Trump says considering new immigration orderFebruary 11, 2017 - 12:42 AMT PanARMENIAN.Net - President Donald Trump says he might give his refugee and immigration travel ban a second try, either as a revision or as a new order, as he contends with an appeals court ruling that prevents the ban from being enforced, The Associated Press reports. Trump said he expected to win the legal battle over his original directive even though options were being considered by the White House. Advisers were debating the next step in response to the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruling that upheld a restraining order on the travel ban. The White House directive had suspended the nation's refugee program and barred all entries from seven Muslim-majority countries. A White House official initially suggested the administration would not ask the Supreme Court to overturn that order. But chief of staff Reince Priebus scrambled to clarify to reporters that "every single court option is on the table," including a high court appeal or "fighting out this case on the merits" in a lower court. Trump's executive order was hastily unveiled at the end of his first week in office. While the White House boasted that Trump was fulfilling a campaign promise to toughen vetting procedures for people coming from countries with terror ties, the order caused chaos at airports in the U.S. and sparked protests across the country. The president has cast the order as crucial for national security. Earlier Friday, February 10, he promised to take action "very rapidly" to protect the U.S. and its citizens in the wake of the appeals court decision, but he did not specify what steps he planned to take. "We'll be doing things to continue to make our country safe," Trump pledged at a news conference with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. "It will happen rapidly. We will not allow people into our country who are looking to do harm to our people." The president's comments were far more restrained than his angry reaction to last week's initial court ruling blocking the travel ban. Trump took aim at both the "so-called judge" in that case and the ruling, which he called "ridiculous." Top stories Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev arrived in Moscow on April 22 to hold talks with Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin. Authorities said a total of 192 Azerbaijani troops were killed and 511 were wounded during Azerbaijan’s offensive. In 2023, the Azerbaijani government will increase the country’s defense budget by more than 1.1 billion manats ($650 million). The bill, published on Monday, is designed to "eliminate the shortcomings of an unreasonably broad interpretation of the key concept of "compatriot". Partner news | Lemkin Institute urges Armenia to respect people’s right to dissent The Lemkin Institute has urged the Armenian government to respect people’s fundamental human right to express their dissent. Iran’s Red Crescent sends aid to Armenia’s flood-hit regions The Iranian Red Crescent Society has sent humanitarian aid to the victims of deadly floods that hit northern Armenia on May 25-26. Putin congratulates Pashinyan’s birthday Russian President Vladimir Putin congratulated Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan on his birthday on June 1. Opposition motorcade en route to Gyumri for large rally A motorcade of protesters headed by Archbishop Bagrat Galstanyan is heading to the city of Gyumri. |