US-Mexico USMCA Talks Advance as Auto Rules Remain Major Sticking Point 
Arizona Primaries Set High-Stakes Governor and House Battles Ahead of Midterm Elections 
Trump Administration Monitors OpenAI Incident as Lawmakers Push AI Kill Switch Bill 
Trump Says No Decision on Major Iran Strikes as U.S.-Tehran Talks Intensify 
Trump Administration Imposes New Forced Labor Tariffs on 60 Trading Partners 
EEOC Drops Penn Subpoena in Antisemitism Probe, Investigation Continues 
Russian Missile Strike on Kyiv Region Kills 10, Sparks Probe Into Defense Industry Event 
Amish Shah Wins Arizona Democratic Primary in Key U.S. House Race 
Trump Threatens Iran With 'Major Military Punishment' as Red Sea Attacks Push Oil Above $100 
Trump Orders Section 301 Probe Into EU Tech Fines, Signals New Tariffs 
UN Reappoints Volker Turk as Human Rights Chief Despite U.S., Russia, Israel Opposition 
UN Rights Chief Volker Turk Faces Opposition Over Second Term Bid 
Iran Rejects U.S.-Backed Ceasefire as Trump Escalates Military Threats, Oil Tops $100 
Trump Education Department Removes Disparate Impact Rules, Sparking Civil Rights Backlash 
Global Leaders Push Back as Trump Imposes New Forced Labor Tariffs 
Rubio Rejects AI ‘Kill Switch’ Claims as U.S. Defends American Technology Abroad 
Appeals Court Rejects Trump Bid to Reinstate $100,000 H-1B Visa Fee 
Today is the day that president-elect Joe Biden’s election victory over Donald Trump in the November elections will be formally counted and affirmed by both the House and the Senate. The joint session was abruptly postponed due to Trump supporters rioting into the Capitol.
Biden’s election victory sees the president-elect winning 306 electoral college votes compared to Trump, who has 232. His votes that have already been state-certified are set to be formally recognized by both chambers today with vice president Mike Pence presiding over the proceedings. However, the joint session was put to a halt as crowds of armed Trump supporters broke into the Capitol, some of which were carrying and waving Confederate flags. The storm-in comes as dozens of Republican lawmakers have announced their plans to object to Biden’s win.
Led by Senators Ted Cruz and Josh Hawley, this has forced lawmakers to seek refuge and hide from the chaos that was long hinted at by Trump in his refusal to concede. This was believed to be the last-ditch attempt to undermine the election and keep Trump in power, who has since pushed his unfounded claims of election or voter fraud. Lawsuits filed by allies to contest election results have widely been dismissed. In the midst of the chaos was one casualty as a woman was shot in the chest and was later pronounced dead at the hospital she was brought to.
The National Guard and other law enforcement have already been called in both by Pence and Acting Defense Secretary Christopher Miller to take control of the riots. Over a dozen people have since been arrested and detained. Republican Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell has long warned his GOP colleagues to avoid contesting the results.
The chaos comes as Biden is two weeks away from being inaugurated as the next president of the United States. Due to the pandemic, Biden’s inauguration would be smaller-scale as the president-elect’s inauguration team have advised supporters to stay indoors and avoid traveling to witness the inauguration in person. Rather than having a parade down Pennsylvania Avenue to the White House, an online parade would be hosted instead.
