5 things to know for Jan. 7: Trump’s agenda, Trudeau resigns, Bird flu, Deadly earthquake, Medical debt

By CNN

Published January 6, 2025 6:35 PM

CTV-NETWORK, CNN

By Alexandra Banner, CNN

(CNN) — The US housing market is showing signs of a slight cooling, but prospective homebuyers in the Northeast and Midwest may be disappointed by the ongoing competition for affordable homes this year. A new report predicts Buffalo, New York, will be the hottest housing market in 2025 as many Americans grapple with low inventory and elevated mortgage rates.

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

1. Trump’s agenda

Congress on Monday officially certified President-elect Donald Trump’s victory in the 2024 election, paving the way for his inauguration in 13 days. The ceremonial process marked the first election certification since the attack on January 6, 2021, when protesters transformed the routine task into a violent riot at the US Capitol. Trump, meanwhile, has said he wants to put his entire legislative agenda into a single, massive bill. The sprawling package includes new immigration laws, energy policies and a tax overhaul — along with an increase of the national debt limit and spending cuts to federal programs. Republicans are looking to pass the bill using the budget process known on Capitol Hill as reconciliation, which allows bills to be approved by a simple majority, or 51 votes in the Senate.

2. Trudeau resigns

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced his resignation on Monday, saying he intends to step down from the top job and as the leader of Canada’s ruling Liberal Party once a new party leader is chosen. Trudeau, the 53-year-old leader of the Liberal Party for 11 years and prime minister for nine, was facing a mounting set of crises, from Donald Trump’s tariff threats to the resignation of key allies and disastrous opinion polls. His resignation could be seen as choosing to jump before he is pushed, ahead of a general election to be held later this year that he is widely expected to lose. Canada’s parliament will be suspended until March 24 to give the party time to choose a new leader.

3. Bird flu

The first human death from H5N1 bird flu in the US was reported in Louisiana. The patient, who was over 65 and reportedly had underlying medical conditions, was hospitalized with severe bird flu after exposure to a backyard flock and to wild birds. Louisiana health officials said their investigation found no other human cases linked to this patient’s infection. A recent CDC study on the first 46 human cases of H5N1 in the US last year found that they were nearly all mild. While most people continue to have a low risk from bird flu, people who keep chickens and other birds in their backyards need to be cautious, as do workers on dairy and poultry farms, health officials said.

4. Deadly earthquake

At least 95 people have been killed after a powerful earthquake struck a remote region of Tibet today, with tremors felt in neighboring Nepal and parts of northern India. The 7.1-magnitude quake and multiple aftershocks toppled houses in remote Himalayan villages, rocked a nearby Tibetan holy city and rattled visitors to a Mount Everest base camp. Its epicenter, located in Tingri County high on the Tibetan plateau, was close to the border with Nepal, around 50 miles north of the world’s highest mountain. More than 130 people were injured, local authorities said.

5. Medical debt

The Biden administration will finalize a rule today that will ban the inclusion of medical debt on credit reports. The rule will also remove an estimated $49 billion in medical bills from the credit reports of about 15 million people, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau said. The rule bans lenders from using medical devices, such as wheelchairs or prosthetic limbs, as collateral for loans and bars them from repossessing the devices if patients are unable to repay the loans. The measure, which was proposed last June, takes effect 60 days after it is published in the Federal Register. Congress now has a limited period of time when it can review and rescind the final rules.

BREAKFAST BROWSE

McDonald’s unveils major menu shakeup
It appears McDonald’s is moving on to burger and better things … The fast chain is rolling out new anticipated menu items today.

The legal battle over San Diego Padres ownership
The wife of late San Diego Padres owner Peter Seidler, Sheel Seidler, is suing her in-laws for control of the MLB team.

CNN founder Ted Turner recovering from pneumonia
Ted Turner, the 86-year-old media mogul and philanthropist who founded CNN, is recovering from pneumonia and “is doing well in rehab,” a spokesperson said Monday.

A media merger
Disney’s Hulu + Live TV service and Fubo will merge, the companies announced Monday in a surprise deal.

Closure of French marine park sparks outcry over future of its two orcas
The closure of a marine zoo in the south of France has sparked intense debate over the future of its inhabitants, including two beloved orcas.

TODAY’S NUMBER

$700 million
That’s how much the invasive plant species water hyacinth costs the global economy annually. The floating weed is blanketing bodies of water, reducing fish populations and leaving people stranded. One company in Kenya is trying to address the problem by turning hyacinth into a plastic that biodegrades over a few months.

TODAY’S QUOTE

“New Orleans defines strength and resilience … This city and its people get back up. That’s the spirit of America as well.”

— President Joe Biden, speaking at an interfaith prayer service in New Orleans on Monday as he mourned the lives lost in the New Year’s Day terror attack. The White House also announced that New Orleans has received SEAR 1 status — one of the highest designations for event security by the Department of Homeland Security — for Super Bowl LIX and Mardi Gras events from February 21 to March 4.

TODAY’S WEATHER

Check your local forecast here>>>

AND FINALLY …

‘We have a problem’: Waymo passenger captures self-driving car mishap
A man ordered a Waymo rideshare to catch a flight out of Arizona but was delayed when the driverless car got stuck on a loop! See the video here.

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