The Trump administration on Monday announced it was returning&nbsp;Cuba&nbsp;to the US&nbsp;list of state sponsors of terrorism, a move that could complicate any efforts by the incoming Biden administration to revive Obama-era detente with Havana.

Just nine days before Republican President Donald Trump leaves office, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said&nbsp;Cuba&nbsp;was being listed for "repeatedly providing support for acts of international terrorism" by harbouring US&nbsp;fugitives and Colombian rebel leaders.

Pompeo also cited Communist-ruled&nbsp;Cuba's security support for Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, which he said had allowed the socialist leader to maintain his grip on power and create "a permissive environment for international terrorists to live and thrive within Venezuela."

"With this action, we will once again hold&nbsp;Cuba’s government accountable and send a clear message: the Castro regime must end its support for international terrorism and subversion of US&nbsp;justice," Pompeo said in a statement.

Returning&nbsp;Cuba&nbsp;to the list is a further rollback of the detente that Democratic former President Barack Obama orchestrated between the old Cold War foes. Obama's decision to formally remove&nbsp;Cuba&nbsp;from the terrorism list in 2015 was an important step toward restoring diplomatic ties that year.

The terrorism list decision followed months of legal review, with some administration experts questioning whether it was justified, a person familiar with the matter told Reuters, speaking on condition of anonymity.

It would require further lengthy legal deliberations for Democratic President-elect Joe Biden to reverse the designation.

Trump has clamped down on&nbsp;Cuba&nbsp;since coming to power in 2017, tightening restrictions on US&nbsp;travel and remittances to&nbsp;Cuba, and imposing sanctions on shipments of Venezuelan oil to the island.

Trump's policy was popular among the large&nbsp;Cuban-American population in South Florida, helping him win the state in November though he lost the election to Biden, who was Obama's vice president.

Biden said during the election campaign he would promptly reverse Trump policies on&nbsp;Cuba&nbsp;that “have inflicted harm on the&nbsp;Cuban people and done nothing to advance democracy and human rights.”

But Trump's move could make it more difficult for Biden to resume rapprochement when he takes office. Syria, Iran and North Korea are other countries on the list.

"We condemn the US announced the hypocritical and cynical designation of #Cuba&nbsp;as a State sponsoring terrorism,"&nbsp;Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez said on Twitter. "The US political opportunism is recognized by those who are honestly concerned about the scourge of terrorism and its victims."

Trump has kept up a steady stream of 11th-hour sanctions announcements and other actions against targets including&nbsp;Cuba, Venezuela and Iran, and Biden aides have said some appear designed to tie his hands when he is sworn in on Jan. 20.

"We’ve taken note of these last-minute manoeuvres," a Biden official said. "The transition team is reviewing each one."

Democratic Senator Patrick Leahy, a staunch supporter of Obama's rapprochement, condemned Pompeo for a "blatantly politicized designation," saying "domestic terrorism in the United States poses a far greater threat to Americans."

A re-listing of&nbsp;Cuba&nbsp;has heavy symbolic meaning for Havana, which had chafed for decades under the US&nbsp;designation, though it is unclear how much practical impact there will be.

The designation carries a prohibition on US&nbsp;economic aid, a ban on US&nbsp;arms exports, controls on "dual-use" items with military and civilian applications, and a requirement that the United States oppose loans to&nbsp;Cuba&nbsp;by institutions such as the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund.

But many of those restrictions are already in place - or have even been tightened by Trump - and a decades-old US&nbsp;economic embargo remains and can only be lifted by Congress.

In Monday's announcement, Pompeo singled out, among others, the case of the most prominent US&nbsp;fugitive in&nbsp;Cuba: Joanne Chesimard, who fled there after escaping a New Jersey prison following her conviction for killing a New Jersey State trooper in 1973 and who changed her name to Assata Shakur.

Pompeo also condemned&nbsp;Cuba's refusal of Colombia's request to extradite leaders of the ELN rebel group after it claimed responsibility for an attack at a Bogota police academy in January 2019 that killed 22 people.

The leaders of the National Liberation Army (ELN), the largest active guerrilla group in Colombia, travelled to Havana as part of peace negotiations that collapsed after the attack.

Cuba&nbsp;has received plaudits in the past for hosting the successful peace talks between the Colombian government and the former FARC rebel army.

The Trump administration on Monday announced it was returning Cuba to the US list of state sponsors of terrorism, a move that could complicate any efforts by the incoming Biden administration to revive Obama-era detente with Havana.

The Trump administration on Monday announced it was returning Cuba to the US list of state sponsors of terrorism, a move that could complicate any efforts by the incoming Biden administration to revive Obama-era detente with Havana. Just nine days before Republican President Donald Trump leaves office, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said Cuba was being listed for "repeatedly providing support for acts of international terrorism" by harbouring US fugitives and Colombian rebel leaders. Pompeo also cited Communist-ruled Cuba's security support for Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, which he said had allowed the socialist leader to maintain his grip on power and create "a permissive environment for international terrorists to live and thrive within Venezuela." "With this action, we will once again hold Cuba’s government accountable and send a clear message: the Castro regime must end its support for international terrorism and subversion of US justice," Pompeo said in a statement. Returning Cuba to the list is a further rollback of the detente that Democratic former President Barack Obama orchestrated between the old Cold War foes. Obama's decision to formally remove Cuba from the terrorism list in 2015 was an important step toward restoring diplomatic ties that year. The terrorism list decision followed months of legal review, with some administration experts questioning whether it was justified, a person familiar with the matter told Reuters, speaking on condition of anonymity. It would require further lengthy legal deliberations for Democratic President-elect Joe Biden to reverse the designation. Trump has clamped down on Cuba since coming to power in 2017, tightening restrictions on US travel and remittances to Cuba, and imposing sanctions on shipments of Venezuelan oil to the island. Trump's policy was popular among the large Cuban-American population in South Florida, helping him win the state in November though he lost the election to Biden, who was Obama's vice president. Biden said during the election campaign he would promptly reverse Trump policies on Cuba that “have inflicted harm on the Cuban people and done nothing to advance democracy and human rights.” But Trump's move could make it more difficult for Biden to resume rapprochement when he takes office. Syria, Iran and North Korea are other countries on the list. "We condemn the US announced the hypocritical and cynical designation of #Cuba as a State sponsoring terrorism," Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez said on Twitter. "The US political opportunism is recognized by those who are honestly concerned about the scourge of terrorism and its victims." Trump has kept up a steady stream of 11th-hour sanctions announcements and other actions against targets including Cuba, Venezuela and Iran, and Biden aides have said some appear designed to tie his hands when he is sworn in on Jan. 20. "We’ve taken note of these last-minute manoeuvres," a Biden official said. "The transition team is reviewing each one." Democratic Senator Patrick Leahy, a staunch supporter of Obama's rapprochement, condemned Pompeo for a "blatantly politicized designation," saying "domestic terrorism in the United States poses a far greater threat to Americans." A re-listing of Cuba has heavy symbolic meaning for Havana, which had chafed for decades under the US designation, though it is unclear how much practical impact there will be. The designation carries a prohibition on US economic aid, a ban on US arms exports, controls on "dual-use" items with military and civilian applications, and a requirement that the United States oppose loans to Cuba by institutions such as the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund. But many of those restrictions are already in place - or have even been tightened by Trump - and a decades-old US economic embargo remains and can only be lifted by Congress. In Monday's announcement, Pompeo singled out, among others, the case of the most prominent US fugitive in Cuba: Joanne Chesimard, who fled there after escaping a New Jersey prison following her conviction for killing a New Jersey State trooper in 1973 and who changed her name to Assata Shakur. Pompeo also condemned Cuba's refusal of Colombia's request to extradite leaders of the ELN rebel group after it claimed responsibility for an attack at a Bogota police academy in January 2019 that killed 22 people. The leaders of the National Liberation Army (ELN), the largest active guerrilla group in Colombia, travelled to Havana as part of peace negotiations that collapsed after the attack. Cuba has received plaudits in the past for hosting the successful peace talks between the Colombian government and the former FARC rebel army.

Donald Trump returns Cuba to US list of state sponsors of terrorism

WASHINGTON — The Trump administration politicized the intelligence around foreign election interference in 2020, resulting in significant errors in its reports last year to Congress and the public, a report by the intelligence community ombudsman concluded.

Barry A. Zulauf, the analytic ombudsman in the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, found there was a “a loss of objectivity” and politicization of intelligence in the election threat reporting last year.

“Analysis on foreign election interference was delayed, distorted or obstructed out of concern over policymaker reactions or for political reasons,” said the report, which was submitted to Congress on Thursday.

The formal validation dovetails with widespread perceptions about the Trump administration’s handling of intelligence and underscores the challenge awaiting the Biden administration as it prepares to take over the nation’s spy agencies. The report will be sent to the Senate Intelligence Committee. Still, because it was completed under an intelligence director viewed skeptically by Democrats, it is unlikely to be seen as the final word on what happened.

The Senate committee plans to review the report and will work with the new administration “to stop any politicization of intelligence and rectify the failures of the Trump administration,” said Rachel Cohen, a spokeswoman for Sen. Mark Warner, D-Va., who is set to lead the panel after the inauguration.

Some of most damaging material in the report concerns a briefing to Congress in March, soon after Richard Grenell, then the ambassador to Germany, took over as the acting director of national intelligence.

The March talking points, an unclassified version of which was made public, stated that the Kremlin was not aiding “any candidate’s reelection” — a stance at odds with what intelligence officers had told Congress previously: that Russia favored President Donald Trump.

Zulauf said he was not able to determine who wrote the talking points for the briefing, but found they were “shaped by” Grenell and other officials in his office.

“Analysts point out that there were substantive differences between the talking points and what the IC actually thought,” the report said, referring to the intelligence community.

The reluctance of intelligence professionals to deliver the talking points “should have been a red flag,” Zulauf wrote, “but did not stop the statement from being issued.”

The report also said that Grenell held up a memo in May from the National Intelligence Council about election security threats. His office revised a draft that emphasized intelligence gaps over what was known about those threats. Zulauf’s report said the revised version “buried the lead.”

Zulauf said he did not interview Grenell because he was no longer under his purview as ombudsman. Asked for a response, Grenell criticized the ombudsman for not talking to him.

“I never once made an edit to intelligence,” he said. “Any criticism of intel sharing or working during my tenure is a criticism of the amazing career officials in charge of the process.”

The intelligence ombudsman, established as part of a post-Sept. 11 overhaul, is charged with identifying lapses in tradecraft and practices. Unlike an inspector general, ombudsmen do not look for waste, fraud or abuse.

Zulauf also examined how the intelligence agencies analyzed Russia’s and China’s intentions and activities in relation to the 2020 election for an assessment in August of foreign election interference. (The August assessment also raised a warning about Iran, but his letter did not mention that category of intelligence.)

Analysts believed that the final published version of the August assessment — after interventions by John Ratcliffe, the current director of national intelligence, to add the warning about China — was an “outrageous misrepresentation of their analysis,” he reported.

They believed that during a drawn-out review process, senior leaders had “watered down” their conclusions about Russia to make it sound “not too controversial” while diverting attention to China by bolstering the perception of its threat.

Still, some intelligence officials noted on Friday that the August statement — issued in the name of William R. Evanina, the director of the National Counterintelligence and Security Center — accurately treated the two countries differently. It said Russia was taking steps to hurt the candidacy of Joe Biden; while it also said China hoped Biden would win, it did not claim that China had similarly taken any steps to intervene.

In his own letter to Zulauf, Evanina asserted that he “accurately conveyed what I believed to be” the intelligence community’s thinking, adding: “I have never politicized intelligence during my career and any suggestion I would is a personal affront to me.”

In another letter, Ratcliffe defended his interventions, and argued that the intelligence assessment about China’s election influence efforts fell “short of the mark.”

Even as Zulauf reported that Russia analysts were upset that the agencies’ political leaders seemed to be delaying and suppressing their conclusions, he also suggested that there was politicization of intelligence not just from above but also “from below.”

China analysts, he wrote, “appeared hesitant to assess Chinese actions as undue influence or interference.”

“These analysts appeared reluctant to have their analysis on China brought forward because they tended to disagree with the administration’s policies, saying in effect, ‘I don’t want our intelligence used to support those policies,’” he continued.

But Zulauf did not cite any evidence to support the striking notion that analysts underplayed China threat analysis for political reasons, and he later wrote that the differences between the two “were not intentional, but a result of different collection and analysis rhythms and interpretations by analysts that do not cross-pollinate between regional issues.”

Some of the findings of the ombudsman, focused on allegations that intelligence about China was not properly examined, were earlier reported by The Washington Examiner.

The ombudsman’s inquiry appeared to be narrowly focused on the handling of information and analysis about Russian and Chinese actions related to the 2020 election, and the letter did not address other instances in which the Trump administration has drawn accusations of politicizing intelligence.

It does not address, for example, a memo produced by Ratcliffe’s office over the summer, days after The New York Times reported that the CIA had assessed that Russia covertly offered reward payments to an Afghan criminal-militant network to incentivize more frequent attacks on American troops but that the White House had not acted on that analysis.

The new memo — a so-called sense of the community memorandum produced by the National Intelligence Council, which reports to Ratcliffe — contained no new information. Instead it reanalyzed the same data the CIA had already examined and instead emphasized uncertainties and gaps in the available evidence, according to officials familiar with it, bolstering the administration’s attempts to justify its inaction on the months-old assessment.

WASHINGTON — The Trump administration politicized the intelligence around foreign election interference in 2020, resulting in significant errors in its reports last year to Congress and the public, a report by the intelligence community ombudsman concluded.

WASHINGTON — The Trump administration politicized the intelligence around foreign election interference in 2020, resulting in significant errors in its reports last year to Congress and the public, a report by the intelligence community ombudsman concluded. Barry A. Zulauf, the analytic ombudsman in the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, found there was a “a loss of objectivity” and politicization of intelligence in the election threat reporting last year. “Analysis on foreign election interference was delayed, distorted or obstructed out of concern over policymaker reactions or for political reasons,” said the report, which was submitted to Congress on Thursday. The formal validation dovetails with widespread perceptions about the Trump administration’s handling of intelligence and underscores the challenge awaiting the Biden administration as it prepares to take over the nation’s spy agencies. The report will be sent to the Senate Intelligence Committee. Still, because it was completed under an intelligence director viewed skeptically by Democrats, it is unlikely to be seen as the final word on what happened. The Senate committee plans to review the report and will work with the new administration “to stop any politicization of intelligence and rectify the failures of the Trump administration,” said Rachel Cohen, a spokeswoman for Sen. Mark Warner, D-Va., who is set to lead the panel after the inauguration. Some of most damaging material in the report concerns a briefing to Congress in March, soon after Richard Grenell, then the ambassador to Germany, took over as the acting director of national intelligence. The March talking points, an unclassified version of which was made public, stated that the Kremlin was not aiding “any candidate’s reelection” — a stance at odds with what intelligence officers had told Congress previously: that Russia favored President Donald Trump. Zulauf said he was not able to determine who wrote the talking points for the briefing, but found they were “shaped by” Grenell and other officials in his office. “Analysts point out that there were substantive differences between the talking points and what the IC actually thought,” the report said, referring to the intelligence community. The reluctance of intelligence professionals to deliver the talking points “should have been a red flag,” Zulauf wrote, “but did not stop the statement from being issued.” The report also said that Grenell held up a memo in May from the National Intelligence Council about election security threats. His office revised a draft that emphasized intelligence gaps over what was known about those threats. Zulauf’s report said the revised version “buried the lead.” Zulauf said he did not interview Grenell because he was no longer under his purview as ombudsman. Asked for a response, Grenell criticized the ombudsman for not talking to him. “I never once made an edit to intelligence,” he said. “Any criticism of intel sharing or working during my tenure is a criticism of the amazing career officials in charge of the process.” The intelligence ombudsman, established as part of a post-Sept. 11 overhaul, is charged with identifying lapses in tradecraft and practices. Unlike an inspector general, ombudsmen do not look for waste, fraud or abuse. Zulauf also examined how the intelligence agencies analyzed Russia’s and China’s intentions and activities in relation to the 2020 election for an assessment in August of foreign election interference. (The August assessment also raised a warning about Iran, but his letter did not mention that category of intelligence.) Analysts believed that the final published version of the August assessment — after interventions by John Ratcliffe, the current director of national intelligence, to add the warning about China — was an “outrageous misrepresentation of their analysis,” he reported. They believed that during a drawn-out review process, senior leaders had “watered down” their conclusions about Russia to make it sound “not too controversial” while diverting attention to China by bolstering the perception of its threat. Still, some intelligence officials noted on Friday that the August statement — issued in the name of William R. Evanina, the director of the National Counterintelligence and Security Center — accurately treated the two countries differently. It said Russia was taking steps to hurt the candidacy of Joe Biden; while it also said China hoped Biden would win, it did not claim that China had similarly taken any steps to intervene. In his own letter to Zulauf, Evanina asserted that he “accurately conveyed what I believed to be” the intelligence community’s thinking, adding: “I have never politicized intelligence during my career and any suggestion I would is a personal affront to me.” In another letter, Ratcliffe defended his interventions, and argued that the intelligence assessment about China’s election influence efforts fell “short of the mark.” Even as Zulauf reported that Russia analysts were upset that the agencies’ political leaders seemed to be delaying and suppressing their conclusions, he also suggested that there was politicization of intelligence not just from above but also “from below.” China analysts, he wrote, “appeared hesitant to assess Chinese actions as undue influence or interference.” “These analysts appeared reluctant to have their analysis on China brought forward because they tended to disagree with the administration’s policies, saying in effect, ‘I don’t want our intelligence used to support those policies,’” he continued. But Zulauf did not cite any evidence to support the striking notion that analysts underplayed China threat analysis for political reasons, and he later wrote that the differences between the two “were not intentional, but a result of different collection and analysis rhythms and interpretations by analysts that do not cross-pollinate between regional issues.” Some of the findings of the ombudsman, focused on allegations that intelligence about China was not properly examined, were earlier reported by The Washington Examiner. The ombudsman’s inquiry appeared to be narrowly focused on the handling of information and analysis about Russian and Chinese actions related to the 2020 election, and the letter did not address other instances in which the Trump administration has drawn accusations of politicizing intelligence. It does not address, for example, a memo produced by Ratcliffe’s office over the summer, days after The New York Times reported that the CIA had assessed that Russia covertly offered reward payments to an Afghan criminal-militant network to incentivize more frequent attacks on American troops but that the White House had not acted on that analysis. The new memo — a so-called sense of the community memorandum produced by the National Intelligence Council, which reports to Ratcliffe — contained no new information. Instead it reanalyzed the same data the CIA had already examined and instead emphasized uncertainties and gaps in the available evidence, according to officials familiar with it, bolstering the administration’s attempts to justify its inaction on the months-old assessment.

Trump administration politicized some intelligence on foreign election influence, report finds

Trump administration officials are expected to discuss a proposed expansion of an executive order banning U.S. investment in alleged Chinese military companies at a Thursday afternoon meeting, according to two people familiar with the matter.

At the meeting, officials from the Defense, State and Treasury Departments will consider, among other things, proposed changes to the November directive, which has spurred confusion among investors and firms seeking to comply, five sources said.

One change that is likely to be discussed is a draft amendment that would direct U.S. investors to completely divest their positions in the blacklisted companies by Nov. 11, 2021, according to two of the sources.

If approved, the proposed change would dramatically broaden the scope of the directive, which now states only that U.S. investors must stop buying securities of the blacklisted companies by that date.

It was not clear if any final decisions would be made at the meeting. The State and Treasury Departments did not immediately respond to requests for comment and the Defense Department declined to comment.

The executive order, signed by President Donald Trump in November, is part of his bid to cement his tough-on-China legacy in the waning days of his administration. It also sought to give teeth to a 1999 law that tasked the Defense Department with drafting a list of Chinese companies it believes are owned or controlled by the Chinese military.

The Defense Department has not yet provided a rationale for designating the companies.

The Pentagon has so far blacklisted 35 firms, including China`s top chipmaker SMIC and oil giant CNOOC. Reuters reported that the administration was considering adding tech giants Alibaba and Tencent.

A Beijing foreign ministry spokeswoman previously said China opposed U.S. efforts to suppress its companies, adding that Washington’s moves run counter to principles of market competition.

The November directive spurred some index providers like MSCI to announce plans to shed some of the blacklisted companies from their indexes.

But confusion over what the order requires prompted the New York Stock Exchange last Thursday to announce plans to delist three Chinese telecom companies that the Pentagon added to the blacklist. On Monday, the NYSE scrapped the move and then in a surprise twist the exchange reversed course a second time on Wednesday and vowed to continue with its bid to delist the firms.

The confusion comes against a backdrop of tension among U.S. agencies about how aggressively to implement the order. Reuters and other news outlets reported that the State and Defense Departments had pushed back against the Treasury Department after it planned to issue draft guidance that was seen as watering down the order.

Both U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin later wrote in tweets that there was no disagreement over the executive order.

Trump administration officials are expected to discuss a proposed expansion of an executive order banning U.S. investment in alleged Chinese military companies at a Thursday afternoon meeting, according to two people familiar with the matter.

Trump administration officials are expected to discuss a proposed expansion of an executive order banning U.S. investment in alleged Chinese military companies at a Thursday afternoon meeting, according to two people familiar with the matter. At the meeting, officials from the Defense, State and Treasury Departments will consider, among other things, proposed changes to the November directive, which has spurred confusion among investors and firms seeking to comply, five sources said. One change that is likely to be discussed is a draft amendment that would direct U.S. investors to completely divest their positions in the blacklisted companies by Nov. 11, 2021, according to two of the sources. If approved, the proposed change would dramatically broaden the scope of the directive, which now states only that U.S. investors must stop buying securities of the blacklisted companies by that date. It was not clear if any final decisions would be made at the meeting. The State and Treasury Departments did not immediately respond to requests for comment and the Defense Department declined to comment. The executive order, signed by President Donald Trump in November, is part of his bid to cement his tough-on-China legacy in the waning days of his administration. It also sought to give teeth to a 1999 law that tasked the Defense Department with drafting a list of Chinese companies it believes are owned or controlled by the Chinese military. The Defense Department has not yet provided a rationale for designating the companies. The Pentagon has so far blacklisted 35 firms, including China`s top chipmaker SMIC and oil giant CNOOC. Reuters reported that the administration was considering adding tech giants Alibaba and Tencent. A Beijing foreign ministry spokeswoman previously said China opposed U.S. efforts to suppress its companies, adding that Washington’s moves run counter to principles of market competition. The November directive spurred some index providers like MSCI to announce plans to shed some of the blacklisted companies from their indexes. But confusion over what the order requires prompted the New York Stock Exchange last Thursday to announce plans to delist three Chinese telecom companies that the Pentagon added to the blacklist. On Monday, the NYSE scrapped the move and then in a surprise twist the exchange reversed course a second time on Wednesday and vowed to continue with its bid to delist the firms. The confusion comes against a backdrop of tension among U.S. agencies about how aggressively to implement the order. Reuters and other news outlets reported that the State and Defense Departments had pushed back against the Treasury Department after it planned to issue draft guidance that was seen as watering down the order. Both U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin later wrote in tweets that there was no disagreement over the executive order.

Trump administration to mull expansion of China investment ban, report says

Former Italian premier Silvio Berlusconi on Friday said that Donald Trump's time at the White House will have an &nbsp;"ugly ending".&nbsp;

ALSO READ-&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/video-donald-trump-was-partying-just-hours-before-capitol-hill-violence-355417" hreflang="en">Video: Donald Trump was 'partying' just hours before Capitol Hill violence</a>

The Italian said "it would be unjust and uncharitable" to deny Trump's achievements as US President, notably on the economy and on foreign policy.&nbsp;

In a letter to Italian daily Il Giornale, Berlusconi said that Monday's mob attack by his supporters on the US Capitol "overshadows those achievements and will darken the historical memory of this presidency".

The 84-year-old Italian was a real estate and media mogul who reinvented himself as a conservative politician, serving three times as prime minister in the European country and his career path is often seen as a trailblazing model for Trump's.

The mob attack on Monday killed a police officer and four protesters dead. Matteo Salvini, a leader of hard-right League party and an outspoken backer of Trump, also condemned the attack.&nbsp;

"Violence is never a solution, never. Long live Freedom and Democracy, always and everywhere," Salvini tweeted, without explicitly criticising the outgoing US leader.

(Inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

Former Italian premier Silvio Berlusconi on Friday said that Donald Trump's time at the White House will have an "ugly ending". ALSO READ- Video: Donald Trump was 'partying' just hours before Capitol Hill violence The Italian said "it would be unjust and uncharitable" to deny Trump's achievements as US President, notably on the economy and on foreign policy.

Former Italian premier Silvio Berlusconi on Friday said that Donald Trump's time at the White House will have an "ugly ending". ALSO READ- Video: Donald Trump was 'partying' just hours before Capitol Hill violence The Italian said "it would be unjust and uncharitable" to deny Trump's achievements as US President, notably on the economy and on foreign policy. In a letter to Italian daily Il Giornale, Berlusconi said that Monday's mob attack by his supporters on the US Capitol "overshadows those achievements and will darken the historical memory of this presidency". The 84-year-old Italian was a real estate and media mogul who reinvented himself as a conservative politician, serving three times as prime minister in the European country and his career path is often seen as a trailblazing model for Trump's. The mob attack on Monday killed a police officer and four protesters dead. Matteo Salvini, a leader of hard-right League party and an outspoken backer of Trump, also condemned the attack. "Violence is never a solution, never. Long live Freedom and Democracy, always and everywhere," Salvini tweeted, without explicitly criticising the outgoing US leader. (Inputs from agencies)

Trump presidency set for an 'ugly ending', says former Italian premier Silvio Berlusconi

US President Donald Trump has signed an executive order banning transactions with eight Chinese software applications, including Ant Group's Alipay

The order, signed on Tuesday, tasks the Commerce Department with defining which transactions will be banned under the directive and targets Tencent Holdings Ltd's QQ Wallet and WeChat Pay as well.

The move is aimed at curbing the threat to Americans posed by Chinese software applications, which have large user bases and access to sensitive data.

The order signed by Trump also names CamScanner, SHAREit, Tencent QQ, VMate and WPS Office and says "the United States must take aggressive action against those who develop or control Chinese connected software applications to protect our national security."

The department plans to act before January 20 when Trump leaves office to identify prohibited transactions.

Trump's order says "by accessing personal electronic devices such as smartphones, tablets, and computers, Chinese connected software applications can access and capture vast swaths of information from users, including sensitive personally identifiable information and private information."

It added the data collection "would permit China to track the locations of federal employees and contractors, and build dossiers of personal information."

Another official said the order mirrors earlier Trump executive orders signed in August directing Commerce to block some transactions with WeChat and Chinese-owned Tiktok seeking to bar some transactions that have been blocked by US courts.

The latest action has been under debate within the administration for an extended period. Many administration officials are eager to cement the hardline US position with China on a number of fronts before Trump leaves office.

Last month, the Commerce Department added dozens of Chinese companies, including the country’s top chipmaker SMIC and Chinese drone manufacturer SZ DJI Technology Co Ltd, to a trade blacklist.

Additionally, the Trump administration published a list of Chinese and Russian companies with alleged military ties that restrict them from buying a range of US goods and technology.

In November, the administration put on hold an effort to blacklist Ant Group, the Chinese financial technology company affiliated with e-commerce giant Alibaba.

US President Donald Trump has signed an executive order banning transactions with eight Chinese software applications, including Ant Group's Alipay The order, signed on Tuesday, tasks the Commerce Department with defining which transactions will be banned under the directive and targets Tencent Holdings Ltd's QQ Wallet and WeChat Pay as well.

US President Donald Trump has signed an executive order banning transactions with eight Chinese software applications, including Ant Group's Alipay The order, signed on Tuesday, tasks the Commerce Department with defining which transactions will be banned under the directive and targets Tencent Holdings Ltd's QQ Wallet and WeChat Pay as well. The move is aimed at curbing the threat to Americans posed by Chinese software applications, which have large user bases and access to sensitive data. The order signed by Trump also names CamScanner, SHAREit, Tencent QQ, VMate and WPS Office and says "the United States must take aggressive action against those who develop or control Chinese connected software applications to protect our national security." The department plans to act before January 20 when Trump leaves office to identify prohibited transactions. Trump's order says "by accessing personal electronic devices such as smartphones, tablets, and computers, Chinese connected software applications can access and capture vast swaths of information from users, including sensitive personally identifiable information and private information." It added the data collection "would permit China to track the locations of federal employees and contractors, and build dossiers of personal information." Another official said the order mirrors earlier Trump executive orders signed in August directing Commerce to block some transactions with WeChat and Chinese-owned Tiktok seeking to bar some transactions that have been blocked by US courts. The latest action has been under debate within the administration for an extended period. Many administration officials are eager to cement the hardline US position with China on a number of fronts before Trump leaves office. Last month, the Commerce Department added dozens of Chinese companies, including the country’s top chipmaker SMIC and Chinese drone manufacturer SZ DJI Technology Co Ltd, to a trade blacklist. Additionally, the Trump administration published a list of Chinese and Russian companies with alleged military ties that restrict them from buying a range of US goods and technology. In November, the administration put on hold an effort to blacklist Ant Group, the Chinese financial technology company affiliated with e-commerce giant Alibaba.

Trump signs order banning transactions with eight Chinese apps

President-elect Joe Biden on Monday said under the Trump administration, US government agencies in charge of national security have “incurred enormous damage.”

Painting a grim landscape of the state of the nation's national security and foreign policy agencies he said that those departments have been "hollowed out in personnel, capacity and in morale."

Biden said, “Most notable the Department of Defence, we encountered obstruction from the political leadership. The truth is, many of the agencies that are critical to our security have incurred enormous damage.” He added that the actions of the Trump administration “makes it harder for our government to protect the American people, to defend our vital interests”.&nbsp; 
&nbsp;

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<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Right now, my team isn’t getting all the information that we need from the outgoing administration in key national security areas. 
 
It’s nothing short of irresponsible. <a href="https://t.co/T67NbgSFLl">pic.twitter.com/T67NbgSFLl</a>
— Joe Biden (@JoeBiden) <a href="https://twitter.com/JoeBiden/status/1343709566622720001?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 29, 2020</a></blockquote>
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The president-elect's comments followed a briefing from members of his national security and foreign policy agency review teams "on their findings and key challenges that the Biden-Harris administration will inherit," his transition team said before his remarks.

Biden said it's crucial to ensure "nothing is lost" during the change in presidential administrations and stressed the need for his team to have a "clear picture" of the country's force posture worldwide and operations to deter enemies, as well as "full visibility" into the budget planning underway at the Pentagon and other agencies to "avoid any window of confusion or catch-up" that can be exploited by enemies.

"We have encountered roadblocks from the political leadership at the Department of Defense and the Office of Management and Budget," Biden said. "Right now, we just aren't getting all the information that we need from the outgoing administration in key national security areas. It's nothing short in my view of irresponsibility."

(With inputs from agencies)

President-elect Joe Biden on Monday said under the Trump administration, US government agencies in charge of national security have “incurred enormous damage.” Painting a grim landscape of the state of the nation's national security and foreign policy agencies he said that those departments have been "hollowed out in personnel, capacity and in morale.

President-elect Joe Biden on Monday said under the Trump administration, US government agencies in charge of national security have “incurred enormous damage.” Painting a grim landscape of the state of the nation's national security and foreign policy agencies he said that those departments have been "hollowed out in personnel, capacity and in morale." Biden said, “Most notable the Department of Defence, we encountered obstruction from the political leadership. The truth is, many of the agencies that are critical to our security have incurred enormous damage.” He added that the actions of the Trump administration “makes it harder for our government to protect the American people, to defend our vital interests”. Right now, my team isn’t getting all the information that we need from the outgoing administration in key national security areas. It’s nothing short of irresponsible. pic.twitter.com/T67NbgSFLl — Joe Biden (@JoeBiden) December 29, 2020 × The president-elect's comments followed a briefing from members of his national security and foreign policy agency review teams "on their findings and key challenges that the Biden-Harris administration will inherit," his transition team said before his remarks. Biden said it's crucial to ensure "nothing is lost" during the change in presidential administrations and stressed the need for his team to have a "clear picture" of the country's force posture worldwide and operations to deter enemies, as well as "full visibility" into the budget planning underway at the Pentagon and other agencies to "avoid any window of confusion or catch-up" that can be exploited by enemies. "We have encountered roadblocks from the political leadership at the Department of Defense and the Office of Management and Budget," Biden said. "Right now, we just aren't getting all the information that we need from the outgoing administration in key national security areas. It's nothing short in my view of irresponsibility." (With inputs from agencies)

US security agencies incurred 'enormous damage' during Trump administration: Biden

US weapons manufacturer Raytheon Technologies Corp will be able to sell the weapons directly to the Saudis when it receives the licence

Trump administration pushing $498m arms sale to Saudi Arabia: Reports

The Trump administration and Pfizer are close to a deal under which the pharmaceutical company would bolster supply of its coronavirus vaccine for the United States by at least tens of millions of doses next year in exchange for a government directive giving it better access to manufacturing supplies, people familiar with the discussions said.

An agreement, which could be announced as early as Wednesday, would help the United States at least partly offset a looming vaccine shortage that could leave as many as 110 million adult Americans uncovered in the first half of 2021.

So far, only two pharmaceutical companies — Pfizer and Moderna — have won federal authorization for emergency distribution of COVID-19 vaccines, and most of what they are capable of producing for the next six months has already been allocated through contracts with the United States and other governments.

In the negotiations, the government is asking for 100 million additional doses from Pfizer from April through June. The company has signaled that it should be able to produce at least 70 million, and perhaps more, if it can get more access to supplies and raw materials.

To help Pfizer, the deal calls for the government to invoke the Defense Production Act to give the company better access to roughly nine specialized products it needs to make the vaccine. One person familiar with the list said it included lipids, the oily molecules in which the genetic material that is used in both the Moderna and Pfizer vaccines is encased.

Pfizer first started asking for the government’s help in obtaining supplies as early as September and has been unhappy about the lack of response, according to documents reviewed by The New York Times.

Moderna and other companies that worked more closely than Pfizer with the administration through its Operation Warp Speed to develop their vaccines already receive favored treatment from suppliers, putting Pfizer at a disadvantage. That includes two companies — Sanofi and Novavax — that have yet to begin large-scale clinical trials in the United States.

Pfizer and the administration have been negotiating for more doses from Pfizer for more than a month. But a host of other issues have stood in the way of a deal, including Pfizer’s commitments to other nations that moved faster than the United States to lock in a big supply, according to people familiar with the situation.

Pfizer already has a federal contract, signed in July, to deliver 100 million doses of its vaccine by the end of March. Moderna has the same agreement, and has also pledged to sell the government 100 million more doses in the second quarter of the year, from the start of April to the end of June.

Because the Pfizer and the Moderna vaccine both require two doses, that supply would cover only 150 million Americans out of the roughly 260 million who are eligible at the moment to be vaccinated. (Moderna’s vaccine is now restricted to those 18 and over, and Pfizer’s is limited to those 16 and over.)

If Pfizer provides another 100 million doses, that would leave about 60 million eligible Americans uncovered in the first half of the year. Other producers could also cover the shortfall should their vaccines prove successful.

It is not clear how many more doses Pfizer can quickly produce even if the administration uses the Defense Production Act to clear away supply obstacles. One person familiar with the situation said the firm may only be able to deliver 70 million by the end of June, even with better access to supplies.

Had the government agreed to prioritize its supply needs earlier, one person familiar with Pfizer’s situation said, the company might be better positioned now to fully meet the demands. Documents reviewed by The Times showed that Pfizer officials began asking Gen. Gustave F. Perna, the chief operating officer of Operation Warp Speed, in September for help with supplies and brought up the issue repeatedly in weekly meetings.

A senior Trump administration official said the government was unwilling to intervene because Pfizer refused to promise that it would use those materials to produce vaccines solely for Americans.

“It’s our obligation under that type of priority rating to make sure that assets are used only for U.S. sales or production,” the official said, “and they weren’t willing to do that.”

People knowledgeable about the talks said Perna had raised a different concern with Pfizer, saying the government wanted to protect its investment in the other companies under Warp Speed’s umbrella, so it did not want to grant Pfizer the same priority with supplies.

According to a report last month by the Government Accountability Office, the Defense Production Act gives the federal government vast authority over private companies, including the power to prevent supplies from being diverted to a different purpose or products from being sold overseas. The administration has granted the kind of status that Pfizer has been seeking to multiple contractors for medical supplies since the pandemic began, including companies that produce ventilators and N95 respirators, the report states.

Because the Pfizer vaccine, developed with the German company BioNTech, is one of only two that the Food and Drug Administration has approved for emergency use, the company has had leverage in negotiating the new contract.

That advantage could erode if other vaccines are authorized. A third firm, Johnson &amp;amp; Johnson, is expected to announce results from its clinical trials next month. A fourth, AstraZeneca, has announced some interim results, but it has yet to fully enroll its trial in the United States.

With infections, hospitalizations and deaths surging to record levels from a pandemic that has already killed more than 320,000 Americans, the pressure on Pfizer and the government to come to terms is growing.

“The last thing we want is for this to turn acrimonious,” said Dr. Walid F. Gellad, who leads the Center for Pharmaceutical Policy and Prescribing at the University of Pittsburgh. “This kind of corrosive back-and-forth is not helping the public feel any better about what’s going to happen in the future.”

Pfizer’s relationship with the administration has been tense for months. After he lost the election in November, President Donald Trump accused Pfizer of deliberately slow-walking federal approval of its vaccine to hurt him politically.

Alex Azar, the secretary of health and human services, and his aides have complained that Pfizer has kept the government at arm’s length, has faced production problems and has sometimes been uncooperative in negotiations.

Another snag in the relationship surfaced Friday when a European official released on Twitter — and then quickly deleted — a price list showing that vaccine shipments to the U.S. government cost a third more per dose than shipments to European customers.

Pfizer completed a deal last month to sell the European Union 200 million doses at a cost of $14.50 each. The contract signed by the Trump administration with Pfizer in July for the original 100 million doses put the price at $19.50

It is unclear how much the United States would pay if Pfizer and the federal government struck a new deal. In a statement, Pfizer said only that the EU’s order was its largest to date, and that Pfizer and BioNTech “are using a tiered pricing formula based on volume and delivery dates.” It declined to disclose further details of the agreement.

Pfizer executives have been frustrated because, according to people familiar with the negotiations, they repeatedly urged the federal government this summer and fall to lock in more doses early, before other nations snapped them up. Administration officials declined, later saying that Pfizer refused to commit to specific dates when it would deliver them.

The pharmaceutical firm has struggled to navigate the politics of the situation. Pfizer’s chief executive, Dr. Albert Bourla, repeatedly suggested that the firm would know if its vaccine worked by October. Trump, who saw a vaccine breakthrough as crucial to his reelection chances, initially praised Bourla as a “great guy” — then blamed the firm for his loss when the results were released after Election Day.

At the same time, the president and his top aides have claimed credit for Pfizer’s success, even though, unlike the other five vaccine makers in the Operation Warp Speed program, Pfizer did not take federal subsidies for the vaccine development or manufacturing, assuming all of the risk itself.

Pfizer has also vacillated in describing its relationship with the federal government. A top Pfizer official at one point stated that “we were never part of Operation Warp Speed,” then the company backtracked and acknowledged the firm was.

Azar alluded to the friction with Pfizer in an interview last week with CNBC, saying the federal government was willing to help Pfizer manufacture more “if they are willing to take our help.” He added, “I do wish we would just stop talking about this Pfizer thing.”

He denied that there was any threat of a vaccine shortage, saying the government had commitments for three times as many doses as it has now ordered for the first half of next year. Azar’s total appears to include either doses of vaccines that have not yet been shown to work or doses described in contract options that are not set in stone and include no firm date of delivery, or both.

The Trump administration and Pfizer are close to a deal under which the pharmaceutical company would bolster supply of its coronavirus vaccine for the United States by at least tens of millions of doses next year in exchange for a government directive giving it better access to manufacturing supplies, people familiar with the discussions said.

The Trump administration and Pfizer are close to a deal under which the pharmaceutical company would bolster supply of its coronavirus vaccine for the United States by at least tens of millions of doses next year in exchange for a government directive giving it better access to manufacturing supplies, people familiar with the discussions said. An agreement, which could be announced as early as Wednesday, would help the United States at least partly offset a looming vaccine shortage that could leave as many as 110 million adult Americans uncovered in the first half of 2021. So far, only two pharmaceutical companies — Pfizer and Moderna — have won federal authorization for emergency distribution of COVID-19 vaccines, and most of what they are capable of producing for the next six months has already been allocated through contracts with the United States and other governments. In the negotiations, the government is asking for 100 million additional doses from Pfizer from April through June. The company has signaled that it should be able to produce at least 70 million, and perhaps more, if it can get more access to supplies and raw materials. To help Pfizer, the deal calls for the government to invoke the Defense Production Act to give the company better access to roughly nine specialized products it needs to make the vaccine. One person familiar with the list said it included lipids, the oily molecules in which the genetic material that is used in both the Moderna and Pfizer vaccines is encased. Pfizer first started asking for the government’s help in obtaining supplies as early as September and has been unhappy about the lack of response, according to documents reviewed by The New York Times. Moderna and other companies that worked more closely than Pfizer with the administration through its Operation Warp Speed to develop their vaccines already receive favored treatment from suppliers, putting Pfizer at a disadvantage. That includes two companies — Sanofi and Novavax — that have yet to begin large-scale clinical trials in the United States. Pfizer and the administration have been negotiating for more doses from Pfizer for more than a month. But a host of other issues have stood in the way of a deal, including Pfizer’s commitments to other nations that moved faster than the United States to lock in a big supply, according to people familiar with the situation. Pfizer already has a federal contract, signed in July, to deliver 100 million doses of its vaccine by the end of March. Moderna has the same agreement, and has also pledged to sell the government 100 million more doses in the second quarter of the year, from the start of April to the end of June. Because the Pfizer and the Moderna vaccine both require two doses, that supply would cover only 150 million Americans out of the roughly 260 million who are eligible at the moment to be vaccinated. (Moderna’s vaccine is now restricted to those 18 and over, and Pfizer’s is limited to those 16 and over.) If Pfizer provides another 100 million doses, that would leave about 60 million eligible Americans uncovered in the first half of the year. Other producers could also cover the shortfall should their vaccines prove successful. It is not clear how many more doses Pfizer can quickly produce even if the administration uses the Defense Production Act to clear away supply obstacles. One person familiar with the situation said the firm may only be able to deliver 70 million by the end of June, even with better access to supplies. Had the government agreed to prioritize its supply needs earlier, one person familiar with Pfizer’s situation said, the company might be better positioned now to fully meet the demands. Documents reviewed by The Times showed that Pfizer officials began asking Gen. Gustave F. Perna, the chief operating officer of Operation Warp Speed, in September for help with supplies and brought up the issue repeatedly in weekly meetings. A senior Trump administration official said the government was unwilling to intervene because Pfizer refused to promise that it would use those materials to produce vaccines solely for Americans. “It’s our obligation under that type of priority rating to make sure that assets are used only for U.S. sales or production,” the official said, “and they weren’t willing to do that.” People knowledgeable about the talks said Perna had raised a different concern with Pfizer, saying the government wanted to protect its investment in the other companies under Warp Speed’s umbrella, so it did not want to grant Pfizer the same priority with supplies. According to a report last month by the Government Accountability Office, the Defense Production Act gives the federal government vast authority over private companies, including the power to prevent supplies from being diverted to a different purpose or products from being sold overseas. The administration has granted the kind of status that Pfizer has been seeking to multiple contractors for medical supplies since the pandemic began, including companies that produce ventilators and N95 respirators, the report states. Because the Pfizer vaccine, developed with the German company BioNTech, is one of only two that the Food and Drug Administration has approved for emergency use, the company has had leverage in negotiating the new contract. That advantage could erode if other vaccines are authorized. A third firm, Johnson &amp; Johnson, is expected to announce results from its clinical trials next month. A fourth, AstraZeneca, has announced some interim results, but it has yet to fully enroll its trial in the United States. With infections, hospitalizations and deaths surging to record levels from a pandemic that has already killed more than 320,000 Americans, the pressure on Pfizer and the government to come to terms is growing. “The last thing we want is for this to turn acrimonious,” said Dr. Walid F. Gellad, who leads the Center for Pharmaceutical Policy and Prescribing at the University of Pittsburgh. “This kind of corrosive back-and-forth is not helping the public feel any better about what’s going to happen in the future.” Pfizer’s relationship with the administration has been tense for months. After he lost the election in November, President Donald Trump accused Pfizer of deliberately slow-walking federal approval of its vaccine to hurt him politically. Alex Azar, the secretary of health and human services, and his aides have complained that Pfizer has kept the government at arm’s length, has faced production problems and has sometimes been uncooperative in negotiations. Another snag in the relationship surfaced Friday when a European official released on Twitter — and then quickly deleted — a price list showing that vaccine shipments to the U.S. government cost a third more per dose than shipments to European customers. Pfizer completed a deal last month to sell the European Union 200 million doses at a cost of $14.50 each. The contract signed by the Trump administration with Pfizer in July for the original 100 million doses put the price at $19.50 It is unclear how much the United States would pay if Pfizer and the federal government struck a new deal. In a statement, Pfizer said only that the EU’s order was its largest to date, and that Pfizer and BioNTech “are using a tiered pricing formula based on volume and delivery dates.” It declined to disclose further details of the agreement. Pfizer executives have been frustrated because, according to people familiar with the negotiations, they repeatedly urged the federal government this summer and fall to lock in more doses early, before other nations snapped them up. Administration officials declined, later saying that Pfizer refused to commit to specific dates when it would deliver them. The pharmaceutical firm has struggled to navigate the politics of the situation. Pfizer’s chief executive, Dr. Albert Bourla, repeatedly suggested that the firm would know if its vaccine worked by October. Trump, who saw a vaccine breakthrough as crucial to his reelection chances, initially praised Bourla as a “great guy” — then blamed the firm for his loss when the results were released after Election Day. At the same time, the president and his top aides have claimed credit for Pfizer’s success, even though, unlike the other five vaccine makers in the Operation Warp Speed program, Pfizer did not take federal subsidies for the vaccine development or manufacturing, assuming all of the risk itself. Pfizer has also vacillated in describing its relationship with the federal government. A top Pfizer official at one point stated that “we were never part of Operation Warp Speed,” then the company backtracked and acknowledged the firm was. Azar alluded to the friction with Pfizer in an interview last week with CNBC, saying the federal government was willing to help Pfizer manufacture more “if they are willing to take our help.” He added, “I do wish we would just stop talking about this Pfizer thing.” He denied that there was any threat of a vaccine shortage, saying the government had commitments for three times as many doses as it has now ordered for the first half of next year. Azar’s total appears to include either doses of vaccines that have not yet been shown to work or doses described in contract options that are not set in stone and include no firm date of delivery, or both.

Pfizer nears deal with Trump administration to provide more vaccine doses

White House Communications Director Alyssa Farah has resigned from her post after serving over three years in the Donald Trump administration.

Farah's resignation was announced on Thursday, less than 50 days before the President-elect Joe Biden's administration is set to take over after winning the November 3 polls.

"It's been the honour of a lifetime to serve in the Trump Administration over the last three and a half years," Farah said in a statement after submitting her resignation.

Friday is her last day in the White House.

"We delivered historic tax cuts, putting money back in the pockets of hard working Americans. We've built the judiciary w/Constitution-abiding jurists &amp; we worked to create the most inclusive economy in American history - that gives every citizen a chance at the American dream," she added.

Farah said that she is deeply proud of the incredible things that the Trump Administration was able to accomplish to make the country stronger, safer, and more secure.

"The ISIS caliphate was destroyed, American hostages were returned, NATO is strong, we've brokered historic Mid East peace deals, and I was on the ground in Kabul for the announcement of a historic peace deal between the Afghan Government &amp; Taliban aimed at ending America's longest war," Farah said.

Democratic leader Biden has defeated incumbent president Trump, a Republican, in the November 3 presidential election. However, Trump has not conceded and has sought legal recourse in challenging the results.

Before becoming the White House Communications Director, Farah served as the Press Secretary to Vice President and Press Secretary to the Defence Secretary.

White House Communications Director Alyssa Farah has resigned from her post after serving over three years in the Donald Trump administration. Farah's resignation was announced on Thursday, less than 50 days before the President-elect Joe Biden's administration is set to take over after winning the November 3 polls.

White House Communications Director Alyssa Farah has resigned from her post after serving over three years in the Donald Trump administration. Farah's resignation was announced on Thursday, less than 50 days before the President-elect Joe Biden's administration is set to take over after winning the November 3 polls. "It's been the honour of a lifetime to serve in the Trump Administration over the last three and a half years," Farah said in a statement after submitting her resignation. Friday is her last day in the White House. "We delivered historic tax cuts, putting money back in the pockets of hard working Americans. We've built the judiciary w/Constitution-abiding jurists & we worked to create the most inclusive economy in American history - that gives every citizen a chance at the American dream," she added. Farah said that she is deeply proud of the incredible things that the Trump Administration was able to accomplish to make the country stronger, safer, and more secure. "The ISIS caliphate was destroyed, American hostages were returned, NATO is strong, we've brokered historic Mid East peace deals, and I was on the ground in Kabul for the announcement of a historic peace deal between the Afghan Government & Taliban aimed at ending America's longest war," Farah said. Democratic leader Biden has defeated incumbent president Trump, a Republican, in the November 3 presidential election. However, Trump has not conceded and has sought legal recourse in challenging the results. Before becoming the White House Communications Director, Farah served as the Press Secretary to Vice President and Press Secretary to the Defence Secretary.

White House Communications Director Alyssa Farah resigns

The US Postal Service (USPS), Postmaster General Louis DeJoy and President Donald Trump have appealed a federal judge's ruling suspending service changes.

This despite the fact that the final deadlines for accepting ballots by mail for the November 3 election had passed. Joe Biden has been declared the president-elect by US media outlets.

The government late Friday said it was appealing US District Judge Emmet Sullivan's preliminary injunction orders issued in late September in a pair of legal challenges. Sullivan directed the USPS to take "extraordinary measures" to ensure that millions of ballots were delivered by mail and held numerous hearings on the status of ballots.

USPS general counsel Thomas Marshall said Saturday in a statement the agency would not comment on its appeals but said "it remains our view that none of the Election Mail lawsuits are justified by the facts or supported by the applicable law."

He said the agency "will continue to defend the integrity and credibility of our leadership and workforce, and the collective allegiance of our entire organization to our non-partisan service mission."

Sullivan also ordered twice-daily sweeps at USPS facilities serving states with extended ballot receipt deadlines.

At a hearing earlier this month, Sullivan said he would demand DeJoy answer questions about why the postal service failed to complete a court-ordered sweep for undelivered ballots. 
&nbsp;

The US Postal Service (USPS), Postmaster General Louis DeJoy and President Donald Trump have appealed a federal judge's ruling suspending service changes. This despite the fact that the final deadlines for accepting ballots by mail for the November 3 election had passed.

The US Postal Service (USPS), Postmaster General Louis DeJoy and President Donald Trump have appealed a federal judge's ruling suspending service changes. This despite the fact that the final deadlines for accepting ballots by mail for the November 3 election had passed. Joe Biden has been declared the president-elect by US media outlets. The government late Friday said it was appealing US District Judge Emmet Sullivan's preliminary injunction orders issued in late September in a pair of legal challenges. Sullivan directed the USPS to take "extraordinary measures" to ensure that millions of ballots were delivered by mail and held numerous hearings on the status of ballots. USPS general counsel Thomas Marshall said Saturday in a statement the agency would not comment on its appeals but said "it remains our view that none of the Election Mail lawsuits are justified by the facts or supported by the applicable law." He said the agency "will continue to defend the integrity and credibility of our leadership and workforce, and the collective allegiance of our entire organization to our non-partisan service mission." Sullivan also ordered twice-daily sweeps at USPS facilities serving states with extended ballot receipt deadlines. At a hearing earlier this month, Sullivan said he would demand DeJoy answer questions about why the postal service failed to complete a court-ordered sweep for undelivered ballots.

Trump admin appeals ruling that barred USPS changes before election

The Trump administration is planning to tighten sanctions on Iran during its final months in power.

US Special Envoy for Iran Elliott Abrams on Wednesday, at a virtual Beirut Institute event, said the Trump administration plans further pressure on Tehran, with sanctions related to arms, weapons of mass destruction and human rights.

Abrams also urged President-elect Joe Biden to use the leverage to press for a deal that reduces the regional and nuclear threats posed by the Islamic republic. He also praised Biden's National Security Advisor and nominee for Secretary of State as "terrific people", cautioning against repeating what he saw as former President Barack Obama's mistakes in negotiating the 2015 nuclear deal.&nbsp;

Incumbent president Donald Trump notably left that deal unilaterally two years ago.

Biden, set to take office on January 20, has on his part said he would return the United States to the Obama-era deal if Iran resumes compliance.

"We will have next week, and the week after, and the week after - all through December and January, there will be sanctions that deal with arms, that deal with weapons of mass destruction, that deal with human rights. ... So this will continue on for another couple of months, right until the end," Abrams said, at the event.

Abrams said he expects a negotiation to take place with Iran next year and that he believes a deal will be struck under the Biden administration.

"We think the Biden administration has a great opportunity because there is so much leverage on Iran through the sanctions," Abrams said, adding he sees an opportunity to work with France, Germany and the United Kingdom, as well as allies in the region, to strike a deal that addresses both missile and regional threats from Iran.

"If we discard the leverage we have, it would really be tragic and foolish. But if we use it there is a chance I think for constructive agreement that addresses all of these problems," he added.

He said it would be wrong to assume the new administration could reverse Iran policy like switching a light, and said negotiations would take many months.

Tensions between Washington and Tehran have risen since Trump abandoned Obama's 2015 Iran nuclear deal, and restored harsh economic sanctions to pressure Tehran to negotiate deeper curbs on its nuclear programme, ballistic missile development and support for regional proxy forces.

Abrams on Wednesday announced Iran-related sanctions on four entities in China and Russia, accusing them of activities promoting Iran`s missile program.

Also, US ambassador to Lebanon Dorothy Shea said the United States could impose further sanctions on Lebanese figures over corruption and aiding the Iran-backed Hezbollah group after Washington in recent months blacklisted three former Lebanese government ministers, including the president`s son-in-law.

(with inputs)

The Trump administration is planning to tighten sanctions on Iran during its final months in power. US Special Envoy for Iran Elliott Abrams on Wednesday, at a virtual Beirut Institute event, said the Trump administration plans further pressure on Tehran, with sanctions related to arms, weapons of mass destruction and human rights.

The Trump administration is planning to tighten sanctions on Iran during its final months in power. US Special Envoy for Iran Elliott Abrams on Wednesday, at a virtual Beirut Institute event, said the Trump administration plans further pressure on Tehran, with sanctions related to arms, weapons of mass destruction and human rights. Abrams also urged President-elect Joe Biden to use the leverage to press for a deal that reduces the regional and nuclear threats posed by the Islamic republic. He also praised Biden's National Security Advisor and nominee for Secretary of State as "terrific people", cautioning against repeating what he saw as former President Barack Obama's mistakes in negotiating the 2015 nuclear deal. Incumbent president Donald Trump notably left that deal unilaterally two years ago. Biden, set to take office on January 20, has on his part said he would return the United States to the Obama-era deal if Iran resumes compliance. "We will have next week, and the week after, and the week after - all through December and January, there will be sanctions that deal with arms, that deal with weapons of mass destruction, that deal with human rights. ... So this will continue on for another couple of months, right until the end," Abrams said, at the event. Abrams said he expects a negotiation to take place with Iran next year and that he believes a deal will be struck under the Biden administration. "We think the Biden administration has a great opportunity because there is so much leverage on Iran through the sanctions," Abrams said, adding he sees an opportunity to work with France, Germany and the United Kingdom, as well as allies in the region, to strike a deal that addresses both missile and regional threats from Iran. "If we discard the leverage we have, it would really be tragic and foolish. But if we use it there is a chance I think for constructive agreement that addresses all of these problems," he added. He said it would be wrong to assume the new administration could reverse Iran policy like switching a light, and said negotiations would take many months. Tensions between Washington and Tehran have risen since Trump abandoned Obama's 2015 Iran nuclear deal, and restored harsh economic sanctions to pressure Tehran to negotiate deeper curbs on its nuclear programme, ballistic missile development and support for regional proxy forces. Abrams on Wednesday announced Iran-related sanctions on four entities in China and Russia, accusing them of activities promoting Iran`s missile program. Also, US ambassador to Lebanon Dorothy Shea said the United States could impose further sanctions on Lebanese figures over corruption and aiding the Iran-backed Hezbollah group after Washington in recent months blacklisted three former Lebanese government ministers, including the president`s son-in-law. (with inputs)

More sanctions coming, US envoy tells Iran

A transgender man Paulo Batista is striving to fulfill his father’s dying wish for him to join the US military. But he says all he has heard from the armed forces is either silence or a door slamming shut. Watch report.

Transgender man pursues dream to serve in US military: Hopes for waiver or change in policy

The Trump administration has disapproved of the Confucius Institute, a programme that brings Chinese language classes to America, citing it invites a "malign influence" from China.

More than 60 US universities host Confucius Institute through partnerships with an affiliate of China's Ministry of Education.

The administration on Friday also encouraged US schools and colleges to rethink their ties to it. Schools were advised to examine the programme's activities and take action to safeguard the educational environment.

The letters do not explicitly urge schools to cut ties with the Confucius Institute but say the measure could avoid problems.

The move marks the Trump administration's latest attempt to curb China's presence in the US amid a battle over trade, the coronavirus and human rights issues.

In letters to universities and state education officials, the State Department and Education Department said the programme gives China a foothold on US soil and poses a threat to free speech.

“The presence of this authoritarian influence on our campuses has never been more concerning, nor more consequential,” officials wrote in the letters, which were signed by Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Education Secretary Betsy DeVos.

Under the programme, China provides teachers and textbooks, and typically splits the cost with the university. It also brings Chinese language classes to about 500 elementary and secondary classrooms.

The programme has drawn mounting scrutiny from US officials amid rising tensions with China.&nbsp;

In August, the State Department labelled the programme's national office as a foreign mission of the Chinese Communist Party.

In Friday's letters also, US officials drew attention to China's new national security law in Hong Kong, which critics say curtails free expression and other liberties.

DeVos and Pompeo echoed longstanding complaints from academic groups that say schools give China too much control over what's taught in Confucius Institute classes.&nbsp;

(with inputs)

The Trump administration has disapproved of the Confucius Institute, a programme that brings Chinese language classes to America, citing it invites a "malign influence" from China.

The Trump administration has disapproved of the Confucius Institute, a programme that brings Chinese language classes to America, citing it invites a "malign influence" from China. More than 60 US universities host Confucius Institute through partnerships with an affiliate of China's Ministry of Education. The administration on Friday also encouraged US schools and colleges to rethink their ties to it. Schools were advised to examine the programme's activities and take action to safeguard the educational environment. The letters do not explicitly urge schools to cut ties with the Confucius Institute but say the measure could avoid problems. The move marks the Trump administration's latest attempt to curb China's presence in the US amid a battle over trade, the coronavirus and human rights issues. In letters to universities and state education officials, the State Department and Education Department said the programme gives China a foothold on US soil and poses a threat to free speech. “The presence of this authoritarian influence on our campuses has never been more concerning, nor more consequential,” officials wrote in the letters, which were signed by Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Education Secretary Betsy DeVos. Under the programme, China provides teachers and textbooks, and typically splits the cost with the university. It also brings Chinese language classes to about 500 elementary and secondary classrooms. The programme has drawn mounting scrutiny from US officials amid rising tensions with China. In August, the State Department labelled the programme's national office as a foreign mission of the Chinese Communist Party. In Friday's letters also, US officials drew attention to China's new national security law in Hong Kong, which critics say curtails free expression and other liberties. DeVos and Pompeo echoed longstanding complaints from academic groups that say schools give China too much control over what's taught in Confucius Institute classes. (with inputs)

Trump admin sees 'malign influence' in China-backed school programme

The Trump administration has announced new restrictions on H-1B non immigrant visa programme which it said is aimed at protecting American workers

Trump administration says it will further tighten rules for H-1B visas

The Trump administration of United States has threatened to take new measures against Iran. US has accused Iran of breaching 2015 nuclear deal. US has broken up with the UNSC members.

United States threatens to take new measures against Iran

Popular video-sharing app TikTok has filed a complaint to block the Trump administration's ban on the Chinese social-media network.

TikTok and its parent company, ByteDance Ltd., filed a complaint in a Washington federal court challenging the recent prohibitory moves by the Trump administration.

The US Commerce Department announced a ban on Friday blocking people in the United States from downloading Chinese-owned messaging app WeChat and TikTok starting September 20.

A Bloomberg&nbsp;report cited the complaint as saying that Trump exceeded his authority when he banned the app, and that he did so for political reasons rather than to stop an "unusual and extraordinary threat" to the US, as the law requires.

US President Donald Trump, who has been locked in a long-running trade dispute with China, issued an executive order on August 6 that prohibited US transactions with the Chinese owners of messaging app WeChat and TikTok.

Both ByteDance and TikTok are seeking a "declaratory" judgment and an order "invalidating and preliminarily and permanently enjoining the Prohibitions and the August 6 order," according to the complaint.

TikTok, which has over 100 million users in the United States, said the ban would "irreversibly destroy the TikTok business in the US."

Popular video-sharing app TikTok has filed a complaint to block the Trump administration's ban on the Chinese social-media network. TikTok and its parent company, ByteDance Ltd.

Popular video-sharing app TikTok has filed a complaint to block the Trump administration's ban on the Chinese social-media network. TikTok and its parent company, ByteDance Ltd., filed a complaint in a Washington federal court challenging the recent prohibitory moves by the Trump administration. The US Commerce Department announced a ban on Friday blocking people in the United States from downloading Chinese-owned messaging app WeChat and TikTok starting September 20. A Bloomberg report cited the complaint as saying that Trump exceeded his authority when he banned the app, and that he did so for political reasons rather than to stop an "unusual and extraordinary threat" to the US, as the law requires. US President Donald Trump, who has been locked in a long-running trade dispute with China, issued an executive order on August 6 that prohibited US transactions with the Chinese owners of messaging app WeChat and TikTok. Both ByteDance and TikTok are seeking a "declaratory" judgment and an order "invalidating and preliminarily and permanently enjoining the Prohibitions and the August 6 order," according to the complaint. TikTok, which has over 100 million users in the United States, said the ban would "irreversibly destroy the TikTok business in the US."

TikTok files complaint against Trump administration to block US ban

The Trump administration posted controversial recommendations on coronavirus testing to the US health agency's website against its objections, according to a media report.

The New York Times reported on Thursday that the guidelines, which said testing was not necessary for people who were exposed to Covid-19 but not displaying symptoms, were criticised when they were issued last month.

That is because healthcare experts at the time were pushing for more, not less, testing to help track and control the spread of COVID-19.

The respiratory disease has now killed almost 200,000 people in the United States.

The newspaper said the recommendation was posted to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's website "despite their serious objections," citing internal CDC documents.

"The Department of Health and Human Services did the rewriting and then 'dropped' it into the CDC's public website, flouting the agency's strict scientific review process," the newspaper said.

A federal official told the paper that the document came from the Department of Health and Human Services, or HHS, and from the White House Coronavirus Task Force.

The Times said healthcare experts at the CDC had "serious objections" to the document, and noted that it contained "elementary errors" as well as recommendations "inconsistent" with the CDC's advice, making it obvious it came from elsewhere, a senior CDC scientist told the paper under condition of anonymity.

The Trump administration posted controversial recommendations on coronavirus testing to the US health agency's website against its objections, according to a media report.

The Trump administration posted controversial recommendations on coronavirus testing to the US health agency's website against its objections, according to a media report. The New York Times reported on Thursday that the guidelines, which said testing was not necessary for people who were exposed to Covid-19 but not displaying symptoms, were criticised when they were issued last month. That is because healthcare experts at the time were pushing for more, not less, testing to help track and control the spread of COVID-19. The respiratory disease has now killed almost 200,000 people in the United States. The newspaper said the recommendation was posted to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's website "despite their serious objections," citing internal CDC documents. "The Department of Health and Human Services did the rewriting and then 'dropped' it into the CDC's public website, flouting the agency's strict scientific review process," the newspaper said. A federal official told the paper that the document came from the Department of Health and Human Services, or HHS, and from the White House Coronavirus Task Force. The Times said healthcare experts at the CDC had "serious objections" to the document, and noted that it contained "elementary errors" as well as recommendations "inconsistent" with the CDC's advice, making it obvious it came from elsewhere, a senior CDC scientist told the paper under condition of anonymity.

Trump administration wrote controversial US agency guidelines on testing, says report

The Trump administration has formally proposed a sweeping expansion of its collection of DNA and other biometric data of immigrants. It would go beyond detained migrants in order to include US citizen sponsors and others.

The plan is the latest move by President Donald Trump to remake the nation's immigration system and make good on his campaign promises as he seeks re-election in November. He has been pressing his anti-immigrant rhetoric ever since he assumed power.

The proposal also vastly expands the biological information that the Department of Homeland Security collects beyond genetic material to include eye scans, voice prints, and palm prints, the department's US Citizenship and Immigration Services said in a notice published in the Federal Register.

Trump administration last year called for the collection of DNA of migrants who are detained by US authorities, arguing it was allowed under a 2005 law and could help detect fraud and solve cold cases.

Friday's proposal, first announced September 1, would vastly expand such collections that DHS said would help prove family relationships, verify identities, and check criminal histories. It also moves to include children, among other changes.

Critics have said it raises serious privacy concerns. The American Civil Liberties Union last week blasted the move, saying it would hinder legal immigration and raised questions about data storage and government surveillance.

"Collecting a massive database of genetic blueprints won't make us safer — it will simply make it easier for the government to surveil and target our communities and to bring us closer to a dystopian nightmare," ACLU's deputy director of immigration policy, Andrea Flores, said in statement.

It is unclear when DHS will finalise the rule. Representatives for the department did not respond to a request for comment. Public comment on the measure is due October 13.

The Republican president has repeatedly called for "law and order" ahead of the November 3 presidential election pitting him against former US vice-president Joe Biden, a Democrat. 
Trump has long linked his anti-immigration policies to crime-fighting, although studies show immigrants do not commit crime at a higher rate than native-born Americans.

The Trump administration has formally proposed a sweeping expansion of its collection of DNA and other biometric data of immigrants. It would go beyond detained migrants in order to include US citizen sponsors and others.

The Trump administration has formally proposed a sweeping expansion of its collection of DNA and other biometric data of immigrants. It would go beyond detained migrants in order to include US citizen sponsors and others. The plan is the latest move by President Donald Trump to remake the nation's immigration system and make good on his campaign promises as he seeks re-election in November. He has been pressing his anti-immigrant rhetoric ever since he assumed power. The proposal also vastly expands the biological information that the Department of Homeland Security collects beyond genetic material to include eye scans, voice prints, and palm prints, the department's US Citizenship and Immigration Services said in a notice published in the Federal Register. Trump administration last year called for the collection of DNA of migrants who are detained by US authorities, arguing it was allowed under a 2005 law and could help detect fraud and solve cold cases. Friday's proposal, first announced September 1, would vastly expand such collections that DHS said would help prove family relationships, verify identities, and check criminal histories. It also moves to include children, among other changes. Critics have said it raises serious privacy concerns. The American Civil Liberties Union last week blasted the move, saying it would hinder legal immigration and raised questions about data storage and government surveillance. "Collecting a massive database of genetic blueprints won't make us safer — it will simply make it easier for the government to surveil and target our communities and to bring us closer to a dystopian nightmare," ACLU's deputy director of immigration policy, Andrea Flores, said in statement. It is unclear when DHS will finalise the rule. Representatives for the department did not respond to a request for comment. Public comment on the measure is due October 13. The Republican president has repeatedly called for "law and order" ahead of the November 3 presidential election pitting him against former US vice-president Joe Biden, a Democrat. Trump has long linked his anti-immigration policies to crime-fighting, although studies show immigrants do not commit crime at a higher rate than native-born Americans.

Trump administration seeks sweeping DNA collection of immigrants

U.S. officials are weighing whether to postpone or further cut refugee admissions in the coming year amid legal fights over President Donald Trump`s refugee policy and uncertainty caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, a senior official said.

The possible postponement - one of several options under discussion - would mean some or all refugee admissions could be frozen until a legal challenge to a 2019 Trump order on refugees is resolved "with some greater degree of finality," the official told Reuters.

It is not clear when that lawsuit may be resolved, especially if the case goes all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court, a process that could take months or even longer.

The president typically sets yearly refugee levels around the beginning of each fiscal year and the Trump administration has not yet announced its plans for fiscal 2021, which begins on Oct. 1.

The refugee cap was cut to 18,000 this year, the lowest level since the modern-day program began in 1980. So far, roughly half that many refugees have been let in as increased vetting and the coronavirus pandemic have slowed arrivals.

The senior official said that even if 2021 admissions are not delayed, next year`s cap could be cut below current levels. 
"The arc of this administration`s refugee policy is going to continue," said the official, who requested anonymity to discuss the ongoing deliberations.

Trump and his top officials have said refugees could pose threats to national security and that resettlement should take place closer to countries of origin. The administration also contends that refugee resettlement can be costly for local communities, although refugee backers reject those arguments.

The possible moves remain under discussion and no final decision has been reached, the official stressed.

Democratic challenger Joe Biden has pledged to raise refugee admissions to 125,000 per year if he defeats Trump in November. However, Biden has not said how quickly he would raise the cap and advocates say the program could take years to recover after Trump-era reductions.

If he wins, Biden could seek to raise the cap soon after taking office, just as Trump moved to halve refugee admissions in early 2017. But refugee groups say that restoring the pipeline of travel-ready refugees and rebuilding the organizations that receive them in the United States will take months or years as refugees will need to undergo renewed security and medical checks and shuttered resettlement offices will need to reopen.

Trump, who is seeking another four-year term on Nov. 3, has made his immigration crackdown a focus of the presidency and 2020 campaign.

In addition to greatly reducing refugee admissions to the United States, Trump also issued an executive order in September 2019 that required state and local elected officials to consent to receive refugees, saying it would better ensure refugees were sent to areas with adequate resources to receive them.

In January, a Maryland-based U.S. district judge blocked the order from taking effect, prompting Trump administration officials to consider a possible "deferral" of refugee admissions until the court case is resolved, the senior official said.

The administration`s refugee cap discussions involve officials from the State Department, Department of Homeland Security and the Pentagon, and have been coordinated by the White House National Security Council, according to the senior official, who declined to provide the names of those involved.

U.S. officials are weighing whether to postpone or further cut refugee admissions in the coming year amid legal fights over President Donald Trump`s refugee policy and uncertainty caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, a senior official said.

U.S. officials are weighing whether to postpone or further cut refugee admissions in the coming year amid legal fights over President Donald Trump`s refugee policy and uncertainty caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, a senior official said. The possible postponement - one of several options under discussion - would mean some or all refugee admissions could be frozen until a legal challenge to a 2019 Trump order on refugees is resolved "with some greater degree of finality," the official told Reuters. It is not clear when that lawsuit may be resolved, especially if the case goes all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court, a process that could take months or even longer. The president typically sets yearly refugee levels around the beginning of each fiscal year and the Trump administration has not yet announced its plans for fiscal 2021, which begins on Oct. 1. The refugee cap was cut to 18,000 this year, the lowest level since the modern-day program began in 1980. So far, roughly half that many refugees have been let in as increased vetting and the coronavirus pandemic have slowed arrivals. The senior official said that even if 2021 admissions are not delayed, next year`s cap could be cut below current levels. "The arc of this administration`s refugee policy is going to continue," said the official, who requested anonymity to discuss the ongoing deliberations. Trump and his top officials have said refugees could pose threats to national security and that resettlement should take place closer to countries of origin. The administration also contends that refugee resettlement can be costly for local communities, although refugee backers reject those arguments. The possible moves remain under discussion and no final decision has been reached, the official stressed. Democratic challenger Joe Biden has pledged to raise refugee admissions to 125,000 per year if he defeats Trump in November. However, Biden has not said how quickly he would raise the cap and advocates say the program could take years to recover after Trump-era reductions. If he wins, Biden could seek to raise the cap soon after taking office, just as Trump moved to halve refugee admissions in early 2017. But refugee groups say that restoring the pipeline of travel-ready refugees and rebuilding the organizations that receive them in the United States will take months or years as refugees will need to undergo renewed security and medical checks and shuttered resettlement offices will need to reopen. Trump, who is seeking another four-year term on Nov. 3, has made his immigration crackdown a focus of the presidency and 2020 campaign. In addition to greatly reducing refugee admissions to the United States, Trump also issued an executive order in September 2019 that required state and local elected officials to consent to receive refugees, saying it would better ensure refugees were sent to areas with adequate resources to receive them. In January, a Maryland-based U.S. district judge blocked the order from taking effect, prompting Trump administration officials to consider a possible "deferral" of refugee admissions until the court case is resolved, the senior official said. The administration`s refugee cap discussions involve officials from the State Department, Department of Homeland Security and the Pentagon, and have been coordinated by the White House National Security Council, according to the senior official, who declined to provide the names of those involved.

Trump administration considers postponing refugee admissions

The Trump Administration has injected USD 3 trillion into the American economy after the nation was adversely impacted due to the coronavirus pandemic, US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said on Sunday.

"The president and I couldn't be more pleased with the way the economic plan is working. We've injected USD 3 trillion into the economy. People thought we'd get 25 per cent on unemployment. Fortunately, it never came close to that.

We're now down to 8.4," Mnuchin said in an interview to the Fox channel.

However, Mnuchin said the Trump administration is working on helping small businesses and getting back employment for people.

"But the president and I believe we should do more stimulus. We have about seven and a half million jobs that we need to get back until we're back to where we were up. And we want to help small businesses, we want to help businesses that are particularly impacted by this, and we'll continue to work on proposed new legislation," he said.

US is the world worst hit economy due to the coronavirus pandemic, which till now has infected 6,256,359 people and killed 188,634 others.

Mnuchin said for no fault of any American businesses, the president made a very difficult decision to shut down the entire US economy because of the terrible COVID disease.

"Now, the good news is we've reopened it. Thought we have 30 million to 40 million people unemployed. We never did that because of the bipartisan support putting money into the economy. We're now down to 8.4 per cent and the president is going to get it back down to 3 per cent or 4 per cent where it was before all of that in the beginning of next year when he's reelected," Mnuchin said.

The Trump Administration has injected USD 3 trillion into the American economy after the nation was adversely impacted due to the coronavirus pandemic, US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said on Sunday.

The Trump Administration has injected USD 3 trillion into the American economy after the nation was adversely impacted due to the coronavirus pandemic, US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said on Sunday. "The president and I couldn't be more pleased with the way the economic plan is working. We've injected USD 3 trillion into the economy. People thought we'd get 25 per cent on unemployment. Fortunately, it never came close to that. We're now down to 8.4," Mnuchin said in an interview to the Fox channel. However, Mnuchin said the Trump administration is working on helping small businesses and getting back employment for people. "But the president and I believe we should do more stimulus. We have about seven and a half million jobs that we need to get back until we're back to where we were up. And we want to help small businesses, we want to help businesses that are particularly impacted by this, and we'll continue to work on proposed new legislation," he said. US is the world worst hit economy due to the coronavirus pandemic, which till now has infected 6,256,359 people and killed 188,634 others. Mnuchin said for no fault of any American businesses, the president made a very difficult decision to shut down the entire US economy because of the terrible COVID disease. "Now, the good news is we've reopened it. Thought we have 30 million to 40 million people unemployed. We never did that because of the bipartisan support putting money into the economy. We're now down to 8.4 per cent and the president is going to get it back down to 3 per cent or 4 per cent where it was before all of that in the beginning of next year when he's reelected," Mnuchin said.

Trump administration pumped in USD 3 trillion into American economy after COVID-19 impact: US Treasury Secy

Edward Snowden, a former US intelligence contractor who revealed in 2013 that the US government was spying on its citizens, has said he would like to return to his home country, but only on the condition of a fair trial.

Edward Snowden asks to return to US; Trump to 'take a look' at pardoning

United States' Trump administration has sanctioned the Hong Kong's Chief Executive Carrie Lam over her role in curtailing political freedom in the Hong Kong.

US sanctioned Hong Kong's Chief Executive Carrie Lam over crackdown on protesters

United States sanctions Hong Kong's chief executive Carrie Lam

The Trump administration has imposed sanctions on Hong Kong's Chief Executive Carrie Lam over her role in curtailing the political freedom of the people of Hong Kong. Watch report.

US sanctions Carrie Lam | First sanctions against officials by US

The Trump administration is considering a proposal to crackdown on Chinese companies that are listed in the US and do not follow American audit requirements, according to a media report.

As per the proposal, as reported by The Wall Street Journal, the Chinese companies listed on American stock exchanges like New York Stock Exchange and NASDAQ be subject to audit by US regulators or else they would be delisted.

To comply, Chinese auditors would have to share their work papers with the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board, a specialised audit regulator overseen by the US government, the financial daily said.

Chinese firms that are not yet public, but which plan to do an initial public offering in the US, would have to comply before they can go public on NYSE or Nasdaq, and would not get until 2022 to follow the rules, the report said, quoting senior officials from the Department of Treasury and Securities and Exchange Commission.

"These recommendations are consistent with bipartisan congressional legislation and are centered on the importance of a level playing field," US Securities and Exchange Commission Chairman Jay Clayton was quoted as saying in the report.

Such a move comes after the US Senate passed a bipartisan legislation in May. As per the legislation, the Chinese companies that do not comply with these regulations in three years would be delisted.

The latest move of Trump Administration is part of its effort to crackdown on Chinese companies, the report said. 
President Donald Trump has given September 15 as the deadline to TikTok, the popular Chinese app, to sell it to an American owner or face its closer.

Last month, the US asked closer of Chinese consulate in Houston accusing it of being a spying hub.

In his remarks at a Whirlpool manufacturing plant in Ohio on Thursday, Trump said that his administration was bringing trade cases against China to crack down on its economic aggression.

In an op-ed in Roll Call, Congressmen Adam Kinzinger and John Joyce alleged that the Communist China Party (CCP) has increased its threats on the US through technology advances. As such, United States must push back by leading in innovation and bolstering telecommunications security.

"China's more recent technological power not only endangers America's national security, it also poses a serious threat to the human rights of Chinese citizens and freedom-loving people around the world. Communist governments do not tolerate any form of dissent, and Beijing routinely uses technology to surveil, silence and threaten its critics," they wrote.

"Huawei, another company with ties to the Chinese government, regularly comes under fire for its blatant disregard of human rights," they said.

The Trump administration is considering a proposal to crackdown on Chinese companies that are listed in the US and do not follow American audit requirements, according to a media report.

The Trump administration is considering a proposal to crackdown on Chinese companies that are listed in the US and do not follow American audit requirements, according to a media report. As per the proposal, as reported by The Wall Street Journal, the Chinese companies listed on American stock exchanges like New York Stock Exchange and NASDAQ be subject to audit by US regulators or else they would be delisted. To comply, Chinese auditors would have to share their work papers with the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board, a specialised audit regulator overseen by the US government, the financial daily said. Chinese firms that are not yet public, but which plan to do an initial public offering in the US, would have to comply before they can go public on NYSE or Nasdaq, and would not get until 2022 to follow the rules, the report said, quoting senior officials from the Department of Treasury and Securities and Exchange Commission. "These recommendations are consistent with bipartisan congressional legislation and are centered on the importance of a level playing field," US Securities and Exchange Commission Chairman Jay Clayton was quoted as saying in the report. Such a move comes after the US Senate passed a bipartisan legislation in May. As per the legislation, the Chinese companies that do not comply with these regulations in three years would be delisted. The latest move of Trump Administration is part of its effort to crackdown on Chinese companies, the report said. President Donald Trump has given September 15 as the deadline to TikTok, the popular Chinese app, to sell it to an American owner or face its closer. Last month, the US asked closer of Chinese consulate in Houston accusing it of being a spying hub. In his remarks at a Whirlpool manufacturing plant in Ohio on Thursday, Trump said that his administration was bringing trade cases against China to crack down on its economic aggression. In an op-ed in Roll Call, Congressmen Adam Kinzinger and John Joyce alleged that the Communist China Party (CCP) has increased its threats on the US through technology advances. As such, United States must push back by leading in innovation and bolstering telecommunications security. "China's more recent technological power not only endangers America's national security, it also poses a serious threat to the human rights of Chinese citizens and freedom-loving people around the world. Communist governments do not tolerate any form of dissent, and Beijing routinely uses technology to surveil, silence and threaten its critics," they wrote. "Huawei, another company with ties to the Chinese government, regularly comes under fire for its blatant disregard of human rights," they said.

Trump administration seeks crackdown on Chinese companies listed in US

Teachers are also demanding financial help for parents in need, including rent and mortgage assistance, a moratorium on evictions and foreclosures, and cash assistance.

Teachers protest across U.S over reopening schools amid pandemic

The Trump administration will not accept new applications for the Obama-era program that shields from deportation certain undocumented immigrants.

Trump administration refuses to accept new application under DACA program

The Trump administration moved Friday to ease controls on exports of armed drones, saying that allies need US technology and that other countries outside of a non-proliferation pact were taking over the market.

The White House announced that President Donald Trump had approved a move to diverge partly from the 1987 Missile Technology Control Regime, in which 35 countries agreed to restrict the sales of unmanned weapons delivery systems.&nbsp;

The MTCR was aimed at controlling the spread of missiles that could deliver large payload like nuclear weapons.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/caught-in-a-lie-heres-why-donald-trump-was-forced-to-cancel-florida-convention-315800" hreflang="en">Caught in a lie: Here's why Donald Trump cancelled Florida convention</a>

But it also covered armed drones, at the time not a major component of armed conflict as they are now.

The change ordered by Trump will reclassify armed drones from technology whose export is severely restricted to a category that can be considered on a case-by-case basis.

The drones in the category must have a maximum airspeed of less than 800 kilometers per hour, which will allow sales of the Reaper and Predator drones used by the US military, as well as others made by US defense manufacturers.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/technology/tiktok-tries-to-lure-us-send-india-a-message-but-who-really-got-hurt-baffled-315824" hreflang="en">TikTok tries to lure US, send India a message: But who really got 'hurt'?</a>

"The Trump administration has once again weakened international export controls on the export of lethal drones," said Senator Bob Menendez in a statement.

"This reckless decision makes it more likely that we will export some of our most deadly weaponry to human rights abusers across the world," he said.

"The MTCR's standards are more than three decades old," the White House said in a statement.

"Not only do these outdated standards give an unfair advantage to countries outside of the MTCR and hurt United States industry, they also hinder our deterrence capability abroad by handicapping our partners and allies with subpar technology."

The White House statement said two years of talks had failed to reform the MTCR.

The move has worried arms control advocates who say the US sale of advanced drones to more countries could fuel the global arms race.

The Trump administration moved Friday to ease controls on exports of armed drones, saying that allies need US technology and that other countries outside of a non-proliferation pact were taking over the market.

The Trump administration moved Friday to ease controls on exports of armed drones, saying that allies need US technology and that other countries outside of a non-proliferation pact were taking over the market. The White House announced that President Donald Trump had approved a move to diverge partly from the 1987 Missile Technology Control Regime, in which 35 countries agreed to restrict the sales of unmanned weapons delivery systems. The MTCR was aimed at controlling the spread of missiles that could deliver large payload like nuclear weapons. Also read: Caught in a lie: Here's why Donald Trump cancelled Florida convention But it also covered armed drones, at the time not a major component of armed conflict as they are now. The change ordered by Trump will reclassify armed drones from technology whose export is severely restricted to a category that can be considered on a case-by-case basis. The drones in the category must have a maximum airspeed of less than 800 kilometers per hour, which will allow sales of the Reaper and Predator drones used by the US military, as well as others made by US defense manufacturers. Also read: TikTok tries to lure US, send India a message: But who really got 'hurt'? "The Trump administration has once again weakened international export controls on the export of lethal drones," said Senator Bob Menendez in a statement. "This reckless decision makes it more likely that we will export some of our most deadly weaponry to human rights abusers across the world," he said. "The MTCR's standards are more than three decades old," the White House said in a statement. "Not only do these outdated standards give an unfair advantage to countries outside of the MTCR and hurt United States industry, they also hinder our deterrence capability abroad by handicapping our partners and allies with subpar technology." The White House statement said two years of talks had failed to reform the MTCR. The move has worried arms control advocates who say the US sale of advanced drones to more countries could fuel the global arms race.

Trump allows defense contractors to sell more armed drones to foreign military

President Donald Trump’s administration is studying the national security risks of social media applications including TikTok and WeChat, with action to address the issue expected in the coming weeks, a White House official said on Wednesday.&nbsp;

“There are a number of ... administration officials who are looking at the national security risk as it relates to TikTok, WeChat and other apps that have the potential for national security exposure, specifically as it relates to the gathering of information on American citizens by a foreign adversary,” White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows told reporters en route to Washington from Georgia.

“I don’t know that there’s any self-imposed deadline in terms of action, but I would say that we’re looking at weeks, not months,” he added.

TikTok defended its security practices in a statement, saying: “We are fully committed to protecting our users’ privacy and security.

“TikTok has an American CEO, a Chief Information Security Officer with decades of US military and law enforcement experience, and a growing US team that works diligently to develop a best-in-class security infrastructure. TikTok US user data is stored in Virginia and Singapore, with strict controls on employee access. These are the facts,” the statement said.

WeChat owner Tencent did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The comments come as TikTok, a popular short video-sharing app owned by Beijing ByteDance Technology Co, finds itself increasingly in the crosshairs of the Trump administration as US-China ties sour over the coronavirus pandemic and Beijing’s move to curb freedoms in Hong Kong.

Earlier this month, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said the United States was “certainly looking at” banning Chinese social media apps, including TikTok, but offered no further details.

On Wednesday, the New York Times reported the administration was weighing action against Chinese social media services like TikTok under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act, which gives the president broad powers to penalize companies in response to extraordinary threats, citing people familiar with the matter.

But the administration was already looking into the company, after lawmakers called for a probe over concerns it could be censoring politically sensitive content and failing to safely store personal data.&nbsp;

Reuters reported last November that a powerful US government committee known as CFIUS had launched a national security review of Bytedance’s $1 billion acquisition of US social media app Musical.ly.

Meadows offered little detail about the mechanisms under consideration to respond to any threats posed by TikTok, but noted that the CFIUS review was perhaps on a parallel tract.

WeChat, a chat app owned by Tencent Holdings Ltd, a Chinese gaming and social media group, has received less scrutiny in Washington.

President Donald Trump’s administration is studying the national security risks of social media applications including TikTok and WeChat, with action to address the issue expected in the coming weeks, a White House official said on Wednesday.

President Donald Trump’s administration is studying the national security risks of social media applications including TikTok and WeChat, with action to address the issue expected in the coming weeks, a White House official said on Wednesday. “There are a number of ... administration officials who are looking at the national security risk as it relates to TikTok, WeChat and other apps that have the potential for national security exposure, specifically as it relates to the gathering of information on American citizens by a foreign adversary,” White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows told reporters en route to Washington from Georgia. “I don’t know that there’s any self-imposed deadline in terms of action, but I would say that we’re looking at weeks, not months,” he added. TikTok defended its security practices in a statement, saying: “We are fully committed to protecting our users’ privacy and security. “TikTok has an American CEO, a Chief Information Security Officer with decades of US military and law enforcement experience, and a growing US team that works diligently to develop a best-in-class security infrastructure. TikTok US user data is stored in Virginia and Singapore, with strict controls on employee access. These are the facts,” the statement said. WeChat owner Tencent did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The comments come as TikTok, a popular short video-sharing app owned by Beijing ByteDance Technology Co, finds itself increasingly in the crosshairs of the Trump administration as US-China ties sour over the coronavirus pandemic and Beijing’s move to curb freedoms in Hong Kong. Earlier this month, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said the United States was “certainly looking at” banning Chinese social media apps, including TikTok, but offered no further details. On Wednesday, the New York Times reported the administration was weighing action against Chinese social media services like TikTok under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act, which gives the president broad powers to penalize companies in response to extraordinary threats, citing people familiar with the matter. But the administration was already looking into the company, after lawmakers called for a probe over concerns it could be censoring politically sensitive content and failing to safely store personal data. Reuters reported last November that a powerful US government committee known as CFIUS had launched a national security review of Bytedance’s $1 billion acquisition of US social media app Musical.ly. Meadows offered little detail about the mechanisms under consideration to respond to any threats posed by TikTok, but noted that the CFIUS review was perhaps on a parallel tract. WeChat, a chat app owned by Tencent Holdings Ltd, a Chinese gaming and social media group, has received less scrutiny in Washington.

Trump administration action on risks posed by TikTok likely 'in weeks': White House

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