Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga on Thursday declared a state of emergency in Tokyo and three nearby areas after the capital reported a daily record of 2,447 new cases of the coronavirus. Starting tomorrow, Japan is asking restaurants and bars to close at 8 p.m. and people to stay home and avoid crowds as infections have increased following the New Year’s holidays. The restrictions do not carry a penalty.
Four people died as rioters invaded the U.S. Capitol on Wednesday, Washington police Chief Robert Contee said. One woman was shot by Capitol Police, and three others had medical emergencies amid the chaos. Media reports identified the slain woman as Ashli Babbitt, a supporter of President Donald Trump and an Air Force veteran from Southern California.
Senate Republicans refused to hold hearings when President Barack Obama nominated Merrick Garland for a vacant Supreme Court seat in 2016. President-elect Joe Biden plans to announce on Thursday he has picked Garland to lead the Justice Department as attorney general.
What is Garland’s background? He serves as a federal appeals court judge and previously held senior positions at the Justice Department. He supervised the prosecution of Timothy McVeigh, the 1995 Oklahoma City bomber. He has served under presidents of both political parties.
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Inauguration | The country remains tense after Jan. 6, but President Joe Biden’s inauguration was calm