U.S. and world news for Nov. 12

House vote on government shutdown

The Republican Speaker of the House Mike Johnson called the House back into session to vote approval of the bill passed in the Senate that could end the government shutdown this week. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries believes many Democrats will strongly oppose it. On Tuesday, tensions flared during a House Rules Committee meeting as Democrats expressed frustration over the bill’s failure to extend enhanced Obamacare subsidies, which help make health care coverage more affordable. Democrats proposed a three-year extension of the subsidies, but the committee rejected it.

Air traffic controllers take days off and retire

A record number of air traffic controllers in the U.S. have taken unscheduled time off in recent days, triggering long delays for travelers. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said some controllers may be calling out to protest the lack of pay during the government shutdown, while others are taking on other jobs to support their families. Until a deal is officially inked to end the gridlock, airlines are required to reduce flights at 40 major U.S. airports so a limited number of controllers can manage traffic safely. Duffy also said that the number of controllers taking retirement has dramatically increased and that means the control tower staffing situation will be worse than it has been so far during the Trump administration.

Trump declares himself a ballroom expert

In an interview with Fox News host Laura Ingraham, Donald Trump declared himself to be an expert at building ballrooms. He compared some of the marble he has used in redecorating the White House with marble he has used in ballrooms. Trump took Ingraham on a walking tour of areas at the White House that he has redecorated. When they were in one area, he criticized former First Lady Jackie Kennedy who was famed for her White House redecoration during the Kennedy administration. Trump blamed her for having used tiles that cracked after having been in service for about 60 years. When Ingraham asked Trump about the economy, he said that polls showing people are concerned about higher costs are fake. He restated his claim to have brought down prices and ended inflation.

Baby formula recall

The baby formula company ByHeart said Tuesday that it has recalled all of its infant formula products in the U.S. This comes as the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) are investigating a multistate outbreak of infant botulism that may be tied to the company’s U.S.-made infant formula. At least 15 children with suspected or confirmed infant botulism had been exposed to ByHeart products, the FDA said Monday. Infant botulism happens when a baby swallows Clostridium botulinum spores, which can grow in the gut and produce botulinum neurotoxin, according to the CDC. Symptoms may include constipation, poor feeding, loss of head control, difficulty swallowing and a weak and altered cry, which can progress to difficulty breathing and respiratory arrest.

Venezuela builds up its armed forces

Venezuela says it is launching a “massive mobilization” of military personnel, weapons and equipment in response to the buildup of U.S. warships and troops in the Caribbean Sea. Land, air, naval and reserve forces will carry out exercises today, according to the country’s Defense Minister, who described the deployment as a response to the “imperialist threat” posed by the U.S. buildup. In recent weeks, the Trump administration has carried out strikes on numerous alleged drug boats in the Caribbean, saying the operations are aimed at combating the flow of drugs into the U.S. However, Venezuelan officials believe the U.S. is really trying to force regime change and remove Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro from power.

Northern Lights brighten southern skies

A severe solar storm is painting Northern Lights in the sky as far south as Texas, Alabama, Georgia and even northern Florida. The breathtaking phenomenon occurs when charged particles from the sun interact with gases in the Earth’s atmosphere, causing glowing curtains of green, red and purple light in the sky. The Space Weather Prediction Center issued a G4 “severe” geomagnetic storm watch for Tuesday and today. G4 is the second-strongest level on the five-step scale. For most people, the impacts will be limited to stunning skies, but the event may also pose risks for voltage control problems in power systems, GPS navigation errors, and intermittent issues with radio and satellite operations.