US&nbsp;House Speaker Nancy&nbsp;Pelosi&nbsp;said she and Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez had no hatchet to bury on Friday, playing down tensions after a meeting between the powerful speaker and freshman lawmaker who in recent months has seized the Democratic Party spotlight.

In clashes with her own party leaders as well as the White House over border aid and other issues, Ocasio-Cortez and a handful of other left-wing Democratic progressives have become a target for President Donald Trump and his Republicans heading into the 2020 US elections.

The rise of "the squad," as Ocasio-Cortez's small group of four minority congresswomen is known, has sometimes appeared to strain&nbsp;Pelosi's patience as she works to keep House Democrats unified and to restrain demands from many lawmakers to start impeachment proceedings against Trump.

In a news conference on Friday,&nbsp;Pelosi&nbsp;minimized divisions with Ocasio-Cortez and the other three squad members - Ilhan Omar, Rashida Tlaib and Ayanna Pressley.

Asked if she and Ocasio-Cortez had buried the hatchet,&nbsp;Pelosi&nbsp;told reporters, "I don't think there ever was any hatchet."

"These, some personality issues and the rest, they are minor," she said.

"We sat down today. We had a good meeting. And the congresswoman is a very gracious member of Congress, so we had a very positive conversation about our districts and how we represent them, our country."

Pelosi&nbsp;also said that differences of opinion in the Democratic Party should be respected.

"We are not lockstep, rubber-stamp representation of anything," the speaker said, recalling past party brawls over issues such as the Iraq war.

Later Friday, Ocasio-Cortez told reporters the meeting with&nbsp;Pelosi&nbsp;had been positive and productive.

"I'm looking forward to us continuing our work," she said as she left a House committee room, several news outlets reported.

The Capitol Hill meeting with&nbsp;Pelosi&nbsp;came at the request of the 29-year-old Ocasio-Cortez as Congress departed Washington for a six-week break with an uncertain outlook for Democrats' legislative agenda and their multiple investigations of Trump.

The speaker, who is 79, declined to list her policy differences with Ocasio-Cortez, but others did on Twitter. They "hold different positions on Medicare for All, free college and cancelling student debt, taking corporate donations, ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) and border issues, impeachment," wrote Waleed Shahid, communications director for the Justice Democrats, a left-wing group that helped launch Ocasio-Cortez's political career last year.

Initiating an impeachment proceeding against Trump remains high on the priority list for Democrats such as Ocasio-Cortez while&nbsp;Pelosi&nbsp;has worked to rein in impeachment demands.

At least 90 House of Representatives Democrats as of early this week had said they support starting impeachment investigations against Trump.

Earlier this month&nbsp;Pelosi&nbsp;appeared dismissive of the influence of Ocasio-Cortez and the squad in an interview with the New York Times. Ocasio-Cortez responded by telling the Washington Post that she thought&nbsp;Pelosi&nbsp;had been "disrespectful."

Trump then attacked the minority lawmakers in tweets that the House of Representatives, under&nbsp;Pelosi’s leadership, afterwards voted to condemn as racist.

While Trump’s attack was seen by some as an attempt to divide Democrats, it gave&nbsp;Pelosi&nbsp;a chance to come to the squad’s defence and reset her relationship with the lawmakers as the 2020 congressional and presidential elections approach.

Sarah Matthews, the Trump campaign's deputy press secretary, on Friday poked fun at the meeting of&nbsp;Pelosi&nbsp;and Ocasio-Cortez, saying, "So nice for the leader of the Democratic party to take time out of her busy schedule to meet with Nancy&nbsp;Pelosi."

US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said she and Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez had no hatchet to bury on Friday, playing down tensions after a meeting between the powerful speaker and freshman lawmaker who in recent months has seized the Democratic Party spotlight.

US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said she and Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez had no hatchet to bury on Friday, playing down tensions after a meeting between the powerful speaker and freshman lawmaker who in recent months has seized the Democratic Party spotlight. In clashes with her own party leaders as well as the White House over border aid and other issues, Ocasio-Cortez and a handful of other left-wing Democratic progressives have become a target for President Donald Trump and his Republicans heading into the 2020 US elections. The rise of "the squad," as Ocasio-Cortez's small group of four minority congresswomen is known, has sometimes appeared to strain Pelosi's patience as she works to keep House Democrats unified and to restrain demands from many lawmakers to start impeachment proceedings against Trump. In a news conference on Friday, Pelosi minimized divisions with Ocasio-Cortez and the other three squad members - Ilhan Omar, Rashida Tlaib and Ayanna Pressley. Asked if she and Ocasio-Cortez had buried the hatchet, Pelosi told reporters, "I don't think there ever was any hatchet." "These, some personality issues and the rest, they are minor," she said. "We sat down today. We had a good meeting. And the congresswoman is a very gracious member of Congress, so we had a very positive conversation about our districts and how we represent them, our country." Pelosi also said that differences of opinion in the Democratic Party should be respected. "We are not lockstep, rubber-stamp representation of anything," the speaker said, recalling past party brawls over issues such as the Iraq war. Later Friday, Ocasio-Cortez told reporters the meeting with Pelosi had been positive and productive. "I'm looking forward to us continuing our work," she said as she left a House committee room, several news outlets reported. The Capitol Hill meeting with Pelosi came at the request of the 29-year-old Ocasio-Cortez as Congress departed Washington for a six-week break with an uncertain outlook for Democrats' legislative agenda and their multiple investigations of Trump. The speaker, who is 79, declined to list her policy differences with Ocasio-Cortez, but others did on Twitter. They "hold different positions on Medicare for All, free college and cancelling student debt, taking corporate donations, ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) and border issues, impeachment," wrote Waleed Shahid, communications director for the Justice Democrats, a left-wing group that helped launch Ocasio-Cortez's political career last year. Initiating an impeachment proceeding against Trump remains high on the priority list for Democrats such as Ocasio-Cortez while Pelosi has worked to rein in impeachment demands. At least 90 House of Representatives Democrats as of early this week had said they support starting impeachment investigations against Trump. Earlier this month Pelosi appeared dismissive of the influence of Ocasio-Cortez and the squad in an interview with the New York Times. Ocasio-Cortez responded by telling the Washington Post that she thought Pelosi had been "disrespectful." Trump then attacked the minority lawmakers in tweets that the House of Representatives, under Pelosi’s leadership, afterwards voted to condemn as racist. While Trump’s attack was seen by some as an attempt to divide Democrats, it gave Pelosi a chance to come to the squad’s defence and reset her relationship with the lawmakers as the 2020 congressional and presidential elections approach. Sarah Matthews, the Trump campaign's deputy press secretary, on Friday poked fun at the meeting of Pelosi and Ocasio-Cortez, saying, "So nice for the leader of the Democratic party to take time out of her busy schedule to meet with Nancy Pelosi."

US House Speaker Pelosi all smiles after meeting with Ocasio-Cortez

Ever since India gained Independence in 1947, its relationship with the United States of America has been reserved, at best. Today, with the beginnings of the presidential election campaign underway in the United States, over 20 Democratic candidates are vying for a nomination bid. Some of the powerhouses include Kamala Harris, Cory Booker, Joe Biden, Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren.

However, despite some of these candidates specifically announcing collaboration with Indians (like Booker), President Trump is by far the best American President as far as India is concerned. Even though he is jabbing India on trade and has implemented a stringent immigration policy, Trump's strong stances greatly benefit India in several key areas, and at a time when our country is developing rather rapidly. Let's take a look.

China

No Democratic candidate or nominee will take Trump's hard-line attitude on China and terrorism. Trump's views on both work to India's advantage over the next five years.

Trump's 'trade-teasing' with India has hurt the Indian economy, no doubt, but when you put it into perspective, it's not that big of a deal. Modi knows this. Take a look at this perspective. The trade deficit that the US has with India is approximately one-twelfth of what the US has with China. Therefore, Beijing is on a very high red-alert on Trump's trade moves as compared to India. This explains Modi's calm and collected attitude to Trump's trade teasing. Moreover, President Trump has openly criticised China multiple times as a currency manipulator. He has even called China America's "foe". India can take advantage of this stance, especially as a preferred defence partner.

Terrorism

Speaking of defence, President Trump has publicly stated that Pakistan is a breeding ground for terrorists. He has made stringent policies on Muslims in the United States (at airport security, for example) and has a hard stance on terrorism. If elected, a Democrat will undoubtedly ease their stance on Pakistan. However, India most greatly benefits from Trump's rigid stance, especially after the Balakot strikes.

The US and India's shared disdain for Pakistan-based terrorists along with strong foreign policy focus on counter-terrorism will strengthen military ties and could also eventually work to ease out trade tensions should they increase.

Additionally, at the recent G20 Summit, Modi expressed his concern on losing 11 per cent of India's oil needs from Iran due to the US sanctions compliance. The two countries agreed that strong bilateral ties must exist between them to ensure regional and global peace in this region. India could use this to its advantage, especially to get back its energy needs.

Economy

Economically, Trump's unsurprising, hard-right Republican stance is the most beneficial to India's quickly growing GDP. Unlike the Democrats, Trump jumps on energy, manufacturing, oil &amp; gas, FDI, renewable energy and corporation development. All of these facets are areas where India is looking to expand. In addition, America is one of India's biggest investors when it comes to foreign direct investment. At the G20 meeting, Trump said that some "very big trade deals... in terms of developing 5G technology would be announced in the future with India". This will very much benefit India as we are the second largest global market for 5G and will determine how the global trend will sway.

Likewise, the 'Make in India' programme was also appreciated and welcomed by Trump. On multiple occasions, Modi and Trump also recognised space, trade, energy and security to collaborate on. Trump left the meeting stating that relations with India have "never been better".

He's absolutely right.

Immigration 
&nbsp; 
Despite Trump making this difficult, he is still better than a Democrat. Whereas Democratic candidates like Booker, Harris, Sanders and Warren will likely ease the process for Indians who want H1-B visas, they have not articulated how they will do this. This makes it doubtful that they will be able to reverse the process quickly.

President Trump has stated that Indian talent is amazing. Throughout his presidency, he has actively aimed at attracting Indian youth and entrepreneurs; this gives young Indians a loophole of sorts through American immigration roadblocks. Over the next five years, PM Modi will be able to leverage young Indian talent as Trump will increasingly seek it. Why? Over the past few years, a significant number of American multi-national companies have moved their Asian bases from China to India. And that mandates the need for local, skilled Indian talent to fill jobs. This means more employment generated in India and a potential increase in the already occurring reverse brain-gain to India. A win-win for India.

(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL.)

Ever since India gained Independence in 1947, its relationship with the United States of America has been reserved, at best. Today, with the beginnings of the presidential election campaign underway in the United States, over 20 Democratic candidates are vying for a nomination bid.

Ever since India gained Independence in 1947, its relationship with the United States of America has been reserved, at best. Today, with the beginnings of the presidential election campaign underway in the United States, over 20 Democratic candidates are vying for a nomination bid. Some of the powerhouses include Kamala Harris, Cory Booker, Joe Biden, Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren. However, despite some of these candidates specifically announcing collaboration with Indians (like Booker), President Trump is by far the best American President as far as India is concerned. Even though he is jabbing India on trade and has implemented a stringent immigration policy, Trump's strong stances greatly benefit India in several key areas, and at a time when our country is developing rather rapidly. Let's take a look. China No Democratic candidate or nominee will take Trump's hard-line attitude on China and terrorism. Trump's views on both work to India's advantage over the next five years. Trump's 'trade-teasing' with India has hurt the Indian economy, no doubt, but when you put it into perspective, it's not that big of a deal. Modi knows this. Take a look at this perspective. The trade deficit that the US has with India is approximately one-twelfth of what the US has with China. Therefore, Beijing is on a very high red-alert on Trump's trade moves as compared to India. This explains Modi's calm and collected attitude to Trump's trade teasing. Moreover, President Trump has openly criticised China multiple times as a currency manipulator. He has even called China America's "foe". India can take advantage of this stance, especially as a preferred defence partner. Terrorism Speaking of defence, President Trump has publicly stated that Pakistan is a breeding ground for terrorists. He has made stringent policies on Muslims in the United States (at airport security, for example) and has a hard stance on terrorism. If elected, a Democrat will undoubtedly ease their stance on Pakistan. However, India most greatly benefits from Trump's rigid stance, especially after the Balakot strikes. The US and India's shared disdain for Pakistan-based terrorists along with strong foreign policy focus on counter-terrorism will strengthen military ties and could also eventually work to ease out trade tensions should they increase. Additionally, at the recent G20 Summit, Modi expressed his concern on losing 11 per cent of India's oil needs from Iran due to the US sanctions compliance. The two countries agreed that strong bilateral ties must exist between them to ensure regional and global peace in this region. India could use this to its advantage, especially to get back its energy needs. Economy Economically, Trump's unsurprising, hard-right Republican stance is the most beneficial to India's quickly growing GDP. Unlike the Democrats, Trump jumps on energy, manufacturing, oil & gas, FDI, renewable energy and corporation development. All of these facets are areas where India is looking to expand. In addition, America is one of India's biggest investors when it comes to foreign direct investment. At the G20 meeting, Trump said that some "very big trade deals... in terms of developing 5G technology would be announced in the future with India". This will very much benefit India as we are the second largest global market for 5G and will determine how the global trend will sway. Likewise, the 'Make in India' programme was also appreciated and welcomed by Trump. On multiple occasions, Modi and Trump also recognised space, trade, energy and security to collaborate on. Trump left the meeting stating that relations with India have "never been better". He's absolutely right. Immigration Despite Trump making this difficult, he is still better than a Democrat. Whereas Democratic candidates like Booker, Harris, Sanders and Warren will likely ease the process for Indians who want H1-B visas, they have not articulated how they will do this. This makes it doubtful that they will be able to reverse the process quickly. President Trump has stated that Indian talent is amazing. Throughout his presidency, he has actively aimed at attracting Indian youth and entrepreneurs; this gives young Indians a loophole of sorts through American immigration roadblocks. Over the next five years, PM Modi will be able to leverage young Indian talent as Trump will increasingly seek it. Why? Over the past few years, a significant number of American multi-national companies have moved their Asian bases from China to India. And that mandates the need for local, skilled Indian talent to fill jobs. This means more employment generated in India and a potential increase in the already occurring reverse brain-gain to India. A win-win for India. (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL.)

Trump's strong stances greatly benefit India. Here's how

The US Senate on Thursday passed a $750-billion defence policy bill with provisions that target China on issues from technology transfers to the sale of synthetic opioids, pushing to counter growing Chinese influence around the world.

The 973-page National Defense Authorization Act, or NDAA, passed by an 86-8 vote.

However, in an unusual procedural move, the Senate will have a separate vote on Friday on an amendment that would ban Republican President Donald Trump from attacking Iran without first obtaining congressional approval.

Despite growing tensions with Iran, the amendment is not expected to get the 60 votes needed to pass the Republican-controlled Senate.

Among other provisions, the Senate NDAA requires detailed reporting from the Department of Defense to prevent transfers of sensitive technology to China or Russia, as well as reports on access to the Arctic. It also requires tighter screening of scholars seeking visas to the United States.

The Senate`s passage of the NDAA comes as Trump prepares for a high-stakes meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Osaka, Japan, on Saturday on the sidelines of the Group of 20 summit. Many hope the meeting will help end a months-long trade war between the world`s top two economies.

In Beijing on Friday, foreign ministry spokesman Geng Shuang expressed anger at the bill, saying the government had already made a protest to the United States about it.

"Once the bill becomes law, it will harm Sino-US relations, and interfere with, and damage, cooperation in some important areas," Geng said.

China urges the United States to objectively view its development and not allow any of the "negative China-related" content to become law, he added.

The NDAA is still several steps from becoming law. The Senate version must be reconciled with a version expected to come up for a vote next month in the Democratic-controlled House of Representatives. That compromise version, expected later this year, must pass both the Senate and House, and be signed into law by Trump.

The Senate NDAA also includes an amendment to bar federal funds from going to Chinese state-owned companies such as CRRC, the world`s largest maker of passenger trains.

CRRC said in a statement that US lawmakers should "pause and review the facts regarding cybersecurity and competitive pricing in the passenger railcar market before making any decisions that will invariably and significantly impact US transit agencies` ability to modernize their fleets."

One of the few pieces of major legislation passed every year, the NDAA becomes a vehicle for a broad range of policy measures, as well as determining everything from military pay levels to which ships or aircraft will be modernized, purchased or discontinued.

The Senate NDAA also contains an amendment to strengthen sanctions against North Korea, imposing secondary sanctions on financial institutions that do business with Pyongyang in violation of existing sanctions.

The US Senate on Thursday passed a $750-billion defence policy bill with provisions that target China on issues from technology transfers to the sale of synthetic opioids, pushing to counter growing Chinese influence around the world.

The US Senate on Thursday passed a $750-billion defence policy bill with provisions that target China on issues from technology transfers to the sale of synthetic opioids, pushing to counter growing Chinese influence around the world. The 973-page National Defense Authorization Act, or NDAA, passed by an 86-8 vote. However, in an unusual procedural move, the Senate will have a separate vote on Friday on an amendment that would ban Republican President Donald Trump from attacking Iran without first obtaining congressional approval. Despite growing tensions with Iran, the amendment is not expected to get the 60 votes needed to pass the Republican-controlled Senate. Among other provisions, the Senate NDAA requires detailed reporting from the Department of Defense to prevent transfers of sensitive technology to China or Russia, as well as reports on access to the Arctic. It also requires tighter screening of scholars seeking visas to the United States. The Senate`s passage of the NDAA comes as Trump prepares for a high-stakes meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Osaka, Japan, on Saturday on the sidelines of the Group of 20 summit. Many hope the meeting will help end a months-long trade war between the world`s top two economies. In Beijing on Friday, foreign ministry spokesman Geng Shuang expressed anger at the bill, saying the government had already made a protest to the United States about it. "Once the bill becomes law, it will harm Sino-US relations, and interfere with, and damage, cooperation in some important areas," Geng said. China urges the United States to objectively view its development and not allow any of the "negative China-related" content to become law, he added. The NDAA is still several steps from becoming law. The Senate version must be reconciled with a version expected to come up for a vote next month in the Democratic-controlled House of Representatives. That compromise version, expected later this year, must pass both the Senate and House, and be signed into law by Trump. The Senate NDAA also includes an amendment to bar federal funds from going to Chinese state-owned companies such as CRRC, the world`s largest maker of passenger trains. CRRC said in a statement that US lawmakers should "pause and review the facts regarding cybersecurity and competitive pricing in the passenger railcar market before making any decisions that will invariably and significantly impact US transit agencies` ability to modernize their fleets." One of the few pieces of major legislation passed every year, the NDAA becomes a vehicle for a broad range of policy measures, as well as determining everything from military pay levels to which ships or aircraft will be modernized, purchased or discontinued. The Senate NDAA also contains an amendment to strengthen sanctions against North Korea, imposing secondary sanctions on financial institutions that do business with Pyongyang in violation of existing sanctions.

US Senate backs massive defence bill, targets China, sets Iran vote

The US House and Senate will try to resolve their conflicting versions of an emergency funding bill on Thursday to address worsening humanitarian conditions for migrant children and families on the US-Mexico border.&nbsp;

The Republican-controlled Senate passed by an overwhelming <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-house-passes-border-aid-bill-trump-vows-veto-230591">84-8 vote a $4.6 billion spending bill</a> on Wednesday.&nbsp;

The Democratic-led House of Representatives on Tuesday night tied more strings to its approval of the money, setting standards for health and nutrition of migrants in custody after reports they lacked necessities such as soap and diapers.

A <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/images-of-drowned-salvadoran-migrant-and-2-year-old-child-stir-outrage-230639">photo of drowned migrants</a>, and reports of horrendous conditions for detained children have spurred efforts to craft compromise legislation to send to US President Donald Trump before Congress recesses this week for the US Independence Day holiday.

Whether Trump will sign a deal is uncertain as he continues to push for spending on the kind of border security some Democratic adversaries blame for migrant deaths.&nbsp;

Trump has made cracking down on immigration a centerpiece of his administration but officials are saying they will run out of money for border agencies soon. Border crossings hit the highest level in over a decade in May, straining resources and creating chaotic scenes at overcrowded border patrol facilities.&nbsp;

The need for funding has become more urgent as attorneys last week called attention to more than 300 children detained in squalid conditions at a border patrol facility in Clint, Texas. Trump has made building wall along the southern border a key goal of his administration but government officials say they need money to keep migrant housing facilities open past month end.

Border crossings hit their highest monthly level since 2006 in May, with over 60 per cent of migrants either children or families, mostly from Central America.&nbsp;

Lawyers and human rights workers said they found sick and hungry children when they visited a border patrol facility in Clint, Texas earlier this month.

"Many had been detained for weeks, one even up to a month in really horrific conditions," said Clara Long, senior researcher at Human Rights Watch.&nbsp;

The conditions of unaccompanied children crossing the border has become a key issue in the 2020 presidential race. During Wednesday night`s debate, many of the Democratic candidates called for an overhaul of US immigration laws and about 12 of them are set to visit a Florida facility this week.

A photo of a Salvadoran father and his toddler daughter who drowned attempting to cross the Rio Grande added urgency on both sides of the aisle to reach a funding deal.

Trump criticised the House bill on Wednesday, telling Fox Business Network he wanted more money for "protection" from the drug traffickers and other criminals he says are taking advantage of the family surge to slip into the country.&nbsp;

The US House and Senate will try to resolve their conflicting versions of an emergency funding bill on Thursday to address worsening humanitarian conditions for migrant children and families on the US-Mexico border.

The US House and Senate will try to resolve their conflicting versions of an emergency funding bill on Thursday to address worsening humanitarian conditions for migrant children and families on the US-Mexico border. The Republican-controlled Senate passed by an overwhelming 84-8 vote a $4.6 billion spending bill on Wednesday. The Democratic-led House of Representatives on Tuesday night tied more strings to its approval of the money, setting standards for health and nutrition of migrants in custody after reports they lacked necessities such as soap and diapers. A photo of drowned migrants, and reports of horrendous conditions for detained children have spurred efforts to craft compromise legislation to send to US President Donald Trump before Congress recesses this week for the US Independence Day holiday. Whether Trump will sign a deal is uncertain as he continues to push for spending on the kind of border security some Democratic adversaries blame for migrant deaths. Trump has made cracking down on immigration a centerpiece of his administration but officials are saying they will run out of money for border agencies soon. Border crossings hit the highest level in over a decade in May, straining resources and creating chaotic scenes at overcrowded border patrol facilities. The need for funding has become more urgent as attorneys last week called attention to more than 300 children detained in squalid conditions at a border patrol facility in Clint, Texas. Trump has made building wall along the southern border a key goal of his administration but government officials say they need money to keep migrant housing facilities open past month end. Border crossings hit their highest monthly level since 2006 in May, with over 60 per cent of migrants either children or families, mostly from Central America. Lawyers and human rights workers said they found sick and hungry children when they visited a border patrol facility in Clint, Texas earlier this month. "Many had been detained for weeks, one even up to a month in really horrific conditions," said Clara Long, senior researcher at Human Rights Watch. The conditions of unaccompanied children crossing the border has become a key issue in the 2020 presidential race. During Wednesday night`s debate, many of the Democratic candidates called for an overhaul of US immigration laws and about 12 of them are set to visit a Florida facility this week. A photo of a Salvadoran father and his toddler daughter who drowned attempting to cross the Rio Grande added urgency on both sides of the aisle to reach a funding deal. Trump criticised the House bill on Wednesday, telling Fox Business Network he wanted more money for "protection" from the drug traffickers and other criminals he says are taking advantage of the family surge to slip into the country.

US Congress clashes over border funding as migrants kept in squalor

The U.S. Senate on Thursday backed a resolution opposing President Donald Trump's plan to complete weapons sales to Saudi Arabia and other countries, in a rare rebuke of the White House by some of his fellow Republicans in Congress.

U.S Senate rejects arms sale to Saudi Arabia, rebuking Trump

President Donald Trump`s conflict with US House Democrats over their many investigations of him, his family and businesses is beginning to move from Capitol Hill into the US courts, where some key cases are already developing.

Trump and most of his fellow Republicans dismiss the Democrats` inquiries as grandstanding or political harassment.

The Democrats, who control the House of Representatives, say the investigations are needed to hold to account a president who scorns respect for the law and governing norms.

In most of the disputes, Trump and his advisers run the legal risk of contempt of Congress citations and court enforcement actions that could result in fines.

Here are some of the conflicts between Congress and Trump that are being litigated or could end up in court.&nbsp;

Mazars accounting firm

In a win for House Democrats, a federal judge on May 20 said Mazars LLP, Trump`s long-time accounting firm, should hand over Trump`s financial records to congressional investigators.&nbsp;

Lawyers for Trump asserted that a subpoena seeking the records was unlawful because Congress was improperly taking on a law enforcement role.&nbsp;

Democrats on the House Oversight Committee said they needed the documents to examine whether Trump faces conflicts of interest or broke the law by not disentangling himself from his businesses as previous presidents have done.

Trump called the judge`s decision "crazy" and appealed. An appeals court will hold an oral argument on July 12.

Deutsche Bank, Capital One

Another judge ruled against Trump in a similar case involving banks that Trump did business with - Deutsche Bank AG and Capital One Financial.

Two House committees sent subpoenas to the banks and, as in the Mazars case, Trump sued to try to block them, arguing that the committees were reaching beyond their legislative role.

US District Judge Edgardo Ramos in New York said Congress has the legal authority to demand the records, clearing the way for the banks to comply with the subpoenas.&nbsp;

The Deutsche Bank subpoena seeks accounts, transactions and investments linked to Trump, his three oldest children, their immediate family and several Trump Organization entities, as well as records of ties they might have to foreign entities.

Deutsche Bank has long been a principal lender for Trump`s real estate business. A 2017 disclosure form showed that Trump had at least $130 million of liabilities to the bank.

The Capital One subpoena seeks records related to the Trump Organization`s hotel business, which some Democrats have argued raises potential conflicts of interest.&nbsp;

An appeals court will hold oral arguments in August.&nbsp;

Tax returns

Unlike past presidents in recent decades, Trump refuses to make public his tax returns, raising questions about what is in them. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin has defied a subpoena from the House tax committee seeking six years of Trump`s past individual and business tax returns.

Committee Chairman Richard Neal said on May 23 that he plans to take the Trump administration to court to enforce the subpoena, but he has not followed through.&nbsp;

Trump`s Justice Department said in a June 14 legal opinion that Mnuchin did not violate the law by refusing to turn over the tax returns. A judge could opt to ignore that Justice Department memo in the event of a legal battle.&nbsp;

Mueller report

Attorney General William Barr released a redacted version on April 18 of a report from Special Counsel Robert Mueller on his investigation of Russian interference in the 2016 US election in Trump`s favor and Trump`s attempt to impede that probe.&nbsp;

The redactions left unanswered some key questions about Mueller`s probe. Seeking answers, House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerry Nadler has subpoenaed the unredacted report and the evidence that Mueller relied on.

The White House has asserted the seldom-used principle of executive privilege to keep the full Mueller report under wraps.

On June 10, Nadler cut a deal with Barr to allow committee members to view some of the materials they want, avoiding a court showdown. But Nadler said he would not rule out suing Barr if the Justice Department does not continue to cooperate.&nbsp;

A similar May 22 agreement gave the House Intelligence Committee access to counterintelligence materials underlying Mueller`s report.&nbsp;

House Democrats have also discussed a possible subpoena directing Mueller to testify about his report.&nbsp;

Emoluments

In 2017, a group of congressional Democrats sued Trump in Washington for allegedly accepting gifts or payments from foreign governments through his businesses, a violation of the anti-corruption Emoluments Clauses of the Constitution.

In April, a federal judge denied a request by Trump to dismiss that case.&nbsp; 
A similar case, filed by the Democratic attorneys general of the District of Columbia and Maryland, is making its way through the courts. An appeals court heard oral arguments in March over whether that case should have been allowed to proceed.&nbsp;

The Justice Department argues Democrats are reading the Emoluments Clauses too broadly and that there is nothing new or illegal about a president engaging in commercial transactions.&nbsp;

Ex-White House counsel McGhan

Nadler has said he may begin legal proceedings to force former White House counsel Don McGahn to cooperate with the Judiciary Committee`s probe into whether Trump obstructed justice. McGahn failed to show up to testify at a May 21 hearing, having been told by the White House not to produce documents in response to a committee subpoena.

McGahn was the most-cited witness in Mueller`s report, recounting Trump`s efforts to interfere with the investigation.

The House approved a measure on June 11 that authorized Nadler to take legal action to enforce the subpoena to McGahn.

Census and Citizenship

Trump on June 12 asserted executive privilege to keep under wraps documents related to his administration’s push to add a citizenship question to the census, defying a subpoena from the Democratic-led House Oversight Committee.

That same day, the committee voted to recommend the full House find Barr and Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross in contempt for their refusal to produce the documents. It was unclear if the committee would sue to enforce the contempt finding.

President Donald Trump`s conflict with US House Democrats over their many investigations of him, his family and businesses is beginning to move from Capitol Hill into the US courts, where some key cases are already developing.

President Donald Trump`s conflict with US House Democrats over their many investigations of him, his family and businesses is beginning to move from Capitol Hill into the US courts, where some key cases are already developing. Trump and most of his fellow Republicans dismiss the Democrats` inquiries as grandstanding or political harassment. The Democrats, who control the House of Representatives, say the investigations are needed to hold to account a president who scorns respect for the law and governing norms. In most of the disputes, Trump and his advisers run the legal risk of contempt of Congress citations and court enforcement actions that could result in fines. Here are some of the conflicts between Congress and Trump that are being litigated or could end up in court. Mazars accounting firm In a win for House Democrats, a federal judge on May 20 said Mazars LLP, Trump`s long-time accounting firm, should hand over Trump`s financial records to congressional investigators. Lawyers for Trump asserted that a subpoena seeking the records was unlawful because Congress was improperly taking on a law enforcement role. Democrats on the House Oversight Committee said they needed the documents to examine whether Trump faces conflicts of interest or broke the law by not disentangling himself from his businesses as previous presidents have done. Trump called the judge`s decision "crazy" and appealed. An appeals court will hold an oral argument on July 12. Deutsche Bank, Capital One Another judge ruled against Trump in a similar case involving banks that Trump did business with - Deutsche Bank AG and Capital One Financial. Two House committees sent subpoenas to the banks and, as in the Mazars case, Trump sued to try to block them, arguing that the committees were reaching beyond their legislative role. US District Judge Edgardo Ramos in New York said Congress has the legal authority to demand the records, clearing the way for the banks to comply with the subpoenas. The Deutsche Bank subpoena seeks accounts, transactions and investments linked to Trump, his three oldest children, their immediate family and several Trump Organization entities, as well as records of ties they might have to foreign entities. Deutsche Bank has long been a principal lender for Trump`s real estate business. A 2017 disclosure form showed that Trump had at least $130 million of liabilities to the bank. The Capital One subpoena seeks records related to the Trump Organization`s hotel business, which some Democrats have argued raises potential conflicts of interest. An appeals court will hold oral arguments in August. Tax returns Unlike past presidents in recent decades, Trump refuses to make public his tax returns, raising questions about what is in them. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin has defied a subpoena from the House tax committee seeking six years of Trump`s past individual and business tax returns. Committee Chairman Richard Neal said on May 23 that he plans to take the Trump administration to court to enforce the subpoena, but he has not followed through. Trump`s Justice Department said in a June 14 legal opinion that Mnuchin did not violate the law by refusing to turn over the tax returns. A judge could opt to ignore that Justice Department memo in the event of a legal battle. Mueller report Attorney General William Barr released a redacted version on April 18 of a report from Special Counsel Robert Mueller on his investigation of Russian interference in the 2016 US election in Trump`s favor and Trump`s attempt to impede that probe. The redactions left unanswered some key questions about Mueller`s probe. Seeking answers, House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerry Nadler has subpoenaed the unredacted report and the evidence that Mueller relied on. The White House has asserted the seldom-used principle of executive privilege to keep the full Mueller report under wraps. On June 10, Nadler cut a deal with Barr to allow committee members to view some of the materials they want, avoiding a court showdown. But Nadler said he would not rule out suing Barr if the Justice Department does not continue to cooperate. A similar May 22 agreement gave the House Intelligence Committee access to counterintelligence materials underlying Mueller`s report. House Democrats have also discussed a possible subpoena directing Mueller to testify about his report. Emoluments In 2017, a group of congressional Democrats sued Trump in Washington for allegedly accepting gifts or payments from foreign governments through his businesses, a violation of the anti-corruption Emoluments Clauses of the Constitution. In April, a federal judge denied a request by Trump to dismiss that case. A similar case, filed by the Democratic attorneys general of the District of Columbia and Maryland, is making its way through the courts. An appeals court heard oral arguments in March over whether that case should have been allowed to proceed. The Justice Department argues Democrats are reading the Emoluments Clauses too broadly and that there is nothing new or illegal about a president engaging in commercial transactions. Ex-White House counsel McGhan Nadler has said he may begin legal proceedings to force former White House counsel Don McGahn to cooperate with the Judiciary Committee`s probe into whether Trump obstructed justice. McGahn failed to show up to testify at a May 21 hearing, having been told by the White House not to produce documents in response to a committee subpoena. McGahn was the most-cited witness in Mueller`s report, recounting Trump`s efforts to interfere with the investigation. The House approved a measure on June 11 that authorized Nadler to take legal action to enforce the subpoena to McGahn. Census and Citizenship Trump on June 12 asserted executive privilege to keep under wraps documents related to his administration’s push to add a citizenship question to the census, defying a subpoena from the Democratic-led House Oversight Committee. That same day, the committee voted to recommend the full House find Barr and Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross in contempt for their refusal to produce the documents. It was unclear if the committee would sue to enforce the contempt finding.

Factbox: Clash between Trump, US House Democrats shifts into courts

President Donald Trump on Friday sought to clarify his comments that he <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/nothing-wrong-with-accepting-dirt-from-foreign-governments-on-opponents-trump-226696">would accept dirt on election rivals from a foreign power</a>, now saying he would "absolutely" report such an encounter to US authorities.

Singed by a political firestorm over his controversial remarks when he said he would only "maybe" call the Federal Bureau of Investigation if he believed there was wrongdoing, the president took to Fox News to nuance his explanation.

"Of course you give it to the FBI, or report it to the attorney general or somebody like that," Trump said.

But he maintained his controversial position revealed in a Wednesday ABC News interview that he would look at or listen to the information.

"Of course, you have to look at it, because if you don't look at it you're not going to know if it's bad," Trump said.

"Now, if I thought anything was incorrect or badly stated... I'd report it to law enforcement, absolutely."

Trump faced severe criticism from Democrats and Republicans alike after his initial remarks.

The furore follows years of debate over the Trump team's contacts with officials and operatives from Russia, which US intelligence agencies determined interfered in the 2016 presidential election.

An exhaustive 22-month special counsel investigation concluded that Trump's campaign had numerous contacts with Russians but the pattern did not amount to proof of a conspiracy with Moscow.

Despite that, Democrats say Trump's behaviour was suspicious enough to warrant further investigation in congressional committees. A loud minority of lawmakers is even pushing for impeachment.

The White House and Republicans argued that Trump was being unfairly singled out when the Democrats had been the ones to make use of a now-infamous dossier compiled by a foreigner, former British intelligence agent Christopher Steele, in 2016.

Trump told Fox he did not believe any foreign power would present him with "bad" dirt on his rivals "because they know how much I love this country."

And he stressed that as president he is in a different position than other Americans because of his constant interaction with world leaders like Queen Elizabeth II and French President Emmanuel Macron.

"We have many, many conversations," Trump said. "I'm just thinking, gee, if they say 'We don't like your opponent,' am I supposed to put the president of France, am I supposed to report him to the FBI?"

President Donald Trump on Friday sought to clarify his comments that he would accept dirt on election rivals from a foreign power, now saying he would "absolutely" report such an encounter to US authorities.

President Donald Trump on Friday sought to clarify his comments that he would accept dirt on election rivals from a foreign power, now saying he would "absolutely" report such an encounter to US authorities. Singed by a political firestorm over his controversial remarks when he said he would only "maybe" call the Federal Bureau of Investigation if he believed there was wrongdoing, the president took to Fox News to nuance his explanation. "Of course you give it to the FBI, or report it to the attorney general or somebody like that," Trump said. But he maintained his controversial position revealed in a Wednesday ABC News interview that he would look at or listen to the information. "Of course, you have to look at it, because if you don't look at it you're not going to know if it's bad," Trump said. "Now, if I thought anything was incorrect or badly stated... I'd report it to law enforcement, absolutely." Trump faced severe criticism from Democrats and Republicans alike after his initial remarks. The furore follows years of debate over the Trump team's contacts with officials and operatives from Russia, which US intelligence agencies determined interfered in the 2016 presidential election. An exhaustive 22-month special counsel investigation concluded that Trump's campaign had numerous contacts with Russians but the pattern did not amount to proof of a conspiracy with Moscow. Despite that, Democrats say Trump's behaviour was suspicious enough to warrant further investigation in congressional committees. A loud minority of lawmakers is even pushing for impeachment. The White House and Republicans argued that Trump was being unfairly singled out when the Democrats had been the ones to make use of a now-infamous dossier compiled by a foreigner, former British intelligence agent Christopher Steele, in 2016. Trump told Fox he did not believe any foreign power would present him with "bad" dirt on his rivals "because they know how much I love this country." And he stressed that as president he is in a different position than other Americans because of his constant interaction with world leaders like Queen Elizabeth II and French President Emmanuel Macron. "We have many, many conversations," Trump said. "I'm just thinking, gee, if they say 'We don't like your opponent,' am I supposed to put the president of France, am I supposed to report him to the FBI?"

Donald Trump clarifies would report foreign dirt on rivals to FBI

Democratic lawmakers accused President Donald Trump on Thursday of giving Russia the green light to interfere in the 2020 US presidential race, while a top Republican ally said Trump was wrong to say he would <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/nothing-wrong-with-accepting-dirt-from-foreign-governments-on-opponents-trump-226696">accept political dirt from foreign sources</a>.

The uproar followed televised comments in which the US president told ABC News he would be willing to listen to such damaging information about political opponents as he seeks re-election.

"I think you might want to listen, there isn`t anything wrong with listening,” Trump said in an interview aired on Wednesday.&nbsp;

"It`s not an interference. They have information, I think I`d take it. If I thought there was something wrong, I`d go maybe to the FBI - if I thought there was something wrong."

Trump`s comments came less than three months after Special Counsel Robert Mueller submitted a report that found Russia waged a hacking and influence campaign to help Trump defeat Democrat Hillary Clinton in the 2016 presidential election.

Democratic lawmakers roundly condemned the remarks.&nbsp;

"What the president said last night shows clearly, once again, over and over again, that he does not know the difference between right and wrong," said US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, the top Democrat in Congress.

While some 2020 Democratic presidential candidates renewed their call to impeach the president, Trump`s comments did not seem to move House Democrats who have been on the fence closer to initiating impeachment proceedings.

Trump`s statement drew a rebuke, however, from one of his closest allies in Congress, Republican Senator Lindsey Graham.

"I think it`s a mistake," said Graham, chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee.&nbsp;

He accused Democrats of having accepted damaging information from foreign nationals on political opponents and said any public official contacted by a foreign government with an offer of help to their campaign should reject it and inform the FBI.

House of Representatives Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy said he was confident Trump was speaking hypothetically. Others prominent Republicans were outspoken in their discomfort, without naming Trump.

"It is never appropriate to allow a foreign government or its agents to interfere in our election process. Period," said Republican Senator Mike Rounds.&nbsp;

Mitt Romney, a senator and former Republican presidential candidate, said it was "unthinkable" to accept adverse information on a political opponent from a foreign source. "It would strike at the very heart of our democracy," he said.

Senate Democrats failed on Thursday to ram through legislation requiring US presidential campaigns to report to the FBI offers of help from an agent of a foreign government. The move was blocked by Republicans who control the chamber.

Senator Mark Warner, who pushed the legislation, recalled Trump`s "Russia, if you are listening" call for Moscow to dig up Clinton`s missing emails during the 2016 campaign.

"The President has given Russia the green light to interfere in the 2020 election," Warner wrote on Twitter earlier.&nbsp;

'Thing of value'

Any foreign contribution of "money or other thing of value" violates US campaign finance law. Legal experts say knowingly soliciting information from a foreign entity would also be illegal.

In a statement on Twitter prefaced with the comment: "I would not have thought that I needed to say this," Federal Election Commission Chair Ellen Weintraub warned political campaigns not to accept foreign help, saying it risked putting them "on the wrong of a federal investigation."

An FBI counterintelligence investigation of Russian election activities in the 2016 presidential election sparked Mueller`s probe, which confirmed US intelligence agencies` findings that Russia worked to help Trump win.

Mueller, whose investigation examined a 2016 meeting at Trump Tower that Trump`s campaign had with Russians promising dirt on Clinton, did not charge Trump campaign staff who attended the meeting.&nbsp;

Trump defended his remarks in a flurry of tweets on Thursday morning in which he said it would be "ridiculous" to report his contacts with foreign leaders to the FBI.

The top Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee expressed alarm at Trump`s comments.

"The president has either learned nothing in the last two years or picked up exactly the wrong lesson - that he can accept gleefully foreign assistance again and escape the punishment of the law," Representative Adam Schiff said.

Democratic presidential candidates who renewed calls for Trump`s impeachment included US Senators Elizabeth Warren and Kirsten Gillibrand and US Representative Eric Swalwell.

"A foreign government attacked our 2016 elections to support Trump, Trump welcomed that help, and Trump obstructed the investigation. Now, he said he`d do it all over again. It`s time to impeach Donald Trump,” Warren said.

Democratic lawmakers accused President Donald Trump on Thursday of giving Russia the green light to interfere in the 2020 US presidential race, while a top Republican ally said Trump was wrong to say he would accept political dirt from foreign sources.

Democratic lawmakers accused President Donald Trump on Thursday of giving Russia the green light to interfere in the 2020 US presidential race, while a top Republican ally said Trump was wrong to say he would accept political dirt from foreign sources. The uproar followed televised comments in which the US president told ABC News he would be willing to listen to such damaging information about political opponents as he seeks re-election. "I think you might want to listen, there isn`t anything wrong with listening,” Trump said in an interview aired on Wednesday. "It`s not an interference. They have information, I think I`d take it. If I thought there was something wrong, I`d go maybe to the FBI - if I thought there was something wrong." Trump`s comments came less than three months after Special Counsel Robert Mueller submitted a report that found Russia waged a hacking and influence campaign to help Trump defeat Democrat Hillary Clinton in the 2016 presidential election. Democratic lawmakers roundly condemned the remarks. "What the president said last night shows clearly, once again, over and over again, that he does not know the difference between right and wrong," said US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, the top Democrat in Congress. While some 2020 Democratic presidential candidates renewed their call to impeach the president, Trump`s comments did not seem to move House Democrats who have been on the fence closer to initiating impeachment proceedings. Trump`s statement drew a rebuke, however, from one of his closest allies in Congress, Republican Senator Lindsey Graham. "I think it`s a mistake," said Graham, chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee. He accused Democrats of having accepted damaging information from foreign nationals on political opponents and said any public official contacted by a foreign government with an offer of help to their campaign should reject it and inform the FBI. House of Representatives Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy said he was confident Trump was speaking hypothetically. Others prominent Republicans were outspoken in their discomfort, without naming Trump. "It is never appropriate to allow a foreign government or its agents to interfere in our election process. Period," said Republican Senator Mike Rounds. Mitt Romney, a senator and former Republican presidential candidate, said it was "unthinkable" to accept adverse information on a political opponent from a foreign source. "It would strike at the very heart of our democracy," he said. Senate Democrats failed on Thursday to ram through legislation requiring US presidential campaigns to report to the FBI offers of help from an agent of a foreign government. The move was blocked by Republicans who control the chamber. Senator Mark Warner, who pushed the legislation, recalled Trump`s "Russia, if you are listening" call for Moscow to dig up Clinton`s missing emails during the 2016 campaign. "The President has given Russia the green light to interfere in the 2020 election," Warner wrote on Twitter earlier. 'Thing of value' Any foreign contribution of "money or other thing of value" violates US campaign finance law. Legal experts say knowingly soliciting information from a foreign entity would also be illegal. In a statement on Twitter prefaced with the comment: "I would not have thought that I needed to say this," Federal Election Commission Chair Ellen Weintraub warned political campaigns not to accept foreign help, saying it risked putting them "on the wrong of a federal investigation." An FBI counterintelligence investigation of Russian election activities in the 2016 presidential election sparked Mueller`s probe, which confirmed US intelligence agencies` findings that Russia worked to help Trump win. Mueller, whose investigation examined a 2016 meeting at Trump Tower that Trump`s campaign had with Russians promising dirt on Clinton, did not charge Trump campaign staff who attended the meeting. Trump defended his remarks in a flurry of tweets on Thursday morning in which he said it would be "ridiculous" to report his contacts with foreign leaders to the FBI. The top Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee expressed alarm at Trump`s comments. "The president has either learned nothing in the last two years or picked up exactly the wrong lesson - that he can accept gleefully foreign assistance again and escape the punishment of the law," Representative Adam Schiff said. Democratic presidential candidates who renewed calls for Trump`s impeachment included US Senators Elizabeth Warren and Kirsten Gillibrand and US Representative Eric Swalwell. "A foreign government attacked our 2016 elections to support Trump, Trump welcomed that help, and Trump obstructed the investigation. Now, he said he`d do it all over again. It`s time to impeach Donald Trump,” Warren said.

Trump comments give green light to foreign election meddling: Democrats

President Donald Trump said on Wednesday he would see nothing wrong in accepting damaging information on a US political opponent if it were offered to his re-election campaign by a foreign government.

Asked in an interview with ABC News if he would accept the information or alert the FBI, Trump said, "I think maybe you do both. I think you might want to listen, there`s nothing wrong with listening."

"If somebody called from a country, Norway, `we have information on your opponent` - oh, I think I`d want to hear it," Trump said.

Trump`s son Donald Trump Jr. was questioned by a US Senate committee on Wednesday in a closed session about a June 2016 meeting at Trump Tower in New York in which a Russian lawyer had offered damaging information on Hillary Clinton, the elder Trump`s Democratic opponent in the 2016 presidential election.

The younger Trump, on learning the topic of the meeting, had written in an email: "I love it." But people who attended the meeting said later it focused on other matters.&nbsp;

Special Counsel Robert Mueller investigated the meeting as part of his probe into Russian meddling in the 2016 presidential election. He documented extensive contacts between Trump`s 2016 campaign and Russia, but did not establish that members of the campaign conspired with Moscow.

Speaking to ABC News on Wednesday, Trump said he disagreed with FBI Director Christopher Wray, who told Congress last month that political campaigns should contact the agency about any suspicious communications from a foreign government.

"The FBI director is wrong," Trump said.

"I`ve seen a lot of things over my life. I don`t think in my whole life I`ve ever called the FBI. In my whole life. You don’t call the FBI. You throw somebody out of your office, you do whatever you do,” Trump said. “Oh, give me a break – life doesn`t work that way.”

Trump compared damaging information on an opponent supplied by a foreign government to opposition research conducted by all political campaigns.&nbsp;

"It`s not an interference, they have information - I think I`d take it," Trump said. "If I thought there was something wrong, I`d go maybe to the FBI - if I thought there was something wrong."

President Donald Trump said on Wednesday he would see nothing wrong in accepting damaging information on a US political opponent if it were offered to his re-election campaign by a foreign government.

President Donald Trump said on Wednesday he would see nothing wrong in accepting damaging information on a US political opponent if it were offered to his re-election campaign by a foreign government. Asked in an interview with ABC News if he would accept the information or alert the FBI, Trump said, "I think maybe you do both. I think you might want to listen, there`s nothing wrong with listening." "If somebody called from a country, Norway, `we have information on your opponent` - oh, I think I`d want to hear it," Trump said. Trump`s son Donald Trump Jr. was questioned by a US Senate committee on Wednesday in a closed session about a June 2016 meeting at Trump Tower in New York in which a Russian lawyer had offered damaging information on Hillary Clinton, the elder Trump`s Democratic opponent in the 2016 presidential election. The younger Trump, on learning the topic of the meeting, had written in an email: "I love it." But people who attended the meeting said later it focused on other matters. Special Counsel Robert Mueller investigated the meeting as part of his probe into Russian meddling in the 2016 presidential election. He documented extensive contacts between Trump`s 2016 campaign and Russia, but did not establish that members of the campaign conspired with Moscow. Speaking to ABC News on Wednesday, Trump said he disagreed with FBI Director Christopher Wray, who told Congress last month that political campaigns should contact the agency about any suspicious communications from a foreign government. "The FBI director is wrong," Trump said. "I`ve seen a lot of things over my life. I don`t think in my whole life I`ve ever called the FBI. In my whole life. You don’t call the FBI. You throw somebody out of your office, you do whatever you do,” Trump said. “Oh, give me a break – life doesn`t work that way.” Trump compared damaging information on an opponent supplied by a foreign government to opposition research conducted by all political campaigns. "It`s not an interference, they have information - I think I`d take it," Trump said. "If I thought there was something wrong, I`d go maybe to the FBI - if I thought there was something wrong."

Nothing wrong with accepting dirt from foreign governments on opponents: Trump

China on Monday warned students and academics on the "risk" of studying in the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/china-says-us-cant-use-pressure-to-force-trade-deal-223677">United States</a>, citing an uptick in visa denials and delays amid a trade war and other tensions.

The education ministry in a statement urged students to "strengthen risk assessment&nbsp;and make relevant preparations". The ministry said Chinese students and academics have experienced visa restrictions, delays in obtaining them, and visas with shorter duration.

China is the biggest source of international students on US campuses, with 360,000 of them last year, or a third of the foreign student body, with many paying full tuition.&nbsp;

The warning comes after FBI director Christopher Wray said in April that Beijing has used Chinese graduate students and researchers, among others, in its economic espionage efforts in the United States.

Last month, Republicans in the US Congress introduced legislation aimed at barring Chinese military scientists from obtaining visas to study or work in the United States.

The bills in the House and Senate would compel the White House to identify a list of research and scientific institutions that the president determines are affiliated with or funded by the People’s Liberation Army.

The PLA Visa Security Act would prevent people currently or formerly employed or sponsored by such entities from entering the United States on student or research visas.

China's state-run Global times has published accounts from several Chinese academics saying their 10-year visas to the US were cancelled, with officials citing concerns about links to Chinese intelligence.

US scholar Michael Pillsbury, who advises US President Donald Trump on China, said his visa to enter the country for a forum earlier this year was blocked in apparent retaliation

China on Monday warned students and academics on the "risk" of studying in the United States, citing an uptick in visa denials and delays amid a trade war and other tensions.

China on Monday warned students and academics on the "risk" of studying in the United States, citing an uptick in visa denials and delays amid a trade war and other tensions. The education ministry in a statement urged students to "strengthen risk assessment and make relevant preparations". The ministry said Chinese students and academics have experienced visa restrictions, delays in obtaining them, and visas with shorter duration. China is the biggest source of international students on US campuses, with 360,000 of them last year, or a third of the foreign student body, with many paying full tuition. The warning comes after FBI director Christopher Wray said in April that Beijing has used Chinese graduate students and researchers, among others, in its economic espionage efforts in the United States. Last month, Republicans in the US Congress introduced legislation aimed at barring Chinese military scientists from obtaining visas to study or work in the United States. The bills in the House and Senate would compel the White House to identify a list of research and scientific institutions that the president determines are affiliated with or funded by the People’s Liberation Army. The PLA Visa Security Act would prevent people currently or formerly employed or sponsored by such entities from entering the United States on student or research visas. China's state-run Global times has published accounts from several Chinese academics saying their 10-year visas to the US were cancelled, with officials citing concerns about links to Chinese intelligence. US scholar Michael Pillsbury, who advises US President Donald Trump on China, said his visa to enter the country for a forum earlier this year was blocked in apparent retaliation

China urges students to weigh risk of studying in US

Former US Vice President Joe Biden on Thursday formally announced his entry into the race for the Democratic party's presidential nomination for the 2020 election.

"We are in the battle for the soul of this nation," Biden said in a stark video released online, calling on voters to deny Republican US&nbsp;President Donald Trump a second term in office.&nbsp;

Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/big-democratic-field-taking-shape-for-2020-us-presidential-race-213249">Big Democratic field taking shape for 2020 US presidential race</a>

Biden, 76, had been wrestling for months over whether to run. His candidacy will face numerous questions, including whether he is too old and too centrist for a Democratic Party yearning for fresh faces and increasingly propelled by its more vocal liberal wing.

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
The core values of this nation… our standing in the world… our very democracy...everything that has made America -- America --is at stake. That’s why today I’m announcing my candidacy for President of the United States. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Joe2020?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Joe2020</a> <a href="https://t.co/jzaQbyTEz3">https://t.co/jzaQbyTEz3</a>
— Joe Biden (@JoeBiden) <a href="https://twitter.com/JoeBiden/status/1121353260231688192?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 25, 2019</a></blockquote>
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Still, he starts as the leader of the pack in opinion polls of a Democratic field that now will total 20 contenders seeking the chance to challenge President Donald Trump, the likely Republican nominee, in November 2020.

&nbsp;

&nbsp;

Former US Vice President Joe Biden on Thursday formally announced his entry into the race for the Democratic party's presidential nomination for the 2020 election.

Former US Vice President Joe Biden on Thursday formally announced his entry into the race for the Democratic party's presidential nomination for the 2020 election. "We are in the battle for the soul of this nation," Biden said in a stark video released online, calling on voters to deny Republican US President Donald Trump a second term in office. Also read: Big Democratic field taking shape for 2020 US presidential race Biden, 76, had been wrestling for months over whether to run. His candidacy will face numerous questions, including whether he is too old and too centrist for a Democratic Party yearning for fresh faces and increasingly propelled by its more vocal liberal wing. The core values of this nation… our standing in the world… our very democracy...everything that has made America -- America --is at stake. That’s why today I’m announcing my candidacy for President of the United States. #Joe2020 https://t.co/jzaQbyTEz3 — Joe Biden (@JoeBiden) April 25, 2019 × Still, he starts as the leader of the pack in opinion polls of a Democratic field that now will total 20 contenders seeking the chance to challenge President Donald Trump, the likely Republican nominee, in November 2020.

Former US Vice President Joe Biden enters 2020 presidential race

Top US Democratic and Republican lawmakers said Monday they want Special Counsel Robert Mueller to testify before Congress about his investigation into Russian meddling during the 2016 election campaign.

Two weeks ago, Attorney General Bill Barr cleared US President Donald Trump of colluding with Russia in a four-page summary of the report. But the special counsel's final report on the investigation -- and whether Trump himself was involved in obstructing the probe -- remains unreleased.

Doug Collins, the top Republican on the House Judiciary Committee, said he wants Democrats to immediately bring Mueller before the panel to testify about his report.

"If you seek both transparencies and for the American public to learn the full contours of the special counsel's investigation, public testimony from Special Counsel Mueller himself is undoubtedly the best way to accomplish this goal," Collins wrote in a letter to the committee's Democratic chairman, Jerry Nadler.

Nadler said he "fully" agreed, but stressed that Mueller should testify after the full report is delivered to Congress and Barr testifies. He called on Barr to testify before the committee on May 2.

"We look forward to hearing from Mr Mueller at the appropriate time," Nadler said.

It comes amid a heated battle in Washington over what Congress will actually be able to see of the report itself.&nbsp;

Democrats are demanding access to the entire, unredacted 400-page text, saying the evidence within could be damning to the president.

But Barr has said he will not release key evidence that is part of any investigation by a grand jury, a special panel used by prosecutors in politically sensitive cases.

Last week Nadler was among six Democrat committee chairs who wrote to Barr demanding the full report with its underlying evidence be submitted to Congress.

In his letter, Collins said Democrats were politicizing the situation by seeking the protected grand jury materials, despite an appeals court last Friday ruling that federal judges do not have authority to disclose such evidence except in specifically authorized situations.

Collins wrote that courts have determined that such situations include a formal impeachment inquiry, something Democrats have so far refused to launch.

"If you decline to launch an impeachment inquiry, which is your clear legal path to the 6(e) grand jury information, I suggest instead inviting Special Counsel Mueller in to testify before the Committee as soon as possible," Collins wrote.

Top US Democratic and Republican lawmakers said Monday they want Special Counsel Robert Mueller to testify before Congress about his investigation into Russian meddling during the 2016 election campaign.

Top US Democratic and Republican lawmakers said Monday they want Special Counsel Robert Mueller to testify before Congress about his investigation into Russian meddling during the 2016 election campaign. Two weeks ago, Attorney General Bill Barr cleared US President Donald Trump of colluding with Russia in a four-page summary of the report. But the special counsel's final report on the investigation -- and whether Trump himself was involved in obstructing the probe -- remains unreleased. Doug Collins, the top Republican on the House Judiciary Committee, said he wants Democrats to immediately bring Mueller before the panel to testify about his report. "If you seek both transparencies and for the American public to learn the full contours of the special counsel's investigation, public testimony from Special Counsel Mueller himself is undoubtedly the best way to accomplish this goal," Collins wrote in a letter to the committee's Democratic chairman, Jerry Nadler. Nadler said he "fully" agreed, but stressed that Mueller should testify after the full report is delivered to Congress and Barr testifies. He called on Barr to testify before the committee on May 2. "We look forward to hearing from Mr Mueller at the appropriate time," Nadler said. It comes amid a heated battle in Washington over what Congress will actually be able to see of the report itself. Democrats are demanding access to the entire, unredacted 400-page text, saying the evidence within could be damning to the president. But Barr has said he will not release key evidence that is part of any investigation by a grand jury, a special panel used by prosecutors in politically sensitive cases. Last week Nadler was among six Democrat committee chairs who wrote to Barr demanding the full report with its underlying evidence be submitted to Congress. In his letter, Collins said Democrats were politicizing the situation by seeking the protected grand jury materials, despite an appeals court last Friday ruling that federal judges do not have authority to disclose such evidence except in specifically authorized situations. Collins wrote that courts have determined that such situations include a formal impeachment inquiry, something Democrats have so far refused to launch. "If you decline to launch an impeachment inquiry, which is your clear legal path to the 6(e) grand jury information, I suggest instead inviting Special Counsel Mueller in to testify before the Committee as soon as possible," Collins wrote.

Republicans, Democrats want Robert Mueller to testify on report on Russian meddling in 2016 election

Former US Vice President Joe Biden said this week he was "very close" to deciding whether to make a 2020 White House bid and will run only if he thinks he can win the Democratic Party`s nomination.

He is not alone in questioning if he is the man for the moment.

The clamor for Biden to join the pack seeking to challenge Republican President Donald Trump has quieted as the Democratic field has grown more crowded and diverse, according to interviews with more than two dozen strategists, activists, party organizers and voters.

Opinion polls show Biden, a former US senator from Delaware who served two terms as former President Barack Obama`s vice president, remains popular. But the Democratic Party may no longer need him in order to be competitive against Trump.

"I love Joe Biden. He`s a great guy and a great politician," said Jerry Shriner, a Democratic national committee member from Idaho. "I wish he were the president right now. But I`m not sure I wish he is president in 2021."

Democrats are in the early stages of an internal debate about how best to challenge Trump in next year`s presidential election, weighing factors like electability, ideology and identity.

The strength of the field - expected to include at least six sitting U.S. senators, plus several current or former governors, US House of Representatives members and a former Cabinet secretary - is a factor in Biden`s calculations, those close to him say.

He will be more likely to remain on the sidelines if he feels a strong candidate capable of beating Trump is emerging.

But a source close to Biden said: "If I had to guess, he`s probably going to do it."

Biden associates have held discussions with potential staffers and supporters who could serve political strategy, grassroots organizing and digital campaign roles, according to two sources. One source said those conversations were necessary to quickly ramp up a formal campaign operation should Biden decide to run.

Some party activists say, however, that Biden has not reached out to broad donor networks to gauge the level of monetary support he could expect.&nbsp; 
Biden, who mounted failed presidential campaigns in 2008 and 1988, said at an event in Delaware on Tuesday that he did not want a third bid to be "a fool`s errand."

"What I don’t want to do is take people’s time, effort and commitment without there being a clear shot I could be the nominee," he said. "I think I can."

'TOO OLD'

Biden chose not to run in 2016 when former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton was widely considered the heavy favorite for the Democratic nomination.

Some political analysts have since speculated he could have won industrial battleground states like Pennsylvania, Michigan and Wisconsin that proved crucial to Trump`s surprise victory.

Biden`s high name recognition among Democratic voters means he likely can afford to wait longer than lesser-known candidates to enter the 2020 race. But even that comes with a risk.&nbsp;

"The longer he waits, the more people are going to start to want to follow some of the new and younger voices they`re hearing," said Bret Niles, the Democratic Party chairman in Linn County, Iowa.&nbsp;

Biden`s age, ideology and record already are drawing scrutiny. If elected, he would be 78 when he was sworn in.&nbsp;

"Joe Biden is too old," said Mary Donough, 60, a Democrat from Des Moines, Iowa, who plans to participate in her state`s crucial primary caucus next year and wants a younger candidate to challenge Trump.

"There is just more energy there," she said.

Biden`s backers will argue his age represents experience, said a former aide who asked to speak on background in order to explain internal talking points.&nbsp;

"Voters look at Donald Trump and they look at what we’re missing, which is someone who understands the institution, someone who is an adult, someone who is seasoned, someone who respects the institutions," the former aide said.

The Democratic Party undoubtedly has moved left since the last time Biden appeared alone on a ballot in 2008, when he was re-elected to the Senate by Delaware voters for his seventh term.

“Times have changed," said Adam Green, chairman of the Progressive Change Campaign Committee. “Does he meet the moment?"&nbsp;

Green, whose group supports the candidacy of US Senator Elizabeth Warren, lumps Biden in with white, male, moderate Democrats who have faltered in recent elections, like Phil Bredesen, who lost his US Senate race in Tennessee last year.

Biden also will have to answer for his record.

He chaired the 1991 confirmation hearings for Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas and was criticized for not doing enough to protect Anita Hill, who accused Thomas of sexual harassment. Biden has since apologized and said he should have done more to shield Hill from attacks by Republicans.

Unions remain unhappy about the free-trade deals advocated by the Obama administration, and liberal progressive groups point to the bailout of Wall Street banks during the financial crisis that provided no help to distressed homeowners.&nbsp;

Sharon Holle, who has been working to organize for Biden in Iowa ahead of his decision, argued his experience would appeal to Democrats nervous about the country`s direction under Trump.

"People are scared," Holle said. "We`re in a crisis right now. We need somebody we can trust."

Former US Vice President Joe Biden said this week he was "very close" to deciding whether to make a 2020 White House bid and will run only if he thinks he can win the Democratic Party`s nomination.

Former US Vice President Joe Biden said this week he was "very close" to deciding whether to make a 2020 White House bid and will run only if he thinks he can win the Democratic Party`s nomination. He is not alone in questioning if he is the man for the moment. The clamor for Biden to join the pack seeking to challenge Republican President Donald Trump has quieted as the Democratic field has grown more crowded and diverse, according to interviews with more than two dozen strategists, activists, party organizers and voters. Opinion polls show Biden, a former US senator from Delaware who served two terms as former President Barack Obama`s vice president, remains popular. But the Democratic Party may no longer need him in order to be competitive against Trump. "I love Joe Biden. He`s a great guy and a great politician," said Jerry Shriner, a Democratic national committee member from Idaho. "I wish he were the president right now. But I`m not sure I wish he is president in 2021." Democrats are in the early stages of an internal debate about how best to challenge Trump in next year`s presidential election, weighing factors like electability, ideology and identity. The strength of the field - expected to include at least six sitting U.S. senators, plus several current or former governors, US House of Representatives members and a former Cabinet secretary - is a factor in Biden`s calculations, those close to him say. He will be more likely to remain on the sidelines if he feels a strong candidate capable of beating Trump is emerging. But a source close to Biden said: "If I had to guess, he`s probably going to do it." Biden associates have held discussions with potential staffers and supporters who could serve political strategy, grassroots organizing and digital campaign roles, according to two sources. One source said those conversations were necessary to quickly ramp up a formal campaign operation should Biden decide to run. Some party activists say, however, that Biden has not reached out to broad donor networks to gauge the level of monetary support he could expect. Biden, who mounted failed presidential campaigns in 2008 and 1988, said at an event in Delaware on Tuesday that he did not want a third bid to be "a fool`s errand." "What I don’t want to do is take people’s time, effort and commitment without there being a clear shot I could be the nominee," he said. "I think I can." 'TOO OLD' Biden chose not to run in 2016 when former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton was widely considered the heavy favorite for the Democratic nomination. Some political analysts have since speculated he could have won industrial battleground states like Pennsylvania, Michigan and Wisconsin that proved crucial to Trump`s surprise victory. Biden`s high name recognition among Democratic voters means he likely can afford to wait longer than lesser-known candidates to enter the 2020 race. But even that comes with a risk. "The longer he waits, the more people are going to start to want to follow some of the new and younger voices they`re hearing," said Bret Niles, the Democratic Party chairman in Linn County, Iowa. Biden`s age, ideology and record already are drawing scrutiny. If elected, he would be 78 when he was sworn in. "Joe Biden is too old," said Mary Donough, 60, a Democrat from Des Moines, Iowa, who plans to participate in her state`s crucial primary caucus next year and wants a younger candidate to challenge Trump. "There is just more energy there," she said. Biden`s backers will argue his age represents experience, said a former aide who asked to speak on background in order to explain internal talking points. "Voters look at Donald Trump and they look at what we’re missing, which is someone who understands the institution, someone who is an adult, someone who is seasoned, someone who respects the institutions," the former aide said. The Democratic Party undoubtedly has moved left since the last time Biden appeared alone on a ballot in 2008, when he was re-elected to the Senate by Delaware voters for his seventh term. “Times have changed," said Adam Green, chairman of the Progressive Change Campaign Committee. “Does he meet the moment?" Green, whose group supports the candidacy of US Senator Elizabeth Warren, lumps Biden in with white, male, moderate Democrats who have faltered in recent elections, like Phil Bredesen, who lost his US Senate race in Tennessee last year. Biden also will have to answer for his record. He chaired the 1991 confirmation hearings for Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas and was criticized for not doing enough to protect Anita Hill, who accused Thomas of sexual harassment. Biden has since apologized and said he should have done more to shield Hill from attacks by Republicans. Unions remain unhappy about the free-trade deals advocated by the Obama administration, and liberal progressive groups point to the bailout of Wall Street banks during the financial crisis that provided no help to distressed homeowners. Sharon Holle, who has been working to organize for Biden in Iowa ahead of his decision, argued his experience would appeal to Democrats nervous about the country`s direction under Trump. "People are scared," Holle said. "We`re in a crisis right now. We need somebody we can trust."

As Biden weighs 2020 bid, Democrats ask, 'Does he meet the moment?'

13 Republicans vote to block Trump's National Emergency Declaration

US Senator Elizabeth Warren, struggling to move past criticism over her Native American heritage claims, will aim for a fresh start on Saturday when she formally launches her 2020 presidential campaign.

The Massachusetts Democrat, a leader of the party’s progressive wing, will make her announcement from a historic site in Lawrence, northwest of Boston, that launched the US organized labour movement. Warren, 69, has made worker rights, fair wages and access to health care central to her campaign.

She is part of an increasingly crowded and diverse field of Democrats vying for the chance to challenge President Donald Trump, the likely Republican nominee. A year before any ballots are cast in a Democratic primary, many of those candidates are spending the weekend talking to voters in the early nominating states of Iowa, New Hampshire and South Carolina.

Warren's announcement will be followed on Sunday by US Senator Amy Klobuchar, who has said she will reveal her presidential plans in Minnesota.

Warren's heritage claims have dogged her since her first campaign for the Senate in 2012, and Trump mockingly refers to her as "Pocahontas." Her ancestry drew fresh scrutiny last week with the discovery that she described her race as American Indian on a form to join the Texas legal bar in the 1980s.

She has repeatedly apologized, saying the claim was based on "family lore" and she now understands tribal sovereignty dictates membership.

In addition to being a fierce Trump critic, Warren is an outspoken critic of Wall Street who gained national notoriety for her efforts to create the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) to regulate large banks.

"The part of Elizabeth Warren’s history that we should be most worried about right now is the fact that Republicans are trying to dismantle her signature achievement, the CFPB," said Democratic strategist Rebecca Katz, a former top aide to New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio.

Warren is one of four women so far seeking the Democratic nomination, an unprecedented number of female candidates vying to lead a country that has never had a woman chief executive.

Warren and the other women running, including Senators Kamala Harris and Kirsten Gillibrand, are hoping to build on the success of women candidates who played a significant role in Democrats regaining control of the US House of Representatives in November's congressional elections.

"I like her anger," said Christiane Alsop, who has donated to Warren's previous campaigns and is backing her presidential bid. "I like her fighting spirit."

Warren heads next to Iowa, where US Senator Cory Booker and South Bend Mayor Pete Buttigieg, who also is running, campaigned on Friday.

"I am running for president right now because I believe Americans have surrendered to cynicism," Booker said at an event in Waterloo, Iowa. “I want to see a revival of civic grace."

US Senator Elizabeth Warren, struggling to move past criticism over her Native American heritage claims, will aim for a fresh start on Saturday when she formally launches her 2020 presidential campaign.

US Senator Elizabeth Warren, struggling to move past criticism over her Native American heritage claims, will aim for a fresh start on Saturday when she formally launches her 2020 presidential campaign. The Massachusetts Democrat, a leader of the party’s progressive wing, will make her announcement from a historic site in Lawrence, northwest of Boston, that launched the US organized labour movement. Warren, 69, has made worker rights, fair wages and access to health care central to her campaign. She is part of an increasingly crowded and diverse field of Democrats vying for the chance to challenge President Donald Trump, the likely Republican nominee. A year before any ballots are cast in a Democratic primary, many of those candidates are spending the weekend talking to voters in the early nominating states of Iowa, New Hampshire and South Carolina. Warren's announcement will be followed on Sunday by US Senator Amy Klobuchar, who has said she will reveal her presidential plans in Minnesota. Warren's heritage claims have dogged her since her first campaign for the Senate in 2012, and Trump mockingly refers to her as "Pocahontas." Her ancestry drew fresh scrutiny last week with the discovery that she described her race as American Indian on a form to join the Texas legal bar in the 1980s. She has repeatedly apologized, saying the claim was based on "family lore" and she now understands tribal sovereignty dictates membership. In addition to being a fierce Trump critic, Warren is an outspoken critic of Wall Street who gained national notoriety for her efforts to create the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) to regulate large banks. "The part of Elizabeth Warren’s history that we should be most worried about right now is the fact that Republicans are trying to dismantle her signature achievement, the CFPB," said Democratic strategist Rebecca Katz, a former top aide to New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio. Warren is one of four women so far seeking the Democratic nomination, an unprecedented number of female candidates vying to lead a country that has never had a woman chief executive. Warren and the other women running, including Senators Kamala Harris and Kirsten Gillibrand, are hoping to build on the success of women candidates who played a significant role in Democrats regaining control of the US House of Representatives in November's congressional elections. "I like her anger," said Christiane Alsop, who has donated to Warren's previous campaigns and is backing her presidential bid. "I like her fighting spirit." Warren heads next to Iowa, where US Senator Cory Booker and South Bend Mayor Pete Buttigieg, who also is running, campaigned on Friday. "I am running for president right now because I believe Americans have surrendered to cynicism," Booker said at an event in Waterloo, Iowa. “I want to see a revival of civic grace."

US Senator Warren seeks to quiet critics with 2020 campaign launch

President Donald Trump used his State of the Union address on Tuesday to call for a bipartisan commitment to eradicate AIDS in the United States within a decade.

"Scientific breakthroughs have brought a once-distant dream within reach," Trump said in his annual address to Congress.&nbsp;

"My budget will ask Democrats and Republicans to make the needed commitment to eliminate the HIV epidemic in the United States within 10 years," he said.

"Together, we will defeat AIDS in America and beyond."

Some 38,000 people were infected with HIV in the United States in 2017, according to government statistics.&nbsp;

This number has shrunk over the years, but in some communities, there has been no let-up, especially among gays, blacks and Hispanics.&nbsp;

The Trump administration proposed last year to cut the budget for AIDS prevention, but Congress refused.

"No force in history has done more to advance the human condition than American freedom," Trump said.&nbsp;

"In recent years we have made remarkable progress in the fight against HIV and AIDS." &nbsp;

Trump's mastery of the issue has been called into question, however, most notably by Microsoft founder Bill Gates, who said last year that at two meetings, Trump needed help distinguishing HIV from HPV, another sexually transmitted disease.

"Both times, he wanted to know if there was a difference between HIV and HPV so I was able to explain that those are rarely confused with each other," Gates said.

President Donald Trump used his State of the Union address on Tuesday to call for a bipartisan commitment to eradicate AIDS in the United States within a decade.

President Donald Trump used his State of the Union address on Tuesday to call for a bipartisan commitment to eradicate AIDS in the United States within a decade. "Scientific breakthroughs have brought a once-distant dream within reach," Trump said in his annual address to Congress. "My budget will ask Democrats and Republicans to make the needed commitment to eliminate the HIV epidemic in the United States within 10 years," he said. "Together, we will defeat AIDS in America and beyond." Some 38,000 people were infected with HIV in the United States in 2017, according to government statistics. This number has shrunk over the years, but in some communities, there has been no let-up, especially among gays, blacks and Hispanics. The Trump administration proposed last year to cut the budget for AIDS prevention, but Congress refused. "No force in history has done more to advance the human condition than American freedom," Trump said. "In recent years we have made remarkable progress in the fight against HIV and AIDS." Trump's mastery of the issue has been called into question, however, most notably by Microsoft founder Bill Gates, who said last year that at two meetings, Trump needed help distinguishing HIV from HPV, another sexually transmitted disease. "Both times, he wanted to know if there was a difference between HIV and HPV so I was able to explain that those are rarely confused with each other," Gates said.

We will defeat AIDS in America and beyond: Trump in State of the Union address

US Senate leaders have agreed to vote Thursday on competing proposals to end a <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/without-a-wall-our-country-can-never-have-national-security-says-trump-as-government-shutdown-enters-second-month-192081">government shutdown</a> now in its second month, but the chances are slim that either will reopen federal agencies.

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and top Democrat Chuck Schumer announced an agreement on the Senate floor Tuesday for a pair of test votes.

The first would be a procedural step on a measure that funds all shuttered branches of government through September and includes President Donald Trump's demand for border wall funding and his proposal on immigration policy.

A second vote would be on a stop-gap measure that funds government until February 8, to allow for debate over border security and immigration, while also letting Trump's upcoming State of the Union address before Congress proceed.

It also would include disaster relief money already passed in the House.&nbsp;

Each proposal would require 60 votes to advance in the 100-member body, a high threshold, given the current level of partisan rancor over who is to blame for the shutdown.

A senior Republican Senate aide told AFP it was unlikely Republicans would sign on to the short-term funding bill, and that even if they did, the president would not sign it.

But the Democratic leader took to the floor to say the votes "could break us out of the morass we are in," and he specifically encouraged Republicans to sign on to the stop-gap bill to briefly open government.

"It will allow us to then debate, without hostage-taking, without temper tantrum... How we can best do border security," he said.

US Senate leaders have agreed to vote Thursday on competing proposals to end a government shutdown now in its second month, but the chances are slim that either will reopen federal agencies.

US Senate leaders have agreed to vote Thursday on competing proposals to end a government shutdown now in its second month, but the chances are slim that either will reopen federal agencies. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and top Democrat Chuck Schumer announced an agreement on the Senate floor Tuesday for a pair of test votes. The first would be a procedural step on a measure that funds all shuttered branches of government through September and includes President Donald Trump's demand for border wall funding and his proposal on immigration policy. A second vote would be on a stop-gap measure that funds government until February 8, to allow for debate over border security and immigration, while also letting Trump's upcoming State of the Union address before Congress proceed. It also would include disaster relief money already passed in the House. Each proposal would require 60 votes to advance in the 100-member body, a high threshold, given the current level of partisan rancor over who is to blame for the shutdown. A senior Republican Senate aide told AFP it was unlikely Republicans would sign on to the short-term funding bill, and that even if they did, the president would not sign it. But the Democratic leader took to the floor to say the votes "could break us out of the morass we are in," and he specifically encouraged Republicans to sign on to the stop-gap bill to briefly open government. "It will allow us to then debate, without hostage-taking, without temper tantrum... How we can best do border security," he said.

US Senate to vote on opposing bids to end shutdown

First-term Democratic Senator Kamala Harris of California, a rising party star and outspoken critic of President Donald Trump's immigration policies, launched her 2020 campaign for the White House on Monday in an appearance on ABC's "Good Morning America."

Harris, 54, the daughter of immigrants from Jamaica and India, enters the race with the potential advantage of being the Democratic candidate who looks most like the party's increasingly diverse base of young, female and minority voters.

“Let’s do this, together. Let’s claim our future. For ourselves, for our children, and for our country,” Harris said in a campaign video that was released to coincide with her television appearance.

The announcement falls on the US Martin Luther King Jr. Day holiday honouring the slain civil rights leader, and the day was selected as a reminder of the aspirational fight for progress, an aide said.

The former California state attorney general has become popular with liberal activists for her tough questioning of Trump administration appointees and officials, including Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh and former Attorney General Jeff Sessions, during Senate hearings.

Her campaign will focus on reducing the high cost of living with a middle-class tax credit, pursuing immigration and criminal justice changes and a Medicare-for-all healthcare system. She has said she will reject corporate political action committee money.

Harris’ campaign will be based in Baltimore, with a second office in Oakland, California. Her slogan will be “For the People,” in a nod to Harris’ roots as a prosecutor, aides said.

She will hold a launch rally in Oakland before the end of the month.

As one of the earliest congressional critics of President Donald Trump's immigration policies, Harris has pushed hard for a deal to protect from deportation those immigrants who came to the country illegally as children, a group known as Dreamers.

Harris is the fifth Democrat to enter what is shaping up to be a crowded battle for the nomination to challenge Trump, the likely Republican candidate.

She and other Democrats will have to navigate the party's debate about whether an establishment figure who can appeal to centrist voters or a fresh face who can energize its increasingly diverse and progressive base offers the best chance to beat Trump in 2020.

Harris, who made history in 2016 as the first black woman elected to the US Senate from California, has embraced the party's diversity ahead of a Democratic nominating campaign where minority voters and liberal activists are expected to have an outsized voice.

Former prosecutor

She has pushed back against critics of "identity politics," who she says are using the term as a pejorative to marginalize issues of race, gender and sexual orientation.

"It is used to try and shut us up," Harris told a conference of liberal activists last summer.

The former San Francisco prosecutor drew notice when her rapid-fire grilling of Sessions during a 2017 Senate Judiciary Committee hearing caused him to complain.

"It makes me nervous," Sessions said.

In September, she was among a handful of Democrats who aggressively questioned Kavanaugh at his Supreme Court confirmation hearing about his views on abortion and on the special counsel probe into potential Russian meddling in the 2016 election.

In the Senate, she has introduced a bill to give lower-income families cash payments and tax credits to help battle wage stagnation and rising housing costs, and has been a strong advocate of criminal justice reforms.

Harris launched a book tour in early January to promote a memoir, making a series of media appearances that helped bolster her visibility ahead of her campaign announcement.

Her campaign could be aided by the schedule for the state-by-state party nominating process that is scheduled to begin in February 2020.

The kickoff state of Iowa, which launched Barack Obama's presidential bid in 2008, has a strong base of liberal activists, and the race will then quickly move to more diverse states such as Nevada and South Carolina. Her home state of California also has moved up its primary to increase its influence.

But political foes will pore over her record in California, where she has come under scrutiny for declining as attorney general to prosecute OneWest, the bank once headed by Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, for alleged foreclosure violations.

Harris, who voted against Mnuchin's confirmation as head of the Treasury, has said she "followed the facts" in declining to prosecute.

She also has been criticized for saying she was not aware of sexual harassment allegations against one of her top aides, who resigned in December after a California newspaper asked him about a 2016 harassment lawsuit. Xavier Becerra, who replaced Harris as attorney general, settled the lawsuit in May 2017 for $400,000.

First-term Democratic Senator Kamala Harris of California, a rising party star and outspoken critic of President Donald Trump's immigration policies, launched her 2020 campaign for the White House on Monday in an appearance on ABC's "Good Morning America.

First-term Democratic Senator Kamala Harris of California, a rising party star and outspoken critic of President Donald Trump's immigration policies, launched her 2020 campaign for the White House on Monday in an appearance on ABC's "Good Morning America." Harris, 54, the daughter of immigrants from Jamaica and India, enters the race with the potential advantage of being the Democratic candidate who looks most like the party's increasingly diverse base of young, female and minority voters. “Let’s do this, together. Let’s claim our future. For ourselves, for our children, and for our country,” Harris said in a campaign video that was released to coincide with her television appearance. The announcement falls on the US Martin Luther King Jr. Day holiday honouring the slain civil rights leader, and the day was selected as a reminder of the aspirational fight for progress, an aide said. The former California state attorney general has become popular with liberal activists for her tough questioning of Trump administration appointees and officials, including Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh and former Attorney General Jeff Sessions, during Senate hearings. Her campaign will focus on reducing the high cost of living with a middle-class tax credit, pursuing immigration and criminal justice changes and a Medicare-for-all healthcare system. She has said she will reject corporate political action committee money. Harris’ campaign will be based in Baltimore, with a second office in Oakland, California. Her slogan will be “For the People,” in a nod to Harris’ roots as a prosecutor, aides said. She will hold a launch rally in Oakland before the end of the month. As one of the earliest congressional critics of President Donald Trump's immigration policies, Harris has pushed hard for a deal to protect from deportation those immigrants who came to the country illegally as children, a group known as Dreamers. Harris is the fifth Democrat to enter what is shaping up to be a crowded battle for the nomination to challenge Trump, the likely Republican candidate. She and other Democrats will have to navigate the party's debate about whether an establishment figure who can appeal to centrist voters or a fresh face who can energize its increasingly diverse and progressive base offers the best chance to beat Trump in 2020. Harris, who made history in 2016 as the first black woman elected to the US Senate from California, has embraced the party's diversity ahead of a Democratic nominating campaign where minority voters and liberal activists are expected to have an outsized voice. Former prosecutor She has pushed back against critics of "identity politics," who she says are using the term as a pejorative to marginalize issues of race, gender and sexual orientation. "It is used to try and shut us up," Harris told a conference of liberal activists last summer. The former San Francisco prosecutor drew notice when her rapid-fire grilling of Sessions during a 2017 Senate Judiciary Committee hearing caused him to complain. "It makes me nervous," Sessions said. In September, she was among a handful of Democrats who aggressively questioned Kavanaugh at his Supreme Court confirmation hearing about his views on abortion and on the special counsel probe into potential Russian meddling in the 2016 election. In the Senate, she has introduced a bill to give lower-income families cash payments and tax credits to help battle wage stagnation and rising housing costs, and has been a strong advocate of criminal justice reforms. Harris launched a book tour in early January to promote a memoir, making a series of media appearances that helped bolster her visibility ahead of her campaign announcement. Her campaign could be aided by the schedule for the state-by-state party nominating process that is scheduled to begin in February 2020. The kickoff state of Iowa, which launched Barack Obama's presidential bid in 2008, has a strong base of liberal activists, and the race will then quickly move to more diverse states such as Nevada and South Carolina. Her home state of California also has moved up its primary to increase its influence. But political foes will pore over her record in California, where she has come under scrutiny for declining as attorney general to prosecute OneWest, the bank once headed by Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, for alleged foreclosure violations. Harris, who voted against Mnuchin's confirmation as head of the Treasury, has said she "followed the facts" in declining to prosecute. She also has been criticized for saying she was not aware of sexual harassment allegations against one of her top aides, who resigned in December after a California newspaper asked him about a 2016 harassment lawsuit. Xavier Becerra, who replaced Harris as attorney general, settled the lawsuit in May 2017 for $400,000.

Indian-American Democrat Kamala Harris enters 2020 US presidential elections

The US government shutdown over <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/top-democrat-urges-trump-to-delay-state-of-union-until-government-reopens-190817">President Donald Trump</a>'s call for Congress to fund a wall he promised to build on the US- Mexican border is threatening another campaign pledge to make rules easier to navigate for banks and corporations.

The partial shutdown, sparked by a standoff between Democrats and Republicans over how to address Trump's demand, is already the longest ever, entering its 27th day on Thursday with no signs of a resolution.

The Trump administration has outlined plans to ease bank rules, overhaul corporate governance, and boost financial innovation, sparking hopes among executives that they would already start to feel the benefits this year.

Yet with Democrats now in control of the House of Representatives and the 2020 presidential campaign expected to stymie policymaking, industry lobbyists worry the shutdown will further limit the narrow window for the new rules to kick in.

Of particular concern is the fate of rules being penned by regulators to implement changes, passed by the Republican Congress last May, that relaxed restraints imposed on banks after the financial crisis, said lobbyists and regulatory sources.

Republican lawmakers had expected many of those changes would be close to the finish line by now, but several have yet to be put to public comment. This step, among others, is part of a strict rule-changing process dictated by federal law that cannot be easily expedited once the government reopens.

Given many of the changes face opposition from consumer groups, lawyers say any hiccups in their implementation could expose them to litigation and delay them indefinitely.

“While there is an image of folks coming in and cutting red tape, for better or worse that is not the way our legal process works and the government shutdown really impedes that process,” said Ben Olson, a lawyer with Buckley Sandler who previously worked for several agencies including the Federal Reserve.

At the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC)and the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC), whose budgets are set by Congress, less than a tenth of staff continue to work in areas such as law enforcement, market surveillance and investor protection while all non-emergency rule-making is suspended.

The CFTC, for example, was scheduled to agree rules that would pave the way for Intercontinental Exchange to begin trading digital currency futures in coming weeks, but that timeline is now unrealistic, according to a person familiar with the CFTC's original plan.

With no SEC staff available to approve paperwork, initial public offerings are getting backed up, said lawyers. Brokers are also unable to get critical guidance on whether some trades are compliant, said Marlon Paz, a Washington-based lawyer who advises financial firms. "I fear there is little oversight in tumultuous times."

Although the three banking regulators are funded independently, lobbyists say the shutdown may derail their work on rule changes overseen jointly with the SEC and CFTC. That includes the "Volcker Rule", which imposed curbs on banks' proprietary trading as part of the 2010 Dodd-Frank law.

US and international banks have criticized the rule as too burdensome and lobbied hard for changes, but the five financial regulators are obliged to review thousands of pages of comments before taking further action. With CFTC and SEC policy staff barred from even checking their emails, however, these types of joint projects are stalled.

"They still have to review all comments, and the folks who have to review them are at home watching TV," said Wayne Abernathy, executive vice president at trade group the American Bankers Association.

"Our worry is that the shutdown could be slowing down the process."

A CFTC spokeswoman confirmed the agency has halted all rule-writing. An SEC spokesman said the SEC was staffing emergency functions.

Furloughs at the Office of the Federal Register, which must formally publish all steps in the rule-writing process, have also delayed other changes Congress agreed in May, public records show.

For example, days before the shutdown began on December 22, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) and the Fed, alongside other agencies, unveiled two proposals to ease rules on broker deposits and community banks.

But those have yet to be published in the register, which is required to start public comment periods.

Bridget Dooling, a research professor at George Washington University, said the law allowed few shortcuts, meaning a backlog created now would likely not get cleared for months.

"Losing a month or two months or, who knows, maybe more from your productive timeline could ultimately jeopardize your ability to finish the work you set out to do in a presidential administration,” said Dooling, who previously worked in the regulatory office at the US Office of Management and Budget.

Spokespeople for the FDIC and Fed declined to comment. The Office of the Federal Register was not able to respond to requests for comment due to the shutdown.

The US government shutdown over President Donald Trump's call for Congress to fund a wall he promised to build on the US- Mexican border is threatening another campaign pledge to make rules easier to navigate for banks and corporations.

The US government shutdown over President Donald Trump's call for Congress to fund a wall he promised to build on the US- Mexican border is threatening another campaign pledge to make rules easier to navigate for banks and corporations. The partial shutdown, sparked by a standoff between Democrats and Republicans over how to address Trump's demand, is already the longest ever, entering its 27th day on Thursday with no signs of a resolution. The Trump administration has outlined plans to ease bank rules, overhaul corporate governance, and boost financial innovation, sparking hopes among executives that they would already start to feel the benefits this year. Yet with Democrats now in control of the House of Representatives and the 2020 presidential campaign expected to stymie policymaking, industry lobbyists worry the shutdown will further limit the narrow window for the new rules to kick in. Of particular concern is the fate of rules being penned by regulators to implement changes, passed by the Republican Congress last May, that relaxed restraints imposed on banks after the financial crisis, said lobbyists and regulatory sources. Republican lawmakers had expected many of those changes would be close to the finish line by now, but several have yet to be put to public comment. This step, among others, is part of a strict rule-changing process dictated by federal law that cannot be easily expedited once the government reopens. Given many of the changes face opposition from consumer groups, lawyers say any hiccups in their implementation could expose them to litigation and delay them indefinitely. “While there is an image of folks coming in and cutting red tape, for better or worse that is not the way our legal process works and the government shutdown really impedes that process,” said Ben Olson, a lawyer with Buckley Sandler who previously worked for several agencies including the Federal Reserve. At the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC)and the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC), whose budgets are set by Congress, less than a tenth of staff continue to work in areas such as law enforcement, market surveillance and investor protection while all non-emergency rule-making is suspended. The CFTC, for example, was scheduled to agree rules that would pave the way for Intercontinental Exchange to begin trading digital currency futures in coming weeks, but that timeline is now unrealistic, according to a person familiar with the CFTC's original plan. With no SEC staff available to approve paperwork, initial public offerings are getting backed up, said lawyers. Brokers are also unable to get critical guidance on whether some trades are compliant, said Marlon Paz, a Washington-based lawyer who advises financial firms. "I fear there is little oversight in tumultuous times." Although the three banking regulators are funded independently, lobbyists say the shutdown may derail their work on rule changes overseen jointly with the SEC and CFTC. That includes the "Volcker Rule", which imposed curbs on banks' proprietary trading as part of the 2010 Dodd-Frank law. US and international banks have criticized the rule as too burdensome and lobbied hard for changes, but the five financial regulators are obliged to review thousands of pages of comments before taking further action. With CFTC and SEC policy staff barred from even checking their emails, however, these types of joint projects are stalled. "They still have to review all comments, and the folks who have to review them are at home watching TV," said Wayne Abernathy, executive vice president at trade group the American Bankers Association. "Our worry is that the shutdown could be slowing down the process." A CFTC spokeswoman confirmed the agency has halted all rule-writing. An SEC spokesman said the SEC was staffing emergency functions. Furloughs at the Office of the Federal Register, which must formally publish all steps in the rule-writing process, have also delayed other changes Congress agreed in May, public records show. For example, days before the shutdown began on December 22, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) and the Fed, alongside other agencies, unveiled two proposals to ease rules on broker deposits and community banks. But those have yet to be published in the register, which is required to start public comment periods. Bridget Dooling, a research professor at George Washington University, said the law allowed few shortcuts, meaning a backlog created now would likely not get cleared for months. "Losing a month or two months or, who knows, maybe more from your productive timeline could ultimately jeopardize your ability to finish the work you set out to do in a presidential administration,” said Dooling, who previously worked in the regulatory office at the US Office of Management and Budget. Spokespeople for the FDIC and Fed declined to comment. The Office of the Federal Register was not able to respond to requests for comment due to the shutdown.

US government shutdown starting to hurt Trump's financial deregulation agenda

Top Republican lawmakers on Sunday warned against Donald <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/trump-stops-short-of-emergency-declaration-in-border-wall-fight-189699">Trump declaring a national emergency</a> to secure funds for a border wall, signalling doubts within the president's party as a government shutdown was set to enter the fourth workweek.

Senator Ron Johnson, chairman of the Homeland Security Committee, told CNN that he would "hate" to see Trump invoke emergency powers for a wall.

"If we do that, it's going to go to court and the wall won't get built," he said. And Representative Steve Scalise, the No. 2 House Republican, told ABC, "We don't want it to come down to a national emergency declaration," even if he believes Trump has the authority to do so.

Trump only recently backed away from talk of an<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/pompeo-hopes-for-imminent-end-to-us-government-shutdown-190082"> emergency declaration</a>, after pressing it for days as a way out of the continuing budget standoff.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/trump-says-record-long-government-shutdown-could-be-resolved-in-15-minutes-189918">Democrats</a> have strongly opposed the idea. The No. 2 Senate Democrat, Dick Durbin, said Sunday on ABC that "if this president is going to turn to national emergencies every time he disagrees with Congress, I'm against it." He urged Trump to "put an end to the shutdown and put everything on the table." As the partisan battle drags on, the effects of the partial shutdown have become steadily clearer, and new polls show growing public dissatisfaction.

On Sunday, Trump acknowledged, at least indirectly, the mounting costs of the shutdown.

"The damage done to our Country from a badly broken Border - Drugs, Crime and so much that is bad - is far greater than a Shutdown, which the Dems can easily fix as soon as they come back to Washington!" he said. Many lawmakers spent the weekend in their home states -- often hearing constituents' complaints about the shutdown -- but will return to Washington on Monday.

Trump has tried various angles to pressure Democratic negotiators, but they have not visibly budged from an offer to support some border security spending -- the figure of $1.3 billion has been floated -- but not the $5.7 billion he wants for a wall.

Two new polls indicate the Democrats may be winning the battle for public support.

The Washington Post/ABC News survey found that far more Americans blame Trump and the Republicans for the shutdown than blame the Democrats -- by 53 per cent to 29 per cent.

Meantime, a separate poll by CNN showed Trump's disapproval rating among Americans had climbed by five points -- to 57 per cent -- in just a month, with just 37 per cent approving.

But the Post poll also found a hardening of Republican support for a wall, with 70 per cent now saying they strongly support the wall, up from 58 per cent a year earlier.

The president has closely tied his fate to his steadfast conservative base.

Many Republicans doubt that the invocation of a national emergency would help their cause -- likely influencing Trump's decision Friday to say he was holding off in order to give Democrats more time to strike a deal. "I want to give them the chance to see if they can act responsibly," he told Fox in an interview late Saturday.

Trump has acknowledged that an emergency declaration would likely trigger a legal battle ending in the Supreme Court.

Opponents say such a unilateral presidential move would be a constitutional overreach and set a dangerous precedent.

The partial shutdown became the longest on record at midnight Friday when it overtook a 21-day stretch in 1995-1996 under president Bill Clinton.

The impasse has paralyzed Washington -- its impact felt increasingly around the country -- with the president refusing to sign off on budgets for swaths of government departments unrelated to the dispute.

As a result, 800,000 federal employees -- including FBI agents, air traffic controllers and museum staff -- received no paychecks on Friday. Both Democrats and Republicans agree that the US-Mexican border presents challenges, but Trump has turned his single-minded push for more walls into a crusade.

He tweeted Sunday that "The building of the Wall on the Southern Border will bring down the crime rate throughout the entire Country!" Some studies show that illegal immigrants commit fewer crimes than people born in the United States.

Only in recent days has Trump begun describing the problem as "humanitarian," referring in a tweet Saturday to "a massive Humanitarian Crisis at our Southern Border."&nbsp;

Top Republican lawmakers on Sunday warned against Donald Trump declaring a national emergency to secure funds for a border wall, signalling doubts within the president's party as a government shutdown was set to enter the fourth workweek.

Top Republican lawmakers on Sunday warned against Donald Trump declaring a national emergency to secure funds for a border wall, signalling doubts within the president's party as a government shutdown was set to enter the fourth workweek. Senator Ron Johnson, chairman of the Homeland Security Committee, told CNN that he would "hate" to see Trump invoke emergency powers for a wall. "If we do that, it's going to go to court and the wall won't get built," he said. And Representative Steve Scalise, the No. 2 House Republican, told ABC, "We don't want it to come down to a national emergency declaration," even if he believes Trump has the authority to do so. Trump only recently backed away from talk of an emergency declaration, after pressing it for days as a way out of the continuing budget standoff. Democrats have strongly opposed the idea. The No. 2 Senate Democrat, Dick Durbin, said Sunday on ABC that "if this president is going to turn to national emergencies every time he disagrees with Congress, I'm against it." He urged Trump to "put an end to the shutdown and put everything on the table." As the partisan battle drags on, the effects of the partial shutdown have become steadily clearer, and new polls show growing public dissatisfaction. On Sunday, Trump acknowledged, at least indirectly, the mounting costs of the shutdown. "The damage done to our Country from a badly broken Border - Drugs, Crime and so much that is bad - is far greater than a Shutdown, which the Dems can easily fix as soon as they come back to Washington!" he said. Many lawmakers spent the weekend in their home states -- often hearing constituents' complaints about the shutdown -- but will return to Washington on Monday. Trump has tried various angles to pressure Democratic negotiators, but they have not visibly budged from an offer to support some border security spending -- the figure of $1.3 billion has been floated -- but not the $5.7 billion he wants for a wall. Two new polls indicate the Democrats may be winning the battle for public support. The Washington Post/ABC News survey found that far more Americans blame Trump and the Republicans for the shutdown than blame the Democrats -- by 53 per cent to 29 per cent. Meantime, a separate poll by CNN showed Trump's disapproval rating among Americans had climbed by five points -- to 57 per cent -- in just a month, with just 37 per cent approving. But the Post poll also found a hardening of Republican support for a wall, with 70 per cent now saying they strongly support the wall, up from 58 per cent a year earlier. The president has closely tied his fate to his steadfast conservative base. Many Republicans doubt that the invocation of a national emergency would help their cause -- likely influencing Trump's decision Friday to say he was holding off in order to give Democrats more time to strike a deal. "I want to give them the chance to see if they can act responsibly," he told Fox in an interview late Saturday. Trump has acknowledged that an emergency declaration would likely trigger a legal battle ending in the Supreme Court. Opponents say such a unilateral presidential move would be a constitutional overreach and set a dangerous precedent. The partial shutdown became the longest on record at midnight Friday when it overtook a 21-day stretch in 1995-1996 under president Bill Clinton. The impasse has paralyzed Washington -- its impact felt increasingly around the country -- with the president refusing to sign off on budgets for swaths of government departments unrelated to the dispute. As a result, 800,000 federal employees -- including FBI agents, air traffic controllers and museum staff -- received no paychecks on Friday. Both Democrats and Republicans agree that the US-Mexican border presents challenges, but Trump has turned his single-minded push for more walls into a crusade. He tweeted Sunday that "The building of the Wall on the Southern Border will bring down the crime rate throughout the entire Country!" Some studies show that illegal immigrants commit fewer crimes than people born in the United States. Only in recent days has Trump begun describing the problem as "humanitarian," referring in a tweet Saturday to "a massive Humanitarian Crisis at our Southern Border."

Top Republicans oppose border 'emergency' as shutdown drags on

The Democratic-controlled US House of Representatives voted on Friday to restore funding for federal agencies that have been shut down by a fight with President Donald Trump over border wall funding, as some 800,000 government workers, from tax collectors to FBI agents, missed their first paycheck.

But a full resumption of government operations did not appear in sight because Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell has said he will not bring the House bill up for a vote. Republicans who control the Senate have so far stood with Trump and insisted that any spending bills include money for his wall.

The House bill, which passed 240-179 with only a handful of Republicans supporting it, would restore funding for the Interior Department and the Environmental Protection Agency, two of the agencies that have been without funding since December 22 amid the standoff over the proposed wall along the US-Mexico border. The bill provides $35.9 billion in discretionary funding, $6 billion above Trump's budget request and $601 million above the fiscal year 2018 enacted level.

Facing the prospect of the longest US government shutdown in history, Trump has said he might declare a national emergency to bypass Congress to get funding for his wall, which was a central promise of his 2016 presidential campaign.

"Humanitarian Crisis at our Southern Border," Trump said on Twitter on Friday, a day after he visited the Texas-Mexico border. "I just got back and it is a far worse situation than almost anyone would understand, an invasion!"

Entering its 21st day, the partial shutdown on Friday tied the record for the longest in US history. Some 800,000 federal workers did not receive paychecks that would have gone out on Friday. Some have resorted to selling their possessions or posting appeals on online fundraising outlets to help pay their bills.

"Most of them are living from paycheck to paycheck and now they approach this day on Friday having moved from paycheck to no check," Democratic Representative Elijah Cummings said in debate on the House floor.

The head of the US Secret Service, which is responsible for protecting Trump, warned employees that financial stress can lead to depression and anxiety. "Keep an eye out for warning signs of trouble," Director RD "Tex" Alles wrote in a memo seen by Reuters.

House approves back pay

The House also passed a bill by a bipartisan vote of 411-7 that would provide back pay to federal workers once the shutdown ends. That legislation, which has already been passed by the Senate, now heads to Trump's desk to be signed into law.

Separately, Senator Rob Portman and eight other Republican senators introduced legislation that would permanently outlaw the closing of government operations during budget fights, underscoring the growing frustration in Washington.

During his presidential campaign, Trump repeatedly pledged that Mexico would pay for the wall, which he says is needed to stem the flow of illegal immigrants and drugs. But the Mexican government has refused and Trump is now demanding that Congress provide $5.7 billion in US taxpayer funding for the wall.

Democrats in Congress call the wall an ineffective, outdated answer to a complex problem.

With no Capitol Hill compromise in sight, Trump publicly ruminated on Thursday during the Texas trip about declaring an emergency.

A close Trump confidant judged the time for such a step had come. Republican Senator Lindsey Graham said in a statement: "It is time for President Trump to use emergency powers to fund the construction of a border wall/barrier. I hope it works."

Critics of the national emergency strategy have said it may be illegal. In any case, it was almost certain to trigger an immediate court challenge from Democrats, including an accusation of trying to circumvent Congress' power over the national purse strings.

An emergency declaration would come with risks. Even some of Trump's fellow Republicans in Congress have signalled worries about such an action. Given that the Constitution gives Congress the power to set spending priorities and appropriate money, they worry about a tough legal fight and an unwise precedent.

"I don't think he should do that. It's a bad precedent," Republican Senator Chuck Grassley said on CNBC. "It seems to me that

An emergency declaration, however, would allow the government to be fully reopened while the judges weigh the case, which could take months.

Before the shutdown began, Trump said he would be "proud" to close the government over the issue of border security and would not blame Democrats, although he later did.

The Democratic-controlled US House of Representatives voted on Friday to restore funding for federal agencies that have been shut down by a fight with President Donald Trump over border wall funding, as some 800,000 government workers, from tax collectors to FBI agents, missed their first paycheck.

The Democratic-controlled US House of Representatives voted on Friday to restore funding for federal agencies that have been shut down by a fight with President Donald Trump over border wall funding, as some 800,000 government workers, from tax collectors to FBI agents, missed their first paycheck. But a full resumption of government operations did not appear in sight because Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell has said he will not bring the House bill up for a vote. Republicans who control the Senate have so far stood with Trump and insisted that any spending bills include money for his wall. The House bill, which passed 240-179 with only a handful of Republicans supporting it, would restore funding for the Interior Department and the Environmental Protection Agency, two of the agencies that have been without funding since December 22 amid the standoff over the proposed wall along the US-Mexico border. The bill provides $35.9 billion in discretionary funding, $6 billion above Trump's budget request and $601 million above the fiscal year 2018 enacted level. Facing the prospect of the longest US government shutdown in history, Trump has said he might declare a national emergency to bypass Congress to get funding for his wall, which was a central promise of his 2016 presidential campaign. "Humanitarian Crisis at our Southern Border," Trump said on Twitter on Friday, a day after he visited the Texas-Mexico border. "I just got back and it is a far worse situation than almost anyone would understand, an invasion!" Entering its 21st day, the partial shutdown on Friday tied the record for the longest in US history. Some 800,000 federal workers did not receive paychecks that would have gone out on Friday. Some have resorted to selling their possessions or posting appeals on online fundraising outlets to help pay their bills. "Most of them are living from paycheck to paycheck and now they approach this day on Friday having moved from paycheck to no check," Democratic Representative Elijah Cummings said in debate on the House floor. The head of the US Secret Service, which is responsible for protecting Trump, warned employees that financial stress can lead to depression and anxiety. "Keep an eye out for warning signs of trouble," Director RD "Tex" Alles wrote in a memo seen by Reuters. House approves back pay The House also passed a bill by a bipartisan vote of 411-7 that would provide back pay to federal workers once the shutdown ends. That legislation, which has already been passed by the Senate, now heads to Trump's desk to be signed into law. Separately, Senator Rob Portman and eight other Republican senators introduced legislation that would permanently outlaw the closing of government operations during budget fights, underscoring the growing frustration in Washington. During his presidential campaign, Trump repeatedly pledged that Mexico would pay for the wall, which he says is needed to stem the flow of illegal immigrants and drugs. But the Mexican government has refused and Trump is now demanding that Congress provide $5.7 billion in US taxpayer funding for the wall. Democrats in Congress call the wall an ineffective, outdated answer to a complex problem. With no Capitol Hill compromise in sight, Trump publicly ruminated on Thursday during the Texas trip about declaring an emergency. A close Trump confidant judged the time for such a step had come. Republican Senator Lindsey Graham said in a statement: "It is time for President Trump to use emergency powers to fund the construction of a border wall/barrier. I hope it works." Critics of the national emergency strategy have said it may be illegal. In any case, it was almost certain to trigger an immediate court challenge from Democrats, including an accusation of trying to circumvent Congress' power over the national purse strings. An emergency declaration would come with risks. Even some of Trump's fellow Republicans in Congress have signalled worries about such an action. Given that the Constitution gives Congress the power to set spending priorities and appropriate money, they worry about a tough legal fight and an unwise precedent. "I don't think he should do that. It's a bad precedent," Republican Senator Chuck Grassley said on CNBC. "It seems to me that An emergency declaration, however, would allow the government to be fully reopened while the judges weigh the case, which could take months. Before the shutdown began, Trump said he would be "proud" to close the government over the issue of border security and would not blame Democrats, although he later did.

US House passes bill to reopen some agencies shut down in wall fight

The new Democratic majority in the US House of Representatives is quietly planning behind the scenes for a series of investigations of Republican President Donald Trump, but no immediate flurry of subpoenas materialized as some Democrats had hoped.

Democratic leaders began their new era of control with caution, reflecting their persistent concern that acting too quickly to press investigations of Trump`s ties with Russia or his personal tax records may be perceived as overreach and cause a backlash in the next election cycle.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi rolled out legislative proposals on Friday, including one to require presidential candidates to disclose publicly 10 years worth of tax returns, a direct response to Trump`s refusal to release his.

Such caution contrasted with urgent demands from newer members of the House Democratic caucus, which took majority control on Thursday, for tough, swift action.

Representative Rashida Tlaib was filmed late on Thursday at a reception saying that Democrats were going to try to remove Trump from office, telling the crowd, "We`re going to impeach that motherfucker."

Her remark drew rebukes from Republicans and Democrats.

House Republican Whip Steve Scalise said: "Pelosi`s got her first test and it happened on day one. How is she going to stand up to the most radical left elements of her party when they become unhinged?"

During a White House news conference, Trump said Tlaib`s comment was a "dishonor to herself and to her family." Trump had earlier tweeted that Democrats were discussing impeachment because they feared running against him in the 2020 election, when he will seek a second four-year term.

"Everybody has got their own style, it ain't mine," House Majority Whip James Clyburn told reporters, referring to Tlaib. "I don`t believe we ought to be talking about impeachment until we get this country back on track."

Tlaib defended her comments in an interview with a Detroit television station on Friday. "It`s probably exactly how my grandmother, if she was alive, would say it," she told NBC-affiliate WDIV.

"I stand by impeaching the president of the United States," Tlaib said. "I ran on that."

Close scrutiny

Whether or not impeachment proceedings follow, Democrats have been firm that they will closely scrutinize Trump, his business interests and the first two years of his presidency.

Trump`s time in the White House so far has been clouded by a US special counsel`s inquiry into Russian interference in the 2016 US election and possible coordination between Moscow officials and the Trump campaign.

Democrats also charge that several of Trump`s top aides and cabinet officials have violated legal and ethical standards - a subject they believe is ripe for investigation.

&nbsp;"President Trump set the tone from the top of his administration that behaving ethically and complying the law is optional, ladies and gentleman, I stopped by here to say we`re better than that. It will not be optional," Oversight Committee Chairman Elijah Cummings told a room of cheering staffers, offering a hint of what could be to come.&nbsp;

Adam Schiff, the new chairman of the House Intelligence Committee circulated a memo in early 2018 that is now seen as a blueprint for the Democrats` investigative agenda.

Schiff maintains that committee Republicans prematurely abandoned their inquiry into Russian interference. Moscow denies meddling in the election and Trump denies collusion.&nbsp;

For instance, committee Republicans "refused" to interview White House officials Stephen Miller and Kellyanne Conway, former Trump White House aides Reince Priebus and Sean Spicer and private Trump advisors Allen Weisselberg and Alan Garten, the Schiff memo said, providing a list of possible witnesses that could be called by Democrats.

Documents about Trump deals and finances from Deutsche Bank, should be obtained "via subpoena if necessary," the memo said.

The new Democratic majority in the US House of Representatives is quietly planning behind the scenes for a series of investigations of Republican President Donald Trump, but no immediate flurry of subpoenas materialized as some Democrats had hoped.

The new Democratic majority in the US House of Representatives is quietly planning behind the scenes for a series of investigations of Republican President Donald Trump, but no immediate flurry of subpoenas materialized as some Democrats had hoped. Democratic leaders began their new era of control with caution, reflecting their persistent concern that acting too quickly to press investigations of Trump`s ties with Russia or his personal tax records may be perceived as overreach and cause a backlash in the next election cycle. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi rolled out legislative proposals on Friday, including one to require presidential candidates to disclose publicly 10 years worth of tax returns, a direct response to Trump`s refusal to release his. Such caution contrasted with urgent demands from newer members of the House Democratic caucus, which took majority control on Thursday, for tough, swift action. Representative Rashida Tlaib was filmed late on Thursday at a reception saying that Democrats were going to try to remove Trump from office, telling the crowd, "We`re going to impeach that motherfucker." Her remark drew rebukes from Republicans and Democrats. House Republican Whip Steve Scalise said: "Pelosi`s got her first test and it happened on day one. How is she going to stand up to the most radical left elements of her party when they become unhinged?" During a White House news conference, Trump said Tlaib`s comment was a "dishonor to herself and to her family." Trump had earlier tweeted that Democrats were discussing impeachment because they feared running against him in the 2020 election, when he will seek a second four-year term. "Everybody has got their own style, it ain't mine," House Majority Whip James Clyburn told reporters, referring to Tlaib. "I don`t believe we ought to be talking about impeachment until we get this country back on track." Tlaib defended her comments in an interview with a Detroit television station on Friday. "It`s probably exactly how my grandmother, if she was alive, would say it," she told NBC-affiliate WDIV. "I stand by impeaching the president of the United States," Tlaib said. "I ran on that." Close scrutiny Whether or not impeachment proceedings follow, Democrats have been firm that they will closely scrutinize Trump, his business interests and the first two years of his presidency. Trump`s time in the White House so far has been clouded by a US special counsel`s inquiry into Russian interference in the 2016 US election and possible coordination between Moscow officials and the Trump campaign. Democrats also charge that several of Trump`s top aides and cabinet officials have violated legal and ethical standards - a subject they believe is ripe for investigation. "President Trump set the tone from the top of his administration that behaving ethically and complying the law is optional, ladies and gentleman, I stopped by here to say we`re better than that. It will not be optional," Oversight Committee Chairman Elijah Cummings told a room of cheering staffers, offering a hint of what could be to come. Adam Schiff, the new chairman of the House Intelligence Committee circulated a memo in early 2018 that is now seen as a blueprint for the Democrats` investigative agenda. Schiff maintains that committee Republicans prematurely abandoned their inquiry into Russian interference. Moscow denies meddling in the election and Trump denies collusion. For instance, committee Republicans "refused" to interview White House officials Stephen Miller and Kellyanne Conway, former Trump White House aides Reince Priebus and Sean Spicer and private Trump advisors Allen Weisselberg and Alan Garten, the Schiff memo said, providing a list of possible witnesses that could be called by Democrats. Documents about Trump deals and finances from Deutsche Bank, should be obtained "via subpoena if necessary," the memo said.

Newly powerful US House Democrats hold off on Trump subpoena flurry

US President Donald Trump on Tuesday took a pot shot at the "haters and fake news media" in his New Year message, saying 2019 would be a fantastic year for those not suffering from "Trump derangement syndrome".

"Happy New Year," Trump said to his more than 56.7 million followers on Twitter.

"Happy new year to everyone, including the haters and the fake news media! 2019 will be a fantastic year for those not suffering from trump derangement syndrome. Just calm down and enjoy the ride, great things are happening for our country!" he said in an all-caps New Year's greeting on the popular social media site.

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HAPPY NEW YEAR TO EVERYONE, INCLUDING THE HATERS AND THE FAKE NEWS MEDIA! 2019 WILL BE A FANTASTIC YEAR FOR THOSE NOT SUFFERING FROM TRUMP DERANGEMENT SYNDROME. JUST CALM DOWN AND ENJOY THE RIDE, GREAT THINGS ARE HAPPENING FOR OUR COUNTRY!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1080088373451206656?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 1, 2019</a></blockquote>
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Trump has stayed at the White House instead of planned Christmas and New Year holidays at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida because of a partial government shutdown, due to a stalemate with the opposition Democrats on Congressional funding for a wall along the US-Mexico border.

The US President argues that a wall is essential to stop the flow of illegal immigrants inside the country while the Democrats say that building a wall is a waste of taxpayers' money.

In another tweet, Trump insisted that wall was the best option.

"The Democrats, much as I suspected, have allocated no money for a new Wall. So imaginative! The problem is, without a Wall there can be no real Border Security - and our Country must finally have a Strong and Secure Southern Border!" Trump tweeted.

US President Donald Trump on Tuesday took a pot shot at the "haters and fake news media" in his New Year message, saying 2019 would be a fantastic year for those not suffering from "Trump derangement syndrome".

US President Donald Trump on Tuesday took a pot shot at the "haters and fake news media" in his New Year message, saying 2019 would be a fantastic year for those not suffering from "Trump derangement syndrome". "Happy New Year," Trump said to his more than 56.7 million followers on Twitter. "Happy new year to everyone, including the haters and the fake news media! 2019 will be a fantastic year for those not suffering from trump derangement syndrome. Just calm down and enjoy the ride, great things are happening for our country!" he said in an all-caps New Year's greeting on the popular social media site. HAPPY NEW YEAR TO EVERYONE, INCLUDING THE HATERS AND THE FAKE NEWS MEDIA! 2019 WILL BE A FANTASTIC YEAR FOR THOSE NOT SUFFERING FROM TRUMP DERANGEMENT SYNDROME. JUST CALM DOWN AND ENJOY THE RIDE, GREAT THINGS ARE HAPPENING FOR OUR COUNTRY! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 1, 2019 × Trump has stayed at the White House instead of planned Christmas and New Year holidays at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida because of a partial government shutdown, due to a stalemate with the opposition Democrats on Congressional funding for a wall along the US-Mexico border. The US President argues that a wall is essential to stop the flow of illegal immigrants inside the country while the Democrats say that building a wall is a waste of taxpayers' money. In another tweet, Trump insisted that wall was the best option. "The Democrats, much as I suspected, have allocated no money for a new Wall. So imaginative! The problem is, without a Wall there can be no real Border Security - and our Country must finally have a Strong and Secure Southern Border!" Trump tweeted.

Trump takes potshot at 'haters, fake news media' in his new year message 

House of Representatives Democrats will introduce legislation this week intended to end a partial <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/us-congress-meets-briefly-takes-no-action-on-shutdown-186889">US&nbsp;government shutdown</a> and fund the Department of Homeland Security through February 8, including $1.3 billion for border security but not the $5 billion President Donald Trump has demanded for a border wall, a senior Democratic aide said on Monday.

Democrats, set this week to take control of the House from Trump's fellow Republicans, they will also offer legislation to provide year-long funding for other agencies and departments that have been closed by a partial government shutdown that began on December 22, the aide said.

Democrats have said they intend to vote on legislation to reopen the government on Thursday when the new Congress convenes.

The homeland security legislation is based on a measure that has already passed the Senate with bipartisan support. Trump's demand for $5 billion in funding for a wall along the US-Mexico border led to an impasse in Congress over legislation to keep parts of the federal government funded.

Efforts to broker a solution since the shutdown began have failed and given way to a blame game between Democrats, Trump and other Republicans.

Meanwhile, On December 28 both chambers of the US Congress convened for only a few minutes showing little sense of urgency over the shutdown but took no steps to end it.

Trump wants the money to be included in spending measures that Congress must pass to restore funding to several government agencies, including the departments of Homeland Security, Justice, Agriculture and Commerce.

Democrats have said they intend to vote on legislation to reopen the government on Thursday when the new Congress convenes.

House of Representatives Democrats will introduce legislation this week intended to end a partial US government shutdown and fund the Department of Homeland Security through February 8, including $1.3 billion for border security but not the $5 billion President Donald Trump has demanded for a border wall, a senior Democratic aide said on Monday. Democrats, set this week to take control of the House from Trump's fellow Republicans, they will also offer legislation to provide year-long funding for other agencies and departments that have been closed by a partial government shutdown that began on December 22, the aide said. Democrats have said they intend to vote on legislation to reopen the government on Thursday when the new Congress convenes. The homeland security legislation is based on a measure that has already passed the Senate with bipartisan support. Trump's demand for $5 billion in funding for a wall along the US-Mexico border led to an impasse in Congress over legislation to keep parts of the federal government funded. Efforts to broker a solution since the shutdown began have failed and given way to a blame game between Democrats, Trump and other Republicans. Meanwhile, On December 28 both chambers of the US Congress convened for only a few minutes showing little sense of urgency over the shutdown but took no steps to end it. Trump wants the money to be included in spending measures that Congress must pass to restore funding to several government agencies, including the departments of Homeland Security, Justice, Agriculture and Commerce.

US House Democrats ready bills to reopen government with $1.3 billion for border security

Congress members trickled back into Washington Thursday but there was little hope of ending the government shutdown sparked by a row with President Donald Trump over his demand for US-Mexico border wall construction.

The Senate was in session after the Christmas break, but very few lawmakers were likely to appear and formal negotiations over the budget impasse were not expected.

A lapse in funding to parts of the government meanwhile entered the sixth day.

Trump, apparently not sleeping after a gruelling roundtrip to Iraq -- his first visit to US combat troops since being elected -- indicated on Twitter that he was in no mood to compromise.

He wants $5 billion for extensions and improvements to a Mexico border barrier that he has made the centrepiece of his domestic political platform, arguing that the United States needs protection from illegal immigration.

Opponents, who include some of Trump's own Republicans, accuse the president overhyping the immigration problem for political gain and say that a wall is not the best form of border security.

In retaliation Trump is refusing to sign a wider spending package, forcing large parts of the government to hibernate as 800,000 federal employees temporarily go unpaid.

Neither side has budged in the game of political chicken and on Thursday Trump remained defiant.

"Have the Democrats finally realized that we desperately need Border Security and a Wall on the Southern Border," he tweeted, barely three hours after arriving from the Iraq trip.

"Need to stop Drugs, Human Trafficking, Gang Members &amp; Criminals from coming into our Country," he said.

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Have the Democrats finally realized that we desperately need Border Security and a Wall on the Southern Border. Need to stop Drugs, Human Trafficking,Gang Members &amp; Criminals from coming into our Country. Do the Dems realize that most of the people not getting paid are Democrats?
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1078260814157701121?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 27, 2018</a></blockquote>
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Economic jitters

Partial government shutdowns are not an unusual weapon in Washington budget negotiations, where party divides make cooperation a rarity.

But the rancour has spiralled under Trump's abrasive administration and is set to go even higher in January when the Democrats take over the House of Representatives, following their midterm election victory.

The mess has contributed to worries over the outlook for the US economy in 2019, following a surging 2018 performance.&nbsp;

The stock market had plummeted in recent days before making a record recovery on Wednesday, as investors reeled from Trump's barrage of criticism against the independent Federal Reserve.

Continuing the see-saw performance, Wall Street opened sharply lower Thursday.

Large sections of the nearly 2,000-mile border with Mexico are already divided by fences and other barriers.

But immigrants -- some fleeing danger and others just looking for jobs -- continue to cross illegally.

Trump's critics say that he is trampling over legally protected asylum rights and argue that resources should be channeled into higher-tech alternatives to a wall.

Managing the flow of illegal border crossers has been complicated by a shift from single men to more vulnerable families, including small children.

Two children from Guatemala have died while in custody of US authorities this month and Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen said that "extraordinary protective measures" were required to handle the flow.

US Customs and Border Protection Commissioner Kevin McAleenan warned Wednesday that the agency was unable to cope with the thousands of arrivals, as most facilities were built decades ago for men arriving alone.

"We need help from Congress. We need to budget for medical care and mental health care for children in our facilities," he told CBS News.

Trump, apparently not sleeping after a gruelling roundtrip to Iraq -- his first visit to US combat troops since being elected -- indicated on Twitter that he was in no mood to compromise.

Congress members trickled back into Washington Thursday but there was little hope of ending the government shutdown sparked by a row with President Donald Trump over his demand for US-Mexico border wall construction. The Senate was in session after the Christmas break, but very few lawmakers were likely to appear and formal negotiations over the budget impasse were not expected. A lapse in funding to parts of the government meanwhile entered the sixth day. Trump, apparently not sleeping after a gruelling roundtrip to Iraq -- his first visit to US combat troops since being elected -- indicated on Twitter that he was in no mood to compromise. He wants $5 billion for extensions and improvements to a Mexico border barrier that he has made the centrepiece of his domestic political platform, arguing that the United States needs protection from illegal immigration. Opponents, who include some of Trump's own Republicans, accuse the president overhyping the immigration problem for political gain and say that a wall is not the best form of border security. In retaliation Trump is refusing to sign a wider spending package, forcing large parts of the government to hibernate as 800,000 federal employees temporarily go unpaid. Neither side has budged in the game of political chicken and on Thursday Trump remained defiant. "Have the Democrats finally realized that we desperately need Border Security and a Wall on the Southern Border," he tweeted, barely three hours after arriving from the Iraq trip. "Need to stop Drugs, Human Trafficking, Gang Members & Criminals from coming into our Country," he said. Have the Democrats finally realized that we desperately need Border Security and a Wall on the Southern Border. Need to stop Drugs, Human Trafficking,Gang Members & Criminals from coming into our Country. Do the Dems realize that most of the people not getting paid are Democrats? — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 27, 2018 × Economic jitters Partial government shutdowns are not an unusual weapon in Washington budget negotiations, where party divides make cooperation a rarity. But the rancour has spiralled under Trump's abrasive administration and is set to go even higher in January when the Democrats take over the House of Representatives, following their midterm election victory. The mess has contributed to worries over the outlook for the US economy in 2019, following a surging 2018 performance. The stock market had plummeted in recent days before making a record recovery on Wednesday, as investors reeled from Trump's barrage of criticism against the independent Federal Reserve. Continuing the see-saw performance, Wall Street opened sharply lower Thursday. Large sections of the nearly 2,000-mile border with Mexico are already divided by fences and other barriers. But immigrants -- some fleeing danger and others just looking for jobs -- continue to cross illegally. Trump's critics say that he is trampling over legally protected asylum rights and argue that resources should be channeled into higher-tech alternatives to a wall. Managing the flow of illegal border crossers has been complicated by a shift from single men to more vulnerable families, including small children. Two children from Guatemala have died while in custody of US authorities this month and Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen said that "extraordinary protective measures" were required to handle the flow. US Customs and Border Protection Commissioner Kevin McAleenan warned Wednesday that the agency was unable to cope with the thousands of arrivals, as most facilities were built decades ago for men arriving alone. "We need help from Congress. We need to budget for medical care and mental health care for children in our facilities," he told CBS News.

Trump opens fire on sixth day of government shutdown

Border wall row leaves US on brink of govt shutdown

US President Donald Trump stood firm <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/us-senate-approves-bill-to-avert-government-shutdown-excludes-mexico-border-wall-funding-185405">on Thursday after refusing to sign</a> a stopgap spending bill because it does not contain border wall funding, leaving lawmakers scrambling to avoid a government shutdown before Christmas.

Trump's rejection of a measure that unanimously passed the Senate and was under consideration in the House plunged Washington into political chaos 36 hours before a midnight Friday deadline that sees funding expire for key agencies.

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With so much talk about the Wall, people are losing sight of the great job being done on our Southern Border by Border Patrol, ICE and our great Military. Remember the Caravans? Well, they didn’t get through and none are forming or on their way. Border is tight. Fake News silent!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1075732375169060869?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 20, 2018</a></blockquote>
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He appeared to harden his demand for $5 billion in funding for the wall on the US-Mexico border, something he has fought for since he began campaigning for president in 2015.

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The Democrats, who know Steel Slats (Wall) are necessary for Border Security, are putting politics over Country. What they are just beginning to realize is that I will not sign any of their legislation, including infrastructure, unless it has perfect Border Security. U.S.A. WINS!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1075729672628068353?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 20, 2018</a></blockquote>
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Republican leaders had planned to pass a temporary funding extension, known as a continuing resolution, until February 8, to allow time for debate about issues including border security.

But with ultra-conservative lawmakers and media personalities effectively demanding that the president stick to his campaign promise to fight for a border wall, Trump doubled down.

"I've made my position very clear. Any measure that funds the government has to include border security," he said at a White House event.

"Walls work, whether we like it or not," he added. "They work better than anything."

So far Democrats have refused to budge, saying they will not support a spending measure that funds Trump's wall.

"In terms of wall funding, that's a non-starter," said top House Democrat Nancy Pelosi. "I think they know that."

Fears of a shutdown - which could send thousands of federal employees home without pay just before Christmas - helped send US stocks tumbling, with the Dow closing down 2.0 per cent.

Trump had backed off his shutdown threat earlier this week, but it roared back to life as he accused Democrats of "putting politics over country" by not supporting a wall, which he insists will curb illegal immigration.

"What they are just beginning to realize," Trump tweeted about opposition Democrats, "is that I will not sign any of their legislation, including infrastructure, unless it has perfect Border Security."

Trump's move may have been influenced by members of the House Freedom caucus, some of whom have publicly called on the Republican president to stick to his guns on wall funding.

"Mr. President, we'll back you up," caucus chairman Mark Meadows said on the House floor late on Wednesday. "If you veto this bill, we'll be there."

Meadows, along with outgoing House Speaker Paul Ryan and other Republicans, met with Trump at the White House Thursday to discuss the path forward.

Ryan urged Congress to include border security measures in the funding bill but did not use the word "wall."

White House spokeswoman Sarah Sanders was more affirmative.

"We urgently need funding for border security and that includes a wall," she said.

Pelosi, Ryan's likely successor as speaker when Democrats reclaim the majority on January 3, meanwhile accused Republicans of having a "meltdown" over whether to pass the stopgap measure or force a shutdown.

And while House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy expressed optimism that "there's still time" for Congress to cobble together a fix before breaking for the holidays, any new bill would face huge hurdles in the Senate.

Advancing a measure in the 100-member upper chamber takes 60 votes. Republicans control 51, and getting nine Democrats to support $5 billion in wall funding is a virtual non-starter.

The news of Trump's rejection caught many lawmakers flat-footed.

"Are you ruining my life?" Republican Senator Susan Collins joked to The Hill when informed of Trump's decision, adding that she does not believe there are sufficient votes to pass a modified continuing resolution to get through Congress.

Democrats sounded flabbergasted that Republicans -- who currently control the White House, the House and the Senate -- might allow key funding to lapse.

"If the government shuts down, make no mistake -- this will be the Trump shutdown," congressman Dan Kildee said. "This is no way to run the corner grocery store, let alone the government of the United States."

The US government endured two brief shutdowns in early 2018. A far more crippling shutdown lasted for 16 days in 2013, when about 800,000 federal workers were furloughed amid a fight over funding Barack Obama's health care reforms.

US President Donald Trump stood firm on Thursday after refusing to sign a stopgap spending bill because it does not contain border wall funding, leaving lawmakers scrambling to avoid a government shutdown before Christmas.

US President Donald Trump stood firm on Thursday after refusing to sign a stopgap spending bill because it does not contain border wall funding, leaving lawmakers scrambling to avoid a government shutdown before Christmas. Trump's rejection of a measure that unanimously passed the Senate and was under consideration in the House plunged Washington into political chaos 36 hours before a midnight Friday deadline that sees funding expire for key agencies. With so much talk about the Wall, people are losing sight of the great job being done on our Southern Border by Border Patrol, ICE and our great Military. Remember the Caravans? Well, they didn’t get through and none are forming or on their way. Border is tight. Fake News silent! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 20, 2018 × He appeared to harden his demand for $5 billion in funding for the wall on the US-Mexico border, something he has fought for since he began campaigning for president in 2015. The Democrats, who know Steel Slats (Wall) are necessary for Border Security, are putting politics over Country. What they are just beginning to realize is that I will not sign any of their legislation, including infrastructure, unless it has perfect Border Security. U.S.A. WINS! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 20, 2018 × Republican leaders had planned to pass a temporary funding extension, known as a continuing resolution, until February 8, to allow time for debate about issues including border security. But with ultra-conservative lawmakers and media personalities effectively demanding that the president stick to his campaign promise to fight for a border wall, Trump doubled down. "I've made my position very clear. Any measure that funds the government has to include border security," he said at a White House event. "Walls work, whether we like it or not," he added. "They work better than anything." So far Democrats have refused to budge, saying they will not support a spending measure that funds Trump's wall. "In terms of wall funding, that's a non-starter," said top House Democrat Nancy Pelosi. "I think they know that." Fears of a shutdown - which could send thousands of federal employees home without pay just before Christmas - helped send US stocks tumbling, with the Dow closing down 2.0 per cent. Trump had backed off his shutdown threat earlier this week, but it roared back to life as he accused Democrats of "putting politics over country" by not supporting a wall, which he insists will curb illegal immigration. "What they are just beginning to realize," Trump tweeted about opposition Democrats, "is that I will not sign any of their legislation, including infrastructure, unless it has perfect Border Security." Trump's move may have been influenced by members of the House Freedom caucus, some of whom have publicly called on the Republican president to stick to his guns on wall funding. "Mr. President, we'll back you up," caucus chairman Mark Meadows said on the House floor late on Wednesday. "If you veto this bill, we'll be there." Meadows, along with outgoing House Speaker Paul Ryan and other Republicans, met with Trump at the White House Thursday to discuss the path forward. Ryan urged Congress to include border security measures in the funding bill but did not use the word "wall." White House spokeswoman Sarah Sanders was more affirmative. "We urgently need funding for border security and that includes a wall," she said. Pelosi, Ryan's likely successor as speaker when Democrats reclaim the majority on January 3, meanwhile accused Republicans of having a "meltdown" over whether to pass the stopgap measure or force a shutdown. And while House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy expressed optimism that "there's still time" for Congress to cobble together a fix before breaking for the holidays, any new bill would face huge hurdles in the Senate. Advancing a measure in the 100-member upper chamber takes 60 votes. Republicans control 51, and getting nine Democrats to support $5 billion in wall funding is a virtual non-starter. The news of Trump's rejection caught many lawmakers flat-footed. "Are you ruining my life?" Republican Senator Susan Collins joked to The Hill when informed of Trump's decision, adding that she does not believe there are sufficient votes to pass a modified continuing resolution to get through Congress. Democrats sounded flabbergasted that Republicans -- who currently control the White House, the House and the Senate -- might allow key funding to lapse. "If the government shuts down, make no mistake -- this will be the Trump shutdown," congressman Dan Kildee said. "This is no way to run the corner grocery store, let alone the government of the United States." The US government endured two brief shutdowns in early 2018. A far more crippling shutdown lasted for 16 days in 2013, when about 800,000 federal workers were furloughed amid a fight over funding Barack Obama's health care reforms.

Trump refuses to sign US government shutdown legislation over Mexico wall funding

A rush of Democrats will likely announce US presidential bids in January in an unusually early start to the 2020 election cycle, lining up for what is poised to be a crowded race to take on President Donald Trump.

Democrats are riding a wave of enthusiasm after taking control of the House of Representatives in last month's <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/factbox-seven-takeaways-from-the-us-congressional-elections-176061">congressional elections</a>, which were viewed as a referendum on Trump. But the party has no clear presidential front-runner for the first time since the 2004 campaign.

Party insiders expect between six and 10 candidates to launch exploratory or formal White House bids next month, with the eventual field of Democratic contenders swelling to as many as 20, according to interviews with nearly a dozen senior Democratic strategists.

During the 2016 presidential race, Democratic candidates Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders waited until April 2015 to announce their White House bids. Clinton went on to secure her party`s nomination but lost to Trump.&nbsp;

Political strategists said Democratic hopefuls were likely to enter the fray sooner in the 2020 election cycle in part because candidates will be jockeying to hire the best staffers and secure the best local endorsements in states that hold the first nominating contests, like Iowa and New Hampshire, where wins can generate early momentum.

A good showing in the first fundraising quarter of 2019 would give lesser-known candidates the chance to place media ads and hold events to introduce themselves to voters.&nbsp;

"Primary voters, especially in a campaign where the stakes are as high as this one, are going to be incredibly attentive and discerning," said Democratic strategist Jesse Ferguson, a spokesman for Clinton`s 2016 campaign. "They`re going to need time to do more than just kick the tires. They`re going to want a full-fledged road test before backing a nominee."

Politicians said to be considering 2020 campaigns include former Vice President Joe Biden; US Senators Kamala Harris, Elizabeth Warren, Kirsten Gillibrand, Amy Klobuchar, Bernie Sanders, Sherrod Brown and Cory Booker; and current and former mayors like Eric Garcetti in Los Angeles and Michael Bloomberg in New York.

Two potential Democratic contenders took initial steps to launch their presidential campaigns over the past week.

Julian Castro from Texas who served as secretary of housing and urban development under former President Barack Obama, on Wednesday formed an exploratory committee, which is used to raise money in the nascent phases of a campaign.&nbsp;

Tom Steyer, a California billionaire and environmentalist behind a campaign to impeach Trump, began advertising anonymously on LinkedIn for state directors in Nevada, New Hampshire and South Carolina.

"As Tom has said publicly — he is considering how he can have the most impact in 2020 and our team is exploring staffing options should he decide to move forward with a run," said Steyer spokeswoman Aleigha Cavalier.

One Democrat already in the presidential chase is outgoing US Representative John Delaney of Maryland. He announced his candidacy in July 2017 but has yet to establish a national profile.

Primary debates

Another factor candidates must consider when timing their campaign launches is a primary debate schedule that is expected to begin earlier - possibly as soon as May 2019 - and contain more matchups than in past cycles, according to individuals familiar with the deliberations.

Democratic National Committee Chairman Tom Perez has said a preliminary schedule would be announced by year's end. The DNC declined to comment ahead of its release.

In the 2016 election cycle, Clinton`s rivals said a limited debate schedule gave her an unfair advantage. The DNC later approved additional debates and candidate forums.

To ease concerns ahead of 2020, the DNC has held as many as 50 debate planning meetings this year to set both a preliminary calendar and the process it will use to sort an unwieldy number of candidates onto multiple debate stages.&nbsp;

In the past, parties grouped candidates using polling, but the DNC is considering multiple metrics, or hosting serial debates with candidates divided randomly, said the individuals familiar with the discussions.

The Republican National Committee, which contended with 17 candidates ahead of the first Republican primary debate in August 2015, used national polling to decide who participated in a prime-time debate versus an earlier one that attracted a smaller audience.

Rick Tyler, a Republican strategist who worked for US Senator Ted Cruz`s unsuccessful 2016 presidential campaign, said Democrats should improve the system.

"It`s impossible to get out of the JV debate," Tyler said, using the sports term `JV` or junior varsity to refer to the lower-tier candidates. "Some of those people you haven`t heard of will be attractive, and we won`t know that if we relegate them to the JV."&nbsp;

A rush of Democrats will likely announce US presidential bids in January in an unusually early start to the 2020 election cycle, lining up for what is poised to be a crowded race to take on President Donald Trump.

A rush of Democrats will likely announce US presidential bids in January in an unusually early start to the 2020 election cycle, lining up for what is poised to be a crowded race to take on President Donald Trump. Democrats are riding a wave of enthusiasm after taking control of the House of Representatives in last month's congressional elections, which were viewed as a referendum on Trump. But the party has no clear presidential front-runner for the first time since the 2004 campaign. Party insiders expect between six and 10 candidates to launch exploratory or formal White House bids next month, with the eventual field of Democratic contenders swelling to as many as 20, according to interviews with nearly a dozen senior Democratic strategists. During the 2016 presidential race, Democratic candidates Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders waited until April 2015 to announce their White House bids. Clinton went on to secure her party`s nomination but lost to Trump. Political strategists said Democratic hopefuls were likely to enter the fray sooner in the 2020 election cycle in part because candidates will be jockeying to hire the best staffers and secure the best local endorsements in states that hold the first nominating contests, like Iowa and New Hampshire, where wins can generate early momentum. A good showing in the first fundraising quarter of 2019 would give lesser-known candidates the chance to place media ads and hold events to introduce themselves to voters. "Primary voters, especially in a campaign where the stakes are as high as this one, are going to be incredibly attentive and discerning," said Democratic strategist Jesse Ferguson, a spokesman for Clinton`s 2016 campaign. "They`re going to need time to do more than just kick the tires. They`re going to want a full-fledged road test before backing a nominee." Politicians said to be considering 2020 campaigns include former Vice President Joe Biden; US Senators Kamala Harris, Elizabeth Warren, Kirsten Gillibrand, Amy Klobuchar, Bernie Sanders, Sherrod Brown and Cory Booker; and current and former mayors like Eric Garcetti in Los Angeles and Michael Bloomberg in New York. Two potential Democratic contenders took initial steps to launch their presidential campaigns over the past week. Julian Castro from Texas who served as secretary of housing and urban development under former President Barack Obama, on Wednesday formed an exploratory committee, which is used to raise money in the nascent phases of a campaign. Tom Steyer, a California billionaire and environmentalist behind a campaign to impeach Trump, began advertising anonymously on LinkedIn for state directors in Nevada, New Hampshire and South Carolina. "As Tom has said publicly — he is considering how he can have the most impact in 2020 and our team is exploring staffing options should he decide to move forward with a run," said Steyer spokeswoman Aleigha Cavalier. One Democrat already in the presidential chase is outgoing US Representative John Delaney of Maryland. He announced his candidacy in July 2017 but has yet to establish a national profile. Primary debates Another factor candidates must consider when timing their campaign launches is a primary debate schedule that is expected to begin earlier - possibly as soon as May 2019 - and contain more matchups than in past cycles, according to individuals familiar with the deliberations. Democratic National Committee Chairman Tom Perez has said a preliminary schedule would be announced by year's end. The DNC declined to comment ahead of its release. In the 2016 election cycle, Clinton`s rivals said a limited debate schedule gave her an unfair advantage. The DNC later approved additional debates and candidate forums. To ease concerns ahead of 2020, the DNC has held as many as 50 debate planning meetings this year to set both a preliminary calendar and the process it will use to sort an unwieldy number of candidates onto multiple debate stages. In the past, parties grouped candidates using polling, but the DNC is considering multiple metrics, or hosting serial debates with candidates divided randomly, said the individuals familiar with the discussions. The Republican National Committee, which contended with 17 candidates ahead of the first Republican primary debate in August 2015, used national polling to decide who participated in a prime-time debate versus an earlier one that attracted a smaller audience. Rick Tyler, a Republican strategist who worked for US Senator Ted Cruz`s unsuccessful 2016 presidential campaign, said Democrats should improve the system. "It`s impossible to get out of the JV debate," Tyler said, using the sports term `JV` or junior varsity to refer to the lower-tier candidates. "Some of those people you haven`t heard of will be attractive, and we won`t know that if we relegate them to the JV."

Flurry of Democrats expected to enter 2020 White House race in coming weeks

A three-term Republican congressman conceded defeat on Thursday in a close race in California, giving the Democrats a total of 235 seats in the US House of Representatives.

Republican David Valadao, who was first elected to the House from California's 21st Congressional District in 2012, called Democrat TJ&nbsp;Cox to concede the race.

The result gave the Democrats 235 seats in the 435-member chamber, a net gain of 40 seats over the previous House.

Republicans won 199 seats with one race still to be decided.

Mark Harris, a Republican, defeated his Democratic opponent Dan McCready by 905 votes, in a North Carolina district, according to preliminary results, but the state elections board has declined to certify the result.

The close election in North Carolina's 9th Congressional District has been marred by allegations of ballot fraud on behalf of the Republican candidate Mark Harris.

The state elections board is investigating the electoral fraud allegations and it could potentially call for a new election.

McCready, who had conceded the race, withdrew his concession on Thursday and called on Harris to "end his silence and tell us exactly what he knew, and when."

Nancy Pelosi, the California lawmaker who is expected to become the speaker of the Democratic-controlled House which convenes in January, welcomed Cox's victory.

"It's pretty exciting to have won a minimum of 40 seats -- one more to come maybe," Pelosi told reporters. "And it is wonderful that we had the biggest midterm vote in the history of our country."

While suffering big losses in the House, Republicans managed to pick up two seats in the 100-member Senate, increasing their majority to 53 seats from 51 seats.

A three-term Republican congressman conceded defeat on Thursday in a close race in California, giving the Democrats a total of 235 seats in the US House of Representatives.

A three-term Republican congressman conceded defeat on Thursday in a close race in California, giving the Democrats a total of 235 seats in the US House of Representatives. Republican David Valadao, who was first elected to the House from California's 21st Congressional District in 2012, called Democrat TJ Cox to concede the race. The result gave the Democrats 235 seats in the 435-member chamber, a net gain of 40 seats over the previous House. Republicans won 199 seats with one race still to be decided. Mark Harris, a Republican, defeated his Democratic opponent Dan McCready by 905 votes, in a North Carolina district, according to preliminary results, but the state elections board has declined to certify the result. The close election in North Carolina's 9th Congressional District has been marred by allegations of ballot fraud on behalf of the Republican candidate Mark Harris. The state elections board is investigating the electoral fraud allegations and it could potentially call for a new election. McCready, who had conceded the race, withdrew his concession on Thursday and called on Harris to "end his silence and tell us exactly what he knew, and when." Nancy Pelosi, the California lawmaker who is expected to become the speaker of the Democratic-controlled House which convenes in January, welcomed Cox's victory. "It's pretty exciting to have won a minimum of 40 seats -- one more to come maybe," Pelosi told reporters. "And it is wonderful that we had the biggest midterm vote in the history of our country." While suffering big losses in the House, Republicans managed to pick up two seats in the 100-member Senate, increasing their majority to 53 seats from 51 seats.

Democrats win California seat for net gain of 40 in US House

A Congressional committee <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/white-house-adviser-ivanka-trump-used-personal-email-for-government-work-178335">will investigate Ivanka Trump</a>, US&nbsp;President Donald Trump's daughter and a White House adviser, following reports that she repeatedly used a personal email account for government work, a House Democrat said on Tuesday.

A White House review of Ivanka Trump's email found that she used her personal account up to 100 times last year to contact other Trump administration officials, the Washington Post reported on Monday, citing people familiar with the review.

Use of a personal account for government business potentially violates a law requiring preservation of all presidential records.

President Trump, a Republican, repeatedly criticised his Democratic rival Hillary Clinton in the 2016 presidential election campaign over her use of personal email and a private server while she was U.S. secretary of state.

Representatives for U.S. Representative Elijah Cummings, the top Democrat on the House Oversight Committee, said the panel will investigate White House communications when Democrats take over the U.S. House of Representatives in January.

"We plan to continue our investigation of the presidential records act and federal records act, and we want to know if Ivanka complied with the law," his office said in a statement.

Cummings, in a separate statement, said the White House has not complied with previous document requests.

The current House Oversight committee chairman, Republican Trey Gowdy, also asked the White House for documents and information related to Ivanka Trump's use of private email in a letter on Tuesday.

The White House did not respond to a request for comment, but Trump said his daughter's use of her personal email account was different from Clinton's.

"For a little period of time, Ivanka did some emails. They weren't classified like Hillary Clinton. They weren't deleted like Hillary Clinton ... She wasn't doing anything to hide her emails," Trump told reporters. His daughter did not have a private server as Clinton did, Trump said.

Peter Mirijanian, a spokesman for Ivanka Trump's ethics lawyer, Abbe Lowell, told the Post the emails occurred before she was aware of government record-keeping regulations.

Since then, she has turned over all her government-related emails to be stored with other White House records, the Post reported.

Ivanka Trump's emails came to light when White House officials began reviewing them in response to a lawsuit from watchdog group American Oversight, according to the Post. The paper said she used the personal account for official business fewer than 100 times in 2017.

The New York Times also reported on Ivanka Trump's email use.

Clinton's email practices as secretary of state prompted a Federal Bureau of Investigation probe in the run-up to the 2016 election that still draws ire from Trump and calls from some of his supporters to "lock her up."

The FBI concluded Clinton's actions were extremely careless but did not recommend any charges be filed. Clinton expressed regret for her decision to use a private server but said she violated no rules.

U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal, a Democrat on the Senate Judiciary panel, said there was "no way" Ivanka Trump did not know the rules after the 2016 campaign. There were also larger questions about the Trump family's mixing of private enterprise and government duties, Blumenthal said.

"It raises the issue of whether there has been anything improper. There should be some kind of investigation" either by Congress or the White House ethics office, Blumenthal told CNN.

The White House began reviewing senior aides' email use last year after reports that Ivanka Trump's husband Jared Kushner, also a top White House adviser, used private email for government work.

A Congressional committee will investigate Ivanka Trump, US President Donald Trump's daughter and a White House adviser, following reports that she repeatedly used a personal email account for government work, a House Democrat said on Tuesday.

A Congressional committee will investigate Ivanka Trump, US President Donald Trump's daughter and a White House adviser, following reports that she repeatedly used a personal email account for government work, a House Democrat said on Tuesday. A White House review of Ivanka Trump's email found that she used her personal account up to 100 times last year to contact other Trump administration officials, the Washington Post reported on Monday, citing people familiar with the review. Use of a personal account for government business potentially violates a law requiring preservation of all presidential records. President Trump, a Republican, repeatedly criticised his Democratic rival Hillary Clinton in the 2016 presidential election campaign over her use of personal email and a private server while she was U.S. secretary of state. Representatives for U.S. Representative Elijah Cummings, the top Democrat on the House Oversight Committee, said the panel will investigate White House communications when Democrats take over the U.S. House of Representatives in January. "We plan to continue our investigation of the presidential records act and federal records act, and we want to know if Ivanka complied with the law," his office said in a statement. Cummings, in a separate statement, said the White House has not complied with previous document requests. The current House Oversight committee chairman, Republican Trey Gowdy, also asked the White House for documents and information related to Ivanka Trump's use of private email in a letter on Tuesday. The White House did not respond to a request for comment, but Trump said his daughter's use of her personal email account was different from Clinton's. "For a little period of time, Ivanka did some emails. They weren't classified like Hillary Clinton. They weren't deleted like Hillary Clinton ... She wasn't doing anything to hide her emails," Trump told reporters. His daughter did not have a private server as Clinton did, Trump said. Peter Mirijanian, a spokesman for Ivanka Trump's ethics lawyer, Abbe Lowell, told the Post the emails occurred before she was aware of government record-keeping regulations. Since then, she has turned over all her government-related emails to be stored with other White House records, the Post reported. Ivanka Trump's emails came to light when White House officials began reviewing them in response to a lawsuit from watchdog group American Oversight, according to the Post. The paper said she used the personal account for official business fewer than 100 times in 2017. The New York Times also reported on Ivanka Trump's email use. Clinton's email practices as secretary of state prompted a Federal Bureau of Investigation probe in the run-up to the 2016 election that still draws ire from Trump and calls from some of his supporters to "lock her up." The FBI concluded Clinton's actions were extremely careless but did not recommend any charges be filed. Clinton expressed regret for her decision to use a private server but said she violated no rules. U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal, a Democrat on the Senate Judiciary panel, said there was "no way" Ivanka Trump did not know the rules after the 2016 campaign. There were also larger questions about the Trump family's mixing of private enterprise and government duties, Blumenthal said. "It raises the issue of whether there has been anything improper. There should be some kind of investigation" either by Congress or the White House ethics office, Blumenthal told CNN. The White House began reviewing senior aides' email use last year after reports that Ivanka Trump's husband Jared Kushner, also a top White House adviser, used private email for government work.

Congressional committee to investigate Ivanka Trump's private email use for work

After Democrat Andrew Gillum <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/us-midterm-polls-republican-martha-mcsally-loses-arizona-senate-seat-176966">conceded race for Florida governor </a>to his Republican rival, Ron DeSantis, Republican Rick Scott narrowly won the US Senate seat from Florida beating Democrat Bill Nelson.

The vote had gone into a recount which was being conducted by hand in a long-drawn out battle of nerves resulted in Scott's favour who won &nbsp;over 10,000 votes, or 50.05 percent to 49.93 percent.

"I just spoke with Senator Bill Nelson, who graciously conceded, and I thanked him for his years of public service," Scott said.

President Trump was quick to react on his fellow Republicans win, saying: "From day one Rick Scott never wavered. He was a great Governor and will be even a greater Senator in representing the People of Florida."&nbsp;

"Congratulations to Rick on having waged such a courageous and successful campaign!"&nbsp;

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From day one Rick Scott never wavered. He was a great Governor and will be even a greater Senator in representing the People of Florida. Congratulations to Rick on having waged such a courageous and successful campaign!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1064246787161145346?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 18, 2018</a></blockquote>
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The elections which were held on November 6th had led to a bitter war of words between the Democrats and Republicans with President Trump accusing&nbsp;Florida authorities of fraud although no evidence was found of voter fraud in the state.

After his victory, Scott said: "We must do what Americans have always done: come together for the good of our state and our country," adding,"my focus will not be on looking backward, but on doing exactly what I ran on: Making Washington Work."

Earlier on Saturday, Democrat Andrew Gillum had lost the Governor's race. In Georgia, Democrat Stacey Abrams lost to Republican Brian Kemp, Georgia's secretary of state with a one percentage point win.

After Democrat Andrew Gillum conceded race for Florida governor to his Republican rival, Ron DeSantis, Republican Rick Scott narrowly won the US Senate seat from Florida beating Democrat Bill Nelson.

After Democrat Andrew Gillum conceded race for Florida governor to his Republican rival, Ron DeSantis, Republican Rick Scott narrowly won the US Senate seat from Florida beating Democrat Bill Nelson. The vote had gone into a recount which was being conducted by hand in a long-drawn out battle of nerves resulted in Scott's favour who won over 10,000 votes, or 50.05 percent to 49.93 percent. "I just spoke with Senator Bill Nelson, who graciously conceded, and I thanked him for his years of public service," Scott said. President Trump was quick to react on his fellow Republicans win, saying: "From day one Rick Scott never wavered. He was a great Governor and will be even a greater Senator in representing the People of Florida." "Congratulations to Rick on having waged such a courageous and successful campaign!" From day one Rick Scott never wavered. He was a great Governor and will be even a greater Senator in representing the People of Florida. Congratulations to Rick on having waged such a courageous and successful campaign! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 18, 2018 × The elections which were held on November 6th had led to a bitter war of words between the Democrats and Republicans with President Trump accusing Florida authorities of fraud although no evidence was found of voter fraud in the state. After his victory, Scott said: "We must do what Americans have always done: come together for the good of our state and our country," adding,"my focus will not be on looking backward, but on doing exactly what I ran on: Making Washington Work." Earlier on Saturday, Democrat Andrew Gillum had lost the Governor's race. In Georgia, Democrat Stacey Abrams lost to Republican Brian Kemp, Georgia's secretary of state with a one percentage point win.

US midterm elections: Republican Rick Scott wins Florida Senate race

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