The Pentagon shot down a "high-altitude" object that violated U.S. airspace above territorial waters near Alaska, National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby confirmed today during the White House press briefing.

• Kirby described the object as being the "size of a small car" and that it "posed a reasonable threat to the safety of civilian flight" flying at around 40,000 feet, Axios' Jacob Knutson reports.

The incident comes less than a week after the military shot down a surveillance balloon believed to be sent by the Chinese government.

• Little is known about the latest object, which was downed "out of an abundance of caution," Kirby said.
• The U.S. does not know whether the object was owned by a state, corporate or private entity but did ensure it was unmanned.
• The object was downed near the Alaska-Canada border, on frozen waters in the Arctic Ocean.
• "A recovery effort will be made, and we're hopeful that it will be successful. Then we can learn a bit more about it," Kirby said.

Go deeper.

It's not just your date-night food that is getting more expensive: The cost of hiring a babysitter has gone up.

• Babysitting rates rose 9.7% nationally in 2022 — a bit less than the 11% hike in 2021, but still outpacing inflation for the second year in a row, according to survey results from caregiver-finding platform UrbanSitter, provided first to Axios' Jennifer A. Kingson.

By the numbers: Last year's national average babysitting rate was $22.68 an hour for one child, $25.37 an hour for two and $27.70 an hour for three.

• That's a staggering 21% increase in just two years according to UrbanSitter's booking data from 15,000 U.S. families.

The highest babysitting rates were in the San Francisco Bay Area ($25.24 an hour for one child) and Seattle ($​​24.60).

• Springfield, Missouri, had the lowest rate, at $11.35.

Go deeper.

1. The FBI searched former Vice President Mike Pence's Indiana home today and found one additional document with classified markings, a Pence adviser confirmed. Go deeper.
2. Sen. Tim Scott (R-S.C.) is raising presidential buzz with two super PAC hires, Axios' Josh Kraushaar scooped.
3. Ben LaBolt — a partner at Bully Pulpit Interactive (BPI) and former top aide to President Obama — will become White House communications director at the end of February, when Kate Bedingfield departs. Robert Gibbs, White House press secretary under Obama, joins BPI full time as partner. Go deeper.

Ohio natives Travis and Jason Kelce will make history Sunday night when they become the first brothers to face each other in a Super Bowl matchup.

• Travis Kelce, 33, is a tight end for the Kansas City Chiefs. His brother Jason, 35, plays center for the Philadelphia Eagles.
• The Kelces, who hail from Cleveland Heights, Ohio, have been the pride of their hometown, Axios Cleveland co-author Sam Allard reports.

🟥 🟩 Cleveland Heights High School (their alma mater) has been lit up all week "like a tabernacle at Christmas," the Kansas City Star reports, with red on one side to represent the Chiefs and green on the other for the Eagles.

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