Joe Biden Administration

Senators on Wednesday voted 62-37 to advance the measure, with a dozen Republicans joining with all Democrats in the chamber to support it, Xinhua news agency reported. They are expected to vote again on Thursday to invoke cloture, potentially setting up a final vote by the end of the week. The Respect for Marriage Act was introduced this summer after a conservative Supreme Court justice signaled rulings on marriage equality and contraception should be reconsidered.

US President Joe Biden also said in the letter the previous day that he is well aware of Yoon's concerns about the IRA, the official told reporters. The IRA gives tax credits only to electric vehicles assembled in North America, raising concerns it will act as a significant trade barrier for Korean carmakers, Yonhap news agency reported.

The rule, set to go into effect October 31, codifies into federal regulation the 2012 programme that shields more than 600,000 undocumented immigrants from deportation and allows them to work legally in the US, reports dpa news agency. For the past 10 years, the programme has been governed by a Department of Homeland Security (DHS) memorandum. "Today, we are taking another step to do everything in our power to preserve and fortify DACA, an extraordinary program that has transformed the lives of so many Dreamers," Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas said in a statement late Wednesday.

According to a statement by the US Department of Defence, the package -- the 18th tranche of presidential drawdown since August 2021 -- included additional munitions for High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS), 75,000 rounds of 155 mm artillery ammunition, 20 120 mm mortar systems and 20,000 rounds of 120 mm mortar ammunition, as well as munitions for National Advanced Surface-to-Air Missile System (NASAMS), Xinhua news agency reported.

The Trump-era spy chief claimed that Chinese President Xi Jinping is capitalising on President Biden's "weakness" as Beijing and its media mouthpieces are threatening of dire consequences if Pelosi visits Taiwan, which China claims as its territory, the Washington Examiner reported. "It's been mismanaged by the Biden administration," Ratcliffe said, responding in the affirmative to a question by Fox News anchor Maria Bartiromo.

China could also respond by flying fighter jets further into Taiwan's self-declared air defence zone, which could trigger a response from Taiwan and the US, the official added. They did not detail what a possible response would entail, CNN reported.

India's "longstanding" ties in West Asia and with Israel was cited as reason for the Biden administration involving India in the I2U2, which will hold its first-ever summit in a four-way virtual meeting later Wednesday with Biden and Israeli Prime Minister Yair Lapid joining from Israel, where the American leader is for the next few days on his first trip to the region.

Arati Prabhakar's nomination, which would make her the current second Indian-American cabinet member alongside Vice President Kamala Harris, was sent to the Senate for confirmation on Wednesday, the White House said. She will also become the President's chief advisor for science and technology and a co-chair of the President's Council of Advisors on Science and Technology

The Homeland Security Department announced this decision which came into effect from 4 May, 2022. Extension of work permits will now allow many immigrants to use their expired work visas for an additional 18 months. The categories that would fetch the benefit includes, people seeking Green Cards(permanent resident card) and those who are married to H1-B visa holders.

The new NBC News poll said the other issues besides handling of the economy had topped January's survey, reports Xinhua news agency. Sixty-two per cent of respondents said their family incomes are falling behind the cost of living, 31 per cent said they were staying even, and 6 per cent said their incomes are going up faster than the cost of living, according to the poll conducted on March 18-22