As the Democrats kicked off their virtual 2020 Democratic National Convention in Milwaukee, Donald Trump hit the campaign trail in Minnesota. Trump's decision to campaign during the democratic convention is an unusual one. Watch report.

Everything you need to know about the 2020 Democratic National Convention

America's biggest oil and gas lobby group is ramping up its advertising spending ahead of the November election to persuade voters that natural gas is a climate-friendly fuel, according to ad buying data.

The campaign by the American Petroleum Institute (API), targeted at younger voters and some tight congressional races, is part of a global battle by the drilling industry to assuage growing fears over the role of natural gas in driving climate change.

US&nbsp;Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden last month unveiled a $2 trillion plan to transition the American economy away from fossil fuels, including natural gas, if he beats incumbent Donald Trump, who is a drilling advocate.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="/opinions/natural-gas-frames-future-gulf-relations-266987" hreflang="en">Natural gas frames future Gulf relations</a>

Biden's plan would support climate litigation against polluters who conceal information about environmental and health risks.&nbsp;

In the three weeks following Biden's climate announcement on July 14, API increased its spending on Facebook ads to an estimated average of $24,000 a day. That's about six times its average daily spending in the preceding six months, according to an analysis by InfluenceMap, a non-profit group whose data on lobbying is used by institutional investors.&nbsp;

Those ads mainly target a younger audience including 25-to-34-year-olds, according to a separate analysis by Bully Pulpit Interactive Media conducted on behalf of Reuters.

Meanwhile, API has spent an estimated $3.1 million on TV ads between Jan. 1 and Aug. 16, according to data from analytics firm iSpot, an increase of 51% over the same period in 2019.

The TV ads are part of API's "Energy for Progress" campaign, launched in January.

For at least six months, the campaign's website cast natural gas as a "clean" fuel before that description was revised to "cleaner" on the site sometime in the last two months.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="/india-news/india-looks-to-trial-liquefied-natural-gas-as-fuel-for-fishing-boat-242904" hreflang="en">India looks to trial liquefied natural gas as fuel for fishing boat</a>

Climate scientists say that natural gas is not clean and is emerging as a major threat to the climate due to the sheer scale of carbon dioxide (CO2) the industry emits.&nbsp;

In addition, they say, a significant amount of methane, a far more potent short-term warming agent, leaks during production of natural gas.

API points out on its website that when burned, natural gas produces about half as much planet-warming CO2 as coal and less air pollution, and has helped the United States reduce emissions by replacing coal in power plants.

API President Mike Sommers told Reuters that his group's advertising ahead of the election seeks "to inform people of all generations of the importance of American energy leadership," including on the environment.

"In this country, there is a lot of energy illiteracy," he said.

DEFINE 'CLEAN'

Republican and Democratic politicians alike once saw natural gas as a "bridge fuel" to a low-carbon future, but some states, cities and towns have increasingly moved to phase out natural gas power generation or ban its use in new homes and buildings.

API declined to say why it switched to calling natural gas "cleaner" on its "Energy for Progress" website. It continues to use the words "clean" or "clean-burning" in relation to natural gas on its main website, api.org, and in Facebook ads.

Industry critics say the use of the word "clean" is not just a matter of semantics. Such claims about environmental friendliness are coming under greater scrutiny as the presidential campaign goes into its final stretch. Also, some institutional investors are pushing for more action on climate change, and the oil and gas industry faces lawsuits alleging it has deceived the public about the harm of its products.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="/south-asia/bangladesh-scraps-15-year-liquefied-natural-gas-supply-deal-with-swiss-trader-191333" hreflang="en">Bangladesh scraps 15-year Liquefied Natural Gas supply deal with Swiss trader</a>

"It's about using green imagery and language to convince the public that their products are part of the climate solution rather than the essence of the problem," said Richard Wiles, executive director of the Center for Climate Integrity, a nonprofit in Washington, D.C., which supports climate litigation against oil and gas companies.

API president Sommers said his group's "Energy for Progress" campaign is focused on 37 congressional districts across the country. He didn't detail which ones.&nbsp;

"API doesn't endorse candidates; we endorse policies," Sommers said. "We want to make sure that no matter who is in control that we have pro-majorities for energy in the House and the Senate."&nbsp;

Founded more than a century ago, API's mission in part is "to influence public policy in support of a strong, viable U.S. oil and natural gas industry," according to its website.

The group's nearly 600 members include the major U.S. and European oil companies. Their senior executives have sat on API's board in recent years, according to the group's tax forms, although API declined to identify its current board members.&nbsp;

API received a total of $116 million from membership dues in 2018, according to the most recent tax form.

Among its members is Anglo-Dutch major Royal Dutch Shell PLC &lt;RDSa.L&gt;, one of the largest oil companies in the world. In April, Shell said it paid API between $12.5 and $15 million in 2019. Whether any of this money was used for the "Energy for Progress" campaign was a question for API, Shell said. API declined to say how any of its members' contributions were used.

Shell told Reuters it "has always been careful to note that natural gas is a cleaner alternative to other sources of energy – most notably coal."&nbsp;

Some API ads and social media posts say gas is clean, not just cleaner than coal.

"Natural gas is already clean, affordable and efficient - and it's getting better every day," says one API ad on Facebook. Another ad, emblazoned across the doors of a train at a Washington, D.C. airport, depicts a man and a woman walking through a forest. "Thanks to clean natural gas," says the slogan, "U.S. CO2 emission levels are the lowest in a generation."

Dustin Meyer, API's director of market development, told reporters in July that there may be "no better example" of a pragmatic solution to climate change than natural gas "in driving out dirtier fuels from the power mix."

Nevertheless, natural gas is a fossil fuel that emits CO2 when burned. Its surging use means the United States could have roughly the same CO2 emissions levels in 2050 as it does now, if no new policies to control emissions are implemented, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration's Annual Energy Outlook 2020.&nbsp;

STRONG OPPOSITION

While reeling from an historic collapse in demand for oil and gas triggered by the coronavirus pandemic, API members also face dozens of climate-related lawsuits, most dating back several years.

Most recently, the attorneys general from Massachusetts, Minnesota and the District of Columbia have sued members of the fossil fuel industry, accusing companies of deceiving consumers about harms caused by their products.

API was named for the first time in the Minnesota suit, which alleges fraud, deceptive advertising and other violations.&nbsp;

Referring to claims about natural gas in the "Energy for Progress" campaign, Kate Konopka, assistant attorney general in the District of Columbia, told Reuters: "We think this campaign is very much akin to Big Tobacco claims decades ago in terms of harmfulness around the improved value of light cigarettes."

Maura Healey, the attorney general of Massachusetts, who helped kick off the wave of litigation, told Reuters that API's portrayal of gas as clean was "just not true" and consistent with a pattern of misinformation by the API.&nbsp;

In a statement to Reuters about the Minnesota suit, API said the oil industry was working to substantially reduce emissions and "that any suggestion to the contrary was false."&nbsp;

In Europe, advertising watchdogs have ruled against oil companies in the past year for presenting natural gas and other fossil fuels as environmentally friendly. Several cases have been resolved informally, with companies agreeing not to repeat contested claims, although one company was fined.

In the United States, now the world's largest producer of oil and natural gas, API members increasingly are subject to protests over new pipelines and pressure from activist investors over their lobbying activity.

In October 2018, the Institutional Investors Group on Climate Change, a group of European pension funds and asset managers, urged companies to be more transparent over climate-related lobbying. The group collectively manages more than 30 trillion euros ($35.60 trillion) in assets - including in oil and gas.

Clare Richards, senior engagement manager for the Church of England Pensions Board, said omitting the full truth about natural gas is "tantamount to false advertising."

API president Sommers said some investors and activists will never accept the benefits of natural gas.&nbsp;

"I think we just view the future differently," he said.

America's biggest oil and gas lobby group is ramping up its advertising spending ahead of the November election to persuade voters that natural gas is a climate-friendly fuel, according to ad buying data.

America's biggest oil and gas lobby group is ramping up its advertising spending ahead of the November election to persuade voters that natural gas is a climate-friendly fuel, according to ad buying data. The campaign by the American Petroleum Institute (API), targeted at younger voters and some tight congressional races, is part of a global battle by the drilling industry to assuage growing fears over the role of natural gas in driving climate change. US Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden last month unveiled a $2 trillion plan to transition the American economy away from fossil fuels, including natural gas, if he beats incumbent Donald Trump, who is a drilling advocate. Also read: Natural gas frames future Gulf relations Biden's plan would support climate litigation against polluters who conceal information about environmental and health risks. In the three weeks following Biden's climate announcement on July 14, API increased its spending on Facebook ads to an estimated average of $24,000 a day. That's about six times its average daily spending in the preceding six months, according to an analysis by InfluenceMap, a non-profit group whose data on lobbying is used by institutional investors. Those ads mainly target a younger audience including 25-to-34-year-olds, according to a separate analysis by Bully Pulpit Interactive Media conducted on behalf of Reuters. Meanwhile, API has spent an estimated $3.1 million on TV ads between Jan. 1 and Aug. 16, according to data from analytics firm iSpot, an increase of 51% over the same period in 2019. The TV ads are part of API's "Energy for Progress" campaign, launched in January. For at least six months, the campaign's website cast natural gas as a "clean" fuel before that description was revised to "cleaner" on the site sometime in the last two months. Also read: India looks to trial liquefied natural gas as fuel for fishing boat Climate scientists say that natural gas is not clean and is emerging as a major threat to the climate due to the sheer scale of carbon dioxide (CO2) the industry emits. In addition, they say, a significant amount of methane, a far more potent short-term warming agent, leaks during production of natural gas. API points out on its website that when burned, natural gas produces about half as much planet-warming CO2 as coal and less air pollution, and has helped the United States reduce emissions by replacing coal in power plants. API President Mike Sommers told Reuters that his group's advertising ahead of the election seeks "to inform people of all generations of the importance of American energy leadership," including on the environment. "In this country, there is a lot of energy illiteracy," he said. DEFINE 'CLEAN' Republican and Democratic politicians alike once saw natural gas as a "bridge fuel" to a low-carbon future, but some states, cities and towns have increasingly moved to phase out natural gas power generation or ban its use in new homes and buildings. API declined to say why it switched to calling natural gas "cleaner" on its "Energy for Progress" website. It continues to use the words "clean" or "clean-burning" in relation to natural gas on its main website, api.org, and in Facebook ads. Industry critics say the use of the word "clean" is not just a matter of semantics. Such claims about environmental friendliness are coming under greater scrutiny as the presidential campaign goes into its final stretch. Also, some institutional investors are pushing for more action on climate change, and the oil and gas industry faces lawsuits alleging it has deceived the public about the harm of its products. Also read: Bangladesh scraps 15-year Liquefied Natural Gas supply deal with Swiss trader "It's about using green imagery and language to convince the public that their products are part of the climate solution rather than the essence of the problem," said Richard Wiles, executive director of the Center for Climate Integrity, a nonprofit in Washington, D.C., which supports climate litigation against oil and gas companies. API president Sommers said his group's "Energy for Progress" campaign is focused on 37 congressional districts across the country. He didn't detail which ones. "API doesn't endorse candidates; we endorse policies," Sommers said. "We want to make sure that no matter who is in control that we have pro-majorities for energy in the House and the Senate." Founded more than a century ago, API's mission in part is "to influence public policy in support of a strong, viable U.S. oil and natural gas industry," according to its website. The group's nearly 600 members include the major U.S. and European oil companies. Their senior executives have sat on API's board in recent years, according to the group's tax forms, although API declined to identify its current board members. API received a total of $116 million from membership dues in 2018, according to the most recent tax form. Among its members is Anglo-Dutch major Royal Dutch Shell PLC <RDSa.L>, one of the largest oil companies in the world. In April, Shell said it paid API between $12.5 and $15 million in 2019. Whether any of this money was used for the "Energy for Progress" campaign was a question for API, Shell said. API declined to say how any of its members' contributions were used. Shell told Reuters it "has always been careful to note that natural gas is a cleaner alternative to other sources of energy – most notably coal." Some API ads and social media posts say gas is clean, not just cleaner than coal. "Natural gas is already clean, affordable and efficient - and it's getting better every day," says one API ad on Facebook. Another ad, emblazoned across the doors of a train at a Washington, D.C. airport, depicts a man and a woman walking through a forest. "Thanks to clean natural gas," says the slogan, "U.S. CO2 emission levels are the lowest in a generation." Dustin Meyer, API's director of market development, told reporters in July that there may be "no better example" of a pragmatic solution to climate change than natural gas "in driving out dirtier fuels from the power mix." Nevertheless, natural gas is a fossil fuel that emits CO2 when burned. Its surging use means the United States could have roughly the same CO2 emissions levels in 2050 as it does now, if no new policies to control emissions are implemented, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration's Annual Energy Outlook 2020. STRONG OPPOSITION While reeling from an historic collapse in demand for oil and gas triggered by the coronavirus pandemic, API members also face dozens of climate-related lawsuits, most dating back several years. Most recently, the attorneys general from Massachusetts, Minnesota and the District of Columbia have sued members of the fossil fuel industry, accusing companies of deceiving consumers about harms caused by their products. API was named for the first time in the Minnesota suit, which alleges fraud, deceptive advertising and other violations. Referring to claims about natural gas in the "Energy for Progress" campaign, Kate Konopka, assistant attorney general in the District of Columbia, told Reuters: "We think this campaign is very much akin to Big Tobacco claims decades ago in terms of harmfulness around the improved value of light cigarettes." Maura Healey, the attorney general of Massachusetts, who helped kick off the wave of litigation, told Reuters that API's portrayal of gas as clean was "just not true" and consistent with a pattern of misinformation by the API. In a statement to Reuters about the Minnesota suit, API said the oil industry was working to substantially reduce emissions and "that any suggestion to the contrary was false." In Europe, advertising watchdogs have ruled against oil companies in the past year for presenting natural gas and other fossil fuels as environmentally friendly. Several cases have been resolved informally, with companies agreeing not to repeat contested claims, although one company was fined. In the United States, now the world's largest producer of oil and natural gas, API members increasingly are subject to protests over new pipelines and pressure from activist investors over their lobbying activity. In October 2018, the Institutional Investors Group on Climate Change, a group of European pension funds and asset managers, urged companies to be more transparent over climate-related lobbying. The group collectively manages more than 30 trillion euros ($35.60 trillion) in assets - including in oil and gas. Clare Richards, senior engagement manager for the Church of England Pensions Board, said omitting the full truth about natural gas is "tantamount to false advertising." API president Sommers said some investors and activists will never accept the benefits of natural gas. "I think we just view the future differently," he said.

In the run-up to US election, drilling lobby promotes natural gas as 'clean'

The 2020 Democratic National Convention has begun from August 17–20, 2020 at the Wisconsin Center in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. At the convention, delegates of the United States Democratic Party will formally choose the party's nominees for president and vice president in the 2020 United States presidential election. It is largely a virtual convention due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and it is officially centered at the Wisconsin Center.

US Elections 2020: 2020 National Convention begins in Milwaukee

Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders, who challenged Biden for the nomination from the progressive left, addressed the convention and made a pitch for Joe Biden.

2020 Democratic Convention underway in Milwaukee: Sanders makes pitch for Joe Biden

Who will the Indian-American community vote for in U.S. elections? Both Democrats & Republicans are trying to woo Indian-American voters. What promises are they making?

Gravitas: Who will Indian-Americans vote for?

United State's Postal Service has been surrounded by controversies and financial trouble for the last few months now, especially with the upcoming Presidential elections in November.

However, Americans could not see their beloved service succumbing to the financial pressure and decided to help in way possible.

The USPS started a 'flash sale' with a 50 per cent discount offer on the merchandise on their official website. People started buying stuff online, and even took to social media to urge their fellow citizens to follow the path.

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Nothing says summer like ordering stamps while crying.
— billy eichner (@billyeichner) <a href="https://twitter.com/billyeichner/status/1294408434176028672?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 14, 2020</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

Within no time, items such as the&nbsp;express mail T-shirt, USPS backpack, blue hoodie sweatshirt and Earth Day coasters&nbsp;were sold out and marked unavailable.

Postmaster General Louis DeJoy has brought in changes over the time to help the organisation survive. Under his command, USPS has slowed delivery, removed some of the iconic blue letter collection boxes, high-speed letter sorters from commission and issued a stark warning to election officials that mail-in ballots will no longer automatically be moved as priority mail. So much so, he also suspended overtime for workers and even reduced the working hours.

<img alt="USPS sale" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="9a59a940-ca0d-415c-9952-2ef4617b21b2" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/USPS.jpg" />

People have started to come out in support of USP now, especially since more number of people are expected to opt for mail-in voting system this year due to the coronavirus pandemic.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/postal-slowdown-sparks-claims-of-plot-to-undermine-us-vote-320937">Also read:&nbsp;Postal slowdown sparks claims of plot to undermine US vote</a>

On Twitter, Americans also took a trip down the memory lane by sharing their experiences, favourite moments and memories of receiving post in their childhood. Some people are also starting GoFundMe and similar petitions to help fund the USPS.

The&nbsp;American Postal Workers Union have started a hashtag of #SaveThePostOffice on Twitter.&nbsp;"91% of the people of this country trust and support the USPS. This isn't a conservative issue or a liberal issue to the people of this country who rely on the mail." APWU President Mark Dimondstein said.

United State's Postal Service has been surrounded by controversies and financial trouble for the last few months now, especially with the upcoming Presidential elections in November.

United State's Postal Service has been surrounded by controversies and financial trouble for the last few months now, especially with the upcoming Presidential elections in November. However, Americans could not see their beloved service succumbing to the financial pressure and decided to help in way possible. The USPS started a 'flash sale' with a 50 per cent discount offer on the merchandise on their official website. People started buying stuff online, and even took to social media to urge their fellow citizens to follow the path. Nothing says summer like ordering stamps while crying. — billy eichner (@billyeichner) August 14, 2020 × Within no time, items such as the express mail T-shirt, USPS backpack, blue hoodie sweatshirt and Earth Day coasters were sold out and marked unavailable. Postmaster General Louis DeJoy has brought in changes over the time to help the organisation survive. Under his command, USPS has slowed delivery, removed some of the iconic blue letter collection boxes, high-speed letter sorters from commission and issued a stark warning to election officials that mail-in ballots will no longer automatically be moved as priority mail. So much so, he also suspended overtime for workers and even reduced the working hours. People have started to come out in support of USP now, especially since more number of people are expected to opt for mail-in voting system this year due to the coronavirus pandemic. Also read: Postal slowdown sparks claims of plot to undermine US vote On Twitter, Americans also took a trip down the memory lane by sharing their experiences, favourite moments and memories of receiving post in their childhood. Some people are also starting GoFundMe and similar petitions to help fund the USPS. The American Postal Workers Union have started a hashtag of #SaveThePostOffice on Twitter. "91% of the people of this country trust and support the USPS. This isn't a conservative issue or a liberal issue to the people of this country who rely on the mail." APWU President Mark Dimondstein said.

Stamp sale: Americans buy merchandise to fund USPS before elections

The United States Postal Service is popularly known for delivering mail despite snow, rain or heat, but it faces a new foe in President Donald Trump.

Ahead of the November 3 elections in which millions of voters are expected to cast ballots by mail due to the coronavirus, Trump has leveled an unprecedented attack at the USPS, opposing efforts to give the cash-strapped agency more money even as changes there have caused widespread delays in delivering letters and packages.

"They need that money in order to have the post office work so it can take all of these millions and millions of ballots," Trump told Fox News on Thursday, calling the money "fraudulent."

"But if they don't get those... that means you can't have universal mail-in voting."

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-house-speaker-considering-recalling-congress-over-post-office-woes-320879">Also read:&nbsp;US House Speaker considering recalling Congress over Post Office woes</a>

On Saturday, Trump continued his assault on mail-in voting by telling reporters it would be a "catastrophe" and retweeting articles and comments alleging fraud.

The Democratic opposition has sharply condemned Trump's statements, with some lawmakers claiming that the president is plotting to snarl the post office to undermine voting, create uncertainty and win a second term.

"Pure Trump. He doesn't want an election," said Democratic challenger Joe Biden.

Biden's running mate, Senator Kamala Harris, tweeted: "We cannot let Donald Trump destroy the United States Postal Service."

Trump, asked by a reporter Saturday if he was trying to hobble the USPS, replied: "No, not at all."

But the concerns are unlikely to disappear.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-postal-service-watchdog-to-probe-service-woes-as-worries-rise-about-mail-ballots-320620">Also read:&nbsp;US Postal Service watchdog to probe service woes as worries rise about mail ballots</a>

Reflecting the escalating nature of the controversy, former president Barack Obama has also weighed in.

"What we've never seen before is a president say, 'I'm going to try to actively kneecap the Postal Service ... and I will be explicit about the reason I'm doing it,'" Obama said in a podcast with a former aide.

On Saturday, protesters gathered at the Washington home of Postmaster General Louis DeJoy, blaring horns and banging pots in anger.

USPS spokesman David Partenheimer attributed changes at the agency to its poor financial state.

"We are not slowing down election mail or any other mail," he told AFP.

"The Postal Service is in a financially unsustainable position, stemming from substantial declines in mail volume and a broken business model," he explained.

"We face an impending liquidity crisis," Partenheimer said, calling on Congress and regulators to enact reforms.

Meanwhile, in Congress... 
The postal troubles come as Congress remains deadlocked over a new stimulus bill to follow the $2.2 trillion CARES Act package passed in March as the coronavirus crisis erupted.

Democrats have proposed giving the USPS billions of dollars in funding, and Trump -- after first saying he opposed that -- said Friday that perhaps some new funds could be included in a compromise.&nbsp;

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false"><iframe allow="autoplay; fullscreen" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="360" mozallowfullscreen="" scrolling="no" src="https://w3.cdn.anvato.net/player/prod/v3/anvload.html?key=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%3D" webkitallowfullscreen="" width="640"></iframe></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

On Saturday he blamed the Democrats again, telling reporters they "aren't approving proper funding for postal, and they're not approving the proper funding for this ridiculous thing that they want to do which is all mail-in voting."

"You're right, there has to be more resources, I agree," he said. &nbsp;

Trump said candidly in April that mail-in voting "doesn't work out well for Republicans" and has repeatedly described such ballots as prone to fraud.

Experts disagree.&nbsp;

A study this year by New York University's Brennan Center for Justice found that "it is... more likely for an American to be struck by lightning than to commit mail voting fraud."

In an interview, American Postal Workers Union President Mark Dimondstein blamed the nationwide slowdowns in mail deliveries on measures implemented by DeJoy, a Republican fundraiser appointed by Trump who took office in June and pledged to reform the agency.

Dimondstein said overtime has recently been reduced, meaning carriers leave distribution centers immediately rather than wait 10 or 15 minutes for delayed mail, as they previously did.

That, combined with the around 40,000 workers who have had to quarantine since March because of COVID-19, has created delays.

DeJoy -- defended by Trump as a "fantastic man" -- has "arbitrarily reduced hours of work of the employees, but the same work is still there to get done," Dimondstein said.

States act 
As concerns mount over the USPS's ability to handle the expected surge in ballots, states are working to ensure their residents' votes count.

Pennsylvania this week asked its supreme court to push back its deadline for accepting mail-in ballots.

In a court filing, it cited a letter from a USPS official to the state warning of "a risk that ballots requested near the deadline under state law will not be returned by mail in time to be counted under your laws."&nbsp;

The Washington Post reported on Friday similar notices were sent to 45 other states and the District of Columbia.

Jon Tester, a Democratic senator from Montana, also has asked DeJoy in writing to explain reports that the USPS was removing mailboxes from towns in the state.&nbsp;

Late Friday, a USPS spokesman told CNN that removal of mailboxes was being halted in 16 states, including Montana, and parts of two others.

Dimondstein said he hoped Trump's "brazen challenge to the democratic right -- that somehow he's going to starve this institution to suppress the vote -- somehow gives more impetus to Congress to react."&nbsp;

"Congress needs to act, and they need to act soon," he said.

The United States Postal Service is popularly known for delivering mail despite snow, rain or heat, but it faces a new foe in President Donald Trump. Ahead of the November 3 elections in which millions of voters are expected to cast ballots by mail due to the coronavirus, Trump has leveled an unprecedented attack at the USPS, opposing efforts to give the cash-strapped agency more money even as changes there have caused widespread delays in delivering letters and packages.

The United States Postal Service is popularly known for delivering mail despite snow, rain or heat, but it faces a new foe in President Donald Trump. Ahead of the November 3 elections in which millions of voters are expected to cast ballots by mail due to the coronavirus, Trump has leveled an unprecedented attack at the USPS, opposing efforts to give the cash-strapped agency more money even as changes there have caused widespread delays in delivering letters and packages. "They need that money in order to have the post office work so it can take all of these millions and millions of ballots," Trump told Fox News on Thursday, calling the money "fraudulent." "But if they don't get those... that means you can't have universal mail-in voting." Also read: US House Speaker considering recalling Congress over Post Office woes On Saturday, Trump continued his assault on mail-in voting by telling reporters it would be a "catastrophe" and retweeting articles and comments alleging fraud. The Democratic opposition has sharply condemned Trump's statements, with some lawmakers claiming that the president is plotting to snarl the post office to undermine voting, create uncertainty and win a second term. "Pure Trump. He doesn't want an election," said Democratic challenger Joe Biden. Biden's running mate, Senator Kamala Harris, tweeted: "We cannot let Donald Trump destroy the United States Postal Service." Trump, asked by a reporter Saturday if he was trying to hobble the USPS, replied: "No, not at all." But the concerns are unlikely to disappear. Also read: US Postal Service watchdog to probe service woes as worries rise about mail ballots Reflecting the escalating nature of the controversy, former president Barack Obama has also weighed in. "What we've never seen before is a president say, 'I'm going to try to actively kneecap the Postal Service ... and I will be explicit about the reason I'm doing it,'" Obama said in a podcast with a former aide. On Saturday, protesters gathered at the Washington home of Postmaster General Louis DeJoy, blaring horns and banging pots in anger. USPS spokesman David Partenheimer attributed changes at the agency to its poor financial state. "We are not slowing down election mail or any other mail," he told AFP. "The Postal Service is in a financially unsustainable position, stemming from substantial declines in mail volume and a broken business model," he explained. "We face an impending liquidity crisis," Partenheimer said, calling on Congress and regulators to enact reforms. Meanwhile, in Congress... The postal troubles come as Congress remains deadlocked over a new stimulus bill to follow the $2.2 trillion CARES Act package passed in March as the coronavirus crisis erupted. Democrats have proposed giving the USPS billions of dollars in funding, and Trump -- after first saying he opposed that -- said Friday that perhaps some new funds could be included in a compromise. × On Saturday he blamed the Democrats again, telling reporters they "aren't approving proper funding for postal, and they're not approving the proper funding for this ridiculous thing that they want to do which is all mail-in voting." "You're right, there has to be more resources, I agree," he said. Trump said candidly in April that mail-in voting "doesn't work out well for Republicans" and has repeatedly described such ballots as prone to fraud. Experts disagree. A study this year by New York University's Brennan Center for Justice found that "it is... more likely for an American to be struck by lightning than to commit mail voting fraud." In an interview, American Postal Workers Union President Mark Dimondstein blamed the nationwide slowdowns in mail deliveries on measures implemented by DeJoy, a Republican fundraiser appointed by Trump who took office in June and pledged to reform the agency. Dimondstein said overtime has recently been reduced, meaning carriers leave distribution centers immediately rather than wait 10 or 15 minutes for delayed mail, as they previously did. That, combined with the around 40,000 workers who have had to quarantine since March because of COVID-19, has created delays. DeJoy -- defended by Trump as a "fantastic man" -- has "arbitrarily reduced hours of work of the employees, but the same work is still there to get done," Dimondstein said. States act As concerns mount over the USPS's ability to handle the expected surge in ballots, states are working to ensure their residents' votes count. Pennsylvania this week asked its supreme court to push back its deadline for accepting mail-in ballots. In a court filing, it cited a letter from a USPS official to the state warning of "a risk that ballots requested near the deadline under state law will not be returned by mail in time to be counted under your laws." The Washington Post reported on Friday similar notices were sent to 45 other states and the District of Columbia. Jon Tester, a Democratic senator from Montana, also has asked DeJoy in writing to explain reports that the USPS was removing mailboxes from towns in the state. Late Friday, a USPS spokesman told CNN that removal of mailboxes was being halted in 16 states, including Montana, and parts of two others. Dimondstein said he hoped Trump's "brazen challenge to the democratic right -- that somehow he's going to starve this institution to suppress the vote -- somehow gives more impetus to Congress to react." "Congress needs to act, and they need to act soon," he said.

Postal slowdown sparks claims of plot to undermine US vote

Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden said that if elected, his administration will stand with New Delhi in confronting the threats it faces and called for strengthening the “bond” between India and the US.

'India-U.S shares a special bond' says Joe Biden; Promises H-1B reforms

A former FBI attorney&nbsp;Kevin Clinesmith, who was being investigated for&nbsp;altering an email used to obtain a surveillance warrant on former Trump campaign aide Carter Page, will be pleading guilty. in the courts.

Clinesmith will be pleading guilty&nbsp;to falsifying a document as part of a federal probe into the origins of an investigation into possible contacts between Donald Trump’s 2016 campaign and Russia.

He has taken responsibility for altering the email, however his lawyers have emphasised that this was not his intent.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/book-trouble-trumps-ex-lawyer-michael-cohen-accuses-him-of-colluding-with-russia-to-win-elections-320361">Also read|&nbsp;Book trouble: Trump's ex-lawyer, Michael Cohen, accuses him of colluding with Russia to win elections</a>

“Kevin deeply regrets having altered the email,” Justin Shur, a lawyer for Clinesmith said.

“It was never his intent to mislead the court or his colleagues as he believed the information he relayed was accurate. But Kevin understands what he did was wrong and accepts responsibility,” he added.

<img alt="Kevin Clinesmith, former FBI lawyer, to plead guilty for falsifying email against Trump" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="d3291ecb-81b9-4c51-92cd-77f18d053c85" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Kevin%20Clinesmith_0.jpg" />

After the news of Clinesmith pleading guilty broke out, US President Donald Trump suggested towards similar cases being in work.

“That’s just the beginning, I would imagine, because what happened should never happen again,” Trump said on Friday, describing Clinesmith as a “corrupt FBI attorney”.

“The fact is they spied on my campaign and they got caught. And you’ll be hearing more,” Trump said.

He has also been retweeting several articles and tweets about Clinesmith's guilty plead.

According to the charges, former FBI employee wrote text messages opposing Trump's win in the US elections. It is believed that Clinesmith altered an email from an unnamed source (believed to be CIA) to prove that the unnamed individual was not a source, which was not the original content of the email.

Further developments are awaited on this matter.

A former FBI attorney Kevin Clinesmith, who was being investigated for altering an email used to obtain a surveillance warrant on former Trump campaign aide Carter Page, will be pleading guilty.

A former FBI attorney Kevin Clinesmith, who was being investigated for altering an email used to obtain a surveillance warrant on former Trump campaign aide Carter Page, will be pleading guilty. in the courts. Clinesmith will be pleading guilty to falsifying a document as part of a federal probe into the origins of an investigation into possible contacts between Donald Trump’s 2016 campaign and Russia. He has taken responsibility for altering the email, however his lawyers have emphasised that this was not his intent. Also read| Book trouble: Trump's ex-lawyer, Michael Cohen, accuses him of colluding with Russia to win elections “Kevin deeply regrets having altered the email,” Justin Shur, a lawyer for Clinesmith said. “It was never his intent to mislead the court or his colleagues as he believed the information he relayed was accurate. But Kevin understands what he did was wrong and accepts responsibility,” he added. After the news of Clinesmith pleading guilty broke out, US President Donald Trump suggested towards similar cases being in work. “That’s just the beginning, I would imagine, because what happened should never happen again,” Trump said on Friday, describing Clinesmith as a “corrupt FBI attorney”. “The fact is they spied on my campaign and they got caught. And you’ll be hearing more,” Trump said. He has also been retweeting several articles and tweets about Clinesmith's guilty plead. According to the charges, former FBI employee wrote text messages opposing Trump's win in the US elections. It is believed that Clinesmith altered an email from an unnamed source (believed to be CIA) to prove that the unnamed individual was not a source, which was not the original content of the email. Further developments are awaited on this matter.

Kevin Clinesmith, former FBI lawyer, to plead guilty for falsifying email against Trump

The U.S. Postal Service’s internal watchdog is investigating cost cutting that has slowed delivery and alarmed lawmakers ahead of a presidential election when up to half of U.S. voters could cast ballots by mail, a congressional aide said on Friday.

The Postal Service’s inspector general also will examine possible conflicts of interest involving new Postmaster General Louis DeJoy, who has donated $2.7 million to President Donald Trump and his fellow Republicans, according to Saloni Sharma, a spokeswoman for Democratic Senator Elizabeth Warren, who requested the investigation.

DeJoy owns millions of dollars in stock in Postal Service rivals and customers, according to a financial disclosure form filed by his wife.

The Inspector General’s Office is “conducting a body of work to address concerns raised,” spokeswoman Agapi Doulaveris said.

The investigation comes as the Postal Service is warning states there is “significant risk” voters will not have enough time to complete and return their ballots. The Postal Service late on Friday released letters it had sent to 46 states and the District of Columbia, after the Washington Post reported earlier on the extent of the warnings.

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false"><iframe allow="autoplay; fullscreen" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="360" mozallowfullscreen="" scrolling="no" src="https://w3.cdn.anvato.net/player/prod/v3/anvload.html?key=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%3D" webkitallowfullscreen="" width="640"></iframe></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

The warning highlighted the possibility that a meaningful number of mail votes in the Nov. 3 presidential election might go uncounted if they are returned too late.

“State and local election officials must understand and take into account our operational standards and recommended timelines,” Postal Service spokeswoman Martha Johnson said.

Election officials are bracing for a deluge of mail ballots as many states have made it easier to vote by mail to address concerns about public gatherings during the coronavirus pandemic.

Republican President Donald Trump said Thursday that he opposes additional funding to make mail voting easier.

Trump, who is trailing Democratic rival Joe Biden in opinion polls, has said without evidence that widespread mail voting could lead to fraud. However, public records show he has requested mail ballots for himself and his wife Melania before Florida’s Tuesday primary election.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/ahead-of-presidential-election-trump-holds-up-coronavirus-aid-to-block-funding-for-mail-in-voting-320339">Also read:&nbsp;Ahead of presidential election, Trump holds up coronavirus aid to block funding for mail-in voting</a>

Evidence has shown that mail voting is as secure as any other method. Biden and other Democrats say Trump is trying to interfere with the election. Former Democratic President Barack Obama said he was worried that Trump was trying to “kneecap” the Postal Service.

The issue has taken on added urgency in recent weeks, as cost-cutting measures put in place by DeJoy have led to widespread mail delays.

Democratic congressional leaders and committee leaders sent a letter to Dejoy on Friday demanding an explanation for changes he is making at postal facilities.

Arizona Secretary of State Katie Hobbs, a Democrat, said on Friday that the changes could violate state laws against election tampering. She called for a criminal investigation.

Too little time?

The Postal Service has warned some states that allowing voters to request ballots less than a week before the election does not leave enough time to print the ballot, mail it to the voter and have it returned.

Half of the states allow voters to request an absentee ballot within seven days of an election. The Postal Service recommends that mail ballots should be completed and sent in by that point.

Ohio, Michigan and several other states with tight deadlines have so far not pushed them back.

Pennsylvania’s secretary of state asked the state Supreme Court to allow ballots to be counted if they are received up to three days after the Nov. 3 election, rather than on Election Day.

The Postal Service’s top lawyer, Thomas Marshall, also encouraged election officials to use its first-class mail service to ensure prompt delivery, rather than the cheaper and slower bulk-mail rate.

Marshall told Congress in a letter released Friday “we have ample capacity to handle the increased volume of Election Mail that will occur because of the pandemic.”

In past elections the Postal Service has given priority to all political and election mail, no matter the postage rate, according to workers and the service’s internal watchdog.

“If this letter aims to backtrack on that collaboration or the promise of prioritization of election mail, that would be very concerning,” said Tracy Wimmer, a spokeswoman for the Michigan Department of State, which oversees elections.

Roughly 0.25% of mail ballots were rejected in 2016 because they arrived too late, according to the U.S. Election Assistance Commission.

The U.S. Postal Service’s internal watchdog is investigating cost cutting that has slowed delivery and alarmed lawmakers ahead of a presidential election when up to half of U.

The U.S. Postal Service’s internal watchdog is investigating cost cutting that has slowed delivery and alarmed lawmakers ahead of a presidential election when up to half of U.S. voters could cast ballots by mail, a congressional aide said on Friday. The Postal Service’s inspector general also will examine possible conflicts of interest involving new Postmaster General Louis DeJoy, who has donated $2.7 million to President Donald Trump and his fellow Republicans, according to Saloni Sharma, a spokeswoman for Democratic Senator Elizabeth Warren, who requested the investigation. DeJoy owns millions of dollars in stock in Postal Service rivals and customers, according to a financial disclosure form filed by his wife. The Inspector General’s Office is “conducting a body of work to address concerns raised,” spokeswoman Agapi Doulaveris said. The investigation comes as the Postal Service is warning states there is “significant risk” voters will not have enough time to complete and return their ballots. The Postal Service late on Friday released letters it had sent to 46 states and the District of Columbia, after the Washington Post reported earlier on the extent of the warnings. × The warning highlighted the possibility that a meaningful number of mail votes in the Nov. 3 presidential election might go uncounted if they are returned too late. “State and local election officials must understand and take into account our operational standards and recommended timelines,” Postal Service spokeswoman Martha Johnson said. Election officials are bracing for a deluge of mail ballots as many states have made it easier to vote by mail to address concerns about public gatherings during the coronavirus pandemic. Republican President Donald Trump said Thursday that he opposes additional funding to make mail voting easier. Trump, who is trailing Democratic rival Joe Biden in opinion polls, has said without evidence that widespread mail voting could lead to fraud. However, public records show he has requested mail ballots for himself and his wife Melania before Florida’s Tuesday primary election. Also read: Ahead of presidential election, Trump holds up coronavirus aid to block funding for mail-in voting Evidence has shown that mail voting is as secure as any other method. Biden and other Democrats say Trump is trying to interfere with the election. Former Democratic President Barack Obama said he was worried that Trump was trying to “kneecap” the Postal Service. The issue has taken on added urgency in recent weeks, as cost-cutting measures put in place by DeJoy have led to widespread mail delays. Democratic congressional leaders and committee leaders sent a letter to Dejoy on Friday demanding an explanation for changes he is making at postal facilities. Arizona Secretary of State Katie Hobbs, a Democrat, said on Friday that the changes could violate state laws against election tampering. She called for a criminal investigation. Too little time? The Postal Service has warned some states that allowing voters to request ballots less than a week before the election does not leave enough time to print the ballot, mail it to the voter and have it returned. Half of the states allow voters to request an absentee ballot within seven days of an election. The Postal Service recommends that mail ballots should be completed and sent in by that point. Ohio, Michigan and several other states with tight deadlines have so far not pushed them back. Pennsylvania’s secretary of state asked the state Supreme Court to allow ballots to be counted if they are received up to three days after the Nov. 3 election, rather than on Election Day. The Postal Service’s top lawyer, Thomas Marshall, also encouraged election officials to use its first-class mail service to ensure prompt delivery, rather than the cheaper and slower bulk-mail rate. Marshall told Congress in a letter released Friday “we have ample capacity to handle the increased volume of Election Mail that will occur because of the pandemic.” In past elections the Postal Service has given priority to all political and election mail, no matter the postage rate, according to workers and the service’s internal watchdog. “If this letter aims to backtrack on that collaboration or the promise of prioritization of election mail, that would be very concerning,” said Tracy Wimmer, a spokeswoman for the Michigan Department of State, which oversees elections. Roughly 0.25% of mail ballots were rejected in 2016 because they arrived too late, according to the U.S. Election Assistance Commission.

US Postal Service watchdog to probe service woes as worries rise about mail ballots

For years, US President Donald Trump promoted a claim that Barack Obama was not born in the America. Now he is making similar claims against Kamala Harris. The US President has suggested that Harris doesn't qualify to serve as Vice President. Palki Sharma Upadhyay tells you more.

Gravitas: Trump unleashes 'birther Conspiracy' against Kamala Harris

The campaign of Democratic presidential contender Joe Biden has raised $48 million in the 48 hours since Senator Kamala Harris was announced as the vice-presidential candidate, a spokesperson for the campaign said.

Biden on Tuesday picked Harris for the post of vice president, making her the first Black woman in the US to get a major-party presidential ticket.

Also read |&nbsp;Biden says all US governors should mandate masks to slow pandemic

The death of African-American George Floyd has caused huge social unrest, not just in the US, but across the world and there was a growing pressure on Biden to choose a Black woman as his vice president for the November elections.&nbsp;

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/harris-could-help-biden-with-women-young-voters-maybe-some-republicans-too-reuters-survey-320107">Harris could help Biden with women, young voters, maybe some Republicans too: Reuters survey</a>

The 55-year-old senator's parents are immigrants, her father is from Jamaica, while her mother was born in India.&nbsp;

Harris was the only second Black female senator when she was elected in 2016 and her recent vice-presidential selection will help the party lure African-American voters.&nbsp;

In the last presidential elections, there was a 20 per cent drop in the Black votes, which has contributed to Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton's stunning loss to President Donald Trump.&nbsp;

Harris was earlier part of the Democratic race for the presidency, where he slammed Biden a lot over busing issue.&nbsp;

(With Reuters inputs) 
&nbsp;

The campaign of Democratic presidential contender Joe Biden has raised $48 million in the 48 hours since Senator Kamala Harris was announced as the vice-presidential candidate, a spokesperson for the campaign said.

The campaign of Democratic presidential contender Joe Biden has raised $48 million in the 48 hours since Senator Kamala Harris was announced as the vice-presidential candidate, a spokesperson for the campaign said. Biden on Tuesday picked Harris for the post of vice president, making her the first Black woman in the US to get a major-party presidential ticket. Also read | Biden says all US governors should mandate masks to slow pandemic The death of African-American George Floyd has caused huge social unrest, not just in the US, but across the world and there was a growing pressure on Biden to choose a Black woman as his vice president for the November elections. Also read | Harris could help Biden with women, young voters, maybe some Republicans too: Reuters survey The 55-year-old senator's parents are immigrants, her father is from Jamaica, while her mother was born in India. Harris was the only second Black female senator when she was elected in 2016 and her recent vice-presidential selection will help the party lure African-American voters. In the last presidential elections, there was a 20 per cent drop in the Black votes, which has contributed to Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton's stunning loss to President Donald Trump. Harris was earlier part of the Democratic race for the presidency, where he slammed Biden a lot over busing issue. (With Reuters inputs)

Joe Biden's campaign raises $48 million since Kamala Harris's announcement as VP candidate

Donald Trump's ex-lawyer&nbsp;Michael Cohen has alleged him of colluding with Russia to win elections, and promises proof of it in his new book.

Cohen is publishing a book titled&nbsp;"Disloyal, A Memoir.", in which he alleges Trump of colluding with Russia and much more.

A 3,700 word long foreword of the book was published recently.&nbsp;"Trump had cheated in the election, with Russian connivance, as you will discover in these pages, because doing anything — and I mean anything — to `win` has always been his business model and way of life," Cohen writes in the book`s foreword, which was published online on Thursday.

While the foreword does not reveal anything new about the accusations, it is still unclear if the book will be able to reveal any additional detail or proof regarding these allegations, which have been circling Trump for few years now from different sources.

Former Special Counsel Robert Mueller last year concluded that Russia waged a major campaign to help Trump to victory in 2016. However, Mueller was unable to establish a criminal relationship between the two.

Cohen, on the other hand, has worked closely with Trump over the years and therefore more proof on these allegations is being expected from Cohen's book.

His book has been the center of controversy for months now. The ex-aide was given the permission to publish the book in July end after he was dragged to&nbsp;Otisville prison as a retaliation for planning to publish a book about Trump.

Trump's administration has been trying to halt the production of this book for months now.&nbsp;White House spokesman Brian Morgenstern has now replied with question marks on Chen's credibility calling him to be a 'liar' and accusing him of oublishing the book only to make money from sales.

"He readily admits to lying routinely but expects people to believe him now so that he can make money from book sales. It’s unfortunate that the media is exploiting this sad and desperate man to attack President Trump,” Morgenstern said.

Michael Cohen's lawyers have not yet responded back to the accusation made from the White House.

Donald Trump's ex-lawyer Michael Cohen has alleged him of colluding with Russia to win elections, and promises proof of it in his new book. Cohen is publishing a book titled "Disloyal, A Memoir.

Donald Trump's ex-lawyer Michael Cohen has alleged him of colluding with Russia to win elections, and promises proof of it in his new book. Cohen is publishing a book titled "Disloyal, A Memoir.", in which he alleges Trump of colluding with Russia and much more. A 3,700 word long foreword of the book was published recently. "Trump had cheated in the election, with Russian connivance, as you will discover in these pages, because doing anything — and I mean anything — to `win` has always been his business model and way of life," Cohen writes in the book`s foreword, which was published online on Thursday. While the foreword does not reveal anything new about the accusations, it is still unclear if the book will be able to reveal any additional detail or proof regarding these allegations, which have been circling Trump for few years now from different sources. Former Special Counsel Robert Mueller last year concluded that Russia waged a major campaign to help Trump to victory in 2016. However, Mueller was unable to establish a criminal relationship between the two. Cohen, on the other hand, has worked closely with Trump over the years and therefore more proof on these allegations is being expected from Cohen's book. His book has been the center of controversy for months now. The ex-aide was given the permission to publish the book in July end after he was dragged to Otisville prison as a retaliation for planning to publish a book about Trump. Trump's administration has been trying to halt the production of this book for months now. White House spokesman Brian Morgenstern has now replied with question marks on Chen's credibility calling him to be a 'liar' and accusing him of oublishing the book only to make money from sales. "He readily admits to lying routinely but expects people to believe him now so that he can make money from book sales. It’s unfortunate that the media is exploiting this sad and desperate man to attack President Trump,” Morgenstern said. Michael Cohen's lawyers have not yet responded back to the accusation made from the White House.

Book trouble: Trump's ex-lawyer, Michael Cohen, accuses him of colluding with Russia to win elections

Kamala Harris was the toughest opponent of Joe Biden. Now, she is Biden's choice for Vice President.

Gravitas: Why Kamala Harris is Biden's pick for Vice President

Indians around the world are celebrating - after Kamala Harris was selected as a VP candidate. Is her entry into the Presidential race good news for India? Last year, Harris had taken a stand against India's Kashmir decision.

Gravitas: Kamala Harris: Good or bad news for India?

55-Year-old Kamala Harris comes with experience and the promise of many firsts. But there are also some ironies that voters may not ignore.

Gravitas: Who is Kamala Harris?

Presumptive Democratic Presidential nominee Joe Biden and Kamala Harris made their debut as running mates together. The event took place in an intimate setting in Delaware.

US 2020 Elections: Biden-Harris duo make first appearance in Delaware

Harris becomes the first Black woman and the first Asian American to compete on a major party's presidential ticket.

WION Fineprint: Democrat Joe Biden chooses Senator Kamala Harris as VP candidate

Joe Biden picks Kamala Harris as his running mate

US Presidential candidate Joe Biden has named Kamala Harris, a high-profile black senator from California, as his vice presidential choice, capping a months-long search for a Democratic partner to challenge President Donald Trump in November.

2020 US Elections: Search for Biden's running mate ends | Kamala Harris picked up as VP nominee

US 2020 elections: Biden picks Kamala Devi Harris as VP nominee

In less than 90 days, the United States will go for the presidential election and the lawmakers are going all out to secure votes.

And like any other presidential election in the country, a special focus is on the Indian American voters.

Both Democrats and Republicans are reaching out to Indians and making special promises to win their report.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/black-lives-matter-movement-takes-political-colour-as-us-elections-near-317335">Black Lives Matter movement takes political colour as US elections near</a> &nbsp;&nbsp;

Let's understand how Democrats and Republicans are trying to lure these voters.&nbsp;

Democrats in favour of H-1B

The Democrats want to hit US President Donald Trump where it hurts the most and that is why they picked up the issue of H-1B vias.

Trump has put a freeze on them and the Democrats have promised to bring it back.&nbsp;

The Democrats say Trump's visa freeze is illegal, chaotic and reckless and believes that programs like H-1B help the American economy.

Out of 65 thousand such visas allotted each year, almost 70 per cent is given to Indians, making them the largest beneficiaries.&nbsp;

Republicans selling the golden ticket

The Republicans, on the other hand, are selling Indians the golden ticket to America: the green card.&nbsp;

Senator Mike Lee has raised the issue in the US Congress. He was arguing in favour of removing the cap.&nbsp;

Lee said that the limits on the green card punish the Indian immigrants.&nbsp;

"If you are born anywhere else, anywhere else other than China, let's say in Ghana, Sweden, Indonesia, basically any other country other than India, your application will be considered immediately. This sort of discrimination is simply inconsistent with the principles of a merit-based immigration system and with our founding principles," Lee said.

He said that the green card waitlist for Indians runs into 200 years.

This argument is true as for many Indians, the green card queue may last longer than their lifetimes.&nbsp;

Currently, only 140,000 green cards are issued every year. More than 200,000 Indians have filed petitions for permanent residency in the US.

Skilled Indian workers make up 75 per cent of the backlog.

Over 700,000 of them are in the line of march, suggesting it's a broken system.&nbsp;

As of 2016, there were over four million people of Indian origin in the US, out of this, close to 1.8 million are of voting age.&nbsp;

This suggests that Indians is the third-largest block of voters within the Asian community alone.

The issue of visas is dear to this community as well as to the New Delhi-Washington relations.

So it's not a surprise anymore that Indian Americans will get special attention in the elections this year.&nbsp; 
&nbsp;

In less than 90 days, the United States will go for the presidential election and the lawmakers are going all out to secure votes. And like any other presidential election in the country, a special focus is on the Indian American voters.

In less than 90 days, the United States will go for the presidential election and the lawmakers are going all out to secure votes. And like any other presidential election in the country, a special focus is on the Indian American voters. Both Democrats and Republicans are reaching out to Indians and making special promises to win their report. Also read | Black Lives Matter movement takes political colour as US elections near Let's understand how Democrats and Republicans are trying to lure these voters. Democrats in favour of H-1B The Democrats want to hit US President Donald Trump where it hurts the most and that is why they picked up the issue of H-1B vias. Trump has put a freeze on them and the Democrats have promised to bring it back. The Democrats say Trump's visa freeze is illegal, chaotic and reckless and believes that programs like H-1B help the American economy. Out of 65 thousand such visas allotted each year, almost 70 per cent is given to Indians, making them the largest beneficiaries. Republicans selling the golden ticket The Republicans, on the other hand, are selling Indians the golden ticket to America: the green card. Senator Mike Lee has raised the issue in the US Congress. He was arguing in favour of removing the cap. Lee said that the limits on the green card punish the Indian immigrants. "If you are born anywhere else, anywhere else other than China, let's say in Ghana, Sweden, Indonesia, basically any other country other than India, your application will be considered immediately. This sort of discrimination is simply inconsistent with the principles of a merit-based immigration system and with our founding principles," Lee said. He said that the green card waitlist for Indians runs into 200 years. This argument is true as for many Indians, the green card queue may last longer than their lifetimes. Currently, only 140,000 green cards are issued every year. More than 200,000 Indians have filed petitions for permanent residency in the US. Skilled Indian workers make up 75 per cent of the backlog. Over 700,000 of them are in the line of march, suggesting it's a broken system. As of 2016, there were over four million people of Indian origin in the US, out of this, close to 1.8 million are of voting age. This suggests that Indians is the third-largest block of voters within the Asian community alone. The issue of visas is dear to this community as well as to the New Delhi-Washington relations. So it's not a surprise anymore that Indian Americans will get special attention in the elections this year.

Democrats, Republicans eye support of Indian Americans

Trump is not well!&nbsp;

Have you seen a video with this title on YouTube? Have you come across a hashtag like this on your Twitter feed?

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/donald-trump-once-again-speaks-in-favour-of-reopening-schools-317915">Donald Trump once again speaks in favour of reopening schools</a>

This is promoted by a group known as the Lincoln Project, an organisation against US President Donald Trump.

Watch |

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/gravitas-the-lincoln-projects-information-war-against-trump-317950/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo">&nbsp;</div>

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo">It is a well-funded project of former Republicans, with the sole aim to put an end to "Trumpism".&nbsp;</div>

The Lincoln Project is waging an information war against Trump on social media.

It tweets mocking Trump's leadership, uploads videos that question the US president's intelligence and patriotism, and releases ads raising concerns about Trump's physical fitness and mental health.

The attacks are sharp, slick and scathing and better than what the Joe Biden campaign has ever produced.&nbsp;

In the last six months, this group has released a series of videos criticising everything that Trump does.

In May, it released a video titled 'Mourning in America', which was a one minute clip filled with attacks on Trump's management of the coronavirus outbreak.&nbsp;

The video received over three million views.&nbsp;

In June, a video called 'Bounty' was released that questioned US intelligence reports that Russia offered bounties for the killing of American soldiers in Afghanistan.

The video received a million views.&nbsp;

Its latest release is titled 'wake up', a comic satire.

It's about a coma victim who kills himself after hearing about Trump's last three years in office.&nbsp;

The video was released just three days ago, but it has already got over three million views.&nbsp;

These posts can be described as trolling, but it actually is designed to help Biden win elections.&nbsp;

An op-ed was published by the Washington Post in April and its title said: 'We've never backed a Democrat for President. But Trump must be defeated'.

This extensive piece was written by members of this group and was propaganda against Trump.&nbsp;

This piece was published four months ago, but in this time period, the support for this group has increased to an unimaginable level.&nbsp;

Over 10,000 people attended a virtual town hall by this group last month and another 80,000 people watched the event on a live stream.&nbsp;

Also, American billionaires are funding this group, from media magnates to Silicon Valley investors.&nbsp;

The funding of the group is increasing and now it's expanding its operations.&nbsp;

It is targetting Trump's supporters in tight Senate races, states like Alaska, Maine and Montana.&nbsp;

Hoardings, commercials, videos are a part of a long list of mediums used by this group to slam Trump.&nbsp;

Already, its top-notch propaganda has gone inside the minds of thousands of American voters.

But will the group be able to put Trump out of office? In three months, we will have an answer to this.&nbsp; 
&nbsp;

Trump is not well! Have you seen a video with this title on YouTube? Have you come across a hashtag like this on your Twitter feed? Also read | Donald Trump once again speaks in favour of reopening schools This is promoted by a group known as the Lincoln Project, an organisation against US President Donald Trump.

Trump is not well! Have you seen a video with this title on YouTube? Have you come across a hashtag like this on your Twitter feed? Also read | Donald Trump once again speaks in favour of reopening schools This is promoted by a group known as the Lincoln Project, an organisation against US President Donald Trump. Watch | It is a well-funded project of former Republicans, with the sole aim to put an end to "Trumpism". The Lincoln Project is waging an information war against Trump on social media. It tweets mocking Trump's leadership, uploads videos that question the US president's intelligence and patriotism, and releases ads raising concerns about Trump's physical fitness and mental health. The attacks are sharp, slick and scathing and better than what the Joe Biden campaign has ever produced. In the last six months, this group has released a series of videos criticising everything that Trump does. In May, it released a video titled 'Mourning in America', which was a one minute clip filled with attacks on Trump's management of the coronavirus outbreak. The video received over three million views. In June, a video called 'Bounty' was released that questioned US intelligence reports that Russia offered bounties for the killing of American soldiers in Afghanistan. The video received a million views. Its latest release is titled 'wake up', a comic satire. It's about a coma victim who kills himself after hearing about Trump's last three years in office. The video was released just three days ago, but it has already got over three million views. These posts can be described as trolling, but it actually is designed to help Biden win elections. An op-ed was published by the Washington Post in April and its title said: 'We've never backed a Democrat for President. But Trump must be defeated'. This extensive piece was written by members of this group and was propaganda against Trump. This piece was published four months ago, but in this time period, the support for this group has increased to an unimaginable level. Over 10,000 people attended a virtual town hall by this group last month and another 80,000 people watched the event on a live stream. Also, American billionaires are funding this group, from media magnates to Silicon Valley investors. The funding of the group is increasing and now it's expanding its operations. It is targetting Trump's supporters in tight Senate races, states like Alaska, Maine and Montana. Hoardings, commercials, videos are a part of a long list of mediums used by this group to slam Trump. Already, its top-notch propaganda has gone inside the minds of thousands of American voters. But will the group be able to put Trump out of office? In three months, we will have an answer to this.

The Lincoln Project: Former Republicans join hands to oust Donald Trump

President Donald Trump on Thursday raised the idea of delaying the Nov. 3 U.S. elections, an idea immediately rejected by both Democrats and his fellow Republicans in Congress - the sole branch of government with the authority to make such a change.

Can United States hold elections on schedule?

Hours after suggesting a possible delay in the 2020 U.S. presidential election, U.S. President Donald Trump on Thursday (July 30) said he did not want to postpone the vote, but remained concerned that millions of mail-in ballots would cause problems.

Donald Trump reiterates his worry about mail-in voting

Donald Trump has suggested November's presidential election be postponed, saying increased postal voting could lead to fraud and inaccurate results. Watch report.

Fineprint: Donald Trump suggests to delay US elections 2020

With just 97 days away from US elections, American voters now want to know what they're getting. They are done seeing grown-up men attacking each other. They want to see more than name-calling & public quarrels.

With just 97 days away from US elections, American voters now want to know what they're getting. They are done seeing grown-up men attacking each other. They want to see more than name-calling & public quarrels. They want reasons motivating enough to cast their ballot. How seriously are the presidential candidates taking these concerns? Presumptive Democratic nominee Joseph Robinette Biden Junior has outlined an economic agenda to fight racial inequality. He has promising to close the wealth gaps between majority and minority communities. He has announced a series of policies to steer more federal money to black neighbourhoods. He is also promising more tax credits for minority-owned firms and is attempting to show voters that he is committed to ending racial and economic inequality if he wins the white house. × These promises are finding takers and more and more American voters are saying that they expect Biden to win. Opinion polls show you how Donald Trump has been consistently trailing in opinion polls since March while Biden continues to lead the opinion polls. Biden's campaign strategy is quite smart. Not only does he have the former US President Barack Obama backing him. He also has the support of some influential Hollywood stars like George Clooney Who recently joined Obama for a virtual fund-raiser for Biden. Meanwhile, Trump's closest allies even relatives have turned against him. They have written tell-all books. They have called him unfit for the presidency. To add to that there are protests on the streets. People are blaming trump for growing racial inequality and police violence. Trump is drawing criticism from all sides... Trump is down but not out. He is fighting back and has rebooted his efforts to win. The race to the white house is indeed getting serious.

Trump losing support as US election gathers momentum

An Indian-American political organisation has announced a whopping USD 10 million to support the community members prepare and run for elected offices across the country.

With the USD 10 million amount, IMPACT plans to create a new programme to identify, elevate, and support Indian-American elected officials running for higher office, it said in a statement on Tuesday.

The announcement was welcomed by Indian-origin Senator Kamala Harris.

"I'm excited about the Indian-American community's growing engagement in the political process -- not just as an Indian American, but as someone who believes the more Americans of all ethnicities and backgrounds feel ownership in our democracy, the stronger our democracy will be," the California senator said.

"As IMPACT moves to its next phase of leadership, I look forward to being joined in the Capitol by even more Indian-Americans to move our country forward for everyone," she said.

IMPACT said the groundbreaking investment and prominent hire signals a new phase in the organisation's development at a time when Indian-Americans - the second largest immigrant group in the US - are beginning to flex their political muscle on the national stage.

It said that an Indian-American woman is a top contender to be the Democratic nominee for Vice President; the number of Indian Americans in Congress has grown five-fold in just the past eight years; a record number of dollars are going to Indian-American candidates; and just last week, the campaign arm charged with electing Democrats to Congress released its first-ever Hindi-language political ad.

Simultaneously, IMPACT, the leading political organisation devoted to boosting the number of Indian-Americans in public office by recruiting, training, funding, and electing talented Indian-American candidates, also announced that public interest lawyer Neil Makhija will be its new Executive Director.

"This is a pivotal moment for our community and our country," said Makhija.

Indian-Americans are one of the fastest-growing segments of the US population --&nbsp;doubling in size over the last two decades --&nbsp;ensuring their footprint on the political landscape will only grow in the coming decades.

"After significant gains in previous election cycles, Indian-Americans are poised to assert our emerging power by electing more Indian American candidates at every level of government, and by supporting excellent candidates of all backgrounds who share our ideals of inclusivity, equity, and civil rights," Makhija said.

"Over the next 100 days, IMPACT will be laser-focused on supporting these efforts to maximize the far-reaching potential of the Indian-American community through powerful fundraising, targeted outreach, and grassroots mobilisation,"&nbsp;he added.

Son of Indian immigrants who made Pennsylvania's coal country home, Makhija is a public interest attorney and educator.

He teaches election law at the University of Pennsylvania Law School, has advised candidates and philanthropies in Pennsylvania and nationally, and was a Democratic candidate for the Pennsylvania legislature in 2016, outperforming the presidential ticket by 14 points in the district.

"By organising to win elected office, Indian-Americans are infusing politics with new experiences, ideas, and global connections," said Nikil Saval, State Senator-elect in Philadelphia and the first Indian-American elected to the Pennsylvania legislature.

An Indian-American political organisation has announced a whopping USD 10 million to support the community members prepare and run for elected offices across the country.

An Indian-American political organisation has announced a whopping USD 10 million to support the community members prepare and run for elected offices across the country. With the USD 10 million amount, IMPACT plans to create a new programme to identify, elevate, and support Indian-American elected officials running for higher office, it said in a statement on Tuesday. The announcement was welcomed by Indian-origin Senator Kamala Harris. "I'm excited about the Indian-American community's growing engagement in the political process -- not just as an Indian American, but as someone who believes the more Americans of all ethnicities and backgrounds feel ownership in our democracy, the stronger our democracy will be," the California senator said. "As IMPACT moves to its next phase of leadership, I look forward to being joined in the Capitol by even more Indian-Americans to move our country forward for everyone," she said. IMPACT said the groundbreaking investment and prominent hire signals a new phase in the organisation's development at a time when Indian-Americans - the second largest immigrant group in the US - are beginning to flex their political muscle on the national stage. It said that an Indian-American woman is a top contender to be the Democratic nominee for Vice President; the number of Indian Americans in Congress has grown five-fold in just the past eight years; a record number of dollars are going to Indian-American candidates; and just last week, the campaign arm charged with electing Democrats to Congress released its first-ever Hindi-language political ad. Simultaneously, IMPACT, the leading political organisation devoted to boosting the number of Indian-Americans in public office by recruiting, training, funding, and electing talented Indian-American candidates, also announced that public interest lawyer Neil Makhija will be its new Executive Director. "This is a pivotal moment for our community and our country," said Makhija. Indian-Americans are one of the fastest-growing segments of the US population -- doubling in size over the last two decades -- ensuring their footprint on the political landscape will only grow in the coming decades. "After significant gains in previous election cycles, Indian-Americans are poised to assert our emerging power by electing more Indian American candidates at every level of government, and by supporting excellent candidates of all backgrounds who share our ideals of inclusivity, equity, and civil rights," Makhija said. "Over the next 100 days, IMPACT will be laser-focused on supporting these efforts to maximize the far-reaching potential of the Indian-American community through powerful fundraising, targeted outreach, and grassroots mobilisation," he added. Son of Indian immigrants who made Pennsylvania's coal country home, Makhija is a public interest attorney and educator. He teaches election law at the University of Pennsylvania Law School, has advised candidates and philanthropies in Pennsylvania and nationally, and was a Democratic candidate for the Pennsylvania legislature in 2016, outperforming the presidential ticket by 14 points in the district. "By organising to win elected office, Indian-Americans are infusing politics with new experiences, ideas, and global connections," said Nikil Saval, State Senator-elect in Philadelphia and the first Indian-American elected to the Pennsylvania legislature.

Indian-American group commits USD 10 mn to support community members in US elections

US President Donald Trump, who earlier said he would&nbsp;&nbsp;peacefully leave if he is voted out in the upcoming presidential elections, has now taken a U-turn.

Trump is now refusing to publicly commit to accepting the results of the upcoming White House elections as the polls are showing him lagging behind his opponent Joe Biden.

"I have to see. Look ... I have to see," Trump said in an interview with Fox news.&nbsp;“No, I''m not going to just say yes. I''m not going to say no, and I didn't last time either.”

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/biden-as-us-president-would-help-india-get-seat-on-unsc-former-american-diplomat-314422">Also read|&nbsp;Biden as US president would help India get seat on UNSC: Former American diplomat</a>

Trump, as he has made it clear earlier too, does not trust the initial polls. Calling them "fake polls", he compared the situation to the 2016 Presidential elections and said,&nbsp;“First of all, I'm not losing, because those are fake polls. They were fake in 2016 and now they're even more fake. The polls were much worse in 2016.”

The race for a second-term of Presidency was, reportedly, going better than the present situation till the pandemic and 'Black Lives Matter' protests hit the country. The American citizens&nbsp;have been divided on Trump's response to the pandemic. While some agree with the President on reopening the economy, experts strongly urge the President to come up with better plans to save the country from the widespread of the deadly virus.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/twitter-disables-trump-tweet-over-copyright-complaint-314405">Also read|&nbsp;Twitter disables Trump tweet over copyright complaint</a>

Trump has not adhered to the health experts' advices and has continued to hold rallies and large gatherings without following the health and safety protocols and guidelines issued by the health experts of the country.

The protests, too, have added fuel to the fire. President Trump has gone out of his way, this year, to show his support to the minority groups of the country to gain votes after the hate crimes against the African-American community increased massively, and Trump too was spotted passing apparent racist comments towards Asian-American journalists during White House press conference.

US President Donald Trump, who earlier said he would peacefully leave if he is voted out in the upcoming presidential elections, has now taken a U-turn. Trump is now refusing to publicly commit to accepting the results of the upcoming White House elections as the polls are showing him lagging behind his opponent Joe Biden.

US President Donald Trump, who earlier said he would peacefully leave if he is voted out in the upcoming presidential elections, has now taken a U-turn. Trump is now refusing to publicly commit to accepting the results of the upcoming White House elections as the polls are showing him lagging behind his opponent Joe Biden. "I have to see. Look ... I have to see," Trump said in an interview with Fox news. “No, I''m not going to just say yes. I''m not going to say no, and I didn't last time either.” Also read| Biden as US president would help India get seat on UNSC: Former American diplomat Trump, as he has made it clear earlier too, does not trust the initial polls. Calling them "fake polls", he compared the situation to the 2016 Presidential elections and said, “First of all, I'm not losing, because those are fake polls. They were fake in 2016 and now they're even more fake. The polls were much worse in 2016.” The race for a second-term of Presidency was, reportedly, going better than the present situation till the pandemic and 'Black Lives Matter' protests hit the country. The American citizens have been divided on Trump's response to the pandemic. While some agree with the President on reopening the economy, experts strongly urge the President to come up with better plans to save the country from the widespread of the deadly virus. Also read| Twitter disables Trump tweet over copyright complaint Trump has not adhered to the health experts' advices and has continued to hold rallies and large gatherings without following the health and safety protocols and guidelines issued by the health experts of the country. The protests, too, have added fuel to the fire. President Trump has gone out of his way, this year, to show his support to the minority groups of the country to gain votes after the hate crimes against the African-American community increased massively, and Trump too was spotted passing apparent racist comments towards Asian-American journalists during White House press conference.

I'm not losing: Donald Trump refuses to commit to election results if defeated

Rapper Kanye West has said that he wants to run the U.S. like Black Panther's Wakanda - if he gets elected as President. Is West serious about his Presidential bid or is it a mere publicity stunt?

Gravitas: Kanye West's Presidential bid | A publicity stunt?

Amid the rising coronavirus cases, Trump has reportedly said that he will lose the US elections to be held in November due to falling poll numbers as Joe Biden takes the lead.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/its-all-about-him-john-bolton-criticises-trumps-statement-on-russian-bounties-309243">Also Read:&nbsp;It's all about him, John Bolton criticises Trump's statement on Russian bounties</a>

US media outlet Politico quoting multiple people has said that several factors including the low turnout at the Oklahoma rally and Trump administration's criticism of handling the COVID-19 crisis has led to Trump's fall from grace.

The report quotes the US President's interview in Fox News where Trump reportedly said Joe Biden may become the president because "some people don't love me, maybe." &nbsp;

The report quoted a Trump political adviser Sam Nunberg as saying that the president could suffer "one of the worst electoral defeats in modern presidential elections". The Politico report also claimed that the president has also "grudgingly conceded" that he is behind Biden especially after the Tulsa rally with his team intent on course correction.

The report claimed Jared Kushner, the president's son-in-law may increasingly play an active role in the upcoming polls in the light of Trump's declining numbers.

Several polls in recent weeks have shown Biden taking the lead over Trump. Amid the falling numbers, Trump's former National Security Advisor, John Bolton while promoting his book told a US television channel that "I hope (history) will remember him as a one-term president."

Trump' campaign manager Brad Parscale was in the firing line after the Tusla rally in Okhalam, is reportedly "safe" for now, according to Politico. Parscale had blamed "radical protestors" for "interfering" with the rally which led to a low turnout.

Democrat Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, however, shot back saying: "You just got rocked by teens on TikTok. KPop allies, we see and appreciate your contributions in the fight for justice too."

Amid the rising coronavirus cases, Trump has reportedly said that he will lose the US elections to be held in November due to falling poll numbers as Joe Biden takes the lead.

Amid the rising coronavirus cases, Trump has reportedly said that he will lose the US elections to be held in November due to falling poll numbers as Joe Biden takes the lead. Also Read: It's all about him, John Bolton criticises Trump's statement on Russian bounties US media outlet Politico quoting multiple people has said that several factors including the low turnout at the Oklahoma rally and Trump administration's criticism of handling the COVID-19 crisis has led to Trump's fall from grace. The report quotes the US President's interview in Fox News where Trump reportedly said Joe Biden may become the president because "some people don't love me, maybe." The report quoted a Trump political adviser Sam Nunberg as saying that the president could suffer "one of the worst electoral defeats in modern presidential elections". The Politico report also claimed that the president has also "grudgingly conceded" that he is behind Biden especially after the Tulsa rally with his team intent on course correction. The report claimed Jared Kushner, the president's son-in-law may increasingly play an active role in the upcoming polls in the light of Trump's declining numbers. Several polls in recent weeks have shown Biden taking the lead over Trump. Amid the falling numbers, Trump's former National Security Advisor, John Bolton while promoting his book told a US television channel that "I hope (history) will remember him as a one-term president." Trump' campaign manager Brad Parscale was in the firing line after the Tusla rally in Okhalam, is reportedly "safe" for now, according to Politico. Parscale had blamed "radical protestors" for "interfering" with the rally which led to a low turnout. Democrat Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, however, shot back saying: "You just got rocked by teens on TikTok. KPop allies, we see and appreciate your contributions in the fight for justice too."

Trump says he will lose US elections, claims report

us-elections

Us Elections, News on Us Elections, stories on Us Elections, articles on Us Elections, Us Elections stories at Wion, Us Elections news, Us Elections latest news

us elections