If sources are to be believed, Donald Trump’s family hotel company seems to be selling its prized Washington, DC hotel for $375 million. &nbsp;&nbsp;

The company has reached an agreement to sell the ownership rights of the hotel, the Wall Street Journal reported on Sunday, citing people familiar with the matter.&nbsp;

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/fbi-probes-fake-emails-sent-from-internal-server-over-possible-cyber-attack-429274" hreflang="en">FBI probes fake emails sent from internal server over possible cyber-attack</a>

A Miami-based investment firm, CGI Merchant Group, will acquire the lease for the Trump International Hotel. &nbsp;

The hotel is located a short walk down Pennsylvania Avenue from the White House. The new owners intend to remove the Trump name. It has also reached a deal with Hilton Worldwide Holdings Inc. to get the property branded and managed by Hilton’s Waldorf Astoria group, said sources. &nbsp;

The hotel is owned by the federal government, but its lease runs close to 100 years. The hotel has some largest guest rooms in the capital and housed in the former Old Post Office. &nbsp;

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/crunch-at-ports-may-mean-crisis-for-american-farms-429345" hreflang="en">Crunch at ports may mean crisis for American farms</a>

The sale is expected to close in the first quarter, added sources. &nbsp;&nbsp;

The development comes as Democratic-controlled House committees have been investigating and holding hearings on potential conflicts of interest and emoluments issues surrounding former US President Donald Trump. &nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies) &nbsp;

If sources are to be believed, Donald Trump’s family hotel company seems to be selling its prized Washington, DC hotel for $375 million. The company has reached an agreement to sell the ownership rights of the hotel, the Wall Street Journal reported on Sunday, citing people familiar with the matter.

If sources are to be believed, Donald Trump’s family hotel company seems to be selling its prized Washington, DC hotel for $375 million. The company has reached an agreement to sell the ownership rights of the hotel, the Wall Street Journal reported on Sunday, citing people familiar with the matter. Also Read: FBI probes fake emails sent from internal server over possible cyber-attack A Miami-based investment firm, CGI Merchant Group, will acquire the lease for the Trump International Hotel. The hotel is located a short walk down Pennsylvania Avenue from the White House. The new owners intend to remove the Trump name. It has also reached a deal with Hilton Worldwide Holdings Inc. to get the property branded and managed by Hilton’s Waldorf Astoria group, said sources. The hotel is owned by the federal government, but its lease runs close to 100 years. The hotel has some largest guest rooms in the capital and housed in the former Old Post Office. Also Read: Crunch at ports may mean crisis for American farms The sale is expected to close in the first quarter, added sources. The development comes as Democratic-controlled House committees have been investigating and holding hearings on potential conflicts of interest and emoluments issues surrounding former US President Donald Trump. (With inputs from agencies)

Donald Trump’s hotel company looks to sell Washington, DC hotel for $375 million  

Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp is considered one of the best and sought after managers in the history of the English Premier League, some even say best in the world. He is known for his team management skills, but his comments on managing a country are also valuable.&nbsp;

Klopp said the system should be such where people should be elected in top positions to sort the problems. The voting should not be based on "most funny" or the "weirdest haircut". There should right people in the system.&nbsp;

Klopp has said that the elections of Donald Trump, the former US president,&nbsp;and Boris Johnson, the current UK prime minister, were a "bad sign" for the whole world.&nbsp;

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/kylian-mbappe-scores-4-goals-as-france-thump-kazakhstan-8-0-to-qualify-for-fifa-world-cup-2022-429209">Kylian Mbappe scores 4 goals as France thump Kazakhstan 8-0 to qualify for FIFA World Cup 2022</a>

During a podcast with British presenter Gabby Logan's Mid Point, Klopp weighed in on the value of leadership with a rant on the current political system. He also talked about the problems in Western society.&nbsp;

The German called out Trump, Johnson and Farage as he criticised the culture in many elections, he said, "Obviously people with common sense are not needed – or used, at least – in this time."&nbsp;

"They should be, but what is the problem, the people we vote for or the whole system which gives us the opportunity to vote for these kinds of people? I really have to say that the last two elections, the first with Donald Trump and then with Boris Johnson, that's really a bad sign for the whole world, that something like this can happen."

"Because everybody knew beforehand that it would not work, but we still let it happen as a society. I cannot believe that. But one is now gone, the other one struggles still. It's incredible. We have to find a system where we can bring people in the position to sort all our problems, or help us with sorting the problems, who are the best possible people."

"And not the most funny or the weirdest haircut or whatever, you have to have the right people in that. [We should] not [be] voting for them and accepting for this specific amount of time that they are there now, and you look at it and go ‘oh my god, that’s not funny anymore'."&nbsp;

IN PICS | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/may-modi-merkel-macron-past-and-present-world-leaders-with-impeccable-fashion-sense-424294">May, Modi, Merkel, Macron: Past and present world leaders with impeccable fashion sense</a>

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On being asked about the slightest chance of Klopp's future as a politician, he said, "You need the right people – and for sure not someone like me who you like from television and has a slightly over-average intelligence."&nbsp;

"But there are people out there, definitely, you just have to give them a platform so they can show up without leading us in that direction or that direction," the manager added.&nbsp;

He added, "Why do we let people like Farage and Johnson lead any kind of group of people in any direction? And the day after [a problem] happens, they disappear – and one of them comes back! How can we forget? It’s like 'where has he been?', that’s absolutely insane. Then we sit here and think 'it's not that bad'…"&nbsp;

Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp is considered one of the best and sought after managers in the history of the English Premier League, some even say best in the world.

Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp is considered one of the best and sought after managers in the history of the English Premier League, some even say best in the world. He is known for his team management skills, but his comments on managing a country are also valuable. Klopp said the system should be such where people should be elected in top positions to sort the problems. The voting should not be based on "most funny" or the "weirdest haircut". There should right people in the system. Klopp has said that the elections of Donald Trump, the former US president, and Boris Johnson, the current UK prime minister, were a "bad sign" for the whole world. ALSO READ | Kylian Mbappe scores 4 goals as France thump Kazakhstan 8-0 to qualify for FIFA World Cup 2022 During a podcast with British presenter Gabby Logan's Mid Point, Klopp weighed in on the value of leadership with a rant on the current political system. He also talked about the problems in Western society. The German called out Trump, Johnson and Farage as he criticised the culture in many elections, he said, "Obviously people with common sense are not needed – or used, at least – in this time." "They should be, but what is the problem, the people we vote for or the whole system which gives us the opportunity to vote for these kinds of people? I really have to say that the last two elections, the first with Donald Trump and then with Boris Johnson, that's really a bad sign for the whole world, that something like this can happen." "Because everybody knew beforehand that it would not work, but we still let it happen as a society. I cannot believe that. But one is now gone, the other one struggles still. It's incredible. We have to find a system where we can bring people in the position to sort all our problems, or help us with sorting the problems, who are the best possible people." "And not the most funny or the weirdest haircut or whatever, you have to have the right people in that. [We should] not [be] voting for them and accepting for this specific amount of time that they are there now, and you look at it and go ‘oh my god, that’s not funny anymore'." IN PICS | May, Modi, Merkel, Macron: Past and present world leaders with impeccable fashion sense Loved chatting to Jurgen Klopp on the Midpoint @LFC 🙌 pic.twitter.com/aBI2piayTW — Gabby Logan (@GabbyLogan) November 10, 2021 × On being asked about the slightest chance of Klopp's future as a politician, he said, "You need the right people – and for sure not someone like me who you like from television and has a slightly over-average intelligence." "But there are people out there, definitely, you just have to give them a platform so they can show up without leading us in that direction or that direction," the manager added. He added, "Why do we let people like Farage and Johnson lead any kind of group of people in any direction? And the day after [a problem] happens, they disappear – and one of them comes back! How can we forget? It’s like 'where has he been?', that’s absolutely insane. Then we sit here and think 'it's not that bad'…"

Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp says elections of Donald Trump and Boris Johnson 'bad sign for whole world'

The election results from last week reconfirmed a basic reality about American politics: For either party, holding the White House comes with significant power, but in off-year elections, it is often a burden.

Democrats hoped that this year would be an exception. By trying to focus the electorate on Donald Trump, they sought to rouse the Democratic base. This approach would also avoid making elections a referendum on President Biden and his approval ratings, which have sagged after months of struggles with the Afghanistan exit, Covid, gas prices, inflation and congressional Democrats.

In other words, Democrats hoped that the usual rules of political gravity would not apply. But we should not be surprised that the familiar force endured.

Republicans performed well in races across the country — most notably in the governors’ races in Virginia and New Jersey, states that Mr. Biden won by double digits in 2020. Vote counts are still being finalized, but it appears they shifted almost identically toward the Republicans compared with 2017, the last time those governorships were on the ballot — margins of about 11 points. Virginia provides a striking example of how often the presidential party does poorly — the White House party candidate has now lost the gubernatorial race in 11 of the past 12 elections.

Unfortunately for Democrats, political gravity is also likely to act against them in 2022 — and they face real limits on what they can do about it.

There were signs of Democratic decline in all sorts of different places. The suburban-exurban Loudoun County in Northern Virginia is an example. Terry McAuliffe carried it, but his Republican rival in the governor’s race, Glenn Youngkin, campaigned aggressively there on education issues and basically cut the margin compared with 2017 in half. Places like Loudoun are where Democrats made advancements in the Trump years. To have any hope of holding the House next year, the party will have to perform well in such areas.

Turnout in terms of raw votes cast compared with the 2017 gubernatorial race was up all over Virginia, but some of the places where turnout growth was smallest included Democratic urban areas and college towns.

But Republicans had no such trouble: Their turnout was excellent. In New Jersey, the county that saw the biggest growth in total votes compared with 2017 was Ocean, an exurb on the Jersey Shore, which Gov. Phil Murphy’s Republican challenger, Jack Ciattarelli, won by over 35 points.

Democrats have also struggled in rural areas, and the results last week suggest that they have not hit bottom there yet. In the Ninth Congressional District in rural southwestern Virginia, Mr. Youngkin performed even better than Mr. Trump did in 2020.

This combination — even deeper losses in rural areas paired with fallout in more populous areas — would be catastrophic for Democrats, particularly in the competitive Midwest, where Mr. Biden in 2020 helped arrest Democratic decline in many white, rural areas but where it is not hard to imagine Democratic performance continuing to slide.

Like this year, the fundamentals for the 2022 midterms are not in the Democrats’ favor. Midterms often act as an agent of change in the House. The president’s party has lost ground in the House in 37 of the 40 midterms since the Civil War, with an average seat loss of 33 (since World War II, the average is a smaller, though still substantial, 27). Since 1900, the House has flipped party control 11 times, and nine of those changes have come in midterm election years, including the last five (1954, 1994, 2006, 2010 and 2018). Given that Republicans need to pick up only five seats next year, they are very well positioned to win the chamber.

It is not entirely unheard-of for the presidential party to net House seats in the midterms. It happened in 1998 and 2002, though those come with significant caveats. In ’98, President Bill Clinton had strong approval in spite of (or perhaps aided by) his impeachment battle with Republicans and presided over a strong economy; Democrats had also had lost a lot of ground in the 1994 midterm (and made only a dent in that new Republican majority in 1996). They gained a modest four seats.

In 2002, Republicans were defending a slim majority, but they benefited from President George W. Bush’s sky-high approval rating following the Sept. 11 attacks and decennial reapportionment and redistricting, which contributed to their eight-seat net gain.

So against this political gravity, is there anything Democrats can do? The passage of the bipartisan infrastructure bill as well as the possible passage of the party’s Build Back Better social spending package could help, though there is likely not a significant direct reward — new laws aren’t a magic bullet in campaigning. But a year from now, Democrats could be coming into the election under strong economic conditions and no longer mired in a high-profile intraparty stalemate (the McAuliffe campaign pointed to Democratic infighting as a drag).

Factors like gas prices and the trajectory of Covid may be largely beyond the Democrats’ influence, but it is entirely possible that the country’s mood will brighten by November 2022 — and that could bolster Mr. Biden’s approval rating.

When parties have bucked the midterm history, they’ve sometimes had an unusually good development emerge in their favor. If there is any lesson from last week’s results, it is that the circumstances were ordinary, not extraordinary. If they remain so, the Democratic outlook for next year — as it so often is for the presidential party in a midterm election — could be bleak.

The election results from last week reconfirmed a basic reality about American politics: For either party, holding the White House comes with significant power, but in off-year elections, it is often a burden.

The election results from last week reconfirmed a basic reality about American politics: For either party, holding the White House comes with significant power, but in off-year elections, it is often a burden. Democrats hoped that this year would be an exception. By trying to focus the electorate on Donald Trump, they sought to rouse the Democratic base. This approach would also avoid making elections a referendum on President Biden and his approval ratings, which have sagged after months of struggles with the Afghanistan exit, Covid, gas prices, inflation and congressional Democrats. In other words, Democrats hoped that the usual rules of political gravity would not apply. But we should not be surprised that the familiar force endured. Republicans performed well in races across the country — most notably in the governors’ races in Virginia and New Jersey, states that Mr. Biden won by double digits in 2020. Vote counts are still being finalized, but it appears they shifted almost identically toward the Republicans compared with 2017, the last time those governorships were on the ballot — margins of about 11 points. Virginia provides a striking example of how often the presidential party does poorly — the White House party candidate has now lost the gubernatorial race in 11 of the past 12 elections. Unfortunately for Democrats, political gravity is also likely to act against them in 2022 — and they face real limits on what they can do about it. There were signs of Democratic decline in all sorts of different places. The suburban-exurban Loudoun County in Northern Virginia is an example. Terry McAuliffe carried it, but his Republican rival in the governor’s race, Glenn Youngkin, campaigned aggressively there on education issues and basically cut the margin compared with 2017 in half. Places like Loudoun are where Democrats made advancements in the Trump years. To have any hope of holding the House next year, the party will have to perform well in such areas. Turnout in terms of raw votes cast compared with the 2017 gubernatorial race was up all over Virginia, but some of the places where turnout growth was smallest included Democratic urban areas and college towns. But Republicans had no such trouble: Their turnout was excellent. In New Jersey, the county that saw the biggest growth in total votes compared with 2017 was Ocean, an exurb on the Jersey Shore, which Gov. Phil Murphy’s Republican challenger, Jack Ciattarelli, won by over 35 points. Democrats have also struggled in rural areas, and the results last week suggest that they have not hit bottom there yet. In the Ninth Congressional District in rural southwestern Virginia, Mr. Youngkin performed even better than Mr. Trump did in 2020. This combination — even deeper losses in rural areas paired with fallout in more populous areas — would be catastrophic for Democrats, particularly in the competitive Midwest, where Mr. Biden in 2020 helped arrest Democratic decline in many white, rural areas but where it is not hard to imagine Democratic performance continuing to slide. Like this year, the fundamentals for the 2022 midterms are not in the Democrats’ favor. Midterms often act as an agent of change in the House. The president’s party has lost ground in the House in 37 of the 40 midterms since the Civil War, with an average seat loss of 33 (since World War II, the average is a smaller, though still substantial, 27). Since 1900, the House has flipped party control 11 times, and nine of those changes have come in midterm election years, including the last five (1954, 1994, 2006, 2010 and 2018). Given that Republicans need to pick up only five seats next year, they are very well positioned to win the chamber. It is not entirely unheard-of for the presidential party to net House seats in the midterms. It happened in 1998 and 2002, though those come with significant caveats. In ’98, President Bill Clinton had strong approval in spite of (or perhaps aided by) his impeachment battle with Republicans and presided over a strong economy; Democrats had also had lost a lot of ground in the 1994 midterm (and made only a dent in that new Republican majority in 1996). They gained a modest four seats. In 2002, Republicans were defending a slim majority, but they benefited from President George W. Bush’s sky-high approval rating following the Sept. 11 attacks and decennial reapportionment and redistricting, which contributed to their eight-seat net gain. So against this political gravity, is there anything Democrats can do? The passage of the bipartisan infrastructure bill as well as the possible passage of the party’s Build Back Better social spending package could help, though there is likely not a significant direct reward — new laws aren’t a magic bullet in campaigning. But a year from now, Democrats could be coming into the election under strong economic conditions and no longer mired in a high-profile intraparty stalemate (the McAuliffe campaign pointed to Democratic infighting as a drag). Factors like gas prices and the trajectory of Covid may be largely beyond the Democrats’ influence, but it is entirely possible that the country’s mood will brighten by November 2022 — and that could bolster Mr. Biden’s approval rating. When parties have bucked the midterm history, they’ve sometimes had an unusually good development emerge in their favor. If there is any lesson from last week’s results, it is that the circumstances were ordinary, not extraordinary. If they remain so, the Democratic outlook for next year — as it so often is for the presidential party in a midterm election — could be bleak.

How likely is a Democratic comeback next year?

Former US president Donald Trump’s advisor Steve Bannon has been indicted after he refused to testify before a congressional committee investigating Capitol riot that took place in January 6 this year.

On Friday, the Justice Department said the 67-year-old had been indicted by a federal grand jury on two counts: refusing to appear for a deposition and refusing to provide documents in response to the committee’s subpoena.

Each count carries a minimum of 30 days and a maximum of one year in jail, the Justice Department said.

A federal grand jury returned the indictment in a significant victory for the House Select Committee to Investigate the January 6 Attack, which is battling efforts by Trump and top aides to use presidential privilege to block testimony and documents necessary for the probe.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-judge-orders-release-of-white-house-records-that-could-implicate-donald-trump-in-capitol-riot-428223">US judge orders release of White House records that could implicate Donald Trump in Capitol riot</a>

Attorney General Merrick Garland had been under tremendous political pressure to indict Bannon since the House referred the Trump ally to the Justice Department for contempt on October 21.

“Since my first day in office, I have promised Justice Department employees that together we would show the American people by word and deed that the Department adheres to the rule of law, follows the facts and the law, and pursues equal justice under the law,” Garland said in a statement Friday.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/temporary-victory-us-court-blocks-national-archives-from-sharing-trump-records-with-riots-panel-428590">Temporary victory? US court blocks National Archives from sharing Trump records with riots panel</a>

“Today's charges reflect the Department's steadfast commitment to these principles,” he added.

The indictment came hours after Trump's former chief of staff, Mark Meadows, declined to show up for a committee deposition after being subpoenaed, which could lead to similar charges of contempt.

The US House Committee subpoenaed Bannon on September 23. He was among the first of dozens of people who were called to testify on the violent attack when thousands of Trump’s supporters marched onto the Capitol in protest after the former president claimed that Biden rigged the election.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/trending/trump-is-us-president-and-hunter-biden-possesses-child-porn-teacher-fired-for-wrong-lessons-428428">'Trump is US president and Hunter Biden possesses child porn': Teacher fired for wrong lessons</a>

The committee said Bannon has relevant information on how the attack, in which five people were killed, came about.

It pointed to his presence on January 5 in activities focused on blocking the certification, when he said, “All hell is going to break loose tomorrow.”

(With inputs from agencies)

Former US president Donald Trump’s advisor Steve Bannon has been indicted after he refused to testify before a congressional committee investigating Capitol riot that took place in January 6 this year.

Former US president Donald Trump’s advisor Steve Bannon has been indicted after he refused to testify before a congressional committee investigating Capitol riot that took place in January 6 this year. On Friday, the Justice Department said the 67-year-old had been indicted by a federal grand jury on two counts: refusing to appear for a deposition and refusing to provide documents in response to the committee’s subpoena. Each count carries a minimum of 30 days and a maximum of one year in jail, the Justice Department said. A federal grand jury returned the indictment in a significant victory for the House Select Committee to Investigate the January 6 Attack, which is battling efforts by Trump and top aides to use presidential privilege to block testimony and documents necessary for the probe. Also read | US judge orders release of White House records that could implicate Donald Trump in Capitol riot Attorney General Merrick Garland had been under tremendous political pressure to indict Bannon since the House referred the Trump ally to the Justice Department for contempt on October 21. “Since my first day in office, I have promised Justice Department employees that together we would show the American people by word and deed that the Department adheres to the rule of law, follows the facts and the law, and pursues equal justice under the law,” Garland said in a statement Friday. Also read | Temporary victory? US court blocks National Archives from sharing Trump records with riots panel “Today's charges reflect the Department's steadfast commitment to these principles,” he added. The indictment came hours after Trump's former chief of staff, Mark Meadows, declined to show up for a committee deposition after being subpoenaed, which could lead to similar charges of contempt. The US House Committee subpoenaed Bannon on September 23. He was among the first of dozens of people who were called to testify on the violent attack when thousands of Trump’s supporters marched onto the Capitol in protest after the former president claimed that Biden rigged the election. Also read | 'Trump is US president and Hunter Biden possesses child porn': Teacher fired for wrong lessons The committee said Bannon has relevant information on how the attack, in which five people were killed, came about. It pointed to his presence on January 5 in activities focused on blocking the certification, when he said, “All hell is going to break loose tomorrow.” (With inputs from agencies)

Trump’s former advisor Steve Bannon indicted for refusing to testify for Capitol riot probe

Usually, it’s the party out of power that frets about whether it will ever win again. This time, it’s the party in control of government that’s staring into the political wilderness.

Democrats now have a Washington trifecta — command of the White House and both chambers of Congress. If the results of last week’s elections in Virginia and elsewhere are any indication, they may not retain it after next November’s midterm elections. And a decade or longer may pass before they win a trifecta again.

The unusual structure of American government, combined with the electorate’s reflexive instinct to check the party in power, makes it hard for any party to retain a hold on both the White House and Congress for long.

Since World War II, political parties have waited an average of 14 years to regain full control of government after losing it. Only one president — Harry Truman — has lost Congress and retaken it later. In every other case, the president’s party regained a trifecta only after losing the White House.

It would be foolish to predict the next decade of election results. Still, today’s Democrats will have a hard time defying this long history. Not only do the Democrats have especially slim majorities, but they face a series of structural disadvantages in the House and the Senate that make it difficult to translate popular vote majorities into governing majorities.

The specter of divided government is a bitter one for Democrats.

The party has won the national popular vote in seven of the last eight presidential elections but has nonetheless struggled to amass enough power to enact its agenda. That has added to the high stakes in the ongoing negotiations over the large Democratic spending package, which increasingly looks like a last chance for progressives to push an ambitious agenda.

And it has helped spur the kind of acrimonious internal Democratic debate over the party’s message and strategy that would usually follow an electoral defeat, with moderates and progressives clashing over whether the party’s highly educated activist base needs to take a back seat for the party to cling to its majority. The strong Republican showing in Virginia and New Jersey last week has prompted yet another round of recriminations.

But with such a long history of the president’s party struggling to hold on to power, one wonders whether any policy, tactic or message might help Democrats escape divided government.

The political winds seem to blow against the president’s party almost as soon as a new party seizes the White House. For decades, political scientists have observed a so-called thermostatic backlash in public opinion, in which voters instinctively move to turn down the temperature when government runs too hot in either party’s favor. The pattern dates back as long as survey research and helps explain why the election of Barack Obama led to the Tea Party, or how Donald Trump’s election led to record support for immigration.

The president’s party faces additional burdens at the ballot box. A sliver of voters prefers gridlock and divided government and votes for a check and balance against the president. And the party out of power tends to enjoy a turnout advantage, whether because the president’s opponents are resolved to stop his agenda or because of complacency by the president’s supporters.

While Democrats can still hope to avoid losing control of Congress in 2022, Biden’s sagging approval ratings make it seem increasingly unlikely that they will. Historically, only presidents with strong approval ratings have managed to avoid the midterm curse. And with Democrats holding only the most tenuous majorities in the House and the Senate, any losses at all would be enough to break the trifecta.

If the Democrats are going to get a trifecta again, 2024 would seem to be their best chance. The president’s party usually bounces back when the president seeks reelection, perhaps because presidential elections offer a clear choice between two sides, not merely a referendum on the party in power. And in the House, a Democratic rebound in 2024 is very easy to imagine, even if far from assured.

The Senate, however, may be a different and ultimately bleaker story for Democrats.

In the short term, the president’s party is relatively insulated from midterm losses in the Senate, since only one-third of the seats are up for grabs. And the president’s party usually doesn’t have to defend much in its first midterm, as it has often already lost many of the contested seats six years earlier — when the party out of power fared well en route to last winning the White House. The same thing insulates some Democratic losses in 2022.

But if 2024 represents an opening for a Democratic bounce-back in the House, it may not offer as favorable an opportunity in the Senate. Democrats will have no opportunity to reclaim any Senate seats they might lose in 2022. And they will need to defend the seats they won six years earlier, in their 2018 midterm rout, including some in otherwise reliably Republican states such as West Virginia, Ohio and Montana. To hold or regain the Senate — and a trifecta — they might need all of those seats.

The Democratic grip on the Senate is dependent on holding Republican-leaning states because the Democrats are at a significant disadvantage in the chamber. The party tends to excel in a relatively small number of populous states, but every state receives two senators, regardless of population.

The size of the Democratic disadvantage in the Senate can be overstated: Biden won 25 states, after all, and the Democrats control the chamber today by the margin of Vice President Kamala Harris’ tiebreaking vote.

But the Democratic majority is tenuous, and there are few opportunities to solidify it: There are only 27 states where Biden was within 5 points of victory in 2020. And since there are only 19 states where Biden won by more than he did nationwide, Republicans could easily flip many seats if they benefit from a favorable political environment.

With Republicans commanding such formidable structural advantages in the chamber, some Democrats fear they could be reduced to just 43 Senate seats by the end of the 2024 election. If Biden won reelection, Republicans could claim even more seats in 2026. The path back to a Democratic trifecta would be daunting.

Even if Democrats do hold down their Senate losses next year, it would still be a long road back to control of the chamber. They might struggle to win it back until there’s a new Republican president, when the benefits of being the party out of power will again work to their advantage. 
&nbsp;

Usually, it’s the party out of power that frets about whether it will ever win again. This time, it’s the party in control of government that’s staring into the political wilderness.

Usually, it’s the party out of power that frets about whether it will ever win again. This time, it’s the party in control of government that’s staring into the political wilderness. Democrats now have a Washington trifecta — command of the White House and both chambers of Congress. If the results of last week’s elections in Virginia and elsewhere are any indication, they may not retain it after next November’s midterm elections. And a decade or longer may pass before they win a trifecta again. The unusual structure of American government, combined with the electorate’s reflexive instinct to check the party in power, makes it hard for any party to retain a hold on both the White House and Congress for long. Since World War II, political parties have waited an average of 14 years to regain full control of government after losing it. Only one president — Harry Truman — has lost Congress and retaken it later. In every other case, the president’s party regained a trifecta only after losing the White House. It would be foolish to predict the next decade of election results. Still, today’s Democrats will have a hard time defying this long history. Not only do the Democrats have especially slim majorities, but they face a series of structural disadvantages in the House and the Senate that make it difficult to translate popular vote majorities into governing majorities. The specter of divided government is a bitter one for Democrats. The party has won the national popular vote in seven of the last eight presidential elections but has nonetheless struggled to amass enough power to enact its agenda. That has added to the high stakes in the ongoing negotiations over the large Democratic spending package, which increasingly looks like a last chance for progressives to push an ambitious agenda. And it has helped spur the kind of acrimonious internal Democratic debate over the party’s message and strategy that would usually follow an electoral defeat, with moderates and progressives clashing over whether the party’s highly educated activist base needs to take a back seat for the party to cling to its majority. The strong Republican showing in Virginia and New Jersey last week has prompted yet another round of recriminations. But with such a long history of the president’s party struggling to hold on to power, one wonders whether any policy, tactic or message might help Democrats escape divided government. The political winds seem to blow against the president’s party almost as soon as a new party seizes the White House. For decades, political scientists have observed a so-called thermostatic backlash in public opinion, in which voters instinctively move to turn down the temperature when government runs too hot in either party’s favor. The pattern dates back as long as survey research and helps explain why the election of Barack Obama led to the Tea Party, or how Donald Trump’s election led to record support for immigration. The president’s party faces additional burdens at the ballot box. A sliver of voters prefers gridlock and divided government and votes for a check and balance against the president. And the party out of power tends to enjoy a turnout advantage, whether because the president’s opponents are resolved to stop his agenda or because of complacency by the president’s supporters. While Democrats can still hope to avoid losing control of Congress in 2022, Biden’s sagging approval ratings make it seem increasingly unlikely that they will. Historically, only presidents with strong approval ratings have managed to avoid the midterm curse. And with Democrats holding only the most tenuous majorities in the House and the Senate, any losses at all would be enough to break the trifecta. If the Democrats are going to get a trifecta again, 2024 would seem to be their best chance. The president’s party usually bounces back when the president seeks reelection, perhaps because presidential elections offer a clear choice between two sides, not merely a referendum on the party in power. And in the House, a Democratic rebound in 2024 is very easy to imagine, even if far from assured. The Senate, however, may be a different and ultimately bleaker story for Democrats. In the short term, the president’s party is relatively insulated from midterm losses in the Senate, since only one-third of the seats are up for grabs. And the president’s party usually doesn’t have to defend much in its first midterm, as it has often already lost many of the contested seats six years earlier — when the party out of power fared well en route to last winning the White House. The same thing insulates some Democratic losses in 2022. But if 2024 represents an opening for a Democratic bounce-back in the House, it may not offer as favorable an opportunity in the Senate. Democrats will have no opportunity to reclaim any Senate seats they might lose in 2022. And they will need to defend the seats they won six years earlier, in their 2018 midterm rout, including some in otherwise reliably Republican states such as West Virginia, Ohio and Montana. To hold or regain the Senate — and a trifecta — they might need all of those seats. The Democratic grip on the Senate is dependent on holding Republican-leaning states because the Democrats are at a significant disadvantage in the chamber. The party tends to excel in a relatively small number of populous states, but every state receives two senators, regardless of population. The size of the Democratic disadvantage in the Senate can be overstated: Biden won 25 states, after all, and the Democrats control the chamber today by the margin of Vice President Kamala Harris’ tiebreaking vote. But the Democratic majority is tenuous, and there are few opportunities to solidify it: There are only 27 states where Biden was within 5 points of victory in 2020. And since there are only 19 states where Biden won by more than he did nationwide, Republicans could easily flip many seats if they benefit from a favorable political environment. With Republicans commanding such formidable structural advantages in the chamber, some Democrats fear they could be reduced to just 43 Senate seats by the end of the 2024 election. If Biden won reelection, Republicans could claim even more seats in 2026. The path back to a Democratic trifecta would be daunting. Even if Democrats do hold down their Senate losses next year, it would still be a long road back to control of the chamber. They might struggle to win it back until there’s a new Republican president, when the benefits of being the party out of power will again work to their advantage.

Why Democrats may have a long wait if they lose their grip on Washington

A Ventura County middle school teacher who informed children that Donald Trump was still the president of the United States has been fired.

The unnamed history teacher allegedly told students that Trump is still president, that President Joe Biden's son Hunter is "doing deals with China and Ukraine where he was funnelling money illegally," and that "if you have a baby in the hospital, they don't want to give it back if you aren't vaccinated."

A student videotaped the teacher's comments during class.

Hunter Biden participated in incest with his niece and had child porn, according to the individual on the tape.&nbsp;

Officials from the Ventura Unified School System informed the that the female history teacher had left the middle school, but they wouldn't clarify whether she was still employed by the district.&nbsp;

The teacher has expressed regret over the incident.

The decision to remove the instructor from the classroom was made in accordance with the terms of the teachers' union's collective bargaining agreement.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

A Ventura County middle school teacher who informed children that Donald Trump was still the president of the United States has been fired. The unnamed history teacher allegedly told students that Trump is still president, that President Joe Biden's son Hunter is "doing deals with China and Ukraine where he was funnelling money illegally," and that "if you have a baby in the hospital, they don't want to give it back if you aren't vaccinated.

A Ventura County middle school teacher who informed children that Donald Trump was still the president of the United States has been fired. The unnamed history teacher allegedly told students that Trump is still president, that President Joe Biden's son Hunter is "doing deals with China and Ukraine where he was funnelling money illegally," and that "if you have a baby in the hospital, they don't want to give it back if you aren't vaccinated." A student videotaped the teacher's comments during class. Hunter Biden participated in incest with his niece and had child porn, according to the individual on the tape. Officials from the Ventura Unified School System informed the that the female history teacher had left the middle school, but they wouldn't clarify whether she was still employed by the district. The teacher has expressed regret over the incident. The decision to remove the instructor from the classroom was made in accordance with the terms of the teachers' union's collective bargaining agreement. (With inputs from agencies)

'Trump is US president and Hunter Biden possesses child porn': Teacher fired for wrong lessons

Prince Harry has said that he had warned Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey about the staging of a coup a day before the US Capitol riot.

He revealed that he had written an email to Dorsey saying "his platform was allowing a coup to be staged."&nbsp;

Harry took part in Wired magazine's RE:WIRED virtual summit in New York City, joining the 'Internet Lie Machine' panel discussion alongside Renée DiResta of the Stanford Internet Observatory and Rashad Robinson of Color of Change.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/entertainment/lifestyle/news-megxit-is-a-misogynistic-term-created-by-a-troll-prince-harry-428235">Also read |&nbsp;'Megxit' is a misogynistic term created by a troll: Prince Harry&nbsp;</a>

Thousands of Trump supporters stormed the&nbsp;Capitol&nbsp;10 months ago in an effort to overturn President Joe Biden's election victory in a&nbsp;riot&nbsp;that is blamed in part for the deaths of five people and injuries to dozens of police officers.

Trump had&nbsp;urged them to march on the&nbsp;Capitol&nbsp;and "fight like hell" in a fiery speech that was the culmination of months of baseless claims about a contest he had lost fairly to Biden.

US Capitol riot was the worst attack on the seat of the US&nbsp;government since the War of 1812 and the only time power in the United States has not been transferred peacefully.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-judge-orders-release-of-white-house-records-that-could-implicate-donald-trump-in-capitol-riot-428223" hreflang="en">US judge orders release of White House records that could implicate Donald Trump in Capitol riot</a>

Formally known as the Duke of Sussex, Harry also said that the term "Megxit," a phrase used by the British press to describe the decision by him and his wife Meghan to quit their royal duties, was a misogynistic term.

Meghan, a former star of the American TV legal drama “Suits,” married Harry, a grandson of Queen Elizabeth II, at Windsor Castle in May 2018.

Meghan and Harry announced in early 2020 that they were quitting royal duties and moving to North America, citing what they said were the unbearable intrusions and racist attitudes of the British media.

A study released in October by social media analytics service Bot Sentinel identified 83 accounts on Twitter that it said were responsible for 70% of the hateful content and misinformation aimed at Meghan and Harry.

Harry and Meghan have since campaigned against social media negativity that they say is affecting people's mental health.

(With inputs from agencies)

Prince Harry has said that he had warned Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey about the staging of a coup a day before the US Capitol riot. He revealed that he had written an email to Dorsey saying "his platform was allowing a coup to be staged.

Prince Harry has said that he had warned Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey about the staging of a coup a day before the US Capitol riot. He revealed that he had written an email to Dorsey saying "his platform was allowing a coup to be staged." Harry took part in Wired magazine's RE:WIRED virtual summit in New York City, joining the 'Internet Lie Machine' panel discussion alongside Renée DiResta of the Stanford Internet Observatory and Rashad Robinson of Color of Change. Also read | 'Megxit' is a misogynistic term created by a troll: Prince Harry Thousands of Trump supporters stormed the Capitol 10 months ago in an effort to overturn President Joe Biden's election victory in a riot that is blamed in part for the deaths of five people and injuries to dozens of police officers. Trump had urged them to march on the Capitol and "fight like hell" in a fiery speech that was the culmination of months of baseless claims about a contest he had lost fairly to Biden. US Capitol riot was the worst attack on the seat of the US government since the War of 1812 and the only time power in the United States has not been transferred peacefully. Also read | US judge orders release of White House records that could implicate Donald Trump in Capitol riot Formally known as the Duke of Sussex, Harry also said that the term "Megxit," a phrase used by the British press to describe the decision by him and his wife Meghan to quit their royal duties, was a misogynistic term. Meghan, a former star of the American TV legal drama “Suits,” married Harry, a grandson of Queen Elizabeth II, at Windsor Castle in May 2018. Meghan and Harry announced in early 2020 that they were quitting royal duties and moving to North America, citing what they said were the unbearable intrusions and racist attitudes of the British media. A study released in October by social media analytics service Bot Sentinel identified 83 accounts on Twitter that it said were responsible for 70% of the hateful content and misinformation aimed at Meghan and Harry. Harry and Meghan have since campaigned against social media negativity that they say is affecting people's mental health. (With inputs from agencies)

Prince Harry says he warned Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey of 'coup' before Capitol riot

A US judge Tuesday ordered white house records that could implicate former president Donald Trump in the January 6 attack on the capitol. They will be released to a congressional committee despite the ex-leader's attempts to keep them secret.

US judge orders white house records that could implicate former president Donald Trump

Former US President Donald Trump's effort to keep White House records, regarding the January 6 capitol riot has suffered a setback.

Trying to halt the&nbsp;release of the documents, Trump had said he had&nbsp;executive privilege to keep the communications and visitor logs related to that day under seal as a&nbsp;a former president.

The congressional committee probing the deadly assault on the Capitol said it had issued subpoenas seeking documents and testimony from more associates of Trump, including senior adviser Stephen Miller, former press secretary Kayleigh McEnany and other White House aides.

On January 6, hundreds of Trump supporters forced the shutdown of Congress after they forcefully entered the Capitol.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/son-of-a-donald-trump-slams-republican-leaders-during-dinner-at-mar-a-lago-club-376769">Also read |&nbsp;'Son of a...': Donald Trump slams Republican leaders during dinner at Mar-a-Lago Club</a>

''We need to know precisely what role the former President and his aides played in efforts to stop the counting of the electoral votes and if they were in touch with anyone outside the White House attempting to overturn the outcome of the election,'' said US &nbsp;Representative Bennie Thompson, chairman of the select committee.

Documents that&nbsp;Trump&nbsp;hoped to block include records from his top aides and memos to his press secretary, according to a court document published in October.

The more than 770 pages include records of his former chief of staff Mark Meadows, his former senior advisor Stephen Miller and his former deputy counsel Patrick Philbin.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/casino-formerly-owned-by-donald-trump-demolished-364418">Also read |&nbsp;Casino formerly owned by Donald Trump demolished</a>

Trump spokesman Taylor Budowich wrote on Twitter that "Pres. Trump remains committed to defending the Constitution &amp; the Office of the Presidency, &amp; will be seeing this process through," while asserting that the matter of executive privilege "was destined to be decided by the Appellate Courts."

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The battle to defend Executive Privilege for Presidents past, present &amp; future—from its outset—was destined to be decided by the Appellate Courts. Pres. Trump remains committed to defending the Constitution &amp; the Office of the Presidency, &amp; will be seeing this process through.
— Taylor Budowich (@TayFromCA) <a href="https://twitter.com/TayFromCA/status/1458267205037031429?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 10, 2021</a></blockquote>
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According to US District Judge Tanya Chutkan, ''Trump's position that he may override the express will of the executive branch appears to be premised on the notion that his executive power 'exists in perpetuity. But Presidents are not kings, and Plaintiff is not President.''

The Capitol riot was the worst attack on the seat of the US government since the War of 1812 and the only time power in the United States has not been transferred peacefully.

(With inputs from agencies)

Former US President Donald Trump's effort to keep White House records, regarding the January 6 capitol riot has suffered a setback. Trying to halt the release of the documents, Trump had said he had executive privilege to keep the communications and visitor logs related to that day under seal as a a former president.

Former US President Donald Trump's effort to keep White House records, regarding the January 6 capitol riot has suffered a setback. Trying to halt the release of the documents, Trump had said he had executive privilege to keep the communications and visitor logs related to that day under seal as a a former president. The congressional committee probing the deadly assault on the Capitol said it had issued subpoenas seeking documents and testimony from more associates of Trump, including senior adviser Stephen Miller, former press secretary Kayleigh McEnany and other White House aides. On January 6, hundreds of Trump supporters forced the shutdown of Congress after they forcefully entered the Capitol. Also read | 'Son of a...': Donald Trump slams Republican leaders during dinner at Mar-a-Lago Club ''We need to know precisely what role the former President and his aides played in efforts to stop the counting of the electoral votes and if they were in touch with anyone outside the White House attempting to overturn the outcome of the election,'' said US Representative Bennie Thompson, chairman of the select committee. Documents that Trump hoped to block include records from his top aides and memos to his press secretary, according to a court document published in October. The more than 770 pages include records of his former chief of staff Mark Meadows, his former senior advisor Stephen Miller and his former deputy counsel Patrick Philbin. Also read | Casino formerly owned by Donald Trump demolished Trump spokesman Taylor Budowich wrote on Twitter that "Pres. Trump remains committed to defending the Constitution & the Office of the Presidency, & will be seeing this process through," while asserting that the matter of executive privilege "was destined to be decided by the Appellate Courts." The battle to defend Executive Privilege for Presidents past, present & future—from its outset—was destined to be decided by the Appellate Courts. Pres. Trump remains committed to defending the Constitution & the Office of the Presidency, & will be seeing this process through. — Taylor Budowich (@TayFromCA) November 10, 2021 × According to US District Judge Tanya Chutkan, ''Trump's position that he may override the express will of the executive branch appears to be premised on the notion that his executive power 'exists in perpetuity. But Presidents are not kings, and Plaintiff is not President.'' The Capitol riot was the worst attack on the seat of the US government since the War of 1812 and the only time power in the United States has not been transferred peacefully. (With inputs from agencies)

US judge orders release of White House records that could implicate Donald Trump in Capitol riot

Speaking in Glasglow at COP26 Climate Summit, Former US President Barack Obama called on young people to "stay angry" in the fight against climate change. He took a dig at Donald Trump for pulling out of the Paris accord & lauded the 2015 agreement.

COP26 Summit: Former US President Obama lauds 2015 Paris agreement, slams Trump

The man shot by Kyle Rittenhouse has said that he used his gun against him as 'self-defence'.

He believed the US teenager was an "active shooter" and was trying to disarm Rittenhouse at the time because he thought otherwise he would die.

Rittenhouse, the American teen who shot three people during anti-police protests last year, claimed he had been attacked "like an animal."&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/jacob-blake-sues-police-officer-who-shot-him-373496">Also read |&nbsp;Jacob Blake sues police officer who shot him</a>

Mark Richards, representing the then-17-year-old who killed two men and wounded a third with his assault rifle at the August 25, 2020 protest in Kenosha, Wisconsin, depicted Rittenhouse as under mortal threat from demonstrators.

Gaige Grosskreutz, a former paramedic who was armed with a pistol that night, said he followed Rittenhouse because he had heard gunshots and saw protesters chasing him. He thought he might need to provide medical aid.

"I thought that the defendant was an active shooter," Grosskreutz told the jury.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/county-reaches-10-million-settlement-in-jailed-black-mans-death-387475">Also read |&nbsp;County reaches $10 million settlement in jailed Black man’s death</a>

His critics say he represents armed vigilantes on the right who police allegedly permitted, if not encouraged, to take the law into their own hands against protestors.

But in right-wing and pro-gun circles, and among supporters of former president Donald Trump, Rittenhouse is a hero figure.

Last week, multiple witnesses provided testimony that seemed to support the teen's claim of self-defense, especially in the case of Rosenbaum.

Protesters "violently attacked him," former President Trump said during a pre-election visit to Kenosha in September. "He probably would have been killed."

After his arrest, Rittenhouse was freed on bail of $2 million, raised by supporters across the country, including from Trump's own circle.

Rittenhouse is charged with five felony counts, including first-degree homicide and attempted homicide, and a misdemeanor, illegal possession of a dangerous weapon by a person under 18.

(With inputs from agencies)

The man shot by Kyle Rittenhouse has said that he used his gun against him as 'self-defence'. He believed the US teenager was an "active shooter" and was trying to disarm Rittenhouse at the time because he thought otherwise he would die.

The man shot by Kyle Rittenhouse has said that he used his gun against him as 'self-defence'. He believed the US teenager was an "active shooter" and was trying to disarm Rittenhouse at the time because he thought otherwise he would die. Rittenhouse, the American teen who shot three people during anti-police protests last year, claimed he had been attacked "like an animal." Also read | Jacob Blake sues police officer who shot him Mark Richards, representing the then-17-year-old who killed two men and wounded a third with his assault rifle at the August 25, 2020 protest in Kenosha, Wisconsin, depicted Rittenhouse as under mortal threat from demonstrators. Gaige Grosskreutz, a former paramedic who was armed with a pistol that night, said he followed Rittenhouse because he had heard gunshots and saw protesters chasing him. He thought he might need to provide medical aid. "I thought that the defendant was an active shooter," Grosskreutz told the jury. Also read | County reaches $10 million settlement in jailed Black man’s death His critics say he represents armed vigilantes on the right who police allegedly permitted, if not encouraged, to take the law into their own hands against protestors. But in right-wing and pro-gun circles, and among supporters of former president Donald Trump, Rittenhouse is a hero figure. Last week, multiple witnesses provided testimony that seemed to support the teen's claim of self-defense, especially in the case of Rosenbaum. Protesters "violently attacked him," former President Trump said during a pre-election visit to Kenosha in September. "He probably would have been killed." After his arrest, Rittenhouse was freed on bail of $2 million, raised by supporters across the country, including from Trump's own circle. Rittenhouse is charged with five felony counts, including first-degree homicide and attempted homicide, and a misdemeanor, illegal possession of a dangerous weapon by a person under 18. (With inputs from agencies)

Man shot by Kyle Rittenhouse calls him an 'active shooter,' calls use of gun 'self-defence'

A Russian analyst who compiled a dossier that linked Donald Trump’s 2016 election campaign with Russia was arrested in the United States.

The Department of Justice indicted Igor Danchenko, 43, on Thursday for making false statements to the FBI relating to sources for the material he gave to a former British spy, Chirstopher Steele, to prepare what became known as the ‘Steele dossier’.

In the dossier, he made unsubstantiated claims that Trump colluded with Russia to win the 2016 election.

The document was used by Democrats to paint Trump as a Russian puppet, a narrative amplified by most US media during the president’s four years in office.

A lawyer for the Russian analyst did not immediately respond to requests for comment, news agency Reuters has reported.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/trumps-former-lawyer-to-testify-in-russia-meddling-case-384712">Trump's former lawyer to testify in Russia meddling case</a>

Published by Buzzfeed 10 days before Trump took office, the ‘Steele Dossier’ made a number of explosive claims linking Trump to the Kremlin —including that Russia had compromising material on the Republican candidate. Trump had always dismissed the allegations.

Steele is a former British intelligence officer who prepared the dossier for Fusion GPS, which was working for a law firm that represented the&nbsp;Democratic Party&nbsp;and Hillary Clinton’s 2016 presidential campaign.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/putin-likely-directed-meddling-in-2020-us-election-report-claims-371004">Putin likely directed meddling in 2020 US election, report claims</a>

In July 2016, US investigators began to examine whether there were any links between Trump and the Kremlin. This led the following year to a major investigation headed by special counsel Robert Mueller.

In 2019, the Mueller investigation concluded that it could not determine any criminal conspiracy between Moscow and the Trump campaign.

Following this, the Trump administration announced an investigation into the origins of the inquiry into Russian interference.

(With inputs from agencies)

A Russian analyst who compiled a dossier that linked Donald Trump’s 2016 election campaign with Russia was arrested in the United States. The Department of Justice indicted Igor Danchenko, 43, on Thursday for making false statements to the FBI relating to sources for the material he gave to a former British spy, Chirstopher Steele, to prepare what became known as the ‘Steele dossier’.

A Russian analyst who compiled a dossier that linked Donald Trump’s 2016 election campaign with Russia was arrested in the United States. The Department of Justice indicted Igor Danchenko, 43, on Thursday for making false statements to the FBI relating to sources for the material he gave to a former British spy, Chirstopher Steele, to prepare what became known as the ‘Steele dossier’. In the dossier, he made unsubstantiated claims that Trump colluded with Russia to win the 2016 election. The document was used by Democrats to paint Trump as a Russian puppet, a narrative amplified by most US media during the president’s four years in office. A lawyer for the Russian analyst did not immediately respond to requests for comment, news agency Reuters has reported. Also read | Trump's former lawyer to testify in Russia meddling case Published by Buzzfeed 10 days before Trump took office, the ‘Steele Dossier’ made a number of explosive claims linking Trump to the Kremlin —including that Russia had compromising material on the Republican candidate. Trump had always dismissed the allegations. Steele is a former British intelligence officer who prepared the dossier for Fusion GPS, which was working for a law firm that represented the Democratic Party and Hillary Clinton’s 2016 presidential campaign. Also read | Putin likely directed meddling in 2020 US election, report claims In July 2016, US investigators began to examine whether there were any links between Trump and the Kremlin. This led the following year to a major investigation headed by special counsel Robert Mueller. In 2019, the Mueller investigation concluded that it could not determine any criminal conspiracy between Moscow and the Trump campaign. Following this, the Trump administration announced an investigation into the origins of the inquiry into Russian interference. (With inputs from agencies)

Russian analyst who compiled dossier linking Trump’s election to Russia arrested

The United States and European Union have agreed to end a festering dispute over US steel and aluminum tariffs imposed by former President Donald Trump in 2018.

US and EU end long standing dispute over steel and aluminum tariff

Former US President Donald Trump while attending the baseball world series performed the controversial "Tomahawk chop" cheer which is considered a racist gesture by native Americans.

Trump was attending a match between Atlanta Braves and &nbsp;Houston Astros at the&nbsp;Truist Park in Atlanta.

National Congress of American Indians(NCAI) president Fawn Sharp denounced the gesture saying: "We have repeatedly and unequivocally made our position clear -&nbsp;native people are not mascots, and degrading rituals like the ‘Tomahawk chop’ that dehumanise and harm us have no place in American society."

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NCAI reiterates its longstanding opposition to the Atlanta <a href="https://twitter.com/Braves?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Braves</a>' mascot and “tomahawk chop” fan ritual as the team plays in the <a href="https://twitter.com/MLB?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@MLB</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WorldSeries?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WorldSeries</a>. 
 
Read NCAI President Fawn Sharp’s full statement: <a href="https://t.co/pPWkoziRie">https://t.co/pPWkoziRie</a><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NotYourMascot?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NotYourMascot</a> <a href="https://t.co/N3RxEEASLs">pic.twitter.com/N3RxEEASLs</a>
— National Congress of American Indians (@NCAI1944) <a href="https://twitter.com/NCAI1944/status/1453484550366113795?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 27, 2021</a></blockquote>
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The forward and backward chopping gesture is usually undertaken at Atlanta Braves games. Native Americans say it promotes racist stereotyping.

The NCAI chief called teams to follow the "example set by the Cleveland Guardians". The US major league team had decided to retire its name “Indians” and mascot.

However, Major League Baseball(MLB) commissioner Rob Manfred had said that native Americans in Atlanta were "fully supportive of the Braves' programme, including the chop."

"For me, that's kind of the end of the story. In that market, we're taking into account the native American community," Manfred added.&nbsp;

Trump's gesture was criticised on social media as the US president's latest controversial gesture upset&nbsp;many people.

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Do you suppose there's any chance in the world that Atlanta Braves fans realize how ridiculous they look to the entire rest of the planet with their idiotic Tomahawk Chop? <a href="https://t.co/L9iAsjnjPT">pic.twitter.com/L9iAsjnjPT</a>
— Bob Geiger (@GeigerNews) <a href="https://twitter.com/GeigerNews/status/1454645637786574849?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 31, 2021</a></blockquote>
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President Trump! Tomahawk chop at <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WorldSeries?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WorldSeries</a> Game 4 tonight in Atlanta. 🪓 <a href="https://t.co/OPcW5D7eVc">pic.twitter.com/OPcW5D7eVc</a>
— Suburban Black Man 🇺🇸 (@goodblackdude) <a href="https://twitter.com/goodblackdude/status/1454605828690825222?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 31, 2021</a></blockquote>
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It's important, especially for those whose opinions on the matter are deeply ingrained and think any discussion of the tomahawk chop is disingenuous, to understand the mistreatment of indigenous people in Georgia and why the chop is so bothersome to many. So, a history lesson.
— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) <a href="https://twitter.com/JeffPassan/status/1454092263798288393?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 29, 2021</a></blockquote>
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Trump's wife Melania was seated next to him and sought to join him. The Braves fans also joined Trump in carrying out the offensive celebration which has been repeatedly criticised by native Americans.

The former president had earlier thanked Manfred for the invite while adding that he and Melania were looking forward to the game. Republican Senate candidate Herschel Walker was also at the game.

(With inputs from Agencies)

Former US President Donald Trump while attending the baseball world series performed the controversial "Tomahawk chop" cheer which is considered a racist gesture by native Americans.

Former US President Donald Trump while attending the baseball world series performed the controversial "Tomahawk chop" cheer which is considered a racist gesture by native Americans. Trump was attending a match between Atlanta Braves and Houston Astros at the Truist Park in Atlanta. National Congress of American Indians(NCAI) president Fawn Sharp denounced the gesture saying: "We have repeatedly and unequivocally made our position clear - native people are not mascots, and degrading rituals like the ‘Tomahawk chop’ that dehumanise and harm us have no place in American society." NCAI reiterates its longstanding opposition to the Atlanta @Braves' mascot and “tomahawk chop” fan ritual as the team plays in the @MLB #WorldSeries. Read NCAI President Fawn Sharp’s full statement: https://t.co/pPWkoziRie#NotYourMascot pic.twitter.com/N3RxEEASLs — National Congress of American Indians (@NCAI1944) October 27, 2021 × The forward and backward chopping gesture is usually undertaken at Atlanta Braves games. Native Americans say it promotes racist stereotyping. The NCAI chief called teams to follow the "example set by the Cleveland Guardians". The US major league team had decided to retire its name “Indians” and mascot. However, Major League Baseball(MLB) commissioner Rob Manfred had said that native Americans in Atlanta were "fully supportive of the Braves' programme, including the chop." "For me, that's kind of the end of the story. In that market, we're taking into account the native American community," Manfred added. Trump's gesture was criticised on social media as the US president's latest controversial gesture upset many people. Do you suppose there's any chance in the world that Atlanta Braves fans realize how ridiculous they look to the entire rest of the planet with their idiotic Tomahawk Chop? pic.twitter.com/L9iAsjnjPT — Bob Geiger (@GeigerNews) October 31, 2021 × President Trump! Tomahawk chop at #WorldSeries Game 4 tonight in Atlanta. 🪓 pic.twitter.com/OPcW5D7eVc — Suburban Black Man 🇺🇸 (@goodblackdude) October 31, 2021 × It's important, especially for those whose opinions on the matter are deeply ingrained and think any discussion of the tomahawk chop is disingenuous, to understand the mistreatment of indigenous people in Georgia and why the chop is so bothersome to many. So, a history lesson. — Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) October 29, 2021 × Trump's wife Melania was seated next to him and sought to join him. The Braves fans also joined Trump in carrying out the offensive celebration which has been repeatedly criticised by native Americans. The former president had earlier thanked Manfred for the invite while adding that he and Melania were looking forward to the game. Republican Senate candidate Herschel Walker was also at the game. (With inputs from Agencies)

Trump performs controversial 'Tomahawk chop' during baseball game; Twitter outraged

At least five former What House staffers of the Trump administration have spoken with the US Congress committee that is investigating the January 6 riot on the Capital, according to a report by the CNN.

The report claims that all five people spoke voluntarily after lawyers working with the select House committee reached out to them through email or text.&nbsp;

The committee has reportedly contacted a number of former staffers, ranging from those on the junior level to individuals who were more senior.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/capitol-riot-us-house-votes-to-hold-trumps-former-advisor-steve-bannon-in-criminal-contempt-422816">Capitol riot: US House votes to hold Trump’s former advisor Steve Bannon in criminal contempt</a>

While several people voluntarily spoke with the committee, others have declined the committee's request or not responded at all.

“I've got good reason to believe a number of them are horrified and scandalized by what took place on January 6 and they want to do their legal duty and their civic duty by coming forward to explain exactly what happened," Jamie Raskin, a Democratic member of the committee, told CNN.

Also read |<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/trumps-claim-of-executive-privilege-in-the-jan-6-inquiry-explained-422321">&nbsp;Trump’s claim of executive privilege in the Jan. 6. inquiry, explained</a>

According to five former Trump aides, counsel for the committee has emailed or texted them directly to ask whether they are interested in coming in to talk to the congressional investigators, often looking for context on what happened inside the West Wing before the insurrection on January 6.

The latest development comes as former President Donald Trump has sued the National Archives, the custodian of his administration's White House records, to prevent from giving documents to Congress that he believes are privileged.

(With inputs from agencies)

At least five former What House staffers of the Trump administration have spoken with the US Congress committee that is investigating the January 6 riot on the Capital, according to a report by the CNN.

At least five former What House staffers of the Trump administration have spoken with the US Congress committee that is investigating the January 6 riot on the Capital, according to a report by the CNN. The report claims that all five people spoke voluntarily after lawyers working with the select House committee reached out to them through email or text. The committee has reportedly contacted a number of former staffers, ranging from those on the junior level to individuals who were more senior. Also read | Capitol riot: US House votes to hold Trump’s former advisor Steve Bannon in criminal contempt While several people voluntarily spoke with the committee, others have declined the committee's request or not responded at all. “I've got good reason to believe a number of them are horrified and scandalized by what took place on January 6 and they want to do their legal duty and their civic duty by coming forward to explain exactly what happened," Jamie Raskin, a Democratic member of the committee, told CNN. Also read | Trump’s claim of executive privilege in the Jan. 6. inquiry, explained According to five former Trump aides, counsel for the committee has emailed or texted them directly to ask whether they are interested in coming in to talk to the congressional investigators, often looking for context on what happened inside the West Wing before the insurrection on January 6. The latest development comes as former President Donald Trump has sued the National Archives, the custodian of his administration's White House records, to prevent from giving documents to Congress that he believes are privileged. (With inputs from agencies)

At least five former Trump administration staffers talking to Capitol riot probe committee

The International Atomic Energy Agency has warned against Iranian expansion of uranium beyond the highly enriched threshold of 20 per cent purity.

The UN nuclear watchdog said it will ''increase the frequency and intensity of its safeguards activities'' at the Natanz uranium enrichment facility 250 km (155 miles) south of the Iranian capital Tehran.&nbsp;

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Earlier, Iran was already enriching its uranium to 60 per cent at the Pilot Fuel Enrichment Plant (PFEP). The 20 per cent addition will push it closer to the weapons-grade category which lies at 90 per cent.

The West has slammed the enrichment process as it is irreversible. However, since this time the new activity does not involve keeping the product, it will not immediately accelerate Iran's production of uranium enriched to close to weapons-grade.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/russia-calls-on-us-to-be-more-active-to-revive-iran-nuclear-deal-416020">Also read |&nbsp;Russia calls on US to 'be more active' to revive Iran nuclear deal</a>

IAEA chief Raffael Gross said he was still waiting for a "high level" discussion with Iranian officials in Tehran, as had been decided on in September.

"We agreed that there would be a high-level discussion, and this has not materialised yet," Grossi told reporters in Washington. "I hope that this will be done soon."

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/exclusive-interview-with-palki-india-has-more-potential-than-china-for-ties-with-iran-says-former-iranian-president-mahmoud-ahmadinejad-402649">Also read |&nbsp;Exclusive: India has more potential than China for ties with Iran: Former Iranian prez Mahmoud Ahmadinejad</a>

The agreement between Iran and world powers to find a long-term solution to the now two-decade-old crisis over its controversial nuclear programme has been moribund since former US President Donald Trump walked out of the deal in May 2018 and imposed sweeping sanctions.

His successor Joe Biden has said he is ready to re-enter the agreement, so long as Iran meets key preconditions including full compliance with the deal whose terms it has repeatedly violated by ramping up nuclear activities since the US left the pact.

But the Vienna-based talks through intermediaries made little headway, before being interrupted by the election of hardliner Ebrahim Raisi as Iran's president and suspended for the last four months. 
&nbsp;

The International Atomic Energy Agency has warned against Iranian expansion of uranium beyond the highly enriched threshold of 20 per cent purity. The UN nuclear watchdog said it will ''increase the frequency and intensity of its safeguards activities'' at the Natanz uranium enrichment facility 250 km (155 miles) south of the Iranian capital Tehran.

The International Atomic Energy Agency has warned against Iranian expansion of uranium beyond the highly enriched threshold of 20 per cent purity. The UN nuclear watchdog said it will ''increase the frequency and intensity of its safeguards activities'' at the Natanz uranium enrichment facility 250 km (155 miles) south of the Iranian capital Tehran. Earlier, Iran was already enriching its uranium to 60 per cent at the Pilot Fuel Enrichment Plant (PFEP). The 20 per cent addition will push it closer to the weapons-grade category which lies at 90 per cent. The West has slammed the enrichment process as it is irreversible. However, since this time the new activity does not involve keeping the product, it will not immediately accelerate Iran's production of uranium enriched to close to weapons-grade. Also read | Russia calls on US to 'be more active' to revive Iran nuclear deal IAEA chief Raffael Gross said he was still waiting for a "high level" discussion with Iranian officials in Tehran, as had been decided on in September. "We agreed that there would be a high-level discussion, and this has not materialised yet," Grossi told reporters in Washington. "I hope that this will be done soon." Also read | Exclusive: India has more potential than China for ties with Iran: Former Iranian prez Mahmoud Ahmadinejad The agreement between Iran and world powers to find a long-term solution to the now two-decade-old crisis over its controversial nuclear programme has been moribund since former US President Donald Trump walked out of the deal in May 2018 and imposed sweeping sanctions. His successor Joe Biden has said he is ready to re-enter the agreement, so long as Iran meets key preconditions including full compliance with the deal whose terms it has repeatedly violated by ramping up nuclear activities since the US left the pact. But the Vienna-based talks through intermediaries made little headway, before being interrupted by the election of hardliner Ebrahim Raisi as Iran's president and suspended for the last four months.

'Dangerously close to weapons-grade': IAEA warns against Iranian expansion of uranium

Shares of the blank-check acquisition company that plans to publicly list former US&nbsp;President Donald Trump's new social media venture fell on Monday after an eye-watering rally last week, as a short-seller said it was betting against the company.

Digital World Acquisition (DWAC.O), a Miami-based special purpose acquisition company (SPAC), fell 10.98 per cent, its first declining session since announcing Wednesday it would merge with Trump's media company to create a social media app called TRUTH Social. read more

The stock surged following the announcement and remains up over 700 per cent&nbsp;since the deal was unveiled.

Also Read |<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/the-world-has-found-a-way-to-do-this-the-us-lags-on-paid-leave-423985">&nbsp;The world ‘has found a way to do this’: The US lags on paid leave</a>

Earlier on Monday, short seller Iceberg Research tweeted it was betting against the company’s shares.

“We are short $DWAC. Now that initial excitement has passed, we see only risks for investors in near future. Based on Trump's track record, at current price, renegotiation is likely to keep more of the merged company for him,” Iceberg Research tweeted.

Iceberg, which publishes a blog with its research on Wordpress, gained attention in 2015 for highlighting what it called aggressive accounting practices at Hong Kong-based commodities trader Noble Group. Noble denied the allegations but subsequently saw its profits collapse and was forced to sell most of its assets.

The company said earlier this year that it was short popular meme stock AMC Entertainment Holdings (AMC.N).&nbsp;

Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-warns-climate-poses-emerging-threat-to-financial-system-422957">US warns climate poses ‘emerging threat’ to financial system</a>

Digital World Acquisition's recent surge is reminiscent of the meme stock frenzy earlier in 2021, when an army of retail investors on Reddit fueled hyper-rallies in GameStop Corp (GME.N), AMC Entertainment Holdings and other stocks.

Twitter (TWTR.N), Facebook (FB.O) and other social media platforms banned Trump from their services after hundreds of his supporters rioted at the U.S. Capitol on January&nbsp;6.

TRUTH Social is set for a beta launch next month and full rollout in the first quarter of 2022.

SPACs allow private companies to publicly list their shares while sidestepping traditional initial public offerings.

Shares of the blank-check acquisition company that plans to publicly list former US President Donald Trump's new social media venture fell on Monday after an eye-watering rally last week, as a short-seller said it was betting against the company.

Shares of the blank-check acquisition company that plans to publicly list former US President Donald Trump's new social media venture fell on Monday after an eye-watering rally last week, as a short-seller said it was betting against the company. Digital World Acquisition (DWAC.O), a Miami-based special purpose acquisition company (SPAC), fell 10.98 per cent, its first declining session since announcing Wednesday it would merge with Trump's media company to create a social media app called TRUTH Social. read more The stock surged following the announcement and remains up over 700 per cent since the deal was unveiled. Also Read | The world ‘has found a way to do this’: The US lags on paid leave Earlier on Monday, short seller Iceberg Research tweeted it was betting against the company’s shares. “We are short $DWAC. Now that initial excitement has passed, we see only risks for investors in near future. Based on Trump's track record, at current price, renegotiation is likely to keep more of the merged company for him,” Iceberg Research tweeted. Iceberg, which publishes a blog with its research on Wordpress, gained attention in 2015 for highlighting what it called aggressive accounting practices at Hong Kong-based commodities trader Noble Group. Noble denied the allegations but subsequently saw its profits collapse and was forced to sell most of its assets. The company said earlier this year that it was short popular meme stock AMC Entertainment Holdings (AMC.N). Also Read | US warns climate poses ‘emerging threat’ to financial system Digital World Acquisition's recent surge is reminiscent of the meme stock frenzy earlier in 2021, when an army of retail investors on Reddit fueled hyper-rallies in GameStop Corp (GME.N), AMC Entertainment Holdings and other stocks. Twitter (TWTR.N), Facebook (FB.O) and other social media platforms banned Trump from their services after hundreds of his supporters rioted at the U.S. Capitol on January 6. TRUTH Social is set for a beta launch next month and full rollout in the first quarter of 2022. SPACs allow private companies to publicly list their shares while sidestepping traditional initial public offerings.

Shares of SPAC, the firm linked to Trump social media venture, down as short seller targets it

Joe Biden will participate in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) summit and discuss new initiatives to strengthen the strategic partnership with the bloc.

''The United States is committed to an "enduring" commitment to ASEAN's central role in regional affairs,'' as per a statement issued by the White House.

''As we work together to end the COVID-19 pandemic, address the climate crisis, promote economic growth, and address a range of other regional challenges and opportunities," it added.

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This is the first time in four years a US president is participating in the summit as Biden's predecessor, Donald Trump, attended an ASEAN-US meeting in Manila in 2017.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/biden-needs-to-diversify-the-feds-leadership-423977" hreflang="en">Biden needs to diversify the fed’s leadership</a>

The move is being considered as a pushback against China by Biden. Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir are also going to attend the three-day&nbsp;virtual gathering.

Beijing is investing heavily in South Asian countries under the disguise of improving its global trade reach for its Belt and Road plan but these countries have become mired in a Chinese debt trap.

US-China tensions have mounted and Beijing has stepped up military activity near Taiwan, the self-ruling US-aligned democracy that Beijing considers a province awaiting reunification.&nbsp;

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/myanmar-committed-to-asean-peace-plan-says-it-is-ready-to-cooperate-423561" hreflang="en">Myanmar committed to ASEAN peace plan, says it is ready to cooperate</a>

Biden's administration has described Beijing as his country's top long-term challenge and raised pressure on concerns from human rights to trade.

Prior to the ASEAN summit, senior director for East Asia at the White House National Security Council, Edgard Kagan said that Washington does not see the Quad as "an Asian NATO" and that it was not intended to compete with ASEAN.

Referring to China's &nbsp;broad claims in the disputed South China Sea, he said Washington has an interest in working with ASEAN to ensure supply-chain resilience, on climate, and to address ''common challenges on maritime issues.''

Coup-hit Myanmar's bloody crisis will take centre stage at a Southeast Asian summit that the country's junta chief has been barred from attending, as international pressure mounts on the military regime.

Joe Biden will participate in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) summit and discuss new initiatives to strengthen the strategic partnership with the bloc.

Joe Biden will participate in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) summit and discuss new initiatives to strengthen the strategic partnership with the bloc. ''The United States is committed to an "enduring" commitment to ASEAN's central role in regional affairs,'' as per a statement issued by the White House. ''As we work together to end the COVID-19 pandemic, address the climate crisis, promote economic growth, and address a range of other regional challenges and opportunities," it added. This is the first time in four years a US president is participating in the summit as Biden's predecessor, Donald Trump, attended an ASEAN-US meeting in Manila in 2017. Also read | Biden needs to diversify the fed’s leadership The move is being considered as a pushback against China by Biden. Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir are also going to attend the three-day virtual gathering. Beijing is investing heavily in South Asian countries under the disguise of improving its global trade reach for its Belt and Road plan but these countries have become mired in a Chinese debt trap. US-China tensions have mounted and Beijing has stepped up military activity near Taiwan, the self-ruling US-aligned democracy that Beijing considers a province awaiting reunification. Also read | Myanmar committed to ASEAN peace plan, says it is ready to cooperate Biden's administration has described Beijing as his country's top long-term challenge and raised pressure on concerns from human rights to trade. Prior to the ASEAN summit, senior director for East Asia at the White House National Security Council, Edgard Kagan said that Washington does not see the Quad as "an Asian NATO" and that it was not intended to compete with ASEAN. Referring to China's broad claims in the disputed South China Sea, he said Washington has an interest in working with ASEAN to ensure supply-chain resilience, on climate, and to address ''common challenges on maritime issues.'' Coup-hit Myanmar's bloody crisis will take centre stage at a Southeast Asian summit that the country's junta chief has been barred from attending, as international pressure mounts on the military regime.

US President Joe Biden to take part in ASEAN summit, strengthen partnership with bloc

Donald Trump is launching his own Social Media Platform to fight the monopoly of the 'Liberal Media Consortium' & the 'Tyranny of Big Tech'. The platform will promote 'non woke' content. Palki Sharma gets you a report.

Gravitas: Donald Trump to launch own Social Media Platform

Ten months since being banned by social medial companies following the January 6 Capitol Hill riots, former US president Donald Trump has now decided to launch his own social networking platform called “TRUTH Social.”

The platform will be owned by Trump Media &amp; Technology Group (TMTG), which also intends to launch a subscription video on demand service that will feature “non-woke” entertainment programming, the group said in a statement.

“I am excited to send out my first TRUTH on TRUTH Social very soon. TMTG was founded with a mission to give a voice to all,” Trump said in a statement on Wednesday.

Trump said that Truth Social would “stand up to the tyranny of Big Tech”. The platform will be available through an app on the Apple Store as a beta version for trial by “invited guests” in November and the company expects a full rollout in the first quarter of 2022.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-election-2024-poll-shows-80-republicans-want-donald-trump-to-run-422257">US election 2024: Poll shows 80% Republicans want Donald Trump to run</a>

“We live in a world where the Taliban has a huge presence on Twitter, yet your favourite American President has been silenced. This is unacceptable,” he continued.&nbsp;

The Trump Media &amp; Technology Group will merge with blank check company Digital Acquisition Corp to make TMTG a publicly-listed company, the statement said.&nbsp;

“The transaction values Trump Media &amp; Technology Group at an initial enterprise value of $875 Million, with a potential additional earnout of $825 Million in additional shares (at the valuation they are granted) for a cumulative valuation of up to $1.7 Billion depending on the performance of the stock price post-business combination,” it stated.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/capitol-riot-us-committee-votes-to-hold-criminal-contempt-charge-against-trumps-ex-aide-steve-bannon-422167">Capitol riot: US committee votes to hold criminal contempt charge against Trump’s ex-aide Steve Bannon</a>

Trump was banned from the many social media platforms— Twitter, Facebook and YouTube— after his supporters stormed the Capitol earlier this year—over concerns that he might further incite the mob with his continued presence on social media.

YouTube said its ban would be lifted after the “risk of violence” decreases, Facebook said Trump could come back to the platform at the soonest in 2023 and Twitter said its ban would be permanent.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/trump-sues-us-committee-investigating-jan-6-capitol-hill-riots-to-block-release-of-white-house-records-421934">Trump sues US committee investigating Jan 6 Capitol Hill riots to block release of White House records</a>

Since then, Trump has been trying to reclaim his space on social networking sites.

In May he launched a blog called “From the Desk of Donald J. Trump,” which was touted as a major new outlet.

But Trump, who was also banned from Instagram, and Snapchat, cancelled the blog just a month later.&nbsp;

He has been communicating&nbsp; through a constant stream of press releases with tweet-like statements to the media and supporters.

(With inputs from agencies)

Ten months since being banned by social medial companies following the January 6 Capitol Hill riots, former US president Donald Trump has now decided to launch his own social networking platform called “TRUTH Social.

Ten months since being banned by social medial companies following the January 6 Capitol Hill riots, former US president Donald Trump has now decided to launch his own social networking platform called “TRUTH Social.” The platform will be owned by Trump Media & Technology Group (TMTG), which also intends to launch a subscription video on demand service that will feature “non-woke” entertainment programming, the group said in a statement. “I am excited to send out my first TRUTH on TRUTH Social very soon. TMTG was founded with a mission to give a voice to all,” Trump said in a statement on Wednesday. Trump said that Truth Social would “stand up to the tyranny of Big Tech”. The platform will be available through an app on the Apple Store as a beta version for trial by “invited guests” in November and the company expects a full rollout in the first quarter of 2022. Also read | US election 2024: Poll shows 80% Republicans want Donald Trump to run “We live in a world where the Taliban has a huge presence on Twitter, yet your favourite American President has been silenced. This is unacceptable,” he continued. The Trump Media & Technology Group will merge with blank check company Digital Acquisition Corp to make TMTG a publicly-listed company, the statement said. “The transaction values Trump Media & Technology Group at an initial enterprise value of $875 Million, with a potential additional earnout of $825 Million in additional shares (at the valuation they are granted) for a cumulative valuation of up to $1.7 Billion depending on the performance of the stock price post-business combination,” it stated. Also read | Capitol riot: US committee votes to hold criminal contempt charge against Trump’s ex-aide Steve Bannon Trump was banned from the many social media platforms— Twitter, Facebook and YouTube— after his supporters stormed the Capitol earlier this year—over concerns that he might further incite the mob with his continued presence on social media. YouTube said its ban would be lifted after the “risk of violence” decreases, Facebook said Trump could come back to the platform at the soonest in 2023 and Twitter said its ban would be permanent. Also read | Trump sues US committee investigating Jan 6 Capitol Hill riots to block release of White House records Since then, Trump has been trying to reclaim his space on social networking sites. In May he launched a blog called “From the Desk of Donald J. Trump,” which was touted as a major new outlet. But Trump, who was also banned from Instagram, and Snapchat, cancelled the blog just a month later. He has been communicating through a constant stream of press releases with tweet-like statements to the media and supporters. (With inputs from agencies)

Donald Trump, banned on Twitter and FB, to launch his own social network

Former US president Donald Trump announced his plans to launch his own social network TRUTH social. The announcement came after he was banned from Twitter and Facebook in the wake of the violent Capitol insurrection. TRUTH social will be owned by Trump Media & Technology Group.

Donald Trump to launch his own social network

The US committee investigating the Capitol riot&nbsp;has voted to recommend criminal prosecution against Donald Trump’s former chief strategist Steve Bannon after he refused to testify before the committee relating to their inquiry into the January 6 insurrection.

The US House of Representatives committee approved the contempt of Congress unanimously on Monday, sending the report to the Democratic-controlled House, which is expected on Thursday to authorize the panel to go to court to punish Bannon for his non-compliance.

If the full chamber approves the matter, it would be referred to the justice department, which has the final say on bringing charges.

If convicted, Bannon could face a fine and up to one year in prison.

“It is essential that we get Mr Bannon’s factual and complete testimony in order to get a full accounting of the violence of January 6th and its causes,” Guardian quoted Bennie Thompson, the chairman of the select committee, as saying.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/trump-sues-us-committee-investigating-jan-6-capitol-hill-riots-to-block-release-of-white-house-records-421934">Trump sues US committee investigating Jan 6 Capitol Hill riots to block release of White House records</a>

“Bannon will comply with our investigation or he will face the consequences. We cannot allow anyone to stand in the way of the select committee as we work to get to the facts. The stakes are too high,” he said.

According to experts, this process is rarely invoked and rarely leads to jail time. However, the House's pursuit of criminal charges may be more about making an example out of Bannon and sending a message to other potential witnesses.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/technology/us-lawmakers-grill-tech-ceos-on-capitol-riot-getting-few-direct-answers-373400">US lawmakers grill tech CEOs on Capitol riot, getting few direct answers</a>

Former US president Trump had urged former aides to reject the House committee's requests, claiming the right to withhold information because of executive privilege —a legal provision that protects many White House communications.

Watch

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/gravitas-pure-harassment-trump-slams-lawsuit-against-him-422149/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

He filed a lawsuit on Monday seeking to block the House inquiry from obtaining records from the US National Archives.

President Joe Biden's administration says Trump has no legitimate privilege claim.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/donald-trump-rejects-invite-to-testify-at-impeachment-trial-after-capitol-riots-361597">Donald Trump rejects invite to testify at impeachment trial after Capitol riots</a>

In August, the committee had requested that the National Archives, which is the custodian of the Trump White House’s records, submit a long list of records from the former President`s time in office and the aftermath of the Capitol riot.

The request is part of the panel's ongoing and intensifying investigation into how a mob of Trump's supporters breached the Capitol on January 6 trying to stop a Congressional joint session from certifying the 2020 presidential election result.

(With inputs from agencies)

The US committee investigating the Capitol riot has voted to recommend criminal prosecution against Donald Trump’s former chief strategist Steve Bannon after he refused to testify before the committee relating to their inquiry into the January 6 insurrection.

The US committee investigating the Capitol riot has voted to recommend criminal prosecution against Donald Trump’s former chief strategist Steve Bannon after he refused to testify before the committee relating to their inquiry into the January 6 insurrection. The US House of Representatives committee approved the contempt of Congress unanimously on Monday, sending the report to the Democratic-controlled House, which is expected on Thursday to authorize the panel to go to court to punish Bannon for his non-compliance. If the full chamber approves the matter, it would be referred to the justice department, which has the final say on bringing charges. If convicted, Bannon could face a fine and up to one year in prison. “It is essential that we get Mr Bannon’s factual and complete testimony in order to get a full accounting of the violence of January 6th and its causes,” Guardian quoted Bennie Thompson, the chairman of the select committee, as saying. Also read | Trump sues US committee investigating Jan 6 Capitol Hill riots to block release of White House records “Bannon will comply with our investigation or he will face the consequences. We cannot allow anyone to stand in the way of the select committee as we work to get to the facts. The stakes are too high,” he said. According to experts, this process is rarely invoked and rarely leads to jail time. However, the House's pursuit of criminal charges may be more about making an example out of Bannon and sending a message to other potential witnesses. Also read | US lawmakers grill tech CEOs on Capitol riot, getting few direct answers Former US president Trump had urged former aides to reject the House committee's requests, claiming the right to withhold information because of executive privilege —a legal provision that protects many White House communications. Watch He filed a lawsuit on Monday seeking to block the House inquiry from obtaining records from the US National Archives. President Joe Biden's administration says Trump has no legitimate privilege claim. Also read | Donald Trump rejects invite to testify at impeachment trial after Capitol riots In August, the committee had requested that the National Archives, which is the custodian of the Trump White House’s records, submit a long list of records from the former President`s time in office and the aftermath of the Capitol riot. The request is part of the panel's ongoing and intensifying investigation into how a mob of Trump's supporters breached the Capitol on January 6 trying to stop a Congressional joint session from certifying the 2020 presidential election result. (With inputs from agencies)

Capitol riot: US committee votes to hold criminal contempt charge against Trump’s ex-aide Steve Bannon

Is Donald Trump being harassed? At a recent legal hearing, Trump labelled a lawsuit against him as 'pure harassment'. The former U.S. President is fighting multiple legal battles after leaving the White House. Palki Shama gets you a report.

Gravitas: 'Pure Harassment', Trump slams Lawsuit against him

Former US President Donald Trump has filed a lawsuit against the National Archives and a House special committee investigating the January 6 Capitol riot in a bid to block Congress from obtaining certain documents related to the insurrection. 
 
"The Committee's request amounts to nothing less than a vexatious, illegal fishing expedition openly endorsed by Biden and designed to unconstitutionally investigate President Trump and his administration," the lawsuit, filed on Monday, read.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-election-2024-former-us-president-donald-trump-favourite-candidate-biden-lagging-behind-420648" hreflang="en">US election 2024: Former US President Donald Trump favourite candidate, Biden lagging behind</a> 
 
"Our laws do not permit such an impulsive, egregious action against a former President and his close advisors." 
 
In August, the committee had requested that the National Archives, which is the custodian of the Trump White House's records, submit a long list of records from the former President`s time in office and the aftermath of the Capitol riot, reports Xinhua news agency. 
 
The request is part of the panel's ongoing and intensifying investigation into how a mob of Trump's supporters breached the Capitol on January 6 trying to stop a Congressional joint session from certifying the 2020 presidential election result. 
 
Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/hows-biden-doing-do-you-miss-me-yet-trump-pokes-fun-at-us-president-420630" hreflang="en">'How's Biden doing? 'Do you miss me yet?': Trump pokes fun at US President</a>

Trump has said he would assert executive privilege to shield the documents requested by the committee, but Biden, who legal experts said has the ultimate say over whether the information sought by the panel is covered by the executive privilege, determined that Trump's effort to conceal the documents was neither in the best interest of the US nor justified.

In an October 8 letter to Archivist of the US David Ferriero, White House Counsel Dana Remus demanded that he turn over a subset of the required documents that Trump identified as privileged to Congress. 
 
Remus added that those documents should be submitted 30 days after Ferriero notified the former president. 
 
Trump, however, claimed in the lawsuit filed in the DC District Court that Biden has an interest in preserving his executive privilege, saying it amounted to "a political ploy to accommodate his partisan allies".

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/56-in-us-feel-cheating-affected-2020-presidential-election-outcome-says-poll-420060" hreflang="en">56% in US feel cheating affected 2020 presidential election outcome, says poll</a> 
 
"As it relates to any materials being sought in situations like this, where fundamental privileges and constitutional issues are at stake and where a committee has declined to grant sufficient time to conduct a full review, there is a longstanding bipartisan tradition of protective assertions of executive privilege designed to ensure the ability to make a final assertion, if necessary, over some or all of the requested material," the lawsuit read.

Watch |&nbsp;United States: Donald Trump sued Congress and National Archives

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/united-states-donald-trump-sued-congress-and-national-archives-422006/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

In addition to seeking documents from the Trump White House, the special committee also sent subpoenas to and asked depositions from several former senior officials in the Trump administration, including Steve Bannon, Trump's former chief strategist who defied the subpoena and did not show up at the scheduled hearing last week. 
 
Bannon's no-show infuriated the Democrat-led panel, prompting it to set up a vote Tuesday to recommend criminal contempt charges against him. 
 
In what could potentially be another blow to the former President, Democrat Bennie Thompson, who chairs the special committee, did not rule out subpoenaing Trump.

Former US President Donald Trump has filed a lawsuit against the National Archives and a House special committee investigating the January 6 Capitol riot in a bid to block Congress from obtaining certain documents related to the insurrection.

Former US President Donald Trump has filed a lawsuit against the National Archives and a House special committee investigating the January 6 Capitol riot in a bid to block Congress from obtaining certain documents related to the insurrection. "The Committee's request amounts to nothing less than a vexatious, illegal fishing expedition openly endorsed by Biden and designed to unconstitutionally investigate President Trump and his administration," the lawsuit, filed on Monday, read. Also read | US election 2024: Former US President Donald Trump favourite candidate, Biden lagging behind "Our laws do not permit such an impulsive, egregious action against a former President and his close advisors." In August, the committee had requested that the National Archives, which is the custodian of the Trump White House's records, submit a long list of records from the former President`s time in office and the aftermath of the Capitol riot, reports Xinhua news agency. The request is part of the panel's ongoing and intensifying investigation into how a mob of Trump's supporters breached the Capitol on January 6 trying to stop a Congressional joint session from certifying the 2020 presidential election result. Also read | 'How's Biden doing? 'Do you miss me yet?': Trump pokes fun at US President Trump has said he would assert executive privilege to shield the documents requested by the committee, but Biden, who legal experts said has the ultimate say over whether the information sought by the panel is covered by the executive privilege, determined that Trump's effort to conceal the documents was neither in the best interest of the US nor justified. In an October 8 letter to Archivist of the US David Ferriero, White House Counsel Dana Remus demanded that he turn over a subset of the required documents that Trump identified as privileged to Congress. Remus added that those documents should be submitted 30 days after Ferriero notified the former president. Trump, however, claimed in the lawsuit filed in the DC District Court that Biden has an interest in preserving his executive privilege, saying it amounted to "a political ploy to accommodate his partisan allies". Also read | 56% in US feel cheating affected 2020 presidential election outcome, says poll "As it relates to any materials being sought in situations like this, where fundamental privileges and constitutional issues are at stake and where a committee has declined to grant sufficient time to conduct a full review, there is a longstanding bipartisan tradition of protective assertions of executive privilege designed to ensure the ability to make a final assertion, if necessary, over some or all of the requested material," the lawsuit read. Watch | United States: Donald Trump sued Congress and National Archives In addition to seeking documents from the Trump White House, the special committee also sent subpoenas to and asked depositions from several former senior officials in the Trump administration, including Steve Bannon, Trump's former chief strategist who defied the subpoena and did not show up at the scheduled hearing last week. Bannon's no-show infuriated the Democrat-led panel, prompting it to set up a vote Tuesday to recommend criminal contempt charges against him. In what could potentially be another blow to the former President, Democrat Bennie Thompson, who chairs the special committee, did not rule out subpoenaing Trump.

Trump sues to block Congress from obtaining documents related to Capitol riot

Former President Donald Trump’s power to keep information from his White House secret became a central issue this week in the congressional investigation into the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol by his supporters, raising untested legal issues about executive privilege.

On Monday, Trump sued the chairman of the House’s Jan. 6 committee and the head of the National Archives, in an attempt to block Congress from accessing White House papers that could reveal his actions and communications leading up to and during the riot. The select committee voted Tuesday to recommend holding Steve Bannon, an outside adviser to Trump, in contempt for defying a subpoena.

Here is a breakdown of the issues.

What is executive privilege?

It is a power claimed by presidents under the Constitution to prevent the other two branches of government from gaining access to certain internal executive branch information, especially confidential communications involving the president or among his top aides.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/capitol-riot-us-committee-votes-to-hold-criminal-contempt-charge-against-trumps-ex-aide-steve-bannon-422167">US committee votes to hold criminal contempt charge against Steve Bannon</a>

While the Constitution does not mention this secrecy power, the Supreme Court has recognized it as implicit in the founding charter. The idea is that fear of future disclosure could impair presidents’ ability to perform their constitutional duties by chilling the candor of deliberations and the advice they receive.

A valid assertion of executive privilege can provide a lawful basis to defy a subpoena from Congress to provide documents or testimony.

Is Trump’s privilege claim valid?

We probably won’t know for a long time, if ever.

The constitutional line between a president’s secrecy powers and Congress’ investigative authority is hazy, with few Supreme Court guideposts. Historically, such disputes have usually been resolved through compromise, not judicial rulings.

But Trump has pursued a strategy of stonewalling and using the slow pace of litigation and appeals to run out the clock. If there is no Supreme Court ruling before the 2022 midterm and Republicans retake the House in that election, that new Republican majority would most likely drop any civil lawsuits before there is any definitive answer.

Even in that case, any criminal prosecutions brought by the Biden Justice Department would presumably continue. Separately, House Democrats have introduced legislation in response to the Trump presidency that would, among many other things, speed up lawsuits to enforce congressional subpoenas for executive branch information.

Is executive privilege an absolute power?

No. Even a legitimate claim of executive privilege may not always prevail in court if there are countervailing constitutional considerations.

For example, during the Watergate scandal in 1974, the Supreme Court upheld an order requiring President Richard Nixon to turn over tapes of his Oval Office conversations and rejected his claim to an “absolute, unqualified presidential privilege of immunity from judicial process under all circumstances.” In that case, the justices ruled, the judicial need for the tapes for use as evidence in a criminal trial outweighed Nixon’s general interest in confidentiality, especially since the matter did not involve military or diplomatic secrets.

May ex-presidents invoke executive privilege?

Yes, but courts may view their claims with less deference than those of current presidents.

In a 1977 case challenging a law related to the control of White House files from the then-former Nixon administration, the Supreme Court said Nixon could make a claim of executive privilege even though he was out of office.

“We reject the argument that only an incumbent president may assert such claims, and hold that appellant, as a former president, may also be heard to assert them,” the court wrote.

What if the current president disagrees?

Judges will take that disagreement into account in assessing the strength of the ex-president’s claim.

In the 1977 case challenging the law about control of Nixon-era White House files, the Supreme Court noted that his successors — Gerald Ford at an earlier stage in the case, and Jimmy Carter by the end — did not support his claim. And despite saying Nixon was permitted to assert executive privilege as an ex-president, the court ruled against him.

Still, the court also suggested that Nixon might be able to block the release of some of his papers in the future. Nixon never sought to do so, however, and there has not been a Supreme Court case over access to specific information that involves an executive privilege disagreement between a current president and a predecessor.

Does Biden support Trump’s invocation of the privilege?

No. President Joe Biden has declined to assert executive privilege to protect his predecessor’s Jan. 6-related materials from disclosure, instead instructing the National Archives to provide them to Congress 30 days after notifying Trump, absent any court order to the contrary.

Biden determined that under the circumstances — the need for a “full accounting” of an “unprecedented effort to obstruct the peaceful transfer of power” to “ensure nothing similar ever happens again” — keeping such documents secret from Congress and the public was not in the public interest, his White House counsel, Dana Remus, also told the head of the National Archives in a letter this month.

“The constitutional protections of executive privilege should not be used to shield, from Congress or the public, information that reflects a clear and apparent effort to subvert the Constitution itself,” she wrote.

Is Steve Bannon covered by executive privilege?

This is unclear. If any contempt finding against Bannon evolves into legal action, it would raise the novel legal question of whether or how far a claim of executive privilege may extend to communications between a president and an informal adviser outside of the government.

While Trump told former aides that they should not cooperate with the Jan. 6 committee because the information the lawmakers want was privileged, Bannon had resigned, or was ousted, from his former White House position in August 2017. Since Bannon was not part of the executive branch at the time of the interactions with Trump that Congress wants information about, his case raises a twist for which there is scant definitive precedent.

What is contempt of Congress or court?

It is a sanction imposed on people who defy congressional subpoenas or court orders to provide documents or testimony, and it can lead to their imprisonment.

When Congress subpoenas witnesses, lawmakers can enforce those demands by holding recipients who balk in contempt. To do so, the investigating committee that issued the subpoena must first vote to recommend holding such people in contempt of Congress, and the full chamber then votes on whether to do so.

Congress could also file its own lawsuits against people who defy its subpoenas, asking judges to order them to comply with subpoenas. If the witnesses defy court orders, judges can hold them in contempt of court.

How can a person held in contempt be punished?

Being held in contempt of Congress does not by itself carry penalties beyond reputational harm, but Congress can then refer such findings to the Justice Department and ask for criminal contempt charges. If the executive branch agrees to pursue a case and prosecutors win a conviction, the act of defying a congressional subpoena is a misdemeanor crime, punishable by a fine of up to $1,000 and a term of one to 12 months in jail.

(In theory, lawmakers could also direct the House sergeant-at-arms to arrest recalcitrant witnesses and detain them until the end of its session, but that “inherent contempt” authority is viewed as obsolete; the Capitol has no prison cell and lawmakers have not tried to use this power since 1935.)

And if Congress brings a lawsuit and persuades a judge to order a witness to obey its subpoena — and the witness fails to get that order overturned on appeal — a judicial holding of contempt of court could also lead to a fine, imprisonment, or both.

Can executive privilege protect someone from contempt?

Yes, it can relieve a recalcitrant witness of legal liability for declining to obey a subpoena.

If the courts were to uphold an assertion of executive privilege over the information Congress is seeking, that finding would negate the subpoena and any consequences for disobeying it. 
&nbsp;

Former President Donald Trump’s power to keep information from his White House secret became a central issue this week in the congressional investigation into the Jan.

Former President Donald Trump’s power to keep information from his White House secret became a central issue this week in the congressional investigation into the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol by his supporters, raising untested legal issues about executive privilege. On Monday, Trump sued the chairman of the House’s Jan. 6 committee and the head of the National Archives, in an attempt to block Congress from accessing White House papers that could reveal his actions and communications leading up to and during the riot. The select committee voted Tuesday to recommend holding Steve Bannon, an outside adviser to Trump, in contempt for defying a subpoena. Here is a breakdown of the issues. What is executive privilege? It is a power claimed by presidents under the Constitution to prevent the other two branches of government from gaining access to certain internal executive branch information, especially confidential communications involving the president or among his top aides. Also read | US committee votes to hold criminal contempt charge against Steve Bannon While the Constitution does not mention this secrecy power, the Supreme Court has recognized it as implicit in the founding charter. The idea is that fear of future disclosure could impair presidents’ ability to perform their constitutional duties by chilling the candor of deliberations and the advice they receive. A valid assertion of executive privilege can provide a lawful basis to defy a subpoena from Congress to provide documents or testimony. Is Trump’s privilege claim valid? We probably won’t know for a long time, if ever. The constitutional line between a president’s secrecy powers and Congress’ investigative authority is hazy, with few Supreme Court guideposts. Historically, such disputes have usually been resolved through compromise, not judicial rulings. But Trump has pursued a strategy of stonewalling and using the slow pace of litigation and appeals to run out the clock. If there is no Supreme Court ruling before the 2022 midterm and Republicans retake the House in that election, that new Republican majority would most likely drop any civil lawsuits before there is any definitive answer. Even in that case, any criminal prosecutions brought by the Biden Justice Department would presumably continue. Separately, House Democrats have introduced legislation in response to the Trump presidency that would, among many other things, speed up lawsuits to enforce congressional subpoenas for executive branch information. Is executive privilege an absolute power? No. Even a legitimate claim of executive privilege may not always prevail in court if there are countervailing constitutional considerations. For example, during the Watergate scandal in 1974, the Supreme Court upheld an order requiring President Richard Nixon to turn over tapes of his Oval Office conversations and rejected his claim to an “absolute, unqualified presidential privilege of immunity from judicial process under all circumstances.” In that case, the justices ruled, the judicial need for the tapes for use as evidence in a criminal trial outweighed Nixon’s general interest in confidentiality, especially since the matter did not involve military or diplomatic secrets. May ex-presidents invoke executive privilege? Yes, but courts may view their claims with less deference than those of current presidents. In a 1977 case challenging a law related to the control of White House files from the then-former Nixon administration, the Supreme Court said Nixon could make a claim of executive privilege even though he was out of office. “We reject the argument that only an incumbent president may assert such claims, and hold that appellant, as a former president, may also be heard to assert them,” the court wrote. What if the current president disagrees? Judges will take that disagreement into account in assessing the strength of the ex-president’s claim. In the 1977 case challenging the law about control of Nixon-era White House files, the Supreme Court noted that his successors — Gerald Ford at an earlier stage in the case, and Jimmy Carter by the end — did not support his claim. And despite saying Nixon was permitted to assert executive privilege as an ex-president, the court ruled against him. Still, the court also suggested that Nixon might be able to block the release of some of his papers in the future. Nixon never sought to do so, however, and there has not been a Supreme Court case over access to specific information that involves an executive privilege disagreement between a current president and a predecessor. Does Biden support Trump’s invocation of the privilege? No. President Joe Biden has declined to assert executive privilege to protect his predecessor’s Jan. 6-related materials from disclosure, instead instructing the National Archives to provide them to Congress 30 days after notifying Trump, absent any court order to the contrary. Biden determined that under the circumstances — the need for a “full accounting” of an “unprecedented effort to obstruct the peaceful transfer of power” to “ensure nothing similar ever happens again” — keeping such documents secret from Congress and the public was not in the public interest, his White House counsel, Dana Remus, also told the head of the National Archives in a letter this month. “The constitutional protections of executive privilege should not be used to shield, from Congress or the public, information that reflects a clear and apparent effort to subvert the Constitution itself,” she wrote. Is Steve Bannon covered by executive privilege? This is unclear. If any contempt finding against Bannon evolves into legal action, it would raise the novel legal question of whether or how far a claim of executive privilege may extend to communications between a president and an informal adviser outside of the government. While Trump told former aides that they should not cooperate with the Jan. 6 committee because the information the lawmakers want was privileged, Bannon had resigned, or was ousted, from his former White House position in August 2017. Since Bannon was not part of the executive branch at the time of the interactions with Trump that Congress wants information about, his case raises a twist for which there is scant definitive precedent. What is contempt of Congress or court? It is a sanction imposed on people who defy congressional subpoenas or court orders to provide documents or testimony, and it can lead to their imprisonment. When Congress subpoenas witnesses, lawmakers can enforce those demands by holding recipients who balk in contempt. To do so, the investigating committee that issued the subpoena must first vote to recommend holding such people in contempt of Congress, and the full chamber then votes on whether to do so. Congress could also file its own lawsuits against people who defy its subpoenas, asking judges to order them to comply with subpoenas. If the witnesses defy court orders, judges can hold them in contempt of court. How can a person held in contempt be punished? Being held in contempt of Congress does not by itself carry penalties beyond reputational harm, but Congress can then refer such findings to the Justice Department and ask for criminal contempt charges. If the executive branch agrees to pursue a case and prosecutors win a conviction, the act of defying a congressional subpoena is a misdemeanor crime, punishable by a fine of up to $1,000 and a term of one to 12 months in jail. (In theory, lawmakers could also direct the House sergeant-at-arms to arrest recalcitrant witnesses and detain them until the end of its session, but that “inherent contempt” authority is viewed as obsolete; the Capitol has no prison cell and lawmakers have not tried to use this power since 1935.) And if Congress brings a lawsuit and persuades a judge to order a witness to obey its subpoena — and the witness fails to get that order overturned on appeal — a judicial holding of contempt of court could also lead to a fine, imprisonment, or both. Can executive privilege protect someone from contempt? Yes, it can relieve a recalcitrant witness of legal liability for declining to obey a subpoena. If the courts were to uphold an assertion of executive privilege over the information Congress is seeking, that finding would negate the subpoena and any consequences for disobeying it.

Trump’s claim of executive privilege in the Jan. 6. inquiry, explained

Nearly 80 per cent of Republicans want former President Donald Trump to run in the US election 2024 as per a new poll.

The survey conducted by Quinnipiac University shows that Trump enjoys robust backing by the Republican Party or the GOP.

However, 94 per cent of Democrats believe running again in 2024 will be a waste of time for Trump. This opinion was also supported by 58 independents in the opinion poll.

Meanwhile, GOP Senator Bill Cassidy said in an interview that he will not vote for Trump if decides to run again in the next election.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-election-2024-former-us-president-donald-trump-favourite-candidate-biden-lagging-behind-420648">Also read |&nbsp;US election 2024: Former US President Donald Trump favourite candidate, Biden lagging behind</a>

Earlier, a UK-based betting exchange company called Smarkets has predicted that Trump, for the first time, has edged ahead of his predecessor Joe Biden.

It had also been predicted that Trump has the highest chances of winning the 2024 election and returning to the White House.

Biden who is the second place with 19 per cent votes as per a poll conducted by the website, is followed by Vice-President Kamala Harris with 13 per cent votes.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/hows-biden-doing-do-you-miss-me-yet-trump-pokes-fun-at-us-president-420630">Also read |&nbsp;'How's Biden doing? 'Do you miss me yet?': Trump pokes fun at US President</a>

Poking fun at Biden, Trump's spokesperson, Liz Harrington had asked on Twitter, ''How’s Biden doing? Do you miss me yet?"&nbsp;

Trump has hinted at a possible presidential run in 2024, attacking Biden and repeating his fraudulent claims he won the 2020 election.

Trump's flirtation with another run could freeze the Republican field for 2024 as other potential candidates try to decide whether they will have to compete against him.

Meanwhile, a US congressional committee probing the deadly January 6 assault on the Capitol voted unanimously in favour of contempt-of-Congress charges against Steve Bannon, a longtime aide to Trump.

The seven Democratic and two Republican members of the House of Representatives Select Committee approved a report recommending the criminal charge by a unanimous 9-0 vote, calling it "shocking" that Bannon refused to comply with subpoenas seeking documents and testimony.

Nearly 80 per cent of Republicans want former President Donald Trump to run in the US election 2024 as per a new poll. The survey conducted by Quinnipiac University shows that Trump enjoys robust backing by the Republican Party or the GOP.

Nearly 80 per cent of Republicans want former President Donald Trump to run in the US election 2024 as per a new poll. The survey conducted by Quinnipiac University shows that Trump enjoys robust backing by the Republican Party or the GOP. However, 94 per cent of Democrats believe running again in 2024 will be a waste of time for Trump. This opinion was also supported by 58 independents in the opinion poll. Meanwhile, GOP Senator Bill Cassidy said in an interview that he will not vote for Trump if decides to run again in the next election. Also read | US election 2024: Former US President Donald Trump favourite candidate, Biden lagging behind Earlier, a UK-based betting exchange company called Smarkets has predicted that Trump, for the first time, has edged ahead of his predecessor Joe Biden. It had also been predicted that Trump has the highest chances of winning the 2024 election and returning to the White House. Biden who is the second place with 19 per cent votes as per a poll conducted by the website, is followed by Vice-President Kamala Harris with 13 per cent votes. Also read | 'How's Biden doing? 'Do you miss me yet?': Trump pokes fun at US President Poking fun at Biden, Trump's spokesperson, Liz Harrington had asked on Twitter, ''How’s Biden doing? Do you miss me yet?" Trump has hinted at a possible presidential run in 2024, attacking Biden and repeating his fraudulent claims he won the 2020 election. Trump's flirtation with another run could freeze the Republican field for 2024 as other potential candidates try to decide whether they will have to compete against him. Meanwhile, a US congressional committee probing the deadly January 6 assault on the Capitol voted unanimously in favour of contempt-of-Congress charges against Steve Bannon, a longtime aide to Trump. The seven Democratic and two Republican members of the House of Representatives Select Committee approved a report recommending the criminal charge by a unanimous 9-0 vote, calling it "shocking" that Bannon refused to comply with subpoenas seeking documents and testimony.

US election 2024: Poll shows 80% Republicans want Donald Trump to run

Former US president Donald Trump has filed a lawsuit against the congressional committee investigating the January 6 Capitol Hill riots, claiming that the members made an illegal request for his White House records.

The suit, filed in the US District Court for the District of Columbia on Monday, accused&nbsp;the select committee of harassing Trump and senior members of his administration with&nbsp;“an illegal, unfounded, and overbroad records request to the Archivist of the United States.”

Trump has said that records sought by the House of Representatives committee are covered by a legal doctrine known as executive privilege, which protects the confidentiality of some White House communications.

The suit also accuses President Joe Biden of “a political ploy” by refusing to assert executive privilege over the records to keep them from going to the House Select Committee to Investigate the January 6 attack on the Capitol.

“The Committee’s request amounts to nothing less than a vexatious, illegal fishing expedition openly endorses by Biden to unconstitutionally investigate President Trump and his administration,” the suit says.

Also read |<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/melania-trump-refused-to-condemn-capitol-hill-attack-despite-a-chance-413024">&nbsp;Melania Trump refused to condemn Capitol Hill attack despite a chance</a>

Committee members Liz Cheney, a Republican from Wyoming, and Bennie Thompson, a Democrat from Mississippi, said in a written statement issued in response to Trump's lawsuit that the former president was seeking to “delay and obstruct” their investigation.

“It’s hard to imagine a more compelling public interest than trying to get answers about an attack on our democracy and an attempt to overturn the results of an election,” Cheney and Thompson said in the statement.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/video-donald-trump-was-partying-just-hours-before-capitol-hill-violence-355417">Donald Trump was 'partying' just hours before Capitol Hill violence</a>

On January 6 this year, hundreds of Trump supporters stormed the seat of Congress in a failed bid to prevent lawmakers from certifying Democratic President Joe Biden's election victory. More than 600 people face criminal charges stemming from the event.

Trump was impeached by the Democratic-led House on a charge of inciting the attack on the Capitol in a fiery speech at a rally earlier that day. He was acquitted by the Senate.

Biden earlier this month authorised the National Archives to turn over an initial batch of documents requested by the select committee. The Archives has said it would turn over the requested material next month, according to Trump's lawsuit, which seeks an injunction halting that process.

(With inputs from agencies)

Former US president Donald Trump has filed a lawsuit against the congressional committee investigating the January 6 Capitol Hill riots, claiming that the members made an illegal request for his White House records.

Former US president Donald Trump has filed a lawsuit against the congressional committee investigating the January 6 Capitol Hill riots, claiming that the members made an illegal request for his White House records. The suit, filed in the US District Court for the District of Columbia on Monday, accused the select committee of harassing Trump and senior members of his administration with “an illegal, unfounded, and overbroad records request to the Archivist of the United States.” Trump has said that records sought by the House of Representatives committee are covered by a legal doctrine known as executive privilege, which protects the confidentiality of some White House communications. The suit also accuses President Joe Biden of “a political ploy” by refusing to assert executive privilege over the records to keep them from going to the House Select Committee to Investigate the January 6 attack on the Capitol. “The Committee’s request amounts to nothing less than a vexatious, illegal fishing expedition openly endorses by Biden to unconstitutionally investigate President Trump and his administration,” the suit says. Also read | Melania Trump refused to condemn Capitol Hill attack despite a chance Committee members Liz Cheney, a Republican from Wyoming, and Bennie Thompson, a Democrat from Mississippi, said in a written statement issued in response to Trump's lawsuit that the former president was seeking to “delay and obstruct” their investigation. “It’s hard to imagine a more compelling public interest than trying to get answers about an attack on our democracy and an attempt to overturn the results of an election,” Cheney and Thompson said in the statement. Also read | Donald Trump was 'partying' just hours before Capitol Hill violence On January 6 this year, hundreds of Trump supporters stormed the seat of Congress in a failed bid to prevent lawmakers from certifying Democratic President Joe Biden's election victory. More than 600 people face criminal charges stemming from the event. Trump was impeached by the Democratic-led House on a charge of inciting the attack on the Capitol in a fiery speech at a rally earlier that day. He was acquitted by the Senate. Biden earlier this month authorised the National Archives to turn over an initial batch of documents requested by the select committee. The Archives has said it would turn over the requested material next month, according to Trump's lawsuit, which seeks an injunction halting that process. (With inputs from agencies)

Trump sues US committee investigating Jan 6 Capitol Hill riots to block release of White House records

Former US President Donald Trump has yet again escalated efforts to stonewall investigators looking into the deadly January 6th Capitol Hill riots. This time Donald Trump has sued the Congress and National Archives.

United States: Donald Trump sued Congress and National Archives

Donald Trump could win the 2024 Presidential Race. Bookies are placing their bets on Trump to defeat President Joe Biden. What are the odds? Palki Sharma decodes.

Gravitas: Here's why Donald Trump could win the 2024 Presidential Race

The World Health Organization (WHO) has selected its panel to investigate the origin of COVID-19, saying it is the 'last chance' to do so.&nbsp;

The 26 members of this panel include several individuals of the Wuhan probe who went to China in February for investigating the source of SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus. They are Chinese animal health expert Yang Yungui, Marion Koomans, Thea Fischer, and Hung Nguyen.

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WHO's top emergency expert Mike Ryan said the UN health agency is seeking to "take a step back, create an environment where we can again look at the scientific issues."

"This is our best chance, and it may be our last chance to understand the origins of this virus."

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/opinions-blogs/unless-true-origin-of-coronavirus-is-identified-another-chinese-pandemic-is-in-the-offing-320236">Also read |&nbsp;Unless true origin of coronavirus is identified, another Chinese pandemic is in the offing</a>

In response, China's ambassador to the UN in Geneva Chen Xu said "I do believe that if we are going to continue with the scientific research I think it should be a joint effort based on science, not by the intelligence agencies."

"So if we are going to talk about anything, we are doing the whole business with the framework of Scientific Advisory Group on the Origins of Novel Pathogens (SAGO)."

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/wuhan-lab-staff-sought-hospital-care-before-covid-19-outbreak-disclosed-wsj-387022">Also read |&nbsp;Wuhan lab staff sought hospital care before COVID-19 outbreak disclosed: WSJ</a>

Earlier, China had refused WHO's request to inspect animal breeding farms and bat caves in Enshi a few miles away from Wuhan.

WHO's director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus has said that "The emergence of new viruses with the potential to spark epidemics and pandemics is a fact of nature, and while SARS-CoV-2 is the latest such virus, it will not be the last.''

"Understanding where new pathogens come from is essential for preventing future outbreaks."

He had previously accused China of hampering the research of the origin of COVID-19 by lack of transparency and raw data and stresses on lab audits.

Former US President Donald Trump had accused China of developing and leaking the novel virus from the Wuhan Institute of Virology.

China was the world's first epicentre of the coronavirus outbreak. The first case of COVID-19 had emerged from Wuhan in December 2019.

 
&nbsp;

The World Health Organization (WHO) has selected its panel to investigate the origin of COVID-19, saying it is the 'last chance' to do so. The 26 members of this panel include several individuals of the Wuhan probe who went to China in February for investigating the source of SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus.

The World Health Organization (WHO) has selected its panel to investigate the origin of COVID-19, saying it is the 'last chance' to do so. The 26 members of this panel include several individuals of the Wuhan probe who went to China in February for investigating the source of SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus. They are Chinese animal health expert Yang Yungui, Marion Koomans, Thea Fischer, and Hung Nguyen. WHO's top emergency expert Mike Ryan said the UN health agency is seeking to "take a step back, create an environment where we can again look at the scientific issues." "This is our best chance, and it may be our last chance to understand the origins of this virus." Also read | Unless true origin of coronavirus is identified, another Chinese pandemic is in the offing In response, China's ambassador to the UN in Geneva Chen Xu said "I do believe that if we are going to continue with the scientific research I think it should be a joint effort based on science, not by the intelligence agencies." "So if we are going to talk about anything, we are doing the whole business with the framework of Scientific Advisory Group on the Origins of Novel Pathogens (SAGO)." Also read | Wuhan lab staff sought hospital care before COVID-19 outbreak disclosed: WSJ Earlier, China had refused WHO's request to inspect animal breeding farms and bat caves in Enshi a few miles away from Wuhan. WHO's director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus has said that "The emergence of new viruses with the potential to spark epidemics and pandemics is a fact of nature, and while SARS-CoV-2 is the latest such virus, it will not be the last.'' "Understanding where new pathogens come from is essential for preventing future outbreaks." He had previously accused China of hampering the research of the origin of COVID-19 by lack of transparency and raw data and stresses on lab audits. Former US President Donald Trump had accused China of developing and leaking the novel virus from the Wuhan Institute of Virology. China was the world's first epicentre of the coronavirus outbreak. The first case of COVID-19 had emerged from Wuhan in December 2019.

WHO says it is 'last chance' to find origin of COVID-19

Former US President Donald Trump has the highest chances of winning the 2024 election and returning to the White House.

A UK-based betting exchange company called Smarkets has predicted that Trump, for the first time, has edged ahead of his predecessor Joe Biden.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/hows-biden-doing-do-you-miss-me-yet-trump-pokes-fun-at-us-president-420630">Also read |&nbsp;'How's Biden doing? 'Do you miss me yet?': Trump pokes fun at US President</a>

Biden who is the second place with 19 per cent votes as per a poll conducted by the website, is followed by Vice-President Kamala Harris with 13 per cent votes.

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
BREAKING: Donald Trump has just gone favourite for the first time in our 2024 presidential election winner market. 
 
The former president's win chance just hit a new high of 20% with Joe Biden's dipping to 19.6%. Trade 👉 <a href="https://t.co/rpWB459REB">https://t.co/rpWB459REB</a> <a href="https://t.co/yU9VV3u6xH">pic.twitter.com/yU9VV3u6xH</a>
— Smarkets (@smarkets) <a href="https://twitter.com/smarkets/status/1448307743895560195?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 13, 2021</a></blockquote>
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The poll shows Trump has a 45 per cent chance of winning the GOP primary. He is the most likely candidate to become the Republican nominee for the 2024 election.

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/report-dc-hotel-concealed-payments-420316/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

The other possible candidates include Ron DeSantis and Nikki Haley with 14 per cent and 11 per cent votes respectively.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/biden-ends-workplace-immigration-raids-reversing-trump-policy-420524">Also read |&nbsp;Biden ends workplace immigration raids, reversing Trump policy</a>

The company's head of political market Matthew Shaddick said, "It's a pretty staggering development to find a defeated one-term president taking over as favourite from the incumbent who beat him, but we know by now that Donald Trump is no ordinary politician."

"Many forecasters had predicted that health or legal issues might stop Trump from re-election, but the latest Smarkets prices imply that there is a two-in-three chance he'll run for the White House again in three years' time, he added.

Trump has hinted at a possible presidential run in 2024, attacking Biden and repeating his fraudulent claims he won the 2020 election.

Trump's flirtation with another run could freeze the Republican field for 2024 as other potential candidates try to decide whether they will have to compete against him.

Former US President Donald Trump has the highest chances of winning the 2024 election and returning to the White House. A UK-based betting exchange company called Smarkets has predicted that Trump, for the first time, has edged ahead of his predecessor Joe Biden.

Former US President Donald Trump has the highest chances of winning the 2024 election and returning to the White House. A UK-based betting exchange company called Smarkets has predicted that Trump, for the first time, has edged ahead of his predecessor Joe Biden. Also read | 'How's Biden doing? 'Do you miss me yet?': Trump pokes fun at US President Biden who is the second place with 19 per cent votes as per a poll conducted by the website, is followed by Vice-President Kamala Harris with 13 per cent votes. BREAKING: Donald Trump has just gone favourite for the first time in our 2024 presidential election winner market. The former president's win chance just hit a new high of 20% with Joe Biden's dipping to 19.6%. Trade 👉 https://t.co/rpWB459REB pic.twitter.com/yU9VV3u6xH — Smarkets (@smarkets) October 13, 2021 × The poll shows Trump has a 45 per cent chance of winning the GOP primary. He is the most likely candidate to become the Republican nominee for the 2024 election. The other possible candidates include Ron DeSantis and Nikki Haley with 14 per cent and 11 per cent votes respectively. Also read | Biden ends workplace immigration raids, reversing Trump policy The company's head of political market Matthew Shaddick said, "It's a pretty staggering development to find a defeated one-term president taking over as favourite from the incumbent who beat him, but we know by now that Donald Trump is no ordinary politician." "Many forecasters had predicted that health or legal issues might stop Trump from re-election, but the latest Smarkets prices imply that there is a two-in-three chance he'll run for the White House again in three years' time, he added. Trump has hinted at a possible presidential run in 2024, attacking Biden and repeating his fraudulent claims he won the 2020 election. Trump's flirtation with another run could freeze the Republican field for 2024 as other potential candidates try to decide whether they will have to compete against him.

US election 2024: Former US President Donald Trump favourite candidate, Biden lagging behind

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