1.) Chiefs take on 49ers in Super Bowl LIV
The Kansas City Chiefs defeated the Tennessee Titans 35-24 on Jan. 19, securing the AFC Championship. Their win seals their place in Super Bowl LIV in Miami, 54th Super Bowl where they’ll play the San Francisco 49ers.
The 49ers have the edge over the Chiefs in terms of record, boasting a 13-3 count to KC’s 12-4. The 49ers also have more Super Bowl experience under their belt — winning five times between 1981 and 1994, as well as an appearance in the 2012 game. The Chief’s haven’t seen a Super Bowl field since 1970 when they defeated the Minnesota Vikings.
Watch the Chiefs take on the 49ers on Feb. 2 at 5:30 p.m.
2.) Increase in spiders following Australian wildfires
Following the intense fires and flooding in eastern Australia, parks, such as the Australian Reptile Park, have seen a rise in spider activity.
Park spokesman Danniel Rumsey attributed the spider influx to the recent rain and warmer days in a video posted on Facebook. The spiders in question are funnel-web spiders and considered one of the most dangerous spiders on the planet as their venom is toxic and can lead to death.
Following some of the worst wildfires seen in decades — resulting in 28 deaths and more than 3,000 homes being destroyed — Australia was hit with severe thunderstorms and flash flooding, and an early spider season.
3.) Goldman Sachs changes policy
Goldman Sachs, an investment banking firm, announced it will no longer take companies public if they have an all-male board on Jan. 23.
The firm requires that the companies it takes public must have at least one “diverse” board member. Chief Executive David Solomon said the new policy will focus on placing more women on boards.
At the World Economic Forum, held Jan. 21-24, Solomon said the IPO’s — initial public offerings, which is the process by which private companies can go public by selling their stocks — of companies in the U.S. with women on their boards have performed better than those with an all-male board.
By 2021, the initiative will raise to including at least two diverse board members, according to Solomon.
4.) New Birth Tourism policy to go into effect
Under a new Trump administration policy, it will be harder for foreign nationals to partake in “birth tourism,” which is when expectant parents give birth in the United States to make sure their children will have American citizenship.
The State Department is no longer issuing temporary visas to visitors that are suspected to be traveling with the goal of birth tourism. According to the CDC, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, about 10,000 foreign women give birth on U.S. soil every year.
5.) Impeachment update
The Impeachment trial of President Donald J. Trump, which began on Jan. 16, will resume Monday, Jan. 27.
President Trump’s legal team began their opening arguments on Jan. 25, only speaking for two hours out of their allotted 24 hours. The brief argument remarks were due to strategy that revolves around the sense that the impeachment trial is a waste of time, which the attorneys emphasized in the two hours of presentation.
The Democrats’ case finished their opening statements on Jan. 24, arguing that President Trump abused his power and obstructed the House’s investigation, and took up the full amount of allotted time. Democratic strategy, according to House Democrat and impeachment manager Rep. Adam Schiff (D-CA) in his remarks, revolves around the idea that Trump’s legal team offers a flawed argument that doesn’t deny misconduct by the president — but rather downplays the extent to which the actions crossed lines.
The trial will ensue Monday, with continued arguments and presentations before the Senate.