Foreign
U.S. House still in turmoil with no speaker elected on 2nd day of voting
U.S. House still in turmoil with no speaker elected on 2nd day of voting
The U.S. House of Representatives remained in turmoil with no speaker elected on the second day of voting.
House members voted on Wednesday night to adjourn until noon Thursday, prolonging a historical political stalemate that has paralysed the lower chamber.
U.S. Congressman, Kevin McCarthy, a Republican from California, failed to secure enough votes three times earlier in the day due to intra-party division.
House members voted three times on Tuesday the opening day of the divided 118th Congress, but McCarthy fell short of the necessary votes to be the next speaker.
It was the first time a House speaker who maintained order, managed its proceedings, and governed the administration of its business on the lower chamber’s floor hadn’t been elected on the first ballot in 100 years.
The 435-seat House will have to vote until a speaker is elected with a majority of votes.
Before that, members cannot be sworn in and committees cannot be formed with the rest of the business stalled.
RELATED STORY: INEC begins online media accreditation for 2023 general…
U.S. Congresswoman, Elissa Slotkin, a Michigan Democrat, tweeted that the infighting “isn’t just a shame for Republicans, it’s bad for the entire country.”
U.S. President, Joe Biden, a Democrat, reacted to the political drama surrounding the House speakership vote on Wednesday morning.
According to him, it’s embarrassing the way it’s taking so long.
“How do you think this looks to the rest of the world?
“It’s not a good look. It’s not a good thing,” Biden told reporters at the White House before leaving for Hebron, Kentucky.
McCarthy has the support of most House Republicans and former U.S. President, Donald Trump.
But a handful of hardliners have opposed his bid to lead the conference by arguing that he is insufficiently conservative while refusing to decentralise the speaker’s power.
The House has elected a speaker 127 times since 1789.
There have been 14 instances of speaker elections requiring multiple ballots.
Thirteen of 14 multiple-ballot elections occurred before the Civil War, when party divisions were more nebulous, according to Congressional historians.
The last time a speaker election required two or more votes on the floor happened in 1923.
Harvard legal scholar, Laurence Tribe, tweeted on Wednesday that the House of Representatives, unlike the Senate, was not a continuing body.
“It must reassemble itself without full constitutional authority every two years, like someone rebuilding a ship on the open seas.
“But when the voyage is this rough, that’s a sign of dysfunction,” Tribe said.
All House Democrats have voted for Congressman Hakeem Jeffries, a New York Democrat, to be the speaker.
Though it’s unlikely for Jeffries to attain the position, he is set to become the first African American lawmaker to lead a party in either chamber of the U.S. Congress.
Republicans flipped the House in the 2022 midterm elections while Democrats held onto their majority in the Senate.
The new Congress convened for the first time on Tuesday, with U.S. Vice President, Kamala Harris, presiding over the opening of the 100-people upper chamber in which Democrats control 51 seats versus 49 for Republicans.
Chuck Schumer from New York and Mitch McConnell from Kentucky remain the Senate majority leader and minority leader, respectively.
U.S. House still in turmoil with no speaker elected on 2nd day of voting
Putin Signs Decree to Boost Russian Armed Forces Personnel by 180,000
Russian President Vladimir Putin has signed a decree to increase the staffing levels of the country’s armed forces, raising the total number of personnel to 2.38 million, including 1.5 million military personnel. The decree, published on the government portal, represents an increase of 180,000 personnel across the Russian armed forces.
The new staffing levels, set to take effect on December 1, 2024, reflect Russia’s ongoing efforts to strengthen its military amid global tensions and geopolitical challenges. This adjustment marks a rise from the previous staffing levels of 2.2 million, which included 1.32 million military personnel.
The decree is part of a broader strategy to enhance the country’s defense capabilities as Russia continues to prioritize military readiness.
Pakistan Police Arrest Key Lawmakers from Imran Khan’s Party Amid Ongoing Crackdown
Authorities in Pakistan have arrested several prominent lawmakers and leaders from the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), the political party of former Prime Minister Imran Khan. Party officials confirmed the arrests on Tuesday following a series of late-night raids in Islamabad. While a police spokesperson stated that four individuals were detained, PTI officials claim that 13 members were arrested from various locations, including outside the parliament.
The arrests come in the aftermath of a large PTI rally held on Sunday, calling for the release of the 71-year-old former cricketer-turned-politician, who has been in jail for over a year. Among those arrested was PTI president Gohar Khan. The crackdown reflects ongoing tensions since Khan’s ousting as prime minister in 2022, following a fallout with military leaders, who often hold significant influence in Pakistan’s political landscape.
Footage broadcasted by local media showed police officers forcibly detaining lawmakers outside parliament, prompting condemnation from opposition leaders. Omar Ayub Khan, a senior opposition figure, described the arrests as “despicable,” while PTI spokesperson Zulfikar Bukhari denounced the detentions as illegal in a post on X, formerly known as Twitter.
Bukhari further reported that senior PTI members Shoaib Shaheen and Sher Afzal Marwat were also among those taken into custody. Despite a strong showing in February’s general election, where PTI-backed candidates secured the most seats, the party was unable to form a government due to a coalition led by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.
Iraq Denies Allegations of Smuggling Oil to Iran
The Iraqi Oil Ministry has strongly refuted allegations made by several U.S. Congress members, who claimed that Iraq is smuggling oil to Iran to help the country bypass U.S. sanctions. The ministry labeled these accusations as “fabrications with no foundation.”
The rebuttal comes in response to a letter reportedly sent by five U.S. lawmakers to President Joe Biden, accusing Iraqi officials, including Oil Minister Hayan Abdul Ghani, of facilitating illegal oil sales to Iran. The letter further urged Biden to block Ghani’s planned visit to Washington until an investigation into the matter is completed.
In a statement, the Iraqi Oil Ministry expressed “astonishment and condemnation” at the allegations, stressing that its oil operations are under the scrutiny of international inspectors. The ministry also pointed out that Iraqi waters are strictly monitored by naval forces to prevent any illegal activity.
-
Business1 year agoNew Rates: ‘I borrowed money to finance this business…’ – Petroleum Marketer cries out over Non-supply of products by the NNPCL
-
Health5 months agoOnly 58,000 doctors renewed licence out of 130,000 registered doctors – MDCN
-
Entertainment2 months agoBBNaija Season 9: TAMI Duo Evicted After Low Vote Count
-
Defence & Security1 month agoOrganisers Demand IGP’s Dismissal Over Fatal Protest Crackdown
-
Defence & Security1 month ago“Defence Chief Praises Strong Inter-Service Cooperation for Operational Successes”
-
Business2 years agoNew Naira Notes: We Have No Information On The Supreme Court Ruling – CBN
-
Weather2 months agoNiMet Forecasts 3 Days Thunderstorms, Rain Nationwide
-
Opinion2 years agoAddressing Nigeria’s food security challenge through eco-friendly agriculture
