Daily Briefing: A polar vortex is just the beginning
January so far has been stormy and cold, and there's more wild winter weather on the way. Also in the news: The cause of Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin's undisclosed hospitalization has been revealed and "Mean Girls" is back (with plenty of pink to go around this Wednesday).
🙋🏼♀️ I'm Nicole Fallert, Daily Briefing author. Here are some tips for tax season newbies.
Here is the news to know Wednesday.
Potential 'bomb cyclone' brewing as January weather ramps up
The deadly storm that's raking the entire eastern U.S. is the opening act for what's to come over the next week: A potential "bomb cyclone" blizzard for the Midwest, an Arctic blast courtesy of the polar vortex, and possibly the first real East Coast snowstorm in years. The next storm, expected to careen across Midwest, South and East into Saturday could be even stronger than Tuesday's storm, forecasters said. The massive system affected more than 30 states with snow, ice, rain or thunderstorms, and encompassed more than 2 million square miles. At least three people died in the storm. Read more
Senate Republicans want another extension to dodge a government shutdown
Senate Republicans want to once again extend current government funding levels, likely into March, in order to buy more time to avoid a shutdown and negotiate spending bills.
It would mark the third time Congress has pushed its own deadline to fund the government in recent months. Now, lawmakers are racing to meet deadlines on Jan. 19 and Feb. 2 in order to keep the government's doors open for Americans.
Lawmakers still don’t have a spending cap for each section of the government that needs to be funded, even after months of focus on avoiding a shutdown.
The proposal from Senate Republicans is likely to put them at odds with their colleagues in the House. House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., pledged in November not to approve another short-term extension after the measure that kept the government open into 2024.
If Congress doesn't meet its deadlines, thousands of federal employees would be furloughed, and it could hit nutrition benefits and other programs Americans rely on.
More news to know now
Tornadoes triggered by a winter storm raked parts of Florida.
House GOP plows on with a Harvard antisemitism probe following Claudine Gay's exit.
A teen was left topless after their shirt was "sucked off" on an Alaska Airlines flight from Portland.
Ronnie Long, who spent 44 years in prison after a wrongful conviction, was awarded a $25 million settlement.
For subscribers: If Jim Harbaugh leaves for the NFL, he more than did his job restoring Michigan football.
On today's The Excerpt podcast, a look at Nikki Haley's chances in New Hampshire. Listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your smart speaker.
What's the weather today? Check your local forecast here.
Blinken gathers Mideast support for postwar plan
On his fourth trip to the Middle East in three months, Secretary of State Antony Blinken is presenting Israel the tantalizing prospect of security and acceptance in the region, with a caveat: Agreeing to a Palestinian state is required. Blinken met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, President Isaac Herzog and other leaders Tuesday in Tel Aviv, hoping to curb civilian deaths and find common ground on Gaza’s postwar future. Blinken did not answer a question about whether Israel is receptive to a Palestinian state, a likely sign Netanyahu’s opposition to that idea hasn’t wavered. Read more
Trump's lawyers contend he is immune from prosecution
During arguments at the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals, a lawyer for Donald Trump said as president he could have ordered the military to kill his political rivals and still would be immune from prosecution for those crimes today unless he were first impeached and then convicted in a Senate trial. The argument came as the former president, who attended the hearing, contends he is immune to federal charges of conspiring to interfere in the 2020 election because his actions took place while he was president. He was impeached in the House of Representatives and acquitted in the Senate for similar allegations that he incited the Capitol attack on Jan. 6, 2021. Read more
Thursday brings another trial for Trump: Closing arguments in a civil bank fraud case that could cost Trump large parts of his business empire.
Keep scrolling
Has Aaron Rodgers trashed his legacy?
Months after hospitalization, Mary Lou Retton won't answer basic questions.
Selena Gomez and Timothée Chalamet deny any Golden Globe feuding.
Here are all the movies you'll want to see in 2024.
25 years of "The Sopranos": Here's where to watch every episode in 25 seconds.
This AI agent brings the future into your home.
Why was Lloyd Austin hospitalized?
Facing a flurry of questions about Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin's illness, the Pentagon finally disclosed Tuesday that he has been hospitalized since Jan. 1 because of complications from prostate cancer surgery. The surgery resulted in a severe infection that has hospitalized him, but the Defense Department didn't alert the White House that Austin was in the hospital until three days after he was admitted and didn't make the information public until late last Friday, the day after the White House was notified. Even then, the Pentagon did not divulge − to the president or the public − the nature of his illness. Read more
Photo of the day: 'Mean Girls' red carpet premiere
The girls played nice at the premiere for the upcoming musical movie "Mean Girls" starring Reneé Rapp. Stars from the original 2004 film ushered in the new cast on the pink carpet during the New York City premiere on Jan. 7, 2024. Click here for more photos.
Nicole Fallert is a newsletter writer at USA TODAY, sign up for the email here. Want to send Nicole a note? Shoot her an email at NFallert@usatoday.com or follow along with her musings on Twitter. Support journalism like this – subscribe to USA TODAY here.
Associated Press contributed reporting.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Winter weather, government shutdown, Trump trial, Lloyd Austin, "Mean Girls": Daily Briefing
