5 things to know for Jan. 17: 2024 race, Government shutdown, Gaza hostages, Cigarettes, Unruly passengers

CNN

By Alexandra Banner, CNN

(CNN) — Costco is testing out a system that requires members to scan their membership cards at the store entrance — instead of just flashing the card to employees. This comes as the retail giant aims to decrease the number of non-members who are sneaking in with membership cards that don’t belong to them, particularly since the company expanded self-checkout.

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

1. 2024 race

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis warned in a CNN town hall Tuesday night that Republicans are “going to lose” the 2024 election if they nominate former President Donald Trump. DeSantis sought to make the case that Trump’s legal issues would follow him throughout the campaign and alienate key GOP voters. Both DeSantis and former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley are now rushing to redefine their paths to viability on the heels of Trump’s resounding 51% win in the Iowa caucuses. Haley, meanwhile, is receiving criticism for claiming the US has “never been a racist country” during an interview with Fox News on Tuesday. She also said she would not participate in any future debates unless Trump attended, forcing ABC to cancel its debate that was set for today.

2. Government shutdown

The Senate on Tuesday advanced a short-term funding extension but challenges remain to avert a looming government shutdown. Lawmakers are racing against the clock ahead of a Friday deadline with little room for error. While Biden administration officials have expressed some confidence that Congress can ultimately reach an agreement to keep the government funded, some House Republicans are threatening a shutdown over border policy disagreements. Congressional leaders are expected to meet with President Joe Biden later today to discuss the future of a supplemental spending bill. The bill being negotiated is aimed at sending aid to Israel, Ukraine, Taiwan and the US southern border with Mexico, but efforts to include changes to border and immigration policy in particular have stalled progress for months.

3. Gaza hostages

Israel and Hamas have agreed on a deal that will see medicine delivered to hostages in Gaza in exchange for the delivery of humanitarian aid to Palestinian civilians, Qatar said Tuesday. Relatives of the more than 100 remaining hostages believed to be alive in Gaza have been calling for medications to be passed on to their loved ones. The Hostages and Missing Families Forum, an advocacy group for the victims’ families, said that each new day in captivity further endangers their lives and health. At least a third of the Israeli hostages have chronic illnesses and require medications, the forum said in a report released last week, adding that “others suffer from illnesses related to the harsh captivity conditions.” The medicine and aid will leave Doha today, Qatar said, but it’s unclear when they will reach Gaza.

4. Cigarettes

Health advocates are ratcheting up pressure on the White House to move forward with a nationwide ban on menthol cigarettes, ahead of what they say is a critical deadline this week. Advocates are urging President Biden to make a decision by Saturday because the FDA, the agency behind the proposed ban, has said it needs a year for full implementation. But if the White House does not at least decide internally this week to get the wheels of government moving to approve a ban — and if Biden does not win a second term — a new president could easily begin the process of repealing the rule without it ever taking effect. According to a 2022 study, a ban on menthol cigarettes would save more than 650,000 lives in the US within 40 years.

5. Unruly passengers

Airlines are facing a plethora of travel woes, from weather-related disruptions to an increasing number of unruly passengers. On Tuesday, an American passenger allegedly bit a flight attendant, forcing a Seattle-bound All Nippon Airways flight to return to Tokyo. The passenger was detained by police after the plane landed in the Japanese capital and the flight attendant sustained minor injuries, a spokesperson for the airline told CNN. Several incidents have been reported this month of bad behavior and aggression from passengers — including a Montana-bound American Airlines flight that was diverted to Texas after a passenger allegedly punched a flight attendant and assaulted at least one police officer.

BREAKFAST BROWSE

Coachella announces 2024 festival lineup
The headliners for Southern California’s desert-centric Coachella music festival have been announced and Gwen Stefani is set to reunite with her iconic 90s ska-punk-rock band No Doubt.

Here’s why electric cars don’t go as far in the cold
One of the biggest concerns car shoppers have about electric vehicles is driving range. It’s even more of a concern when cold weather may send that range plummeting.

25 ways to stay warm this winter
Cutting back on indoor heating costs? Here are 25 ways to stay warm that won’t break the bank.

Scientists provide an update on 3-year-old cloned monkey
Scientists have cloned many mammalian species since the 1990s — including sheep, pigs, cows, horses and dogs. A new cloned monkey species further shows how the controversial process can be hit or miss.

Why a rare image of one of Malaysia’s last tigers is giving conservationists hope
Wildlife photographer Emmanuel Rondeau and WWF-Malaysia joined forces to capture high-resolution photos of the nation’s critically endangered tiger.

TODAY’S NUMBER

$31.6 million
That’s how much Disney CEO Bob Iger made in total compensation last year. Despite his multimillion-dollar pay package, Disney has recently faced growing challenges, including a string of box office flops, declining linear TV viewership and an uneven transition into a streaming future.

TODAY’S QUOTE

“There is no greater medium than television to influence our culture.”

— Frank Scherma, the outgoing chair of the Television Academy, commenting on the organization’s new list of the 75 most impactful moments in TV history. Some of the iconic moments on the list include the 1969 moon landing, Martin Luther King Jr.’s “I Have a Dream” speech, and the final blackout moment of “The Sopranos.”

TODAY’S WEATHER

Check your local forecast here>>>

AND FINALLY …

ER doctor retires in a splashy way
This emergency room doctor announced his retirement … on roller skates! Watch this funny video to see the moment he called it quits.

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