Trump's first interview after inauguration
US President Donald Trump has stressed that the threat of the Chinese government using TikTok to spy on users has been minimized.
In his first interview since returning to the White House, he told Fox News that the app will "stay put" and that other products made in China could just as easily be used for espionage.
Meanwhile, Trump ordered 1,500 ground troops to the southern border, along with aircraft support, as part of a crackdown on "illegal aliens."
The troops will work to set up barriers at the border but will not be involved in "law enforcement," a senior military official said.
US: Thousands of soldiers head towards US-Mexico border
Thousands of US troops have been ordered to immediately go to the US southern border with Mexico, two days after Donald Trump ordered an increase in the military presence in the region.
According to CNN, in addition to the soldiers who will be transferred in the coming days, there are already about 2,200 soldiers on the southern border as part of the Joint Task Force, the border mission of the U.S. Northern Command based in El. Paso, Texas.
Soldiers stationed there help support the work of U.S. Customs and Border Protection, primarily by performing logistical tasks and such as data entry, reconnaissance, tracking, and vehicle maintenance.
Also, the National Guard is located on the southern border, as part of Operation Lonestar, led by the Texas National Guard.
Historic marriage law comes into effect in Thailand
Hundreds of same-sex couples are getting married across Thailand on Thursday, as the country becomes the first in Southeast Asia to recognize marriage equality.
The historic bill marks a significant victory for the LGBTQ+ community, which has fought for more than a decade for the same marriage rights as heterosexual couples.
Under the legislation, passed by Thailand's parliament and approved by the king last year, same-sex couples are able to register their marriages with full legal, financial and medical rights, as well as adoption and inheritance rights.
Russia responds to Trump's threats
Russia has responded to threats from Donald Trump, who said he would impose economic sanctions if it does not reach a peace deal with Ukraine.
Russia's deputy envoy to the United Nations, Dmitry Polyanskiy, said the Kremlin would have to examine what Trump thinks he will include in the deal before considering it.
He said that it is not just a matter of ending the war, but first, according to him, the causes of the battle in Ukraine must be addressed.
"It's not just a question of ending the war. It's first and foremost a question of addressing the root causes of the crisis in Ukraine. So we need to see what 'deal' means in President Trump's understanding. He is not responsible for what the US has done in Ukraine since 2014, making it 'anti-Russian' and preparing it for war with us, but now he has the power to stop this malicious policy," he said.
