President Donald Trump clashed with his own party Thursday over a stimulus package to stabilize the economy, calling for a big-spending plan of the kind envisioned by Democrats even as the top Republican leader declared that such a measure had little support within the party.

Trump declared he “would go higher” than the latest $1.8 trillion framework the White House has put forward in negotiations with Speaker Nancy Pelosi of California, faulting his own Treasury secretary for failing to offer enough money in the talks.&nbsp;

A short time later, Sen. Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., the majority leader, all but ruled out such a deal, saying senators in his party would never support a package of that magnitude.

“He’s talking about a much larger amount than I can sell to my members,” McConnell told reporters in Kentucky, a refrain he reiterated in multiple appearances across the state. Instead, he plans next week to try to advance a scaled-down $500 billion package, which is likely to fail without Democratic support.

The stark division between the top two Republicans in Washington was the latest indication of the dim preelection prospects for enactment of a broad pandemic recovery package that economists have said is badly needed.&nbsp;

Tens of millions of Americans have slipped into poverty, and the country’s economic recovery has faltered without federal assistance.

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The public divisions also further undercut Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin in his attempts to reach an accord with Pelosi, who remains unmoved from the latest Democratic offer of $2.2 trillion.

Trump said in an interview with Fox Business that her proposal was so littered with Democratic priorities that his “pride” would not allow him to accept, but he also took aim at Mnuchin, saying he should “go big or go home.”

“So far he hasn’t come home with the bacon,” the president said.

His comments directly contradicted Republicans’ efforts to foist blame onto Pelosi and Democrats as the impasse has dragged on for months.

“Pelosi is holding up STIMULUS, not the Republicans!” he posted on Twitter on Thursday.

But it was Trump who abruptly pulled the plug on the talks last week, courting political risk before reversing course under pressure from alarmed Republicans.

In his most recent public concession to Pelosi, Mnuchin announced the administration would accept a key Democratic demand for carrying out a national testing strategy. “We’ll fundamentally agree with their testing language, subject to some minor issues,” he said on CNBC.

In a nearly 90-minute phone conversation with Pelosi, Mnuchin reiterated his willingness to accept Democratic language with “minor” edits and said he would provide a proposal Friday, Drew Hammill, a spokesperson for Pelosi, said in a statement summarizing the conversation. “The speaker looks forward to reviewing.”

But a number of unresolved differences remain, such as how much money to provide to state and local governments and lapsed federal unemployment benefits.

Investors, who have been following the stimulus talks closely, seemed unmoved by statements from Trump and Mnuchin on Thursday, with stocks on Wall Street dropping for a third consecutive day.&nbsp;

And Senate Republicans, who have grown increasingly frustrated with Mnuchin’s willingness to buck their narrow proposals and capitulate to Pelosi’s demands for a sweeping relief package, were equally reticent about the prospects of a deal before Nov. 3.

“I’m proposing what we think is appropriate,” McConnell said after voting in Louisville, Kentucky, when asked about the targeted bill he was preparing.&nbsp;

At later events in the state, he noted that the administration had not yet successfully reached a deal and said he felt “it was important to indicate to the American people before the election — not after — that we were not in favor of a stalemate, that we were not in favor of doing nothing.”

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McConnell, who has not formally unveiled legislation before an expected vote next week, said it would be similar to a scaled-down package that Senate Republicans proposed in September, which failed to meet the 60-vote threshold.

While some Democrats have pushed for Pelosi to accept a smaller relief package, she has insisted that the toll of the pandemic merits another broad package.&nbsp;

With the original Democratic offer costing about $3.4 trillion, the speaker has repeatedly argued that she has been more than willing to compromise with her Republican counterparts, counseling Democrats in a private phone call Tuesday that “I don’t think our leverage has ever been greater than it is now.”

“The disdain that they have for the state and local, the contempt that they have for science by not wanting to have a national strategic plan, and again, the unfairness when it comes to America’s workers is a tough nut to crack,” Pelosi said in an interview on MSNBC on Wednesday. “Still and all, we want to try and find our common ground.”

During the phone call, Pelosi raised McConnell’s comments in Kentucky and Mnuchin “indicated that the president would weigh in with Leader McConnell should an agreement be reached,” Hammill said.

In the CNBC interview, Mnuchin did not directly address the lack of support for a bill among Republicans, though he acknowledged that they preferred a more targeted relief bill that would provide a fraction of the new funding he and Pelosi were discussing.

And after conceding Wednesday that it would be difficult to pass and enact a deal in the next three weeks, Mnuchin continued to push for Congress to give him the authority to repurpose about $300 billion in unused relief money from the $2.2 trillion legislation that was passed in March.

Pelosi and Democrats have largely resisted voting on stand-alone bills.

President Donald Trump clashed with his own party Thursday over a stimulus package to stabilize the economy, calling for a big-spending plan of the kind envisioned by Democrats even as the top Republican leader declared that such a measure had little support within the party.

President Donald Trump clashed with his own party Thursday over a stimulus package to stabilize the economy, calling for a big-spending plan of the kind envisioned by Democrats even as the top Republican leader declared that such a measure had little support within the party. Trump declared he “would go higher” than the latest $1.8 trillion framework the White House has put forward in negotiations with Speaker Nancy Pelosi of California, faulting his own Treasury secretary for failing to offer enough money in the talks. A short time later, Sen. Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., the majority leader, all but ruled out such a deal, saying senators in his party would never support a package of that magnitude. “He’s talking about a much larger amount than I can sell to my members,” McConnell told reporters in Kentucky, a refrain he reiterated in multiple appearances across the state. Instead, he plans next week to try to advance a scaled-down $500 billion package, which is likely to fail without Democratic support. The stark division between the top two Republicans in Washington was the latest indication of the dim preelection prospects for enactment of a broad pandemic recovery package that economists have said is badly needed. Tens of millions of Americans have slipped into poverty, and the country’s economic recovery has faltered without federal assistance. Also Read | US election 2020: Joe Biden halts Kamala Harris' travel after campaign staffers test positive The public divisions also further undercut Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin in his attempts to reach an accord with Pelosi, who remains unmoved from the latest Democratic offer of $2.2 trillion. Trump said in an interview with Fox Business that her proposal was so littered with Democratic priorities that his “pride” would not allow him to accept, but he also took aim at Mnuchin, saying he should “go big or go home.” “So far he hasn’t come home with the bacon,” the president said. His comments directly contradicted Republicans’ efforts to foist blame onto Pelosi and Democrats as the impasse has dragged on for months. “Pelosi is holding up STIMULUS, not the Republicans!” he posted on Twitter on Thursday. But it was Trump who abruptly pulled the plug on the talks last week, courting political risk before reversing course under pressure from alarmed Republicans. In his most recent public concession to Pelosi, Mnuchin announced the administration would accept a key Democratic demand for carrying out a national testing strategy. “We’ll fundamentally agree with their testing language, subject to some minor issues,” he said on CNBC. In a nearly 90-minute phone conversation with Pelosi, Mnuchin reiterated his willingness to accept Democratic language with “minor” edits and said he would provide a proposal Friday, Drew Hammill, a spokesperson for Pelosi, said in a statement summarizing the conversation. “The speaker looks forward to reviewing.” But a number of unresolved differences remain, such as how much money to provide to state and local governments and lapsed federal unemployment benefits. Investors, who have been following the stimulus talks closely, seemed unmoved by statements from Trump and Mnuchin on Thursday, with stocks on Wall Street dropping for a third consecutive day. And Senate Republicans, who have grown increasingly frustrated with Mnuchin’s willingness to buck their narrow proposals and capitulate to Pelosi’s demands for a sweeping relief package, were equally reticent about the prospects of a deal before Nov. 3. “I’m proposing what we think is appropriate,” McConnell said after voting in Louisville, Kentucky, when asked about the targeted bill he was preparing. At later events in the state, he noted that the administration had not yet successfully reached a deal and said he felt “it was important to indicate to the American people before the election — not after — that we were not in favor of a stalemate, that we were not in favor of doing nothing.” Also Read | Two Americans, 240 Yemen rebel supporters freed in apparent prisoner exchange McConnell, who has not formally unveiled legislation before an expected vote next week, said it would be similar to a scaled-down package that Senate Republicans proposed in September, which failed to meet the 60-vote threshold. While some Democrats have pushed for Pelosi to accept a smaller relief package, she has insisted that the toll of the pandemic merits another broad package. With the original Democratic offer costing about $3.4 trillion, the speaker has repeatedly argued that she has been more than willing to compromise with her Republican counterparts, counseling Democrats in a private phone call Tuesday that “I don’t think our leverage has ever been greater than it is now.” “The disdain that they have for the state and local, the contempt that they have for science by not wanting to have a national strategic plan, and again, the unfairness when it comes to America’s workers is a tough nut to crack,” Pelosi said in an interview on MSNBC on Wednesday. “Still and all, we want to try and find our common ground.” During the phone call, Pelosi raised McConnell’s comments in Kentucky and Mnuchin “indicated that the president would weigh in with Leader McConnell should an agreement be reached,” Hammill said. In the CNBC interview, Mnuchin did not directly address the lack of support for a bill among Republicans, though he acknowledged that they preferred a more targeted relief bill that would provide a fraction of the new funding he and Pelosi were discussing. And after conceding Wednesday that it would be difficult to pass and enact a deal in the next three weeks, Mnuchin continued to push for Congress to give him the authority to repurpose about $300 billion in unused relief money from the $2.2 trillion legislation that was passed in March. Pelosi and Democrats have largely resisted voting on stand-alone bills.

Republicans clash on stimulus as Trump says ‘Go Big’ and McConnell demurs

Space debris is a serious issue. Pieces of defunct satellites and remains from previous space missions pose huge threat to satellites that are currently running. Global communication and countless other functions are dependent on these satellites. But a small piece of space debris, measuring even a few inches but moving are super speed can destroy an entire satellite.

According to NASA's estimate, 500,000 pieces of space debris are currently orbitting the Earth. Some of them are even travelling at a mind-boggling speed of 17,500 miles per hour.

And now, this space debris around can increase by 20 per cent!

This is quite possible if a defunct Soviet&nbsp;satellite and a Chinese rocket booster collide with each other. And this is very likely. The collision is feared to take place today (October 16, 2020). There is a likelihood that there will be a near-miss between these two objects. But a collision will mean more space junk around the Earth.

Both of these objects are discarded pieces of high-tech machinery. The Soviet satellite was launched into space in 1989. It weighs 2000 pounds and the Chinese rocket booster was&nbsp;part of a mission in 2009.

If these two objects collide, it will be a first spontaneous collision between pieces of space debris in more than a decade. This collision will, in turn, produce more pieces of such&nbsp;debris and this is what experts fear will increase the amount of space junk around our planet by 10 to 20 per cent.

Fingers crossed!

Space debris is a serious issue. Pieces of defunct satellites and remains from previous space missions pose huge threat to satellites that are currently running.

Space debris is a serious issue. Pieces of defunct satellites and remains from previous space missions pose huge threat to satellites that are currently running. Global communication and countless other functions are dependent on these satellites. But a small piece of space debris, measuring even a few inches but moving are super speed can destroy an entire satellite. According to NASA's estimate, 500,000 pieces of space debris are currently orbitting the Earth. Some of them are even travelling at a mind-boggling speed of 17,500 miles per hour. And now, this space debris around can increase by 20 per cent! This is quite possible if a defunct Soviet satellite and a Chinese rocket booster collide with each other. And this is very likely. The collision is feared to take place today (October 16, 2020). There is a likelihood that there will be a near-miss between these two objects. But a collision will mean more space junk around the Earth. Both of these objects are discarded pieces of high-tech machinery. The Soviet satellite was launched into space in 1989. It weighs 2000 pounds and the Chinese rocket booster was part of a mission in 2009. If these two objects collide, it will be a first spontaneous collision between pieces of space debris in more than a decade. This collision will, in turn, produce more pieces of such debris and this is what experts fear will increase the amount of space junk around our planet by 10 to 20 per cent. Fingers crossed!

This collision may increase space debris around Earth by 20 per cent

Bosses of tech giants like Facebook, Twitter and Google have declined to appear before a panel of US Senate, said a Republican Senator. The panel had unanimously voted on Thursday to summon Facebook's Mark Zuckerberg, Twitter's Jack Dorsey and Google's Sundar Pichai. They were to be questioned by the Commerce Committee of the US Senate on disinformation, online scams and a range of social ills.

"After extending an invitation to these executives, I regret that they have again declined to participate and answer questions on the record about issues that are so visible and urgent to the American people," said Republican Senator Roger Wicker, who chairs the panel.

Big tech platforms face heightened scrutiny on monopoly concerns. They are also on line for failing to stop the spread of hateful content.

"We have questioned how they are protecting and securing the data of millions of Americans, we've explored how they're combating disinformation fraud and other online scams, we've examined whether they are providing a safe and secure internet experience for children and teens," said Wicker.

Big Tech firms, including Amazon, Apple and Microsoft, have seen their economic power grow in recent years and accelerate during the coronavirus pandemic, dominating a range of economic sectors.

Also Read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/trump-fumes-as-facebook-twitter-limit-reach-of-smoking-gun-article-on-biden-and-his-son-335344">Trump fumes as Facebook, Twitter limit reach of 'smoking gun' article on Biden and his son</a>

President Donald Trump and his allies have claimed tech platforms are biased against conservatives, despite his own vast social media following.

Democrats meanwhile have expressed concerns over monopoly abuses and the failure of social media to stem misinformation from Trump himself.

Lawmakers from both parties have called for changes to the legal liability shield of online services under a law known as Section 230, claiming the provision enables toxic and harmful content to proliferate.

Google and Facebook are also under scrutiny by federal and state antitrust regulators.

(With inputs from AFP)

Bosses of tech giants like Facebook, Twitter and Google have declined to appear before a panel of US Senate, said a Republican Senator. The panel had unanimously voted on Thursday to summon Facebook's Mark Zuckerberg, Twitter's Jack Dorsey and Google's Sundar Pichai.

Bosses of tech giants like Facebook, Twitter and Google have declined to appear before a panel of US Senate, said a Republican Senator. The panel had unanimously voted on Thursday to summon Facebook's Mark Zuckerberg, Twitter's Jack Dorsey and Google's Sundar Pichai. They were to be questioned by the Commerce Committee of the US Senate on disinformation, online scams and a range of social ills. "After extending an invitation to these executives, I regret that they have again declined to participate and answer questions on the record about issues that are so visible and urgent to the American people," said Republican Senator Roger Wicker, who chairs the panel. Big tech platforms face heightened scrutiny on monopoly concerns. They are also on line for failing to stop the spread of hateful content. "We have questioned how they are protecting and securing the data of millions of Americans, we've explored how they're combating disinformation fraud and other online scams, we've examined whether they are providing a safe and secure internet experience for children and teens," said Wicker. Big Tech firms, including Amazon, Apple and Microsoft, have seen their economic power grow in recent years and accelerate during the coronavirus pandemic, dominating a range of economic sectors. Also Read | Trump fumes as Facebook, Twitter limit reach of 'smoking gun' article on Biden and his son President Donald Trump and his allies have claimed tech platforms are biased against conservatives, despite his own vast social media following. Democrats meanwhile have expressed concerns over monopoly abuses and the failure of social media to stem misinformation from Trump himself. Lawmakers from both parties have called for changes to the legal liability shield of online services under a law known as Section 230, claiming the provision enables toxic and harmful content to proliferate. Google and Facebook are also under scrutiny by federal and state antitrust regulators. (With inputs from AFP)

Mark Zuckerberg, Jack Dorsey, Sundar Pichai decline to appear before US Senate

US Special Representative for Afghanistan Reconciliation Zalmay Khalilzad on Thursday urged the Taliban to stay committed to the implementation of the US-Taliban peace agreement, warning that the rising level of violence in the country is threatening peace.

"Following several meetings General Miller and I had with the Taliban, we agreed to re-set actions by strictly adhering to the implementation of all elements of the U.S.-Taliban Agreement and all commitments made," Khalilzad wrote on Twitter.

He added, "This means reduced numbers of operations. At present too many Afghans are dying. With the re-set, we expect that number to drop significantly."With regard to the recent attacks by the Taliban, the US Peace envoy said, "Attacks have been on the rise in recent weeks -- threatening the peace process and alarming the Afghan people and their regional and international supporters."

Khalilzad said that "We will do our part and will monitor implementation actively. All parties must deliver on their responsibilities. We thank our international partners for their assistance and support."

According to Tolo News, Mohommad Nassem, Taliban spokesperson tweeted that the group`s chief negotiator Mawlavi Abdul Hakim met with Khalilzad and Gen. Miller and the two sides discussed the implementation of the peace agreement in Doha.&nbsp;

Naeem however did not mention that an agreement was made for both sides to reduce operations.NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg also met with the US Peace envoy and the two sides had discussed the situation in Afghanistan, Stoltenberg tweeted.

Also Read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/afghanistan-in-a-nutshell-peace-talks-in-doha-and-war-at-home-335580">Afghanistan in a nutshell: Peace talks in Doha and war at home</a> 
 
"The Doha talks offer the best chance for peace, but the Taliban must keep their promises and reduce the unacceptable level of violence. NATO remains committed to Afghanistan`s security," said Stoltenberg on Twitter, as quoted by Tolo News.

This comes after the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) said on Thursday that the increase in violence "only heaps further hardship and misery on ordinary Afghans and undermines efforts for progress and building bridges between parties at the historic Afghanistan peace talks in Doha."Tolo News quoted the US Charge d`Affaires Ross Wilson on social media said, "I stand behind UNAMA`s call to protect civilians in Helmand, who should have safe passage to leave dangerous areas. It is indefensible that the Taliban continues to put civilians at risk through needless violence. Afghanistan needs peace now."

The UK Embassy in Afghanistan also condemned the Taliban offensive in Helmand where "alarming numbers of civilians" have been "displaced, injured or killed" and added that the attacks undermine "the crucial peace talks" and all sides must "urgently reduce the violence and work towards a ceasefire."

"We continue to support the ANDSF and the brave efforts made to create lasting peace and stability in Afghanistan," Tolo News quoted the UK Embassy.

According to Tolo News, the clashes between the government forces and the Taliban in Lashkargah, the capital of Helmand and surrounding areas have entered the sixth day.&nbsp;

On Wednesday, at least nine people were killed when two Afghan National Army (ANA) MI-17 helicopters "crashed due to technical issues" in Nawa district of Helmand, said the Ministry of Defence.

Clashes have also been ongoing in the Lashkargah, the capital of Helmand province, and Nadi Ali district. The Taliban had begun their attacks on the city and other districts.&nbsp;

According to officials, on Monday night, Afghan commandos with air support launched an operation in Lashkargah

"The fighting was ongoing in the 601 highway and in Nad Ali district and the Babaji area in PD4 of Lashkargah. Thousands of families have been displaced because of the fighting in recent days," Tolo News reported.

US Special Representative for Afghanistan Reconciliation Zalmay Khalilzad on Thursday urged the Taliban to stay committed to the implementation of the US-Taliban peace agreement, warning that the rising level of violence in the country is threatening peace.

US Special Representative for Afghanistan Reconciliation Zalmay Khalilzad on Thursday urged the Taliban to stay committed to the implementation of the US-Taliban peace agreement, warning that the rising level of violence in the country is threatening peace. "Following several meetings General Miller and I had with the Taliban, we agreed to re-set actions by strictly adhering to the implementation of all elements of the U.S.-Taliban Agreement and all commitments made," Khalilzad wrote on Twitter. He added, "This means reduced numbers of operations. At present too many Afghans are dying. With the re-set, we expect that number to drop significantly."With regard to the recent attacks by the Taliban, the US Peace envoy said, "Attacks have been on the rise in recent weeks -- threatening the peace process and alarming the Afghan people and their regional and international supporters." Khalilzad said that "We will do our part and will monitor implementation actively. All parties must deliver on their responsibilities. We thank our international partners for their assistance and support." According to Tolo News, Mohommad Nassem, Taliban spokesperson tweeted that the group`s chief negotiator Mawlavi Abdul Hakim met with Khalilzad and Gen. Miller and the two sides discussed the implementation of the peace agreement in Doha. Naeem however did not mention that an agreement was made for both sides to reduce operations.NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg also met with the US Peace envoy and the two sides had discussed the situation in Afghanistan, Stoltenberg tweeted. Also Read | Afghanistan in a nutshell: Peace talks in Doha and war at home "The Doha talks offer the best chance for peace, but the Taliban must keep their promises and reduce the unacceptable level of violence. NATO remains committed to Afghanistan`s security," said Stoltenberg on Twitter, as quoted by Tolo News. This comes after the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) said on Thursday that the increase in violence "only heaps further hardship and misery on ordinary Afghans and undermines efforts for progress and building bridges between parties at the historic Afghanistan peace talks in Doha."Tolo News quoted the US Charge d`Affaires Ross Wilson on social media said, "I stand behind UNAMA`s call to protect civilians in Helmand, who should have safe passage to leave dangerous areas. It is indefensible that the Taliban continues to put civilians at risk through needless violence. Afghanistan needs peace now." The UK Embassy in Afghanistan also condemned the Taliban offensive in Helmand where "alarming numbers of civilians" have been "displaced, injured or killed" and added that the attacks undermine "the crucial peace talks" and all sides must "urgently reduce the violence and work towards a ceasefire." "We continue to support the ANDSF and the brave efforts made to create lasting peace and stability in Afghanistan," Tolo News quoted the UK Embassy. According to Tolo News, the clashes between the government forces and the Taliban in Lashkargah, the capital of Helmand and surrounding areas have entered the sixth day. On Wednesday, at least nine people were killed when two Afghan National Army (ANA) MI-17 helicopters "crashed due to technical issues" in Nawa district of Helmand, said the Ministry of Defence. Clashes have also been ongoing in the Lashkargah, the capital of Helmand province, and Nadi Ali district. The Taliban had begun their attacks on the city and other districts. According to officials, on Monday night, Afghan commandos with air support launched an operation in Lashkargah "The fighting was ongoing in the 601 highway and in Nad Ali district and the Babaji area in PD4 of Lashkargah. Thousands of families have been displaced because of the fighting in recent days," Tolo News reported.

Khalilzad urges Taliban to stay committed to US deal

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On the question of herd immunity as a strategy, Trump said: 'The cure cannot be worse than the problem itself. We did the right thing." ..<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/peaceful-transfer-i-absolutely-want-it-says-trump-at-town-hall-meeting-335600">Read More</a>

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<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/twitter-service-restored-following-global-platform-outage-335610">Twitter service restored following global platform outage</a>

The outage marked a new setback for the company, which for the past two days has been fending off accusations of bias over its decision to block a news report critical of Democratic White House candidate Joe Biden..<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/twitter-service-restored-following-global-platform-outage-335610">Read More</a>

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Peaceful transfer, I absolutely want it, says Trump at town hall meeting On the question of herd immunity as a strategy, Trump said: 'The cure cannot be worse than the problem itself.

Peaceful transfer, I absolutely want it, says Trump at town hall meeting On the question of herd immunity as a strategy, Trump said: 'The cure cannot be worse than the problem itself. We did the right thing." ..Read More Thousands protest in Bangkok, defy Thai government's emergency decree The protesters have decided to return as student leader Jutatip Sirikhan called everyone at 5 pm on Friday...Read More US should stop using Tibet to interfere in our internal affairs: China The Trump administration had appointed Robert Destro as the "special coordinator" on Tibetan issues amid tension between China and the US...Read More Twitter service restored following global platform outage The outage marked a new setback for the company, which for the past two days has been fending off accusations of bias over its decision to block a news report critical of Democratic White House candidate Joe Biden..Read More Kamala Harris suspends travel plans: Harris shared flight with 2 people who later tested positive ×

Morning news brief: Trump talks of peaceful transfer, protesters defy Thai govt & more

Twitter was &nbsp;restored &nbsp;Thursday evening after a technical problem caused a global outage of nearly two hours on the social media platform used by hundreds of millions worldwide.

The outage marked a new setback for the company, which for the past two days has been fending off accusations of bias over its decision to block a news report critical of Democratic White House candidate Joe Biden.

"We are continuing to monitor the issue, and things appear to have returned to normal," Twitter's application programming interface site said at 0011 GMT Friday.

The California-based company tweeted earlier: "We had some trouble with our internal systems and don't have any evidence of a security breach or hack."

According to downdetector.com, users on every continent had reported being unable to use the platform, but the outages were concentrated on the east and west coasts of the United States, as well as Japan. 
The outage appeared to have started around 2130 GMT.

Bias?

The Twitter shutdown came at a delicate moment. The company this week took the dramatic step of reducing the reach of a New York Post article critical of Biden, drawing a harsh rebuke from conservatives.

Thursday's outage was the latest technical breakdown to knock Twitter offline. The platform experienced an hour-long outage in July 2019, one lasting several hours a year ago and yet another last February.

More worrisome are hacking attacks on popular social media platforms like Twitter.

In July, prominent Americans including former president Barack Obama, Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, Microsoft founder Bill Gates and Tesla chief Elon Musk saw their Twitter accounts hacked.

Also Read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/facebook-twitter-google-bosses-decline-to-appear-before-us-senate-335602">Facebook, Twitter, Google bosses decline to appear before US Senate</a>

The attack targeted at least 130 accounts, with tweets posted by the intruders duping people into sending $100,000 in Bitcoin, supposedly in exchange for double the amount sent.

Several people aged 17 to 22 have since been charged for the hack, in which they targeted Twitter employees for personal passcodes to get into the company's internal systems.

In September 2019, Twitter experienced a brief but embarrassing attack: the account of its founder Jack Dorsey was hacked and erratic and offensive messages were posted from it.

Twitter was restored Thursday evening after a technical problem caused a global outage of nearly two hours on the social media platform used by hundreds of millions worldwide.

Twitter was restored Thursday evening after a technical problem caused a global outage of nearly two hours on the social media platform used by hundreds of millions worldwide. The outage marked a new setback for the company, which for the past two days has been fending off accusations of bias over its decision to block a news report critical of Democratic White House candidate Joe Biden. "We are continuing to monitor the issue, and things appear to have returned to normal," Twitter's application programming interface site said at 0011 GMT Friday. The California-based company tweeted earlier: "We had some trouble with our internal systems and don't have any evidence of a security breach or hack." According to downdetector.com, users on every continent had reported being unable to use the platform, but the outages were concentrated on the east and west coasts of the United States, as well as Japan. The outage appeared to have started around 2130 GMT. Bias? The Twitter shutdown came at a delicate moment. The company this week took the dramatic step of reducing the reach of a New York Post article critical of Biden, drawing a harsh rebuke from conservatives. Thursday's outage was the latest technical breakdown to knock Twitter offline. The platform experienced an hour-long outage in July 2019, one lasting several hours a year ago and yet another last February. More worrisome are hacking attacks on popular social media platforms like Twitter. In July, prominent Americans including former president Barack Obama, Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, Microsoft founder Bill Gates and Tesla chief Elon Musk saw their Twitter accounts hacked. Also Read | Facebook, Twitter, Google bosses decline to appear before US Senate The attack targeted at least 130 accounts, with tweets posted by the intruders duping people into sending $100,000 in Bitcoin, supposedly in exchange for double the amount sent. Several people aged 17 to 22 have since been charged for the hack, in which they targeted Twitter employees for personal passcodes to get into the company's internal systems. In September 2019, Twitter experienced a brief but embarrassing attack: the account of its founder Jack Dorsey was hacked and erratic and offensive messages were posted from it.

Twitter service restored following global platform outage

Writer and former first lady of the US Michelle Obama on Friday launched #VotingSquad challenge in order to urge more American voters to vote in upcoming US Election 2020.

She posted a photo of herself on Instagram and asked everyone to text three people to tell them to vote in presidential elections.

"Making sure our friends and family have a plan to vote will make all the difference in this election. So, here`s my challenge to you: text three people in your life today who might not vote and ask them to join your #VotingSquad and make a plan to vote together," she wrote in the caption.&nbsp;

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<a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CGYBhK7j7LB/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" style=" color:#000; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px; text-decoration:none; word-wrap:break-word;" target="_blank">Making sure our friends and family have a plan to vote will make all the difference in this election. So, here’s my challenge to you: text three people in your life today who might not vote and ask them to join your #VotingSquad and make a plan to vote together. I’ve tagged a couple of folks who I’m challenging to create their #VotingSquad. I want to see your squad! Post a photo with your squad and challenge three friends to share their plan to vote. Join us: weall.vote/votingsquad</a>

<p style=" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px; margin-bottom:0; margin-top:8px; overflow:hidden; padding:8px 0 7px; text-align:center; text-overflow:ellipsis; white-space:nowrap;">A post shared by <a href="https://www.instagram.com/michelleobama/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" style=" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px;" target="_blank"> Michelle Obama</a> (@michelleobama) on <time datetime="2020-10-15T19:08:52+00:00" style=" font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px;">Oct 15, 2020 at 12:08pm PDT</time>
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&nbsp;

Michelle Obama has a unique image and appeal across the globe. The former first lady was always by&nbsp;US President Barack Obama's side but carved her own space as she expressed her opinions from time-to-time and went on to write a book titled 'Becoming'. Even after President Barack Obama's term ended, Michelle has come to fore many times&nbsp;to air her comments.

On Friday as she launched the #VotingSquad Michelle Obama said she was tagging some of her friends asking them to vote.&nbsp;

"I`ve tagged a couple of folks who I`m challenging to create their #VotingSquad. I want to see your squad! Post a photo with your squad and challenge three friends to share their plan to vote," she wrote. Michelle asked people to join the initiative at "weall.vote/votingsquad".

Writer and former first lady of the US Michelle Obama on Friday launched #VotingSquad challenge in order to urge more American voters to vote in upcoming US Election 2020.

Writer and former first lady of the US Michelle Obama on Friday launched #VotingSquad challenge in order to urge more American voters to vote in upcoming US Election 2020. She posted a photo of herself on Instagram and asked everyone to text three people to tell them to vote in presidential elections. "Making sure our friends and family have a plan to vote will make all the difference in this election. So, here`s my challenge to you: text three people in your life today who might not vote and ask them to join your #VotingSquad and make a plan to vote together," she wrote in the caption. View this post on Instagram Making sure our friends and family have a plan to vote will make all the difference in this election. So, here’s my challenge to you: text three people in your life today who might not vote and ask them to join your #VotingSquad and make a plan to vote together. I’ve tagged a couple of folks who I’m challenging to create their #VotingSquad. I want to see your squad! Post a photo with your squad and challenge three friends to share their plan to vote. Join us: weall.vote/votingsquad A post shared by Michelle Obama (@michelleobama) on Oct 15, 2020 at 12:08pm PDT × Michelle Obama has a unique image and appeal across the globe. The former first lady was always by US President Barack Obama's side but carved her own space as she expressed her opinions from time-to-time and went on to write a book titled 'Becoming'. Even after President Barack Obama's term ended, Michelle has come to fore many times to air her comments. On Friday as she launched the #VotingSquad Michelle Obama said she was tagging some of her friends asking them to vote. "I`ve tagged a couple of folks who I`m challenging to create their #VotingSquad. I want to see your squad! Post a photo with your squad and challenge three friends to share their plan to vote," she wrote. Michelle asked people to join the initiative at "weall.vote/votingsquad".

Michelle Obama launches #VotingSquad challenge on Instagram to encourage Americans to vote

Warring parties in Yemen carried out a prisoner exchange in an attempt to build trust and take steps to end a devastating war. Planes carrying prisoners took off from three airports in an operation that involved about 1000 prisoners.

Saudi Arabia-led military coalition and Yemen's Houthi rebels had agreed last month in Switzerland to exchange 1081 prisoners. This is a largest swap of its kind in five-year-old conflict. The prisoner exchange was managed by International Committee of the Red Cross.

"This operation that means so much to so many families is under way," Fabrizio Carboni, ICRC regional director for the Middle East, told Reuters from Sanaa airport.

One of the planes was carrying Saudi and Sudanese detainees and flew to Saudi Arabia. The other two flew to Sayoun airport in the government-held Hadramout region.

Two planes carrying Houthis released by the coalition departed Sayoun, and a second arrived from Abha airport in Saudi Arabia, another Reuters witness and sources said.

ICRC spokeswoman Ruth Hetherington said more than 700 prisoners had been exchanged on Thursday on a total of seven flights from Sayoun, Sanaa and Abha. More flights are scheduled over the next two days, the aid agency said.

Under the deal, the Iran-aligned Houthi group is to release around 400 people while the coalition would free 681 Houthi fighters.

Trust-Building

Houthi spokesman Mohammed Abdulsalam said the swap "brings hope for peace-building".

A coalition statement, which confirmed that the plane carrying 15 Saudis and four Sudanese had landed in Riyadh, stressed the "political and military leaderships’ keenness for the return of all POWs and detainees". 
The warring sides had agreed in 2018 to swap 15,000 detainees split between both sides to pave the way for political negotiations to end the conflict, but progress has been slow.

Meanwhile, In an apparent prisoner swap, two captive Americans were freed on Wednesday as 240 supporters of the Huthi rebels in Yemen were allowed to go home. The swap involved Saudi Arabia and Oman. Announcement to this effect was made by the White House. Humanitarian worker Sandra Loli and businessman Mikael Gidada were freed by the Huthi rebels. The rebels control much of Yemen including its capital Sanaa. 
&nbsp; 
The rebels also sent back the remains of a third American, Bilal Fateen, the White House said. Secretary of&nbsp; 
State Mike Pompeo said Fateen died in captivity, without providing details.

The exchange of prisoners was not officially called a swap as US National Security Advisor Robert O'Brien stopped short of calling it a swap. He thanked Saudi King Salman and Omani Sultan Haitham bin Tarik Al-Said "for their efforts to secure the release of our citizens."

(With inputs from Reuters and AFP)

Warring parties in Yemen carried out a prisoner exchange in an attempt to build trust and take steps to end a devastating war. Planes carrying prisoners took off from three airports in an operation that involved about 1000 prisoners.

Warring parties in Yemen carried out a prisoner exchange in an attempt to build trust and take steps to end a devastating war. Planes carrying prisoners took off from three airports in an operation that involved about 1000 prisoners. Saudi Arabia-led military coalition and Yemen's Houthi rebels had agreed last month in Switzerland to exchange 1081 prisoners. This is a largest swap of its kind in five-year-old conflict. The prisoner exchange was managed by International Committee of the Red Cross. "This operation that means so much to so many families is under way," Fabrizio Carboni, ICRC regional director for the Middle East, told Reuters from Sanaa airport. One of the planes was carrying Saudi and Sudanese detainees and flew to Saudi Arabia. The other two flew to Sayoun airport in the government-held Hadramout region. Two planes carrying Houthis released by the coalition departed Sayoun, and a second arrived from Abha airport in Saudi Arabia, another Reuters witness and sources said. ICRC spokeswoman Ruth Hetherington said more than 700 prisoners had been exchanged on Thursday on a total of seven flights from Sayoun, Sanaa and Abha. More flights are scheduled over the next two days, the aid agency said. Under the deal, the Iran-aligned Houthi group is to release around 400 people while the coalition would free 681 Houthi fighters. Trust-Building Houthi spokesman Mohammed Abdulsalam said the swap "brings hope for peace-building". A coalition statement, which confirmed that the plane carrying 15 Saudis and four Sudanese had landed in Riyadh, stressed the "political and military leaderships’ keenness for the return of all POWs and detainees". The warring sides had agreed in 2018 to swap 15,000 detainees split between both sides to pave the way for political negotiations to end the conflict, but progress has been slow. Meanwhile, In an apparent prisoner swap, two captive Americans were freed on Wednesday as 240 supporters of the Huthi rebels in Yemen were allowed to go home. The swap involved Saudi Arabia and Oman. Announcement to this effect was made by the White House. Humanitarian worker Sandra Loli and businessman Mikael Gidada were freed by the Huthi rebels. The rebels control much of Yemen including its capital Sanaa. The rebels also sent back the remains of a third American, Bilal Fateen, the White House said. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said Fateen died in captivity, without providing details. The exchange of prisoners was not officially called a swap as US National Security Advisor Robert O'Brien stopped short of calling it a swap. He thanked Saudi King Salman and Omani Sultan Haitham bin Tarik Al-Said "for their efforts to secure the release of our citizens." (With inputs from Reuters and AFP)

Yemen: Saudi-led coalition and Houthi rebels carry out huge prisoner exchange

The Supreme Court on Friday appointed Justice (retd) Madan B Lokur, a former judge of the top court, to act as the one-man monitoring committee to prevent stubble burning in the states of Punjab, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh.

A bench headed by Chief Justice SA Bobde, while hearing a plea highlighting the issue of stubble burning in Punjab, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh, said that the court is only concerned that the citizens of Delhi-NCR get to breathe clean and fresh air.

The bench said that the new committee, which will monitor the stubble burning and take preventive steps, will get assistance from chief secretaries of all states.

"We have been made aware of steps by Punjab and Haryana for stopping stubble burning including the development of an app which can help in identification and notification of a particular field in which someone has burnt stubble... In spite of measures, reported an increase in stubble burning which will pollute the atmosphere of Delhi-NCR inevitably. We are not inclined to make an assessment of which measure has been effective or not," the bench said.

The bench also asked the heads of National Cadet Corps, National Service Scheme, and Bharat Scouts and Guides to put the young force at Justice Lokur`s disposal to help locate stubble burning in the three states and bring it to the notice of authorities to prevent the same.

"There needs to be some monitoring of stubble burning before it assumes unhealthy proportions. Accordingly, we find that the suggestion of a former Judge of this court is appointed to monitor the situation in Punjab, Haryana, and Uttar Pradesh," the bench said.

"We accordingly accept the suggestion and appoint Justice Madan B Lokur, former Supreme Court Judge to act as the one-man monitoring Committee to prevent stubble burning in the State," it added.

The bench, in its order, said that it considers it appropriate for the Chief Secretaries of Punjab, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh to enable Justice Lokur in order to devise additional means and methods for preventing burning or stubble.

It further said that the states shall provide adequate facilities to the committee for carrying out its job including secretarial assistance and transportation if necessary and added that the Committee will submit a report fortnightly or as and when required.

During the hearing, senior advocate Vikas Singh appearing for the petitioner, a class 12 student Aditya Dubey, said the prayer in the plea is that a one-man commission of Justice (retd) Madan B Lokur can be appointed because he has dealt with many environmental issues.

The state agencies and Environment Pollution (Prevention and Control) Authority are not empowered and don`t have any teeth to take action, he said.

Singh further contended that let a one-man commission of Justice Madan B Lokur be appointed and let him formulate teams to tackle this for continuous monitoring and he can take assistance from NGOs or NCC for the creation of mobile teams that can monitor and identify instances of stubble burning.

The plea, which referred to a Harvard University study that air pollution may now be an important factor that aggravates a mild COVID-19 infection into an acute one, had contended that stubble burning contributes almost 40 per cent of air pollution in Delhi.

It had sought directions to ban stubble burning in the states neighbouring the national capital as it cases massive air pollution in the winters. 
&nbsp;

The Supreme Court on Friday appointed Justice (retd) Madan B Lokur, a former judge of the top court, to act as the one-man monitoring committee to prevent stubble burning in the states of Punjab, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh.

The Supreme Court on Friday appointed Justice (retd) Madan B Lokur, a former judge of the top court, to act as the one-man monitoring committee to prevent stubble burning in the states of Punjab, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh. A bench headed by Chief Justice SA Bobde, while hearing a plea highlighting the issue of stubble burning in Punjab, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh, said that the court is only concerned that the citizens of Delhi-NCR get to breathe clean and fresh air. The bench said that the new committee, which will monitor the stubble burning and take preventive steps, will get assistance from chief secretaries of all states. "We have been made aware of steps by Punjab and Haryana for stopping stubble burning including the development of an app which can help in identification and notification of a particular field in which someone has burnt stubble... In spite of measures, reported an increase in stubble burning which will pollute the atmosphere of Delhi-NCR inevitably. We are not inclined to make an assessment of which measure has been effective or not," the bench said. The bench also asked the heads of National Cadet Corps, National Service Scheme, and Bharat Scouts and Guides to put the young force at Justice Lokur`s disposal to help locate stubble burning in the three states and bring it to the notice of authorities to prevent the same. "There needs to be some monitoring of stubble burning before it assumes unhealthy proportions. Accordingly, we find that the suggestion of a former Judge of this court is appointed to monitor the situation in Punjab, Haryana, and Uttar Pradesh," the bench said. "We accordingly accept the suggestion and appoint Justice Madan B Lokur, former Supreme Court Judge to act as the one-man monitoring Committee to prevent stubble burning in the State," it added. The bench, in its order, said that it considers it appropriate for the Chief Secretaries of Punjab, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh to enable Justice Lokur in order to devise additional means and methods for preventing burning or stubble. It further said that the states shall provide adequate facilities to the committee for carrying out its job including secretarial assistance and transportation if necessary and added that the Committee will submit a report fortnightly or as and when required. During the hearing, senior advocate Vikas Singh appearing for the petitioner, a class 12 student Aditya Dubey, said the prayer in the plea is that a one-man commission of Justice (retd) Madan B Lokur can be appointed because he has dealt with many environmental issues. The state agencies and Environment Pollution (Prevention and Control) Authority are not empowered and don`t have any teeth to take action, he said. Singh further contended that let a one-man commission of Justice Madan B Lokur be appointed and let him formulate teams to tackle this for continuous monitoring and he can take assistance from NGOs or NCC for the creation of mobile teams that can monitor and identify instances of stubble burning. The plea, which referred to a Harvard University study that air pollution may now be an important factor that aggravates a mild COVID-19 infection into an acute one, had contended that stubble burning contributes almost 40 per cent of air pollution in Delhi. It had sought directions to ban stubble burning in the states neighbouring the national capital as it cases massive air pollution in the winters.

Supreme Court appoints retired SC judge to monitor stubble burning in Punjab, Haryana and UP

The race for the White House has reached Israel. Both, Democratic Party and Republican Party are trying hard to attract dual-nationality American-Israelis, many of whom are registered in swing states such as Florida and Pennsylvania. As a result, posters in Hebrew have suddenly started appearing in Tel Aviv.

This week, posters saying 'You have to thank Trump' in Hebrew were seen on minibuses in Tel Aviv.

Like Republicans, Democrats are trying to woo voters in Israel as well. Democrats have &nbsp;arranged a 40% discount with the courier service DHL for voters whose home states require overseas ballots to be sent by mail.&nbsp;

There are no reliable statistics on American-Israelis` political leanings, but Marc Zell, chairman of Republicans Overseas Israel, estimated there were 25,000-30,000 eligible Florida voters in the country.

"That could be the deciding factor in that state`s contest," he said, pointing to George W. Bush`s narrow Florida victory in 2000, which handed him the election. He was quoted by Reuters.

US President Donald Trump has had a big influence in Israel as he delighted many by his decision to recognise Jerusalem as Israeli capital and moving US embassy there from Tel Aviv.

Meanwhile, Democratic candidate Joe Biden`s supporters have sent election postcards to Israeli Democrats and independents from swing states, where, they say, around half of American-Israeli Democrats are registered.

"Trump has used Israel as a partisan football to serve his own constituencies, like Christian Evangelicals," Democrats Abroad Israel chair Heather Stone told Reuters.

Biden, she said, was "a long-time friend of Israel who will help keep alive" the vision of a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Biden or Trump?

The parties` estimates of the number of eligible dual citizens resident in Israel range from 100,000 to 300,000. Some experts who track the information said it was likely to be more than 250,000.

Half a dozen American-Israeli voters interviewed by Reuters identified the coronavirus crisis, economic policy and candidates` stands on Israel as guiding their decisions.

Also Read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-election-2020-trumps-coronavirus-optimism-continues-as-joe-biden-says-prez-did-nothing-335685">US election 2020: Trump's coronavirus optimism continues as Joe Biden says Prez did 'nothing'</a>

One New York voter, Hezi Kugler, said he was voting for Biden to bring "a return to decency and a restoration of integrity" at the highest level of government.

"Trump has done some things that are good for Israeli interests, but his lack of global leadership has created an enormous vacuum in the region that is generally bad for Israel," said Kugler, 62, an energy industry professional in Tel Aviv.

In the Israeli city of Beit Shemesh, Republican David Wiener said Trump was the right choice because he approached thorny Middle East conflicts "from a business perspective".

Last month, Trump hosted a White House ceremony in which Israel, the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain signed deals to establish formal relations.

"Gulf countries see Israel as an opportunity to expand their industries ... Trump took advantage of that with the UAE," said Wiener, 39, an aerospace engineer registered in Pennsylvania.

Palestinian outreach

Although the election is most visible in Israel, there are also many Palestinians eligible to vote.

The U.S. Embassy in Jerusalem has encouraged voting by both sides, hosting Facebook live events with Arabic subtitles geared towards residents of the Israeli-occupied West Bank and Gaza.

For Democrats Abroad, Stone said she was working with Palestinian activists in East Jerusalem and in the Palestinian diaspora to get out the vote.

One East Jerusalem activist, Kefah Abukhdeir, said Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza face multiple barriers to sending votes abroad, including unreliable postal services that she called "practically non-existent".

"We haven`t had much luck turning out voters here," she said.

In Gaza, where an estimated 300 American-Palestinians live, Kamal Abusharia said he hoped to vote for the first time since the early 1990s in part due to anger towards Trump.

But he held out little hope that Biden would reverse all of Trump`s pro-Israeli moves were he to win.

"I don`t think that Biden would work to (return) the embassy (to Tel Aviv) or put the issue of Palestinian refugees back on the table," he said.

The race for the White House has reached Israel. Both, Democratic Party and Republican Party are trying hard to attract dual-nationality American-Israelis, many of whom are registered in swing states such as Florida and Pennsylvania.

The race for the White House has reached Israel. Both, Democratic Party and Republican Party are trying hard to attract dual-nationality American-Israelis, many of whom are registered in swing states such as Florida and Pennsylvania. As a result, posters in Hebrew have suddenly started appearing in Tel Aviv. This week, posters saying 'You have to thank Trump' in Hebrew were seen on minibuses in Tel Aviv. Like Republicans, Democrats are trying to woo voters in Israel as well. Democrats have arranged a 40% discount with the courier service DHL for voters whose home states require overseas ballots to be sent by mail. There are no reliable statistics on American-Israelis` political leanings, but Marc Zell, chairman of Republicans Overseas Israel, estimated there were 25,000-30,000 eligible Florida voters in the country. "That could be the deciding factor in that state`s contest," he said, pointing to George W. Bush`s narrow Florida victory in 2000, which handed him the election. He was quoted by Reuters. US President Donald Trump has had a big influence in Israel as he delighted many by his decision to recognise Jerusalem as Israeli capital and moving US embassy there from Tel Aviv. Meanwhile, Democratic candidate Joe Biden`s supporters have sent election postcards to Israeli Democrats and independents from swing states, where, they say, around half of American-Israeli Democrats are registered. "Trump has used Israel as a partisan football to serve his own constituencies, like Christian Evangelicals," Democrats Abroad Israel chair Heather Stone told Reuters. Biden, she said, was "a long-time friend of Israel who will help keep alive" the vision of a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Biden or Trump? The parties` estimates of the number of eligible dual citizens resident in Israel range from 100,000 to 300,000. Some experts who track the information said it was likely to be more than 250,000. Half a dozen American-Israeli voters interviewed by Reuters identified the coronavirus crisis, economic policy and candidates` stands on Israel as guiding their decisions. Also Read | US election 2020: Trump's coronavirus optimism continues as Joe Biden says Prez did 'nothing' One New York voter, Hezi Kugler, said he was voting for Biden to bring "a return to decency and a restoration of integrity" at the highest level of government. "Trump has done some things that are good for Israeli interests, but his lack of global leadership has created an enormous vacuum in the region that is generally bad for Israel," said Kugler, 62, an energy industry professional in Tel Aviv. In the Israeli city of Beit Shemesh, Republican David Wiener said Trump was the right choice because he approached thorny Middle East conflicts "from a business perspective". Last month, Trump hosted a White House ceremony in which Israel, the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain signed deals to establish formal relations. "Gulf countries see Israel as an opportunity to expand their industries ... Trump took advantage of that with the UAE," said Wiener, 39, an aerospace engineer registered in Pennsylvania. Palestinian outreach Although the election is most visible in Israel, there are also many Palestinians eligible to vote. The U.S. Embassy in Jerusalem has encouraged voting by both sides, hosting Facebook live events with Arabic subtitles geared towards residents of the Israeli-occupied West Bank and Gaza. For Democrats Abroad, Stone said she was working with Palestinian activists in East Jerusalem and in the Palestinian diaspora to get out the vote. One East Jerusalem activist, Kefah Abukhdeir, said Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza face multiple barriers to sending votes abroad, including unreliable postal services that she called "practically non-existent". "We haven`t had much luck turning out voters here," she said. In Gaza, where an estimated 300 American-Palestinians live, Kamal Abusharia said he hoped to vote for the first time since the early 1990s in part due to anger towards Trump. But he held out little hope that Biden would reverse all of Trump`s pro-Israeli moves were he to win. "I don`t think that Biden would work to (return) the embassy (to Tel Aviv) or put the issue of Palestinian refugees back on the table," he said.

US Elections 2020 fever reaches streets of Tel Aviv

US Democratic Party's presidential nominee Joe Biden has broken his previous record as he raised $383 million for his campaign as he prepares to challenge US President Donald Trump in US Presidential Elections 2020 due to be held on November 3.&nbsp;

In August, Joe Biden campaign raised $364.5 Million.

Even this amount was a record-setting sum. The donations came-in briskly after Joe Biden picked Kamala Harris as his running mate. Biden's choice of Harris gave his campaign an inclusive image and wider reach among people of colour and women in the US.

The deep war chest will now enable Biden to tackle Donald Trump's re-election bid more effectively as the campaign is expected to go on an aggressive advertising campaign in final weeks before the election day.

In all, Joe Biden's campaign has raised $890 million in past three months.

Donald Trump is yet to disclose how much he has raised for his campaign till now. 
&nbsp;

US Democratic Party's presidential nominee Joe Biden has broken his previous record as he raised $383 million for his campaign as he prepares to challenge US President Donald Trump in US Presidential Elections 2020 due to be held on November 3.

US Democratic Party's presidential nominee Joe Biden has broken his previous record as he raised $383 million for his campaign as he prepares to challenge US President Donald Trump in US Presidential Elections 2020 due to be held on November 3. In August, Joe Biden campaign raised $364.5 Million. Even this amount was a record-setting sum. The donations came-in briskly after Joe Biden picked Kamala Harris as his running mate. Biden's choice of Harris gave his campaign an inclusive image and wider reach among people of colour and women in the US. The deep war chest will now enable Biden to tackle Donald Trump's re-election bid more effectively as the campaign is expected to go on an aggressive advertising campaign in final weeks before the election day. In all, Joe Biden's campaign has raised $890 million in past three months. Donald Trump is yet to disclose how much he has raised for his campaign till now.

Joe Biden raised $383 million for his campaign in September

Merriam Webster Dictionary deemed the word 'sexual preference' to be 'offensive' after its use by US Supreme Court nominee Amy Coney Barrett caused a row. Amy Coney Barrett is currently undergoing hearing in the US Senate which would then take the decision to approve Amy Coney Barrett's appointment or not.

Senator Mazie Hirono lashed out at Amy Coney Barrett for using the term 'sexual preference' instead of 'sexual orientation'.

"Even though you didn't give a direct answer I think your response did speak volumes," Hirono said. "Not once, but twice, you used the term sexual preference to describe those in the LGBTQ community. And let me make clear, sexual preference is an offensive and outdated term," said Senator Hirono.

<h2>Why is 'sexual preference' an offensive word?</h2>

The term is held to be offensive in LGBTQ+ community and activists. The main contention against this word is that it conveys that sexual orientation of a person is a choice. This in many debates, paves way for people to argue that it was just a matter of choice that members of LGBTQ+ community had a sexual orientation they had. This, in many circles, leads to an assertion that being gay or bisexual can be 'cured'.

LGBTQ+ community and people working for their rights are fiercely against the notion that their sexual orientation can be cured.

And that is why, the word 'sexual preference' is offensive.

Merriam-Webster Dictionary did not have this connotation of the word until recently. But it has now been added following the row surrounding Amy Coney Barrett.

Barrett has since apologised.

"I certainly didn't mean, and would never mean, to use a term that would cause any offense in the LGBTQ community," she said. "So if I did, I greatly apologize for that." She was quoted by CNN.

Merriam Webster Dictionary deemed the word 'sexual preference' to be 'offensive' after its use by US Supreme Court nominee Amy Coney Barrett caused a row. Amy Coney Barrett is currently undergoing hearing in the US Senate which would then take the decision to approve Amy Coney Barrett's appointment or not.

Merriam Webster Dictionary deemed the word 'sexual preference' to be 'offensive' after its use by US Supreme Court nominee Amy Coney Barrett caused a row. Amy Coney Barrett is currently undergoing hearing in the US Senate which would then take the decision to approve Amy Coney Barrett's appointment or not. Senator Mazie Hirono lashed out at Amy Coney Barrett for using the term 'sexual preference' instead of 'sexual orientation'. "Even though you didn't give a direct answer I think your response did speak volumes," Hirono said. "Not once, but twice, you used the term sexual preference to describe those in the LGBTQ community. And let me make clear, sexual preference is an offensive and outdated term," said Senator Hirono. Why is 'sexual preference' an offensive word? The term is held to be offensive in LGBTQ+ community and activists. The main contention against this word is that it conveys that sexual orientation of a person is a choice. This in many debates, paves way for people to argue that it was just a matter of choice that members of LGBTQ+ community had a sexual orientation they had. This, in many circles, leads to an assertion that being gay or bisexual can be 'cured'. LGBTQ+ community and people working for their rights are fiercely against the notion that their sexual orientation can be cured. And that is why, the word 'sexual preference' is offensive. Merriam-Webster Dictionary did not have this connotation of the word until recently. But it has now been added following the row surrounding Amy Coney Barrett. Barrett has since apologised. "I certainly didn't mean, and would never mean, to use a term that would cause any offense in the LGBTQ community," she said. "So if I did, I greatly apologize for that." She was quoted by CNN.

Merriam-Webster Dictionary deems 'sexual preference' to be 'offensive' after Barrett controversy

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