LIVE: Donald Trump impeached for historic second time over US Capitol riots

Latest live news updates: The House of Representatives voted on Wednesday to make Donald Trump the first US president ever to be impeached twice, formally charging him in his waning days in power with inciting an insurrection just a week after a violent mob of his supporters stormed the Capitol.

The vote in the Democratic-controlled House was 232-197 following a deadly assault on American democracy, with 10 Republicans joining the Democrats in backing impeachment.

In another news, the North Delhi Municipal Corporation on Wednesday imposed a ban on sale and storage of poultry or processed chicken meat by shops and restaurants with immediate effect, in view of the bird flu situation in the national capital. 

Earlier in the day, the Enforcement Directorate arrested former TMC MP K D Singh in a money laundering case. They said Singh has been placed under arrest under sections of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).

 
Stay tuned for the latest news of the day.

LIVE UPDATES

Trump says he unequivocally condemns violence seen last week

Trump says he unequivocally condemns violence seen last week. He said no true supporter of his could condone political violence and said, “If you do any of these things you are not supporting our movement”.
 
Trump also said he is asking everyone who has supported his agenda should look for ways to ease tensions.
 

Trump does not mention impeachment in video remarks posted to Twitter

Parler asks US court to order Amazon to restore service to social media app

Parler, a social media outlet favored by some supporters of US President Donald Trump, urged a court Wednesday to order Amazon.com Inc to put it back online.
 
Amazon had shut down Parler following the Jan. 6 riot by Trump supporters at the Capitol aimed at preventing Democrat Joe Biden from becoming president. Parler filed a lawsuit against Amazon on Jan. 11, accusing it of making an illegal decision to shut it down to benefit Twitter Inc.
 
In its filing, Parler argued that Amazon Web Services breached its contract by cutting it off. Amazon earlier had said it had warned Parler about ugly and threatening language on its site, citing posts with vile language used to describe former first lady Michelle Obama, as well as postings such as "the only good democrat is a dead one. Kill'em all." Parler defended the insults to Obama as hateful but covered by the Constitution. The threat, the respondent said, "has been passed on to our regulator contact for investigation." In its filing Wednesday, Parler said it had removed most problematic posts.
 
A second exhibit showed Parler postings that threatened specific acts of violence against people, some of whom are named while others are described as "liberals" or black, gay, Jewish or transgender.
 
"We explained that given the events at the US Capitol Building and the threats regarding the upcoming inauguration, we had real concern about this content leading to more violence," an unnamed Amazon executive said in a statement included with the exhibits, referring to Biden's inauguration on Jan 20.
 
Parler CEO John Matze said in an interview with Reuters that he was unsure if the app, which had more than 12 million users, will ever go back online. "It could be never," he said.
 

McConnell says inauguration should be focus before trial

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell told Republican senators he’s reached no decision on whether he’ll vote to convict President Donald Trump on the House’s impeachment charge, and he doesn’t plan to call an emergency session to begin the Senate trial before Jan. 19.
 
In a letter to GOP colleagues obtained by Bloomberg, McConnell said regardless of when the Senate trial begins, there won’t be time to reach a verdict before Trump leaves office on Jan. 20.
 
“There has never been any chance that any fair or appropriate trial would conclude before President-elect Biden is sworn in,” McConnell said. “In light of this reality, I believe it will serve our nation best if both Congress and the executive branch spend the next seven days completely focused on facilitating a safe inauguration and an orderly transfer of power to the incoming Biden administration.”
 
The House voted 232-197 Wednesday to impeach Trump on one article charging him with incitement of insurrection. Ten Republicans joined with all Democrats in favor of impeachment.
 

No chance of "fair" trial until after Trump leaves office says Senate leader

Parler CEO says social media app, favored by Trump supporters, may not return

Social media platform Parler, which has gone dark after being cut off by major service providers that accused the app of failing to police violent content, may never get back online, said its CEO John Matze.
 
As a procession of business vendors severed ties with the two-year-old site following the storming of the US Capitol last week, Matze said in an interview with Reuters on Wednesday that he does not know when or if it will return.
 
"It could be never," he said. "We don't know yet." The app said in a legal filing it has over 12 million users.
 
Matze said that Parler was talking to more than one cloud computing service but refused to disclose names, citing the likelihood of harassment for the companies involved. He said the best thing would be if Parler could get back on Amazon.
 
Parler on Monday filed a lawsuit against the company, which Amazon.com Inc said has no merit. Matze said the company was considering suing other vendors but declined to say more.
 
Amazon cut Parler, a platform favored by supporters of US President Donald Trump, off its servers this weekend for failing to effectively moderate violent content. Apple Inc and Alphabet Inc's Google also kicked Parler from their app stores.
 
"It's hard to keep track of how many people are telling us that we can no longer do business with them," said Matze.
 
Amazon on Tuesday filed exhibits that showed it had warned Parler late last year about vile and threatening language on its site before cutting off the platform after the attack on the US Capitol.
 
Matze said Parler had also been booted from online payments service Stripe and from American Express and had lost its Scylla Enterprise database. Parler could not send SMS messages after being banned by Twilio and could not use Slack to contact its "jury" of paid and volunteer users who make Parler content moderation decisions after being ditched by the workplace messaging app.
 
The vendors did not immediately respond to Reuters requests to comment.
 
Matze said that some Parler employees had requested to take a few weeks off work and also said he and staff had received threats and people showing up at their houses.
 
He said there had been no changes to investors in Parler, which gets funding from hedge fund investor Robert Mercer and his daughter Rebekah Mercer.
 

House impeaches Trump after US Capitol siege; his fate in Senate hands

The House of Representatives voted on Wednesday to make Donald Trump the first US president ever to be impeached twice, formally charging him in his waning days in power with inciting an insurrection just a week after a violent mob of his supporters stormed the Capitol.
 
The vote in the Democratic-controlled House was 232-197 following a deadly assault on American democracy, with 10 Republicans joining the Democrats in backing impeachment.
 
But it appeared unlikely that the extraordinarily swift impeachment would lead to Trump's ouster before the Republican president's four-year term ends and Democratic President-elect Joe Biden is inaugurated on Jan. 20. The Senate's Republican majority leader, Mitch McConnell, rejected Democratic calls to convene the Senate in emergency session to begin an immediate impeachment trial, according to a spokesman.
 
The House passed a single article of impeachment - a formal charge - accusing Trump of "incitement of insurrection," focused upon an incendiary speech he delivered to thousands of supporters shortly before the pro-Trump mob rampaged through the Capitol. The mob disrupted the formal certification of Biden's victory over Trump in the Nov. 3 election, sent lawmakers into hiding and left five people dead, including a police officer.
 
During his speech, Trump repeated false claims that the election was fraudulent and exhorted supporters to march on the Capitol. Read more


Majority of House votes to impeach Trump after US Capitol siege

A majority of the House of Representatives voted on Wednesday to make Donald Trump the first US president ever to be impeached twice, formally charging him in his waning days in power with inciting an insurrection just a week after a violent mob of his supporters stormed the Capitol.
 
With the vote ongoing, a majority of lawmakers in the Democratic-controlled chamber voted in favor of impeachment over an incident that represented a deadly assault on American democracy.
 
But it appeared unlikely that the extraordinarily swift impeachment would lead to Trump's ouster before the Republican president's four-year term ends and Democratic President-elect Joe Biden is inaugurated on Jan. 20. The Senate's Republican majority leader, Mitch McConnell, rejected Democratic calls to convene the Senate in emergency session to begin an immediate impeachment trial, according to a spokesman.
 
The House passed a single article of impeachment - a formal charge - accusing Trump of "incitement of insurrection," focused upon an incendiary speech he delivered to thousands of supporters shortly before the pro-Trump mob rampaged through the Capitol. The mob disrupted the formal certification of Biden's victory over Trump in the Nov. 3 election, sent lawmakers into hiding and left five people dead, including a police officer.
 

Donald Trump impeached, again

US House begins vote to impeach Trump for a second time

Wall Steet gains steadily while impeachment hearings get underway

Wall Street's three major indexes were advancing slightly after Wednesday's choppy morning session as investors appeared to be taking a wait-and-see approach while Congress began impeachment hearings.
 
Intel Corp was the S&P's biggest percentage gainer, up more than 7%, after the chipmaker announced the replacement of its Chief Executive Officer Bob Swan with VMware Inc CEO Pat Gelsinger next month.
 
The S&P added to gains later in the afternoon right after the Federal Reserve released its "Beige Book" report. It, however, showed US economic activity increasing modestly in recent weeks as employment dropped in a growing number of Fed districts due to a surge in coronavirus infections.
 
Wall Street's main indexes had hit record highs last week on expectations for a hefty Covid-19 relief package even as an attack on Capitol Hill ramped up political uncertainty.
 
As US House of Representatives gathered to consider a second impeachment for President Donald Trump after the Capitol invasion by his supporters which left five dead, some investors worried that was whether impeachment could delay stimulus or other parts of in-coming President Joe Biden's agenda.
 
"The headlines coming in are causing some near term jitters but it looks like investors are looking past that to the rest of the year," said Shawn Cruz, senior market strategist at TD Ameritrade in Jersey City, New Jersey.
 
While defensive sectors such as utilities and real estate were leading percentage gains among the 11 major S&P sectors, the biggest losers were the more economically sensitive cyclical sectors such as materials and industrials.
 
"Investors are in wait-and-see mode for now ... if you're moving to the sidelines you probably might want to be moving out of cyclicals," said Cruz.
 
By 2:29 p.m. ET (1929 GMT), the Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 72.19 points, or 0.23%, to 31,140.88, the S&P 500 gained 18.68 points, or 0.49%, to 3,819.87 and the Nasdaq Composite added 93.67 points, or 0.72%, to 13,166.11.
 
Eight of the 11 major S&P sectors were gaining ground. After boasting a record closing high in the previous day's session, the Russell 2000 pulled back slightly and gains in the S&P growth index outperformed the value index.
 

US Chamber expects high-level Chinese visit early in Biden administration

The US Chamber of Commerce sees "every indication" that a high-ranking delegation of Chinese officials will visit Washington early in the administration of President-elect Joe Biden, a top Chamber official said on Wednesday.
 
Myron Brilliant, head of international affairs for the business group, told reporters such a visit could help lay the groundwork for improved relations between the United States and China and progress in an expanded trade agreement.
 
"There are some challenges that we have to overcome in the relationship, and it's not going to be a straight line. It's going to be a bumpy road ahead," he said.
Brilliant gave no details and said he would not speculate on a possible date for the visit.
 
He said the Chamber would urge Biden and his top trade officials to offer some immediate relief to US companies and farmers from nearly $400 billion in tariffs imposed on Chinese imports by the Trump administration.
 
A spokesman for the Biden transition team declined comment on the prospects for a high-level visit by Chinese officials.
 

YouTube resists pressure to ban Trump channel, sticks with three strikes rule

YouTube is reviewing US President Donald Trump's account the same as any other, meaning he will not be banned unless he violates the service's policies three times in 90 days, said Sundar Pichai, chief executive of Google parent Alphabet Inc, on Wednesday.
 
Trump violated YouTube's rules with an upload on Tuesday, generating one strike. It was among hundreds of political videos YouTube has removed since the United States certified the results of its presidential election, Pichai said.
 
Speaking during the Reuters Next conference, Pichai also said there were good "initial proposals" in the United States and Europe to regulate content moderation by requiring companies have clear policies and let users appeal decisions and modify posts.
 
"Those all to me make sense," he said in an interview with Reuters Editor-in-Chief Stephen Adler. "There are areas where there can be specific regulation based on the type of content, but we have to tackle that narrowly."
 
Pichai said the videos removed from YouTube violated company policies, without specifying which one. YouTube bans videos that incite violence or make false claims about widespread voter fraud.
 
YouTube also blocked Trump for posting for one week, but it has received employee criticism and been threatened with an advertiser boycott for not removing his account altogether.
 
Twitter Inc banned Trump's account after his supporters attacked the Capitol last week. Facebook Inc suspended his account for at least two weeks, though the company's Chief Operating Officer Sheryl Sandberg said during Reuters Next that she did not expect his access would be restored.
 
After the seven-day suspension ends, Pichai said YouTube will take future action based on what videos the Trump account posts.
 

Companies donated $170 million to GOP election objectors: Report

Corporations and industry groups have donated at least $170 million in recent years to Republicans who rejected President-elect Joe Biden's victory over President Donald Trump, according to a new report by a government watchdog group.
 
The report by Public Citizen examines corporate and trade association contributions made since the 2016 election cycle to the 147 members of Congress who, at Trump's behest, last week objected to the certification of November's election.
 
Giving by such trade groups and corporate PACs has come under intense scrutiny in the wake of the deadly insurrection by Trump supporters, who stormed the Capitol to stop the vote.
 
Many companies have since said they will avoid making donations to members of the House and Senate who voted to overturn Biden's win.
 
Other companies have temporarily postponed political giving to both political parties. Read more


US lawmakers' comments on impeachment of President Donald Trump

Following are comments on the US House of Representatives vote on Wednesday on the impeachment of President Donald Trump. Unless noted otherwise, remarks were made on the House floor.
 
HOUSE SPEAKER NANCY PELOSI, DEMOCRAT OF CALIFORNIA
 
"We cannot escape history. We know that the president of the United States incited this insurrection, this armed rebellion.
... He must go. He is a clear and present danger to the nation that we all love. The president must be impeached, and I believe the president must be convicted by the Senate, a constitutional remedy that will ensure that the republic will be safe from this man who was so resolutely determined to tear down the things that we hold dear and that hold us together. ... Democrats and Republicans, I ask you to search your souls and answer these questions: Is the president's war on democracy in keeping with the Constitution? Were his words and insurrectionary mob a high crime and a misdemeanor? Do we not have a duty to our oath to do all we constitutionally can to protect our nation and our democracy from the appetites and ambitions of a man who has self-evidently demonstrated that he is a vital threat to liberty, to self-government and to the rule of law?"
 
HOUSE MINORITY LEADER KEVIN MCCARTHY, REPUBLICAN OF CALIFORNIA
 
"I believe impeaching the president in such a short time frame would be a mistake. No investigations have been completed and no hearings have been held. What's more, the Senate has confirmed that no trial will begin until after President-elect Biden is sworn in. That doesn't mean the president is free from fault. The president bears responsibility for Wednesday's attack on Congress by mob rioters. He should have immediately denounced the mob when he saw what was unfolding. We must unite once again as Americans. I understand that for some this call for unity may ring hollow. But times like these are when we must remember who we are as Americans and what we as a nation stand for." Read more
 

Six Republicans back Trump impeachment after storming of US Capitol

After spending four years defending President Donald Trump's behavior, a growing number of Republican lawmakers have said they will vote to impeach him on charges that he incited his supporters to carry out the deadly Jan. 6 attack on Congress.
 
Below are some of the Republicans who said they will vote for impeachment when the House of Representatives votes on Wednesday:
 
LIZ CHENEY
 
The No. 3 House Republican, Cheney was the most senior member of her party to vote against efforts to challenge the Jan. 6 Electoral College results confirming Trump's loss. The daughter of former Republican Vice President Dick Cheney is a rising star in the party.
 
DAN NEWHOUSE
 
Newhouse announced his intention to vote to impeach on the House floor during Wednesday's debate, drawing applause from the roughly two dozen Democrats on the floor.
 
ADAM KINZINGER
 
A frequent Trump critic, Kinzinger said Trump broke his oath of office by inciting his supporters to insurrection and used his position to attack the legislative branch of government.
 
JOHN KATKO
 
Katko was the first member of the House Republican caucus to say he would vote for impeachment.
 
FRED UPTON
 
Upton in November said Trump had shown no proof of his claims that his election defeat was the result of widespread fraud.
 
JAIME HERRERA BEUTLER
 
Herrera Beutler is a moderate from Washington state. "The president's offenses, in my reading of the Constitution, were impeachable based on the indisputable evidence we already have," she said in a statement.
 

20,000 national guard with lethal weapons being deployed in Washington

The Pentagon is deploying 20,000 National Guards with lethal weapons here, a week ahead of the inauguration, to prevent any violence as experienced on January 6, with intelligence agencies receiving information about move to create violence and chaos across the country.
 
As many as 15,000 have already been deployed in and around the Capitol Hill and another 5,000 would be added around the January 20 inauguration of President-elect Joe Biden. This is now twice the number of American troops in Afghanistan and Iraq combined.
 
As US House of Representatives started the impeachment proceedings against Trump, security was tightened in and around the Capitol Hill.
 
Not only metal detectors were installed, but also eight-feet high metal walls were erected overnight around the Capitol Hill. Read more

Members of the National Guard were deployed at the US Capitol ahead of the House vote

Trump admin shelves planned investment ban on Alibaba, Tencent, Baidu

The Trump administration has scrapped plans to blacklist Chinese tech giants Alibaba, Tencent and Baidu, four people familiar with the matter said, providing a brief reprieve to Beijing's top corporates amid a broader crackdown by Washington.
 
Senior officials in the administration had been considering plans to add the firms to a list of alleged Chinese military companies, which would have subjected them to a new US investment ban.
 
But Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, who is widely seen as taking a more dovish stance on China, pushed back, freezing the plans, the people said. Even so, the Trump administration plans to move forward this week with a bid to add as many as nine other Chinese companies to the list, one of the people said.
The Treasury and State Departments and the Pentagon did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Read more


 

Republican Senate leader McConnell not ruling out voting to convict Trump: office

US House sets stage for Donald Trump's historic second impeachment

A week after President Donald Trump’s supporters stormed the U. S. Capitol, the US House of Representatives gathered on Wednesday to impeach the president for his role in an assault on American democracy that stunned the nation and left five dead.
 
At least five Republicans have said they would join Democrats to impeach Trump for the second time.
 
A vote of the House majority to impeach would trigger a trial in the still Republican-controlled Senate, although it was unclear whether such a trial would take place in time to expel Trump from the White House.
 
Washington is on high alert after the riot and with a week to go in Trump's term. Thousands of National Guard troops were planned to be on hand and some members in fatigues, with weapons at hand, could be seen sleeping inside the Capitol building on Wednesday ahead of the session.
 
Democrats moved forward on an impeachment vote after Vice President Mike Pence rejected an effort to persuade him to invoke the 25th Amendment of the US Constitution to remove Trump.
 
“I do not believe that such a course of action is in the best interest of our Nation or consistent with our Constitution,” Pence said in a letter Tuesday evening to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.
 
Despite the letter, the House passed a resolution formally calling on Pence to act. The final vote was 223-205 in favor.
 
As the House prepared for the impeachment vote, there were signs Trump's once-dominant hold on the Republican Party was beginning to ebb. At least five House Republicans, including Liz Cheney, a member of her party’s leadership team, said they would vote for his second impeachment — a prospect no president before Trump has faced. Read more

US impeachement debate: Top Republican says it is 'mistake' to remove Trump quickly

Trump will sit in dustbins of American history, says Congressman Ami Bera

Indian-American Congressman Dr Ami Bera said on Wednesday that he will vote to impeach outgoing President Donald Trump, who "will sit in the dustbins" of the American history for his role in inciting insurrection against the great country. "The President will sit in the dustbins of American history for his role in inciting insurrection against our great country. I will vote to impeach President Trump," Dr Bera said on the floor of the US House of Representatives as it started the impeachment proceedings against Trump.


In an stinging attack on Trump, as the House started impeachment proceedings against him, the Indian American Congressman said that January 6th was a dark day in American history. "An armed mob of domestic extremists stormed the United States Capitol the seat of our democracy in an attempt to stop Congress from fulfilling its constitutional duty to certify the results of the presidential election, he said.


Trump, he alleged, laid the foundation for this insurrection. He spent months fomenting distrust in America's democratic process with wild conspiracy theories, used mob-like tactics to try to coerce state legislatures into overturning the votes of millions of Americans, and he encouraged his supporters to march on the Capitol with "strength," Bera said.

New York City ending business ties with Trump Organization, says Mayor Bill De Blasio

New York City will sever three contracts with the Trump Organization, Mayor Bill de Blasio said on Wednesday, accusing outgoing President Donald Trump of inciting the crowds that stormed the U.S. Capitol last week. "The president incited a rebellion against the United States government that killed five people and threatened to derail the constitutional transfer of power," de Blasio said in a statement. "The city of New York will not be associated with those unforgivable acts in any shape, way or form."


The company's contracts to operate a carousel in Manhattan's Central Park, skating rinks and a golf course in the Bronx are worth about $17 million a year, de Blasio said on MSNBC. Cancelling the golf course contracts could take "a number of months", while the others could be severed in 25-30 days, the mayor's office said in a statement. The New York-based Trump Organization did not immediately reply to a request for comment.


On Jan. 6, Trump addressed thousands of supporters, reiterating his unsupported claim that his re-election was stolen. He urged them to march to the Capitol where Congress was affirming President-elect Joe Biden's election by the Electoral College.

Shripad Naik's health normal, says Goa Medical College

Union Minister Shripad Naik's blood pressure is normal. Urinary and blood parameters are normal. AIIMS team is continuously monitoring his progress along with GMC doctors and said that there is no need to shift him to Delhi: Goa Medical College

As House deliberates, Senate Republicans mull starting Trump impeachment trial Friday

Republican leadership in the U.S. Senate is mulling the possibility of beginning an impeachment trial of President Donald Trump as early as Friday if the House of Representatives approves one article of impeachment, according to a Reuters.

The internal Senate discussions were unfolding as the Democratic-controlled House sped toward impeaching the president for his role in last week's siege of the U.S. Capitol, when Trump supporters breached the building's security, sent lawmakers fleeing and left five dead in their wake, including a police officer.

US Senate Republican leadership weighs possible start of impeachment trial

Republican leadership in the US Senate is mulling the possibility of beginning an impeachment trial of President Donald Trump as early as Friday if the House of Representatives approves one article of impeachment, according to Reuters.


The senior Senate Republican aide, who asked not to be identified, stressed that no decisions had yet been made on whether to take that step, Reuters reported.

Google to pause all political ads a week before Biden inauguration

Alphabet Inc's Google will pause political ads on all of its platforms starting Jan. 14, following last week's violence at the U.S. Capitol, according to an email to advertisers seen by Reuters. The email said the action was taken "following the unprecedented events of the past week and ahead of the upcoming presidential inauguration." It said Google was planning to keep this policy in place until at least Jan. 21, the day after the inauguration.


Google had lifted its temporary ban on election-related advertisements, which came into effect after polls closed in the U.S. presidential election and aimed to curb misinformation and other abuses on its platforms, on Dec. 10. It said it was now extending the limited version of its "Sensitive Event" policy that had been in place since protesters stormed the Capitol on Jan. 6. In a statement, Google said it would "temporarily pause all political ads in addition to any ads referencing impeachment, the inauguration, or protests at the U.S. Capitol."


It said there would not be any carve-outs for news or merchandise advertisers. Facebook Inc also paused political ads after the Nov. 3 presidential election, only briefly unfreezing ads around the Georgia Senate runoffs earlier this month. In the email, which was first reported by Axios, Google also reminded advertisers of its policy against ads that promote hate or incite violence: "Given the events of the last week, we are extremely vigilant about enforcing on any ads that might reasonably be construed as crossing this line," it said.

 

US House charges toward Trump impeachment as some Republicans join effort

A week after President Donald Trump's supporters stormed the US Capitol, the House of Representatives began an emotional debate on Wednesday on impeaching him for his role in an assault on American democracy that stunned the world and left five dead.

 
At least five Republicans have said they would join Democrats in voting for an article of impeachment - a formal charge - of inciting an insurrection, although just seven days remain for a Senate trial to expel Trump from office. If the Democratic-led House approves it, Trump would become the first president impeached twice.

Major blaze in Kolkata's Bagbazar, 24 fire tenders at spot

A major fire broke out at a slum in Kolkata's Bagbazar area on Wednesday evening, officials said. At least 24 fire tenders were pressed into service as the blaze engulfed several houses in the slum on Kshirode Vidyavinode Avenue beside the Bagbazar Women's College near the Chitpore Lock Gate Bridge, they said. Blasts were heard in the slum which police suspect to be of gas cylinders at the houses on fire, officials said.


There were no reports of any casualty as most of the people were evacuated on time, they said. The blaze also spread to the adjacent Sarada Mayer Bari as the firefighters escorted the saints out, an officer of the fire department said. "The reason for the fire is not yet known. The firemen are fighting it tooth and nail and hopefully, it will soon be under control. We have emptied the entire area. There were several blasts, which could be because of the gas cylinders," a senior officer of the Kolkata Police said.


Locals alleged that firefighters reached the spot at least an hour late, because of which the blaze went out of control. A couple of police vehicles were vandalised, following which a team of the Rapid Action Force (RAF) was deployed to control the irate mob, the officer said.

Airbnb cancels all Washington reservations during Biden inauguration on Jan 20

Actions of president of the US demand urgent, clear action by Congress: Democrat of Maryland

Actions of president of the US demand urgent, clear action by Congress: Democrat of Maryland

We will impeach the president of the United States twice: Democrat of Florida

Following are comments on the US House of Representatives vote on Wednesday on the impeachment of President Donald Trump.

HOUSE RULES COMMITTEE CHAIR JIM MCGOVERN, DEMOCRAT OF MASSACHUSETTS
 
"We are debating this historic measure at an actual crime scene and we wouldn't be here if it weren't for the president of the United States. This was a well-organized attack on our country that was incited by Donald Trump."
 
HOUSE MAJORITY LEADER STENY HOYER, DEMOCRAT OF MARYLAND
 
"There are consequences to actions and the actions of the president of the United States demand urgent, clear action by the Congress of the United States."
 
US REPRESENTATIVE VAL DEMINGS, DEMOCRAT OF FLORIDA
 
"We will impeach the president of the United States twice: the first time this has been done in history. This is all about accountability, holding this president accountable" US REPRESENTATIVE JASON CROW, DEMOCRAT OF COLORADO "He will be impeached twice because he needs to be impeached twice."

House Democrats are confident they have the votes to impeach even as more Republicans abandon Trump

House Democrats are confident they have the votes to impeach even as more Republicans abandon Donald Trump

LIVE: Mike Pence refuses to remove Donald Trump, reports NDTV

Democrats moved forward on an impeachment vote after a effort to persuade Vice President Mike Pence to invoke the 25th Amendment of the U.S. Constitution to remove Trump was rejected by Pence on Tuesday evening, according to NDTV.
 
"I do not believe that such a course of action is in the best interest of our Nation or consistent with our Constitution," Pence said in a letter to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.
 
Despite the letter, the House passed a resolution formally calling on Pence to act. The final vote was 223-205 in favor.

Washington is on high alert after the riot and with a week to go in Donald Trump's term

Washington is on high alert after the riot and with a week to go in Donald Trump's term

US House of Representatives begins debate on impeaching Donald Trump

A week after President Donald Trump's supporters stormed the U.S. Capitol, the House of Representatives gathered on Wednesday to consider impeaching him for his role in an assault on American democracy that stunned the nation and left five dead.
 
At least five Republicans have said they would join Democrats in voting for an article of impeachment--a formal charge--of inciting an insurrection just seven days before he is due to leave office and President-elect Joe Biden is sworn in on Jan. 20. If the House approves it, Trump would become the first president impeached twice.
 
A majority vote in the House to impeach would trigger a trial in the Republican-controlled Senate, although it was unclear whether such a trial would take place in time to expel Trump from office. As lawmakers debated the matter, National Guard troops and police were stationed around the Capitol to provide security. READ ON...

President Donald Trump gravely endangered the security of United States: Impeachment Article (IANS)

The impeachment article against Donald Trump says: "President Trump gravely endangered the security of the United States and its institutions of Government. He threatened the integrity of the democratic system, interfered with the peaceful transition of power, and imperiled a coequal branch of Government. He thereby betrayed his trust as President, to the manifest injury of the people of the United States."
 

Donald Trump betrayed his trust as President: Impeachment Article (IANS)

The impeachment article against Donald Trump says: "President Trump gravely endangered the security of the United States and its institutions of Government. He threatened the integrity of the democratic system, interfered with the peaceful transition of power, and imperiled a coequal branch of Government. He thereby betrayed his trust as President, to the manifest injury of the people of the United States."

House Majority Leader Hoyer says he would send articles of impeachment to US Senate immediately: NBC News

House Majority Leader Hoyer says he would send articles of impeachment to US Senate immediately: NBC News

218 votes needed to impeach the US President Donald Trump

215+ House Democrats, five House Republicans support impeaching US President Donald Trump

US Congress should not rush into impeachment, says Republican Party: Independent Report

US Congress should not rush into impeachment, says Republican Party: Independent Report

New York City to cut contracts with Donald Trump organization, says mayor

New York City will sever three contracts with the Trump Organization, Mayor Bill de Blasio said on Wednesday, accusing President Donald Trump of inciting the crowds that stormed the U.S. Capitol last week.
 
"The president incited a rebellion against the United States government that killed five people and threatened to derail the constitutional transfer of power," de Blasio said in a statement. "The city of New York will not be associated with those unforgivable acts in any shape, way or form."
 
On Jan. 6, Trump addressed thousands of supporters, reiterating his unsupported claim that his re-election was stolen. He urged them to march to the Capitol where Congress was affirming Joe Biden's election by the Electoral College. The crowd quickly overwhelmed Capitol security, with many of them entering the building and forcing a halt to the proceedings as lawmakers took cover in a secure location. Five people died as a result of the rampage.
 
A criminal investigation is underway and charges have been filed against dozens of people suspected of having taken part. The New York-based Trump Organization's contracts to operate a carousel in Manhattan's Central Park, skating rinks and a golf course in the Bronx are worth about $17 million a year, de Blasio said on MSNBC.

 

Donald Trump set to be impeached for second time as debate begins in US House of Representatives

Donald Trump set to be impeached for second time as debate begins in US House of Representatives

At least five House Republicans have said they'll vote to impeach Donald Trump

At least five House Republicans have said they'll vote to impeach Donald Trump, according to ABC News.

GOP lawmaker expects more Republicans to impeach Donald Trump

Republican Rep Adam Kinzinger is predicting more Republicans will join him in voting to impeach President Donald Trump. The House is set to vote Wednesday afternoon on impeaching Trump for a second time, accusing him of rallying a violent mob of supporters to attack the U.S. Capitol last week. If that isn't an impeachable offense, Kinzinger said,
 
I don't know what is. Several other Republicans are backing impeachment, including No 3 GOP leader Liz Cheney. This is one of these moments that transcends politics, the Illinois lawmaker told CBS This Morning in an interview ahead of the vote.
 
Besides Kinzinger and Cheney, other Republicans backing impeachment are John Katko of New York, Fred Upton of Michigan and Jaime Herrera Beutler of Washington. Kinzinger wouldn't say how many more GOP lawmakers might vote to impeach, but said, there'll be more than the five you've seen so far.

LIVE: US House of representatives begins debate on impeaching Donald Trump

The Democratic-controlled House of Representatives is moving to impeach outgoing US President Donald Trump for the second time in his tenure, within the span of 12 months. That's happening on Wednesday and here's how the day is likely to shape up, give or take some time delays and twists.

But first a slice of history. If the momentum holds and Trump does end up getting impeached, it will be for the first time in the country's 244-year history that a sitting US President gets impeached for a second time. It is already the fourth time a President is facing impeachment proceedings, and Trump accounts for 50 per cent of that total. The other two US presidents on that list: Andrew Johnson and Bill Clinton.
 
The big difference between Trump's last impeachment and this one is that the ground has opened underneath the Republican - after the attack on the US Capitol, after Senate control evaporated but not necessarily in that order. Unlike the last time Trump was impeached, when no House Republicans supported charges against him, the Republican support for impeaching Trump this time is growing, by the hour.

US House set to vote on impeachment of Donald Trump over role in Capitol assault

Maharashtra: Over 11,000 birds culled in Latur district

Over 11,000 birds have been culled in Kendrewadi and Sukni villages in Latur district of Maharashtra to stop the spread of bird flu infection, a senior official said on Wednesday. He said report on the sample of birds found dead in Vanjarwadi village, also in Latur district, is awaited.
 
"The administration has culled 11,064 birds in Kendrewadi and Sukni villages in the radius of one-km of the area where samples of birds had tested positive for bird flu. The culling process in these two villages is complete. We will send a report to the state government by tomorrow," Latur collector B P Prithviraj told PTI.

At least 225 birds had died in Kendrewadi till Monday, while 12 hens died in Sukni and four in Wanjarwadi of Udgir taluka in Latur district.
 

US House of Representatives set to vote on impeaching Trump for a second time

Republican Rep Adam Kinzinger is predicting more Republicans will join him in voting to impeach President Donald Trump. The House is set to vote Wednesday afternoon on impeaching Trump for a second time, accusing him of rallying a violent mob of supporters to attack the U.S. Capitol last week. If that isn't an impeachable offense, Kinzinger said,
 
I don't know what is. Several other Republicans are backing impeachment, including No 3 GOP leader Liz Cheney. This is one of these moments that transcends politics, the Illinois lawmaker told CBS This Morning in an interview ahead of the vote.
 
Besides Kinzinger and Cheney, other Republicans backing impeachment are John Katko of New York, Fred Upton of Michigan and Jaime Herrera Beutler of Washington. Kinzinger wouldn't say how many more GOP lawmakers might vote to impeach, but said, there'll be more than the five you've seen so far.

Two cases of bird flu cases reported in Kanpur

Samples taken from two dead crows in Kanpur have tested positive for bird flu and with these, the number of confirmed cases of the influenza has increased to four in the city, officials said on Wednesday. Twenty samples were sent for testing and these included those taken from four dead crows, District Forest Officer Arvind Yadav said.
 
Two of the crow samples tested positive, he said, adding that samples were also taken from two dead pigeons. The 20 samples also included soil, water and faeces samples. He added that earlier, a couple of samples of red jungle fowls found dead in the zoo on Sunday had tested positive for bird flu.

Govt approves deal to buy 83 light combat Tejas aircraft for Rs 48,000 crore

In a major decision, the government on Wednesday approved the procurement of 83 indigenously-developed light combat aircraft Tejas for the Indian Air Force (IAF) at a cost of Rs 48,000 crore. The decision was taken at a meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said.
 
In a tweet, Singh said the deal will be a "game-changer" for self-reliance in defence manufacturing in India.
 
"The CCS chaired by PM Sh. @narendramodi today approved the largest indigenous defence procurement deal worth about 48000 crores to strengthen IAF's fleet of homegrown fighter jet 'LCA-Tejas'," he said. READ ON...

 

Cabinet Committee on Security approves procurement of Tejas aircraft at a cost of about Rs 48,000 crore

Farmers' body asks PM Modi to withdraw bill on cigarette, tobacco

Farmers' body FAIFA on Wednesday asked Prime Minister Narendra Modi to recall the proposed bill to amend the law regarding cigarettes and other tobacco products saying it will be a death knell for Indian tobacco farmers.
 
The proposed COTPA (Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products Act) Amendment Bill 2020 will provide huge boost to the ever-growing illicit cigarette business in India and will adversely impact the legal cigarette trade, FAIFA, which claims to represent farmers and farm workers of commercial crops across Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Karnataka and Gujarat, said in a statement.
 
Federation of All India Farmer Associations (FAIFA) General Secretary Murali Babu said that in the amendment bill all the provisions of the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) are being given effect in full force and in some cases more than as required by FCTC. READ ON...

Former TMC MP KD Singh sent to 3-day ED custody in money laundering case

A Delhi court on Wednesday sent former TMC MP K D Singh, arrested in a money laundering case, to three days ED custody after the agency said he was needed for custodial interrogation. Singh, who was arrested Tuesday night was produced before Special Judge Anuradha Shukla Bhardwaj, who accepted the ED's contention for former MP's custodial interrogation.
 
ED's Special Public Prosecutor NK Matta told the court that Singh's statements during the questioning were contradictory and he was also evasive in his replies.
 
He further told the court that two letters of rogetorry were sent to two countries seeking assistance in the case and their replies are awaited. He was evasive in replies, has a non cooperative attitude. From bank statements it can be seen that funds were diverted to own companies, Matta told the court, seeking 14 day custodial interrogation.

Bird deaths reported from Uttar Pradesh's Jalaun district

Five birds, mostly crows, have been found dead in Uttar Pradesh's Jalaun district, amid cases of avian influenza in the state, officials said on Wednesday. Though samples have been sent for testing, it seems that the birds died due to cold, they said.
 
The deaths were reported from Bamhori and Islamabad localities of Kadaura village over two days, veterinary officer Dr Vipin Sachan said, adding that officials have been asked to be alert.
 
"In the Bamhori and Islamabad localities of Kadaura hamlet, two crows and a bird were found dead on Tuesday, while on Monday death of two more crows was reported," he said.

Sensex slips 24.79 points to end at 49,492.32; Nifty inches up 1.40 points to record 14,564.85

Bird flu in Delhi: North Corp bans sale, storage of poultry or processed chicken

The North Delhi Municipal Corporation on Wednesday imposed a ban on sale and storage of poultry or processed chicken meat by shops and restaurants with immediate effect, in view of the bird flu situation in the national capital, according to an official order.
 
The order issued by the veterinary services department of the NDMC also said that owners of restaurants and hotels will face action if egg-based dishes or poultry meat and other products are served to customers. The order has been issued in public interest and should be diligently complied with, it said.
 
Testing of samples of crows and ducks had confirmed bird flu cases in the national capital on Monday, prompting the Delhi government to impose a ban on sale of processed and packaged chicken brought from outside the city. The Ghazipur poultry market has also also closed by authorities.

SC orders States, UTs to decide on opening of Anganwadi centres by Jan 31

The Supreme Court on Wednesday ordered States and Union Territories (UTs) to take a decision by January 31 on the opening of Anganwadi centres across the country, except in the case of containment zones in the view of COVID-19.
 
A Bench headed by Justice Ashok Bhushan also directed the States and UTs to ensure that nutritional standards as provided under the food safety law reach pregnant women, lactating mothers and children suffering from malnutrition.
 
The apex court also ordered the Ministry of Women and Child Development to take a decision in this regard by January 31. READ ON...

Bird flu: Uttarakhand seeks police help to curb poultry transportation

Uttarakhand government has put a ban on poultry from Haryana and Himachal Pradesh to curtail the spread of bird flu and has sought police's help in implementing the prohibition.
 
"Along with the action taken by the animal husbandry department, the cooperation of the police department is also necessary, as it is not possible to prevent the import of poultry or eggs coming from the restricted areas on the borders without the cooperation of the police," Rekha Arya, the state's Animal Husbandry Minister, wrote to the Director General of Police (DGP) on Tuesday.
 
The hilly state yesterday confirmed the presence of bird flu after samples from Kotdwar and Dehradun tested positive for the virus.
 
An alert has been issued in the state following the confirmation and the concerned authorities have been directed to take all precautions and steps for prevention of the virus. Surveillance is being carried out in different parts of the state to check the spread.

SC takes suo moto cognizance over pollution in Yamuna, issues notice to Haryana govt

The Supreme Court on Wednesday took suo moto cognizance on issues relating to pollution in the Yamuna river. A Bench headed by Chief Justice of India SA Bobde also issued notice to Haryana government on the plea of Delhi Jal Board which complaint that highly pollutant water is being released by Haryana. Senior advocate Meenakshi Arora appearing for Delhi Jal Board argued that the Yamuna water being supplied by Haryana to Delhi has high ammonia levels. Arora told the Bench that ammonia mixing with other pollutants could cause cancer.
 
The DJB said in Haryana Sewage Treatment Plants (STPs) don't work causing high ammonia level and making the water unfit to drink. It also filed a plea against the Haryana government for dumping untreated discharge in the Yamuna which was spiking the level of Ammonia, thereby making it "unfit" water to be supplied to Delhi people.
 
The Bench while taking suo moto cognizance of the polluted Yamuna river also appointed senior advocate Meenakshi Arora as amicus curiae in the case to assist it.

ED arrests former TMC MP K D Singh in money laundering case

The Enforcement Directorate has arrested former TMC MP K D Singh in a money laundering case, official sources said on Wednesday. They said Singh has been placed under arrest under sections of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).
 
The Trinamool Congress (TMC) party is led by West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and Singh is stated to be not involved in the party affairs for quite some time. The central probe agency had carried out searches at the premises of Singh and those linked to him in September, 2019 in connection with two PMLA cases.
 
Singh has been the chairman of the Alchemist group and while he resigned from the post in 2012, he is stated to be the Chairman, Emeritus and founder of the business group. The ED is probing him as part of two money laundering cases.

Union Minister Shripad Naik taken off ventilator, shifted to high flow nasal oxygen

Union Minister Shripad Naik taken off ventilator, shifted to high flow nasal oxygen

Trump business backlash part of 'cancel culture,' says son

The PGA cancelled its tournament at his golf course. Banks say they won't lend to him anymore. New York City is looking to end his contract to operate the Central Park skating rink.
 
Hits to President Donald Trump's business empire since the deadly riots at the U.S. Capitol are part of a liberal “cancel culture,” his son, Eric, told The Associated Press on Tuesday, saying his father will leave the presidency with a powerful brand backed by millions of voters who will follow him “to the ends of the Earth”.

“We live in the age of cancel culture, but this isn't something that started this week. It is something that they have been doing to us and others for years,” said Trump, who along with his brother, Donald Jr., has been running the family company since their father took office four years ago.

BSF detects underground tunnel along International Border in Kathua district: Officials

BSF detects underground tunnel along International Border in Kathua district of Jammu and Kashmir: Officials

HC seeks Future Retail's stand on Amazon plea

HC seeks Future Retail Ltd's stand on Amazon plea to set aside observations in interim order in suit filed by Future Retail

India to emerge as key military partner in US' plan to counter China's rise

The Trump administration declassified its strategy to ensure continued dominance over China, which focuses on accelerating India’s rise as a counterweight to Beijing and the ability to defend Taiwan against an attack.
 
National Security Advisor Robert O’Brien on Tuesday announced the publication of the document, titled “United States Strategic Framework for the Indo-Pacific.” Approved by President Donald Trump in February 2018, it provided the “overarching strategic guidance” for U.S. actions the past three years and was released to show the U.S. commitment to “keeping the Indo-Pacific region free and open long into the future,” O’Brien said in a statement. Read on...

Congress has always abused the patriots. Digvijaya Singh called Godse the first terrorist, says Pragya Thakur

Congress has always abused the patriots. Digvijaya Singh called Godse the first terrorist, says Pragya Thakur

25th Amendment is zero risk to me but will haunt Joe Biden: Donald Trump

YouTube suspends Trump channel, removes video due to 'potential of violence'

YouTube suspends Trump channel, removes video due to 'potential of violence'

US House formally calls on Mike Pence to remove Trump from office

The US House has passed a resolution calling on Vice President Mike Pence to remove President Trump from office by invoking the 25th Amendment, a call Pence has rejected.

Wall Street barely higher as investors pause amid US Capitol turmoil

The S&P 500 was barely higher in Tuesday's volatile session as investors waited for earnings season and monitored developments in Washington after supporters of outgoing US President Donald Trump stormed the Capitol.
 
As Democrats moved to impeach Trump for inciting the deadly rampage last week, Trump on Tuesday denied wrongdoing saying that his public comments on the day of the attack were "totally appropriate." Read on...

25th Amendment is zero risk to me but will haunt Joe Biden: Donald Trump

US outgoing President Donald Trump on Tuesday (local time) said that the 25th Amendment poses "zero risk" to him but will "haunt Joe Biden and the Biden administration".
 
Trump speaking from the Mexico border wall in Alamo in Texas, in his first public appearance since his supporters attacked the Capitol.
 
"...The 25th amendment is of zero risk to me, but will come back to haunt Joe Biden and the Biden administration. As the expression goes, be careful what you wish for," Trump said at the beginning of his speech. Read on...

Won't invoke 25th Amendment to remove Trump, says Mike Pence

Vice President Mike Pence rejected the possibility of stripping President Trump of his powers through the 25th Amendment, rebuking a bipartisan resolution in the House calling on the vice president to do so.
 
“I do not believe that such a course of action is in the best interest of our nation or consistent with our Constitution,” Pence wrote in a letter to Speaker Nancy Pelosi. “I urge you and every member of Congress to avoid actions that would further divide and inflame the passions of the moment.”

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