prevent erosion (Getty) The golf club said that not building the wall would result in a loss of jobs and perhaps the closure of the resort with a permanent and profound negative economic impact upon Doonbeg its hinterland and the wider context of Clare. Eric Trump son of the president said earlier this year: Everyone wants to see the golf course at Doonbeg remain incredibly vibrant because no one wants to see the sea wash it away because without a golf course you don t have a hotel. He also claimed the local community was 100 per cent behind the efforts to build the barrier. More about: Donald Trump coastal erosion Reuse content
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