Donald Trump built walls. The one along the Mexican border is being washed away by rains. But the wall between Red & Blue America is leading to gun battles on the streets. Palki Sharma gets you a report.

Gravitas: Gun Battles on American streets

Taking aim at US president Joe Biden's Afghan policy, former President Donald Trump expressed concern that thousands of terrorists might have been flown out from Afghanistan as part of the evacuation process.

"Biden surrendered Afghanistan to terrorists and left thousands of Americans for dead by pulling out the military before our citizens," Trump said in a statement on Tuesday.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/joe-biden-says-us-on-pace-to-end-afghan-mission-by-august-31-408146" hreflang="en">Joe Biden says US 'on pace' to end Afghan mission by August 31</a>

"Now we are learning that out of the 26,000 people who have been evacuated, only 4,000 are Americans. You can be sure, the Taliban, who are now in complete control, didn't allow the best and brightest to board these evacuation flights."

"Instead, we can only imagine how many thousands of terrorists have been airlifted out of Afghanistan and into neighbourhoods around the world. What a terrible failure. NO VETTING. How many terrorists will Joe Biden bring to America? We don't know!", He said.

Meanwhile, Republican Congressman Mike Waltz, a former veteran of Afghanistan, introduced a resolution in the House of Representatives, criticizing Biden's blatant disregard for the advice of military and intelligence advisors.&nbsp;

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/no-change-to-august-31-withdrawal-deadline-pentagons-john-kirby-408091" hreflang="en">'No change' to August 31 withdrawal deadline: Pentagon’s John Kirby</a>

He alleges that President Biden, ignored advice on the nature and speed of the Taliban offensive and that he failed to present a coherent counterterrorism or evacuation plan to the American people, and has done harm to US credibility by abandoning the US's Afghan allies.

Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, Minority Whip Steve Scalise, and Conference Chairwoman Elise Stefanik cosponsored the resolution.

"President Biden has embarrassed the United States on the world stage and created the worst foreign policy blunder in our modern history," Waltz said.

Waltz said that Biden has embarrassed the United States on the world stage and has made the worst foreign policy blunder in US modern history.

As per Waltz, in order to seek a headline that he would withdraw US troops prior to the 20th anniversary of the September 11 attacks, Biden created a humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/watch-taliban-evade-wions-question-on-secret-meeting-between-mullah-baradar-and-cia-chief-408084" hreflang="en">Watch | Taliban evade WION’s question on secret meeting between Mullah Baradar and CIA chief</a>

'Now, we will have shamefully given away the freedoms of Afghans, our military equipment and infrastructure, and countless other resources to the hands of Taliban terrorists because of the President's cluelessness and stubbornness,' Waltz alleged.

'Additionally, it is growing more likely by the day we will have broken our promise to thousands of Afghan allies who stood should-to-shoulder with our troops on the battlefield that have now been handed a death sentence for our failure to safely evacuate them in a timely fashion," he said.

Waltz also said that the intelligence community has repeatedly warned that Al Qaeda 3.0 will return as the Taliban have shown no signs of cutting ties with the September 11 attack perpetrators.&nbsp; &nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

Taking aim at US president Joe Biden's Afghan policy, former President Donald Trump expressed concern that thousands of terrorists might have been flown out from Afghanistan as part of the evacuation process.

Taking aim at US president Joe Biden's Afghan policy, former President Donald Trump expressed concern that thousands of terrorists might have been flown out from Afghanistan as part of the evacuation process. "Biden surrendered Afghanistan to terrorists and left thousands of Americans for dead by pulling out the military before our citizens," Trump said in a statement on Tuesday. Also read | Joe Biden says US 'on pace' to end Afghan mission by August 31 "Now we are learning that out of the 26,000 people who have been evacuated, only 4,000 are Americans. You can be sure, the Taliban, who are now in complete control, didn't allow the best and brightest to board these evacuation flights." "Instead, we can only imagine how many thousands of terrorists have been airlifted out of Afghanistan and into neighbourhoods around the world. What a terrible failure. NO VETTING. How many terrorists will Joe Biden bring to America? We don't know!", He said. Meanwhile, Republican Congressman Mike Waltz, a former veteran of Afghanistan, introduced a resolution in the House of Representatives, criticizing Biden's blatant disregard for the advice of military and intelligence advisors. Also read | 'No change' to August 31 withdrawal deadline: Pentagon’s John Kirby He alleges that President Biden, ignored advice on the nature and speed of the Taliban offensive and that he failed to present a coherent counterterrorism or evacuation plan to the American people, and has done harm to US credibility by abandoning the US's Afghan allies. Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, Minority Whip Steve Scalise, and Conference Chairwoman Elise Stefanik cosponsored the resolution. "President Biden has embarrassed the United States on the world stage and created the worst foreign policy blunder in our modern history," Waltz said. Waltz said that Biden has embarrassed the United States on the world stage and has made the worst foreign policy blunder in US modern history. As per Waltz, in order to seek a headline that he would withdraw US troops prior to the 20th anniversary of the September 11 attacks, Biden created a humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan. Also read | Watch | Taliban evade WION’s question on secret meeting between Mullah Baradar and CIA chief 'Now, we will have shamefully given away the freedoms of Afghans, our military equipment and infrastructure, and countless other resources to the hands of Taliban terrorists because of the President's cluelessness and stubbornness,' Waltz alleged. 'Additionally, it is growing more likely by the day we will have broken our promise to thousands of Afghan allies who stood should-to-shoulder with our troops on the battlefield that have now been handed a death sentence for our failure to safely evacuate them in a timely fashion," he said. Waltz also said that the intelligence community has repeatedly warned that Al Qaeda 3.0 will return as the Taliban have shown no signs of cutting ties with the September 11 attack perpetrators. (With inputs from agencies)

Trump takes aim at Biden's Afghan policy, alleges thousands of terrorists might have been airlifted out of Kabul

Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett will push US&nbsp;President Joe Biden to harden his approach to Iran during his first White House visit, with few prospects their talks will lead to renewed movement on Israeli-Palestinian peace.

Yet both Israel and the United States have expressed hope the meeting on Thursday will set a positive tone between Biden and Bennett, a far-right politician and high-tech millionaire who ended Benjamin Netanyahu's 12-year run as prime minister in June.

This would stand in sharp contrast to years of tensions between the conservative Netanyahu, who was close to former President Donald Trump, and the last Democratic administration led by Barack Obama with Biden as his vice president.

"There's a new administration in the United States and a new government in Israel and I'm bringing a new spirit of cooperation with me from Jerusalem," Bennett said on departure for Washington from Tel Aviv's Ben Gurion airport on Tuesday.

The visit gives the US&nbsp;administration an opportunity to demonstrate business as usual with its closest Middle East ally while it contends with the chaotic situation in Afghanistan, Biden's biggest foreign policy crisis since taking office.

But Israel faces concern from Washington over housing construction in Jewish settlements in the occupied West Bank, on land Palestinians seek for a state. US-Israeli friction over the issue was absent while Trump was in office.

Bennett is less dramatic but publicly just as adamant as Netanyahu in pledging not to allow Iran, which Israel views as an existential threat, to build a nuclear weapon, telling a cabinet meeting on Sunday the situation was at a critical point.

Bennett said he would tell Biden: "This is the time to stop the Iranians, not to give them a lifeline in the form of re-entering an expired nuclear deal."

A US&nbsp;official said Bennett’s expected entreaties for the Biden administration to drop its efforts to revive the agreement are not likely to bear fruit.

To Israeli acclaim, Trump in 2018 withdrew the United States from the 2015 deal between six world powers and Iran. He deemed it too advantageous for Tehran and reimposed US&nbsp;sanctions.

In a report seen last week by Reuters, the International Atomic Energy Agency said Iran had accelerated uranium enrichment to near weapons-grade.

Iran has consistently denied seeking a bomb, but the enrichment raised tensions with the West as both sides seek to resume talks on reviving their deal to curb Tehran's nuclear activities in return for the lifting of sanctions.

ISRAELI PLAN ON IRAN

Bennett told his cabinet he would present Biden with "an orderly plan that we have formulated in the past two months to curb the Iranians, both in the nuclear sphere and vis-à-vis regional aggression". He gave no further details.

At the airport in Tel Aviv, Bennett told reporters he would share with Biden the findings that Israel has gleaned from its extensive COVID-19 vaccine booster drive aimed at taming the Delta variant.

Bennett, 49, is the son of American immigrants to Israel. A former head of Israel's main West Bank settlers council, he heads an unlikely coalition of left-wing, right-wing, centrist and Arab parties.

With consensus on Palestinian statehood virtually impossible within the diverse Israeli government, Biden and his aides are not expected to press Bennett for any major concessions towards the Palestinians in his first foreign visit.

The two leaders are expected to speak briefly to a small pool of reporters during their Oval Office meeting but will not hold a joint news conference.

But even with little sign of U.S. pressure to resume peace negotiations with the Palestinians that collapsed in 2014, Israel faces concern from Washington over its settlement activity in areas it captured in the 1967 Middle East war.

The Biden administration has already made clear it opposes further expansion of Jewish settlements on occupied land. Most countries consider such settlements illegal. Israel disputes this.

So far, Bennett, who has advocated annexation of parts of the West Bank, has moved cautiously on the settlement issue.

Scheduled approval last week of 2,200 new settler homes, along with 800 houses for Palestinians, was postponed, apparently to avoid dissonance with Washington ahead of Bennett's visit, which he said would include meetings on Wednesday with U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin.

But rising tensions and violence along the Israel-Gaza border, three months after an 11-day war between Israeli forces and Palestinian militants, could cast a shadow over Bennett's trip.

Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett will push US President Joe Biden to harden his approach to Iran during his first White House visit, with few prospects their talks will lead to renewed movement on Israeli-Palestinian peace.

Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett will push US President Joe Biden to harden his approach to Iran during his first White House visit, with few prospects their talks will lead to renewed movement on Israeli-Palestinian peace. Yet both Israel and the United States have expressed hope the meeting on Thursday will set a positive tone between Biden and Bennett, a far-right politician and high-tech millionaire who ended Benjamin Netanyahu's 12-year run as prime minister in June. This would stand in sharp contrast to years of tensions between the conservative Netanyahu, who was close to former President Donald Trump, and the last Democratic administration led by Barack Obama with Biden as his vice president. "There's a new administration in the United States and a new government in Israel and I'm bringing a new spirit of cooperation with me from Jerusalem," Bennett said on departure for Washington from Tel Aviv's Ben Gurion airport on Tuesday. The visit gives the US administration an opportunity to demonstrate business as usual with its closest Middle East ally while it contends with the chaotic situation in Afghanistan, Biden's biggest foreign policy crisis since taking office. But Israel faces concern from Washington over housing construction in Jewish settlements in the occupied West Bank, on land Palestinians seek for a state. US-Israeli friction over the issue was absent while Trump was in office. Bennett is less dramatic but publicly just as adamant as Netanyahu in pledging not to allow Iran, which Israel views as an existential threat, to build a nuclear weapon, telling a cabinet meeting on Sunday the situation was at a critical point. Bennett said he would tell Biden: "This is the time to stop the Iranians, not to give them a lifeline in the form of re-entering an expired nuclear deal." A US official said Bennett’s expected entreaties for the Biden administration to drop its efforts to revive the agreement are not likely to bear fruit. To Israeli acclaim, Trump in 2018 withdrew the United States from the 2015 deal between six world powers and Iran. He deemed it too advantageous for Tehran and reimposed US sanctions. In a report seen last week by Reuters, the International Atomic Energy Agency said Iran had accelerated uranium enrichment to near weapons-grade. Iran has consistently denied seeking a bomb, but the enrichment raised tensions with the West as both sides seek to resume talks on reviving their deal to curb Tehran's nuclear activities in return for the lifting of sanctions. ISRAELI PLAN ON IRAN Bennett told his cabinet he would present Biden with "an orderly plan that we have formulated in the past two months to curb the Iranians, both in the nuclear sphere and vis-à-vis regional aggression". He gave no further details. At the airport in Tel Aviv, Bennett told reporters he would share with Biden the findings that Israel has gleaned from its extensive COVID-19 vaccine booster drive aimed at taming the Delta variant. Bennett, 49, is the son of American immigrants to Israel. A former head of Israel's main West Bank settlers council, he heads an unlikely coalition of left-wing, right-wing, centrist and Arab parties. With consensus on Palestinian statehood virtually impossible within the diverse Israeli government, Biden and his aides are not expected to press Bennett for any major concessions towards the Palestinians in his first foreign visit. The two leaders are expected to speak briefly to a small pool of reporters during their Oval Office meeting but will not hold a joint news conference. But even with little sign of U.S. pressure to resume peace negotiations with the Palestinians that collapsed in 2014, Israel faces concern from Washington over its settlement activity in areas it captured in the 1967 Middle East war. The Biden administration has already made clear it opposes further expansion of Jewish settlements on occupied land. Most countries consider such settlements illegal. Israel disputes this. So far, Bennett, who has advocated annexation of parts of the West Bank, has moved cautiously on the settlement issue. Scheduled approval last week of 2,200 new settler homes, along with 800 houses for Palestinians, was postponed, apparently to avoid dissonance with Washington ahead of Bennett's visit, which he said would include meetings on Wednesday with U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin. But rising tensions and violence along the Israel-Gaza border, three months after an 11-day war between Israeli forces and Palestinian militants, could cast a shadow over Bennett's trip.

Israel's new leader to present Iran plan in first White House visit

The Supreme Court verdict refused to revoke Donald Trump's migration protection protocols which forced asylum seekers to stay in Mexico awaiting US hearings.

US Supreme Court requires Biden to revive Trump-era 'remain in Mexico' policy

The&nbsp;Human Rights Watch said on Thursday that&nbsp;Brazil's far-right president, Jair Bolsonaro, is blocking critics on social media.

The rights group said that&nbsp;Bolsonaro was violating their rights of freedom of speech and access to information.

It has&nbsp;identified 176 accounts that were blocked by Bolsonaro, including those of journalists, members of congress and social media influencers with more than a million followers.

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/demonstrators-hold-anti-bolsonaro-protests-across-cities-in-brazil-400610/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

Social media has been a key means of public communication for Bolsonaro, helping him win office in 2018 and interact with supporters. He has 6.9 million followers on his Twitter account, 14.2 million on Facebook and 18.6 million on Facebook's Instagram photo-sharing app.

"He is trying to rid his social media accounts of people and institutions that disagree with him and turn them into spaces where only applause is allowed," said Maria Laura Canineu, Brazil director at Human Rights Watch.

Also see|&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/brazil-president-jair-bolsonaro-and-his-non-normal-antics-314020">Brazil President Jair Bolsonaro and his 'non-normal' antics</a>

As president, Bolsonaro has used social media to make official announcements, comment on foreign affairs and lash out at his opponents.

Blocked people can no longer comment on his posts, which prevents them from participating in public debate and stops journalists from asking questions, infringing on freedom of the press, Human Rights Watch said.

In April and June, the group posted messages on its Brazil Twitter, Facebook and Instagram accounts asking users if Bolsonaro had blocked them. More than 400 said yes, the vast majority on Twitter.

Among them, 176 provided screenshots showing their usernames. Most said they were blocked after publishing comments criticizing the government.

Blocked followers included the Brazil accounts of Amnesty International, Reporters without Borders and Human Rights Watch.

In a case involving former US&nbsp;President Donald Trump, a US&nbsp;court ruled in 2019 that a public official cannot block people from social media accounts used for official business just because they express views with which the official disagrees.

(With inputs from agencies)

The Human Rights Watch said on Thursday that Brazil's far-right president, Jair Bolsonaro, is blocking critics on social media. The rights group said that Bolsonaro was violating their rights of freedom of speech and access to information.

The Human Rights Watch said on Thursday that Brazil's far-right president, Jair Bolsonaro, is blocking critics on social media. The rights group said that Bolsonaro was violating their rights of freedom of speech and access to information. It has identified 176 accounts that were blocked by Bolsonaro, including those of journalists, members of congress and social media influencers with more than a million followers. Social media has been a key means of public communication for Bolsonaro, helping him win office in 2018 and interact with supporters. He has 6.9 million followers on his Twitter account, 14.2 million on Facebook and 18.6 million on Facebook's Instagram photo-sharing app. "He is trying to rid his social media accounts of people and institutions that disagree with him and turn them into spaces where only applause is allowed," said Maria Laura Canineu, Brazil director at Human Rights Watch. Also see| Brazil President Jair Bolsonaro and his 'non-normal' antics As president, Bolsonaro has used social media to make official announcements, comment on foreign affairs and lash out at his opponents. Blocked people can no longer comment on his posts, which prevents them from participating in public debate and stops journalists from asking questions, infringing on freedom of the press, Human Rights Watch said. In April and June, the group posted messages on its Brazil Twitter, Facebook and Instagram accounts asking users if Bolsonaro had blocked them. More than 400 said yes, the vast majority on Twitter. Among them, 176 provided screenshots showing their usernames. Most said they were blocked after publishing comments criticizing the government. Blocked followers included the Brazil accounts of Amnesty International, Reporters without Borders and Human Rights Watch. In a case involving former US President Donald Trump, a US court ruled in 2019 that a public official cannot block people from social media accounts used for official business just because they express views with which the official disagrees. (With inputs from agencies)

Human Rights Watch says Bolsonaro is blocking critics on social media

Former US President Donald Trump called for his successor Joe Biden to resign over the swift takeover of Afghanistan by Taliban militants, as US troops withdrew from the country after nearly 20 years on the ground.

Trump blames Biden for Taliban takeover of Afghanistan, seeks his resignation

The foreign ministers of Morocco and Israel signed three accords on Wednesday during the first visit by a top official from the Jewish state since ties were normalised last year.

Nasser Bourita and his Israeli counterpart Yair Lapid signed agreements on political consultations, aviation, and culture.

Lapid told reporters the accords would "bring our countries innovation and opportunities for the benefit of our children,&nbsp;and their children,&nbsp;for years to come".

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/israeli-foreign-minister-yair-lapid-heads-to-morocco-for-landmark-visit-404598">Israeli Foreign Minister Yair Lapid heads to Morocco for landmark visit</a>

Bourita hosted Lapid in the first visit by Israel's top diplomat to the North African kingdom since 2003, after the two countries agreed in December to resume diplomatic relations under a US-brokered deal.

Those accords, engineered by former US&nbsp;President Donald Trump, also saw Washington recognise Moroccan sovereignty over Western Sahara, in a diplomatic boon for Rabat.

Morocco and Israel relaunched direct flights last month, and during a meeting at the Moroccan foreign ministry on Wednesday, Bourita and Lapid signed three cooperation agreements dealing with diplomatic consultation, culture and air transit.

"Our ties with Israel are unlike any other ties," Bourita, standing alongside Lapid, told reporters, saying that Morocco's Jewish heritage was a core component of its identity.

But reiterating Morocco's long-standing support for the Palestinians, Bourita said: "There is a need to restore trust between all parties ... and refrain from fuelling tension in order to pave the way for a political solution based on the two-state solution."

Morocco was one of four Arab countries, along with the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, and Sudan&nbsp;to move towards normalising relations with Israel last year under US-engineered accords.

Those agreements angered Palestinians, who have long relied on Arab support in their quest for statehood in the Israeli-occupied West Bank and Gaza. Until last year, only two Arab states - Egypt and Jordan - had forged full ties with Israel.

Moroccan officials say they have restored the mid-level relations that Rabat cooled in 2000 in solidarity with the Palestinians, who launched an uprising that year.

Lapid said Israel's upgraded ties with Morocco would bring "benefits (for) tourism and the economy, for trade and cultural exchange, (and) for friendship and cooperation."

During his two-day visit, Lapid will inaugurate Israel's diplomatic mission in Rabat and visit Casablanca's Temple Beth-El,&nbsp;a centrepiece of the country's historic Jewish community.

Morocco had one of the largest Jewish communities in the region until Israel's founding in 1948. As Jews fled or were expelled from many Arab countries, an estimated 250,000 left Morocco for Israel from 1948 to 1964.

Only about 3,000 Jews remain in Morocco, but hundreds of thousands of Israelis claim some Moroccan ancestry.

Andre Levy, an Israeli of Moroccan Jewish descent who was born in Casablanca and was visiting Morocco with his two children, said the upgraded relations would bring more tourism.

"Even before ties resumed I used to visit regularly. But now more Israelis from the second and third generation will come," Levy said.

(With inputs from agencies)

The foreign ministers of Morocco and Israel signed three accords on Wednesday during the first visit by a top official from the Jewish state since ties were normalised last year.

The foreign ministers of Morocco and Israel signed three accords on Wednesday during the first visit by a top official from the Jewish state since ties were normalised last year. Nasser Bourita and his Israeli counterpart Yair Lapid signed agreements on political consultations, aviation, and culture. Lapid told reporters the accords would "bring our countries innovation and opportunities for the benefit of our children, and their children, for years to come". Also read | Israeli Foreign Minister Yair Lapid heads to Morocco for landmark visit Bourita hosted Lapid in the first visit by Israel's top diplomat to the North African kingdom since 2003, after the two countries agreed in December to resume diplomatic relations under a US-brokered deal. Those accords, engineered by former US President Donald Trump, also saw Washington recognise Moroccan sovereignty over Western Sahara, in a diplomatic boon for Rabat. Morocco and Israel relaunched direct flights last month, and during a meeting at the Moroccan foreign ministry on Wednesday, Bourita and Lapid signed three cooperation agreements dealing with diplomatic consultation, culture and air transit. "Our ties with Israel are unlike any other ties," Bourita, standing alongside Lapid, told reporters, saying that Morocco's Jewish heritage was a core component of its identity. But reiterating Morocco's long-standing support for the Palestinians, Bourita said: "There is a need to restore trust between all parties ... and refrain from fuelling tension in order to pave the way for a political solution based on the two-state solution." Morocco was one of four Arab countries, along with the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, and Sudan to move towards normalising relations with Israel last year under US-engineered accords. Those agreements angered Palestinians, who have long relied on Arab support in their quest for statehood in the Israeli-occupied West Bank and Gaza. Until last year, only two Arab states - Egypt and Jordan - had forged full ties with Israel. Moroccan officials say they have restored the mid-level relations that Rabat cooled in 2000 in solidarity with the Palestinians, who launched an uprising that year. Lapid said Israel's upgraded ties with Morocco would bring "benefits (for) tourism and the economy, for trade and cultural exchange, (and) for friendship and cooperation." During his two-day visit, Lapid will inaugurate Israel's diplomatic mission in Rabat and visit Casablanca's Temple Beth-El, a centrepiece of the country's historic Jewish community. Morocco had one of the largest Jewish communities in the region until Israel's founding in 1948. As Jews fled or were expelled from many Arab countries, an estimated 250,000 left Morocco for Israel from 1948 to 1964. Only about 3,000 Jews remain in Morocco, but hundreds of thousands of Israelis claim some Moroccan ancestry. Andre Levy, an Israeli of Moroccan Jewish descent who was born in Casablanca and was visiting Morocco with his two children, said the upgraded relations would bring more tourism. "Even before ties resumed I used to visit regularly. But now more Israelis from the second and third generation will come," Levy said. (With inputs from agencies)

Israel and Morocco sign three deals to mark historic visit

Israeli Foreign Minister Yair Lapid left&nbsp;for Morocco Wednesday on the first official visit since Rabat joined three other Arab countries in normalising ties last year.

"Taking off for a historic visit to Morocco!" Lapid wrote on Twitter, posting a photograph of the El Al airline departures screen.&nbsp;

Israel and Morocco normalised ties last year after then US President Donald Trump recognised Morocco's contested sovereignty in Western Sahara.&nbsp;

Morocco was the fourth Arab state to establish ties with Israel last year after the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Sudan.

The move infuriated the Palestinians as it shattered the longstanding Arab consensus that there should be no normalisation until Israel agrees to a comprehensive and lasting peace.&nbsp;

Lapid is scheduled to open a diplomatic office in Rabat and hold talks with his Moroccan counterpart Nasser Bourita.&nbsp;

He is also expected to visit the Beth-El synagogue in Casablanca on his two-day visit, the Israeli foreign ministry said.&nbsp;

The North African country hosts the Arab world's largest Jewish community of some 3,000 people.&nbsp;

They are the remnant of a once much larger community. Some 700,000 Jews of Moroccan descent now live in Israel.

Morocco and Israel maintained liaison offices in the 1990s, before closing them during the second&nbsp;Palestinian intifada, or uprising, that raged from 2000 to 2005.

Lapid's visit to Rabat follows a June trip to the United Arab Emirates, where he inaugurated the new Israeli embassy in Abu Dhabi.

It comes just days before Israel is due to require all travellers returning from Morocco to quarantine following a review of the risks of Covid-19 infection.

Israeli Foreign Minister Yair Lapid left for Morocco Wednesday on the first official visit since Rabat joined three other Arab countries in normalising ties last year.

Israeli Foreign Minister Yair Lapid left for Morocco Wednesday on the first official visit since Rabat joined three other Arab countries in normalising ties last year. "Taking off for a historic visit to Morocco!" Lapid wrote on Twitter, posting a photograph of the El Al airline departures screen. Israel and Morocco normalised ties last year after then US President Donald Trump recognised Morocco's contested sovereignty in Western Sahara. Morocco was the fourth Arab state to establish ties with Israel last year after the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Sudan. The move infuriated the Palestinians as it shattered the longstanding Arab consensus that there should be no normalisation until Israel agrees to a comprehensive and lasting peace. Lapid is scheduled to open a diplomatic office in Rabat and hold talks with his Moroccan counterpart Nasser Bourita. He is also expected to visit the Beth-El synagogue in Casablanca on his two-day visit, the Israeli foreign ministry said. The North African country hosts the Arab world's largest Jewish community of some 3,000 people. They are the remnant of a once much larger community. Some 700,000 Jews of Moroccan descent now live in Israel. Morocco and Israel maintained liaison offices in the 1990s, before closing them during the second Palestinian intifada, or uprising, that raged from 2000 to 2005. Lapid's visit to Rabat follows a June trip to the United Arab Emirates, where he inaugurated the new Israeli embassy in Abu Dhabi. It comes just days before Israel is due to require all travellers returning from Morocco to quarantine following a review of the risks of Covid-19 infection.

Israeli Foreign Minister Yair Lapid heads to Morocco for landmark visit

Former US President <a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/donald-trump?page=1">Donald Trump</a> will be running for the US Election 2024 even after losing the 2020 elections against Joe Biden.

His onetime press secretary, Sean Spicer, claimed that although he was not sure if Trump will be re-running, it would be difficult to convince him to not run for the post of President in the next elections.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/everything-that-is-too-woke-goes-bad-trump-lashes-out-at-us-womens-soccer-olympic-team-403253" hreflang="en">'Everything that is too woke goes bad': Trump lashes out at US women's soccer Olympic team</a>

"A couple of months ago, I wasn’t sure," Spicer said in an interview with Washington Examiner. "Now ... there needs to be something that will keep him out."

Although it has not been made clear whether Spicer was speaking his mind or on behalf of the former reality TV star.

His statement has come after months of rumours surrounding Trump's re-run for gaining control of the White House.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/trump-moves-to-block-congress-from-getting-his-taxes-402930" hreflang="en">Trump moves to block Congress from getting his taxes</a>

Donald Trump, a Republican, had ruled the White House after winning the 2016 elections and tried winning the title once again in the 2020 elections, where he lost against Democratic candidate Joe Biden. Since losing the elections, Trump has continuously claimed that his opponent won the elections by voter fraud and has urged authorities to declare the elections as illegal. However, he has failed to provide any proof for his allegations.

While he claims he has little trust in the justice system of the country, which he claims has been corrupted by the Democrats, he still wants to contest for the post of the President of the United States.

Even though there has been no official statement from Trump or his team, his aides have been dropping hints and Trump himself has been talking about coming back in 2024 elections.

"We met with several of our Cabinet members tonight … I'm not authorized to speak on behalf of the president, but I can tell you this...we wouldn’t be meeting tonight if we weren’t making plans to move forward in a real way, with President Trump at the head of that ticket," Mark Meadows, Trump’s former chief of staff, was quoted by local media.

Former US President Donald Trump will be running for the US Election 2024 even after losing the 2020 elections against Joe Biden. His onetime press secretary, Sean Spicer, claimed that although he was not sure if Trump will be re-running, it would be difficult to convince him to not run for the post of President in the next elections.

Former US President Donald Trump will be running for the US Election 2024 even after losing the 2020 elections against Joe Biden. His onetime press secretary, Sean Spicer, claimed that although he was not sure if Trump will be re-running, it would be difficult to convince him to not run for the post of President in the next elections. Also read | 'Everything that is too woke goes bad': Trump lashes out at US women's soccer Olympic team "A couple of months ago, I wasn’t sure," Spicer said in an interview with Washington Examiner. "Now ... there needs to be something that will keep him out." Although it has not been made clear whether Spicer was speaking his mind or on behalf of the former reality TV star. His statement has come after months of rumours surrounding Trump's re-run for gaining control of the White House. Also read | Trump moves to block Congress from getting his taxes Donald Trump, a Republican, had ruled the White House after winning the 2016 elections and tried winning the title once again in the 2020 elections, where he lost against Democratic candidate Joe Biden. Since losing the elections, Trump has continuously claimed that his opponent won the elections by voter fraud and has urged authorities to declare the elections as illegal. However, he has failed to provide any proof for his allegations. While he claims he has little trust in the justice system of the country, which he claims has been corrupted by the Democrats, he still wants to contest for the post of the President of the United States. Even though there has been no official statement from Trump or his team, his aides have been dropping hints and Trump himself has been talking about coming back in 2024 elections. "We met with several of our Cabinet members tonight … I'm not authorized to speak on behalf of the president, but I can tell you this...we wouldn’t be meeting tonight if we weren’t making plans to move forward in a real way, with President Trump at the head of that ticket," Mark Meadows, Trump’s former chief of staff, was quoted by local media.

Donald Trump to run for US Presidential election 2024, Sean Spicer claims

President&nbsp;Jair Bolsonaro suffered a setback after a&nbsp;Brazilian congressional committee voted against a constitutional amendment to adopt printed ballots.

The 34-member committee voted 23 to 11 to shelve the amendment that Bolsonaro had advocated for weeks, claiming the country's electronic voting system is open to fraud.

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"Bolsonaro has threatened the elections because he has already lost. He wants to perpetuate himself in power. He needs to be contained," Congressman Ivan Valente of Socialism and Liberty Party told the commission.

Bolsonaro&nbsp;has for years been arguing for a paper printout to be made of each vote cast, saying the absence of a paper trail makes cheating easier.

He threw fuel on the fire surrounding his claims with a Facebook live address last Thursday in which he spent the better part of two hours insisting the 2014 and 2018 elections were fraudulent.

He says his own victory in 2018 should have come in the first round, rather than the runoff, though he has never presented evidence to back up the claim.

Previously,&nbsp;Bolsonaro raged against a Supreme Court investigation&nbsp;into his conduct and threatened to respond outside the limits of the constitution, escalating a clash between the far-right leader and the judiciary.

Bolsonaro's comments came after Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes approved an investigation into the president's unfounded accusations that Brazil's electronic voting system is vulnerable to fraud.

The president called for people to take to the streets to defend his proposal and accused members of the top court of wanting to help Lula's Workers Party return to power.

On Sunday, thousands of Brazilians took to the streets in several cities to support&nbsp;Bolsonaro's campaign against electronic voting.

Opinion polls place the 66-year-old leader well behind leftist ex-president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva in the presidential race.

Bolsonaro's popularity numbers have been sliding, and he is under fire on various fronts, including a Senate investigation into his government's widely criticised handling of Covid-19.

There are fears&nbsp;Bolsonaro&nbsp;could try to use fraud claims to undermine next year's election if he loses, following in the footsteps of former US President Donald Trump, with whom he is often compared.

(With inputs from agencies)

President Jair Bolsonaro suffered a setback after a Brazilian congressional committee voted against a constitutional amendment to adopt printed ballots. The 34-member committee voted 23 to 11 to shelve the amendment that Bolsonaro had advocated for weeks, claiming the country's electronic voting system is open to fraud.

President Jair Bolsonaro suffered a setback after a Brazilian congressional committee voted against a constitutional amendment to adopt printed ballots. The 34-member committee voted 23 to 11 to shelve the amendment that Bolsonaro had advocated for weeks, claiming the country's electronic voting system is open to fraud. "Bolsonaro has threatened the elections because he has already lost. He wants to perpetuate himself in power. He needs to be contained," Congressman Ivan Valente of Socialism and Liberty Party told the commission. Bolsonaro has for years been arguing for a paper printout to be made of each vote cast, saying the absence of a paper trail makes cheating easier. He threw fuel on the fire surrounding his claims with a Facebook live address last Thursday in which he spent the better part of two hours insisting the 2014 and 2018 elections were fraudulent. He says his own victory in 2018 should have come in the first round, rather than the runoff, though he has never presented evidence to back up the claim. Previously, Bolsonaro raged against a Supreme Court investigation into his conduct and threatened to respond outside the limits of the constitution, escalating a clash between the far-right leader and the judiciary. Bolsonaro's comments came after Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes approved an investigation into the president's unfounded accusations that Brazil's electronic voting system is vulnerable to fraud. The president called for people to take to the streets to defend his proposal and accused members of the top court of wanting to help Lula's Workers Party return to power. On Sunday, thousands of Brazilians took to the streets in several cities to support Bolsonaro's campaign against electronic voting. Opinion polls place the 66-year-old leader well behind leftist ex-president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva in the presidential race. Bolsonaro's popularity numbers have been sliding, and he is under fire on various fronts, including a Senate investigation into his government's widely criticised handling of Covid-19. There are fears Bolsonaro could try to use fraud claims to undermine next year's election if he loses, following in the footsteps of former US President Donald Trump, with whom he is often compared. (With inputs from agencies)

Setback for Bolsonaro after voting change sought by him defeated in Congress

Former US President <a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a> believes if someone is "too woke", one tends to lose. His belief came into public light after the US soccer team missed winning gold at <a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/tokyo-olympics">Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games</a>.

"If our soccer team, headed by a radical group of Leftist Maniacs, wasn't woke, they would have won the Gold Medal instead of the Bronze. Woke means you lose, everything that is woke goes bad, and our soccer team certainly has,"&nbsp;the infamous former president said.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/tokyo-olympics-indian-wrestler-ravi-kumar-dahiya-secures-silver-medal-despite-losing-the-final-403137">Indian wrestler Ravi Kumar Dahiya wins Olympics silver after losing in finals</a>

Trump was upset about the miss of the gold medal of the US women's soccer team. He motivated his supports to boo the US women team as he believes their miss of the medal was simply because the players were bust being too "woke".

He also falsely suggested that the women team refused to stand for the national anthem played during the tournament.

After the game, the double goalscorer Megan Rapinoe was appreciated for her contribution to the game, and this was being celebrated as a win for the LGBTQ community. However, Trump refused to acknowledge the good performance and instead claimed that Rapinoe had played badly.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/exclusive-we-were-questioned-and-laughed-at-in-past-this-is-our-answer-says-sreejesh-after-india-win-olympic-hockey-bronze-watch-403109">Olympics hockey bronze is answer to those who laughed at us, says Sreejesh</a>

"The woman with the purple hair played terribly and spends too much time thinking about Radical Left politics and not doing her job!," Trump said.

"They should replace the wokesters with Patriots and start winning again," he added aggressively.

His comment on Rapinoe has come after the sports star had openly criticised the former president while he was in office. She had also refused to visit the White House till he was the main occupant there — something that Trump had largely criticised.

Former US President Donald Trump believes if someone is "too woke", one tends to lose. His belief came into public light after the US soccer team missed winning gold at Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games.

Former US President Donald Trump believes if someone is "too woke", one tends to lose. His belief came into public light after the US soccer team missed winning gold at Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games. "If our soccer team, headed by a radical group of Leftist Maniacs, wasn't woke, they would have won the Gold Medal instead of the Bronze. Woke means you lose, everything that is woke goes bad, and our soccer team certainly has," the infamous former president said. Also read | Indian wrestler Ravi Kumar Dahiya wins Olympics silver after losing in finals Trump was upset about the miss of the gold medal of the US women's soccer team. He motivated his supports to boo the US women team as he believes their miss of the medal was simply because the players were bust being too "woke". He also falsely suggested that the women team refused to stand for the national anthem played during the tournament. After the game, the double goalscorer Megan Rapinoe was appreciated for her contribution to the game, and this was being celebrated as a win for the LGBTQ community. However, Trump refused to acknowledge the good performance and instead claimed that Rapinoe had played badly. Also read | Olympics hockey bronze is answer to those who laughed at us, says Sreejesh "The woman with the purple hair played terribly and spends too much time thinking about Radical Left politics and not doing her job!," Trump said. "They should replace the wokesters with Patriots and start winning again," he added aggressively. His comment on Rapinoe has come after the sports star had openly criticised the former president while he was in office. She had also refused to visit the White House till he was the main occupant there — something that Trump had largely criticised.

'Everything that is too woke goes bad': Trump lashes out at US women's soccer Olympic team

Former US president <a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a> moved Wednesday to block the Treasury from handing over years of his tax records to a congressional committee, which some believe could expose abuse of tax laws.

In a Washington court filing Trump's lawyers objected to a Justice Department order last week that the Treasury, after stalling for years, needed to provide the House Ways and Means Committee with six years of records that Trump has long refused to make public.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/former-us-president-donald-trumps-fundraising-initiatives-raise-100-million-402374" hreflang="en">Former US president Donald Trump's fundraising initiatives raise $100 million &nbsp;</a>

The lawyers argue that while the committee claims to be investigating how the Internal Revenue Service handles cases like Trump's -- the former president said for years that his taxes were under audit -- in fact the request is driven by politics.

The aim of the Democratic-controlled panel, the filing says, "is to expose the private tax information of one individual -- President Trump -- for political gain."

"The requests single out President Trump because he is a Republican and a political opponent," it adds.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-doj-orders-irs-to-hand-over-trumps-tax-returns-to-a-house-panel-402014" hreflang="en">US DoJ orders IRS to hand over Trump’s tax returns to a House panel&nbsp;</a>

"They were made to retaliate against President Trump because of his policy positions, his political beliefs and his protected speech, including the positions he took during the 2016 and 2020 campaigns," it said.

The US Justice Department ordered the Treasury on Friday to hand Trump's tax records to the committee, which subpoenaed them in 2019.

Committee chairman Richard Neal had argued that his members needed the returns to understand how the IRS conducts its presidential audits and whether Trump had exerted "undue influence" over the agency.

Trump claimed for years that he could not make the records public because they were under audit, and when he was president, the Republican-controlled Treasury and Justice Department sided with him on the issue.

Both departments are now led by Democrats, and the Justice Department argued last week that the committee had a legitimate interest in seeing Trump's records.

Some suspect that the records would show the billionaire property tycoon manipulated the tax code to pay very little over a long period.

Trump is under investigation in New York for tax fraud and other wrongdoings relating to the financial activities of his Trump Organization.

In February the Supreme Court declined to block a subpoena of Trump's taxes by a New York prosecutors.

All US presidents since Richard Nixon, who took office in 1969, have made public their tax and asset records.

Former US president Donald Trump moved Wednesday to block the Treasury from handing over years of his tax records to a congressional committee, which some believe could expose abuse of tax laws.

Former US president Donald Trump moved Wednesday to block the Treasury from handing over years of his tax records to a congressional committee, which some believe could expose abuse of tax laws. In a Washington court filing Trump's lawyers objected to a Justice Department order last week that the Treasury, after stalling for years, needed to provide the House Ways and Means Committee with six years of records that Trump has long refused to make public. Also read | Former US president Donald Trump's fundraising initiatives raise $100 million The lawyers argue that while the committee claims to be investigating how the Internal Revenue Service handles cases like Trump's -- the former president said for years that his taxes were under audit -- in fact the request is driven by politics. The aim of the Democratic-controlled panel, the filing says, "is to expose the private tax information of one individual -- President Trump -- for political gain." "The requests single out President Trump because he is a Republican and a political opponent," it adds. Also read | US DoJ orders IRS to hand over Trump’s tax returns to a House panel "They were made to retaliate against President Trump because of his policy positions, his political beliefs and his protected speech, including the positions he took during the 2016 and 2020 campaigns," it said. The US Justice Department ordered the Treasury on Friday to hand Trump's tax records to the committee, which subpoenaed them in 2019. Committee chairman Richard Neal had argued that his members needed the returns to understand how the IRS conducts its presidential audits and whether Trump had exerted "undue influence" over the agency. Trump claimed for years that he could not make the records public because they were under audit, and when he was president, the Republican-controlled Treasury and Justice Department sided with him on the issue. Both departments are now led by Democrats, and the Justice Department argued last week that the committee had a legitimate interest in seeing Trump's records. Some suspect that the records would show the billionaire property tycoon manipulated the tax code to pay very little over a long period. Trump is under investigation in New York for tax fraud and other wrongdoings relating to the financial activities of his Trump Organization. In February the Supreme Court declined to block a subpoena of Trump's taxes by a New York prosecutors. All US presidents since Richard Nixon, who took office in 1969, have made public their tax and asset records.

Trump moves to block Congress from getting his taxes

President Jair Bolsonaro has lashed out at electoral authorities for ordering an investigation of his campaign against Brazil's electronic voting system, saying he refused to be "intimidated" and that the country "is under attack."

Brazil's Supreme Electoral Court (TSE) has&nbsp;opened an investigation into the far-right&nbsp;president for his statements claiming there will be fraud in next year's elections.

"I refuse to be intimidated," Bolsonaro fired back.

"I'm going to continue exercising my right to freedom of expression, to criticise, to listen to and above all answer to the will of the people," he told supporters outside the presidential palace.

"I swore to give my life for the nation in case of foreign or domestic attack. Brazil is under internal attack."

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Bolsonaro, who is expected to seek a second term in 2022, has repeatedly said&nbsp;Brazil's electronic voting system is vulnerable to fraud.

Critics say Bolsonaro, like former US&nbsp;President Donald Trump, is sowing doubts with his unfounded claims in order to pave the way for him not to accept defeat in 2022.

Bolsonaro has long criticised electronic voting, introduced in Brazil in 1996.

He has stepped up his attacks in the build-up to the October 2022 elections, insisting on "printable and auditable" paper ballots as a backstop to the electronic system.

He has called the Superior Electoral Court's president, Luis Roberto Barroso, an "imbecile" for suggesting introducing a paper ballot could open the process to manipulation.

On Sunday, thousands of Brazilians took to the streets in several cities to support Bolsonaro's campaign against electronic voting, though the president did not take part.

Opinion polls place the 66-year-old leader well behind leftist ex-president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva in next year's presidential race.

Bolsonaro is under fire on various fronts, including a Senate investigation into his government's widely criticised handling of COVID-19.

(With inputs from agencies)

President Jair Bolsonaro has lashed out at electoral authorities for ordering an investigation of his campaign against Brazil's electronic voting system, saying he refused to be "intimidated" and that the country "is under attack.

President Jair Bolsonaro has lashed out at electoral authorities for ordering an investigation of his campaign against Brazil's electronic voting system, saying he refused to be "intimidated" and that the country "is under attack." Brazil's Supreme Electoral Court (TSE) has opened an investigation into the far-right president for his statements claiming there will be fraud in next year's elections. "I refuse to be intimidated," Bolsonaro fired back. "I'm going to continue exercising my right to freedom of expression, to criticise, to listen to and above all answer to the will of the people," he told supporters outside the presidential palace. "I swore to give my life for the nation in case of foreign or domestic attack. Brazil is under internal attack." Bolsonaro, who is expected to seek a second term in 2022, has repeatedly said Brazil's electronic voting system is vulnerable to fraud. Critics say Bolsonaro, like former US President Donald Trump, is sowing doubts with his unfounded claims in order to pave the way for him not to accept defeat in 2022. Bolsonaro has long criticised electronic voting, introduced in Brazil in 1996. He has stepped up his attacks in the build-up to the October 2022 elections, insisting on "printable and auditable" paper ballots as a backstop to the electronic system. He has called the Superior Electoral Court's president, Luis Roberto Barroso, an "imbecile" for suggesting introducing a paper ballot could open the process to manipulation. On Sunday, thousands of Brazilians took to the streets in several cities to support Bolsonaro's campaign against electronic voting, though the president did not take part. Opinion polls place the 66-year-old leader well behind leftist ex-president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva in next year's presidential race. Bolsonaro is under fire on various fronts, including a Senate investigation into his government's widely criticised handling of COVID-19. (With inputs from agencies)

'Brazil is under attack': President Jair Bolsonaro lashes out at new probe for attacks on voting system

Former US President <a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a> has defended his comments to the top Department of Justice (DoJ) officials saying the US election 2020 was full of corruption.

On Friday, the House Oversight and Reform Committee released notes that proved Trump was pressurising officials to investigate election fraud and asked the officials to overturn the US election 2020 as "corrupt".

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-doj-orders-irs-to-hand-over-trumps-tax-returns-to-a-house-panel-402014">US DoJ orders IRS to hand over Trump’s tax returns to a House panel</a>

However, Trump was not happy with this new turn of events and criticised the Oversight and Reform Committee for releasing these documents. He also said that it was wrong of the officials to describe his requests as an attempt to "overturn the election".

"The corrupt and highly partisan House Democrats who run the House Oversight Committee yesterday released documents--including court filings dealing with the rigged election of 2020 — that they dishonestly described as attempting to overturn the election," Trump said.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/former-us-president-donald-trump-urged-justice-officials-to-declare-election-corrupt-401838" hreflang="en">Former US President Donald Trump urged Justice officials to declare election 'corrupt'</a>

He has once again reiterated his claims of elections being rigged after he lost the White House control to Joe Biden.

"In fact, it is just the opposite. The documents were meant to uphold the integrity and honesty of elections and the sanctity of our vote," Trump said. "The American People want, and demand, that the President of the United States, its chief law enforcement officer in the country, stand with them to fight for Election Integrity and to investigate attempts to undermine our nation."

Former US President Donald Trump has defended his comments to the top Department of Justice (DoJ) officials saying the US election 2020 was full of corruption. On Friday, the House Oversight and Reform Committee released notes that proved Trump was pressurising officials to investigate election fraud and asked the officials to overturn the US election 2020 as "corrupt".

Former US President Donald Trump has defended his comments to the top Department of Justice (DoJ) officials saying the US election 2020 was full of corruption. On Friday, the House Oversight and Reform Committee released notes that proved Trump was pressurising officials to investigate election fraud and asked the officials to overturn the US election 2020 as "corrupt". Also read | US DoJ orders IRS to hand over Trump’s tax returns to a House panel However, Trump was not happy with this new turn of events and criticised the Oversight and Reform Committee for releasing these documents. He also said that it was wrong of the officials to describe his requests as an attempt to "overturn the election". "The corrupt and highly partisan House Democrats who run the House Oversight Committee yesterday released documents--including court filings dealing with the rigged election of 2020 — that they dishonestly described as attempting to overturn the election," Trump said. Also read | Former US President Donald Trump urged Justice officials to declare election 'corrupt' He has once again reiterated his claims of elections being rigged after he lost the White House control to Joe Biden. "In fact, it is just the opposite. The documents were meant to uphold the integrity and honesty of elections and the sanctity of our vote," Trump said. "The American People want, and demand, that the President of the United States, its chief law enforcement officer in the country, stand with them to fight for Election Integrity and to investigate attempts to undermine our nation."

Donald Trump lashes out at justice department for releasing notes

Former US&nbsp;President Donald Trump pressured the Justice Department to overturn the 2020 presidential election results, according to internal documents released by the chair of the House of Representatives Oversight and Reform Committee on Friday.

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NEW: <a href="https://twitter.com/OversightDems?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@OversightDems</a> released notes taken by then-Acting Deputy AG Donoghue of a 12/27/20 call with Pres. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Trump?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Trump</a> &amp; former Acting AG Rosen, revealing attempts by Trump to pressure the 2 most senior officials at the DOJ to help overturn the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/2020election?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#2020election</a> or risk losing their jobs.
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The department ultimately did not join the effort and numerous courts rejected lawsuits seeking to overturn election results in various states.

The handwritten notes, taken by then-Acting Deputy Attorney General Richard Donoghue, paint a damning picture of Trump as he desperately sought to get the Justice Department to take the unprecedented step of intervening in the 2020 presidential election, which he lost.

The notes of the December&nbsp;27 call, released Friday by the Democratic-led House Oversight Committee, underscore the lengths to which Trump went to overturn the results of the election and to elicit the support of law enforcement officials and other government leaders in that effort.

"Don't expect you to do that," Trump replied. "Just say that the election was corrupt and&nbsp;leave the rest to me and the R. Congressmen," in a reference to Republicans.

The documents also show then-White House&nbsp;Chief of Staff Mark Meadows&nbsp;asking&nbsp;Justice Department officials to investigate an unfounded conspiracy theory called "Italygate" alleging that US&nbsp;electoral data was changed in Italian facilities with the knowledge of the CIA.

The fact that the Justice Department allowed the handwritten notes to be turned over the congressional investigators marks a dramatic shift from the Trump administration, which repeatedly invoked executive privilege as a means of skirting congressional scrutiny.

(With inputs from agencies)

Former US President Donald Trump pressured the Justice Department to overturn the 2020 presidential election results, according to internal documents released by the chair of the House of Representatives Oversight and Reform Committee on Friday.

Former US President Donald Trump pressured the Justice Department to overturn the 2020 presidential election results, according to internal documents released by the chair of the House of Representatives Oversight and Reform Committee on Friday. NEW: @OversightDems released notes taken by then-Acting Deputy AG Donoghue of a 12/27/20 call with Pres. #Trump & former Acting AG Rosen, revealing attempts by Trump to pressure the 2 most senior officials at the DOJ to help overturn the #2020election or risk losing their jobs. — Oversight Committee (@OversightDems) July 30, 2021 × The department ultimately did not join the effort and numerous courts rejected lawsuits seeking to overturn election results in various states. The handwritten notes, taken by then-Acting Deputy Attorney General Richard Donoghue, paint a damning picture of Trump as he desperately sought to get the Justice Department to take the unprecedented step of intervening in the 2020 presidential election, which he lost. The notes of the December 27 call, released Friday by the Democratic-led House Oversight Committee, underscore the lengths to which Trump went to overturn the results of the election and to elicit the support of law enforcement officials and other government leaders in that effort. "Don't expect you to do that," Trump replied. "Just say that the election was corrupt and leave the rest to me and the R. Congressmen," in a reference to Republicans. The documents also show then-White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows asking Justice Department officials to investigate an unfounded conspiracy theory called "Italygate" alleging that US electoral data was changed in Italian facilities with the knowledge of the CIA. The fact that the Justice Department allowed the handwritten notes to be turned over the congressional investigators marks a dramatic shift from the Trump administration, which repeatedly invoked executive privilege as a means of skirting congressional scrutiny. (With inputs from agencies)

Former US President Donald Trump urged Justice officials to declare election 'corrupt'

Republican Senate President Karen Fann says the audit is only meant to see whether improvements are needed to state election laws.&nbsp;

Groups connected to prominent supporters of former President Donald Trump's movement to cast doubt on the 2020 election results have raised more than $5.7 million for Arizona Republicans' election audit, according to figures released late Wednesday, July 28, 2021.&nbsp;

Doug Logan, CEO of Cyber Ninjas, the little-known firm hired to lead the audit, ended months of silence about who was paying for it and how much it cost. The money from pro-Trump groups dwarfs the $150,000 contributed by the Arizona Senate, which commissioned the audit and hired Cyber Ninjas.&nbsp;

Among those leading the fundraising groups are Michael Flynn, Trump's former national security advisor; Sydney Powell, his attorney who filed a number of baseless lawsuits challenging election results; Patrick Byrne, a former chief executive of Overstock.com; and correspondents from the pro-Trump One America News Network.&nbsp;

Republican Senate President Karen Fann says the audit is only meant to see whether improvements are needed to state election laws. But the audit has long been associated with the "stop the steal" movement, and Trump has predicted it will uncover evidence to support his discredited theories of fraud.&nbsp;

Before he was hired to lead the audit, Logan promoted Trump's false narrative that the election was stolen from him, and pro-Trump media has aggressively promoted the effort.

By far the largest funder is The America Project, led by Byrne, which Logan said has so far contributed $3.25 million. America's Future, which lists Flynn as its chairman, contributed just over $976,000. Voices and Votes, led by OANN correspondents Christina Bobb and Chanel Rion, contributed $605,000; and Powell's Defending the Republic gave $550,000. Election Integrity Funds for the American Republic, which Logan said is led by attorney Matthew DePerno, contributed $280,000. DePerno unsuccessfully sued Antrim County, Michigan, over the election.

Logan said several of the groups "have also provided operational support and advice pivotal in executing the audit."

Still unclear is where those groups got their money. They are organized as nonprofits and do not have to disclose their donors.&nbsp;

Logan has fought to keep the funders secret, though he acknowledged at the beginning of the audit that his $150,000 contract with the Senate wouldn't cover the cost of the work the Senate hired him to do. He released the figures on the deadline for him to voluntarily comply with a request for information, including donor information, from the US House Oversight and Reform Committee. Several public records lawsuits also seek information from the Senate and Cyber Ninjas.&nbsp;

The fundraising disclosure came the same day that a key figure in the audit said he planned to quit, then reversed course and said he had reached an agreement to stay on.&nbsp;

Former Republican Secretary of State Ken Bennett, the Senate's unpaid liaison to Logan and the audit contractors, was the only audit leader with substantial experience in elections. His departure threatened to further erode the legitimacy of the unprecedented partisan post-election review.&nbsp;

Bennett was banned from the building where the audit is taking place because he gave data to outside election experts without informing the Senate leader or Logan. He said he wouldn't put his name behind the audit without full access.&nbsp;

"It's the audit that belongs to the people of Arizona, and if I'm going to put my credibility on the line that it's something that they can trust and believe in, I can't be locked out until the last moment," Bennett told conservative radio host James Harris on KFYI-AM.&nbsp;

Bennett later said in a text message that he'd reached an agreement with Fann, the Senate president, to stay on but did not release details.&nbsp;

The audit has come under fire from election experts who say Cyber Ninjas and other contractors are biased and using unusual procedures that won't produce reliable results.&nbsp;

The county Board of Supervisors met privately Wednesday to discuss a new subpoena issued by the Senate this week for materials related to the election. Afterwards, Chairman Jack Sellers, a Republican, said the board "discussed various options with our legal counsel and will take the coming days to do our research."

Republican Senate President Karen Fann says the audit is only meant to see whether improvements are needed to state election laws. Groups connected to prominent supporters of former President Donald Trump's movement to cast doubt on the 2020 election results have raised more than $5.

Republican Senate President Karen Fann says the audit is only meant to see whether improvements are needed to state election laws. Groups connected to prominent supporters of former President Donald Trump's movement to cast doubt on the 2020 election results have raised more than $5.7 million for Arizona Republicans' election audit, according to figures released late Wednesday, July 28, 2021. Doug Logan, CEO of Cyber Ninjas, the little-known firm hired to lead the audit, ended months of silence about who was paying for it and how much it cost. The money from pro-Trump groups dwarfs the $150,000 contributed by the Arizona Senate, which commissioned the audit and hired Cyber Ninjas. Among those leading the fundraising groups are Michael Flynn, Trump's former national security advisor; Sydney Powell, his attorney who filed a number of baseless lawsuits challenging election results; Patrick Byrne, a former chief executive of Overstock.com; and correspondents from the pro-Trump One America News Network. Republican Senate President Karen Fann says the audit is only meant to see whether improvements are needed to state election laws. But the audit has long been associated with the "stop the steal" movement, and Trump has predicted it will uncover evidence to support his discredited theories of fraud. Before he was hired to lead the audit, Logan promoted Trump's false narrative that the election was stolen from him, and pro-Trump media has aggressively promoted the effort. By far the largest funder is The America Project, led by Byrne, which Logan said has so far contributed $3.25 million. America's Future, which lists Flynn as its chairman, contributed just over $976,000. Voices and Votes, led by OANN correspondents Christina Bobb and Chanel Rion, contributed $605,000; and Powell's Defending the Republic gave $550,000. Election Integrity Funds for the American Republic, which Logan said is led by attorney Matthew DePerno, contributed $280,000. DePerno unsuccessfully sued Antrim County, Michigan, over the election. Logan said several of the groups "have also provided operational support and advice pivotal in executing the audit." Still unclear is where those groups got their money. They are organized as nonprofits and do not have to disclose their donors. Logan has fought to keep the funders secret, though he acknowledged at the beginning of the audit that his $150,000 contract with the Senate wouldn't cover the cost of the work the Senate hired him to do. He released the figures on the deadline for him to voluntarily comply with a request for information, including donor information, from the US House Oversight and Reform Committee. Several public records lawsuits also seek information from the Senate and Cyber Ninjas. The fundraising disclosure came the same day that a key figure in the audit said he planned to quit, then reversed course and said he had reached an agreement to stay on. Former Republican Secretary of State Ken Bennett, the Senate's unpaid liaison to Logan and the audit contractors, was the only audit leader with substantial experience in elections. His departure threatened to further erode the legitimacy of the unprecedented partisan post-election review. Bennett was banned from the building where the audit is taking place because he gave data to outside election experts without informing the Senate leader or Logan. He said he wouldn't put his name behind the audit without full access. "It's the audit that belongs to the people of Arizona, and if I'm going to put my credibility on the line that it's something that they can trust and believe in, I can't be locked out until the last moment," Bennett told conservative radio host James Harris on KFYI-AM. Bennett later said in a text message that he'd reached an agreement with Fann, the Senate president, to stay on but did not release details. The audit has come under fire from election experts who say Cyber Ninjas and other contractors are biased and using unusual procedures that won't produce reliable results. The county Board of Supervisors met privately Wednesday to discuss a new subpoena issued by the Senate this week for materials related to the election. Afterwards, Chairman Jack Sellers, a Republican, said the board "discussed various options with our legal counsel and will take the coming days to do our research."

Trump supporters raise $5.7 million for Arizona election audit

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on Thursday that nuclear talks with Iran "cannot go on indefinitely" but that Washington was "fully prepared" to continue negotiations.

"We're committed to diplomacy, but this process cannot go on indefinitely... we look to see what Iran is ready to do or not ready to do and remain fully prepared to return to Vienna to continue negotiations," Blinken said during a visit to Kuwait on Thursday.

"The ball remains in Iran's court."

It comes after&nbsp;Iran's supreme leader's&nbsp;declaration&nbsp;Tehran would not accept Washington's "stubborn" demands in talks to revive a 2015 nuclear deal and said the United States had failed to guarantee that it would never abandon the pact again.

Also read|&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/irans-khamenei-blames-cowardly-united-states-for-pause-in-nuclear-talks-401331" hreflang="en">Iran's Khamenei blames 'cowardly' United States for pause in nuclear talks</a>

Since April 9, Tehran and six world powers have been in talks to revive the nuclear pact ditched three years ago by then U.S. President Donald Trump, who argued it favoured Iran.

The sixth round of indirect talks between Tehran and Washington adjourned on June 20, two days after hardline cleric Ebrahim Raisi was elected president of the Islamic Republic. Parties involved in the negotiations have yet to announce when the next round of negotiations will resume.

Like&nbsp;Khamenei, Raisi has backed the revival of the nuclear pact but officials have said that his government might adopt "a hardline" approach.&nbsp;Khamenei, not the president, has the last say on Iran's state matters, including the nuclear policy.

Iranian and Western officials have said significant gaps remained to reinstate the deal, under which Iran agreed to curb its nuclear program to make it harder to obtain fissile material for a weapon in return for relief from tough sanctions. Iran says it has never sought nuclear weapons and never would.

Harsh sanctions reimposed by Trump since 2018 have prompted Tehran to violate the deal's limits. However, Tehran says its nuclear steps are reversible if Washington lifts all sanctions.

Biden seeks to reinstate and eventually broaden the pact to put more limits on Iran’s nuclear work and its missile development and constrain its regional activities.

(With inputs from agencies)

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on Thursday that nuclear talks with Iran "cannot go on indefinitely" but that Washington was "fully prepared" to continue negotiations.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on Thursday that nuclear talks with Iran "cannot go on indefinitely" but that Washington was "fully prepared" to continue negotiations. "We're committed to diplomacy, but this process cannot go on indefinitely... we look to see what Iran is ready to do or not ready to do and remain fully prepared to return to Vienna to continue negotiations," Blinken said during a visit to Kuwait on Thursday. "The ball remains in Iran's court." It comes after Iran's supreme leader's declaration Tehran would not accept Washington's "stubborn" demands in talks to revive a 2015 nuclear deal and said the United States had failed to guarantee that it would never abandon the pact again. Also read| Iran's Khamenei blames 'cowardly' United States for pause in nuclear talks Since April 9, Tehran and six world powers have been in talks to revive the nuclear pact ditched three years ago by then U.S. President Donald Trump, who argued it favoured Iran. The sixth round of indirect talks between Tehran and Washington adjourned on June 20, two days after hardline cleric Ebrahim Raisi was elected president of the Islamic Republic. Parties involved in the negotiations have yet to announce when the next round of negotiations will resume. Like Khamenei, Raisi has backed the revival of the nuclear pact but officials have said that his government might adopt "a hardline" approach. Khamenei, not the president, has the last say on Iran's state matters, including the nuclear policy. Iranian and Western officials have said significant gaps remained to reinstate the deal, under which Iran agreed to curb its nuclear program to make it harder to obtain fissile material for a weapon in return for relief from tough sanctions. Iran says it has never sought nuclear weapons and never would. Harsh sanctions reimposed by Trump since 2018 have prompted Tehran to violate the deal's limits. However, Tehran says its nuclear steps are reversible if Washington lifts all sanctions. Biden seeks to reinstate and eventually broaden the pact to put more limits on Iran’s nuclear work and its missile development and constrain its regional activities. (With inputs from agencies)

Blinken says nuclear talks with Iran 'cannot go on indefinitely'

Former US President Donald Trump’s supporters who stormed the US Capitol building had clear plans to carry out&nbsp;coordinated attacks and "disrupt democracy", senior Democrat Bennie Thompson said on Tuesday after starting the congressional inquiry into the January 6 riots.

An inquiry was opened on Tuesday to investigate the attack of Trump supporters at the Capitol police and Capitol building on January 06.

Also read |&nbsp;<a data-ctorig="https://www.wionews.com/videos/us-capitol-riots-man-from-florida-sentenced-to-8-months-in-prison-in-first-felony-sentence-399140" data-cturl="https://www.google.com/url?client=internal-element-cse&amp;cx=006054055338965708568:09spwrlibei&amp;q=https://www.wionews.com/videos/us-capitol-riots-man-from-florida-sentenced-to-8-months-in-prison-in-first-felony-sentence-399140&amp;sa=U&amp;ved=2ahUKEwjs7IiBwIPyAhWUwTgGHcLvDT0QFjACegQIARAC&amp;usg=AOvVaw1jr2GccyTkQImgF-lbARz-" dir="ltr" href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/us-capitol-riots-man-from-florida-sentenced-to-8-months-in-prison-in-first-felony-sentence-399140" target="_blank">US&nbsp;Capitol&nbsp;Riots: Man from Florida sentenced to 8 months in prison</a>

Armed with video and picture evidence, Thompson claimed the Capitol riot was the most violent attack since the British assailed the US legislature in 1814.

"A violent mob was pointed toward the&nbsp;Capitol&nbsp;and told to win a trial by combat. Some descended on this city with clear plans to disrupt our democracy,"&nbsp;Thompson said. "We know there is evidence of a coordinated planned attack. We know that the men and women who stormed the Capitol wanted to derail the peaceful transfer of power in this country."

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/directionless-and-poor-management-senate-report-highlights-faulty-leadership-during-capitol-riots-390235">Directionless and poor management: Senate report highlights faulty leadership during Capitol riots</a>

On the first day of the hearing, the lawmakers will be hearing first-hand accounts of the Capitol police officers who were attacked mercilessly by the rioters, while hoping to find leaders such as Nancy Pelosi and Mike Pence.

Four police officers, including Michael Fanone who was stun-gunned and brutally beaten by protestors, are scheduled to testify at the hearing today. One of the officers described this attack like a 'medieval battle’ and claimed he feared he would die.

It was "something from a medieval battle. We fought hand to hand, inch by inch, to prevent an invasion of the&nbsp;Capitol," said Aquilino Gonell, a Capitol police officer. He also added that at the moment all he could think was "this is how I'm going to die, defending this entrance".

The hearing chair said it is very clear that the Capitol attack was coordinated to derail the peaceful transfer of power. The attack took place on the same day when the certification process of Joe Biden’s November presidential election victory was taking place in the Capitol building.

Former US President Donald Trump’s supporters who stormed the US Capitol building had clear plans to carry out coordinated attacks and "disrupt democracy", senior Democrat Bennie Thompson said on Tuesday after starting the congressional inquiry into the January 6 riots.

Former US President Donald Trump’s supporters who stormed the US Capitol building had clear plans to carry out coordinated attacks and "disrupt democracy", senior Democrat Bennie Thompson said on Tuesday after starting the congressional inquiry into the January 6 riots. An inquiry was opened on Tuesday to investigate the attack of Trump supporters at the Capitol police and Capitol building on January 06. Also read | US Capitol Riots: Man from Florida sentenced to 8 months in prison Armed with video and picture evidence, Thompson claimed the Capitol riot was the most violent attack since the British assailed the US legislature in 1814. "A violent mob was pointed toward the Capitol and told to win a trial by combat. Some descended on this city with clear plans to disrupt our democracy," Thompson said. "We know there is evidence of a coordinated planned attack. We know that the men and women who stormed the Capitol wanted to derail the peaceful transfer of power in this country." Also read | Directionless and poor management: Senate report highlights faulty leadership during Capitol riots On the first day of the hearing, the lawmakers will be hearing first-hand accounts of the Capitol police officers who were attacked mercilessly by the rioters, while hoping to find leaders such as Nancy Pelosi and Mike Pence. Four police officers, including Michael Fanone who was stun-gunned and brutally beaten by protestors, are scheduled to testify at the hearing today. One of the officers described this attack like a 'medieval battle’ and claimed he feared he would die. It was "something from a medieval battle. We fought hand to hand, inch by inch, to prevent an invasion of the Capitol," said Aquilino Gonell, a Capitol police officer. He also added that at the moment all he could think was "this is how I'm going to die, defending this entrance". The hearing chair said it is very clear that the Capitol attack was coordinated to derail the peaceful transfer of power. The attack took place on the same day when the certification process of Joe Biden’s November presidential election victory was taking place in the Capitol building.

US Capitol rioters had coordinated plans to disrupt democracy': Hearing chair

The US has vaccintes less than half of the population so far, while states that have the lowest rate of vaccination are seeing a surge in cases amid the threat of a third wave.

Delta variant now accounts for 83% of US Cases

To write three books in four years about Donald Trump has been an immersion into his obsessions and fixations. This is why I know the obvious: Donald Trump will run for president again.

This spring, in another of his compulsive bids for attention — indifferent to whether it is good or bad — he hosted me at Mar-a-Lago, even after I had written two unflattering books about him (one whose publication he tried to stop), for an interview and dinner. After dinner, I asked about his plans for a presidential library, the traditional retirement project and fund-raising scheme of ex-presidents. There was a flash of confusion on his uniquely readable face, and then anger, aroused, I figured, by the implication of what I seemed to be saying — that his time in office was past.

“No way, no way,” he snarled, “no way.”

It is an existential predicament: He can’t be Donald Trump without a claim on the presidency. He can’t hold the attention and devotion of the Republican Party if he is not both once and future king — and why would he ever give that up? Indeed, it seemed to be that I was strategically seated in the lobby of Mar-a-Lago when I arrived precisely so I could overhear the efforts by a Republican delegation to court and grovel before Mr. Trump and to observe his dismissive dominance over them.

More than a bit of his subsequent conversation with me was about his contempt for any Republican that might be less than absolute in his or her devotion to him — after all, he had the power to make or break the people who have since disappointed him (like Senator Mitch McConnell and Justice Brett Kavanaugh). He seemed not so much paranoid about challenges to him but warlike, savoring his future retributions.

He repeatedly returns to his grudge against his once obsequious vice president with relish; Mike Pence has become more public about his own political ambitions. In his telling, it is Mr. Pence whose actions confirmed “the steal,” by his refusal to overturn the electoral vote count, over which he presided in January in the Senate. I believe he will run again just to stop the men who, in his view, helped take the presidency from him from trying to get it for themselves. The reports that reach him of the West Wing and members of his administration who refuse to subscribe to the idea of “the steal” only feeds his fury and determination to punish all doubters — “some very weak people who have worked for me but won’t in the future,” as he told me.

Gov. Ron DeSantis of Florida has become another frequent subject at Mr. Trump’s Bedminster, N.J., golf club, where the former president is spending the summer away from the Florida heat. Many members of TrumpWorld believe Mr. DeSantis, who came in second to Mr. Trump in a CPAC straw poll this month, might, unbelievably, run for the 2024 nomination even if Mr. Trump runs. The idea that Mr. DeSantis, who Mr. Trump believes he “made” by his endorsement, might not accept his dependence on and obligation to Mr. Trump would be a personal affront that must be met. Mr. Trump pointedly blew off the governor’s request that he postpone a Florida rally in the aftermath of the Surfside building collapse. Clear message: The governor is not the boss of him. (Mr. DeSantis has denied making this request.)

The continued career of Mr. McConnell, to whom Mr. Trump has not spoken since vilifying him with a heap of obscenity after Mr. McConnell acknowledged Joe Biden’s victory, is unfinished business. (Trump aides believe the two are likely to never speak again.)

Mr. Trump believes that Mr. McConnell retained his Senate seat in 2020 only because of his support. The war against Mr. McConnell is a war about who controls the Republican Party — if it’s Mr. Trump’s party, it can’t be Mr. McConnell’s. If candidates win because of his endorsements, thereby making Mr. Trump himself the ultimate winner, and inevitable front-runner, then it’s surely his party. Mr. Trump, whose political muscle helped oust some Republican enemies from office in 2018, will be confident about evicting Mr. McConnell once he is back in power. (I doubt he pays attention to the fact that Mr. McConnell was re-elected to a six-year term and has a reasonable chance of becoming the Senate majority leader again.)

Many Democrats believe that the legal pursuit of the former president’s family business in New York, and other cases, including the investigation of his attempt to overturn election results in Georgia, might seriously impede his political future. But in Mr. Trump’s logic, this will run the opposite way: Running for president is the best way to directly challenge the prosecutors.

Mr. Trump also believes he has a magic bullet. In his telling, the Republicans almost took back the House in 2020 because of his “telerallies,” telephone conference calls in congressional districts that attracted in some instances tens of thousands of callers. Who has that draw? he asked me, nearly smacking his lips. In 2022, with his draw, the Republicans, he is certain, will retake the House with his chosen slate of candidates. And indeed, this actually might be true.

But perhaps most important, there is his classic hucksterism, and his synoptic U.S.P. — unique selling proposition. In 2016 it was “the wall.” For 2022 and 2024 he will have another proposition available: “the steal,” a rallying cry of rage and simplicity.

For Democrats, who see him exiled to Mar-a-Lago, stripped of his key social media platforms and facing determined prosecutors, his future seems risible if not pathetic. But this is Donald Trump, always ready to strike back harder than he has been struck, to blame anyone but himself, to silence any doubts with the sound of his own voice, to take what he believes is his and, most of all, to seize all available attention. Sound the alarm.

To write three books in four years about Donald Trump has been an immersion into his obsessions and fixations. This is why I know the obvious: Donald Trump will run for president again.

To write three books in four years about Donald Trump has been an immersion into his obsessions and fixations. This is why I know the obvious: Donald Trump will run for president again. This spring, in another of his compulsive bids for attention — indifferent to whether it is good or bad — he hosted me at Mar-a-Lago, even after I had written two unflattering books about him (one whose publication he tried to stop), for an interview and dinner. After dinner, I asked about his plans for a presidential library, the traditional retirement project and fund-raising scheme of ex-presidents. There was a flash of confusion on his uniquely readable face, and then anger, aroused, I figured, by the implication of what I seemed to be saying — that his time in office was past. “No way, no way,” he snarled, “no way.” It is an existential predicament: He can’t be Donald Trump without a claim on the presidency. He can’t hold the attention and devotion of the Republican Party if he is not both once and future king — and why would he ever give that up? Indeed, it seemed to be that I was strategically seated in the lobby of Mar-a-Lago when I arrived precisely so I could overhear the efforts by a Republican delegation to court and grovel before Mr. Trump and to observe his dismissive dominance over them. More than a bit of his subsequent conversation with me was about his contempt for any Republican that might be less than absolute in his or her devotion to him — after all, he had the power to make or break the people who have since disappointed him (like Senator Mitch McConnell and Justice Brett Kavanaugh). He seemed not so much paranoid about challenges to him but warlike, savoring his future retributions. He repeatedly returns to his grudge against his once obsequious vice president with relish; Mike Pence has become more public about his own political ambitions. In his telling, it is Mr. Pence whose actions confirmed “the steal,” by his refusal to overturn the electoral vote count, over which he presided in January in the Senate. I believe he will run again just to stop the men who, in his view, helped take the presidency from him from trying to get it for themselves. The reports that reach him of the West Wing and members of his administration who refuse to subscribe to the idea of “the steal” only feeds his fury and determination to punish all doubters — “some very weak people who have worked for me but won’t in the future,” as he told me. Gov. Ron DeSantis of Florida has become another frequent subject at Mr. Trump’s Bedminster, N.J., golf club, where the former president is spending the summer away from the Florida heat. Many members of TrumpWorld believe Mr. DeSantis, who came in second to Mr. Trump in a CPAC straw poll this month, might, unbelievably, run for the 2024 nomination even if Mr. Trump runs. The idea that Mr. DeSantis, who Mr. Trump believes he “made” by his endorsement, might not accept his dependence on and obligation to Mr. Trump would be a personal affront that must be met. Mr. Trump pointedly blew off the governor’s request that he postpone a Florida rally in the aftermath of the Surfside building collapse. Clear message: The governor is not the boss of him. (Mr. DeSantis has denied making this request.) The continued career of Mr. McConnell, to whom Mr. Trump has not spoken since vilifying him with a heap of obscenity after Mr. McConnell acknowledged Joe Biden’s victory, is unfinished business. (Trump aides believe the two are likely to never speak again.) Mr. Trump believes that Mr. McConnell retained his Senate seat in 2020 only because of his support. The war against Mr. McConnell is a war about who controls the Republican Party — if it’s Mr. Trump’s party, it can’t be Mr. McConnell’s. If candidates win because of his endorsements, thereby making Mr. Trump himself the ultimate winner, and inevitable front-runner, then it’s surely his party. Mr. Trump, whose political muscle helped oust some Republican enemies from office in 2018, will be confident about evicting Mr. McConnell once he is back in power. (I doubt he pays attention to the fact that Mr. McConnell was re-elected to a six-year term and has a reasonable chance of becoming the Senate majority leader again.) Many Democrats believe that the legal pursuit of the former president’s family business in New York, and other cases, including the investigation of his attempt to overturn election results in Georgia, might seriously impede his political future. But in Mr. Trump’s logic, this will run the opposite way: Running for president is the best way to directly challenge the prosecutors. Mr. Trump also believes he has a magic bullet. In his telling, the Republicans almost took back the House in 2020 because of his “telerallies,” telephone conference calls in congressional districts that attracted in some instances tens of thousands of callers. Who has that draw? he asked me, nearly smacking his lips. In 2022, with his draw, the Republicans, he is certain, will retake the House with his chosen slate of candidates. And indeed, this actually might be true. But perhaps most important, there is his classic hucksterism, and his synoptic U.S.P. — unique selling proposition. In 2016 it was “the wall.” For 2022 and 2024 he will have another proposition available: “the steal,” a rallying cry of rage and simplicity. For Democrats, who see him exiled to Mar-a-Lago, stripped of his key social media platforms and facing determined prosecutors, his future seems risible if not pathetic. But this is Donald Trump, always ready to strike back harder than he has been struck, to blame anyone but himself, to silence any doubts with the sound of his own voice, to take what he believes is his and, most of all, to seize all available attention. Sound the alarm.

Why I’m sure Trump will run for president in 2024

President Hassan Rouhani announced Thursday that Iran is exporting crude oil&nbsp;has opened its first oil export terminal outside the strategic Strait of Hormuz, a chokepoint patrolled by warships of its arch-foe the United States.

Iranian state media described the move as an indication that sanctions imposed by the US were being defeated.

The new terminal is located near Jask port on the Gulf of Oman, allowing ships headed into the Arabian Sea and beyond to avoid the narrow strait.&nbsp;The shortcut also reduces transportation and insurance expenses for oil tankers.

Iran's main oil export terminal is located at the port of Kharg inside the Strait of Hormuz, a waterway less than 40 kilometres (25 miles) across at its narrowest point.

Washington placed sanctions on Tehran after former US President Donald Trump pulled his country out of a nuclear deal between Iran and world powers.

The project, which began in 2019 and will cost some $2 billion in total, helps Iran lessen its dependency on its main oil export terminal on the Persian Gulf island of Kharg.

The facility currently allows the pumping of some 30,000 barrels of crude into tankers per hour, via a floating anchored offshore jetty, or single point mooring. It is located some seven kilometers (4.7 miles) off the coast.

Iran&nbsp;has built a 1,000 kilometre (600 mile) pipeline to carry its crude to the new terminal in the southeast from Goreh in Bushehr province.

(With inputs from agencies)

President Hassan Rouhani announced Thursday that Iran is exporting crude oil has opened its first oil export terminal outside the strategic Strait of Hormuz, a chokepoint patrolled by warships of its arch-foe the United States.

President Hassan Rouhani announced Thursday that Iran is exporting crude oil has opened its first oil export terminal outside the strategic Strait of Hormuz, a chokepoint patrolled by warships of its arch-foe the United States. Iranian state media described the move as an indication that sanctions imposed by the US were being defeated. The new terminal is located near Jask port on the Gulf of Oman, allowing ships headed into the Arabian Sea and beyond to avoid the narrow strait. The shortcut also reduces transportation and insurance expenses for oil tankers. Iran's main oil export terminal is located at the port of Kharg inside the Strait of Hormuz, a waterway less than 40 kilometres (25 miles) across at its narrowest point. Washington placed sanctions on Tehran after former US President Donald Trump pulled his country out of a nuclear deal between Iran and world powers. The project, which began in 2019 and will cost some $2 billion in total, helps Iran lessen its dependency on its main oil export terminal on the Persian Gulf island of Kharg. The facility currently allows the pumping of some 30,000 barrels of crude into tankers per hour, via a floating anchored offshore jetty, or single point mooring. It is located some seven kilometers (4.7 miles) off the coast. Iran has built a 1,000 kilometre (600 mile) pipeline to carry its crude to the new terminal in the southeast from Goreh in Bushehr province. (With inputs from agencies)

Iran: Rouhani announces opening of oil export terminal bypassing Hormuz Strait

The Biden administration on Monday released a Moroccan man who had been held without charge almost since the US built the Guantanamo Bay facility 19 years ago into the custody of his native nation.

The first prisoner freed by the Biden administration Abdul Latif Nasir had feared he wouldn't make it out alive. He was never charged with a crime.&nbsp;

In a statement released by the Department of Defence (DoD) said: "In 2016, the Periodic Review Board (PRB) process determined that law of war detention of Abdul Latif Nasir no longer remained necessary to protect against a continuing significant threat to the national security of the US."

The man's transfer, Abdul Latif Nasser, 56, was the first sign of President Biden's renewed endeavour to whittle down the jail population by sending them to countries that vow to keep the guys under security measures.&nbsp;

Nasser's release from Guantanamo Bay was first approved more than five years ago.

He had been held there for 19 years after being apprehended in Afghanistan, where the US authorities said he was an active Taliban member who later trained with al-Qaeda.&nbsp;

Nasser, who is in his mid-50s, had been recommended for repatriation by a review board in July 2016, but he stayed at Guantánamo under President Donald Trump, who opposes the facility's closure.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

The Biden administration on Monday released a Moroccan man who had been held without charge almost since the US built the Guantanamo Bay facility 19 years ago into the custody of his native nation.

The Biden administration on Monday released a Moroccan man who had been held without charge almost since the US built the Guantanamo Bay facility 19 years ago into the custody of his native nation. The first prisoner freed by the Biden administration Abdul Latif Nasir had feared he wouldn't make it out alive. He was never charged with a crime. In a statement released by the Department of Defence (DoD) said: "In 2016, the Periodic Review Board (PRB) process determined that law of war detention of Abdul Latif Nasir no longer remained necessary to protect against a continuing significant threat to the national security of the US." The man's transfer, Abdul Latif Nasser, 56, was the first sign of President Biden's renewed endeavour to whittle down the jail population by sending them to countries that vow to keep the guys under security measures. Nasser's release from Guantanamo Bay was first approved more than five years ago. He had been held there for 19 years after being apprehended in Afghanistan, where the US authorities said he was an active Taliban member who later trained with al-Qaeda. Nasser, who is in his mid-50s, had been recommended for repatriation by a review board in July 2016, but he stayed at Guantánamo under President Donald Trump, who opposes the facility's closure. (With inputs from agencies)

'19 years in jail without charges': US transfers the first detainee out of Guantanamo

Six months into the Biden administration, Senate Democrats are expressing a cautious optimism that the party can keep control of the chamber in the 2022 midterm elections, enjoying large fundraising hauls in marquee races as they plot to exploit Republican retirements in key battlegrounds and a divisive series of unsettled GOP primaries.

Swing-state Democratic incumbents, like Sens. Raphael Warnock of Georgia and Mark Kelly of Arizona, restocked their war chests with multimillion-dollar sums ($7.2 million and $6 million, respectively), according to new financial filings this past week. That gives them an early financial head start in two key states where Republicans’ disagreements over former President Donald Trump’s refusal to accept his loss in 2020 are threatening to distract and fracture the party.

But Democratic officials are all too aware of the foreboding political history they confront: that in a president’s first midterms, the party occupying the White House typically loses seats — often in bunches. For now, Democrats hold power by only the narrowest of margins in a 50-50 split Senate, with Vice President Kamala Harris serving as the tiebreaker to push through President Joe Biden’s expansive agenda on the economy, the pandemic and infrastructure.

The midterms are still more than 15 months away, but the ability to enact policy throughout Biden’s first term hinges heavily on his party’s ability to hold the Senate and House.

Four Senate Democratic incumbents are up for reelection in swing states next year — making them prime targets for Republican gains. But in none of those four states — New Hampshire, Nevada, Arizona and Georgia — has a dominant Republican candidate emerged to consolidate support from the party’s divergent wings.

Out of office and banished from social media, Trump continues to insist on putting his imprint on the party with rallies and regular missives imposing an agenda of rewarding loyalists and exacting retribution against perceived enemies. That does not align with Senate Republican strategists who are focused singularly on retaking the majority and honing messages against the Democrats who now fully control Washington.

“The only way we win these races is with top-notch candidates,” said Alex Conant, a Republican strategist who used to work on Senate races. “Are Republicans able to recruit top-notch candidates in the Trump era?”

Of the seven contests that political handicappers consider most competitive in 2022, all but one are in states that Biden carried last year.

“We’re running in Biden country,” said Matt Canter, a Democratic pollster involved in Senate races. “That doesn’t make any of these races easy. But we’re running in Biden country.”

The campaign filings this past week provided an early financial snapshot of the state of play in the Senate battlefield, where the total costs could easily top $1 billion.

Other than the Senate majority leader, Chuck Schumer, the top fundraiser among all senators in the past three months was Tim Scott, R-S.C. Scott collected $9.6 million in the months after his State of the Union response, an eye-opening sum that has stoked questions about his 2024 ambitions.

But critical races remain unsettled for Republicans. The party is still trying to find compelling Senate candidates in several states, with Chris Sununu, the governor of New Hampshire, considered the highest priority for recruitment to challenge Sen. Maggie Hassan, a Democrat who raised $3.25 million in the past three months. A bevy of Republican senators have lobbied Sununu to enter the race, and Sen. Rick Scott, R-Fla., who leads the National Republican Senatorial Committee, went so far as to ask activists at a conservative conference last week to “call Chris Sununu” and urge him to run.

“If he does, we will win,” Scott said.

Scott has similarly pursued the former attorney general of Nevada, Adam Laxalt, saying last month that he expected Laxalt to run against Sen. Catherine Cortez-Masto, the Democratic incumbent.

The unexpected retirements of Republican senators in Pennsylvania and North Carolina have opened seats and opportunities for Democrats in those swing states, but the path to victory is complicated. In both, Democrats must navigate competitive primaries that pit candidates who represent disparate elements of the party’s racial and ideological coalition against one another: Black and white; moderate and progressive; urban, suburban and more rural.

In Pennsylvania, the Democratic lieutenant governor, John Fetterman, has emerged as one of the strongest fundraising newcomers, taking in $2.5 million in the quarter. Val Arkoosh, a county commissioner in a Philadelphia suburb, raised $1 million, and Malcolm Kenyatta, a state legislator seeking to become the nation’s first openly gay Black senator, raised $500,000. Rep. Conor Lamb, a moderate from outside Pittsburgh, is also considering a run.

In Wisconsin, a third Republican incumbent, Sen. Ron Johnson, has wavered for months over whether he will seek a third term. Johnson raised only $1.2 million in the last quarter, just enough to carry on but not quite enough to dispel questions about his intentions.

Whether or not Johnson runs, Wisconsin is among the top Democratic targets in 2022 because Biden carried it narrowly in 2020.

Perhaps nothing has better predicted the outcome of Senate races in recent cycles than a state’s presidential preferences.

In Florida, national Democrats have all but anointed Rep. Val Demings, a Black former police chief in Orlando who was vetted by the Biden team for vice president, in a state that has repeatedly proved just out of reach.

Demings raised $4.6 million in her first three weeks, topping Sen. Marco Rubio, the Republican incumbent, who raised $4 million over three months. (Demings spent more than $2.2 million on digital ads raising that sum, records show.)

Two other GOP retirements in redder states, Ohio and Missouri, have further destabilized the Republican map, providing at least a modicum of opportunity for Democrats in Trump territory. Republicans face heated primaries in both states.

In Ohio, the Republican candidates include the former party chair, Jane Timken; the former state treasurer, Josh Mandel, who has run for Senate before; bestselling author J.D. Vance; and two business executives, Bernie Moreno and Mike Gibbons.

The leading Democrat is Rep. Tim Ryan, a moderate who ran briefly for president in 2020 and who entered July with $2.5 million in the bank.

In Missouri, the early efforts to woo Trump have been plentiful, and that includes spending at his Florida resort.

Two potential candidates have trekked to Mar-a-Lago for fundraisers or to meet with the former president, including Reps. Billy Long and Jason Smith. Long reported spending $28,633.20 at the club, filings show; Smith, who also attended a colleague’s fundraiser Thursday at Trump’s Bedminster property in New Jersey, according to a person familiar with the matter, paid $4,198.59 to Mar-a-Lago.

“I’m expecting someone to start flying over Bedminster with a banner at some point,” said one Republican strategist involved in Senate races, who requested anonymity because, he said half-jokingly, it could end up being one of his candidates buying the banner.

The biggest name in Missouri is Eric Greitens, the former governor who resigned after accusations of abuse by a woman with whom he had an extramarital affair. He raised less than $450,000. Among his fundraisers is Kimberly Guilfoyle, the girlfriend of Donald Trump Jr., and his campaign also made payments to Mar-a-Lago.

Three other Republicans in the race outraised Greitens: Rep. Vicky Hartzler, Attorney General Eric Schmitt and Mark McCloskey, the man best known for waving his gun outside his St. Louis home as protesters marched last year. Some national Republican strategists are worried that if Greitens survives a crowded primary, he could prove toxic even in a heavily Republican state.

Scott has pledged to remain neutral in party primaries, but Sen. Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., the minority leader, has long preferred promoting candidates he believes can win in November.

“The only thing I care about is electability,” McConnell told Politico this year.

With Scott on the sidelines, a McConnell-aligned super political action committee, the Senate Leadership Fund, is expected to do most of the intervening.

Trump, who is often at cross-purposes with McConnell, has appeared especially engaged in the Arizona and Georgia races, largely because of his own narrow losses there. He has publicly urged former football player Herschel Walker to run in Georgia — Walker has not committed to a campaign — and attacked the Republican governor of Arizona, Doug Ducey, even after Ducey has said he is not running for Senate. Some Republican operatives continue to hope to tug Ducey into the race.

Trump delivered one early Senate endorsement in North Carolina, to Rep. Ted Budd, who raised $953,000, which is less than the $1.25 million that former Gov. Pat McCrory pulled in. Some Republicans see McCrory as the stronger potential nominee because of his track record of winning statewide.

In Alaska, Kelly Tshibaka is running as a pro-Trump primary challenger to Sen. Lisa Murkowski, who voted to convict Trump after his second impeachment. Murkowski, who has not formally said if she is running again, raised more than double Tshibaka in the most recent quarter, $1.15 million to $544,000.

In Alabama, Trump gave another early endorsement to Rep. Mo Brooks and recently attacked one of his rivals, Katie Britt, who is the former chief of staff of the retiring incumbent, Sen. Richard Shelby. Britt entered the race in June, but she outraised Brooks, $2.2 million to $824,000. A third candidate, Lynda Blanchard, is a former Trump-appointed ambassador who has lent her campaign $5 million.

Brooks won over Trump for being among the earliest and most vocal objectors to Biden’s victory. The photo splashed across Brooks’ Senate website is him speaking at the Jan. 6 rally that preceded the riot at the Capitol. In his recent filing, one of Brooks’ larger expenses was a $25,799 tab at Mar-a-Lago.

“The map tilts slightly toward the Democrats just based on the seats that are up,” said Brian Walsh, a Republican strategist who has worked on Senate races. “But the political environment is the big unknown, and the landscape can shift quickly.”

Six months into the Biden administration, Senate Democrats are expressing a cautious optimism that the party can keep control of the chamber in the 2022 midterm elections, enjoying large fundraising hauls in marquee races as they plot to exploit Republican retirements in key battlegrounds and a divisive series of unsettled GOP primaries.

Six months into the Biden administration, Senate Democrats are expressing a cautious optimism that the party can keep control of the chamber in the 2022 midterm elections, enjoying large fundraising hauls in marquee races as they plot to exploit Republican retirements in key battlegrounds and a divisive series of unsettled GOP primaries. Swing-state Democratic incumbents, like Sens. Raphael Warnock of Georgia and Mark Kelly of Arizona, restocked their war chests with multimillion-dollar sums ($7.2 million and $6 million, respectively), according to new financial filings this past week. That gives them an early financial head start in two key states where Republicans’ disagreements over former President Donald Trump’s refusal to accept his loss in 2020 are threatening to distract and fracture the party. But Democratic officials are all too aware of the foreboding political history they confront: that in a president’s first midterms, the party occupying the White House typically loses seats — often in bunches. For now, Democrats hold power by only the narrowest of margins in a 50-50 split Senate, with Vice President Kamala Harris serving as the tiebreaker to push through President Joe Biden’s expansive agenda on the economy, the pandemic and infrastructure. The midterms are still more than 15 months away, but the ability to enact policy throughout Biden’s first term hinges heavily on his party’s ability to hold the Senate and House. Four Senate Democratic incumbents are up for reelection in swing states next year — making them prime targets for Republican gains. But in none of those four states — New Hampshire, Nevada, Arizona and Georgia — has a dominant Republican candidate emerged to consolidate support from the party’s divergent wings. Out of office and banished from social media, Trump continues to insist on putting his imprint on the party with rallies and regular missives imposing an agenda of rewarding loyalists and exacting retribution against perceived enemies. That does not align with Senate Republican strategists who are focused singularly on retaking the majority and honing messages against the Democrats who now fully control Washington. “The only way we win these races is with top-notch candidates,” said Alex Conant, a Republican strategist who used to work on Senate races. “Are Republicans able to recruit top-notch candidates in the Trump era?” Of the seven contests that political handicappers consider most competitive in 2022, all but one are in states that Biden carried last year. “We’re running in Biden country,” said Matt Canter, a Democratic pollster involved in Senate races. “That doesn’t make any of these races easy. But we’re running in Biden country.” The campaign filings this past week provided an early financial snapshot of the state of play in the Senate battlefield, where the total costs could easily top $1 billion. Other than the Senate majority leader, Chuck Schumer, the top fundraiser among all senators in the past three months was Tim Scott, R-S.C. Scott collected $9.6 million in the months after his State of the Union response, an eye-opening sum that has stoked questions about his 2024 ambitions. But critical races remain unsettled for Republicans. The party is still trying to find compelling Senate candidates in several states, with Chris Sununu, the governor of New Hampshire, considered the highest priority for recruitment to challenge Sen. Maggie Hassan, a Democrat who raised $3.25 million in the past three months. A bevy of Republican senators have lobbied Sununu to enter the race, and Sen. Rick Scott, R-Fla., who leads the National Republican Senatorial Committee, went so far as to ask activists at a conservative conference last week to “call Chris Sununu” and urge him to run. “If he does, we will win,” Scott said. Scott has similarly pursued the former attorney general of Nevada, Adam Laxalt, saying last month that he expected Laxalt to run against Sen. Catherine Cortez-Masto, the Democratic incumbent. The unexpected retirements of Republican senators in Pennsylvania and North Carolina have opened seats and opportunities for Democrats in those swing states, but the path to victory is complicated. In both, Democrats must navigate competitive primaries that pit candidates who represent disparate elements of the party’s racial and ideological coalition against one another: Black and white; moderate and progressive; urban, suburban and more rural. In Pennsylvania, the Democratic lieutenant governor, John Fetterman, has emerged as one of the strongest fundraising newcomers, taking in $2.5 million in the quarter. Val Arkoosh, a county commissioner in a Philadelphia suburb, raised $1 million, and Malcolm Kenyatta, a state legislator seeking to become the nation’s first openly gay Black senator, raised $500,000. Rep. Conor Lamb, a moderate from outside Pittsburgh, is also considering a run. In Wisconsin, a third Republican incumbent, Sen. Ron Johnson, has wavered for months over whether he will seek a third term. Johnson raised only $1.2 million in the last quarter, just enough to carry on but not quite enough to dispel questions about his intentions. Whether or not Johnson runs, Wisconsin is among the top Democratic targets in 2022 because Biden carried it narrowly in 2020. Perhaps nothing has better predicted the outcome of Senate races in recent cycles than a state’s presidential preferences. In Florida, national Democrats have all but anointed Rep. Val Demings, a Black former police chief in Orlando who was vetted by the Biden team for vice president, in a state that has repeatedly proved just out of reach. Demings raised $4.6 million in her first three weeks, topping Sen. Marco Rubio, the Republican incumbent, who raised $4 million over three months. (Demings spent more than $2.2 million on digital ads raising that sum, records show.) Two other GOP retirements in redder states, Ohio and Missouri, have further destabilized the Republican map, providing at least a modicum of opportunity for Democrats in Trump territory. Republicans face heated primaries in both states. In Ohio, the Republican candidates include the former party chair, Jane Timken; the former state treasurer, Josh Mandel, who has run for Senate before; bestselling author J.D. Vance; and two business executives, Bernie Moreno and Mike Gibbons. The leading Democrat is Rep. Tim Ryan, a moderate who ran briefly for president in 2020 and who entered July with $2.5 million in the bank. In Missouri, the early efforts to woo Trump have been plentiful, and that includes spending at his Florida resort. Two potential candidates have trekked to Mar-a-Lago for fundraisers or to meet with the former president, including Reps. Billy Long and Jason Smith. Long reported spending $28,633.20 at the club, filings show; Smith, who also attended a colleague’s fundraiser Thursday at Trump’s Bedminster property in New Jersey, according to a person familiar with the matter, paid $4,198.59 to Mar-a-Lago. “I’m expecting someone to start flying over Bedminster with a banner at some point,” said one Republican strategist involved in Senate races, who requested anonymity because, he said half-jokingly, it could end up being one of his candidates buying the banner. The biggest name in Missouri is Eric Greitens, the former governor who resigned after accusations of abuse by a woman with whom he had an extramarital affair. He raised less than $450,000. Among his fundraisers is Kimberly Guilfoyle, the girlfriend of Donald Trump Jr., and his campaign also made payments to Mar-a-Lago. Three other Republicans in the race outraised Greitens: Rep. Vicky Hartzler, Attorney General Eric Schmitt and Mark McCloskey, the man best known for waving his gun outside his St. Louis home as protesters marched last year. Some national Republican strategists are worried that if Greitens survives a crowded primary, he could prove toxic even in a heavily Republican state. Scott has pledged to remain neutral in party primaries, but Sen. Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., the minority leader, has long preferred promoting candidates he believes can win in November. “The only thing I care about is electability,” McConnell told Politico this year. With Scott on the sidelines, a McConnell-aligned super political action committee, the Senate Leadership Fund, is expected to do most of the intervening. Trump, who is often at cross-purposes with McConnell, has appeared especially engaged in the Arizona and Georgia races, largely because of his own narrow losses there. He has publicly urged former football player Herschel Walker to run in Georgia — Walker has not committed to a campaign — and attacked the Republican governor of Arizona, Doug Ducey, even after Ducey has said he is not running for Senate. Some Republican operatives continue to hope to tug Ducey into the race. Trump delivered one early Senate endorsement in North Carolina, to Rep. Ted Budd, who raised $953,000, which is less than the $1.25 million that former Gov. Pat McCrory pulled in. Some Republicans see McCrory as the stronger potential nominee because of his track record of winning statewide. In Alaska, Kelly Tshibaka is running as a pro-Trump primary challenger to Sen. Lisa Murkowski, who voted to convict Trump after his second impeachment. Murkowski, who has not formally said if she is running again, raised more than double Tshibaka in the most recent quarter, $1.15 million to $544,000. In Alabama, Trump gave another early endorsement to Rep. Mo Brooks and recently attacked one of his rivals, Katie Britt, who is the former chief of staff of the retiring incumbent, Sen. Richard Shelby. Britt entered the race in June, but she outraised Brooks, $2.2 million to $824,000. A third candidate, Lynda Blanchard, is a former Trump-appointed ambassador who has lent her campaign $5 million. Brooks won over Trump for being among the earliest and most vocal objectors to Biden’s victory. The photo splashed across Brooks’ Senate website is him speaking at the Jan. 6 rally that preceded the riot at the Capitol. In his recent filing, one of Brooks’ larger expenses was a $25,799 tab at Mar-a-Lago. “The map tilts slightly toward the Democrats just based on the seats that are up,” said Brian Walsh, a Republican strategist who has worked on Senate races. “But the political environment is the big unknown, and the landscape can shift quickly.”

Democrats see edge in early Senate map as Trump casts big shadow

In a fresh blow&nbsp;to immigration laws in the US, the 'Dreamers' programme was deemed unlawful by a US federal judge.

Deeming it unlawful, Judge Andrew Hanen of the United States District Court in Houston said that while instituting DACA via executive order, former US President <a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/barack-obama">Barack Obama</a> exceeded his authority.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/a-divided-us-house-passes-immigration-bills-including-pathway-for-dreamers-371541">A divided US House passes immigration bills, including pathway for 'Dreamers'</a>

US president&nbsp;Joe Biden&nbsp;criticised the curtailment of the&nbsp;program that protects migrant children brought to the United States, calling the decision "deeply disappointing."&nbsp;&nbsp;

Biden said the Justice Department will appeal Hanen's ruling, adding that&nbsp;"only Congress can ensure a permanent solution by granting a path to citizenship for Dreamers,".

<div>Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA)&nbsp; was introduced by Obama in 2012. It is an immigration programme that protected undocumented migrants brought to the country as children.</div>

Each year, the programme covers around 700,000 people called 'Dreamers', for many of whom America is the only 'home' they've known.

Judge Hanen says that the ruling does not dictate that Homeland Security or the Department of Justice take any additional measures such as deporting, detaining or prosecuting any DACA recipients, applicants, beyond what it would take otherwise.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/biden-signals-hes-flexible-on-immigration-overhaul-364503">Biden signals he’s flexible on immigration overhaul</a>

He added that the government has to stop accepting people into the programme. However, the government can still receive applications. People already enrolled in the programme will also not be affected by the ruling.

Applicants to this programme had to fulfill a few criteria to be eligible. They must have reached the United States before the age of 16 to be eligible for protection and the right to work.

Additionally, applicants must be&nbsp;currently in school or have a high school diploma or equivalent qualification, or have served in the military and been discharged honourably, and have a clean criminal record.&nbsp;

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/bidens-us-immigration-reform-bill-to-be-unveiled-on-thursday-364547">Biden's US immigration reform bill to be unveiled on Thursday</a>

The challenges to this programme stem from a 2017 effort to eliminate it by the-then President <a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a> who attempted to dismantle the programme claiming it was unconstitutional. These efforts triggered a lengthy court battle.&nbsp;

DACA survived that and got reinstated in December last year.&nbsp;

Following in Obama's footsteps <a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/joe-biden">President Joe Biden</a> has sought to strengthen the programme and implement wider immigration reforms.

Following Friday's ruling, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi also issued a statement that said: "Democrats call on Republicans in Congress to join us in respecting the will of the American people and the law, to ensure that Dreamers have a permanent path to citizenship."

(With inputs from agencies)

In a fresh blow to immigration laws in the US, the 'Dreamers' programme was deemed unlawful by a US federal judge. Deeming it unlawful, Judge Andrew Hanen of the United States District Court in Houston said that while instituting DACA via executive order, former US President Barack Obama exceeded his authority.

In a fresh blow to immigration laws in the US, the 'Dreamers' programme was deemed unlawful by a US federal judge. Deeming it unlawful, Judge Andrew Hanen of the United States District Court in Houston said that while instituting DACA via executive order, former US President Barack Obama exceeded his authority. Also read | A divided US House passes immigration bills, including pathway for 'Dreamers' US president Joe Biden criticised the curtailment of the program that protects migrant children brought to the United States, calling the decision "deeply disappointing." Biden said the Justice Department will appeal Hanen's ruling, adding that "only Congress can ensure a permanent solution by granting a path to citizenship for Dreamers,". Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) was introduced by Obama in 2012. It is an immigration programme that protected undocumented migrants brought to the country as children. Each year, the programme covers around 700,000 people called 'Dreamers', for many of whom America is the only 'home' they've known. Judge Hanen says that the ruling does not dictate that Homeland Security or the Department of Justice take any additional measures such as deporting, detaining or prosecuting any DACA recipients, applicants, beyond what it would take otherwise. Also read | Biden signals he’s flexible on immigration overhaul He added that the government has to stop accepting people into the programme. However, the government can still receive applications. People already enrolled in the programme will also not be affected by the ruling. Applicants to this programme had to fulfill a few criteria to be eligible. They must have reached the United States before the age of 16 to be eligible for protection and the right to work. Additionally, applicants must be currently in school or have a high school diploma or equivalent qualification, or have served in the military and been discharged honourably, and have a clean criminal record. Also read | Biden's US immigration reform bill to be unveiled on Thursday The challenges to this programme stem from a 2017 effort to eliminate it by the-then President Donald Trump who attempted to dismantle the programme claiming it was unconstitutional. These efforts triggered a lengthy court battle. DACA survived that and got reinstated in December last year. Following in Obama's footsteps President Joe Biden has sought to strengthen the programme and implement wider immigration reforms. Following Friday's ruling, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi also issued a statement that said: "Democrats call on Republicans in Congress to join us in respecting the will of the American people and the law, to ensure that Dreamers have a permanent path to citizenship." (With inputs from agencies)

'Dreamers' programme deemed unlawful by US Federal Judge, Biden says 'deeply disappointed'

US President Joe Biden's administration is reversing a Trump-era rule approved after the former president complained he wasn't getting wet enough because of limits on water flow from showerheads.

Now, with a new president in office, the Energy Department is going back to a standard adopted in 2013, saying it provides plenty of water for a good soak and a thorough clean.

The rule change will have little practical effect, since nearly all commercially made showerheads comply with the 2013 rule,&nbsp;the pet peeve of the former president notwithstanding.

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/gravitas-trump-eases-showerhead-rules-320308/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

Trump had complained last year in July at a White House event that water does not flow strongly enough from showers to his liking. "So what do you do? You just stand there longer or you take a shower longer? Because my hair - I don’t know about you - but it has to be perfect," he said at the event.

In his climate plan, Biden had said he would direct the department to issue new efficiency standards to conserve water and avoid wastage.

Since 1992, federal law has dictated that new showerheads should not pour more than 2.5 gallons (9.5 liters) of water per minute.

As newer shower fixtures came out with multiple nozzles, the Obama administration defined the showerhead restrictions to apply to what comes out in total. So if there are four nozzles, no more than 2.5 gallons total should come out among all four.

Due to concerns about shrinking US&nbsp;water supplies, the federal government has regulated faucet and showerhead water flow since at least 1994, when Democrat Bill Clinton was president.

The EPA has long helped consumers go beyond federal water conservation standards. It sponsors WaterSense, a voluntary program on water-efficient showerheads and other products.

The EPA’s website says that saving every drop counts because “water managers in at least 40 states expect local, statewide, or regional water shortages to occur over the next several years.”

(With inputs from agencies)

US President Joe Biden's administration is reversing a Trump-era rule approved after the former president complained he wasn't getting wet enough because of limits on water flow from showerheads.

US President Joe Biden's administration is reversing a Trump-era rule approved after the former president complained he wasn't getting wet enough because of limits on water flow from showerheads. Now, with a new president in office, the Energy Department is going back to a standard adopted in 2013, saying it provides plenty of water for a good soak and a thorough clean. The rule change will have little practical effect, since nearly all commercially made showerheads comply with the 2013 rule, the pet peeve of the former president notwithstanding. Trump had complained last year in July at a White House event that water does not flow strongly enough from showers to his liking. "So what do you do? You just stand there longer or you take a shower longer? Because my hair - I don’t know about you - but it has to be perfect," he said at the event. In his climate plan, Biden had said he would direct the department to issue new efficiency standards to conserve water and avoid wastage. Since 1992, federal law has dictated that new showerheads should not pour more than 2.5 gallons (9.5 liters) of water per minute. As newer shower fixtures came out with multiple nozzles, the Obama administration defined the showerhead restrictions to apply to what comes out in total. So if there are four nozzles, no more than 2.5 gallons total should come out among all four. Due to concerns about shrinking US water supplies, the federal government has regulated faucet and showerhead water flow since at least 1994, when Democrat Bill Clinton was president. The EPA has long helped consumers go beyond federal water conservation standards. It sponsors WaterSense, a voluntary program on water-efficient showerheads and other products. The EPA’s website says that saving every drop counts because “water managers in at least 40 states expect local, statewide, or regional water shortages to occur over the next several years.” (With inputs from agencies)

Biden's administration reverses Trump's policy of easing shower standards

US President Joe Biden delivered a passionate speech on preserving voting rights and condemning the "big lie" of widespread fraud in the 2020 presidential election. Criticizing Donald Trump and his allies for failing to accept the results of a fair election, Biden said that, “The big lie is just that: a big lie.”

Biden targets Trump for false accusations of election fraud, decries 'big lie'

The benefits of a 5G network have yet to be experienced by the majority of the world, but the geopolitical race for the next big thing in telecommunications technology is already heating up.&nbsp;

Amid the threat of cyber espionage activity linked to several Chinese state-sponsored data activity organisations, China continues to innovate and develop 5G mobile technology.

It has already deployed 70 per cent of the world's 5G base stations, reports Chinese state-backed media outlet Global Times.

According to the report, the country has deployed 916,000 5G base stations, accounting for 70% of the world's total, while the number of 5G-connected devices has now surpassed 365 million, accounting for 80 per cent of the global total. 
 
Watch | Gravitas: Huawei dumped from India's 5G trials

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/gravitas-huawei-dumped-from-indias-5g-trials-383088/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

Global security concerns about Chinese 5G technology

Chinese telecommunication vendors Huawei and ZTE are major firms in the 5G equipment market.

Huawei has been banned or severely restrained from participating in the development of 5G in several nations, including the United Kingdom,&nbsp; US and Canada.

The company is also prevented from purchasing anything made with US technology or software. 
 
Huawei, according to US officials, is virtually an extension of the Chinese Communist Party.

Huawei, like all Chinese corporations and institutions, appears to be legally obligated to do intelligence work on behalf of the Chinese government under China's 2017 National Intelligence Law.&nbsp; 
&nbsp;

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/gravitas-huawei-faces-tough-times-ahead-301211/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

Mobile operators in the United Kingdom were&nbsp;prohibited from purchasing new Huawei 5G equipment after December 31, 2020, and are required to remove all Huawei 5G equipment from their networks by 2027.&nbsp;

The fifth generation of wireless technology, 5G, is substantially quicker than its predecessors and enables much more simultaneous connections.

It uses high frequencies, which necessitates higher capacity.

(With inputs from agencies)

The benefits of a 5G network have yet to be experienced by the majority of the world, but the geopolitical race for the next big thing in telecommunications technology is already heating up.

The benefits of a 5G network have yet to be experienced by the majority of the world, but the geopolitical race for the next big thing in telecommunications technology is already heating up. Amid the threat of cyber espionage activity linked to several Chinese state-sponsored data activity organisations, China continues to innovate and develop 5G mobile technology. It has already deployed 70 per cent of the world's 5G base stations, reports Chinese state-backed media outlet Global Times. According to the report, the country has deployed 916,000 5G base stations, accounting for 70% of the world's total, while the number of 5G-connected devices has now surpassed 365 million, accounting for 80 per cent of the global total. Watch | Gravitas: Huawei dumped from India's 5G trials Global security concerns about Chinese 5G technology Chinese telecommunication vendors Huawei and ZTE are major firms in the 5G equipment market. Huawei has been banned or severely restrained from participating in the development of 5G in several nations, including the United Kingdom, US and Canada. The company is also prevented from purchasing anything made with US technology or software. Huawei, according to US officials, is virtually an extension of the Chinese Communist Party. Huawei, like all Chinese corporations and institutions, appears to be legally obligated to do intelligence work on behalf of the Chinese government under China's 2017 National Intelligence Law. Mobile operators in the United Kingdom were prohibited from purchasing new Huawei 5G equipment after December 31, 2020, and are required to remove all Huawei 5G equipment from their networks by 2027. The fifth generation of wireless technology, 5G, is substantially quicker than its predecessors and enables much more simultaneous connections. It uses high frequencies, which necessitates higher capacity. (With inputs from agencies)

China claims to have 70% of global 5G stations amid international security concerns

Whatever else might be said about the curious lawsuits filed last week by former President <a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a>, in which he accused three Big Tech companies of violating his First Amendment rights by denying him access to their platforms, it is fitting that he sued in Florida.

The state has long been on the cutting edge, and on the losing end, of efforts to force private companies to publish political messages to which they object.

Almost 50 years ago, the Supreme Court struck down a Florida law that would have allowed politicians a "right to reply"&nbsp;to newspaper articles critical of them. And late last month, a federal judge in Florida blocked a new state law that would have imposed large fines on some tech companies (but not those that own theme parks in the state, such as Disney) that "willfully deplatform a candidate for office."

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/three-real-nice-guys-donald-trump-to-sue-facebook-google-and-twitter-ceo-396572" hreflang="en">'Three real nice guys': Donald Trump to sue Facebook, Google and Twitter CEO</a>

Together, the two decisions, one from the Nixon era and the other issued June 30, demonstrate that the lawsuits Trump filed in Miami on Wednesday against Facebook, Twitter and YouTube face steep odds. The First Amendment applies to government censorship and not private activities, courts have said, and it protects publishers’ editorial judgments, including ones that decline to give politicians a forum.

The case that gave rise to the 1974 Supreme Court decision was brought by Pat Tornillo, who was displeased by colorful editorials in the Miami Herald opposing his candidacy for the Florida House of Representatives. The newspaper said Tornillo, a labor union official, had engaged in "shakedown statesmanship."

Tornillo invoked a Florida law that required newspapers to give candidates they criticized free space for a reply "in as conspicuous a place and in the same kind of type." The newspaper refused, lost in the state’s highest court and appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/since-leaving-office-in-january-trump-charged-50000-from-secret-service-agents-protecting-him-396907" hreflang="en">Since leaving office in January, Trump charged $50,000 from secret service agents protecting him</a>

Tornillo and his supporters said, in Chief Justice Warren Burger’s summary, that “a communications revolution” and "the specter of a 'wired' nation" justified the law, as did "the vast accumulations of unreviewable power in the modern media empires."

All of that may be so, Burger wrote for a unanimous court. But the First Amendment, he wrote, does not permit the government to usurp the role of editors in deciding what ought to be published.

"A responsible press is an undoubtedly desirable goal," he wrote, "but press responsibility is not mandated by the Constitution, and like many other virtues it cannot be legislated."

Justice Byron White, who was often hostile to the news media, wrote in a concurring opinion that an unregulated and unruly press is better than the alternative of government control.

"Of course, the press is not always accurate, or even responsible, and may not present full and fair debate on important public issues," he wrote. "But the balance struck by the First Amendment with respect to the press is that society must take the risk that occasionally debate on vital matters will not be comprehensive and that all viewpoints may not be expressed."

Less than two weeks ago, Judge Robert Hinkle of the Federal District Court in Tallahassee blocked another Florida law, this one enacted in May and animated by some of the same ideas rejected by the Supreme Court in 1974. The law would impose fines on some social media platforms for exercising editorial judgments in declining to amplify the views of politicians who ran afoul of their standards.

In a statement issued when he signed the bill, Gov. Ron DeSantis, a Republican, said the point of the law was to promote conservative viewpoints. "If Big Tech censors enforce rules inconsistently, to discriminate in favor of the dominant Silicon Valley ideology, they will now be held accountable," he said.

Hinkle cited the Tornillo decision but wrote that there are significant differences between newspapers and platforms such as Facebook and Twitter.

"Newspapers, unlike social media providers," he wrote, "create or select all their content, including op-eds and letters to the editor," he wrote. By contrast, he wrote, "something well north of 99 per cent&nbsp;of the content that makes it onto a social media site never gets reviewed further."

But the new law, Hinkle wrote, was aimed at "ideologically sensitive cases,"&nbsp;ones in which the platforms used discretion much as newspapers do.

"Those are the very cases on which the platforms are most likely to exercise editorial judgment," he wrote. "Indeed, the targets of the statutes at issue are the editorial judgments themselves."

Perhaps the oddest part of the law was its exclusion of social media providers under common ownership with large theme parks. That discrimination, an apparent favor to powerful local businesses, was reason enough to subject the law to the most demanding form of constitutional scrutiny, Hinkle wrote.

DeSantis has said the state will appeal, and there is at least one member of the Supreme Court who seems open to considering whether new technologies require new rules. In April, Justice Clarence Thomas issued a concurring opinion when the court turned down a case on whether Trump had violated the First Amendment by blocking people from his Twitter account, saying it was moot.

Thomas used the occasion to muse on a larger question, one pertinent to both the Florida law and Trump’s lawsuits.

"Today’s digital platforms provide avenues for historically unprecedented amounts of speech, including speech by government actors,” he wrote. “Also unprecedented, however, is the concentrated control of so much speech in the hands of a few private parties. We will soon have no choice but to address how our legal doctrines apply to highly concentrated, privately owned information infrastructure such as digital platforms."

Whatever else might be said about the curious lawsuits filed last week by former President Donald Trump, in which he accused three Big Tech companies of violating his First Amendment rights by denying him access to their platforms, it is fitting that he sued in Florida.

Whatever else might be said about the curious lawsuits filed last week by former President Donald Trump, in which he accused three Big Tech companies of violating his First Amendment rights by denying him access to their platforms, it is fitting that he sued in Florida. The state has long been on the cutting edge, and on the losing end, of efforts to force private companies to publish political messages to which they object. Almost 50 years ago, the Supreme Court struck down a Florida law that would have allowed politicians a "right to reply" to newspaper articles critical of them. And late last month, a federal judge in Florida blocked a new state law that would have imposed large fines on some tech companies (but not those that own theme parks in the state, such as Disney) that "willfully deplatform a candidate for office." Also read | 'Three real nice guys': Donald Trump to sue Facebook, Google and Twitter CEO Together, the two decisions, one from the Nixon era and the other issued June 30, demonstrate that the lawsuits Trump filed in Miami on Wednesday against Facebook, Twitter and YouTube face steep odds. The First Amendment applies to government censorship and not private activities, courts have said, and it protects publishers’ editorial judgments, including ones that decline to give politicians a forum. The case that gave rise to the 1974 Supreme Court decision was brought by Pat Tornillo, who was displeased by colorful editorials in the Miami Herald opposing his candidacy for the Florida House of Representatives. The newspaper said Tornillo, a labor union official, had engaged in "shakedown statesmanship." Tornillo invoked a Florida law that required newspapers to give candidates they criticized free space for a reply "in as conspicuous a place and in the same kind of type." The newspaper refused, lost in the state’s highest court and appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court. Also read | Since leaving office in January, Trump charged $50,000 from secret service agents protecting him Tornillo and his supporters said, in Chief Justice Warren Burger’s summary, that “a communications revolution” and "the specter of a 'wired' nation" justified the law, as did "the vast accumulations of unreviewable power in the modern media empires." All of that may be so, Burger wrote for a unanimous court. But the First Amendment, he wrote, does not permit the government to usurp the role of editors in deciding what ought to be published. "A responsible press is an undoubtedly desirable goal," he wrote, "but press responsibility is not mandated by the Constitution, and like many other virtues it cannot be legislated." Justice Byron White, who was often hostile to the news media, wrote in a concurring opinion that an unregulated and unruly press is better than the alternative of government control. "Of course, the press is not always accurate, or even responsible, and may not present full and fair debate on important public issues," he wrote. "But the balance struck by the First Amendment with respect to the press is that society must take the risk that occasionally debate on vital matters will not be comprehensive and that all viewpoints may not be expressed." Less than two weeks ago, Judge Robert Hinkle of the Federal District Court in Tallahassee blocked another Florida law, this one enacted in May and animated by some of the same ideas rejected by the Supreme Court in 1974. The law would impose fines on some social media platforms for exercising editorial judgments in declining to amplify the views of politicians who ran afoul of their standards. In a statement issued when he signed the bill, Gov. Ron DeSantis, a Republican, said the point of the law was to promote conservative viewpoints. "If Big Tech censors enforce rules inconsistently, to discriminate in favor of the dominant Silicon Valley ideology, they will now be held accountable," he said. Hinkle cited the Tornillo decision but wrote that there are significant differences between newspapers and platforms such as Facebook and Twitter. "Newspapers, unlike social media providers," he wrote, "create or select all their content, including op-eds and letters to the editor," he wrote. By contrast, he wrote, "something well north of 99 per cent of the content that makes it onto a social media site never gets reviewed further." But the new law, Hinkle wrote, was aimed at "ideologically sensitive cases," ones in which the platforms used discretion much as newspapers do. "Those are the very cases on which the platforms are most likely to exercise editorial judgment," he wrote. "Indeed, the targets of the statutes at issue are the editorial judgments themselves." Perhaps the oddest part of the law was its exclusion of social media providers under common ownership with large theme parks. That discrimination, an apparent favor to powerful local businesses, was reason enough to subject the law to the most demanding form of constitutional scrutiny, Hinkle wrote. DeSantis has said the state will appeal, and there is at least one member of the Supreme Court who seems open to considering whether new technologies require new rules. In April, Justice Clarence Thomas issued a concurring opinion when the court turned down a case on whether Trump had violated the First Amendment by blocking people from his Twitter account, saying it was moot. Thomas used the occasion to muse on a larger question, one pertinent to both the Florida law and Trump’s lawsuits. "Today’s digital platforms provide avenues for historically unprecedented amounts of speech, including speech by government actors,” he wrote. “Also unprecedented, however, is the concentrated control of so much speech in the hands of a few private parties. We will soon have no choice but to address how our legal doctrines apply to highly concentrated, privately owned information infrastructure such as digital platforms."

Trump suits against tech giants face steep first amendment hurdles

Hervis Rogers was praised as a persistent, civic-minded man who fought hard to exercise his right to vote after becoming viral on social media for being the last person in line at Texas Southern University to cast a vote at 1 am on Super Tuesday in March 2020.&nbsp;

“I wanted to get my vote in, voice my opinion,” he said after his long wait to cast his ballot in the 2020 election. “I wasn’t going to let anything stop me, so I waited it out.”

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Hervis Rogers is out. Here’s what he had to say as he left the polling site. <a href="https://t.co/AZV2b0xzzL">pic.twitter.com/AZV2b0xzzL</a>
— Nicole Hensley 📰 (@nkhensley) <a href="https://twitter.com/nkhensley/status/1235104420720832513?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 4, 2020</a></blockquote>
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But now, he has been arrested and charged with two counts of illegal voting on Wednesday, according to Houston Public Media.&nbsp;

The arrest took place only one day before the Texas Legislature gathered for a special session on Thursday, where a controversial voting law was on the agenda.

Cases like Rogers' are used by Republicans in favour of further voting restrictions as proof of an unsecured system.

In the 2020 presidential election, however, there was no indication of major voting fraud.&nbsp;

Rogers is being kept in jail because he cannot afford a $100,000 bond, as per Thomas Buser-Clancy, an attorney with the Texas chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union, who is representing Rogers.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

Hervis Rogers was praised as a persistent, civic-minded man who fought hard to exercise his right to vote after becoming viral on social media for being the last person in line at Texas Southern University to cast a vote at 1 am on Super Tuesday in March 2020.

Hervis Rogers was praised as a persistent, civic-minded man who fought hard to exercise his right to vote after becoming viral on social media for being the last person in line at Texas Southern University to cast a vote at 1 am on Super Tuesday in March 2020. “I wanted to get my vote in, voice my opinion,” he said after his long wait to cast his ballot in the 2020 election. “I wasn’t going to let anything stop me, so I waited it out.” Hervis Rogers is out. Here’s what he had to say as he left the polling site. pic.twitter.com/AZV2b0xzzL — Nicole Hensley 📰 (@nkhensley) March 4, 2020 × But now, he has been arrested and charged with two counts of illegal voting on Wednesday, according to Houston Public Media. The arrest took place only one day before the Texas Legislature gathered for a special session on Thursday, where a controversial voting law was on the agenda. Cases like Rogers' are used by Republicans in favour of further voting restrictions as proof of an unsecured system. In the 2020 presidential election, however, there was no indication of major voting fraud. Rogers is being kept in jail because he cannot afford a $100,000 bond, as per Thomas Buser-Clancy, an attorney with the Texas chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union, who is representing Rogers. (With inputs from agencies)

US man who went viral for waiting 7 hours to vote is arrested for illegal voting

The former US President Donald Trump filed class-action lawsuits against Facebook, Twitter, and Google, months after he was booted from all three platforms for inciting violence in the wake of the Capitol riot.

Donald Trump unveils lawsuit Facebook, Twitter and Google

Former US President Donald Trump's lawyer Rudy Giuliani's law license has been suspended in Washington DC. This means that Giuliani will not be able to practise law in the US capital. The District of Columbia Court of Appeals put a temporary suspension on Giuliani's license pending outcome of disciplinary proceedings in New York. Giuliani has been already barred from practising law in New York. The action has been taken for Giuliani's repeated allegations of election fraud on behalf of his client Donald Trump.

The court in New York said last month that Giuliani assertions of election fraud in 2020 US Presidential election misled the public, lawmakers and courts as he repeatedly created a false narrative.

The court said that this created tension in the US that ultimately led to a deadly attack on the US Capitol in the month of January. Trump supporters marched in hordes and broke into US Capitol building when Congress was gathered to certify Joe Biden as the winner of 2020 US elections.

Former US President Donald Trump's lawyer Rudy Giuliani's law license has been suspended in Washington DC. This means that Giuliani will not be able to practise law in the US capital.

Former US President Donald Trump's lawyer Rudy Giuliani's law license has been suspended in Washington DC. This means that Giuliani will not be able to practise law in the US capital. The District of Columbia Court of Appeals put a temporary suspension on Giuliani's license pending outcome of disciplinary proceedings in New York. Giuliani has been already barred from practising law in New York. The action has been taken for Giuliani's repeated allegations of election fraud on behalf of his client Donald Trump. The court in New York said last month that Giuliani assertions of election fraud in 2020 US Presidential election misled the public, lawmakers and courts as he repeatedly created a false narrative. The court said that this created tension in the US that ultimately led to a deadly attack on the US Capitol in the month of January. Trump supporters marched in hordes and broke into US Capitol building when Congress was gathered to certify Joe Biden as the winner of 2020 US elections.

Trump lawyer Rudy Giuliani's law license suspended in Washington DC

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