The Short List

Wed Feb 7 2024

Laura L. Davis | Audience Editor

@lauradavis

The search is on for five Marines after their overdue helicopter was located in the California mountains. Hamas offered a cease-fire deal, but Israel's prime minister dismissed it as "delusional." And what does this new sports streaming megadeal mean for viewers?

👋Hey there! It's your old pal Laura Davis. It's Wednesday. And it's time to get you caught up on the news.

But first: An "Ice Bed." 📸🧊 The Wildlife Photographer of the Year was awarded to a man who captured a dreamy image of a polar bear falling asleep. See all the top photos here.

Search underway for 5 Marines after helicopter mishap

A search-and-rescue operation is underway for five Marines after a United States military helicopter carrying them to Southern California went missing Wednesday. The search began when the helicopter, which departed from Nevada on a "routine training flight," was reported overdue. The aircraft was later located by civil authorities in Pine Valley, California, a mountainous region near the Cleveland National Forest about 35 miles east of downtown San Diego. But the condition of Marines aboard remains unknown. 📍 Here's the latest.

A search is underway for five Marines who were aboard a U.S. Marine helicopter when it crashed in a mountainous region east of San Diego late Tuesday.

USA TODAY

Back-to-back defeats for House GOP

"Not good." "Very frustrating." "Embarrassing." That's how Republicans in the House described perhaps one of their most demoralizing and confusing days in recent memory. GOP leaders on Tuesday called votes on two key legislative priorities for Republicans: impeaching Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas and funding U.S. aid to Israel. Those votes failed in back-to-back, stunning losses. The failure of both bills casts a dark cloud over House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., as he looks to the House's next legislative fights. 🔎 A look at the issues facing lawmakers.

U.S. Speaker of the House Mike Johnson makes his way to a House Republican caucus meeting at the U.S. Capitol on Wednesday.

Kevin Dietsch, Getty Images

Real quick

•	Big changes are coming to the SAT, and not everyone is happy.
•	Beyoncé's new hair care line Cécred is her latest celebration of Black beauty.
•	Hope for trapped orcas grows as pod disappears from ice floe in Japan.
•	Alyssa Milano's GoFundMe post made people furious. What happened?
•	Taylor Swift explains why she announced her new album at the Grammys.
•	Prince Harry reportedly visits Charles – then leaves. We can learn from it.

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Netanyahu: Cease-fire offer 'delusional'

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu dismissed Wednesday the concessions sought by Hamas leaders in their counter to the latest cease-fire proposal, saying meeting their terms would result in disaster for his country. A "crushing" military victory over the militants can be obtained within months, Netanyahu said, calling Hamas' demands "delusional."

•	Hamas proposed a 135-day cease-fire plan that would include the release of the remaining hostages, withdrawal of Israeli troops from the Gaza Strip and an end to a war that has killed tens of thousands and left the enclave in ruins. 👉 *Follow our live updates.*
•	Gaza. Iran. The Saudis. What do Yemen's Houthis really want?

A woman hangs a photo of a man, killed during the Oct. 7 deadly Hamas attack, during a memorial event in Jerusalem on Wednesday. The event marked four months since the war began.

Amir Levy, Getty Images

All about that sports streaming megadeal

Coming this fall to a screen near you: Sports! Lots of them. Three of the top television companies in American sports – ESPN, Fox and Warner Bros. Discovery – delivered a bombshell Tuesday, announcing a joint "all-in-one" streaming service that will provide content from all the major pro sports leagues, plus college football and basketball, and more. The companies otherwise are competitors with each other for viewers, advertising revenue and sports media rights, but in this case are joining to form a new streaming app scheduled to launch this fall. But what does that mean to the average sports viewer? 🏈 Here's a look at what we know.

A break from the news

•	🐧😍 Watch this: Penguin plays peekaboo with a little girl.
•	💰🤔 Tax season is here. Do your kids owe money to the IRS?
•	❤️🌹 Something for your sweetie: Amazon's top Valentine's Day gifts.

Laura L. Davis is an Audience Editor at USA TODAY. Say hello: laura@usatoday.com. Support quality journalism like this? Subscribe to USA TODAY here.