5 things to know for Feb. 6: Earthquake, Spy balloon, Grammys, Debt limit, Recycling

By Alexandra Meeks, CNN

If you find yourself gazing at the sky tonight, you may notice the moon appears slightly smaller than normal. That’s because you’re looking at a micromoon, a term used to designate when the moon is at a quite distant location in orbit around Earth.

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

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1. Earthquake

More than 1,500 people were killed in Turkey and Syria today after a powerful 7.8 magnitude earthquake struck the region. It’s the strongest earthquake the country has experienced in more than 100 years, according to the United States Geological Survey. Thousands of others were injured as buildings collapsed, sending residents running into the streets. The quake sent tremors across the two countries while residents were likely asleep and unprepared for the impact. More than a dozen aftershocks have been recorded, including at least seven with a magnitude above 5, the USGS said. Search and rescue operations are underway as Turkey’s disaster agency calls for assistance from the international community.

2. Spy balloon

The US military shot down a suspected Chinese spy balloon on Saturday after it drifted off the East Coast near the Carolinas, according to the Pentagon. New video shows the moment a missile fired by a US fighter jet hits the balloon and what appears to be surveillance equipment dropping into the Atlantic Ocean. President Joe Biden touted the mission as a success. China, on the other hand, expressed its “strong dissatisfaction and protest” against the decision, accusing the US of “overreacting” and “seriously violating international practice.” Meanwhile, another balloon spotted over Latin America belongs to China and was used for flight tests, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said during a press briefing today.

3. Grammy Awards

The 2023 Grammy Awards were presented Sunday in Los Angeles to honor and celebrate some of the world’s most talented musicians. The night was marked with historic milestones, vibrant performances and eye-catching red carpet looks. Among the highlights, Beyoncé became the artist with the most awards in the history of the Grammys with a record 32 wins. Harry Styles took home the show’s biggest prize, Album of the Year, for “Harry’s House.” Bad Bunny earned the Grammy’s first album of the year nomination for a project completely in Spanish. Viola Davis also achieved EGOT status — a coveted title for an artist who has won an Emmy, Grammy, Oscar and a Tony Award. The show also celebrated 50 years of hip-hop music with an epic tribute featuring performers that spanned decades.

4. Debt limit

A Republican co-chair of the bipartisan House Problem Solvers Caucus said Sunday that GOP members are ready to break with their party leadership on some aspects of the debt ceiling negotiations, but they remain committed to attaching some spending cuts. “We can’t have a clean debt ceiling increase,” Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick told CNN, indicating that it is still a red line for moderate and swing-district Republicans. He would not specify what cuts he believes are necessary, instead arguing that the entire structure of the debt ceiling should be changed. Fitzpatrick’s comments come after Biden and House Speaker Kevin McCarthy held talks at the White House last week to address the debt limit. McCarthy signaled optimism following the meeting that both he and Biden can reach consensus “long before” the US defaults.

5. Recycling

A new report shows recycling around the world isn’t scaling up fast enough to deal with the amount of plastic items being produced, meaning that they are far more likely to be dumped in landfills, on beaches and in rivers and oceans than they are to make it to recycling plants. The world is also creating more single-use plastic waste than ever, data from the report shows, with more than 139 million metric tons of single-use plastic waste generated in 2021. That is 6 million metric tons more than in 2019, when the first index was released. Many climate activists and officials were hoping for that figure to be lower considering governments around the world have been issuing policies to reduce the volume of single-use plastic, banning products like single-use straws, disposable cutlery, food containers, cotton swabs, bags and balloons.

HAPPENING LATER

Ukrainian military to start training on Leopard tanks today

Amid aggressive efforts to reclaim occupied territory from Russia, Ukrainian troops will begin training today with Germany’s Leopard 2 tanks, the country’s defense minister Oleksiy Reznikov said. Germany agreed to provide the tanks last month following international pressure to step up its military support and commit to sending its sought-after vehicles. The influx of tanks from Germany and other Western allies into the conflict has the potential to change the shape of the war, analysts say.

BREAKFAST BROWSE

Watch this dramatic ocean rescue

See the moment a huge wave pummels a boat during a Coast Guard rescue attempt in the Pacific Northwest.

Cracker Barrel offers couples a chance to win free food for a year

But there’s a big commitment involved: couples must get engaged at one of the chain’s restaurants. As the saying goes … no risk it, no biscuit.

How Dolly Parton, Oprah and Tom Hanks became American sweethearts

In an increasingly divided world, there are some special stars that most Americans agree on — regardless of political and social differences. Learn how they endeared themselves to the nation.

Kyrie Irving traded from Brooklyn Nets to Dallas Mavericks, per reports

The move comes after the eight-time NBA All-Star requested a trade from the Nets last week, according to multiple reports.

A TikToker shared her cancer journey and raised thousands on GoFundMe. It was all a scam

Police are investigating this 19-year-old content creator after she scammed nearly $40,000 from online donors.

TODAY’S NUMBER

400

That’s about how many food products, including sandwiches and fruit cups, have been recalled due to a possible Listeria contamination, the FDA announced Friday. All of the recalled items have a Fresh Creative Cuisine label and were sold last month in Connecticut, the District of Columbia, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, South Carolina and Virginia.

TODAY’S QUOTE

“To write a new chapter for our county, we need to turn the page on the past.”

— Emily Seidel, CEO of Americans for Prosperity Action, writing in a memo released Sunday that billionaire Charles Koch and his deep-pocketed network plan to back a single Republican candidate — other than Donald Trump — in the next presidential primary. Koch previously sat on the sidelines for the two most recent White House nomination fights but is now likely getting involved, setting off a scramble among GOP presidential contenders to win over Koch and his network of wealthy donors. Meanwhile, a former Manhattan special assistant district attorney who investigated Trump said during a “60 Minutes” interview that there are “many bits and pieces of evidence” the district attorney could use to charge the former president.

TODAY’S WEATHER

Check your local forecast here>>>

AND FINALLY

Mesmerizing marble machine

More than 2,000 marbles are used in this impressive instrument built by Martin Molin of the Swedish band Wintergatan. (Click here to view)

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