An Ignoble Experiment: Ice storm snarls travel plans across the US

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Tuesday 01.31.23

The average age of a first-time mother in the US climbed above 27 years -- marking a record high -- in 2021, according to a new CDC report. While decisions around having children largely depend on personal circumstances, researchers say the Covid-19 pandemic likely played a role in people putting off childbirth -- in more ways than one. Here's what else you need to know to Get Up to Speed and On With Your Day.

By Alexandra Meeks

Canceled Southwest flights are displayed on screens at Dallas Love Field Airport on January 30.

Ice storms

A winter weather system moving through the US today is creating dangerous travel conditions. More than 1,100 flights were canceled Monday, with a similar number of cancelations expected today. Widespread delays are also being reported. So far, the most affected airports are Dallas Love Field, Dallas-Fort Worth International, Austin Bergstrom International and Houston Bush International airports in Texas. The storm bringing the triple threat of ice, sleet and snow to the region has also prompted officials to close several roads and schools. About 38 million people from Texas and Oklahoma to Kentucky and West Virginia are under winter weather alerts as officials urge people to avoid any unnecessary journeys.

Covid-19

President Joe Biden intends to end Covid-19 national and public health emergencies on May 11, the White House said Monday. The public health emergency has enabled the government to provide many Americans with Covid tests, treatments and vaccines at no charge, as well as offer enhanced social safety net benefits, to help the nation cope with the pandemic. Once the emergency ends, some Americans will face out-of-pocket costs for certain testing and treatment options, but many will still be available at no charge. This comes as Covid-19 has become the eighth most common cause of death among children in the US, a new study published Monday showed.

Florida shooting

As the nation grapples with recent incidents of gun violence and mass shootings, officials in Lakeland, Florida responded Monday to a scene where at least 10 people were wounded in a drive-by shooting. Eight of the victims have non-life-threatening injuries while two remain in critical condition, police said. Authorities believe the shooting was a targeted event, Lakeland Police Department Chief Sam Taylor said, and officials have urged the community to report any information that could help with their investigation. In his 34 years with the department, Taylor said he had never worked on a case where so many people had been shot at one time.

Classified documents

The Justice Department told Republican Rep. Jim Jordan of Ohio Monday it would not provide most of the information he requested about the special counsel investigation into President Joe Biden's handling of classified material until the probe is complete. Jordan, who chairs the House Judiciary Committee, has demanded access to a host of documents related to the investigation. Among several reasons offered for its decision, the DOJ said it would uphold its longstanding practice of withholding information that could endanger or compromise ongoing investigations. In the Mar-a-Lago probe, meanwhile, two people who searched former President Donald Trump's properties for classified documents also testified before a federal grand jury last week, according to sources familiar with the matter -- but the extent of information they offered currently remains unclear.

Social media

TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew will appear at an upcoming hearing before the House Energy and Commerce Committee, a committee spokesperson confirmed to CNN. He is expected to testify on TikTok's privacy and data security practices, its impact on young users and its "relationship to the Chinese Communist Party," according to a hearing announcement on the committee's website. "It is now time to continue the committee's efforts to hold Big Tech accountable by bringing TikTok before the committee to provide complete and honest answers for people," Republican Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers of Washington said in a statement. The high-profile hearing comes as mounting evidence shows screens aren't great for kids. A new study published this week revealed that, even for infants, too much screen time can impact executive function development.

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This is just such a gross collapse of the system that we are supposed to trust.

-- Antonio Romanucci, an attorney for Tyre Nichols' family, sharing poignant remarks Monday on the fatal beating of 29-year-old Nichols by Memphis police officers. Prosecutors have said they're looking at "everybody who had any kind of involvement" leading up to, during and following the deadly January encounter. City officials confirmed Monday that three Memphis Fire Department personnel have been fired over the incident, and a total of seven police officers have been placed on leave or fired.

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