Live: $2.5b Tomago aluminium smelter bailout 'vital', minister says

U.S. President Donald Trump on Wednesday said he was considering declaring a national emergency to fund his long-promised border wall with Mexico, a move that would allow him to bypass Congress to get the funding but could also spark a constitutional crisis. Speaking to reporters at the White House, Trump said he was looking at a range of options to get the wall built, including declaring a national emergency, which would give him access to billions of dollars in federal funds. “There are a lot of ways to do it,” Trump said. “You know, people are saying, ‘Is it going to be a national emergency?’ And I say, ‘Maybe, maybe not.’ But there are many ways to do it.” Trump said he had spoken to Republican senators about the possibility of including border wall funding in a spending bill to avoid a government shutdown. The U.S. Congress has refused to approve $5 billion in funding for the wall, which was a key campaign promise for Trump. The president has said previously that he would “be very proud” to shut down the government over the wall, and many lawmakers fear a shutdown could happen as early as this weekend. Trump’s comments came as U.S. lawmakers were racing to pass a spending bill to fund the government before a midnight Friday deadline. The White House has said that if a deal is not reached, Trump would sign a short-term spending bill to keep the government open. But Trump has repeatedly said that he will not sign any spending bill that does not include funding for his border wall. Earlier on Wednesday, a group of Republican senators, led by Senator Lindsey Graham, unveiled a plan to compromise on border security. The plan calls for $15 billion in border security funding over 10 years, including $5 billion for the wall, $3 billion for technology and $7 billion for personnel and infrastructure. Democrats have rejected the plan, saying it does not go far enough to address the humanitarian crisis at the border. The partial government shutdown that occurred in December and January lasted for 35 days and cost the U.S. economy an estimated $11 billion. Trump’s comments on Wednesday seemed to suggest that he was willing to take a hard line on the border wall, even if it meant going around Congress. “There are a lot of strange things that can happen in this country,” Trump said. “Believe me, a lot of strange things can happen.”

2d ago ·hani.co.kr

Jen Psaki, White House Press Secretary, to step down after a month back… “to be a mom to two kids”

2d ago ·hani.co.kr

Ross Owusu dismisses AG’s flight-risk argument against Wontumi

NPP lawyer says Wontumi remained in Ghana throughout his trial and should be granted bail pending appeal.

2d ago ·starrfm.com.gh

Ontario government unveils new police helicopter in Peel Region

The H125 if the first of seven new police helicopters that will be deployed across the province to protect Ontario and keep communities safe

2d ago ·torontosun.com