Trump returns to power after unprecedented comeback

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Updated 20 January 2025
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Trump returns to power after unprecedented comeback

  • A cadre of billionaires and tech titans were given prominent positions in the Capitol Rotunda, mingling with Trump’s incoming team before the ceremony began

WASHINGTON: Donald Trump was sworn in as the 47th president Monday, returning to power with a promise to end America’s decline and to “completely and totally reverse” the actions of the man who drove him from office four years ago.
Trump overcame impeachments, criminal indictments and a pair of assassination attempts to win another term in the White House, and he planned to act swiftly after the ceremony. Dozens of executive orders were prepared for his signature to clamp down on border crossings, increase fossil fuel development and end diversity and inclusion programs across the federal government.
The orders from the incoming Republican president will begin the process of unraveling the Democratic agenda of Joe Biden, whose term ended at noon, moments before Trump took the oath of office.

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Declaring that government faces a “crisis of trust,” Trump said in his inaugural address that under his administration, “our sovereignty will be reclaimed. Our safety will be restored. The scales of justice will be rebalanced.”
Trump claimed “a mandate to completely and totally reverse a horrible betrayal,” promising to “give the people back their faith, their wealth, their democracy and indeed their freedom.”
“From this moment on,” he added as Biden watched from the front row, “America’s decline is over.”
The executive orders are the first step in what Trump calls “the complete restoration of America and the revolution of common sense.”
Other goals will prove more difficult, perhaps testing the patience of supporters who were promised quick success. Trump has talked about lowering prices after years of inflation, but his plans for tariffs on imports from foreign countries could have the opposite effect.

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Frigid weather rewrote the pageantry of the day. Trump’s swearing-in was moved indoors to the Capitol Rotunda — the first time that has happened in 40 years — and the inaugural parade was replaced by an event at a downtown arena. Trump supporters who descended on the city to watch the ceremony outside the Capitol from the National Mall were left to find other places to view the festivities.
At the Capitol, Vice President JD Vance was sworn in first, taking the oath read by Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh on a Bible given to him by his great-grandmother. Trump followed moments after noon, using both a family Bible and the one used by President Abraham Lincoln at his 1861 inauguration as Chief Justice John Roberts administered his oath.
A cadre of billionaires and tech titans — including Mark Zuckerberg, Jeff Bezos, Tim Cook and Sundar Pichai — were given prominent positions in the Capitol Rotunda, mingling with Trump’s incoming team before the ceremony began. Also there was Elon Musk, the world’s richest man, who is expected to lead an effort to slash spending and federal employees.
Stopping at the White House on their way to the Capitol, Trump and his wife, Melania, were greeted by Biden and first lady Jill Biden for the customary tea and coffee reception. It was a stark departure from four years ago, when Trump refused to acknowledge Biden’s victory or attend his inauguration.
“Welcome home,” Biden said to Trump after the president-elect stepped out of the car. The two presidents, who have spent years bitterly criticizing each other, shared a limo to the Capitol. After the ceremony, Trump walked with Biden to the building’s east side, where Biden departed via helicopter to begin his post-presidential life.
Trump followed Biden’s departure with freewheeling remarks to supporters, revisiting a litany of conspiracy theories about voter fraud and grievances against perceived enemies such as former Republican Rep. Liz Cheney, whom he called “a crying lunatic.”
He spoke for even longer than in his inaugural address, saying, “I think this is a better speech than the one I gave upstairs.”
Trump’s inauguration realized a political comeback without precedent in American history. Four years ago, he was voted out of the White House during an economic collapse caused by the deadly COVID-19 pandemic. Trump denied his defeat and tried to cling to power. He directed his supporters to march on the Capitol while lawmakers were certifying the election results, sparking a riot that interrupted the country’s tradition of the peaceful transfer of power.
But Trump never lost his grip on the Republican Party and was undeterred by criminal cases and two assassination attempts as he steamrolled rivals and harnessed voters’ exasperation with inflation and illegal immigration.
Trump used his inaugural address to repeat his claims that he was targeted by political prosecutions, and he promised to begin “fair, equal and impartial justice.” He also acknowledged that he was taking office on Martin Luther King Jr. Day, which honors the slain civil rights hero. “We will strive together to make his dream a reality,” he said.
Now Trump is the first person convicted of a felony — for falsifying business records related to hush money payments — to serve as president. He pledged to “preserve, protect and defend” the Constitution from the same spot that was overrun by his supporters on Jan. 6, 2021. He’s said that one of his first acts in office will be to pardon many of those who participated in the riot, and he referred to them as “hostages” on Monday.
“It’s action, not words, that count, and you’re going to see a lot of action,” Trump said.
Eight years after he first entered the White House as a political newcomer, Trump is far more familiar with the operations of federal government and emboldened to bend it to his vision. Trump wants to bring quick change by curtailing immigration, enacting tariffs on imports and rolling back Democrats’ climate and social initiatives.
He has also promised retribution against his political opponents and critics, and placed personal loyalty as a prime qualification for appointments to his administration.
With minutes to go before leaving office, Biden issued preemptive pardons to his siblings and their spouses to shield them from the possibility of prosecution. Earlier in the day, he also pardoned current and former government officials who have been the target of Trump’s anger. Biden said “these are exceptional circumstances, and I cannot in good conscience do nothing.”
Trump has pledged to go further and move faster in enacting his agenda than during his first term, and already the country’s political, business and technology leaders have realigned themselves to accommodate him.
Democrats who once formed a “resistance” are now divided over whether to work with Trump or defy him. Billionaires have lined up to meet with Trump as they acknowledge his unrivaled power in Washington and his ability to wield the levers of government to help or hurt their interests.
Long skeptical of American alliances, Trump’s “America First” foreign policy is being watched warily at home and abroad as Russia’s invasion of Ukraine will soon enter its third year, and a fragile ceasefire appears to be holding in Gaza after more than 15 months of war between Israel and Hamas. Trump, who had promised to end the Ukraine war even before he was sworn-in, did not mention the conflict in his inaugural address.
Trump said he would lead a government that “expands our territory,” a reference to his goals of acquiring Greenland from Denmark and restoring US control of the Panama Canal.
He also said he would “pursue our manifest destiny into the stars” by launching American astronauts to Mars. Musk, the owner of a space rocket company with billions of dollars in federal contracts, cheered and pumped his arms above his head as Trump spoke.
Trump plans to crack down on the US southern border with a playbook that’s similar to his first term — declaring a national emergency, limiting the number of refugees entering the US and deploying the military.
He’s also expected to try to end birthright citizenship automatically bestowed on people born in the US and to end diversity, equity and inclusion programs in the federal government.


Italian government tells Israel: ‘Enough with the attacks’ in Gaza

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Italian government tells Israel: ‘Enough with the attacks’ in Gaza

“We no longer want to see the Palestinian people suffer,” Tajani said
“Let’s come to a ceasefire, let’s free the hostages”

ROME: Italy’s government on Saturday upped its exhortations to Israel to stop deadly military strikes in Gaza, with Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani saying: “Enough with the attacks.”

“We no longer want to see the Palestinian people suffer,” Tajani said during a trip to Sicily, in remarks relayed by his spokesman.

“Let’s come to a ceasefire, let’s free the hostages, but let’s leave people who are victims of Hamas alone,” he was cited as saying.

Israel’s military has announced it is in the “initial stages” of a new offensive in Gaza aimed at defeating Hamas.

Israel resumed its offensive in Gaza on March 18, ending a two-month truce in its war against Hamas triggered by the group’s October 2023 attack.

More than 100 people in Gaza were killed in Israeli strikes on Friday and another 10 on Saturday, according to the Gaza civil defense agency.

International condemnation has escalated over Israel’s military actions, and its blockage of humanitarian aid entering the Gaza Strip, where more than two million people lived before the war started.

Israel’s army said the goal of its latest offensive is to “seize control of areas within the Gaza Strip.”

Macron urges regional investment as Albania nears EU goal

Updated 32 min 8 sec ago
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Macron urges regional investment as Albania nears EU goal

  • “Here in Albania, clearly, you have the entry point in this region of Western Balkans,” Macron said
  • Albania entered talks to join the European Union in 2022

TIRANA: French President Emmanuel Macron on Saturday invited foreign investors to come to “stable” Europe, including to Albania, which he sees obtaining EU entry in 2027.

Europe “is a stable and reliable place,” he told economic forum “Priority Europe,” organized by the Future Investment Initiative (FII) institute of advertising executive Richard Attias.

“And in this crazy world, don’t underestimate the strengths of such qualities,” Macron said at the Tirana event aimed at connecting European leaders and innovators with sovereign wealth funds and Middle East, Asia and US business leaders.

“Here in Albania, clearly, you have the entry point in this region of Western Balkans, but much more broadly it’s a key point in the Mediterranean place and Europe.

“And in two years to come, as now he has a clear mandate, he will join the EU,” added Macron, referring to Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama.

Albania entered talks to join the European Union in 2022 and Rama said that the process could conclude with the country joining in 2027 if all goes to plan. “That would be incredible,” said Rama in an interview with AFP.

The country of some three million is by far the most pro-EU in the Balkans. In 2024, 92 percent of those questioned in a poll said they would vote “yes” if a referendum were held on EU membership-compared to 40 percent in Serbia.

The challenges of meeting accession requirements remain sizeable, notably in terms of combating corruption.

Several ministers and several senior officials, former president Ilir Meta, and the mayor of Tirana — a close Rama associate — are currently in detention on suspicion of embezzlement.


Zelensky will attend Pope Leo’s inaugural Mass, Vatican says

Updated 39 min 53 sec ago
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Zelensky will attend Pope Leo’s inaugural Mass, Vatican says

  • Zelensky would be happy to meet other leaders on the sidelines of the inauguration
  • Rubio said he would discuss on Saturday efforts to end Russia’s war in Ukraine with Cardinal Matteo Zuppi

VATICAN CITY: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky will attend the inaugural Mass of newly elected Pope Leo on Sunday, along with many other world leaders, the Vatican said.

The Mass in St. Peter’s Square will formally install Pope Leo, who was born in Chicago but lived for many years in Peru, as the leader of the world’s 1.4 billion Roman Catholics.

US Vice President JD Vance, who clashed fiercely with Zelensky in the White House in February, will lead the US delegation, which also includes Secretary of State Marco Rubio.

Zelensky would be happy to meet other leaders on the sidelines of the inauguration, a top aide told Reuters this week. When he went to the Vatican for the funeral of Pope Francis on April 26, Zelensky held face-to-face talks with US President Donald Trump in St. Peter’s Basilica.

Rubio said he would discuss on Saturday efforts to end Russia’s war in Ukraine with Cardinal Matteo Zuppi, who served as the late Pope Francis’ envoy for the Russia-Ukraine conflict.

In remarks to reporters ahead of the meeting, the top US diplomat suggested the Vatican could be a venue to facilitate dialogue.

“I wouldn’t call it a broker, but it certainly is a place that I would think that both sides would be comfortable coming,” Rubio told reporters.

Among other leaders expected on Sunday are the presidents of Israel, Peru and Nigeria, the prime ministers of Italy, Canada and Australia, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and European Commission President Ursula Von der Layen.

Many European royals will also be present, including Spain’s King Felipe and Queen Letizia.
Russia will be represented by Culture Minister Olga Lyubimova, the Vatican said.


Indian state honors ‘elephant whisperers’ from Oscar-winning documentary with special village

Updated 17 May 2025
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Indian state honors ‘elephant whisperers’ from Oscar-winning documentary with special village

  • In 2023, ‘The Elephant Whisperers’ became the first Indian documentary to win an Oscar
  • Indigenous communities have been integral as elephant caretakers in Asia

NEW DELHI: India’s elephant caretakers in the southern state of Tamil Nadu, whose roles were brought to global attention in an Oscar-winning documentary, were honored with a special village by the local government as part of an effort to recognize their dedication to the conservation of the mammals.

The story of a mahout couple in Tamil Nadu who devote themselves to caring for an orphaned baby elephant was central to “The Elephant Whisperers” film, which became the first Indian documentary to win an Oscar in 2023.

Since the documentary brought the role of the mahouts — a Hindi word for elephant caretakers — to the international spotlight, the Tamil Nadu government has been working to further empower and honor them.

On Tuesday, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin inaugurated the Mahout Village at the state’s Theppakadu Elephant Camp. Dubbed the first of its kind, the special area comprises 44 houses for each of the mammals’ keepers and their families.

“The film ‘The Elephant Whisperers’ played an important part in building the houses for mahouts, there is no doubt about it,” Supriya Sahu, additional chief secretary for environment, climate change and forests in Tamil Nadu, told Arab News.

“We will make sure that the people, the indigenous community who take care of our elephants, are also suitably taken care of. That is the idea behind (this program). It’s a tribute to them.”

Built at a cost of about $670,000, the houses at Mahout Village use solar lights and fences, and were constructed in consultation with the mahouts. The area also comes with communal facilities, including a basketball court and a kids’ playground.

Mahouts have long been integral in wildlife conservation across many South and Southeast Asian countries.

India is home to some 30,000 Asian elephants, representing at least 60 percent of the species’ global population. Tamil Nadu itself is home to about 3,100 elephants.

With the buzz around “The Elephant Whisperers” following its Oscar win, Bomman and Bellie, the couple from the Kattunayakan tribal group who were featured in the film, had urged the government to consider building houses for the mahouts.

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin interacts with mahout couple Bomman and Bellie on May 13, 2024 during the inauguration of Mahout Village at Theppakadu Elephant Camp. (M.K. Stalin/Facebook) 

“One good thing that has happened is the documentary brought attention to the indigenous people who have been taking care of elephants for generations,” Bomman told Arab News.

“The houses are really a recognition for those who have been taking care of elephants and helped in the preservation of nature.”

For C. Maari, a 52-year-old mahout, the Oscar-winning documentary helped show the possibility of human-wildlife coexistence.

“The documentary no doubt highlighted our issues and the world outside came to know that humans and animals understand each other, and can coexist together if we don’t intrude in each others’ space,” Maari told Arab News.

He is hopeful that the new housing will help his community better take care of the elephants.

“I am really happy that I got the house. Earlier, we used to live in a hut without any facilities inside the jungle. We used to struggle for basic amenities, like toilets and other facilities,” he said.

“For generations, we have been friends with elephants and we understand their needs. Both of us have been surviving together for generations and the houses are the recognition of our contribution in maintaining the animal world.”


Putin eases access to Russian citizenship for Georgian breakaway regions

Updated 17 May 2025
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Putin eases access to Russian citizenship for Georgian breakaway regions

  • Under the decree, applicants will no longer be required to permanently reside in Russia
  • Georgia and Russia have no diplomatic relations since the 2008 war

MOSCOW: Russian President Vladimir Putin on Saturday signed a decree simplifying access to Russian citizenship for people from two Georgian breakaway regions, Abkhazia and South Ossetia.

Under the decree, applicants will no longer be required to permanently reside in Russia to get citizenship, or prove their knowledge of the Russian language or culture.

Abkhazia and South Ossetia are recognized by most of the world as Georgian territory, but has been under de-facto Russian control since a brief 2008 war between Moscow and Tbilisi.

In Abkhazia, another pro-Russian president recently won an election after the previous one was ousted following tense protests over a bill giving Russians easier access to coastal property along the Black Sea.

Georgia and Russia have no diplomatic relations since the 2008 war, but critics accuse the current Georgian ruling party of being pro-Russian, and claim it came to power as a result of a rigged election.

Georgia, which shares a border with Russia, declined to join international financial and economic sanctions against Moscow over its Ukraine offensive, or to support Kyiv with military equipment.