Brazil on Monday kicked off its nationwide coronavirus vaccination campaign, providing a glimmer of hope in a nation where political infighting, a strained health care system and lax precautions have given the virus free rein.

But the rollout is expected to be painfully slow, even as Brazil battles two worrisome new variants of the virus, at least one of which is more contagious and could be contributing to the country’s recent surge of cases.

The government is scrambling to buy more vaccine after months of taking a lackadaisical approach, as President Jair Bolsonaro argued that scientists and the media were hyping the seriousness of a virus that has killed more than 210,000 Brazilians. The country now has just 6 million doses of vaccine on hand for a nation of 213 million people.

The potential menace of the new variants became clear last week as patients in the northern state of Amazonas asphyxiated to death because hospitals ran out of oxygen amid a sharp rise in critically ill patients. Prosecutors investigating the calamity said at least 16 patients had died.

The oxygen shortage “is the saddest and most outrageous expression of the government’s abject failure at all levels,” Alex Machado Campos, a director of the country’s health regulatory agency, said in televised remarks Sunday. “Is this a civilized nation or one living through a barbaric dystopia?”

The lack of vaccine doses is just one of myriad missteps that have hampered the country’s ability to protect its people against the pandemic. Bolsonaro has been criticized for repeatedly downplaying the threat of the virus, promoting a useless treatment, refusing to wear a mask, sabotaging other officials’ lockdown measures and, most recently, fueling unfounded fears about the safety of vaccines.

Last month, the president, who had COVID-19 and recovered, said he had no intention of getting a vaccine and criticized vaccine providers for asking buyers to sign hold-harmless agreements.

“It’s quite clear in the contract: They take no responsibility for any collateral effect,” Bolsonaro said, taking aim at American drug company Pfizer. “If you turn into a crocodile, that’s your problem.”

After peaking in July, when Brazil regularly had 1,200 coronavirus deaths per day, cases and fatalities dropped gradually for a few months but began to inch up in November. In recent weeks, the country has often reported more than 1,000 deaths a day, and Brazil’s death toll is second only to that in the United States.

Brazilian scientists say the new variants discovered in Brazil could be contributing to the resurgence of the virus. The one in Amazonas contains a mutation that has been linked with higher contagiousness. (Both variants have another mutation that may weaken the efficacy of vaccines.)

The two mutated viruses have slipped the country’s borders and turned up in other parts of the world, with the latest discovery occurring in Japan.

While virus mutations are common, experts say hard-hit countries like Brazil provide fertile ground for new variants that could hamper the global response. Despite a rise in cases, bars and restaurants are doing brisk business, and mask wearing is spotty.

“The appearance of these variants is directly proportional to people’s lack of care,” said Luiz Vicente Rizzo, head of research at Israeli Albert Einstein Hospital in São Paulo.

Pedro Hallal, a Harvard-trained public health researcher who led a study on the evolution of the virus in Brazil at the Federal University of Pelotas, said the drastic surge of cases in Manaus, the capital of Amazonas, suggests that the new strain there is likely more contagious.

“I am not someone who believes in coincidences,” Hallal said. “Our new variant was found in Manaus, and now cases are booming. It’s improbable that there isn’t a correlation between one thing and the other.”

Brazilian scientists say they are working around the clock to have a more complete picture of the prevalence of new variants, but labs have limited capacity to sequence virus genomes compared to their counterparts in countries like the United States and Britain.

“With the resources and the funds we have at this moment in the country, we are doing the best we can,” said Paola Resende, a virus expert at Rio de Janeiro’s Laboratory of Respiratory Viruses and Measles.

Reports of the variants in Brazil have raised alarm abroad. Officials in Japan reported last week that they had diagnosed cases of the new variant in four passengers who arrived in Tokyo after traveling from Manaus.

Citing concern over the new Brazilian variants, Britain last week banned flights from Latin America and Portugal. Italy later suspended its few remaining flights to Brazil.

Health experts had hoped Brazil would be among the earliest countries to mount a swift and efficient vaccination campaign, given the country’s strong track record on immunization efforts. But the rollout has been chaotic and bitterly politicized.

Health minister Eduardo Pazuello last week announced he would travel to India to personally pick up 2 million doses of the vaccine developed by AstraZeneca and Oxford University that India has been allowed to manufacture. But in an embarrassing setback, the flight was scuttled at the last minute after officials in India, who were about to launch their own vaccination program, told the Brazilian government they didn’t yet have doses to spare.

The attempted purchase from India appeared to be a bid by Bolsonaro’s government to outflank one of his political rivals, São Paulo Gov. João Doria. Doria, who has championed the vaccine produced by China’s Sinovac, had procured a few million doses of that vaccine even before his country’s health regulators approved it Sunday.

The Sinovac purchase came as part of an agreement to allow China to test the vaccine in Brazil, in conjunction with a São Paulo-based research institute. While there is some relief that Brazil has any vaccine on hand, the efficacy rate of that vaccine, CoronaVac, turned out to be just over 50%, far less than other inoculations.

Doria took aim at the Bolsonaro government Sunday as he presided over an event in São Paulo where the first handful of health care workers received shots. The nationwide campaign began a day later.

“The vaccine is a lesson for you, authoritarians who disregard life, who lack compassion,” he said.

Pazuello, an Army general, responded angrily, accusing Doria of turning the vaccine rollout into a “marketing play” to boost his political standing. Doria is widely expected to run for president next year.

Despite Bolsonaro’s antipathy toward CoronaVac — he has called Chinese products untrustworthy — the health ministry demanded that Doria turn over his supply of the vaccine to the federal government for use across the country. The governor acquiesced, though he kept some for his state.

The federal government has established priority groups for the vaccine, but officials have yet to provide a detailed plan that outlines when certain groups will be vaccinated and how many doses of which vaccines the country intends to obtain.

On Monday, Bolsonaro said Brazil would purchase vaccines as they become “available in the market.”

Pazuello, meanwhile, has been faulted for failing to anticipate the oxygen crisis in Manaus, the capital of Amazonas state, which sparked a chaotic evacuation of patients, including some premature babies, to other states.

From Thursday through Sunday, 312 people died from COVID-19 in Amazonas, a toll 50% higher than in the proceeding four days.

Amazonas Gov. Wilson Lima said his team had warned that hospitals were running dangerously low on oxygen days before patients began asphyxiating. “We weren’t able to get what we needed,” he said.

With patients in distress, officials in Manaus got oxygen tanks from neighboring Venezuela giving its authoritarian president, Nicolás Maduro, a public relations victory against Bolsonaro, a nemesis. The failure to have enough oxygen on hand is now being investigated by the Supreme Court.

The health ministry did not respond to emailed questions about the situation in Manaus.

David Luniere, a doctor in Manaus, compared the frenzied scenes of triage in his hospital to treating patients in a war zone. When a woman whose father died in his care thanked him profusely for his efforts, Luniere felt gutted.

“She told me she knew I had done everything I could do for her father,” he said. “I know I didn’t do everything I can because I couldn’t.”

Brazil on Monday kicked off its nationwide coronavirus vaccination campaign, providing a glimmer of hope in a nation where political infighting, a strained health care system and lax precautions have given the virus free rein.

Brazil on Monday kicked off its nationwide coronavirus vaccination campaign, providing a glimmer of hope in a nation where political infighting, a strained health care system and lax precautions have given the virus free rein. But the rollout is expected to be painfully slow, even as Brazil battles two worrisome new variants of the virus, at least one of which is more contagious and could be contributing to the country’s recent surge of cases. The government is scrambling to buy more vaccine after months of taking a lackadaisical approach, as President Jair Bolsonaro argued that scientists and the media were hyping the seriousness of a virus that has killed more than 210,000 Brazilians. The country now has just 6 million doses of vaccine on hand for a nation of 213 million people. The potential menace of the new variants became clear last week as patients in the northern state of Amazonas asphyxiated to death because hospitals ran out of oxygen amid a sharp rise in critically ill patients. Prosecutors investigating the calamity said at least 16 patients had died. The oxygen shortage “is the saddest and most outrageous expression of the government’s abject failure at all levels,” Alex Machado Campos, a director of the country’s health regulatory agency, said in televised remarks Sunday. “Is this a civilized nation or one living through a barbaric dystopia?” The lack of vaccine doses is just one of myriad missteps that have hampered the country’s ability to protect its people against the pandemic. Bolsonaro has been criticized for repeatedly downplaying the threat of the virus, promoting a useless treatment, refusing to wear a mask, sabotaging other officials’ lockdown measures and, most recently, fueling unfounded fears about the safety of vaccines. Last month, the president, who had COVID-19 and recovered, said he had no intention of getting a vaccine and criticized vaccine providers for asking buyers to sign hold-harmless agreements. “It’s quite clear in the contract: They take no responsibility for any collateral effect,” Bolsonaro said, taking aim at American drug company Pfizer. “If you turn into a crocodile, that’s your problem.” After peaking in July, when Brazil regularly had 1,200 coronavirus deaths per day, cases and fatalities dropped gradually for a few months but began to inch up in November. In recent weeks, the country has often reported more than 1,000 deaths a day, and Brazil’s death toll is second only to that in the United States. Brazilian scientists say the new variants discovered in Brazil could be contributing to the resurgence of the virus. The one in Amazonas contains a mutation that has been linked with higher contagiousness. (Both variants have another mutation that may weaken the efficacy of vaccines.) The two mutated viruses have slipped the country’s borders and turned up in other parts of the world, with the latest discovery occurring in Japan. While virus mutations are common, experts say hard-hit countries like Brazil provide fertile ground for new variants that could hamper the global response. Despite a rise in cases, bars and restaurants are doing brisk business, and mask wearing is spotty. “The appearance of these variants is directly proportional to people’s lack of care,” said Luiz Vicente Rizzo, head of research at Israeli Albert Einstein Hospital in São Paulo. Pedro Hallal, a Harvard-trained public health researcher who led a study on the evolution of the virus in Brazil at the Federal University of Pelotas, said the drastic surge of cases in Manaus, the capital of Amazonas, suggests that the new strain there is likely more contagious. “I am not someone who believes in coincidences,” Hallal said. “Our new variant was found in Manaus, and now cases are booming. It’s improbable that there isn’t a correlation between one thing and the other.” Brazilian scientists say they are working around the clock to have a more complete picture of the prevalence of new variants, but labs have limited capacity to sequence virus genomes compared to their counterparts in countries like the United States and Britain. “With the resources and the funds we have at this moment in the country, we are doing the best we can,” said Paola Resende, a virus expert at Rio de Janeiro’s Laboratory of Respiratory Viruses and Measles. Reports of the variants in Brazil have raised alarm abroad. Officials in Japan reported last week that they had diagnosed cases of the new variant in four passengers who arrived in Tokyo after traveling from Manaus. Citing concern over the new Brazilian variants, Britain last week banned flights from Latin America and Portugal. Italy later suspended its few remaining flights to Brazil. Health experts had hoped Brazil would be among the earliest countries to mount a swift and efficient vaccination campaign, given the country’s strong track record on immunization efforts. But the rollout has been chaotic and bitterly politicized. Health minister Eduardo Pazuello last week announced he would travel to India to personally pick up 2 million doses of the vaccine developed by AstraZeneca and Oxford University that India has been allowed to manufacture. But in an embarrassing setback, the flight was scuttled at the last minute after officials in India, who were about to launch their own vaccination program, told the Brazilian government they didn’t yet have doses to spare. The attempted purchase from India appeared to be a bid by Bolsonaro’s government to outflank one of his political rivals, São Paulo Gov. João Doria. Doria, who has championed the vaccine produced by China’s Sinovac, had procured a few million doses of that vaccine even before his country’s health regulators approved it Sunday. The Sinovac purchase came as part of an agreement to allow China to test the vaccine in Brazil, in conjunction with a São Paulo-based research institute. While there is some relief that Brazil has any vaccine on hand, the efficacy rate of that vaccine, CoronaVac, turned out to be just over 50%, far less than other inoculations. Doria took aim at the Bolsonaro government Sunday as he presided over an event in São Paulo where the first handful of health care workers received shots. The nationwide campaign began a day later. “The vaccine is a lesson for you, authoritarians who disregard life, who lack compassion,” he said. Pazuello, an Army general, responded angrily, accusing Doria of turning the vaccine rollout into a “marketing play” to boost his political standing. Doria is widely expected to run for president next year. Despite Bolsonaro’s antipathy toward CoronaVac — he has called Chinese products untrustworthy — the health ministry demanded that Doria turn over his supply of the vaccine to the federal government for use across the country. The governor acquiesced, though he kept some for his state. The federal government has established priority groups for the vaccine, but officials have yet to provide a detailed plan that outlines when certain groups will be vaccinated and how many doses of which vaccines the country intends to obtain. On Monday, Bolsonaro said Brazil would purchase vaccines as they become “available in the market.” Pazuello, meanwhile, has been faulted for failing to anticipate the oxygen crisis in Manaus, the capital of Amazonas state, which sparked a chaotic evacuation of patients, including some premature babies, to other states. From Thursday through Sunday, 312 people died from COVID-19 in Amazonas, a toll 50% higher than in the proceeding four days. Amazonas Gov. Wilson Lima said his team had warned that hospitals were running dangerously low on oxygen days before patients began asphyxiating. “We weren’t able to get what we needed,” he said. With patients in distress, officials in Manaus got oxygen tanks from neighboring Venezuela giving its authoritarian president, Nicolás Maduro, a public relations victory against Bolsonaro, a nemesis. The failure to have enough oxygen on hand is now being investigated by the Supreme Court. The health ministry did not respond to emailed questions about the situation in Manaus. David Luniere, a doctor in Manaus, compared the frenzied scenes of triage in his hospital to treating patients in a war zone. When a woman whose father died in his care thanked him profusely for his efforts, Luniere felt gutted. “She told me she knew I had done everything I could do for her father,” he said. “I know I didn’t do everything I can because I couldn’t.”

Brazil starts vaccinations amid rise in COVID cases and new variants

India reported 13,788 new COVID-19 cases and 145 deaths in the last 24 hours, as per the Union Health Ministry on Monday.

The daily new cases have been below 20,000 for the past 11 days.The cumulative caseload in the country reached 1,05,71,773 including 2,08,012 active cases.With 14,457 new recoveries, the number of recovered patients climbed to 1,02,11,342.

The deaths in India due to COVID-19 mounted to 1,52,419. Kerala has the highest number of active coronavirus cases (69,209), Maharashtra follows with 53,852 active infections.

According to the India Council of Medical Research (ICMR), a total of 18,70,93,036 samples were tested for COVID-19 till January 17, of which 5,48,168 samples were tested yesterday.

The Union Health Ministry on Sunday informed that India's share of active cases within the total positive cases has shrunk below 2 per cent (1.98 per cent) for the first time.

A total of 2,24,301 beneficiaries have been vaccinated against the coronavirus as per the provisional report (till Sunday), it said.

India reported 13,788 new COVID-19 cases and 145 deaths in the last 24 hours, as per the Union Health Ministry on Monday. The daily new cases have been below 20,000 for the past 11 days.

India reported 13,788 new COVID-19 cases and 145 deaths in the last 24 hours, as per the Union Health Ministry on Monday. The daily new cases have been below 20,000 for the past 11 days.The cumulative caseload in the country reached 1,05,71,773 including 2,08,012 active cases.With 14,457 new recoveries, the number of recovered patients climbed to 1,02,11,342. The deaths in India due to COVID-19 mounted to 1,52,419. Kerala has the highest number of active coronavirus cases (69,209), Maharashtra follows with 53,852 active infections. According to the India Council of Medical Research (ICMR), a total of 18,70,93,036 samples were tested for COVID-19 till January 17, of which 5,48,168 samples were tested yesterday. The Union Health Ministry on Sunday informed that India's share of active cases within the total positive cases has shrunk below 2 per cent (1.98 per cent) for the first time. A total of 2,24,301 beneficiaries have been vaccinated against the coronavirus as per the provisional report (till Sunday), it said.

India reports 13,788 new COVID-19 cases, 145 deaths in last 24 hours

Billionaire Richard Branson’s&nbsp;Virgin&nbsp;Orbit&nbsp;reached space on Sunday, eight months after the first demonstration flight of its air-launched rocket system failed, the company said.

The Long Beach, California-based company’s LauncherOne rocket successfully deployed 10&nbsp;tiny satellites in orbit for NASA.

The launch occurred after the Boeing 747-400 took off from Mojave Air and Space Port in the desert north of Los Angeles and flew out over the Pacific Ocean to a drop point beyond the Channel Islands.

"According to telemetry, LauncherOne has reached orbit!" the company announced on Twitter during the test mission, dubbed Launch Demo 2. "In both a literal and figurative sense, this is miles beyond how far we reached in our first Launch Demo."

The rocket, a 70-foot launcher tailored for carrying small satellites to space, aimed to place 10 tiny satellites in orbit for NASA roughly two hours into the mission, though&nbsp;Virgin&nbsp;Orbit had not confirmed whether they were deployed as planned.

The successful test and clean payload deployment was a needed double-win for&nbsp;Virgin&nbsp;Orbit, which last year failed its attempt to reach space when LauncherOne’s main engine shut down prematurely moments after releasing from its carrier aircraft. The shortened mission generated key test data for the company, it said.

Sunday’s test also thrusts&nbsp;Virgin&nbsp;Orbit into an increasingly competitive commercial space race, offering a unique “air-launch” method of sending satellites to orbit alongside rivals such as Rocket Lab and Firefly Aerospace, which have designed small-launch systems to inject smaller satellites into orbit and meet growing demand.

Virgin&nbsp;executives say high-altitude launches allow satellites to be placed in their intended orbit more efficiently and also minimize weather-related cancellations compared to more traditional rockets launched vertically from a ground pad.

Virgin&nbsp;Orbit’s government services subsidiary VOX Space LLC is selling launches using the system to the US&nbsp;military, with a first mission slated for October under a $35 million US&nbsp;Space Force contract for three missions.

&nbsp;

Billionaire Richard Branson’s Virgin Orbit reached space on Sunday, eight months after the first demonstration flight of its air-launched rocket system failed, the company said.

Billionaire Richard Branson’s Virgin Orbit reached space on Sunday, eight months after the first demonstration flight of its air-launched rocket system failed, the company said. The Long Beach, California-based company’s LauncherOne rocket successfully deployed 10 tiny satellites in orbit for NASA. The launch occurred after the Boeing 747-400 took off from Mojave Air and Space Port in the desert north of Los Angeles and flew out over the Pacific Ocean to a drop point beyond the Channel Islands. "According to telemetry, LauncherOne has reached orbit!" the company announced on Twitter during the test mission, dubbed Launch Demo 2. "In both a literal and figurative sense, this is miles beyond how far we reached in our first Launch Demo." The rocket, a 70-foot launcher tailored for carrying small satellites to space, aimed to place 10 tiny satellites in orbit for NASA roughly two hours into the mission, though Virgin Orbit had not confirmed whether they were deployed as planned. The successful test and clean payload deployment was a needed double-win for Virgin Orbit, which last year failed its attempt to reach space when LauncherOne’s main engine shut down prematurely moments after releasing from its carrier aircraft. The shortened mission generated key test data for the company, it said. Sunday’s test also thrusts Virgin Orbit into an increasingly competitive commercial space race, offering a unique “air-launch” method of sending satellites to orbit alongside rivals such as Rocket Lab and Firefly Aerospace, which have designed small-launch systems to inject smaller satellites into orbit and meet growing demand. Virgin executives say high-altitude launches allow satellites to be placed in their intended orbit more efficiently and also minimize weather-related cancellations compared to more traditional rockets launched vertically from a ground pad. Virgin Orbit’s government services subsidiary VOX Space LLC is selling launches using the system to the US military, with a first mission slated for October under a $35 million US Space Force contract for three missions.

Virgin Galactic launches 10 satellites to orbit in landmark test flight

Slamming the Pakistan International&nbsp;Airlines (PIA) for its "irresponsible attitude and maladministration", the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) said that the PIA seemed to be "unaware of international civil aviation leasing laws".

Citing sources, Geo News reported that the CAA has expressed its displeasure with PIA's "irresponsible attitude and maladministration as it seems to be unaware of international civil aviation leasing laws".

"When PIA knew that Boeing-777 was involved in a court case, why did it allow the aircraft to fly abroad?" the CAA asked."Was not PIA aware of the fact that violating international civil aviation laws will embarrass the country?" it added.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/pia-passenger-aircraft-held-back-at-kuala-lumpur-airport-over-lease-dispute-356965" hreflang="en">PIA passenger aircraft 'held back' at Kuala Lumpur airport over lease dispute</a>

Meanwhile, Pakistan's Aviation Minister Ghulam Sarwar Khan has said that the PIA officials will appear before a court in the United Kingdom on January 22 and a Malaysian court on January 24 after failing to pay the lease of an aircraft on time due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

During a media briefing in Rawalpindi on Saturday, the Minister claimed that the Malaysian court had issued an order without listening to any arguments by the national carrier, and blamed the previous Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) government for acquiring two aircraft on an expensive lease, reported Geo News.

A PIA aircraft was held back by a local court in Malaysia on Friday due to a legal dispute between the airline and another party.

On Twitter, Pakistan`s national carrier said: "A PIA aircraft has been held back by a local court in Malaysia taking one-sided decision pertaining to a legal dispute between PIA and another party pending in a UK court. The passengers are being looked after and alternate arrangements for their travel have been finalized."Geo News mentioned that the PIA plane was taken on lease from a Vietnamese company in 2015.

A PIA spokesperson has said that the airline`s counsel is already presented in Kuala Lampur and has been provided all relevant documents. The passengers of the seized aircraft arrived in Pakistan via Dubai on Sunday.&nbsp;

Slamming the Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) for its "irresponsible attitude and maladministration", the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) said that the PIA seemed to be "unaware of international civil aviation leasing laws".

Slamming the Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) for its "irresponsible attitude and maladministration", the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) said that the PIA seemed to be "unaware of international civil aviation leasing laws". Citing sources, Geo News reported that the CAA has expressed its displeasure with PIA's "irresponsible attitude and maladministration as it seems to be unaware of international civil aviation leasing laws". "When PIA knew that Boeing-777 was involved in a court case, why did it allow the aircraft to fly abroad?" the CAA asked."Was not PIA aware of the fact that violating international civil aviation laws will embarrass the country?" it added. Also read: PIA passenger aircraft 'held back' at Kuala Lumpur airport over lease dispute Meanwhile, Pakistan's Aviation Minister Ghulam Sarwar Khan has said that the PIA officials will appear before a court in the United Kingdom on January 22 and a Malaysian court on January 24 after failing to pay the lease of an aircraft on time due to the COVID-19 pandemic. During a media briefing in Rawalpindi on Saturday, the Minister claimed that the Malaysian court had issued an order without listening to any arguments by the national carrier, and blamed the previous Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) government for acquiring two aircraft on an expensive lease, reported Geo News. A PIA aircraft was held back by a local court in Malaysia on Friday due to a legal dispute between the airline and another party. On Twitter, Pakistan`s national carrier said: "A PIA aircraft has been held back by a local court in Malaysia taking one-sided decision pertaining to a legal dispute between PIA and another party pending in a UK court. The passengers are being looked after and alternate arrangements for their travel have been finalized."Geo News mentioned that the PIA plane was taken on lease from a Vietnamese company in 2015. A PIA spokesperson has said that the airline`s counsel is already presented in Kuala Lampur and has been provided all relevant documents. The passengers of the seized aircraft arrived in Pakistan via Dubai on Sunday.

Pak Civil Aviation Authority slams PIA for being 'unaware of international leasing laws'

Apple CEO Tim Cook said Sunday that social networking app Parler, which is popular&nbsp;among conservatives,&nbsp;could return to its&nbsp;App Store if it changes how it moderates posts on the platform.

Apple suspended all downloads of the Parler app following the attack on the US Capitol on January 6, citing postings on the platform that could incite further violence. Google and Amazon also cut ties with the company.

Cook justified suspending Parler, favored by supporters of President Donald Trump.

"We looked at the incitement to violence that was on there, and we don't consider that free speech and incitement to violence has an intersection," Cook said.

Why has&nbsp;Parler&nbsp;been taken offline?

The site effectively "went dark" after Amazon.com Inc suspended its web hosting service and will remain so unless it can find a replacement.

Suspensions by Apple Inc's App Store and Alphabet Inc's Google had already meant potential new users were unable to download the app.

The platforms said&nbsp;Parler&nbsp;was not doing enough to prevent the spread of posts inciting violence, following unrest at the US&nbsp;Capitol by Trump supporters last Wednesday after weeks of violent rhetoric on online sites.

Parler&nbsp;Chief Executive John Matze has said the company "does not condone or accept violence" on its platform. He has gone into hiding after receiving death threats.

According to Matze's lawyer, “Many Parler employees are suffering harassment, fear for their safety and that of their families, and in some cases have fled their home state to escape persecution.”

After Amazon.com Inc stopped hosting its business, effectively taking the upstart social media service offline,&nbsp;Parler&nbsp;is now fighting for survival.

Parler's policies ban certain types of content, including 'fighting words' or 'threats to harm' that include threats of violence against an individual or group, obscenity, and pornography. The guidelines advise users to "not purposefully share rumors about other users/people you know are false," but do not mention other policies against misinformation.

The chief executive of social media platform Parler, popular with American right-wing users but which virtually vanished after the US&nbsp;Capitol riot, posted a brief message on the company's website. Parler's app, however, remains offline.

"Hello world, is this thing on?," Matze asked in a message dated Saturday, posted above a note from the company saying the platform would be restored after challenges were resolved.

US&nbsp;right-wing social media users have flocked to&nbsp;Parler, along with other apps such as Telegram and social site Gab, citing the more aggressive policing of political comments on mainstream platforms such as Twitter Inc and Facebook Inc, which intensified after the January&nbsp;6 Capitol riot.

Parler&nbsp;has had about 10.8 million installs globally from across the App Store and Google Play, 8.7 million of those from the United States, according to Sensor Tower data. In January, it said it has over 12 million registered users.

Apple CEO Tim Cook said Sunday that social networking app Parler, which is popular among conservatives, could return to its App Store if it changes how it moderates posts on the platform.

Apple CEO Tim Cook said Sunday that social networking app Parler, which is popular among conservatives, could return to its App Store if it changes how it moderates posts on the platform. Apple suspended all downloads of the Parler app following the attack on the US Capitol on January 6, citing postings on the platform that could incite further violence. Google and Amazon also cut ties with the company. Cook justified suspending Parler, favored by supporters of President Donald Trump. "We looked at the incitement to violence that was on there, and we don't consider that free speech and incitement to violence has an intersection," Cook said. Why has Parler been taken offline? The site effectively "went dark" after Amazon.com Inc suspended its web hosting service and will remain so unless it can find a replacement. Suspensions by Apple Inc's App Store and Alphabet Inc's Google had already meant potential new users were unable to download the app. The platforms said Parler was not doing enough to prevent the spread of posts inciting violence, following unrest at the US Capitol by Trump supporters last Wednesday after weeks of violent rhetoric on online sites. Parler Chief Executive John Matze has said the company "does not condone or accept violence" on its platform. He has gone into hiding after receiving death threats. According to Matze's lawyer, “Many Parler employees are suffering harassment, fear for their safety and that of their families, and in some cases have fled their home state to escape persecution.” After Amazon.com Inc stopped hosting its business, effectively taking the upstart social media service offline, Parler is now fighting for survival. Parler's policies ban certain types of content, including 'fighting words' or 'threats to harm' that include threats of violence against an individual or group, obscenity, and pornography. The guidelines advise users to "not purposefully share rumors about other users/people you know are false," but do not mention other policies against misinformation. The chief executive of social media platform Parler, popular with American right-wing users but which virtually vanished after the US Capitol riot, posted a brief message on the company's website. Parler's app, however, remains offline. "Hello world, is this thing on?," Matze asked in a message dated Saturday, posted above a note from the company saying the platform would be restored after challenges were resolved. US right-wing social media users have flocked to Parler, along with other apps such as Telegram and social site Gab, citing the more aggressive policing of political comments on mainstream platforms such as Twitter Inc and Facebook Inc, which intensified after the January 6 Capitol riot. Parler has had about 10.8 million installs globally from across the App Store and Google Play, 8.7 million of those from the United States, according to Sensor Tower data. In January, it said it has over 12 million registered users.

Apple CEO Tim Cook says Parler could return to App Store after 'moderation' in terms of service

From Kennedy to Trump: US presidential inaugurations throughout history

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<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/american-carnage-rise-and-fall-of-trump-in-washington-357389" hreflang="en">American carnage: Rise and fall of Trump in Washington</a>

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US: Biden's team lays out inauguration plans as Trump impeachment looms 'I am not afraid': US, EU urge Russia to release Putin critic Navalny China reports 109 

US: Biden's team lays out inauguration plans as Trump impeachment looms 'I am not afraid': US, EU urge Russia to release Putin critic Navalny China reports 109 new COVID-19 cases as infections persist in northeast American carnage: Rise and fall of Trump in Washington

Morning news brief: Biden's team lays out inauguration plans, Navalny's detainment and more

January 18 in history: Exhibition of X-ray generating machine for the first time and more

China reported more than 100 new COVID-19 cases for the sixth consecutive day, with rising infections in the northeast fuelling concerns of another national wave ahead of a major holiday season.

The National Health Commission said in a statement on Monday that a total of 109 new COVID-19 cases were reported on Jan. 17, unchanged from a day earlier. Of the 93 local infections, 54 were reported in Hebei province that surround Beijing. Northeastern Jilin province reported a record 30 new cases, underscoring the risk of new clusters emerging.

Daily increases still remain a fraction of what the country saw at the height of the outbreak in early 2020, but authorities are implementing an aggressive package of measures including the lockdown of more than 28 million people in order to keep the disease from bringing the country to another painful standstill.

Beijing, which reported two new local infections, will begin requiring travellers from abroad to undergo health monitoring for seven additional days following 21 days of medical observation, the official Xinhua news agency reported on Saturday.

The city of Gongzhuling in Jilin province has also imposed strict new controls over its population, shutting down all but essential stores. It said in a notice that it is "strictly forbidden" for anyone to go out unless they are scheduled to get a COVID-19 test at a designated site.

The outbreak in Jilin is believed to have been caused by an infected salesman travelling to and from the neigbouring province of Heilongjiang, the site of a previous cluster of cases.

The number of new asymptomatic cases, which China does not classify as confirmed cases, fell to 115 from 119 cases a day earlier.

The total number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in mainland China is 89,336, while the death toll remained unchanged at 4,635. The data excludes cases from Macau and Hong Kong, which are Chinese cities but report new cases independently, and self-ruled Taiwan which China claims as its own.

The World Health Organization (WHO) team currently in China has already begun its investigations into the origins of the global pandemic.

WHO representatives said on Friday that they have begun discussions with their Chinese counterparts via videoconference as they remain in quarantine.

China reported more than 100 new COVID-19 cases for the sixth consecutive day, with rising infections in the northeast fuelling concerns of another national wave ahead of a major holiday season.

China reported more than 100 new COVID-19 cases for the sixth consecutive day, with rising infections in the northeast fuelling concerns of another national wave ahead of a major holiday season. The National Health Commission said in a statement on Monday that a total of 109 new COVID-19 cases were reported on Jan. 17, unchanged from a day earlier. Of the 93 local infections, 54 were reported in Hebei province that surround Beijing. Northeastern Jilin province reported a record 30 new cases, underscoring the risk of new clusters emerging. Daily increases still remain a fraction of what the country saw at the height of the outbreak in early 2020, but authorities are implementing an aggressive package of measures including the lockdown of more than 28 million people in order to keep the disease from bringing the country to another painful standstill. Beijing, which reported two new local infections, will begin requiring travellers from abroad to undergo health monitoring for seven additional days following 21 days of medical observation, the official Xinhua news agency reported on Saturday. The city of Gongzhuling in Jilin province has also imposed strict new controls over its population, shutting down all but essential stores. It said in a notice that it is "strictly forbidden" for anyone to go out unless they are scheduled to get a COVID-19 test at a designated site. The outbreak in Jilin is believed to have been caused by an infected salesman travelling to and from the neigbouring province of Heilongjiang, the site of a previous cluster of cases. The number of new asymptomatic cases, which China does not classify as confirmed cases, fell to 115 from 119 cases a day earlier. The total number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in mainland China is 89,336, while the death toll remained unchanged at 4,635. The data excludes cases from Macau and Hong Kong, which are Chinese cities but report new cases independently, and self-ruled Taiwan which China claims as its own. The World Health Organization (WHO) team currently in China has already begun its investigations into the origins of the global pandemic. WHO representatives said on Friday that they have begun discussions with their Chinese counterparts via videoconference as they remain in quarantine.

China reports 109 new COVID-19 cases as infections persist in northeast

President-elect Joe Biden's top advisors on Sunday outlined his plans for his&nbsp;inauguration along with the nation's multiple crises while balancing the impeachment trial of Donald Trump.

With war-zone-like security, no crowds, and coronavirus distancing for guests, Joe Biden's swearing-in as the 46th US president will be a muted affair, unlike any previous inauguration.

Tens of thousands of security personnel from the National Guard and law enforcement agencies have descended upon Washington, D.C., to bolster security ahead of Biden's inauguration ceremony.

Preparing for violence

The nationwide security uptick followed the attack on the US&nbsp;Capitol in Washington by a mix of extremists and Trump supporters, some of whom called for the death of Vice President Mike Pence as he presided over the certification of Democrat Joe&nbsp;Biden's election victory.

The FBI and other federal agencies have warned of the potential for future violence leading up to&nbsp;Biden's inauguration on Wednesday, as white supremacists and other extremists seek to exploit frustration among Trump supporters who have bought into his falsehoods about electoral fraud.

Security officials had eyed Sunday as the first major flashpoint, as that is when the anti-government "boogaloo" movement made plans weeks ago to hold rallies in all 50 states. But by late Sunday afternoon, only handfuls of demonstrators had taken to the streets alongside much larger crowds of law enforcement officers and media personnel.

As the president-elect prepares to take power in a city where only two weeks earlier Trump supporters launched a violent attempt to overturn the election, Biden faces overlapping crises: not only the pandemic but a struggling economy, climate change, and racial tensions.

Biden wants Congress to act quickly on a massive, $1.9-trillion&nbsp;stimulus package to revive the economy, and he plans a blitz to accelerate America's stumbling Covid vaccine rollout.

His target of seeing 100 million doses of coronavirus vaccine injected within his first 100 days in office is "absolutely" achievable, top US scientist Anthony Fauci told NBC on Sunday.

Shadow of uncertainty

But the coming Senate impeachment trial,&nbsp;an unprecedented second for Trump,&nbsp;casts a shadow over Biden's path forward.

Democratic congressional leaders Nancy Pelosi and Chuck Schumer have yet to say when the trial will begin.&nbsp;

Biden has said he hopes Congress can deal with that stark distraction even while advancing his aggressive agenda.

Adding to the uncertainty is a badly riven Republican Party, divided over Trump's false assertions that he won November's election, his&nbsp;fanning of emotions ahead of the deadly Capitol invasion, and on the future direction of the party.

A muted celebration

Plans for the inauguration,&nbsp;in normal times a bracing, even joyous, tribute to a peaceful transition,&nbsp;had already been scaled-down out of pandemic concerns. Fears of new violence by unyielding Trump supporters after the January 6 riot have cast a further pall.

"This will be an inaugural like no other, in large part because of Covid," Vice President-elect Kamala Harris said in an interview aired Sunday on CBS.&nbsp;

"But we are going to get sworn in. And we're going to do the job we were hired to do."

President-elect Joe Biden's top advisors on Sunday outlined his plans for his inauguration along with the nation's multiple crises while balancing the impeachment trial of Donald Trump.

President-elect Joe Biden's top advisors on Sunday outlined his plans for his inauguration along with the nation's multiple crises while balancing the impeachment trial of Donald Trump. With war-zone-like security, no crowds, and coronavirus distancing for guests, Joe Biden's swearing-in as the 46th US president will be a muted affair, unlike any previous inauguration. Tens of thousands of security personnel from the National Guard and law enforcement agencies have descended upon Washington, D.C., to bolster security ahead of Biden's inauguration ceremony. Preparing for violence The nationwide security uptick followed the attack on the US Capitol in Washington by a mix of extremists and Trump supporters, some of whom called for the death of Vice President Mike Pence as he presided over the certification of Democrat Joe Biden's election victory. The FBI and other federal agencies have warned of the potential for future violence leading up to Biden's inauguration on Wednesday, as white supremacists and other extremists seek to exploit frustration among Trump supporters who have bought into his falsehoods about electoral fraud. Security officials had eyed Sunday as the first major flashpoint, as that is when the anti-government "boogaloo" movement made plans weeks ago to hold rallies in all 50 states. But by late Sunday afternoon, only handfuls of demonstrators had taken to the streets alongside much larger crowds of law enforcement officers and media personnel. As the president-elect prepares to take power in a city where only two weeks earlier Trump supporters launched a violent attempt to overturn the election, Biden faces overlapping crises: not only the pandemic but a struggling economy, climate change, and racial tensions. Biden wants Congress to act quickly on a massive, $1.9-trillion stimulus package to revive the economy, and he plans a blitz to accelerate America's stumbling Covid vaccine rollout. His target of seeing 100 million doses of coronavirus vaccine injected within his first 100 days in office is "absolutely" achievable, top US scientist Anthony Fauci told NBC on Sunday. Shadow of uncertainty But the coming Senate impeachment trial, an unprecedented second for Trump, casts a shadow over Biden's path forward. Democratic congressional leaders Nancy Pelosi and Chuck Schumer have yet to say when the trial will begin. Biden has said he hopes Congress can deal with that stark distraction even while advancing his aggressive agenda. Adding to the uncertainty is a badly riven Republican Party, divided over Trump's false assertions that he won November's election, his fanning of emotions ahead of the deadly Capitol invasion, and on the future direction of the party. A muted celebration Plans for the inauguration, in normal times a bracing, even joyous, tribute to a peaceful transition, had already been scaled-down out of pandemic concerns. Fears of new violence by unyielding Trump supporters after the January 6 riot have cast a further pall. "This will be an inaugural like no other, in large part because of Covid," Vice President-elect Kamala Harris said in an interview aired Sunday on CBS. "But we are going to get sworn in. And we're going to do the job we were hired to do."

President-elect Joe Biden's team lays out inauguration plans as Trump impeachment looms

California health officials are asking for pausing the use of a huge batch of Moderna's coronavirus vaccine due to its ''higher-than-usual number of possible allergic reactions''.

California's top epidemiologist Dr. Erica S Pan&nbsp;issued a statement recommending the pause in the administration of Moderna's COVID-19 vaccine lot&nbsp;'041L20A'.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/what-to-know-about-californias-vaccine-rollout-344954">What to know about California’s vaccine rollout</a>

"A higher-than-usual number of possible allergic reactions were reported with a specific lot of Moderna vaccine administered at one community vaccination clinic. Fewer than 10 individuals required medical attention over the span of 24 hours," Dr. Pan said.

According to the statement, "Out of an extreme abundance of caution and also recognizing the extremely limited supply of vaccine, we are recommending that providers use other available vaccine inventory and pause the administration of vaccines from Moderna Lot 041L20A until the investigation by the CDC, FDA, Moderna and the state is complete. We will provide an update as we learn more."

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California, like many states, has struggled to use up as much vaccine as it received in initial allotments from the federal government, administering only about a third of the nearly 2.5 million doses shipped to the state as of Monday.

California Governor Gavin Newsom&nbsp;has set a goal of inoculating 1 million more&nbsp;Californians by the end of this week with the first shot of the two-dose vaccine.

California, the most populous state with nearly 40 million people, has accounted for much of the US&nbsp;surge since November.

State officials reported 42,299&nbsp;newly recorded confirmed cases Sunday, pushing the total to 2.9&nbsp;million since the pandemic began a year ago.

California&nbsp;hospitals have grown so full of COVID-19 patients that state officials ordered hospitals to delay non-life-threatening surgeries, preserving space for serious cancer removal and necessary heart operations.

Outside many Southern&nbsp;California&nbsp;hospitals, ambulances loaded with COVID-19 patients wait for hours until space becomes available in the intensive care unit (ICU) or emergency room (ER).

California health officials are asking for pausing the use of a huge batch of Moderna's coronavirus vaccine due to its ''higher-than-usual number of possible allergic reactions''.

California health officials are asking for pausing the use of a huge batch of Moderna's coronavirus vaccine due to its ''higher-than-usual number of possible allergic reactions''. California's top epidemiologist Dr. Erica S Pan issued a statement recommending the pause in the administration of Moderna's COVID-19 vaccine lot '041L20A'. Also read: What to know about California’s vaccine rollout "A higher-than-usual number of possible allergic reactions were reported with a specific lot of Moderna vaccine administered at one community vaccination clinic. Fewer than 10 individuals required medical attention over the span of 24 hours," Dr. Pan said. According to the statement, "Out of an extreme abundance of caution and also recognizing the extremely limited supply of vaccine, we are recommending that providers use other available vaccine inventory and pause the administration of vaccines from Moderna Lot 041L20A until the investigation by the CDC, FDA, Moderna and the state is complete. We will provide an update as we learn more." California, like many states, has struggled to use up as much vaccine as it received in initial allotments from the federal government, administering only about a third of the nearly 2.5 million doses shipped to the state as of Monday. California Governor Gavin Newsom has set a goal of inoculating 1 million more Californians by the end of this week with the first shot of the two-dose vaccine. California, the most populous state with nearly 40 million people, has accounted for much of the US surge since November. State officials reported 42,299 newly recorded confirmed cases Sunday, pushing the total to 2.9 million since the pandemic began a year ago. California hospitals have grown so full of COVID-19 patients that state officials ordered hospitals to delay non-life-threatening surgeries, preserving space for serious cancer removal and necessary heart operations. Outside many Southern California hospitals, ambulances loaded with COVID-19 patients wait for hours until space becomes available in the intensive care unit (ICU) or emergency room (ER).

California pauses use of Moderna vaccine batch over allergic reactions

Guatemalan security forces on Sunday used sticks and tear gas to beat back a large migrant caravan bound for the United States, just days before the advent of a new US&nbsp;administration, which urged travelers to abandon the journey.

Between 7,000 and 8,000 migrants, including families with young children, have entered Guatemala since Friday, authorities say, fleeing poverty and violence in a region hammered by the coronavirus pandemic and back-to-back hurricanes in November.

"Guatemala's message is loud and clear: These types of illegal mass movements (of people) will not be accepted, that's why we are working together with the neighboring nations to address this as a regional issue," the Guatemalan president's office said in emailed comments.

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A large section of the caravan clashed early on Sunday with Guatemalan security officials, some 3,000 of whom had mustered by the village of Vado Hondo, about 55 km (34 miles) from the borders of Honduras and El Salvador.

"We want the Guatemalans to let us past," said Joaquin Ortiz, a Honduran in the caravan. "Because we're not leaving here. We're going to carry on. I want to get through because it's horrible in our country. There's nothing in Honduras."

The coronavirus pandemic has battered Honduras' economy, which last year suffered its worst contraction on record.

The large contingent of Guatemalan security officers managed to stop the migrants from advancing beyond Vado Hondo, with perhaps as many as half of the people in the caravan dispersing into the nearby hills or heading back the way they came, according to a Reuters witness.

Elmer Espinal is traveling with his months-old daughter. He said they were tear-gassed by the Guatemalan security forces.

"My daughter almost choked," said Espinal, a Honduran native. "I want a future for my girls ... there's no work over there in Honduras."

Authorities sent buses and trucks for migrants who wanted to voluntarily return home.

"They keep trying to pass, but we're not allowing them to," said Alejandra Mena, a spokeswoman for Guatemala's immigration agency.

Even if the migrants do get past, Mexico is preparing to stop them at its southern border with hundreds of security forces, arguing it must contain the spread of the virus.

Guatemalan authorities said that after administering coronavirus tests, 12 men and 9 women tested positive for COVID-19.

The Honduran foreign ministry in a statement said it "urges Guatemala to investigate and clarify the actions carried out by Guatemalan security forces and once again, reiterates that only united as a region, work should continue to confront illegal migration."

The robust response suggests that Democratic President-elect Joe Biden may initially benefit from the hard-line policies of outgoing Republican President Donald Trump, who made cracking down on illegal immigration a priority of his administration.

Video footage shared by the Guatemalan government showed hundreds of migrants, bounded by a hillside, pressing into a wall of security forces, which used sticks to repel the surge. An unspecified number of people were injured, authorities said.

During the chaotic melee, security forces fired off a tear gas canister and used a stun grenade to disperse the crowd, a Reuters photographer said.

Between Friday and Saturday, Guatemala had sent back almost 1,000 migrants entering from Honduras, the Guatemalan government said, as the caravan tried to advance toward Mexico.

On Saturday evening, the Mexican foreign ministry pressed Central American authorities to halt the caravan's progress, pointing to the need to contain the spread of COVID-19.

Mexico, it said, was committed to orderly and regulated migration and would oppose any form of unauthorized entry.

The first migrant caravan of the year comes less than a week before Biden takes office on Wednesday promising to adopt a more humane approach to migration than Trump.

Still, a Biden transition official, speaking on background, advised people not to make for the United States.

"Overcoming the challenges created by the chaotic and cruel policies of the last four years, and those presented by COVID-19, will take time," said the official.

"In the meantime, the journey to the United States remains extraordinarily dangerous, and those in the region should not believe anyone peddling the lie that our border will be open to everyone next month," the official added.

The incoming administration will work to address the root causes of migration, expand lawful pathways and rethink asylum processing, the official said.

Mexican and Central American authorities have coordinated security and public health measures in a bid to deter mass movement of people across the region.

Guatemalan security forces on Sunday used sticks and tear gas to beat back a large migrant caravan bound for the United States, just days before the advent of a new US administration, which urged travelers to abandon the journey.

Guatemalan security forces on Sunday used sticks and tear gas to beat back a large migrant caravan bound for the United States, just days before the advent of a new US administration, which urged travelers to abandon the journey. Between 7,000 and 8,000 migrants, including families with young children, have entered Guatemala since Friday, authorities say, fleeing poverty and violence in a region hammered by the coronavirus pandemic and back-to-back hurricanes in November. "Guatemala's message is loud and clear: These types of illegal mass movements (of people) will not be accepted, that's why we are working together with the neighboring nations to address this as a regional issue," the Guatemalan president's office said in emailed comments. A large section of the caravan clashed early on Sunday with Guatemalan security officials, some 3,000 of whom had mustered by the village of Vado Hondo, about 55 km (34 miles) from the borders of Honduras and El Salvador. "We want the Guatemalans to let us past," said Joaquin Ortiz, a Honduran in the caravan. "Because we're not leaving here. We're going to carry on. I want to get through because it's horrible in our country. There's nothing in Honduras." The coronavirus pandemic has battered Honduras' economy, which last year suffered its worst contraction on record. The large contingent of Guatemalan security officers managed to stop the migrants from advancing beyond Vado Hondo, with perhaps as many as half of the people in the caravan dispersing into the nearby hills or heading back the way they came, according to a Reuters witness. Elmer Espinal is traveling with his months-old daughter. He said they were tear-gassed by the Guatemalan security forces. "My daughter almost choked," said Espinal, a Honduran native. "I want a future for my girls ... there's no work over there in Honduras." Authorities sent buses and trucks for migrants who wanted to voluntarily return home. "They keep trying to pass, but we're not allowing them to," said Alejandra Mena, a spokeswoman for Guatemala's immigration agency. Even if the migrants do get past, Mexico is preparing to stop them at its southern border with hundreds of security forces, arguing it must contain the spread of the virus. Guatemalan authorities said that after administering coronavirus tests, 12 men and 9 women tested positive for COVID-19. The Honduran foreign ministry in a statement said it "urges Guatemala to investigate and clarify the actions carried out by Guatemalan security forces and once again, reiterates that only united as a region, work should continue to confront illegal migration." The robust response suggests that Democratic President-elect Joe Biden may initially benefit from the hard-line policies of outgoing Republican President Donald Trump, who made cracking down on illegal immigration a priority of his administration. Video footage shared by the Guatemalan government showed hundreds of migrants, bounded by a hillside, pressing into a wall of security forces, which used sticks to repel the surge. An unspecified number of people were injured, authorities said. During the chaotic melee, security forces fired off a tear gas canister and used a stun grenade to disperse the crowd, a Reuters photographer said. Between Friday and Saturday, Guatemala had sent back almost 1,000 migrants entering from Honduras, the Guatemalan government said, as the caravan tried to advance toward Mexico. On Saturday evening, the Mexican foreign ministry pressed Central American authorities to halt the caravan's progress, pointing to the need to contain the spread of COVID-19. Mexico, it said, was committed to orderly and regulated migration and would oppose any form of unauthorized entry. The first migrant caravan of the year comes less than a week before Biden takes office on Wednesday promising to adopt a more humane approach to migration than Trump. Still, a Biden transition official, speaking on background, advised people not to make for the United States. "Overcoming the challenges created by the chaotic and cruel policies of the last four years, and those presented by COVID-19, will take time," said the official. "In the meantime, the journey to the United States remains extraordinarily dangerous, and those in the region should not believe anyone peddling the lie that our border will be open to everyone next month," the official added. The incoming administration will work to address the root causes of migration, expand lawful pathways and rethink asylum processing, the official said. Mexican and Central American authorities have coordinated security and public health measures in a bid to deter mass movement of people across the region.

Guatemalan forces clash with migrant caravan, Biden team seeks to halt exodus

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