5 things to know for Feb. 5: Gaza, US Postal Service, Midair collision, Guantanamo Bay, Sweden shooting

By CNN Newsource

Published February 5, 2025 3:27 AM

By Alexandra Banner, CNN

(CNN) — The CIA is now the first major national security agency to offer buyouts to its entire workforce, a step in the Trump administration’s effort to shrink the federal government. Thousands of other federal workers face sweeping layoffs this week unless they accept offers to resign.

Here’s what else you need to know to Get Up to Speed and On with Your Day.

1. Gaza

President Donald Trump said that the US “will take over” Gaza — potentially with the help of US troops — while the Palestinians who live there should leave. His comments on Tuesday raised a host of questions and concerns about the forcible displacement of about two million Palestinians from their land. Trump added that “we’ll own it,” dismantle unexploded bombs and clear debris to build the “Riviera of the Middle East.” Some Arab nations are pushing back on the brazen proposal and rejecting the notion of accepting additional Palestinian refugees. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, sitting alongside his US counterpart in the Oval Office, smiled at the remarks and said he believed Trump would help Israel achieve all of its war goals.

2. US Postal Service

After announcing Tuesday it would not accept incoming parcels from China and Hong Kong until further notice, the US Postal Service abruptly changed course this morning and said it will continue accepting “all international inbound mail and packages from China and Hong Kong Posts.” “The USPS and Customs and Border Protection are working closely together to implement an efficient collection mechanism for the new China tariffs to ensure the least disruption to package delivery,” the service said in an updated statement. The announcement comes just days after President Trump ended an exemption that allowed anyone to ship packages worth less than $800 to the US without paying duties or undergoing inspections. Inspecting incoming parcels to collect the new import taxes could prove extremely difficult.

3. Midair collision

Crews working at the site of last week’s deadly midair collision in Washington, DC, have recovered the remains of all 67 victims. The American Airlines jet and an Army Black Hawk helicopter on a training mission ran into each other over the Potomac River in an accident that remains unexplained. More parts of the plane — which will also form pieces of the puzzle investigators are trying to solve — were pulled from the river Tuesday. However, inclement weather will bear down on Washington today, with snow, sleet and freezing rain expected to worsen already tough conditions for recovery personnel.

4. Guantanamo Bay

The Trump administration has started to send migrants to Guantanamo Bay despite questions about the plan’s legality. The prison in Cuba opened in 2002 as a holding center for suspects taken off battlefields in South Asia, the Middle East and elsewhere who were treated outside the legal system and often held for years without trial. On Tuesday, a military flight carrying around 10 migrants with criminal records landed in Guantanamo, US officials said. The move stems from President Trump’s memorandum directing the federal government to prepare the prison site at the US Naval base to house tens of thousands of migrants.

5. Sweden shooting

At least 10 people were killed in a shooting at a school in Sweden on Tuesday, with the suspected gunman believed to be among the dead. Sweden’s Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson called it the “worst mass shooting in Swedish history” while offering his condolences to the victims and their families. The incident occurred around noon local time inside Campus Risbergska — a school for adult education — located on a campus where other schools, including those for children, are based. Police said the suspect was not known to them before the shooting and they’re working to uncover his motive.

BREAKFAST BROWSE

Michael Jordan’s son arrested on drug charge
The 34-year-old son of NBA great Michael Jordan was arrested Tuesday in Florida after police officers found his vehicle stopped on railroad tracks. He was then charged with possession of cocaine.

What’s happening in Santorini?
Over 6,000 residents have recently left the Greek island of Santorini after hundreds of earthquakes. Local officials say the intense seismic activity may continue for many more days — if not weeks.

Google updates its AI ethics policy
Google has erased its promise not to use artificial intelligence technology for weapons or surveillance. Here’s what we know.

Just deal with it in the morning
A new study shows why tackling a problem in the morning may be beneficial.

Light pollution is getting worse
Light pollution negatively impacts wildlife and humans, but the solutions are surprisingly simple. Read about the movement to preserve natural darkness.

TODAY’S NUMBER

100,000
That’s how many eggs were recently stolen from a distribution trailer in Pennsylvania, police said. The egg industry has faced considerable challenges in recent months with the resurgence of an avian flu outbreak that is causing a nationwide shortage and higher prices.

TODAY’S QUOTE

“The Super Bowl is often a snapshot in time and the NFL is in a unique position to capture and lift the imagination of the country.”

— An NFL spokesperson, confirming that the phrase “Choose Love” will be stenciled in the back of one end zone at Sunday’s Super Bowl. The other end zone will have the message “It Takes All of Us.” According to The Athletic, this will be the first time that the words “End Racism” are not used in the big game since 2021.

TODAY’S WEATHER

Check your local forecast here>>>

AND FINALLY …

Article Topic Follows: CNN - National

Jump to comments ↓