Trump will water down Dodd-Frank
President Trump will sign an executive order to water down the 2010 Dodd-Frank financial regulatory framework put into effect in response to the financial crisis. White House National Economic Council Director Cohn:
Americans are going to have better choices and Americans are going to have better products because we’re not going to burden the banks with literally hundreds of billions of dollars of regulatory costs every year.
Alabed asks Trump about hunger
In a series of tweets Alabed asks President Trump if he has ever felt hunger.
Have you ever had no food, no water for 24 hours? Just think of refugees and the children of Syria…Dear Trump, banning refugees is very bad. Ok, if it’s good, I have an idea for you. Make other countries peaceful.
Trump criticizes Australian refugee plan on Trumbull call
In a phone call with Australian PM Turnbull, President Trump calls into question the resettlement of refugees – most of whom are men from Iran, Afghanistan and Iraq – currently held in offshore detention centres in Nauru and Papua New Guinea. Trump called the conversation “the worst by far” of his calls with world leaders that day, and cut it short.
Do you believe it? The Obama Administration agreed to take thousands of illegal immigrants from Australia. Why? I will study this dumb deal!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 2, 2017
Steps down from Trump advisory board
Kalanick steps down from President Trump’s economic advisory group after criticism from his staff and the public. Kalanick:
Joining the group was not meant to be an endorsement of the President or his agenda but unfortunately it has been misinterpreted to be exactly that. Earlier today I spoke briefly with the president about the immigration executive order and its issues for our community. The implicit assumption that Uber (or I) was somehow endorsing the Administration’s agenda has created a perception-reality gap between who people think we are, and who we actually are.
Rouhani: Trump a political novice
Iran’s President Rouhani says President Trump is a political novice. Tehran has already said it will take legal, political and reciprocal measures in response to Trump’s order suspending the entry of people from Iran and six other Muslim-majority countries. Rouhani:
He [Trump] is new to politics. He has been in a different world. It’s a totally new environment to him.
Twitter staff donate $1m against Trump immigration order
Nearly 1,000 Twitter employees donate more than $500,000, to the American Civil Liberties Union, to fight Trump’s temporary ban on refugees and immigrants from seven Muslim-majority countries. The donations are matched by CEO Dorsey and Chairman Kordestani. Twitter lawyer:
Our work is far from done. In the coming months we’ll see a flurry of legal challenges, legislative pushes and public pronouncements. But as long as civil liberties are threatened, I’m proud to know that as individuals we will stand up to defend freedom and look after people.
Will release record at 100
Lynn will release Vera Lynn 100 on 17 March, three days before her 100th birthday. On release she will breaking her own record of being the oldest person to release an album, which she did age 97. The album will feature the original vocals from some of her best-known songs with new orchestrations. The vocals of top British singers also feature on the album – Alfie Boe on We’ll Meet Again, Pointless host Alexander Armstrong on White Cliffs of Dover and Aled Jones on As Time Goes By. A previously unreleased cover of Sailing, made famous by Rod Stewart, also makes an appearance. Lynn:
It’s truly humbling that people still enjoy these songs from so many years ago, reliving the emotions of that time – I was after all just doing my job as a singer – and it’s so wonderful for me to hear my songs again so beautifully presented in a completely new way.
Trump: Pray for Schwarzenegger’s ratings
At the National Prayer Breakfast President Trump asks a room full of lawmakers, foreign dignitaries and religious leaders to pray for Schwarzenegger’s ratings on The Apprentice.
We had tremendous success at The Apprentice, and when I ran for President I had to leave the show…And they hired a big, big movie star, Arnold Schwarzenegger to take my place. We know how that turned out. The ratings went right down the tubes. It has been a disaster. And Mark [Burnett] will never, ever bet against Trump again. I want to just pray for Arnold if we can…for those ratings.
Pregnant with twins
Beyoncé announces she’s pregnant with twins on Instagram.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BP-rXUGBPJa/
Bornstein: Trump uses hair-growth drug
Bornstein says Trump takes a small dose of the drug finasteride, which lowers levels of prostate-specific antigen, or PSA, and is marketed as Propecia to treat male pattern baldness. The drug is also responsible for Trump’s low score in a prostate cancer test. Bornstein says he also takes the drug to maintain his own shoulder-length hair.
He has all his hair. I have all my hair.
Bornstein also says Trump takes antibiotics to control rosacea, a common skin problem, a statin for elevated blood cholesterol and lipids, as well as a daily baby aspirin to reduce the risk of heart attack.
Army seeks ‘biodegradable’ ammunition
The US Army seeks proposals for biodegradable ammunition to replace the existing rounds used in training — including grenade and tank rounds – citing environmental concerns. The DoD stipulates that the new ammunition should contain seeds that produce food for animals. Brief:
Components of current training rounds require hundreds of years or more to biodegrade. Some of these rounds might have the potential to corrode and pollute the soil and nearby water. Some of these rounds might have the potential to corrode and pollute the soil and nearby water….This effort will make use of seeds to grow environmentally friendly plants that remove soil contaminants and consume the biodegradable components developed under this project. Animals should be able to consume the plants without any ill effects.
First drone strike under Trump
The US carries out targeted drone strikes in Yemen, killing five al Qaeda operatives and took place in the town of al Bayda. The strikes were the first to take place under President Trump. The strikes did not require Trump to sign off on them. Under then-President Barack Obama, the authority to order such strikes in Yemen was devolved to the four-star commander of US Central Command, Gen. Joseph Votel.
TMG blames Depp’s $2m-a-month lifestyle for money problems
In a countersuit, TMG says Depp’s financial troubles are caused by a lavish $2m-a-month lifestyle. While Depp says the business managers have mismanaging his earnings, failed to file taxes on time, and owe him more than $25m, TMG claims the star spent more than $75m on 14 homes and needed 12 storage facilities to house his collection of Hollywood memorabilia, as well as spending $18m on a luxury yacht and $30,000 a month on wine. TMG:
Depp is fully responsible for any financial turmoil. He has refused to live within his means, despite… repeated warnings about his financial condition.
Trump picks Gorsuch for Supreme Court
At an event at the White House, Trump selects Gorush as his candidate to replace Judge Antonin Scalia on tIf confirmed by the Senate, the 49-year-old would restore the court’s conservative majority, lost with the death of Justice Antonin Scalia. If successful, his nomination will restore the five-four conservative majority on the nine-seat high court.Trump:
[Gorsuch has] a superb intellect, an unparalleled legal education, and a commitment to interpreting the Constitution according to text. Judge Gorsuch has outstanding legal skills, a brilliant mind, tremendous discipline, and has earned bipartisan support…It is an extraordinary resume. As good as it gets. The qualifications of Judge Gorsuch are beyond dispute. I only hope that Democrats and Republicans can come together for one, for the good of the country.
Gorush:
The towering judges that have served in this particular seat of the Supreme Court, including Antonin Scalia and Robert Jackson, are much in my mind at this moment. Justice Scalia was a lion of the law. Agree or disagree with him, all of his colleagues on the bench shared his wisdom and his humor. And like them, I miss him.
Trump fires Yates
Trump fires Yates for her refusal to defend his executive order closing the nation’s borders to refugees and people from seven predominantly Muslim countries. The president replaces Yates with Dana J. Boente, the United States attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, saying that he would serve as attorney general until Congress acts to confirm Senator Jeff Sessions of Alabama. In his first act in his new role, Mr. Boente announced that he was rescinding Yates’s order. Administration statement:
The acting Attorney General, Sally Yates, has betrayed the Department of Justice by refusing to enforce a legal order designed to protect the citizens of the United States. This order was approved as to form and legality by the Department of Justice Office of Legal Counsel. Ms. Yates is an Obama Administration appointee who is weak on borders and very weak on illegal immigration. It is time to get serious about protecting our country. Calling for tougher vetting for individuals travelling from seven dangerous places is not extreme. It is reasonable and necessary to protect our country.
‘Hoots’ launch
Hooters launches a new restaurant concept near Chicago called ‘Hoots’ which will feature both male and female waiting staff and no revealing uniforms. Hoots will feature an abbreviated, one-page menu with some of the most popular items from full-service Hooters restaurants, including its classic chicken wings, in a new, scaled-down concept that’s part of the fast-casual trend
Obamas lunch with Branson
The former President and First Lady have lunch with Branson and his family on the island of Anegada. Barack wears a black Nike polo shirt and shorts and a baseball cap. Michelle wears her hair in braids underneath a sun hat which she pairs with a white beach dress.
Signs executive order authorising border wall
President Trump signs an executive order authorising the start of the construction of a border wall with Mexico and boosts border patrol forces and increases the number of immigration enforcement officers from 20,000 to 30,000. The orders also call for stripping sanctuary cities of federal grant funding and announces new criteria that could make many more illegal immigrants priorities for deportation. The executive orders do not cover the cost of the wall.
Beginning today, the United States of America gets back control of its borders.
Hollande: Trump policies ‘challenging’
At a joint press conference with Angela Merkel, President Hollande says Trump’s administration poses “challenges” for Europe.
Let’s speak very frankly, there are challenges, there are the challenges the US administration poses to our trade rules, as well as to our ability to resolve conflicts around the world,” Hollande said in Berlin. So we of course have to talk to Donald Trump since he was chosen by the Americans to be their president.