Friday 01.24.25

The Louvre Museum in Paris, home to Leonardo da Vinci's "Mona Lisa," has requested urgent help from the French government to renovate its aging exhibition halls and better protect its countless works of art. The museum is also seeking to relieve congestion after welcoming 8.7 million visitors in 2024, though it was only designed to receive four million visitors annually. Here's what else you need to know to Get Up to Speed and on With Your Day.
 

By Alexandra Banner

CNN Illustration of the 14th Amendment to the US Constitution.

Birthright citizenship

A federal judge temporarily blocked President Donald Trump's executive order aimed at ending birthright citizenship, calling it "blatantly unconstitutional." Several Democratic-led states are seeking a temporary restraining order as they argue that Trump's action violates the Constitution's 14th Amendment, which guarantees citizenship to all children born on US soil "and subject to the jurisdiction thereof." The Trump administration has vowed to fight the decision, arguing that that clause "subject to the jurisdiction thereof" allows the president to exclude the children of undocumented immigrants and even children whose parents are lawfully present but lack permanent legal status.

California fires

Much of Southern California is expected to get doused with desperately needed rainfall this weekend as firefighters try to contain the wildfires smoldering in Los Angeles County. A half-inch to 3/4 of an inch of rain is expected to fall from Saturday to Sunday on the main burn scars of the Palisades and Eaton fires, the National Weather Service said — but this could unleash new hazards. Meteorologists say the rain will fall quickly over charred land that can't absorb water — increasing the threat of debris flow, landslides and mudslides. Officials have deployed sandbags and other systems across LA to contain the burnt rubble and toxic chemicals from impacting its stormwater system and beaches, the mayor's office said.

School safety

Law enforcement officials are working to uncover a motive for a shooting at Nashville's Antioch High School on Wednesday that left two students dead. District officials are also examining AI gun detection software, which is used in all Metro Nashville Public Schools, that failed to detect the shooter's gun. The technology, called Omnilert, didn't spot the weapon because the shooter wasn't close enough to cameras to get an accurate read and activate the alarm, the school district said, adding it will enhance security measures. Omnilert CEO Dave Fraser said the safety of its schools is the company's top priority and expressed dismay that the "weapon was not visible" for the technology to respond.

Storm Éowyn

Storm Éowyn is advancing toward Ireland and the United Kingdom in what could be one of the most severe storms the region has seen in years. The "bomb" cyclone is expected to unleash gusty winds up to 80 miles per hour and heavy rain on Ireland today and Saturday. Met Éireann, the Irish Meteorological Service, has issued red warnings, its highest alert level, for wind for much of the country. The UK's Meteorological Office has also placed some areas under red wind warnings for the first time since 2011. Across Scotland's central belt, snowfall could reach somewhere between 6 to 10 inches. All schools in both Ireland and Northern Ireland will be closed today and public transportation will not be running.

Oscar nominations

The nominations for the 97th Academy Awards were announced Thursday in Los Angeles. The musical "Emilia Pérez" led with 13 nominations, followed by "The Brutalist" and "Wicked" with 10 each. With "Wicked" and "Emilia Pérez," this year marks the first time two musicals have been nominated in the best picture category since 1968 when "Oliver!" and "Funny Girl" both scored nominations, according to the Academy. The acting categories were largely dominated by first-time nominees, with 13 individuals scoring their first Oscar nods, including Kieran Culkin, Demi Moore, Isabella Rossellini and Zoe Saldaña. Conan O'Brien is set to host the ceremony, airing on March 2.

People are talking about these. Read up. Join in.

Stripe accidentally sends image of cartoon duck to laid-off employees
The fintech company Stripe ruffled a few feathers after accidentally sending an image of a yellow cartoon duck to some terminated employees. 

Nature's hidden secrets are unveiled in photography competition
There were over 11,000 entries in the 2024 Close-up Photographer of the Year competition. These photos emerged victorious.

Now you can have Martha Stewart in your garden
After years of research, a highly fragrant pink and apricot flower named after the lifestyle doyenne has hit the market. 

Novak Djokovic retires from Australian Open semifinal due to injury
Novak Djokovic's quest for a record-extending 25th grand slam title has been cut short at the Australian Open. Read why he stunningly retired from his semifinal match.

UnitedHealthcare has a new CEO
UnitedHealthcare announced a new CEO on Thursday, filling in the spot after Brian Thompson was shot and killed in Manhattan in a targeted attack.

$600,000

That's around how much Walmart will pay a year to some of its top managers as part of a "series of investments in hourly and salaried roles" across the company, a spokesperson for the retail chain said.

[It] gives us hope that our voices are not forgotten — that the world still hears our call for equality and justice.

— A women's rights activist in Afghanistan, after the International Criminal Court announced Thursday that it is seeking arrest warrants for Taliban leaders for alleged gender-based crimes. Since the Taliban seized control of Afghanistan again in 2021, the hardline Islamist group has severely restricted the lives of women and girls, such as banning them from attending university and closing secondary schools.

AI is making your nutrition goals as easy as taking a photo
Does your food log need the help of artificial intelligence? See how AI features in food tracking apps can help you reach your health goals a little easier.