5 things to know for January 27: Covid-19, White House, Capitol riot, Italy, Newark

Democrats hope to interrupt a thorny budget process in the Senate and move forward with a Covid-19 relief bill as early as next week. With the new composition of the Senate, a budget resolution with Democratic priorities could pass through the chamber with little to no GOP support. President Biden yesterday announced more coronavirus response measures, including the purchase of an additional 200 million doses of the vaccine and the promise of increased distribution to states soon. However, Biden’s executive action to temporarily halt the evictions met a hurdle: a Texas federal judge blocked it, strongly reminding that the priorities of the Biden administration could face real challenges from conservative courts. from the country.

Members of Congress were stunned during a law enforcement briefing on its level of preparedness before the insurgency on the U.S. Capitol. Several lawmakers noted that the lack of planning came despite ample evidence, before the fact, that violence and security threats were a very real possibility. Former Secretary of the Army Ryan McCarthy told the same House panel that the National Guard plans to handle traffic only on that day, with “no contingency” if tensions escalate. The security briefings took place as U.S. Capitol Police officers debated whether to hold a vote of no confidence against department heads working on the day of the insurgency. So far, at least 150 people have been indicted by the Justice Ministry in connection with the events of January 6.

Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte resigned yesterday in a more tactical move than it appears. Conte survived two confidence votes last week, but lost his Senate majority when another politician pulled his party from the ruling coalition due to frustrations over the government’s handling of the pandemic. The reshuffle has thrown the country into a loop, and now that Conte has stepped down, President Sergio Mattarella must consult with the leaders of his country’s main political parties. Conte is now betting on its popularity. He doesn’t belong to any party, so if he gets enough support from party leaders, Mattarella could ask him to form a new coalition. The government could also call for early elections.

The city of Newark, New Jersey, has reached a settlement in a multi-year lawsuit over the city’s water crisis. Advocacy groups sued city and state officials in 2018 for continued violations of federal safe drinking water law after city drinking water was found to contain levels illegally high lead. These dangerous levels persisted in the water for at least 18 months. This week’s settlement requires the city to replace all lead service lines free of charge to residents. So far, more than 17,000 of Newark’s major service lines have been replaced, with approximately 2,000 remaining. The problem is reminiscent of the water crisis in Flint, Mich., And problems with aging water pipes across the country.

Let it slowly release all the stress from your body. The. Now you are flat and at peace.

It’s like a retail version of WALL-E.

However, there have been fewer unprovoked attacks overall, and that’s a plus … right?

We talked about the chicken sandwich war. We talked about the pizza delivery arms race. Now, it’s time to talk about the proliferation of plant-based snacks.

That’s all America’s billionaires have added to their wealth since the start of the pandemic – an increase of almost 40%.

A statement from International Olympic Committee, as questions multiply about possible diplomatic boycotts of the 2022 Olympic Games in Beijing. More and more world leaders are considering the ethical ramifications of their participation now that the United States has accused China of committing genocide. Beijing has long denied these claims.

There’s nothing like a cranky, clumsy little otter to start your morning. (Click here to see.)