News in Brief -2023-12-15)

House Republicans launch Biden

impeachment inquiry

NEW YORK, Dec 14: The US House of Representatives voted on Wednesday to formally authorise its ongoing impeachment inquiry into President Joe Biden, as Republicans unite behind the effort even though they have yet to find evidence of wrongdoing by the Democrat. The Republican-controlled chamber voted 221-212 along party lines to approve the probe, which is examining whether Biden improperly benefited from his 53-year-old son Hunter Biden's foreign business dealings, hours after the younger Biden refused a call to testify behind closed doors. — Reuters

Putin 'hopes' Russia, US will find

solution on detained Americans

MOSCOW, Dec 14: Russian President Vladimir Putin said Thursday he wanted Moscow and Washington to arrive at a solution to secure the release of two high-profile Americans held by Moscow on espionage charges Evan Gershkovich and Paul Whelan. "There are contacts on this issue and dialogue is ongoing, but it's not straightforward," he said. "I hope we will find a solution. But the US side should also hear us and make a decision that will suit the Russian Federation." — AFP

Seoul scrambles fighter jets after Chinese,

Russian warplanes approach

SEOUL, Dec 14: South Korea's military said Thursday it scrambled fighter jets as two Chinese and four Russian military planes entered its air defence zone, an area wider than the country's airspace. The Chinese and Russian planes entered and exited the Korea Air Defence Identification Zone (KADIZ) in the East Sea, also known as the Sea of Japan, from 11:53 am (0253 GMT) to 12:10 pm, Seoul's Joint Chiefs of Staff said. — AFP