5 things to know for Jan. 23: Winter storm, Ukraine talks, Immigration crackdown, Maduro operation, TikTok deal
Dozens of swastikas were painted on a children’s playground this week in a predominantly Jewish area of Brooklyn, New York. City and state leaders condemned the vandalism, pointing to a broader increase in antisemitic incidents nationwide.
Here’s what else you need to know to get up to speed and on with your day.
1️⃣ Winter storm
A massive winter storm is set to impact large swaths of the US this weekend and could deliver historic levels of snow and ice to major cities. More than 230 million people are under severe weather alerts as the storm begins today. By the time it ends on Monday, it will have dropped a foot or more of snow and destructive amounts of ice over its 1,500-mile path from Texas to the Northeast. At least 10 states have already declared a state of emergency, and over 1,300 flights scheduled for Saturday have been canceled as the storm approaches. Widespread power outages are also expected across multiple regions as the system barrels through the country.
LIVE UPDATES: CNN is tracking the storm’s potential impact in maps and charts that will update as the storm unfolds.
2️⃣ Ukraine talks
Negotiators from Ukraine, the US, and Russia are holding talks in the United Arab Emirates today, marking the first known meeting attended by all three countries since Moscow’s full-scale invasion in 2022. The talks come after President Donald Trump met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in Davos, Switzerland, on Thursday and said there’s still “a ways to go” toward ending Russia’s war. Separately, Russian President Vladimir Putin met with a US delegation and said afterward that a “long-term settlement” would not be reached without first resolving territorial issues, according to a Kremlin official.
3️⃣ Immigration crackdown
A five-year-old has become one of the latest children caught up in the Trump administration’s mass deportation campaign after he was taken from the driveway of his Minneapolis-area home by federal agents. The boy, Liam Conejo Ramos, is now being held with his father at an immigration facility in Texas. The family’s attorney says they came to the US from Ecuador legally and presented themselves to border officers in 2024 to apply for asylum. Ramos is one of four students in the Minneapolis-area Columbia Heights school district who have been taken into ICE custody in recent weeks.
4️⃣ Maduro operation
A new CNN analysis shows extraordinary risks were taken to seize Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro on January 3. Experts say there was a critical two-minute window in which US forces were especially vulnerable while landing at and lifting off directly from Maduro’s heavily fortified compound. During that period, the aircraft were moving slowly at low altitude, making them easy targets for even relatively simple weapons. Video footage shows US attack helicopters providing overhead cover and fighting Venezuelan air defenses as US transport helicopters extracted Maduro. Venezuelan authorities claim at least 100 people were killed in the overall operation. The Trump administration says no American lives were lost.
5️⃣ TikTok deal
The deal to secure TikTok’s future has been finalized after a yearslong effort to address concerns that the platform posed a national security risk. The agreement is welcome news for TikTok’s more than 200 million American users, many of whom rely on the app for entertainment, news and, in some cases, their jobs. Under the deal, control of TikTok’s US user data and most of its US operations is being transferred to a new joint venture, half of which will be owned by a consortium of investors including tech company Oracle, private equity firm Silver Lake and Emirati-backed investment firm MGX.
Breakfast browse
Video: This sport lets anyone try out for the Olympic team
No experience is required to try out for this US Olympic team — just show up and take your shot.
What are ‘exploding trees’?
As winter’s wrath sweeps through the US, some meteorologists are warning on social media that “exploding trees” are possible.
A booming breakthrough
Sonic booms could be a new way to track falling space junk.
Phil Collins’ health struggles
British rock star Phil Collins has opened up about his recent health challenges, revealing that he has 24-hour live-in nurse care.
Translation professionals are losing their jobs to AI
AI tools have reduced the amount of work available to human translators and interpreters, and depressed their earnings.
Quiz time
What did second lady Usha Vance announce this week?
A. She’s publishing a memoir
B. She’s expecting a baby
C. She’s starting a podcast
D. She’s running for office
Weather
🌤️ Check your local forecast to see what you can expect.
And finally…
▶️ Olympic flame reaches Venice ahead of 2026 Winter Games
The Olympic torch lit up Venice on its route to the 2026 Winter Games in Italy. See the video here.
The-CNN-Wire
™ & © 2026 Cable News Network, Inc., a Warner Bros. Discovery Company. All rights reserved.
Today’s edition of 5 Things AM was edited and produced by CNN’s Andrew Torgan.
