Dismissal of U.S. attorneys controversy

I first met Alexi Giannoulias in early 2013, at an event for Barack Obama's inauguration. He was chatting with Joe Biden and Chuck Schumer, and they were laughing heartily. Despite his impressive career, which I had closely followed, I couldn't help but be struck by the confidence with which he stood next to two of America's most powerful men.

A sweeping U.S. foreign aid package, including $60 billion for Ukraine, passed a key procedural vote Sunday, although opposition from right-wing Republicans may block it from becoming law.

They are pushing for stricter immigration control measures at the US-Mexico border.
The aid package was voted 49 to 51 by senators, meaning the $110.5 billion aid package fell short of the 60 votes needed in the 100-member Senate to open the way for debate.

Republican senators blocked a White House request for $106 billion in emergency aid, primarily for Ukraine and Israel, on Wednesday as conservatives balked at the exclusion of immigration reforms they had demanded as part of the package.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky unexpectedly canceled a scheduled videolink appeal to US senators Tuesday as Washington is set for a showdown on funding for the war with Russia.

Zelensky was to appear during a classified briefing, a day before the Senate takes the first procedural vote on an emergency aid package that includes more than $60 billion for Kyiv.

Another 17 Israeli hostages and foreign nationals were exchanged for 39 Palestinian prisoners.
Hamas is willing to release more hostages but is demanding the release of more Palestinian prisoners from Israeli jails.
Benjamin Netanyahu says he is open to extending the ceasefire.

The US House of Representatives presented a single article of impeachment to the Senate on Monday accusing Donald Trump of inciting the storming of the Capitol, setting in motion the first-ever impeachment trial of a former president.

The House voted overwhelmingly on Dec. 28 to increase COVID-19 relief checks to $2,000, meeting President Donald Trump's demand for bigger payments and sending the bill to the GOP-controlled Senate, where the outcome is highly uncertain.