Start your week smart: Winter storm, Djokovic, Texas synagogue, Tsunamis, Covid-19

By AJ Willingham, CNN

It’s the first earnings season of the year, the time when many big, publicly-traded companies release their latest figures. So far, things seem to be off to a strong start for 2022, which may give investors some distraction from inflation fears and other looming economic woes.

Here’s what else you need to know to Start Your Week Smart.

The weekend that was

• A massive winter storm dumped snow on the central US and is expected to wallop much of the country’s eastern third with snow and freezing rain today. As many as 80 million people are under winter weather alerts.

• Tennis star Novak Djokovic has left Australia without contesting the Australian Open after losing a legal challenge against a decision revoking his visa for the second time.

• An elite FBI hostage rescue team breached a synagogue in Colleyville, Texas, last night, safely recovering three remaining captives after a nearly 11-hour hostage situation.

• An underwater volcano in the South Pacific erupted violently on Saturday, causing tsunamis to hit Hawaii, Japan, and Tonga’s largest island, Tongatapu — sending waves flooding into the capital.

• As the Omicron variant sweeps the US — pressing many hospitals into crisis mode — data from New York show the state is “turning the corner on the winter surge,” Gov. Kathy Hochul said Friday.

The week ahead

Monday

The annual meeting of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, was supposed to take place this week, but has been deferred because of the pandemic. Instead, world leaders will meet virtually for the Davos Agenda, a week-long event to discuss how to address current global challenges. The meeting’s top priority? Climate change.

Monday is also Martin Luther King, Jr. Day. Here are some ways to make change while observing his legacy.

Tuesday

The Supreme Court will announce the final batch of cases it will take up for the term. The court held a conference on Friday to vote on which petitions to pick up, and there are several that will be notable if they’re chosen. They include a case concerning proof of intellectual disability in death penalty cases, jurisdiction over vehicle emissions standards, a qualified immunity case, and the right of individuals to record police officers carrying out their duties. Several cases ask the Supreme Court to overrule existing precedents, including two cases seeking to invalidate affirmative action programs.

Wednesday

Americans can begin ordering free at-home Covid-19 tests starting January 19. Orders for up to four tests per household can be placed at COVIDtests.gov, and tests are expected to ship within seven to 12 days of being ordered.

Thursday

January 20 is the one-year mark of President Joe Biden’s time in office. Expect lots of conversations about his campaign promises and the state of some of the nation’s biggest challenges one year on.

Saturday

January 22 marks the anniversary of Roe v. Wade, the landmark 1973 Supreme Court decision that affirmed the right to abortion. The anniversary will be particularly fraught this year, as several states have mounted successful challenges to the legal precedent in recent months. The anti-abortion group March for Life is also planning annual events around the occasion.

Want more 5 Things?

This week on the Sunday edition of the 5 Things podcast, CNN Chief Political Correspondent Dana Bash brings us up to speed on the debate over voting rights legislation in the Senate and examines how new voting restrictions could impact this year’s midterm elections. Listen here!

Photos of the week

Check out more moving, fascinating and thought-provoking images from the week that was, curated by CNN Photos.

What’s happening in entertainment

Looking for something new to watch? We got you! 

The latest “Scream” movie is out, and it pairs cast members from the original (released 25 years ago!) with some new stars. The result? CNN’s Brian Lowry says it’s “so self-referential as to risk swallowing its own tail,” but “turns out to be a great deal of fun.”

Netflix is also adding to its creepy, bingeable repertoire with “Archive 81,” a show about an archivist hired to reconstruct a collection of videotapes damaged in an apartment fire during the 1990s. But, be warned: You’ll be left with some burning questions.

And as if that wasn’t enough emotionally taxing stuff, everyone’s talking about the new second season of “Euphoria,” the dark teen drama that definitely isn’t afraid to go there.

What’s happening in sports

The race for the Super Bowl is on

The Wild Card round of the NFL playoffs are underway! Here’s the rundown for today and through the week:

Today:

• Philadelphia Eagles at Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 1:00 p.m. ET
• San Francisco 49ers at Dallas Cowboys, 4:30 p.m. ET 
• Pittsburg Steelers at Kansas City Chiefs, 8:15 p.m. ET

Monday:

• Arizona Cardinals at Los Angeles Rams, 8:15 p.m. ET

Phew! And then the Divisional Round begins next weekend, on Saturday.

Quiz time!

Take CNN’s weekly news quiz to see how much you remember from the week that was! So far, 57% of fellow quiz fans have gotten an 8 out of 10 or better this week. How well can you do?

Play me off

Love from around the world 

This Arabic song by Albanian artist DJ Gimi-O is big on TikTok, and for good reason: It’s a banger. “Habibi” is a term of endearment in Arabic, like “my love.” (Click here to rock out)

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