US President Donald Trump on Tuesday during his first White House coronavirus press briefing in nearly three months has said that the covid-19 pandemic situation in the US will “get worse before it gets better”.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-indicts-two-chinese-nationals-for-seeking-to-steal-covid-19-vaccine-314980">Also read: US indicts two Chinese nationals for seeking to steal COVID-19 vaccine</a>

"Some areas of our country are doing very well.Others are doing less well. It will probably unfortunately get worse before it gets better," he said.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/coronavirus-north-korea-enters-vaccine-race-314957">Also Read:&nbsp;North Korea enters vaccine race</a>

He said there had been an "a concerning rise in (virus) cases in many parts of our South." 
 
On Monday, President Donald Trump&nbsp;offered his strongest endorsement for wearing face masks in public, tweeting that it is a “Patriotic” action to take during the coronavirus pandemic. For months Trump has been refusing to encourage mask wearing as a way to combat the coronavirus.

Trump urged Americans to wear facemasks to help prevent the spread of the highly contagious virus which has left more than 141,000 people dead in the United States.

"We are asking everybody that when you are not able to socially distance, wear a mask," he said.

"Whether you like the mask or not, they have an impact. They will have an effect and we need everything we can get."

Trump said the goal is "not merely to manage the pandemic but to end it."

"The vaccines are coming and they're coming a lot sooner than anyone thought possible," he said.

Trump also repeated his assertion that the virus "will disappear."

"It will disappear," he said. 
 
(With inputs from agencies)

US President Donald Trump on Tuesday during his first White House coronavirus press briefing in nearly three months has said that the covid-19 pandemic situation in the US will “get worse before it gets better”.

US President Donald Trump on Tuesday during his first White House coronavirus press briefing in nearly three months has said that the covid-19 pandemic situation in the US will “get worse before it gets better”. Also read: US indicts two Chinese nationals for seeking to steal COVID-19 vaccine "Some areas of our country are doing very well.Others are doing less well. It will probably unfortunately get worse before it gets better," he said. Also Read: North Korea enters vaccine race He said there had been an "a concerning rise in (virus) cases in many parts of our South." On Monday, President Donald Trump offered his strongest endorsement for wearing face masks in public, tweeting that it is a “Patriotic” action to take during the coronavirus pandemic. For months Trump has been refusing to encourage mask wearing as a way to combat the coronavirus. Trump urged Americans to wear facemasks to help prevent the spread of the highly contagious virus which has left more than 141,000 people dead in the United States. "We are asking everybody that when you are not able to socially distance, wear a mask," he said. "Whether you like the mask or not, they have an impact. They will have an effect and we need everything we can get." Trump said the goal is "not merely to manage the pandemic but to end it." "The vaccines are coming and they're coming a lot sooner than anyone thought possible," he said. Trump also repeated his assertion that the virus "will disappear." "It will disappear," he said. (With inputs from agencies)

US virus crisis to ‘get worse before it gets better’, warns Donald Trump

The US has ordered China to close its consulate in Houston, Texas, by Friday - a move described as "political provocation" by Beijing.

US orders China to shut consulate in Texas

The US Justice Department indicted two Chinese hackers, alleging that they targeted firms developing vaccines for coronavirus and stole hundreds of millions of dollars worth intellectual property

US indicts two Chinese nationals of Espionage

China may shut the United States consulate&nbsp;in the original epicentre of COVID-19 in the country - the central city of Wuhan in Hubei after Washington asked China to shut its consulate in the US city of Houston on Wednesday.

"Unprecedented escalation"

After the order came through, China promised to retaliate. No official confirmation has been given by Chinese officials yet, but this is the most likely expected move in a series of diplomatic rows between the two countries.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/united-states-may-lose-cyber-domain-to-china-says-senate-report-315144">United States may lose ‘cyber domain’ to China, says Senate report</a>

To counter China’s growing presence in the South China Sea, India and the US recently conducted naval exercises. Australia, too joined in later. This comes in after a growing anti-China sentiment across the world, in the light of its recent military excesses along the border with India, in Taiwan, in Tibet, and in the South China Sea.

In the next three days, China is required to shut its Houston consulate. The US cites protection of their intellectual property and information as the key reasons to do so.

China has referred to the move as an “unprecedented escalation”.

Souring relations

Ever since the COVID-19 pandemic began, relations between both the countries have soured. US President Donald Trump, has on multiple occasions blamed China for spreading the virus across the globe. This birthed a number of conspiracies surrounding the virus, with many claiming that it was manufactured in a Wuhan lab, and others suggesting bio-warfare.

After China claimed that US ordered their consulate shut, the US immediately confirmed the closure.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/chinas-houston-consulate-closed-to-protect-american-intellectual-property-us-315168" hreflang="en">China's Houston consulate closed to 'protect intellectual property': US</a>

The consulate was "in order to protect American intellectual property and American's private information", State Department’s Morgan Ortagus said in a statement.

"The United States will not tolerate the PRC's violations of our sovereignty and intimidation of our people, just as we have not tolerated the PRC's unfair trade practices, theft of American jobs, and other egregious behaviour," she added.

Recently, the US has been involved in clashes with China in various arenas. It recently claimed that Chinese hackers had been attempting to access sensitive coronavirus vaccine data. It has also launched attacks on the country for enforcing the National Security Law in Hong Kong, for which China is also in a spat with the United Kingdom, which recently suspended its extradition treaty.

China may shut the United States consulate in the original epicentre of COVID-19 in the country - the central city of Wuhan in Hubei after Washington asked China to shut its consulate in the US city of Houston on Wednesday.

China may shut the United States consulate in the original epicentre of COVID-19 in the country - the central city of Wuhan in Hubei after Washington asked China to shut its consulate in the US city of Houston on Wednesday. "Unprecedented escalation" After the order came through, China promised to retaliate. No official confirmation has been given by Chinese officials yet, but this is the most likely expected move in a series of diplomatic rows between the two countries. Also read: United States may lose ‘cyber domain’ to China, says Senate report To counter China’s growing presence in the South China Sea, India and the US recently conducted naval exercises. Australia, too joined in later. This comes in after a growing anti-China sentiment across the world, in the light of its recent military excesses along the border with India, in Taiwan, in Tibet, and in the South China Sea. In the next three days, China is required to shut its Houston consulate. The US cites protection of their intellectual property and information as the key reasons to do so. China has referred to the move as an “unprecedented escalation”. Souring relations Ever since the COVID-19 pandemic began, relations between both the countries have soured. US President Donald Trump, has on multiple occasions blamed China for spreading the virus across the globe. This birthed a number of conspiracies surrounding the virus, with many claiming that it was manufactured in a Wuhan lab, and others suggesting bio-warfare. After China claimed that US ordered their consulate shut, the US immediately confirmed the closure. Also read: China's Houston consulate closed to 'protect intellectual property': US The consulate was "in order to protect American intellectual property and American's private information", State Department’s Morgan Ortagus said in a statement. "The United States will not tolerate the PRC's violations of our sovereignty and intimidation of our people, just as we have not tolerated the PRC's unfair trade practices, theft of American jobs, and other egregious behaviour," she added. Recently, the US has been involved in clashes with China in various arenas. It recently claimed that Chinese hackers had been attempting to access sensitive coronavirus vaccine data. It has also launched attacks on the country for enforcing the National Security Law in Hong Kong, for which China is also in a spat with the United Kingdom, which recently suspended its extradition treaty.

'Unprecedented escalation': China may shut US consulate in Wuhan

The US&nbsp;Congress appears to be the target of a foreign disinformation campaign aimed at influencing lawmakers' activities and the upcoming presidential contest,&nbsp;top&nbsp;Democrats&nbsp;said in a letter released on Monday.

In the letter to FBI Director Christopher Wray dated July 13, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer and the&nbsp;top&nbsp;Democrats&nbsp;on the House and Senate intelligence committees said they were "gravely concerned" that Congress seemed to be in the crosshairs of "a concerted foreign interference campaign, which seeks to launder and amplify disinformation in order to influence congressional activity, public debate, and the presidential election in November."

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-congressional-democrats-white-house-to-meet-on-coronavirus-aid-314813" hreflang="en">US congressional Democrats, White House to meet on coronavirus aid</a>

The nature of the disinformation campaign was not made clear, although the letter referred to the threat as serious&nbsp;and specific.&nbsp;

The letter requested a "classified defensive briefing" from FBI officials before the August recess. It was not clear whether any such briefing is planned. The FBI confirmed having received the letter but declined further comment.&nbsp;

One congressional official said the&nbsp;Democrats' letter was prompted by an accumulation of intelligence. The official declined to discuss in detail any of the specific intelligence reporting or analyses that raised such concerns. A second congressional official said a classified addendum was sent alongside the letter that drew mainly from the US&nbsp;government's own reporting.&nbsp;

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/after-portland-trump-will-send-unknown-forces-to-liberal-democrat-cities-to-muzzle-protests-314802" hreflang="en">After Portland, Trump will send 'unknown' forces to 'liberal Democrat' cities to muzzle protests</a>

No Republican lawmakers signed the letter. The Office of the Director of National Intelligence declined comment.

Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden on Monday said he would "treat foreign interference in our election as an adversarial act" if elected to the White House.

In a statement, he said retaliatory actions could include sanctions, asset freezes, and "the exposure of corruption."

The US Congress appears to be the target of a foreign disinformation campaign aimed at influencing lawmakers' activities and the upcoming presidential contest, top Democrats said in a letter released on Monday.

The US Congress appears to be the target of a foreign disinformation campaign aimed at influencing lawmakers' activities and the upcoming presidential contest, top Democrats said in a letter released on Monday. In the letter to FBI Director Christopher Wray dated July 13, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer and the top Democrats on the House and Senate intelligence committees said they were "gravely concerned" that Congress seemed to be in the crosshairs of "a concerted foreign interference campaign, which seeks to launder and amplify disinformation in order to influence congressional activity, public debate, and the presidential election in November." Also read: US congressional Democrats, White House to meet on coronavirus aid The nature of the disinformation campaign was not made clear, although the letter referred to the threat as serious and specific. The letter requested a "classified defensive briefing" from FBI officials before the August recess. It was not clear whether any such briefing is planned. The FBI confirmed having received the letter but declined further comment. One congressional official said the Democrats' letter was prompted by an accumulation of intelligence. The official declined to discuss in detail any of the specific intelligence reporting or analyses that raised such concerns. A second congressional official said a classified addendum was sent alongside the letter that drew mainly from the US government's own reporting. Also read: After Portland, Trump will send 'unknown' forces to 'liberal Democrat' cities to muzzle protests No Republican lawmakers signed the letter. The Office of the Director of National Intelligence declined comment. Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden on Monday said he would "treat foreign interference in our election as an adversarial act" if elected to the White House. In a statement, he said retaliatory actions could include sanctions, asset freezes, and "the exposure of corruption."

Top Democrats say US Congress appears to be election interference target

US defense secretary Mark Esper said today that the "relationship with India is "one of the all-important defense relationships of the 21st century.

Relationship with India important, monitoring LAC very closely: US Defense Secretary

The United States of America continues to be the worst-hit coronavirus country in the world. Close to 4 million people have been affected and 150,000 people have lost their lives. Watch report.

Donald Trump to resume daily COVID-19 briefing: Long queues for testing in Texas, Florida

Mahmoud Mousavi-Majd, an Iranian national, who was accused of spying on the US and Israeli intelligence has been executed on Monday, according to local news agencies.

The spy was arrested in 2018 after he was accused of spying on former&nbsp;Revolutionary Guards commander Qassem Soleimani.

The execution of the alleged spy took place at a time when the Iranian locals have been verbally and physically protesting against the death sentences given to three nationals who have been accused of participating and leading the 'anti-government' protests in November 2019. The executions were suspended after a hashtag, loosely translated to "Don’t execute" in English, started widely trending on Twitter.

The judiciary had made it clear that the death sentence was not for&nbsp;involvement in killing of the leader&nbsp;of the Revolutionary Guards’ Quds Force,&nbsp;Soleimani, who was accused of being the mastermind of the attacks by Iran-aligned militias on US forces in the region and was later assassinated in January 2020 in a US drone strike. Mahmoud was alleged of supplying information about Soleimani's whereabouts to the US, according judiciary spokesman Gholamhossein Esmaili.

Officials have not cleared the air around whether Mahmoud was one of the 17 CIA spies captured last year by Iran. However, Mahmoud was revealed to be a spy of the CIA and Mossad by&nbsp;Esmaili in a televised news conference.

Mahmoud Mousavi-Majd, an Iranian national, who was accused of spying on the US and Israeli intelligence has been executed on Monday, according to local news agencies.

Mahmoud Mousavi-Majd, an Iranian national, who was accused of spying on the US and Israeli intelligence has been executed on Monday, according to local news agencies. The spy was arrested in 2018 after he was accused of spying on former Revolutionary Guards commander Qassem Soleimani. The execution of the alleged spy took place at a time when the Iranian locals have been verbally and physically protesting against the death sentences given to three nationals who have been accused of participating and leading the 'anti-government' protests in November 2019. The executions were suspended after a hashtag, loosely translated to "Don’t execute" in English, started widely trending on Twitter. The judiciary had made it clear that the death sentence was not for involvement in killing of the leader of the Revolutionary Guards’ Quds Force, Soleimani, who was accused of being the mastermind of the attacks by Iran-aligned militias on US forces in the region and was later assassinated in January 2020 in a US drone strike. Mahmoud was alleged of supplying information about Soleimani's whereabouts to the US, according judiciary spokesman Gholamhossein Esmaili. Officials have not cleared the air around whether Mahmoud was one of the 17 CIA spies captured last year by Iran. However, Mahmoud was revealed to be a spy of the CIA and Mossad by Esmaili in a televised news conference.

Iranian spy, accused of spying on US and Israel, executed

The domestic intelligence and security service of the United States FBI is leading an inquiry into the Twitter hacking of major companies and individuals, as more Washington lawmakers raised alarms about the breach of high-profile accounts on the social media platform.

FBI probes mega Twitter hack

US federal law enforcement officers are swooping down on protesters in Portland, Oregon, under the Trump administration’s new executive order to protect monuments in the country.

Several videos posted online show camouflage-clad officers without clear identification badges using force and unmarked vehicles to transport arrested protesters.

A US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) spokeswoman said on Friday agents had been deployed to Portland to support a newly launched US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) unit, tasked with enforcing last month’s executive order from Republican President Donald Trump to protect federal monuments and buildings.

The agents had been trained for operations “in chaotic environments.”

In addition to Border Patrol agents, Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers are helping DHS’s Federal Protective Service, which provides security for federal buildings, ICE said.

Media reports said federal agents had arrested 13 people, but there was no immediate confirmation from the authorities.

Demonstrators protesting against racism and police brutality gathered around the federal courthouse daily in Portland since the killing of African American George Floyd during a May 25 arrest in Minneapolis, with crowds at times exceeding 10,000. Portland police used tear gas on the protesters, some of whom sprayed graffiti on buildings, until Governor Brown in early July banned its use except in the case of riots.

One video posted online shows an officer bundling a protester into a dark minivan. The CBP spokeswoman said the agency had information that person was suspected of assaults against federal agents or destruction of federal property and “a large and violent mob” moved toward the agents once they approached the suspect.

Another video shows an officer shoving away medics trying to aid someone. And still another showed a protester bleeding profusely from his head after federal troops allegedly shot him with a weapon firing non-lethal munition.

To this end, Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler said the US Marshals Service “will be conducting a full investigation” into the shooting.

US federal law enforcement officers are swooping down on protesters in Portland, Oregon, under the Trump administration’s new executive order to protect monuments in the country.

US federal law enforcement officers are swooping down on protesters in Portland, Oregon, under the Trump administration’s new executive order to protect monuments in the country. Several videos posted online show camouflage-clad officers without clear identification badges using force and unmarked vehicles to transport arrested protesters. A US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) spokeswoman said on Friday agents had been deployed to Portland to support a newly launched US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) unit, tasked with enforcing last month’s executive order from Republican President Donald Trump to protect federal monuments and buildings. The agents had been trained for operations “in chaotic environments.” In addition to Border Patrol agents, Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers are helping DHS’s Federal Protective Service, which provides security for federal buildings, ICE said. Media reports said federal agents had arrested 13 people, but there was no immediate confirmation from the authorities. Demonstrators protesting against racism and police brutality gathered around the federal courthouse daily in Portland since the killing of African American George Floyd during a May 25 arrest in Minneapolis, with crowds at times exceeding 10,000. Portland police used tear gas on the protesters, some of whom sprayed graffiti on buildings, until Governor Brown in early July banned its use except in the case of riots. One video posted online shows an officer bundling a protester into a dark minivan. The CBP spokeswoman said the agency had information that person was suspected of assaults against federal agents or destruction of federal property and “a large and violent mob” moved toward the agents once they approached the suspect. Another video shows an officer shoving away medics trying to aid someone. And still another showed a protester bleeding profusely from his head after federal troops allegedly shot him with a weapon firing non-lethal munition. To this end, Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler said the US Marshals Service “will be conducting a full investigation” into the shooting.

US cracks down on Portland protesters after Trump order to protect monuments

India plans to store its crude oil in US strategic petroleum reserves for use not just during emergencies but also for trading to capture any price advantage, officials said.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/biden-as-us-president-would-help-india-get-seat-on-unsc-former-american-diplomat-314422" hreflang="en">Biden as US president would help India get seat on UNSC: Former American diplomat</a>

India and the US on July 17 signed a preliminary agreement for cooperating on emergency crude oil reserves, including the possibility of India storing oil in the US emergency stockpile.

"It is a good concept but comes with a lot of riders," a senior government official said.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/trump-considering-indian-american-lawyer-to-head-asia-bureau-of-usaid-314408" hreflang="en">Trump considering Indian-American lawyer to head Asia Bureau of USAID</a>

For one, India will have to pay a rental for hiring the storages in the US. This rental will be on top of the international price for oil.

"The alternative is to build our own strategic reserves which will involve huge capital cost and will take a few years to construct. So the rental is a small fee to pay to get immediate access to a strategic reserve," the official said.

Strategic petroleum reserves (SPR) in the US are built and maintained by private companies.

The oil stored in the US reserves can be used for the nation's own needs or can be traded to capture price advantage, he said adding these two scenarios work when oil prices rise after India has bought and stored oil in US reserves.

"But if the prices fall, you will book losses," he said.

Also, if the sea route is obstructed, having a stockpile in the US will make no difference to India's energy security as the country will not be able to access them, he said. "It takes a month to ship oil from the US."

Storing oil in the US is a kind of physical hedging and all hedging comes with a cost, he said.

More importantly, storing large volumes involves paying upfront on purchase of crude oil and companies will have to block so much capital.

India had begun exploring the possibility of storing oil in the US a few months back but couldn't make much headway as COVID-19 pummelled demand, leading to excess oil around the globe that filled every inch of storage including those on ships.

Demand is returned but is less than pre-Covid levels.

In such a scenario, storing oil in the US would make a lot of sense if India were to hire a strategic facility maintained by an American oil producer.

"The commercial deal can be structured in such a way that we support the US firm to keep producing even when demand falls, and in return get access to its storage," the official said.

On July 17, India and US signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) that will allow the US to begin sharing with India the knowhow on establishment of a strategic petroleum reserve (SPR). The pact also allows India to explore the possibility of storing its oil in US SPR, comprising underground caverns in Texas and Louisiana.

US President Donald Trump in March ordered filling the SPR to its full capacity of about 714 million barrels but Congress failed to fund a purchase. 
Speaking to reporters after signing of the MoU, US Energy Secretary Dan Brouillette had stated that the India pact could mirror a recent plan with

Australia, which in April committed to spending about USD 60 million to build an emergency oil stockpile, first by buying crude to store in the US SPR.

Global oil prices fell steeply earlier this year as shutdowns from the novel coronavirus sapped demand, but have stabilised at around USD 43 a barrel.

"We are in an advanced stage of discussions for storing crude oil US strategic petroleum reserves to increase India's strategic oil stockpile," Oil Minister Dharmendra Pradhan had said on Friday after co-chairing the second India-US Strategic Energy Partnership Ministerial with Brouillette.

The US has 714 million barrels of oil storage capacity in its strategic petroleum reserve, the world's largest supply of emergency crude oil.

In comparison, India stores 5.33 million tonnes (about 38 million barrels) of crude oil in underground storages at three locations on the east and west coast, hardly enough to meet its 9.5 days needs.

The International Energy Agency (IEA) prescribes its members to have at least 90 days of stock in the strategic reserves.

India has been looking to expand the storage capacity by another 6.5 million tonnes and is also exploring the possibility of hiring storage in the US to stock some oil that can be used in times of extreme price volatility or supply disruption.

India is the fourth-largest export destination for US crude.

"Between 2017 and last year, US crude oil exports to India rose by nearly 10-folds to almost 2,50,000 barrels per day. Between March 2016 and May of this year, 68 LNG shipments of over 234 billion cubic feet were exported to India," Brouillette had said on Friday.

The US is India's sixth-largest oil supplier.

India began importing crude oil from the US in 2017 as it looked to diversify its import basket beyond the OPEC nations. It bought 1.9 million tonnes (38,000 bpd) of crude oil from the US in 2017-18 and another 6.2 million tonnes (1,24,000 bpd) in 2018-19.

The volume that Brouillette talked about translates into 12.5 million tonnes of oil imports in a year.

India, which is 85 per cent dependent on imports to meet its oil needs, bought 101.4 million tonnes of crude oil from overseas during April 2019 to March 2020.

India plans to store its crude oil in US strategic petroleum reserves for use not just during emergencies but also for trading to capture any price advantage, officials said.

India plans to store its crude oil in US strategic petroleum reserves for use not just during emergencies but also for trading to capture any price advantage, officials said. Also read: Biden as US president would help India get seat on UNSC: Former American diplomat India and the US on July 17 signed a preliminary agreement for cooperating on emergency crude oil reserves, including the possibility of India storing oil in the US emergency stockpile. "It is a good concept but comes with a lot of riders," a senior government official said. Also read: Trump considering Indian-American lawyer to head Asia Bureau of USAID For one, India will have to pay a rental for hiring the storages in the US. This rental will be on top of the international price for oil. "The alternative is to build our own strategic reserves which will involve huge capital cost and will take a few years to construct. So the rental is a small fee to pay to get immediate access to a strategic reserve," the official said. Strategic petroleum reserves (SPR) in the US are built and maintained by private companies. The oil stored in the US reserves can be used for the nation's own needs or can be traded to capture price advantage, he said adding these two scenarios work when oil prices rise after India has bought and stored oil in US reserves. "But if the prices fall, you will book losses," he said. Also, if the sea route is obstructed, having a stockpile in the US will make no difference to India's energy security as the country will not be able to access them, he said. "It takes a month to ship oil from the US." Storing oil in the US is a kind of physical hedging and all hedging comes with a cost, he said. More importantly, storing large volumes involves paying upfront on purchase of crude oil and companies will have to block so much capital. India had begun exploring the possibility of storing oil in the US a few months back but couldn't make much headway as COVID-19 pummelled demand, leading to excess oil around the globe that filled every inch of storage including those on ships. Demand is returned but is less than pre-Covid levels. In such a scenario, storing oil in the US would make a lot of sense if India were to hire a strategic facility maintained by an American oil producer. "The commercial deal can be structured in such a way that we support the US firm to keep producing even when demand falls, and in return get access to its storage," the official said. On July 17, India and US signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) that will allow the US to begin sharing with India the knowhow on establishment of a strategic petroleum reserve (SPR). The pact also allows India to explore the possibility of storing its oil in US SPR, comprising underground caverns in Texas and Louisiana. US President Donald Trump in March ordered filling the SPR to its full capacity of about 714 million barrels but Congress failed to fund a purchase. Speaking to reporters after signing of the MoU, US Energy Secretary Dan Brouillette had stated that the India pact could mirror a recent plan with Australia, which in April committed to spending about USD 60 million to build an emergency oil stockpile, first by buying crude to store in the US SPR. Global oil prices fell steeply earlier this year as shutdowns from the novel coronavirus sapped demand, but have stabilised at around USD 43 a barrel. "We are in an advanced stage of discussions for storing crude oil US strategic petroleum reserves to increase India's strategic oil stockpile," Oil Minister Dharmendra Pradhan had said on Friday after co-chairing the second India-US Strategic Energy Partnership Ministerial with Brouillette. The US has 714 million barrels of oil storage capacity in its strategic petroleum reserve, the world's largest supply of emergency crude oil. In comparison, India stores 5.33 million tonnes (about 38 million barrels) of crude oil in underground storages at three locations on the east and west coast, hardly enough to meet its 9.5 days needs. The International Energy Agency (IEA) prescribes its members to have at least 90 days of stock in the strategic reserves. India has been looking to expand the storage capacity by another 6.5 million tonnes and is also exploring the possibility of hiring storage in the US to stock some oil that can be used in times of extreme price volatility or supply disruption. India is the fourth-largest export destination for US crude. "Between 2017 and last year, US crude oil exports to India rose by nearly 10-folds to almost 2,50,000 barrels per day. Between March 2016 and May of this year, 68 LNG shipments of over 234 billion cubic feet were exported to India," Brouillette had said on Friday. The US is India's sixth-largest oil supplier. India began importing crude oil from the US in 2017 as it looked to diversify its import basket beyond the OPEC nations. It bought 1.9 million tonnes (38,000 bpd) of crude oil from the US in 2017-18 and another 6.2 million tonnes (1,24,000 bpd) in 2018-19. The volume that Brouillette talked about translates into 12.5 million tonnes of oil imports in a year. India, which is 85 per cent dependent on imports to meet its oil needs, bought 101.4 million tonnes of crude oil from overseas during April 2019 to March 2020.

India to store its crude oil in US' strategic petroleum reserves

Britain, the United States and Canada on Thursday risked worsening fraught diplomatic ties with Russia by accusing Moscow-linked hackers of targeting labs in their countries conducting coronavirus vaccine research.

The three governments pointed the finger at the Kremlin, saying that a hacking group called APT29 was "almost certainly" linked to Russian intelligence.

In a separate claim, London said "Russian actors" sought to disrupt last year's UK general election by circulating leaked trade documents between Britain and the United States.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/russia-ready-to-share-covid-19-vaccine-technology-with-other-countries-314263">Also read:&nbsp;Russia ready to share COVID-19 vaccine technology with other countries</a>

Both accusations came even before the publication in the coming days of a long-awaited British parliamentary report into alleged Russian interference in the 2016 Brexit vote.

Russia quickly rejected the accusations as "groundless".

The United Kingdom’s National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) and Canada’s Communications Security Establishment (CSE) said Thursday that APT29 was "a cyber espionage group, almost certainly part of the Russian intelligence services," adding their the assessment was endorsed by their US counterpart.

"Throughout 2020, APT29 has targeted various organisations involved in COVID-19 vaccine development in Canada, the United States and the United Kingdom, highly likely with the intention of stealing information and intellectual property relating to the development and testing of COVID-19 vaccines," it said.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/eu-in-talks-with-moderna-biontech-curevac-to-secure-possible-covid-vaccines-314155">Also read:&nbsp;EU in talks with Moderna, BioNtech, CureVac to secure possible COVID vaccines</a>

The group was "likely to continue to target organisations involved in COVID-19 vaccine research and development, as they seek to answer additional intelligence questions relating to the pandemic".

In a separate statement, the US National Security Agency repeated the accusations and said that APT29 "uses a variety of tools and techniques to predominantly target governmental, diplomatic, think-tank, healthcare and energy targets for intelligence gain".

Russia and Britain have been at loggerheads since Moscow was accused of trying to kill double agent Sergei Skripal with a powerful military-grade nerve agent in 2018.

The attack in Salisbury, southwest England, came 12 years after the radiation poisoning of former spy Alexander Litvinenko in London. Again, Russia denied involvement.

Completely unacceptable 
Britain is one of a number of countries conducting human vaccine trials for COVID-19. One, at the University of Oxford, showed potential positive results, media reports said on Thursday.

But the National Cyber Security Centre, part of Britain's GCHQ electronic eavesdropping agency, said labs were among those targeted "to steal valuable intellectual property".

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/world-depends-on-india-to-mass-produce-covid-19-vaccine-314209">Also watch:&nbsp;World depends on India to mass-produce COVID-19 vaccine</a>

NCSC director of operations Paul Chichester said known targets included UK, US and Canadian vaccine research and development organisations using techniques including malware.

APT29 -- also known as "The Dukes" or "Cozy Bear" -- had also tried to hack government, diplomatic, think-tank and energy groups, it added.

Nearly 600,000 people have died and more than 13.5 million infected in the coronavirus outbreak this year.

Britain's Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab said that targeting those working to find a vaccine was "completely unacceptable".

"While others pursue their selfish interests with reckless behaviour, the UK and its allies are getting on with the hard work of finding a vaccine and protecting global health," he added.

Election meddling 
Earlier, the government said there were strong suspicions of a Russian link to the leak of classified documents about a possible post-Brexit trade deal with the United States.

An investigation was launched after files were published on the social media site Reddit and were later picked up by the main opposition Labour party.

The party used them in its campaign for the December 12 election, claiming they proved Prime Minister Boris Johnson would "sell-out" the state-run health sector to US President Donald Trump.

Health funding was a key campaign issue, and Johnson was repeatedly forced to deny the claim.&nbsp;

Labour's then leader Jeremy Corbyn dismissed claims the leak was put online by Russia as a "conspiracy theory".

Raab stopped short of accusing Moscow of direct involvement.

But he said it was "almost certain... that Russian actors" were involved by putting the leaked documents online.

Johnson and his ruling Conservative party won a huge majority in the election, allowing him to push through his Brexit deal to take Britain out of the European Union.

Parliament's Intelligence and Security Committee launched a probe into suspicions of Russian interference in the 2016 Brexit vote after concerns sparked by claims of meddling in the US presidential election won by Trump.

It completed the report last year but publication was delayed first by the election, and then Johnson's failure to nominate new members to the committee.

This finally happened last week and members had their first meeting on Thursday, where they agreed to publish the Russia report before next Wednesday.

Britain, the United States and Canada on Thursday risked worsening fraught diplomatic ties with Russia by accusing Moscow-linked hackers of targeting labs in their countries conducting coronavirus vaccine research.

Britain, the United States and Canada on Thursday risked worsening fraught diplomatic ties with Russia by accusing Moscow-linked hackers of targeting labs in their countries conducting coronavirus vaccine research. The three governments pointed the finger at the Kremlin, saying that a hacking group called APT29 was "almost certainly" linked to Russian intelligence. In a separate claim, London said "Russian actors" sought to disrupt last year's UK general election by circulating leaked trade documents between Britain and the United States. Also read: Russia ready to share COVID-19 vaccine technology with other countries Both accusations came even before the publication in the coming days of a long-awaited British parliamentary report into alleged Russian interference in the 2016 Brexit vote. Russia quickly rejected the accusations as "groundless". The United Kingdom’s National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) and Canada’s Communications Security Establishment (CSE) said Thursday that APT29 was "a cyber espionage group, almost certainly part of the Russian intelligence services," adding their the assessment was endorsed by their US counterpart. "Throughout 2020, APT29 has targeted various organisations involved in COVID-19 vaccine development in Canada, the United States and the United Kingdom, highly likely with the intention of stealing information and intellectual property relating to the development and testing of COVID-19 vaccines," it said. Also read: EU in talks with Moderna, BioNtech, CureVac to secure possible COVID vaccines The group was "likely to continue to target organisations involved in COVID-19 vaccine research and development, as they seek to answer additional intelligence questions relating to the pandemic". In a separate statement, the US National Security Agency repeated the accusations and said that APT29 "uses a variety of tools and techniques to predominantly target governmental, diplomatic, think-tank, healthcare and energy targets for intelligence gain". Russia and Britain have been at loggerheads since Moscow was accused of trying to kill double agent Sergei Skripal with a powerful military-grade nerve agent in 2018. The attack in Salisbury, southwest England, came 12 years after the radiation poisoning of former spy Alexander Litvinenko in London. Again, Russia denied involvement. Completely unacceptable Britain is one of a number of countries conducting human vaccine trials for COVID-19. One, at the University of Oxford, showed potential positive results, media reports said on Thursday. But the National Cyber Security Centre, part of Britain's GCHQ electronic eavesdropping agency, said labs were among those targeted "to steal valuable intellectual property". Also watch: World depends on India to mass-produce COVID-19 vaccine NCSC director of operations Paul Chichester said known targets included UK, US and Canadian vaccine research and development organisations using techniques including malware. APT29 -- also known as "The Dukes" or "Cozy Bear" -- had also tried to hack government, diplomatic, think-tank and energy groups, it added. Nearly 600,000 people have died and more than 13.5 million infected in the coronavirus outbreak this year. Britain's Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab said that targeting those working to find a vaccine was "completely unacceptable". "While others pursue their selfish interests with reckless behaviour, the UK and its allies are getting on with the hard work of finding a vaccine and protecting global health," he added. Election meddling Earlier, the government said there were strong suspicions of a Russian link to the leak of classified documents about a possible post-Brexit trade deal with the United States. An investigation was launched after files were published on the social media site Reddit and were later picked up by the main opposition Labour party. The party used them in its campaign for the December 12 election, claiming they proved Prime Minister Boris Johnson would "sell-out" the state-run health sector to US President Donald Trump. Health funding was a key campaign issue, and Johnson was repeatedly forced to deny the claim. Labour's then leader Jeremy Corbyn dismissed claims the leak was put online by Russia as a "conspiracy theory". Raab stopped short of accusing Moscow of direct involvement. But he said it was "almost certain... that Russian actors" were involved by putting the leaked documents online. Johnson and his ruling Conservative party won a huge majority in the election, allowing him to push through his Brexit deal to take Britain out of the European Union. Parliament's Intelligence and Security Committee launched a probe into suspicions of Russian interference in the 2016 Brexit vote after concerns sparked by claims of meddling in the US presidential election won by Trump. It completed the report last year but publication was delayed first by the election, and then Johnson's failure to nominate new members to the committee. This finally happened last week and members had their first meeting on Thursday, where they agreed to publish the Russia report before next Wednesday.

UK, US and Canada accuse Russia of vaccine research hacking

Winnie the Pooh scares&nbsp;Chinese President&nbsp;more than democracy and social unrest. It gives the Chinese president nightmares.

'Pooh' is a nickname for Xi Jinping and the President has used every possible tool&nbsp;to bury this reference, but it continues to pop up every now and then. The latest to toy around with Xi's fear was Mike Pompeo, the US Secretary of State.

He tweeted this photo with the caption "Mercer and all her favourite toys".

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Mercer and all of her favorite toys! 🐶 <a href="https://t.co/bGal0ui6E2">pic.twitter.com/bGal0ui6E2</a>
— Mike Pompeo (@mikepompeo) <a href="https://twitter.com/mikepompeo/status/1283197610757632001?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 15, 2020</a></blockquote>
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Mercer is Pompeo's dog, and among her toys lay Winnie the Pooh. The joke was in the face and netizens could not get enough of it. They cheered Pompeo's sense of humour, and someone even mentioned "Winnie the flu".&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/why-chinas-president-xi-jinping-fears-winnie-the-pooh-313823">Also read:&nbsp;Why China's President Xi Jinping fears 'Winnie the Pooh'</a>

Pompeo was asked about it in a recent interview "Was this a Winnie the pooh-gate?" The secretary of state appeared oblivious.

However, the tweet was far from innocent.&nbsp;It is in line with Pompeo's scathing attacks on China. The Secretary of State has been towing a rather hard line on Beijing. He has been criticising China daily and way more than the US President Donald Trump.

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/gravitas-mike-pompeo-mocks-xi-jinping-with-winnie-the-pooh-313859/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

Pompeo has said, "We have a Chinese Communist Party that is putting freedom and democracy at risk by their expanionist, imperialist, authoritarian behavior."

He has also said,&nbsp;"This is a regime that failed to disclose information they had about a virus." and&nbsp;"We want them to respect the rule of law.

The Secretary of State has also talked about the world uniting against China.&nbsp;"I think we are watching the world unite to come to understand the threat from the chinese communist party." and&nbsp;"We will support countries all across the world who recognize that china has violated their legal territorial claims as well - or maritime claims."

The Chinese Communist Party fears its own people more than anything else including Winnie the Pooh.

Mike Pompeo has been leading the US&nbsp;attack on China. On Thursday, he said that the world will make China pay for the pandemic.

On July 14, Pompeo urged free elections in Hong Kong and&nbsp;even congratulated Hong Kong's democrats for a successful primary.

On July 09, he hit out at China for its aggression in Ladakh.&nbsp;He has previously called China a 'rogue actor' for the Galwan provocation. On July 1, Pompeo lauded India's ban on 59 Chinese apps.

The US Secretary of state has also criticised China for its economic exploitation of Africa and&nbsp;Pompeo has spoken about reviewing the US troop deployment to counter China in the Himalayan region.

He has also claimed that the US will assist all countries that are resisting Chinese annexation in the South China sea. Pompeo has also been campaigning to ban TikTok in the US.

So, what really scares Xi Jinping is democracy, social unrest, Winnie the Pooh&nbsp;and Mike Pompeo.

Winnie the Pooh scares Chinese President more than democracy and social unrest. It gives the Chinese president nightmares. 'Pooh' is a nickname for Xi Jinping and the President has used every possible tool to bury this reference, but it continues to pop up every now and then.

Winnie the Pooh scares Chinese President more than democracy and social unrest. It gives the Chinese president nightmares. 'Pooh' is a nickname for Xi Jinping and the President has used every possible tool to bury this reference, but it continues to pop up every now and then. The latest to toy around with Xi's fear was Mike Pompeo, the US Secretary of State. He tweeted this photo with the caption "Mercer and all her favourite toys". Mercer and all of her favorite toys! 🐶 pic.twitter.com/bGal0ui6E2 — Mike Pompeo (@mikepompeo) July 15, 2020 × Mercer is Pompeo's dog, and among her toys lay Winnie the Pooh. The joke was in the face and netizens could not get enough of it. They cheered Pompeo's sense of humour, and someone even mentioned "Winnie the flu". Also read: Why China's President Xi Jinping fears 'Winnie the Pooh' Pompeo was asked about it in a recent interview "Was this a Winnie the pooh-gate?" The secretary of state appeared oblivious. However, the tweet was far from innocent. It is in line with Pompeo's scathing attacks on China. The Secretary of State has been towing a rather hard line on Beijing. He has been criticising China daily and way more than the US President Donald Trump. Pompeo has said, "We have a Chinese Communist Party that is putting freedom and democracy at risk by their expanionist, imperialist, authoritarian behavior." He has also said, "This is a regime that failed to disclose information they had about a virus." and "We want them to respect the rule of law. The Secretary of State has also talked about the world uniting against China. "I think we are watching the world unite to come to understand the threat from the chinese communist party." and "We will support countries all across the world who recognize that china has violated their legal territorial claims as well - or maritime claims." The Chinese Communist Party fears its own people more than anything else including Winnie the Pooh. Mike Pompeo has been leading the US attack on China. On Thursday, he said that the world will make China pay for the pandemic. On July 14, Pompeo urged free elections in Hong Kong and even congratulated Hong Kong's democrats for a successful primary. On July 09, he hit out at China for its aggression in Ladakh. He has previously called China a 'rogue actor' for the Galwan provocation. On July 1, Pompeo lauded India's ban on 59 Chinese apps. The US Secretary of state has also criticised China for its economic exploitation of Africa and Pompeo has spoken about reviewing the US troop deployment to counter China in the Himalayan region. He has also claimed that the US will assist all countries that are resisting Chinese annexation in the South China sea. Pompeo has also been campaigning to ban TikTok in the US. So, what really scares Xi Jinping is democracy, social unrest, Winnie the Pooh and Mike Pompeo.

What really scares Xi Jinping: Democracy, social unrest, Winnie the Pooh and Mike Pompeo

The coronavirus pandemic continues to escalate in the US. The country recorded more than 68,400 cases in the last 24-hours alone. Watch report.

Coronavirus Pandemic: Massive surge in COVID-19 cases in South and West of US

Th Trump administration is reportedly considering to impose a sweeping travel ban on 92 million&nbsp;members of&nbsp;Communist Party&nbsp;of&nbsp;China along with their family members.

The&nbsp;presidential order will be based on the Immigration and Nationality Act used in a 2017 travel ban on several predominantly Muslim countries.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/more-countries-waking-up-to-huawei-threats-us-says-313556" hreflang="en">More countries waking up to Huawei threats, US says</a>

The move will almost certainly prompt retaliation against Americans seeking to enter or remain in China and escalate tensions between the two countries.

President Donald Trump has not ruled out further sanctions on top Chinese officials that could come in addition to actions taken this week to punish China for its handling of Hong Kong, a White House National Security Council spokesman said on Wednesday.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/trump-administration-action-on-risks-posed-by-tiktok-likely-in-weeks-white-house-313604" hreflang="en">Trump administration action on risks posed by TikTok likely 'in weeks': White</a>

The Hong Kong Autonomy Act, which Trump signed on Tuesday, allows him to impose sanctions and visa restrictions on Chinese officials and financial institutions involved in the imposition of China's new national security law in Hong Kong.

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo also&nbsp;took fresh aim at China, saying the United States would impose visa restrictions on Chinese firms like Huawei Technologies Co Ltd that he accused of facilitating human-rights violations.

"Whether it is TikTok or any of the other Chinese communications platforms, apps, infrastructure, this administration is taking seriously the requirement to protect the American people from having their information end up in the hands of the Chinese&nbsp;Communist&nbsp;Party."

Pompeo said Washington hoped to have another set of decisions shortly on Chinese telecoms firms that would reflect the need to protect US&nbsp;citizens' data from Beijing.

"General Secretary Xi Jinping made a choice to violate the Chinese&nbsp;Communist&nbsp;Party’s promises to Hong Kong that were made in U.N.-registered treaty. He didn’t have to do that and he made that choice,” Pompeo told reporters.

&nbsp;

Th Trump administration is reportedly considering to impose a sweeping travel ban on 92 million members of Communist Party of China along with their family members.

Th Trump administration is reportedly considering to impose a sweeping travel ban on 92 million members of Communist Party of China along with their family members. The presidential order will be based on the Immigration and Nationality Act used in a 2017 travel ban on several predominantly Muslim countries. Also read: More countries waking up to Huawei threats, US says The move will almost certainly prompt retaliation against Americans seeking to enter or remain in China and escalate tensions between the two countries. President Donald Trump has not ruled out further sanctions on top Chinese officials that could come in addition to actions taken this week to punish China for its handling of Hong Kong, a White House National Security Council spokesman said on Wednesday. Also read: Trump administration action on risks posed by TikTok likely 'in weeks': White The Hong Kong Autonomy Act, which Trump signed on Tuesday, allows him to impose sanctions and visa restrictions on Chinese officials and financial institutions involved in the imposition of China's new national security law in Hong Kong. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo also took fresh aim at China, saying the United States would impose visa restrictions on Chinese firms like Huawei Technologies Co Ltd that he accused of facilitating human-rights violations. "Whether it is TikTok or any of the other Chinese communications platforms, apps, infrastructure, this administration is taking seriously the requirement to protect the American people from having their information end up in the hands of the Chinese Communist Party." Pompeo said Washington hoped to have another set of decisions shortly on Chinese telecoms firms that would reflect the need to protect US citizens' data from Beijing. "General Secretary Xi Jinping made a choice to violate the Chinese Communist Party’s promises to Hong Kong that were made in U.N.-registered treaty. He didn’t have to do that and he made that choice,” Pompeo told reporters.

US mulls travel ban on 92 million members of Communist Party of China : Report

Trump's behaviour is not exactly presidential. There's a lot to criticise him for&nbsp;but a recent press conference by him will get you thinking&nbsp;that he may also not be the monster the American media has made him out to be and&nbsp;that he may just be a victim of the general unwillingness on either side to acknowledge anything of worth on the opposite side.

Trump doesn't want to hear what his critics say and his critics demonise him for everything he says or does.&nbsp;Trump is not getting many chances to publicly ramble during the&nbsp;pandemic. He has had to cut down on election rallies. So he turned a press conference at Rose Garden into a rally venue.

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/gravitas-decoding-the-victim-donald-trump-313547/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

The US president spoke for a total of 63 minutes. The briefing started with the announcement of an executive order to hold China accountable for its actions in Hong Kong.

"Hong Kong will now be treated as the same as China," said Trump. It may just be Trump's biggest message of intent to Beijing.

According to the White House, the&nbsp;new law will give the Trump administration new and powerful tools to hold responsible the individuals and entities involved in extinguishing Hong Kong's freedom.

Also, the executive order will revoke special treatment for all Hong Kong passport holders. This announcement was just the beginning as Donald Trump came prepared to settle all doubts about his alleged softness towards Beijing.

However, the remarks that followed make us loose&nbsp;hope as within a few minutes&nbsp;Trump turned the press conference into a campaign speech. He began attacking Joe Biden. The jibes ranged from Biden opposing Trump's travel ban on Chinese nationals to Biden never speaking anything bad about China and to how Biden's entire career had been a gift to the Chinese Communist Party.

It was a very well crafted speech to gain political points but it became slightly tough to follow Trump's stream of consciousness.

The US president wandered from one thought to another.&nbsp; Also, he mentioned Biden's name more than 20 times in the press conference. Trump took jabs at Biden's mental capacity and implied that Biden had grown senile.

Trump probably forgot that he was addressing the&nbsp;press conference as the president of the United States and not as somebody looking to secure another term at the White House.&nbsp; It&nbsp;was an event meant to announce new actions against China but Trump turned it into a never-ending monologue of political attacks.

Trump's niece Mary L Trump has the answers and its called, "Too much and never enough: How my family created the world's most dangerous man." The&nbsp;book questions Trump's mental health.

It asserts that pathologies stemming from his childhood are playing out now on a global stage. The&nbsp;book was&nbsp;released on the same day as the&nbsp;press conference which was the most rambling press conference witnessed under Trump's presidency.

However, the question being asked is Donald Trump as bad as he seems?

Well, if one does not take into account his regressive views, his questionable morality, his ridiculous tweets, his half-baked decisions, his poor pandemic response, his unwillingness to listen to others and his lack of interest in foreign relations and his silence when his allies need him, if one does not consider all these things then Donald Trump is not that bad after all.

Trump's behaviour is not exactly presidential. There's a lot to criticise him for but a recent press conference by him will get you thinking that he may also not be the monster the American media has made him out to be and that he may just be a victim of the general unwillingness on either side to acknowledge anything of worth on the opposite side.

Trump's behaviour is not exactly presidential. There's a lot to criticise him for but a recent press conference by him will get you thinking that he may also not be the monster the American media has made him out to be and that he may just be a victim of the general unwillingness on either side to acknowledge anything of worth on the opposite side. Trump doesn't want to hear what his critics say and his critics demonise him for everything he says or does. Trump is not getting many chances to publicly ramble during the pandemic. He has had to cut down on election rallies. So he turned a press conference at Rose Garden into a rally venue. The US president spoke for a total of 63 minutes. The briefing started with the announcement of an executive order to hold China accountable for its actions in Hong Kong. "Hong Kong will now be treated as the same as China," said Trump. It may just be Trump's biggest message of intent to Beijing. According to the White House, the new law will give the Trump administration new and powerful tools to hold responsible the individuals and entities involved in extinguishing Hong Kong's freedom. Also, the executive order will revoke special treatment for all Hong Kong passport holders. This announcement was just the beginning as Donald Trump came prepared to settle all doubts about his alleged softness towards Beijing. However, the remarks that followed make us loose hope as within a few minutes Trump turned the press conference into a campaign speech. He began attacking Joe Biden. The jibes ranged from Biden opposing Trump's travel ban on Chinese nationals to Biden never speaking anything bad about China and to how Biden's entire career had been a gift to the Chinese Communist Party. It was a very well crafted speech to gain political points but it became slightly tough to follow Trump's stream of consciousness. The US president wandered from one thought to another. Also, he mentioned Biden's name more than 20 times in the press conference. Trump took jabs at Biden's mental capacity and implied that Biden had grown senile. Trump probably forgot that he was addressing the press conference as the president of the United States and not as somebody looking to secure another term at the White House. It was an event meant to announce new actions against China but Trump turned it into a never-ending monologue of political attacks. Trump's niece Mary L Trump has the answers and its called, "Too much and never enough: How my family created the world's most dangerous man." The book questions Trump's mental health. It asserts that pathologies stemming from his childhood are playing out now on a global stage. The book was released on the same day as the press conference which was the most rambling press conference witnessed under Trump's presidency. However, the question being asked is Donald Trump as bad as he seems? Well, if one does not take into account his regressive views, his questionable morality, his ridiculous tweets, his half-baked decisions, his poor pandemic response, his unwillingness to listen to others and his lack of interest in foreign relations and his silence when his allies need him, if one does not consider all these things then Donald Trump is not that bad after all.

Dissecting Trump and his behaviour as President of United States

The US Justice Department has used terrorism charges for the first time to indict a member of the notoriously violent MS-13 gang.

Attorney General Bill Barr announced the charges against Salvador-based gang leader Armando Eliu Melgar Diaz at a White House event meant to highlight the Trump administration's efforts to crack down on the group, on Wednesday.

The Justice Department accused Diaz with conspiracy to provide material support to terrorists and conspiracy to cross-border terror acts, along with narco-terror financing and other charges. He was further accused of directing MS-13 activities in the US East Coast region, ordering and approving numerous murders and overseeing drug deals while collecting payments from around 20 local MS-13 cliques.

The department did not explain why it was using terror charges for the first time against the gang, but it noted that the Salvadoran government had designated MS-13 a terror group.

Diaz lived illegally in the United States, mostly in Virginia, from 2003 to 2016 when he was deported. After that, he became the gang's main coordinator for its eastern US operations based in El Salvador.&nbsp;

He is currently under arrest in El Salvador, facing charges of drug trafficking and conspiracy to commit murder.

Meanwhile, federal prosecutors announced Wednesday the indictments of 21 MS-13 members in New York and Nevada who belong to US operations separate from those run by Diaz.

Charges against those involved include murder, kidnapping, drug trafficking and weapons violations.&nbsp;

The Justice Department also said it would seek the death penalty for a notorious MS-13 hit man in New York, Alexi Saenz, who was indicted in 2017 for seven murders.

(with inputs from AFP)

The US Justice Department has used terrorism charges for the first time to indict a member of the notoriously violent MS-13 gang. Attorney General Bill Barr announced the charges against Salvador-based gang leader Armando Eliu Melgar Diaz at a White House event meant to highlight the Trump administration's efforts to crack down on the group, on Wednesday.

The US Justice Department has used terrorism charges for the first time to indict a member of the notoriously violent MS-13 gang. Attorney General Bill Barr announced the charges against Salvador-based gang leader Armando Eliu Melgar Diaz at a White House event meant to highlight the Trump administration's efforts to crack down on the group, on Wednesday. The Justice Department accused Diaz with conspiracy to provide material support to terrorists and conspiracy to cross-border terror acts, along with narco-terror financing and other charges. He was further accused of directing MS-13 activities in the US East Coast region, ordering and approving numerous murders and overseeing drug deals while collecting payments from around 20 local MS-13 cliques. The department did not explain why it was using terror charges for the first time against the gang, but it noted that the Salvadoran government had designated MS-13 a terror group. Diaz lived illegally in the United States, mostly in Virginia, from 2003 to 2016 when he was deported. After that, he became the gang's main coordinator for its eastern US operations based in El Salvador. He is currently under arrest in El Salvador, facing charges of drug trafficking and conspiracy to commit murder. Meanwhile, federal prosecutors announced Wednesday the indictments of 21 MS-13 members in New York and Nevada who belong to US operations separate from those run by Diaz. Charges against those involved include murder, kidnapping, drug trafficking and weapons violations. The Justice Department also said it would seek the death penalty for a notorious MS-13 hit man in New York, Alexi Saenz, who was indicted in 2017 for seven murders. (with inputs from AFP)

In a first, US charges MS-13 leader with terror

The US Supreme Court has overturned lower court's ruling on Thursday and has cleared the way for the second federal execution in 17 years.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-judge-blocks-second-federal-execution-in-17-years-313563" hreflang="en">US judge blocks second federal execution in 17 years</a>&nbsp;

The court has allowed the Justice Department, who has planned to execute Wesley Purkey, convicted of raping and murdering a 16-year-old girl, despite objections by lawyers that he has dementia and no longer understands his punishment.

Early on Wednesday, US District Court Judge Tanya Chutkan in Washington issued two injunctions to allow various legal challenges by some of the 61 inmates on federal death row to continue.

One of the injunctions also prevents the federal government from carrying out all scheduled executions, including Purkey's.

But these injunctions were overturned by the Supreme Court.&nbsp;

The Justice Department has set execution dates for two other men convicted of murdering children: Dustin Honken on Friday and Keith Nelson on August 28.

The Supreme Court has previously ruled it is "abhorrent" and unconstitutional to execute someone whose mental illness prevents them from comprehending their punishment.

The US Supreme Court has overturned lower court's ruling on Thursday and has cleared the way for the second federal execution in 17 years. Also read: US judge blocks second federal execution in 17 years The court has allowed the Justice Department, who has planned to execute Wesley Purkey, convicted of raping and murdering a 16-year-old girl, despite objections by lawyers that he has dementia and no longer understands his punishment.

The US Supreme Court has overturned lower court's ruling on Thursday and has cleared the way for the second federal execution in 17 years. Also read: US judge blocks second federal execution in 17 years The court has allowed the Justice Department, who has planned to execute Wesley Purkey, convicted of raping and murdering a 16-year-old girl, despite objections by lawyers that he has dementia and no longer understands his punishment. Early on Wednesday, US District Court Judge Tanya Chutkan in Washington issued two injunctions to allow various legal challenges by some of the 61 inmates on federal death row to continue. One of the injunctions also prevents the federal government from carrying out all scheduled executions, including Purkey's. But these injunctions were overturned by the Supreme Court. The Justice Department has set execution dates for two other men convicted of murdering children: Dustin Honken on Friday and Keith Nelson on August 28. The Supreme Court has previously ruled it is "abhorrent" and unconstitutional to execute someone whose mental illness prevents them from comprehending their punishment.

US Supreme Court clears way for second federal execution in 17 years

The coronavirus pandemic continues to surge in the United States. The country has now recorded more than 67,600 cases in the last 24-hours. Watch report.

COVID-19 Pandemic: US records highest single-day surge

Google is being sued by app users for tracking heir activities even after they had opted out. In a data privacy lawsuit filed in the US, users have accused the tech giant of keeping a record of their activity. Watch report.

Google illegally storing user 'data': Tracks users activity in apps

The US has hit out at China's aggressive posturing in the South China Sea. A senior official at the US state department has compared China's state enterprises to Britain's Colonial East India Company. Watch report.

US hit out at Chinese companies | Comapres china to colonial powers

Several high-profile Twitter accounts were simultaneously hacked on July 15 by attackers who used the accounts with millions of followers to spread a cryptocurrency scam. watch report.

Bitcoin scammers hack Twitter | Prominent US personalities hacked

Alabama Republicans nominated political neophyte Tommy Tuberville, the choice of President Donald Trump, to run for the Senate in November as voters in three states picked candidates Tuesday in races that will help decide control of the chamber.

Maine Democrats nominated Sara Gideon, the speaker of the state's House of Representatives, to face off against moderate Republican Senator Susan Collins, one of the Senate's most at-risk Republicans.

But there was a close, ongoing battle in Texas between Air Force veteran MJ Hegar and Black state senator Royce West over the Democratic nomination to go up against Republican Senator John Cornyn in November.&nbsp;

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="/world/trump-says-more-white-people-than-blacks-are-killed-by-us-police-313331" hreflang="en">Trump says 'more white people' than Blacks are killed by US police</a>

In Alabama, Tuberville, 65, a former football coach, beat Jeff Sessions, a former U.S. attorney general who was fired by the president. Tuberville had 62.1 percent to Session's 37.9 percent, with 73 percent of precincts reporting, the New York Times said. He will take on Democrat Doug Jones in November.

Sessions had hoped to return to the Senate, where he had been a member for 20 years before joining the Trump administration. But Sessions told reporters he would support Tuberville in November.

While Republican stronghold Alabama went for Trump's choice of candidate, Trump's public approval across the country has dropped as the coronavirus pandemic surged through the United States, killing more than 130,000 people and throwing tens of millions out of work.

That is weighing on his fellow Republicans, dimming the re-election hopes of senators in Colorado, North Carolina and Arizona and leaving even senior Republicans in conservative stakes like Mitch McConnell's Kentucky having to work harder than expected to defend their seats.

Republicans currently control the Senate, 53-47. Democrats would need to pick up four seats in the 100-member chamber for a majority if Trump is re-elected, or three if presumptive Democratic nominee Joe Biden wins the White House, giving the party a tie-breaking Senate vote.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="/world/us-president-trump-has-made-23-false-claims-every-day-in-the-last-14-months-report-313141" hreflang="en">US President Trump has made 23 false claims every day in the last 14 months: Report</a>

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; "If the coronavirus continues to get worse and the economy doesn't improve, it's hard to imagine any president ...&nbsp;getting re-elected very easily, and it's hard to imagine that president's party doing well," said Joshua Blank, research director of the Texas Politics Project at the University of Texas at Austin.

Although the primary elections in all three states had been postponed from earlier this year because of the coronavirus, they were held Tuesday even as the number of new cases continued to surge in southern and western states. Texas saw a record 10,745 new cases on Tuesday, and Alabama reported a record daily number of 40 deaths from the coronavirus.

TOP DEMOCRATIC OPPORTUNITY

Democrats see Collins' Senate seat representing Maine as one of their top pick-up opportunities. Gideon had been leading Collins by a few percentage points in recent opinion polls even before Tuesday's primary.&nbsp;

Gideon had 71 percent of the primary tally, with Sweet and Kidman trailing far behind, after 26 percent of precincts reported, the New York Times said.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="/world/us-has-biggest-covid-19-testing-programme-anywhere-in-the-world-says-trump-313142" hreflang="en">US has 'biggest covid-19 testing programme' anywhere in the world, says Trump</a>

"We did it! Thank you to everyone who has supported our campaign to elect a senator who will fight for Mainers—not special interests. Onward to November!" Gideon wrote on Twitter.

The candidates for the Democratic Senate nomination in Texas were fighting neck-and-neck.&nbsp;

Hegar, a former helicopter pilot, had 52.3 percent to 47.7 percent for West, with 56 percent of the vote counted, the Times said. "We don't expect this to be over tonight," Vince Leibowitz, a spokesman for the West campaign, told reporters.

Alabama Republicans nominated political neophyte Tommy Tuberville, the choice of President Donald Trump, to run for the Senate in November as voters in three states picked candidates Tuesday in races that will help decide control of the chamber.

Alabama Republicans nominated political neophyte Tommy Tuberville, the choice of President Donald Trump, to run for the Senate in November as voters in three states picked candidates Tuesday in races that will help decide control of the chamber. Maine Democrats nominated Sara Gideon, the speaker of the state's House of Representatives, to face off against moderate Republican Senator Susan Collins, one of the Senate's most at-risk Republicans. But there was a close, ongoing battle in Texas between Air Force veteran MJ Hegar and Black state senator Royce West over the Democratic nomination to go up against Republican Senator John Cornyn in November. Also read: Trump says 'more white people' than Blacks are killed by US police In Alabama, Tuberville, 65, a former football coach, beat Jeff Sessions, a former U.S. attorney general who was fired by the president. Tuberville had 62.1 percent to Session's 37.9 percent, with 73 percent of precincts reporting, the New York Times said. He will take on Democrat Doug Jones in November. Sessions had hoped to return to the Senate, where he had been a member for 20 years before joining the Trump administration. But Sessions told reporters he would support Tuberville in November. While Republican stronghold Alabama went for Trump's choice of candidate, Trump's public approval across the country has dropped as the coronavirus pandemic surged through the United States, killing more than 130,000 people and throwing tens of millions out of work. That is weighing on his fellow Republicans, dimming the re-election hopes of senators in Colorado, North Carolina and Arizona and leaving even senior Republicans in conservative stakes like Mitch McConnell's Kentucky having to work harder than expected to defend their seats. Republicans currently control the Senate, 53-47. Democrats would need to pick up four seats in the 100-member chamber for a majority if Trump is re-elected, or three if presumptive Democratic nominee Joe Biden wins the White House, giving the party a tie-breaking Senate vote. Also read: US President Trump has made 23 false claims every day in the last 14 months: Report "If the coronavirus continues to get worse and the economy doesn't improve, it's hard to imagine any president ... getting re-elected very easily, and it's hard to imagine that president's party doing well," said Joshua Blank, research director of the Texas Politics Project at the University of Texas at Austin. Although the primary elections in all three states had been postponed from earlier this year because of the coronavirus, they were held Tuesday even as the number of new cases continued to surge in southern and western states. Texas saw a record 10,745 new cases on Tuesday, and Alabama reported a record daily number of 40 deaths from the coronavirus. TOP DEMOCRATIC OPPORTUNITY Democrats see Collins' Senate seat representing Maine as one of their top pick-up opportunities. Gideon had been leading Collins by a few percentage points in recent opinion polls even before Tuesday's primary. Gideon had 71 percent of the primary tally, with Sweet and Kidman trailing far behind, after 26 percent of precincts reported, the New York Times said. Also read: US has 'biggest covid-19 testing programme' anywhere in the world, says Trump "We did it! Thank you to everyone who has supported our campaign to elect a senator who will fight for Mainers—not special interests. Onward to November!" Gideon wrote on Twitter. The candidates for the Democratic Senate nomination in Texas were fighting neck-and-neck. Hegar, a former helicopter pilot, had 52.3 percent to 47.7 percent for West, with 56 percent of the vote counted, the Times said. "We don't expect this to be over tonight," Vince Leibowitz, a spokesman for the West campaign, told reporters.

Trump pick gets nod in Alabama as three US states select Senate candidates

As part of the US-Taliban peace agreement, US has pulled out troops from the 5 bases in Afghanistan. According to the deal, the US had 135 days to fulfill its pledge to reduce troops to 8,600 from nearly 14,000 in the conflict-hit country

WION Dispatch: Taliban peace deal: US withdraws army troops out of 5 Afghan bases

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