News Wrap: Marjorie Taylor Greene’s attempt to oust House Speaker Johnson fails

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• Geoff Bennett:

  In the day's other headlines: The House of Representatives voted overwhelmingly tonight to keep House Speaker Mike Johnson in his job.

  Georgia Republican Marjorie Taylor Greene had moved to oust Johnson for pushing Ukraine aid and other actions that she and other far right Republicans opposed.

• Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA):

  By passing the Democrats' agenda and handcuffing Republicans' ability to influence legislation, our elected Republican speaker, Mike Johnson, has aided and abetted the Democrats and the Biden administration in destroying our country.

• Geoff Bennett:

  Democrats joined the overwhelming majority of Republicans in supporting Johnson.

  A Georgia state appeals court will consider former President Donald Trump's bid to oust the district attorney in his election interference trial. That decision today could mean the trial gets delayed past the November election. Mr. Trump is appealing the trial judge's ruling that let DA Fani Willis stay on the case. The special prosecutor that she named stepped aside after acknowledging they'd had a romantic relationship.

  Parts of the Midwest surveyed the damage today after a night of extreme weather that spawned tornadoes. Three twisters struck in Michigan, including in the town of Portage, with reports of others in Indiana and Ohio, as well as West Virginia. One of the Michigan storms obliterated a mobile home park and several businesses.

  It also tore the roof off a FedEx facility. No serious injuries were reported. But, in Tennessee, officials there say a man was killed when high winds blew a tree into the vehicle he was in.

  In Ukraine, Russia unleashed a barrage of more than 50 missiles and drones overnight, ending a recent lull in attacks. Ukrainian officials say nearly a dozen energy facilities were hit, causing serious damage and blackouts. Several homes in the Kyiv and Kharkiv regions were also struck. In Moscow Russia's, Foreign Ministry said the war could end soon, under one condition.

• Maria Zakharova, Spokeswoman, Russian Foreign Ministry (through interpreter):

  What is needed for de-escalation, the European Union's foreign policy chief, Josep Borrell, already said it. He said that if you stop supplying weapons to the Kyiv regime, everything will be over in two weeks. That is the true formula for peace voiced by the Westerners themselves.

• Geoff Bennett:

  The E.U.'s Borrell did say this month that Ukraine would lose the war if it wasn't supplied with more weapons, but that he did not want that outcome.

  Also today, E.U. nations reached a tentative deal to let Ukraine use the proceeds from frozen Russian assets to buy weapons.

  An appeals court in Hong Kong has agreed to let officials ban a popular protest song called "Glory to Hong Kong." Today's decision overturned an earlier ruling. The song was frequently sung during massive anti-government demonstrations in 2019. China's Foreign Ministry said today the ban will maintain national dignity.

• Lin Jian, Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson (through interpreter):

  This is not a diplomatic question. I would like to stress that stopping anyone from using or spreading the song in an attempt to incite division and insult the national anthem is a legitimate and necessary measure.

• Geoff Bennett:

  Banning the protest song is the latest step in Beijing's crackdown on civil liberties in Hong Kong.

  Here at home, the former interpreter for Los Angeles Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani pleaded guilty today to bank tax fraud in the theft of $17 million. Federal prosecutors say Ippei Mizuhara used the money to cover gambling debts. He could face more than 30 years in prison.

  Concert promoter Live Nation has settled nearly all of the wrongful death lawsuits involving the 2021 Astroworld Festival in Houston; 10 people were killed when fans surged toward the stage as rap star Travis Scott performed. A lawyer for Live Nation said today only one of the resulting suits is still.

  The bankrupt cryptocurrency exchange FTX now says it will distribute at least $14.5 billion to creditors. In a court filing late Tuesday, the company announced it has the assets to cover what it owes and a little more. FTX collapsed in November 2022. Earlier this year, former CEO and founder Sam Bankman-Fried was sentenced to 25 years in prison for fraud.

  On Wall Street, stocks mostly drifted for a second day. The Dow Jones industrial average gained 172 points to close at 39056. The Nasdaq fell 29 points. The S&P 500 was down a fraction.

  And there's something new in the Statuary Hall at the U.S. Capitol, where each state displays its own prominent historical figures. Today, Arkansas unveiled a statue depicting civil rights leader and journalist Daisy Bates. She played a key role in desegregating the state's public schools. The state is also adding a statue of country music great Johnny Cash. They will replace figures with Confederate and white supremacist backgrounds.