The Norwegian government has summoned a top US embassy official in Oslo in order to lodge an official protest against claims that Washington had spied on Norwegian and other European leaders.

Norway summons top US embassy official in Oslo over spying claims

U.S. officials have warned that the pipeline will make Europe more dependent on Russian energy supplies and bypass Ukraine

Germany, U.S. discuss Nord Stream 2 in Washington

U.S. veterans of the Korean War are getting added attention in Washington, DC with a groundbreaking at the Korean War Memorial which was scheduled for late Friday (May 21), in addition to a Korean War veteran receiving the Medal of Honor at the White House.

'Wall of Remembrance' honors Korean War veterans

Jill Biden says finally going mask-free feels like 'we're moving forward’. A Republican senator says going unmasked 'certainly helps the flow of conversation’. &nbsp;

But the conversation on the House floor on Friday approached sniping as lawmakers objected to being required to keep masking up until all 435 of them get their COVID-19 shots.&nbsp;

Across Washington, the government is adjusting to new federal guidance easing up on when masks should be worn.&nbsp;

"So much for following the science," Rep Greg Murphy, R-NC, a urologist, said after complaining that he'd have to put his mask back on after his House floor speech despite being fully vaccinated. &nbsp;

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Thursday that fully vaccinated people ‘those who are two weeks past their last required dose of a COVID-19 vaccine’ can stop wearing masks outdoors in crowds and in most indoor settings. Partially vaccinated or unvaccinated people should keep wearing masks, the guidance says. &nbsp;

But on Capitol Hill, lawmakers have to keep wearing masks on the House floor, according to a memo from the Office of the Attending Physician, Dr Brian Monahan. &nbsp;

"The present mask requirement and other guidelines remain unchanged until all Members and Floor staff are fully vaccinated," House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said in a memo to her Democratic colleagues. “Returning the Capitol to the welcoming and safe venue that it has been requires us to not only secure it physically but to make it safe from the virus." Recent surveys suggest that about 1 in 4 House lawmakers are not fully vaccinated.&nbsp;

Lawmakers can remove their masks while on the House floor to make speeches, but must mask up after they finish. They are, however, free to resume 'pre-pandemic activities' elsewhere in the House complex of office buildings and public spaces.&nbsp;

In the Senate, Republicans Susan Collins of Maine and Joni Ernst of Iowa were among senators, who didn't hesitate to remove their masks as soon as they heard the news. They were seen entering the Senate chamber on Thursday marveling at being mask-free and calling out, 'Freedom!'&nbsp;

Senate leadership has not commented on the updated mask guidance, which came down as Biden and a group of Republican senators discussed infrastructure in the Oval Office.&nbsp;

Jill Biden says finally going mask-free feels like 'we're moving forward’. A Republican senator says going unmasked 'certainly helps the flow of conversation’. But the conversation on the House floor on Friday approached sniping as lawmakers objected to being required to keep masking up until all 435 of them get their COVID-19 shots.

Jill Biden says finally going mask-free feels like 'we're moving forward’. A Republican senator says going unmasked 'certainly helps the flow of conversation’. But the conversation on the House floor on Friday approached sniping as lawmakers objected to being required to keep masking up until all 435 of them get their COVID-19 shots. Across Washington, the government is adjusting to new federal guidance easing up on when masks should be worn. "So much for following the science," Rep Greg Murphy, R-NC, a urologist, said after complaining that he'd have to put his mask back on after his House floor speech despite being fully vaccinated. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Thursday that fully vaccinated people ‘those who are two weeks past their last required dose of a COVID-19 vaccine’ can stop wearing masks outdoors in crowds and in most indoor settings. Partially vaccinated or unvaccinated people should keep wearing masks, the guidance says. But on Capitol Hill, lawmakers have to keep wearing masks on the House floor, according to a memo from the Office of the Attending Physician, Dr Brian Monahan. "The present mask requirement and other guidelines remain unchanged until all Members and Floor staff are fully vaccinated," House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said in a memo to her Democratic colleagues. “Returning the Capitol to the welcoming and safe venue that it has been requires us to not only secure it physically but to make it safe from the virus." Recent surveys suggest that about 1 in 4 House lawmakers are not fully vaccinated. Lawmakers can remove their masks while on the House floor to make speeches, but must mask up after they finish. They are, however, free to resume 'pre-pandemic activities' elsewhere in the House complex of office buildings and public spaces. In the Senate, Republicans Susan Collins of Maine and Joni Ernst of Iowa were among senators, who didn't hesitate to remove their masks as soon as they heard the news. They were seen entering the Senate chamber on Thursday marveling at being mask-free and calling out, 'Freedom!' Senate leadership has not commented on the updated mask guidance, which came down as Biden and a group of Republican senators discussed infrastructure in the Oval Office.

Let's face it: Washington adjusts to new mask guidance 

Hit by a cyberattack, the operator of a major US fuel pipeline said it hopes to have services mostly restored by the end of the week as the FBI and administration officials identified the culprits as a gang of criminal hackers. US officials sought to soothe concerns about price spikes or damage to the economy by stressing that the fuel supply had so far not experienced widespread disruptions, and the company said Monday that it was working toward substantially restoring operational service by the weekend.

The White House said in a statement late Monday that it was monitoring supply shortages in parts of the Southeast and that President Joe Biden had directed federal agencies to bring their resources to bear.

Colonial Pipeline, which delivers about 45% of the fuel consumed on the East Coast, halted operations last week after revealing a ransomware attack that it said had affected some of its systems.

Nonetheless, the attack underscored the vulnerabilities of the nation’s energy sector and other critical industries whose infrastructure is largely privately owned. Ransomware attacks are typically carried out by criminal hackers who scramble data, paralyzing victim networks, and demand large payments to decrypt it.

The Colonial attack was a potent reminder of the real-world implications of the burgeoning threat. Even as the Biden administration works to confront organized hacking campaigns sponsored by foreign governments, it must still contend with difficult-to-prevent attacks from cybercriminals.

We need to invest to safeguard our critical infrastructure, Biden said Monday. Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm said the attack tells you how utterly vulnerable we are to cyberattacks on US infrastructure.

The attack came as the administration, still grappling with its response to massive breaches by Russia of federal agencies and private corporations, works on an executive order aimed at bolstering cybersecurity defences. The Justice Department, meanwhile, has formed a ransomware task force designed for situations just like Colonial Pipeline, and the Energy Department on April 20 announced a 100-day initiative focused on protecting energy infrastructure from cyber threats. Similar actions are planned for other critical industries, such as water and natural gas.

Despite that, the challenge facing the government and the private sector remains immense.

In this case, the FBI publicly assigned blame Monday by saying the criminal syndicate whose ransomware was used in the attack is named DarkSide. The group’s members are Russian speakers, and the syndicates' malware is coded not to attack networks using Russian-language keyboards.

Anne Neuberger, the White House deputy national security adviser for cyber and emerging technology, said at a briefing that the group has been on the FBI’s radar for months. She said its business model is to demand ransom payments from victims and then split the proceeds with the ransomware developers, relying on what she said was a new and very troubling variant.

She declined to say if Colonial Pipeline had paid any ransom, and the company has not given any indication of that one way or the other. Though the FBI has historically discouraged victims from making payments for fear of promoting additional attacks, she acknowledged the very difficult situation that victims face and said the administration needs to look thoughtfully at this area” of how best to deter ransomware.

”Given the rise in ransomware, that is one area were looking at now to say, What should be the government's approach to ransomware actors and ransoms overall?

Speaking later in the day at a conference on national security, Neuberger said the administration was committed to leveraging the government’s massive buying power to ensure that software makers make their products less vulnerable to hackers.

Security can’t be an afterthought, Neuberger said. We don’t buy a car and only then decide if we want to pay for seatbelts and airbags.

The US sanctioned the Kremlin last month for a hack of federal government agencies, known as the SolarWinds breach, that officials have linked to a Russian intelligence unit and characterized as an intelligence-gathering operation.

In this case, though, the hackers are not known to be working at the behest of any foreign government. The group posted a statement on its dark website describing itself as apolitical. Our goal is to make money, and not creating problems for society, DarkSide said.

Asked Monday whether Russia was involved, Biden said, I am going to be meeting with President (Vladimir) Putin, and so far there is no evidence-based on, from our intelligence people, that Russia is involved, although there is evidence that the actors, ransomware, is in Russia.

They have some responsibility to deal with this, he added.

U.S. officials have sought to head off anxieties about the prospect of a lingering economic impact and disruption to the fuel supply, especially given Colonial Pipeline’s key role in transporting gasoline, jet fuel, diesel and other petroleum products between Texas and the East Coast.

Colonial is in the process of restarting portions of its network. It said Monday that it was evaluating the product inventory in storage tanks at its facilities. Administration officials stressed that Colonial proactively took some of its systems offline to prevent the ransomware from migrating from business computer systems to those that control and operate the pipeline.

In response to the attack, the administration loosened regulations for the transport of petroleum products on highways as part of an all-hands-on-deck effort to avoid disruptions in the fuel supply.

The time of the outage is now approaching critical levels and if it continues to remain down we do expect an increase in East Coast gasoline and diesel prices, said Debnil Chowdhury, IHS Markit Executive Director. The last time there was an outage of this magnitude was in 2016, he said when gas prices rose 15 to 20 cents per gallon. The Northeast had significantly more local refining capacity at that time.

The pipeline utilizes both common and custom technology systems, which could complicate efforts to bring the entire network back online, according to analysts at Third Bridge.

Granholm, the Energy Secretary, said Cyber attacks on our critical infrastructure especially energy infrastructure are not going away. "This is a serious example of what we're seeing across the board in many places and it tells you that we need to invest in our systems, our transmission grid for electricity. We need to invest in cyber defence in these energy systems,” she told Bloomberg TV.

The attack has not affected the supply of gasoline, she said, but if it goes on too long, of course, that will change.

Gasoline futures ticked higher Monday. Futures for crude and fuel, prices that traders pay for contracts for delivery in the future, typically begin to rise anyway each year as the driving season approaches. The price you pay at the pump tends to follow.

The average US price of regular-grade gasoline has jumped 6 cents over the past two weeks, to $3.02 per gallon, which is $1.05 higher than a year ago. The year-ago numbers are skewed somewhat because the nation was going into lockdown due to the pandemic. 
The attack on the Colonial Pipeline could exacerbate the upward pressure on prices if it is unresolved for some time.&nbsp;

Hit by a cyberattack, the operator of a major US fuel pipeline said it hopes to have services mostly restored by the end of the week as the FBI and administration officials identified the culprits as a gang of criminal hackers.

Hit by a cyberattack, the operator of a major US fuel pipeline said it hopes to have services mostly restored by the end of the week as the FBI and administration officials identified the culprits as a gang of criminal hackers. US officials sought to soothe concerns about price spikes or damage to the economy by stressing that the fuel supply had so far not experienced widespread disruptions, and the company said Monday that it was working toward substantially restoring operational service by the weekend. The White House said in a statement late Monday that it was monitoring supply shortages in parts of the Southeast and that President Joe Biden had directed federal agencies to bring their resources to bear. Colonial Pipeline, which delivers about 45% of the fuel consumed on the East Coast, halted operations last week after revealing a ransomware attack that it said had affected some of its systems. Nonetheless, the attack underscored the vulnerabilities of the nation’s energy sector and other critical industries whose infrastructure is largely privately owned. Ransomware attacks are typically carried out by criminal hackers who scramble data, paralyzing victim networks, and demand large payments to decrypt it. The Colonial attack was a potent reminder of the real-world implications of the burgeoning threat. Even as the Biden administration works to confront organized hacking campaigns sponsored by foreign governments, it must still contend with difficult-to-prevent attacks from cybercriminals. We need to invest to safeguard our critical infrastructure, Biden said Monday. Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm said the attack tells you how utterly vulnerable we are to cyberattacks on US infrastructure. The attack came as the administration, still grappling with its response to massive breaches by Russia of federal agencies and private corporations, works on an executive order aimed at bolstering cybersecurity defences. The Justice Department, meanwhile, has formed a ransomware task force designed for situations just like Colonial Pipeline, and the Energy Department on April 20 announced a 100-day initiative focused on protecting energy infrastructure from cyber threats. Similar actions are planned for other critical industries, such as water and natural gas. Despite that, the challenge facing the government and the private sector remains immense. In this case, the FBI publicly assigned blame Monday by saying the criminal syndicate whose ransomware was used in the attack is named DarkSide. The group’s members are Russian speakers, and the syndicates' malware is coded not to attack networks using Russian-language keyboards. Anne Neuberger, the White House deputy national security adviser for cyber and emerging technology, said at a briefing that the group has been on the FBI’s radar for months. She said its business model is to demand ransom payments from victims and then split the proceeds with the ransomware developers, relying on what she said was a new and very troubling variant. She declined to say if Colonial Pipeline had paid any ransom, and the company has not given any indication of that one way or the other. Though the FBI has historically discouraged victims from making payments for fear of promoting additional attacks, she acknowledged the very difficult situation that victims face and said the administration needs to look thoughtfully at this area” of how best to deter ransomware. ”Given the rise in ransomware, that is one area were looking at now to say, What should be the government's approach to ransomware actors and ransoms overall? Speaking later in the day at a conference on national security, Neuberger said the administration was committed to leveraging the government’s massive buying power to ensure that software makers make their products less vulnerable to hackers. Security can’t be an afterthought, Neuberger said. We don’t buy a car and only then decide if we want to pay for seatbelts and airbags. The US sanctioned the Kremlin last month for a hack of federal government agencies, known as the SolarWinds breach, that officials have linked to a Russian intelligence unit and characterized as an intelligence-gathering operation. In this case, though, the hackers are not known to be working at the behest of any foreign government. The group posted a statement on its dark website describing itself as apolitical. Our goal is to make money, and not creating problems for society, DarkSide said. Asked Monday whether Russia was involved, Biden said, I am going to be meeting with President (Vladimir) Putin, and so far there is no evidence-based on, from our intelligence people, that Russia is involved, although there is evidence that the actors, ransomware, is in Russia. They have some responsibility to deal with this, he added. U.S. officials have sought to head off anxieties about the prospect of a lingering economic impact and disruption to the fuel supply, especially given Colonial Pipeline’s key role in transporting gasoline, jet fuel, diesel and other petroleum products between Texas and the East Coast. Colonial is in the process of restarting portions of its network. It said Monday that it was evaluating the product inventory in storage tanks at its facilities. Administration officials stressed that Colonial proactively took some of its systems offline to prevent the ransomware from migrating from business computer systems to those that control and operate the pipeline. In response to the attack, the administration loosened regulations for the transport of petroleum products on highways as part of an all-hands-on-deck effort to avoid disruptions in the fuel supply. The time of the outage is now approaching critical levels and if it continues to remain down we do expect an increase in East Coast gasoline and diesel prices, said Debnil Chowdhury, IHS Markit Executive Director. The last time there was an outage of this magnitude was in 2016, he said when gas prices rose 15 to 20 cents per gallon. The Northeast had significantly more local refining capacity at that time. The pipeline utilizes both common and custom technology systems, which could complicate efforts to bring the entire network back online, according to analysts at Third Bridge. Granholm, the Energy Secretary, said Cyber attacks on our critical infrastructure especially energy infrastructure are not going away. "This is a serious example of what we're seeing across the board in many places and it tells you that we need to invest in our systems, our transmission grid for electricity. We need to invest in cyber defence in these energy systems,” she told Bloomberg TV. The attack has not affected the supply of gasoline, she said, but if it goes on too long, of course, that will change. Gasoline futures ticked higher Monday. Futures for crude and fuel, prices that traders pay for contracts for delivery in the future, typically begin to rise anyway each year as the driving season approaches. The price you pay at the pump tends to follow. The average US price of regular-grade gasoline has jumped 6 cents over the past two weeks, to $3.02 per gallon, which is $1.05 higher than a year ago. The year-ago numbers are skewed somewhat because the nation was going into lockdown due to the pandemic. The attack on the Colonial Pipeline could exacerbate the upward pressure on prices if it is unresolved for some time.

Cyberattack on US pipeline: Officials hope most service will be back by weekend

US&nbsp;lawmakers grilled President Joe Biden`s Afghanistan peace envoy on Tuesday about how women will be protected if the hard-line Islamist Taliban take control after US&nbsp;troops withdraw, and threatened to withhold funding if rights gains are reversed. 
 
"I don’t believe under any circumstances that the United States Senate will support assistance for Afghanistan, especially under the World Bank’s programme which provides budget support, if the Taliban has taken a governing role that ends civil society advances and rolls back women’s rights," said Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Bob Menendez.

US lawmakers grilled President Joe Biden`s Afghanistan peace envoy on Tuesday about how women will be protected if the hard-line Islamist Taliban take control after US troops withdraw, and threatened to withhold funding if rights gains are reversed.

US lawmakers grilled President Joe Biden`s Afghanistan peace envoy on Tuesday about how women will be protected if the hard-line Islamist Taliban take control after US troops withdraw, and threatened to withhold funding if rights gains are reversed. "I don’t believe under any circumstances that the United States Senate will support assistance for Afghanistan, especially under the World Bank’s programme which provides budget support, if the Taliban has taken a governing role that ends civil society advances and rolls back women’s rights," said Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Bob Menendez.

As US troops leave Afghanistan, lawmakers fear dark future for women

The United States has ordered non-essential staff to leave its Kabul embassy citing increased threats as Washington prepares to end its 20-year war in Afghanistan. The order came two weeks after President Joe Biden announced that US troops would leave the country by September.

US orders officials to leave Kabul embassy as it begins troop pullout

With COVID-19 numbers dropping, officials in the nation's capital are relaxing a number of restrictions after more than a year of lockdown.

The changes represent a step toward normality for Washington&nbsp;DC, residents and long-term hope for the city's vital tourism and convention industry, which has been devastated by the pandemic.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="US will 'immediately' send vaccine components, medical supplies to India, says Biden">US will 'immediately' send vaccine components, medical supplies to India, says Biden</a>

Mayor Muriel Bowser announced on Monday that starting on May 1, gyms and fitness centers can operate at 50 per cent capacity, and live music will be permitted in gardens and outdoor spaces. Restaurants will be permitted to seat 10 people per table outdoors, up from the previous limit of six per table. However, the 25 per cent capacity limit for indoor dining will remain unchanged for now.

Retail businesses can increase admittance from 25 per cent to 50 per cent capacity. Houses of worship can increase to 40 per cent capacity, though Bowser said the government was still encouraging residents to attend virtual or outdoor services for now.

Earlier in April, Bowser had announced some other changes that will also take effect in May. These include allowing entertainment venues like concert halls and movie theaters to increase to 25 per cent capacity and allowing public pools to open this summer at 50 per cent capacity.

The Smithsonian network of museums had previously announced that several museums and the National Zoo will reopen on a staggered schedule over several weeks during the month of May. The National Air and Space Museum's Udvar-Hazy Center in Chantilly, Virginia, will reopen on May 5.

The National Museum of African American History and Culture, National Portrait Gallery, Smithsonian American Art Museum and Renwick Gallery will reopen on May 14.

The National Museum of American History, National Museum of the American Indian and the National Zoo will reopen on May 21.

All Smithsonian facilities will required timed entry passes to limit the crowds; the passes are free and available from the Smithsonian website.

As of Monday, Washington's daily infection rate has dropped to 14 cases per 100,000, the lowest number since last fall.

But Bowser still preached caution, saying residents needed to remain patient as the vaccination programme continued.

The way we get open is to crush the virus and get people vaccinated,&nbsp;she said. So we're trying to do all of those things&nbsp;moderate the restrictions where they're warranted and safe, but really focus on crushing those numbers of infections and getting people vaccinated.

Bowser said that approximately 237,000 residents had received at least one vaccine dose, out of about 500,000 adults in the District of Columbia. The government will also begin offering vaccinations to residents as young as 16, she said.

City Health Director Dr&nbsp;LaQuandra Nesbitt acknowledged that vaccine reluctance remained an issue, but called on residents to encourage skeptical friends and relatives to take the step.

It's time for people to start having talks with their friends and say, Hey, we're not hanging out with you unless you get vaccinated, Nesbitt said.

With COVID-19 numbers dropping, officials in the nation's capital are relaxing a number of restrictions after more than a year of lockdown. The changes represent a step toward normality for Washington DC, residents and long-term hope for the city's vital tourism and convention industry, which has been devastated by the pandemic.

With COVID-19 numbers dropping, officials in the nation's capital are relaxing a number of restrictions after more than a year of lockdown. The changes represent a step toward normality for Washington DC, residents and long-term hope for the city's vital tourism and convention industry, which has been devastated by the pandemic. Also Read: US will 'immediately' send vaccine components, medical supplies to India, says Biden Mayor Muriel Bowser announced on Monday that starting on May 1, gyms and fitness centers can operate at 50 per cent capacity, and live music will be permitted in gardens and outdoor spaces. Restaurants will be permitted to seat 10 people per table outdoors, up from the previous limit of six per table. However, the 25 per cent capacity limit for indoor dining will remain unchanged for now. Retail businesses can increase admittance from 25 per cent to 50 per cent capacity. Houses of worship can increase to 40 per cent capacity, though Bowser said the government was still encouraging residents to attend virtual or outdoor services for now. Earlier in April, Bowser had announced some other changes that will also take effect in May. These include allowing entertainment venues like concert halls and movie theaters to increase to 25 per cent capacity and allowing public pools to open this summer at 50 per cent capacity. The Smithsonian network of museums had previously announced that several museums and the National Zoo will reopen on a staggered schedule over several weeks during the month of May. The National Air and Space Museum's Udvar-Hazy Center in Chantilly, Virginia, will reopen on May 5. The National Museum of African American History and Culture, National Portrait Gallery, Smithsonian American Art Museum and Renwick Gallery will reopen on May 14. The National Museum of American History, National Museum of the American Indian and the National Zoo will reopen on May 21. All Smithsonian facilities will required timed entry passes to limit the crowds; the passes are free and available from the Smithsonian website. As of Monday, Washington's daily infection rate has dropped to 14 cases per 100,000, the lowest number since last fall. But Bowser still preached caution, saying residents needed to remain patient as the vaccination programme continued. The way we get open is to crush the virus and get people vaccinated, she said. So we're trying to do all of those things moderate the restrictions where they're warranted and safe, but really focus on crushing those numbers of infections and getting people vaccinated. Bowser said that approximately 237,000 residents had received at least one vaccine dose, out of about 500,000 adults in the District of Columbia. The government will also begin offering vaccinations to residents as young as 16, she said. City Health Director Dr LaQuandra Nesbitt acknowledged that vaccine reluctance remained an issue, but called on residents to encourage skeptical friends and relatives to take the step. It's time for people to start having talks with their friends and say, Hey, we're not hanging out with you unless you get vaccinated, Nesbitt said.

Washington DC, to loosen virus restrictions this weekend

The United States House of Representatives has narrowly voted to make Washington DC the 51st state. House voted 216-208 in favor of the bill. The democratic-controlled house has approved it without republicans support so far.

US lower house votes on making Washington DC the 51st state

With 3 conflicts looming in 3 different parts of the world, America's global leadership is being put to the test. To overcome these conflicts, Joe Biden will need allies. But Washington's recent adventurism near Lakshadweep sends mixed signals. WION's Palki Sharma has more.

Gravitas: US needs to reboot alliance politics

The famous cherry blossom trees of Washington, D.C., reached full bloom over the weekend, drawing crowds to marvel at their white and pink flowers. The trails remained open on Monday (March 29) despite warnings from the National Parks Service that access would be shut down if crowds became unmanageable.

Washington cherry blossoms hit peak bloom without peak crowds

Russia said&nbsp;on&nbsp;Wednesday it had summoned its Washington envoy back to the country for consultations on its ties with the United States but stressed it wanted to prevent an&nbsp;'irreversible deterioration'&nbsp;in relations.&nbsp;

"The Russian ambassador in Washington, Anatoly Antonov, has been invited to come to Moscow for consultations conducted with the aim of&nbsp;analysing&nbsp;what should be done and where to go in the context of ties with the United States," the Russian foreign ministry said in a statement.&nbsp;

The announcement came after President Joe Biden said Russia will&nbsp;'pay a price'&nbsp;for meddling in US elections and he agrees with the assessment that his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin is a&nbsp;'killer'.&nbsp;

The Biden's statement has come after a 15-page report, released by the Office of the Director of National Intelligence on Tuesday, claimed that the Russian President likely directed efforts to try and sabotage Biden's chances of winning the US election 2020 against Donald Trump.&nbsp;

"Putin had purview over the activities of Andriy Derkach," the report said. "Other senior officials also participated in Russia's election influence efforts - including senior national security and intelligence officials who we assess would not act without receiving at least Putin's tacit approval."&nbsp;

However, these claims were dismissed by Russia. "The document prepared by the US intelligence community is another set of groundless accusations against our country of interfering in American internal political processes. The conclusions of the report on Russia conducting influence operations in America are confirmed solely by the confidence of the intelligence services of their self-righteousness. No facts or specific evidence of such claims were provided,"&nbsp;the Russian Embassy in Washington said on Wednesday.&nbsp;

Immediately after Biden's statement, Russia's lower house of parliament denounced the US President for agreeing that Putin is a 'killer'. Claiming that attacks on Putin are attacks on Russia, State Duma speaker Vyacheslav Volodin wrote on his Telegram channel that "Biden insulted the citizens of our country with his statement".&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

Russia said on Wednesday it had summoned its Washington envoy back to the country for consultations on its ties with the United States but stressed it wanted to prevent an 'irreversible deterioration' in relations.

Russia said on Wednesday it had summoned its Washington envoy back to the country for consultations on its ties with the United States but stressed it wanted to prevent an 'irreversible deterioration' in relations. "The Russian ambassador in Washington, Anatoly Antonov, has been invited to come to Moscow for consultations conducted with the aim of analysing what should be done and where to go in the context of ties with the United States," the Russian foreign ministry said in a statement. The announcement came after President Joe Biden said Russia will 'pay a price' for meddling in US elections and he agrees with the assessment that his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin is a 'killer'. The Biden's statement has come after a 15-page report, released by the Office of the Director of National Intelligence on Tuesday, claimed that the Russian President likely directed efforts to try and sabotage Biden's chances of winning the US election 2020 against Donald Trump. "Putin had purview over the activities of Andriy Derkach," the report said. "Other senior officials also participated in Russia's election influence efforts - including senior national security and intelligence officials who we assess would not act without receiving at least Putin's tacit approval." However, these claims were dismissed by Russia. "The document prepared by the US intelligence community is another set of groundless accusations against our country of interfering in American internal political processes. The conclusions of the report on Russia conducting influence operations in America are confirmed solely by the confidence of the intelligence services of their self-righteousness. No facts or specific evidence of such claims were provided," the Russian Embassy in Washington said on Wednesday. Immediately after Biden's statement, Russia's lower house of parliament denounced the US President for agreeing that Putin is a 'killer'. Claiming that attacks on Putin are attacks on Russia, State Duma speaker Vyacheslav Volodin wrote on his Telegram channel that "Biden insulted the citizens of our country with his statement". (With inputs from agencies)

Russia recalls Washington envoy for consultations 

The FBI has released new images of the man suspected of placing homemade pipe bombs in Washington on January 5 -- the night before the assault on the US Capitol.

The video, published on the Federal Bureau of Investigation's official YouTube channel, shows several angles of surveillance footage of the suspect as he walks along streets in the Capitol Hill neighborhood of the city.&nbsp;

The agency has released these images with an intention of gathering more information about him. The man's face is obscured by glasses and a mask as he carries a bag in one hand. He can, however, seen dressed in dark pants, a light-colored hoodie and gloves.

The FBI had already released still photos of the suspect -- including ones that showed identifying details of his Nike sneakers -- offering $100,000 for any information leading to his arrest.&nbsp;

The man is suspected of planting the homemade bombs near the headquarters of both the Republican and Democratic parties, which are near the Capitol.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/fbi-offers-reward-for-details-of-those-behind-washington-pipe-bombs-355348">Also read |&nbsp;FBI offers reward for details of those behind Washington pipe bombs</a>

The bombs never detonated and may have been placed as a distraction to keep police away when a pro-Trump mob breached the building where lawmakers were voting to certify Joe Biden's election victory.&nbsp;

Five people died in the course of the Capitol attack January 6, and more than 300 people have been arrested for their participation so far, including some charged with conspiracy.&nbsp;On Tuesday, the deployment of National Guard troops sent to protect the Capitol since the attack was extended until May, with numbers cut by half to 2,300.

(with inputs)

The FBI has released new images of the man suspected of placing homemade pipe bombs in Washington on January 5 -- the night before the assault on the US Capitol.

The FBI has released new images of the man suspected of placing homemade pipe bombs in Washington on January 5 -- the night before the assault on the US Capitol. The video, published on the Federal Bureau of Investigation's official YouTube channel, shows several angles of surveillance footage of the suspect as he walks along streets in the Capitol Hill neighborhood of the city. The agency has released these images with an intention of gathering more information about him. The man's face is obscured by glasses and a mask as he carries a bag in one hand. He can, however, seen dressed in dark pants, a light-colored hoodie and gloves. The FBI had already released still photos of the suspect -- including ones that showed identifying details of his Nike sneakers -- offering $100,000 for any information leading to his arrest. The man is suspected of planting the homemade bombs near the headquarters of both the Republican and Democratic parties, which are near the Capitol. Also read | FBI offers reward for details of those behind Washington pipe bombs The bombs never detonated and may have been placed as a distraction to keep police away when a pro-Trump mob breached the building where lawmakers were voting to certify Joe Biden's election victory. Five people died in the course of the Capitol attack January 6, and more than 300 people have been arrested for their participation so far, including some charged with conspiracy. On Tuesday, the deployment of National Guard troops sent to protect the Capitol since the attack was extended until May, with numbers cut by half to 2,300. (with inputs)

FBI releases new footage of Washington pipe bomb suspect

A new study from federal researchers provides the most detailed look yet at what the Pacific Northwest's endangered orcas eat.

Study finds Pacific Northwest orcas eat Chinook

US President Joe Biden made his first major international address on foreign policy at the Munich Security Conference. Biden said that traditional US allies should once again have confidence in Washington’s leadership.

US President Joe Biden delivers a powerful speech

When the coronavirus pandemic struck last March, Kathryn Stewart was working at a gas station in rural Michigan and living in her mother’s trailer with eight relatives, three dogs and a budget with no room for error.

When the coronavirus pandemic struck last March, Kathryn Stewart was working at a gas station in rural Michigan and living in her mother’s trailer with eight relatives, three dogs and a budget with no room for error. Her mother, who is disabled, soon urged her to quit to avoid bringing home the disease. Stewart reluctantly agreed, wondering how she would support herself and her 10-year-old son. An expanded safety net caught her, after being rushed into place by Congress last spring with rare bipartisan support. To her surprise, Stewart not only received unemployment insurance but a weekly bonus of $600 more than tripled her income. A stimulus check offered additional help, as did a modest food stamp increase. Despite opaque rules and confounding delays, the outpouring of government aid lifted her above the poverty line. Six months later, after temporary aid expired and deadlock in Washington returned, Stewart’s benefits fell to a trickle, and she was all but homeless after a family fight forced her from the trailer to a friend’s spare room. She skipped meals to feed her son, sold possessions to raise cash and suffered anxiety attacks so severe they sometimes kept her in bed. Just as Stewart finally found a job, celebration turned to shock: The state demanded that she repay the jobless aid she had received, claiming she had been ineligible. That left her with an eye-popping debt of more than $12,000. “I spent the whole day just trying to breathe,” Stewart said the day the notice arrived. “I’m really confused about the whole thing. I’m trying not to panic.” In the robust aid she received and its painful disappearance, Stewart’s experience captures both sides of the gyrating federal efforts to fortify the safety net in a crisis of historic proportions. As the virus ravaged jobs last spring, rapid federal action protected millions of people from hardship and showed that government can be a powerful force in reducing poverty. Yet the expiration of aid a few months later also underscored how vulnerable the needy are to partisan standoffs in an age of polarized government. Gaps in aid left families short on food and rent, uncertainty made it impossible to plan and confusion joined fear and worry. In his first weeks in office, President Joe Biden appears to have both lessons in mind. A benefit extension passed in December expires next month, and he is urging Congress to spend big and move fast to keep 11 million workers from losing unemployment aid. Democrats are advancing his $1.9 trillion plan for stimulus and relief with a fast-track procedure that limits their policy options but increases the odds of avoiding more whipsaw delays. Critics of the spending warn it swells the national debt and erodes incentives to work. Supporters say the government’s impact has rarely seemed so direct: When help flowed at extraordinary levels, poverty fell. When it ended, poverty rose. “This could be a watershed moment,” said H. Luke Shaefer, who runs a poverty research center at the University of Michigan. “We showed how much government can do to mitigate hardship, even if the effort didn’t last.” With millions still depending on government aid in a weak recovery, Stewart’s experience over the past 10 months highlights the stakes. As her complex life shows, the causes of poverty often run deep, and some lie beyond the reach of a government check. But the aid, while it lasted, broke her fall, and she is now back on her feet. In recent weeks, Stewart, 36, has been working at an Amazon warehouse and fighting Michigan’s efforts to recoup her unemployment benefits. She said she was “super happy” to no longer be at risk from another Washington impasse. An introspective woman, insightful about her hardships but distant from politics, she wonders how federal help has at once been so generous and so unsteady — a question that weighs on millions of Americans now waiting to see whether Congress moves quickly enough to sustain their benefits. “It made a huge difference in our lives,” Stewart said. “But it starts and stops and it’s really confusing. You feel helpless when you’re being helped by the government.” Should another crisis arise, she said, “I hope the government has a better plan.” Then Came the Pandemic Stewart grew up accustomed to hardship and inventive in her responses. In a family too poor for vacations, she created her own by tagging along on her stepfather’s tractor-trailer runs. When he fought with her mother, she sheltered in closets. When he left, her mother tried to quell the family’s hunger with diet pills. Stewart was in grade school when panic attacks started, which she blamed on the conflict. An unsupervised adolescence followed in Grand Rapids, where Stewart slept in parks with runaways. She liked the literature of bohemians and rebels — Hunter S. Thompson and Oscar Wilde — but left school at 16 and lived in her car. Short on formal education, Stewart was long on curiosity and peripatetic instinct, which carried her from Ireland to California in between seasonal work at Michigan resorts. She dyed her hair unusual colors. She gave herself tattoos. She covered her walls with the surrealist works of Salvador Dalí, in shared faith that “you create your own reality.” Fearful of forgetting, Stewart kept a memory box, which included a middle-school note, a ukulele pick and clippings from her first mohawk. In her mid-20s, Stewart married and had a son, Jack, but her husband left and her anxiety grew. “Over the years I’ve gotten real anxious — almost afraid of people,” she said. “I’m an empath — if someone else feels bad, I feel bad.” Still, Stewart worked, most happily in solitude. By 2019, Stewart was a night janitor and living with her sister in Grand Rapids. Her sister fell behind on the rent and insisted they move in with their mother, five hours away in rural Ossineke. Stewart grudgingly succumbed. “We all rely on each other, which is good except for us not getting along,” she said. With four children and conflicting parenting styles, the trailer proved crowded and tense. When Stewart found work as a gas station cashier — $10 an hour, 20 hours a week — she welcomed the escape as much as the pay. A few weeks later, the coronavirus hit. Help Was on the Way As the virus spread in early March, President Donald Trump insisted it posed no threat. “Jobs are booming, incomes are soaring,” he tweeted. By the next week, Disneyland and Broadway were padlocked and the stock market notched its worst daily loss in decades. While the need for Washington action was clear, the risks of an impasse were great. Liberal Democrats controlled the House, conservative Republicans held the Senate, and Trump derided the House speaker as “Crazy Nancy” Pelosi. Yet within a few weeks, they agreed on a $2.2 trillion plan. One surprise was how much it did for the poor, a class not known for political clout. Even the poorest families fully qualified for stimulus payments — $1,200 for adults, $500 for children (some Republicans had proposed giving them less) — and at the Democrats’ insistence, Congress greatly expanded jobless benefits. The existing program was filled with gaps: It covered only about one-quarter of the jobless and replaced less than half their lost wages. Congress widened coverage, temporarily adding part-time workers, independent contractors and others typically excluded. And for four months it gave everyone on jobless aid a large bonus: $600 a week. The payments were more than many workers had earned on the job. Critics said the aid would discourage the jobless from seeking work, but urgency prevailed. “Gag and vote for it anyway,” the Senate leader, Mitch McConnell, advised fellow Republicans. The Senate vote was 96-0. Approving aid was one thing, delivering it another. Most stimulus checks arrived automatically and fast, though people who did not file tax returns had to contact the IRS — a procedural hurdle that kept payments from about 8 million potentially eligible people, mostly low-income. Households with unauthorized immigrants were barred from stimulus checks, which excluded about 5 million spouses and children who were citizens or legal residents. Unemployment insurance proved harder to get. With nearly 40 million claims in nine weeks, the state-run programs were overwhelmed. Computers crashed. Phone lines jammed. Governors called in the National Guard to process requests. Food shortages soared, especially among families with children as school closures deprived millions of meals. Lines outside food banks stretched for miles. But the havoc obscured the scale of the coming relief. Help was on the way. ‘I Was Just Like, Wow!’ Stewart was still working in April when a $1,700 stimulus check arrived. Like many poor people, she used it in part to settle debts, including a large fine for driving an unregistered truck. “That made me feel a hundred times better,” she said. Soon after, she got a cold and fear spread through the trailer. “My mom is immunocompromised — she said you absolutely cannot be working with the public,” Stewart said. With school out, her mother also wanted her home to watch her son. Stewart felt forced to quit working. As a recently hired part-time worker, she did not think Michigan would approve her request for unemployment benefits. But the new program covered workers who quit to protect medically vulnerable members of their households. Stewart received $1,250, just for two weeks. “I was just like, Wow!” she said. The payments ceased without explanation but resumed a month later at $760 a week, with money for weeks missed. The aid was nearly four times her lost paycheck. It was more than she had ever made — “more than I could even think about before I got it,” she said. By June, about 1 in 5 American workers was getting jobless aid — five times the previous peak. Like Stewart, roughly 40% of them were covered by the new pandemic assistance. And like Stewart, most saw their incomes grow. Congress aimed to fully replace the average worker’s pay, but its formula overshot the mark. Three-quarters of the jobless received unemployment checks that exceeded their lost earnings, according to Peter Ganong and colleagues at the University of Chicago, with the median replacement rate at 145%. Among the poorest tenth of workers, incomes nearly tripled. Despite mass unemployment, poverty estimates fell. Researchers at the University of Chicago and Notre Dame found there were 5 million fewer poor people in June than before the crisis. Jobless people usually cut their budgets, but in this case their spending rose, by as much as 20%. The unemployment assistance was extraordinary but not uniform. Immigrants without legal status were ineligible, as were Americans paid off the books. Some eligible workers did not know to apply, and others encountered a bureaucratic maze. Eliza Forsythe, an economist at the University of Illinois, saw a “lottery effect” at play, with random factors deciding which households got aid. But most eventually did. Truck Parts and Camping Policymakers often debate what difference the safety net makes. The 12 weeks of enhanced benefits touched most corners of Stewart’s life. She remained an anxious single mother living in an overcrowded trailer — a woman with a hard lot. But she ate better. She quarreled with her family less. She suffered less debilitating stress. Mindful that the $600 weekly bonus would soon expire, Stewart eyed projects with long-term benefits. Transportation is essential in rural Michigan, and she considered herself handy with a wrench. She spent $2,000 on tools and parts to rebuild the engine of her old truck. The trailer was in disrepair. For $1,700 Stewart patched the roof and porch, replaced the kitchen cabinets and a bathroom wall, and added a storage shed. Her credit was in shambles, too. She settled a hospital bill and invested in prepaid credit cards to lift her credit score. She also had some fun. A creek ran behind trailer. “I said, ‘Man, we should be in the water,’” she said. Kayaks followed. She and her mother had long talked about camping, and now she had money for gas and gear. They stayed up late talking by the fire and returned from a hike around the lake with buckets of smoky quartz. In a strained relationship, the trip was like the stones — a treasure salvaged from rocky shores. No purchase made Stewart happier than the Xbox she bought for Jack’s 11th birthday. She hid it for three months, fearing she would be broke again by the celebration. It was the sort of extravagance he kept out of mind, and Stewart relished the looming surprise. “It made me feel like I was the kind of mother I wanted to be,” she said. After years of anxiety and depression, Stewart did not go as far as to argue that money buys happiness. But she said it helped. “I did stop having panic attacks as much,” she said. “It was just less stressful. It made a huge difference.” Washington Dithers Washington made that difference. With more than 30 million people collecting unemployment in July and the bonus payments expiring at the end of the month, the question was whether Washington would act again. Amid a slow recovery and rising infections, most economists called for more stimulus and relief, as did the chair of the Federal Reserve, Jerome Powell, who warned that the downturn was especially hard on low-wage workers and people of color. The Democratic-run House moved quickly, voting in May to extend the bonuses as part of a $3 trillion stimulus bill. Senate Republicans derided the cost, but were slow to propose an alternative. Some argued the economy was recovering, and some feared the bonuses discouraged work, though multiple studies found otherwise. As the bonuses expired on July 31, new weekly jobless claims topped 1 million for the 19th straight week. Lengthy negotiations bore no fruit. With Election Day approaching, Pelosi seemed to believe that Senate Republicans would give in to the Democrats’ demands. As talks ground on, Trump swung wildly, using executive action for a short-term fix (a $300 weekly bonus, for six weeks) while alternately demanding and spurning deals. The political calculations were lost on Stewart, who grasped only the lost aid. “I don’t think any of them really understand about being poor,” she said. Without the bonuses, average unemployment checks fell by about two-thirds. Stewart’s simply disappeared. Besieged with fraud, Michigan froze hundreds of thousands of cases while it investigated, including hers. “I just went back to being really broke again,” she said. Stewart sold possessions — a bicycle, a camera, her grandmother’s watch. The credit cards that she hoped would bolster her finances ran up fees and closed. The truck into which she had invested so much became a metaphor: It ran only in reverse. Her food stamps ran out before the end of the monthly cycle. While Stewart skipped meals to keep Jack fed, there were days when he ate a single meal. “You hear him say ‘I’m hungry,’ and your heart breaks,” she said. As aid dwindled, hardships rose nationwide. The number of poor people, which had declined through June, grew by 8 million through the rest of the year. Biweekly surveys by the Census Bureau showed steadily rising need. Reports of depression climbed 12%, according to an analysis of the surveys by Shaefer and a colleague, Patrick Cooney. The number of people behind on rent rose 27%. By the end of the year, more than 1 in 6 households with children said they sometimes or often lacked enough to eat. “When the government acted, things got better — when the aid went away, things got worse,” Shaefer said. After seven weeks, Michigan resumed Stewart’s unemployment aid in mid-September, with payments for the missing weeks. But without the bonus, her weekly amount fell to $160, a decline of nearly 80%. In October, Stewart took Jack on a birthday visit to Grand Rapids and gave him the Xbox. Rather than celebrate, he chided her, warning they could not afford it. Then he played it, as she hoped. An argument with her mother followed, for reasons Stewart struggled to explain. Perhaps the hardship had simply exhausted everyone’s patience. When the phone call between them ended, Stewart had lost her spot in the trailer. Only a friend’s spare room kept her and Jack from a shelter. “We are homeless,” she said. With Stewart at a low point in late October, her jobless aid stopped again. She discovered she had accidentally closed her case while reviewing it on her phone. When she reapplied, the case was frozen — for the third time in five months, her benefits ceased. When a reporter called one night, Stewart said she had not eaten in a day and a half. A month later, Stewart’s application was denied. Although the gas station where she had worked did not contest her original claim, it now said she had quit without reason. Stewart insists that she explained she was leaving to protect her mother’s health. Next came the state’s demand that she repay the earlier aid — $12,574.12 — and warnings that a false statement could lead to “jail time.” Stewart had just found the Amazon job. It paid $16.30 an hour, more than she had ever made. She could work nights and be home when Jack took online classes. “Whoo-hoo,” she had written, sharing the news. But she worked her first shift under the threat of garnished wages. Faith in the Safety Net It took the November election to end the Washington stalemate. Action did not come from new economic data. Only the politics changed. As president-elect, Biden wanted to quickly stimulate the economy he would inherit. He said a compromise could provide a “down payment” on a larger package to follow. After long rejecting the down-payment logic, Pelosi accepted a $900 billion bill — smaller than those she had rejected — saying that she trusted Biden to keep fighting. With control of the Senate depending on two runoff elections in Georgia, Republicans compromised, too, courting voters (unsuccessfully) with a compromise that included a short-term extension of unemployment bonuses at $300 a week. Shortly before taking office, Biden proposed his bigger plan, with more stimulus checks, larger unemployment bonuses for a longer duration and an income floor for every family with children. The details are complex but the philosophy is clear: He is beginning his presidency with a statement of faith in the power of the safety net. With Democrats holding Congress by the thinnest margin, it has advanced with no Republican votes. Whether Democrats can enact it before the expanded jobless benefits expire again in March remains uncertain. Still moving packages at the Amazon warehouse, Stewart is now less vulnerable to a political stalemate. While the pace is punishing, with a shift that starts at 1:20 a.m., she displays a self-mocking pride in her endurance. “I’m a number but a number with a paycheck,” she said. She continues to appeal the state’s efforts to recapture her unemployment benefits. Nearly a year into the pandemic, profound differences separate the parties’ views of the safety net. But those differences get lost at the distance from which Stewart views politics. She strongly favors neither party and did not vote in November. Still, her fluctuating fortunes have imparted a lesson about the clashes of Washington politicians. “Maybe I wouldn’t have noticed it before,” she said, “but what they do really makes a difference.”

A year of hardship, helped and hindered by Washington

The US Capitol is on lockdown, with no entry or exit allowed due to an external security threat and people inside being forced to shelter in place after a fire broke out near the complex.

News Alert: US Capitol under 'no entry or exit' order

As the investigation into the riots at the US Capitol continues fresh evidence has surfaced which holds Donald Trump's allies responsible.

WION Fineprint: Riot at the US Capitol was incited by Trump's comments

The US Capitol is once again under a strict lockdown after locals reported smoke coming out of a building behind the building on Monday.

Several videos surfaced on the internet in which smoke could be seen coming out of a building behind the Capitol, which is being reported to be&nbsp;a homeless complex.

Immediately after the smoke was spotted, the Capitol was put under a "no entry or exit" order due to an "external security threat" under&nbsp;a nearby freeway overpass. People present in the building were urged to stay away from all doors and windows and seek cover.

Also read|&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/fbi-vets-national-guard-troops-fearing-insider-attack-during-biden-inauguration-report-357417" hreflang="en">Biden inauguration: FBI vets National Guard troops fearing 'insider attack'</a>

The DC Fire and EMS unit&nbsp;"responded to an outside fire in the 100 block of H St SE that has been extinguished. There were no injuries. This accounts for smoke that many have seen," they said on Twitter.

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<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/DCsBravest?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#DCsBravest</a> responded to an outside fire in the 100 block of H St SE that has been extinguished. There were no injuries. This accounts for smoke that many have seen.
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This incident has taken place&nbsp;a few days before the president-elect <a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/joe-biden">Joe Biden</a> is set to take oath as the new President of the US in an inauguration ceremony to be held in the US Capitol on January 20.

The Capitol has been put under a lockdown due to fears of another possible riot. The fear comes after <a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/donald-trump">Donald Trump's</a> supporters stormed the Capitol and carried out deadly riots in the building with an alleged aim to disrupt the certification process of Joe Biden's win, and attacking the Democrat lawmakers.

The US Capitol is once again under a strict lockdown after locals reported smoke coming out of a building behind the building on Monday. Several videos surfaced on the internet in which smoke could be seen coming out of a building behind the Capitol, which is being reported to be a homeless complex.

The US Capitol is once again under a strict lockdown after locals reported smoke coming out of a building behind the building on Monday. Several videos surfaced on the internet in which smoke could be seen coming out of a building behind the Capitol, which is being reported to be a homeless complex. Immediately after the smoke was spotted, the Capitol was put under a "no entry or exit" order due to an "external security threat" under a nearby freeway overpass. People present in the building were urged to stay away from all doors and windows and seek cover. Also read| Biden inauguration: FBI vets National Guard troops fearing 'insider attack' The DC Fire and EMS unit "responded to an outside fire in the 100 block of H St SE that has been extinguished. There were no injuries. This accounts for smoke that many have seen," they said on Twitter. #DCsBravest responded to an outside fire in the 100 block of H St SE that has been extinguished. There were no injuries. This accounts for smoke that many have seen. — DC Fire and EMS (@dcfireems) January 18, 2021 × This incident has taken place a few days before the president-elect Joe Biden is set to take oath as the new President of the US in an inauguration ceremony to be held in the US Capitol on January 20. The Capitol has been put under a lockdown due to fears of another possible riot. The fear comes after Donald Trump's supporters stormed the Capitol and carried out deadly riots in the building with an alleged aim to disrupt the certification process of Joe Biden's win, and attacking the Democrat lawmakers.

Panic grips Washington after smoke bellows near US Capitol

Ten days after rioters breached the U.S. Capitol in a deadly attack that stunned the world, cities nationwide were girding for a potential new wave of violent protests over the weekend, erecting barriers and deploying thousands of National Guard troops.

The FBI warned police agencies of possible armed demonstrations outside all 50 state capitol buildings starting Saturday through President-elect Joe Biden`s inauguration on Jan. 20, fueled by supporters of President Donald Trump who believe his false claims of electoral fraud.

Michigan, Virginia, Wisconsin, Pennsylvania and Washington were among more than a dozen states that activated their National Guards to strengthen security. Meanwhile, downtown Washington, D.C., was virtually empty, with streets near the Capitol closed and battalions of camouflaged National Guard soldiers taking up positions across the city center.

The nationwide security scramble followed the deadly Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol by a mix of extremists and Trump supporters, some of whom called for the death of Vice President Mike Pence as he presided over the certification of Biden`s election victory.

The Democratic leaders of four U.S. congressional committees said on Saturday they had opened a review of the events and had written to the FBI and other intelligence and security agencies asking what was known about threats, whether the information was shared and whether foreign influence played any role.

"This still-emerging story is one of astounding bravery by some U.S. Capitol Police and other officers; of staggering treachery by violent criminals; and of apparent and high-level failures — in particular, with respect to intelligence and security preparedness," said the letter.

It was signed by House Intelligence Chairman Adam Schiff, House Homeland Security Chairman Bennie Thompson, House Oversight Chairwoman Carolyn Maloney and House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerrold Nadler.

There were scattered demonstrations on Saturday, but statehouses remained mostly quiet. Law enforcement officials have trained much of their focus on Sunday, when the anti-government "boogaloo" movement made plans weeks ago to hold rallies in all 50 states.

Steve McCraw, director of the Texas Department of Public Safety, said in a statement late Friday that intelligence indicated "violent extremists" may seek to exploit planned armed protests in Austin to "conduct criminal acts." Texas closed its Capitol through Inauguration Day.

In Michigan, a fence was erected around the Capitol in Lansing, and troopers were mobilized from across the state to bolster security. The legislature canceled meetings next week, citing concern over credible threats.

In a nod to both the coronavirus pandemic as well as security concerns, festivities around Biden`s inauguration will largely be held online, though the president-elect still plans to be sworn in and deliver his inaugural address at the Capitol.

The inaugural committee`s virtual "welcome event" took place on Saturday evening, featuring appearances from union leaders, activists and celebrities such as actor Whoopi Goldberg.

"Make no mistake, the road ahead - it won`t be easy," Vice President-elect Kamala Harris, who closed out the event, told viewers. "But America is ready, and so are Joe and I."

DOMESTIC EXTREMISTS

The perception that the Jan. 6 insurrection was a success could embolden domestic extremists motivated by anti-government, racial and partisan grievances, spurring them to further violence, according to a government intelligence bulletin dated Wednesday first reported by Yahoo News.

The Joint Intelligence Bulletin, produced by the FBI, Department of Homeland Security and National Counterterrorism Center, further warned that "false narratives" about electoral fraud would serve as an ongoing catalyst for extremist groups.

Thousands of armed National Guard troops were on the streets of Washington in an unprecedented show of force after the assault on the U.S. Capitol. Bridges into the city were to be closed, and the National Mall and other iconic U.S. landmarks were blocked off into next week.

Authorities were on high alert. A Virginia man, Wesley Allen Beeler, was arrested on Friday evening at a security checkpoint after police said he presented an "unauthorized inauguration credential," according to a Capitol Police spokeswoman. Beeler had a loaded handgun and more than 500 rounds of ammunition, according to court papers.

A tearful Beeler later told the Washington Post he had been working security in Washington all week and pulled up to the checkpoint after getting lost. He told the paper he forgot the gun was in his truck and denied having so much ammunition.

Beeler was released after an initial court appearance on Saturday and is due back in court in June, records show.

Responding to news of the arrest, Democratic U.S. Representative Don Beyer of Virginia said the danger was real and the city was on edge.

"Anyone who can avoid the area around the Capitol and Mall this week should do so," Beyer wrote on Twitter.

The alarm extended beyond legislatures. The United Church of Christ, a Protestant denomination of more than 4,900 churches, warned its 800,000 members there were reports "liberal" churches could be attacked in the coming week.

Following the Jan. 6 violence in Washington, some militia members said they would not attend a long-planned pro-gun demonstration in Virginia, where authorities were worried about the risk of violence as multiple groups converged on the state capital, Richmond.

Some militias across the country have told followers to stay home this weekend, citing the increased security or the risk that the planned events were law enforcement traps.

Ten days after rioters breached the U.S. Capitol in a deadly attack that stunned the world, cities nationwide were girding for a potential new wave of violent protests over the weekend, erecting barriers and deploying thousands of National Guard troops.

Ten days after rioters breached the U.S. Capitol in a deadly attack that stunned the world, cities nationwide were girding for a potential new wave of violent protests over the weekend, erecting barriers and deploying thousands of National Guard troops. The FBI warned police agencies of possible armed demonstrations outside all 50 state capitol buildings starting Saturday through President-elect Joe Biden`s inauguration on Jan. 20, fueled by supporters of President Donald Trump who believe his false claims of electoral fraud. Michigan, Virginia, Wisconsin, Pennsylvania and Washington were among more than a dozen states that activated their National Guards to strengthen security. Meanwhile, downtown Washington, D.C., was virtually empty, with streets near the Capitol closed and battalions of camouflaged National Guard soldiers taking up positions across the city center. The nationwide security scramble followed the deadly Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol by a mix of extremists and Trump supporters, some of whom called for the death of Vice President Mike Pence as he presided over the certification of Biden`s election victory. The Democratic leaders of four U.S. congressional committees said on Saturday they had opened a review of the events and had written to the FBI and other intelligence and security agencies asking what was known about threats, whether the information was shared and whether foreign influence played any role. "This still-emerging story is one of astounding bravery by some U.S. Capitol Police and other officers; of staggering treachery by violent criminals; and of apparent and high-level failures — in particular, with respect to intelligence and security preparedness," said the letter. It was signed by House Intelligence Chairman Adam Schiff, House Homeland Security Chairman Bennie Thompson, House Oversight Chairwoman Carolyn Maloney and House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerrold Nadler. There were scattered demonstrations on Saturday, but statehouses remained mostly quiet. Law enforcement officials have trained much of their focus on Sunday, when the anti-government "boogaloo" movement made plans weeks ago to hold rallies in all 50 states. Steve McCraw, director of the Texas Department of Public Safety, said in a statement late Friday that intelligence indicated "violent extremists" may seek to exploit planned armed protests in Austin to "conduct criminal acts." Texas closed its Capitol through Inauguration Day. In Michigan, a fence was erected around the Capitol in Lansing, and troopers were mobilized from across the state to bolster security. The legislature canceled meetings next week, citing concern over credible threats. In a nod to both the coronavirus pandemic as well as security concerns, festivities around Biden`s inauguration will largely be held online, though the president-elect still plans to be sworn in and deliver his inaugural address at the Capitol. The inaugural committee`s virtual "welcome event" took place on Saturday evening, featuring appearances from union leaders, activists and celebrities such as actor Whoopi Goldberg. "Make no mistake, the road ahead - it won`t be easy," Vice President-elect Kamala Harris, who closed out the event, told viewers. "But America is ready, and so are Joe and I." DOMESTIC EXTREMISTS The perception that the Jan. 6 insurrection was a success could embolden domestic extremists motivated by anti-government, racial and partisan grievances, spurring them to further violence, according to a government intelligence bulletin dated Wednesday first reported by Yahoo News. The Joint Intelligence Bulletin, produced by the FBI, Department of Homeland Security and National Counterterrorism Center, further warned that "false narratives" about electoral fraud would serve as an ongoing catalyst for extremist groups. Thousands of armed National Guard troops were on the streets of Washington in an unprecedented show of force after the assault on the U.S. Capitol. Bridges into the city were to be closed, and the National Mall and other iconic U.S. landmarks were blocked off into next week. Authorities were on high alert. A Virginia man, Wesley Allen Beeler, was arrested on Friday evening at a security checkpoint after police said he presented an "unauthorized inauguration credential," according to a Capitol Police spokeswoman. Beeler had a loaded handgun and more than 500 rounds of ammunition, according to court papers. A tearful Beeler later told the Washington Post he had been working security in Washington all week and pulled up to the checkpoint after getting lost. He told the paper he forgot the gun was in his truck and denied having so much ammunition. Beeler was released after an initial court appearance on Saturday and is due back in court in June, records show. Responding to news of the arrest, Democratic U.S. Representative Don Beyer of Virginia said the danger was real and the city was on edge. "Anyone who can avoid the area around the Capitol and Mall this week should do so," Beyer wrote on Twitter. The alarm extended beyond legislatures. The United Church of Christ, a Protestant denomination of more than 4,900 churches, warned its 800,000 members there were reports "liberal" churches could be attacked in the coming week. Following the Jan. 6 violence in Washington, some militia members said they would not attend a long-planned pro-gun demonstration in Virginia, where authorities were worried about the risk of violence as multiple groups converged on the state capital, Richmond. Some militias across the country have told followers to stay home this weekend, citing the increased security or the risk that the planned events were law enforcement traps.

US state capitals, Washington on alert for possible pro-Trump armed protests

The incoming president of the United States, Joe Biden, will sign about a dozen executive orders on his first day in office, his top aide has said.

Incoming Biden chief of staff Ron Klain said in&nbsp;a memo to new White House senior staff that the executive orders would address the pandemic, the ailing US economy, climate change and racial injustice in America.

As he inherits the White House from Donald Trump, Biden's plate is overflowing with acute challenges.

The US is fast approaching 400,000 deaths from the Covid-19 crisis and logging well over a million new cases a week as the coronavirus spreads out of control.

The economy is ailing, with 10 million fewer jobs available compared to the start of the pandemic.

Biden this week unveiled plans to seek $1.9 trillion to revive the economy through new stimulus payments and other aid, and plans a blitz to accelerate America's stumbling Covid vaccine rollout effort.

Biden will also sign orders including ones for the US to rejoin the Paris climate accord and reverse Trump's ban on entry of people from certain Muslim majority countries, Klain said.

Meanwhile, Washington was under a state of high alert after a mob of President Donald Trump's supporters stormed the Capitol on January 6. The assault left five people dead, including a police officer.

The inauguration of the 46th president of the nation is happening amid fears of violence from Trump supporters. To this end, security forces even staged a nationwide security operation ahead of the ceremony.

Authorities in Washington, where Wednesday's inauguration will take place, said they arrested a man with a loaded handgun and more than 500 rounds of ammunition at a security checkpoint, underscoring the tension in the US capital which is resembling a war zone.

However, the man's family told US media he was a security guard, rejecting the idea he was intent on causing harm.

The Virginia man at a security checkpoint tried to use an "unauthorised" credential to access the restricted area where Biden will be inaugurated.

As officers checked the credential against the authorised access list, one noticed decals on the back of Wesley Beeler's pick-up truck that said "Assault Life," with an image of a rifle, and another with the message: "If they come for your guns, give 'em your bullets first," according to a document filed in Washington, DC Superior Court.

Under questioning, Beeler told officers he had a Glock handgun in the vehicle. A search uncovered a loaded handgun, more than 500 rounds of ammunition, shotgun shells and a magazine for the gun, the court document said.

Beeler was arrested on charges including possession of an unregistered firearm and unlawful possession of ammunition.

Security officials have warned that armed pro-Trump extremists, possibly carrying explosives, pose a threat to Washington as well as state capitals over the coming week.

Thousands of National Guard troops have been deployed in Washington and streets have been blocked off downtown with concrete barriers.

In addition to the heavy security presence in Washington, law enforcement was out in force in state capitals around the country to ward off potential political violence.

Mass protests that had been planned for the weekend did not materialise on Saturday, with security far outnumbering Trump supporters at several fortified statehouses, US media reported.

BIDEN'S POA

As previously announced, Biden will ask the Department of Education to extend the existing pause on student loan payments and interest for millions of Americans with federal student loans, re-join the Paris Agreement, and reverse the Muslim Ban.

Biden will launch his "100 Day Masking Challenge" by issuing a mask mandate on federal property and inter-state travel --&nbsp;part of a critical effort to begin to bend the curve on COVID.&nbsp;

The next day, on January 21, Biden will sign a number of executive actions to move aggressively to change the course of the COVID-19 crisis and safely re-open schools and businesses, including by taking action to mitigate spread through expanding testing, protecting workers, and establishing clear public health standards.

On January 22, the president will direct his Cabinet agencies to take immediate action to deliver economic relief to working families bearing the brunt of this crisis.

Klein said that between January 25 and February 1, the president-elect will sign additional executive actions, memoranda and Cabinet directives. The president-elect will fulfil his promises to strengthen Buy American provisions so the future of America is made in America.

He will take significant early actions to advance equity and support communities of colour and other underserved communities. He will take action to begin fulfilling campaign promises related to reforming the criminal justice system.

Biden will sign additional executive actions to address the climate crisis with the urgency the science demands and ensure that science guides the administration's decision making.

He will take first steps to expand access to health care - including for low-income women and women of colour.

(with inputs from agencies)

The incoming president of the United States, Joe Biden, will sign about a dozen executive orders on his first day in office, his top aide has said. Incoming Biden chief of staff Ron Klain said in a memo to new White House senior staff that the executive orders would address the pandemic, the ailing US economy, climate change and racial injustice in America.

The incoming president of the United States, Joe Biden, will sign about a dozen executive orders on his first day in office, his top aide has said. Incoming Biden chief of staff Ron Klain said in a memo to new White House senior staff that the executive orders would address the pandemic, the ailing US economy, climate change and racial injustice in America. As he inherits the White House from Donald Trump, Biden's plate is overflowing with acute challenges. The US is fast approaching 400,000 deaths from the Covid-19 crisis and logging well over a million new cases a week as the coronavirus spreads out of control. The economy is ailing, with 10 million fewer jobs available compared to the start of the pandemic. Biden this week unveiled plans to seek $1.9 trillion to revive the economy through new stimulus payments and other aid, and plans a blitz to accelerate America's stumbling Covid vaccine rollout effort. Biden will also sign orders including ones for the US to rejoin the Paris climate accord and reverse Trump's ban on entry of people from certain Muslim majority countries, Klain said. Meanwhile, Washington was under a state of high alert after a mob of President Donald Trump's supporters stormed the Capitol on January 6. The assault left five people dead, including a police officer. The inauguration of the 46th president of the nation is happening amid fears of violence from Trump supporters. To this end, security forces even staged a nationwide security operation ahead of the ceremony. Authorities in Washington, where Wednesday's inauguration will take place, said they arrested a man with a loaded handgun and more than 500 rounds of ammunition at a security checkpoint, underscoring the tension in the US capital which is resembling a war zone. However, the man's family told US media he was a security guard, rejecting the idea he was intent on causing harm. The Virginia man at a security checkpoint tried to use an "unauthorised" credential to access the restricted area where Biden will be inaugurated. As officers checked the credential against the authorised access list, one noticed decals on the back of Wesley Beeler's pick-up truck that said "Assault Life," with an image of a rifle, and another with the message: "If they come for your guns, give 'em your bullets first," according to a document filed in Washington, DC Superior Court. Under questioning, Beeler told officers he had a Glock handgun in the vehicle. A search uncovered a loaded handgun, more than 500 rounds of ammunition, shotgun shells and a magazine for the gun, the court document said. Beeler was arrested on charges including possession of an unregistered firearm and unlawful possession of ammunition. Security officials have warned that armed pro-Trump extremists, possibly carrying explosives, pose a threat to Washington as well as state capitals over the coming week. Thousands of National Guard troops have been deployed in Washington and streets have been blocked off downtown with concrete barriers. In addition to the heavy security presence in Washington, law enforcement was out in force in state capitals around the country to ward off potential political violence. Mass protests that had been planned for the weekend did not materialise on Saturday, with security far outnumbering Trump supporters at several fortified statehouses, US media reported. BIDEN'S POA As previously announced, Biden will ask the Department of Education to extend the existing pause on student loan payments and interest for millions of Americans with federal student loans, re-join the Paris Agreement, and reverse the Muslim Ban. Biden will launch his "100 Day Masking Challenge" by issuing a mask mandate on federal property and inter-state travel -- part of a critical effort to begin to bend the curve on COVID. The next day, on January 21, Biden will sign a number of executive actions to move aggressively to change the course of the COVID-19 crisis and safely re-open schools and businesses, including by taking action to mitigate spread through expanding testing, protecting workers, and establishing clear public health standards. On January 22, the president will direct his Cabinet agencies to take immediate action to deliver economic relief to working families bearing the brunt of this crisis. Klein said that between January 25 and February 1, the president-elect will sign additional executive actions, memoranda and Cabinet directives. The president-elect will fulfil his promises to strengthen Buy American provisions so the future of America is made in America. He will take significant early actions to advance equity and support communities of colour and other underserved communities. He will take action to begin fulfilling campaign promises related to reforming the criminal justice system. Biden will sign additional executive actions to address the climate crisis with the urgency the science demands and ensure that science guides the administration's decision making. He will take first steps to expand access to health care - including for low-income women and women of colour. (with inputs from agencies)

Biden to sign executive orders on Day 1, security beefed up across Washington

More than 100 people have been arrested by the federal bureau of investigation over a violent siege in the U.S capitol. The security has ramped up in Washington dc and other states.

U.S Capitol under heavy security days after the violence in Capitol Building

A few days away from the inauguration of Joe Biden in Washington D.C. and in the wake of the siege of the Capitol, Washington has beefed-up its security.

United States: Washington enhances its security in the wake of Joe Biden' inauguration

The outgoing&nbsp;US President&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;has declared a state of emergency in Washington a few days after his supporters marched into the Capitol building to destroy government property and protest against the US election results.

The news broke out in the late hours of Monday through a&nbsp;White House press office. The release claims the decision has been taken to make sure no such incident takes place in future as the inauguration ceremony for Joe Biden is scheduled to take place next week.

Also read|&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/fbi-warns-armed-trump-supporters-could-hold-protests-in-all-50-states-ahead-of-bidens-inauguration-356130" hreflang="en">FBI warns armed Trump supporters could hold protests in all 50 states</a>

"Today, President Donald J. Trump declared that an emergency exists in the District of Columbia and ordered Federal assistance to supplement the District’s response efforts due to the emergency conditions resulting from the 59th Presidential Inauguration from January 11 to January 24, 2021," the release states.

Through this action, the President has given authority to the&nbsp;Department of Homeland Security, Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to "coordinate all disaster relief efforts which have the purpose of alleviating the hardship and suffering caused by the emergency on the local population, and to provide appropriate assistance for required emergency measures, authorized under Title V of the Stafford Act, to save lives and to protect property and public health and safety, and to lessen or avert the threat of a catastrophe in the District of Columbia."

Also read|&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/days-after-capitol-riots-donald-trump-and-mike-pence-meet-in-oval-office-sources-356142">Days after Capitol riots, Donald trump and Mike Pence meet in Oval Office</a>

Further, FEMA can identify, mobilise and use discretion to provide resources and equipment to prevent any impacts of violence or situations of emergency. "Emergency protective measures, limited to direct Federal assistance, will be provided at 100 percent Federal funding."

This decision has come hours after&nbsp;he acting secretary of the Department of Homeland Security, Chad Wolf, resigned from his post due to the violence at the Capitol a week. ago. Following his rsignation, the White House press release states&nbsp;Pete Gaynor, Administrator, Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), Department of Homeland Security, named Thomas J. Fargione as the Federal Coordinating Officer for Federal recovery operations in the affected area.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/gravitas-will-donald-trump-be-impeached-356125">WATCH|</a>

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/gravitas-will-donald-trump-be-impeached-356125/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo">&nbsp;</div>

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo">The decision has also come a few hours after the FBI&nbsp;warned that armed&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/democrats-introduce-trump-impeachment-article-in-us-house-356120">Trump</a>&nbsp;supporters could hold protests in all 50 states between the coming weekend and January 20 when the president-elect Joe Biden takes the oath.</div>

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo">&nbsp;</div>

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo">Following this warning, the Pentagon has also authorised&nbsp;15,000 National Guard troops to be deployed in the capital city to make sure no more riots take place, especially in the next one week.&nbsp;Chief of the defence department's National Guard Bureau Daniel Hokanson said that at least 6,200 have already been deployed in capital Washington with another 10,000 planned deployment over the weekend.</div>

The outgoing US President Donald Trump has declared a state of emergency in Washington a few days after his supporters marched into the Capitol building to destroy government property and protest against the US election results.

The outgoing US President Donald Trump has declared a state of emergency in Washington a few days after his supporters marched into the Capitol building to destroy government property and protest against the US election results. The news broke out in the late hours of Monday through a White House press office. The release claims the decision has been taken to make sure no such incident takes place in future as the inauguration ceremony for Joe Biden is scheduled to take place next week. Also read| FBI warns armed Trump supporters could hold protests in all 50 states "Today, President Donald J. Trump declared that an emergency exists in the District of Columbia and ordered Federal assistance to supplement the District’s response efforts due to the emergency conditions resulting from the 59th Presidential Inauguration from January 11 to January 24, 2021," the release states. Through this action, the President has given authority to the Department of Homeland Security, Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to "coordinate all disaster relief efforts which have the purpose of alleviating the hardship and suffering caused by the emergency on the local population, and to provide appropriate assistance for required emergency measures, authorized under Title V of the Stafford Act, to save lives and to protect property and public health and safety, and to lessen or avert the threat of a catastrophe in the District of Columbia." Also read| Days after Capitol riots, Donald trump and Mike Pence meet in Oval Office Further, FEMA can identify, mobilise and use discretion to provide resources and equipment to prevent any impacts of violence or situations of emergency. "Emergency protective measures, limited to direct Federal assistance, will be provided at 100 percent Federal funding." This decision has come hours after he acting secretary of the Department of Homeland Security, Chad Wolf, resigned from his post due to the violence at the Capitol a week. ago. Following his rsignation, the White House press release states Pete Gaynor, Administrator, Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), Department of Homeland Security, named Thomas J. Fargione as the Federal Coordinating Officer for Federal recovery operations in the affected area. WATCH| The decision has also come a few hours after the FBI warned that armed Trump supporters could hold protests in all 50 states between the coming weekend and January 20 when the president-elect Joe Biden takes the oath. Following this warning, the Pentagon has also authorised 15,000 National Guard troops to be deployed in the capital city to make sure no more riots take place, especially in the next one week. Chief of the defence department's National Guard Bureau Daniel Hokanson said that at least 6,200 have already been deployed in capital Washington with another 10,000 planned deployment over the weekend.

Ahead of Biden's inauguration, Trump approves emergency declaration for Washington

Democrats and the US house representatives planned to start the impeachment proceedings of Wednesday unless outgoing President Donald Trump steps down or is removed.

Democrats plan to start impeachment procedure on Wednesday

The FBI is offering a reward of up to $50,000 for information on the individuals responsible for placing pipe bombs in the committee headquarters of the key U.S. political parties in the capital, the agency said.

Many law enforcement agencies received reports on Wednesday of two suspected devices, one each at the headquarters of the Republican National Committee and the Democratic National Committee, the FBI said in a statement on Twitter.

Thursday`s statement was accompanied by an image https://bit.ly/3osLWPz of a masked suspect wearing gloves and a hoodie, carrying an object.

"The FBI is offering a reward of up to $50,000 for information leading to the location, arrest and conviction," the agency`s Washington field office added.

Wednesday`s breach of the U.S. Capitol by supporters of U.S. President Donald Trump was a stunning assault on American democracy when lawmakers were certifying the victory of President-elect Joe Biden.

Trump condemned the violence after having initially praised his supporters. He added that the rioters had defiled the seat of American democracy and must be held accountable.

Senators and Congressmen were forced to evacuate after hundreds of Trump supporters stormed the legislative building, smashing windows and engaging in looting.

The violence, which killed five people, followed a rally at which Trump exhorted supporters to "fight" to overturn the Nov. 3 election.

The FBI is offering a reward of up to $50,000 for information on the individuals responsible for placing pipe bombs in the committee headquarters of the key U.S.

The FBI is offering a reward of up to $50,000 for information on the individuals responsible for placing pipe bombs in the committee headquarters of the key U.S. political parties in the capital, the agency said. Many law enforcement agencies received reports on Wednesday of two suspected devices, one each at the headquarters of the Republican National Committee and the Democratic National Committee, the FBI said in a statement on Twitter. Thursday`s statement was accompanied by an image https://bit.ly/3osLWPz of a masked suspect wearing gloves and a hoodie, carrying an object. "The FBI is offering a reward of up to $50,000 for information leading to the location, arrest and conviction," the agency`s Washington field office added. Wednesday`s breach of the U.S. Capitol by supporters of U.S. President Donald Trump was a stunning assault on American democracy when lawmakers were certifying the victory of President-elect Joe Biden. Trump condemned the violence after having initially praised his supporters. He added that the rioters had defiled the seat of American democracy and must be held accountable. Senators and Congressmen were forced to evacuate after hundreds of Trump supporters stormed the legislative building, smashing windows and engaging in looting. The violence, which killed five people, followed a rally at which Trump exhorted supporters to "fight" to overturn the Nov. 3 election.

FBI offers reward for details of those behind Washington pipe bombs

US President-Elect Joe Biden and outgoing President Donald Trump held rival rallies in the state of Georgia to ensure that there are supporters to close the US Senate Elections that would determine the balance of power in Washington.

United States: Joe Biden & Donald Trump hold rival rallies in Georgia state

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

The Washington National Cathedral tolled its bells 300 times on Tuesday evening (December 15) in memory of the 300,000 Americans who died of COVID-19.

Washington National Cathedral bells toll for the 300,000 U.S. victims of COVID-19

At a chic cafe in the West End neighborhood of Washington, a young waiter knew that the incoming vice president lived “upstairs,” as he noted by gesturing to an upscale condominium building overhead, but said he had not actually seen her lately.

“The Secret Service sometimes stops me from taking out the trash, though,” he added, saying that agents closed off the building’s alley when their protectee came and went from its garage.

Around the corner, two black Suburbans with federal license plates were parked by the building’s entrance — the only visible clue to the nearby presence of the California senator and vice president-elect, Kamala Harris.

In the days since he prevailed in the election, President-elect Joe Biden has made several public remarks and released summaries of his calls with foreign leaders as reporters track his every public movement. But Harris has barely appeared on the public radar since her acceptance speech last Saturday in Wilmington, Delaware, where she declared “a new day for America.”

She shared a stage again with Biden in Wilmington two days later, after a coronavirus briefing they had attended together. Harris stood silently several feet away while Biden spoke, without giving remarks of her own.

It is not unprecedented for a vice president-elect to keep a low profile in an election’s aftermath. “You know, you’ve been fairly invisible since the election,” ABC News host George Stephanopoulos told Biden in an interview more than a month after his own election as Barack Obama’s vice president.

Biden replied by insisting he had “been in the room” for every one of Obama’s important transition meetings. Because of social distancing restrictions related to the coronavirus, Harris has no such luxury, at least not in the physical sense.

After spending election week in Delaware, she has returned to the two-bedroom Washington condominium she bought after she was elected to the Senate in 2016. From there, she is in regular touch with Biden, by text message or telephone, according to aides with the Biden-Harris transition team, and with other transition officials. Harris’ husband, Douglas Emhoff, also has a close relationship with the incoming first lady, Jill Biden; the two campaigned together in the race’s final weeks.

One focus of her time is the quantum leap Harris is soon to make from the legislative to the executive branch. Whereas Biden will have virtually no learning curve upon returning to the White House after eight years as vice president, Harris has spent little, if any, substantive time at 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. (A transition official could not immediately say when she had last visited there.)

That process is made no easier by President Donald Trump’s refusal to acknowledge the election results and authorize an official transition process in which Harris and her aides would have access to White House officials and documents. Harris has not been contacted by her departing counterpart, Vice President Mike Pence. Days after the 2016 election, Biden hosted Pence for nearly two hours at the official vice presidential compound at the U.S. Naval Observatory. “I told Mike, the vice president-elect, that I’m available to him 24/7,” Biden told reporters.

Biden-Harris transition officials declined to comment.

For now, Harris remains a senator. It is unclear when she might relinquish her seat. Obama stepped down from his Senate seat days after his 2008 election, but Biden, ever the sentimentalist, hung on to his until shortly before he was sworn in as vice president the following January, telling friends he wanted to take one last oath of office for the seat he had held for decades. (Biden also said he wanted to retain his vote in case it might be needed in a lame-duck Senate session.)

Like Biden, Harris also has her own staff to build — another task potentially made more challenging by her relative lack of Washington experience. While Biden, after nearly 50 years in the capital, has a network of hundreds of former Senate and White House aides, Harris has a smaller circle, though she is expected to hire several familiar faces from her Senate office and her 2020 campaign.

On social media, Harris has stayed rigorously on message, posting on Twitter several times about the coronavirus and her determination to work with Biden to contain it. “In just a few months, we will swear in a new president who is committed to getting the pandemic under control: @JoeBiden,” she tweeted Saturday morning.

Later in the day, Harris, who will become the first occupant of the White House who is of Indian heritage, also tweeted greetings for the beginning of Diwali, the Hindu festival of lights.

Harris has ventured out in the Washington area at least once since the election. On a rainy Veterans Day, wearing blue jeans and a black raincoat, she and Emhoff dropped by Georgetown’s Dog Tag Bakery, which was founded to help support veterans.

She has otherwise been out of sight at her condo building, about 1 mile from the White House, and twice that distance from the Naval Observatory complex she will soon call home. “No great thing created suddenly,” reads an inscription on the side of the building, a quote from the Greek Stoic philosopher Epictetus.

Mimicking a sad face, the server at the Bluestone Lane cafe on the building’s ground floor said he hoped she would visit again soon.

At a chic cafe in the West End neighborhood of Washington, a young waiter knew that the incoming vice president lived “upstairs,” as he noted by gesturing to an upscale condominium building overhead, but said he had not actually seen her lately.

At a chic cafe in the West End neighborhood of Washington, a young waiter knew that the incoming vice president lived “upstairs,” as he noted by gesturing to an upscale condominium building overhead, but said he had not actually seen her lately. “The Secret Service sometimes stops me from taking out the trash, though,” he added, saying that agents closed off the building’s alley when their protectee came and went from its garage. Around the corner, two black Suburbans with federal license plates were parked by the building’s entrance — the only visible clue to the nearby presence of the California senator and vice president-elect, Kamala Harris. In the days since he prevailed in the election, President-elect Joe Biden has made several public remarks and released summaries of his calls with foreign leaders as reporters track his every public movement. But Harris has barely appeared on the public radar since her acceptance speech last Saturday in Wilmington, Delaware, where she declared “a new day for America.” She shared a stage again with Biden in Wilmington two days later, after a coronavirus briefing they had attended together. Harris stood silently several feet away while Biden spoke, without giving remarks of her own. It is not unprecedented for a vice president-elect to keep a low profile in an election’s aftermath. “You know, you’ve been fairly invisible since the election,” ABC News host George Stephanopoulos told Biden in an interview more than a month after his own election as Barack Obama’s vice president. Biden replied by insisting he had “been in the room” for every one of Obama’s important transition meetings. Because of social distancing restrictions related to the coronavirus, Harris has no such luxury, at least not in the physical sense. After spending election week in Delaware, she has returned to the two-bedroom Washington condominium she bought after she was elected to the Senate in 2016. From there, she is in regular touch with Biden, by text message or telephone, according to aides with the Biden-Harris transition team, and with other transition officials. Harris’ husband, Douglas Emhoff, also has a close relationship with the incoming first lady, Jill Biden; the two campaigned together in the race’s final weeks. One focus of her time is the quantum leap Harris is soon to make from the legislative to the executive branch. Whereas Biden will have virtually no learning curve upon returning to the White House after eight years as vice president, Harris has spent little, if any, substantive time at 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. (A transition official could not immediately say when she had last visited there.) That process is made no easier by President Donald Trump’s refusal to acknowledge the election results and authorize an official transition process in which Harris and her aides would have access to White House officials and documents. Harris has not been contacted by her departing counterpart, Vice President Mike Pence. Days after the 2016 election, Biden hosted Pence for nearly two hours at the official vice presidential compound at the U.S. Naval Observatory. “I told Mike, the vice president-elect, that I’m available to him 24/7,” Biden told reporters. Biden-Harris transition officials declined to comment. For now, Harris remains a senator. It is unclear when she might relinquish her seat. Obama stepped down from his Senate seat days after his 2008 election, but Biden, ever the sentimentalist, hung on to his until shortly before he was sworn in as vice president the following January, telling friends he wanted to take one last oath of office for the seat he had held for decades. (Biden also said he wanted to retain his vote in case it might be needed in a lame-duck Senate session.) Like Biden, Harris also has her own staff to build — another task potentially made more challenging by her relative lack of Washington experience. While Biden, after nearly 50 years in the capital, has a network of hundreds of former Senate and White House aides, Harris has a smaller circle, though she is expected to hire several familiar faces from her Senate office and her 2020 campaign. On social media, Harris has stayed rigorously on message, posting on Twitter several times about the coronavirus and her determination to work with Biden to contain it. “In just a few months, we will swear in a new president who is committed to getting the pandemic under control: @JoeBiden,” she tweeted Saturday morning. Later in the day, Harris, who will become the first occupant of the White House who is of Indian heritage, also tweeted greetings for the beginning of Diwali, the Hindu festival of lights. Harris has ventured out in the Washington area at least once since the election. On a rainy Veterans Day, wearing blue jeans and a black raincoat, she and Emhoff dropped by Georgetown’s Dog Tag Bakery, which was founded to help support veterans. She has otherwise been out of sight at her condo building, about 1 mile from the White House, and twice that distance from the Naval Observatory complex she will soon call home. “No great thing created suddenly,” reads an inscription on the side of the building, a quote from the Greek Stoic philosopher Epictetus. Mimicking a sad face, the server at the Bluestone Lane cafe on the building’s ground floor said he hoped she would visit again soon.

Largely out of sight in Washington, Kamala Harris preps for White House

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