Trump tricked with prank call on Air Force One
Washington, June 30 : A comedian claims to have spoken for several minutes with US President Donald Trump by pretending to be Senator Robert Menendez while on board Air Force One.
Comedian John Melendez said he claimed to be Senator Menendez and a fake assistant. Then he spoke to the President's son-in-law Jared Kushner and received a call back from Trump on Thursday.
"I am shocked ... I mean we did this as a goof, I'm a comedian," Melendez, better known as Stuttering John, told CNN on Friday. "I just could not believe that it took us an hour-and-a-half to get Kushner and Trump on the phone from Air Force One."
Menendez is a Democratic senator from New Jersey and a long-time campaigner for immigration reform.
Melendez recorded his conversations with the President and uploaded on his podcast. At the start of the purported call, the voice that is purportedly Trump congratulates Menendez on his acquittal in a federal corruption case, saying: "You went through a tough, tough situation, and I don't think a very fair situation. But congratulations."
The senator was accused of accepting gifts from a Florida eye doctor in exchange for political influence.
The two also discuss the upcoming Supreme Court vacancy, according to the audio on the podcast. The voice that sounds like Trump promises the fake Menendez he'll nominate a new justice in "10 to 14 days".
The prank caller said that his plan could have easily gone wrong. "All they had to ask me is what party affiliation is Senator Menendez, or what state is he a senator of, and I would not have known. But they didn't ask me any of this," Melendez told CNN.
Melendez said that they initially called the White House and were honest about their identity, but officials said Trump was busy and hung up. So they called again, but this time as "Shawn Moore," a fake assistant to Menendez.
Later, when the White House made inquiries with Menendez's office about the conversation Trump thought he had with him on Thursday, the senator's staff were befuddled, reports said.
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345 Indian fishermen stranded in Iran return home via Armenia
New Delhi (PTI): A group of 345 Indian fishermen, who were stranded in Iran amid escalating regional tensions, returned to India via Armenia on Saturday, officials said.
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar thanked his Armenian counterpart Ararat Mirzoyan for assistance in return of the Indian nationals.
The Indian nationals arrived in Chennai this evening, the officials cited above said.
The circumstances that led to them being stranded in Iran were not immediately known.
"Thank FM @AraratMirzoyan and the Government of Armenia for facilitating the evacuation of Indian fishermen today from Iran, through Armenia to India," Jaishankar said on social media.
Over 1,500 Indian nationals have left Iran through land border crossings in Armenia and Azerbaijan since the start of the West Asia conflict over a month ago.
"A group of Indian fishermen, stranded in Iran, are returning home via Armenia today; their flight is expected to reach India this evening," a government statement said.
It said the Ministry of External Affairs continues to closely monitor the evolving situation in the West Asian region, with the safety, security and welfare of the Indian community being accorded the highest priority.
It also made a mention of five Indians being injured in Abu Dhabi on Friday.
According to Abu Dhabi authorities, the Indian nationals were among the 12 people injured by debris from an intercepted missile.
"In an attack in Abu Dhabi, five Indian nationals were injured; four have been discharged, one remains under treatment," the Indian government's statement said.
It said the Indian mission in Abu Dhabi is extending "full" assistance and coordinating with local authorities, adding that their flight is expected to reach India this evening.
