U.S. President-elect Joe Biden's spokeswoman on Monday quickly dismissed outgoing President Donald Trump's statement lifting travel bans imposed on travelers arriving from much of Europe and Brazil starting January 26.

"On the advice of our medical team, the Administration does not intend to lift these restrictions on 1/26," tweeted Jen Psaki, Biden's press secretary. "In fact, we plan to strengthen public health measures around international travel in order to further mitigate the spread of COVID-19."

Trump earlier said the entry of passengers who have been physically present in the Schengen Area, the United Kingdom, Ireland and Brazil "is no longer detrimental to the interests of the United States," and claimed that it is in the interests of the U.S. to suspend the restrictions on arrivals from these regions.

Biden will be inaugurated on Wednesday.

(With input from AFP)

The U.S. Capitol complex was locked down for about an hour after a small fire was reported several blocks away on Monday, two days before President-elect Joe Biden's inauguration.

"Out of an abundance of caution the U.S. Capitol complex was temporarily shutdown. There is no threat to the public," the U.S. Secret Service said on Twitter. No injuries or casualties were reported. 

People rehearsing the inauguration inside the Capitol building have been evacuated.

With President-elect Joe Biden's inauguration days away, Washington, D.C., is preparing for the event in a manner like never before. The COVID-19 pandemic and the recent Capitol riot have changed how the presidential inauguration will be carried out. 

On Wednesday, January 20th, Vice President-elect Kamala Harris will be sworn in shortly before noon by Supreme Court Justice Sonya Sotomayor. Biden will be sworn in at noon by Chief Justice John Roberts at the U.S. Capitol.

About 1,000 guests are expected to attend, mainly members of Congress and their guests.

After Biden is sworn in, he will deliver his inaugural address, previewing his plans for the country over the next four years. 
Biden's inaugural team says the address will discuss the administration's goals to "defeat the pandemic, build back better, and unify and heal the nation."

Biden will then take part in a "Pass in Review," a ceremonial military tradition marking the peaceful transition of power to a new Commander-in-Chief.

Then Biden, his wife, Harris and her husband will be joined by former Presidents Barack Obama, George W. Bush and Bill Clinton and their spouses, to lay a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at Arlington National Cemetery. 

Afterwards, the new president will receive a military escort to the White House before the evening’' events begin. 

Compared to previous years, the 2021 inauguration will look vastly different. 

Typically the Joint Congressional Committee on Inaugural Ceremonies would offer 200,000 tickets for the public, in addition to tickets Congress members can share with others. 

However, with barricades, fences, security checkpoints and up to 25,000 National Guard troops, the streets will look significantly emptier throughout this week. 

Areas surrounding the White House and Capitol building are closed to the public. There will also be no parade or inaugural balls. 

Instead, events will be virtual, including a program called "Celebrating America," with musical performances and remarks from Biden and Harris.

President Donald Trump will also be notably absent from the inauguration. It's tradition for the former and new presidents to sit together, symbolizing a peaceful transition. But in one of his final tweets before being permanently banned from Twitter, Trump said he would not attend Biden's inauguration.

Trump instead will have a departure ceremony Wednesday morning at Maryland's Joint Base Andrews before leaving for Florida on Air Force One.
Vice President Mike Pence, however, will be attending the inauguration. 

Also for the first time in history, the National Mall will be closed to the public. In efforts to boost the city's security after the Capitol riot and calls for more violence by Trump supporters, law enforcement and the military have essentially locked down downtown D.C.

Instead of thousands of tourists and D.C. residents filling the streets, celebrations and people selling merchandise, local government officials are urging residents to stay home and visitors to stay away.

"Due to the unique circumstances surrounding the 59th Presidential Inauguration, including last week's violent insurrection, as well as the ongoing and deadly COVID-19 pandemic, we are taking the extraordinary step of encouraging Americans not to come to Washington, D.C.," said D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser in a joint statement with the governors of Maryland and Virginia.

Some bridges into the city are closed, as well as several streets and Metro stations, blocking access to downtown. 

Washington, D.C., will remain in a state of public emergency through January 21st, in light of the continued threat to the city, according to Mayor Bowser.    

Law enforcement officials have warned of online chatter discussing more possible violence at the Capitol timed to the inauguration.

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U.S. President-elect Joe Biden will sign executive orders on Inauguration Day next week to address the pandemic, the ailing U.S. economy, climate change and racial injustice in America, a senior aide said Saturday.

"All of these crises demand urgent action," his incoming chief of staff Ron Klain said in a memo to the new White House senior staff, adding that Biden will sign "roughly a dozen" orders after he is sworn in on Wednesday.

"In his first 10 days in office, President-elect Biden will take decisive action to address these four crises, prevent other urgent and irreversible harms, and restore America's place in the world," Klain added.

As he inherits the White House from Donald Trump, Biden's plate is overflowing with acute challenges.

The U.S. is fast approaching 400,000 dead from the COVID-19 crisis and logging well over a million new cases a week as the coronavirus spreads out of control.

The economy is ailing, with 10 million fewer jobs available compared to the start of the pandemic and American consumers and businesses are struggling to stay afloat.

Biden this week unveiled plans to seek $1.9 trillion to revive the economy through new stimulus payments and other aid, and plans a blitz to accelerate America's stumbling COVID vaccine rollout effort.

On Inauguration Day, Biden, as previously promised, will sign orders including ones for the U.S. to rejoin the Paris climate accord and reverse Trump's ban on entry of people from certain Muslim majority countries, the Klain statement said.

"President-elect Biden will take action – not just to reverse the gravest damages of the Trump administration – but also to start moving our country forward," Klain said.

And as he takes on all these challenges, Biden is eager to keep the focus in Congress on his agenda and avoid distraction from Trump's trial in the Senate after his historic second impeachment, this time for instigating the January 6 riot at the U.S. Capitol by supporters seeking to disrupt the formal certification of Biden's election victory.

Biden has suggested the Senate divide its time each day between the trial and holding hearings on confirming his cabinet picks.

Trump has still not congratulated Biden on his win, only acknowledged defeat indirectly and refused to drop his baseless claims that he lost the November 3 election through fraud.

He is skipping Biden's inauguration – the first president in more than 150 years to snub the solemn ceremony symbolizing the peaceful transfer of power.

(With input from AFP)

U.S. Capitol Police arrested a man from Virginia on Friday when he tried to cross a checkpoint near the Capitol in Washington, D.C., with a loaded gun and more than 500 rounds of ammunition, U.S. media reported Saturday citing the D.C. Metropolitan Police Department.

Identified as Wesley Allen Beeler from Front Royal, Virginia, the man told police he was carrying a Glock semi-automatic pistol, which was later discovered to have been loaded with 17 rounds of ammunition and a round chamber ready to fire, CNN reported, citing a source familiar with the case.

(With input from Xinhua)

The streets of downtown Washington, D.C. appear virtually empty Saturday ahead of the Presidential inauguration next Wednesday, which will mark the commencement of the four-year term of Joe Biden as president and Kamala Harris as vice president..  Streets have been cordoned off with non-scalable fencing, and thousands of National Guard troops are being flown in from across the nation and territories to aid in security following the deadly Capitol riots that took place in Washington D.C. last week. 

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United States Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar has resigned after the violent riots at the Capitol more than a week ago, according to U.S. media.

Azar said in a letter to President Donald Trump that his resignation would become effective on January 20, when U.S. President-elect Joe Biden is sworn in. He would have left office once Biden takes the presidential oath. 

The letter, obtained by U.S. media, is dated January 12.

In the resignation letter, Azar also condemned the violence in the storming of the U.S. Capitol on January 6 that has left five people dead. 

"The attacks on the Capitol were an assault on our Democracy and the tradition of peaceful transitions of power that the United States of America first brought to the world," he said.

With President-elect Joe Biden's inauguration just a few days ahead, the Pentagon has increased the number of National Guard members deployed to secure the event.

The National Guard Bureau said in a press release Friday that the Pentagon had authorized the deployment of up to 25,000 National Guards from the 20,000 troops authorized a day earlier.

The center of Washington was put on lockdown due to growing security concerns ahead of the presidential inauguration, and security is particularly tight around the White House and Capitol Hill.

The U.S. Capitol and National Mall are on lockdown. The army and the police are blocking most of the streets in Washington, D.C., getting prepared for possible clashes during the event and the time ahead of it. 

The Chinese embassy in the United States on Friday reminded Chinese citizens to improve safety awareness in the U.S. as Washington D.C. is under an emergency declaration.

Law enforcement agencies have identified 270 suspects in connection with the U.S. Capitol riot last week, FBI Washington field office assistant director Steven D'Antuono said on Friday. More than 100 people have been taken into custody, he said in a statement published on the agency's website. 

The U.S. Justice Department's internal watchdog on Friday said it will review how the FBI and other law enforcement agencies prepared and responded to the riot.

As Washington D.C. prepares for inauguration weekend, so are cities across the United States.

State capitols have been on alert and the FBI has warned of planned armed protests in the nation’s capital and in all 50 states.

According to an internal FBI notice, protests could start January 16th and continue through the inauguration of President-elect Joe Biden on January 20th, the Associated Press reported citing anonymous sources.

The FBI had previously warned on December 29, 2020 of potential armed demonstrations targeting legislatures. On January 6th, thousands of rioters stormed the U.S. Capitol.

Some groups that included fervent Trump supporters, members of the pro-gun Boogaloo Bois, QAnon conspiracy theorists, and one calling for a “Million Militia March” have posted about protests during the days leading up to the inauguration on social media.

But clampdowns by social media companies and increased security may have dampened those calls.

States are still preparing for the worst, including asking for assistance from state National Guard units, putting extra police officers on the streets, closing down access to state capitals, and asking people to stay away.

Some are concerned about potential to harm First Amendment rights to free speech and protest and Second Amendment rights to bear arms.

This can be a challenge for law enforcement, Javed Ali, a former FBI senior intelligence officer told the AP.

States of particular concern include:

Michigan: On January 6th, several hundred protestors wielded guns and carried “Stop the Steal” signs outside the state capitol building. Last October, the FBI also arrested 13 men in an alleged kidnapping plot against Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer. Hundreds of protestors also entered the capitol last April, many of them carrying firearms. Armed protests outside the capitol also took place throughout the spring.

Oregon: Last month, about 300 protestors tried to storm the Oregon state capitol, but state police were able to ward them off.

Washington: On Monday, the Washington state national guard arrested two people who tried to enter the state capitol building without permission. On January 6th, dozens of protestors, some armed, entered the Governor’s mansion front lawn illegally. State police were able to walk protestors back out without incident.

California: A temporary chain link fence has gone up around the California state capitol and Governor Gavin Newsom has also mobilized 1,000 national guard members. On January 6th, a Black woman was called racial slurs and physically attacked by nearly 40 Trump protestors in Los Angeles.

Georgia: About 60 pro-Trump activists gathered outside the Georgia state capitol, some armed. A few entered the building as visitors without incident. Former Ku Klux Klan member Chester Doles tried to meet with Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger to give him a list of grievances, but the Secretary had left early as a precaution.

Other incidents:

Last May,  protestors from Take Back Kentucky hung Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear in effigy in front of the statehouse along with a sign that read "sic temper tyrannis," a Latin phrase that means, "thus always to tyrants."

Last August, dozens of protestors, some armed, moved past police to enter a gallery at the Idaho state capitol. The Speaker of Idaho’s House of Representatives allowed the protestors to be seated during legislative special session.

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President Donald Trump will leave Washington next Wednesday morning, ahead of President-elect Joe Biden's inauguration, according to a person familiar with the planning who spoke on condition of anonymity because the decision had not been made public.

Trump had already announced that he would not be attending Biden's inauguration breaking tradition. Vice President Mike Pence will attend in his place. Trump is expected to remain in Florida with a small group of aides.

A rehearsal for U.S. President-elect Joe Biden's inauguration scheduled for Sunday has been postponed because of security concerns, Politico reported late on Thursday, citing two people with knowledge of the decision.

The rehearsal is now planned for Monday, according to the report.

After last week's riots in Washington, D.C., security officials have locked down the Capitol complex and the U.S. National Guard is expected to deploy more than 20,000 troops to assist with security.

About 20,000 U.S. National Guard troops are expected to help secure Washington D.C. during President-elect Joe Biden’s inauguration.

Online chatter by President Trump supporters has pointed to calls for more demonstrations and possible violence in D.C.

After last week's riot at the U.S. Capitol authorities are stepping up security, not only with the presences of the military but also fences, barricades, and other law enforcement officials, some of whom will be armed.

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Donald Trump has become the first American president to be impeached twice, a week after violent protesters stormed the U.S. Capitol. Here are all the U.S. presidents who have previously been subject to impeachment proceedings:

• In 1868, Andrew Johnson, the 17th president, was accused of, among other things, dismissing his secretary of war against the will of Congress. Johnson had a narrow escape – the required two-thirds majority in the Senate was missed by just one vote.

• Richard Nixon, the 37th president, resigned in 1974 before he could be impeached over the Watergate scandal.

• Bill Clinton, the 42nd president, found himself impeached on the grounds of perjury and obstruction of justice after he lied about the nature of his affair with Monica Lewinsky and then allegedly asked her to lie about it as well. But when the trial reached the Senate in 1999, the vote for a conviction failed to get close to the two-thirds backing as required.

• President Donald Trump's first impeachment was initiated on December 18, 2019, when the House of Representatives approved articles of impeachment on charges of abuse of power and obstruction of Congress. The Senate acquitted Trump of these charges on February 5, 2020. 

U.S. President Donald Trump has been permanently banned from Snapchat, according to a statement by the platform.

Trump appealed for unity of the American people in a video, calling on all Americans "to overcome the passions of the moment."

In the careful-worded speech, Trump said focus must be on advancing the interests of the whole nation.

He called the mobs which stormed the Capitol last Wednesday not his "true supporters" and he condemned the violence wreaked by them, a tone that stood in stark contrast to his first video released shortly after the riot, addressing protesters by saying "we love you." 

He also didn't mention his second impeachment by a majority in the House of Representatives.

U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi formally signed the article of impeachment against President Donald Trump for incitement of insurrection at the U.S. Capitol, making him the first American president to be impeached twice.

Donald Trump has become the first American president to be impeached twice, a week after violent protesters stormed the U.S. Capitol. 

Trump is charged with "inciting violence against the government." The House of Representatives voted on Wednesday to impeach him by 232 to 197. Ten Republicans voted to impeach.

Read more:

After the Capitol siege, what is the future for Trumpism?

No U.S. president has ever been removed from office through impeachment. Three – Trump in 2019, Bill Clinton in 1998 and Andrew Johnson in 1868 – were impeached by the House but acquitted by the Senate. 

"The president of the United States incited this insurrection, this armed rebellion against our common country," House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, a Democrat, said on the House floor before the vote. "He must go. He is a clear and present danger to the nation that we all love." 

Ten of Trump's fellow Republicans joined 222 Democrats in backing impeachment in the House, where Democrats hold a slim majority. In the Senate, Republicans still have control until two newly elected Democrats from Georgia take their seats and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris, who will wield the tiebreaking vote in the 50-50 chamber, is sworn in alongside Biden.

No Democrats voted against impeachment.

Trump released a video on Twitter on Wednesday evening without mentioning impeachment.

Instead, he focused his remarks on the violence at the Capitol on January 6, which ultimately led the House to move against him.

"I want to be very clear, I unequivocally condemn the violence that we saw last week. Violence and vandalism have absolutely no place in our country and no place in our movement," Trump said. 

Neither a House impeachment nor a Senate vote to convict Trump could prevent him from holding office in 2024 or beyond. U.S. Senators need to approve an additional vote to bar Trump from the presidency in the future. 

Legal experts said disqualification could be accomplished through the impeachment proceedings or the 14th Amendment of the U.S. Constitution. 

The U.S. Constitution says there are two ways to punish an impeached official: removal from office or "disqualification to hold and enjoy any office of honor, trust or profit under the United States." 

Trump's impeachment trial in the U.S. Senate will not begin until next week, outgoing Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said on Wednesday, setting the stage for a partisan brawl in President-elect Joe Biden's first days in office.

"Even if the Senate process were to begin this week and move promptly, no final verdict would be reached until after President Trump had left office. This is not a decision I am making; it is a fact," McConnell said in a statement. 

Read more:

Explainer: 5 ways Congress could punish Trump after Capitol riot

U.S. Chief Justice John Roberts will preside over the Senate trial. 

McConnell said a "fair or serious trial" cannot conclude before Biden is sworn in.

"The Senate has held three presidential impeachment trials. They have lasted 83 days, 37 days and 21 days, respectively," he noted in a statement.

(With input from agencies)

U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi branded President Donald Trump a “clear and present danger,” to the country for inciting an “armed rebellion” against the U.S. Capitol one week ago while Congress was in the process of certifying Joe Biden’s election victory. 

Hear more of what she said in the early parts of the House’s impeachment hearings.

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The U.S. House of Representatives on Wednesday convened to debate a second impeachment resolution against President Donald Trump, charging him of inciting an insurrection against the American government. 

(Cover: A demonstrator holds a sign reading "Impeach" outside the U.S. Capitol, days after supporters of President Donald Trump stormed the Capitol in Washington, D.C., January 11, 2021. /Reuters)

New York City will sever contracts with the Trump Organization that net the company profits of $17 million annually, following President Donald Trump's incitement of crowds that stormed the U.S. Capitol, Mayor Bill de Blasio said on Wednesday.

YouTube has removed new content uploaded to U.S. President Donald Trump's channel as it violated policies for inciting violence, the company said late on Tuesday.

The channel is now prevented from uploading new videos or livestreams for a minimum of seven days, which is subject to extension, YouTube said in a statement.

The U.S. House of Representatives on Tuesday voted to urge Vice President Mike Pence to start the U.S. Constitution's 25th Amendment process of removing President Donald Trump from office, a move rejected later by the vice president. 

To invoke the 25th Amendment, Pence and a majority of Trump's Cabinet would need to declare that the president is unable to perform his duties. Pence rejected that course of action in a letter to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi earlier Tuesday. 

The House is expected to vote Wednesday on impeaching Trump on charges that he incited an insurrection against the U.S. government.

(With input from Reuters)

U.S. Vice President Mike Pence said in a letter to House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi on Tuesday that he opposes invoking the 25th Amendment to remove President Donald Trump from office.

Despite the letter, the House moved forward on the same day with a vote on a resolution urging Pence to start the U.S. Constitution's 25th Amendment process.

Pelosi has called on Pence to secure the Cabinet majority and votes required to declare Trump unfit to serve.

"With just eight days left in the President's term, you and the Democratic Caucus are demanding that the Cabinet and I invoke the 25th Amendment," Pence wrote to Pelosi, referring to the process that would declare Trump unable to fulfill his duties and install Pence as acting president for the remainder of the term.

"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, hours before the House was to vote on a measure calling on him to initiate the 25th Amendment process or risk an impeachment vote against Trump.

Pence told Pelosi the administration's energy was focused on ensuring an orderly transition and appealed to her and other members of Congress to avoid actions that "would further divide and inflame the passions of the moment."

Removal of a president under the 25th Amendment requires a declaration by the vice president and the majority of the president's Cabinet.

Pelosi has said Pence's failure to trigger that process would lead to Wednesday's Trump impeachment vote accusing him of inciting insurrection ahead of last week's storming of the Capitol.

The vote would make him the first American president to be impeached twice.

Read more:

Explainer: 5 ways Congress could punish Trump after Capitol riot

At least four Republicans said on Tuesday they would join Democrats in voting to impeach Trump.

Liz Cheney, the No. 3 House Republican, said that there has never been "a greater betrayal by a President of the United States of his office and his oath to the Constitution." Three other Republican House members, John Katko, Adam Kinzinger and Fred Upton, said they would also vote for impeachment. 

In public statements Tuesday, Trump complained about plans to impeach him again, saying that invoking the 25th Amendment and "the impeachment hoax" is "causing tremendous anger and division and pain" that is "very dangerous for the USA."  

He did not take accountability for the actions of his supporters, and insisted he wants "no violence."

Trump was impeached by the Democratic-led House in December 2019 on charges of abuse of power and obstruction of Congress over his dealings with Ukraine about political rival Joe Biden, now the president-elect, and was acquitted by the Republican-led Senate in February 2020. 

(Cover: U.S. President Donald Trump (L) and Vice President Mike Pence attend a National Day of Prayer event at the Rose Garden of the White House in Washington, D.C., U.S., May 4, 2017. /Reuters)

Democrats in the House of Representatives on Tuesday evening unveiled the final text of their resolution to impeach President Donald Trump, charging him with "inciting violence against the Government of the United States." 

The House will vote on the article of impeachment on Wednesday.

President Trump, speaking to reporters for the first time since his supporters stormed the US Capitol last week, decried House Democrats move to impeach him as "absolutely ridiculous".

The president said there was a "tremendous anger" over the move, which could happen as soon as Wednesday, called it a "continuation of the greatest witch hunt in the history of politics”, but added "I want no violence".

Trump spoke as he left the White House for a trip to the border wall in Alamo, Texas.

In his first remarks to reporters since Dec. 8, Trump did not answer a question about whether he would resign.

Trump would become the first U.S. president to be impeached twice if the House of Representatives votes in favor of impeachment on Wednesday.

With only eight days left in his one-term administration, Trump finds himself barred by social media, and now facing a second impeachment over claims that he instigated a riot against Congress on January 6.

(With input from agencies)

Sheldon Adelson, billionaire casino magnate and Republican donor, died on Monday, according to a statement from the Las Vegas Sands company. Adelson, a supporter of outgoing President Donald Trump, was 87. 

"Our founder and visionary leader, Sheldon G. Adelson, passed away last night at the age of 87 from complications related to treatment for non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma," the statement said.

U.S. Representative Pramila Jayapal said she has tested positive for COVID-19 after being locked in a room with Republican lawmakers who refused to wear masks as President Donald Trump's supporters laid siege to the U.S Capitol.

A Democrat, Jayapal, 55, lambasted Republicans late on Monday and said many of them not only refused to wear a mask while stuck in the room for several hours but also mocked colleagues and staff when offered one.

"Too many Republicans have refused to take this pandemic and virus seriously, and in doing so, they endanger everyone around them," she said in a statement.

Jayapal, who is the second Democratic member of the U.S. Congress to test positive since last Wednesday's storming of the Capitol by Trump's supporters, said she would work in isolation, in line with the guidance of the Capitol physician.

The attending physician for Congress, Dr Brian Monahan, said lawmakers who hid together for hours in a closed room to avoid the mob may have been exposed to the coronavirus.

Health officials have warned that the attack would likely become a superspreader event, as lawmakers were isolated for hours while a violent crowd of mostly maskless Trump supporters roamed the halls and corridors in an unsuccessful bid to block lawmakers' certification of Joe Biden's presidential win.

As the days pass since the U.S. Capitol riot, the severity of events in Washington, D.C. on January 6 only seem to increase. New footage of police officers being beaten and evidence suggesting an organized insurrection are emerging: a very serious situation – in which five people died – could have been much worse.

President Donald Trump is being blamed by people on both sides of the political divide for encouraging the rioters to prevent Congress from ratifying the presidential election results, and Democrats and many Republicans are determined to find a way to hold him accountable.

Here are five possible scenarios, though more than one course of action could be followed.

1. Impeachment

What's the process?

The House of Representatives will vote on Wednesday on an article of impeachment accusing Trump of "incitement of insurrection," which will require a simple majority to clear the 435-member chamber. If passed, the next step is for the article to be sent to the Senate, where a trial would be held and a two-thirds majority would be needed to convict Trump.

A major issue is timing – the Senate won't reconvene until January 19, so any trial would take place during Biden's presidency and potentially disrupt his agenda at the time he has the most leverage. But the article wouldn't need to be sent immediately, so some Democrats have floated impeaching Trump in the House and then holding onto the article beyond Biden's first 100 days.

Even then the likelihood of 17 Republicans voting to convict Trump is low, and it remains unclear whether senators can vote to remove someone from office who has already left. But some legal scholars believe a simple majority vote could be held banning him from running for office again, and he could also lose taxpayer-funded benefits an ex-president typically enjoys.

Is it possible? 

If the article of impeachment is put to the Democrat-controlled House of Representative as planned, Trump will almost certainly become the first U.S. president to be impeached twice. What happens next, if anything, is less clear.

2. 25th amendment

What's the process?

The 25th amendment to the constitution says a president can be removed from office if the vice president and a majority of the cabinet declare him "unable to discharge the powers and duties of his office." It was introduced after the assassination of John F Kennedy to prevent the country having an incapacitated leader: using it now would not meet the original intent, but there is Democratic pressure to do so.

It would be a much simpler process than impeachment, though Vice President Mike Pence and a majority of the cabinet – filled with acting secretaries who may or may not be eligible to have a say – are unlikely to be persuaded unless fresh events change their perspectives over the coming days.

Is it possible?

Pence is reported to be furious at Trump, who criticized his deputy for a lack of "courage" even as rioters were bearing down on him at the Capitol, but reports suggest he has no plans to invoke the 25th amendment. A House Democrat attempt to push a vote requesting that Pence does just that was blocked by Republicans on Monday, but the party is continuing to pressure the vice president to act.

3. Censure

What's the process?

Congress could formally censure Trump for inciting insurrection. The charge is lesser than impeachment, in fact it's little more than a slap on the wrist – but is more likely to succeed.

Some Republicans in the House, wary of backing impeachment, are thought to be on board with a move that would condemn Trump's actions without further sanction. Democrats appear unwilling to countenance a move that wouldn't have major consequences for the president, however.

Is it possible? 

A censure is much more viable than conviction via the impeachment process if there's a genuine will for bipartisan effort to hold Trump accountable, but the minimal impact of the move means it's unlikely. 

4. 14th amendment

What's the process?

The 14th amendment states that a person who has engaged in "insurrection or rebellion" against the United States is disqualified from holding state or federal office.

Some Democrats are considering employing the amendment against Republicans in Congress who took part in the rally before the riot, as well as Trump.

Is it possible? 

If a resolution under the 14th amendment was backed by Congress, it could block Trump from standing again, but it would probably be subject to legal challenge. The amendment is more likely to be against representatives who spoke at the pro-Trump rally ahead of the riot. 

5. Resignation

What's the process?

Trump could simply step aside at the behest of congressional leaders, as Richard Nixon did in 1974, possibly in the hope of leniency down the line.

Republican congressional leaders famously went to the White House to tell Nixon the game was up in the wake of the Watergate scandal, and with the threat of being kicked out of office hanging over him he stepped aside. He escaped impeachment and received a pardon from his successor, Gerald Ford.

Is it possible?

The idea of Trump resigning is almost inconceivable, given his past behavior. At least two Republican senators, Pat Toomey and Lisa Murkowski, have called for him to step down, however, as has an editorial in former ally Rupert Murdoch's Wall Street Journal.

Sitting U.S. President Donald Trump approved an emergency declaration for Washington, D.C. from Monday through January 24, according to the White House. 

The White House said the president has ordered federal assistance to supplement response efforts.

The move comes after authorities warned of security threats to President-elect Joe Biden's inauguration next week.

FBI warning

The FBI also warned of plans for armed protests at all 50 state capitals and in Washington, D.C., in the days leading up to Biden's inauguration on Monday.

An internal FBI bulletin, first revealed by ABC, warned, as of Sunday, that the nationwide protests may start later this week and extend through Biden's January 20 inauguration. Investigators believe some of the people are members of extremist groups, the officials said. 

"Armed protests are being planned at all 50 state capitols from January 16 through at least January 20, and at the U.S. Capitol from January 17 through January 20," the bulletin said, according to an AP source.

The FBI issued at least one other bulletin before the riots last week. On December 29, it warned of the potential for armed demonstrators targeting legislatures, the second official said.

"While our standard practice is to not comment on specific intelligence products, the FBI is supporting our state, local, and federal law enforcement partners with maintaining public safety in the communities we serve," the bureau said in a statement. "Our efforts are focused on identifying, investigating, and disrupting individuals that are inciting violence and engaging in criminal activity."

The FBI said it wasn't focused on peaceful protests but "on those threatening their safety and the safety of other citizens with violence and destruction of property."

To safeguard the U.S. capital, the National Guard was authorized to send up to 15,000 troops to Washington, and tourists were barred from visiting the Washington Monument until January 24.

The chief of the National Guard Bureau, General Daniel Hokanson, told reporters he expected about 10,000 troops in Washington by Saturday to help provide security, logistics and communications.

He said the number could rise to 15,000 if requested by local authorities.

Hokanson told reporters Monday that the Guard is also "keeping a look across the entire country," and to make sure that "our Guards in every state are in close coordination with their local law enforcement agencies to provide any support requested."

The riots followed weeks of online calls for violence in the nation's capital in the waning days of Trump's presidency. There have been several arrests, and at least two Capitol police officers, one who took a selfie with rioters, and another who put on a Make America Great Again hat, were suspended. At least a dozen more are under investigation, according to lawmakers.

A tweet in which Trump promised that last Wednesday's event in Washington, D.C., "will be wild" fueled a "month-long frenzy of incitements, strategizing, and embrace of violence against lawmakers," according to a research group that tracks online extremism activity. In a report issued Saturday, the SITE Intelligence Group also warned that the Capitol attack has emboldened Trump-supporting extremists.

"No matter how all this plays out, it's only the beginning," posted a user on TheDonald message board, according to the report.

Mark Pitcavage, a senior research fellow at the Anti-Defamation League's Center on Extremism, said authorities in state capitals and other major cities besides Washington should prepare for the possibility of violent protests next week.

"A lot of people were energized by what happened last week," he said. "State capitals are a natural place where people might want to show up, especially assuming that they think there might be a huge presence of police and military in D.C. because of what happened last week."

Javed Ali, a former FBI senior intelligence officer who teaches courses in counterterrorism at the University of Michigan, said it can be challenging for law enforcement to identify the line between people exercising their constitutionally protected rights to bear arms and free speech and those who pose "a real operational threat".

"The FBI just can't passively sit in websites and forums and social media platforms, waiting to see who's going to present a direct threat versus just someone who is being highly radicalized," he said. "There has to be an investigative predicate for the FBI to then start even the lowest form of an investigation."

(With input from agencies)

U.S. House Democrats are planning to vote on Wednesday to impeach President Donald Trump a second time, CNN reported citing House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer on Monday. 

Hoyer told his fellow Democrats the chamber would start the impeachment proceedings on Wednesday if Vice President Mike Pence does not respond to a request to invoke the 25th Amendment of the U.S. Constitution to remove Trump from office, a House aide said.

House Democrats introduced an article of impeachment on Monday morning, which charges Trump with "incitement of insurrection." The passage would make Trump, a Republican, the only U.S. president ever to be impeached twice.

Thousands of Trump supporters stormed the seat of Congress last week, forcing lawmakers who were certifying Democratic President-elect Joe Biden's election victory into hiding in a harrowing assault on the heart of American democracy that left five dead.

The violence occurred shortly after Trump urged supporters to march on the Capitol during a rally where he repeated false claims that his resounding defeat in the November 3 election was illegitimate. Many House Democrats and a handful of Republicans say Trump should not be trusted to serve out his term, which ends on January 20.

Democrats formally introduced their impeachment resolution on Monday. It charges Trump with "incitement of insurrection."

"We have a president most of us believe participated in encouraging an insurrection and an attack on this building and on democracy and trying to subvert the counting of the presidential ballot," Hoyer told reporters.

As the House convened on Monday, Republicans blocked an effort to immediately consider a resolution asking Pence to invoke the never-used 25th Amendment of the Constitution to remove an unfit president.

"The U.S. House must never adopt a resolution that demands the removal of a duly elected president, without any hearings, debate or recorded votes," said Republican Representative Alex Mooney, who raised the objection.

The House is expected to vote on Tuesday evening on the resolution for use of the 25th Amendment, which allows the vice president and the Cabinet to remove a president who is incapable of fulfilling his duties.

Pence and his fellow Republicans have shown little interest in invoking the amendment, but House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and other Democrats have tried to ramp up the pressure on them to act against Trump. They called on Pence to respond within 24 hours after passage of the resolution.

"As our next step, we will move forward with bringing impeachment legislation to the floor. The president's threat to America is urgent, and so too will be our action," Pelosi said in a statement.

Trump acknowledged a new administration would take office on January 20 in a video statement after the Capitol violence but has not appeared in public. Twitter and Facebook have suspended his accounts, citing the risk of him inciting violence.

Read more:

Pelosi: House to proceed with attempts to remove Trump

Twitter permanently suspends Trump's account, citing 'incitement of violence' risk

'Good conversation'

Trump reportedly met with Pence Monday evening in the Oval Office, a senior official said, signaling a common front as Democrats press the vice president to have the president removed from office as unfit.

"The two had a good conversation," the administration official said of the meeting, their first since last week's assault on the U.S. Capitol.

According to the official, Trump has no intention of resigning his office before his term comes to an end on January 20.

The official likewise indicated that Pence has no intention of invoking the 25th Amendment of the Constitution to remove Trump as unfit to discharge his duties – as Democrats are demanding.

Trump and Pence "reiterated that those who broke the law and stormed the Capitol last week do not represent the America First movement backed by 75 million Americans," the official said.

The pair "pledged to continue the work on behalf of the country for the remainder of their term," they added.

In an angry speech before the assault, Trump urged his supporters to march to the Capitol and demand that Pence, who was leading a joint session of Senate and House on certifying Joe Biden's victory, must intervene to reverse his election defeat.

Pence refused, and he was ultimately the one who announced to lawmakers Trump's and his loss to Biden and Kamala Harris, the incoming vice president.

Some Trump supporters, furious over Pence's action, were chanting that he should be hanged.

(With input from Reuters, AFP)

U.S. Acting Secretary of Homeland Security (DHS) Chad Wolf told his staff on Monday he was stepping down, the DHS said on Monday, making him the third cabinet member of the administration of President Donald Trump to leave office following Trump supporters' riot on Capitol Hill.

Democrats from the U.S. House of Representatives are formally unveiling their resolution to impeach U.S. President Donald Trump on Monday, charging him with "incitement of insurrection" for his role in last week's riots at the U.S. Capitol, CNN reported.

Conservative social media network Parler has gone offline on Monday after multiple tech giants banned the service following last Wednesday's U.S. Capitol riots.  

Facing a second impeachment and mounting calls for his removal from office, U.S. President Donald Trump remains defiant and has no plans to resign, the AP reported on Sunday.

Trump is reportedly planning to lash out against the companies, including Twitter and Facebook, which have now booted him from their social media platforms, according to the report. 

Meanwhile, his aides are hoping that he will spend the final days of his term "trying to trumpet his policy accomplishments." Trump is expected to travel to Alamo, Texas on Tuesday to tout his administration's attempts to construct a wall on the U.S.-Mexico border.

(With input from the AP)

U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said the House will proceed with bringing legislation to impeach President Donald Trump to the floor – if Vice President Mike Pence doesn't invoke the 25th amendment – in a letter late Sunday to colleagues.

"In protecting our Constitution and our Democracy, we will act with urgency, because this President represents an imminent threat to both," said Pelosi, adding that "the horror of the ongoing assault on our democracy perpetrated by this President is intensified and so is the immediate need for action."

The House is set to vote on Monday or Tuesday on a resolution urging Pence to invoke the 25th Amendment of the U.S. Constitution, which allows the removal of the president if he is unable to discharge his official duties, according to the letter. 

Pence is not expected to take the lead in forcing Trump out, although talk has been circulating about the 25th Amendment option for days in Washington.

Republicans condemn Trump

With impeachment planning intensifying, two Republican senators said they want Trump to resign immediately as efforts mount to prevent him from ever again holding elective office in the wake of deadly riots at the Capitol.

House Democrats were expected to introduce articles of impeachment on Monday. The strategy would be to condemn the president's actions swiftly but delay an impeachment trial in the Senate for 100 days. That would allow President-elect Joe Biden to focus on other priorities as soon as he is inaugurated on January 20.

Representative Jim Clyburn, the third-ranking House Democrat and a top Biden ally, laid out the ideas on Sunday as the country came to grips with the siege at the Capitol by Trump loyalists trying to overturn the election results.

"Let's give President-elect Biden the 100 days" at the start of his term to deal with the most urgent issues, said Clyburn. "Maybe we'll send the articles some time after that."

Republican Senator Pat Toomey of Pennsylvania on Sunday joined fellow Republican Senator Lisa Murkowski of Alaska in calling for Trump to "resign and go away as soon as possible," saying the president could face criminal liability after the deadly storming of the U.S. Capitol by his supporters.

"I think the president has disqualified himself from ever, certainly, serving in office again," Toomey said. "I don't think he is electable in any way."

Late Saturday, Pelosi convened a conference call with her leadership team and sent a letter to her colleagues reiterating that Trump must be held accountable. She told her caucus, now scattered across the country on a two-week recess, to "be prepared to return to Washington this week" but did not say outright that there would be a vote on impeachment.

"It is absolutely essential that those who perpetrated the assault on our democracy be held accountable," Pelosi wrote. "There must be a recognition that this desecration was instigated by the President."

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell has said an impeachment trial could not begin under the current calendar before inauguration day.

Potentially complicating Pelosi's decision about impeachment is what it would mean for Biden. While reiterating that he had long viewed Trump as unfit for office, the president-elect said on Friday what Congress does "is for them to decide," when talking about the impeachment.

Democrats weigh options

Another idea being considered by Democrats was to have a separate vote that would prevent Trump from ever holding office again. That could potentially only need a simple majority vote of 51 senators, unlike impeachment, in which two-thirds of the 100-member Senate must support a conviction.

Democratic Representative David Cicilline, a leader of the House effort to draft impeachment articles accusing Trump of inciting insurrection, said Sunday that his group had 200-plus co-sponsors.

The articles, if passed by the House, could then be transmitted to the Senate for a trial, with senators acting as jurors to acquit or convict Trump. If convicted, Trump would be removed from office and succeeded by the vice president. It would be the first time a U.S. president had been impeached twice.

A violent and largely white group of Trump supporters overpowered police, broke through security lines and windows and rampaged through the Capitol last Wednesday, forcing lawmakers to scatter as they were certifying Biden's victory over Trump in the Electoral College.

Meanwhile, Marriott International Inc, America's largest hotel company, and the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association said Sunday they will suspend donations to U.S. lawmakers who voted against certifying Biden's victory.

(With input from agencies)

Democrats are set to introduce an article of impeachment against outgoing President Donald Trump next week over the deadly Capitol unrest, as the drive is dividing Republicans in the Senate, the upper chamber responsible for holding a trial.

U.S. Congressman Ted Lieu from California, a Democratic member of the U.S. House Judiciary Committee, tweeted on Saturday that the article of impeachment, which has so far had 180 co-sponsors, will be brought forward during Monday's pro forma session in the lower chamber.

Lieu, Congressmen David Cicilline from Rhode Island, and Jamie Raskin from Maryland wrote the article of impeachment seeking to remove Trump for "incitement of insurrection" at the U.S. Capitol on Wednesday.

A bid crowd of Trump's supporters overwhelmed police and violently breached the Capitol on that day when Congress was certifying President-elect Joe Biden's victory in the 2020 White House race. The chaos and violence forced a lockdown on the Capitol grounds and left five people dead, including a police officer, and dozens of others injured.

Trump addressed a rally outside the White House shortly before the deadly violence unfolded on Capitol Hill, urging his supporters to march toward the landmark to encourage Republican lawmakers to contest the Electoral College results, as he had refused to acknowledge their legitimacy with unsubstantiated claims of voter fraud.

By Saturday, U.S. prosecutors have filed 17 cases in federal district court and 40 others in the District of Columbia Superior Court for a variety of offenses ranging from assaulting police officers to entering restricted areas of the U.S. Capitol, stealing federal property and threatening lawmakers.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, the top congressional Democrat, has publicly expressed support for initiating proceedings to impeach Trump for a second time in just over a year.

The House, led by Democrats, impeached Trump in 2019 after an inquiry triggered by a whistleblower complaint that raised concerns about the White House's interactions with Ukraine. The Republican-led Senate later acquitted the president, allowing him to continue holding office.

The U.S. Constitution provides that the House of Representatives "shall have the sole Power of Impeachment" and that "the Senate shall have the sole Power to try all Impeachments."

Through the impeachment process, the U.S. Congress charges and then tries an official of the federal government for "Treason, Bribery, or other high Crimes and Misdemeanors." The definition of "high Crimes and Misdemeanors" is not specified in the Constitution and has long been subject to debate.

Conviction can only happen in the U.S. Senate and requires at least two-thirds of its members, or 67 senators, to vote in favor of at least one article of impeachment after a trial. No sitting U.S. president has ever been removed from office by Congress through impeachment.

Senate Republicans have been divided over the impeachment push.

Senator Pat Toomey, a Pennsylvania Republican set to retire in 2022, told Fox News in an interview that he believes Trump has "committed impeachable offenses" by inciting violence at U.S. Capitol.

However, Toomey pointed out that he doesn't know whether it is "possible or practical" to move ahead with impeachment proceedings, since Trump only has 11 days left in office before Biden is sworn in on Jan. 20.

"I'm not sure it's desirable to attempt to force him out, what, a day or two or three prior to the day on which he's going to be finished anyway," he explained. "So I'm not clear that's the best path forward."

Senator Lindsey Graham, a South Carolina Republican and chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, tweeted on Friday that he thinks "any attempt to impeach President Trump would not only be unsuccessful in the Senate but would be a dangerous precedent for the future of the presidency."

"I'm convinced impeachment, under these circumstances, will further divide the country and erode the institution of the presidency itself," Graham wrote. "It will take both parties to heal the nation."

Outgoing Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, a Kentucky Republican, has reportedly circulated to colleagues a memo outlining procedures for holding another trial for Trump in the upper chamber if the House impeaches him again.

The Senate is currently in recess until Jan. 19, a day before the end of Trump's presidency, and impeachment trial proceedings cannot begin before then unless all 100 senators consent to an early return, a scenario which is unlikely to happen.

Trump has announced he will not be attending Biden's inauguration, the first outgoing U.S. president to skip his successor's swearing-in in over 150 years.

Vice President Mike Pence reportedly will attend the event on Capitol Hill at the invitation of Biden.

The U.S. Congress on early Thursday morning affirmed the 2020 Electoral College votes, in which Biden won 306 versus 232 for Trump. It takes at least 270 electoral votes to win the White House. Biden also won the popular votes by 7 million and more than 4 percentage points.

Shortly after the congressional certification of Biden's victory, Trump acknowledged defeat and promised to ensure "a smooth, orderly and seamless transition of power."

U.S. Vice President Mike Pence will attend President-elect Joe Biden's inauguration, CNN reported on Saturday.   

It comes one day after U.S. incumbent president Donald Trump said he would not attend the inauguration of his successor on January 20. 

U.S. Vice President Mike Pence hasn't ruled out the possibility of invoking the 25th Amendment to oust Donald Trump from office if the president becomes "more unstable," according to CNN on Saturday.

Earlier media reports said Pence was opposed to using the amendment to remove Trump for fear of pushing the president to rash action, thus putting the nation at risk.

House Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi have both called on Pence to invoke the amendment, following the U.S. Capitol mayhem on Wednesday, which disrupted the process of counting the electoral votes and verifying Biden's election win and left five dead. 

The 25th Amendment allows the vice president and Cabinet to remove the president if the majority of the cabinet members certify to Congress that the president is unable to perform his duties.

Trump has only days left in his term, and if impeached again as Pelosi threatened, he would be the only president impeached twice in U.S. history.

Apple and Amazon have suspended Parler from their respective App Store and web hosting service, saying the social networking service has not taken adequate measures to prevent the spread of posts inciting violence.

Parler is favored by many supporters of U.S. President Donald Trump, who was permanently suspended from Twitter on Friday, and it is seen as a haven for people expelled from Twitter. 

"We have suspended Parler from the App Store until they resolve these issues," the iPhone maker said in a statement Saturday.

Apple had given the service 24 hours to submit a detailed moderation plan, pointing to participants' using the service to coordinate Wednesday's siege of the U.S. Capitol.

Amazon has suspended Parler from its Amazon Web Services (AWS) unit, for violating AWS's terms of services by failing to effectively deal with a steady increase in violent content on the social networking service, BuzzFeed News reported.

John Matze, Parler chief executive, said Apple was banning the service until it gives up free speech and institutes "broad and invasive policies like Twitter and Facebook."

"They claim it is due to violence on the platform. The community disagrees as we hit number one on their store today," Matze said in a post on Parler.

Right-leaning social media users in the United States have flocked to Parler, messaging app Telegram and hands-off social site Gab, citing the more aggressive policing of political comments on mainstream platforms such as Twitter and Facebook. Twitter permanently suspended President Donald Trump's account on Friday.

"More details about our next plans coming soon as we have many options," Matze said.

Apple's action follows a similar move by Alphabet's Google, which on Friday suspended Parler, saying that it must demonstrate "robust" content moderation if it wants to get back in the store.

Dozens of U.S. diplomats have drafted a memo that urged the State Department to "explicitly denounce President Donald Trump's role" in the recent Capitol riot, and specifically they've called out Secretary of State Mike Pompeo for doing so.

"Just as we routinely denounce foreign leaders who use violence and intimidation to interfere in peaceful democratic processes and override the will of their voters, the department's public statements about this episode should also mention President Trump by name," the draft obtained by NBC News read.

"No one – not even the president – is above the law or immune from public criticism."

Follow CGTN's live updates on the Capitol riot

While a handful of White House staff and administration officials have resigned over Trump's role in inciting the violent demonstration, Pompeo still came to the president's defense on Saturday. He has criticized Twitter's decision to permanently ban Trump's account.

Federal agents arrested two more Capitol Hill rioters whose images had gone viral, of one carrying off the House speaker's lectern and another who wore horns and a fur pelt, while a top Democratic lawmaker called on mobile carriers to preserve social media content related to the chaos.

Dozens of people have been charged following the storming of the Capitol on Wednesday, with the FBI asking the public to help identify participants, given the proliferation of images of the riots on the internet. Five people have died, including a police officer.

On Saturday, Richard Barnett, the man pictured sitting at U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's desk, was charged with three federal counts including theft of public property.

Jacob Anthony Chansley, who featured prominently on social media wearing horns, a fur pelt, face paint and brandishing a spear adorned with the U.S. flag, turned himself in to police, the Department of Justice (DOJ) said.

"Chansley said that he came as part of a group effort with other 'patriots' from Arizona, at the request of the president that all 'patriots' come to D.C. on January 6, 2021," the DOJ said in a release.

Federal agents also arrested Adam Christian Johnson, whose photo as he smiled and waved as he carried off House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's lectern had also gone viral. Johnson, of Parrish, Florida, also streamed live video on Facebook of himself as he walked the halls of the Capitol, according to the Tampa Bay Times.

Read more:

Biden and several ex-presidents condemn U.S. Capitol riots

U.S. Capitol riot: Bedlam at the center of U.S. democracy

A day after the mob in entered the iconic domed building that houses the U.S. House and Senate, lawmakers told harrowing tales of their escapes. Several told Reuters that top Capitol security officials had assured them they would be safe ahead of the planned protests and that everything was under control.

"It wasn't until things really escalated that there was a kind of a panicky state," said Pennsylvania congresswoman Susan Wild, who was at the scene.

As recriminations began in Congress, officials at other branches of government said they could have provided more people to secure the Capitol – but no one from the Capitol Police asked. A senior U.S. defense official said that the Pentagon had been in touch with the Capitol police last week and as late as Sunday but were told that they would not require assistance from the National Guard.

"We asked more than once, and the final return that we got on Sunday, January 3, was that they would not be asking DOD (the Department of Defense) for assistance," said Kenneth Rapuano, assistant secretary of defense for homeland defense and global security.

In interviews with Reuters and in public statements, lawmakers fumed over the failure of the Capitol Police – a 2,000-member force dedicated to guarding the Capitol Grounds – and other agencies. Lindsey Graham, one of Trump's closest allies and chief defenders, said the invaders, many carrying weapons or unsearched backpacks, "could have blown the building up. They could have killed us all. They could have destroyed the government."

"How could we not be prepared?" he asked at a news conference. If the Capitol Police had been in the military, he said, "they would have been relieved of their commands and most likely court-martialed" and tried for crimes in a military court.

Capitol Police did not respond to a request for comment on Thursday evening.

(Cover: Supporters of U.S. President Donald Trump climb on walls at the U.S. Capitol during a protest, in Washington, U.S., January 6, 2021. /Reuters)

(With input from Reuters)

- Three men, including a newly elected state official in West Virginia, were charged in federal court in connection with the Capitol violence, according to the U.S. attorney's office for the District of Columbia.

One of the men, Jacob Anthony Chansley was identified as the man seen in media coverage who entered the Capitol building dressed in horns, a bearskin headdress, red, white and blue face paint, shirtless, and tan pants.

- At least two Seattle police officers were put on administrative leave as the Seattle Police Department investigates whether they took part in Wednesday's riot at the U.S. Capitol.

The department's chief, Adrian Diaz said any officer found to have taken part in the mob will be immediately fired.

- Democratic members of the House of Representatives will introduce formal articles of impeachment on Monday, the second impeachment of U.S. President Donald Trump. The text has been signed by at least 180 members of Congress so far, according to Democratic congressman Ted Lieu.

Previously, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has warned that Democrats will launch the process unless Trump resigns or Vice President Mike Pence invokes the 25th Amendment, where the cabinet removes the president.

(With input from agencies) 

After Wednesday's riot at the U.S. Capitol by President Trump supporters, the city has ramped up security ahead of President-elect Joe Biden's inauguration.

Fences and barricades surround federal buildings and National Guard troops have been deployed to the area. 

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Twitter deleted new tweets posted by U.S. President Donald Trump on the official government account @POTUS and suspended the account of his presidential campaign on Friday, after removing his personal account from the platform permanently.

Google has removed the Parler social networking app from its app store following the company's role in the U.S. Capitol riots this week.

Parler is a social network where many supporters of U.S. President Donald Trump have migrated to after being banned from services including Twitter, which on Friday permanently suspended Trump's account.

"In order to protect user safety on Google Play, our longstanding policies require that apps displaying user-generated content have moderation policies and enforcement that removes egregious content like posts that incite violence," a Google spokesperson said in a statement.

"In light of this ongoing and urgent public safety threat, we are suspending the app's listings from the Play Store until it addresses these issues," added the statement.

The social media platform Twitter permanently suspended U.S. President Donald Trump's account on Friday "due to the risk of further incitement of violence" following the storming of the U.S. Capitol on Wednesday by hundreds of his supporters.

"After close review of recent tweets from the @realDonaldTrump account and the context around them, we have permanently suspended the account due to the risk of further incitement of violence," @TwitterSafety said on Friday.

The move to suspend the account, which had more than 88 million followers, silences his primary megaphone days before the end of his term and follows years of debate about how social media companies should moderate the accounts of powerful global leaders. 

Twitter Inc. late Friday quickly deleted new tweets from U.S. President Donald Trump from an official government account. Trump tweeted, "We will not be SILENCED!" from the @POTUS government account, with 33.4 million followers, after Trump's @realDonaldTrump personal account was permanently banned by Twitter. "Twitter is not about FREE SPEECH," Trump wrote in the now-deleted tweets, adding that he is considering building his own social media platform in the near future.

Social media companies have cracked down on Trump's accounts in the wake of the turmoil in Washington, D.C. on Wednesday, which led to five deaths. Facebook Inc. said earlier this week it was suspending his account until at least the end of his presidential term. 

The Republican president is due to hand power over to Democratic President-elect Joe Biden on January 20. 

The White House did not immediately comment. 

In a blog post on Friday, Twitter said that two of the president's tweets posted that day were in violation of its policy against the glorification of violence. 

Twitter had temporarily blocked Trump's account on Wednesday following the siege of Capitol Hill, and warned that additional violations by the president's accounts would result in a permanent suspension. 

Trump was required to delete three rule-breaking tweets before his account was unblocked. He returned to Twitter on Thursday with a video acknowledging that Biden would be the next U.S. president. 

Twitter said that Trump's tweet on Biden's inauguration was being received by a number of his supporters as further confirmation that the November 3 election he lost was not legitimate. 

It said another tweet praising "American Patriots" and saying his supporters "will not be disrespected or treated unfairly in any way, shape or form!!!" could be seen as "further indication that President Trump does not plan to facilitate an orderly transition."

Trump's personal @realDonaldTrump account, which has sometimes fired off more than 100 tweets a day, has been used to reach supporters, spread misinformation and even fire staff. 

Both Twitter and Facebook have long afforded Trump special privileges as a sitting elected U.S. president, saying that tweets that may violate the company's policies would not be removed because they were in the public interest. They said he would lose access to those privileges upon leaving office, however. 

Twitter started labeling and putting warnings on Trump's tweets last year for repeatedly violating its rules, including its policies against glorifying violence, manipulating media or sharing potentially misleading information about voting processes. 

Trump still has access to the official @WhiteHouse and @POTUS accounts but will lose this when his presidential term ends. Asked if Trump could create another account, a Twitter spokeswoman said if the company had reason to believe he was using accounts to evade Friday's suspension, those accounts too could be suspended.

Asked about the unified action to block Trump on social media platforms, Seth Masket, professor of Political Science at the University of Denver said it was mainly due to concerns that Trump's voice may incite violence and trigger polarization.

"He (Trump) is using it to spread baseless lies about American elections and undermined support in democracy and to essentially promote or incite further violence," Masket pointed out to CGTN, adding the social media companies can help limit the damage Trump could make by playing a role in it.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi on Friday also called on Trump to resign, stating that she had instructed the House Rules Committee to move forward with a motion for impeachment and legislation on the U.S. Constitution's 25th Amendment, which provides for the removal of a president who is unable to discharge his official duties.

"Accordingly, the House will preserve every option – including the 25th Amendment, a motion to impeach, or a privileged resolution for impeachment," Pelosi said in a statement after a three-hour meeting with House Democrats. "With great respect, our deliberations will continue."

(With input from Reuters)

The man pictured sitting at U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's desk during Wednesday's riots in the U.S. Capitol has been arrested and charged with three federal counts, according to federal prosecutors on Friday.

Richard Barnett of Arkansas was taken into custody Friday morning in Little Rock, and he was charged with knowingly entering and remaining in restricted building grounds without authority, violent entry and disorderly conduct on Capitol grounds as well as the theft of public property, officials said.

In a related development, Acting Attorney General Jeffrey Rosen announced the FBI would team up with Washington's police department to jointly investigate the death of Capitol Police Officer Brian Sicknick, who was injured while defending the U.S. Capitol on Wednesday.

Follow CGTN's live updates on the Capitol riot

"Just because you've left the D.C. region, you can still expect a knock on the door if we find out you were part of the criminal activity at the Capitol," Steven D'antuono, the FBI Washington Field Office's assistant director in charge, told reporters in a telephone news briefing.

The Justice Department on Friday released details on 13 defendants who were charged in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia for their roles in connection with the Capitol riots.

They included Cleveland Meredith, who was charged with threatening Pelosi as well as possession of an unregistered firearm and unregistered ammunition, and Richard Barnett, the Gravette, Arkansas, man who was photographed sitting at Pelosi's desk and is also known as Bigo.

The shocking images of Mr. Barnett with his boots up on a desk in the speaker of the House's office on Wednesday was repulsive," Rosen said in a statement. "Those who are proven to have committed criminal acts during the storming of the Capitol will face justice."

Prosecutors also charged Nick Ochs, a prominent member of the Proud Boys, with being in the Capitol unlawfully, based in large part on a photo he posted on Twitter of himself smoking a cigarette in the Capitol along with the caption "Hello from the Capital lol."

Among others facing charges were Lonnie Coffman of Falkville, Alabama – whose truck parked near the Capitol and inspected by police contained 11 Molotov cocktails as well as firearms – and Mark Leffingwell, who is accused of assaulting a police officer.

On Friday, Pelosi said she has instructed the Rules Committee to be prepared to move forward on a motion to impeach U.S. President Donald Trump if the Republican does not resign after deadly pro-Trump riots at the U.S. Capitol.

"It is the hope of members that the president will immediately resign," Pelosi said in a statement on her meeting with the House Democratic Caucus. "The House will preserve every option... With great respect, our deliberations will continue."

Read more:

Biden and several ex-presidents condemn U.S. Capitol riots

U.S. Capitol riot: Bedlam at the center of U.S. democracy

(With input from Reuters)

The U.S. Capitol Police on Thursday confirmed the death of one of its officers who was wounded during Wednesday's riots.

"At approximately 9:30 p.m. this evening (January 7, 2021), United States Capitol Police Officer Brian D. Sicknick passed away due to injuries sustained while on-duty," the Capitol Police said.

The police officer is the fifth person to die following Wednesday's riots at the Capitol.

Sicknick was injured while physically engaging with protesters, the Capitol Police said in a statement. "He returned to his division office and collapsed. He was taken to a local hospital where he succumbed to his injuries," the statement read.

Sicknick's death is being investigated by the D.C. Metropolitan Police Department's homicide branch, the Capitol Police and their federal partners.

The United States Capitol Police (USCP) on Thursday said media reports regarding the death of a police officer involved in Wednesday's riots were not accurate, adding that "although some officers were injured and hospitalized yesterday, no USCP officers have passed away," according to a statement acquired by U.S. media.

Multiple media outlets, including CNN and The New York Times, earlier reported that a USCP officer had become the fifth casualty of Wednesday's chaos at the Capitol.

CNN updated its report following the USCP's statement, saying the officer "is on life support," citing Capitol Police union chair Gus Papathanasiou.

House Representative Dean Phillips from the state of Minnesota, also said on Twitter prior to the statement that he was advised that a USCP officer "has died of injuries sustained in yesterday's assault on the Capitol." 

U.S. Education Secretary Betsy DeVos submitted her resignation to President Donald Trump on Thursday night over a mob attack on the U.S. Capitol, according to U.S. media report, making her the second major official to step down following Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao.

"That behavior was unconscionable for our country. There is no mistaking the impact your rhetoric had on the situation, and it is the inflection point for me." DeVos said in a letter to Trump published by several U.S. media outlets. "Impressionable children are watching all this, and they are learning from us."

- The unprecedented scenes of bedlam at the Capitol building on Wednesday night have reportedly prompted a resignation spree at the White House. U.S. Secretary of Transportation Elaine Chao is said to be the first among Trump staff to cast off the outgoing president following the hours-long capture of the Capitol by his violent supporters. Other names include Mick Mulvaney, Trump's former chief of staff and current U.S. Special Envoy for Northern Ireland; John Costello, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Intelligence and Security at the U.S. Department of Commerce; and Ryan Tully, Trump's top White House adviser on Russia.

- Capitol Police Chief Steven Sund will also stand down next week, effective January 16, after a botched-up response to the clashes, U.S. media reported.

- Acting U.S. Attorney General Jeffrey A. Rosen said on Thursday the Department of Justice will press charges on some rioters that attacked the Capitol building.

- A total of 68 people were arrested on Wednesday night following the riots, according to D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser's spokesperson.

- President-elect Joe Biden launched a blistering attack on Trump on Thursday, accusing him of an "all-out assault on the institutions of our democracy." Biden said Wednesday, in his view, was "one of the darkest days" in the history of the U.S.

- Vice President Mike Pence's adviser said Pence opposes employing the 25th Amendment to remove Trump from office before his term ends.

U.S. President Donald Trump condemned the invasion of the Capitol and said he's committed to a smooth, orderly transition of power in a newly released video posted on Twitter on Thursday after the 12-hour ban executed by the social media giant ended.

"The demonstrators who infiltrated the Capitol have defiled the seat of American democracy. To those who engaged in the acts of violence and destruction, you do not represent our country," Trump said in the 160-second video. "And to those who broke the law, you will pay."

In the video message aimed at calming tensions after his supporters stormed into the Capitol building as Biden's election victory was being certified by lawmakers inside, Trump also acknowledged that Biden will be the next U.S. president.

"A new administration will be inaugurated on January 20. My focus now turns to ensuring a smooth, orderly and seamless transition of power. This moment calls for healing and reconciliation," he said.

A U.S. Capitol police officer involved in Wednesday's riots has died, CNN reported citing sources.

The police officer is the fifth person to die "as a result of the day's violence," according to the CNN report.

U.S. President Donald Trump condemns "in the strongest possible terms" violence by supporters who stormed the Capitol, White House Press Secretary Kayleigh McEnany told reporters on Thursday. 

"Let me be clear: the violence we saw yesterday at our nation's Capitol was appalling, reprehensible and antithetical to the American way," she said. "We condemn it - the president and this administration - in the strongest possible terms."

"It is unacceptable, and those that broke the law should be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law," McEnany said in the White House briefing room amid growing calls for Trump's removal from office.

U.S. President Donald Trump has discussed the possibility of pardoning himself in recent weeks, a source familiar with the situation said on Thursday.

Such a pardon would be an extraordinary use of presidential power by Trump, who lost the November 3 election to Joe Biden and will leave office on January 20.

The White House declined comment.

The New York Times earlier reported that Trump had said he was considering pardoning himself in discussions with aides since the November election, citing two unidentified people with knowledge of the conversations.

"In several conversations since Election Day, Trump has told advisers that he is considering giving himself a pardon and, in other instances, asked whether he should and what the effect would be on him legally and politically, according to the two people," the Times reported.

Trump has already issued a series of pardons to political allies and friends. He also said in a 2018 Twitter post: "I have the absolute right to PARDON myself."

Read more:

Trump pardons Russia probe figure Papadopoulos, Republican allies

Trump pardons more allies, including Kushner's father

Trump repeatedly showing willingness to pardon people convicted of war crimes

Trump faces state legal actions that would not be covered by a federal pardon. They include a criminal probe by Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus Vance and a civil probe by New York state Attorney General Letitia James into whether he inflated asset values to obtain loans and tax benefits in his business dealings.

Constitutional lawyers say there is not a definitive answer on whether a president can lawfully issue a self-pardon. No president has tried it before, so the courts have not weighed in.

"When people ask me if a president can pardon himself, my answer is always, 'Well, he can try,'" Brian Kalt, a constitutional law professor at Michigan State University, earlier told Reuters. "The Constitution does not provide a clear answer on this."

Some legal experts have said a self-pardon would be unconstitutional because it violates the principle that nobody should be the judge in his or her own case.

A second impeachment or the 25th Amendment

The newspaper said it was not clear whether Trump had discussed the matter since the storming of the U.S. Capitol by his supporters on Wednesday, which prompted calls for his removal from office by the top two Democrats in Congress.

House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi and incoming Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer both said that Vice President Mike Pence and the Cabinet should invoke the 25th Amendment of the U.S. Constitution to remove Trump from power.

In a statement published on Thursday, Schumer said the attack on the Capitol "was an insurrection against the United States, incited by the president." He said, "This president should not hold office one day longer."

Schumer added, "If the vice president and the Cabinet refuse to stand up, Congress should reconvene to impeach the president."

Earlier, lawmakers of both parties raised the prospect of ousting Trump from office, and Pelosi said that if he wasn't removed, the House may move forward with a second impeachment.

Pelosi told a news conference that she is waiting for a decision from Pence and other Cabinet officials. She challenged several of them by name, including Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin.

"Do they stand by these actions?" Pelosi asked. "Are they ready to say that for the next 13 days this dangerous man can do further harm to our country?"

However, according to Reuters, Pence adviser said the vice president opposes use of the 25th Amendment to remove Trump from office.

(With input from agencies)

CGTN's Nathan King was on the scene at the U.S. Capitol during the unprecedented siege of the building by Trump supporters in order to overturn the complete outcome of the 2020 Presidential election. 

He talks about what he saw, the police response, and how supporters reacted moments before storming into the Capitol, and what this means in the waning days of the Trump administration. 

(Cover: Equipment of media crews damaged during clashes after Trump's supporters breached the U.S. Capitol security in Washington, D.C., U.S., January 6, 2021. /Getty)

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Supporters of President Donald Trump stormed the U.S. Capitol building on Wednesday.

The protesters gathered in Washington, DC in support of Trump and his fraudulent claims of voting fraud as the U.S. Congress voted to certify President-elect Joe Biden’s victory.

The mob trashed Congressional offices, including House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., broke windows and entered both the Senate and House chambers.

A “non-scalable” fence more than two meters high (seven feet) is being put up around the Capitol for at least 30 days.

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Top Senate Democrat Chuck Schumer said Thursday that President Donald Trump should be removed immediately from office after inciting the "insurrection" at the US Capitol.

"What happened at the US Capitol yesterday was an insurrection against the United States, incited by the president. This president should not hold office one day longer," Schumer said, two weeks before Trump is scheduled to hand over power to President-elect Joe Biden.

Schumer called for intervention by Vice President Mike Pence, who angered Trump Wednesday by acknowledging he could not overturn their election defeat in a ceremonial congressional session raided by a pro-Trump mob.

The New York senator called on Pence to invoke the 25th Amendment, in which the cabinet by a majority vote can remove a president for incapacity to serve.

"The quickest and most effective way -- it can be done today -- to remove this president from office would be for the vice president to immediately invoke the 25th Amendment," Schumer said.

"If the vice president and the cabinet refuse to stand up, Congress should reconvene to impeach the president."

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell had already told senators to go home until the eve of the inauguration.

But Schumer is in line to become majority leader after Democrats were projected to win two Senate runoffs Tuesday in Georgia.

If the threats are carried out, Trump would become the first president to be impeached twice.

The House of Representatives already voted in December 2019 to impeach him for holding up congressionally authorized aid to Ukraine as he pushed for a far-fetched investigation into Biden.

But Trump remained in office after a vote to remove him failed in the Republican-controlled Senate.

(With input from agencies)

U.S. President Donald Trump will not be able to post anything on Facebook and Instagram, at least for the remainder of his term in office, the chief executive of the social networking site Mark Zuckerberg said.

Zuckerberg on Thursday said the action was taken because Trump clearly demonstrated he intended "to use his remaining time in office to undermine the peaceful and lawful transition of power to his successor."

"His decision to use his platform to condone rather than condemn the actions of his supporters at the Capitol building has rightly disturbed people in the US and around the world. We removed these statements yesterday because we judged that their effect -- and likely their intent -- would be to provoke further violence," Zuckerberg wrote in a post on the social media platform.

"Following the certification of the election results by Congress, the priority for the whole country must now be to ensure that the remaining 13 days and the days after inauguration pass peacefully and in accordance with established democratic norms.”

Zuckerberg acknowledged that Facebook had in the past removed content or labeled Trump's posts when they violated its policies due to the belief that "the public has a right to the broadest possible access to political speech, even controversial speech.”

He, however, pointed out that the current situation was "fundamentally different" and the risks of allowing Trump to continue using the platform were "simply too great".

Earlier on Thursday, Trump was suspended from Twitter after tweeting to supporters who went on to attack the U.S. Capitol during a congressional debate over Biden's election win.

The U.S. Congress later certified Biden's victory in the presidential election, hours after the violent disruption which resulted in the deaths of four people.

(With input from agencies)

"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," U.S. President Donald Trump said in a statement, following a formal affirmation of U.S. President-elect Joe Biden's Electoral College victory, CNN reported.

The U.S. Congress formally certified Joe Biden as the next U.S. president on Thursday, dealing a hammer blow to Donald Trump whose supporters stormed the Capitol hours earlier, leading to an unprecedented suspension of the certification.

After debate, the Senate and the House of Representatives successfully beat back Republican efforts to deny Biden by rejecting two objections to the tally and certified the final Electoral College vote.

The affirmation of Biden's 306-232 victory over Trump in November essentially closes the door on the unparalleled and deeply controversial effort by Trump and his loyalists to overturn the results of the 2020 election.

Vice President Mike Pence, in declaring the final vote totals behind Biden's victory, said this "shall be deemed a sufficient declaration of the persons elected president and vice president of the United States."

An orderly transition?

Trump released a statement minutes after the announcement, pledging that he will voluntarily leave office on January 20, stressing there will be an "orderly transition."

"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," Trump said, adding he would remain in frontline politics, amid speculation that he may run again in 2024.

"I have always said we would continue our fight to ensure that only legal votes were counted. While this represents the end of the greatest first term in presidential history, it's only the beginning of our fight to Make America Great Again!"

The certification came hours after Trump's supporters breached the U.S. Capitol and sent lawmakers scrambling for safety. They were able to return hours later, shaken but determined to complete the task.

Egged on in an extraordinary rally across town by an aggrieved Trump, a flag-waving mob had broken down barricades outside the Capitol and swarmed inside, rampaging through offices and onto the usually solemn legislative floors.

Security forces fired tear gas in a four-hour operation to clear the Capitol. Police said that one woman, reportedly a female Trump supporter from southern California, was shot and killed and that three other people died in the area in circumstances that were unclear.

Read more:

China calls on U.S. media to reflect on disparate coverage of Hong Kong, U.S. riots

Democracy 'under assault'

One Trump backer in jeans and a baseball cap was pictured propping a leg up on House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's desk as throngs climbed onto risers set up for Biden's inauguration. Another held a banner that read: "We the people will bring DC to its knees/We have the power."

Biden called the violence an "insurrection" and demanded that Trump immediately go on national television to tell the rioters to stand down.

"Our democracy's under unprecedented assault," Biden said in his home state of Delaware. "This is not dissent. It's disorder. It's chaos. It borders on sedition. And it must end now."

Trump soon afterward released a video in which he called on his supporters to leave but repeated his claims of election fraud.

"We have to have peace. So go home. We love you – you're very special," he said.

Trump's Twitter account was temporarily suspended in a significant new crackdown taken by social media companies after he uploaded a video that could aggravate violence. Twitter warned the tweet-loving tycoon of a permanent ban if he does not conform to rules on civic integrity.

In an angry, rambling speech outside the White House before the violence, Trump urged his supporters to march to the Capitol and demanded that Pence, who ceremonially led the session, intervene to reverse their loss.

The vice president refused, and it was ultimately Pence standing before the joint session of Congress who announced his and Trump's loss to Biden and incoming Vice President Kamala Harris.

Thousands of Trump supporters headed to Washington at his urging in recent days, with downtown businesses boarding up in fear of violence and Mayor Muriel Bowser ordering a curfew Wednesday night.

A new chapter

German Chancellor Angela Merkel said Thursday she was "furious and saddened" by the storming of the U.S. Capitol by Trump's supporters and said the president shared blame for the unrest.

"I deeply regret that President Trump has not conceded his defeat, since November and again yesterday," she said.

"Doubts about the election outcome were stoked and created the atmosphere that made the events of last night possible," she said, adding that her shock was certainly shared by the "millions of people who admire America's democratic tradition."

Read more:

How the world is reacting to pro-Trump mob storming U.S. Capitol

She welcomed certification from Congress, saying the U.S. will "open a new chapter of its democracy."

"Now it is clear with the confirmation of the election victory of Joe Biden and Kamala Harris, the United States of America will, as it should, in less than two weeks open a new chapter of its democracy," she said. "That means the forces of democracy have prevailed – that is something I always knew about the United States and expected."

(With input from Reuters, AFP)

(Cover: U.S. Vice President Mike Pence and Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi stand after reading the final certification of Electoral College votes cast in November's presidential election during a joint session of Congress after working through the night, at the Capitol in Washington, U.S., January 7, 2021. /Reuters)

While storming the U.S. Capitol, Trump supporters trespassed on Capitol grounds and broke through the building's windows. Armored police vehicles arrived at the scene to disperse the violent protesters. Trump's supporters stormed a session of Congress that was certifying Joe Biden's election win, triggering unprecedented chaos and violence at the heart of American democracy.

Members of the U.S. House of Representatives were seen sheltering in place in the House Chamber on Wednesday, as violent supporters of President Donald Trump swarmed the building.

Three people died in "medical emergencies" during the riots at U.S. Capitol on Wednesday, according to Washington D.C. police chief.

It is not clear if the three deaths are directly linked to the riots. 

One woman was earlier reported shot dead inside the Capitol building, according to the police.

At least 52 people have been arrested in connection with the riots so far. 

Washington, D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser on Wednesday night extended public emergency and curfew for 15 days until January 21, the day after Joe Biden is expected to be inaugurated, multiple U.S. media outlets reported.

Members of President Donald Trump's cabinet on Wednesday discussed the possibility of removing Trump from office after his supporters stormed the Capitol, three U.S. news channels reported. 

The discussions focused on the 25th amendment to the U.S. Constitution, which allows for a president's removal by the vice president and cabinet if he is judged "unable to discharge the powers and duties of his office."  

Invoking it would require Vice President Mike Pence to lead the cabinet in a vote on removing Trump.

(With input from AFP)

U.S. Senate on Wednesday night rejected President Donald Trump's allies' challenge to Joe Biden's Electoral College win in the state of Arizona. The objection was part of failed efforts to overturn presidential election results.

United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres was saddened by Wednesday's violence and chaos in Washington, D.C. as U.S. Congress was certifying electoral votes for last year's presidential election, said his spokesman.

"The secretary-general is saddened by the events at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C., on Wednesday. In such circumstances, it is important that political leaders impress on their followers the need to refrain from violence, as well as to respect democratic processes and the rule of law," said Stephane Dujarric, the spokesman, in a note to correspondents.

U.S. President-elect Joe Biden and some former U.S. presidents have expressed shock and outrage at the storming of the U.S. Capitol in Washington by supporters of outgoing President Donald Trump on Wednesday. 

- Joe Biden called the violence an "insurrection" and demanded that Trump immediately goes on national television to urge his supporters to lift the siege of the Capitol. "Our democracy's under unprecedented assault," Biden said in his home state of Delaware. "The scenes of chaos at the Capitol do not reflect a true America," he added.

- Barack Obama: "History will rightly remember today's violence at the Capitol, incited by a sitting president who has continued to baselessly lie about the outcome of a lawful election, as a moment of great dishonor and shame for our nation."

- George W. Bush: "It is a sickening and heartbreaking sight," Bush said in a statement. "This is how election results are disputed in a banana republic - not our democratic republic." 

- Bill Clinton: "Today we faced an unprecedented assault on our Capitol, our Constitution, and our country," the former Democratic president said in a statement, adding that the attack was fueled by "four years of poison politics" and deliberate misinformation.  " 

The Dow finished at a fresh record on Wednesday as Wall Street largely shrugged off unrest in Washington after angry supporters of outgoing President Donald Trump stormed the U.S. Capitol.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average ended at 30,829.40, up by 1.4 percent, and the broad-based S&P 500 gained by 0.6 percent to close at 3,748.14.

The tech-rich Nasdaq Composite Index shed by 0.6 percent at 12,740.79. 

The siege on the Capitol followed a defiant speech from Trump, who lambasted "weak" Republicans who would not support his efforts to overturn his election defeat urged supporters to have a "wild" protest, vowed, "we will never give up."

Soon after those words, members of Trump's crowd broke through glass doors to storm the capital, prompting authorities to mobilize the National Guard as congressional Democrats condemned the siege by flag-waving fanatics as a "coup" or insurrection.

Hours after the chaos, the U.S. Capitol building has been secured, said local police.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi announced that Congressional leaders have decided to resume the joint session to certify President-elect Joe Biden's win once the Capitol is "cleared for use."

Twitter has announced that Trump's account will be locked for the next 12 hours due to his tweets about the election earlier today.

Stocks retreated from session peaks amid the turmoil, but two of the three major indices still finished higher and the blue-chip index concluded at an all-time high.

Art Hogan, chief market strategist at National Securities, said the market is looking past the chaos and ahead to the transition to the administration of President-elect Joe Biden.

"The assumption is that these domestic terrorists will be removed and that a new administration will take office in 14 days," Hogan said.

"The market, like it or not, tends to model things that have financial impacts," Hogan said. "It's hard to model this to financial implications."

"I think there's just a realization that's what's happening today is the end," said FHN Financial's Chris Low, adding "We should be back to a more rational universe within a week or two."

(With input from AFP)

Supporters of U.S. President Donald Trump smashed media equipment and screamed at journalists beside the U.S. Capitol after protesters stormed into the building and shut down legislative sessions. 

Wearing red campaign hats, they waved blue flags and charged into the debating chamber. Legislators were given gas masks to protect themselves against tear gas as they rushed to safety.

Facebook announced a 24-hour "feature block" on Wednesday for U.S. President Donald Trump's page, which will stop the president from posting during that period.

"We've assessed two policy violations against President Trump's Page which will result in a 24-hour feature block, meaning he will lose the ability to post on the platform during that time," Facebook tweeted.

The social media platform has also removed a recent video of Trump speaking about the protests at the Capitol on Wednesday and his subsequent post about the election results, as these posts "contribute to, rather than diminish, the risk of ongoing violence," the company said. 

Instagram, owned by Facebook, will also block Trump's account for 24 hours, Instagram head Adam Mosseri confirmed in a tweet. 

The decision follows Twitter's move to lock his account for 12 hours and a warning of permanent suspension. 

The U.S. Congress reconvened to resume the certification process of President-elect Joe Biden's electoral victory hours after it was forced to pause by pro-Trump rioters who stormed the Capitol Hill.

The Capitol is secured, said U.S. Vice President Mike Pence.

Stephanie Grisham, first lady Melania Trump's chief of staff and former White House press secretary, has resigned in wake of the riots on Capitol Hill, U.S. media outlets reported on Wednesday.

The Chinese embassy in the United States on Thursday reminded Chinese citizens to improve safety awareness in the U.S. as Washington D.C. is under curfew due to massive protests amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

In case of emergency, Chinese citizens should report immediately to the embassy.

Twitter announced that U.S. President Donald Trump's account will be locked for the next 12 hours for violating the platform's violent threats policies. "If the Tweets are not removed, the account will remain locked," the Twitter Safety team said in a thread.

The unprecedented decision followed the removal of three tweets over "severe violations of our Civic Integrity policy," which flamed a mob of pro-Trump rioters into the U.S. Capitol Hill on Wednesday.  

"As a result of the unprecedented and ongoing violent situation in Washington, D.C., we have required the removal of three @realDonaldTrump Tweets that were posted earlier today for repeated and severe violations of our Civic Integrity policy," Twitter's safety-enforcement team said in a tweet. 

One of the controversial tweets was a video in which Trump spoke directly to his supporters and repeated false claims that the 2020 presidential election was fraudulent.

Twitter has made the tweets unavailable. "If the Tweets are not removed, the account will remain locked," the Twitter Safety team said in a thread.

The company also threatened to permanently ban Trump's account if the violations continue.

"Future violations of the Twitter Rules, including our Civic Integrity or Violent Threats policies, will result in permanent suspension of the @realDonaldTrump account," the Twitter Safety team said. 

Trump's privilege on Twitter as a world leader 

President Trump has been an incredibly active Twitter user, using the platform to reach a wide audience on a daily basis. 

As one of the most influential users on Twitter, he has posted some disputed content before, challenging the policies of the social media network. But his messages at times received special treatment, as Twitter has a special rule around world leaders, claiming their statements are particularly noteworthy. 

For example, during the protests over the death of African American George Floyd's in May, Trump's posting that "when the looting starts, the shooting starts" sparked anger. Twitter restricted it from being viewed directly but did not remove it, even though it said it "glorifies violence."

The company has also placed special labels for other tweets involving false or misleading claims about voter fraud in the 2020 presidential election.

In November, Twitter said that it would not grant Trump's account special status after January 20, when President-elect Joe Biden takes office. That means Trump's account will be subject to the same rules as any other user, such as bans on false information and content that could incite violence. 

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi announced that Congressional leaders have decided to resume the joint session to certify President-elect Joe Biden's win once the Capitol is "cleared for use."

The U.S. Capitol building has been secured, said local police, hours after rioters stormed the seat of government and entered the lawmakers' chambers.

The woman who was shot inside the building during riots on Wednesday afternoon was pronounced dead at the hospital, reported CNN citing a spokesperson with the Metropolitan Police Department.

Metropolitan Police Department Chief Robert Contee said at least 13 people were arrested amid the riots. 

(Scroll to the right to see more.)

U.S. President Trump's supporters stormed the Capitol building on Wednesday, as U.S. Congress votes to certify the Joe Biden's victory.  

The situation inside Capitol Hill has turned to chaos as one woman has been confirmed shot inside the U.S. Capitol grounds and at least five people have been taken to hospital. In addition, at least one improvised explosive device has been recovered by police on the grounds of the U.S. Capitol. Members of Congress are in lockdown and are being told to get under their chairs after tear gas released in the rotunda.

President-elect Biden addressed the nation, saying "The scenes of chaos at the Capitol do not reflect America, do not represent who we are." "This is not dissent, it's disorder, it's chaos, it borders on sedition, and it must end, now." He added, "I call on President Trump to go on national television now to fulfill his oath and defend the Constitution and put an end to the siege." "It's not protest, it's insurrection.”

President Trump took to his Twitter following a prompt by President-elect Joe Biden to call off his supporters and end the siege on Capitol Hill.  Trump started his statement reiterating his false claims that the election was stolen from him and his supporters and "everyone knows it," but "You have to go home now," Trump said, "Go home, we love you, you're very special," adding "go home and go home in peace."

Protesters clashed with police earlier afternoon. Due to the situation in the area, Metro announced trains are temporarily by-passing Capitol South Station. D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser ordered citywide curfew from 6:00 p.m. on January 6 until 6:00 a.m. on January 7. 

(Scroll to the right to see more.)

U.S. President trump supporters are also marching in other U.S. Cities on Wednesday.

In a tweet, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson condemns the unrest at the U.S. Capitol after Trump supporters stormed the building in attempts to overturn the 2020 Presidential election results and slow the certification of President-elect Joe Biden.

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau also expressed his concern over the violence scene in Washington, D.C. "Obviously we're concerned and we're following the situation minute by minute,” Trudeau told News 1130 Vancouver radio station.

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The U.S. Congress convened in a joint session Wednesday afternoon to formally count the Electoral College votes cast in the 2020 presidential election.

This is the final step in certifying President-elect and Democrat Joe Biden's victory over the incumbent Republican, Donald Trump.

U.S. Vice President and President of the Senate Mike Pence is presiding over Wednesday's congressional session.

Electors in 50 states and the District of Columbia met last month to select Biden as the next president of the United States by awarding him 306 electoral votes versus 232 for Trump.