US President George W. Bush urged senators yesterday to quickly approve his choice of Samuel Alito for the Supreme Court, even as Democrats said they would try to delay an initial vote despite the apparent momentum toward his confirmation.
"The Senate has a duty to give Judge Alito a prompt up-or-down vote," Bush said in his weekly radio address.
"America is fortunate to have a man of his intellect and integrity willing to serve, and as a justice on our nation's highest court, Sam Alito will make all Americans proud," Bush said.
Democratic Senator Patrick Leahy said on Friday in the waning minutes of Alito's confirmation hearing that unnamed Democrats will "exercise their rights" to put off next week's scheduled vote in the Senate Judiciary Committee. Democrats say they won't be ready on Tuesday to vote on his nomination since Senate Democratic Leader Harry Reid has called on party members to hold off making a decision until after a meeting on Wednesday.
Bush argued that Alito had acquitted himself well during the hearings. He said that the nominee's wife, Martha-Ann Bomgardner -- whose departure from the testy confirmation hearing in tears elicited bipartisan sympathy -- had exhibited "patience and dignity" during the process.
The president noted the Senate has confirmed Alito, a 15-year member of the federal 3rd Circuit Court of Appeals in Philadelphia, to two previous positions by unanimous consent.
"As the American people saw this week, Judge Alito always approaches the law in a thoughtful, fair and open-minded way," Bush said.
"Throughout his life, Sam Alito has demonstrated a mastery of the law, great decency and a strong commitment to public service," he continued.
All 10 Republicans on the Judiciary Committee have announced their support for Alito, a 55-year-old jurist who is Bush's choice to replace retiring Justice Sandra Day O'Connor.
Gaza is rapidly running out of its limited fuel supply and stocks of food staples might become tight, officials said, after Israel blocked the entry of fuel and goods into the war-shattered territory, citing fighting with Iran. The Israeli military closed all Gaza border crossings on Saturday after announcing airstrikes on Iran carried out jointly with the US. Israeli authorities late on Monday night said that they would reopen the Kerem Shalom crossing from Israel to Gaza yesterday, for “gradual entry of humanitarian aid” into the strip, without saying how much. Israeli authorities previously said the crossings could not be operated safely during
Hungarian authorities temporarily detained seven Ukrainian citizens and seized two armored cars carrying tens of millions of euros in cash across Hungary on suspicion of money laundering, officials said on Friday. The Ukrainians were released on Friday, following their detention on Thursday, but Hungarian officials held onto the cash, prompting Ukraine to accuse Hungary’s Russia-friendly government of illegally seizing the money. “We will not tolerate this state banditism,” Ukrainian Minister of Foreign Affairs Andrii Sybiha said. The seven detained Ukrainians were employees of the Ukrainian state-owned Oschadbank, who were traveling in the two armored cars that were carrying the money between Austria and
Kosovar President Vjosa Osmani on Friday after dissolving the Kosovar parliament said a snap election should be held as soon as possible to avoid another prolonged political crisis in the Balkan country at a time of global turmoil. Osmani said it is important for Kosovo to wrap up the upcoming election process and form functional institutions for political stability as the war rages in the Middle East. “Precisely because the geopolitical situation is that complex, it is important to finish this electoral process which is coming up,” she said. “It is very hard now to imagine what will happen next.” Kosovo, which declared
Counting was under way in Nepal yesterday, after a high-stakes parliamentary election to reshape the country’s leadership following protests last year that toppled the government. Key figures vying for power include former Nepalese prime minister K. P. Sharma Oli, rapper-turned-mayor Balendra Shah, who is bidding for the youth vote, and newly elected Nepali Congress party leader Gagan Thapa. In Kathmandu’s tea shops and city squares, people were glued to their phones, checking results as early trends flashed up — suggesting Shah’s centrist Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) was ahead. Nepalese Election Commission spokesman Prakash Nyupane said the counting was ongoing “in a peaceful manner”
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