Summary

  • The FBI warns of armed protests in all 50 states by right-wing extremists ahead of Biden inauguration

  • The head of the National Guard says he can deploy up to 15,000 troops in Washington, to bolster security

  • Democrats have asked Vice-President Mike Pence to invoke the 25th Amendment to remove Donald Trump

  • They also introduced an article of impeachment against the president, to be acted on if Mr Pence fails to act

  • They charge Trump with "incitement of insurrection" related to the invasion of the US Capitol last Wednesday

  • He leaves office on 20 January, when President-elect Joe Biden is inaugurated

  • Dozens have been charged in connection with last week's violence, which left five people dead

  1. 'We could have been murdered'published at 13:04 Greenwich Mean Time 11 January 2021

    Media caption,

    Capitol riots: Black Americans decry police double standards

    Black Americans are calling out double standards over use of force by police during protests in Washington DC last week, which led to the storming of the Capitol.

  2. What is the 25th Amendment?published at 12:50 Greenwich Mean Time 11 January 2021

    A man holding a copy of the US constitutionImage source, Getty Images

    The 25th Amendment to America's constitution allows for the president to be replaced by their vice-president if they're unable to continue their duties.

    The amendment was ratified in 1967 - four years after the assassination of John F Kennedy - and was intended to address questions of presidential succession, should a president become incapacitated.

    And for this reason, a number of presidents have used the amendment - specifically section three - which allows them to temporarily hand over power to their vice-presidents.

    In 2002 and 2007, President George W Bush placed his vice-president in charge when he was sedated during routine colonoscopies. President Ronald Reagan did the same in 1985 when he was in hospital for cancer surgery.

    But to date, no sitting president has ever been permanently removed using the 25th Amendment.

    Read more here.

  3. The 65 days that led to chaos at the Capitolpublished at 12:40 Greenwich Mean Time 11 January 2021

    Shayan Sardarizadeh and Jessica Lussenhop
    BBC Monitoring and BBC News Washington

    Capitol riots graphicImage source, Getty Images

    At 02:21 Eastern Standard Time on election night, President Trump walked onto a stage set up in the East Room of the White House and declared victory.

    He hadn't won. There was no victory to steal. But to many of his most fervent supporters, these facts didn't matter, and still don't.

    Sixty-five days later, a motley coalition of rioters stormed the US Capitol building. They included believers in the QAnon conspiracy theory, members of "Stop the Steal" groups, far-right activists, online trolls and others.

    The violence in Washington shocked the world and seemed to catch the authorities off guard.

    But for anyone who had been carefully watching the unfolding story - online and on the streets of American cities - it came as no surprise.

    Read more here.

  4. First Lady condemns violencepublished at 12:25 Greenwich Mean Time 11 January 2021
    Breaking

    Donald and Melania Trump leave White House on 23 DecemberImage source, Reuters
    Image caption,

    Melania thanked "millions of Americans" for supporting her and her husband

    US First Lady Melania Trump has issued a statement, saying she is "disheartened and disappointed" with events last week, external.

    But she also said she had been the victim of personal attacks since the storming of the Capitol.

    "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 said.

    "This time is solely about healing our country and its citizens. It should not be used for personal gain."

    Mrs Trump thanked "the millions of Americans who supported my husband and me over the past four years and shown the incredible impact of the American spirit".

  5. Joe Biden names nominee for CIA directorpublished at 12:11 Greenwich Mean Time 11 January 2021

    William BurnsImage source, Getty Images

    President-elect Joe Biden has said he will nominate William Burns, a career diplomat, to lead the US Central Intelligence Agency (CIA).

    Mr Burns has a career spanning 33 years with the State Department. He's a former ambassador to Russia and Jordan, and served as a Deputy Secretary of State under President Obama.

    At present, he is serving as president of the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace - an international affairs think tank.

    Mr Burns' nomination must be confirmed by a majority vote in the US Senate. If successful, he will replace Gina Haspel, who - in 2018 - became the first woman to permanently hold the post.

  6. What can we expect to happen on Monday?published at 11:56 Greenwich Mean Time 11 January 2021

    New security fence put up around the CapitolImage source, Reuters
    Image caption,

    Security has been stepped up around the Capitol as members of Congress return after the weekend

    House Democrats are expected to bring up a resolution asking Vice-President Pence to invoke the 25th Amendment to declare the president unfit for office.

    They will seek unanimous consent for the measure. But that is unlikely to happen as most Republicans oppose it.

    A full vote will then be held on Tuesday, with the measure likely to pass given the Democratic control of the House.

    Read more here.

    Meanwhile protests both for and against Mr Trump continue, and far-right groups have threatened more actions like last Wednesday's storming of the Capitol building.

    Security has been tightened, and a 7ft (2m) security fence put up around the Capitol to prevent further invasions.

  7. Trump supporters arrested over Capitol riotspublished at 11:44 Greenwich Mean Time 11 January 2021

    Trump supporters outside the US Capitol buildingImage source, Getty Images

    At least 82 people have been arrested over the storming of America's Capitol building in Washington, DC.

    Trump supporters converged on Capitol Hill last Wednesday to express their anger over the certification of Joe Biden's election victory, and five people - including a police officer - died during the unrest.

    Rioters were pictured vandalising congressional offices, and a laptop belonging to Nancy Pelosi - the Speaker of the House - has been reported as stolen. A number of pipe bombs were also discovered on the premises.

    Among those who've been arrested are a 'QAnon Shaman' and a newly-elected West Virginia lawmaker, Derrick Evans, who filmed himself inside the Capitol.

    The congressional building was stormed shortly after a rally by President Trump, where he continued to make unsubstantiated allegations of election fraud.

    Mr Trump has made no public statements since he was banned from several social media platforms - including Twitter - on Friday.

  8. Welcome to our live coveragepublished at 11:27 Greenwich Mean Time 11 January 2021

    US President Donald Trump speaks during a Republican National Committee Victory Rally at Dalton Regional Airport January 4, 2021 in Dalton, GeorgiaImage source, Getty Images

    Thank you for joining us as we begin our live coverage of events in Washington DC.

    • Moves are getting under way to force US President Donald Trump from office just days before he is due to step down
    • House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi says the chamber will on Monday bring up a resolution asking Vice-President Mike Pence to invoke the 25th Amendment
    • The Republican president has been accused of incitement to violence by Democrats and an increasing number of Republicans over last Wednesday's riot at Washington DC's Capitol, following a rally in which he repeated unsubstantiated allegations of vote fraud
    • If the vice-president fails to act, Democrats will then seek to impeach Mr Trump instead
    • Should their call for impeachment pass in the House, proceedings will move to the Senate for a trial, where a two-thirds vote is necessary for a president's removal
    • In the event that Mr Trump is convicted, the Senate could also hold a vote to bar him from holding public office again
    • However, James Clyburn, a senior Democrat, has told CNN that the party may not send any articles to the Senate until after Mr Biden's first 100 days in office
    • Meanwhile Amazon has become the latest tech firm to withdraw its support for Parler, a self-described "free speech" social media network which is popular with Trump advocates. Google and Apple removed Parler from their app stores last week, saying it had failed to comply with their content-moderation requirements.