This is TODAY

Your day starts here. The latest in news, pop culture, wellness and more.

Voting for speaker of the House continues for the longest stretch in a century after the sixth round of ballots ended without GOP leader Kevin McCarthy being elected. Plus, Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin is showing "signs of improvement," and a doctor shares the healthy methods she used to lose 100 pounds. 

🗳️ The House adjourned for a second straight day as the vote for speaker drags on for the longest stretch in 100 years.  

Republican leader Kevin McCarthy was blocked from being elected speaker of the House yesterday after the sixth round of voting in two days. A band of 20 ultraconservative Republicans continued to vote for other candidates, resulting in the House adjourning until today. It's the first time in 100 years that a vote for House speaker has gone to multiple ballots. McCarthy's inability to secure the votes comes after former President Donald Trump offered his endorsement. The stalemate has delayed the swearing in of new members of the House and the legislating abilities of House committees. Here's the latest.

🏈 Bills player Damar Hamlin is showing 'signs of improvement' but remains in critical condition. 

Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin showed "signs of improvement" yesterday but remains in critical condition after suffering cardiac arrest on the field in Monday's game against the Bengals, the team said yesterday. Family friend Jordon Rooney told The Associated Press that Hamlin's family is "elated" with his progress and that his health is moving in "a positive direction." Hamlin's ordeal brought back difficult memories for the widow of Detroit Lions receiver Chuck Hughes, the only NFL player to die on the field. Hughes was 28 when he collapsed in a game in 1971. Here's his story.

Two actors in their 70s have sued Paramount over a nude scene from a 1968 movie.

Olivia Hussey, 71, and Leonard Whiting, 72, have filed a lawsuit accusing Paramount of sexually exploiting them as teenagers and distributing nude images of adolescent children in relation to a scene in the 1968 movie "Romeo and Juliet." The Oscar-nominated film, which was made when Hussey and Whiting were 15 and 16, contains a bedroom scene that shows the two naked. The actors are seeking damages of more than $500 million, saying that they've suffered mental anguish, emotional distress and lost job opportunities in the 55 years since the film's release. 

💰 7 expert tips to help dig yourself out of holiday debt.

OK, so maybe that 70-inch TV and those fancy new shoes were a little bit much, but it was the holidays and you got caught up in the spirit. If you want to pay off that debt before the summer, CNBC's Sharon Epperson has 7 ways to work through your holiday money hangover without nuking your credit score. Paying off a specific amount after 3 to 5 months, getting a personal loan to consolidate debt and working with a credit counselor can help you get squared away (until next year, at least 🤑). See all Sharon's advice here. 

Achieve your life goals with easy tips.

Dr. Emi Hosoda knows just what her patients are going through when they're struggling to lose weight. The 53-year-old internal medicine physician from Washington reached 235 pounds after having kids in her 30s, lost the weight, then gained it back while working nights and dealing with other health issues. Hosoda has since lost 100 pounds in the last few years, and she shared 6 tips that have helped her shed the weight, from tracking sugar instead of calories to getting enough magnesium to handle cravings. Simple changes like drinking more water and adding strength training to her workouts also made a big difference. See all of her tips here.

Allow us to do the meal-planning for you.

Warm yourself up on a winter weekday with this bright and spicy white bean soup with turkey and greens (above) from food writer and cookbook author Melissa Clark. Adding extra liquid makes the dish light and brothy, or make it more like a stew by smashing some of the beans. Melissa also has a spice-roasted honeynut squash with chickpeas recipe that combines cold-weather vegetables and warming spices without a lot of prep time. 

A little pick-me-up before you go.

When Scott Stallings got an official invitation to play in the Masters this year, he couldn't believe it. After all, he works in real estate and shoots in the 90s when he plays golf on weekends. Meanwhile, the Scott Stallings who plays on the PGA Tour was wondering if his invite to the major tournament was ever going to show up. After the mix-up, real estate Scott reached out to PGA Scott to let him know he had the coveted invite. The weekend golfer told The Golf Channel he flirted with the idea of trying to tee it up at Augusta  — and now he may actually get to see it in person. PGA Scott Stallings said he plans to invite the other Scott to watch a practice round and have dinner at Augusta National in April. Nice job, fellas. You're both giving guys named Scott a good name. 😉

Thanks for letting us in your inbox!
See you again tomorrow morning.

Written by Scott Stump | Edited by Philip Caulfield

Want to refer a friend? They can subscribe here.