The United States Senate votes 81–13 to override President Donald Trump's veto of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2021. This is the first successful veto override of the Trump presidency. (Business Insider)
COVID-19 pandemic in Palau, COVID-19 vaccine Palau receives 2,800 doses of the Moderna vaccine in a special contribution from the United States. The government announced that it will vaccinate healthcare workers first and then vaccinate seniors and people with medical conditions. (RNZ)
Palau receives 2,800 doses of the Moderna vaccine in a special contribution from the United States. The government announced that it will vaccinate healthcare workers first and then vaccinate seniors and people with medical conditions. (RNZ)
The homes of United States Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi are vandalized after the government failed to pass the CASH Act, a bill that would increase direct payments from $600 to $2,000. (ABC) (Business Insider)
Attempts to overturn the 2020 United States presidential election Trump–Raffensperger phone call The Washington Post releases the recording of a telephone conversation where United States President Donald Trump calls Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger to pressure him to "find 11,780 votes" in his favor. (The Washington Post)
2021 Speaker of the United States House of Representatives election The 117th United States Congress begins. Nancy Pelosi is re-elected as Speaker of the House with a narrow seven-vote majority (216–209). (The Guardian) (Reuters)
The Washington Post releases the recording of a telephone conversation where United States President Donald Trump calls Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger to pressure him to "find 11,780 votes" in his favor. (The Washington Post)
Trump–Raffensperger phone call The Washington Post releases the recording of a telephone conversation where United States President Donald Trump calls Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger to pressure him to "find 11,780 votes" in his favor. (The Washington Post)
The 117th United States Congress begins. Nancy Pelosi is re-elected as Speaker of the House with a narrow seven-vote majority (216–209). (The Guardian) (Reuters)
2020 United States election protests Proud Boys chairperson Enrique Tarrio is arrested for destroying a Black Lives Matter sign at the Asbury United Methodist Church during a protest in Washington, D.C., last month. (NBC)
Crime in Nigeria Kidnapped Auxiliary Bishop Moses Chikwe, of the Owerri Archdiocese in Nigeria, is freed by his captors. Kidnapped last Sunday, police allege that no ransom is paid. International condemnation includes Pope Francis, during his new year message calling for Bishop Chikwe's release. While in Imo state, a Catholic women's organization, stage a peaceful protest at the Imo state government house, calling on Governor Hope Uzodinma, to quicken action for the release of the Auxiliary Bishop. (Vanguard, Lagos)
Kidnapped Auxiliary Bishop Moses Chikwe, of the Owerri Archdiocese in Nigeria, is freed by his captors. Kidnapped last Sunday, police allege that no ransom is paid. International condemnation includes Pope Francis, during his new year message calling for Bishop Chikwe's release. While in Imo state, a Catholic women's organization, stage a peaceful protest at the Imo state government house, calling on Governor Hope Uzodinma, to quicken action for the release of the Auxiliary Bishop. (Vanguard, Lagos)
2020 United States Senate elections 2020–21 United States Senate election in Georgia, 2020–21 United States Senate special election in Georgia Voters in Georgia head to the polls to cast their votes to determine who will control the United States Senate. Republican Senator David Perdue will face Democrat Jon Ossoff, and incumbent Republican Kelly Loeffler will face Democrat Raphael Warnock. (BBC News)
2020–21 United States Senate election in Georgia, 2020–21 United States Senate special election in Georgia Voters in Georgia head to the polls to cast their votes to determine who will control the United States Senate. Republican Senator David Perdue will face Democrat Jon Ossoff, and incumbent Republican Kelly Loeffler will face Democrat Raphael Warnock. (BBC News)
2020 United States election protests Washington, D.C. mayor Muriel Bowser activates the District of Columbia National Guard due to an organized protest of pro-Trump supporters. (AP) A federal judge bans Proud Boys chairman Enrique Tarrio from entering Washington, D.C. (Forbes)
Iran requests that Interpol issue a red notice for the arrest of U.S. President Donald Trump and 47 other U.S. officials for their role in the assassination of Qasem Soleimani in January 2020. A similar request was previously rejected by Interpol. (Al Jazeera)
Iran–United States relations Iran requests that Interpol issue a red notice for the arrest of U.S. President Donald Trump and 47 other U.S. officials for their role in the assassination of Qasem Soleimani in January 2020. A similar request was previously rejected by Interpol. (Al Jazeera)
Kosovo–United States relations Kosovo's parliament unanimously approves deploying the Kosovo Security Force on international peacekeeping missions, following a formal request by the United States Central Command. (Times Union)
Kosovo's parliament unanimously approves deploying the Kosovo Security Force on international peacekeeping missions, following a formal request by the United States Central Command. (Times Union)
Voters in Georgia head to the polls to cast their votes to determine who will control the United States Senate. Republican Senator David Perdue will face Democrat Jon Ossoff, and incumbent Republican Kelly Loeffler will face Democrat Raphael Warnock. (BBC News)
Twitter locks the personal account of President Donald Trump for the first time, citing the president's "incitement to violence", and "false claims about the results of the 2020 U.S. presidential election". The social media site warns that further attempts to violate the company's rules could result in a permanent suspension of Trump's account. (CNBC)
President-elect Joe Biden says "It's not a protest, it's an insurrection", and calls on President Donald Trump to "demand an end to this siege" by his followers. In response, President Trump released a video saying, "These are the things and events that happen when a sacred landslide election victory is so unceremoniously & viciously stripped away from great patriots who have been badly & unfairly treated for so long. Go home with love & in peace. Remember this day forever!" (BBC News) [1]
A joint session of the United States Congress attempts to certify the Electoral College vote results and affirm the election of Joe Biden before being interrupted by the storming of the US Capitol. (CNN)
COVID-19 pandemic in Africa COVID-19 pandemic in Morocco COVID-19 vaccination in Morocco Morocco approves AstraZeneca's vaccine. (The Washington Post) COVID-19 pandemic in Senegal President Macky Sall declares a state of emergency and imposes a curfew at 9:00 p.m. local time in Dakar and Thiès in order to reduce the spread of COVID-19. (RFI)
Facebook locks President Trump's account for 24 hours in response to the violence in Washington, D.C.. In a blog post, the social media site says today's events are an "emergency" for the platform and will be rolling out new rules in response. (TechCrunch)
The Democrats will take control of the Senate after Jon Ossoff defeated Republican David Perdue, leaving incoming Vice President Kamala Harris with the tiebreaking vote. (CNN)
U.S President pro tempore Chuck Grassley announces that the United States Senate has entered recess as Senator James Lankford (R-OK) was given out a speech, with an aide informing Lankford that pro-Trump protesters were entering the building. Additionally, the U.S. House enters a recess. (Business Insider) (KOCO-TV)
U.S. Vice President Mike Pence releases a statement stating that he won't reject electoral college votes despite pressure from President Trump and his allies to do so. He reaffirms that his role in the Congressional joint session is ceremonial. (NPR)
2020 Mississippi flag referendum The Mississippi State Senate passes a bill to make the state flag chosen in the November referendum official. The Mississippi House of Representatives passed the bill on Tuesday. (AP)
At least seven Democratic members of Congress, including Ilhan Omar, Ayanna Pressley and Seth Moulton, and Republican Vermont Governor Phil Scott, call for Trump's immediate resignation or impeachment and removal by Congress, when it can reconvene, for insurrection against the United States. (The Independent) (WGBH-TV) (The Atlantic) (The Wrap)
Senator Ted Cruz and Rep. Paul Gosar object to the state of Arizona, making it the first time a vote is forced to accept or reject the objection since 2004, when Rep. Stephanie Tubbs Jones and Senator Barbara Boxer objected to George W. Bush's victory in Ohio against John Kerry. The objection failed 6-93 in the Senate and 121-303 in the House. (National Review) (KTVZ-TV) (Gwinnett Daily Post)
The Mississippi State Senate passes a bill to make the state flag chosen in the November referendum official. The Mississippi House of Representatives passed the bill on Tuesday. (AP)
The United States Senate chamber and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's office are also breached by pro-Trump protesters. (ABC News) (WIVB-TV)
Donald Trump, still disagreeing with the election results that resulted in a victory for President-elect Joe Biden, said through spokesperson Dan Scavino, "Even though I totally disagree with the outcome of the election, and the facts bear me out, nevertheless there will be an orderly transition on January 20th." (Reuters)
Iraq issues an arrest warrant for U.S. President Donald Trump, accusing him of "premediated murder" due to his role in the killings of Qasem Soleimani and Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis. (U.S. News)
Iraq–United States relations, Assassination of Qasem Soleimani Iraq issues an arrest warrant for U.S. President Donald Trump, accusing him of "premediated murder" due to his role in the killings of Qasem Soleimani and Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis. (U.S. News)
President Trump condemns the attack on the United States Capitol and concedes the race for the first time. He also says that his focus is to ensure a smooth transition of power to the Biden administration. (Newsweek) (The Denver Post) (Forbes)
The United States Congress certifies the election of Joe Biden as President-elect of the United States and Kamala Harris as Vice President. Biden and Harris received 306 electoral votes while President Donald Trump and Vice President Mike Pence received 232. The winners will be inaugurated on January 20. (NPR)
COVID-19 pandemic in Palau, COVID-19 vaccine Palau begins its vaccination program, with outgoing President Thomas Remengesau Jr. and incoming President Surangel Whipps Jr. receiving the first two doses. The country plans to vaccinate more than 18,000 people with the Moderna vaccine provided by the United States. (RNZ)
Palau begins its vaccination program, with outgoing President Thomas Remengesau Jr. and incoming President Surangel Whipps Jr. receiving the first two doses. The country plans to vaccinate more than 18,000 people with the Moderna vaccine provided by the United States. (RNZ)
White House Deputy Chief of Staff Chris Liddell orders the Trump administration staff to submit resignation letters by January 20 as a step to clear the way for Biden to fill the government with his own staff. (Politico)
Michael C. Stenger and Paul D. Irving, the respective Sergeants at Arms of the Senate and House of Representatives, resign upon the requests of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell. (The Hill) (Roll Call)
2020–21 United States Senate election in Georgia Former Republican Senator David Perdue concedes to Democratic challenger Jon Ossoff. His concession formally guarantees the Democrats a majority in the United States Senate. (CNN)
COVID-19 pandemic in the United States COVID-19 pandemic in New York COVID-19 pandemic in New York City New York City Police Commissioner Dermot Shea tests positive for COVID-19. (Patch.com) COVID-19 pandemic in California, COVID-19 vaccine California Governor Gavin Newsom sets a goal of vaccinating 1 million people by January 17. (The Los Angeles Times) President-elect Joe Biden says he will plan to speed up the release of vaccine doses. (USA Today)
President-elect Joe Biden says he will plan to speed up the release of vaccine doses. (USA Today)
Presidential transition of Joe Biden United States President Donald Trump announces that he will not attend the inauguration ceremony of President-elect Joe Biden. Trump will be the first president to choose not to attend their elected successor's inauguration since Andrew Johnson in 1869. (CNN) Outgoing Secretary of State Mike Pompeo meets with incoming Secretary of State Antony Blinken for the first time in an effort to ensure an orderly transition of power. (CNBC)
United States President Donald Trump announces that he will not attend the inauguration ceremony of President-elect Joe Biden. Trump will be the first president to choose not to attend their elected successor's inauguration since Andrew Johnson in 1869. (CNN)
Former Republican Senator David Perdue concedes to Democratic challenger Jon Ossoff. His concession formally guarantees the Democrats a majority in the United States Senate. (CNN)
Outgoing U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo announces that the United States will be lifting all restrictions on contacts between American and Taiwanese officials, saying the "self-imposed" restrictions were introduced decades ago to appease the Chinese Communist Party government in mainland China. (BBC News)
Taiwan–United States relations Outgoing U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo announces that the United States will be lifting all restrictions on contacts between American and Taiwanese officials, saying the "self-imposed" restrictions were introduced decades ago to appease the Chinese Communist Party government in mainland China. (BBC News)
Tigray War The Ethiopian National Defense Force says that it has killed 15 members of the Tigray People's Liberation Front, including the region's former deputy police commissioner, and captured eight others, including the region's former president Abay Weldu. (Reuters)
Aftermath of the 2021 storming of the United States Capitol PGA of America announces it will terminate an agreement to play the 2022 PGA Championship at Trump National Golf Club in Bedminster because conducting the golf tournament there would have been "detrimental" to the PGA brand. (ESPN) Payment processor Stripe will no longer process payments for the campaign website of President Donald Trump because of the company's policies against encouraging violence. (Wall Street Journal)
COVID-19 pandemic in North America COVID-19 pandemic in Canada COVID-19 pandemic in Ontario Ontario reports a record 3,945 new confirmed cases in the past 24 hours. (CBC) COVID-19 pandemic in Mexico Spokesperson for President Andrés Manuel López Obrador, Jesús Ramírez Cuevas, tests positive for COVID-19. (The Independent) Mexico reports their first case of a new variant of SARS-CoV-2 from the United Kingdom. (Business Standard)
Payment processor Stripe will no longer process payments for the campaign website of President Donald Trump because of the company's policies against encouraging violence. (Wall Street Journal)
The Ethiopian National Defense Force says that it has killed 15 members of the Tigray People's Liberation Front, including the region's former deputy police commissioner, and captured eight others, including the region's former president Abay Weldu. (Reuters)
8th Congress of the Workers' Party of Korea North Korean state media says that Kim Jong-un has been formally elected as the General Secretary of the ruling Workers' Party of Korea, inheriting the title from his late father Kim Jong-il, who died in 2011. (Reuters)
Aftermath of the 2021 storming of the United States Capitol Two men who were photographed carrying plastic hand restraints in the Senate chamber during the storming of the United States Capitol are arrested in Tennessee and Texas. (The Washington Post)
Two men who were photographed carrying plastic hand restraints in the Senate chamber during the storming of the United States Capitol are arrested in Tennessee and Texas. (The Washington Post)
Attempts to overturn the 2020 United States presidential election Facebook bans "Stop the Steal" content ahead of Biden's inauguration. (NBC News) Twitter says that they have suspended over 70,000 accounts linked to the QAnon conspiracy since the Capitol storming. (CNBC)
Aftermath of the 2021 storming of the United States Capitol Bill Belichick, the head coach of the New England Patriots, declines the Presidential Medal of Freedom from President Donald Trump, citing the storming of the United States Capitol. He had been scheduled to receive it on Thursday. (CNN)
Bill Belichick, the head coach of the New England Patriots, declines the Presidential Medal of Freedom from President Donald Trump, citing the storming of the United States Capitol. He had been scheduled to receive it on Thursday. (CNN)
COVID-19 pandemic in Portugal Portugal reports a record 122 deaths in the past 24 hours, bringing the nationwide death toll to 7,925. (The Washington Post) President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa tests positive for COVID-19. He is self-isolating in Belém Palace asymptomatic. (PÚBLICO)
President Trump approves an emergency declaration request from District of Columbia Mayor Muriel Bowser ahead of Biden's inauguration. (Politico) (Fox News)
President-elect Joe Biden receives a second dose of the Pfizer–BioNTech vaccine on camera. (CNN)
The New York State Bar Association announces that it has launched an inquiry into removing President Donald Trump's attorney Rudy Giuliani from its membership over his role in the "violent uprising" at the Capitol building. (Bloomberg)
The CDC says it has administered 8 million vaccine doses in the United States and distributed an additional 25.5 million doses. (Reuters)
2021 efforts to remove Donald Trump from office President Donald Trump warns that successfully impeaching him from office for his conduct regarding the riot at the United States Capitol Building would represent a "tremendous danger" to the nation. Trump refused to clarify his statement any further, instead stating that his comments vis-à-vis inciting the incident were "totally appropriate". (CNBC) Vice President Mike Pence tells House Speaker Nancy Pelosi that he won't invoke the 25th amendment. (Chicago Tribune)
Aftermath of the 2021 storming of the United States Capitol 2021 efforts to remove Donald Trump from office President Donald Trump warns that successfully impeaching him from office for his conduct regarding the riot at the United States Capitol Building would represent a "tremendous danger" to the nation. Trump refused to clarify his statement any further, instead stating that his comments vis-à-vis inciting the incident were "totally appropriate". (CNBC) Vice President Mike Pence tells House Speaker Nancy Pelosi that he won't invoke the 25th amendment. (Chicago Tribune)
President Donald Trump warns that successfully impeaching him from office for his conduct regarding the riot at the United States Capitol Building would represent a "tremendous danger" to the nation. Trump refused to clarify his statement any further, instead stating that his comments vis-à-vis inciting the incident were "totally appropriate". (CNBC)
Presidential transition of Joe Biden Vice President Mike Pence acknowledges that the Trump presidency is coming to an end, and said that the administration is working with President-elect Joe Biden's transition team. (The Hill) The Joint Chiefs of Staff condemn the storming of the United States Capitol, and acknowledge Biden's victory. (CNBC)
Vice President Mike Pence acknowledges that the Trump presidency is coming to an end, and said that the administration is working with President-elect Joe Biden's transition team. (The Hill)
Vice President Mike Pence tells House Speaker Nancy Pelosi that he won't invoke the 25th amendment. (Chicago Tribune)
Aftermath of the 2021 storming of the United States Capitol Mayor Bill de Blasio announces that New York City will end all contracts with the Trump Organization claiming that President Donald Trump's incitement of "an insurrection against the U.S. government clearly constitutes criminal activity." (The New York Times)
Mayor Bill de Blasio announces that New York City will end all contracts with the Trump Organization claiming that President Donald Trump's incitement of "an insurrection against the U.S. government clearly constitutes criminal activity." (The New York Times)
Donald Trump on social media, Censorship by Google Google-owned YouTube says that it has suspended U.S. President Donald Trump's account from uploading new videos or live streaming content for the next seven days, and may extend the suspension, saying that the channel had violated its rules over incitement to violence. (BBC News)
