Start your week smart: Rafah evacuation, S&P 500, Hungarian president, foreign aid package, King Charles

By CNN Newsource

Published February 11, 2024 6:58 AM

By Andrew Torgan and Daniel Wine, CNN

(CNN) — When it comes to the Super Bowl, what do you like the most? The game itself? The halftime show? Or is it the commercials? Super Bowl ads are notoriously expensive — upward of $7 million per 30-second spot. And if you find that number shocking, the amount of money that some celebrities get paid to appear in those ads will blow your mind.

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

The weekend that was

• Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu directed the country’s military to plan for the “evacuation of the population” from Rafah, ahead of an anticipated ground assault on the southern Gaza city. The United Nations is “extremely worried’ about Netanyahu’s plan. More than 1.3 million people are believed to be in Rafah. Follow live updates
• The S&P 500 closed above 5,000 for the first time as bullish sentiment spreads across Wall Street and investors cheered fresh data showing progress on inflation. The landmark moment comes during a period of strong economic growth and anticipation of a pivot from the Federal Reserve to start cutting rates.
• Hungarian President Katalin Novak announced that she is resigning from office following mounting public criticism over her decision to pardon a man implicated in a child sexual abuse case. Thousands of protesters took to the streets of Budapest, calling for Novak to step down.
• The Senate is working through the weekend on a $95.3 billion foreign aid bill with assistance for Ukraine and Israel, but it may still be days until a final vote as GOP Sen. Rand Paul continues to slow the process.
• King Charles III made his first public outing since his cancer diagnosis, attending church alongside Queen Camilla. Charles, 75, has been diagnosed with an undisclosed form of cancer and will step back from public-facing duties while he undergoes treatment.

The week ahead

Monday
A federal appeals court last week said that former President Donald Trump is not immune from prosecution for alleged crimes he committed during his presidency, flatly rejecting Trump’s arguments that he shouldn’t have to go on trial on federal election-subversion charges. The court gave Trump until February 12 to file an emergency stay request with the Supreme Court, which would stop the clock while his attorneys craft a more substantive appeal on the merits. If he is successful with that, the criminal trial will not resume until after the high court decides what to do with his request for a pause.

Tuesday
Voters in New York’s 3rd Congressional District on the north shore of Long Island will go to the polls in a special election to select a replacement for disgraced former Rep. George Santos. Democrats, who are eager to flip the seat, selected Tom Suozzi — a former congressman from the area with decades of political experience. He is running against Mazi Melesa Pilip — a little-known Republican who is new to the national scene.

Following last year’s mass shooting at Michigan State University and the Oxford High School shooting that occurred in 2021, new gun safety laws will go into effect in Michigan on Tuesday — including a law that says all firearms in homes with minors must be securely stored with a gun lock or in a safe.

Wednesday
Happy Valentine’s Day! Tired of buying overpriced roses? Here are some other floral options that give you more bang for your buck.

It’s also Ash Wednesday, the first day of Lent.

Thursday
Embattled Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis and lead prosecutor Nathan Wade have been subpoenaed to testify at a hearing involving motions to disqualify them from the Georgia election interference case over their alleged affair. Willis has faced immense public scrutiny since allegations first surfaced that she has benefited financially from a romantic relationship with Wade. But despite calls by some legal experts to recuse herself from the case to protect its integrity, she is not expected to do so, sources inside the DA’s office told CNN.

One Thing: The sound of ‘loud budgeting’
In this week’s One Thing podcast, CNN’s Vanessa Yurkevich examines the affordability crisis facing many young Americans — and why some are turning to TikTok for advice. Listen here.

Photos of the week

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

What’s happening in sports

Regular readers of 5 Things Sunday will notice that we have moved our sports section above entertainment this week for one reason: It’s Super Bowl Sunday! Then again, the big game could easily be categorized as entertainment as well as sports … and business and pop culture for that matter. So yes, the Kansas City Chiefs square off against the San Francisco 49ers today at 6:30 p.m. ET. Here’s what you need to know about the big game. And for those who are only watching for Taylor Swift cutaways, we’ve got you covered.

The NFL season may be about to end but basketball season is at the halfway mark, which means Friday is the start of NBA All-Star Weekend. While the game next Sunday will be the centerpiece, there’s plenty for fans to watch beginning Friday, including the first NBA vs. WNBA three-point shooting contest between Golden State Warriors star Steph Curry and New York Liberty guard Sabrina Ionescu.

For more of your favorite sports, head on over to CNN Sports as well as Bleacher Report, which — like CNN — is owned by Warner Bros. Discovery.

What’s happening in entertainment

TV and streaming
CBS is hoping football fans will stick around tonight after the Super Bowl to watch the series premiere of “Tracker,” which is (surprise!) about a guy who makes a living tracking down people who go missing.

Monday is a big day for fans of Comedy Central’s “The Daily Show.” After leaving the anchor desk in 2015, Jon Stewart is returning that night to host the show each week on Mondays. He will also executive produce the show and work with a rotating lineup of comedians who will helm the program the rest of the week, Tuesdays through Thursdays.

In theaters

In a nod to Valentine’s Day, “Bob Marley: One Love” opens on Wednesday. The biopic about the Reggae icon stars Kingsley Ben-Adir as Marley and Lashana Lynch as his wife, Rita.

“Madame Web” stars Dakota Johnson as Clarissa Webb, a paramedic who can see the future. Sydney Sweeney, Adam Scott, Isabelle Merced, Celeste O’Connor and Tahar Rahim are along for this Spider-Man adjacent ride, which also hits theaters on Wednesday.

Quiz time!

Looking for a challenge to start your week? Take CNN’s news quiz to see how much you remember from the week that was! So far, 35% of fellow quiz fans have gotten eight or more questions right. How will you fare?

Play me off …

‘One Love / People Get Ready”
Kick off your Sunday with this Reggae classic from Bob Marley & the Wailers. (Click here to view)

Article Topic Follows: CNN - National

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