Print media in Arab states of the Gulf gave a cautious welcome to US President Joe Biden who was sworn in as 46th President of the USA on Wednesday. The caution appeared to be due to USA's yet uncertain stance towards Iran. Biden aides have indicated that the administration would be keen to re-enter 2015 nuclear deal with Iran. However, they have also cautioned Iran in recent past to not become complacent.

"Goodbye Trump, hello Biden," Saudi columnist Abdulrahman Al-Rashed wrote in the pan-Arab daily Asharq Al-Awsat.

Like other Gulf commentators, he pointed to concerns over whether the new US administration's policies will mirror those of Barack Obama, for whom Biden served as vice president.

Biden is expected to re-adopt a less confrontational stance towards the Islamic republic, unlike Trump's policy of "maximum pressure" and high tensions.

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The nuclear deal with Iran was struck by USA under Barack Obama along with other world powers. The development was considered to be a landmark achievement and much political capital was spent in securing the deal.

However, Trump unilaterally took the USA out of the deal and applied "maximum pressure" on Iran. Under Trump, America also assassinated Iran's once-untouchable military commander Qasem Soleimani. Trump also cultivated close relations with Gulf monarchies

Saudi Arabia's pro-government Okaz asked whether the Biden administration would stand by Washington's Arab allies or "renew with their enemies".

In Bahrain, the paper Akhbar Al-Khaleej said Trump deserved "thanks and appreciation".

Also Read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/widely-praised-joe-bidens-speech-written-by-indian-american-358312">Widely praised Joe Biden's speech written by Indian American</a>

His "policies and positions against Iran have established a new reality in American dealings with Iran, and it will be difficult for the Biden administration to completely bypass them," its columnist Al-Sayed Zahra wrote.

Just across the Gulf from Iran, Bahrain is a longstanding Western ally and home to the US Fifth Fleet.

Print media in Arab states of the Gulf gave a cautious welcome to US President Joe Biden who was sworn in as 46th President of the USA on Wednesday. The caution appeared to be due to USA's yet uncertain stance towards Iran.

Print media in Arab states of the Gulf gave a cautious welcome to US President Joe Biden who was sworn in as 46th President of the USA on Wednesday. The caution appeared to be due to USA's yet uncertain stance towards Iran. Biden aides have indicated that the administration would be keen to re-enter 2015 nuclear deal with Iran. However, they have also cautioned Iran in recent past to not become complacent. "Goodbye Trump, hello Biden," Saudi columnist Abdulrahman Al-Rashed wrote in the pan-Arab daily Asharq Al-Awsat. Like other Gulf commentators, he pointed to concerns over whether the new US administration's policies will mirror those of Barack Obama, for whom Biden served as vice president. Biden is expected to re-adopt a less confrontational stance towards the Islamic republic, unlike Trump's policy of "maximum pressure" and high tensions. × The nuclear deal with Iran was struck by USA under Barack Obama along with other world powers. The development was considered to be a landmark achievement and much political capital was spent in securing the deal. However, Trump unilaterally took the USA out of the deal and applied "maximum pressure" on Iran. Under Trump, America also assassinated Iran's once-untouchable military commander Qasem Soleimani. Trump also cultivated close relations with Gulf monarchies Saudi Arabia's pro-government Okaz asked whether the Biden administration would stand by Washington's Arab allies or "renew with their enemies". In Bahrain, the paper Akhbar Al-Khaleej said Trump deserved "thanks and appreciation". Also Read | Widely praised Joe Biden's speech written by Indian American His "policies and positions against Iran have established a new reality in American dealings with Iran, and it will be difficult for the Biden administration to completely bypass them," its columnist Al-Sayed Zahra wrote. Just across the Gulf from Iran, Bahrain is a longstanding Western ally and home to the US Fifth Fleet.

Cautious welcome for Biden in Gulf amid yet uncertain Iran policy

US President Joe Biden in his first speech as head of the state appealed all Americans to come together and unite and 'end uncivil war'. Biden's tone and words were a continuation of the steadfast message he has been sending across ever since results of US Presidential Elections were out in December 2020. During his speech, he assured that he will work as hard for those who DID NOT support him as for those who supported him during the election campaign. Former US President Donald Trump was not present for Biden's inauguration ceremony. Former Vice-President Mike Pence was in attendance.

Stressing repeatedly that he will be a president for "all Americans", President Biden admitted that there was "much to repair and much to restore".&nbsp;

On January 6, the US Capitol building was put under siege by supporters of Donald Trump after he encouraged them. Biden said that the violence "sought to shake capital's very foundation". He said that it was an attempt to stop the process in which "will"of Americans people was being heard. US Congress was in a process to certify Joe Biden's victory when the attack took place.

"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 on our democracy, to drive us from this sacred ground," Biden said. "It did not happen; it will never happen. Not today, not tomorrow, not ever."

Biden thanked his predecessors "from both parties". Former US Presidents Barack Obama,&nbsp;the Bushes and Bill Clinton were present for the inauguration ceremony. He called his predecessors "patriots" who had taken oath to defend US Constitution. &nbsp;

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"This is America's day, This is democracy's day [...] we celebrate a triumph of a cause of democracy," said Biden early in his speech.

"Hear me out," said Biden as he addressed the Americans who did not vote for him. He urged them to hear his words and said it was fine if they disagreed with him because that's how democracy functioned.

Racial justice, healthcare

In his inaugural speech, Biden said that he will deliver racial justice. He vowed to defeat political extremism and domestic terror. More significantly Biden mentioned white supremacy as a menace to confront

The United States faces "a rise of political extremism, white supremacy, domestic terrorism, that we must confront, and we will defeat," he said.

"This is our historic moment of crisis and challenge and unity is the path forward. And we must meet this moment as the United States of America." he added

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-president-joe-biden-inaugural-speech-full-text-358185">Check full text of Joe Biden's inaugural speech</a>

Biden urged Americans to "reject" culture of manipulating facts.

Joe Biden mentioned 'healthcare for all' as one of the goals of his administration.

'We will repair our alliances'

During Donald Trump's tenure, he took the US on an isolationist path and squabbled with America's traditional allies. He even unilaterally made the US exit many treaties with allies.

Joe Biden assured the world that under his watch, USA will repair the alliances.

On Coronavirus

Biden said that US was entering the 'deadliest' phase of COVID-19 pandemic. He led a silent prayer for all those who had lost their lives due to coronavirus.

"We need all our strength to... persevere through this dark winter. We're entering what may be the toughest and deadliest period of the virus," he said, calling on Americans to "finally face this pandemic as one nation."

US President Joe Biden in his first speech as head of the state appealed all Americans to come together and unite and 'end uncivil war'. Biden's tone and words were a continuation of the steadfast message he has been sending across ever since results of US Presidential Elections were out in December 2020.

US President Joe Biden in his first speech as head of the state appealed all Americans to come together and unite and 'end uncivil war'. Biden's tone and words were a continuation of the steadfast message he has been sending across ever since results of US Presidential Elections were out in December 2020. During his speech, he assured that he will work as hard for those who DID NOT support him as for those who supported him during the election campaign. Former US President Donald Trump was not present for Biden's inauguration ceremony. Former Vice-President Mike Pence was in attendance. Stressing repeatedly that he will be a president for "all Americans", President Biden admitted that there was "much to repair and much to restore". On January 6, the US Capitol building was put under siege by supporters of Donald Trump after he encouraged them. Biden said that the violence "sought to shake capital's very foundation". He said that it was an attempt to stop the process in which "will"of Americans people was being heard. US Congress was in a process to certify Joe Biden's victory when the attack took place. "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 on our democracy, to drive us from this sacred ground," Biden said. "It did not happen; it will never happen. Not today, not tomorrow, not ever." Biden thanked his predecessors "from both parties". Former US Presidents Barack Obama, the Bushes and Bill Clinton were present for the inauguration ceremony. He called his predecessors "patriots" who had taken oath to defend US Constitution. × "This is America's day, This is democracy's day [...] we celebrate a triumph of a cause of democracy," said Biden early in his speech. "Hear me out," said Biden as he addressed the Americans who did not vote for him. He urged them to hear his words and said it was fine if they disagreed with him because that's how democracy functioned. Racial justice, healthcare In his inaugural speech, Biden said that he will deliver racial justice. He vowed to defeat political extremism and domestic terror. More significantly Biden mentioned white supremacy as a menace to confront The United States faces "a rise of political extremism, white supremacy, domestic terrorism, that we must confront, and we will defeat," he said. "This is our historic moment of crisis and challenge and unity is the path forward. And we must meet this moment as the United States of America." he added Check full text of Joe Biden's inaugural speech Biden urged Americans to "reject" culture of manipulating facts. Joe Biden mentioned 'healthcare for all' as one of the goals of his administration. 'We will repair our alliances' During Donald Trump's tenure, he took the US on an isolationist path and squabbled with America's traditional allies. He even unilaterally made the US exit many treaties with allies. Joe Biden assured the world that under his watch, USA will repair the alliances. On Coronavirus Biden said that US was entering the 'deadliest' phase of COVID-19 pandemic. He led a silent prayer for all those who had lost their lives due to coronavirus. "We need all our strength to... persevere through this dark winter. We're entering what may be the toughest and deadliest period of the virus," he said, calling on Americans to "finally face this pandemic as one nation."

US President Joe Biden appeals Americans to 'end uncivil war' in his inaugural speech

When President Joe Biden took the oath of office Wednesday, he placed his hand on a familial artefact that has followed him throughout his 50-year political career: a hefty Bible, accented with a Celtic cross, that has been in his family since 1893.

The Bible has been a staple at Biden’s past swearing-in ceremonies as a U.S. senator and as vice president. His son Beau Biden also used it when he was sworn in as the Delaware attorney general.

Joe Biden, who will make history as the country’s second Catholic president, after John F. Kennedy, often invoked his faith during the 2020 presidential campaign as he courted voters with a promise to restore the “soul of America.”

In an interview last month with Stephen Colbert, Biden shared some history about the family heirloom.

“Every important date is in there,” Biden said. “For example, every time I’ve been sworn in for anything, the date is inscribed.”

A person familiar with Biden’s inauguration preparations confirmed Wednesday that he would use the tome for his swearing-in.

The Bible that a president-elect chooses to use for the swearing-in ceremony often relays a symbolic message to the American public, said Seth A. Perry, an associate professor of religion at Princeton University and the author of “Bible Culture and Authority in the Early United States.”

“It’s difficult to imagine the ritual of the inauguration happening without that book at this point,” Perry said. “It’s part of the scenery. It’s part of the thing that gives the moment the authority that it has.”

Here’s a look how the Bible has figured into some of the most pivotal moments in U.S. history: the inaugurations of new presidents.

Washington’s Bible has been popular with other presidents.

Like much of the pageantry associated with presidential inaugurations, the presence of a Bible at swearing-in ceremonies is steeped in tradition, dating to the nation’s first president.

During his 1789 inauguration in New York, George Washington used a Bible from St. John’s Masonic Lodge No. 1. The Bible is said to have been retrieved after attendees noticed one was not on hand at Federal Hall, where Washington was preparing to take the oath of office, according to Claire Jerry, a curator of political history at the National Museum of American History.

The Bible represented the agreement that Washington was making with the American people, she said.

“Having sacred imagery associated with the taking of a covenant is fairly consistent and emphasizes that idea that we, who are witnessing the taking of the oath, and the individual who’s taking the oath are entering into a very profound relationship with each other,” Jerry said.

Washington’s Bible has been used in the inaugurations of four other presidents: Warren G. Harding, Dwight D. Eisenhower, Jimmy Carter and George Bush.

In 2017, President Donald Trump used one Bible that had been given to him by his mother when he was a boy and another used by Abraham Lincoln for his inauguration in 1861, just before the start of the Civil War. Barack Obama also used the Lincoln Bible when taking the oath of office, though in 2013, for his second inauguration, he supplemented it with a Bible given to Martin Luther King Jr. in 1954.

Some presidents have taken the oath of office with the Bible opened to a specific verse or passage, Jerry said. Popular choices include verses in Proverbs and Psalms.

How is an inaugural Bible chosen?

According to Mark Dimunation, head of the rare book and special collections division at the Library of Congress, presidents-elect often look for a text with which they have a personal connection or one that represents the history of the moment in which they are taking office.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/kamala-harris-breaks-barriers-as-americas-first-black-south-asian-woman-vice-president-358140" hreflang="en">Kamala Harris breaks barriers as America's first Black, South Asian woman Vice President</a>

“The electricity of that moment was profound,” Dimunation said of the use of the Lincoln and King Bibles by Obama, the nation’s first Black president. “It’s been ensconced in these objects that really would seem to be nothing more than a book, but it carries with it the weight of its moment and history.”

The Library of Congress, which is home to many notable Bibles, including Lincoln’s, often receives requests from politicians about texts they hope to use for their oaths of office. Transporting the texts from the library to politicians’ hands is no easy feat.

“It takes a village,” Dimunation said.

Texts are required to go through a conservation review and are often transported in a specially built box to ensure protection against bad weather and other unfavorable conditions. The entire process is “handled at a high level of security,” Dimunation said.

Does the president have to use a Bible?

Although presidents and members of Congress are required by the Constitution to take an oath of office, they are not required to place a hand on a sacred text while doing so. But if they choose to swear on an object, they can pretty much use any text they prefer.

John Quincy Adams used a book of law during his ceremony, and in 1963, after Kennedy’s assassination, Lyndon B. Johnson took the oath of office aboard Air Force One with his hand on a Roman Catholic missal.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/amanda-gorman-becomes-youngest-inaugural-poet-in-us-history-358151" hreflang="en">Amanda Gorman becomes youngest inaugural poet in US history</a>

Over the years, members of Congress have also incorporated other texts in their swearing-in ceremonies, sometimes speaking to their own personal faith or beliefs, Jerry said.

In 2007, Rep. Keith Ellison of Minnesota, the only Muslim in Congress at the time, used Thomas Jefferson’s Quran at his swearing-in ceremony. In her swearing-in photo, Rep. Rashida Tlaib, D-Mich., used a Quran given to her by her best friend.

When President Joe Biden took the oath of office Wednesday, he placed his hand on a familial artefact that has followed him throughout his 50-year political career: a hefty Bible, accented with a Celtic cross, that has been in his family since 1893.

When President Joe Biden took the oath of office Wednesday, he placed his hand on a familial artefact that has followed him throughout his 50-year political career: a hefty Bible, accented with a Celtic cross, that has been in his family since 1893. The Bible has been a staple at Biden’s past swearing-in ceremonies as a U.S. senator and as vice president. His son Beau Biden also used it when he was sworn in as the Delaware attorney general. Joe Biden, who will make history as the country’s second Catholic president, after John F. Kennedy, often invoked his faith during the 2020 presidential campaign as he courted voters with a promise to restore the “soul of America.” In an interview last month with Stephen Colbert, Biden shared some history about the family heirloom. “Every important date is in there,” Biden said. “For example, every time I’ve been sworn in for anything, the date is inscribed.” A person familiar with Biden’s inauguration preparations confirmed Wednesday that he would use the tome for his swearing-in. The Bible that a president-elect chooses to use for the swearing-in ceremony often relays a symbolic message to the American public, said Seth A. Perry, an associate professor of religion at Princeton University and the author of “Bible Culture and Authority in the Early United States.” “It’s difficult to imagine the ritual of the inauguration happening without that book at this point,” Perry said. “It’s part of the scenery. It’s part of the thing that gives the moment the authority that it has.” Here’s a look how the Bible has figured into some of the most pivotal moments in U.S. history: the inaugurations of new presidents. Washington’s Bible has been popular with other presidents. Like much of the pageantry associated with presidential inaugurations, the presence of a Bible at swearing-in ceremonies is steeped in tradition, dating to the nation’s first president. During his 1789 inauguration in New York, George Washington used a Bible from St. John’s Masonic Lodge No. 1. The Bible is said to have been retrieved after attendees noticed one was not on hand at Federal Hall, where Washington was preparing to take the oath of office, according to Claire Jerry, a curator of political history at the National Museum of American History. The Bible represented the agreement that Washington was making with the American people, she said. “Having sacred imagery associated with the taking of a covenant is fairly consistent and emphasizes that idea that we, who are witnessing the taking of the oath, and the individual who’s taking the oath are entering into a very profound relationship with each other,” Jerry said. Washington’s Bible has been used in the inaugurations of four other presidents: Warren G. Harding, Dwight D. Eisenhower, Jimmy Carter and George Bush. In 2017, President Donald Trump used one Bible that had been given to him by his mother when he was a boy and another used by Abraham Lincoln for his inauguration in 1861, just before the start of the Civil War. Barack Obama also used the Lincoln Bible when taking the oath of office, though in 2013, for his second inauguration, he supplemented it with a Bible given to Martin Luther King Jr. in 1954. Some presidents have taken the oath of office with the Bible opened to a specific verse or passage, Jerry said. Popular choices include verses in Proverbs and Psalms. How is an inaugural Bible chosen? According to Mark Dimunation, head of the rare book and special collections division at the Library of Congress, presidents-elect often look for a text with which they have a personal connection or one that represents the history of the moment in which they are taking office. Also read: Kamala Harris breaks barriers as America's first Black, South Asian woman Vice President “The electricity of that moment was profound,” Dimunation said of the use of the Lincoln and King Bibles by Obama, the nation’s first Black president. “It’s been ensconced in these objects that really would seem to be nothing more than a book, but it carries with it the weight of its moment and history.” The Library of Congress, which is home to many notable Bibles, including Lincoln’s, often receives requests from politicians about texts they hope to use for their oaths of office. Transporting the texts from the library to politicians’ hands is no easy feat. “It takes a village,” Dimunation said. Texts are required to go through a conservation review and are often transported in a specially built box to ensure protection against bad weather and other unfavorable conditions. The entire process is “handled at a high level of security,” Dimunation said. Does the president have to use a Bible? Although presidents and members of Congress are required by the Constitution to take an oath of office, they are not required to place a hand on a sacred text while doing so. But if they choose to swear on an object, they can pretty much use any text they prefer. John Quincy Adams used a book of law during his ceremony, and in 1963, after Kennedy’s assassination, Lyndon B. Johnson took the oath of office aboard Air Force One with his hand on a Roman Catholic missal. Also read: Amanda Gorman becomes youngest inaugural poet in US history Over the years, members of Congress have also incorporated other texts in their swearing-in ceremonies, sometimes speaking to their own personal faith or beliefs, Jerry said. In 2007, Rep. Keith Ellison of Minnesota, the only Muslim in Congress at the time, used Thomas Jefferson’s Quran at his swearing-in ceremony. In her swearing-in photo, Rep. Rashida Tlaib, D-Mich., used a Quran given to her by her best friend.

Biden’s family Bible has a long history

The Kremlin said Wednesday that any improvement in Moscow's tense relationship with Washington would depend on Joe Biden when he enters the White House.

The United States recently blamed Kremlin-backed hackers for a massive cyberattack that breached government institutions, adding to a long list of grievances plaguing ties between the former Cold War rivals.

"Russia will live as it has lived for hundreds of years: seeking good relations with the United States," the Kremlin's spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said.

Whether or not Washington works towards achieving the same goal "will depend on Mr Biden and his team," Peskov added.

Despite disagreements surrounding conflicts in Ukraine and Syria, as well as US election meddling and hacking allegations against Russia, the countries will be in a race to extend a landmark nuclear weapons accord shortly after Biden is sworn in.

The 2010 New START treaty -- the last remaining nuclear pact between the countries -- limits both sides to 1,500 nuclear warheads each and is set to expire February 5.&nbsp;

Peskov said Wednesday that President Vladimir Putin has "consistently" advocated for the preservation of the treaty and that it was now up to Washington to preserve the pact.&nbsp;

Negotiations under the administration of President Donald Trump stalled as Washington pushed for China to join the agreement even though Beijing said it had no intention of joining.

Biden's aides have indicated that the incoming US leader will work towards extending the treaty, but he also vowed to take a tougher stance on Russia during the campaign.

Peskov said Wednesday that the change in the US presidency will make no difference to Russia and that the Kremlin was not making any preparations for Biden's inauguration.

The Kremlin said Wednesday that any improvement in Moscow's tense relationship with Washington would depend on Joe Biden when he enters the White House. The United States recently blamed Kremlin-backed hackers for a massive cyberattack that breached government institutions, adding to a long list of grievances plaguing ties between the former Cold War rivals.

The Kremlin said Wednesday that any improvement in Moscow's tense relationship with Washington would depend on Joe Biden when he enters the White House. The United States recently blamed Kremlin-backed hackers for a massive cyberattack that breached government institutions, adding to a long list of grievances plaguing ties between the former Cold War rivals. "Russia will live as it has lived for hundreds of years: seeking good relations with the United States," the Kremlin's spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said. Whether or not Washington works towards achieving the same goal "will depend on Mr Biden and his team," Peskov added. Despite disagreements surrounding conflicts in Ukraine and Syria, as well as US election meddling and hacking allegations against Russia, the countries will be in a race to extend a landmark nuclear weapons accord shortly after Biden is sworn in. The 2010 New START treaty -- the last remaining nuclear pact between the countries -- limits both sides to 1,500 nuclear warheads each and is set to expire February 5. Peskov said Wednesday that President Vladimir Putin has "consistently" advocated for the preservation of the treaty and that it was now up to Washington to preserve the pact. Negotiations under the administration of President Donald Trump stalled as Washington pushed for China to join the agreement even though Beijing said it had no intention of joining. Biden's aides have indicated that the incoming US leader will work towards extending the treaty, but he also vowed to take a tougher stance on Russia during the campaign. Peskov said Wednesday that the change in the US presidency will make no difference to Russia and that the Kremlin was not making any preparations for Biden's inauguration.

Russia says better ties with US up to Biden

United States officials who have engaged in “nasty behaviour” over Taiwan will face sanctions, Chinese Foreign Ministry said on Monday. 
 
China claims Taiwan as its own territory, and the US recently lifted restrictions on exchanges between US and Taiwanese officials. 
 
Ties between both the countries have suffered in the aftermath of Mike Pompeo easing the restrictions between US and Taiwan. In addition, US Ambassador to the United Nations, Kelly Craft spoke to Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen last week, angering China.

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Chinese ministry’s spokesperson Hua Chunying said that US officials would face sanctions after China pledged to make the US “pay a heavy price” for engaging with Taiwan, as reported by Reuters. 
 
"Owing to the wrong actions of the United States, China has decided to impose sanctions on responsible US officials who have engaged in nasty behaviour on the Taiwan issue," Chunying said.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://13.235.153.162/world/china-threatens-counterstrike-as-us-lifts-taiwan-restrictions-356055" hreflang="en">China threatens ‘counterstrike’ as US lifts Taiwan restrictions</a>

Chunying said that China is imposing sanctions on US officials members of Congress, and other personnel at NGOs for “nasty behaviour” over the Taiwan issue. 
 
Earlier, the US had sanctioned over a dozen Chinese officials, and China had promised to respond. 
 
Even then, China has not revealed the names of US officials that are being sanctioned, and the nature of sanctions.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://13.235.153.162/world/taiwans-new-passport-gives-hope-amid-growing-resistance-against-china-355975" hreflang="en">Taiwan's new passport gives hope amid growing resistance against China</a>

On Wednesday, Democrat Joe Biden will be sworn-in as the president of the US, with the relationship between US and Taiwan vis-a-vis China expected to see some change. 
 
China has repeatedly claimed that Taiwan is the most sensitive issue in terms of the country’s relationship with the United States.

United States officials who have engaged in “nasty behaviour” over Taiwan will face sanctions, Chinese Foreign Ministry said on Monday. China claims Taiwan as its own territory, and the US recently lifted restrictions on exchanges between US and Taiwanese officials.

United States officials who have engaged in “nasty behaviour” over Taiwan will face sanctions, Chinese Foreign Ministry said on Monday. China claims Taiwan as its own territory, and the US recently lifted restrictions on exchanges between US and Taiwanese officials. Ties between both the countries have suffered in the aftermath of Mike Pompeo easing the restrictions between US and Taiwan. In addition, US Ambassador to the United Nations, Kelly Craft spoke to Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen last week, angering China. Chinese ministry’s spokesperson Hua Chunying said that US officials would face sanctions after China pledged to make the US “pay a heavy price” for engaging with Taiwan, as reported by Reuters. "Owing to the wrong actions of the United States, China has decided to impose sanctions on responsible US officials who have engaged in nasty behaviour on the Taiwan issue," Chunying said. Also read: China threatens ‘counterstrike’ as US lifts Taiwan restrictions Chunying said that China is imposing sanctions on US officials members of Congress, and other personnel at NGOs for “nasty behaviour” over the Taiwan issue. Earlier, the US had sanctioned over a dozen Chinese officials, and China had promised to respond. Even then, China has not revealed the names of US officials that are being sanctioned, and the nature of sanctions. Also read: Taiwan's new passport gives hope amid growing resistance against China On Wednesday, Democrat Joe Biden will be sworn-in as the president of the US, with the relationship between US and Taiwan vis-a-vis China expected to see some change. China has repeatedly claimed that Taiwan is the most sensitive issue in terms of the country’s relationship with the United States.

Will sanction US officials for 'nasty behaviour' over Taiwan: China

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

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

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

Biden will wait for recommendation on sharing secrets with Trump

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. 
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"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

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is seeking to mend Turkey's ties with European Union sensing a hostile US under Joe Biden administration. Relations between Ankara and Brussells are at a low.

And while Erdogan speaks of turning "a new page", the list of European grievances is long. Most recently, Brussels began drawing up a list of sanctions over Turkey's hunt for natural gas in the eastern Mediterranean, which triggered a naval standoff with Greece last year. But older suspicions simmer.

Erdogan's direct military interventions in the Syrian and Libyan conflicts raised hackles in Europe, while his vocal backing of Azerbaijan in the six-week Nagorno-Karabakh war upset Armenia's allies across the West.

Erdogan's threats to send millions of Syrian and other refugees Turkey is hosting to Europe if the bloc fails to provide more funding are a constant menace.

'Looking for friends'

Turkey is heavily dependent on Europe. EU member states accounted for 67.2 per cent of foreign direct investment in Turket from 2002 to 2018

With foreign sentiment dented, the Turkish lira lost a fifth of its value against the dollar last year, forcing the central bank to burn through most of its reserves trying to prop up the currency. 
Then Erdogan parted ways with his powerful son-in-law, who served as finance minister and bore the blame for Turkey's economic woes.

A few days later, Erdogan first mentioned reforms and "turning a new page" in relations with Europe.

"Erdogan is looking for friends anywhere and everywhere," said Ilke Toygur, an analyst at the German Institute for International and Security Affairs, and Elcano Royal Institute.

Donald Trump called Erdogan a "good friend". His loss ti Biden is understood to be the reason behind shift in Erdogan's tone.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is seeking to mend Turkey's ties with European Union sensing a hostile US under Joe Biden administration. Relations between Ankara and Brussells are at a low.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is seeking to mend Turkey's ties with European Union sensing a hostile US under Joe Biden administration. Relations between Ankara and Brussells are at a low. And while Erdogan speaks of turning "a new page", the list of European grievances is long. Most recently, Brussels began drawing up a list of sanctions over Turkey's hunt for natural gas in the eastern Mediterranean, which triggered a naval standoff with Greece last year. But older suspicions simmer. Erdogan's direct military interventions in the Syrian and Libyan conflicts raised hackles in Europe, while his vocal backing of Azerbaijan in the six-week Nagorno-Karabakh war upset Armenia's allies across the West. Erdogan's threats to send millions of Syrian and other refugees Turkey is hosting to Europe if the bloc fails to provide more funding are a constant menace. 'Looking for friends' Turkey is heavily dependent on Europe. EU member states accounted for 67.2 per cent of foreign direct investment in Turket from 2002 to 2018 With foreign sentiment dented, the Turkish lira lost a fifth of its value against the dollar last year, forcing the central bank to burn through most of its reserves trying to prop up the currency. Then Erdogan parted ways with his powerful son-in-law, who served as finance minister and bore the blame for Turkey's economic woes. A few days later, Erdogan first mentioned reforms and "turning a new page" in relations with Europe. "Erdogan is looking for friends anywhere and everywhere," said Ilke Toygur, an analyst at the German Institute for International and Security Affairs, and Elcano Royal Institute. Donald Trump called Erdogan a "good friend". His loss ti Biden is understood to be the reason behind shift in Erdogan's tone.

Erdogan seeks to mend ties with EU sensing a hostile US

The US State Department said Saturday it is "deeply troubled" by reports of violence and irregularities surrounding Uganda's presidential election, which saw Yoweri Museveni win a sixth term in office.

"The Ugandan people turned out to vote in multiparty national elections on January 14 despite an environment of intimidation and fear," department spokeswoman Morgan Ortagus said in a statement.

"We are deeply troubled by the many credible reports of security force violence during the pre-election period and election irregularities during the polls," she said.

Museveni extended his 35-year rule after an election which his main rival said was marred by fraud.

He was accused of crushing the opposition and media ahead of one of the most violent election campaigns in recent years, which saw the deaths of at least 54 people.

Ortagus called for "independent, credible, impartial and thorough investigations" into the reports of violence and fraud, and for those responsible to face justice.

She condemned attacks on political candidates, and said the State Department is "gravely concerned by harassment of and continued threats to civil society."

Museveni won with 58.6 percent of the vote, seeing off a stiff battle from former ragga singer Bobi Wine.

Wine was under heavy guard at his home on the outskirts of Kampala as the results were announced, with his party saying he was under "effective house arrest."&nbsp;

The government said it was merely providing him with security.

The US State Department said Saturday it is "deeply troubled" by reports of violence and irregularities surrounding Uganda's presidential election, which saw Yoweri Museveni win a sixth term in office.

The US State Department said Saturday it is "deeply troubled" by reports of violence and irregularities surrounding Uganda's presidential election, which saw Yoweri Museveni win a sixth term in office. "The Ugandan people turned out to vote in multiparty national elections on January 14 despite an environment of intimidation and fear," department spokeswoman Morgan Ortagus said in a statement. "We are deeply troubled by the many credible reports of security force violence during the pre-election period and election irregularities during the polls," she said. Museveni extended his 35-year rule after an election which his main rival said was marred by fraud. He was accused of crushing the opposition and media ahead of one of the most violent election campaigns in recent years, which saw the deaths of at least 54 people. Ortagus called for "independent, credible, impartial and thorough investigations" into the reports of violence and fraud, and for those responsible to face justice. She condemned attacks on political candidates, and said the State Department is "gravely concerned by harassment of and continued threats to civil society." Museveni won with 58.6 percent of the vote, seeing off a stiff battle from former ragga singer Bobi Wine. Wine was under heavy guard at his home on the outskirts of Kampala as the results were announced, with his party saying he was under "effective house arrest." The government said it was merely providing him with security.

US 'deeply troubled' by reports of violence, irregularities in Uganda poll

Over 8,000 Honduran migrants have entered Guatemala after a first group pushed past border police late Friday and others soon followed on the first step of a journey north they hope will take them to the United States. 
&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; 
The caravan, including many families with children, walked together across Guatemala on Saturday hoping to reach the United States, seeking to escape poverty, unemployment, gang and drug violence and the aftermath of two devastating hurricanes.

The first migrant caravan of the year comes less than a week before US President-elect Joe Biden takes office. He has promised a more humane approach to migration, in contrast to outgoing President Donald Trump's hardline policies.

Biden has promised "a fair and humane immigration system" and pledged aid to tackle the root causes of poverty and violence that drive Central Americans to the United States.

Guatemalan officials said the initial group numbered roughly 6,000; an additional 3,000 crossed into the country on Saturday, they said.

A Guatemalan government statement denounced what it said was a violation of its national sovereignty and called on Honduras to "contain the massive departure of its inhabitants, through permanent preventive actions."

A police official said the migrants were allowed to cross into Guatemala because there were many families with children. They said officers, who were unarmed, feared tear gas could cause casualties.

In the meantime, Mexican and Central American authorities coordinated security and public health measures aimed at deterring mass unauthorised migration across the region.

Guatemala, Honduras, and Mexico deployed thousands of soldiers and riot police aimed at blocking the migrants` passage. But the caravan has grown considerably over the last 24 hours, with members citing a spiraling crisis of hunger and homelessness in Honduras as their reasons for joining.

Border agents asked the migrants for their papers -- and demanded proof of negative coronavirus tests -- but appeared to let many through who did not meet those requirements.

As the migrants moved northward in small groups, workers with the International Committee of the Red Cross and the UN High Commissioner for Refugees provided some with assistance.&nbsp;

Most of the migrants, many in sandals, carried backpacks with their few belongings.&nbsp;

The migrants are seeking a better life in America under Joe Biden after years of tough anti-immigrant policies under Donald Trump, but US authorities have already warned off the group.

Guatemala, Mexico and Honduras have an agreement with the US to stop north-bound migratory flows.

More than a dozen caravans, some with thousands of migrants, have set off from Honduras since October 2018. But all have run up against thousands of US border guards and soldiers under Trump, who characterized immigrants from Mexico as "rapists" and criminals.

The Mexican government said it would not allow the "illegal entry" of any migrant caravans and deployed 500 immigration officers to the border states of Chiapas and Tabasco.

Guatemalan migration officials said the Honduran group appeared to be heading for the border post at Tecun Uman in southern Mexico.

Trump said Friday he was extending a national emergency on the border with Mexico, a measure he first imposed in February 2019.

On Friday, Guatemalan military detained hundreds of migrants, including many families with young children.

(with inputs from agencies)

Over 8,000 Honduran migrants have entered Guatemala after a first group pushed past border police late Friday and others soon followed on the first step of a journey north they hope will take them to the United States.

Over 8,000 Honduran migrants have entered Guatemala after a first group pushed past border police late Friday and others soon followed on the first step of a journey north they hope will take them to the United States. The caravan, including many families with children, walked together across Guatemala on Saturday hoping to reach the United States, seeking to escape poverty, unemployment, gang and drug violence and the aftermath of two devastating hurricanes. The first migrant caravan of the year comes less than a week before US President-elect Joe Biden takes office. He has promised a more humane approach to migration, in contrast to outgoing President Donald Trump's hardline policies. Biden has promised "a fair and humane immigration system" and pledged aid to tackle the root causes of poverty and violence that drive Central Americans to the United States. Guatemalan officials said the initial group numbered roughly 6,000; an additional 3,000 crossed into the country on Saturday, they said. A Guatemalan government statement denounced what it said was a violation of its national sovereignty and called on Honduras to "contain the massive departure of its inhabitants, through permanent preventive actions." A police official said the migrants were allowed to cross into Guatemala because there were many families with children. They said officers, who were unarmed, feared tear gas could cause casualties. In the meantime, Mexican and Central American authorities coordinated security and public health measures aimed at deterring mass unauthorised migration across the region. Guatemala, Honduras, and Mexico deployed thousands of soldiers and riot police aimed at blocking the migrants` passage. But the caravan has grown considerably over the last 24 hours, with members citing a spiraling crisis of hunger and homelessness in Honduras as their reasons for joining. Border agents asked the migrants for their papers -- and demanded proof of negative coronavirus tests -- but appeared to let many through who did not meet those requirements. As the migrants moved northward in small groups, workers with the International Committee of the Red Cross and the UN High Commissioner for Refugees provided some with assistance. Most of the migrants, many in sandals, carried backpacks with their few belongings. The migrants are seeking a better life in America under Joe Biden after years of tough anti-immigrant policies under Donald Trump, but US authorities have already warned off the group. Guatemala, Mexico and Honduras have an agreement with the US to stop north-bound migratory flows. More than a dozen caravans, some with thousands of migrants, have set off from Honduras since October 2018. But all have run up against thousands of US border guards and soldiers under Trump, who characterized immigrants from Mexico as "rapists" and criminals. The Mexican government said it would not allow the "illegal entry" of any migrant caravans and deployed 500 immigration officers to the border states of Chiapas and Tabasco. Guatemalan migration officials said the Honduran group appeared to be heading for the border post at Tecun Uman in southern Mexico. Trump said Friday he was extending a national emergency on the border with Mexico, a measure he first imposed in February 2019. On Friday, Guatemalan military detained hundreds of migrants, including many families with young children. (with inputs from agencies)

US-bound migrant caravan in Guatemala swells to over 8,000 people

Guatemalan authorities have reportedly escalated efforts to stop the thousands of Hondurans, travelling in a migrant caravan bound for the United States.

Over 8,000 migrants have entered Guatemala since Friday, according to the immigration authority, seeking to escape poverty, unemployment, gang and drug violence and the aftermath of two devastating hurricanes in November.

Several videos showed Guatemalan security forces clashing with a group of hundreds of migrants who managed to break through a police blockade at the village of Vado Hondo, near Chiquimula in eastern Guatemala.

Between Friday and Saturday, Guatemala had sent back almost 1,000 migrants entering from Honduras, the government said, as the caravan moved towards Mexico.

The caravan is likely to come under more pressure in Mexico.&nbsp;

Mexico's migration accord with the United States still holds, so the caravan would be dispersed. Also, on Saturday evening, the Mexican foreign ministry pressed local authorities to halt the caravan's progress, pointing to the need to contain the spread of COVID-19.

In a statement, the ministry praised the Guatemalan government for acting in a "firm and responsible" manner toward migrants that had "violated (Guatemala's) sovereignty" and urged Honduras to prevent further movements of people.

Mexican and Central American authorities have coordinated security and public health measures in a bid to deter mass movements of people across the region, deploying thousands of security forces.

Guatemala, Honduras, and Mexico deployed thousands of soldiers and riot police aimed at blocking the migrants' passage. But the caravan has grown considerably over the last 24 hours, with members citing a spiraling crisis of hunger and homelessness in Honduras as their reasons for joining.

The first migrant caravan of the year comes less than a week before US President-elect Joe Biden takes office. He has promised a more humane approach to migration, in contrast to outgoing President Donald Trump's hardline policies.

Biden has promised "a fair and humane immigration system" and pledged aid to tackle the root causes of poverty and violence that drive Central Americans to the United States.

(with inputs)

Guatemalan authorities have reportedly escalated efforts to stop the thousands of Hondurans, travelling in a migrant caravan bound for the United States. Over 8,000 migrants have entered Guatemala since Friday, according to the immigration authority, seeking to escape poverty, unemployment, gang and drug violence and the aftermath of two devastating hurricanes in November.

Guatemalan authorities have reportedly escalated efforts to stop the thousands of Hondurans, travelling in a migrant caravan bound for the United States. Over 8,000 migrants have entered Guatemala since Friday, according to the immigration authority, seeking to escape poverty, unemployment, gang and drug violence and the aftermath of two devastating hurricanes in November. Several videos showed Guatemalan security forces clashing with a group of hundreds of migrants who managed to break through a police blockade at the village of Vado Hondo, near Chiquimula in eastern Guatemala. Between Friday and Saturday, Guatemala had sent back almost 1,000 migrants entering from Honduras, the government said, as the caravan moved towards Mexico. The caravan is likely to come under more pressure in Mexico. Mexico's migration accord with the United States still holds, so the caravan would be dispersed. Also, on Saturday evening, the Mexican foreign ministry pressed local authorities to halt the caravan's progress, pointing to the need to contain the spread of COVID-19. In a statement, the ministry praised the Guatemalan government for acting in a "firm and responsible" manner toward migrants that had "violated (Guatemala's) sovereignty" and urged Honduras to prevent further movements of people. Mexican and Central American authorities have coordinated security and public health measures in a bid to deter mass movements of people across the region, deploying thousands of security forces. Guatemala, Honduras, and Mexico deployed thousands of soldiers and riot police aimed at blocking the migrants' passage. But the caravan has grown considerably over the last 24 hours, with members citing a spiraling crisis of hunger and homelessness in Honduras as their reasons for joining. The first migrant caravan of the year comes less than a week before US President-elect Joe Biden takes office. He has promised a more humane approach to migration, in contrast to outgoing President Donald Trump's hardline policies. Biden has promised "a fair and humane immigration system" and pledged aid to tackle the root causes of poverty and violence that drive Central Americans to the United States. (with inputs)

Guatemala cracks down on migrant caravan bound for US

In the aftermath of riots that rocked the US Capitol last week, Washington DC has upped its security measures to prevent a similar instance as Joe Biden gets ready to take over presidential duties starting January 20.

On Friday, DC continued increasing security measures by restricting access to landmarks, while installing vehicle checkpoints surrounding Washington. 
&nbsp;

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Even though presidential inaugurations are generally very well secured, this time the security has been ramped even further in view of the violence that took place on January 6 whereby Trump supporters stormed the capital while representatives met inside to certify Biden as the winner.

&nbsp;

Law enforcement agencies have warned threats and potential armed conflict in all 50 states of the country.

On Friday, the National Park Service said that it was closing iconic landmarks in the capital city till at least January 21. These include the National Mall and other iconic US landmarks. Part of the Mall are landmarks like the Lincoln Memorial, and the Washington Monument.

Most of the area surrounding the White House also remains closed, including an important bridge which connects Virginia to Washington, along with East and West Potomac Parks, including Hains Point, which also falls near the Mall.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/fbi-investigating-dozens-for-death-of-police-officer-at-us-capitol-357102" hreflang="en">FBI investigating dozens for death of police officer at US Capitol</a>

"We cannot allow a recurrence of the chaos and illegal activity that the United States and the world witnessed last week," Matthew Miller, the head of the Secret Service’s operations in Washington said to reporters.

As part of its agreement with the US Secret Service, Virginia later announced that it would close many other bridges that lead into the capital from January 19 to January 21.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation in the United States is currently questioning dozens of people in relation to the killing of a police officer during the attack on US Capitol.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/biden-slams-republican-lawmakers-for-not-wearing-masks-during-capitol-hill-attack-357107" hreflang="en">Biden slams Republican lawmakers for not wearing masks during Capitol Hill attack</a>

Brian Sicknick died a day after a mob supporting US President Donald Trump stormed the Capitol last week. Reportedly, they attacked law enforcement officers.&nbsp;

Another state bordering the capital - Maryland announced a state of emergency ahead of the inauguration.

In the aftermath of riots that rocked the US Capitol last week, Washington DC has upped its security measures to prevent a similar instance as Joe Biden gets ready to take over presidential duties starting January 20.

In the aftermath of riots that rocked the US Capitol last week, Washington DC has upped its security measures to prevent a similar instance as Joe Biden gets ready to take over presidential duties starting January 20. On Friday, DC continued increasing security measures by restricting access to landmarks, while installing vehicle checkpoints surrounding Washington. Even though presidential inaugurations are generally very well secured, this time the security has been ramped even further in view of the violence that took place on January 6 whereby Trump supporters stormed the capital while representatives met inside to certify Biden as the winner. Law enforcement agencies have warned threats and potential armed conflict in all 50 states of the country. On Friday, the National Park Service said that it was closing iconic landmarks in the capital city till at least January 21. These include the National Mall and other iconic US landmarks. Part of the Mall are landmarks like the Lincoln Memorial, and the Washington Monument. Most of the area surrounding the White House also remains closed, including an important bridge which connects Virginia to Washington, along with East and West Potomac Parks, including Hains Point, which also falls near the Mall. Also read: FBI investigating dozens for death of police officer at US Capitol "We cannot allow a recurrence of the chaos and illegal activity that the United States and the world witnessed last week," Matthew Miller, the head of the Secret Service’s operations in Washington said to reporters. As part of its agreement with the US Secret Service, Virginia later announced that it would close many other bridges that lead into the capital from January 19 to January 21. The Federal Bureau of Investigation in the United States is currently questioning dozens of people in relation to the killing of a police officer during the attack on US Capitol. Also read: Biden slams Republican lawmakers for not wearing masks during Capitol Hill attack Brian Sicknick died a day after a mob supporting US President Donald Trump stormed the Capitol last week. Reportedly, they attacked law enforcement officers. Another state bordering the capital - Maryland announced a state of emergency ahead of the inauguration.

Major landmarks closed, security measures upped in DC before Biden's presidential inauguration

Top government scientists at the Food and Drug Administration and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention could face reassignment every five years under a new regulation the Trump administration issued Friday evening, a move that surprised health officials across the government.

The rule, which the Department of Health and Human Services described in a news release as an effort to “increase professional development opportunities” and “harmonize HR practices,” was summarized in more blunt terms in the document’s file name: “term limits.”

Under the rule, more than a dozen senior officials could lose their positions as soon as this year — including a key regulator at the FDA responsible for evaluating COVID-19 drugs. Altogether, around 60 top government health officials would be subject to new employment reviews under the policy.

Although the regulation may well be reversed by the Biden administration, it is a parting shot in the Trump administration’s consistent efforts to give political appointees more sway over policy.

Because the rule, which was first reported to be under consideration by Politico, concerns the agency’s practice and procedure, it is not subject to normal rules of notice and comment, making it easier to change than other regulations. It is expected to be published in the Federal Register on Tuesday, the day before the Trump administration ends. It would not take effect for another 30 days, providing a window for preemptive reversal.

Top officials at the FDA, the CDC and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services were caught off guard by the last-minute move. Agency heads at the National Institutes of Health are already subject to such five-year reviews, under legislation passed by Congress in 2016, a policy that was broadly criticized.

Dr. Stephen M. Hahn, the FDA commissioner, said in an interview Friday that the new rule could be perceived as threatening. He said recently that he was open to the agency being moved out of HHS and becoming independent.

“The implications of term limits could have a serious and far-reaching public health impact, affecting industry, patient groups, stakeholders,” he said Friday. “It needs a very vigorous discussion informed by all points of view. That didn’t happen here.”

Hahn said the rule meant that a career official “might be willing to do the bidding of an administration knowing his job is on the line in five years.”

“It’s fundamentally different than academia because of the political overtones,” he said.

Seema Verma, administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, said her agency had been unaware of the new policy.

“We were completely blindsided by this when agencies were focused on the pandemic response, and the staff has worked tirelessly,” she said. “I think our career staff deserve better than an unvetted policy.”

Brian Harrison, the HHS chief of staff, oversaw the rule himself, in place of the department’s secretary, Alex Azar. The move was the product of a small “deregulatory group” at HHS that Harrison led this year, he said in an interview. Top health officials have grumbled about what they view as Harrison’s efforts to draw attention to his role in pursuing new rules, including using the department’s public affairs Twitter account to regularly feature graphics with his name on them commenting on new policies.

No one will lose employment as a result of the rule, he said in a conference call with reporters on Friday. Employees who might lose their roles at the top of centers, bureaus and divisions would be appointed somewhere else within their agency. Others could be renewed for additional five-year terms.

“All Americans are very familiar with having to check in with their boss,” Harrison said. “This simply institutionalizes leaders within HHS, whose boss is the secretary right now, to check in with their boss two times a decade.”

Many top health officials are hired as political appointees, meaning they frequently exit the agencies when there is a change in presidential leadership. But the new rule would affect the professional career staff, who often work in the government for decades.

Harrison said the change would help diversify the leadership ranks by making way for new employees to ascend to leadership roles. But critics of the policy say it could instead be a convenient way for political leaders to sideline senior career staff members with opposing views and could repel talented scientists considering entering government service.

The new rule is part of a broader pattern of Trump administration moves that weaken career protections for career civil servants. It’s a group that Trump and other officials have frequently derided as a “deep state” eager to undermine his agenda — a charge the president has made about FDA regulators.

Another recent executive order would strip tens of thousands of government workers of Civil Service protections, making them easier to fire.

Richard C. Loeb, a senior policy counsel at the American Federation of Government Employees, the largest union representing federal workers, said the rule was a “temper tantrum on the way out of office.”

“If there’s a way they can make government employment less attractive to people, this is how to do it,” he said. “These jobs would likely go to academics who would have tenure. It will signal to them there’s no reason to take this job.”

Loeb said the employees subject to the new reviews were already subject to performance appraisals, which can be used to fire them for poor performance.

“The problem they face is that they have to document why you’re performing poorly,” he said.

Nicholas Bagley, a law professor at the University of Michigan who studies administrative law, said the policy was unlikely to survive the change in leadership.

“If the Biden administration dislikes this, they can get rid of it and probably will,” he said. “It’s not going to last.”

Top government scientists at the Food and Drug Administration and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention could face reassignment every five years under a new regulation the Trump administration issued Friday evening, a move that surprised health officials across the government.

Top government scientists at the Food and Drug Administration and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention could face reassignment every five years under a new regulation the Trump administration issued Friday evening, a move that surprised health officials across the government. The rule, which the Department of Health and Human Services described in a news release as an effort to “increase professional development opportunities” and “harmonize HR practices,” was summarized in more blunt terms in the document’s file name: “term limits.” Under the rule, more than a dozen senior officials could lose their positions as soon as this year — including a key regulator at the FDA responsible for evaluating COVID-19 drugs. Altogether, around 60 top government health officials would be subject to new employment reviews under the policy. Although the regulation may well be reversed by the Biden administration, it is a parting shot in the Trump administration’s consistent efforts to give political appointees more sway over policy. Because the rule, which was first reported to be under consideration by Politico, concerns the agency’s practice and procedure, it is not subject to normal rules of notice and comment, making it easier to change than other regulations. It is expected to be published in the Federal Register on Tuesday, the day before the Trump administration ends. It would not take effect for another 30 days, providing a window for preemptive reversal. Top officials at the FDA, the CDC and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services were caught off guard by the last-minute move. Agency heads at the National Institutes of Health are already subject to such five-year reviews, under legislation passed by Congress in 2016, a policy that was broadly criticized. Dr. Stephen M. Hahn, the FDA commissioner, said in an interview Friday that the new rule could be perceived as threatening. He said recently that he was open to the agency being moved out of HHS and becoming independent. “The implications of term limits could have a serious and far-reaching public health impact, affecting industry, patient groups, stakeholders,” he said Friday. “It needs a very vigorous discussion informed by all points of view. That didn’t happen here.” Hahn said the rule meant that a career official “might be willing to do the bidding of an administration knowing his job is on the line in five years.” “It’s fundamentally different than academia because of the political overtones,” he said. Seema Verma, administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, said her agency had been unaware of the new policy. “We were completely blindsided by this when agencies were focused on the pandemic response, and the staff has worked tirelessly,” she said. “I think our career staff deserve better than an unvetted policy.” Brian Harrison, the HHS chief of staff, oversaw the rule himself, in place of the department’s secretary, Alex Azar. The move was the product of a small “deregulatory group” at HHS that Harrison led this year, he said in an interview. Top health officials have grumbled about what they view as Harrison’s efforts to draw attention to his role in pursuing new rules, including using the department’s public affairs Twitter account to regularly feature graphics with his name on them commenting on new policies. No one will lose employment as a result of the rule, he said in a conference call with reporters on Friday. Employees who might lose their roles at the top of centers, bureaus and divisions would be appointed somewhere else within their agency. Others could be renewed for additional five-year terms. “All Americans are very familiar with having to check in with their boss,” Harrison said. “This simply institutionalizes leaders within HHS, whose boss is the secretary right now, to check in with their boss two times a decade.” Many top health officials are hired as political appointees, meaning they frequently exit the agencies when there is a change in presidential leadership. But the new rule would affect the professional career staff, who often work in the government for decades. Harrison said the change would help diversify the leadership ranks by making way for new employees to ascend to leadership roles. But critics of the policy say it could instead be a convenient way for political leaders to sideline senior career staff members with opposing views and could repel talented scientists considering entering government service. The new rule is part of a broader pattern of Trump administration moves that weaken career protections for career civil servants. It’s a group that Trump and other officials have frequently derided as a “deep state” eager to undermine his agenda — a charge the president has made about FDA regulators. Another recent executive order would strip tens of thousands of government workers of Civil Service protections, making them easier to fire. Richard C. Loeb, a senior policy counsel at the American Federation of Government Employees, the largest union representing federal workers, said the rule was a “temper tantrum on the way out of office.” “If there’s a way they can make government employment less attractive to people, this is how to do it,” he said. “These jobs would likely go to academics who would have tenure. It will signal to them there’s no reason to take this job.” Loeb said the employees subject to the new reviews were already subject to performance appraisals, which can be used to fire them for poor performance. “The problem they face is that they have to document why you’re performing poorly,” he said. Nicholas Bagley, a law professor at the University of Michigan who studies administrative law, said the policy was unlikely to survive the change in leadership. “If the Biden administration dislikes this, they can get rid of it and probably will,” he said. “It’s not going to last.”

Last-minute rule seeks to impose term limits on top career health officials

At least 4,500 Honduran migrants pushed past police and crossed into Guatemala Friday night, passing the first hurdle of a journey north they hope will take them to a better life in the United States.

Seeking to escape poverty, unemployment, gang and drug violence and the aftermath of two devastating hurricanes, the migrants plan to walk thousands of kilometers through Central America to Mexico and then on to the US.

The crowd of men, women and children -- many wearing masks due to the Covid-19 pandemic -- pushed their way past police and border gates diving the two countries at the town of El Florido, an AFP correspondent said.

A Guatemalan police official said the force had let the migrants cross as there were many families with children in the crowd and that using tear gas at night could have resulted in casualties.

"We won't leave here until they let us through," said domestic worker Dania Hinestrosa, 23, shortly before attempting to cross the border with one of her young daughters.

"We have no work or food, so I decided to go to the United States."&nbsp;

The migrants are seeking a better life in America under Joe Biden after years of tough anti-immigrant policy under Donald Trump, but the quest is likely to end in heartbreak for many, with US authorities already having warned off the group.

Guatemala, Mexico and Honduras also have an agreement with the US to stop north-bound migratory flows from the south of the continent.

Biden has promised "a fair and humane immigration system" and pledged aid to tackle the root causes of poverty and violence that drive Central Americans to the United States.

But Mark Morgan, acting commissioner of US Customs and Border Protection, warned the group last week not to "waste your time and money."

The US commitment to the "rule of law and public health" is not affected by the change in administration, he said in a statement.

More than a dozen caravans, some with thousands of migrants, have set off from Honduras since October 2018.

But all have run up against thousands of US border guards and soldiers under Trump, who has characterized immigrants from Mexico as "rapists" who were "bringing drugs" and other criminal activity to the United States.

Mexican authorities said late Thursday that 500 immigration officers were being deployed to its border with Guatemala in anticipation of the caravan's arrival.

But the migrants are keeping the end goal in sight.

Among them, 28-year-old Eduardo Lanza said he dreamed of living in a country where people of different sexual orientations can live with &nbsp;dignity, "respect... and a job opportunity."

Norma Pineda, 51, said last year's hurricanes left her "on the street."

"We are leaving because here is no work, no state support, we need food, clothes..." she told AFP. 
&nbsp;

At least 4,500 Honduran migrants pushed past police and crossed into Guatemala Friday night, passing the first hurdle of a journey north they hope will take them to a better life in the United States.

At least 4,500 Honduran migrants pushed past police and crossed into Guatemala Friday night, passing the first hurdle of a journey north they hope will take them to a better life in the United States. Seeking to escape poverty, unemployment, gang and drug violence and the aftermath of two devastating hurricanes, the migrants plan to walk thousands of kilometers through Central America to Mexico and then on to the US. The crowd of men, women and children -- many wearing masks due to the Covid-19 pandemic -- pushed their way past police and border gates diving the two countries at the town of El Florido, an AFP correspondent said. A Guatemalan police official said the force had let the migrants cross as there were many families with children in the crowd and that using tear gas at night could have resulted in casualties. "We won't leave here until they let us through," said domestic worker Dania Hinestrosa, 23, shortly before attempting to cross the border with one of her young daughters. "We have no work or food, so I decided to go to the United States." The migrants are seeking a better life in America under Joe Biden after years of tough anti-immigrant policy under Donald Trump, but the quest is likely to end in heartbreak for many, with US authorities already having warned off the group. Guatemala, Mexico and Honduras also have an agreement with the US to stop north-bound migratory flows from the south of the continent. Biden has promised "a fair and humane immigration system" and pledged aid to tackle the root causes of poverty and violence that drive Central Americans to the United States. But Mark Morgan, acting commissioner of US Customs and Border Protection, warned the group last week not to "waste your time and money." The US commitment to the "rule of law and public health" is not affected by the change in administration, he said in a statement. More than a dozen caravans, some with thousands of migrants, have set off from Honduras since October 2018. But all have run up against thousands of US border guards and soldiers under Trump, who has characterized immigrants from Mexico as "rapists" who were "bringing drugs" and other criminal activity to the United States. Mexican authorities said late Thursday that 500 immigration officers were being deployed to its border with Guatemala in anticipation of the caravan's arrival. But the migrants are keeping the end goal in sight. Among them, 28-year-old Eduardo Lanza said he dreamed of living in a country where people of different sexual orientations can live with dignity, "respect... and a job opportunity." Norma Pineda, 51, said last year's hurricanes left her "on the street." "We are leaving because here is no work, no state support, we need food, clothes..." she told AFP.

Thousands of US-bound Honduran migrants cross border into Guatemala

A new report has sparked fresh outrage after it was revealed dozens of rioters who participated in the carnage were already on an FBI terrorist watch list by the time the riots took place.

The new information comes after it was found that a January 5 FBI report had warned that pro-Trump insurrectionists were planning to wage a "war" at the US Capitol the next day.&nbsp;

The revelation follows a Washington Post report earlier this week detailing the FBI’s failure to act aggressively on an internal intelligence report of internet discussions about plans to attack Congress, smash windows, break down doors and “get violent … go there ready for war.”

According to the FBI’s website, the watch list is a “single database that contains sensitive national security and law enforcement information concerning the identities of those who are known or reasonably suspected of being involved in terrorist activities” and is run by the FBI’s Terrorist Screening Centre, which was established after the September 11 attacks.

Meanwhile, Trump has became the only president in US history to be impeached twice after the House of Representatives brought forth an article of impeachment against him on a charge of "incitement of insurrection."&nbsp;

The riots last week have brought into sharp focus the potential dangers that lawmakers and, potentially, the next president, face from supporters of Trump, who has continued to falsely claim that he, not Biden, won the election.

Trump and his aides have been consistently making unsubstantiated claims of election frauds ever since it was clear that he was to leave office to make way for Joe Biden. Trump campaign has presented no evidence and has suffered defeats in courts across the US including in US Supreme Court.

(With agency inputs)

A new report has sparked fresh outrage after it was revealed dozens of rioters who participated in the carnage were already on an FBI terrorist watch list by the time the riots took place.

A new report has sparked fresh outrage after it was revealed dozens of rioters who participated in the carnage were already on an FBI terrorist watch list by the time the riots took place. The new information comes after it was found that a January 5 FBI report had warned that pro-Trump insurrectionists were planning to wage a "war" at the US Capitol the next day. The revelation follows a Washington Post report earlier this week detailing the FBI’s failure to act aggressively on an internal intelligence report of internet discussions about plans to attack Congress, smash windows, break down doors and “get violent … go there ready for war.” According to the FBI’s website, the watch list is a “single database that contains sensitive national security and law enforcement information concerning the identities of those who are known or reasonably suspected of being involved in terrorist activities” and is run by the FBI’s Terrorist Screening Centre, which was established after the September 11 attacks. Meanwhile, Trump has became the only president in US history to be impeached twice after the House of Representatives brought forth an article of impeachment against him on a charge of "incitement of insurrection." The riots last week have brought into sharp focus the potential dangers that lawmakers and, potentially, the next president, face from supporters of Trump, who has continued to falsely claim that he, not Biden, won the election. Trump and his aides have been consistently making unsubstantiated claims of election frauds ever since it was clear that he was to leave office to make way for Joe Biden. Trump campaign has presented no evidence and has suffered defeats in courts across the US including in US Supreme Court. (With agency inputs)

Dozens on FBI terrorist watch list came to Washington DC on day of riots

US President Donald Trump on Thursday became first president in US history to be impeached twice. US House of Representatives has charged him of 'incitement of insurrection' over the Capitol Hill violence that erupted on January 6 after Trump's address to his supporters in Washington DC. The Democratic-controlled House of Representatives voted 232-197 to impeach Trump. 10 Republican representatives broke the party line to support Trump impeachment. This the second impeachment Trump has suffered. The House had previously impeached Trump in 2019 for abuse of power. No US President has ever been removed through impeachment but such proceedings carry huge political weight and suffering impeachment twice definitely does not go down well with position any US President

What happens now?

US House of Representatives will submit the article of impeachment to US Senate. If the Senate accepts and holds Trump guilty after a trial, he may have to leave the office. Republican Party controls the Senate right now.

The Senate's Republican majority leader, Mitch McConnell, rejected Democratic calls for a quick impeachment trial, saying there was no way to conclude it before Trump leaves office. But even if he has left the White House, a Senate conviction of Trump could lead to a vote on banning him from running for office again.

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&nbsp;

In a video statement released after the vote, Trump did not mention the impeachment vote and took no responsibility for his remarks to supporters last week, but condemned the violence.

"Mob violence goes against everything I believe in and everything our movement stands for. No true supporter of mine could ever endorse political violence. No true supporter of mine could ever disrespect law and order," Trump said.

The impeachment debate

The debate over impeachment went on in the House of Representatives on Wednesday as thousands of rifle-carrying National Guard troops were stationed inside and outside the Capitol. It's the same building in which lawmakers had to crouch and hide as thousands of Trump supporters laid siege on January 6.

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>

"The president of the United States incited this insurrection, this armed rebellion against our common country," House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, a Democrat, said on the House floor before the vote. "He must go. He is a clear and present danger to the nation that we all love."

Democratic congressman Joaquin Castro called Trump "the most dangerous man to ever occupy the Oval Office." Congresswoman Maxine Waters accused Trump of wanting civil war and fellow Democrat Jim McGovern said the president "instigated an attempted coup."

Some Republicans argued the impeachment drive was a rush to judgment that bypassed the customary deliberative process such as hearings and called on Democrats to abandon the effort for the sake of national unity and healing.

"Impeaching the president in such a short time frame would be a mistake," said Kevin McCarthy, the House's top Republican. "That doesn't mean the president is free from fault. The president bears responsibility for Wednesday's attack on Congress by mob rioters."

Trump's closest allies, such as Ohio Republican Jim Jordan, went further, accusing Democrats of recklessly acting out of pure political interest.

"This is about getting the president of the United States," said Jordan, who received the Presidential Medal of Freedom from Trump in a private White House ceremony this week. "It's always been about getting the president, no matter what. It's an obsession."

Ten Republicans voted to impeach, including Liz Cheney, the No. 3 House Republican.

"I am not choosing a side, I'm choosing truth," Republican Jamie Herrera Beutler said in announcing her support for impeachment, drawing applause from Democrats. "It's the only way to defeat fear."

In a break from standard procedure, Republican House leaders refrained from urging their members to vote against impeachment, calling the vote a matter of individual conscience.

(With Reuters inputs)

US President Donald Trump on Thursday became first president in US history to be impeached twice. US House of Representatives has charged him of 'incitement of insurrection' over the Capitol Hill violence that erupted on January 6 after Trump's address to his supporters in Washington DC.

US President Donald Trump on Thursday became first president in US history to be impeached twice. US House of Representatives has charged him of 'incitement of insurrection' over the Capitol Hill violence that erupted on January 6 after Trump's address to his supporters in Washington DC. The Democratic-controlled House of Representatives voted 232-197 to impeach Trump. 10 Republican representatives broke the party line to support Trump impeachment. This the second impeachment Trump has suffered. The House had previously impeached Trump in 2019 for abuse of power. No US President has ever been removed through impeachment but such proceedings carry huge political weight and suffering impeachment twice definitely does not go down well with position any US President What happens now? US House of Representatives will submit the article of impeachment to US Senate. If the Senate accepts and holds Trump guilty after a trial, he may have to leave the office. Republican Party controls the Senate right now. The Senate's Republican majority leader, Mitch McConnell, rejected Democratic calls for a quick impeachment trial, saying there was no way to conclude it before Trump leaves office. But even if he has left the White House, a Senate conviction of Trump could lead to a vote on banning him from running for office again. × In a video statement released after the vote, Trump did not mention the impeachment vote and took no responsibility for his remarks to supporters last week, but condemned the violence. "Mob violence goes against everything I believe in and everything our movement stands for. No true supporter of mine could ever endorse political violence. No true supporter of mine could ever disrespect law and order," Trump said. The impeachment debate The debate over impeachment went on in the House of Representatives on Wednesday as thousands of rifle-carrying National Guard troops were stationed inside and outside the Capitol. It's the same building in which lawmakers had to crouch and hide as thousands of Trump supporters laid siege on January 6. Also Read | Along with Trump impeachment, Biden urges US Senate to consider 'other urgent business' "The president of the United States incited this insurrection, this armed rebellion against our common country," House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, a Democrat, said on the House floor before the vote. "He must go. He is a clear and present danger to the nation that we all love." Democratic congressman Joaquin Castro called Trump "the most dangerous man to ever occupy the Oval Office." Congresswoman Maxine Waters accused Trump of wanting civil war and fellow Democrat Jim McGovern said the president "instigated an attempted coup." Some Republicans argued the impeachment drive was a rush to judgment that bypassed the customary deliberative process such as hearings and called on Democrats to abandon the effort for the sake of national unity and healing. "Impeaching the president in such a short time frame would be a mistake," said Kevin McCarthy, the House's top Republican. "That doesn't mean the president is free from fault. The president bears responsibility for Wednesday's attack on Congress by mob rioters." Trump's closest allies, such as Ohio Republican Jim Jordan, went further, accusing Democrats of recklessly acting out of pure political interest. "This is about getting the president of the United States," said Jordan, who received the Presidential Medal of Freedom from Trump in a private White House ceremony this week. "It's always been about getting the president, no matter what. It's an obsession." Ten Republicans voted to impeach, including Liz Cheney, the No. 3 House Republican. "I am not choosing a side, I'm choosing truth," Republican Jamie Herrera Beutler said in announcing her support for impeachment, drawing applause from Democrats. "It's the only way to defeat fear." In a break from standard procedure, Republican House leaders refrained from urging their members to vote against impeachment, calling the vote a matter of individual conscience. (With Reuters inputs)

Donald Trump impeached again, becomes first US president to suffer impeachment twice

US President-elect Joe Biden released a statement after US House of Representatives impeached sitting US President Donald Trump. In his statement, Biden said he hoped that the US Senate finds a way to work on impeachment proceedings "while also" working on other "urgent business". US House of Representatives impeached Donald Trump on Thursday (Indian time) making him the only president to suffer impeachment twice.

“This nation also remains in the grip of a deadly virus and a reeling economy,” said Biden in his statement “I hope that the Senate leadership will find a way to deal with their Constitutional responsibilities on impeachment while also working on the other urgent business of this nation.”&nbsp;

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&nbsp;

While he said that violence at Capitol Hill was incited by Trump, Biden drew attention to other pressing matters US faced.

“From confirmations to key posts such as Secretaries for Homeland Security, State, Defense, Treasury, and Director of National Intelligence, to getting our vaccine program on track, and to getting our economy going again. Too many of our fellow Americans have suffered for too long over the past year to delay this urgent work,” said Biden in a statement. He was quoted by CNN.

Also Read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/donald-trump-impeached-again-becomes-first-us-president-to-suffer-impeachment-twice-356536">Donald Trump impeached again, becomes first US president to suffer impeachment twice</a>

Biden has previously indicated his unwillingness to go out all guns blazing on Trump's removal from Oval Office via impeachment. Recently, Biden said that it was up to US Congress to decide for or against Trump's removal from office before his term comes to an end.

Political experts have been quoted in various news reports saying that it was unlikely of Biden to spend his political capital to lobby US Senate for Trump's removal especially as the Senate will be due to clear Biden's nominees on important posts in his cabinet.

US President-elect Joe Biden released a statement after US House of Representatives impeached sitting US President Donald Trump. In his statement, Biden said he hoped that the US Senate finds a way to work on impeachment proceedings "while also" working on other "urgent business".

US President-elect Joe Biden released a statement after US House of Representatives impeached sitting US President Donald Trump. In his statement, Biden said he hoped that the US Senate finds a way to work on impeachment proceedings "while also" working on other "urgent business". US House of Representatives impeached Donald Trump on Thursday (Indian time) making him the only president to suffer impeachment twice. “This nation also remains in the grip of a deadly virus and a reeling economy,” said Biden in his statement “I hope that the Senate leadership will find a way to deal with their Constitutional responsibilities on impeachment while also working on the other urgent business of this nation.” × While he said that violence at Capitol Hill was incited by Trump, Biden drew attention to other pressing matters US faced. “From confirmations to key posts such as Secretaries for Homeland Security, State, Defense, Treasury, and Director of National Intelligence, to getting our vaccine program on track, and to getting our economy going again. Too many of our fellow Americans have suffered for too long over the past year to delay this urgent work,” said Biden in a statement. He was quoted by CNN. Also Read | Donald Trump impeached again, becomes first US president to suffer impeachment twice Biden has previously indicated his unwillingness to go out all guns blazing on Trump's removal from Oval Office via impeachment. Recently, Biden said that it was up to US Congress to decide for or against Trump's removal from office before his term comes to an end. Political experts have been quoted in various news reports saying that it was unlikely of Biden to spend his political capital to lobby US Senate for Trump's removal especially as the Senate will be due to clear Biden's nominees on important posts in his cabinet.

Along with Trump impeachment, Biden urges US Senate to consider 'other urgent business'

China would like the world to believe that the Middle East and North Africa region does not rank high on its totem pole despite its energy dependence, significant investment and strategic relationships with the region. In many ways, China is not being deceptive. With relations with the United States rapidly deteriorating, China’s primary focus is on what it views as its main battleground: the Asia–Pacific. China is nonetheless realising that remaining aloof in the Middle East may not be sustainable.

It was only in 2016 that China published its first and only Middle East-related white paper, devoted to the Arab states rather than the region as a whole. Apart from rehashing China’s long-standing foreign policy principles, the paper highlighted opportunities for win-win cooperation in many areas.

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&nbsp;

Investment figures tell a similar story. Of the US$2 trillion in Chinese overseas investment between 2005 and 2019, a mere US$198 billion or under 5 per cent went to the Middle East and North Africa.

Half Full Rather Than Half Empty

What turns the glass half full is the fact that the Middle East fulfils almost half of China’s energy needs. Moreover, some of China’s investments, particularly in ports and adjacent industrial parks in the Gulf, Egypt and the eastern Mediterranean, are strategically important. What was once primarily a Belt and Road “string of pearls” linking Indian Ocean ports has evolved into a network that stretches from Djibouti in east Africa through Oman’s port of Duqm and the United Arab Emirates’ Jebel Ali port into a near dominant position in the eastern Mediterranean and onwards into the Indo–Pacific.

Also Read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/opinions-blogs/active-presence-of-chinese-intelligence-in-afghanistan-356208">Active presence of Chinese intelligence in Afghanistan</a>

China already exerts influence in the eastern Mediterranean region through its involvement in ports in Greece, Turkey, Israel and Egypt. It has expressed interest in the Lebanese port of Tripoli and may well seek access to the Russian-controlled ports of Tartus and Latakia.

Asserting the importance of the Middle East, Niu Xinchun, director of Middle East Studies at China Institutes of Contemporary International Relations (CICIR), wrote back in 2017: “The politics and security of the Middle East [are] inextricably related to China. This is the first time in history that China has possessed political, economic and security interests in the Middle East simultaneously."&nbsp;CICIR is widely viewed as China’s most influential think tank.

Also Read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/opinions-blogs/gulf-state-religious-moderation-falls-by-the-wayside-in-pakistan-355099">Gulf state religious moderation falls by the wayside in Pakistan</a>

Recently, however, Niu has apparently taken an antipodal position, maintaining that the Middle East doesn't feature prominently in China’s strategic calculations.&nbsp;

This shift was part of a game of shadow boxing to subtly warn the Gulf, and particularly Saudi Arabia, to dial down tension with Iran.

To ensure that its message is not lost on the region, China could well ensure that its future investments contribute to job creation, a key priority for Middle Eastern states struggling to come to grips with the economic crisis Middle East political economy scholar Karen Young noted that Chinese investment has so far focused on a small number of locations and had not significantly generated jobs.

Subtle Messaging

Subtle Chinese messaging was also at the core of China’s public response to Iranian leaks that it was close to signing a 25-year partnership with the Islamic republic that would lead to a whopping US$400 billion investment to develop the country’s oil, gas and transportation sectors.

Also Read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/opinions-blogs/opinion-religious-aberrations-in-pakistan-354245">Opinion: Religious aberrations in Pakistan</a> 
 
China limited itself to a non-committal on-the-record reaction and low-key semi-official commentary.&nbsp;

Writing in the Shanghai Observer, a secondary Communist party newspaper, Middle East scholar Fan Hongda was less guarded. Fan argued that the agreement, though nowhere close to implementation, highlighted “an important moment of development” at a time that US–Chinese tensions allowed Beijing to pay less heed to American policies.&nbsp;

Diplomacy with “Chinese Characteristics”

Nonetheless, China’s evasiveness on the Iran agreement constituted a recognition that the success of its Belt and Road initiative and its ability to avoid being sucked uncontrollably into the Middle East’s myriad conflicts depends on a security environment that reduces tension.

Reflecting what appears to be a shift in China’s approach to regional security, Chinese scholars Sun Degang and Wu Sike suggested that Chinese characteristics would involve “seeking common ground while reserving differences”&nbsp;

A Blunt Rebuke

But China’s conflict management diplomacy may not go down well with the Gulf Arabs, notably Saudi Arabia, judging by what for Saudi media was a blunt and rare recent critique of the People’s Republic. In a game of shadow-boxing in which intellectuals and journalists front for officials who prefer the luxury of plausible deniability, Saudi Arabia responded bluntly in a column authored by Baria Alamuddin, a Lebanese journalist who regularly writes columns for Saudi media.

Alamuddin warned that China was being lured to financially bankrupt Lebanon by Hizballah. She suggested in a column published by Arab News that Hizballah’s seduction of China was occurring against the backdrop of a potential massive 25-year cooperation agreement between the China and Iran.&nbsp;

A Hair in the Soup

Further complicating Chinese efforts to nudge the Middle East towards some degree of stabilisation are China’s technology and military sales with no constraints on their use or regard for the potential geopolitical fallout. The sales include drone and ballistic missile technology as well as the building blocks for a civilian nuclear programme for Saudi Arabia, which would significantly enhance the kingdom’s ability to develop nuclear weapons.

These sales have fuelled fears, for different reasons, in Jerusalem and Tehran of a new regional arms race.

Washington’s indifference may change, assuming that the recent rejection by the US Embassy in Abu Dhabi of an offer by the UAE to donate hundreds of Covid-19 test kits for screening of its staff was a shot across the Gulf’s bow. A US official said the tests were rejected because they were either Chinese-made or involved BGI Genomics, a Chinese company.

A Major Battlefield

Digital and satellite technology involving Chinese telecommunications giant Huawei’s 5G cellular technology rollout is set to be a major battlefield. US officials have warned that the inclusion of Huawei in Gulf networks could jeopardise sensitive communications.

US Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs David Schenker said the US had advised its Middle Eastern partners in the region to take “a careful look at investment, major contracts and infrastructure projects.”&nbsp;

Schenker warned that agreements with Huawei meant “basically all the information and your data is going to Huawei, property of the Chinese Communist Party”.&nbsp;

The rollout of China’s BeiDou Satellite Navigation System (BDS), which competes with the US’ Global Positioning System (GPS), Russia’s GLONASS and Europe’s Galileo, sets the stage for battle. Countries like Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Egypt and Turkey have signed up for what is known as China’s Digital Silk Road Initiative. So far, Pakistan is the only country known to have been granted access to BeiDou’s military applications.

The successful launch in July of a mission to Mars, the Arab world’s first interplanetary initiative, suggested that the UAE was seeking to balance its engagement with the United States and China in an effort not to get caught in the growing divergence between the two powers. The mission, dubbed Hope Probe, was coordinated with US rather than Chinese institutions. It launched from Japan’s Tanegashima Space Center.

You Can Run, But You Can’t Hide

A continuously deteriorating relationship between USA and China is a worst-case scenario for Middle Eastern states. It would progressively reduce their ability to walk a fine line.&nbsp;

Ironically, the US desire to recalibrate its engagement with the Middle East and a realisation on the part of Saudi Arabia and Iran that their interests are best served by a reduction of tension could serve as a catalyst for a new Gulf security architecture.

None of the parties are at a point where they are willing to publicly entertain the possibility of such a collective security architecture. Nonetheless, such a multilateral security architecture would ultimately serve all parties’ interest.

China would like the world to believe that the Middle East and North Africa region does not rank high on its totem pole despite its energy dependence, significant investment and strategic relationships with the region.

China would like the world to believe that the Middle East and North Africa region does not rank high on its totem pole despite its energy dependence, significant investment and strategic relationships with the region. In many ways, China is not being deceptive. With relations with the United States rapidly deteriorating, China’s primary focus is on what it views as its main battleground: the Asia–Pacific. China is nonetheless realising that remaining aloof in the Middle East may not be sustainable. It was only in 2016 that China published its first and only Middle East-related white paper, devoted to the Arab states rather than the region as a whole. Apart from rehashing China’s long-standing foreign policy principles, the paper highlighted opportunities for win-win cooperation in many areas. × Investment figures tell a similar story. Of the US$2 trillion in Chinese overseas investment between 2005 and 2019, a mere US$198 billion or under 5 per cent went to the Middle East and North Africa. Half Full Rather Than Half Empty What turns the glass half full is the fact that the Middle East fulfils almost half of China’s energy needs. Moreover, some of China’s investments, particularly in ports and adjacent industrial parks in the Gulf, Egypt and the eastern Mediterranean, are strategically important. What was once primarily a Belt and Road “string of pearls” linking Indian Ocean ports has evolved into a network that stretches from Djibouti in east Africa through Oman’s port of Duqm and the United Arab Emirates’ Jebel Ali port into a near dominant position in the eastern Mediterranean and onwards into the Indo–Pacific. Also Read | Active presence of Chinese intelligence in Afghanistan China already exerts influence in the eastern Mediterranean region through its involvement in ports in Greece, Turkey, Israel and Egypt. It has expressed interest in the Lebanese port of Tripoli and may well seek access to the Russian-controlled ports of Tartus and Latakia. Asserting the importance of the Middle East, Niu Xinchun, director of Middle East Studies at China Institutes of Contemporary International Relations (CICIR), wrote back in 2017: “The politics and security of the Middle East [are] inextricably related to China. This is the first time in history that China has possessed political, economic and security interests in the Middle East simultaneously." CICIR is widely viewed as China’s most influential think tank. Also Read | Gulf state religious moderation falls by the wayside in Pakistan Recently, however, Niu has apparently taken an antipodal position, maintaining that the Middle East doesn't feature prominently in China’s strategic calculations. This shift was part of a game of shadow boxing to subtly warn the Gulf, and particularly Saudi Arabia, to dial down tension with Iran. To ensure that its message is not lost on the region, China could well ensure that its future investments contribute to job creation, a key priority for Middle Eastern states struggling to come to grips with the economic crisis Middle East political economy scholar Karen Young noted that Chinese investment has so far focused on a small number of locations and had not significantly generated jobs. Subtle Messaging Subtle Chinese messaging was also at the core of China’s public response to Iranian leaks that it was close to signing a 25-year partnership with the Islamic republic that would lead to a whopping US$400 billion investment to develop the country’s oil, gas and transportation sectors. Also Read | Opinion: Religious aberrations in Pakistan China limited itself to a non-committal on-the-record reaction and low-key semi-official commentary. Writing in the Shanghai Observer, a secondary Communist party newspaper, Middle East scholar Fan Hongda was less guarded. Fan argued that the agreement, though nowhere close to implementation, highlighted “an important moment of development” at a time that US–Chinese tensions allowed Beijing to pay less heed to American policies. Diplomacy with “Chinese Characteristics” Nonetheless, China’s evasiveness on the Iran agreement constituted a recognition that the success of its Belt and Road initiative and its ability to avoid being sucked uncontrollably into the Middle East’s myriad conflicts depends on a security environment that reduces tension. Reflecting what appears to be a shift in China’s approach to regional security, Chinese scholars Sun Degang and Wu Sike suggested that Chinese characteristics would involve “seeking common ground while reserving differences” A Blunt Rebuke But China’s conflict management diplomacy may not go down well with the Gulf Arabs, notably Saudi Arabia, judging by what for Saudi media was a blunt and rare recent critique of the People’s Republic. In a game of shadow-boxing in which intellectuals and journalists front for officials who prefer the luxury of plausible deniability, Saudi Arabia responded bluntly in a column authored by Baria Alamuddin, a Lebanese journalist who regularly writes columns for Saudi media. Alamuddin warned that China was being lured to financially bankrupt Lebanon by Hizballah. She suggested in a column published by Arab News that Hizballah’s seduction of China was occurring against the backdrop of a potential massive 25-year cooperation agreement between the China and Iran. A Hair in the Soup Further complicating Chinese efforts to nudge the Middle East towards some degree of stabilisation are China’s technology and military sales with no constraints on their use or regard for the potential geopolitical fallout. The sales include drone and ballistic missile technology as well as the building blocks for a civilian nuclear programme for Saudi Arabia, which would significantly enhance the kingdom’s ability to develop nuclear weapons. These sales have fuelled fears, for different reasons, in Jerusalem and Tehran of a new regional arms race. Washington’s indifference may change, assuming that the recent rejection by the US Embassy in Abu Dhabi of an offer by the UAE to donate hundreds of Covid-19 test kits for screening of its staff was a shot across the Gulf’s bow. A US official said the tests were rejected because they were either Chinese-made or involved BGI Genomics, a Chinese company. A Major Battlefield Digital and satellite technology involving Chinese telecommunications giant Huawei’s 5G cellular technology rollout is set to be a major battlefield. US officials have warned that the inclusion of Huawei in Gulf networks could jeopardise sensitive communications. US Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs David Schenker said the US had advised its Middle Eastern partners in the region to take “a careful look at investment, major contracts and infrastructure projects.” Schenker warned that agreements with Huawei meant “basically all the information and your data is going to Huawei, property of the Chinese Communist Party”. The rollout of China’s BeiDou Satellite Navigation System (BDS), which competes with the US’ Global Positioning System (GPS), Russia’s GLONASS and Europe’s Galileo, sets the stage for battle. Countries like Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Egypt and Turkey have signed up for what is known as China’s Digital Silk Road Initiative. So far, Pakistan is the only country known to have been granted access to BeiDou’s military applications. The successful launch in July of a mission to Mars, the Arab world’s first interplanetary initiative, suggested that the UAE was seeking to balance its engagement with the United States and China in an effort not to get caught in the growing divergence between the two powers. The mission, dubbed Hope Probe, was coordinated with US rather than Chinese institutions. It launched from Japan’s Tanegashima Space Center. You Can Run, But You Can’t Hide A continuously deteriorating relationship between USA and China is a worst-case scenario for Middle Eastern states. It would progressively reduce their ability to walk a fine line. Ironically, the US desire to recalibrate its engagement with the Middle East and a realisation on the part of Saudi Arabia and Iran that their interests are best served by a reduction of tension could serve as a catalyst for a new Gulf security architecture. None of the parties are at a point where they are willing to publicly entertain the possibility of such a collective security architecture. Nonetheless, such a multilateral security architecture would ultimately serve all parties’ interest.

Opinion | Looming large: The Middle East braces for fallout of US–China divide

US Vice President-elect Kamala Harris has already won hearts by rising to heights no woman previously could in US politics. But Thursday was another reminder for everyone of her grounded nature. Kamala Harris paid a heartfelt tribute to her mother by posting her childhood pics on Instagram.

"My parents were born half a world apart from each other: my mother in India and my dad in Jamaica. But like so many others, they came to America in pursuit of a dream. And that dream was a dream for themselves, for me, and for my sister Maya..." begins the post. The picture shows her mother Shyamala Gopalan Harris feeding milk to an infant Kamala Harris. Shyamala Gopalan Harris was a scientist at University of California, Berkley.

"... She was all of five feet, but if you ever met her you would think she was seven feet tall. It’s because of her that I was raised in a community where we were taught to see a world beyond just ourselves. To be conscious and compassionate about the struggles of all people..." reads the post further. The second photo shows a collage of pictures of Kamala Harris and her sister Maya.

"...My mother always used to say, “don’t sit around and complain about things, do something.” I’ve tried to follow that advice every day and live by the example she set..." says the post.

The third image shows Kamala Harris' mother walking her two children on road. Kamala Harris's post ends with her saying that she would be sharing people, places, and moments that have had an influence on her life in the next week.

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Kamala Harris will assume the post of Vice-President of the USA on January 20 when she and US President-elect Joe Biden are inaugurated. 
&nbsp;

US Vice President-elect Kamala Harris has already won hearts by rising to heights no woman previously could in US politics. But Thursday was another reminder for everyone of her grounded nature.

US Vice President-elect Kamala Harris has already won hearts by rising to heights no woman previously could in US politics. But Thursday was another reminder for everyone of her grounded nature. Kamala Harris paid a heartfelt tribute to her mother by posting her childhood pics on Instagram. "My parents were born half a world apart from each other: my mother in India and my dad in Jamaica. But like so many others, they came to America in pursuit of a dream. And that dream was a dream for themselves, for me, and for my sister Maya..." begins the post. The picture shows her mother Shyamala Gopalan Harris feeding milk to an infant Kamala Harris. Shyamala Gopalan Harris was a scientist at University of California, Berkley. "... She was all of five feet, but if you ever met her you would think she was seven feet tall. It’s because of her that I was raised in a community where we were taught to see a world beyond just ourselves. To be conscious and compassionate about the struggles of all people..." reads the post further. The second photo shows a collage of pictures of Kamala Harris and her sister Maya. "...My mother always used to say, “don’t sit around and complain about things, do something.” I’ve tried to follow that advice every day and live by the example she set..." says the post. The third image shows Kamala Harris' mother walking her two children on road. Kamala Harris's post ends with her saying that she would be sharing people, places, and moments that have had an influence on her life in the next week. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Kamala Harris (@kamalaharris) × Kamala Harris will assume the post of Vice-President of the USA on January 20 when she and US President-elect Joe Biden are inaugurated.

Kamala Harris shares childhood pics on Instagram, pays tribute to mother

In yet another defense, current US President Donald Trump said that his speech before Capitol Hill violence was "totally appropriate". He was speaking with reporters before flying to Texas in order to inspect border wall with Texas. The violence at Capitol Hill saw 5 deaths and dozens of injuries.&nbsp;

"They've analyzed my speech in my words and my final paragraph, my final sentence, and everybody to the tee just thought it was totally appropriate," said Trump on Tuesday.

On January 6, Donald Trump addressed a huge crowd of supporters in Washington DC and made unsubstantiated claims of widespread fraud in US Presidential elections 2020. During his speech, he implored his supporters to "walk down to Capitol" just when the US Congress was meeting to certify Joe Biden's victory in elections.

"We're going to walk down to the Capitol, and we're going to cheer on our brave senators and congressmen and women, and we're probably not going to be cheering so much for some of them, because you'll never take back our country with weakness. You have to show strength,"

Trump and his aides have been consistently making unsubstantiated claims of election frauds ever since it was clear that he was to leave office to make way for Joe Biden. Trump campaign has presented no evidence and has suffered defeats in courts across the US including in US Supreme Court.

(With agency inputs)

In yet another defense, current US President Donald Trump said that his speech before Capitol Hill violence was "totally appropriate". He was speaking with reporters before flying to Texas in order to inspect border wall with Texas.

In yet another defense, current US President Donald Trump said that his speech before Capitol Hill violence was "totally appropriate". He was speaking with reporters before flying to Texas in order to inspect border wall with Texas. The violence at Capitol Hill saw 5 deaths and dozens of injuries. "They've analyzed my speech in my words and my final paragraph, my final sentence, and everybody to the tee just thought it was totally appropriate," said Trump on Tuesday. On January 6, Donald Trump addressed a huge crowd of supporters in Washington DC and made unsubstantiated claims of widespread fraud in US Presidential elections 2020. During his speech, he implored his supporters to "walk down to Capitol" just when the US Congress was meeting to certify Joe Biden's victory in elections. "We're going to walk down to the Capitol, and we're going to cheer on our brave senators and congressmen and women, and we're probably not going to be cheering so much for some of them, because you'll never take back our country with weakness. You have to show strength," Trump and his aides have been consistently making unsubstantiated claims of election frauds ever since it was clear that he was to leave office to make way for Joe Biden. Trump campaign has presented no evidence and has suffered defeats in courts across the US including in US Supreme Court. (With agency inputs)

Capitol violence: Pre-riot speech was 'totally appropriate', says Trump

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

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

US still faces challenges in its battle against coronavirus. As per numbers on Friday, the country recorded more than 4000 deaths in a day on Thursday (January 7). Data from Johns Hopkins University showed that 4085 Americans lost life in a single day on Thursday.&nbsp;

On the same day, 275,000 new coronavirus cases have been detected in the US. More than 365,000 Americans have died from COVID-19 infection.&nbsp;

As per new data from US Centre for Disease Control, Florida and California have big chunk of cases of mutant strain of coronavirus.

Florida has 22 cases of new coronavirus that emerged in Britain. There are 26 cases in California. Colorado has two cases. New York and Georgia have one case each.

The United States remains the worst-affected country with 365,321 deaths from 21,581,749 cases. At least 6,298,082 people have been declared recovered

After the US, the hardest-hit countries are Brazil with 200,498 deaths from 7,961,673 cases, India with 150,570 deaths from 10,413,417 cases, Mexico with 131,031 deaths from 1,493,569 cases, and the United Kingdom with 78,508 deaths from 2,889,419 cases.

(With agency inputs)

US still faces challenges in its battle against coronavirus. As per numbers on Friday, the country recorded more than 4000 deaths in a day on Thursday (January 7).

US still faces challenges in its battle against coronavirus. As per numbers on Friday, the country recorded more than 4000 deaths in a day on Thursday (January 7). Data from Johns Hopkins University showed that 4085 Americans lost life in a single day on Thursday. On the same day, 275,000 new coronavirus cases have been detected in the US. More than 365,000 Americans have died from COVID-19 infection. As per new data from US Centre for Disease Control, Florida and California have big chunk of cases of mutant strain of coronavirus. Florida has 22 cases of new coronavirus that emerged in Britain. There are 26 cases in California. Colorado has two cases. New York and Georgia have one case each. The United States remains the worst-affected country with 365,321 deaths from 21,581,749 cases. At least 6,298,082 people have been declared recovered After the US, the hardest-hit countries are Brazil with 200,498 deaths from 7,961,673 cases, India with 150,570 deaths from 10,413,417 cases, Mexico with 131,031 deaths from 1,493,569 cases, and the United Kingdom with 78,508 deaths from 2,889,419 cases. (With agency inputs)

US crosses 4k daily COVID deaths for the first time

US President Donald Trump is facing a lot of flak after Capitol Hill violence but a new video has surfaced that will potentially bring more criticism his way. It is being reported&nbsp;now that Trump and his family were 'partying'&nbsp;just hours before his supporters laid siege to Capitol Building.

The video has been posted by none other than Donald Trump Jr. and has since gone viral as many people are sharing it online.&nbsp;

The video was posted by Trump Jr at 11:04 pm Indian Time on January 6, this means that it was around 12:30 pm in Washington on January 6. Donald Trump addressed his supporters shortly after. The Capitol Hill violence began in earnest at 1:30 pm local time.

Donald Trump Jr has taken down this&nbsp;video from his Facebook page now.

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Trump, Donald Jr, Kimberly Guilfoyle and others watching the crowd getting fired up hours before they stormed the Capitol, and dancing in enjoyment while the song Gloria is playing. Seems premeditated, no? <a href="https://t.co/E6tHufOjiN">pic.twitter.com/E6tHufOjiN</a>
— Amy Siskind 🏳️‍🌈 (@Amy_Siskind) <a href="https://twitter.com/Amy_Siskind/status/1347303958679875589?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 7, 2021</a></blockquote>
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&nbsp;

The violence at the Capitol Hill and storming of the Capitol Building has left USA's image as a 'beacon of democracy' in tatters. Even US allies are unable to hide their shock and authoritarian regimes across the world have happily taken potshots at America.

Normally, a state-backed gang rampage in legislature for the demand of lost election to be nullified would have had&nbsp;US diplomats marching to their laptops to draft a statement of condemnation. But after the Capitol HIll violence, US has found itself at the receiving end on the world stage.

Capitol Hill violence has also become a PR disaster for Donald Trump. He was criticised for not making an appeal for calm early enough. It was only after President-elect Joe Biden appeared on television did Trump tweet a recorded video message appealing for calm.

But even in that video, Trump said that he loved&nbsp;the protesters and they were special

US President Donald Trump is facing a lot of flak after Capitol Hill violence but a new video has surfaced that will potentially bring more criticism his way. It is being reported now that Trump and his family were 'partying' just hours before his supporters laid siege to Capitol Building.

US President Donald Trump is facing a lot of flak after Capitol Hill violence but a new video has surfaced that will potentially bring more criticism his way. It is being reported now that Trump and his family were 'partying' just hours before his supporters laid siege to Capitol Building. The video has been posted by none other than Donald Trump Jr. and has since gone viral as many people are sharing it online. The video was posted by Trump Jr at 11:04 pm Indian Time on January 6, this means that it was around 12:30 pm in Washington on January 6. Donald Trump addressed his supporters shortly after. The Capitol Hill violence began in earnest at 1:30 pm local time. Donald Trump Jr has taken down this video from his Facebook page now. Trump, Donald Jr, Kimberly Guilfoyle and others watching the crowd getting fired up hours before they stormed the Capitol, and dancing in enjoyment while the song Gloria is playing. Seems premeditated, no? pic.twitter.com/E6tHufOjiN — Amy Siskind 🏳️‍🌈 (@Amy_Siskind) January 7, 2021 × The violence at the Capitol Hill and storming of the Capitol Building has left USA's image as a 'beacon of democracy' in tatters. Even US allies are unable to hide their shock and authoritarian regimes across the world have happily taken potshots at America. Normally, a state-backed gang rampage in legislature for the demand of lost election to be nullified would have had US diplomats marching to their laptops to draft a statement of condemnation. But after the Capitol HIll violence, US has found itself at the receiving end on the world stage. Capitol Hill violence has also become a PR disaster for Donald Trump. He was criticised for not making an appeal for calm early enough. It was only after President-elect Joe Biden appeared on television did Trump tweet a recorded video message appealing for calm. But even in that video, Trump said that he loved the protesters and they were special

Video: Donald Trump was 'partying' just hours before Capitol Hill violence

Amid surprise and condemnation of violence at Capitol Hill in early hours of Thursday (Indian time), America is faking a lot of flak for the unprecedented events. Latest in the list are USA's cold war nemesis Russia. On Thursday, a high ranking Russian official said that American democracy was "limping on both feet".

"The losing side has more than enough grounds to accuse the winner of falsifications -- it is clear that American democracy is limping on both feet," Konstantin Kosachyov, the chair of the Russian upper house's foreign affairs committee, said in a post on Facebook.

USA always prides itself for being a 'beacon of democracy' and have advocated democratic setup in countries abroad, the reputation seems to have taken a sound being after the violence at Capitol Hill.

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"The celebration of democracy has ended. It has, unfortunately, hit rock bottom, and I say this without a hint of gloating," said Kosachyov

"America no longer charts the course and so has lost all right to set it. And, even more so, to impose it on others," he added.

Moscow has long bristled at US criticism of the state of Russian democracy under President Vladimir Putin, accusing Washington of hypocrisy and condescension.

The Kremlin has been accused of fostering those divisions with a campaign of interference and disinformation, including alleged attempts to disrupt the 2016 election in Trump's favour that prompted an FBI investigation.

Also Read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/trump-finally-concedes-defeat-pledges-orderly-transition-after-congress-affirms-biden-win-355120">Trump finally concedes defeat, pledges 'orderly transition' after Congress affirms Biden win</a>

There was no immediate reaction from Russian foreign ministry following events at Capitol Hill but pro-Kremiln lawmakers jumped at the unrest.

"The United States certainly cannot now impose electoral standards on other countries and claim to be the world's 'beacon of democracy'," the foreign affairs chief in the lower house, Leonid Slutsky, told Russian news agencies.

He said Washington was suffering after having promoted "colour revolutions" around the world, like anti-Moscow uprisings in Ukraine and Georgia and the recent protests in Belarus.

"The boomerang of the colour revolutions is turning back on the United States," Slutsky said. "All this threatens to turn into a crisis in the American system of power."

Others appeared to use the events to justify Moscow's domestic policies.&nbsp;

Anton Gorelkin, a lawmaker on the lower house telecommunications committee, praised Twitter and Facebook for suspending Trump's accounts, saying it showed the need to better control social media.

"Social networks must work under strict rules within a legal framework. Because absolute freedom of information is becoming a weapon in the hands of extremists," he said in a post on his Telegram channel.

(With AFP inputs)

Amid surprise and condemnation of violence at Capitol Hill in early hours of Thursday (Indian time), America is faking a lot of flak for the unprecedented events.

Amid surprise and condemnation of violence at Capitol Hill in early hours of Thursday (Indian time), America is faking a lot of flak for the unprecedented events. Latest in the list are USA's cold war nemesis Russia. On Thursday, a high ranking Russian official said that American democracy was "limping on both feet". "The losing side has more than enough grounds to accuse the winner of falsifications -- it is clear that American democracy is limping on both feet," Konstantin Kosachyov, the chair of the Russian upper house's foreign affairs committee, said in a post on Facebook. USA always prides itself for being a 'beacon of democracy' and have advocated democratic setup in countries abroad, the reputation seems to have taken a sound being after the violence at Capitol Hill. × "The celebration of democracy has ended. It has, unfortunately, hit rock bottom, and I say this without a hint of gloating," said Kosachyov "America no longer charts the course and so has lost all right to set it. And, even more so, to impose it on others," he added. Moscow has long bristled at US criticism of the state of Russian democracy under President Vladimir Putin, accusing Washington of hypocrisy and condescension. The Kremlin has been accused of fostering those divisions with a campaign of interference and disinformation, including alleged attempts to disrupt the 2016 election in Trump's favour that prompted an FBI investigation. Also Read | Trump finally concedes defeat, pledges 'orderly transition' after Congress affirms Biden win There was no immediate reaction from Russian foreign ministry following events at Capitol Hill but pro-Kremiln lawmakers jumped at the unrest. "The United States certainly cannot now impose electoral standards on other countries and claim to be the world's 'beacon of democracy'," the foreign affairs chief in the lower house, Leonid Slutsky, told Russian news agencies. He said Washington was suffering after having promoted "colour revolutions" around the world, like anti-Moscow uprisings in Ukraine and Georgia and the recent protests in Belarus. "The boomerang of the colour revolutions is turning back on the United States," Slutsky said. "All this threatens to turn into a crisis in the American system of power." Others appeared to use the events to justify Moscow's domestic policies. Anton Gorelkin, a lawmaker on the lower house telecommunications committee, praised Twitter and Facebook for suspending Trump's accounts, saying it showed the need to better control social media. "Social networks must work under strict rules within a legal framework. Because absolute freedom of information is becoming a weapon in the hands of extremists," he said in a post on his Telegram channel. (With AFP inputs)

US democracy is 'limping', say the Russians

Joe Biden's victory over Donald Trump in November was just half the battle won. His ability to govern&nbsp; for at least the next two years hinged on two senate races in Georgia. The results for one of them are out, and the other run-off remains uncalled.

As of January 5, the Republican Party had a two seat advantage in the US Senate, and the Republicans controlled 50 of the 100 seats while the Democrats controlled 48. The remaining two are independent candidates who lean&nbsp;towards the Democrats.

A senate majority is very crucial for the upcoming Biden administration. It matters for cabinet appointments, policy decisions, fulfilling campaign promises, passing laws, paying debts, and allocating funds for government projects.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://13.235.153.162/world/bullying-china-slams-us-over-trumps-order-to-ban-chinese-apps-354822" hreflang="en">'Bullying': China slams US over Trump's order to ban Chinese apps</a>

The senate race in Georgia was a make-or-break runoff for the Democratic Party, and the fight was over 2 seats - both controlled by Republicans. These two&nbsp;seats will ultimately determine the balance of power in the senate.

In November, all four candidates from the Republican and Democratic parties fell short of the 50% plus one vote threshold - mandated in the state of Georgia.

So elections were held once again. Democrat Raphael War-Naak has been declared the winner of his race against the incumbent Republican senator Kelly Leff-ler. As of 9 pm IST on Wednesday, Mr. War-naak has secured a total of&nbsp; over 2 million votes.

With a vote percentage of 50.6%, Miss Kelly Leff-ler has secured two million and one hundred and seventy three thousand votes. With a vote percentage of 49.4%, Raphael War-naak is the clear winner, becoming Georgia's first black senator!

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://13.235.153.162/world/us-hits-iran-with-fresh-sanctions-as-trump-term-nears-end-354789" hreflang="en">US hits Iran with fresh sanctions as Trump term nears end</a>

Democrats have a lead in the second run offs as well. As of 9 PM IST&nbsp;on Wednesday, Democratic candidate Jon o-soff had secured over 2 million votes, with a vote percentage of 50.2%.

The incumbent Republican senator - David Perdew has secured over 2 million votes, with a vote percentage of 49.8%. 98% of the votes have been counted, and the Republicans want to wait for the remaining 2%.

But the Democratic candidate Jon Ossoff has already claimed victory.

“Georgia, thank you so much for the confidence that you've placed in me. I am honored, honored by your support, by your confidence, by your trust, and i will look forward to serving you in the united states senate with integrity, with humility, with honor, and getting things done for the people of Georgia. Thank you so much”, Jon Ossoff said.

After the house of representatives, the senate too is going to the Democrats, making Donald Trump very upset. He has gone back to ranting about election fraud.

“The states want to redo their votes...They found out they voted on a fraud... Legislatures never approved...Let them do it..Be strong…”, he tweeted. In just four years, Donald Trump has cost the Republican Party the house, the senate, and the presidency.

Joe Biden's victory over Donald Trump in November was just half the battle won. His ability to govern for at least the next two years hinged on two senate races in Georgia.

Joe Biden's victory over Donald Trump in November was just half the battle won. His ability to govern for at least the next two years hinged on two senate races in Georgia. The results for one of them are out, and the other run-off remains uncalled. As of January 5, the Republican Party had a two seat advantage in the US Senate, and the Republicans controlled 50 of the 100 seats while the Democrats controlled 48. The remaining two are independent candidates who lean towards the Democrats. A senate majority is very crucial for the upcoming Biden administration. It matters for cabinet appointments, policy decisions, fulfilling campaign promises, passing laws, paying debts, and allocating funds for government projects. Also read: 'Bullying': China slams US over Trump's order to ban Chinese apps The senate race in Georgia was a make-or-break runoff for the Democratic Party, and the fight was over 2 seats - both controlled by Republicans. These two seats will ultimately determine the balance of power in the senate. In November, all four candidates from the Republican and Democratic parties fell short of the 50% plus one vote threshold - mandated in the state of Georgia. So elections were held once again. Democrat Raphael War-Naak has been declared the winner of his race against the incumbent Republican senator Kelly Leff-ler. As of 9 pm IST on Wednesday, Mr. War-naak has secured a total of over 2 million votes. With a vote percentage of 50.6%, Miss Kelly Leff-ler has secured two million and one hundred and seventy three thousand votes. With a vote percentage of 49.4%, Raphael War-naak is the clear winner, becoming Georgia's first black senator! Also read: US hits Iran with fresh sanctions as Trump term nears end Democrats have a lead in the second run offs as well. As of 9 PM IST on Wednesday, Democratic candidate Jon o-soff had secured over 2 million votes, with a vote percentage of 50.2%. The incumbent Republican senator - David Perdew has secured over 2 million votes, with a vote percentage of 49.8%. 98% of the votes have been counted, and the Republicans want to wait for the remaining 2%. But the Democratic candidate Jon Ossoff has already claimed victory. “Georgia, thank you so much for the confidence that you've placed in me. I am honored, honored by your support, by your confidence, by your trust, and i will look forward to serving you in the united states senate with integrity, with humility, with honor, and getting things done for the people of Georgia. Thank you so much”, Jon Ossoff said. After the house of representatives, the senate too is going to the Democrats, making Donald Trump very upset. He has gone back to ranting about election fraud. “The states want to redo their votes...They found out they voted on a fraud... Legislatures never approved...Let them do it..Be strong…”, he tweeted. In just four years, Donald Trump has cost the Republican Party the house, the senate, and the presidency.

Donald Trump cost Republican Party the House, and now the Senate

The House and Senate will convene Wednesday afternoon for a remarkable joint session to formalize President-elect Joe Biden’s Electoral College victory, with President Donald Trump and his allies plotting to transform the counting session into one final, futile attempt to overturn the results.

Bipartisan majorities in both chambers are prepared to meet late into the night to beat back the challenges and confirm Biden as the winner. But by using what is typically a ceremonial proceeding as a forum for trying to subvert a democratic election, Trump and his allies are going where no party has since the Reconstruction era of the 19th century, when Congress bargained over the presidency.

Its implications, for future elections and the Republican Party, could be significant.

At least four Republican senators — Ted Cruz of Texas, Josh Hawley of Missouri, Kelly Loeffler of Georgia and Tommy Tuberville of Alabama — have agreed to join House members to challenge the results of three battleground states Biden won: Arizona, Georgia and Pennsylvania. Senators were still weighing whether to join House members to similarly challenge the outcome in Michigan, Nevada and Wisconsin.

In each case, their objections will force the House and Senate to debate Trump’s baseless claims of election fraud for up to two hours and then vote whether to accept or reject the results certified by the state. A process that typically consists of less than an hour of glorified paperwork could take anywhere from 9 to 24 hours, starting at 1 p.m. Eastern.

Even before it began, the session was already driving sharp wedges into the Republican Party that threatened to do lasting damage to its cohesion, as lawmakers decided to cast their lot with Trump or the Constitution. Top party leaders in the House and Senate appeared to be headed for a high-profile split. And while only a dozen or so senators were expected to vote to reject the outcome in key states, as many as 70% of House Republicans could join the effort, stoking the dangerous belief of tens of millions of voters that Biden was elected illegitimately.

Presiding over the whole affair will be Vice President Mike Pence, whom statute and tradition dictate must ultimately declare Biden the winner. Trump is pressuring him to go rogue and reject electors in key battleground states he lost, handing them a second term.

The demand ensures Pence, too, must choose between the Constitution and his loyalty to Trump. The answer could shape his own political future.

The House and Senate will convene Wednesday afternoon for a remarkable joint session to formalize President-elect Joe Biden’s Electoral College victory, with President Donald Trump and his allies plotting to transform the counting session into one final, futile attempt to overturn the results.

The House and Senate will convene Wednesday afternoon for a remarkable joint session to formalize President-elect Joe Biden’s Electoral College victory, with President Donald Trump and his allies plotting to transform the counting session into one final, futile attempt to overturn the results. Bipartisan majorities in both chambers are prepared to meet late into the night to beat back the challenges and confirm Biden as the winner. But by using what is typically a ceremonial proceeding as a forum for trying to subvert a democratic election, Trump and his allies are going where no party has since the Reconstruction era of the 19th century, when Congress bargained over the presidency. Its implications, for future elections and the Republican Party, could be significant. At least four Republican senators — Ted Cruz of Texas, Josh Hawley of Missouri, Kelly Loeffler of Georgia and Tommy Tuberville of Alabama — have agreed to join House members to challenge the results of three battleground states Biden won: Arizona, Georgia and Pennsylvania. Senators were still weighing whether to join House members to similarly challenge the outcome in Michigan, Nevada and Wisconsin. In each case, their objections will force the House and Senate to debate Trump’s baseless claims of election fraud for up to two hours and then vote whether to accept or reject the results certified by the state. A process that typically consists of less than an hour of glorified paperwork could take anywhere from 9 to 24 hours, starting at 1 p.m. Eastern. Even before it began, the session was already driving sharp wedges into the Republican Party that threatened to do lasting damage to its cohesion, as lawmakers decided to cast their lot with Trump or the Constitution. Top party leaders in the House and Senate appeared to be headed for a high-profile split. And while only a dozen or so senators were expected to vote to reject the outcome in key states, as many as 70% of House Republicans could join the effort, stoking the dangerous belief of tens of millions of voters that Biden was elected illegitimately. Presiding over the whole affair will be Vice President Mike Pence, whom statute and tradition dictate must ultimately declare Biden the winner. Trump is pressuring him to go rogue and reject electors in key battleground states he lost, handing them a second term. The demand ensures Pence, too, must choose between the Constitution and his loyalty to Trump. The answer could shape his own political future.

Congress is expected to meet into the night as Republicans try to subvert the election

US President Donald Trump has signed an executive order banning transactions with eight Chinese software applications, including Ant Group's Alipay

The order, signed on Tuesday, tasks the Commerce Department with defining which transactions will be banned under the directive and targets Tencent Holdings Ltd's QQ Wallet and WeChat Pay as well.

The move is aimed at curbing the threat to Americans posed by Chinese software applications, which have large user bases and access to sensitive data.

The order signed by Trump also names CamScanner, SHAREit, Tencent QQ, VMate and WPS Office and says "the United States must take aggressive action against those who develop or control Chinese connected software applications to protect our national security."

The department plans to act before January 20 when Trump leaves office to identify prohibited transactions.

Trump's order says "by accessing personal electronic devices such as smartphones, tablets, and computers, Chinese connected software applications can access and capture vast swaths of information from users, including sensitive personally identifiable information and private information."

It added the data collection "would permit China to track the locations of federal employees and contractors, and build dossiers of personal information."

Another official said the order mirrors earlier Trump executive orders signed in August directing Commerce to block some transactions with WeChat and Chinese-owned Tiktok seeking to bar some transactions that have been blocked by US courts.

The latest action has been under debate within the administration for an extended period. Many administration officials are eager to cement the hardline US position with China on a number of fronts before Trump leaves office.

Last month, the Commerce Department added dozens of Chinese companies, including the country’s top chipmaker SMIC and Chinese drone manufacturer SZ DJI Technology Co Ltd, to a trade blacklist.

Additionally, the Trump administration published a list of Chinese and Russian companies with alleged military ties that restrict them from buying a range of US goods and technology.

In November, the administration put on hold an effort to blacklist Ant Group, the Chinese financial technology company affiliated with e-commerce giant Alibaba.

US President Donald Trump has signed an executive order banning transactions with eight Chinese software applications, including Ant Group's Alipay The order, signed on Tuesday, tasks the Commerce Department with defining which transactions will be banned under the directive and targets Tencent Holdings Ltd's QQ Wallet and WeChat Pay as well.

US President Donald Trump has signed an executive order banning transactions with eight Chinese software applications, including Ant Group's Alipay The order, signed on Tuesday, tasks the Commerce Department with defining which transactions will be banned under the directive and targets Tencent Holdings Ltd's QQ Wallet and WeChat Pay as well. The move is aimed at curbing the threat to Americans posed by Chinese software applications, which have large user bases and access to sensitive data. The order signed by Trump also names CamScanner, SHAREit, Tencent QQ, VMate and WPS Office and says "the United States must take aggressive action against those who develop or control Chinese connected software applications to protect our national security." The department plans to act before January 20 when Trump leaves office to identify prohibited transactions. Trump's order says "by accessing personal electronic devices such as smartphones, tablets, and computers, Chinese connected software applications can access and capture vast swaths of information from users, including sensitive personally identifiable information and private information." It added the data collection "would permit China to track the locations of federal employees and contractors, and build dossiers of personal information." Another official said the order mirrors earlier Trump executive orders signed in August directing Commerce to block some transactions with WeChat and Chinese-owned Tiktok seeking to bar some transactions that have been blocked by US courts. The latest action has been under debate within the administration for an extended period. Many administration officials are eager to cement the hardline US position with China on a number of fronts before Trump leaves office. Last month, the Commerce Department added dozens of Chinese companies, including the country’s top chipmaker SMIC and Chinese drone manufacturer SZ DJI Technology Co Ltd, to a trade blacklist. Additionally, the Trump administration published a list of Chinese and Russian companies with alleged military ties that restrict them from buying a range of US goods and technology. In November, the administration put on hold an effort to blacklist Ant Group, the Chinese financial technology company affiliated with e-commerce giant Alibaba.

Trump signs order banning transactions with eight Chinese apps

Black civic leaders in Oregon heard the alarm bells early in the pandemic.

Data and anecdotes around the country suggested that the coronavirus was disproportionately killing Black people. Locally, Black business owners had begun fretting about their livelihoods, as stay-at-home orders and various other measures were put into place. Many did not have valuable houses they could tap for capital, and requests for government assistance had gone nowhere.

After convening several virtual meetings, the civic leaders proposed a bold and novel solution that state lawmakers approved in July. The state would earmark $62 million of its $1.4 billion in federal COVID-19 relief money to provide grants to Black residents, business owners and community organizations enduring pandemic-related hardships.

“It was finally being honest: This is who needs this support right now,” said Lew Frederick, a state senator who is Black.

But now millions of dollars in grants are on hold after one Mexican American and two white business owners sued the state, arguing that the fund for Black residents discriminated against them.

The dispute in Oregon is the latest legal skirmish in the nation’s decadeslong battle over affirmative action, and comes in a year in which the pandemic has starkly exposed the socioeconomic and health disparities that African Americans face. It has unfolded, too, against the backdrop of the Black Lives Matter movement, with institutions across America — from corporations to city councils — acknowledging systemic racism, and activists demanding that meaningful steps be taken to undo racial inequities.

Politicians, social scientists and jurists have long clashed over how far the government and institutions should go to repair the harm caused by racial discrimination — and the extent to which past racism should influence today’s decisions. In creating the Oregon Cares Fund, lawmakers took the rare step of explicitly naming a single racial group as the beneficiary, arguing that Black residents have been subjected to unique discrimination that put them at a disadvantage during the pandemic.

Over the decades, various remedies to address discrimination have been met with legal challenges. Supreme Court rulings have established that race-based policies are constitutional only if they achieve a compelling governmental interest and are narrowly tailored to do so. The court has most notably allowed race to be used as a factor in college admissions to achieve student diversity. But the court in recent decades has also sided against one of the original rationales for affirmative action policies — to undo past discrimination and its lingering effect.

“You have to show that there’s this really close nexus between why you’re using race and the outcome you’re seeking,” said Melissa Murray, a professor of law at New York University. “And I think here it’s going to be a real question as to whether funding just Black businesses through this Cares fund is actually the only way that you could address the problems that Black Oregonians have experienced during this particular period.”

In Oregon, the stakes are dire. Nearly $50 million worth of grants have been awarded, but a court has frozen $8.8 million, the remaining amount minus administrative costs, until the litigation is resolved, a process that could take years.

With the Dec. 31 deadline having passed for states to spend their CARES Act funds or return what remains to the federal government, the litigation could mean the money is lost for good. The fund’s administrators say they hope the Treasury Department grants them an extension for disbursing the money.

Oregon’s long history of anti-Black racism has fueled much of the advocacy for the state’s fund. And while other racial groups have said they supported it, critics have argued that Black people are not the only ones who have faced discrimination in the state.

Some Black residents, who make up about 2% of the state’s population, said that argument was a distraction.

“As a state, as a country, it is unusual for us to provide adequate resources to Black people,” said Nkenge Harmon Johnson, president and chief executive of the Urban League of Portland. “For some folks, it’s shocking, it’s distasteful.”

But Edward Blum, a white conservative activist whose organization, Project on Fair Representation, is underwriting one of two lawsuits challenging the fund, said the opposition was about preventing racial exclusion.

“It is like, in the employment arena, going to apply for a job and seeing a sign on the employment office that reads, ‘No Asians need apply,’” said Blum, who has led efforts to challenge race-based admissions policies at universities, including a high-profile case against Harvard. “Your race and your ethnicity should not be used to help you or harm you in your life’s endeavors.”

Walter Leja, a plaintiff in one of the lawsuits, said he might be on the verge of laying off employees from Dynamic Service Fire and Security, the small electrical services company he started in Salem in 2007, if he did not receive relief money soon. An earlier loan of about $20,000 from the federal Paycheck Protection Program, he said, was just enough to cover payroll for about two months.

Leja, who is 64 and white, said he could not say whether historic discrimination put Black business owners at a disadvantage. But a particular fund, he said, was not warranted.

“It’s discriminatory,” he said. “It’s locking up a bunch of funds that can only be used by Black businesses when there’s a ton of other businesses out there that need access to those funds. It’s not a white or Black thing. It’s an everybody thing.”

That lawsuit — a class-action case led by Leja and the white owner of a logging company, Great Northern Resources, based in the city of John Day — is one of two that challenges the fund. The other, underwritten by the Center for Individual Rights, a nonprofit law firm advocating limited government, involves a Mexican American owner of the Revolucion Coffee House, in Portland, who has claimed discrimination.

Many of today’s economic and health disparities stem from past policies and practices that were explicitly racist, some social scientists say, arguing that measures aimed at particular races were necessary to undo the damage. But courts have set a high bar for allowing the clear use of race in legislation. To get around the legal hurdles, policymakers tend to rely on proxies for race — like ZIP codes and socioeconomic status — when designing measures they hope will benefit marginalized racial groups.

But Akasha Lawrence Spence, a state representative, said subtle measures were not enough for the current crisis. Specifically targeting Black Oregonians for relief was an important step in forcing people to grasp the effects of racism, she added.

“This fund says that we understand that for no other reason than the color of your skin, you have been restricted and prohibited from accessing the tools to economically mobilize,” she said. “For that reason, we’re not going to create any veiled language. We as the Black community are tired of that.”

Supporters of the fund argued that the $62 million accounted for about 4.5% of what the state received, leaving plenty for residents who are not Black. They also noted that other COVID-19-related funds were tailored in a way that allowed them to almost exclusively benefit particular racial or ethnic groups — a $10 million fund created by the state that largely benefits Latino immigrants in the country without permission and one created by Portland officials to aid a district of largely Asian-owned businesses.

Designing measures in that way to target Black residents would be difficult and fail to have a significant impact, they said.

Oregon’s history of racism predates its statehood. As a territory in 1844, it passed a law banning African Americans from settling there.

The state’s Black population ballooned in the 1940s as many Southerners migrated West for jobs in the wartime industries. Like in many other parts of the country, the new Black settlers in Oregon were restricted to certain areas. In 1990, 80% of the state’s Black population was confined to two ZIP codes in Northeast Portland, according to Stephen Green, a Portland native and former banker.

Banks and other investors largely avoided doing business in those communities. Residents were also displaced when parts of those neighborhoods were razed at different times to build a highway, a sports arena and a hospital.

That history robbed many African Americans of opportunities to build wealth, historians say, a legacy that continues. The racial wealth gap in Multnomah County, which includes Portland, is larger now than it was 40 years ago, with Black residents holding fewer assets than other racial groups.

In 2019, Black Oregonians received four of the 984 loans that the Small Business Administration issued statewide, according to The Portland Business Journal.

Without traditional banking relationships, Black business owners often have had to reach into their own pockets or seek other avenues to finance startup costs, civic leaders said. That left many unable to get pandemic relief loans offered by the federal government because the loans required going through lending institutions.

Early in the pandemic, various indicators appeared to show that Black businesses were suffering more severely than others. A Stanford University study found that the number of Black business owners nationwide dropped by 41% from February to April, compared with a 32% decrease for Latinos, 26% for Asians and 17% for white owners.

Lawyers defending the Oregon Cares Fund have argued that the state has a duty to ensure that the distribution of COVID-19 relief funds does not perpetuate the disparities Black residents face. That means targeting Black residents for relief because other efforts to address inequality have failed, said Janelle Bynum, a state representative who is Black.

“Without that intentionality, without them actually caring that the money flows through our communities, they’ll never have to do anything to change the status quo,” she said. “I’m not OK with that.”

But some legal scholars and a lawyer for the state Legislature said the fund could violate the 14th Amendment’s equal protection guarantees.

Clark D. Cunningham, a law professor at Georgia State University, was dubious of the 14th Amendment claims. About a month after the amendment passed Congress in 1866, those same politicians reauthorized the Freedmen’s Bureau, an agency meant to primarily help formerly enslaved African Americans, he said.

“The idea that, in this case, a lumber company could use the 14th Amendment as a weapon to prevent the descendants of slaves from receiving an economic benefit in a time of disaster is utterly inconsistent with the historical context,” Cunningham said.

In Portland, Joy Mack said the pandemic rekindled the stress she felt when she opened the Jayah Rose Salon in 2008. She and her husband, an engineer, are both Black and solidly middle class. But after visiting more than 10 lending institutions to try to get startup funding, she received only two loans, she said. One of the lenders kept asking for more financial information, so they eventually walked away from the relationship.

In trying to keep her hair salon afloat amid the pandemic, Mack, 45, said she applied for a forgivable federal government loan but was turned down because she had about $5,000 in tax debt. She got a $5,000 grant from the city and a $10,000 disaster loan from the federal government. She also has had to take out lines of credit.

Mack eventually received a grant from the Oregon Cares Fund. Although she would not say how much she received, she said it saved her from having to close down under the weight of tens of thousands of dollars of debt.

“Honestly,” she said, “that is what just helped us get over that COVID hump.”

Black civic leaders in Oregon heard the alarm bells early in the pandemic. Data and anecdotes around the country suggested that the coronavirus was disproportionately killing Black people.

Black civic leaders in Oregon heard the alarm bells early in the pandemic. Data and anecdotes around the country suggested that the coronavirus was disproportionately killing Black people. Locally, Black business owners had begun fretting about their livelihoods, as stay-at-home orders and various other measures were put into place. Many did not have valuable houses they could tap for capital, and requests for government assistance had gone nowhere. After convening several virtual meetings, the civic leaders proposed a bold and novel solution that state lawmakers approved in July. The state would earmark $62 million of its $1.4 billion in federal COVID-19 relief money to provide grants to Black residents, business owners and community organizations enduring pandemic-related hardships. “It was finally being honest: This is who needs this support right now,” said Lew Frederick, a state senator who is Black. But now millions of dollars in grants are on hold after one Mexican American and two white business owners sued the state, arguing that the fund for Black residents discriminated against them. The dispute in Oregon is the latest legal skirmish in the nation’s decadeslong battle over affirmative action, and comes in a year in which the pandemic has starkly exposed the socioeconomic and health disparities that African Americans face. It has unfolded, too, against the backdrop of the Black Lives Matter movement, with institutions across America — from corporations to city councils — acknowledging systemic racism, and activists demanding that meaningful steps be taken to undo racial inequities. Politicians, social scientists and jurists have long clashed over how far the government and institutions should go to repair the harm caused by racial discrimination — and the extent to which past racism should influence today’s decisions. In creating the Oregon Cares Fund, lawmakers took the rare step of explicitly naming a single racial group as the beneficiary, arguing that Black residents have been subjected to unique discrimination that put them at a disadvantage during the pandemic. Over the decades, various remedies to address discrimination have been met with legal challenges. Supreme Court rulings have established that race-based policies are constitutional only if they achieve a compelling governmental interest and are narrowly tailored to do so. The court has most notably allowed race to be used as a factor in college admissions to achieve student diversity. But the court in recent decades has also sided against one of the original rationales for affirmative action policies — to undo past discrimination and its lingering effect. “You have to show that there’s this really close nexus between why you’re using race and the outcome you’re seeking,” said Melissa Murray, a professor of law at New York University. “And I think here it’s going to be a real question as to whether funding just Black businesses through this Cares fund is actually the only way that you could address the problems that Black Oregonians have experienced during this particular period.” In Oregon, the stakes are dire. Nearly $50 million worth of grants have been awarded, but a court has frozen $8.8 million, the remaining amount minus administrative costs, until the litigation is resolved, a process that could take years. With the Dec. 31 deadline having passed for states to spend their CARES Act funds or return what remains to the federal government, the litigation could mean the money is lost for good. The fund’s administrators say they hope the Treasury Department grants them an extension for disbursing the money. Oregon’s long history of anti-Black racism has fueled much of the advocacy for the state’s fund. And while other racial groups have said they supported it, critics have argued that Black people are not the only ones who have faced discrimination in the state. Some Black residents, who make up about 2% of the state’s population, said that argument was a distraction. “As a state, as a country, it is unusual for us to provide adequate resources to Black people,” said Nkenge Harmon Johnson, president and chief executive of the Urban League of Portland. “For some folks, it’s shocking, it’s distasteful.” But Edward Blum, a white conservative activist whose organization, Project on Fair Representation, is underwriting one of two lawsuits challenging the fund, said the opposition was about preventing racial exclusion. “It is like, in the employment arena, going to apply for a job and seeing a sign on the employment office that reads, ‘No Asians need apply,’” said Blum, who has led efforts to challenge race-based admissions policies at universities, including a high-profile case against Harvard. “Your race and your ethnicity should not be used to help you or harm you in your life’s endeavors.” Walter Leja, a plaintiff in one of the lawsuits, said he might be on the verge of laying off employees from Dynamic Service Fire and Security, the small electrical services company he started in Salem in 2007, if he did not receive relief money soon. An earlier loan of about $20,000 from the federal Paycheck Protection Program, he said, was just enough to cover payroll for about two months. Leja, who is 64 and white, said he could not say whether historic discrimination put Black business owners at a disadvantage. But a particular fund, he said, was not warranted. “It’s discriminatory,” he said. “It’s locking up a bunch of funds that can only be used by Black businesses when there’s a ton of other businesses out there that need access to those funds. It’s not a white or Black thing. It’s an everybody thing.” That lawsuit — a class-action case led by Leja and the white owner of a logging company, Great Northern Resources, based in the city of John Day — is one of two that challenges the fund. The other, underwritten by the Center for Individual Rights, a nonprofit law firm advocating limited government, involves a Mexican American owner of the Revolucion Coffee House, in Portland, who has claimed discrimination. Many of today’s economic and health disparities stem from past policies and practices that were explicitly racist, some social scientists say, arguing that measures aimed at particular races were necessary to undo the damage. But courts have set a high bar for allowing the clear use of race in legislation. To get around the legal hurdles, policymakers tend to rely on proxies for race — like ZIP codes and socioeconomic status — when designing measures they hope will benefit marginalized racial groups. But Akasha Lawrence Spence, a state representative, said subtle measures were not enough for the current crisis. Specifically targeting Black Oregonians for relief was an important step in forcing people to grasp the effects of racism, she added. “This fund says that we understand that for no other reason than the color of your skin, you have been restricted and prohibited from accessing the tools to economically mobilize,” she said. “For that reason, we’re not going to create any veiled language. We as the Black community are tired of that.” Supporters of the fund argued that the $62 million accounted for about 4.5% of what the state received, leaving plenty for residents who are not Black. They also noted that other COVID-19-related funds were tailored in a way that allowed them to almost exclusively benefit particular racial or ethnic groups — a $10 million fund created by the state that largely benefits Latino immigrants in the country without permission and one created by Portland officials to aid a district of largely Asian-owned businesses. Designing measures in that way to target Black residents would be difficult and fail to have a significant impact, they said. Oregon’s history of racism predates its statehood. As a territory in 1844, it passed a law banning African Americans from settling there. The state’s Black population ballooned in the 1940s as many Southerners migrated West for jobs in the wartime industries. Like in many other parts of the country, the new Black settlers in Oregon were restricted to certain areas. In 1990, 80% of the state’s Black population was confined to two ZIP codes in Northeast Portland, according to Stephen Green, a Portland native and former banker. Banks and other investors largely avoided doing business in those communities. Residents were also displaced when parts of those neighborhoods were razed at different times to build a highway, a sports arena and a hospital. That history robbed many African Americans of opportunities to build wealth, historians say, a legacy that continues. The racial wealth gap in Multnomah County, which includes Portland, is larger now than it was 40 years ago, with Black residents holding fewer assets than other racial groups. In 2019, Black Oregonians received four of the 984 loans that the Small Business Administration issued statewide, according to The Portland Business Journal. Without traditional banking relationships, Black business owners often have had to reach into their own pockets or seek other avenues to finance startup costs, civic leaders said. That left many unable to get pandemic relief loans offered by the federal government because the loans required going through lending institutions. Early in the pandemic, various indicators appeared to show that Black businesses were suffering more severely than others. A Stanford University study found that the number of Black business owners nationwide dropped by 41% from February to April, compared with a 32% decrease for Latinos, 26% for Asians and 17% for white owners. Lawyers defending the Oregon Cares Fund have argued that the state has a duty to ensure that the distribution of COVID-19 relief funds does not perpetuate the disparities Black residents face. That means targeting Black residents for relief because other efforts to address inequality have failed, said Janelle Bynum, a state representative who is Black. “Without that intentionality, without them actually caring that the money flows through our communities, they’ll never have to do anything to change the status quo,” she said. “I’m not OK with that.” But some legal scholars and a lawyer for the state Legislature said the fund could violate the 14th Amendment’s equal protection guarantees. Clark D. Cunningham, a law professor at Georgia State University, was dubious of the 14th Amendment claims. About a month after the amendment passed Congress in 1866, those same politicians reauthorized the Freedmen’s Bureau, an agency meant to primarily help formerly enslaved African Americans, he said. “The idea that, in this case, a lumber company could use the 14th Amendment as a weapon to prevent the descendants of slaves from receiving an economic benefit in a time of disaster is utterly inconsistent with the historical context,” Cunningham said. In Portland, Joy Mack said the pandemic rekindled the stress she felt when she opened the Jayah Rose Salon in 2008. She and her husband, an engineer, are both Black and solidly middle class. But after visiting more than 10 lending institutions to try to get startup funding, she received only two loans, she said. One of the lenders kept asking for more financial information, so they eventually walked away from the relationship. In trying to keep her hair salon afloat amid the pandemic, Mack, 45, said she applied for a forgivable federal government loan but was turned down because she had about $5,000 in tax debt. She got a $5,000 grant from the city and a $10,000 disaster loan from the federal government. She also has had to take out lines of credit. Mack eventually received a grant from the Oregon Cares Fund. Although she would not say how much she received, she said it saved her from having to close down under the weight of tens of thousands of dollars of debt. “Honestly,” she said, “that is what just helped us get over that COVID hump.”

A COVID-19 relief fund was only for black residents. Then came the lawsuits

President-elect Joe Biden’s choice for Treasury secretary, Janet L. Yellen, collected more than $7 million in speaking fees over the past two years from major corporations and Wall Street banks that have a keen interest in the financial policies she will oversee after her expected confirmation to lead the Treasury Department.

Yellen’s paid speaking appearances — which included $992,000 from investment bank Citi for nine appearances — were among the lucrative payments from a range of Wall Street, Big Tech and corporate interests to three prominent prospective members of the incoming Biden administration.

The payments, revealed in disclosure statements covering the previous two years and released on New Year’s Eve, have caused consternation among progressive activists concerned about the influence of special interests around Biden, who they see as part of a Democratic establishment that has not sufficiently embraced liberal priorities.

Biden’s choice for secretary of state, Antony J. Blinken, was paid nearly $1.2 million by a consulting firm he helped found, WestExec Advisors, where he advised a range of corporations including Facebook, Boeing, private equity giant Blackstone and asset management company Lazard.

Biden’s choice for director of national intelligence, Avril Haines, was paid $180,000 to consult for data-mining company Palantir, which has raised liberal hackles for providing data and surveillance services to law enforcement, including U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

Along with their disclosure statements, Yellen, Blinken and Haines each filed ethics agreements pledging to avoid involvement in specific matters that could affect any holding they still own, or with which they had worked in the past year, unless they receive a written waiver from ethics officials.

The three may have to extend the conflict of interest window beyond a year if Biden enacts an expected ethics policy barring officials in his administration from participating for two years in policies that could affect their former business interests.

Yellen and Blinken also indicated they would divest their interests in companies, including stock owned by Yellen in major corporations such as AT&amp;amp;T, ConocoPhillips, Dow, Pfizer and Raytheon. Blinken said he would sell his stake in WestExec Advisors as well as a venture capital firm linked to it.

Blinken indicated in his disclosure filing that those stakes are worth a total of $1.5 million to $6 million.

David Segal, the executive director of the progressive group Demand Progress, said that he still had concerns even though the officials had pledged to abide by conflict of interest rules.

“There are almost too many corporate clients to count who have relationships to the respective ambits these designees would steward if confirmed,” he said, adding that “this is an unfortunate circumstance,” particularly as Biden strives to strike a difference between his administration and President Donald Trump’s.

In the Trump administration, representatives from corporate America and Wall Street held prominent posts, and conflicts of interest abounded.

The filings by Biden’s team offer another glimpse of Washington’s longtime revolving door. Officials whose parties have lost power monetize their insider expertise and connections in the private sector, then head back into government when their party retakes the White House.

Yellen, a former Federal Reserve chair, started giving paid speeches in February 2018, which was within a year of the conclusion of her term at the Fed. She was also a consultant to Magellan Financial Group Ltd., an Australia-based investment fund manager, which paid her $125,000.

Haines left her position as deputy national security adviser to President Barack Obama at the end of his term in 2017, and within about six months she was working as a consultant for Palantir. When Haines joined Biden’s transition team over the summer, a spokesperson sought to distance her from Palantir’s data collection and surveillance, saying that the vast majority of her work for the company was related to diversity and inclusion.

The biggest share of Haines’ income came from Columbia University, which paid her more than $440,000 to help run an international research project and to lecture at the university’s law school. She also was paid $150,000 to consult for the applied physics lab at Johns Hopkins University, and nearly $55,000 to consult and make introductions for WestExec Advisors, the firm Blinken helped found.

Blinken, who served as deputy secretary of state in the Obama administration, formed WestExec Advisors about eight months after he left office with three other Obama administration officials.

The firm, which takes its name from the small street that runs between the West Wing of the White House and the Eisenhower Executive Office Building, was hired by clients looking for advice in navigating the federal government. The firm also paired with venture capital funds that helped companies it advised expand to take on federal contracts or other new work.

Blinken’s disclosure forms show that he worked with 17 WestExec clients, including Microsoft, Uber, AT&amp;amp;T, FedEx, LinkedIn, Japanese conglomerate SoftBank, pharmaceutical company Gilead Sciences and McKinsey &amp;amp; Co., a global consulting firm.

WestExec said in a statement after Blinken emerged as the likely secretary of state pick that he helped business leaders “make the best decisions in a complex and volatile international landscape.”

Blinken also publicly defended tech companies, while Facebook was a client of WestExec. When tech companies came under fire for failing to adequately fight disinformation during the 2016 election — including Facebook posts that were part of a Russian effort to boost Trump’s presidential campaign — Blinken said the blame should be directed primarily at Russia.

Tech platforms “have to do better to defend against malicious actors, but let’s not lose sight of the forest for the trees: The problem is Russia and other actors who use our openness against us, not the platforms,” Blinken said in an interview with Fast Company published in October 2017. “The biggest mistake we can make is to get into a circular firing squad with government and the tech companies,” Blinken told the publication, which identified him as an adviser to both Facebook and Alphabet, the parent company of Google.

José Castañeda, a Google spokesperson, said that the company hired WestExec for one month in 2018 to provide advice on tech policy, but added that the advice was “provided by others in the firm, not by Mr. Blinken.”

In 2009, Obama prohibited all of his appointees from participating for two years in “any particular matter” as a government official that “directly and substantially” related to a former employer or former client, including a federal regulation that might affect the former client.

Biden has not yet released details on what type of restrictions he will impose on his political appointees.

President-elect Joe Biden’s choice for Treasury secretary, Janet L. Yellen, collected more than $7 million in speaking fees over the past two years from major corporations and Wall Street banks that have a keen interest in the financial policies she will oversee after her expected confirmation to lead the Treasury Department.

President-elect Joe Biden’s choice for Treasury secretary, Janet L. Yellen, collected more than $7 million in speaking fees over the past two years from major corporations and Wall Street banks that have a keen interest in the financial policies she will oversee after her expected confirmation to lead the Treasury Department. Yellen’s paid speaking appearances — which included $992,000 from investment bank Citi for nine appearances — were among the lucrative payments from a range of Wall Street, Big Tech and corporate interests to three prominent prospective members of the incoming Biden administration. The payments, revealed in disclosure statements covering the previous two years and released on New Year’s Eve, have caused consternation among progressive activists concerned about the influence of special interests around Biden, who they see as part of a Democratic establishment that has not sufficiently embraced liberal priorities. Biden’s choice for secretary of state, Antony J. Blinken, was paid nearly $1.2 million by a consulting firm he helped found, WestExec Advisors, where he advised a range of corporations including Facebook, Boeing, private equity giant Blackstone and asset management company Lazard. Biden’s choice for director of national intelligence, Avril Haines, was paid $180,000 to consult for data-mining company Palantir, which has raised liberal hackles for providing data and surveillance services to law enforcement, including U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Along with their disclosure statements, Yellen, Blinken and Haines each filed ethics agreements pledging to avoid involvement in specific matters that could affect any holding they still own, or with which they had worked in the past year, unless they receive a written waiver from ethics officials. The three may have to extend the conflict of interest window beyond a year if Biden enacts an expected ethics policy barring officials in his administration from participating for two years in policies that could affect their former business interests. Yellen and Blinken also indicated they would divest their interests in companies, including stock owned by Yellen in major corporations such as AT&amp;T, ConocoPhillips, Dow, Pfizer and Raytheon. Blinken said he would sell his stake in WestExec Advisors as well as a venture capital firm linked to it. Blinken indicated in his disclosure filing that those stakes are worth a total of $1.5 million to $6 million. David Segal, the executive director of the progressive group Demand Progress, said that he still had concerns even though the officials had pledged to abide by conflict of interest rules. “There are almost too many corporate clients to count who have relationships to the respective ambits these designees would steward if confirmed,” he said, adding that “this is an unfortunate circumstance,” particularly as Biden strives to strike a difference between his administration and President Donald Trump’s. In the Trump administration, representatives from corporate America and Wall Street held prominent posts, and conflicts of interest abounded. The filings by Biden’s team offer another glimpse of Washington’s longtime revolving door. Officials whose parties have lost power monetize their insider expertise and connections in the private sector, then head back into government when their party retakes the White House. Yellen, a former Federal Reserve chair, started giving paid speeches in February 2018, which was within a year of the conclusion of her term at the Fed. She was also a consultant to Magellan Financial Group Ltd., an Australia-based investment fund manager, which paid her $125,000. Haines left her position as deputy national security adviser to President Barack Obama at the end of his term in 2017, and within about six months she was working as a consultant for Palantir. When Haines joined Biden’s transition team over the summer, a spokesperson sought to distance her from Palantir’s data collection and surveillance, saying that the vast majority of her work for the company was related to diversity and inclusion. The biggest share of Haines’ income came from Columbia University, which paid her more than $440,000 to help run an international research project and to lecture at the university’s law school. She also was paid $150,000 to consult for the applied physics lab at Johns Hopkins University, and nearly $55,000 to consult and make introductions for WestExec Advisors, the firm Blinken helped found. Blinken, who served as deputy secretary of state in the Obama administration, formed WestExec Advisors about eight months after he left office with three other Obama administration officials. The firm, which takes its name from the small street that runs between the West Wing of the White House and the Eisenhower Executive Office Building, was hired by clients looking for advice in navigating the federal government. The firm also paired with venture capital funds that helped companies it advised expand to take on federal contracts or other new work. Blinken’s disclosure forms show that he worked with 17 WestExec clients, including Microsoft, Uber, AT&amp;T, FedEx, LinkedIn, Japanese conglomerate SoftBank, pharmaceutical company Gilead Sciences and McKinsey &amp; Co., a global consulting firm. WestExec said in a statement after Blinken emerged as the likely secretary of state pick that he helped business leaders “make the best decisions in a complex and volatile international landscape.” Blinken also publicly defended tech companies, while Facebook was a client of WestExec. When tech companies came under fire for failing to adequately fight disinformation during the 2016 election — including Facebook posts that were part of a Russian effort to boost Trump’s presidential campaign — Blinken said the blame should be directed primarily at Russia. Tech platforms “have to do better to defend against malicious actors, but let’s not lose sight of the forest for the trees: The problem is Russia and other actors who use our openness against us, not the platforms,” Blinken said in an interview with Fast Company published in October 2017. “The biggest mistake we can make is to get into a circular firing squad with government and the tech companies,” Blinken told the publication, which identified him as an adviser to both Facebook and Alphabet, the parent company of Google. José Castañeda, a Google spokesperson, said that the company hired WestExec for one month in 2018 to provide advice on tech policy, but added that the advice was “provided by others in the firm, not by Mr. Blinken.” In 2009, Obama prohibited all of his appointees from participating for two years in “any particular matter” as a government official that “directly and substantially” related to a former employer or former client, including a federal regulation that might affect the former client. Biden has not yet released details on what type of restrictions he will impose on his political appointees.

Washington has been lucrative for some on Biden’s team

United States aircraft carrier USS Nimitz will stay in the Gulf in view of the ''recent threats'' put forward by Iran, the Pentagon announced on Sunday.

Earlier, reports claimed that the ship was returning to the States to deescalate, citing acting US Defense Secretary Christopher C Miller. USS Nimitz has been in Gulf waters since November.&nbsp;

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/gulf-cooperation-council-summit-will-gulf-crisis-come-to-an-end-354242/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

According to the New York Times, the move was part of a ''de-escalatory'' signal to Iran in a bid to avoid conflict as Donald Trump spends his last few days in the presidential office. On Sunday, however, Miller issued a statement claiming the opposite.&nbsp; 
 
"Due to the recent threats issued by Iranian leaders against President Trump and other US&nbsp;government officials, I have ordered the USS Nimitz to halt its routine redeployment," Miller's statement said. 
 
"The USS Nimitz will now remain on station in the US&nbsp;Central Command area of operations.&nbsp;No one should doubt the resolve of the United States of America", it added.

In Pics:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/a-year-after-soleimanis-killing-the-operation-the-method-and-sanctions-354213" hreflang="en">A year after Soleimani's killing: The operation, the method, and sanctions</a>

Last year, a US drone strike in Baghdad led to the killing of Qasem Soleimani, a commander highly revered in Iran. In addition, the strike also killed his Iraqi lieutenant Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis.

On Sunday, thousands of Iraqis were seen chanting ''revenge'' and ''no to America'' on the first death anniversary of Soleimani.

Many supporters also joined in across countries like Syria, Lebanon, Yemen, and others.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://13.235.153.162/world/us-navy-denies-aircraft-carrier-nimitz-moved-into-gulf-over-iran-tensions-346121" hreflang="en">US navy denies aircraft carrier Nimitz moved into Gulf over Iran tensions</a> 
 
In 2018, Trump withdrew from a nuclear deal with Iran along with launching a pressure campaign against Tehran, which also reintroduced sanctions against Iran. Since 2019, both countries have come close to war multiple times. 
 
Soon after the attack, Iran attacked Iraqi bases that housed US troops among many. But Trump did not respond to any such attacks.

United States aircraft carrier USS Nimitz will stay in the Gulf in view of the ''recent threats'' put forward by Iran, the Pentagon announced on Sunday. Earlier, reports claimed that the ship was returning to the States to deescalate, citing acting US Defense Secretary Christopher C Miller.

United States aircraft carrier USS Nimitz will stay in the Gulf in view of the ''recent threats'' put forward by Iran, the Pentagon announced on Sunday. Earlier, reports claimed that the ship was returning to the States to deescalate, citing acting US Defense Secretary Christopher C Miller. USS Nimitz has been in Gulf waters since November. According to the New York Times, the move was part of a ''de-escalatory'' signal to Iran in a bid to avoid conflict as Donald Trump spends his last few days in the presidential office. On Sunday, however, Miller issued a statement claiming the opposite. "Due to the recent threats issued by Iranian leaders against President Trump and other US government officials, I have ordered the USS Nimitz to halt its routine redeployment," Miller's statement said. "The USS Nimitz will now remain on station in the US Central Command area of operations. No one should doubt the resolve of the United States of America", it added. In Pics: A year after Soleimani's killing: The operation, the method, and sanctions Last year, a US drone strike in Baghdad led to the killing of Qasem Soleimani, a commander highly revered in Iran. In addition, the strike also killed his Iraqi lieutenant Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis. On Sunday, thousands of Iraqis were seen chanting ''revenge'' and ''no to America'' on the first death anniversary of Soleimani. Many supporters also joined in across countries like Syria, Lebanon, Yemen, and others. Also read: US navy denies aircraft carrier Nimitz moved into Gulf over Iran tensions In 2018, Trump withdrew from a nuclear deal with Iran along with launching a pressure campaign against Tehran, which also reintroduced sanctions against Iran. Since 2019, both countries have come close to war multiple times. Soon after the attack, Iran attacked Iraqi bases that housed US troops among many. But Trump did not respond to any such attacks.

US aircraft carrier Nimitz to remain in Gulf as threat of conflict with Iran looms

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