Kamala Harris on Wednesday became the first woman Vice President of the United States, during a ceremony which took place at the West Front of the Capitol. 56-year-old Harris is the country's 49th Vice President and will serve as the deputy of 46th American President - Joe Biden.

Harris took over the duties of VP from Mike Pence, while Biden succeeded Donald Trump.

In her first tweet as Vice President, Harris exclaimed - "Ready to serve". Besides being the first-ever woman Vice President of the country, Harris is also the first Black and first South Asian Vice President of the United States.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/as-joe-biden-and-kamala-harris-make-history-in-us-reactions-from-world-leaders-pour-in-358127" hreflang="en">As Joe Biden and Kamala Harris make history in US, reactions from world leaders pour in</a>

Harris is the daughter of Indian immigrants coming from Chennai. Her husband is also making history. Douglas Emhoff is the first "Second Gentleman" of the United States.

Harris' oath was administered by Justice Sonia Sotomayor, the first Latina member of the US Supreme Court. Harris was sworn in on two Bibles - one belonging to a close family friend Regina Shelton, and the other belonging to Thurgood Marshall - the first African American Supreme Court justice.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/joe-biden-sworn-in-as-46th-president-of-united-states-358118" hreflang="en">Joe Biden sworn in as 46th President of United States</a>

Harris' mom is Indian, while her father is from Jamaica. She was born in Oakland, California in 1964.

Harris is a woman of many firsts. In 2003, she won her first race for San Francisco's district attorney, who became the first Black women to hold office in California. When she was elected as California's attorney general in 2010, she became the first Black woman to do so. In 2016, she became the second Black woman to be elected as a US senator. And today, she made history again.

Kamala Harris on Wednesday became the first woman Vice President of the United States, during a ceremony which took place at the West Front of the Capitol. 56-year-old Harris is the country's 49th Vice President and will serve as the deputy of 46th American President - Joe Biden.

Kamala Harris on Wednesday became the first woman Vice President of the United States, during a ceremony which took place at the West Front of the Capitol. 56-year-old Harris is the country's 49th Vice President and will serve as the deputy of 46th American President - Joe Biden. Harris took over the duties of VP from Mike Pence, while Biden succeeded Donald Trump. In her first tweet as Vice President, Harris exclaimed - "Ready to serve". Besides being the first-ever woman Vice President of the country, Harris is also the first Black and first South Asian Vice President of the United States. Also read: As Joe Biden and Kamala Harris make history in US, reactions from world leaders pour in Harris is the daughter of Indian immigrants coming from Chennai. Her husband is also making history. Douglas Emhoff is the first "Second Gentleman" of the United States. Harris' oath was administered by Justice Sonia Sotomayor, the first Latina member of the US Supreme Court. Harris was sworn in on two Bibles - one belonging to a close family friend Regina Shelton, and the other belonging to Thurgood Marshall - the first African American Supreme Court justice. Also read: Joe Biden sworn in as 46th President of United States Harris' mom is Indian, while her father is from Jamaica. She was born in Oakland, California in 1964. Harris is a woman of many firsts. In 2003, she won her first race for San Francisco's district attorney, who became the first Black women to hold office in California. When she was elected as California's attorney general in 2010, she became the first Black woman to do so. In 2016, she became the second Black woman to be elected as a US senator. And today, she made history again.

Kamala Harris breaks barriers as America's first Black, South Asian woman Vice President

On the final full day of the Trump presidency, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo declared that China was carrying out a genocide against Uighurs and other Muslim people, the toughest condemnation yet of Beijing’s crackdown in its far western region of Xinjiang.

The announcement was welcomed by exiled Uighurs as a long-desired recognition of the extent of oppression in Xinjiang. It was also criticized as a move that was delayed for too long and tainted by the Trump administration’s loss of credibility and efforts to overturn the presidential election results.\

Watch |&nbsp;

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/china-committed-genocide-against-uighur-muslims-says-former-secretary-of-state-mike-pompeo-358251/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

The incoming Biden administration has indicated its general agreement with the designation. A spokesperson for Joe Biden said during the presidential campaign last year that Beijing’s policies in the region amounted to genocide.

Here’s a look at the Xinjiang region, China’s crackdown there and what the genocide declaration could mean for the global response.

<h2>Where is Xinjiang and why does it matter to China?</h2>

Xinjiang, in the far northwestern region of China, has large numbers of Uighurs, Kazakhs and other mostly Muslim groups. It is culturally, linguistically and religiously more similar to Central Asia than the Chinese interior.

The geography is dominated by the vast Taklamakan Desert in the center of the region, multiple mountain ranges and traditional oasis cities in the south. The area is rich in natural resources and has some of China’s largest oil deposits.

The Communist Party has ruled the region with a heavy hand since it took over control in 1949. To many Uighurs, Xinjiang is known as East Turkestan, a name shared by two short-lived independent republics that existed before the Communist takeover.

<h2>What is happening there?</h2>

Uighurs have long bridled at Chinese control of the region, which has seen an influx of ethnic Chinese migrants and an increase in restrictions on local language, culture and religion. Minority groups in Xinjiang say they are not given jobs or contracts because of widespread racial discrimination.

The resentment has sometimes boiled over into violence, including attacks on police officers and civilians. In 2009, nearly 200 people, mostly Han Chinese, were killed in riots in Urumqi, the regional capital.

In 2016, a new Communist Party boss, Chen Quanguo, transferred to Xinjiang from Tibet. He began carrying out an intensified campaign of repression, putting large numbers of Uighurs, Kazakhs and other minority groups in re-education camps.

Under Chen, the use of surveillance, in the form of both high-tech facial recognition monitoring and traditional measures like police checkpoints, surged in the region. China has also attempted to control the growth of the Uighur population, and researchers say it has used repressive methods such as forced sterilizations.

Large numbers of children in Xinjiang have been placed in boarding schools designed to assimilate and indoctrinate them, according to the government’s published plans. And authorities have carried out the widespread destruction of mosques and shrines while turning others into tourist sites.

<h2>What are the camps?</h2>

Officials have held 1 million or more people in internment camps in Xinjiang, the country’s most sweeping mass detention program since the Mao era. A wide range of behavior can lead to detention, including acts of religious devotion, travel to certain countries, violations of birth restrictions or installing cellphone apps that allow encrypted messaging.

Authorities at first denied the mass detentions. Then they acknowledged what they called a vocational training program meant to curb terrorism, separatism and religious extremism by giving people job skills and Chinese language training. Those who have been held in camps describe a rigorous prison environment filled with monotonous political indoctrination and, for many, terrorizing bouts of violence and physical abuse by guards.

In 2019, Chinese authorities said they had wound down the program and released most of those who were held, an assertion that was met with wide skepticism by researchers and activist groups. While there were signs that some camps had been closed and some of those held released, China has also continued to expand detention facilities in the region, particularly high-security prisons.

The region also experienced a record surge in arrests, trials and prison sentences, according to official data released in 2019. In addition, the authorities have pushed work programs in Xinjiang, including the transfer of workers within the region and to other parts of China, that critics say most likely involve coercion and forced labor.

<h2>Why, in the U.S. view at least, do China’s actions in Xinjiang amount to genocide?</h2>

In his statement, Pompeo said Chinese authorities in Xinjiang had committed crimes against humanity that include arbitrary imprisonment, forced sterilization, torture, forced labor and “draconian restrictions” on freedom of religion, expression and movement.

He added that the United States believes that Chinese authorities have committed genocide because they had “engaged in the forced assimilation and eventual erasure of a vulnerable ethnic and religious minority group.”

The 1948 Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide, which has been ratified by at least 149 countries including China, defines genocide as any of these acts committed with the intent to destroy a national, ethnic, racial or religious group: Killing its members; causing them serious bodily or mental harm; deliberately inflicting conditions calculated to cause the group’s physical destruction; imposing measures intended to prevent births within the group; and forcibly transferring children of the group to another group.

<h2>How has the world responded?</h2>

The global response to the repression in Xinjiang has been relatively muted, an indication of China’s global clout. Over the past year, the United States has imposed sanctions on Chinese officials, companies and government bodies operating in Xinjiang.

The genocide declaration is the sharpest response thus far. Last year, a Canadian parliamentary subcommittee reached the same conclusion. The declaration by Pompeo could lead to further penalties by the United States, but those decisions will now be in the hands of the Biden administration.

One test will be whether the Biden administration will try to persuade U.S. allies to support efforts to confront Beijing over its oppression in Xinjiang in a way the Trump administration did not. During his Senate confirmation hearing Tuesday, Antony Blinken, Biden’s nominee for secretary of state, indicated that the United States would try to lobby support from other nations.

“When we are working with, not denigrating, our allies, that’s a source of strength for us in dealing with China,” he said.

On the final full day of the Trump presidency, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo declared that China was carrying out a genocide against Uighurs and other Muslim people, the toughest condemnation yet of Beijing’s crackdown in its far western region of Xinjiang.

On the final full day of the Trump presidency, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo declared that China was carrying out a genocide against Uighurs and other Muslim people, the toughest condemnation yet of Beijing’s crackdown in its far western region of Xinjiang. The announcement was welcomed by exiled Uighurs as a long-desired recognition of the extent of oppression in Xinjiang. It was also criticized as a move that was delayed for too long and tainted by the Trump administration’s loss of credibility and efforts to overturn the presidential election results.\ Watch | The incoming Biden administration has indicated its general agreement with the designation. A spokesperson for Joe Biden said during the presidential campaign last year that Beijing’s policies in the region amounted to genocide. Here’s a look at the Xinjiang region, China’s crackdown there and what the genocide declaration could mean for the global response. Where is Xinjiang and why does it matter to China? Xinjiang, in the far northwestern region of China, has large numbers of Uighurs, Kazakhs and other mostly Muslim groups. It is culturally, linguistically and religiously more similar to Central Asia than the Chinese interior. The geography is dominated by the vast Taklamakan Desert in the center of the region, multiple mountain ranges and traditional oasis cities in the south. The area is rich in natural resources and has some of China’s largest oil deposits. The Communist Party has ruled the region with a heavy hand since it took over control in 1949. To many Uighurs, Xinjiang is known as East Turkestan, a name shared by two short-lived independent republics that existed before the Communist takeover. What is happening there? Uighurs have long bridled at Chinese control of the region, which has seen an influx of ethnic Chinese migrants and an increase in restrictions on local language, culture and religion. Minority groups in Xinjiang say they are not given jobs or contracts because of widespread racial discrimination. The resentment has sometimes boiled over into violence, including attacks on police officers and civilians. In 2009, nearly 200 people, mostly Han Chinese, were killed in riots in Urumqi, the regional capital. In 2016, a new Communist Party boss, Chen Quanguo, transferred to Xinjiang from Tibet. He began carrying out an intensified campaign of repression, putting large numbers of Uighurs, Kazakhs and other minority groups in re-education camps. Under Chen, the use of surveillance, in the form of both high-tech facial recognition monitoring and traditional measures like police checkpoints, surged in the region. China has also attempted to control the growth of the Uighur population, and researchers say it has used repressive methods such as forced sterilizations. Large numbers of children in Xinjiang have been placed in boarding schools designed to assimilate and indoctrinate them, according to the government’s published plans. And authorities have carried out the widespread destruction of mosques and shrines while turning others into tourist sites. What are the camps? Officials have held 1 million or more people in internment camps in Xinjiang, the country’s most sweeping mass detention program since the Mao era. A wide range of behavior can lead to detention, including acts of religious devotion, travel to certain countries, violations of birth restrictions or installing cellphone apps that allow encrypted messaging. Authorities at first denied the mass detentions. Then they acknowledged what they called a vocational training program meant to curb terrorism, separatism and religious extremism by giving people job skills and Chinese language training. Those who have been held in camps describe a rigorous prison environment filled with monotonous political indoctrination and, for many, terrorizing bouts of violence and physical abuse by guards. In 2019, Chinese authorities said they had wound down the program and released most of those who were held, an assertion that was met with wide skepticism by researchers and activist groups. While there were signs that some camps had been closed and some of those held released, China has also continued to expand detention facilities in the region, particularly high-security prisons. The region also experienced a record surge in arrests, trials and prison sentences, according to official data released in 2019. In addition, the authorities have pushed work programs in Xinjiang, including the transfer of workers within the region and to other parts of China, that critics say most likely involve coercion and forced labor. Why, in the U.S. view at least, do China’s actions in Xinjiang amount to genocide? In his statement, Pompeo said Chinese authorities in Xinjiang had committed crimes against humanity that include arbitrary imprisonment, forced sterilization, torture, forced labor and “draconian restrictions” on freedom of religion, expression and movement. He added that the United States believes that Chinese authorities have committed genocide because they had “engaged in the forced assimilation and eventual erasure of a vulnerable ethnic and religious minority group.” The 1948 Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide, which has been ratified by at least 149 countries including China, defines genocide as any of these acts committed with the intent to destroy a national, ethnic, racial or religious group: Killing its members; causing them serious bodily or mental harm; deliberately inflicting conditions calculated to cause the group’s physical destruction; imposing measures intended to prevent births within the group; and forcibly transferring children of the group to another group. How has the world responded? The global response to the repression in Xinjiang has been relatively muted, an indication of China’s global clout. Over the past year, the United States has imposed sanctions on Chinese officials, companies and government bodies operating in Xinjiang. The genocide declaration is the sharpest response thus far. Last year, a Canadian parliamentary subcommittee reached the same conclusion. The declaration by Pompeo could lead to further penalties by the United States, but those decisions will now be in the hands of the Biden administration. One test will be whether the Biden administration will try to persuade U.S. allies to support efforts to confront Beijing over its oppression in Xinjiang in a way the Trump administration did not. During his Senate confirmation hearing Tuesday, Antony Blinken, Biden’s nominee for secretary of state, indicated that the United States would try to lobby support from other nations. “When we are working with, not denigrating, our allies, that’s a source of strength for us in dealing with China,” he said.

China's oppression of Muslims in Xinjiang, explained

&nbsp;A decade ago, Joe Biden strode into a reception room in Athens for a meeting with the president of Greece, a country then drowning in debt and locked in tense negotiations with the European Union.

“This man represents the Treasury Department,” a deadpan Biden said to his host as he gestured to a gray-suited member of his delegation. “He’s brought hundreds of millions of dollars.”

Watch |&nbsp;

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/republicans-call-for-senate-review-before-us-re-enters-paris-climate-deal-358336/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

The room broke up in laughter. It was clear the vice president had not come with a briefcase of cash to pay off Greece’s debts. But his joke captured a deeper truth: In 2011, many still viewed the United States as the ultimate guarantor of the international order. And Biden clearly saw himself as a steward of that legacy, his easy self-confidence the product of four decades as a globe-trotting senator.

As Biden took the oath of office Wednesday, vowing to “repair our alliances and engage with the world once more,” the question for many overseas is whether they will see this man of the world anytime soon.

In capitals from Europe to Asia, diplomats and foreign policy experts have questioned whether the United States is too divided, too weakened and too preoccupied by internal convulsions to play the kind of leadership role that Biden took for granted as a senator and vice president.

Yet there are reasons to believe as president Biden will be more visible and more of an activist than many expect, even as he grapples with the pandemic, a massive economic recovery effort and the deep divisions left by the Trump era. From the people he has chosen for key foreign policy posts to the travel opportunities he has this year, those who know Biden say he is unlikely to stay off the global stage for long.

“This is a guy who spent 40 years getting to know foreign leaders around the world,” said Peter Westmacott, who lived next door to Biden as British ambassador to Washington during the Obama administration. “Once you’ve got a flavor for international relationships, you don’t turn your back on all that.”

Wolfgang Ischinger, a former German ambassador to the United States, said he expected Biden to draw on his personal relationships to mend bonds with European allies that had been sundered by former President Donald Trump.

“Joe Biden is a master of networking, and he will easily repair the lack of trust,” said Ischinger, who now runs the Munich Security Forum.

Ischinger’s immediate goal is to persuade the president to attend his influential annual conference. He has a decent chance of landing him; Biden has been a staple in Munich for years, most memorably in 2009, when he announced that former President Barack Obama wanted to hit the “reset button” with Russia.

In his inaugural address, Biden said the “world is watching.” He promised that the United States had “come out stronger” from its recent stress test. And he pledged a restoration of American leadership in which, he said, “we’ll lead not merely by the example of our power, but by the power of our example.”

Biden is likely to make his formal debut at a meeting of Group of 7 leaders in June, which Britain is hosting at a seaside resort in Cornwall. He may expand that trip to include other European destinations, including Germany, where he could bid farewell to Chancellor Angela Merkel before she steps down after 16 years.

In the fall, Biden is expected to attend a Group of 20 meeting in Rome and the United Nations’ climate change conference in Glasgow, Scotland, where he could showcase his decision to rejoin the Paris climate accord.

Beyond dates in the diplomatic diary, experts contend that Biden’s appointments do not suggest an inward-looking White House.

His choice of Kurt Campbell to serve as a high-level coordinator of Asia policy, for example, could foretell a tough line with China coupled with an energetic effort to reassure U.S. allies Japan and South Korea. As a State Department official in the Obama administration, Campbell devised the so-called “pivot” to Asia.

“Biden has chosen people who understand and are committed to strategic competition,” said Thomas Wright, a foreign policy expert at the Brookings Institution.

Some experts argue that the chaos at the Capitol had compromised the nation’s traditional role as a champion of democracy and that the cascading domestic crises would consume Biden’s energy, distracting from world affairs.

“Ambitious foreign policy goals are completely out of step with the realities of the country’s domestic political and economic dysfunction,” Emma Ashford, a senior fellow at the Atlantic Council, wrote in Foreign Policy. “How can the United States spread democracy or act as an example for others if it barely has a functioning democracy at home?”

But Wright argued that the homegrown threats to democracy should strengthen the Biden administration’s resolve to fight human rights abuses by China, Russia and other autocratic governments.

“I’ve never understood the trade-off between ambition at home and ambition overseas,” he said. “It’s precisely because democracy is challenged at home that the U.S. needs to be more energetic in defending democracy overseas.”

The links between domestic and foreign policy were reinforced by the appointment of Susan Rice, who served as national security adviser to Obama, as director of Biden’s domestic policy council. Key domestic priorities like the pandemic, experts pointed out, are also global challenges.

Another top Biden aide, Jake Sullivan, the national security adviser, used Twitter to weigh in on sensitive issues before his boss took office. He condemned Russia’s arrest of opposition leader Alexei Navalny, appealed to the European Union to think twice before signing an investment treaty with China, and said Trump’s designation of the Houthi rebels in Yemen as a terrorist group “will only inflict more suffering on Yemeni people.”

Whether the Biden administration will back up those words with action remains to be seen, of course. But some say that Biden’s instincts, temperament and background as a longtime member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee make him unlikely to shrug off chances to command the world stage.

As vice president, he reveled in his access to world leaders. On a trip to Turkey in 2011, there were doubts that President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who was recuperating from a medical procedure, would see him. Instead, Erdogan invited him to his private residence, where the two men, wearing slippers, spoke for two hours about Syria and Iran.

“I don’t want to sound like I’m inflating my importance or relationship with him,” a chuffed Biden told reporters, “but we have listened to each other. And he was genuinely listening to my perspective and wasn’t challenging it.”

At other times, Biden has taken pride in his readiness to speak bluntly to foreign leaders. He famously walked out of a dinner with Afghanistan’s president, Hamid Karzai, in 2009 after a rancorous exchange over corruption.

In 2012, Biden was assigned to play host to Xi Jinping, then China’s vice president and designated future leader, when he visited the United States. Toasting Xi at a Valentine’s Day lunch, Biden ran through a litany of grievances, from Chinese theft of intellectual property to human rights abuses.

“Cooperation, as you and I have spoken about, can only be mutually beneficial if the game is fair,” Biden said as Xi looked on.

On a trip to China the following year, Biden publicly criticized China for refusing to say if it would renew the visas of American correspondents and for blocking the websites of U.S.-based news media. Several years later, China expelled correspondents for The New York Times and other publications.

Speaking as a president, to be sure, is different from as vice president. During his trip to Greece in 2011, Biden ruminated about the risks of commenting on the fiscal tensions between Greece and the European Union.

“You know, in the good old days when I was a senator, I was my own man,” Biden told reporters at the time. “I could just tell you my views. But now whatever I say is attributed to the administration.”

“I finally learned that,” said the man who now leads his own administration. “It took me about six months, but I got it down.”

 
&nbsp;

A decade ago, Joe Biden strode into a reception room in Athens for a meeting with the president of Greece, a country then drowning in debt and locked in tense negotiations with the European Union.

A decade ago, Joe Biden strode into a reception room in Athens for a meeting with the president of Greece, a country then drowning in debt and locked in tense negotiations with the European Union. “This man represents the Treasury Department,” a deadpan Biden said to his host as he gestured to a gray-suited member of his delegation. “He’s brought hundreds of millions of dollars.” Watch | The room broke up in laughter. It was clear the vice president had not come with a briefcase of cash to pay off Greece’s debts. But his joke captured a deeper truth: In 2011, many still viewed the United States as the ultimate guarantor of the international order. And Biden clearly saw himself as a steward of that legacy, his easy self-confidence the product of four decades as a globe-trotting senator. As Biden took the oath of office Wednesday, vowing to “repair our alliances and engage with the world once more,” the question for many overseas is whether they will see this man of the world anytime soon. In capitals from Europe to Asia, diplomats and foreign policy experts have questioned whether the United States is too divided, too weakened and too preoccupied by internal convulsions to play the kind of leadership role that Biden took for granted as a senator and vice president. Yet there are reasons to believe as president Biden will be more visible and more of an activist than many expect, even as he grapples with the pandemic, a massive economic recovery effort and the deep divisions left by the Trump era. From the people he has chosen for key foreign policy posts to the travel opportunities he has this year, those who know Biden say he is unlikely to stay off the global stage for long. “This is a guy who spent 40 years getting to know foreign leaders around the world,” said Peter Westmacott, who lived next door to Biden as British ambassador to Washington during the Obama administration. “Once you’ve got a flavor for international relationships, you don’t turn your back on all that.” Wolfgang Ischinger, a former German ambassador to the United States, said he expected Biden to draw on his personal relationships to mend bonds with European allies that had been sundered by former President Donald Trump. “Joe Biden is a master of networking, and he will easily repair the lack of trust,” said Ischinger, who now runs the Munich Security Forum. Ischinger’s immediate goal is to persuade the president to attend his influential annual conference. He has a decent chance of landing him; Biden has been a staple in Munich for years, most memorably in 2009, when he announced that former President Barack Obama wanted to hit the “reset button” with Russia. In his inaugural address, Biden said the “world is watching.” He promised that the United States had “come out stronger” from its recent stress test. And he pledged a restoration of American leadership in which, he said, “we’ll lead not merely by the example of our power, but by the power of our example.” Biden is likely to make his formal debut at a meeting of Group of 7 leaders in June, which Britain is hosting at a seaside resort in Cornwall. He may expand that trip to include other European destinations, including Germany, where he could bid farewell to Chancellor Angela Merkel before she steps down after 16 years. In the fall, Biden is expected to attend a Group of 20 meeting in Rome and the United Nations’ climate change conference in Glasgow, Scotland, where he could showcase his decision to rejoin the Paris climate accord. Beyond dates in the diplomatic diary, experts contend that Biden’s appointments do not suggest an inward-looking White House. His choice of Kurt Campbell to serve as a high-level coordinator of Asia policy, for example, could foretell a tough line with China coupled with an energetic effort to reassure U.S. allies Japan and South Korea. As a State Department official in the Obama administration, Campbell devised the so-called “pivot” to Asia. “Biden has chosen people who understand and are committed to strategic competition,” said Thomas Wright, a foreign policy expert at the Brookings Institution. Some experts argue that the chaos at the Capitol had compromised the nation’s traditional role as a champion of democracy and that the cascading domestic crises would consume Biden’s energy, distracting from world affairs. “Ambitious foreign policy goals are completely out of step with the realities of the country’s domestic political and economic dysfunction,” Emma Ashford, a senior fellow at the Atlantic Council, wrote in Foreign Policy. “How can the United States spread democracy or act as an example for others if it barely has a functioning democracy at home?” But Wright argued that the homegrown threats to democracy should strengthen the Biden administration’s resolve to fight human rights abuses by China, Russia and other autocratic governments. “I’ve never understood the trade-off between ambition at home and ambition overseas,” he said. “It’s precisely because democracy is challenged at home that the U.S. needs to be more energetic in defending democracy overseas.” The links between domestic and foreign policy were reinforced by the appointment of Susan Rice, who served as national security adviser to Obama, as director of Biden’s domestic policy council. Key domestic priorities like the pandemic, experts pointed out, are also global challenges. Another top Biden aide, Jake Sullivan, the national security adviser, used Twitter to weigh in on sensitive issues before his boss took office. He condemned Russia’s arrest of opposition leader Alexei Navalny, appealed to the European Union to think twice before signing an investment treaty with China, and said Trump’s designation of the Houthi rebels in Yemen as a terrorist group “will only inflict more suffering on Yemeni people.” Whether the Biden administration will back up those words with action remains to be seen, of course. But some say that Biden’s instincts, temperament and background as a longtime member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee make him unlikely to shrug off chances to command the world stage. As vice president, he reveled in his access to world leaders. On a trip to Turkey in 2011, there were doubts that President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who was recuperating from a medical procedure, would see him. Instead, Erdogan invited him to his private residence, where the two men, wearing slippers, spoke for two hours about Syria and Iran. “I don’t want to sound like I’m inflating my importance or relationship with him,” a chuffed Biden told reporters, “but we have listened to each other. And he was genuinely listening to my perspective and wasn’t challenging it.” At other times, Biden has taken pride in his readiness to speak bluntly to foreign leaders. He famously walked out of a dinner with Afghanistan’s president, Hamid Karzai, in 2009 after a rancorous exchange over corruption. In 2012, Biden was assigned to play host to Xi Jinping, then China’s vice president and designated future leader, when he visited the United States. Toasting Xi at a Valentine’s Day lunch, Biden ran through a litany of grievances, from Chinese theft of intellectual property to human rights abuses. “Cooperation, as you and I have spoken about, can only be mutually beneficial if the game is fair,” Biden said as Xi looked on. On a trip to China the following year, Biden publicly criticized China for refusing to say if it would renew the visas of American correspondents and for blocking the websites of U.S.-based news media. Several years later, China expelled correspondents for The New York Times and other publications. Speaking as a president, to be sure, is different from as vice president. During his trip to Greece in 2011, Biden ruminated about the risks of commenting on the fiscal tensions between Greece and the European Union. “You know, in the good old days when I was a senator, I was my own man,” Biden told reporters at the time. “I could just tell you my views. But now whatever I say is attributed to the administration.” “I finally learned that,” said the man who now leads his own administration. “It took me about six months, but I got it down.”

Will Biden be an activist president on the world stage?

Families across the United States gathered around their televisions on Wednesday (January 20) to watch the inauguration of U.S. President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris.

Families cheer the Biden-Harris 'colorful' White House

US President <a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/joe-biden">Joe Biden's </a>inaugural speech that was based on unity, democracy and hope and widely praised by people worldwide was written by Indian American Vinay Reddy.&nbsp;

Here are some of the quotes from the speech that struck a chord.&nbsp;

Watch |&nbsp;

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"This is America's day, this is democracy's day, the day of history and hope. Today we celebrate a triumph, not of a candidate, but of a cause. We have learned again that democracy is precious, democracy is fragile. At this hour my friends, Democracy has prevailed."

Also, read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-president-joe-biden-inaugural-speech-full-text-358185">US President Joe Biden inaugural speech full text</a>

"Here we stand just days after a riotous mob thought they could use violence to silence the will of the people, to stop the work of our democracy, to drive us from this sacred ground. It did not happen. It will never happen. Not today, not tomorrow, not ever. Not ever."

He also insisted that he will be a "president for all Americans",&nbsp;

Michael Beschloss, a presidential historian, described US president's speech in a tweet as "modest, austere, grave, calming, cleansing" and "inspiring".

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Biden’s inaugural speech was modest, austere, grave, calming, cleansing, inspiring.
— Michael Beschloss (@BeschlossDC) <a href="https://twitter.com/BeschlossDC/status/1351941614206394378?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 20, 2021</a></blockquote>
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Biden inaugural address will be known for three words: 
“Democracy has prevailed."
— Michael Beschloss (@BeschlossDC) <a href="https://twitter.com/BeschlossDC/status/1351942140650278916?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 20, 2021</a></blockquote>
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Several people from the media fraternity also lauded Biden's speech, saying that he delivered what the US required at this moment.&nbsp;

"Biden's speech is about appealing to 'our better angels', 'history, faith, and reason', 'dignity', 'respect', 'unity'. It's literally a rebuttal to Trump's 'American carnage' Inaugural address," journalist Matt wrote in a tweet.&nbsp;

"Joe Biden gave the speech the moment demanded. Well done," Time magazine columnist David French in a tweet said.&nbsp;

Reddy, who grew up in Dayton, Ohio, has previously served as chief speechwriter to Biden during his second term as the Vice President.&nbsp;

He currently works as a speechwriter on the Biden-Harris Transition and was the Senior Advisor and Speechwriter for the Biden-Harris campaign for the election 2020. 
&nbsp;

US President Joe Biden's inaugural speech that was based on unity, democracy and hope and widely praised by people worldwide was written by Indian American Vinay Reddy.

US President Joe Biden's inaugural speech that was based on unity, democracy and hope and widely praised by people worldwide was written by Indian American Vinay Reddy. Here are some of the quotes from the speech that struck a chord. Watch | "This is America's day, this is democracy's day, the day of history and hope. Today we celebrate a triumph, not of a candidate, but of a cause. We have learned again that democracy is precious, democracy is fragile. At this hour my friends, Democracy has prevailed." Also, read | US President Joe Biden inaugural speech full text "Here we stand just days after a riotous mob thought they could use violence to silence the will of the people, to stop the work of our democracy, to drive us from this sacred ground. It did not happen. It will never happen. Not today, not tomorrow, not ever. Not ever." He also insisted that he will be a "president for all Americans", Michael Beschloss, a presidential historian, described US president's speech in a tweet as "modest, austere, grave, calming, cleansing" and "inspiring". Biden’s inaugural speech was modest, austere, grave, calming, cleansing, inspiring. — Michael Beschloss (@BeschlossDC) January 20, 2021 × Biden inaugural address will be known for three words: “Democracy has prevailed." — Michael Beschloss (@BeschlossDC) January 20, 2021 × Several people from the media fraternity also lauded Biden's speech, saying that he delivered what the US required at this moment. "Biden's speech is about appealing to 'our better angels', 'history, faith, and reason', 'dignity', 'respect', 'unity'. It's literally a rebuttal to Trump's 'American carnage' Inaugural address," journalist Matt wrote in a tweet. "Joe Biden gave the speech the moment demanded. Well done," Time magazine columnist David French in a tweet said. Reddy, who grew up in Dayton, Ohio, has previously served as chief speechwriter to Biden during his second term as the Vice President. He currently works as a speechwriter on the Biden-Harris Transition and was the Senior Advisor and Speechwriter for the Biden-Harris campaign for the election 2020.

Widely praised Joe Biden's speech written by Indian American

Superstar Lady Gaga, belted out her rendition of the U.S. National Anthem on Wednesday (January 20) at the inauguration of President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris.

Lady Gaga nails U.S. National Anthem at Biden inauguration

A drive-through dinosaur exhibition has become a roaring success as it tours the United States. Visitors to Jurassic Quest can look at 70 lifesized animatronic models of dinosaurs while listening to an audio guide by paleontologists. The exhibition opened on Friday (January 15) at Pasadena's famous Rose Bowl where it will continue to the end of the month.

Dinosaur drive-through exhibition a roaring success during pandemic

Guatemalan security forces on Monday (January 18) cleared a road of hundreds of people in a mostly Honduran migrant caravan that had camped out overnight when authorities barred it from advancing toward the United States.

Migrant children wave white flags at Guatemala border after violent showdown with caravan

Messaging application Telegram recently cracked down on public calls for violence in the United States. The application’s founder Pavel Durov claimed that the service took down the calls keeping in mind the company’s terms of service.

On Monday, Telegram put out a public post in which its founder reiterated the company’s commitment to banning hate speech.

“Telegram welcomes peaceful debate and protest, but our Terms of Service explicitly prohibit distributing public calls to violence,” he wrote in the public post. 
 
&nbsp;“Сivil movements all over the world rely on Telegram in order to stand up for human rights without resorting to inflicting harm”, the post added. 
 
Over time, Telegram has cracked down on threats of violence and terrorism in public spaces, but has largely remained against making these conversations available to law enforcement.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://13.235.153.162/technology/final-nail-in-coffin-telegram-again-trolls-whatsapp-over-new-privacy-update-356104" hreflang="en">Final nail in coffin: Telegram again trolls Whatsapp over new privacy update</a>

In the aftermath of the violence which shook US Capitol on January 6, debates surrounding the value of chat encryption have popped up. Many critics feel that wearing privacy protections is the only way to encrypt chat services. 
 
Durov added that Telegram had witnessed an increase in violent threats, as reported by other services over the last month.

“In early January, the Telegram moderation team started to receive an increased number of reports about US-related public activity on our platform,” the post said.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://13.235.153.162/world/thailand-authorities-restrict-telegram-app-over-protests-336444" hreflang="en">Thailand authorities restrict Telegram app over protests</a> 
 
It added that the team had acted by “clamping down on US channels that advocated violence”.

“Thanks to these efforts, last week our moderators blocked and shut down hundreds of public calls for violence that could’ve otherwise reached tens of thousands of subscribers”, it added.

Messaging application Telegram recently cracked down on public calls for violence in the United States. The application’s founder Pavel Durov claimed that the service took down the calls keeping in mind the company’s terms of service.

Messaging application Telegram recently cracked down on public calls for violence in the United States. The application’s founder Pavel Durov claimed that the service took down the calls keeping in mind the company’s terms of service. On Monday, Telegram put out a public post in which its founder reiterated the company’s commitment to banning hate speech. “Telegram welcomes peaceful debate and protest, but our Terms of Service explicitly prohibit distributing public calls to violence,” he wrote in the public post. “Сivil movements all over the world rely on Telegram in order to stand up for human rights without resorting to inflicting harm”, the post added. Over time, Telegram has cracked down on threats of violence and terrorism in public spaces, but has largely remained against making these conversations available to law enforcement. Also read: Final nail in coffin: Telegram again trolls Whatsapp over new privacy update In the aftermath of the violence which shook US Capitol on January 6, debates surrounding the value of chat encryption have popped up. Many critics feel that wearing privacy protections is the only way to encrypt chat services. Durov added that Telegram had witnessed an increase in violent threats, as reported by other services over the last month. “In early January, the Telegram moderation team started to receive an increased number of reports about US-related public activity on our platform,” the post said. Also read: Thailand authorities restrict Telegram app over protests It added that the team had acted by “clamping down on US channels that advocated violence”. “Thanks to these efforts, last week our moderators blocked and shut down hundreds of public calls for violence that could’ve otherwise reached tens of thousands of subscribers”, it added.

Telegram claims to have 'shut down hundreds of calls for violence' last week in US

Long before he was declared President-elect in August, <a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/joe-biden">Joe Biden </a>had promised that if he wins, he will rely on the Indian American diaspora for better governance.&nbsp;

Now in less than 100 hours, Biden will be sworn in as the 46th President of the US and he has surely lived up to this promise.

At least 20 Indian Americans have either been named or nominated for key roles in the Biden administration.

Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/panic-grips-washington-after-smoke-bellows-near-us-capitol-357556">Panic grips Washington after smoke bellows near US Capitol</a>

Out of this, 13 people are women.&nbsp;

So, who are these individuals and what has been their history?

This report attempts to decode.&nbsp;

<h2>Neera Tanden</h2>

The 50-year-old has been nominated as the Director for the White House Office of Management &amp; Budget.&nbsp;

Born to immigrant parents from India, Tanden is currently the Chief Executive of the 'left-leaning' Centre for American Progress.

<h2>Vanita Gupta</h2>

The 45-year-old has been nominated as the Associate Attorney General at the Department of Justice.

If confirmed, she will be the first woman of colour to hold the position.

<h2>Vivek Murthy</h2>

Murthy has been nominated as the US Surgeon-General at the Public Health Service Commisioned Corps.

He hails from karnataka and has also served as the surgeon-general during the Obama era.&nbsp;

<h2>Mala Adiga</h2>

She has been appointed as the Policy Director to the Future First Lady Dr. Jill Biden.

<h2>Sabrina Singh</h2>

This 32-year-old will also be serving the future first lady as she has been named her Deputy Press Secretary.

For the first time ever two Indian Americans who trace their roots to Kashmir will also be involved at the White House.&nbsp;

<h2>Aisha Shah&nbsp;</h2>

She has been named as partnership manager at the White House Office of Digital Strategy.&nbsp;

<h2>Sameera Fazili&nbsp;</h2>

She will occupy the key position of Deputy Director at the US National Economic Council in the White House.

<h2>Bharat Ramamurti&nbsp;</h2>

The National Economic Council will have another Indian American, Ramamurti, who has also been named as the deputy director.

<h2>Gautam Raghavan</h2>

India-born Raghavan, who served in the Obama administration, will return to the White House as Deputy Director at the office of presidential personnel.

<h2>Vinay Reddy&nbsp;</h2>

In Biden's inner circle will be Reddy who has been named as the Director for Speechwriting.

<h2>Vedant Patel&nbsp;</h2>

The Gujarat-born Patel will serve as assistant Press Secretary to the President.

Also, three Indian Americans have made their way to the crucial National Security Council at the White House.

<h2>Tarun Chhabra&nbsp;</h2>

First-generation American Chhabra will serve as the Senior Director for Technology.

<h2>Sumona Guha</h2>

Guha will serve as Senior Director for South Asia.

<h2>Shanthi Kalathil&nbsp;</h2>

She will serve as Co-ordinator for Democracy &amp; Human Rights.

<h2>Sonia Aggarwal&nbsp;</h2>

Aggarwal will be joining the Office of Domestic Climate Policy at the White House.

She will serve as Senior Advisor for Climate Policy &amp; Innovation.

<h2>Vidur Sharma&nbsp;</h2>

Sharma has been appointed as Policy Advisor for Testing in the White House Covid-19 Response Team.

Lastly, two Indian American women have been appointed in the office of the White House Counsel.

<h2>Neha Gupta&nbsp;</h2>

She will serve as the Associate Counsel.

<h2>Reema Shah&nbsp;</h2>

She will serve as Deputy Associate Counsel.

Biden is trying to rebuild the backbone of the US by using American diversity as an essential strength.

And Indian Americans are at the very core of this strategy. 
&nbsp;

Long before he was declared President-elect in August, Joe Biden had promised that if he wins, he will rely on the Indian American diaspora for better governance.

Long before he was declared President-elect in August, Joe Biden had promised that if he wins, he will rely on the Indian American diaspora for better governance. Now in less than 100 hours, Biden will be sworn in as the 46th President of the US and he has surely lived up to this promise. At least 20 Indian Americans have either been named or nominated for key roles in the Biden administration. Also read | Panic grips Washington after smoke bellows near US Capitol Out of this, 13 people are women. So, who are these individuals and what has been their history? This report attempts to decode. Neera Tanden The 50-year-old has been nominated as the Director for the White House Office of Management & Budget. Born to immigrant parents from India, Tanden is currently the Chief Executive of the 'left-leaning' Centre for American Progress. Vanita Gupta The 45-year-old has been nominated as the Associate Attorney General at the Department of Justice. If confirmed, she will be the first woman of colour to hold the position. Vivek Murthy Murthy has been nominated as the US Surgeon-General at the Public Health Service Commisioned Corps. He hails from karnataka and has also served as the surgeon-general during the Obama era. Mala Adiga She has been appointed as the Policy Director to the Future First Lady Dr. Jill Biden. Sabrina Singh This 32-year-old will also be serving the future first lady as she has been named her Deputy Press Secretary. For the first time ever two Indian Americans who trace their roots to Kashmir will also be involved at the White House. Aisha Shah She has been named as partnership manager at the White House Office of Digital Strategy. Sameera Fazili She will occupy the key position of Deputy Director at the US National Economic Council in the White House. Bharat Ramamurti The National Economic Council will have another Indian American, Ramamurti, who has also been named as the deputy director. Gautam Raghavan India-born Raghavan, who served in the Obama administration, will return to the White House as Deputy Director at the office of presidential personnel. Vinay Reddy In Biden's inner circle will be Reddy who has been named as the Director for Speechwriting. Vedant Patel The Gujarat-born Patel will serve as assistant Press Secretary to the President. Also, three Indian Americans have made their way to the crucial National Security Council at the White House. Tarun Chhabra First-generation American Chhabra will serve as the Senior Director for Technology. Sumona Guha Guha will serve as Senior Director for South Asia. Shanthi Kalathil She will serve as Co-ordinator for Democracy & Human Rights. Sonia Aggarwal Aggarwal will be joining the Office of Domestic Climate Policy at the White House. She will serve as Senior Advisor for Climate Policy & Innovation. Vidur Sharma Sharma has been appointed as Policy Advisor for Testing in the White House Covid-19 Response Team. Lastly, two Indian American women have been appointed in the office of the White House Counsel. Neha Gupta She will serve as the Associate Counsel. Reema Shah She will serve as Deputy Associate Counsel. Biden is trying to rebuild the backbone of the US by using American diversity as an essential strength. And Indian Americans are at the very core of this strategy.

20 Indian Americans who are chosen by Biden administration to rebuild America

Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, USA on Sunday said that the goal of delivering 100 million doses of coronavirus vaccines in 100 days is “doable”. US President-elect Joe Biden had promised to put 100 million doses of coronavirus vaccines to use within the first 100 days of his presidency.

Fauci referred to the plan as an “absolutely doable thing”. The doctor was speaking at NBC’s “Meet The Press” event. He added that two vaccines under development by AstraZeneca and Johnson &amp; Johnson could “very soon” be approved in the US, pending regulation by medical bodies. 
&nbsp;

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/wion-fineprint-coronavirus-infection-provides-as-much-immunity-as-vaccines-356756/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

"We're weeks away, not months away, for sure," he said. 
 
Fauci also added that the only way to tackle a new, infectious strain of coronavirus is to wear a mask, and to avoid crowds, along with a robust vaccination programme.

"If we can get the overwhelming majority of the population vaccinated, we'd be in very good shape and could beat even the mutant," Fauci added.

The United States is being criticised for its handling of the pandemic, which has led to the deaths of 390,000 people in the country.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://13.235.153.162/world/when-in-doubt-call-it-covid-trump-accuses-exaggeration-of-tally-fauci-reacts-354280" hreflang="en">'When in doubt, call it Covid': Trump accuses 'exaggeration' of tally; Fauci reacts</a> 
 
Over 10.6 million Americans have received the vaccine so far. This estimate is half of what Trump administration had intended to do by the end of 2020. 
 
President-elect Biden said that his primary goal is to increase the pace of coronavirus vaccinations. He is set to take over presidential duties starting Wednesday.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://13.235.153.162/world/city-in-china-reports-coronavirus-found-on-ice-cream-thousands-of-boxes-seized-357266" hreflang="en">City in China reports coronavirus found on ice cream, thousands of boxes seized</a> 
 
"One thing that's clear is that the issue of getting 100 million doses in the first 100 days is absolutely a doable thing,"&nbsp;Fauci&nbsp;said.

"The feasibility of his goal is absolutely clear. There's no doubt about that, that that can be done”, Fauci added.

Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, USA on Sunday said that the goal of delivering 100 million doses of coronavirus vaccines in 100 days is “doable”.

Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, USA on Sunday said that the goal of delivering 100 million doses of coronavirus vaccines in 100 days is “doable”. US President-elect Joe Biden had promised to put 100 million doses of coronavirus vaccines to use within the first 100 days of his presidency. Fauci referred to the plan as an “absolutely doable thing”. The doctor was speaking at NBC’s “Meet The Press” event. He added that two vaccines under development by AstraZeneca and Johnson & Johnson could “very soon” be approved in the US, pending regulation by medical bodies. "We're weeks away, not months away, for sure," he said. Fauci also added that the only way to tackle a new, infectious strain of coronavirus is to wear a mask, and to avoid crowds, along with a robust vaccination programme. "If we can get the overwhelming majority of the population vaccinated, we'd be in very good shape and could beat even the mutant," Fauci added. The United States is being criticised for its handling of the pandemic, which has led to the deaths of 390,000 people in the country. Also read: 'When in doubt, call it Covid': Trump accuses 'exaggeration' of tally; Fauci reacts Over 10.6 million Americans have received the vaccine so far. This estimate is half of what Trump administration had intended to do by the end of 2020. President-elect Biden said that his primary goal is to increase the pace of coronavirus vaccinations. He is set to take over presidential duties starting Wednesday. Also read: City in China reports coronavirus found on ice cream, thousands of boxes seized "One thing that's clear is that the issue of getting 100 million doses in the first 100 days is absolutely a doable thing," Fauci said. "The feasibility of his goal is absolutely clear. There's no doubt about that, that that can be done”, Fauci added.

USA: 100 million vaccinations in 100 days 'absolutely doable', says Fauci

U.S President Joe Biden has said that he will increase the production of syringes and other supplies to ramp-up the vaccination process against the COVID-19 in the country. Biden promises to do better than Trump to curb the virus

U.S President Joe Biden promises to do better than Trump to curb the virus

Wednesday was a disastrous day for <a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/donald-trump">Donald Trump </a>as when the US lawmakers were impeaching him, New York dumped him.&nbsp;

New York is the same city where Trump made him name.

It decided to end all business ties with the Trump organisation worth more than 17 million dollars.&nbsp;

The contracts of The Trump Organization that were ended included two skating rinks and a carousel in Central Park.

Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/as-trump-set-to-end-presidency-are-these-final-days-of-his-brand-too-356764">As Trump set to end presidency, are these final days of his brand too?</a>

The damage is not just financial and he has lost all political capital also.&nbsp;

Reports suggest that The Trump Organization was struggling to attract companies to its commercial properties well before the siege of the US Capitol and now it may virtually be impossible.&nbsp;

Trump is being blamed for an attack on the seat of power in America, which is now under a state of emergency.&nbsp;

Military and security teams have turned Washington DC into a fortress.&nbsp;

Military trucks now block the way to the Capitol and giant fences now guard the White House.&nbsp;

As many as 20,000 troops with lethal weapons are expected to guard the city during the inauguration of Joe Biden.&nbsp;

There is a heavy security presence at the Capitol too and the halls now look like an armed encampment.

Trump was out of sight when the House voted to impeach him again.

Reports claim the White House made no effort to line up votes in the president's defence.&nbsp;

Trump has already decided not to attend the inauguration.

He has agreed to pass the baton to Biden, but only after he tried what is called a coup.&nbsp;

The horrors of the insurrection of the US Capitol will continue to chase him even after he was left the White House.

Wednesday was a disastrous day for Donald Trump as when the US lawmakers were impeaching him, New York dumped him. New York is the same city where Trump made him name.

Wednesday was a disastrous day for Donald Trump as when the US lawmakers were impeaching him, New York dumped him. New York is the same city where Trump made him name. It decided to end all business ties with the Trump organisation worth more than 17 million dollars. The contracts of The Trump Organization that were ended included two skating rinks and a carousel in Central Park. Also read | As Trump set to end presidency, are these final days of his brand too? The damage is not just financial and he has lost all political capital also. Reports suggest that The Trump Organization was struggling to attract companies to its commercial properties well before the siege of the US Capitol and now it may virtually be impossible. Trump is being blamed for an attack on the seat of power in America, which is now under a state of emergency. Military and security teams have turned Washington DC into a fortress. Military trucks now block the way to the Capitol and giant fences now guard the White House. As many as 20,000 troops with lethal weapons are expected to guard the city during the inauguration of Joe Biden. There is a heavy security presence at the Capitol too and the halls now look like an armed encampment. Trump was out of sight when the House voted to impeach him again. Reports claim the White House made no effort to line up votes in the president's defence. Trump has already decided not to attend the inauguration. He has agreed to pass the baton to Biden, but only after he tried what is called a coup. The horrors of the insurrection of the US Capitol will continue to chase him even after he was left the White House.

New York, the city that made Donald Trump ends ties with him

The US military troops in Afghanistan and Iraq are at its lowest with 2,500 each in about two decades since the war started, the Pentagon announced on Friday.&nbsp;

"Today, the United States is closer than ever to ending nearly two decades of war and welcoming in an Afghan-owned, Afghan-led peace process to achieve a political settlement and a permanent and comprehensive ceasefire," Acting Secretary of Defense Chris Miller was quoted as saying in a statement reported by news agency AFP.&nbsp;

Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/afghan-military-releases-13-civilians-policeman-from-taliban-prison-356661">Afghan military releases 13 civilians, policeman from Taliban prison</a>

Miller said that a path to peace in both the nations means&nbsp;the cuts of troop without compromising with the security for Americans and its allies.&nbsp;

Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/afghan-forces-foil-is-plan-to-assassinate-top-us-envoy-356264">Afghan forces foil IS plan to assassinate top US envoy</a>

He added that further reduction will depend on the progress of peace talks between Afghanistan and the Taliban.&nbsp;

"Moving forward, while the (Defense) Department continues with planning capable of further reducing US troop levels to zero by May of 2021, any such future drawdowns remain conditions-based," Miller said.

Miller said that troop reduction in Iraq reflects the "the increased capabilities" of Iraqi security personnel, adding that this does not mean a "change in the US policy".&nbsp;

"US and Coalition forces remain in Iraq to ensure the enduring defeat of (the Islamic State group)," he said, adding that counterterrorism operations will continue in Iraq with sharing "airpower" and "intelligence". 
&nbsp;

The US military troops in Afghanistan and Iraq are at its lowest with 2,500 each in about two decades since the war started, the Pentagon announced on Friday. "Today, the United States is closer than ever to ending nearly two decades of war and welcoming in an Afghan-owned, Afghan-led peace process to achieve a political settlement and a permanent and comprehensive ceasefire," Acting Secretary of Defense Chris Miller was quoted as saying in a statement reported by news agency AFP.

The US military troops in Afghanistan and Iraq are at its lowest with 2,500 each in about two decades since the war started, the Pentagon announced on Friday. "Today, the United States is closer than ever to ending nearly two decades of war and welcoming in an Afghan-owned, Afghan-led peace process to achieve a political settlement and a permanent and comprehensive ceasefire," Acting Secretary of Defense Chris Miller was quoted as saying in a statement reported by news agency AFP. Also read | Afghan military releases 13 civilians, policeman from Taliban prison Miller said that a path to peace in both the nations means the cuts of troop without compromising with the security for Americans and its allies. Also read | Afghan forces foil IS plan to assassinate top US envoy He added that further reduction will depend on the progress of peace talks between Afghanistan and the Taliban. "Moving forward, while the (Defense) Department continues with planning capable of further reducing US troop levels to zero by May of 2021, any such future drawdowns remain conditions-based," Miller said. Miller said that troop reduction in Iraq reflects the "the increased capabilities" of Iraqi security personnel, adding that this does not mean a "change in the US policy". "US and Coalition forces remain in Iraq to ensure the enduring defeat of (the Islamic State group)," he said, adding that counterterrorism operations will continue in Iraq with sharing "airpower" and "intelligence".

With 2,500 each, US says lowest troops deployed in Iraq, Afghanistan in about two decades

A rehearsal planned for <a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/joe-biden">Joe Biden's </a>inauguration has been postponed on Sunday because of security concerns after last week's attack on the US Capitol, a report claimed.

A report by Politico said two people with knowledge of the decision confirmed that the rehearsal is rescheduled and now will be held on Monday.&nbsp;

Watch |&nbsp;

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/gravitas-trumps-post-presidency-plans-356774/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

A lockdown has been imposed on the centre of Washington on Thursday with over 20,000 National Guard personnel deployed ahead of Biden's presidential inauguration.

Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/verified-in-one-tweet-joe-biden-launches-new-twitter-handle-to-build-following-before-taking-command-of-white-house-356826">Verified in one tweet: Joe Biden launches new Twitter handle to build following before taking command of White House</a>

The security has been beefed up after Trump supporters stormed the US Capitol and caused chaos and violence, curbing Biden's confirmation as the winner of the election.&nbsp;

Already, Washington Police chief has said that the capital was facing "a major security threat" and the FBI has spoken about armed protests in all 50 states across the country.&nbsp;

An FBI bulletin said it "received information about an identified armed group intending to travel to Washington, DC on 16 January".&nbsp;

The US Capitol is surrounded by razor wire and barriers as part of precautions on January 16, the day of Biden's inauguration.&nbsp;

The Secret Service, in charge of security, is also considering shutting down the entire National Mall, the area where hundreds of thousands gather on the day to mark the inauguration of the American president.&nbsp;

A rehearsal planned for Joe Biden's inauguration has been postponed on Sunday because of security concerns after last week's attack on the US Capitol, a report claimed.

A rehearsal planned for Joe Biden's inauguration has been postponed on Sunday because of security concerns after last week's attack on the US Capitol, a report claimed. A report by Politico said two people with knowledge of the decision confirmed that the rehearsal is rescheduled and now will be held on Monday. Watch | A lockdown has been imposed on the centre of Washington on Thursday with over 20,000 National Guard personnel deployed ahead of Biden's presidential inauguration. Also read | Verified in one tweet: Joe Biden launches new Twitter handle to build following before taking command of White House The security has been beefed up after Trump supporters stormed the US Capitol and caused chaos and violence, curbing Biden's confirmation as the winner of the election. Already, Washington Police chief has said that the capital was facing "a major security threat" and the FBI has spoken about armed protests in all 50 states across the country. An FBI bulletin said it "received information about an identified armed group intending to travel to Washington, DC on 16 January". The US Capitol is surrounded by razor wire and barriers as part of precautions on January 16, the day of Biden's inauguration. The Secret Service, in charge of security, is also considering shutting down the entire National Mall, the area where hundreds of thousands gather on the day to mark the inauguration of the American president.

Amid security concerns, Joe Biden's inauguration rehearsal postponed

Imagine a time more than 50 years ago when four of the biggest Black American celebrities in the world met up and spent hours discussing race, religion and politics. That's the premise of the film "One Night in Miami," out on Amazon Prime on Friday (January 14), which recounts a 1964 meeting between boxer Cassius Clay, soul singer Sam Cooke, civil rights activist Malcolm X and football player Jim Brown.

Amazon film recounts epic meeting of Cassius Clay, Sam Cooke, Malcolm X, Jim Brown

Actor Tom Hanks will host a primetime television special on Jan. 20 to celebrate the inauguration of Joe Biden as president, organizers said on Wednesday.

Tom Hanks to host televised special for Biden's inauguration

About ten years ago, <a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/donald-trump">Donald Trump </a>was one of the strongest human brands ever.

The world looked up to him as he was the man with the Midas touch.

The billionaire businessman was not a career politician, but the people of the United States saw the perfect president in him.&nbsp;

Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/along-with-trump-impeachment-biden-urges-us-senate-to-consider-other-urgent-business-356546">Along with Trump impeachment, Biden urges US Senate to consider 'other urgent business'</a>

Trump won the presidency in 2016 but lost reputation, face and brand value.&nbsp;

In 2015, America's retail giant Macy's cut ties with Trump after his comments on migrants and Mexico.&nbsp;

Trump's menswear collection was phased out and NBC also cut its ties with the American president.&nbsp;

It decided to no longer air the Miss USA and the Miss Universe pageants.&nbsp;

In 2017, Toronto's Trump hotel rebranded itself and in 2018, the Trump International Hotel and Tower in Panama city, dropped his name.&nbsp;

The property's majority owner said the brand repelled guests.&nbsp;

India has the most number of Trump Tower structures outside North America in places like Mumbai, Pune, Gurugram and Kolkata.&nbsp;

Reports suggest that the brand is already suffering in India as there are no takers for the apartments.&nbsp;

What happened at the US Capitol and the second Trump impeachment added insult to the billionaire president's injury.&nbsp;

Now, R&amp;A, which runs the British Open, the oldest golf championship, has said that the tournament will not be held in Trump golf resort in Scotland.&nbsp;

<h2>End of Brand Trump?</h2>

The Republicans have always campaigned for Trump as an outsider who can solve the crisis in Washington.&nbsp;

Trump's approach was also to that of a complete outsider and in the beginning, it even was radical.&nbsp;

He shattered norms and said things that were deemed as unspeakable.&nbsp;

For America, it was attractive and that is why they voted to bring Trump into power.&nbsp;

But, lately, they realised that inexperience often breeds confusion and in Trump's case, it brought chaos.&nbsp;

He gambled on foreign policy, botched travel bans, showed no understanding of the system, interfered with the judiciary, and even attempted a coup.&nbsp;

So, is this the end of brand Trump?&nbsp;

<h2>What will Trump do?</h2>

After four years, the Americans learnt that an outsider may be attractive, but cannot always get the job done.&nbsp;

And so they elected Joe Biden, a man with 50 years in politics.&nbsp;

In a few days, Biden will take the oath and the question is what happens to Trump after he leaves the White House.&nbsp;

Jimmy Carter had his peanut farm, the Bush family has its oil interest and Trump has his properties and merchandise.&nbsp;

But, they are not exactly booming and experts believe he will return to real estate with interests outside America with India being one of the options.&nbsp;

Trump's son Donald Trump Jr in 2019 said that "India is a market that we would be very interested post-politics".&nbsp;

The question is who will fund Trump's properties.

His most important lender, Deutsche Bank is reportedly cutting ties with him.&nbsp;

Trump can run for the presidency again but that road has many legal hurdles.

Also, it will be difficult for the US to trust Trump again.&nbsp;

Giants like Coca Cola, Marriott, AT&amp;T, Walmart, General Motos are already suspending their political donations and more companies can follow.&nbsp;

This means that Trump will be going to need a new sales pitch.&nbsp; 
&nbsp;

About ten years ago, Donald Trump was one of the strongest human brands ever. The world looked up to him as he was the man with the Midas touch. The billionaire businessman was not a career politician, but the people of the United States saw the perfect president in him.

About ten years ago, Donald Trump was one of the strongest human brands ever. The world looked up to him as he was the man with the Midas touch. The billionaire businessman was not a career politician, but the people of the United States saw the perfect president in him. Also read | Along with Trump impeachment, Biden urges US Senate to consider 'other urgent business' Trump won the presidency in 2016 but lost reputation, face and brand value. In 2015, America's retail giant Macy's cut ties with Trump after his comments on migrants and Mexico. Trump's menswear collection was phased out and NBC also cut its ties with the American president. It decided to no longer air the Miss USA and the Miss Universe pageants. In 2017, Toronto's Trump hotel rebranded itself and in 2018, the Trump International Hotel and Tower in Panama city, dropped his name. The property's majority owner said the brand repelled guests. India has the most number of Trump Tower structures outside North America in places like Mumbai, Pune, Gurugram and Kolkata. Reports suggest that the brand is already suffering in India as there are no takers for the apartments. What happened at the US Capitol and the second Trump impeachment added insult to the billionaire president's injury. Now, R&A, which runs the British Open, the oldest golf championship, has said that the tournament will not be held in Trump golf resort in Scotland. End of Brand Trump? The Republicans have always campaigned for Trump as an outsider who can solve the crisis in Washington. Trump's approach was also to that of a complete outsider and in the beginning, it even was radical. He shattered norms and said things that were deemed as unspeakable. For America, it was attractive and that is why they voted to bring Trump into power. But, lately, they realised that inexperience often breeds confusion and in Trump's case, it brought chaos. He gambled on foreign policy, botched travel bans, showed no understanding of the system, interfered with the judiciary, and even attempted a coup. So, is this the end of brand Trump? What will Trump do? After four years, the Americans learnt that an outsider may be attractive, but cannot always get the job done. And so they elected Joe Biden, a man with 50 years in politics. In a few days, Biden will take the oath and the question is what happens to Trump after he leaves the White House. Jimmy Carter had his peanut farm, the Bush family has its oil interest and Trump has his properties and merchandise. But, they are not exactly booming and experts believe he will return to real estate with interests outside America with India being one of the options. Trump's son Donald Trump Jr in 2019 said that "India is a market that we would be very interested post-politics". The question is who will fund Trump's properties. His most important lender, Deutsche Bank is reportedly cutting ties with him. Trump can run for the presidency again but that road has many legal hurdles. Also, it will be difficult for the US to trust Trump again. Giants like Coca Cola, Marriott, AT&T, Walmart, General Motos are already suspending their political donations and more companies can follow. This means that Trump will be going to need a new sales pitch.

As Trump set to end presidency, are these final days of his brand too?

Describing the US decision to ban all cotton and tomato imports from the Xinjiang region as a "rude interference", China on Thursday said this will "harm" the security of global supply chains and "impede" economic recovery against novel coronavirus.&nbsp;

The U.S Customs and Border Protection (CBP) on Wednesday said that all imports of tomato and cotton products from Xinjiang will be banned due to the use of forced labour.&nbsp;

Watch&nbsp;|

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/us-trump-administration-announces-import-ban-on-all-cotton-tomato-products-from-xinjiang-356670/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

&nbsp;China's Ministry of Commerce (MOFCOM) said that it opposed the move by the US, calling it Beijing's internal matter.&nbsp;

Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-bans-imports-of-all-cotton-tomato-products-from-chinas-xinjiang-region-over-forced-labour-concerns-356679">US bans imports of all cotton, tomato products from China's Xinjiang region over forced labour concerns</a>

"China opposes the rude interference of certain countries in China's internal affairs," MOFCOM spokesperson was quoted as saying in a tweet by Global Times.&nbsp;

"Cotton, tomato produce from Xinjiang is important for the global industrial chain, and restrictive measures would harm security of global industrial and supply chains and impede global economic recovery, and China urges relevant countries to stop wrongdoings" MOFCOM in another tweet added.&nbsp;

Xinjiang is in China's far-west and the region is largely dominated by ethnic Uighur Muslims and Beijing's suppression to this minority group is well-reported by several human rights groups.&nbsp;

The US "will not tolerate forced labor (labour) of any kind in US supply chains," said Ken Cuccinelli, acting deputy secretary of the Homeland Security Department, which oversees the CBP.

 
&nbsp;

Describing the US decision to ban all cotton and tomato imports from the Xinjiang region as a "rude interference", China on Thursday said this will "harm" the security of global supply chains and "impede" economic recovery against novel coronavirus.

Describing the US decision to ban all cotton and tomato imports from the Xinjiang region as a "rude interference", China on Thursday said this will "harm" the security of global supply chains and "impede" economic recovery against novel coronavirus. The U.S Customs and Border Protection (CBP) on Wednesday said that all imports of tomato and cotton products from Xinjiang will be banned due to the use of forced labour. Watch | China's Ministry of Commerce (MOFCOM) said that it opposed the move by the US, calling it Beijing's internal matter. Also read | US bans imports of all cotton, tomato products from China's Xinjiang region over forced labour concerns "China opposes the rude interference of certain countries in China's internal affairs," MOFCOM spokesperson was quoted as saying in a tweet by Global Times. "Cotton, tomato produce from Xinjiang is important for the global industrial chain, and restrictive measures would harm security of global industrial and supply chains and impede global economic recovery, and China urges relevant countries to stop wrongdoings" MOFCOM in another tweet added. Xinjiang is in China's far-west and the region is largely dominated by ethnic Uighur Muslims and Beijing's suppression to this minority group is well-reported by several human rights groups. The US "will not tolerate forced labor (labour) of any kind in US supply chains," said Ken Cuccinelli, acting deputy secretary of the Homeland Security Department, which oversees the CBP.

'Rude interference': China on US banning tomato, cotton imports

Amidst the cases of COVID-19, the United States government posted a December budget deficit of $ 144 billion, a record for the month with Coronovirus relief spending and unemployment benefits being far higher.

World Business Watch: U.S. December deficit hits record $144 Billion

Outgoing President of the United States Donald Trump gets impeached again. 4 U.S. house republicans have declared to support the impeachment after a violent mob attack at the Capitol Hill last week.

U.S. House impeaches outgoing President Donald Trump once again

Imagine finding out that you're going to lose your hearing. What sounds would you miss and want to remember? That's what happens in the new film "The Ultimate Playlist of Noise" starring Keann Johnson and Madeline Brewer.

Teen losing his hearing who makes a bucket list of favorite sounds in new Hulu film

President-elect Joe Biden said Monday that he was “not afraid” to take the oath of office outside at his upcoming inauguration ceremony

U.S.: FBI warns of plans for armed protests ahead of Biden inauguration | Capitol Siege | WION

The Trump administration plans to release COVID-19 vaccine doses it has been holding back for second shots and will urge states to offer them to all Americans over age 65, the United States` top health official said on Tuesday. 
 
The move announced by U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar on ABC`s "Good Morning America" is in line with President-elect Joe Biden`s plan unveiled last week to accelerate distribution of COVID-19 vaccines and jump-start lagging inoculations. 
 
Most states prioritized health-care workers and nursing home staff and residents for their first deliveries of the COVID-19 vaccines which began last month, following recommendations from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The process of inoculating those groups has been slow due partly to the complexity of giving the vaccines to these groups. 
 
The CDC last week made clear that states can move on to the next priority group - people older than 75 and essential workers - without finishing that first round of inoculations, but fewer than 20 states have done so. 
 
The government will call on governors to open up vaccinations to everyone older than 65, Azar said on the television program. He said the United States must expand the availability of shots in community health centers and pharmacies, and said the federal government will deploy people to mass vaccination centers. 
 
Bloomberg reported that CDC head Dr. Robert Redfield on Tuesday would send a letter to governors making the recommendations. 
 
The new strategy would require that Pfizer Inc and partner BioNTech SE and Moderna Inc, makers of the first two coronavirus vaccines authorized for use in the United States, are able to maintain a consistent supply so second shots could still be administered on schedule. 
 
Nearly 9 million people in the United States were given their first COVID-19 vaccination dose as of Monday, according to the CDC.

The Trump administration plans to release COVID-19 vaccine doses it has been holding back for second shots and will urge states to offer them to all Americans over age 65, the United States` top health official said on Tuesday.

The Trump administration plans to release COVID-19 vaccine doses it has been holding back for second shots and will urge states to offer them to all Americans over age 65, the United States` top health official said on Tuesday. The move announced by U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar on ABC`s "Good Morning America" is in line with President-elect Joe Biden`s plan unveiled last week to accelerate distribution of COVID-19 vaccines and jump-start lagging inoculations. Most states prioritized health-care workers and nursing home staff and residents for their first deliveries of the COVID-19 vaccines which began last month, following recommendations from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The process of inoculating those groups has been slow due partly to the complexity of giving the vaccines to these groups. The CDC last week made clear that states can move on to the next priority group - people older than 75 and essential workers - without finishing that first round of inoculations, but fewer than 20 states have done so. The government will call on governors to open up vaccinations to everyone older than 65, Azar said on the television program. He said the United States must expand the availability of shots in community health centers and pharmacies, and said the federal government will deploy people to mass vaccination centers. Bloomberg reported that CDC head Dr. Robert Redfield on Tuesday would send a letter to governors making the recommendations. The new strategy would require that Pfizer Inc and partner BioNTech SE and Moderna Inc, makers of the first two coronavirus vaccines authorized for use in the United States, are able to maintain a consistent supply so second shots could still be administered on schedule. Nearly 9 million people in the United States were given their first COVID-19 vaccination dose as of Monday, according to the CDC.

US to release COVID-19 doses in push for older Americans to get shots

The threat of a $1 trillion U.S. sanctions hit on the Chinese internet giants that have led emerging market stocks to their first record high since 2007 is overshadowing the rally, just as increased scrutiny from Beijing itself squeezes valuations. 
 
US-Sino tensions ratcheted up in recent days as outgoing President Donald Trump`s administration pushed through a ban on Americans investing in 35 firms it considers to be linked to China`s military. 
 
Sources in Washington last week said Trump was considering adding Alibaba and Tencent, worth a combined $1.3 trillion, the second and third biggest EM stocks in the world and held by almost every major U.S. investment fund, to the list of banned firms. 
 
Targeting China`s two most valuable companies would be the most dramatic step yet against the country`s firms as Trump seeks to cement his hardline policy against Beijing during his final days in office. 
 
Goldman Sachs estimates that U.S. investors hold roughly $1 trillion of Chinese internet and tech stocks, or have U.S. listings known as American Depositary Receipts (ADRs) that Washington has also been clamping down on. 
 
"To unwind 1 trillion of investment (if Alibaba and Tencent were removed) is a lot!" said Vivian Lin Thurston, a portfolio manager and Chinese equity analyst at William Blair Investment Management. 
 
"It would be unprecedented," she added. "It hasn`t happened before in any global market." 
 
Swiss bank UBS calculates that just over a third of Alibaba`s $616 billion market cap is held by U.S. investors, while 12% of Tencent`s $35 billion value is. 
 
The two firms also account for almost 11% of MSCI`s $7 trillion Emerging Market index which they respectively joined in 2015 and 2008. Chinese firms now make up 40% of the index, up from just 17% a decade ago. 
 
THE BIG UNWIND 
 
Global index providers such as MSCI, S&amp;P Dow Jones and FTSE Russell as well as the New York Stock Exchange have been forced to eject high profile firms on Trump`s list like China Mobile, China Telecom and semiconductor giant SMIC from their top benchmarks. 
 
William Blair`s Lin Thurston explained how those removals then trigger a wave of selling by investment funds that passively track the indexes. 
 
"As soon as it is delisted - bang it`s gone," she said referring to the need to shed the stocks. 
 
While incoming President Joe Biden could reverse the ban, analysts at UBS say the new administration may not want to appear "soft" on China. 
 
Neither Biden nor his team have commented on the matter, but a reversal still wouldn`t undo the billions of dollars of disruption already caused. 
 
Chinese investors have swooped in to buy up some of the offloaded shares but may struggle to absorb everything if things snowball. 
 
Goldman Sachs estimates there would be a $28 billion selloff if every international fund tracking MSCI`s main global, emerging market or Asia indexes were to liquidate holdings of the 42 Chinese firms its views as at risk, not including Tencent or Alibaba. 
 
It and fellow Wall Street banks JPMorgan and Morgan Stanley have also said they will withdraw as many as 500 Hong Kong-listed structured products they had issued linked to the Chinese firms. 
 
ANT PROBLEMS 
 
The Trump administration has had both Tencent and Alibaba`s financial technology affiliate Ant Group in its crosshairs for some time. 
 
Just last week, Trump signed an executive order banning U.S. transactions with Alibaba`s Alipay mobile payment app and Tencent`s WeChat and QQ Wallet over concerns they could be used to "track the locations of federal employees" and "build dossiers of personal information". 
 
China`s foreign ministry responded saying the U.S. was abusing its power and unreasonably suppressing foreign firms with the measures. 
 
Tencent and Alibaba have declined to comment. 
 
In early November, it was Beijing itself though that rattled investors after the surprise suspension of Ant Group’s $37 billion public listing, set to be the world’s largest stock market debut, with just days to go. 
 
Alibaba, which owns about a third of Ant, has seen its market value shrink by more than a quarter since the IPO was shelved and regulators zeroed in on its business model, although it is still among the biggest 10 companies globally with a valuation of more than $600 billion. 
 
Some fund managers considered Beijing`s move a sensible one as Ant, a major online lender, lacked adequate capital buffers. But others like Aviva Investors` Head of Global Emerging Market Equities Alistair Way are concerned. 
 
"We have become rather more nervous about the regulatory climate in China and the seeming desire to reduce competitive dominance of big e-commerce players such as Alibaba," he said. 
 
"In aggregate we have been reducing exposure to Chinese internet firms." 
 
Standard Life Aberdeen senior investment director Nick Robinson is also unsure. 
 
"It feels unlikely at the moment that they (Alibaba and Tencent) will be added to the blacklist, but so far it hasn`t been right to bet on a de-escalation." 
 
"So could it happen? Absolutely. And if it does happen it could be quite significant."

The threat of a $1 trillion U.S. sanctions hit on the Chinese internet giants that have led emerging market stocks to their first record high since 2007 is overshadowing the rally, just as increased scrutiny from Beijing itself squeezes valuations.

The threat of a $1 trillion U.S. sanctions hit on the Chinese internet giants that have led emerging market stocks to their first record high since 2007 is overshadowing the rally, just as increased scrutiny from Beijing itself squeezes valuations. US-Sino tensions ratcheted up in recent days as outgoing President Donald Trump`s administration pushed through a ban on Americans investing in 35 firms it considers to be linked to China`s military. Sources in Washington last week said Trump was considering adding Alibaba and Tencent, worth a combined $1.3 trillion, the second and third biggest EM stocks in the world and held by almost every major U.S. investment fund, to the list of banned firms. Targeting China`s two most valuable companies would be the most dramatic step yet against the country`s firms as Trump seeks to cement his hardline policy against Beijing during his final days in office. Goldman Sachs estimates that U.S. investors hold roughly $1 trillion of Chinese internet and tech stocks, or have U.S. listings known as American Depositary Receipts (ADRs) that Washington has also been clamping down on. "To unwind 1 trillion of investment (if Alibaba and Tencent were removed) is a lot!" said Vivian Lin Thurston, a portfolio manager and Chinese equity analyst at William Blair Investment Management. "It would be unprecedented," she added. "It hasn`t happened before in any global market." Swiss bank UBS calculates that just over a third of Alibaba`s $616 billion market cap is held by U.S. investors, while 12% of Tencent`s $35 billion value is. The two firms also account for almost 11% of MSCI`s $7 trillion Emerging Market index which they respectively joined in 2015 and 2008. Chinese firms now make up 40% of the index, up from just 17% a decade ago. THE BIG UNWIND Global index providers such as MSCI, S&P Dow Jones and FTSE Russell as well as the New York Stock Exchange have been forced to eject high profile firms on Trump`s list like China Mobile, China Telecom and semiconductor giant SMIC from their top benchmarks. William Blair`s Lin Thurston explained how those removals then trigger a wave of selling by investment funds that passively track the indexes. "As soon as it is delisted - bang it`s gone," she said referring to the need to shed the stocks. While incoming President Joe Biden could reverse the ban, analysts at UBS say the new administration may not want to appear "soft" on China. Neither Biden nor his team have commented on the matter, but a reversal still wouldn`t undo the billions of dollars of disruption already caused. Chinese investors have swooped in to buy up some of the offloaded shares but may struggle to absorb everything if things snowball. Goldman Sachs estimates there would be a $28 billion selloff if every international fund tracking MSCI`s main global, emerging market or Asia indexes were to liquidate holdings of the 42 Chinese firms its views as at risk, not including Tencent or Alibaba. It and fellow Wall Street banks JPMorgan and Morgan Stanley have also said they will withdraw as many as 500 Hong Kong-listed structured products they had issued linked to the Chinese firms. ANT PROBLEMS The Trump administration has had both Tencent and Alibaba`s financial technology affiliate Ant Group in its crosshairs for some time. Just last week, Trump signed an executive order banning U.S. transactions with Alibaba`s Alipay mobile payment app and Tencent`s WeChat and QQ Wallet over concerns they could be used to "track the locations of federal employees" and "build dossiers of personal information". China`s foreign ministry responded saying the U.S. was abusing its power and unreasonably suppressing foreign firms with the measures. Tencent and Alibaba have declined to comment. In early November, it was Beijing itself though that rattled investors after the surprise suspension of Ant Group’s $37 billion public listing, set to be the world’s largest stock market debut, with just days to go. Alibaba, which owns about a third of Ant, has seen its market value shrink by more than a quarter since the IPO was shelved and regulators zeroed in on its business model, although it is still among the biggest 10 companies globally with a valuation of more than $600 billion. Some fund managers considered Beijing`s move a sensible one as Ant, a major online lender, lacked adequate capital buffers. But others like Aviva Investors` Head of Global Emerging Market Equities Alistair Way are concerned. "We have become rather more nervous about the regulatory climate in China and the seeming desire to reduce competitive dominance of big e-commerce players such as Alibaba," he said. "In aggregate we have been reducing exposure to Chinese internet firms." Standard Life Aberdeen senior investment director Nick Robinson is also unsure. "It feels unlikely at the moment that they (Alibaba and Tencent) will be added to the blacklist, but so far it hasn`t been right to bet on a de-escalation." "So could it happen? Absolutely. And if it does happen it could be quite significant."

The trillion dollar weapon in the U.S.-China tech stock war

US President-elect Joe Biden says he's 'not afraid' to take oath of office outside

Zayn Malik is back performing on stage - this time, however, in an empty theatre and in front of otherworldly sets for the music video for his latest single "Vibez".

Zayn Malik turns 28, drops music video for new single 'Vibez'

Greenhouse emissions in the United States fell by over 10.3 per cent in 2020, marking the largest drop drop after World War II.

A report released by the Rhodium Group on Tuesday shed light on how coronavirus impacted the US economy. The US remains the hardest-hit by COVID-19, with big sectors like transportation, power, industry the worst affected. The drop in emissions was much larger than what was seen during the 2009 recession, when emissions lid by 6.3 per cent.

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/greenhouse-gases-hit-new-record-despite-lockdowns-326577/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

The drop implies that the US would be able to outperform the pledge it had made as part of the Copenhagen climate accord to reduce emissions by 17 per cent below 2005 levels by 2020.&nbsp;

Owing to the economic shutdown caused by coronavirus, emissions reportedly dropped by 21.5 per cent, when compared to 2005.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://13.235.153.162/world/new-in-town-masks-for-cows-to-filter-burps-to-curb-greenhouse-gas-emissions-354147" hreflang="en">New in town: Masks for cows to filter burps to curb greenhouse gas emissions</a>

Even then, the authors of the report warned against perceiving it as a guarantee that the country would be able to meet its ambitious pledge under the Paris climate agreement, which requires US to cut emissions 28 per cent below 2005 levels by 2025.

Incumbent President Donald Trump had withdrawn the US from the Paris Accord. But President-elect Joe Biden is expected to rejoin the accord, once he takes charge of the presidential duties beginning January 20.

Biden intends to carve out to a path to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050. But before that, he needs to announce plans for reducing emissions by 2030.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://13.235.153.162/science/reducing-greenhouse-gas-emission-even-to-zero-wont-stop-global-warming-study-342988" hreflang="en">Reducing greenhouse gas emission even to zero won't stop global warming: Study</a>

"With coronavirus vaccines now in distribution, we expect economic activity to pick up again in 2021, but without meaningful structural changes in the carbon intensity of the US economy, emissions will likely rise again as well," the report said.

Just in the transportation sector, emissions dropped by 14.7 per cent as compared to 2019 levels. This was largely owing to the restrictions on travel put in place by the pandemic.

Greenhouse emissions in the United States fell by over 10.3 per cent in 2020, marking the largest drop drop after World War II. A report released by the Rhodium Group on Tuesday shed light on how coronavirus impacted the US economy.

Greenhouse emissions in the United States fell by over 10.3 per cent in 2020, marking the largest drop drop after World War II. A report released by the Rhodium Group on Tuesday shed light on how coronavirus impacted the US economy. The US remains the hardest-hit by COVID-19, with big sectors like transportation, power, industry the worst affected. The drop in emissions was much larger than what was seen during the 2009 recession, when emissions lid by 6.3 per cent. The drop implies that the US would be able to outperform the pledge it had made as part of the Copenhagen climate accord to reduce emissions by 17 per cent below 2005 levels by 2020. Owing to the economic shutdown caused by coronavirus, emissions reportedly dropped by 21.5 per cent, when compared to 2005. Also read: New in town: Masks for cows to filter burps to curb greenhouse gas emissions Even then, the authors of the report warned against perceiving it as a guarantee that the country would be able to meet its ambitious pledge under the Paris climate agreement, which requires US to cut emissions 28 per cent below 2005 levels by 2025. Incumbent President Donald Trump had withdrawn the US from the Paris Accord. But President-elect Joe Biden is expected to rejoin the accord, once he takes charge of the presidential duties beginning January 20. Biden intends to carve out to a path to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050. But before that, he needs to announce plans for reducing emissions by 2030. Also read: Reducing greenhouse gas emission even to zero won't stop global warming: Study "With coronavirus vaccines now in distribution, we expect economic activity to pick up again in 2021, but without meaningful structural changes in the carbon intensity of the US economy, emissions will likely rise again as well," the report said. Just in the transportation sector, emissions dropped by 14.7 per cent as compared to 2019 levels. This was largely owing to the restrictions on travel put in place by the pandemic.

Greenhouse emissions in US witness largest dip since World War II

Condemning the violence at the US Capitol that shook the entire world last week, First Lady of the United States Melania Trump said that the "nation must heal in a civil manner".&nbsp;

Melania wrote that she is "disappointed and disheartened" with the incident, but found it shameful that it led to "salacious gossip, unwarranted personal attacks, and false misleading accusations on me" in an article posted on the White House's website.

Watch |&nbsp;&nbsp;

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/us-house-speaker-nancy-pelosi-says-ready-to-start-impeachment-against-donald-trump-356032/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

She further added it is time for the US and its citizens to "heal" and nobody should use it "for personal gain".&nbsp;

Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/opinions-blogs/can-donald-trump-survive-without-twitter-355589">Can Donald Trump survive without Twitter?</a>

"Our Nation must heal in a civil manner. Make no mistake about it, I absolutely condemn the violence that has occurred on our Nation's Capitol. Violence is never acceptable," wrote the First Lady.&nbsp;

"I implore people to stop the violence, never make assumptions based on the color (colour) of a person's skin or use differing political ideologies as a basis for aggression and viciousness. We must listen to one another, focus on what unites us, and rise above what divides us."

She said that it was "inspiring" to see the huge passion to participate in the electoral process, but that "passion" should not be turned into "violence".

She also wrote that it's an "honour" to be the First Lady and thanked Americans for supporting President Donald Trump and herself in the last four years.&nbsp;

"Most importantly, I ask for healing, grace, understanding, and peace for our great Nation," Melania wrote.&nbsp;

Condemning the violence at the US Capitol that shook the entire world last week, First Lady of the United States Melania Trump said that the "nation must heal in a civil manner".

Condemning the violence at the US Capitol that shook the entire world last week, First Lady of the United States Melania Trump said that the "nation must heal in a civil manner". Melania wrote that she is "disappointed and disheartened" with the incident, but found it shameful that it led to "salacious gossip, unwarranted personal attacks, and false misleading accusations on me" in an article posted on the White House's website. Watch | She further added it is time for the US and its citizens to "heal" and nobody should use it "for personal gain". Also read | Can Donald Trump survive without Twitter? "Our Nation must heal in a civil manner. Make no mistake about it, I absolutely condemn the violence that has occurred on our Nation's Capitol. Violence is never acceptable," wrote the First Lady. "I implore people to stop the violence, never make assumptions based on the color (colour) of a person's skin or use differing political ideologies as a basis for aggression and viciousness. We must listen to one another, focus on what unites us, and rise above what divides us." She said that it was "inspiring" to see the huge passion to participate in the electoral process, but that "passion" should not be turned into "violence". She also wrote that it's an "honour" to be the First Lady and thanked Americans for supporting President Donald Trump and herself in the last four years. "Most importantly, I ask for healing, grace, understanding, and peace for our great Nation," Melania wrote.

Melania condemns US Capitol violence, says it's time for 'healing in a civil manner'

United States intelligence agencies have less than six months to tell Congress everything they know about Unidentified Flying Objects (UFOs). In December, when President Donald Trump signed the $2.3 trillion coronavirus relief bill into law, he also set into motion a 180-day countdown for the authorities to reveal all they know about UFOs, or perhaps aliens!

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/video-released-showing-us-navy-pilots-encountering-ufo-9291/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

As part of this, the Director of National Intelligence, along with the Secretary of Defense have less than six months to provide an unclassified report about "unidentified aerial phenomena" to the congress and committees of armed services.

The authorities have to reveal the information as part of the section in the Intelligence Authorization Act for 2021, which is a constituent provision of the spending bill.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://13.235.153.162/world/ufo-sightings-in-new-york-city-jumped-by-over-283-this-year-compared-to-2018-349410" hreflang="en">UFO sightings in New York City jumped by over 283% this year compared to 2018</a>

The report which has to be handed over to US Congress must include detailed analysis of UFO data, along with intelligence collected by the Office of Naval Intelligence, the Unidentified Aerial Phenomena Task Force, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, as stated in the intelligence committee's plans.

As part of this information gathering, the report must also put out all data corresponding to the "centralized analysis of all unidentified aerial phenomena", along with designating an official for overseeing the process.

In addition, the report must pinpoint any potential threats to national security posed by UFOs, while attempting to analyse whether any of the adversaries of the US may be involved in the sightings of UFOs.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://13.235.153.162/world/pentagon-makes-three-ufo-videos-captured-by-us-navy-pilot-public-to-clear-peoples-misconceptions-295295" hreflang="en">Pentagon makes three UFO videos captured by US Navy pilot public to clear people’s misconceptions</a>

Even though the report can contain a classified annexe, it is required for it to remain unclassified. 
 
In April 2020, the Pentagon released three short videos showing "unidentified aerial phenomena". Earlier, the US Navy had confirmed the clips as real. The videos released by the Pentagon date back to 2004 and 2015, and show flying objects that cannot be identified. The objects in question were moving rapidly, and were captured by infrared cameras.

United States intelligence agencies have less than six months to tell Congress everything they know about Unidentified Flying Objects (UFOs). In December, when President Donald Trump signed the $2.

United States intelligence agencies have less than six months to tell Congress everything they know about Unidentified Flying Objects (UFOs). In December, when President Donald Trump signed the $2.3 trillion coronavirus relief bill into law, he also set into motion a 180-day countdown for the authorities to reveal all they know about UFOs, or perhaps aliens! As part of this, the Director of National Intelligence, along with the Secretary of Defense have less than six months to provide an unclassified report about "unidentified aerial phenomena" to the congress and committees of armed services. The authorities have to reveal the information as part of the section in the Intelligence Authorization Act for 2021, which is a constituent provision of the spending bill. Also read: UFO sightings in New York City jumped by over 283% this year compared to 2018 The report which has to be handed over to US Congress must include detailed analysis of UFO data, along with intelligence collected by the Office of Naval Intelligence, the Unidentified Aerial Phenomena Task Force, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, as stated in the intelligence committee's plans. As part of this information gathering, the report must also put out all data corresponding to the "centralized analysis of all unidentified aerial phenomena", along with designating an official for overseeing the process. In addition, the report must pinpoint any potential threats to national security posed by UFOs, while attempting to analyse whether any of the adversaries of the US may be involved in the sightings of UFOs. Also read: Pentagon makes three UFO videos captured by US Navy pilot public to clear people’s misconceptions Even though the report can contain a classified annexe, it is required for it to remain unclassified. In April 2020, the Pentagon released three short videos showing "unidentified aerial phenomena". Earlier, the US Navy had confirmed the clips as real. The videos released by the Pentagon date back to 2004 and 2015, and show flying objects that cannot be identified. The objects in question were moving rapidly, and were captured by infrared cameras.

US agencies have less than 6 months to reveal what they know about UFOs

USA on Saturday asked Pakistan to hold Mumbai terror attack mastermind Zaki ur Rehman Lakhvi accountable 'further'. State Department's&nbsp;Bureau of South and Central Asian Affairs said that while it was 'encouraged' by the terrorist's conviction, his crimes went 'far beyond financing terrorism'.&nbsp;Department of State&nbsp;urged Pakistan to hold Zakiur Rehman Lakhvi accountable for his involvement in the Mumbai terror attacks.&nbsp;

"We are encouraged by the recent conviction of Zakiur Rehman Lakhvi. However, his crimes go far beyond financing terrorism. Pakistan should further hold him accountable for his involvement in terrorist attacks, including the Mumbai attacks", the tweet posted on the official handle of the United States Department of State said.

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We are encouraged by the recent conviction of Zaki ur Rehman Lakhvi. However, his crimes go far beyond financing terrorism. Pakistan should further hold him accountable for his involvement in terrorist attacks, including the Mumbai attacks.
— State_SCA (@State_SCA) <a href="https://twitter.com/State_SCA/status/1347928078685777920?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 9, 2021</a></blockquote>
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Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://13.235.153.162/india-news/india-terms-lakhvi-sentencing-masood-azhar-arrest-warrant-farcical-actions-355442" hreflang="en">India terms Lakhvi sentencing, Masood Azhar arrest warrant 'farcical actions'</a>

On Friday, India had called the sentencing of Zakiur Rehman Lakhvi, along with an arrest warrant against Masood Azhar as "routine farcical actions". India added that the action was undertaken simply in anticipation of the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) meeting, which is due in February.&nbsp;

The Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Anurag Srivastava said, "the timing of these actions clearly suggests the intention of conveying a sense of compliance ahead of the APJG meeting and next FATF plenary meeting in February 2021".

For two years, Pakistan has remained on the FATF greylist for its inability to fulfil anti-terror financing commitments.&nbsp;

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://13.235.153.162/india-news/mumbai-terror-attack-mastermind-zaki-ur-rehman-lakhvi-sentenced-by-pakistan-court-for-15-years-355381" hreflang="en">Mumbai terror attack mastermind Zaki-ur-Rehman Lakhvi sentenced by Pakistan court for 15 years</a>

On Friday, Lakhvi was sentenced by a Pakistan court for 15 years in jail for financing terror. Considered one of the key masterminds of 26/11, no action before this had been taken against him so far.

Last year, another 26/11 mastermind Hafiz Saeed was sentenced multiple times by Pakistani courts for financing terror.

Indian Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson had also said earlier - " It is for the international community to hold Pakistan to account and ensure that it takes credible action against terror groups, terror infrastructure and individual terrorists."

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://13.235.153.162/india-news/us-urges-pak-to-hold-designated-terrorist-let-commander-lakhvi-accountable-for-2611-mumbai-attacks-354782" hreflang="en">US urges Pak to hold designated terrorist LeT commander Lakhvi accountable for 26/11 Mumbai attacks</a>

Lashkar-e-Taiba's top commander and key conspirator of the 26/11 Mumbai terror attack, Zakiur Rehman Lakhvi, was arrested by Pakistan's counter-terrorism authorities on January 2 for terror financing. He was found guilty of extending financial help to terrorists through different umbrella businesses. 
&nbsp;

USA on Saturday asked Pakistan to hold Mumbai terror attack mastermind Zaki ur Rehman Lakhvi accountable 'further'. State Department's Bureau of South and Central Asian Affairs said that while it was 'encouraged' by the terrorist's conviction, his crimes went 'far beyond financing terrorism'.

USA on Saturday asked Pakistan to hold Mumbai terror attack mastermind Zaki ur Rehman Lakhvi accountable 'further'. State Department's Bureau of South and Central Asian Affairs said that while it was 'encouraged' by the terrorist's conviction, his crimes went 'far beyond financing terrorism'. Department of State urged Pakistan to hold Zakiur Rehman Lakhvi accountable for his involvement in the Mumbai terror attacks. "We are encouraged by the recent conviction of Zakiur Rehman Lakhvi. However, his crimes go far beyond financing terrorism. Pakistan should further hold him accountable for his involvement in terrorist attacks, including the Mumbai attacks", the tweet posted on the official handle of the United States Department of State said. We are encouraged by the recent conviction of Zaki ur Rehman Lakhvi. However, his crimes go far beyond financing terrorism. Pakistan should further hold him accountable for his involvement in terrorist attacks, including the Mumbai attacks. — State_SCA (@State_SCA) January 9, 2021 × Also read: India terms Lakhvi sentencing, Masood Azhar arrest warrant 'farcical actions' On Friday, India had called the sentencing of Zakiur Rehman Lakhvi, along with an arrest warrant against Masood Azhar as "routine farcical actions". India added that the action was undertaken simply in anticipation of the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) meeting, which is due in February. The Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Anurag Srivastava said, "the timing of these actions clearly suggests the intention of conveying a sense of compliance ahead of the APJG meeting and next FATF plenary meeting in February 2021". For two years, Pakistan has remained on the FATF greylist for its inability to fulfil anti-terror financing commitments. Also read: Mumbai terror attack mastermind Zaki-ur-Rehman Lakhvi sentenced by Pakistan court for 15 years On Friday, Lakhvi was sentenced by a Pakistan court for 15 years in jail for financing terror. Considered one of the key masterminds of 26/11, no action before this had been taken against him so far. Last year, another 26/11 mastermind Hafiz Saeed was sentenced multiple times by Pakistani courts for financing terror. Indian Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson had also said earlier - " It is for the international community to hold Pakistan to account and ensure that it takes credible action against terror groups, terror infrastructure and individual terrorists." Also read: US urges Pak to hold designated terrorist LeT commander Lakhvi accountable for 26/11 Mumbai attacks Lashkar-e-Taiba's top commander and key conspirator of the 26/11 Mumbai terror attack, Zakiur Rehman Lakhvi, was arrested by Pakistan's counter-terrorism authorities on January 2 for terror financing. He was found guilty of extending financial help to terrorists through different umbrella businesses.

After Lakhvi conviction, US asks Pakistan to 'further hold him accountable'

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