U.S. President Donald Trump pardoned rappers Lil Wayne and Kodak Black who were prosecuted on federal weapons offenses as part of a wave of pardons and commutations he will issue during his final hours in office, according to a source familiar with the discussions.

Trump pardons rappers Lil Wayne and Kodak Black

Washington, DC, police officers are speaking out following a riot at the US Capitol which resulted in five deaths.

Washington D.C. police officers describe siege of U.S. Capitol hill | World News

US&nbsp;President-elect Joe Biden will wait for a recommendation from his intelligence advisers on whether to share classified information with President Donald Trump after the Republican leaves office, Biden`s top aide said on Sunday. 
 
Ron Klain, the incoming White House chief of staff, made the comment after former principal deputy director of national intelligence, Sue Gordon, wrote an op-ed arguing against sharing such information with Trump once he has left the presidency. 
 
"With this simple act — which is solely the new president’s prerogative — Joe Biden can mitigate one aspect of the potential national security risk posed by Donald Trump, private citizen," Gordon said in a Washington Post piece headlined "A former president Trump won`t `need to know.` Cut off his intelligence." 
 
Asked about Gordon`s recommendation, Klain told CNN`s "State of the Union" program that Biden would want to hear from his own intelligence professionals before making any decision. 
 
"We`ll certainly look for a recommendation from the intelligence professionals in the Biden administration ... and we will act on that recommendation," he said. 
 
Gordon, who resigned in 2019, said any former president was a foreign intelligence target but Trump "might be unusually vulnerable to bad actors with ill intent," citing, among other things, his business interests abroad. 
 
"It is not clear that he understands the tradecraft to which he has been exposed, the reasons the knowledge he has acquired must be protected from disclosure, or the intentions and capabilities of adversaries," she added. 
 
Democratic House Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff was more blunt, telling CBS` "Face The Nation" program, "I don`t think he can be trusted with it."

US President-elect Joe Biden will wait for a recommendation from his intelligence advisers on whether to share classified information with President Donald Trump after the Republican leaves office, Biden`s top aide said on Sunday.

US President-elect Joe Biden will wait for a recommendation from his intelligence advisers on whether to share classified information with President Donald Trump after the Republican leaves office, Biden`s top aide said on Sunday. Ron Klain, the incoming White House chief of staff, made the comment after former principal deputy director of national intelligence, Sue Gordon, wrote an op-ed arguing against sharing such information with Trump once he has left the presidency. "With this simple act — which is solely the new president’s prerogative — Joe Biden can mitigate one aspect of the potential national security risk posed by Donald Trump, private citizen," Gordon said in a Washington Post piece headlined "A former president Trump won`t `need to know.` Cut off his intelligence." Asked about Gordon`s recommendation, Klain told CNN`s "State of the Union" program that Biden would want to hear from his own intelligence professionals before making any decision. "We`ll certainly look for a recommendation from the intelligence professionals in the Biden administration ... and we will act on that recommendation," he said. Gordon, who resigned in 2019, said any former president was a foreign intelligence target but Trump "might be unusually vulnerable to bad actors with ill intent," citing, among other things, his business interests abroad. "It is not clear that he understands the tradecraft to which he has been exposed, the reasons the knowledge he has acquired must be protected from disclosure, or the intentions and capabilities of adversaries," she added. Democratic House Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff was more blunt, telling CBS` "Face The Nation" program, "I don`t think he can be trusted with it."

Biden will wait for recommendation on sharing secrets with Trump

In the aftermath of the violence which rocked US Capitol on January 6, federal authorities have been working to identify and charge the rioters. President Donald Trump is facing a second impeachment owing to his role in leading protesters to the Capitol.&nbsp;

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Now, his supporters who stormed the Capitol are seeking formal pardons from the incumbent president before he leaves office in over three days.

Among them is Jenna Ryan, a real estate agent from Texas who took a private jet to Washington to participate in the riots.

After facing arrest by federal authorities, she hopes Trump will pardon her, and many like her.

“We all deserve a pardon”, she reportedly said after surrendering to the FBI on Friday.

In conversation with CBS, she added that she was facing a prison sentence, and that she does not “deserve that”. “I would ask the president of the United States to give me a pardon”, she added.

The attack on US Capitol on January 6 left five people dead, including a police officer.

According to Ryan, she was “displaying” her patriotism at the Capitol, claiming that she was simply listening to her president who told them “to go to the Capitol”.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://13.235.153.162/world/a-man-with-a-gun-arrested-by-capitol-police-calls-it-an-honest-mistake-357287" hreflang="en">A man with a gun arrested by Capitol Police calls it an ‘honest mistake’</a>

Just before the attack, Ryan said the following in a Facebook video - “We’re gonna go down and storm the Capitol. They’re down there right now and that’s why we came and so that’s what we are going to do. So wish me luck.”

“Life or death, it doesn’t matter. Here we go”, her video added.

“We just stormed the Capital [sic]. It was one of the best days of my life”, she tweeted later.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://13.235.153.162/world/far-right-activist-baked-alaska-among-latest-capitol-rioters-arrested-357271" hreflang="en">Far-right activist ‘Baked Alaska’ among latest Capitol rioters arrested</a>

Another person - Jacob Chansley who became the most recognisable rioters for his attire including horns, animal skin, and face pain is seeking a pardon as well. 
 
One of his lawyers, Albert Watkins said that the “honourable thing” to do would be to pardon those who had accepted the “president’s invitation”, The Guardian quoted him as saying.

Chansley currently faces six federal charges.

In the aftermath of the violence which rocked US Capitol on January 6, federal authorities have been working to identify and charge the rioters. President Donald Trump is facing a second impeachment owing to his role in leading protesters to the Capitol.

In the aftermath of the violence which rocked US Capitol on January 6, federal authorities have been working to identify and charge the rioters. President Donald Trump is facing a second impeachment owing to his role in leading protesters to the Capitol. Now, his supporters who stormed the Capitol are seeking formal pardons from the incumbent president before he leaves office in over three days. Among them is Jenna Ryan, a real estate agent from Texas who took a private jet to Washington to participate in the riots. After facing arrest by federal authorities, she hopes Trump will pardon her, and many like her. “We all deserve a pardon”, she reportedly said after surrendering to the FBI on Friday. In conversation with CBS, she added that she was facing a prison sentence, and that she does not “deserve that”. “I would ask the president of the United States to give me a pardon”, she added. The attack on US Capitol on January 6 left five people dead, including a police officer. According to Ryan, she was “displaying” her patriotism at the Capitol, claiming that she was simply listening to her president who told them “to go to the Capitol”. Also read: A man with a gun arrested by Capitol Police calls it an ‘honest mistake’ Just before the attack, Ryan said the following in a Facebook video - “We’re gonna go down and storm the Capitol. They’re down there right now and that’s why we came and so that’s what we are going to do. So wish me luck.” “Life or death, it doesn’t matter. Here we go”, her video added. “We just stormed the Capital [sic]. It was one of the best days of my life”, she tweeted later. Also read: Far-right activist ‘Baked Alaska’ among latest Capitol rioters arrested Another person - Jacob Chansley who became the most recognisable rioters for his attire including horns, animal skin, and face pain is seeking a pardon as well. One of his lawyers, Albert Watkins said that the “honourable thing” to do would be to pardon those who had accepted the “president’s invitation”, The Guardian quoted him as saying. Chansley currently faces six federal charges.

Rioters who attacked US Capitol seek pardons from President Trump

American actress Kirstie Alley stoked a debate online after she equated Donald Trump’s Twitter ban with “slavery”.&nbsp;

Over the weekend, after it was announced that Trump was banned from Twitter, she outraged and shared a tweet containing a statement made by American Civil Liberties Union lawyer Kate Ruane. In the tweet, ‘Cheers’ actress said, “It should concern everyone when companies like Facebook and Twitter wield the unchecked power to remove people from platforms that have become indispensable for the speech of billions.”

“ALL people should be concerned is the KEY here,” Alley wrote in her own tweet. “It’s true, the average person will no longer have a platform to speak their views. This is called SLAVERY. This censorship proves BIG TECH now holds the keys to the chains.”

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/us-election-result-2020-check-out-the-celebrities-who-supported-donald-trump-341580">&nbsp;Celebrities who supported Donald Trump in US Elections 2020</a>

The statement within seconds started getting attention and not in the manner she must have expected. Twitterati slammed her choice of words as one user said, “This is a shocking minimization of the sheer vicious brutality of real slavery,” while others “shamed” her for equating the two.

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Hey <a href="https://twitter.com/jack?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@jack</a> Why didn’t you suspend these four people’s accounts for inciting riots for months? 30 people died..billions of property destroyed .. millions terrorized ? Bueller Bueller? <a href="https://t.co/fWEQqOpcAM">https://t.co/fWEQqOpcAM</a>
— Kirstie Alley (@kirstiealley) <a href="https://twitter.com/kirstiealley/status/1347763386151526402?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 9, 2021</a></blockquote>
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Kirstie Alley was majorly called “tone deaf” for her Twitter statement on Donald Trump’s ban on the same social media platform.

The actress Kirstie Alley has previously voiced support for <a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a>.&nbsp;

Twitter along with other social media channels banned Trump after the US Capitol was mobbed by Trump supporters -- wearing hats with his slogan and waving flags with his name -- who overwhelmed the security forces.

American actress Kirstie Alley stoked a debate online after she equated Donald Trump’s Twitter ban with “slavery”. Over the weekend, after it was announced that Trump was banned from Twitter, she outraged and shared a tweet containing a statement made by American Civil Liberties Union lawyer Kate Ruane.

American actress Kirstie Alley stoked a debate online after she equated Donald Trump’s Twitter ban with “slavery”. Over the weekend, after it was announced that Trump was banned from Twitter, she outraged and shared a tweet containing a statement made by American Civil Liberties Union lawyer Kate Ruane. In the tweet, ‘Cheers’ actress said, “It should concern everyone when companies like Facebook and Twitter wield the unchecked power to remove people from platforms that have become indispensable for the speech of billions.” “ALL people should be concerned is the KEY here,” Alley wrote in her own tweet. “It’s true, the average person will no longer have a platform to speak their views. This is called SLAVERY. This censorship proves BIG TECH now holds the keys to the chains.” Celebrities who supported Donald Trump in US Elections 2020 The statement within seconds started getting attention and not in the manner she must have expected. Twitterati slammed her choice of words as one user said, “This is a shocking minimization of the sheer vicious brutality of real slavery,” while others “shamed” her for equating the two. Hey @jack Why didn’t you suspend these four people’s accounts for inciting riots for months? 30 people died..billions of property destroyed .. millions terrorized ? Bueller Bueller? https://t.co/fWEQqOpcAM — Kirstie Alley (@kirstiealley) January 9, 2021 × Kirstie Alley was majorly called “tone deaf” for her Twitter statement on Donald Trump’s ban on the same social media platform. The actress Kirstie Alley has previously voiced support for Donald Trump. Twitter along with other social media channels banned Trump after the US Capitol was mobbed by Trump supporters -- wearing hats with his slogan and waving flags with his name -- who overwhelmed the security forces.

US actress Kirstie Alley slammed for equating Donald Trump's Twitter ban to 'slavery'

Barely 11 months after President Donald Trump was acquitted in a momentous Senate trial, the nation now confronts the possibility of yet another impeachment battle in the twilight of his presidency, a final showdown that will test the boundaries of politics, accountability and the Constitution.

No president has ever been impeached for high crimes and misdemeanors twice. But House Speaker Nancy Pelosi was weighing bringing a new article of impeachment to the House floor as early as Monday charging Trump with “incitement of insurrection” for encouraging the mob that ransacked the Capitol to disrupt the solemn process finishing his own election defeat.

If Pelosi proceeds, the House could approve the article in days, this time with the support of even some disaffected Republicans, sending it to the Senate for a new trial unlike any of the previous three in American history.

While it seemed unlikely that 17 Senate Republicans would join Democrats for the two-thirds majority necessary for conviction, the anger at Trump was so palpable that party leaders said privately it was not out of the question.

The fresh bid to remove Trump from office and strip him of his power without waiting until his term expires Jan. 20 capped a traumatic week that rattled Washington more than any since the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, as National Guard troops stood watch over the Capitol and downtown businesses remained boarded up.

Emotions were raw. The White House was in meltdown. The military was on edge. The Cabinet was in revolt. The Republican Party was in civil war. And an unrepentant president was in hiding, stripped of his social media bullhorn, ostracized by many allies and at odds even with his staff and loyal vice president.

The storming of the Capitol by Trump’s supporters that left five people dead, among them a police officer, transformed the politics of the city in ways that were still hard to measure. A new impeachment would be more than a do-over of the drive that failed last year because this time the offense was not a phone call to a foreign leader captured on the dry pages of a transcript but the siege of American democracy played out live on television for all to see.

“Insurrectionists incited by Mr. Trump attacked our nation’s Capitol to stop Congress from accepting the Electoral College results,” said Rep. Ted Lieu of California, who began drafting the article of impeachment with Rep. David Cicilline of Rhode Island while sheltering during the Capitol takeover and was later joined by Jamie Raskin of Maryland. “People died. We cannot just issue sternly worded press releases as a response. Unless Trump resigns, Congress must impeach to hold him accountable.”

Yet the timing of such an effort, with just 11 days until Trump is to leave office, scrambled the equation. Sen. Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, the Republican leader, indicated that under Senate rules a trial could not begin until Jan. 19, the day before President-elect Joe Biden’s inauguration, meaning the process would not advance quickly enough to avert any feared dangerous moves in Trump’s last days in power.

That raised the prospect of conducting a trial after Trump vacates the White House, overshadowing the opening days of Biden’s administration at a time when he would like to turn the page and confront crises like the coronavirus pandemic, which has grown even deadlier while attention has focused on Washington’s political wars. A nationally televised trial could dominate discussion and would prevent other business in the Senate.

“If the House does send articles of impeachment over, they really get the Biden administration off to a bad start,” Sen. Roy Blunt, R-Mo., said in an interview Saturday. “Whether that’s the first 10 days or the first 20 days of the Biden administration, it’s certainly not how you’d want to start your presidency off.”

Some of Trump’s critics argued that it would be important to hold a trial even if he is already out of power in order to bar him from ever seeking office again, a penalty envisioned by the Constitution — and perhaps more important, to render a verdict condemning his actions for the sake of history.

“We’ve never had to consider even the possibility of impeaching a president twice, or in the final days of his presidency,” said Michael J. Gerhardt, a constitutional scholar at the University of North Carolina who testified in Trump’s first impeachment and favors another trial. “But we’ve never had a president before who’s encouraging sedition as Trump has done in his last few days in office.”

Yet even some of the president’s harshest critics worried that a last-minute impeachment and an overtime trial could help him rally supporters by presenting himself as a victim not a villain, allowing him to turn the focus from his own actions to those of his opponents.

“It historically will be important,” said Andrew Weissmann, who was a deputy to special counsel Robert Mueller and recently published a book, “Where Law Ends,” expressing frustration that the president was not held fully accountable for his actions during the Russia investigation. “But the danger is he is acquitted and the momentum of condemnation now is lost. Plus, until we change the mentality of his base, we have not gotten at the underlying issue.”

At the moment, a strong majority of Americans holds Trump responsible for the attack, with 63% saying he has a good amount or even a great deal of blame, according to a PBS Newshour-Marist poll. But when asked whether steps should be taken to remove him from office as a result, Americans retreated to their partisan corners, with 48% saying yes and 49% saying no.

A Reuters-Ipsos survey found that 57% of Americans want Trump to leave office right away. But most of them favored removal by Vice President Mike Pence and the Cabinet through the disability clause of the 25th Amendment, with just 14% calling for another impeachment.

Trump has few defenders among Republican officeholders for exhorting the crowd before it marched on the Capitol and even some in the conservative news media turned on him, most notably The Wall Street Journal editorial page, which called his actions “impeachable” and urged him to resign.

Sen. Patrick Toomey of Pennsylvania, told Fox News on Saturday that “the president committed impeachable offenses,” joining at least three other Senate Republicans who have called on Trump to resign, expressed openness to impeachment or voted for conviction last year.

But in the face of impeachment threats, some Republicans began taking up the fight against his opponents again. They may not like Trump or believe it is politically viable to be seen as excusing his behavior but many are still energized by battling his enemies on the left.

On Sean Hannity’s Fox News program Friday night, Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., who was accosted by Trump supporters at an airport for opposing the president’s efforts to overturn the election, was suddenly back to castigating Trump’s rivals and talking about Hunter Biden.

Graham focused on Trump’s video message Thursday calling for healing and reconciliation, a video the president privately expressed regret for making. “Instead of trying to match what President Trump has done, the radical Democrats are talking about another impeachment that will destroy the country even further,” Graham said.

Still, Trump might have a challenge finding lawyers to defend him in any trial. Jay Sekulow, who was a leader of the defense team in the impeachment trial last year, called the idea of a second impeachment a “gigantic mistake” by Democrats during a radio show, but has not participated in Trump’s legal efforts to overturn Biden’s election and did not respond to a message asking if he would represent the president again. Pat A. Cipollone, the White House counsel who teamed up with Sekulow, has been so upset about the Capitol attack that he has considered resigning.

One of the few members of his defense team who said he would stick with the president was Alan Dershowitz, a Harvard Law School emeritus professor who had a secondary role last time. In an email Saturday, he said he would defend Trump on free expression grounds.

“Trump’s speech, whatever one may think of it on the merits, is clearly protected by the First Amendment,” he said. “To impeach him for a constitutionally protected speech would violate both the First Amendment and the constitutional criteria for impeachment and would do enduring damage to the Constitution.”

Barely 11 months after President Donald Trump was acquitted in a momentous Senate trial, the nation now confronts the possibility of yet another impeachment battle in the twilight of his presidency, a final showdown that will test the boundaries of politics, accountability and the Constitution.

Barely 11 months after President Donald Trump was acquitted in a momentous Senate trial, the nation now confronts the possibility of yet another impeachment battle in the twilight of his presidency, a final showdown that will test the boundaries of politics, accountability and the Constitution. No president has ever been impeached for high crimes and misdemeanors twice. But House Speaker Nancy Pelosi was weighing bringing a new article of impeachment to the House floor as early as Monday charging Trump with “incitement of insurrection” for encouraging the mob that ransacked the Capitol to disrupt the solemn process finishing his own election defeat. If Pelosi proceeds, the House could approve the article in days, this time with the support of even some disaffected Republicans, sending it to the Senate for a new trial unlike any of the previous three in American history. While it seemed unlikely that 17 Senate Republicans would join Democrats for the two-thirds majority necessary for conviction, the anger at Trump was so palpable that party leaders said privately it was not out of the question. The fresh bid to remove Trump from office and strip him of his power without waiting until his term expires Jan. 20 capped a traumatic week that rattled Washington more than any since the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, as National Guard troops stood watch over the Capitol and downtown businesses remained boarded up. Emotions were raw. The White House was in meltdown. The military was on edge. The Cabinet was in revolt. The Republican Party was in civil war. And an unrepentant president was in hiding, stripped of his social media bullhorn, ostracized by many allies and at odds even with his staff and loyal vice president. The storming of the Capitol by Trump’s supporters that left five people dead, among them a police officer, transformed the politics of the city in ways that were still hard to measure. A new impeachment would be more than a do-over of the drive that failed last year because this time the offense was not a phone call to a foreign leader captured on the dry pages of a transcript but the siege of American democracy played out live on television for all to see. “Insurrectionists incited by Mr. Trump attacked our nation’s Capitol to stop Congress from accepting the Electoral College results,” said Rep. Ted Lieu of California, who began drafting the article of impeachment with Rep. David Cicilline of Rhode Island while sheltering during the Capitol takeover and was later joined by Jamie Raskin of Maryland. “People died. We cannot just issue sternly worded press releases as a response. Unless Trump resigns, Congress must impeach to hold him accountable.” Yet the timing of such an effort, with just 11 days until Trump is to leave office, scrambled the equation. Sen. Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, the Republican leader, indicated that under Senate rules a trial could not begin until Jan. 19, the day before President-elect Joe Biden’s inauguration, meaning the process would not advance quickly enough to avert any feared dangerous moves in Trump’s last days in power. That raised the prospect of conducting a trial after Trump vacates the White House, overshadowing the opening days of Biden’s administration at a time when he would like to turn the page and confront crises like the coronavirus pandemic, which has grown even deadlier while attention has focused on Washington’s political wars. A nationally televised trial could dominate discussion and would prevent other business in the Senate. “If the House does send articles of impeachment over, they really get the Biden administration off to a bad start,” Sen. Roy Blunt, R-Mo., said in an interview Saturday. “Whether that’s the first 10 days or the first 20 days of the Biden administration, it’s certainly not how you’d want to start your presidency off.” Some of Trump’s critics argued that it would be important to hold a trial even if he is already out of power in order to bar him from ever seeking office again, a penalty envisioned by the Constitution — and perhaps more important, to render a verdict condemning his actions for the sake of history. “We’ve never had to consider even the possibility of impeaching a president twice, or in the final days of his presidency,” said Michael J. Gerhardt, a constitutional scholar at the University of North Carolina who testified in Trump’s first impeachment and favors another trial. “But we’ve never had a president before who’s encouraging sedition as Trump has done in his last few days in office.” Yet even some of the president’s harshest critics worried that a last-minute impeachment and an overtime trial could help him rally supporters by presenting himself as a victim not a villain, allowing him to turn the focus from his own actions to those of his opponents. “It historically will be important,” said Andrew Weissmann, who was a deputy to special counsel Robert Mueller and recently published a book, “Where Law Ends,” expressing frustration that the president was not held fully accountable for his actions during the Russia investigation. “But the danger is he is acquitted and the momentum of condemnation now is lost. Plus, until we change the mentality of his base, we have not gotten at the underlying issue.” At the moment, a strong majority of Americans holds Trump responsible for the attack, with 63% saying he has a good amount or even a great deal of blame, according to a PBS Newshour-Marist poll. But when asked whether steps should be taken to remove him from office as a result, Americans retreated to their partisan corners, with 48% saying yes and 49% saying no. A Reuters-Ipsos survey found that 57% of Americans want Trump to leave office right away. But most of them favored removal by Vice President Mike Pence and the Cabinet through the disability clause of the 25th Amendment, with just 14% calling for another impeachment. Trump has few defenders among Republican officeholders for exhorting the crowd before it marched on the Capitol and even some in the conservative news media turned on him, most notably The Wall Street Journal editorial page, which called his actions “impeachable” and urged him to resign. Sen. Patrick Toomey of Pennsylvania, told Fox News on Saturday that “the president committed impeachable offenses,” joining at least three other Senate Republicans who have called on Trump to resign, expressed openness to impeachment or voted for conviction last year. But in the face of impeachment threats, some Republicans began taking up the fight against his opponents again. They may not like Trump or believe it is politically viable to be seen as excusing his behavior but many are still energized by battling his enemies on the left. On Sean Hannity’s Fox News program Friday night, Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., who was accosted by Trump supporters at an airport for opposing the president’s efforts to overturn the election, was suddenly back to castigating Trump’s rivals and talking about Hunter Biden. Graham focused on Trump’s video message Thursday calling for healing and reconciliation, a video the president privately expressed regret for making. “Instead of trying to match what President Trump has done, the radical Democrats are talking about another impeachment that will destroy the country even further,” Graham said. Still, Trump might have a challenge finding lawyers to defend him in any trial. Jay Sekulow, who was a leader of the defense team in the impeachment trial last year, called the idea of a second impeachment a “gigantic mistake” by Democrats during a radio show, but has not participated in Trump’s legal efforts to overturn Biden’s election and did not respond to a message asking if he would represent the president again. Pat A. Cipollone, the White House counsel who teamed up with Sekulow, has been so upset about the Capitol attack that he has considered resigning. One of the few members of his defense team who said he would stick with the president was Alan Dershowitz, a Harvard Law School emeritus professor who had a secondary role last time. In an email Saturday, he said he would defend Trump on free expression grounds. “Trump’s speech, whatever one may think of it on the merits, is clearly protected by the First Amendment,” he said. “To impeach him for a constitutionally protected speech would violate both the First Amendment and the constitutional criteria for impeachment and would do enduring damage to the Constitution.”

For Trump and the nation, a final test of accountability

Hours after hundreds of President Donald Trump's supporters stormed the U.S. Capitol in a harrowing assault on American democracy, a shaken Congress on Thursday formally certified Democrat Joe Biden’s election victory.

US Congress confirms Biden's victory after harrowing Capitol Hill assault

U.S. President-elect Joe Biden said he had believed for a long time that President Donald Trump was not fit for office, but it was up to Congress to decide on a second impeachment of the Republican president after Wednesday's storming of the Capitol.

Biden says Trump is unfit, but impeachment is for Congress to decide

A lot is at stake after Donald Trump conceded defeat and accepted that Joe Biden has won the US election to become the next president. Among other things, there are people in line for pardon from Trump.

Rappers Lil Wayne and Kodak Black are among the celebrities in line for President <a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a>’s pardons.

According to a report from Bloomberg, Trump is considering pardoning Lil Wayne, with whom he posed for a photo during the presidential campaign. Lil Wayne pled guilty in federal district court in December for illegally possessing a loaded, gold-plated handgun, while traveling to Florida on a private plane in 2019. He could serve up to 10 years in jail. He’s previously served eight months in jail in New York after being convicted of criminal possession of a weapon.

Another celebrity on his list is rapper Kodak Black who was sentenced to 46 months in prison on federal weapons charges. Kodak Black had admitted to lying on background-check forms while buying multiple firearms. Two of the weapons were later found by police at crime scenes, including one with Kodak Black’s fingerprints and a live round in the chamber that had been used to fire at a rap artist.&nbsp;

Trump plans on announcing the pardons on what is expected to be his final day in office, January 19.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/entertainment/singer-jay-kay-denies-being-at-the-capitol-hill-as-fans-mistake-him-for-one-of-the-rioters-355264" hreflang="en">Singer Jay Kay denies being at the Capitol Hill as fans mistake him for one of the rioters</a>

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/entertainment/hollywood/news-unimaginable-and-disgraceful-hollywood-reacts-to-capitol-attack-355175" hreflang="en">'Unimaginable and Disgraceful', Hollywood reacts to Capitol attack</a>

&nbsp;

A lot is at stake after Donald Trump conceded defeat and accepted that Joe Biden has won the US election to become the next president. Among other things, there are people in line for pardon from Trump.

A lot is at stake after Donald Trump conceded defeat and accepted that Joe Biden has won the US election to become the next president. Among other things, there are people in line for pardon from Trump. Rappers Lil Wayne and Kodak Black are among the celebrities in line for President Donald Trump’s pardons. According to a report from Bloomberg, Trump is considering pardoning Lil Wayne, with whom he posed for a photo during the presidential campaign. Lil Wayne pled guilty in federal district court in December for illegally possessing a loaded, gold-plated handgun, while traveling to Florida on a private plane in 2019. He could serve up to 10 years in jail. He’s previously served eight months in jail in New York after being convicted of criminal possession of a weapon. Another celebrity on his list is rapper Kodak Black who was sentenced to 46 months in prison on federal weapons charges. Kodak Black had admitted to lying on background-check forms while buying multiple firearms. Two of the weapons were later found by police at crime scenes, including one with Kodak Black’s fingerprints and a live round in the chamber that had been used to fire at a rap artist. Trump plans on announcing the pardons on what is expected to be his final day in office, January 19. Singer Jay Kay denies being at the Capitol Hill as fans mistake him for one of the rioters 'Unimaginable and Disgraceful', Hollywood reacts to Capitol attack

Rappers Lil Wayne, Kodak Black in line for Donald Trump's pardons for these crimes

U.S. President Donald Trump has finally conceded defeat. As the call for Trump's removal grows, reports say Trump is planning to pardon himself. Can he do that?

Gravitas: Trump concedes defeat, finally.

The head of the EU executive called violence at the U.S. Capitol "outrageous" on Thursday (January 7) but said the fact Joe Biden was still confirmed by Congress proved that American democracy was resilient.

EU Chief: US Capitol violence 'outrageous' but US democracy is strong

The US President Donald Trump faced the threat on Thursday of a second impeachment, a day after his supporters breached the U.S. Capitol in a stunning assault on American democracy as Congress was certifying President-elect Joe Biden's victory.

Trump faces calls for removal, possible impeachment after US Capitol chaos

President Donald Trump conceded for the first time on Thursday (January 7) that Joe Biden will be the next U.S. president, a day after his supporters stormed the U.S. Capitol as Congress was certifying Biden's victory.

Trump acknowledges Biden victory; condemns 'heinous attack' on Capitol

Supporters of President Donald Trump who stormed the U.S. Capitol, breaking windows and stealing things, could face charges including sedition, insurrection and rioting, Washington, D.C.'s top federal prosecutor said on Thursday.

Trump supporters who stormed US Capitol could face sedition charges

Hundreds of President Donald Trump's supporters stormed the U.S. Capitol on Wednesday (January 6) in a bid to overturn his election defeat, occupying the symbol of American democracy and forcing Congress to suspend a session to certify President-elect Joe Biden's victory.

US Capitol invaders smash windows, destroy furniture

Hundreds of President Donald Trump's supporters stormed the U.S. Capitol on Wednesday in a bid to overturn his election defeat, occupying the symbol of American democracy and forcing Congress to suspend a session to certify President-elect Joe Biden's victory.

Woman shot dead inside Capitol during riots, succumbs to injuries

Vice President Mike Pence condemned the violent supporters of President Donald Trump who stormed the U.S. Capitol on Wednesday (January 6) in an attempt to block certification of the presidential election results, as the U.S. Senate resumed its vote count after an hours-long delay.

US Congress reconvenes session to certify Joe Biden's victory

Trump supporters storm U.S. Capitol in a bid to overturn election defeat

Congress debates certification of Biden's win after Trump supporters storm US Capitol

US Congress certifies Biden win hours after harrowing Capitol Hill assault

Twitter blocks Donald Trump's account, threatens permanent ban over inciting violence

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday expressed shock and outrage at the storming of the US Capitol in Washington by supporters of President Donald Trump.

World leaders condemn riots and violence at US Capitol

A South Korean tank was seized by Iran in the Strait of Hormuz. The Iranian forces say the ship held because it was polluting the Persian gulf with chemicals but only the naive would believe that justification. Iran was flexing its dominance in the area and in doing so, sending a clear signal to both South Korea and more importantly the US.

This development comes amid rising tension between Iran and the outgoing Trump administration.

On Monday, Iran resumed enriching uranium once again. This a significant breach of the 2015 nuclear accord and was done to retaliate against Washington. The US had withdrawn from the agreement in 2019 and reimposed sanctions against Tehran.

In another showcase of its military might, today Iran began a massive military drone exercise.&nbsp;This is the first large-scale drone-only drill that Iran is known to have conducted.

Have a look|&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/year-after-soleimani-killing-iran-unleashes-kamikaze-drones-amid-tensions-with-us-354630">Year after Soleimani killing, Iran unleashes 'kamikaze' drones amid tensions with US</a>

Iran is also angry about the killing of its top nuclear scientist&nbsp;which Tehran blames on Israel, an ally of the US.

So how did South Korea, a small country in Asia get caught up in the middle of Iran-US tensions?

On Monday, a South Korean oil tanker was travelling from Saudi Arabia to the UAE when it was flanked by Iran's revolutionary guards.&nbsp;It was escorted by Iranian forces to the port city of Bandar abbas.

All this occurred in a narrow stretch of sea called the Strait of Hormuz. Just around 21 miles wide, this strip of sea between Oman and Iran is the most sensitive choke point for all global oil supply. All tankers carrying crude oil from ports on the Persian Gulf must pass through this strait.

In 2018, the daily oil flow in this area averaged 21 million barrels per day. This is the equivalent of about 21 per cent of global petroleum consumption.

This is not the first time that Iran has seized ships of other countries. It has a history of seizing ships, especially if they belong to countries which have disputes with Tehran, and South Korea is currently not in Iran's good books.

South Korea is withholding billions of dollars of Iranian oil export revenue. Seoul is following US sanctions against Iran. South Korea demanded the immediate release of its vessel and dispatched its own forces to the area.

This comes just days ahead of a planned visit by South Korea's deputy foreign minister to Tehran.

Analysts say seizing the oil tanker was Iran's bid to force South Korea to come to the table and discuss repatriation of the Iranian money. So far Iran remains defiant.

A government&nbsp;spokesperson today said it's the Korean government holding Iranian money hostage.&nbsp;"If there is any hostage-taking, it is Korea's government that is holding more than $7 billion, which belongs to us, hostage on baseless grounds," said&nbsp;Iranian government spokesman.

However, Iran's move might have backfired as a South Korean foreign official has said that the deputy foreign minister's visit was now up in the air and the country's focus was now to free the 20 crew members of the ship.

A South Korean tank was seized by Iran in the Strait of Hormuz. The Iranian forces say the ship held because it was polluting the Persian gulf with chemicals but only the naive would believe that justification.

A South Korean tank was seized by Iran in the Strait of Hormuz. The Iranian forces say the ship held because it was polluting the Persian gulf with chemicals but only the naive would believe that justification. Iran was flexing its dominance in the area and in doing so, sending a clear signal to both South Korea and more importantly the US. This development comes amid rising tension between Iran and the outgoing Trump administration. On Monday, Iran resumed enriching uranium once again. This a significant breach of the 2015 nuclear accord and was done to retaliate against Washington. The US had withdrawn from the agreement in 2019 and reimposed sanctions against Tehran. In another showcase of its military might, today Iran began a massive military drone exercise. This is the first large-scale drone-only drill that Iran is known to have conducted. Have a look| Year after Soleimani killing, Iran unleashes 'kamikaze' drones amid tensions with US Iran is also angry about the killing of its top nuclear scientist which Tehran blames on Israel, an ally of the US. So how did South Korea, a small country in Asia get caught up in the middle of Iran-US tensions? On Monday, a South Korean oil tanker was travelling from Saudi Arabia to the UAE when it was flanked by Iran's revolutionary guards. It was escorted by Iranian forces to the port city of Bandar abbas. All this occurred in a narrow stretch of sea called the Strait of Hormuz. Just around 21 miles wide, this strip of sea between Oman and Iran is the most sensitive choke point for all global oil supply. All tankers carrying crude oil from ports on the Persian Gulf must pass through this strait. In 2018, the daily oil flow in this area averaged 21 million barrels per day. This is the equivalent of about 21 per cent of global petroleum consumption. This is not the first time that Iran has seized ships of other countries. It has a history of seizing ships, especially if they belong to countries which have disputes with Tehran, and South Korea is currently not in Iran's good books. South Korea is withholding billions of dollars of Iranian oil export revenue. Seoul is following US sanctions against Iran. South Korea demanded the immediate release of its vessel and dispatched its own forces to the area. This comes just days ahead of a planned visit by South Korea's deputy foreign minister to Tehran. Analysts say seizing the oil tanker was Iran's bid to force South Korea to come to the table and discuss repatriation of the Iranian money. So far Iran remains defiant. A government spokesperson today said it's the Korean government holding Iranian money hostage. "If there is any hostage-taking, it is Korea's government that is holding more than $7 billion, which belongs to us, hostage on baseless grounds," said Iranian government spokesman. However, Iran's move might have backfired as a South Korean foreign official has said that the deputy foreign minister's visit was now up in the air and the country's focus was now to free the 20 crew members of the ship.

Enriching uranium, showcase of drones and seizing South Korean tank: Iran shows its military might

U.S. President Donald Trump pressured Georgia's top election official to "find" enough votes to overturn his defeat in the southern state, according to a recording of the hour-long call published by U.S. media on Sunday (January 3).

Donald Trump pressures Georgia official to 'find' votes to overturn election

Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif urged U.S. President Donald Trump on Saturday not to be "trapped" by an alleged Israeli plan to provoke a war through attacks on U.S. forces in Iraq.

Fineprint: Iran's Foreign Minister urges Trump to avoid Israel 'trap' to provoke war

The veteran US lawmaker Ted Cruz and a few others have declared they would not be willing to vote next week to certify the President-elect Joe Biden's US election 2020 win, which is being considered one last try by the Republican party to make the outgoing President Donald Trump spin the election result.

Growing number of Republicans backing Donald Trump

After weeks of vowing to win his fight to remain in office, U.S. President Donald Trump issued a video on Thursday looking back on what he called "historic victories" and said: "We have to be remembered for what's been done."

Donald Trump: We have to be remembered for what's been done

The leader of majority in US Senate - Mitch McConnell on Tuesday delayed the vote on increasing coronavirus relief cheques from $2000 to $600, challenging fellow Republican and incumbent President Donald Trump’s calls for increase the stimulus amount.

Earlier, US House of Representatives - with Democrat majority gave the green light to the jump, which was perhaps the first instance of Democrats supporting a move by Trump.

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/us-judge-orders-two-georgia-counties-to-halt-voter-purge-353246/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

McConnell also urged senators to override Trump’s veto of a defence bill, which marks a rare challenge within the Republican Party.

On Tuesday, Trump attacked Republican leaders, asking them to increase the cheques, while urging them to support his veto of the defense bill, which he wants scrapped because of the legal protections it gives to social media companies.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://13.235.153.162/world/in-rare-agreement-with-trump-democrat-led-us-house-approves-demand-for-increasing-coronavirus-relief-amount-353044" hreflang="en">In rare agreement with Trump, Democrat-led US House approves demand for increasing coronavirus relief amount</a>

Trump had tweeted that the Senate ought to approve higher stimulus amount as soon as possible, ‘’unless Republicans have a death wish’’.

Next week, the control of US Senate will be determined in the Georgia run offs.

Many Republican senators support raising the amount of stimulus cheques, including two who are running in the Georgia races - David Purdue, and Kelly Loeffler.

But many Republicans worry about its cost to taxpayers, and remain opposed to the move.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://13.235.153.162/world/us-house-approves-bill-to-widen-marijuana-research-348722" hreflang="en">US House approves bill to widen marijuana research</a>

Democrats, who have lent support to the $2000 cheques believe that this will play into their favour in Georgia.

On Tuesday, McConnell introduced a bill which combined $2,000 cheques with a provision to scrap legal protections for social media companies, and another which refers to the study of election security.

Trump has repeatedly claimed that election fraud led to his loss, with no evidence.

The leader of majority in US Senate - Mitch McConnell on Tuesday delayed the vote on increasing coronavirus relief cheques from $2000 to $600, challenging fellow Republican and incumbent President Donald Trump’s calls for increase the stimulus amount.

The leader of majority in US Senate - Mitch McConnell on Tuesday delayed the vote on increasing coronavirus relief cheques from $2000 to $600, challenging fellow Republican and incumbent President Donald Trump’s calls for increase the stimulus amount. Earlier, US House of Representatives - with Democrat majority gave the green light to the jump, which was perhaps the first instance of Democrats supporting a move by Trump. McConnell also urged senators to override Trump’s veto of a defence bill, which marks a rare challenge within the Republican Party. On Tuesday, Trump attacked Republican leaders, asking them to increase the cheques, while urging them to support his veto of the defense bill, which he wants scrapped because of the legal protections it gives to social media companies. Also read: In rare agreement with Trump, Democrat-led US House approves demand for increasing coronavirus relief amount Trump had tweeted that the Senate ought to approve higher stimulus amount as soon as possible, ‘’unless Republicans have a death wish’’. Next week, the control of US Senate will be determined in the Georgia run offs. Many Republican senators support raising the amount of stimulus cheques, including two who are running in the Georgia races - David Purdue, and Kelly Loeffler. But many Republicans worry about its cost to taxpayers, and remain opposed to the move. Also read: US House approves bill to widen marijuana research Democrats, who have lent support to the $2000 cheques believe that this will play into their favour in Georgia. On Tuesday, McConnell introduced a bill which combined $2,000 cheques with a provision to scrap legal protections for social media companies, and another which refers to the study of election security. Trump has repeatedly claimed that election fraud led to his loss, with no evidence.

Countering Trump, Republican McConnell puts off Senate vote on increasing stimulus cheques to $2000

The institution of the Dalai Lama has its foundation on reincarnation. Traditionally, the Dalai Lama has always chosen his successor. China now wants to cherry-pick the next Tibetan spiritual leader. Palki Sharma Upadhyay tells you why.

Gravitas: Will China pick the next Dalai Lama?

US President Donald Trump has signed a bill that reaffirms the right of Tibetans to pick the next Dalai Lama. The law also includes a demand for a consulate in Tibet. Palki Sharma Upadhyay tells you how 5 provisions of this new law strengthen the 'Free Tibet' campaign.

Gravitas: US to demand a consulate in Tibet

From re-education camps to the destruction of places of worship - China is waging an assault on the identity of Tibetans. Palki Sharma Upadhyay tells you what China is doing to Tibet.

Gravitas: How China is waging an assault on the Tibetan identity

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