A former owner of a Colorado funeral facility was given a 20-year federal prison sentence for cheating the relatives&nbsp;of the deceased by dissecting 560 bodies and selling body parts without their consent. In July 2022, 46-year-old Megan Hess admitted guilt to fraud. She ran Donor Services, a company that deals with body parts, and Sunset Mesa, a funeral home in Montrose, Colorado.&nbsp;

The 20-year term given to the accused was the maximum allowed under law. Her 69-year-old mother, Shirley Koch, also pleaded guilty to fraud and was sentenced to 15 years in jail.&nbsp;Koch's central role was chopping up the bodies, as per court records.&nbsp;

"Hess and Koch used their funeral home at times to essentially steal bodies and body parts using fraudulent and forged donor forms," prosecutor Tim Neff said in a court filing.

Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-california-police-more-likely-to-use-force-against-black-people-claims-report-549398">US: California police more likely to use force against Black people, claims report</a>

"Hess and Koch's conducUS: California police more likely to use force against Black people, claims reportt caused immense emotional pain for the families and next of kin."

The federal case got impetus by a 2016-2018 Reuters investigative series about the sale of body parts in the United States, a dark, growing&nbsp;industry. Former workers told Reuters that Hess and Koch conducted unauthorised dismemberments of dead bodies, and a few weeks after a 2018 story was published, the FBI raided the operations.&nbsp;

Also watch |&nbsp;US&nbsp;backs Pakistan amid frayed ties with Taliban

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Prosecutors stressed the "macabre nature" of Hess' scheme and called&nbsp;it one of the most significant body parts cases in recent US&nbsp;history.

Hess' lawyer said she has been unfairly stigmatised as a "witch," a "monster" and a "ghoul," when instead she is a "broken human being" whose actions can be attributed to a traumatic brain injury at the age of 18. In court on Tuesday, Hess declined to speak to the judge.

(With inputs from agencies)

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A former owner of a Colorado funeral facility was given a 20-year federal prison sentence for cheating the relatives of the deceased by dissecting 560 bodies and selling body parts without their consent.

A former owner of a Colorado funeral facility was given a 20-year federal prison sentence for cheating the relatives of the deceased by dissecting 560 bodies and selling body parts without their consent. In July 2022, 46-year-old Megan Hess admitted guilt to fraud. She ran Donor Services, a company that deals with body parts, and Sunset Mesa, a funeral home in Montrose, Colorado. The 20-year term given to the accused was the maximum allowed under law. Her 69-year-old mother, Shirley Koch, also pleaded guilty to fraud and was sentenced to 15 years in jail. Koch's central role was chopping up the bodies, as per court records. "Hess and Koch used their funeral home at times to essentially steal bodies and body parts using fraudulent and forged donor forms," prosecutor Tim Neff said in a court filing. Also read | US: California police more likely to use force against Black people, claims report "Hess and Koch's conducUS: California police more likely to use force against Black people, claims reportt caused immense emotional pain for the families and next of kin." The federal case got impetus by a 2016-2018 Reuters investigative series about the sale of body parts in the United States, a dark, growing industry. Former workers told Reuters that Hess and Koch conducted unauthorised dismemberments of dead bodies, and a few weeks after a 2018 story was published, the FBI raided the operations. Also watch | US backs Pakistan amid frayed ties with Taliban Prosecutors stressed the "macabre nature" of Hess' scheme and called it one of the most significant body parts cases in recent US history. Hess' lawyer said she has been unfairly stigmatised as a "witch," a "monster" and a "ghoul," when instead she is a "broken human being" whose actions can be attributed to a traumatic brain injury at the age of 18. In court on Tuesday, Hess declined to speak to the judge. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

US: Former Colorado funeral home owner sentenced to 20 years’ jail for selling human body parts

Week after week, scientists have been witnessing an onslaught by Covid's Omicron variants in the United States, with BQs — BQ.1 and BQ.1.1 appearing to be edging out all the others to seize a modest lead, as reported by the CNN.&nbsp;The upshot has been a steady increase in cases and hospitalisations that never seemed to reach the zenith&nbsp;of this summer's BA.5 wave and was certainly nothing like the tsunami of sickness brought on by the original Omicron strain a year ago.&nbsp;

On Friday, the COVID-19 mutant dashboard from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) showed a new contender that would soon take the lead: XBB.1.5.

According to the CDC, XBB.1.5 increased from roughly 4% to 41% of new infections during the month of December 2022, more than doubling its portion of the COVID-19 pie each week for the previous four. As per CDC's calculations, XBB.1.5 is responsible for 75% of new infections in the Northeast region of the US.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/european-union-all-for-coordinated-approach-for-ever-changing-covid-scenario-549304">EU nations agree on pre-departure Covid test for flyers from China, formal decision on Wednesday</a>

“For a few months now, we haven’t seen a variant that’s taken off at that speed,” said Pavitra Roychoudhury, director of Covid-19 sequencing at the University of Washington School of Medicine’s virology lab, who spoke to CNN.&nbsp;

This Omicron sublineage, according to virologists and epidemiologists, possesses characteristics that could lead to a new wave of COVID-19 cases in the US, however, it is yet unknown how massive&nbsp;that wave will be or whether it would put more people at risk for hospitalisation.

Also watch |&nbsp;California: Miracle survival after Tesla car crash, all four passengers rescued successfully

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XBB.1.5 appears to have emerged in the United States, despite recent worries that a new Covid-19 threat could come from China's continuous growth, according to specialists. According to GISAID, a global initiative to catalogue and track coronavirus variations, it was initially discovered in New York and Connecticut in late October.

Apart from being highly immune evasive, XBB.1.5 has an additional feature that seems to be helping to fuel its growth. It has a key mutation at site 486, which allows it to bind more tightly to ACE2, the doors the virus uses to enter our cells.

The majority of scientists agreed that although XBB.1.5 has the potential to spread more diseases, it won't necessarily be very serious. However, Americans have been sluggish to get the booster jabs. Only 15% of Americans who are eligible have received an updated booster, according to CDC data. Only around 1 in 3 seniors, or those 65 and older, have had a booster shot.&nbsp;

Experts point out that other antivirals, like Paxlovid and Remdesivir, should still be useful even though antibody therapies won't be effective against this sublineage.

WATCH WION LIVE HERE:&nbsp;

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Week after week, scientists have been witnessing an onslaught by Covid's Omicron variants in the United States, with BQs — BQ.1 and BQ.1.1 appearing to be edging out all the others to seize a modest lead, as reported by the CNN.

Week after week, scientists have been witnessing an onslaught by Covid's Omicron variants in the United States, with BQs — BQ.1 and BQ.1.1 appearing to be edging out all the others to seize a modest lead, as reported by the CNN. The upshot has been a steady increase in cases and hospitalisations that never seemed to reach the zenith of this summer's BA.5 wave and was certainly nothing like the tsunami of sickness brought on by the original Omicron strain a year ago. On Friday, the COVID-19 mutant dashboard from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) showed a new contender that would soon take the lead: XBB.1.5. According to the CDC, XBB.1.5 increased from roughly 4% to 41% of new infections during the month of December 2022, more than doubling its portion of the COVID-19 pie each week for the previous four. As per CDC's calculations, XBB.1.5 is responsible for 75% of new infections in the Northeast region of the US. Also read | EU nations agree on pre-departure Covid test for flyers from China, formal decision on Wednesday “For a few months now, we haven’t seen a variant that’s taken off at that speed,” said Pavitra Roychoudhury, director of Covid-19 sequencing at the University of Washington School of Medicine’s virology lab, who spoke to CNN. This Omicron sublineage, according to virologists and epidemiologists, possesses characteristics that could lead to a new wave of COVID-19 cases in the US, however, it is yet unknown how massive that wave will be or whether it would put more people at risk for hospitalisation. Also watch | California: Miracle survival after Tesla car crash, all four passengers rescued successfully XBB.1.5 appears to have emerged in the United States, despite recent worries that a new Covid-19 threat could come from China's continuous growth, according to specialists. According to GISAID, a global initiative to catalogue and track coronavirus variations, it was initially discovered in New York and Connecticut in late October. Apart from being highly immune evasive, XBB.1.5 has an additional feature that seems to be helping to fuel its growth. It has a key mutation at site 486, which allows it to bind more tightly to ACE2, the doors the virus uses to enter our cells. The majority of scientists agreed that although XBB.1.5 has the potential to spread more diseases, it won't necessarily be very serious. However, Americans have been sluggish to get the booster jabs. Only 15% of Americans who are eligible have received an updated booster, according to CDC data. Only around 1 in 3 seniors, or those 65 and older, have had a booster shot. Experts point out that other antivirals, like Paxlovid and Remdesivir, should still be useful even though antibody therapies won't be effective against this sublineage. WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

Omicron offshoot XBB.1.5 may cause new Covid spike in the US, confirms CDC

Taking a major step towards stopping Venezuelans from entering the United States, President Joe Biden's administration on Thursday announced that the Haitians, Nicaraguans and Cubans, who have been illegally crossing the US-Mexico border, will be immediately turned away by the authorities.

The administration will instead provide entry to 30,000 people from the four nations every month for a period of two years and will provide them with the eligibility to legally work in the US, as long as they have entered legally and have eligible sponsors and clear background checks.

The four nations are among the countries from where there has been a sharp increase in migrant border crossings with no easy procedure to send the migrants to their own countries.&nbsp;

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 announcement has come as a big change to immigration rules and the new change will stand even if a public health law, which permits US authorities to send back asylum seekers, is scrapped by the US Supreme Court.

Speaking about the new change in immigration rules, Biden on Thursday said that the country's immigration system is "broken" and added that the new plan would be "safe and humane" to decrease the crowd of immigrants at the US-Mexico border.

"It's safe and it's humane, and it works," said Biden in his address from the White House.&nbsp;

He added that previously comprehensive legislation was sent by him to Congress to overhaul "what has been a broken immigration system for a long time."

"But Congressional Republicans have refused to consider my comprehensive plan," he added, as he blamed "extreme Republicans" for the impasse.

WATCH|&nbsp;WION Fineprint: US sends a message to adversaries and allies, submarines visited Indian Ocean

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"We have a big agenda... but one important part of that agenda is strengthening our border between our nations," Biden stated.

Appealing people to legally apply for entering the US, he said, "Do not just show up at the border."&nbsp;

As per the new policy, 360,000 people will be able to enter the US lawfully from the four nations every year. However, currently, more people are attempting to cross the border from these countries, with numbers reaching 82,286 in only November.

(With inputs from agencies)

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Taking a major step towards stopping Venezuelans from entering the United States, President Joe Biden's administration on Thursday announced that the Haitians, Nicaraguans and Cubans, who have been illegally crossing the US-Mexico border, will be immediately turned away by the authorities.

Taking a major step towards stopping Venezuelans from entering the United States, President Joe Biden's administration on Thursday announced that the Haitians, Nicaraguans and Cubans, who have been illegally crossing the US-Mexico border, will be immediately turned away by the authorities. The administration will instead provide entry to 30,000 people from the four nations every month for a period of two years and will provide them with the eligibility to legally work in the US, as long as they have entered legally and have eligible sponsors and clear background checks. The four nations are among the countries from where there has been a sharp increase in migrant border crossings with no easy procedure to send the migrants to their own countries. ALSO READ| US proposes up to 332 per cent hike for H1-B, other visa fees The announcement has come as a big change to immigration rules and the new change will stand even if a public health law, which permits US authorities to send back asylum seekers, is scrapped by the US Supreme Court. Speaking about the new change in immigration rules, Biden on Thursday said that the country's immigration system is "broken" and added that the new plan would be "safe and humane" to decrease the crowd of immigrants at the US-Mexico border. "It's safe and it's humane, and it works," said Biden in his address from the White House. He added that previously comprehensive legislation was sent by him to Congress to overhaul "what has been a broken immigration system for a long time." "But Congressional Republicans have refused to consider my comprehensive plan," he added, as he blamed "extreme Republicans" for the impasse. WATCH| WION Fineprint: US sends a message to adversaries and allies, submarines visited Indian Ocean "We have a big agenda... but one important part of that agenda is strengthening our border between our nations," Biden stated. Appealing people to legally apply for entering the US, he said, "Do not just show up at the border." As per the new policy, 360,000 people will be able to enter the US lawfully from the four nations every year. However, currently, more people are attempting to cross the border from these countries, with numbers reaching 82,286 in only November. (With inputs from agencies)

Biden govt to turn away Cubans, Nicaraguans and Haitians at US border

Rep. Byron Donalds of Florida emerged as an alternative for conservative holdouts who are refusing to back Kevin McCarthy's quest for House speaker as Republicans battled for a second day to elect a speaker. In the three rounds of voting that took place on Wednesday (4 January), Donalds received 20 votes to McCarthy's 201,&nbsp;preventing&nbsp;McCarthy from receiving the 218 votes necessary to be elected speaker of the full House. Republicans opposed to McCarthy nominated a broad selection of candidates on Tuesday, including former New York representative Lee Zeldin and representatives Andy Biggs of Arizona and Jim Jordan of Ohio. Donalds switched his vote from McCarthy to Jordan on Tuesday's final vote, siding with the rebel Republicans.

<h2>Byron Donalds: Early days&nbsp;</h2>

Donalds, 44, was chosen to serve Florida's 19th District, in the state's southwest, for a second term in November. To succeed retiring Republican Rep. Francis Rooney, Donalds won a nine-way GOP (another way of referring to the Republican party)&nbsp;primary and defeated his Democratic challenger in his first election in 2020.

A Brooklyn native who graduated from Florida State University in 2002, he was brought up&nbsp;by a single mother. He was working as a financial adviser when then-Gov. Rick Scott named him to the board of trustees of a public college, raising his ranks in Florida's GOP circles. Erika Donalds, his wife, is a supporter of the state's school choice movement.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/data-lab-us-allows-abortion-pill-access-at-pharmacies-significance-amid-uss-shifting-abortion-landscape-549698">Data lab: US allows abortion pill sale at pharmacies; its significance amid shifting abortion landscape</a>

Donalds acknowledged being detained as a young man on a marijuana distribution allegation that was subsequently dropped, and he claimed to have reformed his life after that episode. In 2012, he campaigned unsuccessfully for the US House; four years later, he was elected to the Georgia House.

<h2>House speaker votes</h2>

Donalds told CBS in December 2021 that McCarthy had "done tremendous things" for House Republicans. “So right now, the question is, who’s going to be the person that’s going to take us to the next level?” Donalds said. “Kevin’s proven he can do that.”

Donalds supported McCarthy in the first two rounds of voting on Tuesday before backing Jordan in the third. Donalds tweeted as a result, saying, “reality is … McCarthy doesn’t have the votes.”

“This will take time, Democracy is messy at times, but we will be ready to govern on behalf of the American people,” Donalds added. “Debate is healthy.”

Also watch |&nbsp;Mexico sends 200 military personnel to the U.S. border city of Juarez

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Donalds cast votes in favour of himself on Wednesday when his name was put up for nomination. After one of those votes, Donalds appeared on Fox to advocate for leadership that&nbsp;“actually reflects where the American people are, and that leadership is something that is earned here in the nation’s Capitol, not just given.”

<h2>What do other representatives think of Byron Donalds?</h2>

On Tuesday, only one member—Rep. Chip Roy of Texas—voted in favour of Donalds for speaker before switching to Jordan. Roy stated in his address on Wednesday presenting Donalds that the sophomore stood for a change for both Washington and the Republican Party.

“Here we are, and for the first time in history, there have been two Black Americans placed into the nomination for speaker of the House,” Roy said, referring to Donalds and Democratic House leader Hakeem Jeffries. “This country needs a change. This country needs leadership that does not reflect this city, this town that is badly broken.”

There are now only four Black Republicans in the House, including Donalds.

Donalds was referred to as a "prop" by Cori Bush, a Black Democratic congresswoman from Missouri.

“Despite being Black, he supports a policy agenda intent on upholding and perpetuating white supremacy. His name being in the mix is not progress — it’s pathetic,” she tweeted.

Furthermore,&nbsp;Nominating Donalds in the fifth round, Rep. Lauren Boebert of Colorado said the House’s job “is not to coronate the biggest fundraiser, or rubberstamp the status quo or keep on going along to get along. It’s to use our votes to elect a speaker who will enable us to get our country back on track.”

While speaking to reporters on the capitol steps,&nbsp;Donalds on Wednesday called the ongoing debate “an invigorating day for America.” He also noted that&nbsp;“there’s a lot of members in the chamber who want to have serious conversations about how we can bring this all to a close and elect a speaker.”

“Once we get this organized and figured out, we’ll get back to business,” he said. “It’s only Day Two, y’all. Settle down. We’re going to be all right.”

(With inputs from agencies)

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Rep. Byron Donalds of Florida emerged as an alternative for conservative holdouts who are refusing to back Kevin McCarthy's quest for House speaker as Republicans battled for a second day to elect a speaker.

Rep. Byron Donalds of Florida emerged as an alternative for conservative holdouts who are refusing to back Kevin McCarthy's quest for House speaker as Republicans battled for a second day to elect a speaker. In the three rounds of voting that took place on Wednesday (4 January), Donalds received 20 votes to McCarthy's 201, preventing McCarthy from receiving the 218 votes necessary to be elected speaker of the full House. Republicans opposed to McCarthy nominated a broad selection of candidates on Tuesday, including former New York representative Lee Zeldin and representatives Andy Biggs of Arizona and Jim Jordan of Ohio. Donalds switched his vote from McCarthy to Jordan on Tuesday's final vote, siding with the rebel Republicans. Byron Donalds: Early days Donalds, 44, was chosen to serve Florida's 19th District, in the state's southwest, for a second term in November. To succeed retiring Republican Rep. Francis Rooney, Donalds won a nine-way GOP (another way of referring to the Republican party) primary and defeated his Democratic challenger in his first election in 2020. A Brooklyn native who graduated from Florida State University in 2002, he was brought up by a single mother. He was working as a financial adviser when then-Gov. Rick Scott named him to the board of trustees of a public college, raising his ranks in Florida's GOP circles. Erika Donalds, his wife, is a supporter of the state's school choice movement. Also read | Data lab: US allows abortion pill sale at pharmacies; its significance amid shifting abortion landscape Donalds acknowledged being detained as a young man on a marijuana distribution allegation that was subsequently dropped, and he claimed to have reformed his life after that episode. In 2012, he campaigned unsuccessfully for the US House; four years later, he was elected to the Georgia House. House speaker votes Donalds told CBS in December 2021 that McCarthy had "done tremendous things" for House Republicans. “So right now, the question is, who’s going to be the person that’s going to take us to the next level?” Donalds said. “Kevin’s proven he can do that.” Donalds supported McCarthy in the first two rounds of voting on Tuesday before backing Jordan in the third. Donalds tweeted as a result, saying, “reality is … McCarthy doesn’t have the votes.” “This will take time, Democracy is messy at times, but we will be ready to govern on behalf of the American people,” Donalds added. “Debate is healthy.” Also watch | Mexico sends 200 military personnel to the U.S. border city of Juarez Donalds cast votes in favour of himself on Wednesday when his name was put up for nomination. After one of those votes, Donalds appeared on Fox to advocate for leadership that “actually reflects where the American people are, and that leadership is something that is earned here in the nation’s Capitol, not just given.” What do other representatives think of Byron Donalds? On Tuesday, only one member—Rep. Chip Roy of Texas—voted in favour of Donalds for speaker before switching to Jordan. Roy stated in his address on Wednesday presenting Donalds that the sophomore stood for a change for both Washington and the Republican Party. “Here we are, and for the first time in history, there have been two Black Americans placed into the nomination for speaker of the House,” Roy said, referring to Donalds and Democratic House leader Hakeem Jeffries. “This country needs a change. This country needs leadership that does not reflect this city, this town that is badly broken.” There are now only four Black Republicans in the House, including Donalds. Donalds was referred to as a "prop" by Cori Bush, a Black Democratic congresswoman from Missouri. “Despite being Black, he supports a policy agenda intent on upholding and perpetuating white supremacy. His name being in the mix is not progress — it’s pathetic,” she tweeted. Furthermore, Nominating Donalds in the fifth round, Rep. Lauren Boebert of Colorado said the House’s job “is not to coronate the biggest fundraiser, or rubberstamp the status quo or keep on going along to get along. It’s to use our votes to elect a speaker who will enable us to get our country back on track.” While speaking to reporters on the capitol steps, Donalds on Wednesday called the ongoing debate “an invigorating day for America.” He also noted that “there’s a lot of members in the chamber who want to have serious conversations about how we can bring this all to a close and elect a speaker.” “Once we get this organized and figured out, we’ll get back to business,” he said. “It’s only Day Two, y’all. Settle down. We’re going to be all right.” (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

Who is Byron Donalds? The latest Republican nominee for House speaker pitted against Kevin McCarthy

The U.S. Immigration Services have proposed a steep hike for Visa fees. The proposal is for multiple Visa types, including the H1-B visa. Molly Gambhir tells you more.

WION Fineprint | Massive hike in U.S. Visa fees expected

The newly-elected US house of representatives have so far failed to elect their speaker even after six rounds of voting in the last two days. The voting will now take place when the house convenes next.

US Speaker stalemate: Sixth vote concludes, stalemate continues

The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) has granted a conditional license for the world's first vaccine for honeybees, developed by biotech company Dalan Animal Health.

WION Climate Tracker: United States has approved world's first vaccine for honeybees

Mifepristone, a medication used for abortions, can now be purchased from US pharmacies owing to a decision of the Joe Biden administration.&nbsp;The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has authorised retail&nbsp;pharmacies to dispense mifepristone as long as a licensed medical professional writes the prescription and the pharmacy complies with specified criteria. In light of the US Supreme Court's decision to overrule <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/roe-vs-wade-reversed-us-supreme-court-ends-constitutional-right-to-abortion-491416">Roe v. Wade</a> and a woman's long-established&nbsp;right to decide who controls her body, this new&nbsp;development is of much&nbsp;pertinence.&nbsp;&nbsp;

<h2>What is mifepristone? Why is it important?</h2>

Pharmacies can now sell the abortion drug mifepristone, according to a decision by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

As reported by the&nbsp;BBC, mifepristone is frequently used in combination with another medicine called misoprostol to induce a medical abortion. Mifepristone inhibits progesterone, a hormone required for a pregnancy to proceed. It is used to stop pregnancies up to 10 weeks’ gestation when combined with&nbsp;misoprostol (70 days or less since the first day of the last menstrual period).&nbsp;

It is crucial to note&nbsp;that women will require a prescription in order to buy mifepristone.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/wasnt-my-fault-donald-trump-on-the-midterm-loss-blames-abortion-548875">'Wasn’t my fault..': Donald Trump on the midterm loss, blames 'abortion'</a>

Many pregnant women living in places where abortion is now prohibited as a result of the US Supreme Court's decision to overturn Roe v. Wade are likely to turn to medication abortion, by using the abortion pill. During the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic, the FDA began allowing the pills to be sent via mail.

There are two safe methods of terminating a pregnancy: an in-person procedure and the abortion pill. According to the <a href="https://www.guttmacher.org/article/2022/02/medication-abortion-now-accounts-more-half-all-us-abortions">Guttmacher Institute</a>, a research organisation that specialises in sexual and reproductive health, medication abortions presently account for half of all abortions performed in the United States.

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false"><iframe aria-label="Interactive area chart" data-external="1" frameborder="0" height="564" id="datawrapper-chart-aErEp" scrolling="no" src="https://datawrapper.dwcdn.net/aErEp/1/" style="border: none;" title="As of 2020, medication abortions account for the majority of all US abortions" width="undefined"></iframe></div>
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*Hover over the visualisation/click on it for the figures*

The abortion pill is anticipated to become an even more significant choice now that in-clinic abortion services are prohibited or threatened in more than half of the US states.

<h2 data-editable="headlineText">Maternal and infant death rates are higher in states that ban or restrict abortion, report says</h2>

US states that now ban or restrict abortions have far higher rates of maternal and newborn mortality than those that maintain access to abortion care, whether it be during pregnancy, at birth, or after delivery.

Also watch |&nbsp;US&nbsp;FDA allows the sale of abortion pills at retail pharmacies

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Following this summer's Roe v. Wade ruling by the Supreme Court, the researchers compared rates depending on states' existing abortion access rules as of November utilising the most recent data available, from 2020 and earlier, on deaths and other health effects.

Maternal mortality rates were 62% higher in states with restricted access to abortion services in 2020 than in ones with unrestricted access. States with new abortion restrictions had a double-digit rise in maternal mortality between 2018 and 2020,&nbsp;according to the report released Wednesday by <a href="https://www.commonwealthfund.org/publications/issue-briefs/2022/dec/us-maternal-health-divide-limited-services-worse-outcomes">the research foundation Commonwealth Fund</a>.&nbsp;

<h2>How many clinics offer abortions in the United States, and how has that number varied over time?</h2>

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<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false"><iframe aria-label="Stacked Bars" data-external="1" frameborder="0" height="541" id="datawrapper-chart-aJ5U4" scrolling="no" src="https://datawrapper.dwcdn.net/aJ5U4/2/" style="border: none;" title="Total number of abortion providers down since 1982 in the US" width="600"></iframe></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

*Hover over the visualisation/click on it for the figures*

Since the 1980s, the overall number of abortion providers has sharply declined. There were 2,908 facilities in the US that performed abortions in 1982, including 789 clinics, 1,405 hospitals, and 714 doctor's offices, according to Guttmacher. The figures stand at 261 doctor's offices, 518 hospitals, and 808 clinics now.&nbsp;

<h2>Mifepristone and&nbsp;abortion rights activists</h2>

Abortion rights activists and doctors’ groups have welcomed the move.&nbsp;“Today’s news is a step in the right direction for health equity,” Planned Parenthood president Alexis McGill Johnson said in a statement.

“Being able to access your prescribed medication abortion through the mail or to pick it up in person from a pharmacy like any other prescription is a game changer for people trying to access basic health care,” Johnson added.

The American College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists were quoted by the BBC as saying,&nbsp;“Although the FDA’s announcement today will not solve access issues for every person seeking abortion care, it will allow more patients who need mifepristone for medication abortion additional options to secure this vital drug.”

In contrast,&nbsp;Marjorie Dannenfelser, head of the anti-abortion organisation SBA Pro-Life America, asserted that the most recent FDA action puts women's safety and the lives of unborn children in danger.

“State lawmakers and Congress must stand as a bulwark against the Biden administration’s pro-abortion extremism,” she said in a statement.

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Mifepristone, a medication used for abortions, can now be purchased from US pharmacies owing to a decision of the Joe Biden administration. The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has authorised retail pharmacies to dispense mifepristone as long as a licensed medical professional writes the prescription and the pharmacy complies with specified criteria.

Mifepristone, a medication used for abortions, can now be purchased from US pharmacies owing to a decision of the Joe Biden administration. The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has authorised retail pharmacies to dispense mifepristone as long as a licensed medical professional writes the prescription and the pharmacy complies with specified criteria. In light of the US Supreme Court's decision to overrule Roe v. Wade and a woman's long-established right to decide who controls her body, this new development is of much pertinence. What is mifepristone? Why is it important? Pharmacies can now sell the abortion drug mifepristone, according to a decision by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA). As reported by the BBC, mifepristone is frequently used in combination with another medicine called misoprostol to induce a medical abortion. Mifepristone inhibits progesterone, a hormone required for a pregnancy to proceed. It is used to stop pregnancies up to 10 weeks’ gestation when combined with misoprostol (70 days or less since the first day of the last menstrual period). It is crucial to note that women will require a prescription in order to buy mifepristone. Also read | 'Wasn’t my fault..': Donald Trump on the midterm loss, blames 'abortion' Many pregnant women living in places where abortion is now prohibited as a result of the US Supreme Court's decision to overturn Roe v. Wade are likely to turn to medication abortion, by using the abortion pill. During the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic, the FDA began allowing the pills to be sent via mail. There are two safe methods of terminating a pregnancy: an in-person procedure and the abortion pill. According to the Guttmacher Institute, a research organisation that specialises in sexual and reproductive health, medication abortions presently account for half of all abortions performed in the United States. × *Hover over the visualisation/click on it for the figures* The abortion pill is anticipated to become an even more significant choice now that in-clinic abortion services are prohibited or threatened in more than half of the US states. Maternal and infant death rates are higher in states that ban or restrict abortion, report says US states that now ban or restrict abortions have far higher rates of maternal and newborn mortality than those that maintain access to abortion care, whether it be during pregnancy, at birth, or after delivery. Also watch | US FDA allows the sale of abortion pills at retail pharmacies Following this summer's Roe v. Wade ruling by the Supreme Court, the researchers compared rates depending on states' existing abortion access rules as of November utilising the most recent data available, from 2020 and earlier, on deaths and other health effects. Maternal mortality rates were 62% higher in states with restricted access to abortion services in 2020 than in ones with unrestricted access. States with new abortion restrictions had a double-digit rise in maternal mortality between 2018 and 2020, according to the report released Wednesday by the research foundation Commonwealth Fund. How many clinics offer abortions in the United States, and how has that number varied over time? × *Hover over the visualisation/click on it for the figures* Since the 1980s, the overall number of abortion providers has sharply declined. There were 2,908 facilities in the US that performed abortions in 1982, including 789 clinics, 1,405 hospitals, and 714 doctor's offices, according to Guttmacher. The figures stand at 261 doctor's offices, 518 hospitals, and 808 clinics now. Mifepristone and abortion rights activists Abortion rights activists and doctors’ groups have welcomed the move. “Today’s news is a step in the right direction for health equity,” Planned Parenthood president Alexis McGill Johnson said in a statement. “Being able to access your prescribed medication abortion through the mail or to pick it up in person from a pharmacy like any other prescription is a game changer for people trying to access basic health care,” Johnson added. The American College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists were quoted by the BBC as saying, “Although the FDA’s announcement today will not solve access issues for every person seeking abortion care, it will allow more patients who need mifepristone for medication abortion additional options to secure this vital drug.” In contrast, Marjorie Dannenfelser, head of the anti-abortion organisation SBA Pro-Life America, asserted that the most recent FDA action puts women's safety and the lives of unborn children in danger. “State lawmakers and Congress must stand as a bulwark against the Biden administration’s pro-abortion extremism,” she said in a statement. WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

Data lab: US allows abortion pill sale at pharmacies; its significance amid shifting abortion landscape

Innovators have not yet released all the products they believe to be the ideal disruptors for the CES 2023 showcase event, but some technological innovations are noteworthy enough to warrant discussion. Check out the curated list from TVs to Laptops to other fascinating AI tech that will be unveiled at CES 2023.&nbsp;

<img alt="LG Gram Style" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="4250fda4-2399-410d-a1e6-d8018b500838" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Untitled%20design%20-%202023-01-05T140223.943.png" />

<h2>1. LG Gram Style</h2>

LG Gram laptops are considered to be one of the benchmarks for ultra-thin and light laptops. This amazing tech gadget is a must-have but the device may very well become the benchmark for flamboyant design as well.&nbsp;

The 16-inch OLED display on this 2.7-pound laptop is rather sleek. The device's most striking attributes, however, are its exterior, which changes colour depending on the light, and its eye-catching vanishing touchpad, which vanishes from view when not in use. Simply splendid right? But it is undoubtedly something unique in terms of laptop design.

<img alt="Wireless TV" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="c7fce347-c4fa-4758-95bc-e5c6155ac0d7" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Wireless%20TVV.png" />

<h2>2. First wireless TV in history</h2>

There is no doubt that wireless technologies are popular since it makes life easier for the user. It becomes simple to put the TV in the appropriate area without much effort. The Displace TV aims to change that; it calls itself the first wireless TV in history. The battery-powered feature of this OLED TV allows you a 30-day of uninterrupted TV viewing.&nbsp;

<img alt="E bike" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="0253e49e-c3ed-4b77-ba89-03727e615914" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Untitled%20design%20-%202023-01-05T140655.228.png" />

<h2>3. Icoma Tatamel Ebike</h2>

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/technology/ces-2023-big-announcements-on-new-laptops-ces-date-time-venue-entry-pass-price-registration-information-549308">CES 2023: Big Announcements on New Laptops, CES Date, Time, Venue, Entry Pass Price, Registration Information</a> 
&nbsp;

This Japanese concept ebike, the Icoma Tatamel, is teeny and folds up to be much smaller. The ebike can fit in small places for storage. If the power goes out while you have it inside, you may use it as a portable power source. With it out and unfolded, you can travel up to 25 mph for around 18 miles on a single charge thanks to the 600-watt engine.

<img alt="Foldable " data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="4749a539-39d9-45b3-adb3-7829a9d9b8f1" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Samsung%20foldable%20phones%20.png" />

<h2>4. Samsung’s 'Bend and Snap' foldable screen device&nbsp;</h2>

WATCH | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/china-philippines-agree-on-direct-communication-channel-549580">China, Philippines agree on direct communication channel</a> 
&nbsp;

Samsung's latest concept device shows how foldable phone technology will go in the future. The right half of Samsung's Flex Hybrid display really swings outward to provide the full panel a significantly larger aspect ratio while the left side folds. Before the slide enlargement, it is a 10.3-inch 4:3 display; when completely expanded, it is a 12.4-inch 16:10 screen.

<img alt="JBL" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="dcb0c568-ec84-4148-a648-ae4ab0651f4a" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/JBL%20Tech%20.png" />

<h2>5. JBL earbuds with touchscreens, battery life display&nbsp;</h2>

JBL's Tour PRO 2 true wireless earbuds include a 1.45-inch touchscreen and a battery case with wireless charging. You can access the JBL One app settings and your phone's notifications by using the case's screen without ever touching your phone. Additionally, the display will indicate the remaining battery life of each bud as well as the case, which is really useful knowledge to have at a glance.

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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>.

Innovators have not yet released all the products they believe to be the ideal disruptors for the CES 2023 showcase event, but some technological innovations are noteworthy enough to warrant discussion.

Innovators have not yet released all the products they believe to be the ideal disruptors for the CES 2023 showcase event, but some technological innovations are noteworthy enough to warrant discussion. Check out the curated list from TVs to Laptops to other fascinating AI tech that will be unveiled at CES 2023. 1. LG Gram Style LG Gram laptops are considered to be one of the benchmarks for ultra-thin and light laptops. This amazing tech gadget is a must-have but the device may very well become the benchmark for flamboyant design as well. The 16-inch OLED display on this 2.7-pound laptop is rather sleek. The device's most striking attributes, however, are its exterior, which changes colour depending on the light, and its eye-catching vanishing touchpad, which vanishes from view when not in use. Simply splendid right? But it is undoubtedly something unique in terms of laptop design. 2. First wireless TV in history There is no doubt that wireless technologies are popular since it makes life easier for the user. It becomes simple to put the TV in the appropriate area without much effort. The Displace TV aims to change that; it calls itself the first wireless TV in history. The battery-powered feature of this OLED TV allows you a 30-day of uninterrupted TV viewing. 3. Icoma Tatamel Ebike ALSO READ | CES 2023: Big Announcements on New Laptops, CES Date, Time, Venue, Entry Pass Price, Registration Information This Japanese concept ebike, the Icoma Tatamel, is teeny and folds up to be much smaller. The ebike can fit in small places for storage. If the power goes out while you have it inside, you may use it as a portable power source. With it out and unfolded, you can travel up to 25 mph for around 18 miles on a single charge thanks to the 600-watt engine. 4. Samsung’s 'Bend and Snap' foldable screen device WATCH | China, Philippines agree on direct communication channel Samsung's latest concept device shows how foldable phone technology will go in the future. The right half of Samsung's Flex Hybrid display really swings outward to provide the full panel a significantly larger aspect ratio while the left side folds. Before the slide enlargement, it is a 10.3-inch 4:3 display; when completely expanded, it is a 12.4-inch 16:10 screen. 5. JBL earbuds with touchscreens, battery life display JBL's Tour PRO 2 true wireless earbuds include a 1.45-inch touchscreen and a battery case with wireless charging. You can access the JBL One app settings and your phone's notifications by using the case's screen without ever touching your phone. Additionally, the display will indicate the remaining battery life of each bud as well as the case, which is really useful knowledge to have at a glance. 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.

CES 2023 Day 1 updates: A sneak peek into the 5 amazing gadgets you must not miss to check out

South Korea and the United States are discussing joint planning and implementation of US nuclear operations to counter North Korea.

US & S. Korea to plan joint nuclear exercise

The 2023 Tennis season is underway, with matches on in Australia as well as India. Reigning US Open Doubles Champion Rajeev Ram is in Pune for the Tata Open and he tells WION Sports Editor Digvijay Singh Deo that Novak Djokovic is still the man to beat in 2023.

Exclusive: US Open Champion Rajeev Ram looks ahead to the 2023 Season

US House speaker election was in chaos on Tuesday, after Republican McCarthy failed in three consecutive votes to secure enough support to be elected as the speaker. The House was then adjourned for a day. This was first time in 100 years that a speaker was not elected on the first vote.

US House adjourns without electing speaker; McCarthy loses 3rd US House speaker vote

Leadership of the House of Representatives remains in limbo as Kevin McCarthy faces internal opposition to his bid for speaker. WION tells you more in this report.

U.S. House Speaker Voting: No majority for republican speaker candidate Kevin McCarthy

FTX founder Sam Bankman-Fried has pleaded not guilty to criminal charged that he cheated investors. Bankman's attorney announced that his client has pleaded not guilty on all the accounts. Last year the 30-year-old faced charged of fraud.

FTX founder Sam Bankman-Fried pleads not guilty in US court; October 2 set as tentative trial date

US President Joe Biden has renominated Eric Garcetti, the former Mayor of Los Angeles, as his envoy to India, with the White House exuding confidence that he would be confirmed by the United States Senate this time.

WION Dispatch: Biden renominates Eric Garcetti as US envoy to India

A tornado swept through a field at Macon County in central Illinois on Tuesday (January 3), as severe storms triggered weather warnings across the region.

US: Tornado swirls past wind farm in central Illinois

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is allowing retail pharmacies to offer abortion pills in the United States for the first time, the agency said on Tuesday (January 3), as more states seek to ban medication abortion.

U.S. FDA allows the sale of abortion pills at retail pharmacies

The U.S. House of Representatives was plunged into chaos on Tuesday after Republican leader Kevin McCarthy failed in three consecutive votes to secure enough support to be elected speaker. It was the first time in 100 years that a speaker was not elected on the first vote.

U.S. House adjourns without electing speaker as McCarthy fails in marathon votes

The New York Police Department on Monday said that a 19-year-old boy who attacked three police officers with a machete on New Year's Eve has&nbsp;been charged with assault and attempted murder.&nbsp;

The teenage boy has been identified as Trevor Bickford. Without giving any further details. The police said that Bickford was from Wells, AFP reported.&nbsp;&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/new-york-city-three-cops-attacked-with-machete-during-new-years-eve-suspect-shot-548528">Also read | New York City: Three cops injured in machete attack on New Year's Eve; suspect shot</a>

According to the police conference held on January 01, the attack happened around 10 pm outside the Times Square security zone where thousands of New Yorkers gathered to celebrate New Year.

The assailant was shot by a police officer on the shoulder after he attacked two police officers on their heads, without causing life-threatening injury.&nbsp;

The officers were then taken to the hospital for treatment and Mayor Eric Adams said that they&nbsp;were in stable condition. He also praised the police response by saying that officers immediately secured the scene.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/we-look-like-domestic-terrorists-ex-white-house-aide-hope-hickss-angry-text-messages-released-548896">Also read |&nbsp;'We look like domestic terrorists': Ex-White House aide Hope Hicks's angry text messages released</a>

According to the US media, Bickford exhibited signs of Islamist radicalisation and might have sought to commit a suicide attack.&nbsp;

CNN citing anonymous sources said that the teenager was carrying a diary with him in which he had expressed his desire to join Afghanistan's Taliban and die as a martyr.&nbsp;

Bickford in mid-December was questioned by the FBI after one of his close relatives warned the bureau of his&nbsp;statements, NBC reported. &nbsp;The FBI counterintelligence unit was involved in the investigation, the police said.&nbsp;

(with inputs from agencies)

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The New York Police Department on Monday said that a 19-year-old boy who attacked three police officers with a machete on New Year's Eve has been charged with assault and attempted murder.

The New York Police Department on Monday said that a 19-year-old boy who attacked three police officers with a machete on New Year's Eve has been charged with assault and attempted murder. The teenage boy has been identified as Trevor Bickford. Without giving any further details. The police said that Bickford was from Wells, AFP reported. Also read | New York City: Three cops injured in machete attack on New Year's Eve; suspect shot According to the police conference held on January 01, the attack happened around 10 pm outside the Times Square security zone where thousands of New Yorkers gathered to celebrate New Year. The assailant was shot by a police officer on the shoulder after he attacked two police officers on their heads, without causing life-threatening injury. The officers were then taken to the hospital for treatment and Mayor Eric Adams said that they were in stable condition. He also praised the police response by saying that officers immediately secured the scene. Also read | 'We look like domestic terrorists': Ex-White House aide Hope Hicks's angry text messages released According to the US media, Bickford exhibited signs of Islamist radicalisation and might have sought to commit a suicide attack. CNN citing anonymous sources said that the teenager was carrying a diary with him in which he had expressed his desire to join Afghanistan's Taliban and die as a martyr. Bickford in mid-December was questioned by the FBI after one of his close relatives warned the bureau of his statements, NBC reported. The FBI counterintelligence unit was involved in the investigation, the police said. (with inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE

New York City: 19-year-old boy charged over New Year's Eve machete attack on three police officers

In the weeks leading up to the 118th session of the United States Congress, which is set to convene on Tuesday (December 3) at noon (local time), the attention has been focused on Republican Congressman Kevin McCarthy whose bid to become the speaker of the House of Representatives has been uncertain at best.&nbsp;

Notably, this is not the first time that the California lawmaker has sought to lead the 435-member House. In 2015, he faced similar opposition from a small section of the Republican party (GOP) after he entered the race when House Speaker John Boehner, (R-Ohio) resigned.&nbsp;

Last year, following the midterm elections the GOP, took over the House with a narrow majority of 222-213 from the Democrats and the outgoing speaker Nancy Pelosi. However, given the opposition against McCarthy so far, from people of his own caucus, Tuesday might become the first time ever in nearly 100 years that a majority is garnered to elect a speaker of the chamber. &nbsp;

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-south-korea-plan-coordinated-response-against-north-koreas-nuclear-threat-549144">US, South Korea plan 'coordinated response' against North Korea's nuclear threat</a>

Importance of a House speaker

The role of a speaker is critical for the government in Washington to function since not only will the lawmaker preside over the lower chamber of Congress they would also be next in line for the presidency. Typically, a speaker is elected at the beginning of a new Congress, however, the House can elect a new one if the incumbent dies, resigns or is removed from office, said a report by Associated Press. &nbsp;

Additionally, the chamber cannot be organised until a speaker who is to preside over it is chosen, therefore, the vote to choose a speaker will be the first one taken once the lawmakers convene for the session on January 3 even before the new and returning members of both parties are sworn in.&nbsp;

The speaker has “massive influence over what sorts of bills and amendments get voted on in Congress”, said Christian Fong, a political science professor at the University of Michigan, to Al Jazeera. He added that this also gives them a significant amount of control over what becomes a law in the upcoming session.&nbsp;

Who will lead the house from both parties in the upcoming session?

After the midterm elections, both the GOP conference and Democratic caucus held an informal vote where they selected the lawmaker they want to lead their party for the upcoming session. Therefore, by mid-November, following a close-door vote with Republicans, McCarthy emerged as the leader of the House for his party. Subsequently, by the end of the month, Democrats chose Representative Hakeem Jeffries from New York to lead the party in the House. &nbsp;

ALSO WATCH |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/us-midterms-republicans-win-the-us-house-kevin-mccarthy-to-become-the-house-speaker-535052">US Midterms: Republicans win the U.S. House; Kevin McCarthy to become the House Speaker</a>

How does the voting take place?

Once the House has the minimum number of members present to proceed or quorum, leaders of the house will read out the names of the speaker nominee from their respective party before the roll call vote for the election. Subsequently, the clerk appoints lawmakers from each party as tellers to tally the votes.&nbsp;

Notably, once the Congress begins on January 3, 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. Therefore, any lawmaker including the incumbent President Joe Biden, former President Donald Trump, and Senators, can be nominated and have previously received votes for speaker’s office, in the past, but not gained the majority, reported AP.&nbsp;

This is because lawmakers in the House call out the name of their choice from the floor in a time-consuming roll call. So far, the number to reach a majority in the 435-member chamber has been 218 votes, however, many speakers including the outgoing speaker Pelosi have taken the gavel with less than that. &nbsp;

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/twitter-slams-kevin-mccarthy-for-saying-he-would-hit-nancy-pelosi-with-gavel-402272">Twitter slams Kevin McCarthy for saying he would hit Nancy Pelosi with gavel</a>

This is because some members vote present instead of calling out a name, therefore, according to AP, every lawmaker that votes “present” lowers the total tally needed to reach a majority. In case a majority is not reached on the first ballot, as many have speculated would happen in McCarthy’s case, the clerk will repeat the roll call vote several times until a majority is garnered.&nbsp;

The passing of the gavel

Once the speaker nominee has won a majority of the vote the clear announces the results. Subsequently, a bipartisan committee typically one consisting of the members of the candidate’s home state escorts the speaker-elect to the dais for the oath-taking ceremony, where the outgoing speaker, in this case, speaker and California Democrat Pelosi, joins their successor and passes the gavel in a peaceful transition of power.&nbsp;

Why do many people McCarthy would not be able to garner a majority to become the speaker?

The last time a speaker for the House of Representatives was not elected in the first round of votes was exactly a century ago in 1923 when a speaker was selected after nearly nine rounds of voting. “It’s a very thin (GOP majority), so it only takes a small group of determined representatives to really get together and pose a credible threat to prevent the Speaker from being elected”, said Fong to Al Jazeera. The professor also spoke about how despite growing bipartisan opposition to the power of the Speaker, the path to the gavel will be particularly difficult for McCarthy.&nbsp;

The situation that&nbsp;the&nbsp;Republican lawmaker faces&nbsp;is not entirely unique, as&nbsp;the outgoing speaker Pelosi who held the position for nearly four years witnessed similar internal opposition during her reelection in 2021. However,&nbsp;despite protests from five members of her caucus she managed to retain her position with&nbsp;Dems'&nbsp;slim majority in the chamber, at the time.&nbsp;

ALSO WATCH |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/kevin-mccarthy-struggles-to-clinch-support-to-be-us-house-speaker-amid-hardline-opposition-549139">Kevin McCarthy struggles to clinch support to be U.S. House speaker amid hardline opposition</a> 
 
According to Fong, Republicans who are opposing McCarthy’s bid for the gavel&nbsp;are from the so-called “safe-districts”, where they did not face much competition in the elections&nbsp;or had trouble raising funds due to their strong political base. Therefore, they do not value the power a speaker holds over what would otherwise be “valuable resources” for the House members which include committee assignments and campaign funding.&nbsp;

Additionally, the California Republican faces a number of critics who want change in the way the House operates and have long complained that the structure gives too much power to leaders and argued for changes which would make small groups of dissenters obstruct and change legislation, reported the New York Times.&nbsp;

McCarthy currently faces at least a dozen lawmakers who would choose anyone else but him which has left him scrambling for votes at the last minute&nbsp;and negotiating with the opposing lawmakers on concessions which may dilute his powers, should he take the office of the speaker,&nbsp;in the upcoming session. This mix also includes&nbsp;a group of newly elected lawmakers who are still weighing their options, said the NYT.&nbsp;

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/tiktok-banned-from-all-us-house-of-representatives-managed-devices-547210">TikTok banned from all US House of Representatives-managed devices</a> 
&nbsp;

What will happen if McCarthy fails?

As mentioned earlier, the speaker is an important part of not only the House but also the functioning of the US government, therefore with&nbsp;no one to preside over the chamber, it cannot fully form, name its committee chairmen, or even hold floor proceedings. In one word, chaos,&nbsp;"One thing to stress about this whole process, nothing else happens in the House of Representatives until a speaker is elected. It's the only leadership position specifically mentioned in the Constitution," said NPR's&nbsp;congressional correspondent, Deirdre Walsh.

She added, "Members of Congress cannot even be sworn in to start a new session of Congress without a speaker first being elected. So opening day could be very chaotic."&nbsp;

Additionally, the GOP is holding on to a majority in the lower chamber by just a couple of&nbsp;votes which&nbsp;makes McCarthy’s bid to become the next speaker all the more critical given that members with outsized power can threaten to effectively dilute if not wipe out the&nbsp;power Republicans would otherwise enjoy as a majority in the chamber,&nbsp;affecting potentially every upcoming legislation the dissenters&nbsp;they do not get their way.&nbsp;

“One reason why you don’t see more opposition to the Speaker in the modern era is that the Speaker controls all kinds of valuable resources that members of the House of Representatives really want,” said Fong to Al Jazeera.

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

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In the weeks leading up to the 118th session of the United States Congress, which is set to convene on Tuesday (December 3) at noon (local time), the attention has been focused on Republican Congressman Kevin McCarthy whose bid to become the speaker of the House of Representatives has been uncertain at best.

In the weeks leading up to the 118th session of the United States Congress, which is set to convene on Tuesday (December 3) at noon (local time), the attention has been focused on Republican Congressman Kevin McCarthy whose bid to become the speaker of the House of Representatives has been uncertain at best. Notably, this is not the first time that the California lawmaker has sought to lead the 435-member House. In 2015, he faced similar opposition from a small section of the Republican party (GOP) after he entered the race when House Speaker John Boehner, (R-Ohio) resigned. Last year, following the midterm elections the GOP, took over the House with a narrow majority of 222-213 from the Democrats and the outgoing speaker Nancy Pelosi. However, given the opposition against McCarthy so far, from people of his own caucus, Tuesday might become the first time ever in nearly 100 years that a majority is garnered to elect a speaker of the chamber. ALSO READ | US, South Korea plan 'coordinated response' against North Korea's nuclear threat Importance of a House speaker The role of a speaker is critical for the government in Washington to function since not only will the lawmaker preside over the lower chamber of Congress they would also be next in line for the presidency. Typically, a speaker is elected at the beginning of a new Congress, however, the House can elect a new one if the incumbent dies, resigns or is removed from office, said a report by Associated Press. Additionally, the chamber cannot be organised until a speaker who is to preside over it is chosen, therefore, the vote to choose a speaker will be the first one taken once the lawmakers convene for the session on January 3 even before the new and returning members of both parties are sworn in. The speaker has “massive influence over what sorts of bills and amendments get voted on in Congress”, said Christian Fong, a political science professor at the University of Michigan, to Al Jazeera. He added that this also gives them a significant amount of control over what becomes a law in the upcoming session. Who will lead the house from both parties in the upcoming session? After the midterm elections, both the GOP conference and Democratic caucus held an informal vote where they selected the lawmaker they want to lead their party for the upcoming session. Therefore, by mid-November, following a close-door vote with Republicans, McCarthy emerged as the leader of the House for his party. Subsequently, by the end of the month, Democrats chose Representative Hakeem Jeffries from New York to lead the party in the House. ALSO WATCH | US Midterms: Republicans win the U.S. House; Kevin McCarthy to become the House Speaker How does the voting take place? Once the House has the minimum number of members present to proceed or quorum, leaders of the house will read out the names of the speaker nominee from their respective party before the roll call vote for the election. Subsequently, the clerk appoints lawmakers from each party as tellers to tally the votes. Notably, once the Congress begins on January 3, 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. Therefore, any lawmaker including the incumbent President Joe Biden, former President Donald Trump, and Senators, can be nominated and have previously received votes for speaker’s office, in the past, but not gained the majority, reported AP. This is because lawmakers in the House call out the name of their choice from the floor in a time-consuming roll call. So far, the number to reach a majority in the 435-member chamber has been 218 votes, however, many speakers including the outgoing speaker Pelosi have taken the gavel with less than that. ALSO READ | Twitter slams Kevin McCarthy for saying he would hit Nancy Pelosi with gavel This is because some members vote present instead of calling out a name, therefore, according to AP, every lawmaker that votes “present” lowers the total tally needed to reach a majority. In case a majority is not reached on the first ballot, as many have speculated would happen in McCarthy’s case, the clerk will repeat the roll call vote several times until a majority is garnered. The passing of the gavel Once the speaker nominee has won a majority of the vote the clear announces the results. Subsequently, a bipartisan committee typically one consisting of the members of the candidate’s home state escorts the speaker-elect to the dais for the oath-taking ceremony, where the outgoing speaker, in this case, speaker and California Democrat Pelosi, joins their successor and passes the gavel in a peaceful transition of power. Why do many people McCarthy would not be able to garner a majority to become the speaker? The last time a speaker for the House of Representatives was not elected in the first round of votes was exactly a century ago in 1923 when a speaker was selected after nearly nine rounds of voting. “It’s a very thin (GOP majority), so it only takes a small group of determined representatives to really get together and pose a credible threat to prevent the Speaker from being elected”, said Fong to Al Jazeera. The professor also spoke about how despite growing bipartisan opposition to the power of the Speaker, the path to the gavel will be particularly difficult for McCarthy. The situation that the Republican lawmaker faces is not entirely unique, as the outgoing speaker Pelosi who held the position for nearly four years witnessed similar internal opposition during her reelection in 2021. However, despite protests from five members of her caucus she managed to retain her position with Dems' slim majority in the chamber, at the time. ALSO WATCH | Kevin McCarthy struggles to clinch support to be U.S. House speaker amid hardline opposition According to Fong, Republicans who are opposing McCarthy’s bid for the gavel are from the so-called “safe-districts”, where they did not face much competition in the elections or had trouble raising funds due to their strong political base. Therefore, they do not value the power a speaker holds over what would otherwise be “valuable resources” for the House members which include committee assignments and campaign funding. Additionally, the California Republican faces a number of critics who want change in the way the House operates and have long complained that the structure gives too much power to leaders and argued for changes which would make small groups of dissenters obstruct and change legislation, reported the New York Times. McCarthy currently faces at least a dozen lawmakers who would choose anyone else but him which has left him scrambling for votes at the last minute and negotiating with the opposing lawmakers on concessions which may dilute his powers, should he take the office of the speaker, in the upcoming session. This mix also includes a group of newly elected lawmakers who are still weighing their options, said the NYT. ALSO READ | TikTok banned from all US House of Representatives-managed devices What will happen if McCarthy fails? As mentioned earlier, the speaker is an important part of not only the House but also the functioning of the US government, therefore with no one to preside over the chamber, it cannot fully form, name its committee chairmen, or even hold floor proceedings. In one word, chaos, "One thing to stress about this whole process, nothing else happens in the House of Representatives until a speaker is elected. It's the only leadership position specifically mentioned in the Constitution," said NPR's congressional correspondent, Deirdre Walsh. She added, "Members of Congress cannot even be sworn in to start a new session of Congress without a speaker first being elected. So opening day could be very chaotic." Additionally, the GOP is holding on to a majority in the lower chamber by just a couple of votes which makes McCarthy’s bid to become the next speaker all the more critical given that members with outsized power can threaten to effectively dilute if not wipe out the power Republicans would otherwise enjoy as a majority in the chamber, affecting potentially every upcoming legislation the dissenters they do not get their way. “One reason why you don’t see more opposition to the Speaker in the modern era is that the Speaker controls all kinds of valuable resources that members of the House of Representatives really want,” said Fong to Al Jazeera. (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: Will the US House of Representatives have a speaker when it convenes?

U.S. Representative Kevin McCarthy is still struggling to clinch the necessary support to become the next speaker, less than a day before the new Congress convenes.

Kevin McCarthy struggles to clinch support to be U.S. House speaker amid hardline opposition

South Korea and the United States are discussing planning and implementation of U.S. nuclear operations to counter North Korea, Seoul's presidential office said on Tuesday.

Seoul: Nuclear exercises can be held between nuclear weapon states

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken held talks with incoming Chinese foreign minister Qin Gang over a phone call. This comes after China announced Qin as a new foreign minister last week.

Blinken talks with Qin over phone, discusses relations

Recently, China selected Beijing’s ambassador to Washington, Qin Gang, as the new foreign minister of the country as a replacement for Wang Yi who has held the position for nearly a decade. Prior to his departure, the US Secretary of State, Antony Blinken, on Sunday, spoke to Qin over the phone about US-China ties and “maintaining open lines of communication”.&nbsp;

The 56-year-old, Qin, was appointed for the role, on December 30, and is said to be a trusted aide of Chinese President Xi Jinping. The decision was made by the 13th National People’s Congress (NPC) Standing Committee on Friday, said a report by Global Times. Additionally, Qin will replace the 69-year-old Wang who will reportedly remain the state councillor in charge of diplomacy.

Following the conversation between Blinken and his incoming Chinese counterpart, the US official took to Twitter and said, “Spoke by phone this morning with incoming People's Republic of China Foreign Minister Qin Gang as he departs Washington for his new role. We discussed the US-PRC relationship and maintaining open lines of communication.”&nbsp;

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-china-top-diplomats-reach-consensus-on-not-seeking-new-cold-war-on-the-sidelines-of-g20-summit-495735">US-China top diplomats reach consensus on not seeking new 'Cold War' on sidelines of G20 summit</a>

Notably, Qin’s 17-month stint as the Chinese ambassador to Washington has been marked by escalating tensions between the two countries on a range of issues from trade, to the ongoing “chip war”, and Taiwan. In response to Blinken, Qin also took to the microblogging platform and said, “I look forward to continuing close working relations with him for a better China-US relationship.”&nbsp;

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Called <a href="https://twitter.com/SecBlinken?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SecBlinken</a> to say goodbye. I appreciate several candid, in-depth and constructive meetings with him during my tenure. I look forward to continuing close working relations with him for a better China-US relationship.
— Qin Gang 秦刚 (@AmbQinGang) <a href="https://twitter.com/AmbQinGang/status/1609627011261005825?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 1, 2023</a></blockquote>
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The <a href="https://www.wionews.com/what-is-china-taiwan-conflict-role-of-us-518832">issue of Taiwan</a> has also become a point of contention between the two countries with China claiming Taiwan as a breakaway province under Beijing’s rule and Taiwan identifying itself as distinct from the Chinese mainland with its own constitution and democratically-elected leaders.

ALSO WATCH |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/us-china-battle-over-semiconductors-503123">US-China battle over semiconductors</a>

Earlier this year, in his first one-on-one interview after assuming his post in Washington, Qin had also warned that the US could face “military conflict” with China over the status of Taiwan. “If the Taiwanese authorities, emboldened by the United States, keep going down the road for independence, it most likely will involve China and the United States, the two big countries, in a military conflict,” said Qin to NPR.&nbsp;

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&nbsp;

Qin about India-China relations

In an op-ed article titled, “How China Sees the World” written, on December 26, four days before he was named Beijing's new foreign minister, Qin in reference to “border issues” with India said that the status quo is that both sides are “willing to ease the situation”.&nbsp;

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/tawang-skirmish-china-stepped-up-efforts-for-improved-access-near-lac-says-australian-think-tank-544999">Tawang skirmish: China stepped up efforts for improved access near LAC, says Australian think tank</a>

“China’s development means a stronger force for peace, not a growing power poised to ‘break the status quo’, as some call it,” wrote the incoming foreign minister in the US magazine National Interest. He added, “As to the border issues between China and India, the status quo is that both sides are willing to ease the situation and jointly protect peace along their borders.”

Notably, the article was written weeks after a clash between Indian and Chinese troops along the Line of Actual Control in northeastern India's Arunachal Pradesh's Tawang Sector on December 9.&nbsp;

Subsequently, in a statement, the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) Western Theatre Command spokesman, said the Chinese troops “were obstructed by the Indian army who illegally crossed the Line (of Actual Control),” reported AFP.&nbsp;

ALSO READ&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/india-rejects-chinese-objections-on-indo-us-military-exercise-near-lac-539273">India rejects Chinese objections on Indo-US military exercise near LAC</a>

On the other hand, Indian Defence Minister, Rajnath Singh, addressing the parliament days after the incident said that China unilaterally attempted to change the status quo along the LAC, and it was <a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/garud-commandos-deployed-at-lac-with-cutting-edge-weapons-545609">Indian troops’</a> timely intervention which shunned away the Chinese PLA.&nbsp;

He went on to seemingly blame the US for changing the status quo in Taiwan and defended Beijing and said that tensions in the Taiwan Strait are not created by them, “breaking the status quo, but by ‘Taiwan independence’ separatists and external forces continually challenging the status quo of ‘one China’,” wrote Qin.&nbsp;

ALSO WATCH |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/india-will-park-fighter-jets-50km-from-lac-near-china-530647">India will park fighter jets 50km from LAC near China</a>

Similarly, he went on to blame Japan for “altering” the status quo in the South China Sea and wrote, “In the case of the East China Sea, it was Japan who attempted to ‘nationalize’ Diaoyu Dao ten years ago, altering the ‘status quo’’ between China and Japan of agreeing to put aside differences. In the South China Sea, the status quo is that regional countries are consulting on a code of conduct that will lead to meaningful and effective rules for the region.”&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp; 
 
&nbsp;

WATCH WION LIVE HERE

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Recently, China selected Beijing’s ambassador to Washington, Qin Gang, as the new foreign minister of the country as a replacement for Wang Yi who has held the position for nearly a decade.

Recently, China selected Beijing’s ambassador to Washington, Qin Gang, as the new foreign minister of the country as a replacement for Wang Yi who has held the position for nearly a decade. Prior to his departure, the US Secretary of State, Antony Blinken, on Sunday, spoke to Qin over the phone about US-China ties and “maintaining open lines of communication”. The 56-year-old, Qin, was appointed for the role, on December 30, and is said to be a trusted aide of Chinese President Xi Jinping. The decision was made by the 13th National People’s Congress (NPC) Standing Committee on Friday, said a report by Global Times. Additionally, Qin will replace the 69-year-old Wang who will reportedly remain the state councillor in charge of diplomacy. Following the conversation between Blinken and his incoming Chinese counterpart, the US official took to Twitter and said, “Spoke by phone this morning with incoming People's Republic of China Foreign Minister Qin Gang as he departs Washington for his new role. We discussed the US-PRC relationship and maintaining open lines of communication.” ALSO READ | US-China top diplomats reach consensus on not seeking new 'Cold War' on sidelines of G20 summit Notably, Qin’s 17-month stint as the Chinese ambassador to Washington has been marked by escalating tensions between the two countries on a range of issues from trade, to the ongoing “chip war”, and Taiwan. In response to Blinken, Qin also took to the microblogging platform and said, “I look forward to continuing close working relations with him for a better China-US relationship.” Called @SecBlinken to say goodbye. I appreciate several candid, in-depth and constructive meetings with him during my tenure. I look forward to continuing close working relations with him for a better China-US relationship. — Qin Gang 秦刚 (@AmbQinGang) January 1, 2023 × The issue of Taiwan has also become a point of contention between the two countries with China claiming Taiwan as a breakaway province under Beijing’s rule and Taiwan identifying itself as distinct from the Chinese mainland with its own constitution and democratically-elected leaders. ALSO WATCH | US-China battle over semiconductors Earlier this year, in his first one-on-one interview after assuming his post in Washington, Qin had also warned that the US could face “military conflict” with China over the status of Taiwan. “If the Taiwanese authorities, emboldened by the United States, keep going down the road for independence, it most likely will involve China and the United States, the two big countries, in a military conflict,” said Qin to NPR. × Qin about India-China relations In an op-ed article titled, “How China Sees the World” written, on December 26, four days before he was named Beijing's new foreign minister, Qin in reference to “border issues” with India said that the status quo is that both sides are “willing to ease the situation”. ALSO READ | Tawang skirmish: China stepped up efforts for improved access near LAC, says Australian think tank “China’s development means a stronger force for peace, not a growing power poised to ‘break the status quo’, as some call it,” wrote the incoming foreign minister in the US magazine National Interest. He added, “As to the border issues between China and India, the status quo is that both sides are willing to ease the situation and jointly protect peace along their borders.” Notably, the article was written weeks after a clash between Indian and Chinese troops along the Line of Actual Control in northeastern India's Arunachal Pradesh's Tawang Sector on December 9. Subsequently, in a statement, the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) Western Theatre Command spokesman, said the Chinese troops “were obstructed by the Indian army who illegally crossed the Line (of Actual Control),” reported AFP. ALSO READ | India rejects Chinese objections on Indo-US military exercise near LAC On the other hand, Indian Defence Minister, Rajnath Singh, addressing the parliament days after the incident said that China unilaterally attempted to change the status quo along the LAC, and it was Indian troops’ timely intervention which shunned away the Chinese PLA. He went on to seemingly blame the US for changing the status quo in Taiwan and defended Beijing and said that tensions in the Taiwan Strait are not created by them, “breaking the status quo, but by ‘Taiwan independence’ separatists and external forces continually challenging the status quo of ‘one China’,” wrote Qin. ALSO WATCH | India will park fighter jets 50km from LAC near China Similarly, he went on to blame Japan for “altering” the status quo in the South China Sea and wrote, “In the case of the East China Sea, it was Japan who attempted to ‘nationalize’ Diaoyu Dao ten years ago, altering the ‘status quo’’ between China and Japan of agreeing to put aside differences. In the South China Sea, the status quo is that regional countries are consulting on a code of conduct that will lead to meaningful and effective rules for the region.” (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.

New Chinese foreign minister, Qin Gang, talks to his counterpart in Washington about US-China ties

In response to North Korea's increasing nuclear and missile threats, South Korea and the United States are talking about potential cooperative planning and exercises utilising US nuclear capabilities, according to South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol in a newspaper interview. Yoon was reported by the Chosun Ilbo newspaper as adding that the cooperative planning and drills will be intended to improve the US "extended deterrence."

US-South Korea Mull Nuke Drills: President Yoon Suk-Yeol says talks ongoing

US-China Relations: Blinken talks with Qin over phone, discusses relations

US-China Relations: What to expect from Qin Gang's stint as China's top diplomat?

San Francisco in the US state of California, saw a record flooding on the last day of 2022. Heavy rains brought about a phenomenon known as an ‘atmospheric river’ leading to the closure of US highway 101, one of California’s most famous routes.

Deluge in California: Record rains hit San Francisco, flood warning issued to about 16 MN residents

Signalling depending or deepening animosity with South Korea and the United States, North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has pledged to increase the production of nuclear warheads exponentially.

North Korean leaders chairs key party meet; Kim Jong-un calls for bigger Nuclear arsenal

Three New York police officers were attacked near Times Square on New Year's Eve. The attacker used a machete to injure the officers. The police say it was an unprovoked attack.

US: Three police officers attacked with a machete near times square

Six years of Donald Trump’s tax returns were made public by a congressional panel, ending the former president’s long-running effort to break precedent and keep them secret.

US: Committee release security and bank account numbers, Trump paid $1500 income tax for 2016-17

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US House adjourns without electing speaker; McCarthy loses 3rd US House speaker vote

U.S. House Speaker Voting: No majority for republican speaker candidate Kevin McCarthy

U.S. House Speaker Voting: No majority for republican speaker candidate Kevin McCarthy

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New York City: 19-year-old boy charged over New Year's Eve machete attack on three police officers

Explained: Will the US House of Representatives have a speaker when it convenes?

Kevin McCarthy struggles to clinch support to be U.S. House speaker amid hardline opposition

Seoul: Nuclear exercises can be held between nuclear weapon states

Blinken talks with Qin over phone, discusses relations