The House of Representatives held a roll call vote to elect a new speaker, with Democrat Hakeem Jeffries receiving 212 votes and Republican Jim Jordan receiving 200. Twenty Republicans voted for someone other than Jordan, indicating deep divisions within the party. The House will now move to a second ballot, where the Republican Party will have to decide whether to rally around Jordan or to back one of the other candidates. It is unclear whether Jordan will be able to secure the majority of votes needed to win the speaker position.
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Alec Baldwin is facing involuntary manslaughter charges in connection with a fatal shooting on the set of his movie "Rust" in December 2021. Prosecutors initially dismissed charges against Baldwin, but have since found new evidence that they believe connects him to recklessness around safety standards on the set. A plea deal has been discussed and the case will be presented to a grand jury next month, sparking debate over safety standards on movie sets and actor responsibility when handling firearms.
Leonard Cure, a Black man wrongfully convicted of armed robbery in 2003 and exonerated in 2020, was fatally shot by a sheriff's deputy during a traffic stop in Georgia. He had been released from prison after over a decade and was working in security, hoping to go to college and work in broadcast radio production. Seth Miller of the Innocence Project of Florida has expressed his devastation at the news and called for an investigation into the shooting.
Donald Trump has called for an expansion of his travel ban on immigrants from Muslim-majority countries, as well as instituting a “strong ideological screening” for all immigrants. The White House has responded to Trump’s call with criticism, noting that it is “revolting and dangerous” and undermines American values. The Supreme Court upheld the ban in 2018, but the Biden administration has been increasingly willing to engage with Trump in recent weeks.
Britney Spears has revealed details from her upcoming memoir, "The Woman in Me," which covers her early memories involving alcohol, her pregnancy with Justin Timberlake, and her first kiss with him. The memoir is set to be released on March 22, 2021 and will provide insight into Spears' life and career, including her struggles with fame, mental health, and her conservatorship.
The US is working to develop a framework to provide humanitarian assistance to the Gaza Strip, with Secretary of State Antony Blinken having met with Israel's wartime cabinet for seven hours. The situation in Gaza has become increasingly dire, with an Israeli airstrike hitting al-Ahli Hospital in Gaza City, and the UN calling for an immediate ceasefire. The US is hoping to provide food, water, and medicine to those in need, as well as arrange for those who want to leave the region to do so safely.
Key takeaways: Residents of the Gaza Strip are struggling to survive without access to basic necessities. Truckloads of aid have been idling at Egypt’s border…
An Israeli airstrike in the Gaza Strip city of Rafah destroyed a residential neighborhood, leaving a scene of devastation and crowds of people waiting for hours at the Rafah crossing. Emilee Rauschenberger described the scene as "frustrated and exhausted," with no electricity for the rest of the night.