North America

Trump to unveil immigration, visa restrictions: reports

WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) — President Donald Trump will sign executive orders starting Wednesday restricting refugees, visas and immigration, making good on his signature campaign pledges, US media reported. Trump is due to speak Wednesday to employees at the Department of Homeland Security — which handles immigration — and sign orders there on refugees and national security, according to The Washington Post and CNN. “Big day planned on NATIONAL SECURITY tomorrow. Among many other things, […]

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Trump rushes to control communication of US agencies

by Andrew BEATTY Agence France Presse WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) — Donald Trump’s administration moved quickly Tuesday to muzzle federal government workers, apparently keen to keep the army of bureaucrats in line with the White House message. While Trump has sought to project power from the White House, allies fanned out across government departments to impose his writ. As Trump was sworn into office Friday, staff at the Interior Department were ordered to cease regular […]

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After US withdrawal from TPP, Canada to turn to more China, Japan trade

  OTTAWA, Canada (AFP) — After Donald Trump formally withdrew the United States from the Trans-Pacific Partnership on Tuesday, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said his Pacific trade focus will turn to Japan and China. “We have long been proponents of trade,” Trudeau told a press conference. “That’s why we are busy on multiple trade fronts at the same time.” He noted last year’s start of talks with Japan on improving trade ties, while next […]

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Trump trademarks 2020 campaign slogan: ‘Keep America Great’

WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) — President Donald Trump is clearly confident he’ll achieve his campaign promise to “Make America Great Again.” Never straying far from his business roots, Trump has already submitted an application to trademark the slogan he plans to use for his 2020 re-election run: “Keep America Great.” Records from the United States Patent and Trademark Office show that the president applied on Wednesday — before he was even sworn into office — […]

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Trump believes ‘millions’ voted illegally: White House

WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) — The White House on Tuesday confirmed that President Donald Trump believes millions of people voted illegally in the November election, but declined to provide evidence to support that claim. Hours after Trump told congressional leaders that as many as five million people could have voted illegally, White House spokesman Sean Spicer confirmed the president’s belief. “The comment he said was three to five million people could have voted illegally based […]

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Pence swears in new CIA Director Pompeo

WASHINGTON, United States (Reuters) — Representative Mike Pompeo is sworn in as President Donald Trump’s CIA director on Monday (January 23, after a delay tied to some lawmakers’ worries he might expand surveillance or allow the use of certain interrogation techniques widely considered torture. Sixty-six senators backed Pompeo and 32 voted against. All the opposition was from Democrats, except for Senator Rand Paul, a leading Republican advocate for strict control of surveillance. Shortly afterward. Some senators […]

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Nor’easter Approaches Tri-State Area

On Monday, January 23 the cities of New York City, Long Island, along with areas in New Jersey and Connecticut were being advised to stay alert and to stay safe for the next few days. The Tri-State had to prepare for a Nor’Easter which was due to deliver heavy rain, wind, and even for some parts, snow. This strong storm which came up from the south, had already killed at least 21 people in the […]

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White House warns China on trade, South China Sea

by Andrew BEATTY / Dave Clark Agence France Presse WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) — The White House warned China it will “defend” US and international “interests” in the South China Sea and that trade must be a “two-way street.” Signaling Donald Trump’s tough stance against Beijing on Monday, spokesman Sean Spicer said “the US is going to make sure we protect our interests” in the South China Sea. “If those islands are, in fact, in international […]

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Elder Bush out of intensive care, wife Barbara released

CHICAGO, United States (AFP) — Former US President George H.W. Bush has been transferred from intensive care and could be released from the hospital Friday or over the weekend, doctors said on Monday. His wife and former first lady Barbara Bush was discharged from the hospital, Bush physicians Amy Mynderse and Clint Doerr said. The former first couple was admitted to Houston Methodist hospital on Wednesday. The 41st president, who is 92, was suffering from bacterial pneumonia, while Barbara Bush, 91, had […]

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Trump advisor reassures Canada not to fear US trade intentions

OTTAWA, Canada (AFP) — A senior economic advisor for US President Donald Trump told Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his cabinet on Monday that Canada should not fear the trade intentions of the new American administration. Speaking at a retreat in Calgary to map out Ottawa’s demands in a renegotiation of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), Trump advisor Stephen Schwarzman said Canadians should not be “enormously worried” about the protectionist rhetoric coming out […]

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Chile fires cause ‘worst forestry disaster’ in its history

by Miguel SANCHEZ Agence France Presse SANTIAGO, Chile (AFP) — Vast woodland fires in the center and south of Chile have caused “the biggest forestry disaster in our history,” President Michelle Bachelet said Monday, canceling a trip abroad to supervise the emergency. A total of 130 square kilometers (500 square miles) have been charred, mainly in sparsely populated rural areas, according to the National Emergency Office. Although most of 150 fires that broke out this […]

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Trump moves to withdraw from TPP trade pact

by Andrew BEATTY Agence France-Presse WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) – President Donald Trump moved Monday to pull the United States out of the Trans-Pacific Partnership, making good on a pledge to scrap a deal he denounced as a “job killer” and a “rape” of US interests. Embarking on his first full week in office, the 45th US president began rolling out his policy agenda after a tumultuous first weekend for his administration by signing a […]

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