WATCH LIVE | US House of Representatives begins debate over Trump impeachment vote

EXPLAINER | Impeachment of a US president and how it works

Donald Trump is on the brink of becoming the first US president to have been impeached twice, with the House of Representatives beginning a debate Wednesday on accusations he incited an insurrection at the US Capitol last week.

No president has been ousted from office by impeachment, but even the threat can bring one down - Richard Nixon resigned in 1974 to avoid certain removal in the Watergate scandal.

Three presidents have beaten the process: the House formally impeached Andrew Johnson in 1868 and Bill Clinton in 1998, but in both cases they were acquitted in the Senate.

Trump, of course, was the third: the House first voted to impeach him in 2019 after a political scandal over his attempt to seek dirt from Ukraine on his then-potential 2020 Democratic presidential rival Joe Biden.

Trump on brink of unprecedented second impeachment

The House of Representatives was set to impeach President Donald Trump for inciting insurrection Wednesday, with several key Republicans backing the Democrat-led push to bring down the real estate tycoon in flames just a week before he leaves office.

Washington was in a state of siege as lawmakers opened their session, with armed National Guard soldiers deployed, central streets barred to cars and public spaces fenced off.

The expected majority vote, coming seven days ahead of Democrat Joe Biden's inauguration, would make Trump the first US president to have been impeached twice.

Trump's epic downfall was triggered by his 6 January speech to a crowd on the National Mall, telling them that Biden had stolen the election and that they needed to march on Congress and show "strength."

Amped up on weeks of conspiracy theories pushed by Trump, the mob stormed into the Capitol, fatally injured one police officer, wrecked furniture and forced terrified lawmakers to hide, interrupting a ceremony to put the legal stamp on Biden's victory.

One protester was shot dead, and three other people died of "medical emergencies," bringing the toll to five. Trump still remains defiant, refusing to accept responsibility for his campaign to undermine Americans' belief in the election system and his final, fiery speech on the Mall.

But his once seemingly unbreakable grip on Republicans is eroding as leaders run out of patience - and look to a post-Trump rebuilding of their party.

Vice President Mike Pence threw Trump a lifeline on Tuesday, saying he would not invoke the 25th Amendment that allows him and the Cabinet to strip a sitting president of his powers.

But impeachment on the single charge of "incitement of insurrection" is all but assured to pass. A vote has been scheduled for around 15:00.Trump, who has been stripped of his social media megaphones by Twitter and Facebook, and finds himself increasingly ostracized in the business world, is struggling to impose his message - let alone any kind of resistance.

On a quick trip to Texas on Tuesday he visited the US-Mexico border wall, which he regards as one of his biggest achievements. But the brief, low-energy speech he made there did nothing to recapture his rapidly sliding momentum.

His insistence that his infamous speech to the crowd had been "totally appropriate" and that he bore no blame infuriated allies and opponents alike.- Republican cracks -While the House impeachment is all but assured, it had seemed highly unlikely that the Republican-controlled Senate would follow through with a trial.

Senate leader Mitch McConnell made clear that there was no time before the 20 January change in presidency because the Senate is in recess until 19 January.

Other than scheduling problems, there has been no appetite among Republicans, who acquitted Trump in his first impeachment trial a year ago, to strip him of office just days before he is set to leave anyway.

However, according to The New York Times, McConnell signalled privately on Tuesday that he believes Trump did commit impeachable offenses and he welcomes the impeachment.

If confirmed, this would be a potentially fatal shift in the ground under Trump's feet. McConnell could in theory call the Senate back for an emergency session or encourage his senators to join Democrats in convicting Trump even after Biden assumes office.

In the House, the number three Republican Liz Cheney said she would be voting to impeach, and called Trump's actions "a betrayal" of his office.

This came after top House Republican Kevin McCarthy said members would not be required to toe the party line on the vote - a significant weakening of support for Trump.

Four other House Republicans have now also publicly stated they will vote for impeachment.

The increasingly toothless Trump's social media woes also deepened late Tuesday when video-sharing giant YouTube said it was suspending his official account for at least a week, out of concern his videos could incite violence.

-AFP

New York City to end Trump contracts over riot

New York City will terminate its contracts with the Trump Organization following last week's violent rampage at the US Capitol, Mayor Bill de Blasio said Wednesday.

The announcement comes as a growing number of businesses, lawmakers and groups move to put distance between themselves and the outgoing president over the deadly mob attack. The New York contracts cover a city-owned golf course in the Bronx, two ice-skating rinks and a carousel in Central Park.

"New York City doesn't do business with insurrectionists," de Blasio, a Democrat, tweeted. "We're taking steps to terminate agreements with the Trump Organisation to operate the Central Park Carousel, Wollman and Lasker skating rinks, and the Ferry Point Golf Course."

The Trump Organisation has more than $17 million worth of contracts with New York City, de Blasio said.

He told MSNBC that he was confident the city would win any legal challenge. "If a company or leadership of a company is engaged in criminal activity we have the right to sever the contract," de Blasio said.

"Inciting an insurrection against the US government clearly constitutes a criminal activity. "His comments came as the Democrat-controlled US House of Representatives opened a session that is expected to see Trump impeached for a historic second time.

Deutsche Bank, Trump's primary lender for two decades, will cease its longstanding relationship with Trump, The New York Times reported on Tuesday. Shopify has shut down e-commerce pages selling his items and payment platform Stripe says it will no longer handle transactions from Trump's campaign.

The PGA of America has pulled the 2022 PGA Championship from the Trump National at Bedminster course in New Jersey.

-AFP

US House of Representatives opens Trump impeachment session

The Democrat-controlled US House of Representatives on Wednesday opened debate on a historic second impeachment of President Donald Trump over his supporters' attack of the Capitol that left five dead. Lawmakers in the lower chamber are expected to vote for impeachment around 15:00 - marking the formal opening of proceedings against Trump.

-AFP

Trump should be impeached because insurrection attempt created huge security risk - House Democrats

Democrats on the House Judiciary Committee released a 50-page report on Tuesday making the case for quickly impeaching President Donald Trump for inciting an insurrection on the US Capitol last week, citing his "imminent threat" to the country. 

Among extensive examples of Trump's allegedly impeachable conduct, the report said that Trump "willfully incited violence" against government officials, staff, and law enforcement - in particular, those next in line to succeed Trump if he were to be removed from office."

The insurrection incited by the President also threatened the safety of the three most senior officials in the presidential line of succession: Vice President Mike Pence, Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, and President protempore of the Senate Senator Chuck Grassley," the report said.

READ | House Democrats release scathing 50-page report supporting the impeachment of Trump

Democrats on the House Judiciary Committee released a scathing 50-page report on Tuesday evening laying out supporting evidence for why they say the House should impeach President Donald Trump on a charge of inciting the January 6 insurrection on Capitol Hill. 

YouTube suspends Trump channel, removes video due to 'potential for violence'

Google-owned YouTube on Tuesday temporarily suspended President Donald Trump's channel and removed a video for violating its policy against inciting violence.

"In light of concerns about the ongoing potential for violence, we removed new content uploaded to Donald J. Trump's channel for violating our policies," YouTube said in a statement.

The channel is now "temporarily prevented from uploading new content for a 'minimum' of 7 days," the statement read.

VP Pence rejects invoking 25th Amendment to oust Trump

US Vice President Mike Pence told House leaders Tuesday he does not support invoking the 25th Amendment process to remove Donald Trump, all but guaranteeing an impeachment vote against the besieged president.

"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 House Speaker Nancy 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," he said.Democrats mobilized rapidly to begin the process to have Trump removed after he encouraged his supporters last Wednesday to "march" to the US Capitol and "fight."

In a violent insurrection, the rioters stormed past outnumbered police, rampaged through and ransacked the building, and interrupted Congress as it was certifying Joe Biden's election victory.

Pence, who was presiding over the vote, as well as Pelosi and other lawmakers, were forced to take shelter. Five people died during the unrest including a US Capitol Police officer.

The vice president's letter came just hours before the House of Representatives was to vote on a resolution that calls on Pence to initiate the 25th Amendment process and "declare what is obvious to a horrified nation: that the President is unable to successfully discharge the duties and powers of his office."

Pelosi has said Pence's failure to trigger that process would lead to a Trump impeachment vote on Wednesday. She has described Trump as being "unhinged."

But Pence told Pelosi that her call for invoking the 25th Amendment was misplaced, saying it was designed to "address presidential incapacity or disability," not as a "means of punishment or usurpation."

He also pointed out that despite intense pressure from within his party to invalidate the electoral votes from swing states won by Biden, he fulfilled his consitutional duty to certify the results.

"I will not now yield to efforts in the House of Representatives to play political games at a time so serious in the life of our nation," he wrote.

Earlier in the day Trump said the 25th Amendment was of "zero risk" to him.

- AFP

New York judge's son arrested over Capitol riot

The son of a New York judge was arrested Tuesday for participating in last week's violent rampage at the US Capitol building by supporters of President Donald Trump, prosecutors said.

Aaron Mostofsky, 34, is the latest of several supporters of the president to be charged over Wednesday's incursion which left lawmakers fearing for their lives.

Mostofsky faces four charges, including theft of government property, unlawful entry to a restricted building and disorderly conduct, according to the chargesheet.

Prosecutors allege that he stole a police riot shield and bulletproof police vest. They cite photographs of Mostofsky, including on his Instagram page, which show him inside the Capitol with the shield and vest. He was also wearing fur and carrying a stick.

"I don't think 75 million people voted for Trump - I think it was close to 85 million," Mostofsky told the New York Post on the day of the storming."

I think certain states that have been red for a long time turned blue and were stolen, like New York," he added. Trump's campaign has lost dozens of court challenges in several states, with judge after judge saying they showed no evidence of any significant election fraud.

Mostofsky faces up to ten years in prison if convicted of the most serious charge. He is due to appear before a judge in Brooklyn later Tuesday.

Mostofsky's father is Shlomo Mostofsky, a state Supreme Court judge in Brooklyn and a high-profile member of New York's Orthodox Jewish community.

-AFP

WATCH | Defiant Trump says impeachment causing 'tremendous anger'

President Donald Trump emerged from isolation at the White House on Tuesday to deny responsibility for a mob of his supporters storming Congress, and warning that his imminent impeachment is causing "tremendous anger."

Trump - set Wednesday to become the first president in US history impeached for a second time - made clear he takes no blame for the 6 January speech in which he urged supporters to march on Congress.

"They've analysed my speech in my words and my final paragraph, my final sentence, and everybody to the tee just thought it was totally appropriate," Trump said before flying to Texas.

President Donald Trump on Tuesday called preparations to impeach him in the US Congress "absolutely ridiculous" and said they were causing "tremendous anger.

"Trump, speaking as he boarded Marine One at the White House for a trip to Texas, called his likely impeachment in the House of Representatives on Wednesday a "continuation of the greatest witch hunt in the history of politics."

He was also quoted by AFP as saying there was tremendous anger about moves to impeach him but added he did not want violence.

"I want no violence," Trump told reporters as he left for a trip to the border wall in Alamo, Texas.

- Reuters and AFP

President Trump too busy watching the Capitol riots unfold on TV to do anything - Washington Post

President Donald Trump was too busy watching the Capitol building insurrection violently unfold on TV to help quell it, advisors told The Washington Post.

Several senators trapped in the Capitol building during the siege told The Post they tried reaching out to the president for help, but their calls went unanswered. Sen. Lindsey Graham said he was forced to call Ivanka Trump when the president failed to pick up the phone.

His days in power dwindling, Trump heads to Texas to see border wall

US President Donald Trump plans to emerge from seclusion on Tuesday for the first time since the US Capitol was ransacked by pro-Trump protesters and will travel to Alamo, Texas, to visit his signature border wall.

Bitter and upset with little more than a week until he hands over power to Joe Biden, Trump has been closeted in the White House with close advisers since Wednesday, when his supporters laid siege to the Capitol and the resulting violence led to the deaths of six people.

The White House said there was no symbolism to the choice of Alamo for Trump's visit. The Alamo mission in San Antonio, Texas, was the scene of a famous 1836 battle when Texans were routed by Mexican forces.

White House spokesman Judd Deere said the visit would mark Trump’s "completion of more than 400 miles of border wall — a promise made, promise kept — and his administration’s efforts to reform our broken immigration system".

- Reuters

McCarthy says Trump accepts 'some responsibility' for Capitol riot - sources

WASHINGTON – President Donald Trump acknowledged he bears "some responsibility" for an assault on the US Capitol last week, Republican congressional leader Kevin McCarthy told party lawmakers on Monday, according to two people familiar with McCarthy's briefing.

McCarthy, who said he believed Trump was responsible for the violence, shared details of a phone conversation he had with Trump during an emotional 2-1/2-hour long call with Republicans, many of whom remain divided over the attack, the sources said.

Thousands of Trump supporters stormed the seat of Congress last Wednesday, forcing lawmakers who were certifying Democratic president-elect Joe Biden's election victory into hiding in an attack that left five people dead.

The violence occurred shortly after Trump urged supporters to march on the Capitol during a rally where he repeated false claims that the 3 November election was "rigged" against him.

'Heinous attack'

Trump initially ignored demands that he condemn the attack, repeating his false claims about election fraud and referring to the supporters involved in the siege of Congress as "very special".

A day later, he described the violence as "a heinous attack" and pledged to work towards a smooth transfer of power, although he did not concede defeat in the election.

"I have been very clear to the president. He bears responsibility for his words and actions," McCarthy told fellow Republicans on Monday, according to one of the sources.

"I asked him personally today if he holds responsibility for what happened, if he feels bad about what happened. He told me he does have some responsibility for what happened."

McCarthy said he appealed to Trump to call Biden.

"I'm asking you personally. Call Joe Biden. For the sake of this nation."

- REUTERS

Trump privately blamed 'Antifa people' for storming US Capitol - Axios

US President Donald Trump has privately blamed 'Antifa people' for storming the US Capitol last Wednesday, even though clear video and documentary evidence exists showing the rioters were overwhelmingly his supporters, Axios reported.

Trump made the remark in a 30-minute-plus phone call on Monday morning with House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, Axios reported, citing a White House official and another source familiar with the call.

 - REUTERS

Democrats in U.S. Congress begin second push to impeach Trump

Congressional Democrats began a push on Monday to force US President Donald Trump from office, introducing one article of impeachment accusing him of inciting insurrection over a violent attack on the Capitol last week.

The Democratic-controlled House of Representatives is expected to take up the matter as early as Wednesday. Passage would make Trump, a Republican, the only president in US history to be impeached twice.

Thousands of Trump supporters stormed the Capitol 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.

Melania Trump breaks silence on Congress invasion

First Lady Melania Trump broke her silence Monday on last week's invasion of Congress by her husband's supporters, complaining that she has been unfairly treated.

The first lady's absence has drawn attention in the wake of the national crisis that erupted Wednesday when President Donald Trump encouraged a large crowd of angry followers to march on Congress.

The mob broke into the Capitol, ransacking offices and fighting with police.

"I find it shameful that surrounding these tragic events there has been salacious gossip, unwarranted personal attacks, and false misleading accusations on me - from people who are looking to be relevant and have an agenda," she wrote, without specifying the attacks.

She expressed condolences to the families of five people who died in the unrest, pointedly listing the names of deceased pro-Trump demonstrators before that of Brian Sicknick, a police officer who died of wounds inflicted by the mob.

- AFP

US police are preparing for a potential pro-Trump demonstration at Twitter's HQ

San Francisco police are preparing for the possibility of a pro-Trump rally at Twitter's headquarters on Monday in response to the social media platform booting off President Donald Trump.

A spokesperson from the San Francisco Police Department (SFPF) told the San Francisco Chronicle that they were aware of the possibility of a demonstration on the 1300 block of Market Street, where Twitter's HQ is, on Monday. 

US House to consider impeachment article on Wednesday - lawmaker

The chairman of the US House of Representatives' Rules Committee said he expected the article of impeachment against President Donald Trump to get to the House floor for a vote on Wednesday and predicted it will pass.

"It is important that we act, and it is important that we act in a very serious and deliberative manner," Representative Jim McGovern told CNN in an interview on Monday. "We expect this up on the floor on Wednesday. And I expect that it will pass."

McGovern said he expected Republican lawmakers to object to a request to bring up a resolution demanding that Vice President Mike Pence invoke the Constitution's 25th Amendment to remove Trump. In that case, his committee will provide a rule to bring that legislation to the House for a vote and, 24 hours later, the committee will then bring another resolution to deal with impeachment.

"What this president did is unconscionable, and he needs to be held to account," McGovern said.

- Reuters

Trump's Twitter eviction 'problematic' - Merkel

German Chancellor Angela Merkel believes that the decision by social media giants to permanently suspend Donald Trump's accounts is problematic because freedom of opinion should not be determined by such online platform bosses, her spokesman said Monday.

"The fundamental right to freedom of opinion is a fundamental right of elementary importance, and this fundamental right can be interfered with, but through the law and within the framework defined by the legislature, not according to the decision of the management of social media platforms," said Merkel's spokesman, Steffen Seibert.

- AFP

'Every minute' Trump is 'in office represents a clear and present danger' - Ocasio-Cortez

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez said she believes President Donald Trump should be impeached because "every minute" he stays in office "represents a clear and present danger" to Congress and the Country.

Ocasio-Cortez appeared on a Sunday segment of "This Week" with ABC News anchor George Stephanopoulos, where she said she believes impeachment should be scheduled for the president.

Now that Trump is banned from Twitter, it appears his family may have abandoned the platform too

Trump is reportedly livid about the Twitter ban. The rest of his family, save for Donald Trump Jr., seem to have spent much of the last few days off the platform.

‘Toothless tiger’: Impeachment could bar Trump from future office

An extraordinary breach of the United States Capitol by rioters egged on by President Donald Trump has led legislators into uncharted territory as they set course for impeachment with just days left in Trump’s term.

Democrats in the US House of Representative have said they will introduce an Article of Impeachment against Trump as soon as Monday, accusing him of engaging “in high Crimes and Misdemeanors by willfully inciting violence against the Government of the United States”.

In his repeated attempts to undermine the election and his directive for supporters to march on the seat of the US legislature on January 6 as Congress met to certify the victory of President-elect Joe Biden, Trump “betrayed his trust as President”, the lawmakers argue.

Trump eventually lowers White House flag after pressure from both Republicans and Democrats

After pressure from lawmakers, President Donald Trump lowered the White House's flag to half-staff, days after a US Capitol Hill police officer died amid the deadly Capitol Hill siege.

Capitol Police officer Brian Sicknick, 42, was hit with a fire extinguisher as a mob proceeded to lay siege to Capitol Hill, law enforcement officials said to the Associated Press. Sicknick later collapsed and was placed on a ventilator in critical condition, family members told ProPublica.

Pelosi says ready to start second impeachment of Trump

Washington – US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said on Sunday she would push ahead with efforts to remove President Donald Trump from office during the final days of his administration after his supporters' violent attack on the Capitol.

Pelosi, the top Democrat in Congress, said there would be a resolution in the House of Representatives on Monday calling for the cabinet to remove Trump as unfit for office under the constitution's 25th amendment.

If Vice President Mike Pence does not agree, "we will proceed with bringing impeachment legislation" to the floor of the House of Representatives, Pelosi said.

"In protecting our Constitution and our Democracy, we will act with urgency, because this President represents an imminent threat to both," she said.

"As the days go by, the horror of the ongoing assault on our democracy perpetrated by this President is intensified and so is the immediate need for action."

Trump was already impeached once by the Democratic-controlled House – in December 2019 for pressuring the leader of Ukraine to dig up political dirt on Joe Biden.

He was acquitted by the Republican-majority Senate.

Though time is running short, Democrats likely have the votes in the House to impeach Trump again and could even draw some Republican support for the move.

But they are unlikely to muster the two-thirds majority needed to convict Trump in the 100-member Senate and remove him from office.

Trump's successor Joe Biden is due to be inaugurated on 20 January.

 - AFP

Pope urges US to protect democracy, shun violence after mob attack

Pope Francis urged Americans on Sunday to shun violence, seek reconciliation and protect democratic values, following the mob attack on the US Capitol building by supporters of President Donald Trump that left five people dead.

"I repeat that violence is self-destructive, always. Nothing is gained by violence and so much is lost," the pope said in his Sunday address.

It was the second time in as many days that the pope, who visited the United States in 2015 when Barrack Obama was president, spoke out on the violence in the Washington, DC.

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. The five people who died included a police officer.

"I appeal to the authorities of the country and to the entire population to maintain a lofty sense of responsibility in order to calm things down, promote national reconciliation and protect democratic values that are rooted in American society," Francis said.

He said he wanted to send "an affectionate greeting" to all Americans whose country had been "shaken by the recent siege on Congress".

Francis also said he was praying for those who died and that all Americans would "keep alive a culture of encounter, a culture of caring, as the master way to build together the common good".

In advance excerpts on Saturday of a television interview to be aired on Sunday night, Francis said it was important to understand what had gone wrong and to learn from it.

"(Fringe) groups that are not well inserted into society sooner or later will commit this sort of violence," he said in the television interview.

Francis has had a rocky relationship with Trump, who visited the Vatican in 2017, disagreeing with him on a spate of issues, including immigration and climate change.

- AFP

Trump has not ordered flags flown at half-mast to honour police officer killed in the Capitol riot

US President Donald Trump has not ordered flags to be flown at half-mast over federal government buildings in honour of Brian D. Sicknick, the police officer killed in the storming of the Capitol on Wednesday.

US Vice President Mike Pence to attend Biden inauguration: reports

Mike Pence will attend the upcoming inauguration of Joe Biden, multiple media reports said Saturday, the vice president becoming the latest longtime loyalist to abandon an increasingly isolated President Donald Trump.

Relations between Trump and Pence -- previously one of the mercurial president's staunchest defenders -- have nosedived since Wednesday, when the vice president formally announced Biden's victory in November's election. A mob of far-right demonstrators stormed the US Capitol the same day in a failed bid to stop Congress from certifying Biden's win, in a riot blamed on Trump that left five dead.

Multiple media reports on Saturday cited senior administration officials as saying that Pence -- who was forced to take shelter from the intruders during the riot -- had decided to attend Biden's inauguration on January 20.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi warned that Democrats would launch the process unless Trump resigned or Pence invoked the 25th Amendment, in which the cabinet removes the president from office. While Pence has not spoken publicly on the subject, the New York Times reported Thursday he was against invoking the mechanism, never used before in US history.

- AFP

Short on alternatives, fans trash Twitter's Trump ban - on Twitter

President Donald Trump was banned from Twitter for 'inciting violence' - followed by Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat and Twitch. Some supporters complained on Twitter, while others moved to conservative alternative social media platforms to vent their anger. Amazon, Google and Apple have removed one of these platforms, Parler, from their app stores.

Friends, family and advisors to Donald Trump have been bitterly complaining that Twitter's ban of the president after his supporters stormed the US Capitol amounts to an assault on free speech by radical leftists. Ironically, given the enormous influence of the platform, they have aired their grievances first of all on... Twitter - a choice underscoring the platform's huge readership and the relative paucity of alternatives.

Increasingly isolated Trump threatened with second impeachment

US Democrats on Saturday were readying for an unprecedented second impeachment of Donald Trump as the defiant president showed no signs of stepping down after the deadly violence at the Capitol.

Democrats said impeachment proceedings could begin as early as Monday -- an extraordinary acceleration of a process that historically has taken weeks, but one that might not be completed before President-elect Joe Biden is sworn into office on January 20.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi 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.

Apple, Amazon suspend Parler social network from App Store and web hosting service

Apple Inc and Amazon.com Inc have suspended Parler from their respective App Store and web hosting service, saying the social networking service popular with many right-leaning social media users has not taken adequate measures to prevent the spread of posts inciting violence.

The action by Apple and Amazon follows a similar move by Alphabet Inc's Google on Friday. Parler is favored by many supporters of US President Donald Trump, who was permanently suspended from Twitter on Friday, and it is seen as a haven for people expelled from Twitter.

Apple had given Parler 24 hours to submit a detailed moderation plan, pointing to participants' using the service to coordinate Wednesday's siege of the US Capitol. Amazon's move effectively takes the site offline unless it can find a new company to host its services.

Amazon 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, according to an email by an AWS Trust and Safety team to Parler, seen by Reuters. An Amazon spokesperson confirmed the letter was authentic.

- Reuters

Biden says Trump impeachment is for Congress to decide

US President-elect Joe Biden says it is up to Congress to decide on Donald Trump's impeachment.

Twitter warns that it has seen discussion of a 'secondary attack' on the US Capitol

Twitter decided to permanently suspend President Donald Trump's account after concluding that his posts were being read as incitement to commit future acts of violence like that seen at the US Capitol this week.

Trump considered deploying the national guard to US Capitol, NYT says – to protect his supporters

President Donald Trump considered using the National Guard to protect the crowd of his supporters who went on to ransack the US Capitol, according to The New York Times.