First up: We’ve got the latest on how hospitals are coping with Omicron cases amid a staffing shortage, rising inflation (again), the latest scandal to hit top US universities, and Prince Andrew getting thrown some royal shade. 

Then: The US and Russia are squaring off again – and these talks are giving people some major Cold War vibes. We’ll ask one expert why things are so tense right now, and why Putin’s got Team Biden running in circles. 

ICYMI: Djokovic might be warming up for the Australian open, but immigration officials still haven’t decided if he should even be in the country. We’ll bring you up to date on the twists and turns of Djokovic’s Australian visa drama.

Next: The debate over the filibuster is back and if you forgot exactly what the filibuster even is…you’re not alone. We’ll run through a quick definition, and break down both sides of the spicy debate over changing it. 

Finally: At theSkimm, we do New Year’s resolutions a little differently. Today, we’ll fill you in on one of the ways we’re getting smarter this year: making sure our paycheck deductions are going to the best health insurance and retirement options.

P.S. Here’s what all those acronyms for different kinds of retirement plans actually mean.

On this episode, you’ll hear from: 

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Skimm'd by Alex Carr and Ciara Long. Additional help from Sagine Corrielus. Engineered by Andrew Callaway. TheSkimm’s head of audio is Graelyn Brashear.

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