Start your day here: Senate Democrats force a showdown over voting rights measures

Published January 18, 2022 at 8:13 AM EST
President Biden Attends Special Caucus Meeting With Senate Democrats
Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images
/
Getty Images North America
Senate Democrats caucus at luncheon with President Biden last week over voting rights legislation and possible changes to filibuster rules.

Good morning,

Here's what we're following today:

Voting rights and the filibuster: Democrats will begin debate today on two bills to make it easier for Americans to vote — and vow a long-shot push to change filibuster rules to get the measures to a vote.

A daring escape at the Texas synagogue: Rabbi Charlie Cytron-Walker ended the weekend's 10-hour standoff by throwing a chair at the gunman, giving himself and the two remaining hostages time to safely flee the building.

The UK sends arms to Ukraine: Britain says the arms shipment was in response to a “legitimate and real cause for concern” over a possible Russian invasion. Meanwhile, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken is heading to Kyiv and Berlin.

🎧 Also, on Up First, our daily podcast, a flurry of meetings aimed at reviving the international agreement to limit Iran's nuclear program.

— The Morning Edition live blog team

(Carol Ritchie, Rachel Treisman, Nell Clark and Chris Hopkins)