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White House says Trump believes Roy Moore will 'step aside' if allegations true

WATCH Sen. Flake says if allegations against Roy Moore are true, he should 'step aside'

The White House reacted Friday to a series of sexual misconduct allegations leveled against Republican Senate candidate Judge Roy Moore, saying that President Donald Trump believes if they are proven true then Moore should "step aside."

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"Like most Americans, the president believes we cannot allow a mere allegation, in this case one from many years ago, to destroy a person’s life," press secretary Sarah Sanders told reporters on Air Force One en route to Da Nang, Vietnam. "However, the president also believes that if these allegations are true, Judge Moore will do the right thing and step aside."

Moore has vehemently denied allegations reported by The Washington Post from four separate women, including one who accused Moore of engaging in sexual activity with her when she was just 14 years old in the late 1970s.

"The Obama-Clinton Machine’s liberal media lapdogs just launched the most vicious and nasty round of attacks against me I’ve EVER faced! We are are in the midst of a spiritual battle with those who want to silence our message," Moore said in a statement Thursday.

GOP Senate candidate Roy Moore denies allegation of sexual misconduct years ago with 14-year-old girl Lawmakers respond to report of sexual misconduct involving Roy Moore Roy Moore defeats Trump-backed Sen. Luther Strange in Alabama GOP primary runoff

Immediately following the report, multiple GOP senators called on Moore to step down from his run in Alabama's special election to fill Jeff Sessions' seat if the allegations were proven true. The Washington Post said its reporting was based on accounts provided by "more than 20 people who said they knew Moore between 1977 and 1982.”

Moore's run for the Senate was widely promoted by former White House chief strategist Steve Bannon, who worked against Trump in the GOP primary after the president endorsed Moore's opponent Sen. Luther Strange.

Bannon reacted to the report in a speech in New Hampshire on Thursday evening comparing it to the infamous "Access Hollywood" tape first published by the Washington Post in which Trump was recorded bragging about groping women.

"The Bezos-Amazon-Washington Post that dropped that dime on Donald Trump, is the same Bezos-Amazon-Washington Post that dropped the dime this afternoon on Judge Roy Moore," Bannon said. "Now is that a coincidence? That's what I mean when I say opposition party, right?"

Following Moore's win in September, Trump downplayed his support for Strange and threw his support behind Moore's run against Democratic candidate Doug Jones.

Spoke to Roy Moore of Alabama last night for the first time. Sounds like a really great guy who ran a fantastic race. He will help to #MAGA!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 27, 2017

Congratulations to Roy Moore on his Republican Primary win in Alabama. Luther Strange started way back & ran a good race. Roy, WIN in Dec!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 27, 2017

The Alabama Secretary of State's office told ABC News Thursday that regardless of Moore's decision on whether to stay in the race, his name will still appear on the ballot according to state law. The special election is set for Dec. 12.

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Source – abcnews.go.com

AP FACT CHECK: Trump falls short on promises to veterans

President Donald Trump is pointing to big achievements in advance of Veterans Day on his campaign promise to fix the Department of Veterans Affairs, just 10 months into his administration. But several of the initiatives are far from bold or as immediate as claimed.

In a two-page fact sheet this week, the White House declares that "tremendous progress has been made in a short period of time."

Trump cited some of that progress during an appearance Friday in Vietnam with a small group of U.S. veterans of the Vietnam War. Trump praised Veterans Affairs Secretary David Shulkin for doing "an amazing job" and that the department "is a whole different place."

While the VA has made some strides under the leadership of Shulkin, a holdover from the Obama administration who began work on several of the changes before Trump took office, the White House fact sheet doesn't tell the full story. It doesn't divulge that a key Trump administration effort to improve wait times by revamping VA's electronic medical record system may not be completed for another eight years — when Trump is out of office. Nor does it acknowledge that a bill recently signed into law to reduce delays in processing disability appeals from veterans unhappy with their payouts won't address the 470,000 pending claims.

Other announced efforts, such as the posting of VA wait-time data and a new White House complaint hotline, have since been shown to be narrow in scope or have been criticized as ineffective by lawmakers or veterans groups.

A look at statements and rhetoric on the subject:

WHITE HOUSE: "President Trump announced that the Department of Veterans Affairs will adopt the same Electronic Health Record as the Department of Defense. VA's adoption … will ultimately result in all patient data residing in one common system, enabling the immediate availability of service member's medical records and seamless care between the departments."

THE FACTS: While the administration did announce in June that it would overhaul VA's aging information technology system, Shulkin admitted to Congress last month that the project to revamp electronic medical records won't be completed for seven to eight years. The full costs of the project also are not known and have yet to be budgeted.

An upgraded IT system is key to VA's effort to reduce wait times for medical care as well as fulfill Trump's promise of increasing private care options for veterans. Under Shulkin's plan to expand the Choice private-sector program, the VA would outsource more routine veterans' care to private providers including MinuteClinics while treating more complex injuries. Success of that plan requires a seamless sharing of medical records not only with the Pentagon but also private physicians, a capability the VA does not currently have.

Shulkin also has yet to negotiate pricing for the no-bid contract with the company that designed the Pentagon's IT system, estimated to cost at least $16 billion. The big price tag has spurred bills in Congress to require regular updates from VA on timeliness and cost projections, as well as risks such as breaches to patient privacy.

———

WHITE HOUSE: "President Trump signed the Veterans Appeals Improvement and Modernization Act of 2017, taking action to streamline the appeals process for disability compensation claims within the VA. More than 470,000 veterans are awaiting pending decisions regarding their appeals."

THE FACTS: Trump signed the bill in August, part of a bid to reduce a rapidly growing claims backlog, but its immediate impact is overstated as it will have no effect on the 470,000 pending claims.

Under the legislation, veterans will be able to file "express" appeals if they waive their right to a hearing or the ability to submit new evidence.

While lawmakers hope the legislation ultimately could reduce average wait times to less than a year, it applies almost entirely to newly filed appeals.

Shulkin has said the VA would need Congress to approve an additional $800 million for "hiring surges" of additional appeals processors if VA hoped to clear its current backlog within 10 years.

———

WHITE HOUSE: "President Trump has ensured continued access to care in the Veterans Choice Program by signing the VA Choice and Quality Employment Act, authorizing $2.1 billion in additional funds for the Veterans Choice Program."

THE FACTS: It's not telling the full story — one of several budget shortfalls by the VA. Congress was forced in August to approve $2.1 billion in emergency money to keep Choice running after the VA had repeatedly understated costs of the program, assuring lawmakers for much of the year that money would last until January. Shulkin subsequently revealed an emergency shortfall in June that threatened medical care for tens of thousands of veterans.

The $2.1 billion was intended to last until February. But weeks after receiving the money, the VA acknowledged that money for Choice would again run out sooner than expected, requiring Congress to approve additional stopgap financing before the end of the year or face disruptions to veterans' health care.

Lawmakers have yet to act, in part as the Trump administration sorts out longer-term costs to the private-sector program.

———

WHITE HOUSE: "The VA has launched its 'Access and Quality Tool,' allowing veterans to see online the wait times at VA locations."

THE FACTS: An effort started by Shulkin when he was VA undersecretary of health in the Obama administration, the VA website www.accesstocare.va.gov provides data on wait times as well as veterans' satisfaction ratings in getting timely appointments, something that no other health care system in the country does.

Still, major veterans groups such as Veterans of Foreign Wars have faulted the data for being misleading and not depicting wait times the way a typical person would view it.

The Government Accountability Office, for instance, has noted that the data do not include the amount of wait time from when a veteran initially asks for care and when a scheduler reaches out to set an appointment, which it said could be lengthy. In addition, GAO earlier this year continued to find evidence that VA data can be unreliable due to schedulers recording wrong dates or changing dates outright, though the VA says it is implementing new checks and training to help identify "outliers" in scheduling.

———

WHITE HOUSE: "The White House has opened a brand new VA Hotline staffed principally by veterans and direct family members of veterans to ensure that no complaint goes unaddressed."

THE FACTS: Trump pledged during the presidential campaign to create a "private White House hotline" answered by a real person 24 hours a day to take complaints from veterans, leading VA to create a hotline beginning June. Originally scheduled to be fully operational by Aug. 15, it has encountered some delays. In a letter to VA last month, Sen. Jon Tester, the top Democrat on the Veterans Affairs Committee, complained "the White House is frequently routing these calls back to local VA offices, which are often understaffed and do not have the ability to address the additional casework in a timely manner."

Tester noted the VA already had several existing options for receiving complaints from veterans and urged better coordination to make sure no one falls through the cracks.

———

TRUMP: "We … extended Veterans' Choice. … Can you imagine going to your doctor and having him say you'll have to wait for 11 days? … And now they go, right outside, they go to a doctor in the area, we pay the bill and it's the least expensive thing we can do and we save everybody's life and everybody's happy." — Sept. 22 rally in Huntsville, Alabama.

THE FACTS: It's not true that all veterans needing care are getting it without delay. Wait times of more than two months have been recorded during his administration.

The Department of Veterans Affairs' Choice program allows veterans to see an outside doctor if they must wait more than 30 days (never mind 11) for a medical appointment or travel more than 40 miles to a VA facility. But Choice has faced delays of its own, with wait times potentially as high as 81 days, according to the Government Accountability Office. Over the summer, an unexpected budget shortfall in the program forced VA to limit the outside referrals, leading to additional delays in care.

Shulkin has acknowledged problems with Choice even as he seeks to expand it, noting that his main legislative focus "is getting the Choice program working right."

Not "everybody's happy," as Trump claimed.

———

Associated Press writer Cal Woodward contributed to this report.

———

Find AP Fact Checks at https://apnews.com/tag/APFactCheck

EDITOR'S NOTE _ A look at the veracity of claims by public figures

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Koala's ears severed in 'disturbing' Australia cruelty case

A koala has been found dead with its ears cut off in Australia, amid what police say is a spate of cruelty cases involving native animals.

The marsupial was found on a road in Warrnambool, about 250km (150 miles) west of Melbourne, on Monday.

It is not clear whether the koala was alive when mutilated, authorities said.

Police described the case as "disturbing" and said it followed similar mutilations involving kangaroos and wallabies.

"There is no reason for anybody to wish to treat an animal in this way, whether alive or dead," said Sgt Pat Day, in a video posted by the Warrnambool Standard.

Police did not give details of other recent cruelty cases, but said no others had targeted a koala.

• Koala survives 16km ride on car axle

In June, a kangaroo was found shot dead and tied to a chair, with a liquor bottle, in Melbourne.

Koalas are native to Australia and classified as a "vulnerable" species. There are fewer than 100,000 left in the wild, according to the Australian Koala Foundation.

Police have appealed for help to find the perpetrator.

Source – bbc.com

The Latest: Melania Trump tours Great Wall of China

The Latest on President Donald Trump's trip to Asia (all times local):

4:10 p.m.

U.S. first lady Melania Trump toured China's famed Great Wall at Mutianyu, two hours north of Beijing city center.

She rode a cable car to a watchtower, signed a guestbook and strolled along a stretch of the wall for about half an hour with a small group of aides and security officers.

Mrs. Trump received a scroll as a gift and chatted with her Chinese hosts before she departed.

The first lady stayed in China as President Donald Trump flew to Danang, Vietnam, to participate in a regional economic and security conference.

She planned to return to Washington after touring the Great Wall. The president tweeted that his wife will first stop in Alaska "to greet our AMAZING troops."

Earlier Friday, she went to the Beijing zoo to check out the pandas.

———

3:30 p.m.

Chinese President Xi Jinping says nations need to stay committed to economic openness or risk being "left behind."

Xi made the remarks in a speech to a business conference in Danang, Vietnam, Friday. He spoke shortly after President Donald Trump told the same group that "we are not going to let the United States be taken advantage of anymore."

The Chinese president urged support for the "multilateral trading regime" and progress toward a free-trade zone in the Asia-Pacific, drawing loud applause. He said that "self-seclusion leaves one behind."

In his remarks, Trump reiterated his preference for country-to-country trade deals.

The leaders were speaking on the sidelines of the annual summit of the 21-nation Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum.

———

3 p.m.

President Donald Trump is signing a proclamation saluting the veterans of the Vietnam War.

Trump is in Danang, Vietnam, the site of an American air base that was used during the Vietnam War.

The president on Friday stood with seven veterans and praised their service. Some of the veterans spoke and praised Trump's support of the military. One began to cry as he talked about fallen veterans and Trump hugged him.

Trump is in the midst of a lengthy Asia trip and is in Danang to attend an international summit.

———

2:10 p.m.

President Donald Trump is continuing his tough talk against North Korea's nuclear ambitions.

Trump told an audience of CEOs at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in Danang, Vietnam that the region's future "must not be held hostage to a dictator's twisted fantasies of violent conquest and nuclear blackmail." He was referring to North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.

Trump referenced his address in South Korea earlier this week when he called on countries to unite against North Korea. He said "every single step the North Korea regime takes toward more weapons is a step it takes into greater and greater danger."

Trump also says civilized people must "come together" to drive out terrorists and extremists from our societies.

———

2 p.m.

President Donald Trump says he won't let the United States be "taken advantage of anymore" on trade and add that he'll always "put America first."

Trump is speaking Friday to a gathering of CEOs at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in Danang, Vietnam. He says: "we can no longer tolerate these chronic trade abuses and we will not tolerate them."

Trump says the U.S. will seek trade relationships that are rooted in the principles of fairness and reciprocity. He says the opposite has happened for "too long."

Trump says the United States has lowered market barriers but "other countries didn't open their markets to us."

He adds: "Simply put we have not been treated fairly by the World Trade Organization."

———

1:30 p.m.

President Donald Trump says the whole world is being lifted by America's economic renewal.

Trump is telling a gathering of CEOs at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in Danang, Vietnam that a "new optimism" has swept across the United States since his election.

He's reciting statistics about economic growth, low unemployment and stock market highs.

Trump says he's had the pleasure of sharing the "good news from America" everywhere he's been on his first official visit to Asia.

Says Trump: "The whole world is lifted by America's renewal."

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Source – abcnews.go.com

Filmmaker accuses Kevin Spacey of groping him at a bar in 2003

WATCH Filmmaker accuses Kevin Spacey of groping him at a bar in 2003

Filmmaker Tony Montana is speaking out about his recent allegations that Kevin Spacey groped him at a Los Angeles bar in 2003.

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Montana told ABC News' “Nightline” that he was hanging out at the bar one winter night when Spacey approached him.

“I smiled, he leaned in,” Montana said. “His right arm was around my shoulder, and he put his hand under the bar, and that’s when he grabbed me, and he grabbed me very hard.

"I had never been groped before,” he continued. “And he looked at me and he said, in a very sobering voice and this sardonic look in his face, said, ‘This designates ownership.’”

J. Countess/Getty Images

Montana, who has trained as a boxer and mixed martial arts fighter, said he froze in the moment.

“When he did this to me, he’s not a big guy, I felt completely helpless,” Montana said. “One, this man was sexually assaulting me, and I couldn’t react with what my natural reaction would have been because if it was anyone else, I would have struck them. For whatever reason — my brain reacted, my brain shut down.”

Watch the full story on "Nightline" tonight at 12:35 a.m. ET.

Kevin Spacey accused of groping son of former TV news anchor 'House of Cards' crew member complained about Kevin Spacey 5 years ago: Studios

At the time, Montana said, he was in the process of working on “Overnight,” a then-secret documentary about Harvey Weinstein’s reputation for blacklisting people in Hollywood. Spacey had already worked with Weinstein by then, Montana said, and he was worried that if he said anything about what he says happened, then Weinstein would find out about his project.

“It was a documentary I couldn’t talk about publicly,” he said. “When he [Spacey] grabbed me, the thought goes through my head as soon as I got my hand away [that] ‘I can’t talk about this either.’”

Montana said he found the courage to share his story last month after actor Anthony Rapp, a star of "Star Trek: Discovery," came forward with allegations that Spacey made unwanted advances toward him in 1986 when he was 14 years old.

“I would not have come forward had Anthony not come forward,” Montana said. “My reaction was, ‘This happened to somebody else.’”

Spacey also has been accused of groping Richard Dreyfuss' son, Harry Dreyfuss, among others, several of whom have come forward in the past two weeks claiming Spacey sexually assaulted or harassed them.

“I didn’t go to the police,” Montana said. “Back then, before this tidal wave, you couldn’t say anything.”

Spacey's publicist has not responded to ABC News' requests for comment, though People magazine reported last week that a representative for the actor said that Spacey "is taking the time necessary to seek evaluation and treatment."

Bryan Freedman, a lawyer representing Spacey, told BuzzFeed, which published a story about Harry Dreyfuss' allegations, "Let me be clear, Mr. Spacey absolutely denies the allegations."

Spacey tweeted an apology to Rapp, in which he also came out as a gay man — drawing widespread criticism for his coming out under those circumstances.

“I have a lot of respect and admiration for Anthony Rapp as an actor. I’m beyond horrified to hear his story,” Spacey wrote. “I honestly do not remember the encounter, it would have been over 30 years ago. But if I did behave as he describes, I owe him the sincerest apology for what would have been deeply inappropriate drunken behavior, and I am sorry for the feelings he describes having carried with him all these years.”

He added that the story “encouraged me to address other things about my life."

“I choose now to live as a gay man. I want to deal with this honestly and openly and that starts with examining my own behavior.”

Since the allegations surfaced, Netflix has severed its ties with the actor, and the producers of his show, "House of Cards," have suspended him "effective immediately."

His upcoming film, "All the Money in the World," was also pulled earlier in the week from the American Film Institute film festival set to begin Thursday. And the International Academy of Television Arts & Sciences announced last week that it will no longer honor him with the 2017 International Emmy Founders Award.

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Pope hopes to shift nuke paradigm: deterrence to disarmament

The Vatican on Friday hosted Nobel laureates, U.N. and NATO officials and a handful of nuclear powers at a conference aimed at galvanizing support for a global shift from the Cold War era policy of nuclear deterrence to one of total nuclear disarmament.

Pope Francis was to address the conference, adding his voice to the campaign that produced a new U.N. treaty calling for the elimination of atomic weapons, and a Nobel Peace Prize for the small advocacy group that was instrumental in pushing the treaty through.

Among those speaking at the two-day meeting were Beatrice Fihn, executive director of the Nobel-winning International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons, and Masako Wada, who survived the atomic bombing of Nagasaki and has gone onto become a prominent disarmament activist.

The conference comes amid mounting tensions on the Korean peninsula and heated rhetoric between Washington and Pyongyang. But organizer Cardinal Peter Turkson told the audience hall Friday that the gathering was planned well before President Donald Trump began his Asia trip, where the North Korean nuclear threat has been at the forefront of his agenda.

Drawing laughs from the largely secular audience, Turkson said it was "divine providence" that the conference and U.S. president's trip coincided.

Opening the debate, the Vatican secretary of state, Cardinal Pietro Parolin, told the conference that the time had come for world powers to do away with their policy of nuclear deterrence.

"International peace and stability cannot be based on a false sense of security, on a threat of mutual destruction or total annihilation or simply maintaining a balance of power," he said.

And if nuclear weapons were to be used, the effects would be devastating for humanity and future generations, warned Francois Bugnion, of the International Committee of the Red Cross.

"As the ICRC learned in Hiroshima, there are no effective means of assisting survivors while protecting those delivering assistance," he said. "The majority of victims will be denied the medical assistance they need."

The conference is the first major international gathering since 122 countries approved a new U.N. treaty in July calling for the complete elimination of nuclear weapons. However, none of the nuclear powers and no NATO members signed on. They argued the treaty's lofty ideals were unrealistic given the rapid expansion of North Korea's nuclear weapons program.

The United States was being represented at the conference by its deputy ambassador to the Holy See, while Russia was sending a top nuclear expert. China and North Korea were invited, but organizers said they didn't know if they would attend. Neither has diplomatic relations with the Holy See.

———

This story has been corrected to show that Turkson was speaking Friday, not Thursday.

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UK panel to rule on whether Uber drivers are employees

Britain's employment appeals tribunal is set to rule on whether Uber drivers are employees of the ride-hailing service, in a decision with broad implications for the so-called gig economy.

Lead claimants Yaseen Aslam and James Farrer are seeking minimum wage and paid holidays in line with U.K. employment law. Uber says its drivers are independent contractors who would lose the "personal flexibility they value" if the suit is successful.

Uber appealed after a lower tribunal ruled in favor of the drivers. Friday's ruling will likely be appealed.

The case has implications for more than 100,000 people in Britain's gig economy, where people work job-to-job with little security and few employment rights. Such employment has surged as smart phones and the Internet cut the link between jobs and the traditional workplace.

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President Trump to address key Apec summit in Vietnam

As the Asia-Pacific Economic Co-operation (Apec) summit kicks off in Vietnam, the focus is on US President Donald Trump's speech later in the day.

Mr Trump is expected to outline the future US role in the region when it comes to trade and growth.

His "America First" slogan and withdrawal from a regional trade deal is seen as move away from free trade.

He has also vowed to correct a huge trade imbalance with China and Japan.

Apec brings together 21 economies from both sides of the Pacific – the equivalent of about 60% of the world's GDP.

Since taking office, President Trump has pulled the US out of the Trans Pacific Partnership, a major trade deal with 12 Apec member countries, arguing it would hurt US economic interests.

• Trump says trade deficit not China's fault
• Trump, China and Twitter – what's going on?

Mr Trump is due make a speech at 06:30 GMT. He will be followed by Chinese President Xi Jinping.

A much awaited meeting between Mr Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin at the summit in Da Nang is yet to be confirmed.

Shaping a new role for the US

Jonathan Head, BBC News, Da Nang

For nearly 30 years Apec has been the venue where the United States has led the drive for freer trade and stronger business ties between the world's most dynamic economies.

But President Trump's preoccupation with getting a better deal for America has changed that. He argues that decades of trade growth in the Asia-Pacific region have hurt American companies.

His opening speech at a meeting of business leaders here in Da Nang will be an opportunity for Mr Trump to outline what role he thinks the US should now play in a region which has to a large extent been shaped by past American leadership.

But member states are also exploring ways to pursue improved trade networks without the United States – and China, already a serious rival for military and diplomatic dominance in Asia, is making it clear it is prepared to take over US economic leadership too.

Balancing trade and language

While discussing China's huge trade surplus on a state visit in Beijing on Thursday, the US leader surprised many when he said he did "not blame China" for "taking advantage".

Instead, Mr Trump said previous US administrations were responsible for what he called "a very unfair and one-sided" trade relationship with China.

Media playback is unsupported on your device

Meanwhile, the Chinese foreign ministry said that Beijing would further lower entry barriers in the banking, insurance, and finance sectors, and gradually reduce vehicle tariffs.

Deals worth $250bn (£190bn) were also announced, although it was unclear how much of that figure included past agreements or potential future deals. At the same time, US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson told journalists the deals were "pretty small" in terms of tackling the trade imbalance.

Mr Trump has in the past accused China of stealing American jobs and threatened to label it a currency manipulator, though he has since rowed back on such rhetoric.

Mr Xi on Thursday promised "healthy" and "balanced" economic and trade relations.

The total trade relationship between the US and China was worth $648bn last year, but trade was heavily skewed in China's favour with the US amassing a nearly $310bn deficit.

• Trump vs Xi: The two men compared

Before the Beijing talks, Mr Trump in Tokyo lashed out at Japan, saying it "has been winning" on trade in recent decades.

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe will also be making a speech at the Apec summit. Japan had a $69bn (£52.8bn) trade surplus with the US in 2016, according to the US Treasury department.

Media playback is unsupported on your device

After attending the Apec summit, Mr Trump will pay a state visit to the Vietnamese capital Hanoi.

Earlier this week, Mr Trump also visited South Korea, and will end his 12-day Asian tour in the Philippines on 13 November.

Source – bbc.com

The Latest: Chinese leader stresses economic openness

The Latest on President Donald Trump's trip to Asia (all times local):

3:30 p.m.

Chinese President Xi Jinping says nations need to stay committed to economic openness or risk being "left behind."

Xi made the remarks in a speech to a business conference in Danang, Vietnam, Friday. He spoke shortly after President Donald Trump told the same group that "we are not going to let the United States be taken advantage of anymore."

The Chinese president urged support for the "multilateral trading regime" and progress toward a free-trade zone in the Asia-Pacific, drawing loud applause. He said that "self-seclusion leaves one behind."

In his remarks, Trump reiterated his preference for country-to-country trade deals.

The leaders were speaking on the sidelines of the annual summit of the 21-nation Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum.

———

3 p.m.

President Donald Trump is signing a proclamation saluting the veterans of the Vietnam War.

Trump is in Danang, Vietnam, the site of an American air base that was used during the Vietnam War.

The president on Friday stood with seven veterans and praised their service. Some of the veterans spoke and praised Trump's support of the military. One began to cry as he talked about fallen veterans and Trump hugged him.

Trump is in the midst of a lengthy Asia trip and is in Danang to attend an international summit.

———

2:10 p.m.

President Donald Trump is continuing his tough talk against North Korea's nuclear ambitions.

Trump told an audience of CEOs at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in Danang, Vietnam that the region's future "must not be held hostage to a dictator's twisted fantasies of violent conquest and nuclear blackmail." He was referring to North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.

Trump referenced his address in South Korea earlier this week when he called on countries to unite against North Korea. He said "every single step the North Korea regime takes toward more weapons is a step it takes into greater and greater danger."

Trump also says civilized people must "come together" to drive out terrorists and extremists from our societies.

———

2 p.m.

President Donald Trump says he won't let the United States be "taken advantage of anymore" on trade and add that he'll always "put America first."

Trump is speaking Friday to a gathering of CEOs at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in Danang, Vietnam. He says: "we can no longer tolerate these chronic trade abuses and we will not tolerate them."

Trump says the U.S. will seek trade relationships that are rooted in the principles of fairness and reciprocity. He says the opposite has happened for "too long."

Trump says the United States has lowered market barriers but "other countries didn't open their markets to us."

He adds: "Simply put we have not been treated fairly by the World Trade Organization."

———

1:30 p.m.

President Donald Trump says the whole world is being lifted by America's economic renewal.

Trump is telling a gathering of CEOs at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in Danang, Vietnam that a "new optimism" has swept across the United States since his election.

He's reciting statistics about economic growth, low unemployment and stock market highs.

Trump says he's had the pleasure of sharing the "good news from America" everywhere he's been on his first official visit to Asia.

Says Trump: "The whole world is lifted by America's renewal."

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Source – abcnews.go.com

Trained hawks scare off smaller birds, draw stares in LA

A hawk named Riley soars between high-rises in downtown Los Angeles. Smaller birds take notice. And take flight.

Riley lands on a branch, surveys the concrete jungle below and swoops down to land on the gloved hand of her owner.

Blazer-clad professionals on their way to lunch do double-takes.

Husband-and-wife falconers Alyssa and Mike Bordonaro are "The Hawk Pros," just one of a number of Southern California bird-abatement businesses. They and their birds of prey are hired guns, brought in to scare away seagulls, pigeons and other "pest birds" that create nuisances and leave behind messes.

Their clients include the agricultural city of Oxnard, the Los Angeles County Museum of Art and downtown Los Angeles' U.S. Bank Tower, the second-tallest building west of the Mississippi River.

Most of the places they work are outdoor eating areas.

"What seagulls do in their aftermath when they eat, it's pretty messy," says Mike, 35.

Alyssa, 30, says pest birds are able to thrive in metropolitan areas because they feel safe there.

"They need shelter, food and water, and they're finding it in these false environments basically that have sprinklers and fountains and food 24/7, but they're also using the humans as a shield against the predators who are too scared to come in," she says. "So by bringing in a predator that's not afraid of people, it just ruins everything for the pigeons."

Alyssa got the idea for the business while in college, when she spent time working with someone else's hawk scaring off seagulls at a landfill.

Occasionally people criticize the use of hawks for bird abatement, saying they should be free.

For one, the birds are born in captivity and can't be released to the wild, Alyssa says.

"I say, 'Look, she's totally free.' I fly them free and they come back, and it instantly changes their mind," she says. "All she's doing is flying, which she loves, and coming back for treats, which she loves."

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Source – abcnews.go.com