Official White House logs from 6 January, 2021 – the day the US Capitol was breached by a mob of Donald Trump’s supporters – show a seven hour and 37-minute gap in presidential phone activity while the assault was at its height. The bipartisan congressional committee investigating the attack had fought a lengthy legal battle to obtain the presidential records, which could shed light on the activity of the president and his closest aides on the day. The logs show the president contacting at least eight people in the morning – including former White House advisor Steve Bannon and former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani, who were both organising attempts to overturn Mr Trump’s presidential defeat, according to records obtained by CBS News, the BBC’s US media partner, and the Washington Post.

It also records calls with 11 people in the evening. But they document no contacts from 11:17 am to 18:45 pm local time (16:17 to 23:45 BST). This runs counter to accounts from several Republican members of Congress – including House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy and Senators Mike Lee of Utah and Tommy Tuberville of Alabama – that they spoke with the president by phone that afternoon.(BBC)…[+]

At least 19 people have been killed in an armed attack in the state of Michoacán, in western Mexico, officials say. Gunmen swooped down on an illegal cockfighting pit in the community of Las Tinajas and opened fire, local media report. The motive behind the attack is not yet clear but a number of criminal gangs operate in the region. Bloody attacks on gatherings of rivals have become increasingly common. In recent months, gunmen in various regions of Mexico have targeted funerals and wakes as well as bars and clubs in their attempt to take out as many of their rivals at one time as they can. At least 19 people have been killed in an armed attack in the state of Michoacán, in western Mexico, officials say. Gunmen swooped down on an illegal cockfighting pit in the community of Las Tinajas and opened fire, local media report. The motive behind the attack is not yet clear but a number of criminal gangs operate in the region. Bloody attacks on gatherings of rivals have become increasingly common. In recent months, gunmen in various regions of Mexico have targeted funerals and wakes as well as bars and clubs in their attempt to take out as many of their rivals at one time as they can.(BBC)…[+]

Will Smith slapped Chris Rock in the face on stage at the Oscars after the comic made a joke about the actor’s wife Jada Pinkett Smith. “Jada, can’t wait for GI Jane 2,” he said, in an apparent reference to her shaved hairdo – a result of the hair loss condition alopecia. Smith walked on stage and struck Rock before returning to his seat and shouting: “Keep my wife’s name out of your [expletive] mouth.” He later apologised on stage. “I want to apologise to the Academy. I want to apologise to my all my fellow nominees,” he said during a tearful acceptance speech for best actor. The star picked up the first Oscar of his career for playing the father of tennis legends Venus and Serena Williams in King Richard.(BBC)…[+]

Ukraine has accused Russia of forcibly relocating thousands of civilians from Mariupol, the strategic port city devastated by Russian shelling. Russia is housing an estimated 5,000 at a temporary camp in Bezimenne, east of Mariupol, seen in satellite images. Ukraine’s Deputy Prime Minister Iryna Vereshchuk said 40,000 had been moved from Ukraine to Russian-held territory without any coordination with Kyiv. A Mariupol refugee, now in Russia, said: “All of us were taken forcibly”. Some Ukrainian officials describe Russia’s actions as “deportations” to “filtration camps” – an echo of Russia’s war in Chechnya, when thousands of Chechens were brutally interrogated in makeshift camps and many disappeared.(BBC)…[+]