Start your week smart: Unidentified objects, Earthquake, Iran, Cyclone, Ukraine

By CNN

Published February 12, 2023 7:11 AM

By Andrew Torgan, CNN

It’s Super Bowl Sunday, and it’s shaping up to be a day of firsts: the first Super Bowl to feature two Black starting quarterbacks, the first mother to have two sons play against each other in the Super Bowl, and the first pregame flyover to be performed by an all-women crew. Here’s what else you need to know to Start Your Week Smart.

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

The weekend that was

• An unidentified object was shot down over northern Canada on Saturday, marking the third time in a week that US fighter jets have taken down objects in North American airspace.

• More than 28,000 people have been killed and tens of thousands injured after a magnitude 7.8 earthquake struck Turkey and Syria.

• Anti-government hackers briefly interrupted a televised speech by Iran’s President Ebrahim Raisi as the Islamic Republic marked the 44th anniversary of the Iranian revolution on Saturday.

• Schools across Auckland, New Zealand, will close Monday as the island nation’s largest city braces for the arrival of Cyclone Gabrielle, CNN affiliate Radio New Zealand reported Sunday.

• At least one person was injured after a Russian missile strike on the Ukrainian region of Kharkiv late Saturday.

The week ahead

Tuesday

NATO defense ministers are scheduled to begin a two-day meeting in Brussels amid the backdrop of the devastating earthquake that struck Turkey and Syria and the ongoing war in Ukraine. Ministers of defense from NATO invitees Finland and Sweden, as well as Ukraine’s defense minister, will be in attendance.

We’ll also get a key reading of inflation with the announcement of the Consumer Price Index for January. In December, consumer prices increased by 0.1%, according to a revision from the Bureau of Labor Statistics released on Friday. The original estimate showed a decline of 0.1%.

And speaking of inflation … February 14 is Valentine’s Day, aka the day that a $20 bouquet of roses goes for $100 and swanky dinner reservations are harder to get than Taylor Swift tickets. (Quick tip: If you plan on popping the question, consider having dinner at the nearest Cracker Barrel.)

Wednesday

Former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley is expected to announce in Charleston that she’s running for president, according to a person familiar with her plans. Haley would be the second big-name Republican to jump into the 2024 presidential race, with former President Donald Trump launching his bid last fall.

And one of President Joe Biden’s top cybersecurity advisers, National Cyber Director Chris Inglis, will retire as the Biden administration continues to face a host of foreign hacking threats and officials urge, and sometimes compel, US companies to tighten their defenses.

Friday

The Rio Carnival, the world’s biggest Carnival held annually in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, returns to the streets after a two-year pandemic hiatus. About 80,000 tourists are expected to join in the festivities.

One Thing: Journey to the quake zone

CNN International anchor Becky Anderson joins this week’s “One Thing” podcast to discuss her trip to southern Turkey to cover last week’s devastating earthquake on board a humanitarian aid flight. We look at the dire conditions survivors are now facing and examine why geopolitics make relief efforts more complicated across the border in Syria. Listen here for more.

Photos of the week

Check out more images from the week that was, curated by CNN Photos.

What’s happening in entertainment

In theaters

Paul Rudd is back for another turn as the small, regular and supersized superhero Ant-Man, along with Evangeline Lilly as his partner, the Wasp. “Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania,” the 31st entry in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, arrives in theaters on Friday. Be sure to look for a familiar yet unexpected face in the trailer.

What’s happening in sports

Super Bowl LVII

Some people watch just for the commercials. Others only care about the Halftime Show. And a few apparently tune in to watch the game. Whichever category you fall into, pregame coverage begins hours before the actual kickoff tonight at 6:30 p.m. ET.

Puppy Bowl XIX

The 19th annual Puppy Bowl will air simultaneously on Animal Planet, Discovery Channel, and TBS, as well as stream on discovery+ and HBO Max today at 2 p.m. ET. This year’s matchup features more than 100 puppies from 67 shelters and rescue groups divided into Team Ruff and Team Fluff — all vying to take home the coveted “Lombarky” Trophy. The real point, of course, is to get every player on the field adopted into forever homes while promoting shelter and foster pet awareness. And for that, the Puppy Bowl sports a perfect 19-0 record. (CNN, Animal Planet, Discovery Channel, TBS, discovery+ and HBO Max are all owned by the same parent company, Warner Bros. Discovery.)

Phoenix Open

Arizona is the place to be this weekend for sports fans. The WM Phoenix Open — hands down the rowdiest golf tournament on the PGA Tour — wraps up later today. Scottie Scheffler, the defending champion, begins the day with a two-shot lead at 13 under par. The tournament is being played about a 30-mile drive from State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona, the site of Super Bowl LVII. So, theoretically, you could watch the final putt drop on 18 and still make it in time for kickoff!

Quiz time!

Looking for a challenge? Take CNN’s weekly news quiz here to see how much you remember from the week that was! So far, 53% of fellow quiz fans have gotten eight or more questions right. How will you fare?

Play me off

‘Addicted to Love’

You’re gonna have to face it … Valentine’s Day is right around the corner. Let’s set the proper mood with Robert Palmer and one of the most iconic music videos of the ’80s. (Click here to view)

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