McCarthy ousted, fast-food robots, and world's weirdest sports.

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US News, Politics, & Government

McCarthy ousted as Speaker

The House of Representatives voted to remove Speaker Kevin McCarthy from his post on Tuesday. The final vote was 216 to 210. Eight Republicans joined all House Democrats to oust McCarthy. Ultimately, the vote came down to trustworthiness, with voters saying that McCarthy didn’t live up to the promises he made to win the role. House Republicans must now select a new speaker; however, there isn’t an obvious successor. McCarthy can run again if he chooses. (More)

9-year-old who vanished from New York state park found safe

A 9-year-old girl named Charlotte Sena has been rescued by police after going missing for two days. Sena was taken from a campsite while vacationing with her family in upstate New York. Investigators were able to identify a fingerprint from a ransom note allegedly left by the suspect. They then traced the suspect to a camper on his mother’s property and apprehended him. Police found Charlotte in a cabinet immediately after the arrest. She appeared physically unharmed and has been reunited with her family. (More)

A nationwide emergency alert test is coming to your phone on Wednesday

The federal government will conduct a nationwide test of its emergency alert system this afternoon at 2:20 p.m. ET. The test is to ensure that the emergency messaging system is running smoothly in the event that Americans are threatened by natural disasters, terrorism, or other dangers to public safety. The testing window runs for 30 minutes, but you should only receive the message once. FEMA is required by law to conduct national tests of the system at least once every three years. (More)

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World

Dozens of Jamaican schoolchildren hospitalized after eating cannabis candy

Over 60 elementary school students in Jamaica were hospitalized on Monday after unknowingly eating cannabis-infused candy. The children, ages 7 to 12, appear to be in critical condition. The candy caused them to vomit and hallucinate, and some of the kids were put on an intravenous drip. The candy’s packaging included warnings about its psychoactive ingredients and age restrictions, but the rainbow coloring likely fooled the children into believing it was regular candy. (More)

Delhi police search journalists’ homes in latest raids on media

Police have raided a news portal and the homes of nearly 50 journalists, activists, and comedians across India under anti-terrorism laws. Some of the journalists were detained, while others had their electronics confiscated, and a few were taken in for questioning. Those targeted were associated with NewsClick, an independent news site, accused of receiving funding from China. The raid has heightened concerns over a crackdown on freedom of expression in the country. (More)

Hospitalization of Iranian girl leads to claims against ‘morality police’

Activists are accusing Iran’s morality police of beating a 16-year-old girl in Tehran into a coma. A video of the incident shows a girl being carried off a train by other girls and placed on a metro platform, seemingly unconscious. Hengaw, a human rights organization, claims she was assaulted for not complying with national rules regarding the hijab head covering. State-run media, which published the video clip, claimed that the girl fainted and hit her head on the side of the train carriage. (More)

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Business & Economy

Daily stock market update

US stock markets closed lower on Tuesday (S&P -1.37%, Nasdaq -1.87%, Dow -1.29%) ~ The 10-year Treasury yield climbed to 4.79% on Tuesday, the highest level since 2007. And the high interest returns on Treasury bonds continue to pull investment dollars out of the stock market. (More)

Ford, GM lay off about 500 more employees, citing expanded UAW strike

Ford and General Motors laid off 500 more people on Tuesday, bringing the total to around 3,000 since the UAW began its strike against the Detroit Three last month. Ford’s chief supply chain officer said that if the strike is prolonged, there could be a significant impact on employment across other Ford factories. The company estimates that anywhere between 325,000 and 500,000 employees could be laid off. (More)

Chipotle tests automation for burrito bowls and salads

Chipotle Mexican Grill is testing whether robots can make burrito bowls and salads. All Chipotle restaurants have two lines to assemble orders: one in the front for in-person orders and another in the kitchen for digital orders. The robots will operate in the back and make burrito bowls and salads for digital orders only. The technology works by moving the bowls underneath the digital order line to dispense the correct ingredients before sending the item back to the surface for packaging by employees. (More)

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Sports & Entertainment

Major League Baseball playoffs begin

Royce Lewis hit two home runs to carry the Minnesota Twins to a 3-1 victory over the Toronto Blue Jays in the first game of the American League Wild Card Series. The win ended Minnesota’s 18-game postseason losing streak. (More) ~ Meanwhile, the Tampa Bay Rays swung and missed in their wild card opener. Not only did they lose 4-0 to the Texas Rangers, but they also had the lowest playoff attendance in 100 years. (More)

Mariah Carey's Christmas concert tour

Mariah Carey announced her Merry Christmas One and All tour on Monday, with dates in 13 cities. The tour starts in Highland, California and will make stops in major cities, including Los Angeles, Chicago, Boston and end at Madison Square Garden in New York City. Presales begin today and general sales start at 10 a.m. Friday. (More)

Jets' Aaron Rodgers 'attacking' rehab, eyes return this season

New York Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers is only three weeks removed from surgery to repair his torn Achilles tendon, but said that he’s well ahead of the normal protocols and believes he can return this season. The common practice is six weeks in a boot after surgery, but he was in a shoe in 13 days. He surprised many by walking briskly on crutches on Sunday night during pregame warmups before the Jet’s game. (More)

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Science, Health, & Tech

Netflix is planning to raise prices... again

Netflix said it will raise the price of its streaming service again “a few months” after the Hollywood actors strike ends, which could happen in the next few weeks. The price increases will happen in several global markets, starting with the U.S. and Canada. Netflix declined to comment on the amount of the price hikes. (More)

Bangladesh dengue deaths top 1,000 in worst outbreak

The death toll from Bangladesh’s dengue outbreak has reached 1,017, making 2023 the deadliest year since the first recorded epidemic in 2000. Hospitals have struggled to accommodate the 209,000 people infected during this year’s outbreak. The infection causes symptoms like high fever, joint pain, and vomiting. A shortage of intravenous fluids and medical supplies have made the situation even worse. (More)

James Webb telescope makes 'JuMBO' discovery of planet-like objects in Orion

The James Webb Space Telescope has discovered Jupiter-sized planets that are free-floating and do not orbit a star. The objects were found in the Orion Nebula, which is 1,344 light-years from Earth. The telescope identified around 40 pairs of these planets, which have been nicknamed Jupiter Mass Binary Objects or “JuMBOs.” (More)

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