Good Morning! Today’s edition is 1,033 words, a 4-minute read.

What’s on tap: 

• Legendary musician Garth Hudson passes

• Netflix shares soar after hours

• How many jumping jacks can you do

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Big Story

States Sue to Block Trump’s Birthright Citizenship EO

Democratic Attorneys General are suing to block the Trump administration’s restriction of birthright citizenship.

• Trump’s executive order aims to deny automatic citizenship to children born in America to parents who are either in the country illegally or on certain nonimmigrant visas. The administration said they would enforce the order on a "prospective basis," meaning it would only apply to future births.

• Twenty-two Democratic-led states and two cities (Washington, D.C. and San Francisco) filed two separate lawsuits in Massachusetts and Washington state federal courts. The legal challenges came shortly after the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) filed its own lawsuit. The states argue that Trump's order goes beyond his presidential authority and contradicts the Constitution.

• The core of the states' argument centers on the 14th Amendment of the Constitution, which has granted citizenship to anyone born in the United States for over 150 years. The lawsuits claim that Trump cannot change this constitutional principle through an executive order.

Big Story

Turkey Resort Fire

A devastating fire broke out at the Grand Kartal Hotel, a popular ski resort in Bolu, Turkey.

• At least 66 people died in the blaze, with some victims tragically jumping from windows to escape. The wooden-clad 12-story hotel had 234 guests at the time, and it took firefighters 12 hours to extinguish the fire. Four people, including the hotel's owner, have been arrested.

• The fire reportedly started in the hotel's restaurant area on the fourth floor. Emergency response was delayed due to the hotel's remote location and freezing weather, taking over an hour for fire engines to arrive.

• While the hotel was last inspected in 2024, the Union of Chambers of Turkish Engineers and Architects raised concerns about missing safety features, particularly noting the absence of an automatic sprinkler system that should have been installed in 2008.

Big Story

Garth Hudson Passes

Garth Hudson, the last surviving original member of The Band, died at 87 in his sleep.

• Hudson was the oldest and only classically trained member of The Band, known especially for his distinctive organ playing on songs like "Chest Fever." Starting as backup musicians for Ronnie Hawkins, The Band went on to support Bob Dylan before launching their own successful career.

• After The Band's famous farewell concert "The Last Waltz" in 1976, Hudson remained active in music, working with artists like Van Morrison and Leonard Cohen. He performed with various incarnations of The Band until Rick Danko's death in 1999 ended the group's run.

• Hudson's contributions to music were recognized when The Band was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1994 and received a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 2008. He continued to play music until his final public performance in April 2023.

Quick Stories

US News

• President Donald Trump announced that the US would leave the World Health Organization (WHO), criticizing the agency for mishandling the COVID-19 pandemic and other health crises. (More)

• The Department of Homeland Security confirmed that Adm. Linda Fagan, the first woman to lead the US Coast Guard, was relieved of her duties. The DHS cited "leadership deficiencies, operational failures, and inability to advance strategic objectives" as reasons for the decision. (More)

• A historic winter storm hit the Gulf Coast on Tuesday, with the region's first-ever blizzard warning in some areas. The storm brought heavy snow and ice from Texas to Florida, alongside dangerously cold temperatures. (More)

World

• French authorities seized 13 tons of honey mixed with erectile dysfunction drugs in a record 2024 bust. Known as "erectile honey," the illegal product contains a mix of honey and Viagra-like substances. (More)

• The US and the Taliban conducted a prisoner swap, releasing two Americans in exchange for a Taliban figure serving a life sentence in California for drug trafficking and terrorism. (More)

• The Israeli military launched a large-scale operation in a refugee camp in the West Bank, killing at least seven people. This comes as the Israel Defense Forces expanded activities in the area on the third day of a ceasefire in Gaza. (More)

Business & Economy

• US stock markets closed higher on Tuesday (S&P +0.88%, Nasdaq +0.64%, Dow +1.24%). Stocks advanced as Wall Street interpreted President Donald Trump's initial trade-related comments and actions as less aggressive than previously feared. (More)

• Netflix shares surged over 10% following a strong earnings report that exceeded expectations. The company has over 300 million paid memberships and added 19 million new subscribers in Q4 of 2024. (More)

• The SEC announced a new "crypto task force," led by Acting Chair Mark Uyeda, to create a comprehensive regulatory framework for crypto assets. (More)

Sports & Entertainment

• Baseball legend Ichiro Suzuki made history as the first Japanese player voted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame, with pitchers CC Sabathia and Billy Wagner also earning spots in the 2025 class. (More)

• The Chicago Bears hired Ben Johnson, former offensive coordinator of the Detroit Lions, as their new head coach. Johnson takes over after Matt Eberflus was fired in November. (More)

• Novak Djokovic sustained an injury during his victory over Carlos Alcaraz at the Australian Open. He will face Alexander Zverev in the Semi-final on Friday. (More)

Science, Health, & Tech

• Scientists used artificial intelligence to design a unique glowing protein by simulating millions of years of evolution, opening new possibilities for creating custom proteins for various scientific applications. (More)

• The flu, COVID-19, and RSV continue to spread at high levels across the country. According to the CDC, Hawaii and New Hampshire have "very high" levels of respiratory illness, while 15 other states report "high" activity. (More)

• A large study from Cambridge and Exeter universities found that common medical treatments like antibiotics and vaccines might help lower a person's chances of developing dementia. (More)

Extra Credit

🧽 What’s the difference between sanitizing, disinfecting, and sterilizing?

⏱️ How many jumping jacks can you do in 60 seconds?

🪵 Sweden is building the world’s largest wooden city.

🐒 Peeing is contagious for chimpanzees.