Briefly

UNITED STATES

Impeachment of high court judges sought

Liberal Democratic Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez has introduced articles of impeachment against conservative Supreme Court Justices Clarence Thomas and Samuel Alito, her office said on Wednesday. Democrats have for years criticized the court, which has a 6-3 conservative majority, over rulings that advanced causes popular on the right. Ocasio-Cortez said Thomas and Alito's "pattern of refusal to recuse from consequential matters before the court in which they hold widely documented financial and personal entanglements constitutes a grave threat to American rule of law". Activists have criticized Thomas for not disclosing travel and lodging from a benefactor, while Alito faced criticism for displaying flags associated with Donald Trump's efforts to overturn the 2020 election at the justice's homes.

3 fatally shot in California home

Three people were fatally shot in California on Wednesday night and a person of interest is in custody, the Alameda Police Department said. The department said it received a call from an individual who reported that their neighbor had been shot in the 400 block of Kitty Hawk Road in the City of Alameda. Upon arrival, police located multiple family members suffering from apparent gunshot wounds, including juveniles. Police did not immediately give a motive for the shooting. "We are deeply saddened to report that three victims did not survive, and additional family members are being treated at local hospitals," police said.

RUSSIA

Moscow, New Delhi deny leaders' friction

Both Russia and India denied on Wednesday any disagreement between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi at their talks in Moscow this week. On Tuesday, the day after a lethal strike on a children's hospital in Ukraine's capital Kyiv, Modi told Putin the death of innocent children was painful and horrible. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said a decision to cancel a session of talks between Russian and Indian delegations was taken for scheduling reasons and because the entire agenda had been covered. "This has absolutely nothing to do with any disagreements or problematic situations," he said. India's Foreign Secretary Vinay Mohan Kwatra dismissed reports of friction between the leaders as incorrect and misleading.

Agencies via Xinhua