Good Morning! Today’s edition is 1,084 words, a 4-minute read.

What’s on tap: 

• Pennies on the chopping block

• Elon Musk and investors make OpenAI offer

• Lyft self-driving taxis

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Big Story

Double Dose of Winter Storms

The United States is about to be hit by two winter storms this week.

• The first storm will bring snow and ice from Kentucky to Maryland, with the mid-Atlantic region getting the most snow (3-6 inches). Cities like Washington, D.C., and Baltimore could see 4-6 inches, while Philadelphia and New York might get one to three.

• The second storm will start Tuesday night and affect areas from Kansas to Michigan, potentially bringing 4-8 inches of snow to Chicago during Wednesday evening's commute.

• The southern parts of the country will deal with heavy rain. Places like Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, and other southern states could see 1-3 inches of rain through Thursday. The National Weather Service is warning about possible flooding in cities like Atlanta and Birmingham.

• Along with the snow and rain comes extremely cold weather. Areas along the northern Rockies and high plains will experience temperatures 25-40 degrees below average. In North Dakota, the wind chill could drop as low as -55°F.

Big Story

No More Pennies

President Trump has ordered the Treasury Department to stop making new pennies.

• The main reason is that pennies cost more than they’re worth to produce. According to recent data from the US Mint, each penny costs about 3.7 cents to make, which led to an $85.3 million loss in 2024 from creating nearly 3.2 billion pennies.

• Axing the penny entirely would take an act of Congress, but Trump has the authority to block the minting of new pennies. Lawmakers are unlikely to have an issue with the measure, as they have repeatedly introduced legislation to stop its production and pull it from circulation.

• Pennies aren’t the only coin weighing down the Treasury’s balance sheet. It also loses money on nickels, which cost about 14 cents each to produce despite being worth only 5 cents.

• This wouldn't be the first time the US stopped making a low-value coin - the half-cent was discontinued by Congress in 1857.

Big Story

Playground Bombs

Workers found World War II bombs buried beneath a children's playground in Wooler, England.

• Staff made the discovery while updating the playground. So far, 176 bombs have been found, including 65 practice bombs weighing about 10 pounds each in a small area, plus smoke cartridges and another 90 practice bombs nearby. All of the bombs still had their explosive charges.

• Experts believe the site was originally used as a Home Guard training ground during World War II, and the bombs were buried there when the war ended. The cleanup work is expected to continue through mid-February, and experts believe they'll find even more bombs.

• The situation highlights a broader safety concern, as unexploded World War II bombs can still be dangerous. Similar bombs have detonated unexpectedly at an airport in Japan in 2024 and in England in 2023.

Quick Stories

US News

• The US Board on Geographic Names has officially renamed the Gulf of Mexico to the "Gulf of America" following a Trump executive order. The change only applies within the US, and Mexico's president has urged others to reject it. (More)

• Sangamon County has agreed to pay $10 million to the family of Sonya Massey, who was killed by a deputy in 2024 in her Illinois home after reporting a prowler. The settlement awaits county board approval. (More)

• The Dept. of Health and Human Services has canceled a $168,000 museum exhibit contract for Dr. Anthony Fauci, along with 61 other administrative contracts worth $182 million. The cancellation was part of DOGE’s broader effort to reduce non-healthcare spending. (More)

World

• Toronto police arrested Ronald Ackerman, 50, for the 1998 murder of a pregnant woman found strangled in a parking lot. DNA evidence and recent public outreach through social media led to the breakthrough in this 26-year-old cold case. (More)

• Over 51 people died and 20 more were injured in a bus that crashed into a ravine in Guatemala. Firefighters were working to save people who were trapped in the wreckage as of this writing. (More)

• Hamas said it is postponing an upcoming hostage release because Israel violated the terms of the Jan. 19 ceasefire agreement. Violations include delaying displaced people from returning, shelling and gunfire, and withholding relief supplies. (More)

Business & Economy

• US stock markets closed higher on Monday (S&P +0.67%, Nasdaq +0.98%, Dow +0.38%). Gains from major tech names drove the larger markets higher. (More)

• A group of investors led by Elon Musk has offered $97.4 billion to buy control of OpenAI's nonprofit board, saying the company should return to its open-source roots. OpenAI CEO Sam Altman responded by jokingly offering to buy Twitter instead. (More)

• McDonald's reported weaker-than-expected revenue of $6.39 billion following an E. coli outbreak at US locations. Despite missing targets, company shares rose 4% after executives predicted stronger sales in 2025. (More)

Sports & Entertainment

• SNL's 50th anniversary special will feature a star-studded lineup, including Steve Martin, Bad Bunny, Dave Chappelle, and original cast members. The three-hour live event, airing Sunday, will also have Scarlett Johansson, Tom Hanks, and Paul McCartney. (More)

• During Kendrick Lamar's Super Bowl halftime show, a performer displayed a Palestinian-Sudanese flag. The NFL said they were unaware of this plan and permanently banned the person from all NFL venues and events. (More)

• Tiger Woods withdrew from this week's Genesis Invitational, saying he needs more time to grieve his mother Kultida's recent death. Woods would have been making his first PGA Tour start since missing the cut at The Open last July. (More)

Science, Health, & Tech

• An abyssal humpback anglerfish was spotted near the surface off Tenerife's coast, marking the first daylight sighting of the deep-sea species. (More)

• Lyft will launch self-driving taxis using Mobileye technology in Dallas by 2026, with plans to expand to other cities. The announcement comes as competitors Waymo and Tesla also prepare autonomous taxi services in various markets. (More)

• A recent study in Nature Medicine found that AI can analyze extended heart monitoring recordings more effectively than humans. The AI system detected irregular heart rhythms with 14 times fewer missed diagnoses. (More)

Extra Credit

🐊 Watch: Crocodiles thrive near a nuclear plant in Florida.

👃 Rare corpse flower bloom stinks up Melbourne, Australia.

⌚️ Tom Brady’s Super Bowl watch cost $740,000.

❌ Know the signs of text scams targeting drivers.