Was this email forwarded to you? Subscribe now.

Good morning and Happy Friday Eve,

A man in France spent eight years, and countless hours, constructing what he believed to be the new world record for tallest matchstick sculpture. But his dreams went up in flames when the Guinness Book of World Records said he used the wrong type of matchsticks and was disqualified.

🔥 Richard Plaud built a 23.6-foot replica of the Eiffel Tower with 706,900 sticks, 2 feet higher than the current record. The problem: He used a brand of matchsticks that can't be bought in stores.

• Tired of buying supermarket matches and manually removing the sulfur heads, Plaud got the manufacturer to directly sell him 33-pound boxes of headless matches.

• Mais Non: Guinness recently told Plaud that based on their rules, the matches must be commercially available and can't be cut.

Lesson of the day: If you’re planning to spend the next 8 years setting any world records, be sure to check with Guinness about their rules first.

Mosheh, Jill, & Lauren

Mo News Podcast: A daily conversation about the news that matters.

📌 ISRAEL & HAMAS REJECT THE OTHERS’ PROPOSAL

As the Israel-Hamas war heads into a fifth month today, it’s looking like there’s still a long way to go before a deal is reached between Hamas and Israel for the release of more hostages in exchange for a pause in fighting and more aid for Palestinians. The Israelis are calling Hamas’ latest proposal “delusional.” It comes as US Secretary of State Antony Blinken wrapped up his latest Mideast trip, and had hopes for a deal.

• On Wednesday, Blinken said “a lot of work” remains on Gaza ceasefire and hostage talks. He told reporters: “There are clearly nonstarters in what (Hamas has) put forward… But we also see space in what came back to pursue negotiations, to see if we can get to an agreement.”

THE HAMAS OFFER 

• What Hamas Wants: The terrorist group agrees to release all the remaining Israeli hostages in exchange for a 135-day cease fire, a full Israeli withdrawal from Gaza and the release of more than 1,000 Palestinian prisoners.

  • That includes those serving life sentences, which means they’ve been convicted of extremely serious crimes like murder. Hamas also wants to pick the 500 prisoners to be released—many expected to be members of the group.

• HOSTAGES: The plan would first include the release of the remaining Israeli women and children still being held in Gaza.

  • Next up: the release of male hostages over the age of 19.

• FULL WITHDRAWAL: Israeli forces would have to fully withdraw from Gaza after 45 days.

ISRAEL TO HAMAS: TRY AGAIN
Prime Minister Netanyahu says Hamas' position is "delusional" and says Israel is committed to seeing the terrorist organization destroyed.

• A minister from Netanyahu’s Likud party has told reporters that Netanyahu would not have the support for a deal that requires the “release of thousands of terrorists with blood on their hands.” Another sticking point: Israel has insisted it will not end the fighting permanently until Hamas is destroyed.

STATE OF THE FIGHTING
Israel tells the US that the next major operation will focus on Rafah, an area along the southern border with Egypt where there are a number of Hamas battalions left.

• Axios reports that Blinken told the Israeli leaders that the Biden administration is very concerned about an expansion in fighting into the city and a high civilian death toll.

• There are currently about 1 million displaced Palestinians in Rafah and the surrounding area. The concern is that an operation will push tens of thousands of Palestinians into Egypt. The Egyptian government has already said it would not accept displaced Palestinians.

🏘 THE RENT IS TOO DAMN HIGH

Americans are struggling to pay rent. Across the country, and among income levels, renters are spending more of their paychecks on housing costs.

A new study from the Harvard Joint Center for Housing Studies found that in 2022, half of the US renters spent more than 30% of their income on rent and utilities — which they consider cost-burdened households. That's up 3.2% from 2019 and 9% since 2001.

THE NUMBERS
22.4 million households fell into that group, and 12.1 million of them paid over HALF of their salary on rent & utilities.

• The number of rentals increased from 2010 to 2022, but the number of affordable units — with rents under $600 — dropped by 2.1 million units in 2022 to 7.2 million.

• The rising cost of rent has outpaced income growth for renters. That means they have less disposable income than ever before.

  • The hardest hit: renters who make less than $30,000, who are left with about $310 a month after paying rent and utilities.

ANY HELP ON THE WAY?
Federal and state lawmakers are trying to find solutions, but nothing has been passed yet.

• Over in Congress, a bill would give housing developers tax credits if they allocate units for low-income tenants, which could lead to about 200,000 more affordable units.

• States are trying too: Lawmakers in Colorado are looking to limit landlords’ ability to evict tenants; Washington wants to make 10% of new housing to be affordable and limit rent hikes; a Massachusetts bill would pump $4 billion to affordable housing.

⚖️ SUPREME COURT HEARS TRUMP BALLOT ELIGIBILITY

The Supreme Court will hear arguments today on whether former President Donald Trump can appear on the primary ballot in Colorado, and across the country, after his conduct on Jan. 6, 2021.

They will decide on the Colorado Supreme Court ruling declaring Trump ineligible to appear on the election ballot because he engaged in insurrection.

WHAT COLORADO SAID
Colorado was the first state to find that Section 3 of the 14th Amendment of the US Constitution applies to Trump.

• 📖 The Civil War-era 14th Amendment — was meant to prevent former Confederates from holding office — says: “No person shall ... hold any office, civil or military, under the United States ... who, having previously taken an oath ... as an officer of the United States ... to support the Constitution of the United States, shall have engaged in insurrection or rebellion against the same, or given aid or comfort to the enemies thereof.”

  • TRUMP’S LAWYERS SAY this part of the Constitution wasn’t meant to apply to the president. It specifically mentions electors, senators and representatives, but not the presidency.

    • It also says those who take an oath to “support” the United States, but the presidential oath doesn’t use that word. Instead, the Constitution requires presidents to say they will “preserve, protect and defend” the Constitution

  • They also contend that the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol doesn’t meet the definition for “insurrection.”

  • In addition, a number of constitutional scholars across the political spectrum say that 14th Amendment precedent indicates that Congress has to approve legislation to enable a candidate to be kicked off the ballot.

• WHY THIS MATTERS: At least 16 other states have similar pending legal challenges to Trump’s eligibility for the 2024 ballot.

LEGAL SCHOLARS
Many legal experts expect that the Supreme Court will let Trump appear on the ballots. Even a number of Democrats who dislike Trump disagree with the idea of kicking him off the ballot. There are a number of off-ramps for the court here to let voters (not courts) be the final arbiter of who wins.

⏳ SPEED READ

🚨NATION

📌 US kills head of Iran-backed militia group responsible for deadly drone attack on American troops (BBC)

📌 Senate Republicans sink bipartisan border bill as Schumer tries for separate Israel and Ukraine aid vote (NBC NEWS)

📌 Death of Georgia baby decapitated during delivery ruled a homicide (GUARDIAN)

📌 RNC Chair Ronna McDaniel told Trump she'd resign as chair (CBS NEWS)

📌 Missing Marine Corps helicopter carrying 5 troops from Nevada to California has been located; Search continues for Marines (AP)

🌎 AROUND THE WORLD

📌 UN warns of ‘epic suffering’ in Sudan and appeals for $4 billion in aid (GUARDIAN)

📌 Russia attacks targets across Ukraine with missiles and drones as EU’s top diplomat visits Kyiv (AP)

📌 Prince Harry leaves UK after King Charles visit without meeting with Prince William (FOX NEWS)

📌 Kremlin confirms Putin gave interview to ex-Fox News host Tucker Carlson (REUTERS)

📱BUSINESS, SCIENCE & TECH

📌 Researchers reveal first full passages decoded from famously inscrutable Herculaneum scrolls (CNN)

📌 Survey of over 90,000 trans people shows vast improvement in life satisfaction after transition (CBS NEWS)

📌 EPA tightens rules on some air pollution for the first time in over a decade (NPR)

📌 Snoop Dogg sues Walmart and Post, claiming they sabotaged cereal brands (CBS NEWS)

🎬 SPORTS & ENTERTAINMENT

📌 Disney+ loses 1.3 million subscribers after price hike, but cut $$ losses (VARIETY)

📌 Winner of Wildlife Photographer of the Year Award announced (CNN)

📌 Taylor Swift sells her private plane amid flight-tracking drama (NY POST)

📌 Usher says his Super Bowl halftime show will be longer than past shows (ENTERTAINMENT)

📌 Actress Gina Carano sues Disney and Lucasfilm with Elon Musk's help (BBC)

✓ Access the member-only Instagram with weekly deep dives and Q&A’s
✓ Listen to the member-only podcast for exclusive and BTS episodes
✓ Support Mo News and help us provide independent, non-partisan news coverage

🗓 ON THIS DAY: FEBRUARY 8

• 1910: The Boy Scouts of America was incorporated. 110 million Americans have since participated in its programs.

• 1960: Construction started for the Hollywood Walk of Fame in Los Angeles, CA. It now features more than 2,700 stars.
  

  • ⭐️ The Mo You Know: An average of two stars are added to the Hollywood Walk of Fame every month. The Walk of Fame committee receives an average of 200 applications a year, from which it accepts between 24 and 30. And recipients have to pay for the stars themselves at a cost of $75,000.

• 1976: “Taxi Driver,” directed by Martin Scorsese, was released by Columbia Pictures.

• 2004: OutKast became the first hip-hop act to win the Grammy’s Album of the Year for “Speakerboxxx/The Love Below.”