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President Trump’s executive order ‘first step’ in eliminating Tren de Aragua, says expert

In one of the first moves of his administration, President Donald Trump signed an executive order taking drastic steps to crack down on the violent Venezuelan migrant gang “Tren de Aragua,” which has been terrorizing American cities in recent months.

Also known as “TdA,” Tren de Aragua is a Venezuelan criminal group present in over a dozen U.S. cities. The group has ties to the socialist Venezuelan dictator Nicolás Maduro and according to experts, is being used as a tool of asymmetric warfare to sow chaos and discord in the U.S.

Jose Gustavo Arocha, a former high-ranking Venezuelan military official and senior fellow at the U.S.-based Center for a Secure Free Society, told Fox News Digital that Trump’s order was an “extraordinary move” that is the “first good step in the route to neutralize TdA.”

The order – which is titled “Designating Cartels And Other Organizations As Foreign Terrorist Organizations And Specially Designated Global Terrorists” – instructs newly confirmed Secretary of State Marco Rubio to move to designate Tren de Aragua, as well as Mexican gang MS-13 and other migrant gangs as “foreign terrorist organizations.”

WHO IS TREN DE ARAGUA? VICIOUS VENEZUELAN GANG ‘FOLLOWING IN THE PATH OF MS-13’ IN AMERICA

On his first day in office, January 20th, 2025, President Donald Trump signed an executive order instructing the State Department and other executive departments to take steps to label “Tren de Aragua” and other migrant gangs “foreign terrorist organizations.” (Reuters/Getty)

A foreign terrorist designation expands the government’s ability to crack down on criminal groups operating in the U.S., allowing all government agencies, including the Department of the Treasury, to target that group from every angle.

The order states that these groups “present an unusual and extraordinary threat to the national security, foreign policy, and economy of the United States,” and invokes the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEP) to declare a national emergency to “deal with those threats.”

“It is the policy of the United States to ensure the total elimination of these organizations’ presence in the United States and their ability to threaten the territory, safety, and security of the United States through their extraterritorial command-and-control structures, thereby protecting the American people and the territorial integrity of the United States,” reads the order.

The order gives Rubio 14 days to make policy recommendations – in consultation with the secretaries of the Treasury and Homeland Security as well as the U.S. attorney general and director of National Intelligence – to make a recommendation regarding the designation of TdA, MS-13 and any other group as a foreign terrorist organization.

TEXAS GOV. ABBOTT DESIGNATES VENEZUELAN GANG, TREN DE ARAGUA, AS A FOREIGN TERRORIST ORGANIZATION

Marco Rubio speaks after he is sworn in as Secretary of State by U.S. Vice President JD Vance at the Eisenhower Executive Office Building in Washington, U.S., January 21, 2025. (REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque)

According to Arocha, this move could spell the beginning of the end for TdA’s reign of terror in the United States.

“This executive order that Trump signed is perfect to neutralize unconventional tools that were made by the Venezuela regime,” he said. “The TdA is an asymmetrical and unconventional tool to harm the United States, [and] not only the United States, all the region … [so] you have to use unconventional tools, too.”

Joseph Humire, executive director of the Center for a Secure Free Society who in 2024 authored a report on how to dismantle TdA, explained to Fox News Digital that designating these groups as foreign terrorist organizations places them “at the highest level” of U.S. national security interest, meaning their funding and any organizations enabling them can be targeted as well.

“Trump just put all of them on notice,” said Humire. “This said: ‘We know you’re here; we know you’re up to no good and we’re going to come after you.’”

TREN DE ARAGUA BELIEVED TO BE BEHIND MURDER OF IMMIGRATION OFFICIAL NEAR BORDER

Tren de Aragua (TdA) members arrested in Texas (Tren de Aragua (TdA) members arrested in Texas)

“Now critics may say, well, he’s going to create a war on terror or drugs, and it’s really a reaction of fear. They say: ‘Oh, you know, these guys are so dangerous.’ And what you know about criminality, whether it’s terrorism or any kind of criminality, is that they only respond to strength. They prey on fear. If they think you’re scared to attack you more,” he said. “So, by showing this strength, it’s the first action of deterrence.”

In addition to sending a message of strength, Humire said the executive order signals that there will be “meaningful action taking place really, really soon to start to arrest and dismantle” TdA’s presence in the U.S.

Andrew Arthur, a law and policy expert at the Center for Immigration Studies, told Fox News Digital that one of the most important aspects of designating TdA a foreign terrorist organization is enabling the U.S. government to target TdA’s funding, which he said can essentially “bleed them dry.”

CLICK HERE FOR MORE IMMIGRATION COVERAGE

Map of Tren de Aragua presence in the United States as of December 2024. (Fox News Digital)

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“Money is the lifeblood of these organizations,” he said. “It’s really the funding element of all this that is crucial to going after a terrorist organization, because if you cut them off from the money, they’re not going to be able to pay people. They’re not going to be able to pay bribes to corrupt officials, they are not going to be able to pay their foot soldiers, are not going to be able to buy the big guns and the things that they used to operate.“

“It’s not just the guy with the AK-47 or the guy with the IED that’s a terrorist. It’s all those people that helped to make that possible,” he went on. “So, when you designate them as terrorist organizations, in addition to going after the keepers or the kingpins of these organizations and the various foot soldiers that they employ, you can also go after the individuals who provide material support.”

Peter Pinedo is a politics writer for Fox News Digital.

January 24, 2025
Trump’s latest hires and fires rankle Iran hawks as new president suggests nuclear deal

If President Donald Trump’s personnel moves are any tell, he may come out of the gate toward Iran with a tone that is more diplomatic than combative.

And Trump on Thursday evening suggested he was open to a nuclear deal with Iran.

Asked if he would support Israel striking Iran’s nuclear facilities, Trump told reporters, “We’ll have to see. I’m going to be meeting with various people over the next couple of days. We’ll see, but hopefully that could be worked out without having to worry about it.”

“Iran hopefully will make a deal. I mean, they don’t make a deal, I guess that’s OK, too.”

Iran, at least, is hoping for just that. The Tehran Times, a regime-linked English language newspaper, questioned in a recent article whether the firing of Brian Hook, the architect of the “maximum pressure” policy on Iran during Trump’s first term, could “signal a change in [Trump’s] Iran policy.”

In November, news outlets reported that Hook was running the transition at the State Department. But Hook was relieved from the transition team shortly after in December, sources familiar with the move confirmed to Fox News Digital.

UN URGES DIPLOMACY AS IRAN HITS NUCLEAR ‘GAS PEDAL,’ CONSERVATIVE COMMENTATOR TELLS TRUMP ‘DO NOT APPEASE’

This week, Trump knocked Hook back a step further by posting on social media that he’d be removed from his position at a U.S. government-owned think tank.

Trump revoked the security clearance of his former national security advisor, John Bolton, left, and former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo. (AP Photo/John Locher | Pablo Martinez Monsivais)

“Brian Hook from the Wilson Center for Scholars… YOU’RE FIRED!” Trump wrote on Truth Social.

And after taking office, Trump removed the government-sponsored security details of former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, a source familiar confirmed to Fox News Digital.

Former National Security Advisor John Bolton told CNN his detail was also pulled, as was Hook’s.

“You can’t have [protection] for the rest of your life. Do you want to have a large deal of people guarding people for the rest of their lives? I mean, there’s risks to everything,” Trump said.

Trump recently put his Middle East envoy, Steven Witkoff, in charge of addressing U.S. concerns about Iran, according to a Financial Times report.

Witkoff most recently helped seal negotiations on a ceasefire deal between Hamas and Israel, suggesting he may test Iran’s willingness to engage at the negotiating table on nuclear issues before ramping up pressure, sources told the Financial Times.

Experts warn that Iran is enriching hundreds of pounds of uranium to the 60% purity threshold, shy of the 90% purity levels needed to develop a nuclear bomb.

At the same time, the president hired Michael Dimino as deputy assistant secretary of defense for the Middle East, a foreign policy expert who has said the Middle East doesn’t “really matter” to U.S. interests any longer.

IRAN’S WEAKENED POSITION COULD LEAD IT TO PURSUE NUCLEAR WEAPON, BIDEN NATIONAL SECURITY ADVISER WARNS

Dimino is cut from the same cloth as undersecretary of defense for policy Elbridge Colby, who has argued for the U.S. to focus military resources on countering China and devote fewer resources to other regions.

Dimino, a former expert at the Koch-funded restraint advocacy think tank Defense Priorities, has strongly advocated for pulling U.S. resources out of the Middle East.

Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei is hoping to make a deal with the U.S. (Office of the Iranian Supreme Leader via AP/File)

“The core question is: Does the Middle East still matter?” Dimino said during a panel last February. “The answer is: not really, not really for U.S. interests. What I would say is that vital or existential U.S. interests in the Middle East are best characterized as minimal to non-existent.”

“We are really there to counter Iran and that is really at the behest of the Israelis and Saudis,” he added.

“Iranian power remains both exaggerated and misunderstood. Its economy continues to underperform, and its conventional military is antiquated and untested. Tehran simply doesn’t have the financial capital or hard power capabilities to dominate the Middle East or directly threaten core U.S. interests,” he wrote in a 2023 article.

Dimino has also argued the U.S. does not need to focus resources on an offensive campaign against the Houthis amid attacks on shipping lanes in the Red Sea.

“Put simply, there are no existential or vital U.S. national interests at stake in Yemen and very little is at stake for the U.S. economically in the Red Sea.”

Instead, he argued in a 2023 op-ed that working to increase aid into Gaza would rid the Houthis of their stated reason for their attacks in the Red Sea, which they’ve said are a means of fighting on behalf of Gaza.

“Working to increase aid shipments to Gaza would not just help to alleviate the humanitarian crisis there but would deprive the Houthis of their claimed justification for attacks in the Red Sea and provide the group with an off-ramp for de-escalation that would also serve to prevent indefinite U.S. participation in a broader regional war.”

Others in Trump’s foreign policy orbit historically have struck a more hawkish tone toward Iran, including Secretary of State Marco Rubio, National Security Advisor Mike Waltz and Israel Ambassador Mike Huckabee.

Iran never forgave Trump, Pompeo, Bolton and Hook for the killing of Qassem Soleimani and other “max pressure” moves. (Press Office of Iranian Supreme Leader/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images/File)

Rubio has already said he will work to bring back the snapback sanctions that were suspended in the 2015 Iran deal, as indicated by written responses he provided to Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas.

“A policy of maximum pressure must be reinstated, and it must be reinstated with the help of the rest of the globe, and that includes standing with the Iranian people and their aspirations for democracy,” Gen. Keith Kellogg, Trump’s envoy to Russia and Ukraine, recently said.

The Dimino hiring – along with other recent personnel moves – has caused rumblings from prominent Iran hawks.

Mark Levin, a radio host who has the ear of Trump, has posted on X multiple times in opposition to Dimino: “How’d this creep get a top DoD position?” he asked in one post.

“While Dimino and Witkoff are very different issues, Witkoff is Trump’s best friend, [it] seems difficult to detangle, very concerning,” said one Iran expert. “Dimino is a mystery and does not align with Hegseth or Trump values on Iran or Israel.”

“There is an ongoing coordinated effort by Iran’s regime and its lobby network in the West to cause divisions in President Trump’s administration over policy towards Tehran,” Kasra Aarabi, director of research on Iran’s Revolutionary Guard at the group United Against a Nuclear Iran, told Fox News Digital.

“Having spent the past four years trying – and failing – to assassinate President Trump, the ayatollah has now instructed his propagandists to cause fissures between President Trump and his advisors so as to weaken the new administration’s policy towards [the] Islamist regime.”

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Aarabi warned, “In the past 48 hours, Ayatollah Khamenei-run entities in Iran’s regime – such as the “Islamic Propaganda Organization” – have been celebrating certain appointments across the broader administration in the same way as they praised some of former president Biden’s appointments.”

January 24, 2025
Uttar Pradesh Foundation Day 2025 Wishes: President Droupadi Murmu, CM Yogi Adityanath and Other Leaders Extend Uttar Pradesh Diwas Greetings to UP Residents

On the occasion of Uttar Pradesh Foundation Day 2025, President Droupadi Murmu extended her heartfelt greetings to the people of the state, highlighting Uttar Pradesh’s significant role in the country’s growth. In her message, shared on X on January 24, she expressed confidence in the state’s continued progress in various sectors, wishing prosperity and happiness to its residents. Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath also sent his congratulations, marking the 76th Foundation Day with a tribute to the state’s rich cultural and historical heritage. He emphasised the state’s ongoing development under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, calling for collective efforts to make Uttar Pradesh a self-reliant, developed state. Along with the state’s leaders, Deputy CM Keshav Prasad Maurya, Madhya Pradesh CM Dr Mohan Yadav, and BJP Leader Dr Sanjeev Balyan also conveyed their wishes to the people, underscoring the importance of unity in achieving further progress. Uttar Pradesh Foundation Day 2025 Images and Uttar Pradesh Diwas HD Wallpapers for Free Download Online: Wish Happy Uttar Pradesh Day With WhatsApp Status Messages and Greetings.

President Droupadi Murmu Extends Uttar Pradesh Foundation Day Greetings

उत्तर प्रदेश दिवस पर राज्य के सभी निवासियों को मेरी हार्दिक शुभकामनाएं। देश के आर्थिक, सामाजिक, राजनीतिक और आध्यात्मिक विकास में यह राज्य महत्वपूर्ण भूमिका निभा रहा है। मुझे विश्वास है कि यह प्रदेश समग्र विकास के पथ पर अग्रसर रहेगा। मैं उत्तर प्रदेश के मेहनती और प्रतिभाशाली…

— President of India (@rashtrapatibhvn) January 24, 2025

CM Yogi Adityanath Celebrates 76th Uttar Pradesh Foundation Day

‘रघुकुलनंदन’ प्रभु श्री राम एवं योगेश्वर श्रीकृष्ण की पावन जन्मस्थली, बाबा श्री विश्वनाथ के आशीर्वाद से अभिसिंचित, सृजन, संस्कृति, संस्कार व शौर्य की गौरवशाली धरा उत्तर प्रदेश के 76वें स्थापना दिवस की प्रदेश वासियों को हार्दिक बधाई!

आदरणीय प्रधानमंत्री श्री @narendramodi जी के… pic.twitter.com/qeZStQ0vDf

— Yogi Adityanath (@myogiadityanath) January 24, 2025

Deputy CM Keshav Prasad Maurya Sends UP Foundation Day Wishes

“उन्नति के रथ पर, बदलाव के पथ पर उत्‍तर प्रदेश”

मर्यादा पुरूषोत्तम श्री राम व लीलाधर श्री कृष्ण की जन्मभूमि, महाकुम्भ की धरती तथा विविधता में एकता को समेटे लोक कला, संस्कृति, धर्म, संस्कार एवं अपने ऐतिहासिक शौर्य गाथा से परिपूर्ण वीर धरा हमारे उत्तर प्रदेश के स्थापना दिवस की… pic.twitter.com/Q83MNngIF6

— Keshav Prasad Maurya (@kpmaurya1) January 24, 2025

Madhya Pradesh CM Dr Mohan Yadav Wishes UP on Foundation Day

प्रभु श्रीराम जी व श्रीकृष्ण जी की जन्मभूमि की पावन धरा, सांस्कृतिक विरासत और गौरवशाली इतिहास से समृद्ध उत्तर प्रदेश के स्थापना दिवस की हार्दिक बधाई एवं शुभकामनाएं।

ईश्वर से प्रार्थना है कि मुख्यमंत्री श्री @myogiadityanath जी के नेतृत्व में प्रदेश को अद्वितीय प्रगति और नागरिकों… pic.twitter.com/TmPZe2Hhcr

— Dr Mohan Yadav (@DrMohanYadav51) January 24, 2025

BJP Leader Dr Sanjeev Balyan Congratulates Uttar Pradesh on Foundation Day

गौरवमयी इतिहास, शौर्य कला और संस्कृतियों की विहंगम भूमि उत्तर प्रदेश स्थापना दिवस की हार्दिक शुभकामनाएँ #UttarPradesh pic.twitter.com/hnAym4bH3J

— Dr. Sanjeev Balyan (@drsanjeevbalyan) January 24, 2025

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January 24, 2025
President Trump signs crypto executive order

Professional Capital Management founder and CEO Anthony Pompliano on the Trump administration launching a crypto taskforce and the formation of the Stargate AI project.

President Donald Trump signed an executive order on Thursday that seeks to clarify regulations in the crypto industry to “secure America’s position as the world’s leader in the digital asset economy,” FOX Business has learned.

Trump’s order establishes the Presidential Working Group on Digital Asset Markets, which will develop a federal regulatory framework for digital assets, including stablecoins, and evaluate the creation of a strategic national digital assets stockpile. It will be chaired by the White House AI and crypto czar and include the treasury secretary, the chairman of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), as well as other relevant department and agency heads.

Additionally, the executive order prohibits agencies from establishing, issuing or promoting central bank digital currencies, and directs other federal agencies and departments to provide the group with recommendations about digital asset regulations that should be rescinded or modified. It also revokes the Biden administration’s digital assets executive order framework for international engagement on the industry.

“President Trump will help make the United States the center of digital financial technology by halting aggressive enforcement actions and regulatory overreach that have stifled crypto innovation under previous administrations,” the White House announcement said.

SEC LAUNCHES CRYPTO TASK FORCE TO CREATE REGULATORY CLARITY

President Donald Trump campaigned on boosting the U.S. crypto industry. (Jabin Botsford /The Washington Post via Getty Images / Getty Images)

The executive order comes after Trump touted a crypto-friendly approach to regulating the growing industry during his presidential campaign. He pledged at a crypto conference he attended last summer to make the U.S. the “crypto capital of the planet” and the “bitcoin superpower of the world” if elected.

Former President Joe Biden’s administration, through then-SEC Chair Gary Gensler, carried out a regulatory crackdown on the digital assets industry in an effort to root out bad actors.

Gensler resigned from the SEC on Inauguration Day and Trump appointed SEC Commissioner Mark Uyeda, a Republican appointee, as the agency’s acting chair while his nominee to serve as the new permanent chair, Paul Atkins, awaits Senate confirmation.

PRESIDENT TRUMP APPOINTS MARK UYEDA ACTING SEC CHAIR

Uyeda’s first official action was to create a new crypto task force led by GOP Commissioner Hester Peirce, often referred to as “Crypto Mom.”

The task force will foster a dialogue with industry players to promote a friendlier regulatory environment by focusing on drawing clear regulatory lines, providing realistic paths to registration, crafting sensible disclosure frameworks and deploying enforcement resources.

It will also coordinate those activities with other federal agencies, including the Commodity Futures Trading Commission, which is poised to take on a larger role in crypto regulation.

Bitcoin prices were up slightly on Thursday in advance of the news, rising by 0.35% to $104,043. In the last month, bitcoin prices have been up over 8.6%.

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FOX Business’ Edward Lawrence and Eleanor Terrett contributed to this report.

January 23, 2025
Trump’s ‘shock and awe’: Forget first 100 days, new president shows off frenetic pace in first 100 hours

Buckle up.

President Donald Trump is back in the White House and moving at warp speed.

In his inauguration address, the new president vowed that things across the country would “change starting today, and it will change very quickly.”

And moments later, White House deputy chief of staff Taylor Budowich took to social media to tease, “Now, comes SHOCK AND AWE.”

They weren’t kidding.

TRUMP UNPLUGGED: WHAT THE NEW PRESIDENT IS DOING THAT BIDEN RARELY DID

President Donald Trump holds a document as he issues executive orders and pardons for January 6 defendants, in the Oval Office at the White House, on January 20, 2025. (REUTERS/Carlos Barria)

Trump signed an avalanche of executive orders and actions in his first eight hours in office, which not only fulfilled major campaign trail promises, but also allowed the returning president to flex his executive muscles as well as settle some longstanding grievances.

The president immediately cracked down on immigration, moved towards a trade war with top allies and adversaries, reversed many policies implemented by former President Biden, including scrapping much of the previous administration’s federal diversity actions and energy and climate provisions.

HEAD HERE FOR FOX NEWS UPDATES ON PRESIDENT TRUMP’S FIRST 100 DAYS IN THE WHITE HOUSE

He also sparked a major controversy by pardoning or commuting the sentences of roughly 1,500 supporters who took part in the Jan. 6, 2021 attack on the U.S. Capitol in an unsuccessful attempt to upend congressional certification of Biden’s 2020 election victory. Among those whose sentences were commuted included some who violently assaulted police officers on one of America’s darkest days.

Trump also fired some top government officials, made a high-profile half-trillion dollar tech investment announcement, held unscripted and wide-ranging, informal, and impromptu news conferences during his first two days back at the White House, and even renamed the Gulf of Mexico the Gulf of America.

President Donald Trump speaks in the Roosevelt Room of the White House, Tuesday, Jan. 21, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson) (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)

“I think it’s brilliant how they’ve been handling it, to immediately meet the moment with action. It’s exactly what he needs to do and its exactly what the people voted for,” veteran Republican strategist Kristin Davison told Fox News.

“Americans vote for decisive, fast action, and true leadership. And Trump understands that more than anyone. I think he and his team knew how important it was out the gate to show that they heard what the people wanted and are answering with leadership,” Davison argued.

WATCH: TRUMP SITS DOWN IN OVAL OFFICE WITH FOX NEWS’ HANNITY

Longtime Republican consultant Alex Castellanos agreed

“He’s flooding the zone. He’s making a case for action. He’s demonstrating action. He is rallying a wave of American support for a massive transformation of government,” Castellanos, a veteran of numerous GOP presidential campaigns, told Fox News.

Seasoned Democratic strategist Joe Caiazzo didn’t dispute Trump’s frenetic actions.

“The pace of this shouldn’t be surprising to anyone. Trump made it abundantly clear he was going to act quickly, he was going to act boldly, and he was going to do exactly what he told voters he would do,” Caiazzo said.

But he argued that “the things he is doing is going to directly negatively impact working families from coast to coast. It’s also a signal he has no respect for the rule of law.”

TRUMP’S AVALANCHE OF EXECUTIVE ORDERS

Asked if Trump’s actions were what Americans voted for this past autumn, Caiazzo replied “of course not. What Americans voted for was cheaper groceries. What Donald Trump is going to give us is a litany of policies that work to deteriorate our institutions, that work to enrich the wealthy and solidify his standing among the oligarchy in this country.”

There’s another reason for Trump’s fast pace – even though he’s the new president, he’s also a term-limited and lame-duck president. And by Labor Day, much of the political world will start looking ahead to the 2026 midterm elections.

“This is his second term. He’s got to move quickly,” Davison emphasized.

President Donald Trump reviews the troops during his Inauguration ceremony in Emancipation Hall of the U.S. Capitol in Washington, DC, on January 20, 2025. (Greg Nash/POOL/AFP via Getty Images)

Trump’s show of force in the opening days of his second administration is also in contrast to eight years ago, when he first entered the White House.

The president and his team are much more seasoned the second time around, and the supporting cast is intensely loyal to Trump.

“In the past administration, there would be logjams and bottlenecks because there were people who didn’t agree with him,” a senior White House source told Fox News. “Now we have a whole infrastructure and staff that’s built around him, in support of him. When he says something, it’s getting done. It’s testament to him and the team that he built.”

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

Credit is also being given to White House chief of staff Susie Wiles, who, as co-campaign manager of Trump’s 2024 presidential bid, kept the trains on the tracks.

“What Susie has done is look at the totality of Trump and found the best players and put them in the best positions to support the president. Trump is surrounded by Trump people who’ve all proven themselves over the years not just to be loyal but ultra-competent operators,” added the adviser, who asked for anonymity to speak more freely.

Paul Steinhauser is a politics reporter based in New Hampshire.

January 23, 2025
Tripura, Meghalaya and Manipur Foundation Day 2025: President Droupadi Murmu, PM Modi Greet the People on 53rd Statehood Day

New Delhi, January 21: Prime Minister Narendra Modi greeted the people of Tripura, Meghalaya and Manipur on their 53rd Statehood Day on Tuesday. He remarked that the states are contributing to national progress. Taking to X, he shared, “Best wishes to the people of Tripura on their Statehood Day. The state is making noteworthy contributions to national progress. It is also known for its rich culture and heritage. May Tripura continue to scale new heights of development.” Manipur, Meghalaya and Tripura Foundation Day 2025 Date, History, Significance and Celebrations – Know All About the Formation Day of Indian States.

In another post, he wrote, “On Meghalaya’s Statehood Day, I convey my best wishes to the people of the state. Meghalaya is admired for its natural beauty and the industrious nature of the people. Praying for the continuous development of the state in the times to come.”

In a third post, the Prime Minister expressed, “Greetings to the people of Manipur on their Statehood Day. We are incredibly proud of the role played by the people of Manipur towards India’s development. My best wishes for the progress of Manipur.”

President Droupadi Murmu, too, had conveyed greetings to the three northeastern states on their Statehood Day and wished them a peaceful and prosperous future. Rahul Gandhi Extends Greetings to Tripura, Meghalaya, Manipur on Its 53rd Statehood Day, Says ‘May This Special Day Strengthen Our Unity and Bring Peace, Progress and Prosperity to All’.

“Greetings to the residents of Meghalaya, Tripura and Manipur on Statehood Day! The enterprising people of these states have made remarkable contribution in the development of the country. I convey my best wishes to the residents of these states for a peaceful and prosperous future. May their diverse culture, vibrant traditions and rich biodiversity continue to flourish!” read the post.

Following the enactment of the North-Eastern Areas (Reorganisation) Act, Manipur, Meghalaya and Tripura became individual states in 1972. North-Eastern Areas (Reorganisation) Act, 1971 reorganised the states in the strategic northeastern region of the country. Under this Act, Manipur and Tripura were granted statehood on January 21, 1972; whereas the state of Meghalaya was carved out from Assam due to its distinct terrain from the rest of Assam.

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)

January 23, 2025
Newsom uses LA fires to criticize President Trump’s reversal of Biden-era climate emissions standards

In an apparent swipe at President Donald Trump, Gov. Gavin Newsom suggested the Los Angeles fires were the result of climate change, urging skeptics that, “If you don’t believe in science, believe your own damn eyes.”

He wrote those words in a press release issued on Tuesday in response to Trump’s executive orders around the environment and paired them alongside horrifying images of the fires raging in California, which have so far killed 27 people and destroyed tens of thousands of homes and structures.

Trump, who was sworn in as the 47th president of the United States on Monday, signed several executive orders to reverse parts of former President Joe Biden’s climate agenda, including withdrawing from the Paris Climate Agreement – a legally binding treaty between nearly 195 parties who are committed to international cooperation on climate change.

In response to Trump distancing from the climate pact, which sought to reduce emissions 61-66% by 2035, the California governor suggested that withdrawing from the global emissions agreement contributes to environmental incidents such as the West Coast fires.

TRUMP ELIMINATING LNG PAUSE TO HAVE ‘QUICKEST EFFECT’ ON ENERGY INDUSTRY: RICK PERRY

California Gov. Gavin Newsom and Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass tour the downtown business district of Pacific Palisades as the Palisades Fire continues to burn on Jan. 8, 2025 in Los Angeles. (Eric Thayer)

Several other Democratic lawmakers across the country have also tried to pin the disastrous fires on climate change, despite residents fuming at local officials after some fire hydrants were not producing water in areas impacted by the fires.

“The scale of damage and loss is unimaginable. Climate change is real, not ‘a hoax.’ Donald Trump must treat this like the existential crisis it is,” Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., said in a social media post in January.

PRESIDENT TRUMP FOLLOWS THROUGH ON DAY ONE WITH TRADE, ENERGY, DOGE EXECUTIVE ORDERS

The claims come as California officials continue to receive backlash for funding diversity, equity, and inclusion in the city, while the fire department budget was slashed by $17.6 million this year.

President Donald Trump found a letter from former President Joe Biden while signing executive orders in the Oval Office on Jan. 20, 2025 in Washington, D.C. (Anna Moneymaker)

“When you just look at water not coming out of fire hydrants and then nobody seems to know why. And then the governor says, ‘Well, I’m going to investigate it,’ it’s just kind of a sideshow in a time when we need real definitive, strong leadership,” Assembly Minority Leader James Gallagher told Fox News Digital of Newsom.

Actor Michael Rapaport also blasted Newsom for talking about “Trump-proofing” California ahead of his inauguration instead of focusing on “fire-proofing” the state.

“If you are going to run a city or run a state, you have to take care of the basics, and that’s to make sure that your fire and your police department are well-funded,” filmmaker and former “Family Ties” star Justine Bateman told Fox News’ Jessie Watters.

Fire crews monitor the Palisades Fire in Mandeville Canyon on Saturday, Jan. 11, 2025 in Los Angeles. (Jae C. Hong)

Newsom extended an invitation to Trump to visit the areas in California that were impacted by the fires.

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Trump told attendees at a pre-inauguration rally that he plans to visit southern California later this week, marking his first trip to the state since being sworn-in as president.

Fox News’ Stepheny Price contributed to this report.

Aubrie Spady is a Writer for Fox News Digital.

January 23, 2025
Kai Trump posts viral behind-the-scenes inauguration video: ‘My grandpa became the president again’

Kai Madison Trump, daughter of Donald Trump Jr., garnered nearly 27 million combined views on TikTok and YouTube after posting a vlog of her grandfather’s historic Inauguration Day.

In the 14-minute YouTube video, the 17-year-old is seen getting ready for the day with a hair and makeup team, before heading to a church service.

The family then traveled by car to the U.S. Capitol, where President Donald Trump was inaugurated.

Kai Madison Trump gestures after being acknowledged by his grandfather US President Donald Trump during the inaugural parade inside Capital One Arena, in Washington, DC, on January 20, 2025. (ANGELA WEISS/AFP via Getty Images)

BIDEN LEFT TRUMP ‘INSPIRATIONAL’ MESSAGE IN ‘VERY NICE’ LETTER, NEW PRESIDENT SAYS

Kai snacked on Red Bull and cookies that she picked up inside the Capitol building, while joking with her father ahead of the ceremony.

Although she was not allowed to film the event, she included a number of clips.

The family got ready for the Liberty Inauguration Ball, where Kai stunned in a silver sequined Sherri Hill gown.

“My favorite part of this dress is the corset part because it just makes it look really flattering,” she said while spinning for the camera. “I also love all the diamonds and silver stuff. I think it looks really nice on my skin tone.”

Sons of US President Donald Trump Eric Trump (2nd R) and son Donald Trump Jr. (L), his daughter Ivanka Trump (R) and granddaughter Kai Madison Trump attend the Liberty inaugural ball in Washington, DC, on January 20, 2025. (JIM WATSON/AFP via Getty Images)

The dress designer is linked in the teen’s video description, but it is unclear if they have a business relationship. Fox News Digital requested comment.

Kai and her family then dropped by the White House to see President Trump, entering through a side door.

Framed photos in White House hallways featured art of the newly-sworn in president.

The family took pictures in front of the fireplace in the iconic Diplomatic Reception Room.

She then showed her 806,000 subscribers the Green, Blue and Red rooms – a set of three parlors named for their color schemes.

“By the way, welcome to the White House,” she told viewers.

They arrived at the ball where she expressed anxiety about dancing with her father in front of a crowd. Nerves seemed to wear off as the family made a number of other appearances.

She arrived at her hotel around 1 a.m., ready to get some rest before heading out of the nation’s capital the next morning.

In less than a day, the video amassed nearly 1.5 million views and 83,000 likes on YouTube.

MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN – JULY 17: Daughter of Donald Trump Jr., Kai Trump speaks on stage on the third day of the Republican National Convention at the Fiserv Forum on July 17, 2024, in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Delegates, politicians, and the Republican faithful are in Milwaukee for the annual convention, concluding with former President Donald Trump accepting his party’s presidential nomination. The RNC takes place from July 15-18. (Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

Kai made national headlines when she spoke at the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, in July.

During her speech, she explained how the commander in chief was “just a normal grandpa.”

She captured America’s hearts, describing Trump sneaking her candy and soda when her parents weren’t looking, or playing a competitive round of golf.

TRUMP EXCORIATES BISHOP AS ‘RADICAL LEFT HARD LINE TRUMP HATER’ AFTER POLITICALLY CHARGED PRAYER SERVICE

“When we play golf together, if I’m not on his team, he’ll try to get inside of my head,” she said. “He is always surprised that I don’t let him get to me, but I have to remind him I’m a Trump too.”

Kai committed in August to play collegiate golf at the University of Miami.

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Kai’s production/representation, AKA Collective, did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.

AKA Collective lists one of its clients as pro golfer Bryson DeChambeau, who posted a viral YouTube video in July playing a round with Trump.

Alexandra Koch is a breaking news writer for Fox News Digital. Prior to joining Fox News, Alexandra covered breaking news, crime, religion, and the military in the southeast.

January 23, 2025
Israeli president calls Trump a ‘true friend’ on Inauguration Day, praises his work to release hostages

Israeli President Isaac Herzog is praising Donald Trump on Inauguration Day, calling him a “true friend” of the country and thanking him for his efforts to secure the release of hostages from Hamas.

“On behalf of the people of Israel, I send my heartfelt congratulations to you, President Donald Trump on your inauguration as the 47th POTUS,” Herzog wrote on X.

“You are a true friend of Israel. Thank you for your unwavering commitment to Israel’s security and to building a better future for our region. A special thank you for your commitment to bringing all our hostages home,” he continued.

“We wish you and your administration great success in your service to the American people. Good luck!” Herzog added.

FREED ISRAELI HOSTAGE SPEAKS OUT FOR FIRST TIME

Israeli President Isaac Herzog and President Trump (Antonio Masiello/Valerie Plesch/Getty Images)

The comments come a day after Hamas released to Israel three hostages it has been holding in captivity for nearly 500 days, as part of a cease-fire and hostage release agreement.

In exchange, Israel released 90 Palestinian prisoners in the West Bank.

“Let’s face it, the fact that President Trump had a clear message, ‘By my inauguration, I want to see hostages coming out, or else there will be hell to pay,’ made a huge impact in the Middle East, and we are hopeful that with his leadership, we’re going to see all 98 hostages coming out starting today with the three female hostages,” Ronen Neutra, whose son Omer was killed by Hamas terrorists, told Fox News on Sunday.

ISRAEL RELEASES 90 PALESTINIAN PRISONERS AS PART OF CEASE-FIRE DEAL TO FREE HOSTAGES

Emily Damari, right, and her mother Mandy are seen near kibbutz Reim, southern Israel after Emily was released from captivity by Hamas militants in Gaza on Sunday, Jan. 19. (AP/Israeli Army)

Trump said last week, “This EPIC cease-fire agreement could have only happened as a result of our Historic Victory in November, as it signaled to the entire World that my Administration would seek Peace and negotiate deals to ensure the safety of all Americans, and our Allies.

President Isaac Herzog shakes hands with President Biden while meeting at the White House on Nov. 12, 2024. (Alex Wong/Getty Images)

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“I am thrilled American and Israeli hostages will be returning home to be reunited with their families and loved ones,” he had written on Truth Social.

Fox News’ Taylor Penley contributed to this report.

Greg Norman is a reporter at Fox News Digital.

January 23, 2025
African National Congress Foundation Day 2025: Know All About the South African Political Party That Saw Nelson Mandela As the Country’s First President (Watch Video)

African National Congress Foundation Day is marked to honour the formation of the African National Congress (ANC) on January 8, 1912. The primary goal of the South African political party was to unite African people and defend their rights and freedoms. The ANC Foundation Day, celebrated on January 8, offers an opportunity to reflect on Africa’s journey from colonial rule to self-governance and, most importantly, the end of the apartheid regime. It was in 1991 when Nelson Mandela was elected as the ANC President. Mandela, who was often called the ‘Gandhi of South Africa’ because of his shared values with Mahatma Gandhi and his use of Gandhi’s ethics in his own work, became a significant face of ANC’s rich legacy. January 2025 Holidays and Festivals Calendar: Check Dates of Important Events in the First Month of the Year.

The liberation struggle eventually culminated in the 1994 general elections in which ANC secured a historic victory and Nelson Mandela was elected as the first black President of South Africa. Since then, the ANC remained a dominant political force in South Africa. If you want to learn more about Nelson Mandela, watch the show Bharat Ratna The Jewels of India.

Watch Video of “Bharat Ratna The Jewels of India” To Learn More About Nelson Mandela

Bharat Ratna The Jewels of India is a show that celebrates the recipients of India’s highest civilian honour. Through the medium of graphics and information, the show, intends to exhibit hidden unknown and loved stories from lives of these legendary characters.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jan 08, 2025 02:03 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).

January 8, 2025