 |
| |
| |
| |
| |
| |
| |
| |
| Good morning, Daily Briefing readers. The number of people who have died from COVID-19 in the United States is approaching 1 million. President Biden will head to Kentucky to survey the devastation caused by a series of deadly tornados. If you're eligible, you may get your final child tax credit cash. And, planning to send Christmas gifts with with FedEx and USPS? Make sure you do it today. |
| It's Jane, with Wednesday's news. |
| 💰 Congress voted to raise the nation's debt limit by $2.5 trillion, officially staving off default and the economic peril that would come if the U.S. were unable to pay its bills. |
| 🔴 The nation has surpassed 800,000 coronavirus deaths as 1,200 Americans die from COVID-19 every day. "There is no question that we will reach 1 million deaths sooner rather than later," physician Robert Glatter told USA TODAY. |
 | | The U.S. reached 800,000 COVID-19 deaths Tuesday, and health experts believe there is "no question" the nation will reach 1 million fatalities from the coronavirus. | | USA TODAY | |
| ⚖️ Prince Andrew is asking a judge to dismiss a sexual-abuse lawsuit brought against him by Virginia Roberts Giuffre, saying the accuser was the age of consent at the time. |
| 🦠 The omicron variant is moving faster than surveillance systems can track. It has so unnerved some medical experts that they're starting to put the brakes on preparations for their holiday gatherings. |
| 🔵 The House voted to hold former White House chief of staff Mark Meadows in contempt for defying a subpoena from the committee investigating the Jan. 6 Capitol insurrection. |
 | | The House has voted to hold Mark Meadows in contempt for defying a subpoena in its Jan. 6 probe, urging the DOJ to prosecute Trump's former chief of staff. | | USA TODAY | |
| 🏈 "Total plant": The true identity of the Aaron Rodgers doppelganger on "Sunday Night Football" is unconfirmed, but the Packers quarterback joked: "That was a total plant by NBC, I'm sure." |
| 🐍 'Twas not yet the night before Christmas, but there was a creature stirring in a house in South Africa: one of the most poisonous snakes in the country. |
| 🎤 Girl Named Tom has entered "The Voice" history books. The Ohio trio, composed of siblings Bekah, 21, Joshua, 24, and Caleb, 26, was crowned the Season 21 champ, becoming the first-ever group to win the singing competition. |
 | | Kelly Clarkson celebrates with sibling trio Girl Named Tom, the first group to ever win. | | NBC, Trae Patton/NBC | |
| 🎧 On today's 5 Things podcast, reporter David Oliver explains how some TikTok users say their feed clued them in on the fact they were gay before they realized it themselves. You can listen to the podcast every day on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or on your smart speaker. |
| Here's what's happening today: |
Biden to visit Kentucky in aftermath of deadly tornadoes |
| President Joe Biden will visit Kentucky on Wednesday to survey the damage from a series of deadly tornadoes that ravaged the state late Friday and early Saturday. More than 30 tornadoes ripped across Kentucky and four other states over the weekend, leaving dozens dead, devastating homes and demolishing entire towns. Kentucky was the hardest hit by what Gov. Andy Beshear said was the deadliest tornado in the state's history, with 74 people dead and at least 100 people unaccounted for. On Saturday, Biden offered condolences to the victims of the deadly storm and indicated that he would travel to the heavily damaged areas once he was certain his visit would not impede recovery efforts. |
Derek Chauvin expected to plead guilty in George Floyd civil rights case |
| Former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin appears set to change his plea to guilty on federal charges that he violated George Floyd's civil rights . A docket entry showed that a hearing has been scheduled for Wednesday for Chauvin to change his not-guilty plea in the case. Chauvin has already been convicted of state murder and manslaughter charges for pinning his knee against Floyd's neck during a May 2020 arrest even as the Black man said he couldn't breathe. He was sentenced to 22 1/2 years. Chauvin and three other officers were indicted earlier this year on federal charges alleging they willfully violated Floyd's rights while acting under government authority. |
Just for subscribers: |
| ⚖️ 1,500 Black college students challenged police in 1961. The Supreme Court took their side. |
| 🌪 Aerial views show deadly tornado devastation in Mayfield, Kentucky, and four states. |
| 🏀 "I just got used to being sick": How long-haul COVID has cost WNBA star Asia Durr two seasons. |
| 🎠 Splurge or save? These moms are willing to pay a premium for magical experiences at Walt Disney World. And they show how to save, too. |
| 🎸 Opinion: "The Beatles launched me into adolescence, but in 'Get Back' they weren't who I expected." The new TV film makes Jill Lawrence wonder how they lasted as long as they did. |
| These articles are for USA TODAY subscribers. You can sign up here for $1/week. Here is all of our subscriber content. |
Storm to pound central U.S. with strong winds |
| A storm that lashed California with rain, wind and snow Tuesday is predicted to produce a swath of strong winds from the deserts to the central and southern Plains Wednesday. Not only will winds be strong enough to kick up dust and raise the risk of wildfire ignition, the gusts will also bring the potential for power outages, AccuWeather warned. A National Weather Service forecast office in Nebraska warned of 70 mph gusts, adding that "travel will be difficult, especially for high-profile vehicles. Trucks may be blown over. Holiday decorations will be damaged or blown away." A few severe thunderstorms are also possible in portions of Minnesota, Iowa and Missouri. |
Latest (and possibly last) child tax credit money set to arrive |
| One final blast of cash is set to arrive Wednesday for roughly 36 million families nationwide who are eligible for the advance payment for the child tax credit . The payments, part of the American Rescue Plan signed into law March 11, amount to up to $300 for each child ages 5 and younger and up to $250 for those who range in age from 6 to 17. The monthly payments began July 15 and Wednesday's payout will be the last unless Congress passes President Joe Biden's Build Back Better social spending and climate package, currently stalled in the Senate. |
ICYMI: Some of our top stories yesterday |
| 🔴 Phillip Adams, the former NFL player who killed six people and himself, suffered from the debilitating brain disease chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), a doctor announced. |
| 👨💻 A ransomware attack on Kronos could disrupt how companies pay and manage their employees for weeks. |
| 🍪 What's your state's favorite Christmas cookie? Google has shared the unique holiday searches. |
Shipping Christmas gifts through FedEx or USPS? Make sure you get them sent |
| This week is expected to be the busiest week of the holiday mailing and shipping season, with nearly 2.3 billion pieces of mail and packages expected to be processed and delivered. Wednesday is the last day for ground delivery with FedEx and USPS. UPS recommends using its website to get an estimate. "Now is the time to mail your holiday greetings and packages to make sure they reach their intended destination in time for holiday gatherings and celebrations," Postmaster General Louis DeJoy said. Retailers' shipping deadlines for online orders vary, and many stores will offer curbside and in-store pickup through Christmas Eve. |
📸 Rain, snow and travel havoc: Powerful storm lashes California 📸 |
 | | A local resident surveys the damage to a washed-out road in Silverado Canyon, Calif., Tuesday, Dec. 14, 2021. | | Eugene Garcia, AP | |
| A powerful storm walloped California on Tuesday, as several inches of rain fell in the Los Angeles area and feet of snow were reported the Sierra Nevada. |
| The storm wreaked travel havoc across the state. It also raised the threat of mudslides in areas scarred by wildfires, prompting evacuation orders in southern California. |
| See our gallery of the inclement weather as it marched through the state. |
| |
| |
| |
No comments:
Post a Comment