Former US President Donald Trump's family company is in advanced talks to sell the rights to its iconic hotel in Washington DC In a deal worth over 370 million dollars.

Report: DC hotel concealed payments

Donald Trump's daughter and son-in-law launched an initiative in Jerusalem to advance the Abraham Accords that saw Arab states normalise ties with Israel.

Former Trump advisers Kushner, Ivanka Trump inaugurate Abraham Accords caucus

Former US President Donald Trump has returned to the state of Lowa. The state is kick-starting the nomination process for presidential candidates. Trump repeated similar allegations that he had leveled during 2020 presidential election. He claimed that the election was stolen. He also attacked his democratic successor Joe Biden over his first 9 months of the presidency.

Donald Trump returns to Lowa, kick starts nomination process for presidential candidates

Former President Donald Trump has instructed his former aides not to comply with subpoenas from the special congressional committee investigating the Capitol riot, raising the prospect of the panel issuing criminal referrals for some of his closest advisers as early as Friday.

In a letter reviewed by The New York Times, Trump’s lawyer asked that witnesses not provide testimony or documents related to their “official” duties and instead to invoke any immunities they might have “to the fullest extent permitted by law.”

The House committee has ordered four former Trump administration officials — Mark Meadows, the White House chief of staff; Dan Scavino, a deputy chief of staff; Steve Bannon, an adviser; and Kash Patel, a Pentagon chief of staff — to sit for depositions and furnish documents and other materials relevant to its investigation. They all faced a Thursday deadline to respond.

Rep. Bennie Thompson, D-Miss., chair of the select committee, has threatened criminal referrals for witnesses who do not comply with the subpoenas, and said the committee expected witnesses “to cooperate fully with our probe.”

The move amounted to a declaration of war by Trump on the investigation and raised legal questions about how far the committee would be able to go in compelling information from a former president and his advisers.

The committee is demanding that Meadows and Patel submit to questioning next Thursday, and Bannon and Scavino the following day.

It is unclear whether President Joe Biden’s team will extend executive privilege — which shields a sitting president’s communications and deliberations from disclosure — to the former president.

The Justice Department and the White House have already waived executive privilege for a previous batch of witnesses who were asked to testify before the Senate Judiciary and House Oversight committees, which were investigating the Jan. 6 attack and the Trump administration’s efforts to subvert the results of the presidential election. The Justice Department argued that privilege was conferred in order to protect the institution of the presidency, not to provide immunity for wrongdoing.

Taylor Budowich, a spokesperson for Trump, said that the records request by the select committee was “outrageously broad” and that it lacked “both legal precedent and legislative merit."

“Executive privilege will be defended, not just on behalf of President Trump and his administration, but also on behalf of the office of the president of the United States and the future of our nation,” he added.

The instructions from Trump were reported earlier by The Guardian.

The deadline for compliance from the select committee’s first batch of subpoenas came as it issued three more on Thursday, targeting organizers of the “Stop the Steal” rally that brought together many of Trump’s supporters who went on to violently storm the Capitol.

The latest subpoenas seek deposition testimony from Ali Abdul Akbar, also known as Ali Alexander, and Nathan Martin, both of whom were involved in organizing protests around the country — including in Washington on Jan. 6 — based on Trump’s lies that he was the rightful winner of the 2020 election and that it had been riddled with fraud. The committee also issued a subpoena for Stop the Steal LLC, an organization affiliated with the event.

“The rally on the Capitol grounds on Jan. 6, like the rally near the White House that day, immediately preceded the violent attack on the seat of our democracy,” Thompson said. “Over the course of that day, demonstrations escalated to violence and protesters became rioters.”

In the weeks before the attack, Alexander, a far-right activist and conspiracy theorist, made repeated reference during “Stop the Steal” events to the possible use of violence to achieve the organization’s goals, and he claimed to have been in communication with the White House and members of Congress regarding events planned to undermine the certification of the 2020 Electoral College results, the committee said.

Alexander has claimed that he, along with Reps. Mo Brooks of Alabama, Paul Gosar of Arizona and Andy Biggs of Arizona, all Republicans, set the events of Jan. 6 in motion.

“We four schemed up of putting maximum pressure on Congress while they were voting,” Alexander said in a since-deleted video posted online, “so that who we couldn’t lobby, we could change the hearts and the minds of Republicans who were in that body, hearing our loud roar from outside.”

Additionally, Alexander spoke at a rally on Jan. 5 held by the Eighty Percent Coalition at Freedom Plaza in Washington and led the crowd in a chant of “Victory or death,” the committee said.

The committee has issued 18 subpoenas, many focusing on the funding, planning and organization of the rally that morphed into a violent rampage at the Capitol, where Congress was meeting to formalize Biden’s election victory. Participants chanted “Hang Mike Pence,” threatened to shoot Speaker Nancy Pelosi and forced lawmakers to evacuate the building. About 140 police officers were injured, and several people died in connection with the riot.

The committee said it was trying to get to the bottom of the organizing of the Jan. 6 event, given the conflicting information its investigators have received.

An organization named One Nation Under God submitted a permit application in December to the U.S. Capitol Police for a rally about “the election fraud in the swing states” on Jan. 6 that listed Martin’s phone number and email address among the contact information.

But when a Capitol Police official spoke with Martin at the end of December, Martin claimed not to have any information about the rally and directed the official to speak with a vendor, the committee said. According to the police official, the vendor was “shocked” to learn this, because he was in “daily communication” with Martin about the event, the committee said.

After the Jan. 6 attack, Alexander released a statement acknowledging that Stop the Steal had obtained the rally permit “for our ‘One Nation Under God’ event,” the committee said. He said it was the intention of Stop the Steal to direct attendees of the rally to march to Lot 8 on the U.S. Capitol grounds, which is the location for which the Capitol Police granted the permit for the “One Nation Under God” rally. The permit application estimated the event would have only 50 attendees, not the hundreds who marched on the Capitol.

The subpoenas require Alexander and Martin to produce documents by Oct. 21 and testify at depositions next week.

The committee’s latest action came as the Senate Judiciary Committee released a lengthy interim report about Trump’s efforts to pressure the Justice Department to do his bidding in the chaotic final weeks of his presidency. Thompson said he planned to incorporate the Senate’s findings into the House inquiry.

Former President Donald Trump has instructed his former aides not to comply with subpoenas from the special congressional committee investigating the Capitol riot, raising the prospect of the panel issuing criminal referrals for some of his closest advisers as early as Friday.

Former President Donald Trump has instructed his former aides not to comply with subpoenas from the special congressional committee investigating the Capitol riot, raising the prospect of the panel issuing criminal referrals for some of his closest advisers as early as Friday. In a letter reviewed by The New York Times, Trump’s lawyer asked that witnesses not provide testimony or documents related to their “official” duties and instead to invoke any immunities they might have “to the fullest extent permitted by law.” The House committee has ordered four former Trump administration officials — Mark Meadows, the White House chief of staff; Dan Scavino, a deputy chief of staff; Steve Bannon, an adviser; and Kash Patel, a Pentagon chief of staff — to sit for depositions and furnish documents and other materials relevant to its investigation. They all faced a Thursday deadline to respond. Rep. Bennie Thompson, D-Miss., chair of the select committee, has threatened criminal referrals for witnesses who do not comply with the subpoenas, and said the committee expected witnesses “to cooperate fully with our probe.” The move amounted to a declaration of war by Trump on the investigation and raised legal questions about how far the committee would be able to go in compelling information from a former president and his advisers. The committee is demanding that Meadows and Patel submit to questioning next Thursday, and Bannon and Scavino the following day. It is unclear whether President Joe Biden’s team will extend executive privilege — which shields a sitting president’s communications and deliberations from disclosure — to the former president. The Justice Department and the White House have already waived executive privilege for a previous batch of witnesses who were asked to testify before the Senate Judiciary and House Oversight committees, which were investigating the Jan. 6 attack and the Trump administration’s efforts to subvert the results of the presidential election. The Justice Department argued that privilege was conferred in order to protect the institution of the presidency, not to provide immunity for wrongdoing. Taylor Budowich, a spokesperson for Trump, said that the records request by the select committee was “outrageously broad” and that it lacked “both legal precedent and legislative merit." “Executive privilege will be defended, not just on behalf of President Trump and his administration, but also on behalf of the office of the president of the United States and the future of our nation,” he added. The instructions from Trump were reported earlier by The Guardian. The deadline for compliance from the select committee’s first batch of subpoenas came as it issued three more on Thursday, targeting organizers of the “Stop the Steal” rally that brought together many of Trump’s supporters who went on to violently storm the Capitol. The latest subpoenas seek deposition testimony from Ali Abdul Akbar, also known as Ali Alexander, and Nathan Martin, both of whom were involved in organizing protests around the country — including in Washington on Jan. 6 — based on Trump’s lies that he was the rightful winner of the 2020 election and that it had been riddled with fraud. The committee also issued a subpoena for Stop the Steal LLC, an organization affiliated with the event. “The rally on the Capitol grounds on Jan. 6, like the rally near the White House that day, immediately preceded the violent attack on the seat of our democracy,” Thompson said. “Over the course of that day, demonstrations escalated to violence and protesters became rioters.” In the weeks before the attack, Alexander, a far-right activist and conspiracy theorist, made repeated reference during “Stop the Steal” events to the possible use of violence to achieve the organization’s goals, and he claimed to have been in communication with the White House and members of Congress regarding events planned to undermine the certification of the 2020 Electoral College results, the committee said. Alexander has claimed that he, along with Reps. Mo Brooks of Alabama, Paul Gosar of Arizona and Andy Biggs of Arizona, all Republicans, set the events of Jan. 6 in motion. “We four schemed up of putting maximum pressure on Congress while they were voting,” Alexander said in a since-deleted video posted online, “so that who we couldn’t lobby, we could change the hearts and the minds of Republicans who were in that body, hearing our loud roar from outside.” Additionally, Alexander spoke at a rally on Jan. 5 held by the Eighty Percent Coalition at Freedom Plaza in Washington and led the crowd in a chant of “Victory or death,” the committee said. The committee has issued 18 subpoenas, many focusing on the funding, planning and organization of the rally that morphed into a violent rampage at the Capitol, where Congress was meeting to formalize Biden’s election victory. Participants chanted “Hang Mike Pence,” threatened to shoot Speaker Nancy Pelosi and forced lawmakers to evacuate the building. About 140 police officers were injured, and several people died in connection with the riot. The committee said it was trying to get to the bottom of the organizing of the Jan. 6 event, given the conflicting information its investigators have received. An organization named One Nation Under God submitted a permit application in December to the U.S. Capitol Police for a rally about “the election fraud in the swing states” on Jan. 6 that listed Martin’s phone number and email address among the contact information. But when a Capitol Police official spoke with Martin at the end of December, Martin claimed not to have any information about the rally and directed the official to speak with a vendor, the committee said. According to the police official, the vendor was “shocked” to learn this, because he was in “daily communication” with Martin about the event, the committee said. After the Jan. 6 attack, Alexander released a statement acknowledging that Stop the Steal had obtained the rally permit “for our ‘One Nation Under God’ event,” the committee said. He said it was the intention of Stop the Steal to direct attendees of the rally to march to Lot 8 on the U.S. Capitol grounds, which is the location for which the Capitol Police granted the permit for the “One Nation Under God” rally. The permit application estimated the event would have only 50 attendees, not the hundreds who marched on the Capitol. The subpoenas require Alexander and Martin to produce documents by Oct. 21 and testify at depositions next week. The committee’s latest action came as the Senate Judiciary Committee released a lengthy interim report about Trump’s efforts to pressure the Justice Department to do his bidding in the chaotic final weeks of his presidency. Thompson said he planned to incorporate the Senate’s findings into the House inquiry.

Trump tells former aides to defy subpoenas from Jan. 6 panel

Former US President Donald Trump dropped off the Forbes rich list in America as the magazine said his fortunes took a major hit as the pandemic hit the ex-president's big properties.

The report added that Trump is $400 million short of the target to make it to the list as his net worth reportedly dived by $600 million.

The magazine which released its list of 400 wealthiest Americans informed that Trump didn't make it to the list for the first time since 1996. Forbes stated that the bulk of Trump's fortune came from New York City real estate.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/trump-wants-to-tweet-again-ex-us-president-requests-us-judge-to-force-twitter-into-restoring-account-417625">Also Read:&nbsp;</a><a href="http://13.235.153.162/world/trump-wants-to-tweet-again-ex-us-president-requests-us-judge-to-force-twitter-into-restoring-account-417625" hreflang="en">Trump wants to tweet again: Ex-US president requests US judge&nbsp;</a>

The famous billionaire also owns golf courses with his current net worth is estimated at $2.5 billion. However, Forbes had set &nbsp;$2.9 billion as the cutoff to enter the list and the former president fell short. Trump was ranked No. 399 on the list last year.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/harvard-poll-reveals-donald-trump-has-higher-positive-rating-than-biden-415194">Also Read:&nbsp;Harvard poll reveals Donald Trump has higher positive rating than Biden</a>

Talk show celebrity Oprah Winfrey was also knocked off the list as she was assessed to be worth $2.6 billion.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/trending/rich-list-battle-musk-says-will-send-bezos-a-silver-medal-and-a-giant-statue-of-number-2-417011">Also Read:&nbsp;Musk says will send Bezos a 'silver medal' and a 'giant statue' of number 2</a>

Forbes' annual world's billionaires: Bezos, Musk top record-setting list

Amazon founder Jeff Bezos continued to dominate the list with his net worth estimated to be at $201 billion followed by his rival SpaceX chief Elon Musk who is worth $190.5 billion and Facebook Mark Zuckerberg founder at $134.5 billion.

Microsoft founder Bill Gates was ranked No: 4 in the list with a net worth of $134 billion with Google founder Larry Page ranked at No: 5 with an estimated net worth of $123 billion.

Page's colleague Google co-founder Sergey Brin was ranked No-6 with an estimated net worth of $118.5 billion. Oracle's Larry Ellison, Berkshire Hathaway's Warren Buffet, Steve Ballmer and Michael Bloomberg also made it to the top-10 list.

(With inputs from Agencies) 
&nbsp;

Former US President Donald Trump dropped off the Forbes rich list in America as the magazine said his fortunes took a major hit as the pandemic hit the ex-president's big properties.

Former US President Donald Trump dropped off the Forbes rich list in America as the magazine said his fortunes took a major hit as the pandemic hit the ex-president's big properties. The report added that Trump is $400 million short of the target to make it to the list as his net worth reportedly dived by $600 million. The magazine which released its list of 400 wealthiest Americans informed that Trump didn't make it to the list for the first time since 1996. Forbes stated that the bulk of Trump's fortune came from New York City real estate. Also Read: Trump wants to tweet again: Ex-US president requests US judge The famous billionaire also owns golf courses with his current net worth is estimated at $2.5 billion. However, Forbes had set $2.9 billion as the cutoff to enter the list and the former president fell short. Trump was ranked No. 399 on the list last year. Also Read: Harvard poll reveals Donald Trump has higher positive rating than Biden Talk show celebrity Oprah Winfrey was also knocked off the list as she was assessed to be worth $2.6 billion. Also Read: Musk says will send Bezos a 'silver medal' and a 'giant statue' of number 2 Forbes' annual world's billionaires: Bezos, Musk top record-setting list Amazon founder Jeff Bezos continued to dominate the list with his net worth estimated to be at $201 billion followed by his rival SpaceX chief Elon Musk who is worth $190.5 billion and Facebook Mark Zuckerberg founder at $134.5 billion. Microsoft founder Bill Gates was ranked No: 4 in the list with a net worth of $134 billion with Google founder Larry Page ranked at No: 5 with an estimated net worth of $123 billion. Page's colleague Google co-founder Sergey Brin was ranked No-6 with an estimated net worth of $118.5 billion. Oracle's Larry Ellison, Berkshire Hathaway's Warren Buffet, Steve Ballmer and Michael Bloomberg also made it to the top-10 list. (With inputs from Agencies)

Now, Trump drops off Forbes list amid pandemic downturn

Former US President Donald Trump on Friday asked a federal judge in Florida to force Twitter to restore his account. The social media giant had removed his account in January this year citing risk of incitement of violence.

Trump has alleged before US District Court for the Southern District of Florida that Twitter was "coerced" by members of US Congress to suspend his account. He has filed a request for a preliminary injunction against Twitter.

Twitter and several other social media platforms banned Trump after on January 6 this year, mob of Trump supporters attacked US Capitol building. The attack was preceded by Trump's speech to the crowd that included baseless allegations of poll fraud during US Presidential Election 2020. Trump's claims of voting fraud had been rejected by multiple courts and state election officials.

Also Read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/senior-us-general-blames-trumps-doha-agreement-for-afghan-debacle-417056">Senior US general blames Trump's Doha agreement for Afghan debacle</a>

Twitter "exercises a degree of power and control over political discourse in this country that is immeasurable, historically unprecedented, and profoundly dangerous to open democratic debate," Trump's lawyers said in the filing. The filing was reported earlier by Bloomberg.

Twitter declined to comment on the filing when contacted by Reuters.

At the time of removing Trump's account permanently, Twitter said his tweets had violated the platform's policy barring "glorification of violence". The company said at the time that Trump's tweets that led to the removal were "highly likely" to encourage people to replicate what happened in the Capitol riots.

Also Read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/biden-won-us-election-against-trump-in-fair-ways-republican-funded-review-claims-415723">'Biden won US election against Trump in fair ways,' Republican-funded review claims</a>

Before he was blocked, Trump had more than 88 million followers on Twitter and used it as his social media megaphone.

In the court filing, Trump argued Twitter allowed the Taliban to tweet regularly about their military victories across Afghanistan, but censored him during his presidency by labeling his tweets as "misleading information" or indicating they violated the company's rules against "glorifying violence".

(With inputs from agencies)

Former US President Donald Trump on Friday asked a federal judge in Florida to force Twitter to restore his account. The social media giant had removed his account in January this year citing risk of incitement of violence.

Former US President Donald Trump on Friday asked a federal judge in Florida to force Twitter to restore his account. The social media giant had removed his account in January this year citing risk of incitement of violence. Trump has alleged before US District Court for the Southern District of Florida that Twitter was "coerced" by members of US Congress to suspend his account. He has filed a request for a preliminary injunction against Twitter. Twitter and several other social media platforms banned Trump after on January 6 this year, mob of Trump supporters attacked US Capitol building. The attack was preceded by Trump's speech to the crowd that included baseless allegations of poll fraud during US Presidential Election 2020. Trump's claims of voting fraud had been rejected by multiple courts and state election officials. Also Read | Senior US general blames Trump's Doha agreement for Afghan debacle Twitter "exercises a degree of power and control over political discourse in this country that is immeasurable, historically unprecedented, and profoundly dangerous to open democratic debate," Trump's lawyers said in the filing. The filing was reported earlier by Bloomberg. Twitter declined to comment on the filing when contacted by Reuters. At the time of removing Trump's account permanently, Twitter said his tweets had violated the platform's policy barring "glorification of violence". The company said at the time that Trump's tweets that led to the removal were "highly likely" to encourage people to replicate what happened in the Capitol riots. Also Read | 'Biden won US election against Trump in fair ways,' Republican-funded review claims Before he was blocked, Trump had more than 88 million followers on Twitter and used it as his social media megaphone. In the court filing, Trump argued Twitter allowed the Taliban to tweet regularly about their military victories across Afghanistan, but censored him during his presidency by labeling his tweets as "misleading information" or indicating they violated the company's rules against "glorifying violence". (With inputs from agencies)

Trump wants to tweet again: Ex-US president requests US judge to force Twitter into restoring account

Microsoft's Chief Executive Officer Satya Nadella said on Monday that the company's near acquisition of social media app TikTok was the "strangest thing" he had "ever worked on"

Former US President Donald Trump had ordered TikTok to separate its US version from Chinese parent company ByteDance over concerns of data security of US users. Microsoft had begun acquisition talks in August 2020 but the deal collapsed by September.

Also Read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/microsoft-co-founder-bill-gates-offers-15-billion-in-climate-help-if-us-takes-legislative-action-405062">Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates offers $1.5 billion in climate help if US takes legislative action</a>

Trump's divestment push ended by the time he left office in January and no potential suitor ending up acquiring TikTok.

Nadella was speaking at the Code Conference in Beverly Hills, California. He said that he was looking forward to bringing Microsoft's security, child safety and cloud expertise to TikTok.

Also Read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/safe-and-easy-microsoft-announces-passwordless-account-for-users-413771">Safe and easy: Microsoft announces 'passwordless account' for users</a>

"It's unbelievable," Nadella said of the experience during an on-stage interview. "I learned so many things about so much and so many people. First of all, TikTok came to us. We didn't go to TikTok."

"TikTok was caught in between a lot of things happening across two capitals," Nadella continued. "President Trump had a particular point of view of what he was trying to get done there, and then it just dropped off. The [U.S. government] had a particular set of requirements and then it just disappeared."

Nadella said Microsoft's services related to content moderation and child safety was what had attracted TikTOk CEO Zhang Yiming to Microsoft.

Also Read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/amazon-microsoft-cisco-among-tech-giants-to-utilise-data-from-indias-farmers-413747">Amazon, Microsoft, Cisco among tech giants to utilise data from India’s farmers</a>

ByteDance did not immediately respond to Reuter's request for comment.

Nadella said he has no idea whether the US is still pushing for a deal under President Joe Biden. The Biden administration has said it is reviewing the national security concerns&nbsp;

"At this point, I'm happy with what I have," Nadella said.

He also expressed support for greater government regulation of cryptocurrency rules, which could stifle ransomware attacks since the ransoms often flow through opaque systems.

Microsoft's Chief Executive Officer Satya Nadella said on Monday that the company's near acquisition of social media app TikTok was the "strangest thing" he had "ever worked on" Former US President Donald Trump had ordered TikTok to separate its US version from Chinese parent company ByteDance over concerns of data security of US users.

Microsoft's Chief Executive Officer Satya Nadella said on Monday that the company's near acquisition of social media app TikTok was the "strangest thing" he had "ever worked on" Former US President Donald Trump had ordered TikTok to separate its US version from Chinese parent company ByteDance over concerns of data security of US users. Microsoft had begun acquisition talks in August 2020 but the deal collapsed by September. Also Read | Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates offers $1.5 billion in climate help if US takes legislative action Trump's divestment push ended by the time he left office in January and no potential suitor ending up acquiring TikTok. Nadella was speaking at the Code Conference in Beverly Hills, California. He said that he was looking forward to bringing Microsoft's security, child safety and cloud expertise to TikTok. Also Read | Safe and easy: Microsoft announces 'passwordless account' for users "It's unbelievable," Nadella said of the experience during an on-stage interview. "I learned so many things about so much and so many people. First of all, TikTok came to us. We didn't go to TikTok." "TikTok was caught in between a lot of things happening across two capitals," Nadella continued. "President Trump had a particular point of view of what he was trying to get done there, and then it just dropped off. The [U.S. government] had a particular set of requirements and then it just disappeared." Nadella said Microsoft's services related to content moderation and child safety was what had attracted TikTOk CEO Zhang Yiming to Microsoft. Also Read | Amazon, Microsoft, Cisco among tech giants to utilise data from India’s farmers ByteDance did not immediately respond to Reuter's request for comment. Nadella said he has no idea whether the US is still pushing for a deal under President Joe Biden. The Biden administration has said it is reviewing the national security concerns "At this point, I'm happy with what I have," Nadella said. He also expressed support for greater government regulation of cryptocurrency rules, which could stifle ransomware attacks since the ransoms often flow through opaque systems.

Failed TikTok deal 'strangest thing I've worked on', says Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella

Since his historic loss in US election 2020, the former American president Donald Trump has been trying to prove that the sole reason behind his loss was voter fraud.<o:p></o:p>

The former reality TV star has time and again claimed that Joe Biden and his Democratic party manipulated votes. He has, without any proof, alleged his opponents of voter fraud.<o:p></o:p>

However, a Republican-funded review has claimed that <a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/donald-trump">Trump’s</a> baseless claims may just be that, and Biden’s win was legally correct.

<o:p>Also read |&nbsp;W<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/with-last-us-military-flight-out-of-kabul-trump-slams-worst-withdrawal-from-war-in-history-409560">ith last US military flight out of Kabul, Trump slams worst withdrawal from war in history</a></o:p>

Cyber Ninjas, a Florida-based cybersecurity firm has claimed that after studying the data and a hand count, Biden won the Maricopa County by about 45,000 votes — which was the original number stated too.<o:p></o:p>

"This means the tabulation equipment counted the ballots as they were designed to do, and the results reflect the will of the voters," Republican board chairman Jack Sellers said in a statement.&nbsp;"That should be the end of the story. Everything else is just noise."<o:p></o:p>

However, the review was conducted by Cyber Ninjas who have no previous experience in election audits. Some believe Trump is bound to rubbish this review’s findings due to the lack of experience of the cybersecurity firm in election audits and reviews.

<o:p>Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/trump-gets-booed-on-advising-alabama-rally-supporters-to-take-covid-vaccine-shot-407760">Trump gets booed on advising Alabama rally supporters to take Covid vaccine shot</a></o:p>

Trump has not yet commented on this development.<o:p></o:p>

The Democratic National Committee, however, has labelled this review as a waste of public funds and have warned that this was a "dangerous attempt by extremist Republicans" to undermine democracy.<o:p></o:p>

"Every Republican peddling election misinformation will have to explain to their constituents why they spent their time undermining democracy on behalf of Donald Trump instead of delivering for their constituents," spokesman Ryan Thomas said<o:p></o:p>

Since his historic loss in US election 2020, the former American president Donald Trump has been trying to prove that the sole reason behind his loss was voter fraud.

Since his historic loss in US election 2020, the former American president Donald Trump has been trying to prove that the sole reason behind his loss was voter fraud. The former reality TV star has time and again claimed that Joe Biden and his Democratic party manipulated votes. He has, without any proof, alleged his opponents of voter fraud. However, a Republican-funded review has claimed that Trump’s baseless claims may just be that, and Biden’s win was legally correct. Also read | With last US military flight out of Kabul, Trump slams worst withdrawal from war in history Cyber Ninjas, a Florida-based cybersecurity firm has claimed that after studying the data and a hand count, Biden won the Maricopa County by about 45,000 votes — which was the original number stated too. "This means the tabulation equipment counted the ballots as they were designed to do, and the results reflect the will of the voters," Republican board chairman Jack Sellers said in a statement. "That should be the end of the story. Everything else is just noise." However, the review was conducted by Cyber Ninjas who have no previous experience in election audits. Some believe Trump is bound to rubbish this review’s findings due to the lack of experience of the cybersecurity firm in election audits and reviews. Also read | Trump gets booed on advising Alabama rally supporters to take Covid vaccine shot Trump has not yet commented on this development. The Democratic National Committee, however, has labelled this review as a waste of public funds and have warned that this was a "dangerous attempt by extremist Republicans" to undermine democracy. "Every Republican peddling election misinformation will have to explain to their constituents why they spent their time undermining democracy on behalf of Donald Trump instead of delivering for their constituents," spokesman Ryan Thomas said

'Biden won US election against Trump in fair ways,' Republican-funded review claims

The US House of Representatives Select Committee investigating the deadly Jan. 6 riot at the Capitol has subpoenaed former Trump White House officials Mark Meadows and Steve Bannon, the panel's chairman said on Thursday (September 23).

Former White House Deputy Chief of Staff Dan Scavino and former Defense Department official Kash Patel were also subpoenaed and instructed to produce materials and appear for depositions in the weeks ahead, committee Chairman Bennie Thompson said in a statement.

Also Read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/risk-of-another-911-style-attack-on-us-very-real-former-nsa-john-bolton-to-wion-415498">Risk of another 9/11-style attack on US very real: Former NSA John Bolton to WION</a>

Meadows, a former congressman, served as former President Donald Trump's White House chief of staff. Bannon was a White House adviser to Trump.

Also Read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/double-standards-while-kamala-harris-talks-of-pak-terror-role-blinken-appreciates-it-over-afghanistan-415485">Double standards? While Kamala Harris talks of Pak terror role, Blinken 'appreciates' it over Afghanistan</a>

A mob of Trump supporters stormed the Capitol as Congress was meeting to certify Democrat Joe Biden's election victory, delaying that process for several hours as then-Vice President Mike Pence, members of Congress, staff and journalists fled from rioters.

Also Read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/cia-vienna-station-chief-removed-amid-havana-syndrome-criticism-report-415559">CIA Vienna station chief removed amid 'Havana syndrome' criticism: Report</a>

Nearly 600 people have been arrested in connection with the attack. It was the worst violence at the seat of the US&nbsp;government since the British invasion during the War of 1812.

The US House of Representatives Select Committee investigating the deadly Jan. 6 riot at the Capitol has subpoenaed former Trump White House officials Mark Meadows and Steve Bannon, the panel's chairman said on Thursday (September 23).

The US House of Representatives Select Committee investigating the deadly Jan. 6 riot at the Capitol has subpoenaed former Trump White House officials Mark Meadows and Steve Bannon, the panel's chairman said on Thursday (September 23). Former White House Deputy Chief of Staff Dan Scavino and former Defense Department official Kash Patel were also subpoenaed and instructed to produce materials and appear for depositions in the weeks ahead, committee Chairman Bennie Thompson said in a statement. Also Read | Risk of another 9/11-style attack on US very real: Former NSA John Bolton to WION Meadows, a former congressman, served as former President Donald Trump's White House chief of staff. Bannon was a White House adviser to Trump. Also Read | Double standards? While Kamala Harris talks of Pak terror role, Blinken 'appreciates' it over Afghanistan A mob of Trump supporters stormed the Capitol as Congress was meeting to certify Democrat Joe Biden's election victory, delaying that process for several hours as then-Vice President Mike Pence, members of Congress, staff and journalists fled from rioters. Also Read | CIA Vienna station chief removed amid 'Havana syndrome' criticism: Report Nearly 600 people have been arrested in connection with the attack. It was the worst violence at the seat of the US government since the British invasion during the War of 1812.

Trump allies Bannon, Meadows subpoenaed in US Congress' probe of Capitol riot

A new poll found that more Americans liked Donald Trump as president, over Joe Biden. The disastrous Afghan withdrawal and rising COVID-19 cases have plunged Biden's approval ratings. Does this mean 'advantage Trump'? Palki Sharma tells you.

Gravitas US Edition: Trump polls higher than Joe Biden

He was seen as symbol of USA's resurgence globally when he said "America is back!" but a latest opinion poll shows US President Joe Biden's approval rating has dropped below former US President Donald Trump. In a poll carried out by Harvard CAPS/ Harris Poll, it has been seen that approval of Biden has dropped since the time he got elected as President of USA.

Trump was favoured by 48 per cent of the respondents while Biden found backing from 46 per cent, as per The Hill which has reported the survey.

Trump also scores more on the question asking people who was the better president. 51 per cent backed Trump while 40 per cent had the opposite view.

However, Trump has more negative rating of 49 per cent than Biden's 47 per cent. These respondents have unfavourable opinion of the respective men.

The news report said that the full results are due to be released later this week.

The survey was carried out on September 15 and 16. There were 1,578 respondents, all of whom were registered US voters.

Biden enjoyed positive image globally as Trump's policies had seen him take USA out of number of international treaties and anger US allies. However, Biden faced a lot of flak over hasty US withdrawal from Afghanistan.

He was seen as symbol of USA's resurgence globally when he said "America is back!" but a latest opinion poll shows US President Joe Biden's approval rating has dropped below former US President Donald Trump.

He was seen as symbol of USA's resurgence globally when he said "America is back!" but a latest opinion poll shows US President Joe Biden's approval rating has dropped below former US President Donald Trump. In a poll carried out by Harvard CAPS/ Harris Poll, it has been seen that approval of Biden has dropped since the time he got elected as President of USA. Trump was favoured by 48 per cent of the respondents while Biden found backing from 46 per cent, as per The Hill which has reported the survey. Trump also scores more on the question asking people who was the better president. 51 per cent backed Trump while 40 per cent had the opposite view. However, Trump has more negative rating of 49 per cent than Biden's 47 per cent. These respondents have unfavourable opinion of the respective men. The news report said that the full results are due to be released later this week. The survey was carried out on September 15 and 16. There were 1,578 respondents, all of whom were registered US voters. Biden enjoyed positive image globally as Trump's policies had seen him take USA out of number of international treaties and anger US allies. However, Biden faced a lot of flak over hasty US withdrawal from Afghanistan.

Harvard poll reveals Donald Trump has higher positive rating than Biden

The January 06 riot on Capitol Building in the US were a big hit to the US and its democracy. While Trump posed a displeasure over it in the public eye, the reality may be different.<o:p></o:p>

Some reports have claimed that former US President Donald Trump was not only aware of such a riot but had also, to some extent, promoted it.<o:p></o:p>

The Capitol riot had the possibility of converting into a proper coup, if the authorities had not intervened at the right time, reports claim. However, many experts had also allegedly ignored several signs and warnings pointing towards a possible riot.

<o:p>Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/too-much-and-never-enough-donald-trump-sues-mary-trump-and-western-media-414901">'Too Much and Never Enough': Donald Trump sues Mary Trump and western media</a></o:p>

In a new book being released by US journalist Bob Woodward, the writer has claimed that <a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/donald-trump">Trump</a> had blueprints that his followers of the Republican Party had used to disrupt the certification ceremony on January 06. In the book titled ‘Peril’, the author claims that the President and his followers had a plan laid out for then-Vice President Mile Pence to disrupt Joe Biden’s certifying ceremony. <o:p></o:p>

This is not the first time someone has claimed that Trump had motivated his followers to intervene the ceremony. Trump was openly against the US election 2020 result. The former reality TV star believed he won the elections to Joe Biden only due to voter fraud, and not because the people of American did not vote for him. However, he has been unable to support his allegations with any proper evidence till date.

Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/trump-2016-campaign-two-charged-by-us-justice-deptt-for-funnelling-25000-from-russian-national-414689">Trump 2016 campaign: Two charged by US Justice Deptt for funnelling $25,000 from Russian national</a>

<o:p></o:p>

Talking about the voter fraud, reports by the western media house such as the New York Times also claim that Trump’s campaign officials were well aware that Trump was lying. The campaign staff knew that all allegations and claims of voter fraud were false and made-up by Trump himself. However, his staff decided to turn a blind eye and let their leader go on with the allegations.<o:p></o:p>

Trump’s personality and nature is also, once again, being dragged through the mud. Trump has once again emerged as a man who cares more about his portrayal in the public eye, rather than helping the citizens of his country as good leader. In his book, Bob Woodward claims that Trump was less concerned about people’s choice of leader and helping them, and more about coming out as a ‘loser’.<o:p></o:p>

The January 06 riot on Capitol Building in the US were a big hit to the US and its democracy. While Trump posed a displeasure over it in the public eye, the reality may be different.

The January 06 riot on Capitol Building in the US were a big hit to the US and its democracy. While Trump posed a displeasure over it in the public eye, the reality may be different. Some reports have claimed that former US President Donald Trump was not only aware of such a riot but had also, to some extent, promoted it. The Capitol riot had the possibility of converting into a proper coup, if the authorities had not intervened at the right time, reports claim. However, many experts had also allegedly ignored several signs and warnings pointing towards a possible riot. Also read | 'Too Much and Never Enough': Donald Trump sues Mary Trump and western media In a new book being released by US journalist Bob Woodward, the writer has claimed that Trump had blueprints that his followers of the Republican Party had used to disrupt the certification ceremony on January 06. In the book titled ‘Peril’, the author claims that the President and his followers had a plan laid out for then-Vice President Mile Pence to disrupt Joe Biden’s certifying ceremony. This is not the first time someone has claimed that Trump had motivated his followers to intervene the ceremony. Trump was openly against the US election 2020 result. The former reality TV star believed he won the elections to Joe Biden only due to voter fraud, and not because the people of American did not vote for him. However, he has been unable to support his allegations with any proper evidence till date. Also read | Trump 2016 campaign: Two charged by US Justice Deptt for funnelling $25,000 from Russian national Talking about the voter fraud, reports by the western media house such as the New York Times also claim that Trump’s campaign officials were well aware that Trump was lying. The campaign staff knew that all allegations and claims of voter fraud were false and made-up by Trump himself. However, his staff decided to turn a blind eye and let their leader go on with the allegations. Trump’s personality and nature is also, once again, being dragged through the mud. Trump has once again emerged as a man who cares more about his portrayal in the public eye, rather than helping the citizens of his country as good leader. In his book, Bob Woodward claims that Trump was less concerned about people’s choice of leader and helping them, and more about coming out as a ‘loser’.

Trump promoted false information, motivated Capitol rioters: Reports

Former US President Donald Trump has once again lashed out at his niece Mary Trump who had published a tell-all memoir in 2020.

The 56-year-old niece of the former reality TV star has accused his niece of breaching a settlement agreement that she had reportedly signed years ago. Trump claims his niece is barred from disclosing any personal family information in the public domain. Thus, making her book a breach of that agreement.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/trump-2016-campaign-two-charged-by-us-justice-deptt-for-funnelling-25000-from-russian-national-414689">Trump 2016 campaign: Two charged by US Justice Deptt for funnelling $25,000 from Russian national</a>

Mary Trump is the daughter of Fred Trump Jr — former president’s older brother. She wrote a tell-all memoir titled "Too Much and Never Enough: How My Family Created the World's Most Dangerous Man".

When <a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/donald-trump">Trump</a> got hint about his niece’s book and the claims made against him, he tried to block its publication. However, after his unsuccessful trial of blocking the book’s publication, the stained leader now wants to sue his niece.

Trump has also sued the reporters of New York Times. He has accused them of adopting unethical ways to get confidential information.

"A group of journalists with the New York Times, in the middle of an extensive crusade to obtain Donald J Trump's confidential tax records,&nbsp;relentlessly sought out his niece Mary... and convinced her to smuggle the records out of her attorney's office,"&nbsp;the lawsuit claims.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/thats-treason-trump-lashes-out-after-general-claims-to-have-informed-china-about-possible-us-attack-413259">'That's treason': Trump lashes out after general claims to have informed China about possible US attack</a>

The lawsuit has also claimed that Trump "suffered significant damages" due to the claims made against Trump. He has also demanded compensation of at least $100m (£73m).

While Mary Trump has not yet commented on this lawsuit, a reporter from the New York Times slammed Trump for making these allegations. "I&nbsp;knocked on Mary Trump's door. She opened it. I think they call that journalism,"&nbsp;the journalist said.

Meanwhile, the New York Times spokesperson said their reports about Trump's tax evasion have "helped inform citizens through meticulous reporting on a subject of overriding public interest". The media organisation has also slammed Trump's lawsuit as an attempt "to silence independent news organisations".

Former US President Donald Trump has once again lashed out at his niece Mary Trump who had published a tell-all memoir in 2020. The 56-year-old niece of the former reality TV star has accused his niece of breaching a settlement agreement that she had reportedly signed years ago.

Former US President Donald Trump has once again lashed out at his niece Mary Trump who had published a tell-all memoir in 2020. The 56-year-old niece of the former reality TV star has accused his niece of breaching a settlement agreement that she had reportedly signed years ago. Trump claims his niece is barred from disclosing any personal family information in the public domain. Thus, making her book a breach of that agreement. Also read | Trump 2016 campaign: Two charged by US Justice Deptt for funnelling $25,000 from Russian national Mary Trump is the daughter of Fred Trump Jr — former president’s older brother. She wrote a tell-all memoir titled "Too Much and Never Enough: How My Family Created the World's Most Dangerous Man". When Trump got hint about his niece’s book and the claims made against him, he tried to block its publication. However, after his unsuccessful trial of blocking the book’s publication, the stained leader now wants to sue his niece. Trump has also sued the reporters of New York Times. He has accused them of adopting unethical ways to get confidential information. "A group of journalists with the New York Times, in the middle of an extensive crusade to obtain Donald J Trump's confidential tax records, relentlessly sought out his niece Mary... and convinced her to smuggle the records out of her attorney's office," the lawsuit claims. Also read | 'That's treason': Trump lashes out after general claims to have informed China about possible US attack The lawsuit has also claimed that Trump "suffered significant damages" due to the claims made against Trump. He has also demanded compensation of at least $100m (£73m). While Mary Trump has not yet commented on this lawsuit, a reporter from the New York Times slammed Trump for making these allegations. "I knocked on Mary Trump's door. She opened it. I think they call that journalism," the journalist said. Meanwhile, the New York Times spokesperson said their reports about Trump's tax evasion have "helped inform citizens through meticulous reporting on a subject of overriding public interest". The media organisation has also slammed Trump's lawsuit as an attempt "to silence independent news organisations".

'Too Much and Never Enough': Donald Trump sues Mary Trump and western media

House Democrats are planning to introduce a package of proposed new limits on executive power Tuesday, beginning a post-Trump push to strengthen checks on the presidency that they hope will compare to the overhauls that followed the Watergate scandal and the Vietnam War.

Democrats have spent months negotiating with the Biden White House to refine a broad set of proposals that amount to a point-by-point rebuke of the ways that Donald Trump shattered norms over the course of his presidency. Democrats have compiled numerous bills into a package they call the Protecting Our Democracy Act.

The legislation would make it harder for presidents to offer or bestow pardons in situations that raise suspicion of corruption, refuse to respond to oversight subpoenas, spend or secretly freeze funds contrary to congressional appropriations, and fire inspectors general or retaliate against whistleblowers, among many other changes.

The legislation’s lead sponsor, Rep. Adam Schiff, D-Calif., said he hoped it would receive a floor vote “this fall.”

While the bill would constrain President Joe Biden and his successors, its implicit rebuke of Trump’s behaviour in the White House may limit how many Republicans are willing to vote for it. Under Senate rules, at least 10 Republicans would need to support it for that chamber to hold a vote on such a bill.

But supporters noted that Republican senators previously supported significant components of the bill, like requiring the Justice Department to turn over logs of contacts with White House officials and constraining a president’s ability to declare a national emergency and spend money in ways Congress did not approve.

The supporters said they expected the package would be taken up piecemeal in the Senate, with different parts attached to other bills.

“Many of the pieces of the Protecting Our Democracy Act have previously received substantial Republican support in the Senate, and we believe that they will again as part of other legislation there,” said Soren Dayton, a policy advocate with the group Protect Democracy, which consulted with lawmakers on the text of the bill and is promoting it.

For now, as proponents first try to get the measures through the House, Democrats are squarely framing it as a response to the Trump presidency.

Trump’s demonstration that a president can routinely flout previous norms of self-restraint in office “has really put our republic on a very tenuous footing,” Schiff said. “Our democracy turns out to be much more fragile than we understood, and this is an effort to put into law that which we thought was already mandatory.”

On instructions from House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, the bill compiles components developed by numerous lawmakers and House committees.

While many of the proposals have been floating around for years, they took on new urgency among Democrats and some Republicans amid the controversies of the Trump era.

For example, in pushing a proposal to give greater force to the Hatch Act, which prohibits federal employees from engaging in campaign politics at work, supporters of the legislation cited an episode in which a Trump White House aide, Kellyanne Conway, was cited by an independent agency for flagrant violations of that law. The Trump administration ignored the agency’s request to sanction her and she dismissed the finding as “blah, blah, blah.”

Other sections address issues that were obscure before the Trump era. One section, for instance, proposes to strengthen the Constitution’s ban on presidents taking “emoluments,” or payments, by declaring in statute that the anti-corruption prohibition extends to commercial transactions and making it easier to enforce that rule.

Trump’s refusal to divest from his hotels and resorts raised the question of whether lobbying groups and foreign governments that began paying for numerous rooms at Trump properties — and sometimes did not even use them — were trying to purchase his favor.

Another proposal would address a problem that arose in November, when a Trump appointee running the General Services Administration refused to formally “ascertain” that Biden was the president-elect. That failure to take a previously routine step prevented Biden’s transition staff from receiving briefings from agencies his new administration was about to take over, obstructing an orderly transition of power.

To prevent any recurrence, the bill says that if the head of the General Services Administration makes no decision by 10 days after the election, both campaigns can start transitions.

Schiff introduced a version of the bill in October 2020 to send a political message heading into the election. Democrats this time intend to pass the legislation and have spent months negotiating with the White House over elements that administration officials were concerned would intrude on traditional executive branch prerogatives.

House Democrats made some adjustments to the previous version in response to concerns raised by aides to Biden while leaving others in, according to people familiar with those negotiations.

The House dropped a proposal to require the White House to give Congress its internal communications with the president about pardons, which raised executive privilege concerns. But it kept another idea to which the administration is said to have objected, requiring the Justice Department to turn over its investigative files about clemency recipients.

Lawmakers also partly backed down from a proposal to make executive branch officials pay any court fines for defying subpoenas out of their own pockets. The revised bill will exclude cases in which presidents, in writing, had invoked executive privilege and instructed subordinates not to comply.

The administration is also said to have expressed concerns about a proposal to speed up court review of congressional lawsuits over subpoenas. Lawmakers added a provision requiring Congress to show a court, in such lawsuits, that it had made good-faith efforts to negotiate a compromise.

But even though the administration is also said to have raised separation-of-powers concerns about a proposal to bar presidents from firing inspectors general without a specific cause like misconduct, House Democrats kept it in the bill.

A White House spokesperson has previously said that the administration broadly supports most of the provisions “to restore guardrails” to American democracy, while pledging to work with Congress on the details.

Many components have already been the subject of committee hearings in the House or put into legislative language, and it is not clear whether Pelosi will send the bill to any committee — and if so, which one — or when she will bring it to a House floor.

In a statement, Pelosi called the legislation “a robust, transformative package of democracy reforms that will restore democratic norms and institutions and put in place essential safeguards to prevent any president, regardless of party, from abusing the public trust or desecrating our democracy.”

Democrats have also been coordinating with several government ethics groups to develop what they hope will be at least some bipartisan support. The groups include Stand Up America, which was founded after Trump’s surprise win in the 2016 election.

Its founder, Sean Eldridge, said in an interview that Stand Up America is planning to run digital ads promoting the bill, including on Facebook; to distribute explanations of the bill to the group’s members; and to ask them to write letters-to-the-editor and call lawmakers.

“Our plan is to engage our 2 million members and build a grassroots pressure campaign to help this across the finish line,” Eldridge said.

House Democrats are planning to introduce a package of proposed new limits on executive power Tuesday, beginning a post-Trump push to strengthen checks on the presidency that they hope will compare to the overhauls that followed the Watergate scandal and the Vietnam War.

House Democrats are planning to introduce a package of proposed new limits on executive power Tuesday, beginning a post-Trump push to strengthen checks on the presidency that they hope will compare to the overhauls that followed the Watergate scandal and the Vietnam War. Democrats have spent months negotiating with the Biden White House to refine a broad set of proposals that amount to a point-by-point rebuke of the ways that Donald Trump shattered norms over the course of his presidency. Democrats have compiled numerous bills into a package they call the Protecting Our Democracy Act. The legislation would make it harder for presidents to offer or bestow pardons in situations that raise suspicion of corruption, refuse to respond to oversight subpoenas, spend or secretly freeze funds contrary to congressional appropriations, and fire inspectors general or retaliate against whistleblowers, among many other changes. The legislation’s lead sponsor, Rep. Adam Schiff, D-Calif., said he hoped it would receive a floor vote “this fall.” While the bill would constrain President Joe Biden and his successors, its implicit rebuke of Trump’s behaviour in the White House may limit how many Republicans are willing to vote for it. Under Senate rules, at least 10 Republicans would need to support it for that chamber to hold a vote on such a bill. But supporters noted that Republican senators previously supported significant components of the bill, like requiring the Justice Department to turn over logs of contacts with White House officials and constraining a president’s ability to declare a national emergency and spend money in ways Congress did not approve. The supporters said they expected the package would be taken up piecemeal in the Senate, with different parts attached to other bills. “Many of the pieces of the Protecting Our Democracy Act have previously received substantial Republican support in the Senate, and we believe that they will again as part of other legislation there,” said Soren Dayton, a policy advocate with the group Protect Democracy, which consulted with lawmakers on the text of the bill and is promoting it. For now, as proponents first try to get the measures through the House, Democrats are squarely framing it as a response to the Trump presidency. Trump’s demonstration that a president can routinely flout previous norms of self-restraint in office “has really put our republic on a very tenuous footing,” Schiff said. “Our democracy turns out to be much more fragile than we understood, and this is an effort to put into law that which we thought was already mandatory.” On instructions from House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, the bill compiles components developed by numerous lawmakers and House committees. While many of the proposals have been floating around for years, they took on new urgency among Democrats and some Republicans amid the controversies of the Trump era. For example, in pushing a proposal to give greater force to the Hatch Act, which prohibits federal employees from engaging in campaign politics at work, supporters of the legislation cited an episode in which a Trump White House aide, Kellyanne Conway, was cited by an independent agency for flagrant violations of that law. The Trump administration ignored the agency’s request to sanction her and she dismissed the finding as “blah, blah, blah.” Other sections address issues that were obscure before the Trump era. One section, for instance, proposes to strengthen the Constitution’s ban on presidents taking “emoluments,” or payments, by declaring in statute that the anti-corruption prohibition extends to commercial transactions and making it easier to enforce that rule. Trump’s refusal to divest from his hotels and resorts raised the question of whether lobbying groups and foreign governments that began paying for numerous rooms at Trump properties — and sometimes did not even use them — were trying to purchase his favor. Another proposal would address a problem that arose in November, when a Trump appointee running the General Services Administration refused to formally “ascertain” that Biden was the president-elect. That failure to take a previously routine step prevented Biden’s transition staff from receiving briefings from agencies his new administration was about to take over, obstructing an orderly transition of power. To prevent any recurrence, the bill says that if the head of the General Services Administration makes no decision by 10 days after the election, both campaigns can start transitions. Schiff introduced a version of the bill in October 2020 to send a political message heading into the election. Democrats this time intend to pass the legislation and have spent months negotiating with the White House over elements that administration officials were concerned would intrude on traditional executive branch prerogatives. House Democrats made some adjustments to the previous version in response to concerns raised by aides to Biden while leaving others in, according to people familiar with those negotiations. The House dropped a proposal to require the White House to give Congress its internal communications with the president about pardons, which raised executive privilege concerns. But it kept another idea to which the administration is said to have objected, requiring the Justice Department to turn over its investigative files about clemency recipients. Lawmakers also partly backed down from a proposal to make executive branch officials pay any court fines for defying subpoenas out of their own pockets. The revised bill will exclude cases in which presidents, in writing, had invoked executive privilege and instructed subordinates not to comply. The administration is also said to have expressed concerns about a proposal to speed up court review of congressional lawsuits over subpoenas. Lawmakers added a provision requiring Congress to show a court, in such lawsuits, that it had made good-faith efforts to negotiate a compromise. But even though the administration is also said to have raised separation-of-powers concerns about a proposal to bar presidents from firing inspectors general without a specific cause like misconduct, House Democrats kept it in the bill. A White House spokesperson has previously said that the administration broadly supports most of the provisions “to restore guardrails” to American democracy, while pledging to work with Congress on the details. Many components have already been the subject of committee hearings in the House or put into legislative language, and it is not clear whether Pelosi will send the bill to any committee — and if so, which one — or when she will bring it to a House floor. In a statement, Pelosi called the legislation “a robust, transformative package of democracy reforms that will restore democratic norms and institutions and put in place essential safeguards to prevent any president, regardless of party, from abusing the public trust or desecrating our democracy.” Democrats have also been coordinating with several government ethics groups to develop what they hope will be at least some bipartisan support. The groups include Stand Up America, which was founded after Trump’s surprise win in the 2016 election. Its founder, Sean Eldridge, said in an interview that Stand Up America is planning to run digital ads promoting the bill, including on Facebook; to distribute explanations of the bill to the group’s members; and to ask them to write letters-to-the-editor and call lawmakers. “Our plan is to engage our 2 million members and build a grassroots pressure campaign to help this across the finish line,” Eldridge said.

Democrats begin effort to curb post-Trump presidential powers

Former US President Donald Trump has slammed top US military officer, General Mark Milley, on the calls made to his Chinese counterpart following the Jan 6 capitol riots. However, Mark Milley has said that the calls were routinely made to discuss issues of the day.

Former US President Donald Trump slams top US military officer General Mark Milley

France’s election season began in force this week, with candidates for the presidency launching their bids or holding campaign-style events. But the person who stole the show was not a candidate, or even a politician, but a right-wing writer and TV star channeling Donald Trump.

Éric Zemmour became one of France’s top TV celebrities through his punditry on CNews, a Fox News-like channel, even as he was sanctioned twice for inciting racial hatred. This week he dominated news media coverage in the kickoff to elections next April.

A poll released Wednesday shows him rising among potential voters, beating out declared candidates such as the mayor of Paris. While his share would appear to put the presidency out of reach, he could disrupt the long-anticipated scenario of a duel between President Emmanuel Macron and Marine Le Pen of the far-right National Rally.

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In a well-orchestrated blitz that blurred the lines between media and politics, Zemmour, 63, one of France’s bestselling writers, released a new book Thursday titled "France Has Not Said Its Last Word Yet," with a cover showing him standing with arms crossed in front of the French flag.

Zemmour said the cover had been modeled after Trump's “Great Again,” the 2015 book that outlined his political agenda before his election victory the following year, and that showed Trump in front of the American flag.

The cover, Zemmour said, was not the only way Trump had inspired him. While Zemmour coyly deflected long-standing rumors of a possible candidacy, this month he has sent stronger signals that he may follow Trump in a leap from television to politics.

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"Obviously, there are common points," Zemmour said. “In other words, someone who is completely from outside the party system, who never had a political career and who, furthermore, understood that the major concerns of the working class are immigration and trade.”

In France's two-round presidential election, the two top vote-getters in the first round meet in a runoff. Macron has aggressively courted the traditional, more moderate right in a strategy to produce a final showdown with Le Pen, whom he beat in 2017. But the presence of Zemmour, with his appeal across the right side of France’s political spectrum, could upset that calculus.

"French politics has become totally unpredictable," said Nicolas Lebourg, a political scientist specializing in the right and far-right.

"In this extremely fluid context, things could end with the election of a Republican president after Macron is defeated because Zemmour picks up a few points," Lebourg added, referring to the Republicans, the party of the traditional right.

The poll released Wednesday showed 10% of voters supporting Zemmour in the first round of the election, up from 7% a week earlier and 5% in July. He is one of the few candidates registering in the double digits, outscoring some from France’s established parties, including the Socialist mayor of Paris, Anne Hidalgo.

According to a poll published Monday, Zemmour is one of the few candidates to draw support from both the French traditional right and far-right — a point he underscored in the interview, saying that the far-right National Rally "puts off the French bourgeoisie," while the Republicans "have only an extremely aging constituency and don’t connect with the young or the working class."

The poll also showed he is strong with the working class, men and young voters.

"His straight talk appeals a lot to a generation that has been very disappointed by politicians'&nbsp;lies and that is very mistrustful of the media," said François de Voyer, a host and financial supporter of Black Book, a 7-month-old YouTube channel that has featured long interviews with Zemmour and other personalities, mostly from the right and far right. He said Zemmour gives the impression of "never hiding what he thinks, even if it means making controversial remarks," adding, "I think it has the effect of creating trust."

Still, a run by Zemmour — whose hard-line views on immigration, Islam’s place in France and national identity are regarded as being to the right of Le Pen — would immediately inject into the election some of the most explosive issues in an increasingly polarized society.

A longtime journalist for the conservative daily Le Figaro, Zemmour became a bestselling author in the past decade with books that described a France in decline, under threat from what he claimed was an Islam that doesn’t share France’s core values. His celebrity and influence rose to another level after he became the star of CNews in 2019, where, each evening in prime time, he expounded on his ideas to hundreds of thousands of viewers.

He has portrayed himself as a truth-teller in a news media dominated by politically correct, left-leaning journalists. He has railed against the immigration of Muslim Africans, invoking the existential threat of a great replacement — a loaded term that even Le Pen has avoided — that will overwhelm France’s more established white and Christian population.

Over the weekend, Zemmour said that, if he were president, he would ban "non-French" first names like Mohammed and Kevin, because they created obstacles to an assimilation process that used to turn immigrants into what he considered real French people.

These kinds of comments have occasionally drawn the attention of French authorities. In May, the government broadcast regulator fined CNews 200,000 euros, about $236,000, for speech inciting racial hatred. On his show in September 2020, Zemmour had said that unaccompanied foreign minors should be expelled from France, calling them “thieves,” “killers” and “rapists.”

Some presidential candidates from the Republicans dismissed Zemmour’s challenge. Xavier Bertrand, the leader of a region in northern France, said Zemmour was a “great divider.” Valérie Pécresse, the head of the Paris region, said he offered “no genuine proposals.”

Lebourg, said Zemmour’s “ethnic nationalism” was rooted in the ideology of the National Front of the 1990s, the predecessor to the National Rally that was led by Le Pen’s father, Jean-Marie Le Pen. More than any other individual, Zemmour succeeded over the years in imposing his vision on politicians in the traditional right, Lebourg said.

Supporters say that is why Zemmour is the only candidate who can appeal to both the traditional right and far right.

“Éric Zemmour opened the eyes of a certain number of people, including in my political family,” said Antoine Diers, a spokesperson for Friends of Éric Zemmour, a group that is raising funds for a potential presidential bid. Diers is also a member of the Republicans and an official at the city hall of Plessis-Robinson, a suburb south of Paris.

Because of Zemmour’s influence, Diers said, candidates of his party “finally take positions on immigration, on questions of identity and French culture.”

Arno Humbert, another member of Friends of Éric Zemmour, said he left Le Pen’s National Rally in June after more than a decade, disillusioned by her efforts to widen her appeal by toning down her party’s positions in a strategy of “de-demonizing.”

Zemmour was forced off the air Monday after the government regulator ordered a limit on his broadcast time because he could be considered a player in national politics. He and his supporters were quick to cry censorship.

Asked whether the decision would ultimately help him by burnishing his image as a truth teller among his supporters, he said, “Of course.”

“It was a blessing in disguise,” he said.

France’s election season began in force this week, with candidates for the presidency launching their bids or holding campaign-style events. But the person who stole the show was not a candidate, or even a politician, but a right-wing writer and TV star channeling Donald Trump.

France’s election season began in force this week, with candidates for the presidency launching their bids or holding campaign-style events. But the person who stole the show was not a candidate, or even a politician, but a right-wing writer and TV star channeling Donald Trump. Éric Zemmour became one of France’s top TV celebrities through his punditry on CNews, a Fox News-like channel, even as he was sanctioned twice for inciting racial hatred. This week he dominated news media coverage in the kickoff to elections next April. A poll released Wednesday shows him rising among potential voters, beating out declared candidates such as the mayor of Paris. While his share would appear to put the presidency out of reach, he could disrupt the long-anticipated scenario of a duel between President Emmanuel Macron and Marine Le Pen of the far-right National Rally. ALSO READ | Deepening partnership with India: EU steps up engagement in Indo Pacific with new plan In a well-orchestrated blitz that blurred the lines between media and politics, Zemmour, 63, one of France’s bestselling writers, released a new book Thursday titled "France Has Not Said Its Last Word Yet," with a cover showing him standing with arms crossed in front of the French flag. Zemmour said the cover had been modeled after Trump's “Great Again,” the 2015 book that outlined his political agenda before his election victory the following year, and that showed Trump in front of the American flag. The cover, Zemmour said, was not the only way Trump had inspired him. While Zemmour coyly deflected long-standing rumors of a possible candidacy, this month he has sent stronger signals that he may follow Trump in a leap from television to politics. ALSO READ | Australia kept India in loop regarding Aukus at the highest-level "Obviously, there are common points," Zemmour said. “In other words, someone who is completely from outside the party system, who never had a political career and who, furthermore, understood that the major concerns of the working class are immigration and trade.” In France's two-round presidential election, the two top vote-getters in the first round meet in a runoff. Macron has aggressively courted the traditional, more moderate right in a strategy to produce a final showdown with Le Pen, whom he beat in 2017. But the presence of Zemmour, with his appeal across the right side of France’s political spectrum, could upset that calculus. "French politics has become totally unpredictable," said Nicolas Lebourg, a political scientist specializing in the right and far-right. "In this extremely fluid context, things could end with the election of a Republican president after Macron is defeated because Zemmour picks up a few points," Lebourg added, referring to the Republicans, the party of the traditional right. The poll released Wednesday showed 10% of voters supporting Zemmour in the first round of the election, up from 7% a week earlier and 5% in July. He is one of the few candidates registering in the double digits, outscoring some from France’s established parties, including the Socialist mayor of Paris, Anne Hidalgo. According to a poll published Monday, Zemmour is one of the few candidates to draw support from both the French traditional right and far-right — a point he underscored in the interview, saying that the far-right National Rally "puts off the French bourgeoisie," while the Republicans "have only an extremely aging constituency and don’t connect with the young or the working class." The poll also showed he is strong with the working class, men and young voters. "His straight talk appeals a lot to a generation that has been very disappointed by politicians' lies and that is very mistrustful of the media," said François de Voyer, a host and financial supporter of Black Book, a 7-month-old YouTube channel that has featured long interviews with Zemmour and other personalities, mostly from the right and far right. He said Zemmour gives the impression of "never hiding what he thinks, even if it means making controversial remarks," adding, "I think it has the effect of creating trust." Still, a run by Zemmour — whose hard-line views on immigration, Islam’s place in France and national identity are regarded as being to the right of Le Pen — would immediately inject into the election some of the most explosive issues in an increasingly polarized society. A longtime journalist for the conservative daily Le Figaro, Zemmour became a bestselling author in the past decade with books that described a France in decline, under threat from what he claimed was an Islam that doesn’t share France’s core values. His celebrity and influence rose to another level after he became the star of CNews in 2019, where, each evening in prime time, he expounded on his ideas to hundreds of thousands of viewers. He has portrayed himself as a truth-teller in a news media dominated by politically correct, left-leaning journalists. He has railed against the immigration of Muslim Africans, invoking the existential threat of a great replacement — a loaded term that even Le Pen has avoided — that will overwhelm France’s more established white and Christian population. Over the weekend, Zemmour said that, if he were president, he would ban "non-French" first names like Mohammed and Kevin, because they created obstacles to an assimilation process that used to turn immigrants into what he considered real French people. These kinds of comments have occasionally drawn the attention of French authorities. In May, the government broadcast regulator fined CNews 200,000 euros, about $236,000, for speech inciting racial hatred. On his show in September 2020, Zemmour had said that unaccompanied foreign minors should be expelled from France, calling them “thieves,” “killers” and “rapists.” Some presidential candidates from the Republicans dismissed Zemmour’s challenge. Xavier Bertrand, the leader of a region in northern France, said Zemmour was a “great divider.” Valérie Pécresse, the head of the Paris region, said he offered “no genuine proposals.” Lebourg, said Zemmour’s “ethnic nationalism” was rooted in the ideology of the National Front of the 1990s, the predecessor to the National Rally that was led by Le Pen’s father, Jean-Marie Le Pen. More than any other individual, Zemmour succeeded over the years in imposing his vision on politicians in the traditional right, Lebourg said. Supporters say that is why Zemmour is the only candidate who can appeal to both the traditional right and far right. “Éric Zemmour opened the eyes of a certain number of people, including in my political family,” said Antoine Diers, a spokesperson for Friends of Éric Zemmour, a group that is raising funds for a potential presidential bid. Diers is also a member of the Republicans and an official at the city hall of Plessis-Robinson, a suburb south of Paris. Because of Zemmour’s influence, Diers said, candidates of his party “finally take positions on immigration, on questions of identity and French culture.” Arno Humbert, another member of Friends of Éric Zemmour, said he left Le Pen’s National Rally in June after more than a decade, disillusioned by her efforts to widen her appeal by toning down her party’s positions in a strategy of “de-demonizing.” Zemmour was forced off the air Monday after the government regulator ordered a limit on his broadcast time because he could be considered a player in national politics. He and his supporters were quick to cry censorship. Asked whether the decision would ultimately help him by burnishing his image as a truth teller among his supporters, he said, “Of course.” “It was a blessing in disguise,” he said.

From TV to the French Presidency? A right-wing star is inspired by Trump

Former US President Donald Trump is back in the headlines for another book controversy. A new book, which is due to be launched in a few days, has claimed that Trump was “going rogue” and experts were scared that he could launch a nuclear war on China.

Trump has lashed out at these allegations and pointed out that Mark Milley performed an act of treason.

The book 'Peril',&nbsp; by veteran Washington Post reporter Bob Woodward — written with Robert Costa — has claimed that Gen Mark Milley, the chairman of the joint chiefs of staff, was "certain that Trump had gone into a serious mental decline in the aftermath of the election" and informed China about it.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/i-guarantee-trump-claims-china-russia-reverse-engineering-us-weapons-left-behind-in-afghanistan-412771" hreflang="en">‘I guarantee’: Trump claims China, Russia reverse-engineering US weapons left behind in Afghanistan</a>

"If it is actually true, which is hard to believe, that he would have called China and done these things and was willing to advise them in advance of an attack, that's treason,"&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/donald-trump">Trump</a> said on a phone call with a local media house.

He also rubbished these allegations saying it is "totally ridiculous" as he never even thought about it. He agreed that there was a lot of anger towards China due to "China virus", but also clarified that this was never even thought to be a plan.

Woodward has written two books before this, 'Fear' and 'Rage', that cover Trump’s presidency. His third book, 'Peril', concentrates on Trump’s final days in the White House and Joe Biden’s start for his first term as the President of the United States.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/hed-go-down-very-quickly-trump-claims-he-can-beat-biden-in-boxing-match-412152" hreflang="en">'He'd go down very quickly': Trump claims he can beat Biden in boxing match</a>

Following his defeat in the US elections 2020 against Joe Biden, Trump seemed to have 'gone rogue' and Milley believed the former reality TV star had become "all but manic, screaming at officials and constructing his own alternate reality about endless election conspiracies".

He was also scared about Trump launching a nuclear war or an attack on China and Milley had to make calls in secret to his Chinese counterpart, Gen Li Zuocheng, to assure him that the US will not be striking Beijing.

His first call was, reportedly, four days before the election date, i.e., October 30, 2020, and the second call happened two days after Trump’s supporters attacked the US Capitol, on January 8 this year.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/as-world-mourns-911-trump-slams-biden-for-afghan-withdrawal-412448" hreflang="en">As world mourns 9/11, Trump slams Biden for Afghan withdrawal</a>

"I want to assure you that the American government is stable and everything is going to be OK. We are not going to attack or conduct any kinetic operations against you,"&nbsp;Milley assured his Chinese counterpart in the first call.

His second call, however, was a bit less assuring as Milley claimed the US was stable but democracy can be sloppy sometimes. "We are 100% steady. Everything’s fine. But democracy can be sloppy sometimes," Milley said in the call.

"You never know what a president’s trigger point is," Milley said.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/before-talks-irans-supreme-leader-says-predatory-wolf-biden-no-different-from-trump-409148" hreflang="en">Before talks, Iran's supreme leader says 'predatory wolf' Biden no different from Trump</a>

Milley also had to re-assure House Speaker Nancy Pelosi regarding the same worries of Trump launching a nuclear war on China, especially after instigating attack on US Capitol.

"What I'm saying to you is that if they couldn't even stop him from an assault on the Capitol, who even knows what else he may do? And is there anybody in charge at the White House who was doing anything but kissing his fat butt all over this?,"&nbsp;Pelosi reportedly asked Milley. "You know he's crazy. He's been crazy for a long time."

Trump, however, says this is Milley's attempt at distracting the country from his 'failure in Afghanistan' in which several US army personnel were killed and weapons were left with the Taliban.

Former US President Donald Trump is back in the headlines for another book controversy. A new book, which is due to be launched in a few days, has claimed that Trump was “going rogue” and experts were scared that he could launch a nuclear war on China.

Former US President Donald Trump is back in the headlines for another book controversy. A new book, which is due to be launched in a few days, has claimed that Trump was “going rogue” and experts were scared that he could launch a nuclear war on China. Trump has lashed out at these allegations and pointed out that Mark Milley performed an act of treason. The book 'Peril', by veteran Washington Post reporter Bob Woodward — written with Robert Costa — has claimed that Gen Mark Milley, the chairman of the joint chiefs of staff, was "certain that Trump had gone into a serious mental decline in the aftermath of the election" and informed China about it. Also read | ‘I guarantee’: Trump claims China, Russia reverse-engineering US weapons left behind in Afghanistan "If it is actually true, which is hard to believe, that he would have called China and done these things and was willing to advise them in advance of an attack, that's treason," Trump said on a phone call with a local media house. He also rubbished these allegations saying it is "totally ridiculous" as he never even thought about it. He agreed that there was a lot of anger towards China due to "China virus", but also clarified that this was never even thought to be a plan. Woodward has written two books before this, 'Fear' and 'Rage', that cover Trump’s presidency. His third book, 'Peril', concentrates on Trump’s final days in the White House and Joe Biden’s start for his first term as the President of the United States. Also read | 'He'd go down very quickly': Trump claims he can beat Biden in boxing match Following his defeat in the US elections 2020 against Joe Biden, Trump seemed to have 'gone rogue' and Milley believed the former reality TV star had become "all but manic, screaming at officials and constructing his own alternate reality about endless election conspiracies". He was also scared about Trump launching a nuclear war or an attack on China and Milley had to make calls in secret to his Chinese counterpart, Gen Li Zuocheng, to assure him that the US will not be striking Beijing. His first call was, reportedly, four days before the election date, i.e., October 30, 2020, and the second call happened two days after Trump’s supporters attacked the US Capitol, on January 8 this year. Also read | As world mourns 9/11, Trump slams Biden for Afghan withdrawal "I want to assure you that the American government is stable and everything is going to be OK. We are not going to attack or conduct any kinetic operations against you," Milley assured his Chinese counterpart in the first call. His second call, however, was a bit less assuring as Milley claimed the US was stable but democracy can be sloppy sometimes. "We are 100% steady. Everything’s fine. But democracy can be sloppy sometimes," Milley said in the call. "You never know what a president’s trigger point is," Milley said. Also read | Before talks, Iran's supreme leader says 'predatory wolf' Biden no different from Trump Milley also had to re-assure House Speaker Nancy Pelosi regarding the same worries of Trump launching a nuclear war on China, especially after instigating attack on US Capitol. "What I'm saying to you is that if they couldn't even stop him from an assault on the Capitol, who even knows what else he may do? And is there anybody in charge at the White House who was doing anything but kissing his fat butt all over this?," Pelosi reportedly asked Milley. "You know he's crazy. He's been crazy for a long time." Trump, however, says this is Milley's attempt at distracting the country from his 'failure in Afghanistan' in which several US army personnel were killed and weapons were left with the Taliban.

'That's treason': Trump lashes out after general claims to have informed China about possible US attack

USA's former First Lady Melania Trump declined to condemn Capitol Hill attack and appeal for peace even when she was asked by her aide, CNN reported citing sources. CNN further reported that when on January 6, Melania Trump's aide Stephanie Grisham asked Trump whether she would tweet to appeal for calm, Trump said "No" on text message.

Stephanie Grisham has reportedly mentioned the incident in her book "I'll take your questions now".

As per CNN's report in January, Melania Trump was at the White House overseeing photoshoot of a carpet when the attack on US Congress took place. She did not call off the photoshoot. On that day, she did not speak about the atrocities committed by Trump supporters at the Capitol Hill. She condemned the attack in part on January 11.

A portion of Grisham's book was published in Politico. Melania Trump's office responded to Grisham's claims and sent a statement to Politico.

“The intent behind this book is obvious. It is an attempt to redeem herself after a poor performance as press secretary, failed personal relationships, and unprofessional behavior in the White House. Through mistruth and betrayal, she seeks to gain relevance and money at the expense of Mrs. Trump,” read the statement as published by Politico.

On January 6, 2021 hundreds of Donald Trump supporters attacked US Congress on Capitol Hill after he addressed them in a rally. Trump had been making unsubstantiated allegations of election fraud in US Presidential Election 2020. At the time of the attack, US Congress was in the process of certifying Joe Biden's victory.

USA's former First Lady Melania Trump declined to condemn Capitol Hill attack and appeal for peace even when she was asked by her aide, CNN reported citing sources.

USA's former First Lady Melania Trump declined to condemn Capitol Hill attack and appeal for peace even when she was asked by her aide, CNN reported citing sources. CNN further reported that when on January 6, Melania Trump's aide Stephanie Grisham asked Trump whether she would tweet to appeal for calm, Trump said "No" on text message. Stephanie Grisham has reportedly mentioned the incident in her book "I'll take your questions now". As per CNN's report in January, Melania Trump was at the White House overseeing photoshoot of a carpet when the attack on US Congress took place. She did not call off the photoshoot. On that day, she did not speak about the atrocities committed by Trump supporters at the Capitol Hill. She condemned the attack in part on January 11. A portion of Grisham's book was published in Politico. Melania Trump's office responded to Grisham's claims and sent a statement to Politico. “The intent behind this book is obvious. It is an attempt to redeem herself after a poor performance as press secretary, failed personal relationships, and unprofessional behavior in the White House. Through mistruth and betrayal, she seeks to gain relevance and money at the expense of Mrs. Trump,” read the statement as published by Politico. On January 6, 2021 hundreds of Donald Trump supporters attacked US Congress on Capitol Hill after he addressed them in a rally. Trump had been making unsubstantiated allegations of election fraud in US Presidential Election 2020. At the time of the attack, US Congress was in the process of certifying Joe Biden's victory.

Melania Trump refused to condemn Capitol Hill attack despite a chance

Former President Donald Trump slammed US President Joe Biden's pullout from Afghanistan, speculating that China and Russia are already reverse-engineering US military hardware left there.

During an interview with an American media house on Sunday, Trump blasted the withdrawal as "incompetent," warning that it would put the US in jeopardy and help its adversaries.&nbsp;

Trump went on to say that the country's enemies are already taking advantage of the weaponry, armoured vehicles, and aircraft left behind by US forces. 
 
<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/taliban-shows-off-its-might-by-carrying-out-parade-with-us-armys-weapons-410042">Also read | Taliban shows off its might by carrying out parade with US army's weapons</a>

"Now I'm saying, ‘How can they take this equipment?’ And I guarantee that China and Russia already have our Apache helicopters and they're taking them apart to find out exactly how they're made. They're the best in the world by far. And they're taking them apart so they can make the same equipment. They're very good at that. It's a disgrace."

Since 2001, the United States has provided Afghan security forces with over $83 billion in training and equipment.&nbsp;

According to USA Today, the military abandoned 73 aircraft in Afghanistan, some of which were inoperable.

At the airport, soldiers were alleged to be operating Apache attack helicopters, according to Pentagon authorities.

Afghan pilots are said to have flown some of the advanced aircraft to other nations while abandoning the rest.&nbsp;

At a time when tensions are high with both of the US' key adversaries, China and Russia, located on Afghanistan's doorsteps, a European research group has called the choice to leave Afghanistan "inexplicable."&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

Former President Donald Trump slammed US President Joe Biden's pullout from Afghanistan, speculating that China and Russia are already reverse-engineering US military hardware left there.

Former President Donald Trump slammed US President Joe Biden's pullout from Afghanistan, speculating that China and Russia are already reverse-engineering US military hardware left there. During an interview with an American media house on Sunday, Trump blasted the withdrawal as "incompetent," warning that it would put the US in jeopardy and help its adversaries. Trump went on to say that the country's enemies are already taking advantage of the weaponry, armoured vehicles, and aircraft left behind by US forces. Also read | Taliban shows off its might by carrying out parade with US army's weapons "Now I'm saying, ‘How can they take this equipment?’ And I guarantee that China and Russia already have our Apache helicopters and they're taking them apart to find out exactly how they're made. They're the best in the world by far. And they're taking them apart so they can make the same equipment. They're very good at that. It's a disgrace." Since 2001, the United States has provided Afghan security forces with over $83 billion in training and equipment. According to USA Today, the military abandoned 73 aircraft in Afghanistan, some of which were inoperable. At the airport, soldiers were alleged to be operating Apache attack helicopters, according to Pentagon authorities. Afghan pilots are said to have flown some of the advanced aircraft to other nations while abandoning the rest. At a time when tensions are high with both of the US' key adversaries, China and Russia, located on Afghanistan's doorsteps, a European research group has called the choice to leave Afghanistan "inexplicable." (With inputs from agencies)

‘I guarantee’: Trump claims China, Russia reverse-engineering US weapons left behind in Afghanistan

As the world mourned the immense loss on the US went through 20 years ago on 9/11, former US President Donald Trump concentrated on slamming Joe Biden.<o:p></o:p>

Unhappy with President Biden’s decision to withdraw US army from Afghanistan, Trump blamed Biden for the ‘horrible thing’ and called it Biden’s 'incompetence'.<o:p></o:p>

"It's a horrible thing that took place, a horrible, horrible thing," Trump said in televised comments during a visit to the New York Police Department's 17th precinct.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/with-display-of-unity-biden-obama-clinton-mark-911-anniversary-in-nyc-412414" hreflang="en">With display of unity, Biden, Obama, Clinton mark 9/11 anniversary in NYC</a>

"It looked like we retreated, it looked like we gave up. Like, they use the word surrender," Trump added. "And we didn't surrender, our people didn't surrender and our soldiers sure as hell didn't surrender."<o:p></o:p>

He claimed that during his time in the White House, he had a strong conversation with Taliban and warned them to not target any American in Afghanistan. "I had a very strong conversation with the Taliban and we told him if any American is hit, we will hit hard,"&nbsp;he recalled. "And there was not one American dead in 18 months. We lost no soldier in 18 months because of me"<o:p></o:p>

Trump also blamed Biden for ‘leaving’ some of the American helicopters, guns, and more in Taliban-controlled Afghanistan after the withdrawal. "Now they have our planes, why the hell didn’t we fly them all out?"&nbsp;Trump questioned. "Use them don’t give them away".

<o:p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/the-911-terror-attacks-3-hours-that-changed-the-world-412425">WATCH |</a></o:p>

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/the-911-terror-attacks-3-hours-that-changed-the-world-412425/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

Local reporters also questioned Trump if he would like to run for the post of New York’s mayor, rather than the post of President. Trump simply laughed describing it as an "interesting idea".<o:p></o:p>

Taliban took control of Afghanistan on August 16 as former leader Ashraf Ghani fled the country and the US troops started withdrawing from the war-torn country. On August 31, the US announced that the withdrawal process has been completed, and the Taliban soon after declared their new government.<o:p></o:p>

As the world mourned the immense loss on the US went through 20 years ago on 9/11, former US President Donald Trump concentrated on slamming Joe Biden. Unhappy with President Biden’s decision to withdraw US army from Afghanistan, Trump blamed Biden for the ‘horrible thing’ and called it Biden’s 'incompetence'.

As the world mourned the immense loss on the US went through 20 years ago on 9/11, former US President Donald Trump concentrated on slamming Joe Biden. Unhappy with President Biden’s decision to withdraw US army from Afghanistan, Trump blamed Biden for the ‘horrible thing’ and called it Biden’s 'incompetence'. "It's a horrible thing that took place, a horrible, horrible thing," Trump said in televised comments during a visit to the New York Police Department's 17th precinct. Also read | With display of unity, Biden, Obama, Clinton mark 9/11 anniversary in NYC "It looked like we retreated, it looked like we gave up. Like, they use the word surrender," Trump added. "And we didn't surrender, our people didn't surrender and our soldiers sure as hell didn't surrender." He claimed that during his time in the White House, he had a strong conversation with Taliban and warned them to not target any American in Afghanistan. "I had a very strong conversation with the Taliban and we told him if any American is hit, we will hit hard," he recalled. "And there was not one American dead in 18 months. We lost no soldier in 18 months because of me" Trump also blamed Biden for ‘leaving’ some of the American helicopters, guns, and more in Taliban-controlled Afghanistan after the withdrawal. "Now they have our planes, why the hell didn’t we fly them all out?" Trump questioned. "Use them don’t give them away". WATCH | Local reporters also questioned Trump if he would like to run for the post of New York’s mayor, rather than the post of President. Trump simply laughed describing it as an "interesting idea". Taliban took control of Afghanistan on August 16 as former leader Ashraf Ghani fled the country and the US troops started withdrawing from the war-torn country. On August 31, the US announced that the withdrawal process has been completed, and the Taliban soon after declared their new government.

As world mourns 9/11, Trump slams Biden for Afghan withdrawal

Former US president Donald Trump is back with poking fun at his opponent Joe Biden. This time, Trump has made headlines by claiming that he is sure he could beat Biden in a boxing match.<o:p></o:p>

During a press conference for an upcoming boxing match, the former reality TV star claimed that he is sure he could box against Joe Biden and win the match.<o:p></o:p>

"I think probably my easiest fight would be Joe Biden because I think he'd go down very, very quickly," Trump said in a virtual press conference. "Biden would go down in the first few seconds."<o:p></o:p>

His confidence comes at a time when the disgraced former leader is gearing up to deliver ringside commentary for a much-awaited boxing match between heavyweight champions Evander Holyfield and Vitor Belfort at the Seminole Hard Rock Casino in Hollywood, Florida.<o:p></o:p>

Trump also poked fun at Biden’s old statement from 2016 when the Democrat had said he would like to take Trump 'behind the gym'. Biden had once again repeated a similar sentiment in 2018 when he was addressing a rally in the University of Miami. In 2018, Biden got angry when Trump made disgraceful remarks about women and Biden claimed h would have "beat the hell out of" Trump if the two were in high school.<o:p></o:p>

Trump’s comment against Biden quickly made it to the internet when netizens decided to not let this statement go to waste, and brought out their treasure of memes and jokes.<o:p></o:p>

Here are some of the best picks:

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Rap Fact: Donald Trump is down to box Joe Biden on 9/11‼️😳 
 
Who y'all got⁉️ <a href="https://t.co/XEY4WvJQMT">pic.twitter.com/XEY4WvJQMT</a>
— RapTV (@raptvcom) <a href="https://twitter.com/raptvcom/status/1436147531445112832?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 10, 2021</a></blockquote>
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Bruh they both gonna KO themselves tryna get in the ring 💀 <a href="https://t.co/i6hFla8f1f">https://t.co/i6hFla8f1f</a>
— VoqZy (@1voqz) <a href="https://twitter.com/1voqz/status/1436173184395616258?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 10, 2021</a></blockquote>
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Right!!!! He can’t even beat an umbrella <a href="https://t.co/p5XNnF1dzv">pic.twitter.com/p5XNnF1dzv</a>
— What Evs (@mrsepperson71) <a href="https://twitter.com/mrsepperson71/status/1436047910232367104?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 9, 2021</a></blockquote>
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👏🏾 Come on America! 
Y'all know we needs this like a stimulus!! 
 
Run it up! 💰🤑 <a href="https://t.co/GSapo8ze6m">pic.twitter.com/GSapo8ze6m</a>
— D.B.3 (@DB3TheOriginal) <a href="https://twitter.com/DB3TheOriginal/status/1436183114733195268?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 10, 2021</a></blockquote>
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Trump said he’d like to fight Biden in a boxing match. 
 
So I made a little preview video.<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/BidenAlreadyBeatTrump?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#BidenAlreadyBeatTrump</a> <a href="https://t.co/92F9z5GlF4">pic.twitter.com/92F9z5GlF4</a>
— JAKE (@USMC_O311) <a href="https://twitter.com/USMC_O311/status/1436139148176416771?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 10, 2021</a></blockquote>
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Donald Trump: “I wanna box Joe Biden.” 
His team: <a href="https://t.co/mRAAvrgu8t">pic.twitter.com/mRAAvrgu8t</a>
— SomethingnewTrainee (@SomethingnewTr) <a href="https://twitter.com/SomethingnewTr/status/1436137461671993346?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 10, 2021</a></blockquote>
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Former US president Donald Trump is back with poking fun at his opponent Joe Biden. This time, Trump has made headlines by claiming that he is sure he could beat Biden in a boxing match.

Former US president Donald Trump is back with poking fun at his opponent Joe Biden. This time, Trump has made headlines by claiming that he is sure he could beat Biden in a boxing match. During a press conference for an upcoming boxing match, the former reality TV star claimed that he is sure he could box against Joe Biden and win the match. "I think probably my easiest fight would be Joe Biden because I think he'd go down very, very quickly," Trump said in a virtual press conference. "Biden would go down in the first few seconds." His confidence comes at a time when the disgraced former leader is gearing up to deliver ringside commentary for a much-awaited boxing match between heavyweight champions Evander Holyfield and Vitor Belfort at the Seminole Hard Rock Casino in Hollywood, Florida. Trump also poked fun at Biden’s old statement from 2016 when the Democrat had said he would like to take Trump 'behind the gym'. Biden had once again repeated a similar sentiment in 2018 when he was addressing a rally in the University of Miami. In 2018, Biden got angry when Trump made disgraceful remarks about women and Biden claimed h would have "beat the hell out of" Trump if the two were in high school. Trump’s comment against Biden quickly made it to the internet when netizens decided to not let this statement go to waste, and brought out their treasure of memes and jokes. Here are some of the best picks: Rap Fact: Donald Trump is down to box Joe Biden on 9/11‼️😳 Who y'all got⁉️ pic.twitter.com/XEY4WvJQMT — RapTV (@raptvcom) September 10, 2021 × Bruh they both gonna KO themselves tryna get in the ring 💀 https://t.co/i6hFla8f1f — VoqZy (@1voqz) September 10, 2021 × Right!!!! He can’t even beat an umbrella pic.twitter.com/p5XNnF1dzv — What Evs (@mrsepperson71) September 9, 2021 × 👏🏾 Come on America! Y'all know we needs this like a stimulus!! Run it up! 💰🤑 pic.twitter.com/GSapo8ze6m — D.B.3 (@DB3TheOriginal) September 10, 2021 × Trump said he’d like to fight Biden in a boxing match. So I made a little preview video.#BidenAlreadyBeatTrump pic.twitter.com/92F9z5GlF4 — JAKE (@USMC_O311) September 10, 2021 × Donald Trump: “I wanna box Joe Biden.” His team: pic.twitter.com/mRAAvrgu8t — SomethingnewTrainee (@SomethingnewTr) September 10, 2021 ×

'He'd go down very quickly': Trump claims he can beat Biden in boxing match

United States former president Donald Trump would spend the 20th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks by hosting a boxing commentary in Florida.

He will be joined by his son Donald Trump Jr&nbsp;at the Hard Rock Casino in Hollywood to call the entire four-fight telecast between Evander Holyfield and Vitor Belfort.

“I love great fighters and great fights,” the Trump Sr, a former boxing promoter, said in a statement.

“I look forward to seeing both this Saturday night and sharing my thoughts ringside. You won't want to miss this special event,” he added.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/two-decades-after-911-muslim-americans-still-fighting-bias-411376">Two decades after 9/11, Muslim Americans still fighting bias</a>

The event has been termed as “the most anticipated heavyweight fight of the year”, with the father-son duo calling the entire telecast.

Trump’ controversial term came to an end in January after Joe Biden won the mandate. Since leaving the office, he has not made any public appearances.

He was also permanently suspended from Twitter after his claims of an “election fraud” was called out for spreading fake news.

75-year-old Trump is a veteran of the fighting game, having hosted many boxing matches in the 1980s and '90s at his casinos in Atlantic City, New Jersey.

Prior to his single-term presidency, Trump styled himself as a business adviser to Mike Tyson and promoted a handful of the world’s biggest fights and names in the late 1980s and early 90s.

(With inputs from agencies)

United States former president Donald Trump would spend the 20th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks by hosting a boxing commentary in Florida. He will be joined by his son Donald Trump Jr at the Hard Rock Casino in Hollywood to call the entire four-fight telecast between Evander Holyfield and Vitor Belfort.

United States former president Donald Trump would spend the 20th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks by hosting a boxing commentary in Florida. He will be joined by his son Donald Trump Jr at the Hard Rock Casino in Hollywood to call the entire four-fight telecast between Evander Holyfield and Vitor Belfort. “I love great fighters and great fights,” the Trump Sr, a former boxing promoter, said in a statement. “I look forward to seeing both this Saturday night and sharing my thoughts ringside. You won't want to miss this special event,” he added. Also read | Two decades after 9/11, Muslim Americans still fighting bias The event has been termed as “the most anticipated heavyweight fight of the year”, with the father-son duo calling the entire telecast. Trump’ controversial term came to an end in January after Joe Biden won the mandate. Since leaving the office, he has not made any public appearances. He was also permanently suspended from Twitter after his claims of an “election fraud” was called out for spreading fake news. 75-year-old Trump is a veteran of the fighting game, having hosted many boxing matches in the 1980s and '90s at his casinos in Atlantic City, New Jersey. Prior to his single-term presidency, Trump styled himself as a business adviser to Mike Tyson and promoted a handful of the world’s biggest fights and names in the late 1980s and early 90s. (With inputs from agencies)

Donald Trump to offer commentary on boxing match on 20th anniversary of 9/11 attacks

Amid former US President Donald Trump's preparation for a potential second term at the White House, he may have lost support of a key ally, his wife Melania Trump. Melania is not so keen on returning to the White House, according to reports.

Quoting unnamed sources close to Melania Trump, CNN said that she treats her time as the US First Lady as a chapter that is over.

Melania&nbsp;does not want to support Trump's inflated political ambitions.

In US, a person can serve as president for two terms. Since Trump has served one, he can seek election for second term challenging the incumbent Joe Biden in 2024.

Though not in power, Trump retains great influence in the Republican Party. This has been evident through conventions and public events of the party.

However, Melania does not appear keen to return to the White House, if reports are to be believed. She has kept a low profile after Trump was voted out of the office in US Presidential Election 2020.

While Trump was president, there were also reports of a marital discord between the couple. It was even said that Melania was waiting for Trump's tenure to be over in order to separate from him. Nothing major has happened on that front so far.

Amid former US President Donald Trump's preparation for a potential second term at the White House, he may have lost support of a key ally, his wife Melania Trump.

Amid former US President Donald Trump's preparation for a potential second term at the White House, he may have lost support of a key ally, his wife Melania Trump. Melania is not so keen on returning to the White House, according to reports. Quoting unnamed sources close to Melania Trump, CNN said that she treats her time as the US First Lady as a chapter that is over. Melania does not want to support Trump's inflated political ambitions. In US, a person can serve as president for two terms. Since Trump has served one, he can seek election for second term challenging the incumbent Joe Biden in 2024. Though not in power, Trump retains great influence in the Republican Party. This has been evident through conventions and public events of the party. However, Melania does not appear keen to return to the White House, if reports are to be believed. She has kept a low profile after Trump was voted out of the office in US Presidential Election 2020. While Trump was president, there were also reports of a marital discord between the couple. It was even said that Melania was waiting for Trump's tenure to be over in order to separate from him. Nothing major has happened on that front so far.

Melania won't support Donald Trump if he runs for president again: Report

The Supreme Court’s decision not to block a Texas law sharply curtailing abortions abruptly vaulted the issue to the forefront of American politics on Thursday, reshaping the dynamics of elections in California this month, in Virginia in November and in midterms next year that will determine control of Congress and statehouses.

Republicans hailed the court’s 5-4 decision, explained in a one-paragraph middle-of-the-night ruling, as a tremendous victory, allowing a nearly complete ban on abortions to stand in the nation’s second-largest state.

For Democrats, it was a nightmare come true: A conservative Supreme Court, led by three appointees of former President Donald Trump, had allowed a highly gerrymandered, Republican-controlled state Legislature to circumvent Roe v. Wade, the half-century-old decision that enshrined abortion as a constitutional right.

Suddenly, supporters of abortion rights found themselves grappling not only with the political and policy failures that had led to this point, but also with the prospect that other Republican-controlled legislatures could quickly enact copycat legislation. On Thursday, Republican lawmakers in Arkansas, Florida and South Dakota promised to do so in their next legislative sessions.

Yet Democrats also embraced the opportunity to force an issue they believe is a political winner for them to the center of the national debate. After years of playing defense, Democrats say the Texas law will test whether the reality of a practical ban on abortions can motivate voters to support them.

Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto of Nevada, a Democrat up for reelection in 2022, said people in her state had fought to protect women’s reproductive freedom and would vote accordingly. “If a Republican is going to go to Washington to roll those freedoms back, I will make it an issue,” she said in an interview. “I don’t think you should underestimate the impact that this issue has to Nevadans.”

Republicans held up the Texas law as an example for the country to follow. “This law will save the lives of thousands of unborn babies in Texas and become a national model,” said Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick of Texas. “I pray that every other state will follow our lead in defense of life.”

Gov. Kristi Noem of South Dakota, who is considered a potential Republican candidate for president in 2024, said she had directed her office to “make sure we have the strongest pro-life laws on the books.”

The court’s decision, which did not address the substance of the Texas law, creates new urgency for President Joe Biden and congressional Democrats to do more than issue public statements vowing to defend women’s reproductive rights.

“The temperature just got a lot hotter on this issue, and I certainly now expect Congress to join in these fights,” said Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham of New Mexico, chair of the Democratic Governors Association. “Our voters expect us all to do more.”

Yet Senate Democrats do not have the votes to eliminate the filibuster, which would be necessary to change federal abortion law in the evenly divided chamber.

In Washington on Thursday, Democratic leaders dutifully scrambled to show their determination to push back against the possibility that the Texas law could be replicated elsewhere — or to respond if the Supreme Court rolls back abortion rights when it rules on a Mississippi law that seeks to ban most abortions after 15 weeks of pregnancy, two months earlier than Roe and subsequent decisions allow.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi promised to bring a vote on the Women’s Health Protection Act, which would effectively codify abortion rights into federal law.

And Biden pledged “a whole-of-government effort” in response to the Texas law, directing the Department of Health and Human Services and the Justice Department to identify possible federal measures to help ensure that women in the state have access to safe and legal abortions.

“The highest court of our land will allow millions of women in Texas in need of critical reproductive care to suffer while courts sift through procedural complexities,” Biden said. “The impact of last night’s decision will be immediate and requires an immediate response.”

Vice President Kamala Harris added, “We will not stand by and allow our nation to go back to the days of back-alley abortions.”

The first election that could test Democrats’ capacity to energize voters over abortion rights comes on Sept. 14 in California, where voters will determine the fate of Gov. Gavin Newsom, who faces a recall effort. Newsom warned on Twitter that the Texas abortion ban “could be the future of CA” if the recall were successful.

In Virginia, Democratic candidates for the state’s three statewide offices and House of Delegates pounced on the issue on Thursday. Former Gov. Terry McAuliffe, who is running to recapture the office in November, said the fight for abortion rights would help motivate Democratic voters who might be complacent after the party captured full control of state government in 2019 and helped Biden win the state last year.

“We are a Democratic state. There are more Democrats,” McAuliffe said. “But this is an off-off-year, and getting Democrats motivated to come out, that’s always the big challenge.”

Eyeing 2022, the Democrats’ Senate campaign arm has signaled it will use abortion rights as a cudgel against Republicans running in states like Florida, New Hampshire, Nevada and North Carolina. Democrats planning campaigns for governor next year are preparing to brand themselves as the last line of defense on abortion rights, particularly in states with Republican-controlled legislatures.

“People are now waking up to the fact that the battle will now be in the states, and they recognize that the only thing, literally the only thing standing in the way of Pennsylvania passing the same ban that Texas just passed, is the veto pen of our Democratic governor,” said Josh Shapiro, the Pennsylvania attorney general, a Democrat who has said he expects to enter the race to succeed Gov. Tom Wolf. “I’ve given up on the politicians in Washington. I don’t think we can count on them anymore.”

Although Republicans have long made overturning Roe a central political goal — as a candidate in 2016, Trump predicted that his eventual Supreme Court appointees would do so — there was still a palpable sense of shock among Democrats. Despite the court’s 6-3 conservative majority, many Democrats seemed mentally unprepared for Wednesday’s ruling.

“You can’t plan for a blatantly false or unconstitutional court ruling like this,” said Rep. Conor Lamb of Pennsylvania, a Democrat who is running for his state’s open Senate seat next year.

Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand of New York, who made women’s rights the centerpiece of her 2020 presidential campaign, said Democrats could no longer be squeamish about fighting for abortion rights. “We have to elevate the issue,” she said Thursday. “We need to explain to the American people that this Texas law and other laws that will be attempted to be passed in other states, will upend women’s basic health care.”

More broadly, progressive advocates lamented Democrats’ failure to match Republicans who have spent generations entrenching themselves in state capitals and placing enormous emphasis on appointing conservatives to the bench — key arenas where Democrats have failed to protect abortion rights.

“We’re playing 50 years of catch-up,” said Ben Jealous, a former NAACP chief executive who is now the president of People for the American Way, a progressive organization. “The court is out of step with the American people. And Republicans have made the Supreme Court their sea wall against democracy.”

Even as they exulted, anti-abortion conservatives worried about pitfalls ahead. They recalled Todd Akin, a former Missouri congressman whose 2012 Senate candidacy was derailed by his statement that women who are victims of what he called “legitimate rape” rarely became pregnant. Democrats used remarks like Akin’s to portray the GOP as waging a “war on women,” a tactic that Republicans conceded was highly effective.

“Every candidate in the country is going to be asked about their position on abortion now,” said Tom McClusky, president of March for Life Action, which advocates legislation to restrict abortion rights. “What we want to avoid are incidents like what’s happened in the past.”

Democrats have long believed that public support for legal abortion would prevent it from being effectively outlawed, as Texas has done. Even some conservative anti-abortion activists concede that their absolutist position is not one shared by a majority of Americans, although they believe some Democrats have overreached in vowing to eliminate all legal restrictions on abortion.

“You may not have the majority of people who agree with me that life begins at conception, but they don’t believe that abortion should be legal at any point, all paid for by the taxpayer,” said Penny Nance, chief executive of Concerned Women for America, a conservative Christian organization.

Support for abortion rights has scarcely been the motivating factor for Democrats that it has been for conservative voters opposed to abortion. In the 2020 presidential election, voters who said abortion was the most important issue backed Trump over Biden, 89% to 9%, according to AP/Votecast data.

But while Republicans have campaigned on restricting abortion rights for generations, Democrats have moved left on the issue only recently — from Bill Clinton’s formulation that it should be “safe, legal and rare” to modern Democrats’ arguments that the choice should belong to the woman alone. Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont campaigned with anti-abortion candidates as recently as 2017.

While virtually all elected Democrats now back abortion rights, very few with a national profile built a political identity around the issue.

One who tried was Wendy Davis, the former Texas state senator who spoke for more than 11 hours in a failed 2013 effort to block legislation to restrict abortion access in the state. She went on to run for governor in 2014 and for Congress in 2020 but was handily defeated both times.

“We cannot shy away from this issue for fear that we will be branded as abortion activists,” Davis said Thursday. “I am proud to be labeled in that way because there is no shame. There should be no stigma involved with abortion.”

The Supreme Court’s decision not to block a Texas law sharply curtailing abortions abruptly vaulted the issue to the forefront of American politics on Thursday, reshaping the dynamics of elections in California this month, in Virginia in November and in midterms next year that will determine control of Congress and statehouses.

The Supreme Court’s decision not to block a Texas law sharply curtailing abortions abruptly vaulted the issue to the forefront of American politics on Thursday, reshaping the dynamics of elections in California this month, in Virginia in November and in midterms next year that will determine control of Congress and statehouses. Republicans hailed the court’s 5-4 decision, explained in a one-paragraph middle-of-the-night ruling, as a tremendous victory, allowing a nearly complete ban on abortions to stand in the nation’s second-largest state. For Democrats, it was a nightmare come true: A conservative Supreme Court, led by three appointees of former President Donald Trump, had allowed a highly gerrymandered, Republican-controlled state Legislature to circumvent Roe v. Wade, the half-century-old decision that enshrined abortion as a constitutional right. Suddenly, supporters of abortion rights found themselves grappling not only with the political and policy failures that had led to this point, but also with the prospect that other Republican-controlled legislatures could quickly enact copycat legislation. On Thursday, Republican lawmakers in Arkansas, Florida and South Dakota promised to do so in their next legislative sessions. Yet Democrats also embraced the opportunity to force an issue they believe is a political winner for them to the center of the national debate. After years of playing defense, Democrats say the Texas law will test whether the reality of a practical ban on abortions can motivate voters to support them. Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto of Nevada, a Democrat up for reelection in 2022, said people in her state had fought to protect women’s reproductive freedom and would vote accordingly. “If a Republican is going to go to Washington to roll those freedoms back, I will make it an issue,” she said in an interview. “I don’t think you should underestimate the impact that this issue has to Nevadans.” Republicans held up the Texas law as an example for the country to follow. “This law will save the lives of thousands of unborn babies in Texas and become a national model,” said Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick of Texas. “I pray that every other state will follow our lead in defense of life.” Gov. Kristi Noem of South Dakota, who is considered a potential Republican candidate for president in 2024, said she had directed her office to “make sure we have the strongest pro-life laws on the books.” The court’s decision, which did not address the substance of the Texas law, creates new urgency for President Joe Biden and congressional Democrats to do more than issue public statements vowing to defend women’s reproductive rights. “The temperature just got a lot hotter on this issue, and I certainly now expect Congress to join in these fights,” said Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham of New Mexico, chair of the Democratic Governors Association. “Our voters expect us all to do more.” Yet Senate Democrats do not have the votes to eliminate the filibuster, which would be necessary to change federal abortion law in the evenly divided chamber. In Washington on Thursday, Democratic leaders dutifully scrambled to show their determination to push back against the possibility that the Texas law could be replicated elsewhere — or to respond if the Supreme Court rolls back abortion rights when it rules on a Mississippi law that seeks to ban most abortions after 15 weeks of pregnancy, two months earlier than Roe and subsequent decisions allow. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi promised to bring a vote on the Women’s Health Protection Act, which would effectively codify abortion rights into federal law. And Biden pledged “a whole-of-government effort” in response to the Texas law, directing the Department of Health and Human Services and the Justice Department to identify possible federal measures to help ensure that women in the state have access to safe and legal abortions. “The highest court of our land will allow millions of women in Texas in need of critical reproductive care to suffer while courts sift through procedural complexities,” Biden said. “The impact of last night’s decision will be immediate and requires an immediate response.” Vice President Kamala Harris added, “We will not stand by and allow our nation to go back to the days of back-alley abortions.” The first election that could test Democrats’ capacity to energize voters over abortion rights comes on Sept. 14 in California, where voters will determine the fate of Gov. Gavin Newsom, who faces a recall effort. Newsom warned on Twitter that the Texas abortion ban “could be the future of CA” if the recall were successful. In Virginia, Democratic candidates for the state’s three statewide offices and House of Delegates pounced on the issue on Thursday. Former Gov. Terry McAuliffe, who is running to recapture the office in November, said the fight for abortion rights would help motivate Democratic voters who might be complacent after the party captured full control of state government in 2019 and helped Biden win the state last year. “We are a Democratic state. There are more Democrats,” McAuliffe said. “But this is an off-off-year, and getting Democrats motivated to come out, that’s always the big challenge.” Eyeing 2022, the Democrats’ Senate campaign arm has signaled it will use abortion rights as a cudgel against Republicans running in states like Florida, New Hampshire, Nevada and North Carolina. Democrats planning campaigns for governor next year are preparing to brand themselves as the last line of defense on abortion rights, particularly in states with Republican-controlled legislatures. “People are now waking up to the fact that the battle will now be in the states, and they recognize that the only thing, literally the only thing standing in the way of Pennsylvania passing the same ban that Texas just passed, is the veto pen of our Democratic governor,” said Josh Shapiro, the Pennsylvania attorney general, a Democrat who has said he expects to enter the race to succeed Gov. Tom Wolf. “I’ve given up on the politicians in Washington. I don’t think we can count on them anymore.” Although Republicans have long made overturning Roe a central political goal — as a candidate in 2016, Trump predicted that his eventual Supreme Court appointees would do so — there was still a palpable sense of shock among Democrats. Despite the court’s 6-3 conservative majority, many Democrats seemed mentally unprepared for Wednesday’s ruling. “You can’t plan for a blatantly false or unconstitutional court ruling like this,” said Rep. Conor Lamb of Pennsylvania, a Democrat who is running for his state’s open Senate seat next year. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand of New York, who made women’s rights the centerpiece of her 2020 presidential campaign, said Democrats could no longer be squeamish about fighting for abortion rights. “We have to elevate the issue,” she said Thursday. “We need to explain to the American people that this Texas law and other laws that will be attempted to be passed in other states, will upend women’s basic health care.” More broadly, progressive advocates lamented Democrats’ failure to match Republicans who have spent generations entrenching themselves in state capitals and placing enormous emphasis on appointing conservatives to the bench — key arenas where Democrats have failed to protect abortion rights. “We’re playing 50 years of catch-up,” said Ben Jealous, a former NAACP chief executive who is now the president of People for the American Way, a progressive organization. “The court is out of step with the American people. And Republicans have made the Supreme Court their sea wall against democracy.” Even as they exulted, anti-abortion conservatives worried about pitfalls ahead. They recalled Todd Akin, a former Missouri congressman whose 2012 Senate candidacy was derailed by his statement that women who are victims of what he called “legitimate rape” rarely became pregnant. Democrats used remarks like Akin’s to portray the GOP as waging a “war on women,” a tactic that Republicans conceded was highly effective. “Every candidate in the country is going to be asked about their position on abortion now,” said Tom McClusky, president of March for Life Action, which advocates legislation to restrict abortion rights. “What we want to avoid are incidents like what’s happened in the past.” Democrats have long believed that public support for legal abortion would prevent it from being effectively outlawed, as Texas has done. Even some conservative anti-abortion activists concede that their absolutist position is not one shared by a majority of Americans, although they believe some Democrats have overreached in vowing to eliminate all legal restrictions on abortion. “You may not have the majority of people who agree with me that life begins at conception, but they don’t believe that abortion should be legal at any point, all paid for by the taxpayer,” said Penny Nance, chief executive of Concerned Women for America, a conservative Christian organization. Support for abortion rights has scarcely been the motivating factor for Democrats that it has been for conservative voters opposed to abortion. In the 2020 presidential election, voters who said abortion was the most important issue backed Trump over Biden, 89% to 9%, according to AP/Votecast data. But while Republicans have campaigned on restricting abortion rights for generations, Democrats have moved left on the issue only recently — from Bill Clinton’s formulation that it should be “safe, legal and rare” to modern Democrats’ arguments that the choice should belong to the woman alone. Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont campaigned with anti-abortion candidates as recently as 2017. While virtually all elected Democrats now back abortion rights, very few with a national profile built a political identity around the issue. One who tried was Wendy Davis, the former Texas state senator who spoke for more than 11 hours in a failed 2013 effort to block legislation to restrict abortion access in the state. She went on to run for governor in 2014 and for Congress in 2020 but was handily defeated both times. “We cannot shy away from this issue for fear that we will be branded as abortion activists,” Davis said Thursday. “I am proud to be labeled in that way because there is no shame. There should be no stigma involved with abortion.”

Abortion arrives at the center of the American political maelstrom

A US Congressional committee probing January 6 Capitol Hill attack has asked &nbsp;35 telephone, email and social media companies to preserve records which can be relevant to its investigation. Reuters quoted source to say that these records include those of US President Donald Trump, Ivanka Trump and Donald Trump Jr.

In a statement revealing the data preservation requests, a spokesperson for the House of Representatives' Jan. 6 investigation committee, led by Democrat Bennie Thompson, said it had "sent letters to 35 private-sector entities, including telecommunications, email, and social media companies, instructing them to preserve records" which could be "relevant" to the committee's inquiry.

"The Select Committee is at this point gathering facts, not alleging wrongdoing by any individual," the statement added.

This marked the House committee's latest round of requests after last week ordering federal agencies and social media companies to hand over records related to the violence and the events leading up to it.

Trump supporters stormed the Capitol as Congress was meeting to certify Biden's victory. Nearly 600 people have been arrested in connection with the attack.

(With inputs from agencies)

A US Congressional committee probing January 6 Capitol Hill attack has asked 35 telephone, email and social media companies to preserve records which can be relevant to its investigation.

A US Congressional committee probing January 6 Capitol Hill attack has asked 35 telephone, email and social media companies to preserve records which can be relevant to its investigation. Reuters quoted source to say that these records include those of US President Donald Trump, Ivanka Trump and Donald Trump Jr. In a statement revealing the data preservation requests, a spokesperson for the House of Representatives' Jan. 6 investigation committee, led by Democrat Bennie Thompson, said it had "sent letters to 35 private-sector entities, including telecommunications, email, and social media companies, instructing them to preserve records" which could be "relevant" to the committee's inquiry. "The Select Committee is at this point gathering facts, not alleging wrongdoing by any individual," the statement added. This marked the House committee's latest round of requests after last week ordering federal agencies and social media companies to hand over records related to the violence and the events leading up to it. Trump supporters stormed the Capitol as Congress was meeting to certify Biden's victory. Nearly 600 people have been arrested in connection with the attack. (With inputs from agencies)

Capitol Hill attack: Congress committee asks telecom companies to preserve Trump's call records

A group of US lawmakers has urged President Joe Biden to prevent the Taliban, Afghanistan's de facto rulers, from destabilising Pakistan and acquiring nuclear weapons.

The lawmakers demanded that Biden answer critical questions about what happened in Afghanistan and his plans for the future.

"Are you willing to provide military support to regional allies if the Taliban militarise the Afghan border?"

In a letter addressed to Biden on Wednesday, a group of 68 lawmakers from the Senate and House of Representatives asked, "What is your plan to help ensure that the Taliban do not destabilise its nuclear neighbour Pakistan?" 
 
ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/kabul-blasts-joe-biden-says-no-sign-of-collusion-between-taliban-and-islamic-state-in-attacks-408695">Kabul blasts: Joe Biden says no sign of 'collusion' between Taliban and Islamic State in attacks</a> 
 
The lawmakers stated that in recent weeks, the world has watched in astonishment as the Taliban took over Afghanistan with astonishing speed, as a result of "unforced errors made by withdrawing completely the small remaining footprint of our main military force from Afghanistan, and by unnecessarily delaying the evacuation of US personnel and Afghan partners."

According to them, the situation in Afghanistan has rapidly "metastasized" into Taliban rule, with reintroduced oppression of women and girls, repression of civil society, the displacement of countless Afghans from their homes, whom the Taliban then uses force to prevent from fleeing Afghanistan, and a power vacuum that China seeks to fill by strengthening ties with the Taliban. 
 
<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/kabul-blasts-more-than-90-dead-as-joe-biden-vows-to-hunt-down-those-responsible-408741">Also read | Kabul blasts: More than 90 dead as Joe Biden vows to 'hunt down' those responsible</a> 
 
The lawmakers stated that the consequences of the US withdrawal from Afghanistan are not limited to that country or even the Middle East region, and that the action has already begun to unfold and will reverberate for decades.

"Dealing with these consequences necessitates immediate action to chart the course for American strategy, even as we deal with the immediate ramifications of this self-inflicted crisis in Afghanistan. To that end, we write to request that you outline your strategy for moving America forward," they wrote.

The group emphasised in the letter that the effect of the US withdrawal from Afghanistan after 20 years has consequences not only in the specific nation, or even the Middle East, but also has strategic and geographical consequences that have already begun to unravel and will continue for decades. 
 
(With inputs from agencies)

A group of US lawmakers has urged President Joe Biden to prevent the Taliban, Afghanistan's de facto rulers, from destabilising Pakistan and acquiring nuclear weapons.

A group of US lawmakers has urged President Joe Biden to prevent the Taliban, Afghanistan's de facto rulers, from destabilising Pakistan and acquiring nuclear weapons. The lawmakers demanded that Biden answer critical questions about what happened in Afghanistan and his plans for the future. "Are you willing to provide military support to regional allies if the Taliban militarise the Afghan border?" In a letter addressed to Biden on Wednesday, a group of 68 lawmakers from the Senate and House of Representatives asked, "What is your plan to help ensure that the Taliban do not destabilise its nuclear neighbour Pakistan?" ALSO READ | Kabul blasts: Joe Biden says no sign of 'collusion' between Taliban and Islamic State in attacks The lawmakers stated that in recent weeks, the world has watched in astonishment as the Taliban took over Afghanistan with astonishing speed, as a result of "unforced errors made by withdrawing completely the small remaining footprint of our main military force from Afghanistan, and by unnecessarily delaying the evacuation of US personnel and Afghan partners." According to them, the situation in Afghanistan has rapidly "metastasized" into Taliban rule, with reintroduced oppression of women and girls, repression of civil society, the displacement of countless Afghans from their homes, whom the Taliban then uses force to prevent from fleeing Afghanistan, and a power vacuum that China seeks to fill by strengthening ties with the Taliban. Also read | Kabul blasts: More than 90 dead as Joe Biden vows to 'hunt down' those responsible The lawmakers stated that the consequences of the US withdrawal from Afghanistan are not limited to that country or even the Middle East region, and that the action has already begun to unfold and will reverberate for decades. "Dealing with these consequences necessitates immediate action to chart the course for American strategy, even as we deal with the immediate ramifications of this self-inflicted crisis in Afghanistan. To that end, we write to request that you outline your strategy for moving America forward," they wrote. The group emphasised in the letter that the effect of the US withdrawal from Afghanistan after 20 years has consequences not only in the specific nation, or even the Middle East, but also has strategic and geographical consequences that have already begun to unravel and will continue for decades. (With inputs from agencies)

What is your strategy to stop Taliban from acquiring nuclear weapons? US lawmakers to Biden

Seven US Capitol Police officers filed suit against former president Donald&nbsp;Trump&nbsp;and members of right-wing extremist groups on Thursday, accusing them of being directly responsible for the January 6 attack on Congress.

The lawsuit is one of several that have been filed against&nbsp;Trump&nbsp;over the attempt by thousands of his supporters to prevent the congressional certification of Democrat Joe Biden's November 2020 presidential election victory.

The latest suit was filed in US District Court in Washington by The Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights on behalf of seven Capitol Police officers who battled&nbsp;Trump&nbsp;loyalists at the Capitol.

ALSO READ | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/nigerian-gunmen-free-dozens-of-kidnapped-seminary-pupils-says-teacher-408677">Nigerian gunmen free dozens of kidnapped seminary pupils, says teacher</a>

Among those named in the lawsuit are&nbsp;Trump, the&nbsp;Trump&nbsp;Campaign,&nbsp;Trump&nbsp;associate Roger Stone and members of right-wing extremist groups the Proud Boys, the Oath Keepers and the Three Percenters.

The suit alleges they engaged in an "unlawful effort to use force, intimidation, and threats to prevent Congress from certifying the results of the 2020 Presidential election."

"Because of Defendants' unlawful actions, Plaintiffs were violently assaulted, spat on, tear-gassed, bear-sprayed, subjected to racial slurs and epithets, and put in fear for their lives," the complaint said. Five of the police officers filing suit are Black.

Damon Hewitt,&nbsp;president and executive director of the Lawyers' Committee, said the January 6 attack "was a blatant attempt to stifle the votes and voices of millions of Americans, particularly Black voters."

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/will-hunt-you-down-joe-biden-warns-kabul-bombers-vows-to-avenge-deaths-of-us-soldiers-408665">'Will hunt you down': Joe Biden warns Kabul bombers, vows to avenge deaths of US soldiers</a>

"For months after the 2020 election had been officially called, former president&nbsp;Trump&nbsp;and his associates made coordinated and systematic attempts to lodge their false claims of election fraud," Hewitt said.

"The lies of this conspiracy intentionally energized white supremacists and violent extremist groups and actively encouraged them to coordinate the violent attack on the Capitol."

Trump&nbsp;has also been targeted in lawsuits filed by Democratic lawmakers over the January 6 attack and a House Select Committee has opened an inquiry into the assault on Congress.

The select committee issued a sweeping request on Wednesday to the National Archives and seven government agencies for records related to the attack, including communications from&nbsp;Trump, members of his family, his top aides and dozens of other former members of his administration.

Trump&nbsp;has consistently refused to acknowledge his defeat to Biden and continues to make unfounded claims that he won the election.

The real estate mogul was impeached by the Democratic-controlled House in January for inciting insurrection but was acquitted by the Senate.

Seven US Capitol Police officers filed suit against former president Donald Trump and members of right-wing extremist groups on Thursday, accusing them of being directly responsible for the January 6 attack on Congress.

Seven US Capitol Police officers filed suit against former president Donald Trump and members of right-wing extremist groups on Thursday, accusing them of being directly responsible for the January 6 attack on Congress. The lawsuit is one of several that have been filed against Trump over the attempt by thousands of his supporters to prevent the congressional certification of Democrat Joe Biden's November 2020 presidential election victory. The latest suit was filed in US District Court in Washington by The Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights on behalf of seven Capitol Police officers who battled Trump loyalists at the Capitol. ALSO READ | Nigerian gunmen free dozens of kidnapped seminary pupils, says teacher Among those named in the lawsuit are Trump, the Trump Campaign, Trump associate Roger Stone and members of right-wing extremist groups the Proud Boys, the Oath Keepers and the Three Percenters. The suit alleges they engaged in an "unlawful effort to use force, intimidation, and threats to prevent Congress from certifying the results of the 2020 Presidential election." "Because of Defendants' unlawful actions, Plaintiffs were violently assaulted, spat on, tear-gassed, bear-sprayed, subjected to racial slurs and epithets, and put in fear for their lives," the complaint said. Five of the police officers filing suit are Black. Damon Hewitt, president and executive director of the Lawyers' Committee, said the January 6 attack "was a blatant attempt to stifle the votes and voices of millions of Americans, particularly Black voters." ALSO READ | 'Will hunt you down': Joe Biden warns Kabul bombers, vows to avenge deaths of US soldiers "For months after the 2020 election had been officially called, former president Trump and his associates made coordinated and systematic attempts to lodge their false claims of election fraud," Hewitt said. "The lies of this conspiracy intentionally energized white supremacists and violent extremist groups and actively encouraged them to coordinate the violent attack on the Capitol." Trump has also been targeted in lawsuits filed by Democratic lawmakers over the January 6 attack and a House Select Committee has opened an inquiry into the assault on Congress. The select committee issued a sweeping request on Wednesday to the National Archives and seven government agencies for records related to the attack, including communications from Trump, members of his family, his top aides and dozens of other former members of his administration. Trump has consistently refused to acknowledge his defeat to Biden and continues to make unfounded claims that he won the election. The real estate mogul was impeached by the Democratic-controlled House in January for inciting insurrection but was acquitted by the Senate.

US Capitol Police officers sue Donald Trump over January 6 attack

Seven US Capitol Police officers have filed lawsuits against their former President Donald Trump. The officers were assaulted during the January 6 Capitol riots.

Seven Capitol Police officers sue Donald Trump over riots

Former US president Donald Trump and other Republican lawmakers have lashed out at Joe Biden after deadly bomb blasts rocked Afghanistan's capital Kabul, killing at least 13 US soldiers among others on Thursday (August 26).&nbsp;

"This tragedy should never have been allowed to happen, which makes our grief even deeper and more difficult to understand," said Trump, who is a staunch critic of Biden over the Afghan crisis.&nbsp;

Soon after the explosions, Biden addressed the media at the White House. He condemned the attacks and paid tributes to the US soldiers who lost their lives in the suicide bomb blasts outside Kabul's Hamid Karzai International Airport.&nbsp;

ALSO READ | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/india-condemns-kabul-blasts-says-need-for-the-world-to-stand-unitedly-against-terrorism-408703">India condemns Kabul blasts, says 'need for the world to stand unitedly against terrorism'</a>

Several Republicans also slammed Biden.

"Joe Biden is responsible," said Senator Josh Hawley of Missouri. "It is now clear beyond all doubt that he has neither the capacity nor the will to lead. He must resign."&nbsp;

"Joe Biden has blood on his hands," tweeted Representative Elise Stefanik, the third-ranking Republican in the House. "The buck stops with the President of the United States," Stefanik said.&nbsp;

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Joe Biden has blood on his hands. 
 
The buck stops with the President of the United States. 
 
This horrific national security and humanitarian disaster is solely the result of Joe Biden’s weak and incompetent leadership. He is unfit to be Commander-in-Chief.
— Elise Stefanik (@EliseStefanik) <a href="https://twitter.com/EliseStefanik/status/1430912462333829120?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 26, 2021</a></blockquote>
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The Islamic State group claimed responsibility for the attacks as more than 60 people have lost their lives; Biden has promised to avenge the fallen soldiers, who according to the President were engaged "in a dangerous mission to save the lives of others" and said that the United States will "hunt down" the attackers and "make them pay".&nbsp;

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/kabul-blasts-joe-biden-says-no-sign-of-collusion-between-taliban-and-islamic-state-in-attacks-408695">Kabul blasts: Joe Biden says no sign of 'collusion' between Taliban and Islamic State in attacks</a>

"It is time for Congress to act quickly to save lives," Representative Kevin McCarthy said. "Our enemies have taken advantage of the chaotic nature of the withdrawal."

McCarthy said House speaker Nancy Pelosi "must bring Congress back into session before August 31 so that we can be briefed thoroughly and comprehensively by the Biden administration."

McCarthy also called on Biden to "take decisive action to protect our troops, our citizens, and our allies without regard for an arbitrary deadline."&nbsp;

&nbsp;

Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell called the Kabul attack "enraging" and said, "we need to redouble our global efforts to confront these barbarian enemies who want to kill our Americans and attack our homeland."&nbsp;

As he concluded the media interview, Biden informed that he has asked the Pentagon to develop plans to strike back at Islamist militants. He said, "I've also ordered my commanders to develop operational plans to strike ISIS-K assets, leadership and facilities."&nbsp;

Former US president Donald Trump and other Republican lawmakers have lashed out at Joe Biden after deadly bomb blasts rocked Afghanistan's capital Kabul, killing at least 13 US soldiers among others on Thursday (August 26).

Former US president Donald Trump and other Republican lawmakers have lashed out at Joe Biden after deadly bomb blasts rocked Afghanistan's capital Kabul, killing at least 13 US soldiers among others on Thursday (August 26). "This tragedy should never have been allowed to happen, which makes our grief even deeper and more difficult to understand," said Trump, who is a staunch critic of Biden over the Afghan crisis. Soon after the explosions, Biden addressed the media at the White House. He condemned the attacks and paid tributes to the US soldiers who lost their lives in the suicide bomb blasts outside Kabul's Hamid Karzai International Airport. ALSO READ | India condemns Kabul blasts, says 'need for the world to stand unitedly against terrorism' Several Republicans also slammed Biden. "Joe Biden is responsible," said Senator Josh Hawley of Missouri. "It is now clear beyond all doubt that he has neither the capacity nor the will to lead. He must resign." "Joe Biden has blood on his hands," tweeted Representative Elise Stefanik, the third-ranking Republican in the House. "The buck stops with the President of the United States," Stefanik said. Joe Biden has blood on his hands. The buck stops with the President of the United States. This horrific national security and humanitarian disaster is solely the result of Joe Biden’s weak and incompetent leadership. He is unfit to be Commander-in-Chief. — Elise Stefanik (@EliseStefanik) August 26, 2021 × The Islamic State group claimed responsibility for the attacks as more than 60 people have lost their lives; Biden has promised to avenge the fallen soldiers, who according to the President were engaged "in a dangerous mission to save the lives of others" and said that the United States will "hunt down" the attackers and "make them pay". ALSO READ | Kabul blasts: Joe Biden says no sign of 'collusion' between Taliban and Islamic State in attacks "It is time for Congress to act quickly to save lives," Representative Kevin McCarthy said. "Our enemies have taken advantage of the chaotic nature of the withdrawal." McCarthy said House speaker Nancy Pelosi "must bring Congress back into session before August 31 so that we can be briefed thoroughly and comprehensively by the Biden administration." McCarthy also called on Biden to "take decisive action to protect our troops, our citizens, and our allies without regard for an arbitrary deadline." Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell called the Kabul attack "enraging" and said, "we need to redouble our global efforts to confront these barbarian enemies who want to kill our Americans and attack our homeland." As he concluded the media interview, Biden informed that he has asked the Pentagon to develop plans to strike back at Islamist militants. He said, "I've also ordered my commanders to develop operational plans to strike ISIS-K assets, leadership and facilities."

'Biden has blood on his hands': Donald Trump and Republican lawmakers slam US president after Kabul blasts

Facebook has approached academics and policy experts about forming a commission to advise it on global election-related matters, said five people with knowledge of the discussions, a move that would allow the social network to shift some of its political decision-making to an advisory body.

The proposed commission could decide on matters such as the viability of political ads and what to do about election-related misinformation, said the people, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because the discussions were confidential. Facebook is expected to announce the commission this fall in preparation for the 2022 midterm elections, they said, though the effort is preliminary and could still fall apart.

Outsourcing election matters to a panel of experts could help Facebook sidestep criticism of bias by political groups, two of the people said. The company has been blasted in recent years by conservatives, who have accused Facebook of suppressing their voices, as well as by civil rights groups and Democrats for allowing political misinformation to fester and spread online. Mark Zuckerberg, Facebook’s chief executive, does not want to be seen as the sole decision-maker on political content, two of the people said.

Facebook declined to comment.

If an election commission is formed, it would emulate the step Facebook took in 2018 when it created what it calls the Oversight Board, a collection of journalism, legal and policy experts who adjudicate whether the company was correct to remove certain posts from its platforms. Facebook has pushed some content decisions to the Oversight Board for review, allowing it to show that it does not make determinations on its own.

Facebook has had a spotty track record on election-related issues, going back to Russian manipulation of the platform’s advertising and posts in the 2016 presidential election.

There are several elections in the coming year in countries such as Hungary, Germany, Brazil and the Philippines where Facebook’s actions will be closely scrutinized. Voter fraud misinformation has already begun spreading ahead of German elections in September. In the Philippines, Facebook has removed networks of fake accounts that support President Rodrigo Duterte, who used the social network to gain power in 2016.

“There is already this perception that Facebook, an American social media company, is going in and tilting elections of other countries through its platform,” said Nathaniel Persily, a law professor at Stanford University. “Whatever decisions Facebook makes have global implications.” 
&nbsp;

Facebook has approached academics and policy experts about forming a commission to advise it on global election-related matters, said five people with knowledge of the discussions, a move that would allow the social network to shift some of its political decision-making to an advisory body.

Facebook has approached academics and policy experts about forming a commission to advise it on global election-related matters, said five people with knowledge of the discussions, a move that would allow the social network to shift some of its political decision-making to an advisory body. The proposed commission could decide on matters such as the viability of political ads and what to do about election-related misinformation, said the people, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because the discussions were confidential. Facebook is expected to announce the commission this fall in preparation for the 2022 midterm elections, they said, though the effort is preliminary and could still fall apart. Outsourcing election matters to a panel of experts could help Facebook sidestep criticism of bias by political groups, two of the people said. The company has been blasted in recent years by conservatives, who have accused Facebook of suppressing their voices, as well as by civil rights groups and Democrats for allowing political misinformation to fester and spread online. Mark Zuckerberg, Facebook’s chief executive, does not want to be seen as the sole decision-maker on political content, two of the people said. Facebook declined to comment. If an election commission is formed, it would emulate the step Facebook took in 2018 when it created what it calls the Oversight Board, a collection of journalism, legal and policy experts who adjudicate whether the company was correct to remove certain posts from its platforms. Facebook has pushed some content decisions to the Oversight Board for review, allowing it to show that it does not make determinations on its own. Facebook has had a spotty track record on election-related issues, going back to Russian manipulation of the platform’s advertising and posts in the 2016 presidential election. There are several elections in the coming year in countries such as Hungary, Germany, Brazil and the Philippines where Facebook’s actions will be closely scrutinized. Voter fraud misinformation has already begun spreading ahead of German elections in September. In the Philippines, Facebook has removed networks of fake accounts that support President Rodrigo Duterte, who used the social network to gain power in 2016. “There is already this perception that Facebook, an American social media company, is going in and tilting elections of other countries through its platform,” said Nathaniel Persily, a law professor at Stanford University. “Whatever decisions Facebook makes have global implications.”

Facebook said to consider forming an election commission

A classified US intelligence report that was submitted to the White House recently couldn’t conclusively trace the origins of the COVID-19 virus due to lack of information provided by China, a report by the US media has stated.

The assessment report, which was ordered by President Joe Biden three months ago, couldn’t prove whether the virus that first emerged in central China had jumped to humans via animals or escaped a highly secure research facility in Wuhan, a report from the Washington report said citing two unnamed US officials who are familiar with the matter.

They said the report would be declassified in coming days.

When Biden ordered the investigation, he said the US intelligence agencies were split over the “two likely scenarios”—animals or lab.

Former president Donald Trump and his aides had earlier pointed fingers at Beijing, claiming that the virus came out of a Wuhan virology lab amid intense criticism over their administration’s handling of the outbreak.

“Despite Biden’s directive that the intelligence community redouble their efforts to untangle the origin debate, the 90-day review brought them no closer to consensus,” the officials told the Post

Responding to reports, China’s foreign ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin on Wednesday criticised Washington for “politicising” the issue of COVID origin-tracing.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/chinese-virologist-claims-covid-19-was-made-in-wuhan-lab-offers-scientific-proof-327153">Chinese virologist claims COVID-19 was made in Wuhan lab; offers scientific proof</a>

“The United States says it lacks information from China,” Wang told a press briefing, according to China News service, a state-owned newswire.

“I can tell the United States that this is just an excuse to cover up the failure of its intelligence in origin tracing.”

Wang said the report was political and therefore it would not draw any scientific conclusion, “and would only disturb and damage the international effort in finding the origin of the virus and the global cooperation against COVID-19.”

Beijing has repeatedly rejected calls from the United States and other countries for a renewed origin probe after a heavily politicized visit by a World Health Organization (WHO) team in January also proved inconclusive and faced criticism for lacking transparency and access.

Even WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus admitted that the global health body’s probe into Wuhan’s virology labs did not go far enough.

(With inputs from agencies)

A classified US intelligence report that was submitted to the White House recently couldn’t conclusively trace the origins of the COVID-19 virus due to lack of information provided by China, a report by the US media has stated.

A classified US intelligence report that was submitted to the White House recently couldn’t conclusively trace the origins of the COVID-19 virus due to lack of information provided by China, a report by the US media has stated. The assessment report, which was ordered by President Joe Biden three months ago, couldn’t prove whether the virus that first emerged in central China had jumped to humans via animals or escaped a highly secure research facility in Wuhan, a report from the Washington report said citing two unnamed US officials who are familiar with the matter. They said the report would be declassified in coming days. When Biden ordered the investigation, he said the US intelligence agencies were split over the “two likely scenarios”—animals or lab. Former president Donald Trump and his aides had earlier pointed fingers at Beijing, claiming that the virus came out of a Wuhan virology lab amid intense criticism over their administration’s handling of the outbreak. “Despite Biden’s directive that the intelligence community redouble their efforts to untangle the origin debate, the 90-day review brought them no closer to consensus,” the officials told the Post Responding to reports, China’s foreign ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin on Wednesday criticised Washington for “politicising” the issue of COVID origin-tracing. Also read | Chinese virologist claims COVID-19 was made in Wuhan lab; offers scientific proof “The United States says it lacks information from China,” Wang told a press briefing, according to China News service, a state-owned newswire. “I can tell the United States that this is just an excuse to cover up the failure of its intelligence in origin tracing.” Wang said the report was political and therefore it would not draw any scientific conclusion, “and would only disturb and damage the international effort in finding the origin of the virus and the global cooperation against COVID-19.” Beijing has repeatedly rejected calls from the United States and other countries for a renewed origin probe after a heavily politicized visit by a World Health Organization (WHO) team in January also proved inconclusive and faced criticism for lacking transparency and access. Even WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus admitted that the global health body’s probe into Wuhan’s virology labs did not go far enough. (With inputs from agencies)

Classified US intelligence study inconclusive on COVID origins: Report

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