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Part 2, Monday, February 13th, 2017

Domestic & International News:

--- "WASHINGTON (AP) — American forces were perched high on the top of the Bashiq Mountain, calling in airstrikes that pounded Islamic State militants. Down below, Kurdish forces rolled past to recapture the ancient city of Sinjar. The December 2015 victory — it also regained control of a strategic roadway linking Iraq and Syria — was a testament to the critical partnership between the U.S. and Kurdish fighters in both Iraq and Syria. It's an alliance Obama administration officials and even some critics credit with helping diminish the militant group's aggressive land grab. But that alliance has been rattled by President Donald Trump's immigration restrictions and refugee ban. By blocking citizens from several nations in the region from entering the U.S., Trump's order bars entry for most Kurds, a policy that threatens to estrange some of the United States' closest allies in the war against Islamic extremism. Kurds are an ethnic group predominantly concentrated along the borders of four countries — Turkey, Syria, Iraq and Iran. The latter three are among the seven Muslim-majority nations named in Trump's executive order."

Source: https://www.apnews.com/1990c921135c4cc5a08820926e0913ad/Travel-ban-risks-alienating-key-partners-in-fight-against-IS

--- "JERUSALEM (AP) — Israel's prime minister heads to Washington this week for a high-profile meeting with President Donald Trump that suddenly is clouded in uncertainty. After embracing Israel's hard-line nationalist right throughout his presidential campaign, Trump appears to have softened some of his positions on key issues since taking office. Although Wednesday's meeting is expected to be much warmer than Netanyahu's famously tense encounters with former President Barack Obama, the Israeli leader will still need to tread with caution on sensitive issues like Israeli settlement construction and the conflict with the Palestinians, Iran and the war in Syria."

Source: https://www.apnews.com/8674b5e5d9e34fa999dc7ed7a3c168bf/Israel-leader's-White-House-trip-clouded-in-uncertainty

Additional source/Update: http://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-israel-netanyahu-idUSKBN15T0I1

Additional Information: http://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-trump-israel-idUSKBN15S188

--- "TORONTO (AP) — After he was denied asylum in the U.S., Seidu Mohammed's fear of being deported to his native Ghana, where he believes he'd be killed or jailed, became so great that he set out in brutal winter conditions to cross illegally into Canada. Mohammed and his friend lost all their fingers to frostbite after a 10-hour trek across fields of waist-high snow in sub-zero temperatures. Despite their injuries, the two men say they now feel safe. They're part of a small but growing number of immigrants risking the northern border crossing. "God blessed Canada with good people," said Mohammed, 24. "I see the difference between Canada and the United States." In Manitoba, which borders Minnesota and North Dakota, groups that specialize in helping refugees say the pace of arrivals has quickened since Donald Trump became president and banned travel from seven majority-Muslim countries. Refugees who spoke with The Associated Press cited Trump's order and anti-Muslim campaign rhetoric as the main reasons for going north."

Source: https://www.apnews.com/edfd11796a6548d58cdab16b6165d541/Desperate-immigrants-risk-perilous-winter-trek-to-Canada

Additional Information: http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-refugees-record-numbers-flee-canada-united-states-maitoba-welcome-place-ghanaian-a7567696.html

--- "WASHINGTON (AP) — The Trump administration imposed sanctions against Venezuelan Vice President Tareck El Aissami on Monday, accusing him of playing a major role in international drug trafficking. The executive decree, the result of a years-long investigation, is bound to ratchet up tensions between the new Republican administration and the United States' harshest critic in Latin America. El Aissami is the most senior Venezuelan official to ever be targeted by the U.S. The U.S. Treasury Department also sanctioned Samark Lopez, a wealthy Venezuelan businessman the U.S. described as El Aissami's primary front man laundering proceeds through a network of companies in several nations. As part of the action, 13 companies owned or controlled by Lopez, including five in Florida, will be blocked and both men will be barred from entering the United States. Several real estate holdings in the Miami area tied to Lopez and worth tens of millions of dollars were also blocked. There was no immediate reaction from the Venezuelan government or El Aissami, who has long denied any criminal ties. Lopez released a statement calling the actions baseless and "politically motivated." The U.S. Justice Department said there were no pending criminal charges against the two men."

Source: https://www.apnews.com/fd8f13f1afa14261a7109a2d92d4ea27/Trump-sanctions-Venezuela-vice-president-on-drug-trafficking

Additional Information/Update: https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/the_americas/venezuelas-vp-shrugs-off-drug-sanctions-as-us-ploy/2017/02/14/ea43ad18-f2bd-11e6-9fb1-2d8f3fc9c0ed_story.html?utm_term=.675face7eb60

--- "Mexico's Foreign Minister Luis Videgaray said on Monday there has not been a rise yet in the number of deportations of Mexicans from the United States under President Donald Trump, but that consulates were receiving more worried phone calls. Videgaray said in a television interview that the number of deported Mexicans was following the same trends as last year, and was even slightly lower. He said Mexican consulates in the United States have received at least three times as many daily phone calls from worried citizens there as before news of possible ramped-up deportations under Trump."

Source: http://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-trump-immigration-mexico-idUSKBN15S1J2

Additional source: http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/donald-trump-no-increase-mexican-deportations-campaign-pledge-immigration-ice-enrique-pena-nieto-a7580711.html

--- "The Pentagon on Monday strongly condemned North Korea's latest missile test, adding that the United States' commitment to protect the homeland and allies such as Japan and South Korea was "ironclad." Pentagon spokesman Captain Jeff Davis told reporters that North Korea's "unlawful weapons programs" were a clear and grave threat to national security. "We are capable of defending against a North Korean ballistic missile attack and will take all necessary measures to deter and defeat threats to our and our allies' territories and citizens," Davis added. North Korea said it had successfully test-fired a new type of medium- to long-range ballistic missile on Sunday, claiming advances in a weapons program it is pursuing in violation of U.N. resolutions."

Source: http://www.reuters.com/article/us-northkorea-missiles-pentagon-idUSKBN15S233

Domestic News:

--- "For decades, buying a silencer for a firearm has been as difficult as buying a machine gun, requiring a background check that can take close to a year. Now, emboldened by the election of Donald Trump as president, the industry has renewed a push in Congress to ease those restrictions, arguing that it'll help preserve the hearing of gun users. "We look at this as a Second Amendment issue. We look at it as a health issue," said Erich Pratt, executive director of Gun Owners of America. "The decibel level of a fired gun, even the lowly .22-caliber, can cause hearing damage." Since the 1930s silencers have been regulated under the National Firearms Act, facing the same paperwork, $200 tax and background checks required to buy a machine gun...U.S. Rep. Jeff Duncan, a Republican from South Carolina, is a sponsor of the "Hearing Protection Act," the latest attempt to pass such legislation. It's previously been met with resistance, especially under President Barack Obama and among Democratic lawmakers who view it as a gun-promotion issue. It doesn't hurt now that Trump's son Donald met with SilencerCo and was videoed trying out their products. "I'm cautiously optimistic," Duncan said. "Don Junior, who is an avid hunter himself, has come out in favor of this particular legislation. And so he gets it. That gives us a little bit of juice within the White House and the executive branch. And hopefully we can tap that energy and have it transfer over to the legislative branch.""

Source: https://www.apnews.com/aa0b713ae11e4065aade281deb4ae1bd/Gun-industry-seeks-to-ease-gov't-restrictions-on-silencers

--- "WASHINGTON (AP) — The Senate on Monday easily confirmed physician David Shulkin to be secretary of Veterans Affairs, charged with delivering on President Donald Trump's campaign promises to fix long-standing problems at the department. Senators voted 100-0 to approve the former Obama administration official, who was the VA's top health official since 2015, in a rare show of bipartisanship amid partisan rancor over Trump's other nominees. Shulkin secured the backing of Senate Democrats after pledging at his confirmation hearing to always protect veterans' interests, even if it meant disagreeing at times with Trump."

Source: https://www.apnews.com/4308a5809a5440259677ce042846ee23/Senate-easily-confirms-Trump-pick-of-Shulkin-as-VA-secretary

Additional source: https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/shulkin-unanimously-confirmed-to-head-veterans-affairs-department/2017/02/13/b7da5ea8-f236-11e6-b9c9-e83fce42fb61_story.html?utm_term=.de1ef77c2d83

--- "WASHINGTON (AP) — The Homeland Security Department said Monday that 680 people were arrested in roundups last week targeting immigrants living illegally in the United States. The figure is far below the totals of similar raids conducted under the Obama administration. The raids have left immigrant communities worried about stepped-up enforcement efforts and the White House taking credit for arrests. But Homeland Security described the roundups as routine. DHS Secretary John Kelly said Immigration and Customs Enforcement targeted immigrants who are a threat to public safety, including convicted criminals and gang members. He said 75 percent of those arrested were criminals, some of whom had been convicted of homicide and aggravated sexual assault."

Source: https://www.apnews.com/27acb78c89ec4568b05f811b28a26972/DHS-arrested-680-immigrants-in-week-long-roundup

--- "WASHINGTON (AP) — A bitterly divided Senate on Monday confirmed Steven Mnuchin as treasury secretary despite strong objections by Democrats that the former banker ran a "foreclosure machine" when he headed OneWest Bank. Mnuchin was sworn in Monday night in the Oval Office, where President Donald Trump said Americans should know that "our nation's financial system is truly in great hands" Trump hailed Mnuchin as "a financial legend with an incredible track record of success." He said Mnuchin had spent his entire career making money in the private sector and now will go to work on behalf of the American taxpayer. Republicans said Mnuchin's long tenure in finance makes him qualified to run the department, which will play a major role in developing economic policy under President Donald Trump...Like others in Trump's Cabinet, Mnuchin is a wealthy businessman. He is a former top executive at Goldman Sachs and served as finance chairman for Trump's presidential campaign...The Treasury Department is responsible for a wide range of activities, including advising the president on economic and financial issues. The department oversees the IRS, negotiates tax treaties with other countries, imposes economic sanctions against foreign governments and individuals, and targets the financial networks of terrorist groups and drug cartels. The department also issues the bonds that finance the government's deficit spending."

Source: https://www.apnews.com/99a68beb98924099bb26881b2b350adf/Senate-confirms-former-banker-Mnuchin-as-Treasury-secretary

Additional Information: http://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-congress-mnuchin-idUSKBN15S0H0

--- "WASHINGTON (AP) — In the first major congressional attempt to address the advent of self-driving cars, two senators said Monday they're launching a bipartisan effort to help to speed up the deployment of the vehicles on the nation's roads. Republican John Thune of South Dakota, the chairman of the Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee, and Democrat Gary Peters of Michigan, said they're exploring legislation that "clears hurdles and advances innovation in self-driving vehicle technology." The senators' counterparts in the House are also gearing up to address the new technology, with a hearing scheduled for Tuesday."

Source: https://www.apnews.com/450fa62e23b343a2bd0264f5194c9f5c/Senators-try-to-speed-up-deployment-of-self-driving-cars

--- "A U.S. federal judge on Monday denied a request by Native American tribes seeking to halt construction of the final link in the Dakota Access Pipeline, the controversial project that has sparked months of protests by activists aimed at stopping the 1,170-mile line. At a hearing, Judge James Boasberg of the U.S. District Court in Washington, D.C., rejected the request from the Standing Rock Sioux and Cheyenne River Sioux tribes, who argued that the project would prevent them from practicing religious ceremonies at a lake they contend is surrounded by sacred ground. With this decision, legal options for the tribes continue to narrow, as construction on the final uncompleted stretch is currently proceeding. Last week, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers granted a final easement to Energy Transfer Partners LP (ETP.N), which is building the $3.8 billion pipeline (DAPL), after President Donald Trump issued an order to advance the project days after he took office in January. Another hearing is scheduled for Feb. 27, as the tribes seek an injunction ordering the Army Corps to withdraw the easement."

Source: http://www.reuters.com/article/us-north-dakota-pipeline-idUSKBN15S22S?utm_campaign=trueAnthem:+Trending+Content&utm_content=58a2349a04d301047d3886a6&utm_medium=trueAnthem&utm_source=twitter

Additional source: https://www.apnews.com/68dd709cfa074bb2864ccd14b7f9c740/Judge-denies-request-to-halt-Dakota-Access-pipeline-work

--- "A gauge of global equity markets advanced on Monday and bond yields rose as investors flocked to assets likely to benefit from reflationary policies that are expected to be implemented by U.S. President Donald Trump. Financials and banks in particular led equities on Wall Street higher as investors bet Trump's tax reform plans and softer regulatory environment will boost economic growth and corporate profits. Comments from Trump on Thursday that he plans to announce what he said would be the most ambitious tax reform plan since the Reagan era in the next few weeks rekindled hopes for big tax cuts while the announced resignation of the Fed's top bank regulator on Friday heightened expectations for a loosening of rules on banks."

Source: http://www.reuters.com/article/us-global-markets-idUSKBN15R130

--- "A congressional tax oversight committee will not seek U.S. President Donald Trump's tax returns despite calls from Democrats for a review to determine possible business ties to foreign countries including Russia, the panel's Republican chairman said on Monday. Defying decades of precedent, Trump has refused to release his tax documents, which Democrats say could show whether his business empire poses any conflicts of interest as he moves forward on issues ranging from tax reform to foreign relations."

Source: http://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-trump-tax-returns-idUSKBN15S2GZ

--- "WASHINGTON (AP) — There was President Donald Trump, in the middle of his Mar-a-Lago resort, conferring with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on decisions with national security implications over iceberg wedge salads. The club members snapped photos and posted them to Facebook with detailed narratives about what they were seeing unfold before their eyes Saturday night in Palm Beach, Florida. "HOLY MOLY !!! It was fascinating to watch the flurry of activity at dinner when the news came that North Korea had launched a missile in the direction of Japan," Richard DeAgazio wrote on his public Facebook page. Welcome to the social media presidency — and all of the security and ethical challenges it poses. DeAgazio also posed for a photo with a man whom he said carries the "nuclear football" for the president. He's since deleted his account and did not respond to requests for comment from The Associated Press. CNN and other news outlets used DeAgazio's and other social media accounts to write about what seemed to be an open-air situation room. The publicly shared photos showed Trump, illuminated by cell phone flashlights, conducting national security business on the terrace of his oceanfront resort, in an area accessible to dues-paying members."

Source: https://www.apnews.com/b19ddffb87564b03ac52909def28162b/Trump-presidency-gets-social-with-detailed-posts,-photos

Addition information regarding the ethics involved with Trump's Mar-a-lago estate: https://www.apnews.com/61a991c2ca7341fd99798674ed834c45/Trump's-south-Florida-estate-raises-ethics-questions

--- "Four U.S. Republican senators have not yet said whether they will support labor secretary nominee Andrew Puzder, raising suspense about whether he will survive an initial confirmation hearing this week. The four senators - Susan Collins of Maine, Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, Tim Scott of South Carolina and Johnny Isakson of Georgia - all sit on the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions, which will on Thursday hold the first confirmation hearing for Puzder, President Donald Trump's pick to head the Labor Department. Puzder, the CEO of CKE Restaurants, which franchises restaurants, including Carl's Jr. and Hardee's, has faced staunch opposition from Democrats and protests from union-backed groups about policies at CKE's food chains. Along with now-confirmed Education Secretary Betsy DeVos, he has been one of Trump's most controversial Cabinet picks. Through statements and spokespeople on Monday, the four Republican senators indicated they have some outstanding questions for Puzder but stressed they had not made a final decision. They would not say whether they had specific concerns."

Source: http://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-trump-puzder-idUSKBN15T07O

#domestic affairs #international affairs #trump administration #source: reuters #source: ap #source: the washington post #source: the independent

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