全米各地で抗議デモ、トランプ大統領の入国制限令で混乱続く

January 30, 2017

【1月30日 AFP】イスラム教徒の多い中東・アフリカ7か国からの渡航者の米国入国を一時禁止するドナルド・トランプ（ Donald Trump ）大統領の大統領令を受け、全米各地では29日も抗議デモが繰り広げられた。国際社会からも非難の声が相次いでいる。
首都ワシントン（ Washington D. C. ）のホワイトハウス（ White House ）周辺や、米国の自由と移民の象徴である「自由の女神像（ Statue of Liberty ）」を対岸に臨むニューヨーク（ New York ）の公園バッテリー・パーク（ Battery Park ）には、大統領令に抗議する多くの人々が集まった。
国内各地の主要空港でも昨日に引き続き抗議デモが行われ、ワシントン、シカゴ（ Chicago ）、ミネアポリス（ Minneapolis ）、デンバー（ Denver ）、ロサンゼルス（ Los Angeles ）、サンフランシスコ（ San Francisco ）、ダラス（ Dallas ）などで合わせて数千人が移民・難民への支援を呼び掛けた。
米国の同盟国も次々と非難声明を発表。米政界にも衝撃が広がり、トランプ氏叩きの材料探しに余念がない民主党だけでなく、与党である共和党の議員の間でも不安が高まっている。
■キリスト教徒の難民も送還
トランプ米大統領が27日に署名し発効した大統領令は、イラン、イラク、リビア、ソマリア、スーダン、シリア、イエメンの7か国から渡航してきた米国査証（ビザ）保有者の入国を90日間停止するとともに、あらゆる国からの難民の受け入れを120日間停止するというもの。
大統領令の発令に当たって空港当局や諸外国との事前調整はなかったとみられ、米国内や世界各地の空港で約300人が足止め・拘束されるなど、大きな混乱が生じた。該当国との二重国籍を持つ欧州市民や、永住権カード（グリーンカード）保有者も影響を受け、有効な米国ビザを所持しながら到着した米空港で足止めされた人々は少なくとも109人に上った。
また、AFPの取材に応じたレバノン・ベイルート（ Beirut ）の空港当局者によると、米フィラデルフィア国際空港（ Philadelphia International Airport ）に28日に到着したシリア人6人が米国入国を拒否され、ベイルートに送還された。6人にはキリスト教徒も含まれ、3人は子どもだという。
■「イスラム教徒の排除ではない」
国内外で批判が高まる中、トランプ大統領は29日、「中東では多数のキリスト教徒が処刑されてきた。この恐怖を続けさせるわけにはいかない！」と約2300万人のフォロワーを持つツイッター（%%Twitter％％）に投稿し、自らの措置の正当性を主張。「わが国には今こそ、強固な国境と徹底的な入国審査が必要だ。欧州で、そして世界中で何が起きているか見てみろ。ひどいありさまだ！」と続けた。
さらに、公式声明では「はっきりさせておくが、これはメディアが誤って報道しているようなイスラム教徒の排除ではない」「宗教をめぐる措置ではなく、テロとわが国の安全に関する措置だ」などと述べた。(c)AFP/Jennie MATTHEW / with Karim Lebhour in Washington

Similarity rank: 14

Sentiment rank: -3.2

China trade war? These U. S. companies are in the crosshairs

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January 30, 2017

President Donald Trump’s tough talk on trade with China, including threats of punitive tariffs and accusations of illegal currency manipulation, is bringing long-simmering tensions between the world’s two largest economies to a boil. And that could have ramifications for many U. S. companies.
About a dozen Fortune 500 companies rely on China for more than 50 percent of their annual sales, per a recent Morgan Stanley ( MS ) report to clients. Semiconductor maker Ambarella ( AMBA ) gets 90 percent of its revenue from China, and other tech firms, such as Texas Instruments ( TXN ) and Marvell ( MRVL ), get more than 60 percent of their sales from the world’s most populous country.
Some of the U. S.’ biggest companies make significant profits in China
China also looms large for Apple ( AAPL ). The nation has surpassed the U. S. as the biggest iPhone market. It also is a big revenue-generator for casino operators such Las Vegas Sands ( LSV ) and Wynn Resorts ( WYNN ), which have invested heavily in the Macao gaming market in recent years.
Boeing ( BA ) is expecting big things from China, predicting last year that the country would need $1 trillion worth of aircraft over the next two decades. General Electric ( GE ) also is eager to expand its foothold in China and is partnering with companies there to expand into other emerging markets.
U. S. farmers also depend on China, which is now the second-largest market for American agricultural exports, worth $20.2 billion as of 2015 .
Mr. Trump this week scrapped the 11-nation Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) trade agreement that his predecessor Barack Obama negotiated. It didn’t include China as a member and was at least partially aimed at stemming China’s rising economic power across Asia-Pacific.
Sen. John McCain is one of the few Republican lawmakers to criticize President Trump for withdrawing from the Trans-Pacific Partnership. But McCa…
The new president’s anti-TPP move was expected because he had criticized the deal during the campaign. Killing the TPP, though, could have unintended consequences. Economists at research firm Capital Economics argue that Mr. Trump’s decision “created an opportunity for China to expand its influence in Asia.”
Since winning the election, trade isn’t the only area in which Mr. Trump has ratcheted up his war of words with Beijing. In early December, he spoke with Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen and signaled he might abandon the decades-long “One China” policy, which views Taiwan as a “renegade province” of China. He also has joined the international condemnation of China’s island-building in international waters in the South China Sea.
“Neither side wants a trade war, but there is a risk of escalation from these trade disputes,” said Michael Hirson, Asia director for the Eurasia Group. “There also is a risk if President Trump presses China on some of these very sensitive security issues like support for Taiwan and territorial disputes in the South China Sea.”
Should trade tensions escalate, China and the U. S. likely would target specific industries using tools like filing complaints with the International Trade Commission alleging unfair government subsidies. Competitors to U. S. companies, such as Boeing’s European rival Airbus, could benefit as might other national players in the agricultural market, such as Australia and Canada.
“China may retaliate by saying ‘I will not import as many soybeans from the United States,’” said Yukon Huang of the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. “I will no longer allow Apple to operate here and use China as the base of assembly and exports. I will buy Airbus planes rather than Boeing planes. I will no longer buy turbine engines and nuclear power plants from General Electric.”
FedEx handles around 12 million packages a day and operates in more than 220 countries. The company’s founder and CEO, Fred Smith, met with Presi…
U. S. companies were already feeling uncomfortable in China. A recent survey released by the Chinese-American Chamber of Commerce found that 81 percent of respondents felt less welcome in China, and another 55 percent found that foreign companies were treated worse there than local ones.
“Getting anything done in China or exporting to China requires various approvals,” said Hirson, formerly the Treasury Department’s top official in Beijing. “Given there is no real separation between the Communist Party and the regulatory regime, it’s quite easy for the government to put regulatory pressure on American firms.”
Even much closer to home, trade is a flashpoint for Mr. Trump. On Thursday, Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto canceled a planned visit to the White House amid the dustup over President Trump’s plans for a multibillion-dollar wall on the U. S. Southern border (and add a 20 percent import tax on Mexican goods to pay for it) in addition to his intention to renegotiate or scrap the North American Free Trade Agreement.
In a recent interview with CBS Morning News, FedEx ( FDX ) CEO Fred Smith called on Mr. Trump to “rethink” his trade positions. Smith noted that the average American family benefits from trade “to the tune of about $13,000 in lower-price goods than would otherwise be the case.”
European Trade Commissioner Cecilia Malmström described President Trump’s tougher policies on trade and immigration as “doomed to fail.”
For now, though, his “America First” vow is carrying the day.

Sentiment rank: -5.5

Tax deductions for driving your car? You bet

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January 30, 2017

America is a nation of drivers. The U. S. has about 214 million licensed drivers, which is about seven of every 10 of us.
But did you know that if you drive your car during specific activities, you may be eligible to claim a tax deduction for the miles you drive? I’m guessing a lot more people could claim this deduction than do so. Only about 30 percent of all households itemize deductions, and only a subset of these claim the mileage deduction.
If you drove your automobile for business, medical reasons, moving for work or in support of a charitable organization, here are the mileage rates you can claim on your 2016 tax return:
If you want to claim this deduction, you need to first know that the miles you drive to commute to work aren’t included. But any mileage you drive from your home or workplace to another work-related location and back are fair game. If your employer doesn’t reimburse you for the business miles you drive, keep a record of the mileage and purpose of each trip, so you can claim those miles.
For your 2016 tax return, you can claim the deduction on Schedule A Itemized Deductions , under the section for Job Expenses and Miscellaneous Deductions. If you’ve used your own vehicle and are using the standard mileage rate of 54 cents per mile and your employer didn’t reimburse you, report this deduction on Form 2106 EZ instead.
Either way, you can deduct only the amount of all miscellaneous expenses that exceeds 2 percent of your adjusted gross income.
When you drive to receive medical care, the miles driven can be added to the other out-of-pocket costs you pay for care. If you’re age 65 or older in 2016, these costs (including the mileage) must exceed 7.5 percent of your adjusted gross income before any can be deducted. For everyone else (and for everyone in 2017, regardless of age), only medical costs exceeding 10 percent of AGI can be claimed.
To be eligible for this deduction, you must meet the “time and distance criteria”: The miles driven are because you take a new job, your new job is at least 50 miles away from your former home and you start working in the new job the first year you live in your new residence and work for at least 39 weeks.
Again, this mileage deduction is a part of your overall miscellaneous expenses, and you can deduct only the amount that exceeds 2 percent of your adjusted gross income.
If you drove to and from a charity to perform volunteer work or to donate your services, you can claim this deduction, at 14 cents per mile. Or you can deduct the actual cost of gas and oil used. Either way, you can also add parking and tolls, if the charity didn’t repay any of these costs.
This deduction is also claimed on Schedule A but isn’t subject to any AGI limits like the others.

Sentiment rank: 4.4

© Source: http://www.cbsnews.com/news/tax-deductions-for-driving-your-car-you-bet/
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Volkswagen overtakes Toyota as the world's biggest carmaker

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January 30, 2017

Volkswagen has overtaken Toyota to become the world’s best-selling carmaker, the first time the German company has held the position.
Japan’s Toyota, which had topped sales for the past four years, sold 10.175 million vehicles globally in 2016.
That fell short of the 10.31 million sales which VW reported last week.
The milestone comes despite VW’s scandal over emissions tests cheating, which sparked a global backlash and multiple lawsuits.
Volkswagen, which makes the Audi, Porsche and Skoda brands, saw a 3.8% increase in sales buoyed by demand in China.
And it has been making inroads in other markets too. In Sweden for example, the Volkswagen Golf was the most popular new car in 2016 – the first time in more than half a century that a Volvo hadn’t topped the country’s sales.
Toyota’s sales grew by 0.2% – though it appears to have suffered from a slowdown in the US car industry.
General Motors reports its figures next week, but it is expected to lag both the Japanese and the German firms.
GM was the world’s third-largest carmaker in 2015. It held the number one title in 2011 after Toyota’s production was hit by a massive earthquake and tsunami in north-eastern Japan.

Similarity rank: 1.1

Sentiment rank: 3.4

Dekret Trumpa uderzyć może w spółki technologiczne

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January 30, 2017

Dekret Donalda Trumpa zakazuje wjazdu do USA obywatelom Iraku, Syrii, Iranu, Sudanu, Libii, Somalii i Jemenu. Wszedł on w życie od razu i obowiązuje od piątku, 27 stycznia. Decyzja jest kontrowersyjna i odbiła się szerokim echem nie tylko wśród polityków – ostro skomentowali ją także szefowie największych firm technologicznych świata.
Sundar Pitchai, szef Google’a, w Bloombergu wyrażał swoje głębokie zaniepokojenie zakazem wjazdu do USA dla mieszkańców krajów muzułmańskich. A rzeczniczka Google’a dodała: “Obawiamy się wpływu tego dekretu i innych propozycji, które mogą nałożyć ograniczenia na googlersów i ich rodziny. Obawiamy się, że doprowadzi on do powstania barier utrudniających wjazd wielkich talentów do USA”. Według różnych szacunków, dekret Trumpa może dotknąć od 100 do 200 pracowników Google’a.
We wpisie Marka Zuckerberga na Facebooku czytamy: “Stany Zjednoczone są narodem imigrantów, powinniśmy być z tego dumni. Jak wielu z was, mam obawy dotyczące wpływu ostatniego dekretu podpisanego przez prezydenta Trumpa. Powinniśmy dbać o bezpieczeństwo tego kraju, ale powinniśmy to robić przez zwracanie uwagi na osoby, które faktycznie stanowią dla niego zagrożenie”.
Elon Musk, szef Tesli i SpaceX, na Twitterze napisał: “Wiele osób dotkniętych tym rozporządzeniem to zwolennicy USA. Nie zrobili nic złego, nie zasługują na odrzucenie”.
Wyliczankę można jeszcze ciągnąć i rozszerzać o szefów Microsoftu, Netfliksa i innych. Ich słowa wyrażają poparcie dla osób dotkniętych dekretem antyimigracyjnym i obawę o przyszłość. I nic dziwnego. Dekret Trumpa będzie problemem i dla wielkich firm technologicznych, i dla ich pracowników – przynajmniej przez 90 dni, bo tyle ma trwać zakaz wpuszczania do USA. Międzynarodowe koncerny zbudowały swoją potęgę między innymi na przystępnej polityce imigracyjnej i ściąganiu do siebie talentów ze wszystkich zakątków świata. Kusiły pięknymi biurami, darmowym jedzeniem, udogodnieniami, więc zdolni informatycy z Polski, Chin, Rosji, ale także Jemenu czy Syrii przenosili się do USA. Ale znamienne jest zdanie, które usłyszałam od kilku niezwiązanych ze sobą programistów z Doliny Krzemowej:
– Najinteligentniejsi ludzie na świecie chcą pracować w Google’u. A to dlatego, że najinteligentniejsi ludzie z Doliny Krzemowej wolą pracować gdzieś indziej.

Similarity rank: 8.9

Sentiment rank: 0

© Source: http://tech.wp.pl/dekret-trumpa-uderzyc-moze-w-spolki-technologiczne-6085751728473217a
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難民１万人、世界で雇用へ＝トランプ氏を批判－米スタバ：時事ドットコム

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January 30, 2017

【シリコンバレー時事】米コーヒーチェーン大手スターバックスのハワード・シュルツ会長兼最高経営責任者（ＣＥＯ）は２９日、トランプ米大統領がシリア難民の受け入れ停止などを命じたことを批判した上で、世界７５カ国の店舗で今後５年間に１万人の難民を雇用すると発表した。
【特集】宮家邦彦氏が語る「トランプとダークサイド」
シュルツ会長は「アメリカンドリームへの期待が揺らいでいる」と危機感を表明。今回の大統領令の影響を受ける従業員らへの支援にも、全力を挙げる考えを示した。また、米配車アプリ大手ウーバーは大統領令の影響を受けるドライバーを支援するため、３００万ドル（約３億４４００万円）の資金支援を表明。法的手続きに必要な費用を補助する。アップルやグーグルなども従業員への支援を表明しており、こうした動きが広がりそうだ。一方、メキシコでは、国境沿いの壁建設を命じたトランプ氏に抗議し、スタバやマクドナルドなど米系店舗での不買を呼び掛ける動きが出ている。（2017/01/30-10:44）

Similarity rank: 7

Sentiment rank: -0.5

© Source: http://www.jiji.com/jc/article?k=2017013000159&g=int&m=rss
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Post-mortem exams ordered on six teenagers found dead in German house

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January 30, 2017

German prosecutors have ordered post-mortem examinations to be conducted on the bodies of six teenagers who were found dead at a garden house in Bavaria.
The owner of the garden in Arnstein, some 47 miles east of Frankfurt, found the bodies of his son, daughter and four other young men on Sunday morning. All were aged 18 or 19.
He went to the house after failing to reach his children, who had held a party at the house on Saturday night.
Prosecutors and police said in a statement on Monday that there is still no solid information on what happened but there are no indications at this point of a violent crime.
In addition to the post-mortem examinations, investigators ordered blood tests to determine whether any “extraneous substances” were present.

Similarity rank: 2.1

Sentiment rank: -1.1

© Source: http://www.independent.ie/world-news/europe/postmortem-exams-ordered-on-six-teenagers-found-dead-in-german-house-35408784.html
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Ratusz odpowiada na zatrzymania ws. reprywatyzacji

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January 30, 2017

Zdaniem warszawskiego ratusza „wbrew opublikowanej przez CBA informacji zatrzymania nie dotyczą jakiejkolwiek osoby zatrudnionej w Urzędzie m.st. Warszawy”. Z oświadczenia wynika, iż Jakub R. nie jest pracownikiem ratusza od ponad czterech lat. Urzędnik miał zostać zatrudniony w urzędzie miasta w 2006 roku, a więc za czasów rządów PiS w Warszawie. W dalszej części oświadczenia możemy przeczytać, że „już w 2014 roku w związku z wątpliwościami dotyczącymi przejęcia jednej z nieruchomości przez rodzinę Jakuba R., urząd miasta złożył zawiadomienie do prokuratury, jednak sprawa została umorzona”. Stołeczny ratusz podkreślił, że „na bieżąco współpracuje z organami ścigania w kwestiach związanych z prowadzonymi postępowaniami, a ponadto przekazuje wszelkie informacje, o które występują prokuratura i CBA”.
„Jesteśmy zdeterminowani, żeby wyjaśnić wszelkie wątpliwości związane z reprywatyzacją stołecznych nieruchomości. W związku z tym we wrześniu 2016 r. rozwiązane zostało Biuro Gospodarki Nieruchomościami, a w ratuszu prowadzony jest audyt wewnętrzny, którego wyniki zostaną opublikowane w najbliższych miesiącach” – podkreślili przedstawiciele urzędu miasta. Ratusz zwrócił również uwagę na fakt, iż „z inicjatywy Hanny Gronkiewicz-Waltz Sejm poprzedniej kadencji uchwalił tzw. >>małą<< ustawę reprywatyzacyjną, dzięki której ratowane są nieruchomości użyteczności publicznej, takie jak szkoły, przedszkola czy tereny zieleni”. Według urzędu miasta na podstawie tej ustawy wydano już 40 decyzji odmownych w sprawie sprywatyzowania nieruchomości.
W poniedziałek 30 stycznia funkcjonariusze CBA działając na polecenie Prokuratury Regionalnej we Wrocławiu, zatrzymali 5 osób: znanego warszawskiego adwokata Roberta N., byłego zastępcę Dyrektora Biura Gospodarki Nieruchomościami Urzędu m.st. Warszawy Jakuba R., rodziców byłego urzędnika – Wojciecha R. i Alinę D. oraz Marcina L. Zatrzymanym zostaną ogłoszone zarzuty popełnienia szeregu przestępstw związanych z reprywatyzacją nieruchomości. Zostaną oni także przesłuchani w charakterze podejrzanych.
Dzisiejsze zatrzymania zostały dokonane w związku z postępowaniem przygotowawczym dotyczącym reprywatyzacji nieruchomości na terenie Warszawy. Zarządzeniem zastępcy Prokuratora Generalnego Bogdana Święczkowskiego od 17 października 2016 roku w Prokuraturze Regionalnej we Wrocławiu działa specjalny zespół prokuratorów, który prowadzi śledztwo w tej sprawie. Na tym etapie postępowania prokuratura nie udziela więcej informacji. Zostaną one przedstawione niezwłocznie po wykonaniu czynności procesowych z udziałem zatrzymanych.

Similarity rank: 7.4

Sentiment rank: -4

© Source: https://www.wprost.pl/kraj/10040819/Ratusz-odpowiada-na-zatrzymania-w-sprawie-reprywatyzacji-Zadna-z-tych-osob-nie-pracuje-obecnie-w-urzedzie-miasta.html
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Report: China, North Korea reaffirmed relations

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January 30, 2017

Jan. 30 (UPI) — China and North Korea may be trying a new approach to relations after friction has increased following Pyongyang’s repeated threats to test-launch an intercontinental ballistic missile.
According to a source in Beijing, the Chinese embassy in Pyongyang recently invited high-ranking North Korea officials for a meeting that addressed the need to strengthen relations and cooperation, Yonhap TV reported Monday.
North Korean officials in attendance included Kim Yong Dae, vice chairman of the standing committee of the Supreme People’s Assembly, and more than 70 others, according to the South Korean television network.
It was unclear which side initiated the meeting.
Although Chinese diplomats were hosting the reception, the number of North Korea officials who attended the event indicates Pyongyang is showing a willingness to improve relations with Beijing, according to the source.
China has expressed concerns regarding North Korea’s vows to test-fire an intercontinental ballistic missile at “any time and at any place” upon command.
China’s foreign ministry has said Beijing fears a situation that only escalates regional tensions.
“The United Nations Security Council has clear rules for North Korea regarding its use of ICBM technology to test missiles,” spokesman Lu Kang said Jan. 9. “In this complex and sensitive situation, China asks all relevant parties to not engage in acts that will raise tensions. ”
Beijing has also raised concerns regarding North Korean soldiers after one soldier crossed the border and fired shots at a civilian vehicle last September.
The government has become increasingly irritated over the growing cases of North Korean crimes committed in China, and Pyongyang has not issued responses regarding border crime.

Sentiment rank: 8.4

Six killed in 'terrorist' attack on Quebec mosque

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January 30, 2017

Police arrested the two assailants following the shooting Sunday in the Islamic Cultural Center in a busy district of Quebec City, police spokeswoman Christine Coulombe said.
She gave no indication of the identities or nationalities of the two suspects.
One witness told Radio Canada that “the two men were wearing black cagoules,” and one of them “had a “strong Quebecois accent. “
Coulombe said around 50 people were in the mosque when the shooting began at around 7:30 pm on Sunday (0030 GMT Monday) toward the end of evening prayers.
A few minutes later police descended on the Saint-Foy district — an area packed with offices and shops some 10 kilometers (six miles) west of the city’s historic center.
The mosque has already been the target of hate: a pig’s head was left on the doorstep last June during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan.
Other mosques in Canada have been targeted with racist graffiti in recent months.
The attack comes as Canada has vowed to open its arms wide to Muslims and refugees after US President Donald Trump’s controversial immigration ban Friday sparked travel chaos and outrage around the world.
Trudeau said in a statement that “we condemn this terrorist attack on Muslims in a center of worship and refuge. “
“Muslim-Canadians are an important part of our national fabric, and these senseless acts have no place in our communities, city and country.
“It is heart-wrenching to see such senseless violence,” Trudeau said. “Diversity is our strength, and religious tolerance is a value that we, as Canadians, hold dear. “
Quebec Premier Philippe Couillard said in a series of Twitter posts that the government was “mobilized to ensure the security of the people of Quebec. “
“Quebec categorically rejects this barbaric violence,” he wrote. “Solidarity with Quebec people of Muslim faith. “
After condemning what he called an “odious attack” French President Francois Hollande said “it’s the spirit of peace and openness of the people of Quebec that the terrorists wanted to hit. “
Police stationed near the mosque told AFP that they had feared this type of attack “because it’s happening all over the world. “
“For us Muslims, Quebec and Canada had been a safe zone,” said Hamid Nadji, who learned of the shooting from a friend and rushed to the mosque area.
The immigration ministry said Sunday that Canada would offer temporary residence permits to people stranded in the country as a result of Trump’s order.
“Let me assure those who may be stranded in Canada that I will use my authority as minister to provide them with temporary residency if needed as we have done in the past,” Immigration Minister Ahmed Hussen told a news conference.
Trump has suspended the arrival of all refugees to the US for at least 120 days and barred entry for 90 days to people from seven Muslim-majority countries: Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen.
Hussen, who is of Somali origin, did not condemn the US measure but stressed that Canada would continue to pursue an immigration policy based on “compassion” while at the same time protecting the security of its citizens.
“We welcome those fleeing persecution, terror and war,” he said, echoing a welcoming Twitter post by Trudeau on Saturday.
According to the latest Canadian census, from 2011, one out of five people in the country are foreign-born.
Canada has welcomed more than 39,670 Syrian refugees between November 2015 and early January 2017, according to government figures.