Nightly Rundown: Pentagon: Chinese spy balloon over central U.S.; ‘Once in a generation’ cold blast; Son of Murdaugh’s maid testifies; Surprise jobs surge; Monkey theft arrest; Planes clip wings at Newark; NJ councilwoman killer manhunt; Eye drops recalled
Friday, February 03, 2023 |
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Friday, February 03, 2023 |
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Good Friday afternoon. The Pentagon says a suspected Chinese spy balloon is moving over the central U.S., a “once in a generation” cold blast is threatening millions, and police have made an arrest in the theft of rare monkeys from the Dallas Zoo. Here is what’s in our Nightly Rundown. |
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Chinese spy balloon moving east across central U.S., Pentagon says |
The Pentagon said today that a suspected Chinese spy balloon is now moving at altitude of about 60,000 feet over the central U.S., adding that it is maneuverable and has changed course. The military had previously ruled out the option of shooting the balloon down, citing the potential safety risks to people on the ground. Secretary of State Antony Blinken has postponed a trip to Beijing that was scheduled for next week after the discovery of the balloon in U.S. airspace, two U.S. officials told NBC News. “We have concluded that the conditions are not right at this moment for Secretary Blinken to travel to China,” a senior State Department official said. China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement that the balloon is a “civilian airship,” used mainly for weather research, that has blown off course. China said it regrets its “unintended entry” into U.S. airspace. The Pentagon has flatly rejected China’s explanation. Congressional Republicans are demanding answers about the balloon, saying it demonstrates that the Biden administration’s policies are not deterring China. |
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“Once in a generation” cold blast threatens tens of millions |
A historic arctic blast is bringing life-threatening cold and wind chills as cold as 50 degrees below zero today from the Upper Midwest to the Northeast. Wind chill alerts are in effect for about 31 million people across those regions, with the brutal cold expected to last through Saturday. "The wind chills have the potential to be once in a generation cold late Friday into early Saturday," the National Weather Service has warned. “Avoid outside activities if possible. When outside, make sure you wear appropriate clothing, a hat and gloves. Persons are urged to stay indoors until conditions improve,” the NWS said. Many cities across New England are expected to see their coldest conditions in 5 to 10 years. Boston and Providence could hit record lows of -6 degrees by Saturday morning, and in Portland, Maine, the temperature could dip to -16 degrees with a wind chill of -45. The Maine office of the NWS said that the -107 degree wind chill forecasted for the top of Mount Washington tonight is so cold, it’s literally “off our official wind chill chart.” |
Maid’s son testifies that Alex Murdaugh stole $4 million after her death |
The son of a housekeeper told a judge today that Alex Murdaugh stole more than $4 million from her relatives after she died at the Murdaugh family home. Michael Satterfield said his mother Gloria worked for the Murdaugh family for more than 20 years, before she died after a fall at their home in 2018. Satterfield testified that Murdaugh promised he’d take care of her family after her death, but then stole millions in settlements with his insurers. In March 2022, Murdaugh signed a confession of judgment admitting he’d stolen $4.3 million from the Satterfield family. The jury was not present for Michael Satterfield’s testimony, because the judge has not yet ruled how much evidence of Murdaugh’s alleged financial crimes they will be allowed to hear. Jurors returned to the courtroom later in the day to hear testimony from fingerprint and firearms experts. |
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U.S. adds more than 500,000 jobs in January in surprise surge |
The U.S. economy unexpectedly added 517,000 jobs in January, crushing the Dow Jones estimate of 187,000, according to the new report from the Labor Department. The unemployment rate fell to 3.4 percent, the lowest level since May 1969, compared with the estimate of 3.6 percent. The surprising surge comes despite the Federal Reserve’s efforts to slow the economy down to rein in inflation. On Wednesday, the Fed raised interest rates by another quarter of a point. President Joe Biden today called the jobs report “strikingly good news,” and said it was proof that his economic policies are working. |
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Watch us this evening at 6:30 p.m. ET / 5:30 p.m. CT on NBC, or check your local NBC station listing. After the broadcast, access Nightly News video on NBCNightlyNews.com or the NBC News app. |
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