Republican Congressman Mike Johnson narrowly won reelection to the House speakership on the first ballot. The tally was 218–215, after he flipped two hard-line GOP holdouts.
President Joe Biden will visit New Orleans following the terrorist attack that killed 14 people. Meanwhile, in the case of the Tesla Cybertruck explosion, a former girlfriend of the soldier involved said he appeared to show symptoms of traumatic brain injury from his deployment in Afghanistan.
Biden blocked a nearly $15 billion proposed deal for Japan’s Nippon Steel to acquire U.S. Steel, citing national security concerns. Both companies condemned the decision as politically motivated.
A major winter storm will bring heavy snow, hazardous ice, rain, and severe thunderstorms to millions of Americans over the weekend and into next week. Authorities have warned of treacherous travel conditions, power outages, and widespread closures from the Plains to the East Coast.
