How to stay safe in extreme cold; a Monterey Park hero gives back; the Great Salt Lake in danger

Plus, this man may save us from the next pandemic. [View this email online]( [NPR]( by Suzanne Nuyen Good morning and TGIF! Cue the James Bond theme — China says it is looking into reports that a [Chinese spy balloon]( has been flying in U.S. airspace. Here's what we're following today: 🥇 First up [Pedestrians view a partially frozen fountain on a cold-weather day on Jan. 11 in New York City.]( Angela Weiss/AFP via Getty Images Punxsutawney Phil wasn't messing around when he [predicted]( six more weeks of winter. Much of the U.S. will see temps drop to single digits, which windchills in the negatives. Here's [how to stay safe in the extreme cold](. ➡️ An ice storm in Texas has left hundreds of thousands [without power](. The discovery of the omicron variant can be partially credited to Tulio de Oliveira, a scientist based in South Africa. He says disease hunters like from middle- and low-income countries will be the ones to [save us from the next pandemic](. 🎧 Listen to [why this area of the world is the one to watch](. The Great Salt Lake — the largest remaining saltwater lake in the Western hemisphere — is in danger. Climate change and a population boom could [dry it up in as little as five years](. 🎧 Listen to why it would cause [environmental and economic collapse](. EzriCare is recalling its over-the-counter eyedrops due to a possible link to an outbreak of [drug-resistant infections](. --------------------------------------------------------------- Newsletter continues after sponsor message --------------------------------------------------------------- 📸 Picture show [Brandon Tsay is awarded the medal of courage by Alhambra Police Chief Kelley Fraser at the Alhambra Lunar New Year Festival in Alhambra, Calif., on Sunday, a little over a week after the Monterey Park mass shooting.]( Jane Hahn for NPR Brandon Tsay has been hailed a hero for wrestling the gun from a shooter who killed 11 in Monterey Park, Calif. Now, the 26-year-old is using his platform to [redirect the overwhelming support]( to Asian American communities. --------------------------------------------------------------- 🎥 Weekend pics [Dave Bautista, Abby Quinn, and Nikki Amuka-Bird in M. Night Shyamalan's latest film, Knock at the Cabin.]( Universal Pictures Check out what [our critics]( are watching, reading and listening to this weekend: Movies: Things get apocalyptic in M. Night Shyamalan's latest, [Knock at the Cabin](. TV: [Shrinking]( shares some DNA with Ted Lasso. But it's a smaller-scale piece with one of the strongest across-the-board casts that have been assembled in recent memory. Books: Start Black History Month off right with Daniel Black's [Black on Black: On Our Resilience and Brilliance in America](. The collection of essays dig deep into Blackness, history and racial tension, while simultaneously serving as a powerful call to action and a celebration of Black culture. Music: brakence's second album, [hypochondriac]( was inspired by a relentless, nagging headache that lasted for months. --------------------------------------------------------------- Before you go [Bobbi Wilson holds her collection of spotted lanternflies as she is honored at the Yale School of Public Health on Jan. 20.]( Andrew Hurley/Yale University - Yale University is honoring 9-year-old budding scientist Bobbi Wilson. Neighbors [called the cops]( on her for her efforts to save New Jersey's trees. - The pandemic boom is over: Amazon has reported its [first unprofitable year]( since 2014. - A reprieve from RSV could be on its way. The FDA is reviewing an application for a [one-shot treatment]( that would protect infants from the severe impacts of the disease. --------------------------------------------------------------- Stream your local NPR station. Visit NPR.org to find your local station stream. [Find a Station]( --------------------------------------------------------------- Enjoying this newsletter? Forward to a friend! They can [sign up here](. Looking for more great content? [Check out all of our newsletter offerings]( — including Music, Politics, Health and more! You received this message because you're subscribed to Daily News emails. This email was sent by National Public Radio, Inc., 1111 North Capitol Street NE, Washington, DC 20002 [Unsubscribe]( | [Privacy Policy]( [NPR logo]