SCOTUS debate, William Burns confirmation hearing, Tiger Woods: 5 things you need to know Wednesday

Editors, USA TODAY
·4 min read
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Supreme Court to debate whether misdemeanors merit warrantless home search

The Supreme Court on Wednesday will hear arguments in a California DUI case that has sweeping implications for police power in the U.S. The question at issue: When can police enter a home without a warrant? Police are generally required to have a warrant under the 4th Amendment's prohibition on "unreasonable searches." But courts have allowed exceptions when an officer is in "hot pursuit" of a suspect believed to have committed a felony, and a few states have extended the exception to misdemeanor pursuits. Civil liberty groups say the case could vastly expand police powers, allowing home entry for a wide array of minor offenses.

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Biden's choice for CIA chief to face confirmation questions

President Joe Biden's nominee for CIA director will go before the Senate intelligence committee on Wednesday for his confirmation hearing. William Burns, 64, is a career ambassador and former deputy secretary of state with nearly four decades of experience negotiating with U.S. adversaries. If confirmed, Burns would take the helm of the CIA at a time of escalating threats from China, Russia and Iran. He's likely to face questions Wednesday about the SolarWinds cyber attack, the Russia-linked intrusion into the networks of U.S. government agencies and private companies.

Tiger Woods recovering after surgery for serious crash injuries

This past weekend, Tiger Woods was hopeful for the possibility of playing at the Masters this year. Now, he's recovering from a car crash that he's fortunate to have survived, according to the deputy who responded to the scene. Woods, 45, underwent emergency surgery on Tuesday to repair significant damage to his right leg and ankle, after he was involved in a one-car crash in Rancho Palos Verdes, near Los Angeles, that morning. Woods' team said in a statement that the golfer was "awake, responsive and recovering in his hospital room" at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center. Anish Mahajan, the chief medical officer and interim CEO at the hospital, said that Woods had multiple open fractures affecting both the upper and lower portions of his right tibia and fibula, the two main bones in the lower leg. The bones were stabilized "by inserting a rod into the tibia," he added.

A record 5.6% of US adults identify as LGBTQ, poll shows. And young people are driving the numbers.

A record number of U.S. adults — 5.6% — identify as LGBTQ, an increase propelled by a younger generation staking out its presence in the world, a poll released Wednesday shows. The survey by Gallup marks more than a 1 percentage point jump from the last poll in 2017 in which 4.5% of adults identified as LGBTQ. The estimated 18 million adults who identify as LGBTQ represent an upward trajectory since Gallup started tracking identification in 2012, Gallup senior editor Jeff Jones said. “It reflects what we are seeing in society and the way society is changing,” he said. One of the biggest headlines in the 2020 poll is the emergence of Generation Z adults, those 18 to 23: 1 in 6, or 15.9%, identify as LGBTQ.

US Capitol officials to detail lawmakers on artifacts damaged in Jan. 6 riot

Top administrative officials will detail the damage to the U.S. Capitol in the aftermath of the Jan. 6 attack, including chemical damage to presidential statues and the destruction of the inauguration platform. In prepared testimony, House of Representatives Curator Farar Elliott will tell lawmakers her department needs at least $25,000 for the emergency repairs and conservation of historical artifacts – including potential chemical damage to statues and paintings of past U.S. presidents like Thomas Jefferson, John Quincy Adams and James Madison. The hearing comes as several congressional panels investigate the riot, which left five dead and resulted in multiple injuries. On Tuesday, senators pressed current and former law enforcement officials on the security and intelligence failures.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: SCOTUS, William Burns, Tiger Woods: 5 things to know Wednesday