US President Donald Trump announced on Monday that his country will remove&nbsp;Sudan&nbsp;from its list of state sponsors of terrorism as soon as Khartoum sets aside the $335 million it has agreed to pay to American victims of militant attacks and their families.

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
GREAT news! New government of Sudan, which is making great progress, agreed to pay $335 MILLION to U.S. terror victims and families. Once deposited, I will lift Sudan from the State Sponsors of Terrorism list. At long last, JUSTICE for the American people and BIG step for Sudan!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1318251010595303424?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 19, 2020</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

The move is being considered&nbsp;a landmark boost for the civilian-backed government as it turns the page on the nation's decades as an international pariah.

Sudan&nbsp;is one of four nations branded by Washington as a state sponsor of terrorism, along with Iran, North Korea, and Syria, severely impeding economic development, with few major foreign investors willing to run afoul of US laws.

Sudan's designation as a state sponsor of terrorism dates to its toppled ruler Omar al-Bashir, who had welcomed Al-Qaeda founder Osama bin Laden as he imposed a brand of political Islamism on the country.

Many in&nbsp;Sudan&nbsp;say the designation, imposed in 1993 because Washington believed Bashir was supporting militant groups, has become outdated since he was removed last year and&nbsp;Sudan&nbsp;has long cooperated on counterterrorism.

The conflict-ridden nation experienced a historic shift last year as Bashir was ousted in the face of youth-led street protests and a civilian-backed transitional government was later installed.

Trump's announcement marks "the strongest support to&nbsp;Sudan's transition to democracy and to the Sudanese people," said Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok, a reform-minded economist and face of the government that will rule until 2022 elections.

US President Donald Trump announced on Monday that his country will remove Sudan from its list of state sponsors of terrorism as soon as Khartoum sets aside the $335 million it has agreed to pay to American victims of militant attacks and their families.

US President Donald Trump announced on Monday that his country will remove Sudan from its list of state sponsors of terrorism as soon as Khartoum sets aside the $335 million it has agreed to pay to American victims of militant attacks and their families. GREAT news! New government of Sudan, which is making great progress, agreed to pay $335 MILLION to U.S. terror victims and families. Once deposited, I will lift Sudan from the State Sponsors of Terrorism list. At long last, JUSTICE for the American people and BIG step for Sudan! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 19, 2020 × The move is being considered a landmark boost for the civilian-backed government as it turns the page on the nation's decades as an international pariah. Sudan is one of four nations branded by Washington as a state sponsor of terrorism, along with Iran, North Korea, and Syria, severely impeding economic development, with few major foreign investors willing to run afoul of US laws. Sudan's designation as a state sponsor of terrorism dates to its toppled ruler Omar al-Bashir, who had welcomed Al-Qaeda founder Osama bin Laden as he imposed a brand of political Islamism on the country. Many in Sudan say the designation, imposed in 1993 because Washington believed Bashir was supporting militant groups, has become outdated since he was removed last year and Sudan has long cooperated on counterterrorism. The conflict-ridden nation experienced a historic shift last year as Bashir was ousted in the face of youth-led street protests and a civilian-backed transitional government was later installed. Trump's announcement marks "the strongest support to Sudan's transition to democracy and to the Sudanese people," said Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok, a reform-minded economist and face of the government that will rule until 2022 elections.

US to delist Sudan from state terrorism sponsors list in exchange of $335 million

One Monday evening last month, Hillary Clinton and Sen. Kamala Harris, and two actors who portrayed them on “Saturday Night Live,” Amy Poehler and Maya Rudolph, gathered for a virtual fundraiser benefiting the Biden campaign. By all accounts, the livestream was a smashing success: About 100,000 people watched and donated. The event raised $4.4 million.

That same night, Joe Biden beamed into a more intimate affair of fewer than two dozen people: a $500,000-per-ticket fundraiser hosted by billionaire financier Haim Saban. It raised even more: $4.5 million.

While Biden’s campaign has trumpeted the small donations flooding in at record rates, the elite world of billionaires and multimillionaires has remained a critical cog in the Biden money machine. And as the size of checks has grown, the campaign has become less transparent, declining so far to disclose the names of its most influential check collectors, known as bundlers.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-elections-mics-to-be-muted-in-next-us-presidential-debate-between-trump-and-biden-to-stop-interruptions-336543" hreflang="en">US elections: Mics to be muted in presidential debate to stop interruptions</a>

From Hollywood to Silicon Valley to Wall Street, Biden’s campaign has aggressively courted the megadonor class. It has raised almost $200 million from donors who gave at least $100,000 to his joint operations with the Democratic Party in the past six months — about twice as much as President Donald Trump raised from six-figure donors in that time, according to an analysis of new federal records.

Jeffrey Katzenberg, the Hollywood producer, and his wife, Marilyn Katzenberg, gave $1.4 million. Sean Parker, the tech entrepreneur, and his wife, Alexandra Lenas, gave $1.2 million. And Reed Hastings, the Netflix chief executive, and his wife, Patricia Ann Quillin, gave $1.4 million. Top executives with investment, private equity and venture capital firms like Blackstone, Bain Capital, Kleiner Perkins and Warburg Pincus all contributed handsomely.

This parade of industry giants delivered a surge in donations even as the progressive base of the Democratic Party agitates against the influence of billionaires and corporate titans. A group of progressives, including Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, signed a letter last week that reads like a warning shot to a potential Biden administration, urging the Senate to reject any future executive branch nominations of corporate lobbyists or corporate executives.

“Joe Biden says this is ‘Scranton versus Park Avenue’ but then he’s raising hundreds of millions of dollars from the Park Avenue types,” said Tyson Brody, a former research director for Sen. Bernie Sanders who is supporting Biden this fall but wants to see less influence for wealthy donors.

Progressives have mostly set aside their differences with Biden to focus on the shared goal of defeating Trump, including over campaign finance. But should he win, Biden is expected to face pressure from the left on a range of issues, including climate change, expansion of the Supreme Court and elimination of the Electoral College.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-election-2020-trump-and-biden-finally-agree-on-something-as-november-3-nears-336482" hreflang="en">US election 2020: Trump and Biden finally agree on something as Nov 3 nears</a>

“Joe Biden is running against the most corrupt and dishonest president in our history, and has done so while maintaining a standard of transparency and integrity that is far above how his opponent has conducted himself this campaign,” said T.J. Ducklo, a spokesman for Biden.

For Biden, six-figure donors have been critical in delivering him a surprise financial advantage over Trump. The Democratic challenger entered October with $180 million more in the bank than Trump combined with their political parties — coincidentally almost the same amount that $100,000-plus contributors have given him.

Yet as Biden has vacuumed up giant checks, his campaign has quietly curtailed some of the transparency measures that he had pioneered in the primaries, when he became the first candidate to open up big-money fundraisers to the press. To further loosen some donor wallets, the Biden campaign has been holding closed-door events with some of the candidate’s top policy advisers, offering access to potential key decision-makers in a Biden administration.

And Biden has broken with the precedent of the past four Democratic presidential nominees and declined to reveal the identities of some of the most important money-raisers in the general election: those bundlers who gather checks on behalf of the campaign.

“It’s troubling that the public is in the dark about these people because they are often promoted to ambassadorships, or other prominent positions in the administration or receive government contracts,” said Michael Beckel, an investigator and research director for Issue One, a group that pushes for campaign-finance transparency.

After being contacted this week by The New York Times, the Biden campaign said it would disclose its bundlers by the end of the month.

Biden is still disclosing more about who is funding his campaign and how much access those donors are getting than Trump, who has kept his fundraisers with big contributors entirely behind closed doors, including some events held at his own businesses where he simultaneously profits.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/how-prepared-are-these-7-battlegrounds-for-the-election-a-readiness-report-336489" hreflang="en">How prepared are these 7 battlegrounds for the election? A readiness report</a>

Trump began by self-funding his 2016 campaign during the primaries, vowing to be independent and decrying the influence of major contributors. Instead, he has relied entirely on the largesse of others in his reelection. And he has declined to name his bundlers in 2016 and 2020.

Many campaign reformers see Biden as a stark improvement over Trump but hoped he would clear a higher bar.

“Transparency is key for accountability,” Beckel said.

Biden’s campaign does carefully tally what bundlers raise, and there are various tiers for Biden’s bundlers to achieve; the highest level (a “Biden Victory Partner”) is set at $2.5 million, according to an internal campaign document and people familiar with the process.

The other levels: $50,000 (“Protector”), $100,000 (“Unifier”), $250,000 (“Scranton Circle”), $500,000 (“Philly Founder”), and $1 million (“Delaware League”). Each level on Biden’s national finance committee gets added perks, such as exclusive staff briefings and the promise of a post-election event.

Biden has disclosed his bundlers only once, burying the announcement on the Friday after Christmas 2019 during the primary season. He revealed 235 people who had raised at least $25,000. Biden has raised more than $1.2 billion since then without additional disclosure.

Four years ago, by contrast, Clinton regularly released her list of $100,000 bundlers.

Biden officials note that their candidate has actually raised more online from grass-roots supporters in recent months than from big donors, and that virtual events have reduced the level of access for six-figure checks down to a Zoom screenshot.

One Monday evening last month, Hillary Clinton and Sen. Kamala Harris, and two actors who portrayed them on “Saturday Night Live,” Amy Poehler and Maya Rudolph, gathered for a virtual fundraiser benefiting the Biden campaign.

One Monday evening last month, Hillary Clinton and Sen. Kamala Harris, and two actors who portrayed them on “Saturday Night Live,” Amy Poehler and Maya Rudolph, gathered for a virtual fundraiser benefiting the Biden campaign. By all accounts, the livestream was a smashing success: About 100,000 people watched and donated. The event raised $4.4 million. That same night, Joe Biden beamed into a more intimate affair of fewer than two dozen people: a $500,000-per-ticket fundraiser hosted by billionaire financier Haim Saban. It raised even more: $4.5 million. While Biden’s campaign has trumpeted the small donations flooding in at record rates, the elite world of billionaires and multimillionaires has remained a critical cog in the Biden money machine. And as the size of checks has grown, the campaign has become less transparent, declining so far to disclose the names of its most influential check collectors, known as bundlers. Also read: US elections: Mics to be muted in presidential debate to stop interruptions From Hollywood to Silicon Valley to Wall Street, Biden’s campaign has aggressively courted the megadonor class. It has raised almost $200 million from donors who gave at least $100,000 to his joint operations with the Democratic Party in the past six months — about twice as much as President Donald Trump raised from six-figure donors in that time, according to an analysis of new federal records. Jeffrey Katzenberg, the Hollywood producer, and his wife, Marilyn Katzenberg, gave $1.4 million. Sean Parker, the tech entrepreneur, and his wife, Alexandra Lenas, gave $1.2 million. And Reed Hastings, the Netflix chief executive, and his wife, Patricia Ann Quillin, gave $1.4 million. Top executives with investment, private equity and venture capital firms like Blackstone, Bain Capital, Kleiner Perkins and Warburg Pincus all contributed handsomely. This parade of industry giants delivered a surge in donations even as the progressive base of the Democratic Party agitates against the influence of billionaires and corporate titans. A group of progressives, including Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, signed a letter last week that reads like a warning shot to a potential Biden administration, urging the Senate to reject any future executive branch nominations of corporate lobbyists or corporate executives. “Joe Biden says this is ‘Scranton versus Park Avenue’ but then he’s raising hundreds of millions of dollars from the Park Avenue types,” said Tyson Brody, a former research director for Sen. Bernie Sanders who is supporting Biden this fall but wants to see less influence for wealthy donors. Progressives have mostly set aside their differences with Biden to focus on the shared goal of defeating Trump, including over campaign finance. But should he win, Biden is expected to face pressure from the left on a range of issues, including climate change, expansion of the Supreme Court and elimination of the Electoral College. Also read: US election 2020: Trump and Biden finally agree on something as Nov 3 nears “Joe Biden is running against the most corrupt and dishonest president in our history, and has done so while maintaining a standard of transparency and integrity that is far above how his opponent has conducted himself this campaign,” said T.J. Ducklo, a spokesman for Biden. For Biden, six-figure donors have been critical in delivering him a surprise financial advantage over Trump. The Democratic challenger entered October with $180 million more in the bank than Trump combined with their political parties — coincidentally almost the same amount that $100,000-plus contributors have given him. Yet as Biden has vacuumed up giant checks, his campaign has quietly curtailed some of the transparency measures that he had pioneered in the primaries, when he became the first candidate to open up big-money fundraisers to the press. To further loosen some donor wallets, the Biden campaign has been holding closed-door events with some of the candidate’s top policy advisers, offering access to potential key decision-makers in a Biden administration. And Biden has broken with the precedent of the past four Democratic presidential nominees and declined to reveal the identities of some of the most important money-raisers in the general election: those bundlers who gather checks on behalf of the campaign. “It’s troubling that the public is in the dark about these people because they are often promoted to ambassadorships, or other prominent positions in the administration or receive government contracts,” said Michael Beckel, an investigator and research director for Issue One, a group that pushes for campaign-finance transparency. After being contacted this week by The New York Times, the Biden campaign said it would disclose its bundlers by the end of the month. Biden is still disclosing more about who is funding his campaign and how much access those donors are getting than Trump, who has kept his fundraisers with big contributors entirely behind closed doors, including some events held at his own businesses where he simultaneously profits. Also read: How prepared are these 7 battlegrounds for the election? A readiness report Trump began by self-funding his 2016 campaign during the primaries, vowing to be independent and decrying the influence of major contributors. Instead, he has relied entirely on the largesse of others in his reelection. And he has declined to name his bundlers in 2016 and 2020. Many campaign reformers see Biden as a stark improvement over Trump but hoped he would clear a higher bar. “Transparency is key for accountability,” Beckel said. Biden’s campaign does carefully tally what bundlers raise, and there are various tiers for Biden’s bundlers to achieve; the highest level (a “Biden Victory Partner”) is set at $2.5 million, according to an internal campaign document and people familiar with the process. The other levels: $50,000 (“Protector”), $100,000 (“Unifier”), $250,000 (“Scranton Circle”), $500,000 (“Philly Founder”), and $1 million (“Delaware League”). Each level on Biden’s national finance committee gets added perks, such as exclusive staff briefings and the promise of a post-election event. Biden has disclosed his bundlers only once, burying the announcement on the Friday after Christmas 2019 during the primary season. He revealed 235 people who had raised at least $25,000. Biden has raised more than $1.2 billion since then without additional disclosure. Four years ago, by contrast, Clinton regularly released her list of $100,000 bundlers. Biden officials note that their candidate has actually raised more online from grass-roots supporters in recent months than from big donors, and that virtual events have reduced the level of access for six-figure checks down to a Zoom screenshot.

The big role that big donors still play, quietly, for Biden

Joe Biden holds a 9-point lead over President Donald Trump amid widespread public alarm about the trajectory of the coronavirus pandemic and demand among voters for large-scale government action to right the economy, according to a national poll of likely voters conducted by The New York Times and Siena College.

With just two weeks left in the campaign, Trump does not hold an edge on any of the most pressing issues at stake in the election, leaving him with little room for a political recovery absent a calamitous misstep by Biden, the Democratic nominee, in the coming days. The president has even lost his longstanding advantage on economic matters: Voters are now evenly split on whether they have more trust in him or Biden to manage the economy.

On all other subjects tested in the poll, voters preferred Biden over Trump by modest or wide margins. Biden, the former vice president, is favored over Trump to lead on the coronavirus pandemic by 12 points, and voters trust Biden over Trump to choose Supreme Court justices and to maintain law and order by 6-point margins. Americans see Biden as more capable of uniting the country by nearly 20 points.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-elections-mics-to-be-muted-in-next-us-presidential-debate-between-trump-and-biden-to-stop-interruptions-336543" hreflang="en">US elections: Mics to be muted in presidential debate to stop interruptions</a>

Overall, Biden is backed by 50% of likely voters, the poll showed, compared with 41% for Trump and 3% divided among other candidates.Most of all, the survey makes clear that crucial constituencies are poised to reject Trump because they cannot abide his conduct, including 56% of women and 53% of white voters with college degrees who said they had a very unfavorable impression of Trump — an extraordinary level of antipathy toward an incumbent president.

His diminished standing on economic matters and law and order is a damaging setback for the president, who for much of the general election has staked his fortunes on persuading Americans that a Biden administration will leave them impoverished and unsafe. But that argument has not managed to move the electorate in his direction.

Nor, according to the poll, have Trump’s efforts to tarnish Biden’s personal image and make him unacceptable to swing voters. Fifty-three percent of voters said they viewed Biden in somewhat or very favorable terms, compared with 43% who said the same of Trump.

A majority of voters said they saw Trump unfavorably, with 48% viewing him very unfavorably.

The margin of sampling error for the poll, which was conducted from Oct. 15 to 18, was 3.4 percentage points.

Part of the shift away from Trump on the economy may stem from voters’ urgent hunger for new relief spending from the federal government — which Trump has nominally endorsed but which he has not sought actively to extract from congressional Republicans.

Seven in 10 voters, including more than half of Republicans, said they wanted to see a new multitrillion-dollar stimulus program that includes government support for citizens and emergency help for state and local governments. There is also widespread public support for a $2 trillion renewable energy and infrastructure package that Biden has proposed as a form of economic stimulus.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-election-2020-trump-and-biden-finally-agree-on-something-as-november-3-nears-336482" hreflang="en">US election 2020: Trump and Biden finally agree on something as Nov 3 nears</a>

Michael Zemaitis, an independent voter in Minnesota, said that he did not have complete confidence in Biden but that he saw him as a clearly superior option to Trump when it came to the pandemic and the economy.

“I guess I would say I have 70% confidence in him,” said Zemaitis, 49, who said he believed a Democratic administration would better handle the coronavirus pandemic. “Once that is dealt with, the economy will fall back into line.”

Voters have also been unpersuaded by Trump’s insistence, in defiance of public facts, that the coronavirus is receding as a problem. A slim majority of voters said they believed that the worst of the pandemic was yet to come, compared with 37% who said the worst was over.

But many voters also seem to be separating their personal well-being from their views on the state of the country. About half said that they were personally better off than they were four years ago, compared with 32% who said they were worse off. However, a clear majority of voters — 55% — said the country as a whole was doing worse than in 2016.

Trump retains a few important bastions of support, most notably among white voters without college degrees, who continue to favor him over Biden by 23 percentage points. But that lead is far narrower than the advantage Trump held among less-educated whites in 2016, when those voters preferred him over Hillary Clinton by 37 points.

Biden is on track to win with the overwhelming support of women, people of color and whites with college degrees. If women alone voted, the election would be a landslide of epic proportions: Biden is ahead of Trump among female voters by 23 points, 58% to 35%. And unlike four years ago, the Democratic nominee is leading Trump among white women by a formidable margin, 52% to 43%.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/how-prepared-are-these-7-battlegrounds-for-the-election-a-readiness-report-336489" hreflang="en">How prepared are these 7 battlegrounds for the election? A readiness report</a>

Kathryn Jorgensen, 51, a registered Republican in Brookfield, Wisconsin, said that she did not vote for Trump in 2016 and would not do so this year. Trump, she said, has been “so divisive” throughout his tenure as president.

“The important thing is bringing the country back together and addressing the divisions affecting people like racial equity,” Jorgensen said.

A rare spot of welcome news for Republicans came on the subject of Judge Amy Coney Barrett’s nomination to the Supreme Court: While more voters said they would like to see Biden choose future justices, rather than Trump, a plurality of voters also said that the Senate should vote on Barrett’s nomination before the election.

Voters were about evenly split on Barrett as a nominee, indicating that the Supreme Court fight had not given a clear electoral advantage to either party. But a sizable number of voters — about 1 in 7 — gave no opinion, suggesting the court fight had not become an all-consuming issue. Forty-four percent of voters supported Barrett’s nomination, 42% opposed it, and the remainder declined to take a position.

If Biden win the election, it remains to be seen whether he will be a compelling enough president to meld a broad array of anti-Trump constituencies into a sturdy governing alliance.

Cassandra Williams, 21, of Greenville, North Carolina, said she saw Biden as a flawed candidate who might nevertheless be sufficient for the moment. A college student majoring in chemistry, Williams said she hoped he would focus on the coronavirus and climate change at the outset of his presidency.

“If his opponent wasn’t President Trump, he would be a subpar candidate,” said Williams, who supported Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont in the Democratic primary race.

The poll shows that Trump is facing widespread rebuke because he has not met the great challenge of his presidency.

Voters remain deeply concerned about the virus, with 51% of those sampled saying they feared the worst of COVID-19 was still to come, and just 37% saying they believed the worst was over. Among voters over 65, a bloc that has drifted away from Trump, the difference was even starker: Fifty-six percent said they worried the worst was still to come, and only 29% said the opposite.

Even more striking was the disconnect between Trump’s cavalier approach toward wearing a mask to guard against the virus and the broad support to mandate the practice in public.

Voters supported mandatory mask-wearing, 59% to 39% overall, and among women support for a mandate grew to 70%. Among voters over 65, 68% favored it, and even about 30% of Republicans said they backed a nationwide requirement.

There was also hesitation on taking an eventual vaccine for the coronavirus, with 33% saying they would definitely or probably not take a vaccine after it was approved by the FDA.

Joe Biden holds a 9-point lead over President Donald Trump amid widespread public alarm about the trajectory of the coronavirus pandemic and demand among voters for large-scale government action to right the economy, according to a national poll of likely voters conducted by The New York Times and Siena College.

Joe Biden holds a 9-point lead over President Donald Trump amid widespread public alarm about the trajectory of the coronavirus pandemic and demand among voters for large-scale government action to right the economy, according to a national poll of likely voters conducted by The New York Times and Siena College. With just two weeks left in the campaign, Trump does not hold an edge on any of the most pressing issues at stake in the election, leaving him with little room for a political recovery absent a calamitous misstep by Biden, the Democratic nominee, in the coming days. The president has even lost his longstanding advantage on economic matters: Voters are now evenly split on whether they have more trust in him or Biden to manage the economy. On all other subjects tested in the poll, voters preferred Biden over Trump by modest or wide margins. Biden, the former vice president, is favored over Trump to lead on the coronavirus pandemic by 12 points, and voters trust Biden over Trump to choose Supreme Court justices and to maintain law and order by 6-point margins. Americans see Biden as more capable of uniting the country by nearly 20 points. Also read: US elections: Mics to be muted in presidential debate to stop interruptions Overall, Biden is backed by 50% of likely voters, the poll showed, compared with 41% for Trump and 3% divided among other candidates.Most of all, the survey makes clear that crucial constituencies are poised to reject Trump because they cannot abide his conduct, including 56% of women and 53% of white voters with college degrees who said they had a very unfavorable impression of Trump — an extraordinary level of antipathy toward an incumbent president. His diminished standing on economic matters and law and order is a damaging setback for the president, who for much of the general election has staked his fortunes on persuading Americans that a Biden administration will leave them impoverished and unsafe. But that argument has not managed to move the electorate in his direction. Nor, according to the poll, have Trump’s efforts to tarnish Biden’s personal image and make him unacceptable to swing voters. Fifty-three percent of voters said they viewed Biden in somewhat or very favorable terms, compared with 43% who said the same of Trump. A majority of voters said they saw Trump unfavorably, with 48% viewing him very unfavorably. The margin of sampling error for the poll, which was conducted from Oct. 15 to 18, was 3.4 percentage points. Part of the shift away from Trump on the economy may stem from voters’ urgent hunger for new relief spending from the federal government — which Trump has nominally endorsed but which he has not sought actively to extract from congressional Republicans. Seven in 10 voters, including more than half of Republicans, said they wanted to see a new multitrillion-dollar stimulus program that includes government support for citizens and emergency help for state and local governments. There is also widespread public support for a $2 trillion renewable energy and infrastructure package that Biden has proposed as a form of economic stimulus. Also read: US election 2020: Trump and Biden finally agree on something as Nov 3 nears Michael Zemaitis, an independent voter in Minnesota, said that he did not have complete confidence in Biden but that he saw him as a clearly superior option to Trump when it came to the pandemic and the economy. “I guess I would say I have 70% confidence in him,” said Zemaitis, 49, who said he believed a Democratic administration would better handle the coronavirus pandemic. “Once that is dealt with, the economy will fall back into line.” Voters have also been unpersuaded by Trump’s insistence, in defiance of public facts, that the coronavirus is receding as a problem. A slim majority of voters said they believed that the worst of the pandemic was yet to come, compared with 37% who said the worst was over. But many voters also seem to be separating their personal well-being from their views on the state of the country. About half said that they were personally better off than they were four years ago, compared with 32% who said they were worse off. However, a clear majority of voters — 55% — said the country as a whole was doing worse than in 2016. Trump retains a few important bastions of support, most notably among white voters without college degrees, who continue to favor him over Biden by 23 percentage points. But that lead is far narrower than the advantage Trump held among less-educated whites in 2016, when those voters preferred him over Hillary Clinton by 37 points. Biden is on track to win with the overwhelming support of women, people of color and whites with college degrees. If women alone voted, the election would be a landslide of epic proportions: Biden is ahead of Trump among female voters by 23 points, 58% to 35%. And unlike four years ago, the Democratic nominee is leading Trump among white women by a formidable margin, 52% to 43%. Also read: How prepared are these 7 battlegrounds for the election? A readiness report Kathryn Jorgensen, 51, a registered Republican in Brookfield, Wisconsin, said that she did not vote for Trump in 2016 and would not do so this year. Trump, she said, has been “so divisive” throughout his tenure as president. “The important thing is bringing the country back together and addressing the divisions affecting people like racial equity,” Jorgensen said. A rare spot of welcome news for Republicans came on the subject of Judge Amy Coney Barrett’s nomination to the Supreme Court: While more voters said they would like to see Biden choose future justices, rather than Trump, a plurality of voters also said that the Senate should vote on Barrett’s nomination before the election. Voters were about evenly split on Barrett as a nominee, indicating that the Supreme Court fight had not given a clear electoral advantage to either party. But a sizable number of voters — about 1 in 7 — gave no opinion, suggesting the court fight had not become an all-consuming issue. Forty-four percent of voters supported Barrett’s nomination, 42% opposed it, and the remainder declined to take a position. If Biden win the election, it remains to be seen whether he will be a compelling enough president to meld a broad array of anti-Trump constituencies into a sturdy governing alliance. Cassandra Williams, 21, of Greenville, North Carolina, said she saw Biden as a flawed candidate who might nevertheless be sufficient for the moment. A college student majoring in chemistry, Williams said she hoped he would focus on the coronavirus and climate change at the outset of his presidency. “If his opponent wasn’t President Trump, he would be a subpar candidate,” said Williams, who supported Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont in the Democratic primary race. The poll shows that Trump is facing widespread rebuke because he has not met the great challenge of his presidency. Voters remain deeply concerned about the virus, with 51% of those sampled saying they feared the worst of COVID-19 was still to come, and just 37% saying they believed the worst was over. Among voters over 65, a bloc that has drifted away from Trump, the difference was even starker: Fifty-six percent said they worried the worst was still to come, and only 29% said the opposite. Even more striking was the disconnect between Trump’s cavalier approach toward wearing a mask to guard against the virus and the broad support to mandate the practice in public. Voters supported mandatory mask-wearing, 59% to 39% overall, and among women support for a mandate grew to 70%. Among voters over 65, 68% favored it, and even about 30% of Republicans said they backed a nationwide requirement. There was also hesitation on taking an eventual vaccine for the coronavirus, with 33% saying they would definitely or probably not take a vaccine after it was approved by the FDA.

Voters prefer Biden over Trump on almost all major issues, poll shows

15 days before America votes, religion seems to have taken the centerstage. Both Donald Trump & Joe Biden have turned to faith and are attending church services. Who will turn out to be 'the chosen one'? WION's Palki Sharma gets you a report.

Gravitas: Religion takes centerstage in US election

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/thai-pm-prayut-recalls-parliament-amid-nationwide-anti-government-protests-336539">Thai PM Prayut recalls Parliament amid nationwide anti-government protests</a>

<img alt="Thai protests" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="fb3e9350-3a5a-403c-8770-162da4f7a261" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/ThaiP.jpg" />

Protesters defied the government decree which prohibited gatherings of more than four people as they raised three-finger salute borrowed from the "Hunger Games" movies.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/we-are-really-close-to-a-tsunami-says-belgiums-health-minister-amid-surge-in-coronavirus-cases-336541">We are really close to a tsunami, says Belgium's health minister amid surge in coronavirus cases</a>

<img alt="Coronavirus" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="79bc4484-5e18-4cb8-8283-9fa130a1fbe7" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Euro2.jpg" />

According to reports, Belgium has one of the highest per capita rate of COVID-19 infection in the world registering 222,253 cases which has doubled in a week.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-elections-mikes-to-be-muted-in-next-us-presidential-debate-between-trump-and-biden-to-stop-interruptions-336543">US elections: Mikes to be muted in next US presidential debate to stop interruptions</a>

<img alt="Trump" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="f1612479-a45c-46bf-bdb8-959ddb02bc9b" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/DonaldTT.jpg" />

Each candidate will be allotted two minutes to answer the moderator's questions and the other contender's mic will be shut off at that time.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-to-delist-sudan-from-state-terrorism-sponsors-list-after-payment-to-victims-336542">US to delist Sudan from state terrorism sponsors list after payment to victims</a>

<img alt="Sudan" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="86d75f90-0362-45d9-8e9f-330b5ae0d5ff" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Sudan1.jpg" />

The move is being considered a landmark boost for the civilian-backed government as it turns the page on the nation's decades as an international pariah.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/gravitas-france-beheading-a-clash-between-secularism-and-islam-336536">Watch:&nbsp;Gravitas: France Beheading - A clash between secularism and Islam</a>

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/gravitas-france-beheading-a-clash-between-secularism-and-islam-336536/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

Thai PM Prayut recalls Parliament amid nationwide anti-government protests Protesters defied the government decree which prohibited gatherings of more than four people as they raised three-finger salute borrowed from the "Hunger Games" movies.

Thai PM Prayut recalls Parliament amid nationwide anti-government protests Protesters defied the government decree which prohibited gatherings of more than four people as they raised three-finger salute borrowed from the "Hunger Games" movies. We are really close to a tsunami, says Belgium's health minister amid surge in coronavirus cases According to reports, Belgium has one of the highest per capita rate of COVID-19 infection in the world registering 222,253 cases which has doubled in a week. US elections: Mikes to be muted in next US presidential debate to stop interruptions Each candidate will be allotted two minutes to answer the moderator's questions and the other contender's mic will be shut off at that time. US to delist Sudan from state terrorism sponsors list after payment to victims The move is being considered a landmark boost for the civilian-backed government as it turns the page on the nation's decades as an international pariah. Watch: Gravitas: France Beheading - A clash between secularism and Islam

Morning news brief: Thai PM recalls Parliament amid protests, mics to be muted in US presidential debate & more

As the United States prepares to go to the polls on <a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/us-election">November 3</a>, President Donald Trump called on his supporters to deliver Democrats "a thundering defeat" at a campaign rally in Tuscon, Arizona.

Watch:

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/can-you-do-the-trumpdancechallenge-us-election-2020-new-york-direct-336521/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

"We are rounding the turn. We have the vaccines coming and all, but even without. We're rounding the turn. People are pandemic-ed out. You know that their pandemic-ed out," Trump said.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/trump-calls-coronavirus-expert-anthony-fauci-a-disaster-336526">Also Read:&nbsp;Trump calls coronavirus expert Anthony Fauci a 'disaster'</a>

"And by the way, you get it. You know, like I say, here I am. I'm here. I'm here. And now I'm immune. I can jump into this audience and kiss every man and woman.I'm immune Right? They say," the US president said.

Amid the raging poll campaign, the US Commission on Presidential Debates said it will mute the microphones of President Trump and Democratic presidential hopeful Joe Biden when they are not answering questions during their final TV debate.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-election-2020-trump-and-biden-finally-agree-on-something-as-november-3-nears-336482">Also Read: US election 2020: Trump and Biden finally agree on something as November 3 nears</a>

Each candidate will be allotted two minutes to answer the moderator's questions and the other contender's mic will be shut off at that time.

However, Trump's campaign manager Bill Stepie said: "President Trump is committed to debating Joe Biden regardless of last minute rule changes from the biased commission in their latest attempt to provide an advantage to their favoured candidate."

According to news site Axios, Trump had interrupted Biden 71 times compared to Biden who interrupted the US president 22 times. Trump and Biden are due to debate for the last time on Thursday before the November 3 election.

As the United States prepares to go to the polls on November 3, President Donald Trump called on his supporters to deliver Democrats "a thundering defeat" at a campaign rally in Tuscon, Arizona.

As the United States prepares to go to the polls on November 3, President Donald Trump called on his supporters to deliver Democrats "a thundering defeat" at a campaign rally in Tuscon, Arizona. Watch: "We are rounding the turn. We have the vaccines coming and all, but even without. We're rounding the turn. People are pandemic-ed out. You know that their pandemic-ed out," Trump said. Also Read: Trump calls coronavirus expert Anthony Fauci a 'disaster' "And by the way, you get it. You know, like I say, here I am. I'm here. I'm here. And now I'm immune. I can jump into this audience and kiss every man and woman.I'm immune Right? They say," the US president said. Amid the raging poll campaign, the US Commission on Presidential Debates said it will mute the microphones of President Trump and Democratic presidential hopeful Joe Biden when they are not answering questions during their final TV debate. Also Read: US election 2020: Trump and Biden finally agree on something as November 3 nears Each candidate will be allotted two minutes to answer the moderator's questions and the other contender's mic will be shut off at that time. However, Trump's campaign manager Bill Stepie said: "President Trump is committed to debating Joe Biden regardless of last minute rule changes from the biased commission in their latest attempt to provide an advantage to their favoured candidate." According to news site Axios, Trump had interrupted Biden 71 times compared to Biden who interrupted the US president 22 times. Trump and Biden are due to debate for the last time on Thursday before the November 3 election.

US elections: Mics to be muted in next US presidential debate between Trump and Biden to stop interruptions

High-level U.S. officials traveled recently to Syria for rare talks with the Assad government in an attempt to secure the release of American citizens held prisoner there, a high priority for the Trump administration, but there has been little apparent progress so far, officials said.

The secret US&nbsp;mission to Damascus in August focused on Austin Tice, a freelance journalist who was seized while reporting on the Syrian civil war in 2012, and Majd Kamalmaz, a psychotherapist who was taken in 2017. The trip was first reported by The Wall Street Journal and confirmed by two U.S. officials with knowledge of American operations in the Middle East, including a senior administration official, who spoke on condition of anonymity.

The senior official cautioned that the attempt was still in its early stages, and that the U.S. government did not have any recent proof that Tice, 39, was still alive. The Syrian government has not publicly acknowledged holding either him or Kamalmaz, 62, who is diabetic and requires regular medication, according to his family and the U.S. government.

Previous contacts by the United States about prisoners held by President Bashar Assad’s government have fizzled out, but his regime — which would like to see economic sanctions lifted and U.S. troops withdrawn from Syria — has much to gain, potentially, from improved relations with Washington. The Trump administration has secured the release of people held in several other countries in the Middle East, a goal of particular interest to the president.

In August, Kashyap Patel, the senior counterterrorism director at the National Security Council, and Roger D. Carstens, the State Department’s special envoy for hostage affairs, went to Damascus to meet with Ali Mamlouk, the head of Syria’s National Security Bureau intelligence service, U.S. officials said.

Diplomatic relations between the two countries have been minimal since the United States closed its embassy in Damascus in 2012 and ordered the closure of the Syrian Embassy in Washington in 2014. The U.S. has long labeled Syria, considered a pariah state by much of the world, as a sponsor of terrorism, and has imposed sanctions on the country and its officials for human rights violations before and during the war that began in 2011.

But in 2017, Mike Pompeo, then the CIA director, called Mamlouk to open back-channel communications on Tice. Washington then sent an intermediary to see Mamlouk, the officials said. They met for hours and the intermediary delivered an unsigned letter from the U.S. government.

But the effort was put on hold the next year, when the Syrian government launched a chemical attack on a rebel-held area, and the United States responded with missile strikes on Syrian targets. Weeks later, French authorities issued international arrest warrants for Mamlouk and other officials, in connection with torture, killings and war crimes.

In August 2018, the CIA sent a top agency official with expertise in the Middle East to meet Mamlouk in Damascus, where the official raised the case of Tice.

A year ago, Trump ordered the withdrawal of most of the U.S. troops in Syria, in effect ceding back to Assad territory that had been captured from the Islamic State. Critics questioned why the administration had not demanded anything from Syria in return, like the release of prisoners.

Tice, a Marine Corps veteran, was attending law school at Georgetown University when he decided to cover the war in Syria, where he wrote articles for several news organizations. His family has been outspoken about maintaining interest in his case and seeking his release, and said as recently as 2018 they were confident he was still alive.

“For years we have pushed for engagement between the U.S. and Syrian governments to help bring our son safely home, so we hope recent reports are accurate,” his parents, Marc and Debra Tice, said in a statement released Monday. “We are deeply grateful to everyone working for Austin’s safe return, and his continued absence shows there is more to be done.”

Kamalmaz, who was born in Syria and grew up in the United States, had established a mental health clinic in Lebanon for refugees from the Syrian war. He went to Syria to visit family members and was taken the day after he arrived.

High-level U.S. officials traveled recently to Syria for rare talks with the Assad government in an attempt to secure the release of American citizens held prisoner there, a high priority for the Trump administration, but there has been little apparent progress so far, officials said.

High-level U.S. officials traveled recently to Syria for rare talks with the Assad government in an attempt to secure the release of American citizens held prisoner there, a high priority for the Trump administration, but there has been little apparent progress so far, officials said. The secret US mission to Damascus in August focused on Austin Tice, a freelance journalist who was seized while reporting on the Syrian civil war in 2012, and Majd Kamalmaz, a psychotherapist who was taken in 2017. The trip was first reported by The Wall Street Journal and confirmed by two U.S. officials with knowledge of American operations in the Middle East, including a senior administration official, who spoke on condition of anonymity. The senior official cautioned that the attempt was still in its early stages, and that the U.S. government did not have any recent proof that Tice, 39, was still alive. The Syrian government has not publicly acknowledged holding either him or Kamalmaz, 62, who is diabetic and requires regular medication, according to his family and the U.S. government. Previous contacts by the United States about prisoners held by President Bashar Assad’s government have fizzled out, but his regime — which would like to see economic sanctions lifted and U.S. troops withdrawn from Syria — has much to gain, potentially, from improved relations with Washington. The Trump administration has secured the release of people held in several other countries in the Middle East, a goal of particular interest to the president. In August, Kashyap Patel, the senior counterterrorism director at the National Security Council, and Roger D. Carstens, the State Department’s special envoy for hostage affairs, went to Damascus to meet with Ali Mamlouk, the head of Syria’s National Security Bureau intelligence service, U.S. officials said. Diplomatic relations between the two countries have been minimal since the United States closed its embassy in Damascus in 2012 and ordered the closure of the Syrian Embassy in Washington in 2014. The U.S. has long labeled Syria, considered a pariah state by much of the world, as a sponsor of terrorism, and has imposed sanctions on the country and its officials for human rights violations before and during the war that began in 2011. But in 2017, Mike Pompeo, then the CIA director, called Mamlouk to open back-channel communications on Tice. Washington then sent an intermediary to see Mamlouk, the officials said. They met for hours and the intermediary delivered an unsigned letter from the U.S. government. But the effort was put on hold the next year, when the Syrian government launched a chemical attack on a rebel-held area, and the United States responded with missile strikes on Syrian targets. Weeks later, French authorities issued international arrest warrants for Mamlouk and other officials, in connection with torture, killings and war crimes. In August 2018, the CIA sent a top agency official with expertise in the Middle East to meet Mamlouk in Damascus, where the official raised the case of Tice. A year ago, Trump ordered the withdrawal of most of the U.S. troops in Syria, in effect ceding back to Assad territory that had been captured from the Islamic State. Critics questioned why the administration had not demanded anything from Syria in return, like the release of prisoners. Tice, a Marine Corps veteran, was attending law school at Georgetown University when he decided to cover the war in Syria, where he wrote articles for several news organizations. His family has been outspoken about maintaining interest in his case and seeking his release, and said as recently as 2018 they were confident he was still alive. “For years we have pushed for engagement between the U.S. and Syrian governments to help bring our son safely home, so we hope recent reports are accurate,” his parents, Marc and Debra Tice, said in a statement released Monday. “We are deeply grateful to everyone working for Austin’s safe return, and his continued absence shows there is more to be done.” Kamalmaz, who was born in Syria and grew up in the United States, had established a mental health clinic in Lebanon for refugees from the Syrian war. He went to Syria to visit family members and was taken the day after he arrived.

High-level US mission to Syria sought release of American prisoners

The final presidential debate between Donald Trump & his Democratic rival Joe Biden will feature a 'mute button' to allow each candidate to speak uninterrupted.

US Election 2020: Final Trump-Biden Presidential debate will feature 'mute button'

Early voting has begun in Florida, a 'battleground' state, which could decide the outcome of the November 03, Presidential election.

US Election 2020: Early voting underway in 'battleground' Florida

US President Donald Trump lashed out at the government's top infectious disease expert that is Dr Anthony Fauci, referring to Fauci & other health officials as 'idiots'.

US Election 2020: Trump lashes out at NIAID Director Dr Anthony Fauci

Reports said a man was seen dangling from the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-election-2020-key-states-that-will-likely-decide-fate-of-donald-trump-and-joe-biden-336311">Trump</a> Tower in Chicago while threatening to jump unless he was allowed to talk to President Trump.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-election-donald-trump-claims-his-campaign-is-doing-very-very-well-336290">Also Read:&nbsp;Donald Trump claims his campaign is doing 'very, very well'&nbsp;</a>

Authorities have launched an investigation after the man was seen hanging from the balcony for over two hours on Sunday night. 
Reports said a negotiator was finally able to get the person to climb down. The man was said to be in his 20s.&nbsp;

Media reports claimed the man allegedly belonged to the Black Lives Matter movement, although it could not be confirmed.

The man was seen hanging from the side of the riverfront skyscraper at 5:30pm local time on Sunday.

Media reports said the man allegedly said: “I have a knife. If someone will try to pull [the rope], I will cut it and I will probably die. But I don’t want to die.”

“Everyone who knows me. They know I am not crazy. I am not crazy. I am well-educated guy. But … Mr. Trump, if you think I am crazy, I am not crazy. And if you will not talk with me, I will cut, I will die,” he allegedly said, adding, “If Mr. Trump, he promise something, he should do before the election.” 
&nbsp;

Reports said a man was seen dangling from the Trump Tower in Chicago while threatening to jump unless he was allowed to talk to President Trump. Also Read: Donald Trump claims his campaign is doing 'very, very well' Authorities have launched an investigation after the man was seen hanging from the balcony for over two hours on Sunday night.

Reports said a man was seen dangling from the Trump Tower in Chicago while threatening to jump unless he was allowed to talk to President Trump. Also Read: Donald Trump claims his campaign is doing 'very, very well' Authorities have launched an investigation after the man was seen hanging from the balcony for over two hours on Sunday night. Reports said a negotiator was finally able to get the person to climb down. The man was said to be in his 20s. Media reports claimed the man allegedly belonged to the Black Lives Matter movement, although it could not be confirmed. The man was seen hanging from the side of the riverfront skyscraper at 5:30pm local time on Sunday. Media reports said the man allegedly said: “I have a knife. If someone will try to pull [the rope], I will cut it and I will probably die. But I don’t want to die.” “Everyone who knows me. They know I am not crazy. I am not crazy. I am well-educated guy. But … Mr. Trump, if you think I am crazy, I am not crazy. And if you will not talk with me, I will cut, I will die,” he allegedly said, adding, “If Mr. Trump, he promise something, he should do before the election.”

Man threatens to jump from Trump tower 'unless allowed to speak with President'

US President Donald Trump Monday called coronavirus expert Anthony Fauci a "disaster", trying to reassure campaign workers he still has a path to victory on November 3 election.

Fauci, a key member of the White House coronavirus task force, has increasingly become a focus for the president's rancour as he bids to shape the messaging on the much-criticised federal response to the pandemic. &nbsp;

Trump took his frustration out on Fauci midway through a call intended to buck up his national team of campaign workers amid a spate of stories suggesting a campaign in turmoil.

"People are saying, 'Whatever -- just leave us alone.' They're tired of it. People are tired of hearing Fauci and all these idiots," the president said, according to several US media outlets.&nbsp;

"Fauci is a disaster. If I listened to him, we’d have 500,000 deaths," Trump said -- on a call with campaign workers which the campaign allowed reporters to join, adding Americans were fed up with pandemic restrictions.

"Fauci is a nice guy. He’s been here for 500 years," Trump sarcastically added.

Trump and Fauci, a member of his coronavirus task force, have been at odds over how best to handle a pandemic that has killed more than 219,000 people in the United States and weakened the former's re-election bid.

Fauci has openly complained about being cited in a Trump re-election campaign advertisement. He also said he wasn't surprised Trump himself contracted the virus.

Trump's rallies include many supporters not wearing masks and standing shoulder to shoulder at odds with the guidance of Fauci and other public health experts.

In stark contrast, Fauci is one of the most respected scientists in the United States and has served under Republican and Democratic presidents. He has been director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases since 1984.

Trump suggested he had avoided firing Fauci because of the negative blowback he would receive.

At various points during the pandemic response, Fauci has clarified or corrected Trump's public comments on the development of Covid-19 treatments and vaccines.&nbsp;

The tone between them has sometimes turned tense, as in April when Trump retweeted a post that contained the hashtag #FireFauci -- before reassuring the American people that "Tony" was doing a great job.&nbsp;

With nearly two weeks to go until Election Day, Democrat Joe Biden holds a lead in national opinion polls and in many battleground states where the election is likely to be decided.

(with inputs)

US President Donald Trump Monday called coronavirus expert Anthony Fauci a "disaster", trying to reassure campaign workers he still has a path to victory on November 3 election.

US President Donald Trump Monday called coronavirus expert Anthony Fauci a "disaster", trying to reassure campaign workers he still has a path to victory on November 3 election. Fauci, a key member of the White House coronavirus task force, has increasingly become a focus for the president's rancour as he bids to shape the messaging on the much-criticised federal response to the pandemic. Trump took his frustration out on Fauci midway through a call intended to buck up his national team of campaign workers amid a spate of stories suggesting a campaign in turmoil. "People are saying, 'Whatever -- just leave us alone.' They're tired of it. People are tired of hearing Fauci and all these idiots," the president said, according to several US media outlets. "Fauci is a disaster. If I listened to him, we’d have 500,000 deaths," Trump said -- on a call with campaign workers which the campaign allowed reporters to join, adding Americans were fed up with pandemic restrictions. "Fauci is a nice guy. He’s been here for 500 years," Trump sarcastically added. Trump and Fauci, a member of his coronavirus task force, have been at odds over how best to handle a pandemic that has killed more than 219,000 people in the United States and weakened the former's re-election bid. Fauci has openly complained about being cited in a Trump re-election campaign advertisement. He also said he wasn't surprised Trump himself contracted the virus. Trump's rallies include many supporters not wearing masks and standing shoulder to shoulder at odds with the guidance of Fauci and other public health experts. In stark contrast, Fauci is one of the most respected scientists in the United States and has served under Republican and Democratic presidents. He has been director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases since 1984. Trump suggested he had avoided firing Fauci because of the negative blowback he would receive. At various points during the pandemic response, Fauci has clarified or corrected Trump's public comments on the development of Covid-19 treatments and vaccines. The tone between them has sometimes turned tense, as in April when Trump retweeted a post that contained the hashtag #FireFauci -- before reassuring the American people that "Tony" was doing a great job. With nearly two weeks to go until Election Day, Democrat Joe Biden holds a lead in national opinion polls and in many battleground states where the election is likely to be decided. (with inputs)

Trump calls coronavirus expert Anthony Fauci a 'disaster'

Donald Trump Jr has said that his father's relationship with Prime Minister Narendra Modi is "incredible".&nbsp;

"I think the relationship of my father President Donald Trump and PM Modi is incredible. It has been an honour to watch. And I love that they have a great and powerful relationship that will benefit both of our countries going into the future," he said.&nbsp; 
 
<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/eu-us-alliance-on-life-support-after-four-years-of-trump-336408">Also read | EU-US alliance 'on life support' after four years of Trump</a> 
 
Forty-two-year-old Donald Trump Jr is leading the re-election campaign of his 74-year-old father. The presidential elections in the US are slated to be held on November 3. 
 
<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-election-2020-donald-trumps-daughter-in-law-lara-slammed-on-twitter-following-tv-interview-336373">Also read | Donald Trump's daughter-in-law Lara slammed on Twitter following TV interview</a>

"We have to understand the threat of China and no one knows that probably better than Indian-Americans," Trump Jr, told a select group of supporters from the community at the event in Long Island, New York.

In his book "Liberal Privilege", he has documented allegations of corruption against 77-year-old Joe Biden's family, particularly against his son Hunter Biden.

"When you look at our opponents in this race... you think the Chinese gave Hunter Biden USD 1.5 billion ... because he was a great businessman, or because they knew the Bidens could be bought, and therefore soft on China," he said.

Trump Jr was referring to the latest allegations of corruption against the Biden family as revealed by The New York Post.

"Therefore, (Joe Biden is) bad for India," he said in his address at the meet and greet event along with Kimberly Guilfoyle, who is leading the fund-raising efforts of Trump's re-election campaign.

Praising Indian-Americans, Trump Jr said that the community is near and dear to his heart. "I understand the community pretty well," he said.

The Indian community is hard working, family oriented and education oriented, Trump Jr said.

Indian-Americans, he said, have been looking at what the Democrats have been pushing or what the they have been ignoring for the last six months.

In his remarks, Trump Jr recollected the Ahmedabad address of his father Donald Trump during his trip to India early this year.

"When I saw the enthusiasm of my father with Prime Minister (Narendra) Modi ...you know, I used to think that Trump rallies were pretty big in America but that was the biggest Trump rally probably ever ... in India," Trump Jr said.

(With inputs from PTI)

Donald Trump Jr has said that his father's relationship with Prime Minister Narendra Modi is "incredible". "I think the relationship of my father President Donald Trump and PM Modi is incredible.

Donald Trump Jr has said that his father's relationship with Prime Minister Narendra Modi is "incredible". "I think the relationship of my father President Donald Trump and PM Modi is incredible. It has been an honour to watch. And I love that they have a great and powerful relationship that will benefit both of our countries going into the future," he said. Also read | EU-US alliance 'on life support' after four years of Trump Forty-two-year-old Donald Trump Jr is leading the re-election campaign of his 74-year-old father. The presidential elections in the US are slated to be held on November 3. Also read | Donald Trump's daughter-in-law Lara slammed on Twitter following TV interview "We have to understand the threat of China and no one knows that probably better than Indian-Americans," Trump Jr, told a select group of supporters from the community at the event in Long Island, New York. In his book "Liberal Privilege", he has documented allegations of corruption against 77-year-old Joe Biden's family, particularly against his son Hunter Biden. "When you look at our opponents in this race... you think the Chinese gave Hunter Biden USD 1.5 billion ... because he was a great businessman, or because they knew the Bidens could be bought, and therefore soft on China," he said. Trump Jr was referring to the latest allegations of corruption against the Biden family as revealed by The New York Post. "Therefore, (Joe Biden is) bad for India," he said in his address at the meet and greet event along with Kimberly Guilfoyle, who is leading the fund-raising efforts of Trump's re-election campaign. Praising Indian-Americans, Trump Jr said that the community is near and dear to his heart. "I understand the community pretty well," he said. The Indian community is hard working, family oriented and education oriented, Trump Jr said. Indian-Americans, he said, have been looking at what the Democrats have been pushing or what the they have been ignoring for the last six months. In his remarks, Trump Jr recollected the Ahmedabad address of his father Donald Trump during his trip to India early this year. "When I saw the enthusiasm of my father with Prime Minister (Narendra) Modi ...you know, I used to think that Trump rallies were pretty big in America but that was the biggest Trump rally probably ever ... in India," Trump Jr said. (With inputs from PTI)

My father's relationship with PM Modi is incredible: Donald Trump Jr

Donald Trump is trending for his trademark dance moves on his favourite exit song. Netizens are not only taking the Trump Dance Challenge but are also giving tutorials. WION reports.

Can you do the #TrumpDanceChallenge? U.S. Election 2020 New York Direct

The U.S. witnessed another historic women's march over the weekend against SCOTUS nominee Amy Coney Barrett. Pro-choice & LGBTQ rights activists called out the Trump Administration over Supreme Court battle. WION reports

Who will American women vote for? U.S. Election 2020 New York Direct

Donald Trump & Governor Gretchen Whitmer crossed verbal swords on interviews, at rallies & on twitter. The governor of Michigan called out Trump for inciting 'domestic terrorism' while trump supporters chanted 'LOCK HER UP' at Michigan rally. WION reports

Election showdown features Michigan governor ; U.S. Election 2020 New York Direct

With early voting reporting record turnout, Joe Biden made a campaign visit in the red state of North Carolina with his teen grand daughter Finnegan. The vice Presidential nominee Kamala Harris will be joining him soon. Can Joe Biden swing North Carolina this time?

Can Joe Biden win North Carolina? U.S. Election 2020 New York Direct

With just 15 days to USElection2020, Donald Trump is spending most of his time flitting from rally to rally, revving up his mostly MASKLESS crowds. This weekend, Trump travelled to Nevada, Wisconsin & Michigan. WION reports.

A political joy ride of rallies; U.S. Election 2020 New York Direct

Democrats across the country are beginning to believe.

They are daring to believe that the national nightmare could be coming to an end, that Donald Trump will not only not be reelected, but that Democrats could also flip the Senate.

But, this is a hope, a possibility, that they are refusing to give voice to.

They are still stung by the shock of 2016. They believed the polls that said Hillary Clinton would win. Their faith in all polling remains shaken.

They tell themselves, “Take nothing for granted.” Allowing themselves to even entertain the notion that they are ahead is a threat to enthusiasm. Some may feel like they are behind, even though they aren’t.

But, the fact remains: If Election Day were today and access to the ballot was unencumbered and undisturbed, it is most likely that Joe Biden would become our next president.

Donald Trump and his campaign see the same data that the rest of us do, and campaigns also have internal data that they don’t make public. Trump sees himself behind and sees that calendar winding down. And, no matter what he’s done in the last few months, the race has barely changed.

This is why Donald Trump is attempting to undermine the legitimacy of the election, doing everything he can to suppress the vote, and refusing to commit to a peaceful transfer of power. Because he doesn’t believe that he can win.

It is clear that he is consumed by the prospect of losing.

As he told the crowd at a rally in Macon, Georgia, on Friday: “Running against the worst candidate in the history of presidential politics puts pressure on me. Could you imagine if I lose? My whole life, what am I going to do? I’m going to say I lost to the worst candidate in the history of politics. I’m not going to feel so good. Maybe I’ll have to leave the country. I don’t know.”

Not only can we imagine him losing, it is clear that he can as well. In fact, Trump has repeated some version of the passage at rallies for the last few days.

And Trump isn’t even trying to make a case for a second term. He isn’t laying out a vision and a plan. He is simply demonizing Biden and painting the darkest possible vision of an America where he loses as Biden wins.

The following lines come from speeches Trump has delivered in just the last few days:

“If he wins, the radical left will be running the country, and they’re addicted to power, and God help us if they ever got it, because we would never have the same country again.”

“If he wins, there will be nothing but bedlam all over the place.”

“If Biden wins, China wins, all these other countries win.”

“If he wins, the radical left will be running the country. He won’t be running the country. The radical left will take over.”

“If Biden wins, your borders are gone, which means your health care is gone, the middle class is gone, and your safety is gone.”

“If Sleepy Joe Biden and the Democrat Socialists are elected, every citizen in America will be subjected to their extreme ideology, possessed by this Marxist madness.”

It is a sign to me that he fully expects his reelection bid to fail. It means that Democrats’ optimism about the election outcome is well placed. This man is panicking. He made it clear when he said at a campaign rally in Michigan on Saturday:

“And you know then they say, they’re taking away … Me, I’m taking away their freedom. Then they say, ‘If you lose, will you have a friendly transition?’ I say, ‘I want a fair election.’ Then they say, ‘Will you have a fair … We want a fair and friendly transition.’ I said, ‘Really? Well, when I won, you spied on my campaign, we caught you trying to overthrow the president of the United States. You’re crooked as hell. And we caught you, and let’s see what happens to them. But you’re crooked as hell.’ And to me, that didn’t exactly look like a friendly transition.”

The postelection drama threatens to be a disaster that could truly test America’s institutions and indeed our democracy itself. But, we’ll just have to deal with that when we get to it.

Now, we are witnessing something else that we must not overlook: a rejection of hate, division and dishonesty. We are witnessing America acknowledging that character matters.

I dare not make election predictions because to do so is folly. There are still two weeks remaining in this campaign. Anything could happen. But, the situation for Trump continues to be dire and time is running out.

I’m allowing myself to believe.

Democrats across the country are beginning to believe. They are daring to believe that the national nightmare could be coming to an end, that Donald Trump will not only not be reelected, but that Democrats could also flip the Senate.

Democrats across the country are beginning to believe. They are daring to believe that the national nightmare could be coming to an end, that Donald Trump will not only not be reelected, but that Democrats could also flip the Senate. But, this is a hope, a possibility, that they are refusing to give voice to. They are still stung by the shock of 2016. They believed the polls that said Hillary Clinton would win. Their faith in all polling remains shaken. They tell themselves, “Take nothing for granted.” Allowing themselves to even entertain the notion that they are ahead is a threat to enthusiasm. Some may feel like they are behind, even though they aren’t. But, the fact remains: If Election Day were today and access to the ballot was unencumbered and undisturbed, it is most likely that Joe Biden would become our next president. Donald Trump and his campaign see the same data that the rest of us do, and campaigns also have internal data that they don’t make public. Trump sees himself behind and sees that calendar winding down. And, no matter what he’s done in the last few months, the race has barely changed. This is why Donald Trump is attempting to undermine the legitimacy of the election, doing everything he can to suppress the vote, and refusing to commit to a peaceful transfer of power. Because he doesn’t believe that he can win. It is clear that he is consumed by the prospect of losing. As he told the crowd at a rally in Macon, Georgia, on Friday: “Running against the worst candidate in the history of presidential politics puts pressure on me. Could you imagine if I lose? My whole life, what am I going to do? I’m going to say I lost to the worst candidate in the history of politics. I’m not going to feel so good. Maybe I’ll have to leave the country. I don’t know.” Not only can we imagine him losing, it is clear that he can as well. In fact, Trump has repeated some version of the passage at rallies for the last few days. And Trump isn’t even trying to make a case for a second term. He isn’t laying out a vision and a plan. He is simply demonizing Biden and painting the darkest possible vision of an America where he loses as Biden wins. The following lines come from speeches Trump has delivered in just the last few days: “If he wins, the radical left will be running the country, and they’re addicted to power, and God help us if they ever got it, because we would never have the same country again.” “If he wins, there will be nothing but bedlam all over the place.” “If Biden wins, China wins, all these other countries win.” “If he wins, the radical left will be running the country. He won’t be running the country. The radical left will take over.” “If Biden wins, your borders are gone, which means your health care is gone, the middle class is gone, and your safety is gone.” “If Sleepy Joe Biden and the Democrat Socialists are elected, every citizen in America will be subjected to their extreme ideology, possessed by this Marxist madness.” It is a sign to me that he fully expects his reelection bid to fail. It means that Democrats’ optimism about the election outcome is well placed. This man is panicking. He made it clear when he said at a campaign rally in Michigan on Saturday: “And you know then they say, they’re taking away … Me, I’m taking away their freedom. Then they say, ‘If you lose, will you have a friendly transition?’ I say, ‘I want a fair election.’ Then they say, ‘Will you have a fair … We want a fair and friendly transition.’ I said, ‘Really? Well, when I won, you spied on my campaign, we caught you trying to overthrow the president of the United States. You’re crooked as hell. And we caught you, and let’s see what happens to them. But you’re crooked as hell.’ And to me, that didn’t exactly look like a friendly transition.” The postelection drama threatens to be a disaster that could truly test America’s institutions and indeed our democracy itself. But, we’ll just have to deal with that when we get to it. Now, we are witnessing something else that we must not overlook: a rejection of hate, division and dishonesty. We are witnessing America acknowledging that character matters. I dare not make election predictions because to do so is folly. There are still two weeks remaining in this campaign. Anything could happen. But, the situation for Trump continues to be dire and time is running out. I’m allowing myself to believe.

Democrats dare to believe

As soon as President Donald Trump was released from the hospital after being treated for the coronavirus, he and his allies began counting down the days until he could return to the campaign trail. By reviving his beloved rallies, they thought, he could both prove to voters that he was healthy enough to be reelected and zero in on Joe Biden’s vulnerabilities.

That is not what has happened.

In the week since he restarted in-person campaigning, Trump has continued to prove he is his own biggest impediment by drawing more attention to himself each day than to Biden.

The president is blurting out snippets of his inner monologue by musing about how embarrassing it would be to lose to Biden — and how he would never return to whatever state he happens to be in if its voters do not help reelect him.

He is highlighting his difficulties with key constituencies, like women and older voters, by wondering out loud why they have forsaken him, rather than offering a message to bring more of them back into his camp.

And perhaps most damaging, to him and other Republicans on the ballot, he is further alienating these voters and others by continuing to minimize the pandemic and attacking women in positions of power.

A new low point came Saturday, when Trump held a rally in Muskegon, Michigan, where he demanded that Gov. Gretchen Whitmer reopen the state and then said “lock them all up” after his supporters chanted “lock her up!”

It was a stunningly reckless comment from a president whose own FBI this month arrested 14 men who it said had been plotting to kidnap Whitmer, a Democrat, and were captured on video with an array of weapons allegedly planning the crime. Trump has assailed Whitmer for months, disregarding her solid approval ratings with independent voters and women, two groups he is purportedly trying to court.

Michigan Republicans, already struggling to avoid an electoral debacle in a state that has been returning to its Democratic roots in elections since Trump’s narrow victory in 2016, were again forced to answer for the president’s penchant for targeting high-profile women there.

“She was literally just targeted,” Lee Chatfield, speaker of the Michigan House and a leading state Republican, said of Whitmer. “Let’s debate differences. Let’s win elections. But not that.”

In a sign of how reluctant Republicans are to criticize Trump, though, Chatfield lamented the audience’s chant but noted that the president himself had not repeated “lock her up” (ignoring that he did say “lock them all up” in response to the audience).

Later, Chatfield and other Republicans seized on an “8645” pin that was visible during an appearance by Whitmer on NBC’s “Meet the Press” on Sunday, apparently a reference to “86-ing,” or ejecting, the 45th president, Trump. Some Republicans claimed that the term “86” had a more violent intent, and Chatfield tweeted that by displaying the pin, Whitmer had “encouraged more hate.”

The condemnation of the pin, though, only illustrated how eager Republicans are to find anything, no matter how far a stretch, to obscure attention from Trump’s language.

A few hours after his appearance in Michigan, Trump went to Janesville, Wisconsin, and similarly showed no hint of sensitivity to local circumstances. As he did with Whitmer, he demanded that the state’s Democratic governor, Tony Evers, reopen Wisconsin and proclaimed that the country is “rounding the corner” on the virus — never mind that Wisconsin is experiencing a coronavirus spike and hit a record high in new cases last week.

Not surprisingly, the subsequent coverage of the president’s swing to the two crucial Midwestern states focused on the virus and his attack on Whitmer, who on “Meet the Press” accused Trump of “inspiring and incentivizing and inciting” the sort of “domestic terrorism” that threatened her.

Trump’s inflammatory style also encourages his own supporters, as was on vivid display in Muskegon when crowd members reprised the 2016 mantra about Hillary Clinton for their own governor, ignoring the alleged kidnapping plot against her.

But it is not just the crowds who seem to be taking their cues from the president.

On Friday, Sen. David Perdue of Georgia, a wealthy former business executive who has a home in affluent Sea Island, Georgia, took the microphone at a Trump rally in Macon, Georgia, and sought to rile up the red-hatted audience. He suggested he did not know how to pronounce the name of Sen. Kamala Harris, the Democratic vice-presidential nominee, with whom he has served in the Senate for more than three years.

“Kamala? Kamala? Kamala-mala-mala?” he said. “I don’t know. Whatever.”

Democrats pounced, Republicans were put on the defensive and Perdue’s opponent, Jon Ossoff, raised more than $1.8 million as of Sunday evening.

Trump’s staff has sought to mitigate his self-destructive tendencies. It is clear when he is speaking from a teleprompter at rallies, and as discursive as his speeches are, he will deliver many of his attack lines on Biden as written.

But at nearly every event, the president overwhelms his critique of the former vice president.

With Republicans desperate to reframe the election as a choice on policy differences, Trump, with his rhetorical outbursts, is effectively ensuring that the campaign remains a referendum on his conduct. That is what alarms GOP candidates and strategists, who fear that even the Supreme Court nomination of Judge Amy Coney Barrett is no match for Trump’s daily exercise in self-sabotage.

Returning to South Carolina triumphantly Friday after he shepherded Barrett through her Judiciary Committee hearings, Sen. Lindsey Graham held a rally-cum-news-conference that amounted to a victory lap. Locked in an unexpectedly close race for reelection against a Democrat, Jaime Harrison, who is raising record-breaking sums of money, Graham said he thought Trump would help him in the conservative-leaning state.

But as he stepped into an SUV to leave, he acknowledged the undeniable.

“He can be a handful,” Graham said of Trump. “He can get in the way of his own success.”

A number of senior Republican strategists believe the president’s behavior will all but assure his own defeat and is likely to hand Democrats control of the Senate. And every time he criticizes a Republican lawmaker — as he did last week with Sens. Ben Sasse of Nebraska and Susan Collins of Maine — they worry it will compound their losses.

But with just over two weeks until the election, a number of party leaders have given up trying to nudge Trump toward better behavior. Sen. John Cornyn of Texas, who is facing an unusually competitive reelection race in part because of Trump’s divisiveness, said it was not worth trying — and reached for an evocative comparison.

“Like a lot of women who get married and think they’re going to change their spouse, and that doesn’t usually work out very well,” Cornyn said of Trump in an interview with The Fort Worth Star-Telegram.

As soon as President Donald Trump was released from the hospital after being treated for the coronavirus, he and his allies began counting down the days until he could return to the campaign trail.

As soon as President Donald Trump was released from the hospital after being treated for the coronavirus, he and his allies began counting down the days until he could return to the campaign trail. By reviving his beloved rallies, they thought, he could both prove to voters that he was healthy enough to be reelected and zero in on Joe Biden’s vulnerabilities. That is not what has happened. In the week since he restarted in-person campaigning, Trump has continued to prove he is his own biggest impediment by drawing more attention to himself each day than to Biden. The president is blurting out snippets of his inner monologue by musing about how embarrassing it would be to lose to Biden — and how he would never return to whatever state he happens to be in if its voters do not help reelect him. He is highlighting his difficulties with key constituencies, like women and older voters, by wondering out loud why they have forsaken him, rather than offering a message to bring more of them back into his camp. And perhaps most damaging, to him and other Republicans on the ballot, he is further alienating these voters and others by continuing to minimize the pandemic and attacking women in positions of power. A new low point came Saturday, when Trump held a rally in Muskegon, Michigan, where he demanded that Gov. Gretchen Whitmer reopen the state and then said “lock them all up” after his supporters chanted “lock her up!” It was a stunningly reckless comment from a president whose own FBI this month arrested 14 men who it said had been plotting to kidnap Whitmer, a Democrat, and were captured on video with an array of weapons allegedly planning the crime. Trump has assailed Whitmer for months, disregarding her solid approval ratings with independent voters and women, two groups he is purportedly trying to court. Michigan Republicans, already struggling to avoid an electoral debacle in a state that has been returning to its Democratic roots in elections since Trump’s narrow victory in 2016, were again forced to answer for the president’s penchant for targeting high-profile women there. “She was literally just targeted,” Lee Chatfield, speaker of the Michigan House and a leading state Republican, said of Whitmer. “Let’s debate differences. Let’s win elections. But not that.” In a sign of how reluctant Republicans are to criticize Trump, though, Chatfield lamented the audience’s chant but noted that the president himself had not repeated “lock her up” (ignoring that he did say “lock them all up” in response to the audience). Later, Chatfield and other Republicans seized on an “8645” pin that was visible during an appearance by Whitmer on NBC’s “Meet the Press” on Sunday, apparently a reference to “86-ing,” or ejecting, the 45th president, Trump. Some Republicans claimed that the term “86” had a more violent intent, and Chatfield tweeted that by displaying the pin, Whitmer had “encouraged more hate.” The condemnation of the pin, though, only illustrated how eager Republicans are to find anything, no matter how far a stretch, to obscure attention from Trump’s language. A few hours after his appearance in Michigan, Trump went to Janesville, Wisconsin, and similarly showed no hint of sensitivity to local circumstances. As he did with Whitmer, he demanded that the state’s Democratic governor, Tony Evers, reopen Wisconsin and proclaimed that the country is “rounding the corner” on the virus — never mind that Wisconsin is experiencing a coronavirus spike and hit a record high in new cases last week. Not surprisingly, the subsequent coverage of the president’s swing to the two crucial Midwestern states focused on the virus and his attack on Whitmer, who on “Meet the Press” accused Trump of “inspiring and incentivizing and inciting” the sort of “domestic terrorism” that threatened her. Trump’s inflammatory style also encourages his own supporters, as was on vivid display in Muskegon when crowd members reprised the 2016 mantra about Hillary Clinton for their own governor, ignoring the alleged kidnapping plot against her. But it is not just the crowds who seem to be taking their cues from the president. On Friday, Sen. David Perdue of Georgia, a wealthy former business executive who has a home in affluent Sea Island, Georgia, took the microphone at a Trump rally in Macon, Georgia, and sought to rile up the red-hatted audience. He suggested he did not know how to pronounce the name of Sen. Kamala Harris, the Democratic vice-presidential nominee, with whom he has served in the Senate for more than three years. “Kamala? Kamala? Kamala-mala-mala?” he said. “I don’t know. Whatever.” Democrats pounced, Republicans were put on the defensive and Perdue’s opponent, Jon Ossoff, raised more than $1.8 million as of Sunday evening. Trump’s staff has sought to mitigate his self-destructive tendencies. It is clear when he is speaking from a teleprompter at rallies, and as discursive as his speeches are, he will deliver many of his attack lines on Biden as written. But at nearly every event, the president overwhelms his critique of the former vice president. With Republicans desperate to reframe the election as a choice on policy differences, Trump, with his rhetorical outbursts, is effectively ensuring that the campaign remains a referendum on his conduct. That is what alarms GOP candidates and strategists, who fear that even the Supreme Court nomination of Judge Amy Coney Barrett is no match for Trump’s daily exercise in self-sabotage. Returning to South Carolina triumphantly Friday after he shepherded Barrett through her Judiciary Committee hearings, Sen. Lindsey Graham held a rally-cum-news-conference that amounted to a victory lap. Locked in an unexpectedly close race for reelection against a Democrat, Jaime Harrison, who is raising record-breaking sums of money, Graham said he thought Trump would help him in the conservative-leaning state. But as he stepped into an SUV to leave, he acknowledged the undeniable. “He can be a handful,” Graham said of Trump. “He can get in the way of his own success.” A number of senior Republican strategists believe the president’s behavior will all but assure his own defeat and is likely to hand Democrats control of the Senate. And every time he criticizes a Republican lawmaker — as he did last week with Sens. Ben Sasse of Nebraska and Susan Collins of Maine — they worry it will compound their losses. But with just over two weeks until the election, a number of party leaders have given up trying to nudge Trump toward better behavior. Sen. John Cornyn of Texas, who is facing an unusually competitive reelection race in part because of Trump’s divisiveness, said it was not worth trying — and reached for an evocative comparison. “Like a lot of women who get married and think they’re going to change their spouse, and that doesn’t usually work out very well,” Cornyn said of Trump in an interview with The Fort Worth Star-Telegram.

‘Lock them all up’: Trump’s Whitmer attack fits a damaging pattern

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/churches-burnt-as-chile-protest-anniversary-turns-violent-336293">Churches burnt as Chile protest anniversary turns violent</a>

<img alt="Churches burnt in Chile" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="2b58c587-5bdc-4f95-abab-e47f231308a0" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Church1.jpg" />

The demonstration comes just a week before the country votes in a referendum to replace the constitution.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/italy-announces-new-restrictions-amid-coronavirus-surge-in-europe-336284">Italy announces new restrictions amid coronavirus surge in Europe</a>

<img alt="Coronavirus" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="19a933f9-e1a8-494b-bf07-93f446bb4a6e" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Euro1.jpg" />

The Italian government has limited the number of people at restaurants to six per table with bars ordered to close at 6pm.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/israel-bahrain-formalise-diplomatic-ties-336286">Israel, Bahrain formalise diplomatic ties</a>

<img alt="Israel-Bahrain" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="361aa4d2-e88c-44da-a770-763b99b558ff" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Israel2.jpg" />

 
Israel's foreign ministry said that the two nations had agreed to establish peaceful diplomatic relations and cooperate in the fields of the civil aviation, economy, communications, finance and agriculture.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-election-donald-trump-claims-his-campaign-is-doing-very-very-well-336290">US election: Donald Trump claims his campaign is doing 'very, very well'</a>

<img alt="Donald Trump" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="f10a11b5-97fc-4d3f-96dc-ac34344ed2b9" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Donne1.jpg" />

Trump, scrambling to make up lost ground, is on a furious multi-state barnstorming tour, hopping on Sunday from Nevada to California and then back to Nevada for a day of rallies.

Watch:

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/thousands-gather-in-paris-to-pay-tribute-to-the-teacher-beheaded-in-france-336295">Thousands gather in Paris to pay tribute to the teacher beheaded in France</a>

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/thousands-gather-in-paris-to-pay-tribute-to-the-teacher-beheaded-in-france-336295/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

Churches burnt as Chile protest anniversary turns violent The demonstration comes just a week before the country votes in a referendum to replace the constitution.

Churches burnt as Chile protest anniversary turns violent The demonstration comes just a week before the country votes in a referendum to replace the constitution. Italy announces new restrictions amid coronavirus surge in Europe The Italian government has limited the number of people at restaurants to six per table with bars ordered to close at 6pm. Israel, Bahrain formalise diplomatic ties Israel's foreign ministry said that the two nations had agreed to establish peaceful diplomatic relations and cooperate in the fields of the civil aviation, economy, communications, finance and agriculture. US election: Donald Trump claims his campaign is doing 'very, very well' Trump, scrambling to make up lost ground, is on a furious multi-state barnstorming tour, hopping on Sunday from Nevada to California and then back to Nevada for a day of rallies. Watch: Thousands gather in Paris to pay tribute to the teacher beheaded in France

Morning news brief: Churches burnt in Chile, Italy announces new COVID-19 restrictions & more

US Election 2020: United States Republican President Donald Trump, and his Democratic rival Joe Biden may not agree on much, but both recently urged supporters to vote as early as possible.&nbsp;

In Nevada, Trump asked voters to cast ballots early, while Biden asked voters in North Carolina to “go vote today”.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://13.235.153.162/world/us-supreme-court-to-review-legality-of-trumps-remain-in-mexico-asylum-policy-336475" hreflang="en">US Supreme Court to review legality of Trump's 'remain in Mexico' asylum policy</a>

Ahead of the November 3 election, 27.9 million Americans have already cast their votes, either by mail or in person, based on data from the US Elections Project at the University of Florida, setting a new record. Many are voting early to avoid last minute rush at polling stations given the severity of the pandemic in the US.

Trump was heard saying in Carson City, Nevada - "Early voting is under way, so get out and vote." Trump had lost Nevada in 2016.

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/gravitas-biden-vs-trump-the-story-of-dueling-town-halls-335917/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

Biden, meanwhile, urged people in North Carolina to cast ballots as early as possible. At least 20 per cent of the state’s registered voters had already cast their votes. In 2016, Trump had won North Carolina by 3.66 percentage points.

"We gotta keep the incredible momentum going; we can't let up," Biden said during a "drive-in rally" in Durham. "Don't wait - go vote today."

Biden also launched an attack on Trump for his claims over the weekend. Trump had said that the US had “turned the corner” in terms of the pandemic. Biden noted how the cases continue to increase to highest levels in many parts of the country.

"As my grandfather would say: 'This guy's gone around the bend if he thinks we've turned the corner. Things are getting worse, and he continues to lie to us about circumstances”, Biden said.&nbsp;

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://13.235.153.162/world/my-fathers-relationship-with-pm-modi-is-incredible-donald-trump-jr-336468" hreflang="en">My father's relationship with PM Modi is incredible: Donald Trump Jr</a>

Trump had recently contracted COVID-19, and had mocked Biden for being too cautious about the pandemic.

"Listen to the scientists!" Trump said, while mocking Biden. “If I listened totally to the scientists, we would right now have a country that would be in a massive depression”, Trump added.

In response, Biden campaign said - “New coronavirus cases are surging and layoffs are rising”.

Both are set to debate for the final time on Thursday in Tennessee. The second debate was cancelled because Trump refused to attend a virtual debate.

US Election 2020: United States Republican President Donald Trump, and his Democratic rival Joe Biden may not agree on much, but both recently urged supporters to vote as early as possible.

US Election 2020: United States Republican President Donald Trump, and his Democratic rival Joe Biden may not agree on much, but both recently urged supporters to vote as early as possible. In Nevada, Trump asked voters to cast ballots early, while Biden asked voters in North Carolina to “go vote today”. Also read: US Supreme Court to review legality of Trump's 'remain in Mexico' asylum policy Ahead of the November 3 election, 27.9 million Americans have already cast their votes, either by mail or in person, based on data from the US Elections Project at the University of Florida, setting a new record. Many are voting early to avoid last minute rush at polling stations given the severity of the pandemic in the US. Trump was heard saying in Carson City, Nevada - "Early voting is under way, so get out and vote." Trump had lost Nevada in 2016. Biden, meanwhile, urged people in North Carolina to cast ballots as early as possible. At least 20 per cent of the state’s registered voters had already cast their votes. In 2016, Trump had won North Carolina by 3.66 percentage points. "We gotta keep the incredible momentum going; we can't let up," Biden said during a "drive-in rally" in Durham. "Don't wait - go vote today." Biden also launched an attack on Trump for his claims over the weekend. Trump had said that the US had “turned the corner” in terms of the pandemic. Biden noted how the cases continue to increase to highest levels in many parts of the country. "As my grandfather would say: 'This guy's gone around the bend if he thinks we've turned the corner. Things are getting worse, and he continues to lie to us about circumstances”, Biden said. Also read: My father's relationship with PM Modi is incredible: Donald Trump Jr Trump had recently contracted COVID-19, and had mocked Biden for being too cautious about the pandemic. "Listen to the scientists!" Trump said, while mocking Biden. “If I listened totally to the scientists, we would right now have a country that would be in a massive depression”, Trump added. In response, Biden campaign said - “New coronavirus cases are surging and layoffs are rising”. Both are set to debate for the final time on Thursday in Tennessee. The second debate was cancelled because Trump refused to attend a virtual debate.

US election 2020: Trump and Biden finally agree on something as November 3 nears

The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday agreed to decide the legality of one of President Donald Trump`s hardline immigration policies that has forced tens of thousands of migrants along the southern border to wait in Mexico, rather than entering the United States, while their asylum claims are processed.

The justices will hear a Trump administration appeal of a 2019 lower court ruling that found the policy likely violated federal immigration law. The program, called Migrant Protection Protocols, remains in effect because the Supreme Court in March put the lower court`s decision to block the policy on hold while the legal battle continues.

The Republican president has said the "remain in Mexico" policy, which took effect in January 2019, has reduced the flow of migrants from Central America into the United States. Restricting both illegal and legal immigration has been a central theme of Trump`s presidency. He has sought to reduce asylum claims through a series of policy and rule changes.

Immigration advocacy groups and 11 individual asylum seekers who fled violence in El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras were returned to Mexico after entering the United States filed suit to challenge the legality of the policy.

The "remain in Mexico" policy, which represented a fundamental change to previous U.S. practice, is one of the steps Trump has taken to try to prevent large-scale migration from Central America and other countries across the U.S.-Mexican border. His administration has said allowing the thousands of asylum seekers across the border would swamp the U.S. immigration system and damage American relations with Mexico.

A federal judge blocked the program nationwide, saying that forcing these asylum applicants to wait in Mexico was contrary to the text of the Immigration and Nationality Act and violated treaty-based obligations to not send refugees back to the dangerous countries from which they came.

The San Francisco-based 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in February partially upheld that ruling. The Supreme Court then put the injunction on hold, allowing the Trump administration to continue to carry out the asylum policy.

Migrants in the program, many of them children, have faced violence and homelessness in Mexico while awaiting court dates. Human rights groups have documented cases of kidnappings, rapes and assaults.

The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday agreed to decide the legality of one of President Donald Trump`s hardline immigration policies that has forced tens of thousands of migrants along the southern border to wait in Mexico, rather than entering the United States, while their asylum claims are processed.

The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday agreed to decide the legality of one of President Donald Trump`s hardline immigration policies that has forced tens of thousands of migrants along the southern border to wait in Mexico, rather than entering the United States, while their asylum claims are processed. The justices will hear a Trump administration appeal of a 2019 lower court ruling that found the policy likely violated federal immigration law. The program, called Migrant Protection Protocols, remains in effect because the Supreme Court in March put the lower court`s decision to block the policy on hold while the legal battle continues. The Republican president has said the "remain in Mexico" policy, which took effect in January 2019, has reduced the flow of migrants from Central America into the United States. Restricting both illegal and legal immigration has been a central theme of Trump`s presidency. He has sought to reduce asylum claims through a series of policy and rule changes. Immigration advocacy groups and 11 individual asylum seekers who fled violence in El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras were returned to Mexico after entering the United States filed suit to challenge the legality of the policy. The "remain in Mexico" policy, which represented a fundamental change to previous U.S. practice, is one of the steps Trump has taken to try to prevent large-scale migration from Central America and other countries across the U.S.-Mexican border. His administration has said allowing the thousands of asylum seekers across the border would swamp the U.S. immigration system and damage American relations with Mexico. A federal judge blocked the program nationwide, saying that forcing these asylum applicants to wait in Mexico was contrary to the text of the Immigration and Nationality Act and violated treaty-based obligations to not send refugees back to the dangerous countries from which they came. The San Francisco-based 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in February partially upheld that ruling. The Supreme Court then put the injunction on hold, allowing the Trump administration to continue to carry out the asylum policy. Migrants in the program, many of them children, have faced violence and homelessness in Mexico while awaiting court dates. Human rights groups have documented cases of kidnappings, rapes and assaults.

US Supreme Court to review legality of Trump's 'remain in Mexico' asylum policy

With almost&nbsp;two weeks to go for the US election 2020,&nbsp;President Donald Trump said his election campaign is doing is ''doing very, very well''.

Speaking at&nbsp;an evening rally in Carson City, Trump said, ''I guess the poll numbers are looking good in many of the states, and once people hear what we've done and it's all clarified I think they have to go with us''.

His statement comes after several national and battleground state polls show that Trump is lagging behind his Democratic presidential rival Joe Biden.

Also see:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/us-election-2020-key-moments-of-donald-trumps-presidential-tenure-335800">US election 2020: Key moments of Donald Trump's presidential tenure</a>

Trump, scrambling to make up lost ground, is on a furious multi-state barnstorming tour, hopping on Sunday from Nevada to California and then back to Nevada for a day of rallies and fundraising, before moving on to Arizona on Monday.

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/us-protest-erupt-against-donald-trumps-supreme-court-pick-336215/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

Biden will cancel Christmas

The Republican president attacked his&nbsp;Biden at his rally saying that if elected, he&nbsp;will surely ''cancel Christmas''.

Coronavirus relief package

Trump said on also said on Sunday&nbsp;that House Speaker Nancy Pelosi seemed to be "coming along" regarding a coronavirus relief package, hours after Pelosi said that differences with Trump's administration remained but that she was optimistic legislation could be pushed through before Election Day.

"I think Nancy Pelosi maybe is coming along. We'll find out," Trump told reporters in Nevada.

"I want to do it at a bigger number than she wants. That doesn't mean all the Republicans agree with me, but I think they will in the end," he said.

Pelosi, the top elected US&nbsp;Democrat, said she wanted a bill passed before the November&nbsp;3 presidential election between Republican Trump and Democrat Joe Biden, but acknowledged an agreement would have to come within 48 hours for that to happen.

"I'm optimistic because, again, we've been back and forth on all of this," Pelosi said in an interview.

But with her negotiating partner, Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, in the Middle East until Tuesday, a deal appears to be a long shot

The White House proposed a $1.8 trillion stimulus last week to help Americans struggling with the economic ravages of the coronavirus pandemic. Pelosi said the offer fell short in a range of areas, including tax credits for poor people, aid to state and local governments, worker protections and rent help. She has stuck to her demand for a $2.2 trillion aid and stimulus package.

The Republicans who control the Senate are loath to pass another giant relief bill. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said the Senate would vote on Wednesday on a $500 billion proposal to target specific areas of need.

With almost two weeks to go for the US election 2020, President Donald Trump said his election campaign is doing is ''doing very, very well''. Speaking at an evening rally in Carson City, Trump said, ''I guess the poll numbers are looking good in many of the states, and once people hear what we've done and it's all clarified I think they have to go with us''.

With almost two weeks to go for the US election 2020, President Donald Trump said his election campaign is doing is ''doing very, very well''. Speaking at an evening rally in Carson City, Trump said, ''I guess the poll numbers are looking good in many of the states, and once people hear what we've done and it's all clarified I think they have to go with us''. His statement comes after several national and battleground state polls show that Trump is lagging behind his Democratic presidential rival Joe Biden. Also see: US election 2020: Key moments of Donald Trump's presidential tenure Trump, scrambling to make up lost ground, is on a furious multi-state barnstorming tour, hopping on Sunday from Nevada to California and then back to Nevada for a day of rallies and fundraising, before moving on to Arizona on Monday. Biden will cancel Christmas The Republican president attacked his Biden at his rally saying that if elected, he will surely ''cancel Christmas''. Coronavirus relief package Trump said on also said on Sunday that House Speaker Nancy Pelosi seemed to be "coming along" regarding a coronavirus relief package, hours after Pelosi said that differences with Trump's administration remained but that she was optimistic legislation could be pushed through before Election Day. "I think Nancy Pelosi maybe is coming along. We'll find out," Trump told reporters in Nevada. "I want to do it at a bigger number than she wants. That doesn't mean all the Republicans agree with me, but I think they will in the end," he said. Pelosi, the top elected US Democrat, said she wanted a bill passed before the November 3 presidential election between Republican Trump and Democrat Joe Biden, but acknowledged an agreement would have to come within 48 hours for that to happen. "I'm optimistic because, again, we've been back and forth on all of this," Pelosi said in an interview. But with her negotiating partner, Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, in the Middle East until Tuesday, a deal appears to be a long shot The White House proposed a $1.8 trillion stimulus last week to help Americans struggling with the economic ravages of the coronavirus pandemic. Pelosi said the offer fell short in a range of areas, including tax credits for poor people, aid to state and local governments, worker protections and rent help. She has stuck to her demand for a $2.2 trillion aid and stimulus package. The Republicans who control the Senate are loath to pass another giant relief bill. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said the Senate would vote on Wednesday on a $500 billion proposal to target specific areas of need.

US election: Donald Trump claims his campaign is doing 'very, very well'

Back in 2016, German Chancellor Angela Merkel greeted Donald Trump's victory with an extraordinary warning: that she would work with the US president on the condition that he respect democratic values. Things did not improve from there.

Four years later, Trump's abrasive foreign policy moves, often unveiled in all-caps tweets, have alienated not just Germany but much of Europe.

"The transatlantic relationship is practically on life support," said Sudha David-Wilp, a senior transatlantic fellow at the German Marshall Fund of the United States.

Even if Democratic challenger Joe Biden wins the November 3 election, experts said there will be no magical healing of the EU-US rift.

Recent surveys by the Pew Research Center found that America's image among Europeans has plummeted to record lows, with just 26 percent of Germans now holding a favourable view of the superpower.

The "harsh judgement" can be partly attributed to the widespread belief that the Trump administration "mishandled the coronavirus", said Bruce Stokes, an associate fellow at Chatham House, a British think-tank.

"Europeans look at America and think there are a lot of domestic issues that are just breaking the country apart and how can it be a good partner (at such a time)?" added David-Wilp.

- 'A foe' -

From pulling out of the Paris Climate Agreement and the Iran nuclear deal to slapping tariffs on EU steel and aluminium, and defanging the World Trade Organization, Trump has dealt blow after blow to multilateralism, a much-valued European approach to global challenges.

He stunned allies by describing the European Union as a foe on trade, and "scared people" by cosying up to Russia, Stokes said.

Germany, which currently holds the EU presidency, has been a regular target of Trump's anger, often over its failure to meet NATO's defence spending targets.

But on a personal level too, there is no love lost between Europe's most powerful woman, who is leaving office next year, and the real estate tycoon in the White House.

Unlike French President Emmanuel Macron who tried to woo Trump with a military parade and a dazzling Eiffel Tower dinner before ties soured, Merkel never went out of her way to court the mercurial American.

Relations turned even frostier in June after she rebuffed an invite for a G7 event in Washington over coronavirus concerns. Soon after, Trump announced he was slashing the number of US troops stationed in Germany.

"He has real trouble dealing with strong women," Stokes said.

But Trump has made some friends on the continent. Hungarian premier Viktor Orban, who shares his anti-immigrant sentiment, is openly backing him for reelection.

Poland, which stands to benefit from Trump's troop reshuffle, has experienced "a US re-engagement" and shares Washington's opposition to the controversial Nord Stream 2 pipeline between Russia and Germany, said Justyna Gotkowska from the Centre for Eastern Studies (OSW).

- If Biden wins -

Should Biden win, he "will see the need to revitalise relationships with allies," said David-Wilp.

Expect the former vice president to make a trip to Europe early on, rejoin the climate pact and restart nuclear talks with Iran, experts say.

But areas of friction will remain on military spending, Nord Stream 2, and Washington's campaign against Chinese tech giant Huawei.

Faced with a Covid-19 battered economy, Biden will probably eschew Trump's more protectionist tendencies but some sort of "America First" vision for sensitive industries will likely live on.

"Europeans have to understand that a Biden administration is going to be so domestically preoccupied," said Stokes.

The career politician is therefore expected to surround himself with seasoned foreign policy officials who will "even more than normally" be relied upon "to pull things back together, but hopefully also chart a new course" with Brussels, he added.

Should Trump be reelected, expect "a great sucking in of breath" across European capitals, Stokes said, and "another four years of a very rocky ride".

But even under Trump 2.0, it is "entirely possible" for the US and EU to form a united front when it's in their self-interest on issues such as the coronavirus or China policy, Stokes said.

Peter Beyer, Merkel's transatlantic coordinator, recently told AFP that a "new Cold War" between Washington and Beijing had already begun, and that Europe should "stand shoulder-to-shoulder" with the US to face a rising China.

- 'Jolted' -

An unintended side effect of the Trump turbulence has been the growing realisation that Europe must speak and act more as one.

"Trump definitely jolted things," said David-Wilp.

The bloc's successful negotiation of a huge coronavirus stimulus package, spearheaded by Merkel and Macron, suggests a new impetus for closer cooperation and a reinvigorated German-Franco partnership.

Trump's attacks painting Europeans as taking advantage of the US have spurred higher NATO contributions, and a greater acceptance of burden-sharing on security issues.

There are plenty of obstacles ahead for the 27-member club with its disparate interests, not least the impending Brexit turmoil and elections looming in key member states.

"But if one wants to say the glass is half-full, the Trump presidency may have helped accelerate European unity," Stokes said.

Back in 2016, German Chancellor Angela Merkel greeted Donald Trump's victory with an extraordinary warning: that she would work with the US president on the condition that he respect democratic values.

Back in 2016, German Chancellor Angela Merkel greeted Donald Trump's victory with an extraordinary warning: that she would work with the US president on the condition that he respect democratic values. Things did not improve from there. Four years later, Trump's abrasive foreign policy moves, often unveiled in all-caps tweets, have alienated not just Germany but much of Europe. "The transatlantic relationship is practically on life support," said Sudha David-Wilp, a senior transatlantic fellow at the German Marshall Fund of the United States. Even if Democratic challenger Joe Biden wins the November 3 election, experts said there will be no magical healing of the EU-US rift. Recent surveys by the Pew Research Center found that America's image among Europeans has plummeted to record lows, with just 26 percent of Germans now holding a favourable view of the superpower. The "harsh judgement" can be partly attributed to the widespread belief that the Trump administration "mishandled the coronavirus", said Bruce Stokes, an associate fellow at Chatham House, a British think-tank. "Europeans look at America and think there are a lot of domestic issues that are just breaking the country apart and how can it be a good partner (at such a time)?" added David-Wilp. - 'A foe' - From pulling out of the Paris Climate Agreement and the Iran nuclear deal to slapping tariffs on EU steel and aluminium, and defanging the World Trade Organization, Trump has dealt blow after blow to multilateralism, a much-valued European approach to global challenges. He stunned allies by describing the European Union as a foe on trade, and "scared people" by cosying up to Russia, Stokes said. Germany, which currently holds the EU presidency, has been a regular target of Trump's anger, often over its failure to meet NATO's defence spending targets. But on a personal level too, there is no love lost between Europe's most powerful woman, who is leaving office next year, and the real estate tycoon in the White House. Unlike French President Emmanuel Macron who tried to woo Trump with a military parade and a dazzling Eiffel Tower dinner before ties soured, Merkel never went out of her way to court the mercurial American. Relations turned even frostier in June after she rebuffed an invite for a G7 event in Washington over coronavirus concerns. Soon after, Trump announced he was slashing the number of US troops stationed in Germany. "He has real trouble dealing with strong women," Stokes said. But Trump has made some friends on the continent. Hungarian premier Viktor Orban, who shares his anti-immigrant sentiment, is openly backing him for reelection. Poland, which stands to benefit from Trump's troop reshuffle, has experienced "a US re-engagement" and shares Washington's opposition to the controversial Nord Stream 2 pipeline between Russia and Germany, said Justyna Gotkowska from the Centre for Eastern Studies (OSW). - If Biden wins - Should Biden win, he "will see the need to revitalise relationships with allies," said David-Wilp. Expect the former vice president to make a trip to Europe early on, rejoin the climate pact and restart nuclear talks with Iran, experts say. But areas of friction will remain on military spending, Nord Stream 2, and Washington's campaign against Chinese tech giant Huawei. Faced with a Covid-19 battered economy, Biden will probably eschew Trump's more protectionist tendencies but some sort of "America First" vision for sensitive industries will likely live on. "Europeans have to understand that a Biden administration is going to be so domestically preoccupied," said Stokes. The career politician is therefore expected to surround himself with seasoned foreign policy officials who will "even more than normally" be relied upon "to pull things back together, but hopefully also chart a new course" with Brussels, he added. Should Trump be reelected, expect "a great sucking in of breath" across European capitals, Stokes said, and "another four years of a very rocky ride". But even under Trump 2.0, it is "entirely possible" for the US and EU to form a united front when it's in their self-interest on issues such as the coronavirus or China policy, Stokes said. Peter Beyer, Merkel's transatlantic coordinator, recently told AFP that a "new Cold War" between Washington and Beijing had already begun, and that Europe should "stand shoulder-to-shoulder" with the US to face a rising China. - 'Jolted' - An unintended side effect of the Trump turbulence has been the growing realisation that Europe must speak and act more as one. "Trump definitely jolted things," said David-Wilp. The bloc's successful negotiation of a huge coronavirus stimulus package, spearheaded by Merkel and Macron, suggests a new impetus for closer cooperation and a reinvigorated German-Franco partnership. Trump's attacks painting Europeans as taking advantage of the US have spurred higher NATO contributions, and a greater acceptance of burden-sharing on security issues. There are plenty of obstacles ahead for the 27-member club with its disparate interests, not least the impending Brexit turmoil and elections looming in key member states. "But if one wants to say the glass is half-full, the Trump presidency may have helped accelerate European unity," Stokes said.

EU-US alliance 'on life support' after four years of Trump

Did you catch Steve Harvey’s “Funderdome” on ABC? How about “The World’s Best” on CBS, “The Contender” on Epix, or “World’s Toughest Race: Eco-Challenge” on Amazon Prime? Or the Christian-themed dramas “A.D. The Bible Continues” on NBC and “Messiah” on Netflix?

No? Well, you’re hardly alone. And the man behind the string of flops is Mark Burnett, the legendary TV producer who shaped Donald Trump’s image from “The Apprentice” through his 2016 inauguration. Like his greatest creation, Trump — who sought and then lost an idiotic television ratings war Thursday night with Joe Biden — Burnett seems to be struggling to keep his grip on the cultural moment.

Burnett’s story has been told often, and until 2016 he was eager to help tell it — how he reshaped American television with “Survivor” in 2000 and how, with the 2004 start of “The Apprentice,” he “resurrected Donald Trump as an icon of American success,” as The New Yorker put it. He’s been in Trump’s ear ever since: He held a planning meeting for the 2016 inauguration in his Ritz-Carlton apartment, the event’s planner, Stephanie Winston Wolkoff, wrote. His associates produced the Republican National Convention this summer, Michael Grynbaum and Annie Karni reported for The New York Times. When Trump took the presidential helicopter from the hospital to the White House this month, panicked Twitter commentators compared an official video of his triumphal return to the work of Nazi propagandist Leni Riefenstahl. But Burnett was the artiste whose influence really shined through on the video, though a spokeswoman said he did not consult on it.

“The level of production coming out of the White House is something we would have appreciated having,” Bill Pruitt, a producer on the “The Apprentice,” said of the video’s specific camera angles and its particular obsession with helicopters, a longtime favorite prop of Burnett’s dating back to “Survivor.” “As is customary for this, the reality TV version of a presidential campaign, it seems they’re not striving as much for ‘four more years’ as they are ‘Season 2.’ ”

But that style may have fallen out of fashion. Burnett, 60, the defining TV impresario, salesman and deal maker of the aughts, hasn’t put his stamp on a bona fide hit since the debut of “The Voice” in 2011. He shaped reality TV’s bombastic, gimmicky and sometimes cruel early years. But the genre has matured and shifted in the streaming age to what are sometimes sweeter and more positive productions, like Netflix’s “Floor Is Lava” and “Tidying Up With Marie Kondo.”

And Burnett, until 2016 one of the most prominent figures in Hollywood, has gone dark. His Trumpian gift for telling his own story — about his triumphant reinvention of a once-great studio, MGM, and his plan to bring Jesus Christ to entertainment — has foundered on the reality of corporate infighting, creative struggles and a religious streaming network that never got off the ground.

“The impact that he was going to have on the film and Christian community has kind of gone bust,” said Peter Bart, who was a top executive at MGM before a long run as editor-in-chief of the trade newspaper Variety. “If that’s your main mission and your legacy is Trump and maybe the failure of the next MGM — that’s not a good chapter in his life.”

The current chapter of Burnett’s career began in earnest when Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, the once-great studio that had recently emerged from bankruptcy, bought out Burnett’s production company in 2015 for $120 million, consummating an earlier $400 million deal. That put him in charge of the studio’s television division. MGM got his stake in long-running shows like “The Voice” and “Shark Tank,” and the promise of more of his magic. MGM’s chief executive, Gary Barber, blessed the acquisition in high corporate gobbledygook: “We believe this synergistic transaction will be very accretive,” he said in a statement.

But with Burnett inside, Barber now had a charismatic rival for the affection of the chairman of the company’s board, Kevin Ulrich. One source of tension between Burnett and his new boss, two former executives said, was the enthusiasm of Burnett and his wife, Roma Downey, for faith-based programing. The couple are outspoken Christians, and in 2013 they had produced “The Bible” for the History Channel, with Downey cast as the Virgin Mary. They then founded Lightworkers Media, which MGM now controls, and had hopes that MGM would turn it into a powerhouse.

But although Burnett promised associates that his friendship with the president would be great for business, he was also intensely sensitive to criticism of his old friend. He objected in particular, two people present at the time said, when an MGM board member, Jason Hirschhorn, began sharply criticizing Trump in his newsletter, REDEF in 2016. Katie Martin Kelley, MGM’s spokeswoman, said Hirschhorn’s “public statements at the time caused friction for many people at MGM,” and Hirschhorn, who left the board in 2017, declined to comment.

Since the 2016 election, Burnett has gone to great lengths to keep a public distance from Trump, batting away suggestions that he helped with the Republican National Convention. “They are not in communication and he had no involvement with any of the president’s public activities around his hospitalization for COVID-19,” Kelley said in an email.

Burnett didn’t respond to interview requests directly or through an MGM spokeswoman. After years in the headlines, he is keeping his profile low, and his name didn’t even appear in a recent, gloomy Wall Street Journal assessment of MGM’s finances. Some of his old partners, like Les Moonves at CBS and Paul Telegdy at NBC, have been forced out of their positions, and a new generation of network executives doesn’t jump quite so quickly at his calls. But if he’s not quite the producing star he once was, he’s still closing deals. In 2018, Amazon Prime resurrected a show called “Eco-Challenge,” which Burnett started producing in the 1990s, though Amazon has dropped plans for a second season, MGM confirmed. When I asked MGM’s chief communications officer, Kelley, about the perception that Burnett had lost his creative touch, she responded with a litany of his long-running shows.

“In his capacity as an executive producer, he has produced more than 70 seasons of shows for ABC (‘Shark Tank,’&nbsp;12 seasons), CBS (‘Survivor’ 40 seasons), Fox (‘Beat Shazam,’ 4 seasons), NBC (‘The Voice,’ 19 seasons), and the most recently launched ‘World’s Toughest Race: Eco-Challenge’ on Amazon Prime,” she said. “Combined, programs where he serves as an EP have generated 18 Emmy wins, and 150 nominations. Burnett’s TV division is consistently amongst the most profitable divisions of MGM.”

But the last great question for Burnett, of course, is Trump TV. Journalists often imagine that Trump will start a 24/7 news channel to the right of Fox News should he lose the presidency. But the best move of Trump’s career, tax returns obtained by The Times showed, was in reality, not news — his partnership with Burnett in “The Apprentice.” My colleague James Poniewozik wrote once that Trump’s problem is that “now there’s no Mark Burnett to impose retroactive logic on the chaos.”

People who have worked with Burnett say they can’t help imagining that he’s working all the angles on the final, realest reality show of all, following a former president back into the real world.

Did you catch Steve Harvey’s “Funderdome” on ABC? How about “The World’s Best” on CBS, “The Contender” on Epix, or “World’s Toughest Race: Eco-Challenge” on Amazon Prime?

Did you catch Steve Harvey’s “Funderdome” on ABC? How about “The World’s Best” on CBS, “The Contender” on Epix, or “World’s Toughest Race: Eco-Challenge” on Amazon Prime? Or the Christian-themed dramas “A.D. The Bible Continues” on NBC and “Messiah” on Netflix? No? Well, you’re hardly alone. And the man behind the string of flops is Mark Burnett, the legendary TV producer who shaped Donald Trump’s image from “The Apprentice” through his 2016 inauguration. Like his greatest creation, Trump — who sought and then lost an idiotic television ratings war Thursday night with Joe Biden — Burnett seems to be struggling to keep his grip on the cultural moment. Burnett’s story has been told often, and until 2016 he was eager to help tell it — how he reshaped American television with “Survivor” in 2000 and how, with the 2004 start of “The Apprentice,” he “resurrected Donald Trump as an icon of American success,” as The New Yorker put it. He’s been in Trump’s ear ever since: He held a planning meeting for the 2016 inauguration in his Ritz-Carlton apartment, the event’s planner, Stephanie Winston Wolkoff, wrote. His associates produced the Republican National Convention this summer, Michael Grynbaum and Annie Karni reported for The New York Times. When Trump took the presidential helicopter from the hospital to the White House this month, panicked Twitter commentators compared an official video of his triumphal return to the work of Nazi propagandist Leni Riefenstahl. But Burnett was the artiste whose influence really shined through on the video, though a spokeswoman said he did not consult on it. “The level of production coming out of the White House is something we would have appreciated having,” Bill Pruitt, a producer on the “The Apprentice,” said of the video’s specific camera angles and its particular obsession with helicopters, a longtime favorite prop of Burnett’s dating back to “Survivor.” “As is customary for this, the reality TV version of a presidential campaign, it seems they’re not striving as much for ‘four more years’ as they are ‘Season 2.’ ” But that style may have fallen out of fashion. Burnett, 60, the defining TV impresario, salesman and deal maker of the aughts, hasn’t put his stamp on a bona fide hit since the debut of “The Voice” in 2011. He shaped reality TV’s bombastic, gimmicky and sometimes cruel early years. But the genre has matured and shifted in the streaming age to what are sometimes sweeter and more positive productions, like Netflix’s “Floor Is Lava” and “Tidying Up With Marie Kondo.” And Burnett, until 2016 one of the most prominent figures in Hollywood, has gone dark. His Trumpian gift for telling his own story — about his triumphant reinvention of a once-great studio, MGM, and his plan to bring Jesus Christ to entertainment — has foundered on the reality of corporate infighting, creative struggles and a religious streaming network that never got off the ground. “The impact that he was going to have on the film and Christian community has kind of gone bust,” said Peter Bart, who was a top executive at MGM before a long run as editor-in-chief of the trade newspaper Variety. “If that’s your main mission and your legacy is Trump and maybe the failure of the next MGM — that’s not a good chapter in his life.” The current chapter of Burnett’s career began in earnest when Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, the once-great studio that had recently emerged from bankruptcy, bought out Burnett’s production company in 2015 for $120 million, consummating an earlier $400 million deal. That put him in charge of the studio’s television division. MGM got his stake in long-running shows like “The Voice” and “Shark Tank,” and the promise of more of his magic. MGM’s chief executive, Gary Barber, blessed the acquisition in high corporate gobbledygook: “We believe this synergistic transaction will be very accretive,” he said in a statement. But with Burnett inside, Barber now had a charismatic rival for the affection of the chairman of the company’s board, Kevin Ulrich. One source of tension between Burnett and his new boss, two former executives said, was the enthusiasm of Burnett and his wife, Roma Downey, for faith-based programing. The couple are outspoken Christians, and in 2013 they had produced “The Bible” for the History Channel, with Downey cast as the Virgin Mary. They then founded Lightworkers Media, which MGM now controls, and had hopes that MGM would turn it into a powerhouse. But although Burnett promised associates that his friendship with the president would be great for business, he was also intensely sensitive to criticism of his old friend. He objected in particular, two people present at the time said, when an MGM board member, Jason Hirschhorn, began sharply criticizing Trump in his newsletter, REDEF in 2016. Katie Martin Kelley, MGM’s spokeswoman, said Hirschhorn’s “public statements at the time caused friction for many people at MGM,” and Hirschhorn, who left the board in 2017, declined to comment. Since the 2016 election, Burnett has gone to great lengths to keep a public distance from Trump, batting away suggestions that he helped with the Republican National Convention. “They are not in communication and he had no involvement with any of the president’s public activities around his hospitalization for COVID-19,” Kelley said in an email. Burnett didn’t respond to interview requests directly or through an MGM spokeswoman. After years in the headlines, he is keeping his profile low, and his name didn’t even appear in a recent, gloomy Wall Street Journal assessment of MGM’s finances. Some of his old partners, like Les Moonves at CBS and Paul Telegdy at NBC, have been forced out of their positions, and a new generation of network executives doesn’t jump quite so quickly at his calls. But if he’s not quite the producing star he once was, he’s still closing deals. In 2018, Amazon Prime resurrected a show called “Eco-Challenge,” which Burnett started producing in the 1990s, though Amazon has dropped plans for a second season, MGM confirmed. When I asked MGM’s chief communications officer, Kelley, about the perception that Burnett had lost his creative touch, she responded with a litany of his long-running shows. “In his capacity as an executive producer, he has produced more than 70 seasons of shows for ABC (‘Shark Tank,’ 12 seasons), CBS (‘Survivor’ 40 seasons), Fox (‘Beat Shazam,’ 4 seasons), NBC (‘The Voice,’ 19 seasons), and the most recently launched ‘World’s Toughest Race: Eco-Challenge’ on Amazon Prime,” she said. “Combined, programs where he serves as an EP have generated 18 Emmy wins, and 150 nominations. Burnett’s TV division is consistently amongst the most profitable divisions of MGM.” But the last great question for Burnett, of course, is Trump TV. Journalists often imagine that Trump will start a 24/7 news channel to the right of Fox News should he lose the presidency. But the best move of Trump’s career, tax returns obtained by The Times showed, was in reality, not news — his partnership with Burnett in “The Apprentice.” My colleague James Poniewozik wrote once that Trump’s problem is that “now there’s no Mark Burnett to impose retroactive logic on the chaos.” People who have worked with Burnett say they can’t help imagining that he’s working all the angles on the final, realest reality show of all, following a former president back into the real world.

Trump is losing his touch. So is the TV producer who shaped his image

In just 15 days from now, United States will seal it's fate for the next 4 years. President Donald Trump and Democrat Presidential nominee Joe Biden have hit the campaigning round running.

US Election 2020: Candidates' campaigning round starts, visit to churches ahead of polls

Donald Trump's daughter-in-law Lara Trump was slammed severely on Twitter after her heated television interview on Sunday with #LaraLied doing rounds on the social media platform.&nbsp;

Trump campaign's senior adviser's interview with CNN's Jake Tapper ended abruptly and during their interaction she defended Trump's comments on the Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer, saying he was "having fun".

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-election-2020-key-states-that-will-likely-decide-fate-of-donald-trump-and-joe-biden-336311">US election 2020: Key states that will likely decide fate of Trump and Biden</a>

"It’s a fun, light atmosphere. Of course he wasn’t encouraging people to threaten this woman. That’s ridiculous," Lara said.&nbsp;

Earlier, in a rally in Michigan on Saturday, the US president asked Whitmer to loosen up the restrictions and his supporters at the rally chanted "lock her up".

Lara was also confronted on mocking the stuttering of Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden.

Earlier, at an event in Iowa in January, Lara said: "Every time he comes on stage or they turn to him, I'm like, 'Joe, can you get it out? Let’s get the words out, Joe.' You kinda feel bad for him."

"How do you think it makes little kids with stutters feel when they see you make a comment like that?" the interviewer asked Lara on Sunday.&nbsp;

"First and foremost, I had no idea that Joe Biden ever suffered from a stutter," the campaign adviser to Preisdent Trump said.&nbsp;

"I think what we see on stage with Joe Biden, Jake, is very clearly a cognitive decline."

Lara's comments didn't go down well with the netizens.

Here are some of the posts on Lara's interview.&nbsp;

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Imagine being so low on the evolutionary ladder as a female, that breeding with Eric Trump was your best option. 
 
Lara Trump is trash.
— Alex Cole (@acnewsitics) <a href="https://twitter.com/acnewsitics/status/1317829252830490626?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 18, 2020</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Lara Trump is just as bad as Eric.
— Scott Dworkin (@funder) <a href="https://twitter.com/funder/status/1317823524434739203?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 18, 2020</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/LaraLied?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#LaraLied</a> 
Jake confronted her and finally cut her mic.
— Beth L Harwell (@BethHarwellLCSW) <a href="https://twitter.com/BethHarwellLCSW/status/1317825738263941121?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 18, 2020</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

&nbsp;

Donald Trump's daughter-in-law Lara Trump was slammed severely on Twitter after her heated television interview on Sunday with #LaraLied doing rounds on the social media platform.

Donald Trump's daughter-in-law Lara Trump was slammed severely on Twitter after her heated television interview on Sunday with #LaraLied doing rounds on the social media platform. Trump campaign's senior adviser's interview with CNN's Jake Tapper ended abruptly and during their interaction she defended Trump's comments on the Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer, saying he was "having fun". Also read | US election 2020: Key states that will likely decide fate of Trump and Biden "It’s a fun, light atmosphere. Of course he wasn’t encouraging people to threaten this woman. That’s ridiculous," Lara said. Earlier, in a rally in Michigan on Saturday, the US president asked Whitmer to loosen up the restrictions and his supporters at the rally chanted "lock her up". Lara was also confronted on mocking the stuttering of Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden. Earlier, at an event in Iowa in January, Lara said: "Every time he comes on stage or they turn to him, I'm like, 'Joe, can you get it out? Let’s get the words out, Joe.' You kinda feel bad for him." "How do you think it makes little kids with stutters feel when they see you make a comment like that?" the interviewer asked Lara on Sunday. "First and foremost, I had no idea that Joe Biden ever suffered from a stutter," the campaign adviser to Preisdent Trump said. "I think what we see on stage with Joe Biden, Jake, is very clearly a cognitive decline." Lara's comments didn't go down well with the netizens. Here are some of the posts on Lara's interview. Imagine being so low on the evolutionary ladder as a female, that breeding with Eric Trump was your best option. Lara Trump is trash. — Alex Cole (@acnewsitics) October 18, 2020 × Lara Trump is just as bad as Eric. — Scott Dworkin (@funder) October 18, 2020 × #LaraLied Jake confronted her and finally cut her mic. — Beth L Harwell (@BethHarwellLCSW) October 18, 2020 ×

Donald Trump's daughter-in-law Lara slammed on Twitter following TV interview

US Election 2020 Key States : Whenever there is any <a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/us-election">presidential election </a>in the United States, battleground or swing states come into fore as these states cannot be termed as <a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/democratic-party">Democratic </a>or <a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/republican-party">Republican</a>.

In the 2016 US Election, <a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/donald-trump">Donald Trump </a>won six of these states, Florida, Pennsylvania, Michigan, North Carolina, Wisconsin and Arizona.

Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/if-he-doesnt-win-donald-trump-will-be-back-in-2024-steve-bannon-336275">If he doesn't win, Donald Trump will be back in 2024: Steve Bannon</a>

However, polls suggest that Trump is trailing in all these states, even though margins are narrow in some.&nbsp;

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/biden-and-trump-say-theyre-fighting-for-americas-soul-what-does-that-mean-336269">Biden and Trump say they’re fighting for America’s ‘soul.’ What does that mean?</a>

Let's look at US election 2020 key states&nbsp;that will decide the fate of Trump and Democratic contender <a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/joe-biden">Joe Biden</a>.

<h2>US Election 2020 Key States&nbsp;</h2>

Pennsylvania

It is a state where Biden was born, and a region that has seen decades of industrial decline.&nbsp;

Trump supporters are campaigning heavily in this state, with campaign team even going door-to-door in the suburbs to lure the voters.&nbsp;

Biden's big support will be big cities of the states, while Trump is expecting support from the state's rural west and conservative central areas.

Pennsylvania's suburbs and northeast will be crucial to decide which way the state is leading.&nbsp;

According to an average of state polls by the website RealClearPolitics (RCP), Biden leads Trump by 5.6 percentage points in the state.&nbsp;

US Election 2020 Key States:&nbsp;Michigan

Trump managed to narrowly win this state in 2016.

Michigan, also known as the Great Lakes states, is concerned about the state of the economy due to coronavirus pandemic and Trump's response to the crisis.

Democratic Governor Gretchen Whitmer has continually clashed with Trump over issues related to coronavirus and the strict lockdowns in the state have angered conservatives.&nbsp;

Recently, a group of right-wing members was also arrested by the FBI for plotting to kidnap Whitmer.

RCP says Biden is ahead in Michigan with 7.2 percentage points.&nbsp;

US Election 2020 Key States:&nbsp;Wisconsin

The 2016 Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton paid the price for not campaigning in the state in the last election.&nbsp;

To not repeat such a mistake this time, Democrats held their national convention in Wisconsin though the event was made online due to coronavirus crisis.&nbsp;

Both Trump and Biden and their Vice Presidential candidates Mike Pence and Kamala Harris have campaigned in the state.

Biden is leading in Wisconsin by 6.3 percentage points, according to RCP.&nbsp;

Florida

It is largest of all the swing states and a large number of retired individuals reside here.&nbsp;

The state's massive Latino voters will be crucial and polls suggest the support for Democrats has declined from the 2016 levels.&nbsp;

However, Florida's senior citizen voters are also moving away from Trump because of his handling of the pandemic.&nbsp;

Many experts say Florida is a Trump firewall; if he loses here, he will lose the presidency.

With a margin of 1.4 percentage points, Biden is leading in Florida too, as per RCP.

North Carolina

The state went with Trump last time but only with a margin of three points and both parties are wary of this. &nbsp;

It has a popular Democrat as the governor who has garnered a lot of praise for his balanced approach to the crisis.&nbsp;

Republicans held their convention here, though the event was majorly online.

According to RCP, Biden is ahead in North Carolina by 2.7 points.&nbsp;

Arizona

The state has been a Republican bastion for decades, but as the number of Latino community rose and with the arrival of liberals from California, the state's electorate can go either way.

Conservative voters praise Trump's efforts to control immigration and promise to build a wall at the Mexican border.&nbsp;

However, by heavily criticising state's late senator John McCain, who still is admired a lot in Arizona, Trump has hurt his prospects.

Cindy McCain, the late senator's widow, has also endorsed Biden for the presidency.&nbsp;

Biden leads Trump by 4 points in the state, says RCP.&nbsp;

Iowa

With a lead of almost 10 points, Trump won Iowa comfortably four years ago, but the race looks tighter this time around.&nbsp;

Currently, Biden is leading with 1.2 points in Iowa, as per RCP.&nbsp;

Georgia

Since 1992, no Democratic candidate has been able to win Georgia in the presidential race, but a lot has changed in recent years with a rise in Democratic support.

As per RCP, Biden is leading the race with 1.2 points.&nbsp;

US Election 2020 Key States:&nbsp;Ohio

Ohio has 18 electoral college voters, which is a major attraction for both the parties.&nbsp;

Trump beat Clinton by 8.1 points in the 2016 election, but polls show a tighter race this year.&nbsp;

With a narrow margin of 0.6, Biden is ahead in Ohio, says RCP.&nbsp;

US Election 2020 Key States : Whenever there is any presidential election in the United States, battleground or swing states come into fore as these states cannot be termed as Democratic or Republican.

US Election 2020 Key States : Whenever there is any presidential election in the United States, battleground or swing states come into fore as these states cannot be termed as Democratic or Republican. In the 2016 US Election, Donald Trump won six of these states, Florida, Pennsylvania, Michigan, North Carolina, Wisconsin and Arizona. Also read | If he doesn't win, Donald Trump will be back in 2024: Steve Bannon However, polls suggest that Trump is trailing in all these states, even though margins are narrow in some. Also read | Biden and Trump say they’re fighting for America’s ‘soul.’ What does that mean? Let's look at US election 2020 key states that will decide the fate of Trump and Democratic contender Joe Biden. US Election 2020 Key States Pennsylvania It is a state where Biden was born, and a region that has seen decades of industrial decline. Trump supporters are campaigning heavily in this state, with campaign team even going door-to-door in the suburbs to lure the voters. Biden's big support will be big cities of the states, while Trump is expecting support from the state's rural west and conservative central areas. Pennsylvania's suburbs and northeast will be crucial to decide which way the state is leading. According to an average of state polls by the website RealClearPolitics (RCP), Biden leads Trump by 5.6 percentage points in the state. US Election 2020 Key States: Michigan Trump managed to narrowly win this state in 2016. Michigan, also known as the Great Lakes states, is concerned about the state of the economy due to coronavirus pandemic and Trump's response to the crisis. Democratic Governor Gretchen Whitmer has continually clashed with Trump over issues related to coronavirus and the strict lockdowns in the state have angered conservatives. Recently, a group of right-wing members was also arrested by the FBI for plotting to kidnap Whitmer. RCP says Biden is ahead in Michigan with 7.2 percentage points. US Election 2020 Key States: Wisconsin The 2016 Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton paid the price for not campaigning in the state in the last election. To not repeat such a mistake this time, Democrats held their national convention in Wisconsin though the event was made online due to coronavirus crisis. Both Trump and Biden and their Vice Presidential candidates Mike Pence and Kamala Harris have campaigned in the state. Biden is leading in Wisconsin by 6.3 percentage points, according to RCP. Florida It is largest of all the swing states and a large number of retired individuals reside here. The state's massive Latino voters will be crucial and polls suggest the support for Democrats has declined from the 2016 levels. However, Florida's senior citizen voters are also moving away from Trump because of his handling of the pandemic. Many experts say Florida is a Trump firewall; if he loses here, he will lose the presidency. With a margin of 1.4 percentage points, Biden is leading in Florida too, as per RCP. North Carolina The state went with Trump last time but only with a margin of three points and both parties are wary of this. It has a popular Democrat as the governor who has garnered a lot of praise for his balanced approach to the crisis. Republicans held their convention here, though the event was majorly online. According to RCP, Biden is ahead in North Carolina by 2.7 points. Arizona The state has been a Republican bastion for decades, but as the number of Latino community rose and with the arrival of liberals from California, the state's electorate can go either way. Conservative voters praise Trump's efforts to control immigration and promise to build a wall at the Mexican border. However, by heavily criticising state's late senator John McCain, who still is admired a lot in Arizona, Trump has hurt his prospects. Cindy McCain, the late senator's widow, has also endorsed Biden for the presidency. Biden leads Trump by 4 points in the state, says RCP. Iowa With a lead of almost 10 points, Trump won Iowa comfortably four years ago, but the race looks tighter this time around. Currently, Biden is leading with 1.2 points in Iowa, as per RCP. Georgia Since 1992, no Democratic candidate has been able to win Georgia in the presidential race, but a lot has changed in recent years with a rise in Democratic support. As per RCP, Biden is leading the race with 1.2 points. US Election 2020 Key States: Ohio Ohio has 18 electoral college voters, which is a major attraction for both the parties. Trump beat Clinton by 8.1 points in the 2016 election, but polls show a tighter race this year. With a narrow margin of 0.6, Biden is ahead in Ohio, says RCP.

US election 2020: Key states that will likely decide fate of Donald Trump and Joe Biden

Former <a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/the-white-house">White House</a> Chief Strategist, Steve Bannon, is back in the news a few weeks before the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/us-election">US election</a> and has made claims regarding the President <a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a> and the former Vice President <a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/joe-biden">Joe Biden</a>.

Bannon's first claim was that everything found on Joe Biden's son, Hunter Biden's hard drive/laptop is true and he accused Biden of being a "stone cold liar".

"Joe Biden has lied about this for years," Bannon told Sky News in an interview Sunday.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/biden-and-trump-say-theyre-fighting-for-americas-soul-what-does-that-mean-336269">Also read|&nbsp;Biden and Trump say they’re fighting for America’s ‘soul.’ What does that mean?</a>

Detailing further, he said, "What Fox did, which was very interesting on that issue but also on the Chinese – they actually went to the people on the emails and contacted them. What was so stunning is that they reported last night that one, the guys on the emails said absolutely the meetings happened. This is not off of some Russia intelligence operation. That emails correct, the meanings correct and, by the way, that 10 per cent of the equity is Joe Biden's."

He also offered proof about the hard drive being Hunter Biden's, and claimed that the Biden's lawyers have tried contacting Bannon and the repair shop&nbsp;multiple times. "We have the emails from the Lawyer, if we need to release them, we'll release them," he said.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/i-may-have-to-leave-country-donald-trump-says-about-losing-to-biden-in-us-election-336195">Also read|&nbsp;'I may have to leave country': Donald Trump says about losing to Biden in US election</a>

"The stunning thing about these emails… is that Biden has basically said to the American people, 'I knew nothing about it.' Now we actually see they had meetings set up.

"That sets the predicate that Joe Biden has lied consistently over the last couple years to the American people. He lied on the debate stage with President Trump," he said.

Trump&nbsp;immediately took to Twitter to criticise his opponent, calling him a corrupt politician. "Joe Biden is a corrupt politician, and everybody knows it. Now you have the proof, perhaps like never was had before on a major politician. Laptop plus. This is the second biggest political scandal in our history!," he tweeted.

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Joe Biden is a corrupt politician, and everybody knows it. Now you have the proof, perhaps like never was had before on a major politician. Laptop plus. This is the second biggest political scandal in our history!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1317852810302558208?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 18, 2020</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

Bannon also made the prediction of&nbsp;the upcoming&nbsp;US elections&nbsp;claiming that "Trump will win on election day".

'I'll make this prediction right now: if for any reason the election is stolen from or in some sort of way Joe Biden is declared the winner, Trump will announce he's going to run for re-election in 2024," Bannon said.

He also predicted that the election result may go to Supreme Court or may&nbsp;be conferred to the House of Representative in January, adding a warning that the results will not be "settled any time soon".

Former White House Chief Strategist, Steve Bannon, is back in the news a few weeks before the US election and has made claims regarding the President Donald Trump and the former Vice President Joe Biden.

Former White House Chief Strategist, Steve Bannon, is back in the news a few weeks before the US election and has made claims regarding the President Donald Trump and the former Vice President Joe Biden. Bannon's first claim was that everything found on Joe Biden's son, Hunter Biden's hard drive/laptop is true and he accused Biden of being a "stone cold liar". "Joe Biden has lied about this for years," Bannon told Sky News in an interview Sunday. Also read| Biden and Trump say they’re fighting for America’s ‘soul.’ What does that mean? Detailing further, he said, "What Fox did, which was very interesting on that issue but also on the Chinese – they actually went to the people on the emails and contacted them. What was so stunning is that they reported last night that one, the guys on the emails said absolutely the meetings happened. This is not off of some Russia intelligence operation. That emails correct, the meanings correct and, by the way, that 10 per cent of the equity is Joe Biden's." He also offered proof about the hard drive being Hunter Biden's, and claimed that the Biden's lawyers have tried contacting Bannon and the repair shop multiple times. "We have the emails from the Lawyer, if we need to release them, we'll release them," he said. Also read| 'I may have to leave country': Donald Trump says about losing to Biden in US election "The stunning thing about these emails… is that Biden has basically said to the American people, 'I knew nothing about it.' Now we actually see they had meetings set up. "That sets the predicate that Joe Biden has lied consistently over the last couple years to the American people. He lied on the debate stage with President Trump," he said. Trump immediately took to Twitter to criticise his opponent, calling him a corrupt politician. "Joe Biden is a corrupt politician, and everybody knows it. Now you have the proof, perhaps like never was had before on a major politician. Laptop plus. This is the second biggest political scandal in our history!," he tweeted. Joe Biden is a corrupt politician, and everybody knows it. Now you have the proof, perhaps like never was had before on a major politician. Laptop plus. This is the second biggest political scandal in our history! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 18, 2020 × Bannon also made the prediction of the upcoming US elections claiming that "Trump will win on election day". 'I'll make this prediction right now: if for any reason the election is stolen from or in some sort of way Joe Biden is declared the winner, Trump will announce he's going to run for re-election in 2024," Bannon said. He also predicted that the election result may go to Supreme Court or may be conferred to the House of Representative in January, adding a warning that the results will not be "settled any time soon".

If he doesn't win, Donald Trump will be back in 2024: Steve Bannon

US Election 2020: During an <a href="https://www.wionews.com/us-election">election</a> rally in Georgia, the US President <a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;said his Democratic opponent and former Vice President Joe Biden is the 'worst candidate' in the history of the United States.

Donald Trump has usually indulged in passing comments about and on Joe&nbsp;Biden&nbsp;and has often doubted&nbsp;Joe&nbsp;Biden's&nbsp;skills and capability to run a nation. Often calling him 'Sleepy Joe', he has also gone to the limit of accusing&nbsp;Joe&nbsp;Biden&nbsp;of taking 'performance enhancement drugs' and has passed indirect comments hinting that&nbsp;Joe&nbsp;Biden&nbsp;may not be mentally stable.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/biden-sets-fundraising-record-with-383-mn-in-september-336026">Also read:&nbsp;Biden sets fundraising record with $383 mn in September</a>

However, what was different in this election rally was that&nbsp;Donald Trump&nbsp;talked about losing the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/us-election">US election</a> — a fear he has talked about probably for the second time.

Talking to his supporters,&nbsp;Donald Trump&nbsp;said that&nbsp;Joe&nbsp;Biden&nbsp;is the worst candidate in the history of the US elections, and it would be a shame to lose to him. He also said that contesting against the former Vice President puts a lot of pressure on him as he is now running against&nbsp;the "worst candidate in the history of politics" and will not even know what to do with himself if he lost to&nbsp;Joe&nbsp;Biden.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/new-trump-golf-course-in-scotland-gets-go-ahead-despite-environmental-fears-336118">Also read:&nbsp;New Trump golf course in Scotland gets go ahead despite environmental fears&nbsp;</a>

So much so,&nbsp;Donald Trump&nbsp;also said that he would be so embarrassed of losing to Joe&nbsp;Biden, that he may have to leave the country.

However, the comment was laughed about on social media as majority of the opinion polls have shown that&nbsp;Donald Trump&nbsp;is trailing behind the "worst candidate" in majority of the states.s states joked about not coming back.

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Promise? <a href="https://t.co/Wbl86i8uYo">pic.twitter.com/Wbl86i8uYo</a>
— Joe Biden (@JoeBiden) <a href="https://twitter.com/JoeBiden/status/1317554725596942336?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 17, 2020</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

Biden,&nbsp;meanwhile, posted a video on his Twitter mocking&nbsp;Trump&nbsp;by compiling several clips from his election rallies where&nbsp;Trump&nbsp;had at variou

The elections are scheduled for November 03, but some of the states have already started early voting with more than 20 million Americans having already locked their votes.&nbsp;

US Election 2020: During an election rally in Georgia, the US President Donald Trump said his Democratic opponent and former Vice President Joe Biden is the 'worst candidate' in the history of the United States.

US Election 2020: During an election rally in Georgia, the US President Donald Trump said his Democratic opponent and former Vice President Joe Biden is the 'worst candidate' in the history of the United States. Donald Trump has usually indulged in passing comments about and on Joe Biden and has often doubted Joe Biden's skills and capability to run a nation. Often calling him 'Sleepy Joe', he has also gone to the limit of accusing Joe Biden of taking 'performance enhancement drugs' and has passed indirect comments hinting that Joe Biden may not be mentally stable. Also read: Biden sets fundraising record with $383 mn in September However, what was different in this election rally was that Donald Trump talked about losing the US election — a fear he has talked about probably for the second time. Talking to his supporters, Donald Trump said that Joe Biden is the worst candidate in the history of the US elections, and it would be a shame to lose to him. He also said that contesting against the former Vice President puts a lot of pressure on him as he is now running against the "worst candidate in the history of politics" and will not even know what to do with himself if he lost to Joe Biden. Also read: New Trump golf course in Scotland gets go ahead despite environmental fears So much so, Donald Trump also said that he would be so embarrassed of losing to Joe Biden, that he may have to leave the country. However, the comment was laughed about on social media as majority of the opinion polls have shown that Donald Trump is trailing behind the "worst candidate" in majority of the states.s states joked about not coming back. Promise? pic.twitter.com/Wbl86i8uYo — Joe Biden (@JoeBiden) October 17, 2020 × Biden, meanwhile, posted a video on his Twitter mocking Trump by compiling several clips from his election rallies where Trump had at variou The elections are scheduled for November 03, but some of the states have already started early voting with more than 20 million Americans having already locked their votes.

'I may have to leave country': Donald Trump says about losing to Biden in US election

donald-trump

Donald Trump, News on Donald Trump, stories on Donald Trump, articles on Donald Trump, Donald Trump stories at Wion, Donald Trump news, Donald Trump latest news

donald trump