5 things to know for January 6: second round of the Senate, Congress, Covid-19, Jacob Blake, Qatar

The House and Senate will meet today to formally count the Electoral College votes for the 2020 presidential election. But what is normally a routine part of American democracy can get ugly because of the constant refusal of President Trump and his most fervent supporters accepting the results. Here’s what will happen: Some Republicans in both chambers have pledged to object to some results, which are counted state by state, which means that there may be debate when certain states emerge. All objections will be voted on – and are expected to fail. So in the end, the Republican Party’s objections are likely to serve as a marker of loyalty to the president, rather than actually affecting the results. They could also cast a shadow over future democratic processes and keep the seed of doubt among Trump supporters who believe in their false claims that the election was stolen from him. We could also see unrest, as Trump encouraged his supporters to come to the Capitol while the votes are counted.

The United States reached a new high daily number of coronavirus deaths yesterday, with 3,775 new deaths reported across the country. The new tragedy comes when US governors take further steps to get vaccines delivered more quickly, including mobilizing National Guard members and training more volunteers to vaccinate people. Germany, Ireland, the Czech Republic and other countries are also experiencing an increase in cases, hospitalizations and deaths. Meanwhile, the World Health Organization issued a rare rebuke after a team of its scientists was prevented from entering China to study the origins of the new coronavirus.

The police officer who shot and seriously injured Jacob Blake in Kenosha, Wisconsin in August will face no charges, prosecutor Michael Graveley announced yesterday. Rusten Sheskey, a white officer, shot Blake, a 29-year-old black man, seven times in the back while responding to a domestic incident. He said he used deadly force because he thought Blake was trying to kidnap a child in the back seat of a vehicle. Blake’s family says they are disappointed by the decision, but felt it was coming when they learned that Wisconsin was bringing in the National Guard to respond to possible unrest after the announcement. Now, Blake’s family and supporters are vowing to take the case to Washington DC.

Saudi Arabia and its Arab allies have agreed to restore diplomatic relations with the tiny gas-rich country of Qatar. The deal ends a three-year boycott of the nation that has divided the Gulf States since then. In 2017, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates and Egypt accused Qatar of supporting terrorism and questioned the country’s friendly relations with Iran and the Muslim Brotherhood. Under the boycott, Qatar’s only land border – with Saudi Arabia – was sealed, and the nations that boycotted closed their airspace to Qatar. Although the leaders of the countries seemed optimistic about the signing of the agreement in the Saudi city of al-Ula, it is not clear what provisions it involves and which ones have been followed.

Good things are worth waiting for – in this case, until March.

According to the new guidelines, they will not be considered service animals, but you can still carry them.

Do this, otherwise your browser WILL be mad at you.

An impressive new venture in the chicken sandwich theater.

Oh, be the woman who lists her position as “Queen”.

This is the proportion of new car sales in Norway last year that were electric. The country is using huge tax incentives to help ensure that all cars and vans sold in the country by the end of 2025 are zero-emission vehicles. Last year’s electric vehicle sales record more than put them on the right track.

Martin Kenyon, a 91-year-old Briton who became an Internet sensation for his very practical statement to CNN after he received the first dose of the Pfizer / BioNTech vaccine last month. He has now taken the second dose and is feeling great.

We had never considered this issue, but as the Smithsonian Channel did, we need to know. (Click here to view.)