Wednesday Morning Briefing: Forty-five Senate Republicans backed a failed effort to halt Trump’s impeachment trial

The Reuters Daily Briefing Wednesday, January 27, 2021 by Linda Noakes and Hani Richter Good morning, . Here’s what you need to know. 'A loss is actually a victory' Forty-five Senate Republicans backed a failed effort to halt Donald Trump’s impeachment trial, in a show of party unity that underscored the likelihood he will not be convicted of inciting insurrection. Republican Senator Rand Paul made a motion that would have required the chamber to vote on whether Trump’s trial violates the U.S. Constitution. Only five Republicans joined Democrats to reject the move, far short of the 17 votes needed to convict Trump. “It’s one of the few times in Washington where a loss is actually a victory,” Paul told reporters. “Forty-five votes means the impeachment trial is dead on arrival.” Top U.S. Capitol security officials apologized for “failings” during the deadly attack on the building on Jan 6. Meanwhile, Joe Biden tried to make good on his pledge to heal America's racial divide with executive orders including curbing the government’s use of private prisons and bolstering anti-discrimination enforcement in housing. Today’s biggest stories Pandemic Global coronavirus cases surpassed 100 million as countries around the world struggle with new virus variants and vaccine shortfalls. Almost 1.3% of the world’s population has now been infected with COVID-19 and more than 2.1 million people have died. The European Union is asking AstraZeneca to publish the contract it signed with the bloc on COVID-19 vaccine supplies, an EU official said, in an escalation of the row over delivery delays. The company pulled out of a meeting with the European Union scheduled for Wednesday. The pandemic is on the decline in Moscow, Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said as he abolished some restrictions, allowing bars, restaurants and nightclubs to open overnight. The Taliban militant movement gave its backing for a coronavirus vaccination campaign in Afghanistan that has received a $112 million pledge from the World Health Organization’s COVAX program. World News Hundreds of police guarded the historic Red Fort in the heart of the Indian capital following violent clashes between farmers and authorities in which one person was killed and at least 80 injured. With shops boarded up and riot police out in force, it was relatively calm in Dutch cities on Tuesday night after three days of violence during which nearly 500 people were detained. A nighttime curfew to curb the spread of the coronavirus prompted riots. London has no desire for a bonfire of regulations to retain its position as a top international finance center after Brexit but it is ready to act if the European Union blocks access, the City of London’s political leader said. Marian Turski, a 94-year-old survivor of the Auschwitz death camp, will mark the 76th anniversary of its liberation by Soviet troops virtually, aware that he might never return as the coronavirus pandemic drags on. Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga apologized after lawmakers from his ruling coalition visited night clubs despite his government’s call for people to avoid unnecessary outings to curb the spread of COVID-19. Business Shares of videogame retailer GameStop surged another 130% in pre-market trading as amateur investors continued to pile into the stock that has skyrocketed nearly 700% over the past two weeks. Facebook may face questions about fallout from U.S. election controversies when it posts earnings, but top of mind for investors is a less political matter: the company’s heavy bet on e-commerce to drive ad sales. Google is reviving plans to launch its own news website in Australia within weeks, according to a local media outlet contracted to provide articles for the venture, as the search giant fights world-first proposed laws on content payments. Nissan Motor said all its “new vehicle offerings” in key markets would be electrified by the early 2030s, as part of the Japanese automaker’s efforts to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050. Breakingviews - Corona Capital: Blackstone in India, Swedish banks BUILDING BACK. Blackstone’s bet on affordable Indian home loans is set to pay off. Aadhar Housing Finance submitted documents for an initial public offering in Mumbai barely 18 months after the buyout shop scooped it up, shortly before one of the then-owners, DHFL, collapsed into bankruptcy. Read concise views on the pandemic's financial fallout from Breakingviews columnists across the globe. Quote of the day “Nobody would have predicted that I and Dr. Fauci would be so prominent in these really evil theories. I’m very surprised by that. I hope it goes away.” Bill Gates Microsoft co-founder and philanthropist 'Crazy and evil': Bill Gates surprised by pandemic conspiracies Video of the day Soldiers and protesters clash in locked-down Lebanon And finally… Greta Thunberg's generation most likely to believe climate change is a crisis, a poll finds More from Reuters COVID-19 Investigates The Change Suite The Great Reboot Thanks for spending part of your day with us. Share your thoughts You are receiving this email because you signed up for newsletters from Reuters. No longer want to hear from us? Unsubscribe from The Reuters Daily Briefing. Terms, conditions, and privacy statement © 2021 Thomson Reuters. All rights reserved. 3 Times Square, New York, NY 10036