US Considering Sanctions on Those Involved in Hong Kong Arrests, Pompeo Says

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U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said Washington is considering sanctions and other restrictions on those involved in the arrest of more than 50 people in Hong Kong and warned it could target the territory’s economic and trade office in the United States.In a move likely to further rile Beijing, Pompeo announced in the same statement that U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Kelly Craft would visit Chinese-claimed Taiwan, which is not a UN member due to China’s objections.Pompeo also said he was “appalled” by the arrest of an American citizen as part of Wednesday’s crackdown and added: “The Unitedmore

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GW Bush Condemns ‘Violent Assault’ by Trump Supporters on Capitol, Law Enforcement

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George W. Bush, the only living Republican former president, condemned Wednesday’s “violent assault” on the U.S. Capitol, where a pro-Trump riot forced a recess and resulted in one confirmed fatality as lawmakers were certifying President-elect Joe Biden’s victory.“I am appalled by the reckless behavior of some political leaders since the election and by the lack of respect shown today for our institutions, our traditions, and our law enforcement,” Bush wrote in a prepared statement.“The violent assault on the Capitol — and disruption of a Constitutionally mandated meeting of Congress — was undertaken by people whose passions have been inflamed bymore

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Raphael Warnock Becomes the First Black Senator in Georgia’s History

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Democrat Raphael Warnock is the projected winner of one of Georgia’s two Senate runoffs Wednesday, becoming the first African American to be elected to the U.S. Senate in the state’s history. Warnock, who defeated Republican incumbent Kelly Loeffler, is a pastor of the Atlanta church where American civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr. preached. VOA Correspondent Mariama Diallo has this profile of Warnock. …

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Thousands Storm US Capitol in ‘Shameful Assault . . . on Our Democracy’

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Thousands of flag-waving supporters of U.S. President Donald Trump swarmed over the U.S. Capitol on Wednesday, forcing lawmakers to evacuate their chambers and delaying by several hours a normally routine procedure clearing the way for Joe Biden and Kamala Harris to be sworn in as president and vice president on Jan. 20.House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi announced after hours of chaos around the white-columned edifice that police had secured the area and legislators would reconvene to continue the work of certifying the Electoral College vote that determines the next president.“Today, a shameful assault was made on our democracy,” Pelosimore

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Georgia Senate Wins Give Democrats Control of US Congress

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Democrats have won control of the U.S. Senate — and Congress as a whole — after scoring a pair of wins in Tuesday’s Senate runoff races that drew the attention of the nation. VOA Congressional Correspondent Katherine Gypson reports from Atlanta, Georgia, on the consequences for the Biden presidency. Producers: Katherine Gypson, Adam Greenbaum. Camera: Adam Greenbaum. …

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Facebook, YouTube Pull Trump Video; Twitter Locks Trump Account

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Facebook and Alphabet’s YouTube took down a video from President Donald Trump on Wednesday that continued to make the baseless claim the election was fraudulent as he told supporters who had stormed the U.S. Capitol to go home.Twitter restricted users from retweeting the video “due to a risk of violence,” as hundreds of protesters sought to force Congress to undo the president’s election loss to Democratic President-elect Joe Biden. Twitter restricted a later tweet from Trump that again falsely alleged he had won the election.Later Wednesday night, Twitter locked the president’s account for 12 hours over “repeated and severe violations”more

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US Lawmakers Recount Chaos on Capitol Hill

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U.S. lawmakers recounted Wednesday frantic scenes of evacuations and being ordered to grab gas masks as pro-Trump extremists stormed the Capitol.The mob forced the Senate into a recess while it was in the process of certifying President-elect Joe Biden’s election victory.“I was one of a dozen Representatives in the gallery above the House floor. We pulled out gas masks and had to get down on the ground,” Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal, a Washington state Democrat, wrote on Twitter.“Capitol police barricaded the doors and had guns drawn,” she recounted. “We were eventually told that we had to quickly exit.”I am safe andmore

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Trump Supporters Swarm Statehouses Across US; Some Evacuated

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Supporters of President Donald Trump massed outside statehouses from Georgia to New Mexico on Wednesday, leading some officials to evacuate while cheers rang out at several demonstrations as a pro-Trump mob stormed the U.S. Capitol.Hundreds of people gathered in state capitals nationwide to oppose President-elect Joe Biden’s win, waving signs saying, “Stop the steal” and “Four more years.” Most of them did not wear masks amid the coronavirus pandemic, and some carried guns in places like Oklahoma, Georgia, Arizona and Washington state.There were some scuffles in states like Ohio and California, with some instances of journalists or counterprotesters being pepper-sprayedmore

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Biden Urges Trump to Condemn Violence on Capitol

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As violent Trump supporters stormed the U.S. Capitol, forcing a lockdown Wednesday, President-elect Joe Biden called on President Donald Trump to address the nation and urge peace.”I call on President Trump to go on national television now, to fulfill his oath and defend the Constitution and demand an end to this siege,” Biden said.President-elect Biden addresses the nation: https://t.co/BXM3SZK25R— Biden-Harris Presidential Transition (@Transition46) January 6, 2021“It’s not a protest – it’s insurrection,” Biden said. He condemned what occurred at the Capitol and called those who stormed the building “extremists” who do not represent America. “At this hour, our democracy ismore

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World Leaders Condemn Pro-Trump Riot at US Capitol

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International leaders expressed shock and condemned the unprecedented scenes on Capitol Hill as a pro-Trump riot breached the U.S. Capitol on Wednesday. “Disgraceful scenes in U.S. Congress. The United States stands for democracy around the world and it is now vital that there should be a peaceful and orderly transfer of power,” British Prime Minister Boris Johnson wrote on Twitter. Disgraceful scenes in U.S. Congress. The United States stands for democracy around the world and it is now vital that there should be a peaceful and orderly transfer of power.— Boris Johnson (@BorisJohnson) January 6, 2021European Union officials indicated their support formore

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US Capitol on Lockdown as Trump Protesters Breach Congress

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U.S. Capitol Police ordered a lockdown Wednesday across the Capitol Complex, citing an external security threat, as thousands of Trump supporters stormed the building to protest Congress’ certification of Joe Biden’s presidential victory.The Senate entered into recess as it was proceeding to certify the electoral college votes for Biden, and Vice President Mike Pence reportedly was ushered out of the building by the Secret Service via underground tunnels.Sorry, but your browser cannot support embedded video of this type, you can download this video to view it offline.Download File360p | 1 MBOriginal | 1 MB Embed” />Copy Download AudioCapitol police respond after pro-Trump mob breaches Capitol building during joint session of Congress.Video footage circulating on socialmore

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Democrats Take Control of Senate as Ossoff Wins Georgia Race

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Democrat Jon Ossoff claimed victory in the second of two special run-off votes in Georgia on Wednesday, giving the Democrats control of the U.S. Senate.The Rev. Raphael Warnock was named winner of the other Senate runoff race in the U.S. state of Georgia late Tuesday. Warnock also became the first Black Democrat to win a Senate seat in a former Confederate state.     Warnock, the pastor of an Atlanta, Georgia, church once led by civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr., defeated Republican incumbent Kelly Loeffler in a race that was called by Edison Research and the Associated Press early Wednesday aftermore

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Trump Tells Supporters He Will ‘Never Concede’

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U.S. President Donald Trump addressed thousands of supporters Wednesday in Washington, insisting he will “never concede” as lawmakers gather on Capitol Hill to certify the election of Joe Biden as America’s next president.  Speaking on stage with the White House as a backdrop, Trump repeated his false claims that November’s election was “stolen” and that he won in a “landslide.”  Along with the “radical left Democrats,” Trump said the “fake news media” used “the China virus” — referring to the COVID-19 pandemic — as cover to “steal the election.” U.S. Vice President Mike Pence and Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosimore

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US Congress Meets to Certify Biden Electoral Victory

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The U.S. Senate and House of Representatives are meeting Wednesday in a joint session to certify the Electoral College vote to make Democrat Joe Biden the country’s next president, even as President Donald Trump continues to implore his vice president, Mike Pence, to thwart the public confirmation that they lost their bid for re-election. What normally has been an hour-long formality once every four years — certifying who is to be inaugurated Jan. 20 as president for a new four-year term in the White House — is likely to be a lengthy, drama-filled spectacle this time. Trump for weeks has made baseless claims that he wasmore

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Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter Won’t Attend Biden’s Inauguration

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Former President Jimmy Carter and former first lady Rosalynn Carter will not attend President-elect Joe Biden’s inauguration. It marks the first time the couple, 96 and 93, will have missed the ceremonies since Carter was sworn in as the 39th president in 1977. A spokeswoman at The Carter Center in Atlanta said the Carters have sent Biden and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris their “best wishes” and “look forward to a successful administration.” Biden was a young Delaware senator and Carter ally during the Georgian’s term in the White House. The Carters have spent the coronavirus pandemic mostly at their homemore

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Democrats Win Key US Senate Runoff With Second Georgia Race Too Close to Call

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Control of the U.S. Senate hung in the balance Wednesday with the result of one of two runoff elections in the southern state of Georgia still too close to call.Democrats moved closer to regaining control of the chamber with the Rev. Raphael Warnock’s projected defeat of Sen. Kelly Loeffler in one of Tuesday’s elections.U.S. media organizations called the race with Warnock leading Loeffler by more than 40,000 votes and nearly all ballots counted.“We were told that we couldn’t win this election, but tonight we proved that with hope, hard work and the people by our side, anything is possible,” Warnockmore

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Outcomes Uncertain in Key US Senate Runoff Elections in Georgia

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Two pivotal U.S. Senate runoff elections in the Southern state of Georgia were too close to call Tuesday night.The outcomes of the closely watched contests will determine political control in the Senate during the first two years of President-elect Joe Biden’s term in the White House. But with roughly 98% of the vote counted in the two contests, no one was claiming victory or conceding defeat, although the votes left to be counted appeared to be in regions of the state with a heavy Democratic voter turnout.   In one contest, Republican Sen. David Perdue, seeking a second six-year term in office,more

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Vote-Counting Starts in US Senate Runoff Elections in Georgia

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Polls closed and vote-counting started Tuesday night in two pivotal U.S. Senate runoff elections in the southern state of Georgia that will determine political control in the Senate during the first two years of President-elect Joe Biden’s term in the White House. Republican Senator David Perdue faced a challenge from Democrat Jon Ossoff, a television documentary producer, while Republican Senator Kelly Loeffler, one of the wealthiest lawmakers in Congress, was opposed by the Rev. Raphael Warnock, a Baptist minister. Pre-election polls showed tight contests, with the Democrats holding slight leads. At the moment, Republicans control the 100-seat Senate with a 50-48 advantage,more

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Proud Boys Leader Ordered to Stay Out of DC

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The leader of the far-right group the Proud Boys was released from police custody Tuesday but was ordered to leave Washington, D.C., and stay away. Henry “Enrique” Tarrio was arrested Monday, two days before supporters of President Donald Trump are scheduled to hold demonstrations in the capital city over Trump’s loss to President-elect Joe Biden in the November presidential election. The District of Columbia Metropolitan Police Department said it arrested Tarrio on destruction of property charges for burning a Black Lives Matter sign that was torn down from a historic African American church during protests in Washington last month. D.C. Superior Court Magistrate Judgemore

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Conflicting Stories Emerge After Protest at Senator’s Home

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A self-proclaimed anti-fascist group staged a protest on the Northern Virginia property of a Republican senator Monday night. It was the latest in a string of protests aimed at politicians’ private homes. The group Shutdown DC says it was protesting because Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) says he will not vote to certify the Electoral College presidential vote finalizing Democratic President-elect Joe Biden’s victory in the November contest. On Twitter, Hawley called the group “antifa scumbags” and said they “screamed through bullhorns, shouted down my wife when she asked you to leave, vandalized property, pounded on our door, and terrorized neighbors.”more

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Proud Boys Leader Arrested Ahead of Pro-Trump Demonstrations in Washington 

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The leader of the far-right group the Proud Boys was arrested by Washington police on Monday, two days before supporters of President Donald Trump are scheduled to hold demonstrations in the capital city over Trump’s loss to Joe Biden in the November presidential election. The District of Columbia Metropolitan Police Department said it arrested Henry “Enrique” Tarrio on destruction of property charges for burning a Black Lives Matter sign that was torn down from a historic African American church during protests in Washington last month. The Proud Boys are expected to converge on the U.S. Capitol on Wednesday, as Congress votes tomore

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How Georgia Youth Vote Could Impact Runoff Election

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Young voters – specifically young Black voters – participating in the Georgia runoff election for two Senate seats are expected to provide significant support for the Democratic candidates.In the Senate race between incumbent Republican Senator David Perdue and Democratic challenger Jon Ossoff, 88% of Black youth favored Ossoff, compared with 31% of white youth, in the November election, according to the Center for Information and Research on Civic Learning and Engagement (CIRCLE) at Tufts University in Medford, Massachusetts.In the Senate special election between incumbent Republican Senator Kelly Loeffler and challenger Raphael Warnock, 83% of Black youth preferred Warnock, compared tomore

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