10 things you need to know today: January 6, 2024

The U.S. Supreme Court building in Washington, D.C.

(Image credit: Drew Angerer/Getty Images)

published 6 January 2024

1. Supreme Court to rule on Trump being kept off 2024 presidential ballots

The U.S. Supreme Court said Friday it will decide whether former President Donald Trump can be listed on primary ballots for the 2024 election. The high court will consider whether or not states have the right to kick Trump off their ballots due to his attempts to overturn the results of the 2020 election and his actions during the Jan. 6, 2021 attack on the U.S. Capitol. In a legal order, the court said it would review the basis of these efforts: a recent decision from the Colorado Supreme Court that removed Trump from the state's ballot. Colorado found that Trump was ineligible to run for president under the 14th Amendment restricting insurrectionists from holding office. Politico, The Washington Post

The militant group Hezbollah launched a barrage of rockets toward northern Israel on Saturday in what it called an "initial response" to the killing of a senior Hamas leader in Lebanon. There were no initial reports of injuries from the attacks, as the Israeli Defense Force said some 40 rockets had been fired toward a military installation near Mount Meron. The IDF said it responded by attacking one of the Lebanese groups that had assisted with the rocket launches. The Beirut-based Hezbollah is an ally of Hamas and has pledged continued retaliation following the death of Saleh al-Arouri, a senior Hamas commander, last week. Israel has not claimed responsibility for al-Arouri's death. The New York Times, The Times of Israel

The U.S. Supreme Court on Friday allowed Idaho to temporarily enforce its strict abortion ban, even in cases of certain medical emergencies. The court's decision marks a blow to a Biden administration effort to require hospitals to circumvent abortion bans in red states. The federal law, the Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act, requires emergency rooms to perform abortions if the mother's life is at risk, even in states where abortion is banned. The Biden administration claims that the law circumvents state abortion bans, but Idaho criminalizes abortions unless the mother's life is in imminent danger. The Supreme Court is allowing Idaho's ban to remain in place while arguments are heard. CBS News, USA Today

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President Joe Biden marked the third anniversary of the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol on Friday by blasting former President Donald Trump's actions on that day. Speaking near Valley Forge, Pennsylvania, Biden sought to paint the upcoming election as a referendum on democracy. "We nearly lost America — lost it all," Biden said of Jan. 6, adding, "we all know who Donald Trump is. The question we have to answer is who are we?" The president said that Trump's actions on Jan. 6, in which he has been accused of inciting the violent mob that overtook the Capitol, were "among the worst derelictions of duty by a president in American history." The Associated Press, Axios

Wayne LaPierre resigned as the leader of the National Rifle Association on Friday, ending his control of one of the country's most prominent and controversial gun rights groups. LaPierre, who served as executive vice president and chief executive officer, announced his decision in a statement, saying he "will never stop supporting the NRA and its fight to defend Second Amendment freedom." LaPierre's resignation comes days before he is set to begin a civil trial in New York. The trial pits LaPierre and other former NRA leaders against the state, which is alleging that the NRA misused millions of dollars of funds and violated tax laws for nonprofit groups. NBC News, CNN

Alaska Airlines on Friday said it was temporarily grounding its Boeing 737-9 Max fleet after a window blowout forced a plane to make an emergency landing. The flight, bound for Ontario, California, was forced to return to Portland, Oregon, after the cabin depressurized following the blowout, reports said. The window damage occurred despite the plane in question being brand-new, and Alaska Airlines said in a statement that it was grounding its 65 other 737-9s as a result. The planes will be put back into service "only after completion of full maintenance and safety inspections," the airline said. Boeing said it was aware of the incident and was working to gather more information. ABC News, Reuters

Michigan Republicans on Saturday will vote on the removal of their statewide leader, Kristina Karamo, amid ongoing chaos and problems within the party. Karamo, the chairwoman of the Michigan GOP, has said she will not accept the results of the vote if she is ousted, paving the way for a potential fight in Michigan's court system. The Michigan Republican Party suffered a wave of losses during the 2022 midterms and has since been hit with issues of financing and widespread infighting between the state's more moderate wing and its far-right leadership. Eight of the 13 GOP congressional district chairs in Michigan have called for Karamo to resign. The Associated Press

The death toll from the earthquake in Japan on New Year's Day passed 100 on Saturday as hope of finding more survivors dwindles. At least 110 people have been confirmed dead, Japanese officials said, and more than 200 people are still missing. "I am keenly aware of the extent of the damage caused," Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said. The 7.6-magnitude earthquake struck Japan's Hokuriku region, destroying buildings and infrastructure in the area and forcing more than 30,000 people to evacuate. Kishida has ordered government officials to hasten emergency efforts, as rescue workers currently number around 5,400. Reuters

Actor Christian Oliver and his two young daughters died in a plane crash in the Caribbean, the Grenadines Police Force announced Friday. Oliver, 51, and his daughters, Madita Klepser, 12, and Annik Klepser, 10, passed away Thursday after the small one-engine plane they were on crashed off the coast of Petit Nevis, a small island in the Grenadines. The pilot, Robert Sachs, also died in the crash. No other passengers were aboard the plane. Oliver was best known for appearing in the live-action adaptation of "Speed Racer" in 2008 and also had a role in "Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny" last year. Variety

Former Dallas Mavericks majority owner Mark Cuban said Friday that he would distribute more than $35 million in bonuses to the team's employees. In a memo obtained by ESPN, Cuban said the payout was a "thank you for all your hard work making the Mavs an amazing organization." The amount of each bonus will be calculated by how long an employee has worked for the team, Cuban said. The billionaire investor recently sold his controlling interest in the Mavericks to the Adelson and Dupont families of Las Vegas fame. The exact details of the transaction weren't disclosed, but reportedly valued the Mavericks franchise at around $3.5 billion. CNN

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Justin Klawans has worked as a staff writer at The Week since 2022. He began his career covering local news before joining Newsweek as a breaking news reporter, where he wrote about politics, national and global affairs, business, crime, sports, film, television and other Hollywood news. Justin has also freelanced for outlets including Collider and United Press International.