July 17, 2018
Donald Trump is cosying up to Vladimir Putin while cutting off Europe – we should be scared
The US president has blamed bad relations with Russia on the investigation into the Kremlin’s interference in the US election, rather than the interference itself
Kim Sengupta
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The most important and critical time in American foreign policy since the coming of the Trump administration has been unfolding over the last month with Vladimir Putin emerging as the clear and undisputed winner. Unfailingly and relentlessly, the actions and words of the president of the United States have weakened his Western allies while strengthening Russia.
What emerged at the Helsinki summit further illustrated the Russian leader’s winning position. He had, he said openly at their joint press conference, wanted Trump to win the US presidential election over Hillary Clinton, something he has now achieved. Trump, asked directly whether he believed his own country’s intelligence services, who have repeatedly accused the Kremlin of interfering in the election, or Putin, who denies this was the case, responded: “President Putin says it’s not Russia. I don’t see why it should be. President Putin was extremely strong and powerful in his denial...”
Putin was directly asked whether the Kremlin has compromising material, “kompromat”, on Trump and prostitutes as has long been rumoured and claimed in one of the more salacious sections of former MI6 officer Christopher Steele’s dossier. The Russian leader answered: “I did hear these rumours. When President Trump visited Moscow back then, I didn’t even know he was in Moscow... Nobody informed me that he was in Moscow... Please disregard these issues.” The Russian president had the perfect opportunity to deny having embarrassing secrets about Trump: he failed to do so.
Trump, in his industrial size outpouring of tweets, has insulted and attacked people around the world. But the one person he has been extremely careful not to criticise is Putin. In fact, in his 18 months in office, Trump has praised the Russian leader 11 times publicly and there had been numerous other compliments before the election, when he was seeking business deals with Russia.
This has led, understandably, to Trump’s suspicious critics asking: “Just why is The Donald so afraid of offending Putin?” Nothing which came out of Helsinki dispelled those suspicions. The question was repeated by the Democrat senator Nancy Pelosi in the aftermath of the summit: “Seriously what does Putin have on Trump that he’s so afraid?” the senator asked.
Putin said he ‘told Trump several times’ he did not interfere in vote
Trump’s display at the press conference led to shock and anger in the US. John Brennan, the former CIA director, tweeted “Donald Trump’s press conference performance in Helsinki rises to and exceeds the threshold of ‘high crimes and misdemeanours’. It was nothing sort of treasonous. Not only were Trump’s comments imbecilic, he is wholly in the pocket of Putin. Republican patriots: where are you???”
One of those Republicans, Lindsay Graham, held that Trump’s failure to hold Moscow accountable for election interference and seemingly absolving them “will be seen by Russia as a sign of weakness and create far more problems than it solves”. The senator, who has turned from being a fierce Trump critic to cosying up to him, also suggested that a football Putin presented to the US president should be “checked for listening devices and never allowed into the White House”.
Another Republican senator, Jeff Flake, tweeted: “I never thought I would see the day when our American president would stand on the stage with the Russian president and place blame on the United States for Russian aggression. This is shameful.”
Trump had held his meeting with Putin days after Special Counsel Robert Mueller indicted 12 officers from the Russian military intelligence service, GRU, over attempts to suborn the election. The GRU or its former officers, it is claimed, may also have been responsible for the Salisbury novichok attack.
Donald Trump has virtually become Russia’s agent
The British government, it should be stressed has yet to put forward prosecutable evidence to back up this allegation. But we were told by Downing Street officials that Theresa May had asked Trump to raise the novichok issue with Putin. American officials were unaware that the president had done so.
But there should not have been that much of a surprise at Trump’s posture. Helsinki was the last leg in his three-point journey, one which he has stressed will be the easiest for him and most looked forward to. En route he had done his utmost to destabilise Nato at Brussels and then, in Britain, undermine Theresa May’s premiership.
The US president has called the European Union a "foe" and blamed bad relations with Russia on the investigation into the Kremlin’s interference in the US election, rather than the interference itself. And all this has happened after asking that Russia, expelled from the G7 over the annexation of Crimea, be allowed to rejoin the group, and pressurising Emmanuel Macron for France to leave the European Union.
It had been forecast ever since Trump’s unexpected election victory that he would try to shape a new world order. A combination of senior administration officials and the Republican Party hierarchy had so far stayed his hand. But now, with most of the moderate voices gone from the White House in its extraordinary churn, and the Republican Party being moulded to his image rather than the other way around, Trump is now free to pursue his aims.
A history of tense meetings between US and Russian presidents
Some of America’s European allies are now resigned to the changing status quo. Heiko Maas, the German foreign minister, complained about the US president’s “sharp verbal attacks” and “absurd tweets” and acknowledged “we can no longer completely rely on the White House”. European Council president Donald Tusk claimed Trump was spreading “fake news” by saying the European Union was a foe.
Trump’s regular attacks on Western allies, Nato and the European Union, and lack of criticism of the Kremlin has surprised even Russian analysts. “We are witnessing something surprising, something even the Soviet Union was not able to accomplish – divide the US and Western Europe”, Tatyana Parkhalina, president of the Russian Association for Euro-Atlantic Cooperation pointed out in a Russian state TV show. “It didn’t work then, but it seems to be working with Trump now.”
As the summit began the Kremlin run television channel, Rossiya 1, described the Helsinki summit as the “main political event” of the year, maintaining “the show is over. Now the work begins. After all he was just passing through Brussels and London on his way to Helsinki.”
But Trump was not just passing through Brussels and London, he was wreaking deliberate havoc on the way. The meeting with Putin may well have been the main political event of the journey, and maybe it is indeed the case that “now the work begins”. It is the nature of that work which will be of worry to America’s Western allies as they find themselves pushed away by the US president.
Tuesday, July 17, 2018
Japan, EU sign trade deal to eliminate nearly all tariffs - CNBC News
July 17, 2018
Japan, EU sign trade deal to eliminate nearly all tariffs
The EU-Japan pact runs counter to President Donald Trump’s moves to hike tariffs on imports from many U.S. trading partners.
European Council President Donald Tusk praised the deal as “the largest bilateral trade deal ever.”
The measures will bring Japanese consumers lower prices for European wines, pork, handbags and pharmaceuticals.
The Associated Press
Koji Sasahara
The European Union and Japan signed a landmark deal on Tuesday that will eliminate nearly all tariffs on products they trade.
The ambitious pact signed in Tokyo runs counter to President Donald Trump’s moves to hike tariffs on imports from many U.S. trading partners. It covers a third of the global economy and markets of more than 600 million people.
“The EU and Japan showed an undeterred determination to lead the world as flag-bearers for free trade,” Abe said at a joint news conference with European Council President Donald Tusk and European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker.
Tusk praised the deal as “the largest bilateral trade deal ever.” He said the partnership is being strengthened in various other areas, including defense, climate change and human exchange, and is “sending a clear message” against protectionism.
The leaders did not mention Trump by name, but they did little to mask what was on their minds — highlighting how Europe and Japan have been pushed closer by Trump’s actions.
The agreement was largely reached late last year. The ceremonial signing was delayed from earlier this month because Abe canceled going to Brussels over a disaster in southwestern Japan, caused by extremely heavy rainfall. More than 200 people died from flooding and landslides.
The measures won’t kick in right away and still require legislative approval. But they will bring Japanese consumers lower prices for European wines, pork, handbags and pharmaceuticals. Japanese machinery parts, tea and fish will become cheaper in Europe.
The deal eliminates about 99 percent of the tariffs on Japanese goods sold to the EU. About 94 percent of the tariffs on European exports to Japan will be lifted, rising to 99 percent in the future. The difference reflects exceptions on such products as rice, which enjoys strong political protection from imports in Japan.
Overall, European farmers will benefit, Juncker said, though European consumers will be able to more easily buy luscious Kobe beef and famous Yubari melons.
The EU said the trade liberalization will help raise European exports of chemicals, clothing, cosmetics and beer to Japan. Japanese will get cheaper cheeses, such as Parmesan, gouda and cheddar, as well as chocolate and biscuits.
The imported wine and cheese could hurt sales by Japanese wineries and dairies, but Japanese consumers have historically coveted such European products.
The major step toward liberalizing trade has been discussed since 2013.
Apart from its deal with the EU, Japan is working on other trade agreements, including a far-reaching trans-Pacific deal. The partnership includes Australia, Mexico, Vietnam and other nations, although the U.S. has withdrawn.
Abe praised the deal with the EU for helping his “Abenomics” policies, designed to wrest the economy out of stagnation despite a shrinking population and cautious spending. Japan’s growth remains heavily dependent on exports.
Japan, EU sign trade deal to eliminate nearly all tariffs
The EU-Japan pact runs counter to President Donald Trump’s moves to hike tariffs on imports from many U.S. trading partners.
European Council President Donald Tusk praised the deal as “the largest bilateral trade deal ever.”
The measures will bring Japanese consumers lower prices for European wines, pork, handbags and pharmaceuticals.
The Associated Press
Koji Sasahara
The European Union and Japan signed a landmark deal on Tuesday that will eliminate nearly all tariffs on products they trade.
The ambitious pact signed in Tokyo runs counter to President Donald Trump’s moves to hike tariffs on imports from many U.S. trading partners. It covers a third of the global economy and markets of more than 600 million people.
“The EU and Japan showed an undeterred determination to lead the world as flag-bearers for free trade,” Abe said at a joint news conference with European Council President Donald Tusk and European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker.
Tusk praised the deal as “the largest bilateral trade deal ever.” He said the partnership is being strengthened in various other areas, including defense, climate change and human exchange, and is “sending a clear message” against protectionism.
The leaders did not mention Trump by name, but they did little to mask what was on their minds — highlighting how Europe and Japan have been pushed closer by Trump’s actions.
The agreement was largely reached late last year. The ceremonial signing was delayed from earlier this month because Abe canceled going to Brussels over a disaster in southwestern Japan, caused by extremely heavy rainfall. More than 200 people died from flooding and landslides.
The measures won’t kick in right away and still require legislative approval. But they will bring Japanese consumers lower prices for European wines, pork, handbags and pharmaceuticals. Japanese machinery parts, tea and fish will become cheaper in Europe.
The deal eliminates about 99 percent of the tariffs on Japanese goods sold to the EU. About 94 percent of the tariffs on European exports to Japan will be lifted, rising to 99 percent in the future. The difference reflects exceptions on such products as rice, which enjoys strong political protection from imports in Japan.
Overall, European farmers will benefit, Juncker said, though European consumers will be able to more easily buy luscious Kobe beef and famous Yubari melons.
The EU said the trade liberalization will help raise European exports of chemicals, clothing, cosmetics and beer to Japan. Japanese will get cheaper cheeses, such as Parmesan, gouda and cheddar, as well as chocolate and biscuits.
The imported wine and cheese could hurt sales by Japanese wineries and dairies, but Japanese consumers have historically coveted such European products.
The major step toward liberalizing trade has been discussed since 2013.
Apart from its deal with the EU, Japan is working on other trade agreements, including a far-reaching trans-Pacific deal. The partnership includes Australia, Mexico, Vietnam and other nations, although the U.S. has withdrawn.
Abe praised the deal with the EU for helping his “Abenomics” policies, designed to wrest the economy out of stagnation despite a shrinking population and cautious spending. Japan’s growth remains heavily dependent on exports.
EU signs its biggest free trade deal with Japan - BBC News
July 17, 2018
EU signs its biggest free trade deal with Japan
Dairy products are one of Europe's biggest exports to Japan
The European Union and Japan have signed one of the world's biggest free trade deals, covering nearly a third of the world's GDP and 600 million people.
One of the biggest EU exports to Japan is dairy goods, while cars are one of Japan's biggest exports.
The move contrasts sharply with actions by the US Trump administration, which has introduced steep import tariffs.
EU Commission head Jean-Claude Juncker said the deal underlined the "win-win" solutions offered by free trade.
Mr Juncker said: "[The] impact of today's agreement goes far beyond our shores. Together we are a making, by signing this agreement, a statement about the future of free and fair trade.
"We are showing that we are stronger and better off when we work together. And we are leading by example, showing that trade is about more than tariffs and barriers. It is about values, principles and finding win-win solutions for all those concerned."
US tariffs
The US was in talks with Japan and other Asian countries 18 months ago about a wide-ranging free-trade agreement, the Trans-Pacific trade agreement, but Donald Trump withdrew from this in one of his first moves after becoming president.
Since then, his "America First" policy has seen tariffs introduced on a range of items, including steel, which both Japan and the EU export to the US.
Firms in the EU, the world's biggest free-trade zone, currently export more than $100bn (£75bn) in goods and services to Japan, the world's third-biggest economy, every year.
Japan's Minister for Economic Revitalisation, Toshimitsu Motegi, said: "At a time when protectionist measures are gaining steam globally, the signing of the Japan-EU deal today will show the world once again our unwavering political will to promote free trade."
EU signs its biggest free trade deal with Japan
Dairy products are one of Europe's biggest exports to Japan
The European Union and Japan have signed one of the world's biggest free trade deals, covering nearly a third of the world's GDP and 600 million people.
One of the biggest EU exports to Japan is dairy goods, while cars are one of Japan's biggest exports.
The move contrasts sharply with actions by the US Trump administration, which has introduced steep import tariffs.
EU Commission head Jean-Claude Juncker said the deal underlined the "win-win" solutions offered by free trade.
Mr Juncker said: "[The] impact of today's agreement goes far beyond our shores. Together we are a making, by signing this agreement, a statement about the future of free and fair trade.
"We are showing that we are stronger and better off when we work together. And we are leading by example, showing that trade is about more than tariffs and barriers. It is about values, principles and finding win-win solutions for all those concerned."
US tariffs
The US was in talks with Japan and other Asian countries 18 months ago about a wide-ranging free-trade agreement, the Trans-Pacific trade agreement, but Donald Trump withdrew from this in one of his first moves after becoming president.
Since then, his "America First" policy has seen tariffs introduced on a range of items, including steel, which both Japan and the EU export to the US.
Firms in the EU, the world's biggest free-trade zone, currently export more than $100bn (£75bn) in goods and services to Japan, the world's third-biggest economy, every year.
Japan's Minister for Economic Revitalisation, Toshimitsu Motegi, said: "At a time when protectionist measures are gaining steam globally, the signing of the Japan-EU deal today will show the world once again our unwavering political will to promote free trade."
International Finance Watchdog In Surprise Bitcoin Backing As It Reveals Crypto Stocktake - Forbes
International Finance Watchdog In Surprise Bitcoin Backing As It Reveals Crypto Stocktake
Billy Bambrough
Contributor
Jul 17, 2018, 05:58am 125 views #Crypto
Bank of England Governor Mark Carney, who is also chair of the Financial Stability Board (FSB), gestures as he answers questions during a press conference in Tokyo on March 31, 2016. (Photo credit should read Toru Yamankaka/AFP/Getty Images)
International financial watchdog, the Financial Stability Board (FSB), has released a report that found bitcoin and cryptocurrencies do not currently pose a material risk to the global financial system.
According to a report published by the watchdog, cryptocurrencies "do not pose a material risk to global financial stability at this time."
Meanwhile, the FSB — which has members from the G20 major economies, the European Commission — said it planned to monitor cryptocurrency assets at banks and the world's largest financial systems.
The report also revealed the Basel Committee on Banking Supervision (BCBS) — which is part of the FSB — is gathering data on its member banks' direct and indirect exposure to cryptocurrency in an effort to quantify the potential impact of the technology.
The FSB, which is headed by Bank of England governor and bitcoin and crypto sceptic Mark Carney, earlier this year delivered a letter to the G20 finance ministers and central bank governors declaring that bitcoin does not post a "systemic risk" to the global financial system but has now doubled down on its earlier recommendation.
Earlier this year Carney warned bitcoin could be heading for a "pretty brutal reckoning," saying cryptocurrencies have "all the hallmarks of a bubble."
Carney said that bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies were "failing" in their key objectives and called for regulation of the space.
However, bitcoin and cryptocurrency were handed support from researchers at Imperial College London last week, who said digital currencies are primed for mass adoption.
The FSB report signals a move towards a global standard on bitcoin and cryptocurrnecy regualtion — something many digital currency companies have been calling for in recent years.
According to its report, the FSB will "help to identify and mitigate risks to consumer and investor protection, market integrity, and potentially to financial stability".
The bitcoin price, which has been struggling in recent months following its huge bull run last year, jumped on the release of the report yesterday.
bitcoin price chart
The bitcoin price climbed sharply on the release of the FSB reportCOINDESK
Meanwhile, the bitcoin price was given further support yesterday by the news that BlackRock, the world’s biggest asset management company, is looking to invest in the cryptocurrency.
Larry Fink, the chairman and CEO at BlackRock told Bloomberg:
We are looking at it and as I have said in the past, we are very excited about blockchain technology.
That is where we are looking at it even in the Aladdin universe with what we are trying to do there so we are looking at blockchain technologies.
We are studying it and we are looking at how they perform and we are looking at that type of data as we understand it as we think about other products but right now, worldwide I have not heard from one client that needs to be in it right now.
Billy Bambrough
Contributor
Jul 17, 2018, 05:58am 125 views #Crypto
Bank of England Governor Mark Carney, who is also chair of the Financial Stability Board (FSB), gestures as he answers questions during a press conference in Tokyo on March 31, 2016. (Photo credit should read Toru Yamankaka/AFP/Getty Images)
International financial watchdog, the Financial Stability Board (FSB), has released a report that found bitcoin and cryptocurrencies do not currently pose a material risk to the global financial system.
According to a report published by the watchdog, cryptocurrencies "do not pose a material risk to global financial stability at this time."
Meanwhile, the FSB — which has members from the G20 major economies, the European Commission — said it planned to monitor cryptocurrency assets at banks and the world's largest financial systems.
The report also revealed the Basel Committee on Banking Supervision (BCBS) — which is part of the FSB — is gathering data on its member banks' direct and indirect exposure to cryptocurrency in an effort to quantify the potential impact of the technology.
The FSB, which is headed by Bank of England governor and bitcoin and crypto sceptic Mark Carney, earlier this year delivered a letter to the G20 finance ministers and central bank governors declaring that bitcoin does not post a "systemic risk" to the global financial system but has now doubled down on its earlier recommendation.
Earlier this year Carney warned bitcoin could be heading for a "pretty brutal reckoning," saying cryptocurrencies have "all the hallmarks of a bubble."
Carney said that bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies were "failing" in their key objectives and called for regulation of the space.
However, bitcoin and cryptocurrency were handed support from researchers at Imperial College London last week, who said digital currencies are primed for mass adoption.
The FSB report signals a move towards a global standard on bitcoin and cryptocurrnecy regualtion — something many digital currency companies have been calling for in recent years.
According to its report, the FSB will "help to identify and mitigate risks to consumer and investor protection, market integrity, and potentially to financial stability".
The bitcoin price, which has been struggling in recent months following its huge bull run last year, jumped on the release of the report yesterday.
bitcoin price chart
The bitcoin price climbed sharply on the release of the FSB reportCOINDESK
Meanwhile, the bitcoin price was given further support yesterday by the news that BlackRock, the world’s biggest asset management company, is looking to invest in the cryptocurrency.
Larry Fink, the chairman and CEO at BlackRock told Bloomberg:
We are looking at it and as I have said in the past, we are very excited about blockchain technology.
That is where we are looking at it even in the Aladdin universe with what we are trying to do there so we are looking at blockchain technologies.
We are studying it and we are looking at how they perform and we are looking at that type of data as we understand it as we think about other products but right now, worldwide I have not heard from one client that needs to be in it right now.
Sen. Merkley says it's "likely" that Russians have dirt on Trump - CBS News
July 16, 2018, 1:20 PM
Sen. Merkley says it's "likely" that Russians have dirt on Trump
Sen. Jeff Merkley, D-Oregon, said Monday that he believes that the Russian government may have "something close" to the long-rumored video of President Trump engaging in a sexual act with two prostitutes. When asked if footage of the alleged act exists on BuzzFeed's "AM to DM," Merkley responded that it is possible.
"Something close to that. Something close to that," Merkley said with a smirk. A dossier financed by Mr. Trump's opponents before the election and written by former British spy Christopher Steele asserted that such a video exists, although there is no known evidence that it does. Mr. Trump has also denied the existence of such a video.
If a blackmail tape of the specific sexual encounter does not exist, Merkley believes that the Russian government may still have some form of compromising content or information involving Mr. Trump.
"I think it's likely," Merkley responded when asked if Russian President Vladimir Putin has anything on Mr. Trump.
"It's the standard strategy of Russia when people visit there who are important, to try to get compromising information on them, to set them up with hookers, to tape everything that goes on in their room. So it's likely that they have that," he said.
Tom Namako
✔
@TomNamako
.@BuzzFeedBen: "Do you think Vladimir Putin has anything on him?"@SenJeffMerkley: "I think it's likely."
..
Smith: "Your view is that the pee tape is real?"
Merkley: "Something close to that. Something close to that."
From @AM2DM:
12:44 AM - Jul 17, 2018
Mr. Trump and Putin held a joint press conference as part of the U.S.-Russia summit in Helsinki on Monday. In the last question of the media event, the Associated Press asked Putin point-blank if he has compromising material on Mr. Trump.
"When President Trump visited Moscow back then I didn't even know that he was in Moscow," Putin said. "I treat President Trump with utmost respect. But back then, when he was a private individual, a businessman, nobody informed me that he was in Moscow."
Mr. Trump took the opportunity to respond as well.
"And I have to say if they had it, it would have been out long ago and if anybody watched Peter Strzok testify over the last couple of days and I was in Brussels watching it, it was a disgrace to the FBI, it was a disgrace to our country. And you would say that was a total witch hunt. Thank you very much everybody. Thank you," Mr. Trump said, ending the press event.
Sen. Merkley says it's "likely" that Russians have dirt on Trump
Sen. Jeff Merkley, D-Oregon, said Monday that he believes that the Russian government may have "something close" to the long-rumored video of President Trump engaging in a sexual act with two prostitutes. When asked if footage of the alleged act exists on BuzzFeed's "AM to DM," Merkley responded that it is possible.
"Something close to that. Something close to that," Merkley said with a smirk. A dossier financed by Mr. Trump's opponents before the election and written by former British spy Christopher Steele asserted that such a video exists, although there is no known evidence that it does. Mr. Trump has also denied the existence of such a video.
If a blackmail tape of the specific sexual encounter does not exist, Merkley believes that the Russian government may still have some form of compromising content or information involving Mr. Trump.
"I think it's likely," Merkley responded when asked if Russian President Vladimir Putin has anything on Mr. Trump.
"It's the standard strategy of Russia when people visit there who are important, to try to get compromising information on them, to set them up with hookers, to tape everything that goes on in their room. So it's likely that they have that," he said.
Tom Namako
✔
@TomNamako
.@BuzzFeedBen: "Do you think Vladimir Putin has anything on him?"@SenJeffMerkley: "I think it's likely."
..
Smith: "Your view is that the pee tape is real?"
Merkley: "Something close to that. Something close to that."
From @AM2DM:
12:44 AM - Jul 17, 2018
Mr. Trump and Putin held a joint press conference as part of the U.S.-Russia summit in Helsinki on Monday. In the last question of the media event, the Associated Press asked Putin point-blank if he has compromising material on Mr. Trump.
"When President Trump visited Moscow back then I didn't even know that he was in Moscow," Putin said. "I treat President Trump with utmost respect. But back then, when he was a private individual, a businessman, nobody informed me that he was in Moscow."
Mr. Trump took the opportunity to respond as well.
"And I have to say if they had it, it would have been out long ago and if anybody watched Peter Strzok testify over the last couple of days and I was in Brussels watching it, it was a disgrace to the FBI, it was a disgrace to our country. And you would say that was a total witch hunt. Thank you very much everybody. Thank you," Mr. Trump said, ending the press event.
Revealed: What the colour of your urine can tell you about your health - and the exact shade when you need to reach for a bottle of water this summer - Daily Mail
Revealed: What the colour of your urine can tell you about your health - and the exact shade when you need to reach for a bottle of water this summer
Dark yellow or brown urine is a sign someone is not drinking enough water
Dehydration causes dizziness and headaches but can become more serious
Clear or pale yellow urine is ideal and means someone is drinking enough
By SAM BLANCHARD FOR MAILONLINE
PUBLISHED: 02:09 AEST, 17 July 2018 | UPDATED: 05:52 AEST, 17 July 2018
The colour of your urine can tell you if you should be drinking more water, which is extra important during the hot summer months.
Urine is usually varying shades of yellow and, the darker it is, the more likely it is that you're becoming dehydrated.
Dehydration can be a serious health risk and is particularly dangerous for babies, children and elderly people.
The NHS says people in the UK should drink at least 1.2 litres of water a day – 2.4 pints – and more when the weather is hot.
And if your urine is consistently red or orange it could be a sign of a more serious underlying condition such as a urine infection, prostate problems or kidney disease.
Using a urine colour chart like the one below created by sports drink company iPro Sport, you can work out if you're drinking enough water.
The colour of urine can be an indicator of how well hydrated you are and can also point to more serious problems like kidney disease or cancer +2
The colour of urine can be an indicator of how well hydrated you are and can also point to more serious problems like kidney disease or cancer
Video playing bottom right...
The urine of someone who is properly hydrated should be a very pale yellow or clear, according to the sports drink company.
Whereas a darker yellow or more brownish colour could be a sign someone is getting dangerously dehydrated.
Dehydration can usually be easily avoided and treated by drinking enough water, but if left to get worse it can cause dizziness and tiredness or lead to more serious complications like heatstroke, muscle cramps or exhaustion.
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Someone's heatstroke could be severe or life-threatening if they are not sweating even though they are too hot, have a body temperature of 40C or more, becomes confused or short of breath, or has a seizure or passes out.
If this happens an ambulance should be called immediately.
Often dehydration is simple enough to avoid – just feeling thirsty is likely a sign that someone's body needs them to drink more water.
iPro Sport's chart explains that someone whose urine is brown is likely to be seriously dehydrated.
The symptom could be a sign of something more serious, however, and may need medical attention if it continues.
Yellow or dark yellow urine are signs of dehydration
Yellow or dark yellow urine are also both signs of dehydration, but it is not likely too severe – drinking more water immediately should be enough to rehydrate the body.
Some people are more at risk of dehydration, including those with diabetes, people who have been vomiting or suffering diarrhoea, and people who have been in the sun for a long time.
Exercising and sweating, drinking alcohol, and having a fever or taking medicines which make you pee more can all raise the risk of dehydration.
The colour chart produced by iPro Sport acts as a handy guide for people to check whether or not they are dehydrated +2
The colour chart produced by iPro Sport acts as a handy guide for people to check whether or not they are dehydrated
Red or orange could be a sign of something more serious
If urine is a colour other than yellow – such as red, orange or green – it is likely to be because of something you ate or drank.
For example, beetroot may turn urine red temporarily.
But urine that is consistently another colour for a long time could be a sign of something more serious.
Red urine can be caused by blood, which could be pointing towards kidney disease, cancer, an infection or prostate problems.
Meanwhile orange could signal a problem with the liver or bile duct.
DRINKING TOO MUCH WATER IS ALSO DANGEROUS
Drinking too much water can lead to just as severe problems as not drinking enough, but is far less likely.
American football player Tom Brady, the quarterback for New England Patriots in Boston, revealed in a book that he drinks a whopping 37 glasses of water a day – half of his own body weight.
Drinking too much water can dilute vital sodium supplies in the body and cause a condition called hyponatremia.
This is most common in endurance athletes or people who take drugs like ecstasy, which can make them feel thirstier than they really are.
If sodium in the body becomes too diluted, your cells start to swell.
This can cause headaches and confusion and fatigure, but can also lead to muscle weakness, cramps, seizures, and even a coma.
Dietitian Abbey Sharp said it was highly unlikely Brady needs to drink as much water as he claims to, and said: 'My recommendation is to forget all of the standards about how much you should be drinking each day.
'It's not half your body weight, it's not two liters, it's not that any one size fits all.
'Listen to your body's thirst cues and keep plain water near by at all times to hydrate. Check in with yourself regularly to see if you are indeed thirsty and don't deny those cues.'
Dark yellow or brown urine is a sign someone is not drinking enough water
Dehydration causes dizziness and headaches but can become more serious
Clear or pale yellow urine is ideal and means someone is drinking enough
By SAM BLANCHARD FOR MAILONLINE
PUBLISHED: 02:09 AEST, 17 July 2018 | UPDATED: 05:52 AEST, 17 July 2018
The colour of your urine can tell you if you should be drinking more water, which is extra important during the hot summer months.
Urine is usually varying shades of yellow and, the darker it is, the more likely it is that you're becoming dehydrated.
Dehydration can be a serious health risk and is particularly dangerous for babies, children and elderly people.
The NHS says people in the UK should drink at least 1.2 litres of water a day – 2.4 pints – and more when the weather is hot.
And if your urine is consistently red or orange it could be a sign of a more serious underlying condition such as a urine infection, prostate problems or kidney disease.
Using a urine colour chart like the one below created by sports drink company iPro Sport, you can work out if you're drinking enough water.
The colour of urine can be an indicator of how well hydrated you are and can also point to more serious problems like kidney disease or cancer +2
The colour of urine can be an indicator of how well hydrated you are and can also point to more serious problems like kidney disease or cancer
Video playing bottom right...
The urine of someone who is properly hydrated should be a very pale yellow or clear, according to the sports drink company.
Whereas a darker yellow or more brownish colour could be a sign someone is getting dangerously dehydrated.
Dehydration can usually be easily avoided and treated by drinking enough water, but if left to get worse it can cause dizziness and tiredness or lead to more serious complications like heatstroke, muscle cramps or exhaustion.
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Someone's heatstroke could be severe or life-threatening if they are not sweating even though they are too hot, have a body temperature of 40C or more, becomes confused or short of breath, or has a seizure or passes out.
If this happens an ambulance should be called immediately.
Often dehydration is simple enough to avoid – just feeling thirsty is likely a sign that someone's body needs them to drink more water.
iPro Sport's chart explains that someone whose urine is brown is likely to be seriously dehydrated.
The symptom could be a sign of something more serious, however, and may need medical attention if it continues.
Yellow or dark yellow urine are signs of dehydration
Yellow or dark yellow urine are also both signs of dehydration, but it is not likely too severe – drinking more water immediately should be enough to rehydrate the body.
Some people are more at risk of dehydration, including those with diabetes, people who have been vomiting or suffering diarrhoea, and people who have been in the sun for a long time.
Exercising and sweating, drinking alcohol, and having a fever or taking medicines which make you pee more can all raise the risk of dehydration.
The colour chart produced by iPro Sport acts as a handy guide for people to check whether or not they are dehydrated +2
The colour chart produced by iPro Sport acts as a handy guide for people to check whether or not they are dehydrated
Red or orange could be a sign of something more serious
If urine is a colour other than yellow – such as red, orange or green – it is likely to be because of something you ate or drank.
For example, beetroot may turn urine red temporarily.
But urine that is consistently another colour for a long time could be a sign of something more serious.
Red urine can be caused by blood, which could be pointing towards kidney disease, cancer, an infection or prostate problems.
Meanwhile orange could signal a problem with the liver or bile duct.
DRINKING TOO MUCH WATER IS ALSO DANGEROUS
Drinking too much water can lead to just as severe problems as not drinking enough, but is far less likely.
American football player Tom Brady, the quarterback for New England Patriots in Boston, revealed in a book that he drinks a whopping 37 glasses of water a day – half of his own body weight.
Drinking too much water can dilute vital sodium supplies in the body and cause a condition called hyponatremia.
This is most common in endurance athletes or people who take drugs like ecstasy, which can make them feel thirstier than they really are.
If sodium in the body becomes too diluted, your cells start to swell.
This can cause headaches and confusion and fatigure, but can also lead to muscle weakness, cramps, seizures, and even a coma.
Dietitian Abbey Sharp said it was highly unlikely Brady needs to drink as much water as he claims to, and said: 'My recommendation is to forget all of the standards about how much you should be drinking each day.
'It's not half your body weight, it's not two liters, it's not that any one size fits all.
'Listen to your body's thirst cues and keep plain water near by at all times to hydrate. Check in with yourself regularly to see if you are indeed thirsty and don't deny those cues.'
Trump-Putin summit: After Helsinki, the fallout at home - BBC News
Trump-Putin summit: After Helsinki, the fallout at home
Anthony Zurcher
North America reporter
@awzurcher on Twitter
16 July 2018
The Helsinki summit between Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump is over, and after nearly two hours behind closed doors and another hour in front of the press, there's plenty of material to sort through.
Leading into the meeting, Democrats were warning Mr Trump to be careful in dealing with his Russian counterpart - with some suggesting that it was unwise for the US president to even hold such an event, given Friday's indictments of 12 Russian military officers for conducting cyber-warfare against the US during the 2016 elections.
Many Republicans, on the other hand, were cautiously optimistic that the president would push back against Mr Putin on a range of issues. Congressman Steve Scalise, a Republican house leader, said that Mr Trump entered into the negotiations "from a position of American strength to combat Russian aggression".
Things went … a bit differently. Here are some key takeaways.
'We're all to blame'
Mr Trump, in his first question from an American reporter, was pressed to explain why earlier in the day he had tweeted out that US was to blame for the current tense state of US-Russia relations.
In his answer, he stood by his earlier comments and said he held "both countries responsible".
He said both sides had "made some mistakes" - but declined to specifically mention items like the Russian military involvement in Ukraine and its annexation of Crimea, the Novichok chemical attack in southern England and the indictment of Russians for meddling in the US election.
Media captionThe ways Trump and Putin see eye to eye
Instead, he insisted there was "no collusion at all" between his campaign and Russia, conflating charges of election meddling - for which there have been indictments of Russian nationals - with evidence of collusion, which the Mueller probe has not yet alleged.
When asked if he would directly condemn Russia and Mr Putin on election meddling, Mr Trump said his intelligence officials - including Director of Intelligence Dan Coats - have told him "they think it's Russia". Mr Putin, he continued, just told him it's not Russia.
"I don't see any reason why it would be," Mr Trump concluded, apparently leaning toward the Russian professions of innocence over the conclusions of his own government.
This has put the US intelligence community in a familiar bind, given Mr Trump's past criticisms. It's a bind, however, for which Trump-appointed leaders, in office for more than a year, are now accountable.
Donald J. Trump
✔
@realDonaldTrump
As I said today and many times before, “I have GREAT confidence in MY intelligence people.” However, I also recognize that in order to build a brighter future, we cannot exclusively focus on the past – as the world’s two largest nuclear powers, we must get along! #HELSINKI2018
5:40 AM - Jul 17, 2018
Mr Coats has issued a statement saying his intelligence community stands by its "fact-based assessments" of Russian meddling and their "ongoing, pervasive efforts to undermine our democracy". Later on Monday, the president made an effort, via Twitter, to smooth over ruffled feathers.
Mr Mueller has indicted more than two dozen Russians, but Mr Trump still isn't convinced that they're to blame - raising instead questions about the security of Democratic computer servers and FBI bias.
The Trump Justice Department, and Mr Mueller's special counsel team, will grind on - Monday afternoon's announcement of a Russian woman indicted for being an undisclosed foreign operative is evidence of that. But Mr Trump's campaign to discredit their work will also continue undeterred.
Never Trumpers' outrage
Not surprisingly, Mr Trump's performance was greeted with a mix of condemnation and derision from the left. Senate Democratic Minority Leader Chuck Schumer called it a "shameful performance" that was "thoughtless, dangerous and weak". John Brennan, director of the CIA under Barack Obama, said Mr Trump was guilty of treason.
Meanwhile, never-Trump conservatives were quick with "I told you so-s". Political consultant (and Jeb Bush advisor) Mike Murphy called it a "dark day", after tweeting a string of invective. Former 2008 Republican presidential candidate John McCain said it was "one of the most disgraceful performances by an American president in memory".
"The damage inflicted by President Trump's naivete, egotism, false equivalence, and sympathy for autocrats is difficult to calculate," the Arizona Republican senator, and chair of the Armed Services committee, wrote in a statement. "But it is clear that the summit in Helsinki was a tragic mistake."
Image copyrightEPA
Conservative unease
Perhaps most noteworthy is how Mr Trump is being seen among Republicans who are - or were becoming - more sympathetic to Mr Trump. Abby Huntsman, a conservative commentator and daughter of US ambassador to Russia Jon Huntsman, tweeted that "no negotiation is worth throwing your own people and country under the bus".
Newt Gingrich called Mr Trump's statements on intelligence agencies "the most serious mistake of his presidency". /bf]
Skip Twitter post by @newtgingrich
Newt Gingrich
✔
@newtgingrich
President Trump must clarify his statements in Helsinki on our intelligence system and Putin. It is the most serious mistake of his presidency and must be corrected—-immediately.
7:15 AM - Jul 17, 2018
Senator Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, who swings between Trump critic and Trump confidante, was back in the former camp, calling the summit a "missed opportunity", a "bad day for the US" that will be sign of weakness to Russia.
New York Post columnist Karol Markowicz, who several months ago had written about how pro- and anti-Trump conservatives had to dial back their rhetoric, was blunt.
"You can love Trump, you can be thrilled he vanquished Hillary, you can be right that Obama's foreign policy was clownish, but call it here: this was atrocious and no American president should ever behave this way."
The Drudge Report had a headline blaring that "Putin dominates" the summit. Even on the Fox News cable networks, which are normally Trump's biggest defender and echo chamber, commentators appeared uneasy. Neil Cavuto called the president's performance "disgraceful" and said it "sets us back a lot".
"There is a growing consensus across the land tonight ... that the president threw the United States under the bus," said Fox News White House correspondent John Roberts.
Mary Kissel, a member of the Wall Street Journal editorial board, told Fox News audience that "nothing was achieved" from the summit.
Axios
✔
@axios
Neil Cavuto of Fox Business calls Trump's press conference "disgusting", "That sets us back a lot."
2:23 AM - Jul 17, 2018
"The president came off as wanting to have more meetings and going to Putin and asking for Putin's help, when we should be in the position of Putin coming to us and asking us to ease up on him," she said. "Unfortunately, President Putin scored a great propaganda victory."
This could all blow over, of course. With domestic political battles on the horizon - a Supreme Court confirmation and mid-term election contests - the partisan battle lines could quickly re-form.
For a moment, however, there was a hint of doubt and concern and the possibility that, at some point in the future, when political expediency is no longer paramount, Mr Trump could face more significant dissention within his ranks.
'A first important step'
This isn't how Mr Trump and his supporters see it. For them, the summit should be framed as the beginning of a larger effort to repair relations between the world's two largest nuclear powers.
"From the earliest days of our republic, American leaders have understood that diplomacy and engagement is preferable to conflict and hostility," he said.
Mr Putin echoed those sentiments, calling the summit the "first important step".
With no tangible results from the summit, the two leaders are framing this as the first of many meetings to come
Given the American reaction from across the political spectrum, however, future meetings may be difficult to pull off.
After a week abroad, Mr Trump on Monday delivered the coup de grace for what has been a highly disruptive week in US foreign affairs.
European allies are uneasy. US-Russia relations are uncertain. And the US political world - and even the White House's own communications team - is unsettled.
What comes next? That's unknown.
Anthony Zurcher
North America reporter
@awzurcher on Twitter
16 July 2018
The Helsinki summit between Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump is over, and after nearly two hours behind closed doors and another hour in front of the press, there's plenty of material to sort through.
Leading into the meeting, Democrats were warning Mr Trump to be careful in dealing with his Russian counterpart - with some suggesting that it was unwise for the US president to even hold such an event, given Friday's indictments of 12 Russian military officers for conducting cyber-warfare against the US during the 2016 elections.
Many Republicans, on the other hand, were cautiously optimistic that the president would push back against Mr Putin on a range of issues. Congressman Steve Scalise, a Republican house leader, said that Mr Trump entered into the negotiations "from a position of American strength to combat Russian aggression".
Things went … a bit differently. Here are some key takeaways.
'We're all to blame'
Mr Trump, in his first question from an American reporter, was pressed to explain why earlier in the day he had tweeted out that US was to blame for the current tense state of US-Russia relations.
In his answer, he stood by his earlier comments and said he held "both countries responsible".
He said both sides had "made some mistakes" - but declined to specifically mention items like the Russian military involvement in Ukraine and its annexation of Crimea, the Novichok chemical attack in southern England and the indictment of Russians for meddling in the US election.
Media captionThe ways Trump and Putin see eye to eye
Instead, he insisted there was "no collusion at all" between his campaign and Russia, conflating charges of election meddling - for which there have been indictments of Russian nationals - with evidence of collusion, which the Mueller probe has not yet alleged.
When asked if he would directly condemn Russia and Mr Putin on election meddling, Mr Trump said his intelligence officials - including Director of Intelligence Dan Coats - have told him "they think it's Russia". Mr Putin, he continued, just told him it's not Russia.
"I don't see any reason why it would be," Mr Trump concluded, apparently leaning toward the Russian professions of innocence over the conclusions of his own government.
This has put the US intelligence community in a familiar bind, given Mr Trump's past criticisms. It's a bind, however, for which Trump-appointed leaders, in office for more than a year, are now accountable.
Donald J. Trump
✔
@realDonaldTrump
As I said today and many times before, “I have GREAT confidence in MY intelligence people.” However, I also recognize that in order to build a brighter future, we cannot exclusively focus on the past – as the world’s two largest nuclear powers, we must get along! #HELSINKI2018
5:40 AM - Jul 17, 2018
Mr Coats has issued a statement saying his intelligence community stands by its "fact-based assessments" of Russian meddling and their "ongoing, pervasive efforts to undermine our democracy". Later on Monday, the president made an effort, via Twitter, to smooth over ruffled feathers.
Mr Mueller has indicted more than two dozen Russians, but Mr Trump still isn't convinced that they're to blame - raising instead questions about the security of Democratic computer servers and FBI bias.
The Trump Justice Department, and Mr Mueller's special counsel team, will grind on - Monday afternoon's announcement of a Russian woman indicted for being an undisclosed foreign operative is evidence of that. But Mr Trump's campaign to discredit their work will also continue undeterred.
Never Trumpers' outrage
Not surprisingly, Mr Trump's performance was greeted with a mix of condemnation and derision from the left. Senate Democratic Minority Leader Chuck Schumer called it a "shameful performance" that was "thoughtless, dangerous and weak". John Brennan, director of the CIA under Barack Obama, said Mr Trump was guilty of treason.
Meanwhile, never-Trump conservatives were quick with "I told you so-s". Political consultant (and Jeb Bush advisor) Mike Murphy called it a "dark day", after tweeting a string of invective. Former 2008 Republican presidential candidate John McCain said it was "one of the most disgraceful performances by an American president in memory".
"The damage inflicted by President Trump's naivete, egotism, false equivalence, and sympathy for autocrats is difficult to calculate," the Arizona Republican senator, and chair of the Armed Services committee, wrote in a statement. "But it is clear that the summit in Helsinki was a tragic mistake."
Image copyrightEPA
Conservative unease
Perhaps most noteworthy is how Mr Trump is being seen among Republicans who are - or were becoming - more sympathetic to Mr Trump. Abby Huntsman, a conservative commentator and daughter of US ambassador to Russia Jon Huntsman, tweeted that "no negotiation is worth throwing your own people and country under the bus".
Newt Gingrich called Mr Trump's statements on intelligence agencies "the most serious mistake of his presidency". /bf]
Skip Twitter post by @newtgingrich
Newt Gingrich
✔
@newtgingrich
President Trump must clarify his statements in Helsinki on our intelligence system and Putin. It is the most serious mistake of his presidency and must be corrected—-immediately.
7:15 AM - Jul 17, 2018
Senator Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, who swings between Trump critic and Trump confidante, was back in the former camp, calling the summit a "missed opportunity", a "bad day for the US" that will be sign of weakness to Russia.
New York Post columnist Karol Markowicz, who several months ago had written about how pro- and anti-Trump conservatives had to dial back their rhetoric, was blunt.
"You can love Trump, you can be thrilled he vanquished Hillary, you can be right that Obama's foreign policy was clownish, but call it here: this was atrocious and no American president should ever behave this way."
The Drudge Report had a headline blaring that "Putin dominates" the summit. Even on the Fox News cable networks, which are normally Trump's biggest defender and echo chamber, commentators appeared uneasy. Neil Cavuto called the president's performance "disgraceful" and said it "sets us back a lot".
"There is a growing consensus across the land tonight ... that the president threw the United States under the bus," said Fox News White House correspondent John Roberts.
Mary Kissel, a member of the Wall Street Journal editorial board, told Fox News audience that "nothing was achieved" from the summit.
Axios
✔
@axios
Neil Cavuto of Fox Business calls Trump's press conference "disgusting", "That sets us back a lot."
2:23 AM - Jul 17, 2018
"The president came off as wanting to have more meetings and going to Putin and asking for Putin's help, when we should be in the position of Putin coming to us and asking us to ease up on him," she said. "Unfortunately, President Putin scored a great propaganda victory."
This could all blow over, of course. With domestic political battles on the horizon - a Supreme Court confirmation and mid-term election contests - the partisan battle lines could quickly re-form.
For a moment, however, there was a hint of doubt and concern and the possibility that, at some point in the future, when political expediency is no longer paramount, Mr Trump could face more significant dissention within his ranks.
'A first important step'
This isn't how Mr Trump and his supporters see it. For them, the summit should be framed as the beginning of a larger effort to repair relations between the world's two largest nuclear powers.
"From the earliest days of our republic, American leaders have understood that diplomacy and engagement is preferable to conflict and hostility," he said.
Mr Putin echoed those sentiments, calling the summit the "first important step".
With no tangible results from the summit, the two leaders are framing this as the first of many meetings to come
Given the American reaction from across the political spectrum, however, future meetings may be difficult to pull off.
After a week abroad, Mr Trump on Monday delivered the coup de grace for what has been a highly disruptive week in US foreign affairs.
European allies are uneasy. US-Russia relations are uncertain. And the US political world - and even the White House's own communications team - is unsettled.
What comes next? That's unknown.
Trump-Putin summit: US president under fire over poll meddling comments - BBC News
July 17, 2018
Trump-Putin summit: US president under fire over poll meddling comments
The ways Trump and Putin see eye to eye
There has been a barrage of criticism in the US after President Donald Trump defended Russia over claims of interference in the 2016 elections.
At a summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Finland, Mr Trump contradicted US intelligence agencies, saying Russia had no reason to meddle.
The top Republican in Congress, House Speaker Paul Ryan, said Mr Trump must see that "Russia is not our ally".
The president's own intelligence chief publicly broke with him.
Russia is responsible for "ongoing, pervasive attempts" to undermine US democracy, Director of National Intelligence Dan Coats said in a statement.
Mr Putin denied the claim.
On Monday the US and Russian presidents held nearly two hours of one-on-one talks without their advisers in the Finnish capital Helsinki .
Trump's 'most serious mistake'
Russian praise for Putin after summit
Schwarzenegger calls Trump a 'wet noodle'
What did President Trump say?
At a news conference after the summit, he was asked if he believed his own intelligence agencies or the Russian president when it came to allegations of meddling in the election.
"President Putin says it's not Russia. I don't see any reason why it would be," he replied.
Mr Trump also blamed poor relations with Russia on past US administrations rather than Russian actions.
Media captionTrump: "There was nobody to collude with"
US intelligence agencies concluded in 2016 that Russia was behind an effort to tip the scale of the US election against Hillary Clinton, with a state-authorised campaign of cyber attacks and fake news stories planted on social media.
Mr Trump later backtracked, tweeting that he had "great confidence in my intelligence people".
Skip Twitter post by @realDonaldTrump
Donald J. Trump
✔
@realDonaldTrump
As I said today and many times before, “I have GREAT confidence in MY intelligence people.” However, I also recognize that in order to build a brighter future, we cannot exclusively focus on the past – as the world’s two largest nuclear powers, we must get along! #HELSINKI2018
5:40 AM - Jul 17, 2018
97.7K
80.1K people are talking about this
Twitter Ads info and privacy
Report
End of Twitter post by @realDonaldTrump
How did it play at home?
Badly. In a strongly worded statement, Mr Ryan said: "There is no moral equivalence between the United States and Russia, which remains hostile to our most basic values and ideals.
He added that there was "no question" Moscow had interfered in the 2016 election.
Senator John McCain, a key member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, said it was a "disgraceful performance".
"No prior president has ever abased himself more abjectly before a tyrant," Mr McCain said in a statement.
Another senior Republican, Sen Lindsey Graham, also a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, tweeted that it was a "missed opportunity... to firmly hold Russia accountable for 2016 meddling".
In a series of tweets, Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer said Mr Trump's actions had "strengthened our adversaries while weakening our defences and those of our allies".
Skip Twitter post by @SenSchumer
Chuck Schumer
✔
@SenSchumer
Replying to @SenSchumer
For the president of the United States to side with President Putin against American law enforcement, American defense officials, and American intelligence agencies is thoughtless, dangerous, and weak. The president is putting himself over our country.
2:56 AM - Jul 17, 2018
Former CIA director John Brennan said Mr Trump's news conference "was nothing short of treasonous".
"Not only were Trump's comments imbecilic, he is wholly in the pocket of Putin. Republican Patriots: Where are you???" he tweeted.
Meanwhile, Vice-President Mike Pence defended the summit and praised President Trump.
ABC News Politics
✔
@ABCPolitics
Vice Pres. Pence praises the Trump-Putin summit: "Disagreements between our countries were discussed at length, but what the world saw, what the American people saw, is that Pres. Donald Trump will always put the prosperity and security of America first." https://abcn.ws/2NhLSiC
4:58 AM - Jul 17, 2018
Some US politicians had called for the summit to be cancelled after 12 Russian military intelligence agents were indicted last week, accused of hacking Hillary Clinton's election campaign.
Putin laughs off Mueller indictment in Fox News interview
Speaking at the joint news conference, President Putin offered to allow US investigators to visit Russia to question the officers.
In a later interview with Fox News, Mr Putin said it was "ridiculous" that some people thought Russia could have influenced the US elections.
He said US-Russian relations should not be "held hostage" to an internal political struggle in America.
Mr Putin also denied longstanding reports that Russian intelligence may hold compromising material on Mr Trump.
The Russian president said that before the election Mr Trump was just a "rich person" and "of no interest for us".
And Mr Putin accused the UK of making "ungrounded accusations" over the recent poisoning of ex-Soviet spy Sergei Skripal and three other people with the "novichok" nerve agent.
One of those people has since died.
Novichok: Murder inquiry after Dawn Sturgess dies
Referring to the Skripal case, Mr Putin said Russia had received no evidence about it. "Nobody gives it to us, he said. "It's the same thing as the accusations with meddling into the election process in America."
With no tangible results from the summit, the two leaders are framing this as the first of many meetings to come
Given the American reaction from across the political spectrum, however, future meetings may be difficult to pull off.
After a week abroad, Mr Trump on Monday delivered the coup de grace for what has been a highly disruptive week in US foreign affairs.
European allies are uneasy. US-Russia relations are uncertain. And the US political world - and even the White House's own communications team - is unsettled.
Mr Putin described the Helsinki meeting as "candid and useful" while Mr Trump said there had been "deeply productive dialogue".
Mr Trump said US-Russia relations had "never been worse" than before they met, but that had now changed.
Relations between Russia and the West were severely strained by Moscow's annexation of Crimea from Ukraine in 2014 and Russia's support for separatists in eastern Ukraine.
Trump-Putin summit: US president under fire over poll meddling comments
The ways Trump and Putin see eye to eye
There has been a barrage of criticism in the US after President Donald Trump defended Russia over claims of interference in the 2016 elections.
At a summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Finland, Mr Trump contradicted US intelligence agencies, saying Russia had no reason to meddle.
The top Republican in Congress, House Speaker Paul Ryan, said Mr Trump must see that "Russia is not our ally".
The president's own intelligence chief publicly broke with him.
Russia is responsible for "ongoing, pervasive attempts" to undermine US democracy, Director of National Intelligence Dan Coats said in a statement.
Mr Putin denied the claim.
On Monday the US and Russian presidents held nearly two hours of one-on-one talks without their advisers in the Finnish capital Helsinki .
Trump's 'most serious mistake'
Russian praise for Putin after summit
Schwarzenegger calls Trump a 'wet noodle'
What did President Trump say?
At a news conference after the summit, he was asked if he believed his own intelligence agencies or the Russian president when it came to allegations of meddling in the election.
"President Putin says it's not Russia. I don't see any reason why it would be," he replied.
Mr Trump also blamed poor relations with Russia on past US administrations rather than Russian actions.
Media captionTrump: "There was nobody to collude with"
US intelligence agencies concluded in 2016 that Russia was behind an effort to tip the scale of the US election against Hillary Clinton, with a state-authorised campaign of cyber attacks and fake news stories planted on social media.
Mr Trump later backtracked, tweeting that he had "great confidence in my intelligence people".
Skip Twitter post by @realDonaldTrump
Donald J. Trump
✔
@realDonaldTrump
As I said today and many times before, “I have GREAT confidence in MY intelligence people.” However, I also recognize that in order to build a brighter future, we cannot exclusively focus on the past – as the world’s two largest nuclear powers, we must get along! #HELSINKI2018
5:40 AM - Jul 17, 2018
97.7K
80.1K people are talking about this
Twitter Ads info and privacy
Report
End of Twitter post by @realDonaldTrump
How did it play at home?
Badly. In a strongly worded statement, Mr Ryan said: "There is no moral equivalence between the United States and Russia, which remains hostile to our most basic values and ideals.
He added that there was "no question" Moscow had interfered in the 2016 election.
Senator John McCain, a key member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, said it was a "disgraceful performance".
"No prior president has ever abased himself more abjectly before a tyrant," Mr McCain said in a statement.
Another senior Republican, Sen Lindsey Graham, also a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, tweeted that it was a "missed opportunity... to firmly hold Russia accountable for 2016 meddling".
In a series of tweets, Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer said Mr Trump's actions had "strengthened our adversaries while weakening our defences and those of our allies".
Skip Twitter post by @SenSchumer
Chuck Schumer
✔
@SenSchumer
Replying to @SenSchumer
For the president of the United States to side with President Putin against American law enforcement, American defense officials, and American intelligence agencies is thoughtless, dangerous, and weak. The president is putting himself over our country.
2:56 AM - Jul 17, 2018
Former CIA director John Brennan said Mr Trump's news conference "was nothing short of treasonous".
"Not only were Trump's comments imbecilic, he is wholly in the pocket of Putin. Republican Patriots: Where are you???" he tweeted.
Meanwhile, Vice-President Mike Pence defended the summit and praised President Trump.
ABC News Politics
✔
@ABCPolitics
Vice Pres. Pence praises the Trump-Putin summit: "Disagreements between our countries were discussed at length, but what the world saw, what the American people saw, is that Pres. Donald Trump will always put the prosperity and security of America first." https://abcn.ws/2NhLSiC
4:58 AM - Jul 17, 2018
Some US politicians had called for the summit to be cancelled after 12 Russian military intelligence agents were indicted last week, accused of hacking Hillary Clinton's election campaign.
Putin laughs off Mueller indictment in Fox News interview
Speaking at the joint news conference, President Putin offered to allow US investigators to visit Russia to question the officers.
In a later interview with Fox News, Mr Putin said it was "ridiculous" that some people thought Russia could have influenced the US elections.
He said US-Russian relations should not be "held hostage" to an internal political struggle in America.
Mr Putin also denied longstanding reports that Russian intelligence may hold compromising material on Mr Trump.
The Russian president said that before the election Mr Trump was just a "rich person" and "of no interest for us".
And Mr Putin accused the UK of making "ungrounded accusations" over the recent poisoning of ex-Soviet spy Sergei Skripal and three other people with the "novichok" nerve agent.
One of those people has since died.
Novichok: Murder inquiry after Dawn Sturgess dies
Referring to the Skripal case, Mr Putin said Russia had received no evidence about it. "Nobody gives it to us, he said. "It's the same thing as the accusations with meddling into the election process in America."
With no tangible results from the summit, the two leaders are framing this as the first of many meetings to come
Given the American reaction from across the political spectrum, however, future meetings may be difficult to pull off.
After a week abroad, Mr Trump on Monday delivered the coup de grace for what has been a highly disruptive week in US foreign affairs.
European allies are uneasy. US-Russia relations are uncertain. And the US political world - and even the White House's own communications team - is unsettled.
Mr Putin described the Helsinki meeting as "candid and useful" while Mr Trump said there had been "deeply productive dialogue".
Mr Trump said US-Russia relations had "never been worse" than before they met, but that had now changed.
Relations between Russia and the West were severely strained by Moscow's annexation of Crimea from Ukraine in 2014 and Russia's support for separatists in eastern Ukraine.
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