5 things to know for Feb. 8: Supreme Court, Middle East, Missing Marines, Climate, Royal family

President Joe Biden has declined the traditional pre-Super Bowl interview for the second year in a row. Some analysts are questioning the media strategy, considering it would offer him the chance to speak directly to the country’s largest assembled live audience ahead of the 2024 election.

Here’s what else you need to know to Get Up to Speed and On with Your Day.

1. Supreme Court

The Supreme Court is set to hear a high-stakes case on former President Donald Trump’s ballot eligibility today. The nine justices will determine whether to restore Trump on the Colorado ballot after the state’s Supreme Court removed him over the 14th Amendment’s “insurrectionist” clause for his role in the Capitol riot on January 6, 2021. While Colorado is the focus, the high court’s decision could have major ramifications in other states that have pending litigation to remove Trump from their 2024 ballots as well. If the Supreme Court rules he can be kept off the ballot before Colorado’s primary on March 5, the state’s secretary of state has said that votes for him would not count.

2. Middle East

The US says it has killed the Iran-backed militia leader responsible for the attack on US troops in Jordan last month. “We will not hesitate to hold responsible all those who threaten our forces’ safety,” US Central Command said in a statement. There are no indications of collateral damage or civilian casualties, Central Command said. Also in the Middle East, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu rejected a Hamas ceasefire offer on Wednesday. The offer would have seen the gradual release of hostages held in the enclave in exchange for Palestinian prisoners in Israel and another temporary pause in fighting, among other terms. Netanyahu called the proposal “delusional,” in a setback to diplomatic efforts to end the war.

3. Missing Marines

The five Marines aboard a helicopter that went down in remote, snow-covered woods Tuesday night are dead, a US military spokesperson said this morning. The CH-53E helicopter was found near Pine Valley, California, in the Cleveland National Forest. The cause of the crash is under investigation. The Marines were on a training flight aboard a CH-53E Super Stallion on Tuesday night — flying from Creech Air Force base near Las Vegas to Marine Corps Air Station Miramar in San Diego — but they eventually were “reported overdue,” a Marine Corps unit said Wednesday. (Editor’s note: this story has been updated.)

4. Climate

Global warming surpassed 1.5 degrees Celsius over the past 12 months for the first time on record, breaching a critical threshold that, if it continues, will push the limits of life on Earth to adapt. The past year was 1.52 degrees hotter on average than temperatures before industrialization. Keeping global warming below 2 degrees, but preferably 1.5 degrees, was the centerpiece goal of the Paris Agreement, which most of the world’s nations signed onto in 2015. A supercharged El Niño, a natural climate pattern that originates in the Pacific Ocean, has also boosted temperatures in much of the world in recent months. On Wednesday, the EPA also announced new standards to improve air quality and cut down planet-warming pollution — but some experts say the rules don’t go far enough to yield substantial results.

5. Royal family

Prince William made his first public appearance Wednesday since the bombshell announcement of King Charles’ cancer diagnosis. It also marked the first time William resumed public duties since his wife, Catherine, had surgery last month. “I’d like to take this opportunity to say thank you, also, for the kind messages of support for Catherine and for my father, especially in recent days,” the Prince of Wales said in a speech at a Gala dinner. Additionally, Prince William’s younger brother, Harry, has flown back to the United Kingdom to see his father. The brief father-son meeting has sparked speculation of a reconciliation between Harry and his family after years of estrangement. However, a royal source said there were no plans for Harry to meet his brother William while he’s in London.

HAPPENING LATER

Pakistan heads to the polls in an election mired in controversy
Millions in Pakistan are heading to the polls today for a general election in which old dynasties are vying for power while the country’s widely popular former leader languishes behind bars. Pakistani authorities have suspended mobile internet services, citing a surge in violence. Some activists, on the other hand, accused the authorities of censorship.

BREAKFAST BROWSE

This image won the top wildlife photography prize
See the “breathtaking” photo selected from over 50,000 other entries as the winner of the 2024 Wildlife Photographer of the Year People’s Choice Award.

McDonald’s customers are fed up with high prices
Three dollars for a single hash brown? The burger chain is being grilled by customers about some of its unreasonably priced items.

This country is now the top exporter of goods into the US
Hint: It’s not China.

Beyoncé announces new hair care line ‘Cécred’
The global superstar said she has “always dreamt” of carrying on her mother’s legacy in the hair and beauty industry.

Moths actually aren’t drawn to light as previously thought
A new study found that moths’ behavior around light isn’t about attraction.

TODAY’S NUMBER

5 billion gallons
That’s roughly how much stormwater was captured by water facilities in Southern California this week amid record-breaking rainfall. This comes as water managers across the West are facing the urgent need to conserve storm runoff to prepare for the next drought.

TODAY’S QUOTE

“Everyday [ransomware] attacks on hospitals, small businesses, and government agencies are debilitating.”

— Jackie Burns Koven, the head of cyber threat intelligence at the crypto-tracking firm Chainalysis. According to a new report released by the firm on Wednesday, cybercriminals raked in a record $1.1 billion in ransom payments around the world last year despite US government efforts to cut off their money flows.

TODAY’S WEATHER

Check your local forecast here>>>

AND FINALLY …

Researchers reveal the first full passages decoded from an ancient scroll
With the help of artificial intelligence, 15 passages have been deciphered from this 2,000-year-old unrolled Herculaneum scroll, providing a glimpse into the thoughts of an ancient philosopher. See what researchers learned.

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