February 6, 2023

UKRAINE | Today is day 347 of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Here are your updates:

• In the latest strengthening of sanctions on Russia over the invasion of Ukraine, the European Union imposed a ban on Russian diesel fuel and other refined oil products yesterday and the Group of Seven nations implemented a $100 per barrel price cap on Russian diesel, jet fuel and gasoline. [more]
• Conflicting reports have come out of Ukraine in recent days concerning the possible replacement of Defense Minister Oleksii Reznikov with the country’s military intelligence chief Kyrylo Budanov. Reznikov’s department has seen several resignations and firings in the past few weeks amidst ongoing corruption investigations. [more]

TURKEY AND SYRIA | More than 1,300 people were killed and thousands of others injured early this morning when a 7.8-magnitude earthquake struck southeastern Turkey and northern Syria. Reports say the death toll is expected to rise. [more]

TRAIN DERAILMENT | Officials have urged residents up to one mile away from a 50-car train derailment in East Palestine, Ohio, to evacuate due to the possibility of explosions and hazardous chemical release. The train derailed Friday night and investigators said yesterday that the accident was caused by a mechanical issue with a rail car axle. [more]

SURVEILLANCE BALLOON | U.S. President Joe Biden is expected to brief Congressional leaders later this week on the suspected Chinese surveillance balloon that flew over the United States in recent days and which was shot down off the South Carolina coast on Saturday. China had claimed the balloon was an errant weather research craft and accused the U.S. of overreaction and violations of international law for downing the balloon. [more]

U.S. ECONOMY | Employers in the United States added a higher-than-expected 517,000 jobs in January — up from 260,000 in December -- and the January unemployment rate fell to a 54-year low of 3.4%, according to Department of Labor data released Friday. Following the strong jobs report, U.S. and global stock market futures are down on fears of continued interest rate increases amidst ongoing high inflation. [more]

WINTER WEATHER | Frigid weekend weather in the northeastern U.S. saw a record-setting wind chill of minus 108 degrees Fahrenheit (minus 78 Celsius) on the summit of New Hampshire’s Mount Washington, with an air temperature of minus 47 Fahrenheit and wind gusts as strong as 127 mph. Several northeastern cities, including Boston, Massachusetts, and Albany, New York, set or matched record low temperatures for February 4, according to the National Weather Service. [more]

2ND AMENDMENT | In the latest ruling based on the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision in the 2022 New York State Rifle & Pistol Association v. Bruen case, which set a standard of consistency with the nation’s historical tradition of firearm regulation in considering 2nd Amendment issues, an Oklahoma-based federal judge ruled Friday that a federal law banning marijuana users from owning firearms is unconstitutional. [more]

ISRAEL AND WEST BANK | Israeli security officials say five Palestinian gunmen were killed early today during an arrest raid by Israeli forces in the West Bank’s Aqabat Jabr refugee camp. [more]

U.K. | In what reports have called the largest public health system walkout in the U.K.’s history, tens of thousands of nurses and ambulance workers across the U.K. are taking part in a strike today over pay and working condition issues. [more]

GREECE | Greek Coast Guard officials say five migrants, including four children, died yesterday when a boat traveling from Turkey to Greece struck rocks off the coast of the Greek island of Leros. [more]

IRAN | Iranian leader Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei has announced plans to pardon “tens of thousands” of protesters arrested during months of unrest that have followed the September 2022 death of Mahsa Amini while in police custody, according to the state-run Islamic Republic News Agency. [more]

PAKISTAN | Media regulators in Pakistan announced today that they have blocked access to Wikipedia in the South Asian nation due to the online encyclopedia not removing content deemed to be anti-Islamic or harmful to Muslim sentiment by Pakistani authorities. [more]

TECH LAYOFFS | Reports say Dell Technologies plans to cut about 6,650 jobs, or 5% of its global workforce, amidst lower sales and concerns over a possible recession. [more]

NFL | The AFC beat the NFC, 35-33, yesterday to win the reimagined National Football League Pro Bowl Games, which included skills competitions and three flag football games. [more]

NBA | Reports say the Dallas Mavericks and Brooklyn Nets have agreed to a trade deal under which eight-time All-Star point guard Kyrie Irving and Markieff Morris will head from Brooklyn to Dallas in exchange for Spencer Dinwiddie and Dorian Finney-Smith and several draft picks. [more]

GRAMMYS | Beyoncé won four awards, including best R&B song for “Cuff It,” dance-electric music recording for “Break My Soul,” traditional R&B performance for “Plastic Off the Sofa” and dance-electric album for “Renaissance” at last night’s 65th Annual Grammy Awards, becoming the ceremony’s most decorated artist in history. Other leading awardees included Record of the Year winner Lizzo for “About Damn Time,” and Album of the Year winner Harry Styles for “Harry’s House.” The Song of the Year award went to Bonnie Raitt for “Just Like That.” [full list of awardees] [more]

WEEKEND BOX OFFICE | "Knock at the Cabin" topped the North American box office over the weekend with an estimated $14.2 million in receipts, followed by "80 for Brady," and "Avatar: The Way of Water." [more]

TODAY IN HISTORY | Elizabeth II, who celebrated her Golden Jubilee in 2002 and who died last year, ascended the throne of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland on this date in 1952, following the death of her father, King George VI. [more history]