3 rounds of voting, still no House speaker

Laura L. Davis, USA TODAY
·5 min read
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Republican infighting is complicating the selection of a new House speaker. Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin is in critical condition after collapsing during a game. And forecasters warn of "truly a brutal storm" heading for California.

👋 Hey pals! Laura Davis here. I'm back after a break for the holidays! Hope y'all had a nice time. It's the first Short List of 2023, so let's get to Tuesday's news!

But first, start the new year off with a meteor shower! 💫 The Quadrantids meteor shower will peak Tuesday night into Wednesday morning. Here's how to watch.

The Short List is a snappy USA TODAY news roundup. Subscribe to the newsletter here.

House speaker vote highlights internal GOP divisions

Unable to elect Republican leader Kevin McCarthy as the new House speaker Tuesday, the Republicans adjourned for the day in disarray as the party tries to regroup from his historic defeat with no clear way after a long, messy start for the new Congress. Needing 218 votes in the full House, McCarthy got just 203 in both rounds – less even than Democrat Hakeem Jeffries in the GOP-controlled chamber. McCarthy had pledged a “battle on the floor” for as long as it took to overcome right-flank fellow Republicans who were refusing to give him their votes. But it was not at all clear how the embattled GOP leader could rebound after becoming the first House speaker nominee in 100 years to fail to win the gavel from his fellow party members on the initial vote. Follow our coverage for live updates.

Rep. Kevin McCarthy of California listens as votes are cast for the next Speaker of the House during the opening day of the 118th Congress at the U.S. Capitol on Tuesday in Washington.
Rep. Kevin McCarthy of California listens as votes are cast for the next Speaker of the House during the opening day of the 118th Congress at the U.S. Capitol on Tuesday in Washington.

NFL player Damar Hamlin in critical condition after cardiac arrest on field

Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin is in critical condition at a hospital after collapsing on the field during a game against the Cincinnati Bengals on Monday night. After making a tackle on Bengals receiver Tee Higgins, Hamlin stood up but collapsed to the ground. The Bills announced early Tuesday that he suffered a cardiac arrest. His heartbeat was restored on the field before he was transferred to the University of Cincinnati Medical Center. The Bills also said that Hamlin was sedated and added Tuesday afternoon that he spent the night in the intensive care unit. Monday's game was postponed by the NFL. Follow our coverage.

Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin, pictured here before a game in 2022, collapsed on the field after making a tackle Monday night during a game against the Cincinnati Bengals. The Bill said Tuesday that Hamlin suffered cardiac arrest, and he remained in critical condition at a hospital.
Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin, pictured here before a game in 2022, collapsed on the field after making a tackle Monday night during a game against the Cincinnati Bengals. The Bill said Tuesday that Hamlin suffered cardiac arrest, and he remained in critical condition at a hospital.

What everyone's talking about

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Forecasters: California storm could bring flooding, landslides, deaths

A "brutal" storm system building over the Pacific Ocean is poised to slam across Northern California on Wednesday, battering a region already struggling from a weekend of record rains and flooding. The storm could drop as much as 8 inches of rain in some areas, falling on already overflowing rivers and saturated ground, according to the National Weather Service. "This is truly a brutal system that we are looking at and needs to be taken seriously," the weather service said, forecasting widespread flooding and power outages, hillside collapse and likely loss of life. 👉 Follow our coverage.

🌤 What's the weather up to at your house? Check your local forecast.

From left, Rintaro employees Aaron Linenberger and Akiko Mochizuki clean up from Saturday's floodwater at the restaurant on New Year's Day in San Francisco, Sunday, Jan. 1, 2023.
From left, Rintaro employees Aaron Linenberger and Akiko Mochizuki clean up from Saturday's floodwater at the restaurant on New Year's Day in San Francisco, Sunday, Jan. 1, 2023.

Rep. Santos admitted he lied. What can Congress do about it?

George Santos will be sworn in as a freshman congressman from New York on Tuesday, but there are questions about how long and whether he should remain in office. The newly elected Republican admitted last week to lying to voters about his resume and said he still intends to take office. But Santos is facing growing condemnation – and investigations – after a series of stories first reported by The New York Times shows he lied about his education, heritage, previous employment and more. Questions have also been raised after reviews of his campaign finances.

  • Santos has admitted to lying about his ancestry, previously claiming to be "a proud Jewish American" whose family “fled Jewish persecution in Ukraine, settled in Belgium and again fled persecution during WWII.” He now says he is Catholic. “I always joke, I’m Catholic, but I’m also Jew-ish – as in ‘ish,’” he said.

  • The congressman-elect also made dramatic claims that implied his mother died as a result of 9/11, that he was robbed of rent money in 2016 and that he lost four employees to the Pulse nightclub shooting in Orlando, Florida. 

👉 Can George Santos be impeached? Here's what we know.

Rep.-elect George Santos, R-New York, speaks at an annual leadership meeting of the Republican Jewish Coalition on Nov. 19 in Las Vegas.
Rep.-elect George Santos, R-New York, speaks at an annual leadership meeting of the Republican Jewish Coalition on Nov. 19 in Las Vegas.

Real quick

Where is the safest place in the world to live?

Choosing a place to live is a carefully crafted decision, and prospective residents often take education, affordability and weather into consideration. Safety is also one of the most important factors. So if we're looking for safety, where are we packing up and moving to? Iceland ranks No. 1 on the 2022 Global Peace Index, a position it has held for over a decade. The index scores countries based on the level of societal safety and security, ongoing domestic and international conflict, and degree of militarization. That sense of safety is having a positive effect: Iceland is also the third happiest country in the world, ranking just behind Finland and Denmark on the 2022 World Happiness Report. Iceland not quite your vibe? More peaceful places in the U.S. and around the world.

Even though sightseeing at erupting volcanoes is considered a fun family activity, Iceland was ranked the safest place in the world to live.
Even though sightseeing at erupting volcanoes is considered a fun family activity, Iceland was ranked the safest place in the world to live.

A break from the news

Laura L. Davis is an Audience Editor at USA TODAY. Send her an email at laura@usatoday.com or follow along with her adventures – and misadventures – on Twitter. Support quality journalism like this? Subscribe to USA TODAY here.

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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Tuesday's news: House speaker vote, Damar Hamlin, California storm, George Santos.