Morning news brief: US scrambles for a new president, India for Covid vaccine

Trump to leave Washington on morning of Biden’s inauguration

US President Donald Trump is planning to helicopter out of the White House a last time early on the morning of the day his successor, Joe Biden, takes oath as the 46th US president of the country | READ MORE

India begins mega-rollout of Covid vaccine

India begins one of the world's biggest coronavirus vaccine programmes on Saturday | READ MORE

WhatsApp delays privacy policy update, Signal faces glitches

WhatsApp on Friday said that it was delaying its data-sharing change as the rush to rival messaging apps seriously appeared to dent its near-monopoly in several global markets | READ MORE

State capitols across US tighten security to repel possible attacks

In the wake of FBI's warning of possible armed protests before Joe Biden's inauguration, the security around state capitols across the US has been tightened | READ MORE

US health secretary Azar resigns, cites Capitol attack as the reason

US Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar has resigned, citing last week’s attack on the Capitol | READ MORE

US imposes sanctions on Cuba citing human rights violations

The United States has slapped sanctions on Cuba’s interior ministry and its leaders, accusing them of serious human rights abuses | READ MORE

Biden elevates role of science, names geneticist Lander for new Cabinet-level post

US President-elect Joe Biden has elevated the post of a geneticist to Cabinet-level status for first time, naming pioneering Eric Lander as the director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy on Friday | READ MORE