IN BRIEF (Page 8)

UNITED STATES

President slams more 'fake news'

President Donald Trump on Friday dismissed as "fake news" bombshell reports that he had ordered the firing of Russia investigation special prosecutor Robert Mueller last year, only backing off in the face of a threatened resignation. "Fake news. Fake news. Typical New York Times. Fake stories," Trump said. The New York Times and other US media reported that Trump ordered the firing of Mueller in June 2017 but that the president backed down when the top White House lawyer threatened to resign. Mueller is leading the probe into allegations of collusion between the US president's campaign team and Russia in the 2016 election. Both Trump and Russia deny such claims.