Mask, test costs deepen divide, end of Djokovic saga and how MLK’s granddaughter thinks you should spend the day

To ensure delivery to your inbox add email@mail.nbcnews.com to your contacts Today's Top Stories from NBC News MONDAY, JANUARY 17, 2022 Good morning, NBC News readers. It's Martin Luther King Jr. Day, a federal holiday in the United States.    Today we're taking a closer look at another new pandemic challenge: Americans bearing the brunt of the rising costs of protection and detection. We have the latest on the Texas synagogue hostage-taker. Plus, how MLK's granddaughter thinks you should spend the day.    Here's what we're watching this Monday morning.     Cost of masks and tests deepens a pandemic wedge between the haves and the have-nots In recent weeks, as the omicron variant spread rapidly across the U.S., Americans have found that the financial costs of the pandemic are increasingly falling on their shoulders.   As Covid-19 cases have climbed, public health experts have urged people to dump their cloth masks in favor of higher-quality options and to test more frequently to curb the virus.   For some, the added financial burden is an irritation — but still affordable. To others, the prospect of paying $1 for a single disposable mask or $24 for a test kit is an economic impossibility, raising the specter that the pandemic will continue to exacerbate inequalities.   Read the full story here.   Monday's Top Stories Hostage-taker at Texas synagogue identified as British citizen Malik Faisal Akram, 44, a British citizen, held four people hostage at a synagogue in Texas on Saturday, leading to an hours-long standoff. Authorities said Akram died during the standoff, but all the hostages were released safely.  READ MORE Novak Djokovic returns home to Serbia after Australia visa cancellation A hero's welcome awaited Novak Djokovic as he returned to home soil in Serbia on Monday after he was deported from Australia. The tennis star's visa saga overshadowed the start of the Australian Open and drew attention to the debate over vaccine mandates. READ MORE In battle against far-right extremists, an old strategy re-emerges: Bankrupt them A federal lawsuit filed last month seeking monetary damages from two far-right groups, the Proud Boys and the Oath Keepers, follows a legal strategy that has successfully been used against other extremists. READ MORE OPINION MLK's 'Letter from Birmingham Jail' tells us what he would want us to do in the U.S. now While many like to speak of Martin Luther King Jr.'s "dream" and his commitment to peace, part of remembering him means understanding his belief that society has a responsibility to disobey unjust laws,  David A. Love writes in an opinion piece.  READ MORE Also in the News Powerful winter storm slams East Coast, leaving nearly 200,000 without power as thousands of flights canceled Tonga assesses damage after tsunami, with drinking water and ash among concerns University of Michigan fires president, citing inappropriate relationship Prince Harry in legal fight to pay for U.K. police protection 'I fell in love with flying': One of the last Tuskegee Airmen dies China's birth rate falls again in 2021, threatening 'demographic time bomb'  Editor's Pick Muslim women in India horrified to find themselves up for 'auction' on racist app  The intent "was to sexually harass, disgrace, humiliate and hate on women for speaking out against the government," said one of the women who was featured. READ MORE Select Experts share how to make the best coffee at home and explain how to shop for the best coffee maker. One Fun Thing  How MLK's 13-year-old granddaughter thinks you should spend the holiday Yolanda Renee King, granddaughter of the late civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr., may only be 13 years old, but she is already a seasoned speaker and activist.   And she is using her voice this MLK Day to call attention to the importance of voting rights, and why younger generations should be involved with the fight.    "MLK Day is not a day off," says Yolanda, but instead, "it should be treated as a day on. It's a day of service."   Read more about her call to action here.  Thanks for reading the Morning Rundown.    If you have any comments — likes, dislikes — send me an email at: petra@nbcuni.com   If you're a fan, please forward it to your family and friends. They can sign-up here.    Thanks, Petra Cahill     FOLLOW US     Want to receive NBC Breaking News and Special Alerts in your inbox? SIGN UP HERE Check out all of NBC Newsletters here.     Get the NBC News Mobile App   30 Rockefeller Plaza New York, NY 10112 View in browser | Unsubscribe | Manage Subscription | Contact | Privacy