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Added on the 29/12/2018 12:05:08 - Copyright : Wochit
The US State Department is "incredibly concerned" about reports that Russia arrested an American journalist, a US State Department spokesman tells reporters at a press briefing. "I want to say clearly and unequivocally in the strongest terms, we condemn the Kremlin's continued attempts to intimidate, repress and punish journalists and civil society voices," Vedant Patel adds. SOUNDBITE
(CNN) Sen. Kamala Harris broke barriers as America's first female, first Black and first South Asian vice president-elect. But after her exit in January to join the Biden administration, there will be no Black women in the Senate. Harris's departure left lawmakers and advocates urging California Gov. Gavin Newsom to choose a Black woman to replace her due to a lack of diversity in the chamber. And while his appointment on Tuesday of Secretary of State Alex Padilla as California's first Latino senator was historic, it comes with the reality that the 117th Congress will have no Black women in the upper chamber.
California Gov. Gavin Newsom has selected Kamala Harris' replacement for the senate. He has chosen Secretary of State Alex Padilla. Padilla will be the first-ever Latino to represent California in the US Senate. Business Insider reports he will serve out the rest of Harris' term until 2022. California is one of 37 US states in which governors fill a US Senate vacancy by appointment.
Dianne Feinstein is the oldest member of the US Senate. According to a report in the New Yorker, the California senator is having noticeable issues with her memory. The issues have gotten so bad that Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer told Feinstein to step aside as ranking member of the Judiciary Committee. Feinstein recently forgot their first conversation, sources told the New Yorker. She recently announced that she'd be stepping down as the top Democrat on the Senate Judiciary Committee. She faced backlash from progressives for not being aggressive enough in the hearings to confirm Amy Coney Barrett to the Supreme Court.
On Monday, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell discussed the impending COVID stimulus package. McConnell said there is "no reason" Congress can't quickly agree a new round of coronavirus stimulus. Business Insider reports that Democrats and Republicans have been at an impasse for months. Republicans wants a smaller deal while Democrats looking for more. Congress is meeting for a short session due to end by Christmas, and also has to avert a government shutdown. Among the issues to be thrashed out are whether to send another round of $1,200 direct payments to Americans.
South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham has been a staunch ally of President Donald Trump over the years. He's also inserted himself into the Georgia state election process, in an effort to investigate possible voter fraud. Nevertheless, Graham said on Wednesday said that President-elect Joe Biden should begin receiving intelligence briefings. To date, Biden has not received any briefings, as Trump refuses to concede and the GSA has refused to issue the necessary letter of ascertainment. Business Insider reports Graham has backed Trump's legal efforts, despite there being no evidence of widespread voter fraud.
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