PoliticsAssociated PressCongresswoman's spokesman quits less than 2 weeks into term
The spokesman for Republican U.S. Rep. Lauren Boebert has quit less than two weeks after she was sworn into office, saying he was prompted to by the insurrection at the nation's Capitol. Ben Goldey confirmed his departure to The Colorado Sun after it was first reported on Saturday by Axios. The Sun reported that Goldey did not respond to additional questions, but he told Axios he was leaving in the wake of a deadly Jan. 6 riot at the U.S. Capitol.
WorldReutersVenezuela dispatches oxygen for Brazil's Amazonas, reeling from COVID-19
Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro said on Sunday that a convoy of trucks carrying emergency oxygen supplies for Brazil's northern Amazonas state, where a second wave of the coronavirus pandemic has hit hard, has departed and is set to arrive at the border by Monday morning. Reading from a message sent by Justo Noguera, governor of Venezuela's southern Bolivar state, Maduro said during a state television appearance that the six trucks would arrive at the Santa Elena de Uairen border crossing by morning, where they would be handed over to Brazilian health authorities.
PoliticsThe TelegraphTrump allies 'paid to lobby for presidential pardons'
A lucrative market has emerged for presidential pardons and clemency, with associates of Donald Trump being paid to lobby on individuals' behalf, the New York Times reported. Thousands of dollars have changed hands according to documents filed by lobbyists to Congress. While there is no suggestion of illegality, the latest allegations will be embarrassing for Mr Trump who, when running for office, promised to “drain the swamp” of lobbyists and paid influence peddlers in Washington.
- PoliticsReuters Videos
Biden to end Keystone XL pipeline early on
U.S. President-elect Joe Biden may end the Keystone XL pipeline project as one of his first acts in office, a source familiar with his thinking told Reuters it could happen as early as day one. Biden, who will be inaugurated on Wednesday, was vice president when Barack Obama rejected the $9 billion project in 2015. Then two years later, Donald Trump issued a presidential permit that allowed the line to move forward.
WorldAssociated PressIsrael OKs hundreds of settlement homes in last-minute push
Israeli authorities on Sunday advanced plans to build nearly 800 homes in West Bank settlements, in a last-minute surge of approvals before the friendly Trump administration leaves office later this week. COGAT, the Israeli defense body that authorizes settlement construction, confirmed the approvals, which drew swift condemnations from the Palestinians. The anti-settlement monitoring group Peace Now said that over 90% of the homes lay deep inside the West Bank, which the Palestinians seek as the heartland of a future independent state, and over 200 homes were located in unauthorized outposts that the government had decided to legalize.
U.S.The IndependentMan arrested at inauguration checkpoint with gun and ammo says he was lost and did not mean to bring weapon to DC
A Virginia man arrested by law enforcement in Washington DC after trying to pass through an inauguration security checkpoint carrying an unregistered pistol and ammunition said he had gotten lost and did not mean to be in the capital. Wesley Allen Beeler, 31, drove into the heavily locked down portion of Washington DC surrounding the White House and the US Capitol. When he was intercepted by the Capitol Police, Me Beeler was arrested for possessing an unregistered firearm, unregistered ammunition and for carrying a pistol without a license, according to The Washington Post.
WorldReutersUK says vaccine manufacturing is 'lumpy' but still on course for targets
Britain's vaccine rollout is limited by a "lumpy" manufacturing process affecting supplies of both Pfizer and AstraZeneca, but is on track to hit its targets, Vaccine Deployment Minister Nadhim Zahawi said on Monday. The United Kingdom, which has the world's fifth worst official death toll from COVID-19, is racing to be among the first major countries to vaccinate its population - seen as the best way to exit the pandemic and get the economy going again. Britain has inoculated 3,857,266 people with a first dose and 449,736 with a second dose.
PoliticsAssociated PressWhat Biden can and can't get from an evenly divided Senate
Republicans remain poised to block most of Biden's proposals, just as they thwarted much of President Barack Obama's efforts on Capitol Hill. But 50/50 control permits action on special legislation that can't be filibustered, and momentum for the popular parts of COVID-19 relief could easily propel an early aid bill into law. What 50-50 really gets — and doesn't get — Biden as he takes office: WHAT BIDEN DOES GET NOMINATIONS With Democrats chairing committees in the Senate and only needing a majority to win floor votes on nominations, Biden is now assured of sealing confirmation of his Cabinet and judicial picks — including potentially for the Supreme Court.
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Israeli jets hit Hamas targets in Gaza after rockets fired
Israeli military aircraft struck targets in the Gaza Strip early on Monday in response to two rockets fired from the Palestinian territory, the military said. In a statement, the military said fighter jets hit Hamas military targets, including sites for digging underground tunnels, some of which stretch into Israel. There were also no reports of damage or injury from the rockets launched.
WorldReutersChina to sanction U.S. officials for 'nasty behaviour' over Taiwan
U.S. officials who have engaged in "nasty behaviour" over Chinese-claimed Taiwan will face sanctions, China's Foreign Ministry said on Monday, after Washington lifted curbs on exchanges between U.S. and Taiwanese officials. Sino-U.S. ties have worsened as China has already condemned this month's easing, announced by U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo in the waning days of President Donald Trump's presidency. Further adding to China's anger, the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, Kelly Craft, spoke last week to Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen, after a planned trip to Taipei was called off.
WorldAssociated PressEgypt unveils ancient funerary temple south of Cairo
Egypt's former antiquities minister and noted archaeologist Zahi Hawass on Sunday revealed details of an ancient funerary temple in a vast necropolis south of Cairo. Hawass told reporters at the Saqqara necropolis that archaeologists unearthed the temple of Queen Neit, wife of King Teti, the first king of the Sixth Dynasty that ruled Egypt from 2323 B.C. till 2150 B.C. Archaeologists also found a 4-meter (13-foot) long papyrus that includes texts of the Book of the Dead, which is a collection of spells aimed at directing the dead through the underworld in ancient Egypt, he said.
WorldAssociated PressIsrael moves to rein in rights group over 'apartheid' use
Israel's education minister says he is banning groups that call Israel an “apartheid state” from lecturing at schools — a move that targets one of the country's leading human rights groups after it began describing both Israel and its control of the Palestinian territories as a single apartheid system. The explosive term, long seen as taboo and mostly used by the country's harshest critics, is vehemently rejected by Israel's leaders and many ordinary Israelis. Education Minister Yoav Galant tweeted late on Sunday that he had instructed the ministry's director general to “prevent the entry of organizations calling Israel 'an apartheid state' or demeaning Israeli soldiers from lecturing at schools.”
U.S.ReutersThe fight to avert one last execution on Trump's watch
On Thursday evening, Dustin Higgs, 48, waited in a cell on death row at the federal prison in Terre Haute, Indiana, his scheduled execution less than 24 hours away. A five-minute drive down the road, members of his legal team sat around a laminated plastic table in the lobby of a no-frills hotel off the interstate. Federal Defender Shawn Nolan sipped beer as he waited for his colleagues in Philadelphia to patch together the four or five points needed for a last-ditch court filing aimed at delaying Higgs' execution by lethal injection.
ScienceBBCSLS: Nasa's 'megarocket' engine test ends early
A critical engine test for Nasa's new "megarocket" has ended early, but the agency denied it amounted to a failure. Shortly before 22:30 GMT (17:30 EST) on Saturday, the four engines ignited, burning for more than a minute before the event was aborted. The core stage of the Space Launch System (SLS) was being evaluated at Stennis Space Center, in Mississippi.
PoliticsBusiness InsiderTed Cruz's former staffers say they are 'disgusted' by his role in the US Capitol insurrection and his unflinching support of Trump, report says
At least six of Sen. Ted Cruz's former aides have expressed their disgust at the recent actions of their former boss, according to New York Magazine's Intelligencer. Ted Cruz is under fire for spreading election misinformation, objecting to the results of the 2020 election being certified, and having fundraised during the US Capitol insurrection. Democratic lawmakers have called for Cruz to resign or to be removed from office.
PoliticsAssociated PressTwitter suspends US congresswoman over election fraud claims
Twitter on Sunday temporarily suspended the account of Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, the Republican U.S. Congresswoman from Georgia who has expressed racist views and support for QAnon conspiracy theories online. Greene's account was suspended “without explanation," she said in a statement, while also condemning big tech companies for “silencing” conservative views. Before noon Sunday, Greene posted a clip from an interview with a local news outlet in which she condemned Georgia election officials and expressed support for debunked theories claiming that voting machines, absentee ballots and other issues led to widespread fraud in the state during the presidential election.
BusinessBusiness InsiderThe pandemic devastated airlines in 2020 and forced many out of business - here's the most notable that didn't make it to 2021
All 11 major US airlines remained intact but smaller regional carriers were forced to close or merge due to the drop in travel demand. A surprise announcement in February that the promising Qatar Airways-backed Air Italy would be liquidated set the stage for a year of losses even before lockdowns grounded the world's airlines. In the US, all 11 major airlines remained intact but smaller regional carriers folded amid an unprecedented drop in passengers that remains low even into the new year.
SportsAssociated PressHistory-making woman kicker invited to Biden inauguration
Sarah Fuller, the first woman to score in a Power Five conference football game, says she's been invited to attend President-elect Joe Biden's inauguration on Wednesday. Attendance at the inauguration will be strictly curtailed because of the COVID-19 pandemic and security measures put in place after a violent mob supporting President Donald Trump invaded the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6 as Congress was certifying Biden's victory.
WorldBusiness InsiderNorwegian health officials have adjusted their advice on who gets a COVID-19 vaccine as 29 frail elderly people die
Watch: Norway adjusts advice for elderly and frail people after COVID-19 vaccine deaths Norwegian health officials have changed their advice on who gets a COVID-19 vaccine after more than 25 elderly people with underlying health conditions died. According to the agency, "all deaths" are linked to the Pfizer vaccine, which was the only one available in the country until Friday. However, Norwegian officials maintain they are not alarmed and have advised individual doctors to decide who should receive a vaccine.
CelebrityThe Daily BeastFarewell, Ivanka Trump? No, Ivanka Doesn’t Want to Say Farewell.
Her father's administration crippled the country to the point of a violent attempted insurrection, but you know, Ivanka's got content. As Joe Biden's inauguration looms, the first daughter's reputation continues to crumble. Never mind the failed, hideously violent Capitol coup, which would normally be a big buzz kill for any influencer's image.
PoliticsThe IndependentAdam Schiff says ‘massive intelligence and security failure’ at US Capitol being investigated by the House
Rep. Adam Schiff, the House Intelligence Committee Chairman, said a "massive intelligence and security failure" was being investigated in connection with the US Capitol insurrection by Donald Trump's supporters on 6 January. Mr Schiff made the comments while appearing on CBS's Face the Nation. "Along with my fellow chairs, we are beginning an investigation into what went wrong," Mr Schiff said.
SportsAssociated PressU.S. team capsizes in America's Cup challenger series
Defender Team New Zealand and challengers Luna Rossa and Team UK hurried to aid the American team, saving sails and equipment and assisting desperate attempts to keep Patriot afloat. As night drew in, the American yacht had begun to settle in the water, even as mobile pumps worked furiously to empty the hull, suggesting it may have been holed when it crashed onto its side while leading a race against Luna Rossa. Patriot was surrounded by chase boats and tenders as efforts were made to stabilize the yacht, and eventually to attempt the 10-mile tow from the racecourse back to its base in downtown Auckland.
SportsAssociated Press72 tennis players in lockdown after virus cases on flights
The number of players in hard quarantine swelled to 72 ahead of the Australian Open after a fifth positive coronavirus test was returned from the charter flights bringing players, coaches, officials and media to Melbourne for the season-opening tennis major. Australian Open organizers confirmed late Sunday that the latest case involved a passenger on the flight from Doha, Qatar to Melbourne who was not a member of the playing contingent, But all 58 passengers, including the 25 players, now cannot leave their hotel rooms for 14 days. There were already 47 players, including Grand Slam winners, in hard quarantine after three positive tests were returned from a charter flight that arrived from Los Angeles and one from a flight that departed Abu Dhabi.
CelebrityINSIDERMeghan Markle's estranged father Thomas Markle says he's making a documentary to 'figure out what went wrong' between them
Thomas Markle told The Sun that he's working with a cinematographer on a documentary about his life with estranged daughter Meghan Markle. Thomas Markle said he's making a documentary about Meghan Markle - and he hopes it will help "figure out what went wrong" in their relationship. Thomas, who has not spoken with Meghan and Prince Harry since before their royal wedding in 2018, told The Sun that he is working with a cinematographer and hopes to complete the project later this year.
CelebrityINSIDERRupert Grint says fame is the one thing he, Emma Watson, and Daniel Radcliffe never talk about together
In an interview with The Sunday Times, Rupert Grint said that fame is the one subject he and fellow "Harry Potter" stars Emma Watson and Daniel Radcliffe never talk about together. Grint said: "Potter happened at such a young age and I found it hard to deal with the fame side of things." Rupert Grint said that fame is the one topic that he and his former "Harry Potters" costars Emma Watson and Daniel Radcliffe never talk about.
“If you’re looking to win elections, it is probably best not to urge your supporters not to vote.”
“Warnock’s portrayal of himself as a dog lover, a means of overcoming white suspicions of Black men, smacked of pure genius.”
“Trump has done damage to the Republican brand among suburban voters that goes well beyond just races where he is on the ballot.”
“Once more, Democrats must profusely thank activist Stacey Abrams.”
“Overall, demographic trends show that the state’s electorate is becoming younger and more diverse each year.”