| By Derek Caney
As promised during his campaign, President-elect Donald Trump plans to withdraw from the Trans-Pacific Partnership, which he called "a potential disaster." This effectively kills the 12-nation trade deal that stretches from Australia to Japan to Mexico to Canada. It also cedes Asian-Pacific leadership on trade to China. Among his other plans for the first 100 days: - Cancel restrictions on shale oil and clean coal
- Investigate abuses of visa programs for immigrant workers
- Implement a five-year ban on officials lobbying after they leave the government
Digit of the day: 2 A small number of influential Republicans senators are threatening to block appointments to Trump's administration, derail his thaw with Russia and prevent the planned wall on the border with Mexico. It wouldn't take much, since Republicans are likely to have a majority of only two votes.
An earthquake struck the northeastern coast of Japan not far from the site of the disastrous quake of 2011 that caused three nuclear reactors to melt down. This morning's quake was nowhere near as serious, measuring about 7 on the Richter scales. No deaths or serious injuries were reported. All nuclear plants in the area were already shuttered following the 2011 quake.
Around the world - In his own inimitable foreign-policy-by-Twitter, Trump recommended Brexit campaigner Nigel Farage for the position of British ambassador to the United States. It was a little awkward since Britain already has an ambassador to the U.S. (His name is Kim Darroch. Now you know.) Plus countries don't often ask for specific ambassadors from foreign nations.
"There is no vacancy. We already have an excellent ambassador to the U.S." – Downing Street spokesman
Desperation in Mosul 
People wait for food donated by an Iraqi government organization on the outskirts of Mosul, Iraq. REUTERS/Goran Tomasevic - U.S.-backed Iraqi troops destroyed a bridge spanning the Tigris River, restricting Islamic State movements between the western and eastern parts of Mosul. Iraqi forces are pushing deeper into the eastern part of the city, while army and police units, Shi'ite militias and Kurdish fighters surround it to the west, south and north.
Around the country - A bus carrying elementary students home from school in Chattanooga, Tennessee, crashed, killing six children and sending nearly two dozen to a hospital with injuries. The 24-year-old driver, Johnthony Walker, faces charges for vehicular homicide.
- The U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum expressed alarm over "hateful speech" at a white nationalist meeting over the weekend. A video by The Atlantic taken inside the conference showed Richard Spencer, leader of the National Policy Institute, shouting, "Hail Trump, hail our people, hail victory!" as some of the people in attendance lifted their hands in a Nazi salute.
The Holocaust did not begin with killing; it began with words. The Museum calls on all American citizens, our religious and civic leaders, and the leadership of all branches of the government to confront racist thinking and divisive hateful speech. – U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum statement - Republicans redrew Wisconsin district maps in their favor in order to hamper Democrats and ultimately win state elections in 2012 and 2014, a federal court ruled in what could become a precedent for gerrymandering.
Around Wall Street - Volkswagen is putting North and South America at the heart of the turnaround plan for its core VW brand, pinning its hopes on new higher-margin SUVs and electric cars to rebuild its image following the diesel emissions cheating scandal.
- OPEC experts discussing how to implement a plan to cut oil output are likely to reach agreement later today, a Nigerian delegate said, a possible sign of progress in finalizing the group's first coordinated production cuts since 2008.
Today's reason to live Dionne Warwick – I Just Don't Know What To Do With Myself |
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