| 'Opposites attract,' UK PM calls on Trump to renew special relationship Posted: 26 Jan 2017 01:57 PM PST  By Elizabeth Piper PHILADELPHIA (Reuters) - Joking that "opposites attract," Prime Minister Theresa May called on President Donald Trump on Thursday to renew the "special relationship" between Britain and the United States and lead in a new, changed world. In the United States for what will be Trump's first meeting with a foreign leader since he took office last week, May signaled a shift in foreign policy, bringing her position more in line with that of Trump. Because when others step up as we step back, it is bad for America, for Britain and the world," May told members of Republican Party at their retreat in a speech often punctuated by applause from an enthusiastic crowd.
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| Mattis stresses commitment to NATO to German defense chief: Pentagon Posted: 26 Jan 2017 05:40 PM PST  Defense Secretary James Mattis stressed the United States' commitment to NATO in a telephone call with Germany's defense minister on Thursday, the Pentagon said. Mattis assured German Defense Minister Ursula von der Leyen of "the United States' enduring commitment to the NATO alliance," the Pentagon said in a statement.
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| U.S.-Mexico crisis deepens as Trump aide floats border tax idea Posted: 26 Jan 2017 05:03 PM PST  By Steve Holland and Miguel Gutierrez PHILADELPHIA/MEXICO CITY (Reuters) - The White House on Thursday floated the idea of imposing a 20 percent tax on goods from Mexico to pay for a wall at the southern U.S. border, sending the peso plummeting and deepening a crisis between the two neighbors. Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto announced on Twitter around midday on Thursday that he was scrapping a planned trip to meet with U.S. President Donald Trump, who has repeatedly demanded that Mexico pay for a wall on the U.S. border. Later in the day, White House spokesman Sean Spicer sent the Mexican peso tumbling to its low for the day when he told reporters that Trump wanted a 20 percent tax on Mexican imports to pay for construction of the wall.
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| France's Fillon rejects 'abject' allegations of wife's fake job, stick to election bid Posted: 26 Jan 2017 01:33 PM PST  By Ingrid Melander and Sophie Louet PARIS (Reuters) - France's Francois Fillon on Thursday said allegations his wife was paid for a fake job were attempts to harm his presidential bid, adding that they only strengthened his resolve to run in the election. Satirical weekly Le Canard Enchaine reported on Wednesday that Penelope Fillon had been paid some 600,000 euros ($645,000) for many years of employment as a parliamentary assistant to Fillon, then to his replacement as a lawmaker and also for work at a cultural journal. Fillon, a 62-year old conservative former prime minister, said that was not true.
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| Syria rebels await action from Trump on safe zones, Damascus silent Posted: 26 Jan 2017 01:28 PM PST  By Tom Perry BEIRUT (Reuters) - Syrian rebels urged President Donald Trump to fulfill a pledge to create safe zones in their country, but analysts doubted he would proceed with a step that could drag Washington deeper into war, hasten Syria's fragmentation and risk conflict with Russia. Trump told ABC News on Wednesday he "will absolutely do safe zones in Syria" for refugees fleeing violence and that Europe had made a mistake by admitting millions of refugees from Syria. President Bashar al-Assad's opponents have long demanded safe zones to protect civilians who have fled government air strikes and bombardment of rebel-held areas. Qatar, which backs the rebels, welcomed Trump's comments and "emphasized the need to provide safe havens in Syria and to impose no-fly zones to ensure the safety of civilians".
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| Ex-Mexican state governor arrested pending trial on graft charges Posted: 26 Jan 2017 03:26 PM PST  The former governor of the northern Mexican state of Nuevo Leon, charged last August with improper use of his power, was arrested on Thursday to prevent him from fleeing, a state official said. New charges of embezzlement and crimes against state property were also leveled against Rodrigo Medina of Mexico's ruling Institutional Revolutionary Party - allegations linked to tax incentives given to carmaker Kia Motors during his 2009-2015 tenure, Nuevo Leon's security spokesman Aldo Fasci said in a radio interview. Medina is being held at a prison in Monterrey, officials said.
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| Tiger returns to PGA Tour and tries to tame Torrey Posted: 26 Jan 2017 05:48 PM PST  SAN DIEGO (AP) — The return of Tiger Woods felt more like a celebration Thursday at Torrey Pines.
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| Cubs agree to $3.5 million, 1-year deal with Brett Anderson Posted: 26 Jan 2017 05:39 PM PST  CHICAGO (AP) — The World Series champion Chicago Cubs added pitching depth, finalizing a $3.5 million, one-year contract with left-hander Brett Anderson.
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| Trump to seek quick progress with Japan's Abe on replacement trade deal Posted: 26 Jan 2017 05:37 PM PST  By David Brunnstrom and Matt Spetalnick WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Donald Trump will seek quick progress toward a bilateral trade agreement with Japan in place of a broader Asia-Pacific deal he abandoned this week, when Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe visits the White House next month, an official in the Trump administration said on Thursday. "I see Abe's visit being more about finding a follow-through, a replacement for TPP," said the official, referring to the Trans-Pacific Partnership that Trump ditched on Monday. "Given the domestic political capital (Abe has) expended on TPP, there's going to be an effort to work with him on a follow-on," the official said, speaking on condition of anonymity.
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| Mourinho mocks Klopp as Man Utd reach final Posted: 26 Jan 2017 05:29 PM PST  Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho took a sarcastic swipe at his Liverpool counterpart Jurgen Klopp after his side booked their place in the League Cup final. A day after Liverpool had been bundled out of the competition by Southampton, United progressed with a 3-2 aggregate win over Hull City despite losing 2-1 in Thursday's second leg.
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| Man City, Palace weigh priorities in FA Cup Posted: 26 Jan 2017 05:27 PM PST  Manchester City supporters must once again wait to see which version of Pep Guardiola's team shows up in Saturday's FA Cup fourth-round game at Premier League rivals Crystal Palace. City have won by four goals or more on five separate occasions, but have also fallen to two 4-0 defeats -- at Barcelona and more recently Everton -- and been beaten five times in the league. January has been every bit as see-saw, with City winning 5-0 at West Ham United in the FA Cup, losing 4-0 at Everton and then going 2-0 up against Tottenham Hotspur on their last outing, only to draw 2-2.
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| Aussie, Kiwi rugby coaching magicians inspire north revival - Mallett Posted: 26 Jan 2017 05:24 PM PST  The magical coaching touch of Australia's Eddie Jones and New Zealanders Joe Schmidt and Vern Cotter is helping northern hemisphere rugby close the gap on their southern rivals, ex-South Africa coach Nick Mallett told AFP. The 60-year-old Mallett, under whose watch the Springboks went on a record 17-match winning streak in 1997-98, said results last year showed the nadir had been reached at the 2015 World Cup when all four semi-finalists were southern hemisphere sides. It all makes for a mouthwatering Six Nations tournament which Mallett believes has overtaken the Rugby Championship as the premier international competition between World Cups.
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| UN aid chief accuses Syria of blocking help to neediest Posted: 26 Jan 2017 05:23 PM PST UNITED NATIONS (AP) — The U.N. humanitarian chief accused the Syrian government on Thursday of blocking aid to hundreds of thousands of the country's neediest people despite a nationwide cease-fire that has given "a glimmer of hope" that the conflict might be coming to an end. |
| Golf Capsules Posted: 26 Jan 2017 05:22 PM PST SAN DIEGO (AP) — Tiger Woods had a rough return to the PGA Tour on Thursday. |
| Volvo Ocean Race returns to Australia Posted: 26 Jan 2017 05:17 PM PST  The round-the-world Volvo Ocean Race will stop off in Australia for the first time in more than a decade after Melbourne was added as a host port to the gruelling sailing event, organisers said Friday. The race, which takes almost nine months to complete and covers 45,000 nautical miles (83,340 kilometres), will see competitors arrive in Melbourne from Cape Town around Christmas Day this year. "Having been born in Australia myself, I couldn't be more excited to see the race head Down Under," Volvo Ocean Race chief operating officer Richard Mason said in a statement.
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| Arsenal's Wenger wants revenge over buoyant Saints Posted: 26 Jan 2017 05:13 PM PST  Arsene Wenger says Arsenal travel to a confident Southampton in the FA Cup fourth round on Saturday determined to avenge their League Cup exit. Claude Puel's underdogs won 2-0 at the Emirates Stadium in November in the League Cup and on Wednesday clinched their place in that competition's final by beating Liverpool. Arsenal lifted the FA Cup in 2014 and 2015 and Wenger is keen for a Wembley return, meaning he will resist the temptation to make wholesale changes.
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| Trump proposes big import tax, triggering fight with Mexico Posted: 26 Jan 2017 05:06 PM PST  WASHINGTON (AP) — Determined to wall off America's border with Mexico, President Donald Trump triggered a diplomatic clash and a fresh fight over trade Thursday as the White House proposed a 20 percent tax on imports from the key U.S. ally and Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto abruptly scrapped next week's trip to Washington.
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| Highlights: The Trump presidency on January 26 at 5:30 P.M. EST/2230 GMT Posted: 26 Jan 2017 05:03 PM PST (Reuters) - Highlights of the day for U.S. President Donald Trump's administration on Thursday: IMMIGRATION Trump could pay for a southern border wall with a new 20 percent tax on goods from Mexico, the White House says, deepening a crisis after plans for a summit with Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto fell apart. A Homeland Security official says U.S. Border Patrol Chief Mark Morgan is being asked to step down as the agency moves toward tougher enforcement of immigration laws under the Trump administration. ... |
| Australia captain Steve Smith to miss NZ one-day series Posted: 26 Jan 2017 05:01 PM PST ADELAIDE, Australia (AP) — Australia captain Steve Smith has been ruled out of the limited-overs international tour of New Zealand because of an ankle injury. |
| FIFA: Chinese soccer clubs spent $450m+ on players last year Posted: 26 Jan 2017 04:48 PM PST ZURICH (AP) — FIFA says spending by Chinese soccer clubs on players soared beyond $450 million last year. |
| Alphabet posts strong revenue growth, higher taxes hit earnings Posted: 26 Jan 2017 04:33 PM PST  Google parent Alphabet Inc posted fourth-quarter profit below analysts' estimates on Thursday, hurt by a higher tax rate, but analysts cheered the company's progress in diversifying its business beyond advertising. While advertising still accounts for the lion's share of Google's revenue, rising 17.4 percent to $22.4 billion in the quarter, Alphabet Chief Financial Officer Ruth Porat underscored that the company is broadening its business - pointing to growth in hardware, app sales and the cloud business. The company's other revenue, which captures such businesses, climbed 62 percent to $3.4 billion.
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| US-Mexico tensions rise with wall tax idea, meeting scrapped Posted: 26 Jan 2017 04:25 PM PST  A diplomatic rift between the United States and Mexico widened Thursday as Donald Trump's administration suggested taxing imports from the southern neighbor to fund a border wall and Mexico's president scrapped a US visit. Trump had been scheduled to receive Enrique Pena Nieto at the White House on Tuesday. The escalating war of words over who would pay for the proposed border wall -- a central pledge made by Trump during his successful presidential campaign -- hit the breaking point on Thursday.
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| British lawmakers urge May to tackle Trump on climate change Posted: 26 Jan 2017 04:06 PM PST  British lawmakers have written to Prime Minister Theresa May, urging her to challenge U.S. President Donald Trump on his views on climate change when the two leaders meet on Friday. Trump has dismissed climate change as a "hoax" and vowed during his presidential campaign to pull the United States out of the 2015 Paris Agreement designed to curb greenhouse gas emissions blamed for global warming. "As one of the world's largest emitters ... his approach to reducing emissions could determine whether we, in the UK and people round the world, experience or avoid the worst impacts of climate change," the letter from the cross-party Environmental Audit Committee said.
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| The Latest: Tiger Woods stumbles home to a 76 Posted: 26 Jan 2017 04:06 PM PST  SAN DIEGO (AP) — The Latest on the Farmers Insurance Open at Torrey Pines (all times local):
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| Trump to seek quick progress with Japan's Abe on replacement trade deal Posted: 26 Jan 2017 03:54 PM PST  By David Brunnstrom and Matt Spetalnick WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Donald Trump will seek quick progress toward a bilateral trade agreement with Japan in place of a broader Asia-Pacific deal he abandoned this week, when Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe visits the White House next month, an official in the Trump administration said on Thursday. "I see Abe's visit being more about finding a follow-through, a replacement for TPP," said the official, referring to the Trans-Pacific Partnership that Trump ditched on Monday. "Given the domestic political capital (Abe has) expended on TPP, there's going to be an effort to work with him on a follow-on," the official said, speaking on condition of anonymity.
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| Highlights: The Trump presidency on January 26 at 5:30 P.M. EST/2230 GMT Posted: 26 Jan 2017 03:47 PM PST (Reuters) - Highlights of the day for U.S. President Donald Trump's administration on Thursday: |
| British PM woos US lawmakers ahead of Trump meeting Posted: 26 Jan 2017 03:41 PM PST  British Prime Minister Theresa May warned America's allies on Thursday that they must "step up" and play their role in global security, as she wooed Republican lawmakers ahead of a meeting with US President Donald Trump. May won several standing ovations when she pledged her commitment to the "special relationship" between Britain and the United States at a Republican party meeting in Philadelphia.
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| Russian whistleblower Stepanova to run in Boston Indoor Posted: 26 Jan 2017 03:35 PM PST BOSTON (AP) — Russian doping whistleblower Yulia Stepanova is planning to return to the track this weekend at the Boston Indoor Grand Prix. |
| Brittany Lincicome shoots 9-under 64. leads LPGA Tour opener Posted: 26 Jan 2017 03:15 PM PST PARADISE ISLAND, Bahamas (AP) — Brittany Lincicome shot a tournament-record 9-under 64 on Thursday to take the first-round lead in the LPGA Tour's season-opening Pure Silk Bahamas Classic. |
| Rio, federal government agree on austerity package for state Posted: 26 Jan 2017 03:09 PM PST SAO PAULO (AP) — Brazil's federal government and Rio de Janeiro state have agreed on a package of austerity measures that will partially plug the financially struggling state's anticipated $8 billion deficit. |
| Brexit, Trump pose considerable risks to global economy: German finance ministry Posted: 26 Jan 2017 03:09 PM PST  Britain's vote to leave the European Union and the new U.S. administration are the main risks to the global economy, the German finance ministry said on Friday, adding that domestic demand will remain the main growth driver in Germany this year. "The risks to the global economy certainly remain remarkable," the ministry said in its monthly report, citing Brexit, the election of U.S. President Donald Trump, monetary policy developments and commodity prices as sources of concern.
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| Trump administration debates designating Muslim Brotherhood as terrorist group Posted: 26 Jan 2017 03:06 PM PST  By Mark Hosenball WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A debate is under way in the Trump administration about whether the United States should declare the Muslim Brotherhood a terrorist organization and subject it to U.S. sanctions, according to U.S. officials and people close to President Donald Trump's transition team. A faction led by Michael Flynn, Trump's National Security Advisor, wants to add the Brotherhood to the State Department and U.S. Treasury lists of foreign terrorist organizations, the sources said.
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| Barcelona in Copa del Rey semifinals for 7th straight season Posted: 26 Jan 2017 03:06 PM PST  MADRID (AP) — Lionel Messi continued his remarkable form by scoring one goal and playing a role in the other four as Barcelona routed Real Sociedad 5-2 Thursday to reach the Copa del Rey semifinals for the seventh straight season.
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| Outgoing German minister sees fundamental difference with Trump on torture Posted: 26 Jan 2017 03:04 PM PST  Outgoing Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier said Germany had fundamental differences with U.S. President Donald Trump about torture and other issues, and warned the U.S. leader against dismantling a nuclear agreement with Iran. Steinmeier, who will be replaced by Economics Minister Sigmar Gabriel on Friday, told the Sueddeutsche Zeitung newspaper he was "appalled" by the 2016 U.S. election, and could only hope that Trump would change now that he was in office. It's about fundamental questions in our self-understanding, for instance in the approach to torture," Steinmeier told the paper in an interview published in Friday editions.
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| Sydney FC aims to be 'best ever' in A-League Posted: 26 Jan 2017 03:01 PM PST SYDNEY (AP) — Sydney FC coach Graham Arnold says his team is driven to be "the best in A-League history" after a 2-1 win over Melbourne Victory on Thursday left it with an almost unassailable nine-point lead atop the table. |
| Muslims, Latinos unify over Trump's immigration, border plan Posted: 26 Jan 2017 02:57 PM PST  ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — U.S. Muslim and Latino advocates have joined forces in opposing changes to immigration rules by President Donald Trump, bolstering their alliance as they mull the prospect of aggressive restrictions.
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| Liverpool looks to arrest slide as trophy hopes fade Posted: 26 Jan 2017 02:55 PM PST  LIVERPOOL, England (AP) — Their attacking spark has gone. Their opponents seem to have figured them out. Their chances of silverware are reducing by the week.
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| Basketball Player 'fine' after eye pops out in New Zealand Posted: 26 Jan 2017 02:53 PM PST  A New Zealand Breakers basketballer whose eyeball popped out of its socket mid-game is staging a "miracle" recovery and should play again soon, the club said Friday. US import Akil Mitchell was on the attack against the Cairns Taipans in Auckland on Thursday night when he caught an accidental finger in the eye from an opposing player. Mitchell was rushed to hospital and the Australian National Basketball League (NBL) later said his eyeball had been relocated in its socket and he had been sent home.
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