5 things to know for Jan. 22: Winter whiteout, Immigration crackdown, Tariffs, California wildfires, Netflix | National & World [Video]

(CNN) — The White House has ordered all federal employees in diversity, equity and inclusion roles to be placed on leave “effective immediately.” Some major companies have taken similar measures as they face pressure from conservative critics and customers to roll back their DEI programs.

Here’s what else you need to know to Get Up to Speed and On with Your Day.

1. Winter whiteout

A historic amount of snow is burying parts of the US Gulf Coast after the region was struck on Tuesday by a once-in-a-generation winter storm. At least nine people are believed to have died due to the dangerous conditions gripping the South, officials said. States of emergency are active in Louisiana, Georgia, Alabama, Florida and Mississippi. Many schools and airports across Southern states are closed as travel has become difficult to impossiblein some areas. More than 25 million people are under winter weather alerts from Florida to Virginia today — all while much of the …