Trump calls Hillary a ‘liar’ over video claim

Donald Trump on Monday accused Hillary Clinton of lying when she said the Islamic State (IS) group used videos of his comments about Muslims to recruit militants.

The Republican presidential front-runner also took to Twitter to demand an apology from his leading Democratic opponent.

She is crooked

“She’s a liar!” Mr. Trump told more than 6,000 people at a rally in Grand Rapids, Michigan. He also said Clinton was “crooked” and “not a president.”

During Saturday’s Democratic debate, Ms. Clinton said Mr. Trump had become the Islamic State’s “best recruiter” and said, “They are going to people showing videos of Donald Trump insulting Islam and Muslims in order to recruit more radical jihadists.”

There was no evidence to back the claim, and a spokeswoman later said, “She didn’t have a particular video in mind.”

‘Hell no apology’

Still, Ms. Clinton campaign spokesman Brian Fallon, asked on Monday by MSNBC if Ms. Clinton would apologise to Mr. Trump, insisted, “Hell no.”

After the mass shootings in San Bernardino, California, Mr. Trump called for a temporary ban on Muslims entering the U.S., even drawing criticism from some of his Republican rivals during last week’s debate.

Resorts to crude language

During his rally on Monday at Grand Rapids’ DeltaPlex Arena, Mr. Trump used crude language to portray Ms. Clinton as someone who constantly loses, citing her race against Barack Obama for the Democratic nomination in 2008.

“She was favored to win and she lost,” he said.

“Last person she wants to run against”

Mr. Trump argued that he was the last person Ms. Clinton wanted to run against in a general election.

“Ask Jeb Bush if he enjoys running against me,” he said of the former Florida Governor who has been struggling to gain traction despite a massive early fundraising advantage.

“Ask Lindsey Graham, did he enjoy running against Trump?” he said of the South Carolina Senator who on Monday announced his departure from the race for the Republican nomination.

On his kind words with Putin

Mr. Trump also defended the kind words he’s been exchanging with Russian President Vladimir Putin, brushing off criticism that he has been too kind to the Russian President.

“That’s like a good thing, not a bad thing,” he insisted. “Wouldn’t it be nice if we could get along like with people?”

But not for killing of scribes

And he made clear that he is opposed to the killing of journalists, after appearing to brush off concerns about Mr. Putin’s record on a Sunday morning news show.

“I don’t like that, I’m totally against that,” said Mr. Trump. “By the way, I hate some of these people ... and some of them are such lying, disgusting people, it’s true. But I would never kill. And anybody that does I think would be despicable.”

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Russia will develop, not use, nuclear weapons: Putin

MOSCOW: President Vladimir Putin says Russia will continue to develop nuclear weapons but doesn't intend to use them.
The Russian leader made the comment in a documentary called "World Order" that was aired on state television today night.
"Russia as a leading nuclear country will be improving this weapon as a containment factor; the nuclear triad is the basis of our nuclear security polices," he said, referring to the three main delivery systems for nuclear warheads a" bombers, intercontinental ballistic missiles and submarine-launched ICBMs.
"We have never brandished or will brandish this nuclear club, but our military doctrine allocates it a place and role," he said, according to excerpts reported by the state news agency Tass. (AP) KJ 12210149 NNNN

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Putin vows tough military action in Syria

MOSCOW: President Vladimir Putin on Friday ordered his forces in Syria to take tough action against any threats, speaking two weeks after Turkey shot down a Russian warplane in the war-torn country.
"I order you to act as tough as possible," he told a defense meeting. "Any targets threatening the Russian grouping or our land infrastructure should be immediately destroyed. I would like to warn those who would once again try to organised some sort of provocations against our servicemen," he said in a thinly veiled threat to Ankara.
Last month, Turkey shot down a Russian warplane on the Syrian border, claiming it violated Turkish airspace.
After the downing of the jet, which led to the deaths of a pilot and another serviceman who tried to rescue him, Russia introduced economic sanctions against Turkey and After the downing of the jet, which led to the deaths of a pilot and another serviceman who tried to rescue him, Russia introduced economic sanctions against Turkey and killing civilians in Syria.
Syria's rebel forces have regularly rejected the possibility of cooperating with the regime or Russia and there has been no evidence of such cooperation. When Russia said in October it was ready to provide air support for Western-backed moderate rebels battling both jihadis and Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, those groups ridiculed Moscow, urging it to stop bombing them first.
Russia has been carrying out air strikes in the war-ravaged nation at Assad's request since the end of September, while a US-led coalition is conducting its own campaign targeting the IS group.
Earlier this week Russia said it hit IS targets with missiles fired from a submarine in the Mediterranean for the first time since launching the campaign. Putin rejected claims that Russia is using the Syrian campaign to showcase its top weapons to the West.
"Our actions there are not guided by some unclear abstract geopolitical interests, nor are they guided by a desire to practice and test new weapons systems which is of course important in itself," Putin said. "The most important thing is to prevent the threat to Russia itself." Defence minister Sergei Shoigu said IS jihadis now control 70% of Syrian territory, putting their number at 60,000.

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