While You Were Sleeping: 5 stories you might have missed, Jan 5
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US House Republican Leader Kevin McCarthy talks to reporters after losing a sixth straight vote for Speaker of the House.
PHOTO: REUTERS
US House rejects Kevin McCarthy as Speaker a sixth time
The US House of Representatives, mired in a chaotic leadership battle, rejected Republican Kevin McCarthy’s bid to lead the chamber three more times on Wednesday, as a small group of holdouts in the party defied former president Donald Trump’s call for unity.
Despite Mr Trump’s appeal, Mr McCarthy fell short in three consecutive votes for House speaker after three losing votes on Tuesday, as roughly 20 Republicans on the party’s right flank refused to back a candidate they deemed ideologically unreliable.
Lawmakers then voted to recess until 8pm ET (9am on Thursday, Singapore time) while they seek a solution behind closed doors.
The last time the House failed to elect a speaker on the first ballot was 1923, a century ago.
France’s Macron promises ‘first Western tanks’ for Ukraine
AFP
France is set to become the first Western country to deliver tanks to Ukraine, the French presidency announced on Wednesday after talks between Emmanuel Macron and Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelensky.
The move to supply the French-made AMX-10 RC to Ukraine – a light tank model in service since the 1980s that is being phased out in the French military – represents a significant shift in French military support for Ukraine.
Paris has already delivered state-of-the-art artillery, armoured personnel carriers, anti-aircraft missiles and air-defence systems to Ukraine, but Mr Macron has long been wary of antagonising Russia and breaking off diplomatic contact with Vladimir Putin.
EU ‘encouraged’ to demand Covid tests from China passengers
AFP
EU countries are “strongly encouraged” to demand Covid-19 tests from passengers coming from China, a crisis meeting of European Union experts decided on Wednesday.
The meeting also recommended that passengers to and from China wear face masks, that EU countries conduct random tests on arrivals and test wastewater from flights from China, according to a statement issued by the Swedish presidency of the EU.
Wednesday’s meeting was held to coordinate a joint EU response to a sudden inflow of visitors from China after Beijing lifted its “zero-Covid” policy that for three years had imposed strict restrictions on movement in the country when infections were detected.
Football: Fifa boss Infantino in Pele wake selfie row
REUTERS
Fifa chief Gianni Infantino insisted on Wednesday he would never be disrespectful to Pele as he came under fire over a photo call at the Brazilian legend’s wake.
Infantino took a selfie with some of Pele’s old teammates on Monday right beside the open coffin of the three-time World Cup winner.
The Swiss said he took the photo as Pele’s friends seemed unable to operate their mobile phones.
Djokovic set to miss US events amid tighter vaccine rules
AFP
Novak Djokovic is set to miss the Indian Wells and Miami Open ATP 1000 events this year if he remains unvaccinated against Covid-19, after United States authorities said non-nationals will need to have taken their shots to enter the country.
A statement from the Transportation Security Administration on Wednesday said the requirement for foreign air travellers to be fully vaccinated against the disease would be in place until April 10.
Indian Wells runs from March 6-19 and the Miami Open from March 20-April 2 and Djokovic risks missing the two important hardcourt tournaments if he does not take the vaccine.
