10 things you need to know today: January 23, 2019

1. Senate advances rival bills on ending the shutdown

Senate Republicans and Democrats on Tuesday took a potential first step toward compromise on ending the five-week partial government shutdown. Senators advanced two opposing proposals to reopen the government — a GOP bill that includes the $5.7 billion President Trump is demanding for a border wall, and a competing Democratic proposal to fund the government through Feb. 8 to allow time for negotiations on border security. Votes are scheduled for Thursday, but neither bill seems likely to draw enough bipartisan support to get the 60 votes needed to go any further. Still, the dueling proposals marked the first bipartisan action yet on breaking the impasse. "People are saying, isn't there a way out of this mess?" Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) said. "Well, now there's a way."

The New York Times

2. Supreme Court revives Trump transgender military ban

The Supreme Court on Tuesday ruled that the Trump administration can enforce its restrictions on transgender personnel in the military. The court ruled 5-4, with the five conservative justices in the majority, to revive President Trump's ban by lifting injunctions imposed by several courts last year. The controversial policy first banned transgender people from serving in the U.S. military "in any capacity," then was amended to ban transgender people who "may require substantial medical treatment." The ruling means that the restrictions can be enforced while a case proceeds to determine the policy's long-term fate.

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The Washington Post The New York Times

3. L.A. teachers ratify deal to end strike

Los Angeles teachers ratified a contract deal with the L.A. Unified School District on Tuesday, ending their first strike in 30 years. Alex Caputo-Pearl, president of United Teachers Los Angeles, said the agreement sealed "historic" gains in the fight for smaller classes and "fully staffed" schools. Teachers will get a 6 percent raise, although they said the walkout was about a broader need for more resources on campuses. Other elements of the deal include incremental reductions in class sizes over the next few years, and increases in support staff, including librarians. The votes of the 30,000 teachers union members were still being counted Tuesday night, but "a vast supermajority are voting yes for the agreement that we made," Caputo-Pearl said.

Los Angeles Times

4. N.C. judge refuses to certify result of disputed congressional race

A North Carolina judge ruled Tuesday that the state's investigation into possible election fraud by the campaign of Republican congressional candidate Mark Harris will continue. Harris, who narrowly leads Democrat Dan McCready in the current vote count for North Carolina's disputed 9th District seat in the House, had asked the court to order the state to certify the election result despite the investigation. Wake County Court Judge Paul Ridgeway heard two hours of arguments from lawyers for Harris and McReady, and said it was not the court's place to step in. "This is an extremely unusual situation, with no board in place, and asking this court to step in and exert extraordinary power in declaring the winner of an election, when that is clearly the purview of another branch of government," Ridgeway said.

News & Observer

5. Supreme Court takes no action on DACA, leaving protections in place

The Supreme Court on Tuesday declined to take action on lower court decisions blocking President Trump's effort to end the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, leaving in place for now protections for nearly 700,000 undocumented immigrants who were brought to the U.S. as children. The Trump administration had asked the justices to take up the issue this fall. Trump, in a proposal to end the partial government shutdown, last weekend floated the possibility of exchanging an extension of DACA protections for a border wall. Sam Erman, an associate professor at Southern Cal Gould School of Law, said the justices have incentive to wait. "If DACA is the subject of political negotiations, it might go away if there's a deal," he said.

The Hill

6. Russian judge denies bail to American accused of spying

A Russian judge on Tuesday ruled that Paul Whelan's arrest on spying charges was legal, and refused to release the 49-year-old American on bail. Russia's Federal Security Service says that Whelan was on a spy mission when he was detained last month. Whelan's family says he is innocent, and was simply in Russia for a wedding. Whelan's lawyer, Vladimir Zherebenkov, said he could "confirm that at the time of his detention, Whelan had some documents containing state secrets, but I cannot go into details." Zherebenkov said it was not clear how Whelan got the documents, or whether he knew he had them. Russia's Rosbalt news service reported that Whelan received a flash drive with a list of Russian Defense Ministry employees while he was in his hotel room minutes before Russian agents arrested him.

USA Today

7. Kentucky Catholic school at center of D.C. video cancels classes

The Roman Catholic high school in Kentucky that was flooded with complaints over a videotaped clash between some of its students and a Native American activist at the Lincoln Memorial closed Tuesday for security reasons. "After meeting with local authorities, we have made the decision to cancel school and be closed on Tuesday, January 22, in order to ensure the safety of our students, faculty and staff," Covington Catholic High School principal Robert Rowe said in a letter obtained by The Cincinnati Enquirer. The American Indian Movement Chapters of Indiana and Kentucky, which had been planning to demonstrate outside the school, moved its protest to the Diocese of Covington headquarters a couple miles away, saying it has "advocated nonviolence and accountability for administration, teachers, and chaperones the entire time," and never "threatened anyone."

NBC News

8. Pence calls Maduro a 'dictator,' pledges U.S. support for Venezuelan people

Vice President Mike Pence delivered a videotaped message of support to Venezuelan protesters opposing President Nicolas Maduro. Pence called Maduro a "dictator with no legitimate claim to power." Pence said he was expressing the "unwavering support" of the U.S. for the Venezuelan people, on behalf of President Trump. Maduro, whose Socialist government has been accused of driving the country to ruin, started his second term this month despite internal and international claims his 2018 re-election was fraudulent. The Venezuelan leader responded to Pence's message by ordering a "revision" of Venezuela's diplomatic relationship with the U.S.

Reuters

9. Mariano Rivera becomes first player unanimously voted into Baseball Hall of Fame

Pitcher Mariano Rivera made history on Tuesday, becoming the first player unanimously voted into the Baseball Hall of Fame. Rivera, a 13-time All-Star, played for the New York Yankees for 19 seasons. With him as a closer, the team won five World Series titles. Rivera was named MVP of the 1999 World Series. Before Rivera, Ken Griffey Jr. came the closest to being unanimously elected, receiving 99.3 percent of the vote three years ago. The other players voted into the Hall of Fame on Tuesday were Edgar Martinez, Mike Mussina, and Roy Halladay, who died in a 2017 plane crash.

Los Angeles Times

10. The Favourite and Roma lead Oscar nominations

The nominees for the 2019 Academy Awards were announced Tuesday, with The Favourite and Roma leading the pack with 10 nominations each. In the top category of Best Picture, the nominees are BlacKkKlansman, Black Panther, Bohemian Rhapsody, The Favourite, Green Book, Roma, A Star Is Born, and Vice. Awards season favorites Christian Bale (Vice), Glenn Close (The Wife), Lady Gaga (A Star Is Born), Regina King (If Beale Street Could Talk), and Mahershala Ali (Green Book) all received acting nominations, while Roma's Marina De Tavira and Yalitza Aparicio earned surprise nods for Best Supporting Actress and Best Actress, respectively. A Star Is Born's Bradley Cooper, meanwhile, was left out of the Best Director field, where he had been considered a strong contender.

The Hollywood Reporter