A computer glitch in the Federal Aviation Administration system resulted in affecting hundreds of flights in the United States, causing havoc. The failure of NOTAM, or Notice to Air Missions, was to blame for this. What does NOTAM mean and how its failure has impacted US flight operations? It is basically a notice that provides information that is necessary for those involved in flight operations. The failure of NOTAM means that the computer systems were not able to provide information to flights. All of this resulted in chaos at US airports.&nbsp;

<h2>How NOTAM failure impacted flight operations?</h2>

Although it is yet unclear how the NOTAM failure may have affected US aviation operations, it appears that they were affected because those engaged in the process must not have known about the flying information due to NOTAM failure.

<h2>How many cancellations and delays?&nbsp;</h2>

As of 6:45 a.m. ET, the flight tracking service FlightAware indicated roughly 1,200 flights to, from, and within the United States as being delayed, but just 93 flights had been cancelled, according to CNN.

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The FAA is working to restore its Notice to Air Missions System. We are performing final validation checks and reloading the system now. 
 
Operations across the National Airspace System are affected. 
 
We will provide frequent updates as we make progress.
— The FAA ✈️ (@FAANews) <a href="https://twitter.com/FAANews/status/1613135903010033665?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 11, 2023</a></blockquote>
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<h2>Airlines updates so far&nbsp;</h2>

Flight delays are anticipated, according to the operator of Paris' international airports, Paris Charles de Gaulle and Orly. Air France, Lufthansa and British Airways continue to run flights to and from the United States as usual. The French airline declared that it was keeping an eye on how things progress.&nbsp;

According to data from Cirium, a total of 21,464 planes with a carrying capacity of over 2.9 million people are scheduled to leave airports in the United States on Wednesday. According to Cirium statistics, American Airlines has 4,819 booked flights that will depart from American airports, followed by Delta Air Lines and Southwest Airlines. 
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A computer glitch in the Federal Aviation Administration system resulted in affecting hundreds of flights in the United States, causing havoc. The failure of NOTAM, or Notice to Air Missions, was to blame for this.

A computer glitch in the Federal Aviation Administration system resulted in affecting hundreds of flights in the United States, causing havoc. The failure of NOTAM, or Notice to Air Missions, was to blame for this. What does NOTAM mean and how its failure has impacted US flight operations? It is basically a notice that provides information that is necessary for those involved in flight operations. The failure of NOTAM means that the computer systems were not able to provide information to flights. All of this resulted in chaos at US airports. How NOTAM failure impacted flight operations? Although it is yet unclear how the NOTAM failure may have affected US aviation operations, it appears that they were affected because those engaged in the process must not have known about the flying information due to NOTAM failure. How many cancellations and delays? As of 6:45 a.m. ET, the flight tracking service FlightAware indicated roughly 1,200 flights to, from, and within the United States as being delayed, but just 93 flights had been cancelled, according to CNN. The FAA is working to restore its Notice to Air Missions System. We are performing final validation checks and reloading the system now. Operations across the National Airspace System are affected. We will provide frequent updates as we make progress. — The FAA ✈️ (@FAANews) January 11, 2023 × Airlines updates so far Flight delays are anticipated, according to the operator of Paris' international airports, Paris Charles de Gaulle and Orly. Air France, Lufthansa and British Airways continue to run flights to and from the United States as usual. The French airline declared that it was keeping an eye on how things progress. According to data from Cirium, a total of 21,464 planes with a carrying capacity of over 2.9 million people are scheduled to leave airports in the United States on Wednesday. According to Cirium statistics, American Airlines has 4,819 booked flights that will depart from American airports, followed by Delta Air Lines and Southwest Airlines.

Which computer glitch led to US flights cancellations? NOTAM failure explained & Airlines' updates so far

Hundreds of flights were grounded across the United States after a computer outage at the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). Watch this report to know more.

WION Dispatch: All domestic flights grounded across US due to a major glitch

Rebekah Brooks, who is currently News UK CEO is set for her new innings. She is reportedly going to take over as the CEO of News Corp. With this, Brooks will take on the Murdoch empire however, it is only going to happen after the merger of Fox Corps and News Corps. Lachlan Murdoch is the CEO of Fox Corporation. The merger proposal was insisted by Rupert Murdoch. However, it is pertinent to note that as per media reports not all the shareholders are on board. Current CEO of News Corp, Robert Thomson, is expected to step down from his position, as per several media reports.&nbsp;

<h2>Why Fox Corp and News Corp spilt in 2013? The Phone Hacking Scandal&nbsp;</h2>

After News Internations was accused of hacking phones and paying off police to obtain information about celebrities, British royal family and politicians, Brooks resigned in 2011. After the controversy and the 2013 split, the print business was put under News Corp while the TV and entertainment were put under 21st Century Fox. The controversy almost took down other Murdoch publications that were owned by News Corp, the organisation she would reportedly be heading over now. Following the scandal, Fox and News Corp split in 2013. Later, in 2015, Brooks joined as CEO of News UK, under Murdoch.&nbsp;

<h2>Possible Fox and News Corp merger&nbsp;</h2>

Last year, News Corp in a press release said that the Murdoch companies have formed a special committee which comprises of "independent and disinterested members of the board” to moot over a possible merger of the two business arms. The current CEO Robert Thompson also confirmed the same to the firms's employees.&nbsp;

<h2>What after the merger of Fox and News Corp?&nbsp;</h2>

According to the source quoted by media outlets, merging Fox and News Corp would offer the merged firms more size to compete and will also complement each others' assets. The merged businesses' annual sales would be over $24 billion.

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Rebekah Brooks, who is currently News UK CEO is set for her new innings. She is reportedly going to take over as the CEO of News Corp. With this, Brooks will take on the Murdoch empire however, it is only going to happen after the merger of Fox Corps and News Corps.

Rebekah Brooks, who is currently News UK CEO is set for her new innings. She is reportedly going to take over as the CEO of News Corp. With this, Brooks will take on the Murdoch empire however, it is only going to happen after the merger of Fox Corps and News Corps. Lachlan Murdoch is the CEO of Fox Corporation. The merger proposal was insisted by Rupert Murdoch. However, it is pertinent to note that as per media reports not all the shareholders are on board. Current CEO of News Corp, Robert Thomson, is expected to step down from his position, as per several media reports. Why Fox Corp and News Corp spilt in 2013? The Phone Hacking Scandal After News Internations was accused of hacking phones and paying off police to obtain information about celebrities, British royal family and politicians, Brooks resigned in 2011. After the controversy and the 2013 split, the print business was put under News Corp while the TV and entertainment were put under 21st Century Fox. The controversy almost took down other Murdoch publications that were owned by News Corp, the organisation she would reportedly be heading over now. Following the scandal, Fox and News Corp split in 2013. Later, in 2015, Brooks joined as CEO of News UK, under Murdoch. Possible Fox and News Corp merger Last year, News Corp in a press release said that the Murdoch companies have formed a special committee which comprises of "independent and disinterested members of the board” to moot over a possible merger of the two business arms. The current CEO Robert Thompson also confirmed the same to the firms's employees. What after the merger of Fox and News Corp? According to the source quoted by media outlets, merging Fox and News Corp would offer the merged firms more size to compete and will also complement each others' assets. The merged businesses' annual sales would be over $24 billion.

Rebekah Brooks to head Rupert Murdoch's News Corp as CEO? Know everything about phone hacking scandal

Whales, the gentle giants of the oceans, they are large in size and are intelligent aquatic mammals but sometimes they get lost and end up on the beaches. In the US state of New Jersey, another humpback whale was washed up ashore.

WION Climate Tracker | US: 30-foot Humpback whale washes up at a New Jersey shore

Mexican President Obrador accused the U.S. of treating Latin America and the Caribbean with disdain. It came during the initial meeting between Obrador & Biden during the "Three Amigos" summit.

WION Fineprint | Brusque exchange during U.S-Mexico summit

7000 nurses in New York City's hospitals are on strike over pay and understaffing. They want better working conditions. Many medical facilities have postponed procedures and appointments due to this and fears are growing that things may even get worse.

US: Over 7000 nurses go on strike in NYC, healthcare staff cite understaffing and pay issues

Aerial images show two cars inside a giant sinkhole that opened up on Tuesday during the relentless storms ravaging California. According to local media, the passengers were rescued and hospitalised with minor injuries.

US: A giant sinkhole swallows two vehicles in Los Angeles

US Representative Katie Porter has announced run for the 2024 US Senate elections from California. The seat is currently being held by Senator Dianne Feinstein, a fellow Democrat. Though Feinstein has not said anything about whether she will complete her senator's complete term of office, which is of six years, or not, Porter made the announcement on her social media accounts about her future plans. Despite being 89 years old, Fienstein has waived off any questions over her ability to serve in the office. Meanwhile, Porter who is 49-years-old, in her announcement, said Californians deserve a warrior who can fight for them in Washington.&nbsp;

<h2>Opposed earmarks,&nbsp;corporate campaign funding&nbsp;</h2>

Porter is a single mom of three. She is mostly known for using whiteboards in the US House of Representatives. In her announcement, she said that she is running for the US Senate because Californians deserve a warrior fighting for them in Washington. She also added that in the House, she has stoop up to leaders of both parties. Porter said that she has worked not only in her capacity as a Democrat to oppose earmarks, funds provided by the Congress for projects or programs, but also as one of just a dozen Members of Congress to reject lobbyist and corporate political action committee (which was created for campaign finances in US) money.&nbsp;

Katie Porter said that there should be greater safeguards in place to thwart corruption emanating from earmarking, including disclosing any connections an earmark could have to a member of the legislator's family. Porter was chosen to serve in Congress for the first time in 2018. She represents a sizable portion of Orange County. Porter barely won re-election in November after last year's redistricting by around three percentage points.

<h2>Feinstein over Porter throwing her hat in the ring&nbsp;</h2>

Senator Dianne Feinstein said that everyone is welcome to throw their hat in the ring. She also commented that she will make an announcement concerning her plans for 2024 at the appropriate time. In a statement, Feinstein said Tuesday that right now she is focused on ensuring California has all the resources it needs to cope with the devastating storms slamming the state and leaving more than a dozen dead.

<h2>Who all are in the race?&nbsp;</h2>

Several Democratic candidates from California are reportedly considering running for the Senate, including US Representatives Ro Khanna and Adam B. Schiff, who has stated he would seriously explore a run if Feinstein decided to retire.

US Representative Katie Porter has announced run for the 2024 US Senate elections from California. The seat is currently being held by Senator Dianne Feinstein, a fellow Democrat.

US Representative Katie Porter has announced run for the 2024 US Senate elections from California. The seat is currently being held by Senator Dianne Feinstein, a fellow Democrat. Though Feinstein has not said anything about whether she will complete her senator's complete term of office, which is of six years, or not, Porter made the announcement on her social media accounts about her future plans. Despite being 89 years old, Fienstein has waived off any questions over her ability to serve in the office. Meanwhile, Porter who is 49-years-old, in her announcement, said Californians deserve a warrior who can fight for them in Washington. Opposed earmarks, corporate campaign funding Porter is a single mom of three. She is mostly known for using whiteboards in the US House of Representatives. In her announcement, she said that she is running for the US Senate because Californians deserve a warrior fighting for them in Washington. She also added that in the House, she has stoop up to leaders of both parties. Porter said that she has worked not only in her capacity as a Democrat to oppose earmarks, funds provided by the Congress for projects or programs, but also as one of just a dozen Members of Congress to reject lobbyist and corporate political action committee (which was created for campaign finances in US) money. Katie Porter said that there should be greater safeguards in place to thwart corruption emanating from earmarking, including disclosing any connections an earmark could have to a member of the legislator's family. Porter was chosen to serve in Congress for the first time in 2018. She represents a sizable portion of Orange County. Porter barely won re-election in November after last year's redistricting by around three percentage points. Feinstein over Porter throwing her hat in the ring Senator Dianne Feinstein said that everyone is welcome to throw their hat in the ring. She also commented that she will make an announcement concerning her plans for 2024 at the appropriate time. In a statement, Feinstein said Tuesday that right now she is focused on ensuring California has all the resources it needs to cope with the devastating storms slamming the state and leaving more than a dozen dead. Who all are in the race? Several Democratic candidates from California are reportedly considering running for the Senate, including US Representatives Ro Khanna and Adam B. Schiff, who has stated he would seriously explore a run if Feinstein decided to retire.

Who is Katie Porter, the Democrat who announced run for US Senate from California?

Aerial images show two cars inside a giant sinkhole that opened up on Tuesday during the relentless storms ravaging California. According to local media, the passengers were rescued and hospitalized with minor injuries.

US: A giant sinkhole swallows two vehicles

The United States-based tech giant and Facebook parent company Meta appoints former Tata Cliq CEO Vikas Purohit as the Director of Global Business Group in India. In the new role, Purohit will lead Meta’s strategic relationship with various brands and agencies in bolstering the company's digital tools for revenue growth in India's business.

Vikas Purohit comes with over 20 years of experience in business, sales and marketing and astute knowledge of the market, given his Indian Institute of Management (IIM) education. He has worked previously with big league brands such as Tata Cliq, Amazon, Reliance brands, Aditya Birla group and Tommy Hilfiger.

Last month, he paid homage to his mentors on the popular social network Linkedin. Purohit will be succeeding Ajit Mohan who last year joined Snap Inc, which is the social media platform Snapchat’s parent company as the president of APAC to lead its business in the Asia-Pacific (APAC) region.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/business-economy/metas-india-head-ajit-mohan-resigns-after-four-years-in-the-role-might-join-snap-530989">Meta's India head Ajit Mohan resigns after four years in the role, may join Snap</a>

As he steps into the new role, his responsibilities lie in engaging with brands and agencies, leading partnership initiatives with media and creating ecosystems to increase the adoption of Meta’s tools.

He would handle the company's key business verticals, including the agency teams and business solutions teams. Purohit will report to Arun Srinivas, the director and head of ads business for Meta in India.&nbsp;

ALSO WATCH |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/ex-tata-cliq-ceo-vikas-purohit-takes-charge-as-metas-new-global-head-in-india-551133">Ex-Tata Cliq CEO Vikas Purohit takes charge as Meta's new global head in India</a>

“I am thrilled to welcome Vikas as he joins our team to shape the role that Meta platforms can play in enabling businesses, supporting India's economic growth, and building the digital advertising ecosystem of the country,” said Srinivas in a statement.&nbsp;

India remains an indispensable market for tech giants such as Meta, with targeted ads and the adoption of new digital advertisement models, they aim to create a campaign to garner consumer interest.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/sandhya-devanathan-appointed-as-metas-new-india-head-everything-about-her-535121">Sandhya Devanathan appointed as Meta's new India head: What does her new role entail?</a>

In FY22, Meta's gross ad revenue rose by 74% YoY to 1.9 billion, based on the increase in the adoption of its digital ad tools. 
 
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The United States-based tech giant and Facebook parent company Meta appoints former Tata Cliq CEO Vikas Purohit as the Director of Global Business Group in India.

The United States-based tech giant and Facebook parent company Meta appoints former Tata Cliq CEO Vikas Purohit as the Director of Global Business Group in India. In the new role, Purohit will lead Meta’s strategic relationship with various brands and agencies in bolstering the company's digital tools for revenue growth in India's business. Vikas Purohit comes with over 20 years of experience in business, sales and marketing and astute knowledge of the market, given his Indian Institute of Management (IIM) education. He has worked previously with big league brands such as Tata Cliq, Amazon, Reliance brands, Aditya Birla group and Tommy Hilfiger. Last month, he paid homage to his mentors on the popular social network Linkedin. Purohit will be succeeding Ajit Mohan who last year joined Snap Inc, which is the social media platform Snapchat’s parent company as the president of APAC to lead its business in the Asia-Pacific (APAC) region. ALSO READ | Meta's India head Ajit Mohan resigns after four years in the role, may join Snap As he steps into the new role, his responsibilities lie in engaging with brands and agencies, leading partnership initiatives with media and creating ecosystems to increase the adoption of Meta’s tools. He would handle the company's key business verticals, including the agency teams and business solutions teams. Purohit will report to Arun Srinivas, the director and head of ads business for Meta in India. ALSO WATCH | Ex-Tata Cliq CEO Vikas Purohit takes charge as Meta's new global head in India “I am thrilled to welcome Vikas as he joins our team to shape the role that Meta platforms can play in enabling businesses, supporting India's economic growth, and building the digital advertising ecosystem of the country,” said Srinivas in a statement. India remains an indispensable market for tech giants such as Meta, with targeted ads and the adoption of new digital advertisement models, they aim to create a campaign to garner consumer interest. ALSO READ | Sandhya Devanathan appointed as Meta's new India head: What does her new role entail? In FY22, Meta's gross ad revenue rose by 74% YoY to 1.9 billion, based on the increase in the adoption of its digital ad tools. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Meta hires former Tata Cliq CEO Vikas Purohit as Director of Global Business Group in India

The&nbsp;United States National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), on Monday, told reporters that the regulatory body is investigating Tesla CEO Elon Musk’s tweet in the context of at least 14 Teslas crashing into emergency vehicles while using its Autopilot driver assist system. The acting head of NHTSA, Ann Carlson, made the statement while&nbsp;addressing the press on the sidelines of an event in Washington.&nbsp;

According to reports, in June 2022, the NHTSA moved up to an engineering analysis amid its ongoing defect probe into at least 830,000 Tesla vehicles with the driver assistance system Autopilot feature in the context of crashes involving parked emergency vehicles. Additionally, for&nbsp;the past two years, the electric carmaker has been beta-testing its “Full Self-Driving” (FSD) with owners who have not been trained to use the system but are reportedly being actively monitored by the company.&nbsp;

The probe began in August 2021, and the NHTSA’s Carlson said they are “investing a lot of resources”, which includes a lot of “technical expertise, actually some legal novelty and so we're moving as quickly as we can, but we also want to be careful and make sure we have all the information we need.”&nbsp;&nbsp;

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/business-economy/elon-musk-breaks-world-record-for-largest-ever-loss-of-personal-fortune-551123">Elon Musk breaks world record for largest-ever loss of personal fortune</a>

Meanwhile,&nbsp;a tweet from Tesla CEO indicated&nbsp;that Tesla might allow some owners testing the “Full Self-Driving” system to disable alerts which remind them to keep their hands on the steering wheel. Subsequently, the regulatory body said they have asked Tesla for additional information on Musk's tweet&nbsp;which is now a part of the broader ongoing investigation into the 14 vehicles.&nbsp;

The ongoing investigation is necessary before NHTSA can demand a recall and it also includes a review of whether Tesla vehicles ensure that the drivers are paying attention as they said previously that evidence suggests that the drivers had complied with the electric carmaker’s alert protocols. This has since raised questions about the effectiveness of the company’s alert strategy for its drivers.&nbsp;

ALSO WATCH |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/world-business-watch-musk-tweet-about-disabling-driver-monitoring-in-tesla-being-probed-550901">World Business Watch: Musk tweet about disabling driver monitoring in Tesla being probed</a> 
 
Earlier this year, the electric carmaker also said at least 160,000 of its cars which amount to nearly 15 per cent of all Tesla which is currently on US roads are participating. While the company website says that their cars cannot drive themselves, the “Full Self-Driving” can more or less autonomously&nbsp;navigate roads in several instances. However, experts have raised concerns about the system’s errors, said a report by the Associated Press.&nbsp;

The tweet in question was an interaction between Twitter Chief Executive Elon Musk and a user on December 31 about Tesla’s FSD feature, said Carlson confirming that the agency was in discussion with Tesla about the same.

The tweet reportedly suggested that drivers who have used Tesla’s “Full Self-Driving” software system for more than 10,000 miles should be able to disable the “steering wheel nag,” an alert which asks drivers to hold the wheel and confirm that they are paying attention.&nbsp;

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/technology/tesla-reports-two-new-crash-fatalities-in-model-3-cars-linked-to-advanced-driver-assistance-systems-534811">Tesla reports two more crash fatalities in Model 3 cars linked to advanced driver assistance system</a>

In response on the microblogging platform Musk wrote, “Agreed, update coming in Jan.” While there is no clarity on the kind of changes Tesla will make or even disable the “steering wheel nag”. Meanwhile,&nbsp;many have raised concerns about the dangers of disabling such an important feature.&nbsp;

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Agreed, update coming in Jan
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) <a href="https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/1609313412131037193?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 31, 2022</a></blockquote>
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The recently rolled out&nbsp;$15,000 FSD software&nbsp;is said to be&nbsp;an add-on software which enables Tesla vehicles to change lanes and park and compliments its “Autopilot” feature. Notably, this is not the first time that Tesla has come under fire for the effectiveness of their safety protocols as the National Transportation Safety Board three years ago also criticised the electric carmaker’s “ineffective monitoring” after its Autopilot software’s involvement in a fatal crash in California, in 2018.&nbsp;&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp; 
 
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The United States National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), on Monday, told reporters that the regulatory body is investigating Tesla CEO Elon Musk’s tweet in the context of at least 14 Teslas crashing into emergency vehicles while using its Autopilot driver assist system.

The United States National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), on Monday, told reporters that the regulatory body is investigating Tesla CEO Elon Musk’s tweet in the context of at least 14 Teslas crashing into emergency vehicles while using its Autopilot driver assist system. The acting head of NHTSA, Ann Carlson, made the statement while addressing the press on the sidelines of an event in Washington. According to reports, in June 2022, the NHTSA moved up to an engineering analysis amid its ongoing defect probe into at least 830,000 Tesla vehicles with the driver assistance system Autopilot feature in the context of crashes involving parked emergency vehicles. Additionally, for the past two years, the electric carmaker has been beta-testing its “Full Self-Driving” (FSD) with owners who have not been trained to use the system but are reportedly being actively monitored by the company. The probe began in August 2021, and the NHTSA’s Carlson said they are “investing a lot of resources”, which includes a lot of “technical expertise, actually some legal novelty and so we're moving as quickly as we can, but we also want to be careful and make sure we have all the information we need.” ALSO READ | Elon Musk breaks world record for largest-ever loss of personal fortune Meanwhile, a tweet from Tesla CEO indicated that Tesla might allow some owners testing the “Full Self-Driving” system to disable alerts which remind them to keep their hands on the steering wheel. Subsequently, the regulatory body said they have asked Tesla for additional information on Musk's tweet which is now a part of the broader ongoing investigation into the 14 vehicles. The ongoing investigation is necessary before NHTSA can demand a recall and it also includes a review of whether Tesla vehicles ensure that the drivers are paying attention as they said previously that evidence suggests that the drivers had complied with the electric carmaker’s alert protocols. This has since raised questions about the effectiveness of the company’s alert strategy for its drivers. ALSO WATCH | World Business Watch: Musk tweet about disabling driver monitoring in Tesla being probed Earlier this year, the electric carmaker also said at least 160,000 of its cars which amount to nearly 15 per cent of all Tesla which is currently on US roads are participating. While the company website says that their cars cannot drive themselves, the “Full Self-Driving” can more or less autonomously navigate roads in several instances. However, experts have raised concerns about the system’s errors, said a report by the Associated Press. The tweet in question was an interaction between Twitter Chief Executive Elon Musk and a user on December 31 about Tesla’s FSD feature, said Carlson confirming that the agency was in discussion with Tesla about the same. The tweet reportedly suggested that drivers who have used Tesla’s “Full Self-Driving” software system for more than 10,000 miles should be able to disable the “steering wheel nag,” an alert which asks drivers to hold the wheel and confirm that they are paying attention. ALSO READ | Tesla reports two more crash fatalities in Model 3 cars linked to advanced driver assistance system In response on the microblogging platform Musk wrote, “Agreed, update coming in Jan.” While there is no clarity on the kind of changes Tesla will make or even disable the “steering wheel nag”. Meanwhile, many have raised concerns about the dangers of disabling such an important feature. Agreed, update coming in Jan — Elon Musk (@elonmusk) December 31, 2022 × The recently rolled out $15,000 FSD software is said to be an add-on software which enables Tesla vehicles to change lanes and park and compliments its “Autopilot” feature. Notably, this is not the first time that Tesla has come under fire for the effectiveness of their safety protocols as the National Transportation Safety Board three years ago also criticised the electric carmaker’s “ineffective monitoring” after its Autopilot software’s involvement in a fatal crash in California, in 2018. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

US Feds probe Tesla Autopilot crashes, Musk tweet about disabling monitoring alerts

Ana Walshe, a woman from Cohasset, US was reported missing three days after New Year's day, the day when Ana was last seen. Following her disappearance, her husband Brian Walshe was arrested for misleading the investigation. Now, the latest updates on the investigation into the matter have put the limelight on Brian Walshe. His recent google search history can help the police to connect the dots and solve the mystery case quickly. Check all the latest about the mysterious disappearance case of Ana Walshe.&nbsp;

<h2>What did Brian Walshe search on google?</h2>

As the investigation proceeded, the disappearance case of US woman Ana Walshe took a disturbing turn. It was revealed that Brian Walshe googled “how to dispose of a 115-pound woman’s body”. Brian made the google search after two days of Ana going missing. According to the police, Ana was described as about 115 pounds or 52kg. He also searched for how to dismember a human body.&nbsp;

<h2>CCTV reveals Brian Walshe buying heavy-duty cleaning supplies&nbsp;</h2>

According to Brian Walshe, he left his house on January 1 and took his son out for ice cream the next day. The specifics, nevertheless, don't match up. Investigations reveal that Brian Walshe visited a Home Depot and spent $450 on mops, tarps, tape, buckets, and other cleaning items. As per the details, he also wore mask and gloves during her visit to the Home Depot.&nbsp;

<h2>Police obtain damaged knife, discovers blood&nbsp;</h2>

Police uncovered a bloodied and broken knife in the basement after obtaining a search warrant. Brian, who pleaded not guilty to misleading police, has not yet been charged with Ana's disappearance. He was under house arrest on charges of fraud in 2018.&nbsp;

<h2>Brian Walshe misled investigation to buy more time&nbsp;</h2>

Prosecutors said Brian, from Massachusetts, gave cops misleading statements about his and his wife’s actions around the time of her disappearance, buying himself ample time to clean up a possible crime scene. On January 1, she was allegedly taking a rideshare from her house to Boston Logan International Airport in an effort to catch an early flight to Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, according to a member of Ana's family who spoke with Cohasset police. However, Walshe did not board any plane this week, according to confirmation from every carrier, said the Cohasset police chief. &nbsp;

Ana Walshe, a woman from Cohasset, US was reported missing three days after New Year's day, the day when Ana was last seen. Following her disappearance, her husband Brian Walshe was arrested for misleading the investigation.

Ana Walshe, a woman from Cohasset, US was reported missing three days after New Year's day, the day when Ana was last seen. Following her disappearance, her husband Brian Walshe was arrested for misleading the investigation. Now, the latest updates on the investigation into the matter have put the limelight on Brian Walshe. His recent google search history can help the police to connect the dots and solve the mystery case quickly. Check all the latest about the mysterious disappearance case of Ana Walshe. What did Brian Walshe search on google? As the investigation proceeded, the disappearance case of US woman Ana Walshe took a disturbing turn. It was revealed that Brian Walshe googled “how to dispose of a 115-pound woman’s body”. Brian made the google search after two days of Ana going missing. According to the police, Ana was described as about 115 pounds or 52kg. He also searched for how to dismember a human body. CCTV reveals Brian Walshe buying heavy-duty cleaning supplies According to Brian Walshe, he left his house on January 1 and took his son out for ice cream the next day. The specifics, nevertheless, don't match up. Investigations reveal that Brian Walshe visited a Home Depot and spent $450 on mops, tarps, tape, buckets, and other cleaning items. As per the details, he also wore mask and gloves during her visit to the Home Depot. Police obtain damaged knife, discovers blood Police uncovered a bloodied and broken knife in the basement after obtaining a search warrant. Brian, who pleaded not guilty to misleading police, has not yet been charged with Ana's disappearance. He was under house arrest on charges of fraud in 2018. Brian Walshe misled investigation to buy more time Prosecutors said Brian, from Massachusetts, gave cops misleading statements about his and his wife’s actions around the time of her disappearance, buying himself ample time to clean up a possible crime scene. On January 1, she was allegedly taking a rideshare from her house to Boston Logan International Airport in an effort to catch an early flight to Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, according to a member of Ana's family who spoke with Cohasset police. However, Walshe did not board any plane this week, according to confirmation from every carrier, said the Cohasset police chief.

Ana Walshe Disappearance Case: This google search from husband, Brian Walshe, reveals disturbing details

Ana Walshe, 39, from Cohasset in Massachusetts, US was reported missing by her husband Brian Walshe. The same day her employer also reported her missing. According to media reports, Ana was reported missing three days after New Year's day, when she was last seen. Massachusetts law enforcement personnel are currently looking for the woman. The Norfolk District Attorney's Office reported on Sunday that police had detained Cohasset resident and Ana's husband, Brian Walshe, 46, on suspicion of misleading the police investigation into the matter.&nbsp;

<h2>Police clear air on Washington travel&nbsp;</h2>

Walshe goes to Washington, D.C. during the week to work for the real estate firm Tishman Speyer, a position she started last year, according to friends who spoke to NewsCenter 5. On January 1, she&nbsp;was allegedly taking a rideshare from her house to Boston Logan International Airport in an effort to catch an early flight to Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, according to a member of Ana's family who spoke with Cohasset police.

Walshe did not board any plane this week, according to confirmation from every carrier, said the police chief. She&nbsp;had a trip scheduled on January 3 from Boston to Washington, but Quigley claimed she did not travel on that flight either. Washington townhouse's search by the Metropolitan Police Department also turned up no trace of Walshe.

<h2>Strange coincidence, Fire breaks out at Ana's former home</h2>

On Friday, a fire broke out in Walshe's former house at 725 Jerusalem Road in Cohasset while police looked for her. Three people and an infant all left the house safely, according to the authorities. Quigley confirmed the link and said that the fire and any potential connection to Walshe's disappearance will be looked into, describing it as a very unusual coincidence.

<h2>Husband arrested for misleading the investigation,&nbsp;</h2>

As he misled investigators looking into Ana's disappearance, her husband was taken into custody. On Monday, Brian Walshe is expected to be arraigned in Quincy District Court. For selling two phoney Andy Warhol artworks, Brian Walshe was accused with fraud in 2018 by the US District Court. He had been placed under home confinement while awaiting punishment after entering a guilty plea to various crimes in 2021.

<h2>Who is Ana Walshe?&nbsp;</h2>

Ana Walshe is a 39-year-old woman from Cohasset in Massachusetts, US. She and her husband along with their three boys live together. Ana's boys are between the ages of 2 and 6. As far as Ana's appearance quoted by multiple media outlets is concerned, Walshe is 5 feet, 2 inches tall and weighs around 115 pounds. She has olive skin, brown eyes, and brown hair, and according to the police, her accent has an eastern European accent.

<h2>Rideshare companies, home security cameras: No trace of Ana so far&nbsp;</h2>

A family member told police that they last saw Walshe at her Cohasset home between 4 a.m. and 5 a.m. on New Year's Day. Police chief Quigley also said Walshe's cellphone has been off since 1 January and that her credit and debit cards have been inactive since New Year's Day as well.

<h2>Search is still on&nbsp;</h2>

A local police squad and the Massachusetts State Police Special Emergency Response Team spent the majority of Friday scouring the area close to her&nbsp;house. During the night, the search was called off, which was then picked back up in the morning. For the second day in a row, 20 officers from the MSP Special Emergency Response Team, a specialist force trained in search and rescue operations, along with three K-9 teams and the State Police Air Wing Unit, looked for Walshe near his house in the woods but found no trace of her.&nbsp;

<h2>&nbsp;</h2>

Ana Walshe, 39, from Cohasset in Massachusetts, US was reported missing by her husband Brian Walshe. The same day her employer also reported her missing. According to media reports, Ana was reported missing three days after New Year's day, when she was last seen.

Ana Walshe, 39, from Cohasset in Massachusetts, US was reported missing by her husband Brian Walshe. The same day her employer also reported her missing. According to media reports, Ana was reported missing three days after New Year's day, when she was last seen. Massachusetts law enforcement personnel are currently looking for the woman. The Norfolk District Attorney's Office reported on Sunday that police had detained Cohasset resident and Ana's husband, Brian Walshe, 46, on suspicion of misleading the police investigation into the matter. Police clear air on Washington travel Walshe goes to Washington, D.C. during the week to work for the real estate firm Tishman Speyer, a position she started last year, according to friends who spoke to NewsCenter 5. On January 1, she was allegedly taking a rideshare from her house to Boston Logan International Airport in an effort to catch an early flight to Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, according to a member of Ana's family who spoke with Cohasset police. Walshe did not board any plane this week, according to confirmation from every carrier, said the police chief. She had a trip scheduled on January 3 from Boston to Washington, but Quigley claimed she did not travel on that flight either. Washington townhouse's search by the Metropolitan Police Department also turned up no trace of Walshe. Strange coincidence, Fire breaks out at Ana's former home On Friday, a fire broke out in Walshe's former house at 725 Jerusalem Road in Cohasset while police looked for her. Three people and an infant all left the house safely, according to the authorities. Quigley confirmed the link and said that the fire and any potential connection to Walshe's disappearance will be looked into, describing it as a very unusual coincidence. Husband arrested for misleading the investigation, As he misled investigators looking into Ana's disappearance, her husband was taken into custody. On Monday, Brian Walshe is expected to be arraigned in Quincy District Court. For selling two phoney Andy Warhol artworks, Brian Walshe was accused with fraud in 2018 by the US District Court. He had been placed under home confinement while awaiting punishment after entering a guilty plea to various crimes in 2021. Who is Ana Walshe? Ana Walshe is a 39-year-old woman from Cohasset in Massachusetts, US. She and her husband along with their three boys live together. Ana's boys are between the ages of 2 and 6. As far as Ana's appearance quoted by multiple media outlets is concerned, Walshe is 5 feet, 2 inches tall and weighs around 115 pounds. She has olive skin, brown eyes, and brown hair, and according to the police, her accent has an eastern European accent. Rideshare companies, home security cameras: No trace of Ana so far A family member told police that they last saw Walshe at her Cohasset home between 4 a.m. and 5 a.m. on New Year's Day. Police chief Quigley also said Walshe's cellphone has been off since 1 January and that her credit and debit cards have been inactive since New Year's Day as well. Search is still on A local police squad and the Massachusetts State Police Special Emergency Response Team spent the majority of Friday scouring the area close to her house. During the night, the search was called off, which was then picked back up in the morning. For the second day in a row, 20 officers from the MSP Special Emergency Response Team, a specialist force trained in search and rescue operations, along with three K-9 teams and the State Police Air Wing Unit, looked for Walshe near his house in the woods but found no trace of her.

EXPLAINED: The strange disappearance of Ana Walshe, the woman who went missing from Cohasset, US

Germany and the US have decided to send armoured combat vehicles to Ukraine, the White House said on Thursday.&nbsp;The&nbsp;decision was made during a joint German-U.S. statement after German Chancellor Olaf Scholz spoke with US President Joe Biden.

This comes after Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky urgently sought an upgrade in armament to fight off Russia's invasion, Al Jazeera reported. While Germany is deploying Marder infantry fighting vehicles and will join the US in sending a Patriot missile battery to Kyiv, the US has agreed to provide Bradley fighting vehicles to Ukraine.&nbsp;

“In late December, the United States announced its donation of a Patriot air defence missile battery to Ukraine. Germany will join the United States in supplying an additional Patriot air defence battery to Ukraine,” the statement read.

According to a report by Reuters, the US planned on sending about 50 Bradleys built by BAE Systems Plc to Ukraine. The German government, however, did not state when or how many Marder APCs will be delivered, but added that&nbsp;the country will also train the Ukraine forces to operate them.&nbsp;

Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="http://www.wionnews.com/world/russia-ukraine-war-is-the-western-press-asking-same-agenda-driven-motivated-questions-462899" hreflang="en">'Give Ukraine weapons': Is the western press asking same, agenda-driven, motivated questions?</a>

“The United States intends to supply Ukraine with Bradley infantry fighting vehicles, and Germany intends to provide Ukraine with Marder infantry fighting vehicles. Both countries plan to train Ukrainian forces on the respective systems,” the statement further said.

Scholz had been reluctant to give Ukraine heavy weapons out of concern that it may involve&nbsp;North Atlantic Treaty Organization&nbsp;(NATO)&nbsp;in the conflict. The deliveries represent a substantial change in his position.

The move comes after French President Emmanuel Macron agreed to supply AMX-10s "tank killers" to Ukraine. According to the French presidency, the Ukrainian military will receive one of these Western-made wheeled tank destroyers for the first time.

Watch | France pledges armoured vehicles to Ukraine

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Ukrainian authorities have repeatedly urged European and NATO powers to provide heavier weapons for their combat mission.

Several countries have time and again slammed Russia and risen in support of Ukraine, providing the country with the required financial and military aid in its fight against the Russian invasion that began on February 24, last year.&nbsp;

“President Biden and Chancellor Scholz expressed their common determination to continue to provide the necessary financial, humanitarian, military and diplomatic support to Ukraine for as long as needed,” the leaders said in the joint statement.

(With inputs from agencies)

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Germany and the US have decided to send armoured combat vehicles to Ukraine, the White House said on Thursday. The decision was made during a joint German-U.S. statement after German Chancellor Olaf Scholz spoke with US President Joe Biden.

Germany and the US have decided to send armoured combat vehicles to Ukraine, the White House said on Thursday. The decision was made during a joint German-U.S. statement after German Chancellor Olaf Scholz spoke with US President Joe Biden. This comes after Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky urgently sought an upgrade in armament to fight off Russia's invasion, Al Jazeera reported. While Germany is deploying Marder infantry fighting vehicles and will join the US in sending a Patriot missile battery to Kyiv, the US has agreed to provide Bradley fighting vehicles to Ukraine. “In late December, the United States announced its donation of a Patriot air defence missile battery to Ukraine. Germany will join the United States in supplying an additional Patriot air defence battery to Ukraine,” the statement read. According to a report by Reuters, the US planned on sending about 50 Bradleys built by BAE Systems Plc to Ukraine. The German government, however, did not state when or how many Marder APCs will be delivered, but added that the country will also train the Ukraine forces to operate them. Also Read | 'Give Ukraine weapons': Is the western press asking same, agenda-driven, motivated questions? “The United States intends to supply Ukraine with Bradley infantry fighting vehicles, and Germany intends to provide Ukraine with Marder infantry fighting vehicles. Both countries plan to train Ukrainian forces on the respective systems,” the statement further said. Scholz had been reluctant to give Ukraine heavy weapons out of concern that it may involve North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) in the conflict. The deliveries represent a substantial change in his position. The move comes after French President Emmanuel Macron agreed to supply AMX-10s "tank killers" to Ukraine. According to the French presidency, the Ukrainian military will receive one of these Western-made wheeled tank destroyers for the first time. Watch | France pledges armoured vehicles to Ukraine Ukrainian authorities have repeatedly urged European and NATO powers to provide heavier weapons for their combat mission. Several countries have time and again slammed Russia and risen in support of Ukraine, providing the country with the required financial and military aid in its fight against the Russian invasion that began on February 24, last year. “President Biden and Chancellor Scholz expressed their common determination to continue to provide the necessary financial, humanitarian, military and diplomatic support to Ukraine for as long as needed,” the leaders said in the joint statement. (With inputs from agencies)

Germany, US to supply armoured combat vehicles to Ukraine

Several hundred migrants marched through the streets of El Paso ahead of President Joe Biden's visit to US-Mexico border. Around 300 migrants have taken refuge on footpaths outside an El Paso church, amid new restrictions meant to crack down on illegal border crossings.

Hundreds march in El Paso ahead of Biden's visit to US-Mexico border town

Republican Congressman Kevin McCarthy has been elected as speaker of the House of Representatives. It took 15 rounds of voting for McCarthy to secure the House’s gavel.

Republican leader Kevin McCarthy elected as US House Speaker

After four contentious days, 15 rounds of voting, and the fifth longest contest in history, the United States House of Representatives has finally chosen California Republican, Kevin McCarthy as the next speaker of the Congress as it convenes for its 118th session.&nbsp;

The 15th round vote took place between late Friday and early Saturday (January 7) after what can only be described as days of drama and a series of events on Capitol Hill as McCarthy scrambled to secure enough votes for the gavel following painstaking negotiations. The Republican lawmaker from California won after the longest election bid for the 435-member chamber speaker in 164 years.&nbsp;

McCarthy’s journey to the gavel

The deadlock began on January 3 when the Congress convened for the new session and the voting for the next House speaker, typically the first order of business, commenced. Notably, even weeks prior to the first round of voting, McCarthy’s bid to take the top post in the chamber was uncertain at best.&nbsp;

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/kevin-mccarthy-loses-14th-round-of-voting-us-house-still-without-speaker-550188">Kevin McCarthy finally elected House speaker after 15 rounds of voting spread across four days</a>

After the midterm elections, last year, the Republicans took over the House with a narrow majority of 222-213 from the Democrats and the outgoing speaker Nancy Pelosi. Subsequently, in the same month after a closed-door meeting of the GOP conference, McCarthy emerged as the leader of the House for his party. However, the members are not obligated to vote for the party’s chosen candidate.&nbsp;

In fact, while the person typically is a member of the House, it is not required. It opens the speaker's candidacy to a range of lawmakers including Senators, former president Donald Trump and incumbent president Joe Biden, though none of them has won a majority yet. Once the chamber had the minimum number of members present to proceed or quorum, the Democrats nominated their leader Hakeem Jeffries for the speaker while the Republicans nominated Kevin McCarthy.&nbsp;

What followed can only be described as chaos, as McCarthy scrambled to garner the majority, which is typically at least 218 votes. However, he was unable to do so, making it the first time in a century that the House did not elect its speaker after one round of voting. This successfully halted major functions in Washington as not only does the lawmaker preside over the lower chamber of Congress they would also be next in line for the presidency.&nbsp;

ALSO WATCH |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/mccarthy-elected-house-speaker-after-15-votes-and-days-of-negotiations-550226">McCarthy elected House speaker after 15 votes and days of negotiations</a>

McCarthy’s bid for the speakership faced a range of hurdles but predominantly it was a small group of hardliners from his own party. While this situation is not necessarily unique it proved to be quite a roadblock for the California Republican since he was unable to secure a majority even after multiple rounds of voting.&nbsp;

What happened on late Friday and early Saturday?

Kevin McCarthy became the House speaker after 15 rounds of voting and tense negotiations for days with a small but critical group of lawmakers of the Republican party who demanded concessions that essentially resulted in diluting his power as the speaker. After the 14th round of voting the 57-year-old Californian lawmaker who seemed confident earlier faced humiliation after Representative Matt Gaetz withheld his vote.&nbsp;

In the 14th of voting, McCarthy managed to garner, 216 votes while the Democratic candidate for speaker Jeffries received 212. Meanwhile, Republican Andy Biggs received support from 2 representatives, as did Republican Jim Jordan. However, with six Republicans choosing another candidate and the other six withholding their vote McCarthy was one vote away from victory.&nbsp;

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-house-adjourned-as-republican-speaker-nominee-kevin-mccarthy-loses-sixth-ballot-549530">US House adjourned as Republican speaker nominee Kevin McCarthy loses sixth ballot</a>

After an hour-long recess lawmakers returned for a 15th round of voting marking the first time in over a century and a half in US history. Subsequently, the decision was up to Florida lawmaker, Gaetz, who had initially walked out of the chamber when his name was first called during the 14th round and voted “present” for the 15th round.&nbsp;

However, Gaetz withheld his vote in the previous round which prompted a scuffle where a clip shows several lawmakers approaching the Florida representative on the House floor after McCarthy spoke to him and the situation escalated to a point where a Republican Mike Rogers had to be physically pulled away from nearly lunging at Gaetz.&nbsp;

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Amid a series of discussions and negotiations on the floor between Republican lawmakers on the House floor, Representative Andy Biggs (Arizona), Representative Elijah Crane (Arizona) and Representative Bob Good (Virginia) changed their votes to “present” ultimately lowering the threshold which McCarthy needed to win with the same amount of votes received. &nbsp;

Who was opposing him?

Here are the 20 Republican lawmakers that opposed McCarthy’s bid for the gavel as of Thursday, prior to the negotiations with the California Republican and his allies, after which some voted “present” and some switched their votes mostly around the 11th and 12th ballot conducted on Friday.&nbsp;

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/explained-will-the-us-house-have-a-speaker-before-it-convenes-549146">Explained: Will the US House of Representatives have a speaker when it convenes?</a>

According to a report by CBS, the Republican lawmakers were, Andy Biggs (Arizona), Dan Bishop (North Carolina), Lauren Boebert (Colorado), Representative-elect Josh Brecheen (Oklahoma), Michael Cloud (Texas), Andrew Clyde (Georgia), Representative-elect Eli Crane (Arizona), Byron Donalds (Florida), Matt Gaetz (Florida), Bob Good (Virginia), Paul Gosar (Arizona), Andy Harris (Maryland), Representative-elect Anna Paulina Luna (Florida), Mary Miller (Illinois), Ralph Norman (South Carolina), Andy Ogles (Tennessee), Scott Perry (Pennsylvania), Matt Rosendale (Montana), Chip Roy (Texas), and Keith Self (Texas).&nbsp; 
 
What are some of the concessions made?

In a dramatic shift after several rounds of voting, McCarthy and his allies managed to flip at least a dozen votes before the 14th round of voting on Friday. According to a report by CNN, one of the most significant ones includes a provision that any member can call for a motion to vacate the speaker’s chair, which would make it easier to trigger what is essentially a no-confidence vote for the speaker.&nbsp;

Additionally, the report also spoke about provisions about pairing the efforts to raise the nation’s debt ceiling with spending cuts. This comes after Republicans have repeatedly shut down much of the government and pushed the world’s largest borrowers to the brink of default in efforts to extract steep spending cuts.&nbsp;

ALSO WATCH |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/us-house-logjam-day-4-of-voting-for-us-house-speaker-today-550101">US House Logjam: Day 4 of voting for US house speaker today</a>

However, they have not been able to do so as Democrats in the Senate and the White House have long opposed spending cuts. Another provision includes moving 12 appropriations bills individually rather than one “omnibus” year-end spending package which rolls everything into one bill which conservatives have railed against for a few years now as they believe it evades oversight, said a report by CNN.&nbsp;

McCarthy has also reportedly agreed to cap spending for the upcoming fiscal year at 2022’s levels which would amount to a significant cut in spending affecting defence and domestic programmes amid high inflation and population growth in the US. The incumbent speaker has agreed to restore the Holman rule, which could lead to salary cuts for government officials and also said that he would create an investigative committee to probe the “weaponization” of the federal government, said a report by CNN.&nbsp;

These concessions along with others effectively lower McCarthy’s power as the US House speaker which Senate Majority Leader and Democrat Chuck Schumer, warned would “will cause a government shutdown or a default with devastating consequences to our country.” In a statement after McCarthy’s win, Schummer said, “Speaker Kevin McCarthy’s dream job could turn into a nightmare for the American people…To get the votes, he surrendered to demands of a fringe element of the Republican party.”

What happened in the House after McCarthy won?

After the results were announced the Republican conference was seen clapping and hugging McCarthy as he passed them on the House floor who subsequently expressed relief and said, “I’m glad it’s over”. The Republican lawmaker received the gavel at 1:00 am (local time) and said, “I never thought we'd get up here.” The Republican lawmaker was then sworn into office along with other members of Congress marking the end of the weeks of deadlock.&nbsp;

ALSO WATCH |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/us-house-adjourns-without-electing-speaker-mccarthy-loses-3rd-us-house-speaker-vote-549229">US House adjourns without electing speaker; McCarthy loses 3rd US House speaker vote</a>

In his speech, he also spoke about holding the government accountable, “It's time for us to be a check and provide some balance to the president’s policies”, referring to the incumbent President Joe Biden and his administration. He added, “We commit to stop wasteful Washington spending, to lower the price of groceries, gas, cars, housing, and stop the rising national debt.”&nbsp;

“We'll also address America's long-term challenges, the debt and the rise of the Chinese communist party,” said McCarthy and went on to speak about China and how the new House of Representatives wants the US to win against Beijing in the economic competition.&nbsp;

&nbsp;“As for the Chinese communist party, we will create a bipartisan select committee on China to investigate how to bring back the hundreds of thousands of jobs that went to China, and then we will win this economic competition,” said the new House speaker. In his first speech after becoming the speaker, addressing his colleagues he said, “Now the hard work begins.”&nbsp;

Meanwhile, Leader of House Minority and Democrat Hakeem Jeffries made history by becoming the first black lawmaker to lead a party in Congress. The Democrat from New York will take over as former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi is stepping down. He was selected by the Democratic caucus after the midterm elections in November. Notably, the 52-year-old is also the first leader of the House Democrats to be born after the end of World War II.&nbsp;

ALSO READ | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/trending/who-is-hakeem-jeffries-the-first-black-lawmaker-nominee-for-house-speaker-know-everything-about-him-549423">Who is Hakeem Jeffries? The first black lawmaker nominee for house speaker, know everything about him</a> 
 
Addressing Jeffries, McCarthy said, “our debates will be passionate and they will never be personal.” On the other hand, the minority leader also delivered a speech about the Biden administration and Democratic Party’s accomplishments including the American Rescue Plan and the Inflation Reduction Act.&nbsp;

He also went on to acknowledge his predecessor and said, “Without question in my mind, Speaker Emerita Pelosi will go down in history as the greatest speaker of all time…Throughout her time in Congress, she's been a legendary legislator, a fabulous facilitator and a no-nonsense negotiator.” The House is now adjourned until 5:00 pm (local time) Monday.&nbsp; 
 
Biden and Trump congratulate the new House speaker&nbsp;

In a statement after the vote, the US president congratulated the new speaker and said, “Jill and I congratulate Kevin McCarthy on his election as Speaker of the House. As I said after the midterms, I am prepared to work with Republicans when I can and voters made clear that they expect Republicans to be prepared to work with me as well.”

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-announces-3-billion-in-aid-package-for-ukraine-including-bradley-armoured-vehicles-550147">US announces $3 billion in aid package for Ukraine, including Bradley armoured vehicles</a> 
 
Meanwhile, former US President Donald Trump also took to his social media platform Truth social and said, “ The 'Speaker' selection process, as crazy as it may seem, has made it all much bigger and more important than if done the more conventional way.” He added, “Congratulations to Kevin McCarthy and our GREAT Republican Party!” reported CNN.&nbsp;

 
(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp; 
&nbsp;

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After four contentious days, 15 rounds of voting, and the fifth longest contest in history, the United States House of Representatives has finally chosen California Republican, Kevin McCarthy as the next speaker of the Congress as it convenes for its 118th session.

After four contentious days, 15 rounds of voting, and the fifth longest contest in history, the United States House of Representatives has finally chosen California Republican, Kevin McCarthy as the next speaker of the Congress as it convenes for its 118th session. The 15th round vote took place between late Friday and early Saturday (January 7) after what can only be described as days of drama and a series of events on Capitol Hill as McCarthy scrambled to secure enough votes for the gavel following painstaking negotiations. The Republican lawmaker from California won after the longest election bid for the 435-member chamber speaker in 164 years. McCarthy’s journey to the gavel The deadlock began on January 3 when the Congress convened for the new session and the voting for the next House speaker, typically the first order of business, commenced. Notably, even weeks prior to the first round of voting, McCarthy’s bid to take the top post in the chamber was uncertain at best. ALSO READ | Kevin McCarthy finally elected House speaker after 15 rounds of voting spread across four days After the midterm elections, last year, the Republicans took over the House with a narrow majority of 222-213 from the Democrats and the outgoing speaker Nancy Pelosi. Subsequently, in the same month after a closed-door meeting of the GOP conference, McCarthy emerged as the leader of the House for his party. However, the members are not obligated to vote for the party’s chosen candidate. In fact, while the person typically is a member of the House, it is not required. It opens the speaker's candidacy to a range of lawmakers including Senators, former president Donald Trump and incumbent president Joe Biden, though none of them has won a majority yet. Once the chamber had the minimum number of members present to proceed or quorum, the Democrats nominated their leader Hakeem Jeffries for the speaker while the Republicans nominated Kevin McCarthy. What followed can only be described as chaos, as McCarthy scrambled to garner the majority, which is typically at least 218 votes. However, he was unable to do so, making it the first time in a century that the House did not elect its speaker after one round of voting. This successfully halted major functions in Washington as not only does the lawmaker preside over the lower chamber of Congress they would also be next in line for the presidency. ALSO WATCH | McCarthy elected House speaker after 15 votes and days of negotiations McCarthy’s bid for the speakership faced a range of hurdles but predominantly it was a small group of hardliners from his own party. While this situation is not necessarily unique it proved to be quite a roadblock for the California Republican since he was unable to secure a majority even after multiple rounds of voting. What happened on late Friday and early Saturday? Kevin McCarthy became the House speaker after 15 rounds of voting and tense negotiations for days with a small but critical group of lawmakers of the Republican party who demanded concessions that essentially resulted in diluting his power as the speaker. After the 14th round of voting the 57-year-old Californian lawmaker who seemed confident earlier faced humiliation after Representative Matt Gaetz withheld his vote. In the 14th of voting, McCarthy managed to garner, 216 votes while the Democratic candidate for speaker Jeffries received 212. Meanwhile, Republican Andy Biggs received support from 2 representatives, as did Republican Jim Jordan. However, with six Republicans choosing another candidate and the other six withholding their vote McCarthy was one vote away from victory. ALSO READ | US House adjourned as Republican speaker nominee Kevin McCarthy loses sixth ballot After an hour-long recess lawmakers returned for a 15th round of voting marking the first time in over a century and a half in US history. Subsequently, the decision was up to Florida lawmaker, Gaetz, who had initially walked out of the chamber when his name was first called during the 14th round and voted “present” for the 15th round. However, Gaetz withheld his vote in the previous round which prompted a scuffle where a clip shows several lawmakers approaching the Florida representative on the House floor after McCarthy spoke to him and the situation escalated to a point where a Republican Mike Rogers had to be physically pulled away from nearly lunging at Gaetz. Kevin McCarthy confronts Matt Gaetz during 14th House Speaker vote. #118thCongress pic.twitter.com/nMa9bm0KSN — CSPAN (@cspan) January 7, 2023 × Amid a series of discussions and negotiations on the floor between Republican lawmakers on the House floor, Representative Andy Biggs (Arizona), Representative Elijah Crane (Arizona) and Representative Bob Good (Virginia) changed their votes to “present” ultimately lowering the threshold which McCarthy needed to win with the same amount of votes received. Who was opposing him? Here are the 20 Republican lawmakers that opposed McCarthy’s bid for the gavel as of Thursday, prior to the negotiations with the California Republican and his allies, after which some voted “present” and some switched their votes mostly around the 11th and 12th ballot conducted on Friday. ALSO READ | Explained: Will the US House of Representatives have a speaker when it convenes? According to a report by CBS, the Republican lawmakers were, Andy Biggs (Arizona), Dan Bishop (North Carolina), Lauren Boebert (Colorado), Representative-elect Josh Brecheen (Oklahoma), Michael Cloud (Texas), Andrew Clyde (Georgia), Representative-elect Eli Crane (Arizona), Byron Donalds (Florida), Matt Gaetz (Florida), Bob Good (Virginia), Paul Gosar (Arizona), Andy Harris (Maryland), Representative-elect Anna Paulina Luna (Florida), Mary Miller (Illinois), Ralph Norman (South Carolina), Andy Ogles (Tennessee), Scott Perry (Pennsylvania), Matt Rosendale (Montana), Chip Roy (Texas), and Keith Self (Texas). What are some of the concessions made? In a dramatic shift after several rounds of voting, McCarthy and his allies managed to flip at least a dozen votes before the 14th round of voting on Friday. According to a report by CNN, one of the most significant ones includes a provision that any member can call for a motion to vacate the speaker’s chair, which would make it easier to trigger what is essentially a no-confidence vote for the speaker. Additionally, the report also spoke about provisions about pairing the efforts to raise the nation’s debt ceiling with spending cuts. This comes after Republicans have repeatedly shut down much of the government and pushed the world’s largest borrowers to the brink of default in efforts to extract steep spending cuts. ALSO WATCH | US House Logjam: Day 4 of voting for US house speaker today However, they have not been able to do so as Democrats in the Senate and the White House have long opposed spending cuts. Another provision includes moving 12 appropriations bills individually rather than one “omnibus” year-end spending package which rolls everything into one bill which conservatives have railed against for a few years now as they believe it evades oversight, said a report by CNN. McCarthy has also reportedly agreed to cap spending for the upcoming fiscal year at 2022’s levels which would amount to a significant cut in spending affecting defence and domestic programmes amid high inflation and population growth in the US. The incumbent speaker has agreed to restore the Holman rule, which could lead to salary cuts for government officials and also said that he would create an investigative committee to probe the “weaponization” of the federal government, said a report by CNN. These concessions along with others effectively lower McCarthy’s power as the US House speaker which Senate Majority Leader and Democrat Chuck Schumer, warned would “will cause a government shutdown or a default with devastating consequences to our country.” In a statement after McCarthy’s win, Schummer said, “Speaker Kevin McCarthy’s dream job could turn into a nightmare for the American people…To get the votes, he surrendered to demands of a fringe element of the Republican party.” What happened in the House after McCarthy won? After the results were announced the Republican conference was seen clapping and hugging McCarthy as he passed them on the House floor who subsequently expressed relief and said, “I’m glad it’s over”. The Republican lawmaker received the gavel at 1:00 am (local time) and said, “I never thought we'd get up here.” The Republican lawmaker was then sworn into office along with other members of Congress marking the end of the weeks of deadlock. ALSO WATCH | US House adjourns without electing speaker; McCarthy loses 3rd US House speaker vote In his speech, he also spoke about holding the government accountable, “It's time for us to be a check and provide some balance to the president’s policies”, referring to the incumbent President Joe Biden and his administration. He added, “We commit to stop wasteful Washington spending, to lower the price of groceries, gas, cars, housing, and stop the rising national debt.” “We'll also address America's long-term challenges, the debt and the rise of the Chinese communist party,” said McCarthy and went on to speak about China and how the new House of Representatives wants the US to win against Beijing in the economic competition. “As for the Chinese communist party, we will create a bipartisan select committee on China to investigate how to bring back the hundreds of thousands of jobs that went to China, and then we will win this economic competition,” said the new House speaker. In his first speech after becoming the speaker, addressing his colleagues he said, “Now the hard work begins.” Meanwhile, Leader of House Minority and Democrat Hakeem Jeffries made history by becoming the first black lawmaker to lead a party in Congress. The Democrat from New York will take over as former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi is stepping down. He was selected by the Democratic caucus after the midterm elections in November. Notably, the 52-year-old is also the first leader of the House Democrats to be born after the end of World War II. ALSO READ | Who is Hakeem Jeffries? The first black lawmaker nominee for house speaker, know everything about him Addressing Jeffries, McCarthy said, “our debates will be passionate and they will never be personal.” On the other hand, the minority leader also delivered a speech about the Biden administration and Democratic Party’s accomplishments including the American Rescue Plan and the Inflation Reduction Act. He also went on to acknowledge his predecessor and said, “Without question in my mind, Speaker Emerita Pelosi will go down in history as the greatest speaker of all time…Throughout her time in Congress, she's been a legendary legislator, a fabulous facilitator and a no-nonsense negotiator.” The House is now adjourned until 5:00 pm (local time) Monday. Biden and Trump congratulate the new House speaker In a statement after the vote, the US president congratulated the new speaker and said, “Jill and I congratulate Kevin McCarthy on his election as Speaker of the House. As I said after the midterms, I am prepared to work with Republicans when I can and voters made clear that they expect Republicans to be prepared to work with me as well.” ALSO READ | US announces $3 billion in aid package for Ukraine, including Bradley armoured vehicles Meanwhile, former US President Donald Trump also took to his social media platform Truth social and said, “ The 'Speaker' selection process, as crazy as it may seem, has made it all much bigger and more important than if done the more conventional way.” He added, “Congratulations to Kevin McCarthy and our GREAT Republican Party!” reported CNN. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Kevin McCarthy becomes US House speaker after historic 15 rounds of voting: Here's what happened

Republican Congressman Kevin McCarthy has been elected as speaker of the House of Representatives. WION tells you about the challenges and road ahead for him.

New US House Speaker Kevin McCarthy: Challenges & the road ahead

The state Supreme Court of Idaho ruled on Thursday that the Constitution of Idaho did not implicitly lay down abortion as a basic right, rejecting a number of lawsuits filed by Planned Parenthood,&nbsp;a nonprofit organization that provides reproductive health care in the United States and globally. The decision was a setback for those opposing Idaho legislation that went into effect in August, including one that banned abortions beyond six weeks of pregnancy unless necessary to save the life of the mother or the unborn child, or if rape or incest had occurred.

“This is a dark day for the state of Idaho. But our fight is far from over,” Rebecca Gibron, CEO of Planned Parenthood Great Northwest, Hawaii, Indiana, Kentucky, said in a statement.

In an effort to stop new abortion restrictions, Planned Parenthood and a family doctor filed three lawsuits against the governor and legislative leaders. One of the statutes enables future relatives of an unborn child to bring a lawsuit against a medical expert who performs an abortion. Another made it unlawful for medical professionals to conduct an abortion upon the detection of electrical activity. The&nbsp;third essentially outlawed all abortions while allowing medical professionals to defend themselves in court by demonstrating that the procedure was performed to save the patient's life.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-proposes-up-to-332-per-cent-hike-for-h1-b-other-visa-fees-549726">US proposes up to 332 per cent hike for H1-B, other visa fees</a>

The high court justices observed that Planned Parenthood contended the regulations violate constitutional principles including equal protection and due process.

Pressure on abortion clinics in neighbouring Oregon, where abortion rights are protected, has intensified as a result of the Idaho laws.

The South Carolina Supreme Court on Thursday overturned a law that prohibits abortion once heart activity is found, finding that the restriction violates a right to privacy guaranteed by the state constitution.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/who-is-kevin-hern-an-anti-mccarthy-and-republicans-alternative-for-us-house-speakership-549925">Who is Kevin Hern, an anti-McCarthy and Republicans' alternative for US House speakership?</a>

The South Carolina court said that the state has the ability to restrict a woman's right to privacy, which shields her from government meddling in her decisions, but such restriction must give her enough time to discover she is pregnant and "take reasonable efforts to terminate the pregnancy."

The Roe v. Wade ruling, which upheld an abortion right under the US Constitution, was overruled by the US Supreme Court last year, leading to the creation of the Idaho statutes.

(With inputs from agencies)

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The state Supreme Court of Idaho ruled on Thursday that the Constitution of Idaho did not implicitly lay down abortion as a basic right, rejecting a number of lawsuits filed by Planned Parenthood, a nonprofit organization that provides reproductive health care in the United States and globally.

The state Supreme Court of Idaho ruled on Thursday that the Constitution of Idaho did not implicitly lay down abortion as a basic right, rejecting a number of lawsuits filed by Planned Parenthood, a nonprofit organization that provides reproductive health care in the United States and globally. The decision was a setback for those opposing Idaho legislation that went into effect in August, including one that banned abortions beyond six weeks of pregnancy unless necessary to save the life of the mother or the unborn child, or if rape or incest had occurred. “This is a dark day for the state of Idaho. But our fight is far from over,” Rebecca Gibron, CEO of Planned Parenthood Great Northwest, Hawaii, Indiana, Kentucky, said in a statement. In an effort to stop new abortion restrictions, Planned Parenthood and a family doctor filed three lawsuits against the governor and legislative leaders. One of the statutes enables future relatives of an unborn child to bring a lawsuit against a medical expert who performs an abortion. Another made it unlawful for medical professionals to conduct an abortion upon the detection of electrical activity. The third essentially outlawed all abortions while allowing medical professionals to defend themselves in court by demonstrating that the procedure was performed to save the patient's life. Also read | US proposes up to 332 per cent hike for H1-B, other visa fees The high court justices observed that Planned Parenthood contended the regulations violate constitutional principles including equal protection and due process. Pressure on abortion clinics in neighbouring Oregon, where abortion rights are protected, has intensified as a result of the Idaho laws. The South Carolina Supreme Court on Thursday overturned a law that prohibits abortion once heart activity is found, finding that the restriction violates a right to privacy guaranteed by the state constitution. Also read | Who is Kevin Hern, an anti-McCarthy and Republicans' alternative for US House speakership? The South Carolina court said that the state has the ability to restrict a woman's right to privacy, which shields her from government meddling in her decisions, but such restriction must give her enough time to discover she is pregnant and "take reasonable efforts to terminate the pregnancy." The Roe v. Wade ruling, which upheld an abortion right under the US Constitution, was overruled by the US Supreme Court last year, leading to the creation of the Idaho statutes. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

US: Idaho Supreme Court upholds near-total abortion ban after Planned Parenthood lawsuit

The US House of Representatives elected GOP leader Kevin McCarthy of California as speaker in a dramatic 15th vote. Watch this video to know more.

US House Speaker stalemate ends, heated exchange between Kevin McCarthy and Matt Gaetz

House Speaker stalemate ends, heated exchange between Kevin McCarthy and Matt Gaetz

WION Fineprint: Republican leader Kevin McCarthy elected as US House Speaker

Since last week, several cities across the United States’ California have been witnessing heavy rains and flash floods which have led to power outages and at least two fatalities, so far. Additionally, on Friday, after two days of heavy rains and strong winds, thousands of homes across the state were left without power.&nbsp;

These heavy rains and high winds have been attributed to an overlapping weather phenomenon called “atmospheric river” and “bomb cyclone” which have also caused flash floods, landslides, and uprooting affecting road travel. Notably, this comes after the region battled a megadrought in early December prompting strict water restrictions.&nbsp;

What are ‘atmospheric rivers’?&nbsp;

As the name suggests atmospheric rivers are storms which dump massive amounts of rain in one region causing flash floods and landslides. The US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) describe them as “rivers in the sky” as they are relatively long, narrow regions in the atmosphere that transport water vapour outside of the tropics.&nbsp;

Notably, the amount of water vapour is at least 15 times the average flow of water at the mouth of the Mississippi River and when they make landfall, this water vapour can be released in the form of rain or snow. Additionally, atmospheric rivers can be at least 350 miles (563 km) wide and up to 1,600 miles (2575 km) long.&nbsp;

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/california-thousands-without-power-as-stormy-weather-lashes-region-550183">California: Thousands without power as stormy weather lashes region</a>

According to forecasters, this particular incident is a result of the low-pressure system churning over the eastern Pacific. The NOAA also noted that not all atmospheric rivers cause damage, in fact, they often provide much-needed rain and snow to a region which is often crucial to the water supply and is a key feature in the global water cycle. However, they are closely tied to both flooding and water supply, particularly in Western US.

Another&nbsp;term to describe the phenomenon, particularly in the US West Coast context is called "pineapple express", which brings&nbsp;a strong atmospheric river to the region from the tropics near Hawaii, which is what California is experiencing at the moment. As the atmospheric rivers which typically originate from the Pacific Ocean, in this case, are beginning from Hawaii which is also the US'&nbsp;leading producer of pineapples, hence the name.&nbsp;

What are ‘bomb cyclones’?

Meanwhile, a bomb cyclone is a quickly intensifying storm marked by a drop in pressure of 24 millibars in 24 hours. They are also often associated with atmospheric rivers and typically form in winter when cold and warm air masses collide. Due to the nature of the storm, meteorologists used terms like “explosive cyclogenesis” or “bombogenesis” since the drop in pressure is seen as akin to dropping a bomb.&nbsp;

ALSO WATCH |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/bomb-cyclone-slams-california-with-high-winds-flooding-549833">Bomb cyclone slams California with high winds, flooding</a>

What is happening in California?

As mentioned earlier, the state had been battling a megadrought, however, amid the cycles of wet and dry both intensified by <a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/wion-climate-tracker-climate-change-will-make-bomb-cyclones-more-frequent-547415">climate change</a> captured a mega storm in order to ease the destructive droughts. The state is essentially forced to battle extremes with high temperatures, heat and wildfires followed by drought and now flash floods. According to a report by Reuters, scientists say warmer air and temperatures which have been attributed to climate change have led to more absorption and dumping of rain over regions, in this case, California.&nbsp;

What has happened till now?

Several cities across California including San Francisco Bay and Sacramento over the New Year’s weekend witnessed massive power outages following heavy rains and high winds. At the time, the National Weather Service (NWS) had also predicted up to three feet of fresh snow in Sierras and widespread rainfall. However, with little to no respite during the week, since Wednesday, at least two people had been killed including a toddler after a tree crushed his mobile home in the northern region of the state.&nbsp;

ALSO WATCH |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/wion-climate-tracker-state-of-emergency-declared-in-california-as-storm-turns-into-bomb-cyclone-549786">WION Climate Tracker: State of emergency declared in California as storm turns into bomb cyclone</a>

As of Friday morning, at least 60,000 homes and businesses were left without electricity across several counties in northern California, said a report by Reuters citing the data from Poweroutages.us. Meanwhile, the utility crew in the area scrambled to restore power. The continuous storms led San Francisco to witness at least 26 cm of rain starting from the day after Christmas to January 4 which was the wettest 10-day stretch since 1871, said the NWS.&nbsp;

Will the situation get better?

It might not get better anytime soon. The weather agency said the next wave of the storm will hit the northwestern corner of California late on Friday and move towards the San Francisco Bay Area and central coast over the weekend. Additionally, the NWS has also predicted a “likely stronger” atmospheric river storm for Monday (January 9) while the current weather pattern might continue till at least mid-January.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

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Since last week, several cities across the United States’ California have been witnessing heavy rains and flash floods which have led to power outages and at least two fatalities, so far.

Since last week, several cities across the United States’ California have been witnessing heavy rains and flash floods which have led to power outages and at least two fatalities, so far. Additionally, on Friday, after two days of heavy rains and strong winds, thousands of homes across the state were left without power. These heavy rains and high winds have been attributed to an overlapping weather phenomenon called “atmospheric river” and “bomb cyclone” which have also caused flash floods, landslides, and uprooting affecting road travel. Notably, this comes after the region battled a megadrought in early December prompting strict water restrictions. What are ‘atmospheric rivers’? As the name suggests atmospheric rivers are storms which dump massive amounts of rain in one region causing flash floods and landslides. The US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) describe them as “rivers in the sky” as they are relatively long, narrow regions in the atmosphere that transport water vapour outside of the tropics. Notably, the amount of water vapour is at least 15 times the average flow of water at the mouth of the Mississippi River and when they make landfall, this water vapour can be released in the form of rain or snow. Additionally, atmospheric rivers can be at least 350 miles (563 km) wide and up to 1,600 miles (2575 km) long. ALSO READ | California: Thousands without power as stormy weather lashes region According to forecasters, this particular incident is a result of the low-pressure system churning over the eastern Pacific. The NOAA also noted that not all atmospheric rivers cause damage, in fact, they often provide much-needed rain and snow to a region which is often crucial to the water supply and is a key feature in the global water cycle. However, they are closely tied to both flooding and water supply, particularly in Western US. Another term to describe the phenomenon, particularly in the US West Coast context is called "pineapple express", which brings a strong atmospheric river to the region from the tropics near Hawaii, which is what California is experiencing at the moment. As the atmospheric rivers which typically originate from the Pacific Ocean, in this case, are beginning from Hawaii which is also the US' leading producer of pineapples, hence the name. What are ‘bomb cyclones’? Meanwhile, a bomb cyclone is a quickly intensifying storm marked by a drop in pressure of 24 millibars in 24 hours. They are also often associated with atmospheric rivers and typically form in winter when cold and warm air masses collide. Due to the nature of the storm, meteorologists used terms like “explosive cyclogenesis” or “bombogenesis” since the drop in pressure is seen as akin to dropping a bomb. ALSO WATCH | Bomb cyclone slams California with high winds, flooding What is happening in California? As mentioned earlier, the state had been battling a megadrought, however, amid the cycles of wet and dry both intensified by climate change captured a mega storm in order to ease the destructive droughts. The state is essentially forced to battle extremes with high temperatures, heat and wildfires followed by drought and now flash floods. According to a report by Reuters, scientists say warmer air and temperatures which have been attributed to climate change have led to more absorption and dumping of rain over regions, in this case, California. What has happened till now? Several cities across California including San Francisco Bay and Sacramento over the New Year’s weekend witnessed massive power outages following heavy rains and high winds. At the time, the National Weather Service (NWS) had also predicted up to three feet of fresh snow in Sierras and widespread rainfall. However, with little to no respite during the week, since Wednesday, at least two people had been killed including a toddler after a tree crushed his mobile home in the northern region of the state. ALSO WATCH | WION Climate Tracker: State of emergency declared in California as storm turns into bomb cyclone As of Friday morning, at least 60,000 homes and businesses were left without electricity across several counties in northern California, said a report by Reuters citing the data from Poweroutages.us. Meanwhile, the utility crew in the area scrambled to restore power. The continuous storms led San Francisco to witness at least 26 cm of rain starting from the day after Christmas to January 4 which was the wettest 10-day stretch since 1871, said the NWS. Will the situation get better? It might not get better anytime soon. The weather agency said the next wave of the storm will hit the northwestern corner of California late on Friday and move towards the San Francisco Bay Area and central coast over the weekend. Additionally, the NWS has also predicted a “likely stronger” atmospheric river storm for Monday (January 9) while the current weather pattern might continue till at least mid-January. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Explained: What are ‘atmospheric rivers’, wreaking havoc with heavy rains, floods in the US?

If only you had a dime for every time US picked Pakistan as a friend and then dropped it again. US and Pakistan have had a rather bouncy past, one riddled with blame-games as well as mutual agreements. But when US agrees or blesses Pakistan with aid, its always for a larger cause. Now, US is sympathizing with Pakistan yet again but why? Watch Game Plan with Shivan Chanana.

How US treats Pakistan as a ping-pong ball

U.S. lawmakers will try for a fourth day Friday to elect a speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives as a group of 20 conservatives continued to block Republican Leader Kevin McCarthy’s bid for the post. VOA Congressional Correspondent Katherine Gypson has reaction from Capitol Hill.

WION-VOA Co-Production: Conservatives Deny McCarthy Speakership for Third Day

In the United States, uncertainty is not just limited to the US House of Congress, Chinese owned TikTok also faces an uncertain year ahead as Republicans in the Congress demand tied to scrutiny for the highly popular video sharing app.

US: Country bans TikTok app on all federal government-owned devices

The newly-elected US House of representatives has again failed to elect their speaker after 11 rounds of voting in the last three days. GOP members are now warning that the impasse could have been implications on national security related issues.

US House Logjam: Day 4 of voting for US house speaker today

US House Speaker stalemate drags on, Kevin McCarthy loses 11th speaker vote

US President Joe Biden has attempted a balancing act on a sensitive issue - migration - and the US President has warned undocumented migrants to stay away from the US border. But, he has opened doors for limited legal migrants from Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua and Venezuela.

US President Biden's balancing act on migration, to allow 30,000 migrants to enter by air per month

A rejuvenating 'horror-movie-style' mask, an overpriced gaming console, audio sunglasses, never heard of these? It's because they all flopped. But these failures are now being celebrated at the "Gallery of Flops" at the annual CES consumer electronics extravaganza in Las Vegas.

The 'Gallery of Flops' celebrates failures in tech at CES 2023

A single Iranian drone shot down in Ukraine has been found to be containing parts manufactured by more than dozen American companies, reported CNN citing an assessment made by Ukranian intelligence. The report said that out of 52 components obtained from the Iranian drone, 40 were found to be manufactured by American companies. The rest 12 were manufactured by companies in other western companies and China.

Russia invaded Ukraine in February last year. After sustained gains in first few months, Russian forces has to retreat in the face of Ukrainian counteroffensive. This resulted in Ukraine recapturing thousands of square kilometres of lost land. Russia then resorted to missile and drone attacks.

Iran-made drones have been used by Russia by hundreds in the ongoing conflict. Iran has admitted to providing drones to Russia but has claimed that these drones were provided before the start of Ukraine conflict. International critics are a bit sceptical of this assertion.

Also Read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/ukraine-reports-fresh-strikes-as-putins-unilateral-ceasefire-starts-550022">Ukraine reports fresh strikes as Putin's unilateral ceasefire starts</a>

US has been imposing sanctions on Iran for years to prevent it from acquiring high-end material and equipment. But now US is planning to ensure better enforceability of these sanctions by asking companies to better monitor where their products end up and if any third party is selling those to bad actors.&nbsp;

You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us <a href="https://www.wionews.com/content-contribution-registration-form">here</a>.

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A single Iranian drone shot down in Ukraine has been found to be containing parts manufactured by more than dozen American companies, reported CNN citing an assessment made by Ukranian intelligence.

A single Iranian drone shot down in Ukraine has been found to be containing parts manufactured by more than dozen American companies, reported CNN citing an assessment made by Ukranian intelligence. The report said that out of 52 components obtained from the Iranian drone, 40 were found to be manufactured by American companies. The rest 12 were manufactured by companies in other western companies and China. Russia invaded Ukraine in February last year. After sustained gains in first few months, Russian forces has to retreat in the face of Ukrainian counteroffensive. This resulted in Ukraine recapturing thousands of square kilometres of lost land. Russia then resorted to missile and drone attacks. Iran-made drones have been used by Russia by hundreds in the ongoing conflict. Iran has admitted to providing drones to Russia but has claimed that these drones were provided before the start of Ukraine conflict. International critics are a bit sceptical of this assertion. Also Read | Ukraine reports fresh strikes as Putin's unilateral ceasefire starts US has been imposing sanctions on Iran for years to prevent it from acquiring high-end material and equipment. But now US is planning to ensure better enforceability of these sanctions by asking companies to better monitor where their products end up and if any third party is selling those to bad actors. You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here. WATCH WION LIVE HERE ×

Iranian drone found to contain part made by US companies: Report

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Which computer glitch led to US flights cancellations? NOTAM failure explained & Airlines' updates so far

WION Dispatch: All domestic flights grounded across US due to a major glitch

Rebekah Brooks to head Rupert Murdoch's News Corp as CEO? Know everything about phone hacking scandal

WION Climate Tracker | US: 30-foot Humpback whale washes up at a New Jersey shore

WION Fineprint | Brusque exchange during U.S-Mexico summit

US: Over 7000 nurses go on strike in NYC, healthcare staff cite understaffing and pay issues

US: A giant sinkhole swallows two vehicles in Los Angeles

Who is Katie Porter, the Democrat who announced run for US Senate from California?

US: A giant sinkhole swallows two vehicles

Meta hires former Tata Cliq CEO Vikas Purohit as Director of Global Business Group in India

US Feds probe Tesla Autopilot crashes, Musk tweet about disabling monitoring alerts

Ana Walshe Disappearance Case: This google search from husband, Brian Walshe, reveals disturbing details

EXPLAINED: The strange disappearance of Ana Walshe, the woman who went missing from Cohasset, US

EXPLAINED: The strange disappearance of Ana Walshe, the woman who went missing from Cohasset, US

Germany, US to supply armoured combat vehicles to Ukraine

Hundreds march in El Paso ahead of Biden's visit to US-Mexico border town

Republican leader Kevin McCarthy elected as US House Speaker

Kevin McCarthy becomes US House speaker after historic 15 rounds of voting: Here's what happened

New US House Speaker Kevin McCarthy: Challenges & the road ahead

US: Idaho Supreme Court upholds near-total abortion ban after Planned Parenthood lawsuit

US House Speaker stalemate ends, heated exchange between Kevin McCarthy and Matt Gaetz

House Speaker stalemate ends, heated exchange between Kevin McCarthy and Matt Gaetz

WION Fineprint: Republican leader Kevin McCarthy elected as US House Speaker

Explained: What are ‘atmospheric rivers’, wreaking havoc with heavy rains, floods in the US?