U.S.TheGrioHouston police veteran lied about entering Capitol, feds say
Tam Dinh Pham of the Houston police department was part of the deadly mob that stormed the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6. A veteran Houston police officer is in trouble after attending the U.S. Capitol riots in Washington, D.C., then lying about it. Officer Tam Dinh Pham joined the deadly mob that stormed the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6.
WorldReutersU.S. blacklists oil traders, tankers for undermining Venezuela sanctions
The United States on Tuesday sanctioned a network of oil trading firms, individuals and vessels that have helped Venezuelan state-run oil company PDVSA sell crude mainly to Asia despite Washington's sanctions on the South American nation. The measure targets a network that the U.S. Treasury Department says helped the administration of President Nicolas Maduro, whose 2018 re-election Washington called a sham, broker the sale of hundreds of millions of dollars in Venezuelan oil. "Those facilitating the illegitimate Maduro regime's attempts to circumvent United States sanctions contribute to the corruption that consumes Venezuela," Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said in a news release.
PoliticsThe WeekTrump is reportedly just going up to people and asking if they want a pardon
President Trump has spent the last few days asking his friends, aides, and associates if they would like pardons — even those who are not facing any charges, a senior administration official told The Washington Post. In one case, the official said, Trump offered a pardon to a person who declined the chance at clemency, saying they weren't in any legal trouble and hadn't committed any crimes. Trump has taken a great interest in pardoning people, the Post reports, even calling families to personally let them know he granted a pardon.
PoliticsThe IndependentIvanka praises her own work in farewell message as bitter Don Jr compares Biden to Disney’s Uncle Scar
Ivanka Trump praised her work for American families in a farewell message as bitter Don Jr compared Joe Biden to Disney's Uncle Scar. Ms Trump took to Twitter to highlight her successes and achievements while her older brother instead took a bizarre shot at the president-elect on Instagram. Meanwhile, Ms Trump wished Joe Biden “courage and strength” and said she was “excited for the future” as she leaves Washington DC for Florida.
HealthReutersModerna says possible allergic reactions to COVID-19 vaccine under investigation
The company's comments come after California's top epidemiologist on Sunday issued a statement recommending providers pause vaccination from lot no. 41L20A due to possible allergic reactions that are under investigation. The vaccine maker said it was unaware of comparable cases of adverse events from other vaccination centers which may have administered vaccines from the same lot or from other lots of its vaccine. A total of 307,300 doses from the lot remain in storage, Moderna said, of the total 1,272,200 doses that were produced in the batch.
- ScienceReuters Videos
Chinese scientists may have key to delaying ageing
Scientists in Beijing may be one step closer to having the answer to living longer and reversing the effects of ageing. A group of biologists at the Chinese Academy of Sciences say they have developed a world-first new gene therapy and have been running tests on mice. It involved screening around 10,000 genes in search of particularly strong drivers of cellular ageing.
EntertainmentArchitectural DigestThe Coolest New Automotive Technology at CES 2021
Mercedes-Benz's Hyperscreen, General Motors' Bright Drop, and Jeep's Electric Wrangler were among the unveils that turned heads Originally Appeared on Architectural Digest
PoliticsThe WeekTrump's White House staff and alumni are reportedly using the same excuse to skip his big sendoff
Anthony Scaramucci was right: The White House appears to be having trouble rounding up a sizable crowd for President Trump's official send-off from Joint Base Andrews in Maryland on Wednesday. "In what looks like a desperate attempt to build a crowd for the crowd-obsessed president, an email has been making the rounds to current and former White House officials inviting them, and as many as five plus-ones, to Trump's elaborate exit ceremony," Politico reported Tuesday morning. "Former White House officials and campaign staffers who would typically land plum jobs in corporate America after serving their time are now out in the cold," Politico says.
PoliticsThe IndependentJoe Biden cries in emotional speech before heading to Washington DC for Inauguration Day
In a deeply personal and at times emotional speech, President-elect Joe Biden delivered a final goodbye to his hometown of Delaware on Tuesday before departing for the White House, thanking his supporters and the state he said helped raise him. “It's kind of emotional for me,” Mr Biden said behind tears. The president-elect, who was set to be sworn in on the footsteps of the US Capitol on Wednesday, recalled meeting his wife, soon-to-be First Lady Dr Jill Biden, in the state where he served as a US Senator.
U.S.NBC NewsGeorgia lawyer said he kicked in Pelosi's door, she could've been 'torn into little pieces'
A Georgia lawyer boasted that he and fellow rioters "kicked in Nancy Pelosi's office door" and the House speaker dodged being "torn into little pieces," according to a criminal complaint. William McCall Calhoun Jr., an attorney from Americus, Georgia, has been charged with entering a restricted building, violent or disorderly conduct and obstructing official proceedings of government, according to an FBI affidavit seeking his arrest. The FBI's National Threat operation Center received a tip that Calhoun documented — in words and video on social media — his role in the deadly Jan. 6 riot at the U.S. Capitol Building, according to the affidavit.
WorldTheGrioBlack woman deported after facing backlash for viral Bali post
After facing backlash for a viral Twitter thread about moving to Bali, a Black woman is officially being deported. A Black American woman has faced backlash on Twitter after posting about relocating to Bali, Indonesia. In a now-deleted thread, Kristin Grey tweeted on January 16, 2020, about how moving to Bali with her girlfriend was a “game-changer.”
PoliticsThe WeekChief Justice John Roberts reportedly wants no part of Trump's impeachment trial
Constitutionally-speaking, Chief Justice John Roberts is meant to preside over President Trump's impeachment trial, but he apparently wants out, Politico reports. Multiple Republican and Democratic sources have reportedly told Politico that Roberts is seeking a way to avoid the job because of how things played out when he oversaw Trump's first impeachment trial last year. Roberts, Politico notes, has worked hard to keep the Supreme Court apolitical during his tenure, so he was reportedly displeased that he "became a top target of the left" during the proceedings.
U.S.The IndependentTrump ends term with ‘patriotic education’ report which makes excuses for slavery and calls anti-abortion movement ‘great reform’
The White House has released a report by the 1776 commission that pushes for "patriotic education" that teaches the country's history with "with reverence and love" and says that slavery was not "a uniquely American evil". The commission, which was created in response to The New York Times Magazine's 1619 project which “reframes American history around the consequences of slavery and the contributions of Black Americans”, released their report on MLK day. The report attempts to defend slave-owning founding fathers against charges that they were hypocrites who “didn't believe in their stated principles,” and that “the country they built rests on a lie".
U.S.CBS NewsMega Millions winning numbers announced for $865 million jackpot
Those feeling lucky have a chance Tuesday night to win the Mega Millions estimated $865 million jackpot, the game's largest in at least two years. The bounty has reached those heights because there hasn't been a winner since mid-September. An $865 million payout would be Mega Millions' second largest, behind only a $1.54 billion bonanza won in 2018.
PoliticsThe IndependentJosh Hawley blocks Biden cabinet appointment
Josh Hawley has blocked the quick confirmation of Joe Biden's pick to lead the Department of Homeland Security. The Missouri senator announced that he would hold up the nomination of Alejandro Mayorkas just hours before the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs was set to complete its hearing with the nominee. “Mr Mayorkas has not adequately explained how he will enforce federal law and secure the southern border given President-elect Biden's promise to roll back major enforcement and security measures,” Mr Hawley said in a statement.
PoliticsBusiness InsiderTrump is considering starting the 'Patriot Party' after facing criticism from top Republicans over Capitol riot, The Wall Street Journal reports
Donald Trump may launch a new political party after leaving office, The Wall Street Journal reported. The report comes after Sen. Mitch McConnell blamed Trump for this month's riot at the US Capitol. Embittered by critical comments from some top Republicans, outgoing President Donald Trump is considering a launch of a new third party, The Wall Street Journal reported on Tuesday.
PoliticsThe IndependentWho is Dr Jill Biden? Getting to know America’s next First Lady
For Dr Biden, who has four university degrees, always vowed to continue her work as a community college professor even if her husband became the world's most powerful politician. “If we get to the White House, I'm gonna continue to teach,” she told CBS News in November. After Mr Biden was sworn in as Barack Obama's vice president in January 2009, Dr Biden continued to teach at Northern Virginia Community College, with her secret service detail dressing like students to blend in.
PoliticsThe IndependentWho is Michael Boulos? Tiffany Trump announces engagement to Lebanon-born business executive
After Tiffany Trump, 27, announced that she was engaged the day before her father's presidency ends, the question many people were asking was who exactly was the man who'd won her heart. Step forward Michael Boulos, a 23-year-old business executive who was first photographed with Ms Trump in 2018. Ms Trump later introduced Mr Boulos to her family during Thanksgiving 2018 at Mar-a-Lago in Florida.
PoliticsThe IndependentDonald Trump Jr shares doctored Biden video in last minute attack before father leaves office
Donald Trump Jr has taken one final false swing at President-elect Joe Biden before his father leaves office on Inauguration Day by sharing a doctored video of him on Twitter. The president's eldest son was called out by a fact-checker on Tuesday for promoting the fake clip, which attempted to show Mr Biden lost and confused on stage at an event on 16 January. Nonprofit fact-checker Politifact reported on Tuesday that the video had in fact been edited to promote a false narrative.
PoliticsUSA TODAYFact check: Chatham County, Georgia, stopped counting votes when staff ran out of ballots
The claim: A dump of ballots happened after election officials in Georgia stopped counting The Georgia Jan. 5 Senate runoff elections became the target of a false claim of fraud that echoed the November general election. Shortly after Democrats Raphael Warnock and Jon Ossoff were projected the winners of the Georgia Senate runoff races, some took to social media to cast doubt on the election's legitimacy. One viral post on Facebook claims election officials stopped counting votes at 11:05 p.m.
PoliticsBusiness InsiderSecretary of State Mike Pompeo's departing message to the US is that multiculturalism is 'not who America is'
The outgoing secretary of state, Mike Pompeo, on Tuesday decried multiculturalism as un-American. Pompeo was excoriated on Twitter for his comments. On his last full day as the top US diplomat and just one day after Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo deemed multiculturalism to be un-American.
EntertainmentArchitectural Digest19 Stylish Bar Cabinets to Elevate Your Space in 2021
Store your stemware and sauvignon blanc in style Originally Appeared on Architectural Digest
PoliticsAssociated PressBiden immigration plan opposed by GOP, conservative groups
Republican lawmakers and conservative groups opposed President-elect Joe Biden's forthcoming immigration plan Tuesday as massive amnesty for people in the U.S. illegally, underscoring that the measure faces an uphill fight in a Congress that Democrats control just narrowly. In a further complication, several pro-immigration groups said they would press Biden to go even further and take steps such as immediate moratoriums on deportations, detentions and new arrests. Coupled with the discomfort an immigration push could cause for moderate Democrats, liberals' demands illustrated the pressures facing Biden as four years of President Donald Trump's restrictive and often harsh immigration policies come to an end.
U.S.The Daily BeastBeverly Hills Doctor Who Pushed Trump’s Favorite COVID Drug Arrested in Capitol Riots
A Beverly Hills doctor who's publicly criticized the coronavirus vaccine and advocated for hydroxychloroquine as a treatment against the deadly virus has been arrested in connection with the Capitol riots. Dr. Simone Gold, 55, was among three Los Angeles residents who were arrested on Monday in connection with the insurrection. Gina Bisignano, the 52-year-old owner of Gina's Eyelashes and Skincare, and 37-year-old John Strand are also facing charges.
PoliticsAxiosGOP leaders skip Trump send-off in favor of church with Biden
Congressional leaders, including House GOP leader Kevin McCarthy and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, will skip President Trump's departure ceremony in Maryland tomorrow morning in favor of attending mass with incoming President Joe Biden ahead of his inauguration, congressional sources familiar with their plans tell Axios. Why it matters: Their decision is a clear sign of unity before Biden takes the oath of office. What we're hearing: The Catholic service will take place at St. Matthew's Cathedral in downtown Washington, D.C., about 10 blocks from the White House.
“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.”