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U.S. Senator Diane Feinstein (D-CA), who announced she will not be seeking re-election, leaves the Senate floor after a vote on Capitol Hill in Washington, U.S., February 14, 2023.
Sen. Dianne Feinstein dies at 90
California Sen. Dianne Feinstein passed away at age 90 late on Thursday, family members confirmed Friday. She was the oldest sitting US senator and a titan of politics in the state boasting the country’s largest economy.
Feinstein came to national prominence following the tragic double assassination of San Francisco Mayor George Moscone and LGBTQ+ rights icon Harvey Milk, then a city supervisor. Named acting mayor, she embarked on an “emotional reconstruction” of the city, in her words. Her resilience paved the way for her to serve two terms as San Francisco’s mayor before winning a Senate seat in the 1992 California special election.
She built a legacy in the Senate of championing progressive causes, introducing the bill that effectively banned assault rifles between 1994 and 2004, and campaigning for abortion rights and higher fuel efficiency standards. She played a pivotal role in the 2018 confirmation hearings of Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh as the conduit for Professor Christine Blasey Ford’s allegations that Kavanaugh had sexually assaulted her decades earlier.
California Gov. Gavin Newsom has said he will appoint a Black woman to replace Feinstein, though one of the most promising candidates, Rep. Barbara Lee (D-CA), is probably out of the running. Since Feinstein announced she would retire at the end of her current term before she passed, Lee has been campaigning against other California Democrats for the seat. The concern is that appointing Lee to finish the term would give her something of an incumbency advantage in the 2024 Democratic primary that her opponents would decry as unfair.
There’s one more potential complication: Feinstein was the tie-breaking vote on the Senate Judiciary Committee, and she played a crucial role in confirming federal judges appointed by President Joe Biden. Her replacement won’t automatically take her place. Democrats can try to appoint a new Senator to the committee, but a GOP senator could — and probably will — filibuster the motion, thereby blocking Biden’s appointments indefinitely.
Samsung chairman dies at 78
The tycoon who became South Korea's richest man after transforming Samsung into a global tech titan best known for its smartphones, memory chips and LED televisions has died at the age of 78.
Singapore leaders send condolences on death of Sultan of Brunei's son, Prince Abdul Azim
SINGAPORE - Singapore's leaders on Sunday (Oct 25) have offered condolences to Brunei ruler Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah on the death of his son, Prince 'Abdul 'Azim.
Taiwan's former leader Lee Teng-hui dies, aged 97
Mr Lee Teng-hui, Taiwan's first democratically elected president, died from multiple organ failure yesterday evening. He was 97.
Taiwan's 'Mr Democracy' Lee Teng-hui dies aged 97 in Taipei
TAIPEI (REUTERS) - Former Taiwan President Lee Teng-hui, dubbed "Mr Democracy" for burying autocratic rule in favour of freewheeling pluralism, died at the age of 97, the official Central News Agency reported on Thursday (July 30).
Priest who became face of Marawi siege in southern Philippines in 2017 dies
MANILA - The priest who was the face of hundreds of hostages taken by Muslim militants during the disastrous siege of the southern city of Marawi more than three years ago died early on Wednesday (July 22).
Netflix star and Japanese female wrestler Hana Kimura dies at 22
TOKYO - Professional Japanese wrestler Hana Kimura who was part of the cast in Netflix's reality show Terrace House has died after complaining about being cyber-bullied.
Lee Hee-ho, widow of former South Korean President Kim Dae-jung, dies at 96
SEOUL - Ms Lee Hee-ho, the widow of former South Korean President Kim Dae-jung, died on Monday (June 10) at the age of 96, aides said.