The US House Committee on Wednesday made to order an amendment which will further enhance defence cooperation with India.

"Reflecting the bi-partisan support in US Congress to strengthen the <a href="https://www.google.com/url?client=internal-uds-cse&amp;cx=006054055338965708568:09spwrlibei&amp;q=https://www.wionews.com/india-news/india-us-trade-talks-to-be-held-on-july-12-in-new-delhi-234691&amp;sa=U&amp;ved=2ahUKEwioyaqzz6zjAhVqILcAHYrhDfsQFjAFegQIBhAC&amp;usg=AOvVaw1ItLHL2SZ8dxhTfY6rcdJg">India-US</a> defence partnership, the House Rules Committee today made to order the bi-partisan Sherman amendment that seeks to promote bilateral defence cooperation by exploring additional steps to implement the major defence partner designation including through appropriate technology transfers," Capitol Hill source told ANI.

The amendment received the support from both Republican and Democrats members including Congressmen Brad Sherman, Joe Wilson, George Holding, Ami Bera, Raja Krishnamoorthi.&nbsp;

The Foreign Affairs and Armed Services Committee also supported the amendment. The Sherman amendment is a part of the House's version of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) FY 2020.&nbsp;

The bill is currently under passage on the House Floor. As an understanding has already been reached on the bill and the selected amendments, it is in the process of being passed by a simple voice vote.

Notably, more than 680 amendments were submitted, this was among the very few that talked of strengthening defence relations with another country that was made to order by the Rules Committee.

Another amendment pertaining to India that was made to order is by Congressman Ami Bera (D-CA) which is a reporting requirement for enhancing defence and security cooperation with India in the western Indian Ocean.&nbsp;

The US House Committee on Wednesday made to order an amendment which will further enhance defence cooperation with India. "Reflecting the bi-partisan support in US Congress to strengthen the India-US defence partnership, the House Rules Committee today made to order the bi-partisan Sherman amendment that seeks to promote bilateral defence cooperation by exploring additional steps to implement the major defence partner designation including through appropriate technology transfers," Capitol Hill source told ANI.

The US House Committee on Wednesday made to order an amendment which will further enhance defence cooperation with India. "Reflecting the bi-partisan support in US Congress to strengthen the India-US defence partnership, the House Rules Committee today made to order the bi-partisan Sherman amendment that seeks to promote bilateral defence cooperation by exploring additional steps to implement the major defence partner designation including through appropriate technology transfers," Capitol Hill source told ANI. The amendment received the support from both Republican and Democrats members including Congressmen Brad Sherman, Joe Wilson, George Holding, Ami Bera, Raja Krishnamoorthi. The Foreign Affairs and Armed Services Committee also supported the amendment. The Sherman amendment is a part of the House's version of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) FY 2020. The bill is currently under passage on the House Floor. As an understanding has already been reached on the bill and the selected amendments, it is in the process of being passed by a simple voice vote. Notably, more than 680 amendments were submitted, this was among the very few that talked of strengthening defence relations with another country that was made to order by the Rules Committee. Another amendment pertaining to India that was made to order is by Congressman Ami Bera (D-CA) which is a reporting requirement for enhancing defence and security cooperation with India in the western Indian Ocean.

United States House to vote for further enhancing India-US defence cooperation

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

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

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

US Congress clashes over border funding as migrants kept in squalor

Former US special counsel <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/robert-mueller-should-not-testify-before-us-congress-trump-216223">Robert Mueller</a> has agreed to testify in public on July 17 about his report into Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election, the House Judiciary and Intelligence Committees said Tuesday.

"Robert Mueller has agreed to testify before Congress pursuant to subpoena," intelligence committee chairman Adam Schiff announced on Twitter.

"Russia attacked our democracy to help Trump win. Trump welcomed and used that help. As Mueller said, that should concern every American. And now, every American will get to hear directly from Mueller."

Judiciary committee chairman Jerry Nadler confirmed that Mueller would appear "in open session."

The Mueller Report released in April outlined numerous contacts between Trump's election campaign and government-linked Russians, as well as evidence that the president tried on several occasions to stymie the investigation.&nbsp;

The Democrats have been split on whether to launch impeachment proceedings against the Republican president but -- fearing that much of the country is unaware of the report's contents -- have been asking major figures to testify in public on its findings.&nbsp;

Making his first public statement about the high-stakes probe on May 29, Mueller said longstanding Justice Department guidelines prevented him from charging Trump, despite at least 10 possible acts of criminal obstruction by the president.&nbsp;

But not indicting Trump was not equivalent to clearing him, Mueller said, suggesting Congress has both the constitutional powers and the responsibility to pursue the case.

While many of the candidates for the 2020 Democratic nomination are pro-impeachment, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has argued that it would be a risky move without an "ironclad" case and bipartisan support.

If the Democrat-controlled House of Representatives were to vote on formal impeachment charges, the Republican-held Senate would decide whether to convict, which requires an unlikely two-thirds majority.

"Americans have demanded to hear directly from the special counsel so they can understand what he and his team examined, uncovered, and determined about Russia's attack on our democracy, the Trump campaign's acceptance and use of that help, and President Trump and his associates' obstruction of the investigation into that attack," Nadler and Schiff said in a joint statement.&nbsp;

Mueller spent nearly two years investigating Russian election interference and possible involvement by Trump and his inner circle.&nbsp;

He concluded that there wasn't sufficient proof of a criminal conspiracy but found that Trump's campaign welcomed and expected to benefit electorally from information stolen and released through Russian efforts.

Former US special counsel Robert Mueller has agreed to testify in public on July 17 about his report into Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election, the House Judiciary and Intelligence Committees said Tuesday.

Former US special counsel Robert Mueller has agreed to testify in public on July 17 about his report into Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election, the House Judiciary and Intelligence Committees said Tuesday. "Robert Mueller has agreed to testify before Congress pursuant to subpoena," intelligence committee chairman Adam Schiff announced on Twitter. "Russia attacked our democracy to help Trump win. Trump welcomed and used that help. As Mueller said, that should concern every American. And now, every American will get to hear directly from Mueller." Judiciary committee chairman Jerry Nadler confirmed that Mueller would appear "in open session." The Mueller Report released in April outlined numerous contacts between Trump's election campaign and government-linked Russians, as well as evidence that the president tried on several occasions to stymie the investigation. The Democrats have been split on whether to launch impeachment proceedings against the Republican president but -- fearing that much of the country is unaware of the report's contents -- have been asking major figures to testify in public on its findings. Making his first public statement about the high-stakes probe on May 29, Mueller said longstanding Justice Department guidelines prevented him from charging Trump, despite at least 10 possible acts of criminal obstruction by the president. But not indicting Trump was not equivalent to clearing him, Mueller said, suggesting Congress has both the constitutional powers and the responsibility to pursue the case. While many of the candidates for the 2020 Democratic nomination are pro-impeachment, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has argued that it would be a risky move without an "ironclad" case and bipartisan support. If the Democrat-controlled House of Representatives were to vote on formal impeachment charges, the Republican-held Senate would decide whether to convict, which requires an unlikely two-thirds majority. "Americans have demanded to hear directly from the special counsel so they can understand what he and his team examined, uncovered, and determined about Russia's attack on our democracy, the Trump campaign's acceptance and use of that help, and President Trump and his associates' obstruction of the investigation into that attack," Nadler and Schiff said in a joint statement. Mueller spent nearly two years investigating Russian election interference and possible involvement by Trump and his inner circle. He concluded that there wasn't sufficient proof of a criminal conspiracy but found that Trump's campaign welcomed and expected to benefit electorally from information stolen and released through Russian efforts.

Robert Muller to testify before House committees on US-Russia probe in July: Congress

A bipartisan legislation was introduced in the Congress which will increase oversight of <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/chinas-xi-says-economy-positioned-to-meet-all-challenges-report-224401">Chinese and other foreign firms</a> listed on US exchanges and allow delisting those companies who do not comply with the regulations.

A bipartisan group of four powerful Senators introduced the legislation in the Senate on Wednesday while another group of three US Representatives tabled the companion bill in the US House of Representatives.

The <a href="https://www.wionews.com/business-economy/world-bank-slashes-global-growth-forecast-amid-deepening-us-china-trade-conflict-224398">legislation--Ensuring Quality Information </a>and Transparency for Abroad-Based Listings on our Exchanges (EQUITABLE) Act--will force the Chinese government, which currently blocks US regulators from viewing the full audit reports of publicly traded companies headquartered in Hong Kong and mainland China, to change behaviour, the lawmakers said in a joint statement.

It will better inform investors about their exposure to financial risks, delist non-compliant issuers of securities, and ban Chinese and other foreign firms that flaunt investor protection and regulatory norms from entering the US capital markets, the statement said.

According to the US-China Economic and Security Review Commission there are 156 Chinese companies, including 11 state-owned-enterprises, that are listed on America's three largest exchanges with a combined market capitalisation of $1.2 trillion.

"The Chinese Communist government consistently manipulates the law and our regulations to protect their companies from being held to basic global accounting standards, creating unfair advantages and further encouraging corrupt behaviour," Republican Representative from Texas Mike Conaway said.

The EQUITABLE Act is simple: any Chinese company who wishes to be listed on the US stock exchanges, or access US capital, should be required to comply with the US laws on financial transparency, he said.

"Beijing shows no apprehension while obstructing attempts to audit Chinese companies or breaking US laws. Without the EQUITABLE Act, the Chinese government will only escalate this malicious pattern of conduct," Conaway said.

Republican Senator Marco Rubio said Beijing should no longer be allowed to shield the US-listed Chinese companies from complying with American laws and regulations for financial transparency and accountability.&nbsp;

"If China-based companies want to list on stock exchanges or access capital markets in the US, we should make them comply with American laws," he said. 
The EQUITABLE Act makes it clear that there is a price for the Chinese government and Communist Party's disregard for the rules of responsible economic and financial engagement in international capital markets, Rubio said.

Democrat Senator Robert Menendez demanded that it's time for China's government and companies to play by the same rules as American companies in US financial markets. The new legislation would ensure that foreign companies comply with the US accounting regulations.

"This will stop Chinese firms from hiding behind the Communist Party's efforts to take advantage of our capital markets by withholding accounting information. US investors trust that both foreign and domestic publicly-listed firms are held to the same standard ? and the EQUITABLE Act will make it so," Menendez said. 
Republican Senator Tom Cotton alleged the Chinese Communist Party shields its prized companies from financial audits and accountability, yet the US still allows those companies to be traded on the US stock exchanges.

"If foreign companies want to stay on American exchanges, they need to abide by the same rules everyone else does. Our bill would ensure that foreign companies traded on US stock exchanges provide regulators with information already required by law," he said.

"Chinese firms should not be allowed to play by a different set of rules than American companies, yet they are currently allowed to operate on our stock exchanges without the same oversight that the US companies have to comply with," New York Democratic Senator Kirsten Gillibrand said.

Americans deserve full transparency about the companies listed on the US stock exchanges, she asserted.&nbsp;

"If China refuses to comply with international norms of transparency, then its companies should not have access to the US market," she said. 
If Chinese companies, or any other foreign firm, want to list on the US stock exchange, they need to follow US financial laws, demanded Democrat Representative Tim Ryan. 
The Chinese government's continued attempts to undermine US laws is appalling and displays a pattern of disrespect to the US. Congress needs to put an end to this, he said.

In December 2018, the Securities and Exchange Commission and the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (PCAOB) issued a joint warning to investors about the challenges American regulators face when attempting to conduct oversight of US-listed companies whose operations are based in China and Hong Kong.

A bipartisan legislation was introduced in the Congress which will increase oversight of Chinese and other foreign firms listed on US exchanges and allow delisting those companies who do not comply with the regulations.

A bipartisan legislation was introduced in the Congress which will increase oversight of Chinese and other foreign firms listed on US exchanges and allow delisting those companies who do not comply with the regulations. A bipartisan group of four powerful Senators introduced the legislation in the Senate on Wednesday while another group of three US Representatives tabled the companion bill in the US House of Representatives. The legislation--Ensuring Quality Information and Transparency for Abroad-Based Listings on our Exchanges (EQUITABLE) Act--will force the Chinese government, which currently blocks US regulators from viewing the full audit reports of publicly traded companies headquartered in Hong Kong and mainland China, to change behaviour, the lawmakers said in a joint statement. It will better inform investors about their exposure to financial risks, delist non-compliant issuers of securities, and ban Chinese and other foreign firms that flaunt investor protection and regulatory norms from entering the US capital markets, the statement said. According to the US-China Economic and Security Review Commission there are 156 Chinese companies, including 11 state-owned-enterprises, that are listed on America's three largest exchanges with a combined market capitalisation of $1.2 trillion. "The Chinese Communist government consistently manipulates the law and our regulations to protect their companies from being held to basic global accounting standards, creating unfair advantages and further encouraging corrupt behaviour," Republican Representative from Texas Mike Conaway said. The EQUITABLE Act is simple: any Chinese company who wishes to be listed on the US stock exchanges, or access US capital, should be required to comply with the US laws on financial transparency, he said. "Beijing shows no apprehension while obstructing attempts to audit Chinese companies or breaking US laws. Without the EQUITABLE Act, the Chinese government will only escalate this malicious pattern of conduct," Conaway said. Republican Senator Marco Rubio said Beijing should no longer be allowed to shield the US-listed Chinese companies from complying with American laws and regulations for financial transparency and accountability. "If China-based companies want to list on stock exchanges or access capital markets in the US, we should make them comply with American laws," he said. The EQUITABLE Act makes it clear that there is a price for the Chinese government and Communist Party's disregard for the rules of responsible economic and financial engagement in international capital markets, Rubio said. Democrat Senator Robert Menendez demanded that it's time for China's government and companies to play by the same rules as American companies in US financial markets. The new legislation would ensure that foreign companies comply with the US accounting regulations. "This will stop Chinese firms from hiding behind the Communist Party's efforts to take advantage of our capital markets by withholding accounting information. US investors trust that both foreign and domestic publicly-listed firms are held to the same standard ? and the EQUITABLE Act will make it so," Menendez said. Republican Senator Tom Cotton alleged the Chinese Communist Party shields its prized companies from financial audits and accountability, yet the US still allows those companies to be traded on the US stock exchanges. "If foreign companies want to stay on American exchanges, they need to abide by the same rules everyone else does. Our bill would ensure that foreign companies traded on US stock exchanges provide regulators with information already required by law," he said. "Chinese firms should not be allowed to play by a different set of rules than American companies, yet they are currently allowed to operate on our stock exchanges without the same oversight that the US companies have to comply with," New York Democratic Senator Kirsten Gillibrand said. Americans deserve full transparency about the companies listed on the US stock exchanges, she asserted. "If China refuses to comply with international norms of transparency, then its companies should not have access to the US market," she said. If Chinese companies, or any other foreign firm, want to list on the US stock exchange, they need to follow US financial laws, demanded Democrat Representative Tim Ryan. The Chinese government's continued attempts to undermine US laws is appalling and displays a pattern of disrespect to the US. Congress needs to put an end to this, he said. In December 2018, the Securities and Exchange Commission and the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (PCAOB) issued a joint warning to investors about the challenges American regulators face when attempting to conduct oversight of US-listed companies whose operations are based in China and Hong Kong.

US lawmakers introduce legislation to push US-listed Chinese firms to comply with financial oversight

Democratic presidential hopeful Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard on Thursday congratulated Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who was sworn in as India's Prime Minister for a second term.

"I extend my congratulations to Narendra Modi on the occasion of his being sworn in to serve a second term as India's Prime Minister," she said. She said India is the world's largest democracy, where the recent elections saw over 500 million people cast their votes all across India at nearly one million polling places.

"Through the last several years, we have seen the US-India partnership has continued to grow in areas like regional security and trade," she said.&nbsp;

"It is very important that the US and India continue to work together to solve some of the most pressing issues facing our worlds, such as combating<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/main-european-union-parties-adopt-climate-change-as-rallying-cry-221214"> climate change</a>, preventing nuclear war and nuclear proliferation, protecting our oceans and rivers, improving the economic well-being of our people, as well as protecting individual freedoms and rights," she said in a statement.

Gabbard is the first ever Hindu lawmaker in the US Congress. She is also the first ever Hindu to run for presidential elections. Currently, there are nearly 20 Democratic presidential aspirants in the race to challenge incumbent Donald Trump for the 2020 elections.

A former Co-Chair of the powerful India Caucus in the US House of Representatives, Gabbard has been a close friend of India and a supporter of a string India US relationship.&nbsp;

Democratic presidential hopeful Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard on Thursday congratulated Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who was sworn in as India's Prime Minister for a second term.

Democratic presidential hopeful Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard on Thursday congratulated Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who was sworn in as India's Prime Minister for a second term. "I extend my congratulations to Narendra Modi on the occasion of his being sworn in to serve a second term as India's Prime Minister," she said. She said India is the world's largest democracy, where the recent elections saw over 500 million people cast their votes all across India at nearly one million polling places. "Through the last several years, we have seen the US-India partnership has continued to grow in areas like regional security and trade," she said. "It is very important that the US and India continue to work together to solve some of the most pressing issues facing our worlds, such as combating climate change, preventing nuclear war and nuclear proliferation, protecting our oceans and rivers, improving the economic well-being of our people, as well as protecting individual freedoms and rights," she said in a statement. Gabbard is the first ever Hindu lawmaker in the US Congress. She is also the first ever Hindu to run for presidential elections. Currently, there are nearly 20 Democratic presidential aspirants in the race to challenge incumbent Donald Trump for the 2020 elections. A former Co-Chair of the powerful India Caucus in the US House of Representatives, Gabbard has been a close friend of India and a supporter of a string India US relationship.

Tulsi Gabbard congratulates PM Modi

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/business-economy/amazon-shareholders-reject-facial-recognition-ban-as-concern-grows-in-us-congress-220810">Amazon.com Inc shareholders</a> overwhelmingly rejected a proposal that the company stop selling facial recognition technology to government agencies, while a resolution to audit the service drew more support, a regulatory filing on Friday showed.

Some 2.4% of votes were in favour of the ban. A second proposal that called for a study of the extent to which Amazon's "Rekognition" service harmed civil rights and privacy garnered 27.5% support.

Amazon's sale of the technology to law enforcement in Oregon and Florida has put the company at the centre of a growing US debate over facial recognition, with critics warning of false matches and arrests and proponents arguing it keeps the public safe.

Amazon has defended its work and said all users must follow the law.

These and other Amazon resolutions by shareholders faced an uphill battle to winning majority support, with Amazon's board recommending against them and founder and Chief Executive Jeff Bezos controlling 16% of the stock and voting rights.

Calculation of support was based on the total votes for, against and abstaining. The tallies excluded broker non-votes.

Law enforcement in the United States have used facial recognition for years, and vendors of the technology have abounded, including France's Idemia, Japan's NEC Corp and newer entrants like Israel's Anyvision and Microsoft Corp, which has called for regulation in recent months.

Now, members of the US&nbsp;Congress are looking into the rights impact of the technology. Amazon's marketing of facial recognition has resulted in intense scrutiny, and researchers have said its technology struggled to identify the gender of individuals with darker skin, prompting fears of unjust arrests.

Among other issues, shareholders considered before Amazon's annual meeting on Wednesday was a request to make it easier for investors to call a special meeting, which garnered 35.3% of votes.

A proposal that the company report how it plans to deal with climate change received 29.8% of votes. Nearly 7,700 employees had signed a letter of support of the climate resolution, in a sign of rising worker activism at Amazon.

Watch: Jeff Bezos says he'll send a spaceship to the moon

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Amazon.com Inc shareholders overwhelmingly rejected a proposal that the company stop selling facial recognition technology to government agencies, while a resolution to audit the service drew more support, a regulatory filing on Friday showed.

Amazon.com Inc shareholders overwhelmingly rejected a proposal that the company stop selling facial recognition technology to government agencies, while a resolution to audit the service drew more support, a regulatory filing on Friday showed. Some 2.4% of votes were in favour of the ban. A second proposal that called for a study of the extent to which Amazon's "Rekognition" service harmed civil rights and privacy garnered 27.5% support. Amazon's sale of the technology to law enforcement in Oregon and Florida has put the company at the centre of a growing US debate over facial recognition, with critics warning of false matches and arrests and proponents arguing it keeps the public safe. Amazon has defended its work and said all users must follow the law. These and other Amazon resolutions by shareholders faced an uphill battle to winning majority support, with Amazon's board recommending against them and founder and Chief Executive Jeff Bezos controlling 16% of the stock and voting rights. Calculation of support was based on the total votes for, against and abstaining. The tallies excluded broker non-votes. Law enforcement in the United States have used facial recognition for years, and vendors of the technology have abounded, including France's Idemia, Japan's NEC Corp and newer entrants like Israel's Anyvision and Microsoft Corp, which has called for regulation in recent months. Now, members of the US Congress are looking into the rights impact of the technology. Amazon's marketing of facial recognition has resulted in intense scrutiny, and researchers have said its technology struggled to identify the gender of individuals with darker skin, prompting fears of unjust arrests. Among other issues, shareholders considered before Amazon's annual meeting on Wednesday was a request to make it easier for investors to call a special meeting, which garnered 35.3% of votes. A proposal that the company report how it plans to deal with climate change received 29.8% of votes. Nearly 7,700 employees had signed a letter of support of the climate resolution, in a sign of rising worker activism at Amazon. Watch: Jeff Bezos says he'll send a spaceship to the moon ×

Amazon facial recognition ban won just 2% of shareholder vote

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/business-economy/amazon-offers-employees-10000-to-quit-launch-delivery-business-218463">Amazon&nbsp;</a>said&nbsp;shareholders&nbsp;rejected proposals to curb and audit its&nbsp;facial&nbsp;recognition&nbsp;service on Wednesday, just as members of&nbsp;Congress&nbsp;indicated there was bipartisan support to one day regulate the technology.

In the past year, Amazon&nbsp;has found itself at the centre of a growing debate over the use of&nbsp;facial&nbsp;recognition&nbsp;by governments, with critics warning of false matches and arrests and proponents arguing it keeps the public safe. Law enforcement in Oregon and Florida have used&nbsp;Amazon's face and image ID service, known as Rekognition.

With support from civil liberties groups, two non-binding proposals on&nbsp;facial&nbsp;recognition&nbsp;made it to the ballot ahead of&nbsp;Amazon's shareholder meeting on Wednesday. The world's top online retailer and cloud computing company had tried to stop the votes, but it was effectively overruled by the&nbsp;US Securities and Exchange Commission.

The first proposal would have made the company stop offering&nbsp;facial&nbsp;recognition&nbsp;to governments unless its board determined sales did not violate civil liberties. A second would have requested a study by September of the extent to which&nbsp;Amazon's service harmed rights and privacy.

According to an&nbsp;Amazon&nbsp;spokeswoman, the resolutions failed by a wide margin. The vote breakdown will be disclosed at a later point in time.

Adding to&nbsp;shareholders'&nbsp;concerns was recent research that showed&nbsp;Amazon's technology struggled to identify the gender of individuals with darker skin, prompting fears that a faulty technology would put innocent people behind bars.

Amazon&nbsp;has defended its work and said all users must follow the law. It also added a web portal for people to report any abuse of the service.

The proposals faced an uphill battle.&nbsp;Amazon's board recommended against them, and Jeff Bezos, the company's chief executive and founder, controls 16 per cent of it's stock and voting rights.

Still, critics of the technology believed the vote was beneficial.

"This shareholder intervention should serve as a wake-up call for the company to reckon with the real harms of face surveillance and to change course," said Shankar Narayan of the American Civil Liberties Union of Washington state.

A key&nbsp;congressional committee also met on Wednesday in Washington, DC, to discuss&nbsp;the civil rights impact of all&nbsp;facial recognition technology, not only&nbsp;Amazon's.

Responding to the shareholder vote, Democratic&nbsp;US Representative Jimmy Gomez said, "that just means that it's more important that Congress&nbsp;acts."

Republican members of the committee expressed&nbsp;concern&nbsp;about&nbsp;US&nbsp;citizens having their rights violated and their information shared with the likes of the FBI without elected officials' oversight. A second hearing on the topic is scheduled for June 4.

Any federal regulation would follow a major decision by San Francisco officials earlier this month to&nbsp;ban&nbsp;city personnel from using the technology. That contrasts with New York, Chicago and Detroit, where law enforcement has reportedly used&nbsp;facial&nbsp;recognition&nbsp;or acquired it with the hope of speeding up post-crime investigations.

Amazon&nbsp;is one of many&nbsp;facial&nbsp;recognition&nbsp;vendors, alongside France's Idema, Japan's NEC Corp and Microsoft Corp, which has repeatedly called for regulation and said&nbsp;it turned down sales for human rights&nbsp;concerns.

Mark Meadows, a Republican, said it was time to start legislating.

"You've now hit the sweet spot that brings progressives and conservatives together," he said.

Amazon said shareholders rejected proposals to curb and audit its facial recognition service on Wednesday, just as members of Congress indicated there was bipartisan support to one day regulate the technology.

Amazon said shareholders rejected proposals to curb and audit its facial recognition service on Wednesday, just as members of Congress indicated there was bipartisan support to one day regulate the technology. In the past year, Amazon has found itself at the centre of a growing debate over the use of facial recognition by governments, with critics warning of false matches and arrests and proponents arguing it keeps the public safe. Law enforcement in Oregon and Florida have used Amazon's face and image ID service, known as Rekognition. With support from civil liberties groups, two non-binding proposals on facial recognition made it to the ballot ahead of Amazon's shareholder meeting on Wednesday. The world's top online retailer and cloud computing company had tried to stop the votes, but it was effectively overruled by the US Securities and Exchange Commission. The first proposal would have made the company stop offering facial recognition to governments unless its board determined sales did not violate civil liberties. A second would have requested a study by September of the extent to which Amazon's service harmed rights and privacy. According to an Amazon spokeswoman, the resolutions failed by a wide margin. The vote breakdown will be disclosed at a later point in time. Adding to shareholders' concerns was recent research that showed Amazon's technology struggled to identify the gender of individuals with darker skin, prompting fears that a faulty technology would put innocent people behind bars. Amazon has defended its work and said all users must follow the law. It also added a web portal for people to report any abuse of the service. The proposals faced an uphill battle. Amazon's board recommended against them, and Jeff Bezos, the company's chief executive and founder, controls 16 per cent of it's stock and voting rights. Still, critics of the technology believed the vote was beneficial. "This shareholder intervention should serve as a wake-up call for the company to reckon with the real harms of face surveillance and to change course," said Shankar Narayan of the American Civil Liberties Union of Washington state. A key congressional committee also met on Wednesday in Washington, DC, to discuss the civil rights impact of all facial recognition technology, not only Amazon's. Responding to the shareholder vote, Democratic US Representative Jimmy Gomez said, "that just means that it's more important that Congress acts." Republican members of the committee expressed concern about US citizens having their rights violated and their information shared with the likes of the FBI without elected officials' oversight. A second hearing on the topic is scheduled for June 4. Any federal regulation would follow a major decision by San Francisco officials earlier this month to ban city personnel from using the technology. That contrasts with New York, Chicago and Detroit, where law enforcement has reportedly used facial recognition or acquired it with the hope of speeding up post-crime investigations. Amazon is one of many facial recognition vendors, alongside France's Idema, Japan's NEC Corp and Microsoft Corp, which has repeatedly called for regulation and said it turned down sales for human rights concerns. Mark Meadows, a Republican, said it was time to start legislating. "You've now hit the sweet spot that brings progressives and conservatives together," he said.

Amazon shareholders reject facial recognition ban as concern grows in US Congress

US President Donald Trump said Sunday that Special Counsel Robert Mueller "should not testify" before Congress on his Russia election meddling inquiry, setting up a confrontation with Democrats already irate over what they view as increasingly brazen administration stone-walling.

Trump's statement represented a reversal; he had said two days earlier that he would leave the matter up to Attorney General William Barr, who had raised no objection to Mueller testifying.&nbsp;

"There was no crime, except on the other side (incredibly not covered in the Report), and NO OBSTRUCTION. Bob Mueller should not testify," Trump tweeted. "No re-dos for the Dems!"&nbsp;

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
....to testify. Are they looking for a redo because they hated seeing the strong NO COLLUSION conclusion? There was no crime, except on the other side (incredibly not covered in the Report), and NO OBSTRUCTION. Bob Mueller should not testify. No redos for the Dems!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1125098705533767680?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 5, 2019</a></blockquote>
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The report actually cited 10 "episodes" of potential obstruction of justice by the president, but it offered no verdict on whether he should be charged. &nbsp;

Jerry Nadler, the Democratic chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, has invited Mueller to appear before the panel "no later than May 23" to testify about the findings of his 22-month-long investigation.&nbsp;

Trump's comment might have been prompted by a remark earlier Sunday from a Democratic member of the committee, David Cicilline, who said on Fox that Mueller was tentatively set to testify on May 15.

Cicilline later stepped back from that, tweeting that "nothing has been agreed to yet."

Regardless, Trump's tweet represented a hardening of his own position and seemed certain to infuriate Democrats already angered by administration moves to impede a series of congressional inquiries.

Responding on April 24 to a congressional subpoena to one former aide, Trump said, "We're fighting all the subpoenas."

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Open warfare

Some analysts predicted open political warfare over the constitutional division of powers, with Democrats defending Congress's right to conduct oversight and the president and his aides pledging to fight against what they describe as politically driven investigations.

"These aren't, like, impartial people," Trump said of the Democrats' subpoena requests. "The Democrats are trying to win 2020."

Trump's reversal on Mueller was sudden. When a reporter asked him on Friday whether Mueller should testify, he replied, "I don't know. That's up to our attorney general."

Barr told reporters on April 18, just ahead of the public release of a redacted version of the Mueller report, that "I have no objection to Bob Mueller testifying." He reiterated that position in testimony last week before the Senate Judiciary Committee.

But Trump's tweet Sunday left matters in a state of confusion.

Barr, whom Democrats accused of shedding an attorney general's traditional independence to serve as a Trump defender, remains Mueller's boss in the Justice Department and presumably could block him from testifying.

Barr a no-show

Democratic lawmakers were already upset with Barr, who refused to show up for scheduled testimony Wednesday before the Judiciary Committee in the Democratic-controlled House, a day after his appearance before the corresponding Senate panel.

Barr had objected to Democrats' plans to use outside attorneys to conduct part of the questioning; Democrats say this has been done before, notably in the Watergate hearings.

Democratic demands for Mueller to testify swelled after a March 27 letter from Mueller to Barr surfaced in which the special counsel complained that Barr's public summary of the report "did not fully capture the context, nature and substance" of investigators' work.

Democrats are also frustrated that Barr has yet to provide an unredacted version of the Mueller report to lawmakers.&nbsp;

The Justice Department said last week that it was "unable" to provide the investigative files Mueller compiled during his investigation, due to a "compelling need to protect the autonomy and effectiveness of its investigations."

Nadler on Friday gave Barr until Monday to reply to his request for a fuller version of the report.

"If the department persists in its baseless refusal to comply with a validly issued subpoena, the committee will move to contempt proceedings and seek further legal recourse," Nadler wrote.

Trump has also said he will not allow former White House counsel Don McGahn -- who was extensively interviewed by Mueller's team -- to testify.

"I don't think I can let him... because he was the counsel," Trump told Fox in an interview aired Thursday.

Mueller reported that Trump in mid-2017 ordered McGahn to have Mueller removed. McGahn also said the president later asked him to deny having made that request.

US President Donald Trump said Sunday that Special Counsel Robert Mueller "should not testify" before Congress on his Russia election meddling inquiry, setting up a confrontation with Democrats already irate over what they view as increasingly brazen administration stone-walling.

US President Donald Trump said Sunday that Special Counsel Robert Mueller "should not testify" before Congress on his Russia election meddling inquiry, setting up a confrontation with Democrats already irate over what they view as increasingly brazen administration stone-walling. Trump's statement represented a reversal; he had said two days earlier that he would leave the matter up to Attorney General William Barr, who had raised no objection to Mueller testifying. "There was no crime, except on the other side (incredibly not covered in the Report), and NO OBSTRUCTION. Bob Mueller should not testify," Trump tweeted. "No re-dos for the Dems!" ....to testify. Are they looking for a redo because they hated seeing the strong NO COLLUSION conclusion? There was no crime, except on the other side (incredibly not covered in the Report), and NO OBSTRUCTION. Bob Mueller should not testify. No redos for the Dems! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 5, 2019 × The report actually cited 10 "episodes" of potential obstruction of justice by the president, but it offered no verdict on whether he should be charged. Jerry Nadler, the Democratic chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, has invited Mueller to appear before the panel "no later than May 23" to testify about the findings of his 22-month-long investigation. Trump's comment might have been prompted by a remark earlier Sunday from a Democratic member of the committee, David Cicilline, who said on Fox that Mueller was tentatively set to testify on May 15. Cicilline later stepped back from that, tweeting that "nothing has been agreed to yet." Regardless, Trump's tweet represented a hardening of his own position and seemed certain to infuriate Democrats already angered by administration moves to impede a series of congressional inquiries. Responding on April 24 to a congressional subpoena to one former aide, Trump said, "We're fighting all the subpoenas." × Open warfare Some analysts predicted open political warfare over the constitutional division of powers, with Democrats defending Congress's right to conduct oversight and the president and his aides pledging to fight against what they describe as politically driven investigations. "These aren't, like, impartial people," Trump said of the Democrats' subpoena requests. "The Democrats are trying to win 2020." Trump's reversal on Mueller was sudden. When a reporter asked him on Friday whether Mueller should testify, he replied, "I don't know. That's up to our attorney general." Barr told reporters on April 18, just ahead of the public release of a redacted version of the Mueller report, that "I have no objection to Bob Mueller testifying." He reiterated that position in testimony last week before the Senate Judiciary Committee. But Trump's tweet Sunday left matters in a state of confusion. Barr, whom Democrats accused of shedding an attorney general's traditional independence to serve as a Trump defender, remains Mueller's boss in the Justice Department and presumably could block him from testifying. Barr a no-show Democratic lawmakers were already upset with Barr, who refused to show up for scheduled testimony Wednesday before the Judiciary Committee in the Democratic-controlled House, a day after his appearance before the corresponding Senate panel. Barr had objected to Democrats' plans to use outside attorneys to conduct part of the questioning; Democrats say this has been done before, notably in the Watergate hearings. Democratic demands for Mueller to testify swelled after a March 27 letter from Mueller to Barr surfaced in which the special counsel complained that Barr's public summary of the report "did not fully capture the context, nature and substance" of investigators' work. Democrats are also frustrated that Barr has yet to provide an unredacted version of the Mueller report to lawmakers. The Justice Department said last week that it was "unable" to provide the investigative files Mueller compiled during his investigation, due to a "compelling need to protect the autonomy and effectiveness of its investigations." Nadler on Friday gave Barr until Monday to reply to his request for a fuller version of the report. "If the department persists in its baseless refusal to comply with a validly issued subpoena, the committee will move to contempt proceedings and seek further legal recourse," Nadler wrote. Trump has also said he will not allow former White House counsel Don McGahn -- who was extensively interviewed by Mueller's team -- to testify. "I don't think I can let him... because he was the counsel," Trump told Fox in an interview aired Thursday. Mueller reported that Trump in mid-2017 ordered McGahn to have Mueller removed. McGahn also said the president later asked him to deny having made that request.

Robert Mueller 'should not testify' before US Congress: Trump

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/trump-misses-tax-return-deadline-legal-battle-likely-213110">President Donald Trump</a> is opposed to current and former White House aides testifying to congressional committees on Special Counsel Robert Mueller's Russia report, the Washington Post quoted him as saying on Tuesday.

In an interview with the newspaper, Trump said the White House cooperated with Mueller's investigation into Russian meddling in the 2016 US presidential election and did not need to comply with congressional committees, which are probing possible obstruction of justice by Trump.

"There is no reason to go any further, and especially in Congress where it’s very partisan - obviously very partisan," Trump said, according to the Post.

Earlier, the Post reported that the White House was planning to oppose a subpoena issued by the House of Representatives Judiciary Committee for former White House Counsel Don McGahn to testify.

The Post said the White House planned to assert executive privilege to prevent McGahn and other current and former Trump administration officials from testifying.

Trump said the White House lawyers had not "made a final, final decision" about whether to assert executive privilege, according to the Post.

But Trump said he opposed cooperating with House Democrats, who he said were trying to score political points against him.

''I don’t want people testifying to a party, because that is what they’re doing if they do this,''&nbsp;the Post quoted Trump as saying.

According to the Mueller report, Trump called McGahn in June 2017 to say he should tell Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein to remove the special counsel because he had conflicts of interest. McGahn did not carry out the order.

President Donald Trump is opposed to current and former White House aides testifying to congressional committees on Special Counsel Robert Mueller's Russia report, the Washington Post quoted him as saying on Tuesday.

President Donald Trump is opposed to current and former White House aides testifying to congressional committees on Special Counsel Robert Mueller's Russia report, the Washington Post quoted him as saying on Tuesday. In an interview with the newspaper, Trump said the White House cooperated with Mueller's investigation into Russian meddling in the 2016 US presidential election and did not need to comply with congressional committees, which are probing possible obstruction of justice by Trump. "There is no reason to go any further, and especially in Congress where it’s very partisan - obviously very partisan," Trump said, according to the Post. Earlier, the Post reported that the White House was planning to oppose a subpoena issued by the House of Representatives Judiciary Committee for former White House Counsel Don McGahn to testify. The Post said the White House planned to assert executive privilege to prevent McGahn and other current and former Trump administration officials from testifying. Trump said the White House lawyers had not "made a final, final decision" about whether to assert executive privilege, according to the Post. But Trump said he opposed cooperating with House Democrats, who he said were trying to score political points against him. ''I don’t want people testifying to a party, because that is what they’re doing if they do this,'' the Post quoted Trump as saying. According to the Mueller report, Trump called McGahn in June 2017 to say he should tell Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein to remove the special counsel because he had conflicts of interest. McGahn did not carry out the order.

Trump opposed to aides testifying to Congress on Mueller report

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/trump-opposed-to-aides-testifying-to-congress-on-mueller-report-213118">President Donald Trump </a>on Wednesday vowed to fight any effort by congressional Democrats to impeach him after Special Counsel Robert Mueller`s Russia inquiry, promising to take the matter to the Supreme Court even though the US&nbsp;Constitution gives Congress complete authority over the impeachment process.&nbsp;

"If the partisan Dems ever tried to Impeach, I would first head to the US Supreme Court," the Republican president, who is seeking re-election next year, wrote on Twitter, without offering details about what legal action he envisioned.&nbsp;

Democrats, who control the House, remain divided over whether to proceed with the impeachment process even as new fights flare in their intensifying investigations into Trump and his administration. A fierce legal battle is taking shape over Trump`s bid to fight House subpoenas for documents and testimony from his administration that potentially could head to the Supreme Court.

The Constitution gives the sole power of impeachment and removing a president from office to the House of Representatives and the Senate, not the judiciary, as part of the founding document`s separation of powers among the three branches of the federal government.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and other Democratic leaders have remained cautious over launching impeachment proceedings against Trump ahead of the 2020 election, although they have left the door open to such action. Others in the party`s more liberal wing have demanded impeachment proceedings.&nbsp;

Mueller`s findings, released in a redacted report last week, detailed about a dozen episodes of potential obstruction of justice by Trump in trying to impede the inquiry but stopped short of concluding that he had committed a crime.&nbsp;

The report said Congress could address whether the president violated the law. Mueller separately found insufficient evidence that Trump`s campaign engaged in a criminal conspiracy with Russia in the 2016 presidential race.

Under the Constitution, Congress is a co-equal branch of government alongside the executive branch and the judiciary.&nbsp;

The Constitution empowers Congress to remove a president from office for "treason, bribery or other high crimes and misdemeanors." The House is given the power to impeach a president - bring formal charges - and the Senate then convenes a trial, with the senators as jurors, with a two-thirds vote needed to convict a president and remove him from office.&nbsp;

The Constitution gives no role to the Supreme Court in impeachment, though it does assign the chief justice the task of presiding over the Senate trial. Conservative John Roberts currently serves as chief justice.

That would not preclude Trump from proceeding with litigation to tie up the issue in the courts, despite Supreme Court precedent upholding congressional impeachment power. In 1993, the nation`s top court ruled 9-0 in a case involving an impeached US judge that the judiciary has no role in the impeachment process.

Some congressional Republicans have urged that the country to move forward after the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/what-is-mueller-report-everything-you-need-to-know-about-it-211667">Mueller report</a>, while a few, including Senator Mitt Romney, have condemned Trump`s actions. Some conservatives outside of Congress have urged congressional action in the wake of Mueller`s report.&nbsp;

"We believe the framers of the Constitution would have viewed the totality of this conduct as evidence of high crimes and misdemeanors," Checks &amp; Balances, a group of conservative lawyers, said in a statement on Tuesday that backed more investigations.

Trump has said Mueller`s findings cleared him of any wrongdoing. "We waited for Mueller and WON, so now the Dems look to Congress as last hope!" he tweeted on Wednesday.&nbsp;

House Democrats have stepped up their oversight of the Trump administration on numerous fronts since taking control of the chamber in January, from Trump`s tax returns and White House security clearances to the investigation into Russian interference in US&nbsp;politics.

Trump has ramped up his fight against congressional oversight, ordering officials not to comply with subpoenas and filing a lawsuit to prevent material from being turned over to lawmakers.&nbsp;

"There is no reason to go any further, and especially in Congress where it`s very partisan - obviously very partisan," Trump told the Washington Post in an interview on Tuesday.&nbsp;

President Donald Trump on Wednesday vowed to fight any effort by congressional Democrats to impeach him after Special Counsel Robert Mueller`s Russia inquiry, promising to take the matter to the Supreme Court even though the US Constitution gives Congress complete authority over the impeachment process.

President Donald Trump on Wednesday vowed to fight any effort by congressional Democrats to impeach him after Special Counsel Robert Mueller`s Russia inquiry, promising to take the matter to the Supreme Court even though the US Constitution gives Congress complete authority over the impeachment process. "If the partisan Dems ever tried to Impeach, I would first head to the US Supreme Court," the Republican president, who is seeking re-election next year, wrote on Twitter, without offering details about what legal action he envisioned. Democrats, who control the House, remain divided over whether to proceed with the impeachment process even as new fights flare in their intensifying investigations into Trump and his administration. A fierce legal battle is taking shape over Trump`s bid to fight House subpoenas for documents and testimony from his administration that potentially could head to the Supreme Court. The Constitution gives the sole power of impeachment and removing a president from office to the House of Representatives and the Senate, not the judiciary, as part of the founding document`s separation of powers among the three branches of the federal government. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and other Democratic leaders have remained cautious over launching impeachment proceedings against Trump ahead of the 2020 election, although they have left the door open to such action. Others in the party`s more liberal wing have demanded impeachment proceedings. Mueller`s findings, released in a redacted report last week, detailed about a dozen episodes of potential obstruction of justice by Trump in trying to impede the inquiry but stopped short of concluding that he had committed a crime. The report said Congress could address whether the president violated the law. Mueller separately found insufficient evidence that Trump`s campaign engaged in a criminal conspiracy with Russia in the 2016 presidential race. Under the Constitution, Congress is a co-equal branch of government alongside the executive branch and the judiciary. The Constitution empowers Congress to remove a president from office for "treason, bribery or other high crimes and misdemeanors." The House is given the power to impeach a president - bring formal charges - and the Senate then convenes a trial, with the senators as jurors, with a two-thirds vote needed to convict a president and remove him from office. The Constitution gives no role to the Supreme Court in impeachment, though it does assign the chief justice the task of presiding over the Senate trial. Conservative John Roberts currently serves as chief justice. That would not preclude Trump from proceeding with litigation to tie up the issue in the courts, despite Supreme Court precedent upholding congressional impeachment power. In 1993, the nation`s top court ruled 9-0 in a case involving an impeached US judge that the judiciary has no role in the impeachment process. Some congressional Republicans have urged that the country to move forward after the Mueller report, while a few, including Senator Mitt Romney, have condemned Trump`s actions. Some conservatives outside of Congress have urged congressional action in the wake of Mueller`s report. "We believe the framers of the Constitution would have viewed the totality of this conduct as evidence of high crimes and misdemeanors," Checks & Balances, a group of conservative lawyers, said in a statement on Tuesday that backed more investigations. Trump has said Mueller`s findings cleared him of any wrongdoing. "We waited for Mueller and WON, so now the Dems look to Congress as last hope!" he tweeted on Wednesday. House Democrats have stepped up their oversight of the Trump administration on numerous fronts since taking control of the chamber in January, from Trump`s tax returns and White House security clearances to the investigation into Russian interference in US politics. Trump has ramped up his fight against congressional oversight, ordering officials not to comply with subpoenas and filing a lawsuit to prevent material from being turned over to lawmakers. "There is no reason to go any further, and especially in Congress where it`s very partisan - obviously very partisan," Trump told the Washington Post in an interview on Tuesday.

Defying Congress, Trump vows Supreme Court fight over any impeachment

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/there-were-no-crimes-by-me-congress-cant-impeach-me-donald-trump-212655">President Donald Trump dismissed</a> questions from reporters on Monday about his staff's reluctance to carry out his orders and the chances of impeachment proceedings in the US Congress, <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/what-is-mueller-report-everything-you-need-to-know-about-it-211667">days after the Mueller report highlighted</a> both issues.

The 448-page report from US Special Counsel Robert Mueller on his investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 US election revealed staff and associates sometimes ignored requests from Trump to deliver messages, including one to fire Mueller.

"Nobody disobeys me," Republican Trump said when asked if he was worried about his orders not being followed. He made the remark at the White House during an annual Easter celebration.

Mueller's report said that the 22-month investigation did not establish that the Trump campaign coordinated with Russians during the 2016 election campaign, but Mueller did find "multiple acts by the president that were capable of exerting undue influence over law enforcement investigations."

According to the report, White House Counsel Don McGahn had been on the brink of resigning when Trump told him to ask Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein to fire Mueller. Trump then denied using the word "fire," according to McGahn's retelling to Mueller.

Trump lashed out at the report on Twitter later on Monday.

"Isn’t it amazing that the people who were closest to me, by far, and knew the Campaign better than anyone, were never even called to testify before Mueller," Trump wrote.

Mueller's report drew upon interviews, notes and communications with Trump advisers. Trump's personal lawyer during the campaign, Michael Cohen, pleaded guilty to crimes as did campaign chairman Paul Manafort and Trump's first national security adviser Michael Flynn.

Mueller's report drew upon dozens of interviews, notes and communications with White House advisers.

Asked on Monday whether he was concerned about the threat of impeachment on allegations of obstruction of justice as some Democrats have called for, Trump said, "Not even a little bit."

US Senator Elizabeth Warren, who is running for the Democratic presidential nomination, on Friday said Congress should begin the process of removing Trump from office. Other Democratic leaders have played down talk of impeachment, just 18 months before the 2020 election.

Republicans have stood by Trump and while an impeachment effort might succeed in the Democratic-controlled House of Representatives, it was unlikely to do so in the Republican-led Senate. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said on Monday House Democrats' views vary on how to proceed.

Trump, speaking from the White House balcony on Monday, returned to favourite topics of his by touting the strong United States economy and saying his administration was rebuilding the military "to a level never seen before."

"Our country is doing fantastically well, probably the best it has ever done economically," he said.

President Donald Trump dismissed questions from reporters on Monday about his staff's reluctance to carry out his orders and the chances of impeachment proceedings in the US Congress, days after the Mueller report highlighted both issues.

President Donald Trump dismissed questions from reporters on Monday about his staff's reluctance to carry out his orders and the chances of impeachment proceedings in the US Congress, days after the Mueller report highlighted both issues. The 448-page report from US Special Counsel Robert Mueller on his investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 US election revealed staff and associates sometimes ignored requests from Trump to deliver messages, including one to fire Mueller. "Nobody disobeys me," Republican Trump said when asked if he was worried about his orders not being followed. He made the remark at the White House during an annual Easter celebration. Mueller's report said that the 22-month investigation did not establish that the Trump campaign coordinated with Russians during the 2016 election campaign, but Mueller did find "multiple acts by the president that were capable of exerting undue influence over law enforcement investigations." According to the report, White House Counsel Don McGahn had been on the brink of resigning when Trump told him to ask Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein to fire Mueller. Trump then denied using the word "fire," according to McGahn's retelling to Mueller. Trump lashed out at the report on Twitter later on Monday. "Isn’t it amazing that the people who were closest to me, by far, and knew the Campaign better than anyone, were never even called to testify before Mueller," Trump wrote. Mueller's report drew upon interviews, notes and communications with Trump advisers. Trump's personal lawyer during the campaign, Michael Cohen, pleaded guilty to crimes as did campaign chairman Paul Manafort and Trump's first national security adviser Michael Flynn. Mueller's report drew upon dozens of interviews, notes and communications with White House advisers. Asked on Monday whether he was concerned about the threat of impeachment on allegations of obstruction of justice as some Democrats have called for, Trump said, "Not even a little bit." US Senator Elizabeth Warren, who is running for the Democratic presidential nomination, on Friday said Congress should begin the process of removing Trump from office. Other Democratic leaders have played down talk of impeachment, just 18 months before the 2020 election. Republicans have stood by Trump and while an impeachment effort might succeed in the Democratic-controlled House of Representatives, it was unlikely to do so in the Republican-led Senate. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said on Monday House Democrats' views vary on how to proceed. Trump, speaking from the White House balcony on Monday, returned to favourite topics of his by touting the strong United States economy and saying his administration was rebuilding the military "to a level never seen before." "Our country is doing fantastically well, probably the best it has ever done economically," he said.

Nobody disobeys me, says Trump on staff following orders

A bipartisan group of half a dozen influential American lawmakers has reintroduced important legislation in the House of Representatives which seeks to advance the US-India strategic relationship.

If enacted, the legislation would ensure that the US State Department treat India as a NATO ally for the purposes of the Arms Export Control Act.

It would send a powerful signal that defence sales to India should be prioritised according to US-India Strategic Partnership Forum, which had worked on this important legislation.

The bill HR 2123 was introduced this week by Congressman Joe Wilson, a senior member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee.

"India is the world's largest democracy, a pillar of stability in the region, and has shown strong commitments to export control policies," said Mr Wilson.

"This adjustment to US law will further allow the US-India partnership to flourish in line with our security commitment to the Indo-Pacific region. I am grateful for the US-India Strategic Partnership Forum (USISPF), led by Dr Mukesh Aghi, and their support for this legislation," he said.

The original co-sponsors of the legislation are Congressman Ami Bera - the longest-serving Indian-American in the US Congress - and the House India Caucus Co-Chairs, Congressmen George Holding, Brad Sherman and Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard and Congressman Ted Yoho.

The National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for fiscal 2017 included special language recognising the unique US-India defence relationship that designated India as a "Major Defence Partner" of the United States.

The language seeks unique consideration for trade and technology sharing with India and increased attention and support to advance this relationship in the areas of defence trade and technology sharing.

"The legislation bolsters national security and helps ensure full alignment between the Department of Defense and the Department of State."

"Such a change will institutionalise the gains made in the relationship and provide a more stable foundation upon which both countries can solidify this unique defence partnership," USISPF said.

Although powerful in its own right, the NDAA FY 2017 has no legal bearing on the State Department's body of legislation, nor does it compel the State Department to view defence with India more favourably, USISPF said in a statement.

To fulfil the spirit and intent of the NDAA 2017, the US-India Enhanced Cooperation Act would amend the Arms Export Control Act to put India on par with NATO allies and Israel, South Korea, New Zealand, Australia and Japan.

"We applaud Congressman Wilson's leadership in reintroducing this important bill. We are confident the US Congress will continue to enact legislation that bolsters the bilateral. The great power competition is not lost on Members of Congress, who understand the strategic imperative for a deeper relationship with India," said Mr Aghi, president and CEO of USISPF.

"This legislation would be a major breakthrough for the US-India defence relationship. As Chairman of USISPF, I support this move because it would ultimately further strengthen the strategic partnership between the two countries. The future is bright for the US-India relationship and we hope this legislation is enacted soon," USISPF chairman John Chambers said.

A bipartisan group of half a dozen influential American lawmakers has reintroduced important legislation in the House of Representatives which seeks to advance the US-India strategic relationship.

A bipartisan group of half a dozen influential American lawmakers has reintroduced important legislation in the House of Representatives which seeks to advance the US-India strategic relationship. If enacted, the legislation would ensure that the US State Department treat India as a NATO ally for the purposes of the Arms Export Control Act. It would send a powerful signal that defence sales to India should be prioritised according to US-India Strategic Partnership Forum, which had worked on this important legislation. The bill HR 2123 was introduced this week by Congressman Joe Wilson, a senior member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee. "India is the world's largest democracy, a pillar of stability in the region, and has shown strong commitments to export control policies," said Mr Wilson. "This adjustment to US law will further allow the US-India partnership to flourish in line with our security commitment to the Indo-Pacific region. I am grateful for the US-India Strategic Partnership Forum (USISPF), led by Dr Mukesh Aghi, and their support for this legislation," he said. The original co-sponsors of the legislation are Congressman Ami Bera - the longest-serving Indian-American in the US Congress - and the House India Caucus Co-Chairs, Congressmen George Holding, Brad Sherman and Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard and Congressman Ted Yoho. The National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for fiscal 2017 included special language recognising the unique US-India defence relationship that designated India as a "Major Defence Partner" of the United States. The language seeks unique consideration for trade and technology sharing with India and increased attention and support to advance this relationship in the areas of defence trade and technology sharing. "The legislation bolsters national security and helps ensure full alignment between the Department of Defense and the Department of State." "Such a change will institutionalise the gains made in the relationship and provide a more stable foundation upon which both countries can solidify this unique defence partnership," USISPF said. Although powerful in its own right, the NDAA FY 2017 has no legal bearing on the State Department's body of legislation, nor does it compel the State Department to view defence with India more favourably, USISPF said in a statement. To fulfil the spirit and intent of the NDAA 2017, the US-India Enhanced Cooperation Act would amend the Arms Export Control Act to put India on par with NATO allies and Israel, South Korea, New Zealand, Australia and Japan. "We applaud Congressman Wilson's leadership in reintroducing this important bill. We are confident the US Congress will continue to enact legislation that bolsters the bilateral. The great power competition is not lost on Members of Congress, who understand the strategic imperative for a deeper relationship with India," said Mr Aghi, president and CEO of USISPF. "This legislation would be a major breakthrough for the US-India defence relationship. As Chairman of USISPF, I support this move because it would ultimately further strengthen the strategic partnership between the two countries. The future is bright for the US-India relationship and we hope this legislation is enacted soon," USISPF chairman John Chambers said.

India could soon become a 'NATO ally'; bill introduced by US Congress

Facebook and Google on Tuesday (April 9) defended their efforts to remove hate speech from social media sites amid questions from lawmakers in an appearance before the U.S. House Judiciary Committee.

US Congress turns up the heat on FB, Google

President Donald Trump on Monday told Congress to slash funding for foreign aid and the State Department and increase spending for the military and the wall he wants to build on the US-Mexico border in his 2020 budget, the opening move in his next funding fight with Congress.

The Republican president's $4.7 trillion budget is expected to be rejected by Congress, where Democratic leaders on Sunday warned Trump against what they called a "repeat performance" of last year's funding war, which led to <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/government-will-not-reopen-until-we-have-the-mexican-border-wall-trump-to-us-troops-186467">a five-week partial shutdown of the federal government</a>.

This year, the stakes are higher. The October 1 deadline for a funding deal to keep the government running coincides with the deadline to lift the debt limit. Without an increase in the limit, the US government would risk a default, which would shock the world economy.

Trump's budget asked for $8.6 billion to build a wall on the southern border with Mexico, more than six times what Congress gave him for border projects in each of the past two fiscal years, and 6 percent more than he has corralled by invoking emergency powers this year after he failed to get the money he wanted.

Trump called for defence spending to rise by 4 per cent to $750 billion, using the emergency Overseas Contingency Operations (OCO) account - derided by conservatives as a slush fund - to skirt spending caps set out in a 2011 fiscal restraint law.

Non-defence spending was held below those caps, thanks to steep proposed funding cut to the State Department (23 per cent) and Environmental Protection Agency (31 per cent), among others. The White House also proposed reforms to mandatory spending programs such as food stamps to cut $22 billion.

Even with the cuts, which the White House said would add up to $2.7 trillion in savings over a decade, the budget office said budget would not balance until 2034, exceeding the traditional 10-year outlook.

Tax cuts have been a priority for the Republican White House and Congress in recent years, rather than deficit reduction. The deficit ran to $900 billion in 2019, and the national debt has ballooned to $22 trillion.

President Donald Trump on Monday told Congress to slash funding for foreign aid and the State Department and increase spending for the military and the wall he wants to build on the US-Mexico border in his 2020 budget, the opening move in his next funding fight with Congress.

President Donald Trump on Monday told Congress to slash funding for foreign aid and the State Department and increase spending for the military and the wall he wants to build on the US-Mexico border in his 2020 budget, the opening move in his next funding fight with Congress. The Republican president's $4.7 trillion budget is expected to be rejected by Congress, where Democratic leaders on Sunday warned Trump against what they called a "repeat performance" of last year's funding war, which led to a five-week partial shutdown of the federal government. This year, the stakes are higher. The October 1 deadline for a funding deal to keep the government running coincides with the deadline to lift the debt limit. Without an increase in the limit, the US government would risk a default, which would shock the world economy. Trump's budget asked for $8.6 billion to build a wall on the southern border with Mexico, more than six times what Congress gave him for border projects in each of the past two fiscal years, and 6 percent more than he has corralled by invoking emergency powers this year after he failed to get the money he wanted. Trump called for defence spending to rise by 4 per cent to $750 billion, using the emergency Overseas Contingency Operations (OCO) account - derided by conservatives as a slush fund - to skirt spending caps set out in a 2011 fiscal restraint law. Non-defence spending was held below those caps, thanks to steep proposed funding cut to the State Department (23 per cent) and Environmental Protection Agency (31 per cent), among others. The White House also proposed reforms to mandatory spending programs such as food stamps to cut $22 billion. Even with the cuts, which the White House said would add up to $2.7 trillion in savings over a decade, the budget office said budget would not balance until 2034, exceeding the traditional 10-year outlook. Tax cuts have been a priority for the Republican White House and Congress in recent years, rather than deficit reduction. The deficit ran to $900 billion in 2019, and the national debt has ballooned to $22 trillion.

Slash foreign aid and increase funding for Mexico wall, military: Trump to Congress

Foreign Secretary Vijay Gokhale began a three-day visit to the US on Monday during which he will meet senior officials of the Trump administration and exchange views on major foreign policy and security-related developments, officials said.

External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Raveesh Kumar said Gokhale is visiting Washington in connection with bilateral foreign office consultation and strategic security dialogue with his American counterparts.

During his visit, Gokhale is also likely to meet with senior leaders in the US administration and US Congress, he said in response to a query on the foreign secretary's visit.

The foreign secretary's visit to the US comes in the backdrop of growing tension between India and Pakistan.

"Foreign Secretary is visiting Washington DC on March 11-13 in connection with the bilateral foreign office consultation and strategic security dialogue with his US counterparts, Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs David Hale and Under Secretary of State for Arms Control and International Security Andrea Thompson respectively," Kumar said.

"These are regular high-level dialogue mechanisms to review bilateral relations, exchange views on major foreign policy and security-related developments and coordinate respective positions on issues of common interest," he said.

Tensions between India and Pakistan escalated after Indian fighter jets bombed terror group Jaish-e-Mohammed's biggest training camp near Balakot deep inside Pakistan on February 26.

Pakistan retaliated by attempting to target Indian military installations next day. However, the IAF thwarted their plans.

The Indian strike on the JeM camp was carried out 12 days after the terror outfit claimed responsibility for the Pulwama terror attack on a CRPF convoy in Kashmir, killing 40 soldiers.&nbsp;

Foreign Secretary Vijay Gokhale began a three-day visit to the US on Monday during which he will meet senior officials of the Trump administration and exchange views on major foreign policy and security-related developments, officials said.

Foreign Secretary Vijay Gokhale began a three-day visit to the US on Monday during which he will meet senior officials of the Trump administration and exchange views on major foreign policy and security-related developments, officials said. External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Raveesh Kumar said Gokhale is visiting Washington in connection with bilateral foreign office consultation and strategic security dialogue with his American counterparts. During his visit, Gokhale is also likely to meet with senior leaders in the US administration and US Congress, he said in response to a query on the foreign secretary's visit. The foreign secretary's visit to the US comes in the backdrop of growing tension between India and Pakistan. "Foreign Secretary is visiting Washington DC on March 11-13 in connection with the bilateral foreign office consultation and strategic security dialogue with his US counterparts, Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs David Hale and Under Secretary of State for Arms Control and International Security Andrea Thompson respectively," Kumar said. "These are regular high-level dialogue mechanisms to review bilateral relations, exchange views on major foreign policy and security-related developments and coordinate respective positions on issues of common interest," he said. Tensions between India and Pakistan escalated after Indian fighter jets bombed terror group Jaish-e-Mohammed's biggest training camp near Balakot deep inside Pakistan on February 26. Pakistan retaliated by attempting to target Indian military installations next day. However, the IAF thwarted their plans. The Indian strike on the JeM camp was carried out 12 days after the terror outfit claimed responsibility for the Pulwama terror attack on a CRPF convoy in Kashmir, killing 40 soldiers.

Foreign Secretary Vijay Gokhale begins three-day visit to US, likely to meet Pompeo

The Pentagon has submitted a proposal to Congress that, if approved, would see the creation of a new "Space Force," officials said Friday.

The move comes at the request of President Donald Trump, who has insisted that a separate branch of military is needed to focus on protecting satellites and tackling vulnerabilities in space.

"Our approach follows President Trump's bold vision for space and commits resources to deliver more capability faster, ensuring the United States can compete, deter, and, if needed, win in a complex domain," Acting Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan said.&nbsp;

In its current form, the Space Force would be established as its own branch of the military but would fall under the Air Force, similar to how the Navy oversees the Marine Corps.

Not since the Air Force was stood up in 1947 has the Pentagon created a new military branch&nbsp;Space Force would be the sixth, with the others being the Army, Navy, Marines and Coast Guard.

But the creation of Space Force is by no means a done deal, as it must be vetted and approved by Congress.&nbsp;

Lawmakers and defence officials have reacted with scepticism -- they are wary of the cost, added bureaucracy and duplication of work currently done by the Air Force.

Space plays a vital role in just about every aspect of modern warfare, with many military technologies reliant on a network of orbiting sensors and satellites, and the Pentagon has warned that countries such as Russia and China are working to build anti-satellite capabilities.

The Pentagon has submitted a proposal to Congress that, if approved, would see the creation of a new "Space Force," officials said Friday. The move comes at the request of President Donald Trump, who has insisted that a separate branch of military is needed to focus on protecting satellites and tackling vulnerabilities in space.

The Pentagon has submitted a proposal to Congress that, if approved, would see the creation of a new "Space Force," officials said Friday. The move comes at the request of President Donald Trump, who has insisted that a separate branch of military is needed to focus on protecting satellites and tackling vulnerabilities in space. "Our approach follows President Trump's bold vision for space and commits resources to deliver more capability faster, ensuring the United States can compete, deter, and, if needed, win in a complex domain," Acting Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan said. In its current form, the Space Force would be established as its own branch of the military but would fall under the Air Force, similar to how the Navy oversees the Marine Corps. Not since the Air Force was stood up in 1947 has the Pentagon created a new military branch Space Force would be the sixth, with the others being the Army, Navy, Marines and Coast Guard. But the creation of Space Force is by no means a done deal, as it must be vetted and approved by Congress. Lawmakers and defence officials have reacted with scepticism -- they are wary of the cost, added bureaucracy and duplication of work currently done by the Air Force. Space plays a vital role in just about every aspect of modern warfare, with many military technologies reliant on a network of orbiting sensors and satellites, and the Pentagon has warned that countries such as Russia and China are working to build anti-satellite capabilities.

Pentagon submits Space Force proposal to Congress

President Donald Trump's ex-attorney will return to Congress next week for more testimony, US lawmakers said Thursday, after three days of marathon appearances during which Michael Cohen accused his longtime boss of being a conman engaged in illegal activity.

House Intelligence Committee chairman Adam Schiff also revealed that Felix Sater, a Russian-born real estate developer who claims strong connections to the Kremlin, and who reportedly pitched the Moscow Trump Tower project to Trump's team, will testify before the committee on March 14.

The public hearing is believed to be the first scheduled appearance before Congress for Sater, who once had an office in Trump Tower and is seen as a mysterious figure who could shed light on dealings between the Trump organization, his campaign and Russia.

Cohen meanwhile will return on March 6 for additional closed-door testimony to the Intelligence Committee, Schiff said.

"It was a very productive interview today, where he was able to shed light on a lot of issues that are very core to our investigation, and we were able to drill down in great detail," Schiff said, adding that he intended to publicly release transcripts of Cohen's testimony "at the appropriate point."

News of the upcoming hearings came after Cohen's gruelling three days on Capitol Hill, including his explosive nationally televised testimony on Wednesday, during which he called Trump an inveterate liar, "racist," and "cheat."

Cohen -- who is to report to prison on May 6 to begin serving a three-year sentence for fraud, tax evasion, illegal campaign contributions and lying to Congress -- expressed regret for his years of devoted service to Trump.

The onetime lawyer, who has been disbarred, said Trump directed him to lie about hush payments made to a porn actress to silence her claims of a 2006 affair with the real estate tycoon.

He also said Trump knew in advance in mid-2016 that WikiLeaks would publish emails stolen by the Russians from rival Hillary Clinton's campaign.

And Cohen asserted that lawyers for Trump and his family reviewed and edited his written testimony to Congress in 2017 in which he lied about the Moscow real estate deal.

Nevertheless, Cohen produced no fresh evidence that Trump or his campaign colluded with Russia during the election, the subject of an investigation by Special Counsel Robert Mueller.

'Lied a lot'

Speaking in Vietnam after a summit with North Korea's Kim Jong Un, Trump sought to discredit Cohen, saying his former lawyer and fixer had "lied a lot" -- although not about "one thing."

"He said, no collusion with the Russian hoax," Trump said. "And I said, I wonder why he didn't lie about that, too, like everything else."

The president did not address any of Cohen's specific, explosive allegations about his decade of working with Trump.

On Thursday, two Republicans on the House Oversight Committee said they had petitioned the Justice Department to investigate Cohen for perjury.

They alleged that he lied in Wednesday's testimony about his alleged desire to get a job in the Trump White House, and about whether he had committed bank fraud in the past.

Cohen's lawyer Lanny Davis rejected their claims.

"Mr. Cohen testified truthfully before the House Oversight Committee.... He also backed up much of his testimony with documents," Davis said, calling the complaint "baseless."

'Our boy can become president'

As for Sater, lawmakers will seek to quiz him on his dealings with the Trump Organization and the campaign.

Sater has boasted of his ties to Vladimir Putin, saying he could get the Russian president to say "great things" about Trump, and suggested that the Trump Tower deal would help him get elected.

"Our boy can become president of the USA and we can engineer it," Sater wrote in a November 2015 email quoted by The New York Times.

"I will get all of Putin's team to buy in on this, I will manage this process."

Cohen has testified that Trump was negotiating on the Moscow building deal in 2016, contradicting Trump's repeated declarations during the presidential campaign that he had no business ties to the country.

President Donald Trump's ex-attorney will return to Congress next week for more testimony, US lawmakers said Thursday, after three days of marathon appearances during which Michael Cohen accused his longtime boss of being a conman engaged in illegal activity.

President Donald Trump's ex-attorney will return to Congress next week for more testimony, US lawmakers said Thursday, after three days of marathon appearances during which Michael Cohen accused his longtime boss of being a conman engaged in illegal activity. House Intelligence Committee chairman Adam Schiff also revealed that Felix Sater, a Russian-born real estate developer who claims strong connections to the Kremlin, and who reportedly pitched the Moscow Trump Tower project to Trump's team, will testify before the committee on March 14. The public hearing is believed to be the first scheduled appearance before Congress for Sater, who once had an office in Trump Tower and is seen as a mysterious figure who could shed light on dealings between the Trump organization, his campaign and Russia. Cohen meanwhile will return on March 6 for additional closed-door testimony to the Intelligence Committee, Schiff said. "It was a very productive interview today, where he was able to shed light on a lot of issues that are very core to our investigation, and we were able to drill down in great detail," Schiff said, adding that he intended to publicly release transcripts of Cohen's testimony "at the appropriate point." News of the upcoming hearings came after Cohen's gruelling three days on Capitol Hill, including his explosive nationally televised testimony on Wednesday, during which he called Trump an inveterate liar, "racist," and "cheat." Cohen -- who is to report to prison on May 6 to begin serving a three-year sentence for fraud, tax evasion, illegal campaign contributions and lying to Congress -- expressed regret for his years of devoted service to Trump. The onetime lawyer, who has been disbarred, said Trump directed him to lie about hush payments made to a porn actress to silence her claims of a 2006 affair with the real estate tycoon. He also said Trump knew in advance in mid-2016 that WikiLeaks would publish emails stolen by the Russians from rival Hillary Clinton's campaign. And Cohen asserted that lawyers for Trump and his family reviewed and edited his written testimony to Congress in 2017 in which he lied about the Moscow real estate deal. Nevertheless, Cohen produced no fresh evidence that Trump or his campaign colluded with Russia during the election, the subject of an investigation by Special Counsel Robert Mueller. 'Lied a lot' Speaking in Vietnam after a summit with North Korea's Kim Jong Un, Trump sought to discredit Cohen, saying his former lawyer and fixer had "lied a lot" -- although not about "one thing." "He said, no collusion with the Russian hoax," Trump said. "And I said, I wonder why he didn't lie about that, too, like everything else." The president did not address any of Cohen's specific, explosive allegations about his decade of working with Trump. On Thursday, two Republicans on the House Oversight Committee said they had petitioned the Justice Department to investigate Cohen for perjury. They alleged that he lied in Wednesday's testimony about his alleged desire to get a job in the Trump White House, and about whether he had committed bank fraud in the past. Cohen's lawyer Lanny Davis rejected their claims. "Mr. Cohen testified truthfully before the House Oversight Committee.... He also backed up much of his testimony with documents," Davis said, calling the complaint "baseless." 'Our boy can become president' As for Sater, lawmakers will seek to quiz him on his dealings with the Trump Organization and the campaign. Sater has boasted of his ties to Vladimir Putin, saying he could get the Russian president to say "great things" about Trump, and suggested that the Trump Tower deal would help him get elected. "Our boy can become president of the USA and we can engineer it," Sater wrote in a November 2015 email quoted by The New York Times. "I will get all of Putin's team to buy in on this, I will manage this process." Cohen has testified that Trump was negotiating on the Moscow building deal in 2016, contradicting Trump's repeated declarations during the presidential campaign that he had no business ties to the country.

Donald Trump's ex-lawyer Michael Cohen again in Congress next week: US lawmaker

The <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/trump-defends-executive-time-after-schedule-leak-196484">Trump administration</a> threatened on Monday to veto an effort in the US Congress to end US military support for the Saudi Arabia-led coalition in the war in Yemen, continuing a stand-off with lawmakers over policy toward the kingdom.

Democrats and Republicans re-introduced the war powers resolution two weeks ago as a way to send a strong message to Riyadh both about the humanitarian disaster in Yemen and condemn the killing of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi.

The administration said the resolution was inappropriate because US forces had provided aircraft refuelling and other support in the Yemen conflict, not combat troops. It also said the measure would harm relationships in the region and hurt the US ability to prevent the spread of violent extremism.

The White House has angered many members of Congress, including some of President Donald Trump's fellow Republicans, by failing to provide a report by a Friday deadline on the murder of Khashoggi last year at a Saudi consulate in Turkey. Khashoggi was a US resident and columnist for the Washington Post.

"It's hard to feel any affection or some obligation to a regime that does that kind of stuff," Democratic Representative Ed Perlmutter said at a House of Representatives hearing on the resolution on Monday.

The Saudis, who Trump considers an important regional partner, are leading a coalition battling Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen. The war has killed tens of thousands and left millions on the brink of starvation.

The United States has supported the Saudi-led air campaign with mid-air refuelling support, intelligence and targeting assistance.

Democrats view the war powers resolution as a way to assert Congress' constitutional right to authorize the use of military force in foreign conflicts. Republican opponents of the measure, echoing Trump, argue that support for the Saudis constitutes a security agreement, not the use of force.

The Republican-controlled US Senate passed the war powers resolution in December, the first time such a resolution had passed even one house of Congress. But Republicans, who then controlled the House, did not allow a vote in the lower chamber.

After sweeping election victories, Democrats now have a House majority. They intend to take up the resolution this week.

However, the resolution would struggle to garner the two-thirds majorities needed in both the House and Senate to overcome a Trump veto. Republicans still hold a slim majority in the Senate.

The Trump administration threatened on Monday to veto an effort in the US Congress to end US military support for the Saudi Arabia-led coalition in the war in Yemen, continuing a stand-off with lawmakers over policy toward the kingdom.

The Trump administration threatened on Monday to veto an effort in the US Congress to end US military support for the Saudi Arabia-led coalition in the war in Yemen, continuing a stand-off with lawmakers over policy toward the kingdom. Democrats and Republicans re-introduced the war powers resolution two weeks ago as a way to send a strong message to Riyadh both about the humanitarian disaster in Yemen and condemn the killing of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi. The administration said the resolution was inappropriate because US forces had provided aircraft refuelling and other support in the Yemen conflict, not combat troops. It also said the measure would harm relationships in the region and hurt the US ability to prevent the spread of violent extremism. The White House has angered many members of Congress, including some of President Donald Trump's fellow Republicans, by failing to provide a report by a Friday deadline on the murder of Khashoggi last year at a Saudi consulate in Turkey. Khashoggi was a US resident and columnist for the Washington Post. "It's hard to feel any affection or some obligation to a regime that does that kind of stuff," Democratic Representative Ed Perlmutter said at a House of Representatives hearing on the resolution on Monday. The Saudis, who Trump considers an important regional partner, are leading a coalition battling Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen. The war has killed tens of thousands and left millions on the brink of starvation. The United States has supported the Saudi-led air campaign with mid-air refuelling support, intelligence and targeting assistance. Democrats view the war powers resolution as a way to assert Congress' constitutional right to authorize the use of military force in foreign conflicts. Republican opponents of the measure, echoing Trump, argue that support for the Saudis constitutes a security agreement, not the use of force. The Republican-controlled US Senate passed the war powers resolution in December, the first time such a resolution had passed even one house of Congress. But Republicans, who then controlled the House, did not allow a vote in the lower chamber. After sweeping election victories, Democrats now have a House majority. They intend to take up the resolution this week. However, the resolution would struggle to garner the two-thirds majorities needed in both the House and Senate to overcome a Trump veto. Republicans still hold a slim majority in the Senate.

Trump objects to measure ending US support for Saudis in Yemen war

Four members of the US congress have written to Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen and US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Acting Director Ronald Vitiello uring the the departments to treat <a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/india-gets-consular-access-to-117-detained-students-in-us-after-calling-for-their-dignified-treatment-195438">the 129 Indian students detained in the US</a> "properly" and to afford "all rights provided" to them under the law, including "access to an attorney and release on bond, if they are eligible".&nbsp;

The four members of congress are Thomas R Suozzi, Raja Krishnamoorthi, Brenda Lawrence and Rob Woodall.&nbsp;

The 129 students were detained by US immigration authorities for allegedly exploiting the US student visa system.&nbsp;

The Department of Homeland Security had set up a fake university in Michigan to nab eight recruiters involved in the visa fraud when the 129 Indian students were nabbed too.&nbsp;

The letter, a copy of which WION has, also urged DHS and ICE "to share full details and regular updates regarding the Indian students with the embassy and consulates of India" and "facilitate consular access for the detainees".

Emphasising that "India is an important strategic partner and friend to the United states", the letter said "these students are a vital pillar of the people-to-people exchanges between the two countries, and they come to the US on grounds of merit" and "in the spirit of continuing cooperation on educational exchange programs which benefit both countries economically and culturally" and that they should be treated "fairly, humanely and in accordance with due process".&nbsp;

The Ministry of External Affairs had issued a demarche to the US embassy in New Delhi over the detention of the 129 Indian students and has been urging the US side to give "humane and dignified treatment" to the students including custom-sensitive "dietary and living arrangements" for the duration of their detention. A 24/7 helpline has also been established at the Indian mission in Washington DC for the assistance of the students.&nbsp;

The US authorities meanwhile plan to deport the Indian students and have placed them under "removal proceedings".&nbsp;

Indian students comprised 17.3% — a total of 186,000 — of all international students in the US in 2017.&nbsp; 
&nbsp;

Four members of the US congress have written to Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen and US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Acting Director Ronald Vitiello uring the the departments to treat the 129 Indian students detained in the US "properly" and to afford "all rights provided" to them under the law, including "access to an attorney and release on bond, if they are eligible".

Four members of the US congress have written to Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen and US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Acting Director Ronald Vitiello uring the the departments to treat the 129 Indian students detained in the US "properly" and to afford "all rights provided" to them under the law, including "access to an attorney and release on bond, if they are eligible". The four members of congress are Thomas R Suozzi, Raja Krishnamoorthi, Brenda Lawrence and Rob Woodall. The 129 students were detained by US immigration authorities for allegedly exploiting the US student visa system. The Department of Homeland Security had set up a fake university in Michigan to nab eight recruiters involved in the visa fraud when the 129 Indian students were nabbed too. The letter, a copy of which WION has, also urged DHS and ICE "to share full details and regular updates regarding the Indian students with the embassy and consulates of India" and "facilitate consular access for the detainees". Emphasising that "India is an important strategic partner and friend to the United states", the letter said "these students are a vital pillar of the people-to-people exchanges between the two countries, and they come to the US on grounds of merit" and "in the spirit of continuing cooperation on educational exchange programs which benefit both countries economically and culturally" and that they should be treated "fairly, humanely and in accordance with due process". The Ministry of External Affairs had issued a demarche to the US embassy in New Delhi over the detention of the 129 Indian students and has been urging the US side to give "humane and dignified treatment" to the students including custom-sensitive "dietary and living arrangements" for the duration of their detention. A 24/7 helpline has also been established at the Indian mission in Washington DC for the assistance of the students. The US authorities meanwhile plan to deport the Indian students and have placed them under "removal proceedings". Indian students comprised 17.3% — a total of 186,000 — of all international students in the US in 2017.

Detained Indian students: US Congress members call for their humane treatment

A US lawmaker has introduced a resolution in the House of Representatives to grant asylum to <a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/asia-bibi-still-in-pakistan-but-free-to-go-foreign-office-194118">Pakistani woman Asia Bibi</a>, claiming she was "persecuted" in that country for being a Christian.

Asia Bibi has been persecuted, jailed and threatened for doing nothing more than being a Christian in Pakistan, Congressman Ken Calvert said.

The recent decision by Pakistan's top court to overturn Bibi's death sentence and free her from jail is obviously welcome news, the lawmaker said.

However, Asia continues to be in danger and is the subject of incendiary rhetoric by radical Islamist leaders. That's why it's essential for Congress and other defenders of religious freedom to stand up and protect her, Calvert said.

Recognising the importance of granting asylum to those with legitimate claims of persecution for their religion, race, nationality, membership in a social group, or political belief; the resolution supports granting asylum in the United States to Asia Bibi and her immediate family.&nbsp;

Bibi, a mother of four, may leave Pakistan shortly as there are threats to her life. Her two daughter had already shifted to Canada.

Pakistan said on Thursday that Bibi, who was recently acquitted by the Supreme Court in a blasphemy case, was a free citizen and has the right to travel anywhere inside the country or abroad.

A three-member Supreme Court bench on Tuesday threw out a petition seeking to review the apex court's decision to acquit 47-year-old Bibi.

She was arrested in 2009 for allegedly using derogatory words during a quarrel with Muslim women while working on a farm in Nankana Sahib area of Punjab province. The case was filed by a local prayer leader on the complaint of the Muslim women.

Bibi was convicted in 2010 by the trial court and her death sentence was maintained by the Lahore High Court in 2014. The apex court overturned her conviction last year, sparking days of violent demonstrations led by hardline Islamist parties.

Her case has been deeply divisive in Pakistan where there is strong support for the controversial blasphemy laws.

Bibi's case gained prominence when the former governor of Pakistan's Punjab province Salman Taseer was killed in 2011 for supporting her and criticising the blasphemy laws.

A month after Taseer was killed, Pakistan's religious minorities minister Shahbaz Bhatti, a Christian who spoke out against the blasphemy law, was shot dead in Islamabad.

The blasphemy laws were promulgated by former military dictator Ziaul Haq in 1980s. A person convicted under these laws is given a death sentence.&nbsp;

A US lawmaker has introduced a resolution in the House of Representatives to grant asylum to Pakistani woman Asia Bibi, claiming she was "persecuted" in that country for being a Christian.

A US lawmaker has introduced a resolution in the House of Representatives to grant asylum to Pakistani woman Asia Bibi, claiming she was "persecuted" in that country for being a Christian. Asia Bibi has been persecuted, jailed and threatened for doing nothing more than being a Christian in Pakistan, Congressman Ken Calvert said. The recent decision by Pakistan's top court to overturn Bibi's death sentence and free her from jail is obviously welcome news, the lawmaker said. However, Asia continues to be in danger and is the subject of incendiary rhetoric by radical Islamist leaders. That's why it's essential for Congress and other defenders of religious freedom to stand up and protect her, Calvert said. Recognising the importance of granting asylum to those with legitimate claims of persecution for their religion, race, nationality, membership in a social group, or political belief; the resolution supports granting asylum in the United States to Asia Bibi and her immediate family. Bibi, a mother of four, may leave Pakistan shortly as there are threats to her life. Her two daughter had already shifted to Canada. Pakistan said on Thursday that Bibi, who was recently acquitted by the Supreme Court in a blasphemy case, was a free citizen and has the right to travel anywhere inside the country or abroad. A three-member Supreme Court bench on Tuesday threw out a petition seeking to review the apex court's decision to acquit 47-year-old Bibi. She was arrested in 2009 for allegedly using derogatory words during a quarrel with Muslim women while working on a farm in Nankana Sahib area of Punjab province. The case was filed by a local prayer leader on the complaint of the Muslim women. Bibi was convicted in 2010 by the trial court and her death sentence was maintained by the Lahore High Court in 2014. The apex court overturned her conviction last year, sparking days of violent demonstrations led by hardline Islamist parties. Her case has been deeply divisive in Pakistan where there is strong support for the controversial blasphemy laws. Bibi's case gained prominence when the former governor of Pakistan's Punjab province Salman Taseer was killed in 2011 for supporting her and criticising the blasphemy laws. A month after Taseer was killed, Pakistan's religious minorities minister Shahbaz Bhatti, a Christian who spoke out against the blasphemy law, was shot dead in Islamabad. The blasphemy laws were promulgated by former military dictator Ziaul Haq in 1980s. A person convicted under these laws is given a death sentence.

Resolution introduced in US Congress to grant asylum to Asia Bibi

Special Counsel Robert Mueller's office on Friday disputed key elements of a media report that President Donald Trump directed his former lawyer to lie to Congress about a Moscow real estate deal, raising questions about a story that has dominated US&nbsp;news coverage for the past 24 hours.

BuzzFeed News reported late on Thursday that Michael Cohen, Trump's former lawyer who is slated to go to prison for lying to Congress and other crimes, told investigators working for Mueller that Trump had instructed him to lie about efforts to build a skyscraper in Moscow while he was running for president.

"BuzzFeed’s description of specific statements to the Special Counsel’s Office, and characterization of documents and testimony obtained by this office, regarding Michael Cohen’s Congressional testimony are not accurate," Peter Carr, a spokesman for Mueller, said in the special counsel's first comment on a media report since its probe started 20 months ago.

While Carr did not directly address whether there was evidence that Trump directed Cohen to lie to Congress, he disputed portions of the story about how BuzzFeed corroborated the explosive allegations against Trump.

Citing information from two federal law enforcement officials, BuzzFeed said Cohen told the special counsel that after the 2016 presidential election Trump instructed him to tell Congress that negotiations over the Moscow project had ended earlier than they had in order to obscure Trump's involvement.

Carr's statement also appeared to dispute BuzzFeed's assertion that the special counsel learned about Trump's directive from interviews with employees of the Trump Organization, emails, text messages and other documents.

BuzzFeed editor-in-chief Ben Smith said in a statement: "We stand by the reporting and the sources who informed it, and we urge the Special Counsel to make clear what he's disputing."

After the BuzzFeed report was published on Thursday night, investigators in the US&nbsp;Senate and House of Representatives said they planned to investigate the allegations, while some Democrats described the report as a game-changer that, if true, could be grounds for impeaching the president.

Earlier on Friday, the White House said the story was false. "Look, that's absolutely ridiculous," spokeswoman Sarah Sanders told reporters.

David Weinstein, a former federal prosecutor, said Mueller's decision to comment highlighted the significance of the allegations made in the BuzzFeed article and the attention it was getting in the media and among lawmakers.

"They are making a public comment to tell everyone to calm down," Weinstein said. "He doesn’t want people to think his silence is confirming the truthfulness of the report."

Trump said on Twitter that Cohen was lying to get less prison time. Trump's lawyer, Rudy Giuliani, said in a statement that any suggestion that Trump told Cohen to lie is "categorically false."

Representatives for the Trump Organization did not respond to a request for comment on the BuzzFeed report.

Cohen, who once said he was so loyal to Trump that he would "take a bullet" for him, is scheduled to begin a three-year prison sentence in March after pleading guilty to charges including campaign finance violations, tax evasion and lying to Congress.

If Trump did tell Cohen to lie, that would constitute criminal activity, said House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerrold Nadler, a Democrat. He added that he would look into the matter.

"Directing a subordinate to lie to Congress is a federal crime," Nadler said on Twitter.

House Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff said the allegation that Trump may have directed Cohen to lie under oath "is among the most serious to date."

"We will do what's necessary to find out if it's true," Schiff, also a Democrat, said on Twitter.

Some Senate Intelligence Committee investigators hope to ask Cohen about the BuzzFeed report when he testifies behind closed doors in February, a committee source told Reuters. He also will face questions about it in testimony before the House Oversight Committee on February&nbsp;7.

Yet Mueller's move to push back on the BuzzFeed report could give some lawmakers pause, while also giving ammunition to allies of Trump in their efforts to criticize the media and in their calls for Mueller to complete his probe.

"Today's development only underscores the need for the special counsel to wrap this investigation up immediately," Republican Representative Mark Meadows said on Twittter. "The constant secrecy and breathless speculation helps no one."

"Seismic event"

Legal experts said the allegation, if true, exposed Trump to a new level of risk in an investigation that has already resulted in convictions of or guilty pleas from four former campaign aides, including ex-campaign chairman Paul Manafort.

If true, "it's a seismic event," Andy Wright, an associate White House counsel under former Democratic President Barack Obama, told Reuters.

Cohen, his left arm in a sling, did not comment as he entered his apartment building in New York on Friday. His adviser, Lanny Davis, also declined to comment to Reuters, and his lawyer, Guy Petrillo, did not respond to a request for comment.

Trump denounced Cohen as a "rat" after he began cooperating with investigators while Cohen, whose duties included making payoffs to two women who said they had affairs with Trump, said on Thursday he regretted giving "my blind loyalty to a man who doesn't deserve it."

Directing or encouraging someone to lie under oath is a crime known as subornation of perjury. The report also raises questions about obstruction of justice and conspiracy.

William Barr, Trump's nominee to be attorney general, said at his confirmation hearing on Tuesday that a president would be committing obstruction if he directed a subordinate to lie under oath. A Justice Department spokeswoman declined to comment.

While the Justice Department has previously concluded that a sitting president cannot be charged while in office, such an allegation, if found true, could fuel impeachment proceedings in Congress.

Trump repeatedly has denied collusion with Russia and slammed Mueller's investigation as a "witch hunt." Russia also has rejected US&nbsp;intelligence findings that Moscow interfered in US&nbsp;politics in the 2016 election in an effort to boost Trump.

Trump said during the presidential campaign that he had no ties or business dealings with Russia.

Democrats, who took over the US&nbsp;House of Representatives this month, have generally been cautious regarding any talk of impeachment to remove Trump from office although some rank-and-file members have pushed for such a resolution.

Impeachment proceedings would face an uphill battle in the Senate, where Trump's fellow Republicans have a majority.

BuzzFeed also reported that Cohen regularly updated Trump's son Donald Trump Jr. and his daughter Ivanka Trump, who is now a top White House adviser, about the Moscow project.

A spokesman for Abbe Lowell, a lawyer for Ivanka Trump, said she was minimally involved in the development. Trump Jr., who has also testified previously before Congress, in a Twitter post called&nbsp;the BuzzFeed report "fake news."

After Mueller's statement disputing the report, Trump Jr. called out the media and Schiff in a series of Twitter posts. "Hey Adam, turns out it was Full of Schiff!" he wrote.

Special Counsel Robert Mueller's office on Friday disputed key elements of a media report that President Donald Trump directed his former lawyer to lie to Congress about a Moscow real estate deal, raising questions about a story that has dominated US news coverage for the past 24 hours.

Special Counsel Robert Mueller's office on Friday disputed key elements of a media report that President Donald Trump directed his former lawyer to lie to Congress about a Moscow real estate deal, raising questions about a story that has dominated US news coverage for the past 24 hours. BuzzFeed News reported late on Thursday that Michael Cohen, Trump's former lawyer who is slated to go to prison for lying to Congress and other crimes, told investigators working for Mueller that Trump had instructed him to lie about efforts to build a skyscraper in Moscow while he was running for president. "BuzzFeed’s description of specific statements to the Special Counsel’s Office, and characterization of documents and testimony obtained by this office, regarding Michael Cohen’s Congressional testimony are not accurate," Peter Carr, a spokesman for Mueller, said in the special counsel's first comment on a media report since its probe started 20 months ago. While Carr did not directly address whether there was evidence that Trump directed Cohen to lie to Congress, he disputed portions of the story about how BuzzFeed corroborated the explosive allegations against Trump. Citing information from two federal law enforcement officials, BuzzFeed said Cohen told the special counsel that after the 2016 presidential election Trump instructed him to tell Congress that negotiations over the Moscow project had ended earlier than they had in order to obscure Trump's involvement. Carr's statement also appeared to dispute BuzzFeed's assertion that the special counsel learned about Trump's directive from interviews with employees of the Trump Organization, emails, text messages and other documents. BuzzFeed editor-in-chief Ben Smith said in a statement: "We stand by the reporting and the sources who informed it, and we urge the Special Counsel to make clear what he's disputing." After the BuzzFeed report was published on Thursday night, investigators in the US Senate and House of Representatives said they planned to investigate the allegations, while some Democrats described the report as a game-changer that, if true, could be grounds for impeaching the president. Earlier on Friday, the White House said the story was false. "Look, that's absolutely ridiculous," spokeswoman Sarah Sanders told reporters. David Weinstein, a former federal prosecutor, said Mueller's decision to comment highlighted the significance of the allegations made in the BuzzFeed article and the attention it was getting in the media and among lawmakers. "They are making a public comment to tell everyone to calm down," Weinstein said. "He doesn’t want people to think his silence is confirming the truthfulness of the report." Trump said on Twitter that Cohen was lying to get less prison time. Trump's lawyer, Rudy Giuliani, said in a statement that any suggestion that Trump told Cohen to lie is "categorically false." Representatives for the Trump Organization did not respond to a request for comment on the BuzzFeed report. Cohen, who once said he was so loyal to Trump that he would "take a bullet" for him, is scheduled to begin a three-year prison sentence in March after pleading guilty to charges including campaign finance violations, tax evasion and lying to Congress. If Trump did tell Cohen to lie, that would constitute criminal activity, said House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerrold Nadler, a Democrat. He added that he would look into the matter. "Directing a subordinate to lie to Congress is a federal crime," Nadler said on Twitter. House Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff said the allegation that Trump may have directed Cohen to lie under oath "is among the most serious to date." "We will do what's necessary to find out if it's true," Schiff, also a Democrat, said on Twitter. Some Senate Intelligence Committee investigators hope to ask Cohen about the BuzzFeed report when he testifies behind closed doors in February, a committee source told Reuters. He also will face questions about it in testimony before the House Oversight Committee on February 7. Yet Mueller's move to push back on the BuzzFeed report could give some lawmakers pause, while also giving ammunition to allies of Trump in their efforts to criticize the media and in their calls for Mueller to complete his probe. "Today's development only underscores the need for the special counsel to wrap this investigation up immediately," Republican Representative Mark Meadows said on Twittter. "The constant secrecy and breathless speculation helps no one." "Seismic event" Legal experts said the allegation, if true, exposed Trump to a new level of risk in an investigation that has already resulted in convictions of or guilty pleas from four former campaign aides, including ex-campaign chairman Paul Manafort. If true, "it's a seismic event," Andy Wright, an associate White House counsel under former Democratic President Barack Obama, told Reuters. Cohen, his left arm in a sling, did not comment as he entered his apartment building in New York on Friday. His adviser, Lanny Davis, also declined to comment to Reuters, and his lawyer, Guy Petrillo, did not respond to a request for comment. Trump denounced Cohen as a "rat" after he began cooperating with investigators while Cohen, whose duties included making payoffs to two women who said they had affairs with Trump, said on Thursday he regretted giving "my blind loyalty to a man who doesn't deserve it." Directing or encouraging someone to lie under oath is a crime known as subornation of perjury. The report also raises questions about obstruction of justice and conspiracy. William Barr, Trump's nominee to be attorney general, said at his confirmation hearing on Tuesday that a president would be committing obstruction if he directed a subordinate to lie under oath. A Justice Department spokeswoman declined to comment. While the Justice Department has previously concluded that a sitting president cannot be charged while in office, such an allegation, if found true, could fuel impeachment proceedings in Congress. Trump repeatedly has denied collusion with Russia and slammed Mueller's investigation as a "witch hunt." Russia also has rejected US intelligence findings that Moscow interfered in US politics in the 2016 election in an effort to boost Trump. Trump said during the presidential campaign that he had no ties or business dealings with Russia. Democrats, who took over the US House of Representatives this month, have generally been cautious regarding any talk of impeachment to remove Trump from office although some rank-and-file members have pushed for such a resolution. Impeachment proceedings would face an uphill battle in the Senate, where Trump's fellow Republicans have a majority. BuzzFeed also reported that Cohen regularly updated Trump's son Donald Trump Jr. and his daughter Ivanka Trump, who is now a top White House adviser, about the Moscow project. A spokesman for Abbe Lowell, a lawyer for Ivanka Trump, said she was minimally involved in the development. Trump Jr., who has also testified previously before Congress, in a Twitter post called the BuzzFeed report "fake news." After Mueller's statement disputing the report, Trump Jr. called out the media and Schiff in a series of Twitter posts. "Hey Adam, turns out it was Full of Schiff!" he wrote.

Mueller's office disputes report that Trump told Cohen to lie to Congress

Breaking News: US Congress set to probe Cohen report

A top Democrat in the US Congress has vowed to look into a report that President Donald Trump ordered his personal attorney to lie to Congress to hide dealings with Russia.

Adam Schiff, who heads the Intelligence Committee in the House of Representatives, was reacting to a report late Thursday by the online site BuzzFeed that Trump ordered lawyer Michael Cohen to lie to Congress in 2017 about talks to build a Trump Tower in Moscow during the 2016 presidential campaign.

"The allegation that the President of the United States may have suborned perjury before our committee in an effort to curtail the investigation and cover up his business dealings with Russia is among the most serious to date," Schiff tweeted.&nbsp;

"We will do what's necessary to find out if it's true."

Trump also supported a Cohen plan to visit Russia during the presidential campaign to meet President Vladimir Putin to jump-start the Moscow tower negotiations according to BuzzFeed, which cites two unnamed federal law enforcement officials as sources.&nbsp;

The trip never materialized, and Trump has repeatedly and emphatically denied dealings with Russia during the campaign.

Cohen also provided Trump and two of his children -- Ivanka and Donald Trump Jr. -- regular updates about the Moscow project, the sources told BuzzFeed.

Cohen, who was the real estate billionaire's right-hand-man and fixer at his umbrella company the Trump Organization, in New York at the time, pleaded guilty last year to several charges including the violation of campaign finance laws by arranging hush payments ahead of the 2016 election to women who alleged extramarital affairs with Trump.

Cohen also pleaded guilty to lying to Congress by stating that the Trump Moscow project ended in January 2016, long before Trump became the Republican presidential nominee, when it actually extended into June 2016.

The New York lawyer, 52, was sentenced to three years in jail for the campaign finance violation and other charges.

His incarceration has been delayed while he provides support to ongoing investigations into possible Trump campaign collusion with Russia and Trump's finances.

Cohen is scheduled to testify to the House Oversight Committee, newly controlled by opposition Democrats, on February 7 about his work for Trump.

A top Democrat in the US Congress has vowed to look into a report that President Donald Trump ordered his personal attorney to lie to Congress to hide dealings with Russia.

A top Democrat in the US Congress has vowed to look into a report that President Donald Trump ordered his personal attorney to lie to Congress to hide dealings with Russia. Adam Schiff, who heads the Intelligence Committee in the House of Representatives, was reacting to a report late Thursday by the online site BuzzFeed that Trump ordered lawyer Michael Cohen to lie to Congress in 2017 about talks to build a Trump Tower in Moscow during the 2016 presidential campaign. "The allegation that the President of the United States may have suborned perjury before our committee in an effort to curtail the investigation and cover up his business dealings with Russia is among the most serious to date," Schiff tweeted. "We will do what's necessary to find out if it's true." Trump also supported a Cohen plan to visit Russia during the presidential campaign to meet President Vladimir Putin to jump-start the Moscow tower negotiations according to BuzzFeed, which cites two unnamed federal law enforcement officials as sources. The trip never materialized, and Trump has repeatedly and emphatically denied dealings with Russia during the campaign. Cohen also provided Trump and two of his children -- Ivanka and Donald Trump Jr. -- regular updates about the Moscow project, the sources told BuzzFeed. Cohen, who was the real estate billionaire's right-hand-man and fixer at his umbrella company the Trump Organization, in New York at the time, pleaded guilty last year to several charges including the violation of campaign finance laws by arranging hush payments ahead of the 2016 election to women who alleged extramarital affairs with Trump. Cohen also pleaded guilty to lying to Congress by stating that the Trump Moscow project ended in January 2016, long before Trump became the Republican presidential nominee, when it actually extended into June 2016. The New York lawyer, 52, was sentenced to three years in jail for the campaign finance violation and other charges. His incarceration has been delayed while he provides support to ongoing investigations into possible Trump campaign collusion with Russia and Trump's finances. Cohen is scheduled to testify to the House Oversight Committee, newly controlled by opposition Democrats, on February 7 about his work for Trump.

Democrat vows to probe Trump lawyer's alleged lies to Congress

WION Speed News: Watch top international news of the day, January 4th, 2019

US house elects Nancy Pelosi as its speaker

In pics: Trump, Pelosi era could see fireworks in Washington

Washington's new era of divided government begins Thursday as Democrats seize control of the US House, aiming to serve as a check on Donald Trump's disruptive presidency at least until the 2020 election.

Battle-tested Nancy Pelosi will in all likelihood win the gavel as speaker of the House of Representatives, a dramatic return to national power for the California Democrat who made history a dozen years earlier as the first woman to lead the chamber.

She will take command during a period of American political upheaval, and with a caucus riding high after a very strong midterm election showing last November.

Thursday brings an end to Trump's one-party rule in Washington, a massive boost for Democrats who felt deflated after Trump's 2016 victory.

Progressives will be eager to push back with greater effect against an administration they believe has overstepped its authority and abused power in the nearly two years since Trump's inauguration.

They will have that opportunity, as congressional panels will be led by chairmen who have pledged to probe topics such as Trump's income taxes, his firing of attorney general Jeff Sessions, and the president's ties to Vladimir Putin.

Incoming chairpersons have signaled that Trump will face a barrage of probes that could bog down a White House already besieged by Special Counsel Robert Mueller's Russia collusion probe, draining energy from the administration's agenda and foiling Trump's message.

"It's on," Democrat Hakeem Jeffries, a new member of House leadership who is seen by some as a potential future House speaker, tweeted Wednesday.

"Tomorrow, we seize the majority. Then, we pass legislation to end reckless #TrumpShutdown," he added. "Next, we fight to lower healthcare costs and enact a progressive agenda."

While the "blue wave" swept dozens of House Republicans out of Congress last November, Trump's party managed to modestly expand its majority in the Senate to 57-43, meaning Washington gridlock is almost certain to deepen.

Not 'stirring the pot'

Among the first tasks of the 116th Congress will be ending a <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/trump-warns-us-government-shutdown-could-last-a-long-time-187969">nearly two-week government shutdown</a> that has left one quarter of federal agencies shuttered due to lapsed funding.

Trump has said he would not sign a spending bill that does not include $5.6 billion for construction of a wall on the US-Mexico border, but Democrats appear uninterested in appeasing him.

Pelosi has introduced new measures that would fund the agencies, but she noted that they "contain no new wall funding," a move the White House -- and leaders in the Republican-controlled Senate -- dismissed as a non-starter.

"Democrats will have to get serious about border security so that a government funding agreement may be reached that can pass the House, earn 60 votes here in the Senate, and receive a presidential signature," Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said in a statement.

"All three of these things are needed. One partisan vote in the House tomorrow won’t solve anything."

The House and Senate gavel into session Thursday at noon (1700 GMT), with the new Congress sworn in shortly thereafter. Pelosi is expected to win her speaker election in the early afternoon.

She will preside over the most diverse Congress in history. One hundred House freshmen will take the oath of office, including trailblazers like New York's Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, who at 29 was the youngest woman ever elected to Congress.&nbsp;

The first two Native American women and first two Muslim women were also elected.

The House and Senate will each have a record number of female members come Thursday.

Democrats will move early to protect coverage for people with pre-existing conditions, a popular feature of the Affordable Care Act that a judge in Texas recently struck down.

House Democrats are thumbing their nose at Trump by establishing a special committee on climate so the government can better respond to the urgency of global warming.

Hovering in the background in Washington will be the threat of impeachment, and it is almost certain that some Democrats will introduce proceedings to remove Trump from office.

Even if Democrats believe some of Trump's actions clear the threshold of "high crimes and misdemeanors," Pelosi has downplayed the prospects of impeachment.

"It would be very divisive," she told Elle magazine. "It's not something that I'm stirring the pot on."

Washington's new era of divided government begins Thursday as Democrats seize control of the US House, aiming to serve as a check on Donald Trump's disruptive presidency at least until the 2020 election.

Washington's new era of divided government begins Thursday as Democrats seize control of the US House, aiming to serve as a check on Donald Trump's disruptive presidency at least until the 2020 election. Battle-tested Nancy Pelosi will in all likelihood win the gavel as speaker of the House of Representatives, a dramatic return to national power for the California Democrat who made history a dozen years earlier as the first woman to lead the chamber. She will take command during a period of American political upheaval, and with a caucus riding high after a very strong midterm election showing last November. Thursday brings an end to Trump's one-party rule in Washington, a massive boost for Democrats who felt deflated after Trump's 2016 victory. Progressives will be eager to push back with greater effect against an administration they believe has overstepped its authority and abused power in the nearly two years since Trump's inauguration. They will have that opportunity, as congressional panels will be led by chairmen who have pledged to probe topics such as Trump's income taxes, his firing of attorney general Jeff Sessions, and the president's ties to Vladimir Putin. Incoming chairpersons have signaled that Trump will face a barrage of probes that could bog down a White House already besieged by Special Counsel Robert Mueller's Russia collusion probe, draining energy from the administration's agenda and foiling Trump's message. "It's on," Democrat Hakeem Jeffries, a new member of House leadership who is seen by some as a potential future House speaker, tweeted Wednesday. "Tomorrow, we seize the majority. Then, we pass legislation to end reckless #TrumpShutdown," he added. "Next, we fight to lower healthcare costs and enact a progressive agenda." While the "blue wave" swept dozens of House Republicans out of Congress last November, Trump's party managed to modestly expand its majority in the Senate to 57-43, meaning Washington gridlock is almost certain to deepen. Not 'stirring the pot' Among the first tasks of the 116th Congress will be ending a nearly two-week government shutdown that has left one quarter of federal agencies shuttered due to lapsed funding. Trump has said he would not sign a spending bill that does not include $5.6 billion for construction of a wall on the US-Mexico border, but Democrats appear uninterested in appeasing him. Pelosi has introduced new measures that would fund the agencies, but she noted that they "contain no new wall funding," a move the White House -- and leaders in the Republican-controlled Senate -- dismissed as a non-starter. "Democrats will have to get serious about border security so that a government funding agreement may be reached that can pass the House, earn 60 votes here in the Senate, and receive a presidential signature," Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said in a statement. "All three of these things are needed. One partisan vote in the House tomorrow won’t solve anything." The House and Senate gavel into session Thursday at noon (1700 GMT), with the new Congress sworn in shortly thereafter. Pelosi is expected to win her speaker election in the early afternoon. She will preside over the most diverse Congress in history. One hundred House freshmen will take the oath of office, including trailblazers like New York's Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, who at 29 was the youngest woman ever elected to Congress. The first two Native American women and first two Muslim women were also elected. The House and Senate will each have a record number of female members come Thursday. Democrats will move early to protect coverage for people with pre-existing conditions, a popular feature of the Affordable Care Act that a judge in Texas recently struck down. House Democrats are thumbing their nose at Trump by establishing a special committee on climate so the government can better respond to the urgency of global warming. Hovering in the background in Washington will be the threat of impeachment, and it is almost certain that some Democrats will introduce proceedings to remove Trump from office. Even if Democrats believe some of Trump's actions clear the threshold of "high crimes and misdemeanors," Pelosi has downplayed the prospects of impeachment. "It would be very divisive," she told Elle magazine. "It's not something that I'm stirring the pot on."

Divided government arrives at Capitol Hill, first task to end nearly two-week-long shutdown

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/trump-seeks-to-end-government-shutdown-calls-for-meeting-with-us-congress-187796">Trump seeks to end </a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/trump-seeks-to-end-government-shutdown-calls-for-meeting-with-us-congress-187796">government</a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/trump-seeks-to-end-government-shutdown-calls-for-meeting-with-us-congress-187796"> shutdown, calls for meeting with US Congress</a>

President Donald Trump on Tuesday invited Republican and Democratic leaders from Congress for a meeting to seek an end to the federal government shutdown now in its second week.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/new-sanctions-loom-as-wada-confirm-russia-misses-doping-deadline-187798">New sanctions loom as WADA confirm Russia misses doping deadline</a>

Russia faced the possibility of renewed sporting sanctions on Tuesday when the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) confirmed the country had missed a December 31 deadline to hand over data from its anti-doping laboratory in Moscow.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/tmc-turns-21-projects-party-chief-mamata-banerjee-as-possible-pm-candidate-of-grand-opposition-alliance-187803">TMC turns 21, projects Mamata Banerjee as possible PM candidate of </a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/tmc-turns-21-projects-party-chief-mamata-banerjee-as-possible-pm-candidate-of-grand-opposition-alliance-187803">grand</a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/tmc-turns-21-projects-party-chief-mamata-banerjee-as-possible-pm-candidate-of-grand-opposition-alliance-187803"> opposition alliance</a>

The ruling Trinamool Congress in West Bengal turned 21 on Tuesday and used the occasion to project party chief and Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee as a possible prime ministerial candidate of any grand opposition alliance for the upcoming Lok Sabha polls.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/words-of-outgoing-prime-minister-will-have-no-effect-aap-on-pm-modi-interview-187800">Words of 'outgoing' prime minister will have no effect: AAP on PM Modi interview</a>

The AAP Tuesday said instead of "wasting" time talking about Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Congress leader Sonia Gandhi, issues concerning the people needs to be discussed.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/former-president-raul-castro-urges-cubans-to-prepare-for-worst-with-us-187806">Former president Raul Castro urges Cubans to prepare for worst with </a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/former-president-raul-castro-urges-cubans-to-prepare-for-worst-with-us-187806">US</a>

Former Cuban president and leader of the island's Communist Party Raul Castro on Tuesday urged the nation to strengthen its defenses and prepare "for the worst scenarios" vis-a-vis the US, the government of which he accused of having resumed the policy of "confrontation."

 
&nbsp;

Trump seeks to end government shutdown, calls for meeting with US Congress President Donald Trump on Tuesday invited Republican and Democratic leaders from Congress for a meeting to seek an end to the federal government shutdown now in its second week. New sanctions loom as WADA confirm Russia misses doping deadline Russia faced the possibility of renewed sporting sanctions on Tuesday when the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) confirmed the country had missed a December 31 deadline to hand over data from its anti-doping laboratory in Moscow. TMC turns 21, projects Mamata Banerjee as possible PM candidate of grand opposition alliance The ruling Trinamool Congress in West Bengal turned 21 on Tuesday and used the occasion to project party chief and Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee as a possible prime ministerial candidate of any grand opposition alliance for the upcoming Lok Sabha polls. Words of 'outgoing' prime minister will have no effect: AAP on PM Modi interview The AAP Tuesday said instead of "wasting" time talking about Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Congress leader Sonia Gandhi, issues concerning the people needs to be discussed. Former president Raul Castro urges Cubans to prepare for worst with US Former Cuban president and leader of the island's Communist Party Raul Castro on Tuesday urged the nation to strengthen its defenses and prepare "for the worst scenarios" vis-a-vis the US, the government of which he accused of having resumed the policy of "confrontation."

News brief: Big stories of the day

The US&nbsp;government was headed for a partial shutdown unless <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/trump-refuses-to-sign-us-government-shutdown-legislation-over-mexico-wall-funding-185571">President Donald Trump</a> and Congress cut a deal on Friday in their long-running battle over Trump's demand for a border wall with Mexico, with the president signalling he was prepared to close down the government "for a very long time."

Funding for a range of federal agencies is set to expire at midnight on Friday.

The Republican-led Senate had already approved a measure to fund the government through February 8 without the wall funds. But&nbsp;Trump&nbsp;pushed Republican allies in the House of Representatives on Thursday to use the short-term funding bill as leverage to force through $5 billion for the border wall despite Democratic objections.

In a series of early-morning tweets on Friday,&nbsp;Trump&nbsp;called on Senate Majority leader Mitch McConnell to take up the amended bill from the House to prevent the shutdown. But approving the spending legislation would require Democratic support to reach the 60 votes needed for passage in the Senate.

"Senator Mitch McConnell should fight for the Wall and Border Security as hard as he fought for anything,"&nbsp;Trump&nbsp;tweeted. "He will need Democrat votes, but as shown in the House, good things happen."

"If the Dems vote no, there will be a shutdown that will last for a very long time. People don’t want Open Borders and Crime!" he said.

The Senate is expected to reject that legislation&nbsp;leaving the government without funding for agencies including the Department of Homeland Security, the Justice Department and Agriculture Department. The agencies would have to pare staff down to those deemed "essential" to public safety.

Three-quarters of government programs are fully funded through next September 30, including those in the Defense Department, Labor Department and Health and Human Services.

On Wednesday, there had appeared to be a bipartisan agreement to avoid the shutdown without providing&nbsp;Trump&nbsp;with his border wall money.

But on Thursday afternoon,&nbsp;Trump&nbsp;summoned the House of Representatives' Republican leaders to the White House and insisted that deal be scuttled.

The House late Thursday did just that when it bowed to&nbsp;Trump's demand that any temporary funding bill includes wall funding.

If that measure is put to a vote in the Senate, Democrats there have pledged to prevent it from getting the votes it needs for passage.

"The bill that's on the floor of the House, everyone knows will not pass the Senate," Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer told reporters late Thursday.

It was not yet clear what would happen in that case. The partial government shutdown could begin, or lawmakers could work to find a solution that&nbsp;Trump&nbsp;finds acceptable.

Trump&nbsp;believes the border wall is a winning issue for his 2020 re-election campaign and said last week in a White House meeting with Democratic congressional leaders that he would be "proud to shut down the government for border security.

Democrats have used those words to blame any shutdown on the president, believing it would hurt him politically.

Republicans worry about that too and some tried on Thursday to shift the blame to Democrats.

"Chuck Schumer and Senate Democrats now have to decide whether it is worth shutting down the government to keep us from securing our border," said Kevin McCarthy, leader of Republican lawmakers in the House.

Workers in the affected government departments will still perform their duties if deemed as essential.

The Department of Homeland Security would run out of funding on Friday if Congress and&nbsp;Trump&nbsp;do not act, but its border agents and those working in the interior of the country would still be on the job because their work is deemed essential.

A partial shutdown would force federal parks to close unless the government also declares them an essential service.

Workers classified as not essential to public safety would be put on temporary leave. Both they and essential employees would not get paychecks until the dispute is resolved.

Democrats take control of the House on January 3 following their victory in the midterm elections last month.

House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi will almost certainly be the new speaker of the House and would likely push through a new temporary funding bill without any money forTrump's wall, hoping the Republican-controlled Senate would accept it.

The US government was headed for a partial shutdown unless President Donald Trump and Congress cut a deal on Friday in their long-running battle over Trump's demand for a border wall with Mexico, with the president signalling he was prepared to close down the government "for a very long time.

The US government was headed for a partial shutdown unless President Donald Trump and Congress cut a deal on Friday in their long-running battle over Trump's demand for a border wall with Mexico, with the president signalling he was prepared to close down the government "for a very long time." Funding for a range of federal agencies is set to expire at midnight on Friday. The Republican-led Senate had already approved a measure to fund the government through February 8 without the wall funds. But Trump pushed Republican allies in the House of Representatives on Thursday to use the short-term funding bill as leverage to force through $5 billion for the border wall despite Democratic objections. In a series of early-morning tweets on Friday, Trump called on Senate Majority leader Mitch McConnell to take up the amended bill from the House to prevent the shutdown. But approving the spending legislation would require Democratic support to reach the 60 votes needed for passage in the Senate. "Senator Mitch McConnell should fight for the Wall and Border Security as hard as he fought for anything," Trump tweeted. "He will need Democrat votes, but as shown in the House, good things happen." "If the Dems vote no, there will be a shutdown that will last for a very long time. People don’t want Open Borders and Crime!" he said. The Senate is expected to reject that legislation leaving the government without funding for agencies including the Department of Homeland Security, the Justice Department and Agriculture Department. The agencies would have to pare staff down to those deemed "essential" to public safety. Three-quarters of government programs are fully funded through next September 30, including those in the Defense Department, Labor Department and Health and Human Services. On Wednesday, there had appeared to be a bipartisan agreement to avoid the shutdown without providing Trump with his border wall money. But on Thursday afternoon, Trump summoned the House of Representatives' Republican leaders to the White House and insisted that deal be scuttled. The House late Thursday did just that when it bowed to Trump's demand that any temporary funding bill includes wall funding. If that measure is put to a vote in the Senate, Democrats there have pledged to prevent it from getting the votes it needs for passage. "The bill that's on the floor of the House, everyone knows will not pass the Senate," Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer told reporters late Thursday. It was not yet clear what would happen in that case. The partial government shutdown could begin, or lawmakers could work to find a solution that Trump finds acceptable. Trump believes the border wall is a winning issue for his 2020 re-election campaign and said last week in a White House meeting with Democratic congressional leaders that he would be "proud to shut down the government for border security. Democrats have used those words to blame any shutdown on the president, believing it would hurt him politically. Republicans worry about that too and some tried on Thursday to shift the blame to Democrats. "Chuck Schumer and Senate Democrats now have to decide whether it is worth shutting down the government to keep us from securing our border," said Kevin McCarthy, leader of Republican lawmakers in the House. Workers in the affected government departments will still perform their duties if deemed as essential. The Department of Homeland Security would run out of funding on Friday if Congress and Trump do not act, but its border agents and those working in the interior of the country would still be on the job because their work is deemed essential. A partial shutdown would force federal parks to close unless the government also declares them an essential service. Workers classified as not essential to public safety would be put on temporary leave. Both they and essential employees would not get paychecks until the dispute is resolved. Democrats take control of the House on January 3 following their victory in the midterm elections last month. House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi will almost certainly be the new speaker of the House and would likely push through a new temporary funding bill without any money forTrump's wall, hoping the Republican-controlled Senate would accept it.

Trump pressures Democrats, warns government may close 'for very long time'

The US Congress has voted to demand access for US diplomats, journalists and tourists to Tibet, threatening to bar the Chinese officials responsible for the policy from the <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/trump-says-ex-lawyer-cohens-crimes-are-unrelated-to-me-183823">United States</a> if the region remained walled off to foreigners.

The bill, which passed with bipartisan support, comes after years of concern over human rights violations in the predominantly Buddhist region, where foreigners are generally required to obtain a special permit to visit.

Congress voted to require the State Department to verify each year whether China has granted access to Tibet and ethnically Tibetan areas in line with how it treats the rest of the country.

If restrictions remain in place on Americans seeking to enter Tibet, the State Department would then be compelled to ban Chinese officials responsible for the policy from entering the United States.

Senator Robert Menendez, the top Democrat on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, said the bill was "about fundamental fairness."&nbsp;

"Chinese citizens enjoy broad access to the United States, and I think that is terrific," he said.

"But it is unacceptable that the same is not true for US students, journalists or diplomats going to Tibet, including our Tibetan-American constituents just trying to visit their country of origin."

The bill passed without objections by a voice vote this week after similar passage in the House of Representatives.

The legislation needs the signature of President Donald Trump, which appears likely as it has wide support within his Republican Party.

The bill comes amid frictions between the United States and China over trade and the arrest in Canada on a US request of an executive with Chinese tech giant Huawei on charges of violating US sanctions on Iran.

A recent op-ed piece in China's state-run Global Times denounced the Tibet bill and accused the United States of "double standards or even multiple standards on human rights," pointing to how Washington pulled out of the UN Human Rights Council over the body's criticism of Israel.

Matteo Mecacci -- the president of the International Campaign for Tibet, an advocacy group close to the exiled Dalai Lama that has pressed for the legislation -- said the measure was different from trade tensions as it will become part of US law.

"Certainly this is a major step forward because now it is clearly on the agenda of the Chinese government," said Mecacci, a former Italian MP.

"Our goal is not to stop Chinese officials from coming here. It is to open up Tibet to the world," he told AFP.

"If they choose to scrap this system of additional permits, that would be, as they would say, a win-win."

The US Congress has voted to demand access for US diplomats, journalists and tourists to Tibet, threatening to bar the Chinese officials responsible for the policy from the United States if the region remained walled off to foreigners.

The US Congress has voted to demand access for US diplomats, journalists and tourists to Tibet, threatening to bar the Chinese officials responsible for the policy from the United States if the region remained walled off to foreigners. The bill, which passed with bipartisan support, comes after years of concern over human rights violations in the predominantly Buddhist region, where foreigners are generally required to obtain a special permit to visit. Congress voted to require the State Department to verify each year whether China has granted access to Tibet and ethnically Tibetan areas in line with how it treats the rest of the country. If restrictions remain in place on Americans seeking to enter Tibet, the State Department would then be compelled to ban Chinese officials responsible for the policy from entering the United States. Senator Robert Menendez, the top Democrat on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, said the bill was "about fundamental fairness." "Chinese citizens enjoy broad access to the United States, and I think that is terrific," he said. "But it is unacceptable that the same is not true for US students, journalists or diplomats going to Tibet, including our Tibetan-American constituents just trying to visit their country of origin." The bill passed without objections by a voice vote this week after similar passage in the House of Representatives. The legislation needs the signature of President Donald Trump, which appears likely as it has wide support within his Republican Party. The bill comes amid frictions between the United States and China over trade and the arrest in Canada on a US request of an executive with Chinese tech giant Huawei on charges of violating US sanctions on Iran. A recent op-ed piece in China's state-run Global Times denounced the Tibet bill and accused the United States of "double standards or even multiple standards on human rights," pointing to how Washington pulled out of the UN Human Rights Council over the body's criticism of Israel. Matteo Mecacci -- the president of the International Campaign for Tibet, an advocacy group close to the exiled Dalai Lama that has pressed for the legislation -- said the measure was different from trade tensions as it will become part of US law. "Certainly this is a major step forward because now it is clearly on the agenda of the Chinese government," said Mecacci, a former Italian MP. "Our goal is not to stop Chinese officials from coming here. It is to open up Tibet to the world," he told AFP. "If they choose to scrap this system of additional permits, that would be, as they would say, a win-win."

US demands access for US diplomats, journalists to Tibet, threatening to bar Chinese officials

Former FBI director James Comey testified before US lawmakers for the first time in over a year Friday, with much of the discussions centering on Hillary Clinton's email use.

The closed-door grilling came amid mounting intrigue over Special Counsel Robert Mueller's investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 election and possible contacts between Donald Trump's presidential campaign and Moscow.

Comey had pleaded for a public hearing after he was subpoenaed by the outgoing Congress in November, but House Republicans including some of Trump's allies insisted on a private session before the judiciary and oversight committees.

Comey was questioned as part of a Republican-led House inquiry into possible Russian interference, and Clinton, who lost to Trump in 2016, featured prominently.

"Hillary Clinton's emails, for heaven's sake," Comey said after testifying for six hours. "I'm not sure we need to do this at all."

Clinton had set up a private email server before becoming secretary of state in 2009.&nbsp;

Republicans seized on the revelation years later, saying she broke department protocol by using a private email account while a government official in order to hide sensitive correspondence.

The issue became a flashpoint of the 2016 race.

Republicans exited Friday's session complaining that Comey lawyers shut down certain avenues of questioning.

Comey disputed that but gave a rationale for why he would not publicly discuss some elements.

"The FBI, for understandable reasons, doesn't want me talking about the details of the investigation that is still ongoing, and began when I was FBI director," he said.

In May 2017 Trump abruptly sacked Comey, who was the senior official leading a criminal investigation into possible collusion with Moscow.&nbsp;

Three months earlier the president met privately with Comey and urged him to end the investigation into former national security advisor Michael Flynn, a move that many Democrats interpreted as obstruction of justice.

Trump has repeatedly blasted Mueller's probe as a "witch hunt," and on Friday unleashed a Twitter tirade against Mueller, Comey and other current and former officials tied to the Russia probe.

"Robert Mueller and Leakin' Lyin' James Comey are Best Friends, just one of many Mueller Conflicts of Interest," Trump tweeted.

Comey said a testimony transcript will be published 24 hours after his interview. Republicans want him to return for further testimony in two weeks, a final effort to advance their probe.

House control shifts to Democrats in January, and incoming Judiciary Committee chairman Jerrold Nadler said he would shut down the probe into FBI behaviour because it was merely an effort to "cast aspersion on the real investigation, which is Mueller."

Former FBI director James Comey testified before US lawmakers for the first time in over a year Friday, with much of the discussions centering on Hillary Clinton's email use.

Former FBI director James Comey testified before US lawmakers for the first time in over a year Friday, with much of the discussions centering on Hillary Clinton's email use. The closed-door grilling came amid mounting intrigue over Special Counsel Robert Mueller's investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 election and possible contacts between Donald Trump's presidential campaign and Moscow. Comey had pleaded for a public hearing after he was subpoenaed by the outgoing Congress in November, but House Republicans including some of Trump's allies insisted on a private session before the judiciary and oversight committees. Comey was questioned as part of a Republican-led House inquiry into possible Russian interference, and Clinton, who lost to Trump in 2016, featured prominently. "Hillary Clinton's emails, for heaven's sake," Comey said after testifying for six hours. "I'm not sure we need to do this at all." Clinton had set up a private email server before becoming secretary of state in 2009. Republicans seized on the revelation years later, saying she broke department protocol by using a private email account while a government official in order to hide sensitive correspondence. The issue became a flashpoint of the 2016 race. Republicans exited Friday's session complaining that Comey lawyers shut down certain avenues of questioning. Comey disputed that but gave a rationale for why he would not publicly discuss some elements. "The FBI, for understandable reasons, doesn't want me talking about the details of the investigation that is still ongoing, and began when I was FBI director," he said. In May 2017 Trump abruptly sacked Comey, who was the senior official leading a criminal investigation into possible collusion with Moscow. Three months earlier the president met privately with Comey and urged him to end the investigation into former national security advisor Michael Flynn, a move that many Democrats interpreted as obstruction of justice. Trump has repeatedly blasted Mueller's probe as a "witch hunt," and on Friday unleashed a Twitter tirade against Mueller, Comey and other current and former officials tied to the Russia probe. "Robert Mueller and Leakin' Lyin' James Comey are Best Friends, just one of many Mueller Conflicts of Interest," Trump tweeted. Comey said a testimony transcript will be published 24 hours after his interview. Republicans want him to return for further testimony in two weeks, a final effort to advance their probe. House control shifts to Democrats in January, and incoming Judiciary Committee chairman Jerrold Nadler said he would shut down the probe into FBI behaviour because it was merely an effort to "cast aspersion on the real investigation, which is Mueller."

Ex-FBI director Comey grilled again in US Congress with discussions centering on Clinton's email

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