Live updates Jordan failing to secure votes needed for speaker on second ballot  —  With a roll-call vote underway, Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) is failing to secure the votes he would need to be elected speaker on a second ballot.  On Tuesday, 20 members of his own party refused to back him.

Donald Trump told to keep volume down after getting animated at New York civil fraud trial  —  A judge warned Donald Trump and others at his New York civil fraud trial to keep their voices down Wednesday after the former president threw up his hands in frustration and spoke aloud to his lawyers …

Biden's pick for ambassador to Israel spars with Republican opponents  —  Jack Lew, a veteran of the Obama and Clinton administrations, has attracted criticism from some in the GOP for his defense of the Iran nuclear deal and related policies  —  Jack Lew, President Biden's nominee to become …

Gaza hospital blast: what we know about the explosion  —  WHO BOMBED THE HOSPITAL IN GAZA?  —  Israelis and Palestinians have blamed each other for the hospital bombing.  —  Biden, who has stood squarely behind Israel from the start of the conflict, said that based on what he had seen …

Cornel West draws max donation from GOP megadonor Harlan Crow  —  The professor is challenging President Joe Biden from the left in the 2024 presidential election, running as an independent after dropping a Green Party bid.  —  Progressive activist and independent presidential candidate Cornel West received …

Biden would lose in matchup vs. Trump, according to CNBC survey; Israel funding has strong support  — President Joe Biden's approval rating fell to just 37%, according to CNBC's All-America Economic Survey.  It's the second lowest approval rating of Biden's presidency.

EPA takes step toward regulating small aircraft emissions  —  The Environmental Protection Agency announced Wednesday that it has found emissions from small planes run on leaded fuel can cause and contribute to air pollution, posing a danger to public health, a finding that marks a significant step toward regulation.

Center for Politics Study: Partisan Desires Override Support for Constitutional Freedoms and American Values  —  A new national study by the Center for Politics at the University of Virginia reveals a stunning number of Americans endorsing policies that could challenge the U.S. Constitution …

Early Intelligence Suggests Hospital Blast Caused by Palestinian Fighters, U.S. Says  —  Officials cautioned that analysis is preliminary and that the United States was continuing to collect and analyze evidence.  —  American officials say they have multiple strands of intelligence …

EXCLUSIVE: X, formerly known as Twitter, will begin charging new users $1 a year to access key features including the ability to tweet and retweet  —  The owner of X, Elon Musk, has long floated the idea of charging users $1 to use the platform.  —  X, the platform formerly known as Twitter …

Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker launches organization focused on protecting abortion rights  —  Democratic Gov. J.B. Pritzker of Illinois is launching a new organization, Think Big America, focused on passing abortion rights ballot measures around the country.  Pritzker, a rising figure …