Political news

• White House: No Americans will be targeted in terror strikes

  31-01-2017 23:48
  
  WASHINGTON (AP) — The White House said Tuesday that no American citizen "will ever be targeted" in raids against terror suspects, a blanket statement that appeared to signal a break from the Obama administration's strategy for pursuing and targeting suspects in counterterrorism operations overseas.
  
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• Hull sign Villarreal's N'Diaye on loan

  31-01-2017 23:47
  LONDON (Reuters) - Relegation-threatened Hull City have signed Villarreal midfielder Alfred N'Diaye on loan, the Premier League's bottom club said on Tuesday. The Senegal international is no stranger to the Premier League having played for Sunderland in 2013 before moving to Spain and signing for Real Betis. He made nearly 100 appearances for Betis before moving to Villarreal last summer. Hull, who face Manchester United on Wednesday, said the move was subject to international clearance. (Report
  
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• U.N. plans next round of Syria peace talks February 20

  31-01-2017 23:42
  By Ned Parker UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) - The next round of United Nations-based peace talks on Syria have been scheduled for Feb. 20, diplomats told reporters on Tuesday. The talks had been planned to begin in Geneva on Feb. 8 but Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said last week that they had been postponed. The UN envoy for Syria, Staffan de Mistura, said on Tuesday that he had decided to delay the UN-sponsored talks in order to take advantage of last week's negotiations between the
  
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• Trump cancels planned Milwaukee visit on Thursday

  31-01-2017 23:33
  MADISON, Wis. (AP) — President Donald Trump has canceled a previously planned trip to Milwaukee on Thursday.
  
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• Israel says will build 3,000 new homes in West Bank settlements

  31-01-2017 23:33
  Israel announced plans on Tuesday for 3,000 more settlement homes in the occupied West Bank, the third such declaration in eleven days since U.S. President Donald Trump took office. Trump has signalled he could be more accommodating towards such projects than his predecessor Barack Obama. A statement from the Israeli Defence Ministry, which administers lands Israel captured in a 1967 war, said the decision was meant to fulfil demand for housing and "return to life as usual".
  
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• Southampton sign Italy forward Gabbiadini from Napoli

  31-01-2017 23:32
  Italy striker Manolo Gabbiadini has joined Southampton from Serie A side Napoli after signing a four-and-a-half-year deal, the Premier League club said on Tuesday. No fee was given for the transfer but media reports indicated Saints had paid 14 million pounds for the player who has struggled to hold down a first team place in Italy. "At the age of 25, we believe Manolo can play an important part in the remainder of the season, while still having his best years ahead of him," said Les Reed, South
  
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• Ron Hill's incredible running streak ends after 52 years

  31-01-2017 23:30
  By Mitch Phillips LONDON (Reuters) - Former British marathon great Ron Hill has been forced to end his amazing streak of running every day for more than 52 years after the 78-year-old suffered chest pains and decided not to risk it. Hill, the former Commonwealth and European champion who was once the world's top marathon man, felt ill during his daily run on Saturday and so on Sunday had to opt out for the first time after 19,032 consecutive days of running. "I was in such pain and I thought 'no
  
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• The Latest: Chao sworn in as transportation secretary

  31-01-2017 23:28
  
  WASHINGTON (AP) — The Latest on President Donald Trump (all times local):
  
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• Trump, trade adviser signal displeasure with U.S. 'strong dollar' policy

  31-01-2017 23:27
  By Sinead Carew and Jamie McGeever NEW YORK/LONDON (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump and a top economics adviser on Tuesday unleashed a barrage of criticism against Germany, Japan and China, saying the three key U.S. trading partners were engaged in devaluing their currencies to the harm of American companies and consumers. The comments from Trump at the end of a White House meeting with pharmaceutical executives, as well as from trade adviser Peter Navarro in a newspaper interview, were t
  
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• Oil higher as OPEC delivers on output cuts, dollar dives

  31-01-2017 23:24
  By Devika Krishna Kumar NEW YORK (Reuters) - Oil prices rose on Tuesday on a weak U.S. dollar and news that the world's top producers cut production this month more than forecasters had expected. "This is very high, a good number," an OPEC source said of the January compliance estimate. The currency tumbled against rivals on Tuesday and was on course for its worst January in three decades after comments from U.S. President Donald Trump and his trade adviser.
  
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• Obama fights back: Former president's orbit resists Trump

  31-01-2017 23:23
  
  WASHINGTON (AP) — Dismayed by the Trump administration's first days, former President Barack Obama's loyalists, former aides and even his spokesman are speaking out and even actively resisting the new American leader. It's a warning to President Donald Trump that his actions won't go unchallenged by those who occupied the White House before him.
  
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• US misfires in online fight against Islamic State

  31-01-2017 23:19
  
  TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — On any given day at MacDill Air Force Base, web crawlers scour social media for potential recruits to the Islamic State group. Then, in a high-stakes operation to counter the extremists' propaganda, language specialists employ fictitious identities and try to sway the targets from joining IS ranks.
  
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• The Latest: Sept. 11 families speak out against travel ban

  31-01-2017 23:19
  
  WASHINGTON (AP) — The Latest on President Donald Trump, his travel ban on seven Muslim-majority countries and other immigration actions (all times local):
  
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• Trump pledges beefed up cybersecurity but doesn't sign order

  31-01-2017 23:16
  
  President Donald Trump pledged Tuesday to strengthen the government's ability to protect its computer networks, but then canceled plans to sign an executive order on cybersecurity without explanation. ...
  
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• Milivojevic joins Crystal Palace from Olympiakos

  31-01-2017 23:16
  LONDON (Reuters) - Crystal Palace have completed the signing of Serbian international midfielder Luka Milivojevic from Greek side Olympiakos Piraeus for an undisclosed fee, they said on Tuesday. Relegation-threatened Palace said the 25-year-old had signed a three-and-a-half year deal with the Premier League club. "I am delighted to bring Luka to the club. He has experience in UEFA Champions League and International football and will add a new dimension to our midfield," manager Sam Allardyce tol
  
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• Costa misses penalty as Chelsea draw at Liverpool

  31-01-2017 23:14
  Chelsea's David Luiz scored his first goal since returning to the club but a missed Diego Costa penalty denied the Londoners victory at Liverpool as the Premier League leaders were held to a 1-1 draw on Tuesday. Defender Luiz embarrassed Liverpool's Simon Mignolet with a cheeky 24th minute free kick that whistled into the net while the keeper was still organising his defensive wall.
  
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• Arsenal title bid rocked by shock Watford triumph

  31-01-2017 23:08
  Arsenal's title hopes suffered a grievous blow with a shock 2-1 defeat at home to struggling Watford on Tuesday in their first Premier League loss at the Emirates Stadium since the opening weekend of the season. Manager Arsene Wenger, serving the second of a four-match touchline ban after his recent sending off, watched gloomily from the stands as Watford struck twice through a Younes Kaboul deflected free kick and a Troy Deeney tap-in after 13 minutes. ...
  
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• Sigurdsson steers Swansea to victory over Saints

  31-01-2017 23:07
  Gylfi Sigurdsson scored a second-half winner as Swansea savoured a 2-1 home victory over Southampton on Tuesday that kept the Welsh side two points clear of the drop zone. The Iceland international struck in the 70th minute with a left-footed shot to restore the home side's advantage after Shane Long had equalised from close range in the 57th. Centre-back Alfie Mawson had headed Swansea in front in the 38th minute off a Sigurdsson cross following a corner.
  
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• Trump policies cloud potential U.S. World Cup bid

  31-01-2017 23:05
  President Donald Trump's controversial immigration policies could hurt an expected U.S. bid to host the 2026 World Cup although plenty of time remains for concerns to ease before the decision by world soccer's governing body FIFA. The United States hosted the World Cup in 1994 and is viewed as the favourite to host the 2026 tournament since the 2018 and 2022 finals were awarded to Russia and Qatar, respectively. FIFA has said that neither Europe nor Asia will be able to bid for 2026, leaving the
  
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• The Latest: 47 arrested in Senate office building protest

  31-01-2017 23:05
  
  WASHINGTON (AP) — The Latest on developments in Congress (all times local):
  
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• Talk radio, intolerance in focus as Quebec seeks answers after shooting

  31-01-2017 23:04
  By Kevin Dougherty QUEBEC CITY (Reuters) - In the wake of Sunday's fatal attack on a mosque in Quebec City, attention is turning to the role of populist talk radio stations and their possible role in whipping up resentment against Muslims. The day after the massacre at the Centre Culturel Islamique de Québec, one local talk show host in Quebec City told his listeners several times that two hooded men shouting "Allahu Akbar!" had carried out the attack. "Is this Islamophobia or an Islamist
  
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• Senate Democrats delay committee votes on Sessions, Mnuchin, Price

  31-01-2017 23:01
  By Susan Cornwell and David Lawder WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. Senate Democrats on Tuesday postponed votes on several of President Donald Trump's Cabinet nominees, citing their responsibility to do a "thorough vetting," while Republicans accused them of unreasonable delays in considering the picks. Democrats on the Senate Judiciary Committee exploited Senate rules to delay until Wednesday a vote on Senator Jeff Sessions' nomination to be attorney general.
  
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• Tories would surprise even Enoch Powell, says Kenneth Clarke

  31-01-2017 22:54
  
  Veteran Tory MP set to join 90 opposition MPs in voting against Brexit bill – as senior Labour MP Clive Lewis weighs up whether to rebelKenneth Clarke is preparing to line up with around 90 MPs from opposition parties, including Labour rebels, the SNP and Liberal Democrats, to vote against the government’s Brexit bill.The veteran Conservative delivered an impassioned speech to colleagues about his decision, accusing the Conservative party that he has represented for almost five decad
  
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• MPs trade bitter blows over Brexit trigger bill

  31-01-2017 22:53
  Speaker John Bercow revealed that no fewer than 99 MPs had applied to speak in more than 11 hours of debate, which ends at midnight. During his speech, the former Cabinet minister incensed Tory MPs by comparing Brexit to the Mad Hatter's Tea Party in Alice in Wonderland, and said Enoch Powell would regard today's Conservative party as "anti-immigration". The split in the Labour Party was also laid bare as Catherine West - a junior frontbencher who is now facing the sack - defied Jeremy Corbyn an
  
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• Vokes pokes Burnley to home win against Leicester

  31-01-2017 22:50
  Sam Vokes grabbed a late winner as Burnley added to Premier League champions Leicester City's away woes with a 1-0 victory on Tuesday. With the match seemingly heading to a draw, Vokes hooked home from close range off a headed knockdown from Michael Keane to secure Burnley's fifth successive home win. Burnley have taken all but one of their 29 points at Turf Moor this season while Leicester have yet to win away from home in the current campaign and are slipping perilously close to the drop zone.
  
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• Spurs held to goalless draw by strugglers Sunderland

  31-01-2017 22:49
  Reuters - Tottenham Hotspur's title push suffered a setback as they were held to a goalless draw at Premier League relegation strugglers Sunderland on Tuesday. The draw moved Tottenham up to second on 47 points, above north London rivals Arsenal on goal difference, after Arsene Wenger's side suffered a shock 2-1 home defeat to Watford. Victor Wanyama missed a good chance to put Tottenham ahead in the second half when he failed to convert with a header after Son Heung-min had twisted and turned b
  
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• Speaker defends Trump ban as veep addresses GOP concerns

  31-01-2017 22:47
  
  WASHINGTON (AP) — House Speaker Paul Ryan defended President Donald Trump's divisive executive order on refugees and immigration Tuesday, while Vice President Mike Pence promised frustrated Republican senators better communication on major policy issues going forward.
  
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• Trump concerns sink dollar to 2017 lows, weigh stocks

  31-01-2017 22:43
  By Dion Rabouin NEW YORK (Reuters) - The dollar tumbled on Tuesday, headed for its worst start to a year in three decades, while stocks dipped as U.S. President Donald Trump added uncertainty to the market following stringent curbs on travel to the United States from seven Muslim-majority countries. Comments from Trump's top trade adviser, Peter Navarro, that Germany was using a "grossly undervalued" euro to gain advantage over the United States knocked the dollar in early North American trading
  
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• Democrats force delays in votes on 3 Cabinet nominees

  31-01-2017 22:43
  
  WASHINGTON (AP) — Senate Democrats blocked committee votes on three of President Donald Trump's highest-profile Cabinet picks Tuesday as spiraling partisan hostility over the fledgling administration's refugee curbs and other initiatives seemed to seep into Congress' work on nominations.
  
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• U.S. ambassador to U.N. says Iran missile test is unacceptable

  31-01-2017 22:14
  The new U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, Nikki Haley, warned Iran that its testing two days ago of a long-range ballistic missile is unacceptable and an act the United States believes violates its nuclear accord with world powers. "I will tell the people across the world that is something you should be alarmed about," Haley told reporters after the Security Council's consultations on Iran.
  
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• Exclusive - Trump's travel ban polarizes America: Reuters/Ipsos poll

  31-01-2017 22:10
  By Chris Kahn NEW YORK (Reuters) - Americans are sharply divided over President Donald Trump's order to temporarily block U.S. entry for all refugees and citizens of seven Muslim countries, with slightly more approving the measure than disapproving, according to a Reuters/Ipsos opinion poll released on Tuesday. The Jan. 30-31 poll found that 49 percent of American adults said they either "strongly" or "somewhat" agreed with Trump's order, while 41 percent "strongly" or "somewhat" disagreed and a
  
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• About 900 State Department officials sign dissent memo - source

  31-01-2017 22:07
  WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Roughly 900 U.S. State Department officials signed an internal dissent memo critical of President Donald Trump's travel ban for refugees and immigrants from six Muslim-majority countries, a source familiar with the document said on Tuesday. A senior State Department official confirmed that the memorandum in the department's "dissent channel" had been submitted to management. White House spokesman Sean Spicer said on Monday he was aware of the memo but warned career diploma
  
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• Trump to order departments to beef up cyber security

  31-01-2017 22:06
  U.S. President Donald Trump on Tuesday postponed signing an executive order that is expected to require the heads of government agencies to play a more direct role in reviewing and managing risks to networks under their control. Trump, at a White House event with top officials to discuss his order, said his initiative would "hold my Cabinet secretaries and agency heads accountable, totally accountable, for the cyber security of their organizations." "We must defend and protect federal networks,"
  
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• British firms relocating to Ireland, more to follow - Irish minister

  31-01-2017 22:05
  Some British-based financial services firms have already decided to relocate at least part of their operations to Ireland, and others are expected to follow suit in the first half of this year, Ireland's financial services minister said on Tuesday. Speaking at an event hosted by the London Irish Business Society, Eoghan Murphy said the clear signal that Britain will trigger divorce negotiations from the EU at the end of March had been the catalyst for these moves. Earlier this month Irish financ
  
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• Trump set to name conservative judge as U.S. Supreme Court pick

  31-01-2017 22:04
  By Lawrence Hurley WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Donald Trump was set to unveil his pick on Tuesday for a lifetime job on the U.S. Supreme Court, likely choosing a conservative judge to try to shape the court for years to come on issues like abortion and gun and religious rights. Democrats, still fuming over the Republican-led Senate's refusal to act on former President Barack Obama's court nominee last year, girded for a fight. Trump has announced he will reveal his choice to replace conserv
  
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• Acting attorney general is familiar with tough assignments

  31-01-2017 22:04
  
  ALEXANDRIA, Va. (AP) — Federal prosecutor Dana Boente, described by a former attorney general as a "consummate utility player," is being asked to pinch hit again, this time in one of the most influential posts in U.S. government.
  
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• Democrats decry Trump threat to fire inspectors general

  31-01-2017 21:42
  WASHINGTON (AP) — Democrats on the House Oversight Committee asked the White House Tuesday for information about reports that President Donald Trump's transition team threatened to remove a host of inspectors general from their posts.
  
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• Oil up as OPEC cuts output, dollar dives

  31-01-2017 21:32
  By Devika Krishna Kumar NEW YORK (Reuters) - Oil prices rose on Tuesday on a weak U.S. dollar and news that the world's top producers cut production this month more than forecasters had expected. "This is very high, a good number," an OPEC source said of the January compliance estimate. Prices pared gains slightly after Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi said oil prices will not reach "levels desired" by Iraq before the end of 2018 or 2019.
  
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• No 'new London' in EU after Brexit, says Irish central bank head

  31-01-2017 21:31
  The head of the Irish central bank said on Tuesday that there will not be a "new London" in the European Union after Britain votes to leave the bloc. Philip Lane, who is also a member of the European Central Bank's Governing Council, said Europe's future financial centres may be more fragmented geographically, even if they were integrated as part of a single market. Cities around Europe are already vying for the potential new business, including financial centres in Germany, France, the Netherla
  
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• The Latest: Trump delays signing executive order

  31-01-2017 21:30
  The Latest on President Donald Trump (all times local): 3:25 p.m. President Donald Trump has delayed signing an executive order aimed at strengthening cybersecurity. Trump had been expected to sign the ...
  
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• Discovery reaches deal with Sky, ending blackout threat

  31-01-2017 21:29
  (Reuters) - Discovery Communication Inc's UK unit said on Tuesday it had reached a multi-year deal with Sky Plc to ensure its channels will still be broadcast on Sky's Platform. Discovery Networks UK had said last week that a price dispute was blocking a deal with Sky, raising the possibility of a blackout of Discovery's programming. "We have been in a business relationship with Sky for 20 years and we are glad that will continue," Discovery Networks UK said in a deal.
  
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• Olympians urge speedy resolution to Trump travel ban

  31-01-2017 21:24
  (Reuters) - The World Olympians Association (WOA) expressed concern on Tuesday about the potential impact U.S. President Donald Trump's travel ban on visitors from some Muslim-majority nations could have on athletes and urged a quick resolution. The WOA, which serves as the member organization for the more than 120,000 Olympians worldwide, wants to ensure the right of athletes to compete is protected in the wake of Trump's controversial immigration order. "Like many across the world, the WO
  
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• Chinese billionaire whereabouts a mystery but denies abduction - media

  31-01-2017 21:23
  A missing China-born billionaire was quoted by state media on Tuesday as saying he had not been abducted from Hong Kong by mainland Chinese agents as some news outlets had reported but was receiving medical treatment. Mystery surrounds the whereabouts of Xiao Jianhua, who was last seen in Hong Kong on Friday when some overseas Chinese news outlets reported he was taken by Chinese agents from the luxury Four Seasons hotel. Chinese news portal Cankao Xiaoxi, published by the official Xinhua news a
  
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• Ighalo leaves Watford for China's Changchun Yatai

  31-01-2017 21:22
  Nigeria striker Odion Ighalo has joined Chinese Super League side Changchun Yatai from Watford on a permanent deal, the Premier League club said on Tuesday. No financial details were given but British media put a 20 million pound (20.04 million pounds) figure on the transfer.
  
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• U.S. says deeply concerned by spike in violence in eastern Ukraine

  31-01-2017 21:15
  WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United States is "deeply concerned" with the spike in violence in eastern Ukraine, which has caused dozens of Ukrainian military and civilian casualties, the State Department said on Tuesday. "To avert a larger humanitarian crisis, we call for an immediate, sustained ceasefire and full and unfettered access for" monitoring, acting spokesman Mark Toner said in a statement. ...
  
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• Trump's orders on immigration face new legal challenges in U.S.

  31-01-2017 21:04
  By Scott Malone and Dan Levine BOSTON/SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Legal challenges to President Donald Trump's first moves to restrict the flow of people into the United States spread on Tuesday as Massachusetts and San Francisco sued to challenge two of his early executive orders. Massachusetts on Tuesday joined the legal battle against Trump's order banning travel into the United States by citizens of seven Muslim-majority countries, a move the White House described as necessary to improve natio
  
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• 3 states: Democratic attorneys general challenge Trump

  31-01-2017 21:02
  
  SEATTLE (AP) — Washington, Massachusetts and New York are becoming the first states to sue the Trump administration with filings announced this week over the executive order restricting refugees and immigration. They likely won't be standing alone for long.
  
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• Exclusive - ECB is happy with UniCredit's turnaround plan: source

  31-01-2017 21:00
  By Silvia Aloisi and Paola Arosio MILAN (Reuters) - UniCredit , Italy's biggest bank, has assured investors the European Central Bank is happy with its turnaround plan and will not require it to book more writedowns on its bad loans than already envisaged, a source said on Tuesday. UniCredit shares fell on Monday when it revealed the ECB had asked it to present a plan to cut bad loans by Feb. 28, raising concerns the regulator could demand extra measures. UniCredit plans to raise 13 billion euro
  
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• South American bloc chief calls Trump orders a 'strategic threat'

  31-01-2017 20:57
  By Cristina Munoz QUITO (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump's migration policy and trade protectionism are threats to South America and the region must take a stand against them instead of appeasing him, the head of Unasur regional bloc said on Tuesday. Latin America has warily watched as Trump insisted he would force Mexico to pay for a wall between the United States and Mexico to curb illegal immigration and drug trafficking.
  
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• Canada shooting suspect rented apartment close to mosque - neighbours

  31-01-2017 20:54
  By Kevin Dougherty and Allison Lampert QUEBEC CITY (Reuters) - The French-Canadian student accused of killing six people during evening prayers in a Quebec City mosque had rented an apartment nearby, neighbours said on Tuesday, a sign he may have been targeting the house of worship. Alexandre Bissonnette, 27, was charged in court on Monday with six counts of premeditated murder and five counts of attempted murder with a restricted weapon after Sunday evening's massacre at the Centre Culturel Isl
  
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