Republicans win control of US Senate, House still up in the air
Updated: 4pm (AEDT) Washington DC, US Reuters Republicans won control of the US Senate with victories in West Virginia and Ohio on Tuesday, ensuring that Donald Trump’s party will control at least one chamber of Congress next year. Neither party appeared to have a clear advantage in the battle for the House of Representatives, which […]
US House passes $US95 billion Ukraine, Israel aid package, sends to Senate
Washington DC, US Reuters The US House of Representatives on Saturday with broad bipartisan support passed a $US95 billion legislative package providing security assistance to Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan, over bitter objections from Republican hardliners. The legislation now proceeds to the Democratic-majority Senate, which passed a similar measure more than two months ago. US leaders […]
US to lift Afghan visa limit under Biden, Congress deal
Washington DC, US Reuters US President Joe Biden’s administration has reached a compromise deal with Republicans in House of Representatives to lift the number of resettlement visas for Afghans who worked for the United States, US lawmakers said on Tuesday. The congressionally-authorised limit of 38,500 Special Immigration Visas (SIVs), which offer a path to US […]
Libyan leaders agree to form new unified government
Benghazi, Libya Reuters Three key Libyan leaders said on Sunday they had agreed on the “necessity” of forming a new unified government that would supervise long-delayed elections. A political process to resolve more than a decade of conflict in Libya has been stalled since an election scheduled for December, 2021, collapsed amid disputes over the […]
Mike Johnson, pedigreed evangelical, suggests his election as US House Speaker ordained by God
Washington DC, US RNS After weeks of turmoil, House Republicans elected Representative. Mike Johnson on Wednesday as the new speaker of the House, an act the Louisiana congressman suggested was ordained by God. “I believe that Scripture, the Bible, is very clear: that God is the one who raises up those in authority,” Johnson said […]
US House speaker nominee Scalise drops out of race, deepening crisis
Washington DC, US Reuters Representative Steve Scalise, who Republicans nominated to be the next speaker of the House of Representatives, dropped out of the race on Thursday as the party failed to resolve its divisions, prolonging the leadership crisis in the chamber. Scalise, the number two House Republican, had secured his party’s nomination to replace […]
Updated: US House in limbo as Republican Scalise appears short of votes for speaker
Updated: 12:20pm (AEDT) Washington DC, US Reuters Republicans who control the US House of Representatives on Wednesday nominated Steve Scalise to serve as speaker following last week’s ouster of Kevin McCarthy, but delayed further action when he appeared to be short of the support needed to win a vote of the full chamber. Scalise, now […]
Despite ample evidence, Christian nationalism mostly absent from final 6th January report
Washington DC, US RNS Asked by lawmakers earlier this year to describe those who attacked the US Capitol on 6th January, 2021, District of Columbia police officer Daniel Hodges told the US House of Representatives select committee tasked with investigating the insurrection that “it was clear the terrorists perceived themselves to be Christians”. Two members of that […]
Democrats retain grip on US Senate, defying Republican “red wave” predictions
Phoenix, Arizona, US Reuters Democrats held onto control of the US Senate while limiting projected losses in the House, handing a major victory to President Joe Biden and extinguishing hopes of the “red wave” that Republicans had expected leading into the midterm elections. Democratic leaders described the outcome – sealed late Saturday with a win […]
Republican “red wave” turns into a ripple, Georgia Senate headed to runoff
Alpharetta, Georgia/Phoenix, Arizona, US Reuters Republicans made modest gains in US midterm elections but Democrats performed better than expected, as control of the Senate hinged on three races that remained too close to call on Wednesday afternoon. The Georgia US Senate race between Democratic incumbent Raphael Warnock and Republican Herschel Walker will go to a 6th […]