Chilling new riot video
Democrats say they have “cold, hard facts” to prove former President Donald Trump incited the deadly insurrection. Mark Cuban isn't feeling the national anthem. And a friendly reminder that double-masking is CDC-approved.
It's Ashley. Let's do the news thing.
But first, COVID who? A French nun who is Europe's oldest person survived COVID-19 – and seems pretty nonchalant about the whole situation a day before her 117th birthday.
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To convict or not to convict?
House impeachment managers wielded Trump's words against him Wednesday during his Senate impeachment trial, arguing that he spent weeks fueling the rage behind the Capitol riot Jan. 6, then "reveled in" the mayhem and destruction. The managers, who act as prosecutors, pointed to Trump's remarks and Twitter messages in which he falsely claimed that the election Nov. 3 was stolen and urged his supporters to come to Washington on the day Congress was scheduled to formalize the election results.
New security footage shows Pence evacuating the Senate
Delegate Stacey Plaskett of the Virgin Islands, one of the Democratic House prosecutors, showed security footage detailing some close calls from the Capitol breach. One video showed Vice President Mike Pence as he was spirited out of the Senate chamber. Another showed Capitol Police officer Eugene Goodman running past Sen. Mitt Romney, R-Utah, in a hallway and directing him to turn around. Romney turned and ran to safety. At times, the footage is hard to watch.
Other big moments
Rep. Jamie Raskin, D-Md., opened Democrats' arguments by saying Trump was “no innocent bystander” in the violence at the Capitol. Rep. Eric Swalwell, D-Calif., quoted several of Trump’s tweets and statements claiming the election was stolen. Rep. Joe Neguse, D-Colo., said Trump told followers for months that he couldn’t lose the election unless there was massive fraud.
Will the new evidence work? TBD.
Most people expect Trump to be acquitted, but the Senate trial isn't just about the verdict. It's about Trump's political potency in the future, which many analysts predict will be weakened because of his efforts to overturn his election loss.
It's all still happening. You can follow along and get insider observations here.
What everyone’s talking about
Want your own cat filters for your next Zoom meeting? Here's how to use them.
Britney Spears says she's focused on being "a normal person" in the wake of "Framing Britney."
New Jersey music icon Bruce Springsteen faces drunken driving charges.
The gunman in the Minnesota health clinic shooting previously made threats against the facility, a police report shows.
Georgia prosecutors investigate election interference after Trump's pressure campaign.
Mark Cuban isn't feeling the national anthem
After Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban said the national anthem wouldn't be played before his team's home games – an overdue move that drew outrage and boycott threats – the NBA announced Wednesday that the anthem must be played as past of longstanding league policy. After the NBA's statement, Cuban said his team would comply moving forward. But as USA TODAY Sports' Dan Wolken writes, the league dropped the ball on the conversation as a whole.
Why is the national anthem played before American sporting events? And when did it start?
Some lawmakers want to punish schools that teach the 1619 Project
Lawmakers in several states want to stop lesson plans that focus on slavery in American history as presented in The New York Times’ 1619 Project, previewing court battles over the control of civics education. Republican lawmakers in at least five states filed bills last month that, if enacted, would cut funding to schools and colleges that provide lessons derived from the award-winning project. Some historians say the bills are part of a larger effort by Republicans to glorify a more white and patriarchal view of American history that downplays the ugly legacy of slavery and the contributions of Black people, Native Americans, women and others to the nation’s founding. It’s unclear whether any of the anti-1619 Project bills will become law.
Real quick
Tens of millions of people are in the path of a potent winter storm.
President Joe Biden says the U.S. will sanction Myanmar military leaders after a coup, warning them not to stop protests.
Bernie Sanders presses budget pick Neera Tanden on Twitter attacks against him and others.
Muslim Americans lament lost time with loved ones after lifting of travel ban. "You don't have a second chance."
Princess Leonor, the 15-year-old heir to the Spanish throne, is going to study in Wales.
A Saudi women's rights activist was freed from prison, says she was tortured, sexually assaulted.
Mask up, then mask again
One mask provides good protection against spreading the coronavirus, but two masks could offer more. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released research Wednesday that double-masking or wearing tightly fitted medical masks can reduce exposure to infectious aerosols up to 95% (ninety-five percent!). Do you double-mask? A majority of Americans haven't (61%), according to a poll.
How to wear a double mask comfortably: A surgical mask should sit over your nose, mouth and under the chin with no gaps on either side. Layering with the second mask of cotton fabric will keep the first mask snugly in place and provide added protection.
A break from the news
💜 "I just saved that little girl's life": A Louisiana sanitation worker helped rescue a missing 10-year-old.
⛺️ Planning to go camping this spring or summer? Think about booking your spot now.
🍎 Apple AirPods Pro earbuds are back down to their Cyber Monday price.
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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Trump impeachment trial, Mark Cuban, 1619, COVID-19: Wednesday's news
