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| Good morning, Daily Briefing readers! Days after warning of "a dagger at the throat of democracy," President Biden heads to Atlanta to make an urgent call to protect the constitutional right to vote. And, teachers in Chicago are expected to return to work, as L.A. students head back to class – if they test negative for COVID-19. |
| It's Steve and Jane, with Tuesday's news. |
| 🚨 "Unspeakable" tragedy: Bronx apartment blaze that killed 17 raises questions about safety doors, lack of sprinklers and fire escapes. |
| 🐖 "Nothing short of a miracle": A Maryland man has a pig heart beating inside his chest, offering hope for thousands in need of organs. |
| 🎤Clay Aiken, the North Carolina teacher and former contestant on "American Idol," is making a second bid for a seat in Congress. |
 | | Clay Aiken | | | |
| 🥗 Dole Fresh Vegetables, Inc. is voluntarily recalling dozens of types of prepackaged salad for a "possible health risk" from listeria from dozens of states. |
| 🌪 2021 was a deadly year for weather: 20 disasters killed more than 600 Americans. |
| 🔵 Maya Angelou coins distributed by the U.S. Mint make her the first Black woman to appear on quarters. |
| 🎧On today's 5 Things podcast, health reporter Ken Alltucker talks through which at-home COVID tests are easiest to use. You can listen to the podcast every day on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or on your smart speaker. |
| Here's what's happening today: |
Biden to address voting rights in Georgia amid mounting pressure |
| President Joe Biden will issue an urgent call to protect the constitutional right to vote and safeguard the integrity of the nation's elections while in Atlanta Tuesday. Biden's planned remarks, on the heels of his blunt post-mortem on the Jan. 6 2021 mob attack on the U.S. Capitol, will come as he braces for a bruising fight over voting rights legislation that has stalled in the Senate. Biden's choice of Georgia for a major voting rights address is no accident. The state has a rich history entwined with the struggle for civil rights – one that activists warn is under assault. After Biden beat former President Donald Trump in Georgia by less than 12,000 votes in 2020, the state became one of the first to put in place more restrictive voting laws. |
Students in LA return to schools; Chicago isn't far behind |
| Los Angeles students will return to in-person instruction Tuesday – as long as they produce a negative COVID-19 test, regardless of vaccination status. Meanwhile, students in Chicago, the nation's third-largest school system, are due back in school Wednesday after city and union leaders reached a tentative agreement late Monday on COVID-19 safety protocols. Teachers were expected to return to work Tuesday, but the union's 25,000 members must still vote on the agreement. With COVID infections fueled by the omicron variant surging after holiday breaks, about 5,400 public schools nationwide closed or shifted to remote instruction last week, Burbio, a tracking site, reports. |
Just for subscribers: |
| 🔵 Voting rights groups tell Biden they want action, not "platitudes," as he travels to Georgia. |
| 🚨 Bronx fire: How smoke caused by a space heater fire killed 17 in a New York apartment building. |
| 🌏What's happening in Ukraine? Russian troops at the border raise a new invasion fear. |
| 🔵 Voices: I suffer from depression and anxiety. Our mental health is no joke. |
| These articles are for USA TODAY subscribers. You can sign up here. Here is all of our subscriber content. |
Fauci, Walensky to testify before Senate on COVID variants |
| Dr. Anthony Fauci, Dr. Rochelle Walensky and others will testify before a U.S. Senate committee Tuesday about the federal response to COVID-19 variants . The U.S. is now averaging more than 700,000 new coronavirus cases per day, a USA TODAY analysis of Johns Hopkins University data shows, as the more transmissible omicron variant sweeps across the nation. President Joe Biden has faced recent criticism for a shortage of at-home rapid tests and the administration is now working to make the tests more accessible. Later this month, the federal government will launch a website to begin making 500 million at-home COVID-19 tests available via mail. And starting Saturday, private health insurers will be required to cover up to eight home COVID-19 tests per month for people on their plans. |
Newsmakers in their own words: Georgia's Bennett on rebounding from his mistake |
 | | Georgia quarterback Stetson Bennett celebrates with the championship trophy after defeating Alabama during the 2022 CFP title game on Monday night in Indianapolis. | | USA TODAY Sports photo and graphic | |
| Georgia quarterback Stetson Bennett shook off a fumble that could have doomed his team's championship chances and came back to throw two fourth-quarter touchdown passes as the Bulldogs pulled away for a 33-18 victory over the Alabama Crimson Tide on Monday night. This is Georgia's first national title victory since the 1980 season. |
| Bennett threw for 224 yards, took home offensive MVP honors and shed a few tears on the sideline in the game's waning moments. |
| Additional coverage from the CFP title game: |
| 🏈 Looking ahead: Georgia wore down Alabama using the Crimson's Tide's formula and potentially kickstarts a new dynasty. |
| 🏈 From the Alabama side: The Crimson Tide couldn't overcome the loss of star wide receiver Jameson Williams in the championship game. |
| 🏈 SportsPulse video: Columnist Dan Wolken looks at how Georgia finally reached the mountain top and more. |
| 📺 "SportsCenter" anchor misses postgame broadcast: Longtime ESPN broadcaster Scott Van Pelt said he is "OK" following a "medical scare," but was "bummed to miss one of (his) favorite shows of the year." |
US, Russia still far apart on Ukraine. What's next? |
| Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman will brief NATO and European Union allies Tuesday after an intense day of high-stakes talks in Geneva over Russia's military buildup on its border with Ukraine . On Monday, Russia's deputy foreign minister Sergei Ryabkov said "no progress" was made on Moscow's central demand: that Ukraine is permanently barred from joining NATO. But Sherman called that proposal a "non-starter." Though this week's talks are not expected to yield any major progress, it may buy more time as the U.S. looks to rally more allies behind potential economic sanctions should Russian President Vladimir Putin decide to escalate tensions. Sherman said while Russian officials have expressed a desire to move swiftly, "we must give diplomacy and dialogue the time and space required to make progress on such complex issues." |
ICYMI: Some of our top stories yesterday |
| 🔴 "The most intense violation of my life": A beloved camp, a lost boy and the lifelong impact of child sexual trauma. |
| 📺 "My absolute everything": Wife Kelly Rizzo, Olsen twins, John Stamos, more mourn "Full House" dad Bob Saget. |
| 🌎 At least 10 people died and dozens were injured in Brazil when a rock formation tore away from a cliff and slammed onto boats packed with tourists. |
| 🚨 Officers in California saved a pilot who crashed onto railroad tracks, seconds before a train smashed the wreckage into pieces. |
Ahead of hearing, Fed's Powell says high inflation 'exacts a toll' on families |
| High inflation is taking a toll on American families, "particularly for those less able to meet the higher costs of essentials like food, housing, and transportation," Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell acknowledged in remarks to be delivered at a Tuesday congressional hearing. The Senate Banking Committee will hold a hearing on Powell's nomination to a second four-year term Tuesday. President Joe Biden announced Powell's reappointment in late November. Inflation has soared to the highest levels in four decades, and on Wednesday the government is expected to report that consumer prices jumped 7.1% over the past 12 months, up from November's 6.8% annual increase . Powell's nomination is likely to be approved by the Senate with bipartisan support but members of Congress are sure to interrogate him during the hearing. |
 | | Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell | | APDM | |
Moving on: Several NFL teams fire coaches |
| The day after the NFL regular season ends is one that coaches dread more than any other. It's when teams unhappy with their results announce that they're "moving in a different direction" or "seeking a fresh start" by firing their head coaches (and most likely the rest of the coaching staff). Here are the notable moves made Sunday and Monday: |
| 🏈 Minnesota Vikings: Coach Mike Zimmer and general manager Rick Spielman were fired Monday, marking a new era for the franchise after it missed the playoffs in consecutive seasons for the first time since 2013-14. Columnist Jarrett Bell suggested quarterback Kirk Cousins is the Vikings' real problem. |
| 🏈 Miami Dolphins: Despite an 8-1 finish to the season and a 9-8 record overall, Brian Flores was fired. Owner Stephen Ross announced the coaching change and added he won't be taking Jim Harbaugh from Michigan . |
 | | Brian Flores, then the head coach of the Miami Dolphins, directs his team during the second half against the New England Patriots on Sunday, Jan. 9, 2022, in Miami Gardens, Florida. | | The Associated Press | |
| 🏈 Chicago Bears: In a long-anticipated move, head coach Matt Nagy and GM Ryan Pace both were fired, the team announced. Columnist Nancy Armour said the firings were the right moves, but everything else still is wrong. |
| 🏈 Denver Broncos: Vic Fangio was fired Sunday, a day after losing to the Kansas City Chiefs in the team's final game of the season. Fangio finished his Broncos tenure with a 19-30 record and having never compiled a winning season. The Broncos have already begun lining up interviews for their coaching vacancy. |
📸 Photo of the day: Celtics' Robert Williams makes a key end-of-game play 📸 |
 | | Boston Celtics center Robert Williams III (44) grabs the inbound ball in the last seconds of play against the Indiana Pacers in overtime at TD Garden in Boston on Monday, Jan. 10. | | David Butler II, USA TODAY Sports | |
| Jaylen Brown scored 26 points and Jayson Tatum had 24, carrying the Boston Celtics to a 101-98 overtime victory over the Indiana Pacers on Monday night at TD Garden in Boston. |
| Robert Williams III, who had 14 points, 12 rebounds, four steals and three blocks for Boston, stole Indiana's long desperation pass from its own baseline as the horn sounded at the end of the overtime period to help secure the win for the Celtics. |
| Head here to see more of the best photos from the 2021-22 NBA season. |
| Contributing: The Associated Press |
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