President-elect Donald Trump

Security ramping up ahead of Trump inauguration

Mr Trump has arrived in the US capital and begins a weekend of official events, starting with a lunch with his incoming cabinet and formal wreath-laying at the Arlington cemetery ahead of his swearing in.

Police have forecast that about 900,000 people, both supporters and opponents, will flood Washington for the inauguration ceremony.

The ceremony on Friday (Saturday morning NZT) includes the swearing in on the steps of the US Capitol and a parade to the White House along streets thronged with spectators.

U2 delays album release in light of Trump victory

In an interview with Rolling Stone, the band's guitarist, David Evans, more commonly known as "The Edge," said the group had nearly completed their newest album when "the election (happened) and suddenly the world changed."

"We just went, 'Hold on a second, we've got to give ourselves a moment to think about this record and about how it relates to what's going on in the world,'" the U2 member said.

Donald Trump attacks Streep for speech at Golden Globes

In a series of tweets before dawn Monday, he called Streep, who has more Academy Award nominations than any other actor in history, "one of the most overrated actresses in Hollywood."

"She is a Hillary flunky who lost big," Trump said.

At the Golden Globes on Sunday night, Streep used an acceptance speech for a lifetime achievement award to take Trump to task. Without naming him, she spoke out against disrespect and violence, and called for the protection of journalists.

Trump, Putin both seek to boost their nuclear capability

The exchange appeared to raise the prospect of a new arms race between the two nuclear superpowers, which between them boast more than 14,000 nuclear warheads, the still deadly legacy of their four-decades long Cold War standoff.

But the comments by Putin, who is presiding over a project to restore Russia's lost global power and influence, and Trump, who will shortly become the US commander-in-chief, did not spell out exactly what each side is proposing or whether a major change of nuclear doctrine is in the offing.

Trump picks Exxon chief Rex Tillerson for secretary of state

In a statement, Mr Trump praised Mr Tillerson, 64, as among the "most accomplished business leaders and international dealmakers" in the world.

Mr Tillerson is said to have a good relationship with Russian President Vladimir Putin, alarming both Democrats and some Republicans.

 

The nomination needs Senate approval.

Days ago it emerged that US intelligence agencies believe Russia acted covertly to boost Donald Trump in the election race.

Sources: Trump to pick ExxonMobil CEO Tillerson as secretary of state

Like Trump, Tillerson, 64, has no formal foreign policy experience, but has built close relationships with many world leaders by closing massive deals across Eurasia and the Middle East on behalf of the world's largest energy company.

Tillerson was originally a dark horse for the secretary of state nomination, but emerged from a lengthy public interview and vetting process that included better-known quantities like former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani, 2012 GOP nominee Mitt Romney and Sen. Bob Corker, chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations committee.

Trump offers national security job to controversial ex-general

It was not immediately clear if Flynn accepted.

Flynn, 57, was a top adviser and high-profile surrogate to Trump during his campaign, introducing the President-elect at rallies and serving as a top cheerleader on his hyper-active Twitter feed.

His potential appointment wouldn't require Senate confirmation, which is potentially helpful for Trump, as Flynn has a long history of controversial remarks and was fired as President Barack Obama's director of the Defense Intelligence Agency in 2014.

The world comes to terms with President-elect Donald Trump

America voted, and the President-elect is Donald Trump.

A pillar of the alliance, German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier, summed up global reaction: "The result is different to what most people in Germany had hoped to see. But of course we accept it."