5 things you need to know Monday
President Trump has a busy Monday
President Trump declared post-inaugural Monday the true opening day of his new administration after a weekend spent pondering a string of executive orders on topics ranging from immigration to Israel to the economy, including what he called a reworking of the North American Free Trade Agreement. Supervising the swearing-in of 30 new White House staff members, Trump said he will soon meet with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Mexican President Enrique Peña Nieto to discuss changes to NAFTA, the trade deal he claims has shipped U.S. jobs to those other countries.
Senate committee to vote on Rex Tillerson
The Senate Foreign Relations Committee will vote Monday on President Trump's nominee for secretary of State. Rex Tillerson, the former Exxon Mobil executive with close business ties to Russia, saw his prospects brighten Sunday after gaining the support of two influential Republican senators who had wavered on the nomination. "Though we still have concerns about his past dealings with the Russian government and President Vladimir Putin, we believe that Mr. Tillerson can be an effective advocate for U.S. interests," Sens. John McCain, R-Ariz., and Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., said in a statement. As CEO of Exxon Mobil, Tillerson spoke out against U.S. sanctions levied on Moscow following its annexation of Ukraine's Crimean Peninsula in 2014. The penalties cost the energy giant hundreds of millions of dollars.
Watchdog group to sue over Trump business ties
A liberal watchdog group plans to file a lawsuit Monday arguing President Trump is violating the Constitution by continuing to accept payments from foreign governments at the businesses operated by his family. At issue? The foreign "Emoluments Clause” of the Constitution, which bans payments or gifts from foreign governments. The lawsuit seeks to stop Trump from taking such payments. Earlier this month, Trump and his lawyer Sheri Dillon said he was surrendering management of the company to his two adult sons, Donald Trump Jr. and Eric Trump, and a longtime Trump Organization executive. Although they plan to operate through a trust and add an ethics adviser, Trump retains ownership of the businesses.
Syrian government, rebels begin talks
The Syrian government of President Bashar Assad and the rebel militants working to oust him began the latest round of talks Monday aimed at solidifying a cease-fire and easing the humanitarian crisis that has dragged on for much of the six-year civil war. The talks held in the Kazakhstan capital of Astana, if successful, could also lay the groundwork for a comprehensive political solution to the crisis.
Model Hanne Gaby Odiele reveals she is intersex
In an exclusive interview with USA TODAY, model Hanne Gaby Odiele reveals she is intersex, becoming one of the first high-profile intersex people to share their stories. “It is very important to me in my life right now to break the taboo,” says the 29-year-old international fashion star from Kortrijk, Belgium. “At this point, in this day and age, it should be perfectly all right to talk about this.” Intersex individuals are born with sex characteristics such as genitals or chromosomes that do not fit the typical definitions of male or female. Odiele decided to make the disclosure to raise awareness about the importance of human rights protection for intersex youth, who are often subjected to harmful and unneeded medical procedures.
And the essentials:
Stocks: Japanese stocks tumbled while Chinese markets gained Monday after President Trump promised “American first” policies.
TV Tonight: Wondering what to watch tonight? TV critic Robert Bianco looks at Supergirl and 2 Broke Girls' guest star.
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Contributing: The Associated Press