WASHINGTON: President Donald Trump acknowledged he bears "some responsibility" for an assault on the U.S. Capitol last week, Republican congressional leader Kevin McCarthy told party lawmakers on Monday, according to two people familiar with McCarthy's briefing.McCarthy, who said he believed Trump was responsible for the violence, shared details of a phone conversation he had with Trump during an emotional 2-1/2-hour long call with Republicans, many of whom remain divided over the attack, the sources said.Thousands of Trump supporters stormed the seat of Congress last Wednesday, forcing lawmakers who were certifying Democratic President-elect Joe Biden's election victory into hiding in an attack that left five people dead.The violence occurred shortly after Trump urged supporters to march on the Capitol during a rally where he repeated false claims that the Nov. 3 election was "rigged" against him.Trump initially ignored demands that he condemn the attack, repeating his false claims about election fraud and referring to the supporters involved in the siege of Congress as "very special".A day later, he described the violence as "a heinous attack" and pledged to work towards a smooth transfer of power, although he did not concede defeat in the election."I have been very clear to the president.
WASHINGTON (REUTERS) - Facebook and Instagram will extend a ban on US President Donald Trump's accounts for at least the next two weeks until the presidential transition is completed, Chief Executive Officer Mark Zuckerberg said on Thursday (Jan 7). Earlier on Wednesday, Twitter, Facebook and Snap had temporarily locked the accounts of Mr Trump, as tech giants scrambled to crack down on his baseless claims about the US presidential elections amid riots at the US Capitol.
OTTAWA (REUTERS) - Lawyers for Huawei chief financial officer Meng Wanzhou argued in a court on Tuesday (Jan 12) to let her leave home without the security detail that was a condition of her bail since she was released after her December 2018 arrest. Meng's husband, Liu Xiaozong, gave an affidavit citing the negative impacts his wife's bail conditions have had on her and their family. Meng, 48, was detained at the Vancouver International Airport two years ago by Canadian authorities acting on a US arrest warrant. She faces charges in the United States of bank fraud for allegedly misleading HSBC bank about Huawei's business dealings in Iran, causing the bank to break US sanctions. She has said she is innocent and is fighting extradition. "Allowing her to leave without her being in a vehicle or followed by Lionsgate Management (the security company) is the essence of our application," defence lawyer Bill Smart said. Beijing detained two Canadians soon after Meng's arrest and has held them in prison for over two years, permitting them to see diplomatic representatives only rarely and subjecting them to interrogations. Meng has been under house
