President Biden vows to retaliate after U.S. soliders are killed in a drone strike. The House could vote on a child tax credit as soon as this week. And the San Francisco 49ers will face the Kansas City Chiefs in the Super Bowl.
Here’s what to know today.
3 U.S. troops killed and dozens injured in drone attack on a Jordan base
President Joe Biden has vowed to retaliate after 3 U.S. servicemembers were killed and dozens more injured in a drone attack on a base in Jordan, near the Syrian border. In a statement after the attack, Biden said the troops were killed by “radical Iran-backed militant groups operating in Syria and Iraq.’’ They are the first U.S. deaths in months of attacks by Iran-backed militant groups since the Israel-Hamas war began, though Iran has insisted it did not order the strike.
This is Morning Rundown, a weekday newsletter to start your morning. Sign up here to get it in your inbox.
The United Nations has appealed to countries to continue supporting Gaza’s main aid provider, the UNRWA, after Israeli accusations that 12 of its workers participated in the Oct. 7 Hamas attacks. A growing number of states have followed the U.S. in suspending funding to the U.N. agency, which is responsible for providing aid to civilians in the Palestinian enclave.
There has been tentative progress on a new hostage deal, with Israel saying yesterday that despite “significant gaps’’ meetings in Paris with the CIA director and Egyptian and Qatari officials to discuss a new agreement were constructive and will continue. Follow live updates here.
Read more on the Israel-Hamas war:
- The Biden administration is discussing slowing some weaponry deliveries to Israel to pressure Israel’s Prime Minisiter, Benjamin Netanyahu.
- Several ministers from Netanyahu’s right-wing government were among thousands of people who attended a conference in Jerusalem calling for Israelis’ “resettlement” of Gaza.
- Rep. Nancy Pelosi said she hopes to ask the FBI to investigate protesters calling for a cease-fire in the Israel-Hamas war and speculated that some of the demonstrators are “connected to Russia.”
San Francisco 49ers will face Kansas City Chiefs for Super Bowl LVIII
Christian McCaffrey scored two touchdowns and Brock Purdy threw for another score as the San Francisco 49ers rallied to a 34-31 victory over the Detroit Lions in the NFC title game last night, earning a Super Bowl date with the Kansas City Chiefs.
Earlier in the day, defending Super Bowl champion Kansas City went to Baltimore and came away with a 17-10 victory over the top-seeded Ravens.
The Niners and the Chiefs last met in the 2020 title game, with Kansas City coming away with a come-from-behind 31-20 victory.
Read last night’s coverage of the game here.
A child tax credit bill could get a House vote this week
The House is targeting a vote as early as this week on a bipartisan bill to expand the child tax credit and provide a series of tax breaks for businesses, said three sources. The package, which cleared the Ways and Means committee on a 40-3 vote, could come up on Wednesday.
Some liberals have objected to the tax cuts for businesses, though many others Democrats are supporting the package due to the provisions for families with children, which are projected to cut child poverty. There has also been some unhappiness from members of the GOP that the bill doesn’t raise the cap on federal deductions for state and local taxes — commonly known as SALT — a priority for some Republicans from New York and California.
The bill presents a rare change for a historically unproductive Congress to deliver a win for constituents. But it faces some obstacles in the House, where it will likely be fast-tracked and require a two-thirds vote to pass, and uncertainty in the Senate.
Today’s Talker: Taylor Swift performs in Japan the night before the Super Bowl…
…but some speculate it will give her plenty of time to hop on her plane and make it in time to Las Vegas for kickoff. At the AFC Championship game Sunday night, Taylor Swift cheered on Travis Kelce, tight end for the Kansas City Chiefs, who won the game against the Baltimore Ravens. Swift celebrated the win on the field with the team, publically embracing Kelce. She is set to resume her “Eras Tour” in Japan on Feb. 7 and will perform in Tokyo on Feb. 10, the day before the big game.
Politics in Brief
First on NBC News: House Democrats are issuing their first endorsements of candidates to take on the Republicans in competitive districts as part of a quest to regain control of the chamber this fall.
Campaign fundraising: President Joe Biden’s campaign is planning a spring fundraiser where the president will appear with Barack Obama and Bill Clinton.
Election 2024: Sen. Kyrsten Sinema hasn’t yet said whether she will run for re-election in 2024. But potential opponents, including Republican Kari Lake, are chiming in with thought s on her proposed border bill.
Meet the Press: Nikki Haley said the Republican National Committee is “clearly not” an honest broker in the party’s 2024 primary race.
Staff Pick: Charging third graders for rent?
When I came across Shelby Lattimore on social media, I went down a rabbit hole of her hilarious and heartwarming classroom interactions. As crazy as the concept of collecting rent from third graders sounds, Lattimore’s financial lessons for her students have gone viral and are paying off in more ways than one. - Maya Eaglin, reporter
In Case You Missed It
- Shares of China Evergrande were halted after plunging over 20% in trading after a Hong Kong court ruled to liquidate the embattled property developer.
- Research and rankings have consistently found the Mediterranean diet to bring a host of health benefits, including a reduced risk of heart disease and diabetes.
- A Philadelphia teen murder suspect who escaped en route to a hospital in the city last weekis back in custody.
- Jay Leno filed for a conservatorship of his wife’s estate in Los Angeles. According to court documents, Mavis Leno suffers from dementia and is unable to execute an estate plan.
- A father in Maine died after saving his 4-year-old son after they both fell through a frozen pond while out on a walk.
- A woman says she screamed until she lost her voice while she was trapped for 15 hours in a California snow resort gondola.
Select: Online Shopping, Simplified
Dark circles or puffiness under your eyes may not only be a result of a lack of rest. Eating salty foods, smoking or drinking wine can also contribute. These under-eye masks can help moisturize the skin under your eyes and target signs of aging.
Sign up to The Selection newsletter for exclusive reviews and shopping content from NBC Select.
Thanks for reading today’s Morning Rundown. Today’s newsletter was curated for you by Elizabeth Both. If you’re a fan, please send a link to your family and friends. They can sign-up here.
