US:Republican candidate fails to secure enough votes for speakership

In US, Republican leader Kevin McCarthy failed to secure enough votes to be elected as the speaker of the House of Representatives in a third round of voting. It was the first time in a century that neither a Republican nor a Democrat won Speaker's seat. The House adjourned without a speaker, first time since 1923. The first round of voting saw at least 19 defections from McCarthy's own party when he could only afford to lose four seats. In the second and third rounds of voting, he failed to secure enough votes from fellow Republicans for securing the Speaker's post. McCarthy needs at least 218 votes to formally become speaker of the House, which has 435 members. McCarthy, however, vowed to continue his bid for the speakership, forcing multiple votes if necessary until he wins. The Democratic candidate Hakeem Jeffries, won nine more votes than McCarthy in the first ballot vote. Jeffries won 212 votes against just 203 for Mr McCarthy, but that doesn’t mean he’ll become speaker. The results will likely change in the second vote.