WASHINGTON —

Congress is resuming its joint session after a dramatic and unprecedented day saw a mob of violent protesters storm the U.S. Capitol building.

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell is set to open the proceeding in the Senate at 8 p.m. The Senate originally suspended its deliberations after chanting protesters gained entry to the Capitol, prompting police to lock down the building. Some lawmakers tweeted that they were sheltering in place. Thousands of pro-Trump protesters rallied in the nation's capital, answering appeals by Trump himself, who addressed supporters gathered outside the White House.

Earlier in the day, McConnell urged fellow Republicans to abandon their effort to overrule President-elect Joe Biden's election triumph, directly rebuking defeated President Donald Trump and asserting that the GOP drive threatened the country's democratic foundations.

“The voters, the courts and the states have all spoken,” said McConnell, R-Ky., as the Senate debated a challenge by a handful of GOP lawmakers to the 11 electoral votes that Arizona cast for Biden. “They've all spoken. If we overrule them, it would damage our republic forever.”

Arizona's were the first of several states’ electoral votes that some Republicans are challenging, encouraged by Trump’s groundless charges that the election was riddled with fraud. Congress seemed certain to reject all those challenges and formally affirm Biden’s victory. All 50 states have certified the electoral votes.

The showdown came on one of the most convulsive days in the country's recent political history.

Follow along below for updates:

8:25 p.m.

U.S. Sen. James Lankford, R-Oklahoma, says the Senate will set a peaceful example and move toward the certification of the election result, showing Joe Biden will become the next president. Lankford was among the group of senators who vowed to reject the Electoral College tallies unless Congress launched a commission to audit the election results.

8 p.m.

The Senate has resumed debating the Republican challenge against Democrat Joe Biden’s presidential election victory, more than six hours after pro-Trump mobs attacked the Capitol and forced lawmakers to flee.

Scores of Republican representatives and 13 GOP senators had planned to object Wednesday to the electoral votes of perhaps six states that backed Biden. It was unclear whether those objections would continue in light of the day’s violent events.

President Donald Trump has falsely insisted that the election was marred by fraud and that he actually won. He reiterated those claims in remarks to thousands of protesters outside the White House early Wednesday and goaded them to march to the Capitol, which many of them did.

The mayhem had forced the House and Senate to abruptly end the day’s debates and flee to safety under the protection of police. And it prompted bipartisan outrage as many lawmakers blamed Trump for fostering the violence.

Of all the people who make New Year’s resolutions, more than half will drop them by Jan. 17, which is commonly referred to as “Ditch Day.”

But mental health experts say that there might be a reason for it if you’re giving up.

When it comes to New Year’s resolutions, Sarah Possenti has seen and heard it all.

“I just don’t throw much out- I don’t believe in cutting out an entire food group unless you’re allergic to it- and that’s what a lot of people are doing when they jump on these trendy diets.”

She’s been a chef and food stylist for more than a decade. It’s her job to make the food you see on TV look pretty. So, as you might imagine, people ask her about food and diets and fads and trends all the time.

“I think a great New Year’s resolution and one I was able to stick to one year- was cut out all fast food and I think that’s a great resolution and one that people could sustain- or cutting out high-fat coffee- that’s more habit changing.”

People make all kinds of resolutions, both big and small, said Dr. Scott Wiener, a mental health expert in the Pacific Northwest.

“New Year seems to be this phenomenon this period of change- well, why not, I’m motivated I’m excited I can make a difference in my life. Like all good plans, if you don’t have a proper road map to get there, things don’t often work out.”

Dr. Wiener says that you have to truly understand yourself and be prepared for the obstacles that will challenge you or cause you to break your own goals for you to stick to your resolutions.

"What makes you think the way you think, feel the way you feel- you can utilize that information as a guide- the thing that helps you know you’re doing the right thing for yourself.”

Modern science led the mental health world to something called the “Genomind Mental Health Map.”

"What that looks at are numerous genetic variations. We call them predispositions because they tell you more about your biological makeup," Dr. Wiener said. "Why are you an over thinker, why are you a worrier, why do you procrastinate- well, here’s the science that backs up the symptom.”

It’s kind of like your car when you take it to the mechanic.

“The mechanic doesn’t say 'oh, well, it sounds like this, give me money I’ll fix it, he says I’ll look under the hood,'" Dr. Wiener said. "And that’s the problem in mental health; people don’t have the opportunity to take a look under the hood.”

He says a New Year should give you the motivation to figure out what works for you to set yourself up for success.

Be it quitting smoking, losing weight, or making better financial decisions.

Dr. Wiener said to keep in mind that no goal is too big or impossible, as long as you have a plan to get there.

Cameron McNelis’ hopes of becoming a professional pilot have been temporarily grounded.

“Essentially with the pandemic, it’s definitely hurt the aviation industry,” he said.

McNelis recently graduated Magna Cum Laude from MSU Denver, earning a degree in aviation and aerospace science.

Prior to turning his tassel, he had a job offer from a major airline.

With that industry furloughing thousands of employees during the COVID-19 crisis, however, McNelis says the offer was taken off the table.

“Unfortunately, with a few airlines with the oncoming of the pandemic, they have delayed bringing on new pilots,” he said.

McNelis now finds himself in a situation like many recent college grads across the country -- struggling to find a job in the industry they studied.

“It literally is like flat in terms of not hiring,” said Shawn Vanderziel, executive director with the National Association of Colleges and Employers.

New research from his team’s Job Outlook for 2021 shows recent college grads are being hit hard be the COVID-19 crisis.

“A year ago, the unemployment for recent college grads was lower than it is currently,” Vanderziel said.

The study shows a third of employers are predicting lower recruitment for the class of 2021 compared to last year.

Despite the struggles, Vanderziel says there are jobs available but that they just might not be in the industries these graduates prepared for years to enter.

“Some examples would be health care, certain segments of technology, certain segments of logistics, pharmaceuticals, and as well as food manufacturing,” he said.

Vanderziel says industries suffering the most are retail, hospitality, tourism and travel, an area which McNelis hopes to make a career in.

“It’s been tough just feeling that sensation is stagnating a little bit,” he said.

While job searching, McNelis plans on continuing building his qualifications and increasing his education

“I’m moving forward as best as I can under the circumstances, trying to leave as many doors as possible open,” he said.

For now, this future pilot is practicing patience, just like many other recent college graduates.

PARIS (AP) — Global energy-related carbon dioxide emissions rose slightly in December compared with the same month of 2019, indicating the sharp drop seen due to the pandemic was short-lived.

Figures released Tuesday by the International Energy Agency show emissions from the production and use of oil, gas and coal were 2% higher in December 2020 than a year earlier.

The Paris-based agency said a resurgence in economic activity coupled with a lack of clean energy policies mean many countries are now seeing higher emissions than before the coronavirus outbreak.

Scientists have previously calculated that CO2 emissions fell by 7% during 2020 as people stayed home because of the pandemic. Carbon dioxide is the main greenhouse gas responsible for global warming.

The agency says the rebound in emissions is a stark warning that not enough is being done to accelerate clean energy transitions worldwide.

“If governments don’t move quickly with the right energy policies, this could put at risk the world’s historic opportunity to make 2019 the definitive peak in global emissions,” said Dr Fatih Birol, the IEA Executive Director. “In March 2020, the IEA urged governments to put clean energy at the heart of their economic stimulus plans to ensure a sustainable recovery. But our numbers show we are returning to carbon-intensive business-as-usual.”

Birol says this year is pivotal for international climate action, but the latest numbers are a sharp reminder of the immense challenge we face in rapidly transforming the global energy system.

The pandemic year that will go down in history set records for stress, worry, anger and sadness among both men and women worldwide, according to a new planetary survey of emotions in 2020.

Stress levels rose the most, with a "record-high 40% of adults worldwide" saying they experienced stress "a lot of the previous day," according to Gallup's 2021 Global Emotions Index. That was the highest level in the 15 years, the report said.

Globally, women with young children at home bore the brunt of the stress, worry, anger and sadness that people experienced during the pandemic of 2020.

Stress increased in half of the 116 countries surveyed, with "double-digit increases in stress in 21 countries," the report said. That means almost 190 million more people worldwide experienced significant stress last year than in years past.

Sickness and death from COVID-19 was obviously a huge part of the stress and negative emotions, as was the economic impact of the pandemic, the survey found.

"Half of those working at the time of the pandemic said they earned less money because of COVID-19, and 32% of people said they lost their job," Jon Clifton, Gallup's global managing partner, wrote in his opening statement on the survey.

"In all, 80% of people said COVID-19 affected them in some way."

Not every country experienced stress during 2020, the report noted. It ranged from a high of 66% in Peru, "which represents a new high for the country," to a "low of 13% in Kyrgyzstan, where stress levels have historically been low and stayed low in 2020," the report said.

A negative trend continues

For 15 consecutive years, polling giant Gallup has asked people around the world about their positive and negative emotions. For this report, Gallup surveyed nationally representative samples of 160,000 people from 116 countries during 2020 and early 2021.

Just as it did in 2019, Iraq led the world on the negative experience index in 2020. Gallup found 56% of Iraqis said they experienced pain, 51% reported anger and 50% reported sadness.

Taiwan scored lowest on the negative emotion index, the same ranking it attained in 2019.

Globally, the increase in negative emotions actually began 10 years ago, the report said. One key reason is political and economic upheaval. Partly for those reasons, people in Lebanon and Turkey reported few positive experiences in the survey.

"The majority of Lebanese people have not experienced enjoyment in their daily lives since 2018, and for Turks, this has been true since 2017," the report said.

Besides political and economic turmoil, another reason for negativity in many nations was a growing belief that both governments and businesses are corrupt.

"Majorities of people believe corruption is widespread in the governments of 79 out of 101 countries and areas in the world, and a majority in 85 out of 110 countries think this is true of businesses," Clifton wrote in his introductory remarks.

Income inequality is another factor in how people view their lives, Clifton continued: "Many countries that report high income inequality also happen to be the countries that report a lot of negative emotions, such as anger."

Resilience still prevailed

While negative emotions rose, many people in the world showed surprising resilience, the survey found. For their positive emotion index, the polling group asked questions about feeling respected and well-rested, doing interesting or enjoyable activities, and smiling and laughing.

Results showed that globally, humankind managed to remain stable in positive emotions despite the negative impact of the pandemic — with the exception of laughing and smiling.

"In the span of a year, the percentage of people who said they smiled or laughed a lot the previous day dropped from 75% to 70%, which is also the lowest measure Gallup has ever recorded for this question," the report said.

El Salvador led the world in positivity, with an index score of 82. Latin American countries have traditionally dominated the positive index, and Nicaragua, Paraguay and Colombia also had high scores. Three Nordic countries, Iceland, Norway and Finland — who are traditionally in the top 10 on rankings of national happiness — also had high scores.

The United States did not rank in the top 10 in positivity. But Gallup interviews done for the survey in early 2021, around the time vaccines were being approved, found people's ratings of their lives rebounded and hit "new all-time highs," the report said.

As Louisville, and the country, mark one year since officers came inside Breonna Taylor’s home and fatally shot her, a federal investigation of the shooting is casting a wider net than previous investigations and looking into the warrant that allowed officers entrance.

In the early morning hours of March 13, 2020, officers serving a search warrant went inside Taylor’s home. Taylor’s boyfriend, believing the home was being invaded by criminals, opened fire, hitting an officer in the leg. Three police officers fired their weapons. Taylor was hit five times, and died.

Taylor was 26 years old and worked as an emergency room technician.

It was ruled that two officers fired shots that hit Taylor, Myles Cosgrove and Jonathan Mattingly, and a third officer, Brett Hankison, fired shots from outside through the windows. Mattingly was hit by Taylor's boyfriend's shot.

A grand jury formed last year by state Attorney General Daniel Cameron recommended only one officer, Hankison, be charged in connection with the shooting, the charge is for endangering Taylor’s neighbors not for her death.

The warrant that allowed officers to enter was not part of Cameron’s criminal investigation. The warrant was part of a drug investigation into Taylor’s ex-boyfriend, and there is discrepancy in whether it was a so-called “no-knock” warrant, which allows officers to enter without knocking or identifying themselves.

That warrant, and how it was obtained, are under review by federal investigators who are conducting their own investigation into what happened.

There are signs the federal investigation could look into the Louisville police response to demonstrations after Taylor’s shooting, according to the Associated Press. They could also examine police training and question officers about their mindset and thought process the night of the shooting.

In addition to the grand jury investigation, in the last year since the shooting, Louisville, and many other cities around the country, have banned “no-knock” warrants, Louisville’s Police Department has a new chief, and the city has paid a $12 million settlement to Taylor’s mother.

Two of the officers who fired shots in Taylor’s home have been dismissed by the department, Cosgrove and Hankison, along with a detective who had sought the warrant. Mattingly is still with the department.

Taylor’s boyfriend who fired at officers was originally facing charges for that shooting, but they were all dropped just this month.

It's been a year since the World Health Organization officially declared the COVID-19 outbreak a pandemic and then-President Donald Trump declared a national emergency, effectively shutting down the entire country.

Since, hundreds of thousands of Americans have lost loved ones, been separated from their families, and so many have lost their jobs.

In the special, hour-long program, "Hindsight: 2020 | The Year that Changed Our Lives," WCPO 9 took a look back at the year so much changed and where we go from here.

Among the stories included in the special are:

Watch the entire, hour-long special in the viewer above.

Ten officials have been indicted in Iran over the 2020 military shootdown of a Ukrainian passenger plane that killed 176 people, Iranian media reported Tuesday, an announcement coming just as Tehran begins indirect negotiations with the West over its collapsed nuclear deal with world powers.

The timing of the announcement comes after Iran faced withering international criticism last month for releasing a final report into the shootdown of Ukraine International Airlines flight No. PS752 that blamed human error but named no one responsible for the incident.

Tehran military prosecutor Gholamabbas Torki made the comment Tuesday while handing over his office to Nasser Seraj. The semiofficial ISNA news agency and the Iranian judiciary's Mizan news agency both reported the remarks, without elaborating.

Video — Bodies recovered at site of Iran plane crash

Following three days of denial in January 2020 in the face of mounting evidence, Iran finally acknowledged that its forces mistakenly downed the Ukrainian jetliner with two surface-to-air missiles. In preliminary reports on the disaster last year, Iranian authorities blamed an air defense operator who they said mistook the Boeing 737-800 for an American cruise missile.

The shootdown happened the same day Iran launched a ballistic missile attack on U.S. troops in Iraq in retaliation for an American drone strike that killed a top Iranian general.

CNN —

Related video above: Woman whose daughter was killed by drunk driver shares safety message

When the coronavirus pandemic shut down the country last year, highways emptied out as many people holed up at home. But those who got behind the wheel engaged in riskier behavior, leading to the deadliest year for U.S. traffic crashes in over a decade.

More motorists went too fast, failed to buckle up and drove under the influence of drugs and alcohol, according to law enforcement and traffic safety experts.

The outcome was grim. About 38,680 people died in vehicle crashes in the U.S. last year -- the highest number since 2007, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Fatalities also increased among motorcyclists, bicyclists and pedestrians, even as the number of miles driven nationwide dropped by 13.2% compared to 2019.

"It's mind-boggling and extremely frustrating to see the tremendous loss of life from COVID compounded by preventable traffic crashes," says Pam Shadel Fischer, a senior director for the Governors Highway Safety Association.

Experts have several theories for the rise in deadly crashes.

And based on preliminary data from the first three months of this year, 2021 has the potential to be even worse.

Motorists have been emboldened by emptier roads

The recent rise in deadly crashes has been seen in all regions of the country.

In New York state, more than 1,000 people died in motor vehicle crashes last year compared to 938 the year before, said Beau Duffy, a spokesperson for the state police. The percentage of crashes involving unsafe speed, alcohol or illegal drugs all rose in 2020 over 2019 levels, Duffy said.

Crashes in Colorado mirrored similar trends. Incidents of excessive speeding -- going 40 mph or more over the limit -- shot up by 48% last year over 2019, said Sgt. Blake White, a spokesperson for the Colorado State Patrol. The state also saw an increase in road rage, street racing incidents and other aggressive behaviors.

"During the height of the pandemic, many drivers stayed home and were discouraged from travel unless absolutely necessary," White said. "Some of the drivers on the road seemed to feel traffic laws no longer applied during the pandemic because of the decrease in commuter traffic volume."

As drivers have trickled back onto the highways, they've had to adjust to sharing space with others after a year of open roads. One result has been increased road rage, White said.

Despite fewer cars on the roads, pedestrian deaths also rose last year.

An analysis of state data projects that 6,721 pedestrians were killed on U.S. roads last year, up 4.8% from 2019, according to the Governors Highway Safety Association.

"Even though there were fewer vehicles on the road last year, more people on foot were struck and killed by drivers," said Adam Snider, the GHSA's communications director.

When factoring in the decrease in vehicle miles traveled in 2020, the pedestrian fatality rate leaped 21% from 2019 -- the largest annual increase since the NHTSA began collecting and analyzing such data in 1975.

Speeding drivers caused deadlier wrecks

During the pandemic many officers shifted their efforts to help critical industries such as grocery stores during supply shortages, Colorado's White said. That meant a dip in traffic safety enforcement, he said.

As a result, many motorists put the pedal to the metal -- which led to more deaths.

"Increased speeds lead to more fatal and injury crashes," White said. "When speed increases, the severity of the crash is exponentially worse."

Many other large states, including California and Georgia, also reported increases in fatal crashes last year. In Georgia, while there were fewer crashes statewide, the number of fatalities rose last year due to speeding, said Lt. W. Mark Riley of the Georgia State Patrol.

"With the roadways being more open and more people increasing their speeds, the wrecks were more violent," he said. "It's always more riskier when people are driving faster."

Last year, California Highway Patrol officers issued 28,000 citations for speeding over 100 mph -- a 92% increase over 2019. The state also saw an uptick in fatal crashes last year, following decreasing numbers the previous two years, said Jaime Coffee, a spokesperson for the California Highway Patrol.

Coffee said the CHP is working with other highway patrols and state police agencies on traffic safety campaigns that focus on enforcing safe speeds.

More fatal crashes have been tied to drugs and alcohol

Beyond speeding and careless driving, more people turned to alcohol to cope with the prolonged stress and uncertainty of the pandemic.

Research shows that several groups, including women and Americans over age 30, have been drinking more during the coronavirus pandemic.

Overall frequency of alcohol consumption went up by about 14% in 2020, while women increased their days of heavy drinking -- defined as four or more drinks on one occasion -- by 41% compared to the same months in 2019.

"We all had so much on our minds throughout 2020, making it even more difficult than usual for some drivers to focus on the road amid everything happening in the world around them," said Snider of the Governors Highway Safety Association.

"In addition, the pandemic likely exacerbated substance abuse issues for some individuals," he said.

Data compiled by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration showed increased prevalence of drugs and alcohol among drivers killed or seriously injured in crashes during the pandemic.

"Getting drivers to slow down and obey the speed limit, buckle up every trip and always drive sober will be key to reversing these negative trends," Snider said.

But the early signs for 2021 are not encouraging.

Preliminary data show the U.S. saw an estimated 9,420 traffic deaths during the first three months of 2021, according to the National Safety Council, a nonprofit safety advocate group. That's up 10% over the same period in 2020 and up 12% compared to 2019, the NSC says.

BUFFALO, N.Y. (WKBW) -- First-time grandmother Pat Gray will never forget meeting her granddaughter, Maeve. Maeve was born in March of 2020, as the COVID-19 pandemic closed down New York and most of the world. For safety reasons, Pat and her daughter Shelbey Timmons decided grandmother and granddaughter should meet through a glass door.

"I just - my heart just melted. I saw this little baby, and I saw my daughter, we were both in tears," Pat recalls.

Shelbey's husband captured photos of their meeting, which were shared hundreds of times last March when they were posted by 7 Eyewitness News. At a time when the community was still struggling to fully understand the COVID-19 pandemic, the photos resonated with so many.

"It was like one of the saddest, happiest days of my life," said Pat. "I was so sad I couldn't hold her and touch her, but I was just so happy that she was here. And she was healthy."

It wasn't the way the two were supposed to meet. Pat planned to be with Shelbey at the hospital, but Maeve's March 16th birthday came right at the time everything started locking down.

"It was like 24 hours - everything just flipped!" recalled Shelbey.

So the family connected virtually at first through Facetime.

"She said do you want to meet your new grandchild? And I just burst into tears, and there were people around me in the office and I was holding my phone - and everybody was like - let me see!" Pat laughed.

When it came time to meet in-person, the mother and grandmother decided it would be safest through the glass. It wasn't an easy decision for the family, but they say it was the right one.

"When you have a baby, who do you want? You want your mom. And I'm on one side of the glass and they're on the other - and it was just heartbreaking. But knowing that they were safe and healthy was all I cared about," said Pat.

About six weeks later, Pat was finally able to hold Maeve. Now, more than a year later, she's able to visit as often as she wants. She says while it's been a difficult year, her first grandchild has been the light at the end of the tunnel.

"It just - the whole pandemic - this has made it bearable. Every time I see her I fall in love all over again. It's like the first time I saw her - every time I saw her."

This story originally reported by Katie Morse on WKBW.com.

Video above: U.S. birth rate declined in 2020

Olivia and Liam were America's most popular names for baby girls and boys in 2020, according to the Social Security Administration's annual list of top baby names, released on Friday.

In 2020, the top three most popular female and male names remained the same for a second year in a row. Olivia, Emma and Ava were the top three most popular names for baby girls, and Liam, Noah and Oliver were the most popular for boys.

Henry joined the top 10 list of boy names at the No. 9 spot for the first time in over a century. According to SSA, the name has been steadily rising in popularity and last appeared on SSA's top ten list in 1910.

SSA also revealed the top five fastest rising names in 2020, a reflection of pop culture on naming trends. Zyair was the No. 1 fastest growing name for boys and Avayah for girls.

The list comes on the heels of the U.S. experiencing a dramatic decline in the national birth rate, with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's National Center for Health Statistics releasing data that revealed the country's birth rate fell more than 6% in the last quarter of 2020, a significant decrease from the same time period in 2019.

SSA has been releasing the country's most popular names since 1997, with lists that go as far back as 1880. The agency pulls from applications received for Social Security cards in order to put each year's list together.

According to SSA, over the last 100 years Michael has been the most frequently popular male baby name, earning the No. 1 spot 44 times. Over those same years, Mary has been ranked as the No. 1 most popular female name 35 times.

The top 10 most popular girl names in 2020:

1. Olivia

2. Emma

3. Ava

4. Charlotte

5. Sophia

6. Amelia

7. Isabella

8. Mia

9. Evelyn

10. Harper

The top 10 most popular boy names in 2020:

1. Liam

2. Noah

3. Oliver

4. Elijah

5. William

6. James

7. Benjamin

8. Lucas

9. Henry

10. Alexander

A census scam is taking advantage of the public’s confusion regarding the stimulus payments that were sent out by the government to aid Americans during the coronavirus crisis.

The

Better Business Bureau

says the goal of the scammers is to get their hands on your personal information, which they’ll use to steal your identity.

“The 2020 United States Census is happening at the same time as a global pandemic, shelter-in-place orders, and government stimulus payments,” wrote the BBB. “With so much going on at once, scammers are using the unique circumstances to create confusion.”

Here’s how the scam works:

The BBB says victims receive an unsolicited message via text, email or on social media that explains that in order to qualify for your stimulus payment, you need to first complete the 2020 U.S. Census. Whether or not you’ve completed the real census, don’t click. It’s a scam.

Some versions of the phony message include a link to a website “for more information,” according to the BBB. If you click the link, officials say you could unknowingly download malware onto your computer or phone that can give scammers access to your usernames, passwords, and other personal information stored on your computer.

“In other cases, the link may take you to a website that looks like it was created by the official U.S. Census Bureau,” wrote the BBB. “However, the website is a fake.”

On that website, you’ll be asked for personal information, such as your Social Security number and bank account information. Don’t fill that out. The U.S. Census Bureau does not ask for this information.

The BBB offers these tips on avoiding census scams:

· Know how the U.S. Census Bureau communicates. The U.S. Census Bureau will only send you emails if you already signed up for them, and it will never ask you to send personal information in an email. In addition, the U.S. Census Bureau will never contact you on behalf of a political party.
· Only visit official websites. Valid U.S. government websites almost always end in “.gov”. You can find key information about the 2020 census at

2020census.gov

and information about economic stimulus payments at

irs.gov/coronavirus.

· Never click on links in unsolicited messages. Phishing scams direct you to websites that look official, but these sites may be infected with malware. If you don’t know and trust the person who sent you the message, don’t click on any links.