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

Democratic presidential candidate and former US Vice President Joe Biden has said he would lift the temporary suspension on H-1B visas, the most sought-after by Indian IT professionals, if he wins the November presidential elections.

The Trump administration suspended the H-1B visas along with other types of foreign work visas until the end of 2020 to protect American workers in a crucial election year, on June 23, in a huge blow to Indian IT professionals eyeing the US job market.

Biden, in a digital town hall meeting on Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) issues organised by NBC News, praised the contribution of H-1B visa holders, PTI reports.

"He (US President Donald Trump) just ended H-1B visas the rest of this year. That will not be in my administration," Joe Biden said responding to a question during the town hall. He was referring to the temporary suspension of the H-1B visas and other foreign work visas by Trump for the rest of the year.

"The people on the company visa have built this country," Biden said when asked what his administration will do in the first 100 days of his presidency.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/india-us-natural-partners-boosting-ties-will-be-high-priority-if-voted-to-power-joe-biden-310125">Also read |&nbsp;India-US 'natural partners', boosting ties will be 'high priority' if voted to power: Joe Biden</a>

The H-1B visa is a non-immigrant visa that allows US companies to employ foreign workers in specialty occupations that require theoretical or technical expertise. The technology companies depend on it to hire tens of thousands of employees each year from countries like India and China.

"On day one, I''m going to send the legislative immigration reform bill to Congress to provide a roadmap to citizenship for 11 million undocumented immigrants who contribute so much to this country, including 1.7 million from the AAPI community.

"My immigration policy is built around keeping families together, modernising an immigration system by keeping families, unification and diversity as pillars of our immigration system, which it used to be," Biden said.

He alleged that Donald Trump's immigration policies are cruel.

Biden said that he would take immediate action to protect dreamers, including more than 100,000 eligible dreamers from East and South Asia.

The former US Vice President also said that he would rescind Muslim travel ban and immediately restore refugee admission in line with the values and historic leadership of the United States.

Biden also told town hall participants that he will "make it easier for qualified Green Card holders to move through this backlog."

Donald Trump, in April, gave an executive order to suspend green cards for 90 days. In June, he issued a proclamation which extended the suspension till December 31, 2020.

The US every year allocates only 1,40,000 green cards for all employment-preference immigrants, including accompanying family members.

Currently, there is a backlog of almost 10 lakh foreign nationals and accompanying family members lawfully residing in the United States. These applicants have been approved but are yet to receive employment green cards.

In his policy paper on immigration, Biden says that his high skilled temporary visas should not be used to disincentive recruiting workers already in the US for in-demand occupations.

"An immigration system that crowds out high-skilled workers in favour of only entry level wages and skills threatens American innovation and competitiveness," the policy paper said.

Joe Biden will work with Congress to first reform temporary visas to establish a wage-based allocation process and establish enforcement mechanisms to ensure they are aligned with the labour market and not used to undermine wages, it said.

Then, Mr Biden will support expanding the number of high-skilled visas and eliminating the limits on employment-based visas by country, which create unacceptably long backlogs, it added.

The immigration policy paper also talks about increasing the number of visas offered for permanent, work-based immigration based on macroeconomic conditions. Currently, the number of employment-based visas or Green Card is capped at 140,000 each year, without the ability to be responsive to the state of the labour market or demands from domestic employers, it said.

As President, Joe Biden will work with Congress to increase the number of visas awarded for permanent, employment-based immigration - and promote mechanisms to temporarily reduce the number of visas during times of high US unemployment, it said.

He will also exempt from any cap recent graduates of PhD programmes in Science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields in the US who are poised to make some of the most important contributions to the world economy.

Biden believes that foreign graduates of a US doctoral programme should be given a Green Card with their degree and that losing these highly trained workers to foreign economies is a disservice to our own economic competitiveness, the policy paper said.

Joe Biden is challenging the 74-year-old Republican incumbent President Donald Trump in the November 3 presidential elections where Trump is seeking his re-election for his second four-year term.

Democratic presidential candidate and former US Vice President Joe Biden has said he would lift the temporary suspension on H-1B visas, the most sought-after by Indian IT professionals, if he wins the November presidential elections.

Democratic presidential candidate and former US Vice President Joe Biden has said he would lift the temporary suspension on H-1B visas, the most sought-after by Indian IT professionals, if he wins the November presidential elections. The Trump administration suspended the H-1B visas along with other types of foreign work visas until the end of 2020 to protect American workers in a crucial election year, on June 23, in a huge blow to Indian IT professionals eyeing the US job market. Biden, in a digital town hall meeting on Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) issues organised by NBC News, praised the contribution of H-1B visa holders, PTI reports. "He (US President Donald Trump) just ended H-1B visas the rest of this year. That will not be in my administration," Joe Biden said responding to a question during the town hall. He was referring to the temporary suspension of the H-1B visas and other foreign work visas by Trump for the rest of the year. "The people on the company visa have built this country," Biden said when asked what his administration will do in the first 100 days of his presidency. Also read | India-US 'natural partners', boosting ties will be 'high priority' if voted to power: Joe Biden The H-1B visa is a non-immigrant visa that allows US companies to employ foreign workers in specialty occupations that require theoretical or technical expertise. The technology companies depend on it to hire tens of thousands of employees each year from countries like India and China. "On day one, I''m going to send the legislative immigration reform bill to Congress to provide a roadmap to citizenship for 11 million undocumented immigrants who contribute so much to this country, including 1.7 million from the AAPI community. "My immigration policy is built around keeping families together, modernising an immigration system by keeping families, unification and diversity as pillars of our immigration system, which it used to be," Biden said. He alleged that Donald Trump's immigration policies are cruel. Biden said that he would take immediate action to protect dreamers, including more than 100,000 eligible dreamers from East and South Asia. The former US Vice President also said that he would rescind Muslim travel ban and immediately restore refugee admission in line with the values and historic leadership of the United States. Biden also told town hall participants that he will "make it easier for qualified Green Card holders to move through this backlog." Donald Trump, in April, gave an executive order to suspend green cards for 90 days. In June, he issued a proclamation which extended the suspension till December 31, 2020. The US every year allocates only 1,40,000 green cards for all employment-preference immigrants, including accompanying family members. Currently, there is a backlog of almost 10 lakh foreign nationals and accompanying family members lawfully residing in the United States. These applicants have been approved but are yet to receive employment green cards. In his policy paper on immigration, Biden says that his high skilled temporary visas should not be used to disincentive recruiting workers already in the US for in-demand occupations. "An immigration system that crowds out high-skilled workers in favour of only entry level wages and skills threatens American innovation and competitiveness," the policy paper said. Joe Biden will work with Congress to first reform temporary visas to establish a wage-based allocation process and establish enforcement mechanisms to ensure they are aligned with the labour market and not used to undermine wages, it said. Then, Mr Biden will support expanding the number of high-skilled visas and eliminating the limits on employment-based visas by country, which create unacceptably long backlogs, it added. The immigration policy paper also talks about increasing the number of visas offered for permanent, work-based immigration based on macroeconomic conditions. Currently, the number of employment-based visas or Green Card is capped at 140,000 each year, without the ability to be responsive to the state of the labour market or demands from domestic employers, it said. As President, Joe Biden will work with Congress to increase the number of visas awarded for permanent, employment-based immigration - and promote mechanisms to temporarily reduce the number of visas during times of high US unemployment, it said. He will also exempt from any cap recent graduates of PhD programmes in Science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields in the US who are poised to make some of the most important contributions to the world economy. Biden believes that foreign graduates of a US doctoral programme should be given a Green Card with their degree and that losing these highly trained workers to foreign economies is a disservice to our own economic competitiveness, the policy paper said. Joe Biden is challenging the 74-year-old Republican incumbent President Donald Trump in the November 3 presidential elections where Trump is seeking his re-election for his second four-year term.

Joe Biden says he will revoke H-1B visa suspension, if elected US president

United States President Donald Trump has reportedly said he would lose the presidential election to be held in November due to falling poll numbers as Joe Biden takes the lead.

Trump acknowledged his failure due to his falling ratings, catalysed by his handling of the coronavirus pandemic in his nation, the Black Lives Matter movement and the recent New York Times report -- that said a Russian military intelligence unit had offered bounties for US and allied soldiers and that he received a written briefing on the matter in February.

After Trump initially said he was not briefed on the matter, the White House said Trump was not “personally” briefed but did not address whether he had received a written report or read it, and why he had not responded more aggressively if so.

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/gravitas-will-trump-lose-2020-presidential-elections-310042/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

And to add to this was a controversial, tell-all book by his niece -- which reportedly reveals Trump's tax plans and other details of his family. A US judge has, however, temporarily stopped the publication of the book.

Taking all this into consideration, the approval rating of Trump over his handling of coronavirus recently dropped to its lowest level ever recorded, given the resurgence of virus across major American cities.

A Reuters/Ipsos poll revealed the newly record low numbers, especially in the backdrop of Trump recently suggesting to “slow down testing” to control the number of cases.

But the real question is -- is Trump really set to lose?

Because this looks like a repeat of what happened in 2016. Trump was the underdog and Hillary Clinton was poised to win the election.

The opposite happened.

The world is witnessing a similar turn of events yet again, and what can be only said right now is clear -- Trump may be down, but he is surely not out.

United States President Donald Trump has reportedly said he would lose the presidential election to be held in November due to falling poll numbers as Joe Biden takes the lead.

United States President Donald Trump has reportedly said he would lose the presidential election to be held in November due to falling poll numbers as Joe Biden takes the lead. Trump acknowledged his failure due to his falling ratings, catalysed by his handling of the coronavirus pandemic in his nation, the Black Lives Matter movement and the recent New York Times report -- that said a Russian military intelligence unit had offered bounties for US and allied soldiers and that he received a written briefing on the matter in February. After Trump initially said he was not briefed on the matter, the White House said Trump was not “personally” briefed but did not address whether he had received a written report or read it, and why he had not responded more aggressively if so. And to add to this was a controversial, tell-all book by his niece -- which reportedly reveals Trump's tax plans and other details of his family. A US judge has, however, temporarily stopped the publication of the book. Taking all this into consideration, the approval rating of Trump over his handling of coronavirus recently dropped to its lowest level ever recorded, given the resurgence of virus across major American cities. A Reuters/Ipsos poll revealed the newly record low numbers, especially in the backdrop of Trump recently suggesting to “slow down testing” to control the number of cases. But the real question is -- is Trump really set to lose? Because this looks like a repeat of what happened in 2016. Trump was the underdog and Hillary Clinton was poised to win the election. The opposite happened. The world is witnessing a similar turn of events yet again, and what can be only said right now is clear -- Trump may be down, but he is surely not out.

Trump may be down. But he's definitely not out

Democratic White House candidate Joe Biden is in damage limitation mode after saying African Americans "ain't black" if they even consider voting for President Donald Trump over him.

Gaffe-prone Mr Biden made the remark in an interview on Friday with a prominent black radio host, Charlamagne Tha God, about his outreach to black voters.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/donald-trumps-approval-rating-dips-currently-trails-behind-biden-polls-298359">Donald Trump's approval rating dips, currently trails behind Biden: Polls</a>

However, after sparking&nbsp;accusations of racism, he recanted his remark and&nbsp;apologized for&nbsp;the "cavalier" comment.

I shouldn't have been such a wise guy. I shouldn't have been so cavalier,"&nbsp;Biden&nbsp;later said on a call with black business leaders, after the remarks sparked uproar.

"I have never, ever taken the African-American community for granted,"&nbsp;he told members of the Black Chamber of Commerce, according to reporters on the call.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/trump-may-lose-in-a-landslide-because-of-economic-downturn-election-model-predicts-300165">Trump may lose in a landslide because of economic downturn, election model predicts</a>

Biden, Barack Obama's vice president for eight years, stumbled into the controversy as he was defending his ties to the African-American community, saying he has "overwhelming support" from black leaders and voters.

Throughout the 18-minute interview, Mr Biden, 77, stressed his longstanding ties to the black community, noting his overwhelming win this year in South Carolina's presidential primary, a state where the Democratic electorate is more than 60 per cent&nbsp;African&nbsp;American.

The comments, which aired early Friday on New York-based syndicated show The Breakfast Club, quickly sparked reaction from Team Trump.

Donald Trump Jr, the president's son, accused&nbsp;Biden&nbsp;of a "disgusting &amp; dehumanizing racist mentality."

<ul>
</ul>

Democratic White House candidate Joe Biden is in damage limitation mode after saying African Americans "ain't black" if they even consider voting for President Donald Trump over him.

Democratic White House candidate Joe Biden is in damage limitation mode after saying African Americans "ain't black" if they even consider voting for President Donald Trump over him. Gaffe-prone Mr Biden made the remark in an interview on Friday with a prominent black radio host, Charlamagne Tha God, about his outreach to black voters. Also read: Donald Trump's approval rating dips, currently trails behind Biden: Polls However, after sparking accusations of racism, he recanted his remark and apologized for the "cavalier" comment. I shouldn't have been such a wise guy. I shouldn't have been so cavalier," Biden later said on a call with black business leaders, after the remarks sparked uproar. "I have never, ever taken the African-American community for granted," he told members of the Black Chamber of Commerce, according to reporters on the call. Also read: Trump may lose in a landslide because of economic downturn, election model predicts Biden, Barack Obama's vice president for eight years, stumbled into the controversy as he was defending his ties to the African-American community, saying he has "overwhelming support" from black leaders and voters. Throughout the 18-minute interview, Mr Biden, 77, stressed his longstanding ties to the black community, noting his overwhelming win this year in South Carolina's presidential primary, a state where the Democratic electorate is more than 60 per cent African American. The comments, which aired early Friday on New York-based syndicated show The Breakfast Club, quickly sparked reaction from Team Trump. Donald Trump Jr, the president's son, accused Biden of a "disgusting & dehumanizing racist mentality."

African American voters 'ain't black' if they vote for Trump: Biden

The American leaders seem to be concerned about the Presidential elections, more than getting the country out of coronavirus crisis.

The narrative around making China pay is being used in the battle for the US Presidency.

Campaign videos are being rolled out by both Democrats and Republicans. Duelling ads are using the statements of Donald Trump and Joe Biden against each other.

There's a debate on who called out China first, and who's calling out China the loudest.

The United States is still the worst-affected country. More than 759,000 cases and over 40,000 deaths have been reported in the US so far, but there's no end to petty politics.

Furthermore, the American media says that the US President is giving a communal spin to the virus. The accusation is that he pitting mosques against churches.

A few days back, Donald Trump retweeted&nbsp;writer Paul Sperry,&nbsp;who questioned the Democrats over their alleged bias. "Let's see if authorities enforce social-distancing orders for mosques during Ramadan, like they did for churches during easter."&nbsp;

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Let's see if authorities enforce the social-distancing orders for mosques during Ramadan (April 23-May 23) like they did churches during Easter
— Paul Sperry (@paulsperry_) <a href="https://twitter.com/paulsperry_/status/1250259845380542464?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 15, 2020</a></blockquote>
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Now, when Trump was questioned about this, he said, "They love mosques, and I'm all in favour of that. but, i would say there could be a difference. and we'll have to see what will happen. because I've seen a great disparity in this country".

The White House must substantiate Trump's claims. Hypothetical situations and statements can do a lot in stoking unrest and derailing the coronavirus fight.

&nbsp;

The American leaders seem to be concerned about the Presidential elections, more than getting the country out of coronavirus crisis. The narrative around making China pay is being used in the battle for the US Presidency.

The American leaders seem to be concerned about the Presidential elections, more than getting the country out of coronavirus crisis. The narrative around making China pay is being used in the battle for the US Presidency. Campaign videos are being rolled out by both Democrats and Republicans. Duelling ads are using the statements of Donald Trump and Joe Biden against each other. There's a debate on who called out China first, and who's calling out China the loudest. The United States is still the worst-affected country. More than 759,000 cases and over 40,000 deaths have been reported in the US so far, but there's no end to petty politics. Furthermore, the American media says that the US President is giving a communal spin to the virus. The accusation is that he pitting mosques against churches. A few days back, Donald Trump retweeted writer Paul Sperry, who questioned the Democrats over their alleged bias. "Let's see if authorities enforce social-distancing orders for mosques during Ramadan, like they did for churches during easter." Let's see if authorities enforce the social-distancing orders for mosques during Ramadan (April 23-May 23) like they did churches during Easter — Paul Sperry (@paulsperry_) April 15, 2020 × Now, when Trump was questioned about this, he said, "They love mosques, and I'm all in favour of that. but, i would say there could be a difference. and we'll have to see what will happen. because I've seen a great disparity in this country". The White House must substantiate Trump's claims. Hypothetical situations and statements can do a lot in stoking unrest and derailing the coronavirus fight.

The race to the White House is now 'China-centric'

Civilisationalism’s train may well have left the station. That may also be true for a fundamental redefinition of US foreign policy.

To what degree, civilisationalism continues its march and how US foreign policy will be re-defined is likely to be determined by who wins this year’s US presidential election.

With Donald J. Trump the undisputed Republican candidate and Bernie Sanders the Democratic frontrunner, the fight for the highest office in the land could be one between two very different but no less radical visions of America’s role in the world.

For civilisationalist illiberals, authoritarians and autocrats in the Middle East and North Africa and beyond, the stakes could not be higher.

In The Economist’s words, a race between Trump and Sanders would be between, "a corrupt, divisive right-wing populist" with an empathy for autocrats, like his favourite, Egyptian general-turned-president Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, and "a sanctimonious left-wing populist, " who, despite emphasizing human rights, democracy, diplomacy and re-committing the United States to the trans-Atlantic alliance, “has a dangerous tendency to put ends before means” and “displays the intolerance of a Righteous Man.”

The obvious differences notwithstanding, Trump and Sanders share scepticism about America wielding power overseas and a reluctance to use military force.

On the surface of it, Sanders would likely agree that Trump wasn’t wrong when he took aim at a post-Cold War US foreign policy that had primarily produced disastrous failures since the demise of Communism by declaring “our foreign policy is a complete and total disaster.”

&nbsp;Trump was referring to what political scientist Stephen M Walt described as an era in which the United States as the world’s only superpower could rule supreme but had no need to do so.

“Instead of building an ever-expanding zone of peace united by a shared commitment to liberal ideas, America’s pursuit of liberal hegemony poisoned relations with Russia, led to costly quagmires in Afghanistan, Iraq and several other countries, squandered trillions of dollars and thousands of lives, and encouraged both states and non-state actors to resist American efforts or to exploit them for their own benefit,” Walt argued.

From a civilisationalist’s point of view, Trump was the right person at the right time.

He promised a radical departure from the United States’ internationalist agenda and dumped the concept of American exceptionalism that positioned the United States as the linchpin of a liberal world order, the indispensable policeman that would keep the world from falling apart. Foreign policy would no longer be informed by a longer-term overarching worldview.

Instead, it would be driven by short-term transactions that served immediate goals, struck advantageous deals and shifted burdens to others.

Ironically, Trump’s chaotic and impulsive policymaking and management style, narcissism, and ineptitude allowed civilisationalists with whom he instinctively empathized take centre stage while the United States continued to fight wars in distant lands and shoulder much of the burden of policing global security.

Rather than “bringing America’s commitments and capabilities into better balance, Trump has undermined the latter without decreasing the former,” Walt concluded.

Trump’s approach bolstered Russian president Vladimir Putin’s declaration three years into the real-estate mogul-turned president’s administration that liberalism had “outlived its purpose.”

Writing in The New York Times, Max Frankel, the paper’s former executive editor, argued last year that civilisationalist leaders didn’t need to formalize a tacit meeting of the minds on the principles of governance that should underwrite a new world order.

Against the backdrop of unproven allegations of illicit cooperation between Russia and the 2016 Trump electoral campaign, Frankel suggested that “there was no need for detailed electoral collusion between the Trump campaign and Vladimir Putin's oligarchy because they had an overarching deal: the quid of help in the campaign against Hillary Clinton for the quo of a new pro-Russian foreign policy.”

Igor Yurgens, president of the Institute of Contemporary Development, and a former advisor to erstwhile Russian president Dmitry Medvedev expressed a similar sentiment.

Trump is “our wrecking ball. He shares our ideology and has shown as much sympathy to Russia as was humanly possible,” Yurgens said.

Yurgens assertion is seemingly mirrored in Trump’s empathy for Putin and autocrats like Al-Sisi and Emirati and Saudi crown princes, Mohammed bin Zayed and Mohammed bin Salman as well as his anti-immigration policies that favour Europeans and discriminate against Africans, Asians and Latin Americans and his repeated refusal to convincingly condemn racist and neo-Nazi groups.

Trump’s ambiguity towards far-right thinking neatly aligns itself with Russian support for racist and neo-Nazi groups in the United States and across Europe that is designed to fuel civilisationalist attitudes, bolster opposition to European Union sanctions imposed after Russia’s annexation of Crimea in 2014, and drive a wedge in the trans-Atlantic alliance that Trump has repeatedly questioned.

By contrast, Sanders, a self-styled democratic socialist, would likely bring a different, more civil tone to the presidency, but no less of a redirection of US foreign policy.

If Trump attempted to reduce foreign policy to business-like transactions, Sanders would transform policy into what scholars Ben Judah and David Adler have termed ‘foreign politics.’

“He is targeting the global architecture of kleptocracy in which many U.S. firms and passport holders are complicit and building ties with social movements around the world that can serve as allies in the fight against state corruption,” Judah and Adler argued in The Guardian.

In doing so, Judah and Adler suggest, Sanders as president would, unlike his predecessors, target three pillars of Putin’s disruptive policies, oil and gas revenues, a kleptocratic power base, and information warfare.

Sander’s tools shy away from the centrality of military power. Instead, they include the promotion of renewable energy that would reduce European reliance on Russian fossil fuels, the dismantling of offshore tax havens and corporate shells that facilitate Putin’s kleptocracy, and US reengagement in the battle of ideas by promoting human rights and other democratic values.

From a foreign policy perspective, the problem with Sanders is not the loftiness of his goals and principled positions or the practicality of his domestic policy proposals. It is that, given deep polarisation in the United States, he could prove to be as divisive as his nemesis, Trump.

Ironically, that is not how many Europeans, including conservatives, see Sanders. Said a senior member of Germany’s ruling centre-right Christian Democratic Union (CDU): “He may seem radically left-wing in America, but if he were German, he would fit right into the CDU, and probably even the more conservative side of it.

(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)&nbsp;

Civilisationalism’s train may well have left the station. That may also be true for a fundamental redefinition of US foreign policy. To what degree, civilisationalism continues its march and how US foreign policy will be re-defined is likely to be determined by who wins this year’s US presidential election.

Civilisationalism’s train may well have left the station. That may also be true for a fundamental redefinition of US foreign policy. To what degree, civilisationalism continues its march and how US foreign policy will be re-defined is likely to be determined by who wins this year’s US presidential election. With Donald J. Trump the undisputed Republican candidate and Bernie Sanders the Democratic frontrunner, the fight for the highest office in the land could be one between two very different but no less radical visions of America’s role in the world. For civilisationalist illiberals, authoritarians and autocrats in the Middle East and North Africa and beyond, the stakes could not be higher. In The Economist’s words, a race between Trump and Sanders would be between, "a corrupt, divisive right-wing populist" with an empathy for autocrats, like his favourite, Egyptian general-turned-president Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, and "a sanctimonious left-wing populist, " who, despite emphasizing human rights, democracy, diplomacy and re-committing the United States to the trans-Atlantic alliance, “has a dangerous tendency to put ends before means” and “displays the intolerance of a Righteous Man.” The obvious differences notwithstanding, Trump and Sanders share scepticism about America wielding power overseas and a reluctance to use military force. On the surface of it, Sanders would likely agree that Trump wasn’t wrong when he took aim at a post-Cold War US foreign policy that had primarily produced disastrous failures since the demise of Communism by declaring “our foreign policy is a complete and total disaster.” Trump was referring to what political scientist Stephen M Walt described as an era in which the United States as the world’s only superpower could rule supreme but had no need to do so. “Instead of building an ever-expanding zone of peace united by a shared commitment to liberal ideas, America’s pursuit of liberal hegemony poisoned relations with Russia, led to costly quagmires in Afghanistan, Iraq and several other countries, squandered trillions of dollars and thousands of lives, and encouraged both states and non-state actors to resist American efforts or to exploit them for their own benefit,” Walt argued. From a civilisationalist’s point of view, Trump was the right person at the right time. He promised a radical departure from the United States’ internationalist agenda and dumped the concept of American exceptionalism that positioned the United States as the linchpin of a liberal world order, the indispensable policeman that would keep the world from falling apart. Foreign policy would no longer be informed by a longer-term overarching worldview. Instead, it would be driven by short-term transactions that served immediate goals, struck advantageous deals and shifted burdens to others. Ironically, Trump’s chaotic and impulsive policymaking and management style, narcissism, and ineptitude allowed civilisationalists with whom he instinctively empathized take centre stage while the United States continued to fight wars in distant lands and shoulder much of the burden of policing global security. Rather than “bringing America’s commitments and capabilities into better balance, Trump has undermined the latter without decreasing the former,” Walt concluded. Trump’s approach bolstered Russian president Vladimir Putin’s declaration three years into the real-estate mogul-turned president’s administration that liberalism had “outlived its purpose.” Writing in The New York Times, Max Frankel, the paper’s former executive editor, argued last year that civilisationalist leaders didn’t need to formalize a tacit meeting of the minds on the principles of governance that should underwrite a new world order. Against the backdrop of unproven allegations of illicit cooperation between Russia and the 2016 Trump electoral campaign, Frankel suggested that “there was no need for detailed electoral collusion between the Trump campaign and Vladimir Putin's oligarchy because they had an overarching deal: the quid of help in the campaign against Hillary Clinton for the quo of a new pro-Russian foreign policy.” Igor Yurgens, president of the Institute of Contemporary Development, and a former advisor to erstwhile Russian president Dmitry Medvedev expressed a similar sentiment. Trump is “our wrecking ball. He shares our ideology and has shown as much sympathy to Russia as was humanly possible,” Yurgens said. Yurgens assertion is seemingly mirrored in Trump’s empathy for Putin and autocrats like Al-Sisi and Emirati and Saudi crown princes, Mohammed bin Zayed and Mohammed bin Salman as well as his anti-immigration policies that favour Europeans and discriminate against Africans, Asians and Latin Americans and his repeated refusal to convincingly condemn racist and neo-Nazi groups. Trump’s ambiguity towards far-right thinking neatly aligns itself with Russian support for racist and neo-Nazi groups in the United States and across Europe that is designed to fuel civilisationalist attitudes, bolster opposition to European Union sanctions imposed after Russia’s annexation of Crimea in 2014, and drive a wedge in the trans-Atlantic alliance that Trump has repeatedly questioned. By contrast, Sanders, a self-styled democratic socialist, would likely bring a different, more civil tone to the presidency, but no less of a redirection of US foreign policy. If Trump attempted to reduce foreign policy to business-like transactions, Sanders would transform policy into what scholars Ben Judah and David Adler have termed ‘foreign politics.’ “He is targeting the global architecture of kleptocracy in which many U.S. firms and passport holders are complicit and building ties with social movements around the world that can serve as allies in the fight against state corruption,” Judah and Adler argued in The Guardian. In doing so, Judah and Adler suggest, Sanders as president would, unlike his predecessors, target three pillars of Putin’s disruptive policies, oil and gas revenues, a kleptocratic power base, and information warfare. Sander’s tools shy away from the centrality of military power. Instead, they include the promotion of renewable energy that would reduce European reliance on Russian fossil fuels, the dismantling of offshore tax havens and corporate shells that facilitate Putin’s kleptocracy, and US reengagement in the battle of ideas by promoting human rights and other democratic values. From a foreign policy perspective, the problem with Sanders is not the loftiness of his goals and principled positions or the practicality of his domestic policy proposals. It is that, given deep polarisation in the United States, he could prove to be as divisive as his nemesis, Trump. Ironically, that is not how many Europeans, including conservatives, see Sanders. Said a senior member of Germany’s ruling centre-right Christian Democratic Union (CDU): “He may seem radically left-wing in America, but if he were German, he would fit right into the CDU, and probably even the more conservative side of it. (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

Presidential elections will determine how US foreign policy is redefined

President Donald Trump has signalled that a "big trade" deal might not be on the agenda during his visit to India next week, saying that he is saving "a very big" US-India deal for later.

"We can have a trade deal with India, but I am really saving the big deal for later, maybe before elections. But we will have a very big deal with India," Trump said while talking to reporters.

The US President will reach Gujarat`s capital city of Ahmedabad by noon on February 24 and is slated to address a mammoth crowd of more than 100,000 people which is expected to turn up for an event at the Motera Stadium in Ahmedabad on the lines of the `Howdy Modi` function that was addressed by the US President and Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Houston in September last year.

Trump said that there would be seven million people between the airport and the stadium to welcome him."I happen to like PM Modi a lot. He told me we will have seven million people between the airport and the event. It`s going to be the largest stadium in the world. It`s going to be very exciting," said Trump.

The President is also likely to visit the Gandhi Ashram in Sabarmati.

Later in the day he will arrive in New Delhi and is expected to hold talks.

On Tuesday morning, the US President will first receive a ceremonial welcome at the Rashtrapati Bhawan as per protocol.

Prime minister Modi could then accompany the US leader to the Gandhi Ashram in Delhi.

The two leaders will then meet at the Hyderabad House and will lead official state meetings. On Tuesday, President Trump will meet with executives of Indian companies -- with business interests in the United States during his visit to the capital -- at an event organized by the US embassy in New Delhi.

The companies expected to be represented at the meeting include the Indian oil and gas company Reliance Industries, Tata Sons, Bharat Forge, Mahindra and Mahindra.POTUS`s visit will conclude with an early banquet dinner, following which he will depart for Washington.&nbsp;

President Donald Trump has signalled that a "big trade" deal might not be on the agenda during his visit to India next week, saying that he is saving "a very big" US-India deal for later.

President Donald Trump has signalled that a "big trade" deal might not be on the agenda during his visit to India next week, saying that he is saving "a very big" US-India deal for later. "We can have a trade deal with India, but I am really saving the big deal for later, maybe before elections. But we will have a very big deal with India," Trump said while talking to reporters. The US President will reach Gujarat`s capital city of Ahmedabad by noon on February 24 and is slated to address a mammoth crowd of more than 100,000 people which is expected to turn up for an event at the Motera Stadium in Ahmedabad on the lines of the `Howdy Modi` function that was addressed by the US President and Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Houston in September last year. Trump said that there would be seven million people between the airport and the stadium to welcome him."I happen to like PM Modi a lot. He told me we will have seven million people between the airport and the event. It`s going to be the largest stadium in the world. It`s going to be very exciting," said Trump. The President is also likely to visit the Gandhi Ashram in Sabarmati. Later in the day he will arrive in New Delhi and is expected to hold talks. On Tuesday morning, the US President will first receive a ceremonial welcome at the Rashtrapati Bhawan as per protocol. Prime minister Modi could then accompany the US leader to the Gandhi Ashram in Delhi. The two leaders will then meet at the Hyderabad House and will lead official state meetings. On Tuesday, President Trump will meet with executives of Indian companies -- with business interests in the United States during his visit to the capital -- at an event organized by the US embassy in New Delhi. The companies expected to be represented at the meeting include the Indian oil and gas company Reliance Industries, Tata Sons, Bharat Forge, Mahindra and Mahindra.POTUS`s visit will conclude with an early banquet dinner, following which he will depart for Washington.

Trump signals 'very big' trade deal with India before US presidential elections

On the campaign trail in New Hampshire, presidential candidate Pete Buttigieg was recorded cheering and dancing with supporters by Washington Post reporter Chelsea Janes.&nbsp;

In a video posted on Twitter, <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/news-breaking-news-pete-buttigieg-defeats-bernie-sanders-in-iowa-caucus-279172">Former Mayor of South Bend, Indiana</a> can be seen performing the “Raise the Roof” dance move with New Hampshire congresswoman Annie Kuster.

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It’s all happening. What exactly “it” is, I’m not sure. But here it is. <a href="https://t.co/IOcyIPfEy2">pic.twitter.com/IOcyIPfEy2</a>
— Chelsea Janes (@chelsea_janes) <a href="https://twitter.com/chelsea_janes/status/1227203687757631489?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 11, 2020</a></blockquote>
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The American public has not been appeased by Buttigieg's best attempt, and the public outcry for such a repulsive Raise the Roof has been felt across the media spectrum, causing a flood of tweets comparing the presidential candidate to droids due to his rigid, robotic dance moves.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/iowa-caucus-buttigieg-takes-a-narrow-lead-over-sanders-279671">Salt on the wound</a> comes in the form of what is perhaps the most amusing part of the video, where a person in the background is holding up a placard supporting Massachusetts Senator Elizabeth Warren, which is promptly covered up by a Buttigieg sign.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/latest-breaking-news-update-meet-Pete-Buttigieg-the-man-who-shocked-Sanders-Biden-in-Iowa-caucus">Meet Pete Buttigieg, the man who shocked Sanders, Biden in Iowa caucus</a>

The success of Buttigieg's campaign in the New Hampshire primary warrants celebration, even if such revelry is displayed by subpar dance moves.&nbsp;Finishing in New Hampshire with 24 per cent and reportedly <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/iowa-caucus-pete-buttigieg-takes-surprise-lead-in-democratic-race-278711">leading the Iowa caucus</a> last week, former Mayor of South Bend currently stands <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/donald-trump-calls-unmitigated-disaster-as-sanders-buttigieg-claim-victory-278558">a mere 2 per cent</a> behind Vermont Senator and State winner Bernie Sanders.

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Asked if his dance moves cost him a first place finish in NH, Pete Buttigieg tells CNN's Alisyn Camerota on <a href="https://twitter.com/NewDay?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@NewDay</a>, "Well, I doubt that they played a big role in bringing a majority together, but you never know how things are received among voters.” <a href="https://t.co/1suR3lCs7y">pic.twitter.com/1suR3lCs7y</a>
— DJ Judd (@DJJudd) <a href="https://twitter.com/DJJudd/status/1227590165633413120?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 12, 2020</a></blockquote>
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When asked by Alisyn Camerota, a CNN correspondent, whether he will continue to show his dance moves on the campaign trail, Buttigieg responded with a laugh and said, "I think the less people see me dancing the better, but we definitely bring a lot of joy to the campaign trail."&nbsp;

<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

"...it's also a joyful process because you're engaging with the supporters, with the fellow Americans in this extraordinary experience in American democracy, and you never know what moments that can lead to on the campaign trail," he added.

CNN's Alisyn Camerota then asked Buttigieg whether he thinks his dance moves cost him the win in New Hampshire, to which Pete responded by saying, "Well, I doubt that they played a big role in bringing a majority together, but you never know how things are received among voters.”

On the campaign trail in New Hampshire, presidential candidate Pete Buttigieg was recorded cheering and dancing with supporters by Washington Post reporter Chelsea Janes.

On the campaign trail in New Hampshire, presidential candidate Pete Buttigieg was recorded cheering and dancing with supporters by Washington Post reporter Chelsea Janes. In a video posted on Twitter, Former Mayor of South Bend, Indiana can be seen performing the “Raise the Roof” dance move with New Hampshire congresswoman Annie Kuster. It’s all happening. What exactly “it” is, I’m not sure. But here it is. pic.twitter.com/IOcyIPfEy2 — Chelsea Janes (@chelsea_janes) February 11, 2020 × The American public has not been appeased by Buttigieg's best attempt, and the public outcry for such a repulsive Raise the Roof has been felt across the media spectrum, causing a flood of tweets comparing the presidential candidate to droids due to his rigid, robotic dance moves. Salt on the wound comes in the form of what is perhaps the most amusing part of the video, where a person in the background is holding up a placard supporting Massachusetts Senator Elizabeth Warren, which is promptly covered up by a Buttigieg sign. Also Read: Meet Pete Buttigieg, the man who shocked Sanders, Biden in Iowa caucus The success of Buttigieg's campaign in the New Hampshire primary warrants celebration, even if such revelry is displayed by subpar dance moves. Finishing in New Hampshire with 24 per cent and reportedly leading the Iowa caucus last week, former Mayor of South Bend currently stands a mere 2 per cent behind Vermont Senator and State winner Bernie Sanders. Asked if his dance moves cost him a first place finish in NH, Pete Buttigieg tells CNN's Alisyn Camerota on @NewDay, "Well, I doubt that they played a big role in bringing a majority together, but you never know how things are received among voters.” pic.twitter.com/1suR3lCs7y — DJ Judd (@DJJudd) February 12, 2020 × When asked by Alisyn Camerota, a CNN correspondent, whether he will continue to show his dance moves on the campaign trail, Buttigieg responded with a laugh and said, "I think the less people see me dancing the better, but we definitely bring a lot of joy to the campaign trail." "...it's also a joyful process because you're engaging with the supporters, with the fellow Americans in this extraordinary experience in American democracy, and you never know what moments that can lead to on the campaign trail," he added. CNN's Alisyn Camerota then asked Buttigieg whether he thinks his dance moves cost him the win in New Hampshire, to which Pete responded by saying, "Well, I doubt that they played a big role in bringing a majority together, but you never know how things are received among voters.”

Twitter trolls Buttigieg's robotic 'Raise the Roof' dance move

On the campaign trail in New Hampshire, presidential candidate Pete Buttigieg was recorded cheering and dancing with supporters by Washington Post reporter Chelsea Janes.&nbsp;

In a video posted on Twitter, Former Mayor of South Bend, Indiana can be seen performing the “Raise the Roof” dance move with New Hampshire congresswoman Annie Kuster.

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It’s all happening. What exactly “it” is, I’m not sure. But here it is. <a href="https://t.co/IOcyIPfEy2">pic.twitter.com/IOcyIPfEy2</a>
— Chelsea Janes (@chelsea_janes) <a href="https://twitter.com/chelsea_janes/status/1227203687757631489?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 11, 2020</a></blockquote>
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The American public has not been appeased by Buttigieg's best attempt, and the public outcry for such a repulsive Raise the Roof has been felt across the media spectrum, causing a flood of tweets comparing the presidential candidate to droids due to his rigid, robotic dance moves.

Salt on the wound comes in the form of what is perhaps the most amusing part of the video, where a person in the background is holding up a placard supporting Massachusetts Senator Elizabeth Warren, which is promptly covered up by a Buttigieg sign.

The success of Buttigieg's campaign in the New Hampshire primary warrants celebration, even if such revelry is displayed by subpar dance moves.&nbsp;Finishing in New Hampshire with 24 per cent and reportedly leading the Iowa caucus last week, former Mayor of South Bend currently stands a mere 2 per cent behind Vermont Senator and State winner Bernie Sanders.

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Asked if his dance moves cost him a first place finish in NH, Pete Buttigieg tells CNN's Alisyn Camerota on <a href="https://twitter.com/NewDay?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@NewDay</a>, "Well, I doubt that they played a big role in bringing a majority together, but you never know how things are received among voters.” <a href="https://t.co/1suR3lCs7y">pic.twitter.com/1suR3lCs7y</a>
— DJ Judd (@DJJudd) <a href="https://twitter.com/DJJudd/status/1227590165633413120?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 12, 2020</a></blockquote>
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When asked by Alisyn Camerota, a CNN correspondent, whether he will continue to show his dance moves on the campaign trail, Buttigieg responded with a laugh and said, "I think the less people see me dancing the better, but we definitely bring a lot of joy to the campaign trail."&nbsp;

"...it's also a joyful process because you're engaging with the supporters, with the fellow Americans in this extraordinary experience in American democracy, and you never know what moments that can lead to on the campaign trail," he added.

CNN's Alisyn Camerota then asked Buttigieg whether he thinks his dance moves cost him the win in New Hampshire, to which Pete responded by saying, "Well, I doubt that they played a big role in bringing a majority together, but you never know how things are received among voters.” 
&nbsp;

On the campaign trail in New Hampshire, presidential candidate Pete Buttigieg was recorded cheering and dancing with supporters by Washington Post reporter Chelsea Janes. In a video posted on Twitter, Former Mayor of South Bend, Indiana can be seen performing the “Raise the Roof” dance move with New Hampshire congresswoman Annie Kuster. It’s all happening. What exactly “it” is, I’m not sure. But here it is. pic.twitter.com/IOcyIPfEy2 — Chelsea Janes (@chelsea_janes) February 11, 2020 × The American public has not been appeased by Buttigieg's best attempt, and the public outcry for such a repulsive Raise the Roof has been felt across the media spectrum, causing a flood of tweets comparing the presidential candidate to droids due to his rigid, robotic dance moves. Salt on the wound comes in the form of what is perhaps the most amusing part of the video, where a person in the background is holding up a placard supporting Massachusetts Senator Elizabeth Warren, which is promptly covered up by a Buttigieg sign. The success of Buttigieg's campaign in the New Hampshire primary warrants celebration, even if such revelry is displayed by subpar dance moves. Finishing in New Hampshire with 24 per cent and reportedly leading the Iowa caucus last week, former Mayor of South Bend currently stands a mere 2 per cent behind Vermont Senator and State winner Bernie Sanders. Asked if his dance moves cost him a first place finish in NH, Pete Buttigieg tells CNN's Alisyn Camerota on @NewDay, "Well, I doubt that they played a big role in bringing a majority together, but you never know how things are received among voters.” pic.twitter.com/1suR3lCs7y — DJ Judd (@DJJudd) February 12, 2020 × When asked by Alisyn Camerota, a CNN correspondent, whether he will continue to show his dance moves on the campaign trail, Buttigieg responded with a laugh and said, "I think the less people see me dancing the better, but we definitely bring a lot of joy to the campaign trail." "...it's also a joyful process because you're engaging with the supporters, with the fellow Americans in this extraordinary experience in American democracy, and you never know what moments that can lead to on the campaign trail," he added. CNN's Alisyn Camerota then asked Buttigieg whether he thinks his dance moves cost him the win in New Hampshire, to which Pete responded by saying, "Well, I doubt that they played a big role in bringing a majority together, but you never know how things are received among voters.”

Buttigieg's 'Raise the Roof' dance move goes viral

Democrats in Iowa gathered in schools, libraries and churches to decide their favourite candidates. The nominated candidates will go through the internal voting process to decide the Democracts candidate to take on Donald Trump. Watch this video to understand the concept of caucuses in the United States.

All eyes on Iowa Caucuses 2020: What is Caucuses

Democratic presidential candidates fanned out across Iowa on Saturday for a frenzy of rallies and last-ditch speeches with just two days to go before the rural state kicks off the nominating process.

Public opinion polls show a tight race for the right to take on Republican <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/latest-world-news-trump-revives-border-wall-promise-in-iowa-campaign-speech-and-mocks-his-democrat-coworkers-277639">President Donald Trump</a> in November. US&nbsp;Senator Bernie Sanders and former Vice President Joe Biden are in a dead heat for first place, with US&nbsp;Senator Elizabeth Warren and former South Bend, Indiana, Mayor Pete Buttigieg close behind.

The final campaigning before Monday's caucuses took on extra urgency as Sanders, Warren and fellow senators have been stuck in Washington serving as jurors in Trump's impeachment trial and are due to return by Monday morning for closing arguments. Here is what is happening in Iowa <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/democratic-debate-six-candidates-face-off-in-iowas-capital-city-des-moines-274306">on the campaign trail</a>:

Settle for Biden

A comedy troupe confronted Biden on Saturday at a town hall in North Liberty, Iowa, prompting an awkward exchange. One of the men stood as Biden was getting underway with his speech and asked the former vice president for advice on how to get his wife back. Biden offered to speak to the man afterwards, but the man persisted.

"I’m beginning to see why your wife left you," Biden said to cheers and laughter at a packed campaign event. Moments later, another man stood up wearing a shirt that mimicked the colours and style of Biden campaign attire but instead said, "Settle for Biden." People chanted "Let’s go Joe" as the comedians exited. The men did not identify themselves to reporters but matched the descriptions of a comedy troupe called The Good Liars that confronts politicians at public events.

<img alt="Biden" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="f507c59f-4b4a-4525-9275-405a1006e1bc" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Untitled%20design%20-%202020-02-02T120135.102.jpg" /> 
[&nbsp;A woman attends a Democratic 2020 US&nbsp;presidential candidate and former Vice President Joe Biden's campaign event in Waterloo, Iowa (Courtesy: Reuters) ]

That's your job

US&nbsp;Senator Amy Klobuchar <a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/democratic-debate-in-iowa-274401">zipped around Iowa</a> on a charter plane to try to hit as many campaign events as possible. Klobuchar is trying to mount a late surge and beat expectations after struggling for the past year to break 10 per cent&nbsp;in polls. Her campaign strategy has relied on spending time on the ground in Iowa, which got derailed by the impeachment trial.

Her final Saturday night event in Beaverdale, a suburb of Des Moines, at her fourth event of the day, she joked about being stuck in Washington. "I'm trying to make up for being gone for 10 days in two days," she said. "I may be the juror in that chamber but you are the jurors in this election. That's your job."

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/opinions-blogs/us-presidential-elections-2020-which-democratic-contender-stands-where-277723">US Presidential elections 2020: Which Democratic contender stands where</a>

This is our moment

Warren may have hit the ground running in Iowa on Saturday, but she took a moment to offer new remarks reminiscing on a year on the campaign trail. “You’ve pressed notes into my hand, you’ve whispered your dreams into my ears, you’ve told me about your lives, about issues, about your ideas on how we can make things better,” she said at an event in Cedar Rapids.

At a Saturday morning event in Des Moines, signs behind her declared "Unite the Party," suggesting that she is best positioned to bring Democrats together to defeat Trump, a new addition to her campaign message in the closing stretch.

<img alt="Warren" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="403e38e5-7e5b-485f-9949-19cc50e69dd5" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Untitled%20design%20-%202020-02-02T120505.783.jpg" /> 
[&nbsp;Emma Patty runs with a sign supporting Democratic 2020 US&nbsp;presidential candidate and US&nbsp;Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) (Courtesy: Reuters) ]

Warren fled Washington on Friday night as soon as the impeachment proceedings ended for the day, arriving in Des Moines for a late-night event at a crowded brewery. The bar ran out of clean glasses to keep pouring beer before Warren emerged, holding her husband's hand and dragging him into the crowd.

The pressing need to play catch-up after having been taken off the campaign trail for Trump's trial was evident on Saturday. To save time so she could get to another event, Warren skipped her usual "selfie" line.

“I need to get around to a lot of places in Iowa today and tomorrow,” she said after one event. But she had a worthy substitute: Bailey, her golden retriever, who has become perhaps her most beloved campaign surrogate, would stay for a photo line. “He’s been working on his smile,” she said, as the crowd cooed at a happy-looking Bailey. “He’s ready.”

Sanders supporter boos Clinton

At a Sanders campaign rally on Friday night, one of his high-profile supporters waded into an ongoing fight with Hillary Clinton, his Democratic primary opponent in the 2016 White House contest. In an interview last month, Clinton said no one in the Senate liked Sanders, and she criticized how his supporters treated her after she won the nomination four years ago.

On Friday, when the crowd at Sanders' rally began to boo at the mention of Clinton's name, the moderator interjected, "We're not going to boo here, we're classy here." But US&nbsp;Representative Rashida Tlaib, speaking on a panel at the event, was not having any of it. "No, no. I'll boo. Boo," the congresswoman said. "You all know I can't be quiet, no, we're going to boo. That's all right, the haters will shut up on Monday when we win." On Saturday, she voiced regret.

"I allowed my disappointment with Secretary Clinton's latest comments about Senator Sanders and his supporters get the best of me," Tlaib said in a statement on Twitter, adding the movement "deserved better."

Union flips to Biden

A labour union representing 200,000 transit workers endorsed Biden on Saturday, a shift after having backed Sanders in the 2016 campaign. Sanders has been racking up union endorsements, support that played an important role in his failed 2016 bid for the nomination.

The Amalgamated Transit Union (ATU) announced it is encouraging members to support Biden after a survey of the union's membership found a majority believe the former vice president is the best positioned to beat Trump.

"Joe Biden has been a true champion of working Americans throughout his career," said ATU International President John Costa in a statement. "We know he will fight to rebuild the middle class by restoring the rights of labour, advancing racial justice and equity, and bolstering our economy through an unprecedented investment in public services like transit."

Democratic presidential candidates fanned out across Iowa on Saturday for a frenzy of rallies and last-ditch speeches with just two days to go before the rural state kicks off the nominating process.

Democratic presidential candidates fanned out across Iowa on Saturday for a frenzy of rallies and last-ditch speeches with just two days to go before the rural state kicks off the nominating process. Public opinion polls show a tight race for the right to take on Republican President Donald Trump in November. US Senator Bernie Sanders and former Vice President Joe Biden are in a dead heat for first place, with US Senator Elizabeth Warren and former South Bend, Indiana, Mayor Pete Buttigieg close behind. The final campaigning before Monday's caucuses took on extra urgency as Sanders, Warren and fellow senators have been stuck in Washington serving as jurors in Trump's impeachment trial and are due to return by Monday morning for closing arguments. Here is what is happening in Iowa on the campaign trail: Settle for Biden A comedy troupe confronted Biden on Saturday at a town hall in North Liberty, Iowa, prompting an awkward exchange. One of the men stood as Biden was getting underway with his speech and asked the former vice president for advice on how to get his wife back. Biden offered to speak to the man afterwards, but the man persisted. "I’m beginning to see why your wife left you," Biden said to cheers and laughter at a packed campaign event. Moments later, another man stood up wearing a shirt that mimicked the colours and style of Biden campaign attire but instead said, "Settle for Biden." People chanted "Let’s go Joe" as the comedians exited. The men did not identify themselves to reporters but matched the descriptions of a comedy troupe called The Good Liars that confronts politicians at public events. [ A woman attends a Democratic 2020 US presidential candidate and former Vice President Joe Biden's campaign event in Waterloo, Iowa (Courtesy: Reuters) ] That's your job US Senator Amy Klobuchar zipped around Iowa on a charter plane to try to hit as many campaign events as possible. Klobuchar is trying to mount a late surge and beat expectations after struggling for the past year to break 10 per cent in polls. Her campaign strategy has relied on spending time on the ground in Iowa, which got derailed by the impeachment trial. Her final Saturday night event in Beaverdale, a suburb of Des Moines, at her fourth event of the day, she joked about being stuck in Washington. "I'm trying to make up for being gone for 10 days in two days," she said. "I may be the juror in that chamber but you are the jurors in this election. That's your job." Also Read: US Presidential elections 2020: Which Democratic contender stands where This is our moment Warren may have hit the ground running in Iowa on Saturday, but she took a moment to offer new remarks reminiscing on a year on the campaign trail. “You’ve pressed notes into my hand, you’ve whispered your dreams into my ears, you’ve told me about your lives, about issues, about your ideas on how we can make things better,” she said at an event in Cedar Rapids. At a Saturday morning event in Des Moines, signs behind her declared "Unite the Party," suggesting that she is best positioned to bring Democrats together to defeat Trump, a new addition to her campaign message in the closing stretch. [ Emma Patty runs with a sign supporting Democratic 2020 US presidential candidate and US Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) (Courtesy: Reuters) ] Warren fled Washington on Friday night as soon as the impeachment proceedings ended for the day, arriving in Des Moines for a late-night event at a crowded brewery. The bar ran out of clean glasses to keep pouring beer before Warren emerged, holding her husband's hand and dragging him into the crowd. The pressing need to play catch-up after having been taken off the campaign trail for Trump's trial was evident on Saturday. To save time so she could get to another event, Warren skipped her usual "selfie" line. “I need to get around to a lot of places in Iowa today and tomorrow,” she said after one event. But she had a worthy substitute: Bailey, her golden retriever, who has become perhaps her most beloved campaign surrogate, would stay for a photo line. “He’s been working on his smile,” she said, as the crowd cooed at a happy-looking Bailey. “He’s ready.” Sanders supporter boos Clinton At a Sanders campaign rally on Friday night, one of his high-profile supporters waded into an ongoing fight with Hillary Clinton, his Democratic primary opponent in the 2016 White House contest. In an interview last month, Clinton said no one in the Senate liked Sanders, and she criticized how his supporters treated her after she won the nomination four years ago. On Friday, when the crowd at Sanders' rally began to boo at the mention of Clinton's name, the moderator interjected, "We're not going to boo here, we're classy here." But US Representative Rashida Tlaib, speaking on a panel at the event, was not having any of it. "No, no. I'll boo. Boo," the congresswoman said. "You all know I can't be quiet, no, we're going to boo. That's all right, the haters will shut up on Monday when we win." On Saturday, she voiced regret. "I allowed my disappointment with Secretary Clinton's latest comments about Senator Sanders and his supporters get the best of me," Tlaib said in a statement on Twitter, adding the movement "deserved better." Union flips to Biden A labour union representing 200,000 transit workers endorsed Biden on Saturday, a shift after having backed Sanders in the 2016 campaign. Sanders has been racking up union endorsements, support that played an important role in his failed 2016 bid for the nomination. The Amalgamated Transit Union (ATU) announced it is encouraging members to support Biden after a survey of the union's membership found a majority believe the former vice president is the best positioned to beat Trump. "Joe Biden has been a true champion of working Americans throughout his career," said ATU International President John Costa in a statement. "We know he will fight to rebuild the middle class by restoring the rights of labour, advancing racial justice and equity, and bolstering our economy through an unprecedented investment in public services like transit."

On the campaign trail: Democrats deliver closing arguments with dogs, comedians and planes

The Democratic Party of the United States is a house divided against itself and it seems like a hopeless cause given that we are just two weeks away from the Iowa Caucuses.

The Democratic Party of the United States is a house divided against itself and it seems like a hopeless cause given that we are just two weeks away from the Iowa Caucuses. Former Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton has slammed her 2016 opponent Bernie Sanders by refusing to endorse him for President. Also read: Ahead of 2020 US presidential election Trump accused Google of 'very illegal' acts In her latest documentary film, she does not shy away from tearing the Vermont senator a new one. Statements such as "He was in Congress for years, he had one Senator support him", "Nobody likes him, nobody wants to work with him, he got nothing done", "He's was a career politician, it's all just baloney," were made. In pics: Democratic Debate in Iowa When asked about Hillary's assertion that "nobody likes him", Senator Sanders said, "On a good day, my wife likes me, so let's clear the air on that one." Bernie Sanders has taken the high road, claiming that Donald Trump's impeachment is his major priority at the moment. Tulsi Gabbard, a fellow candidate slammed Hillary for her verbiage, tweeting that she liked Bernie Sanders, unlike Hillary. I like Bernie. #ILikeBernie — Tulsi Gabbard 🌺 (@TulsiGabbard) January 21, 2020 × After Clinton won the Democratic nomination in 2016, Sanders had in fact campaigned for her across the US, but the Clinton Campaign had blamed him for not dropping out of the race sooner and creating divisions in the party as well as the electorate. Former President Barack Obama has been sceptical about Bernie's possible nomination, warning candidates to not embrace socialist ideas - a clear reference to Bernie Sanders.

US Presidential Elections 2020: Hillary Clinton slams Bernie Sanders; Tulsi Gabbard claps back on Twitter

US&nbsp;presidential candidate <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/bloomberg-trump-to-air-dueling-super-bowl-ads-272836">Michael Bloomberg</a> told reporters he is ready to spend much of his vast fortune to oust Republican President <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/trump-warns-iran-against-massacre-as-protests-erupt-over-downing-of-ukrainian-airplane-273670">Donald Trump</a> from the White House in 2020, rejecting criticism from rivals for the Democratic nomination that the billionaire is trying to buy the US&nbsp;election.

Ranked by Forbes as the eighth-richest American, Bloomberg has flooded US&nbsp;airwaves and social media feeds with messages that he stands the best chance to beat Trump, spending more on campaign ads since he launched his campaign in November than his main Democratic rivals have over the last year.

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Today, people all over the nation are showing their support for our campaign, and I couldn't be more honored, grateful and hopeful for our future. 
 
Together, we will defeat Donald Trump. 
 
Together, we will rebuild America. 
 
Together, we will <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/GetItDone?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#GetItDone</a>! <a href="https://t.co/jMmIcKExTv">pic.twitter.com/jMmIcKExTv</a>
— Mike Bloomberg (@MikeBloomberg) <a href="https://twitter.com/MikeBloomberg/status/1216082774249164800?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 11, 2020</a></blockquote>
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"Number one priority is to get rid of Donald Trump. I'm spending all my money to get rid of Trump," Bloomberg told reporters aboard his campaign bus on Saturday, during a nearly 300-mile (483-km) drive across Texas, one of the 14 states that will vote on Super Tuesday on March 3.

"Do you want me to spend more or less? End of story."

US&nbsp;Senator <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/three-swing-district-democrats-back-joe-bidens-presidential-bid-272511">Elizabeth Warren</a>, one of the leading Democratic presidential contenders who has vowed to get money out of politics, blasted Bloomberg when he launched his campaign with a $37-million TV advertising blitz, accusing the former New York City mayor of trying to buy American democracy.

"These are just political things they say, hoping they catch on and they don't like me doing it, because it competes with them, not because it's bad policy," Bloomberg said.

After entering the race late and missing the first six Democratic debates, Bloomberg generally sits fifth in national public opinion polls behind <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-senate-leader-ready-to-pass-impeachment-trial-rules-without-democrats-272835">Joe Biden</a>, <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/white-house-gives-lawmakers-formal-notice-of-iraq-strike-amid-complaints-from-democrats-272196">Bernie Sanders</a>, Warren and <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/democratic-candidate-warren-discloses-details-of-past-legal-work-showing-2-million-in-compensation-267187">Pete Buttigieg</a>.

But not just the two liberal standard-bearers of Warren and Sanders, all of the four are too liberal to beat Trump, Bloomberg said.

"One of the reasons I'm reasonably confident I could beat Trump is I would be acceptable to the moderate <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/texass-greg-abbott-becomes-first-to-refuse-refugees-order-given-by-president-donald-trump-273510">Republicans</a> you have to have," said Bloomberg, a former Republican who made his fortune selling financial information to Wall Street firms.

"Whether you like it or not, you can’t win the election unless you get moderate Republicans to cross the line. The others are much too liberal for them and they would certainly vote for <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-house-of-representatives-curbs-trumps-war-power-amid-iran-tensions-273283">Donald Trump</a>."

After a late entry into the race, he is skipping the first four Democratic nomination contests in Iowa, New Hampshire, Nevada and South Carolina all due to take place in February.

Instead, Bloomberg is waging a nationwide campaign to capture delegates in later contests such as Texas, which will be the second-largest prize among the 14 Super Tuesday states.

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Thank you for spending part of your weekend with me, Austin! <a href="https://t.co/u8UidNtflR">https://t.co/u8UidNtflR</a>
— Mike Bloomberg (@MikeBloomberg) <a href="https://twitter.com/MikeBloomberg/status/1216113830176198657?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 11, 2020</a></blockquote>
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At campaign events in San Antonio, Austin and Dallas in Texas on Saturday, Bloomberg said his bipartisan nature made it more likely he could deliver on his pledges to expand health insurance coverage, fight climate change and reduce gun violence.

While his speeches drew modest crowds of no more than a few hundred in Austin and fewer still in San Antonio, many who attended said they were independents or former Trump supporters who had learned about Bloomberg through his massive advertising campaign.

"He’s better than Trump," said Marcelo Montemayor, 75, who listened to Bloomberg speak at a taco restaurant in San Antonio.

Montemayor voted for Trump in 2016 but worries the president’s conservative appointees to federal courts could undermine <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/united-states-supreme-court-leaves-kentucky-abortion-restriction-in-place-267309">abortion rights</a>.

Bloomberg's television ads have dominated the airwaves both nationwide and in Texas.

Watch:&nbsp;Donald Trump Vs Michael Bloomberg: The battle of the millionaires

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In the top four media markets in the Lone Star State, which include Houston and Dallas, Bloomberg has spent more than $15 million on television ads through mid-January, said Mark Jones, a political scientist at Houston's Rice University, who analyzed <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/where-us-presidential-candidates-stand-on-breaking-up-big-tech-258654">Federal Communications Commission</a> records on ad buys.

That exceeds the combined spending nationwide by Democratic frontrunners in 2019, according to a Wesleyan Media Project analysis of Kantar/CMAG television ad data through mid-December.

And for this year's Super Bowl broadcast on February&nbsp;2 in Miami, Trump and Bloomberg both plan to air a 60-second television commercial, a prime example of their ability to devote vast resources to reach millions of viewers.

Trump campaign officials said the campaign paid $10 million for air time. Last year’s <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/former-commissioner-david-stern-dies-at-77-made-league-truly-global-brand-271536">National Football League</a> championship game drew nearly 100 million viewers.

"You can't get to 330 million people by shaking hands. Television is still the magic medium," Bloomberg said.

"If the Super Bowl wasn't a place to get to an awful lot of people they wouldn't be charging a lot, or nobody would be paying it. This is capitalism at work."

US presidential candidate Michael Bloomberg told reporters he is ready to spend much of his vast fortune to oust Republican President Donald Trump from the White House in 2020, rejecting criticism from rivals for the Democratic nomination that the billionaire is trying to buy the US election.

US presidential candidate Michael Bloomberg told reporters he is ready to spend much of his vast fortune to oust Republican President Donald Trump from the White House in 2020, rejecting criticism from rivals for the Democratic nomination that the billionaire is trying to buy the US election. Ranked by Forbes as the eighth-richest American, Bloomberg has flooded US airwaves and social media feeds with messages that he stands the best chance to beat Trump, spending more on campaign ads since he launched his campaign in November than his main Democratic rivals have over the last year. Today, people all over the nation are showing their support for our campaign, and I couldn't be more honored, grateful and hopeful for our future. Together, we will defeat Donald Trump. Together, we will rebuild America. Together, we will #GetItDone! pic.twitter.com/jMmIcKExTv — Mike Bloomberg (@MikeBloomberg) January 11, 2020 × "Number one priority is to get rid of Donald Trump. I'm spending all my money to get rid of Trump," Bloomberg told reporters aboard his campaign bus on Saturday, during a nearly 300-mile (483-km) drive across Texas, one of the 14 states that will vote on Super Tuesday on March 3. "Do you want me to spend more or less? End of story." US Senator Elizabeth Warren, one of the leading Democratic presidential contenders who has vowed to get money out of politics, blasted Bloomberg when he launched his campaign with a $37-million TV advertising blitz, accusing the former New York City mayor of trying to buy American democracy. "These are just political things they say, hoping they catch on and they don't like me doing it, because it competes with them, not because it's bad policy," Bloomberg said. After entering the race late and missing the first six Democratic debates, Bloomberg generally sits fifth in national public opinion polls behind Joe Biden, Bernie Sanders, Warren and Pete Buttigieg. But not just the two liberal standard-bearers of Warren and Sanders, all of the four are too liberal to beat Trump, Bloomberg said. "One of the reasons I'm reasonably confident I could beat Trump is I would be acceptable to the moderate Republicans you have to have," said Bloomberg, a former Republican who made his fortune selling financial information to Wall Street firms. "Whether you like it or not, you can’t win the election unless you get moderate Republicans to cross the line. The others are much too liberal for them and they would certainly vote for Donald Trump." After a late entry into the race, he is skipping the first four Democratic nomination contests in Iowa, New Hampshire, Nevada and South Carolina all due to take place in February. Instead, Bloomberg is waging a nationwide campaign to capture delegates in later contests such as Texas, which will be the second-largest prize among the 14 Super Tuesday states. Thank you for spending part of your weekend with me, Austin! https://t.co/u8UidNtflR — Mike Bloomberg (@MikeBloomberg) January 11, 2020 × At campaign events in San Antonio, Austin and Dallas in Texas on Saturday, Bloomberg said his bipartisan nature made it more likely he could deliver on his pledges to expand health insurance coverage, fight climate change and reduce gun violence. While his speeches drew modest crowds of no more than a few hundred in Austin and fewer still in San Antonio, many who attended said they were independents or former Trump supporters who had learned about Bloomberg through his massive advertising campaign. "He’s better than Trump," said Marcelo Montemayor, 75, who listened to Bloomberg speak at a taco restaurant in San Antonio. Montemayor voted for Trump in 2016 but worries the president’s conservative appointees to federal courts could undermine abortion rights. Bloomberg's television ads have dominated the airwaves both nationwide and in Texas. Watch: Donald Trump Vs Michael Bloomberg: The battle of the millionaires × In the top four media markets in the Lone Star State, which include Houston and Dallas, Bloomberg has spent more than $15 million on television ads through mid-January, said Mark Jones, a political scientist at Houston's Rice University, who analyzed Federal Communications Commission records on ad buys. That exceeds the combined spending nationwide by Democratic frontrunners in 2019, according to a Wesleyan Media Project analysis of Kantar/CMAG television ad data through mid-December. And for this year's Super Bowl broadcast on February 2 in Miami, Trump and Bloomberg both plan to air a 60-second television commercial, a prime example of their ability to devote vast resources to reach millions of viewers. Trump campaign officials said the campaign paid $10 million for air time. Last year’s National Football League championship game drew nearly 100 million viewers. "You can't get to 330 million people by shaking hands. Television is still the magic medium," Bloomberg said. "If the Super Bowl wasn't a place to get to an awful lot of people they wouldn't be charging a lot, or nobody would be paying it. This is capitalism at work."

Democrat Michael Bloomberg: 'I'm spending all my money to get rid of Trump'

Two foreign-born Florida businessmen who have been helping President Donald Trump's personal lawyer investigate political rival Joe Biden have been arrested on charges of funnelling foreign money to US political candidates and a pro-Trump election committee, authorities said on Thursday.

The arrests were the latest dramatic development in a political saga that threatens Trump's presidency. They come as the Democratic-led US House of Representatives conducts an impeachment inquiry into Trump centered on the Republican president's request in a July telephone call for Ukraine's president to investigate Biden.

The businessmen, Lev Parnas and Igor Fruman, were arrested in connection with a New York federal case involving campaign finance laws, the US Attorney's Office in Manhattan said. The two men were donors to a pro-Trump fundraising committee and the president's personal lawyer, Rudy Giuliani, has said they helped him as he sought to investigate former Vice President Biden, a leading Democratic contender in the 2020 presidential election.

Parnas is a Ukrainian businessman. Fruman is a real estate investor who was born in Belarus. Both, according to various media accounts, helped introduce Giuliani into top Ukrainian political circles.

The two men had been planning to fly to Vienna on Wednesday night, according to a source familiar with the matter.

Parnas and Fruman conspired to "funnel foreign money to candidates for federal and state office," according to a federal court filing in New York. The two men made illegal contributions using straw donors, according to the indictment.

John Dowd, the lawyer for Parnas and Fruman, declined to comment on the charges. Giuliani did not immediately return a request for comment.

Jay Sekulow, a lawyer for the president, told Reuters that "neither the president nor the campaign was aware of their scheme," referring to the defendants.

Trump has denied wrongdoing and has described the impeachment probe as a partisan smear.

In May 2018, the indictment said, Parnas and Fruman contributed $325,000 to a pro-Trump political action committee called America First Action. The $325,000 donation was falsely reported as coming from a purported natural gas company, the indictment said.

The two men falsely claimed that the company, GEP, was "a real business enterprise" and that "its major purpose is energy trading, not political activity," the indictment said. In fact, it said, the company had no real business.

According to the indictment, Parnas sought the help of a US congressman - identified by a person familiar with the matter as Republican Pete Sessions - to get the US government to remove the then-ambassador to Ukraine Marie Yovanovitch. Trump called Yovanovitch "bad news" in his July 25 call with Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskiy.

Yovanovitch was removed from the post by Trump.

The indictment said the efforts were conducted at least in part at the request of at least one Ukrainian government official. Giuliani told Reuters last week he provided information to both Trump and the State Department about Yovanovitch, who he suggested was biased against Trump. She is scheduled to give testimony to House lawmakers this week.

Sessions, a Republican from Dallas, lost his seat in the 2018 congressional elections to Democrat Colin Allred.

Parnas and Fruman were due to appear at 2 p.m. (1800 GMT) in front of US Magistrate Judge Michael Nachmanoff at the federal courthouse in Alexandria, Virginia, according to a spokesman for the federal prosecutor in the Eastern District of Virginia.

Two other people were charged in the indictment: David Correia, a U.S. businessman, and Andrey Kukushkin, a Ukrainian-born U.S. businessman.

'Clerical thing'

In an interview last month, Parnas told Reuters that the FBI was investigating him but said he did not know why, and that he did nothing wrong. "I don't know what the FBI wants. I'm not going to comment, what they are doing. What they did."

"I don't think we know too much" about the investigation, Parnas said, but added that it had to be political. "When you have the heads of the Democratic Party not liking you, it's very easy to get the FBI involved."

Parnas said that any violations of Federal Election Commision rules were unwitting and a "clerical thing" because he was not an experienced political donor. Parnas said he was not trying to hide the source of the $325,000 donation.

Kelly Sadler, a spokeswoman for America First Action Political Action Committee, said the organization takes its legal obligations seriously and scrupulously complies with the law, adding any suggestion otherwise is false.

"In May 2018, America First Action received a $325,000 contribution and donor form from Global Energy Producers. In July 2018, a complaint was filed with the Federal Election Commission concerning this contribution."

Sadler added that there is separate litigation in Florida that concerns these funds.

"Accordingly, America First Action placed that contribution in a segregated bank account, it has not been used it for any purpose and the funds will remain in this segregated account until these matters are resolved."

The Campaign Legal Center, a nonprofit that favors campaign finance regulation, had urged a US government agency in a July 2018 complaint to investigate whether Parnas and Fruman had broken the law by using a shell company to disguise the source of the $325,000 donation to the pro-Trump political action committee.

Federal records show Parnas has donated a total of $25,200 to Republican candidates and political groups since the 2016 presidential election, including $2,700 to Representative Pete Sessions and $2,700 to House Republican Leader Kevin McCarthy. Fruman has donated $44,201 over that period to Republicans, including Sessions, the Republican National Committee and Trump’s presidential campaign.

Nancy Pelosi, who as House Speaker is the top Democrat in the chamber, launched the impeachment inquiry last month after the revelation that Trump had sought foreign interference in the 2020 election.

A whistleblower complaint to Congress also raised concerns that Trump leveraged $400 million in US aid to try to secure a promise from Ukraine's president to investigate Biden and his son, Hunter Biden.

Democrats are getting impatient with the administration's blocks on its investigation.

"Republicans are now refusing to answer the simplest question: whether it’s acceptable for a president to pressure foreign countries to undermine our elections. American elections should be decided by Americans, not by 'favors' from foreign governments," Pelosi tweeted on Thursday.

Two foreign-born Florida businessmen who have been helping President Donald Trump's personal lawyer investigate political rival Joe Biden have been arrested on charges of funnelling foreign money to US political candidates and a pro-Trump election committee, authorities said on Thursday.

Two foreign-born Florida businessmen who have been helping President Donald Trump's personal lawyer investigate political rival Joe Biden have been arrested on charges of funnelling foreign money to US political candidates and a pro-Trump election committee, authorities said on Thursday. The arrests were the latest dramatic development in a political saga that threatens Trump's presidency. They come as the Democratic-led US House of Representatives conducts an impeachment inquiry into Trump centered on the Republican president's request in a July telephone call for Ukraine's president to investigate Biden. The businessmen, Lev Parnas and Igor Fruman, were arrested in connection with a New York federal case involving campaign finance laws, the US Attorney's Office in Manhattan said. The two men were donors to a pro-Trump fundraising committee and the president's personal lawyer, Rudy Giuliani, has said they helped him as he sought to investigate former Vice President Biden, a leading Democratic contender in the 2020 presidential election. Parnas is a Ukrainian businessman. Fruman is a real estate investor who was born in Belarus. Both, according to various media accounts, helped introduce Giuliani into top Ukrainian political circles. The two men had been planning to fly to Vienna on Wednesday night, according to a source familiar with the matter. Parnas and Fruman conspired to "funnel foreign money to candidates for federal and state office," according to a federal court filing in New York. The two men made illegal contributions using straw donors, according to the indictment. John Dowd, the lawyer for Parnas and Fruman, declined to comment on the charges. Giuliani did not immediately return a request for comment. Jay Sekulow, a lawyer for the president, told Reuters that "neither the president nor the campaign was aware of their scheme," referring to the defendants. Trump has denied wrongdoing and has described the impeachment probe as a partisan smear. In May 2018, the indictment said, Parnas and Fruman contributed $325,000 to a pro-Trump political action committee called America First Action. The $325,000 donation was falsely reported as coming from a purported natural gas company, the indictment said. The two men falsely claimed that the company, GEP, was "a real business enterprise" and that "its major purpose is energy trading, not political activity," the indictment said. In fact, it said, the company had no real business. According to the indictment, Parnas sought the help of a US congressman - identified by a person familiar with the matter as Republican Pete Sessions - to get the US government to remove the then-ambassador to Ukraine Marie Yovanovitch. Trump called Yovanovitch "bad news" in his July 25 call with Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskiy. Yovanovitch was removed from the post by Trump. The indictment said the efforts were conducted at least in part at the request of at least one Ukrainian government official. Giuliani told Reuters last week he provided information to both Trump and the State Department about Yovanovitch, who he suggested was biased against Trump. She is scheduled to give testimony to House lawmakers this week. Sessions, a Republican from Dallas, lost his seat in the 2018 congressional elections to Democrat Colin Allred. Parnas and Fruman were due to appear at 2 p.m. (1800 GMT) in front of US Magistrate Judge Michael Nachmanoff at the federal courthouse in Alexandria, Virginia, according to a spokesman for the federal prosecutor in the Eastern District of Virginia. Two other people were charged in the indictment: David Correia, a U.S. businessman, and Andrey Kukushkin, a Ukrainian-born U.S. businessman. 'Clerical thing' In an interview last month, Parnas told Reuters that the FBI was investigating him but said he did not know why, and that he did nothing wrong. "I don't know what the FBI wants. I'm not going to comment, what they are doing. What they did." "I don't think we know too much" about the investigation, Parnas said, but added that it had to be political. "When you have the heads of the Democratic Party not liking you, it's very easy to get the FBI involved." Parnas said that any violations of Federal Election Commision rules were unwitting and a "clerical thing" because he was not an experienced political donor. Parnas said he was not trying to hide the source of the $325,000 donation. Kelly Sadler, a spokeswoman for America First Action Political Action Committee, said the organization takes its legal obligations seriously and scrupulously complies with the law, adding any suggestion otherwise is false. "In May 2018, America First Action received a $325,000 contribution and donor form from Global Energy Producers. In July 2018, a complaint was filed with the Federal Election Commission concerning this contribution." Sadler added that there is separate litigation in Florida that concerns these funds. "Accordingly, America First Action placed that contribution in a segregated bank account, it has not been used it for any purpose and the funds will remain in this segregated account until these matters are resolved." The Campaign Legal Center, a nonprofit that favors campaign finance regulation, had urged a US government agency in a July 2018 complaint to investigate whether Parnas and Fruman had broken the law by using a shell company to disguise the source of the $325,000 donation to the pro-Trump political action committee. Federal records show Parnas has donated a total of $25,200 to Republican candidates and political groups since the 2016 presidential election, including $2,700 to Representative Pete Sessions and $2,700 to House Republican Leader Kevin McCarthy. Fruman has donated $44,201 over that period to Republicans, including Sessions, the Republican National Committee and Trump’s presidential campaign. Nancy Pelosi, who as House Speaker is the top Democrat in the chamber, launched the impeachment inquiry last month after the revelation that Trump had sought foreign interference in the 2020 election. A whistleblower complaint to Congress also raised concerns that Trump leveraged $400 million in US aid to try to secure a promise from Ukraine's president to investigate Biden and his son, Hunter Biden. Democrats are getting impatient with the administration's blocks on its investigation. "Republicans are now refusing to answer the simplest question: whether it’s acceptable for a president to pressure foreign countries to undermine our elections. American elections should be decided by Americans, not by 'favors' from foreign governments," Pelosi tweeted on Thursday.

Two businessmen linked to Trump Ukraine scandal arrested on US charges

Tulsi Gabbard, the first Indian-origin woman candidate for US presidential elections, has extended a warm welcome to <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/pm-modi-to-meet-us-president-donald-trump-on-september-24-in-new-york-250670">Prime Minister Narendra Modi </a>on his visit to US while also apologised for not being able to join the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/trump-modi-addressing-howdy-modi-event-reflects-personal-chemistry-between-two-indian-us-envoy-249891">"Howdy Modi" event</a> scheduled to be held in Houston on September 22.

Gabbard, a member of the Democratic Party of the United States clarified that she won't be able to present at the event due to prior commitments related to her scheduled presidential campaigns.

"Namaste! I would like to extend a warm welcome to Prime Minister Modi on his latest visit to the US and I am sorry that I will not be able to join there in person due to previously scheduled presidential campaign events. I am really glad to see so many Indian Americans from all across our country as well as colleagues from Congress coming together there," she said in a video message.

Terming India as US' one of the most important partners in the Asia-Pacific region, she said, "India is the world's largest democracy and one of the most important partners of US in the Asia-Pacific region. Our two nations must continue to work closely together if we are to address the pressing issues that impact us and the world, issues like combating climate change. preventing nuclear war and nuclear proliferation and improving the economic well being of our people."

Invoking the age-old principle of "Vasudhaiv Kutumbkam", Gabbard said, "So as we build a strong and lasting partnership between our two nations focusing on areas of growth, wealth and opportunity and equality, science, health, environment, security and counter-terrorism...we can bring about the idea of "Vasudhaiv Kutumbkam" recognising that everyone on our planet..we are all one family. There is no place for hate, bigotry, ignorance and prejudice."

Watch: Texas gets ready to say 'Howdy, Modi'

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/gravitas-texas-gets-ready-to-say-howdy-modi-250689/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

Earlier in a tweet, Gabbard had informed that though she will not be able to attend the event but hopes to meet Prime Minister Modi during his US visit.

Referring to an article, she tweeted, "This article is misinformed. I'm not attending the Houston event due to previously scheduled presidential campaign events. However, I'm hoping to meet PM Modi on his visit to discuss the importance of maintaining the strong partnership of the world's oldest &amp; largest democracies."

The White House had confirmed that the US President Donald Trump will be making a joint appearance with Prime Minister Modi at the "Howdy Modi" event in Houston.

The mega event is believed to be one of the largest events to welcome a foreign head of government ever in the history of the United States.

It will mark the first time that the two leaders would meet outside of either capital Washington DC or New York, where the United Nations is headquartered.

Over 50,000 people have already been registered for the event, which will be hosted by the Texas India Forum.

Moreover, the fact that House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, the second-highest-ranking Democrat, will also address the gathering, further reflects the strong bipartisan support for the relationship between the two countries.

Tulsi Gabbard, the first Indian-origin woman candidate for US presidential elections, has extended a warm welcome to Prime Minister Narendra Modi on his visit to US while also apologised for not being able to join the "Howdy Modi" event scheduled to be held in Houston on September 22.

Tulsi Gabbard, the first Indian-origin woman candidate for US presidential elections, has extended a warm welcome to Prime Minister Narendra Modi on his visit to US while also apologised for not being able to join the "Howdy Modi" event scheduled to be held in Houston on September 22. Gabbard, a member of the Democratic Party of the United States clarified that she won't be able to present at the event due to prior commitments related to her scheduled presidential campaigns. "Namaste! I would like to extend a warm welcome to Prime Minister Modi on his latest visit to the US and I am sorry that I will not be able to join there in person due to previously scheduled presidential campaign events. I am really glad to see so many Indian Americans from all across our country as well as colleagues from Congress coming together there," she said in a video message. Terming India as US' one of the most important partners in the Asia-Pacific region, she said, "India is the world's largest democracy and one of the most important partners of US in the Asia-Pacific region. Our two nations must continue to work closely together if we are to address the pressing issues that impact us and the world, issues like combating climate change. preventing nuclear war and nuclear proliferation and improving the economic well being of our people." Invoking the age-old principle of "Vasudhaiv Kutumbkam", Gabbard said, "So as we build a strong and lasting partnership between our two nations focusing on areas of growth, wealth and opportunity and equality, science, health, environment, security and counter-terrorism...we can bring about the idea of "Vasudhaiv Kutumbkam" recognising that everyone on our planet..we are all one family. There is no place for hate, bigotry, ignorance and prejudice." Watch: Texas gets ready to say 'Howdy, Modi' Earlier in a tweet, Gabbard had informed that though she will not be able to attend the event but hopes to meet Prime Minister Modi during his US visit. Referring to an article, she tweeted, "This article is misinformed. I'm not attending the Houston event due to previously scheduled presidential campaign events. However, I'm hoping to meet PM Modi on his visit to discuss the importance of maintaining the strong partnership of the world's oldest & largest democracies." The White House had confirmed that the US President Donald Trump will be making a joint appearance with Prime Minister Modi at the "Howdy Modi" event in Houston. The mega event is believed to be one of the largest events to welcome a foreign head of government ever in the history of the United States. It will mark the first time that the two leaders would meet outside of either capital Washington DC or New York, where the United Nations is headquartered. Over 50,000 people have already been registered for the event, which will be hosted by the Texas India Forum. Moreover, the fact that House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, the second-highest-ranking Democrat, will also address the gathering, further reflects the strong bipartisan support for the relationship between the two countries.

Tulsi Gabbard welcomes PM Modi to US, says 'sorry' for not being able to attend 'Howdy Modi' event

Democratic presidential contenders attacked Republican President Donald Trump as a demagogue who is ripping apart the country and promised to restore unity during the opening minutes of a debate on Wednesday.

On the second of back-to-back nights of Democratic debates, front-runner <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/biden-and-harris-go-on-the-attack-in-us-democratic-debate-239808">Joe Biden was flanked at centre stage by rivals Kamala Harris</a> and Cory Booker, US senators who are the most prominent black contenders in a Democratic nominating contest in which race has played a prominent role.

Biden cited that diversity on stage in his opening statement.

"Mr. President, this is America, and we are strong and great because of this diversity, Mr. President, not in spite of it," he said to Trump.

"Let`s get something straight, we love it, we’re not leaving it, we’re here to stay and we’re certainly not leaving it here to you," said Biden, who was vice president under America`s first black president, Barack Obama.

Seven other candidates, including former US Housing Secretary Julian Castro, Washington Governor Jay Inslee and US Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, joined them on stage in Detroit in search of a breakout moment that will generate new momentum for their campaigns.

The crowded Democratic field of about two dozen candidates has been vying for attention and financial support in the race to pick a challenger to Trump in the November 2020 election.

"Tonight, we have to get to the heart and soul of who we are as Democrats," said New York Mayor Bill de Blasio in his opening statement. "There are good people on this stage but there are real differences."

Biden did not figure prominently in the first night of the debate on Tuesday, which featured a clash between progressives Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren and their more moderate rivals on issues such as universal healthcare and immigration.

But he was in the spotlight on Wednesday, after engaging for weeks in an escalating fight with Harris and Booker for the support of black voters, a vital constituency in the Democratic nominating battle.

Biden admitted he was taken by surprise last month when Harris criticized him for opposing federally mandated busing for school integration in the 1970s and for working with segregationists while serving in the US Senate decades ago.

The sharp attack gave Harris a bump in the polls, and Biden`s feeble response led to a dip in his standing. He has recovered in some recent polls and still maintains a firm grip on first place, helped by strong support from black voters.&nbsp;

During the candidate introductions on Wednesday, Biden told Harris to "go easy on me, kid." His comment was picked up by a microphone.

The debates come about six months before Iowa holds the first nominating contest, and the two nights in Detroit could be the last chance for many of the lower-tier contenders to make an appearance on the national debate stage.

The Democratic National Committee will double its fundraising and polling requirements to qualify for the next debates in September and October, leaving out more candidates and raising questions about their ability to continue their campaigns.

Democratic presidential contenders attacked Republican President Donald Trump as a demagogue who is ripping apart the country and promised to restore unity during the opening minutes of a debate on Wednesday.

Democratic presidential contenders attacked Republican President Donald Trump as a demagogue who is ripping apart the country and promised to restore unity during the opening minutes of a debate on Wednesday. On the second of back-to-back nights of Democratic debates, front-runner Joe Biden was flanked at centre stage by rivals Kamala Harris and Cory Booker, US senators who are the most prominent black contenders in a Democratic nominating contest in which race has played a prominent role. Biden cited that diversity on stage in his opening statement. "Mr. President, this is America, and we are strong and great because of this diversity, Mr. President, not in spite of it," he said to Trump. "Let`s get something straight, we love it, we’re not leaving it, we’re here to stay and we’re certainly not leaving it here to you," said Biden, who was vice president under America`s first black president, Barack Obama. Seven other candidates, including former US Housing Secretary Julian Castro, Washington Governor Jay Inslee and US Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, joined them on stage in Detroit in search of a breakout moment that will generate new momentum for their campaigns. The crowded Democratic field of about two dozen candidates has been vying for attention and financial support in the race to pick a challenger to Trump in the November 2020 election. "Tonight, we have to get to the heart and soul of who we are as Democrats," said New York Mayor Bill de Blasio in his opening statement. "There are good people on this stage but there are real differences." Biden did not figure prominently in the first night of the debate on Tuesday, which featured a clash between progressives Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren and their more moderate rivals on issues such as universal healthcare and immigration. But he was in the spotlight on Wednesday, after engaging for weeks in an escalating fight with Harris and Booker for the support of black voters, a vital constituency in the Democratic nominating battle. Biden admitted he was taken by surprise last month when Harris criticized him for opposing federally mandated busing for school integration in the 1970s and for working with segregationists while serving in the US Senate decades ago. The sharp attack gave Harris a bump in the polls, and Biden`s feeble response led to a dip in his standing. He has recovered in some recent polls and still maintains a firm grip on first place, helped by strong support from black voters. During the candidate introductions on Wednesday, Biden told Harris to "go easy on me, kid." His comment was picked up by a microphone. The debates come about six months before Iowa holds the first nominating contest, and the two nights in Detroit could be the last chance for many of the lower-tier contenders to make an appearance on the national debate stage. The Democratic National Committee will double its fundraising and polling requirements to qualify for the next debates in September and October, leaving out more candidates and raising questions about their ability to continue their campaigns.

US Democratic candidates attack Trump as Democratic presidential debate opens

US Special Counsel Robert Mueller is testifying before two congressional committees about his investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election and possible obstruction of justice by President Donald Trump. Watch full video to know more.

Mueller dismisses Trump claim of 'exoneration'

United States Senator Bernie Sanders on Tuesday announced his candidacy for the 2020 elections to the nation's presidency.&nbsp;

The self-styled democratic socialist, who represents the state of Vermont as an independent, is set to compete in the Democratic Party primaries and said he would run a grassroots campaign that re-addresses some of the major issues he focused on in his unsuccessful 2016 bid, such as Medicare-For-All, raising the minimum wage and tackling problems like climate change and wealth inequality.&nbsp;

"Make no mistake about it, the powerful special interests in this country have unbelievable power and they want to maintain the status quo," the 77-year-old senator, who has been credited with revitalizing the often-neglected left wing of the Democratic Party, said.&nbsp;

"They have unlimited amounts of money to spend on campaigns and lobbying and have a huge influence over the media and political parties," Sanders added.

"The only way we will win this election and create a government and an economy that works for all is with a grassroots movement the likes of which has never been seen in American history," he said. "They may have the money and the power; we have the people."

He pulled no punches when describing the incumbent president, Donald Trump, whom he called a "pathological liar, a fraud, a racist, a sexist, a xenophobe."&nbsp;

The Brooklyn-born veteran of American politics is set to face stiff competition in a crowded primary race that already includes establishment figures such as fellow US senators Kamala Harris (California), Elizabeth Warren (Massachusetts), Cory Booker (New Jersey), Kirsten Gillibrand (New York) and Amy Klobuchar (Minnesota).

Other Democrats, such as the former mayor of San Antonio (Texas) and ex-secretary of housing and urban development, Julián Castro; the current mayor of South Bend (Indiana), Pete Buttigieg, or US Representatives Tulsi Gabbard (Hawaii-02) and John Delaney (Maryland-06), have also declared their candidacies in the race to the White House.

Sanders lost the Democratic primaries in 2016 to Hillary Clinton, who in turn was unable to defeat Trump in the election despite winning the popular vote by almost three million ballots.&nbsp;

His candidacy had been widely anticipated by a segment of the party's more progressive base and by other independent organizations such as the Democratic Socialists of America. 
&nbsp;

United States Senator Bernie Sanders on Tuesday announced his candidacy for the 2020 elections to the nation's presidency. The self-styled democratic socialist, who represents the state of Vermont as an independent, is set to compete in the Democratic Party primaries and said he would run a grassroots campaign that re-addresses some of the major issues he focused on in his unsuccessful 2016 bid, such as Medicare-For-All, raising the minimum wage and tackling problems like climate change and wealth inequality.

United States Senator Bernie Sanders on Tuesday announced his candidacy for the 2020 elections to the nation's presidency. The self-styled democratic socialist, who represents the state of Vermont as an independent, is set to compete in the Democratic Party primaries and said he would run a grassroots campaign that re-addresses some of the major issues he focused on in his unsuccessful 2016 bid, such as Medicare-For-All, raising the minimum wage and tackling problems like climate change and wealth inequality. "Make no mistake about it, the powerful special interests in this country have unbelievable power and they want to maintain the status quo," the 77-year-old senator, who has been credited with revitalizing the often-neglected left wing of the Democratic Party, said. "They have unlimited amounts of money to spend on campaigns and lobbying and have a huge influence over the media and political parties," Sanders added. "The only way we will win this election and create a government and an economy that works for all is with a grassroots movement the likes of which has never been seen in American history," he said. "They may have the money and the power; we have the people." He pulled no punches when describing the incumbent president, Donald Trump, whom he called a "pathological liar, a fraud, a racist, a sexist, a xenophobe." The Brooklyn-born veteran of American politics is set to face stiff competition in a crowded primary race that already includes establishment figures such as fellow US senators Kamala Harris (California), Elizabeth Warren (Massachusetts), Cory Booker (New Jersey), Kirsten Gillibrand (New York) and Amy Klobuchar (Minnesota). Other Democrats, such as the former mayor of San Antonio (Texas) and ex-secretary of housing and urban development, Julián Castro; the current mayor of South Bend (Indiana), Pete Buttigieg, or US Representatives Tulsi Gabbard (Hawaii-02) and John Delaney (Maryland-06), have also declared their candidacies in the race to the White House. Sanders lost the Democratic primaries in 2016 to Hillary Clinton, who in turn was unable to defeat Trump in the election despite winning the popular vote by almost three million ballots. His candidacy had been widely anticipated by a segment of the party's more progressive base and by other independent organizations such as the Democratic Socialists of America.

At 77, US Senator Bernie Sanders announces 2020 presidential bid

Senator Amy Klobuchar has officially joined a crowded field of Democrats vying to challenge President Donald Trump in 2020 - already shaping up to be one of the largest and most diverse ever.

Klobuchar is now part of a group of White House hopefuls that includes other high-flying female US senators, charismatic military veterans and a young gay mayor. And it is likely to grow before the US primary season gets underway a year from now.&nbsp;

Here are the first entrants in the presidential race, 21 months before the election.

The 58-year-old granddaughter of an iron miner, Klobuchar is a former prosecutor with an unpretentious demeanour. She has quietly gained attention in Washington as a centrist.&nbsp;

Klobuchar is known for putting partisanship aside to pass legislation, something that has earned her a devoted following in Minnesota, and something American voters regularly tell pollsters they want.

Klobuchar has promised more stringent gun laws and set a target of universal health care while calling for America to support its troops, diplomats and intelligence officers.

But claims about her work ethic have cast a shadow over her goals. Several former aides have been quoted saying she is difficult to work for, with bouts of "explosive rage" leading to exceptionally high staff turnover.&nbsp;

Her defenders say she is simply someone who demands excellence, and that the allegations against her would not be made against a man.

Elizabeth Warren

At 69, the US Senate's consumer protection champion from Massachusetts became the first high-profile Democrat to enter the race when she announced a presidential exploratory committee on December 31. She officially kicked off her White House run on Saturday.&nbsp;

Warren is on the party's left flank and built her reputation by holding Wall Street accountable for its missteps. She is considered to have one of the best campaign organizations of any Democrat.

Trump has already taken aim at Warren, mocking her proclamation of Native American heritage.

Cory Booker

The 49-year-old US senator from New Jersey announced his candidacy February 1, evoking the civil rights movement as he promised to work to bring together a divided America.&nbsp;

Often compared to former president Barack Obama, Booker began his career as a community activist and rose to prominence as mayor of Newark, New Jersey. He was elected to the US Senate in 2013, the first African-American senator ever from that state.

A talented orator with a flair for the dramatic, he drew attention for his performance during confirmation hearings of Trump Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh.

Kirsten Gillibrand

This New York senator made a name fighting the battle to end sexual assault, especially in the military, before the #MeToo movement gained national prominence.&nbsp;

The 52-year-old, a fierce Trump critic, is making gender and women's issues a hallmark of her campaign.

Kamala Harris

The barrier-breaking senator from California who aspires to be the nation's <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/indian-american-democrat-kamala-harris-enters-2020-us-presidential-elections-191826">first black female president</a> announced her candidacy on a day honouring slain civil rights icon Martin Luther King Jr.

The daughter of an Indian immigrant medical researcher mother and a Jamaican economist father, Harris, 54, began her career as a district attorney in San Francisco before serving as California's attorney general.

Julian Castro

A cabinet member in the Obama era and grandson of a Mexican immigrant, Castro announced his candidacy in English and Spanish on January 12 in the heat of the debate on immigration and border security.

At 44, the former mayor of San Antonio, Texas hopes to become the nation's first Hispanic president.

Tulsi Gabbard

At just 37, this congresswoman from Hawaii would be the first Hindu president if elected.

A supporter of liberal Bernie Sanders in the 2016 race, military veteran Gabbard was criticised for meeting with Syrian leader Bashar al-Assad during that country's civil war, and for anti-gay positions that she has since retracted and apologised for.

Pete Buttigieg&nbsp;

Nine months younger than Gabbard is the South Bend, Indiana, the mayor who joined the race unveiling a resolutely future-looking and optimistic message to counter Trump's darker vision.

A US Navy veteran who put his mayoral duties on hold to serve in Afghanistan, Buttigieg would become the first openly gay nominee of any major party.

Andrew Yang

The 44-year-old tech entrepreneur launched his campaign with little fanfare in late 2017, warning against the dangers that automation presents to US workers. He has advocated for a form of universal basic income as a way to reduce inequality.

John Delaney

An affluent Maryland businessman who served three terms in Congress, Delaney was the earliest Democrat to officially launch a bid, back in July 2017. He has crisscrossed the early-voting state of Iowa seeking to boost his name recognition.

Waiting in the wings

Several big Democratic guns have yet to commit, including former vice president Joe Biden and senators Bernie Sanders and Sherrod Brown.

Former Texas congressman Beto O'Rourke is considering a run, as are billionaire New York ex-mayor Michael Bloomberg and Los Angeles Mayor&nbsp; 
Eric Garcetti.

Current and former governors are in the mix, too: Washington's Jay Inslee, John Hickenlooper of Colorado, Steve Bullock of Montana and Virginia's Terry McAuliffe.&nbsp;

Senator Amy Klobuchar has officially joined a crowded field of Democrats vying to challenge President Donald Trump in 2020 - already shaping up to be one of the largest and most diverse ever.

Senator Amy Klobuchar has officially joined a crowded field of Democrats vying to challenge President Donald Trump in 2020 - already shaping up to be one of the largest and most diverse ever. Klobuchar is now part of a group of White House hopefuls that includes other high-flying female US senators, charismatic military veterans and a young gay mayor. And it is likely to grow before the US primary season gets underway a year from now. Here are the first entrants in the presidential race, 21 months before the election. The 58-year-old granddaughter of an iron miner, Klobuchar is a former prosecutor with an unpretentious demeanour. She has quietly gained attention in Washington as a centrist. Klobuchar is known for putting partisanship aside to pass legislation, something that has earned her a devoted following in Minnesota, and something American voters regularly tell pollsters they want. Klobuchar has promised more stringent gun laws and set a target of universal health care while calling for America to support its troops, diplomats and intelligence officers. But claims about her work ethic have cast a shadow over her goals. Several former aides have been quoted saying she is difficult to work for, with bouts of "explosive rage" leading to exceptionally high staff turnover. Her defenders say she is simply someone who demands excellence, and that the allegations against her would not be made against a man. Elizabeth Warren At 69, the US Senate's consumer protection champion from Massachusetts became the first high-profile Democrat to enter the race when she announced a presidential exploratory committee on December 31. She officially kicked off her White House run on Saturday. Warren is on the party's left flank and built her reputation by holding Wall Street accountable for its missteps. She is considered to have one of the best campaign organizations of any Democrat. Trump has already taken aim at Warren, mocking her proclamation of Native American heritage. Cory Booker The 49-year-old US senator from New Jersey announced his candidacy February 1, evoking the civil rights movement as he promised to work to bring together a divided America. Often compared to former president Barack Obama, Booker began his career as a community activist and rose to prominence as mayor of Newark, New Jersey. He was elected to the US Senate in 2013, the first African-American senator ever from that state. A talented orator with a flair for the dramatic, he drew attention for his performance during confirmation hearings of Trump Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh. Kirsten Gillibrand This New York senator made a name fighting the battle to end sexual assault, especially in the military, before the #MeToo movement gained national prominence. The 52-year-old, a fierce Trump critic, is making gender and women's issues a hallmark of her campaign. Kamala Harris The barrier-breaking senator from California who aspires to be the nation's first black female president announced her candidacy on a day honouring slain civil rights icon Martin Luther King Jr. The daughter of an Indian immigrant medical researcher mother and a Jamaican economist father, Harris, 54, began her career as a district attorney in San Francisco before serving as California's attorney general. Julian Castro A cabinet member in the Obama era and grandson of a Mexican immigrant, Castro announced his candidacy in English and Spanish on January 12 in the heat of the debate on immigration and border security. At 44, the former mayor of San Antonio, Texas hopes to become the nation's first Hispanic president. Tulsi Gabbard At just 37, this congresswoman from Hawaii would be the first Hindu president if elected. A supporter of liberal Bernie Sanders in the 2016 race, military veteran Gabbard was criticised for meeting with Syrian leader Bashar al-Assad during that country's civil war, and for anti-gay positions that she has since retracted and apologised for. Pete Buttigieg Nine months younger than Gabbard is the South Bend, Indiana, the mayor who joined the race unveiling a resolutely future-looking and optimistic message to counter Trump's darker vision. A US Navy veteran who put his mayoral duties on hold to serve in Afghanistan, Buttigieg would become the first openly gay nominee of any major party. Andrew Yang The 44-year-old tech entrepreneur launched his campaign with little fanfare in late 2017, warning against the dangers that automation presents to US workers. He has advocated for a form of universal basic income as a way to reduce inequality. John Delaney An affluent Maryland businessman who served three terms in Congress, Delaney was the earliest Democrat to officially launch a bid, back in July 2017. He has crisscrossed the early-voting state of Iowa seeking to boost his name recognition. Waiting in the wings Several big Democratic guns have yet to commit, including former vice president Joe Biden and senators Bernie Sanders and Sherrod Brown. Former Texas congressman Beto O'Rourke is considering a run, as are billionaire New York ex-mayor Michael Bloomberg and Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti. Current and former governors are in the mix, too: Washington's Jay Inslee, John Hickenlooper of Colorado, Steve Bullock of Montana and Virginia's Terry McAuliffe.

Far out from 2020, a deep Democratic bench takes shape

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/cambridge-analytica-ceo-claims-influence-on-us-election-facebook-questioned-36557" target="_blank">Suspended Cambridge Analytica CEO claims influence on US election, Facebook questioned</a>

The suspended chief executive of Cambridge Analytica said in a secretly recorded video broadcast on Tuesday that his UK-based political consultancy&rsquo;s online campaign played a decisive role in US President Donald Trump&rsquo;s 2016 election victory.&nbsp;

 
<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/team-rahul-gandhi-set-to-take-charge-of-congress-top-leaders-resign-36565" target="_blank">Top leaders resign as Team Rahul gets set to take charge of Congress</a>

Resignations in the Congress have begun ahead of party President Rahul Gandhi&#39;s announcement of his new team.&nbsp;

Actor-politician Raj Babbar has quit as chief of the party&#39;s UP unit.&nbsp;

News reports added that Gujarat Congress chief Bharatsinh Solanki is also believed to have tendered his resignation to the party&#39;s central leadership. The reports added that a number of further resignations are expected.&nbsp;

 
<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/former-playboy-model-karen-mcdougal-sues-to-break-silence-on-alleged-trump-affair-36563" target="_blank">Now, ex-Playboy model wants to talk about </a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/former-playboy-model-karen-mcdougal-sues-to-break-silence-on-alleged-trump-affair-36563" target="_blank">affair</a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/former-playboy-model-karen-mcdougal-sues-to-break-silence-on-alleged-trump-affair-36563" target="_blank"> with Trump</a>

A former Playboy model who said she had an affair with President Donald Trump filed suit in California on Tuesday to release her from a legal agreement requiring her to stay silent, becoming the second woman this month to contest an arrangement to keep quiet about an alleged extramarital relationship with Trump.

 
<a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/pakistan-renews-pervez-musharrafs-passport-fearing-he-may-not-return-36558" target="_blank">Pakistan renews Pervez Musharraf&#39;s passport fearing he may not return</a>

Pakistan&#39;s former dictator General (retd) Pervez Musharraf&#39;s diplomatic passport was renewed two months before its expiry as the government feared that he might not return to face the high treason case, the country&#39;s Interior Minister Ahsan Iqbal has said.

 
<a href="http://www.wionews.com/sports/nobody-is-better-than-me-on-pitch-cristiano-ronaldo-36564" target="_blank">Nobody better than me on the pitch: Cristiano Ronaldo</a>

Cristiano Ronaldo has revealed the secret of his success ahead of the FIFA World Cup.

In a recent media interaction, he said, &quot;We should always believe we are the best.&quot;

&quot;You need to think big. I always believe that nobody is better than me, out on the pitch at least,&quot; he said.

Suspended Cambridge Analytica CEO claims influence on US election, Facebook questioned The suspended chief executive of Cambridge Analytica said in a secretly recorded video broadcast on Tuesday that his UK-based political consultancy’s online campaign played a decisive role in US President Donald Trump’s 2016 election victory. Top leaders resign as Team Rahul gets set to take charge of Congress Resignations in the Congress have begun ahead of party President Rahul Gandhi's announcement of his new team. Actor-politician Raj Babbar has quit as chief of the party's UP unit. News reports added that Gujarat Congress chief Bharatsinh Solanki is also believed to have tendered his resignation to the party's central leadership. The reports added that a number of further resignations are expected. Now, ex-Playboy model wants to talk about affair with Trump A former Playboy model who said she had an affair with President Donald Trump filed suit in California on Tuesday to release her from a legal agreement requiring her to stay silent, becoming the second woman this month to contest an arrangement to keep quiet about an alleged extramarital relationship with Trump. Pakistan renews Pervez Musharraf's passport fearing he may not return Pakistan's former dictator General (retd) Pervez Musharraf's diplomatic passport was renewed two months before its expiry as the government feared that he might not return to face the high treason case, the country's Interior Minister Ahsan Iqbal has said. Nobody better than me on the pitch: Cristiano Ronaldo Cristiano Ronaldo has revealed the secret of his success ahead of the FIFA World Cup. In a recent media interaction, he said, "We should always believe we are the best." "You need to think big. I always believe that nobody is better than me, out on the pitch at least," he said.

WION Morning News Brief, March 21, 2018

President Donald Trump has not yet ordered his spy chiefs to retaliate against Russian interference in US elections, the head of the National Security Agency has told lawmakers.

&quot;We have not opted to engage in some of the same behaviours we are seeing,&quot; said Admiral Michael Rogers, who heads both the NSA -- the leading US electronic eavesdropping agency -- and the new US Cyber Command, the military body charged with online combat.

Asked in a Senate Intelligence Committee hearing if he had received orders from Trump to fight back against Moscow&#39;s meddling, Rogers said: &quot;No, I have not.&quot;

Rogers denied claims that the agency is doing nothing to push back against Russian hacking, theft of US cyber secrets and other activities.

However, he acknowledged: &quot;They have not paid a price that is sufficient to change their behaviour.&quot;

Rogers echoed the comments he and five other US intelligence chiefs made two weeks ago at the House Intelligence Committee, where all said they had not been ordered by Trump to counter the Russians.

The US has accused Russia of actively interfering in the 2016 presidential election, stealing Democratic party communications and pushing out disinformation through social media.

It also accuses Moscow of stealing hacking secrets of the US intelligence community.

Rogers said an order for Trump is needed before the US intelligence community and military can undertake offensive online operations against the Russians.

&quot;What I see on the Cyber Command side leads me to believe that if we don&#39;t change the dynamic here, that this is going to continue, and 2016 won&#39;t be viewed as isolated,&quot; he said.

But he said that at a lower level, the NSA and Cyber Command could take some unspecified actions to rebuff attackers.

Asked about the exchange in Congress, White House spokeswoman Sarah Sanders suggested the president does not need to act.

&quot;Nobody is denying him the authority,&quot; she said of Rogers.&nbsp;

Asked in a Senate Intelligence Committee hearing if he had received orders from Trump to fight back against Moscow's meddling, Admiral Michael Rogers said: 'No, I have not'

President Donald Trump has not yet ordered his spy chiefs to retaliate against Russian interference in US elections, the head of the National Security Agency has told lawmakers. "We have not opted to engage in some of the same behaviours we are seeing," said Admiral Michael Rogers, who heads both the NSA -- the leading US electronic eavesdropping agency -- and the new US Cyber Command, the military body charged with online combat. Asked in a Senate Intelligence Committee hearing if he had received orders from Trump to fight back against Moscow's meddling, Rogers said: "No, I have not." Rogers denied claims that the agency is doing nothing to push back against Russian hacking, theft of US cyber secrets and other activities. However, he acknowledged: "They have not paid a price that is sufficient to change their behaviour." Rogers echoed the comments he and five other US intelligence chiefs made two weeks ago at the House Intelligence Committee, where all said they had not been ordered by Trump to counter the Russians. The US has accused Russia of actively interfering in the 2016 presidential election, stealing Democratic party communications and pushing out disinformation through social media. It also accuses Moscow of stealing hacking secrets of the US intelligence community. Rogers said an order for Trump is needed before the US intelligence community and military can undertake offensive online operations against the Russians. "What I see on the Cyber Command side leads me to believe that if we don't change the dynamic here, that this is going to continue, and 2016 won't be viewed as isolated," he said. But he said that at a lower level, the NSA and Cyber Command could take some unspecified actions to rebuff attackers. Asked about the exchange in Congress, White House spokeswoman Sarah Sanders suggested the president does not need to act. "Nobody is denying him the authority," she said of Rogers.

Trump yet to order spies to retaliate against Russia: NSA chief

Opponents of Donald Trump made up allegations of Russian interference in last year&#39;s US elections to discredit him, Russian President Vladimir Putin said at his annual press conference Thursday.&nbsp;

&quot;All this was made up by people who are opposed to Trump so as to delegitimise his work,&quot; the president said in response to a question about allegations of Russian influence.

Putin said representatives of the Russian government had met with Trump&#39;s team but said this was normal diplomatic practice.&nbsp;

&quot;Our ambassador was accused of meeting with someone, but this is normal practice worldwide,&quot; the president said.&nbsp;

&quot;What is so transgressive in this case and why should it take on this spy-thriller tone?&quot;

Putin said he hoped relations between the two countries would improve but suggested it would not be possible in the current US political climate. &nbsp;

Asked to assess Trump&#39;s work so far as president, Putin said it was up to US voters rather than him to judge.

&quot;We can see several quite significant achievements in the short time he has been at work,&quot; Putin said, citing the markets and consumer confidence in particular.

Opponents of Donald Trump made up allegations of Russian interference in last year's US elections to discredit him, Russian President Vladimir Putin said

Opponents of Donald Trump made up allegations of Russian interference in last year's US elections to discredit him, Russian President Vladimir Putin said at his annual press conference Thursday. "All this was made up by people who are opposed to Trump so as to delegitimise his work," the president said in response to a question about allegations of Russian influence. Putin said representatives of the Russian government had met with Trump's team but said this was normal diplomatic practice. "Our ambassador was accused of meeting with someone, but this is normal practice worldwide," the president said. "What is so transgressive in this case and why should it take on this spy-thriller tone?" Putin said he hoped relations between the two countries would improve but suggested it would not be possible in the current US political climate. Asked to assess Trump's work so far as president, Putin said it was up to US voters rather than him to judge. "We can see several quite significant achievements in the short time he has been at work," Putin said, citing the markets and consumer confidence in particular.

Putin says Trump opponents 'made up' Russia vote interference

US President Donald Trump denied Sunday having asked then FBI director James Comey to stop investigating ex-national security advisor Michael Flynn, who has since pleaded guilty to lying to the FBI about discussions with Russia.

Trump also insisted he and his campaign had not colluded with Moscow in last year&#39;s election, and shifted blame on the Justice Department and his Democratic rival Hillary Clinton.

&quot;I never asked Comey to stop investigating Flynn. Just more Fake News covering another Comey lie!&quot; Trump said in a tweet.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/flynns-actions-during-the-transition-were-lawful-president-trump-25710" target="_blank">Flynn&#39;s actions during the transition &#39;were lawful&#39;, says Trump</a>

But his position was complicated by another Twitter post in which he indicated he had fired Flynn because the national security chief had been untruthful not just to Vice President Mike Pence but to the FBI as well.

That comment appeared to indicate Trump was acknowledging he knew at the time of Flynn&#39;s firing in February that he had lied to the bureau&#39;s agents.

&quot;If that is true, Mr. President, why did you wait so long to fire Flynn?&quot; asked Representative Adam Schiff of California, the top Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee.

&quot;Why did you fail to act until his lies were publicly exposed? And why did you pressure Director Comey to &#39;let this go?&#39;&quot;

White House officials, however, told The New York Times that Trump was only referencing Flynn&#39;s guilty plea for lying to the FBI about his conversations with then Russian ambassador Sergey Kislyak over sanctions president Barack Obama slapped on Russia for election meddling.

And two people briefed on the matter said the Twitter post was in fact written by Trump&#39;s personal lawyer John Dowd, who apologized to the White House for the tactless language.

What the president knew, and when 
After he was fired himself in May, Comey testified under oath before a Senate panel that, a day after Flynn&#39;s firing, Trump asked him to drop an investigation into the former national security advisor.

A lingering part of the drama has been that after the White House learned through the Justice Department that Flynn lied to the White House about discussing sanctions with the Russian ambassador, Trump still waited 18 days to fire him.

Trump said he had the Russia probe in mind when he fired Comey. The move backfired and led the Justice Department to appoint Robert Mueller as special counsel.

Mueller&#39;s focus goes beyond possible collusion with Russia to business dealings and whether Trump himself tried to thwart the investigation.

US media reported that senior FBI counterintelligence official Peter Strzok was removed from the investigation over the summer for sending text messages critical of Trump.

Trump retweeted a post from conservative commentator Paul Sperry about the news that highlighted the fact that Strzok had also worked on the probe into Hillary Clinton&#39;s use of a private email server while serving as secretary of state.

Trump also retweeted another damaging Sperry post critical of Strzok&#39;s boss, FBI Deputy Director Andrew McCabe.

Earlier, Trump renewed focus on the Justice Department&#39;s handling of the Clinton probe.

&quot;So General Flynn lies to the FBI and his life is destroyed, while Crooked Hillary Clinton, on that now famous FBI holiday &#39;interrogation&#39; with no swearing in and no recording, lies many times...and nothing happens to her? Rigged system, or just a double standard?&quot; he wrote.

&quot;Many people in our Country are asking what the &#39;Justice&#39; Department is going to do about the fact that totally Crooked Hillary, AFTER receiving a subpoena from the United States Congress, deleted and &#39;acid washed&#39; 33,000 Emails? No justice!&quot;

As he left for a day trip to New York on Saturday, Trump again insisted his team had not plotted with Moscow to sway the election in his favor over Clinton, who won the popular vote but lost the all-important electoral college count.

&quot;What has been shown is no collusion. There&#39;s been absolutely no collusion. So we&#39;re very happy,&quot; Trump said.

Comey himself seemed to be addressing the latest developments in an Instagram message: &quot;To paraphrase the Buddha -- Three things cannot be long hidden: the sun; the moon; and the truth.&quot;

- Tax win overshadowed - 
The explosive new developments in the Russia probe have overshadowed a major legislative win for Trump: the Senate&#39;s passage of the most significant US tax overhaul in 31 years.

Both the Senate and House versions lower the corporate tax rate to 20 percent from 35 percent, and include more modest tax cuts aimed at individuals across all income levels.

Democrats argue that the plan is too expensive and will accommodate only the rich, and that it could ultimately impact cherished US entitlement programs like Medicare.

The Senate bill was, just 24 hours earlier, on the brink of collapse when a handful of Republican deficit hawks balked at the plan&#39;s $1.5 trillion price tag for 10 years.

Trump hopes to sign a final bill before Christmas. That would be a much-needed victory for the president, who has delivered on hardly any of his major campaign promises, including repealing the health care law known as Obamacare.

'I never asked Comey to stop investigating Flynn. Just more Fake News covering another Comey lie!' Trump said in a tweet.

US President Donald Trump denied Sunday having asked then FBI director James Comey to stop investigating ex-national security advisor Michael Flynn, who has since pleaded guilty to lying to the FBI about discussions with Russia. Trump also insisted he and his campaign had not colluded with Moscow in last year's election, and shifted blame on the Justice Department and his Democratic rival Hillary Clinton. "I never asked Comey to stop investigating Flynn. Just more Fake News covering another Comey lie!" Trump said in a tweet. Also read: Flynn's actions during the transition 'were lawful', says Trump But his position was complicated by another Twitter post in which he indicated he had fired Flynn because the national security chief had been untruthful not just to Vice President Mike Pence but to the FBI as well. That comment appeared to indicate Trump was acknowledging he knew at the time of Flynn's firing in February that he had lied to the bureau's agents. "If that is true, Mr. President, why did you wait so long to fire Flynn?" asked Representative Adam Schiff of California, the top Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee. "Why did you fail to act until his lies were publicly exposed? And why did you pressure Director Comey to 'let this go?'" White House officials, however, told The New York Times that Trump was only referencing Flynn's guilty plea for lying to the FBI about his conversations with then Russian ambassador Sergey Kislyak over sanctions president Barack Obama slapped on Russia for election meddling. And two people briefed on the matter said the Twitter post was in fact written by Trump's personal lawyer John Dowd, who apologized to the White House for the tactless language. What the president knew, and when After he was fired himself in May, Comey testified under oath before a Senate panel that, a day after Flynn's firing, Trump asked him to drop an investigation into the former national security advisor. A lingering part of the drama has been that after the White House learned through the Justice Department that Flynn lied to the White House about discussing sanctions with the Russian ambassador, Trump still waited 18 days to fire him. Trump said he had the Russia probe in mind when he fired Comey. The move backfired and led the Justice Department to appoint Robert Mueller as special counsel. Mueller's focus goes beyond possible collusion with Russia to business dealings and whether Trump himself tried to thwart the investigation. US media reported that senior FBI counterintelligence official Peter Strzok was removed from the investigation over the summer for sending text messages critical of Trump. Trump retweeted a post from conservative commentator Paul Sperry about the news that highlighted the fact that Strzok had also worked on the probe into Hillary Clinton's use of a private email server while serving as secretary of state. Trump also retweeted another damaging Sperry post critical of Strzok's boss, FBI Deputy Director Andrew McCabe. Earlier, Trump renewed focus on the Justice Department's handling of the Clinton probe. "So General Flynn lies to the FBI and his life is destroyed, while Crooked Hillary Clinton, on that now famous FBI holiday 'interrogation' with no swearing in and no recording, lies many times...and nothing happens to her? Rigged system, or just a double standard?" he wrote. "Many people in our Country are asking what the 'Justice' Department is going to do about the fact that totally Crooked Hillary, AFTER receiving a subpoena from the United States Congress, deleted and 'acid washed' 33,000 Emails? No justice!" As he left for a day trip to New York on Saturday, Trump again insisted his team had not plotted with Moscow to sway the election in his favor over Clinton, who won the popular vote but lost the all-important electoral college count. "What has been shown is no collusion. There's been absolutely no collusion. So we're very happy," Trump said. Comey himself seemed to be addressing the latest developments in an Instagram message: "To paraphrase the Buddha -- Three things cannot be long hidden: the sun; the moon; and the truth." - Tax win overshadowed - The explosive new developments in the Russia probe have overshadowed a major legislative win for Trump: the Senate's passage of the most significant US tax overhaul in 31 years. Both the Senate and House versions lower the corporate tax rate to 20 percent from 35 percent, and include more modest tax cuts aimed at individuals across all income levels. Democrats argue that the plan is too expensive and will accommodate only the rich, and that it could ultimately impact cherished US entitlement programs like Medicare. The Senate bill was, just 24 hours earlier, on the brink of collapse when a handful of Republican deficit hawks balked at the plan's $1.5 trillion price tag for 10 years. Trump hopes to sign a final bill before Christmas. That would be a much-needed victory for the president, who has delivered on hardly any of his major campaign promises, including repealing the health care law known as Obamacare.

Trump denies asking FBI to drop Flynn probe

Facebook Inc said on Monday that Russia-based operatives published about 80,000 posts on the social network over a two-year period in an effort to sway US politics and that about 126 million Americans may have seen the posts during that time.

Facebook&#39;s latest data on the Russia-linked posts&nbsp;possibly reaching around half of the US&nbsp;population of voting age, far exceeds the company&#39;s previous disclosures. It was included in written testimony provided to US&nbsp;lawmakers, and seen by Reuters, ahead of key hearings with social media and technology companies about Russian meddling in elections on Capitol Hill this week.

Twitter separately has found 2,752 accounts linked to Russian operatives, a source familiar with the company&#39;s written testimony said. That estimate is up from a tally of 201 accounts that Twitter reported in September.

Google, owned by Alphabet Inc, said in a statement on Monday it had found $4,700 in Russia-linked ad spending during the 2016 U.S. election cycle, and that it would build a database of election ads.

Executives from Facebook, Twitter and Google are scheduled to appear before three congressional committees this week on alleged Russian attempts to spread misinformation in the months before and after the 2016 US&nbsp;presidential election.

The Russian government has denied any attempts to sway the election, in which President Donald Trump, a Republican, defeated Democrat Hillary Clinton.

Facebook&#39;s general counsel, Colin Stretch, said in the written testimony that the 80,000 posts from Russia&#39;s Internet Research Agency were a tiny fraction of content on Facebook, equal to one out of 23,000 posts.

However, the posts violated Facebook&#39;s terms of service, and any amount of such activity using fake accounts is too much, Stretch wrote.

&quot;These actions run counter to Facebook&#39;s mission of building community and everything we stand for. And we are determined to do everything we can to address this new threat,&quot; he wrote.

The 80,000 posts were published between June 2015 and August 2017. Most of them focused on divisive social and political messages such as race relations, Facebook said.

Twitter&#39;s revised estimate of how many Russia-linked accounts were on its service comes a month after an influential Democratic senator, Mark Warner, slammed it for what he called an insufficient investigation.

Twitter has suspended all 2,752 accounts that it tracked to Russia&#39;s Internet Research Agency, and it has given US&nbsp;congressional investigators the account names, the source familiar with the company&#39;s testimony said.

&quot;State-sanctioned manipulation of elections by sophisticated foreign actors is a new challenge for us - and one that we are determined to meet,&quot; Twitter said in written testimony, according to the source.

Facebook said Russia-based operatives published about 80,000 posts on the social network over a two-year period in an effort to sway US politics and that about 126 million Americans may have seen the posts during that time.

Facebook Inc said on Monday that Russia-based operatives published about 80,000 posts on the social network over a two-year period in an effort to sway US politics and that about 126 million Americans may have seen the posts during that time. Facebook's latest data on the Russia-linked posts possibly reaching around half of the US population of voting age, far exceeds the company's previous disclosures. It was included in written testimony provided to US lawmakers, and seen by Reuters, ahead of key hearings with social media and technology companies about Russian meddling in elections on Capitol Hill this week. Twitter separately has found 2,752 accounts linked to Russian operatives, a source familiar with the company's written testimony said. That estimate is up from a tally of 201 accounts that Twitter reported in September. Google, owned by Alphabet Inc, said in a statement on Monday it had found $4,700 in Russia-linked ad spending during the 2016 U.S. election cycle, and that it would build a database of election ads. Executives from Facebook, Twitter and Google are scheduled to appear before three congressional committees this week on alleged Russian attempts to spread misinformation in the months before and after the 2016 US presidential election. The Russian government has denied any attempts to sway the election, in which President Donald Trump, a Republican, defeated Democrat Hillary Clinton. Facebook's general counsel, Colin Stretch, said in the written testimony that the 80,000 posts from Russia's Internet Research Agency were a tiny fraction of content on Facebook, equal to one out of 23,000 posts. However, the posts violated Facebook's terms of service, and any amount of such activity using fake accounts is too much, Stretch wrote. "These actions run counter to Facebook's mission of building community and everything we stand for. And we are determined to do everything we can to address this new threat," he wrote. The 80,000 posts were published between June 2015 and August 2017. Most of them focused on divisive social and political messages such as race relations, Facebook said. Twitter's revised estimate of how many Russia-linked accounts were on its service comes a month after an influential Democratic senator, Mark Warner, slammed it for what he called an insufficient investigation. Twitter has suspended all 2,752 accounts that it tracked to Russia's Internet Research Agency, and it has given US congressional investigators the account names, the source familiar with the company's testimony said. "State-sanctioned manipulation of elections by sophisticated foreign actors is a new challenge for us - and one that we are determined to meet," Twitter said in written testimony, according to the source.

Facebook says 126 million Americans may have seen Russia-linked political posts

In a response to Russia cutting down American diplomatic presence in Moscow, the United States has asked Russia to close its consulate in San Francisco.

It has also ordered the closure of buildings that houses Russia&#39;s trade missions.

The move signals worsening of ties between the two countries which have reached a new low in the post-Cold War era.&nbsp;

Russia had ordered the cutting down of US diplomatic staff by half in retaliation to US Congress approving a set of <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/trump-signs-russia-sanctions-bill-into-law-18515" target="_blank">new sanctions against Moscow</a>.

The sanctions were imposed for <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/no-doubt-russia-meddled-in-us-election-nikki-haley-14100" target="_blank">Russia&#39;s interference in the US Presidential elections</a> and its annexation of Crimea in 2014.

Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, in a phone call to his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov, informed him of the move to close the consulate, Reuters quoted a senior Trump administration official as saying.

&quot;Moscow will closely study the new measures announced by the Americans, after which our reaction will be conveyed,&quot; said the &nbsp;the Russian foreign ministry.

In December, the Obama administration had expelled 35 Russian diplomats for Russia&#39;s meddling in the 2016 US Prseidential electioons.&nbsp;

(With inputs from Reuters)

 
&nbsp;

The move comes after Russia ordered pruning of US diplomatic staff in Moscow

In a response to Russia cutting down American diplomatic presence in Moscow, the United States has asked Russia to close its consulate in San Francisco. It has also ordered the closure of buildings that houses Russia's trade missions. The move signals worsening of ties between the two countries which have reached a new low in the post-Cold War era. Russia had ordered the cutting down of US diplomatic staff by half in retaliation to US Congress approving a set of new sanctions against Moscow. The sanctions were imposed for Russia's interference in the US Presidential elections and its annexation of Crimea in 2014. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, in a phone call to his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov, informed him of the move to close the consulate, Reuters quoted a senior Trump administration official as saying. "Moscow will closely study the new measures announced by the Americans, after which our reaction will be conveyed," said the the Russian foreign ministry. In December, the Obama administration had expelled 35 Russian diplomats for Russia's meddling in the 2016 US Prseidential electioons. (With inputs from Reuters)

In tit-for-tat response, US orders closure of Russian consulate in San Francisco

Jeff Sessions, while still a US&nbsp;senator, spoke twice last year with Russia&#39;s ambassador, encounters he did not disclose when asked during his confirmation hearing to become attorney general about possible contacts between Donald Trump&#39;s campaign and Russian officials, The Washington Post reported on Wednesday, citing Justice Department officials.

One of the meetings was a private conversation between Sessions and Russian Ambassador Sergei Kislyak that took place in September in the senator&#39;s office, at the height of what US intelligence officials say was a Russian cyber campaign to upend the US&nbsp;presidential race, the Post reported.

The previously undisclosed discussions could fuel new congressional calls for the appointment of a special counsel to investigate Russia&#39;s alleged role in the 2016 presidential election, the Post said.

Trump&#39;s first national security adviser, Michael Flynn, was fired last month after he discussed US&nbsp;sanctions on Russia with Kislyak before Trump took office and misled Vice President Mike Pence about the conversations.

As attorney general, Sessions oversees the Justice Department, including the Federal Bureau of Investigation, which have been leading investigations into Russian meddling and any links to Trump&#39;s associates. Sessions has so far resisted calls to recuse himself.

When Sessions spoke with Kislyak in July and September, he was a senior member of the influential Senate Armed Services Committee as well as one of Trump&rsquo;s top foreign policy advisers, according to the Post.

Sessions played a prominent role supporting Trump after formally joining the campaign in February 2016.

At his January 10 Judiciary Committee confirmation hearing, Sessions was asked by Democratic Senator Al Franken what he would do if he learned of any evidence that anyone affiliated with the Trump campaign communicated with the Russian government in the course of the 2016 campaign, the Post reported.

&quot;I&rsquo;m not aware of any of those activities,&quot; Sessions responded, according to the Post. He added: &quot;I have been called a surrogate at a time or two in that campaign and I did not have communications with the Russians.&quot;

Officials said Sessions did not consider the conversations relevant to the lawmakers&rsquo; questions and did not remember in detail what he discussed with Kislyak, according to the Post.

&quot;There was absolutely nothing misleading about his answer,&quot; Sarah Isgur Flores, Sessions&#39; spokeswoman, told the Post. 
The Department of Justice and the White House did not respond immediately to requests by Reuters for comment.

Justice officials said Sessions met with Kislyak on September 8 in his capacity as a member of the armed services panel rather than in his role as a Trump campaign surrogate, the Post reported.

&quot;He was asked during the hearing about communications between Russia and the Trump campaign - not about meetings he took as a senator and a member of the Armed Services Committee,&quot; Flores told the Post.

(Reuters)

Justice officials said he met the?Russian Ambassador?as a member of the armed services panel rather than as ?a Trump campaign surrogate

Jeff Sessions, while still a US senator, spoke twice last year with Russia's ambassador, encounters he did not disclose when asked during his confirmation hearing to become attorney general about possible contacts between Donald Trump's campaign and Russian officials, The Washington Post reported on Wednesday, citing Justice Department officials. One of the meetings was a private conversation between Sessions and Russian Ambassador Sergei Kislyak that took place in September in the senator's office, at the height of what US intelligence officials say was a Russian cyber campaign to upend the US presidential race, the Post reported. The previously undisclosed discussions could fuel new congressional calls for the appointment of a special counsel to investigate Russia's alleged role in the 2016 presidential election, the Post said. Trump's first national security adviser, Michael Flynn, was fired last month after he discussed US sanctions on Russia with Kislyak before Trump took office and misled Vice President Mike Pence about the conversations. As attorney general, Sessions oversees the Justice Department, including the Federal Bureau of Investigation, which have been leading investigations into Russian meddling and any links to Trump's associates. Sessions has so far resisted calls to recuse himself. When Sessions spoke with Kislyak in July and September, he was a senior member of the influential Senate Armed Services Committee as well as one of Trump’s top foreign policy advisers, according to the Post. Sessions played a prominent role supporting Trump after formally joining the campaign in February 2016. At his January 10 Judiciary Committee confirmation hearing, Sessions was asked by Democratic Senator Al Franken what he would do if he learned of any evidence that anyone affiliated with the Trump campaign communicated with the Russian government in the course of the 2016 campaign, the Post reported. "I’m not aware of any of those activities," Sessions responded, according to the Post. He added: "I have been called a surrogate at a time or two in that campaign and I did not have communications with the Russians." Officials said Sessions did not consider the conversations relevant to the lawmakers’ questions and did not remember in detail what he discussed with Kislyak, according to the Post. "There was absolutely nothing misleading about his answer," Sarah Isgur Flores, Sessions' spokeswoman, told the Post. The Department of Justice and the White House did not respond immediately to requests by Reuters for comment. Justice officials said Sessions met with Kislyak on September 8 in his capacity as a member of the armed services panel rather than in his role as a Trump campaign surrogate, the Post reported. "He was asked during the hearing about communications between Russia and the Trump campaign - not about meetings he took as a senator and a member of the Armed Services Committee," Flores told the Post. (Reuters)

US Attorney General Jeff Sessions did not disclose Russia contacts:  Washington Post

US spy chiefs had&nbsp;informed Donald Trump that Russian operatives claim to possess deeply compromising personal and financial information about him, US media reported.&nbsp;Citing &quot;multiple&quot; unnamed US officials with direct knowledge of the meeting, CNN said intelligence chiefs last week presented America&#39;s incoming 45th president with a two-page synopsis on the potential embarrassment.&nbsp;President Barack Obama, was also briefed on the explosive issue, CNN reported, giving no details of the allegedly compromising information. 
 
Several US media published -&nbsp;without corroborating its contents -&nbsp;a 35-page dossier of memos on which the synopsis is based, which had been circulating in Washington circles for months.&nbsp;The memos describe sex videos involving prostitutes during a 2013 visit by Trump to a Moscow hotel. They also suggest Russian officials proposed lucrative deals in order to win influence over the real estate magnate.

Read the 35-page document <a href="https://assets.documentcloud.org/documents/3259984/Trump-Intelligence-Allegations.pdf">here</a>.

CNN said the memos contained in the dossier were originally compiled by a former British MI-6 intelligence operative hired by other US presidential contenders to do political &quot;opposition research&quot; on Trump in the middle of last year.&nbsp;Trump was reportedly informed of the existence of the dossier -&nbsp;and its salacious details -&nbsp;when he received a briefing from US spy chiefs on alleged Russian interference in the presidential election.

The classified two-page synopsis also included allegations that there was a regular flow of information during the campaign between Trump surrogates and Russian government intermediaries.

&quot;If these allegations are true, allegations of coordination between Trump campaign officials and Russian intelligence officials, and allegations that the Russians have compromised President-elect Trump&#39;s independence, that would be truly shocking,&quot; Democratic Senator Chris Coons said on CNN.&nbsp;

The Federal Bureau of Investigation had been given the information in August, more than two months before the November 8 election, according to CNN.

Since then, CNN reported, US intelligence agencies have checked out the former British intelligence operative and his network, and found him credible enough to include some of the information in the presentation to Trump.&nbsp;The existence of compromising information on Trump in Russian hands had been rumored since before the election.&nbsp;

The rumors gained support when then Senate Democratic leader Harry Reid said in a letter to FBI Director James Comey a week before the vote.

&quot;It has become clear that you possess explosive information about close ties and coordination between Donald Trump, his top advisors, and the Russian government -&nbsp;a foreign interest openly hostile to the United States, which Trump praises at every opportunity. The public has a right to know this information.&quot;

Comey was one of four top officials who briefed Trump on Friday, along with the heads of the Directorate of National Intelligence, the Central Intelligence Agency and the National Security Agency.&nbsp;Asked in a Senate hearing Tuesday about the allegations of sustained contacts between Russia and the Trump team, Comey refused to confirm or deny that his agency was investigating such links.

US intelligence has already made the virtually unprecedented accusation that Russian President Vladimir Putin sought to tip the electoral scales in Trump`s favor by ordering a hack of Democratic Party email servers.&nbsp;The Russian campaign, intelligence concluded, aimed first to boost the campaign of Democrat Hillary Clinton with embarrassing leaked emails, and then to boost Trump once they thought he had a chance to win.

Trump denounced a &quot;political witch hunt&quot; after CNN reported that intelligence officials briefing him last week on allegations of Russian meddling in the US election had also given him a synopsis of the explosive and unverified claims.

&quot;FAKE NEWS - A TOTAL POLITICAL WITCH HUNT!&quot; the president-elect tweeted.

Trump has repeatedly dismissed the conclusion that Moscow influenced the election while calling for a push to mend bilateral relations deeply strained during the Obama presidency.&nbsp;After being told last week that Putin directed a vast campaign aimed at installing him in the White House, Trump condemned as &quot;stupid&quot; anyone opposing better relations with Moscow.

(AFP)

Read the document alleging Kremlin officials buying influence and salacious sex videos of 'Golden showers' with Moscow prostitutes

US spy chiefs had informed Donald Trump that Russian operatives claim to possess deeply compromising personal and financial information about him, US media reported. Citing "multiple" unnamed US officials with direct knowledge of the meeting, CNN said intelligence chiefs last week presented America's incoming 45th president with a two-page synopsis on the potential embarrassment. President Barack Obama, was also briefed on the explosive issue, CNN reported, giving no details of the allegedly compromising information. Several US media published - without corroborating its contents - a 35-page dossier of memos on which the synopsis is based, which had been circulating in Washington circles for months. The memos describe sex videos involving prostitutes during a 2013 visit by Trump to a Moscow hotel. They also suggest Russian officials proposed lucrative deals in order to win influence over the real estate magnate. Read the 35-page document here. CNN said the memos contained in the dossier were originally compiled by a former British MI-6 intelligence operative hired by other US presidential contenders to do political "opposition research" on Trump in the middle of last year. Trump was reportedly informed of the existence of the dossier - and its salacious details - when he received a briefing from US spy chiefs on alleged Russian interference in the presidential election. The classified two-page synopsis also included allegations that there was a regular flow of information during the campaign between Trump surrogates and Russian government intermediaries. "If these allegations are true, allegations of coordination between Trump campaign officials and Russian intelligence officials, and allegations that the Russians have compromised President-elect Trump's independence, that would be truly shocking," Democratic Senator Chris Coons said on CNN. The Federal Bureau of Investigation had been given the information in August, more than two months before the November 8 election, according to CNN. Since then, CNN reported, US intelligence agencies have checked out the former British intelligence operative and his network, and found him credible enough to include some of the information in the presentation to Trump. The existence of compromising information on Trump in Russian hands had been rumored since before the election. The rumors gained support when then Senate Democratic leader Harry Reid said in a letter to FBI Director James Comey a week before the vote. "It has become clear that you possess explosive information about close ties and coordination between Donald Trump, his top advisors, and the Russian government - a foreign interest openly hostile to the United States, which Trump praises at every opportunity. The public has a right to know this information." Comey was one of four top officials who briefed Trump on Friday, along with the heads of the Directorate of National Intelligence, the Central Intelligence Agency and the National Security Agency. Asked in a Senate hearing Tuesday about the allegations of sustained contacts between Russia and the Trump team, Comey refused to confirm or deny that his agency was investigating such links. US intelligence has already made the virtually unprecedented accusation that Russian President Vladimir Putin sought to tip the electoral scales in Trump`s favor by ordering a hack of Democratic Party email servers. The Russian campaign, intelligence concluded, aimed first to boost the campaign of Democrat Hillary Clinton with embarrassing leaked emails, and then to boost Trump once they thought he had a chance to win. Trump denounced a "political witch hunt" after CNN reported that intelligence officials briefing him last week on allegations of Russian meddling in the US election had also given him a synopsis of the explosive and unverified claims. "FAKE NEWS - A TOTAL POLITICAL WITCH HUNT!" the president-elect tweeted. Trump has repeatedly dismissed the conclusion that Moscow influenced the election while calling for a push to mend bilateral relations deeply strained during the Obama presidency. After being told last week that Putin directed a vast campaign aimed at installing him in the White House, Trump condemned as "stupid" anyone opposing better relations with Moscow. (AFP)

Unsubstantiated British intelligence links Trump to Russian prostitutes, Russian government

In a series of retaliatory measure against Russia over vote meddling, the&nbsp;United States on Thursday imposed sanctions on two top Russian intelligence agencies, expelled 35 agents, and ordered the shutting down of two Russian compounds on US soil.

&quot;I have ordered a number of actions in response to the Russian government&#39;s aggressive harassment of US officials and cyber operations aimed at the US election,&quot; Obama said.

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<h5>These actions follow repeated private and public warnings that we have issued to the Russian government, and are a necessary and appropriate response to efforts to harm US interests,&#39; said Obama</h5>
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&quot;These actions follow repeated private and public warnings that we have issued to the Russian government, and are a necessary and appropriate response to efforts to harm US interests in violation of established international norms of behaviour.&quot;

Obama imposed sanctions against Russia&#39;s FSB and GRU intelligence agencies and ordered the closing down of two Russian compounds that the US says are used &quot;for intelligence-related purposes&quot;. The 35 intelligence operative -- based at the Russian embassy in Washington and the consulate in San Francisco -- have been declared &quot;persona non grata&quot; and ordered to leave the country within 72 hours.

US officials also moved to close two Russian compounds in New York and Maryland.

The latter facility, a summer house a short drive from the US capital, was once featured in a Washington lifestyle magazine and was described as a stately home surrounded by lush gardens on the banks of the Chester River.&nbsp;

The US government said it is now used &quot;for intelligence-related purposes&quot;.

&quot;All Americans should be alarmed by Russia&#39;s actions,&quot; Obama said.&nbsp;

&quot;Moreover, our diplomats have experienced an unacceptable level of harassment in Moscow by Russian security services and police over the last year. Such activities have consequences.&quot;

The US intelligence community all agree that Russia interfered in US elections to put Trump in the White House. They also believe in Russian hand in the hacking and release of Democratic Party and Clinton staff emails.

People tied to a Russian disinformation campaign that US intelligence officials say targeted Clinton&#39;s campaign may also be named under the plans, according to CNN.

Republican Lindsey Graham said in an interview on Dec. 27 that 99 per cent of US senators believe Russia interfered in the US presidential elections.

Washington accuses the Russian military&#39;s Main Intelligence Directorate (GRU) of hacking information with the intent to interfere with the US election -- and says the Federal Security Service (FSB) helped, AFP reported.

Four individual GRU officers including agency chief Igor Valentinovich Korobov and three other entities will face sanctions.

AFP reported that the US Treasury slapped sanctions on two individuals, Evgeniy Mikhailovich Bogachev and Aleksey Alekseyevich Belan, for &quot;involvement in malicious cyber-enabled activities.&quot;

The sanctions will freeze their assets in the US and block business with US companies.

Obama said that the government will continue to take actions,&#39;some of which will not be publicised&#39;.

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&quot;These actions are not the sum total of our response to Russia&#39;s aggressive activities. We will continue to take a variety of actions at a time and place of our choosing, some of which will not be publicised,&quot; Obama said.

&quot;The United States and friends and allies around the world must work together to oppose Russia&#39;s efforts to undermine established international norms of behavior and interfere with democratic governance.&quot;

Trump denied any links with Russia and said,&quot;I think we ought to get on with our lives,&quot; on Wednesday.

The White House had warned Russia to stop cyber-meddling pre-elections, The Washington Post reported.

And about a week before the election, Washington sent a message to Moscow using a special crisis communication channel for the first time, asking it to stop targeting state voter registration and election systems, according to AFP.

Russian foreign ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said Moscow will respond to any &quot;hostile steps&quot; from Washington.

(With inputs from agencies)

It expels 35 Russian intelligence operatives, imposes sanctions on the FSB & GRU, and orders closing down of 2 Russian compounds on US soil

In a series of retaliatory measure against Russia over vote meddling, the United States on Thursday imposed sanctions on two top Russian intelligence agencies, expelled 35 agents, and ordered the shutting down of two Russian compounds on US soil. "I have ordered a number of actions in response to the Russian government's aggressive harassment of US officials and cyber operations aimed at the US election," Obama said. These actions follow repeated private and public warnings that we have issued to the Russian government, and are a necessary and appropriate response to efforts to harm US interests,' said Obama × "These actions follow repeated private and public warnings that we have issued to the Russian government, and are a necessary and appropriate response to efforts to harm US interests in violation of established international norms of behaviour." Obama imposed sanctions against Russia's FSB and GRU intelligence agencies and ordered the closing down of two Russian compounds that the US says are used "for intelligence-related purposes". The 35 intelligence operative -- based at the Russian embassy in Washington and the consulate in San Francisco -- have been declared "persona non grata" and ordered to leave the country within 72 hours. US officials also moved to close two Russian compounds in New York and Maryland. The latter facility, a summer house a short drive from the US capital, was once featured in a Washington lifestyle magazine and was described as a stately home surrounded by lush gardens on the banks of the Chester River. The US government said it is now used "for intelligence-related purposes". "All Americans should be alarmed by Russia's actions," Obama said. "Moreover, our diplomats have experienced an unacceptable level of harassment in Moscow by Russian security services and police over the last year. Such activities have consequences." The US intelligence community all agree that Russia interfered in US elections to put Trump in the White House. They also believe in Russian hand in the hacking and release of Democratic Party and Clinton staff emails. People tied to a Russian disinformation campaign that US intelligence officials say targeted Clinton's campaign may also be named under the plans, according to CNN. Republican Lindsey Graham said in an interview on Dec. 27 that 99 per cent of US senators believe Russia interfered in the US presidential elections. Washington accuses the Russian military's Main Intelligence Directorate (GRU) of hacking information with the intent to interfere with the US election -- and says the Federal Security Service (FSB) helped, AFP reported. Four individual GRU officers including agency chief Igor Valentinovich Korobov and three other entities will face sanctions. AFP reported that the US Treasury slapped sanctions on two individuals, Evgeniy Mikhailovich Bogachev and Aleksey Alekseyevich Belan, for "involvement in malicious cyber-enabled activities." The sanctions will freeze their assets in the US and block business with US companies. Obama said that the government will continue to take actions,'some of which will not be publicised'. Obama said that the government will continue to take actions, 'some of which will not be publicised' × "These actions are not the sum total of our response to Russia's aggressive activities. We will continue to take a variety of actions at a time and place of our choosing, some of which will not be publicised," Obama said. "The United States and friends and allies around the world must work together to oppose Russia's efforts to undermine established international norms of behavior and interfere with democratic governance." Trump denied any links with Russia and said,"I think we ought to get on with our lives," on Wednesday. The White House had warned Russia to stop cyber-meddling pre-elections, The Washington Post reported. And about a week before the election, Washington sent a message to Moscow using a special crisis communication channel for the first time, asking it to stop targeting state voter registration and election systems, according to AFP. Russian foreign ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said Moscow will respond to any "hostile steps" from Washington. (With inputs from agencies)

US retaliates against Russian 'interference' in election

A group of electors who will ratify the US presidential election results next week on Monday called for a full briefing on accusations that Russia intervened to help Donald Trump win the vote.

With support from defeated Democrat Hillary Clinton&#39;s top advisor John Podesta, the 10 electors -- all but one Democrats -- said they need to understand the strength of those accusations before the 538-member Electoral College gathers on December 19.

&quot;The electors require to know from the intelligence community whether there are ongoing investigations into ties between Donald Trump, his campaign or associates, and Russian government interference in the election, the scope of those investigations, how far those investigations may have reached, and who was involved in those investigations,&quot; they said in an open letter to Director of National Intelligence James Clapper.&nbsp;

&quot;We further require a briefing on all investigative findings, as these matters directly impact the core factors in our deliberations of whether Mr Trump is fit to serve as president of the United States.&quot;

The call came after weekend media reports said the Central Intelligence Agency has concluded that Moscow was behind the hacking of political party computers and the release of data that ultimately damaged Clinton in her fight against Trump.

Trump branded that conclusion &quot;ridiculous,&quot; but senior members of Congress are taking it seriously, and are poised to launch investigations.&nbsp;

Podesta, whose private campaign emails were part of the hacked data, said the electors&#39; letter &quot;raises very grave issues involving our national security.&quot;&nbsp;

&quot;Electors have a solemn responsibility under the Constitution and we support their efforts to have their questions addressed,&quot; he said in a statement.

The US Constitution dictates that the electoral college ultimately decides the presidential election, not the popular vote.

Each US state is given a number of electors that corresponds to the size of the state&#39;s population.

In the November 8 vote, Clinton bested Trump in the popular vote by two percentage points, but Trump captured more states and earned 306 electors to Clinton&#39;s 232, giving him the White House victory.&nbsp;

Clay Pell, one of the electors who signed the letter, said it was &quot;essential&quot; to understand what happened before the electors meet to confirm the election result.

&quot;It&#39;s absolutely the role of the electoral college to consider that,&quot; he told AFP.

(AFP)

The call came after media reports said the CIA concluded that Moscow was behind hacking of computers, release of data that damaged Clinton

A group of electors who will ratify the US presidential election results next week on Monday called for a full briefing on accusations that Russia intervened to help Donald Trump win the vote. With support from defeated Democrat Hillary Clinton's top advisor John Podesta, the 10 electors -- all but one Democrats -- said they need to understand the strength of those accusations before the 538-member Electoral College gathers on December 19. "The electors require to know from the intelligence community whether there are ongoing investigations into ties between Donald Trump, his campaign or associates, and Russian government interference in the election, the scope of those investigations, how far those investigations may have reached, and who was involved in those investigations," they said in an open letter to Director of National Intelligence James Clapper. "We further require a briefing on all investigative findings, as these matters directly impact the core factors in our deliberations of whether Mr Trump is fit to serve as president of the United States." The call came after weekend media reports said the Central Intelligence Agency has concluded that Moscow was behind the hacking of political party computers and the release of data that ultimately damaged Clinton in her fight against Trump. Trump branded that conclusion "ridiculous," but senior members of Congress are taking it seriously, and are poised to launch investigations. Podesta, whose private campaign emails were part of the hacked data, said the electors' letter "raises very grave issues involving our national security." "Electors have a solemn responsibility under the Constitution and we support their efforts to have their questions addressed," he said in a statement. The US Constitution dictates that the electoral college ultimately decides the presidential election, not the popular vote. Each US state is given a number of electors that corresponds to the size of the state's population. In the November 8 vote, Clinton bested Trump in the popular vote by two percentage points, but Trump captured more states and earned 306 electors to Clinton's 232, giving him the White House victory. Clay Pell, one of the electors who signed the letter, said it was "essential" to understand what happened before the electors meet to confirm the election result. "It's absolutely the role of the electoral college to consider that," he told AFP. (AFP)

US presidential electors ask for intelligence briefing on 'Russian hacking'

Republicans on Saturday rejected reports of a secret CIA assessment finding that Russia sought to tip the US presidential election in Donald Trump&#39;s favor, as a Democratic Senate leader called for an investigation.

&quot;The intelligence is wrong,&quot; Republican National Committee spokesman Sean Spicer told CNN. &quot;It didn&#39;t happen.&quot;

He was referring to a New York Times report saying US intelligence agencies had &quot;high confidence&quot; that Russian hackers infiltrated the Republican National Committee&#39;s computer systems as well as those of Democratic Party organisations, but released information stolen only from the Democrats.

News about the CIA report, first reported by The Washington Post on Friday, drew an extraordinary rebuke from the president-elect&#39;s camp.

&quot;These are the same people that said Saddam Hussein had weapons of mass destruction,&quot; Trump&#39;s transition team said, launching a broadside against the spy agency.

Trump said the election was over and that it&#39;s &quot;now time to move on and &#39;Make America Great Again.&#39;&quot;

However, senator Chuck Schumer, set to become Democratic minority leader in January, called for a congressional probe into the matter.

&quot;That any country could be meddling in our elections should shake both political parties to their core,&quot; he said Saturday.&nbsp;

&quot;It&#39;s imperative that our intelligence community turns over any relevant information so that Congress can conduct a full investigation.&quot;

The debate simmered as US media reported that ExxonMobil President and CEO Rex Tillerson -- a businessman with ties to Russian President Vladimir Putin -- is Trump&#39;s likely pick for secretary of state.

Democratic Senator Bob Menendez, a senior member of the Foreign Relations Committee, slammed the idea of Tillerson as top diplomat as &quot;alarming and absurd.&quot;&nbsp;

&quot;With Rex Tillerson as our Secretary of State, the Trump administration would be guaranteeing Russia has a willing accomplice in the president&#39;s cabinet guiding our nation&#39;s foreign policy,&quot; he said in a statement.

&#39;Help Trump get elected&#39;

The reports of Russian interference in the White House vote follow President Barack Obama&#39;s order for a review of all cyberattacks that took place during the 2016 election cycle.

According to The Post, individuals with connections to Moscow provided anti-secrecy website WikiLeaks with emails hacked from the Democratic National Committee, Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton&#39;s campaign chief, and others.

WikiLeaks steadily released those emails in the months before the election, damaging Clinton&#39;s White House run.

&quot;It is the assessment of the intelligence community that Russia&#39;s goal here was to favor one candidate over the other, to help Trump get elected,&quot; a US official briefed on an intelligence presentation to key senators told the newspaper. &quot;That&#39;s the consensus view.&quot;

CIA agents told the lawmakers it was &quot;quite clear&quot; that electing Trump was Russia&#39;s goal, according to officials who spoke to the Post.

Russian hackers did not limit their hits to the Democrats, The New York Times reported.

&quot;We now have high confidence that they hacked the D.N.C. and the R.N.C., and conspicuously released no documents&quot; from the Republican organization, one senior administration official told The Times.

It is unclear however when Russia started supporting Trump, &quot;and many intelligence officials -- and former officials in Mrs Clinton&#39;s campaign -- believe that the primary motive of the Russians was to simply disrupt the campaign and undercut confidence in the integrity of the vote,&quot; the newspaper said.

Question marks

The CIA&#39;s assessment falls short of a formal US assessment produced by all 17 intelligence agencies, The Post said.

Intelligence agents cannot prove that Russian officials directed the identified individuals to give WikiLeaks the hacked Democratic emails.

WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange has denied links with Russia&#39;s government.

California Republican Congressman Devin Nunes, chair of the House Intelligence Committee and a member of the Trump transition team, said he &quot;does not believe the evidence shows that the Russians interfered in the elections in order to help Trump,&quot; a spokesman told AFP.

However Adam Schiff, the top Democrat on the same committee, said &quot;the integrity of our elections is hindered&quot; when Trump and his transition team &quot;minimize or dismiss the intelligence assessments.&quot;

For Schiff, &quot;one would also have to be willfully blind not to see that these Russian actions were uniformly damaging to Secretary Clinton and helpful to Donald Trump.&quot;

Calls for investigations

Democrats in Congress called on US intelligence agencies to provide all information about Russian hacking and disinformation in the election.

The current minority leader, Senator Harry Reid, even accused FBI Director James Comey of knowing about Russian hacking into the Republican servers &quot;for a long time.&quot;

&quot;But he, Comey, who&#39;s a Republican, refused to divulge this information about Russia interfering with the presidential election,&quot; Reid told MSNBC, accusing the FBI director of being &quot;the new J. Edgar Hoover.&quot;

&quot;I think he should be investigated,&quot; he added.

Clinton has blamed Comey for her loss, saying his decision during the campaign&#39;s final weeks to re-open a probe into her email use as secretary of state broke her momentum.

Previous intelligence reports have accused Russia of seeking to undermine the US election, without saying if Moscow favored any candidate.

In an interview Wednesday in Time magazine, Trump was asked if the intelligence was politicized. &quot;I think so,&quot; he said.

&quot;I don&#39;t believe they interfered,&quot; he said. &quot;It could be Russia. And it could be China. And it could be some guy in his home in New Jersey.&quot;

(AFP)

The Washington Post reported that a secret CIA assessment found Russia sought to tip the US presidential election in Donald Trump's favour

Republicans on Saturday rejected reports of a secret CIA assessment finding that Russia sought to tip the US presidential election in Donald Trump's favor, as a Democratic Senate leader called for an investigation. "The intelligence is wrong," Republican National Committee spokesman Sean Spicer told CNN. "It didn't happen." He was referring to a New York Times report saying US intelligence agencies had "high confidence" that Russian hackers infiltrated the Republican National Committee's computer systems as well as those of Democratic Party organisations, but released information stolen only from the Democrats. News about the CIA report, first reported by The Washington Post on Friday, drew an extraordinary rebuke from the president-elect's camp. "These are the same people that said Saddam Hussein had weapons of mass destruction," Trump's transition team said, launching a broadside against the spy agency. Trump said the election was over and that it's "now time to move on and 'Make America Great Again.'" However, senator Chuck Schumer, set to become Democratic minority leader in January, called for a congressional probe into the matter. "That any country could be meddling in our elections should shake both political parties to their core," he said Saturday. "It's imperative that our intelligence community turns over any relevant information so that Congress can conduct a full investigation." The debate simmered as US media reported that ExxonMobil President and CEO Rex Tillerson -- a businessman with ties to Russian President Vladimir Putin -- is Trump's likely pick for secretary of state. Democratic Senator Bob Menendez, a senior member of the Foreign Relations Committee, slammed the idea of Tillerson as top diplomat as "alarming and absurd." "With Rex Tillerson as our Secretary of State, the Trump administration would be guaranteeing Russia has a willing accomplice in the president's cabinet guiding our nation's foreign policy," he said in a statement. 'Help Trump get elected' The reports of Russian interference in the White House vote follow President Barack Obama's order for a review of all cyberattacks that took place during the 2016 election cycle. According to The Post, individuals with connections to Moscow provided anti-secrecy website WikiLeaks with emails hacked from the Democratic National Committee, Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton's campaign chief, and others. WikiLeaks steadily released those emails in the months before the election, damaging Clinton's White House run. "It is the assessment of the intelligence community that Russia's goal here was to favor one candidate over the other, to help Trump get elected," a US official briefed on an intelligence presentation to key senators told the newspaper. "That's the consensus view." CIA agents told the lawmakers it was "quite clear" that electing Trump was Russia's goal, according to officials who spoke to the Post. Russian hackers did not limit their hits to the Democrats, The New York Times reported. "We now have high confidence that they hacked the D.N.C. and the R.N.C., and conspicuously released no documents" from the Republican organization, one senior administration official told The Times. It is unclear however when Russia started supporting Trump, "and many intelligence officials -- and former officials in Mrs Clinton's campaign -- believe that the primary motive of the Russians was to simply disrupt the campaign and undercut confidence in the integrity of the vote," the newspaper said. Question marks The CIA's assessment falls short of a formal US assessment produced by all 17 intelligence agencies, The Post said. Intelligence agents cannot prove that Russian officials directed the identified individuals to give WikiLeaks the hacked Democratic emails. WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange has denied links with Russia's government. California Republican Congressman Devin Nunes, chair of the House Intelligence Committee and a member of the Trump transition team, said he "does not believe the evidence shows that the Russians interfered in the elections in order to help Trump," a spokesman told AFP. However Adam Schiff, the top Democrat on the same committee, said "the integrity of our elections is hindered" when Trump and his transition team "minimize or dismiss the intelligence assessments." For Schiff, "one would also have to be willfully blind not to see that these Russian actions were uniformly damaging to Secretary Clinton and helpful to Donald Trump." Calls for investigations Democrats in Congress called on US intelligence agencies to provide all information about Russian hacking and disinformation in the election. The current minority leader, Senator Harry Reid, even accused FBI Director James Comey of knowing about Russian hacking into the Republican servers "for a long time." "But he, Comey, who's a Republican, refused to divulge this information about Russia interfering with the presidential election," Reid told MSNBC, accusing the FBI director of being "the new J. Edgar Hoover." "I think he should be investigated," he added. Clinton has blamed Comey for her loss, saying his decision during the campaign's final weeks to re-open a probe into her email use as secretary of state broke her momentum. Previous intelligence reports have accused Russia of seeking to undermine the US election, without saying if Moscow favored any candidate. In an interview Wednesday in Time magazine, Trump was asked if the intelligence was politicized. "I think so," he said. "I don't believe they interfered," he said. "It could be Russia. And it could be China. And it could be some guy in his home in New Jersey." (AFP)

Republicans dismiss reports of Russian help in Trump's victory

United States President Barack Obama has ordered intelligence agencies to review Russian intervention in the 2016 presidential elections, after being repeatedly asked to by the Democratic lawmakers, Reuters reported.

Obama has demanded a report before he leaves office on January 20, the White House said according to Reuters.&nbsp;

In October, the US government accused the &ldquo;senior-most&rdquo; levels of the Russian government of running a campaign of cyber attacks ahead of the November 8 presidential elections, after which Obama had even warned Russian President Vladimir Putin of &ldquo;consequences&rdquo;.&nbsp;

Putin, however, has dismissed the accusations as&nbsp;politically motivated.

Obama&#39;s homeland security adviser, Lisa Monaco, told reporters the results of the report would be shared with lawmakers and others.

&quot;The president has directed the intelligence community to conduct a full review of what happened during the 2016 election process ... and to capture lessons learned from that and to report to a range of stakeholders, to include the Congress,&quot; Monaco said during an event hosted by the Christian Science Monitor.

White House spokesman Eric Schultz added that the review will also look into the hacking practises of the presidential elections of 2008, 2012 and 2016, calling the review a &ldquo;deep-dive&rdquo;. &nbsp;

&ldquo;There were intrusions into both the Obama and John McCain campaigns in 2008, publicly attributed to the Chinese, he continued, and although there were no notable incidents in 2012, &ldquo;knowing what we know now&rdquo;, that election will also be scrutinised,&rdquo; he added.&nbsp;

Obama has been under constant pressure from the Democratic lawmakers for &nbsp;a response to Russia&#39;s actions as well as to determine how much intelligence material on the subject could be declassified and made public.

(WION with inputs from Reuters) 
&nbsp;

Democratic lawmakers are demanding a response to Russia's actions of running a campaign of cyber attacks ahead of 2016 presidential election

United States President Barack Obama has ordered intelligence agencies to review Russian intervention in the 2016 presidential elections, after being repeatedly asked to by the Democratic lawmakers, Reuters reported. Obama has demanded a report before he leaves office on January 20, the White House said according to Reuters. In October, the US government accused the “senior-most” levels of the Russian government of running a campaign of cyber attacks ahead of the November 8 presidential elections, after which Obama had even warned Russian President Vladimir Putin of “consequences”. Putin, however, has dismissed the accusations as politically motivated. Obama's homeland security adviser, Lisa Monaco, told reporters the results of the report would be shared with lawmakers and others. "The president has directed the intelligence community to conduct a full review of what happened during the 2016 election process ... and to capture lessons learned from that and to report to a range of stakeholders, to include the Congress," Monaco said during an event hosted by the Christian Science Monitor. White House spokesman Eric Schultz added that the review will also look into the hacking practises of the presidential elections of 2008, 2012 and 2016, calling the review a “deep-dive”. “There were intrusions into both the Obama and John McCain campaigns in 2008, publicly attributed to the Chinese, he continued, and although there were no notable incidents in 2012, “knowing what we know now”, that election will also be scrutinised,” he added. Obama has been under constant pressure from the Democratic lawmakers for a response to Russia's actions as well as to determine how much intelligence material on the subject could be declassified and made public. (WION with inputs from Reuters)

Obama orders 'full review' of Russian hacking during elections

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