Biden to reopen ‘Obamacare’ markets; Walmart’s robot-filled warehouses; no adds to baseball Hall
Associated Press, CNN
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AP Photo/Jae C. Hong
Adam Dergazarian, bottom center, pays his respect for Kobe Bryant and his daughter, Gianna, in front of a mural painted by artist Louie Sloe Palsino, Tuesday, Jan. 26, 2021, in Los Angeles. Bryant, his daughter, and seven other people died in a helicopter crash one year ago Tuesday.
In an Aug. 2, 2013 file photo, former Philadelphia Phillies pitcher Curt Schilling is inducted into the Phillies Wall of Fame during a baseball game between the Philadelphia Phillies and the Atlanta Braves in Philadelphia.
In 1944, during World War II, the Soviet Union announced the complete end of the deadly German siege of Leningrad, which had lasted for more than two years.
In 1984, singer Michael Jackson suffered serious burns to his scalp when pyrotechnics set his hair on fire during the filming of a Pepsi-Cola TV commercial at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles.
In 1998, first lady Hillary Rodham Clinton, on NBC’s “Today” show, charged the sexual misconduct allegations against her husband, President Bill Clinton, were the work of a “vast right-wing conspiracy.”
Ten years ago: Tens of thousands of Yemenis demanded their president step down; taking inspiration from Tunisians’ revolt, they vowed to continue until their U.S.-backed government fell.
Five years ago: As he honored four people for risking their lives to protect Jews, President Barack Obama warned during a visit to the Israeli Embassy in Washington that anti-Semitism was on the rise; he said an attack on any faith was an attack on all faiths.
One year ago: China confirmed more than 2,700 cases of the new coronavirus with more than 80 deaths in that country; authorities postponed the end of the Lunar New Year holiday to keep the public at home. U.S. health officials said they believed the risk to Americans remained low and that they had no evidence that the new virus was spreading in the United States; they advised Americans to avoid non-essential travel to any part of China.
Russell Dawson of the Koomurri Aboriginal Dancers participates in a smoking ceremony during Australia Day ceremonies in Sydney, Tuesday, Jan. 26, 2021. (AP Photo/Rick Rycroft)
President Joe Biden signs an Executive Order reversing the Trump era ban on transgender individuals serving in military, in the Oval Office of the White House, Monday, Jan. 25, 2021, in Washington. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)
A feminist activist spits fireballs during a protest in front of the Attorney General's Office in Mexico City, Monday, January 25, 2021. The demonstrators denounced the rape and murder of thousands of women in recent years. (AP Photo/Marco Ugarte)
People wait for a COVID-19 vaccine, at Belgrade Fair makeshift vaccination center, in Belgrade, Serbia, Monday, Jan. 25, 2021. Serbia were the first European country to receive the Chinese Sinopharm's vaccine for mass inoculation programmes. (AP Photo/Darko Vojinovic)
National Guard troops tour the Rotunda at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, during a break from reinforcing security, Monday, Jan. 25, 2021. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)
Clerk of the House Cheryl Johnson along with acting House Sergeant-at-Arms Tim Blodgett lead the Democratic House impeachment managers as they walk through Statuary Hall on Capitol Hill to deliver to the Senate the article of impeachment alleging incitement of insurrection against former President Donald Trump, in Washington, Monday, Jan. 25, 2021. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh)
People look at mountains recently covered with snow, Monday, Jan. 25, 2021, at the Red Rock National Conservation Area near Las Vegas. (AP Photo/John Locher)
Denver Nuggets forward Michael Porter Jr. (1) is blocked from reaching the basket by Dallas Mavericks' James Johnson, left, Wes Iwundu, center rear, and Willie Cauley-Stein, right, in the second half of an NBA basketball game in Dallas, Monday, Jan. 25, 2021. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)
People walk on a giant mural of former NBA basketball player Kobe Bryant and daughter Gianna on a basketball court at a tenement building in Taguig, Philippines on Tuesday, Jan. 26, 2021. Artists in this tenement building gathered and painted this images to commemorate Bryant's death. Bryant, his daughter and 7 others died in a helicopter crash on Jan. 26, 2020. (AP Photo/Aaron Favila)
Protesting farmers jump police barricades tp march to the capital during India's Republic Day celebrations in New Delhi, India, Tuesday, Jan.26, 2021. Tens of thousands of farmers drove a convoy of tractors into the Indian capital as the nation celebrated Republic Day on Tuesday in the backdrop of agricultural protests that have grown into a rebellion and rattled the government. (AP Photo/Altaf Qadri)
Clerk of the House Cheryl Johnson along with House Sergeant-at-Arms Tim Blodgett lead the Democratic House impeachment managers as they walk through Statuary Hall on Capitol Hill to deliver to the Senate the article of impeachment alleging incitement of insurrection against former President Donald Trump, in Washington, Monday, Jan. 25, 2021. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite, Pool)
Indian paramilitary soldiers wearing masks as a precaution against the coronavirus march inside a snow covered field during Indian Republic day parade in Srinagar, Indian controlled Kashmir, Tuesday, Jan. 26, 2021. The day marks the anniversary of India's democratic constitution taking force in 1950.(AP Photo/ Dar Yasin)
Norway's Maria Therese Tviberg competes during an alpine ski, women's World Cup giant slalom, in San Vigilio di Marebbe, Italy, Tuesday, Jan. 26, 2021. (AP Photo/Alessandro Trovati)
Sikhs hoist a Nishan Sahib, a Sikh religious flag, on a minaret of the historic Red Fort monument in New Delhi, India, Tuesday, Jan. 26, 2021. Tens of thousands of protesting farmers drove long lines of tractors into India's capital on Tuesday, breaking through police barricades, defying tear gas and storming the historic Red Fort as the nation celebrated Republic Day. (AP Photo/Dinesh Joshi)
Workers prepare a coffin for burial at the special section of Jombang cemetery which was opened to accommodate the surge in deaths during coronavirus outbreak, in Tangerang, Indonesia, Tuesday, Jan. 26, 2021. Indonesia has reported more cases of the virus than any other countries in Southeast Asia. (AP Photo/Tatan Syuflana)
1969 — The Pittsburgh Steelers name Chuck Noll head coach. The 37-year-old Noll is the youngest head coach in NFL history at the time.
Chuck Noll, right, poses in Pittsburgh with Dan Rooney, general manager of the Pittsburgh Steelers, Jan. 27, 1969. Noll was named as head coach of the football club Monday. He succeeds Bill Austin, who was fired in December. Noll comes to the Steelers from the Baltimore Colts where he was a defensive coach. (AP Photo)
1970 — The Pittsburgh Steelers select Louisiana Tech quarterback Terry Bradshaw with first pick of the NFL Draft.
Pittsburgh Steelers' No. 1 draft choice Terry Bradshaw, right, poses with Pittsburgh coach Chuck Noll, center, and his father, William M. Bradshaw, left, in Pittsburgh, Pa., Feb. 13, 1970. (AP Photo/Harry Cabluck)
1973 — UCLA, led by Bill Walton, sets an NCAA record for consecutive victories with its 61st win, an 82-63 victory over Notre Dame. UCLA breaks the record of 60 set by San Francisco in 1956. Walton scores 16 points, grabs 15 rebounds and blocks 10 shots.
Bill Walton, 6'11" center for UCLA, goes up for two of many points he scored against Loyola in Chicago, January 27, 1973. (AP Photo/Fred Jewell)
1991 — The New York Giants survive the closest Super Bowl ever when Scott Norwood’s 47-yard field goal attempt with 8 seconds left in the game goes wide. The Giants win their second Super Bowl in five years, 20-19 over the Buffalo Bills.
In this Jan. 27, 1991, file photo, Buffalo Bills kicker Scott Norwood, center, misses the field goal on the last play of the game, clinching the victory for the New York Giants in Super Bowl XXV in Tampa. The Giants won 20-19. (AP Photo/Phil Sandlin, File)
2007 — Serena Williams wins her third Australian Open singles title, routing Maria Sharapova 6-1, 6-2. Unseeded and ranked 81st, Williams wins her eighth and most improbable Grand Slam. She is the second unseeded woman to win the Australian title in the Open era.
Serena Williams of the U.S. celebrates as she holds her women's singles trophy aloft after defeating Maria Sharapova of Russia at the Australian Open tennis tournament in Melbourne, Australia, Saturday, Jan. 27, 2007. Williams won in straight sets 6-1 6-2. (AP Photo/Steve Holland)
2008 — Novak Djokovic fends off unseeded Frenchman Jo-Wilfried Tsonga 4-6, 6-4, 6-3, 7-6 (2) in the Australian Open final, earning his first Grand Slam title.
Serbia's Novak Djokovic celebrates after beating Jo-Wilfried Tsonga of France, in the final of the Men's singles at the Australian Open tennis tournament in Melbourne, Australia, Sunday, Jan. 27, 2008 . (AP Photo/Mark Baker)
2008 — Eric Staal wins the most valuable player award in the NHL All-Star game, registering two goals and an assist in the East’s 8-7 win over the Western Conference. Staal helps set up Marc Savard’s winning goal with 20.9 seconds left.
Eastern Conference forward Eric Staal, of the Carolina Hurricanes, gets handshakes from fans after being named the Most Valuable Player during the NHL All-Star hockey game Sunday, Jan. 27, 2008 in Atlanta. Staal had two goals and an assist in the Eastern Conference's 8-7 win. (AP Photo/Gerry Broome)
2011 — Roger Federer, the 16-time Grand Slam winner, is knocked out of the Australian Open by Novak Djokovic in a semifinal match, 7-6 (3), 7-5, 6-4. Federer’s loss marks the first time since 2003 that he wouldn’t hold any of the four major titles.
Roger Federer of Switzerland waves after his semifinal loss to Novak Djokovic of Serbia at the Australian Open tennis championships in Melbourne, Australia, Thursday, Jan. 27, 2011. (AP Photo/Shuji Kajiyama)
2013 — Novak Djokovic beats Andy Murray 6-7 (2), 7-6 (3), 6-3, 6-2 to become the first man in the Open era to win three consecutive Australian Open titles.
Serbia's Novak Djokovic holds his trophy after defeating Britain's Andy Murray in the men's final at the Australian Open tennis championship in Melbourne, Australia, Sunday, Jan. 27, 2013. (AP Photo/Rob Griffith)
2013 — The NFC blew past the AFC 62-35 in the Pro Bowl. Minnesota tight end Kyle Rudolph is voted the game’s MVP with five catches for 122 yards and a touchdown.
Tampa Bay wide receiver Vincent Jackson (83) and New York Giants wide receiver Victor Cruz (80) of the NFC celebrate Jackson's third-quarter touchdown in the NFL Pro Bowl football game in Honolulu, Sunday, Jan. 27, 2013. (AP Photo/Marco Garcia)
2018 — Caroline Wozniacki captures her first Grand Slam title at the Australian Open, rebounding in the third set to beat top-seeded Simona Halep 6-7 (2), 6-3, 6-4.
Denmark's Caroline Wozniacki celebrates after defeating Romania's Simona Halep during the women's singles final at the Australian Open tennis championships in Melbourne, Australia, Saturday, Jan. 27, 2018. (AP Photo/Andy Brownbill)
2018 — Gun Runner, ridden by Florent Geroux, ends his career by taking the Pegasus World Cup, the richest thoroughbred race in the world. Gun Runner, named Horse of the Year two days earlier, easily beats West Coast by 2 1/2 lengths to win the $16 million race at Gulfstream Park in Hallandale Beach, Florida.
Jockey Florent Geroux celebrates as Gun Runner crosses the finish line to win the Pegasus World Cup Invitational horse race, Saturday, Jan. 27, 2018, at Gulfstream Park in Hallandale Beach, Fla. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)
Today is Wednesday, Jan. 27, 2021. Let’s get caught up.
These headlines are in the news this morning: President Biden will reopen ‘Obamacare’ markets for Americans in need of coverage amid the pandemic; Walmart to build more robot-filled warehouses at its stores; baseball’s Hall of Fame gets no new members in 2021.
Read on for these stories, other top headlines, celebrity birthdays and more.
Top stories
Biden to reopen ‘Obamacare’ markets for COVID-19 relief
WASHINGTON (AP) — Fulfilling a campaign promise, President Joe Biden plans to reopen the HealthCare.gov insurance markets for a special sign-up opportunity geared to people needing coverage in the coronavirus pandemic.
Biden is expected to sign an executive order Thursday, said two people familiar with the plan, whose details were still being finalized. They spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the pending order ahead of a formal announcement.
Although the number of uninsured Americans has grown because of job losses due to the economic hit of COVID-19, the Trump administration resisted calls to authorize a “special enrollment period” for people uninsured in the pandemic. Read more:
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Walmart to build more robot-filled warehouses at stores
NEW YORK (AP) — Walmart is enlisting the help of robots to keep up with a surge in online orders.
The company said Wednesday that it plans to build warehouses at its stores where self-driving robots will fetch groceries and have them ready for shoppers to pick up in an hour or less.
Walmart declined to say how many of the warehouses it will build, but construction has started at stores in Lewisville, Texas; Plano, Texas; American Fork, Utah; and Bentonville, Arkansas, where Walmart’s corporate offices are based. A test site was opened more than a year ago at a store in Salem, New Hampshire. Read more:
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Baseball Hall gets no new members; Schilling 16 votes shy
NEW YORK (AP) — The baseball Hall of Fame won’t have any new players in the class of 2021 after voters decided no one had the merits — on the field or off — for enshrinement in Cooperstown.
Curt Schilling, Barry Bonds and Roger Clemens were the closest in voting by members of the Baseball Writers’ Association of America released Tuesday, and the trio will have one more chance at election next year. It’s the first time the BBWAA didn’t choose anyone since 2013. Read more:
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Today’s weather
The short drive from San Francisco to Lake Tahoe could bare witness to more extreme weather events over the next 3 days than a person has fingers on one hand. CNN Meteorologist Pedram Javaheri has the details.
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In other news today …
U.S. President Joe Biden and Russian leader Vladimir Putin held their first conversation as counterparts Tuesday in a phone call that underscored troubled relations and the delicate balance between the former Cold War foes.
Biden on Tuesday ordered the Department of Justice to end its reliance on private prisons and acknowledge the central role government has played in implementing discriminatory housing policies.
The Justice Department rescinded a Trump-era memo that established a “zero tolerance” enforcement policy for migrants crossing the U.S.-Mexico border illegally, which resulted in thousands of family separations.
Vermont Sen. Patrick Leahy was taken to a hospital Tuesday evening after not feeling well and later sent home after tests, a spokesman said.
The terrifying nighttime tornado that blasted through suburban Birmingham late Monday, trapping entire families in the remnants of shattered homes and injuring 30, left a trail of destruction that stunned even longtime residents used to Alabama’s violent weather.
A major winter storm dumped more than a foot of snow on parts of the middle of the country while another system blanketed areas of the Southwest, disrupting travel for a second consecutive day Tuesday and shuttering many schools.
Jungle Cruise, one of the original Disney parks’ rides, is getting a 21st century remodel in yet the latest update to a legacy theme park ride that has been criticized in years past for being racially insensitive.
There has never been a Super Bowl matchup of accomplished quarterbacks quite like the one coming up next week between Tampa Bay’s Tom Brady and Kansas City’s Patrick Mahomes.
Click on the links below for full versions of these stories and scroll further for a look at today in history and celebrity birthdays.
