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British Prime Minister Theresa May is hosting U.S. President Donald Trump for a series of meetings Tuesday in London on his second day of a state visit.

The two leaders are scheduled to go before reporters for a joint news conference after their talks.

Trump and his wife Melania will then have dinner with Prince Charles and his wife, Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall.

Monday was a day full of pomp and circumstance with Britain’s Queen Elizabeth greeting President Trump and Melania after they arrived at Buckingham Palace by helicopter. After a welcoming ceremony that included a 41-gun salute, the Trumps had a private lunch with the queen and a tour of the palace art gallery.

​The rest of the day included inspecting the Guard of Honor formed by the Grenadier Guards, a tour of historic Westminster Abbey, tea with Prince Charles at his London home, Clarence House.

But the highlight of the day was the white-tie-and-tiaras state banquet at Buckingham Palace. Besides the queen and her husband Prince Philip, other royals in attendance included Prince Charles and Camilla, and Prince William and his wife, Kate, Duchess of Cambridge. 

Also at the dinner were Trump’s four adult children — Donald Trump Jr.; Ivanka Trump and her husband, Jared Kushner; Eric Trump and his wife, Lara; and Tiffany Trump.

Trump said in his toast that the liberation of millions from tyranny in World War II “forever sealed” the bond between Britain and the United States. 

In her toast, the queen said, “Tonight, we celebrate an alliance that has helped to ensure the safety and prosperity of both our peoples for decades, and which I believe will endure for many years to come.”

​Noticeably absent from the Trumps’ day was Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, the American-born wife of Prince Harry who is on maternity leave after giving birth to a son last month. She had been critical of Trump during the 2016 presidential campaign. 

Trump’s visit comes as Britain is in the midst of political turmoil, as May is scheduled to resign on Friday after failing to complete Britain’s exit from the European Union.

That process will be inherited by her successor, with no clear path to a resolution among sharply divided parties.

Trump has publicly backed former Foreign Minister Boris Johnson, and told reporters late Sunday he may meet with Johnson and pro-Brexit politician Nigel Farage while he is in London.

​What is certainly not on his agenda is a meeting with London Mayor Sadiq Khan, who wrote in The Observer newspaper that welcoming Trump for a state visit is “un-British.”He cited Trump’s sharing of tweets from a “British far-right racist group,” the president’s rejection of scientific evidence of climate change, and Trump “trying to interfere shamelessly” in the race to replace May.

When asked if he would be open to meeting with Khan, Trump said Sunday, “No, I don’t think much of him.”

Upon landing in London, Trump continued his attack on Khan, calling him a “stone cold loser” who “has been foolishly ‘nasty’ to the visiting President of the United States, by far the most important ally of the United Kingdom.” 

Trump’s trip will also include D-Day commemoration ceremonies in both Britain and France, and a stop in Ireland.
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Michael Bowman contributed to this report.

Mexico warned Monday that President Donald Trump’s threatened new tariff on its exports to the United States would hurt both countries’ economies and cause even more Central American migrants to travel through Mexico to reach the United States.

At the start of talks in Washington, Mexican officials said they could only go so far in meeting Trump’s demand to block migrants’ passage through Mexico to avert Trump’s imposition of a 5% tariff next week. The officials specifically ruled out a “third safe country” agreement requiring U.S. asylum-seekers to first apply for refuge in Mexico.

​”There is a clear limit to what we can negotiate, and the limit is Mexican dignity,” Mexico’s ambassador to the United States, Martha Barcena, said.

Barcena added that U.S. tariffs “could cause financial and economic instability,” reducing Mexico’s capacity to address the flow of migrants and “offer alternatives” to people fleeing Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador.

Mexican officials contended that an additional quarter million migrants could try to reach the U.S. if the tariff is imposed, on top of the tens of thousands already reaching the southern U.S. border each month.

Trump showed no sign of softening his demand as he tweeted during a visit to London.

Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador remained confident the two sides would reach an agreement, telling reporters Monday that he was optimistic.

He said his government would not engage in confrontation, and would always defend those who migrate out of necessity due to violence or a lack of food or job opportunities. He also remained positive that no matter what happens in the dispute with the United States, Mexico has “exception, extraordinary,” people and can push through any adversity.

U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Mexican Foreign Relations Secretary Marcelo Ebrard are due to hold further talks about the dispute on Wednesday.

U.S. lawmakers returning to Washington after a weeklong congressional recess sharply criticized Trump’s latest tariff tactic aimed at a major U.S. trading partner.

“This (tariffs) is not a popular concept,” Republican Sen. John Cornyn said of public opinion in Texas, which he represents. “Mexico is our biggest export market.”

Another Republican, Missouri Sen. Roy Blunt, expressed concerns that trade friction could harm a newly negotiated free trade pact between the United States, Mexico and Canada.

“I’m not a big advocate of tariffs, and I’d like to get the USMCA agreement approved,” Blunt told VOA. “I don’t see how the addition of a tariff (on Mexican goods) right now helps make that happen.”

“Mexico is a critical trading partner of the United States,” Democratic Sen. Ben Cardin of Maryland said. “You put up barriers, it’s going to end up costing us jobs, and it’s going to cost consumers.”

Cardin added that Trump’s threatened tariff “would be counterproductive,” as far as boosting U.S. border security.

“If we need cooperation on the southern border, they (Mexican officials) are not going to give us cooperation. Why bother if we’re going to have an antagonistic relationship?” Cardin said.
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California officially gave its blessing to coffee Monday, declaring the beverage does not pose a “significant” cancer risk.

The rule, proposed a year ago by regulators, means coffee won’t have to carry ominous warnings that the beverage may be bad for you.

The state took the rare move after a Los Angeles judge found Starbucks Corp. and other companies failed to show that benefits from drinking coffee outweighed risks from a byproduct of the roasting process.

That ruling put the industry in jeopardy of hefty civil penalties and in the position of either developing a process to remove the chemical or warning consumers about the risk of cancer. 

The chemical in question, acrylamide, is on a list that California says causes cancer, though other groups classify it as a “probable” carcinogen.

Under a law passed more than three decades ago by California voters, products that contain chemicals that cause cancer or birth defects must warn consumers about those risks.

The Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment, which implements the law, concluded there was no significant risk after a World Health Organization review of more than 1,000 studies and found inadequate evidence that coffee causes cancer. Further, it concluded coffee reduces the risk of some types of cancer. 

“Coffee is a complex mixture of hundreds of chemicals that includes both carcinogens and anti-carcinogens,” said Sam Delson, a spokesman for the agency. “The overall effect of coffee consumption is not associated with any significant cancer risk.”

 It was the first time the state has declared such a brew of chemicals safe despite the presence of carcinogens, Delson said.

The coffee industry cheered the rule.

“This is a great day for science and coffee lovers,” said William Murray, president and chief executive of the National Coffee Association USA. 

“With this news, coffee drinkers around the world can wake up and enjoy the smell and taste of their coffee without hesitation.”

The Council for Education and Research on Toxics, which successfully sued the coffee industry in a case that has dragged on more than eight years in Los Angeles Superior Court, will challenge the validity of the state’s regulation in court, said attorney Raphael Metzger.

Metzger, who represents the small nonprofit in its lawsuit against Starbucks and about 90 coffee companies, said the regulation was adopted in violation of state law and disregards the statutes the agency is supposed to implement. He said the regulation can’t be applied retroactively to nullify the judge’s ruling.
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Democratic White House hopeful Cory Booker is rolling out his Iowa steering committee, a team of activists and operatives that features party powerbroker Jerry Crawford, who played a key role in each of Bill and Hillary Clinton’s presidential campaigns in the state.

Crawford, a Des Moines-area attorney who also played leading roles on Al Gore and John Kerry’s campaigns, said he’s been courted by multiple campaigns but told The Associated Press in an interview he’s backing Booker because of the New Jersey U.S. senator’s positive message.

“I’m very much drawn to his passion for civility and his determination to pursue healing,” Crawford said.

Crawford is among 10 Iowa activists, operatives and elected officials who plan to provide strategic advice and operational support to Booker’s campaign as part of his Iowa steering committee, being rolled out Monday. The group includes four other previously unannounced endorsers: former Iowa state House minority leader Rep. Mark Smith and city councilmembers Dale Todd, of Cedar Rapids, and Mazahir Salih and Bruce Teague, both of Iowa City. Booker’s campaign said it hopes all three will help organize African American support for him in their respective cities.

The other five steering committee members are state Reps. Amy Nielsen and Jennifer Konfrst; Iowa Democratic Party central committee members Landra Jo Reece and Melinda Jones; and former American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees political director Marcia Nichols, all of whom previously expressed their support for Booker.

“From local activists to council members and state representatives, these individuals have been on the forefront of standing up for their communities,” Booker said in a statement.

Crawford, whose weekend conversation with the AP was interrupted by a call from Booker, said he plans to be in touch with the Booker campaign multiple times a week and has already begun efforts to convince other major Iowa political players to get on board with the campaign. Besides gathering support for the candidate over the next nine months, Booker’s team sees the members of his steering committee as key forces on caucus night, the kind of voices who could win over persuadable caucus-goers in key precincts.

With at least 50 staffers on the ground, Booker’s Iowa team is widely seen inside the state as one of the strongest and most seasoned, behind only Massachusetts U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren’s in numbers. But thus far, Booker’s staffing strength hasn’t translated to support in the polls: Booker still draws only low single-digit support in nationwide and state surveys.

Booker’s staff and advisers dismiss the polls as too early to be predictive and argue that the senator is running more of a slow burn-style campaign that will ensure he has the operation in place to harness any momentum in the fall if he does catch fire — and enough resources to sustain it through the caucuses and beyond.

“This is a horrible time to be one of the front-runners,” Crawford said, noting that early Iowa front-runners “don’t do very well, historically speaking.”

Crawford said he expects to see Booker surge around Thanksgiving, but right now, “Cory’s exactly where you want to be.”

 
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Democratic White House hopeful Cory Booker is rolling out his Iowa steering committee, a team of activists and operatives that features party powerbroker Jerry Crawford, who played a key role in each of Bill and Hillary Clinton’s presidential campaigns in the state.

Crawford, a Des Moines-area attorney who also played leading roles on Al Gore and John Kerry’s campaigns, said he’s been courted by multiple campaigns but told The Associated Press in an interview he’s backing Booker because of the New Jersey U.S. senator’s positive message.

“I’m very much drawn to his passion for civility and his determination to pursue healing,” Crawford said.

Crawford is among 10 Iowa activists, operatives and elected officials who plan to provide strategic advice and operational support to Booker’s campaign as part of his Iowa steering committee, being rolled out Monday. The group includes four other previously unannounced endorsers: former Iowa state House minority leader Rep. Mark Smith and city councilmembers Dale Todd, of Cedar Rapids, and Mazahir Salih and Bruce Teague, both of Iowa City. Booker’s campaign said it hopes all three will help organize African American support for him in their respective cities.

The other five steering committee members are state Reps. Amy Nielsen and Jennifer Konfrst; Iowa Democratic Party central committee members Landra Jo Reece and Melinda Jones; and former American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees political director Marcia Nichols, all of whom previously expressed their support for Booker.

“From local activists to council members and state representatives, these individuals have been on the forefront of standing up for their communities,” Booker said in a statement.

Crawford, whose weekend conversation with the AP was interrupted by a call from Booker, said he plans to be in touch with the Booker campaign multiple times a week and has already begun efforts to convince other major Iowa political players to get on board with the campaign. Besides gathering support for the candidate over the next nine months, Booker’s team sees the members of his steering committee as key forces on caucus night, the kind of voices who could win over persuadable caucus-goers in key precincts.

With at least 50 staffers on the ground, Booker’s Iowa team is widely seen inside the state as one of the strongest and most seasoned, behind only Massachusetts U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren’s in numbers. But thus far, Booker’s staffing strength hasn’t translated to support in the polls: Booker still draws only low single-digit support in nationwide and state surveys.

Booker’s staff and advisers dismiss the polls as too early to be predictive and argue that the senator is running more of a slow burn-style campaign that will ensure he has the operation in place to harness any momentum in the fall if he does catch fire — and enough resources to sustain it through the caucuses and beyond.

“This is a horrible time to be one of the front-runners,” Crawford said, noting that early Iowa front-runners “don’t do very well, historically speaking.”

Crawford said he expects to see Booker surge around Thanksgiving, but right now, “Cory’s exactly where you want to be.”

 
…

Asian countries that pride themselves on neutral foreign policies face growing pressure to support either China or the United States in a sticky maritime sovereignty dispute, but they are expected to bid for both and keep the aid coming in.

Southeast Asian claimants to the disputed South China Sea grappled with the prospect of choosing sides over the weekend at the annual Shangri-la Dialogue defense forum in Singapore. The question loomed so large that Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong warned of smaller countries being “forced” to take sides.

​“This is probably going to lead to a situation that the Singapore prime minister called being forced to choose between two sides,” said Jay Batoncbacal, international maritime affairs professor at University of the Philippines. “So, that’s really the problem here if it continues to escalate.”

As the two superpowers disagree over control of the sea and each seeks external support, Asian countries may find it increasingly hard to count both as friends. To take the U.S. side risks economic punishment by China, while the United States might forego military support to an overt China backer.

China’s appeal

China wants other countries to accept economic boosts and bilateral talks to settle maritime sovereignty issues. Beijing has already pushed for joint undersea fuel exploration with Vietnam and the Philippines, two frontline South China Sea states. It has funded infrastructure in a third, Malaysia.

At the Shangri-la Dialogue, attended by more than 600 delegates from 40 countries, Chinese Defense Minister Wei Fenghe appealed for “mutual cooperation” and hoped that no one would “underestimate the wisdom and ability of regional countries to properly handle differences and maintain peace.”

Without naming the United States, Wei urged other countries to snub anyone who goes against those goals. The U.S. government does not claim the sea, but it has passed naval ships through it 11 times since 2017 and flown B-52 bombers over the waterway to check China. 

China had alarmed much of Asia, particularly in Southeast Asia, by landfilling tiny islets in the sea for military use.

“In terms of the big picture, Wei Fenghe, last year he represented (Chinese President) Xi Jinping with a statement saying he wants to repair relations with neighbors,” said Huang Chung-ting, Chinese politics and military affairs assistant research fellow with the Institute for National Defense and Security Research in Taipei. “He hoped there wouldn’t be too many issues of excessive conflict.”

​Countries that offend China at sea risk being expelled by Chinese coast guard ships or running up against its annual mid-year fishing bans, Huang said. China also has a record of boycotts and withdrawal economic support for countries – South Korea, for example — that go against its views. 

US to strengthen “network”

The United States extends joint military exercises and occasional arms sales in Southeast Asia to help the South China Sea remain open internationally despite 10 years of increasing control by China. China claims 90 percent of the sea, more than the Southeast Asian states, all of which are militarily weaker.

The United States is “strengthening” an “unrivaled network of alliances and partnerships” that includes joint naval exercises, U.S. acting defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan told the defense dialogue. He urged an “end” to Chinese “behavior.”

In May, the United States drilled alongside a French aircraft carrier, a Japanese helicopter carrier and two Australian vessels in the Indian Ocean. All participants have previously sent vessels to the South China Sea.

“No other nation can match the United States’ ability to work across distance, cultures, languages, and time – and we are increasing the rate at which we do this,” he said.

​Complex foreign policies

Brunei, Malaysia, Taiwan, Vietnam and the Philippines all vie with China’s claims to the 3.5 million-square-kilometer South China Sea. They prize its fisheries and fossil fuel reserves. 

Those countries plus Indonesia, which occasionally chafes with China at the sea’s southern reach, normally pursue foreign policies that sustain Chinese economic aid, such as development loans, as well as military ties with Washington. Non-claimant states such as India and Japan side more geopolitically with the United States without closing economic doors with China.

The Philippines, for example, let its navy train with the United States in April as it accepts billions of dollars in Chinese development aid.

Countries are unlikely to take sides overtly but could face pressure from China during national elections, said Jonathan Spangler, director of the South China Sea Think Tank in Taipei. Some have lost faith in China to be “responsible” and, since 2017, pared back “trust” in the United States.

“I think that countries at least in public should be calling for peaceful resolutions,” Spangler said. Before elections, he added, “We don’t even know the extent to which that sort of covert influence in other countries’ domestic politics has gone on.”
…

Asian countries that pride themselves on neutral foreign policies face growing pressure to support either China or the United States in a sticky maritime sovereignty dispute, but they are expected to bid for both and keep the aid coming in.

Southeast Asian claimants to the disputed South China Sea grappled with the prospect of choosing sides over the weekend at the annual Shangri-la Dialogue defense forum in Singapore. The question loomed so large that Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong warned of smaller countries being “forced” to take sides.

​“This is probably going to lead to a situation that the Singapore prime minister called being forced to choose between two sides,” said Jay Batoncbacal, international maritime affairs professor at University of the Philippines. “So, that’s really the problem here if it continues to escalate.”

As the two superpowers disagree over control of the sea and each seeks external support, Asian countries may find it increasingly hard to count both as friends. To take the U.S. side risks economic punishment by China, while the United States might forego military support to an overt China backer.

China’s appeal

China wants other countries to accept economic boosts and bilateral talks to settle maritime sovereignty issues. Beijing has already pushed for joint undersea fuel exploration with Vietnam and the Philippines, two frontline South China Sea states. It has funded infrastructure in a third, Malaysia.

At the Shangri-la Dialogue, attended by more than 600 delegates from 40 countries, Chinese Defense Minister Wei Fenghe appealed for “mutual cooperation” and hoped that no one would “underestimate the wisdom and ability of regional countries to properly handle differences and maintain peace.”

Without naming the United States, Wei urged other countries to snub anyone who goes against those goals. The U.S. government does not claim the sea, but it has passed naval ships through it 11 times since 2017 and flown B-52 bombers over the waterway to check China. 

China had alarmed much of Asia, particularly in Southeast Asia, by landfilling tiny islets in the sea for military use.

“In terms of the big picture, Wei Fenghe, last year he represented (Chinese President) Xi Jinping with a statement saying he wants to repair relations with neighbors,” said Huang Chung-ting, Chinese politics and military affairs assistant research fellow with the Institute for National Defense and Security Research in Taipei. “He hoped there wouldn’t be too many issues of excessive conflict.”

​Countries that offend China at sea risk being expelled by Chinese coast guard ships or running up against its annual mid-year fishing bans, Huang said. China also has a record of boycotts and withdrawal economic support for countries – South Korea, for example — that go against its views. 

US to strengthen “network”

The United States extends joint military exercises and occasional arms sales in Southeast Asia to help the South China Sea remain open internationally despite 10 years of increasing control by China. China claims 90 percent of the sea, more than the Southeast Asian states, all of which are militarily weaker.

The United States is “strengthening” an “unrivaled network of alliances and partnerships” that includes joint naval exercises, U.S. acting defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan told the defense dialogue. He urged an “end” to Chinese “behavior.”

In May, the United States drilled alongside a French aircraft carrier, a Japanese helicopter carrier and two Australian vessels in the Indian Ocean. All participants have previously sent vessels to the South China Sea.

“No other nation can match the United States’ ability to work across distance, cultures, languages, and time – and we are increasing the rate at which we do this,” he said.

​Complex foreign policies

Brunei, Malaysia, Taiwan, Vietnam and the Philippines all vie with China’s claims to the 3.5 million-square-kilometer South China Sea. They prize its fisheries and fossil fuel reserves. 

Those countries plus Indonesia, which occasionally chafes with China at the sea’s southern reach, normally pursue foreign policies that sustain Chinese economic aid, such as development loans, as well as military ties with Washington. Non-claimant states such as India and Japan side more geopolitically with the United States without closing economic doors with China.

The Philippines, for example, let its navy train with the United States in April as it accepts billions of dollars in Chinese development aid.

Countries are unlikely to take sides overtly but could face pressure from China during national elections, said Jonathan Spangler, director of the South China Sea Think Tank in Taipei. Some have lost faith in China to be “responsible” and, since 2017, pared back “trust” in the United States.

“I think that countries at least in public should be calling for peaceful resolutions,” Spangler said. Before elections, he added, “We don’t even know the extent to which that sort of covert influence in other countries’ domestic politics has gone on.”
…

As U.S. and Mexican teams launch talks this week in Washington, U.S. President Donald Trump says he is “really okay” proceeding with his threat to impose tariffs on Mexican goods unless Mexico does more to cut the number of Central American migrants reaching the border.

“Everyone is coming through Mexico — including drugs, including human trafficking — and we’re going to stop it or we’re not going to do business and that’s going to be it. It’s very simple,” Trump told reporters late Sunday.”We’ll see what can be done. But if it’s not done, you know what we’re going to be doing.”

U.S. Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross and Mexican Economy Secretary Graciela Marquez lead off with talks Monday, and there is a scheduled meeting Wednesday between U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Mexican Foreign Relations Secretary Marcelo Ebrard.

Ebrard said he will be “firm and defend the dignity of Mexico.”

The Mexican delegation is set to lay out more of its position for the talks Monday morning at a news conference.

But as Trump reiterated his willingness to go forward with the tariff plan, Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador said his government is a friend of the U.S. government, that he wants to remain a friend of Trump, and that the Mexican people are friends with the people of the United States.

“Let us swear that nothing and nobody separates our beautiful and sacred friendship,” Lopez Obrador wrote on Twitter.

He has called for dialogue in resolving tensions rather than “coercive measures.”

Trump issued his threat last week, saying the United States would impose a 5% tariff on Mexican goods beginning June 10, and would continue to raise it each month to as much as 25% by October 1.

The U.S. president said on Twitter the tariffs would remain “until such time as illegal migrants coming through Mexico, and into our country, STOP.”
…

As U.S. and Mexican teams launch talks this week in Washington, U.S. President Donald Trump says he is “really okay” proceeding with his threat to impose tariffs on Mexican goods unless Mexico does more to cut the number of Central American migrants reaching the border.

“Everyone is coming through Mexico — including drugs, including human trafficking — and we’re going to stop it or we’re not going to do business and that’s going to be it. It’s very simple,” Trump told reporters late Sunday.”We’ll see what can be done. But if it’s not done, you know what we’re going to be doing.”

U.S. Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross and Mexican Economy Secretary Graciela Marquez lead off with talks Monday, and there is a scheduled meeting Wednesday between U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Mexican Foreign Relations Secretary Marcelo Ebrard.

Ebrard said he will be “firm and defend the dignity of Mexico.”

The Mexican delegation is set to lay out more of its position for the talks Monday morning at a news conference.

But as Trump reiterated his willingness to go forward with the tariff plan, Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador said his government is a friend of the U.S. government, that he wants to remain a friend of Trump, and that the Mexican people are friends with the people of the United States.

“Let us swear that nothing and nobody separates our beautiful and sacred friendship,” Lopez Obrador wrote on Twitter.

He has called for dialogue in resolving tensions rather than “coercive measures.”

Trump issued his threat last week, saying the United States would impose a 5% tariff on Mexican goods beginning June 10, and would continue to raise it each month to as much as 25% by October 1.

The U.S. president said on Twitter the tariffs would remain “until such time as illegal migrants coming through Mexico, and into our country, STOP.”
…

The gunman who killed 12 people inside a Virginia Beach government building on Friday had submitted his resignation hours before carrying out the deadly shooting spree, a local official said.

City Manager Dave Hansen said Sunday the suspect notified his superiors via email about his intention to quit his job Friday afternoon.

The suspect was identified as Dwayne Craddock, a longtime public utility employee.

Police Chief James Cervera said the gunman was a disgruntled worker who was killed by police in what he described as “long-term” shootout. A motive had not yet been determined.

City Manager Hansen said all but one of the murdered victims were Virginia Beach employees and one was a contractor.

Officials said at four others were wounded in the shooting.

Witnesses say the shooting took place at Building Two of the Virginia Beach municipal complex, which houses the city’s public works, public utilities and planning departments.

Cervera said one police officer was among those who was hit by gunfire but said the officer survived. The chief said the gunfight with the officers prevented the suspect from killing more victims.

He said the gunman used a .45-caliber pistol equipped with a “sound suppressor” device and “extended” ammunition magazines that he reloaded repeatedly during the attack.

The killings were the latest in a growing list of mass shootings in the U.S. It was the deadliest mass shooting since November when a gunman killed 12 people at a bar in Thousand Oaks, California before killing himself. A policeman also died of gunshot wounds after responding to calls for help in that instance.
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The gunman who killed 12 people inside a Virginia Beach government building on Friday had submitted his resignation hours before carrying out the deadly shooting spree, a local official said.

City Manager Dave Hansen said Sunday the suspect notified his superiors via email about his intention to quit his job Friday afternoon.

The suspect was identified as Dwayne Craddock, a longtime public utility employee.

Police Chief James Cervera said the gunman was a disgruntled worker who was killed by police in what he described as “long-term” shootout. A motive had not yet been determined.

City Manager Hansen said all but one of the murdered victims were Virginia Beach employees and one was a contractor.

Officials said at four others were wounded in the shooting.

Witnesses say the shooting took place at Building Two of the Virginia Beach municipal complex, which houses the city’s public works, public utilities and planning departments.

Cervera said one police officer was among those who was hit by gunfire but said the officer survived. The chief said the gunfight with the officers prevented the suspect from killing more victims.

He said the gunman used a .45-caliber pistol equipped with a “sound suppressor” device and “extended” ammunition magazines that he reloaded repeatedly during the attack.

The killings were the latest in a growing list of mass shootings in the U.S. It was the deadliest mass shooting since November when a gunman killed 12 people at a bar in Thousand Oaks, California before killing himself. A policeman also died of gunshot wounds after responding to calls for help in that instance.
…

President Donald Trump said Sunday that “America has had enough with Mexico,” contending that it is an “abuser” of the United States by not stopping the surge of Central American migrants headed north to seek asylum in the U.S.

Trump, who is threatening to impose a 5 percent tariff on Mexican exports sent to the U.S. unless it blocks the migrants short of the U.S. border, accused Mexico of “taking but never giving. It has been this way for decades.”

On Twitter, Trump said, “Either they stop the invasion of our Country by Drug Dealers, Cartels, Human Traffickers, Coyotes and Illegal Immigrants, which they can do very easily, or our many companies and jobs that have been foolishly allowed to move South of the Border, will be brought back into the United States through taxation (Tariffs).”

Trump’s attacks on Mexico came a day after Mexican President Andres Manual Lopez Obrador suggested his country could clamp down on migration. He said he thinks the United States is ready to discuss its threat to impose the tariff, effective June 10, as a means to combat illegal migration from Central America.

“There is willingness on the part of U.S. government officials to establish dialogue and reach agreement and compromises,” the Mexican leader said.

Mexican Foreign Minister Marcelo Ebrard said he had spoken to U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo by phone and said face-to-face talks between the two would take place on Wednesday in Washington.

“We will be firm and defend the dignity of Mexico,” Ebrard said.

Lopez Obrador called for “dialogue” rather than “coercive measures” and said he expects “good results” from the Washington talks.

Trump set off the dispute last week, posting a policy statement on Twitter.

“On June 10, the United States will impose a 5% Tariff on all goods coming into our Country from Mexico, until such time as illegal migrants coming through Mexico, and into our Country, STOP,” Trump tweeted. Until “the illegal immigration problem is remedied” tariffs will continue to rise monthly, going as high as 25% by October 1.

U.S. border agents have apprehended an increasing number of people, largely from Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador, who crossed the southern U.S. border in recent months, many of them hoping to win asylum to stay in the U.S.

In contrast to previous spikes in arrivals, recent groups have included a large number of children, prompting U.S. officials to scramble to support families and children traveling without parents.

The tariff dispute is occurring as Trump is seeking congressional approval for a new U.S.-Canada-Mexico trade deal. Some Washington analysts have suggested that if Trump imposes the tariff on imports from Mexico, it would imperil passage of the trade pact, but acting White House chief of staff Mick Mulvaney dismissed such concerns, saying the two issues are not connected.

“This is an immigration matter, not a trade issue,” Mulvaney told Fox News Sunday.

He said Trump threatened to impose the tariff “to put pressure on Mexico. Congress will not help us fix the border, so we turned to Mexico.”
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