What the far-right holdouts want from Kevin McCarthy; Damar Hamlin is improving; an FDA rule will make abortion pill access easier

Plus, Amazon announces massive layoffs. [View this email online]( [NPR]( by Suzanne Nuyen There's no respite ahead for Californians. The state is about to be [hit for the third time]( with heavy winds, snow, rain and flooding. Here's what we're following today: First up [Rep. Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., returns to his office following another disappointing day for the House majority leader. McCarthy has so far failed to become speaker after six rounds of votes.]( Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images Kevin McCarthy has now failed in six rounds of voting to become speaker of the House. Twenty-one members are holding back their votes, and t[hese are their demands](. ➡️ The House hasn't failed to elect a speaker on the first vote in a century, and McCarthy's troubles [mirror what happened 100 years ago](. The NFL says Damar Hamlin is showing "signs of improvement" but remains in critical condition and is expected to remain in the ICU. [His heart stopped beating]( on the field after a seemingly routine tackle, and doctors had to restart it a second time at the hospital. A new rule by the FDA will open the door for more pharmacies to provide abortion pills and remove a patient's requirement for in-person exams to get them. But in places with strict anti-abortion bans, pregnant people may still [find it challenging to get their hands on the medication](. U.S. men's national team player Gio Reyna's mother, Danielle Reyna, has revealed information about a 1991 domestic violence incident between [coach Gregg Berhalter and his now-wife](. --------------------------------------------------------------- Newsletter continues after sponsor message --------------------------------------------------------------- Picture show [Paula Naylor pushes her father, Paul Romanello, with his wheelchair on Dec. 21 in Tulsa, Okla. Romanello was recently celebrated by the Centenarians of Oklahoma when he turned 100 years old.]( Michael Noble Jr. for NPR For the past three decades, volunteers for the Centenarians of Oklahoma have made it their mission to celebrate as many centenarians as they can. To date, they've [honored more than 2,700 and countin](. 🎧 Listen to [why they've dedicated themselves to this mission](. --------------------------------------------------------------- I'm really into Josie Norton for NPR Calendars are for keeping time, but planners are for dreaming. NPR's Ariana Stone has kept a planner on her at all times for the past few years. In it, she [finds magic in the negative space]( where she reflects on the past and envisions the future. What are you really into? [Fill out this form]( or leave us a voice note at 800-329-4273, and part of your submission may be featured online or on the radio. --------------------------------------------------------------- Before you go [A Tesla with four people inside crashed on the rocks over the cliffside off California's Highway 1 south of San Francisco on Monday. The driver has been arrested with intentionally driving the car off the cliff in an attempt to kill his family.]( California Highway Patrol/Screenshot by NPR - A driver of a Tesla has been arrested on charges of attempted murder and child abuse after [plunging the car 250-300 feet off a cliff](. All inside the car survived, including the driver, another adult and two children. - More than a century ago, a Met librarian made some of the first live music recordings. 🎧 Listen to [how NPR assisted]( in getting 16 of the Mapleson Cylinders into the [New York Public Library collection](. - Rick Singer, the man behind the notorious "Varsity Blues" college admissions bribery scandal, was sentenced yesterday to [3 1/2 years in prison]( and ordered to pay more than $19 million. - Amazon says it's laying off more than 18,000 workers this year, representing the [single largest number of jobs cut at a technology company]( since the industry began aggressively downsizing last year. --------------------------------------------------------------- Stream your local NPR station. Visit NPR.org to find your local station stream. [Find a Station]( --------------------------------------------------------------- Enjoying this newsletter? Forward to a friend! They can [sign up here](. Looking for more great content? [Check out all of our newsletter offerings]( — including Music, Politics, Health and more! You received this message because you're subscribed to Daily News emails. This email was sent by National Public Radio, Inc., 1111 North Capitol Street NE, Washington, DC 20002 [Unsubscribe]( | [Privacy Policy]( [NPR logo]