Gov. Gavin Newsom has vetoed a bill giving unemployment benefits to striking workers, which was backed by the Writers Guild of America and SAG-AFTRA. “Now…
Donald Trump LIVE – QAnon fans 'plot to MURDER Joe Biden at inauguration by posing as National Guard', FBI warns
QANON Trump fanatics are plotting to kill Joe Biden at his inauguration by posing as the National Guard, the FBI has discovered.
An intelligence briefing citing concerns around the event revealed online chatter between the conspiracy theorists showed they considered an assassination "easy" to carry out following the Capitol riots.
The National Guard have been told to be alert to anyone who looks 'out of place' as a result. 'Concerns of lone wolf actors are increasing,' the FBI's official intelligence report adds.
And around 25,000 National Guard members underwent extra intense FBI screening this week after US defense officials raised concerns over 'insider' murder plots by one of those tasked with protecting Biden on the day.
The fears come just a day before President-Elect Biden's inauguration on where he will be sworn in as the 46th President of the United States.
Follow our US Politics live blog below for the latest news on Joe Biden, Donald Trump and Wednesday's inauguration
- Patrick Knox
BIDEN WANTS 8-YEAR CITIZENSHIP PATH FOR IMMIGRANTS
He plans to unveil a sweeping immigration bill on Day One of his administration, hoping to provide an eight-year path to citizenship for an estimated 11 million people living in the U.S. without legal status.
This is a massive reversal from the Trump administration's harsh immigration policies.
It provides one of the fastest pathways to citizenship for those living without legal status of any measure in recent years.
As a candidate, Biden called Trump's actions on immigration an unrelenting assault on American values and said he would undo the damage while continuing to maintain border enforcement.
- Patrick Knox
UK ‘NOT LUKEWARM ABOUT BIDEN’S VICTORY’
Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab said he "looks forward to working with the new administration".
Mr Raab told the Commons: "The resumption of Congress and the certification of Joe Biden's victory on January 7 sent an essential message that the democratic will of the US people cannot be challenged by a violent minority."
He added: "We made clear that the scenes by a small but ugly minority in Washington were disgraceful.”
Labour's shadow foreign minister Catherine West asked what urgent steps can be taken to mend that sense that the UK government was lukewarm around the election result.
Mr Raab replied: "The UK was not lukewarm and she must have missed the Prime Minister's statement where he was very clear."
- Patrick Knox
WASHINGTON DC LOCKED DOWN
Secret Service tightened security in and around the Capitol, and the city center is essentially on lockdown.
Streets have been blocked, high fencing installed and tens of thousands of National Guard and other law enforcement officers are stationed around the area.
But defense officials, worried about a potential insider attack, have pushed the FBI to vet all of the 25,000 National Guard troops coming into the area.
Acting Defense Secretary Christopher Miller said vetting of National Guard troops continues and that the Pentagon has found no intelligence so far that would indicate an insider threat.
Measures continue to be taken against a possible threat from the soldiers on duty at the ceremonyCredit: Getty Images – Getty
- Patrick Knox
BIDEN'S SECRETARY OF STATE-DESIGNATE
Secretary of State-designate Antony Blinken says he's committed to rebuilding the State Department after four years of it withering away under the Trump administration.
Blinken is set to appear today before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.
In testimony prepared for his appearance, Blinken says he sees a world of rising nationalism and receding democracy.
He also says that mounting threats from authoritarian states are reshaping all aspects of human life, particularly in cyberspace.
Antony Blinken, U.S. President-elect Joe Biden's nominee for secretary of stateCredit: Reuters - Patrick Knox
TRUMP’S FINAL WARNING TO IRAN
The US military has released a video of B-52 bombers refuelling in mid-air over the Middle East as part of huge war games.
Meanwhile, Iran is starting massive land-based war drills that coincide with Joe Biden’s inauguration.
American B-52 nuker bomber flies over Middle East as Iran stages massive war games
- Patrick Knox
UK BOOKIES PRICE UP WHO TRUMP WILL PARDON
Bookmakers Paddy Power say rapper Lil Wayne is the most likely celebrity face to be pardoned today at 1/5 – an 83 per cent chance.
Despite his desperate pleas, Joe Exotic, or the Tiger King to some, is much less likely to receive a pardon at 5/1 and is far more likely to release a song about the departing President (6/4).
While Dr Salomon Melgen, a Floridian eye doctor who is in prison for health care fraud, is rated 1/10 – a 90 per cent chance – of being pardoned, far ahead of Death Row Records founder Michael ‘Harry-O’ Harris (2/1), who Snoop Dogg is lobbying to be pardoned.
After Trump revealed he has a busy day with ‘many calls and many meetings’, the bookies say it’s priced at 1/10 that he pardons 50 or more people, 1/2 for 100 or more, or 5/4 for 150+.
- Patrick Knox
‘QANON EXTREMISTS PLOTTING TO POSE AS NATIONAL GUARD TROOPS’
They are said to be plotting to pose as National Guard troops in a bid to cause chaos on Inauguration Day, a FBI intelligence briefing warns.
The report reveals "lone wolves" and extremists — some of whom were involved in the deadly January 6 insurrection at the Capitol — have indicated that they plan to head to DC tomorrow.
Videos and pictures taken of the security measures by unknown individuals have been shared online and maps of the city have been studied by extremists, the Washington Post reports.
- Patrick Knox
WHERE WILL TRUMP GO AFTER LEAVING THE WHITE HOUSE?
He is expected to leave freezing cold Washington D.C and return to his palatial Mar-a-Lagoresidence in Palm Beach, Florida.
A moving truck is parked outside Mar-a-Lago in Palm BeachCredit: AP:Associated Press - Patrick Knox
WILL TRUMP PARDON HIMSELF?
This is not currently expected and would be highly unusual for an outgoing president to do that.
But if there’s one thing Trump has proved during his four years in office is that he does not stick to convention.
Should he give himself or his family a pardon that would likely harden anger among previously fully supportive Republicans in the Senate, which is expected to start an impeachment trial soon after Biden takes office.
- Patrick Knox
CHINA, RUSSIA AND IRAN ‘STOKING CAPITOL VIOLENCE IN US
They are helping to turn Americans against each other as they stoke violence with toxic online campaigns, experts have said.
The warning comes as the divisions in the US were laid bare when furious Donald Trump fans stormed the Capitol — resulting in five deaths, including a cop.
Conspiracy theory QAnon, which is believed to have helped fuel the Capitol riot, is known to have been pushed by Russian trolls on Twitter.
Iran meanwhile is known to have posed as the Proud Boys and sent threatening emails to Democrats, trying to again spread division.
Facebook also took down a Chinese disinformation operation in November which tried to influence both sides.
- Patrick Knox
TIGER KING STAR JOE EXOTIC CONFIDENT OF TRUMP PARDON
Exotic's team are so confident of this they have a limo booked and have devised a pamper plan for his first days of freedom, The Sun can exclusively reveal.
Eric Love, who is part of Exotic’s legal squad Team Tiger, believes the Netflix favorite will be freed tomorrow and they will whisk him to a secret location from FMC Prison in Fort Worth, Texas.
Exotic is currently serving a 22 year-sentence for animal cruelty and plotting to kill his nemesis, Carole Baskin.
Read more here.
Eric Love is planning to pick up Joe in a customized Dodge limo - Patrick Knox
POLICE ARREST WOMAN FBI SAYS ‘TRIED TO SELL PELOSI COMPUTER’
Federal authorities have arrested a Pennsylvania woman accused of stealing a laptop computer or hard drive from the U.S. House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi's office during the storming of the Capitol.
Riley June Williams, who has been charged with unlawfully breaching the Capitol building and with disorderly conduct was arrested on Monday, the Associated Press said, citing a Justice Department official.
The FBI said in a court filing on Sunday that Williams was seen on video taking "a laptop computer or hard drive" from Pelosi's office. It is investigating whether she tried to sell the device to Russian intelligence.
The New York Times reported that Williams had turned herself in to local police on Monday. The Justice Department did not respond to Reuters' request for comment.
- Patrick Knox
THE NEW NORMAL
The usually packed seating area has been drastically pared down because of Covid.
Socially distanced seating is set up in preparation for President-elect Joe Biden's inauguration Credit: Alamy Live News - Patrick Knox
WHAT WILL BIDEN SAY AT HIS INAUGURATION?
Biden's inaugural speech is expected to focus on his appeals for Americans to reunite and to step up the fight against the Covid-19 pandemic.
He is also set to announce a dramatic shift away from Trump's "America First" ideology, taking the United States back to its traditions of alliance-building.
This will begin with the new president ordering the United States back into the Paris climate accord on day one.
- Patrick Knox
WHO IS TRUMP GOING TO PARDON?
According to CNN and other US outlets, Trump has a list of about 100 people he will grant clemency to.
After what The New York Times reports has been an intense lobbying effort, these are expected to be a mix of white-collar criminals and people whose cases have been championed by criminal justice activists.
More controversial possible pardons that have been the subject of speculation for months would be for the likes of Edward Snowden, Julian Assange and Trump's influential advisor Stephen Bannon.
- Patrick Knox
IRAN STAGES WAR GAMES AS BIDEN BECOMES PRESIDENT
Its military will be staging huge ground force war games hours before the president is inaugurated.
Iran has recently stepped up military drills as part of an effort to pressure the President-elect over the nuclear deal Donald Trump pulled out of.
Biden has said the US could rejoin the multinational accord meant to contain Iran's nuclear program.
According to the report, commando units and airborne infantry were participating in the exercise, along with fighter jets, helicopters and military transport aircraft.
Iranian Army paratroopers parachute as the war games get underway todayCredit: AP:Associated Press - Patrick Knox
BIDEN, 78, TO PLAN OWN FUNERAL ONCE SWORN IN
This is up to the President and his family, with the Military District of Washington making the arrangements. It is more pressing because of his advanced age.
He will become the oldest President to take office, ahead of Trump who was 70 when he entered the White House in 2016.
Ronald Regan was 69.
- Patrick Knox
PREPARATIONS FOR THE BIG, IF NOT SMALLER DAY
Biden, meanwhile, is putting the finishing touches to an inauguration that will feature a small crowd and massive security.
The drastically scaled-down event comes amid fears of a pro-Trump riot and because of Covid-19.
The 'Field of Flags'â representing people who can't come because of Covid â is pictured on the National Mall as the US Capitol Building is prepared for the inauguration ceremoniesCredit: AFP or licensors - Patrick Knox
FINAL POLL SHOWS LOWEST APPROVAL
His final Gallup poll as president yesterday showed him exiting with 34 percent approval, his record low.
Trump's overall average of 41 percent since taking office is also the lowest for any president's approval rating since Gallup began measuring in 1938.
- Patrick Knox
UNCHARACTERISTICALLY SILENT
Not a squeak from Donald Trump… as the clock ticks down to his departure to a new life in his Mar-a-Lago golf club residence in Palm Beach.
Banned by Twitter for his stream of inflammatory messages and misinformation, he has largely stopped communicating with the nation.
He has also yet to congratulate Biden or invite him for the traditional pre-inauguration cup of tea in the Oval Office.
A worker helps construct a security fence around the White HouseCredit: Reuters - Patrick Knox
TRUMP MULLING PARDONS ON LAST FULL DAY IN POWER
Donald Trump began his final full day in the White House today with a long list of possible pardons to dish out before snubbing his successor Joe Biden's inauguration and leaving for Florida.
Tomorrow at noon, Biden will be sworn in and the Trump presidency will end, turning the page on some of the most disruptive, divisive years the United States has seen since the 1960s.
Biden, a veteran Democratic senator who also served as vice president to Barack Obama, was set to travel to Washington on Tuesday with his wife Dr Jill Biden from their hometown of Wilmington, Delaware.
Together with incoming vice president Kamala Harris — the first woman ever to hold the job — Biden was due to deliver an evening address on the Covid-19 crisis, from the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool.
- Alahna Kindred
'NOT THE TIME'
Political advisor Jen Psaki, who was the White House communications chief until 2017, said: "With the pandemic worsening, and more contagious variants emerging around the world, this is not the time to be lifting restrictions on international travel.
"On the advice of our medical team, the Administration does not intend to lift these restrictions on 1/26.
"In fact, we plan to strengthen public health measures around international travel in order to further mitigate the spread of Covid-19."
The Trump administration had considered lifting the restrictions in November, after winning support from coronavirus task force members and public health officials.
- Alahna Kindred
JOE SAYS NO
The incoming Biden administration will NOT lift entry bans on those traveling from the UK, Brazil and much of Europe on January 26.
Travel restrictions imposed due to the coronavirus pandemic barring most visitors from Europe coming to the US have been in place since mid-March, while the Brazilian entry ban came into force in May.
This was reportedly set to end next week under a new proclamation from president Trump, the same day that new Covid-19 test requirements take effect for all international visitors, according to Reuters.
But it has now revealed that these restrictions will not be lifted, and Joe Biden will instead be toughening rules around international travel.
- Debbie White
TRUMP'S FINAL VIDEO MESSAGE FOR NATION
President Donald Trump is still adamant that he won the election hours before he makes way for incoming leader Joe Biden, says The New York Times.
CNN reports that Trump has prepared a final video message for the nation, before he leaves the White House.
He has also been holding meetings on pardons, as he prepares to issue a reported 100 pardons on Tuesday.
- Debbie White
THOUSANDS OF FLAGS AT NATIONAL MALL
Thousands of American flags are seen in this awe-inspiring pic below, snapped at the National Mall on January 18.
The flags represent the people who are unable to travel to Washington for the inauguration, near the US Capitol, ahead of President-elect Joe Biden's inauguration, in Washington D.C.
Source: Read Full Article