Trump mistaken that Apple building new plants in US
Washington, July 28 : The US President Donald Trump has once again incorrectly claimed that Cupertino-based tech giant Apple is planning to build new manufacturing plants in the country.
During a speech at the White House on Friday that focused on the state of US economy, Trump said: "Apple alone is bringing in $230 billion and they're building new plants, they're building a magnificent campus, they're gonna be spending their money very wisely, but they're spending it in our country, not in some other country".
"That was made possible by the new tax cut and reform plan," he added.
In January 2017, Trump said he spoke to Apple CEO Tim Cook over phone and he promised to build "three big plants" in the US. But Cook never directly responded to that claim.
What Apple actually announced in January was to contribute $350 billion to the US economy over the next five years that includes an estimated $55 billion investment in 2018.
"The company plans to establish an Apple campus in a new location, which will initially house technical support for customers. The location of this new facility will be announced later in the year," Apple said.
The investments will concentrate in three areas where Apple has had the greatest impact on job creation: direct employment by Apple, spending and investment with Apple's domestic suppliers and manufacturers, and fuelling the fast-growing app economy which Apple created with iPhone and the App Store.
Apple, already the largest US taxpayer, anticipated repatriation tax payments of approximately $38 billion as required by recent changes to the tax law.
As part of the total investment, Apple will spend an estimated $55 billion with US suppliers and manufacturers in 2018.
Apple expects to invest over $30 billion in capital expenditures in the US over the next five years and create over 20,000 new jobs through hiring at existing campuses and opening a new one. Apple already employs 84,000 people in all 50 states.
Over $10 billion of Apple's expanded capital expenditures will be investments in data centres across the US.
"As it turned out, Trump was seemingly referring to the singular plant being built by Foxconn in Wisconsin, which started construction last month. The plant will make large LCD panels, not anything for Apple," reported 9to5mac.com.
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Two held for 'firing' at BJP leader's house in Bengal
Kolkata (PTI): A day before the counting of votes for the West Bengal assembly elections, two persons were arrested on Sunday for allegedly being involved in a firing incident outside the residence of a BJP leader in North 24 Parganas district, police said.
BJP leader Kundan Singh lodged a police complaint, alleging that a few gunmen fired at his house in the Noapara constituency around Saturday midnight.
Based on the CCTV footage, the two accused were apprehended, a senior officer said.
BJP's Noapara candidate Arjun Singh, in a post on social media, claimed that around 12.05 am, two armed miscreants arrived on a motorcycle at the residence of Kundan Singh, a BJP functionary and secretary of the Barrackpore organisational district, with an "intent to kill him".
According to the BJP leader, the accused are residents of Garulia and are known criminals.
Their names as offenders had been submitted to the Election Commission, he said.
The police officer did not specify whether the two arrested persons were the same individuals named by Arjun Singh.
According to the complaint, one round of firing took place outside Kundan Singh's house, triggering panic in the area.
The BJP candidate also questioned the role of the police, claiming that one of the accused had been detained by the police on the polling day but was later released in the evening.
The Noapara assembly seat went to the polls on April 29.
Several BJP leaders alleged that attempts were being made to create an atmosphere of fear ahead of the counting and weaken the organisation of the opposition parties.
The counting of votes will take place on May 4. Polling for the West Bengal assembly elections was held on April 23 and April 29.
The BJP urged the Election Commission to intervene immediately to ensure peaceful counting.
TMC candidate Somnath Shyam rubbished Arjun Singh’s allegation, claiming that the BJP nominee had orchestrated the firing incident to divert attention from imminent defeat.
“Arjun Singh knows all the gangsters in the Barrackpore belt. Everyone knows about his links with the underworld. Let the police investigate the incident,” Shyam said.
