A supporter holds a sign during a Senate runoff election drive-in campaign rally with Vice-President Elect Kamala Harris and candidates Jon Ossoff and Reverend Raphael Wanrnock at Bibb Mill in Columbus, Georgia. Twin runoff races in Georgia are set to take place on Tuesday.
(AFP via Getty Images)
As two key Georgia runoff elections that could determine the fate of Joe Biden‘s legislative agenda loom, the president-elect is facing calls from GOP senators for an “emergency audit” of his November election victory.
On Saturday, Vice President Mike Pence “welcomed” an effort from 11 Republican senators and senators-elect to derail Mr Biden’s presidential victory.
Congress is expected to certify Mr Biden’s November win on Wednesday, but the GOP group, led by Texas Sen. Ted Cruz, is calling for a 10-day delay fo ran “emergency audit” of unsubstantiated election fraud allegations.
In a statement, Mr Pence’s chief of staff Marc Short said the vice president welcomed the efforts of senators to “use the authority they have under the law to raise objections and bring forward evidence” of the unsubstantiated allegations.
Both Mr Biden and President Donald Trump are set to head to Georgia on Monday ahead of Tuesday’s runoff elections.
Control of the Senate will be on the ballot, setting the scene for how Mr Biden’s legislative agenda will play out following his 20 January inauguration.
Anti-US slogans chanted in Iraq on anniversary of Soleimani killing
Tens of thousands of people in Baghdad flooded into the city’s central square on Sunday, with many chanting anti-American slogans, to mark the anniversary of the US killing of Iranian general Qassem Soleimani and Iraqi militia commander Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis.
Tens of thousands of people flooded into Baghdad’s central square on Sunday to mark the anniversary of the US killing of Iranian general Qassem Soleimani and Iraqi militia commander Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis.
Many chanted anti-American slogans, according to Reuters, with the crowds gathering amid growing tensions between Iran and the US in the final days of President Donald Trump’s time in power.
Soleimani, who Washington had accused of being behind attacks on US forces, was killed on 3 January, 2020 in a US drone strike. The attack marked a new chapter in US-Iranian hostilities.
On Saturday night, thousands of people also gathered for a vigil on the highway leading to Baghdad airport, where Soleimani and Muhandis were killed.
Chantal Da Silva3 January 2021 13:15
Trump and Biden to head to Georgia ahead of runoff elections
President Donald Trump and President-elect Joe Biden are expected to travel to Georgia on Monday ahead of Tuesday’s high-stakes twin runoff elections.
With Senate control on the ballot, the two runoff elections have seen campaign spending records shattered and inspired an unprecedented turnout.
If either or both Republican incumbents David Perdue and Kelly Loeffler are victorious on Tuesday, their party will retain a narrow majority in the Senate, giving the GOP power to prevent much of Mr Biden’s ambitious agenda from moving forward.
A Democratic sweep, meanwhile, would result in a 50-50 split that would see Vice President-elect Kamala Harris holding the tiebreaker.
Chantal Da Silva3 January 2021 13:02
Good afternoon and welcome to The Independent’s live blog tracking the latest developments in US politics.
Chantal Da Silva3 January 2021 12:34
