| Good morning. It's Monday, Jan. 24, and tonight we're watching "The Gilded Age" on HBO. (Spoiler alert: Our critic isn't a fan.) But first, let's get to the news. |
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 | Coronavirus cases in the U.S. are "going in the right direction." | - Anthony Fauci, the nation's top infectious-disease expert, said yesterday that "things are looking good," though he's still cautious.
- Where things stand: Infections are down 14% in the past week, although they're still rising in the South and West. Hospitalizations also have started to fall, though not by much.
- New rule: Any international visitor entering the U.S. by land or sea needs to be vaccinated, the same policy that applies for air travel.
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 | Tensions over Russia and Ukraine continue to escalate. | - The U.S. is weighing whether to send troops to Eastern Europe, and the State Department ordered diplomats' families to leave its embassy in Ukraine.
- The U.K. accused Moscow on Saturday of organizing a plan to install a pro-Russia government in Ukraine.
- How we got here: Russia has been sending troops near Ukraine's border and could be about to invade. Talks last week to resolve the crisis went nowhere.
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 | Your pay raise probably isn't keeping up with rising prices. | - The numbers: Hourly wages rose 4.7% last year, but overall pay fell 2.4% for all workers, when adjusted for inflation.
- What that means: Many people in the U.S. are still struggling to cover basic expenses, even though they made more money last year.
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 | The Jan. 6 committee talked to Donald Trump's former attorney general. | - Who? William Barr had been the president's ally, but stepped down in December 2020 after disputing Trump's false claims of election fraud.
- What this means: It's more proof that several Trump officials are cooperating with, rather than fighting, the House panel investigating the attack on the Capitol.
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 | You can start filing your taxes today. | - What to expect: The IRS warned that there could be delays getting refunds or help. The deadline is April 18.
- Some tips: File online if you can — it's the fastest way to get a refund. And you shouldn't wait to file your 2021 taxes, even if your 2020 return still hasn't been processed.
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 | The NFL playoffs are down to the final four teams. | - Last night: The Kansas City Chiefs beat the Buffalo Bills, 42-36, and the Los Angeles Rams beat the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, last year's Super Bowl champion, 30-27.
- Key moment: After a wild fourth quarter, Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes threw a touchdown in overtime, ending one of the best weekends in NFL history.
- What's next: On Sunday, the Cincinnati Bengals play the Chiefs, and the San Francisco 49ers face the Rams. The winners meet in the Super Bowl on Feb. 13.
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 | NASA's new space telescope will reach its final destination today. | - What is it? A $10 billion replacement for the Hubble that launched on Christmas. The James Webb Space Telescope is so sensitive it can study the oldest light of the universe.
- Where is it going? Nearly 1 million miles from Earth, where it will orbit the sun while staying in line with our planet using an area of space called a Lagrange point.
You're all caught up. See you tomorrow. But before you go … need some lunch inspiration this workweek? Try these seven simple, satisfying recipes.  (Jordan Robertson for The Post) | Do you know someone who would like this newsletter? Share it with them. Prefer push notifications? Download The Post's app to get one when The 7 publishes. |
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