Page 50 - Us Government

In a historic rebuke, House Republicans impeach Alejandro Mayorkas

The US House voted on Tuesday to impeach Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, with the Republican majority determined to punish the Biden administration over its handling of the US-Mexico border after failing last week in a politically embarrassing setback. The evening roll call proved tight, with Speaker Mike Johnson's threadbare GOP majority unable to handle many defectors or absences in the face of staunch Democratic opposition to impeaching Mayorkas, the first Cabinet secretary facing charges in nearly 150 years. In a historic rebuke, the House impeached Mayorkas 214-213. With the return of Majority Leader Steve Scalise to bolster the GOP's numbers after being away from Washington for cancer care and a Northeastern storm impacting some others, Republicans recouped -- despite dissent from their own ranks. President Joe Biden said in a statement released after the vote, "History will not look kindly on House Republicans for their blatant act of unconstitutional ...

Lloyd Austin urges Senate to pass National Security Bill 'immediately'

US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin urged the Senate to pass the national security bill immediately to invest in America's national security, which will further bolster its deterrence in Indo-Pacific

US Revenue Service body seeks more than $1 bn from collapsed SVB for taxes

The complaint comes on the heels of a similar one from New York City, which is trying to collect more than $2.1 million in back taxes it claims Silicon Valley Bank owes

Indian-American Sonali Korde sworn in as assistant to USAID administrator

From 2005 to 2013, Korde served as a senior technical advisor for the President's Malaria Initiative in USAID's Bureau for Global Health

Indian-American Sonali Korde sworn in as assistant to USAID administrator

From 2005 to 2013, Korde served as a senior technical advisor for the President's Malaria Initiative in USAID's Bureau for Global Health

Ready to work with any government that takes power in Pakistan: US

The US is ready to work with any government that comes to power in Pakistan, a State Department official said on Monday, amid rumours of horse-trading in the absence of a clear majority after general elections in the country and also the delay in declaring results on all National Assembly seats. Contrary to its earlier claim, the Election Commission of Pakistan on Monday blamed the suspension of Internet and mobile services on February 8 -- when countrywide polling took place -- and said it did "create hindrance" in declaring results promptly. It also claimed that the delay did not harm "any specific political party". In the US, State Department Spokesperson Matthew Miller told reporters at his daily news conference, "I don't think there is a new Pakistani government yet. I believe there are still discussions going on about the formation of a government." "But one of the things that we have said leading up to the elections, and we'll continue to make clear, is that whoever the ...

NYC imposes curfew at more migrant shelters due to recent violent attacks

New York is expanding a curfew to additional migrant shelters after violent incidents attributed to migrant shelter residents gained national attention in recent weeks. Mayor Eric Adams' administration will impose an 11 pm to 6 am curfew at 20 migrant shelters starting Monday, after initially placing the restrictions at four other locations, The Daily News reports. The curfew impacts about 3,600 migrants, with the largest of the emergency centres housing roughly 1,000 migrants in Long Island City, Queens. City officials initially placed a curfew on four shelters last month in response to neighbourhood complaints. The additional curfews come after a spate of migrant-related violence and crime has prompted increasingly dire rhetoric from city and police officials. A 15-year-old teen from Venezuela was arrested on Friday for opening fire in Times Square while fleeing from police after being stopped by security for suspected shoplifting. The shooting injured a tourist from Brazil. A v

'World is watching', say Senators as Republicans oppose to Ukraine aid

As a growing number of Republicans oppose US aid to Ukraine, the Senate's leaders are arguing in strong terms that the money is crucial to pushing back against Russian President Vladimir Putin and maintaining America's global standing. In the Capitol for a rare weekend session, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and Republican leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky issued stark warnings about the consequences of abandoning longtime US allies in Europe. Today it's no exaggeration to say that the eyes of the world are on the United States Senate, McConnell said. Our allies and partners are hoping that the indispensable nation, the leader of the free world, has the resolve to continue. A test vote Sunday on the $95.3 billion aid package for Ukraine, Israel and other countries comes as former President Donald Trump, the front-runner for the Republican presidential nomination, is trying to kill the assistance and has escalated his attacks on the NATO military alliance. Trump said Saturday

4.6-magnitude earthquake shakes S California, no damage, injuries reported

An earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 4.6 struck the Southern California coast near Malibu on Friday afternoon and was widely felt in the Los Angeles region. The quake struck at 1:47 p.m. at a depth of 13 kilometers, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. The area is in the Santa Monica Mountains, roughly 35 miles (56 kilometers) west of downtown Los Angeles. The earthquake was felt from the Malibu coast south to Orange County and east to downtown Los Angeles. The Los Angeles Fire Department reported that it was widely felt in Los Angeles, though there was no immediate indication of damage or injuries. Friday is the 53rd anniversary of the 1971 San Fernando earthquake, which was recorded as magnitude 6.6. Also known as the Sylmar earthquake, it killed 64 people and caused over $500 million in damage.

Elon Musk's firm Neuralink ditches Delaware, reincorporates in Nevada

Neuralink isn't the first business Musk has reincorporated outside of Delaware and may not be the last

US military drills in Philippines unaffected by focus on Ukraine, Gaza

Combat exercises between the United States and the Philippines involving thousands of forces each year will not be affected by America's focus on the wars in Ukraine and the Middle East, a US general said Thursday. The Biden administration has been strengthening an arc of military alliances in the Indo-Pacific region to build deterrence and to better counter China, including in any future confrontation over Taiwan and the disputed South China Sea. But there have been concerns that the war in Ukraine and the Israel-Hamas conflict could hamper America's pivot to Asia and the Pacific and divert military resources intended for the region. "Certainly, it does not affect our presence, Maj. Gen. Marcus Evans, commanding general of the U.S. Army's 25th Infantry Division, told The Associated Press in an interview late Thursday when asked to comment on those concerns. "If anything, it drives an increased sense of urgency to focus on these partnerships that we've developed decades ago and it'

US Prez Biden mistakenly calls Egyptian President as 'president of Mexico'

He made the remarks during a press conference after a Special Counsel report said that Biden was a "well-meaning, elderly man with a poor memory"

Maldives key partner in ensuring free & secure Indo-Pacific region: US

Describing the Maldives as a key partner in ensuring a free, open, secure, and prosperous Indo-Pacific region, the United States on Thursday said it is committed to strengthening cooperation with the South Asian island nation. US Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asia Donald Lu was in the Maldives recently for talks with its new leadership and the civil society. "The United States is committed to strengthening cooperation with Maldives, a key partner in ensuring a free, open, secure, and prosperous Indo-Pacific region," a State Department spokesperson told PTI when asked about the assistant secretary's visit from January 29-31. While in Mal, Lu met with Mohamed Muizzu and other senior officials to discuss shared priorities, including defense cooperation, economic growth, and democratic governance. "They also discussed progress on establishing the US Embassy in Maldives that will further strengthen our partnership and people-to-people ties," the spokesperson said.

Pakistan responds to UN concerns over election violence and women role

Earlier in the week, the US State Department expressed reservations about challenges to freedom of expression during the ongoing electoral process

Toll from Israeli army action in Gaza is still 'too high': Blinken

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken says the toll from Israel's military offensive on Gaza's civilians remains "too high". Blinken made the comments Wednesday as he was in the region seeking to broker a cease-fire that would pause the fighting. Blinken said the Israeli offensive, launched in response to a deadly Hamas cross-border attack on Oct. 7, is "fully justified". But he expressed concern about the effects of the offensive on Gaza civilians. Thousands of civilians have been killed in the fighting, and the offensive has displaced hundreds of thousands of people from their homes and led to a humanitarian crisis. As I told the prime minister and other Israeli officials, the daily toll that its military operations continue to take on innocent civilians remains too high, Blinken said. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Wednesday rejected Hamas' terms for a cease-fire and hostage-release agreement, vowing to continue the war until absolute victory and dismissing any ...

What's in $118 bn Senate package that pairs border policies & wartime aid?

Those powers would not restrict the entry of US citizens or others with a legal basis to enter the country

Senators release $118 bn package pairing border policies with wartime aid

Senators on Sunday released a highly anticipated USD 118 billion package that pairs border enforcement policy with wartime aid for Ukraine, Israel and other US allies, setting off a long-shot effort to push the bill through heavy skepticism from Republicans, including House Speaker Mike Johnson. The proposal is the best chance for President Joe Biden to resupply Ukraine with wartime aid a major foreign policy goal that is shared with both the Senate's top Democrat, Sen. Chuck Schumer, and top Republican, Sen. Mitch McConnell. The Senate was expected this week to hold a key test vote on the legislation, but it faces a wall of opposition from conservatives. With Congress stalled on approving USD 60 billion in Ukraine aid, the US has halted shipments of ammunition and missiles to Kyiv, leaving Ukrainian soldiers outgunned as they try to beat back Russia's invasion. The new bill would also invest in US defense manufacturing, send USD 14 billion in military aid to Israel, steer nearly U

US warns of further retaliation if Iran-backed militias continue attacks

After a weekend of retaliatory strikes, the United States on Sunday warned Iran and the militias it arms and funds that it will conduct more attacks if American forces in the Mideast continue to be targeted, but that it does not want an open-ended military campaign across the region. We are prepared to deal with anything that any group or any country tries to come at us with, said Jake Sullivan, President Joe Biden's national security adviser. Sullivan said Iran should expect a swift and forceful response if it and not one of its proxies chose to respond directly against the US. Sullivan delivered the warnings during a series of interviews with TV news shows after the US and Britain on Saturday struck 36 Houthi targets in Yemen. The Iran-backed militants have fired on American and international interests repeatedly in the wake of the Israel-Hamas war. An air assault Friday in Iraq and Syria targeted other Iranian-backed militias and the Iranian Revolutionary Guard in retaliation f

US, Britain begin new strikes on Houthis in retaliation to previous attacks

The United States and Britain struck at least 30 Houthi targets in Yemen on Saturday in a second wave of assaults meant to further disable Iran-backed groups that have relentlessly attacked American and international interests in the wake of the Israel-Hamas war, US officials told The Associated Press. The latest strikes against the Houthis were launched by ships and fighter jets. The strikes follow an air assault in Iraq and Syria on Friday that targeted other Iranian-backed militias and the Iranian Revolutionary Guard in retaliation for the drone strike that killed three US troops in Jordan last weekend. The Houthi targets were in 10 different locations and were struck by U.S. F/A-18 fighter jets from the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower aircraft carrier and by American warships firing Tomahawk missiles from the Red Sea, the US officials said. They were not authorised to publicly discuss the military operation and spoke on condition of anonymity.

US urges Taliban govt to take steps to gain international legitimacy

The spokesman for the US State Department, Matthew Miller, said Washington would continue to call on the 'Taliban' to take steps to gain international legitimacy