US President Donald Trump said he's decided to withdraw support for a treaty regulating the multibillion-dollar global arms trade.

It's the latest example of the Trump administration's dislike of international pacts.

Trump said on Friday that he has decided to revoke the United States' status as a signatory of the Arms Trade Treaty regulating international trade in conventional weapons, including small arms, battle tanks, combat aircraft and warships.

He said America was "rejecting this treaty" and "taking our signature back".

Trump made the announcement during a speech in Indianapolis to the National Rifle Association, which claims the treaty poses a threat to the Second Amendment.

The US signed the treaty in 2013 but never ratified it.

POOL

Indianapolis - 26 April 2019

1. Close-up US President Donald Trump saluting then walking to podium

2. SOUNDBITE (English) Donald Trump, US President: ++PARTIALLY OVERLAID++

"Today I'm proud to announce another historic step to protect your Second Amendment rights, and I didn't tell Chris (Cox) and Wayne (LaPierre) and Oliver (North), I didn't even tell them about it. So, they are listening in this big room someplace and they are saying, 'I wonder what he's going to do.' The good thing with me you never know. So in the last administration President Obama signed the UN Arms Trade Treaty and in its waning days in office he sent the treaty to the Senate to begin the ratification process. This treaty threatened your subjugate ... again and you know exactly what's going on here, your rights. And your constitutional and international rules and restrictions and regulations. Under my administration we will never surrender American sovereignty to anyone. We will never allow foreign bureaucrats to trample on your Second Amendment freedom. And that is why my administration will never ratify the UN Arms Trade Treaty. I hope you are happy."

4. Cutaway audience applauding

5. SOUNDBITE (English) Donald Trump, US President:

"I'm impressed. I didn't think too many of you would really know what it is. You know what it is?  A big, big factor. But I see a couple of very happy faces from the NRA over there. And I am officially announcing today that the United States will be revoking the effect of America's signature from this badly misguided treatment. We're taking our signature back."

6. Pan from Trump to audience

7. SOUNDBITE (English) Donald Trump, US President:

"I will sign right now, in front of a lot of witnesses. Like, a lot of witnesses, a message asking the Senate to discontinue the treaty ratification process and to return the now rejected treaty right back to me in the Oval Office, where I will dispose of it. By taking these acts we are reaffirming that American liberty is sacred and that American citizens live by American laws, not the laws of foreign countries."

8. Mid Trump showing signature to audience

President Donald Trump says the U.S. has decided to withdraw its support for a treaty regulating the multibillion-dollar global arms trade.

It's the latest example of the Trump administration's dislike of international pacts.

Trump said Friday that he has decided to revoke the United States' status as a signatory of the Arms Trade Treaty regulating international trade in conventional weapons, including small arms, battle tanks, combat aircraft and warships.

He says America is "rejecting this treaty" and "taking our signature back."

He made the announcement during a speech in Indianapolis, Indiana, to the National Rifle Association, which claims the treaty poses a threat to the Second Amendment.

The U.S. signed the treaty in 2013, but never ratified it.

POOL

Indianapolis - 26 April 2019

1. Close-up US President Donald Trump saluting then walking to podium

2. SOUNDBITE (English) Donald Trump, U.S. President: ++PARTIALLY OVERLAID++

"Today I'm proud to announce another historic step to protect your Second Amendment rights. And I didn't tell Chris (Cox) and Wayne (LaPierre) and Oliver (North) I didn't even tell them about it. So, they are listening in this big room someplace and they are saying, 'I wonder what he's going to do.' The good thing with me you never know. So in the last administration President Obama signed the U.N. Arms Trade Treaty and in its waning days in office he sent the treaty to the Senate to begin the ratification process. This treaty threatened your subjugate ... again and you know exactly what's going on here, your rights. And your constitutional and international rules and restrictions and regulations. Under my administration we will never surrender American sovereignty to anyone. We will never allow foreign bureaucrats to trample on your Second Amendment freedom. And that is why my administration will never ratify the UN Arms Trade Treaty. I hope you are happy."

4. Cutaway audience applauding

5. SOUNDBITE (English) Donald Trump, U.S. President:

"I'm impressed. I didn't think too many of you would really know what it is. You know what it is?  A big, big factor. But I see a couple of very happy faces from the NRA over there. And I am officially announcing today that the United States will be revoking the effect of America's signature from this badly misguided treatment.  We're taking our signature back."

6. Pan from Trump to audience

7. SOUNDBITE (English) Donald Trump, U.S. President:

"I will sign right now, in front of a lot of witnesses. Like, a lot of witnesses, a message asking the Senate to discontinue the treaty ratification process and to return the now rejected treaty right back to me in the Oval Office, where I will dispose of it. By taking these acts we are reaffirming that American liberty is sacred and that American citizens live by American laws, not the laws of foreign countries. "

8. Mid, Trump showing signature to audience

FOR CLEAN VERSION SEE STORY NUMBER: apus116058

President Donald Trump says the U.S. has decided to withdraw its support for a treaty regulating the multibillion-dollar global arms trade.

It's the latest example of the Trump administration's dislike of international pacts.

Trump said Friday that he has decided to revoke the United States' status as a signatory of the Arms Trade Treaty regulating international trade in conventional weapons, including small arms, battle tanks, combat aircraft and warships.

He says America is "rejecting this treaty" and "taking our signature back."

He made the announcement during a speech in Indianapolis, Indiana, to the National Rifle Association, which claims the treaty poses a threat to the Second Amendment.

The U.S. signed the treaty in 2013, but never ratified it.

POOL

Indianapolis - 26 April 2019

1. Close-up US President Donald Trump saluting then walking to podium

2. SOUNDBITE (English) Donald Trump, U.S. President: ++SOUNDBITE PARTIALLY OVERLAID++

"Today I'm proud to announce another historic step to protect your Second Amendment rights. And I didn't tell Chris (Cox) and Wayne (LaPierre) and Oliver (North) I didn't even tell them about it. So, they are listening in this big room someplace and they are saying, 'I wonder what he's going to do.' The good thing with me you never know, never know. So in the last administration President Obama signed the U.N. Arms Trade Treaty and in its waning days in office he sent the treaty to the Senate to begin the ratification process. This treaty threatened your subjugate ... again and you know exactly what's going on here, your rights. And your constitutional and international rules and restrictions and regulations. Under my administration we will never surrender American sovereignty. To anyone. We will never allow foreign bureaucrats to trample on your Second Amendment freedom. And that is why my administration will never ratify the UN Arms Trade Treaty. I hope you are happy."

3. Cutaway audience applauding

4. SOUNDBITE (English) Donald Trump, U.S. President:

"We're taking our signature back."

5. Pan from Trump to audience

6. SOUNDBITE (English) Donald Trump, U.S. President: ++SOUNDBITE PARTIALLY OVERLAID++

"By taking these acts we are reaffirming that American liberty is sacred and that American citizens live by American laws, not the laws of foreign countries. "

7. Mid, Trump signing and then showing signature to audience

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has defended President Donald Trump's "America First" foreign policy, saying the president is "not afraid to try diplomatic tactics where the old ones were simply not getting the outcomes that America needs and deserves."

Pompeo was speaking at a Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) gathering in Orlando, Florida on Monday.

Pompeo said the U.S. is maintaining pressure on North Korea while "keeping an outstretched hand for diplomacy."

He also got a laugh when he said he thinks that he's spent more time with North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un than any other American, "now surpassing Dennis Rodman."

Pompeo also announced the U.S. is imposing sanctions on Zhuhai Zhenrong Limited and its chief executive for violating restrictions on Iran's oil industry.

The U.S. sanctions are part of the Trump administration's effort to increase pressure on Iran by starving its economy.

Oil exports are Iran's largest source of foreign income and the U.S. campaign has raised tensions between the two countries.

China has continued to import Iranian oil as other countries have stopped out of fear of U.S. penalties.

Pompeo also insisted that "America First does not mean America alone."

Despite tensions between the U.S. and traditional allies over NATO funding, the Iran nuclear deal and international trade, he said that relations are strong between the U.S. and allies in Eastern Europe, the Persian Gulf and the Pacific region.  

And he said U.S. relations with Israel were "unequalled."

He also promised that the administration would keep as a top priority getting the remains of any fallen soldiers returned to the U.S.

Finally, Pompeo briefly touched on the administration's effort to protect U.S. service personnel from prosecution by the International Criminal Court.

Earlier this year, Pompeo announced the U.S. would repeal or deny visas to any ICC staff trying to investigate Americans in Afghanistan and elsewhere.

"This administration has moved heaven and earth to prevent them from wrongfully prosecuting anyone in this room, or anyone other who has served in the United States armed forces," he said.

POOL

Orlando, Florida - 22 July 2019

1. Wide of US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo walking to podium

2. SOUNDBITE (English) Mike Pompeo, US Secretary of State:

"President Trump is unafraid. He's not afraid to try diplomatic tactics where the old ones were simply not getting the outcomes that America needs and deserves. You've seen this. You've seen this on North Korea where we came into office and found that appeasement wasn't working and neither did neglect. So we're maintaining pressure on the North Korean regime while keeping an outstretched hand for diplomacy. I had the chance to meet with Chairman Kim (Jong Un) on multiple occasions. Indeed I think I've spent more time with Chairman Kim than any other American, now surpassing Dennis Rodman (laughter)."

+++BLACK FRAMES+++

3. SOUNDBITE (English) Mike Pompeo, US Secretary of State:

"And on the Islamic Republic of Iran, the nuclear deal. It only made the machine regime more aggressive. So we've re-engaged with allies to exert pressure on that regime. All we ask of them is all America ever asked. We just want them to behave like a normal nation. And today, as part of that maximum pressure campaign, I'm announcing that the United States is imposing sanctions on the Chinese entity Zhuhai Zhenrong and its chief executive, Youmin Li. They violated U.S. law by accepting crude oil. We've said all along that any sanction will indeed be enforced. We can't tolerate more money going to the Ayatollah, putting American soldiers, sailors, airmen and Marines and putting their lives at risk. It's too important."

+++BLACK FRAMES+++

4. SOUNDBITE (English) Mike Pompeo, US Secretary of State:

"America first does not mean America alone. Indeed, other nations are rolling up their sleeves to work alongside of us. We're restoring friendships that were neglected for a long, long time. From Eastern Europe, to our partners in the Gulf, to the Pacific Islands. And of course our relationship with Israel is unequalled. It's a democracy. It stands for the same things that we do here in America. That relationship is stronger than it's ever been. We're very proud of that."

+++BLACK FRAMES+++

5. SOUNDBITE (English) Mike Pompeo, US Secretary of State:

"I remember sitting in the room negotiating with my my counterpart as a former senior North Korean general. And I remember talking to him and I think he was perplexed that we put this as the first among the items we wanted to talk about. Every one of you understands why we put that first, and why we'll continue to work on this. We will not stop working on this until every one of our fallen heroes and their remains have been returned to the United States of America."

+++BLACK FRAMES+++

6. SOUNDBITE (English) Mike Pompeo, US Secretary of State:

"I want to mention, too, there is a threat that some of you know about. There are rogue courts international courts that have threatened to bring American soldiers, sailors and marines to dock, to bring them to justice. This is wrong. This administration has moved heaven and earth to prevent them from wrongfully prosecuting anyone in this room or anyone other who has served in the United States armed forces."

7. Wide of Pompeo shaking hands with vets after speech

Speaking to a VFW gathering in Orlando, Fla., Secretary of State Mike Pompeo defended President Donald Trump's "America First" foreign policy, saying the president is "not afraid to try to diplomatic tactics where the old ones were simply not getting the outcomes that America needs and deserves."

Pompeo said the U.S. is maintaining pressure on North Korea while "keeping an outstretched hand for diplomacy."

He also got a laugh when he said he thinks that he's spen more time with North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un than any other American, "now surpassing Dennis Rodman."

Pompeo also announced the U.S. is imposing sanctions on Zhuhai Zhenrong (ZHOO-hi ZHEN-wrong) Limited and its chief executive for violating restrictions on Iran's oil industry.

The U.S. sanctions are part of the Trump administration's effort to increase pressure on Iran by starving its economy. Oil exports are Iran's largest source of foreign income and the U.S. campaign has raised tensions between the two countries.

China has continued to import Iranian oil as other countries have stopped out of fear of U.S. penalties.

Pompeo also insisted that "America First does not mean America alone."

Despite tensions between the U.S. and traditional allies over NATO funding, the Iran nuclear deal and international trade, he said that relations are strong between the U.S. and allies in Eastern Europe, the Persion Gulf and the Pacific region.  And he said U.S. relations with Israel is "unequalled."

He also promised that the administration would keep as a top priority getting the remains of any fallen soldiers returned to the U.S.

Finally, Pompeo briefly touched on the administration's effort to protect U.S. service personnel from prosecution by the International Criminal Court. Earlier this year, Pompeo announced the U.S. would repeal or deny visas to any ICC staff trying to investigate Americans in Afghanistan and elsewhere.

"This administration has moved heaven and earth to prevent them from wrongfully prosecuting anyone in this room, or anyone other who has served in the United States armed forces," he said.

POOL

Orlando, Florida - 22 July 2019

1. Wide of US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo walking to podium

2. SOUNDBITE (English) Mike Pompeo, US Secretary of State:

"President Trump is unafraid. He's not afraid to try to diplomatic tactics where the old ones were simply not getting the outcomes that America needs and deserves. You've seen this. You've seen this on North Korea where we came into office and found that appeasement wasn't working and neither did neglect. So we're maintaining pressure on the North Korean regime while keeping an outstretched hand for diplomacy. I had the chance to meet with Chairman Kim on multiple occasions. Indeed I think I've spent more time with Chairman Kim than any other American now surpassing Dennis Rodman (laughter)."

+++BLACK FRAMES+++

3. SOUNDBITE (English) Mike Pompeo, US Secretary of State:

"And on the Islamic Republic of Iran, the nuclear deal. It only made the machine regime more aggressive. So we've re-engaged with allies to exert pressure on that regime. All we ask of them is all America ever asked. We just want them to behave like a normal nation. And today, as part of that maximum pressure campaign, I'm announcing that the United States is imposing sanctions on the Chinese entity Zhuhai Zhenrong and its chief executive, Youmin Li. They violated U.S. law by accepting crude oil. We've said all along that any sanction will indeed be enforced. We can't tolerate more money going to the Ayatollah, putting American soldiers, sailors, airmen and Marines and putting their lives at risk. It's too important."

+++BLACK FRAMES+++

4. SOUNDBITE (English) Mike Pompeo, US Secretary of State:

"America first does not mean America alone. Indeed, other nations are rolling up their sleeves to work alongside of us. We're restoring friendships that were neglected for a long, long time. From Eastern Europe, to our partners in the Gulf, to the Pacific Islands. And of course our relationship with Israel is unequalled. It's a democracy. It stands for the same things that we do here in America. That relationship is stronger than it's ever been. We're very proud of that."

+++BLACK FRAMES+++

5. SOUNDBITE (English) Mike Pompeo, US Secretary of State:

"I remember sitting in the room negotiating with my my counterpart as a former senior North Korean general. And I remember talking to him and I think he was perplexed that we put this as the first among the items we wanted to talk about. Every one of you understands why we put that first, and why we'll continue to work on this. We will not stop working on this until every one of our fallen heroes and their remains have been returned to the United States of America."

+++BLACK FRAMES+++

6. SOUNDBITE (English) Mike Pompeo, US Secretary of State:

"I want to mention, too, there is a threat that some of you know about. There are rogue courts international courts that have threatened to bring American soldiers, sailors and marines to dock, to bring them to justice. This is wrong. This administration has moved heaven and earth to prevent them from wrongfully prosecuting anyone in this room or anyone other who has served in the United States armed forces."

7. Wide of Pompeo shaking hands with vets after speech

Iran warned the Biden administration on Tuesday that it will not have an indefinite time period to rejoin the 2015 nuclear deal between Tehran and world powers.

The remarks by Iran's Cabinet spokesman Ali Rabiei are part of pressure that Tehran is trying to exert on the US as it seeks to increase its leverage and get the Biden administration to quickly return to the deal.

Though President Joe Biden has pledged to return to the nuclear deal, Rabiei said there has yet to be any communication between Iran and Biden on the subject.

In the meantime, Rabiei added that Iran would take a step further away from the nuclear deal by imposing a “restriction” on inspections by the UN nuclear watchdog, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), in late February.

In December, Iran's parliament approved a law under which part of the inspections that the deal had provided for would be suspended in February if European signatories to the 2015 nuclear deal do not offer relief from oil and banking sanctions.

Iran also said it expects Washington to swiftly lift crippling economic sanctions that former President Donald Trump imposed on the country after pulling America out of the atomic accord in 2018, as part of what he called maximum pressure against Iran.

Trump cited Iran’s ballistic missile program among other issues in withdrawing from the accord.

And when the Trump administration increased sanctions, Iran gradually and publicly abandoned the deal’s limits on its nuclear development.

++ Associated Press is adhering to Iranian law that stipulates all media are banned from providing BBC Persian, VOA Persian, Manoto 1 or Iran International any coverage from Iran, and under this law if any media violate this ban the Iranian authorities can immediately shut down that organization in Tehran.++

ASSOCIATED PRESS - NO ACCESS BBC PERSIAN / NO ACCESS VOA PERSIAN / NO ACCESS MANOTO TV / NO ACCESS IRAN INTERNATIONAL

Tehran, Iran - 26 January 2021

1. Iranian Government spokesman Ali Rabiei heading to podium for weekly briefing

2. Journalists at press conference

3. News conference

4. SOUNDBITE (Farsi) Ali Rabiei, Iranian Government spokesman:

"The US does not have all the time in the world and the window of opportunity (to return to nuclear deal) will not be open forever, either for the US or the European members of the nuclear deal to fulfil their commitments. We hope that before issues have gotten more complicated, the US administration will take practical actions and decisions to prove its good will and build confidence."

5. News conference

6. SOUNDBITE (Farsi) Ali Rabiei, Iranian Government spokesman:

"Based on the schedule mentioned in a law passed by the (Iranian) parliament, the first steps in limiting the inspections of the (International Atomic Energy Agency's) additional protocol will begin in late February (2021). However, you should note that inspections related to the (IAEA) safeguard commitments will continue to remain in place. Most of the inspections and surveillance cameras have to do with these safeguard commitments, which will remain unchanged."

7. Rabiei leaving conference

President Donald Trump is directing the administration to investigate whether steel imports are jeopardizing U.S. national security.

In the Oval Office on Thursday, Trump signed a memo ordering the investigation while surrounded by executives from U.S. steel-makers.

A 1960s trade law gives the president authority to restrict imports if they are determined to be harmful to U.S. security interests.

The law requires that the investigation be concluded within 270 days.

Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross says the timeline will be expedited.

U.S. prominence in the steel industry has been slipping for decades.

According to the Belgium-based World Steel Association, American-made steel once accounted for roughly 20 percent of global production, but had slipped to less than 5 percent by 2015.

China made up less than 3 percent of U.S. steel imports.

Washington - April 20, 2017

1. President Donald Trump seated in Oval Office

2. SOUNDBITE (English) Donald Trump, U.S. President

"We're going to fight for American workers and American made steel, and that's beginning immediately. For decades America has lost our jobs and our factories to unfair foreign trade. And one steel mill after another has been shut down, abandoned and closed and we're going to reverse that. Other countries have made a living taking advantage of the United States in so many ways, as you know, and I've been talking about that for a long time."

3. Trump seated in Oval Office

4. SOUNDBITE (English) Donald Trump, U.S. President

"Today I'm directing that the Department of Commerce to immediately prioritize the investigation that began yesterday and really long before that, because Wilbur and I have been working on that for a long time, into foreign steel arriving into our markets. And to submit a reports on these effects into the foreign steel products on the national security of the United States. It's not just a price thing, it's not just employment, it also has to do with the national security of our country."

5. Trump seated in Oval Office

6. SOUNDBITE (English) Donald Trump, U.S. President

"This investigation will look at how steel imports are impacting United States national security, taking into account foreign practices such as steel dumping, dumping is a tremendous problem in this country. They're dumping vast amounts of steel in our country and they're really hurting not only our country but our companies."

7. Trump seated in Oval Office

8. SOUNDBITE (English) Donald Trump, U.S. President

"From now on we're going to stand up for American jobs, workers, their security and for American steel companies, and companies generally. Today's action is the next vital step in making America strong and prosperous once again."

9. Applause

10. Trump signing memo

President Donald Trump is directing the administration to investigate whether steel imports are jeopardizing U.S. national security.

In the Oval Office on Thursday, Trump signed a memo ordering the investigation while surrounded by executives from U.S. steel-makers.

A 1960s trade law gives the president authority to restrict imports if they are determined to be harmful to U.S. security interests. The law requires that the investigation be concluded within 270 days. Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross says the timeline will be expedited.

U.S. prominence in the steel industry has been slipping for decades.

According to the Belgium-based World Steel Association, American-made steel once accounted for roughly 20 percent of global production, but had slipped to less than 5 percent by 2015.

China made up less than 3 percent of U.S. steel imports.

Washington - April 20, 2017

1. President Donald Trump seated in Oval Office

2. SOUNDBITE (English) U.S. President Donald Trump:

"We're going to fight for American workers and American made steel, and that's beginning immediately. For decades America has lost our jobs and our factories to unfair foreign trade. And one steel mill after another has been shut down, abandoned and closed and we're going to reverse that. Other countries have made a living taking advantage of the United States in so many ways, as you know, and I've been talking about that for a long time."

3. Trump seated in Oval Office

4. SOUNDBITE (English) U.S. President Donald Trump:

"Today I'm directing that the Department of Commerce to immediately prioritize the investigation that began yesterday and really long before that, because Wilbur and I have been working on that for a long time, into foreign steel arriving into our markets. And to submit a reports on these effects into the foreign steel products on the national security of the United States. It's not just a price thing, it's not just employment, it also has to do with the national security of our country."

5. Trump seated in Oval Office

6. SOUNDBITE (English) U.S. President Donald Trump:

"This investigation will look at how steel imports are impacting United States national security, taking into account foreign practices such as steel dumping, dumping is a tremendous problem in this country. They're dumping vast amounts of steel in our country and they're really hurting not only our country but our companies."

7. Trump seated in Oval Office

8. SOUNDBITE (English) U.S. President Donald Trump:

"From now on we're going to stand up for American jobs, workers, their security and for American steel companies, and companies generally. Today's action is the next vital step in making America strong and prosperous once again."

9. Applause

10. Trump signing memo

President Donald Trump is directing the administration to investigate whether steel imports are jeopardizing U.S. national security.

In the Oval Office on Thursday, Trump signed a memo ordering the investigation while surrounded by executives from U.S. steel-makers.

A 1960s trade law gives the president authority to restrict imports if they are determined to be harmful to U.S. security interests. The law requires that the investigation be concluded within 270 days. Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross says the timeline will be expedited.

U.S. prominence in the steel industry has been slipping for decades.

According to the Belgium-based World Steel Association, American-made steel once accounted for roughly 20 percent of global production, but had slipped to less than 5 percent by 2015.

China made up less than 3 percent of U.S. steel imports.

Washington - April 20, 2017

1. President Donald Trump seated in Oval Office

2. SOUNDBITE (English) U.S. President Donald Trump:

"We're going to fight for American workers and American made steel, and that's beginning immediately. For decades America has lost our jobs and our factories to unfair foreign trade. And one steel mill after another has been shut down, abandoned and closed and we're going to reverse that. Other countries have made a living taking advantage of the United States in so many ways, as you know, and I've been talking about that for a long time."

3. Trump seated in Oval Office

4. SOUNDBITE (English) U.S. President Donald Trump:

"Today I'm directing that the Department of Commerce to immediately prioritize the investigation that began yesterday and really long before that, because Wilbur and I have been working on that for a long time, into foreign steel arriving into our markets. And to submit a reports on these effects into the foreign steel products on the national security of the United States. It's not just a price thing, it's not just employment, it also has to do with the national security of our country."

5. Trump seated in Oval Office

6. SOUNDBITE (English) U.S. President Donald Trump:

"This investigation will look at how steel imports are impacting United States national security, taking into account foreign practices such as steel dumping, dumping is a tremendous problem in this country. They're dumping vast amounts of steel in our country and they're really hurting not only our country but our companies."

7. Trump seated in Oval Office

8. SOUNDBITE (English) U.S. President Donald Trump:

"From now on we're going to stand up for American jobs, workers, their security and for American steel companies, and companies generally. Today's action is the next vital step in making America strong and prosperous once again."

9. Applause

10. Trump signing memo

STORY

On January 12th 2017 President-elect Donald Trump's nominee to run the CIA says Russian meddling in the president election was an aggressive action taken by senior Russian leaders. At his confirmation hearing on Thursday, congressman Mike Pompeo of Kansas says it's pretty clear Russia worked to hack information and to have an impact on American democracy. Trump has voiced scepticism that Russia was behind hacking of political sites. But he said Wednesday for the first time that he believes Russia was responsible for the hacking. Pompeo also said he expected to be able to present the incoming administration with intelligence that is sound and that the leadership would make decisions based on that intelligence. US President Donald Trump said in his speech on January 20th that he will govern the country by putting America first. Trump said as president that "from this day forward it's going to be only America first". He said that every decision he makes, on issues from trade to taxes to immigration and foreign affairs, will be made to benefit American workers and families. "We must protect our borders from the ravages of other countries" taking American jobs, Trump said. US President Donald Trump signed his first executive order on January 20th, ordering federal agencies to ease the burden of former President Barrack Obama's sweeping health care law. No details were given on what the order contained. Trump was joined in the Oval Office by Vice President Mike Pence, White House chief of staff Reince Priebus and other top advisers as he signed the executive order on the so-called "Obamacare" law that he opposed throughout his campaign. Trump also formally signed the commissions of incoming Defence Secretary James Mattis and Homeland Security Secretary John Kelly. Pence later swore them in at a separate ceremony in the Eisenhower Executive Office Building, where the vice president's suite of offices is located. On January 26th White House press secretary Sean Spicer said US President Donald Trump will seek a 20 percent tax on Mexican imports to pay for a proposed border wall. The wall is part of Trump's plan to halt illegal immigration to the U.S., and he has long insisted that Mexico will pay. Mexican President Pena Nieto insists his country will not. On the flight back to Washington, Spicer told reporters travelling with the president that Trump will seek to impose a 20 percent tax on Mexican imports to pay for the wall. Congressional approval would be needed for such a step. Trump's brief trip to Philadelphia to speak with Congressional Republicans at their policy retreat, marked his first flight on Air Force One, the familiar blue and white government plane that has long ferried presidents around the country and the world. Trump spoke to reporters on board the plane, describing Air Force One as a "beautiful, great plane." On January 27th President Donald Trump and British Prime Minister Theresa May were seen holding hands for a brief period of time as they walked along the colonnade at the White House, before Trump tapped on May's hand and they let go. The two appeared to be in conversation following joint remarks made earlier at a news conference. May's meeting with the US president in Washington, D.C. is being hailed by the British government as a sign that the tarns-Atlantic "special relationship" is valued by the new US administration. On January 29th protests have erupted for the second day after US President Donald Trump issued an executive order to temporarily bar refugees and citizens of seven predominantly Muslim countries from entering the US. Dozens of protesters gathered outside the White House, while a smaller group protested outside an airport in Morrisville, North Carolina, holding banners in support of refugees and immigrants and chanting anti-Trump slogans. Several thousand people gathered near Prime Minister Theresa May's London residence on January 30th to protest against a planned state visit by US President Donald Trump. Protesters held signs and placards, some branding May "shameless", and chanted "No state visit!" Many said they were protesting to express their anger over Trump's immigration ban. January 30th's protest near 10 Downing Street was the largest of a series of protests across the country, including in Oxford, Manchester, Newcastle, Cardiff and Glasgow. An online petition opposing Trump's state visit has more than 1.5 million signatures. Any petition with more than 100,000 signatures must be considered for a debate in Parliament, though not a binding vote. US President Donald Trump fired acting Attorney General Sally Yates on January 31st after she announced she would not defend his controversial immigration order. He is naming Dana Boente, US Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, to serve in her place. The White House press office said in a statement that Yates "has betrayed the Department of Justice by refusing to enforce a legal order designed to protect the citizens of the United States." The statement calls Yates an Obama administration appointee "who is weak on borders and very weak on illegal immigration." Trump's order from Friday temporarily suspends the US refugee programme and bars immigration from seven majority-Muslim countries - Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen. Trump has picked Senator Jeff Sessions to lead the Justice Department, but he has yet to be confirmed by the Senate. US Secretary of Homeland Security John Kelly on January 31st defended President Donald Trump's executive order on immigration. Kelly said that the order is "not a travel ban. This is a temporary pause that allows us to better review the existing refugee and visa vetting system." Nordstrom says it will stop selling Ivanka Trump clothing and accessories, creating some questions about the future of the brand elsewhere. The Seattle-based department store chain said the decision was based on the sales performance of the first daughter's brand. Neiman Marcus may be the next one to pull back on the label, as the branded jewellery is nowhere to be seen on the up scale retailer's website as of 3rd February. "We've said all along we make buying decisions based on performance," said Nordstrom in a statement emailed to The Associated Press. "We've got thousands of brands” more than 2,000 offered on the site alone. Reviewing their merit and making edits is part of the regular rhythm of our business." Nordstrom said that each year the chain cuts about 10 percent and refreshes its assortment with about the same amount. "In this case, based on the brand's performance we've decided not to buy it for this season," Nordstrom added. Lord & Taylor only said it continues to carry the brand. Neiman Marcus, Macy's and Dillard's, which also carry the label, didn't immediately reply to AP's query. The move by Nordstrom Inc. comes amid a social media campaign called "Grab Your Wallet," urging a boycott of stores that stock Ivanka Trump or Donald Trump products. In a statement emailed to The Associated Press late Friday, Rosemary K. Young, senior director of marketing at Ivanka Trump, said that the brand continues to expand across all categories and distribution, resulting in "significant" revenue growth last year compared to the previous year. "We believe that the strength of a brand is measured not only by the profits it generates, but the integrity it maintains," said Young in the statement. "The women behind the brand represent a diverse group of professionals and we are proud to say that the Ivanka Trump brand continues to embody the principles upon which it was founded." An unnamed spokesperson for the brand contradicted Nordstrom's statement, saying that Nordstrom did order both shoes and clothing for spring and moved forward with the purchase of clothing. Wendy Liebmann, CEO of WSL Strategic Retail, says that retailers walk a tight rope when it comes to celebrity brands but given the politics surrounding the Ivanka Trump brand, that only adds extra controversy, particularly given such a politically divisive climate. Liebmann noted a decision of whether to pull a brand is politically loaded even if it's based on poor sales performance. "The brand is vulnerable," Liebmann said. "Retailers view their role as having the right products for the right consumer, not being pulled in a political situation." She noted that some shoppers may not want to wear the Ivanka Trump brand because they may want to avoid making a political statement. Ivanka Trump announced earlier this month that she would take a leave of absence from her clothing and accessories business as well as the Trump organization. US President Donald Trump's embattled national security adviser Michael Flynn resigned late on February 13th, following reports that he had misled Vice President Mike Pence and other officials about his contacts with Russia. His departure upends Trump's senior team after less than one month in office. In a resignation letter, Flynn said he gave Pence and others "incomplete information" about his calls with Russia's ambassador to the US. The vice president, apparently relying on information from Flynn, initially said the national security adviser hadn't discussed sanctions with the Russian envoy, though Flynn later conceded the issue may have come up. Trump named retired Lt. Gen. Keith Kellogg as the acting national security adviser. Kellogg had previously been appointed the National Security Council chief of staff and advised Trump during the campaign. Trump is also considering former CIA Director David Petraeus and Vice Admiral Robert Harward, a US Navy SEAL, for the post, according to a senior administration official. The Trump team's account of Flynn's discussions with the Russian envoy changed repeatedly over several weeks, including the number of contacts, the dates of those contacts and ultimately, the content of the conversations. Late in January, the Justice Department warned the White House that Flynn could be in a compromised position as a result of the contradictions between the public depictions of the calls and what intelligence officials knew to be true based on recordings of the conversations, which were picked up as part of routine monitoring of foreign officials communications in the US. A US official told The Associated Press that Flynn was in frequent contact with Ambassador Sergey Kislyak on the day the Obama administration slapped sanctions on Russia for election-related hacking, as well as at other times during the transition. US President Donald Trump on February 16th said his ousted national security adviser was a "fine person" after offering his resignation amid reports of contact with Russian officials. Trump was recounting why he asked Michael Flynn for his resignation. The president said at a news conference that he was "not happy" with how information about Flynn's phone call to a Russian diplomat was relayed to Vice President Mike Pence. But Trump says what Flynn did "wasn't wrong" - and called attention to what he described as "classified information that was given illegally." Dakota Access pipeline protesters are ceremonially burning some of their living structures ahead of the closure of a long-standing camp in North Dakota. About 200 to 300 protesters remain at the camp near the Standing Rock Sioux reservation. The Army Corps of Engineers has ordered the camp closed at 2 p.m. February 22nd, citing the potential for spring flooding. Those left in camp milled about peacefully Wednesday, many in prayer. At least four wooden structures were being burned in what protesters say is part of the ceremony of leaving. Authorities in North Dakota are offering assistance and services to Dakota Access pipeline protesters as they close a long-standing encampment near the Standing Rock Sioux reservation. A White House spokeswoman said March 3rd that Vice President Mike Pence "did everything to the letter of the law" after public records revealed that he used a private email account to conduct public business as Indiana's governor. The Indianapolis Star reported that emails provided through a public records request show that Pence communicated with advisers through his personal AOL account on homeland security matters and security at the governor's residence during his four years as governor. The governor also faced email security issues. Pence's AOL account was subjected to a phishing scheme last spring, before he was chosen by Donald Trump to join the GOP presidential ticket. Pence's contacts were sent an email falsely claiming that the governor and his wife were stranded in the Philippines and needed money. As Trump's running mate, Pence frequently criticized rival Hillary Clinton's use of a private email server as President Barrack Obama's secretary of state, accusing her of purposely keeping her emails out of public reach and shielding her from scrutiny. Hours before it was to take effect, President Donald Trump's revised travel ban was put on hold March 15th by a federal judge in Hawaii who questioned whether the administration was motivated by national security concerns. U.S. District Judge Derrick Watson also said Hawaii would suffer financially if the executive order blocked the flow of students and tourists to the state, and he concluded that Hawaii was likely to succeed on a claim that the ban violates First Amendment protections against religious discrimination. A federal judge in Greenbelt, Maryland, has blocked US President Donald Trump's revised travel ban targeting six predominantly Muslim countries. Judge Theodore Chuang ruled on Thursday in a case brought near the nation's capital by the ACLU (American Civil Liberties Union) and other groups representing immigrants, refugees and their families. It was the latest ruling against Trump's revised travel ban. On March 15th, a federal judge in Hawaii blocked Trump's revised travel ban hours before it was to take effect, marking the second time courts have thwarted Trump's efforts to freeze immigration by refugees and citizens of some predominantly Muslim nations. Government lawyers argued that the ban was substantially revised from an earlier version signed in January that was later blocked by a federal judge in Washington state. They said the ban was ordered in the interest of national security to protect the US from "radical Islamic terrorism." During his campaign as a Republican presidential candidate, Donald Trump called for a "total and complete shut-down of Muslims entering the United States." Trump's campaign said in a statement that such a ban should stand "until our country's representatives can figure out what is going on." It said the proposal comes in response to a level of hatred among "large segments of the Muslim population" toward US citizens. At an evening rally in South Carolina in December 2015, Trump supporters cheered and shouted in support as he read his statement. An earlier version of the executive order, issued in late January, was blocked by a judge in Seattle, sparking harsh criticism from the president of both the judge and his decision. Trump said at the time that the court fight over his refugee and immigration executive order could end up in the Supreme Court. Speaking to reporters on 7 February 2017, Trump said he was going to take his fight to uphold the directive "through the system." A federal appeals court refused to reinstate President Donald Trump's ban on travellers from seven predominantly Muslim nations, dealing another legal setback to the new administration's immigration policy. In a unanimous decision, the panel of three judges from the San Francisco-based 9th US Circuit Court of Appeals declined to block a lower-court ruling that suspended the ban and allowed previously barred travellers to enter the US. Moments after the ruling was released, Trump tweeted, "SEE YOU IN COURT," adding that "THE SECURITY OF OUR NATION IS AT STAKE!" Declaring "the start of a new era" in energy production, President Donald Trump signed an executive order March 28th that he said would revive the coal industry and create jobs. The move makes good on his campaign pledge to unravel former President Barrack Obama's plan to curb global warming. The order seeks to suspend, rescind or flag for review more than a half-dozen measures in an effort to boost domestic energy production in the form of fossil fuels. Environmental activists, including former Vice President Al Gore, denounced the plan. But Trump said the effort would allow workers to "succeed on a level playing field for the first time in a long time." "That is what this is all about: bringing back our jobs, bringing back our dreams and making America wealthy again," Trump said, during a ceremony at the Environmental Protection Agency headquarters, attended by a number of coal miners. In addition to pulling back from the Clean Power Plan, the administration will also lift a 14-month-old moratorium on new coal leases on federal lands.

SHOWS

(HD version available in \\Source_Clips\Newsroom Failures)

Pompeo: Russia aimed to influence US election

4075583

POOL

Washington DC - 12 January 2017

1. SOUNDBITE: (English) Sen. Marco Rubio, (R) Florida:

"In your personal opinion, is Vladimir Putin and the Russians looking at all this and saying 'we did a really good job of creating chaos, division, instability in the American political process?"

2. SOUNDBITE: (English) Rep. Mike Pompeo, CIA Director Nominee:

"I have no doubt that the discourse that's been taking place is something that Vladimir Puttin would look at and say, 'Wow, that was among the objectives that I have."

00:20:23

Trump to govern by putting America first

4076960

POOL

Washington, DC - 20 January 2017

3. SOUNDBITE (English) Donald Trump, US President: ++INCLUDES SHOTS OF CROWDS++

" From this day forward a new vision will govern our land. From this day forward, it's going to be only America First, America First." (++Crowds clapping)

00:39:22

Trump signs executive orders in Oval Office

4077026

POOL

Washington DC - 20 January 2017

4. US President Donald Trump signing commission allowing General James Mattis to be sworn in as Defence Secretary

00:46:24

Spicer: Trump Seeks 20% Tax on Mexican Imports

4078053

POOL

On Board Air Force One - 26 January 2017

5. SOUNDBITE: (English) Sean Spicer, White House Press Secretary:

"If you tax that $50 billion at 20 percent of imports - which is by the way a practice that 160 other countries do - right now our country's policy is to tax exports and let imports flow freely in, which is ridiculous."

01:02:06

Trump, May hold hands outside White House

4078211

AP TELEVISION

Washington,D.C. - 27 January 2017

6. Tracking shot of British Prime Minister Theresa May and President Donald Trump walking outside White House, holding hands for a few seconds

01:10:09

US protests against Trump's immigration ban

4078426

AP TELEVISION

Washington DC/Morrisville - 29 January 2017

7. Protesters on ground gathering outside White House, holding banners and chanting slogans in support of refugees

01:21:12

UK protest against Trump's state visit

4078640

AP TELEVISION

London - 30 January 2017

++NIGHT SHOTS++

8. Protesters standing in front of Downing Street with signs and posters

9. Close of sign that reads (English) "Shameless May, Fascist Tyrant"

10. Close of sign that reads (English) "No to racism, no to Trump"

01:46:12

Trump fires Attorney General Sally Yates

4078666

POOL

FILE: Washington, DC - 28 June 2016

11. Various of Sally Yates, now former acting US Attorney General speaking at briefing while serving as Deputy Attorney General

01:54:19

US Homeland Security chief defends travel ban

4078785

AP TELEVISION

Washington DC - 31 January 2017

12. SOUNDBITE (English): John Kelly, Secretary of Homeland Security:

" It is important to understand that there are terrorists and other bad actors who are seeking to infiltrate our homeland every single day."

02:02:13

Nordstrom will stop selling Ivanka Trump clothing and accessories

4079404

AP Entertainment

New York, 29 June 2012

13. Medium of Ivanka Trump talking and showing her clothing line

AP Entertainment

New York, 14 April 2015

14. Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner arriving at the Vanity Fair Tribeca Film Festival party

02:17:16

US National Security Adviser Flynn resigns and Kellogg takes over as acting US National Security Adviser

4080946

US POOL

Washington DC - Recent/File

Washington DC - 20 January 2017

15. Michael Flynn arrives at inauguration

New York - 7 October 2016

16. General Kellogg, sitting next to Trump, speaking

02:30:06

Trump: Russia links reports are "fake news"

4081499

AP TELEVISION

Washington DC - 16 February 2017

17. SOUNDBITE (English) Donald Trump, US President:

"I can tell you from speaking for myself, I own nothing in Russia, I have no loans in Russia, I don't have any deals in Russia. (Russian) President (Vladimir) Putin called me up very nicely to congratulate me on the win of the election, he then called me up extremely nicely to congratulate me on the inauguration which was terrific, but so did many other leaders, almost all other leaders from almost all other countries, so that's the extent. Russia is fake news, this is fake news put out by the media."

03:03:24

Pipeline Protesters Set Fires to Close Camp

4082450

ASSOCIATED PRESS

Near Cannon Ball - 22 February 2017

++QUALITY AS INCOMING++

18. Wide pan of area with protesters and fire

03:16:18

Pence responds to use of private email account

4084169

POOL

Janesville, Wisconsin - 3 March 2017

19. SOUNDBITE (English) Mike Pence, Vice President:

(Reporter question off camera: "Why did you decide to use your private email accounts to deal with some public business?")

"I did. We issued a statement on that. I am very confident that our email practices were in full compliance with all of Indiana's laws. And in my service as a vice president will continue, will continue that practice."

03:31:02

Federal judge in Hawaii puts travel ban on hold

4086131

ASSOCIATED PRESS

Honolulu - 15 March 2017

20. Wide of press conference beginning

21. SOUNDBITE (English) Doug Chin, Hawaii Attorney General

" It showed that they were trying even harder to mask what was a religious animus."

03:42:17

Trump suffers second travel ban defeat

4086216

POOL

Mount Pleasant, South Carolina - 7 December 2015

22. Donald Trump walking to podium

23. SOUNDBITE (English) Donald Trump, Republican Presidential Candidate:

"Donald J. Trump is calling for a total and complete shutdown of Muslims entering the United States until our country's representatives can figure out what the hell is going on. We have no choice."

04:07:09

Trump signs roll-back on Obama era climate plans

4088397

POOL

Washington DC - 28 March 2017

24. US President Donald Trump signing executive order

HD version available in \\Source_Clips\Newsroom Failures

Republican Donald Trump is receiving an enthusiastic response from veterans as he criticizes Democrats and vows to reform the Department of Veterans Affairs.

Trump is telling veterans gathered at the annual convention of the Veterans of Foreign Wars in Charlotte that: "Our politicians have totally failed you."

Trump offered a 10-step fix for the VA healthcare system, including asking Congress to pass legislation giving the VA secretary more authority to remove poor employees, plus increasing outreach and the number of mental health care professionals in the system.

Clinton on Monday spoke at the same gathering and offered a scathing critique of Trump's foreign policy, casting him as too reckless to serve as the country's commander in chief.

But when Trump mentioned Clinton's name on Tuesday, it was met with shouts of "Lock her up!"

Trump jokes, "I guess she didn't do very well" with the crowd.

Republican Donald Trump is receiving an enthusiastic response from veterans as he criticizes Democrats and vows to reform the Department of Veterans Affairs.

Trump is telling veterans gathered at the annual convention of the Veterans of Foreign Wars in Charlotte that: "Our politicians have totally failed you."

Trump offered a 10-step fix for the VA healthcare system, including asking Congress to pass legislation giving the VA secretary more authority to remove poor employees, plus increasing outreach and the number of mental health care professionals in the system.

Clinton on Monday spoke at the same gathering and offered a scathing critique of Trump's foreign policy, casting him as too reckless to serve as the country's commander in chief.

But when Trump mentioned Clinton's name on Tuesday, it was met with shouts of "Lock her up!"

Trump jokes, "I guess she didn't do very well" with the crowd.

POOL

Charlotte, North Carolina - 26 July 2016

+++1 SECOND OF BLACK BETWEEN SOUNDBITES+++

1. Mid of Donald Trump walking to podium

2. SOUNDBITE (English) Donald Trump, (R) Presidential Nominee:

"The veterans health system will remain a public system because it is a public trust, but never again will we allow any veteran to suffer or die waiting for care. That means veterans will have the right to go to a VA facility, or the right to see a private doctor, or clinic of their choice whatever is fastest and best for the veteran."

+++1 SECOND OF BLACK+++

3. SOUNDBITE (English) Donald Trump, (R) Presidential Nominee:

"There will be no more five-day waits in line. If you are waiting in line, you're going to go to a private doctor across the street, a private or public hospital across the street or nearby and you are going to be taken care of quickly and efficiently. People are waiting in line five days, six days, seven days and many are dying. With a simple procedure they would live and they're dying because they can't even get to see their doctor. So there's not going to be anymore of that, and we will pick up the bill."

+++1 SECOND OF BLACK+++

4. SOUNDBITE (English) Donald Trump, (R) Presidential Nominee:

"The other candidate in this race, you know her name, Crooked Hillary Clinton, and believe me folks, she is crooked, has a much different view. She recently said of the VA (Veterans Administration) scandal that it's not as widespread as it's been purported to be. It's like she's trying to sweep it under the rug, which by the way politicians have done for years and years and years. It's going to be four more years of the same if she ever got in. But that's not going to happen."

+++1 SECOND OF BLACK+++

5. SOUNDBITE (English) Donald Trump, (R) Presidential Nominee:

"We know how she takes care of the veterans. Just look at her invasion of Libya, and her handling of Benghazi. A disaster. Or look at her emails, which put America's entire national security at risk.(Audience members "Lock her up, lock her up.")

"And to think she was here yesterday. I guess she didn't do very well."

+++1 SECOND OF BLACK+++

6. SOUNDBITE (English) Donald Trump, (R) Presidential Nominee:

"We're going to bring honesty back to government, and that starts with fixing the Veterans Administration. We will fix it."

7. Mid of Trump shaking hands after speech

Irish Minister of Foreign Affairs Simon Coveney met his Iranian counterpart in Tehran on Sunday.

The Republic of Ireland has the role of facilitator in the implementation of the 2015 nuclear deal between Iran and world powers.

Former US president Donald Trump in 2018 unilaterally withdrew the US from the Iranian nuclear accord, in which Tehran had agreed to limit its uranium enrichment in exchange for the lifting of economic sanctions.

When the US then reimposed some sanctions and added others, Iran gradually and publicly abandoned the deal's limits on its nuclear development.

Earlier in the day, during a meeting with President Hassan Rouhani, Coveney said the withdrawal by Trump was a mistake and noted that the new US administration is determined to return to the deal.

In December, Iran's parliament approved a bill that calls for the suspension of part of UN inspections of its nuclear facilities if European signatories to the 2015 nuclear deal do not provide relief from oil and banking sanctions.

++ Associated Press is adhering to Iranian law that stipulates all media

++ are banned from providing BBC Persian, VOA Persian, Manoto TV or Iran

++ International any coverage from Iran, and under this law if any media

++ violate this ban the Iranian authorities can immediately shut down

++ that organization in Tehran.++

Tehran - 7 March 2021

1. Ireland's Minister for Foreign Affairs and Minister for Defence Simon Coveney, being greeted by Iran's Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif, bump elbows, stand for photos

2. Irish officials heading to meeting room

3. Iranian and Irish flags

4. Wide of meeting

5. Close of Coveney

6. Wide of meeting

7. Pan to left from Coveney and colleagues to Zarif

8. Wide of meeting

STORY

MISSION, TEXAS (AP) —As Trump arrives, South Texas fights his proposed wall

SUGGESTED CAPTION:

President Donald Trump's visit to the U.S.-Mexico border in South Texas comes as his administration fights many of the region's landowners, religious leaders, and environmentalists over the few miles of barrier it's already trying to build.

Natural Sound Up Full: Choppers circling overhead

THE BORDER WALL BATTLE IS GETTING NOISIER AND NASTIER AS PROPERTY OWNERS IN SOUTH TEXAS FACE OFF AGAINST A FEDERAL GOVERNMENT INTENT ON SEIZING THEIR LAND…

LAND NEEDED FOR A PORTION OF WALL CONSTRUCTION THAT WAS APPROVED BY CONGRESS MONTHS AGO.  

THE 1.4 BILLION-DOLLAR PROJECT HAS RAISED THE IRE OF THE CATHOLIC CHURCH AND ITS NEIGHBORS ALONG THE RIO GRANDE RIVER— AND COULD SIGNAL WHAT LIES AHEAD IF THE PRESIDENT'S PLANS FOR MORE WALL BUILDING GO THROUGH.

(CHOPPER CROSSING)

THE LA LOMITA CHAPEL— THE NAMESAKE FOR THE CITY OF MISSION, TEXAS— HAPPENS TO BE IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ALREADY APPROVED PATH. BUILDING COULD BEGIN AS EARLY AS FEBRUARY… IF LAWSUITS DON'T STOP IT FIRST.

(natural sound up of Father Roy showing where a wall would go)

FATHER ROY SNIPES —OFTEN DONNING A COWBOY HAT WITH HIS CRUCIFIX-   IS A CATHOLIC PRIEST IN THE OBLATE ORDER…WHICH HAS MINISTERED IN THE VALLEY SINCE THE 1840S.

SOUNDBITE (ENGLISH) Father Roy Snipes, La Lomita Pastor: " we're here at the old La Lomita Chapel. which is kind of the mother church of our whole area."

THE Catholic  DIOCESE DOES NOT WANT TO SELL THIS LAND OR GIVE IT UP. So it's suing the government, SAYING This VIOLATES CATHOLIC TEACHINGS, THE CHURCHES RESPONSIBILITY TO PROTECT MIGRANTS, AS WELL AS ITS FIRST AMENDMENT RIGHT OF RELIGIOUS FREEDOM.

SOUNDBITE (ENGLISH) Father Roy Snipes, La Lomita Pastor: ""the serenity and simplicity of the place would be ruined."

… STAND UP Super: John Mone, Associated Press: "MUCH OF THE CONSTRUCTION WILL BE LIKE THESE STEEL BALLARDS AND CONCRETE LAW ENFORCEMENT ZONES. THOUGH MANY IN THE VALLEY SAY THE PRICE OF A physical and VISUAL DETERRENT ISN'T WORTH WHAT IT WILL COST HERITAGE IF THE GOVERNMENT TAKES LAND BY EMINENT DOMAIN.

Marianna Trevino Wright, National Butterfly Center: " uncle sam is gonna impact that dramatically by eliminating all of these trees full of nests, eggs, baby birds piling them up somewhere and burning them."

AT THE NATIONAL BUTTERFLY CENTER — THE CONCERN IS WHAT A WALL  AND LAW ENFORCEMENT ZONE WILL DO MIGRATORY BIRDS AND BUTTERFLIES

Marianna Trevino Wright, National Butterfly Center: " you eliminate the plant, that is the reproductive basis for the butterfly, you eliminate the butterfly."

THE CENTER IS A NATURE PRESERVE AND TOURIST MAGNET — AND ITS ALSO SUING TO PREVENT THE GOVERNMENT FROM BUILDING HERE—

DIRECTOR MARIANA TREVINO WRIGHT SAYS THE END RESULT WILL BE A CONCRETE FEDERAL FOOTPRINT ON WILDLIFE—

(GOATS bleating on the farm)

NEARBY THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT HAS ALREADY SURVEYED WHAT IT WOULD TAKE FROM THE CAVAZOS FAMILY'S 64 ACRES…

Soundbite (English) Eloisa Cavazos, Opposes Wall: "" that wall itself? it's not going to stop anything."

MANY FAMILIES LIKE THEM HAVE MULTIPLE HEIRS TO THEIR PROPERTIES SO THE TOTAL IMPACT OF LAND SEIZURES IS YET UNKNOWN.

CONSTRUCTION MAY CUT OFF ACCESS THEY HAVE TO THE WATER THEY GREW UP FISHING ON…

(NATS— Father Roy in boat, RIGHT over on that side is mexico)

THE SAME RIVER FATHER ROY USES TO BOAT TO WORK…  

SOUNDBITE (ENGLISH) Father Roy Snipes, La Lomita Pastor:

" for god's sake leave our chapel alone. you don't have to build a wall along this beautiful river. if you're the smartest and richest and most powerful people in the world can't you think of something better than that?

THE OBLATE MISSIONARY ALSO RENTS LAND FROM THE CAVAZOS', SO HIS OWN HOUSE AND THE COMMUNITY'S HOUSE OF WORSHIP COULD BE BEHIND A BARRIER… TOO —JOHN MONE ASSOCIATED PRESS MISSION TEXAS.

MISSION, TEXAS — JANUARY 8 2019

1. Various of DHS choppers flying over La Lomita Chapel, the Border Patrol is planning on building wall that would further bifurcate public and church property

2. Border Patrol SUV drives on the levee dividing the land

3. Choppers continue to pass

4. Pan from levee road to La Lomita Chapel land

5. Cross sitting atop church roof

HIDALGO, TEXAS — JANUARY 8 2019

6. Various of steel ballard design fence on the US-Mexico Port of Entry in Hildago, which would look similar to what will be built in Mission area

MISSION, TEXAS — JANUARY 8 2019

7. Various La Lomita, exterior

8. Various inside sanctuary

9. Natural sound up full Father Roy Snipes showing where wall would be built

10. Various inside sanctuary, prayer candles, Father Roy

11. Soundbite (English) Father Roy Snipes, La Lomita Pastor: see script

12. Various inside sanctuary

13. Various outside shrine of Our Lady and flowers

14. Soundbite (English) Father Roy Snipes, La Lomita Pastor: see script

15. Outside the building for the National Butterfly Center

16. Soundbite (English) Marianna Trevino Wright, National Butterfly Center: see script

17. Various of National Butterfly Center, wildlife, tracking shot along the interior road

18. Two butterflies share a flower

19. Soundbite (English) Marianna Trevino Wright, National Butterfly Center: see script

20. Bird on branch

21. Various of tourists making photos

22. Goats on the Cavazos farm

23. The Cavazos family during interview

24. Longhorn cattle on the farm

25. Soundbite (English) Eloisa Cavazos, Mission, Texas: see script

26. Various of Cavazos family on their river front property, fishing and talking

27. Tracking shot on the river, on top of Father roy's boat

28. Father Roy steering his boat

29. Cutaways

30 Soundbite (English) Father Roy Snipes, La Lomita Pastor: see script

31. Various of Father Roy

32. Chopper patrolling overhead

33. Zoom out from chapel

FOR CLEAN VERSION SEE STORY NUMBER: apus060069

Republican Donald Trump received an enthusiastic response from veterans as he criticized Democrats and vowed to reform the Department of Veterans Affairs.

Trump told veterans gathered at the annual convention of the Veterans of Foreign Wars in Charlotte that: "Our politicians have totally failed you."

Trump offered a 10-step fix for the VA healthcare system, including asking Congress to pass legislation giving the VA secretary more authority to remove poor employees, plus increasing outreach and the number of mental health care professionals in the system.

Clinton on Monday spoke at the same gathering and offered a scathing critique of Trump's foreign policy, casting him as too reckless to serve as the country's commander in chief.

But when Trump mentioned Clinton's name on Tuesday, it was met with shouts of "Lock her up!"

Trump jokes, "I guess she didn't do very well" with the crowd.

FOR CLEAN VERSION SEE STORY NUMBER: apus060069

Republican Donald Trump received an enthusiastic response from veterans as he criticized Democrats and vowed to reform the Department of Veterans Affairs.

Trump told veterans gathered at the annual convention of the Veterans of Foreign Wars in Charlotte that: "Our politicians have totally failed you."

Trump offered a 10-step fix for the VA healthcare system, including asking Congress to pass legislation giving the VA secretary more authority to remove poor employees, plus increasing outreach and the number of mental health care professionals in the system.

Clinton on Monday spoke at the same gathering and offered a scathing critique of Trump's foreign policy, casting him as too reckless to serve as the country's commander in chief.

But when Trump mentioned Clinton's name on Tuesday, it was met with shouts of "Lock her up!"

Trump jokes, "I guess she didn't do very well" with the crowd.

POOL

Charlotte, North Carolina - 26 July 2016

+++WHITE FLASHES BETWEEN SOUNDBITES+++

1. SOUNDBITE (English) Donald Trump, (R) Presidential Nominee:

"The veterans health system will remain a public system because it is a public trust, but never again will we allow any veteran to suffer or die waiting for care. That means veterans will have the right to go to a VA facility, or the right to see a private doctor, or clinic of their choice whatever is fastest and best for the veteran."

+++WHITE FLASH+++

2. SOUNDBITE (English) Donald Trump, (R) Presidential Nominee:

"There will be no more five-day waits in line. If you are waiting in line, you're going to go to a private doctor across the street, a private or public hospital across the street or nearby and you are going to be taken care of quickly and efficiently. People are waiting in line five days, six days, seven days and many are dying."

+++WHITE FLASH+++

3. SOUNDBITE (English) Donald Trump, (R) Presidential Nominee:

"The other candidate in this race, you know her name, crooked Hillary Clinton, and believe me folks, she is crooked, has a much different view. She recently said of the VA scandal that it's not as widespread as it's been purported to be. It's like she's trying to sweep it under the rug, which by the way politicians have done for years and years and years. It's going to be four more years of the same."

+++WHITE FLASH+++

4. SOUNDBITE (English) Donald Trump, (R) Presidential Nominee:

"Just look at her invasion of Libya, and her handling of Benghazi, a disaster, or look at her emails, which put America's entire national security at risk.(Audience members "Lock her up, lock her up.")

"And to think she was here yesterday. I guess she didn't do very well."

+++1 SECOND OF BLACK+++

5. SOUNDBITE (English) Donald Trump, (R) Presidential Nominee:

"We're going to bring honesty back to government, and that starts with fixing the Veterans Administration. We will fix it."

Congressional leaders are receiving a classified briefing on Iran as members of both parties demand more information on the White House's claims of rising threats in the Middle East.

The briefing Thursday with the so-called Gang of Eight comes after Democratic lawmakers warned President Donald Trump against war with Iran.

Republicans and Democrats criticized the White House for not keeping Congress informed of the rising threat in the Middle East.

Trump pulled the U.S. out of the Iran nuclear deal last year and has reimposed sanctions on Tehran that are crippling its economy.

U.S. officials are reporting heightened threats in the region from Iran and have sent military assets there to protect U.S. troops and the interests of both America and its allies.

State Department officials said threats in the region were credible and based on intelligence showing Iranian-backed militias had been moving personnel and weaponry as well as stepping up surveillance of U.S. and U.S.-affiliated facilities in Iraq and other parts of the Middle East.

The officials were not authorized to comment publicly by name and spoke only on condition of anonymity.

Sky News is reporting that the U.K. has raised the threat level for British personnel in Iraq because of a heightened risk from Iran.

Sen. Lindsey Graham, when asked by the change in the threat level expressed his frustration about not having received a briefing yet on the issue.

"I'm not going to comment on something I don't know about and I will tell the administration, you should pick up the phone you call members of Congress so that we don't have a microphone put in our face, ask us about why you're doing something when we have no clue," said Graham.  

The full Senate is expected to receive a classified briefing on Iran on Tuesday

Washington - 16 May 2019

1. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell walks to classified briefing on Iran

2. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi walks to briefing

3. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer walks into briefing

4. Sen. Dick Durbin walks through senate office building

5. SOUNDBITE: (English) Sen. Dick Durbin, (D) Illinois:

"Unfortunately the only briefing that they're promising is next week. I'm hoping it's not too late, literally. I don't know if someone in the White House is waiting for a Gulf of Tonkin moment here to initiate military action against Iran. That would be a serious mistake and under our Constitution this president has to seek the authority to do that from Congress. That's a reminder that the Constitution was written so that no president is unaccountable. Accountability should be through the American people. It would be a serious mistake, first, to withdraw from the treaty that stopped the development of nuclear weapons in Iran and then to see the situation escalate to the point where this president is even considering military action."

6. Sen. Lindsey Graham walks through hall

7. Reporter asks Graham question in basement of senate office building on UK decision to increase alert level in Iraq

8. SOUNDBITE: (English) Sen. Lindsey Graham, (R) South Carolina:

"Well, number one I'm a United States senator in charge of foreign assistance, State Department funding. I'm in charge of making sure that they're adequately secured in Iraq and other places. I have not been briefed about why we withdrew people from the consulate and the embassy. That's disappointing and unacceptable. So I'm not going to comment on something I don't know about and I will tell the administration, you should pick up the phone you call members of Congress so that we don't have a microphone put in our face, ask us about why you're doing something when we have no clue."

9. Sens. Mark Warner and Richard Burr walk into classified briefing on Iran

10. SOUNDBITE: (English) Sen. Richard Blumenthal, (D) Connecticut:

"The confusion coming from our allies simply shows the need for the White House and the Pentagon to brief Congress and to come clean with the American people. The American people have been kept in the dark. It is disgraceful and despicable that we're on the verge of war and the American people are given this kind of confused and chaotic picture of what the situation is on the ground. We are supposedly going to have a briefing on Tuesday. We're hearing it may be too late because hostilities may have begun or there may be an escalation of the military situation. That is absolutely petrifying. It should be frightening for the American people."

11. Rep. Devin Nunes walks to briefing

12. Rep. Adam Schiff walks to briefing

Congressional leaders are receiving a classified briefing on Iran as members of both parties demand more information on the White House's claims of rising threats in the Middle East.

The briefing Thursday with the so-called Gang of Eight comes after Democratic lawmakers warned President Donald Trump against war with Iran.

Republicans and Democrats criticized the White House for not keeping Congress informed of the rising threat in the Middle East.

Trump pulled the U.S. out of the Iran nuclear deal last year and has reimposed sanctions on Tehran that are crippling its economy.

U.S. officials are reporting heightened threats in the region from Iran and have sent military assets there to protect U.S. troops and the interests of both America and its allies.

State Department officials said threats in the region were credible and based on intelligence showing Iranian-backed militias had been moving personnel and weaponry as well as stepping up surveillance of U.S. and U.S.-affiliated facilities in Iraq and other parts of the Middle East.

The officials were not authorized to comment publicly by name and spoke only on condition of anonymity.

Sky News is reporting that the U.K. has raised the threat level for British personnel in Iraq because of a heightened risk from Iran.

Sen. Lindsey Graham, when asked by the change in the threat level expressed his frustration about not having received a briefing yet on the issue.

"I'm not going to comment on something I don't know about and I will tell the administration, you should pick up the phone you call members of Congress so that we don't have a microphone put in our face, ask us about why you're doing something when we have no clue," said Graham.  

The full Senate is expected to receive a classified briefing on Iran on Tuesday

Washington - 16 May 2019

1. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell walks to classified briefing on Iran

2. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi walks to briefing

3. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer walks into briefing

4. Sen. Dick Durbin walks through senate office building

5. SOUNDBITE: (English) Sen. Dick Durbin, (D) Illinois:

"Unfortunately the only briefing that they're promising is next week. I'm hoping it's not too late, literally. I don't know if someone in the White House is waiting for a Gulf of Tonkin moment here to initiate military action against Iran. That would be a serious mistake and under our Constitution this president has to seek the authority to do that from Congress. That's a reminder that the Constitution was written so that no president is unaccountable. Accountability should be through the American people. It would be a serious mistake, first, to withdraw from the treaty that stopped the development of nuclear weapons in Iran and then to see the situation escalate to the point where this president is even considering military action."

6. Sen. Lindsey Graham walks through hall

7. Reporter asks Graham question in basement of senate office building on UK decision to increase alert level in Iraq

8. SOUNDBITE: (English) Sen. Lindsey Graham, (R) South Carolina:

"Well, number one I'm a United States senator in charge of foreign assistance, State Department funding. I'm in charge of making sure that they're adequately secured in Iraq and other places. I have not been briefed about why we withdrew people from the consulate and the embassy. That's disappointing and unacceptable. So I'm not going to comment on something I don't know about and I will tell the administration, you should pick up the phone you call members of Congress so that we don't have a microphone put in our face, ask us about why you're doing something when we have no clue."

9. Sens. Mark Warner and Richard Burr walk into classified briefing on Iran

10. SOUNDBITE: (English) Sen. Richard Blumenthal, (D) Connecticut:

"The confusion coming from our allies simply shows the need for the White House and the Pentagon to brief Congress and to come clean with the American people. The American people have been kept in the dark. It is disgraceful and despicable that we're on the verge of war and the American people are given this kind of confused and chaotic picture of what the situation is on the ground. We are supposedly going to have a briefing on Tuesday. We're hearing it may be too late because hostilities may have begun or there may be an escalation of the military situation. That is absolutely petrifying. It should be frightening for the American people."

11. Rep. Devin Nunes walks to briefing

12. Rep. Adam Schiff walks to briefing

Iranian lawmakers burned a US flag at the nation's parliament on Wednesday after President Donald Trump's nuclear deal pullout, shouting, "Death to America!"

Lawmakers held the impromptu demonstration the day after Trump's decision, also burning a piece of paper representing the nuclear deal.

The chant "Death to America" has long has been used in Iran since its 1979 Islamic Revolution.

It also has been common to hear it within parliament.

However, Wednesday's demonstration reflected public anger in Iran after Trump's decision.

Iran's 2015 nuclear deal imposed restrictions on its nuclear program in return for the lifting of most US and international sanctions.

However, the deal came with time limits and did not address Iran's ballistic missile program or its regional policies in Syria and elsewhere.

Trump has repeatedly pointed to those omissions in referring to the accord as the "worst deal ever."

Proponents of the deal have said those time limits were meant to encourage more discussion with Iran in the future that could eventually address other concerns.

++ Associated Press is adhering to Iranian law that stipulates all media are banned from providing BBC Persian, VOA Persian or Manoto 1 any coverage from Iran, and under this law if any media violate this ban the Iranian authorities can immediately shut down that organization in Tehran.++

ASSOCIATED PRESS - NO ACCESS BBC PERSIAN / NO ACCESS VOA PERSIAN / NO ACCESS MANOTO TV

Tehran - 9 May 2018

1. Iranian lawmakers set fire to paper US flag and copy of the nuclear deal on parliament floor, pull out to MPs shouting, zoom in to lawmakers shouting,

UPSOUND (Farsi) "Death to America" with lawmakers stamping on burning flag

2. SOUNDBITE (Farsi) Ali Larijani, Iranian Parliament Speaker:

"If Europe and important countries like Russia and China fill this international vacuum (in the deal), perhaps there will be a way to continue. Otherwise, the Islamic Republic of Iran will bring them (US) to their senses with its nuclear actions. They have to know that under such circumstances, Iran has no commitment to remain in the nuclear position it was in before."

3. MPs shouting UPSOUND (Farsi) "Death to America"

4. SOUNDBITE (Farsi) Ali Larijani, Iranian Parliament Speaker:

"It is necessary that Iran's Atomic Energy Organisation be fully prepared to resume all aspects of our nuclear activities and after the Foreign Ministry announces the results of its negotiations with Europe, it should take reciprocal action in accordance with the law."

5. Wide of MPs shouting UPSOUND (Farsi) "Death to America"

6. SOUNDBITE (Farsi) Ali Larijani, Iranian Parliament Speaker:

"The period (the weeks that Iran negotiates with the EU over continuation of the nuclear deal) is only a window in which the EU can prove if it has enough weight in settling international issues."

7. Wide interior of parliament

An Iranian presidential candidate on Wednesday said he would be willing to meet with U.S. President Joe Biden if he wins his country's election next week, but said that "America needs to send better and stronger signals" to the Islamic Republic.

Speaking to The Associated Press, former Iranian Central Bank chief Abdolnasser Hemmati stressed that an American return to Iran's tattered nuclear deal was key to any possible relationship amid the wider tensions in the MidEast.

"I think we haven't seen anything serious from Mr. Biden's side yet," Hemmati said. "They first need to go back to the (nuclear deal) that they withdrew from. If we see the process and more confidence is built, then we can talk about that."

Hemmati, 64, is one of the seven candidates approved by Iranian authorities to run for the presidency in the Islamic Republic's June 18 election.

Polling and analysts suggest he lags in the race behind hard-line judiciary chief and front-runner Ebrahim Raisi, believed to be a favorite of Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

While Khamenei has final say on all matters of state, whoever serves as president can affect domestic issues and set the tone for Iran's broader approach with the world.

Outgoing President Hassan Rouhani, a relatively moderate cleric within Iran's theocracy, helped his nation reach its landmark 2015 nuclear deal with world powers.

However, Rouhani has struggled with the fallout of then-President Donald Trump's decision to unilaterally withdraw America from the accord in 2018. That's seen crushing sanctions target Iran and Tehran later abandoned all the limits on its nuclear program.

It now enriches small amounts of uranium to 60% purity - a record high, though still short of weapons-grade levels of 90%.

Talking to AP journalists at his Tehran office, Hemmati repeatedly said that the signal Iranians hoped to see from the U.S. was Washington's return to the nuclear deal.

"The Americans have sent positive signals but those signals haven't been strong enough," he said. "If there are stronger signals, it will affect how optimistic or pessimistic we are."

Asked about whether Iran would be willing to accept further restrictions, such as on its ballistic missile program to get sanctions relief, Hemmati said Tehran would refuse such an offer.

"Iran's nuclear commitments must be inside the framework of the (deal)," he said. "If they are not, neither the (supreme) leader nor the president will accept that."

++ Associated Press is adhering to Iranian law that stipulates all media

++ are banned from providing BBC Persian, VOA Persian, Manoto TV or Iran

++ International any coverage from Iran, and under this law if any media

++ violate this ban the Iranian authorities can immediately shut down

++ that organization in Tehran.++

ASSOCIATED PRESS - NO ACCESS BBC PERSIAN / NO ACCESS VOA PERSIAN / NO ACCESS MANOTO TV / NO ACCESS IRAN INTERNATIONAL

Tehran - 9 June 2021

1. Photographers taking photos of Abdolnasser Hemmati, presidential candidate at his headquarters in Tehran

2. Close of Hemmati posing for photo

3. Hemmati entering room for interview

4. Cutaway of Hemmati's hands

5. Mid of Hemmati

6. SOUNDBITE (Farsi) Abdolnasser Hemmati, Iranian presidential candidate:

"If this is within the framework of the general policies of the system, I'll definitely do that (meeting president Joe Biden)."

7. Close of Hemmati's hand

8. SOUNDBITE (Farsi) Abdolnasser Hemmati, Iranian presidential candidate:

"So far Americans have sent some positive signals, but their signals are not strong enough. If stronger signals are received, well one's optimism or pessimism could be affected. Nothing serious or fundamental has been seen yet."

9. Close of Hemmati

10. SOUNDBITE (Farsi) Abdolnasser Hemmati, Iranian presidential candidate:

"They first need to go back to this nuclear deal that they withdrew from; then we can see the process and trust is built; then we can talk about it."

11. Close of Hemmati

12. Hemmati posing for photo

13. SOUNDBITE (Farsi) Abdolnasser Hemmati, Iranian presidential candidate:

"I think right now we can't talk about the relations or policy towards America without the accurate implementation of the JCPOA. I think If America meets its JCPOA and returns to it, and Iran has also accepted to remain committed to the JCPOA, this is a positive step, and it can pave the way for thinking about next steps."

14. Hemmati taking off face mask and posing for photo

15. SOUNDBITE (Farsi) Abdolnasser Hemmati, Iranian presidential candidate:

"Against those five people, who belong to the same political front, I don't count them as rivals. My rival is people's breakup with the ballot box. If, God willing, people end this breakup, definitely I will have no rivals and I will win."

16. Hemmati posing for photo

17. SOUNDBITE (Farsi) Abdolnasser Hemmati, Iranian presidential candidate:

"We managed to neutralize the sanctions and run the economy over the past three years of difficult sanctions. Definitely, I have plans for that (scenario) as well, but we will try to make the deal reach positive results, god willing."

18. Hemmati posing for photo

China said Tuesday it rejects human rights as a reason to interfere in its internal affairs after United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres raised the issue of work camps for Uighur Muslims in Xinjiang during his recent trip to Beijing.

Geng Shuang, spokesperson of the Chinese Foreign Ministry, said in a media briefing that the anti-extremism measures China was taking in Xinjiang were "totally legitimate" and had "wide support from the people in Xinjiang".

Geng also commented on an international arms-trade treaty from which US President Donald Trump has said he'll withdraw.

He said China was studying the possibility of signing up to the treaty, saying that "China supports the international community to take necessary measures to regulate international arms trade activities and combat illegal arms transfer and trafficking."

Asked about the details of six foreigners being sentenced by a court in southern China for drug offences, including a Canadian given the death penalty, Geng didn't respond directly.

Beijing – 30 April 2019

1. Wide of Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Geng Shuang walking towards podium

2. Wide of journalists

3. SOUNDBITE (Mandarin) Geng Shuang, spokesperson of Chinese Foreign Ministry:

"China is willing to discuss human rights issues with others on the basis of equality and mutual respect. In the meantime, we strongly oppose any interference in China's internal affairs that uses human rights as an excuse. Secondly, the situation in Xinjiang is part of China's internal affairs. Terrorism and extremism are trampling on fundamental human rights. China's preventative anti-terrorism measures and the eradication of extremism in Xinjiang are totally legitimate. The measures respect and protect human rights and have won wide support from the people in Xinjiang."

4. Wide of journalists

5. SOUNDBITE (Mandarin) Geng Shuang, spokesperson of Chinese Foreign Ministry:

"We hope that the relevant countries could do more to help consolidate the international arms control mechanism and maintain international and regional peace and stability. China attaches great importance to the problems caused by the illicit transfer of conventional weapons, especially small and light weapons. China supports the international community to take necessary measures to regulate international arms trade activities and combat illegal arms transfer and trafficking."

6. Wide of journalists

7. SOUNDBITE (Mandarin) Geng Shuang, spokesperson of Chinese Foreign Ministry:

"China conducts strict controls over arms trade and participated in the negotiation of the arms trade treaty with a constructive role. China supports the purpose of the treaty and joined the relevant meetings as an observer. China has been studying the issues of accession to the treaty."

8. Wide of journalists

9. SOUNDBITE (Mandarin) Geng Shuang, spokesperson of Chinese Foreign Ministry:

"The Jiangmen Intermediate People's Court of Guangdong Province has issued a very detailed announcement. According to my understanding, in the announcement, there are very clear explanations about who was sentenced to death, who was sentenced to death with a suspended execution, and who was sentenced to fixed-term imprisonment. I suggest you read it carefully again."

10. Wide of journalist

11. End of press conference

The Iranian government said on Monday it would stop voluntary implementation of the International Atomic Energy Agency's "Additional Protocol" which gives the UN watchdog extra access to Iranian sites and information related to the country's nuclear activities.

The move comes after the Iranian parliament approved a bill in December that would suspend some U.N. inspections of its nuclear facilities if European signatories failed to lift certain sanctions by this Tuesday.  

Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Saeed Khatibzadeh made the announcement a day after the head of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) held talks with officials in Tehran.

Khatibzadeh said both sides agreed that for the next three months, surveillance cameras set up by the IAEA at Iranian nuclear facilities would continue to film, but the IAEA would not have access to their recordings.  

Under the "Additional Protocol" with Iran, the IAEA “collects and analyzes hundreds of thousands of images captured daily by its sophisticated surveillance cameras,” the agency said in 2017. The agency also said then that it had placed “2,000 tamper-proof seals on nuclear material and equipment.”

After an emergency trip to Iran Sunday, Rafael Grossi, the nuclear watchdog's chief, said the IAEA had reached a "technical understanding" with Tehran to continue to allow monitoring of its nuclear programme for up to three months.

But his remarks to journalists underlined a narrowing window for the U.S. and others to reach terms with Iran, which is already enriching and stockpiling uranium at levels far beyond those allowed by its 2015 nuclear deal with world powers.

"What happened between Iran's Atomic Energy Agency and the IAEA is a technical agreement that is designed to prevent the relationship between Iran and IAEA from being spoiled while sticking with the law passed by the parliament," Khatibzadeh said.

Khatibzadeh was asked if the United States might be able to participate in informal talks with the three European signatories of the nuclear deal.

"As long as the United States has not lifted the sanctions, it is not in a position to be a part of the nuclear deal and cannot be present," he said.

In 2018, then-President Donald Trump pulled the U.S. unilaterally out of the nuclear deal, known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, saying it needed to be renegotiated.

Even as Iran has backed away from restrictions of the deal since then to put pressure on the other signatories - Germany, France, Britain, Russia and China - to provide new economic incentives to offset U.S. sanctions, those countries have insisted it's critical to keep the deal alive so that inspectors are able to continue to verify Iran's nuclear activities.

++ ASSOCIATED PRESS IS ADHERING TO IRANIAN LAW THAT STIPULATES ALL MEDIA ARE BANNED FROM PROVIDING BBC PERSIAN, VOA PERSIAN, MANOTO TV OR IRAN INTERNATIONAL ANY COVERAGE FROM IRAN, AND UNDER THIS LAW IF ANY MEDIA VIOLATE THIS BAN THE IRANIAN AUTHORITIES CAN IMMEDIATELY SHUT DOWN THAT ORGANIZATION IN TEHRAN.++

ASSOCIATED PRESS - NO ACCESS BBC PERSIAN/NO ACCESS VOA PERSIAN/NO ACCESS MANOTO TV/NO ACCESS IRAN INTERNATIONAL

Tehran, Iran - 22 February 2021

1. Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesman Saeed Khatibzadeh walking to podium

2. Cutaway of photographer

3. Wide of news conference

4. SOUNDBITE (Farsi) Saeed Khatibzadeh, Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesman:

"As of tomorrow, voluntary compliance with the Additional Protocol will be halted. Some of the necessary surveillance that the agency (International Atomic Energy Agency) has requested for the period of next three months within the framework of Iran's safeguard commitments will remain in place."

5. Wide of Khatibzadeh at podium

6. SOUNDBITE (Farsi) Saeed Khatibzadeh, Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesman:

"Over the next three months, cameras that are running in accordance with commitments beyond the safeguards will remain switched on but their footage won't be handed over to the agency. They will be kept by Iran's Atomic Energy Organization for the next three months. Practically, we are stopping voluntary implementation of the Additional Protocol and what has been agreed with the IAEA is in line with the law passed by the (Iranian) parliament."

7. Pan of news conference

8. SOUNDBITE (Farsi) Saeed Khatibzadeh, Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesman:

"What happened between Iran's Atomic Energy Agency and the IAEA is a technical agreement that is designed to prevent the relationship between Iran and the IAEA from being spoiled while executing the law passed by parliament (ordering the government to stop adhering to the Additional Protocol)."

9. Wide of news conference

10. SOUNDBITE (Farsi) Saeed Khatibzadeh, Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesman:

"What is obvious is that as long as the United States has not lifted the sanctions, it is not in a position to be a part of the nuclear deal and cannot be present (in the talks between three European countries and Iran). We are reviewing our response to this proposal (a European Union proposal for an informal meeting between current members of Tehran's 2015 nuclear deal and the United States)."

11. Khatibzadeh leaving news conference