On Christmas Eve, extremists with the Islamic State West African Province (ISWAP) killed at least five people and abducted several others in Garkida, home to one of the first missionary settlements in northern Nigeria. Witnesses said the insurgents burned at least three churches, including two belonging to the EYN Church of the Brethren, which began in the town.

After the U.S. Capitol faced a day of violent unrest, Congress early on Thursday confirmed Joe Biden as the next president of the United States. The Senate and House had reconvened after 8 p.m. on Wednesday once police secured the building with the help of the National Guard. “Criminal behavior will never dominate the United States Congress,” Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., told the Senate. “This institution is resilient.” The legislators worked into the early morning hours to certify that Biden secured 306 electoral votes to President Donald Trump’s 232 votes.

Video footage and images of rioters breaking into the U.S. Capitol on Wednesday drew condemnation and shock from other nations. British Prime Minister Boris Johnson called the scene disgraceful and urged a peaceful transfer of power.

Hong Kong police on Wednesday morning arrested about 53 former lawmakers and pro-democracy activists in an unprecedented crackdown under the national security law. Majority of those targeted had participated in unofficial election primaries for the territory’s legislature in July, which drew more than 600,000 voters. The national security law carries a maximum life sentence for subversion, secession, terrorism, and collusion with foreign powers.

The population data used to allocate congressional seats and a $1.5 million federal budget to each state would not be ready until Feb. 9 or later in the month, John Coghlan, a deputy assistant Attorney General, said Monday. Federal law mandates the Census Bureau to submit the data by Dec. 31, but the bureau last week said it would likely miss the year-end deadline.

The New York Stock Exchange on Monday said it would no longer remove the shares of three Chinese state-owned phone carriers after “further consultation” with regulators. The exchange had announced Thursday it will delist China Telecom Corp. Ltd., China Mobile Ltd., and China Unicom Hong Kong Ltd.

Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, and 10 other senators and senators-elect in a joint Saturday statement said they would reject Joe Biden’s Electoral College victory when Congress convenes on Wednesday to certify the vote. The lawmakers called for a 10-day delay to allow an electoral commission to audit the results. Separately, Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo., said he would join House Republicans to reject the state tallies. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and other Republicans, including Sen. Ben Sasse, R-Neb., have urged party members to refrain from challenging the vote.