Get the Need2Know newsletter in your inbox every morning! Sign up here!

Here are the headlines you Need2Know for Thursday, January 6, 2022:

JAN. 6 ATTACK: ONE YEAR LATER

President Biden will make remarks this morning, calling for a peaceful democracy one year after the U.S. Capitol insurrection. Over 700 people have been arrested in connection with the attack so far, with Attorney General Merrick Garland recently defending the Justice Department’s decision to prosecute all of those involved. Although Trump beat an impeachment related to the riot, a House Select Committee is still looking at it from all angles to decide whether the former president or those in his lot should be charged. CNN

DEADLY PHILLY FIRE

Investigators are looking into the possibility a Christmas tree caught fire, killing 12 people in a Philadelphia row home, including eight children. They're also trying to figure out why the building owned by the Philadelphia Housing Authority had an “odd layout” that could have blocked an escape route and why a number of smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors did not appear to work. CBS PHILLY

GRAMMYS POSTPONED

You’ll have to wait to see your favorite artist take the Grammy stage this year. The 2022 award show was postponed due to the ongoing Omicron surge. This is the second year in a row that COVID forced the show to be delayed, with last year’s event eventually taking place in March in an outdoor venue. This time, the new date is still TBD. PEOPLE

GEORGE FLOYD'S NIECE SHOT

George Floyd’s four-year-old grandniece, Arianna Delane, was injured after shots were fired into a Houston apartment during the early morning hours on New Year’s Day. Her family rushed her to the hospital immediately, but say officers took four hours to arrive to investigate. Police say they're looking into why it took so long for officers to show up. So far, no word on a possible suspect or motive. CNN

CORONAVIRUS UPDATES:

PFIZER BOOSTER: The CDC is recommending kids ages 12 to 17 receive the Pfizer booster shot five months after their initial vaccine. The new guidance aligns with the FDA's  recommendations that were announced earlier this week. So far the Pfizer booster is the only one approved for kids this age. NPR

COVID TE$T$: As if it isn’t already painful enough trying to find a COVID test, Walmart and Kroger announced they will raise their prices, too. A deal they had with the White House to keep costs down expired, meaning it's going to cost an extra $5-$10 per pack unless a new deal emerges, although so far there is no indication that's going to happen. ABC 

CIVIL RIGHTS ACTIVIST PARDONED

Homer Plessy has been posthumously pardoned by Louisiana Governor John Bel Edwards. In 1892 Plessy, a Creole man of African descent, was convicted of sitting in a whites-only section of a train after buying a ticket to push back against Louisiana’s Jim Crow laws. His case would end up in the Supreme Court as Plessy v. Ferguson, which challenged whether “separate but equal” was constitutional. Keith Plessy, 2Plessy’s first cousin thrice removed, hailed the pardon. NOLA.COM

SILVERADO TURNS ELECTRIC

The Chevy Silverado is getting an Earth-friendly upgrade. General Motors announced the upcoming all-electric pickup truck at CES 2022, the world’s largest tech convention that began yesterday. Aside from the demand for electric vehicles, GM officials say this is just one of the steps they’re taking to regain the company's title as a top U.S. auto seller after learning Toyota outsold them last year. CHEDDAR NEWS

NOVAK DJOKOVIC CANCELED

Just kidding, only his visa was. Or maybe he will be, too? The Serbian tennis star didn't find out until he landed in Australia that his visa was revoked over his COVID vaccination status. He thought he was in the clear when he received a medical exemption to play in the Australian Open, but officials say his visa wasn't valid. Djokovic is now staying in a quarantine hotel in Melbourne run by the immigration department, and has told his lawyers to appeal the visa cancellation. THE GUARDIAN

ENTERTAINMENT

AALIYAH ALBUM COMING: Former R&B star Aaliyah’s posthumous album, Unstoppable, will be released later this month, with collaborations from The Weeknd, Future, and Drake. BILLBOARD

SQUID GAME VOGUE COVER: Hoyeon Jung, the break-out star from Netflix’s Squid Games, is gracing the new cover of Vogue. The model-turned-actress opened up about experiencing overnight success and revealed which BLACKPINK singer she’s besties with. VOGUE

LEFTOVERS: ERIC ADAMS BACKTRACKS

After facing major backlash, NYC Mayor Eric Adams said his comments about “low-skilled” workers weren’t meant to be insulting – he meant to call people like cooks, messengers and dishwashers “low-wage” instead. Just days into his first term, Adams struck a nerve when he called for workers at big banks like JPMorgan and Citigroup to return to the office to support the economy, saying these "low-skilled" workers don’t have the “academic skills” to sit in an executive-level corner office. YAHOO NEWS

Need2Know Podcast Note: The Need2Know podcast is taking a break for now. We're looking forward to bringing you more context and analysis on the big stories of the day in a few weeks. In the meantime, check out our archive on Apple or Spotify, or watch on YouTube, and send us your feedback!

Share:
More In Culture
Miami Real Estate Market Explodes in Popularity During Pandemic
Miami's real estate market has boomed since early 2020, thanks to an overall strong housing market, remote work, and no income tax as incentives. The city is preparing to welcome even more residents as people relocate to warmer climates to work from home. Garrett Derderian, director of market intelligence at SERHANT, joined Cheddar to discuss the Magic City's red hot market.
Queen Latifah on Ending the Stigma Around Obesity, New Film 'Hustle'
Actor, entertainer, and hip hop icon Queen Latifah is partnering with It's Bigger Than Me, an initiative with the goal of ending the stigma around obesity. She joined Cheddar News to discuss how she is working toward educating others and having important conversations about the social struggles that come with obesity. “We can’t let the Queen Latifah’s of the world not exist. We need people to care about other people," the "Hustle" star said.
Venture Capitalist Moms Lead $12M Fundraise for Kinside Child Care Marketplace
Child care marketplace startup Kinside announced raising $12 million in a Series A round led by venture capitalists who are mothers themselves. The company aids parents searching for affordable child care easier by providing concierge support in a marketplace of verified professionals and helping them tap into flexible spending accounts (FSA) and other benefits. Founder and CEO Shadiah Sigala joined Cheddar News to talk about the fresh funds and the ongoing effects of the pandemic on the care of young children.
Truly You! Character Creator Shows Diversity in Children's Toys
When it comes to diversity in children's toys, we have come a long way as a society but we still have a ways to go. One group of students decided to take matters into their own hands. Truly You! Character Creator is a fashion illustration activity set made for youth by youth. Lindsay Buckingham, one of the toy’s creators, sat down with Cheddar News to talk all about it.
Joel Kim Booster and 'Fire Island' Cast on Putting Together the Gay Rom-Com
Perfect for Pride Month, Hulu’s "Fire Island" is a queer take on Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice. The cast of the gay rom-com, Joel Kim Booster, Bowen Yang, Conrad Ricamora, and Matt Rogers, joined Cheddar News to discuss the groundbreaking film. "I had to write it completely and have something to point to, to say this is the story, this is actually good, this is something that people will want to watch," said the writer and star Booster. "And so it took a long time, but I'm very lucky and blessed that I had a lot of people along the way who believed in it."
Load More