US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo will meet on Saturday Taliban and the Afghanistan negotiators of the intra-Afghan deal, the State Department said on Friday. &nbsp;

Pompeo will meet teams of both the sides separately in the Qatari capital Doha.&nbsp;

Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/taliban-welcome-us-troop-drawdown-from-afghanistan-as-good-step-343943">Taliban welcome US troop drawdown from Afghanistan as 'good step'</a>&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;

He will also meet Qatar's ruler, Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani, and the foreign minister during the Doha visit.

Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/pakistani-taliban-was-involved-in-helmand-attacks-afghan-interior-minister-spokesperson-to-wion-343535">Pakistani Taliban was involved in Helmand attacks: Afghan Interior Minister spokesperson to WION</a>

Earlier this week, the Pentagon said it would soon withdraw 2,000 American troops from Afghanistan, ramping up the commitments with Taliban agreed in February.&nbsp;

It said the US would pull out 2,000 of its troops by mid-January that will leave only 2,500 in the region.&nbsp;

Donald Trump has repeatedly called for ending "foreign wars", including the one in Afghanistan which began after the September 11, 2001 attacks.

President-elect Joe Biden, also in a rare consensus supports pulling out troops from the region, however, experts say he will not look for a fast withdrawal as was aimed by Trump.&nbsp;

The talks between Taliban and Afghanistan have shown little sign of progress, but news agency AFP has said several sources confirmed that a key sticking point between the two sides has been resolved.&nbsp;

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo will meet on Saturday Taliban and the Afghanistan negotiators of the intra-Afghan deal, the State Department said on Friday. Pompeo will meet teams of both the sides separately in the Qatari capital Doha.

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo will meet on Saturday Taliban and the Afghanistan negotiators of the intra-Afghan deal, the State Department said on Friday. Pompeo will meet teams of both the sides separately in the Qatari capital Doha. Also read | Taliban welcome US troop drawdown from Afghanistan as 'good step' He will also meet Qatar's ruler, Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani, and the foreign minister during the Doha visit. Also read | Pakistani Taliban was involved in Helmand attacks: Afghan Interior Minister spokesperson to WION Earlier this week, the Pentagon said it would soon withdraw 2,000 American troops from Afghanistan, ramping up the commitments with Taliban agreed in February. It said the US would pull out 2,000 of its troops by mid-January that will leave only 2,500 in the region. Donald Trump has repeatedly called for ending "foreign wars", including the one in Afghanistan which began after the September 11, 2001 attacks. President-elect Joe Biden, also in a rare consensus supports pulling out troops from the region, however, experts say he will not look for a fast withdrawal as was aimed by Trump. The talks between Taliban and Afghanistan have shown little sign of progress, but news agency AFP has said several sources confirmed that a key sticking point between the two sides has been resolved.

Mike Pompeo to meet Taliban, Afghan negotiators in Doha

The outgoing US President's oldest son, Donald Trump Jr. has tested positive for the novel coronavirus, a spokesman said on Friday.

Donald Trump Jr., also known as Don, has tested positive almost a month after his father, <a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a>, and his stepmother, Ivanka Trump, recovered from the deadly virus.

Also read|&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-elections-results-2020-joe-biden-wins-georgia-after-recount-says-state-election-official-344393" hreflang="en">US elections results 2020: Joe Biden wins Georgia after recount, says state election official</a>

"Don tested positive at the start of the week and has been quarantining out at his cabin since the result," his spokesman said. "He's been completely asymptomatic so far and is following all medically recommended COVID-19 guidelines."

His announcement came a few hours after Trump administration's lawyer,&nbsp;Rudy Giuliani's son&nbsp;Andrew Giuliani announced he had also tested positive for the novel coronavirus that has taken thousands of lives in the country.

Also read|&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/trumps-lawyer-rudy-giulianis-hair-dye-melting-during-press-meet-sparks-wave-of-memes-344243" hreflang="en">Trump's lawyer Rudy Giuliani's hair dye melting during press meet sparks wave of memes</a>

President Donald Trump tested positive and was shifted to the army hospital for better treatment, where he claimed to have found the 'magical cure'. However, speculations about his health have since followed — which have all been denied by him and his campaign. Later, Donald Trump and Melania's youngest son, Barron, too, had tested positive. All three have recovered.

Several people in the Trump administration have since tested&nbsp;positive — the reason behind which was being assumed to be a super spreader event for the appointment of Amy Coney Barrett.

Trump, who has recently been defeated by the President-elect <a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/joe-biden">Joe Biden</a>&nbsp;in the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/us-election">US election</a>&nbsp;— a reason behind which has been the careless approach of Donald Trump towards the pandemic. He has been openly criticised by several known personalities and opposition leaders for his poor handling of the coronavirus pandemic, which has resulted in US being the worst affected country in the world.

The outgoing US President's oldest son, Donald Trump Jr. has tested positive for the novel coronavirus, a spokesman said on Friday. Donald Trump Jr., also known as Don, has tested positive almost a month after his father, Donald Trump, and his stepmother, Ivanka Trump, recovered from the deadly virus.

The outgoing US President's oldest son, Donald Trump Jr. has tested positive for the novel coronavirus, a spokesman said on Friday. Donald Trump Jr., also known as Don, has tested positive almost a month after his father, Donald Trump, and his stepmother, Ivanka Trump, recovered from the deadly virus. Also read| US elections results 2020: Joe Biden wins Georgia after recount, says state election official "Don tested positive at the start of the week and has been quarantining out at his cabin since the result," his spokesman said. "He's been completely asymptomatic so far and is following all medically recommended COVID-19 guidelines." His announcement came a few hours after Trump administration's lawyer, Rudy Giuliani's son Andrew Giuliani announced he had also tested positive for the novel coronavirus that has taken thousands of lives in the country. Also read| Trump's lawyer Rudy Giuliani's hair dye melting during press meet sparks wave of memes President Donald Trump tested positive and was shifted to the army hospital for better treatment, where he claimed to have found the 'magical cure'. However, speculations about his health have since followed — which have all been denied by him and his campaign. Later, Donald Trump and Melania's youngest son, Barron, too, had tested positive. All three have recovered. Several people in the Trump administration have since tested positive — the reason behind which was being assumed to be a super spreader event for the appointment of Amy Coney Barrett. Trump, who has recently been defeated by the President-elect Joe Biden in the US election — a reason behind which has been the careless approach of Donald Trump towards the pandemic. He has been openly criticised by several known personalities and opposition leaders for his poor handling of the coronavirus pandemic, which has resulted in US being the worst affected country in the world.

Donald Trump Jr. tests positive for coronavirus: Spokesman

In a hat-trick of losses, election lawsuits filed by Trump's legal team in Arizona, Pennsylvania, and Georgia have been dismissed. Meanwhile, New York's Attorney General has subpoenaed the Trump Organisation. Is the law catching up with the Trumps? Molly Gambhir gets you a report.

Gravitas: Trump's election lawsuits fall flat

According to the official, President Trump would participate in the virtual G20 summit on Saturday and Sunday.

US President Donald Trump to take part in virtual G20 summit | World News

For more than a week, a plain-spoken former federal prosecutor named Sidney Powell made the rounds on right-wing talk radio and cable news, facing little pushback as she laid out a conspiracy theory that Venezuela, Cuba and other “communist” interests had used a secret algorithm to hack into voting machines and steal millions of votes from President &nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a>.

She spoke mostly uninterrupted for nearly 20 minutes Monday on the “Rush Limbaugh Show,” the No. 1 program on talk radio. Hosts like Mark Levin, who has the fourth-largest talk radio audience, and Lou Dobbs of Fox Business praised her patriotism and courage.

Also read|&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/multiple-blows-narrow-donald-trumps-options-to-retain-presidency-344474" hreflang="en">Multiple blows narrow Donald Trump's options to retain presidency</a>

So it came as most unwelcome news to the president’s defenders when Tucker Carlson, host of an 8 p.m. Fox News show and a confidant of Trump, dissected Powell’s claims as unreliable and unproven.

“What Powell was describing would amount to the single greatest crime in American history,” Carlson said Thursday night, his voice ringing with incredulity in a 10-minute monologue at the top of his show. “Millions of votes stolen in a day. Democracy destroyed. The end of our centuries-old system of government.” But, he said, when he invited Powell on his show to share her evidence, she became “angry and told us to stop contacting her.”

The response was immediate, and hostile. The president’s allies in conservative media and their legions of devoted Trump fans quickly closed ranks behind Powell and her case on behalf of the president, accusing the Fox host of betrayal.

Also read|&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/youre-fired-twitter-to-hand-over-potus-account-to-biden-whether-trump-concedes-or-not-344466" hreflang="en">Twitter to hand over POTUS account to Biden, whether Trump concedes or not</a>

“How quickly we turn on our own,” said Bo Snerdley, Limbaugh’s producer, in a Twitter post that was indicative of the backlash against Carlson. “Where is the ‘evidence’ the election was fair?”

The backlash against Carlson and Fox for daring to exert even a moment of independence underscores how little willingness exists among Republicans to challenge the president and his false narrative about the election he insists was stolen. Among conservative media voices and outlets, there’s generally not just a lack of willingness — they have proved this month to be Trump’s most reflexive defenders.

For months before the election, as Trump spread disinformation about the reliability of mail-in ballots, Republicans largely avoided contradicting him and insisted that his concerns about fraud were not entirely unreasonable. And in the weeks since election night, when Trump falsely declared himself the winner and then refused to accept President-elect Joe Biden’s victory, the acknowledgments that the race is settled have come mostly from former officials like President George W. Bush or from a few current officeholders, like Sen. Mitt Romney, R-Utah, who have not been afraid to air their differences with Trump.

Also read|&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/dont-be-embarrassing-czech-president-asks-donald-trump-to-step-down-344233" hreflang="en">'Don't be embarrassing': Czech President asks Donald Trump to step down</a>

The same fear that grips elected Republicans — getting on the wrong side of voters who adore Trump but have little affection for the Republican Party — has kept conservative media largely in line. And that has created a right-wing media bubble that has grown increasingly disconnected from the most basic facts about U.S. government in recent weeks, including who will be inaugurated as president Jan. 20.

In the hours after Carlson’s monologue, word of which spread quickly across social media, Trump’s supporters went after not only Carlson but also Fox News. The network has become a source of particular frustration with many on the right after taking a more skeptical view of Trump’s claims about voter fraud and refusing to reconsider its call on election night that Biden would win Arizona.

That decision, which proved correct, deeply angered the president and led him to start promoting some of Fox’s smaller competitors on cable like Newsmax and One America News Network as more suitable alternatives for his large and loyal following.

Also read|&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-elections-results-2020-joe-biden-wins-georgia-after-recount-says-state-election-official-344393" hreflang="en">US elections results 2020: Joe Biden wins Georgia after recount, says state election official</a>

Roosh Valizadeh, a writer and podcast host who supports the president, summed up the anger aimed at Fox by many on the right, saying, “As long as Tucker Carlson works for Fox News, he can’t be fully trusted.”

All week on networks like Newsmax and OANN and talk radio programs, the president’s supporters have been given a steady diet of interviews with Trump allies, campaign officials and news stories that promote allegations of fraud with little or no context.

One lawyer who is assisting the Trump campaign in its efforts, Lin Wood, went unquestioned this week on Levin’s show when he made the fantastical claim that Trump had won the election with 70% of the vote. A story that OANN broadcast Friday afternoon falsely declared, “The state of Michigan is back in play,” giving credence to Trump’s extraordinary but almost certainly unsuccessful efforts to delay certification of the vote in Detroit.

Republican officials have remained mostly measured and muted in their response, even after the conspiratorial and unsubstantiated claims floated by Powell, Rudy Giuliani and other members of Trump’s legal team at a news conference Thursday. Republicans like Sen. Joni Ernst of Iowa, who said that Powell’s accusations were “absolutely outrageous,” were the exception.

Rich Lowry, the editor of National Review and sometimes critic of the president who called his refusal to concede “absurd and sophomoric,” said that whether it was a Republican politician or a talk-show host, breaking the will that many Trump supporters have to believe he is the rightful winner was extremely difficult.

“They want it to be true,” Lowry said. “On top of that, there’s an enormous credibility gap and radical distrust of other sources of information. And that’s compounded by the fact that the president has no standards and is surrounded by these clownish people who will say anything. It’s a toxic stew.”

Carlson, no doubt aware that many in his audience, including possibly the president himself, would not like what they were hearing, walked a fine line Thursday night. He insisted that he and his producers “took Sidney Powell seriously.”

He also tried to reassure members of his audience that he was on their side after all, explaining how he always kept an open mind about alleged cover-ups like the one Powell has promoted. “We don’t dismiss anything,” he said. “We literally do UFO segments.”

For more than a week, a plain-spoken former federal prosecutor named Sidney Powell made the rounds on right-wing talk radio and cable news, facing little pushback as she laid out a conspiracy theory that Venezuela, Cuba and other “communist” interests had used a secret algorithm to hack into voting machines and steal millions of votes from President Donald Trump.

For more than a week, a plain-spoken former federal prosecutor named Sidney Powell made the rounds on right-wing talk radio and cable news, facing little pushback as she laid out a conspiracy theory that Venezuela, Cuba and other “communist” interests had used a secret algorithm to hack into voting machines and steal millions of votes from President Donald Trump. She spoke mostly uninterrupted for nearly 20 minutes Monday on the “Rush Limbaugh Show,” the No. 1 program on talk radio. Hosts like Mark Levin, who has the fourth-largest talk radio audience, and Lou Dobbs of Fox Business praised her patriotism and courage. Also read| Multiple blows narrow Donald Trump's options to retain presidency So it came as most unwelcome news to the president’s defenders when Tucker Carlson, host of an 8 p.m. Fox News show and a confidant of Trump, dissected Powell’s claims as unreliable and unproven. “What Powell was describing would amount to the single greatest crime in American history,” Carlson said Thursday night, his voice ringing with incredulity in a 10-minute monologue at the top of his show. “Millions of votes stolen in a day. Democracy destroyed. The end of our centuries-old system of government.” But, he said, when he invited Powell on his show to share her evidence, she became “angry and told us to stop contacting her.” The response was immediate, and hostile. The president’s allies in conservative media and their legions of devoted Trump fans quickly closed ranks behind Powell and her case on behalf of the president, accusing the Fox host of betrayal. Also read| Twitter to hand over POTUS account to Biden, whether Trump concedes or not “How quickly we turn on our own,” said Bo Snerdley, Limbaugh’s producer, in a Twitter post that was indicative of the backlash against Carlson. “Where is the ‘evidence’ the election was fair?” The backlash against Carlson and Fox for daring to exert even a moment of independence underscores how little willingness exists among Republicans to challenge the president and his false narrative about the election he insists was stolen. Among conservative media voices and outlets, there’s generally not just a lack of willingness — they have proved this month to be Trump’s most reflexive defenders. For months before the election, as Trump spread disinformation about the reliability of mail-in ballots, Republicans largely avoided contradicting him and insisted that his concerns about fraud were not entirely unreasonable. And in the weeks since election night, when Trump falsely declared himself the winner and then refused to accept President-elect Joe Biden’s victory, the acknowledgments that the race is settled have come mostly from former officials like President George W. Bush or from a few current officeholders, like Sen. Mitt Romney, R-Utah, who have not been afraid to air their differences with Trump. Also read| 'Don't be embarrassing': Czech President asks Donald Trump to step down The same fear that grips elected Republicans — getting on the wrong side of voters who adore Trump but have little affection for the Republican Party — has kept conservative media largely in line. And that has created a right-wing media bubble that has grown increasingly disconnected from the most basic facts about U.S. government in recent weeks, including who will be inaugurated as president Jan. 20. In the hours after Carlson’s monologue, word of which spread quickly across social media, Trump’s supporters went after not only Carlson but also Fox News. The network has become a source of particular frustration with many on the right after taking a more skeptical view of Trump’s claims about voter fraud and refusing to reconsider its call on election night that Biden would win Arizona. That decision, which proved correct, deeply angered the president and led him to start promoting some of Fox’s smaller competitors on cable like Newsmax and One America News Network as more suitable alternatives for his large and loyal following. Also read| US elections results 2020: Joe Biden wins Georgia after recount, says state election official Roosh Valizadeh, a writer and podcast host who supports the president, summed up the anger aimed at Fox by many on the right, saying, “As long as Tucker Carlson works for Fox News, he can’t be fully trusted.” All week on networks like Newsmax and OANN and talk radio programs, the president’s supporters have been given a steady diet of interviews with Trump allies, campaign officials and news stories that promote allegations of fraud with little or no context. One lawyer who is assisting the Trump campaign in its efforts, Lin Wood, went unquestioned this week on Levin’s show when he made the fantastical claim that Trump had won the election with 70% of the vote. A story that OANN broadcast Friday afternoon falsely declared, “The state of Michigan is back in play,” giving credence to Trump’s extraordinary but almost certainly unsuccessful efforts to delay certification of the vote in Detroit. Republican officials have remained mostly measured and muted in their response, even after the conspiratorial and unsubstantiated claims floated by Powell, Rudy Giuliani and other members of Trump’s legal team at a news conference Thursday. Republicans like Sen. Joni Ernst of Iowa, who said that Powell’s accusations were “absolutely outrageous,” were the exception. Rich Lowry, the editor of National Review and sometimes critic of the president who called his refusal to concede “absurd and sophomoric,” said that whether it was a Republican politician or a talk-show host, breaking the will that many Trump supporters have to believe he is the rightful winner was extremely difficult. “They want it to be true,” Lowry said. “On top of that, there’s an enormous credibility gap and radical distrust of other sources of information. And that’s compounded by the fact that the president has no standards and is surrounded by these clownish people who will say anything. It’s a toxic stew.” Carlson, no doubt aware that many in his audience, including possibly the president himself, would not like what they were hearing, walked a fine line Thursday night. He insisted that he and his producers “took Sidney Powell seriously.” He also tried to reassure members of his audience that he was on their side after all, explaining how he always kept an open mind about alleged cover-ups like the one Powell has promoted. “We don’t dismiss anything,” he said. “We literally do UFO segments.”

Tucker Carlson dared question a Trump lawyer. The backlash was quick.

Washington is poised to designate four more Chinese companies as backed by the Chinese military, sources said, curbing their access to U.S. investors as the Trump administration seeks to cement its hawkish China legacy in its waning days.

The designations, which have not been previously reported, could be released by the Department of Defense as soon as Friday but may be unveiled next week, said one U.S. official and one person familiar with the matter who declined to be named.

Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/china-inoculates-almost-a-million-citizens-with-sinopharm-vaccine-344306">China inoculates almost a million citizens with Sinopharm vaccine</a>

The White House and the Chinese embassy in Washington did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

The additions would bring the number of Chinese companies affected to 35. They include giants like Hikvision, China Telecom Corp and China Mobile, which were added earlier this year.

The list of "Communist Chinese Military Companies" was mandated by a 1999 law requiring the Pentagon to compile a catalogue of companies "owned or controlled" by the People's Liberation Army, but the defense department only complied this year.

The latest move would come just days after the White House published an executive order, first reported by Reuters, that sought to give teeth to the list by prohibiting U.S. investors from buying securities of the blacklisted companies from November 2021.

The move "helps ensure no American is unwittingly subsidizing the (Chinese Communist Party)'s campaign to dominate the technologies of the future," said Republican Congressman Mike Gallagher, who has introduced legislation to ban blacklisted Chinese companies from U.S. capital markets.

However, the executive order is unlikely to deal the firms a serious blow, experts said, due to its limited scope, uncertainty about the stance of the incoming Biden administration and already-scant holdings by U.S. funds.

Democratic President-elect Joe Biden, who takes office on Jan. 20, has not laid out a detailed China strategy but all indications are that he will continue a tough approach toward Beijing.

The growing defense department list will likely add to tensions between the world’s two largest economies, which have been at loggerheads over the coronavirus and China's crackdown on Hong Kong.

The list is also part of a broader effort by Washington to target what it sees as Beijing's efforts to enlist corporations to harness emerging civilian technologies for military purposes.

In September, the U.S. Commerce Department imposed restrictions on exports to China’s biggest chip maker SMIC after concluding there was an “unacceptable risk” that equipment supplied to it could be used for military purposes.

Congress and the administration have sought increasingly to curb the U.S. market access of Chinese companies that do not comply with rules faced by American rivals, even if that means antagonizing Wall Street.

In August, U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission and Treasury officials urged Trump to delist Chinese companies that trade on U.S. exchanges and fail to meet its auditing requirements by January 2022.

 
&nbsp;

Washington is poised to designate four more Chinese companies as backed by the Chinese military, sources said, curbing their access to U.S. investors as the Trump administration seeks to cement its hawkish China legacy in its waning days.

Washington is poised to designate four more Chinese companies as backed by the Chinese military, sources said, curbing their access to U.S. investors as the Trump administration seeks to cement its hawkish China legacy in its waning days. The designations, which have not been previously reported, could be released by the Department of Defense as soon as Friday but may be unveiled next week, said one U.S. official and one person familiar with the matter who declined to be named. Also read | China inoculates almost a million citizens with Sinopharm vaccine The White House and the Chinese embassy in Washington did not immediately respond to requests for comment. The additions would bring the number of Chinese companies affected to 35. They include giants like Hikvision, China Telecom Corp and China Mobile, which were added earlier this year. The list of "Communist Chinese Military Companies" was mandated by a 1999 law requiring the Pentagon to compile a catalogue of companies "owned or controlled" by the People's Liberation Army, but the defense department only complied this year. The latest move would come just days after the White House published an executive order, first reported by Reuters, that sought to give teeth to the list by prohibiting U.S. investors from buying securities of the blacklisted companies from November 2021. The move "helps ensure no American is unwittingly subsidizing the (Chinese Communist Party)'s campaign to dominate the technologies of the future," said Republican Congressman Mike Gallagher, who has introduced legislation to ban blacklisted Chinese companies from U.S. capital markets. However, the executive order is unlikely to deal the firms a serious blow, experts said, due to its limited scope, uncertainty about the stance of the incoming Biden administration and already-scant holdings by U.S. funds. Democratic President-elect Joe Biden, who takes office on Jan. 20, has not laid out a detailed China strategy but all indications are that he will continue a tough approach toward Beijing. The growing defense department list will likely add to tensions between the world’s two largest economies, which have been at loggerheads over the coronavirus and China's crackdown on Hong Kong. The list is also part of a broader effort by Washington to target what it sees as Beijing's efforts to enlist corporations to harness emerging civilian technologies for military purposes. In September, the U.S. Commerce Department imposed restrictions on exports to China’s biggest chip maker SMIC after concluding there was an “unacceptable risk” that equipment supplied to it could be used for military purposes. Congress and the administration have sought increasingly to curb the U.S. market access of Chinese companies that do not comply with rules faced by American rivals, even if that means antagonizing Wall Street. In August, U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission and Treasury officials urged Trump to delist Chinese companies that trade on U.S. exchanges and fail to meet its auditing requirements by January 2022.

Trump administration to add four more Chinese firms to Pentagon blacklist: Sources

Two separate New York state fraud investigations into President Donald Trump and his businesses, one criminal and one civil, have expanded to include tax write-offs on millions of dollars in consulting fees, some of which appear to have gone to Ivanka Trump, according to people with knowledge of the matter.

The inquiries — a criminal investigation by Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus R. Vance Jr., and a civil one by state Attorney General Letitia James — are being conducted independently. But both offices issued subpoenas to the Trump Organization in recent weeks for records related to the fees, the people said.

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The subpoenas were the latest steps in the two investigations of the Trump Organization, and underscore the legal challenges awaiting the president when he leaves office in January. There is no indication that his daughter is a focus of either inquiry, which the Trump Organization has derided as politically motivated.

The development follows a recent New York Times examination of more than two decades of Donald Trump’s tax records, which found that he had paid little or no federal income taxes in most years, largely because of his chronic business losses.

Among the revelations was that Trump reduced his taxable income by deducting about $26 million in fees to unidentified consultants as a business expense on numerous projects between 2010 and 2018.

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Some of those fees appear to have been paid to Ivanka Trump, The Times found. On a 2017 disclosure she filed when joining the White House as a presidential adviser, she reported receiving payments from a consulting company she co-owned, totaling $747,622, that exactly matched consulting fees claimed as tax deductions by the Trump Organization for hotel projects in Hawaii and Vancouver, British Columbia.

The subpoenas were focused on fees paid to the firm on her disclosures, TTT Consulting LLC, and represented just a portion of the $26 million, according to a person with knowledge of the matter. The name of the firm appears to be a reference to Ivanka Trump and other members of her family.

Ivanka Trump was an executive officer of the Trump companies that made the payments, meaning she appears to have been treated as a consultant while also working for the company. While companies can deduct professional fees, the Internal Revenue Service requires that consulting arrangements be market-based and reasonable, as well as “ordinary and necessary” to running a business.

Also read|&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/ivanka-trump-is-narcissistic-and-obsessed-with-status-like-donald-former-friend-344036">Ivanka Trump is narcissistic and obsessed with status, like Donald: Former friend</a>

Alan Garten, general counsel for the Trump Organization, said in a statement that “this is just the latest fishing expedition in an ongoing attempt to harass the company.”

“Everything was done in strict compliance with applicable law and under the advice of counsel and tax experts,” he added. “All applicable taxes were paid and no party received any undue benefit.”

The IRS has sometimes rejected attempts to write off consulting fees if they were meant to avoid taxes and did not reflect arm's-length business relationships. It is not known if the IRS has ever questioned the Trump Organization about the practice. The tax benefit to Donald Trump from deducting the fees on his companies’ federal returns would also be reflected on his New York returns, making it of possible interest to the state.

A tax adviser who has worked with the Trump Organization said that such consulting fees were not uncommon.

Also read|&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/donald-trumps-daughter-in-law-lara-may-run-for-senate-in-north-carolina-344241" hreflang="en">Donald Trump's daughter-in-law, Lara, may run for Senate in North Carolina</a>

The offices of the district attorney and the attorney general declined to comment. Ivanka Trump did not respond to requests for comment but said on Twitter after publication that “there was no tax benefit whatsoever.”

Few details have been publicly disclosed about the district attorney’s investigation, the only known active criminal case involving Donald Trump. Vance’s office began the inquiry more than two years ago, initially focusing on the Trump Organization’s role in hush money paid during the 2016 presidential campaign to Stormy Daniels, a pornographic film actress who claimed to have had an affair with Trump.

The investigation has been stalled since last fall, after the president filed a lawsuit to block a subpoena for his tax returns and other financial records.

Also read|&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/dont-be-embarrassing-czech-president-asks-donald-trump-to-step-down-344233" hreflang="en">'Don't be embarrassing': Czech President asks Donald Trump to step down</a>

The legal fight is before the U.S. Supreme Court for a second time, with a ruling expected soon. Prosecutors have suggested in court filings that their investigation has expanded far beyond the hush money and is focused on a number of potential financial crimes, including insurance and bank-related fraud, tax evasion and grand larceny.

Trump has said the investigation is part of “the greatest witch hunt in history.” Both Vance and James are Democrats.

James’ civil investigation is focused on the Trump Organization’s business practices, though she can make a criminal referral and can seek authority from Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo’s administration or the state comptroller to bring charges on her own.

Her inquiry began last year in March, after Michael Cohen, the president’s former lawyer, told Congress that Trump had inflated his assets in financial statements to secure bank loans and understated them elsewhere to reduce his tax bill. In August, the attorney general’s office asked a judge to force the president’s son Eric Trump to testify in the inquiry, and he did so last month. Eric Trump is an executive vice president at the Trump Organization, running its day-to-day operations.

Investigators in James’ office have scrutinized a widening array of transactions. One of them is a 2010 financial restructuring of the Trump Hotel &amp; Tower in Chicago, when the Fortress Credit Corp. forgave debt worth more than $100 million. The attorney general’s office said in court documents filed in August that the Trump Organization had thwarted efforts to determine how that money was reflected in its tax filings, and whether it was declared as income, as the law requires in most instances. The Times’ analysis of Trump’s financial records found that he had avoided federal income tax on almost all of the forgiven debt.

The attorney general’s office is also examining whether the Trump Organization used inflated appraisals when it received large tax breaks for promising to conserve land where its development efforts faltered, including at its Seven Springs estate in Westchester County, New York.

“The outcome of the election will have no impact on our investigations,” James said in a television interview this month, adding: “No one is above the law. We will just follow the facts and the evidence, wherever they lead us.”

Two separate New York state fraud investigations into President Donald Trump and his businesses, one criminal and one civil, have expanded to include tax write-offs on millions of dollars in consulting fees, some of which appear to have gone to Ivanka Trump, according to people with knowledge of the matter.

Two separate New York state fraud investigations into President Donald Trump and his businesses, one criminal and one civil, have expanded to include tax write-offs on millions of dollars in consulting fees, some of which appear to have gone to Ivanka Trump, according to people with knowledge of the matter. The inquiries — a criminal investigation by Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus R. Vance Jr., and a civil one by state Attorney General Letitia James — are being conducted independently. But both offices issued subpoenas to the Trump Organization in recent weeks for records related to the fees, the people said. Also read| Donald Trump to address APEC summit a day after China's Xi Jinping The subpoenas were the latest steps in the two investigations of the Trump Organization, and underscore the legal challenges awaiting the president when he leaves office in January. There is no indication that his daughter is a focus of either inquiry, which the Trump Organization has derided as politically motivated. The development follows a recent New York Times examination of more than two decades of Donald Trump’s tax records, which found that he had paid little or no federal income taxes in most years, largely because of his chronic business losses. Among the revelations was that Trump reduced his taxable income by deducting about $26 million in fees to unidentified consultants as a business expense on numerous projects between 2010 and 2018. Also read| Donald Trump asks judge to declare him winner in Pennsylvania Some of those fees appear to have been paid to Ivanka Trump, The Times found. On a 2017 disclosure she filed when joining the White House as a presidential adviser, she reported receiving payments from a consulting company she co-owned, totaling $747,622, that exactly matched consulting fees claimed as tax deductions by the Trump Organization for hotel projects in Hawaii and Vancouver, British Columbia. The subpoenas were focused on fees paid to the firm on her disclosures, TTT Consulting LLC, and represented just a portion of the $26 million, according to a person with knowledge of the matter. The name of the firm appears to be a reference to Ivanka Trump and other members of her family. Ivanka Trump was an executive officer of the Trump companies that made the payments, meaning she appears to have been treated as a consultant while also working for the company. While companies can deduct professional fees, the Internal Revenue Service requires that consulting arrangements be market-based and reasonable, as well as “ordinary and necessary” to running a business. Also read| Ivanka Trump is narcissistic and obsessed with status, like Donald: Former friend Alan Garten, general counsel for the Trump Organization, said in a statement that “this is just the latest fishing expedition in an ongoing attempt to harass the company.” “Everything was done in strict compliance with applicable law and under the advice of counsel and tax experts,” he added. “All applicable taxes were paid and no party received any undue benefit.” The IRS has sometimes rejected attempts to write off consulting fees if they were meant to avoid taxes and did not reflect arm's-length business relationships. It is not known if the IRS has ever questioned the Trump Organization about the practice. The tax benefit to Donald Trump from deducting the fees on his companies’ federal returns would also be reflected on his New York returns, making it of possible interest to the state. A tax adviser who has worked with the Trump Organization said that such consulting fees were not uncommon. Also read| Donald Trump's daughter-in-law, Lara, may run for Senate in North Carolina The offices of the district attorney and the attorney general declined to comment. Ivanka Trump did not respond to requests for comment but said on Twitter after publication that “there was no tax benefit whatsoever.” Few details have been publicly disclosed about the district attorney’s investigation, the only known active criminal case involving Donald Trump. Vance’s office began the inquiry more than two years ago, initially focusing on the Trump Organization’s role in hush money paid during the 2016 presidential campaign to Stormy Daniels, a pornographic film actress who claimed to have had an affair with Trump. The investigation has been stalled since last fall, after the president filed a lawsuit to block a subpoena for his tax returns and other financial records. Also read| 'Don't be embarrassing': Czech President asks Donald Trump to step down The legal fight is before the U.S. Supreme Court for a second time, with a ruling expected soon. Prosecutors have suggested in court filings that their investigation has expanded far beyond the hush money and is focused on a number of potential financial crimes, including insurance and bank-related fraud, tax evasion and grand larceny. Trump has said the investigation is part of “the greatest witch hunt in history.” Both Vance and James are Democrats. James’ civil investigation is focused on the Trump Organization’s business practices, though she can make a criminal referral and can seek authority from Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo’s administration or the state comptroller to bring charges on her own. Her inquiry began last year in March, after Michael Cohen, the president’s former lawyer, told Congress that Trump had inflated his assets in financial statements to secure bank loans and understated them elsewhere to reduce his tax bill. In August, the attorney general’s office asked a judge to force the president’s son Eric Trump to testify in the inquiry, and he did so last month. Eric Trump is an executive vice president at the Trump Organization, running its day-to-day operations. Investigators in James’ office have scrutinized a widening array of transactions. One of them is a 2010 financial restructuring of the Trump Hotel & Tower in Chicago, when the Fortress Credit Corp. forgave debt worth more than $100 million. The attorney general’s office said in court documents filed in August that the Trump Organization had thwarted efforts to determine how that money was reflected in its tax filings, and whether it was declared as income, as the law requires in most instances. The Times’ analysis of Trump’s financial records found that he had avoided federal income tax on almost all of the forgiven debt. The attorney general’s office is also examining whether the Trump Organization used inflated appraisals when it received large tax breaks for promising to conserve land where its development efforts faltered, including at its Seven Springs estate in Westchester County, New York. “The outcome of the election will have no impact on our investigations,” James said in a television interview this month, adding: “No one is above the law. We will just follow the facts and the evidence, wherever they lead us.”

Trump tax write-offs are ensnared in 2 New York fraud investigations

US President Donald Trump's daughter-in-law, Lara Trump, may be considering to run for Senate in North Carolina in 2022, as per reports by US media.

The reports have come a few weeks after Donald Trump lost to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/joe-biden">Joe Biden</a>&nbsp;in the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/us-election">US elections</a>&nbsp;and alleged voter fraud and manipulation in mail-in voting.

Also read|&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/dont-be-embarrassing-czech-president-asks-donald-trump-to-step-down-344233">'Don't be embarrassing': Czech President asks Donald Trump to step down</a>

Lara Trump is married to Donald's second eldest son, Eric. As per local media reports, Lara has been "telling associates she is considering a run for Senate in 2022," the New York Times said, on the basis on inputs provided by three unnamed allies.

She will be contesting the Senate run from her home state, North Carolina. The reports have gained momentum especially after the Republican senator from North Carolina Richard Burr claimed he will not be seeking reelection in 2022 from the state.
<img alt="Trump family" data-caption="Donald Trump's family" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="0b0258c1-89e6-4009-89a3-144993068e0f" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Trump%20family.jpg" />
Meanwhile, some reports have also suggested that&nbsp;Donald Trump's current chief of staff Mark Meadows may also be a potential candidate, in addition to former governor&nbsp; Pat McCrory and outgoing Lt. Governor Dan Forest.

North Carolina has been a Republic supporter state for the past few years now. Even in US election 2020, the state residents voted for Donald Trump&nbsp;but by a smaller margin than in 2016.

The reports of Laura Trump running for Senate have not been confirmed by the Trump clan, yet.

US President Donald Trump's daughter-in-law, Lara Trump, may be considering to run for Senate in North Carolina in 2022, as per reports by US media. The reports have come a few weeks after Donald Trump lost to Joe Biden in the US elections and alleged voter fraud and manipulation in mail-in voting.

US President Donald Trump's daughter-in-law, Lara Trump, may be considering to run for Senate in North Carolina in 2022, as per reports by US media. The reports have come a few weeks after Donald Trump lost to Joe Biden in the US elections and alleged voter fraud and manipulation in mail-in voting. Also read| 'Don't be embarrassing': Czech President asks Donald Trump to step down Lara Trump is married to Donald's second eldest son, Eric. As per local media reports, Lara has been "telling associates she is considering a run for Senate in 2022," the New York Times said, on the basis on inputs provided by three unnamed allies. She will be contesting the Senate run from her home state, North Carolina. The reports have gained momentum especially after the Republican senator from North Carolina Richard Burr claimed he will not be seeking reelection in 2022 from the state. Meanwhile, some reports have also suggested that Donald Trump's current chief of staff Mark Meadows may also be a potential candidate, in addition to former governor Pat McCrory and outgoing Lt. Governor Dan Forest. North Carolina has been a Republic supporter state for the past few years now. Even in US election 2020, the state residents voted for Donald Trump but by a smaller margin than in 2016. The reports of Laura Trump running for Senate have not been confirmed by the Trump clan, yet.

Donald Trump's daughter-in-law, Lara, may run for Senate in North Carolina

It has been a couple of weeks since&nbsp;the outgoing US President&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;lost the race to White against&nbsp;his Democratic opponent&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/joe-biden">Joe Biden</a>&nbsp;in the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/us-election">US elections</a>. However, Trump has refused to concede his defeat.

While several world leaders have congratulated the President-elect Joe Biden, the&nbsp;Czech President Milos Zeman has passed on a word of advice to Trump, and that is to not to be embarrassing and let Biden take the lead now, post-January.

Also read|&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/i-am-confident-he-knows-he-hasnt-won-joe-biden-on-trump-344203">‘I am confident he knows he hasn't won’: Joe Biden on Trump</a>

Talking about how Trump has still not acknowledged his defeat and is still trying to fight the system by filing lawsuits in various states, alleging the Democratic Party of voter fraud, Zeman said, "I personally believe that it would be much more reasonable to give up, not to be embarrassing, and allow the new president to take office."

The 76-year-old leader has served two terms in his country as the President, and one as the Prime Minister. He plays a major role in the country's post-communist politics. The statement was unexpected from Zeman as he has been a supporter of the Republican President in the past.

Also read|&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-elections-2020-trump-campaign-drops-michigan-vote-count-lawsuit-344169">Trump campaign drops Michigan vote count lawsuit</a>

Biden achieved a historic victory against Trump in the Presidential elections that took place on November 03. However, Trump has refused to acknowledge the defeat and has consistently alleged voter fraud in the mail-in ballots. Joe Biden, recently, opened up about Trump's failing lawsuits and blamed him for sending out "incredibly damaging messages being sent to the rest of the world about how democracy functions."

It has been a couple of weeks since the outgoing US President Donald Trump lost the race to White against his Democratic opponent Joe Biden in the US elections. However, Trump has refused to concede his defeat.

It has been a couple of weeks since the outgoing US President Donald Trump lost the race to White against his Democratic opponent Joe Biden in the US elections. However, Trump has refused to concede his defeat. While several world leaders have congratulated the President-elect Joe Biden, the Czech President Milos Zeman has passed on a word of advice to Trump, and that is to not to be embarrassing and let Biden take the lead now, post-January. Also read| ‘I am confident he knows he hasn't won’: Joe Biden on Trump Talking about how Trump has still not acknowledged his defeat and is still trying to fight the system by filing lawsuits in various states, alleging the Democratic Party of voter fraud, Zeman said, "I personally believe that it would be much more reasonable to give up, not to be embarrassing, and allow the new president to take office." The 76-year-old leader has served two terms in his country as the President, and one as the Prime Minister. He plays a major role in the country's post-communist politics. The statement was unexpected from Zeman as he has been a supporter of the Republican President in the past. Also read| Trump campaign drops Michigan vote count lawsuit Biden achieved a historic victory against Trump in the Presidential elections that took place on November 03. However, Trump has refused to acknowledge the defeat and has consistently alleged voter fraud in the mail-in ballots. Joe Biden, recently, opened up about Trump's failing lawsuits and blamed him for sending out "incredibly damaging messages being sent to the rest of the world about how democracy functions."

'Don't be embarrassing': Czech President asks Donald Trump to step down

Sidney Powell, a former federal prosecutor who is now an election attorney for President Donald Trump, on Thursday (November 19) said again without providing evidence that millions of votes were shifted from Trump to Democratic rival Joe Biden by software designed to rig the election.

Giuliani links latest election fraud claims to 'communist money' from Venezuela

Despite widespread irregularities or lack of evidence of fraud, President Donald Trump's legal team used Thursday's press conference to go through the laundry list of far-fetched, well-dismissed claims on the 2020 election.

Delay in Trump-to Biden transition, Trump pushes legal challenges | WION-VoA Co-Production

Who did the minority groups vote for? | US Election 2020 | WION-VoA Co-Production

India is racing ahead with work on its coronavirus vaccine. Serum Institute has said that Oxford COVID-19 vaccine should be available for the general public by April 2021. US President-elect Joe Biden on Thursday accused Donald Trump of brazenly damaging democracy. And on Thursday, a man attacked several people with a knife in Oberhausen, German authorities said, leaving five injured.

Here are the latest headlines you must not miss:&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/coronavirus-us-continues-to-battle-huge-uptick-as-it-sees-over-2200-new-deaths-344219">Coronavirus: US continues to battle huge uptick as it sees over 2,200 new deaths</a> 
 
<img src="https://cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/styles/story_page/public/2020/08/08/153602-us-corona.jpg?itok=vux0e8zM" />The United States in the last 24 hours confirmed more than 2,200 coronavirus deaths, highest ever since May, according to a tally by the Johns Hopkins University tally on Thursday.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/oxford-covid-19-vaccine-to-be-available-for-indians-by-april-2021-serum-institute-chief-344212">Oxford COVID-19 vaccine to be available for Indians by April 2021: Serum Institute Chief&nbsp;</a> 
 
<img src="https://cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/styles/story_page/public/2020/10/27/166969-coronavirus-vaccine.jpg?itok=xnnXsZ64" />India is racing ahead with work on its coronavirus vaccine as countries around the world sought to conquer the pandemic and rescue their economies.

 
<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/i-am-confident-he-knows-he-hasnt-won-joe-biden-on-trump-344203">‘I am confident he knows he hasn't won’: Joe Biden on Trump</a> 
 
<img src="https://cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/styles/story_page/public/2020/11/16/170065-untitled-design-18.jpg?itok=_N2v_Zfr" />

US President-elect Joe Biden on Thursday accused Donald Trump of brazenly damaging democracy as the incumbent pressed on with a campaign to reverse his election loss through fraud claims and personal outreach to election authorities.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/germany-stabbing-attack-five-injured-in-oberhausen-suspect-arrested-344208">Germany stabbing attack: Five injured in Oberhausen, suspect arrested</a> 
 
<img src="https://cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/styles/story_page/public/2020/11/20/170450-german-police.JPG?itok=ZCwC-Pd0" />

A man attacked several people with a knife in Oberhausen on Thursday evening, German authorities said, leaving five injured. 
 
<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/irans-revolutionary-guard-corps-unleashes-new-warship-with-drones-helicopters-onboard-344150">In pics: Iran's Revolutionary Guard Corps unleashes new warship with drones, helicopters onboard</a> 
 
<img src="https://cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/2020/11/19/170394-warship3.jpg" /> 
&nbsp;

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/your-story-21-year-old-student-begins-a-start-up-company-in-kabul-344202/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

India is racing ahead with work on its coronavirus vaccine. Serum Institute has said that Oxford COVID-19 vaccine should be available for the general public by April 2021.

India is racing ahead with work on its coronavirus vaccine. Serum Institute has said that Oxford COVID-19 vaccine should be available for the general public by April 2021. US President-elect Joe Biden on Thursday accused Donald Trump of brazenly damaging democracy. And on Thursday, a man attacked several people with a knife in Oberhausen, German authorities said, leaving five injured. Here are the latest headlines you must not miss: Coronavirus: US continues to battle huge uptick as it sees over 2,200 new deaths The United States in the last 24 hours confirmed more than 2,200 coronavirus deaths, highest ever since May, according to a tally by the Johns Hopkins University tally on Thursday. Oxford COVID-19 vaccine to be available for Indians by April 2021: Serum Institute Chief India is racing ahead with work on its coronavirus vaccine as countries around the world sought to conquer the pandemic and rescue their economies. ‘I am confident he knows he hasn't won’: Joe Biden on Trump US President-elect Joe Biden on Thursday accused Donald Trump of brazenly damaging democracy as the incumbent pressed on with a campaign to reverse his election loss through fraud claims and personal outreach to election authorities. Germany stabbing attack: Five injured in Oberhausen, suspect arrested A man attacked several people with a knife in Oberhausen on Thursday evening, German authorities said, leaving five injured. In pics: Iran's Revolutionary Guard Corps unleashes new warship with drones, helicopters onboard

Morning news brief: Covid vaccine by April, Biden criticizes Trump, and more

A day after these Chinese President Xi Jinping addressed the&nbsp;Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) gathering, the US President&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;will now be taking over the stage.

Trump, who recently lost the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/us-election">US elections</a>&nbsp;to his Democratic opponent&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/joe-biden">Joe Biden</a>, will be addressing the virtual gathering on Friday evening, as per reports.

Also read|&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/xi-touts-chinas-huge-economy-as-base-of-free-trade-in-apec-speech-344021">Xi touts China's huge economy as base of free trade in APEC speech</a>

APEC is a group that brings together&nbsp;21 Pacific Rim countries, accounting for about 60 per cent of global GDP, to discuss key issues from around the world. This year, the focus of the gathering will be the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

The outgoing President is expected to deliver a speech for his fellow world leaders at the event, which is mostly out of bounds for the media, as per officials. Trump will be, assumably, talking about how the novel coronavirus spread across the world — for which he has been blaming and accusing China for the past few months.

Also read|&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/opinions-blogs/subtly-china-pressures-gulf-states-to-reduce-regional-tensions-343832">Subtly, China pressures Gulf states to reduce regional tensions</a>

Before this, Trump has only once participated in the APEC gathering, which was back in 2017. This year, he will also be fighting to show his authority as the President of the US, as he has refused to concede his defeat against Biden, and has been accusing the Democrats of manipulating election results and of voter fraud — an accusation that has not been proved right.

A day ago, Xi Jinping had addressed the world leaders' gathering and had used the platform to boast about the recently signed deal of&nbsp;world's biggest trade pact between China and 14 other Asia-Pacific countries signed the called Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP). He also took pride in claiming China as a&nbsp;pivot point for global commerce and vowed to keep its "super-sized" economy open.

A day after these Chinese President Xi Jinping addressed the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) gathering, the US President Donald Trump will now be taking over the stage.

A day after these Chinese President Xi Jinping addressed the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) gathering, the US President Donald Trump will now be taking over the stage. Trump, who recently lost the US elections to his Democratic opponent Joe Biden, will be addressing the virtual gathering on Friday evening, as per reports. Also read| Xi touts China's huge economy as base of free trade in APEC speech APEC is a group that brings together 21 Pacific Rim countries, accounting for about 60 per cent of global GDP, to discuss key issues from around the world. This year, the focus of the gathering will be the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. The outgoing President is expected to deliver a speech for his fellow world leaders at the event, which is mostly out of bounds for the media, as per officials. Trump will be, assumably, talking about how the novel coronavirus spread across the world — for which he has been blaming and accusing China for the past few months. Also read| Subtly, China pressures Gulf states to reduce regional tensions Before this, Trump has only once participated in the APEC gathering, which was back in 2017. This year, he will also be fighting to show his authority as the President of the US, as he has refused to concede his defeat against Biden, and has been accusing the Democrats of manipulating election results and of voter fraud — an accusation that has not been proved right. A day ago, Xi Jinping had addressed the world leaders' gathering and had used the platform to boast about the recently signed deal of world's biggest trade pact between China and 14 other Asia-Pacific countries signed the called Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP). He also took pride in claiming China as a pivot point for global commerce and vowed to keep its "super-sized" economy open.

Donald Trump to address APEC summit a day after China's Xi Jinping

Georgia confirmed Democratic President-elect Joe Biden as the winner of the Nov. 3 election in the state as it completed a hand audit of ballots on Thursday, Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger said.

Georgia confirms Biden's victory in state as it completes hand audit of ballots

The recount of votes in the state of Georgia has finished. Recount confirmed the victory of Joe Biden after statewide audit.

US Election 2020: Georgia finishes recount of votes, confirms Biden victory

In the latest challenge in the US election,&nbsp;US President Donald Trump's campaign&nbsp;on Wednesday asked a judge to declare him the winner in Pennsylvania, saying the state's Republican-controlled legislature should select the electors that will cast votes in the US&nbsp;Electoral College system.

In a court filing, the campaign asked US&nbsp;District Judge Matthew Brann to consider issuing an order that "the results of the 2020 presidential general election are defective and providing for the Pennsylvania General Assembly to choose Pennsylvania’s electors."

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/post-election-political-chaos-in-us-endangering-its-democracy-343969" hreflang="en">Post election political chaos in US endangering its democracy</a>

The request was part of a larger bid by the campaign to amend a November&nbsp;9 lawsuit challenging the outcome in Pennsylvania.

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/gravitas-trump-flip-flops-on-conceding-to-biden-343576/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

Democratic candidate&nbsp;Joe Biden won with 306 electoral votes to Trump's 232 nationwide. The winner needs 270, and Trump would have to flip the outcome in Pennsylvania, with 20 electoral votes, and two other states. Biden won Pennsylvania by around 82,000 votes, according to Edison Research.

On Tuesday a Pennsylvania judge challenged&nbsp;Trump's personal lawyer Rudy Giuliani to back up his sweeping claims of electoral fraud, in a case which was actually focused on whether voting officials correctly followed procedures.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/post-election-political-chaos-in-us-endangering-its-democracy-343969" hreflang="en">Post election political chaos in US endangering its democracy</a>

"This is not a fraud case," Giuliani finally admitted.

Giuliani "talked only about fraud, gigantic conspiracies," Mark Aronchick, who represented the state's interests in the case, told CNN.

"It bore no relationship to what we were actually sitting there doing in court."

Trump's legal team, led by his personal lawyer Rudy Giuliani, also sought permission from Brann to put back legal claims that it dropped on Sunday from the lawsuit. They said Republican observers were denied access to the counting of mail-in ballots, an assertion election officials dispute.

The lawsuit also alleges inconsistent treatment by county election officials of mail-in ballots. Some counties notified voters that they could fix minor defects such as missing "secrecy envelopes" while others did not.

Brann expressed skepticism of the lawsuit at a hearing on Tuesday.

Trump's case is deeply flawed and does not give Trump "any viable path to overturning the results," said Justin Levitt, a Loyola Law School professor who has been tracking the litigation.

The amended filing "does not offer any indication that a number of ballots sufficient to make up the difference in the election were invalid," Levitt said, adding that "courts won't toss ballots out (or otherwise stop an election tally in progress) without actual proof that the ballots in question were invalid."

Republican Trump's campaign has filed a flurry of lawsuits in a long-shot bid to reverse the election. Trump has claimed without evidence that the election was stolen.

In the latest challenge in the US election, US President Donald Trump's campaign on Wednesday asked a judge to declare him the winner in Pennsylvania, saying the state's Republican-controlled legislature should select the electors that will cast votes in the US Electoral College system.

In the latest challenge in the US election, US President Donald Trump's campaign on Wednesday asked a judge to declare him the winner in Pennsylvania, saying the state's Republican-controlled legislature should select the electors that will cast votes in the US Electoral College system. In a court filing, the campaign asked US District Judge Matthew Brann to consider issuing an order that "the results of the 2020 presidential general election are defective and providing for the Pennsylvania General Assembly to choose Pennsylvania’s electors." Also read: Post election political chaos in US endangering its democracy The request was part of a larger bid by the campaign to amend a November 9 lawsuit challenging the outcome in Pennsylvania. Democratic candidate Joe Biden won with 306 electoral votes to Trump's 232 nationwide. The winner needs 270, and Trump would have to flip the outcome in Pennsylvania, with 20 electoral votes, and two other states. Biden won Pennsylvania by around 82,000 votes, according to Edison Research. On Tuesday a Pennsylvania judge challenged Trump's personal lawyer Rudy Giuliani to back up his sweeping claims of electoral fraud, in a case which was actually focused on whether voting officials correctly followed procedures. Also read: Post election political chaos in US endangering its democracy "This is not a fraud case," Giuliani finally admitted. Giuliani "talked only about fraud, gigantic conspiracies," Mark Aronchick, who represented the state's interests in the case, told CNN. "It bore no relationship to what we were actually sitting there doing in court." Trump's legal team, led by his personal lawyer Rudy Giuliani, also sought permission from Brann to put back legal claims that it dropped on Sunday from the lawsuit. They said Republican observers were denied access to the counting of mail-in ballots, an assertion election officials dispute. The lawsuit also alleges inconsistent treatment by county election officials of mail-in ballots. Some counties notified voters that they could fix minor defects such as missing "secrecy envelopes" while others did not. Brann expressed skepticism of the lawsuit at a hearing on Tuesday. Trump's case is deeply flawed and does not give Trump "any viable path to overturning the results," said Justin Levitt, a Loyola Law School professor who has been tracking the litigation. The amended filing "does not offer any indication that a number of ballots sufficient to make up the difference in the election were invalid," Levitt said, adding that "courts won't toss ballots out (or otherwise stop an election tally in progress) without actual proof that the ballots in question were invalid." Republican Trump's campaign has filed a flurry of lawsuits in a long-shot bid to reverse the election. Trump has claimed without evidence that the election was stolen.

Donald Trump asks judge to declare him winner in Pennsylvania

When the top lawmakers who oversee the Defense Department met privately this week to discuss a year-end effort to pass the annual military policy bill, a Republican senator, James Inhofe, issued an ultimatum: If they wanted the measure to pass this year, they would need to kill its requirement to strip the names of Confederate leaders from military bases.

The provision had broad support from members of both parties and top military officials when it passed the House and the Senate this year, amid a national outcry for racial justice, including removing historical symbols of oppression. But it infuriated President Donald Trump, who threatened to veto it, and Inhofe, the chairman of the Armed Services Committee, privately promised the president that he would scrap it before that became necessary.

Inhofe’s comments Monday night, which were described by two people familiar with the private discussion, previewed a looming fight over the issue that could snarl the entire defense bill in the waning days of the Trump administration. Lawmakers began formal negotiations on Wednesday to reconcile the two chambers’ versions of the legislation.

In the months preceding the election, Inhofe had publicly warned that the bill could not become law if it included the provision, given Trump’s opposition. His comments this week reflected how, even as his presidency winds down, Trump has continued to cast a cloud over the fate of critical legislation that authorizes pay raises for American troops — all because of an issue on which he has found himself almost entirely alone.

They also raised the prospect of a messy legislative showdown over whether to defend Confederate symbols. The defense bill passed both chambers with veto-proof majorities, but Congress has never been able to muster the votes to override any of Trump’s eight vetoes during his term.

Still, many Democrats are spoiling for a fight to keep the provision, and a number of Republicans have made it clear they want to preserve it as well.

“I don’t think we should back away from our values and what we stand for,” said Rep. Anthony Brown, D-Md. and an Army veteran who wrote the House measure. “I don’t think we should turn a blind eye to what would be viewed by many as a perpetuation of a racist symbol in a name, simply because he threatens to veto the Defense Authorization Act.”

Speaker Nancy Pelosi of California on Wednesday evening said retaining the provision in the final bill was vital.

“It is imperative that the conference report include provisions that secure this essential priority,” Pelosi said in a statement. “Our bases should reflect our highest ideals as Americans.”

The two top Democrats on the armed services panels, Rep. Adam Smith of Washington, the chairman on the House side, and Sen. Jack Reed of Rhode Island, the ranking member in the Senate, are both institutionalists who have prided themselves on passing a bipartisan defense bill every year, even if it meant making compromises that disappointed their party’s base.

But Reed said in a brief interview that he believed Congress must pass the legislation with the removal of Confederate base names included — and force Trump to make a decision on a veto.

It is highly unusual for a provision that has been passed by both the House and the Senate to be jettisoned in final negotiations over the bill, and Reed said he did not think anyone, including Inhofe, would be able to “strip things out unilaterally.”

“I think we should pass the bill,” Reed said Tuesday. “Hopefully, the president will reconsider. It was a bipartisan effort. The committee passed it by a voice vote with very few objections. Then on the floor, the bill was passed with more than 80 votes and the House bill essentially has the equivalent language. It was a bipartisan effort in both houses, and has to be recognized and supported.”

Sen. Shelley Moore Capito, R-W.Va., said the language reflected the clear will of the majority in Congress.

“If it passed both houses, leave it in,” Capito said. “I would say most Americans would agree with that.”

A congressional aide tracking the negotiations said there were a number of issues that lawmakers still needed to iron out. But the clash over the military bases looms largest, raising the prospect that the defense bill could be delayed for the first time in 60 years.

Rep. Mac Thornberry of Texas, the top Republican on the Armed Services Committee, fretted aloud about the possibility on Tuesday before a speech at the Heritage Foundation.

“It would be a shame for any of us to have a role in blowing it for No. 60,” Thornberry told reporters. “The question is, will the politics above us allow us to?”

The base-renaming language was crafted this summer amid nationwide protests against racism in policing, which fed calls across the country to tear down historical representations of racism. As part of their annual defense policy bills, the House and the Senate each adopted measures mandating that the Pentagon remove Confederate names from military assets.

Both versions received widespread bipartisan support. Sen. Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, the majority leader, told The Wall Street Journal in July that he would not block the effort to rename the bases, and in an interview with a Louisville radio station, he said he did not “have any problem” with renaming the bases for “people who didn’t rebel against the country.” Gen. Mark Milley, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and Trump’s senior military adviser, told lawmakers the same month that he supported taking “a hard look” at renaming efforts.

Rep. Don Bacon, R-Neb., who wrote the House measure with Brown, said in a statement that “changing the names of these bases is right.”

“While I do not want this issue to imperil this must-pass legislation, my strong desire is that Congress and the White House show leadership on this issue,” Bacon said. “I’m not dogmatic on the process or the exact timing, but we need to fix this and stand on the right side of history.”

Sen. Todd Young of Indiana, who is a member of McConnell’s leadership team, said it was imperative that Congress enact the military policy measure.

“My preference is to move forward with a bipartisan compromise,” Young said. “We can’t not authorize our national defense programs.”

But Inhofe has always opposed the provision, arguing that the decision of whether to rename bases should be left up to local communities and states, rather than mandated by Congress. In July, Inhofe was overheard on speakerphone at a Washington restaurant assuring Trump that the provision would not make it into the final defense bill.

“We’re going to keep the name of Robert E. Lee?” Trump asked Inhofe.

Inhofe replied: “Just trust me. I’ll make it happen.”

Asked for details of the negotiations on Tuesday, Inhofe declined to discuss private conversations. A spokesman for Smith also declined to comment, citing an informal policy of keeping details of their negotiations private.

Several House Democrats, including those with military experience, have privately signaled that they would be willing to oppose the entire bill if it is removed.

Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va. and his party’s former nominee for vice president, said there is “absolutely no way we’re backing down.”

“My belief is if we put this bill on the president’s desk, he’s not going to veto it,” Kaine said. “It’s a big bluff. We’re not backing down.”

When the top lawmakers who oversee the Defense Department met privately this week to discuss a year-end effort to pass the annual military policy bill, a Republican senator, James Inhofe, issued an ultimatum: If they wanted the measure to pass this year, they would need to kill its requirement to strip the names of Confederate leaders from military bases.

When the top lawmakers who oversee the Defense Department met privately this week to discuss a year-end effort to pass the annual military policy bill, a Republican senator, James Inhofe, issued an ultimatum: If they wanted the measure to pass this year, they would need to kill its requirement to strip the names of Confederate leaders from military bases. The provision had broad support from members of both parties and top military officials when it passed the House and the Senate this year, amid a national outcry for racial justice, including removing historical symbols of oppression. But it infuriated President Donald Trump, who threatened to veto it, and Inhofe, the chairman of the Armed Services Committee, privately promised the president that he would scrap it before that became necessary. Inhofe’s comments Monday night, which were described by two people familiar with the private discussion, previewed a looming fight over the issue that could snarl the entire defense bill in the waning days of the Trump administration. Lawmakers began formal negotiations on Wednesday to reconcile the two chambers’ versions of the legislation. In the months preceding the election, Inhofe had publicly warned that the bill could not become law if it included the provision, given Trump’s opposition. His comments this week reflected how, even as his presidency winds down, Trump has continued to cast a cloud over the fate of critical legislation that authorizes pay raises for American troops — all because of an issue on which he has found himself almost entirely alone. They also raised the prospect of a messy legislative showdown over whether to defend Confederate symbols. The defense bill passed both chambers with veto-proof majorities, but Congress has never been able to muster the votes to override any of Trump’s eight vetoes during his term. Still, many Democrats are spoiling for a fight to keep the provision, and a number of Republicans have made it clear they want to preserve it as well. “I don’t think we should back away from our values and what we stand for,” said Rep. Anthony Brown, D-Md. and an Army veteran who wrote the House measure. “I don’t think we should turn a blind eye to what would be viewed by many as a perpetuation of a racist symbol in a name, simply because he threatens to veto the Defense Authorization Act.” Speaker Nancy Pelosi of California on Wednesday evening said retaining the provision in the final bill was vital. “It is imperative that the conference report include provisions that secure this essential priority,” Pelosi said in a statement. “Our bases should reflect our highest ideals as Americans.” The two top Democrats on the armed services panels, Rep. Adam Smith of Washington, the chairman on the House side, and Sen. Jack Reed of Rhode Island, the ranking member in the Senate, are both institutionalists who have prided themselves on passing a bipartisan defense bill every year, even if it meant making compromises that disappointed their party’s base. But Reed said in a brief interview that he believed Congress must pass the legislation with the removal of Confederate base names included — and force Trump to make a decision on a veto. It is highly unusual for a provision that has been passed by both the House and the Senate to be jettisoned in final negotiations over the bill, and Reed said he did not think anyone, including Inhofe, would be able to “strip things out unilaterally.” “I think we should pass the bill,” Reed said Tuesday. “Hopefully, the president will reconsider. It was a bipartisan effort. The committee passed it by a voice vote with very few objections. Then on the floor, the bill was passed with more than 80 votes and the House bill essentially has the equivalent language. It was a bipartisan effort in both houses, and has to be recognized and supported.” Sen. Shelley Moore Capito, R-W.Va., said the language reflected the clear will of the majority in Congress. “If it passed both houses, leave it in,” Capito said. “I would say most Americans would agree with that.” A congressional aide tracking the negotiations said there were a number of issues that lawmakers still needed to iron out. But the clash over the military bases looms largest, raising the prospect that the defense bill could be delayed for the first time in 60 years. Rep. Mac Thornberry of Texas, the top Republican on the Armed Services Committee, fretted aloud about the possibility on Tuesday before a speech at the Heritage Foundation. “It would be a shame for any of us to have a role in blowing it for No. 60,” Thornberry told reporters. “The question is, will the politics above us allow us to?” The base-renaming language was crafted this summer amid nationwide protests against racism in policing, which fed calls across the country to tear down historical representations of racism. As part of their annual defense policy bills, the House and the Senate each adopted measures mandating that the Pentagon remove Confederate names from military assets. Both versions received widespread bipartisan support. Sen. Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, the majority leader, told The Wall Street Journal in July that he would not block the effort to rename the bases, and in an interview with a Louisville radio station, he said he did not “have any problem” with renaming the bases for “people who didn’t rebel against the country.” Gen. Mark Milley, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and Trump’s senior military adviser, told lawmakers the same month that he supported taking “a hard look” at renaming efforts. Rep. Don Bacon, R-Neb., who wrote the House measure with Brown, said in a statement that “changing the names of these bases is right.” “While I do not want this issue to imperil this must-pass legislation, my strong desire is that Congress and the White House show leadership on this issue,” Bacon said. “I’m not dogmatic on the process or the exact timing, but we need to fix this and stand on the right side of history.” Sen. Todd Young of Indiana, who is a member of McConnell’s leadership team, said it was imperative that Congress enact the military policy measure. “My preference is to move forward with a bipartisan compromise,” Young said. “We can’t not authorize our national defense programs.” But Inhofe has always opposed the provision, arguing that the decision of whether to rename bases should be left up to local communities and states, rather than mandated by Congress. In July, Inhofe was overheard on speakerphone at a Washington restaurant assuring Trump that the provision would not make it into the final defense bill. “We’re going to keep the name of Robert E. Lee?” Trump asked Inhofe. Inhofe replied: “Just trust me. I’ll make it happen.” Asked for details of the negotiations on Tuesday, Inhofe declined to discuss private conversations. A spokesman for Smith also declined to comment, citing an informal policy of keeping details of their negotiations private. Several House Democrats, including those with military experience, have privately signaled that they would be willing to oppose the entire bill if it is removed. Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va. and his party’s former nominee for vice president, said there is “absolutely no way we’re backing down.” “My belief is if we put this bill on the president’s desk, he’s not going to veto it,” Kaine said. “It’s a big bluff. We’re not backing down.”

Trump’s Confederate base veto threat imperils defense bill

SInce the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/us-election">US election</a> results have been announced, the election officer of the state of Arizona has been receiving death threats against her family and staff.

Secretary of State Katie Hobbs claimed to have been receiving death threats for her family and her staff since the day&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/joe-biden">Joe Biden</a>&nbsp;was declared in the recently concluded elections, breaking the record victory of the Republicans in western US state.

Also read|<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/theatrics-not-really-lawsuits-trump-electors-want-courts-to-stop-bidens-nevada-win-343793">&nbsp;'Theatrics, not really lawsuits': Trump electors want courts to stop Biden's Nevada win</a>

Hobbs said the threats and "continued intimidation tactics will not prevent me from performing the duties I swore an oath to do". Her home in Phoenix was also attacked by protestors.

The protests are being brought her way as Hobbs has the final say of certifying the election results by November 30. Since Hobbs has some forward and revealed the threats she is receiving, other election officers from across the country — in states such as Georgia, Nevada, Michigan and Pennsylvani — have also reported having received death threats since the elections.

Also read|&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/modi-biden-speak-discuss-cooperation-on-covid-indo-pacific-343790">Modi-Biden speak; discuss cooperation on COVID, Indo-pacific</a>

"Our democracy is tested constantly, it continues to prevail, and it will not falter under my watch," Hobbs said.

Neighbours of the officer have also supported her claim and said some protestors were taking pictures of Hobss' house and were chanting slogans such as "Katie come out and play, we are watching you." and "we want an audit".

The threats have been online and offline, with Hobbs' social media accounts filled with hatred messages for taking a dig at the outgoing&nbsp;President&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a>, claiming his administration was "perpetuating misinformation and are encouraging others to distrust the election results."

SInce the US election results have been announced, the election officer of the state of Arizona has been receiving death threats against her family and staff. Secretary of State Katie Hobbs claimed to have been receiving death threats for her family and her staff since the day Joe Biden was declared in the recently concluded elections, breaking the record victory of the Republicans in western US state.

SInce the US election results have been announced, the election officer of the state of Arizona has been receiving death threats against her family and staff. Secretary of State Katie Hobbs claimed to have been receiving death threats for her family and her staff since the day Joe Biden was declared in the recently concluded elections, breaking the record victory of the Republicans in western US state. Also read| 'Theatrics, not really lawsuits': Trump electors want courts to stop Biden's Nevada win Hobbs said the threats and "continued intimidation tactics will not prevent me from performing the duties I swore an oath to do". Her home in Phoenix was also attacked by protestors. The protests are being brought her way as Hobbs has the final say of certifying the election results by November 30. Since Hobbs has some forward and revealed the threats she is receiving, other election officers from across the country — in states such as Georgia, Nevada, Michigan and Pennsylvani — have also reported having received death threats since the elections. Also read| Modi-Biden speak; discuss cooperation on COVID, Indo-pacific "Our democracy is tested constantly, it continues to prevail, and it will not falter under my watch," Hobbs said. Neighbours of the officer have also supported her claim and said some protestors were taking pictures of Hobss' house and were chanting slogans such as "Katie come out and play, we are watching you." and "we want an audit". The threats have been online and offline, with Hobbs' social media accounts filled with hatred messages for taking a dig at the outgoing President Donald Trump, claiming his administration was "perpetuating misinformation and are encouraging others to distrust the election results."

'We are watching you': Arizona election officer receives death threats after US election results

Donald Trump has just 2 months left in office. But he has fired America's Top Cybersecurity official, announced further drawdown of troops in Afghanistan, and put a Biden transition in a limbo. Why is Trump being a sore loser?

Gravitas: The transition tussle in U.S.

US President-elect Joe Biden has expressed frustration President Donald Trump's refusal to concede, saying that the delay in transition might affect the vaccine distribution.

Biden: Delay in transition might delay vaccine distribution

Some things are true even though President Donald Trump says them.

Trump has been demanding for months that schools reopen, and on that he seems to have been largely right. Schools, especially elementary schools, do not appear to have been major sources of coronavirus transmission, and remote learning is proving to be a catastrophe for many low-income children.

Yet America is shutting schools — New York City announced Wednesday that it was closing schools in the nation’s largest school district — even as it allows businesses like restaurants and bars to operate. What are our priorities?

“I have taught at the same low-income school for the last 25 years, and, truly, I can attest that remote schooling is failing our children,” said LaShondra Taylor, an English teacher in Broward County, Florida.

Some students don’t have a computer or don’t have Wi-Fi, Taylor said. Kids regularly miss classes because they have to babysit, or run errands, or earn money for their struggling families.

“The amount of absences is mind-blowing,” she said.

Adeola Whitney, chief executive of Reading Partners, an outstanding early literacy program, referred to the traditional “summer slide” in which low-income students lose ground during the summer months and told me: “The ‘summer slide’ is now being dwarfed by ‘COVID slide’ projections.”

Granted, the United States has done such a poor job of controlling the virus that as the pandemic rages across the country it may be necessary to shut some schools. But that should be the last resort.

I’ve been writing since May about the importance of keeping schools open, and initially the debate wasn’t so politicized. But after Trump, trying to project normalcy, blustered in July about schools needing to open, Republicans backed him, and too many Democrats instinctively lined up on the other side. Joe Biden echoed their extreme caution, as did many Democratic mayors and governors.

So Democrats helped preside over school closures that have devastated millions of families and damaged children’s futures. Cities such as Boston, Philadelphia, Baltimore and Washington, D.C., have closed schools while allowing restaurants to operate.

It’s true that Trump was simply trying to downplay the virus. If he wanted schools open, he should have fought the pandemic more seriously and invested federal money to help make school buildings safer against the virus’s spread.

Yet today, while we all want in-classroom instruction, the practical question is whether to operate schools that don’t have optimal ventilation and other protections. The United States has answered by shuttering many schools and turning to remote learning even as many businesses have stayed open or reopened. Much of Europe pursued the opposite route, closing pubs and restaurants but doing everything possible to keep schools operating — and the evidence suggests that Europe has the smarter approach.

In both Europe and the United States, schools have not been linked to substantial transmission, and teachers and family members have not been shown to be at extra risk (this is more clear of elementary schools than of high schools). Meanwhile, the evidence has mounted of the human cost of school closures.

“Children learn best when physically present in the classroom,” notes the American Academy of Pediatrics. “But children get much more than academics at school. They also learn social and emotional skills at school, get healthy meals and exercise, mental health support and other services that cannot be easily replicated online.”

One child in eight in America lives with a parent with an addiction — a reflection of America’s other pandemic. I’ve seen kids living in chaotic homes, and for them the school building is a refuge and a lifeline.

America’s education system already transmits advantage and disadvantage from one generation to the next: Rich kids attend rich schools that propel them forward, and low-income children attend struggling schools that hold them back.

School closures magnify these inequities, as many private schools remain open and affluent parents are better able to help kids adjust to remote learning. At the same time, low-income children fall even further behind.

“Students are struggling,” Austin Beutner, superintendent of the Los Angeles Unified School District, where more than four-fifths of students live below the poverty line, told me. “And if you’re not becoming proficient in reading in first, second, third grade, you may face a lifetime of consequences.”

Research from Argentina and Belgium on school strikes indicates that missing school inflicts long-term damage on students (boys seem particularly affected, with higher dropout rates and lower incomes as adults). McKinsey &amp; Co. has estimated that in this pandemic, school closures may lead to 1 million additional high school dropouts.

Dropouts live shorter lives, so while the virus kills, so do school closures. One study this month estimated that closures of primary schools in the United States will cause many more years of life lost, because of increasing numbers of dropouts, than could be saved even if schools did spread the virus freely.

Across the country from Taylor’s classroom in Florida, Lauren Berg is an elementary school principal in McMinnville, Oregon. Berg said some students flourish with distance learning, but three or four students in each class struggle to attend regularly.

The school tries everything: It gives out Chromebooks, hot spots, headphones, even personal timers with meeting times prescheduled with alarms. Teachers drop off food and school supplies, or sit in driveways to try to get pupils to log in to the system. “Even with all of this,” Berg said, “we are still missing some students.”

Let’s follow Europe: Close bars, and try harder to keep schools open.

(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL.)

Some things are true even though President Donald Trump says them. Trump has been demanding for months that schools reopen, and on that he seems to have been largely right.

Some things are true even though President Donald Trump says them. Trump has been demanding for months that schools reopen, and on that he seems to have been largely right. Schools, especially elementary schools, do not appear to have been major sources of coronavirus transmission, and remote learning is proving to be a catastrophe for many low-income children. Yet America is shutting schools — New York City announced Wednesday that it was closing schools in the nation’s largest school district — even as it allows businesses like restaurants and bars to operate. What are our priorities? “I have taught at the same low-income school for the last 25 years, and, truly, I can attest that remote schooling is failing our children,” said LaShondra Taylor, an English teacher in Broward County, Florida. Some students don’t have a computer or don’t have Wi-Fi, Taylor said. Kids regularly miss classes because they have to babysit, or run errands, or earn money for their struggling families. “The amount of absences is mind-blowing,” she said. Adeola Whitney, chief executive of Reading Partners, an outstanding early literacy program, referred to the traditional “summer slide” in which low-income students lose ground during the summer months and told me: “The ‘summer slide’ is now being dwarfed by ‘COVID slide’ projections.” Granted, the United States has done such a poor job of controlling the virus that as the pandemic rages across the country it may be necessary to shut some schools. But that should be the last resort. I’ve been writing since May about the importance of keeping schools open, and initially the debate wasn’t so politicized. But after Trump, trying to project normalcy, blustered in July about schools needing to open, Republicans backed him, and too many Democrats instinctively lined up on the other side. Joe Biden echoed their extreme caution, as did many Democratic mayors and governors. So Democrats helped preside over school closures that have devastated millions of families and damaged children’s futures. Cities such as Boston, Philadelphia, Baltimore and Washington, D.C., have closed schools while allowing restaurants to operate. It’s true that Trump was simply trying to downplay the virus. If he wanted schools open, he should have fought the pandemic more seriously and invested federal money to help make school buildings safer against the virus’s spread. Yet today, while we all want in-classroom instruction, the practical question is whether to operate schools that don’t have optimal ventilation and other protections. The United States has answered by shuttering many schools and turning to remote learning even as many businesses have stayed open or reopened. Much of Europe pursued the opposite route, closing pubs and restaurants but doing everything possible to keep schools operating — and the evidence suggests that Europe has the smarter approach. In both Europe and the United States, schools have not been linked to substantial transmission, and teachers and family members have not been shown to be at extra risk (this is more clear of elementary schools than of high schools). Meanwhile, the evidence has mounted of the human cost of school closures. “Children learn best when physically present in the classroom,” notes the American Academy of Pediatrics. “But children get much more than academics at school. They also learn social and emotional skills at school, get healthy meals and exercise, mental health support and other services that cannot be easily replicated online.” One child in eight in America lives with a parent with an addiction — a reflection of America’s other pandemic. I’ve seen kids living in chaotic homes, and for them the school building is a refuge and a lifeline. America’s education system already transmits advantage and disadvantage from one generation to the next: Rich kids attend rich schools that propel them forward, and low-income children attend struggling schools that hold them back. School closures magnify these inequities, as many private schools remain open and affluent parents are better able to help kids adjust to remote learning. At the same time, low-income children fall even further behind. “Students are struggling,” Austin Beutner, superintendent of the Los Angeles Unified School District, where more than four-fifths of students live below the poverty line, told me. “And if you’re not becoming proficient in reading in first, second, third grade, you may face a lifetime of consequences.” Research from Argentina and Belgium on school strikes indicates that missing school inflicts long-term damage on students (boys seem particularly affected, with higher dropout rates and lower incomes as adults). McKinsey & Co. has estimated that in this pandemic, school closures may lead to 1 million additional high school dropouts. Dropouts live shorter lives, so while the virus kills, so do school closures. One study this month estimated that closures of primary schools in the United States will cause many more years of life lost, because of increasing numbers of dropouts, than could be saved even if schools did spread the virus freely. Across the country from Taylor’s classroom in Florida, Lauren Berg is an elementary school principal in McMinnville, Oregon. Berg said some students flourish with distance learning, but three or four students in each class struggle to attend regularly. The school tries everything: It gives out Chromebooks, hot spots, headphones, even personal timers with meeting times prescheduled with alarms. Teachers drop off food and school supplies, or sit in driveways to try to get pupils to log in to the system. “Even with all of this,” Berg said, “we are still missing some students.” Let’s follow Europe: Close bars, and try harder to keep schools open. (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL.)

When Trump was right and many Democrats wrong

This is the year of tell-all books on the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/donald-trump">Trump</a>&nbsp;family,&nbsp;and now new revelations have come out on Donald Trump's&nbsp;daughter, Ivanka Trump.

A former schoolfriend of Ivanka shared her experience and Ivanka Trump's school time tantrums in a tell-all essay. According to her friend's revelations, Ivanka shares her father's love for money and appreciation.

Ivanka's friend,&nbsp;Lysandra Ohrstrom, who was a maid of honour at Ivanka's wedding, talked to an American publication Vanity Fair, in which she accused Ivanka of only caring about her own interests.

Also read|&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/theatrics-not-really-lawsuits-trump-electors-want-courts-to-stop-bidens-nevada-win-343793">'Theatrics, not really lawsuits': Trump electors want courts to stop Biden's Nevada win</a>

"She had the Trump radar for status, money, and power, and her dad’s instinct to throw others under the bus to save herself,"&nbsp;Ohrstrom said.

Recalling an incident about Ivanka's hatred towards the lower-earning groups, she revealed that once when she recommended Richard Russo's&nbsp;Empire Falls&nbsp;to Ivanka, the millionaire shot back at her friend for recommending a book about poor people. "Ly, why would you tell me to read a book about f*****g poor people?’ I remember Ivanka saying,” she wrote. “‘What part of you thinks I would be interested in this?"

Ivanka was also known to have narcissistic traits — much like her father. "Ivanka would regularly relay stories of teachers or observers who had commented that she had the most innate talent they had ever seen for whatever new pursuit she was taking up," Ohrstrom said.

She also recalled the stereotypical thought process of Ivanka, narrating the tale of the time when&nbsp;Ohrstrom used to report from Lebanon and used to wear a necklace of her name in Arabic. "One night in the middle of dinner, she glanced at the necklace and said: ‘How does your Jewish boyfriend feel when you are having sex and that necklace hits him in the face? How can you wear that thing? It just screams ‘terrorist’," she narrated.

Also read|&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/president-trump-fires-us-election-security-official-who-rejected-fraud-claims-343789" hreflang="en">President Trump fires US election security official who rejected fraud claims&nbsp;</a>

The two became friends in the&nbsp;Chapin School, an all girls' school when the two were together in the seventh grade at the age of 12. The two developed a stronger bond on a trip to Paris, but the two trailed off after Ivanka's wedding to Jared Kushner.

Ohrstrom claims that even though she risks being branded as a hypocrite, she wanted to reveal the true nature of her childhood friend. "Although friends and family have warned that this article won’t be received the way I want, I think it’s past time that one of the many critics from Ivanka’s childhood comes forward – if only to ensure that she really will never recover from the decision to tie her fate to her father’s," she wrote.

Have a look|&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/shocking-revelations-about-donald-trump-made-in-his-nieces-tell-all-book-311546">Shocking revelations about Donald Trump made in his niece's tell-all book</a>

She also revealed that Donald Trump&nbsp;was always concerned whether or not his daughter was the prettiest girl in he school. "He would barely acknowledge me except to ask if Ivanka was the prettiest or the most popular girl in our grade. Before I learned that the Trumps have no sense of humor about themselves, I remember answering honestly that she was probably in the top five. “Who’s prettier than Ivanka?” I recall him asking once with genuine confusion, before correctly naming the two girls I’d had in mind," she wrote.

The journalist also revealed that the outgoing President had often body-shamed her. She recalled an incident from Trump's&nbsp;Mar-a-Lago when Ivanka's brother&nbsp;Donald Jr. scolded Ivanka for taking&nbsp;Ohrstrom's sandwich, and Donald Trump laughed, "Don’t worry. She doesn’t need it. He’s doing her a favor."

The essay has come after a few other officials released their own tell-all books on Donald Trump, and Melania Trump's former friend, too, revealed the classist personality of the outgoing First Lady.

This is the year of tell-all books on the Trump family, and now new revelations have come out on Donald Trump's daughter, Ivanka Trump. A former schoolfriend of Ivanka shared her experience and Ivanka Trump's school time tantrums in a tell-all essay.

This is the year of tell-all books on the Trump family, and now new revelations have come out on Donald Trump's daughter, Ivanka Trump. A former schoolfriend of Ivanka shared her experience and Ivanka Trump's school time tantrums in a tell-all essay. According to her friend's revelations, Ivanka shares her father's love for money and appreciation. Ivanka's friend, Lysandra Ohrstrom, who was a maid of honour at Ivanka's wedding, talked to an American publication Vanity Fair, in which she accused Ivanka of only caring about her own interests. Also read| 'Theatrics, not really lawsuits': Trump electors want courts to stop Biden's Nevada win "She had the Trump radar for status, money, and power, and her dad’s instinct to throw others under the bus to save herself," Ohrstrom said. Recalling an incident about Ivanka's hatred towards the lower-earning groups, she revealed that once when she recommended Richard Russo's Empire Falls to Ivanka, the millionaire shot back at her friend for recommending a book about poor people. "Ly, why would you tell me to read a book about f*****g poor people?’ I remember Ivanka saying,” she wrote. “‘What part of you thinks I would be interested in this?" Ivanka was also known to have narcissistic traits — much like her father. "Ivanka would regularly relay stories of teachers or observers who had commented that she had the most innate talent they had ever seen for whatever new pursuit she was taking up," Ohrstrom said. She also recalled the stereotypical thought process of Ivanka, narrating the tale of the time when Ohrstrom used to report from Lebanon and used to wear a necklace of her name in Arabic. "One night in the middle of dinner, she glanced at the necklace and said: ‘How does your Jewish boyfriend feel when you are having sex and that necklace hits him in the face? How can you wear that thing? It just screams ‘terrorist’," she narrated. Also read| President Trump fires US election security official who rejected fraud claims The two became friends in the Chapin School, an all girls' school when the two were together in the seventh grade at the age of 12. The two developed a stronger bond on a trip to Paris, but the two trailed off after Ivanka's wedding to Jared Kushner. Ohrstrom claims that even though she risks being branded as a hypocrite, she wanted to reveal the true nature of her childhood friend. "Although friends and family have warned that this article won’t be received the way I want, I think it’s past time that one of the many critics from Ivanka’s childhood comes forward – if only to ensure that she really will never recover from the decision to tie her fate to her father’s," she wrote. Have a look| Shocking revelations about Donald Trump made in his niece's tell-all book She also revealed that Donald Trump was always concerned whether or not his daughter was the prettiest girl in he school. "He would barely acknowledge me except to ask if Ivanka was the prettiest or the most popular girl in our grade. Before I learned that the Trumps have no sense of humor about themselves, I remember answering honestly that she was probably in the top five. “Who’s prettier than Ivanka?” I recall him asking once with genuine confusion, before correctly naming the two girls I’d had in mind," she wrote. The journalist also revealed that the outgoing President had often body-shamed her. She recalled an incident from Trump's Mar-a-Lago when Ivanka's brother Donald Jr. scolded Ivanka for taking Ohrstrom's sandwich, and Donald Trump laughed, "Don’t worry. She doesn’t need it. He’s doing her a favor." The essay has come after a few other officials released their own tell-all books on Donald Trump, and Melania Trump's former friend, too, revealed the classist personality of the outgoing First Lady.

Ivanka Trump is narcissistic and obsessed with status, like Donald: Former friend

Scarred or energized by President Donald Trump’s four years, Americans voted in record numbers for the 2020 election despite a pandemic.

Once again, Trump found a trove of new followers in a fast-declining monolith of white blue-collar voters that went largely undetected by public opinion polls. He confounded expectations further by adding a substantial number of votes in areas with a lot of Hispanic residents as well.

But while Trump’s divisive message and norm-defying presidency galvanized an unexpectedly large following in 2020, it alienated a bigger one. Joe Biden rode the enthusiasm of a slightly tarnished Democratic coalition, along with a wave of desertions from the Republican white middle class, to win.

An analysis of voting patterns across more than 2,000 counties where counting was at least 95% complete shows some of the major ways that this flood of voters upended traditional political alignments, setting a new stage for the post-Trump era.

Trump’s feat

After winning in 2016 in what many viewed as a fluke, Trump mounted a registration and turnout drive in the counties of his white, blue-collar base that appears to have succeeded.

“The Trump campaign worked on this for years, and pretty much kept it under wraps,” said Larry J. Sabato, professor of politics at the University of Virginia. “They told us they were doing it, but we really didn’t know the extent of it.”

Trump votes swelled in the Appalachians and the Piedmont South, in many of the same counties that dissented from the country’s embrace of the first Black president — Barack Obama — in 2008. He found even more votes in the rural centers of Pennsylvania and Wisconsin and the farmlands of the Midwest.

And in a feat likely to touch off years of Democratic hand-wringing, Trump won a healthy share of additional Hispanic voters and may have benefited a little from reduced enthusiasm for Biden in some Democratic counties with large Black populations.

It’s true that substantial majorities still voted Democratic in areas with concentrations of people of colour. But in a polarized and evenly divided electorate, any shift can be significant.

Turnout in Philadelphia precincts where the population is predominantly Black was down 6%. In mostly rural areas across the South that are mostly Black, turnout was up only slightly, and there was a modest shift to Trump. The exception was heavily contested Georgia, where turnout in areas with a large share of Black voters was way up, and shifted strongly to Biden.

The trend in majority Hispanic counties was more pronounced, widespread and perhaps surprising in light of the president’s hard-line immigration policies and divisive messaging.

This shift was especially stark in southern Florida, where many Cuban Americans live. It was also apparent in counties in southern Texas that are predominantly Mexican American, and in the flood of new voters in Phoenix, where Biden’s success in adding to 2016 Hillary Clinton totals was noticeably lower in Hispanic areas.

“The president made significant inroads with critical nonwhite swaths of the electorate while also growing his share of rural white voters,” said Ken Spain, a Republican strategist. “In any other election year, this would be an incredible feat that would all but guarantee victory.”

How did Biden win?

There was a countervailing force. Biden’s biggest cache of additional voters came from big counties — urban and suburban — that are mostly white, where his support increased substantially from Clinton’s vote in 2016.

This includes counties like DuPage in Illinois, Macomb outside Detroit and Montgomery outside Philadelphia.

But it also includes big cities in the South and West, like Charlotte, North Carolina; Fort Worth, Texas; Phoenix; and Seattle. In Republican Fort Worth, Biden got 121,000 more votes than Clinton had; Trump got 62,000 more than in 2016. In Seattle, Biden’s increase of 186,000 votes dwarfed Trump’s additional 51,000.

In fact, Biden’s best-hunting grounds for new voters were posh Republican counties. In areas with very high concentrations of white, high-income voters who voted for Trump in 2016, Biden garnered substantially more additional votes than his opponent.

Statistically, whether or not American voters had college degrees was by far the most significant predictor of where the 2020 tide of additional turnout was highest, and who won it. This metric is a stand-in for socioeconomic status — closely following patterns of higher income. Thus it could also be an indicator of cultural security, comfort and enfranchisement.

There was a stark schism in the white vote apparent along this fault line: Populist areas, highlighted by concentrations of white voters without a college degree, moved toward Trump. White areas with better-educated populations, whether cities, suburbs or college towns, moved decisively away.

The result was a substantial popular vote margin for Biden, and just enough votes in battlegrounds to win the Electoral College.

“Trump’s appeal to college-educated whites, especially women, was never very strong,” said Sabato, the University of Virginia professor. “Trump’s character and antics in office sent his backing among this large group plummeting. Blue-collar whites loved it, but their numbers could not substitute for losses elsewhere.”

SOURCES: National Election Pool/Edison Research; Dave Leip’s Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections

NOTES: The analysis is based on 2020 election results as of noon Eastern time on Nov. 11. Only counties that have counted at least 95% of ballots are included in this analysis. Historical regional data is not available for Alaska.

Scarred or energized by President Donald Trump’s four years, Americans voted in record numbers for the 2020 election despite a pandemic. Once again, Trump found a trove of new followers in a fast-declining monolith of white blue-collar voters that went largely undetected by public opinion polls.

Scarred or energized by President Donald Trump’s four years, Americans voted in record numbers for the 2020 election despite a pandemic. Once again, Trump found a trove of new followers in a fast-declining monolith of white blue-collar voters that went largely undetected by public opinion polls. He confounded expectations further by adding a substantial number of votes in areas with a lot of Hispanic residents as well. But while Trump’s divisive message and norm-defying presidency galvanized an unexpectedly large following in 2020, it alienated a bigger one. Joe Biden rode the enthusiasm of a slightly tarnished Democratic coalition, along with a wave of desertions from the Republican white middle class, to win. An analysis of voting patterns across more than 2,000 counties where counting was at least 95% complete shows some of the major ways that this flood of voters upended traditional political alignments, setting a new stage for the post-Trump era. Trump’s feat After winning in 2016 in what many viewed as a fluke, Trump mounted a registration and turnout drive in the counties of his white, blue-collar base that appears to have succeeded. “The Trump campaign worked on this for years, and pretty much kept it under wraps,” said Larry J. Sabato, professor of politics at the University of Virginia. “They told us they were doing it, but we really didn’t know the extent of it.” Trump votes swelled in the Appalachians and the Piedmont South, in many of the same counties that dissented from the country’s embrace of the first Black president — Barack Obama — in 2008. He found even more votes in the rural centers of Pennsylvania and Wisconsin and the farmlands of the Midwest. And in a feat likely to touch off years of Democratic hand-wringing, Trump won a healthy share of additional Hispanic voters and may have benefited a little from reduced enthusiasm for Biden in some Democratic counties with large Black populations. It’s true that substantial majorities still voted Democratic in areas with concentrations of people of colour. But in a polarized and evenly divided electorate, any shift can be significant. Turnout in Philadelphia precincts where the population is predominantly Black was down 6%. In mostly rural areas across the South that are mostly Black, turnout was up only slightly, and there was a modest shift to Trump. The exception was heavily contested Georgia, where turnout in areas with a large share of Black voters was way up, and shifted strongly to Biden. The trend in majority Hispanic counties was more pronounced, widespread and perhaps surprising in light of the president’s hard-line immigration policies and divisive messaging. This shift was especially stark in southern Florida, where many Cuban Americans live. It was also apparent in counties in southern Texas that are predominantly Mexican American, and in the flood of new voters in Phoenix, where Biden’s success in adding to 2016 Hillary Clinton totals was noticeably lower in Hispanic areas. “The president made significant inroads with critical nonwhite swaths of the electorate while also growing his share of rural white voters,” said Ken Spain, a Republican strategist. “In any other election year, this would be an incredible feat that would all but guarantee victory.” How did Biden win? There was a countervailing force. Biden’s biggest cache of additional voters came from big counties — urban and suburban — that are mostly white, where his support increased substantially from Clinton’s vote in 2016. This includes counties like DuPage in Illinois, Macomb outside Detroit and Montgomery outside Philadelphia. But it also includes big cities in the South and West, like Charlotte, North Carolina; Fort Worth, Texas; Phoenix; and Seattle. In Republican Fort Worth, Biden got 121,000 more votes than Clinton had; Trump got 62,000 more than in 2016. In Seattle, Biden’s increase of 186,000 votes dwarfed Trump’s additional 51,000. In fact, Biden’s best-hunting grounds for new voters were posh Republican counties. In areas with very high concentrations of white, high-income voters who voted for Trump in 2016, Biden garnered substantially more additional votes than his opponent. Statistically, whether or not American voters had college degrees was by far the most significant predictor of where the 2020 tide of additional turnout was highest, and who won it. This metric is a stand-in for socioeconomic status — closely following patterns of higher income. Thus it could also be an indicator of cultural security, comfort and enfranchisement. There was a stark schism in the white vote apparent along this fault line: Populist areas, highlighted by concentrations of white voters without a college degree, moved toward Trump. White areas with better-educated populations, whether cities, suburbs or college towns, moved decisively away. The result was a substantial popular vote margin for Biden, and just enough votes in battlegrounds to win the Electoral College. “Trump’s appeal to college-educated whites, especially women, was never very strong,” said Sabato, the University of Virginia professor. “Trump’s character and antics in office sent his backing among this large group plummeting. Blue-collar whites loved it, but their numbers could not substitute for losses elsewhere.” SOURCES: National Election Pool/Edison Research; Dave Leip’s Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections NOTES: The analysis is based on 2020 election results as of noon Eastern time on Nov. 11. Only counties that have counted at least 95% of ballots are included in this analysis. Historical regional data is not available for Alaska.

Even in defeat, Trump found new voters across the US

In the United States, Donald Trump is still blocking the transfer of power. Meanwhile, Joe Biden and his team have sprung into action. On Monday, the President-elect addressed two of America's biggest issues: The economy, and the COVID-19 outbreak.

Moderna's jab is showing great promise, offering 94.5 per cent protection from the virus, which means it is time for the administration to think about distribution. This process is likely to take months, and Donald Trump has less than 70 days left in office.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://13.235.153.162/world/us-election-2020-16-days-after-biden-was-declared-president-elect-what-is-trump-up-to-343566" hreflang="en">US election 2020: 16 days after Biden was declared President-elect, what is Trump up to?</a>

In all likelihood, the Biden administration will have to carry out most of the distribution. But, Donald Trump is not sharing his distribution plan which means the US is headed for a logistical nightmare, which Joe Biden feels could lead to more people losing their lives.

“More people may die if we don't coordinate. Look, as my chief of staff, Ron Klain, would say, who handled ebola. A vaccine is important. It's of little use until you're vaccinated. So how do we get the vaccine? How do we get over 300, million Americans vaccinated? What's the game plan? It's a huge, huge, huge undertaking to get it done”, President-elect Joe Biden said.

Biden also talked tough on the economy, and convened a meeting with America's top CEOs, with Microsoft's Satya Nadella and General Motor's Mary Barra in attendance.

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The president-elect's plan focuses on two aspects - Supporting small businesses, and overhauling the tax structure. He wants the wealthiest Americans to pitch in with more, something that he spoke about on the campaign trail.

“You know, it's based on a simple premise. It's time to reward work, not just wealth in America. We're going to have a fair taxes structure that makes sure the wealthiest among us and corporations pay their fair share”, Joe Biden had said.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://13.235.153.162/world/facebook-part-of-the-problem-nancy-pelosi-over-misinformation-spread-during-us-elections-343363" hreflang="en">Facebook part of the problem: Nancy Pelosi over misinformation spread during US elections&nbsp;</a>

“When we build back better, we'll do so with higher wages, including a $15 minimum wage nationwide, better benefits, stronger collective bargaining rights that you can raise a family on”, Biden added.

Joe Biden’s message is equitable and fair growth. He claims that corporate America is onboard for this plan. This is a bit tough to believe, since these companies have been evading taxes for years. Getting some of these reforms past a republican senate does not look easy. And Biden needs Trump to concede. Donald Trump's position has not changed in the last 24 hours. He still believes the election was rigged and that he won.

But what about his subordinates?

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has made his stance clear. He says he is preparing for a second Trump term. Pompeo is currently on a 7-nation tour after starting off in France, and is now in Turkey. He is also slated to visit the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Israel. Most of these countries have already congratulated Joe Biden, and have recognised him as the next president.

But national security adviser Robert O’Brien is a bit more circumspect. He admitted that Biden and Harris are likely to occupy the White House come next year.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://13.235.153.162/world/us-elections-2020-why-poll-watcher-complaints-dont-amount-to-fraud-343250" hreflang="en">US elections 2020: Why poll watcher complaints don't amount to fraud</a>

“Well, we're still in office so I'll probably hold off on the op-eds for a while. And i want to get --- if there is a new administration, look they deserve some time to come in and implement their policies. We may have policy disagreements, but look, if the Biden-Harris ticket is determined to be the winner and it's obviously things look that way now, we'll have a very professional transition from the national security council. There's no question about it”, National Security Advisor Robert O’Brien said.

Before election night, American political pundits had one major concern. If Trump were to lose how would he govern until the January 20.

Early indications say that these worries were legitimate. Trump is accelerating troop withdrawal from Iraq and Afghanistan. He wants troops back home by January 15 - five days before the inauguration.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://13.235.153.162/world/china-finally-congratulates-joe-biden-for-us-election-win-342890" hreflang="en">China finally congratulates Joe Biden for US election win</a>

Even Trump's ally Mitch McConnel does not approve, who feels America is ceding space to terrorist elements in the region. Another report claims Trump was considering attacking Iran last week. He asked his military experts for options. The target was Iran's main nuclear site.

His advisers ultimately managed to dissuade Trump from starting a war. Presidential transitions have always been a prickly affair. In recent years, there has been a tradition of the outgoing president leaving letters for the incoming leader. But it seems unlikely this time.

In the United States, Donald Trump is still blocking the transfer of power. Meanwhile, Joe Biden and his team have sprung into action. On Monday, the President-elect addressed two of America's biggest issues: The economy, and the COVID-19 outbreak.

In the United States, Donald Trump is still blocking the transfer of power. Meanwhile, Joe Biden and his team have sprung into action. On Monday, the President-elect addressed two of America's biggest issues: The economy, and the COVID-19 outbreak. Moderna's jab is showing great promise, offering 94.5 per cent protection from the virus, which means it is time for the administration to think about distribution. This process is likely to take months, and Donald Trump has less than 70 days left in office. Also read: US election 2020: 16 days after Biden was declared President-elect, what is Trump up to? In all likelihood, the Biden administration will have to carry out most of the distribution. But, Donald Trump is not sharing his distribution plan which means the US is headed for a logistical nightmare, which Joe Biden feels could lead to more people losing their lives. “More people may die if we don't coordinate. Look, as my chief of staff, Ron Klain, would say, who handled ebola. A vaccine is important. It's of little use until you're vaccinated. So how do we get the vaccine? How do we get over 300, million Americans vaccinated? What's the game plan? It's a huge, huge, huge undertaking to get it done”, President-elect Joe Biden said. Biden also talked tough on the economy, and convened a meeting with America's top CEOs, with Microsoft's Satya Nadella and General Motor's Mary Barra in attendance. × The president-elect's plan focuses on two aspects - Supporting small businesses, and overhauling the tax structure. He wants the wealthiest Americans to pitch in with more, something that he spoke about on the campaign trail. “You know, it's based on a simple premise. It's time to reward work, not just wealth in America. We're going to have a fair taxes structure that makes sure the wealthiest among us and corporations pay their fair share”, Joe Biden had said. Also read: Facebook part of the problem: Nancy Pelosi over misinformation spread during US elections “When we build back better, we'll do so with higher wages, including a $15 minimum wage nationwide, better benefits, stronger collective bargaining rights that you can raise a family on”, Biden added. Joe Biden’s message is equitable and fair growth. He claims that corporate America is onboard for this plan. This is a bit tough to believe, since these companies have been evading taxes for years. Getting some of these reforms past a republican senate does not look easy. And Biden needs Trump to concede. Donald Trump's position has not changed in the last 24 hours. He still believes the election was rigged and that he won. But what about his subordinates? Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has made his stance clear. He says he is preparing for a second Trump term. Pompeo is currently on a 7-nation tour after starting off in France, and is now in Turkey. He is also slated to visit the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Israel. Most of these countries have already congratulated Joe Biden, and have recognised him as the next president. But national security adviser Robert O’Brien is a bit more circumspect. He admitted that Biden and Harris are likely to occupy the White House come next year. Also read: US elections 2020: Why poll watcher complaints don't amount to fraud “Well, we're still in office so I'll probably hold off on the op-eds for a while. And i want to get --- if there is a new administration, look they deserve some time to come in and implement their policies. We may have policy disagreements, but look, if the Biden-Harris ticket is determined to be the winner and it's obviously things look that way now, we'll have a very professional transition from the national security council. There's no question about it”, National Security Advisor Robert O’Brien said. Before election night, American political pundits had one major concern. If Trump were to lose how would he govern until the January 20. Early indications say that these worries were legitimate. Trump is accelerating troop withdrawal from Iraq and Afghanistan. He wants troops back home by January 15 - five days before the inauguration. Also read: China finally congratulates Joe Biden for US election win Even Trump's ally Mitch McConnel does not approve, who feels America is ceding space to terrorist elements in the region. Another report claims Trump was considering attacking Iran last week. He asked his military experts for options. The target was Iran's main nuclear site. His advisers ultimately managed to dissuade Trump from starting a war. Presidential transitions have always been a prickly affair. In recent years, there has been a tradition of the outgoing president leaving letters for the incoming leader. But it seems unlikely this time.

US election 2020: Trump refuses to concede, Biden's camp gets to work

The US President&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;has fired the Director of the&nbsp;US Department of Homeland Security Christopher Krebs after he had disputed Trump's claims of electoral fraud and has claimed that the&nbsp;recently-held&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/us-election">US election 2020</a>&nbsp;were not manipulated. While Trump was firing the top official, his aides in the state of Nevada have asked the court to&nbsp;'halt' President-elect&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/joe-biden">Joe Biden's</a>&nbsp;win or declare Trump as the winner. Meanwhile, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi had a conversation with the President-elect Joe Biden about COVID-19 response, Indo-pacific talks and more, and also congratulated the Vice-President-elect Kamala Harris, who has Indian roots. While the US is busy in electing a president, the UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson has decided to ban petrol and diesel cars from 2030 to achieve the aim of 'green Earth'.

&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/president-trump-fires-us-election-security-official-who-rejected-fraud-claims-343789" hreflang="en">President Trump fires US election security official who rejected fraud claims</a>

<img src="https://cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/styles/story_page/public/2020/11/13/169765-untitled-design-14.jpg?itok=LWTbbzvN" />

The US Department of Homeland Security director Christopher Krebs, who had spearheaded a campaign to counter rumours about voter fraud in 2020 elections, has been fired by President Trump on Tuesday.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/uk-prime-minister-boris-johnson-to-ban-petrol-and-diesel-cars-from-2030-343799">UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson to ban petrol and diesel cars from 2030</a>

<img src="https://cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/styles/story_page/public/2020/10/05/163160-untitled-design-63.jpg?itok=369vcZop" />

The decision has come as a part of a 10-point plan for a "green industrial revolution", which will be unveiled by the UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Wednesday, November 18.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/modi-biden-speak-discuss-cooperation-on-covid-indo-pacific-343790">Modi-Biden speak; discuss cooperation on COVID, Indo-pacific</a>

<img src="https://cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/styles/story_page/public/2020/11/18/170195-joe-biden-and-narendra-modi.jpg?itok=qYJA-ApX" />

Indian PM&nbsp;also conveyed congratulations for VP-elect Kamala Harris to Biden saying her, "success is a matter of great pride and inspiration for members of the vibrant Indian-American community."

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/gravitas-ethiopia-tigray-conflict-343787" hreflang="en">Gravitas: Ethiopia Tigray conflict</a>

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<a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/thailand-41-people-left-injured-in-violent-bangkok-protests-343794" hreflang="en">Thailand: 41 people left injured in violent Bangkok protests</a>

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&nbsp;

The US President Donald Trump has fired the Director of the US Department of Homeland Security Christopher Krebs after he had disputed Trump's claims of electoral fraud and has claimed that the recently-held US election 2020 were not manipulated.

The US President Donald Trump has fired the Director of the US Department of Homeland Security Christopher Krebs after he had disputed Trump's claims of electoral fraud and has claimed that the recently-held US election 2020 were not manipulated. While Trump was firing the top official, his aides in the state of Nevada have asked the court to 'halt' President-elect Joe Biden's win or declare Trump as the winner. Meanwhile, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi had a conversation with the President-elect Joe Biden about COVID-19 response, Indo-pacific talks and more, and also congratulated the Vice-President-elect Kamala Harris, who has Indian roots. While the US is busy in electing a president, the UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson has decided to ban petrol and diesel cars from 2030 to achieve the aim of 'green Earth'. President Trump fires US election security official who rejected fraud claims The US Department of Homeland Security director Christopher Krebs, who had spearheaded a campaign to counter rumours about voter fraud in 2020 elections, has been fired by President Trump on Tuesday. UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson to ban petrol and diesel cars from 2030 The decision has come as a part of a 10-point plan for a "green industrial revolution", which will be unveiled by the UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Wednesday, November 18. Modi-Biden speak; discuss cooperation on COVID, Indo-pacific Indian PM also conveyed congratulations for VP-elect Kamala Harris to Biden saying her, "success is a matter of great pride and inspiration for members of the vibrant Indian-American community." Gravitas: Ethiopia Tigray conflict × Thailand: 41 people left injured in violent Bangkok protests ×

Morning news brief: Trump fires Christopher Krebs, Biden holds talks with Modi and more

US President-Elect Joe Biden says 'more people may die', if Donald Trump continues blocking a transition of power.

Gravitas: Trump faces a barrage of calls to enable a transition

Various supporters and aides of the outgoing US President <a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;have asked the courts to intervene and 'halt' President-elect <a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/joe-biden">Joe Biden's</a>&nbsp;win in the state&nbsp;of Nevada in the recently-held <a href="https://www.wionews.com/us-election">US election 2020</a>.

The supporters, who call themselves "electors" have filed a lawsuit urging the local court to order that their leader, Donald Trump,&nbsp;"be declared the winner of the Election in Nevada". The alternate provided by the 'electors' is that if Trump cannot be declared as a winner, then there should not be a winner from the state of Nevada.

Also read|&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/modi-biden-speak-discuss-cooperation-on-covid-indo-pacific-343790">Modi-Biden speak; discuss cooperation on COVID, Indo-pacific</a>

This lawsuit has come after&nbsp;the Nevada Secretary of State's office, Joe Biden won the state of Nevada by a 33,596 vote margin. These 'electors' had vowed to pledge to Trump in the US electoral college system if he would have won Nevada. As per the lawsuit, there has been "fraud and abuse renders the purported results of the Nevada election illegitimate." However, no proof and claims have been provided by the 'electors' for this allegation.

The lawsuit has been dismissed by the Biden campaign. It appears to be "parroting erroneous allegations made by partisans without first-hand knowledge of the facts," said Dan Kulin, a spokesman for the Clark County Election Department.

Also read|&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/president-trump-fires-us-election-security-official-who-rejected-fraud-claims-343789" hreflang="en">President Trump fires US election security official who rejected fraud claims&nbsp;</a>

"We have not seen their complaint yet; however, it sounds like they are repeating allegations the courts have already rejected," Kulin said.

The lawsuit came after Donald Trump, repeatedly, alleged voter fraud and manipulation of the US election results by his opposition, Democratic Party. For this particular campaign, the 'electors' have used the basis of Trump's allegation that a signature verification machine was flawed. They have also alleged that the observers had denied meaningful access to the ballot counting process.

Various supporters and aides of the outgoing US President Donald Trump have asked the courts to intervene and 'halt' President-elect Joe Biden's win in the state of Nevada in the recently-held US election 2020.

Various supporters and aides of the outgoing US President Donald Trump have asked the courts to intervene and 'halt' President-elect Joe Biden's win in the state of Nevada in the recently-held US election 2020. The supporters, who call themselves "electors" have filed a lawsuit urging the local court to order that their leader, Donald Trump, "be declared the winner of the Election in Nevada". The alternate provided by the 'electors' is that if Trump cannot be declared as a winner, then there should not be a winner from the state of Nevada. Also read| Modi-Biden speak; discuss cooperation on COVID, Indo-pacific This lawsuit has come after the Nevada Secretary of State's office, Joe Biden won the state of Nevada by a 33,596 vote margin. These 'electors' had vowed to pledge to Trump in the US electoral college system if he would have won Nevada. As per the lawsuit, there has been "fraud and abuse renders the purported results of the Nevada election illegitimate." However, no proof and claims have been provided by the 'electors' for this allegation. The lawsuit has been dismissed by the Biden campaign. It appears to be "parroting erroneous allegations made by partisans without first-hand knowledge of the facts," said Dan Kulin, a spokesman for the Clark County Election Department. Also read| President Trump fires US election security official who rejected fraud claims "We have not seen their complaint yet; however, it sounds like they are repeating allegations the courts have already rejected," Kulin said. The lawsuit came after Donald Trump, repeatedly, alleged voter fraud and manipulation of the US election results by his opposition, Democratic Party. For this particular campaign, the 'electors' have used the basis of Trump's allegation that a signature verification machine was flawed. They have also alleged that the observers had denied meaningful access to the ballot counting process.

'Theatrics, not really lawsuits': Trump electors want courts to stop Biden's Nevada win

The US Department of Homeland Security director Christopher Krebs, who had spearheaded a campaign to counter rumours about voter fraud in 2020 elections, has been fired by President Trump on Tuesday.

"The recent statement by Chris Krebs on the security of the 2020 Election was highly inaccurate, in that there were massive improprieties and fraud," Trump wrote in a tweet.

"Therefore, effective immediately, Chris Krebs has been terminated as Director of the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency."

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
...votes from Trump to Biden, late voting, and many more. Therefore, effective immediately, Chris Krebs has been terminated as Director of the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency.
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1328852354049957888?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 18, 2020</a></blockquote>
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The tweets, from Trump's verified Twitter account, were flagged by the social media platform for promoting misinformation.

Joe Biden has been elected the next president of the United States, with a wide lead in both the Electoral College and in the popular vote. President Trump has refused to concede, uttering allegations of election fraud.

(With inputs from agencies)

The US Department of Homeland Security director Christopher Krebs, who had spearheaded a campaign to counter rumours about voter fraud in 2020 elections, has been fired by President Trump on Tuesday.

The US Department of Homeland Security director Christopher Krebs, who had spearheaded a campaign to counter rumours about voter fraud in 2020 elections, has been fired by President Trump on Tuesday. "The recent statement by Chris Krebs on the security of the 2020 Election was highly inaccurate, in that there were massive improprieties and fraud," Trump wrote in a tweet. "Therefore, effective immediately, Chris Krebs has been terminated as Director of the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency." ...votes from Trump to Biden, late voting, and many more. Therefore, effective immediately, Chris Krebs has been terminated as Director of the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency. — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 18, 2020 × The tweets, from Trump's verified Twitter account, were flagged by the social media platform for promoting misinformation. Joe Biden has been elected the next president of the United States, with a wide lead in both the Electoral College and in the popular vote. President Trump has refused to concede, uttering allegations of election fraud. (With inputs from agencies)

President Trump fires US election security official who rejected fraud claims 

Hate crimes are there highest level in US according to FBI annual report. These instances of hate crime began to rise from 2016-2017, that's during Donald Trump Presidency.

FBI Releases Its Annual Report On Hate Crime In US

Had it not been for dozens of U.S. airstrikes in recent weeks, the southern hub city Kandahar would be under siege, after Taliban fighters threatened to overrun several surrounding districts, security officials say.

Now with President Donald Trump’s orders to cut US forces in Afghanistan by roughly half — from 4,500 to 2,500 — Kandahar’s fate, and the fate of the Afghan security forces spread across the country, are once more in question.

“If it were not for the air support of US&nbsp;forces, the Taliban would be sitting inside Kandahar city now,” Col. Zabiullah Ghorzang, an Afghan army regimental commander, said Tuesday.

The Pentagon on Tuesday formally announced those troop cuts, stopping short of the full withdrawal by Christmas that Trump had mused about publicly and ensuring that the war in Afghanistan will transition to a fourth US administration over almost 20 years of conflict.

Also read|&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/israel-air-strikes-in-syria-kill-three-troops-hit-iranian-targets-343817">Israel air strikes in Syria kill three troops, hit Iranian targets</a>

The reduction, though expected by Afghan officials, is coming at a desperate time for Afghanistan: Peace negotiations in Qatar between the Afghan government and the insurgency are stalled, Taliban offensives are surging near important cities in the south and north, and morale has been plunging among the Afghan government forces as they take heavy casualties, officials say.

The withdrawal plan has ramifications beyond Afghanistan, including troop cutbacks in the Middle East and Africa.

In Iraq, the American troop presence, which is seen as a hedge against a resurgence of the Islamic State and against powerful Iranian influence, has already come down to about 3,500 troops this year. Under the new orders, Pentagon officials say it will come down to around 2,500 in January. Unlike in Afghanistan, the cuts have not been a source of alarm: Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi has described the cuts as being agreed to and desirable for both sides.

In Somalia, the withdrawal plan — no formal numbers were announced on Tuesday — is coming as al-Shabab, a terrorist group linked to al-Qaida, continues to intensify its attacks on both military and civilian targets in an effort to topple the country’s Western-backed government.

Had it not been for dozens of U.S. airstrikes in recent weeks, the southern hub city Kandahar would be under siege, after Taliban fighters threatened to overrun several surrounding districts, security officials say.

Had it not been for dozens of U.S. airstrikes in recent weeks, the southern hub city Kandahar would be under siege, after Taliban fighters threatened to overrun several surrounding districts, security officials say. Now with President Donald Trump’s orders to cut US forces in Afghanistan by roughly half — from 4,500 to 2,500 — Kandahar’s fate, and the fate of the Afghan security forces spread across the country, are once more in question. “If it were not for the air support of US forces, the Taliban would be sitting inside Kandahar city now,” Col. Zabiullah Ghorzang, an Afghan army regimental commander, said Tuesday. The Pentagon on Tuesday formally announced those troop cuts, stopping short of the full withdrawal by Christmas that Trump had mused about publicly and ensuring that the war in Afghanistan will transition to a fourth US administration over almost 20 years of conflict. Also read| Israel air strikes in Syria kill three troops, hit Iranian targets The reduction, though expected by Afghan officials, is coming at a desperate time for Afghanistan: Peace negotiations in Qatar between the Afghan government and the insurgency are stalled, Taliban offensives are surging near important cities in the south and north, and morale has been plunging among the Afghan government forces as they take heavy casualties, officials say. The withdrawal plan has ramifications beyond Afghanistan, including troop cutbacks in the Middle East and Africa. In Iraq, the American troop presence, which is seen as a hedge against a resurgence of the Islamic State and against powerful Iranian influence, has already come down to about 3,500 troops this year. Under the new orders, Pentagon officials say it will come down to around 2,500 in January. Unlike in Afghanistan, the cuts have not been a source of alarm: Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi has described the cuts as being agreed to and desirable for both sides. In Somalia, the withdrawal plan — no formal numbers were announced on Tuesday — is coming as al-Shabab, a terrorist group linked to al-Qaida, continues to intensify its attacks on both military and civilian targets in an effort to topple the country’s Western-backed government.

US troops are packing up, ready or not

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