Trump executive order pulls out of TPP trade deal

President Donald Trump has fulfilled a campaign pledge by signing an executive order to withdraw from the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP).

The 12-nation trade deal was a linchpin of former President Barack Obama's Asia policy.

"Great thing for the American worker what we just did," said Mr Trump as he dumped the pact with a stroke of a pen.

He also cut funding for international groups that provide abortions, and froze hiring of some federal workers.

Mr Trump's executive order on TPP was largely symbolic since the deal has not been ratified by a divided US Congress.

During his presidential campaign, he criticised the accord as a "potential disaster for our country", arguing it harmed US manufacturing.

His action won some plaudits from the left as well as the right.

Democratic Senator Bernie Sanders told the BBC he backed it because trade deals like this have been a "disaster" and cost millions of jobs.

On Monday evening, Mr Trump's pick to be secretary of state, Rex Tillerson, was approved by the Senate Foreign Relations committee, and now requires confirmation from the full Senate.

And the new CIA boss will be Mike Pompeo, following a Senate vote of 66 to 32, in his favour.