The United States Senate confirmed billionaire heiress Betsy DeVos as the next secretary of education Tuesday, after Vice President Mike Pence cast a historic tie-breaking vote on the deeply controversial nomination.

The confirmation means President Donald Trump will now have five of his 15 cabinet members in place more then two weeks into his administration, along with the CIA director and US ambassador to the United Nations, which are cabinet-rank positions.

The chamber deadlocked at 50-50, with two Republicans breaking ranks to oppose DeVos, a champion of using taxpayer monies to help fund privately run schools.

&quot;The Senate being equally divided, the vice president votes in the affirmative, and the nomination is confirmed,&quot; Pence said.

It was the first time a sitting vice president has voted to break a tie for a cabinet pick.

Afterward, Pence tweeted that the confirmation was &quot;a vote for every child having a chance at a world-class education.&quot;

Contentious pick

Her nomination has proven to be the most contentious of Trump&#39;s picks.

Pence&#39;s vote was needed to save DeVos, who had triggered an outpouring of frustration and anger when Trump nominated the 59-year-old political scion from Michigan late last year.

Two moderate Senate Republicans, Susan Collins and Lisa Murkowski, bucked Trump and opposed his pick, citing her lack of qualifications for the post that oversees thousands of schools, millions of school children and curriculum standards.

Democrats were unable to convince another Republican to defect despite intense lobbying efforts that culminated with an all-night Democratic talk-a-thon late Monday into Tuesday on the Senate floor.

Senator Patty Murray said DeVos&#39;s performance at last month&#39;s confirmation hearing &quot;underscored how unprepared she is to serve as secretary of education.&quot;

Murray, a former pre-school teacher, added: &quot;There are open questions about her financial entanglements... and lack of understanding about basic education issues.&quot;

DeVos, a former chair of the Michigan Republican Party, never attended public school or worked in the public school system.

Supporters praise the businesswoman and philanthropist as a fierce advocate of school choice, a US movement that seeks to use tax credits and vouchers to allow parents to opt out of the public school system in favor of privately managed charter schools for their children.

Attorney general nominee next

Republican Senator Rob Portman said DeVos would not rule with a heavy hand from Washington.

&quot;She strongly supports local control of education and has pledged not to impose her own views on states and local school districts, but rather to allow them -- along with parents -- to make the decisions that best fit the needs of their children,&quot; Portman said.

Trump rallied Republicans with a pre-vote tweet: &quot;Senate Dems protest to keep the failed status quo. Betsy DeVos is a reformer, and she is going to be a great Education Sec. for our kids!&quot;

The president has strongly criticized Democrats for opposing his cabinet nominations, saying they should be &quot;ashamed of themselves&quot; for slow-walking the process.

One nominee that Democrats have pushed back sharply against is one of the Senate&#39;s own, US attorney general nominee Senator Jeff Sessions, an early Trump backer during the presidential campaign.

Sessions endured a contentious hearing, during which Democrats questioned his civil rights record and his&nbsp;opposition to immigration.

But on Tuesday, his colleagues voted to advance his nomination, setting up a confirmation vote likely for later this week.

DeVos is less well known than Sessions. But she is a fixture in the education world, having served on the boards of not-for-profit groups that support school choice.

&quot;Parents no longer believe that a one-size-fits-all model of learning meets the needs of every child, and they know other options exist -- whether magnet, virtual, charter, home, religious, or any combination thereof,&quot; she said at her confirmation hearing.&nbsp;

Devout Christian beliefs are a hallmark of the DeVos clan, and Betsy has fought hard to carve out broader space for religion in the education world.

Until her nomination she chaired the American Federation for Children, the DeVos family&#39;s umbrella organization that supports advancement of school choice outside of Michigan.

&quot;Our work in Michigan was so successful that some of our friends in the movement began to say, &#39;We really need to do this nationally,&#39;&quot; DeVos said in a 2013 interview with the Philanthropy Roundtable.

&quot;And I said, &#39;Yes, I think we do.&#39;&quot;

(AFP)

With the chamber tied at 50-50, Mike Pence cast a historic tie-breaking vote on the deeply controversial nomination

The United States Senate confirmed billionaire heiress Betsy DeVos as the next secretary of education Tuesday, after Vice President Mike Pence cast a historic tie-breaking vote on the deeply controversial nomination. The confirmation means President Donald Trump will now have five of his 15 cabinet members in place more then two weeks into his administration, along with the CIA director and US ambassador to the United Nations, which are cabinet-rank positions. The chamber deadlocked at 50-50, with two Republicans breaking ranks to oppose DeVos, a champion of using taxpayer monies to help fund privately run schools. "The Senate being equally divided, the vice president votes in the affirmative, and the nomination is confirmed," Pence said. It was the first time a sitting vice president has voted to break a tie for a cabinet pick. Afterward, Pence tweeted that the confirmation was "a vote for every child having a chance at a world-class education." Contentious pick Her nomination has proven to be the most contentious of Trump's picks. Pence's vote was needed to save DeVos, who had triggered an outpouring of frustration and anger when Trump nominated the 59-year-old political scion from Michigan late last year. Two moderate Senate Republicans, Susan Collins and Lisa Murkowski, bucked Trump and opposed his pick, citing her lack of qualifications for the post that oversees thousands of schools, millions of school children and curriculum standards. Democrats were unable to convince another Republican to defect despite intense lobbying efforts that culminated with an all-night Democratic talk-a-thon late Monday into Tuesday on the Senate floor. Senator Patty Murray said DeVos's performance at last month's confirmation hearing "underscored how unprepared she is to serve as secretary of education." Murray, a former pre-school teacher, added: "There are open questions about her financial entanglements... and lack of understanding about basic education issues." DeVos, a former chair of the Michigan Republican Party, never attended public school or worked in the public school system. Supporters praise the businesswoman and philanthropist as a fierce advocate of school choice, a US movement that seeks to use tax credits and vouchers to allow parents to opt out of the public school system in favor of privately managed charter schools for their children. Attorney general nominee next Republican Senator Rob Portman said DeVos would not rule with a heavy hand from Washington. "She strongly supports local control of education and has pledged not to impose her own views on states and local school districts, but rather to allow them -- along with parents -- to make the decisions that best fit the needs of their children," Portman said. Trump rallied Republicans with a pre-vote tweet: "Senate Dems protest to keep the failed status quo. Betsy DeVos is a reformer, and she is going to be a great Education Sec. for our kids!" The president has strongly criticized Democrats for opposing his cabinet nominations, saying they should be "ashamed of themselves" for slow-walking the process. One nominee that Democrats have pushed back sharply against is one of the Senate's own, US attorney general nominee Senator Jeff Sessions, an early Trump backer during the presidential campaign. Sessions endured a contentious hearing, during which Democrats questioned his civil rights record and his opposition to immigration. But on Tuesday, his colleagues voted to advance his nomination, setting up a confirmation vote likely for later this week. DeVos is less well known than Sessions. But she is a fixture in the education world, having served on the boards of not-for-profit groups that support school choice. "Parents no longer believe that a one-size-fits-all model of learning meets the needs of every child, and they know other options exist -- whether magnet, virtual, charter, home, religious, or any combination thereof," she said at her confirmation hearing. Devout Christian beliefs are a hallmark of the DeVos clan, and Betsy has fought hard to carve out broader space for religion in the education world. Until her nomination she chaired the American Federation for Children, the DeVos family's umbrella organization that supports advancement of school choice outside of Michigan. "Our work in Michigan was so successful that some of our friends in the movement began to say, 'We really need to do this nationally,'" DeVos said in a 2013 interview with the Philanthropy Roundtable. "And I said, 'Yes, I think we do.'" (AFP)

US vice president breaks deadlock to vote for new secretary of education

The speaker of Britain&#39;s lower house of parliament said on Monday he would not support any plans for US&nbsp;President Donald Trump to address parliament during a state visit planned for later this year, citing Trump&#39;s&nbsp;immigration ban as a factor.

<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/hOKPhRxVkeQ" width="560"></iframe>

More than 1.8 million people in Britain have signed a petition calling for Trump&#39;s planned visit to be cancelled or downgraded to avoid embarrassing Queen Elizabeth, part of a grassroots backlash against his immigration policies.

Prime Minister Theresa May has defended the decision to offer a state visit, but more than 150 lawmakers have signed a symbolic motion calling for Trump not to be given the honour of speaking in parliament.

Asked by an opposition Labour lawmaker about the possibility of a parliamentary address, House of Commons speaker John Bercow said he shared the concerns.

&quot;As far as this place (parliament) is concerned, I feel very strongly that our opposition to racism and to sexism and our support for equality before the law and an independent judiciary are hugely important considerations,&quot; Bercow said, earning a round of applause from lawmakers.

Trump&#39;s executive order barring entry to the United States for refugees and people from seven Muslim-majority countries has prompted worldwide protests, including by thousands of demonstrators in London.

The temporary immigration ban faced a legal hurdle on Monday that could determine whether he can push through the most controversial and far-reaching policy of his first two weeks in office.

As one of the key figures whose approval would be needed for a parliamentary address, Bercow said he would oppose any possible move to invite Trump to speak in either of the two locations which host foreign leaders during state visits.

In 2011, Trump&#39;s predecessor Barack Obama became the first US president to address both houses of parliament in Westminster Hall, the oldest building in the parliamentary palace, which has also hosted South Africa&#39;s Nelson Mandela and France&#39;s Charles de Gaulle.

&quot;Before the imposition of the migrant ban, I would myself have been strongly opposed to an address by President Trump in Westminster Hall. After the imposition of the migrant ban by President Trump, I am even more strongly opposed to an address by President Trump in Westminster Hall,&quot; Bercow said.

&quot;An address by a foreign leader to both houses of parliament is not an automatic right; it is an earned honour.&quot;

(Reuters)

John Bercow said Parliament opposed 'racism and sexism', and a spontaneous and rousing applause broke out

The speaker of Britain's lower house of parliament said on Monday he would not support any plans for US President Donald Trump to address parliament during a state visit planned for later this year, citing Trump's immigration ban as a factor. More than 1.8 million people in Britain have signed a petition calling for Trump's planned visit to be cancelled or downgraded to avoid embarrassing Queen Elizabeth, part of a grassroots backlash against his immigration policies. Prime Minister Theresa May has defended the decision to offer a state visit, but more than 150 lawmakers have signed a symbolic motion calling for Trump not to be given the honour of speaking in parliament. Asked by an opposition Labour lawmaker about the possibility of a parliamentary address, House of Commons speaker John Bercow said he shared the concerns. "As far as this place (parliament) is concerned, I feel very strongly that our opposition to racism and to sexism and our support for equality before the law and an independent judiciary are hugely important considerations," Bercow said, earning a round of applause from lawmakers. Trump's executive order barring entry to the United States for refugees and people from seven Muslim-majority countries has prompted worldwide protests, including by thousands of demonstrators in London. The temporary immigration ban faced a legal hurdle on Monday that could determine whether he can push through the most controversial and far-reaching policy of his first two weeks in office. As one of the key figures whose approval would be needed for a parliamentary address, Bercow said he would oppose any possible move to invite Trump to speak in either of the two locations which host foreign leaders during state visits. In 2011, Trump's predecessor Barack Obama became the first US president to address both houses of parliament in Westminster Hall, the oldest building in the parliamentary palace, which has also hosted South Africa's Nelson Mandela and France's Charles de Gaulle. "Before the imposition of the migrant ban, I would myself have been strongly opposed to an address by President Trump in Westminster Hall. After the imposition of the migrant ban by President Trump, I am even more strongly opposed to an address by President Trump in Westminster Hall," Bercow said. "An address by a foreign leader to both houses of parliament is not an automatic right; it is an earned honour." (Reuters)

British Speaker opposes letting Trump address parliament

United States President Donald Trump criticised those against the controversial travel ban imposed on seven Muslim-dominated countries.

The 70-year-old also trained his guns on the media for trying to downplay the threat posed by travellers and refugess from Iran, Syria, Somalia, Sudan, Iraq and Yemen.

While the ban was suspended by a Seattle court on Friday, the US government appears unwavering its efforts to implement the executive order signed by Trump on January 27 despite two new polls showing that a majority of Americans are against the imposition of the ban.

Trump took to Twitter to slam the national media: &quot;Any negative polls are fake news, just like the CNN, ABC, NBC polls in the election.&nbsp;Sorry, people want border security and extreme vetting.&quot;

He also spoke about the risks involved in letting Muslims from the seven countries enter the country.&nbsp;

&quot;Radical Islamic terrorists are determined to strike our homeland as they did on 9/11, as they did from Boston to Orlando to San Bernardino, and all across Europe,&quot; the president later told military personnel.

Incidentally, none of the 9/11 attackers had any connection to the seven countries that have been blackballed by the current administration.

The legal battle has moved to San Francisco, where a US court of appeals gave the administration until Monday evening to submit a brief defending the decision.

Mounting opposition

Trump&#39;s decree slapped a blanket ban on entry for nationals of the seven mainly-Muslim countries for 90 days and barred all refugees for 120 days.&nbsp;Refugees from Syria were blocked indefinitely.

The president says the ban is needed to tighten US security against foreign terror threats, citing the September 11, 2001 attacks despite the hijackers having no links to the named countries.

But Friday in Seattle, a federal district judge ordered the temporary nationwide suspension of the president&#39;s order, allowing the many travellers who were suddenly barred from US soil to start trickling back in.

The appeals court in San Francisco on Sunday refused to overrule the federal judge, and ordered the Trump administration to present a brief by 2300 GMT on Monday.

The attorneys general for the states of Washington and Minnesota, which won the temporary stay of the ban, have asked the appeals court to refuse to reinstate it. They were backed Monday in a court brief filed by 16 other US states.

And in an additional blow, a slew of Silicon Valley giants led by Apple, Facebook, Google, Microsoft and Twitter have filed a legal brief in support of the lawsuit.

The 97 companies speaking out against Trump&#39;s travel ban said it harms recruiting and retention of talent, threatens business operations, and hampers their ability to attract investment to the United States.

A group of prominent Democrats including former secretaries of state John Kerry and Madeleine Albright added their voices to the criticism on Monday, in a filing to the San Francisco appeals court.

&quot;Reinstating the executive order would wreak havoc on innocent lives and deeply held American values,&quot; they said.

Specifically, the Democrats said Trump&#39;s travel ban could endanger US troops in the field, disrupt counterterrorism cooperation and feed Islamic State group propaganda.

Arrivals

Spicer insisted the administration was &quot;absolutely not&quot; thinking about withdrawing its order. On Trump&#39;s plan to introduce extreme vetting at US borders, he said: &quot;Once we win the case, it will go right back into action.&quot;

But top Republicans have also shown renewed signs of discomfort with the president as the controversy escalates, with Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell chiding Trump on Sunday for attacking the judge who suspended the ban.

&quot;I think it is best to avoid criticizing judges individually,&quot; he said on CNN.

Trump had blasted Judge James Robart in a series of angry tweets.

&quot;Just cannot believe a judge would put our country in such peril. If something happens blame him and court system. People pouring in. Bad!&quot;

With the ban suspended, travelers from the targeted countries holding valid visas have begun arriving on American soil.&nbsp;

In New York, 33-year-old Sudanese doctor Kamal Fadlalla rejoiced -- after a week blocked in his home country, he was back in the Big Apple with friends and colleagues.

&quot;It feels great,&quot; Fadlalla told AFP on Sunday at John F. Kennedy International Airport. &quot;It was a tough week actually.&quot;

Iranian graduate student Sara Yarjani, who was initially deported under Trump&#39;s order, arrived in Los Angeles.

&quot;I am so grateful to all the lawyers and others that helped me,&quot; she said tearfully.

The State Department has said visa holders from the seven countries are allowed to travel to the US as long as their documents have not been &quot;physically canceled&quot;.

(WION with inputs from AFP)

The Trump administration is keen to reinstate the ban on Muslims despite fresh polls showing the public to be against the idea

United States President Donald Trump criticised those against the controversial travel ban imposed on seven Muslim-dominated countries. The 70-year-old also trained his guns on the media for trying to downplay the threat posed by travellers and refugess from Iran, Syria, Somalia, Sudan, Iraq and Yemen. While the ban was suspended by a Seattle court on Friday, the US government appears unwavering its efforts to implement the executive order signed by Trump on January 27 despite two new polls showing that a majority of Americans are against the imposition of the ban. Trump took to Twitter to slam the national media: "Any negative polls are fake news, just like the CNN, ABC, NBC polls in the election. Sorry, people want border security and extreme vetting." He also spoke about the risks involved in letting Muslims from the seven countries enter the country. "Radical Islamic terrorists are determined to strike our homeland as they did on 9/11, as they did from Boston to Orlando to San Bernardino, and all across Europe," the president later told military personnel. Incidentally, none of the 9/11 attackers had any connection to the seven countries that have been blackballed by the current administration. The legal battle has moved to San Francisco, where a US court of appeals gave the administration until Monday evening to submit a brief defending the decision. Mounting opposition Trump's decree slapped a blanket ban on entry for nationals of the seven mainly-Muslim countries for 90 days and barred all refugees for 120 days. Refugees from Syria were blocked indefinitely. The president says the ban is needed to tighten US security against foreign terror threats, citing the September 11, 2001 attacks despite the hijackers having no links to the named countries. But Friday in Seattle, a federal district judge ordered the temporary nationwide suspension of the president's order, allowing the many travellers who were suddenly barred from US soil to start trickling back in. The appeals court in San Francisco on Sunday refused to overrule the federal judge, and ordered the Trump administration to present a brief by 2300 GMT on Monday. The attorneys general for the states of Washington and Minnesota, which won the temporary stay of the ban, have asked the appeals court to refuse to reinstate it. They were backed Monday in a court brief filed by 16 other US states. And in an additional blow, a slew of Silicon Valley giants led by Apple, Facebook, Google, Microsoft and Twitter have filed a legal brief in support of the lawsuit. The 97 companies speaking out against Trump's travel ban said it harms recruiting and retention of talent, threatens business operations, and hampers their ability to attract investment to the United States. A group of prominent Democrats including former secretaries of state John Kerry and Madeleine Albright added their voices to the criticism on Monday, in a filing to the San Francisco appeals court. "Reinstating the executive order would wreak havoc on innocent lives and deeply held American values," they said. Specifically, the Democrats said Trump's travel ban could endanger US troops in the field, disrupt counterterrorism cooperation and feed Islamic State group propaganda. Arrivals Spicer insisted the administration was "absolutely not" thinking about withdrawing its order. On Trump's plan to introduce extreme vetting at US borders, he said: "Once we win the case, it will go right back into action." But top Republicans have also shown renewed signs of discomfort with the president as the controversy escalates, with Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell chiding Trump on Sunday for attacking the judge who suspended the ban. "I think it is best to avoid criticizing judges individually," he said on CNN. Trump had blasted Judge James Robart in a series of angry tweets. "Just cannot believe a judge would put our country in such peril. If something happens blame him and court system. People pouring in. Bad!" With the ban suspended, travelers from the targeted countries holding valid visas have begun arriving on American soil. In New York, 33-year-old Sudanese doctor Kamal Fadlalla rejoiced -- after a week blocked in his home country, he was back in the Big Apple with friends and colleagues. "It feels great," Fadlalla told AFP on Sunday at John F. Kennedy International Airport. "It was a tough week actually." Iranian graduate student Sara Yarjani, who was initially deported under Trump's order, arrived in Los Angeles. "I am so grateful to all the lawyers and others that helped me," she said tearfully. The State Department has said visa holders from the seven countries are allowed to travel to the US as long as their documents have not been "physically canceled". (WION with inputs from AFP)

Trump attacks media for downplaying Islamist terror threat

Several technology giants, including Apple, Google and Microsoft have banded together to file a legal brief opposing President Donald Trump&#39;s temporary immigration ban, arguing that it &quot;inflicts significant harm on American business.&quot;

The brief, filed in the US Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit, included other top tech firms including Facebook, Twitter and Intel, as well as non-tech companies such as Levi Strauss and Chobani. In all nearly 100 firms, including eBay, Netflix and Uber signed onto the brief.

Trump&#39;s temporary immigration ban, the most contentious policy move of his first two weeks in offices, faces crucial legal hurdles.

His administration has a deadline on Monday to justify the executive order temporarily barring immigrants from seven mostly Muslim countries and the entry of refugees, after a federal judge in Seattle blocked it with a temporary restraining order on Friday.

&quot;The Order represents a significant departure from the principles of fairness and predictability that have governed the immigration system of the United States for more than fifty years,&quot; the brief stated.

&quot;The Order inflicts significant harm on American business, innovation, and growth as a result,&quot; it added.

&quot;Immigrants or their children founded more than 200 of the companies on the Fortune 500 list.&quot;

US tech firms have been among the more vocal sectors speaking out against the policy, with many of its staff made up of foreign-born nationals.

The 9th US Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco over the weekend denied the Trump administration&#39;s request for an immediate stay of the federal judge&#39;s temporary restraining order that blocked nationwide the implementation of key parts of the travel ban.

But the court said it would reconsider the government&#39;s request after receiving more information.

 
(Reuters)

On January 27, Trump had issued an order imposing a 90-day ban affecting citizens from Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria & Yemen

Several technology giants, including Apple, Google and Microsoft have banded together to file a legal brief opposing President Donald Trump's temporary immigration ban, arguing that it "inflicts significant harm on American business." The brief, filed in the US Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit, included other top tech firms including Facebook, Twitter and Intel, as well as non-tech companies such as Levi Strauss and Chobani. In all nearly 100 firms, including eBay, Netflix and Uber signed onto the brief. Trump's temporary immigration ban, the most contentious policy move of his first two weeks in offices, faces crucial legal hurdles. His administration has a deadline on Monday to justify the executive order temporarily barring immigrants from seven mostly Muslim countries and the entry of refugees, after a federal judge in Seattle blocked it with a temporary restraining order on Friday. "The Order represents a significant departure from the principles of fairness and predictability that have governed the immigration system of the United States for more than fifty years," the brief stated. "The Order inflicts significant harm on American business, innovation, and growth as a result," it added. "Immigrants or their children founded more than 200 of the companies on the Fortune 500 list." US tech firms have been among the more vocal sectors speaking out against the policy, with many of its staff made up of foreign-born nationals. The 9th US Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco over the weekend denied the Trump administration's request for an immediate stay of the federal judge's temporary restraining order that blocked nationwide the implementation of key parts of the travel ban. But the court said it would reconsider the government's request after receiving more information. (Reuters)

Apple, Facebook and other tech giants to urge Trump to alter US travel ban

From London and Paris to New York and Washington, thousands of people took to the streets Saturday in American and European cities to protest US President Donald Trump&#39;s travel ban, even as it was suspended by a federal judge.

The biggest demonstration by far took place in the British capital, where an estimated 10,000 people turned out, chanting &quot;Theresa May: Shame on You&quot; to denounce the British prime minister&#39;s support for the new US leader.

Brandishing placards declaring &quot;No to scapegoating Muslims&quot; and &quot;Socialism not Trumpism,&quot; the protesters moved from the US embassy toward May&#39;s Downing Street office.

In an executive order issued on January 27, Trump slapped a blanket ban on nationals of seven mainly Muslim countries -- Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen -- barring their entry to the United States for 90 days.

Refugees were also barred from entry for 120 days, except those from Syria, who were blocked indefinitely.

However, on Friday, a US federal judge suspended the ban, a move which the Republican president -- who took office on January 20 -- condemned and vowed to fight.

&#39;Dump Trump&#39;

On the other side of the Atlantic, about 3,000 people demonstrated in New York, Trump&#39;s home town where protests against the property magnate-turned-world leader are near-daily.

Activists and supporters gathered outside the historic Stonewall Inn, a landmark of the gay rights movement in New York&#39;s Greenwich Village, to show support for Muslims and others affected by Trump&#39;s immigration order.

Democratic Senate minority leader Charles Schumer led the crowd -- which carried rainbow flags and Americans flags -- in cheers of &quot;Dump Trump.&quot;

In Washington, hundreds marched from the White House to Capitol Hill to show their solidarity.

&quot;Donald, Donald can&#39;t you see, we don&#39;t want you in DC,&quot; chanted the demonstrators in the largely Democratic-leaning US capital.

Many waved homemade signs with slogans like &quot;Love knows no borders&quot; and &quot;Will swap Trump for 1,000 refugees.&quot;

&quot;I was born and raised here and for the first time in my life, I don&#39;t feel safe,&quot; said Abu Bakkar, 26, whose parents are originally from Pakistan.

The Department of Defense consultant said the new president &quot;has revealed hate that&#39;s been underground for so long. He has divided one of the greatest countries in the world.&quot;

Anti-Trump petition

In Britain, more than 1.8 million people have signed a petition saying Trump should not be afforded a formal state visit because it would embarrass Queen Elizabeth II.

&quot;We&#39;re going to bring this capital to a halt on the day he comes over. We are going to make it impossible for him to have a state visit,&quot; Chris Nineham, vice-chair of the Stop the War Coalition, told AFP.

The Guardian newspaper said around 10,000 people attended the London protest, while organizers claimed 40,000.

Elsewhere in Europe, about 1,000 people turned out in both Paris and Berlin, while smaller gatherings of several hundred people took place in provincial British cities including Manchester and Birmingham.

&quot;We are here to say we don&#39;t accept hate,&quot; said 20-year-old American Michael Jacobs, co-organizer of the Paris rally, surrounded by signs saying &quot;Refugees are welcome!&quot;

In Berlin, protesters rallied in front of the Brandenburg Gate.

&quot;I hope they will change something, but I am really disappointed,&quot; said Mahsa Zamani, a 26-year-old Iranian medical student who had been due to head to a Florida hospital for an internship.

&quot;It is still discrimination, and I don&#39;t know if I really feel like going even if they are changing (the rules).&quot;

On Saturday evening, hundreds of protesters were planning to march near Trump&#39;s Mar-a-Lago club and vacation home in Florida, though police were expected to keep them far from the property.

(AFP)

Cities across Europe and America have stridently condemned Donald Trump's immigration ban decision

From London and Paris to New York and Washington, thousands of people took to the streets Saturday in American and European cities to protest US President Donald Trump's travel ban, even as it was suspended by a federal judge. The biggest demonstration by far took place in the British capital, where an estimated 10,000 people turned out, chanting "Theresa May: Shame on You" to denounce the British prime minister's support for the new US leader. Brandishing placards declaring "No to scapegoating Muslims" and "Socialism not Trumpism," the protesters moved from the US embassy toward May's Downing Street office. In an executive order issued on January 27, Trump slapped a blanket ban on nationals of seven mainly Muslim countries -- Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen -- barring their entry to the United States for 90 days. Refugees were also barred from entry for 120 days, except those from Syria, who were blocked indefinitely. However, on Friday, a US federal judge suspended the ban, a move which the Republican president -- who took office on January 20 -- condemned and vowed to fight. 'Dump Trump' On the other side of the Atlantic, about 3,000 people demonstrated in New York, Trump's home town where protests against the property magnate-turned-world leader are near-daily. Activists and supporters gathered outside the historic Stonewall Inn, a landmark of the gay rights movement in New York's Greenwich Village, to show support for Muslims and others affected by Trump's immigration order. Democratic Senate minority leader Charles Schumer led the crowd -- which carried rainbow flags and Americans flags -- in cheers of "Dump Trump." In Washington, hundreds marched from the White House to Capitol Hill to show their solidarity. "Donald, Donald can't you see, we don't want you in DC," chanted the demonstrators in the largely Democratic-leaning US capital. Many waved homemade signs with slogans like "Love knows no borders" and "Will swap Trump for 1,000 refugees." "I was born and raised here and for the first time in my life, I don't feel safe," said Abu Bakkar, 26, whose parents are originally from Pakistan. The Department of Defense consultant said the new president "has revealed hate that's been underground for so long. He has divided one of the greatest countries in the world." Anti-Trump petition In Britain, more than 1.8 million people have signed a petition saying Trump should not be afforded a formal state visit because it would embarrass Queen Elizabeth II. "We're going to bring this capital to a halt on the day he comes over. We are going to make it impossible for him to have a state visit," Chris Nineham, vice-chair of the Stop the War Coalition, told AFP. The Guardian newspaper said around 10,000 people attended the London protest, while organizers claimed 40,000. Elsewhere in Europe, about 1,000 people turned out in both Paris and Berlin, while smaller gatherings of several hundred people took place in provincial British cities including Manchester and Birmingham. "We are here to say we don't accept hate," said 20-year-old American Michael Jacobs, co-organizer of the Paris rally, surrounded by signs saying "Refugees are welcome!" In Berlin, protesters rallied in front of the Brandenburg Gate. "I hope they will change something, but I am really disappointed," said Mahsa Zamani, a 26-year-old Iranian medical student who had been due to head to a Florida hospital for an internship. "It is still discrimination, and I don't know if I really feel like going even if they are changing (the rules)." On Saturday evening, hundreds of protesters were planning to march near Trump's Mar-a-Lago club and vacation home in Florida, though police were expected to keep them far from the property. (AFP)

From London to Paris to New York, thousands converge for anti-Trump protests

US Vice President Mike Pence has&nbsp;called the federal judge&#39;s ruling suspending the travel ban on people from seven Muslim-majority nations a &quot;wrong decision&quot; and vowed the Trump administration will take &quot;all legal means&quot; to protect the country.

&quot;We believe the judge made the wrong decision, the Boston court made the right decision. We&#39;re going to continue to use all legal means at our disposal to stay that order and move forward to take the steps necessary to protect our country,&quot; Pence told Fox News.

Pence said from the very outset of his campaign for the president and the outset of this administration, President Donald Trump has made it clear that he is going to put the safety and security of the American people first.

The executive order he signed suspending travel from seven mainly Muslim countries - Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen - that have been compromised by terror is consistent with that objective, and it&#39;s consistent with his powers as president of the United States of America - both under the Constitution and under statutory law, he asserted.

&quot;It&#39;s quite clear that the president has the ability to determine who has access to this country when it comes to national security,&quot; Pence said as he expressed his frustration over the judge&#39;s decision in the Washington court.

&quot;We don&#39;t appoint judges to our district courts to conduct foreign policy or to make decisions about the national security. Under statutory law and under the Constitution, that authority belongs to the president of the United States,&quot; he said.

&quot;While the court did not impose a stay of that order at this point, we&#39;re going to move very quickly into the merits of this argument. As the President said, we are going to in the arguments because we&#39;re going to take the steps necessary to protect the country, which the president of the United States has the authority to do,&quot; Pence said.

When asked about Trump slamming the judge which is quite unusual in the US, Pence told ABC News in another interview that American people are very accustomed to this president speaking his mind and speaking very straight with them.

&quot;There&#39;s simply no question under &#39;The Constitution,&#39; and, frankly, under federal law, that the president of the US has the authority, in the interest of national security, to determine who has the right to come into this country,&quot; he said.

&quot;And we&#39;re going to challenge the judge&#39;s order on that basis, because the reality is, we face a dangerous enemy and the president is determined to use the authority that he has under &#39;The Constitution&#39; and under the law,&quot; Pence said.

&quot;The administration is complying with that order as we speak. We will go through the process in the courts to get a stay of that order, so that again, we can implement this action that is entirely focused on the safety and security of the American people,&quot; he said.

&quot;We have got to do things differently. The Obama administration and the last Congress identified these seven countries repeatedly as seven countries that have been compromised by terrorism,&quot; he added.

As the ban lifted, refugees and thousands of travellers from Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen who had been stopped in their tracks last weekend by Trump&#39;s executive order scrambled to get flights to quickly enter the United States.

The sudden reversal of the ban catapulted would-be immigrants back to airports, with uncertainty over how long the window to enter the United States will remain open.

(WION with agency inputs) 
&nbsp;

US Vice President Mike Pence said the Trump administration will take 'all legal means' to protect the country

US Vice President Mike Pence has called the federal judge's ruling suspending the travel ban on people from seven Muslim-majority nations a "wrong decision" and vowed the Trump administration will take "all legal means" to protect the country. "We believe the judge made the wrong decision, the Boston court made the right decision. We're going to continue to use all legal means at our disposal to stay that order and move forward to take the steps necessary to protect our country," Pence told Fox News. Pence said from the very outset of his campaign for the president and the outset of this administration, President Donald Trump has made it clear that he is going to put the safety and security of the American people first. The executive order he signed suspending travel from seven mainly Muslim countries - Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen - that have been compromised by terror is consistent with that objective, and it's consistent with his powers as president of the United States of America - both under the Constitution and under statutory law, he asserted. "It's quite clear that the president has the ability to determine who has access to this country when it comes to national security," Pence said as he expressed his frustration over the judge's decision in the Washington court. "We don't appoint judges to our district courts to conduct foreign policy or to make decisions about the national security. Under statutory law and under the Constitution, that authority belongs to the president of the United States," he said. "While the court did not impose a stay of that order at this point, we're going to move very quickly into the merits of this argument. As the President said, we are going to in the arguments because we're going to take the steps necessary to protect the country, which the president of the United States has the authority to do," Pence said. When asked about Trump slamming the judge which is quite unusual in the US, Pence told ABC News in another interview that American people are very accustomed to this president speaking his mind and speaking very straight with them. "There's simply no question under 'The Constitution,' and, frankly, under federal law, that the president of the US has the authority, in the interest of national security, to determine who has the right to come into this country," he said. "And we're going to challenge the judge's order on that basis, because the reality is, we face a dangerous enemy and the president is determined to use the authority that he has under 'The Constitution' and under the law," Pence said. "The administration is complying with that order as we speak. We will go through the process in the courts to get a stay of that order, so that again, we can implement this action that is entirely focused on the safety and security of the American people," he said. "We have got to do things differently. The Obama administration and the last Congress identified these seven countries repeatedly as seven countries that have been compromised by terrorism," he added. As the ban lifted, refugees and thousands of travellers from Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen who had been stopped in their tracks last weekend by Trump's executive order scrambled to get flights to quickly enter the United States. The sudden reversal of the ban catapulted would-be immigrants back to airports, with uncertainty over how long the window to enter the United States will remain open. (WION with agency inputs)

Judge's ruling on travel ban a 'wrong decision', says US Vice President

German weekly magazine Der Spiegel sparked controversy at home and abroad on Saturday with a front cover illustration of US President Donald Trump beheading the Statue of Liberty.

The cover depicted a cartoon figure of Trump with a bloodied knife in one hand and the statue&#39;s head, dripping with blood, in the other with a caption: &quot;America First&quot;.

The artist who designed the cover, Edel Rodriguez, a Cuban who came to the United States in 1980 as a political refugee, told The Washington Post: &quot;It&#39;s a beheading of democracy, a beheading of a sacred symbol.&quot;

The cover set off a debate on Twitter and in German and international media, with Alexander Graf Lambsdorff, a member of Germany&#39;s Free Democrats (FDP) and vice-president of the European Parliament, describing it as &quot;tasteless&quot;.

However, the editor-in-chief of the magazine, Klaus Brinkbaeumer stood by the cover saying, &quot;Der Spiegel does not want to provoke anybody. We want to show what this is about, it&#39;s about democracy, it&#39;s about freedom, it&#39;s about freedom of press, freedom of justice and all that is seriously endangered.&quot; &quot;So we are defending democracy, we are defending international organisations and contracts. Are these serious times? Yes, they are,&quot; he added.

&quot;The impact actually surprised me, that this cover was held high at demonstrations, that many in the American media put it on the front page or the first place of their website. This impact surprised me. That it would get attention, I expected,&quot; the editor-in-chief observed.

The cover follows a series of attacks on Berlin&#39;s policies by Trump and his aides, marking a rapid deterioration in German relations with the United States. Chancellor Angela Merkel was the go-to European ally for former US President Barack Obama, who praised her as &quot;an outstanding partner&quot;. However, a lot has changed since then. Last month, Trump said Merkel had made a &quot;catastrophic mistake&quot; with her open-door migration policy, and this week his top trade adviser said Germany was using a &quot;grossly undervalued&quot; Euro to gain advantage over the United States and its European partners.

Meanwhile, Trump&#39;s policies, especially the travel ban imposed on seven mainly Muslim countries sparked protests across Europe including in New York and Washington&nbsp;even as the appeal was rejected by a federal judge. In London an estimated 10,000 people turned out, chanting &quot;Theresa May: Shame on You&quot; to denounce the British prime minister&#39;s support for the American president.

Trump&#39;s executive order last week put a 120-day halt on the US&nbsp;refugee programme, barred Syrian refugees indefinitely and imposed a 90-day suspension on people from seven majority Muslim countries - Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen. But a US court in a ruling denied a request from the US Department of Justice to immediately restore Trump&#39;s order. In Iraq, a government spokesperson said, &quot;It is a move in the right direction to solve the problems that it caused.&quot;

(WION with Reuters input)

Der Spiegel's cover follows a series of attacks on Berlin's policies by Trump marking a rapid deterioration in German relations with the US

German weekly magazine Der Spiegel sparked controversy at home and abroad on Saturday with a front cover illustration of US President Donald Trump beheading the Statue of Liberty. The cover depicted a cartoon figure of Trump with a bloodied knife in one hand and the statue's head, dripping with blood, in the other with a caption: "America First". The artist who designed the cover, Edel Rodriguez, a Cuban who came to the United States in 1980 as a political refugee, told The Washington Post: "It's a beheading of democracy, a beheading of a sacred symbol." The cover set off a debate on Twitter and in German and international media, with Alexander Graf Lambsdorff, a member of Germany's Free Democrats (FDP) and vice-president of the European Parliament, describing it as "tasteless". However, the editor-in-chief of the magazine, Klaus Brinkbaeumer stood by the cover saying, "Der Spiegel does not want to provoke anybody. We want to show what this is about, it's about democracy, it's about freedom, it's about freedom of press, freedom of justice and all that is seriously endangered." "So we are defending democracy, we are defending international organisations and contracts. Are these serious times? Yes, they are," he added. "The impact actually surprised me, that this cover was held high at demonstrations, that many in the American media put it on the front page or the first place of their website. This impact surprised me. That it would get attention, I expected," the editor-in-chief observed. The cover follows a series of attacks on Berlin's policies by Trump and his aides, marking a rapid deterioration in German relations with the United States. Chancellor Angela Merkel was the go-to European ally for former US President Barack Obama, who praised her as "an outstanding partner". However, a lot has changed since then. Last month, Trump said Merkel had made a "catastrophic mistake" with her open-door migration policy, and this week his top trade adviser said Germany was using a "grossly undervalued" Euro to gain advantage over the United States and its European partners. Meanwhile, Trump's policies, especially the travel ban imposed on seven mainly Muslim countries sparked protests across Europe including in New York and Washington even as the appeal was rejected by a federal judge. In London an estimated 10,000 people turned out, chanting "Theresa May: Shame on You" to denounce the British prime minister's support for the American president. Trump's executive order last week put a 120-day halt on the US refugee programme, barred Syrian refugees indefinitely and imposed a 90-day suspension on people from seven majority Muslim countries - Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen. But a US court in a ruling denied a request from the US Department of Justice to immediately restore Trump's order. In Iraq, a government spokesperson said, "It is a move in the right direction to solve the problems that it caused." (WION with Reuters input)

German magazine depicts Trump beheading Statue of Liberty, chief editor defends decision

The US Treasury has sanctioned 13 individuals and 12 entities under its Iran sanctions authority, days after the White House put Tehran &quot;on notice&quot; over a ballistic missile test and other activities.

Senior US administration officials said sanctions imposed against Iran earlier on Friday were only the &quot;initial steps in response to Iranian provocative behaviour.&quot;

In a statement on its website, the US Treasury listed the sanctioned individuals and entities, some of which are based in the United Arab Emirates, Lebanon and China.

The move is the first against Iran since US&nbsp;President Donald Trump took office on January&nbsp;20. The sanctions were similar to actions taken by the Obama administration targeting Iran&#39;s ballistic missile network. The new designations stuck to areas that remain under sanctions even with the 2015 nuclear deal in place, such as the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) and Iran&#39;s ballistic missile program.

&quot;Today&#39;s action is part of Treasury&#39;s ongoing efforts to counter Iranian malign activity abroad that is outside the scope of the JCPOA,&quot; Treasury said, a reference to the nuclear deal between Iran and world powers.

Among those sanctioned on Friday were companies, individuals, and brokers the US Treasury said support a trade network run by an Iranian businessman, Abdollah Asgharzadeh.

Treasury said he supported Shahid Hemmat Industrial Group, which the United States has said is a subsidiary of an Iranian entity that runs Iran&#39;s ballistic missile program.

Treasury also sanctioned what it said was a Lebanon-based network run by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, the elite military body that is also powerful in Iranian politics and the economy.

President Trump tweeted almost immediately denouncing&nbsp;Iran.

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
Iran is playing with fire - they don&#39;t appreciate how &quot;kind&quot; President Obama was to them. Not me!
&mdash; Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/827478751931924480">February 3, 2017</a></blockquote>
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Iran has not confirmed or denied that the ballistic missile testing took place. The spokesman for Iran&#39;s foreign ministry, Bahram Ghasemi, said, &ldquo;regardless of authenticity and nature of these reports, it is a principal policy for Iran to test ballistic missiles in full compliance with the country&rsquo;s basic rights and international commitments&rdquo;.

Responding to a question by a journalist earlier on Thursday on whether military action is off the table, Trump had replied: &quot;Nothing is off the table.&quot; Earlier, the president had tweeted that Iran has been &quot;formally put on notice&quot; after it test-fired a ballistic missile.

The US National Security Advisor Michael Flynn, on Wednesday, had excoriated Iran for its &quot;destabilising behaviour&quot; in the West Asian region. Newly appointed US ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley, on Tuesday, had termed Iran&#39;s missile test as &quot;absolutely unacceptable&quot;.

Tension&nbsp;between the US and Iran is on the rise after Trump&#39;s election as the US president during his election campaign had constantly threatened that he would tear up the 2015 international nuclear agreement with Iran. 
&nbsp; 
Iran is among the seven countries that have been put on the travel&nbsp;ban list. &nbsp;

(Reuters)

The Trump administration has sanctioned 13 individuals and 12 entities in Iran

The US Treasury has sanctioned 13 individuals and 12 entities under its Iran sanctions authority, days after the White House put Tehran "on notice" over a ballistic missile test and other activities. Senior US administration officials said sanctions imposed against Iran earlier on Friday were only the "initial steps in response to Iranian provocative behaviour." In a statement on its website, the US Treasury listed the sanctioned individuals and entities, some of which are based in the United Arab Emirates, Lebanon and China. The move is the first against Iran since US President Donald Trump took office on January 20. The sanctions were similar to actions taken by the Obama administration targeting Iran's ballistic missile network. The new designations stuck to areas that remain under sanctions even with the 2015 nuclear deal in place, such as the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) and Iran's ballistic missile program. "Today's action is part of Treasury's ongoing efforts to counter Iranian malign activity abroad that is outside the scope of the JCPOA," Treasury said, a reference to the nuclear deal between Iran and world powers. Among those sanctioned on Friday were companies, individuals, and brokers the US Treasury said support a trade network run by an Iranian businessman, Abdollah Asgharzadeh. Treasury said he supported Shahid Hemmat Industrial Group, which the United States has said is a subsidiary of an Iranian entity that runs Iran's ballistic missile program. Treasury also sanctioned what it said was a Lebanon-based network run by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, the elite military body that is also powerful in Iranian politics and the economy. President Trump tweeted almost immediately denouncing Iran. Iran is playing with fire - they don't appreciate how "kind" President Obama was to them. Not me! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 3, 2017 × Iran has not confirmed or denied that the ballistic missile testing took place. The spokesman for Iran's foreign ministry, Bahram Ghasemi, said, “regardless of authenticity and nature of these reports, it is a principal policy for Iran to test ballistic missiles in full compliance with the country’s basic rights and international commitments”. Responding to a question by a journalist earlier on Thursday on whether military action is off the table, Trump had replied: "Nothing is off the table." Earlier, the president had tweeted that Iran has been "formally put on notice" after it test-fired a ballistic missile. The US National Security Advisor Michael Flynn, on Wednesday, had excoriated Iran for its "destabilising behaviour" in the West Asian region. Newly appointed US ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley, on Tuesday, had termed Iran's missile test as "absolutely unacceptable". Tension between the US and Iran is on the rise after Trump's election as the US president during his election campaign had constantly threatened that he would tear up the 2015 international nuclear agreement with Iran. Iran is among the seven countries that have been put on the travel ban list. (Reuters)

US imposes fresh sanctions against Iran

US&nbsp;President Donald&nbsp;Trump&nbsp;labelled a refugee swap deal with&nbsp;Australia &quot;dumb&quot; on Thursday after a Washington Post report of an acrimonious telephone call with Australia&#39;s prime minister threatened a rare rift in ties between the two staunch allies.

The Post reported that&nbsp;Trump&nbsp;described the resettlement plan as &quot;the worst deal ever&quot; and accused&nbsp;Australia&nbsp;of trying to export the &quot;next Boston bombers&quot;. It said the call had been scheduled to last an hour but&nbsp;Trump&nbsp;cut it short after 25 minutes when&nbsp;Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull tried to turn to subjects such as Syria.

Turnbull told reporters the call with&nbsp;Trump&nbsp;at the weekend had been frank and candid but refused to give further details.

&quot;I do stand up for&nbsp;Australia. My job is to defend&nbsp;Australian interests,&quot; Turnbull said in Melbourne.

Turnbull refused to confirm the Post report that&nbsp;Trump, who had earlier spoken to world leaders including Russian President Vladimir Putin and Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto, had angrily told him that the call was &quot;the worst so far&quot;.

Political analysts said such acrimony was unprecedented, surpassing even the difficult relations between former US&nbsp;President Richard Nixon and then&nbsp;Australian Prime Minister Gough Whitlam, who pulled&nbsp;Australian troops out of the Vietnam War.

&quot;Even that was always done in the language of foreign policy niceties,&quot; said Harry Phillips, a political analyst of 40 years&#39;&nbsp;experience at Edith Cowan and Curtin universities in Perth.

As reports of the conversation hit headlines on both sides of the world,&nbsp;Trump&nbsp;tweeted shortly before midnight in Washington: &quot;Do you believe it? The Obama Administration agreed to take thousands of illegal immigrants from&nbsp;Australia. Why? I will study this dumb deal.&quot;

That threw more confusion over the status of the controversial deal&nbsp;Australia&nbsp;agreed with former President Barack Obama late last year for the United States to resettle up to 1,250 asylum seekers held in offshore processing camps on Pacific islands in Papua New Guinea and Nauru.

In return,&nbsp;Australia&nbsp;would resettle refugees from El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras.

Repercussions

The swap deal is at odds with&nbsp;Trump&#39;s executive order last week that suspended the US&nbsp;refugee programme and restricted entry to the United States for travellers from seven Muslim-majority countries, including Iran, Iraq, and Syria.

Many of those being held in the&nbsp;Australian detention centres, which have drawn harsh criticism from the United Nations and rights groups, have fled violence in countries such as Afghanistan, Iraq and Iran.

White House spokesman Sean Spicer and the US&nbsp;Embassy in&nbsp;Australia&nbsp;have both said&nbsp;Trump would honour the deal. In several media appearances after&nbsp;Trump&#39;s tweet, Turnbull reiterated that he believed the deal stood.

&quot;He is saying that this is not a deal he would have made, but the question is will he honour that commitment? He has already given it,&quot; Turnbull said. &quot;I make&nbsp;Australia&rsquo;s case frankly, powerfully, forthrightly and hopefully persuasively when I deal with other leaders.&quot;

The apparent breakdown between Washington and Canberra that has developed over the resettlement deal could have serious repercussions.

Australia&nbsp;and the United States are among the five nations that make up the Five Eyes group, the world&#39;s leading intelligence-sharing network.

The United States also plans to send extra military aircraft to&nbsp;Australia&#39;s tropical north this year as part of a US&nbsp;Marines deployment that will bolster its military presence close to the disputed South China Sea.

Australia&nbsp;is also one of 10 US&nbsp;allies purchasing Lockheed Martin&#39;s F-35 fighter jet programme.

The Post quoted unidentified senior US&nbsp;officials briefed on the conversation between&nbsp;Trump and Turnbull. It also quoted the official read-out from the call, which emphasised &quot;the enduring strength and closeness of the US-Australia&nbsp;relationship that is critical for peace, stability, and prosperity in the Asia-Pacific region and globally&quot;.

It also said&nbsp;Trump&nbsp;had boasted to Turnbull about the size of his election victory.

(Reuters)

Trump's acrimonious telephone call with Australia's prime minister has threatened a rare rift in ties between the two staunch allies

US President Donald Trump labelled a refugee swap deal with Australia "dumb" on Thursday after a Washington Post report of an acrimonious telephone call with Australia's prime minister threatened a rare rift in ties between the two staunch allies. The Post reported that Trump described the resettlement plan as "the worst deal ever" and accused Australia of trying to export the "next Boston bombers". It said the call had been scheduled to last an hour but Trump cut it short after 25 minutes when Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull tried to turn to subjects such as Syria. Turnbull told reporters the call with Trump at the weekend had been frank and candid but refused to give further details. "I do stand up for Australia. My job is to defend Australian interests," Turnbull said in Melbourne. Turnbull refused to confirm the Post report that Trump, who had earlier spoken to world leaders including Russian President Vladimir Putin and Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto, had angrily told him that the call was "the worst so far". Political analysts said such acrimony was unprecedented, surpassing even the difficult relations between former US President Richard Nixon and then Australian Prime Minister Gough Whitlam, who pulled Australian troops out of the Vietnam War. "Even that was always done in the language of foreign policy niceties," said Harry Phillips, a political analyst of 40 years' experience at Edith Cowan and Curtin universities in Perth. As reports of the conversation hit headlines on both sides of the world, Trump tweeted shortly before midnight in Washington: "Do you believe it? The Obama Administration agreed to take thousands of illegal immigrants from Australia. Why? I will study this dumb deal." That threw more confusion over the status of the controversial deal Australia agreed with former President Barack Obama late last year for the United States to resettle up to 1,250 asylum seekers held in offshore processing camps on Pacific islands in Papua New Guinea and Nauru. In return, Australia would resettle refugees from El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras. Repercussions The swap deal is at odds with Trump's executive order last week that suspended the US refugee programme and restricted entry to the United States for travellers from seven Muslim-majority countries, including Iran, Iraq, and Syria. Many of those being held in the Australian detention centres, which have drawn harsh criticism from the United Nations and rights groups, have fled violence in countries such as Afghanistan, Iraq and Iran. White House spokesman Sean Spicer and the US Embassy in Australia have both said Trump would honour the deal. In several media appearances after Trump's tweet, Turnbull reiterated that he believed the deal stood. "He is saying that this is not a deal he would have made, but the question is will he honour that commitment? He has already given it," Turnbull said. "I make Australia’s case frankly, powerfully, forthrightly and hopefully persuasively when I deal with other leaders." The apparent breakdown between Washington and Canberra that has developed over the resettlement deal could have serious repercussions. Australia and the United States are among the five nations that make up the Five Eyes group, the world's leading intelligence-sharing network. The United States also plans to send extra military aircraft to Australia's tropical north this year as part of a US Marines deployment that will bolster its military presence close to the disputed South China Sea. Australia is also one of 10 US allies purchasing Lockheed Martin's F-35 fighter jet programme. The Post quoted unidentified senior US officials briefed on the conversation between Trump and Turnbull. It also quoted the official read-out from the call, which emphasised "the enduring strength and closeness of the US-Australia relationship that is critical for peace, stability, and prosperity in the Asia-Pacific region and globally". It also said Trump had boasted to Turnbull about the size of his election victory. (Reuters)

Trump calls refugee swap deal with Australia 'dumb'

United States President Donald Trump reportedly told his Mexican counterpart to tackle the &quot;bad hombres&quot; or they would have to intervene during a telephonic conversation last week.

Although it remains unclear as to who he meant by &quot;bad hombres&quot;, Mexican journalist Dol&iacute;a Est&eacute;vez said he was referring to the drug cartels operating in Mexico.

The transcript, based on a leaked White House document, documents Trump telling Mexican President&nbsp;Enrique Pe&ntilde;a Nieto: &quot;You have a bunch of bad hombres down there. You aren&rsquo;t doing enough to stop them. I think your military is scared. Our military isn&rsquo;t, so I just might send them down to take care of it.&rdquo;

The tone of the conversation also remains unknown, but the hint of US military&#39;s intervention might further sour relations between the two countries.

Mexico have however rejected the content of the conversation, again reiterating that the January 27 conversation between the two leaders were &quot;constructive&quot;.

Dol&iacute;a Est&eacute;vez, in his <a href="http://proyectopuente.com.mx/2017/02/01/necesitamos-a-mexico-dijo-trump-a-pena-nieto/">report</a>, suggested that Trump had suggested in a &quot;threatening note&quot; that if Mexico was unable to put down the drug cartels, he would be forced to send US troops to Mexico.

Relations between the two countries has deteriorated ever since Donald Trump took charge of White House.

Trump for long has promised to build a wall along the US-Mexico border and recently signed executive order to green-light its construction.

The decision has been met with severe criticism from Mexico, who has also rejected Trump&#39;s claim about it paying the cost of its construction.

Pe&ntilde;a Nieto had cancelled his meeting with Trump last week following the US president&#39;s willingness to build the 3,200-km border wall and for challenging him to cancel his trip to Washington.

The Donald Trump administration&nbsp;thought about levying a 20 per cent tax on goods imported from Mexico to finance the wall that will be built along the border, before backtracking on the idea saying it is one of the many ideas being mulled.

(WION)

&nbsp;

&nbsp;

&nbsp;

&nbsp;

The US president reportedly told his Mexican counterpart on Jan 27 that he'll send troops to Mexico to tackle the drug cartels if they can't

United States President Donald Trump reportedly told his Mexican counterpart to tackle the "bad hombres" or they would have to intervene during a telephonic conversation last week. Although it remains unclear as to who he meant by "bad hombres", Mexican journalist Dolía Estévez said he was referring to the drug cartels operating in Mexico. The transcript, based on a leaked White House document, documents Trump telling Mexican President Enrique Peña Nieto: "You have a bunch of bad hombres down there. You aren’t doing enough to stop them. I think your military is scared. Our military isn’t, so I just might send them down to take care of it.” The tone of the conversation also remains unknown, but the hint of US military's intervention might further sour relations between the two countries. Mexico have however rejected the content of the conversation, again reiterating that the January 27 conversation between the two leaders were "constructive". Dolía Estévez, in his report, suggested that Trump had suggested in a "threatening note" that if Mexico was unable to put down the drug cartels, he would be forced to send US troops to Mexico. Relations between the two countries has deteriorated ever since Donald Trump took charge of White House. Trump for long has promised to build a wall along the US-Mexico border and recently signed executive order to green-light its construction. The decision has been met with severe criticism from Mexico, who has also rejected Trump's claim about it paying the cost of its construction. Peña Nieto had cancelled his meeting with Trump last week following the US president's willingness to build the 3,200-km border wall and for challenging him to cancel his trip to Washington. The Donald Trump administration thought about levying a 20 per cent tax on goods imported from Mexico to finance the wall that will be built along the border, before backtracking on the idea saying it is one of the many ideas being mulled. (WION)

Tackle 'bad hombres' or we will: Trump tells Mexico

Al-Qaeda is gaining ground in Yemen and could benefit from military actions like the deadly raid by elite US forces ordered by President Donald Trump, the International Crisis Group warned Thursday.

&quot;The Yemeni branch of Al-Qaeda is stronger than it has ever been,&quot; ICG said in a report documenting the spread of Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP).

&quot;The first military actions by the Trump administration in Yemen bode poorly for the prospect of smartly and effectively countering AQAP,&quot; read the report, released after Sunday&#39;s US air raid in central Yemen.

While Washington has said at least 14 suspected jihadists and one US Navy SEAL were killed in the strike, ICG said the death toll included &quot;many civilians, including at least 10 women and children&quot;.

The think-tank warned that strikes like the January 29 raid on Baida province could increase fear of or even hostility towards the United States among civilians, providing fertile ground for recruitment by AQAP.&nbsp;

&quot;The use of US soldiers, high civilian casualties and disregard for local tribal and political dynamics... plays into AQAP&#39;s narrative of defending Muslims against the West and could increase anti-US sentiment and with it AQAP&#39;s pool of recruits,&quot; said the Brussels-based ICG.&nbsp;

With its key role in regional politics, Trump&#39;s White House also stands to impact efforts to find a political solution to Yemen&#39;s conflict which has killed more than 7,400 people since March 2015, according to the World Health Organisation.&nbsp;

&quot;These efforts will be imperilled if states interested in fighting AQAP and Yemen&#39;s nascent Islamic State (IS) branch, such as the US, take military actions that ignore the local context... or fail to restrain partners who tolerate or even encourage AQAP/IS activities,&quot; added the 35-page report.&nbsp;

Saudi Arabia, which intervened militarily two years ago in Yemen to support the government, is a key regional ally of the United States, which regards AQAP as Al-Qaeda&#39;s most dangerous branch.&nbsp;

The oil-rich Gulf monarchy has been spared Trump&#39;s travel ban imposed last Friday targeting nationals of seven Muslim-majority countries, including Yemen.&nbsp;

Women, children &#39;among dead&#39;

Washington is also facing questions on whether an eight-year-old American girl was killed in the raid.

Local sources say the girl was the daughter of senior Al-Qaeda cleric and US citizen Anwar al-Awlaqi, killed in a 2011 US drone strike.

Under Trump&#39;s predecessor Barack Obama, the US dramatically increased its use of drone strikes against suspected jihadists in Yemen.

The Pentagon said Monday that &quot;a lot of female combatants&quot; were caught up in Sunday&#39;s battle. Women were among the fatalities, it said, declining to specify whether children were also killed.

The death toll was still being evaluated, it said.

On the ground, a Yemeni provincial official gave a toll of 41 suspected militants and 16 civilians killed, eight of them women and eight children.

The US raid was said to have targeted the houses of three tribal chiefs linked to Al-Qaeda.

The provincial official said Apache helicopters also hit a school, a mosque and a medical facility which were all used by Al-Qaeda militants.

AQAP said in a statement that 30 people died in the raid -- &quot;only women and children... with some tribal leaders who have no connections&quot; to the group.

The conflict in Yemen escalated two years ago when a Saudi-led Arab coalition launched air raids against Iran-backed Shiite Huthi rebels, who had taken over the capital and seized swathes of the country&#39;s centre and north.

The war has allowed both AQAP and IS jihadists to gain ground in the impoverished nation.

The United Nations estimates over three million people have been displaced since fighting between the Huthis and pro-government forces broke out in 2014. &nbsp;

The Arab world&#39;s poorest country now faces a major humanitarian crisis, with one and a half million children suffering severe malnutrition.&nbsp;

 
(AFP)

The think-tank warned that strikes like the January 29 raid could increase fear of or even hostility towards the US?among civilians

Al-Qaeda is gaining ground in Yemen and could benefit from military actions like the deadly raid by elite US forces ordered by President Donald Trump, the International Crisis Group warned Thursday. "The Yemeni branch of Al-Qaeda is stronger than it has ever been," ICG said in a report documenting the spread of Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP). "The first military actions by the Trump administration in Yemen bode poorly for the prospect of smartly and effectively countering AQAP," read the report, released after Sunday's US air raid in central Yemen. While Washington has said at least 14 suspected jihadists and one US Navy SEAL were killed in the strike, ICG said the death toll included "many civilians, including at least 10 women and children". The think-tank warned that strikes like the January 29 raid on Baida province could increase fear of or even hostility towards the United States among civilians, providing fertile ground for recruitment by AQAP. "The use of US soldiers, high civilian casualties and disregard for local tribal and political dynamics... plays into AQAP's narrative of defending Muslims against the West and could increase anti-US sentiment and with it AQAP's pool of recruits," said the Brussels-based ICG. With its key role in regional politics, Trump's White House also stands to impact efforts to find a political solution to Yemen's conflict which has killed more than 7,400 people since March 2015, according to the World Health Organisation. "These efforts will be imperilled if states interested in fighting AQAP and Yemen's nascent Islamic State (IS) branch, such as the US, take military actions that ignore the local context... or fail to restrain partners who tolerate or even encourage AQAP/IS activities," added the 35-page report. Saudi Arabia, which intervened militarily two years ago in Yemen to support the government, is a key regional ally of the United States, which regards AQAP as Al-Qaeda's most dangerous branch. The oil-rich Gulf monarchy has been spared Trump's travel ban imposed last Friday targeting nationals of seven Muslim-majority countries, including Yemen. Women, children 'among dead' Washington is also facing questions on whether an eight-year-old American girl was killed in the raid. Local sources say the girl was the daughter of senior Al-Qaeda cleric and US citizen Anwar al-Awlaqi, killed in a 2011 US drone strike. Under Trump's predecessor Barack Obama, the US dramatically increased its use of drone strikes against suspected jihadists in Yemen. The Pentagon said Monday that "a lot of female combatants" were caught up in Sunday's battle. Women were among the fatalities, it said, declining to specify whether children were also killed. The death toll was still being evaluated, it said. On the ground, a Yemeni provincial official gave a toll of 41 suspected militants and 16 civilians killed, eight of them women and eight children. The US raid was said to have targeted the houses of three tribal chiefs linked to Al-Qaeda. The provincial official said Apache helicopters also hit a school, a mosque and a medical facility which were all used by Al-Qaeda militants. AQAP said in a statement that 30 people died in the raid -- "only women and children... with some tribal leaders who have no connections" to the group. The conflict in Yemen escalated two years ago when a Saudi-led Arab coalition launched air raids against Iran-backed Shiite Huthi rebels, who had taken over the capital and seized swathes of the country's centre and north. The war has allowed both AQAP and IS jihadists to gain ground in the impoverished nation. The United Nations estimates over three million people have been displaced since fighting between the Huthis and pro-government forces broke out in 2014. The Arab world's poorest country now faces a major humanitarian crisis, with one and a half million children suffering severe malnutrition. (AFP)

Al-Qaeda can gain from Trump strikes on Yemen: ICG

The Trump administration wants to revamp and rename a US government programme designed to counter all violent ideologies so that it focuses solely on Islamist extremism, five people briefed on the matter told Reuters.

The programme, &quot;Countering Violent Extremism,&quot; or CVE, would be changed to &quot;Countering Islamic Extremism&quot; or &quot;Countering Radical Islamic Extremism,&quot; the sources said, and would no longer target groups such as white supremacists who have also carried out bombings and shootings in the United States.

Such a change would reflect Trump&#39;s election campaign rhetoric and criticism of former President Barack Obama for being weak in the fight against Islamic State and for refusing to use the phrase &quot;radical Islam&quot; in describing it. Islamic State has claimed responsibility for attacks on civilians in several countries.

The CVE program aims to deter groups or potential lone attackers through community partnerships and educational programmes or counter-messaging campaigns in cooperation with companies such as Google (GOOGL.O) and Facebook.

Some proponents of the programme fear that rebranding it could make it more difficult for the government to work with Muslims already hesitant to trust the new administration, particularly after Trump issued an executive order last Friday temporarily blocking travel to the United States from seven predominantly Muslim countries.

Still, the CVE programme, which focuses on US residents and is separate from a military effort to fight extremism online, has been criticised even by some supporters as ineffective.

A source who has worked closely with the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) on the programme said Trump transition team members first met with a CVE task force in December and floated the idea of changing the name and focus.&nbsp;

In a meeting last Thursday attended by senior staff for DHS Secretary John Kelly, government employees were asked to defend why they chose certain community organizations as recipients of CVE programme grants, said the source, who requested anonymity because of the sensitive nature of the discussions.

Although CVE funding has been appropriated by Congress and the grant recipients were notified in the final days of the Obama administration, the money still may not go out the door, the source said, adding that Kelly is reviewing the matter.

The department declined comment. The White House did not respond to a request for comment.

Programme criticised

Some Republicans in Congress have long assailed the programme as politically correct and ineffective, asserting that singling out and using the term &quot;radical Islam&quot; as the trigger for many violent attacks would help focus deterrence efforts.

Others counter that branding the problem as &quot;radical Islam&quot; would only serve to alienate more than three million Americans who practice Islam peacefully.

Many community groups, meanwhile, had already been cautious about the programme, partly over concerns that it could double as a surveillance tool for law enforcement.

Hoda Hawa, director of policy for the Muslim Public Affairs Council, said she was told last week by people within DHS that there was a push to refocus the CVE effort from tackling all violent ideology to only Islamist extremism.

&quot;That is concerning for us because they are targeting a faith group and casting it under a net of suspicion,&quot; she said.

Another source familiar with the matter was told last week by a DHS official that a name change would take place. Three other sources, speaking on condition of anonymity, said such plans had been discussed but were unable to attest whether they had been finalized.

The Obama administration sought to foster relationships with community groups to engage them in the counterterrorism effort. In 2016, Congress appropriated $10 million in grants for CVE efforts and DHS awarded the first round of grants on Jan. 13, a week before Trump was inaugurated.

Among those approved were local governments, city police departments, universities and non-profit organizations. In addition to organizations dedicated to combating Islamic State&#39;s recruitment in the United States, grants also went to Life After Hate, which rehabilitates former neo-Nazis and other domestic extremists.

Just in the past two years, authorities blamed radical and violent ideologies as the motives for a white supremacist&#39;s shooting rampage inside a historic African-American church in Charleston, South Carolina and Islamist militants for shootings and bombings in California, Florida and New York.

One grant recipient, Leaders Advancing &amp; Helping Communities, a Michigan-based group led by Lebanese-Americans, has declined a $500,000 DHS grant it had sought, according to an email the group sent that was seen by Reuters. A representative for the group confirmed the grant had been rejected but declined further comment.&nbsp;

&quot;Given the current political climate and cause for concern, LAHC has chosen to decline the award,&quot; said the email, which was sent last Thursday, a day before Trump issued his immigration order, which was condemned at home and abroad as discriminating against Muslims while the White House said it was to &quot;to protect the American people from terrorist attacks by foreign nationals.&quot; 
 
(Reuters) 
&nbsp;

The proposed programme would not target white supremacists who have also carried out bombings and shootings in the US, Reuters reported

The Trump administration wants to revamp and rename a US government programme designed to counter all violent ideologies so that it focuses solely on Islamist extremism, five people briefed on the matter told Reuters. The programme, "Countering Violent Extremism," or CVE, would be changed to "Countering Islamic Extremism" or "Countering Radical Islamic Extremism," the sources said, and would no longer target groups such as white supremacists who have also carried out bombings and shootings in the United States. Such a change would reflect Trump's election campaign rhetoric and criticism of former President Barack Obama for being weak in the fight against Islamic State and for refusing to use the phrase "radical Islam" in describing it. Islamic State has claimed responsibility for attacks on civilians in several countries. The CVE program aims to deter groups or potential lone attackers through community partnerships and educational programmes or counter-messaging campaigns in cooperation with companies such as Google (GOOGL.O) and Facebook. Some proponents of the programme fear that rebranding it could make it more difficult for the government to work with Muslims already hesitant to trust the new administration, particularly after Trump issued an executive order last Friday temporarily blocking travel to the United States from seven predominantly Muslim countries. Still, the CVE programme, which focuses on US residents and is separate from a military effort to fight extremism online, has been criticised even by some supporters as ineffective. A source who has worked closely with the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) on the programme said Trump transition team members first met with a CVE task force in December and floated the idea of changing the name and focus. In a meeting last Thursday attended by senior staff for DHS Secretary John Kelly, government employees were asked to defend why they chose certain community organizations as recipients of CVE programme grants, said the source, who requested anonymity because of the sensitive nature of the discussions. Although CVE funding has been appropriated by Congress and the grant recipients were notified in the final days of the Obama administration, the money still may not go out the door, the source said, adding that Kelly is reviewing the matter. The department declined comment. The White House did not respond to a request for comment. Programme criticised Some Republicans in Congress have long assailed the programme as politically correct and ineffective, asserting that singling out and using the term "radical Islam" as the trigger for many violent attacks would help focus deterrence efforts. Others counter that branding the problem as "radical Islam" would only serve to alienate more than three million Americans who practice Islam peacefully. Many community groups, meanwhile, had already been cautious about the programme, partly over concerns that it could double as a surveillance tool for law enforcement. Hoda Hawa, director of policy for the Muslim Public Affairs Council, said she was told last week by people within DHS that there was a push to refocus the CVE effort from tackling all violent ideology to only Islamist extremism. "That is concerning for us because they are targeting a faith group and casting it under a net of suspicion," she said. Another source familiar with the matter was told last week by a DHS official that a name change would take place. Three other sources, speaking on condition of anonymity, said such plans had been discussed but were unable to attest whether they had been finalized. The Obama administration sought to foster relationships with community groups to engage them in the counterterrorism effort. In 2016, Congress appropriated $10 million in grants for CVE efforts and DHS awarded the first round of grants on Jan. 13, a week before Trump was inaugurated. Among those approved were local governments, city police departments, universities and non-profit organizations. In addition to organizations dedicated to combating Islamic State's recruitment in the United States, grants also went to Life After Hate, which rehabilitates former neo-Nazis and other domestic extremists. Just in the past two years, authorities blamed radical and violent ideologies as the motives for a white supremacist's shooting rampage inside a historic African-American church in Charleston, South Carolina and Islamist militants for shootings and bombings in California, Florida and New York. One grant recipient, Leaders Advancing & Helping Communities, a Michigan-based group led by Lebanese-Americans, has declined a $500,000 DHS grant it had sought, according to an email the group sent that was seen by Reuters. A representative for the group confirmed the grant had been rejected but declined further comment. "Given the current political climate and cause for concern, LAHC has chosen to decline the award," said the email, which was sent last Thursday, a day before Trump issued his immigration order, which was condemned at home and abroad as discriminating against Muslims while the White House said it was to "to protect the American people from terrorist attacks by foreign nationals." (Reuters)

Trump may revamp anti-terror programme to focus on Islamist extremism: Report

Gregg Phillips, US President Donald Trump&rsquo;s unofficial voter fraud expert, was registered to vote in three states during the 2016 presidential election, according to the Associated Press.

Phillips was listed on the rolls in Alabama, Texas and Mississippi, according to voting records and election officials in those states. He voted only in Alabama in November, records show.

Phillips is the founder of VoteStand, a mobile app designed to allow users to report incidents of voter fraud. He made an unsubstantiated and easily disprovable claim that the election was marred by three&nbsp;million illegal votes.&nbsp;

Trump has made an issue of people who are registered to vote in more than one state, using it as one of the bedrocks of his overall contention that voter fraud is rampant in the US and that voting by three&nbsp;to five&nbsp;million immigrants illegally in the country cost him the popular vote in November.

Hillary Clinton won the popular vote by just under three&nbsp;million votes.&nbsp;

The Associated Press found that Phillips was registered in Alabama and Texas under the name Gregg Allen Phillips, with the identical Social Security number. Mississippi records list him under the name Gregg A. Phillips, and that record includes the final four digits of Phillips&#39; Social Security number, his correct date of birth and a prior address matching one once attached to Gregg Allen Phillips. He has lived in all three states.

At the time of November&#39;s presidential election, Phillips&#39; status was &quot;inactive&quot; in Mississippi and suspended in Texas. Officials in both states told the Associated Press that Phillips could have voted, however, by producing identification and updating his address at the polls.

When contacted by the Associated Press, he claimed that&nbsp;he wasn&rsquo;t aware of multiple registrations. Instead, he asked, &ldquo;Why would I know or care?&quot;

&quot;Doesn&#39;t that just demonstrate how broken the system is?&quot; he asked. &quot;That is not fraud, that is a broken system. We need a national ID that travels with people.&quot;

According to media reports, five Trump family members or top administration officials also were registered to vote in two states during the 2016 election, chief White House strategist Stephen Bannon, press secretary Sean Spicer, treasury secretary nominee Steven Mnuchin, Tiffany Trump, the president&#39;s youngest daughter, Jared Kushner, Trump&#39;s son-in-law and a senior White House adviser.

On January 25, Trump announced on Twitter that he would seek a &ldquo;major investigation&rdquo; of the supposed voter fraud, despite his campaign lawyer&#39;s conclusion that the 2016 election was &quot;not tainted&quot;.

But, Phillips himself is slowly backing off from the 3 million number he originally claimed explaining that he needs more time before he&rsquo;s willing to provide final numbers or release his raw data.

National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), an African-American civil rights organization in the US, president and CEO Cornell William Brooks issued a statement on the same day saying, &ldquo;Today, President Donald Trump called for the federal government to spend resources investigating alleged &lsquo;voter fraud&rsquo; in the 2016 elections. Unable to accept the fact that he lost the popular vote by some 2.8 million votes, President Trump has repeated his naked and reckless claim that 3 to 5 million illegal votes were cast in the 2016 election by &#39;illegal immigrants&#39;. However, this notion of widespread voter fraud in the 2016 election, or any other American election cycle for that matter, is false and dangerous.&nbsp;

(WION)

Gregg Phillips was listed on the voting rolls in Alabama, Texas and Mississippi

Gregg Phillips, US President Donald Trump’s unofficial voter fraud expert, was registered to vote in three states during the 2016 presidential election, according to the Associated Press. Phillips was listed on the rolls in Alabama, Texas and Mississippi, according to voting records and election officials in those states. He voted only in Alabama in November, records show. Phillips is the founder of VoteStand, a mobile app designed to allow users to report incidents of voter fraud. He made an unsubstantiated and easily disprovable claim that the election was marred by three million illegal votes. Trump has made an issue of people who are registered to vote in more than one state, using it as one of the bedrocks of his overall contention that voter fraud is rampant in the US and that voting by three to five million immigrants illegally in the country cost him the popular vote in November. Hillary Clinton won the popular vote by just under three million votes. The Associated Press found that Phillips was registered in Alabama and Texas under the name Gregg Allen Phillips, with the identical Social Security number. Mississippi records list him under the name Gregg A. Phillips, and that record includes the final four digits of Phillips' Social Security number, his correct date of birth and a prior address matching one once attached to Gregg Allen Phillips. He has lived in all three states. At the time of November's presidential election, Phillips' status was "inactive" in Mississippi and suspended in Texas. Officials in both states told the Associated Press that Phillips could have voted, however, by producing identification and updating his address at the polls. When contacted by the Associated Press, he claimed that he wasn’t aware of multiple registrations. Instead, he asked, “Why would I know or care?" "Doesn't that just demonstrate how broken the system is?" he asked. "That is not fraud, that is a broken system. We need a national ID that travels with people." According to media reports, five Trump family members or top administration officials also were registered to vote in two states during the 2016 election, chief White House strategist Stephen Bannon, press secretary Sean Spicer, treasury secretary nominee Steven Mnuchin, Tiffany Trump, the president's youngest daughter, Jared Kushner, Trump's son-in-law and a senior White House adviser. On January 25, Trump announced on Twitter that he would seek a “major investigation” of the supposed voter fraud, despite his campaign lawyer's conclusion that the 2016 election was "not tainted". But, Phillips himself is slowly backing off from the 3 million number he originally claimed explaining that he needs more time before he’s willing to provide final numbers or release his raw data. National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), an African-American civil rights organization in the US, president and CEO Cornell William Brooks issued a statement on the same day saying, “Today, President Donald Trump called for the federal government to spend resources investigating alleged ‘voter fraud’ in the 2016 elections. Unable to accept the fact that he lost the popular vote by some 2.8 million votes, President Trump has repeated his naked and reckless claim that 3 to 5 million illegal votes were cast in the 2016 election by 'illegal immigrants'. However, this notion of widespread voter fraud in the 2016 election, or any other American election cycle for that matter, is false and dangerous. (WION)

Donald Trump's voter fraud 'expert' was 'registered to vote in three states'

President Donald Trump on Tuesday nominated Neil Gorsuch for a lifetime job on the US Supreme Court, picking the 49-year-old federal appeals court judge to restore the court&#39;s conservative majority and help shape rulings on divisive issues such as abortion, gun control, the death penalty and religious rights.

The Colorado native faces a potentially contentious confirmation battle in the US Senate after Republicans last year refused to consider Democratic President Barack Obama&#39;s nominee to fill the vacancy caused by the February 2016 death of conservative justice Antonin Scalia.

Gorsuch is the youngest nominee to the nation&#39;s highest court in more than a quarter century, and he could influence the direction of the court for decades.

&quot;Judge Gorsuch has outstanding legal skills, a brilliant mind, tremendous discipline, and has earned bipartisan support,&quot; Trump said.

&quot;Depending on their age, a justice can be active for 50 years. And his or her decisions can last a century or more, and can often be permanent,&quot; Trump added.

Trump during his presidency may get to make additional appointments to the Supreme Court. Liberal Ruth Bader Ginsburg, who Trump called upon to resign last July after she called him &quot;a faker,&quot; is 83 while Kennedy is 80. Stephen Breyer, another liberal, is 78.

&nbsp;

Gorsuch is a judge on the Denver-based 10th US Circuit Court of Appeals and was appointed to that post by Republican President George W&nbsp;Bush in 2006.

Some Democrats in the US Senate, which votes on whether to confirm judicial nominees, have already said they would seek to block whoever Trump nominates.

Gorsuch is considered a conservative intellectual, known for backing religious rights, and is seen as very much in the mold of Scalia, a leading conservative voice on the court for decades.

A senior administration official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the choice of Gorsuch was seen by the White House as a significant departure from Supreme Court nominations from the recent past, given that many justices have come from the eastern United States. Gorsuch lives in Boulder, Colorado, where he raises horses and is a life-long outdoorsman.

The official described Gorsuch as a mainstream judge who should easily be confirmed by the Senate. The official noted that the Senate confirmed him for his current judgeship in 2006 by voice vote with no one voting against him.

&nbsp;

&quot;He plays it straight. He sticks to principles, and his opinions reflect a consistency regardless of who is in his courtroom,&quot; the official said of Gorsuch.

Trump made his choice between two US&nbsp;appeals court judges, Gorsuch and Thomas Hardiman of the Philadelphia-based 3rd US&nbsp;Circuit Court of Appeals, according to a source involved in the selection process.

Gorsuch became the youngest US&nbsp;Supreme Court nominee since Republican President George HW&nbsp;Bush in 1991 selected conservative Clarence Thomas, who was 43 at the time.

He is the son of Anne Burford, the first woman to head the US&nbsp;Environmental Protection Agency. She served in Republican President Ronald Reagan&#39;s administration but resigned in 1983 amid a fight with Congress over documents on the EPA&#39;s use of a fund created to clean up toxic waste dumps nationwide.

Trump&#39;s selection was one of the most consequential appointments of his young presidency as he moved to restore a conservative majority on the Supreme Court that had been in place for decades until Scalia died at age 79 on February&nbsp;13, 2016.

Trump, who took office on January&nbsp;20, got the opportunity to name Scalia&#39;s replacement only because the Republican-led US&nbsp;Senate, in an action with little precedent in US&nbsp;history, refused to consider Obama&#39;s nominee for the post, appeals court judge Merrick Garland. Obama nominated Garland on March 16 but Republican senators led by Majority Leader Mitch McConnell denied Garland the customary confirmation hearings and vote.

Trump has said his promise to appoint a conservative justice was one of the reasons he won the November&nbsp;8 presidential election, with Christian conservatives and others emphasising the importance of the pick during the campaign. Trump last week said evangelical Christians would love his nominee.

Trump&#39;s fellow Republicans hold a 52-48 majority in the Senate. The minority Democrats, irate over Garland&#39;s rebuff, potentially could try to block the nomination with procedural hurdles.

The new appointee would expand the court&#39;s conservative wing, made up of John Roberts, Anthony Kennedy, Clarence Thomas and Samuel Alito. Kennedy long has been considered the court&#39;s pivotal vote, sometimes siding with the liberals in key cases such as the June 2016 ruling striking down abortion restrictions in Texas.

The court&#39;s restored conservative majority likely would be supportive toward the death penalty and gun rights and hostile toward campaign finance limits. Scalia&#39;s replacement also could be pivotal in cases involving abortion, religious rights, presidential powers, transgender rights, voting rights, federal regulations others.

Gorsuch has strong academic qualifications, with an Ivy League education: attending Columbia University and, like several of the other justices on the court, Harvard Law School. He also completed a doctorate in legal philosophy at Oxford University, spent several years in private practice and worked in George W&nbsp;Bush&#39;s Justice Department.

Gorsuch joined an opinion in 2013 saying that owners of private companies could object on religious grounds to a provision of the Obamacare health insurance law requiring employers to provide coverage for birth control for women.

As long as Kennedy and four liberals remain on the bench, the court is not expected to pare back abortion rights as many US&nbsp;conservatives fervently hope. The Supreme Court legalised abortion in the landmark 1973 Roe v&nbsp;Wade ruling. In June, the justices ruled 5-3 to strike down a Texas law that restricted abortion access, with Kennedy and the liberals in the majority.

The current vacancy is the court&#39;s longest since a 391-day void from 1969 to 1970 during Republican Richard Nixon&#39;s presidency. After Abe Fortas resigned from the court in May 1969, the Senate voted down two nominees put forward by Nixon before confirming Harry Blackmun, who became a justice in June 1970. Aside from that one, no other Supreme Court vacancy since the US&nbsp;Civil War years of the 1860s has been as long as the current one.

&nbsp;

Advocacy groups geared up for a fight

Judicial Crisis Network, a conservative legal advocacy group, said it would launch the first part of a $10 million media advertisement campaign on Tuesday night in favour of Trump&#39;s pick. The effort will hold Senate Democrats who face election in 2018 &quot;accountable for their choice&quot; on the Supreme Court, the group said.

Liberal groups including People For the American Way and abortion rights advocate NARAL Pro-Choice America planned a nighttime rally in opposition to Trump&#39;s nominee outside the Supreme Court after the announcement.

Some Democrats have threatened to pursue a procedural hurdle called a filibuster, meaning 60 votes would be needed in the 100-seat Senate unless its long-standing rules are changed. Trump&#39;s fellow Republicans hold a 52-48 majority, meaning some Democratic votes would be needed to confirm his pick.

Trump said last week he would favour Senate Republicans eliminating the filibuster, a change dubbed the &quot;nuclear option,&quot; for Supreme Court nominees if Democrats block his pick.

If any of those three is replaced by a Trump appointee, conservatives would be eager to bring cases challenging the Roe v&nbsp;Wade ruling in the hope it would be overturned, long a goal for many Christian conservatives.

(Reuters)

He faces a potentially contentious confirmation battle in the US Senate after Republicans last year refused to consider Obama's nomination

President Donald Trump on Tuesday nominated Neil Gorsuch for a lifetime job on the US Supreme Court, picking the 49-year-old federal appeals court judge to restore the court's conservative majority and help shape rulings on divisive issues such as abortion, gun control, the death penalty and religious rights. The Colorado native faces a potentially contentious confirmation battle in the US Senate after Republicans last year refused to consider Democratic President Barack Obama's nominee to fill the vacancy caused by the February 2016 death of conservative justice Antonin Scalia. Gorsuch is the youngest nominee to the nation's highest court in more than a quarter century, and he could influence the direction of the court for decades. "Judge Gorsuch has outstanding legal skills, a brilliant mind, tremendous discipline, and has earned bipartisan support," Trump said. "Depending on their age, a justice can be active for 50 years. And his or her decisions can last a century or more, and can often be permanent," Trump added. Trump during his presidency may get to make additional appointments to the Supreme Court. Liberal Ruth Bader Ginsburg, who Trump called upon to resign last July after she called him "a faker," is 83 while Kennedy is 80. Stephen Breyer, another liberal, is 78. Gorsuch is a judge on the Denver-based 10th US Circuit Court of Appeals and was appointed to that post by Republican President George W Bush in 2006. Some Democrats in the US Senate, which votes on whether to confirm judicial nominees, have already said they would seek to block whoever Trump nominates. Gorsuch is considered a conservative intellectual, known for backing religious rights, and is seen as very much in the mold of Scalia, a leading conservative voice on the court for decades. A senior administration official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the choice of Gorsuch was seen by the White House as a significant departure from Supreme Court nominations from the recent past, given that many justices have come from the eastern United States. Gorsuch lives in Boulder, Colorado, where he raises horses and is a life-long outdoorsman. The official described Gorsuch as a mainstream judge who should easily be confirmed by the Senate. The official noted that the Senate confirmed him for his current judgeship in 2006 by voice vote with no one voting against him. "He plays it straight. He sticks to principles, and his opinions reflect a consistency regardless of who is in his courtroom," the official said of Gorsuch. Trump made his choice between two US appeals court judges, Gorsuch and Thomas Hardiman of the Philadelphia-based 3rd US Circuit Court of Appeals, according to a source involved in the selection process. Gorsuch became the youngest US Supreme Court nominee since Republican President George HW Bush in 1991 selected conservative Clarence Thomas, who was 43 at the time. He is the son of Anne Burford, the first woman to head the US Environmental Protection Agency. She served in Republican President Ronald Reagan's administration but resigned in 1983 amid a fight with Congress over documents on the EPA's use of a fund created to clean up toxic waste dumps nationwide. Trump's selection was one of the most consequential appointments of his young presidency as he moved to restore a conservative majority on the Supreme Court that had been in place for decades until Scalia died at age 79 on February 13, 2016. Trump, who took office on January 20, got the opportunity to name Scalia's replacement only because the Republican-led US Senate, in an action with little precedent in US history, refused to consider Obama's nominee for the post, appeals court judge Merrick Garland. Obama nominated Garland on March 16 but Republican senators led by Majority Leader Mitch McConnell denied Garland the customary confirmation hearings and vote. Trump has said his promise to appoint a conservative justice was one of the reasons he won the November 8 presidential election, with Christian conservatives and others emphasising the importance of the pick during the campaign. Trump last week said evangelical Christians would love his nominee. Trump's fellow Republicans hold a 52-48 majority in the Senate. The minority Democrats, irate over Garland's rebuff, potentially could try to block the nomination with procedural hurdles. The new appointee would expand the court's conservative wing, made up of John Roberts, Anthony Kennedy, Clarence Thomas and Samuel Alito. Kennedy long has been considered the court's pivotal vote, sometimes siding with the liberals in key cases such as the June 2016 ruling striking down abortion restrictions in Texas. The court's restored conservative majority likely would be supportive toward the death penalty and gun rights and hostile toward campaign finance limits. Scalia's replacement also could be pivotal in cases involving abortion, religious rights, presidential powers, transgender rights, voting rights, federal regulations others. Gorsuch has strong academic qualifications, with an Ivy League education: attending Columbia University and, like several of the other justices on the court, Harvard Law School. He also completed a doctorate in legal philosophy at Oxford University, spent several years in private practice and worked in George W Bush's Justice Department. Gorsuch joined an opinion in 2013 saying that owners of private companies could object on religious grounds to a provision of the Obamacare health insurance law requiring employers to provide coverage for birth control for women. As long as Kennedy and four liberals remain on the bench, the court is not expected to pare back abortion rights as many US conservatives fervently hope. The Supreme Court legalised abortion in the landmark 1973 Roe v Wade ruling. In June, the justices ruled 5-3 to strike down a Texas law that restricted abortion access, with Kennedy and the liberals in the majority. The current vacancy is the court's longest since a 391-day void from 1969 to 1970 during Republican Richard Nixon's presidency. After Abe Fortas resigned from the court in May 1969, the Senate voted down two nominees put forward by Nixon before confirming Harry Blackmun, who became a justice in June 1970. Aside from that one, no other Supreme Court vacancy since the US Civil War years of the 1860s has been as long as the current one. Advocacy groups geared up for a fight Judicial Crisis Network, a conservative legal advocacy group, said it would launch the first part of a $10 million media advertisement campaign on Tuesday night in favour of Trump's pick. The effort will hold Senate Democrats who face election in 2018 "accountable for their choice" on the Supreme Court, the group said. Liberal groups including People For the American Way and abortion rights advocate NARAL Pro-Choice America planned a nighttime rally in opposition to Trump's nominee outside the Supreme Court after the announcement. Some Democrats have threatened to pursue a procedural hurdle called a filibuster, meaning 60 votes would be needed in the 100-seat Senate unless its long-standing rules are changed. Trump's fellow Republicans hold a 52-48 majority, meaning some Democratic votes would be needed to confirm his pick. Trump said last week he would favour Senate Republicans eliminating the filibuster, a change dubbed the "nuclear option," for Supreme Court nominees if Democrats block his pick. If any of those three is replaced by a Trump appointee, conservatives would be eager to bring cases challenging the Roe v Wade ruling in the hope it would be overturned, long a goal for many Christian conservatives. (Reuters)

Trump nominates conservative judge Gorsuch for US Supreme Court

Shares of IT companies plunged as much as 9 per cent today amid concerns that the new bill in the US that aims to rework the H1-B visa programme will adversely impact the hiring plans of Indian technology firms.

Shares of TCS plunged by 5.46 per cent to touch an intra-day low of Rs 2,206.55 on BSE.&nbsp;Infosys lost 4.57 per cent to Rs 905 and Wipro went down by 4.11 per cent to Rs 445.55.

Tech Mahindra tumbled as much as 9.68 per cent to Rs 426 and HCL Technologies declined by 6.25 per cent to Rs 787.20.

The BSE IT index fell by 4.83 per cent to touch an intra-day low of 9401.85. It is currently trading at 9547.53.

According to market experts, US President Donald Trump plans to overhaul work-visa programmes that dampened investors&#39; sentiment.&nbsp;Trump is set to sign a new executive order aimed at overhauling work visa programmes like the H-1-B and L-1, a move that will adversely hit the lifeline of Indian tech firms and professionals in the US.

A legislation has been introduced in the US House of Representatives which among other things calls for more than doubling the minimum salary of H1-B visa holders to $130,000, making it difficult for firms to use the programme to replace American employees with foreign workers, including from India.

The H1B visa is a non-immigrant visa that allows US companies to employ foreign workers in speciality occupations that require theoretical or technical expertise in specialised fields. The technology companies depend on it to hire tens of thousands of employees each year.

(PTI)&nbsp;

Shares of TCS plunged by 5.46 per cent and Infosys lost 4.57 per cent amid Trump's plan to rework the H1-B visa programme

Shares of IT companies plunged as much as 9 per cent today amid concerns that the new bill in the US that aims to rework the H1-B visa programme will adversely impact the hiring plans of Indian technology firms. Shares of TCS plunged by 5.46 per cent to touch an intra-day low of Rs 2,206.55 on BSE. Infosys lost 4.57 per cent to Rs 905 and Wipro went down by 4.11 per cent to Rs 445.55. Tech Mahindra tumbled as much as 9.68 per cent to Rs 426 and HCL Technologies declined by 6.25 per cent to Rs 787.20. The BSE IT index fell by 4.83 per cent to touch an intra-day low of 9401.85. It is currently trading at 9547.53. According to market experts, US President Donald Trump plans to overhaul work-visa programmes that dampened investors' sentiment. Trump is set to sign a new executive order aimed at overhauling work visa programmes like the H-1-B and L-1, a move that will adversely hit the lifeline of Indian tech firms and professionals in the US. A legislation has been introduced in the US House of Representatives which among other things calls for more than doubling the minimum salary of H1-B visa holders to $130,000, making it difficult for firms to use the programme to replace American employees with foreign workers, including from India. The H1B visa is a non-immigrant visa that allows US companies to employ foreign workers in speciality occupations that require theoretical or technical expertise in specialised fields. The technology companies depend on it to hire tens of thousands of employees each year. (PTI)

IT stocks crash 9% over H1-B visa overhaul

Chancellor Angela Merkel said the global fight against terrorism does not warrant putting groups of people under suspicion, adding US President Donald Trump&#39;s order to restrict people from seven Muslim-majority countries from entering the United States violates the spirit of international cooperation.

&quot;The necessary and decisive battle against terrorism does not in any way justify putting groups of certain people under general suspicion - in this case&nbsp;people of Muslim belief or of a certain origin,&quot; Merkel told a news conference in Berlin.

&quot;In my opinion, this act runs contrary to the basic principles of international refugee help and international cooperation,&quot; she said. &quot;The chancellery and the foreign ministry will do everything they can, especially for those dual citizens affected, to clear up the legal ramifications and to emphatically represent their interests under the law.&quot;

She added: &quot;We&#39;re clearly having close consultations with our European partners about this entire issue.&quot;

President Donald Trump in an executive order had&nbsp;banned nationals of seven Muslim-majority countries namely Iraq, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen from entering the United States for at least the next 90 days.&nbsp;

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While signing the new immigration order at the Pentagon ceremony, Trump said that the government will impose tighter vetting to prevent foreign terrorists from entering the United States. Here&#39;s more to this story. (WION)
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President Trump reacted strongly against the protests tweeting twice early on Monday morning justifying his stance on the matter.

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If the ban were announced with a one week notice, the &quot;bad&quot; would rush into our country during that week. A lot of bad &quot;dudes&quot; out there!
&mdash; Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/826060143825666051">January 30, 2017</a></blockquote>
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There is nothing nice about searching for terrorists before they can enter our country. This was a big part of my campaign. Study the world!
&mdash; Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/826044059647107073">January 30, 2017</a></blockquote>
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There were protests in Europe and West Asia with even US citizens demonstrating against President Trump&#39;s executive order. Demonstrators shut down the traffic loop at Los Angeles International Airport and shouted slogans during a protest against the travel ban imposed by President Trump.

In Britain, people have signed a petition calling for President Trump&#39;s planned state visit to be cancelled to avoid embarrassing Queen Elizabeth, a grassroots backlash against his immigration policies.

The invitation to make a state visit, which will involve lavish displays of royal pageantry and a banquet hosted by the monarch, was conveyed by Prime Minister Theresa May when she visited Trump in Washington last week.

But May came under pressure to cancel the visit after Trump issued an executive order barring Syrian refugees from the United States and suspending travel from seven Muslim-majority countries, sparking protests at home and abroad.

The petition against the state visit, which is on the British parliament&#39;s website, passed the one million mark on Monday morning and by mid-afternoon local time had over 1.3 million signatories.

Guy Verhofstadt, one of the EU&#39;s top officials and its chief Brexit negotiator said President Donald Trump is part of a three-pronged attempt to undermine the European Union. The other two threats were from radicalised Islam and from Russian President Vladimir Putin, who Verhofstadt said was also working against the progress of the European Union project.&nbsp;

&quot;We have a third front, for the moment, undermining the European Union, and it is Donald Trump,&quot; Verhofstadt said in a speech at the Chatham House think-tank. &quot;Trump spoke very favourably of the fact that also other countries will want to break away from the European Union, and that he hoped for a disintegration of the European Union.&quot;

Verhofstadt served for nine years as prime minister of Belgium and has served in the European Parliament since 2009.

(Reuters) 
&nbsp;

There were protests in Europe and West Asia with even US citizens demonstrating against Trump's travel ban aimed at seven countries

Chancellor Angela Merkel said the global fight against terrorism does not warrant putting groups of people under suspicion, adding US President Donald Trump's order to restrict people from seven Muslim-majority countries from entering the United States violates the spirit of international cooperation. "The necessary and decisive battle against terrorism does not in any way justify putting groups of certain people under general suspicion - in this case people of Muslim belief or of a certain origin," Merkel told a news conference in Berlin. "In my opinion, this act runs contrary to the basic principles of international refugee help and international cooperation," she said. "The chancellery and the foreign ministry will do everything they can, especially for those dual citizens affected, to clear up the legal ramifications and to emphatically represent their interests under the law." She added: "We're clearly having close consultations with our European partners about this entire issue." President Donald Trump in an executive order had banned nationals of seven Muslim-majority countries namely Iraq, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen from entering the United States for at least the next 90 days. While signing the new immigration order at the Pentagon ceremony, Trump said that the government will impose tighter vetting to prevent foreign terrorists from entering the United States. Here's more to this story. (WION) × President Trump reacted strongly against the protests tweeting twice early on Monday morning justifying his stance on the matter. If the ban were announced with a one week notice, the "bad" would rush into our country during that week. A lot of bad "dudes" out there! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 30, 2017 × There is nothing nice about searching for terrorists before they can enter our country. This was a big part of my campaign. Study the world! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 30, 2017 × There were protests in Europe and West Asia with even US citizens demonstrating against President Trump's executive order. Demonstrators shut down the traffic loop at Los Angeles International Airport and shouted slogans during a protest against the travel ban imposed by President Trump. In Britain, people have signed a petition calling for President Trump's planned state visit to be cancelled to avoid embarrassing Queen Elizabeth, a grassroots backlash against his immigration policies. The invitation to make a state visit, which will involve lavish displays of royal pageantry and a banquet hosted by the monarch, was conveyed by Prime Minister Theresa May when she visited Trump in Washington last week. But May came under pressure to cancel the visit after Trump issued an executive order barring Syrian refugees from the United States and suspending travel from seven Muslim-majority countries, sparking protests at home and abroad. The petition against the state visit, which is on the British parliament's website, passed the one million mark on Monday morning and by mid-afternoon local time had over 1.3 million signatories. Guy Verhofstadt, one of the EU's top officials and its chief Brexit negotiator said President Donald Trump is part of a three-pronged attempt to undermine the European Union. The other two threats were from radicalised Islam and from Russian President Vladimir Putin, who Verhofstadt said was also working against the progress of the European Union project. "We have a third front, for the moment, undermining the European Union, and it is Donald Trump," Verhofstadt said in a speech at the Chatham House think-tank. "Trump spoke very favourably of the fact that also other countries will want to break away from the European Union, and that he hoped for a disintegration of the European Union." Verhofstadt served for nine years as prime minister of Belgium and has served in the European Parliament since 2009. (Reuters)

Terror fight does not justify US travel ban: German Chancellor Angela Merkel

The US embassy in Berlin said on its Facebook page on Monday that visa issuance had been suspended to nationals, or dual nationals, of Iraq, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen.

 
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&quot;As per US presidential executive order signed on January 27, 2017, visa issuance to aliens from the countries of Iraq, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen has been suspended effective immediately until further notification,&quot; it said.

&quot;If you are a national, or dual national, of one of these countries, please do not schedule a visa appointment or pay any visa fees at this time,&quot; the embassy added.

President Trump got on the act and tweeted on the status of people detained or held for questioning as US authorities continued their clampdown on visitors setting foot on American soil.

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Only 109 people out of 325,000 were detained and held for questioning. Big problems at airports were caused by Delta computer outage,.....
&mdash; Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/826041397232943104">January 30, 2017</a></blockquote>
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There is nothing nice about searching for terrorists before they can enter our country. This was a big part of my campaign. Study the world!
&mdash; Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/826044059647107073">January 30, 2017</a></blockquote>
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Meanwhile, the head of the 54-member African Union said that a US travel ban on seven Muslim-majority countries including three in Africa heralded &quot;turbulent times&quot; for the continent.

AU commission chief Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma made the remarks in a speech to open an AU summit, after President Donald Trump&#39;s executive order halted travel by people with passports from Libya, Somalia, Sudan and four other Middle East nations for 90 days, and stopped refugee resettlement for 120 days.

&quot;We are entering very turbulent times. The very country to which many of our people were taken as slaves during the transatlantic slave trade has now decided to ban refugees from some of our countries. What do we do about this? Indeed, this is one of the greatest challenges to our unity and solidarity,&quot; she told African leaders in the Ethiopian capital.

The Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) also criticised President Trump&#39;s visa ban saying asserting it harmed the common struggle against radicalism.

&quot;Such selective and discriminatory acts will only serve to embolden the radical narratives of extremists,&quot; the group said in a statement on its website.

&quot;(The move) will provide further fuel to the advocates of violence and terrorism at a critical time when the OIC has been engaged with all partners, including the US, to combat extremism and terrorism in all their forms and manifestations.&quot;

(Reuters)&nbsp; 
&nbsp;

&nbsp;

&nbsp;

US embassy's Berlin Facebook page said that visa issuance had been suspended to nationals of Iraq, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan and Syria

The US embassy in Berlin said on its Facebook page on Monday that visa issuance had been suspended to nationals, or dual nationals, of Iraq, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen. "As per US presidential executive order signed on January 27, 2017, visa issuance to aliens from the countries of Iraq, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen has been suspended effective immediately until further notification," it said. "If you are a national, or dual national, of one of these countries, please do not schedule a visa appointment or pay any visa fees at this time," the embassy added. President Trump got on the act and tweeted on the status of people detained or held for questioning as US authorities continued their clampdown on visitors setting foot on American soil. Only 109 people out of 325,000 were detained and held for questioning. Big problems at airports were caused by Delta computer outage,..... — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 30, 2017 × There is nothing nice about searching for terrorists before they can enter our country. This was a big part of my campaign. Study the world! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 30, 2017 × Meanwhile, the head of the 54-member African Union said that a US travel ban on seven Muslim-majority countries including three in Africa heralded "turbulent times" for the continent. AU commission chief Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma made the remarks in a speech to open an AU summit, after President Donald Trump's executive order halted travel by people with passports from Libya, Somalia, Sudan and four other Middle East nations for 90 days, and stopped refugee resettlement for 120 days. "We are entering very turbulent times. The very country to which many of our people were taken as slaves during the transatlantic slave trade has now decided to ban refugees from some of our countries. What do we do about this? Indeed, this is one of the greatest challenges to our unity and solidarity," she told African leaders in the Ethiopian capital. The Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) also criticised President Trump's visa ban saying asserting it harmed the common struggle against radicalism. "Such selective and discriminatory acts will only serve to embolden the radical narratives of extremists," the group said in a statement on its website. "(The move) will provide further fuel to the advocates of violence and terrorism at a critical time when the OIC has been engaged with all partners, including the US, to combat extremism and terrorism in all their forms and manifestations." (Reuters)

US embassy in Berlin suspends visas for nationals on Trump's travel ban list

US president Donald Trump&rsquo;s executive&nbsp;order has sparked widespread protests in not only in the&nbsp;United States, but around the world. So what is the Trump order all about?

<h1 style="text-align: left;">Trump&rsquo;s executive order explained</h1>

On Friday, Trump signed <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2017/01/27/us/politics/refugee-muslim-executive-order-trump.html">an executive order</a> imposing an indefinite ban on Syrian refugees from entering the United States.

The executive order also suspended all refugee admissions for 120 days. Suspension from entry was also imposed on citizens from Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen from entering the United States for 90 days.

White House Chief of Staff Reince Preibus has said border patrol agents could question US citizens coming from the seven banned countries. Similarly, cases of green card holders will be considered on a case-by-case basis.

This order has left several travellers around the world stranded, as protests continue to swell across the United States.The executive order was challenged by the American Civil Liberties Union, <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/us-federal-court-halts-part-of-trumps-immigration-ban-world-leaders-condemn-restrictions-11813">leading to a halt</a> on a part of Trump&rsquo;s immigration ban.

President Trump, since then, has come out in defence of his order.

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But, the Trump administration is showing no signs of slowing down. White House Chief of Staff Reince Priebus has hinted that <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/pakistan-could-be-next-on-the-immigration-ban-list-hints-white-house-chief-of-staff-11839">more countries could be added</a> to the immigration ban.

<h1 style="text-align: left;">The situation on the ground</h1>

<h3>Atlanta</h3>

Massive crowds have been gathering outside the Atlanta airport protesting the ban on entry of immigrants.Protest rallies were also carried out inside the airport premises. Reports say some protesters tried to enter the baggage claim area&nbsp;but&nbsp;were stopped.&nbsp;

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People currently protesting Donald Trump&#39;s <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/MuslimBan?src=hash">#MuslimBan</a> at Atlanta airport. <a href="https://t.co/zFldoXFtgF">pic.twitter.com/zFldoXFtgF</a>
&mdash; Everything Georgia (@GAFollowers) <a href="https://twitter.com/GAFollowers/status/825862443494674433">January 30, 2017</a></blockquote>
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<h3>New York</h3>

Citizens continue to protest the streets of New York. The First Lady of New York City took to twitter to express her support.&nbsp;

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This is New York City. We will always fight to protect our people. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NoBanNoWall?src=hash">#NoBanNoWall</a> <a href="https://t.co/AKaYB3jgRZ">pic.twitter.com/AKaYB3jgRZ</a>
&mdash; Chirlane McCray (@NYCFirstLady) <a href="https://twitter.com/NYCFirstLady/status/825816795093286912">January 29, 2017</a></blockquote>
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The John F. Kennedy International Airport continues to remain at the center of the action. Lawyers continued to work pro-bono to free remaining detainees.They even have opened up a social media bureau to reach out to more people to offer help and legal assistance to travelers.&nbsp;

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Uh oh... the pro bono lawyer army at JFK Terminal 4 just opened a social media bureau. <a href="https://twitter.com/nobanjfk">@nobanjfk</a> <a href="https://t.co/HSkjHtNGNw">pic.twitter.com/HSkjHtNGNw</a>
&mdash; Simone Wilson (@simone_electra) <a href="https://twitter.com/simone_electra/status/825903661385711616">January 30, 2017</a></blockquote>
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<h3>Seattle</h3>

Seattle saw massive protests against the immigration ban. Citizens took to the streets in large numbers.&nbsp;Reports say at least 13 detainees were released, as protests continued in the West Lake Part area.&nbsp;

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RT @UberFacts: A glimpse of the immigration ban protest in Seattle (via @KING5Seattle) https://twitter.com/KING5Seattle/status/825890830988648448/video/1
&mdash; (@Zoraida12098036) <a data-datetime="2017-01-30T08:22:00+00:00" href="https://twitter.com/Zoraida12098036/status/825982405722963968">Jan 30 2017</a></blockquote>
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<h3>Los Angeles</h3>

Local traffic was blocked in Los Angeles, as the protesters faced off with the police forces. The Los Angeles airport remained under heavy security. But that did not stop the protesters or baggage handlers from joining the protests.&nbsp;

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LAX Baggage handlers at the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/laxprotest?src=hash">#laxprotest</a>..the turn up is REAL! ?????? <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/lit?src=hash">#lit</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NoBanNoWall?src=hash">#NoBanNoWall</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/RefugeesWelcome?src=hash">#RefugeesWelcome</a> <a href="https://t.co/BLCEakYiRJ">pic.twitter.com/BLCEakYiRJ</a>
&mdash; Desiree Rollins (@deltaeq) <a href="https://twitter.com/deltaeq/status/825902557511815168">January 30, 2017</a></blockquote>
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<h3>San Francisco</h3>

In San Francisco, crowds&nbsp;gathered at the arrivals to make their voices heard against the immigration ban order by the Trump administration.&nbsp;But the protests took a brutal turn,&nbsp;and locals recorded policemen using force.&nbsp;

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Situation Escalating at San Francisco Airport <a href="https://t.co/WZtgXAhWpw">pic.twitter.com/WZtgXAhWpw</a>
&mdash; Breaking911 (@Breaking911) <a href="https://twitter.com/Breaking911/status/825837932468719616">January 29, 2017</a></blockquote>
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<h1 style="text-align: left;">What the law says</h1>

An executive order is a statement by the President of the United States, declaring the policy of a government. They derive their power from Article II of the American constitution.

The executive order is a legally binding document, recorded into the official journal of the government and federal register.

A president can use an executive order to overturn any previous orders issued by the previous president. But they cannot reverse laws passed by the United States Congress.

So how can one overturn Trump&rsquo;s executive order on immigration? By challenging it in court. And this one is clearly headed for a Supreme Court battle.

Executive orders have been overturned by courts before. In recent times, Obama&#39;s executive action to block deportation of five million immigrants was blocked by the Supreme Court.&nbsp;

Opponents argue Trump&rsquo;s order violates the Fifth Amendment right of due process. Further, the order gives preference to Christians, which could mean a violation of the First Amendment on freedom of religion.

But for now, the public outcry is good enough to express the sentiment against the immigration ban.

&nbsp;

Breaking down Trump's executive order banning entry of citizens from seven countries into the United States

US president Donald Trump’s executive order has sparked widespread protests in not only in the United States, but around the world. So what is the Trump order all about? Trump’s executive order explained On Friday, Trump signed an executive order imposing an indefinite ban on Syrian refugees from entering the United States. The executive order also suspended all refugee admissions for 120 days. Suspension from entry was also imposed on citizens from Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen from entering the United States for 90 days. White House Chief of Staff Reince Preibus has said border patrol agents could question US citizens coming from the seven banned countries. Similarly, cases of green card holders will be considered on a case-by-case basis. This order has left several travellers around the world stranded, as protests continue to swell across the United States.The executive order was challenged by the American Civil Liberties Union, leading to a halt on a part of Trump’s immigration ban. President Trump, since then, has come out in defence of his order. But, the Trump administration is showing no signs of slowing down. White House Chief of Staff Reince Priebus has hinted that more countries could be added to the immigration ban. The situation on the ground Atlanta Massive crowds have been gathering outside the Atlanta airport protesting the ban on entry of immigrants.Protest rallies were also carried out inside the airport premises. Reports say some protesters tried to enter the baggage claim area but were stopped. People currently protesting Donald Trump's #MuslimBan at Atlanta airport. pic.twitter.com/zFldoXFtgF — Everything Georgia (@GAFollowers) January 30, 2017 × New York Citizens continue to protest the streets of New York. The First Lady of New York City took to twitter to express her support. This is New York City. We will always fight to protect our people. #NoBanNoWall pic.twitter.com/AKaYB3jgRZ — Chirlane McCray (@NYCFirstLady) January 29, 2017 × The John F. Kennedy International Airport continues to remain at the center of the action. Lawyers continued to work pro-bono to free remaining detainees.They even have opened up a social media bureau to reach out to more people to offer help and legal assistance to travelers. Uh oh... the pro bono lawyer army at JFK Terminal 4 just opened a social media bureau. @nobanjfk pic.twitter.com/HSkjHtNGNw — Simone Wilson (@simone_electra) January 30, 2017 × Seattle Seattle saw massive protests against the immigration ban. Citizens took to the streets in large numbers. Reports say at least 13 detainees were released, as protests continued in the West Lake Part area. RT @UberFacts: A glimpse of the immigration ban protest in Seattle (via @KING5Seattle) https://twitter.com/KING5Seattle/status/825890830988648448/video/1 — (@Zoraida12098036) Jan 30 2017 × Los Angeles Local traffic was blocked in Los Angeles, as the protesters faced off with the police forces. The Los Angeles airport remained under heavy security. But that did not stop the protesters or baggage handlers from joining the protests. LAX Baggage handlers at the #laxprotest..the turn up is REAL! ?????? #lit #NoBanNoWall #RefugeesWelcome pic.twitter.com/BLCEakYiRJ — Desiree Rollins (@deltaeq) January 30, 2017 × San Francisco In San Francisco, crowds gathered at the arrivals to make their voices heard against the immigration ban order by the Trump administration. But the protests took a brutal turn, and locals recorded policemen using force. Situation Escalating at San Francisco Airport pic.twitter.com/WZtgXAhWpw — Breaking911 (@Breaking911) January 29, 2017 × What the law says An executive order is a statement by the President of the United States, declaring the policy of a government. They derive their power from Article II of the American constitution. The executive order is a legally binding document, recorded into the official journal of the government and federal register. A president can use an executive order to overturn any previous orders issued by the previous president. But they cannot reverse laws passed by the United States Congress. So how can one overturn Trump’s executive order on immigration? By challenging it in court. And this one is clearly headed for a Supreme Court battle. Executive orders have been overturned by courts before. In recent times, Obama's executive action to block deportation of five million immigrants was blocked by the Supreme Court. Opponents argue Trump’s order violates the Fifth Amendment right of due process. Further, the order gives preference to Christians, which could mean a violation of the First Amendment on freedom of religion. But for now, the public outcry is good enough to express the sentiment against the immigration ban.

Trump's executive order on travel ban explained

Even as leaders across the world expressed their concern over his immigration ban and more than hundred thousand people protested at airports across the US, Donald Trump remained unfazed, tweeting &quot;Our country needs strong borders and extreme vetting.&quot;

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Our country needs strong borders and extreme vetting, NOW. Look what is happening all over Europe and, indeed, the world - a horrible mess!
&mdash; Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/825692045532618753">January 29, 2017</a></blockquote>
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Christians in the Middle-East have been executed in large numbers. We cannot allow this horror to continue!
&mdash; Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/825721153142521858">January 29, 2017</a></blockquote>
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Federal courts began stepping in as requests for stays of Trump&#39;s actions were sought.

A federal judge in New York temporarily blocked deportations nationwide.&nbsp;

Sending those travellers back to their home countries following Trump&#39;s order exposes them to &quot;substantial and irreparable injury,&quot; she wrote in her decision.

Her ruling was followed by similar decisions by federal judges in Virginia, Seattle and Boston.

More than hundred thousand people protest at airports

Partial relief to those detained at airports or in transit came as US judge Ann Donnelly in an order temporarily halted removal of individuals detained in the country.

Hundreds of thousands of people gathered at US airports holding banners protesting Trump&#39;s ban on immigrants from seven Muslim-majority countries. Chaos and fear gripped individuals trying to enter US, PTI reported.

Immigrants, even those holding green cards, were held and banned from flying into the US. Several individuals, who had valid US visas and green cards and who had travelled abroad for work or on personal visits were also impacted.

Crowds stood outside the arrival terminal of New York&#39;s bustling John F Kennedy international airport, raising slogans against Trump&#39;s order suspending entry of all refugees to the US for 120 days, barring Syrian refugees indefinitely and blocking entry into the country for 90 days for citizens of Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen.

Similar scenes of chaos and protests were witnessed at other key ports of entry in Boston, Los Angeles and in Houston.

Helpless individuals, whose family members were not allowed to board flights to the US expressed their anger on social media.

&quot;Three weeks ago my wife and my newborn daughter went to Iran so that she can visit her grandparents for the first time. It is not clear they can come back to the US. And this feeling eats me alive,&quot; an individual Amin Karbasi, who one person pointed out was a professor at Yale University, wrote on Twitter.

Mo Farah condemns ban

British Olympic champion Mohamed Farah condemned the curbs on immigrants and visitors as coming &quot;from a place of ignorance and prejudice&quot; which seemed to make him an &quot;alien&quot; in the United States, where he trains and lives with his family.

&quot;On 1st January this year, Her Majesty the Queen made me a Knight of the Realm,&quot; Farah said in a statement on his Facebook account. &quot;On 27th January, President Donald Trump seems to have made me an alien.&quot; 
 
(WION with inputs from agencies)

The ban impacted several individuals, who had valid US visas and green cards and who had travelled abroad for work or on personal visits

Even as leaders across the world expressed their concern over his immigration ban and more than hundred thousand people protested at airports across the US, Donald Trump remained unfazed, tweeting "Our country needs strong borders and extreme vetting." Our country needs strong borders and extreme vetting, NOW. Look what is happening all over Europe and, indeed, the world - a horrible mess! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 29, 2017 × Christians in the Middle-East have been executed in large numbers. We cannot allow this horror to continue! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 29, 2017 × Federal courts began stepping in as requests for stays of Trump's actions were sought. A federal judge in New York temporarily blocked deportations nationwide. Sending those travellers back to their home countries following Trump's order exposes them to "substantial and irreparable injury," she wrote in her decision. Her ruling was followed by similar decisions by federal judges in Virginia, Seattle and Boston. More than hundred thousand people protest at airports Partial relief to those detained at airports or in transit came as US judge Ann Donnelly in an order temporarily halted removal of individuals detained in the country. Hundreds of thousands of people gathered at US airports holding banners protesting Trump's ban on immigrants from seven Muslim-majority countries. Chaos and fear gripped individuals trying to enter US, PTI reported. Immigrants, even those holding green cards, were held and banned from flying into the US. Several individuals, who had valid US visas and green cards and who had travelled abroad for work or on personal visits were also impacted. Crowds stood outside the arrival terminal of New York's bustling John F Kennedy international airport, raising slogans against Trump's order suspending entry of all refugees to the US for 120 days, barring Syrian refugees indefinitely and blocking entry into the country for 90 days for citizens of Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen. Similar scenes of chaos and protests were witnessed at other key ports of entry in Boston, Los Angeles and in Houston. Helpless individuals, whose family members were not allowed to board flights to the US expressed their anger on social media. "Three weeks ago my wife and my newborn daughter went to Iran so that she can visit her grandparents for the first time. It is not clear they can come back to the US. And this feeling eats me alive," an individual Amin Karbasi, who one person pointed out was a professor at Yale University, wrote on Twitter. Mo Farah condemns ban British Olympic champion Mohamed Farah condemned the curbs on immigrants and visitors as coming "from a place of ignorance and prejudice" which seemed to make him an "alien" in the United States, where he trains and lives with his family. "On 1st January this year, Her Majesty the Queen made me a Knight of the Realm," Farah said in a statement on his Facebook account. "On 27th January, President Donald Trump seems to have made me an alien." (WION with inputs from agencies)

US immigration ban: Trump unfazed as protests increase across US

US President Donald Trump signed a sweeping new executive order Friday to suspend refugee arrivals and impose tough controls on travelers from seven Muslim countries.

Making good on one of his most controversial campaign promises, and to the horror of human rights groups, Trump said he was making America safe from &quot;radical Islamic terrorists.&quot;

&quot;This is big stuff,&quot; he declared at the Pentagon, after signing an order entitled: &quot;Protection of the nation from foreign terrorist entry into the United States.&quot;

Trump&#39;s decree suspends the entire US refugee resettlement program for at least 120 days while tough new vetting rules are established.

These new protocols will &quot;ensure that those approved for refugee admission do not pose a threat to the security and welfare of the United States.&quot;

In addition, it specifically bars Syrian refugees from the United States indefinitely, or until the president himself decides that they no longer pose a threat.

Meanwhile, no visas will be issued for 90 days to migrants or visitors from seven mainly-Muslim countries: Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen. During the suspensions of the refugee and visa programs, new rules will be devised for what Trump has called &quot;extreme vetting&quot; of applicants&#39; backgrounds.

Some exceptions will be made for members of &quot;religious minorities,&quot; which -- in the countries targeted by the decree -- would imply favorable treatment for Christians.&nbsp;

Trump&#39;s order also cut the number of refugees the United States plans to resettle in fiscal year 2017 -- which is calculated from last October -- from 110,000 to 50,000.

Civil liberties groups and many counterterrorism experts condemned the measures, declaring it inhumane to lump the victims of conflict in with the extremists who threaten them.

&quot;&#39;Extreme vetting&#39; is just a euphemism for discriminating against Muslims,&quot; said Anthony Romero, executive director of the American Civil Liberties Union.

By choosing countries with Muslim majorities for tougher treatment, Romero argued, Trump&#39;s order breaches the US Constitution&#39;s ban on religious discrimination.

Ahmed Rehab, director of the Chicago chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations, said his group would mount legal challenges to fight the order &quot;tooth and nail.&quot;

&quot;It is targeting people based on their faith and national origin, and not on their character or their criminality,&quot; he told AFP.

Malala Yousafzai, the Pakistani activist and Nobel peace laureate who was shot in the head by the Taliban in 2012, said she was &quot;heartbroken&quot; and urged Trump not to abandon the world&#39;s &quot;most defenseless children and families.&quot;

Not the time to build walls between nations: Iran president to Trump

Speaking at a tourism convention in Tehran Saturday, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani did not comment directly on the visa ban but said Iran had &quot;opened its doors&quot; to foreign tourists since the signing of a nuclear agreement with world powers in 2015.

He also said now was &quot;not the time to build walls between nations,&quot; a remark that followed Trump&#39;s order to construct a wall along the US-Mexico border.&nbsp;

The tough travel controls will be popular with Trump&#39;s nationalist base, and stop short of a threat made during last year&#39;s campaign to halt all Muslim travel to the United States.

Trump&#39;s supporters defend the measures as necessary to prevent supporters of Al-Qaeda or the Islamic State group from infiltrating the US homeland disguised as refugees.

And the State Department, which with the Department of Homeland Security will have to implement the measures, said it was ready to put them into immediate effect.

&quot;We will announce any changes affecting travelers to the United States as soon as that information is available,&quot; spokesman Mark Toner said.

&quot;We take seriously our responsibility to safeguard the American public while remaining committed to assisting the world&#39;s most vulnerable people.&quot;

During the Pentagon ceremony, he also signed an order to &quot;rebuild&quot; the US military and watched Vice President Mike Pence swear-in former Marine general James Mattis as his new secretary of defense.

Trump showered Mattis with praise. Earlier he had admitted he would allow the general&#39;s opposition to the use of torture to override his own enthusiasm for harsh measures. In what was a busy day from Trump, one week after his inauguration, he also met with Britain&#39;s Prime Minister Theresa May, the first foreign leader to visit his White House.

He hailed the &quot;most special relationship&quot; between the twin Atlantic powers and praised Britain&#39;s decision to leave the European Union as a &quot;wonderful thing.&quot;

&quot;When it irons out, you&#39;re going to have your own identity, and you are going to have the people that you want in your country,&quot; Trump said, in a nod to his own immigration stance.&nbsp;

&quot;You&#39;re going to be able to make free trade deals without having somebody watching you and what you are doing.&quot;

May conveyed an invitation from Queen Elizabeth II for Trump to come to Britain for a state visit this year, and thanked him for his &quot;100 per cent&quot; support of NATO.

Over the weekend, Trump is due to make calls to Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, Germany&#39;s Chancellor Angela Merkel, Russia&#39;s President Vladimir Putin, France&#39;s President Francois Hollande and Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull.

He is keen to develop friendly ties with Moscow, but played down reports that he might quickly end US economic sanctions imposed on Russia for its intervention in Ukraine.

(AFP)

 
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Trump's decree suspends the entire US refugee resettlement program for at least 120 days while tough new rules are established

US President Donald Trump signed a sweeping new executive order Friday to suspend refugee arrivals and impose tough controls on travelers from seven Muslim countries. Making good on one of his most controversial campaign promises, and to the horror of human rights groups, Trump said he was making America safe from "radical Islamic terrorists." "This is big stuff," he declared at the Pentagon, after signing an order entitled: "Protection of the nation from foreign terrorist entry into the United States." Trump's decree suspends the entire US refugee resettlement program for at least 120 days while tough new vetting rules are established. These new protocols will "ensure that those approved for refugee admission do not pose a threat to the security and welfare of the United States." In addition, it specifically bars Syrian refugees from the United States indefinitely, or until the president himself decides that they no longer pose a threat. Meanwhile, no visas will be issued for 90 days to migrants or visitors from seven mainly-Muslim countries: Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen. During the suspensions of the refugee and visa programs, new rules will be devised for what Trump has called "extreme vetting" of applicants' backgrounds. Some exceptions will be made for members of "religious minorities," which -- in the countries targeted by the decree -- would imply favorable treatment for Christians. Trump's order also cut the number of refugees the United States plans to resettle in fiscal year 2017 -- which is calculated from last October -- from 110,000 to 50,000. Civil liberties groups and many counterterrorism experts condemned the measures, declaring it inhumane to lump the victims of conflict in with the extremists who threaten them. "'Extreme vetting' is just a euphemism for discriminating against Muslims," said Anthony Romero, executive director of the American Civil Liberties Union. By choosing countries with Muslim majorities for tougher treatment, Romero argued, Trump's order breaches the US Constitution's ban on religious discrimination. Ahmed Rehab, director of the Chicago chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations, said his group would mount legal challenges to fight the order "tooth and nail." "It is targeting people based on their faith and national origin, and not on their character or their criminality," he told AFP. Malala Yousafzai, the Pakistani activist and Nobel peace laureate who was shot in the head by the Taliban in 2012, said she was "heartbroken" and urged Trump not to abandon the world's "most defenseless children and families." Not the time to build walls between nations: Iran president to Trump Speaking at a tourism convention in Tehran Saturday, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani did not comment directly on the visa ban but said Iran had "opened its doors" to foreign tourists since the signing of a nuclear agreement with world powers in 2015. He also said now was "not the time to build walls between nations," a remark that followed Trump's order to construct a wall along the US-Mexico border. The tough travel controls will be popular with Trump's nationalist base, and stop short of a threat made during last year's campaign to halt all Muslim travel to the United States. Trump's supporters defend the measures as necessary to prevent supporters of Al-Qaeda or the Islamic State group from infiltrating the US homeland disguised as refugees. And the State Department, which with the Department of Homeland Security will have to implement the measures, said it was ready to put them into immediate effect. "We will announce any changes affecting travelers to the United States as soon as that information is available," spokesman Mark Toner said. "We take seriously our responsibility to safeguard the American public while remaining committed to assisting the world's most vulnerable people." During the Pentagon ceremony, he also signed an order to "rebuild" the US military and watched Vice President Mike Pence swear-in former Marine general James Mattis as his new secretary of defense. Trump showered Mattis with praise. Earlier he had admitted he would allow the general's opposition to the use of torture to override his own enthusiasm for harsh measures. In what was a busy day from Trump, one week after his inauguration, he also met with Britain's Prime Minister Theresa May, the first foreign leader to visit his White House. He hailed the "most special relationship" between the twin Atlantic powers and praised Britain's decision to leave the European Union as a "wonderful thing." "When it irons out, you're going to have your own identity, and you are going to have the people that you want in your country," Trump said, in a nod to his own immigration stance. "You're going to be able to make free trade deals without having somebody watching you and what you are doing." May conveyed an invitation from Queen Elizabeth II for Trump to come to Britain for a state visit this year, and thanked him for his "100 per cent" support of NATO. Over the weekend, Trump is due to make calls to Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, Germany's Chancellor Angela Merkel, Russia's President Vladimir Putin, France's President Francois Hollande and Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull. He is keen to develop friendly ties with Moscow, but played down reports that he might quickly end US economic sanctions imposed on Russia for its intervention in Ukraine. (AFP)

Trump suspends refugee arrivals to US

Federal minister Ananth Kumar said on Saturday that India&#39;s IT, biotech and pharmaceutical industries would not be impacted by Donald Trump&#39;s protectionist policies, citing a phone call between PM Narendra Modi and the US president.

HN Ananth Kumar, minister for chemicals and fertilisers in the Modi government said the US was expected to continue &quot;the commerce-related attitude&quot; towards the country, PTI reported.

&quot;The prime minister has already had a telephonic conversation with the US president. With the kind of&nbsp;relationship we have with the US, I don&#39;t think there will be any change in the attitude of the US in terms of commerce-related issues. I also don&#39;t think, there will be any problem for the Indian IT, BT and pharmaceutical industries,&quot; Kumar told PTI.

He was replying to a query on Trump&#39;s policy of protectionism at a news conference to announce the &quot;Indian Pharma&quot; and &quot;India Medical Devices-2017&quot; international conference scheduled to be held&nbsp;from February 11 to 13 in India&#39;s IT hub Bengaluru.

Some of the key Indian companies, including the IT industry, have been apprehensive about Trump&#39;s stress on protectionism and his pre-election promise to order an investigation into all visa abuses.

Industry watchers say this could mean facing tough scrutiny of workers from foreign countries, including India, under his presidency.

(WION with inputs from PTI) 
&nbsp;

The Indian IT industry has been apprehensive about Trump's stress on protectionism and toughening visa laws

Federal minister Ananth Kumar said on Saturday that India's IT, biotech and pharmaceutical industries would not be impacted by Donald Trump's protectionist policies, citing a phone call between PM Narendra Modi and the US president. HN Ananth Kumar, minister for chemicals and fertilisers in the Modi government said the US was expected to continue "the commerce-related attitude" towards the country, PTI reported. "The prime minister has already had a telephonic conversation with the US president. With the kind of relationship we have with the US, I don't think there will be any change in the attitude of the US in terms of commerce-related issues. I also don't think, there will be any problem for the Indian IT, BT and pharmaceutical industries," Kumar told PTI. He was replying to a query on Trump's policy of protectionism at a news conference to announce the "Indian Pharma" and "India Medical Devices-2017" international conference scheduled to be held from February 11 to 13 in India's IT hub Bengaluru. Some of the key Indian companies, including the IT industry, have been apprehensive about Trump's stress on protectionism and his pre-election promise to order an investigation into all visa abuses. Industry watchers say this could mean facing tough scrutiny of workers from foreign countries, including India, under his presidency. (WION with inputs from PTI)

Trump's policies will not impact India's IT, pharma firms, assures Indian minister

US President Donald Trump and Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin will on Saturday hold their first phone conversation since the American leader&#39;s inauguration, the Kremlin said. &nbsp;

&quot;I can confirm that a telephone conversation is planned. It will be Saturday evening Moscow time,&quot; Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told journalists on Friday.&nbsp;

Peskov said Putin would congratulate Trump on officially becoming president and the two would likely discuss the &quot;state of bilateral ties&quot;.

But Putin&#39;s spokesman refused to comment on rumours that Trump might already be gearing up to roll back sanctions against Moscow that have helped drive ties to their lowest point since the end of the Cold War. &nbsp;

&quot;This is the first contact by phone since President Trump assumed office so it is hardly likely there will be substantive contact on all issues. Let&#39;s be patient,&quot; he said.&nbsp;

The two leaders already spoke by phone in November following Trump&#39;s election&nbsp;and agreed to &quot;normalise&quot; US-Russia relations, which have suffered notably since the crisis in Ukraine.

Throughout the election campaign, Trump praised Putin and was accused by his Democratic rival Hillary Clinton of being Putin&#39;s &quot;puppet&quot;.

Less than one month before leaving the White House, former president Barack Obama took action against Moscow over what he said was Russian meddling in the US presidential election.

The measures by Obama, who accused Moscow of &quot;efforts to harm US interests&quot;, included the expulsion of 35 alleged intelligence agents and financial sanctions on Russia&#39;s top intelligence agencies.

Trump has pledged to mend ties with Putin&#39;s government&nbsp;and is angered by suggestions that his victory was aided by illegal Russian interference.

(AFP)

'I can confirm that a telephone conversation is planned. It will be Saturday evening Moscow time,' Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said

US President Donald Trump and Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin will on Saturday hold their first phone conversation since the American leader's inauguration, the Kremlin said. "I can confirm that a telephone conversation is planned. It will be Saturday evening Moscow time," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told journalists on Friday. Peskov said Putin would congratulate Trump on officially becoming president and the two would likely discuss the "state of bilateral ties". But Putin's spokesman refused to comment on rumours that Trump might already be gearing up to roll back sanctions against Moscow that have helped drive ties to their lowest point since the end of the Cold War. "This is the first contact by phone since President Trump assumed office so it is hardly likely there will be substantive contact on all issues. Let's be patient," he said. The two leaders already spoke by phone in November following Trump's election and agreed to "normalise" US-Russia relations, which have suffered notably since the crisis in Ukraine. Throughout the election campaign, Trump praised Putin and was accused by his Democratic rival Hillary Clinton of being Putin's "puppet". Less than one month before leaving the White House, former president Barack Obama took action against Moscow over what he said was Russian meddling in the US presidential election. The measures by Obama, who accused Moscow of "efforts to harm US interests", included the expulsion of 35 alleged intelligence agents and financial sanctions on Russia's top intelligence agencies. Trump has pledged to mend ties with Putin's government and is angered by suggestions that his victory was aided by illegal Russian interference. (AFP)

Putin and Trump to speak by phone on Saturday: Kremlin

US President Donald Trump has appointed Indian-American attorney Uttam Dhillon to a key White House position on ethics and compliance matters.

Dhillon, who served as Chief Oversight Counsel for the House of Representatives Financial Services Committee, has been appointed as Special Assistant to the President.

In this position, he would be part of the legal team to serve under White House Counsel Donald F McGahn with respect to compliance and ethics matters.

Prior to joining Financial Services, Dhillon served as chief of the Department of Homeland Security&#39;s Office of Counter-narcotics Enforcement.

He previously worked as an Associate Deputy Attorney General for the Department of Justice, Chief Counsel for the House Select Committee on Homeland Security, Policy Director for the US House of Representatives Policy Committee, and as an Assistant United States Attorney in Los Angeles.

Dhillon graduated from Boalt Hall School of Law at the University of California, Berkeley in 1987.

Other members of the team are Stefan C Passantino who has been commissioned to serve as Deputy Assistant to the President and Deputy Counsel to the President along with Scott Gast and James D Schultz who have been commissioned to serve as Special Assistants to the President and Associate Counsel to the President.

&quot;The appointment of a team of this caliber reflects the importance of ethics compliance to the President and this administration,&quot; said White House Counsel Don McGahn.

 
&nbsp;

Uttam Dhillon will be part of the legal team on compliance and ethics

US President Donald Trump has appointed Indian-American attorney Uttam Dhillon to a key White House position on ethics and compliance matters. Dhillon, who served as Chief Oversight Counsel for the House of Representatives Financial Services Committee, has been appointed as Special Assistant to the President. In this position, he would be part of the legal team to serve under White House Counsel Donald F McGahn with respect to compliance and ethics matters. Prior to joining Financial Services, Dhillon served as chief of the Department of Homeland Security's Office of Counter-narcotics Enforcement. He previously worked as an Associate Deputy Attorney General for the Department of Justice, Chief Counsel for the House Select Committee on Homeland Security, Policy Director for the US House of Representatives Policy Committee, and as an Assistant United States Attorney in Los Angeles. Dhillon graduated from Boalt Hall School of Law at the University of California, Berkeley in 1987. Other members of the team are Stefan C Passantino who has been commissioned to serve as Deputy Assistant to the President and Deputy Counsel to the President along with Scott Gast and James D Schultz who have been commissioned to serve as Special Assistants to the President and Associate Counsel to the President. "The appointment of a team of this caliber reflects the importance of ethics compliance to the President and this administration," said White House Counsel Don McGahn.

Indian-American attorney Trump's choice for key White House post

Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto on Thursday called off a meeting with Donald Trump, hours after the US president challenged him to cancel his visit if Mexico was not willing to pay for the wall on the countries&#39; border.

&quot;We informed the White House this morning that I will not attend the working meeting scheduled for next Tuesday&nbsp;with Trump in Washington,&quot; the Mexican leader said on Twitter. &quot;Mexico reiterates its willingness to work with the United States to reach agreements in both nations&#39; interests,&#39; he added on Twitter.

On Wednesday, Trump&nbsp;signed an order to build a border wall to keep out illegal migrants whom he blames for crime -- a controversial key pledge of his election campaign.

&quot;The US&nbsp;has a 60 billion dollar trade deficit with Mexico. It has been a one-sided deal from the beginning of NAFTA with massive numbers... of jobs and companies lost. If Mexico is unwilling to pay for the badly needed wall, then it would be better to cancel the upcoming meeting,&quot; Trump had earlier said on Twitter.

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The U.S. has a 60 billion dollar trade deficit with Mexico. It has been a one-sided deal from the beginning of NAFTA with massive numbers...
&mdash; Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/824615820391305216">January 26, 2017</a></blockquote>
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of jobs and companies lost. If Mexico is unwilling to pay for the badly needed wall, then it would be better to cancel the upcoming meeting.
&mdash; Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/824616644370714627">January 26, 2017</a></blockquote>
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Mexican finance minister Jose Antonio Meade had earlier said cancellation of the meeting would fuel uncertainty.

Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto had openly said in a televised address to the nation that&nbsp;he condemned the decision of the United States to continue construction of a wall. He openly asserted: &quot;I have said it time and again, Mexico will not pay for any wall&quot;.&nbsp;

Experts say building the wall would be an expensive mistake. Trump says it would take $8 billion to build the wall, estimates suggest it would be more than double&nbsp;which would be paid for by the American tax payers&nbsp;if Trump is unable to get Mexico to pay for the wall.

(WION)

Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto in a televised address had openly said that 'Mexico will not pay for any wall'

Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto on Thursday called off a meeting with Donald Trump, hours after the US president challenged him to cancel his visit if Mexico was not willing to pay for the wall on the countries' border. "We informed the White House this morning that I will not attend the working meeting scheduled for next Tuesday with Trump in Washington," the Mexican leader said on Twitter. "Mexico reiterates its willingness to work with the United States to reach agreements in both nations' interests,' he added on Twitter. On Wednesday, Trump signed an order to build a border wall to keep out illegal migrants whom he blames for crime -- a controversial key pledge of his election campaign. "The US has a 60 billion dollar trade deficit with Mexico. It has been a one-sided deal from the beginning of NAFTA with massive numbers... of jobs and companies lost. If Mexico is unwilling to pay for the badly needed wall, then it would be better to cancel the upcoming meeting," Trump had earlier said on Twitter. The U.S. has a 60 billion dollar trade deficit with Mexico. It has been a one-sided deal from the beginning of NAFTA with massive numbers... — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 26, 2017 × of jobs and companies lost. If Mexico is unwilling to pay for the badly needed wall, then it would be better to cancel the upcoming meeting. — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 26, 2017 × Mexican finance minister Jose Antonio Meade had earlier said cancellation of the meeting would fuel uncertainty. Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto had openly said in a televised address to the nation that he condemned the decision of the United States to continue construction of a wall. He openly asserted: "I have said it time and again, Mexico will not pay for any wall". Experts say building the wall would be an expensive mistake. Trump says it would take $8 billion to build the wall, estimates suggest it would be more than double which would be paid for by the American tax payers if Trump is unable to get Mexico to pay for the wall. (WION)

Mexican president cancels meeting with Trump over wall row

By Anchal Vohra

Iran, Russia and Turkey, the sponsors of peace talks between Syrian rebels and Damascus, agreed on Tuesday to a fragile three-week cessation of hostilities in Syria. The announcement comes after two days of peace talks in the Kazakh capital, Astana.

In a joint statement, the three countries said there was no military solution to the Syrian conflict.

It was not clear whether the Syrian government or the opposition backed the communique. Earlier, a rebel spokesman said &quot;no agreements&quot; would be signed.

The &quot;trilateral mechanism&quot; was agreed between Russia and Iran, which back Mr Assad&#39;s government, and Turkey, which supports the opposition.

It would &quot;observe and ensure full compliance with the ceasefire, prevent any provocation and determine all modalities&quot;, the statement said.

Earlier, however, the Guardian reported that rebel officials objected to Iran having a role because of its support of militia groups, which they accuse of repeatedly violating the cessation of hostilities.

Government negotiator Bashar Jaafari had accused rebel groups of violating the truce and defending &quot;war crimes&quot; by the allied jihadist group Jabhat Fateh al-Sham, which is excluded from the ceasefire along with so-called Islamic State (IS).

The talks in Astana were the first where the opposition delegation was formed exclusively of representatives of armed groups.

Rebel spokesman Yahya al-Aridi had earlier said that his delegation would also push for the lifting of government sieges of opposition-held areas and &quot;goodwill gestures&quot;, including the release of political detainees and aid deliveries.

He added that it was hoped the meeting would &quot;contribute&quot; to the UN-brokered negotiations on a political settlement that are due to resume in Geneva next month.

The negotiations in Geneva broke down last April with little progress having been made.

More than 300,000 people have been killed and 11 million others displaced since the uprising against President Bashar al-Assad began in March 2011.

(WION)

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Former US military intelligence analyst Chelsea Manning questioned Barack Obama's legacy after he commuted her sentence last week

By Anchal Vohra Iran, Russia and Turkey, the sponsors of peace talks between Syrian rebels and Damascus, agreed on Tuesday to a fragile three-week cessation of hostilities in Syria. The announcement comes after two days of peace talks in the Kazakh capital, Astana. In a joint statement, the three countries said there was no military solution to the Syrian conflict. It was not clear whether the Syrian government or the opposition backed the communique. Earlier, a rebel spokesman said "no agreements" would be signed. The "trilateral mechanism" was agreed between Russia and Iran, which back Mr Assad's government, and Turkey, which supports the opposition. It would "observe and ensure full compliance with the ceasefire, prevent any provocation and determine all modalities", the statement said. Earlier, however, the Guardian reported that rebel officials objected to Iran having a role because of its support of militia groups, which they accuse of repeatedly violating the cessation of hostilities. Government negotiator Bashar Jaafari had accused rebel groups of violating the truce and defending "war crimes" by the allied jihadist group Jabhat Fateh al-Sham, which is excluded from the ceasefire along with so-called Islamic State (IS). The talks in Astana were the first where the opposition delegation was formed exclusively of representatives of armed groups. Rebel spokesman Yahya al-Aridi had earlier said that his delegation would also push for the lifting of government sieges of opposition-held areas and "goodwill gestures", including the release of political detainees and aid deliveries. He added that it was hoped the meeting would "contribute" to the UN-brokered negotiations on a political settlement that are due to resume in Geneva next month. The negotiations in Geneva broke down last April with little progress having been made. More than 300,000 people have been killed and 11 million others displaced since the uprising against President Bashar al-Assad began in March 2011. (WION)

Ungrateful traitor Chelsea Manning, tweets Trump

There is a lot of talk in America right now on immigration, borders and crime. But let&#39;s look at some statistics to see if these issues really deserve their prominent place in the country&rsquo;s national discourse.

Criminal deportation under Obama

Over the last five years, criminal deportations by US Immigration and Customs enforcement investigations have steadily dropped, down 44 per cent since 2011 according to the Transactional Records Access Clearinghouse (TRAC), citing figures released by the US Justice Department.

The TRAC says that in 2016, a total of 12,761 such prosecutions were carried out compared to 21,662 in 2011. It also claims that immigration matters accounted for 53.2 per cent of the total number of prosecutions in 2016. Drug prosecutions accounted for 30.6 per cent. But most recorded cases were of illegal re-entry, illegal smuggling of people into the United States or harbouring them in the country. The crimes, which Obama deported immigrants for, were overwhelmingly non-violent.

What Trump wants

Before taking office, in an interview with the CBS TV programme &quot;60 Minutes&quot;, Donald Trump said deportation of criminal immigrants will top his agenda.

&ldquo;What we are going to do is get the people that are criminal and have criminal records, gang members, drug dealers, where a lot of these people, probably two million, it could be even three million, we are getting them out of our country or we are going to incarcerate,&rdquo; he said.

Post the swearing-in, the Trump administration seems to keep the narrative going. White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer, during his first press briefing, said the following on immigration: &quot;The focus is going to be on people who have done harm to our country.&quot;

Trump made several promises on his first day in office. This included deporting &quot;criminals&quot;, stopping all federal funding for &quot;sanctuary cities&rdquo;, taking steps to build a wall along the Mexican border.

Further, in an executive order, President Trump is now set to impose a temporary ban and a suspension of visas from Syria and six other West Asian and African countries.

Truth versus hype

While immigration was one of the hotly debated subjects in the US election campaign, there is nothing new in Trump&rsquo;s promise.

Back in November 2014, Former US President Barack Obama announced that immigration officials would put deportation of criminals at the top of their agenda, saying, &quot;we&rsquo;re going to keep focusing enforcement resources on actual threats to our security&quot;.

Criminals who threatened national security, border security or public safety were made top priorities for immigration enforcement, after a memo from the then Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security, Jeh Johnson. 
Even when the state machinery was devoted to act against &#39;criminal immigrants&#39;, deportations post-criminal conviction fell by 17 per cent.

This raises the question: Does America really have more than two million undocumented immigrants charged in criminal cases like Trump says? An estimate from the Migration Policy Institute says no. Such cases number 820,000.

Today&rsquo;s developments are in line with the proposals and promises made by Trump during his presidential campaign. He had slammed Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton&rsquo;s proposal to increase the arrival rate of Syrian refugees, saying he would impose extreme vetting of visa applicants.

But, if numbers are to be trusted, Trump&rsquo;s estimates should be taken with a pinch of salt. May be a lump will be good. &nbsp;

(WION)

Is the talk about these issues really justified? Well, a little bit of number crunching shows a different picture

There is a lot of talk in America right now on immigration, borders and crime. But let's look at some statistics to see if these issues really deserve their prominent place in the country’s national discourse. Criminal deportation under Obama Over the last five years, criminal deportations by US Immigration and Customs enforcement investigations have steadily dropped, down 44 per cent since 2011 according to the Transactional Records Access Clearinghouse (TRAC), citing figures released by the US Justice Department. The TRAC says that in 2016, a total of 12,761 such prosecutions were carried out compared to 21,662 in 2011. It also claims that immigration matters accounted for 53.2 per cent of the total number of prosecutions in 2016. Drug prosecutions accounted for 30.6 per cent. But most recorded cases were of illegal re-entry, illegal smuggling of people into the United States or harbouring them in the country. The crimes, which Obama deported immigrants for, were overwhelmingly non-violent. What Trump wants Before taking office, in an interview with the CBS TV programme "60 Minutes", Donald Trump said deportation of criminal immigrants will top his agenda. “What we are going to do is get the people that are criminal and have criminal records, gang members, drug dealers, where a lot of these people, probably two million, it could be even three million, we are getting them out of our country or we are going to incarcerate,” he said. Post the swearing-in, the Trump administration seems to keep the narrative going. White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer, during his first press briefing, said the following on immigration: "The focus is going to be on people who have done harm to our country." Trump made several promises on his first day in office. This included deporting "criminals", stopping all federal funding for "sanctuary cities”, taking steps to build a wall along the Mexican border. Further, in an executive order, President Trump is now set to impose a temporary ban and a suspension of visas from Syria and six other West Asian and African countries. Truth versus hype While immigration was one of the hotly debated subjects in the US election campaign, there is nothing new in Trump’s promise. Back in November 2014, Former US President Barack Obama announced that immigration officials would put deportation of criminals at the top of their agenda, saying, "we’re going to keep focusing enforcement resources on actual threats to our security". Criminals who threatened national security, border security or public safety were made top priorities for immigration enforcement, after a memo from the then Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security, Jeh Johnson. Even when the state machinery was devoted to act against 'criminal immigrants', deportations post-criminal conviction fell by 17 per cent. This raises the question: Does America really have more than two million undocumented immigrants charged in criminal cases like Trump says? An estimate from the Migration Policy Institute says no. Such cases number 820,000. Today’s developments are in line with the proposals and promises made by Trump during his presidential campaign. He had slammed Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton’s proposal to increase the arrival rate of Syrian refugees, saying he would impose extreme vetting of visa applicants. But, if numbers are to be trusted, Trump’s estimates should be taken with a pinch of salt. May be a lump will be good. (WION)

Data never lies: Take Trump's talk on immigrants, deportation and criminality with a pinch of salt

World stocks hit a 19-month high on Wednesday, lifted by strong Japanese trade data, stellar European company earnings and hope that US&nbsp;President Donald Trump will press ahead with a large fiscal spending package.

Spanish bank Santander was among the big gainers in Europe, its 4 per cent rise in 2016 net profit giving its share price a similar boost and leading the continent-wide rally in bank stocks.

MSCI&#39;s global share index rose 0.2 per cent to 433.59 points, its highest since June 2015, after two of Wall Street&#39;s main indices reached fresh peaks overnight.

Europe&#39;s index of 300 leading shares and Germany&#39;s DAX both rose 1 per cent and Britain&#39;s FTSE 100 was up 0.7 per cent.

Japan&#39;s Nikkei advanced 1.4 per cent, buoyed by data showing the country&#39;s exports rose for the first time in 15 months in December, a positive sign for the economy even as talk of US&nbsp;protectionism looms over the outlook.

US&nbsp;futures pointed to a higher open on Wall Street. On Tuesday the S&amp;P 500 and Nasdaq both rose to fresh record highs and the Dow Jones Industrials came within 51 points of the elusive 20,000 mark.

&quot;US&nbsp;stocks have shown renewed signs of life this week, as the market toyed with the idea of reigniting the &#39;Trump rally&#39; that we saw in the aftermath of the presidential election,&quot; said Kathleen Brooks, research director at City Index.

Trump signed two executive orders on Tuesday to move forward with construction of the Keystone XL and Dakota Access oil pipelines, rolling back key Obama administration environmental actions in favour of expanding energy infrastructure.

He also met chief executives of the Big Three US&nbsp;automakers to push for more cars to be built in the United States.

&quot;Wednesday&#39;s key theme is the return of the &#39;Trump trade&#39;,&quot; Brooks said.

Bond yields up

The dollar snapped its recent losing streak and Treasury yields firmed overnight as Trump shifted his focus back to growth initiatives including promising corporate tax breaks to fuel US&nbsp;investment, after focusing on protectionism in his first few days in office.

The 10-year yield inched up to 2.48 per cent, recovering from its dip below 2.40 per cent earlier in the week, while the two-year yield held firm at 1.23 per cent. It was as low as 1.14 per cent on Monday.

While the greenback moved in tandem with the snap back in US&nbsp;Treasury yields overnight, it struggled to make much headway in Asian and European trading.

Lingering concerns about growing protectionism from the Trump administration&nbsp;and the potential negative effects on global trade and growth remained close to the surface.

&quot;It has kept dollar/yen flat despite the S&amp;P 500 hitting new highs and Treasury yields edging up,&quot; Kit Juckes, head of FX research at Societe Generale in London, wrote in a note on Wednesday.

&quot;There&#39;s no doubt that a major bout of protectionism-induced risk aversion would be yen-supportive, as well as negative for a bunch of currencies that depend on US&nbsp;trade,&quot; he said.

The dollar slipped 0.1 per cent to 113.65 Yen, and 0.1 per cent against a basket of currencies. The Euro was unchanged at $1.0725, little moved by a surprise fall in German business morale this month.

Germany&#39;s 10-year Bund yield rose to a six-week high of 0.38 per cent and France&#39;s benchmark 10-year yield hit a one-year high of 0.95 per cent, with bond prices weighed down by the rally in stocks and new debt supply.

Sterling was steady at $1.2524 after Britain&#39;s Supreme Court ruled that the government would need approval from parliament before formally triggering the country&#39;s departure from the European Union.

The decision overall was seen as clearing the way for Prime Minister Theresa May to get on with launching Brexit talks. Sterling has bounced 4 per cent over the last week.

Oil prices gave back much of their overnight gains. Brent futures dipped 0.5 per cent to $55.13 per barrel, after rising 0.4 per cent overnight.

Renewed optimism over Trump&#39;s growth policies took the wind out of a recent rally in safe-haven gold, which fell 0.6 per cent to $1,201 per ounce.

(Reuters)

Europe's index of 300 leading shares and Germany's DAX both rose 1 per cent and Britain's FTSE 100 was up 0.7 per cent

World stocks hit a 19-month high on Wednesday, lifted by strong Japanese trade data, stellar European company earnings and hope that US President Donald Trump will press ahead with a large fiscal spending package. Spanish bank Santander was among the big gainers in Europe, its 4 per cent rise in 2016 net profit giving its share price a similar boost and leading the continent-wide rally in bank stocks. MSCI's global share index rose 0.2 per cent to 433.59 points, its highest since June 2015, after two of Wall Street's main indices reached fresh peaks overnight. Europe's index of 300 leading shares and Germany's DAX both rose 1 per cent and Britain's FTSE 100 was up 0.7 per cent. Japan's Nikkei advanced 1.4 per cent, buoyed by data showing the country's exports rose for the first time in 15 months in December, a positive sign for the economy even as talk of US protectionism looms over the outlook. US futures pointed to a higher open on Wall Street. On Tuesday the S&P 500 and Nasdaq both rose to fresh record highs and the Dow Jones Industrials came within 51 points of the elusive 20,000 mark. "US stocks have shown renewed signs of life this week, as the market toyed with the idea of reigniting the 'Trump rally' that we saw in the aftermath of the presidential election," said Kathleen Brooks, research director at City Index. Trump signed two executive orders on Tuesday to move forward with construction of the Keystone XL and Dakota Access oil pipelines, rolling back key Obama administration environmental actions in favour of expanding energy infrastructure. He also met chief executives of the Big Three US automakers to push for more cars to be built in the United States. "Wednesday's key theme is the return of the 'Trump trade'," Brooks said. Bond yields up The dollar snapped its recent losing streak and Treasury yields firmed overnight as Trump shifted his focus back to growth initiatives including promising corporate tax breaks to fuel US investment, after focusing on protectionism in his first few days in office. The 10-year yield inched up to 2.48 per cent, recovering from its dip below 2.40 per cent earlier in the week, while the two-year yield held firm at 1.23 per cent. It was as low as 1.14 per cent on Monday. While the greenback moved in tandem with the snap back in US Treasury yields overnight, it struggled to make much headway in Asian and European trading. Lingering concerns about growing protectionism from the Trump administration and the potential negative effects on global trade and growth remained close to the surface. "It has kept dollar/yen flat despite the S&P 500 hitting new highs and Treasury yields edging up," Kit Juckes, head of FX research at Societe Generale in London, wrote in a note on Wednesday. "There's no doubt that a major bout of protectionism-induced risk aversion would be yen-supportive, as well as negative for a bunch of currencies that depend on US trade," he said. The dollar slipped 0.1 per cent to 113.65 Yen, and 0.1 per cent against a basket of currencies. The Euro was unchanged at $1.0725, little moved by a surprise fall in German business morale this month. Germany's 10-year Bund yield rose to a six-week high of 0.38 per cent and France's benchmark 10-year yield hit a one-year high of 0.95 per cent, with bond prices weighed down by the rally in stocks and new debt supply. Sterling was steady at $1.2524 after Britain's Supreme Court ruled that the government would need approval from parliament before formally triggering the country's departure from the European Union. The decision overall was seen as clearing the way for Prime Minister Theresa May to get on with launching Brexit talks. Sterling has bounced 4 per cent over the last week. Oil prices gave back much of their overnight gains. Brent futures dipped 0.5 per cent to $55.13 per barrel, after rising 0.4 per cent overnight. Renewed optimism over Trump's growth policies took the wind out of a recent rally in safe-haven gold, which fell 0.6 per cent to $1,201 per ounce. (Reuters)

Reignited 'Trump trades' help world stocks hit 19-month high

United States President Donald Trump will speak to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the phone late on Tuesday.

The White House released Trump&#39;s schedule for Tuesday and said, &quot;President speaks with Indian Prime Minister at 1:00&nbsp;pm Washington time.&quot;

The scheduled time for the talks between the two leaders according to Indian standard time is 11:30 pm.

Prime Minister Modi would be the fifth foreign leader to hold talks with Trump after he was sworn in as the 45th US President on Friday.

Trump will afterwards meet the CIA director Mike Pompeo at 1:30 pm and with key Senate leaders at 3:00 pm.&nbsp;

(ANI)&nbsp;

Modi would be the fifth foreign leader to hold talks with Trump after he was sworn in as the 45th US President on Friday

United States President Donald Trump will speak to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the phone late on Tuesday. The White House released Trump's schedule for Tuesday and said, "President speaks with Indian Prime Minister at 1:00 pm Washington time." The scheduled time for the talks between the two leaders according to Indian standard time is 11:30 pm. Prime Minister Modi would be the fifth foreign leader to hold talks with Trump after he was sworn in as the 45th US President on Friday. Trump will afterwards meet the CIA director Mike Pompeo at 1:30 pm and with key Senate leaders at 3:00 pm. (ANI)

Trump to hold talks with PM Modi over phone tonight

US&nbsp;President Donald Trump on Monday reinstated a global gag rule that bans US-funded groups around the world from discussing abortion, a move that was widely expected, but nonetheless dismayed women&#39;s rights advocates.

The rule, which affects both American and non-American&nbsp;non-governmental organisations working abroad, is one that incoming presidents have used to signal their positions on abortion rights. It was created under US&nbsp;President Ronald Reagan in 1984.

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<h5>The global gag rule has been associated with an increase in unsafe abortions and we expect that Trump&#39;s global gag rule will cost women their lives,&#39; said Serra Sippel, president of the Centre for Health and Gender Equity in Washington</h5>
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Trump, an abortion opponent, signed the reinstatement directive at a ceremony in the White House on his fourth day in office. Former President Barack Obama had lifted the gag rule in 2009 when he took office.

&quot;Women&#39;s health and rights are now one of the first casualties of the Trump administration,&quot; said Serra Sippel, president of the Centre for Health and Gender Equity in Washington. &quot;The global gag rule has been associated with an increase in unsafe abortions and we expect that Trump&#39;s global gag rule will cost women their lives,&quot; she said.

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If you&#39;re wondering what patriarchy looks like: A group of white men watch as Trump reinstates the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/GlobalGagRule?src=hash">#GlobalGagRule</a> <a href="https://t.co/ZV1OX41ziF">pic.twitter.com/ZV1OX41ziF</a>
&mdash; Jessica Valenti (@JessicaValenti) <a href="https://twitter.com/JessicaValenti/status/823594304971173888">January 23, 2017</a></blockquote>
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Reinstatement of the gag rule, formally the Mexico City policy, comes just two days after, according to organisers&#39; unofficial estimations,&nbsp;five<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/women-around-the-world-march-against-trump-11558"> million&nbsp;people</a> marched in cities around the world in a show of unity for women&#39;s rights, among them abortion access.

The far-reaching gag rule affects groups getting funding from the US&nbsp;Agency for International Development (USAID), even if they use separate money for abortion services, counseling or referrals, advocates note.

&quot;It is appalling to dictate to civil society groups and health care providers how they can spend their own money and force them to withhold from women critical information about and access to the full range of reproductive health care,&quot; said Nancy Northup, president of the US-based Center for Reproductive Rights.

The policy puts groups that provide women&#39;s health care in an &quot;untenable position&quot;, said Brian Dixon of Population Connection Action Fund. They can either accept the restriction to keep their funding or they can reject the restriction and lose their funding, Dixon said. &quot;Either choice hurts the women that rely on them.&quot;

Following the rule&#39;s inception in 1984, former President Bill Clinton revoked it when he took office in 1993 and former President George W&nbsp;Bush reinstated it in 2001.

&quot;Life-saving global health funding should not be a political football,&quot; said Ann Starrs, head of the Guttmacher Institute, a leading reproductive rights group.

There is no evidence the rule reduces abortion, she said. &quot;In fact, by targeting funding for overseas family planning programs, it may well have the opposite effect by making it harder for many women to avoid unintended pregnancy, which in turn would increase recourse to unsafe procedures by women who cannot access safe&nbsp;abortioncare,&quot; she said.&nbsp;

(Reuters)

Even foreign organisations across the world funded by USAID will no longer be able to talk about abortion, let alone provide the service

US President Donald Trump on Monday reinstated a global gag rule that bans US-funded groups around the world from discussing abortion, a move that was widely expected, but nonetheless dismayed women's rights advocates. The rule, which affects both American and non-American non-governmental organisations working abroad, is one that incoming presidents have used to signal their positions on abortion rights. It was created under US President Ronald Reagan in 1984. The global gag rule has been associated with an increase in unsafe abortions and we expect that Trump's global gag rule will cost women their lives,' said Serra Sippel, president of the Centre for Health and Gender Equity in Washington × Trump, an abortion opponent, signed the reinstatement directive at a ceremony in the White House on his fourth day in office. Former President Barack Obama had lifted the gag rule in 2009 when he took office. "Women's health and rights are now one of the first casualties of the Trump administration," said Serra Sippel, president of the Centre for Health and Gender Equity in Washington. "The global gag rule has been associated with an increase in unsafe abortions and we expect that Trump's global gag rule will cost women their lives," she said. If you're wondering what patriarchy looks like: A group of white men watch as Trump reinstates the #GlobalGagRule pic.twitter.com/ZV1OX41ziF — Jessica Valenti (@JessicaValenti) January 23, 2017 × Reinstatement of the gag rule, formally the Mexico City policy, comes just two days after, according to organisers' unofficial estimations, five million people marched in cities around the world in a show of unity for women's rights, among them abortion access. The far-reaching gag rule affects groups getting funding from the US Agency for International Development (USAID), even if they use separate money for abortion services, counseling or referrals, advocates note. "It is appalling to dictate to civil society groups and health care providers how they can spend their own money and force them to withhold from women critical information about and access to the full range of reproductive health care," said Nancy Northup, president of the US-based Center for Reproductive Rights. The policy puts groups that provide women's health care in an "untenable position", said Brian Dixon of Population Connection Action Fund. They can either accept the restriction to keep their funding or they can reject the restriction and lose their funding, Dixon said. "Either choice hurts the women that rely on them." Following the rule's inception in 1984, former President Bill Clinton revoked it when he took office in 1993 and former President George W Bush reinstated it in 2001. "Life-saving global health funding should not be a political football," said Ann Starrs, head of the Guttmacher Institute, a leading reproductive rights group. There is no evidence the rule reduces abortion, she said. "In fact, by targeting funding for overseas family planning programs, it may well have the opposite effect by making it harder for many women to avoid unintended pregnancy, which in turn would increase recourse to unsafe procedures by women who cannot access safe abortioncare," she said. (Reuters)

Trump reinstates rule restricting abortions around the world

US&nbsp;President Donald Trump pushed the chief executives of General Motors Co, Ford Motor Co and Fiat Chrysler Automobiles NV on Tuesday to increase production in the United States and boost American employment.

Trump opened a meeting with GM CEO Mary Barra, Ford CEO Mark Fields and Fiat Chrysler CEO Sergio Marchionne at the White House, saying he wants to see new auto plants built in the United States.

&quot;We have a very big push on to have auto plants and other plants,&quot; he told reporters.

The new Republican president, who took office last Friday, vowed to cut regulations and taxes to make it more attractive for businesses to operate in the United States.

&quot;I want new plants to be built here for cars sold here!&quot; Trump said in a tweet ahead of the meeting with automakers, saying he would discuss US&nbsp;jobs with the chief executives.

&nbsp;

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Will be meeting at 9:00 with top automobile executives concerning jobs in America. I want new plants to be built here for cars sold here!
&mdash; Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/823850781946343427">January 24, 2017</a></blockquote>
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&nbsp;

US&nbsp;automakers have been reluctant to open new US&nbsp;auto plants in recent years, but they have expanded some operations at existing plants.

Trump has criticised automakers for building cars in Mexico and elsewhere and has threatened to impose 35 per cent tariffs on imported vehicles.

The meeting is the latest sign of Trump&#39;s uncommon degree of intervention for a US&nbsp;president into corporate affairs as he has repeatedly pressured automakers and other manufacturers to &quot;buy American and hire American&quot;.

Tuesday&#39;s gathering was the first time the CEOs of the big three automakers have met jointly with a US&nbsp;president since a July 2011 session with former Democratic President Barack Obama to tout a deal to nearly double fuel efficiency standards to 54.5 miles per gallon by 2025. Fiat Chrysler is the Italian-American parent of the former Michigan-based Chrysler.

White House spokesman Sean Spicer said on Monday that Trump was looking forward at the meeting &quot;to hearing their ideas about how we can work together to bring more jobs back to this industry.&quot;

US&nbsp;and foreign automakers have been touting plans to boost American jobs and investments in the face of Trump&#39;s comments. Trump, a New York real estate developer, often singled out Ford&#39;s Mexico investments for criticism during his election campaign.

(Reuters)

&nbsp;

Trump pushed the CEO's of General Motors Co, Ford Motor Co and Fiat Chrysler Automobiles to increase production in the United States

US President Donald Trump pushed the chief executives of General Motors Co, Ford Motor Co and Fiat Chrysler Automobiles NV on Tuesday to increase production in the United States and boost American employment. Trump opened a meeting with GM CEO Mary Barra, Ford CEO Mark Fields and Fiat Chrysler CEO Sergio Marchionne at the White House, saying he wants to see new auto plants built in the United States. "We have a very big push on to have auto plants and other plants," he told reporters. The new Republican president, who took office last Friday, vowed to cut regulations and taxes to make it more attractive for businesses to operate in the United States. "I want new plants to be built here for cars sold here!" Trump said in a tweet ahead of the meeting with automakers, saying he would discuss US jobs with the chief executives. Will be meeting at 9:00 with top automobile executives concerning jobs in America. I want new plants to be built here for cars sold here! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 24, 2017 × US automakers have been reluctant to open new US auto plants in recent years, but they have expanded some operations at existing plants. Trump has criticised automakers for building cars in Mexico and elsewhere and has threatened to impose 35 per cent tariffs on imported vehicles. The meeting is the latest sign of Trump's uncommon degree of intervention for a US president into corporate affairs as he has repeatedly pressured automakers and other manufacturers to "buy American and hire American". Tuesday's gathering was the first time the CEOs of the big three automakers have met jointly with a US president since a July 2011 session with former Democratic President Barack Obama to tout a deal to nearly double fuel efficiency standards to 54.5 miles per gallon by 2025. Fiat Chrysler is the Italian-American parent of the former Michigan-based Chrysler. White House spokesman Sean Spicer said on Monday that Trump was looking forward at the meeting "to hearing their ideas about how we can work together to bring more jobs back to this industry." US and foreign automakers have been touting plans to boost American jobs and investments in the face of Trump's comments. Trump, a New York real estate developer, often singled out Ford's Mexico investments for criticism during his election campaign. (Reuters)

Trump urges US automakers to make big push for new plants

President Donald Trump on Monday signed three orders on withdrawing the US from the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade deal, freezing the hiring of federal workers and hitting foreign NGOs that help with abortion, AFP reported.

&quot;We&#39;ve been talking about this for a long time,&quot; Trump said as he signed the executive order to withdraw from the TPP in the Oval Office. &quot;Great thing for the American worker what we just did.&quot;

The withdrawal from the trans Pacific free trade deal, which was drawn under former President Barack Obama but not ratified by the Congress, is in line with Trump&#39;s protectionist election campaign promise.&nbsp;&nbsp;TPP had yet to go into effect and US withdrawal is likely to sound its death knell, AFP reported.

Trump had earlier denounced the TPP a &quot;job killer&quot; and a &quot;rape&quot; of US interests.

The 12-nation FTA is&nbsp;aimed at containing growing Chinese economic clout. It was signed by US allies Australia, Brunei, Canada, Chile, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Peru, Singapore, the United States and Brunei, which together account for 40 per cent of the world economy.

Trump has also vowed to renegotiate the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) -- between US, Mexico and Canada. He says the trade agreements have drained US jobs and destroyed its industrial heartlands.

The US president will also meet with union leaders and blue-collar workers several hours after signing the executive action, CNN reported.

Trump has frequently spoken out against free trade agreements and vowed to implement more protectionist trade policies and impose tariffs to revive American manufacturing.

Trump has already moved to curb Obama&#39;s health care reforms. More legal executive orders are expected on immigration and limiting environmental legislation. 
 
(WION with inputs from AFP)

Trump has also signed two more orders on freezing the hiring of federal workers and hitting foreign NGOs that help with abortion

President Donald Trump on Monday signed three orders on withdrawing the US from the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade deal, freezing the hiring of federal workers and hitting foreign NGOs that help with abortion, AFP reported. "We've been talking about this for a long time," Trump said as he signed the executive order to withdraw from the TPP in the Oval Office. "Great thing for the American worker what we just did." The withdrawal from the trans Pacific free trade deal, which was drawn under former President Barack Obama but not ratified by the Congress, is in line with Trump's protectionist election campaign promise. TPP had yet to go into effect and US withdrawal is likely to sound its death knell, AFP reported. Trump had earlier denounced the TPP a "job killer" and a "rape" of US interests. The 12-nation FTA is aimed at containing growing Chinese economic clout. It was signed by US allies Australia, Brunei, Canada, Chile, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Peru, Singapore, the United States and Brunei, which together account for 40 per cent of the world economy. Trump has also vowed to renegotiate the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) -- between US, Mexico and Canada. He says the trade agreements have drained US jobs and destroyed its industrial heartlands. The US president will also meet with union leaders and blue-collar workers several hours after signing the executive action, CNN reported. Trump has frequently spoken out against free trade agreements and vowed to implement more protectionist trade policies and impose tariffs to revive American manufacturing. Trump has already moved to curb Obama's health care reforms. More legal executive orders are expected on immigration and limiting environmental legislation. (WION with inputs from AFP)

Trump orders US withdrawal from trans-Pacific trade deal

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