USA

06 Dec 2019; MEMO: The United States Congress advanced a new resolution supporting a two-state solution for Israelis and Palestinians, which can be brought to the floor for a vote.

According to a report in the Hill, lawmakers “adopted two amendments meant to satisfy Republican and Democratic demands to achieve bipartisan consensus”.

NEW YORK, Dec 06 (APP): Amna Nawaz, an upcoming Pakistani-American journalist, has been selected to moderate a US presidential debate, the first woman of South Asian origin to win this honour, according to media reports.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. authorities on Thursday targeted a Russian cybercriminal group known as Evil Corp, indicting its Lamborghini-driving alleged leader and ordering asset freezes against 17 of his associates over a global, $100 million digital crime spree.

The action against Evil Corp., described by officials as one of the most damaging criminal organizations on the internet, comes with a $5 million bounty issued for information leading to the arrest of its alleged leader, Maksim Yakubets.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Politically vulnerable Democrats in the U.S. House of Representatives are eager to move quickly on the impeachment inquiry into U.S. President Donald Trump, and focus on other topics such as healthare costs and repairing infrastructure.

Democrats from districts that voted for Republican Trump in the 2016 election face a deluge of Republican advertising attacks over impeachment and voters who are divided on the subject.

WASHINGTON, Dec. 5 (Xinhua) -- Noting that China-U.S. relations are at a "critical crossroads," Chinese Ambassador to the United States Cui Tiankai has said that "we must be alert that some destructive forces are taking advantage of the ongoing trade frictions."

"Extreme rhetoric, such as decoupling, a new 'Cold War,' and clash of civilizations, are having their way here," Cui said Wednesday night at a gala dinner held by the U.S.-China Business Council, which represents more than 200 U.S. companies that do business with China.

WASHINGTON, Dec. 5 (Xinhua) -- Former U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry on Thursday endorsed former U.S. Vice President Joe Biden's presidential bid.

"I'm not endorsing Joe because I've known him for so long, but because I know him so well," Kerry tweeted. "He'll be ready on day one to put back together the country and the world that (U.S. President) Donald Trump has broken apart."

WASHINGTON, Dec 6 (NNN-AGENCIES) — The United States said it was considering deploying fresh forces in the Middle East to counter Iran, with an official saying some 5,000 to 7,000 troops could head to the region.

Testifying before Congress, John Rood, the under secretary of defense for policy, said that the United States was “observing Iran’s behavior with concern.”

“We’re continuing to look at that threat picture and have the ability to dynamically adjust our force posture,” Rood told the Senate Armed Services Committee.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) — SpaceX launched a 3-ton shipment to the International Space Station on Thursday, including “mighty mice” for a muscle study, a robot sensitive to astronauts’ emotions and a miniature version of a brewery’s malt house.

The Dragon capsule also is delivering holiday goodies for the six station residents. NASA’s Kenny Todd isn’t giving any hints, but said, “Santa’s sleigh, I think, is certified for the vacuum of space.”

The recycled capsule should arrive Sunday.

RICHMOND, Va. (AP) — The laws are still on the books in Virginia: Blacks and whites must sit in separate rail cars. They cannot use the same playgrounds, schools or mental hospitals. They can’t marry each other either.

The measures have not been enforced for decades, but they remain in the state’s official legal record. A state commission on Thursday recommended that dozens of such discriminatory statutes finally be repealed, in some cases more than a century after they were adopted.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Finger pointing and voice hoarse, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi on Thursday delivered a broadside to a reporter that might well apply to all of impeachment-era Washington: “Don’t mess with me.”