Marking Jan. 6, another winter storm, Arbery killers sentenced: 5 things to know Thursday
One year later, White House, Congress mark Jan. 6 attack on Capitol
Officials in Washington, D.C., on Thursday will mark one year since the insurrection at the U.S. Capitol by a mob of Donald Trump supporters, an unprecedented attack that eventually left five people dead and democracy shaken. President Joe Biden will begin the commemorations with a speech at the Capitol. Later, members of Congress – most of them Democrats – will conduct prayer vigils, hold a discussion with historians, and give speeches recalling the violent and unsuccessful attempt to void the counting of electoral votes that elected Biden as president. Many Republicans – some of whom still support Trump's false claims about alleged voter fraud, the fire that lit the insurrection – say Democrats are using the anniversary to tar all of them as violent extremists.
- 'This is insane': Lawmakers relive Jan. 6 horror amid efforts to rewrite history
- Fact check roundup: Debunking false narratives about the Jan. 6 riot
- Poll: Americans say democracy is in peril, but disagree on why
- From Oklahoma City to Jan. 6: How the government failed to stop domestic extremism
Prefer to listen? Check out the 5 Things podcast:
3 men convicted of murdering Ahmaud Arbery to be sentenced
The three men convicted of murdering Ahmaud Arbery nearly two years ago are expected be sentenced Thursday. Travis McMichael, the man who pulled the trigger, was convicted of one count of malice murder, four counts of felony murder, two counts of aggravated assault, one count of false imprisonment and one count of criminal attempt to commit false imprisonment. His father, Gregory McMichael, was found guilty on charges including felony murder. Their neighbor William "Roddie" Bryan was convicted on six of the nine counts, including three counts of felony murder by the jury on Nov. 24. The men all face minimum sentences of life in prison in the fatal shooting of Arbery, a 25-year-old Black man, while he was jogging in Brunswick, Georgia, in February 2020. The judge will decide whether that comes with or without the possibility of parole.
- 'So much pretrial publicity': Judge agrees to expand jury pool for hate crimes trial over Arbery murder
- 'We have to fight too hard':For civil rights leaders, Arbery verdict is a victory. But is it a fleeting one?
Another storm, more snow, looms for Eastern US
The Eastern U.S. is preparing for another snowstorm that was forecast for Thursday and into Friday. AccuWeather meteorologist Bernie Rayno predicted the storm will affect a much larger area of the Northeast than the one that left hundreds of drivers stranded for more than a day along Interstate 95 in Virginia earlier this week. The new storm is projected to bring snow and slippery travel to much of the Interstate 95 corridor from Northern Virginia to Maine, including the major metro areas of New York City, Philadelphia and Boston. Baltimore and Washington will get another dose of snow on top of what fell Monday, AccuWeather said. Before hitting the Northeast, the storm will affect portions of the South with light snow Thursday, including Memphis and Nashville, Weather.com said.
- 'An outrage':Why drivers were left stranded overnight, some for 24 hours, on I-95 in Virginia
- Too old to shovel snow? If you're over 45, beware of heart attacks, doctor says
Three Kings Day or Epiphany? What these two holidays celebrate
The holidays aren't yet over, for many people. Jan. 6 marks Three Kings Day, a holiday celebrated in most Latin American and Caribbean countries. The holiday is associated with the traditional Christian feast day of Epiphany when the three wise men brought gifts to the baby Jesus, according to the Biblical nativity story. The holiday is loaded with customs such as leaving grass or hay out for the three kings in exchange for a gift. In Mexico, the holiday wouldn't be complete with a Rosca de Reyes, a large oval-shaped bread with dried fruit decorations. But what are the origins of the two holidays, how are they celebrated and what do they have in common? Find out more here.
Djokovic still confined in Australian hotel after his visa was canceled
Novak Djokovic's status for the Australian Open remained in jeopardy Thursday as the country denied him entry and canceled his visa over his failure to provide appropriate documentation for an exemption from the country's COVID-19 vaccine mandate, the Australian Border Force said Wednesday. Djokovic spent a day confined to a secure hotel room waiting for a court decision and will spend at least another night there, in immigration detention. Upon his arrival in Melbourne for the tournament he has won the last three years and nine times overall among his record-tying 20 Grand Slam titles, Djokovic spent most of Wednesday night being questioned by ABF officers. Tournament officials initially granted Djokovic a medical exemption, but criticism has poured in due to the perception that he was receiving special treatment.
- Column: It's Novak Djokovic's own fault he won't play the Australian Open, but getting deported makes nobody look good
- 2021 opinion piece: Tennis Grand Slam remains elusive challenge as Djokovic's bid for history falls short
Contributing: The Associated Press