U.S.NBC NewsCalifornia man accused of stealing documents from Mitch McConnell's desk during Capitol riot
A California man accused of taking government documents he said were from Mitch McConnell's desk and attempting to steal an American flag from the Capitol has been charged in connection with the deadly riot there earlier this month. Tommy Frederick Allan was arrested on charges of violent entry or disorderly conduct on Capitol grounds, entering a restricted building or grounds and damage or theft of federal property, according to a criminal complaint filed Jan. 20 in federal court in Washington, D.C. An arrest warrant outlines how two people sent tips to the FBI alleging Allan was part of the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol.
PoliticsThe WeekBiden did not, in fact, remove Trump's 'Diet Coke button' from the Resolute Desk, White House clarifies
The new Biden administration has yet not disclosed the secrets of Area 51 or explained what the Air Force really knows about UFOs, but it did clarify, at least, the mystery of the vanished "Diet Coke button" former President Donald Trump would use to summon refreshments in the Oval Office. The usher button, as it is formally known, is not gone, even if it is no longer used to summon Diet Cokes, a White House official tells Politico. The White House official "unfortunately wouldn't say what Biden will use the button for," Politico's Daniel Lippman writes, suggesting Biden might summon Orange Gatorade and not the obvious answer, ice cream — or, let's get real, coffee.
PoliticsReutersBiden's new climate orders to include pause on federal oil and gas leasing - sources
The Biden administration is expected to announce a temporary suspension of new oil and gas leasing on U.S. federal lands and waters on Wednesday, and to order that nearly a third of federally run acreage is conserved over the next decade, three sources familiar with the matter said on Tuesday. President Joe Biden will make the announcement as part of a second batch of executive orders aimed at combating climate change, a key policy effort of the newly sworn-in president that marks an about-face from his predecessor Donald Trump who sought to maximize the country's oil, gas and coal output. Biden had vowed to ban new federal oil and gas permitting during his campaign for the White House, and his Interior Department last week issued a 60-day suspension of routine drilling approvals pending a review of the program in what was widely viewed as a precursor to a more permanent ban.
PoliticsThe IndependentMillions of Covid vaccines missing under Trump
Millions of coronavirus vaccine doses appear to be missing after they were shipped by the Trump administration to US states. According to the Daily Beast and sources within the Biden administration, there could be almost 20 million doses missing since they were shipped to states by the previous administration. The US Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says that 41.1 million doses have been sent to states since last month, but only 22.7 million Americans have received a dose.
PoliticsThe WeekMSNBC's Rachel Maddow says McConnell 'caved' on his filibuster demand during her Schumer interview
In an interview with MSNBC's Rachel Maddow on Monday afternoon, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) said his caucus won't allow Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) to dictate the agenda in the Democratic-led 50-50 Senate or demand an end to the legislative filibuster as a precondition for a power-sharing pact. "While we were airing that right now, and you were watching it, Republican Minority Leader Mitch McConnell just put out a statement that he is folding on this" and willl "agree to go forward with what Sen. Schumer told him he must," she said.
U.S.Los Angeles Times OpinionEditorial: Is Gov. Newsom 'following the science' on COVID reopening, or following the politics?
New coronavirus infections are decreasing in California, as are the number of people filling intensive care hospital beds. ICU beds are all but unavailable throughout Southern California and the San Joaquin Valley. Newsom defended the decision by saying that projections based on testing and transmission rates, as well as a steady decrease in the demand for ICU beds, make him confident about returning to the system that imposes various levels of restrictions by county and is tied to the percentage of positive coronavirus test results.
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Biden administration has system in place where reporters will not ask president tough questions: Media critic
Steve Krakauer, editor at Fourth Watch, says 'it shouldn't be contingent' on one reporter to ask Biden tough questions.
PoliticsAssociated PressAP source: Biden to drop Trump's military transgender ban
President Joe Biden is set to issue an executive order to reverse a Pentagon policy that largely bars transgender individuals from joining the military, dumping a ban ordered by President Donald Trump in a tweet during his first year in office, a person briefed on the decision tells The Associated Press. Biden has been widely expected to overturn the Trump policy in his early days in office. The White House could announce the move as early as Monday, according to the person briefed on the decision who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss the order.
WorldReuters'Wear a mask': Mexicans urge president to follow rules after COVID-19 setback
Mexicans hope President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador makes a speedy recovery from COVID-19, though many believe he could have avoided infection if he had more strictly followed the government's own health advice - and worn a face mask. Lopez Obrador's diagnosis on Sunday capped the deadliest week of the coronavirus pandemic in the country with the world's fourth-highest death toll https://tmsnrt.rs/34pvUyi. "He wasn't looking after himself, always walking around without a mask, and not respecting social distancing," said Mexico City rubbish collector Luis Enrique Flores, wheeling his cart past a wall plastered with government posters urging people to wear masks.
U.S.The IndependentTeenager in hiding after reporting own father for involvement in Capitol riots
A teenager from Texas says he's in hiding after he reported his own father to the FBI for his involvement in the Capitol riots. Jackson Reffitt, 18, contacted the FBI ahead of the Capitol riots about his father, Guy Reffitt, The New York Times reported. Guy Reffitt, from Wylie, Texas, has since been arrested for allegedly being part of the riotous mob that attacked the US Capitol building on 6 January.
PoliticsThe WeekChuck Schumer tried to unseat Susan Collins, and now it's personal
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) will have his work cut out for him as he tries to maneuver through the 50-50 upper chamber. Take, for example, Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine), who ultimately won a hard fought re-election campaign last year against Democratic challenger Sara Gideon. Despite the victory, Collins appears to have taken Schumer's efforts to unseat her personally.
PoliticsAssociated PressWatchdog probes if DOJ officials tried to overturn election
The Justice Department's inspector general is launching an investigation to examine whether any former or current department officials “engaged in an improper attempt” to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election. Inspector General Michael Horowitz said Monday that the investigation will investigate allegations concerning the conduct of former and current Justice Department officials but will not extend to other government officials. The Justice Department watchdog investigation follows a report in The New York Times that a former assistant attorney general, Jeffrey Clark, had been discussing a plan with then-President Donald Trump to oust the acting attorney general and try to challenge the results of the 2020 race by falsely saying there had been widespread election fraud.
PoliticsThe IndependentSean Spicer has application to White House Correspondents’ Association cancelled
Former White House press secretary Sean Spicer has had his application to the White House Correspondents' Association (WHCA) cancelled by Newsmax. According to the right-wing cable news channel on Tuesday, there were already two Newsmax correspondents accredited by the WHCA, and so “[we] don't see a need for additional personnel assigned there”, a spokesperson told Politico. Mr Spicer, who hosts Newsmax's evening politics show, submitted an application to the association only last week, when he told Politico that he applied because “I thought, why not?
PoliticsReutersTrump opens Florida office to push his former administration's agenda
Donald Trump opened an office in Florida on Monday that will handle his duties as a former U.S. president and seek to further his administration's agenda. "The Office will be responsible for managing President Trump's correspondence, public statements, appearances, and official activities to advance the interests of the United States and to carry on the agenda of the Trump Administration through advocacy, organizing, and public activism," a statement said. The announcement came on the same day the House of Representatives delivered to the Senate an impeachment article charging Trump with inciting insurrection in a speech to supporters before the deadly attack on the Capitol on Jan. 6.
U.S.TheGrioBlack Capitol rioter denied bail while many White participants granted release
Activists have repeatedly pointed out the glaring disparity between how violent white Capitol rioters were treated vs. peaceful Black Lives Matter protestors. According to reports, on Jan. 6, Black Trump supporter Emanual Jackson, from Capitol Heights, was caught on surveillance video joining the mob of “patriots” who attacked Capitol police during the siege. The 20-year-old was seen wielding a metal bat at the Capitol entrance during the insurrection, where five people, including a Capitol police officer, succumbed to fatal wounds.
PoliticsThe IndependentTrump's press secretary Kayleigh McEnany to head to Fox News
Former White House Press Secretary Kayleigh McEnany spent her time as the president's mouthpiece spinning his words, attacking his enemies, and attempting to undermine the credibility of reporters who questioned his actions. Now, with her days at the White House behind her, Ms McEnany will step into a new role where she can once again use the skill set she cultivated during her time with the president; she'll be joining Fox News. Government watchdog organisation CREW obtained a financial disclosure report that showed Ms McEnany and Fox News entered into an employment agreement on 1 January.
PoliticsThe IndependentJosh Hawley issues counter-complaint against Democrats who called for investigation into him over Capitol insurrection
Republican Senator Josh Hawley filed an ethics counter-complaint against seven Democratic senators who called for an investigation into him and Ted Cruz. Both senators have faced widespread criticism and calls for them to resign for their role in trying to challenge Joe Biden's election victory. Five people were killed when Pro-Trump rioters attacked the Congress as lawmakers gathered to certify the electoral college results earlier this month.
U.S.The Week3 reasons West Virginia's COVID-19 vaccination effort is working so well
West Virginia is doing better than probably any other state in vaccinating its population against COVID-19. About 9 percent of West Virginians have already gotten their first dose, better than any state but Alaska, and West Virginia is No. 1 in giving out second doses, The New York Times reports. West Virginia has used 83 percent of the doses allocated to the state, by far the highest percentage.
BusinessReutersBP's oil exploration team swept aside in climate revolution
Nothing escapes the winds of change now sweeping through BP, not even the exploration team that for more than a century powered its profits by discovering billions of barrels of oil. Its geologists, engineers and scientists have been cut to less than 100 from a peak of more than 700 a few years ago, company sources told Reuters, part of a climate change-driven overhaul triggered last year by CEO Bernard Looney. Hundreds have left the oil exploration team in recent months, either transferred to help develop new low-carbon activities or laid off, current and former employees said.
PoliticsBusiness InsiderRudy Giuliani admits Biden is president hours after being sued for $1.3 billion by voting-machine company
Rudy Giuliani on Monday acknowledged Joe Biden as president and Kamala Harris as vice president. The statement came hours after Dominion Voting Systems sued Giuliani for $1.3 billion. Giuliani spent months peddling conspiracy theories about the company's role in the 2020 election.
PoliticsThe Independent‘In Wyoming men don’t wear make-up’: Cheney spokesperson hits out at Matt Gaetz amid GOP civil war
The spokesperson was most likely referring to a clip from the HBO documentary The Swamp in which Mr Gaetz puts on makeup before TV interviews at the capitol. The spat comes after Rep Cheney, the House Republican Conference Chair and number 3 in the House Republican leadership, voted to impeach former President Donald Trump along with nine other Republicans and all 222 House Democrats.
U.S.Miami HeraldShe once sold real estate. Now she searches for predators at night.
Kalil decided to start capturing Burmese pythons in the Everglades after reading a story in the Miami Herald about one of the snakes blowing up when it swallowed a 6-foot alligator after a confrontation in 2005. She realized there was a problem with these snakes, although she did not know how big it was, and she turned her life upside down to help remove pythons in the fragile Everglades ecosystem, where they are an invasive species. Pythons have a tremendous impact on native Florida wildlife.
PoliticsBusiness InsiderJoe Biden says he's willing to adjust income thresholds for stimulus checks in the new relief package
Joe Biden on Monday seemed willing to negotiate an aspect of the new coronavirus relief package. President Joe Biden on Monday said he was open to altering the income thresholds for a fresh wave of direct payments to Americans, a key demand among some moderate senators reluctant to back his coronavirus rescue package.
PoliticsThe IndependentQAnon merges with white extremists and spreads new conspiracy Trump will be president again on March 4
Believers of the QAnon conspiracy have begun to spread rumours that Donald Trump will become president again on 4 Match, as the theory merges with other online extremist movements. QAnon supporters have been circulating the theory that the Republican will return to office in recent days, with many suggesting 4 March as a final day of reckoning for the former president's opponents. The rumours, which have been shared on TikTok, come amid reports QAnon was moving towards theories promoted by The Sovereign Citizen movement.
StyleThe New York TimesTwo Masks Are the New Masks
Many of us who watched the inauguration last week were delighted by the fashion on display — the colorful matching coat and mask ensembles worn by the first lady, Jill Biden; and the Biden granddaughters; the power purple worn by Vice President Kamala Harris, Michelle Obama and Hillary Clinton; and of course, Sen. Bernie Sanders' delightful mittens made of recycled wool sweaters. Double-masking is a sensible and easy way to lower your risk, especially if circumstances require you to spend more time around others — like in a taxi, on a train or plane, or at an inauguration. It appears he was wearing a high-quality medical mask underneath a black cloth mask.
“By encouraging this act of terror on our capital, Trump’s legacy is destroyed.”
“Both backers and critics of Trump agreed that he remade the federal judiciary — a change that will impact America for decades.”
“He was largely responsible for the deaths of hundreds of thousands of Americans who did not need to die.”
“I do know what the future should hold for this country. That is to say, a policy of Trumpism without Trump.”
“It will be decades before the consequences of his tenure are fully known.”