Boeing Co Chief Executive Dennis Muilenburg faces a second day of questions Wednesday from US&nbsp;lawmakers on its now grounded 737 MAX after sharp criticism at a Senate hearing Tuesday.

US&nbsp;Representative Peter DeFazio, who heads the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, which will hear from Muilenburg on Wednesday, said in a written statement that the committee's lengthy investigation into the MAX has turned up significant questions about Boeing's decision-making.

"Something went drastically wrong, a total of 346 people died, and we have a duty to fix it," DeFazio will say in his opening statement.

DeFazio said the panel is aware of "at least one case where a Boeing manager implored the then-vice president and general manager of the 737 programme&nbsp;to shut down the 737 MAX production line because of safety concerns." Boeing did not comment Tuesday on the allegation.

Muilenburg told reporters on Wednesday he believes the allegation was in response to concerns about a change in the increase of the production rate. He said Boeing was aware of those concerns and had acknowledged them.

Muilenburg said that he had met with some family members of the victims before Wednesday's hearing. "It was tough to hear," he said, adding the company was making "the fixes we need to make."

The Boeing CEO on Tuesday acknowledged errors in failing to give pilots more information on a key safety system known as MCAS before the crashes, as well as for taking months to disclose that it had made optional an alarm that alerts pilots to a mismatch of flight data on the 737 MAX.

"We've made mistakes and we got some things wrong. We're improving and we're learning," he said.

The hearing, the highest-profile congressional scrutiny of commercial aviation safety in years, heaps pressure on a newly rejigged Boeing senior management team fighting to repair trust with airline customers and passengers shaken by an eight-month safety ban on its 737 MAX following the crashes.

"You have told me half-truths over and over again," Senator Tammy Duckworth told Muilenburg, questioning why the manufacturer did not disclose more details about MCAS's lack of safeguards. On Wednesday, Muilenburg said he would work to ensure she got the information she was seeking.

Taking turns to grill Muilenburg during his first appearance at a hearing on Capitol Hill in the year since the first crash in Indonesia, senators also expressed dismay that 2016 instant messages discussing erratic behaviour of simulator software - a replica of the system aboard the jetliner - did not prompt an immediate reaction from the company.

For months, Boeing had largely failed to acknowledge blame, instead vowing to make a "safe plane safer." Tuesday's hearing represents Boeing's broadest acceptance of responsibility that it made mistakes, but Muilenburg stopped short of what some lawmakers and family members had sought.

Family members were seated just three rows behind Muilenburg during his testimony and were invited at one point to stand and show large photos of their loved ones.

Nadia Milleron, whose daughter was killed in the Ethiopian Airlines crash in March, said Muilenburg and the board should resign for failing to do more to prevent the crashes.

As Muilenburg departed the hearing, she implored him to look at the victims' families when he apologized. He turned to her and said: "I'm sorry."

Boeing Co Chief Executive Dennis Muilenburg faces a second day of questions Wednesday from US lawmakers on its now grounded 737 MAX after sharp criticism at a Senate hearing Tuesday.

Boeing Co Chief Executive Dennis Muilenburg faces a second day of questions Wednesday from US lawmakers on its now grounded 737 MAX after sharp criticism at a Senate hearing Tuesday. US Representative Peter DeFazio, who heads the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, which will hear from Muilenburg on Wednesday, said in a written statement that the committee's lengthy investigation into the MAX has turned up significant questions about Boeing's decision-making. "Something went drastically wrong, a total of 346 people died, and we have a duty to fix it," DeFazio will say in his opening statement. DeFazio said the panel is aware of "at least one case where a Boeing manager implored the then-vice president and general manager of the 737 programme to shut down the 737 MAX production line because of safety concerns." Boeing did not comment Tuesday on the allegation. Muilenburg told reporters on Wednesday he believes the allegation was in response to concerns about a change in the increase of the production rate. He said Boeing was aware of those concerns and had acknowledged them. Muilenburg said that he had met with some family members of the victims before Wednesday's hearing. "It was tough to hear," he said, adding the company was making "the fixes we need to make." The Boeing CEO on Tuesday acknowledged errors in failing to give pilots more information on a key safety system known as MCAS before the crashes, as well as for taking months to disclose that it had made optional an alarm that alerts pilots to a mismatch of flight data on the 737 MAX. "We've made mistakes and we got some things wrong. We're improving and we're learning," he said. The hearing, the highest-profile congressional scrutiny of commercial aviation safety in years, heaps pressure on a newly rejigged Boeing senior management team fighting to repair trust with airline customers and passengers shaken by an eight-month safety ban on its 737 MAX following the crashes. "You have told me half-truths over and over again," Senator Tammy Duckworth told Muilenburg, questioning why the manufacturer did not disclose more details about MCAS's lack of safeguards. On Wednesday, Muilenburg said he would work to ensure she got the information she was seeking. Taking turns to grill Muilenburg during his first appearance at a hearing on Capitol Hill in the year since the first crash in Indonesia, senators also expressed dismay that 2016 instant messages discussing erratic behaviour of simulator software - a replica of the system aboard the jetliner - did not prompt an immediate reaction from the company. For months, Boeing had largely failed to acknowledge blame, instead vowing to make a "safe plane safer." Tuesday's hearing represents Boeing's broadest acceptance of responsibility that it made mistakes, but Muilenburg stopped short of what some lawmakers and family members had sought. Family members were seated just three rows behind Muilenburg during his testimony and were invited at one point to stand and show large photos of their loved ones. Nadia Milleron, whose daughter was killed in the Ethiopian Airlines crash in March, said Muilenburg and the board should resign for failing to do more to prevent the crashes. As Muilenburg departed the hearing, she implored him to look at the victims' families when he apologized. He turned to her and said: "I'm sorry."

United States lawmakers will press Boeing CEO on day two of testimony

Two United States&nbsp;State Department officials <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/democrats-to-vote-on-thursday-on-how-to-make-trump-impeachment-probe-public-258587">will testify</a> before House of Representatives investigators in the impeachment enquiry against President Donald Trump on Wednesday while lawmakers prepare to weigh rules formalising the impeachment process ahead.

Ukraine specialists Catherine Croft and Christopher Anderson are set to appear before House committees a day after a senior White House official said Trump's request for Ukraine to investigate Democrat rivals raised national security concerns.

Later today, the House Rules Committee is scheduled to take up a resolution proposed by House Democrats laying out the procedures as they move forward with the impeachment of the Republican president.

The two career diplomats are expected to lay out how State Department officials' efforts to express support for Ukraine were stymied by the White House, The Washington Post reported, citing the pair's prepared remarks.

Their closed-door deposition will follow ten&nbsp;hours of testimony on Tuesday by the White House official, Army Lieutenant Colonel Alexander Vindman, who raised the alarm about Trump's request - during a July 25 call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky,&nbsp;for Kiev to investigate Trump's political rival, former Democratic US&nbsp;Vice President Joe Biden.

The call is at the heart of the congressional enquiry into whether Trump misused the power of his office for personal political gain and, if so, whether that rises to the level of "high crimes and misdemeanours" that merit impeachment and removal from office under the Constitution.

Trump has denied any wrongdoing.

During the conversation, outlined in a memo released by the White House, Trump asked Zelensky to investigate Biden and his son Hunter Biden, who had served on the board of Burisma, a Ukrainian gas company.

He also sought an investigation into a debunked conspiracy theory that Ukraine, not Russia, interfered in the 2016 US&nbsp;election. Zelenskiy agreed to Trump's requests, according to the memo.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/united-states-lawmakers-hear-from-corroborating-witness-in-trump-impeachment-probe-258323">Trump made the request</a> after withholding nearly $400 million in security aid approved by Congress to help Ukraine fight Russian-backed separatists in eastern Ukraine.

Watch: Trump donors charged in Campaign Impeachment Probe

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/trump-impeachment-probe-trump-donors-charged-in-campaign-impeachment-probe-255094/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

Vindman, who as a Ukraine specialist listened to the Trump-Zelenskiy call, told lawmakers on Tuesday the readout of the conversation released by the White House left out information he had sought to include, the New York Times reported.

The rough transcript left out an assertion by Trump that there were recordings of Biden discussing corruption in Ukraine and Zelensky's explicit mention of Burisma, the Times said, citing three people familiar with his testimony.

More witnesses are expected later this week, including Timothy Morrison, the National Security Council Senior Director for Europe and Russia, on Thursday and Robert Blair, a senior adviser to acting White House chief of Staff Mick Mulvaney, on Friday.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/judge-validates-impeachment-enquiry-against-donald-trump-orders-mueller-document-release-258208">The House is expected to vote this week</a> on the formal process of moving forward with the impeachment inquiry after Republicans criticized the process as unfair to Trump.

Trump has urged his allies to directly tackle the allegations against him.

"This Impeachment nonsense is just a continuation of the Witch Hunt Hoax," he tweeted Wednesday morning, urging Republicans to "go with Substance and close it out!"

Two United States State Department officials will testify before House of Representatives investigators in the impeachment enquiry against President Donald Trump on Wednesday while lawmakers prepare to weigh rules formalising the impeachment process ahead.

Two United States State Department officials will testify before House of Representatives investigators in the impeachment enquiry against President Donald Trump on Wednesday while lawmakers prepare to weigh rules formalising the impeachment process ahead. Ukraine specialists Catherine Croft and Christopher Anderson are set to appear before House committees a day after a senior White House official said Trump's request for Ukraine to investigate Democrat rivals raised national security concerns. Later today, the House Rules Committee is scheduled to take up a resolution proposed by House Democrats laying out the procedures as they move forward with the impeachment of the Republican president. The two career diplomats are expected to lay out how State Department officials' efforts to express support for Ukraine were stymied by the White House, The Washington Post reported, citing the pair's prepared remarks. Their closed-door deposition will follow ten hours of testimony on Tuesday by the White House official, Army Lieutenant Colonel Alexander Vindman, who raised the alarm about Trump's request - during a July 25 call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, for Kiev to investigate Trump's political rival, former Democratic US Vice President Joe Biden. The call is at the heart of the congressional enquiry into whether Trump misused the power of his office for personal political gain and, if so, whether that rises to the level of "high crimes and misdemeanours" that merit impeachment and removal from office under the Constitution. Trump has denied any wrongdoing. During the conversation, outlined in a memo released by the White House, Trump asked Zelensky to investigate Biden and his son Hunter Biden, who had served on the board of Burisma, a Ukrainian gas company. He also sought an investigation into a debunked conspiracy theory that Ukraine, not Russia, interfered in the 2016 US election. Zelenskiy agreed to Trump's requests, according to the memo. Trump made the request after withholding nearly $400 million in security aid approved by Congress to help Ukraine fight Russian-backed separatists in eastern Ukraine. Watch: Trump donors charged in Campaign Impeachment Probe Vindman, who as a Ukraine specialist listened to the Trump-Zelenskiy call, told lawmakers on Tuesday the readout of the conversation released by the White House left out information he had sought to include, the New York Times reported. The rough transcript left out an assertion by Trump that there were recordings of Biden discussing corruption in Ukraine and Zelensky's explicit mention of Burisma, the Times said, citing three people familiar with his testimony. More witnesses are expected later this week, including Timothy Morrison, the National Security Council Senior Director for Europe and Russia, on Thursday and Robert Blair, a senior adviser to acting White House chief of Staff Mick Mulvaney, on Friday. The House is expected to vote this week on the formal process of moving forward with the impeachment inquiry after Republicans criticized the process as unfair to Trump. Trump has urged his allies to directly tackle the allegations against him. "This Impeachment nonsense is just a continuation of the Witch Hunt Hoax," he tweeted Wednesday morning, urging Republicans to "go with Substance and close it out!"

More witnesses to testify as United States House prepares impeachment rules

There is nothing unusual about Chinese companies experiencing issues when investing in Pacific island states or elsewhere, China's Foreign Ministry said on Tuesday, after a rebuffed attempt by a Chinese firm to <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/china-signs-deal-to-lease-pacific-island-in-solomons-256452">lease an island</a> in the Solomons.

The Solomon Islands government said last week a deal signed by one of its provinces to lease the entire island of Tulagi to a Chinese company is unlawful and should be terminated, a move applauded by United States.

Details of the long-term lease between the Solomons' Central Province and China Sam Enterprise Group were made public shortly after the Pacific nation switched diplomatic ties to Beijing from Taiwan in September. The shift was strongly criticised by the United States.

Speaking at a daily briefing, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang noted there had been a "fair amount" of media attention on the case, and that is was their understanding the local government had not sought permission for the project from the central government.

China has always told its companies they must respect local laws and international rules when operating abroad, and that they were encouraging the Chinese company involved in this case to talk to the Solomons government to "appropriately" resolve the issue, he added.

"I'd like to say here that it is very normal for Chinese companies investing in or looking for commercial opportunities overseas, including in the Pacific island state region, to maybe have some issues in this process," Geng said.

The United States, however, was "abnormally excited" about this particular case, with even the US&nbsp;Defense Secretary Mark Esper weighing in, looking to smear China's relationship with the region, he added.

"We no longer wonder at the sight of these cheap tricks, but can't help ask the Americans, do you really care about the interests of Pacific island states and their people? Or do you care more about your geopolitical interests? I think the US&nbsp;side should give a clear answer."

Though tiny in land mass, Pacific islands such as Tulagi have re-emerged as a strategic priority for the world's biggest nations, who are keen to lock-in alliances with countries that control vast swaths of resource-rich ocean between the Americas and Asia.

China, in particular, has in recent years expanded its financial and political influence in the Pacific, which have been a diplomatic stronghold for the United Sates and its regional allies since World War Two.

Esper had applauded the Solomons' decision to invalidate the agreement, which he applauded as "an important decision to reinforce sovereignty, transparency, and the rule of law".

Tulagi hosted US&nbsp;bases in World War Two and was the site of the Solomons' capital before it was moved to the island of Guadalcanal.

There is nothing unusual about Chinese companies experiencing issues when investing in Pacific island states or elsewhere, China's Foreign Ministry said on Tuesday, after a rebuffed attempt by a Chinese firm to lease an island in the Solomons.

There is nothing unusual about Chinese companies experiencing issues when investing in Pacific island states or elsewhere, China's Foreign Ministry said on Tuesday, after a rebuffed attempt by a Chinese firm to lease an island in the Solomons. The Solomon Islands government said last week a deal signed by one of its provinces to lease the entire island of Tulagi to a Chinese company is unlawful and should be terminated, a move applauded by United States. Details of the long-term lease between the Solomons' Central Province and China Sam Enterprise Group were made public shortly after the Pacific nation switched diplomatic ties to Beijing from Taiwan in September. The shift was strongly criticised by the United States. Speaking at a daily briefing, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang noted there had been a "fair amount" of media attention on the case, and that is was their understanding the local government had not sought permission for the project from the central government. China has always told its companies they must respect local laws and international rules when operating abroad, and that they were encouraging the Chinese company involved in this case to talk to the Solomons government to "appropriately" resolve the issue, he added. "I'd like to say here that it is very normal for Chinese companies investing in or looking for commercial opportunities overseas, including in the Pacific island state region, to maybe have some issues in this process," Geng said. The United States, however, was "abnormally excited" about this particular case, with even the US Defense Secretary Mark Esper weighing in, looking to smear China's relationship with the region, he added. "We no longer wonder at the sight of these cheap tricks, but can't help ask the Americans, do you really care about the interests of Pacific island states and their people? Or do you care more about your geopolitical interests? I think the US side should give a clear answer." Though tiny in land mass, Pacific islands such as Tulagi have re-emerged as a strategic priority for the world's biggest nations, who are keen to lock-in alliances with countries that control vast swaths of resource-rich ocean between the Americas and Asia. China, in particular, has in recent years expanded its financial and political influence in the Pacific, which have been a diplomatic stronghold for the United Sates and its regional allies since World War Two. Esper had applauded the Solomons' decision to invalidate the agreement, which he applauded as "an important decision to reinforce sovereignty, transparency, and the rule of law". Tulagi hosted US bases in World War Two and was the site of the Solomons' capital before it was moved to the island of Guadalcanal.

China downplays Solomon island lease debacle, tells US to stay out

Firefighters braced late on Tuesday for a resurgence of strong Santa Ana desert winds across Southern California after a day of light breezes helped them gain ground against a blaze&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/bracing-for-winds-authorities-order-thousands-to-flee-california-wine-country-fire-258340">displacing thousands </a>of Los Angeles residents near the famed Getty Center museum.

City arson investigators reported earlier on Tuesday that the Getty fire was likely caused by a broken tree branch being blown into power lines during high winds early Monday morning.

Electricity remained cut off to roughly half a million homes and businesses in northern and central California on Tuesday as a precaution by the state's largest utility, while firefighting strike teams and equipment were posted on standy at strategic points throughout the state.

The National Weather Service's Storm Prediction Center reported a critical or extreme fire danger existed for more than 34,000 square miles of California, encompassing some 21 million people.

Governor Gavin Newsom, who has accused utilities of failing to adequately modernize and safely maintain their power systems, paid a visit to the Getty fire zone on Tuesday afternoon.

"This is a challenging time," Newsom told a news conference at a command centre in the University of California's Los Angeles campus, adding that 43 of the state's 58 counties were "experiencing at or near-historic wind events."

At the start of the day, firefighters in Los Angeles and those battling a much larger conflagration in northern California's Sonoma County wine country took advantage of lighter winds to make headway before hazardous winds reemerged.

Fire officials worried high winds forecast to gust to 70 miles&nbsp;per hour or more would lift embers from smouldering hot spots and carry them into unburned vegetation, re-igniting and spreading flames anew.

Los Angeles Fire Chief Ralph Terrazas said extremely high winds could also force the grounding of water-dropping helicopters, a vital component of the firefighting arsenal.

While moderately high winds that returned to northern California late on Tuesday were expected to fade by Wednesday morning, forecasts called for extreme Santa Anas to arrive in Southern California late Tuesday night and last into Thursday.

That gave an army of some 1,100 firefighters battling the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/firefighters-struggle-against-massive-wind-whipped-california-wildfire-258443">Getty fire</a> a narrow window for consolidating gains a day after wind-driven flames and embers spread over scrub-covered slopes around some of most expensive homes on the city's west side.

By late afternoon, crews had managed to confine the blaze to about 650 acres&nbsp;while carving solid containment lines around 15 per cent&nbsp;of its perimeter, up from 5 per cent&nbsp;a day earlier.

In northern California, where firefighters struggled for a fifth day against a 76,000-acre blaze in Sonoma County's wine-growing region, high-wind forecasts prompted Pacific Gas and Electric Co&nbsp;to impose a new round of prescribed blackouts for nearly 600,000 homes and business.

That included about 400,000 customers blacked out in a "public safety power shut-off" that PG&amp;E instituted days earlier, the company said in a statement. Tuesday's power cuts marked the third wave of mass blackouts implemented this month by PG&amp;E.

Utilities serving Southern California's more highly urbanized areas have imposed smaller-scale outages.

Announcing preliminary findings of its Getty fire investigation, the Los Angeles Fire Department said the blaze probably started when a tree branch snapped off in high winds landed on adjacent power lines, producing sparks and "arcing" that ignited nearby brush.

The lines, which are operated by the city's Department of Water and Power (DWP), remained intact, the statement said.

The DWP said the broken branch apparently came from a Eucalyptus tree growing about 30 feet away, beyond the vegetation-clearance zone required by state regulations.

PG&amp;E has likewise been implicated in the latest Sonoma County blaze, dubbed the Kincade fire. The utility acknowledged last week that the Kincade fire broke out near a damaged PG&amp;E transmission tower at about the time a live high-voltage line carried by that tower malfunctioned.

The company, whose mass power shutdowns have drawn harsh criticism from the governor, filed for bankruptcy in January, citing $30 billion in potential liability from a series of deadly fires sparked by its equipment in 2017 and 2018.

Citing progress made against the Kincade fire, Newsom said the number of evacuees in northern California had diminished from 190,000 at the peak of that blaze to 130,000 on Tuesday.

Property losses from the Kincade, listed at 15 per cent&nbsp;contained, were put at 189 homes and other structures, double Monday's tally.

The size of the Getty fire's evacuation zone was reduced by roughly 3,000 homes on Tuesday, but residents of about 7,000 dwellings remained displaced, fire officials said. At least a dozen homes have been destroyed so far.

Firefighters braced late on Tuesday for a resurgence of strong Santa Ana desert winds across Southern California after a day of light breezes helped them gain ground against a blaze displacing thousands of Los Angeles residents near the famed Getty Center museum.

Firefighters braced late on Tuesday for a resurgence of strong Santa Ana desert winds across Southern California after a day of light breezes helped them gain ground against a blaze displacing thousands of Los Angeles residents near the famed Getty Center museum. City arson investigators reported earlier on Tuesday that the Getty fire was likely caused by a broken tree branch being blown into power lines during high winds early Monday morning. Electricity remained cut off to roughly half a million homes and businesses in northern and central California on Tuesday as a precaution by the state's largest utility, while firefighting strike teams and equipment were posted on standy at strategic points throughout the state. The National Weather Service's Storm Prediction Center reported a critical or extreme fire danger existed for more than 34,000 square miles of California, encompassing some 21 million people. Governor Gavin Newsom, who has accused utilities of failing to adequately modernize and safely maintain their power systems, paid a visit to the Getty fire zone on Tuesday afternoon. "This is a challenging time," Newsom told a news conference at a command centre in the University of California's Los Angeles campus, adding that 43 of the state's 58 counties were "experiencing at or near-historic wind events." At the start of the day, firefighters in Los Angeles and those battling a much larger conflagration in northern California's Sonoma County wine country took advantage of lighter winds to make headway before hazardous winds reemerged. Fire officials worried high winds forecast to gust to 70 miles per hour or more would lift embers from smouldering hot spots and carry them into unburned vegetation, re-igniting and spreading flames anew. Los Angeles Fire Chief Ralph Terrazas said extremely high winds could also force the grounding of water-dropping helicopters, a vital component of the firefighting arsenal. While moderately high winds that returned to northern California late on Tuesday were expected to fade by Wednesday morning, forecasts called for extreme Santa Anas to arrive in Southern California late Tuesday night and last into Thursday. That gave an army of some 1,100 firefighters battling the Getty fire a narrow window for consolidating gains a day after wind-driven flames and embers spread over scrub-covered slopes around some of most expensive homes on the city's west side. By late afternoon, crews had managed to confine the blaze to about 650 acres while carving solid containment lines around 15 per cent of its perimeter, up from 5 per cent a day earlier. In northern California, where firefighters struggled for a fifth day against a 76,000-acre blaze in Sonoma County's wine-growing region, high-wind forecasts prompted Pacific Gas and Electric Co to impose a new round of prescribed blackouts for nearly 600,000 homes and business. That included about 400,000 customers blacked out in a "public safety power shut-off" that PG&E instituted days earlier, the company said in a statement. Tuesday's power cuts marked the third wave of mass blackouts implemented this month by PG&E. Utilities serving Southern California's more highly urbanized areas have imposed smaller-scale outages. Announcing preliminary findings of its Getty fire investigation, the Los Angeles Fire Department said the blaze probably started when a tree branch snapped off in high winds landed on adjacent power lines, producing sparks and "arcing" that ignited nearby brush. The lines, which are operated by the city's Department of Water and Power (DWP), remained intact, the statement said. The DWP said the broken branch apparently came from a Eucalyptus tree growing about 30 feet away, beyond the vegetation-clearance zone required by state regulations. PG&E has likewise been implicated in the latest Sonoma County blaze, dubbed the Kincade fire. The utility acknowledged last week that the Kincade fire broke out near a damaged PG&E transmission tower at about the time a live high-voltage line carried by that tower malfunctioned. The company, whose mass power shutdowns have drawn harsh criticism from the governor, filed for bankruptcy in January, citing $30 billion in potential liability from a series of deadly fires sparked by its equipment in 2017 and 2018. Citing progress made against the Kincade fire, Newsom said the number of evacuees in northern California had diminished from 190,000 at the peak of that blaze to 130,000 on Tuesday. Property losses from the Kincade, listed at 15 per cent contained, were put at 189 homes and other structures, double Monday's tally. The size of the Getty fire's evacuation zone was reduced by roughly 3,000 homes on Tuesday, but residents of about 7,000 dwellings remained displaced, fire officials said. At least a dozen homes have been destroyed so far.

Southern California firefighters brace for resurgence of extreme winds

By James Johnson

The US government, long a proponent of advancing technology for military purposes, sees artificial intelligence as key to the next generation of fighting tools.

Several recent investments and Pentagon initiatives show that military leaders are concerned about keeping up with – and ahead of – China and Russia, two countries that have made big gains in developing artificial-intelligence systems. AI-powered weapons include target recognition systems, weapons guided by AI, and cyberattack and cyberdefense software that runs without human intervention.

The US defence community is coming to understand that AI will significantly transform, if not completely reinvent, the world’s military power balance. The concern is more than the military. As Chinese and Russian technologies become more sophisticated, they threaten US domination of technological innovation and development, as well as global economic power and influence.

Military leaders see the threat to US technological leadership coming from two main sources: A&nbsp;rising and ambitious China and a mischievous and declining Russia. Taken together, these forces challenge global stability.

The nature of the threat

A 2018 Pentagon report noted that technological developments could change the types of threats facing the US, which might include space-based weapons, long-range ballistic missiles and cyberweapons.

A February 2019 analysis warned that China’s investments in its military’s AI systems – in particular, those supporting robotics, autonomy, precision munitions and cyber warfare – threaten to overtake the United States. Chinese government agencies are working closely with the country’s civilian businesses to keep on top of fast-changing technological developments.

In addition, some Chinese and Russian projects have developed military AI systems specifically aimed at what they perceive as US technological weaknesses. For instance, swarms of armed AI-enhanced drones might locate and attack the secure computer systems countries rely on to control and launch their nuclear weapons.

Pentagon’s response

So far the Pentagon’s actions have been largely bureaucratic, rather than concrete. It has released a Defense Department-wide strategy document that articulates broad principles for the development and use of AI in future warfare. The military has established a Joint Artificial Intelligence Center, which is tasked with accelerating the delivery and adoption of AI.

But projects with names like “the Third Offset,” “Project Maven” and the “AI Next Campaign” have minimal funding. Leaders have released few details about what they will actually do.

Working with Silicon Valley

The Pentagon has also established the Defense Innovation Unit, with permission to circumvent the cumbersome military purchasing process, to coordinate with Silicon Valley and bring new technologies into military use relatively quickly.

That unit has sparked discussions about the potential for the Chinese military to acquire and use US-designed technologies, which led to the US&nbsp;bans on doing business with many Chinese technology firms.

Many experts consider it possible for China to surpass the US&nbsp;in the development and use of AI. However, China trails the US in several ways. The United States has the world’s largest intelligence budget; the most popular hardware, software and technology companies; and the most advanced cyberwarfare capabilities, both offensive and defensive. I and other experts expect these advantages to preserve US&nbsp;technological leadership for now, at least – but perhaps not forever.

(James Johnson is Postdoctoral Fellow in Nonproliferation Studies, Middlebury Institute of International Studies)

(This article was originally published on The Conversation. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/is-the-us-losing-the-artificial-intelligence-arms-race-124969">original article</a>)

(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL) &nbsp; 
&nbsp;

&nbsp;

By James Johnson The US government, long a proponent of advancing technology for military purposes, sees artificial intelligence as key to the next generation of fighting tools.

By James Johnson The US government, long a proponent of advancing technology for military purposes, sees artificial intelligence as key to the next generation of fighting tools. Several recent investments and Pentagon initiatives show that military leaders are concerned about keeping up with – and ahead of – China and Russia, two countries that have made big gains in developing artificial-intelligence systems. AI-powered weapons include target recognition systems, weapons guided by AI, and cyberattack and cyberdefense software that runs without human intervention. The US defence community is coming to understand that AI will significantly transform, if not completely reinvent, the world’s military power balance. The concern is more than the military. As Chinese and Russian technologies become more sophisticated, they threaten US domination of technological innovation and development, as well as global economic power and influence. Military leaders see the threat to US technological leadership coming from two main sources: A rising and ambitious China and a mischievous and declining Russia. Taken together, these forces challenge global stability. The nature of the threat A 2018 Pentagon report noted that technological developments could change the types of threats facing the US, which might include space-based weapons, long-range ballistic missiles and cyberweapons. A February 2019 analysis warned that China’s investments in its military’s AI systems – in particular, those supporting robotics, autonomy, precision munitions and cyber warfare – threaten to overtake the United States. Chinese government agencies are working closely with the country’s civilian businesses to keep on top of fast-changing technological developments. In addition, some Chinese and Russian projects have developed military AI systems specifically aimed at what they perceive as US technological weaknesses. For instance, swarms of armed AI-enhanced drones might locate and attack the secure computer systems countries rely on to control and launch their nuclear weapons. Pentagon’s response So far the Pentagon’s actions have been largely bureaucratic, rather than concrete. It has released a Defense Department-wide strategy document that articulates broad principles for the development and use of AI in future warfare. The military has established a Joint Artificial Intelligence Center, which is tasked with accelerating the delivery and adoption of AI. But projects with names like “the Third Offset,” “Project Maven” and the “AI Next Campaign” have minimal funding. Leaders have released few details about what they will actually do. Working with Silicon Valley The Pentagon has also established the Defense Innovation Unit, with permission to circumvent the cumbersome military purchasing process, to coordinate with Silicon Valley and bring new technologies into military use relatively quickly. That unit has sparked discussions about the potential for the Chinese military to acquire and use US-designed technologies, which led to the US bans on doing business with many Chinese technology firms. Many experts consider it possible for China to surpass the US in the development and use of AI. However, China trails the US in several ways. The United States has the world’s largest intelligence budget; the most popular hardware, software and technology companies; and the most advanced cyberwarfare capabilities, both offensive and defensive. I and other experts expect these advantages to preserve US technological leadership for now, at least – but perhaps not forever. (James Johnson is Postdoctoral Fellow in Nonproliferation Studies, Middlebury Institute of International Studies) (This article was originally published on The Conversation. Read the original article) (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

Is the US losing the artificial intelligence arms race?

By Natasha Lindstaedt

Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, the leader of Islamic State (IS), is dead. After US special forces raided his safe house in Idlib province in north-west Syria, Baghdadi reportedly fled and detonated a suicide vest, killing himself and three of his children. Over the past several years, there have been constant reports of his death but up until now, none of these reports have been verified.

The death of Osama bin Laden in 2011 did not lead to the end of Al-Qaeda, but what does al-Baghdadi’s death mean for IS?

Al-Baghdadi was most likely born in the Iraqi city of Samarra in 1971. Though he was a poor student with bad eyesight, he rose to command al-Qaeda’s Iraqi division. He was captured by US forces in a raid in 2004 in Falluja, Iraq, but was not considered to be particularly important at the time. Few would predict that Al-Baghdadi would rise to such a position of power. He was not noted for being particularly charismatic or memorable.

By 2010, al-Baghdadi took control of the group that would be eventually called the Islamic State, a group whose predecessor was Al-Qaeda in Iraq (AQI). AQI had been led by Abu Musab al-Zarqawi until he was killed in 2006. Under the helm of al-Zarqawi, AQI had become one of the region’s most brutal and effective insurgent groups, controlling the flow of resources and foreign fighters into Iraq. By 2007, the group had almost faded away, but by 2009 it was gaining support in Sunni tribal areas now known as the Islamic State in Iraq.

Split with Al-Qaeda

By the time al-Baghdadi took over, a rift had grown between the wider al-Qaeda group and IS, which had been simmering since al-Zarqawi led AQI. To al-Qaeda, Baghdadi was excessively violent and counter-productive to al-Qaeda’s objectives. Extravagant brutality such as beheading Muslims would alienate most Muslims. Al-Qaeda was also alarmed at IS’s predatory strategy of taking territory and resources from other rebel groups.

Al-Baghdadi, for his part, had no interest in subsuming IS under the wider leadership of al-Qaeda. He sent delegates (who were mostly of Syrian descent) into Syria after the Syrian war began in March 2011, a decision which al-Qaeda rejected. After repeated attempts by al-Qaeda to convince al-Baghdadi to move out of Syria, it officially cut its ties with him in February 2014.

Al-Baghdadi believed that al-Qaeda was ineffective, and had failed to set up an actual state.

Declaration of the caliphate

In June 2014, al-Baghdadi made his first public appearance delivering a sermon from a mosque in the recently captured city of Mosul, where he claimed to come from the same tribe as the prophet Muhammad. He also brazenly declared himself to be the caliph – or the political and religious leader of the Muslim community. Though this declaration was universally rejected by Islamic authorities, his plan of setting up a caliphate attracted thousands of foreign fighters to his cause.

At the height of al-Baghdadi’s power, IS had set up organisational structures across multiple countries and created a de facto state, the size of Belgium with 8m people living under its control. He established a brutal justice system, legalised slavery, collected taxes and provided a handful of public services.

While Bin Laden was more concerned with overthrowing modern Arab dictators, eliminating Israel and knocking over Western symbols of power, al-Baghdadi focused more on reviving the glory of the past. His dramatic vision for IS attracted those that wanted to be considered to be part of a line of warriors that extended back to the Prophet Muhammad.

Fall from power

By 2017, IS’s fortunes started to turn. It had inspired or helped to plan a series of terrorist attacks in Belgium, the US, France and Turkey that drew increasing resolve from the West to step up efforts to eliminate the group. Iraq’s forces also became more effective against IS, eventually retaking Mosul in 2017.

By March of 2019, IS surrendered its final territorial stronghold in Baghouz, Syria after extensive fighting with the mostly Kurdish, Syrian Democratic Forces. IS no longer had territory that it could lay claim to, and without territory, it could not claim to be a valid caliphate.

In an attempt to strengthen his standing, al-Baghdadi appeared in a video in April to demonstrate that the group could still exist, even if it lacked territory. He tried to energise his fighters to redouble their efforts. This would be only the second time that he would appear to the public.

His decision not to appear in person was about ensuring his own safety. Airstrikes had already caused a series of injuries. To avoid being caught, he never used mobile phones and frequently changed safe houses.

This makes his presence in Idlib province in Syria where he died somewhat surprising. The province is controlled by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, an Islamist militia fiercely opposed to IS. The region is also currently under siege by Russian and Syrian forces.

What’s next for IS?

As I’ve argued in my own research, for most terrorist groups which are hierarchically organised, the death of a leader signals its demise. In fact most terrorist groups fall apart within a year of forming once the group has been decapitated. Terrorist groups that are larger and more cellular in structure, such as Al-Qaeda, have been able to weather the deaths of leaders, helping to explain the group’s longevity.

IS will likely name a successor to lead the group, and al-Baghdadi tried to prepare his followers that he would not live forever. But it could now start to operate in a way similar to Al-Qaeda with a cell-like structure, where it may attempt to plan terrorist attacks to signal its continued relevance to its followers. It needs to attract new numbers as it has seen its membership dwindle since its territory has disappeared.

The US decision to pull out of Syria has compromised the Kurds, who were managing detention centres holding captured IS fighters. The Turkish advance into Kurdish held territory in north-eastern Syria has led to the escape of several hundreds of IS fighters. The US, however, already claims it has gathered further intelligence from al-Baghdadi’s compound that will continue to weaken IS.

Studies of terrorist groups that have managed succession raise concerns that when one leader dies, the leadership that follows can be less disciplined, more violent and determined to exact revenge. Given Baghdadi’s penchant for brutality, it’s hard to imagine how that’s possible.

(Natasha Lindstaedt is Professor, Department of Government, University of Essex)

(This article was originally published on The Conversation. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/al-baghdadis-death-the-rise-and-fall-of-the-leader-of-islamic-state-125947">original article</a>)

(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL) &nbsp; 
&nbsp;

By Natasha Lindstaedt Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, the leader of Islamic State (IS), is dead. After US special forces raided his safe house in Idlib province in north-west Syria, Baghdadi reportedly fled and detonated a suicide vest, killing himself and three of his children.

By Natasha Lindstaedt Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, the leader of Islamic State (IS), is dead. After US special forces raided his safe house in Idlib province in north-west Syria, Baghdadi reportedly fled and detonated a suicide vest, killing himself and three of his children. Over the past several years, there have been constant reports of his death but up until now, none of these reports have been verified. The death of Osama bin Laden in 2011 did not lead to the end of Al-Qaeda, but what does al-Baghdadi’s death mean for IS? Al-Baghdadi was most likely born in the Iraqi city of Samarra in 1971. Though he was a poor student with bad eyesight, he rose to command al-Qaeda’s Iraqi division. He was captured by US forces in a raid in 2004 in Falluja, Iraq, but was not considered to be particularly important at the time. Few would predict that Al-Baghdadi would rise to such a position of power. He was not noted for being particularly charismatic or memorable. By 2010, al-Baghdadi took control of the group that would be eventually called the Islamic State, a group whose predecessor was Al-Qaeda in Iraq (AQI). AQI had been led by Abu Musab al-Zarqawi until he was killed in 2006. Under the helm of al-Zarqawi, AQI had become one of the region’s most brutal and effective insurgent groups, controlling the flow of resources and foreign fighters into Iraq. By 2007, the group had almost faded away, but by 2009 it was gaining support in Sunni tribal areas now known as the Islamic State in Iraq. Split with Al-Qaeda By the time al-Baghdadi took over, a rift had grown between the wider al-Qaeda group and IS, which had been simmering since al-Zarqawi led AQI. To al-Qaeda, Baghdadi was excessively violent and counter-productive to al-Qaeda’s objectives. Extravagant brutality such as beheading Muslims would alienate most Muslims. Al-Qaeda was also alarmed at IS’s predatory strategy of taking territory and resources from other rebel groups. Al-Baghdadi, for his part, had no interest in subsuming IS under the wider leadership of al-Qaeda. He sent delegates (who were mostly of Syrian descent) into Syria after the Syrian war began in March 2011, a decision which al-Qaeda rejected. After repeated attempts by al-Qaeda to convince al-Baghdadi to move out of Syria, it officially cut its ties with him in February 2014. Al-Baghdadi believed that al-Qaeda was ineffective, and had failed to set up an actual state. Declaration of the caliphate In June 2014, al-Baghdadi made his first public appearance delivering a sermon from a mosque in the recently captured city of Mosul, where he claimed to come from the same tribe as the prophet Muhammad. He also brazenly declared himself to be the caliph – or the political and religious leader of the Muslim community. Though this declaration was universally rejected by Islamic authorities, his plan of setting up a caliphate attracted thousands of foreign fighters to his cause. At the height of al-Baghdadi’s power, IS had set up organisational structures across multiple countries and created a de facto state, the size of Belgium with 8m people living under its control. He established a brutal justice system, legalised slavery, collected taxes and provided a handful of public services. While Bin Laden was more concerned with overthrowing modern Arab dictators, eliminating Israel and knocking over Western symbols of power, al-Baghdadi focused more on reviving the glory of the past. His dramatic vision for IS attracted those that wanted to be considered to be part of a line of warriors that extended back to the Prophet Muhammad. Fall from power By 2017, IS’s fortunes started to turn. It had inspired or helped to plan a series of terrorist attacks in Belgium, the US, France and Turkey that drew increasing resolve from the West to step up efforts to eliminate the group. Iraq’s forces also became more effective against IS, eventually retaking Mosul in 2017. By March of 2019, IS surrendered its final territorial stronghold in Baghouz, Syria after extensive fighting with the mostly Kurdish, Syrian Democratic Forces. IS no longer had territory that it could lay claim to, and without territory, it could not claim to be a valid caliphate. In an attempt to strengthen his standing, al-Baghdadi appeared in a video in April to demonstrate that the group could still exist, even if it lacked territory. He tried to energise his fighters to redouble their efforts. This would be only the second time that he would appear to the public. His decision not to appear in person was about ensuring his own safety. Airstrikes had already caused a series of injuries. To avoid being caught, he never used mobile phones and frequently changed safe houses. This makes his presence in Idlib province in Syria where he died somewhat surprising. The province is controlled by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, an Islamist militia fiercely opposed to IS. The region is also currently under siege by Russian and Syrian forces. What’s next for IS? As I’ve argued in my own research, for most terrorist groups which are hierarchically organised, the death of a leader signals its demise. In fact most terrorist groups fall apart within a year of forming once the group has been decapitated. Terrorist groups that are larger and more cellular in structure, such as Al-Qaeda, have been able to weather the deaths of leaders, helping to explain the group’s longevity. IS will likely name a successor to lead the group, and al-Baghdadi tried to prepare his followers that he would not live forever. But it could now start to operate in a way similar to Al-Qaeda with a cell-like structure, where it may attempt to plan terrorist attacks to signal its continued relevance to its followers. It needs to attract new numbers as it has seen its membership dwindle since its territory has disappeared. The US decision to pull out of Syria has compromised the Kurds, who were managing detention centres holding captured IS fighters. The Turkish advance into Kurdish held territory in north-eastern Syria has led to the escape of several hundreds of IS fighters. The US, however, already claims it has gathered further intelligence from al-Baghdadi’s compound that will continue to weaken IS. Studies of terrorist groups that have managed succession raise concerns that when one leader dies, the leadership that follows can be less disciplined, more violent and determined to exact revenge. Given Baghdadi’s penchant for brutality, it’s hard to imagine how that’s possible. (Natasha Lindstaedt is Professor, Department of Government, University of Essex) (This article was originally published on The Conversation. Read the original article) (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

Al-Baghdadi’s death: The rise and fall of the leader of Islamic State

Louis Vuitton owner LVMH&nbsp;has approached Tiffany &amp; Co with a $14.5 billion acquisition offer, people familiar with the matter said, at a time when the US&nbsp;luxury jeweler grapples with the impact of tariffs on its exports to China.

LVMH, which has for years been looking for ways to expand in the US&nbsp;market, submitted a preliminary, non-binding offer to Tiffany earlier this month, one of the sources said.

LVMH's offer valued Tiffany at about $120 per share, another of the sources added. Tiffany shares ended trading on Friday at $98.55.

Tiffany has hired advisers to review LVMH's offer but has not yet responded to it, and there is no certainty that it will negotiate a deal, according to the sources.

The sources asked not to be identified because the matter is confidential. LVMH and Tiffany declined to comment. Bloomberg News reported earlier on Saturday that LVMH was holding talks with Tiffany.

LVMH, which is behind brands such as Fendi, Christian Dior and Givenchy, as well as Veuve Cliquot champagne, has stood out for several years as one of the top performers in the upscale retail sector, where not all labels are benefiting to the same degree from booming Chinese appetite for branded goods.

Tiffany, on the other hand, has not been as resilient. Beyond the tariffs that have been triggered by the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/united-states-china-close-to-finalising-part-of-a-phase-one-trade-deal-report-258209">trade war</a> between the United States and China, a lower Chinese domestic sales tax has also contributed to double-digit decreases in its sales to Chinese tourists in the United States and in other destinations.

High-end brands have also long relied on<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/protests-erupt-in-hong-kong-police-fire-tear-gas-to-clear-rally-258401"> Hong Kong </a>as a major shopping hub drawing visitors from mainland China in particular, and four months of pro-democracy demonstrations are starting to take their toll.

However, earlier this month LVMH, which has a market capitalization of 194 billion euros, beat sales forecasts for the third quarter despite the unrest in Hong Kong. In August, Tiffany reported quarterly earnings that also beat analysts' expectations, thanks to a drop in marketing costs.

Tiffany has been refreshing its offerings with more affordable items such as pendants and earrings, to appeal to millennials who have been gravitating to lower-priced competitors such as Denmark's Pandora&nbsp;and Signet Jewelers.

Paris-headquartered LVMH is controlled by the Arnault family and is led by Bernard Arnault, France's richest man. Based in New York and best known for its diamond engagement rings, Tiffany operates more than 300 retail stores globally.

Louis Vuitton owner LVMH has approached Tiffany & Co with a $14.5 billion acquisition offer, people familiar with the matter said, at a time when the US luxury jeweler grapples with the impact of tariffs on its exports to China.

Louis Vuitton owner LVMH has approached Tiffany & Co with a $14.5 billion acquisition offer, people familiar with the matter said, at a time when the US luxury jeweler grapples with the impact of tariffs on its exports to China. LVMH, which has for years been looking for ways to expand in the US market, submitted a preliminary, non-binding offer to Tiffany earlier this month, one of the sources said. LVMH's offer valued Tiffany at about $120 per share, another of the sources added. Tiffany shares ended trading on Friday at $98.55. Tiffany has hired advisers to review LVMH's offer but has not yet responded to it, and there is no certainty that it will negotiate a deal, according to the sources. The sources asked not to be identified because the matter is confidential. LVMH and Tiffany declined to comment. Bloomberg News reported earlier on Saturday that LVMH was holding talks with Tiffany. LVMH, which is behind brands such as Fendi, Christian Dior and Givenchy, as well as Veuve Cliquot champagne, has stood out for several years as one of the top performers in the upscale retail sector, where not all labels are benefiting to the same degree from booming Chinese appetite for branded goods. Tiffany, on the other hand, has not been as resilient. Beyond the tariffs that have been triggered by the trade war between the United States and China, a lower Chinese domestic sales tax has also contributed to double-digit decreases in its sales to Chinese tourists in the United States and in other destinations. High-end brands have also long relied on Hong Kong as a major shopping hub drawing visitors from mainland China in particular, and four months of pro-democracy demonstrations are starting to take their toll. However, earlier this month LVMH, which has a market capitalization of 194 billion euros, beat sales forecasts for the third quarter despite the unrest in Hong Kong. In August, Tiffany reported quarterly earnings that also beat analysts' expectations, thanks to a drop in marketing costs. Tiffany has been refreshing its offerings with more affordable items such as pendants and earrings, to appeal to millennials who have been gravitating to lower-priced competitors such as Denmark's Pandora and Signet Jewelers. Paris-headquartered LVMH is controlled by the Arnault family and is led by Bernard Arnault, France's richest man. Based in New York and best known for its diamond engagement rings, Tiffany operates more than 300 retail stores globally.

French luxury group LVMH offers to buy US jeweler Tiffany & Co: Sources

Vlatko Andonovski was vaulted into one of the most coveted positions in <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/us-womens-team-fights-back-against-governing-bodys-pay-claims-254494">women's soccer</a> on Monday, taking the helm of the United States women's national team in the wake of their record-extending <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/us-women-footballers-win-world-cup-battle-but-still-fighting-for-equal-pay-234070">fourth World Cup victory</a>.

Andonovski, a coach in the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL), takes over from Jill Ellis who, after leading the team to a second back-to-back World Cup title in July, announced that she would step down.

“Vlatko is known for his deep understanding of the game, his unmatched preparation and his tactical flexibility," US&nbsp;Soccer president Carlos Cordeiro told reporters at a media conference announcing the appointment.

"Frankly, I can’t imagine a more perfect match than this coach for this team at this moment in time."

The Macedonian-born Andonovski, 43, told reporters that qualifying for the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/cold-comfort-tokyo-2020-tests-fake-snow-to-beat-the-heat-249360">Tokyo 2020 Olympic</a> tournament was "first thing on the agenda" and that he would mix the team's deep collection of veteran players in among new prospects.

"We have a very experienced team –- we have players that have been on the international stage, that have won big games, big tournaments, so we’re going to rely heavily on them, but that doesn’t mean we’re not going to expand the roster," said Andonovski.

A former player himself, Andonovski had served as a head coach in the NWSL since 2013, a stint that included two championships, in 2014 and 2015.

Most recently, he coached Reign FC, working with current US&nbsp;national team member Megan Rapinoe, and taking the team to the league semi-finals, despite losing some players to injury and World Cup competition during the season.

National team General Manager Kate Markgraf said she had spoken to current and former players during the selection process and that Andonovski's coaching record "speaks for itself".

He joins the national team during a transformative year, months after the players filed a gender discrimination lawsuit against their governing body.

Asked about the issue of gender pay equity, Andonovski said he was "very respectful of the drive, of the push that the players have".

The team sued US&nbsp;Soccer in March and now awaits a May 2020 trial date after mediation between the two parties fell apart in August.

Vlatko Andonovski was vaulted into one of the most coveted positions in women's soccer on Monday, taking the helm of the United States women's national team in the wake of their record-extending fourth World Cup victory.

Vlatko Andonovski was vaulted into one of the most coveted positions in women's soccer on Monday, taking the helm of the United States women's national team in the wake of their record-extending fourth World Cup victory. Andonovski, a coach in the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL), takes over from Jill Ellis who, after leading the team to a second back-to-back World Cup title in July, announced that she would step down. “Vlatko is known for his deep understanding of the game, his unmatched preparation and his tactical flexibility," US Soccer president Carlos Cordeiro told reporters at a media conference announcing the appointment. "Frankly, I can’t imagine a more perfect match than this coach for this team at this moment in time." The Macedonian-born Andonovski, 43, told reporters that qualifying for the Tokyo 2020 Olympic tournament was "first thing on the agenda" and that he would mix the team's deep collection of veteran players in among new prospects. "We have a very experienced team –- we have players that have been on the international stage, that have won big games, big tournaments, so we’re going to rely heavily on them, but that doesn’t mean we’re not going to expand the roster," said Andonovski. A former player himself, Andonovski had served as a head coach in the NWSL since 2013, a stint that included two championships, in 2014 and 2015. Most recently, he coached Reign FC, working with current US national team member Megan Rapinoe, and taking the team to the league semi-finals, despite losing some players to injury and World Cup competition during the season. National team General Manager Kate Markgraf said she had spoken to current and former players during the selection process and that Andonovski's coaching record "speaks for itself". He joins the national team during a transformative year, months after the players filed a gender discrimination lawsuit against their governing body. Asked about the issue of gender pay equity, Andonovski said he was "very respectful of the drive, of the push that the players have". The team sued US Soccer in March and now awaits a May 2020 trial date after mediation between the two parties fell apart in August.

US women's national soccer team appoints Vlatko Andonovski as head coach

The United States on Monday welcomed <a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/china-invites-taliban-representatives-for-intra-afghan-conference-in-beijing-257677">China's proposal</a> to host a fresh meeting bringing together Afghan officials and the Taliban, after President Donald Trump abruptly ended talks with the insurgents.

The Taliban last week said that China invited a delegation to talks in Beijing, the second such meeting after a dialogue in Qatar in July that was co-arranged with Germany.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/taliban-delegation-met-us-envoy-during-visit-to-islamabad-253681">Zalmay Khalilzad</a>, the US special envoy on Afghan peace, met with his colleagues from China, Russia and Pakistan last week in Moscow, where the four countries renewed support for a "comprehensive and sustainable peace agreement."

The four countries "welcomed the Chinese proposal to host the next intra-Afghan meeting in Beijing," said a joint statement released Monday by the United States.

The talks will include "a wide range of political figures" including "representatives of the government of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, other Afghan leaders and the Taliban," it said.

There was however some confusion about when the talks might take place.

The Taliban last week said the conference would happen October 29-30, but on Monday an insurgent spokesman denied a report that said a Taliban delegation was in Beijing.

The Taliban have refused to negotiate formally with the Kabul government, but the Beijing and Doha gatherings are seen as fostering dialogue and planting the seeds of an eventual brokered solution.

Khalilzad negotiated for a year with the Taliban, reaching an agreement under which the United States would withdraw troops and end its longest war.

But Trump last month ended the talks, withdrawing an invitation he said he extended to the Taliban to meet near Washington, citing the killing of a US soldier.

The United States has frequently tried to blunt the global influence of China and Russia, but Khalilzad has frequently consulted with the two on his search for Afghan peace.

China shares a 76-kilometer&nbsp;border with Afghanistan and has voiced concern about a spread of Islamic extremism, while the Soviet Union in the 1980s led a disastrous intervention in the country against Islamic guerrillas then backed by Washington

For the second time, the three powers opted to include Pakistan, which was the main backer of the Taliban's 1996-2001 regime and maintains contacts with the fighters.

&nbsp;

The United States on Monday welcomed China's proposal to host a fresh meeting bringing together Afghan officials and the Taliban, after President Donald Trump abruptly ended talks with the insurgents.

The United States on Monday welcomed China's proposal to host a fresh meeting bringing together Afghan officials and the Taliban, after President Donald Trump abruptly ended talks with the insurgents. The Taliban last week said that China invited a delegation to talks in Beijing, the second such meeting after a dialogue in Qatar in July that was co-arranged with Germany. Zalmay Khalilzad, the US special envoy on Afghan peace, met with his colleagues from China, Russia and Pakistan last week in Moscow, where the four countries renewed support for a "comprehensive and sustainable peace agreement." The four countries "welcomed the Chinese proposal to host the next intra-Afghan meeting in Beijing," said a joint statement released Monday by the United States. The talks will include "a wide range of political figures" including "representatives of the government of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, other Afghan leaders and the Taliban," it said. There was however some confusion about when the talks might take place. The Taliban last week said the conference would happen October 29-30, but on Monday an insurgent spokesman denied a report that said a Taliban delegation was in Beijing. The Taliban have refused to negotiate formally with the Kabul government, but the Beijing and Doha gatherings are seen as fostering dialogue and planting the seeds of an eventual brokered solution. Khalilzad negotiated for a year with the Taliban, reaching an agreement under which the United States would withdraw troops and end its longest war. But Trump last month ended the talks, withdrawing an invitation he said he extended to the Taliban to meet near Washington, citing the killing of a US soldier. The United States has frequently tried to blunt the global influence of China and Russia, but Khalilzad has frequently consulted with the two on his search for Afghan peace. China shares a 76-kilometer border with Afghanistan and has voiced concern about a spread of Islamic extremism, while the Soviet Union in the 1980s led a disastrous intervention in the country against Islamic guerrillas then backed by Washington For the second time, the three powers opted to include Pakistan, which was the main backer of the Taliban's 1996-2001 regime and maintains contacts with the fighters.

US welcomes proposed intra-Afghan talks in China

A <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/firefighters-struggle-against-massive-wind-whipped-california-wildfire-258443">fast-moving wildfire</a> on Monday destroyed at least five multimillion-dollar homes in one of the wealthiest neighbourhoods in Los Angeles and forced celebrities to flee in the middle of the night.

Among neighbourhoods under evacuation orders was the posh area of Brentwood, a section on the west side of the city that became world-famous in 1994 when former football star O.J. Simpson was accused of killing his ex-wife and a waiter there.

Today Brentwood is home to basketball superstar <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/houston-rockets-gm-wasnt-educated-when-he-sent-hong-kong-tweet-lebron-james-256087">LeBron James</a>, A-list Hollywood actors, wealthy producers and media company executives.

James, who plays for the Los Angeles Lakers, said he and his family had to drive around in the early morning hours looking for a place to stay after fleeing the home he shares with his wife and three children.

"Had to emergency evacuate my house and I’ve been driving around with my family trying to get rooms," James wrote on Twitter around 4 a.m. He later added that he found a place to take them in. "Crazy night man!," he said.

James bought a $23 million, eight-bedroom home in Brentwood in late 2017, according to media reports.

On the northern edge of Brentwood, a cluster of several multimillion-dollar homes were reduced to smoldering debris along a street festooned with Halloween decorations.

A fake bloody arm, part of the holiday decorations, had turned into melted plastic at one dwelling, and a giant skull replica remained in the front of another. Heavy smoke and ash filled the air as water-dropping helicopters and airplane tankers buzzed overhead.

Actor and former California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger also said he was among the thousands who had to evacuate overnight.

"If you are in an evacuation zone, don’t screw around. Get out," Schwarzenegger wrote on Twitter.

A red-carpet premiere for Schwarzenegger's new movie, "Terminator: Dark Fate," that had been scheduled for Monday night was canceled due to fires in the area.

The "Terminator" premiere had been scheduled to take place in Hollywood, several miles from the fire zone. Food intended for the premiere party was being donated to local American Red Cross shelters that were housing fire evacuees, Paramount Pictures said.

"Agents of SHIELD" actor Clark Gregg and "Sons of Anarchy" creator Kurt Sutter also said on Twitter that they had been forced to leave their homes.

The streets of Brentwood became familiar to TV viewers when Simpson stood trial on charges of stabbing ex-wife Nicole Brown Simpson and waiter Ronald Goldman. Prosecutors alleged Simpson killed the pair at her Brentwood home and then fled to his nearby mansion.

Simpson was acquitted of murder but later found liable for the deaths in a civil case. He told the Associated Press in June he now lives in Las Vegas.

Monday's fire erupted in the hills above where Simpson had lived and was near the Getty Center, a museum for the art collection of late oil magnate J. Paul Getty that includes works by Rembrandt and Van Gogh, according to the museum's website.

The Getty fire has forced schools to close in several areas, including the public school district encompassing Santa Monica and Pacific Palisades and the University of California Los Angles (UCLA).

A fast-moving wildfire on Monday destroyed at least five multimillion-dollar homes in one of the wealthiest neighbourhoods in Los Angeles and forced celebrities to flee in the middle of the night.

A fast-moving wildfire on Monday destroyed at least five multimillion-dollar homes in one of the wealthiest neighbourhoods in Los Angeles and forced celebrities to flee in the middle of the night. Among neighbourhoods under evacuation orders was the posh area of Brentwood, a section on the west side of the city that became world-famous in 1994 when former football star O.J. Simpson was accused of killing his ex-wife and a waiter there. Today Brentwood is home to basketball superstar LeBron James, A-list Hollywood actors, wealthy producers and media company executives. James, who plays for the Los Angeles Lakers, said he and his family had to drive around in the early morning hours looking for a place to stay after fleeing the home he shares with his wife and three children. "Had to emergency evacuate my house and I’ve been driving around with my family trying to get rooms," James wrote on Twitter around 4 a.m. He later added that he found a place to take them in. "Crazy night man!," he said. James bought a $23 million, eight-bedroom home in Brentwood in late 2017, according to media reports. On the northern edge of Brentwood, a cluster of several multimillion-dollar homes were reduced to smoldering debris along a street festooned with Halloween decorations. A fake bloody arm, part of the holiday decorations, had turned into melted plastic at one dwelling, and a giant skull replica remained in the front of another. Heavy smoke and ash filled the air as water-dropping helicopters and airplane tankers buzzed overhead. Actor and former California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger also said he was among the thousands who had to evacuate overnight. "If you are in an evacuation zone, don’t screw around. Get out," Schwarzenegger wrote on Twitter. A red-carpet premiere for Schwarzenegger's new movie, "Terminator: Dark Fate," that had been scheduled for Monday night was canceled due to fires in the area. The "Terminator" premiere had been scheduled to take place in Hollywood, several miles from the fire zone. Food intended for the premiere party was being donated to local American Red Cross shelters that were housing fire evacuees, Paramount Pictures said. "Agents of SHIELD" actor Clark Gregg and "Sons of Anarchy" creator Kurt Sutter also said on Twitter that they had been forced to leave their homes. The streets of Brentwood became familiar to TV viewers when Simpson stood trial on charges of stabbing ex-wife Nicole Brown Simpson and waiter Ronald Goldman. Prosecutors alleged Simpson killed the pair at her Brentwood home and then fled to his nearby mansion. Simpson was acquitted of murder but later found liable for the deaths in a civil case. He told the Associated Press in June he now lives in Las Vegas. Monday's fire erupted in the hills above where Simpson had lived and was near the Getty Center, a museum for the art collection of late oil magnate J. Paul Getty that includes works by Rembrandt and Van Gogh, according to the museum's website. The Getty fire has forced schools to close in several areas, including the public school district encompassing Santa Monica and Pacific Palisades and the University of California Los Angles (UCLA).

Arnold Schwarzenegger, LeBron James evacuated as Los Angeles wildfire continues surge

Oil prices slipped on Tuesday as investors awaited US&nbsp;crude inventory data for a pointer on oil demand trends, while concerns about slower economic growth overshadowed signs of a thawing in the trade war between Washington and Beijing.

Brent&nbsp;futures were down 6 cents at $61.51 a barrel by 0311 GMT, having fallen 0.7 per cent&nbsp;on Monday.

US&nbsp;West Texas Intermediate (WTI)&nbsp;crude was down 12 cents at $55.69, after falling 1.5 per cent&nbsp;in the previous session.

Prices rose sharply last week amid a decline in US&nbsp;inventories and signs of an easing in the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/united-states-china-close-to-finalising-part-of-a-phase-one-trade-deal-report-258209">US-China trade war</a>, but worries on Monday about weaker economic growth offset hopes of a rise in oil demand even if trade talks progress.

"The inventory read last week is still reverberating through trading, although we did see that finally start to give way last night, but we can see there is very little appetite to go on with it today," said Michael McCarthy, chief market strategist at CMC Markets in Sydney.

US&nbsp;crude inventories were forecast to have increased by around 700,000 barrels last week, according to a Reuters poll of analysts, having unexpectedly fallen the previous week, the first decline in six weeks.

US&nbsp;crude oil stockpiles at Cushing, Oklahoma, the delivery point for WTI, have risen by about 1.5 million barrels in the week through Oct. 25, traders said earlier, citing data from market intelligence firm Genscape.

The American Petroleum Institute releases industry data later on Tuesday, while the US&nbsp;government's Energy Information Administration releases inventory data on Wednesday.&nbsp;

The United States Trade Representative is studying whether to extend tariff suspensions on $34 billion of Chinese goods set to expire on December&nbsp;28 this year, the agency said on Monday.

US&nbsp;President <a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/donald-trump-isis-chief-baghdadi-died-like-a-dog-258480">Donald Trump </a>said earlier on Monday he expected to sign a significant part of the trade deal with China ahead of schedule but did not elaborate on the timing.

Leaders of the world's two biggest economies are working to agree on the text for a "Phase 1" trade agreement announced by Trump on October&nbsp;11. Trump has said he hopes to sign the deal with China's President Xi Jinping next month at a summit in Chile.

The trade war has hit economic growth around the world and kept oil prices range-bound for months.

Oil prices slipped on Tuesday as investors awaited US crude inventory data for a pointer on oil demand trends, while concerns about slower economic growth overshadowed signs of a thawing in the trade war between Washington and Beijing.

Oil prices slipped on Tuesday as investors awaited US crude inventory data for a pointer on oil demand trends, while concerns about slower economic growth overshadowed signs of a thawing in the trade war between Washington and Beijing. Brent futures were down 6 cents at $61.51 a barrel by 0311 GMT, having fallen 0.7 per cent on Monday. US West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude was down 12 cents at $55.69, after falling 1.5 per cent in the previous session. Prices rose sharply last week amid a decline in US inventories and signs of an easing in the US-China trade war, but worries on Monday about weaker economic growth offset hopes of a rise in oil demand even if trade talks progress. "The inventory read last week is still reverberating through trading, although we did see that finally start to give way last night, but we can see there is very little appetite to go on with it today," said Michael McCarthy, chief market strategist at CMC Markets in Sydney. US crude inventories were forecast to have increased by around 700,000 barrels last week, according to a Reuters poll of analysts, having unexpectedly fallen the previous week, the first decline in six weeks. US crude oil stockpiles at Cushing, Oklahoma, the delivery point for WTI, have risen by about 1.5 million barrels in the week through Oct. 25, traders said earlier, citing data from market intelligence firm Genscape. The American Petroleum Institute releases industry data later on Tuesday, while the US government's Energy Information Administration releases inventory data on Wednesday. The United States Trade Representative is studying whether to extend tariff suspensions on $34 billion of Chinese goods set to expire on December 28 this year, the agency said on Monday. US President Donald Trump said earlier on Monday he expected to sign a significant part of the trade deal with China ahead of schedule but did not elaborate on the timing. Leaders of the world's two biggest economies are working to agree on the text for a "Phase 1" trade agreement announced by Trump on October 11. Trump has said he hopes to sign the deal with China's President Xi Jinping next month at a summit in Chile. The trade war has hit economic growth around the world and kept oil prices range-bound for months.

Oil prices edge lower ahead of US stockpile numbers

Democrats in Congress, answering Republican complaints that their <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/united-states-lawmakers-hear-from-corroborating-witness-in-trump-impeachment-probe-258323">impeachment investigation</a> of US&nbsp;President Donald Trump is being conducted in secret, plan a vote on Thursday on how to make their inquiry public, a significant new stage in the probe.

Trump and his fellow Republicans have for weeks branded the work of committees probing Trump's overtures to Ukraine as illegitimate, arguing the full Democratic-led House of Representatives had failed to authorise their investigations in a public vote.

Meeting behind closed doors, the House Intelligence, Foreign Affairs and Oversight committees have been looking into the possibility that Trump violated federal law by seeking foreign help for his November 2020 re-election efforts.

House Rules Committee Chairman James McGovern said on Monday: "I will be introducing a resolution to ensure transparency and provide a clear path forward."

House Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff said in a statement the legislation would establish a format for open hearings.The US&nbsp;Constitution gives the House broad authority to set ground rules for an impeachment inquiry and Democrats say they are following House rules on investigations.

Several administration officials, including a former deputy national security adviser on Monday, have failed to testify to House committees engaged in the probe.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said in a letter to her fellow House Democrats the House will vote this week - on Thursday, according to a senior Democratic aide - on a resolution that spells out how future public hearings will be held.

Pelosi promised to provide legal protections for Trump.

A source familiar with the probe said the public hearings will be held by the Intelligence Committee and that the transcripts from closed depositions with witnesses will be made public. A senior House Democratic aide said the hearings could begin within the next month.

The measure will set the stage for House investigating committees to forward evidence they have collected to the House Judiciary Committee, which would then decide whether to advance articles of impeachment against Trump.

Even if the House impeaches Trump, he would face a trial in the Republican-controlled Senate, which for the moment seems unlikely to convict the president and force his ouster.

Impeachment requires a simple majority in the 435-member House but conviction demands the support of a two-thirds majority in the 100-member Senate.

Charles Kupperman, a former deputy to ousted national security adviser John Bolton, failed to appear earlier on Monday before the three House panels conducting the Ukraine phase of the Democratic-led impeachment inquiry, lawmakers said.

Other panels are probing separate issues, including Trump's finances and abuses of White House security clearances.

Kupperman put off testifying while asking a court to rule on whether he should comply with a congressional subpoena or honour the Trump administration's order not to testify, his lawyers said last week.

Democrats in turn said they would not let further legal manoeuvrings delay their work.

At least nine others have testified despite being instructed by the White House not to do so, Schiff said.

Kupperman was expected to provide testimony about Trump's <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/united-states-lawmakers-hear-from-corroborating-witness-in-trump-impeachment-probe-258323">dealings with Ukraine</a> brought to Congress' attention by a report from a whistleblower about a July 25 telephone call between the US&nbsp;president and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy.

Trump's request to Zelenskiy that he investigate former US&nbsp;Vice President Joe Biden, a leading candidate for the 2020 Democratic presidential nomination, and his son Hunter Biden, who had served on the board of a Ukrainian gas company, is the focus of the inquiry being conducted by the three panels.

Trump made his request after withholding $391 million in security aid approved by the US&nbsp;Congress to help fight Russian-backed separatists in eastern Ukraine.

A separate White House official, Alexander Vindman, a lieutenant colonel who sits on the National Security Council and who listened in on the call, is expected to tell lawmakers in a closed-door hearing on Tuesday that the conversation alarmed him so much that he raised concerns with an NSC lawyer.

But Trump again dismissed the inquiry in comments to reporters.

"I had a great conversation with the Ukrainian president. I had another with him also, I think before that, which was the same thing, it was nothing. They tried to take that conversation and make it into a big scandal," Trump said on Monday.

Schiff noted that a federal judge had validated the legality of the Democratic-led impeachment inquiry in a decision about releasing information regarding a separate investigation, into Russian election interference in 2016, to Congress and that all witnesses need to come forward when called.

The Trump administration appealed that ruling on Monday.

Democrats in Congress, answering Republican complaints that their impeachment investigation of US President Donald Trump is being conducted in secret, plan a vote on Thursday on how to make their inquiry public, a significant new stage in the probe.

Democrats in Congress, answering Republican complaints that their impeachment investigation of US President Donald Trump is being conducted in secret, plan a vote on Thursday on how to make their inquiry public, a significant new stage in the probe. Trump and his fellow Republicans have for weeks branded the work of committees probing Trump's overtures to Ukraine as illegitimate, arguing the full Democratic-led House of Representatives had failed to authorise their investigations in a public vote. Meeting behind closed doors, the House Intelligence, Foreign Affairs and Oversight committees have been looking into the possibility that Trump violated federal law by seeking foreign help for his November 2020 re-election efforts. House Rules Committee Chairman James McGovern said on Monday: "I will be introducing a resolution to ensure transparency and provide a clear path forward." House Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff said in a statement the legislation would establish a format for open hearings.The US Constitution gives the House broad authority to set ground rules for an impeachment inquiry and Democrats say they are following House rules on investigations. Several administration officials, including a former deputy national security adviser on Monday, have failed to testify to House committees engaged in the probe. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said in a letter to her fellow House Democrats the House will vote this week - on Thursday, according to a senior Democratic aide - on a resolution that spells out how future public hearings will be held. Pelosi promised to provide legal protections for Trump. A source familiar with the probe said the public hearings will be held by the Intelligence Committee and that the transcripts from closed depositions with witnesses will be made public. A senior House Democratic aide said the hearings could begin within the next month. The measure will set the stage for House investigating committees to forward evidence they have collected to the House Judiciary Committee, which would then decide whether to advance articles of impeachment against Trump. Even if the House impeaches Trump, he would face a trial in the Republican-controlled Senate, which for the moment seems unlikely to convict the president and force his ouster. Impeachment requires a simple majority in the 435-member House but conviction demands the support of a two-thirds majority in the 100-member Senate. Charles Kupperman, a former deputy to ousted national security adviser John Bolton, failed to appear earlier on Monday before the three House panels conducting the Ukraine phase of the Democratic-led impeachment inquiry, lawmakers said. Other panels are probing separate issues, including Trump's finances and abuses of White House security clearances. Kupperman put off testifying while asking a court to rule on whether he should comply with a congressional subpoena or honour the Trump administration's order not to testify, his lawyers said last week. Democrats in turn said they would not let further legal manoeuvrings delay their work. At least nine others have testified despite being instructed by the White House not to do so, Schiff said. Kupperman was expected to provide testimony about Trump's dealings with Ukraine brought to Congress' attention by a report from a whistleblower about a July 25 telephone call between the US president and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy. Trump's request to Zelenskiy that he investigate former US Vice President Joe Biden, a leading candidate for the 2020 Democratic presidential nomination, and his son Hunter Biden, who had served on the board of a Ukrainian gas company, is the focus of the inquiry being conducted by the three panels. Trump made his request after withholding $391 million in security aid approved by the US Congress to help fight Russian-backed separatists in eastern Ukraine. A separate White House official, Alexander Vindman, a lieutenant colonel who sits on the National Security Council and who listened in on the call, is expected to tell lawmakers in a closed-door hearing on Tuesday that the conversation alarmed him so much that he raised concerns with an NSC lawyer. But Trump again dismissed the inquiry in comments to reporters. "I had a great conversation with the Ukrainian president. I had another with him also, I think before that, which was the same thing, it was nothing. They tried to take that conversation and make it into a big scandal," Trump said on Monday. Schiff noted that a federal judge had validated the legality of the Democratic-led impeachment inquiry in a decision about releasing information regarding a separate investigation, into Russian election interference in 2016, to Congress and that all witnesses need to come forward when called. The Trump administration appealed that ruling on Monday.

Democrats set to vote on on how to make Trump impeachment probe public

By Vahid Niayesh

Did President Donald Trump’s travel ban – in place now for more than 22 months – become, in practice, a Muslim ban?

The third version of President Donald Trump’s travel ban went into full effect on December 8, 2017.

The list of countries whose citizens are banned from entering the United States include Muslim-majority countries Iran, Syria, Libya, Yemen and Somalia, as well as North Korea and Venezuela.

Now that time has passed, policymakers, political scientists like myself and all Americans can start to understand the ban’s effects.

Was it actually a Muslim ban, as it was called at the time it was introduced? Or was that just an anti-Trump label? What percentage of people from those banned countries did pass the “enhanced vetting” and get an actual visa to enter the United States?

I looked through the government’s data to find answers.

Sharp decline

The US Department of State’s Bureau of Consular Affairs regularly provides data on the number of visas issued for all countries.

Based on the data the agency provides for the fiscal year, the number of immigrant visas issued for the country of Iran decreased by 78 per cent between 2017 and 2018.

However, the fiscal year data for the year 2018 included the last three months of 2017, when the travel ban wasn’t still implemented. I broke the data down by months to understand how travel ban changed the number of visas issued from calendar year to calendar year. This offered a more accurate picture of the travel ban.

This analysis shows that only 537 immigrant visas were issued in 2018 for the 12 months after the travel ban went into effect for individuals born in Iran. Compare that to 6,643 visas issued in the previous year. That is a 92 per cent decrease in number of visas issued.

Other Muslim countries in the ban were similarly affected.

For instance, Somalia experienced 86 per cent decrease in number of immigrant visas issued during the 12 months after the travel ban went into effect. Yemen’s visas reduced by 83 per cent.

Libya and Syria had the smallest change among the Muslim countries in the ban, decreasing by 80 per cent and 77 per cent respectively.

Muslim vs non-Muslim countries

Many critics of the new travel rules argued that they were effectively a “Muslim ban.”

The Trump administration countered that there are Muslim countries like Saudi Arabia and Afghanistan that are not included in the travel ban, and there are non-Muslim countries like Venezuela and North Korea that are included.

However, US Department of State’s Bureau of Consular Affairs data shows that there was a significant decrease in the number of immigrant visas issued to Muslim countries affected by the travel ban. Meanwhile, the number of immigrant visas issued per month to the non-Muslim countries in the ban virtually remained unchanged.

In fact, there was a 40 per cent increase in the number of visas issued to North Koreans per calendar-year data, relative to the prior year, when the travel ban was blocked by federal courts.

Country of chargeability

There are some questions that government data cannot answer.

For example, rather than providing data on where each visa recipient lives, the U.S. Department of State by report if the Visa Office only offers information on the country of chargeability, which basically means where the applicant was born.

There were five fiancé visas issued to Iranians in calendar year 2018, compared to 358 fiancé visas issued in 2017. But even that low number does not tell us whether these five visas were given to Iranians that actually lived inside Iran. These visas may have been given to Iranians who had been living in Canada or Europe for many years but were born in Iran.

The actual impact of the Trump travel ban, in other words, could be even bigger than what the data shows.

Visas and waivers

Waivers are another important issue that is hard to study.

The vast majority people from the seven restricted countries who applied for a visa after the implementation of the ban were rejected outright.

However, US officials may grant a waiver to someone if there is evidence that the applicant is facing so much undue hardship that they need to be united with their loved ones in the US.

This could happen, for example, if a family member in the United States is dying and a person from a restricted nation wants to see them one last time, like the Yemeni mother who got a chance to see her baby boy just two days before he died.

In the first six months after the full implementation of the ban, such waivers were only given to around 2 per cent of individuals from banned countries. This gradually increased to 6 per cent after one year.

Being considered for a waiver is not the same as getting a visa. A person who is being considered for a waiver still cannot enter the US. They must wait under “administrative processing” status until they are cleared for a visa. It could take several years before applicants find out the results of their application. During this period, they cannot enter the U.S.

One recent lawsuit against the travel ban claims that some of their 14 clients have been under consideration for a waiver for 18 months at least, with no visa being granted to any of them yet.

What’s next

The first congressional hearing on the travel ban, held on September 24, established a need to reassess the impacts of the policy.

From what I see, looking at 18 months of government-provided data, the current travel ban is in effect a Muslim ban. I think that policymakers should take a deeper look into travel ban statistics and hold the Trump administration accountable for its visa policy for the restricted countries.

(Vahid Niayesh is Lecturer in Political Science, California State University, Long Beach)

(This article was originally published on The Conversation. Read the<a href="https://theconversation.com/what-trumps-travel-ban-really-looks-like-almost-two-years-in-123564"> original article</a>)

(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL) &nbsp;

By Vahid Niayesh Did President Donald Trump’s travel ban – in place now for more than 22 months – become, in practice, a Muslim ban? The third version of President Donald Trump’s travel ban went into full effect on December 8, 2017.

By Vahid Niayesh Did President Donald Trump’s travel ban – in place now for more than 22 months – become, in practice, a Muslim ban? The third version of President Donald Trump’s travel ban went into full effect on December 8, 2017. The list of countries whose citizens are banned from entering the United States include Muslim-majority countries Iran, Syria, Libya, Yemen and Somalia, as well as North Korea and Venezuela. Now that time has passed, policymakers, political scientists like myself and all Americans can start to understand the ban’s effects. Was it actually a Muslim ban, as it was called at the time it was introduced? Or was that just an anti-Trump label? What percentage of people from those banned countries did pass the “enhanced vetting” and get an actual visa to enter the United States? I looked through the government’s data to find answers. Sharp decline The US Department of State’s Bureau of Consular Affairs regularly provides data on the number of visas issued for all countries. Based on the data the agency provides for the fiscal year, the number of immigrant visas issued for the country of Iran decreased by 78 per cent between 2017 and 2018. However, the fiscal year data for the year 2018 included the last three months of 2017, when the travel ban wasn’t still implemented. I broke the data down by months to understand how travel ban changed the number of visas issued from calendar year to calendar year. This offered a more accurate picture of the travel ban. This analysis shows that only 537 immigrant visas were issued in 2018 for the 12 months after the travel ban went into effect for individuals born in Iran. Compare that to 6,643 visas issued in the previous year. That is a 92 per cent decrease in number of visas issued. Other Muslim countries in the ban were similarly affected. For instance, Somalia experienced 86 per cent decrease in number of immigrant visas issued during the 12 months after the travel ban went into effect. Yemen’s visas reduced by 83 per cent. Libya and Syria had the smallest change among the Muslim countries in the ban, decreasing by 80 per cent and 77 per cent respectively. Muslim vs non-Muslim countries Many critics of the new travel rules argued that they were effectively a “Muslim ban.” The Trump administration countered that there are Muslim countries like Saudi Arabia and Afghanistan that are not included in the travel ban, and there are non-Muslim countries like Venezuela and North Korea that are included. However, US Department of State’s Bureau of Consular Affairs data shows that there was a significant decrease in the number of immigrant visas issued to Muslim countries affected by the travel ban. Meanwhile, the number of immigrant visas issued per month to the non-Muslim countries in the ban virtually remained unchanged. In fact, there was a 40 per cent increase in the number of visas issued to North Koreans per calendar-year data, relative to the prior year, when the travel ban was blocked by federal courts. Country of chargeability There are some questions that government data cannot answer. For example, rather than providing data on where each visa recipient lives, the U.S. Department of State by report if the Visa Office only offers information on the country of chargeability, which basically means where the applicant was born. There were five fiancé visas issued to Iranians in calendar year 2018, compared to 358 fiancé visas issued in 2017. But even that low number does not tell us whether these five visas were given to Iranians that actually lived inside Iran. These visas may have been given to Iranians who had been living in Canada or Europe for many years but were born in Iran. The actual impact of the Trump travel ban, in other words, could be even bigger than what the data shows. Visas and waivers Waivers are another important issue that is hard to study. The vast majority people from the seven restricted countries who applied for a visa after the implementation of the ban were rejected outright. However, US officials may grant a waiver to someone if there is evidence that the applicant is facing so much undue hardship that they need to be united with their loved ones in the US. This could happen, for example, if a family member in the United States is dying and a person from a restricted nation wants to see them one last time, like the Yemeni mother who got a chance to see her baby boy just two days before he died. In the first six months after the full implementation of the ban, such waivers were only given to around 2 per cent of individuals from banned countries. This gradually increased to 6 per cent after one year. Being considered for a waiver is not the same as getting a visa. A person who is being considered for a waiver still cannot enter the US. They must wait under “administrative processing” status until they are cleared for a visa. It could take several years before applicants find out the results of their application. During this period, they cannot enter the U.S. One recent lawsuit against the travel ban claims that some of their 14 clients have been under consideration for a waiver for 18 months at least, with no visa being granted to any of them yet. What’s next The first congressional hearing on the travel ban, held on September 24, established a need to reassess the impacts of the policy. From what I see, looking at 18 months of government-provided data, the current travel ban is in effect a Muslim ban. I think that policymakers should take a deeper look into travel ban statistics and hold the Trump administration accountable for its visa policy for the restricted countries. (Vahid Niayesh is Lecturer in Political Science, California State University, Long Beach) (This article was originally published on The Conversation. Read the original article) (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

What Donald Trump’s travel ban really looks like, almost two years in

The United States wants to bolster a coalition fighting Islamic State in northeastern Syria, a senior State Department official said on Monday, after the leader of the jihadi movement, <a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/isis-chief-baghdadi-died-crying-screaming-like-a-coward-by-us-soldiers-trump-258418">Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, was killed</a> in the weekend operation.

World leaders welcomed his death, but they and security experts warned that the group, which carried out atrocities against religious minorities and horrified most Muslims, <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/baghdadis-death-not-the-end-of-islamic-state-iran-258406">remained a security threat</a> in Syria and beyond.

The official said that President Donald Trump, by announcing the withdrawal of US&nbsp;forces from northern Syria on October&nbsp;6, did not suggest that Washington was abandoning the fight against Islamic State.

"There was never an idea that we would abandon the mission of going after ISIS. ... This is a major effort that is continuing," the official told reporters.

Foreign ministers will meet in Washington on November&nbsp;14 to discuss the mission.

"The United States is determined to prevent a resurgence of ISIS in Syria and Iraq and continues to work with the Global Coalition to destroy ISIS remnants and thwart its global ambitions," the US&nbsp;State Department said in a statement.

It said the Washington meeting's discussions would have a "particular focus on recent developments in northeast Syria and their relationship to stability and security of the region."

Trump has softened his <a href="https://www.wionews.com/opinions/us-retreat-from-syria-could-see-islamic-state-roar-back-to-life-258190">pullout plans for Syria</a> after a backlash from Congress, including from fellow Republicans, who say he enabled a long-threatened Turkish incursion on October&nbsp;9 against Kurdish forces in Syria who had been America's top allies in the battle against Islamic State since 2014.

US&nbsp;special forces carried out the Syrian operation in which Baghdadi killed himself and three of his children by detonating a suicide vest when he was cornered in a tunnel.

Trump said on Monday he may declassify and release part of the video taken on Saturday of the raid. The video is believed to include aerial footage and possibly footage from cameras mounted on the soldiers who stormed Baghdadi's compound.

Trump said on Sunday that Baghdadi had died "whimpering and crying" in a raid that fulfilled the president's top national security goal.

The United States has given the remains of Baghdadi a burial at sea and afforded him religious rites according to Islamic custom, three officials told Reuters.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov declined to say if the United States had told Russia about the operation in advance. Trump, in announcing the operation, said Russia "treated us great" by opening up airspace it controlled for the raid.

Peskov added: "If this information is confirmed, we can talk about a serious contribution by the president of the United States to the fight against international terrorism."

French President Emmanuel Macron said Baghdadi's death was a major blow against Islamic State, but "the fight continues to finally defeat this terrorist organisation".

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said: "We will work with our coalition partners to bring an end to the murderous, barbaric activities of Daesh (Islamic State) once and for all."

In Southeast Asia, an important focus for Islamic State, officials said security forces were preparing for a long battle to thwart the group's ideology.

The Philippines, Indonesia and Malaysia, home to some of Asia's most organised Islamist militants, said they were braced for retaliation by Islamic State loyalists, including "lone-wolf" attacks by radicalised locals.

The United States on Monday confirmed the killing of Abu al-Hassan al-Muhajir, Islamic State spokesman and a high-ranking figure within the jihadi group, in a separate US&nbsp;operation in northern Syria.

Although Baghdadi's death will unsettle Islamic State, it remains capable and dangerous, said Delfin Lorenzana, defence secretary of the Philippines, where the group's influence has taken a hold in its troubled Mindanao region.

"This is a blow to the organisation considering al-Baghdadi's stature as a leader. But this is just a momentary setback considering the depth and reach of the organisation worldwide," Lorenzana said. "Somebody will take his place."

Islamic State has no declared successor as leader. But the group has proved resilient, continuing to mount or inspire attacks in the region and beyond despite losing most of its territory in recent years.

Baghdadi had long been sought by the United States - which offered a $25 million reward - as leader of a jihadist group that at one point controlled large areas of Syria and Iraq, where it declared a caliphate.

Islamic State has brutally attacked religious minorities and launched deadly strikes on five continents in a violent campaign that horrified most Muslims.

In their long hunt for Baghdadi, Iraqi intelligence teams secured a break in February 2018 after one of his top aides gave them information on how he escaped capture for so many years, two Iraqi security officials said.

Baghdadi held strategy talks with his commanders in moving minibuses packed with vegetables in order to avoid detection, Ismael al-Ethawi told officials after he was arrested by Turkish authorities and handed to the Iraqis.

"Ethawi gave valuable information which helped the Iraqi multi-security agencies team complete the missing pieces of the puzzle of Baghdadi's movements and places he used to hide," one of the Iraqi security officials said.

Iraqi security officials said Kurdish intelligence agents had exchanged information with counterparts in Baghdad on the movements of Baghdadi and his aides in Syria. One of the Kurds' sources passed on a "golden tip" earlier this year.

Suspicious movements were spotted by locals at a house in a village in Syria, which was placed under surveillance and turned out to be the house used by Baghdadi, the Iraqi officials said.

The raid on Baghdadi comes weeks after Trump announced the withdrawal of US&nbsp;troops from northeastern Syria.

Critics expressed concern at the abandoning of the Kurdish fighters who were instrumental in defeating Islamic State in Syria, and said the move might allow the group to regain strength and pose a threat to US&nbsp;interests.

The Pentagon, however, said the United States would repel any attempt to take Syria's oilfields away from US-backed Syrian militia with "overwhelming force," whether the opponent is Islamic State or even forces backed by Russia or Syria.

Trump said the raid would not change his decision to withdraw troops from Syria.

But killing Baghdadi could help blunt those concerns, as well as boosting Trump domestically at a time when he is facing an impeachment inquiry in the US&nbsp;House of Representatives.

Egypt, which is fighting militants loyal to Islamic State, said the killing of Baghdadi was "an important step towards eradicating terrorism".

US&nbsp;foe Iran, which accuses the United States and its allies of creating Islamic State, was dismissive. Information Minister Mohammad Javad Azari-Jahromi tweeted: "Not a big deal, You just killed your creature".

At the height of its power, Islamic State ruled over millions of people from northern Syria to the outskirts of Baghdad.

Thousands of civilians were killed by the group as it mounted what the United Nations called a genocidal campaign against Iraq's Yazidi minority. It also caused worldwide revulsion by beheading foreign nationals from countries including the United States, Britain and Japan.

The group has claimed responsibility for or inspired attacks in cities including Paris, Nice, France, Orlando, Florida, Manchester, England, London and Berlin, and in Turkey, Iran, Saudi Arabia and Egypt.

The United States wants to bolster a coalition fighting Islamic State in northeastern Syria, a senior State Department official said on Monday, after the leader of the jihadi movement, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, was killed in the weekend operation.

The United States wants to bolster a coalition fighting Islamic State in northeastern Syria, a senior State Department official said on Monday, after the leader of the jihadi movement, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, was killed in the weekend operation. World leaders welcomed his death, but they and security experts warned that the group, which carried out atrocities against religious minorities and horrified most Muslims, remained a security threat in Syria and beyond. The official said that President Donald Trump, by announcing the withdrawal of US forces from northern Syria on October 6, did not suggest that Washington was abandoning the fight against Islamic State. "There was never an idea that we would abandon the mission of going after ISIS. ... This is a major effort that is continuing," the official told reporters. Foreign ministers will meet in Washington on November 14 to discuss the mission. "The United States is determined to prevent a resurgence of ISIS in Syria and Iraq and continues to work with the Global Coalition to destroy ISIS remnants and thwart its global ambitions," the US State Department said in a statement. It said the Washington meeting's discussions would have a "particular focus on recent developments in northeast Syria and their relationship to stability and security of the region." Trump has softened his pullout plans for Syria after a backlash from Congress, including from fellow Republicans, who say he enabled a long-threatened Turkish incursion on October 9 against Kurdish forces in Syria who had been America's top allies in the battle against Islamic State since 2014. US special forces carried out the Syrian operation in which Baghdadi killed himself and three of his children by detonating a suicide vest when he was cornered in a tunnel. Trump said on Monday he may declassify and release part of the video taken on Saturday of the raid. The video is believed to include aerial footage and possibly footage from cameras mounted on the soldiers who stormed Baghdadi's compound. Trump said on Sunday that Baghdadi had died "whimpering and crying" in a raid that fulfilled the president's top national security goal. The United States has given the remains of Baghdadi a burial at sea and afforded him religious rites according to Islamic custom, three officials told Reuters. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov declined to say if the United States had told Russia about the operation in advance. Trump, in announcing the operation, said Russia "treated us great" by opening up airspace it controlled for the raid. Peskov added: "If this information is confirmed, we can talk about a serious contribution by the president of the United States to the fight against international terrorism." French President Emmanuel Macron said Baghdadi's death was a major blow against Islamic State, but "the fight continues to finally defeat this terrorist organisation". British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said: "We will work with our coalition partners to bring an end to the murderous, barbaric activities of Daesh (Islamic State) once and for all." In Southeast Asia, an important focus for Islamic State, officials said security forces were preparing for a long battle to thwart the group's ideology. The Philippines, Indonesia and Malaysia, home to some of Asia's most organised Islamist militants, said they were braced for retaliation by Islamic State loyalists, including "lone-wolf" attacks by radicalised locals. The United States on Monday confirmed the killing of Abu al-Hassan al-Muhajir, Islamic State spokesman and a high-ranking figure within the jihadi group, in a separate US operation in northern Syria. Although Baghdadi's death will unsettle Islamic State, it remains capable and dangerous, said Delfin Lorenzana, defence secretary of the Philippines, where the group's influence has taken a hold in its troubled Mindanao region. "This is a blow to the organisation considering al-Baghdadi's stature as a leader. But this is just a momentary setback considering the depth and reach of the organisation worldwide," Lorenzana said. "Somebody will take his place." Islamic State has no declared successor as leader. But the group has proved resilient, continuing to mount or inspire attacks in the region and beyond despite losing most of its territory in recent years. Baghdadi had long been sought by the United States - which offered a $25 million reward - as leader of a jihadist group that at one point controlled large areas of Syria and Iraq, where it declared a caliphate. Islamic State has brutally attacked religious minorities and launched deadly strikes on five continents in a violent campaign that horrified most Muslims. In their long hunt for Baghdadi, Iraqi intelligence teams secured a break in February 2018 after one of his top aides gave them information on how he escaped capture for so many years, two Iraqi security officials said. Baghdadi held strategy talks with his commanders in moving minibuses packed with vegetables in order to avoid detection, Ismael al-Ethawi told officials after he was arrested by Turkish authorities and handed to the Iraqis. "Ethawi gave valuable information which helped the Iraqi multi-security agencies team complete the missing pieces of the puzzle of Baghdadi's movements and places he used to hide," one of the Iraqi security officials said. Iraqi security officials said Kurdish intelligence agents had exchanged information with counterparts in Baghdad on the movements of Baghdadi and his aides in Syria. One of the Kurds' sources passed on a "golden tip" earlier this year. Suspicious movements were spotted by locals at a house in a village in Syria, which was placed under surveillance and turned out to be the house used by Baghdadi, the Iraqi officials said. The raid on Baghdadi comes weeks after Trump announced the withdrawal of US troops from northeastern Syria. Critics expressed concern at the abandoning of the Kurdish fighters who were instrumental in defeating Islamic State in Syria, and said the move might allow the group to regain strength and pose a threat to US interests. The Pentagon, however, said the United States would repel any attempt to take Syria's oilfields away from US-backed Syrian militia with "overwhelming force," whether the opponent is Islamic State or even forces backed by Russia or Syria. Trump said the raid would not change his decision to withdraw troops from Syria. But killing Baghdadi could help blunt those concerns, as well as boosting Trump domestically at a time when he is facing an impeachment inquiry in the US House of Representatives. Egypt, which is fighting militants loyal to Islamic State, said the killing of Baghdadi was "an important step towards eradicating terrorism". US foe Iran, which accuses the United States and its allies of creating Islamic State, was dismissive. Information Minister Mohammad Javad Azari-Jahromi tweeted: "Not a big deal, You just killed your creature". At the height of its power, Islamic State ruled over millions of people from northern Syria to the outskirts of Baghdad. Thousands of civilians were killed by the group as it mounted what the United Nations called a genocidal campaign against Iraq's Yazidi minority. It also caused worldwide revulsion by beheading foreign nationals from countries including the United States, Britain and Japan. The group has claimed responsibility for or inspired attacks in cities including Paris, Nice, France, Orlando, Florida, Manchester, England, London and Berlin, and in Turkey, Iran, Saudi Arabia and Egypt.

US wants to bolster fight against Islamic State after its leader's death

In the run-up to the 2020 presidential election, America's big tech companies are being challenged on many fronts from across the political spectrum, from antitrust concerns to their policies on political ads and ensuring election security.

Many of the Democratic presidential candidates have argued in favour of either breaking up or tightening regulation of firms such as Facebook Inc, Alphabet Inc’s Google and Amazon.com Inc.

Republican President Donald Trump's administration has also stepped up its scrutiny, announcing a wide-ranging investigation in July into whether major digital tech companies engaged in anti-competitive practices.

Trump's Democratic challengers also criticise online platforms for allowing politicians to make false claims in advertising ahead of the election next November.

Social media platforms are under particular scrutiny after US&nbsp;intelligence agencies said Russia used them to wage an influence operation to interfere with the 2016 election - a claim Moscow has denied.

Here are some of the candidates' positions on Big Tech.

President Trump

Trump, whose social media use and digital advertising campaign helped propel him to the White House in 2016, in September attacked the "immense power" of social media giants in his address to the United Nations.

Trump has stopped short of calling for tech giants to be broken up, as Democratic Senators Elizabeth Warren and Bernie Sanders have, but said "obviously there is something going on in terms of monopoly," when asked about major tech companies in a June interview with CNBC.

Trump and other Republicans have also criticized social media companies, without evidence, for alleged political bias.

The president's eldest son, Donald Trump Jr. wrote an opinion piece for The Hill political website in September entitled "Free speech suppression online builds case to break up Big Tech."

Silicon Valley firms have also been at odds with the Trump administration over policies such as its repeal of Obama-era net neutrality rules and the impact of the U.S.-China trade war on their supply chains.

Joe Biden

Biden, who was vice president in the Silicon Valley-friendly Obama administration, has taken a more moderate stance than his progressive rivals on the issue of big tech company break-ups.

In a May interview with the Associated Press, he said that splitting up companies such as Facebook was "something we should take a really hard look at" but that it was "premature" to make a final judgment.

The campaign told Reuters that, as president, Biden would aggressively use "all the tools available - including utilizing antitrust measures" to ensure corporations act responsibly.

He did not speak up during a discussion of the issue at the most recent Democratic debate in October.

Biden has criticized e-commerce giant Amazon's $0 federal tax bill in 2018.

"I have nothing against Amazon, but no company pulling in billions of dollars of profits should pay a lower tax rate than firefighters and teachers. We need to reward work, not just wealth," he said in a tweet in June.

His campaign also clashed with Facebook, Twitter and Google over their political ad policies after they refused to take down a Trump ad that the Biden team said contained false claims about his son Hunter's dealings with Ukraine.

Elizabeth Warren

Warren is leading the charge to break up big tech companies on the grounds they hold outsized influence and stifle competition.

She has called for legislation to restrict large tech platforms - which she would designate as "platform utilities" -from owning and participating in a marketplace at the same time.

Under this law, Apple would not be allowed to both run the App Store and sell its own apps on it, for example.

She also said she would nominate regulators to unwind anti-competitive mergers such as Facebook's deals for WhatsApp and Instagram, and Amazon's deal for Whole Foods.

Warren in October challenged Facebook's policy of exempting politicians' ads from fact-checking by running ads containing the false claim that CEO Mark Zuckerberg was endorsing Trump's re-election bid.

The senator from Massachusetts has also said that she would reject campaign donations over $200 from executives of big tech firms.

Bernie Sanders

Sanders, a US senator from Vermont who frequently criticizes corporate influence, has also called for the break-up of big tech companies such as Facebook and Amazon.

His administration would "absolutely" try to split apart the companies, Sanders said at a Washington Post event in July.

He has said that he will have the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) review all mergers that have taken place during the Trump administration. His broad plan to reshape corporate America would also mandate all large companies to be owned partly by their workers.

Asked how he differentiates himself from Warren on major issues, Sanders told ABC in October: "Elizabeth considers herself - if I got the quote correctly - to be a capitalist to her bones. I don't."

Sanders has been vocal in his attacks on Amazon over issues such as its tax contributions and working conditions at its warehouses. In 2018, he introduced a 'Stop BEZOS Act' in the Senate, in a reference to Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos, which would make large corporations either pay their workers more or pay the government for public benefits that their workers receive.

Pete Buttigieg

In general, Pete Buttigieg, who became Facebook's 287th user shortly after it was launched in 2004 at Harvard University, where he was a student, has been more reluctant to slam the tech giants than some other candidates.

The mayor from South Bend, Indiana, said that the break-up of big tech companies is a "remedy that should be on the table," but also said it was not a politician's place to designate which companies should be broken up.

He has said that the FTC should be empowered to prevent and sometimes reverse mergers, but argued that large tech companies should be scrutinized for their actions rather than their size. He says concerns over monopolies and concerns over data security or privacy should not be conflated.

He is in favour of having legislation to protect individual data rights at a national level, including the right to be forgotten - which would give citizens the power to demand that online platforms delete data about them, as is the case in Europe.

Kamala Harris

Senator Harris of California, the home of Silicon Valley, has said that Facebook has not been sufficiently regulated. She has not called outright for the break-up of big tech firms but said it should be "seriously" considered.

During the campaign, Harris touted her experience protecting consumers' online privacy while she was state attorney general.

In Congress, Harris, along with fellow candidate Senator Amy Klobuchar, introduced the bipartisan ENOUGH Act in 2017 to protect against online exploitation of private images. Harris recently called on Twitter to suspend Trump's Twitter account, saying his tweets threaten violence. In response, the company said that Trump's tweets did not violate its policies.

Amy Klobuchar

The Minnesota senator has made oversight of big technology companies one of her major issues in Congress and argued for data privacy laws and net neutrality safeguards as priorities at her campaign launch in February. Klobuchar has called for tighter regulation of tech giants and suggested that companies who profit from users' data could be taxed.

She has not endorsed Warren's plan for their break-up, saying that she would first want investigations. Her plan for her first 100 days in office includes an "aggressive retrospective review of mergers," which she said she would pay for with an extra merger fee on "megamergers."

She is also one of the authors of the bipartisan Honest Ads Act, which would require social media platforms to disclose the purchaser of a political ad, as is required for television and print ads.

Andrew Yang

Yang, the former CEO of a start-up, has benefited from a surge of grassroots supporters on social media who style themselves as the #yanggang.

Although the technology entrepreneur said "we would be well served" if big tech companies were to break themselves up, he is more focused on dealing with the impact of automation on American jobs and on regulating artificial intelligence. Yang has also emphasized the negative effects of tech on mental health and said he would create a Department of Attention Economy, ideally led by tech ethics advocate Tristan Harris, to look at how to responsibly design and use apps and devices.

He has also called for people to receive a share of the economic value generated from their data.

Cory Booker

New Jersey Senator Booker said that Warren's call to break up the tech giants was "more like a Donald Trump thing to say" and has instead argued that stronger antitrust laws need to be enforced.

When questioned at the October Democratic debate on the issue, Booker advocated reforms to stop tech companies being used "to undermine our democracy" around elections.

He talked broadly about antitrust, "from pharma to farms," but did not single out tech companies.

A Stanford University graduate who co-founded his own social media start-up WayWire, Booker has historically received donations from major Silicon Valley names such as Zuckerberg. The Facebook CEO also donated $100 million to Newark schools when Booker was mayor of the New Jersey city.

Beto O' Rourke

O'Rourke, a former US representative from Texas, wants to see Big Tech regulated rather than broken up. He has said he does not think it is the role of a president to designate which companies should be dismantled.

O'Rourke's campaign told Reuters he would stand up for small business by preventing online platform owners from promoting their own content and products over that of competitors. He also plans to create a new digital markets regulator to create and enforce rules on issues such as privacy and data mobility.

O’Rourke, who as a teenager was part of an influential hacking group, has also said he thinks social media companies should be treated as publishers.

He wants to amend Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act, which generally provides immunity to online platforms for content posted by users, to make social media companies more accountable for the amplification of hate speech and domestic terrorism on their platforms.

His campaign recently urged Facebook, Twitter and Google to do more to combat online disinformation, after the campaign encountered the spread of a false claim about a gunman in a mass shooting.

Julian Castro

Castro, who was secretary of housing and urban development in the Obama administration, has said it is worth considering proposals to break up the big tech companies and said during the recent Democratic debate that the US&nbsp;needs to take a stronger stance in cracking down on monopolistic trade practices.

In the October debate, the former mayor of San Antonio, Texas, also singled out Amazon by name for helping to "put small businesses out of business" and for "shortchanging a lot of its workers."

Tulsi Gabbard

Gabbard, a US representative from Hawaii, has called for the break-up of big tech companies and praised Warren's plan.

In July, she filed a $50 million lawsuit against Google accusing the company of discrimination when it temporarily suspended her ad account after the first Democratic debate. Google said the account had been automatically flagged for unusual activity, without specifying exactly what the issue was.

Gabbard said that Google's actions reflected "how the increasing dominance of big tech companies over our public discourse threatens our core American values."

Tom Steyer

California billionaire Steyer has said he is running for president to remove the influence of corporate money from politics.

In the October debate, he said that monopolies either have to be dismantled or regulated, but that to win against Trump, Democrats would have to "show the American people that we don't just know how to tax and have programs to break up companies."

Instead, he said, Democrats must harness the innovation and competition of the private sector.

Steyer's campaign has been noted for its massive ad spending which helped push him to the debate stage, including more than $6 million in Facebook ads, according to Democratic digital firm Bully Pulpit Interactive.

In the run-up to the 2020 presidential election, America's big tech companies are being challenged on many fronts from across the political spectrum, from antitrust concerns to their policies on political ads and ensuring election security.

In the run-up to the 2020 presidential election, America's big tech companies are being challenged on many fronts from across the political spectrum, from antitrust concerns to their policies on political ads and ensuring election security. Many of the Democratic presidential candidates have argued in favour of either breaking up or tightening regulation of firms such as Facebook Inc, Alphabet Inc’s Google and Amazon.com Inc. Republican President Donald Trump's administration has also stepped up its scrutiny, announcing a wide-ranging investigation in July into whether major digital tech companies engaged in anti-competitive practices. Trump's Democratic challengers also criticise online platforms for allowing politicians to make false claims in advertising ahead of the election next November. Social media platforms are under particular scrutiny after US intelligence agencies said Russia used them to wage an influence operation to interfere with the 2016 election - a claim Moscow has denied. Here are some of the candidates' positions on Big Tech. President Trump Trump, whose social media use and digital advertising campaign helped propel him to the White House in 2016, in September attacked the "immense power" of social media giants in his address to the United Nations. Trump has stopped short of calling for tech giants to be broken up, as Democratic Senators Elizabeth Warren and Bernie Sanders have, but said "obviously there is something going on in terms of monopoly," when asked about major tech companies in a June interview with CNBC. Trump and other Republicans have also criticized social media companies, without evidence, for alleged political bias. The president's eldest son, Donald Trump Jr. wrote an opinion piece for The Hill political website in September entitled "Free speech suppression online builds case to break up Big Tech." Silicon Valley firms have also been at odds with the Trump administration over policies such as its repeal of Obama-era net neutrality rules and the impact of the U.S.-China trade war on their supply chains. Joe Biden Biden, who was vice president in the Silicon Valley-friendly Obama administration, has taken a more moderate stance than his progressive rivals on the issue of big tech company break-ups. In a May interview with the Associated Press, he said that splitting up companies such as Facebook was "something we should take a really hard look at" but that it was "premature" to make a final judgment. The campaign told Reuters that, as president, Biden would aggressively use "all the tools available - including utilizing antitrust measures" to ensure corporations act responsibly. He did not speak up during a discussion of the issue at the most recent Democratic debate in October. Biden has criticized e-commerce giant Amazon's $0 federal tax bill in 2018. "I have nothing against Amazon, but no company pulling in billions of dollars of profits should pay a lower tax rate than firefighters and teachers. We need to reward work, not just wealth," he said in a tweet in June. His campaign also clashed with Facebook, Twitter and Google over their political ad policies after they refused to take down a Trump ad that the Biden team said contained false claims about his son Hunter's dealings with Ukraine. Elizabeth Warren Warren is leading the charge to break up big tech companies on the grounds they hold outsized influence and stifle competition. She has called for legislation to restrict large tech platforms - which she would designate as "platform utilities" -from owning and participating in a marketplace at the same time. Under this law, Apple would not be allowed to both run the App Store and sell its own apps on it, for example. She also said she would nominate regulators to unwind anti-competitive mergers such as Facebook's deals for WhatsApp and Instagram, and Amazon's deal for Whole Foods. Warren in October challenged Facebook's policy of exempting politicians' ads from fact-checking by running ads containing the false claim that CEO Mark Zuckerberg was endorsing Trump's re-election bid. The senator from Massachusetts has also said that she would reject campaign donations over $200 from executives of big tech firms. Bernie Sanders Sanders, a US senator from Vermont who frequently criticizes corporate influence, has also called for the break-up of big tech companies such as Facebook and Amazon. His administration would "absolutely" try to split apart the companies, Sanders said at a Washington Post event in July. He has said that he will have the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) review all mergers that have taken place during the Trump administration. His broad plan to reshape corporate America would also mandate all large companies to be owned partly by their workers. Asked how he differentiates himself from Warren on major issues, Sanders told ABC in October: "Elizabeth considers herself - if I got the quote correctly - to be a capitalist to her bones. I don't." Sanders has been vocal in his attacks on Amazon over issues such as its tax contributions and working conditions at its warehouses. In 2018, he introduced a 'Stop BEZOS Act' in the Senate, in a reference to Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos, which would make large corporations either pay their workers more or pay the government for public benefits that their workers receive. Pete Buttigieg In general, Pete Buttigieg, who became Facebook's 287th user shortly after it was launched in 2004 at Harvard University, where he was a student, has been more reluctant to slam the tech giants than some other candidates. The mayor from South Bend, Indiana, said that the break-up of big tech companies is a "remedy that should be on the table," but also said it was not a politician's place to designate which companies should be broken up. He has said that the FTC should be empowered to prevent and sometimes reverse mergers, but argued that large tech companies should be scrutinized for their actions rather than their size. He says concerns over monopolies and concerns over data security or privacy should not be conflated. He is in favour of having legislation to protect individual data rights at a national level, including the right to be forgotten - which would give citizens the power to demand that online platforms delete data about them, as is the case in Europe. Kamala Harris Senator Harris of California, the home of Silicon Valley, has said that Facebook has not been sufficiently regulated. She has not called outright for the break-up of big tech firms but said it should be "seriously" considered. During the campaign, Harris touted her experience protecting consumers' online privacy while she was state attorney general. In Congress, Harris, along with fellow candidate Senator Amy Klobuchar, introduced the bipartisan ENOUGH Act in 2017 to protect against online exploitation of private images. Harris recently called on Twitter to suspend Trump's Twitter account, saying his tweets threaten violence. In response, the company said that Trump's tweets did not violate its policies. Amy Klobuchar The Minnesota senator has made oversight of big technology companies one of her major issues in Congress and argued for data privacy laws and net neutrality safeguards as priorities at her campaign launch in February. Klobuchar has called for tighter regulation of tech giants and suggested that companies who profit from users' data could be taxed. She has not endorsed Warren's plan for their break-up, saying that she would first want investigations. Her plan for her first 100 days in office includes an "aggressive retrospective review of mergers," which she said she would pay for with an extra merger fee on "megamergers." She is also one of the authors of the bipartisan Honest Ads Act, which would require social media platforms to disclose the purchaser of a political ad, as is required for television and print ads. Andrew Yang Yang, the former CEO of a start-up, has benefited from a surge of grassroots supporters on social media who style themselves as the #yanggang. Although the technology entrepreneur said "we would be well served" if big tech companies were to break themselves up, he is more focused on dealing with the impact of automation on American jobs and on regulating artificial intelligence. Yang has also emphasized the negative effects of tech on mental health and said he would create a Department of Attention Economy, ideally led by tech ethics advocate Tristan Harris, to look at how to responsibly design and use apps and devices. He has also called for people to receive a share of the economic value generated from their data. Cory Booker New Jersey Senator Booker said that Warren's call to break up the tech giants was "more like a Donald Trump thing to say" and has instead argued that stronger antitrust laws need to be enforced. When questioned at the October Democratic debate on the issue, Booker advocated reforms to stop tech companies being used "to undermine our democracy" around elections. He talked broadly about antitrust, "from pharma to farms," but did not single out tech companies. A Stanford University graduate who co-founded his own social media start-up WayWire, Booker has historically received donations from major Silicon Valley names such as Zuckerberg. The Facebook CEO also donated $100 million to Newark schools when Booker was mayor of the New Jersey city. Beto O' Rourke O'Rourke, a former US representative from Texas, wants to see Big Tech regulated rather than broken up. He has said he does not think it is the role of a president to designate which companies should be dismantled. O'Rourke's campaign told Reuters he would stand up for small business by preventing online platform owners from promoting their own content and products over that of competitors. He also plans to create a new digital markets regulator to create and enforce rules on issues such as privacy and data mobility. O’Rourke, who as a teenager was part of an influential hacking group, has also said he thinks social media companies should be treated as publishers. He wants to amend Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act, which generally provides immunity to online platforms for content posted by users, to make social media companies more accountable for the amplification of hate speech and domestic terrorism on their platforms. His campaign recently urged Facebook, Twitter and Google to do more to combat online disinformation, after the campaign encountered the spread of a false claim about a gunman in a mass shooting. Julian Castro Castro, who was secretary of housing and urban development in the Obama administration, has said it is worth considering proposals to break up the big tech companies and said during the recent Democratic debate that the US needs to take a stronger stance in cracking down on monopolistic trade practices. In the October debate, the former mayor of San Antonio, Texas, also singled out Amazon by name for helping to "put small businesses out of business" and for "shortchanging a lot of its workers." Tulsi Gabbard Gabbard, a US representative from Hawaii, has called for the break-up of big tech companies and praised Warren's plan. In July, she filed a $50 million lawsuit against Google accusing the company of discrimination when it temporarily suspended her ad account after the first Democratic debate. Google said the account had been automatically flagged for unusual activity, without specifying exactly what the issue was. Gabbard said that Google's actions reflected "how the increasing dominance of big tech companies over our public discourse threatens our core American values." Tom Steyer California billionaire Steyer has said he is running for president to remove the influence of corporate money from politics. In the October debate, he said that monopolies either have to be dismantled or regulated, but that to win against Trump, Democrats would have to "show the American people that we don't just know how to tax and have programs to break up companies." Instead, he said, Democrats must harness the innovation and competition of the private sector. Steyer's campaign has been noted for its massive ad spending which helped push him to the debate stage, including more than $6 million in Facebook ads, according to Democratic digital firm Bully Pulpit Interactive.

Where US presidential candidates stand on breaking up Big Tech

Operation Kayla: Why US named mission to kill Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi after Arizona aid worker

US&nbsp;Representative Katie Hill, who is under investigation by the House ethics committee over an alleged relationship with a congressional staffer, said on Sunday that she was resigning from Congress.

Hill, a 32-year-old California Democrat who was elected to the House of Representatives in November 2018, posted her resignation letter to Twitter, saying she believed it best for her constituents, community and the country.

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
It is with a broken heart that today I announce my resignation from Congress. This is the hardest thing I have ever had to do, but I believe it is the best thing for my constituents, my community, and our country. 
 
See my official statement below. <a href="https://t.co/RO8B0znc6C">https://t.co/RO8B0znc6C</a>
— Katie Hill (@KatieHill4CA) <a href="https://twitter.com/KatieHill4CA/status/1188592008274669569?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 27, 2019</a></blockquote>
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Hill has admitted to an "inappropriate" relationship with a campaign staffer when she was running for Congress but denied she had a sexual relationship with a staffer in her office, according to media reports.

The ethics committee said on Wednesday it was "aware of public allegations... (that Hill) may have engaged in a sexual relationship with an individual on her congressional staff," and said it was investigating.

Hill, who is going through a divorce, apologized in her resignation letter for "mistakes made along the way" but also lamented a "smear campaign".

Hill blamed her husband and said she was pursuing legal options after media outlets published intimate photos that purported to be of the lawmaker.

"Having private photos of personal moments weaponised against me has been an appalling invasion of my privacy," said Hill. "It's also illegal."

Hill serves on the House Armed Services and Oversight and Reform Committees, where she is also vice-chair.

She defeated incumbent Republican Steve Knight in a district north of Los Angeles, helping the Democrats win control of the House. Her district is seen by election analysts at the Cook Political Report as one of the most competitive in the country.

Although Hill’s departure could help Republicans win back her seat in November 2020, they still face an uphill climb in their effort to regain control of the House.

US Representative Katie Hill, who is under investigation by the House ethics committee over an alleged relationship with a congressional staffer, said on Sunday that she was resigning from Congress.

US Representative Katie Hill, who is under investigation by the House ethics committee over an alleged relationship with a congressional staffer, said on Sunday that she was resigning from Congress. Hill, a 32-year-old California Democrat who was elected to the House of Representatives in November 2018, posted her resignation letter to Twitter, saying she believed it best for her constituents, community and the country. It is with a broken heart that today I announce my resignation from Congress. This is the hardest thing I have ever had to do, but I believe it is the best thing for my constituents, my community, and our country. See my official statement below. https://t.co/RO8B0znc6C — Katie Hill (@KatieHill4CA) October 27, 2019 × Hill has admitted to an "inappropriate" relationship with a campaign staffer when she was running for Congress but denied she had a sexual relationship with a staffer in her office, according to media reports. The ethics committee said on Wednesday it was "aware of public allegations... (that Hill) may have engaged in a sexual relationship with an individual on her congressional staff," and said it was investigating. Hill, who is going through a divorce, apologized in her resignation letter for "mistakes made along the way" but also lamented a "smear campaign". Hill blamed her husband and said she was pursuing legal options after media outlets published intimate photos that purported to be of the lawmaker. "Having private photos of personal moments weaponised against me has been an appalling invasion of my privacy," said Hill. "It's also illegal." Hill serves on the House Armed Services and Oversight and Reform Committees, where she is also vice-chair. She defeated incumbent Republican Steve Knight in a district north of Los Angeles, helping the Democrats win control of the House. Her district is seen by election analysts at the Cook Political Report as one of the most competitive in the country. Although Hill’s departure could help Republicans win back her seat in November 2020, they still face an uphill climb in their effort to regain control of the House.

US Representative Katie Hill, facing ethics probe, resigns from Congress

Crews lost ground on Sunday against a wind-driven wildfire that has blackened a wide swath of California's picturesque wine country and <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/bracing-for-winds-authorities-order-thousands-to-flee-california-wine-country-fire-258340">driven 180,000</a> people from their homes as they hoped for a break in the hot, dry weather.

About 3,000 people were battling the Kinkade Fire, the worst of more than a dozen major blazes that have damaged or destroyed nearly 400 structures, and prompted Governor Gavin Newsom to declare a statewide emergency.

"All hands are focusing on the Kincade," Newsom told reporters after meeting residents at an evacuation center in the Sonoma County city of Petaluma, calling that blaze "the most stubborn challenge we face."

Newsom said its containment had "slipped" to about half of an earlier estimate of 10 percent, with more than 50,000 acres&nbsp;burned, as nearly 90-mph&nbsp;gusts whipped flames toward communities as far south as northern Santa Rosa.

About 180,000 people were under mandatory evacuation orders, including the towns of Healdsburg and Windsor, north of Santa Rosa, which stand in the path of the flames.

The Kincade, which has ravaged nearly 80 sq miles&nbsp;of wine country, has burned down 79 structures since it broke out on Wednesday but no casualties have been reported.

Investigators have not yet said what they believed caused the blaze, although it ignited near a broken wire on a Pacific Gas &amp; Electric transmission tower.

High wind forecasts prompted utility Pacific Gas &amp; Electric Co.&nbsp;on Saturday night to shut off power to about 940,000 customers in 43 counties to guard against the risk of touching off wildfires. The utility said the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/pge-says-more-potential-power-cuts-could-hit-about-209000-customers-257390">protective blackouts </a>could last two days.

The governor has been sharply critical of PG&amp;E, saying corporate greed and mismanagement kept it from upgrading its infrastructure while wildfire hazards have steadily worsened over the past decade.

PG&amp;E, which filed for bankruptcy in January, citing billions of dollars in civil liabilities from deadly wildfires sparked by its equipment in 2017 and 2018, says it has since remedied problems experienced with its website and customer call center.

Newsom said firefighters were making their stand at US&nbsp;Route 101 near Windsor as they waited for relief from hot, dry winds forecast to subside significantly on Monday.

No major wildfires have burned west of the 101 in that part of the state since the 1940s, said Steve Volmer, chief fire behavior analyst at the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (Cal Fire).

"The fuels in that area are extremely dense, they’re extremely old and...they’re extremely dry," Volmer told Reuters in an interview.

Newsom said crews had largely "gotten their arms around" the Tick Fire near the city of Santa Clarita, about 35 miles (56 km)

north of downtown Los Angeles, which has charred 4,615 acres&nbsp;and destroyed 22 structures, since Thursday.

Most of the more than 40,000 residents ordered to evacuate were allowed to return home by Saturday afternoon, the county fire department said.

Crews lost ground on Sunday against a wind-driven wildfire that has blackened a wide swath of California's picturesque wine country and driven 180,000 people from their homes as they hoped for a break in the hot, dry weather.

Crews lost ground on Sunday against a wind-driven wildfire that has blackened a wide swath of California's picturesque wine country and driven 180,000 people from their homes as they hoped for a break in the hot, dry weather. About 3,000 people were battling the Kinkade Fire, the worst of more than a dozen major blazes that have damaged or destroyed nearly 400 structures, and prompted Governor Gavin Newsom to declare a statewide emergency. "All hands are focusing on the Kincade," Newsom told reporters after meeting residents at an evacuation center in the Sonoma County city of Petaluma, calling that blaze "the most stubborn challenge we face." Newsom said its containment had "slipped" to about half of an earlier estimate of 10 percent, with more than 50,000 acres burned, as nearly 90-mph gusts whipped flames toward communities as far south as northern Santa Rosa. About 180,000 people were under mandatory evacuation orders, including the towns of Healdsburg and Windsor, north of Santa Rosa, which stand in the path of the flames. The Kincade, which has ravaged nearly 80 sq miles of wine country, has burned down 79 structures since it broke out on Wednesday but no casualties have been reported. Investigators have not yet said what they believed caused the blaze, although it ignited near a broken wire on a Pacific Gas & Electric transmission tower. High wind forecasts prompted utility Pacific Gas & Electric Co. on Saturday night to shut off power to about 940,000 customers in 43 counties to guard against the risk of touching off wildfires. The utility said the protective blackouts could last two days. The governor has been sharply critical of PG&E, saying corporate greed and mismanagement kept it from upgrading its infrastructure while wildfire hazards have steadily worsened over the past decade. PG&E, which filed for bankruptcy in January, citing billions of dollars in civil liabilities from deadly wildfires sparked by its equipment in 2017 and 2018, says it has since remedied problems experienced with its website and customer call center. Newsom said firefighters were making their stand at US Route 101 near Windsor as they waited for relief from hot, dry winds forecast to subside significantly on Monday. No major wildfires have burned west of the 101 in that part of the state since the 1940s, said Steve Volmer, chief fire behavior analyst at the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (Cal Fire). "The fuels in that area are extremely dense, they’re extremely old and...they’re extremely dry," Volmer told Reuters in an interview. Newsom said crews had largely "gotten their arms around" the Tick Fire near the city of Santa Clarita, about 35 miles (56 km) north of downtown Los Angeles, which has charred 4,615 acres and destroyed 22 structures, since Thursday. Most of the more than 40,000 residents ordered to evacuate were allowed to return home by Saturday afternoon, the county fire department said.

Firefighters struggle against massive, wind-whipped California wildfire

The Bolivian government said on Sunday it planned to agree on a deal with the Organisation of American States (OAS) within days to audit a controversial <a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/political-turmoil-deepening-in-bolivia-protests-over-alleged-electoral-fraud-258057">national election</a> that handed President Evo Morales an outright win amid allegations of vote-rigging.

Washington also weighed in with its concerns about <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/bolivias-morales-set-to-win-outright-as-disputed-vote-count-nears-completion-257985">last week's poll</a> that gave leftist Morales his fourth term in office, while main opposition rival Carlos Mesa called for a general strike in the capital of La Paz on Monday to protest the result.

"The world is watching Bolivia's institutions and leaders to ensure that the voice and will of the Bolivian people are honoured," US&nbsp;Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said in a statement on Sunday.

Bolivian Deputy Trade Minister Benjamin Blanco told state TV on Sunday that a deal with Washington-based OAS on the terms of an audit, including the selection of chief auditors, was being negotiated and should wrap up this week. The OAS said on Saturday that it expected to begin the audit mid-week.

Asked if the government would agree to enact the audit's findings, Blanco said any deal "can't contradict what's established in our constitution and national laws." Morales has said he would call a second-round run-off vote with his closest rival Carlos Mesa if the OAS' audit turned up any evidence of fraud.

Brazil, Bolivia's biggest trade partner, has said it would not recognise Morales' victory until an audit was completed. The OAS has similarly said the result could not be considered legitimate before an audit, given "serious doubts" about fairness and transparency.

Morales has repeatedly denied allegations by the right-leaning opposition that he strong-armed the Supreme Electoral Tribunal (TSE) into giving him just enough votes in Sunday's election to avoid a riskier second-round election with Mesa.

Citing "massive fraud", <a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/mesa-cries-foul-turmoil-flares-in-bolivia-after-morales-declared-official-winner-258151">Mesa called for a strike</a> in La Paz on Monday, which would intensify days of protests that have already seen electoral offices in some regions torched and large marches and strikes in major cities.

"We cannot allow authoritarianism that is increasingly turning into a dictatorship rob the people of its will," Mesa said in a video posted on Twitter on Sunday.

Morales had warned on Saturday that his rural supporters would siege cities that continue to protest his victory, alleging the opposition was stirring up unrest in a bid to unseat him illegally.

Mesa said the government was "trying to quiet the voices of the citizenry," adding "we're not afraid."

The TSE has denied vote tampering since sparking an uproar for abruptly halting publication of results from an electronic quick count of ballots that had aimed to make last Sunday's election more transparent.

With 84 per cent&nbsp;of votes counted, polling showed Morales was likely headed to a run-off with Mesa. But when the TSE resumed reporting of the quick count after a nearly 24-hour pause, Morales had pulled off a razor-thin first-round victory.

The final, legally-binding vote tally gave him 47.08 per cent&nbsp;of votes to Mesa's 35.51 per cent, less than a percentage point over the 10-point lead needed to avoid a run-off and giving him another five-year term.

Protesters say Morales had stocked the TSE and local courts with supporters as he has grown more authoritarian after nearly 14 years in office.

Morales, who denies the charges, ran again this year in defiance of term limits and a national referendum that had oppposed lifting them, after a court ruling found barring him would violate his human rights.

The Bolivian government said on Sunday it planned to agree on a deal with the Organisation of American States (OAS) within days to audit a controversial national election that handed President Evo Morales an outright win amid allegations of vote-rigging.

The Bolivian government said on Sunday it planned to agree on a deal with the Organisation of American States (OAS) within days to audit a controversial national election that handed President Evo Morales an outright win amid allegations of vote-rigging. Washington also weighed in with its concerns about last week's poll that gave leftist Morales his fourth term in office, while main opposition rival Carlos Mesa called for a general strike in the capital of La Paz on Monday to protest the result. "The world is watching Bolivia's institutions and leaders to ensure that the voice and will of the Bolivian people are honoured," US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said in a statement on Sunday. Bolivian Deputy Trade Minister Benjamin Blanco told state TV on Sunday that a deal with Washington-based OAS on the terms of an audit, including the selection of chief auditors, was being negotiated and should wrap up this week. The OAS said on Saturday that it expected to begin the audit mid-week. Asked if the government would agree to enact the audit's findings, Blanco said any deal "can't contradict what's established in our constitution and national laws." Morales has said he would call a second-round run-off vote with his closest rival Carlos Mesa if the OAS' audit turned up any evidence of fraud. Brazil, Bolivia's biggest trade partner, has said it would not recognise Morales' victory until an audit was completed. The OAS has similarly said the result could not be considered legitimate before an audit, given "serious doubts" about fairness and transparency. Morales has repeatedly denied allegations by the right-leaning opposition that he strong-armed the Supreme Electoral Tribunal (TSE) into giving him just enough votes in Sunday's election to avoid a riskier second-round election with Mesa. Citing "massive fraud", Mesa called for a strike in La Paz on Monday, which would intensify days of protests that have already seen electoral offices in some regions torched and large marches and strikes in major cities. "We cannot allow authoritarianism that is increasingly turning into a dictatorship rob the people of its will," Mesa said in a video posted on Twitter on Sunday. Morales had warned on Saturday that his rural supporters would siege cities that continue to protest his victory, alleging the opposition was stirring up unrest in a bid to unseat him illegally. Mesa said the government was "trying to quiet the voices of the citizenry," adding "we're not afraid." The TSE has denied vote tampering since sparking an uproar for abruptly halting publication of results from an electronic quick count of ballots that had aimed to make last Sunday's election more transparent. With 84 per cent of votes counted, polling showed Morales was likely headed to a run-off with Mesa. But when the TSE resumed reporting of the quick count after a nearly 24-hour pause, Morales had pulled off a razor-thin first-round victory. The final, legally-binding vote tally gave him 47.08 per cent of votes to Mesa's 35.51 per cent, less than a percentage point over the 10-point lead needed to avoid a run-off and giving him another five-year term. Protesters say Morales had stocked the TSE and local courts with supporters as he has grown more authoritarian after nearly 14 years in office. Morales, who denies the charges, ran again this year in defiance of term limits and a national referendum that had oppposed lifting them, after a court ruling found barring him would violate his human rights.

Bolivia govt close to striking deal on election audit as protests intensify

Texas&nbsp;police said they were seeking a gunman on Sunday who fired randomly at a Halloween homecoming party packed with hundreds of college students, leaving at least two dead and wounding about a dozen more, before fleeing amid the chaos that followed.

Authorities said they believed the unidentified male suspect may have gone to the sprawling event facility where the off-campus party was held intending to shoot a particular person, and fired his handgun into the crowd afterwards.

"We believe this is a separate incident," Hunt County Sheriff Randy Meeks told a news conference on Sunday morning. "There might have been someone there who was targeted."

The shooting happened around midnight on Saturday in Greenville, about 50 miles&nbsp;northeast of Dallas, shortly after deputies went to a hangar-like facility called The Party Venue to deal with parking violations, Meeks said.

More than 750 partygoers, many of them students at a campus of&nbsp;Texas&nbsp;A &amp; M University in Commerce, about 15 miles&nbsp;away, were at the party when shots were fired near the back of the facility, he said.

"When the shots were fired it was complete chaos as people fled for safety and deputies attempted to locate the shooter," Meeks said, adding that some people cut themselves on broken glass as they tried to squeeze through windows.

A total of 16 people, including four or five students, sought treatment for injuries, 12 of them for gunshot wounds, Meeks said, adding that their conditions were not known. The two partygoers who were killed were not identified.

The investigation, which was being aided by the&nbsp;Texas&nbsp;Rangers and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, was hampered by a lack of cooperation from those in attendance, Meeks said.

"It appals me that as many folks that were there have not been able to give us a better description of this shooter," he said, adding that investigators had interviewed 20 people.

"With this many people there, normally we would have a really good description of the shooter," he added.

Texas police said they were seeking a gunman on Sunday who fired randomly at a Halloween homecoming party packed with hundreds of college students, leaving at least two dead and wounding about a dozen more, before fleeing amid the chaos that followed.

Texas police said they were seeking a gunman on Sunday who fired randomly at a Halloween homecoming party packed with hundreds of college students, leaving at least two dead and wounding about a dozen more, before fleeing amid the chaos that followed. Authorities said they believed the unidentified male suspect may have gone to the sprawling event facility where the off-campus party was held intending to shoot a particular person, and fired his handgun into the crowd afterwards. "We believe this is a separate incident," Hunt County Sheriff Randy Meeks told a news conference on Sunday morning. "There might have been someone there who was targeted." The shooting happened around midnight on Saturday in Greenville, about 50 miles northeast of Dallas, shortly after deputies went to a hangar-like facility called The Party Venue to deal with parking violations, Meeks said. More than 750 partygoers, many of them students at a campus of Texas A & M University in Commerce, about 15 miles away, were at the party when shots were fired near the back of the facility, he said. "When the shots were fired it was complete chaos as people fled for safety and deputies attempted to locate the shooter," Meeks said, adding that some people cut themselves on broken glass as they tried to squeeze through windows. A total of 16 people, including four or five students, sought treatment for injuries, 12 of them for gunshot wounds, Meeks said, adding that their conditions were not known. The two partygoers who were killed were not identified. The investigation, which was being aided by the Texas Rangers and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, was hampered by a lack of cooperation from those in attendance, Meeks said. "It appals me that as many folks that were there have not been able to give us a better description of this shooter," he said, adding that investigators had interviewed 20 people. "With this many people there, normally we would have a really good description of the shooter," he added.

Shooting at packed Texas college party; 2 dead

How US planned operation to kill Islamic State leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi

Islamic State leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi was believed to have been killed in a <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/united-states-diplomat-unaware-of-possible-quid-pro-quo-on-ukraine-258326">United States</a>&nbsp;military operation in Syria, sources in Syria, Iraq and Iran said on Sunday, as US&nbsp;President Donald Trump prepared to make a "major statement" at the White House.

A US&nbsp;official, speaking on condition of anonymity, earlier told Reuters Baghdadi was targeted in the overnight raid but was unable to say whether the operation was successful.

A commander of one of the militant factions in the northwestern Syrian province of Idlib said Baghdadi was believed to have been killed in a raid after midnight on Saturday involving helicopters, warplanes and a ground clash in the village of Brisha near the Turkish border.

Two Iraqi security sources and two Iranian officials said they had received confirmation from inside Syria that Baghdadi had been killed.

"Iran was informed about Baghdadi's death by Syrian officials who got it from the field," one of the officials said.

Newsweek, which first reported the news, said it had been told by a US&nbsp;Army official briefed on the raid that Baghdadi was dead. It said the operation was carried out by special operations forces after receiving actionable intelligence.

The Pentagon did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

White House spokesman Hogan Gidley announced late on Saturday that Trump would make a "major statement" at 1300 GMT&nbsp;on Sunday.

Gidley gave no further details as to the topic of Trump's statement.

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Something very big has just happened!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1188264965930700801?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 27, 2019</a></blockquote>
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The <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/islamic-state-leader-targeted-by-united-states-forces-as-trump-plans-sunday-statement-258337">president gave an indication</a> that something was afoot earlier on Saturday night when he tweeted without explanation, "Something very big has just happened!"

Trump has faced withering criticism from both Republicans and Democrats alike for his US&nbsp;troop withdrawal from northeastern Syria, which permitted Turkey to attack America's Kurdish allies.

Many critics of <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/united-states-lawmakers-hear-from-corroborating-witness-in-trump-impeachment-probe-258323">Trump</a>'s Syria pullout have expressed worries that it would lead the Islamic State militancy to regain strength and pose a threat to US&nbsp;interests. An announcement about Baghdadi's death could help blunt those concerns.

For days, US&nbsp;officials had feared that Islamic State would seek to capitalise on the upheaval in Syria. But they also saw a potential opportunity, in which Islamic State leaders might break from more secretive routines to communicate with operatives, potentially creating a chance for the United States and its allies to detect them.

Baghdadi was long thought to hiding somewhere along the Iraq-Syria border. He has led the group since 2010, when it was still an underground al Qaeda offshoot in Iraq.

On September&nbsp;16, Islamic State's media network issued a 30-minute audio message purporting to come from Baghdadi, in which he said operations were taking place daily and called on supporters to free women jailed in camps in Iraq and Syria over their alleged links to his group.

In the audio message, Baghdadi also said the United States and its proxies had been defeated in Iraq and Afghanistan, and that the United States had been "dragged" into Mali and Niger.

At the height of its power, Islamic State ruled over millions of people in territory running from northern Syria through towns and villages along the Tigris and Euphrates valleys to the outskirts of the Iraqi capital Baghdad.

But the fall in 2017 of Mosul and Raqqa, its strongholds in Iraq and Syria respectively, stripped Baghdadi, an Iraqi, of the trappings of a caliph and turned him into a fugitive thought to be moving along the desert border between Iraq and Syria.

US&nbsp;airstrikes killed most of his top lieutenants, and before Islamic State published a video message of Baghdadi in April there had been conflicting reports over whether he was alive.

Despite losing its last significant territory, Islamic State is believed to have sleeper cells around the world, and some fighters operate from the shadows in Syria's desert and Iraq's cities.

Islamic State leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi was believed to have been killed in a United States military operation in Syria, sources in Syria, Iraq and Iran said on Sunday, as US President Donald Trump prepared to make a "major statement" at the White House.

Islamic State leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi was believed to have been killed in a United States military operation in Syria, sources in Syria, Iraq and Iran said on Sunday, as US President Donald Trump prepared to make a "major statement" at the White House. A US official, speaking on condition of anonymity, earlier told Reuters Baghdadi was targeted in the overnight raid but was unable to say whether the operation was successful. A commander of one of the militant factions in the northwestern Syrian province of Idlib said Baghdadi was believed to have been killed in a raid after midnight on Saturday involving helicopters, warplanes and a ground clash in the village of Brisha near the Turkish border. Two Iraqi security sources and two Iranian officials said they had received confirmation from inside Syria that Baghdadi had been killed. "Iran was informed about Baghdadi's death by Syrian officials who got it from the field," one of the officials said. Newsweek, which first reported the news, said it had been told by a US Army official briefed on the raid that Baghdadi was dead. It said the operation was carried out by special operations forces after receiving actionable intelligence. The Pentagon did not immediately respond to a request for comment. White House spokesman Hogan Gidley announced late on Saturday that Trump would make a "major statement" at 1300 GMT on Sunday. Gidley gave no further details as to the topic of Trump's statement. Something very big has just happened! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 27, 2019 × The president gave an indication that something was afoot earlier on Saturday night when he tweeted without explanation, "Something very big has just happened!" Trump has faced withering criticism from both Republicans and Democrats alike for his US troop withdrawal from northeastern Syria, which permitted Turkey to attack America's Kurdish allies. Many critics of Trump's Syria pullout have expressed worries that it would lead the Islamic State militancy to regain strength and pose a threat to US interests. An announcement about Baghdadi's death could help blunt those concerns. For days, US officials had feared that Islamic State would seek to capitalise on the upheaval in Syria. But they also saw a potential opportunity, in which Islamic State leaders might break from more secretive routines to communicate with operatives, potentially creating a chance for the United States and its allies to detect them. Baghdadi was long thought to hiding somewhere along the Iraq-Syria border. He has led the group since 2010, when it was still an underground al Qaeda offshoot in Iraq. On September 16, Islamic State's media network issued a 30-minute audio message purporting to come from Baghdadi, in which he said operations were taking place daily and called on supporters to free women jailed in camps in Iraq and Syria over their alleged links to his group. In the audio message, Baghdadi also said the United States and its proxies had been defeated in Iraq and Afghanistan, and that the United States had been "dragged" into Mali and Niger. At the height of its power, Islamic State ruled over millions of people in territory running from northern Syria through towns and villages along the Tigris and Euphrates valleys to the outskirts of the Iraqi capital Baghdad. But the fall in 2017 of Mosul and Raqqa, its strongholds in Iraq and Syria respectively, stripped Baghdadi, an Iraqi, of the trappings of a caliph and turned him into a fugitive thought to be moving along the desert border between Iraq and Syria. US airstrikes killed most of his top lieutenants, and before Islamic State published a video message of Baghdadi in April there had been conflicting reports over whether he was alive. Despite losing its last significant territory, Islamic State is believed to have sleeper cells around the world, and some fighters operate from the shadows in Syria's desert and Iraq's cities.

Islamic State leader Baghdadi reportedly killed in Syria by United States forces

For three minutes on Saturday, Mayra Miranda emotionally hugged her daughters whom she had not seen for three years since she was deported from the United States&nbsp;back to Mexico.

Her daughters stayed with their grandparents in the United States, while she lives in Ciudad Juarez.

"They (US authorities) don't know the pain they cause people with deportation. It marks your life. It damages not only children but parents and siblings," Miranda said.

Daniela Torres asked for days off work to travel from the Mexican city of Torreon, located more than 800 kilometres away to see her relatives. Her brother and a cousin live in the United States but they cannot see each other.

Undocumented migrants were at an event with hundreds of other families with mixed immigration status who were reunited with relatives in a "hugs not wall" meeting arranged by an El Paso, Texas-based advocacy group, Border Network for Human Rights.

At the event on the border, more than 300 other families all donned blue shirts, while their counterparts from the Juarez, Mexico side wore white shirts to ensure no one tried to slip across. The brief reunions are approved by US&nbsp;government agencies since participants stay on the riverbed that marks the frontier. 
 
"In the midst of walls, children in jails, rejecting refugees, to have refugee camps in Juarez, in the midst of that attack, we have an event today where families are meeting mid-river, defying walls, defying unfair migration policies. That's the meaning of today's event", said Fernando Garcia, the Director of the Border Network for Human Rights.

After speeches from the organisers, both sides rushed together for three minutes of tearful hugs, embraces and excited face-to-face conversations.

Those moments were fleeting however and they separated again amid tears and sadness hoping their paths will someday cross again.

For three minutes on Saturday, Mayra Miranda emotionally hugged her daughters whom she had not seen for three years since she was deported from the United States back to Mexico.

For three minutes on Saturday, Mayra Miranda emotionally hugged her daughters whom she had not seen for three years since she was deported from the United States back to Mexico. Her daughters stayed with their grandparents in the United States, while she lives in Ciudad Juarez. "They (US authorities) don't know the pain they cause people with deportation. It marks your life. It damages not only children but parents and siblings," Miranda said. Daniela Torres asked for days off work to travel from the Mexican city of Torreon, located more than 800 kilometres away to see her relatives. Her brother and a cousin live in the United States but they cannot see each other. Undocumented migrants were at an event with hundreds of other families with mixed immigration status who were reunited with relatives in a "hugs not wall" meeting arranged by an El Paso, Texas-based advocacy group, Border Network for Human Rights. At the event on the border, more than 300 other families all donned blue shirts, while their counterparts from the Juarez, Mexico side wore white shirts to ensure no one tried to slip across. The brief reunions are approved by US government agencies since participants stay on the riverbed that marks the frontier. "In the midst of walls, children in jails, rejecting refugees, to have refugee camps in Juarez, in the midst of that attack, we have an event today where families are meeting mid-river, defying walls, defying unfair migration policies. That's the meaning of today's event", said Fernando Garcia, the Director of the Border Network for Human Rights. After speeches from the organisers, both sides rushed together for three minutes of tearful hugs, embraces and excited face-to-face conversations. Those moments were fleeting however and they separated again amid tears and sadness hoping their paths will someday cross again.

Families reunited in 'Hugs Not Walls' event at United States-Mexico border

The top US&nbsp;diplomat for Europe did not know US&nbsp;security aid may have been withheld to pressure Ukraine's new president to <a href="United States lawmakers hear from 'corroborating' witness in Trump impeachment probe">conduct investigations</a> politically helpful to US&nbsp;President Donald Trump, a source familiar with the matter told Reuters.

Philip Reeker, the acting assistant secretary of state for European and Eurasian affairs, testified on Saturday before three Democratic-led House of Representatives panels conducting an inquiry into whether to impeach Trump.

The source, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said Reeker was prepared to tell the committees in the closed-door session he had largely left Ukraine policy to Kurt Volker, then the US&nbsp;special representative for Ukraine negotiations, and to others.

Reeker took up his post on March 18, overseeing diplomacy in 50 nations including Russia and Ukraine, as then-US&nbsp;Ambassador to Ukraine Marie Yovanovitch faced public criticism including the allegation, which she and the department denied, that she gave a Ukrainian official a list of people not to prosecute.

The source said Reeker sought a stronger State Department defence of Yovanovitch,&nbsp;who was brought back early from her post in May, under US&nbsp;Secretary of State Mike Pompeo's name, but this appeared to have been stymied "from the top," though it was not clear if Pompeo himself had objected.

The <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/judge-validates-impeachment-enquiry-against-donald-trump-orders-mueller-document-release-258208">impeachment enquiry</a> focuses on Trump's request for Ukraine to investigate a domestic political rival, Joe Biden, the former vice president who is a leading contender for the Democratic presidential nomination to face Trump in 2020.

The Republican president this year withheld $391 million in security aid to Ukraine that had been approved by Congress.

During a July 25 call at the heart of the inquiry, Trump asked Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy as "a favour" to look into a claim - debunked as a conspiracy theory - that a Democratic National Committee computer server was in Ukraine.

The unsubstantiated theory could buttress Trump's scepticism of US&nbsp;intelligence agencies' conclusion Russia interfered in the 2016 election to help him against Democrat Hillary Clinton.

Trump also asked Zelenskiy to investigate Biden, and Biden's son Hunter Biden, who had served as a director for the Ukrainian energy company Burisma.

In the call, Zelenskiy agreed to conduct the investigations. The US&nbsp;aid was released in mid-September.

Trump and other US&nbsp;officials have denied for weeks that they had demanded a "quid pro quo" -&nbsp;a Latin phrase meaning favour for favour - for delivering the US&nbsp;aid.

But Trump's acting chief of staff, Mick Mulvaney on October&nbsp;17 said Trump's withholding the aid was linked to his request that the Ukrainians look into the claims about the Democrats' server.

The source said Reeker was unaware in the June-August period of the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/united-states-democrats-to-limit-witnesses-in-public-impeachment-hearings-report-258221">possibility Trump may have withheld the aid</a> or a meeting to pressure Zelenskiy to carry out the investigations.

Reeker knew the aid was being delayed, the source said, but not why and largely left policy toward Ukraine to Volker, to Charge d'Affaires at the US&nbsp;embassy in Kiev Ambassador William Taylor, Ambassador to the European Union Gordon Sondland and George Kent, a deputy assistant secretary of state.

All four have already testified in the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/republicans-to-unveil-measure-knocking-trump-impeachment-effort-258014">impeachment enquiry</a>.

In his testimony, Taylor said by mid-July "it was becoming clear to me that the (White House) meeting President Zelenskiy wanted was conditioned on the investigations of Burisma and alleged Ukrainian interference in the 2016 US&nbsp;elections."

He testified that he was alarmed when he later heard security aid, not just a meeting, was conditioned on the investigations.

However, the source said that Reeker, a veteran career US&nbsp;diplomat, was largely out of the loop on policy toward Ukraine.

"He knew that Volker and Sondland and Kent were on top of this and were dealing with it on the day to day and he just wasn't," said the source. "His take on this was ... he should let those people do their job."

However, the source said Reeker tried to get the agency to issue a stauncher defence of Yovanovitch. In March, the agency said allegations she provided a list of people not to prosecute "are not true and are intended to tarnish (her) reputation."

Yovanovitch was recalled early despite being told she had done nothing wrong, partly because of attacks on her, including by Trump's personal lawyer Rudy Giuliani, who has told Reuters he provided information to both Trump and the State Department.

The source said Reeker tried to get the agency to issue a stronger defence in Pompeo's name but the final statement was "weaker than some folks in the department, including Phil, wanted."

The top US diplomat for Europe did not know US security aid may have been withheld to pressure Ukraine's new president to conduct investigations politically helpful to US President Donald Trump, a source familiar with the matter told Reuters.

The top US diplomat for Europe did not know US security aid may have been withheld to pressure Ukraine's new president to conduct investigations politically helpful to US President Donald Trump, a source familiar with the matter told Reuters. Philip Reeker, the acting assistant secretary of state for European and Eurasian affairs, testified on Saturday before three Democratic-led House of Representatives panels conducting an inquiry into whether to impeach Trump. The source, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said Reeker was prepared to tell the committees in the closed-door session he had largely left Ukraine policy to Kurt Volker, then the US special representative for Ukraine negotiations, and to others. Reeker took up his post on March 18, overseeing diplomacy in 50 nations including Russia and Ukraine, as then-US Ambassador to Ukraine Marie Yovanovitch faced public criticism including the allegation, which she and the department denied, that she gave a Ukrainian official a list of people not to prosecute. The source said Reeker sought a stronger State Department defence of Yovanovitch, who was brought back early from her post in May, under US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo's name, but this appeared to have been stymied "from the top," though it was not clear if Pompeo himself had objected. The impeachment enquiry focuses on Trump's request for Ukraine to investigate a domestic political rival, Joe Biden, the former vice president who is a leading contender for the Democratic presidential nomination to face Trump in 2020. The Republican president this year withheld $391 million in security aid to Ukraine that had been approved by Congress. During a July 25 call at the heart of the inquiry, Trump asked Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy as "a favour" to look into a claim - debunked as a conspiracy theory - that a Democratic National Committee computer server was in Ukraine. The unsubstantiated theory could buttress Trump's scepticism of US intelligence agencies' conclusion Russia interfered in the 2016 election to help him against Democrat Hillary Clinton. Trump also asked Zelenskiy to investigate Biden, and Biden's son Hunter Biden, who had served as a director for the Ukrainian energy company Burisma. In the call, Zelenskiy agreed to conduct the investigations. The US aid was released in mid-September. Trump and other US officials have denied for weeks that they had demanded a "quid pro quo" - a Latin phrase meaning favour for favour - for delivering the US aid. But Trump's acting chief of staff, Mick Mulvaney on October 17 said Trump's withholding the aid was linked to his request that the Ukrainians look into the claims about the Democrats' server. The source said Reeker was unaware in the June-August period of the possibility Trump may have withheld the aid or a meeting to pressure Zelenskiy to carry out the investigations. Reeker knew the aid was being delayed, the source said, but not why and largely left policy toward Ukraine to Volker, to Charge d'Affaires at the US embassy in Kiev Ambassador William Taylor, Ambassador to the European Union Gordon Sondland and George Kent, a deputy assistant secretary of state. All four have already testified in the impeachment enquiry. In his testimony, Taylor said by mid-July "it was becoming clear to me that the (White House) meeting President Zelenskiy wanted was conditioned on the investigations of Burisma and alleged Ukrainian interference in the 2016 US elections." He testified that he was alarmed when he later heard security aid, not just a meeting, was conditioned on the investigations. However, the source said that Reeker, a veteran career US diplomat, was largely out of the loop on policy toward Ukraine. "He knew that Volker and Sondland and Kent were on top of this and were dealing with it on the day to day and he just wasn't," said the source. "His take on this was ... he should let those people do their job." However, the source said Reeker tried to get the agency to issue a stauncher defence of Yovanovitch. In March, the agency said allegations she provided a list of people not to prosecute "are not true and are intended to tarnish (her) reputation." Yovanovitch was recalled early despite being told she had done nothing wrong, partly because of attacks on her, including by Trump's personal lawyer Rudy Giuliani, who has told Reuters he provided information to both Trump and the State Department. The source said Reeker tried to get the agency to issue a stronger defence in Pompeo's name but the final statement was "weaker than some folks in the department, including Phil, wanted."

United States diplomat unaware of possible quid pro quo on Ukraine

A senior United States&nbsp;diplomat on Saturday told lawmakers leading an <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/judge-validates-impeachment-enquiry-against-donald-trump-orders-mueller-document-release-258208">impeachment enquiry</a> that he did not know whether President Donald Trump had withheld aid for Ukraine in an attempt force an investigation of a political rival, sources said, even as Democrats said his testimony corroborated other evidence gathered.

Philip Reeker, the acting assistant secretary of state for European and Eurasian affairs, spent about eight hours with the House of Representatives Foreign Affairs, Intelligence and Oversight committees behind closed doors at the US&nbsp;Capitol.

Reeker told lawmakers he was unaware of whether US&nbsp;security aid to Ukraine was withheld to pressure Kiev to launch investigations that could have helped Trump's 2020 re-election bid, according to a source familiar with the matter.

At the end of Saturday's session, Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff told reporters, "We're making rapid progress" in the impeachment enquiry. He declined to say when the panels might advance to the next phase of hearings open to the public.

The Democratic-led committees are conducting an enquiry focusing on Trump's request to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy that he investigate former US&nbsp;Vice President Joe Biden, a leading Democratic presidential candidate, and his son Hunter Biden, who had served on the board of a Ukrainian gas company.

US&nbsp;election law prohibits candidates from accepting foreign help in an election.

As part of their probe, the lawmakers are examining whether Trump withheld $391 million in security assistance until Zelenskiy publicly committed to both an investigation of the Bidens and a debunked conspiracy theory that Ukraine, not Russia,&nbsp;meddled in the US&nbsp;2016 presidential election.

Democrats emerging from the session said Reeker's deposition corroborated previous testimony taken by the panels.

But they offered no details and it was not clear what Reeker may have corroborated.

Representative Stephen Lynch told reporters that Reeker, whose portfolio includes Ukraine and Russia, was a "much richer reservoir of information than we originally expected."

But Reeker, according to a second source who asked not to be identified, was largely out of the loop on policy toward Ukraine, leaving it to Kurt Volker, then the US&nbsp;special representative for Ukraine negotiations, and others.

Republican Representative Mark Meadows, speaking to reporters as a long day of testimony was winding down, said it "was a good day for the president" and described Reeker as "a top-level official not giving any potential incriminating evidence."

Reeker submitted to questioning in response to a congressional subpoena that was issued after the State Department attempted to block his testimony, according to an official working on the impeachment inquiry.

The testimony was the first since a federal judge on Friday rejected a claim by Trump and his Republican allies that the Democrats' impeachment enquiry process was illegitimate because the full House had not voted to authorize it.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi on September&nbsp;24 launched the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/republicans-to-unveil-measure-knocking-trump-impeachment-effort-258014">formal Trump probe</a> under her broad powers as the speaker.

Watch: Donald Trump claims he's a victim of a lynching

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/donald-trump-claims-hes-a-victim-of-lynching-257613/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

Focus on Ukraine

At the heart of the enquiry is a July 25 phone call in which Trump asked Zelenskiy to investigate the Bidens and a claim,&nbsp;debunked as a conspiracy theory,&nbsp;that a Democratic National Committee computer server was in Ukraine.

William Taylor, the top US&nbsp;diplomat in Ukraine, testified on Tuesday that Trump made the withheld aid contingent on Zelenskiy announcing the requested investigations.

Reeker was unaware in the June-August period of the possibility Trump may have withheld the aid to pressure Zelenskiy, a second source said, adding that he knew the aid was delayed but did not know why. He testified that he heard resistance was coming from Acting White House Chief of Staff Mick Mulvaney, the source said.

Trump denies wrongdoing and, backed by his fellow Republicans in Congress, insists he is being treated unfairly.

Reeker, 54, a career diplomat, is the latest in a growing list of current and former officials who have met with investigators.

Among the issues, the committees were expected to explore with Reeker was Trump's abrupt dismissal in May of the ambassador to Ukraine, Marie Yovanovitch. According to emails given to congressional committees this month, Reeker sought to intervene when Trump supporters accused Yovanovitch of being disloyal to the president.

Reeker sought a stronger State Department defence of Yovanovitch, according to sources familiar with the matter, which never was provided.

The committees have scheduled several depositions for next week, all behind closed doors.

Charles Kupperman, a former deputy national security adviser to <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/trump-compares-impeachment-to-lynching-faces-backlash-257586">Trump</a>, who was called to appear on Monday, has asked a court whether he should comply with a congressional subpoena or honour the administration's instruction not to testify.

On Tuesday, lawmakers hope to hear from Alexander Vindman, the White House National Security Council's top Ukraine expert.

Kathryn Wheelbarger, acting assistant secretary of defence for international security, is scheduled to appear on Wednesday, and Tim Morrison, a top White House adviser on Russia and Europe, is scheduled for Thursday.

A senior United States diplomat on Saturday told lawmakers leading an impeachment enquiry that he did not know whether President Donald Trump had withheld aid for Ukraine in an attempt force an investigation of a political rival, sources said, even as Democrats said his testimony corroborated other evidence gathered.

A senior United States diplomat on Saturday told lawmakers leading an impeachment enquiry that he did not know whether President Donald Trump had withheld aid for Ukraine in an attempt force an investigation of a political rival, sources said, even as Democrats said his testimony corroborated other evidence gathered. Philip Reeker, the acting assistant secretary of state for European and Eurasian affairs, spent about eight hours with the House of Representatives Foreign Affairs, Intelligence and Oversight committees behind closed doors at the US Capitol. Reeker told lawmakers he was unaware of whether US security aid to Ukraine was withheld to pressure Kiev to launch investigations that could have helped Trump's 2020 re-election bid, according to a source familiar with the matter. At the end of Saturday's session, Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff told reporters, "We're making rapid progress" in the impeachment enquiry. He declined to say when the panels might advance to the next phase of hearings open to the public. The Democratic-led committees are conducting an enquiry focusing on Trump's request to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy that he investigate former US Vice President Joe Biden, a leading Democratic presidential candidate, and his son Hunter Biden, who had served on the board of a Ukrainian gas company. US election law prohibits candidates from accepting foreign help in an election. As part of their probe, the lawmakers are examining whether Trump withheld $391 million in security assistance until Zelenskiy publicly committed to both an investigation of the Bidens and a debunked conspiracy theory that Ukraine, not Russia, meddled in the US 2016 presidential election. Democrats emerging from the session said Reeker's deposition corroborated previous testimony taken by the panels. But they offered no details and it was not clear what Reeker may have corroborated. Representative Stephen Lynch told reporters that Reeker, whose portfolio includes Ukraine and Russia, was a "much richer reservoir of information than we originally expected." But Reeker, according to a second source who asked not to be identified, was largely out of the loop on policy toward Ukraine, leaving it to Kurt Volker, then the US special representative for Ukraine negotiations, and others. Republican Representative Mark Meadows, speaking to reporters as a long day of testimony was winding down, said it "was a good day for the president" and described Reeker as "a top-level official not giving any potential incriminating evidence." Reeker submitted to questioning in response to a congressional subpoena that was issued after the State Department attempted to block his testimony, according to an official working on the impeachment inquiry. The testimony was the first since a federal judge on Friday rejected a claim by Trump and his Republican allies that the Democrats' impeachment enquiry process was illegitimate because the full House had not voted to authorize it. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi on September 24 launched the formal Trump probe under her broad powers as the speaker. Watch: Donald Trump claims he's a victim of a lynching Focus on Ukraine At the heart of the enquiry is a July 25 phone call in which Trump asked Zelenskiy to investigate the Bidens and a claim, debunked as a conspiracy theory, that a Democratic National Committee computer server was in Ukraine. William Taylor, the top US diplomat in Ukraine, testified on Tuesday that Trump made the withheld aid contingent on Zelenskiy announcing the requested investigations. Reeker was unaware in the June-August period of the possibility Trump may have withheld the aid to pressure Zelenskiy, a second source said, adding that he knew the aid was delayed but did not know why. He testified that he heard resistance was coming from Acting White House Chief of Staff Mick Mulvaney, the source said. Trump denies wrongdoing and, backed by his fellow Republicans in Congress, insists he is being treated unfairly. Reeker, 54, a career diplomat, is the latest in a growing list of current and former officials who have met with investigators. Among the issues, the committees were expected to explore with Reeker was Trump's abrupt dismissal in May of the ambassador to Ukraine, Marie Yovanovitch. According to emails given to congressional committees this month, Reeker sought to intervene when Trump supporters accused Yovanovitch of being disloyal to the president. Reeker sought a stronger State Department defence of Yovanovitch, according to sources familiar with the matter, which never was provided. The committees have scheduled several depositions for next week, all behind closed doors. Charles Kupperman, a former deputy national security adviser to Trump, who was called to appear on Monday, has asked a court whether he should comply with a congressional subpoena or honour the administration's instruction not to testify. On Tuesday, lawmakers hope to hear from Alexander Vindman, the White House National Security Council's top Ukraine expert. Kathryn Wheelbarger, acting assistant secretary of defence for international security, is scheduled to appear on Wednesday, and Tim Morrison, a top White House adviser on Russia and Europe, is scheduled for Thursday.

United States lawmakers hear from 'corroborating' witness in Trump impeachment probe

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/russia-express-outrage-over-maria-butina-conviction-putin-says-its-arbitrary-213911">Maria&nbsp;Butina</a>, the Russian gun advocate who built a network of high-level Republican contacts before being arrested for spying, was freed from US prison Friday after serving nine months, the Bureau of Prisons said.

Butina&nbsp;was handed over to the Immigration and Customs Enforcement Bureau and was expected to be deported back to Russia, where she has been celebrated by the government as a victim of unjust, politically motivated charges in the United States.

The only Russian arrested and convicted in the three-year investigation of Moscow's interference in US politics,&nbsp;Butina&nbsp;parlayed ties with the NRA firearms lobby into a network of high-level Republican allies.

That network brought her into contact with President Donald Trump before his 2016 election, as well as with one of his sons.

Case heralded by Russia

The <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/russian-agent-maria-butina-sentenced-to-18-months-213784">30-year-old native of Siberia</a> said she was on a quest to establish better relations between Russia and the United States, and enrolled in university in Washington while living with a Republican operative.

She attended political rallies and NRA conventions, often with her powerful Moscow sponsor Alexander Torshin, a politician close to President Vladimir Putin.

Her social media was full of pictures of her posing with various firearms around the United States, in some dressed in camo with an assault rifle and, in one, as a cowgirl with a giant six-shooter.

And she had her picture taken with some of the country's conservative elite: NRA head Wayne LaPierre, senator Rick Santorum, Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker, and President Donald Trump's son Don Jr.

But she was arrested in July 2018 on allegations she was engaging in espionage, though she had no connection with Russia's established spy agencies.

In December,&nbsp;Butina&nbsp;entered a plea deal on a charge that she acted as an illegal, unregistered foreign agent, and was sentenced to 18 months in prison, half of which was credited as already served.

The Russian foreign ministry made her into a cause celebre, placing a picture of her with the word "Free&nbsp;Butina" at the top of its social media pages.

There was no immediate comment from&nbsp;Butina&nbsp;or her lawyer, but Russian media said she was expected back as early as Saturday.

Case remains murky

Even with her release, her case remained murky. US prosecutors watered-down early allegations that she was an operative of Russia's intelligence agencies, and described her only as funded by senior politician Torshin.

But they maintained that she had a mission to infiltrate US political circles in an operation to "spot and assess" potential espionage targets.

Part of that involved becoming the live-in girlfriend of a mid-level Republican operative who sponsored her as a graduate student at American University in Washington.

"There is no doubt that she was not simply a graduate student," Assistant US Attorney Erik Kenerson told the court.

But&nbsp;Butina&nbsp;maintained that, guided by Torshin, she genuinely sought to create people-to-people channels of cooperation and fell victim to a higher level of intrigue relating to Russian election interference.

She told NPR radio from jail that, while a graduate student in politics at American University, she had only sought to be involved in "civil diplomacy."

"I never hide my love to my motherland neither to this country... I love both countries, and I was building peace."

Spy away?

Her future in Russia remained unknown. There was some speculation that Moscow's arrest of an American, Paul Whelan, last December for alleged espionage was a tit for tat and that her release could lead to his.

But Whelan's brother David told AFP this week that it appeared Moscow could want much more in return for Paul Whelan's release, including a possible swap for other US-jailed spies and the reopening of two Russian-leased estates in New York and Maryland that were forced closed in 2017 in retaliation for Russian election meddling.

Nevertheless, Whelan tweeted on Friday: "I wish the very best for Ms&nbsp;Butina&nbsp;and much joy for her reunion with her family. We look forward to the same opportunity with Paul in the future."

Maria Butina, the Russian gun advocate who built a network of high-level Republican contacts before being arrested for spying, was freed from US prison Friday after serving nine months, the Bureau of Prisons said.

Maria Butina, the Russian gun advocate who built a network of high-level Republican contacts before being arrested for spying, was freed from US prison Friday after serving nine months, the Bureau of Prisons said. Butina was handed over to the Immigration and Customs Enforcement Bureau and was expected to be deported back to Russia, where she has been celebrated by the government as a victim of unjust, politically motivated charges in the United States. The only Russian arrested and convicted in the three-year investigation of Moscow's interference in US politics, Butina parlayed ties with the NRA firearms lobby into a network of high-level Republican allies. That network brought her into contact with President Donald Trump before his 2016 election, as well as with one of his sons. Case heralded by Russia The 30-year-old native of Siberia said she was on a quest to establish better relations between Russia and the United States, and enrolled in university in Washington while living with a Republican operative. She attended political rallies and NRA conventions, often with her powerful Moscow sponsor Alexander Torshin, a politician close to President Vladimir Putin. Her social media was full of pictures of her posing with various firearms around the United States, in some dressed in camo with an assault rifle and, in one, as a cowgirl with a giant six-shooter. And she had her picture taken with some of the country's conservative elite: NRA head Wayne LaPierre, senator Rick Santorum, Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker, and President Donald Trump's son Don Jr. But she was arrested in July 2018 on allegations she was engaging in espionage, though she had no connection with Russia's established spy agencies. In December, Butina entered a plea deal on a charge that she acted as an illegal, unregistered foreign agent, and was sentenced to 18 months in prison, half of which was credited as already served. The Russian foreign ministry made her into a cause celebre, placing a picture of her with the word "Free Butina" at the top of its social media pages. There was no immediate comment from Butina or her lawyer, but Russian media said she was expected back as early as Saturday. Case remains murky Even with her release, her case remained murky. US prosecutors watered-down early allegations that she was an operative of Russia's intelligence agencies, and described her only as funded by senior politician Torshin. But they maintained that she had a mission to infiltrate US political circles in an operation to "spot and assess" potential espionage targets. Part of that involved becoming the live-in girlfriend of a mid-level Republican operative who sponsored her as a graduate student at American University in Washington. "There is no doubt that she was not simply a graduate student," Assistant US Attorney Erik Kenerson told the court. But Butina maintained that, guided by Torshin, she genuinely sought to create people-to-people channels of cooperation and fell victim to a higher level of intrigue relating to Russian election interference. She told NPR radio from jail that, while a graduate student in politics at American University, she had only sought to be involved in "civil diplomacy." "I never hide my love to my motherland neither to this country... I love both countries, and I was building peace." Spy away? Her future in Russia remained unknown. There was some speculation that Moscow's arrest of an American, Paul Whelan, last December for alleged espionage was a tit for tat and that her release could lead to his. But Whelan's brother David told AFP this week that it appeared Moscow could want much more in return for Paul Whelan's release, including a possible swap for other US-jailed spies and the reopening of two Russian-leased estates in New York and Maryland that were forced closed in 2017 in retaliation for Russian election meddling. Nevertheless, Whelan tweeted on Friday: "I wish the very best for Ms Butina and much joy for her reunion with her family. We look forward to the same opportunity with Paul in the future."

Russian 'agent' Maria Butina released from United States prison

In his Diwali message, <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/judge-validates-impeachment-enquiry-against-donald-trump-orders-mueller-document-release-258208">US President Donald Trump</a> described the festival as a "sacred period" and an "opportunity to commemorate the victory of light over darkness, good over evil, and knowledge over ignorance".

Trump's presidential message on Diwali was released by the White House on its official website on Friday.&nbsp;

"As Diwali commences, Melania and I wish those observing the Festival of Lights a blessed and happy celebration," the statement read.&nbsp;

In his statement, <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/donald-trump-cancels-times-post-258117">Trump</a> stated the significance of the festival in the United States and said that the festive period "throughout America is an important reminder of the significance of one of our nation’s core tenets — religious liberty".&nbsp;

Trump hoped this year's celebrations will bring "love, joy, and eternal peace" ensuring that his administration will continue&nbsp;to enable people of "all faiths to worship according to their beliefs and conscience".

During last year's Diwali celebrations at the White House, Trump joked that Indians are "very good traders" and "very good negotiators".

"I am grateful for my friendship with Prime Minister Modi. We are trying very hard to make better trade deals with India. But they're very good traders. They're very good negotiators, the best," the US president said.

"So we're working and it's moving along. India is the world's largest democracy and the relationship between our two countries can act as a bulwark for freedom, prosperity and peace," he said as Indian-Americans at the White House applauded.&nbsp;

In his Diwali message, US President Donald Trump described the festival as a "sacred period" and an "opportunity to commemorate the victory of light over darkness, good over evil, and knowledge over ignorance".

In his Diwali message, US President Donald Trump described the festival as a "sacred period" and an "opportunity to commemorate the victory of light over darkness, good over evil, and knowledge over ignorance". Trump's presidential message on Diwali was released by the White House on its official website on Friday. "As Diwali commences, Melania and I wish those observing the Festival of Lights a blessed and happy celebration," the statement read. In his statement, Trump stated the significance of the festival in the United States and said that the festive period "throughout America is an important reminder of the significance of one of our nation’s core tenets — religious liberty". Trump hoped this year's celebrations will bring "love, joy, and eternal peace" ensuring that his administration will continue to enable people of "all faiths to worship according to their beliefs and conscience". During last year's Diwali celebrations at the White House, Trump joked that Indians are "very good traders" and "very good negotiators". "I am grateful for my friendship with Prime Minister Modi. We are trying very hard to make better trade deals with India. But they're very good traders. They're very good negotiators, the best," the US president said. "So we're working and it's moving along. India is the world's largest democracy and the relationship between our two countries can act as a bulwark for freedom, prosperity and peace," he said as Indian-Americans at the White House applauded.

Diwali, throughout America, is an important reminder of religious liberty: Donald Trump

Microsoft Corporation&nbsp;has won the Pentagon's $10 billion cloud computing contract, the Defense Department said on Friday, beating out favourite Amazon.com Inc.

The contracting process had long been mired in conflict of interest allegations, even drawing the attention of President Donald Trump, who has publicly taken swipes at Amazon and its founder Jeff Bezos. Trump in August said his administration was reviewing Amazon's bid after complaints from other companies.

The Joint Enterprise Defense Infrastructure Cloud (JEDI) contract is part of a broader digital modernization of the Pentagon meant to make it more technologically agile. Specifically, a goal of JEDI is to give the military better access to data and the cloud from battlefields and other remote locations.

Oracle Corp&nbsp;had expressed concerns about the award process for the contract, including the role of a former Amazon employee who worked on the project at the Defense Department but recused himself, then later left the Defense Department and returned to Amazon Web Services.

In a statement, an Amazon Web Services (AWS) spokesman said the company was "surprised about this conclusion."

The company said that a "detailed assessment purely on the comparative offerings" would "clearly lead to a different conclusion," according to the statement.

AWS is considering options for protesting the award, a person familiar with the matter told Reuters.

Although the Pentagon boasts the world's most potent fighting force, its information technology remains woefully inadequate, according to many officials.

Officials have complained of having outdated computer systems and being unable to access files or share information as quickly as they might be able to in the private sector.

"If I am a warfighter, I want as much data as you could possibly give me," Lieutenant General Jack Shanahan, the director of the Joint Artificial Intelligence Center, told reporters in August describing the importance of the contract.

Some companies were concerned that a single award would give the winner an unfair advantage in follow-on work. The Pentagon has said it planned to award future cloud deals to multiple contractors.

This week, US&nbsp;Defense Secretary Mark Esper removed himself from reviewing the deal due to his adult son's employment with one of the original contract applicants, IBM Corp. IBM had previously bid for the contract but had already been eliminated from the competition.

Microsoft said it was working on a comment. IBM and Oracle did not immediately return requests for comment.

In a book slated for publication October&nbsp;29, retired Navy commander Guy Snodgrass, who served as a speechwriter to former Defense Secretary Jim Mattis, said Trump called Mattis and directed him to "screw Amazon" by preventing it from bidding on the JEDI contract, according to an excerpt of the book seen by Reuters ahead of its release.

"We’re not going to do that," Mattis later told other Pentagon officials, according to the excerpt. "This will be done by the book, both legally and ethically."

Snodgrass declined to comment pending the release of his book.

In a statement announcing Microsoft as the winner, the Pentagon underscored its view that the competition was conducted fairly and legally.

"All (offers) were treated fairly and evaluated consistent with the solicitation's stated evaluation criteria. Prior to the award, the department conferred with the DOD Inspector General, which informed the decision to proceed," it said.

Microsoft shares were up 3 per cent&nbsp;to $144.98 in after-hours trading after the news. Amazon shares were down 0.92 per cent&nbsp;to $1,745.12.

The Pentagon said it had awarded more than $11 billion across 10 separate cloud contracts over the past two years.

"As we continue to execute the DOD Cloud Strategy, additional contracts are planned for both cloud services and complimentary migration and integration solutions necessary to achieve effective cloud adoption," the Pentagon said.

Microsoft Corporation has won the Pentagon's $10 billion cloud computing contract, the Defense Department said on Friday, beating out favourite Amazon.com Inc. The contracting process had long been mired in conflict of interest allegations, even drawing the attention of President Donald Trump, who has publicly taken swipes at Amazon and its founder Jeff Bezos.

Microsoft Corporation has won the Pentagon's $10 billion cloud computing contract, the Defense Department said on Friday, beating out favourite Amazon.com Inc. The contracting process had long been mired in conflict of interest allegations, even drawing the attention of President Donald Trump, who has publicly taken swipes at Amazon and its founder Jeff Bezos. Trump in August said his administration was reviewing Amazon's bid after complaints from other companies. The Joint Enterprise Defense Infrastructure Cloud (JEDI) contract is part of a broader digital modernization of the Pentagon meant to make it more technologically agile. Specifically, a goal of JEDI is to give the military better access to data and the cloud from battlefields and other remote locations. Oracle Corp had expressed concerns about the award process for the contract, including the role of a former Amazon employee who worked on the project at the Defense Department but recused himself, then later left the Defense Department and returned to Amazon Web Services. In a statement, an Amazon Web Services (AWS) spokesman said the company was "surprised about this conclusion." The company said that a "detailed assessment purely on the comparative offerings" would "clearly lead to a different conclusion," according to the statement. AWS is considering options for protesting the award, a person familiar with the matter told Reuters. Although the Pentagon boasts the world's most potent fighting force, its information technology remains woefully inadequate, according to many officials. Officials have complained of having outdated computer systems and being unable to access files or share information as quickly as they might be able to in the private sector. "If I am a warfighter, I want as much data as you could possibly give me," Lieutenant General Jack Shanahan, the director of the Joint Artificial Intelligence Center, told reporters in August describing the importance of the contract. Some companies were concerned that a single award would give the winner an unfair advantage in follow-on work. The Pentagon has said it planned to award future cloud deals to multiple contractors. This week, US Defense Secretary Mark Esper removed himself from reviewing the deal due to his adult son's employment with one of the original contract applicants, IBM Corp. IBM had previously bid for the contract but had already been eliminated from the competition. Microsoft said it was working on a comment. IBM and Oracle did not immediately return requests for comment. In a book slated for publication October 29, retired Navy commander Guy Snodgrass, who served as a speechwriter to former Defense Secretary Jim Mattis, said Trump called Mattis and directed him to "screw Amazon" by preventing it from bidding on the JEDI contract, according to an excerpt of the book seen by Reuters ahead of its release. "We’re not going to do that," Mattis later told other Pentagon officials, according to the excerpt. "This will be done by the book, both legally and ethically." Snodgrass declined to comment pending the release of his book. In a statement announcing Microsoft as the winner, the Pentagon underscored its view that the competition was conducted fairly and legally. "All (offers) were treated fairly and evaluated consistent with the solicitation's stated evaluation criteria. Prior to the award, the department conferred with the DOD Inspector General, which informed the decision to proceed," it said. Microsoft shares were up 3 per cent to $144.98 in after-hours trading after the news. Amazon shares were down 0.92 per cent to $1,745.12. The Pentagon said it had awarded more than $11 billion across 10 separate cloud contracts over the past two years. "As we continue to execute the DOD Cloud Strategy, additional contracts are planned for both cloud services and complimentary migration and integration solutions necessary to achieve effective cloud adoption," the Pentagon said.

Microsoft beats Amazon for Pentagon's $10 billion cloud computing contract

United States&nbsp;congressional Democrats, faced with stepped-up efforts by <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/judge-validates-impeachment-enquiry-against-donald-trump-orders-mueller-document-release-258208">President Donald Trump's</a> Republican allies to disrupt their impeachment enquiry, are now considering calling only career government employees to testify at public hearings expected to start next month, according to congressional sources.

Democrats on the three House of Representatives committees handling the initial inquiries plan to conduct at least two more weeks of closed-door depositions with witnesses knowledgeable about dealings that Trump, his personal lawyer Rudy Giuliani and other officials have had with Ukrainian authorities including President Volodymyr Zelenskiy.

Top Trump advisers such as Giuliani, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, acting White House Chief of Staff Mick Mulvaney and Energy Secretary Rick Perry have defied House subpoenas for documents.

But other witnesses have appeared for committee depositions despite instructions from the Trump administration to boycott such proceedings, and in some cases have provided what Democrats describe as damning evidence about Trump's efforts to pressure Ukraine to serve his own political interests.

The Democratic-led inquiry is focussed on Trump's request in a July 25 telephone call to Zelenskiy to investigate a domestic political rival, Joe Biden, the former vice president who is a leading contender for the 2020 Democratic presidential nomination. US&nbsp;law prohibits candidates from accepting foreign help in an election.

Televised proceedings could help Democrats stoke public support for a House vote to impeach Trump later this year, while increasing pressure on Republican lawmakers to break with Trump and support an impeachment resolution.

But after a group of Republican lawmakers threw the enquiry into chaos this week by barging into a high-security hearing room and forcing a delay in testimony from a Pentagon official, Democrats have grown more concerned about the potential for disruptions, said the sources, who were not authorized to speak on the record.

Republicans have denounced the inquiry as illegitimate and called on Democrats to hold a full House vote authorizing the investigation and to give Trump and Republican lawmakers the ability to cross-examine witnesses and subpoena their own. 
 
Early-stage

While the planning of public proceedings remains at an early stage, the sources said Democrats are inclined to avoid open testimony by Giuliani, Mulvaney, Pompeo and others.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/republicans-to-unveil-measure-knocking-trump-impeachment-effort-258014">Trump's former national security adviser</a> John Bolton could prove to be the exception, given closed-door testimony that he was alarmed by efforts to pressure Ukraine. But sources said it is not clear whether Bolton would be willing to speak publicly about what occurred.

Democrats are instead considering a limited number of public hearings that would feature testimony only by nonpolitical career diplomats such as acting US&nbsp;Ambassador to Ukraine William Taylor and former US&nbsp;Ambassador to Ukraine Marie Yovanovitch, according to the sources.

In closed-door testimony on Tuesday, Taylor told the three investigating House committees that Trump made the release of $391 million in security assistance to Ukraine contingent on Kiev publicly declaring that it would carry out investigations into Biden and a debunked conspiracy theory about the 2016 US&nbsp;election.

Yovanovitch testified earlier that Trump ousted her from her post in Ukraine based on "unfounded and false claims" after she came under attack from Giuliani.

United States congressional Democrats, faced with stepped-up efforts by President Donald Trump's Republican allies to disrupt their impeachment enquiry, are now considering calling only career government employees to testify at public hearings expected to start next month, according to congressional sources.

United States congressional Democrats, faced with stepped-up efforts by President Donald Trump's Republican allies to disrupt their impeachment enquiry, are now considering calling only career government employees to testify at public hearings expected to start next month, according to congressional sources. Democrats on the three House of Representatives committees handling the initial inquiries plan to conduct at least two more weeks of closed-door depositions with witnesses knowledgeable about dealings that Trump, his personal lawyer Rudy Giuliani and other officials have had with Ukrainian authorities including President Volodymyr Zelenskiy. Top Trump advisers such as Giuliani, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, acting White House Chief of Staff Mick Mulvaney and Energy Secretary Rick Perry have defied House subpoenas for documents. But other witnesses have appeared for committee depositions despite instructions from the Trump administration to boycott such proceedings, and in some cases have provided what Democrats describe as damning evidence about Trump's efforts to pressure Ukraine to serve his own political interests. The Democratic-led inquiry is focussed on Trump's request in a July 25 telephone call to Zelenskiy to investigate a domestic political rival, Joe Biden, the former vice president who is a leading contender for the 2020 Democratic presidential nomination. US law prohibits candidates from accepting foreign help in an election. Televised proceedings could help Democrats stoke public support for a House vote to impeach Trump later this year, while increasing pressure on Republican lawmakers to break with Trump and support an impeachment resolution. But after a group of Republican lawmakers threw the enquiry into chaos this week by barging into a high-security hearing room and forcing a delay in testimony from a Pentagon official, Democrats have grown more concerned about the potential for disruptions, said the sources, who were not authorized to speak on the record. Republicans have denounced the inquiry as illegitimate and called on Democrats to hold a full House vote authorizing the investigation and to give Trump and Republican lawmakers the ability to cross-examine witnesses and subpoena their own. Early-stage While the planning of public proceedings remains at an early stage, the sources said Democrats are inclined to avoid open testimony by Giuliani, Mulvaney, Pompeo and others. Trump's former national security adviser John Bolton could prove to be the exception, given closed-door testimony that he was alarmed by efforts to pressure Ukraine. But sources said it is not clear whether Bolton would be willing to speak publicly about what occurred. Democrats are instead considering a limited number of public hearings that would feature testimony only by nonpolitical career diplomats such as acting US Ambassador to Ukraine William Taylor and former US Ambassador to Ukraine Marie Yovanovitch, according to the sources. In closed-door testimony on Tuesday, Taylor told the three investigating House committees that Trump made the release of $391 million in security assistance to Ukraine contingent on Kiev publicly declaring that it would carry out investigations into Biden and a debunked conspiracy theory about the 2016 US election. Yovanovitch testified earlier that Trump ousted her from her post in Ukraine based on "unfounded and false claims" after she came under attack from Giuliani.

United States Democrats to limit witnesses in public impeachment hearings: Report

The United States will suspend all scheduled flights to Cuba except to its capital Havana, authorities said Friday, as US President Donald Trump pushes to dismantle the rapprochement begun by his predecessor Barack Obama.

The suspension, which goes into effect December 10, was announced by the Department of Transportation and affects nine airports on the island nation.

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo asked the Transportation Department for the suspension as a means to "further the administration's policy of strengthening the economic consequences to the Cuban regime for its ongoing repression of the Cuban people and its support for (President) Nicolas Maduro in Venezuela."

The Trump administration accuses Cuba of aiding and abetting crisis-wracked Venezuela, which is Havana's closest ally.

Cuba rejected the measure and vowed that it would fail, with Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez stating that "concessions will not be taken from us."

Trump has moved to roll back steps toward normal relations and business ties that were established under Obama, who made moves to diminish five decades of Cold War tension and sanctions between the neighbours.

American, Delta and JetBlue airlines will be affected by the deadline to halt operations to destinations such as Santiago de Cuba, the country's second-largest city, as well as Camaguey and the sprawling mega-resort of Varadero.

Cash-strapped Cuba depends heavily on tourism earnings to fund its government, the only one-party Communist state in the Americas.

Havana already has trimmed its 2019 tourism target by 15 per cent to 4.3 million visitors.

The United States still maintains its economic embargo on Havana, which only can be ended by the US Congress.

But it has allowed exceptions, such as cruise ship visits, which must have an educational underpinning in order to go to the island.

Some 900,000 tourists visited the island on cruise ships last year, and almost 40 per cent were American, according to official data.

The charter flights on which many Cuban-Americans travel to Cuba from Miami are not affected by the change.

Commercial flights to Cuba began under the Obama administration in 2016.&nbsp;

The United States will suspend all scheduled flights to Cuba except to its capital Havana, authorities said Friday, as US President Donald Trump pushes to dismantle the rapprochement begun by his predecessor Barack Obama.

The United States will suspend all scheduled flights to Cuba except to its capital Havana, authorities said Friday, as US President Donald Trump pushes to dismantle the rapprochement begun by his predecessor Barack Obama. The suspension, which goes into effect December 10, was announced by the Department of Transportation and affects nine airports on the island nation. US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo asked the Transportation Department for the suspension as a means to "further the administration's policy of strengthening the economic consequences to the Cuban regime for its ongoing repression of the Cuban people and its support for (President) Nicolas Maduro in Venezuela." The Trump administration accuses Cuba of aiding and abetting crisis-wracked Venezuela, which is Havana's closest ally. Cuba rejected the measure and vowed that it would fail, with Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez stating that "concessions will not be taken from us." Trump has moved to roll back steps toward normal relations and business ties that were established under Obama, who made moves to diminish five decades of Cold War tension and sanctions between the neighbours. American, Delta and JetBlue airlines will be affected by the deadline to halt operations to destinations such as Santiago de Cuba, the country's second-largest city, as well as Camaguey and the sprawling mega-resort of Varadero. Cash-strapped Cuba depends heavily on tourism earnings to fund its government, the only one-party Communist state in the Americas. Havana already has trimmed its 2019 tourism target by 15 per cent to 4.3 million visitors. The United States still maintains its economic embargo on Havana, which only can be ended by the US Congress. But it has allowed exceptions, such as cruise ship visits, which must have an educational underpinning in order to go to the island. Some 900,000 tourists visited the island on cruise ships last year, and almost 40 per cent were American, according to official data. The charter flights on which many Cuban-Americans travel to Cuba from Miami are not affected by the change. Commercial flights to Cuba began under the Obama administration in 2016.

United States to end scheduled flights to all Cuban airports except Havana

A United States&nbsp;judge on Friday validated the legality of the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/republicans-to-unveil-measure-knocking-trump-impeachment-effort-258014">Democratic-led impeachment enquiry</a> against President Donald Trump and ordered his administration to hand over an unredacted copy of former special counsel Robert Mueller's report detailing Russian meddling in the 2016 election.

US&nbsp;District Judge Beryl Howell, handing a major victory to the Democratic-led House of Representatives, undercut an argument that Trump's fellow Republicans have made in attacking the impeachment inquiry. The judge said the House need not approve a resolution formally initiating the effort.

The US&nbsp;Constitution gives the House wide latitude in handling impeachment. Democrats began the enquiry without putting such a resolution to a vote.

The judge gave the Justice Department until next Wednesday to provide the blacked-out material from the Mueller report that was subpoenaed by the House Judiciary Committee.

"The reality is that DOJ and the White House have been openly stonewalling the House's efforts to get information by subpoena and by agreement, and the White House has flatly stated that the Administration will not cooperate with congressional requests for information," the judge wrote, using an acronym for the Justice Department.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi called the ruling "another blow to President Trump's attempt to put himself above the law."

"This critical court ruling affirms Congress's authority to expose the truth for the American people," Pelosi, the top elected Democratic official, said in a statement, adding, "The President will be held accountable&nbsp;because no one is above the law."

The Justice Department had argued that the redacted information could not be disclosed because it contained material from grand jury proceedings that was required to be kept secret, but the judge strongly disagreed.

"DOJ is wrong," Howell said, adding that the committee's need for disclosure of the materials "is greater than the need for continued secrecy."

"Impeachment based on anything less than all relevant evidence would compromise the public's faith in the process," added Howell, a former federal prosecutor appointed to the bench by Trump's Democratic predecessor Barack Obama.

Howell also ruled that the House has undertaken a legal and legitimate impeachment enquiry and criticised efforts by the Justice Department and the committee's ranking Republican Doug Collins to argue that Democrats had not met the legal threshold.

"Blocking access to evidence collected by a grand jury relevant to an impeachment inquiry, as DOJ urges, undermines the House's ability to carry out its constitutional responsibility with due diligence," the judge added.

The Democrats sought access to the redacted materials as part of their effort to build a case for removing <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/trump-again-attacks-federal-reserve-says-central-bank-derelict-in-its-duties-258005">Trump</a> from office.

The committee, Howell ruled, "has presented sufficient evidence that its investigation has the preliminary purpose of determining whether to recommend articles (of) impeachment," referring to formal charges that the House could approve that would trigger a trial in the Senate on whether to remove Trump from office.

A Republican resolution introduced in the Senate on Thursday criticised the process that House Democrats are using in the impeachment inquiry. It argued that a resolution is needed to initiate such an inquiry. The judge disagreed.

"Even in cases of presidential impeachment, a House resolution has never, in fact, been required to begin an impeachment enquiry," the judge wrote.

Watch: Donald Trump claims he's a victim of lynching

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/donald-trump-claims-hes-a-victim-of-lynching-257613/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

 
'Thoughtful ruling'

Democrat Jerrold Nadler, the panel's chairman, lauded the ruling.

"The court's thoughtful ruling recognises that our impeachment inquiry fully comports with the Constitution and thoroughly rejects the spurious White House claims to the contrary," Nadler said.

Kerri Kupec, a Justice Department spokeswoman, said the department is reviewing the decision.

A spokesman for Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell sought to minimise the importance of the judge's comments on an impeachment resolution, saying Republicans had argued that it was "unfair and wrong" but "not unconstitutional" for the House to have failed to pass such a measure.

Mueller submitted his report to US&nbsp;Attorney General William Barr in March after completing a 22-month investigation that detailed Russia's campaign of hacking and propaganda to boost Trump's candidacy in the 2016 election as well as extensive contacts between the Trump campaign and Moscow.

But when Barr, a Trump appointee who Democrats have accused of trying to protect <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/trump-compares-impeachment-to-lynching-faces-backlash-257586">Trump</a> politically, made the 448-page report public the following month, some parts were blacked out or redacted.

Mueller said his investigation found insufficient evidence to establish that Trump and his campaign had engaged in a criminal conspiracy with Russia.

Trump's administration has refused to comply with subpoenas from House committees in the impeachment inquiry seeking documents and testimony. But some current and former administration officials have defied the White House and testified in the impeachment inquiry.

The impeachment inquiry centres not on the Mueller report but on Trump's request that Ukraine investigates a domestic political rival, Democrat Joe Biden.

A United States judge on Friday validated the legality of the Democratic-led impeachment enquiry against President Donald Trump and ordered his administration to hand over an unredacted copy of former special counsel Robert Mueller's report detailing Russian meddling in the 2016 election.

A United States judge on Friday validated the legality of the Democratic-led impeachment enquiry against President Donald Trump and ordered his administration to hand over an unredacted copy of former special counsel Robert Mueller's report detailing Russian meddling in the 2016 election. US District Judge Beryl Howell, handing a major victory to the Democratic-led House of Representatives, undercut an argument that Trump's fellow Republicans have made in attacking the impeachment inquiry. The judge said the House need not approve a resolution formally initiating the effort. The US Constitution gives the House wide latitude in handling impeachment. Democrats began the enquiry without putting such a resolution to a vote. The judge gave the Justice Department until next Wednesday to provide the blacked-out material from the Mueller report that was subpoenaed by the House Judiciary Committee. "The reality is that DOJ and the White House have been openly stonewalling the House's efforts to get information by subpoena and by agreement, and the White House has flatly stated that the Administration will not cooperate with congressional requests for information," the judge wrote, using an acronym for the Justice Department. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi called the ruling "another blow to President Trump's attempt to put himself above the law." "This critical court ruling affirms Congress's authority to expose the truth for the American people," Pelosi, the top elected Democratic official, said in a statement, adding, "The President will be held accountable because no one is above the law." The Justice Department had argued that the redacted information could not be disclosed because it contained material from grand jury proceedings that was required to be kept secret, but the judge strongly disagreed. "DOJ is wrong," Howell said, adding that the committee's need for disclosure of the materials "is greater than the need for continued secrecy." "Impeachment based on anything less than all relevant evidence would compromise the public's faith in the process," added Howell, a former federal prosecutor appointed to the bench by Trump's Democratic predecessor Barack Obama. Howell also ruled that the House has undertaken a legal and legitimate impeachment enquiry and criticised efforts by the Justice Department and the committee's ranking Republican Doug Collins to argue that Democrats had not met the legal threshold. "Blocking access to evidence collected by a grand jury relevant to an impeachment inquiry, as DOJ urges, undermines the House's ability to carry out its constitutional responsibility with due diligence," the judge added. The Democrats sought access to the redacted materials as part of their effort to build a case for removing Trump from office. The committee, Howell ruled, "has presented sufficient evidence that its investigation has the preliminary purpose of determining whether to recommend articles (of) impeachment," referring to formal charges that the House could approve that would trigger a trial in the Senate on whether to remove Trump from office. A Republican resolution introduced in the Senate on Thursday criticised the process that House Democrats are using in the impeachment inquiry. It argued that a resolution is needed to initiate such an inquiry. The judge disagreed. "Even in cases of presidential impeachment, a House resolution has never, in fact, been required to begin an impeachment enquiry," the judge wrote. Watch: Donald Trump claims he's a victim of lynching 'Thoughtful ruling' Democrat Jerrold Nadler, the panel's chairman, lauded the ruling. "The court's thoughtful ruling recognises that our impeachment inquiry fully comports with the Constitution and thoroughly rejects the spurious White House claims to the contrary," Nadler said. Kerri Kupec, a Justice Department spokeswoman, said the department is reviewing the decision. A spokesman for Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell sought to minimise the importance of the judge's comments on an impeachment resolution, saying Republicans had argued that it was "unfair and wrong" but "not unconstitutional" for the House to have failed to pass such a measure. Mueller submitted his report to US Attorney General William Barr in March after completing a 22-month investigation that detailed Russia's campaign of hacking and propaganda to boost Trump's candidacy in the 2016 election as well as extensive contacts between the Trump campaign and Moscow. But when Barr, a Trump appointee who Democrats have accused of trying to protect Trump politically, made the 448-page report public the following month, some parts were blacked out or redacted. Mueller said his investigation found insufficient evidence to establish that Trump and his campaign had engaged in a criminal conspiracy with Russia. Trump's administration has refused to comply with subpoenas from House committees in the impeachment inquiry seeking documents and testimony. But some current and former administration officials have defied the White House and testified in the impeachment inquiry. The impeachment inquiry centres not on the Mueller report but on Trump's request that Ukraine investigates a domestic political rival, Democrat Joe Biden.

Judge validates impeachment enquiry against Donald Trump, orders Mueller document release

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