Today's Top Political and Coronavirus News Compilation - Monday, February 8, 2021 (1 Viewer)

Below are some of the top political news stories of the day:

Trump's impeachment trial lawyers aim to shift blame; Democrats say he has no defense
On the eve of his impeachment trial on a charge of inciting the deadly U.S. Capitol attack, Donald Trump's lawyers on Monday denied he had encouraged the violence that they blamed on "a small group of criminals," while the Democrats who will prosecute the former president said he has no valid defense.

Updated 4:00 PM CST

Biden's 1st 100 days live updates: Trump lawyers, House impeachment managers spar

This Capitol riot footage could be problematic for Trump (video)
Texas Republican first in U.S. Congress to die from COVID-19

Trump lawyers rail against impeachment trial as ‘political theater’ on eve of proceedings

House managers rebut Trump team's calls to dismiss impeachment case, say evidence is 'overwhelming'

Budget office: $15 wage would reduce poverty, increase debt

Here is the smoking gun evidence to back impeachment of Donald Trump

Trump impeachment lawyers call on Senate to reject "brazen political act" in new filing

Read: Former President Donald Trump's defense team' legal brief

Read: House impeachment managers' brief ahead of Trump's impeachment trial

Law prof claims Trump lawyers 'badly' misrepresented his views when citing impeachment article

Feds charge over 200 in Capitol riot. We've learned a lot about why it happened.

House Democrats unveil draft coronavirus relief legislation

Poll: Most voters think Trump should be convicted, barred from running for office

House Democrats Renew Investigation Into Trump-Era COVID-19 Response

Trumpism set for broader trial inside GOP: The Note

Pentagon reveals how much it will cost to keep Nat Guard in DC through March

Kushner, Ivanka Trump reported up to $640M in outside income during White House years
Scarred by riot, U.S. Capitol a fortress for Trump impeachment trial

AP-NORC poll: Few in US say democracy is working very well

Biden to make first Pentagon visit as president

Magistrate judge orders release of top Proud Boys organizer charged in Capitol insurrection

Biden 'will not spend too much time' watching impeachment trial but finds Trump behavior 'erratic,' Psaki says

Third stimulus check: Will you get a $1,400 check?

Trump trial will kick off with debate on constitutionality

Trump, Senate Republicans, no chief justice: What to know about the impeachment trial

Senate leaders reach agreement on impeachment trial rules
White House press secretary not aware of Trump request for intelligence briefing

CBO warns $15 minimum wage would cost US nearly 1.4 million jobs (video)

Democrats' plan to lift work requirement could complicate child poverty plan

Timeline: What Trump Told Supporters For Months Before They Attacked
Democrats set to back more than $50 billion for transportation sector

House Republicans: Chinese virus whistleblower deserves Congressional Gold Medal

Biden faces calls to shut down Dakota Access Pipeline

Iowa governor auctioned off access for pork barons' charity

EU countries expel Russian diplomats in Navalny dispute

House impeachment managers slam Trump in final pre-trial brief: 'Most grievous constitutional crime ever'

Schumer and Ocasio-Cortez announce funds for families who lost a loved one during Covid but couldn't afford funeral

Witnesses Could Prevent a Foregone Conclusion in Second Impeachment Trial

Myanmar coup leader defends action amid mass protests

China blocks growing social media app Clubhouse: reports

High profile exit boosts Sarah Huckabee Sanders' Arkansas gubernatorial bid and cements Trump's influence on GOP

Biden says "I hope to God I live up to" the job of being president

Biden budget nominee Neera Tanden could face testy hearings amid scrutiny of inflammatory tweets
Former business partner of Giuliani associate gets one year in prison

Immigrants, activists worry Biden won’t end Trump barriers

Biden administration confirms updated guidance not to prioritize deporting those convicted of DUI, assault

Democrats to work on Covid relief throughout a critical week in Washington
White House expects lawmakers' coronavirus aid "mark up" will track closely to Biden's plan

New weed group tries to unify disparate cannabis factions

Sessions not interested in another Alabama Senate run after Shelby retirement

Biden administration drops lawsuit against California's net neutrality law

Election turmoil splits West Virginia city’s evangelicals
'This is not justice.' Tenant activists upend U.S. eviction courts

Myanmar Coup: Military Defends Takeover And Enacts Curfew As Protests Intensify

Trump's impeachment proves Republicans don't understand the Constitution. They're not alone.

New York certifies Claudia Tenney's victory in last unresolved House race of 2020

Taliban's actions will complicate removing troops from Afghanistan

Senate committees probe 22 agencies' response to Jan. 6 attack

Alabama US Sen. Shelby announces he won’t seek a 7th term

Stormy Daniels and Michael Cohen, once foes, talk Trump

Republican John Cox jumps into California gubernatorial race, taking aim at Newsom, Faulconer
Musk-fuelled bitcoin surge triggers cryptocurrency exchange glitches

Twitter eyes subscriptions for some features

US goes full year without combat death in Afghanistan

Obama 'alumni' create program to boost young Latinos in public service
Tesla announces $1.5 billion bitcoin bet, makes payments pledge

Arkansas Lt. Gov. Tim Griffin exits governor's race in a sign of Trump-backed Huckabee Sanders' strength

DeSantis on going maskless at Super Bowl: 'I had to watch the Bucs win'
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Posted 4:35 AM CST

Adding Supreme Court justices? Progressives may be on collision course with Joe Biden

Senate Republicans back Trump as impeachment trial nears

Cheney says she will not resign and GOP shouldn't embrace Trump

Biden says women dropping out of workforce, closed schools are "national emergency"

Trump campaign paid Arizona state lawmaker who pushed to overturn Biden win: Report

US moves to rejoin UN rights council, reversing Trump anew

Dominion spokesman: MyPillow CEO Mike Lindell 'is begging to be sued'

US deploying B-1 bombers to Norway to send a message to Russia

Chief Justice Roberts gave Senate 'strong signal' on Trump impeachment, Rand Paul says

Inside Biden World’s plan to punish the GOP for opposing Covid relief

Five things to watch in the Trump impeachment trial

56% say Senate should convict Trump: POLL

Bidens issue Super Bowl message focused on COVID

Democrats to unveil $3,000 child benefit as part of Biden relief package

Lawmakers lay blame on Trump over riot as second impeachment trial looms

After Record 2020 Turnout, State Republicans Weigh Making It Harder To Vote

We Sued Trump for Emoluments Violations. That Fight’s Just Getting Started.

Graham says outcome of Trump impeachment trial "is really not in doubt"

Cheney says she won’t quit the House after Wyoming censure

Democrats set to introduce bill that provides $3,600 per child for some families: report

GOP Sen. Pat Toomey says conviction of Trump is ‘very unlikely’ as Senate trial is set to start

Mark Meadows foresees 'bipartisan agreement' to end impeachment trial

U.S. Senate to pause Trump impeachment trial at end of week for Sabbath

Nearly 90% of Military Hazing Complaints Come from the Marine Corps, Data Shows

Analysis: Trump’s Senate trial matters regardless of outcome

Rep. Pressley says hiding from 'white supremacist mob' on Jan. 6 was familiar in 'ancestral way'

14 dead, 170 missing after Himalayan glacier bursts in India

U.S. and China talk tough on Myanmar and Taiwan in tense first call since Biden took office

Where Democrats and Republicans agree on Trump

GOP registration drops after Capitol attack

US spends $480M for troop deployment in DC after riot at Capitol: report

Senate eyes speedy Trump impeachment trial

Trump's second impeachment trial set to kick off this week amid questions about what it will look like

Transcript: Sen. Lindsey Graham on "Face the Nation"

Two-thirds of Americans approve of Biden's COVID-19 response: POLL

Dems try to shoehorn major child poverty reduction plan into Covid bill

George Shultz wasn’t ‘afraid to struggle against the odds’

Protests sweep Myanmar to oppose coup, support Suu Kyi

Rand Paul floats impeaching Chuck Schumer

Could Arizona Senate contempt vote on election audit lead to arrest of Maricopa County supervisors?

Sanders says it's 'absurd' to lower income threshold for stimulus checks

Yellen: Biden’s plan could restore full employment by 2022

Iran foreign minister: Restoring nuclear deal is responsibility of US

Biden won’t deal with Xi or China like Trump did

Iran nuclear deal: US sanctions will not be lifted for talks, says Biden

Newsom recall crossed line from ‘possibility to probability’ as campaign nears threshold, organizer says

Biden says U.S. won't lift sanctions until Iran halts uranium enrichment

Biden: China should expect `extreme competition’ from US

Thousands of (mostly mask-less) Bucs fans celebrate in Tampa streets

Longtime Reagan Secretary of State George Shultz dies at 100

Biden claim 'all the economics' show minimum wage increase helps economy fact-checked, but not by major outlets

Debbie Dingell vows to be ‘one of the loudest screamers’ in support of $15 minimum wage

Explainer: What's at stake for Israel's Netanyahu as corruption trial resumes?

More Than A Month Later, It's Still Jan. 6 On Capitol Hill

Graham says Trump will have 'a place in history' for Capitol riots

Asian shares, oil buoyant on economic revival hopes

Yellen says job market still "in a deep hole" with "a long way to dig out"

For food banks filling the gap left by SNAP, Biden changes to food program will be a welcome respite

Gov. DeSantis: Florida lifts people up by keeping businesses, schools open amid coronavirus pandemic

'The Democratic version of John McCain'

US warns Yemen’s Houthi rebels after terrorism delisting

In Alabama, Workers At Amazon Warehouse Are Poised For Union Vote

Trump could soon make a return to social media

Hedge funds bet on oil's 'big comeback' after pandemic hobbles producers

I Spent 11 Hours Inside the MAGA Bubble

Super Bowl ads went for light humor. Not all succeeded

READ: Transcript of Amanda Gorman's Super Bowl LV poem

Israel PM Netanyahu pleads not guilty as corruption trial resumes

Candace Owens says she's thinking about running for president

Australian journalist formally arrested in China on suspicion of leaking secrets

Antifa and Black Lives Matter protesters march through DC

U.S. must undo damage to nuclear deal, Iran's foreign minister says

Dear Dr. Li: Chinese Netizens Confess To The Late Coronavirus Whistleblower

Capitol riot, Covid skepticism fuel right-wing extremism in Germany, intelligence agencies warn

This Polish libel case could be tipping point in Holocaust research. Here's why.

Democrats' big shift in Trump's second impeachment

Top US union boss Richard Trumka disappointed in Biden's Keystone XL cancelation in new interview

Brent approaches $60/bbl as supply cuts, stimulus hopes lift prices

Scores Are Feared Dead In India After Himalayan Glacier Breaks Away

Congo working to stop new Ebola outbreak in east

Chicago district, teachers reach tentative deal to return to in-person instruction in phases

Coronavirus News and Updates:
Updated 4:00 PM CST

New variants raise worry about COVID-19 virus reinfections

UK variant spreading rapidly across US

US ramping up Covid-19 genome sequencing to track variants, CDC director says

Biden says team 'exceeding' goal of 100 million vaccine doses in first 100 days

New variants raises worry over COVID reinfections

My Mother Got Vaccinated. Is It Now Safe To Go Visit?
Cuomo unveils plan to revive New York City arts, moves up indoor dining reopening

Here are the states allowing teachers to get Covid-19 vaccines

Wild Super Bowl celebrations prompt COVID super-spreader worries

Vaccine drive gains speed, but maskless fans fuel worries

Schools plan for potential of remote learning into the fall

Why South Africa Is Putting The AstraZeneca Vaccine On Hold
Global health officials back AstraZeneca vaccine after South Africa study rings alarm

COVID-19 live updates: Airline blocks middle seats until April

UN: ‘Concerning news’ vaccines may not work against variants

Facebook Widens Ban On COVID-19 Vaccine Misinformation In Push To Boost Confidence

DOJ appeal delays Proud Boy's release
U.S. COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations log biggest weekly drops since pandemic started
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Posted 4:35 AM CST

South Africa suspends AstraZeneca vaccine drive

Australia urges calm over AstraZeneca's COVID-19 vaccine after South Africa suspends use

Biden says it will be very difficult to achieve Covid herd immunity before summer’s end

Fauci cautions against delaying second round of Covid vaccinations

COVID-19 live updates: US has 1st day since November with fewer than 100K new cases

Biden expects to take NFL up on offer to use stadiums as vaccination sites

Gottlieb says vaccines should offer "reasonable protection" against coronavirus variants

Covid reinfections may be more common than realized.

If We Want to Defeat Covid, We Need to Boost Medicaid

Biden will follow CDC school-reopening guidance this week, even though agency provided it months ago

Biden validates CDC timeline for school reopenings guidance after White House injects confusion

Transcript: Scott Gottlieb discusses coronavirus on "Face the Nation"

Biden’s vaccine ad campaign hits roadblock: Not enough doses

China reports no new local COVID-19 infection for first time in nearly two months

Vaccine inequity prompts calls for federal response

‘All open’: French flock to Madrid cafes for pandemic reprieve

'Time is of the essence' on COVID relief: Secretary Pete Buttigieg

Latino workers, groups blast California officials over Covid-19 vaccine rollout changes

Transcript: WHO's Maria Van Kerkhove on "Face the Nation,"

UK vaccine gambles paid off, while EU caution slowed it down

Boat with 422 migrants, some with COVID-19, heads to Sicily

Potential deal struck to get Chicago students back in classrooms, mayor says

In the UK, Muslims find comfort in receiving vaccines at mosques

In pandemic, more people choose to die at home

UK won't issue 'immunity' COVID-19 passports