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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.
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
Army troops recover more arms, neutralise IEDs in sambisa forest offensive
By: Zagazola Makama
Troops of Operation Hadin Kai have recovered more arms and ammunition and detonated several improvised explosive devices (IEDs) during the ongoing Operation Desert Sanity V offensive in the Sambisa Forest area of Borno.
Zagazola report that the operation was carried out at about 9:00 a.m. on Dec. 29 by troops of 21 Special Armoured Brigade, in conjunction with volunteer forces.
According to the sources, the troops advanced from their harbour area and cleared several deserted terrorist enclaves around the Dure axis before proceeding to Century Wolf area, south of Dure.
The sources stated that the general area was characterised by thick vegetation, adding that no significant items of interest were found during the initial phase of the operation.
The sources said the troops later advanced to the Sabil Huda enclave, which was assessed to be highly active but had been abandoned by the terrorists before the arrival of troops.
The sources added that Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) teams commenced scanning of the enclave to enable exploitation by troops.
During the exploitation, the report said the troops recovered three AK-47 rifles, four AK-47 magazines, 37 rounds of 7.62x54mm ammunition, 38 rounds of 7.62x51mm ammunition, 33 rounds of 7.62x39mm ammunition and two hand grenades.
The sources said that life-support structures within the enclave were destroyed, while four additional IEDs discovered in the area were safely detonated.
Army troops recover more arms, neutralise IEDs in sambisa forest offensive
Troops recover drone after clash with ISWAP in Borno
By: Zagazola Makama
Troops of Operation Hadin Kai have recovered a drone after engaging suspected ISWAP terrorists during a fighting patrol in Izge area of Borno.
Zagazola learnt thar the encounter occurred at about 11:30 a.m. on Dec. 30 in the Pridang general area.
The sources stated that troops deployed at Forward Operating Base Izge, were on a patrol in conjunction with volunteer forces when they came in contact with an unconfirmed number of terrorists on a surveillance mission.
According to the sources, the terrorists were suspected to be planning to deploy an ultra-light drone to monitor the activities of troops and local residents in the area.
The sources said the troops engaged the terrorists with overwhelming firepower, forcing them to abandon the drone and flee in disarray, possibly with gunshot wounds.
The sources added that the troops conducted exploitation of the area and recovered one drone along with its complete accessories.
End
PAN Workers Cry Out for Their Severances
By: Balami Lazarus
There had been an outcry recently by retired workers of Peugeot Automobile Nigeria (PAN) Kaduna on their entitlements that are yet to be settled.
However, PAN is working towards the payments of their severances to enable the company to move forward and face other corporate challenges.
The Managing Director, Mrs. Taiwo Oluleye, has made it clear that the company is making efforts to pay all entitlements of her retired workers as soon as possible.
Speaking recently with Barr. Adekemi Adebayo by phone, the company secretary/legal advisor, who said that PAN as a private company is faced with corporate challenges due to the current economic situation, “We are concerned with the plights of those who retired from the company.” The management is making efforts on the payments of their severances. Adekemi informed NEWSng that PAN recently paid some retired staff their entitlements.
In her capacity as Secretary/Legal Adviser, Adebayo further said, “There is hope for the automobile industry in Nigeria.
Likewise our workers, including those that left,” she emphasized.
A worker who pleaded for anonymity said that he left the company in 2024 but has not been paid. “We are in tight financial difficulties. Our expectations are becoming a nightmare,” he said.
NEWSng investigations revealed that the automobile industry in Nigeria is faced with challenges of lack of government support and laws to give her proper protection to operate in the economy.
End
Army troops recover more arms, neutralise IEDs in sambisa forest offensive
Troops destroy three terrorist camps, recover weapons in Sambisa forest
Troops recover drone after clash with ISWAP in Borno
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