A US Senate panel on Wednesday confirmed Brenda Mallory to head the White House Council on Environmental Quality, a key role that will coordinate President Joe Biden's climate change and environmental justice policies.&nbsp;

The Senate Environment and Public Works committee voted 11-9 to approve Mallory, who previously served as general counsel of the council and until recently was head of regulatory affairs at the green advocacy group Southern Environmental Law Centre.&nbsp;

The Council on Environmental Quality coordinates White House energy and environmental policies across federal agencies, and can have broad influence on the outlook for big infrastructure projects from pipelines to industrial facilities.&nbsp;

In an interview ahead of her nomination last December, Mallory said she hoped the council would reverse changes made by the Trump administration to the National Environmental Policy Act, a major environmental permitting law, that sought to ease and speed up approval of big energy infrastructure projects.&nbsp;

The Trump-era changes eased requirements to weigh climate change impacts of a project and limited the amount of public comment, a move seen as diminishing the voice of low-income and minority communities that are often in the way of these projects.&nbsp;

“I am hoping at top of the priority list for CEQ is addressing changes Trump made to how CEQ implements NEPA,” she said.&nbsp;

The Senate panel also voted 11-9 to advance the nomination of Janet McCabe to be deputy Environmental Protection Agency administrator, another key environmental regulatory role.&nbsp;

McCabe previously served as the top air and water regulator at the EPA under then-President Barack Obama and played a key role drafting regulations like the Clean Power Plan and vehicle emission standards.&nbsp;

The nominations will now face a full Senate vote. The timing of the vote has not yet been announced.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

A US Senate panel on Wednesday confirmed Brenda Mallory to head the White House Council on Environmental Quality, a key role that will coordinate President Joe Biden's climate change and environmental justice policies.

A US Senate panel on Wednesday confirmed Brenda Mallory to head the White House Council on Environmental Quality, a key role that will coordinate President Joe Biden's climate change and environmental justice policies. The Senate Environment and Public Works committee voted 11-9 to approve Mallory, who previously served as general counsel of the council and until recently was head of regulatory affairs at the green advocacy group Southern Environmental Law Centre. The Council on Environmental Quality coordinates White House energy and environmental policies across federal agencies, and can have broad influence on the outlook for big infrastructure projects from pipelines to industrial facilities. In an interview ahead of her nomination last December, Mallory said she hoped the council would reverse changes made by the Trump administration to the National Environmental Policy Act, a major environmental permitting law, that sought to ease and speed up approval of big energy infrastructure projects. The Trump-era changes eased requirements to weigh climate change impacts of a project and limited the amount of public comment, a move seen as diminishing the voice of low-income and minority communities that are often in the way of these projects. “I am hoping at top of the priority list for CEQ is addressing changes Trump made to how CEQ implements NEPA,” she said. The Senate panel also voted 11-9 to advance the nomination of Janet McCabe to be deputy Environmental Protection Agency administrator, another key environmental regulatory role. McCabe previously served as the top air and water regulator at the EPA under then-President Barack Obama and played a key role drafting regulations like the Clean Power Plan and vehicle emission standards. The nominations will now face a full Senate vote. The timing of the vote has not yet been announced. (With inputs from agencies)

US Senate panel confirms Mallory to lead White House environmental council 

If the filibuster did not exist, Senate Democrats could use the hair-thin majority they won in January to pursue an ambitious legislative agenda.

Some Democrats have called for abolishing the filibuster, a procedural tactic that essentially makes it impossible to pass legislation without a 60-vote supermajority.

They lack the votes to do it. But this week, President Joe Biden signalled support for something else: a return to a more old-fashioned way of filibustering.

“I don’t think that you have to eliminate the filibuster; you have to do it, what it used to be when I first got to the Senate back in the old days,” the president said in an ABC News interview. “You had to stand up and command the floor, and you had to keep talking.”

The president’s comments came after a Democratic senator who opposes ending the filibuster, Joe Manchin of West Virginia, told an interviewer he was open to making the procedure “a little more painful.”

Mr. Smith talks a long time in Washington

The tactic Biden referred to, sometimes called a talking filibuster, is the kind illustrated in the 1939 movie “Mr. Smith Goes to Washington,” in which the title character, portrayed by Jimmy Stewart, takes a stand against corruption by sermonizing on the Senate floor until he faints.

In the real-life chamber, where proceedings are often bogged down by bureaucracy behind the scenes, filibusters can drum up public drama.

They can be policy-focused, as when Sen. Bernie Sanders, the Vermont independent who caucuses with the Democrats, railed for eight hours in 2010 against tax breaks for the richest Americans. And they can be irreverent, as when Sen. Alfonse D’Amato, R-N.Y., sang a Gene Autry song in 1992 during a 15-hour speech as part of an effort to keep a typewriter company from moving hundreds of jobs to Mexico.

Before the Civil War, the filibuster was used to protect the interests of slaveholding states. And in the 20th century, conservative Southern Democrats repeatedly used filibusters to block civil-rights legislation, including an anti-lynching bill.

Since then, senators from both parties have used marathon speeches to challenge majority rule on issues including gun control, judicial nominees and health care.

But colorful, marathon speeches are increasingly rare. The Senate began modifying the rules in the 1970s, when senators became concerned that talking filibusters reflected poorly on the Senate and endangered the health of older members. Today, the mere threat of a filibuster is enough: Senators can keep contentious measures from reaching the floor just by registering their objections privately.

It can be a test of stamina

An early practitioner of the dramatic filibuster was Sen. Huey Long, D-La., who fought against provisions of President Franklin Roosevelt’s New Deal.

In one 1935 speech, lasting more than 15 hours, Long read from the Constitution and shared recipes for fried oysters and pot liquor. He was foiled by a 4 a.m. bathroom break. (To hold the floor, you have to be present on the floor.)

In 2010, when Sanders used a filibuster to protest the Obama administration’s plan to continue the tax policies of former President George W. Bush, his monologue lasted eight hours. Sanders, fueled by oatmeal and coffee, felt his legs cramping and his speech growing hoarse.

“I was afraid that after two or three hours I’d have nothing more to say or I’d be tired or have to go to the bathroom,” he said afterward. “But I was pleased.”

One of the most memorable performances of the past decade came from Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, in 2013. It was a procedural tactic and not technically a filibuster, but it might hint at things to come with so many presidential aspirants in the chamber.

In a bid to defund the Affordable Care Act, Cruz spent 21 hours blasting politicians in “cheap suits” and “bad haircuts,” praising the hamburgers at White Castle and even reading some of his daughters’ favorite stories, including “Green Eggs and Ham” by Dr. Seuss.

That same year, Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., used a real filibuster to delay the nomination of John Brennan to lead the CIA. Paul said his real goal was to get the Obama administration to say that it would not use drone strikes against American citizens on U.S. soil.

After 13 hours, he yielded the floor.

“I’ve discovered that there are some limits to filibustering,” he said, “and I’m going to have to go take care of one of those in a few minutes here.”

Tradition? Or a ‘Jim Crow relic’?

Critics of the filibuster note that its most significant use was to impede progress on civil rights for Black people. Last year, former President Barack Obama called the tactic a “Jim Crow relic” as he gave a eulogy for John Lewis, the Georgia congressman and civil rights pioneer who died in July.

Southern Democrats used the filibuster to block or delay anti-lynching measures in the 1930s, bills outlawing employment discrimination in the 1940s and other civil rights legislation in the 1950s and ’60s.

“The fights over filibuster reform for most of the 20th century were intricately tied to its impact on civil rights,” said Sarah A. Binder, a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution and a professor of political science at George Washington University.

The record-holder for the longest solo filibuster remains Strom Thurmond, the segregationist senator from South Carolina who gave a 1957 speech lasting more than 24 hours, sustaining himself on sips of orange juice, pieces of hamburger meat and bits of pumpernickel.

Thurmond and other Southern Democrats failed in that attempt to block the bill, but they used their clout on other occasions to stall other civil rights changes. In 1964, despite a 14-hour filibuster by Sen. Robert Byrd, D-W.Va., President Lyndon Johnson won passage of a civil rights bill with bipartisan help. Thurmond became a Republican, but Byrd remained a Democrat, serving 51 years.

His successor, Manchin, counted Byrd as a mentor and said he would do his best to follow in his footsteps in preserving Senate traditions. Today, he wields outsize influence as a centrist Democrat in an evenly divided chamber, making his position on filibuster rules critical.

How the filibuster started as a loophole and evolved

The filibuster was not something the Founding Fathers of the United States had envisioned.

In the late 18th century, both the Senate and the House had rules allowing majorities of their members to cut off debates and bring measures to a vote. But in an 1806 effort to clean up its rule book, the Senate scrapped that regulation.

The filibuster was an unanticipated outcome of that procedural change, Binder said.

In 1917, amid bitter debates over U.S. participation in World War I, the Senate adopted the cloture rule, allowing two-thirds of the senators to close debates and bring a measure to a vote.

The Senate made further changes in the 1970s, including reducing the supermajority requirement to 60 votes, from 67, and allowing more than one pending bill on the floor simultaneously. The changes permitted the Senate to move on to other business while theoretical debates on blocked items continued indefinitely and essentially rendered talking filibusters obsolete — except for dramatic effect.

At the time, Democrats held a commanding majority, but the margins have narrowed, with Republicans taking control for extended periods.

In 2013, Senate Democrats had the upper hand, 53-45, and ended the minority party’s ability to filibuster most presidential nominees after years of frustration over Republicans’ blocking of Obama’s choices for federal judgeships and Cabinet posts. They left the filibuster for Supreme Court nominees untouched.

Then they lost control of the Senate. Four years later, when Republicans held both the presidency and the Senate, they voted to lower the threshold for advancing Supreme Court nominations from 60 votes to a simple majority.

But the supermajority rule remained unchanged for legislation, to the frustration of President Donald Trump, who unsuccessfully lobbied Sen. Mitch McConnell of Kentucky to use his power as majority leader to scrap the filibuster.

In the first months of Biden’s administration, Republicans have yet to use the rules to block any of his legislation, but battles are on the horizon. Some Democrats argue that filibuster reform is the only way to overcome united Republican opposition to pass a voting-rights bill or laws to bolster labor rights or to reform immigration policy.

McConnell, who in January tried and failed to extract a pledge from Democrats to leave the filibuster alone, defended the status quo in dramatic terms Tuesday, warning of a “scorched earth” response if Democrats should dare to “break the Senate.”

If the filibuster did not exist, Senate Democrats could use the hair-thin majority they won in January to pursue an ambitious legislative agenda. Some Democrats have called for abolishing the filibuster, a procedural tactic that essentially makes it impossible to pass legislation without a 60-vote supermajority.

If the filibuster did not exist, Senate Democrats could use the hair-thin majority they won in January to pursue an ambitious legislative agenda. Some Democrats have called for abolishing the filibuster, a procedural tactic that essentially makes it impossible to pass legislation without a 60-vote supermajority. They lack the votes to do it. But this week, President Joe Biden signalled support for something else: a return to a more old-fashioned way of filibustering. “I don’t think that you have to eliminate the filibuster; you have to do it, what it used to be when I first got to the Senate back in the old days,” the president said in an ABC News interview. “You had to stand up and command the floor, and you had to keep talking.” The president’s comments came after a Democratic senator who opposes ending the filibuster, Joe Manchin of West Virginia, told an interviewer he was open to making the procedure “a little more painful.” Mr. Smith talks a long time in Washington The tactic Biden referred to, sometimes called a talking filibuster, is the kind illustrated in the 1939 movie “Mr. Smith Goes to Washington,” in which the title character, portrayed by Jimmy Stewart, takes a stand against corruption by sermonizing on the Senate floor until he faints. In the real-life chamber, where proceedings are often bogged down by bureaucracy behind the scenes, filibusters can drum up public drama. They can be policy-focused, as when Sen. Bernie Sanders, the Vermont independent who caucuses with the Democrats, railed for eight hours in 2010 against tax breaks for the richest Americans. And they can be irreverent, as when Sen. Alfonse D’Amato, R-N.Y., sang a Gene Autry song in 1992 during a 15-hour speech as part of an effort to keep a typewriter company from moving hundreds of jobs to Mexico. Before the Civil War, the filibuster was used to protect the interests of slaveholding states. And in the 20th century, conservative Southern Democrats repeatedly used filibusters to block civil-rights legislation, including an anti-lynching bill. Since then, senators from both parties have used marathon speeches to challenge majority rule on issues including gun control, judicial nominees and health care. But colorful, marathon speeches are increasingly rare. The Senate began modifying the rules in the 1970s, when senators became concerned that talking filibusters reflected poorly on the Senate and endangered the health of older members. Today, the mere threat of a filibuster is enough: Senators can keep contentious measures from reaching the floor just by registering their objections privately. It can be a test of stamina An early practitioner of the dramatic filibuster was Sen. Huey Long, D-La., who fought against provisions of President Franklin Roosevelt’s New Deal. In one 1935 speech, lasting more than 15 hours, Long read from the Constitution and shared recipes for fried oysters and pot liquor. He was foiled by a 4 a.m. bathroom break. (To hold the floor, you have to be present on the floor.) In 2010, when Sanders used a filibuster to protest the Obama administration’s plan to continue the tax policies of former President George W. Bush, his monologue lasted eight hours. Sanders, fueled by oatmeal and coffee, felt his legs cramping and his speech growing hoarse. “I was afraid that after two or three hours I’d have nothing more to say or I’d be tired or have to go to the bathroom,” he said afterward. “But I was pleased.” One of the most memorable performances of the past decade came from Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, in 2013. It was a procedural tactic and not technically a filibuster, but it might hint at things to come with so many presidential aspirants in the chamber. In a bid to defund the Affordable Care Act, Cruz spent 21 hours blasting politicians in “cheap suits” and “bad haircuts,” praising the hamburgers at White Castle and even reading some of his daughters’ favorite stories, including “Green Eggs and Ham” by Dr. Seuss. That same year, Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., used a real filibuster to delay the nomination of John Brennan to lead the CIA. Paul said his real goal was to get the Obama administration to say that it would not use drone strikes against American citizens on U.S. soil. After 13 hours, he yielded the floor. “I’ve discovered that there are some limits to filibustering,” he said, “and I’m going to have to go take care of one of those in a few minutes here.” Tradition? Or a ‘Jim Crow relic’? Critics of the filibuster note that its most significant use was to impede progress on civil rights for Black people. Last year, former President Barack Obama called the tactic a “Jim Crow relic” as he gave a eulogy for John Lewis, the Georgia congressman and civil rights pioneer who died in July. Southern Democrats used the filibuster to block or delay anti-lynching measures in the 1930s, bills outlawing employment discrimination in the 1940s and other civil rights legislation in the 1950s and ’60s. “The fights over filibuster reform for most of the 20th century were intricately tied to its impact on civil rights,” said Sarah A. Binder, a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution and a professor of political science at George Washington University. The record-holder for the longest solo filibuster remains Strom Thurmond, the segregationist senator from South Carolina who gave a 1957 speech lasting more than 24 hours, sustaining himself on sips of orange juice, pieces of hamburger meat and bits of pumpernickel. Thurmond and other Southern Democrats failed in that attempt to block the bill, but they used their clout on other occasions to stall other civil rights changes. In 1964, despite a 14-hour filibuster by Sen. Robert Byrd, D-W.Va., President Lyndon Johnson won passage of a civil rights bill with bipartisan help. Thurmond became a Republican, but Byrd remained a Democrat, serving 51 years. His successor, Manchin, counted Byrd as a mentor and said he would do his best to follow in his footsteps in preserving Senate traditions. Today, he wields outsize influence as a centrist Democrat in an evenly divided chamber, making his position on filibuster rules critical. How the filibuster started as a loophole and evolved The filibuster was not something the Founding Fathers of the United States had envisioned. In the late 18th century, both the Senate and the House had rules allowing majorities of their members to cut off debates and bring measures to a vote. But in an 1806 effort to clean up its rule book, the Senate scrapped that regulation. The filibuster was an unanticipated outcome of that procedural change, Binder said. In 1917, amid bitter debates over U.S. participation in World War I, the Senate adopted the cloture rule, allowing two-thirds of the senators to close debates and bring a measure to a vote. The Senate made further changes in the 1970s, including reducing the supermajority requirement to 60 votes, from 67, and allowing more than one pending bill on the floor simultaneously. The changes permitted the Senate to move on to other business while theoretical debates on blocked items continued indefinitely and essentially rendered talking filibusters obsolete — except for dramatic effect. At the time, Democrats held a commanding majority, but the margins have narrowed, with Republicans taking control for extended periods. In 2013, Senate Democrats had the upper hand, 53-45, and ended the minority party’s ability to filibuster most presidential nominees after years of frustration over Republicans’ blocking of Obama’s choices for federal judgeships and Cabinet posts. They left the filibuster for Supreme Court nominees untouched. Then they lost control of the Senate. Four years later, when Republicans held both the presidency and the Senate, they voted to lower the threshold for advancing Supreme Court nominations from 60 votes to a simple majority. But the supermajority rule remained unchanged for legislation, to the frustration of President Donald Trump, who unsuccessfully lobbied Sen. Mitch McConnell of Kentucky to use his power as majority leader to scrap the filibuster. In the first months of Biden’s administration, Republicans have yet to use the rules to block any of his legislation, but battles are on the horizon. Some Democrats argue that filibuster reform is the only way to overcome united Republican opposition to pass a voting-rights bill or laws to bolster labor rights or to reform immigration policy. McConnell, who in January tried and failed to extract a pledge from Democrats to leave the filibuster alone, defended the status quo in dramatic terms Tuesday, warning of a “scorched earth” response if Democrats should dare to “break the Senate.”

The Senate’s ‘talking filibuster’ might Rise again

Pakistan Senate, or the Upper House of the Parliament, on Friday descended into chaotic fracas after Federal Minister for Information Shibli Faraz accused the opposition of installing cameras over the polling booth for the chairman and deputy chairman elections.

Ahead of the voting process, Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) senator Mustafa Nawaz Khokhar claimed that "spy" cameras were installed right over the polling booth. Senator Raza Rabbani added installing spy cameras was a violation of the law.

Federal Minister for Science and&nbsp;Technology Fawad Chaudhry, however, countered the allegation saying spy cameras can possibly be not detected, and the ministers might have mistaken CCTV cameras with them.

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This is one example of Spy Camera the camera can be fitted in a head of nail even,detection of such cameras is impossible, in all likelihood CCTV Camera cable is misunderstood as spy camera <a href="https://t.co/KPu8a2RCpA">pic.twitter.com/KPu8a2RCpA</a>
— Ch Fawad Hussain (@fawadchaudhry) <a href="https://twitter.com/fawadchaudhry/status/1370260198561026050?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 12, 2021</a></blockquote>
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Pakistan Senate met on Friday to elect its chairman and deputy chairman through a secret ballot following the oath taking of its 48 newly-elected members.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/pakistan-senate-chairmanship-opposition-finds-secret-cameras-369901">Videos</a> that made way to the social media showed Pakistan ministers engaging in a scuffle after so-called Chinese spy cameras were found hidden inside the hall.

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Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party's nominee Sadiq Sanjrani, meanwhile, is expected to face a tough challenge from joint opposition candidate Yousaf Raza Gilani in the race for the chairmanship of the Senate. Notably, the former premier's surprise victory in the Senate polls had rattled the ruling party led by Prime Minister Imran Khan.

Incumbent Senate chairman and the ruling party's nominee Sanjrani is vying for a second term while Pakistan Democratic Movement's (PDM) candidate and former prime minister Gilani, who defeated finance minister in the Senate polls last week, is confident of giving another setback to the government.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/pakistan-to-elect-senate-chairman-in-knife-edge-battle-369842">Also read |&nbsp;Pakistan to elect Senate chairman in knife-edge battle</a>

A tough competition is expected between the two sides in the House of 100. The winner will need to get a simple majority of 51. The PDM - an alliance of 11 Opposition parties - claims that it has the support of 51 senators. Similar claims have been made by the government.

The two sides have been blaming each other for using money and other tactics to woo lawmakers to support their candidates.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/gravitas-when-things-turned-murky-in-pak-senate-370077">WATCH |</a>

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/gravitas-when-things-turned-murky-in-pak-senate-370077/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

Ahead of the election, former prime minister and main opposition Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) senior vice-resident Shahid Khaqan Abbasi asked the military establishment to stay away from politics.

PDM has fielded Maulana Ghafoor Haidri of Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam Fazl (JUI-F) for deputy chairman while the ruling party has nominated Mirza Mohammad Afridi for deputy chairman.

Gilani defeated Finance Minister Abdul Hafeez Shaikh on Wednesday in Senate polls, giving a major blow to Prime Minister Khan who had personally campaigned for his Cabinet colleague. Gilani secured 169 votes while Shaikh got 164 votes.

The Opposition had demanded the Prime Minister's resignation after the debacle following which Khan decided to take a vote of confidence on Saturday which he won comfortably.

The ruling party challenged in the Election Commission of Pakistan the victory of Gilani in Senate polls on the basis of alleged fraud, urging it not to issue notification of his election.

Elections for the Upper House of the Parliament were held on March 3, days ahead of retiring of its members on March 11.

Senators are elected for six years but half of them retire after three years. A new chairman and his deputy are elected after three years to run the house.

(with inputs)

Pakistan Senate, or the Upper House of the Parliament, on Friday descended into chaotic fracas after Federal Minister for Information Shibli Faraz accused the opposition of installing cameras over the polling booth for the chairman and deputy chairman elections.

Pakistan Senate, or the Upper House of the Parliament, on Friday descended into chaotic fracas after Federal Minister for Information Shibli Faraz accused the opposition of installing cameras over the polling booth for the chairman and deputy chairman elections. Ahead of the voting process, Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) senator Mustafa Nawaz Khokhar claimed that "spy" cameras were installed right over the polling booth. Senator Raza Rabbani added installing spy cameras was a violation of the law. Federal Minister for Science and Technology Fawad Chaudhry, however, countered the allegation saying spy cameras can possibly be not detected, and the ministers might have mistaken CCTV cameras with them. This is one example of Spy Camera the camera can be fitted in a head of nail even,detection of such cameras is impossible, in all likelihood CCTV Camera cable is misunderstood as spy camera pic.twitter.com/KPu8a2RCpA — Ch Fawad Hussain (@fawadchaudhry) March 12, 2021 × Pakistan Senate met on Friday to elect its chairman and deputy chairman through a secret ballot following the oath taking of its 48 newly-elected members. Videos that made way to the social media showed Pakistan ministers engaging in a scuffle after so-called Chinese spy cameras were found hidden inside the hall. × Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party's nominee Sadiq Sanjrani, meanwhile, is expected to face a tough challenge from joint opposition candidate Yousaf Raza Gilani in the race for the chairmanship of the Senate. Notably, the former premier's surprise victory in the Senate polls had rattled the ruling party led by Prime Minister Imran Khan. Incumbent Senate chairman and the ruling party's nominee Sanjrani is vying for a second term while Pakistan Democratic Movement's (PDM) candidate and former prime minister Gilani, who defeated finance minister in the Senate polls last week, is confident of giving another setback to the government. Also read | Pakistan to elect Senate chairman in knife-edge battle A tough competition is expected between the two sides in the House of 100. The winner will need to get a simple majority of 51. The PDM - an alliance of 11 Opposition parties - claims that it has the support of 51 senators. Similar claims have been made by the government. The two sides have been blaming each other for using money and other tactics to woo lawmakers to support their candidates. WATCH | Ahead of the election, former prime minister and main opposition Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) senior vice-resident Shahid Khaqan Abbasi asked the military establishment to stay away from politics. PDM has fielded Maulana Ghafoor Haidri of Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam Fazl (JUI-F) for deputy chairman while the ruling party has nominated Mirza Mohammad Afridi for deputy chairman. Gilani defeated Finance Minister Abdul Hafeez Shaikh on Wednesday in Senate polls, giving a major blow to Prime Minister Khan who had personally campaigned for his Cabinet colleague. Gilani secured 169 votes while Shaikh got 164 votes. The Opposition had demanded the Prime Minister's resignation after the debacle following which Khan decided to take a vote of confidence on Saturday which he won comfortably. The ruling party challenged in the Election Commission of Pakistan the victory of Gilani in Senate polls on the basis of alleged fraud, urging it not to issue notification of his election. Elections for the Upper House of the Parliament were held on March 3, days ahead of retiring of its members on March 11. Senators are elected for six years but half of them retire after three years. A new chairman and his deputy are elected after three years to run the house. (with inputs)

Ruckus in Pak Senate after 'spy cameras' found hidden inside hall | WATCH

After losing the Islamabad seat in the Senate polls, the Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan took a vote of confidence in the parliament. He won the vote but remains on a sticky wicket as he is bracing for yet another electoral challenge on March 12 when Pakistan's Senate will vote to elect the chairperson.&nbsp;

The Opposition has united behind one nominee, Yousaf Raza Gilani and since it enjoys the majority in the Senate, it may very well elect him to the post. As for the vote of confidence on Saturday, Khan arrived in Pakistan's national assembly to test his clout to dispel suggestions that he had lost the support of the majority of his lawmakers. So, he took a trust vote and secured 178 votes, six more than what he needed.&nbsp;

National Assembly Speaker Asad Qaiser, while announcing the results, said, "Now, I announce the result, 178 members recorded their vote in the favour of resolution, and resolution is passed. Consequently, Imran Khan has obtained the vote of confidence from the national assembly and the command the confidence of the majority of the members of the national assembly as prime minister of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan."&nbsp;

So, Khan has won but the fact that he's trying to sell it off as a hard-fought victory is a bit absurd. The result of this vote was a foregone conclusion. Out of the 340 lawmakers in Pakistan's National Assembly, 157 are from his own party PTI, 20 others are from allied parties and there are two independents that support the PTI. Khan had to win the trust vote. This was just a political stunt to divert attention away from the PTI's defeat in Islamabad and to show the control Imran Khan still maintains in the parliament.&nbsp;

Outside the parliament, his goons took care of the rest. Three short videos tell the tale about the dire state of affairs in Pakistani politics.&nbsp;

The first one shows Imran Khan's supporters heckling Opposition leaders. Some of them brought shoes to provoke them and some of them even got into a scuffle with Opposition leaders. In the second video, a shoe is getting tossed at PML-N leader Ahsan Iqbal and the third video shows one PTI supporter involved in a physical altercation with Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, the man in the black waistcoat. He happens to be the former prime minister of Pakistan.&nbsp;

Now, former prime ministers are getting attacked in broad daylight. Forget a vote of confidence, Pakistan needs a vote of conscience and perhaps China feels it can fill that gap.&nbsp;

Chinese representatives in Pakistan are telling people what to do and this is a completely different story. &nbsp;

Zhang Heqing, Beijing's cultural counsellor at the Chinese embassy in Islamabad, recently tweeted a video of a Chinese girl doing what he called the 'Xinjiang dance'. The caption read, 'Off your hijab, let me see your eyes'. An awful statement to make irrespective of how one views the hijab, it did not go down well with the people of Pakistan. There were a thousand tweets condemning his post. Zhang Heqing had to delete it but it does not change a thing.&nbsp;

Thousands of Uighur women are being subjected to such derogatory treatment on a daily basis as the prime minister of Pakistan feigns total ignorance about the issue. His silence may be keeping China happy but it's not helping Pakistan's economy. Pakistan's debt-GDP ratio has reached 87%, that is 10 per cent more than the ideal ratio. In 2013, this ratio was 63.8% and in 2019, it grew to 86% and now it stands at 87.&nbsp;

Islamabad is borrowing more than it can afford. It is sinking deeper into debt, with no prospects of a decent GDP growth in the coming years. So, Imran Khan may hold as many trust votes as he wants and target as many former prime ministers as he wants and remain silent on the persecution of Muslims elsewhere as he much he likes, it may help him fool the people of Pakistan but he cannot fool the rest of the world.&nbsp;

After losing the Islamabad seat in the Senate polls, the Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan took a vote of confidence in the parliament. He won the vote but remains on a sticky wicket as he is bracing for yet another electoral challenge on March 12 when Pakistan's Senate will vote to elect the chairperson.

After losing the Islamabad seat in the Senate polls, the Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan took a vote of confidence in the parliament. He won the vote but remains on a sticky wicket as he is bracing for yet another electoral challenge on March 12 when Pakistan's Senate will vote to elect the chairperson. The Opposition has united behind one nominee, Yousaf Raza Gilani and since it enjoys the majority in the Senate, it may very well elect him to the post. As for the vote of confidence on Saturday, Khan arrived in Pakistan's national assembly to test his clout to dispel suggestions that he had lost the support of the majority of his lawmakers. So, he took a trust vote and secured 178 votes, six more than what he needed. National Assembly Speaker Asad Qaiser, while announcing the results, said, "Now, I announce the result, 178 members recorded their vote in the favour of resolution, and resolution is passed. Consequently, Imran Khan has obtained the vote of confidence from the national assembly and the command the confidence of the majority of the members of the national assembly as prime minister of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan." So, Khan has won but the fact that he's trying to sell it off as a hard-fought victory is a bit absurd. The result of this vote was a foregone conclusion. Out of the 340 lawmakers in Pakistan's National Assembly, 157 are from his own party PTI, 20 others are from allied parties and there are two independents that support the PTI. Khan had to win the trust vote. This was just a political stunt to divert attention away from the PTI's defeat in Islamabad and to show the control Imran Khan still maintains in the parliament. Outside the parliament, his goons took care of the rest. Three short videos tell the tale about the dire state of affairs in Pakistani politics. The first one shows Imran Khan's supporters heckling Opposition leaders. Some of them brought shoes to provoke them and some of them even got into a scuffle with Opposition leaders. In the second video, a shoe is getting tossed at PML-N leader Ahsan Iqbal and the third video shows one PTI supporter involved in a physical altercation with Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, the man in the black waistcoat. He happens to be the former prime minister of Pakistan. Now, former prime ministers are getting attacked in broad daylight. Forget a vote of confidence, Pakistan needs a vote of conscience and perhaps China feels it can fill that gap. Chinese representatives in Pakistan are telling people what to do and this is a completely different story. Zhang Heqing, Beijing's cultural counsellor at the Chinese embassy in Islamabad, recently tweeted a video of a Chinese girl doing what he called the 'Xinjiang dance'. The caption read, 'Off your hijab, let me see your eyes'. An awful statement to make irrespective of how one views the hijab, it did not go down well with the people of Pakistan. There were a thousand tweets condemning his post. Zhang Heqing had to delete it but it does not change a thing. Thousands of Uighur women are being subjected to such derogatory treatment on a daily basis as the prime minister of Pakistan feigns total ignorance about the issue. His silence may be keeping China happy but it's not helping Pakistan's economy. Pakistan's debt-GDP ratio has reached 87%, that is 10 per cent more than the ideal ratio. In 2013, this ratio was 63.8% and in 2019, it grew to 86% and now it stands at 87. Islamabad is borrowing more than it can afford. It is sinking deeper into debt, with no prospects of a decent GDP growth in the coming years. So, Imran Khan may hold as many trust votes as he wants and target as many former prime ministers as he wants and remain silent on the persecution of Muslims elsewhere as he much he likes, it may help him fool the people of Pakistan but he cannot fool the rest of the world.

Pakistani PM's electoral challenges reveal dire state of affairs

Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) on Monday formally nominated Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani of the Pakistan People's Party (PPP) as its candidate for the office of the Senate Chairman, reported Dawn. &nbsp;

The Senate polls will be held on March 12. Gilani caused a major upset by defeating Finance Minister Dr Abdul Hafeez Shaikh in the March 3 Senate poll on a general seat from Islamabad.&nbsp;

Meanwhile, addressing a news conference after attending a nearly six-hour-long meeting of the heads of the PDM component parties, the opposition leaders warned the country's 'establishment and the intelligence agencies' against interference in the upcoming election and vowed 'to bring all the facts before the nation if any such attempt is made', reported Dawn.&nbsp;

Pakistan Muslim League - Nawaz (PML-N's) supreme leader Nawaz Sharif and PPP's Asif Zardari also participated in the meeting through video link.&nbsp;

Later, PDM president Maulana Fazlur Rehman told reporters that to finalise the names for the remaining two Senate offices, the opposition parties had constituted an eight-member committee under the PML-N senior vice president Shahid Khaqan Abbasi.&nbsp;

Flanked by Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari and PML-N's vice president Maryam Nawaz, Maulana Fazl declared that their anti-government long march would start from across the country as per plan on March 26 and would reach its 'destination' on March 30. &nbsp;

He said that to decide the modalities of the long march, including its place and duration, another meeting of the PDM leaders would be held on March 15, reported Dawn.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) on Monday formally nominated Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani of the Pakistan People's Party (PPP) as its candidate for the office of the Senate Chairman, reported Dawn.

Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) on Monday formally nominated Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani of the Pakistan People's Party (PPP) as its candidate for the office of the Senate Chairman, reported Dawn. The Senate polls will be held on March 12. Gilani caused a major upset by defeating Finance Minister Dr Abdul Hafeez Shaikh in the March 3 Senate poll on a general seat from Islamabad. Meanwhile, addressing a news conference after attending a nearly six-hour-long meeting of the heads of the PDM component parties, the opposition leaders warned the country's 'establishment and the intelligence agencies' against interference in the upcoming election and vowed 'to bring all the facts before the nation if any such attempt is made', reported Dawn. Pakistan Muslim League - Nawaz (PML-N's) supreme leader Nawaz Sharif and PPP's Asif Zardari also participated in the meeting through video link. Later, PDM president Maulana Fazlur Rehman told reporters that to finalise the names for the remaining two Senate offices, the opposition parties had constituted an eight-member committee under the PML-N senior vice president Shahid Khaqan Abbasi. Flanked by Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari and PML-N's vice president Maryam Nawaz, Maulana Fazl declared that their anti-government long march would start from across the country as per plan on March 26 and would reach its 'destination' on March 30. He said that to decide the modalities of the long march, including its place and duration, another meeting of the PDM leaders would be held on March 15, reported Dawn. (With inputs from agencies)

Pakistan Democratic Movement nominates Gilani for Senate Chairman 

Every new leader has a honeymoon period, when the media is still cheering for their win, when allies are still in high-spirits and opponents are still wallowing in defeat. Ask any leader they will say it's the best time to govern. &nbsp;

Joe Biden's honeymoon period wasn't bad. It lasted for 40 days but the US President has met with his first failure. One of his cabinet picks has been rejected, Neera Tanden.&nbsp;

Biden wanted her to run the budget office, a key cabinet position in the White House. Tanden is a through-and-through Democrat. She's been involved in presidential campaigns since 1988. Her closest Washington overlord is Hillary Clinton. Ideologically, Tanden is more of a centrist. On paper, the US Senate should have loved her. The Senate is evenly split and her nomination should not have been a problem.&nbsp;

Except that it was thanks to her Twitter history, there are very few people on Capitol Hill that Tanden hasn't offended. She's attacked Democrats and Republicans alike and as they say politicians don't forget easily. Biden was bullish about her chances but within Democrat circles, there was scepticism.&nbsp;

Joe Manchin, a conservative Democrat said he wouldn't vote for her. This effectively killed Tanden's nomination. Instead of being voted down in the Senate, she pulled out of the race but Joe Biden isn't planning on giving up. He has accepted Tanden's request but plans on getting her onboard in some other position. It's an unexplained obsession, one that is doomed from the start because Neera Tanden is a toxic political entity after Biden announced his decision to pick her.&nbsp;

Tanden went on a social media exorcism. She deleted almost 1,000 tweets, all from her personal account. The tweets in which she targeted senators on both sides of the aisle in December 2017.&nbsp;

Tanden accused the Republican party of backing a child molester. In 2018, she targeted moderate Republican, Susan Collins. This was during the senate hearing of supreme court judge Brett Kavanaugh.&nbsp;

She's compared senators to Voldemort and vampires. Tanden's attacks weren't partisan, conservative Republican, progressive Democrat, it didn't matter but on more than one occasion, she crossed the line of decency. She used words unbecoming of a cabinet aspirant with enough enemies on both sides Tanden's nomination was a non-starter, everyone thought so, everyone except Joe Biden.&nbsp;

Biden is promising to transcend political lines as he keeps talking about being a US president and not a Democratic one. If that's the idea Neera Tanden was the wrong pick. This loss will be hard to take as Biden staked a lot of political capital on Neera Tanden.&nbsp;

The White House was lobbying for her approval but the divisions in Washington run too deep. It's a sign of things to come as for Neera Tanden, it's a steep learning curve.&nbsp;

Social media is a wilderness and a no holds barred domain where attacking and trolling are the norms on Twitter, everyone's a critic but remember that criticism is permanent.&nbsp;

You can delete tweets but after a million people have seen it, does it really make a difference?&nbsp;

Neera Tanden's social media presence came back to haunt her during the senate hearings. She apologised for her posts. "I do think the last several years have been very polarising and I apologise for my language that has contributed to that," she said.&nbsp;

A change of heart but too late. The senators had made up their mind and gone are the days when your resume decided your job. If you have reams of hateful tweets like Neera Tanden, chances are you have more enemies than friends and in politics that never ends well.&nbsp;

Every new leader has a honeymoon period, when the media is still cheering for their win, when allies are still in high-spirits and opponents are still wallowing in defeat.

Every new leader has a honeymoon period, when the media is still cheering for their win, when allies are still in high-spirits and opponents are still wallowing in defeat. Ask any leader they will say it's the best time to govern. Joe Biden's honeymoon period wasn't bad. It lasted for 40 days but the US President has met with his first failure. One of his cabinet picks has been rejected, Neera Tanden. Biden wanted her to run the budget office, a key cabinet position in the White House. Tanden is a through-and-through Democrat. She's been involved in presidential campaigns since 1988. Her closest Washington overlord is Hillary Clinton. Ideologically, Tanden is more of a centrist. On paper, the US Senate should have loved her. The Senate is evenly split and her nomination should not have been a problem. Except that it was thanks to her Twitter history, there are very few people on Capitol Hill that Tanden hasn't offended. She's attacked Democrats and Republicans alike and as they say politicians don't forget easily. Biden was bullish about her chances but within Democrat circles, there was scepticism. Joe Manchin, a conservative Democrat said he wouldn't vote for her. This effectively killed Tanden's nomination. Instead of being voted down in the Senate, she pulled out of the race but Joe Biden isn't planning on giving up. He has accepted Tanden's request but plans on getting her onboard in some other position. It's an unexplained obsession, one that is doomed from the start because Neera Tanden is a toxic political entity after Biden announced his decision to pick her. Tanden went on a social media exorcism. She deleted almost 1,000 tweets, all from her personal account. The tweets in which she targeted senators on both sides of the aisle in December 2017. Tanden accused the Republican party of backing a child molester. In 2018, she targeted moderate Republican, Susan Collins. This was during the senate hearing of supreme court judge Brett Kavanaugh. She's compared senators to Voldemort and vampires. Tanden's attacks weren't partisan, conservative Republican, progressive Democrat, it didn't matter but on more than one occasion, she crossed the line of decency. She used words unbecoming of a cabinet aspirant with enough enemies on both sides Tanden's nomination was a non-starter, everyone thought so, everyone except Joe Biden. Biden is promising to transcend political lines as he keeps talking about being a US president and not a Democratic one. If that's the idea Neera Tanden was the wrong pick. This loss will be hard to take as Biden staked a lot of political capital on Neera Tanden. The White House was lobbying for her approval but the divisions in Washington run too deep. It's a sign of things to come as for Neera Tanden, it's a steep learning curve. Social media is a wilderness and a no holds barred domain where attacking and trolling are the norms on Twitter, everyone's a critic but remember that criticism is permanent. You can delete tweets but after a million people have seen it, does it really make a difference? Neera Tanden's social media presence came back to haunt her during the senate hearings. She apologised for her posts. "I do think the last several years have been very polarising and I apologise for my language that has contributed to that," she said. A change of heart but too late. The senators had made up their mind and gone are the days when your resume decided your job. If you have reams of hateful tweets like Neera Tanden, chances are you have more enemies than friends and in politics that never ends well.

After Senate pushback, Biden withdraws Neera Tanden's nomination 

Polling for the 37 seats of Pakistan's Senate is underway via secret ballot as a total of 78 candidates are contesting from the federal capital and three provinces - Sindh, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan.&nbsp;

According to Dawn, the first vote in the National Assembly was cast by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf's (PTI) Shafiq Arain while the second one was cast by federal Minister for Water Resources Faisal Vawda.&nbsp;

Prime Minister Imran Khan, Pakistan People's Party (PPP) chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari, NA Speaker Asad Qaiser and Leader of the Opposition Shehbaz Sharif are among those, who have cast their votes for the elections of Pakistan's Upper House.&nbsp;

The polling began at 9 am on Wednesday and will continue till 5 pm without any break. Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) staff reached the Parliament House in Islamabad early morning on Wednesday to initiate proceedings of the elections. &nbsp;

Polling is also underway in provincial assemblies, except Punjab, where all Senate candidates were elected unopposed last month after disqualification or withdrawal of papers by other contestants.&nbsp;

The polls are being held after a long-drawn open ballot controversy, after President Arif Alvi had signed the Elections (Amendment) Ordinance 2021 to pave the way for Senate elections to be held via an 'open and identifiable ballot'.&nbsp;

The controversy kept the ruling and opposition in a war of words and a legal battle before the Supreme Court on Monday announced that the polls for the Upper House of Parliament will be held through secret ballot, according to Article 226 of the Constitution. &nbsp;

While the ruling PTI's numerical strength in the Senate is expected to almost double from the existing 14 seats, the fiercest contest is expected between former prime minister Yousuf Raza Gilani, who is contesting as a joint candidate of the 11-party opposition alliance - Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM), and Hafeez Sheikh, Adviser to PM Imran Khan on Finance, Dawn reported.&nbsp;

Polling for the 37 seats of Pakistan's Senate is underway via secret ballot as a total of 78 candidates are contesting from the federal capital and three provinces - Sindh, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan.

Polling for the 37 seats of Pakistan's Senate is underway via secret ballot as a total of 78 candidates are contesting from the federal capital and three provinces - Sindh, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan. According to Dawn, the first vote in the National Assembly was cast by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf's (PTI) Shafiq Arain while the second one was cast by federal Minister for Water Resources Faisal Vawda. Prime Minister Imran Khan, Pakistan People's Party (PPP) chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari, NA Speaker Asad Qaiser and Leader of the Opposition Shehbaz Sharif are among those, who have cast their votes for the elections of Pakistan's Upper House. The polling began at 9 am on Wednesday and will continue till 5 pm without any break. Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) staff reached the Parliament House in Islamabad early morning on Wednesday to initiate proceedings of the elections. Polling is also underway in provincial assemblies, except Punjab, where all Senate candidates were elected unopposed last month after disqualification or withdrawal of papers by other contestants. The polls are being held after a long-drawn open ballot controversy, after President Arif Alvi had signed the Elections (Amendment) Ordinance 2021 to pave the way for Senate elections to be held via an 'open and identifiable ballot'. The controversy kept the ruling and opposition in a war of words and a legal battle before the Supreme Court on Monday announced that the polls for the Upper House of Parliament will be held through secret ballot, according to Article 226 of the Constitution. While the ruling PTI's numerical strength in the Senate is expected to almost double from the existing 14 seats, the fiercest contest is expected between former prime minister Yousuf Raza Gilani, who is contesting as a joint candidate of the 11-party opposition alliance - Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM), and Hafeez Sheikh, Adviser to PM Imran Khan on Finance, Dawn reported.

Polling for Pakistan Senate's 37 seats underway after weeks of acrimony 

Pakistan People's Party (PPP) chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari on Wednesday said that members of the ruling Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) were as angry with the government as the public.&nbsp;

"The puppet government has been exposed across the country. We have shown that their own members are afraid of the government," Bilawal was quoted as saying by Geo News.&nbsp;

As the polling for 37 seats of Pakistan's Senate is underway, the PPP chairman stated that even a single vote more would be a bonus for the party to lead in the elections for the Upper House of the Parliament.&nbsp;

Bilawal further remarked that Prime Minister Imran Khan will be 'ousted' with the collective effort of the people and the Opposition. "We will get him [Imran Khan] out of here together. PDM is with the people," he said. &nbsp;

Taking a jibe at the incumbent government, Bilawal said those, who should be winning the elections easily, are seen worried about the results. "They are losing, their government is leaving," he said.&nbsp;

Polling for the 37 seats of Pakistan's Senate is underway via secret ballot as a total of 78 candidates are contesting from the federal capital and three provinces - Sindh, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan.&nbsp;

The polls are being held after a long-drawn open ballot controversy that kept the ruling party and opposition in a war of words and a legal battle before the Supreme Court on Monday announced that the polls for the Upper House of the Parliament will be held through secret ballot, according to Article 226 of the Pakistan Constitution. The ruling PTI's numerical strength in the Senate is expected to almost double from the existing 14 seats. &nbsp;

Pakistan People's Party (PPP) chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari on Wednesday said that members of the ruling Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) were as angry with the government as the public.

Pakistan People's Party (PPP) chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari on Wednesday said that members of the ruling Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) were as angry with the government as the public. "The puppet government has been exposed across the country. We have shown that their own members are afraid of the government," Bilawal was quoted as saying by Geo News. As the polling for 37 seats of Pakistan's Senate is underway, the PPP chairman stated that even a single vote more would be a bonus for the party to lead in the elections for the Upper House of the Parliament. Bilawal further remarked that Prime Minister Imran Khan will be 'ousted' with the collective effort of the people and the Opposition. "We will get him [Imran Khan] out of here together. PDM is with the people," he said. Taking a jibe at the incumbent government, Bilawal said those, who should be winning the elections easily, are seen worried about the results. "They are losing, their government is leaving," he said. Polling for the 37 seats of Pakistan's Senate is underway via secret ballot as a total of 78 candidates are contesting from the federal capital and three provinces - Sindh, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan. The polls are being held after a long-drawn open ballot controversy that kept the ruling party and opposition in a war of words and a legal battle before the Supreme Court on Monday announced that the polls for the Upper House of the Parliament will be held through secret ballot, according to Article 226 of the Pakistan Constitution. The ruling PTI's numerical strength in the Senate is expected to almost double from the existing 14 seats.

Bilawal: Imran Khan's party members are as angry with 'puppet' govt as public  

The US Senate is all set to vote on the sweeping $1.9 trillion COVID-19 relief bill as Democrats try to get the legislation signed into law before federal unemployment benefits expire.

US Senate to vote on $1.9 trillion COVID-19 relief bill

The fallout from the Capitol attack continues as the Senate holds the first public meeting into security failures as part of a joint investigation by the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee and the Senate Rules and Administration Committee.

US: Hearing on security failures during Capitol attack

Mitch McConnell said that he would vote to acquit the former president. Democrats and Trump's lawyers sparred over the impeachment precedent. Susan M. Tehrani brings updates from New York in conversation with Alyson le Grange.

Will the Senate convict Donald Trump?

Former US President Donald Trump lawyers open their defense against his historical second impeachment trial. the lawyers argued to the article of impeachment before the senate is actually unjust and it was a blatantly unconstitutional act of political vengeance.

Former US President Donald Trump's defense lawyer calls Impeachment blatantly unconstitutional

Pakistan's election authorities on Thursday announced that the elections for the Senate will be held on March 3, amidst a raging controversy about allowing open ballot papers in the polls to avoid corruption.

A total of 52 senators in the 104-member upper house will retire on March 11 on completion of their six-year term.

They will also include four of the eight senators from the erstwhile Federally Adminis­tered Tribal Areas (FATA).

Since the areas have been merged with Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, they will not be reelected and the Senate strength will shrink to 100.

Therefore, polling will be held to elect 48 senators - 12 each from Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan, 11 each from Punjab and Sindh and two from Islamabad, the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) said in a notification.

Polling will be held to elect seven members on general seats, two women and two technocrats in the four provinces.

Besides, the election on one minority seat each in KP and Balochistan will also be conducted.

The election for Senate or the upper house will be held as the country is torn apart by differences between the government and the Opposition whether to allow open ballot paper to avoid use of money.

The problem stems from the system of election as senators are elected by the respective provincial assemblies on the basis of proportional representation.

For example, in Balochistan a candidate may need just seven votes to become a senator.

A few days back a video surfaced showing some members of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa provincial assembly allegedly being bribed to vote against their Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) party in 2018 elections.

Then PTI chief Imran Khan had expelled about 20 lawmakers for voting against the party line.

Khan has led the drive for open ballots but he is hamstrung by the Constitution of the country which asks for secret ballots.

His government last month filed an application with the Supreme Court to allow an open ballots system for the Senate election.

While the application is being heard, the PTI government first tried to amend the Constitution but failing to do so, it last week got the Elections (Amendment) Ordinance 2021 promulgated by President Arif Alvi to pave the way for Senate elections to be held via an "open and identifiable ballot".

The opposition parties have rejected the ordinance as well as the appeal in the Supreme Court by saying that PTI was trying to stuff the Senate with 'friends of Imran Khan' against the wishes of several of its lawmakers.

The ordinance has also been challenged in the top court as violation of the Constitution.

As the Senate election has been announced, all eyes are set at the Supreme Court to decide the issue of open ballots.

Pakistan's election authorities on Thursday announced that the elections for the Senate will be held on March 3, amidst a raging controversy about allowing open ballot papers in the polls to avoid corruption.

Pakistan's election authorities on Thursday announced that the elections for the Senate will be held on March 3, amidst a raging controversy about allowing open ballot papers in the polls to avoid corruption. A total of 52 senators in the 104-member upper house will retire on March 11 on completion of their six-year term. They will also include four of the eight senators from the erstwhile Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA). Since the areas have been merged with Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, they will not be reelected and the Senate strength will shrink to 100. Therefore, polling will be held to elect 48 senators - 12 each from Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan, 11 each from Punjab and Sindh and two from Islamabad, the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) said in a notification. Polling will be held to elect seven members on general seats, two women and two technocrats in the four provinces. Besides, the election on one minority seat each in KP and Balochistan will also be conducted. The election for Senate or the upper house will be held as the country is torn apart by differences between the government and the Opposition whether to allow open ballot paper to avoid use of money. The problem stems from the system of election as senators are elected by the respective provincial assemblies on the basis of proportional representation. For example, in Balochistan a candidate may need just seven votes to become a senator. A few days back a video surfaced showing some members of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa provincial assembly allegedly being bribed to vote against their Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) party in 2018 elections. Then PTI chief Imran Khan had expelled about 20 lawmakers for voting against the party line. Khan has led the drive for open ballots but he is hamstrung by the Constitution of the country which asks for secret ballots. His government last month filed an application with the Supreme Court to allow an open ballots system for the Senate election. While the application is being heard, the PTI government first tried to amend the Constitution but failing to do so, it last week got the Elections (Amendment) Ordinance 2021 promulgated by President Arif Alvi to pave the way for Senate elections to be held via an "open and identifiable ballot". The opposition parties have rejected the ordinance as well as the appeal in the Supreme Court by saying that PTI was trying to stuff the Senate with 'friends of Imran Khan' against the wishes of several of its lawmakers. The ordinance has also been challenged in the top court as violation of the Constitution. As the Senate election has been announced, all eyes are set at the Supreme Court to decide the issue of open ballots.

Amid controversies, Pakistan to hold elections for Senate on March 3

Kathleen Hicks has been confirmed by the US Senate on Monday (local time) as Deputy Defence Secretary. Hicks has become the first woman to be confirmed by the Senate to the post. &nbsp;

In a voice vote, senators confirmed Kathleen Hicks, giving US President Joe Biden his second Senate-confirmed Defence Department official about a week after her confirmation hearing, according to The Hill. &nbsp;

Hicks, who led President Joe Biden's transition team at the Pentagon, was a deputy undersecretary of defence under the Obama administration. Before her nomination, she led the international security programme at the Centre for Strategic and International Studies.&nbsp;

Hicks's nomination garnered attention both because of the history-making aspect and because Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin pledged to empower Pentagon civilians, such as her to assuage senators concerned about him being a recently retired general, The Hill reported.&nbsp;

Austin previously has served on the board of Raytheon Technologies and agreed to recuse himself from decisions concerning the company, decisions involving the firm will fall to Hicks. During her confirmation hearing, Hicks said she supports nuclear modernisation and nuclear triad. She added that her involvement as deputy secretary will be on programmatic decisions and made clear she would defer to Austin and Biden on questions of US nuclear policy.&nbsp;

Hicks also left the door open to defence budget cuts, saying that while the country 'can afford the defence that it needs to have,' she thinks there are ways to trim the budget without sacrificing national security, The Hill reported.&nbsp;

Meanwhile, the Pentagon has projected relatively flat budgets for the next few years because of external pressures, such as ballooning US debt, but progressive Democrats are expected to push for at least a 10 per cent budget cut.&nbsp;

When she is sworn in, Hicks will be the department's first Senate-confirmed female deputy Defence secretary, though Christine Fox served as acting deputy Defence secretary for six months in the Obama administration.&nbsp;

Kathleen Hicks has been confirmed by the US Senate on Monday (local time) as Deputy Defence Secretary. Hicks has become the first woman to be confirmed by the Senate to the post.

Kathleen Hicks has been confirmed by the US Senate on Monday (local time) as Deputy Defence Secretary. Hicks has become the first woman to be confirmed by the Senate to the post. In a voice vote, senators confirmed Kathleen Hicks, giving US President Joe Biden his second Senate-confirmed Defence Department official about a week after her confirmation hearing, according to The Hill. Hicks, who led President Joe Biden's transition team at the Pentagon, was a deputy undersecretary of defence under the Obama administration. Before her nomination, she led the international security programme at the Centre for Strategic and International Studies. Hicks's nomination garnered attention both because of the history-making aspect and because Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin pledged to empower Pentagon civilians, such as her to assuage senators concerned about him being a recently retired general, The Hill reported. Austin previously has served on the board of Raytheon Technologies and agreed to recuse himself from decisions concerning the company, decisions involving the firm will fall to Hicks. During her confirmation hearing, Hicks said she supports nuclear modernisation and nuclear triad. She added that her involvement as deputy secretary will be on programmatic decisions and made clear she would defer to Austin and Biden on questions of US nuclear policy. Hicks also left the door open to defence budget cuts, saying that while the country 'can afford the defence that it needs to have,' she thinks there are ways to trim the budget without sacrificing national security, The Hill reported. Meanwhile, the Pentagon has projected relatively flat budgets for the next few years because of external pressures, such as ballooning US debt, but progressive Democrats are expected to push for at least a 10 per cent budget cut. When she is sworn in, Hicks will be the department's first Senate-confirmed female deputy Defence secretary, though Christine Fox served as acting deputy Defence secretary for six months in the Obama administration.

Senate confirms Biden's pick Kathleen Hicks as Deputy Defence secy

US senate endorses President Joe Biden's 1.9 trillion stimulus package. After a 15-hour voting session stretch overnight, Vice president Kamala Harris cast her first tie-breaking vote. They opted for the budget bill with 50-51 votes at the dawn.

US senate endorses President Joe Biden's 1.9 trillion stimulus package

The Senate has passed a budget resolution on Friday which has lent a step forward for the much-awaited $1.09 trillion coronavirus relief bill in the US.

After a marathon of votes on various amendments, the Democrats passed the budget resolution with a vote of 51-50 with the newly-elected US Vice President<a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/kamala-harris"> Kamala Harris</a> casting her first tiebreaking vote.

The party voted in favour of the resolution, being brought in by the US President<a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/joe-biden"> Joe Biden</a>, after contemplating various amendments and divides that can be brought in for structuring the next relief package. The voting was done after almost 15 hours of discussions.

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Adopted, 51-50: S.Con.Res.5, Sanders Budget Resolution, as amended, with <a href="https://twitter.com/VP?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@VP</a> voting in the affirmative.
— Senate Cloakroom (@SenateCloakroom) <a href="https://twitter.com/SenateCloakroom/status/1357638729255518208?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 5, 2021</a></blockquote>
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"I am so thankful that our caucus stayed together in unity," said the Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schummer. "We had no choice given the problems facing America and the desire to move forward. And we have moved forward."

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/us-president-joe-biden-vows-to-repair-alliances-through-diplomacy-361573">Also watch|</a>

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/us-president-joe-biden-vows-to-repair-alliances-through-diplomacy-361573/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

He also added that this was a "bipartisan activity" as the Senate considered and adopted several amendments suggested by senators from both the parties.

This win has come after Joe Biden has said he hopes the Republican Party will also lend its support in the next aid package.

The Senate has passed a budget resolution on Friday which has lent a step forward for the much-awaited $1.09 trillion coronavirus relief bill in the US. After a marathon of votes on various amendments, the Democrats passed the budget resolution with a vote of 51-50 with the newly-elected US Vice President Kamala Harris casting her first tiebreaking vote.

The Senate has passed a budget resolution on Friday which has lent a step forward for the much-awaited $1.09 trillion coronavirus relief bill in the US. After a marathon of votes on various amendments, the Democrats passed the budget resolution with a vote of 51-50 with the newly-elected US Vice President Kamala Harris casting her first tiebreaking vote. The party voted in favour of the resolution, being brought in by the US President Joe Biden, after contemplating various amendments and divides that can be brought in for structuring the next relief package. The voting was done after almost 15 hours of discussions. Adopted, 51-50: S.Con.Res.5, Sanders Budget Resolution, as amended, with @VP voting in the affirmative. — Senate Cloakroom (@SenateCloakroom) February 5, 2021 × "I am so thankful that our caucus stayed together in unity," said the Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schummer. "We had no choice given the problems facing America and the desire to move forward. And we have moved forward." Also watch| He also added that this was a "bipartisan activity" as the Senate considered and adopted several amendments suggested by senators from both the parties. This win has come after Joe Biden has said he hopes the Republican Party will also lend its support in the next aid package.

Senate approves budget bill for Biden's $1.9 trillion COVID relief aid; Harris casts tiebreaking vote

Forget red and blue (states). The theme of the Biden inauguration was “America United,” and the colour of the day seemed to be purple — the shade that bridges the divide by bringing both colours together (not to mention one of the original signature colours of the suffragists, whose dreams are now being realized with the first female vice president).

“Purple is the colour of loyalty, constancy to purpose, unswerving steadfastness to a cause,” the National Woman’s Party wrote in a newsletter in 1913.

Though Jill Biden coordinated her blue Markarian coat with her husband’s blue Ralph Lauren tie, Vice President Kamala Harris served up a bipartisan message in a bright single-breasted coat and dress from Christopher John Rodgers, as did former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton in a grape Ralph Lauren pantsuit. And Michelle Obama, the former first lady, wore wine trousers with a coordinated turtleneck and long coat from Sergio Hudson, a young Black designer.

Masks were also part of the material culture of this inauguration. Jill Biden wore a sky blue mask that appeared custom-made to match her coat, and other members of her family chose a similar monochromatic theme. Harris opted for a shiny black number that complimented her purple outfit, one of her signature mask looks.

Many men opted for paper medical masks, but a few went for solid shades or face coverings that featured insignia. Former President George W. Bush sported a mask made by Rhoback, a company that was started by former Capitol Hill staffers.

Despite the very high fashion content of President Joe Biden’s swearing-in, which included Lady Gaga in a veritable ballgown from Schiaparelli, Ella Emhoff in a crystal-dusted tweed Miu Miu coat with a big white collar; and Jennifer Lopez in winter white Chanel, it was Sen. Bernie Sanders, not normally known for his style statements, whose choice of accessories may have had the widest effect. Specifically, Sanders’ woolly mittens, in a sort of brown and cream Himalayan sweater pattern, seemed to have charmed practically half the social media world, with commenters asking where they could buy a pair.

The mittens quickly got their own hashtag: #Berniesmittens. Even Vogue took note. Jen Ellis, a Vermont schoolteacher, claimed ownership in a tweet.

“I made Bernie’s mittens as a gift a couple of years ago,” she wrote, posting a photo of other similar creations. “They are made from repurposed wool sweaters and lined with fleece (made from recycled plastic bottles).”

In response a friend noted, “you better buy some titanium knitting-needles lol, you’ll need them, you just became the world’s most famous ‘mitten knitter’.” And thus the new administration appears to be keeping its vow to jump-start small businesses already.

Forget red and blue (states). The theme of the Biden inauguration was “America United,” and the colour of the day seemed to be purple — the shade that bridges the divide by bringing both colours together (not to mention one of the original signature colours of the suffragists, whose dreams are now being realized with the first female vice president).

Forget red and blue (states). The theme of the Biden inauguration was “America United,” and the colour of the day seemed to be purple — the shade that bridges the divide by bringing both colours together (not to mention one of the original signature colours of the suffragists, whose dreams are now being realized with the first female vice president). “Purple is the colour of loyalty, constancy to purpose, unswerving steadfastness to a cause,” the National Woman’s Party wrote in a newsletter in 1913. Though Jill Biden coordinated her blue Markarian coat with her husband’s blue Ralph Lauren tie, Vice President Kamala Harris served up a bipartisan message in a bright single-breasted coat and dress from Christopher John Rodgers, as did former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton in a grape Ralph Lauren pantsuit. And Michelle Obama, the former first lady, wore wine trousers with a coordinated turtleneck and long coat from Sergio Hudson, a young Black designer. Masks were also part of the material culture of this inauguration. Jill Biden wore a sky blue mask that appeared custom-made to match her coat, and other members of her family chose a similar monochromatic theme. Harris opted for a shiny black number that complimented her purple outfit, one of her signature mask looks. Many men opted for paper medical masks, but a few went for solid shades or face coverings that featured insignia. Former President George W. Bush sported a mask made by Rhoback, a company that was started by former Capitol Hill staffers. Despite the very high fashion content of President Joe Biden’s swearing-in, which included Lady Gaga in a veritable ballgown from Schiaparelli, Ella Emhoff in a crystal-dusted tweed Miu Miu coat with a big white collar; and Jennifer Lopez in winter white Chanel, it was Sen. Bernie Sanders, not normally known for his style statements, whose choice of accessories may have had the widest effect. Specifically, Sanders’ woolly mittens, in a sort of brown and cream Himalayan sweater pattern, seemed to have charmed practically half the social media world, with commenters asking where they could buy a pair. The mittens quickly got their own hashtag: #Berniesmittens. Even Vogue took note. Jen Ellis, a Vermont schoolteacher, claimed ownership in a tweet. “I made Bernie’s mittens as a gift a couple of years ago,” she wrote, posting a photo of other similar creations. “They are made from repurposed wool sweaters and lined with fleece (made from recycled plastic bottles).” In response a friend noted, “you better buy some titanium knitting-needles lol, you’ll need them, you just became the world’s most famous ‘mitten knitter’.” And thus the new administration appears to be keeping its vow to jump-start small businesses already.

From Kamala Harris to Michelle Obama: Purple was a popular colour at the inauguration

US Speaker Nancy Pelosi has not made it clear as if now when she plans to send the single impeachment article for inciting insurrection against Donald Trump. Nancy Pelosi said, "Members who aided the attack should be prosecuted".

When will Nancy Pelosi send the impeachment article to Senate ?

The US House of Representatives dealt a blow to President Donald Trump on Monday by rejecting his veto of a defense bill, setting the stage for the Senate to deliver a humiliating first veto override in the final days of his presidency. 
 
<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/donald-trump-signs-laws-to-further-uss-support-to-taiwan-tibet-drawing-chinas-criticism-352951">Also read | Donald Trump signs laws to further US's support to Taiwan, Tibet; drawing China's criticism</a> 
 
The Democratic-controlled House voted 322 to 87 to override Trump's veto of the $740.5 billion defense bill with 109 members of the president's own Republican Party siding with Democrats.

A similar motion will be introduced in the Republican-majority Senate, where it will also have to gain two-thirds support to override the president's veto. 
 
Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-congress-passes-new-tibet-law-on-the-next-dalai-lama-infuriates-china-351594">US Congress passes new Tibet law on the next Dalai Lama; infuriates China</a>

In a statement released after the vote, Democratic House Speaker Nancy Pelosi slammed Trump's veto as "reckless" and called on the president to "end his eleventh-hour campaign of chaos."

The House vote came a day after Trump caved to pressure from both Republicans and Democrats and reluctantly signed a $900 billion coronavirus relief and stimulus package that he had threatened to veto.

Trump's capitulation on the Covid-19 relief bill and the looming congressional veto override are the latest signs of his waning powers as he prepares to leave the White House on January 20.

The fiscal 2021 National Defense Authorization Act was passed this month by 335 votes to 78 in the House and by 84 to 13 in the Senate.

But the NDAA was vetoed by the president because it did not repeal Section 230, a federal law that provides liability protection to internet companies.

Trump also opposed a provision that would strip several US military bases of the names of generals who fought for the secessionist, pro-slavery South in the 1861-65 Civil War.

Including the defense bill, Trump has vetoed nine bills during his four years in the White House. Congress has not previously mustered the votes needed to override any of his vetoes.

"Stop the Insanity"

For a real estate tycoon who prides himself as a master negotiator, the past few days have been an exercise in humiliation.

Trump threatened for days to not sign the Covid-19 relief and spending bill that had been hammered out by his own treasury secretary and had received broad bipartisan support in Congress.

His surprise move risked shutting down the government from Tuesday and depriving millions of Americans of economic relief badly needed during the pandemic.

He finally backed down under bipartisan pressure and signed the bill on Sunday night at his Mar-a-Lago club in Florida out of the sight of television cameras.

But in an attempt to save face, Trump released a statement airing his grievances about the November 3 election and claiming that he had obtained a number of concessions on the relief bill.

Among Trump's demands was increasing direct relief payments to Americans from $600 to $2,000.

The House, in a 275 to 134 vote, approved a motion on Monday to increase the payments to $2,000 but it is likely to meet with resistance from Republicans in the Senate.

President-elect Joe Biden, asked by a reporter Monday if he favored raising the payouts to $2,000, replied, "Yes."

Biden, speaking after a briefing by his transition team on national security, also said that political appointees at the Pentagon, which Trump has packed with loyalists since the election, have refused to provide a "clear picture" on troop posture or budgeting.

"It is nothing short, in my view, of irresponsibility," Biden said in Wilmington, Delaware, warning that US adversaries could take advantage of the transition.

The strange episode over the relief package highlighted the degree to which Trump has become isolated, spending much of his time playing golf or railing on Twitter about his election loss.

In a sign of his fading influence, the Rupert Murdoch-owned New York Post, one of Trump's most ardent supporters, published an editorial late Sunday telling him to "Stop the Insanity" and acknowledge he lost the election.

"Mr. President, it's time to end this dark charade," the newspaper said.

"We understand, Mr. President, that you're angry that you lost.

"But to continue down this road is ruinous," the Post said. "If you insist on spending your final days in office threatening to burn it all down, that will be how you are remembered.

The US House of Representatives dealt a blow to President Donald Trump on Monday by rejecting his veto of a defense bill, setting the stage for the Senate to deliver a humiliating first veto override in the final days of his presidency.

The US House of Representatives dealt a blow to President Donald Trump on Monday by rejecting his veto of a defense bill, setting the stage for the Senate to deliver a humiliating first veto override in the final days of his presidency. Also read | Donald Trump signs laws to further US's support to Taiwan, Tibet; drawing China's criticism The Democratic-controlled House voted 322 to 87 to override Trump's veto of the $740.5 billion defense bill with 109 members of the president's own Republican Party siding with Democrats. A similar motion will be introduced in the Republican-majority Senate, where it will also have to gain two-thirds support to override the president's veto. Also read | US Congress passes new Tibet law on the next Dalai Lama; infuriates China In a statement released after the vote, Democratic House Speaker Nancy Pelosi slammed Trump's veto as "reckless" and called on the president to "end his eleventh-hour campaign of chaos." The House vote came a day after Trump caved to pressure from both Republicans and Democrats and reluctantly signed a $900 billion coronavirus relief and stimulus package that he had threatened to veto. Trump's capitulation on the Covid-19 relief bill and the looming congressional veto override are the latest signs of his waning powers as he prepares to leave the White House on January 20. The fiscal 2021 National Defense Authorization Act was passed this month by 335 votes to 78 in the House and by 84 to 13 in the Senate. But the NDAA was vetoed by the president because it did not repeal Section 230, a federal law that provides liability protection to internet companies. Trump also opposed a provision that would strip several US military bases of the names of generals who fought for the secessionist, pro-slavery South in the 1861-65 Civil War. Including the defense bill, Trump has vetoed nine bills during his four years in the White House. Congress has not previously mustered the votes needed to override any of his vetoes. "Stop the Insanity" For a real estate tycoon who prides himself as a master negotiator, the past few days have been an exercise in humiliation. Trump threatened for days to not sign the Covid-19 relief and spending bill that had been hammered out by his own treasury secretary and had received broad bipartisan support in Congress. His surprise move risked shutting down the government from Tuesday and depriving millions of Americans of economic relief badly needed during the pandemic. He finally backed down under bipartisan pressure and signed the bill on Sunday night at his Mar-a-Lago club in Florida out of the sight of television cameras. But in an attempt to save face, Trump released a statement airing his grievances about the November 3 election and claiming that he had obtained a number of concessions on the relief bill. Among Trump's demands was increasing direct relief payments to Americans from $600 to $2,000. The House, in a 275 to 134 vote, approved a motion on Monday to increase the payments to $2,000 but it is likely to meet with resistance from Republicans in the Senate. President-elect Joe Biden, asked by a reporter Monday if he favored raising the payouts to $2,000, replied, "Yes." Biden, speaking after a briefing by his transition team on national security, also said that political appointees at the Pentagon, which Trump has packed with loyalists since the election, have refused to provide a "clear picture" on troop posture or budgeting. "It is nothing short, in my view, of irresponsibility," Biden said in Wilmington, Delaware, warning that US adversaries could take advantage of the transition. The strange episode over the relief package highlighted the degree to which Trump has become isolated, spending much of his time playing golf or railing on Twitter about his election loss. In a sign of his fading influence, the Rupert Murdoch-owned New York Post, one of Trump's most ardent supporters, published an editorial late Sunday telling him to "Stop the Insanity" and acknowledge he lost the election. "Mr. President, it's time to end this dark charade," the newspaper said. "We understand, Mr. President, that you're angry that you lost. "But to continue down this road is ruinous," the Post said. "If you insist on spending your final days in office threatening to burn it all down, that will be how you are remembered.

In blow to Trump, house votes to override veto of defense bill

Argentinian senate is all set to vote on the controversial legal abortion bill next week. The government back the bill which aim at expanding the availability of legal abortion. If cleared the bill will allow abortion till 14th week.

Argentina's abortion bill backed by the government

The Senate on Wednesday rejected efforts to block the sale of munitions worth $23 billion to the United Arab Emirates, overcoming concerns about sending weapons to Gulf Arab nations.

The pair of votes, forced by a bipartisan group of senators, highlighted growing unease in Congress with sending large tranches of sophisticated weapons that could sharply alter the military balance to a region facing simmering proxy wars. But in a victory for President Donald Trump, the majority voted against the blockade, endorsing his last-minute push to send armed drones and stealth fighter jets to the Emirati military and arguing that bolstering the country’s arsenal would help nations allied against Iran.

“This would continue the 20 years of growth in our relationship, working side by side against common concerns and common enemies,” Sen. Roy Blunt, R-Mo., said. “The UAE has consistently been willing to stand with us in at least six long-term deployments. They come, they stay, they are side by side with us in the field.”

The administration formally notified Congress last month of the intended $23 billion sale, a deal that included up to 50 F-35 jets, as many as 18 Reaper drones and other precision weapons. That push, championed by Jared Kushner, the president’s son-in-law, came as he and other administration officials completed the Abraham accord, a joint agreement in which the United Arab Emirates became the third Arab nation to recognize Israel.

A vote to block the sale of F-35 jets failed 47-49, and a separate vote to block the sale of the drones failed 46-50, with Sens. Mark Kelly and Kyrsten Sinema of Arizona, both Democrats, voting in favor of the drone package. Kelly opposed the F-35 sale.

Administration officials have insisted that the arms sale — particularly the transfer of the coveted F-35 fighter jets — is not a direct reward for the Emirates’ recognition of Israel. But they have acknowledged that it is linked to the broader diplomatic initiative, and Kushner briefed Senate Republicans on Tuesday on his work with the Emiratis, according to a person familiar with the discussion.

Emirati diplomats, led by the United Arab Emirates’ ambassador, Yousef al-Otaiba, lobbied senators in the days leading up to the vote, running a rapid-response Twitter feed as lawmakers debated the provision and arguing that the sale “is critical to protecting our shared interests against common adversaries,” referencing Iran.

“The UAE has purchased &amp;amp; operated some of the most advanced US defense systems including F-16s, Patriot &amp;amp; THAAD. @usairforce F-35 squadrons are based in the UAE,” embassy officials wrote. “The UAE has never compromised or shared this technology with an adversary or without US knowledge &amp;amp; approval.”

Democrats had accused Trump administration officials of rushing the sales through in the final months of Trump’s term, and pointed to reports indicating the Emirates had previously misused American-made weapons.

“There is no doubt that the UAE’s recent normalization agreement with Israel is a big deal, and there is a level of arms transfer that could make sense for an important partner in the region,” said Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Conn., one of the sponsors of the legislation to block the sales. “But the Emiratis’ recent behavior in Yemen and Libya, where U.S. weapons were misused and given to radical militias, on top of their active and growing defense relationships with China and Russia, should give everyone pause.”

Congressional efforts to block arms sales are rarely successful. After the administration last year circumvented Capitol Hill to allow the sale of billions of dollars of munitions to Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, lawmakers tried to derail the deal but were unable to override the president’s veto.

Still, the sale, which experts believe could take six to eight years to deliver, could be reversed by the incoming Biden administration. Several advisers to President-elect Joe Biden are wary of sending munitions to the Gulf Arab nations because of the Saudi-led war in Yemen, which has created the world’s greatest humanitarian disaster.

The Senate on Wednesday rejected efforts to block the sale of munitions worth $23 billion to the United Arab Emirates, overcoming concerns about sending weapons to Gulf Arab nations.

The Senate on Wednesday rejected efforts to block the sale of munitions worth $23 billion to the United Arab Emirates, overcoming concerns about sending weapons to Gulf Arab nations. The pair of votes, forced by a bipartisan group of senators, highlighted growing unease in Congress with sending large tranches of sophisticated weapons that could sharply alter the military balance to a region facing simmering proxy wars. But in a victory for President Donald Trump, the majority voted against the blockade, endorsing his last-minute push to send armed drones and stealth fighter jets to the Emirati military and arguing that bolstering the country’s arsenal would help nations allied against Iran. “This would continue the 20 years of growth in our relationship, working side by side against common concerns and common enemies,” Sen. Roy Blunt, R-Mo., said. “The UAE has consistently been willing to stand with us in at least six long-term deployments. They come, they stay, they are side by side with us in the field.” The administration formally notified Congress last month of the intended $23 billion sale, a deal that included up to 50 F-35 jets, as many as 18 Reaper drones and other precision weapons. That push, championed by Jared Kushner, the president’s son-in-law, came as he and other administration officials completed the Abraham accord, a joint agreement in which the United Arab Emirates became the third Arab nation to recognize Israel. A vote to block the sale of F-35 jets failed 47-49, and a separate vote to block the sale of the drones failed 46-50, with Sens. Mark Kelly and Kyrsten Sinema of Arizona, both Democrats, voting in favor of the drone package. Kelly opposed the F-35 sale. Administration officials have insisted that the arms sale — particularly the transfer of the coveted F-35 fighter jets — is not a direct reward for the Emirates’ recognition of Israel. But they have acknowledged that it is linked to the broader diplomatic initiative, and Kushner briefed Senate Republicans on Tuesday on his work with the Emiratis, according to a person familiar with the discussion. Emirati diplomats, led by the United Arab Emirates’ ambassador, Yousef al-Otaiba, lobbied senators in the days leading up to the vote, running a rapid-response Twitter feed as lawmakers debated the provision and arguing that the sale “is critical to protecting our shared interests against common adversaries,” referencing Iran. “The UAE has purchased &amp; operated some of the most advanced US defense systems including F-16s, Patriot &amp; THAAD. @usairforce F-35 squadrons are based in the UAE,” embassy officials wrote. “The UAE has never compromised or shared this technology with an adversary or without US knowledge &amp; approval.” Democrats had accused Trump administration officials of rushing the sales through in the final months of Trump’s term, and pointed to reports indicating the Emirates had previously misused American-made weapons. “There is no doubt that the UAE’s recent normalization agreement with Israel is a big deal, and there is a level of arms transfer that could make sense for an important partner in the region,” said Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Conn., one of the sponsors of the legislation to block the sales. “But the Emiratis’ recent behavior in Yemen and Libya, where U.S. weapons were misused and given to radical militias, on top of their active and growing defense relationships with China and Russia, should give everyone pause.” Congressional efforts to block arms sales are rarely successful. After the administration last year circumvented Capitol Hill to allow the sale of billions of dollars of munitions to Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, lawmakers tried to derail the deal but were unable to override the president’s veto. Still, the sale, which experts believe could take six to eight years to deliver, could be reversed by the incoming Biden administration. Several advisers to President-elect Joe Biden are wary of sending munitions to the Gulf Arab nations because of the Saudi-led war in Yemen, which has created the world’s greatest humanitarian disaster.

US Senate rejects attempted blockade of weapons sale to UAE

Days after a high-pitched election all eyes are on the key senate runoffs election in January to decide which party will control the US Senate.

US: All eyes are on Georgia key senate runoffs

US President Donald Trump's daughter-in-law, Lara Trump, may be considering to run for Senate in North Carolina in 2022, as per reports by US media.

The reports have come a few weeks after Donald Trump lost to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/joe-biden">Joe Biden</a>&nbsp;in the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/us-election">US elections</a>&nbsp;and alleged voter fraud and manipulation in mail-in voting.

Also read|&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/dont-be-embarrassing-czech-president-asks-donald-trump-to-step-down-344233">'Don't be embarrassing': Czech President asks Donald Trump to step down</a>

Lara Trump is married to Donald's second eldest son, Eric. As per local media reports, Lara has been "telling associates she is considering a run for Senate in 2022," the New York Times said, on the basis on inputs provided by three unnamed allies.

She will be contesting the Senate run from her home state, North Carolina. The reports have gained momentum especially after the Republican senator from North Carolina Richard Burr claimed he will not be seeking reelection in 2022 from the state.
<img alt="Trump family" data-caption="Donald Trump's family" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="0b0258c1-89e6-4009-89a3-144993068e0f" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Trump%20family.jpg" />
Meanwhile, some reports have also suggested that&nbsp;Donald Trump's current chief of staff Mark Meadows may also be a potential candidate, in addition to former governor&nbsp; Pat McCrory and outgoing Lt. Governor Dan Forest.

North Carolina has been a Republic supporter state for the past few years now. Even in US election 2020, the state residents voted for Donald Trump&nbsp;but by a smaller margin than in 2016.

The reports of Laura Trump running for Senate have not been confirmed by the Trump clan, yet.

US President Donald Trump's daughter-in-law, Lara Trump, may be considering to run for Senate in North Carolina in 2022, as per reports by US media. The reports have come a few weeks after Donald Trump lost to Joe Biden in the US elections and alleged voter fraud and manipulation in mail-in voting.

US President Donald Trump's daughter-in-law, Lara Trump, may be considering to run for Senate in North Carolina in 2022, as per reports by US media. The reports have come a few weeks after Donald Trump lost to Joe Biden in the US elections and alleged voter fraud and manipulation in mail-in voting. Also read| 'Don't be embarrassing': Czech President asks Donald Trump to step down Lara Trump is married to Donald's second eldest son, Eric. As per local media reports, Lara has been "telling associates she is considering a run for Senate in 2022," the New York Times said, on the basis on inputs provided by three unnamed allies. She will be contesting the Senate run from her home state, North Carolina. The reports have gained momentum especially after the Republican senator from North Carolina Richard Burr claimed he will not be seeking reelection in 2022 from the state. Meanwhile, some reports have also suggested that Donald Trump's current chief of staff Mark Meadows may also be a potential candidate, in addition to former governor Pat McCrory and outgoing Lt. Governor Dan Forest. North Carolina has been a Republic supporter state for the past few years now. Even in US election 2020, the state residents voted for Donald Trump but by a smaller margin than in 2016. The reports of Laura Trump running for Senate have not been confirmed by the Trump clan, yet.

Donald Trump's daughter-in-law, Lara, may run for Senate in North Carolina

The Senate Judiciary Committee held a hearing Tuesday to question Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg and Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey on their companies' actions around the 2020 presidential election.

Facebook, Twitter CEOs testify at Senate hearing on election measures

Voters caught up in this state’s exceedingly close Senate race could be forgiven for believing Gov. Steve Bullock, the Democratic candidate, was sharing the ballot with Sen. Chuck Schumer of New York, the minority leader.

An incessant stream of Republican-funded advertisements depicts Bullock, a popular two-term governor, alongside Schumer and other leading Democrats such as Speaker Nancy Pelosi. Sen. Steve Daines, the Republican incumbent battling for political survival in the conservative-leaning state, regularly tries to tie his opponent to the national party, asserting that Bullock is Schumer’s “lap dog.”

“Steve Bullock in the Senate puts Chuck Schumer in charge,” the latest ad from the National Republican Senatorial Committee said. “Think about that.”

Bullock doesn’t think much about it.

“I say it is all B.S.,” he said in an interview as snow descended upon Montana and shut down campaign appearances already curtailed by the coronavirus, which has hung over the election season and was surging anew in the Mountain West. “Montanans see through some of the stuff where they are trying to turn me into something they don’t recognize.”

But while the governor resented the ad’s implication, in one respect it was absolutely true: If Bullock is elected to the Senate, Schumer will almost certainly be in charge as the majority leader.

Here in Montana and in crucial battleground states across the country, Republicans are playing defense in a struggle for control of the Senate. Dragged by President Donald Trump’s struggles even in conservative states and confronting a phalanx of Democratic opponents who have raked in extraordinary sums of cash to challenge them, Republicans privately acknowledge that their majority is hanging by a thread.

The Montana race, described by strategists for both parties as a coin flip, is one of a handful of contests that will determine control of the Senate and the ability of the next president to pursue his agenda, fill a cabinet and win the judicial confirmations suddenly at the forefront of the nation’s political dialogue. Democrats have other narrow paths to Senate power, but a Bullock victory would essentially assure it and signal Democratic gains elsewhere.

As the race entered its final days, Republicans led by Mitch McConnell, the majority leader, were being forced to shore up candidates in traditionally safe locations such as Alaska, Kansas and South Carolina. Democrats believe they are already on track to win Arizona and Colorado and are on the hunt for a half-dozen others starting with Iowa, Maine and North Carolina. Georgia is suddenly looming as a real opportunity for Democrats, with both of the state’s Republican senators at risk.

Democrats conceded they were likely to lose in Alabama, where Sen. Doug Jones is running for reelection after an upset victory in a special election in 2017, and are keeping a close watch on Michigan, where Sen. Gary Peters is facing John James, a Republican who was receiving a last-minute surge of outside money. But they were eyeing significant pickups elsewhere.

With Republicans holding the Senate majority by a margin of 53-47, a net gain of three seats would put Democrats in control should former Vice President Joe Biden win the presidency; four would be required if Trump is reelected.

Schumer called the battle for the Senate a “nail-biter,” but said the outlook for Democrats was far brighter than it was only a few months ago.

“If you would have told me in early January that we would have a good chance of winning the Senate, I would have said that is a real long shot,” he said in an interview. “Now we are in the ballpark because of the strategic decision to expand the seats that are in play.”

Republicans quietly agree that their prospects have dimmed considerably. One Senate Republican leader said privately that the party could end up with anywhere from 47 to 52 seats.

“It is a 50-50 proposition,” said McConnell, R-Ky., who appears to be safely headed toward reelection himself, about his chances for remaining majority leader. “We have a lot of exposure. It is a dogfight out there.”

Republicans are battling the brawl from a weakened position, given Trump’s woes and the record-crushing levels of money Democrats have raised for Senate races. Democratic challengers have flipped the usual formula on its head and outperformed Republican incumbents when it comes to contributions, providing ample resources for TV advertising even as the traditional campaign model has been upended by the pandemic.

Here in Montana, at least an estimated $120 million will be spent, while in Maine, more than $100 million is being poured into the showdown between Sen. Susan Collins, a Republican seeking a fifth term, and Sara Gideon, the Democratic speaker of the state House. The race in North Carolina, where Sen. Thom Tillis, a Republican, is trying to hold on against Cal Cunningham, a Democrat, is set to be the most expensive Senate contest ever, with well over $200 million expended.

While Democratic candidates are still outspending Republicans in most of the marquee races during the final weeks, the Senate Leadership Fund, a super PAC affiliated with McConnell, has dumped more than $82 million into the effort since early October, helping close a money gap Republicans attribute to the success of online small-donor Democratic fundraising.

“We are being outspent dramatically, like so many other races around the country,” said Sen. John Cornyn, a three-term Texas Republican who finds himself in an unexpectedly tough match against M.J. Hegar, a Democrat and veteran. “We have been a little late to the dance and I think we are going to have to learn from the way Democrats raise money. It is no longer like going to a dinner and a cocktail party.”

The fact that Cornyn finds himself sweating is testament to how Democrats have opened multiple potential routes to a Senate majority while Republicans have failed to put their usual strongholds out of reach. Democrats have been unable to put away Collins, whom they saw as exceptionally vulnerable after her vote in 2018 to confirm Judge Brett Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court. But Republicans now worry the voting system in Maine — in which voters’ second-choice candidate is counted if no candidate earns 50% — could cost her on Tuesday.

Democrats have focused relentlessly on health care in their campaigns, scorching Republicans for their yearslong drive to overturn the Affordable Care Act and its protections for preexisting conditions. The power of the message has been amplified by the pandemic and public anxiety about health costs. Republicans have pushed back with pledges to guarantee coverage but have not produced specifics on how they would do so.

The challenge for Democrats is that to win the Senate, they must prevail in states Trump carried in 2016 and is likely to carry again this year such as Iowa and Montana, though Biden victories in places like Arizona and North Carolina would make their task easier.

Voters caught up in this state’s exceedingly close Senate race could be forgiven for believing Gov. Steve Bullock, the Democratic candidate, was sharing the ballot with Sen.

Voters caught up in this state’s exceedingly close Senate race could be forgiven for believing Gov. Steve Bullock, the Democratic candidate, was sharing the ballot with Sen. Chuck Schumer of New York, the minority leader. An incessant stream of Republican-funded advertisements depicts Bullock, a popular two-term governor, alongside Schumer and other leading Democrats such as Speaker Nancy Pelosi. Sen. Steve Daines, the Republican incumbent battling for political survival in the conservative-leaning state, regularly tries to tie his opponent to the national party, asserting that Bullock is Schumer’s “lap dog.” “Steve Bullock in the Senate puts Chuck Schumer in charge,” the latest ad from the National Republican Senatorial Committee said. “Think about that.” Bullock doesn’t think much about it. “I say it is all B.S.,” he said in an interview as snow descended upon Montana and shut down campaign appearances already curtailed by the coronavirus, which has hung over the election season and was surging anew in the Mountain West. “Montanans see through some of the stuff where they are trying to turn me into something they don’t recognize.” But while the governor resented the ad’s implication, in one respect it was absolutely true: If Bullock is elected to the Senate, Schumer will almost certainly be in charge as the majority leader. Here in Montana and in crucial battleground states across the country, Republicans are playing defense in a struggle for control of the Senate. Dragged by President Donald Trump’s struggles even in conservative states and confronting a phalanx of Democratic opponents who have raked in extraordinary sums of cash to challenge them, Republicans privately acknowledge that their majority is hanging by a thread. The Montana race, described by strategists for both parties as a coin flip, is one of a handful of contests that will determine control of the Senate and the ability of the next president to pursue his agenda, fill a cabinet and win the judicial confirmations suddenly at the forefront of the nation’s political dialogue. Democrats have other narrow paths to Senate power, but a Bullock victory would essentially assure it and signal Democratic gains elsewhere. As the race entered its final days, Republicans led by Mitch McConnell, the majority leader, were being forced to shore up candidates in traditionally safe locations such as Alaska, Kansas and South Carolina. Democrats believe they are already on track to win Arizona and Colorado and are on the hunt for a half-dozen others starting with Iowa, Maine and North Carolina. Georgia is suddenly looming as a real opportunity for Democrats, with both of the state’s Republican senators at risk. Democrats conceded they were likely to lose in Alabama, where Sen. Doug Jones is running for reelection after an upset victory in a special election in 2017, and are keeping a close watch on Michigan, where Sen. Gary Peters is facing John James, a Republican who was receiving a last-minute surge of outside money. But they were eyeing significant pickups elsewhere. With Republicans holding the Senate majority by a margin of 53-47, a net gain of three seats would put Democrats in control should former Vice President Joe Biden win the presidency; four would be required if Trump is reelected. Schumer called the battle for the Senate a “nail-biter,” but said the outlook for Democrats was far brighter than it was only a few months ago. “If you would have told me in early January that we would have a good chance of winning the Senate, I would have said that is a real long shot,” he said in an interview. “Now we are in the ballpark because of the strategic decision to expand the seats that are in play.” Republicans quietly agree that their prospects have dimmed considerably. One Senate Republican leader said privately that the party could end up with anywhere from 47 to 52 seats. “It is a 50-50 proposition,” said McConnell, R-Ky., who appears to be safely headed toward reelection himself, about his chances for remaining majority leader. “We have a lot of exposure. It is a dogfight out there.” Republicans are battling the brawl from a weakened position, given Trump’s woes and the record-crushing levels of money Democrats have raised for Senate races. Democratic challengers have flipped the usual formula on its head and outperformed Republican incumbents when it comes to contributions, providing ample resources for TV advertising even as the traditional campaign model has been upended by the pandemic. Here in Montana, at least an estimated $120 million will be spent, while in Maine, more than $100 million is being poured into the showdown between Sen. Susan Collins, a Republican seeking a fifth term, and Sara Gideon, the Democratic speaker of the state House. The race in North Carolina, where Sen. Thom Tillis, a Republican, is trying to hold on against Cal Cunningham, a Democrat, is set to be the most expensive Senate contest ever, with well over $200 million expended. While Democratic candidates are still outspending Republicans in most of the marquee races during the final weeks, the Senate Leadership Fund, a super PAC affiliated with McConnell, has dumped more than $82 million into the effort since early October, helping close a money gap Republicans attribute to the success of online small-donor Democratic fundraising. “We are being outspent dramatically, like so many other races around the country,” said Sen. John Cornyn, a three-term Texas Republican who finds himself in an unexpectedly tough match against M.J. Hegar, a Democrat and veteran. “We have been a little late to the dance and I think we are going to have to learn from the way Democrats raise money. It is no longer like going to a dinner and a cocktail party.” The fact that Cornyn finds himself sweating is testament to how Democrats have opened multiple potential routes to a Senate majority while Republicans have failed to put their usual strongholds out of reach. Democrats have been unable to put away Collins, whom they saw as exceptionally vulnerable after her vote in 2018 to confirm Judge Brett Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court. But Republicans now worry the voting system in Maine — in which voters’ second-choice candidate is counted if no candidate earns 50% — could cost her on Tuesday. Democrats have focused relentlessly on health care in their campaigns, scorching Republicans for their yearslong drive to overturn the Affordable Care Act and its protections for preexisting conditions. The power of the message has been amplified by the pandemic and public anxiety about health costs. Republicans have pushed back with pledges to guarantee coverage but have not produced specifics on how they would do so. The challenge for Democrats is that to win the Senate, they must prevail in states Trump carried in 2016 and is likely to carry again this year such as Iowa and Montana, though Biden victories in places like Arizona and North Carolina would make their task easier.

Fueled by cash, health care and Trump’s woes, Democrats aim for Senate control

Things have gathered pace in Republican Party camps in the US as the GOP closes ranks to hasten the process of confirming Amy Cony Barrett on the Supreme Court. In early hours of Sunday, US President Donald Trump nominated Amy Coney Barrett but a final seal of approval will come from US Senate that will confirm the nomination. Amy Coney Barrett will replace liberal Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg in the Supreme Court. Ginsburg passed away on September 18.

Republican Party has 53-47 majority in the Senate.

Senate Majority leader Mitch McConnell, himself a Republican, has already made confirming Amy Coney Barrett a paramount priority.

"I look forward to meeting with the nominee next week and will carefully study her record and credentials," he said,"As I have stated, this nomination will receive a vote on the Senate floor in the weeks ahead."

Why&nbsp;the hurry

Amy Coney Barrett is known for her conservative views. Republican Party's vote base is conservative Americans. If Amy Coney Barrett gets confirmed on the Supreme Court, the conservative judges will have 6-3 majority over judges who are more liberal.

Moreover, the republican party is trying hard to confirm Amy Coney Barrett before November 3 US Presidential Elections.

In 2000, US Supreme Court had to resolve US Presidential Elections after the votes had been cast and counted. Republican Party's George Bush was declared winner of the election.

It is being said that by confirming Amy Coney Barrett in Supreme Court, Republicans envisage a possible advantage if Supreme Court needs to get involved to resolve US Elections 2020.

Amy Coney Barrett to meet Senators

Barrett is expected to begin meetings with individual senators on Tuesday. Trump said the Senate Judiciary Committee, chaired by his ally Senator Lindsey Graham, would begin confirmation hearings on Oct. 12.

Like Trump's two other appointees, Neil Gorsuch in 2017 and Brett Kavanaugh in 2018, Barrett is young enough that she could serve for decades in the lifetime job, leaving a lasting conservative imprint. Trump's two previous appointments were surrounded by controversy.

'Hypocrite' Republican Party?

Republican Party is drawing criticism for trying to rush through things just to obtain advantage in presidential elections.

In 2016, when then-President Barack Obama wanted to fill Supreme Court vacancy, Mitch McConnell had refused to hold Senate hearing saying that such a step could not be taken during an election year.

Now the Republicans are doing the same thing for their favoured Supreme Court nominee not just in an election year but just weeks before the presidential elections.

What options do Democrats have?

At the moment very few. Although two Republican Senators have said that they will not support Trump's nominee, another defection from the Republican camp would bring the Senate strength during the vote to 50-50. Vice-President Mike Pence can then exercise casting vote in favour of Amy Coney Barrett.

Biden and his vice presidential running mate Kamala Harris, a member of the Judiciary Committee, blasted Trump's choice of Barrett, focusing in particular on the threat they said she would pose to healthcare for millions of Americans.

Biden noted that even as Trump's administration is seeking to strike down Obamacare in a case the Supreme Court is due to hear on Nov. 10, Barrett has a "written track record" criticizing a pivotal 2012 ruling authored by Chief Justice John Roberts preserving the healthcare law formally known as the Affordable Care Act. If quickly confirmed, Barrett could be on the bench to hear that case.

Democrats also fretted that Barrett could help overturn the landmark 1973 Roe v. Wade decision that legalized abortion nationwide, a goal of religious conservatives.

"Trump's hand-picked successor to Justice Ginsburg's seat makes it clear: they intend to destroy the Affordable Care Act &amp; overturn Roe. This selection would move the court further right for a generation &amp; harm millions of Americans," Harris wrote on Twitter on Saturday.

An emboldened Supreme Court conservative majority could shift the United States to the right on hot-button issues by, among other things, curbing abortion rights, expanding religious rights, striking down gun control laws, halting the expansion of LGBT rights, and endorsing new restrictions on voting rights.

(With Reuters inputs) 
&nbsp;

Things have gathered pace in Republican Party camps in the US as the GOP closes ranks to hasten the process of confirming Amy Cony Barrett on the Supreme Court. In early hours of Sunday, US President Donald Trump nominated Amy Coney Barrett but a final seal of approval will come from US Senate that will confirm the nomination.

Things have gathered pace in Republican Party camps in the US as the GOP closes ranks to hasten the process of confirming Amy Cony Barrett on the Supreme Court. In early hours of Sunday, US President Donald Trump nominated Amy Coney Barrett but a final seal of approval will come from US Senate that will confirm the nomination. Amy Coney Barrett will replace liberal Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg in the Supreme Court. Ginsburg passed away on September 18. Republican Party has 53-47 majority in the Senate. Senate Majority leader Mitch McConnell, himself a Republican, has already made confirming Amy Coney Barrett a paramount priority. "I look forward to meeting with the nominee next week and will carefully study her record and credentials," he said,"As I have stated, this nomination will receive a vote on the Senate floor in the weeks ahead." Why the hurry Amy Coney Barrett is known for her conservative views. Republican Party's vote base is conservative Americans. If Amy Coney Barrett gets confirmed on the Supreme Court, the conservative judges will have 6-3 majority over judges who are more liberal. Moreover, the republican party is trying hard to confirm Amy Coney Barrett before November 3 US Presidential Elections. In 2000, US Supreme Court had to resolve US Presidential Elections after the votes had been cast and counted. Republican Party's George Bush was declared winner of the election. It is being said that by confirming Amy Coney Barrett in Supreme Court, Republicans envisage a possible advantage if Supreme Court needs to get involved to resolve US Elections 2020. Amy Coney Barrett to meet Senators Barrett is expected to begin meetings with individual senators on Tuesday. Trump said the Senate Judiciary Committee, chaired by his ally Senator Lindsey Graham, would begin confirmation hearings on Oct. 12. Like Trump's two other appointees, Neil Gorsuch in 2017 and Brett Kavanaugh in 2018, Barrett is young enough that she could serve for decades in the lifetime job, leaving a lasting conservative imprint. Trump's two previous appointments were surrounded by controversy. 'Hypocrite' Republican Party? Republican Party is drawing criticism for trying to rush through things just to obtain advantage in presidential elections. In 2016, when then-President Barack Obama wanted to fill Supreme Court vacancy, Mitch McConnell had refused to hold Senate hearing saying that such a step could not be taken during an election year. Now the Republicans are doing the same thing for their favoured Supreme Court nominee not just in an election year but just weeks before the presidential elections. What options do Democrats have? At the moment very few. Although two Republican Senators have said that they will not support Trump's nominee, another defection from the Republican camp would bring the Senate strength during the vote to 50-50. Vice-President Mike Pence can then exercise casting vote in favour of Amy Coney Barrett. Biden and his vice presidential running mate Kamala Harris, a member of the Judiciary Committee, blasted Trump's choice of Barrett, focusing in particular on the threat they said she would pose to healthcare for millions of Americans. Biden noted that even as Trump's administration is seeking to strike down Obamacare in a case the Supreme Court is due to hear on Nov. 10, Barrett has a "written track record" criticizing a pivotal 2012 ruling authored by Chief Justice John Roberts preserving the healthcare law formally known as the Affordable Care Act. If quickly confirmed, Barrett could be on the bench to hear that case. Democrats also fretted that Barrett could help overturn the landmark 1973 Roe v. Wade decision that legalized abortion nationwide, a goal of religious conservatives. "Trump's hand-picked successor to Justice Ginsburg's seat makes it clear: they intend to destroy the Affordable Care Act & overturn Roe. This selection would move the court further right for a generation & harm millions of Americans," Harris wrote on Twitter on Saturday. An emboldened Supreme Court conservative majority could shift the United States to the right on hot-button issues by, among other things, curbing abortion rights, expanding religious rights, striking down gun control laws, halting the expansion of LGBT rights, and endorsing new restrictions on voting rights. (With Reuters inputs)

Republican Party races against time to confirm Amy Coney Barrett on US Supreme Court

The US Senate on June 25 passed a bill by unanimous consent that would impose sanctions on China for its decision to implement the controversial national security law in Hong Kong. Watch report.

Bipartisan rebuke of China: US Senate's move to protest Hong Kong's autonomy

US sanctions China over Hong Kong Security Law

Senator Ted Cruz is preparing to introduce a bill targeting the efforts of film studios to accommodate the restrictive censors of the country.

The legislation will be called The Stopping Censorship, Restoring Integrity, Protecting Talkies Act” (SCRIPT Act). The SCRIPT Act will stop cooperation between the US Defense Department and the film studios, if they edit or alter movies for the Chinese audiences.

He is hoping to introduce the bill in the next session of the Senate, says his office.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/entertainment/irrfan-khan-dies-at-the-age-of-54-295471">Also read:&nbsp;Irrfan Khan dies at the age of 54</a>

His bill will put the Pentagon in a spot where it won't be able to help any film studio that recently altered their movies for the Chinese audience. It will also make the studios assure that they will not censor their films before getting any DOD help.

China has strict rules about movie censorship. While there are few other Middle Eastern countries with strict censorship, China has a huge market for film studios and therefore a lot of studios many times edit few scenes accordingly. For instance, in the movie Bohemian Rhapsody, the scene about Freddie Mercury’s sexuality disappeared from the version that was played for the Chinese audiences.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/184-countries-going-through-hell-trump-blames-china-for-coronavirus-spread-295459">Also read:&nbsp;'184 countries going through hell': Trump blames China for coronavirus spread</a>

“For too long, Hollywood has been complicit in China’s censorship and propaganda in the name of bigger profits,” the Texas Republican said in a statement.&nbsp;

“The SCRIPT Act will serve as a wake-up call by forcing Hollywood studios to choose between the assistance they need from the American government and the dollars they want from China," Senator continued.&nbsp;

According to a report in The Independent, DOD has helped Hollywood make more than 800 movies since 1917, including blockbusters like Iron Man and The Terminator.&nbsp;

Senator Ted Cruz is preparing to introduce a bill targeting the efforts of film studios to accommodate the restrictive censors of the country. The legislation will be called The Stopping Censorship, Restoring Integrity, Protecting Talkies Act” (SCRIPT Act).

Senator Ted Cruz is preparing to introduce a bill targeting the efforts of film studios to accommodate the restrictive censors of the country. The legislation will be called The Stopping Censorship, Restoring Integrity, Protecting Talkies Act” (SCRIPT Act). The SCRIPT Act will stop cooperation between the US Defense Department and the film studios, if they edit or alter movies for the Chinese audiences. He is hoping to introduce the bill in the next session of the Senate, says his office. Also read: Irrfan Khan dies at the age of 54 His bill will put the Pentagon in a spot where it won't be able to help any film studio that recently altered their movies for the Chinese audience. It will also make the studios assure that they will not censor their films before getting any DOD help. China has strict rules about movie censorship. While there are few other Middle Eastern countries with strict censorship, China has a huge market for film studios and therefore a lot of studios many times edit few scenes accordingly. For instance, in the movie Bohemian Rhapsody, the scene about Freddie Mercury’s sexuality disappeared from the version that was played for the Chinese audiences. Also read: '184 countries going through hell': Trump blames China for coronavirus spread “For too long, Hollywood has been complicit in China’s censorship and propaganda in the name of bigger profits,” the Texas Republican said in a statement. “The SCRIPT Act will serve as a wake-up call by forcing Hollywood studios to choose between the assistance they need from the American government and the dollars they want from China," Senator continued. According to a report in The Independent, DOD has helped Hollywood make more than 800 movies since 1917, including blockbusters like Iron Man and The Terminator.

Senator Ted Cruz puts an end to altering movies for Chinese audience

The Senate on March 25 approved a $2 trillion stimulus package to provide a start to an economy reeling from the coronavirus pandemic. The United States has emerged as a hotbed for COVID-19 with several cases increasing every day. Watch report:

Coronavirus: US Senate passes $2 trillion stimulus bill:  Direct payments into individuals

US House passes 8.3 billion dollar emergency bill as the coronavirus death toll in the country rises to 11. The House of Representatives passed the bipartisan bill and a group of members and staff for the appropriations panels in both the House and Senate unveiled the legislation on Wednesday after several days of talks. They released details of the plan, which will boost funding for testing of the coronavirus and lower costs for related medical treatments.

US House passes $8 billion Bipartisan bill to battle Coronavirus

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