Today's top stories

Parental warnings in the Senate, Britain's mutating virus variant, and cannabis stocks get high
Dozens of former Republican officials, who view the party as unwilling to stand up to former President Donald Trump and his attempts to undermine U.S. democracy, are in talks to form a center-right breakaway party. Read our exclusive report.

House Democrats prosecuting Trump’s impeachment trial played chilling security footage from the January 6 Capitol riot showing members of the pro-Trump mob searching the building for his vice president, chanting: “Hang Mike Pence!”
The previously unseen videos, which were accompanied by parental warnings, showed the view from inside the Capitol as rioters came within 100 feet of the room where Pence was sheltering with his family. The mob had set up a gallows outside.
Joe Biden and his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping held their first telephone call as leaders in which Xi warned confrontation would be a ‘disaster’ for both nations.
Relations between the two countries plunged to their worst level in decades last year, with Trump blaming China for the COVID-19 pandemic.

↑ Supporters of President Donald Trump fight with police officers trying to drive them out of the building near the House Chamber on January 6 in a still photo from security footage

WORLD

↑ A woman receives a COVID-19 vaccine in Maidstone, Britain, February 10, 2021

The coronavirus variant found in Britain is beginning to mutate again and is 'likely to sweep the world', according to the head of the UK’s genetic surveillance programme.
The president of the Tokyo 2020 Olympics organising committee, Yoshiro Mori, is set to resign over a sexist remark that sparked an outcry, raise new doubts over the viability of holding the postponed Games this year.
The Iranian nuclear scientist assassinated near Tehran in November was killed by a one-ton gun smuggled into Iran in pieces by the Israeli intelligence agency Mossad, according to a report by The Jewish Chronicle.
Myanmar teenager Mya Thwate Thwate Khaing was supposed to be celebrating her 20th birthday on Thursday. Instead, she is fighting for her life after she was shot in the head when police cracked down on a protest against the military coup.