5 things to know for January 22: Impeachment, coronavirus, Davos, Lebanon, Boeing

Look out for falling iguanas! The National Weather Service is warning South Florida residents of a potential lizard blizzard due to low temperatures. The cold makes iguanas so sluggish and lifeless they often tumble out of trees, but don’t be fooled: They’re still very much alive. Here’s what you need to know to Get Up to Speed and Out the Door.

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1. Impeachment

As expected, the opening day of the impeachment trial was marked by bitter debating and late-night decision-making. In the end, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell’s impeachment rules were approved after Republicans defeated a series of 11 amendments from Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer. These amendments were an attempt by Democrats to get at least something they wanted out of the trial rules, including the ability to subpoena specific documents and witnesses. The debate over the rules got so contentious, Chief Justice John Roberts had to step in and scold both the Democratic House managers and the President’s defense team. Moving forward, each side will now have three days each to make their 24 hours of trial arguments, as opposed to the two-day period McConnell initially proposed.

2. Coronavirus

The US has confirmed its first case of the Wuhan coronavirus, the potentially deadly virus spreading across China. The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has activated its emergency response system and has advised authorities to step up airport health screenings. Meanwhile, the death toll in China has risen to at least nine, with at least 453 people infected. China has upped its prevention efforts to a Class A response, which means health officials will get sweeping powers to lock down affected areas and quarantine patients. The World Health Organization is meeting in Geneva today to decide whether to declare a global emergency over the virus. Remember, the reason this is such a big deal at this early stage is the amount of people traveling to, from and around Asia for the Lunar New Year, and the looming specter of the SARS pandemic in the early 2000s. Follow live updates here.

3. Davos

President Trump kicked off his appearance at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, by touting America’s oil and natural gas production and calling climate activists “prophets of doom.” It wasn’t exactly the kind of speech one would expect at a conference centered around the effects of the climate crisis. Every company represented at Davos is being asked to commit to net zero carbon emissions by 2050, and many have come to the conference armed with talking points on what they’re doing to combat the climate crisis. Trump, however, asked the global community to put such provisions on the back burner, embrace optimism, and look to technology and innovation to solve the world’s problems. Speaking of problems, yes, there’s a whole impeachment process going on back home, but Trump and his team agreed making an appearance at the Forum would be good for his image.

4. Lebanon

After months of escalating protests and political unrest, Lebanon has finally formed a new government. Hassan Diab was named the country’s new Prime Minister, and he will lead a newly-appointed cabinet. The country has been in turmoil since protests against corruption, economic hardship and sectarian rule led former Prime Minister Saad Hariri to step down in October of last year. This week’s denouement comes after a particularly violent “week of rage” during which protesters smashed windows, threw Molotov cocktails and crippled Lebanon’s capital city of Beirut for several days.

5. Boeing

Boeing has temporarily halted production of its beleaguered 737 Max jet amid uncertainty over the model’s future. The pause has been planned since December, but it’s going into effect at a vulnerable time for the company. Boeing executives just announced that the existing 737 Max fleet, which has been grounded since last March following two deadly crashes, will not be approved to fly until the middle of this year. These two announcements will cause major setbacks for Boeing. The longer the planes stay grounded, the more costly and difficult it will be for Boeing to get them flying again. Also, while the company doesn’t expect to lay off any workers due to the production halt, the pause will cause painful ripples in supply chains and could hurt America’s economic growth.

BREAKFAST BROWSE

A basketball game between Kansas and Kansas State ended in an all-out brawl

There were more punches thrown than in a pay-per-view match.

A group of furries stopped a domestic violence assault and helped police make an arrest 

These folks deserve recognition, but if you don’t know what a furry is already, it’s too early in the morning to find out.

Fast food chain Krystal files for bankruptcy

A sad day for lovers of little burgers.

A 3-year-old has just become the youngest member of Mensa UK 

Great, now we feel old AND unintelligent.

Prince Harry has reunited with Meghan and their son in Canada to leave royal life behind 

And they all lived comfortably and casually ever after.

FOR YOUR SNACK BREAK

Mars rover, Mars rover

Let’s help NASA name the Mars 2020 rover! Students across the US submitted thousands of possible names, and now you can vote for your favorite among the nine final options: Endurance, Tenacity, Promise, Perserverance, Vision, Clarity, Ingenuity, Fortitude and Courage. (Sounds like a Jane Austen novel, no?)

TODAY’S QUOTE

“Knowing the Flint River water was unsafe for public use, distributing it without taking steps to counter its problems, and assuring the public in the meantime that it was safe is conduct that would alert a reasonable person to the likelihood of personal liability.”

The 6th US Circuit Court of Appeals, which ruled in favor of a lawsuit filed by residents of Flint, Michigan, who are seeking to hold city officials accountable for the water crisis that sickened residents with lead contamination. The Supreme Court announced it will not block the lawsuit, after being asked by the city’s lawyer’s to intervene.

TODAY’S NUMBER

7

The number of chemicals that can enter the bloodstream in significant amounts after a single application of sunscreen, according to studies by the FDA’s Center for Drug Evaluation and Research. Still, the FDA says people shouldn’t abandon sun protection.

HAPPENING LATER

The Harvey Weinstein sex assault trial gets underway 

Opening statements in Weinstein’s trial are expected to begin today. At least 100 women have publicly accused the Hollywood producer of violations ranging from unwanted sexual advances to rape. The allegations in this trial are based on the accounts of two of those women.

TODAY’S WEATHER

AND FINALLY

Must … not … eat …

This is not pasta. It’s rubber bands being made. But it still looks SO much like pasta. Is anyone else craving pasta now? (Click here to view)