5 things to know for Feb. 13: Gun violence, Nor’easter, Trump, TikTok, Moon mission

By CNN Newsource

Published February 13, 2024 4:48 AM

By Alexandra Banner, CNN

(CNN) — Multiple large retailers, including Costco and Trader Joe’s, have recalled items containing dairy products linked to a Listeria outbreak. The list of contaminated foods was recently expanded to include particular yogurts, cheese and salad dressings.

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

1. Gun violence

Investigators are trying to determine what motivated a 36-year-old mother to unleash a barrage of gunfire inside a popular Houston megachurch on Sunday in an incident that left two people injured, including her 7-year-old son, before she was killed by law enforcement. The shooter had a history of criminal charges and mental health problems, federal law enforcement sources said Monday. Analysts say the shooter’s complicated history adds to the uncertainty around establishing a motive and has created a “conundrum” for authorities determining whether the shooting was done out of hate or a mental-health crisis. So far this year, there have been at least 44 mass shootings in the US, according to data from the Gun Violence Archive.

2. Nor’easter

Millions of people are bracing for a fierce Nor’easter — a storm that travels along the US East Coast and typically has coastal winds out of the northeast. The storm is set to knock out power and significantly disrupt travel, work and school. Some parts of the region, including New York City, could see the biggest snowfall in more than two years, with up to 2 inches of snowfall per hour in the hardest-hit areas. Governors in several states, including New Jersey, New York and Massachusetts, are urging people to work from home and avoid non-essential travel amid concerns that blowing snow and heavy winds will create treacherous road conditions. Hundreds of flights have also been impacted, with the majority in or out of major airports throughout New York, Boston and New Jersey.

3. Trump

Former President Donald Trump on Monday asked the Supreme Court to step into the dispute over whether he may claim immunity from prosecution for alleged crimes he committed during his presidency. Trump has specifically asked the high court to temporarily block a scathing and unanimous decision from the DC Circuit handed down last week that flatly rejected his claims of immunity from election subversion charges brought by special counsel Jack Smith. How the Supreme Court responds to Trump’s request will have a huge influence on whether — and how quickly — the former president will be put on trial for criminal allegations as he seeks the Republican nomination. Analysts say a key part of Trump’s legal strategy is to delay his criminal cases until after the 2024 election to avoid alienating potential voters.

4. TikTok

President Joe Biden’s campaign joined TikTok this week amid security concerns about the social media platform. On Monday, however, the White House reaffirmed a ban on using TikTok on government devices despite Biden’s appearance. The US government has previously said it is worried China could use its national security laws to access the personal information that TikTok, like most social media applications, collects from its US users. The Biden campaign said it will take “advanced safety precautions” with its devices and will incorporate a “sophisticated security protocol to ensure security,” a campaign adviser said while noting the “campaign’s presence is independent” from the government’s multiagency review into TikTok.

5. Moon mission

After a failed lunar landing mission last month, NASA is preparing to make a second attempt to make the first touchdown on the moon for the US in more than five decades. The lunar lander, nicknamed Odysseus, or Odie for short, is set to take flight atop a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Cape Canaveral, Florida, at 12:57 a.m. ET on Wednesday. Once in Earth’s orbit, the lunar lander will separate from the rocket and begin flying through space for just over a week. If successful, Odysseus would become the first US spacecraft to make a soft landing on the moon since the Apollo 17 mission in 1972.

THIS JUST IN

Senate passes $95 billion foreign aid bill
The Senate passed a $95.3 billion foreign aid bill with assistance for Ukraine and Israel in a vote early today, setting up a showdown with the House as Speaker Mike Johnson has criticized the legislation. It’s unclear whether Johnson would hold a vote on it and many House Republicans are opposed to further aid to Ukraine.

HAPPENING LATER

Special election to replace George Santos in Congress
A high-stakes election in New York today will decide who will replace former Rep. George Santos in the state’s 3rd Congressional District. Santos was expelled from the House in December following a disastrous tenure mired in political controversy. His expulsion over ethics violations made him only the sixth lawmaker ever to be ousted from the chamber.

BREAKFAST BROWSE

Jon Stewart is back on ‘The Daily Show’
Monday marked the first night that Jon Stewart returned to hosting “The Daily Show” after more than eight years away. Here’s how the show went.

Retailers are working to meet Valentine’s Day demand
Cocoa prices are soaring. Will it affect your Valentine’s Day chocolate?

Tiger Woods launches new apparel partnership
The golf star is aligning with a new clothing company after ending a 27-year Nike partnership.

This underwater wall was built more than 11,000 years ago
Scientists say this Stone Age megastructure wasn’t formed by nature, but rather by hunter-gatherers who lived thousands of years ago.

Greenland has lost ice 36 times the size of New York
Swaths of the country that were once covered in ice and snow have been transformed into wetlands or shrub areas. View photos here.

TODAY’S NUMBER

123.4 million
That’s how many people watched Super Bowl LVIII, setting a new viewership record as the most-watched TV broadcast in a generation. It was the biggest audience since the Apollo 11 moon landing in 1969.

TODAY’S QUOTE

“To the best of our knowledge, no Starlinks have been sold directly or indirectly to Russia.”

— Elon Musk, denying Russian forces are using his company’s Starlink satellite communications network in its war against Ukraine. However, Ukrainian forces claim they have repeatedly confirmed Russia’s use of the internet service by troops on the frontline.

TODAY’S WEATHER

Check your local forecast here>>>

AND FINALLY …

Crossword puzzles won’t make your brain sharper, but here’s what will
Watch this video to learn which daily activities can help improve your brain health and fight dementia at any age.

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