Crochet artist turns viral Bernie Sanders image into a doll that sells for $20,000

‘I really hope he thinks this is something cool,’ said Tobey King, who made the doll and plans to donate the proceeds to charity

Bernie Sanders went from becoming a hit meme to a nearly $20,000 crochet doll in less than a week.

After an inauguration day image of the Vermont senator went viral, showing him sitting on a folding chair, socially distanced from other guests, hunched against the cold wearing chunky knitted mittens, Tobey King in Texas got to crocheting. She turned the sensational meme that trended for days into a crochet doll.

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Homeland security warns of heightened domestic terror threat after US Capitol attack

National terrorism bulletin suggests attack may embolden extremists and set the stage for additional attacks

The US Department of Homeland Security on Wednesday issued a national terrorism bulletin warning of the lingering potential for violence from people motivated by anti-government sentiment after Joe Biden’s election.

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Biden signals radical shift from Trump era with executive orders on climate change

‘We need to be bold,’ Biden says, signing orders to halt fossil fuel activity on public lands and transform the government’s fleet of cars into electric vehicles

Joe Biden has warned the climate crisis poses an “existential threat” to the world as he unveiled a radical change in direction from the Trump era by halting fossil fuel activity on public lands and directing the US government to start a full-frontal effort to lower planet-heating emissions.

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Biden signs four executive orders aimed at promoting racial equity – video

The US president, Joe Biden, has signed four executive orders aimed at healing the racial divide in America, including one to curb the US government’s use of private prisons and another to bolster anti-discrimination enforcement in housing. They are among several steps Biden is taking to roll back policies of his predecessor, Donald Trump, and to promote racial justice reforms that he pledged to address during his campaign

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Biden announces ‘wartime’ boost in vaccine supply – video

The Biden administration is increasing vaccination efforts with a goal of protecting 300 million Americans by early fall, as the administration surges deliveries to states for the next three weeks following complaints of shortages and inconsistent supplies. 'This is enough vaccine to vaccinate 300 million Americans by end of summer, early fall,' Biden said. 'This is a wartime effort,' he added, saying more Americans had already died from the coronavirus than during all of the second world war

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US senators sworn in as jurors for Trump’s second impeachment trial – live

There’s been a steady stream of activity on Capitol Hill today, paricularly leading up to the swearing-in of the senators for Trump’s impeachment trial.

At a weekly press conference, Senate majority leader Chuck Schumer said the chamber is prepared to work simultaneously to hold an impeachment trial, approve Biden’s cabinet nominees, and pass additional coronavirus relief.

.@SenSchumer says “a vote on a budget resolution could come as soon as next week.” This would give Dems option to use reconciliation for Covid relief package

McConnell doesn’t say if Trump’s actions were impeachable, saying only that he’ll “listen to the arguments” in the trial.

He says he hasn’t spoken to Trump since the day after he declared Biden had “obviously” won the election (that was 12/15).

Tim Ryan tells reporters on Zoom presser that the order among Capitol Police on Jan. 6 was to not use lethal force unless lives were threatened, as was standard for USCP (he'd asked about it during this morning's closed-door briefing)

Vice president Kamala Harris and her husband, Doug Emhoff, received her second dose of the Covid-19 vaccine at the National Institutes of Health in Maryland.

Twenty-eight days after receiving her first shot, Harris removed her jacked, rolled up her sleeve and extended her left arm for the jab.

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Biden presses Putin on election interference and Navalny arrest in first call

  • US and Russia agree to extend arms control treaty
  • Biden raised concerns over several issues

The US and Russia have agreed to extend an arms control treaty limiting their deployed nuclear warheads after Joe Biden’s first phone call as president with Vladimir Putin.

At the same time, Biden took a firm position on Russian actions that Donald Trump largely ignored, raising concerns about the poisoning and arrest of the opposition leader, Alexei Navalny, warning Putin that the US supported Ukraine against Russian “aggression”, complaining about Russian interference in last year’s US presidential election, and the “Solar Winds” cyber attack on US government agencies last year.

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Trump campaign distances itself from new ‘Patriot party’

Trump team rejects claims by new party’s founder that they are holding joint fundraising activities

Donald Trump’s campaign has sought to distance him from efforts to create a “Patriot party”, an idea the former president has reportedly toyed with since his election defeat.

On Monday, the former president’s campaign committee, Donald J Trump for President (DJTFP), disavowed claims by a new political action committee (PAC) called the Patriot party, that the two were part of a joint fundraising campaign. It coincided with Trump setting up the “Office of the Former President”, in Florida.

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US House delivers article of impeachment against Donald Trump to Senate

Senate trial will be the first-ever of a former US president, however the chances that Republicans will convict him are slim

The US House delivered its article of impeachment against Donald Trump to the Senate on Monday evening, setting the stage for the first ever Senate trial of a former US president.

For the second time in just over a year, nine House impeachment managers carried an impeachment charge against Trump in a ceremonial procession across the US Capitol, where just a few weeks ago a violent mob laid siege to the building in a deadly assault on the seat of American government.

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US watchdog to investigate whether officials made ‘improper attempts’ to alter election result – live

Here’s more on South Africa and coronavirus travel restrictions in relation to the US.

The White House confirmed Joe Biden is signing an order today imposing a ban on most non-US citizens entering the country who have recently been in South Africa, starting on Saturday.

The Treasury Department is taking steps to put Harriet Tubman on the $20 bill, as was planned in the Obama administration.

Psaki says the Treasury Department is taking steps to put Harriet Tubman on the $20 bill, as was planned in the Obama administration.

NEW: White House says Treasury Dept. is "taking steps to resume efforts" to put Harriet Tubman on the $20 bill.

Press Sec. Psaki says the Biden admin. is "exploring ways to speed up that effort." pic.twitter.com/c4bARsGf1Z

Related: She Came to Slay: Tubman biography looks beyond Underground Railroad

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New York Times fires editor targeted by rightwing critics over Biden tweet

Lauren Wolfe was let go two days after tweeting she had ‘chills’ at seeing Joe Biden’s plane land at Joint Base Andrews

A row has broken out over accusations that a New York Times journalist was fired after being targeted by rightwing critics for tweeting she had “chills” at seeing Joe Biden’s plane land at Joint Base Andrews.

Lauren Wolfe, who had been working as an editor at the Times, posted the message on 19 January, as Biden arrived ahead of his inauguration as president the next day.

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Mitch McConnell ‘plays the long game’ to retain some power as it slips away

Out of power in the chamber, the Republican now faces unruly politicians and pressure over how to handle Trump impeachment

For Mitch McConnell, the top Republican in the Senate, the first few days of Joe Biden’s presidency have not been about fighting the new Democratic majority in government. They have been about gaming out how much power he now has.

Related: Trump impeachment: Pelosi to formally send article of impeachment to Senate today – live

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Jon Bon Jovi on wealth, love and his ugly tussle with Trump: ‘It was seriously scarring’

The big hair and bombast have long gone and the thoughtful singer-songwriter remains. He talks about politics, pain and meeting his wife of 40 years in history class

Jon Bon Jovi is singing Livin’ on a Prayer to me. No, this is not another crazy lockdown dream; it is actually happening.

“Tommy used to work on the docks …” he begins, strumming a guitar he produces out of nowhere, his still impressive bouffant (“I’m the only man in my field brave enough to let it go grey!”) bouncing in time to the music.

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Sarah Sanders, former Trump press secretary, to run for Arkansas governor – reports

A formal announcement is expected on Monday as the 38-year-old bids to succeed her father, Mike Huckabee, in the state leadership role

Sarah Sanders, Donald Trump’s former chief spokeswoman and one of his closest aides, is running for Arkansas governor, according to multiple reports.

Sanders, who left the White House in 2019 to return to her home state, planned to announce her bid on Monday, according to Associated Press and Reuters, citing anonymous sources.

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Trump plots revenge on Republicans who betrayed him as Senate trial looms

Republican divisions over Donald Trump’s second impeachment trial came into clearer focus on Sunday, as the former president spent his first weekend out of office plotting revenge against those he says betrayed him.

Related: Can Trump do a Nixon and re-enter polite society? Elizabeth Drew doubts it

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Can Trump do a Nixon and re-enter polite society? Elizabeth Drew doubts it

Asking if Donald Trump can rehabilitate himself in US public life as did a disgraced president before him, legendary Washington reporter Elizabeth Drew was not optimistic.

Related: Chaos of Trump's last days in office reverberates with fresh 'plot' report

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Undoing Trump’s legacy: Biden wastes no time in first 100 hours as president

The Democrat has kicked off his presidency with a blitz of executive orders and measures – here are the key themes

On Sunday afternoon, the US will reach the 100th hour of Joe Biden’s presidency. Already, there has been a blitz of executive actions and a bewildering pace of change. Four years after Donald Trump set about undoing Barack Obama’s legacy, Obama’s vice-president appears to be returning the gesture with interest.

Related: Chaos of Trump's last days in office reverberates with fresh 'plot' report

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Chaos of Trump’s last days in office reverberates with fresh ‘plot’ report

Ex-president, whose Senate trial will start in two weeks, reportedly planned to oust acting attorney general in bid to overturn election

Donald Trump was at his Florida resort on Saturday, beginning post-presidency life while Joe Biden settled into the White House. But in Washington and beyond, the chaos of the 45th president’s final days in office continued to throw out damaging aftershocks.

Related: Deborah Birx 'always' considered quitting Trump coronavirus taskforce

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Deborah Birx ‘always’ considered quitting Trump coronavirus taskforce

Dr Deborah Birx, White House coronavirus task force co-ordinator under Donald Trump, “always” considered quitting as the US lurched into disaster under the 45th president – but didn’t.

Related: A doctor wanted to make a difference. Now he’s a top Covid adviser to Biden

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Melania Trump leaves Donald Trump alone in front of the cameras – video

The former first lady Melania Trump apparently spurned the conventions of her role by leaving Donald Trump alone in front of the cameras at Palm Beach airport after the couple left the White House for the final time ahead of Joe Biden's inauguration. 

Trump himself paused to wave at photographers, but his wife continued walking until she was firmly offscreen, leaving her husband alone and triggering speculation about the state of her marriage to the now former president

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