Hello

Rescuers are in a race against time in Turkey and Syria, Ukraine reports record Russian deaths, and Biden faces hostile lawmakers in his State of the Union speech

by Linda Noakes

Earthquake in Turkey and Syria

A woman sits amidst rubble in Gaziantep, Turkey, February 7, 2023. REUTERS/Suhaib Salem

Rescuers struggled to dig people out of the rubble of collapsed buildings in a "race against time" as the death toll from an earthquake across a wide area of Turkey and Syria passed 5,000.

The magnitude 7.8 quake - the deadliest in Turkey since 1999 - hit early yesterday and was followed by a second hours later. Here is what scientists said happened beneath the earth's surface and what to expect in the aftermath.

Desperate screams for help could be heard from those trapped in collapsed buildings in the Mediterranean coastal province of Hatay where people tried to keep warm around bonfires in cold rainy weather. Hatay, which borders northwest Syria, is the worst-hit province in Turkey with at least 872 people killed.

The earthquake aftermath looked painfully familiar for Syrian families and rescuers worn down by nearly 12 years of bombardment and displacement. Air strikes and shelling have already traumatized the population and weakened the foundations of many buildings.

The flow of critical U.N. aid from Turkey to northwest Syria has temporarily halted due to damage to roads and other logistical issues.

Reuters photographers are on the scene capturing the earthquake aftermath. See a slideshow of their images here.

In Other News

Members of the armed forces of Ukraine fire a howitzer near Bahmut, in Donetsk region, February 6, 2023. REUTERS/Marko Djurica

Ukraine said the last 24 hours were the deadliest of the war so far for Russian troops, as Moscow hurls tens of thousands of freshly mobilized soldiers and mercenaries into relentless winter assaults in the east. Here's what you need to know about the conflict right now.
The U.S. Coast Guard imposed a temporary security zone in waters off South Carolina during the military's search for debris from a suspected Chinese spy balloon shot down by a U.S. fighter jet, and the White House said it would keep a calm approach to relations with Beijing.
President Joe Biden will today deliver his State of the Union address three months after Republicans took control of the House of Representatives, a speech that may mark the unofficial start of the 2024 presidential campaign season. Here is what to expect.
Trade unions launched a third wave of nationwide strikes against President Emmanuel Macron's plans to make the French work longer before retirement, as the legislation started its bumpy passage through parliament. Rail services were canceled, schools disrupted and refinery deliveries halted as workers across multiple sectors walked out.
Hope of employment more than religious belief is driving people to join fast-growing extremist groups in sub-Saharan Africa, according to a report by the U.N. Development Programme based on interviews with hundreds of former fighters.
A special panel named by Nigeria's National Human Rights Commission launched an investigation into recent Reuters reports on rights abuses by the country's army. Those familiar with the commission's past work say it faces stiff challenges.

Business & Markets

Vehicles drive past a BP petrol station in Liverpool, Britain, February 7, 2023. REUTERS/Phil Noble

BP reported a record profit of $28 billion for 2022 while boosting its dividend in a sign of confidence as it sharply raised overall spending plans but scaled back ambitions to reduce oil and gas output by 2030. The blockbuster profit follows similar reports from rivals Shell, Exxon Mobil and Chevron last week.
Shares in India's Adani Group rallied a day after it prepaid some loans, bringing relief to investors that have seen $113.6 billion wiped off the conglomerate's market value since a U.S. short-seller published a critical report two weeks ago.
Microsoft said it was investigating issues with email service Outlook as users in North America faced problems with accessing, sending or searching emails on the platform.
Google owner Alphabet said it will launch "Bard", a chatbot service, and more artificial intelligence for its search engine as well as developers. Baidu said it would complete internal testing of a ChatGPT-style project called 'Ernie Bot' next month as ChatGPT mania pumps up Chinese AI technology stocks.
Bed Bath & Beyond said it was planning to raise some $1 billion through an offering of preferred stock and warrants in a last-ditch effort to stave off bankruptcy.
North Korea stole more cryptocurrency assets in 2022 than in any other year and targeted the networks of foreign aerospace and defense companies, according to a currently confidential United Nations report seen by Reuters. Read our weekly analysis of the wild world of cryptocurrencies. And sign up here for Reuters Crypto Wire, our weekly newsletter on digital assets.

And Finally

Baby olive ridley sea turtles are gathered in a basin minutes after being born at a hatchery in San Juan, La Union, Philippines, January 12, 2023. REUTERS/Eloisa Lopez

We think you may like this:

Reuters Auto File

From Shanghai to Detroit to Munich, a look at the fast-paced world of automotive technology.

Subscribe

Sponsors are not involved in the creation of newsletters or other Reuters news content.

Reuters Daily Briefing is sent 5 days a week. Think your friend or colleague should know about us? Forward this newsletter to them. They can also sign up here.

Want to stop receiving this email? Unsubscribe here.
To manage which newsletters you're signed up for, click here.

Follow Reuters on social media