US President Donald Trump met with a dozen American manufacturers at the White House on Monday, pledging to slash regulations and cut corporate taxes, but warning them he would impose taxes on imports if they move production outside the country.

Trump, who took office on Friday, promised to bring manufacturing plants back to the United States - an issue he said helped him win the November 8 election - and has not hesitated to call out by name companies that he thinks should bring outsourced production back home.

He asked the group of chief executives from companies including Ford, Dell Technologies, Tesla and others to make recommendations in 30 days to stimulate manufacturing, Dow Chemical CEO Andrew Liveris told reporters.

Trump, a Republican who took over from former Democratic President Barack Obama, was expected to sign executive orders later on Monday to renegotiate the free trade agreement between the United States, Canada and Mexico, and to formally withdraw the United States from the 12-nation Trans-Pacific Partnership.

The new president told the CEOs that he would like to cut corporate taxes to the 15 per cent to 20 per cent range, down from current statutory levels of 35 per cent - a pledge that will require cooperation from the Republican-led US Congress. But he said business leaders have told him that reducing regulations is even more important.

&quot;We think we can cut regulations by 75 per cent. Maybe more,&quot; Trump told business leaders.

&quot;When you want to expand your plant, or when Mark wants to come in and build a big massive plant, or when Dell wants to come in and do something monstrous and special &ndash; you&#39;re going to have your approvals really fast,&rdquo; Trump said, referring to Mark Fields, CEO of Ford, who sat around the boardroom-style table in the Roosevelt Room.

The meeting ran longer than expected. Trump left briefly to attend to a phone call, and then reconvened the CEOs in the Oval Office, Liveris said.

Fields said he was encouraged by the tone.

&quot;I know I come out with a lot of confidence that the president is very, very serious on making sure that the United States economy is going to be strong and have policies - tax, regulatory or trade - to drive that,&quot; he said.

Trump told the executives that companies were welcome to negotiate with governors to move production between states, but said those businesses that choose to move factories outside the country would pay a price.

&quot;We are going to be imposing a very major border tax on the product when it comes in,&quot; Trump said.

&quot;A company that wants to fire all of its people in the United States, and build some factory someplace else, and then thinks that that product is going to just flow across the border into the United States - that&rsquo;s not going to happen,&quot; he said.

Liveris said the CEOs discussed the border tax &quot;quite a bit&quot; with Trump, explaining &quot;the sorts of industry that might be helped or hurt by that.&quot;

&quot;Look: I would take the president at his word here. He&#39;s not going to do anything to harm competitiveness. He&#39;s going to actually make us all more competitive,&quot; Liveris said.

Trump was scheduled to hold a meeting later on Monday with labor leaders and US&nbsp;workers, the White House said.

Between winning the presidential election in November and taking office, Trump hosted a number of US&nbsp;CEOs in meetings in New York, including business leaders from defense, technology and other sectors. He also met with leaders of several labor unions, including the AFL-CIO.

Trump, a real estate developer who had never previously held elected office, has particularly focused on manufacturing, lamenting during his inaugural address on Friday about &quot;rusted-out factories scattered like tombstones across the landscape of our nation&quot; and vowing to boost US industries over foreign ones.

(Reuters)

Trump told CEOs that he would like to cut corporate taxes by between 15-20% and regulations by 75%, or 'maybe more'

US President Donald Trump met with a dozen American manufacturers at the White House on Monday, pledging to slash regulations and cut corporate taxes, but warning them he would impose taxes on imports if they move production outside the country. Trump, who took office on Friday, promised to bring manufacturing plants back to the United States - an issue he said helped him win the November 8 election - and has not hesitated to call out by name companies that he thinks should bring outsourced production back home. He asked the group of chief executives from companies including Ford, Dell Technologies, Tesla and others to make recommendations in 30 days to stimulate manufacturing, Dow Chemical CEO Andrew Liveris told reporters. Trump, a Republican who took over from former Democratic President Barack Obama, was expected to sign executive orders later on Monday to renegotiate the free trade agreement between the United States, Canada and Mexico, and to formally withdraw the United States from the 12-nation Trans-Pacific Partnership. The new president told the CEOs that he would like to cut corporate taxes to the 15 per cent to 20 per cent range, down from current statutory levels of 35 per cent - a pledge that will require cooperation from the Republican-led US Congress. But he said business leaders have told him that reducing regulations is even more important. "We think we can cut regulations by 75 per cent. Maybe more," Trump told business leaders. "When you want to expand your plant, or when Mark wants to come in and build a big massive plant, or when Dell wants to come in and do something monstrous and special – you're going to have your approvals really fast,” Trump said, referring to Mark Fields, CEO of Ford, who sat around the boardroom-style table in the Roosevelt Room. The meeting ran longer than expected. Trump left briefly to attend to a phone call, and then reconvened the CEOs in the Oval Office, Liveris said. Fields said he was encouraged by the tone. "I know I come out with a lot of confidence that the president is very, very serious on making sure that the United States economy is going to be strong and have policies - tax, regulatory or trade - to drive that," he said. Trump told the executives that companies were welcome to negotiate with governors to move production between states, but said those businesses that choose to move factories outside the country would pay a price. "We are going to be imposing a very major border tax on the product when it comes in," Trump said. "A company that wants to fire all of its people in the United States, and build some factory someplace else, and then thinks that that product is going to just flow across the border into the United States - that’s not going to happen," he said. Liveris said the CEOs discussed the border tax "quite a bit" with Trump, explaining "the sorts of industry that might be helped or hurt by that." "Look: I would take the president at his word here. He's not going to do anything to harm competitiveness. He's going to actually make us all more competitive," Liveris said. Trump was scheduled to hold a meeting later on Monday with labor leaders and US workers, the White House said. Between winning the presidential election in November and taking office, Trump hosted a number of US CEOs in meetings in New York, including business leaders from defense, technology and other sectors. He also met with leaders of several labor unions, including the AFL-CIO. Trump, a real estate developer who had never previously held elected office, has particularly focused on manufacturing, lamenting during his inaugural address on Friday about "rusted-out factories scattered like tombstones across the landscape of our nation" and vowing to boost US industries over foreign ones. (Reuters)

Trump ready to cut corporate tax, slash regulations

China said on Tuesday it had &quot;irrefutable&quot; sovereignty over disputed islands in the South China Sea after the White House vowed to defend &quot;international territories&quot; in the strategic waterway.

White House spokesman Sean Spicer in his comments on Monday signalled a sharp departure from years of cautious US handling of China&#39;s assertive pursuit of territorial claims in Asia.

&quot;The US is going to make sure that we protect our interests there,&quot; Spicer said when asked if Trump agreed with comments by his secretary of state nominee, Rex Tillerson. On January 11, Tillerson said China should not be allowed access to islands it has built in the contested South China Sea.

&quot;It&#39;s a question of if those islands are in fact in international waters and not part of China proper, then yeah, we&#39;re going to make sure that we defend international territories from being taken over by one country,&quot; Spicer said.&nbsp;

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying told a regular news briefing on Tuesday &quot;the United States is not a party to the South China Sea dispute&quot;.&nbsp;

China claims most of the South China Sea, while Taiwan, Malaysia, Vietnam, the Philippines and Brunei claims parts of the sea that commands strategic sea lanes and has rich fishing grounds along with oil and gas deposits.&nbsp;China&#39;s sovereignty over the Spratly Islands in the South China Sea was &quot;irrefutable&quot; Hua said.&nbsp;

But China was also dedicated to protecting freedom of navigation and wants talks with nations directly involved to find a peaceful solution.&nbsp;

&quot;We urge the United States to respect the facts, speak and act cautiously to avoid harming the peace and stability of the South China Sea,&quot; Hua said.

&quot;Our actions in the South China Sea are reasonable and fair. No matter what changes happen in other countries, what they say or what they want to do, China&#39;s resolve to protect its sovereignty and maritime rights in the South China Sea will not change,&quot; she added.

Tillerson&#39;s remarks at his Senate confirmation hearing prompted Chinese state media to say at the time that the United States would need to &quot;wage war&quot; to bar China`s access to the islands, where it has built military-length air strips and installed weapons systems.

Tillerson was asked at the hearing whether he supported a more aggressive posture toward China and said: &quot;We&#39;re going to have to send China a clear signal that, first, the island-building stops and, second, your access to those islands also is not going to be allowed.&quot;&nbsp;

The former Exxon Mobil Corp chairman and chief executive did not elaborate on what might be done to deny China access to the islands.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

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White House spokesman Sean Spicer in his comments signalled a sharp departure from years of cautious US handling of China&#39;s assertive pursuit of territorial claims in Asia (WION)
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But analysts said his comments, like those of Spicer, suggested the possibility of US military action, or even a naval blockade. Such action would risk an armed confrontation with China, an increasingly formidable nuclear-armed military power. It is also the world&#39;s second-largest economy and the target of Trump accusations it is stealing American jobs.

Spicer declined to elaborate when asked how the United States could enforce such a move against China, except to say: &quot;I think, as we develop further, we&#39;ll have more information on it.&quot;

Military experts said that while the US Navy has extensive capabilities in Asia to stage blockading operations with ships, submarines and planes, any such move against China&#39;s growing naval fleets would risk a dangerous escalation.&nbsp;Aides have said that Trump plans a major naval build-up in East Asia to counter China&#39;s rise.

China&#39;s foreign ministry said earlier this month it could not guess what Tillerson meant by his remarks, which came after Trump questioned Washington&#39;s longstanding and highly sensitive &quot;One-China&quot; policy over Taiwan.

Washington-based South China Sea expert Mira Rapp-Hooper at the Center for a New American Security called the threats to bar China&#39;s access in the South China Sea &quot;incredible&quot; and said it had no basis in international law.

&quot;A blockade - which is what would be required to actually bar access - is an act of war,&quot; she added.&nbsp;

&quot;The Trump administration has begun to draw red lines in Asia that they will almost certainly not be able to uphold, but they may nonetheless be very destabilising to the relationship with China, invite crises, and convince the rest of the world that the United States is an unreliable partner.&quot;

(Reuters) 
&nbsp;

China reacted after Rex Tillerson said the US would need to 'wage war' to bar China's access to the islands

China said on Tuesday it had "irrefutable" sovereignty over disputed islands in the South China Sea after the White House vowed to defend "international territories" in the strategic waterway. White House spokesman Sean Spicer in his comments on Monday signalled a sharp departure from years of cautious US handling of China's assertive pursuit of territorial claims in Asia. "The US is going to make sure that we protect our interests there," Spicer said when asked if Trump agreed with comments by his secretary of state nominee, Rex Tillerson. On January 11, Tillerson said China should not be allowed access to islands it has built in the contested South China Sea. "It's a question of if those islands are in fact in international waters and not part of China proper, then yeah, we're going to make sure that we defend international territories from being taken over by one country," Spicer said. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying told a regular news briefing on Tuesday "the United States is not a party to the South China Sea dispute". China claims most of the South China Sea, while Taiwan, Malaysia, Vietnam, the Philippines and Brunei claims parts of the sea that commands strategic sea lanes and has rich fishing grounds along with oil and gas deposits. China's sovereignty over the Spratly Islands in the South China Sea was "irrefutable" Hua said. But China was also dedicated to protecting freedom of navigation and wants talks with nations directly involved to find a peaceful solution. "We urge the United States to respect the facts, speak and act cautiously to avoid harming the peace and stability of the South China Sea," Hua said. "Our actions in the South China Sea are reasonable and fair. No matter what changes happen in other countries, what they say or what they want to do, China's resolve to protect its sovereignty and maritime rights in the South China Sea will not change," she added. Tillerson's remarks at his Senate confirmation hearing prompted Chinese state media to say at the time that the United States would need to "wage war" to bar China`s access to the islands, where it has built military-length air strips and installed weapons systems. Tillerson was asked at the hearing whether he supported a more aggressive posture toward China and said: "We're going to have to send China a clear signal that, first, the island-building stops and, second, your access to those islands also is not going to be allowed." The former Exxon Mobil Corp chairman and chief executive did not elaborate on what might be done to deny China access to the islands. White House spokesman Sean Spicer in his comments signalled a sharp departure from years of cautious US handling of China's assertive pursuit of territorial claims in Asia (WION) × But analysts said his comments, like those of Spicer, suggested the possibility of US military action, or even a naval blockade. Such action would risk an armed confrontation with China, an increasingly formidable nuclear-armed military power. It is also the world's second-largest economy and the target of Trump accusations it is stealing American jobs. Spicer declined to elaborate when asked how the United States could enforce such a move against China, except to say: "I think, as we develop further, we'll have more information on it." Military experts said that while the US Navy has extensive capabilities in Asia to stage blockading operations with ships, submarines and planes, any such move against China's growing naval fleets would risk a dangerous escalation. Aides have said that Trump plans a major naval build-up in East Asia to counter China's rise. China's foreign ministry said earlier this month it could not guess what Tillerson meant by his remarks, which came after Trump questioned Washington's longstanding and highly sensitive "One-China" policy over Taiwan. Washington-based South China Sea expert Mira Rapp-Hooper at the Center for a New American Security called the threats to bar China's access in the South China Sea "incredible" and said it had no basis in international law. "A blockade - which is what would be required to actually bar access - is an act of war," she added. "The Trump administration has begun to draw red lines in Asia that they will almost certainly not be able to uphold, but they may nonetheless be very destabilising to the relationship with China, invite crises, and convince the rest of the world that the United States is an unreliable partner." (Reuters)

US should avoid harming peace and stability of South China Sea, warns China

US President Donald Trump signaled a sharp break on energy and the environment policy Friday, announcing plans to undo climate policies and promote domestic energy development as part of his &quot;America First&quot; agenda.

A statement on the White House website, posted shortly after Trump took the oath of office, said he was &quot;committed to eliminating harmful and unnecessary policies such as the Climate Action Plan&quot; advocated by his predecessor Barack Obama.

Trump also will focus on removing hurdles to domestic energy development that he argues will make the US independent of foreign oil.

&quot;The Trump Administration will embrace the shale oil and gas revolution to bring jobs and prosperity to millions of Americans,&quot; the statement said.

&quot;President Trump is committed to achieving energy independence from the OPEC cartel and any nations hostile to our interests. At the same time, we will work with our Gulf allies to develop a positive energy relationship as part of our anti-terrorism strategy.&quot;

Trump also aims to &quot;revive America&#39;s coal industry, which has been hurting for too long,&quot; the statement said.

The website makeover was part of the transition of power to the new administration.

During his two terms, Obama made the environment a cornerstone of his policies, including the landmark Paris climate agreement in December 2015 signed by nearly 200 countries, and policies to encourage renewable energy through actions to limit emissions and promote investment in new technology.

Trump during the campaign dismissed climate change as a &quot;hoax&quot; perpetrated by China. But since the election he and his cabinet designees have sent mixed signals on climate policies and the Paris accord.

The White House acknowledged that protecting the environment also was a priority and said the administration would &quot;refocus&quot; the Environmental Protection Agency on &quot;its essential mission of protecting our air and water.&quot;

The statement drew sharp criticism from the environmental group Friends of the Earth.

&quot;This is just the beginning. Trump has announced his intentions. If we let him get away with it, what&#39;s next? Gutting the EPA? Drilling for oil on our public lands in the Arctic?&quot;

(AFP)

A statement on White House website said he was 'committed to eliminating harmful and unnecessary policies such as the Climate Action Plan'

US President Donald Trump signaled a sharp break on energy and the environment policy Friday, announcing plans to undo climate policies and promote domestic energy development as part of his "America First" agenda. A statement on the White House website, posted shortly after Trump took the oath of office, said he was "committed to eliminating harmful and unnecessary policies such as the Climate Action Plan" advocated by his predecessor Barack Obama. Trump also will focus on removing hurdles to domestic energy development that he argues will make the US independent of foreign oil. "The Trump Administration will embrace the shale oil and gas revolution to bring jobs and prosperity to millions of Americans," the statement said. "President Trump is committed to achieving energy independence from the OPEC cartel and any nations hostile to our interests. At the same time, we will work with our Gulf allies to develop a positive energy relationship as part of our anti-terrorism strategy." Trump also aims to "revive America's coal industry, which has been hurting for too long," the statement said. The website makeover was part of the transition of power to the new administration. During his two terms, Obama made the environment a cornerstone of his policies, including the landmark Paris climate agreement in December 2015 signed by nearly 200 countries, and policies to encourage renewable energy through actions to limit emissions and promote investment in new technology. Trump during the campaign dismissed climate change as a "hoax" perpetrated by China. But since the election he and his cabinet designees have sent mixed signals on climate policies and the Paris accord. The White House acknowledged that protecting the environment also was a priority and said the administration would "refocus" the Environmental Protection Agency on "its essential mission of protecting our air and water." The statement drew sharp criticism from the environmental group Friends of the Earth. "This is just the beginning. Trump has announced his intentions. If we let him get away with it, what's next? Gutting the EPA? Drilling for oil on our public lands in the Arctic?" (AFP)

Trump signals big shift on energy, climate policies

Drug kingpin Joaquin &quot;El Chapo&quot; Guzman appeared in a US&nbsp;court on Friday after his surprise extradition from Mexico and pleaded not guilty to charges that he ran the world&#39;s largest drug-trafficking organisation during a decades-long criminal career.

El Chapo (Spanish for &quot;Shorty&quot;), who twice made dramatic escapes from Mexican prisons and was one of the world&#39;s most wanted drug lords, was accompanied by two lawyers during the appearance in federal court in Brooklyn.

The extradition came on the eve of Donald Trump&#39;s inauguration, a coincidence some officials said was an olive branch to the incoming US&nbsp;president who declared he would kick Guzman&#39;s &quot;ass&quot; on taking office.

The Mexican attorney general&#39;s office rejected claims the move was related to Trump&#39;s swearing-in, noting that Guzman faces 10 pending cases in Mexico following his US&nbsp;sentence.

Guzman, 59, wore a blue jump suit and had no visible expression on his face as he entered the courtroom and listened to questions from a judge. He did not appear to be wearing handcuffs. Guzman&#39;s lawyers declined to comment to reporters.

After US&nbsp;Magistrate Judge James Orenstein asked Guzman if he understood the charges against him, Guzman responded through a Spanish interpreter, &quot;Well, I didn&#39;t know until now.&quot;

An additional hearing was scheduled for Feb&nbsp;3.

The indictment in Brooklyn against him, with 17 criminal counts, carries a mandatory minimum sentence of life in prison, Robert Capers, the US&nbsp;attorney for the Eastern District of New York, said at a news conference earlier in the day.

US&nbsp;prosecutors have more than 40 witnesses ready to testify against Guzman, Capers told reporters, adding that the eventual trial will likely last &quot;many&quot; weeks.

Leading the Sinaloa cartel, Guzman oversaw perhaps the world&#39;s largest transnational cocaine, heroin and methamphetamine smuggling operation, playing a key role in Mexico&#39;s decade-long drug war that has killed over 100,000 people.

Guzman arrived in a small jet at Long Island&#39;s MacArthur Airport after nightfall on Thursday from a prison in Juarez in the northern state of Chihuahua, where his cartel rules.

A few hours earlier, Guzman, who stands 5 feet six inches, was bundled out of the Mexican cell block with his hands cuffed above his bowed head, Mexican television footage showed.

(Reuters)

Joaquin 'El Chapo' Guzman's cartel smuggled billions of dollars worth of cocaine across Mexico's border into the United States

Drug kingpin Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman appeared in a US court on Friday after his surprise extradition from Mexico and pleaded not guilty to charges that he ran the world's largest drug-trafficking organisation during a decades-long criminal career. El Chapo (Spanish for "Shorty"), who twice made dramatic escapes from Mexican prisons and was one of the world's most wanted drug lords, was accompanied by two lawyers during the appearance in federal court in Brooklyn. The extradition came on the eve of Donald Trump's inauguration, a coincidence some officials said was an olive branch to the incoming US president who declared he would kick Guzman's "ass" on taking office. The Mexican attorney general's office rejected claims the move was related to Trump's swearing-in, noting that Guzman faces 10 pending cases in Mexico following his US sentence. Guzman, 59, wore a blue jump suit and had no visible expression on his face as he entered the courtroom and listened to questions from a judge. He did not appear to be wearing handcuffs. Guzman's lawyers declined to comment to reporters. After US Magistrate Judge James Orenstein asked Guzman if he understood the charges against him, Guzman responded through a Spanish interpreter, "Well, I didn't know until now." An additional hearing was scheduled for Feb 3. The indictment in Brooklyn against him, with 17 criminal counts, carries a mandatory minimum sentence of life in prison, Robert Capers, the US attorney for the Eastern District of New York, said at a news conference earlier in the day. US prosecutors have more than 40 witnesses ready to testify against Guzman, Capers told reporters, adding that the eventual trial will likely last "many" weeks. Leading the Sinaloa cartel, Guzman oversaw perhaps the world's largest transnational cocaine, heroin and methamphetamine smuggling operation, playing a key role in Mexico's decade-long drug war that has killed over 100,000 people. Guzman arrived in a small jet at Long Island's MacArthur Airport after nightfall on Thursday from a prison in Juarez in the northern state of Chihuahua, where his cartel rules. A few hours earlier, Guzman, who stands 5 feet six inches, was bundled out of the Mexican cell block with his hands cuffed above his bowed head, Mexican television footage showed. (Reuters)

Mexico drug lord 'El Chapo' pleads not guilty in US court

Washington has turned into a virtual fortress ahead of Donald Trump&#39;s presidential inauguration, with&nbsp;thousands of people set to take&nbsp;to the streets of New York to express their displeasure with his coming administration.

Some 900,000 people, both Trump backers and opponents, are expected to flood Washington for Friday&#39;s inauguration ceremony, according to organizers&#39; estimates. Events include the swearing-in ceremony on the steps of the US Capitol and a parade to the White House along streets thronged with spectators.

The number of planned protests and rallies this year is far above what has been typical at recent presidential inaugurations, with some 30 permits granted in Washington for anti-Trump rallies and sympathy protests planned in cities from Boston to Los Angeles, and abroad in cities including London and Sydney. The night before the inauguration, thousands of people turned out in New York for a rally at the Trump International Hotel and Tower, and then marched a few blocks from the Trump Tower where the businessman lives.

About 28,000 security personnel, miles of fencing, roadblocks, street barricades and dump trucks laden with sand are part of the security cordon around 8 square km of central Washington. A protest group known as Disrupt J20 has vowed to stage demonstrations at each of 12 security checkpoints and block access to the festivities on the grassy National Mall. Police and security officials have pledged repeatedly to guarantee protesters&#39; constitutional rights to free speech and peaceful assembly.

The rally featured a lineup of politicians, activists and celebrities including Mayor Bill de Blasio and actor Alec Baldwin, who trotted out the Trump parody he performs on &quot;Saturday Night Live.&quot; &quot;Donald Trump may control Washington, but we control our destiny as Americans,&quot; de Blasio said. &quot;We don&#39;t fear the future. We think the future is bright, if the people&#39;s voices are heard.&quot;

In Washington, police cars lined much of Pennsylvania Avenue, the parade route, as workers unloaded crowd control fences from flatbed trucks, erected barricades and marked off pavement with tape. US Department of Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson said police aimed to keep groups separate, using tactics similar to those employed during last year&#39;s political conventions.

&quot;The concern is some of these groups are pro-Trump, some of them are con-Trump, and they may not play well together in the same space,&quot; Johnson said on MSNBC. Trump opponents have been angered by his comments during the campaign about women, illegal immigrants and Muslims and his pledges to scrap the Obamacare health reform and build a wall on the Mexican border.

The Republican&#39;s supporters admire his experience in business, including as a real estate developer and reality television star, and view him as an outsider who will take a fresh approach to politics. Bikers for Trump, a group that designated itself as security backup during last summer&#39;s Republican National Convention in Cleveland, is ready to step in if protesters block access to the inauguration, said Dennis Egbert, one of the group&#39;s organizers.

&quot;We&#39;re going to be backing up law enforcement. We&#39;re on the same page,&quot; Egbert, 63, a retired electrician from Harrisburg, Pennsylvania.

Aaron Hyman, fellow at the National Gallery of Art, said he could feel tension in the streets ahead of Trump&#39;s swearing-in and the heightened security was part of it. &quot;People are watching each other like, &#39;You must be a Trump supporter,&#39; and &#39;You must be one of those liberals&#39;,&quot; said Hyman, 32, who supported Democrat Hillary Clinton in the November election.

Friday&#39;s crowds are expected to fall well short of the 2 million people who attended Obama&#39;s first inauguration in 2009, and be in line with the 1 million who were at his second in 2013. Forecast rain may also dampen the turnout, though security officials lifted an earlier ban on umbrellas, saying small umbrellas would be permitted.

(Reuters)

About 28,000 security personnel and miles of roadblocks are part of the measures to be taken during Trump's presidential inauguration

Washington has turned into a virtual fortress ahead of Donald Trump's presidential inauguration, with thousands of people set to take to the streets of New York to express their displeasure with his coming administration. Some 900,000 people, both Trump backers and opponents, are expected to flood Washington for Friday's inauguration ceremony, according to organizers' estimates. Events include the swearing-in ceremony on the steps of the US Capitol and a parade to the White House along streets thronged with spectators. The number of planned protests and rallies this year is far above what has been typical at recent presidential inaugurations, with some 30 permits granted in Washington for anti-Trump rallies and sympathy protests planned in cities from Boston to Los Angeles, and abroad in cities including London and Sydney. The night before the inauguration, thousands of people turned out in New York for a rally at the Trump International Hotel and Tower, and then marched a few blocks from the Trump Tower where the businessman lives. About 28,000 security personnel, miles of fencing, roadblocks, street barricades and dump trucks laden with sand are part of the security cordon around 8 square km of central Washington. A protest group known as Disrupt J20 has vowed to stage demonstrations at each of 12 security checkpoints and block access to the festivities on the grassy National Mall. Police and security officials have pledged repeatedly to guarantee protesters' constitutional rights to free speech and peaceful assembly. The rally featured a lineup of politicians, activists and celebrities including Mayor Bill de Blasio and actor Alec Baldwin, who trotted out the Trump parody he performs on "Saturday Night Live." "Donald Trump may control Washington, but we control our destiny as Americans," de Blasio said. "We don't fear the future. We think the future is bright, if the people's voices are heard." In Washington, police cars lined much of Pennsylvania Avenue, the parade route, as workers unloaded crowd control fences from flatbed trucks, erected barricades and marked off pavement with tape. US Department of Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson said police aimed to keep groups separate, using tactics similar to those employed during last year's political conventions. "The concern is some of these groups are pro-Trump, some of them are con-Trump, and they may not play well together in the same space," Johnson said on MSNBC. Trump opponents have been angered by his comments during the campaign about women, illegal immigrants and Muslims and his pledges to scrap the Obamacare health reform and build a wall on the Mexican border. The Republican's supporters admire his experience in business, including as a real estate developer and reality television star, and view him as an outsider who will take a fresh approach to politics. Bikers for Trump, a group that designated itself as security backup during last summer's Republican National Convention in Cleveland, is ready to step in if protesters block access to the inauguration, said Dennis Egbert, one of the group's organizers. "We're going to be backing up law enforcement. We're on the same page," Egbert, 63, a retired electrician from Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. Aaron Hyman, fellow at the National Gallery of Art, said he could feel tension in the streets ahead of Trump's swearing-in and the heightened security was part of it. "People are watching each other like, 'You must be a Trump supporter,' and 'You must be one of those liberals'," said Hyman, 32, who supported Democrat Hillary Clinton in the November election. Friday's crowds are expected to fall well short of the 2 million people who attended Obama's first inauguration in 2009, and be in line with the 1 million who were at his second in 2013. Forecast rain may also dampen the turnout, though security officials lifted an earlier ban on umbrellas, saying small umbrellas would be permitted. (Reuters)

Ahead of Trump's inauguration, US braces for anti-Trump protests

The day after Donald Trump will be sworn as the President of the US, more than 200,000 protestors from across America are expected to march all the way to Washington DC to denounce Donald Trump.

For those who want to participate but cannot make it to DC, more than 350 &quot;Sister Marches&quot; are planned in other American cities.&nbsp;

The march now has almost 200 progressive groups, signing on as supporting partners.&nbsp;

The &quot;Women&rsquo;s March on Washington&quot; started with a Facebook post day after the results of the US presidential elections were declared.

The issues these groups represent are as varied as the environment, legal abortion, prisoners&rsquo; rights, voting rights, a free press, affordable healthcare, gun safety, racial and gender equality and a higher minimum wage.&nbsp;

The march is not restricted only to females and is expected to be one of the largest demonstrations in American history.

&ldquo;A march of this magnitude, across this diversity of issues has never happened before. We all have to stand together as a force no one can ignore,&rdquo; said Kaylin Whittingham, president of the association of black women attorneys.

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Poster of the march (Instagram)
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&quot;The Women&#39;s March on Washington will send a bold message to our new government on their first day in office, and to the world that women&#39;s rights are human rights,&quot; the march&#39;s mission statement reads.&nbsp;

&quot;We stand together, recognizing that defending the most marginalized among us is defending all of us.&quot;

Many high-profile artists are also expected to be in attendance including America Ferrera, Amy Schumer, Uzo Aduba and Zendaya, all who have also posted on social media about the march.

&ldquo;If there was ever a time to stand together, to stand proud and loud, it&rsquo;s under a president who won an election on a message of hate and division,&rdquo; Linda Sarsour, a national chair of the march, wrote last week in a Women&rsquo;s Media Center essay.

The prepation for the march invited a lot of controversies also for itself.

Earlier the march was named the &quot;Million Women March&quot;, but after some mild public backlash the organisers decided to distance their event from the 1995 march called the &quot;Million Man March&quot;, so they changed it to the &quot;Women&#39;s March on Washington&quot;.

Then the founding organizers said they realised they did not represent America&rsquo;s diversity. So they recruited a trio of New York City-based minority activists to their national leadership.

Earlier this week, an anti-abortion feminist group was dropped as an official march partner. March representatives said they made an &ldquo;error&rdquo; in including the organisation and have been supporters of abortion rights &ldquo;from day one&quot;. 
&nbsp;

(WION)

Apart from women's rights marchers stand for many causes, like the environment, legal abortion, prisoners? rights, voting rights and more

The day after Donald Trump will be sworn as the President of the US, more than 200,000 protestors from across America are expected to march all the way to Washington DC to denounce Donald Trump. For those who want to participate but cannot make it to DC, more than 350 "Sister Marches" are planned in other American cities. The march now has almost 200 progressive groups, signing on as supporting partners. The "Women’s March on Washington" started with a Facebook post day after the results of the US presidential elections were declared. The issues these groups represent are as varied as the environment, legal abortion, prisoners’ rights, voting rights, a free press, affordable healthcare, gun safety, racial and gender equality and a higher minimum wage. The march is not restricted only to females and is expected to be one of the largest demonstrations in American history. “A march of this magnitude, across this diversity of issues has never happened before. We all have to stand together as a force no one can ignore,” said Kaylin Whittingham, president of the association of black women attorneys. Poster of the march (Instagram) × "The Women's March on Washington will send a bold message to our new government on their first day in office, and to the world that women's rights are human rights," the march's mission statement reads. "We stand together, recognizing that defending the most marginalized among us is defending all of us." Many high-profile artists are also expected to be in attendance including America Ferrera, Amy Schumer, Uzo Aduba and Zendaya, all who have also posted on social media about the march. “If there was ever a time to stand together, to stand proud and loud, it’s under a president who won an election on a message of hate and division,” Linda Sarsour, a national chair of the march, wrote last week in a Women’s Media Center essay. The prepation for the march invited a lot of controversies also for itself. Earlier the march was named the "Million Women March", but after some mild public backlash the organisers decided to distance their event from the 1995 march called the "Million Man March", so they changed it to the "Women's March on Washington". Then the founding organizers said they realised they did not represent America’s diversity. So they recruited a trio of New York City-based minority activists to their national leadership. Earlier this week, an anti-abortion feminist group was dropped as an official march partner. March representatives said they made an “error” in including the organisation and have been supporters of abortion rights “from day one". (WION)

Women?s March on Washington: More than 200,000 protesters across America expected to denounce Trump

Muslims in the United States who were rounded up and detained in the immediate aftermath of the September 11, 2001 attacks took their case before the US Supreme Court.

The US high court reviewed whether the men, who say they were held after the Al-Qaeda attack based solely on their identity as Arab Muslims, had the right to sue top US officials including then-attorney general John Ashcroft and Federal Bureau of Investigation director Robert Mueller, for their allegedly illegal detention.

The men were among 750 Muslims rounded up after the terror attacks, many on grounds that they did not have legal US immigration papers.

They said they were held in small isolation cells for up to 23 hours at a stretch and subjected to mental and physical abuse. They were held in detention for three to eight months.

A lower court had ruled in the men&#39;s favor, and the officials appealed that to the Supreme Court yesterday, arguing that the national security and immigration requirements of the time justified the sweeping arrests.

A ruling on whether the men had a right to sue rests on court precedents involving constitutional protections against illegal search and seizure.

But Justice Stephen Breyer got to the hub of the broader case: whether the atmosphere at the time justified such a broad reaction.

&quot;I can understand after a bomb attack and 3,000 people are killed,&quot; Breyer said. &quot;I can understand that the first reaction of the law enforcement authorities is pick up anybody you might think is connected, and we&#39;ll worry about the rest of it later.&quot;

&quot;Now, eight months?... The answer is pick up anybody who might have a connection, and then just keep them there?&quot; he asked.

The current Barack Obama administration came in on the side of Ashcroft, Mueller and the others being sued.

&quot;This is something that was done as the officials are trying to sort through how to respond to the very difficult situation,&quot; said Justice Department Lawyer Ian Gershengorn.

&quot;Some of the people on the list had ties to terrorism -- may have had ties to terrorism. Some of them may well not have,&quot; he said.

But officials had to take the time to figure that out, and in the meanwhile did not violate any laws, including those on discrimination, he said.

But Rachel Meeropol, arguing for the men who had been detained, said it was an issue of illegal discrimination.

&quot;This court has a historic role to play in ensuring that race and religion do not take the place of legitimate grounds for suspicion and in deterring future Federal officials from creating government policy to do the same,&quot; she said.

&nbsp;

(AFP)&nbsp;

&nbsp;

The men want to sue top US officials including the then-attorney general John Ashcroft for their alleged illegal detention

Muslims in the United States who were rounded up and detained in the immediate aftermath of the September 11, 2001 attacks took their case before the US Supreme Court. The US high court reviewed whether the men, who say they were held after the Al-Qaeda attack based solely on their identity as Arab Muslims, had the right to sue top US officials including then-attorney general John Ashcroft and Federal Bureau of Investigation director Robert Mueller, for their allegedly illegal detention. The men were among 750 Muslims rounded up after the terror attacks, many on grounds that they did not have legal US immigration papers. They said they were held in small isolation cells for up to 23 hours at a stretch and subjected to mental and physical abuse. They were held in detention for three to eight months. A lower court had ruled in the men's favor, and the officials appealed that to the Supreme Court yesterday, arguing that the national security and immigration requirements of the time justified the sweeping arrests. A ruling on whether the men had a right to sue rests on court precedents involving constitutional protections against illegal search and seizure. But Justice Stephen Breyer got to the hub of the broader case: whether the atmosphere at the time justified such a broad reaction. "I can understand after a bomb attack and 3,000 people are killed," Breyer said. "I can understand that the first reaction of the law enforcement authorities is pick up anybody you might think is connected, and we'll worry about the rest of it later." "Now, eight months?... The answer is pick up anybody who might have a connection, and then just keep them there?" he asked. The current Barack Obama administration came in on the side of Ashcroft, Mueller and the others being sued. "This is something that was done as the officials are trying to sort through how to respond to the very difficult situation," said Justice Department Lawyer Ian Gershengorn. "Some of the people on the list had ties to terrorism -- may have had ties to terrorism. Some of them may well not have," he said. But officials had to take the time to figure that out, and in the meanwhile did not violate any laws, including those on discrimination, he said. But Rachel Meeropol, arguing for the men who had been detained, said it was an issue of illegal discrimination. "This court has a historic role to play in ensuring that race and religion do not take the place of legitimate grounds for suspicion and in deterring future Federal officials from creating government policy to do the same," she said. (AFP)

US Supreme Court hears case on Muslims rounded up after 9/11 attacks

General Motors Co has confirmed it will invest an additional $1 billion in its US factories in 2017 and will move some parts production from Mexico to the United States that was previously handled by a supplier. 
The investments are in addition to the $2.9 billion the automaker announced last year, GM said.&nbsp;

GM and other automakers have been sharply criticized by Republican US President-elect Donald Trump for building vehicles in Mexico that are imported into the United States. Trump will be sworn in on Friday. 
GM said the $1 billion investment will create or retain 1,500 jobs. The Detroit automaker said details of individual projects will be announced throughout the year.

&quot;Thank you to General Motors and Walmart for starting the big jobs push back into the U.S.,&quot; Trump tweeted, referring as well to WalMart Stores Inc&#39;s announcement that it will hire 10,000 US workers in 2017 as part of a plan previously announced by the discount retailer.

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Thank you to General Motors and Walmart for starting the big jobs push back into the U.S.!
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GM also said it will begin work on bringing axle production for its next generation of full-size pickup trucks, including work previously done in Mexico, to operations in Michigan, creating 450 US jobs.&nbsp;

The part was previously built by American Axle &amp; Manufacturing Holdings Inc. American Axle did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

GM spokeswoman Joanne Krell said the automaker planned to add 7,000 new US jobs over the next two to three years. Krell said the decisions being announced &quot;had been in the works for some time&quot; but she added &quot;the timing was good for us to share what we are doing.&quot;

The 7,000 figure includes the 450 jobs on axle production, 1,500 jobs tied to the $1 billion announcement and more than 5,000 new jobs tied to engineering, GM Financial and advanced technology.

GM in 2014 announced it was investing $5 billion in Mexico and doubling production capacity by 2018. GM said last week it had no plans to cancel Mexican investments despite Trump pressure. GM said it had added about 6,000 US jobs, consisting of 4,000 hourly and 2,000 salaried positions, since the end of 2015 for a total American workforce of 103,000.

Since GM&#39;s bankruptcy restructuring in 2009, when it had 77,000 US employees, it has added more than 25,000 jobs as it boosted production, acquired an auto finance company and brought information technology work in house.

The United Auto Workers union said GM&#39;s new investments &quot;have emerged as a result of the 2015&quot; contract with the union. GM shares slightly rose in midday trading, up 0.6 per cent, or $0.23 per share, to $37.57.

Trump, who made bringing back manufacturing to the United States a large part of his successful election campaign, has been touting recent automaker investments in the United States.

&quot;With all of the jobs I am bringing back into the US (even before taking office), with all of the new auto plants coming back into our country and with the massive cost reductions I have negotiated on military purchases and more, I believe the people are seeing &quot;big stuff,&quot; Trump said in a pair of tweets.

Trump has been inaccurate in describing some US auto investments, wrongly saying last week that Fiat Chrysler was planning to build a new factory in the United States. The company announced it is investing $1 billion in two existing plants, adding 2,000 jobs.

On January 3, Trump threatened to impose a &quot;big border tax&quot; on GM for making some of its Chevrolet Cruze compacts in Mexico - and he has extended that threat to German automakers like BMW AG and Toyota Motor Corp over building vehicles abroad. Separately, Hyundai Motor Group said on Tuesday in South Korea that it plans to boost US investment by 50 per cent to $3.1 billion over five years and may build a new plant in the United States.

Hyundai Motor Co and Kia Motors Corp, which make up the Hyundai Motor Group, have not been directly criticized by Trump but they may have felt vulnerable because among major brands, they have one of the lowest ratios of cars built in the United States to cars sold. GM also said an unnamed supplier has committed to make components for GM&#39;s next-generation full-size pickup trucks in Michigan, moving 100 supplier jobs from Mexico to the United States.

(Reuters)

GM said the investment will create or retain 1,500 jobs and also promised to announce more individual projects during the year

General Motors Co has confirmed it will invest an additional $1 billion in its US factories in 2017 and will move some parts production from Mexico to the United States that was previously handled by a supplier. The investments are in addition to the $2.9 billion the automaker announced last year, GM said. GM and other automakers have been sharply criticized by Republican US President-elect Donald Trump for building vehicles in Mexico that are imported into the United States. Trump will be sworn in on Friday. GM said the $1 billion investment will create or retain 1,500 jobs. The Detroit automaker said details of individual projects will be announced throughout the year. "Thank you to General Motors and Walmart for starting the big jobs push back into the U.S.," Trump tweeted, referring as well to WalMart Stores Inc's announcement that it will hire 10,000 US workers in 2017 as part of a plan previously announced by the discount retailer. Thank you to General Motors and Walmart for starting the big jobs push back into the U.S.! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 17, 2017 × GM also said it will begin work on bringing axle production for its next generation of full-size pickup trucks, including work previously done in Mexico, to operations in Michigan, creating 450 US jobs. The part was previously built by American Axle & Manufacturing Holdings Inc. American Axle did not immediately respond to a request for comment. GM spokeswoman Joanne Krell said the automaker planned to add 7,000 new US jobs over the next two to three years. Krell said the decisions being announced "had been in the works for some time" but she added "the timing was good for us to share what we are doing." The 7,000 figure includes the 450 jobs on axle production, 1,500 jobs tied to the $1 billion announcement and more than 5,000 new jobs tied to engineering, GM Financial and advanced technology. GM in 2014 announced it was investing $5 billion in Mexico and doubling production capacity by 2018. GM said last week it had no plans to cancel Mexican investments despite Trump pressure. GM said it had added about 6,000 US jobs, consisting of 4,000 hourly and 2,000 salaried positions, since the end of 2015 for a total American workforce of 103,000. Since GM's bankruptcy restructuring in 2009, when it had 77,000 US employees, it has added more than 25,000 jobs as it boosted production, acquired an auto finance company and brought information technology work in house. The United Auto Workers union said GM's new investments "have emerged as a result of the 2015" contract with the union. GM shares slightly rose in midday trading, up 0.6 per cent, or $0.23 per share, to $37.57. Trump, who made bringing back manufacturing to the United States a large part of his successful election campaign, has been touting recent automaker investments in the United States. "With all of the jobs I am bringing back into the US (even before taking office), with all of the new auto plants coming back into our country and with the massive cost reductions I have negotiated on military purchases and more, I believe the people are seeing "big stuff," Trump said in a pair of tweets. Trump has been inaccurate in describing some US auto investments, wrongly saying last week that Fiat Chrysler was planning to build a new factory in the United States. The company announced it is investing $1 billion in two existing plants, adding 2,000 jobs. On January 3, Trump threatened to impose a "big border tax" on GM for making some of its Chevrolet Cruze compacts in Mexico - and he has extended that threat to German automakers like BMW AG and Toyota Motor Corp over building vehicles abroad. Separately, Hyundai Motor Group said on Tuesday in South Korea that it plans to boost US investment by 50 per cent to $3.1 billion over five years and may build a new plant in the United States. Hyundai Motor Co and Kia Motors Corp, which make up the Hyundai Motor Group, have not been directly criticized by Trump but they may have felt vulnerable because among major brands, they have one of the lowest ratios of cars built in the United States to cars sold. GM also said an unnamed supplier has committed to make components for GM's next-generation full-size pickup trucks in Michigan, moving 100 supplier jobs from Mexico to the United States. (Reuters)

General Motors to invest $1 billion in US, Trump tweets 'thank you'

His daughter Ivanka may be Donald Trump&#39;s favourite child but the president-elect apparently doesn&#39;t know her Twitter handle, mistaking her for a British woman from the seaside town of Brighton.

On Monday night, the Republican retweeted praise for his daughter from a Twitter user during a CNN profile of the incoming first daughter and wife of White House advisor in-waiting Jared Kushner.

But instead of using the 35-year-old businesswoman&#39;s @IvankaTrump handle, the Twitter user wrote @Ivanka - the account of Ivanka Majic - whose own account subsequently lit up with thousands of messages.

The president-elect, a prolific user of the social media site with more than 20 million Twitter followers, saw his post retweeted more than 6,600 times and liked more than 35,000 times.

Majic, who once worked for Britain&#39;s opposition Labour Party and is now employed by the local council, decided to use her new found prominence to hit back.&nbsp;

&quot;And you&#39;re a man with great responsibilities. May I suggest more care on Twitter and more time learning about #climatechange,&quot; she replied to the president-elect in a message retweeted more than 3,360 times. 
The former reality TV star, who has pledged to abandon the Paris climate deal, has yet to delete his tweet or publicly admit his mistake.

On Monday night, his daughter seemed oblivious to the mixup, tweeting a photograph of herself dressed up saying &quot;bright lights, big city #datenight.&quot;

Majic said her identity was frequently mistaken during the US election campaign. &quot;Ivanka is an incredibly boring and popular Slavic girl&#39;s name. The other one I get confused with is an Hungarian concrete company called Ivanka concrete,&quot; the BBC quoted her as saying.

&quot;I&#39;m someone who has used Twitter since 2007. A new thing comes along and you create a username never thinking that one day Ivanka Trump&#39;s dad will be president.&quot;

Trump&#39;s daughter, a businesswoman and entrepreneur whom lawyers say is stepping down as vice-president at the Trump Organization, is moving to Washington with her husband and the couple&#39;s three young children.

While no formal job title has been announced, she is expected to take on some hostessing duties and champion causes in a role more frequently associated with a first lady than a first daughter.

(Reuters)

Donald Trump retweeted praise for his daughter Ivanka using the wrong Twitter handle of a British woman from Brighton

His daughter Ivanka may be Donald Trump's favourite child but the president-elect apparently doesn't know her Twitter handle, mistaking her for a British woman from the seaside town of Brighton. On Monday night, the Republican retweeted praise for his daughter from a Twitter user during a CNN profile of the incoming first daughter and wife of White House advisor in-waiting Jared Kushner. But instead of using the 35-year-old businesswoman's @IvankaTrump handle, the Twitter user wrote @Ivanka - the account of Ivanka Majic - whose own account subsequently lit up with thousands of messages. The president-elect, a prolific user of the social media site with more than 20 million Twitter followers, saw his post retweeted more than 6,600 times and liked more than 35,000 times. Majic, who once worked for Britain's opposition Labour Party and is now employed by the local council, decided to use her new found prominence to hit back. "And you're a man with great responsibilities. May I suggest more care on Twitter and more time learning about #climatechange," she replied to the president-elect in a message retweeted more than 3,360 times. The former reality TV star, who has pledged to abandon the Paris climate deal, has yet to delete his tweet or publicly admit his mistake. On Monday night, his daughter seemed oblivious to the mixup, tweeting a photograph of herself dressed up saying "bright lights, big city #datenight." Majic said her identity was frequently mistaken during the US election campaign. "Ivanka is an incredibly boring and popular Slavic girl's name. The other one I get confused with is an Hungarian concrete company called Ivanka concrete," the BBC quoted her as saying. "I'm someone who has used Twitter since 2007. A new thing comes along and you create a username never thinking that one day Ivanka Trump's dad will be president." Trump's daughter, a businesswoman and entrepreneur whom lawyers say is stepping down as vice-president at the Trump Organization, is moving to Washington with her husband and the couple's three young children. While no formal job title has been announced, she is expected to take on some hostessing duties and champion causes in a role more frequently associated with a first lady than a first daughter. (Reuters)

Trump praises wrong Ivanka on Twitter

US President-elect Donald Trump said that Brexit would turn out to be a great thing and other countries would follow Britain out of the European Union but promised to strike a swift bilateral trade deal with the United Kingdom.

Speaking in an interview with The Times of London newspaper five days before his inauguration, Trump described himself as a big fan of Britain and endorsed last year&#39;s vote to leave the European Union.

&quot;I think Brexit is going to end up being a great thing,&quot; Trump said. &quot;I&rsquo;ll tell you, the fact that your pound sterling has gone down? Great. Because business is unbelievable in a lot of parts in the UK.&quot; The June 23 vote took many investors and chief executives by surprise, triggering the deepest political and financial turmoil in Britain since World War II and the biggest ever one-day fall in sterling against the dollar.&nbsp;Sterling has since fallen further against the US&nbsp;dollar as traders, businesses and investors fret about the type of relationship Britain will have with its biggest single trading partner after it leaves the European Union.

Trump&#39;s election campaign seized on the Brexit vote as an example of disillusioned voters rising up against the political establishment, and he forged a friendship with leading Brexit campaigner Nigel Farage - a fierce critic of Prime Minister Theresa May.&nbsp;Trump&#39;s election has raised questions over the future of the so-called &#39;special relationship&#39; that has underpinned close British-American ties for decades.&nbsp;But in the Times&nbsp;interview Trump played up his ancestral ties to Britain, saying his Scottish mother was &quot;so proud&quot; of Queen Elizabeth, and said he was eager to get a trade deal done.

&ldquo;We&rsquo;re going to work very hard to get it done quickly and done properly. Good for both sides,&rdquo; Trump said. &ldquo;I will be meeting with May. She&rsquo;s requesting a meeting and we&rsquo;ll have a meeting right after I get into the White House. We&rsquo;re going to get something done very quickly.&rdquo;

However, he predicted that more countries would seek to follow Britain&#39;s example and quit the EU.

&quot;I believe others will leave,&quot; he said. &quot;If refugees keep pouring into different parts of Europe . . . I think it&rsquo;s going to&nbsp;be very hard to keep it together because people are angry about it.&quot;

He singled out German Chancellor Angela Merkel - whose open-door policies have allowed about 1.1 million refugees from Syria, Iraq, Afghanistan and elsewhere into Germany since mid-2015 - calling her immigration policy a catastrophic mistake.

US President-elect Donald Trump said other countries would follow Britain out of the European Union

US President-elect Donald Trump said that Brexit would turn out to be a great thing and other countries would follow Britain out of the European Union but promised to strike a swift bilateral trade deal with the United Kingdom. Speaking in an interview with The Times of London newspaper five days before his inauguration, Trump described himself as a big fan of Britain and endorsed last year's vote to leave the European Union. "I think Brexit is going to end up being a great thing," Trump said. "I’ll tell you, the fact that your pound sterling has gone down? Great. Because business is unbelievable in a lot of parts in the UK." The June 23 vote took many investors and chief executives by surprise, triggering the deepest political and financial turmoil in Britain since World War II and the biggest ever one-day fall in sterling against the dollar. Sterling has since fallen further against the US dollar as traders, businesses and investors fret about the type of relationship Britain will have with its biggest single trading partner after it leaves the European Union. Trump's election campaign seized on the Brexit vote as an example of disillusioned voters rising up against the political establishment, and he forged a friendship with leading Brexit campaigner Nigel Farage - a fierce critic of Prime Minister Theresa May. Trump's election has raised questions over the future of the so-called 'special relationship' that has underpinned close British-American ties for decades. But in the Times interview Trump played up his ancestral ties to Britain, saying his Scottish mother was "so proud" of Queen Elizabeth, and said he was eager to get a trade deal done. “We’re going to work very hard to get it done quickly and done properly. Good for both sides,” Trump said. “I will be meeting with May. She’s requesting a meeting and we’ll have a meeting right after I get into the White House. We’re going to get something done very quickly.” However, he predicted that more countries would seek to follow Britain's example and quit the EU. "I believe others will leave," he said. "If refugees keep pouring into different parts of Europe . . . I think it’s going to be very hard to keep it together because people are angry about it." He singled out German Chancellor Angela Merkel - whose open-door policies have allowed about 1.1 million refugees from Syria, Iraq, Afghanistan and elsewhere into Germany since mid-2015 - calling her immigration policy a catastrophic mistake.

Brexit a great thing, EU countries may follow Britain: Trump

BBC&#39;s Washington&nbsp;correspondent Paul Wood has<a href="http://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-38589427#pq=RbIoXb"> published </a>what he knows about the explosive allegation that Russia has compromising personal and financial information over Trump.&nbsp;While the BBC opted not to break the story earlier because they hadn&#39;t seen the alleged recordings themselves, if they do in fact exist,&nbsp;Wood adds more&nbsp;details&nbsp;about the allegations.&nbsp;

Wood describes hearing about the alleged tapes through as many as four sources. It is not clear whether these sources got their information from the same place.&nbsp;The claims here are still allegations.&nbsp;

Wood says &quot;The CIA finds it credible that the Kremlin has such Kompromat--or compromising material--on the next US commander in chief&quot;, and that&nbsp;there is also a joint task force comprising of the CIA and FBI investigating whether Russia sent money to Trump&#39;s election campaign.

Wood saw the report written by&nbsp;the former British intelligence agent, now identified in various world media as&nbsp;Chistopher Steele,&nbsp;alleging&nbsp;that Trump was filmed with a group of prostitutes in the presidential suite of Moscow&#39;s Ritz-Carlton hotel. He states that the BBC decided not to break the story when he was shown the report, which was in the week of the election,&nbsp;because they had not seen the alleged tapes, if such tapes&nbsp;do in fact exist.

The opposition research that prompted Steele&#39;s investigation&nbsp;was initially funded by an anti-Trump super pac (political&nbsp;action committee) during the Republican primaries, but then was funded by an anomyous Democratic Party supporter.

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<h5>He got a message back: there was &quot;more than one tape&quot;, &quot;audio and video&quot;, on &quot;more than one date&quot;, in &quot;more than one place&quot;, and that the material was &quot;of a sexual nature&quot;.</h5>
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While Trump was relentless in his criticism of these reports, likening his&nbsp;situation&nbsp;to&nbsp;Nazi Germany&nbsp;and calling them &quot;sick people [who] put that crap together&quot;, Wood says &quot;these are not political hacks&quot;.

Nobody, not even Trump, disputes that the intelligence briefing describing the above allegations&nbsp;were definitely brought to the attention of President Obama&nbsp;and, indeed, even Donald Trump. But the allegations in the report remain unverified.

Wood points out that both the Washington Post and the New York Times report that the allegations were sufficiently credible to be brought to the attention of the president. On the night&nbsp;the main tape was supposedly made,&nbsp;in 2013, Trump appeared on television in Moscow&nbsp;attending his Miss Universe competition.

Wood does not characterise this as a political hack. He says Christopher Steele&#39;s line of research is &quot;country analysis and commercial risk assessment&quot;, and that Steele&nbsp;&quot;apparently&quot; gave the dossier he collected on Trump to the FBI against the wishes of the firm who employed him.&nbsp;As early as August, Wood was told of this claim&nbsp;by a retired spy, who learned it from&nbsp;the &quot;head of an East European intelligence agency&quot;.&nbsp;

Wood used a go-between to pass questions along to the CIA officers tasked with this file. He got a message back: there was &quot;more than one tape&quot;, &quot;audio and video&quot;, on &quot;more than one date&quot;, in &quot;more than one place&quot;, and that the material was &quot;of a sexual nature&quot;.

Wood says that a Russian specialist says FSB agents are prone to boasting about public figures on which they have tapes. A CIA officer who spoke to Wood said he spoke to an FSB agent, who concluded,&nbsp;&quot;it&#39;s hokey as hell&quot;.

There are&nbsp;still&nbsp;ongoing inter-agency investigations looking into Trump&#39;s connection with Russian money, and it&#39;s not clear what will come of the&nbsp;task force investigating&nbsp;Trump under Trump&#39;s presidency. They may not be allowed to work.

Russia has denied all accusations, and so has Trump. Wood says that Michael Hayden, the former head of both the CIA and NSA, referred to Trump as a &quot;polezni durak&quot;-- a useful fool.

During the election, Clinton called Trump a &quot;puppet&quot; of Russia&#39;s leader Vladimir Putin.

Wood points out that a New York Times opinion&nbsp;piece from the summer written by former CIA director Michael Morrell wrote, &quot;In the intelligence business, we would say that Mr Putin had recruited Mt Trump as an unwitting agent of the Russian Federation&quot;.

Wood closed the piece declaring Americans will need to look at all the facts and judge for themselves.

(WION)

The BBC correspondent, who before the election had seen the report alleging Russia had compromising info on Trump, describes what he knows

BBC's Washington correspondent Paul Wood has published what he knows about the explosive allegation that Russia has compromising personal and financial information over Trump. While the BBC opted not to break the story earlier because they hadn't seen the alleged recordings themselves, if they do in fact exist, Wood adds more details about the allegations. Wood describes hearing about the alleged tapes through as many as four sources. It is not clear whether these sources got their information from the same place. The claims here are still allegations. Wood says "The CIA finds it credible that the Kremlin has such Kompromat--or compromising material--on the next US commander in chief", and that there is also a joint task force comprising of the CIA and FBI investigating whether Russia sent money to Trump's election campaign. Wood saw the report written by the former British intelligence agent, now identified in various world media as Chistopher Steele, alleging that Trump was filmed with a group of prostitutes in the presidential suite of Moscow's Ritz-Carlton hotel. He states that the BBC decided not to break the story when he was shown the report, which was in the week of the election, because they had not seen the alleged tapes, if such tapes do in fact exist. The opposition research that prompted Steele's investigation was initially funded by an anti-Trump super pac (political action committee) during the Republican primaries, but then was funded by an anomyous Democratic Party supporter. He got a message back: there was "more than one tape", "audio and video", on "more than one date", in "more than one place", and that the material was "of a sexual nature". × While Trump was relentless in his criticism of these reports, likening his situation to Nazi Germany and calling them "sick people [who] put that crap together", Wood says "these are not political hacks". Nobody, not even Trump, disputes that the intelligence briefing describing the above allegations were definitely brought to the attention of President Obama and, indeed, even Donald Trump. But the allegations in the report remain unverified. Wood points out that both the Washington Post and the New York Times report that the allegations were sufficiently credible to be brought to the attention of the president. On the night the main tape was supposedly made, in 2013, Trump appeared on television in Moscow attending his Miss Universe competition. Wood does not characterise this as a political hack. He says Christopher Steele's line of research is "country analysis and commercial risk assessment", and that Steele "apparently" gave the dossier he collected on Trump to the FBI against the wishes of the firm who employed him. As early as August, Wood was told of this claim by a retired spy, who learned it from the "head of an East European intelligence agency". Wood used a go-between to pass questions along to the CIA officers tasked with this file. He got a message back: there was "more than one tape", "audio and video", on "more than one date", in "more than one place", and that the material was "of a sexual nature". Wood says that a Russian specialist says FSB agents are prone to boasting about public figures on which they have tapes. A CIA officer who spoke to Wood said he spoke to an FSB agent, who concluded, "it's hokey as hell". There are still ongoing inter-agency investigations looking into Trump's connection with Russian money, and it's not clear what will come of the task force investigating Trump under Trump's presidency. They may not be allowed to work. Russia has denied all accusations, and so has Trump. Wood says that Michael Hayden, the former head of both the CIA and NSA, referred to Trump as a "polezni durak"-- a useful fool. During the election, Clinton called Trump a "puppet" of Russia's leader Vladimir Putin. Wood points out that a New York Times opinion piece from the summer written by former CIA director Michael Morrell wrote, "In the intelligence business, we would say that Mr Putin had recruited Mt Trump as an unwitting agent of the Russian Federation". Wood closed the piece declaring Americans will need to look at all the facts and judge for themselves. (WION)

Four sources to possible claims of Trump-Russia blackmail: BBC's Paul Wood

The Palestinians may consider &quot;reversing recognition&quot; of Israel&nbsp;if Donald Trump moves the US embassy to Jerusalem, Palestinian President Mahmud Abbas has said in an interview in&nbsp;French daily Le Figaro.

&quot;I wrote to president-elect Trump to ask him not to do it. Not only would this move deprive the United States of all legitimacy in playing a role in conflict resolution, it would also destroy the two-state solution,&quot; Abbas told the French daily.

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Trump - who takes office next Friday - has said he plans to acknowledge Jerusalem as the capital of Israel and relocate the US embassy there from Tel Aviv. The move is bitterly opposed by Palestinians, who see it as a destructive and unilateral action as the status of the city is still contested. The United States and most UN member states do not recognise Jerusalem as Israel&#39;s capital, and the city&#39;s status is one of the thorniest issues of the decades-long Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Israel supports Trump&#39;s plan and has encouraged previous US presidents to take similar steps but to no avail.

&quot;If the embassy transfer takes place, there would be several options for us, and we would discuss them with Arab countries,&quot; Abbas said.&nbsp;&quot;Reversing our recognition of the State of Israel is one of them. But we hope that it doesn&#39;t reach that point, and that, on the contrary, we will be able to work with the next American administration,&quot; he added.

Israel and the Palestine Liberation Organisation (PLO) recognised each other under the 1993 Oslo agreements. But the process which was supposed to deliver a lasting peace still hasn&#39;t happened so far. More than 70 countries meet in Paris on Sunday at a conference expected to reaffirm support for the &quot;two-state solution&quot; in which Palestinian and Israeli states would live side-by-side in peace and security.

The Paris meeting &quot;may be the last chance for implementing&quot; the two-state solution, Abbas warned.

On Monday, the Palestinian news agency Wafa said Abbas had written to Trump, warning an embassy move would have a &quot;disastrous impact on the peace process, on the two-state solution and on the stability and security of the entire region.&quot;

(AFP)

Trump has said he plans to acknowledge Jerusalem as the Israeli capital, and relocate the US embassy there from Tel Aviv

The Palestinians may consider "reversing recognition" of Israel if Donald Trump moves the US embassy to Jerusalem, Palestinian President Mahmud Abbas has said in an interview in French daily Le Figaro. "I wrote to president-elect Trump to ask him not to do it. Not only would this move deprive the United States of all legitimacy in playing a role in conflict resolution, it would also destroy the two-state solution," Abbas told the French daily. Israel and the Palestine Liberation Organisation (PLO) recognised each other under the 1993 Oslo agreements. But the process which was supposed to deliver a lasting peace still hasn't happened so far × Trump - who takes office next Friday - has said he plans to acknowledge Jerusalem as the capital of Israel and relocate the US embassy there from Tel Aviv. The move is bitterly opposed by Palestinians, who see it as a destructive and unilateral action as the status of the city is still contested. The United States and most UN member states do not recognise Jerusalem as Israel's capital, and the city's status is one of the thorniest issues of the decades-long Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Israel supports Trump's plan and has encouraged previous US presidents to take similar steps but to no avail. "If the embassy transfer takes place, there would be several options for us, and we would discuss them with Arab countries," Abbas said. "Reversing our recognition of the State of Israel is one of them. But we hope that it doesn't reach that point, and that, on the contrary, we will be able to work with the next American administration," he added. Israel and the Palestine Liberation Organisation (PLO) recognised each other under the 1993 Oslo agreements. But the process which was supposed to deliver a lasting peace still hasn't happened so far. More than 70 countries meet in Paris on Sunday at a conference expected to reaffirm support for the "two-state solution" in which Palestinian and Israeli states would live side-by-side in peace and security. The Paris meeting "may be the last chance for implementing" the two-state solution, Abbas warned. On Monday, the Palestinian news agency Wafa said Abbas had written to Trump, warning an embassy move would have a "disastrous impact on the peace process, on the two-state solution and on the stability and security of the entire region." (AFP)

May reverse Israel recognition if Trump moves embassy: Abbas

Blocking Chinese access to islands in the South China Sea would require the US&nbsp;to &quot;wage war&quot;, an influential Chinese state-run tabloid said on Friday, after US&nbsp;Secretary of State nominee Rex Tillerson suggested the strategy on Wednesday.

Tillerson told his confirmation hearing before the US&nbsp;Senate Foreign Relations Committee that he wanted to send a signal to China that their access to islands in the disputed South China Sea &quot;is not going to be allowed&quot;. He did not elaborate.

The United States would have to &quot;wage a large-scale war&quot; in the South China sea to prevent Chinese access to the islands, the Global Times said in an English-language editorial.

The paper, which is known for writing strongly-worded, hawkish and nationalist editorials, is published by the ruling Communist Party&#39;s flagship paper. It does not reflect Chinese policy.

&quot;Tillerson had better bone up on nuclear power strategies if he wants to force a big nuclear power to withdraw from its own territories,&quot; the paper added.

The editorial also said that Tillerson, an Exxon Mobil Corp chairman and former chief executive, was the most likely of US president-elect Donald Trump&#39;s cabinet picks to be vetoed by congress.

&quot;It is suspected that he merely wanted to curry favour from senators and increase his chances of being confirmed by intentionally showing a tough stance toward China,&quot; it said. The paper did not elaborate on either point.

A similar article was also carried in the paper&#39;s Chinese-language website that receives thousands of hits every day.

There are also legal questions of any US&nbsp;attempt to block China&#39;s access, the editorial said, asking if this might mean that Vietnam and Philippines also should be denied entry.

China claims most of the energy-rich South China Sea through which about $5 trillion in ship-borne trade passes every year. Neighbours Brunei, Malaysia, Taiwan and Vietnam also have claims.

The United States has previously called on China to respect the findings of the arbitration court in The Hague earlier this year which ruled in favour of the Philippines, rejecting China&#39;s territorial claims in the strategic waterway.

Democratic President Barack Obama&rsquo;s administration conducted periodic air and naval patrols to assert the right of free navigation in the South China Sea. These have angered Beijing, but seeking to blockade China&#39;s man-made islands would be a major step further and a step that Washington has never raised as an option.

(Reuters)

US secretary of state nominee Rex Tillerson suggested China should be barred from South China Sea islands

Blocking Chinese access to islands in the South China Sea would require the US to "wage war", an influential Chinese state-run tabloid said on Friday, after US Secretary of State nominee Rex Tillerson suggested the strategy on Wednesday. Tillerson told his confirmation hearing before the US Senate Foreign Relations Committee that he wanted to send a signal to China that their access to islands in the disputed South China Sea "is not going to be allowed". He did not elaborate. The United States would have to "wage a large-scale war" in the South China sea to prevent Chinese access to the islands, the Global Times said in an English-language editorial. The paper, which is known for writing strongly-worded, hawkish and nationalist editorials, is published by the ruling Communist Party's flagship paper. It does not reflect Chinese policy. "Tillerson had better bone up on nuclear power strategies if he wants to force a big nuclear power to withdraw from its own territories," the paper added. The editorial also said that Tillerson, an Exxon Mobil Corp chairman and former chief executive, was the most likely of US president-elect Donald Trump's cabinet picks to be vetoed by congress. "It is suspected that he merely wanted to curry favour from senators and increase his chances of being confirmed by intentionally showing a tough stance toward China," it said. The paper did not elaborate on either point. A similar article was also carried in the paper's Chinese-language website that receives thousands of hits every day. There are also legal questions of any US attempt to block China's access, the editorial said, asking if this might mean that Vietnam and Philippines also should be denied entry. China claims most of the energy-rich South China Sea through which about $5 trillion in ship-borne trade passes every year. Neighbours Brunei, Malaysia, Taiwan and Vietnam also have claims. The United States has previously called on China to respect the findings of the arbitration court in The Hague earlier this year which ruled in favour of the Philippines, rejecting China's territorial claims in the strategic waterway. Democratic President Barack Obama’s administration conducted periodic air and naval patrols to assert the right of free navigation in the South China Sea. These have angered Beijing, but seeking to blockade China's man-made islands would be a major step further and a step that Washington has never raised as an option. (Reuters)

Chinese state-run tabloid says US needs to 'wage war' to block off South China Sea islands

A US appeals court on Thursday revived a civil suit accusing Apple of creating a monopoly by making its App Store the only place to buy iPhone applications.

The suit, initially filed in late 2011, seeks hundreds of millions of dollars in damages based on the reasoning that the lack of competition pushed app prices higher.

An appellate court panel in San Francisco reversed a lower court judge&#39;s decision to derail the suit on the grounds iPhone owners were doing business with app creators and not Apple at the online shop.

&quot;The panel reversed the dismissal for lack of statutory standing of an antitrust complaint alleging that Apple, Inc, monopolised and attempted to monopolise the market for iPhone apps,&quot; the US Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit said in a written ruling.

&quot;The panel held that the plaintiffs were direct purchasers of iPhone apps from Apple, rather than the app developers, and therefore had standing to sue.&quot;

The ruling gave a green light for the suit to resume, paving the way for a potential big-money payout or even an open market for apps for Apple devices.

Apple launched the iPhone in 2007, creating a walled garden into which only applications approved by the California-based company were permitted. A year later, Apple launched the App Store as an online shop for apps and other content for iPhones, with the company getting to approve offerings and taking 30 per cent of the price of what third-party developers sold there.

In the motion that got the case dismissed, Apple had argued that iPhone owners were doing business with app makers and therefore lacked the standing to sue the company in the matter.

However, the appellate panel ruled that Apple &quot;is a distributor of the iPhone apps, selling them directly to purchasers through its App Store&quot;.

&quot;Because Apple is a distributor, Plaintiffs have standing under Illinois Brick to sue Apple for allegedly monopolising and attempting to monopolise the sale of iPhone apps,&quot; it said.

Apple declined to comment when contacted by AFP.

The iPhone&#39;s launch a decade ago under Apple&#39;s late co-founder Steve Jobs set the stage for mobile computing and an entire industry revolving around it. The company has since been working to make more money from services and apps.

The iPhone maker said its App Store had its busiest single day ever on New Year&#39;s Day, capping a record-breaking holiday season for the online shop.

Since the App Store launched in 2008, developers have earned more than $60 billion from software creations tailored for Apple devices, the company says.

(AFP)

The suit seeks hundreds of millions of dollars in damages, claiming Apple's lack of competition increased the price of apps

A US appeals court on Thursday revived a civil suit accusing Apple of creating a monopoly by making its App Store the only place to buy iPhone applications. The suit, initially filed in late 2011, seeks hundreds of millions of dollars in damages based on the reasoning that the lack of competition pushed app prices higher. An appellate court panel in San Francisco reversed a lower court judge's decision to derail the suit on the grounds iPhone owners were doing business with app creators and not Apple at the online shop. "The panel reversed the dismissal for lack of statutory standing of an antitrust complaint alleging that Apple, Inc, monopolised and attempted to monopolise the market for iPhone apps," the US Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit said in a written ruling. "The panel held that the plaintiffs were direct purchasers of iPhone apps from Apple, rather than the app developers, and therefore had standing to sue." The ruling gave a green light for the suit to resume, paving the way for a potential big-money payout or even an open market for apps for Apple devices. Apple launched the iPhone in 2007, creating a walled garden into which only applications approved by the California-based company were permitted. A year later, Apple launched the App Store as an online shop for apps and other content for iPhones, with the company getting to approve offerings and taking 30 per cent of the price of what third-party developers sold there. In the motion that got the case dismissed, Apple had argued that iPhone owners were doing business with app makers and therefore lacked the standing to sue the company in the matter. However, the appellate panel ruled that Apple "is a distributor of the iPhone apps, selling them directly to purchasers through its App Store". "Because Apple is a distributor, Plaintiffs have standing under Illinois Brick to sue Apple for allegedly monopolising and attempting to monopolise the sale of iPhone apps," it said. Apple declined to comment when contacted by AFP. The iPhone's launch a decade ago under Apple's late co-founder Steve Jobs set the stage for mobile computing and an entire industry revolving around it. The company has since been working to make more money from services and apps. The iPhone maker said its App Store had its busiest single day ever on New Year's Day, capping a record-breaking holiday season for the online shop. Since the App Store launched in 2008, developers have earned more than $60 billion from software creations tailored for Apple devices, the company says. (AFP)

Apple lawsuit calling tech giant's app store a 'monopoly' to continue

The United States will ease some financial sanctions against Sudan on Friday for efforts to help fight terrorism, although it will remain on a list of state sponsors of terrorism, two White House officials told AFP.

Washington is set to announce that it will &quot;ease some US sanctions on trade and investment&quot;, one of the officials from the outgoing administration of President Barack Obama said Thursday.

&quot;We are taking these actions in recognition of positive steps the government of Sudan has taken,&quot; the second official said.

However, the decision &quot;doesn&#39;t affect (President Omar) al-Bashir&#39;s war crimes nor does it lift the state sponsor of terror&quot; designation, which also includes Syria and Iran, the official added.

Washington in November extended sanctions against Sudan for a year, saying it could lift them at any time if the African country were to do more to tackle terror.

Sudan has been subject to a US trade embargo since 1997 for its alleged support for Islamist groups. Al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden was based in Khartoum from 1992 to 1996.

In recent years, the government&#39;s scorched earth tactics against ethnic minority rebels in Darfur have been cited as a reason not to lift the sanctions.

But relations have improved lately, with Secretary of State John Kerry meeting with his Sudanese counterpart twice, while the US envoy for Sudan and South Sudan, Donald Booth, visiting Khartoum several times.

That prompted speculation about possible sanctions relief.

Still, the Darfur conflict -- which has killed 300,000 people and displaced some 2.5 million since it began in 2003, according to the UN -- has continued to dog relations.

Al-Bashir is wanted by the International Criminal Court on charges of war crimes and genocide related to the conflict. He denies the charges.

Washington refused Bashir a visa to attend the UN General Assembly in 2015, citing the ICC arrest warrant.

(AFP)

However it will remain on a list of state sponsors of terrorism, two White House officials told AFP

The United States will ease some financial sanctions against Sudan on Friday for efforts to help fight terrorism, although it will remain on a list of state sponsors of terrorism, two White House officials told AFP. Washington is set to announce that it will "ease some US sanctions on trade and investment", one of the officials from the outgoing administration of President Barack Obama said Thursday. "We are taking these actions in recognition of positive steps the government of Sudan has taken," the second official said. However, the decision "doesn't affect (President Omar) al-Bashir's war crimes nor does it lift the state sponsor of terror" designation, which also includes Syria and Iran, the official added. Washington in November extended sanctions against Sudan for a year, saying it could lift them at any time if the African country were to do more to tackle terror. Sudan has been subject to a US trade embargo since 1997 for its alleged support for Islamist groups. Al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden was based in Khartoum from 1992 to 1996. In recent years, the government's scorched earth tactics against ethnic minority rebels in Darfur have been cited as a reason not to lift the sanctions. But relations have improved lately, with Secretary of State John Kerry meeting with his Sudanese counterpart twice, while the US envoy for Sudan and South Sudan, Donald Booth, visiting Khartoum several times. That prompted speculation about possible sanctions relief. Still, the Darfur conflict -- which has killed 300,000 people and displaced some 2.5 million since it began in 2003, according to the UN -- has continued to dog relations. Al-Bashir is wanted by the International Criminal Court on charges of war crimes and genocide related to the conflict. He denies the charges. Washington refused Bashir a visa to attend the UN General Assembly in 2015, citing the ICC arrest warrant. (AFP)

US to lift some sanctions against Sudan: Officials

The US has expressed concern over reports that many bloggers and writers in Pakistan have been going missing in recent weeks.

&quot;We&#39;re very concerned by reports that several Pakistani bloggers and activists have been reported missing and we&#39;re going to continue to monitor the situation,&quot; State Department deputy spokesman, Mark Toner, told reporters at his daily news conference.

At the same time, the State Department welcomed the Pakistani interior ministry&#39;s announcement that it would investigate the disappearance of one of those individuals, Salman Haider.

&quot;We also appreciate the fact that members of both houses of parliament have voiced their concern and called for an investigation into all four disappearances,&quot; Toner said.

&quot;Of course, we value freedom of expression. That&#39;s something we take very seriously and are going to continue to monitor the situation in Pakistan,&quot; the deputy spokesman said.

Read WION&#39;s report on the missing bloggers&nbsp;<a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/pakistans-digital-media-space-expected-to-shrink-as-online-activists-go-missing-11155">here</a>.

(PTI)

In last one week, there is confirmation of five such activists going missing, with two of them picked up from the capital city of Islamabad

The US has expressed concern over reports that many bloggers and writers in Pakistan have been going missing in recent weeks. "We're very concerned by reports that several Pakistani bloggers and activists have been reported missing and we're going to continue to monitor the situation," State Department deputy spokesman, Mark Toner, told reporters at his daily news conference. At the same time, the State Department welcomed the Pakistani interior ministry's announcement that it would investigate the disappearance of one of those individuals, Salman Haider. "We also appreciate the fact that members of both houses of parliament have voiced their concern and called for an investigation into all four disappearances," Toner said. "Of course, we value freedom of expression. That's something we take very seriously and are going to continue to monitor the situation in Pakistan," the deputy spokesman said. Read WION's report on the missing bloggers here. (PTI)

US expresses concern over online activists missing in Pakistan

Mexico will name a new ambassador to the US, The Hill reports, citing&nbsp;Mexican Foreign Relations Secretariat sources.&nbsp;

The current ambassador Carlos Sada Solana will be replaced by Geronimo Gutierrez, who is currently the managing director of the North American Development Bank.&nbsp;Previously, Gutierrez was the undersecretary for North American affairs at the Foreign Relations Secretariat, The Hill reports.

The announcement is expected to come on Friday, The Hill reports. 
&nbsp; 
The change in appointment comes as relations between the country are strained, as Trump has promised to renegotiate the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), build a wall along the border that the President-elect says Mexico will fund, deport millions of mexicans and place tariffs on goods manufactured in Mexico.&nbsp; 
&nbsp; 
This post is considered to be Mexico&#39;s highest appointment because of the historical closeness between the two countries and because millions of Mexicans currently live in America.

&nbsp;(WION)

The change comes at a crucial juncture, with Donald Trump about to become US president

Mexico will name a new ambassador to the US, The Hill reports, citing Mexican Foreign Relations Secretariat sources. The current ambassador Carlos Sada Solana will be replaced by Geronimo Gutierrez, who is currently the managing director of the North American Development Bank. Previously, Gutierrez was the undersecretary for North American affairs at the Foreign Relations Secretariat, The Hill reports. The announcement is expected to come on Friday, The Hill reports. The change in appointment comes as relations between the country are strained, as Trump has promised to renegotiate the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), build a wall along the border that the President-elect says Mexico will fund, deport millions of mexicans and place tariffs on goods manufactured in Mexico. This post is considered to be Mexico's highest appointment because of the historical closeness between the two countries and because millions of Mexicans currently live in America. (WION)

Mexico to name new US ambassador: Reports

Russia has agreed that the United States should be involved in the talks on Syria&#39;s political future planned to take place in Kazakhstan&#39;s capital Astana later this month, Turkey&#39;s top diplomat has said.

&quot;The United States should be definitely invited, and that is what we agreed with Russia,&quot; foreign minister Mevlut Cavusoglu yesterday told journalists in Geneva after an international conference on Cyprus.

The talks in Astana are expected to take place on January 23.

Russia and Turkey last month brokered a ceasefire in the war-torn country, but without the involvement of the United States, a negotiator in previous ceasefires.

The truce went into effect on December 30 and has brought calm to much of Syria although fighting continues in some areas.

&quot;We need to maintain the ceasefire,&quot; Cavusoglu said in Geneva. &quot;This is essential for the Astana talks,&quot; he said.

The Turkish foreign minister said invitations for the talks were likely to be sent out next week, adding that Washington should be present.

&quot;Nobody can ignore the role of the United States. And this is a principled position of Turkey,&quot; he said. &quot;The ones who did or who could contribute should be there, but not just to be in the family photo. You know what I mean.&quot;

He said the aim of the talks &quot;is to reach the political solution, which is the best solution&quot;.

(AFP)

The talks on Syria's political future is expected to take place in Kazakhstan's capital Astana on January 23

Russia has agreed that the United States should be involved in the talks on Syria's political future planned to take place in Kazakhstan's capital Astana later this month, Turkey's top diplomat has said. "The United States should be definitely invited, and that is what we agreed with Russia," foreign minister Mevlut Cavusoglu yesterday told journalists in Geneva after an international conference on Cyprus. The talks in Astana are expected to take place on January 23. Russia and Turkey last month brokered a ceasefire in the war-torn country, but without the involvement of the United States, a negotiator in previous ceasefires. The truce went into effect on December 30 and has brought calm to much of Syria although fighting continues in some areas. "We need to maintain the ceasefire," Cavusoglu said in Geneva. "This is essential for the Astana talks," he said. The Turkish foreign minister said invitations for the talks were likely to be sent out next week, adding that Washington should be present. "Nobody can ignore the role of the United States. And this is a principled position of Turkey," he said. "The ones who did or who could contribute should be there, but not just to be in the family photo. You know what I mean." He said the aim of the talks "is to reach the political solution, which is the best solution". (AFP)

Russia agrees US should attend Syria talks: Turkey

US President Barack Obama ended open door policy for Cuban immigrants, which allowed them to become residents without a visa&nbsp;on Thursday.&nbsp;

Obama scrapped the almost five decade &quot;wet foot, dry foot,&quot; policy which granted permanent residency&nbsp;to Cubans after a year.

Obama in a said this move will &quot;bring greater consistency to our immigration policy.&quot;

&quot;Effective immediately, Cuban nationals who attempt to enter the United States illegally and do not qualify for humanitarian relief will be subject to removal, consistent with US law and enforcement priorities,&quot; he added.&nbsp;

Havana will start accepting Cubans who are deported from the US.&nbsp;

Initial reaction from Cubans seems favourable with many happy that Cubans will not risk their lives to enter the US.&nbsp;

Leobiz Duquesne, a Cuban said&nbsp;&quot;On one hand, it is good because as Cubans, we are more certain that we cannot go through this route and there won&#39;t be as much loss of human life nor so much blood spilling in the sea. For every boat that goes there, there are thousands and thousands of Cubans who go crazy, blind, without knowing if they can survive or not.&quot;

&quot;It was attacking our young people especially and our people because the majority of people who did that [attempted the journey] had a large percentage if failure and lost their lives on the way,&quot; another Cuban&nbsp;Jorge Bernal said.&nbsp;

Cuba is the only country which has been given exceptions, with many&nbsp;allowed to get&nbsp;work permits and, later, green cards.

(WION with inputs from agencies)

Obama scrapped the almost five decade 'wet foot, dry foot,' policy which granted permanent residency?to Cubans after a year

US President Barack Obama ended open door policy for Cuban immigrants, which allowed them to become residents without a visa on Thursday. Obama scrapped the almost five decade "wet foot, dry foot," policy which granted permanent residency to Cubans after a year. Obama in a said this move will "bring greater consistency to our immigration policy." "Effective immediately, Cuban nationals who attempt to enter the United States illegally and do not qualify for humanitarian relief will be subject to removal, consistent with US law and enforcement priorities," he added. Havana will start accepting Cubans who are deported from the US. Initial reaction from Cubans seems favourable with many happy that Cubans will not risk their lives to enter the US. Leobiz Duquesne, a Cuban said "On one hand, it is good because as Cubans, we are more certain that we cannot go through this route and there won't be as much loss of human life nor so much blood spilling in the sea. For every boat that goes there, there are thousands and thousands of Cubans who go crazy, blind, without knowing if they can survive or not." "It was attacking our young people especially and our people because the majority of people who did that [attempted the journey] had a large percentage if failure and lost their lives on the way," another Cuban Jorge Bernal said. Cuba is the only country which has been given exceptions, with many allowed to get work permits and, later, green cards. (WION with inputs from agencies)

US ends open door policy for Cuban immigrants

US President-elect Donald Trump&#39;s nominee for the post of attorney general has assured lawmakers of taking steps towards pushing legislative measures to curb misuse of H-1B and L1 work visas significantly used by Indian IT professionals and allegedly replace American workers.

&quot;It&#39;s simply wrong to think that we&#39;re in a totally open world and that any American with a job can be replaced if somebody in the world is willing to take a job for less pay,&quot; Senator Jeff Sessions told members of Senate Judiciary Committee during his confirmation hearing for the position of US attorney general.

&quot;We have borders. We have a commitment to our citizens and you have been a champion of that. I&#39;ve been honoured to work with you on it,&quot; Sessions said in response to a question from Senator Charles Grassley, Chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee. 
In the past both Sessions and Grassley have worked together to bring legislations on H-1B visas that badly hit Indian IT companies.

Sessions is a staunch conservative&nbsp;with a controversial history.&nbsp;

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/trumps-ag-nominee-sessions-questioned-by-senate-committee-as-protesters-shout-wear-kkk-hoods-11125">Yesterday, Sessions</a> said in a senate hear that allegations that he harboured sympathies toward the Ku Klux Klan, a violent white supremacist organisation, were false. &quot;I abhor the Klan and what it represents and its hateful ideology,&quot; Sessions said in his opening remarks. Protesters, some wearing Ku Klux Klan hoods, disrupted the hearing, shouting that Sessions was a racist and a bigot.

Former KKK leader David Duke has openly praised the appointment of Jeff Sessions as attorney general.

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Bannon, Flynn, Sessions -- Great! Senate must demand that Sessions as AG stop the massive institutional race discrimination against whites!
&mdash; David Duke (@DrDavidDuke) <a href="https://twitter.com/DrDavidDuke/status/799624219831058432">November 18, 2016</a></blockquote>
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Border attitudes

The Office of Special Counsel for immigration related unfair employment practices is an office within the Justice Department which would be headed by Sessions if he is confirmed by the US Senate. The Office enforces the anti-discrimination provisions of the Immigration and Nationality Act.

&quot;While the office is designed to protect foreign nationals with employment visas from discrimination, it is also charged with ensuring that American workers are not discriminated against in the workplace. Many US workers advocate that the layoff of American workers and the replacement by cheaper, foreign, H-1B workers constitutes de facto nationality based discrimination against American workers,&quot; Grassley said.

&quot;The Obama administration has failed to protect American workers here. Will you, this is my question, will you be more aggressive in investigating the abuses of these visa programmes?&quot; he asked. &quot;I believe this has been an abuse. And I have been pleased to support your legislation and some others too, that others have produced that I believe could be helpful. It needs to be addressed,&quot; Sessions said.

Describing Sessions as a vocal champion for American workers, Grassley said many American workers are being laid off and replaced by cheaper foreign labour imported through some of the US visa programmes.

Sessions, Grassley and Senator Dick Durbin in the past had co-sponsored a bill that would reform H-1B visa programmes by ensuring that qualified American workers are considered for high skilled job opportunities before those jobs can be offered to foreign nationals.

&quot;It also prohibit a company from hiring H-1B employees if they employ more than 50 people and more than 50 per cent of their employees are H-1B or L-1 visa holders,&quot; he said.&nbsp;

(PTI)

Jeff Sessions characterised the Visa program that many Indians use to work in the US as an 'abuse', and pledged to aggressively investigate

US President-elect Donald Trump's nominee for the post of attorney general has assured lawmakers of taking steps towards pushing legislative measures to curb misuse of H-1B and L1 work visas significantly used by Indian IT professionals and allegedly replace American workers. "It's simply wrong to think that we're in a totally open world and that any American with a job can be replaced if somebody in the world is willing to take a job for less pay," Senator Jeff Sessions told members of Senate Judiciary Committee during his confirmation hearing for the position of US attorney general. "We have borders. We have a commitment to our citizens and you have been a champion of that. I've been honoured to work with you on it," Sessions said in response to a question from Senator Charles Grassley, Chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee. In the past both Sessions and Grassley have worked together to bring legislations on H-1B visas that badly hit Indian IT companies. Sessions is a staunch conservative with a controversial history. Yesterday, Sessions said in a senate hear that allegations that he harboured sympathies toward the Ku Klux Klan, a violent white supremacist organisation, were false. "I abhor the Klan and what it represents and its hateful ideology," Sessions said in his opening remarks. Protesters, some wearing Ku Klux Klan hoods, disrupted the hearing, shouting that Sessions was a racist and a bigot. Former KKK leader David Duke has openly praised the appointment of Jeff Sessions as attorney general. Bannon, Flynn, Sessions -- Great! Senate must demand that Sessions as AG stop the massive institutional race discrimination against whites! — David Duke (@DrDavidDuke) November 18, 2016 × Border attitudes The Office of Special Counsel for immigration related unfair employment practices is an office within the Justice Department which would be headed by Sessions if he is confirmed by the US Senate. The Office enforces the anti-discrimination provisions of the Immigration and Nationality Act. "While the office is designed to protect foreign nationals with employment visas from discrimination, it is also charged with ensuring that American workers are not discriminated against in the workplace. Many US workers advocate that the layoff of American workers and the replacement by cheaper, foreign, H-1B workers constitutes de facto nationality based discrimination against American workers," Grassley said. "The Obama administration has failed to protect American workers here. Will you, this is my question, will you be more aggressive in investigating the abuses of these visa programmes?" he asked. "I believe this has been an abuse. And I have been pleased to support your legislation and some others too, that others have produced that I believe could be helpful. It needs to be addressed," Sessions said. Describing Sessions as a vocal champion for American workers, Grassley said many American workers are being laid off and replaced by cheaper foreign labour imported through some of the US visa programmes. Sessions, Grassley and Senator Dick Durbin in the past had co-sponsored a bill that would reform H-1B visa programmes by ensuring that qualified American workers are considered for high skilled job opportunities before those jobs can be offered to foreign nationals. "It also prohibit a company from hiring H-1B employees if they employ more than 50 people and more than 50 per cent of their employees are H-1B or L-1 visa holders," he said. (PTI)

Trump's controversial attorney general nominee promises curbs on H-1B visas

An American and an Australian have appeared in a Taliban hostage video, five months after they were kidnapped from Kabul.

Gunmen wearing police uniforms abducted the two professors at the American University of Afghanistan in the heart of the Afghan capital on August 7, seizing them from their vehicle after smashing the passenger window.

The 13-minute, 35-second video circulated by Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid yesterday offers the first apparent proof that they were still alive.

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Australia said today it &quot;has been working closely with other governments to secure the release&quot; of the hostage, but would not elaborate citing his family&#39;s wishes and safety concerns.

The video comes after US Special Operations forces conducted a failed secret raid in August to rescue them. 
President Barack Obama authorised the raid in an unspecified area of Afghanistan but the hostages were not there, the Pentagon said in September.

The elite American University of Afghanistan, which opened in 2006 and enrols more than 1,700 students, could not be reached for comment. It has attracted a number of visiting faculty members from Western countries.

The abductions highlighted the growing dangers faced by foreigners in Afghanistan.

The Afghan capital is infested with organised criminal gangs who stage kidnappings for ransom, often targeting foreigners and wealthy Afghans, and sometimes handing them over to insurgent groups.

(AFP)

Gunmen wearing police uniforms abducted the two professors at the American University of Afghanistan in Kabul on August 7

An American and an Australian have appeared in a Taliban hostage video, five months after they were kidnapped from Kabul. Gunmen wearing police uniforms abducted the two professors at the American University of Afghanistan in the heart of the Afghan capital on August 7, seizing them from their vehicle after smashing the passenger window. The 13-minute, 35-second video circulated by Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid yesterday offers the first apparent proof that they were still alive. × Australia said today it "has been working closely with other governments to secure the release" of the hostage, but would not elaborate citing his family's wishes and safety concerns. The video comes after US Special Operations forces conducted a failed secret raid in August to rescue them. President Barack Obama authorised the raid in an unspecified area of Afghanistan but the hostages were not there, the Pentagon said in September. The elite American University of Afghanistan, which opened in 2006 and enrols more than 1,700 students, could not be reached for comment. It has attracted a number of visiting faculty members from Western countries. The abductions highlighted the growing dangers faced by foreigners in Afghanistan. The Afghan capital is infested with organised criminal gangs who stage kidnappings for ransom, often targeting foreigners and wealthy Afghans, and sometimes handing them over to insurgent groups. (AFP)

US, Australian hostages appear in Afghan Taliban video

The World Bank has pared back its global growth estimate for 2017, but uncertainty about the economic policies of US President-elect Donald Trump is clouding the outlook.

&quot;We need to pay attention. All eyes are on US policymakers and how they will formulate their policies,&quot; Ayhan Kose, main author of the World Bank&#39;s global forecast, said.

&quot;What happens in the United States does not stay in the United States.&quot;&nbsp;In the semi-annual Global Economic Prospects report, the World Bank lowered the estimate for global growth this year a tenth from the June forecast, to 2.7 per cent compared to the 2.3 per cent growth seen last year.&nbsp;The World Bank maintained its US forecast at 2.2 per cent following a sluggish 1.6 per cent in 2016.&nbsp;But those estimates could go much higher.&nbsp;

Even the table in the report displaying the forecasts for the major regions and economies comes with a footnote warning about the uncertainty: &quot;The US forecasts do not incorporate the effect of policy proposals by the new US administration, as their overall scope and ultimate form are still uncertain.&quot;&nbsp;Kose said it is simply too soon to draw any conclusions, however a simulation showed the individual and corporate tax cuts that Trump discussed during the campaign could on their own add three-tenths to the US growth rate this year, and more than double that in 2018.&nbsp;And infrastructure spending could have an even larger impact.

&quot;These are significant increases,&quot; he said.&nbsp;&quot;A healthy US economy is good for the rest of the world&nbsp;since an increase in US growth of one full percentage point could boost advanced economies by eight-tenths after a year, and emerging markets by six-tenths,&quot; he added.

So global growth potentially could rise another tenth this year to 2.8 per cent, and get a three-tenths boost in 2018, he said. However, he was quick to stress the caveats to this estimated impact: It will depend on the timing of the tax cuts, how they impact inflation, and how the Federal Reserve reacts.

The same is true for other proposals like big spending on infrastructure, which would have a more direct impact on growth, but could exacerbate an already tight labor market, which also could fuel inflation.&nbsp;The US central bank has cautioned that spending that fuels inflation could require more and faster increases in the benchmark lending rate.&nbsp;Higher interest rates in turn would tend to slow economic growth.

Kose said the rising threat of protectionism in advanced economies also remains a concern, and that uncertainty &quot;is a challenge to businesses in the US and abroad&quot;.

But again he said, it is too early to tell what the impact on global growth will be until the specifics are known -&nbsp;for example, whether US tariff increases Trump has threatened are limited to one product, like automobiles, or extend to an entire country.

&quot;One thing we know well, open trade policies help promote economic growth,&quot; Kose said, in the closest he came in the interview to a word of caution to the new administration. After a pretty bad year in 2016, Kose said the world economy is poised for a recovery, especially with major commodity exporters returning to growth after recessions, including Russia, Brazil and Argentina.&nbsp;The euro area is expected to grow 1.5 per cent this year -- the same as in the June forecast -- and 1.4 per cent in 2018, after 1.6 per cent GDP last year.

Japan&#39;s growth is forecast at 0.9 per cent and 0.8 per cent for 2017 and 2018, which is a half-point better than the June estimate.&nbsp;The China forecasts are unchanged, with growth expected to slow to 6.5 per cent this year and 6.3 per cent next, which Kose called &quot;a healthy slowdown&quot;.

&quot;They have done a real competent job so far slowing down the economy&quot; from double-digit rates. Kose said the most worrisome thing about the global outlook is the continued drop off in investment.

&quot;The single most important issue we are focusing on in this report is the persistent investment weakness in emerging and developing economies,&quot; he said. &quot;The issue is critical.&quot;&nbsp;Investment expanded 10 per cent in 2010, but has slowed steadily growing just 3.5 per cent in 2016.

(AFP)

The World Bank said uncertainty about the economic policies of US President-elect Donald Trump is clouding the outlook

The World Bank has pared back its global growth estimate for 2017, but uncertainty about the economic policies of US President-elect Donald Trump is clouding the outlook. "We need to pay attention. All eyes are on US policymakers and how they will formulate their policies," Ayhan Kose, main author of the World Bank's global forecast, said. "What happens in the United States does not stay in the United States." In the semi-annual Global Economic Prospects report, the World Bank lowered the estimate for global growth this year a tenth from the June forecast, to 2.7 per cent compared to the 2.3 per cent growth seen last year. The World Bank maintained its US forecast at 2.2 per cent following a sluggish 1.6 per cent in 2016. But those estimates could go much higher. Even the table in the report displaying the forecasts for the major regions and economies comes with a footnote warning about the uncertainty: "The US forecasts do not incorporate the effect of policy proposals by the new US administration, as their overall scope and ultimate form are still uncertain." Kose said it is simply too soon to draw any conclusions, however a simulation showed the individual and corporate tax cuts that Trump discussed during the campaign could on their own add three-tenths to the US growth rate this year, and more than double that in 2018. And infrastructure spending could have an even larger impact. "These are significant increases," he said. "A healthy US economy is good for the rest of the world since an increase in US growth of one full percentage point could boost advanced economies by eight-tenths after a year, and emerging markets by six-tenths," he added. So global growth potentially could rise another tenth this year to 2.8 per cent, and get a three-tenths boost in 2018, he said. However, he was quick to stress the caveats to this estimated impact: It will depend on the timing of the tax cuts, how they impact inflation, and how the Federal Reserve reacts. The same is true for other proposals like big spending on infrastructure, which would have a more direct impact on growth, but could exacerbate an already tight labor market, which also could fuel inflation. The US central bank has cautioned that spending that fuels inflation could require more and faster increases in the benchmark lending rate. Higher interest rates in turn would tend to slow economic growth. Kose said the rising threat of protectionism in advanced economies also remains a concern, and that uncertainty "is a challenge to businesses in the US and abroad". But again he said, it is too early to tell what the impact on global growth will be until the specifics are known - for example, whether US tariff increases Trump has threatened are limited to one product, like automobiles, or extend to an entire country. "One thing we know well, open trade policies help promote economic growth," Kose said, in the closest he came in the interview to a word of caution to the new administration. After a pretty bad year in 2016, Kose said the world economy is poised for a recovery, especially with major commodity exporters returning to growth after recessions, including Russia, Brazil and Argentina. The euro area is expected to grow 1.5 per cent this year -- the same as in the June forecast -- and 1.4 per cent in 2018, after 1.6 per cent GDP last year. Japan's growth is forecast at 0.9 per cent and 0.8 per cent for 2017 and 2018, which is a half-point better than the June estimate. The China forecasts are unchanged, with growth expected to slow to 6.5 per cent this year and 6.3 per cent next, which Kose called "a healthy slowdown". "They have done a real competent job so far slowing down the economy" from double-digit rates. Kose said the most worrisome thing about the global outlook is the continued drop off in investment. "The single most important issue we are focusing on in this report is the persistent investment weakness in emerging and developing economies," he said. "The issue is critical." Investment expanded 10 per cent in 2010, but has slowed steadily growing just 3.5 per cent in 2016. (AFP)

World Bank lowers global growth estimate

Rex Tillerson&#39;s confirmation hearing before the US Senate Foreign Relations Committee came in for a lot of questioning on Russia&#39;s involvement in the US presidential election and its role in Syria and Ukraine.&nbsp;

During the hearing, the secretary of state nominee has said that it is fair to assume that the Russian President Vladimir Putin was aware of Russian efforts to interfere in US presidential election, Reuters reported.

&quot;We must also be clear-eyed about our relationship with Russia. Russia today poses a danger, but it is not unpredictable in advancing its own interests,&quot; Tillerson said during his confirmation hearing before the senate committee, PTI reported.

The former head of US oil major Exxon Mobil said, in his opening remarks, that Moscow should be held responsible for its actions.&nbsp;

&quot;It has invaded Ukraine, including the taking of Crimea, and supported Syrian forces that brutally violate the laws of war. Our NATO allies are right to be alarmed at a resurgent Russia,&quot; he said adding a caveat, though, blaming the absence of US leadership because of which the door was left opened and unitended signals were left, according to a report in PTI.

The United States backtracked on commitments that it made to allies.&nbsp;

&quot;We sent weak or mixed signals with &#39;red lines&#39; that turned into green lights. We did not recognize that Russia does not think like we do,&quot; Tillerson said.

Last week, Trump was briefed by heads of US intelligence agencies on the Russian hacking scandal.

According to media reports, he was told that Russia had compromising information about him.

Trump has denied those reports.&nbsp;

(WION with inputs from agencies)

The former head of US oil major Exxon Mobil said that Moscow should be held responsible for its actions

Rex Tillerson's confirmation hearing before the US Senate Foreign Relations Committee came in for a lot of questioning on Russia's involvement in the US presidential election and its role in Syria and Ukraine. During the hearing, the secretary of state nominee has said that it is fair to assume that the Russian President Vladimir Putin was aware of Russian efforts to interfere in US presidential election, Reuters reported. "We must also be clear-eyed about our relationship with Russia. Russia today poses a danger, but it is not unpredictable in advancing its own interests," Tillerson said during his confirmation hearing before the senate committee, PTI reported. The former head of US oil major Exxon Mobil said, in his opening remarks, that Moscow should be held responsible for its actions. "It has invaded Ukraine, including the taking of Crimea, and supported Syrian forces that brutally violate the laws of war. Our NATO allies are right to be alarmed at a resurgent Russia," he said adding a caveat, though, blaming the absence of US leadership because of which the door was left opened and unitended signals were left, according to a report in PTI. The United States backtracked on commitments that it made to allies. "We sent weak or mixed signals with 'red lines' that turned into green lights. We did not recognize that Russia does not think like we do," Tillerson said. Last week, Trump was briefed by heads of US intelligence agencies on the Russian hacking scandal. According to media reports, he was told that Russia had compromising information about him. Trump has denied those reports. (WION with inputs from agencies)

Trump's secretary of state pick: Fair to assume Putin was aware of efforts to interfere in US presidential polls

&nbsp;

US President Barack Obama has chosen four Indian-American scientists for the highest honour given to science and engineering professionals in the early stages of their research careers for keeping the US on the cutting edge by their innovations.

The four are part of the list of 102 scientists and researchers who are recipients of the Presidential Early Career Awards for Scientists and Engineers (PECASE).

These scientists are Pankaj Lal from Montclair State University, Kaushik Chowdhury from Northeastern University, Manish Arora from Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai and Aradhna Tripati from University of California, Los Angeles.

It is the highest honour bestowed by the United States Government on science and engineering professionals in the early stages of their independent research careers.

&quot;I congratulate these outstanding scientists and engineers on their impactful work,&quot; Obama said.

&quot;These innovators are working to help keep the United States on the cutting edge, showing that Federal investments in science lead to advancements that expand our knowledge of the world around us and contribute to our economy,&quot; Obama said.

Established by President Bill Clinton in 1996, the Presidential Early Career Awards highlight the key role that the administration places in encouraging and accelerating American innovation to grow US economy and tackle greatest challenges, the White House said.

(PTI)

It is the highest honour bestowed by the US govt on science and engineering professionals in the early stages of their research

US President Barack Obama has chosen four Indian-American scientists for the highest honour given to science and engineering professionals in the early stages of their research careers for keeping the US on the cutting edge by their innovations. The four are part of the list of 102 scientists and researchers who are recipients of the Presidential Early Career Awards for Scientists and Engineers (PECASE). These scientists are Pankaj Lal from Montclair State University, Kaushik Chowdhury from Northeastern University, Manish Arora from Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai and Aradhna Tripati from University of California, Los Angeles. It is the highest honour bestowed by the United States Government on science and engineering professionals in the early stages of their independent research careers. "I congratulate these outstanding scientists and engineers on their impactful work," Obama said. "These innovators are working to help keep the United States on the cutting edge, showing that Federal investments in science lead to advancements that expand our knowledge of the world around us and contribute to our economy," Obama said. Established by President Bill Clinton in 1996, the Presidential Early Career Awards highlight the key role that the administration places in encouraging and accelerating American innovation to grow US economy and tackle greatest challenges, the White House said. (PTI)

Obama selects four Indian-Americans for presidential awards

&nbsp;

Mexico&#39;s new foreign minister vowed that his country will negotiate with US President-elect Donald Trump&#39;s administration &quot;without fear.&quot; President Enrique Pena Nieto brought former finance minister Luis Videgaray back to his cabinet last week to seek &quot;constructive&quot; relations with Trump, who has vowed to upend trade ties with Mexico.

Videgaray had resigned as finance minister in September, a week after it was revealed that he orchestrated a much-criticized pre-election meeting between Trump and Pena Nieto in Mexico City.

&quot;We will negotiate with great confidence in ourselves, without fear, knowing how important Mexico is for the United States in economic, social and political terms,&quot; Videgaray said at a meeting with Mexican ambassadors.

Trump has angered Mexicans with his anti-immigrant rhetoric and his vow to make the neighboring country pay for a giant wall along their border. The Republican President-elect, who takes office on January 20, has also caused the peso to plunge as investors fret over his plan to renegotiate the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) with Mexico and Canada.

Trump has also pledged to slap import tariffs of as much as 35 per cent on companies that ship jobs abroad. Trump made similar threats to US automaker General Motors and Japan&#39;s Toyota last week for making cars in Mexico, while Ford announced the cancellation of a new $1.6 billion factory in the neighboring country.

Despite concerns about Trump&#39;s protectionist policies, exports of Mexican-made cars to the United States rose by 9.6 per cent in December compared to the same month in 2015, according to the Mexican Automobile Industry Association (AMIA). AMIA president Eduardo Solis said the United States would have to withdraw from NAFTA in order to impose tariffs because the pact&#39;s rules keep such import taxes for cars at zero per cent.

The Mexican government could also take legal action at the World Trade Organization if tariffs of more than 2.5 per cent are imposed on light vehicles and 25 per cent on pickup trucks, Solis said.

(AFP)

&nbsp;

Mexico's new foreign minister has vowed to take a tough stand during US-Mexico trade negotiations

Mexico's new foreign minister vowed that his country will negotiate with US President-elect Donald Trump's administration "without fear." President Enrique Pena Nieto brought former finance minister Luis Videgaray back to his cabinet last week to seek "constructive" relations with Trump, who has vowed to upend trade ties with Mexico. Videgaray had resigned as finance minister in September, a week after it was revealed that he orchestrated a much-criticized pre-election meeting between Trump and Pena Nieto in Mexico City. "We will negotiate with great confidence in ourselves, without fear, knowing how important Mexico is for the United States in economic, social and political terms," Videgaray said at a meeting with Mexican ambassadors. Trump has angered Mexicans with his anti-immigrant rhetoric and his vow to make the neighboring country pay for a giant wall along their border. The Republican President-elect, who takes office on January 20, has also caused the peso to plunge as investors fret over his plan to renegotiate the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) with Mexico and Canada. Trump has also pledged to slap import tariffs of as much as 35 per cent on companies that ship jobs abroad. Trump made similar threats to US automaker General Motors and Japan's Toyota last week for making cars in Mexico, while Ford announced the cancellation of a new $1.6 billion factory in the neighboring country. Despite concerns about Trump's protectionist policies, exports of Mexican-made cars to the United States rose by 9.6 per cent in December compared to the same month in 2015, according to the Mexican Automobile Industry Association (AMIA). AMIA president Eduardo Solis said the United States would have to withdraw from NAFTA in order to impose tariffs because the pact's rules keep such import taxes for cars at zero per cent. The Mexican government could also take legal action at the World Trade Organization if tariffs of more than 2.5 per cent are imposed on light vehicles and 25 per cent on pickup trucks, Solis said. (AFP)

We will negotiate without fear with US on trade: Mexico

&nbsp;

The suspect in the shooting of a US consular official in Mexico&#39;s western city of Guadalajara has been arrested, Mexican officials have told news agencies.

The identity of the suspect, who is an American, was not released, and authorities did not comment on a possible motive for the attack.

Mexican authorities said the US official, who has not been identified, is now in stable condition. The US Federal Bureau of Investigation had offered a reward of $20,000 for information to help identify and arrest the shooter.

A video posted online by the consulate in Guadalajara showed the shooter appearing to wait for the official&#39;s car to pull up at a car park barrier before shooting directly at the driver and running away.&nbsp;Authorities also released video of the suspect walking down a hallway and around a white van, where his face was more clearly visible.

(Agencies)

&nbsp;

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Mexican authorities have arrested the alleged gunman who, while disguised as a nurse, shot and wounded a US consular official in Guadalajara (WION)
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&nbsp;

The suspect in the shooting of a US consular official in Mexico's western city of Guadalajara has been arrested

The suspect in the shooting of a US consular official in Mexico's western city of Guadalajara has been arrested, Mexican officials have told news agencies. The identity of the suspect, who is an American, was not released, and authorities did not comment on a possible motive for the attack. Mexican authorities said the US official, who has not been identified, is now in stable condition. The US Federal Bureau of Investigation had offered a reward of $20,000 for information to help identify and arrest the shooter. A video posted online by the consulate in Guadalajara showed the shooter appearing to wait for the official's car to pull up at a car park barrier before shooting directly at the driver and running away. Authorities also released video of the suspect walking down a hallway and around a white van, where his face was more clearly visible. (Agencies) Mexican authorities have arrested the alleged gunman who, while disguised as a nurse, shot and wounded a US consular official in Guadalajara (WION) ×

US consular shooting: Gunman arrested in Mexico

Hillary Clinton will not run for any elected office again after losing to Donald Trump in the US Presidential polls, her Indian-American aide Neera Tanden has said amid reports that the former secretary of state could run for the post of New York Mayor.

&quot;I think she&#39;s going to figure out ways to help kids and families. That&#39;s been what she&#39;s been focused on her whole life, and a lot of issues that are affecting them, over the next couple of years,&quot; Tanden told CNN.

&quot;But I don&#39;t expect her to ever run for any elected office again,&quot; she said.

Tanden, a close ally of the&nbsp;69-year-old former secretary of state and the head of the liberal think tank Center for American Progress, was responding to an article in New York Times that Clinton could run against incumbent New York mayor Bill de Blasio.

&quot;I don&#39;t expect her to run for this and I don&#39;t expect her to run for other office,&quot; Tanden said yesterday.

&quot;I think her job is to -&nbsp;what she&#39;s thinking about right now is how to help those kids and families as she has her whole life,&quot; she said.

If Clinton were to run - and win - it would put her on another collision course with President-Elect Donald Trump, who has been shaping his government from Fifth Avenue&#39;s Trump Tower, the report said.

Clinton has largely remained out of the public eye since losing a bitterly fought campaign against the former reality star and businessman in the November vote.

She has given few clues to what her next role will be, leaving a void in which speculation has run rife.

A New York challenge would see her take on fellow Democrat de Blasio, whose popularity has plummeted since he took over from Michael Bloomberg in 2014.&nbsp;

The next mayoral election is in November.

Clinton was most recently seen on Sunday at the final performance of the &quot;The Color Purple,&quot; on Broadway with her husband, Bill, and daughter, Chelsea.

(PTI)

If Clinton were to run and win, it would put her on another collision course with President-elect Donald Trump

Hillary Clinton will not run for any elected office again after losing to Donald Trump in the US Presidential polls, her Indian-American aide Neera Tanden has said amid reports that the former secretary of state could run for the post of New York Mayor. "I think she's going to figure out ways to help kids and families. That's been what she's been focused on her whole life, and a lot of issues that are affecting them, over the next couple of years," Tanden told CNN. "But I don't expect her to ever run for any elected office again," she said. Tanden, a close ally of the 69-year-old former secretary of state and the head of the liberal think tank Center for American Progress, was responding to an article in New York Times that Clinton could run against incumbent New York mayor Bill de Blasio. "I don't expect her to run for this and I don't expect her to run for other office," Tanden said yesterday. "I think her job is to - what she's thinking about right now is how to help those kids and families as she has her whole life," she said. If Clinton were to run - and win - it would put her on another collision course with President-Elect Donald Trump, who has been shaping his government from Fifth Avenue's Trump Tower, the report said. Clinton has largely remained out of the public eye since losing a bitterly fought campaign against the former reality star and businessman in the November vote. She has given few clues to what her next role will be, leaving a void in which speculation has run rife. A New York challenge would see her take on fellow Democrat de Blasio, whose popularity has plummeted since he took over from Michael Bloomberg in 2014. The next mayoral election is in November. Clinton was most recently seen on Sunday at the final performance of the "The Color Purple," on Broadway with her husband, Bill, and daughter, Chelsea. (PTI)

Clinton aide dispels rumour, says won't run for NYC mayor

Fiat Chrysler has&nbsp;announced it was creating 2,000 jobs in the United States, coming as President-elect Donald Trump has been publicly scolding automakers for investing in Mexico.

The American-Italian firm will invest $1 billion by 2020 in two of its factories in the Midwestern states of Michigan and Ohio, where the new jobs will be based, the company said in a statement coming on the eve of the Detroit auto show.

&quot;FCA US is further demonstrating its commitment to strengthening its US manufacturing base,&quot; it said, adding that it has created 25,000 jobs in the country since 2009.

Trump, who campaigned on promises of creating industrial jobs in the American heartland, took to Twitter this past week to blast automakers with operations or plans to build plants in Mexico. He slammed General Motors for making some of its Chevy Cruze models south of the border, and Toyota, which is building a new plant there.

On Tuesday, US automaker Ford announced it was scrapping construction of a plant in Mexico to instead invest in the United States and create 700 jobs, citing a &quot;vote of confidence&quot; in the economic agenda of the incoming president.&nbsp;

Fiat Chrysler so far has escaped Trump&#39;s Twitter wrath, but it&#39;s due to start importing Jeep Compass models from Mexico as soon as this month.

Other auto groups have pre-emptively said they will be flexible in the new era of American politics.

&quot;We are pragmatic, we will adapt to any situation,&quot; said the chief of the Renault-Nissan alliance, Carlos Ghosn, speaking at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas.&nbsp;In December, American air conditioner manufacturer Carrier backed off a planned transfer of 1,000 jobs to the Mexico, after a deal with Trump - and for $7 million in tax cuts.&nbsp;

(AFP) 
&nbsp;

Fiat Chrysler has?announced it was creating 2,000 jobs in the United States

Fiat Chrysler has announced it was creating 2,000 jobs in the United States, coming as President-elect Donald Trump has been publicly scolding automakers for investing in Mexico. The American-Italian firm will invest $1 billion by 2020 in two of its factories in the Midwestern states of Michigan and Ohio, where the new jobs will be based, the company said in a statement coming on the eve of the Detroit auto show. "FCA US is further demonstrating its commitment to strengthening its US manufacturing base," it said, adding that it has created 25,000 jobs in the country since 2009. Trump, who campaigned on promises of creating industrial jobs in the American heartland, took to Twitter this past week to blast automakers with operations or plans to build plants in Mexico. He slammed General Motors for making some of its Chevy Cruze models south of the border, and Toyota, which is building a new plant there. On Tuesday, US automaker Ford announced it was scrapping construction of a plant in Mexico to instead invest in the United States and create 700 jobs, citing a "vote of confidence" in the economic agenda of the incoming president. Fiat Chrysler so far has escaped Trump's Twitter wrath, but it's due to start importing Jeep Compass models from Mexico as soon as this month. Other auto groups have pre-emptively said they will be flexible in the new era of American politics. "We are pragmatic, we will adapt to any situation," said the chief of the Renault-Nissan alliance, Carlos Ghosn, speaking at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas. In December, American air conditioner manufacturer Carrier backed off a planned transfer of 1,000 jobs to the Mexico, after a deal with Trump - and for $7 million in tax cuts. (AFP)

Fiat Chrysler to invest $1 billion in two US factories

US senator Ted Cruz met on Sunday with Taiwan&#39;s President Tsai Ing-Wen, despite objections from Chinese diplomats.

The Republican from Texas, who lost in the US primary elections to President-elect Donald Trump, said in a statement that the two discussed arms sales, diplomatic exchanges and economic relations during the meeting in Houston.

&quot;Furthering economic cooperation between our two nations must be a priority; increased access to Taiwanese markets will benefit Texas farmers, ranchers and small business owners alike,&quot; Cruz said in a statement.

Cruz went through with the meeting despite Chinese opposition: &quot;Shortly before our meeting, the Houston congressional delegation received a curious letter from the Chinese consulate asking members of Congress not to meet with President Tsai, and to uphold the &#39;One China policy,&quot; the senator said.

&quot;The People&#39;s Republic of China needs to understand that in America we make decisions about meeting with visitors for ourselves,&quot; the Republican continued.&nbsp;

&quot;The Chinese do not give us veto power over those with whom they meet. We will continue to meet with anyone, including the Taiwanese, as we see fit.&quot;

The Taiwanese president was transiting in Houston this weekend en route to Central America, and is slated to return to Taipei after a stopover in San Francisco next weekend.

Beijing has asked Washington to bar Tsai from flying through US airspace.

A phone call between Trump and Tsai in December, after the Republican businessman won the presidency, upended decades of diplomatic precedent in which Washington has effectively ignored Taipei in favor of Beijing, which considers Taiwan a breakaway province to be brought back within its fold.

Trump himself appeared to have ruled out meeting Tsai this trip, saying it is &quot;a little bit inappropriate&quot; to meet anybody until he takes office January 20.

(AFP)

He said in a statement that the two discussed arms sales, diplomatic exchanges and economic relations during the meeting in Houston

US senator Ted Cruz met on Sunday with Taiwan's President Tsai Ing-Wen, despite objections from Chinese diplomats. The Republican from Texas, who lost in the US primary elections to President-elect Donald Trump, said in a statement that the two discussed arms sales, diplomatic exchanges and economic relations during the meeting in Houston. "Furthering economic cooperation between our two nations must be a priority; increased access to Taiwanese markets will benefit Texas farmers, ranchers and small business owners alike," Cruz said in a statement. Cruz went through with the meeting despite Chinese opposition: "Shortly before our meeting, the Houston congressional delegation received a curious letter from the Chinese consulate asking members of Congress not to meet with President Tsai, and to uphold the 'One China policy," the senator said. "The People's Republic of China needs to understand that in America we make decisions about meeting with visitors for ourselves," the Republican continued. "The Chinese do not give us veto power over those with whom they meet. We will continue to meet with anyone, including the Taiwanese, as we see fit." The Taiwanese president was transiting in Houston this weekend en route to Central America, and is slated to return to Taipei after a stopover in San Francisco next weekend. Beijing has asked Washington to bar Tsai from flying through US airspace. A phone call between Trump and Tsai in December, after the Republican businessman won the presidency, upended decades of diplomatic precedent in which Washington has effectively ignored Taipei in favor of Beijing, which considers Taiwan a breakaway province to be brought back within its fold. Trump himself appeared to have ruled out meeting Tsai this trip, saying it is "a little bit inappropriate" to meet anybody until he takes office January 20. (AFP)

US senator Ted Cruz meets Taiwan's president despite objections from China

What was President Barack Obama&#39;s hardest decision during his two terms in office? A massive troop surge in Afghanistan, he said in an interview aired on Sunday.

&quot;Toughest decision was early in my presidency when I ordered 30,000 more troops into Afghanistan,&quot; Obama, who leaves office in less than two weeks, told ABC&#39;s &quot;This Week.&quot;

After a protracted debate inside the administration that pitted US military commanders against White House advisers, Obama announced the 30,000-trooop &quot;surge&quot; in December 2009.

The decision would bring the US contingent in Afghanistan to nearly 100,000 troops along with almost 50,000 allied troops.

&quot;I think it was the right decision because the Taliban at that point had gotten a lot of momentum before I&#39;d gotten into office, partly because we hadn&#39;t been paying attention as much as we needed to Afghanistan,&quot; Obama said in the interview taped Friday.

The president had hoped to withdraw most US military forces from Afghanistan by now, leaving behind just a small force.

But the United States still has some 8,400 military personnel in the country, and announced Friday it is sending some 300 Marines to Helmand province in the coming months.

Meanwhile in Iraq, more than 5,000 US soldiers are still on the ground providing critical support to the country&#39;s army, which is unable to man a war alone against the Islamic State group&#39;s extremist fighters.

Asked whether he found it disappointing that so many troops remain in both countries, Obama said the United States is &quot;not going to get the kind of decisive, permanent victories in this fight against terrorism that we would get from fighting another country.&quot;

&quot;But we don&#39;t have this huge footprint, we are less likely to be targeted as, you know, occupiers,&quot; he added about the reduced number of troops.

Even after decimating Al-Qaeda in Pakistan&#39;s tribal areas and killing the jihadist group&#39;s leader Osama bin Laden, groups in the region still &quot;have both the interest and the capacity if we don&#39;t maintain vigilance to strike against the United States,&quot; he said.

(AFP)

'Toughest decision was early in my presidency when I ordered 30,000 more troops into Afghanistan,' he told ABC's 'This Week'

What was President Barack Obama's hardest decision during his two terms in office? A massive troop surge in Afghanistan, he said in an interview aired on Sunday. "Toughest decision was early in my presidency when I ordered 30,000 more troops into Afghanistan," Obama, who leaves office in less than two weeks, told ABC's "This Week." After a protracted debate inside the administration that pitted US military commanders against White House advisers, Obama announced the 30,000-trooop "surge" in December 2009. The decision would bring the US contingent in Afghanistan to nearly 100,000 troops along with almost 50,000 allied troops. "I think it was the right decision because the Taliban at that point had gotten a lot of momentum before I'd gotten into office, partly because we hadn't been paying attention as much as we needed to Afghanistan," Obama said in the interview taped Friday. The president had hoped to withdraw most US military forces from Afghanistan by now, leaving behind just a small force. But the United States still has some 8,400 military personnel in the country, and announced Friday it is sending some 300 Marines to Helmand province in the coming months. Meanwhile in Iraq, more than 5,000 US soldiers are still on the ground providing critical support to the country's army, which is unable to man a war alone against the Islamic State group's extremist fighters. Asked whether he found it disappointing that so many troops remain in both countries, Obama said the United States is "not going to get the kind of decisive, permanent victories in this fight against terrorism that we would get from fighting another country." "But we don't have this huge footprint, we are less likely to be targeted as, you know, occupiers," he added about the reduced number of troops. Even after decimating Al-Qaeda in Pakistan's tribal areas and killing the jihadist group's leader Osama bin Laden, groups in the region still "have both the interest and the capacity if we don't maintain vigilance to strike against the United States," he said. (AFP)

Obama's toughest decision was massive troop surge in Afghanistan

Federal investigators will on Saturday pursue all angles in determining the motives behind a mass shooting in which an attacker opened fire in a crowded baggage claim area at Florida&#39;s Fort Lauderdale&#39;s airport, killing five people.

Authorities said they had taken decorated Iraq war veteran Esteban Santiago into custody following the shooting and questioned him at length. He was expected to face federal charges, said George Piro, special agent in charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation&#39;s office in Miami.

Piro said FBI investigators had not ruled out terrorism as a reason for the attack and were reviewing the suspect&#39;s recent movements. &quot;We will be pursuing every angle to try to determine the motive behind this attack,&quot; he said.

Authorities said the attacker retrieved a 9mm semiautomatic handgun from his checked luggage and began firing indiscriminately.

In addition to the five killed, eight people were wounded by gunfire and some three dozen were taken to hospital with bruises or broken bones.

Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport is the second largest in South Florida, serving as an intercontinental gateway.

It resumed cargo flights and general aviation for private small planes at midnight local time. Commercial flights were to resume on Saturday, the airport said on Twitter.

Authorities said Santiago, 26, arrived in Fort Lauderdale shortly before 1 p.m. local time (1800 GMT) on Friday on a connecting flight from Alaska.

Piro said Santiago had turned up at an FBI office in Anchorage in November of last year behaving erratically and was turned over to local police, who took him to a medical facility for a mental health evaluation.

Santiago served from 2007 to 2016 in the Puerto Rico National Guard and Alaska National Guard including a deployment to Iraq from 2010 to 2011, according to the Pentagon.

A private first class and combat engineer, he received half a dozen medals before being transferred to the inactive ready reserve in August last year.

An aunt said he came back from his deployment &quot;a different person&quot;, MSNBC reported.

The attack was the latest in a series of mass shootings that have plagued the United States in recent years, some inspired by Islamist militants, others carried out by loners or the mentally disturbed.

Nearly two months ago a former Southwest Airlines worker killed an employee of the company at Oklahoma City&#39;s airport in what police called a premeditated act.

The deadliest mass shooting in modern U.S. history took place last June, when a gunman apparently inspired by Islamic State killed 49 people and wounded 53 at a gay nightclub in Orlando, Florida.

(Reuters) 
&nbsp;

The suspect is a 26-year-old Iraq war veteran, discharged from his Alaska post last year. His motives are not known

Federal investigators will on Saturday pursue all angles in determining the motives behind a mass shooting in which an attacker opened fire in a crowded baggage claim area at Florida's Fort Lauderdale's airport, killing five people. Authorities said they had taken decorated Iraq war veteran Esteban Santiago into custody following the shooting and questioned him at length. He was expected to face federal charges, said George Piro, special agent in charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation's office in Miami. Piro said FBI investigators had not ruled out terrorism as a reason for the attack and were reviewing the suspect's recent movements. "We will be pursuing every angle to try to determine the motive behind this attack," he said. Authorities said the attacker retrieved a 9mm semiautomatic handgun from his checked luggage and began firing indiscriminately. In addition to the five killed, eight people were wounded by gunfire and some three dozen were taken to hospital with bruises or broken bones. Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport is the second largest in South Florida, serving as an intercontinental gateway. It resumed cargo flights and general aviation for private small planes at midnight local time. Commercial flights were to resume on Saturday, the airport said on Twitter. Authorities said Santiago, 26, arrived in Fort Lauderdale shortly before 1 p.m. local time (1800 GMT) on Friday on a connecting flight from Alaska. Piro said Santiago had turned up at an FBI office in Anchorage in November of last year behaving erratically and was turned over to local police, who took him to a medical facility for a mental health evaluation. Santiago served from 2007 to 2016 in the Puerto Rico National Guard and Alaska National Guard including a deployment to Iraq from 2010 to 2011, according to the Pentagon. A private first class and combat engineer, he received half a dozen medals before being transferred to the inactive ready reserve in August last year. An aunt said he came back from his deployment "a different person", MSNBC reported. The attack was the latest in a series of mass shootings that have plagued the United States in recent years, some inspired by Islamist militants, others carried out by loners or the mentally disturbed. Nearly two months ago a former Southwest Airlines worker killed an employee of the company at Oklahoma City's airport in what police called a premeditated act. The deadliest mass shooting in modern U.S. history took place last June, when a gunman apparently inspired by Islamic State killed 49 people and wounded 53 at a gay nightclub in Orlando, Florida. (Reuters)

US: 5 killed in shooting at Florida's Fort Lauderdale airport, attacker taken into custody

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