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Amid the earthquake rubble, signs of life


The death toll rose dramatically across earthquake-battered Turkey and Syria. President Joe Biden faces a divided Congress in his second State of the Union speech. And even as frustration mounts about tipping in places where customers normally wouldn't, tips are actually growing. What's happening?

👋 Hey y'all! Laura Davis here. It's Tuesday. Ready for the news?

🥺 But first: get the tissues out! An 87-year-old Scottish granddad melts away the miles between him and his only grandson by singing to him on video. The boy has autism and sometimes struggles to communicate, but the songs have created a loving bond. Read the touching story here.

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Death toll rises as search for quake survivors continues

With some 24,000 rescue workers from around the world picking through mammoth heaps of debris, the death toll surpassed 7,200 people across Turkey and Syria on Tuesday after two powerful earthquakes and a series of violent aftershocks two days ago. "We are facing one of the biggest disasters not only of the history of the Turkish Republic but also of ... the world," Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said. But amid the overwhelming tragedy, small victories were being won: A baby was rescued after being born under the rubble

Biden to deliver his second State of the Union address

President Joe Biden will try to convince a divided Congress that Democrats and Republicans must work together when he delivers his second State of the Union address tonight. Fighting the opioid epidemic, improving mental health, supporting veterans and cutting cancer death rates will top that agenda. Read more + follow our live coverage.

What everyone's talking about

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❄️ Winter weather: Warmer temperatures across the Northeast as Texas faces storms. Here's Tuesday's weather forecast.

Study: Heart diagnosis often comes too late for Latino infants

Infants born to Latino, low-income or limited-English-speaking parents are more likely to be diagnosed later with congenital heart disease than white infants – or lack a prenatal diagnosis at all, a new study found. Congenital heart disease is the most common type of birth defect. Experts say the findings cast more urgency on caring for babies born to parents whose preferred language is not English and Latino and low-income families. Keep reading.

Despite 'tipping fatigue,' tips are up – but that's just the tip of the iceberg

Picture it: You're buying a muffin at your neighborhood bakery. When the cashier turns the iPad to you to sign, a screen asks how much you'd like to tip. For a muffin? As more businesses adopt digital payment methods, customers are automatically prompted to leave a gratuity. And some people are over it. But despite reports of tipping fatigue – and high inflation – new data indicates that people are actually tipping more. What's behind it? 

A break from the news

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