Daily Briefing: What to know about XBB.1.5

The newest COVID-19 variant to spread across the U.S. is about five times more contagious than an earlier omicron variant. Also in the news: Crowds of mourners filled St. Peter's Square in the Vatican Thursday for Benedict XVI's funeral and the suspect in the killing of four University of Idaho students has been brought back to Idaho.

🙋🏼‍♀️ I'm Nicole Fallert, Daily Briefing author. Here are 18 New Year's gift ideas to get 2023 started off right.

Here are Thursday's headlines.

XBB.1.5 cases adding up

The newest COVID-19 variant XBB.1.5 doesn't appear to cause more serious disease than its predecessors, experts say. But the strain appears to be about five times more contagious than an earlier omicron variant, which was five times more contagious than the original virus, infectious disease experts told USA TODAY.

What to know: We may not be going back to the days of 2020, but experts say the new variant is spreading fast, accounting for more than 40% of cases in the United States as of Dec. 30.

• So far vaccines are holding against severe cases of XBB.1.5, but infection and mild disease is still occurring. And the introduction of any new strain puts pressure on COVID-19 infrastructure, from testing efforts to short-staffed medical providers.

• Experts are concerned by the ongoing spread of COVID-19 in China. On Dec. 1, China relaxed its long-held "zero COVID" policy, and cases are believed to be exploding there, though the government has not released detailed information. In Beijing, beds have run out in one hospital out as newly arrived patients pack the hallways.

Pope Francis honors Benedict XVI at rare requiem Mass

Pope Francis honored his predecessor Benedict XVI, the German theologian who made history by retiring. Francis presided over a rare requiem Mass Thursday of a dead pontiff by a living one before thousands of mourners in St. Peter’s Square. Bells tolled and the faithful applauded as pallbearers carried Benedict’s cypress coffin out of the fog-shrouded St. Peter’s Basilica and rested it before the altar. Heads of state and royalty, clergy from around the world and thousands of regular people flocked to the ceremony, despite Benedict’s requests for simplicity and official efforts to keep the first funeral for an pope emeritus in modern times low-key. Read more

👉 Missed it? Click here to watch our livestream of the funeral.

More news to know now

• 🏈 Damar Hamlin update: What we know about Buffalo Bills player's status after cardiac arrest.

• 🎓 Biden urged the Supreme Court to allow stalled student loan forgiveness effort to take effect.

• 🔵 The mastermind of the ''Varsity Blues'' college admissions scandal will serve more than 3 years in prison.

• 📱 The Kremlin blamed soldiers' cell phone usage for a Ukraine strike that killed 89.

• 🟣 Pregnant prisoners claimed Arizona induced their labor against their will.

• 🎧 On today's 5 Things podcast, USA TODAY National Political Correspondent David Jackson has the latest on a historic week in the House. You can listen to the podcast every day on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or on your smart speaker.

🌤 What's the weather today? Check your local forecast here.

What happens after McCarthy loses multiple speaker votes?

The second day of the 118th Congress ended with still no speaker. House Republican leader Kevin McCarthy failed to secure enough votes to become speaker of the House on six ballots over both days, heightening tumult around the new GOP majority. McCarthy won the closed-door vote leadership election, and by wide margins, after facing challenger Rep. Andy Biggs, the Republican of Arizona and a member of the ultra-conservative Freedom Caucus. The votes on Tuesday and Wednesday, which included all members of the House and not just the Republican party, have yet to put McCarthy – or anyone else – over the vote threshold to win the speakership. Here's how the speaker vote could play out in a few ways.

• A visual guide to a House speaker deadlock not seen for a century.

'Rivers in the sky' soak California's bay area

Another major storm began pummeling the California coast on Wednesday as forecasters warned of massive amounts of rain and snow, as well as the possibility of even more storms. The storm is termed a "bomb cyclone" because it is expected to be marked by a quick drop in atmospheric pressure resulting in a high-intensity storm. The powerful storm whipped up huge waves and high winds and included an atmospheric river anticipated to cause flooding and landslides in Central and Northern California. Sometimes called "rivers in the sky," atmospheric rivers are a major factor in extreme rain and snowfall in the West. Read more

• Graphics show atmospheric river soaking California's Bay Area.

• A Utah ski resort staffer died after falling 50 feet into snow below.

Just for subscribers:

• 💼 December jobs report preview: Employment growth has stayed strong but there are signs of a slowdown.

• 📞 What is multifactor authentication (or MFA)? Experts say it's the best way to stop hackers.

• 👉 Voters in Kansas rejected an abortion amendment after Roe fell, but the debate is far from over.

• 💖 What is ''soft-launching'' a relationship? And is it right for you?

These articles are for USA TODAY subscribers. You can sign up here. Already a subscriber and want premium content texted to you every day? We can do that! Sign up for our subscriber-only texting campaign.

Suspect in Idaho killings extradited

Little is known about why authorities suspect Bryan Kohberger in the Nov. 13 murders at an off-campus rental home, other than that they analyzed DNA evidence at the crime scene and were able to match it to him, law enforcement officials told the Associated Press and other media. Kohberger, the suspect in the fatal stabbings of four University of Idaho students, was extradited and landed in Idaho Wednesday evening, potentially allowing the release of more information in the mysterious case. Officials have said they would not release information or documents pertaining to Kohberger until he was returned to Moscow to formally face charges in the deaths of Ethan Chapin, 20, Madison Mogen, 21, Kaylee Goncalves, 21, and Xana Kernodle, 20. Read more

• TikTok tried to solve the Idaho murders. Instead, it fueled an online witch hunt.

📷 Photo of the day: New York Film Critics Circle Awards 2023 📷

The New York Film Critics Circle Awards kept the spirit of cinema alive on Jan. 4, shining a spotlight on the silver screen stars of the past year. Check out the stars who brought movie magic to the red carpet, starting with actress Keke Palmer, who cradled her baby bump in a sparkling silver dress.

One more thing

• 📈 Why will the Fed slow, but not stop interest rate hikes to fight inflation?

• 💵 States are working to unlock funding as pandemic-era outdoor preschools gain popularity.

• 🏠 ''Rebuilding generational wealth'': Black family that fought LA for seized beachfront property to sell it for $20M.

• 🗨 Author Susan Meachen announced she's alive years after an apparent suicide.

• 🍅 Here's how to start the Mediterranean diet.

• 💵 Scroll this list of 20 winter books we can't wait to read, including Prince Harry's memoir ''Spare.''

Nicole Fallert is a newsletter writer at USA TODAY, sign up for the email here. Want to send Nicole a note? Shoot her an email at NFallert@usatoday.com or follow along with her musings on Twitter. Support journalism like this – subscribe to USA TODAY here.

Associated Press contributed reporting.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: XBB. 1.5, Kevin McCarthy, California bomb cyclone, Idaho murders: Daily Briefing