Cincunri Sakia

Selasa, 05 Januari 2021

Donald Trump pressures Mike Pence to overturn election result - Financial Times

Donald Trump ratcheted up his desperate campaign to cling to power by pressuring vice-president Mike Pence to overturn the result of the presidential election when Congress meets to certify the vote on Wednesday.

The certification of the vote at a joint session of Congress is normally a ceremonial occasion presided over by the vice-president, and Mr Pence’s role requires him to declare that Joe Biden was the victor in November’s general election.

However, on Tuesday, Mr Trump falsely suggested that Mr Pence could use the occasion to nullify the result. “The vice-president has the power to reject fraudulently chosen electors,” Mr Trump wrote on Twitter.

Mr Trump’s intervention echoed remarks made at a rally in Georgia on Monday night, on the eve of two US Senate elections that will decide which party controls the upper chamber.

“I hope that our great vice-president . . . comes through for us,” Mr Trump told the rally. “Because if he doesn’t come through, I won’t like him quite as much.”

The pressure campaign on Mr Pence is the latest instalment in a so-far fruitless effort by Mr Trump to reverse the outcome of the election and follows a number of failed attempts to overturn the result in the courts.

The outgoing president has repeatedly sought to sow doubt over the result, falsely claiming that Mr Biden only won due to mass voter fraud. Several high-profile Republicans have supported his baseless claims, and 13 Republican senators have said they would object to the vote certification on Wednesday.

Electoral law experts have rejected Mr Trump’s claim that Mr Pence can block the certification, noting that any objections would fail if they are blocked by one of Congress’s two chambers.

The House of Representatives is controlled by Democrats, while most Senate Republicans have not joined the effort to block the certification, which is being led by Senators Ted Cruz of Texas and Josh Hawley of Missouri.

On Tuesday afternoon, several Republican senators said they would certify Mr Biden as the election’s winner.

"Our Constitution is a magnificent document -- and this is coming from a man who was not even fully counted as a man in the original version," said Tim Scott, the Republican South Carolina senator, who is black.

"As I read the Constitution, there is no constitutionally viable means for the congress to overturn an election wherein the states have certified and sent their electors," he added.

Jim Inhofe, a Republican senator from Idaho, said refusing to certify the results would be "a violation of my oath of office", while Jerry Moran, Republican senator from Kansas, warned that not certifying the results would risk "undermining our democracy".

The fracturing of the party over whether to support Mr Trump’s last-gasp effort to stay in the White House has put Mr Pence in an awkward position as he navigates his own political future, which could include a 2024 presidential run.

Mr Pence’s office has said he “welcomes the efforts of members of the House and Senate to use the authority they have under the law to raise objections and bring forward evidence before the Congress and the American people”.

However, last week, Mr Pence asked a federal court to reject a lawsuit filed against him by Louie Gohmert, a Republican member of the House of Representatives. If successful, the suit would have forced the vice-president to interfere with the electoral vote count by only counting the electoral votes he deemed valid, potentially allowing the vice-president to alter the election in favour of Mr Trump.

In a filing, Mr Pence called the lawsuit “a walking legal contradiction”. The 5th US Circuit Court of Appeals threw the suit out on Saturday.

The vice-president’s staff has given no indication that he would buck his ceremonial duty as presiding officer of the senate and refuse to certify the vote.

On Tuesday, Chuck Grassley, the eldest Senate Republican who is the chamber’s president pro-tempore, announced that he would preside over the session on Wednesday because “we don’t expect [Mr Pence] to be there”.

However, Mr Grassley’s office later walked back his comments, saying the senator had only been speaking in a hypothetical sense and that he had “no indication” the vice-president would not be present.

Mr Trump’s final effort to block the vote-certification comes at a crucial moment for the Republican party, which is fighting to hold on to the two Georgia Senate seats in the run-off elections on Tuesday.

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2021-01-05 20:11:00Z
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Donald Trump pressures Mike Pence to overturn election result - Financial Times

Mr Trump’s intervention echoed remarks made at a rally in Georgia on Monday night, on the eve of two US Senate elections that will decide which party controls the upper chamber.

“I hope that our great vice-president . . . comes through for us,” Mr Trump told the rally. “Because if he doesn’t come through, I won’t like him quite as much.”

Electoral law experts have rejected Mr Trump’s claim that Mr Pence can block the certification, noting that any objections would fail if they are blocked by one of Congress’s two chambers.

In a filing, Mr Pence called the lawsuit “a walking legal contradiction”. The 5th US Circuit Court of Appeals threw the suit out on Saturday.

The vice-president’s staff has given no indication that he would buck his ceremonial duty as presiding officer of the senate and refuse to certify the vote.

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2021-01-05 18:18:00Z
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An entire family - including girl, 2, her father and pregnant mother - wiped out in Norway landslide - Daily Mail

Tragic family wiped out in Norwegian landslide: Father, two-year-old daughter and heavily pregnant wife among seven dead as exhausted rescuers hunting for survivors find a dog amid the rubble

Rescue workers uncovered an entire family in rubble of Norwegian landslide
Alma, 2, her father Björn-Ivar Grymyr Jansen, 40 and heavily pregnant mother Charlot, 31, were killed in the disaster
Six of the seven bodies discovered by the rescuers have been named
Rescue teams are continuing the search for people still missing in the landslide

By Rachael Bunyan For Mailonline

Published: 14:48 GMT, 5 January 2021 | Updated: 14:48 GMT, 5 January 2021

Rescue workers have uncovered an entire family, including a two-year-old girl, her father and heavily pregnant mother, in the rubble of a Norwegian landslide.

The young family are among seven people who died as a result of the natural disaster in Ask, near Norway's capital.

Two-year-old Alma and her father Björn-Ivar Grymyr Jansen, 40, were found dead over the weekend.

Alma's mother Charlot, 31, who was heavily pregnant and expected to give birth next month, was also identified as among the dead by police on Monday, reports Bild. Her body had been discovered on Sunday.

Two-year-old Alma (centre), her father Björn-Ivar Grymyr Jansen, 40, (left), and mother Charlot, 31, who was heavily pregnant and expected to give birth next month, were all killed in the landslide in Ask, Norway

The young family are among seven people who died as a result of the natural disaster in Ask, near Norway's capital

Björn-Ivar Grymyr Jansen (right) and his wife Charlot (left) were among the dead

The rescuers are still working to find survivors six days after homes were buried by the landslide. Three people remain missing

The rescuers are still working to find survivors six days after homes were buried by the landslide. Three people remain missing.

The tragedy happened in the early hours of Wednesday morning when houses were destroyed and shifted hundreds of metres under a torrent of mud at the village of Ask, 15 miles northeast of Oslo.

Rescue workers discovered the seventh body on Sunday, which police say was found near where two others had been recovered earlier in the day. Officers gave no further details.

Three further victims recovered from the landslide have have been named as Lisbeth Neraas, 54, and her son Marius Brustad, 29, and Eirik Grønolen, 31. One body found has not yet been named.

On Monday, a small dog was found alive in the rubble, raising hopes for rescuers who are still searching for three missing people.

But just before midday today, a smaller landslide forced rescuers to evacuate the site in the village of Ask

On Monday, a small dog was found alive in the rubble, raising hopes for rescuers who are still searching for three missing people

The dog was found late yesterday 'in good condition' in an area where rescuers had been working, said police spokesman Ivar Myrboe.

'It is a joy for us and gives motivation to further work hard,' said rescuer Goeran Syversen.

But just before midday on Tuesday, a smaller landslide forced rescuers to evacuate the site in the village of Ask. No one was injured, police said.

Rescuer Kenneth Wangen said the landslide was 'not dramatic', adding they were warned by drones and other rescuers. They are waiting for an assessment from geologists before continuing the search.

A damaged house is seen at a landslide area in Ask, Gjerdrum county, on January 1, 2021, a few days after a landslide in a small Norwegian town north of Oslo

Emergency services near the site of a landslide in Ask, northeast of Oslo, Thursday, December 31. A landslide smashed into a residential area near the Norwegian capital Wednesday

Rescue teams are still working following the discovery of a seventh victim of the disaster in the town near Norway's capital, Oslo

Police spokesperson Bjorn Christian Willersrud told journalists they hoped to find more survivors in the landslide zone.

'It is still a rescue operation until we decide otherwise,' he said.

The discovery of a fourth body had been made Saturday after three were recovered the day before at the bleak, snow-covered scene at Ask, in Gjerdrum municipality.

Police on Saturday identified the body of the first person found on Friday as 31-year-old Eirik Grønolen.

Earlier police published the names of all ten people, including the two-year-old and a 13-year-old, who went missing on Wednesday.

Destroyed houses are seen in a crater left behind by a landslide in the town of Ask, Gjerdrum county, some 40 km northeast of the capital Oslo, on December 31

A rescue helicopter hovers over a landslide area in Ask, Gjerdrum county, on December 31, one day after the landslide

A rescue crew are seen near the scene of devastation before they search the area for survivors on Saturday

Rescue crews gather inside a building in Ask in Gjerdrum,on January 2, following a landslide in the town some 40 km northeast of the capital Oslo

The head of the rescue operation, Goran Syversen, said on Sunday: 'We are working hard in the depression created by the landslide.

'We have five teams working at the same time. They are doing very difficult work which is not without risk. Nevertheless, we are making good progress.'

The rescuers received a visit Sunday from the Norwegian royal family, including King Harald, Queen Sonja and Crown Prince Haakon, who lit candles for the victims in a local church.

They also visited relatives and evacuees at Olavsgaard hotel in Skjetten.

'I'm having trouble finding something to say, because it's absolutely horrible,' the King said after the visit.

'This terrible event impacts us all. I sympathise with you who are beginning the new year with sadness and uncertainty,' he said in a televised statement.

Norwegian King Harald and Queen Sonja have arrived in Ask to visit the scenes of devastation following the landslide and meet survivors

King Harald lights a candle in Gjerdrum Church in memory of the victims of the landslide on Sunday

Several of 5,000 residents of Ask, Norway, have lit candles in memory of those who lost their lives in the disaster

Candles are placed on the snow in Gjerdrum on January 1, in tribute to the victims of a landslide in Ask

Residents of the town have lit candles in honour of those who lost their lives in the tragedy.

The authorities have banned all aircraft from the disaster area until 3pm Monday as they conduct aerial searches.

Ten people were also injured in the landslide, including one seriously who was transferred to Oslo for treatment.

About a thousand people have been evacuated out of a local population of 5,000, because of fears for the safety of their homes as the land continues to move.

'It is a completely surreal and terrible situation,' one of the evacuees, Olav Gjerdingen, said.

A mobile bridge from the Norwegian Armed Forces is seen as it is prepared for use in the rescue works in the crater of a landslide in the town of Ask on January 1

A rescue helicopter files near the site of a landslide in Ask on Thursday. A landslide smashed into a residential area near the Norwegian capital Wednesday

Search and rescue teams have been using sniffer dogs, helicopters and drones in a bid to find survivors.

The search teams were also digging channels in the ground to evacuate casualties.

Experts say the disaster was a 'quick clay slide' of approximately 300 by 800 metres.

Quick clay is found in Norway and Sweden and notorious for collapsing after turning to fluid when overstressed.

Prime Minister Erna Solberg described it as one of the biggest landslides the country had ever experienced.

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2021-01-05 14:48:00Z
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Georgia Senate election: Control of Congress up for grabs - BBC News

The US state of Georgia is going to the polls in a vote that will decide whether President-elect Joe Biden's Democrats control the Senate.

Victory in the two runoff elections would give Mr Biden control over the whole of Congress and with it the power to push forward his progressive agenda.

Mr Biden said Georgians could shape the US for years to come.

Republican President Donald Trump told voters it was their "last chance to save the America that we love".

Republicans Kelly Loeffler and David Perdue currently hold the two Senate seats in the state. Ms Loeffler is taking on Reverend Raphael Warnock and Mr Perdue is battling Jon Ossoff.

None of the candidates reached the 50% needed to win outright in the elections in November, forcing Tuesday's runoffs under Georgia's election rules. Voting began at 07:00 (12:00 GMT).

What's at stake in Georgia?

The vote will decide the balance of power in the US Senate.

The Republicans currently hold 52 of the 100 seats. If both Democrats win on Tuesday, the Senate will be evenly split, allowing incoming Democratic vice-president Kamala Harris the tie-breaking vote.

This would be crucial for pushing through Mr Biden's agenda, including key issues such as health care and environmental regulations - issues with strong Republican opposition.

The Senate also has the power to approve or reject Mr Biden's nominees for cabinet and judicial posts.

If Mr Ossoff and Mr Warnock both win, it will bring the White House, Senate and the House of Representatives under Democratic control for the first time since President Barack Obama's election in 2008.

What's happening in Tuesday's vote?

Voting should last about 12 hours, ending at 19:00 local time (midnight GMT), although all those still in line to vote will be allowed to do so. A state primary last June did not stop accepting ballots until past midnight.

Democrats are hoping for a large turnout and have been buoyed by the fact that more than three million Georgians have already cast their ballots - nearly 40% of the state's registered voters. Early voting was a key benefit for Joe Biden in the presidential election.

The Democrats will be looking to turn out supporters in major urban areas, particularly the suburbs of Atlanta. The issue of long lines of voters could be more of a problem for them.

For the Republicans, getting out voters on the day is even more crucial, and they will be looking to the stronghold of north Georgia, as well as rural areas and smaller towns.

Georgia's Democratic Party Senate candidates Raphael Warnock (left) and Jon Ossoff

When will we know the result? You'd be brave to give a time. There were two recounts before Joe Biden was declared the winner over Donald Trump in November's presidential poll. Generally, results come in quickly but if these races are close, it could be days.

Mr Perdue nearly won first time out against Mr Ossoff in November, falling just short of the needed majority with 49.7%. The other seat had more candidates, with Mr Warnock recording 32.9% to Ms Loeffler's 25.9%.

A Democrat has not won a Senate race in Georgia in 20 years, but the party will be boosted by Mr Biden's presidential election win over Mr Trump there. Mr Biden's margin of victory was about 12,000 votes among five million cast.

What have Biden and Trump said?

Both attended rallies on Monday evening.

Mr Biden told voters in Atlanta: "Georgia, the whole nation is looking to you."

Flanked by Mr Ossoff and Mr Warnock, he said: "Unlike any time in my career, one state - one state - can chart the course, not just for the four years but for the next generation."

Mr Biden also took aim at Mr Trump, accusing him of "whining and complaining" about November's presidential election result rather than concentrating on the Covid-19 pandemic.

"I don't know why he still wants the job, he doesn't want to do the work," he said.

In Dalton, President Trump told voters that the Georgia runoffs were the "last line of defence" against the Democrats.

He told voters "the whole world is watching" and that this was "your last chance to save the America that we love".

The president spent a lot of his speech repeating claims he was the winner of the presidential election - and unsubstantiated allegations of widespread voter fraud.

Republican officials are worried this could depress turnout in Tuesday's vote, although Mr Trump played this down, telling voters to "swarm it tomorrow".

Joe Biden's first big test

Analysis box by Anthony Zurcher, North America reporter

It's just over two weeks until Joe Biden's inauguration, but the first real test of his presidency is on Tuesday.

If Democrats pick up the two seats and forge a 50-50 tie in the upper chamber, it's still far from certain that Biden will be able to enact the kind of sweeping legislation on the environment, healthcare and the economy that he proposed during his successful presidential campaign. The narrowness of the margin will ensure that any laws will have to be supported by centrists in his party, like Joe Manchin of West Virginia and Arizona's two senators.

It will, however, give the new president a fighting chance at legislative accomplishments - and make it significantly easier for him to appoint the administration officials and federal judges of his choice.

If the Republicans hold on, then Democratic hopes will rest on the whims of Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and a handful of Republican moderates.

Is Trump still challenging the White House election?

Mr Trump - who is due to leave office on 20 January - said at his Georgia rally: "They're not taking this White House. We're going to fight like hell."

He hinted that he wanted Vice-President Mike Pence, in his role as president of the Senate, to reject Mr Biden's win when Congress meets on Wednesday to certify the election results.

"I hope that Mike Pence comes through for us," Mr Trump said. "Of course, if he doesn't come through, I won't like him quite as much."

Some Republicans have said they will raise objections to the presidential election result in the House and Senate, requiring a debate and vote. Senator Ted Cruz, once a staunch critic of the president, is now his major ally.

But with other Republicans saying they will not contest Mr Biden's victory, the votes questioning it would not succeed.

Over the weekend it was revealed Mr Trump also held a controversial phone call with Georgia's top election official, secretary of state Brad Raffensperger.

In a recording of the call, first published by the Washington Post newspaper on Sunday, Mr Trump pressured Mr Raffensperger to "find" votes that would reverse his defeat in the state.

At his rally, Mr Biden did not make direct reference to the call, but alluded to Mr Trump's persistent challenges to the election results, saying that "politicians cannot assert, take or seize power".

Mr Biden won 306 votes to Mr Trump's 232 in the US electoral college, which confirms the US president. Mr Biden won at least seven million more votes than the president.

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2021-01-05 12:05:00Z
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Georgia Senate election: Control of Congress up for grabs - BBC News

The US state of Georgia is going to the polls in a vote that will decide whether President-elect Joe Biden's Democrats control the Senate.

Victory in the two runoff elections would give Mr Biden control over the whole of Congress and with it the power to push forward his progressive agenda.

Mr Biden said Georgians could shape the US for years to come.

Republican President Donald Trump told voters it was their "last chance to save the America that we love".

Republicans Kelly Loeffler and David Perdue currently hold the two Senate seats in the state. Ms Loeffler is taking on Reverend Raphael Warnock and Mr Perdue is battling Jon Ossoff.

None of the candidates reached the 50% needed to win outright in the elections in November, forcing Tuesday's runoffs under Georgia's election rules. Voting begins at 07:00 (12:00 GMT).

What's at stake in Georgia?

The vote will decide the balance of power in the US Senate.

The Republicans currently hold 52 of the 100 seats. If both Democrats win on Tuesday, the Senate will be evenly split, allowing incoming Democratic vice-president Kamala Harris the tie-breaking vote.

This would be crucial for pushing through Mr Biden's agenda, including key issues such as health care and environmental regulations - issues with strong Republican opposition.

The Senate also has the power to approve or reject Mr Biden's nominees for cabinet and judicial posts.

What's happening in Tuesday's vote?

The Democrats will be looking to turn out supporters in major urban areas, particularly the suburbs of Atlanta. The issue of long lines of voters could be more of a problem for them.

For the Republicans, getting out voters on the day is even more crucial, and they will be looking to the stronghold of north Georgia, as well as rural areas and smaller towns.

A Democrat has not won a Senate race in Georgia in 20 years, but the party will be buoyed by Mr Biden's presidential election win over Mr Trump there. Mr Biden's margin of victory was about 12,000 votes among five million cast.