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

CNN –

Dozens of states across the US are kicking off the new year with a slew 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 significant changes.

Here’s what else you need to know to speed up and get on with your day.

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The battle for the Speaker of the House will resume today for the fourth day. On Thursday, GOP Leader Kevin McCarthy continued to suffer a series of losses in multiple rounds of voting before the House adjourned. As the battle for the ankle drags on, it has now become the longest speaking race in 164 years. Each failed vote only increases the pressure on McCarthy to end the impasse, but it is unclear whether he will be able to close out the 218 votes he needs to win. Talks are continuing among Republicans as negotiations aimed at winning over McCarthy’s opponents intensified Thursday. Top House negotiators said they were moving toward a deal that would bring McCarthy closer to the number of votes he needs.

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 some protests on the grounds of the Capitol, which have already been granted permits, and at the Supreme Court building. The increased security comes out of an abundance of caution, sources told CNN, and reflects what has become standard protocol for Capitol Police after the deadly uprising two years ago. Also today, President Joe Biden is expected to mark the anniversary by awarding the Presidential Citizen Medal to 12 people. The individuals include law enforcement officers who were injured protecting the Capitol, a Capitol Police officer who died in the attack, and election workers who rejected former President Donald Trump’s efforts to overturn the results of the 2020 election.

All 32 teams in the NFL are set for their final scheduled games of the regular season this weekend, but many players across the league are contemplating an emotional return to the field following Damar Hamlin’s mid-game cardiac arrest. Doctors said Thursday that the 24-year-old Buffalo Bills quarterback is awake at a Cincinnati hospital, neurologically healthy and moving his arms and legs — news that drew relief from supporters around the country after he collapsed on the field Monday. . Some players around the league are cheering for Hamlin’s improvement, but many are still shell-shocked and unsure if they’ll be ready to play this weekend. On Thursday, the NFL canceled the Bills vs. League officials are expected to meet today with all NFL teams to discuss a proposal for playoff options amid such unforeseen circumstances.

President Biden announced Thursday that he is expanding a program to accept up to 30,000 immigrants a month from Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua and Venezuela — along with a plan to deport as many immigrants from those countries who flout U.S. laws. In a speech at the White House, Biden revealed plans to visit the southern US border this weekend, stopping in El Paso, Texas, to meet with local officials and address border security issues. It will be his first border stop 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 protection for migrants who have fled their countries.

Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered a temporary ceasefire in Ukraine for 36 hours starting today to allow Orthodox Christians to attend Christmas services. But the proposal was quickly dismissed as “hypocrisy” by Ukrainian officials. During his late-night speech on Thursday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky expressed skepticism about the temporary ceasefire, saying Moscow was using Orthodox Christmas “as a cover” to stop and resupply equipment and ammunition. The proposal for a temporary ceasefire also raised eyebrows among the international community. President Biden later expressed his skepticism about Putin’s move: “He was ready to bomb hospitals, daycares and churches on the 25th and New Years. I think he’s trying to get some oxygen.”

Homeowner spots two-legged fox in her yard

“It was the strangest thing I’ve ever seen in my life,” the woman told CNN. Check out footage of the fox here.

‘M3GAN’ opens in US theaters today

Critics say this long-awaited horror movie about a killer doll is a crowd pleaser — if you can stomach nearly two hours of creepiness.

Delta Air Lines is giving away free Wi-Fi

The airline invested more than $1 billion in Wi-Fi technology over the past few years and will now offer it for free on most of its planes starting 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 hitting on this clever AI tool that can generate surprisingly compelling answers and essays in response to user prompts.

What seed has the FDA recently added 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 right!

Veteran Brazilian surfer Marcio Freire died Thursday while riding giant waves in Nazaré, Portugal, the local maritime authority said. He was 47 years old. Freire was one of 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.

19 million dollars

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

“Bad actors have hit the jackpot.”

– Rafi Mendelsohn, a social media security analyst, commenting on Twitter’s recent data breach, in which hackers posted email addresses associated with 200 million Twitter accounts. Leaked datasets are 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.

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Converting used signs into vinyl backpacks

Turning used billboards into backpacks

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