Protestors around the country honor the life of Tyre Nichols and call for police reform; Secretary of State Antony Blinken is in Israel in the wake of a terrorist attack; and the matchup for Super Bowl LVII is set. These stories and more highlight the daily morning rundown for Monday, Jan. 30, 2023.
Police protests after Tyre Nichols footage release
Demonstrators marched in cities nationwide to protest police brutality in the wake of the release of body camera footage that showed Tyre Nichols being beaten by Memphis police.
The graphic body camera footage shows Nichols being hit with batons and pepper sprayed.
Over the weekend the police department also disbanded their scorpion unit, which was created in 2021 to put more officers in areas with violent crime. The five officers who beat Nichols were part of that unit but have since been fired and charged with murder.
Now, state and local lawmakers around the country say they’ll introduce police reform legislation.
Biden to kick off railway tunnel project
President Joe Biden will be in Baltimore Monday afternoon to kick off a railway tunnel project that will be partially funded by the 2021 bipartisan infrastructure law.
The new tunnel will replace the current 150-year-old tunnel that creates major problems for travelers between New York and Washington D.C. For perspective, more than 10% of weekday trains on this route are delayed.
The White House says the federal government will provide $4.7 billion for the $6 billion project. The construction is expected to create 30,000 jobs.
The president will also be in New York Tuesday to discuss a very similar project for a tunnel that goes under the Hudson River.
Secretary of State Blinken in Israel
Secretary of State Antony Blinken will be in Israel Monday for a meeting with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Blinken will also meet with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas in the West Bank.
The trip was originally scheduled to talk about a two-state solution, U.S. support for Israel’s security, especially against threats from Iran, and improving Israel’s ties with other Middle Eastern countries like Saudi Arabia.
But now it’s being overshadowed by recent violence, and the State Department says the meeting’s main theme will be deescalation. Last Thursday, Israel carried out a raid in the West Bank that left nine militants and one civilian dead. Then on Friday, a Palestinian gunman killed seven people outside a synagogue in Jerusalem.
Philips to cut jobs
In business news, the Dutch electronics maker Philips, which makes everything from MRI systems to electric toothbrushes, will cut 6,000 jobs worldwide over the next two years. The CEO says it will make the organization leaner and more focused. The company lost $1.7 billion last year.
Fed to raise rates by quarter percent
The Federal Reserve is expected to raise interest rates by a quarter percent on Wednesday. The Fed raised rates from nearly zero to over 4.25% last year. This hike is expected to put the rate between 4.5% and 4.75%.
Super Bowl LVIIl: Eagles vs. Chiefs
The matchup for Super Bowl LVII is all set. The Kansas City Chiefs and Philadelphia Eagles will face off Feb. 12 in Glendale, Arizona. Sunday night, the Chiefs beat the Cincinnati Bengals in the AFC championship game with a field goal in the final seconds. Philadelphia had a dominant 31-7 victory over the San Francisco 49ers to take the NFC title.
This is an interesting game because Kansas City head coach Andy Reid will be taking on his former team, while the Kelce brothers will be facing each other. Travis is a tight end for the Chiefs and Jason is a center for the Eagles.
