Global Stocks Sink on Friday           01/22 05:49

   Global stock markets and U.S. futures retreated Friday after a resurgence of 
coronavirus infections in China and a rise in cases in Southeast Asia.

   BEIJING (AP) -- Global stock markets and U.S. futures retreated Friday after 
a resurgence of coronavirus infections in China and a rise in cases in 
Southeast Asia.

   London and Frankfurt opened lower and Shanghai, Hong Kong and Tokyo declined.

   Optimism about the rollout of coronavirus vaccines was dented by a spike in 
infections in China, where the disease had been under control. The government 
is testing millions of people in Beijing and some other cities. Authorities 
have called on the public to avoid travel during February's Lunar New Year 
holiday.

   That has "raised some concerns among investors who, after a slow start to 
the global vaccine rollout, are debating how fast economies can vaccinate the 
most vulnerable and start returning to business as usual," said Stephen Innes 
of Axi in a report.

   In early trading, the FTSE 100 in London fell 0.5% to 6,680.13 and the DAX 
in Frankfurt retreated 0.5% to 13,834.85. The CAC 40 in France shed 0.6% to 
5,557.42.

   On Wall Street, futures for the benchmark S&P 500 index and Dow Jones 
Industrial Average were off 0.5%.

   On Thursday, the S&P 500 ended up less than 0.1% after a day of chopping 
trading. The Dow lost less than 0.1%.

   The tech-heavy Nasdaq composite climbed 0.6% to 13,530.91 after traders bid 
up shares in Big Tech stocks, including Apple, Amazon and Facebook.

   In Asia, the Shanghai Composite Index declined 0.4% to 3,606.75 and the 
Nikkei 225 in Tokyo sank 0.4% to 28,631.45. The Hang Seng in Hong Kong lost 
1.6% to 29,447.85.

   The Kospi in South Korea, where the increase in virus cases has slowed, fell 
0.6% to 3,140.63.

   The S&P-ASX 200 in Sydney shed 0.3% to 6,800.40. India's Sensex retreated 
1.1% to 49,052.61. New Zealand advanced 1.7% while Singapore and Indonesia 
declined.

   Stocks have risen on optimism vaccines developed by U.S., European and 
Chinese drug companies would allow economies to return to normal.

   Markets also have been encouraged by the inauguration of President Joe 
Biden, who proposed a $1.9 trillion economic aid package, including $1,600 cash 
payments for most Americans.

   Those hopes have been jolted by an upsurge in infections and the emergence 
of new virus variants that might be more infectious.

   China, where the pandemic began in late 2019, has reimposed travel controls 
after outbreaks in Beijing and other cities. The government is building 
isolation hospitals with thousands of beds in Hebei province, which abuts the 
capital.

   On Friday, China reported 103 new infections, the 11th day with more than 
100 confirmed cases.

   "The resurgence of cases in China, namely in the largest cities of Beijing 
and Shanghai, ahead of the Chinese New Year holidays is a cause of concern," 
said Mizuho Bank in a report.

   The Chinese government has called on the public to avoid gatherings and 
travel during the Lunar New Year holiday, normally the year's most important 
family event. That is likely to dent spending on gifts, banquets and tourism, 
but economists say industrial activity might benefit if employees stay at their 
jobs.

   Deaths are rising in Indonesia while case numbers increase in Malaysia, 
Thailand and the Philippines.

   Benchmark U.S. crude lost 78 cents to $52.35 per barrel in electronic 
trading on the New York Mercantile Exchange. The contract fell 11 cents on 
Thursday to $53.13. Brent crude, the price standard for international oils, 
shed 69 cents to $55.41 per barrel in London. It rose 2 cents the previous 
session to $56.10 a barrel.

   The dollar strengthened to 103.65 yen from Thursday's 103.52. The euro 
advanced to $1.2176 from $1.2160.

First Treaty to Ban Nukes Becomes Law  01/22 06:12

   The first-ever treaty to ban nuclear weapons entered into force on Friday, 
hailed as a historic step to rid the world of its deadliest weapons but 
strongly opposed by the world's nuclear-armed nations.

   UNITED NATIONS (AP) -- The first-ever treaty to ban nuclear weapons entered 
into force on Friday, hailed as a historic step to rid the world of its 
deadliest weapons but strongly opposed by the world's nuclear-armed nations.

   The Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons is now part of 
international law, culminating a decades-long campaign aimed at preventing a 
repetition of the U.S. atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki at the end of 
World War II. But getting all nations to ratify the treaty requiring them to 
never own such weapons seems daunting, if not impossible, in the current global 
climate.

   When the treaty was approved by the U.N. General Assembly in July 2017, more 
than 120 approved it. But none of the nine countries known or believed to 
possess nuclear weapons --- the United States, Russia, Britain, China, France, 
India, Pakistan, North Korea and Israel --- supported it and neither did the 
30-nation NATO alliance.

   Japan, the world's only country to suffer nuclear attacks, also does not 
support the treaty, even though the aged survivors of the bombings in 1945 
strongly push for it to do so. Japan on its own renounces use and possession of 
nuclear weapons, but the government has said pursuing a treaty ban is not 
realistic with nuclear and non-nuclear states so sharply divided over it.

   Nonetheless, Beatrice Fihn, executive director of the International Campaign 
to Abolish Nuclear Weapons, the 2017 Nobel Peace Prize-winning coalition whose 
work helped spearhead the treaty, called it "a really big day for international 
law, for the United Nations and for survivors of Hiroshima and Nagasaki."

   The treaty received its 50th ratification on Oct. 24, triggering a 90-day 
period before its entry into force on Jan. 22.

   As of Thursday, Fihn told The Associated Press that 61 countries had 
ratified the treaty, with another ratification possible on Friday, and "from 
Friday, nuclear weapons will be banned by international law" in all those 
countries.

   The treaty requires that all ratifying countries "never under any 
circumstances ... develop, test, produce, manufacture, otherwise acquire, 
possess or stockpile nuclear weapons or other nuclear explosive devices." It 
also bans any transfer or use of nuclear weapons or nuclear explosive devices 
--- and the threat to use such weapons --- and requires parties to promote the 
treaty to other countries.

   Fihn said the treaty is "really, really significant" because it will now be 
a key legal instrument, along with the Geneva Conventions on conduct toward 
civilians and soldiers during war and the conventions banning chemical and 
biological weapons and land mines.

   U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said the treaty demonstrated support 
for multilateral approaches to nuclear disarmament.

   "Nuclear weapons pose growing dangers and the world needs urgent action to 
ensure their elimination and prevent the catastrophic human and environmental 
consequences any use would cause," he said in a video message. "The elimination 
of nuclear weapons remains the highest disarmament priority of the United 
Nations."

   But not for the nuclear powers.

   As the treaty was approaching the 50 ratifications needed to trigger its 
entry into force, the Trump administration wrote a letter to countries that 
signed it saying they made "a strategic error" and urging them to rescind their 
ratification.

   The letter said the treaty "turns back the clock on verification and 
disarmament" and would endanger the half-century-old Nuclear Nonproliferation 
Treaty, considered the cornerstone of nonproliferation efforts.

   Fihn countered at the time that a ban could not undermine nonproliferation 
since it was "the end goal of the Nonproliferation Treaty."

   Daryl Kimball, executive director of the Arms Control Association, said the 
treaty's arrival was a historic step forward in efforts to free the world of 
nuclear weapons and "hopefully will compel renewed action by nuclear-weapon 
states to fulfill their commitment to the complete elimination of nuclear 
weapons."

   Fihn said in an interview that the campaign sees strong public support for 
the treaty in NATO countries and growing political pressure, citing Belgium and 
Spain. "We will not stop until we get everyone on board," she said.

   It will also be campaigning for divestment --- pressuring financial 
institutions to stop giving capital to between 30 and 40 companies involved in 
nuclear weapons and missile production including Airbus, Boeing and Lockheed 
Martin.

Guard Troops Head Home After Inaugural 01/22 06:17

   

   WASHINGTON (AP) -- After President Joe Biden's inauguration went off with 
only a handful of minor arrests and incidents, more than 15,000 National Guard 
members are preparing to leave Washington, D.C., and head home.

   The National Guard Bureau said Thursday that of the nearly 26,000 Guard 
troops deployed to D.C. for the inaugural, just 10,600 remain on duty. The 
bureau said the Guard is helping states with coordination and the logistics so 
that troops can get home.

   Meanwhile, The Washington Post and Politico reported that hundreds of Guard 
troops were forced out of areas of the Capitol they had been using for rest 
breaks and were relocated to a nearby garage. Photos of the troops in the 
garage drew outrage from lawmakers.

   Sen. Tammy Duckworth, an Iraq War veteran, tweeted: "Just made a number of 
calls and have been informed Capitol Police have apologized to the Guardsmen 
and they will be allowed back into the complex tonight. I'll keep checking to 
make sure they are."

   After midnight, Duckworth tweeted an update: "Troops are now all out of the 
garage. Now I can go to bed." Politico reported that they had been allowed back 
into the Capitol.

   Thousands of Guard troops from all across the country poured into D.C. by 
the planeload and busload late last week, in response to escalating security 
threats and fears of more rioting. Military aircraft crowded the runways at 
Joint Base Andrews in Maryland, carrying Guard members into the region in the 
wake of the deadly Jan. 6 insurrection at the U.S. Capitol.

   Guard forces were scattered around the city, helping to secure the Capitol, 
monuments, Metro entrances and the perimeter of central D.C., which was largely 
locked down for several days leading up to Wednesday's inaugural ceremony.

   The U.S. Secret Service announced that the special security event for the 
inauguration officially ended at noon Thursday.

   The Guard said that it may take several days to make all the arrangements to 
return the 15,000 home, but it should be complete in five to 10 days. Guard 
members will have to turn in equipment, make travel plans and go through 
COVID-19 screening.

   Some local law enforcement agencies have asked for continued assistance from 
the Guard, so roughly 7,000 troops are expected to stay in the region through 
the end of the month.

Biden Orders Stopgap Help Amid Talks   01/22 06:18

   President Joe Biden plans to take executive action Friday to provide a 
stopgap measure of financial relief to millions of Americans while Congress 
begins to consider his much larger $1.9 trillion package to help those affected 
by the coronavirus pandemic.

   BALTIMORE (AP) -- President Joe Biden plans to take executive action Friday 
to provide a stopgap measure of financial relief to millions of Americans while 
Congress begins to consider his much larger $1.9 trillion package to help those 
affected by the coronavirus pandemic.

   The two executive orders that Biden is to sign would increase food aid, 
protect job seekers on unemployment and clear a path for federal workers and 
contractors to get a $15 hourly minimum wage.

   "The American people cannot afford to wait," said Brian Deese, director of 
the White House National Economic Council. "So many are hanging by a thread. 
They need help, and we're committed to doing everything we can to provide that 
help as quickly as possible."

   Deese emphasized that the orders are not substitutes for the additional 
stimulus that Biden says is needed beyond the $4 trillion in aid that has 
already been approved, including $900 billion this past December. Several 
Republican lawmakers have voiced opposition to provisions in Biden's plan for 
direct payments to individuals, state and local government aid and a $15 hourly 
minimum wage nationwide.

   Most economists believe the United States can rebound with strength once 
people are vaccinated from the coronavirus, but the situation is still dire as 
the disease has closed businesses and schools. Nearly 10 million jobs have been 
lost since last February, and nearly 30 million households lack secure access 
to food.

   One of Biden's orders asks the Agriculture Department to consider adjusting 
the rules for food assistance, so that the government could be obligated to 
provide more money to the hungry.

   Children who are unable to get school meals because of remote learning could 
receive a 15% increase in food aid, according to a fact sheet provided by the 
White House. The lowest-income households could qualify for the emergency 
benefits from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. And the formula 
for calculating meal costs could become more generous.

   The order also tries to make it easier for people to claim direct payments 
from prior aid packages and other benefits. In addition, it would create a 
guarantee that workers could still collect unemployment benefits if they refuse 
to take a job that could jeopardize their health.

   Biden's second executive order would restore union bargaining rights revoked 
by the Trump administration, protect the civil service system and promote a $15 
hourly minimum wage for all federal workers. The Democratic president also 
plans to start a 100-day process for the federal government to require its 
contractors to pay at least $15 an hour and provide emergency paid leave to 
workers, which could put pressure on other private employers to boost their 
wages and benefits.

   These orders arrive as the Biden White House has declined to provide a 
timeline for getting its proposed relief package through, saying that officials 
are beginning to schedule meetings with lawmakers to discuss the proposal.

   White House press secretary Jen Psaki said at a Thursday briefing that the 
proposal has support ranging from democratic socialist Sen. Bernie Sanders to 
the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.

   But not all components of the package are popular among Republicans, and 
that could delay passage in ways that could injure the economy. Psaki stressed 
that Biden wants any deal to be bipartisan and that the process of meeting with 
lawmakers to talk through the plan is just beginning.

   Biden must balance the need for immediate aid against the risk of prolonged 
negotiations. Psaki said that Biden would not take options off the table but 
later added, "Part of the discussion we'll be having with members is, what do 
you want to cut?"

   Neil Bradley, chief policy officer at the Chamber, told reporters Thursday 
that Congress should act fast to approve the roughly $400 billion for national 
vaccination and reopening schools and other elements of the plan with 
bipartisan support, rather than drag out negotiations.

   "We're not going to let areas of disagreement prevent progress on areas 
where we can find common ground," Bradley said. "We cannot afford six months to 
get the vaccination process working right. ... We can't even wait six weeks to 
get vaccinations distributed and schools reopened."

Time, Transparency Needed for Census   01/22 06:20

   

   (AP) -- Battered by criticism that the 2020 census was dangerously 
politicized by the Trump administration, the U.S. Census Bureau under a new 
Biden administration has the tall task of restoring confidence in the numbers 
that will be used to determine funding and political power.

   Picking up the pieces of a long, fractious process that spooled out during a 
global pandemic starts with transparency about irregularities in the data, 
former Census Bureau directors, lawmakers and advocates said.

   They advised the new administration to take more time to review and process 
population figures to be sure they get them right. The high-stakes undertaking 
will determine how many congressional seats and Electoral College votes each 
state gets as well as the distribution of $1.5 trillion in federal spending 
each year.

   "We are optimistic that things at the Census Bureau will be better. The 
question is whether the damage caused by the Trump administration can be 
rectified," said Marc Morial, president and CEO of the National Urban League. 
Morial's organization, along with other advocacy groups and municipalities, 
sued former President Donald Trump's administration last year over a decision 
to end the once-a-decade head count early.

   According to critics, that damage includes a failed effort to add a 
citizenship question to the 2020 census questionnaire and a Trump order to 
figure out who is a citizen and who is in the U.S. illegally. They say another 
Trump directive to exclude people in the country illegally from the 
apportionment of congressional seats, shortened schedules to collect and 
process data, and four political appointments to top positions inside the 
bureau also threatened the count's integrity.

   Census workers across the country have told The Associated Press and other 
media outlets that they were encouraged to falsify responses in the rush to 
finish the count so the numbers used for determining how many congressional 
seats each state gets could be produced under the Trump administration. Census 
Bureau officials said such problems were isolated.

   Census advocates were heartened Wednesday by President Joe Biden's quick 
revocations of Trump's order to produce citizenship data and the former 
president's memo attempting to exclude people in the U.S. illegally from the 
apportionment count. The Biden administration also has pledged to give the 
Census Bureau the time it needs to process the data.

   The Census Bureau also said Thursday that redistricting data it's releasing 
later this year for states and municipalities to use in creating legislative 
districts won't include information on citizenship or immigration status. It 
also said the agency is suspending all work on trying to produce the 
immigration status of U.S. residents for the census.

   "President Biden's swift action today finally closes the book on the Trump 
administration's attempts to manipulate the census for political gain," said 
Dale Ho, director of the ACLU's Voting Rights Project, who argued against the 
legality of the apportionment memo before the Supreme Court last year. The high 
court ruled that any challenge was premature.

   After the bureau missed a year-end deadline for turning in the apportionment 
numbers, it said the figures would be completed as close to the previous 
deadline as possible. Trump administration attorneys recently said they won't 
be ready until early March because the bureau needs time to fix irregularities 
in the data.

   There will be flaws, likely undercounts of communities of color and 
overcounts of whites, but "they will just have to 'bake the best cake possible' 
through identifying and correcting the errors they can find," said Rob Santos, 
president of the American Statistical Association.

   Trump's four political appointments to the Census Bureau last year were 
denounced by statisticians and Democratic lawmakers worried they would 
politicize the once-a-decade head count. The Office of Inspector General last 
week said two of them had pressured bureau workers to figure out who is in the 
U.S. illegally before Trump left office, with one whistleblower calling the 
effort "statistically indefensible." Then-Census Bureau Director Steven 
Dillingham ordered a technical report on that effort but halted it after 
blowback. He resigned this week after Democratic lawmakers and civil rights 
groups called for his departure.

   The bureau's new interim chief, Deputy Director Ron Jarmin, didn't respond 
to a request for an interview. He will report to Biden's new pick to head the 
Commerce Department --- which oversees the Census Bureau --- Rhode Island Gov. 
Gina Raimondo.

   Former Census Bureau Director Kenneth Prewitt said he's optimistic the final 
product will be as accurate as past censuses, especially now that Jarmin is at 
the helm.

   "They know how to do it right. It just takes time," said Prewitt, who served 
in the Clinton administration.

   Another former bureau director, John Thompson, said the exit of Trump's 
appointees will help eliminate distractions to finishing the 2020 census, but 
the agency needs to hold a public forum to discuss what anomalies bureau 
statisticians have found in the data and what they're doing to fix them ahead 
of the apportionment numbers being turned in.

   U.S. Sen. Brian Schatz, a Democrat from Hawaii, asked Biden to set up a 
nonpartisan commission to review the apportionment data to make sure it's fair 
and accurate before it's delivered to the House of Representatives.

   "The Census Bureau faced a number of challenges with the 2020 Census," 
Schatz said in a letter. "Some, like the pandemic, were beyond the agency's 
control. However, the Trump Administration actively interfered with the 
agency's operations."

   Despite facing pressures from their political bosses, the Census Bureau's 
career staff did a good job of resisting the Trump administration's most 
questionable orders by coming forward when they found errors in the data 
without worrying about the deadline and by whistleblowing to the inspector 
general when they felt pressured to produce citizenship of dubious accuracy, 
according to Morial, Santos and Thompson.

   "They deserve to be honored," Santos said.

Ethics Panel Asked to Probe Cruz,Hawley01/22 06:22

   

   WASHINGTON (AP) -- Seven Democratic senators on Thursday asked the Senate 
Ethics Committee to investigate the actions of Republican Sens. Ted Cruz and 
Josh Hawley "to fully understand their role" in the Jan. 6 insurrection at the 
Capitol by supporters of former President Donald Trump.

   Thousands had gathered that day as Congress voted to formally certify 
President Joe Biden's victory over Trump in November. Hawley and Cruz led 
objections in the Senate to Biden's victory, despite the widespread recognition 
that the effort would fail.

   In the end, Congress certified Biden's Electoral College victory, but not 
before thousands marched to the Capitol at Trump's urging, overwhelmed security 
and interrupted the proceedings. In the end, the violence led to five deaths, 
injured dozens of police officers and caused extensive damage to the Capitol.

   The Democratic senators said the question for the Senate to determine is not 
whether Cruz and Hawley had the right to object, but whether the senators 
failed to put loyalty "to the highest moral principles and to country above 
loyalty to persons, party, or Government department." They also said the 
investigation should determine whether Cruz, of Texas, and Hawley, of Missouri, 
engaged in "improper conduct reflecting on the Senate."

   "Until then, a cloud of uncertainty will hang over them and over this body," 
the Democratic senators wrote in a letter to the leaders of the Senate Ethics 
Committee.

   The Democratic senators said Cruz and Hawley announced their intentions to 
object even though they knew that claims of election fraud were baseless and 
had led to threats of violence.

   "Their actions lend credence to the insurrectionists' cause and set the 
stage for future violence. And both senators used their objections for 
political fundraising," the Democratic senators said in their letter.

   Cruz and Hawley have condemned the violence on Jan. 6. Cruz called it a 
"despicable act of terrorism." Hawley said those who attacked police and broke 
the law must be prosecuted.

   Cruz helped force a vote on Biden's victory in Arizona, while Hawley helped 
force one on Biden's victory in Pennsylvania.

   "Joe Biden and the Democrats talk about unity but are brazenly trying to 
silence dissent," Hawley said in a prepared statement. "This latest effort is a 
flagrant abuse of the Senate ethics process and a flagrant attempt to exact 
partisan revenge."

   "It is unfortunate that some congressional Democrats are disregarding 
President Biden's call for unity and are instead playing political games by 
filing frivolous ethics complaints against their colleagues," said a Cruz 
spokesperson, Maria Jeffrey Reynolds.

   Those Democrats requesting the investigation are Sens. Sheldon Whitehouse of 
Rhode Island, Ron Wyden of Oregon, Tina Smith of Minnesota, Richard Blumenthal 
of Connecticut, Mazie Hirono of Hawaii, Tim Kaine of Virginia and Sherrod Brown 
of Ohio.

Congress Poised to Act on Pentagon Nom.01/22 06:24

   

   WASHINGTON (AP) -- The Democratic-controlled Congress has easily passed 
legislation required to confirm retired Gen. Lloyd Austin as President Joe 
Biden's secretary of defense, brushing aside concerns that his retirement 
occurred inside the seven-year window that safeguards civilian leadership of 
the military.

   It would be the first measure to be signed into law by brand-new President 
Joe Biden.

   The Senate sent the measure exempting Austin from the seven-year rule to 
Biden on Thursday after a 69-27 Senate tally that came moments after a 
comparably lopsided 326-78 House vote. The back-to-back votes put Austin in 
position to be confirmed as secretary by Friday.

   Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, confirmed that the confirmation vote on Austin 
would be conducted Friday.

   Austin, a 41-year veteran of the Army, has promised to surround himself with 
qualified civilians and include them in policy decisions. He said he has spent 
nearly his entire life committed to the principle of civilian control over the 
military.

   While the waiver is expected to be approved, the vote puts some Democrats in 
a position to look like they've flip-flopped. Many of them opposed a similar 
waiver in 2017 for Jim Mattis, former President Donald Trump's first secretary 
of defense.

   Austin, who would be the first Black secretary of defense, said he 
understands why some have questioned the wisdom of putting a recently retired 
general in charge of the Defense Department. Much of his focus this week, 
including in his remarks at his Senate confirmation hearing on Tuesday, has 
been on persuading members of Congress that although he has been out of uniform 
for less than five years, he sees himself as a civilian, not a general.

   Some aspects of his policy priorities are less clear. He emphasized on 
Tuesday that he will follow Biden's lead in giving renewed attention to dealing 
with the coronavirus pandemic.

   "I will quickly review the department's contributions to coronavirus relief 
efforts, ensuring we are doing everything we can --- and then some --- to help 
distribute vaccines across the country and to vaccinate our troops and preserve 
readiness," he told the Senate Armed Services Committee.

   Under questioning by senators, Austin pledged to address white supremacy and 
violent extremism in the ranks of the military --- problems that received 
relatively little public attention from his immediate predecessor, Mark Esper. 
Austin promised to "rid our ranks of racists," and said he takes the problem 
personally.

   "The Defense Department's job is to keep America safe from our enemies," he 
said. "But we can't do that if some of those enemies lie within our own ranks."

   Austin said he will insist that the leaders of every military service know 
that extremist behavior in their ranks is unacceptable.

   "This is not something we can be passive on," he said. "This is something I 
think we have to be active on, and we have to lean into it and make sure that 
we're doing the right things to create the right climate."

   He offered glimpses of other policy priorities, indicating that he embraces 
the view among many in Congress that China is the "pacing challenge," or the 
leading national security problem for the U.S.

   The Middle East was the main focus for Austin during much of his 41-year 
Army career, particularly when he reached senior officer ranks. He served 
several tours of duty as a commander in Iraq, including as the top commander in 
2010-11.

   An aspect of the defense secretary's job that is unfamiliar to most who take 
the job is the far-flung and complex network of nuclear forces that are central 
to U.S. defense strategy. As a career Army officer, Austin had little reason to 
learn the intricacies of nuclear policy, since the Army has no nuclear weapons. 
He told his confirmation hearing that he would bone up on this topic before 
committing to any change in the nuclear policies set by the Trump 
administration, including its pursuit of nuclear modernization.

   Austin, a 1975 graduate of the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, served 
in 2012 as the first Black vice chief of staff of the Army. A year later he 
assumed command of Central Command, where he fashioned and began implementing a 
strategy for rolling back the Islamic State militants in Iraq and Syria.

   He describes himself as the son of a postal worker and a homemaker from 
Thomasville, Georgia, who will speak his mind to Congress and to Biden.

McConnell: Push Trump Trial to Feb.    01/22 06:26

   Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell is proposing to push back the start 
of Donald Trump's impeachment trial to February to give the former president 
time to prepare and review his case.

   WASHINGTON (AP) -- Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell is proposing to 
push back the start of Donald Trump's impeachment trial to February to give the 
former president time to prepare and review his case.

   House Democrats who voted to impeach Trump last week for inciting the deadly 
Jan. 6 Capitol riot have signaled they want to move quickly to trial as 
President Joe Biden begins his term, saying a full reckoning is necessary 
before the country --- and the Congress --- can move on.

   But McConnell in a statement Thursday evening suggested a more expansive 
timeline that would see the House transmit the article of impeachment next 
week, on Jan. 28, launching the trial's first phase. After that, the Senate 
would give the president's defense team and House prosecutors two weeks to file 
briefs. Arguments in the trial would likely begin in mid-February.

   "Senate Republicans are strongly united behind the principle that the 
institution of the Senate, the office of the presidency, and former President 
Trump himself all deserve a full and fair process that respects his rights and 
the serious factual, legal, and constitutional questions at stake," especially 
given the unprecedented speed of the House process, McConnell said.

   Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., is reviewing the plan and will 
discuss it with McConnell, a spokesperson said. The two leaders are also 
negotiating how the new 50-50 Senate will work and how they will balance other 
priorities.

   A trial delay could appeal to some Democrats, as it would give the Senate 
more time to confirm Biden's Cabinet nominees and debate a new round of 
coronavirus relief. Democratic Sen. Chris Coons of Delaware, a key ally of the 
president's, told CNN that Democrats would consider a delay "if we are making 
progress on confirming the very talented, seasoned and diverse team that 
President Joe Biden has nominated."

   The ultimate power over timing rests with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, who 
can trigger the start of the trial at any point by sending to the Senate the 
charge of incitement of an insurrection. The California Democrat has not yet 
said when she will do that.

   "It will be soon. I don't think it will be long, but we must do it," Pelosi 
said Thursday. She said Trump doesn't deserve a "get-out-of-jail card" just 
because he has left office and Biden and others are calling for national unity.

   Facing his second impeachment trial in two years, Trump began to assemble 
his defense team by hiring attorney Butch Bowers to represent him, according to 
an adviser. Bowers previously served as counsel to former South Carolina Govs. 
Nikki Haley and Mark Sanford.

   Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina helped Trump find Bowers 
after members of his past legal teams indicated they did not plan to join the 
new effort. Trump is at a disadvantage compared to his first trial, in which he 
had the full resources of the White House counsel's office to defend him.

   Pelosi's nine impeachment managers, who will be prosecuting the House case, 
have been regularly meeting to discuss strategy. Pelosi said she would talk to 
them "in the next few days" about when the Senate might be ready for a trial.

   Shortly before the Jan. 6 insurrection, Trump told thousands of his 
supporters at a rally near the White House to "fight like hell" against the 
election results that Congress was certifying. A mob marched down to the 
Capitol and rushed in, interrupting the count. Five people, including a Capitol 
Police officer, died in the mayhem, and the House impeached Trump a week later, 
with 10 Republicans joining all Democrats in support.

   Pelosi said it would be "harmful to unity" to forget that "people died here 
on Jan. 6, the attempt to undermine our election, to undermine our democracy, 
to dishonor our Constitution."

   Trump was acquitted by the Republican-led Senate at his first impeachment 
trial. The White House legal team, aided by Trump's personal lawyers, 
aggressively fought the House charges that he had encouraged the president of 
Ukraine to investigate Biden in exchange for military aid. This time around, 
Pelosi noted, the House is not seeking to convict the president over private 
conversations but for a very public insurrection that they themselves 
experienced and that played out on live television.

   "This year, the whole world bore witness to the president's incitement," 
Pelosi said.

   Illinois Sen. Dick Durbin, the No. 2 Senate Democrat, said it was still too 
early to know how long a trial would take or if Democrats would want to call 
witnesses. But he said, "You don't need to tell us what was going on with the 
mob scene we were rushing down the staircase to escape."

   McConnell, who said this week that Trump "provoked" his supporters before 
the riot, has not said how he will vote. He told his GOP colleagues that it 
will be a vote of conscience.

   Democrats would need the support of at least 17 Republicans to convict 
Trump, a high bar. While a handful of Senate Republicans have indicated they 
are open to conviction, most have said they believe a trial will be divisive 
and questioned the legality of trying a president after he has left office.

   Graham said that if he were Trump's lawyer, he would focus on that argument 
and on the merits of the case --- and whether it was "incitement" under the law.

   "I guess the public record is your television screen," Graham said. "So, I 
don't see why this would take a long time."