North America

Tillerson takes charge of restive State Department

by Dave Clark and Nicolas Revise Agence France Presse WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) — Former ExxonMobil chief executive Rex Tillerson was sworn in Wednesday to take charge of a US State Department simmering with opposition to President Donald Trump’s refugee ban. After the 64-year-old oilman’s nomination was confirmed by the Senate, he headed to the White House, where Trump formally named the political newcomer Washington’s next top diplomat. “This is a man that is respected […]

Trump picks conservative Gorsuch to shift Supreme Court balance

  by Andrew Beatty WASHINTON, United States (AFP) — Donald Trump has nominated Judge Neil Gorsuch to the Supreme Court, seizing an unusual early opportunity to put conservatives back in the majority on America’s top court. In a primetime address late Tuesday that was part jurisprudence, part reality show, Trump tapped the 49-year-old appeals court judge from Denver, Colorado. If confirmed by the Senate, he will fill the seat made vacant by the death of […]

‘Viva Mexico!’: Trump wall awakens Mexican patriotism

by Yemeli ORTEGA Agence France Presse MEXICO CITY, Mexico (AFP) — Mexicans are replacing profile pictures on social media with their country’s flag. Others are calling for boycotts of American products like Coca-Cola and Starbucks. US President Donald Trump’s vow to make Mexicans pay for a massive border wall has not only caused a diplomatic row, it has sparked patriotic fervor south of the border. On Twitter, Facebook and Instagram, people are using the hashtag […]

Trump names Neil Gorsuch as Supreme Court nominee

WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) — President Donald Trump on Tuesday nominated federal appellate judge Neil Gorsuch as his Supreme Court nominee, tilting the balance of the court back in the conservatives’ favor. “He will make an incredible justice as soon as the Senate confirms him,” Trump said at the White House, before ceding the podium to Gorsuch, who has served on the Court of Appeals for the 10th Circuit in Denver, Colorado since 2006. © […]

Accused Quebec mosque killer quietly embraced far-right ideology

by Clément SABOURIN Agence France Presse QUEBEC CITY, Canada (AFP) — Alexandre Bissonnette cut a low profile as a shy, withdrawn political science student, keen on far-right ideas. Now, he stands accused of gunning down six worshippers at a Quebec mosque in one of the worst attacks ever to target Muslims in a western country. The 27-year old grew up in a quiet suburb of Quebec City, posting online about friends, family and food. He studied […]

US Democrats boycott votes on Trump Treasury, health picks

  by Michael Mathes Agence France Presse WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) — US Senate Democrats blocked committee votes Tuesday on two of Donald Trump’s nominations for key cabinet posts, drawing White House charges of obstruction amid sharpening partisan tensions. “Today Senate Finance Democrats refused to move forward with nominations of Mnuchin & Price,” Senator Ron Wyden, top Democrat on the finance committee, said on Twitter, referring to Treasury secretary nominee Steven Mnuchin and Tom Price, […]

Trump faces wall of resistance to immigration order

  by Andrew BEATTY Agence France-Presse WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) – US President Donald Trump has crushed the most defiant display yet of official opposition to his immigration and refugee restrictions — but resistance continued to spread Tuesday, inside and outside the government. Trump’s swift dismissal of acting attorney general Sally Yates for refusing to defend his executive orders capped a night of high drama, Washington-style, that drew comparisons with a flurry of urgent housekeeping […]

Trump fires chief US lawyer for defying migrant ban

  by Andrew Beatty / Olivia Hampton WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) — US President Donald Trump on Monday fired the acting attorney general, a holdover from the Obama administration, after she ordered Justice Department attorneys not to defend his controversial immigration orders. In a sharply worded statement, the White House called Sally Yates “weak on borders and very weak on illegal immigration” and also criticized Democrats for not yet confirming the appointment of attorney general-designate […]

Mexican President to continue dialogue with Trump administration

MEXICO VITY, Mexico (Reuters) — Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto said Friday’s conversation with U.S. President Donald Trump had left room for more dialogue as the two governments to look to navigate troubled relations. Trump wants a wall on the U.S. southern border to keep out illegal immigrants and says Mexico will pay for it. Mexico has flatly refused, making the issue a point of national pride, a point Pena Nieto reiterated in a video […]

King Abdullah of Jordan the first Arab leader in Washington for talks with Trump administration

VIRGINIA, United States (Reuters) — Jordan’s King Abdullah opened talks at the Pentagon on Monday (January 30), the first Arab leader to engage in person the new administration of President Donald Trump. Abdullah held a private breakfast with U.S. Vice President Mike Pence and then met U.S. Defense Secretary James Mattis at the Pentagon. Abdullah has just finished a visit to Russia where President Vladimir Putin thanked Jordan for supporting the Syrian peace process. Jordan […]

Quebec mosque shooter charged with six murders: police

OTTAWA, Canada (AFP) — Canadian police on Monday charged a political science student who has professed admiration for Donald Trump with six counts of premeditated murder and five counts of attempted murder in the shooting at a Quebec City mosque. A police spokesperson said search warrants were still being executed and more charges were expected later, including terror-related charges. © 1994-2017 Agence France-Presse

Obama rejects faith-based discrimination amid travel ban uproar

WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) — Former US president Barack Obama expressed his objections Monday to any faith-based discrimination, in an apparent dig at his successor Donald Trump’s ban on nationals of seven Muslim-majority countries entering the country. “With regard to comparisons to president Obama’s foreign policy decisions, as we’ve heard before, the president fundamentally disagrees with the notion of discriminating against individuals because of their faith or religion,” his spokesman Kevin Lewis said in a […]