Trump Administration Appeals Court Order to Release Hudson Tunnel Project Funding 
New York Legalizes Medical Aid in Dying for Terminally Ill Patients 
China Overturns Death Sentence of Canadian Robert Schellenberg, Signaling Thaw in Canada-China Relations 
Trump Allows Commercial Fishing in Protected New England Waters 
Trump Slams Super Bowl Halftime Show Featuring Bad Bunny 
Bangladesh Election 2026: A Turning Point After Years of Political Suppression 
Jack Lang Resigns as Head of Arab World Institute Amid Epstein Controversy 
Taiwan Says Moving 40% of Semiconductor Production to the U.S. Is Impossible 
Ohio Man Indicted for Alleged Threat Against Vice President JD Vance, Faces Additional Federal Charges 
Antonio José Seguro Poised for Landslide Win in Portugal Presidential Runoff 
Sydney Braces for Pro-Palestine Protests During Israeli President Isaac Herzog’s Visit 
U.S. Lawmakers to Review Unredacted Jeffrey Epstein DOJ Files Starting Monday 
Trump’s Inflation Claims Clash With Voters’ Cost-of-Living Reality 
Bosnian Serb Presidential Rerun Confirms Victory for Dodik Ally Amid Allegations of Irregularities 
India–U.S. Interim Trade Pact Cuts Auto Tariffs but Leaves Tesla Out 
China Warns US Arms Sales to Taiwan Could Disrupt Trump’s Planned Visit 
Japan’s Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi Secures Historic Election Win, Shaking Markets and Regional Politics 
At the start of the new Republican-controlled House of Representatives, the chamber failed to elect a speaker for the first time in a century. The failure in the initial rounds of voting also comes as Republican leader Kevin McCarthy fell short of the number of votes needed to become House Speaker.
Republicans won a slim majority in the House following the November midterm elections, providing a path for McCarthy to become the House Speaker. However, McCarthy was met with opposition from far-right lawmakers who refused to vote for him and instead voted for others, such as Ohio Rep. Jim Jordan. McCarthy failed to unite his caucus in the three rounds of voting on Tuesday, and the House adjourned its first session.
The Speaker must receive 218 votes, not including absentee votes and those who vote “present.” During the first two rounds of voting, McCarthy received only 203 votes, with 19 Republicans voting against him. In the third round, McCarthy received 202 votes, with one more vote against him.
The Democratic lawmakers unanimously voted for Rep. Hakeem Jeffries in all three rounds, with Jeffries receiving 212 votes, more than McCarthy. However, as the Democratic Party is in the minority in the House, Jeffries is not considered to be in the running. Democrats have also ruled out helping McCarthy get the needed votes to become Speaker.
The House is deemed non-functional if no Speaker has been elected yet, and the chamber will continue voting until a Speaker is decided upon.
By Wednesday’s session, McCarthy still fell short of the 218 votes needed in the three rounds as the far-right opposition continued to vote against McCarthy. In two ballots, McCarthy only received 201 votes, with 20 Republicans voting for Rep. Byron Donalds instead and one voting “present.” The Democratic Party remained unanimously voting for Jeffries, who received 212 votes in both rounds.
On the same day, President Joe Biden urged the GOP to “get their act together” and elect a House Speaker.
“It’s not a good look, it’s not a good thing. It’s the United States of America and I hope they get their act together,” Biden told reporters, stressing that the current stalemate is a Republican issue.
