5 things to know for Jan. 6: House, Capitol insurrection, NFL, Immigration, Ukraine

By Alexandra Meeks, CNN

Dozens of states across the US are kicking off the new year with a bevy of tax changes for their residents and businesses. In fact, depending on where you live, your income tax rate may have already changed. Sales taxes on common items like gas and groceries have also undergone some noteworthy alterations.

Here’s what else you need to know to Get Up to Speed and On with Your Day.

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1. House

The battle for House speaker will resume for a fourth day today. On Thursday, GOP leader Kevin McCarthy continued to suffer a string of defeats in multiple rounds of voting before the House adjourned. As the fight for the gavel drags on, it has now become the longest speaker contest in 164 years. Each failed vote only increases pressure on McCarthy to end the impasse, but it is unclear whether he will be able to lock in the 218 votes he needs to win. Talks are continuing among Republicans after negotiations aimed at winning over McCarthy opponents picked up steam on Thursday. Key House GOP negotiators said they were moving toward an agreement that would bring McCarthy closer to the number of votes he needs.

2. Capitol insurrection

Today marks two years since the January 6, 2021, attack on the US Capitol, and security officials are preparing for a wave of planned protests in the area. Multiple sources tell CNN that the US Capitol Police will have civil disturbance units on standby for several protests on the Capitol grounds that have already been granted permits and at the Supreme Court building. The increased security measures come out of an abundance of caution, sources tell CNN, and reflect what has become standard protocol for Capitol Police in the wake of the deadly insurrection two years ago. Also today, President Joe Biden is expected to mark the anniversary by awarding the Presidential Citizens Medal to 12 people. The individuals include law enforcement officers who were injured defending the Capitol, a Capitol Police officer who died in the attack, and election workers who rejected efforts by former President Donald Trump to overturn the results of the 2020 election.

3. NFL

All 32 teams in the NFL are set for their final scheduled regular-season games this weekend, but many players across the league are contemplating an emotional return to the field in the wake of Damar Hamlin’s mid-game cardiac arrest. On Thursday, doctors said the 24-year-old Buffalo Bills player is awake in a Cincinnati hospital, is neurologically sound and is moving his hands and feet — news that has elicited relief from supporters nationwide after he collapsed on the field Monday. Several players across the league are cheering on Hamlin’s improvement, but many are still understandably shaken up and unsure if they’re ready to play this weekend. On Thursday, the NFL canceled the Bills vs. Bengals game, meaning both teams will head into the playoffs having played one fewer game than other teams in the American Football Conference. League officials are expected to meet today with all NFL teams to discuss a proposal for playoff options amid such unforeseen circumstances.

4. Immigration

President Biden on Thursday announced he is expanding a program to accept up to 30,000 migrants per month from Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua and Venezuela — along with a plan to expel as many migrants from those countries who circumvent US laws. In a speech at the White House, Biden unveiled plans to visit the US southern border this weekend, stopping in El Paso, Texas, to meet local officials and address border security issues. It will be his first stop at the border as president. Biden will also visit Mexico early next week, where he will discuss migration issues with the country’s president Andrés Manuel López Obrador. The Biden administration is trying to lean on Mexico and other countries in the Western Hemisphere to provide temporary protections to migrants who have fled their home countries.

5. Ukraine

Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered a temporary ceasefire in Ukraine for 36 hours beginning today to allow Orthodox Christians to attend Christmas services. But the proposal was swiftly dismissed as “hypocrisy” by Ukrainian officials. During his nightly address Thursday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky voiced skepticism about the temporary ceasefire, saying Moscow is using Orthodox Christmas “as a cover” to pause and resupply equipment and ammunition. The proposal for a temporary truce also raised eyebrows among the international community. President Biden later voiced his skepticism on Putin’s move: “He was ready to bomb hospitals and nurseries and churches on the 25th and New Year’s. I think he’s trying to find some oxygen.”

BREAKFAST BROWSE

Homeowner spots two-legged fox in her yard

“It was the weirdest thing I’ve seen in my life,” the woman told CNN. See footage of the fox here.

‘M3GAN’ premieres in US theaters today

Critics are saying this highly anticipated horror movie about a killer doll is a crowd pleaser — if you can endure nearly two hours of creepiness.

Delta Air Lines is rolling out free Wi-Fi

The airline invested more than $1 billion in Wi-Fi technology over the past few years, and will now offer it free on most of its planes beginning February 1.

“Stranger Things” star Noah Schnapp says he identifies as gay

The actor has revealed that he shares more similarities with his on-screen character Will Byers than he previously thought.

New York public schools ban artificial intelligence tool that could help students cheat

Educators are cracking down on this smart AI tool that can generate eerily convincing responses and essays in response to user prompts.

QUIZ TIME

Which seed did the FDA recently add to its list of major food allergens?

A. Chia seeds

B. Sesame seeds

C. Pumpkin seeds

D. Poppy seeds

Take CNN’s weekly news quiz here to see if you’re correct!

IN MEMORIAM

Veteran Brazilian surfer Marcio Freire died on Thursday while riding giant waves in Nazaré, Portugal, the local maritime authority said. He was 47. Freire was one of the three Brazilian surfers who became known as the “Mad Dogs” after conquering the giant wave “Jaws” in Hawaii. His surfing adventures were later featured in the 2016 documentary “Mad Dogs.”

TODAY’S NUMBER

$19 million

That’s how much Peloton has been fined for failing to promptly report treadmill hazards and for distributing recalled treadmills “with a lethal defect,” the Consumer Products Safety Commission said Thursday. In May 2021, Peloton recalled about 125,000 of its Tread+ brand treadmills following the death of a 6-year-old and dozens of other reports of injuries related to its machines. Shares of Peloton have crashed, falling from a high of about $167 in January 2021 to about $8 in after-hours trading following the latest announcement.

TODAY’S QUOTE

“Bad actors have won the jackpot.”

— Rafi Mendelsohn, a social media security analyst, commenting on Twitter’s latest data breach in which hackers posted email addresses linked to 200 million Twitter accounts. The trove of leaked records is circulating on hacker forums and could expose the real-life identities of anonymous Twitter users and make it easier for criminals to hijack Twitter accounts, security experts say. Internet users are being encouraged to use unique passwords for each online service and enable multi-factor authentication for each of their accounts.

TODAY’S WEATHER

Check your local forecast here>>>

AND FINALLY

Turning used billboards into backpacks

Have you ever wondered what happens to billboards at the end of their advertising lives? Watch this short video to see how they can be repurposed. (Click here to view)

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