North America

WASHINGTON (AP) — House Democrats have reached a tentative agreement with labor leaders and the White House over a rewrite of the U.S.-Mexico-Canada trade deal that has been a top priority for President Donald Trump.

“I’m hearing very good things, including from unions and others that it’s looking good. I hope they put it up to a vote, and if they put it up to a vote, it’s going to pass,” Trump said Monday. “I’m hearing a lot of strides have been made over the last 24 hours, with unions and others.”

PENSACOLA, Fla. (AP) — There’s a message board in Gary Yetter’s brewery, located near Naval Air Station Pensacola. The idea is, a customer buys a beer for a friend who isn’t there, puts their name on it and when the friend comes in, they have a free beer waiting for them.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The FBI was justified in opening its investigation into ties between the Trump presidential campaign and Russia and did not act with political bias, the Justice Department’s internal watchdog declared Monday, undercutting President Donald Trump’s repeated claims that he has been the target of a “witch hunt.”

WASHINGTON (AP) — House Democrats are poised to unveil two articles of impeachment against President Donald Trump — abuse of power and obstruction of Congress — with an announcement expected early Tuesday.

Democratic leaders are pushing ahead with formal charges saying the president put U.S. elections and national security at risk by asking Ukraine to investigate his rivals, including Joe Biden, while withholding military aid for an ally trying to counter hostile Russia neighbors. They warn Trump could do it again if left unchecked.

UNITED NATIONS, Dec 09 (APP): The UN anti-crime chief said Sunday that stepping up efforts to eradicate corruption and promoting good governance is “essential… to deliver on our global pledge to leave no one behind”.

“Corruption affects people in their daily lives”, Yury Fedotov, Executive Director of the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), said in his statement marking International Anti-Corruption Day, which is commemorated annually on December 9.

WASHINGTON DC, December 9. / TASS /: US Secretary of State Michael Pompeo will meet with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov on December 10 in Washington DC, the U.S. State Department said in its schedule distributed on Sunday.

After the negotiations, which will begin at 10:30 local time (18:30 Moscow time), and communication in the format of a working lunch, the ministers will also hold a joint press conference, which is scheduled for 13:15 local time (21:15 Moscow time).

9 December 2019; AFP: Mexico's foreign minister said Sunday the country would not accept a US proposal for steel and aluminum production under the new trade deal, saying it would leave Mexico at a disadvantage.

During a meeting with senators to discuss details of negotiations for the United States-Mexico-Canada treaty (USMCA), Foreign Minister Marcelo Ebrard said the US proposed that 70 percent of steel for automobile production come from the North American region.

WASHINGTON, Dec. 8 (Xinhua) -- U.S. House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerry Nadler said Sunday that his panel, which is writing articles of impeachment against President Donald Trump, will "presumably" present them this week.

Speaking during an interview with NBC's "Meet the Press," Nadler said they will "bring articles of impeachment presumably before the committee at some point later in the week."

WATERLOO, Iowa (AP) — In his rise to the top tier of the Democratic race for president, Pete Buttigieg has impressed voters with his unflappable demeanor. But that moderate bearing is being tested as his opponents challenge him to reveal more about his two years working for an international consulting company.

How Buttigieg handles the heat will be another measure of the durability of his improbable run, now that the mayor of South Bend, Indiana, is seen as a serious threat to front-running candidates, especially in Iowa.

DUBUQUE, Iowa (AP) — Fighting to be in the next Democratic presidential debate, Cory Booker concluded a nearly 800-mile, 12-county tour of Iowa on Sunday by criticizing the Democratic party for allowing “elites” and “money” to control who gets on stage and urging voters to offer his name when pollsters call.

“Iowa never lets elites decide,” he told a crowd at his campaign office in Cedar Rapids on Sunday. “Let’s let Iowa have another comeback story.”