good good morning, america. near the breaking point. hospitals slammed with covid cases, patients taking up more than 80% of the beds as cases explode across the country. 40 new york state hospitals ordered to stop elective surgeries and l.a. county breaking a new record. fight to play. tennis star novak djokovic ready to find out today whether he'll be granted a visa to defend his australian open title as he sits in a detention center. how his attorneys will be handling the case. espn tennis analyst patrick mcenroe joins us live. crackdown in kazakhstan. authorities backed by russian-led forces apparently back in control. how the country's turmoil could affect tense talks this week between the u.s. and moscow. arctic blast.

freezing temperatures from virginia to vermont, the icy conditions with severe weather in texas deluged with 10 inches of rain. our weather team on the changing forecast. skiers hospitalized. >> i'm trying to call 911. >> the horrifying moment a pipe burst at a ski resort shooting a geyser of freezing water hitting helpless skiers. >> they literally fell down. the water was so high, it just sprayed them so fast and they literally fell on top of each other. >> multiple people now injured. what the resort is saying this morning. and big moments on the gridiron. the 86-yard scoop and score for the kansas city chiefs. and we're almost 24 hours away from the college football playoff national championship. >> we have to earn, you know, the outcome that we want. >> the last-minute preps and what the players are saying ahead of the big game. good morning, america.

it is good to be back, and we are really happy to have our good friend, james longman, from the london bureau joining us this weekend. >> that's fine. thank you very much. i'm excited for a weekend of sports. >> that's right. american football. >> american football. >> glued to the tv. >> lots of american football to watch. we have a lot of other things to talk about as well, across the country, hospitals are filling up with covid patients, the omicron wave sending caseloads sky high. according to the cdc, the current seven-day moving average of daily new cases is more than 660,000. and with that spike in cases comes a dramatic rise in hospitalizations among children. the rate of new admissions rocketing past the previous peak in the summer. >> and still under 70% of eligible americans have been fully vaccinated. the situation is especially concerning this morning in california where the governor is calling in the national guard to help. abc's zohreen shah is live in los angeles with the very latest. zohreen, good morning. >> reporter: hey, good morning, whit. in the last week we've seen a

72% jump in patients at hospitals here in california. that's according to "the l.a. times" and the situation is even more dire in other parts of the country where they are having to turn patients away. this morning, hospitals nearing their breaking point across the country, over 80% of staffed icu beds for adults now occupied. and cases exploding too, the u.s. reporting an average of over 614,000 cases daily, six times more than early last month. the number of covid positive patients spiking in southern california. almost 44,000 new covid cases reported on friday in just l.a. county breaking their record from the previous day. and pediatric hospitalizations are at their highest point in the pandemic. more than 5,000 children are currently in the hospital with confirmed or suspected cases of covid. the spike shuttering classrooms. in philadelphia, 46 schools shifting to virtual learning.

in l.a., schools there are passing out at-home covid tests. california governor gavin newsom activating the national guard to help expand testing. and officials still urging people to get vaccinated, but 26-year-old wynter ho wasn't. she landed in the hospital for seven months finally released this weekend. >> i developed pneumonia really quickly, and then from there my lungs collapsed. i couldn't breathe. this pandemic has been terrible and really sad. i have seen people pass away, many, many times in the hospital. >> reporter: in wichita, kansas, doctors are feeling the strain and saying they're just waiting for beds to open up. >> you don't have ventilators if you don't have certain things. there are some things you just can't manage. it's a daily occurrence where we get multiple phone calls and we're unable to help. >> reporter: and 40 hospitals in new york state now ordered to stop elective surgeries because of low patient capacity. this as cdc director rochelle

walensky comes under fire for confusion over her agency changing isolation and quarantine guidelines. >> this is hard, and i am committed and, to continue to improve, as we learn more about the science and to communicate that with all of you. >> reporter: and here in california, the governor's office telling me he will propose $2.7 million in his budget tomorrow to expand testing and vaccinations. eva. >> zohreen shah for us, thank you. and joining us now is dr. alok patel, a specialist in hospital pediatrics at stanford children's health. dr. patel, thanks so much for being with us this morning. i want to talk about your own personal experience. you were recently exposed to the virus and you've come down with some symptoms. can you tell us about the whole process for you getting tested? >> well, good morning, eva, and thank you for starting with that question in case anyone out there is wondering why that doctor sounds so nasally. but basically i was not only exposed i also have allergies, and it's hard for the average person to tease out is

this covid or not and i'm not worried about myself because i'm fully vaccinated, but about my unvaccinated 8-month-old baby. i tested multiple days negative on a rapid antigen test, and wanted to confirm with a pcr. i had to go through my doctor, i had to wait in a line to get one and this reality is not a luxury everyone has. so what am i doing, i'm isolating and making sure i have a well-fitting mask with good filtration like my kn95. >> i think so many people would assume because you're a doctor, it wouldn't be hard for you to get a test. what should someone who is not a doctor do in this situation? >> i think the safest thing, eva, is people out there have to assume unfortunately that they possibly have omicron. take the necessary steps. if you can't get a test, see what you can do about trying to find a free one in your area. there are some free ones available in certain neighborhoods, and make absolute sure you have the highest protection of a mask. n95, kn95 or a surgical mask with a cloth mask over it. that's just the reality right now. >> i've heard so many people say

that they're exhausted of covid. do you have any sense of when we're likely to see the omicron peak actually happen? are we through the worst of it yet? >> well, the modeling suggests the peak in terms of case numbers would happen sometime around the middle to end of january but, eva, that's just case numbers. we still have lagging hospitalizations and all the indirect effects of the pandemic such as the mental health toll which is going to last a lot longer and there are still unknowns related from everything from such as other variants to long covid, so fingers crossed that this is the worst of it, and that we're going to see a brighter future after. >> i want to switch gears here. the governor of west virginia is asking the cdc and fda to allow his state to give a second booster to some at-risk groups. first, is this a good idea, and should we expect to see this in more states coming? >> well, i don't think it's a good idea to be talking about the potential for a fourth shot when we still have about 35% of eligible americans actually going to get their booster and we need to be focusing on getting the primary vaccine covered and getting everyone out there a booster right now. there's just no data to support that we're going to need a

fourth booster right now. the possibility is there in the future, but we have to work on what we know works, and that is getting people fully vaccinated. >> dr. patel, always good to chat with you. >> thank you. >> james. >> thanks, eva. moscow and the u.s. prepare for high-level meetings in an attempt to cool down the situation in ukraine. abc's maryalice parks is live at the white house with more. good morning, maryalice. >> reporter: james, good morning. a senior u.s. official told us yesterday that the u.s. is approaching these talks with a sense of realism, not optimism. president biden and president putin spoke twice last month and still national security officials say they do not know if putin intends to further invade ukraine or if he is hoping to use the threat of invasion, this large military buildup on ukraine's border, as a bargaining chip. now, the administration yesterday insisted that the unrest in kazakhstan is separate and russia's lead negotiator today said they won't talk about it.

but the reality is that in the last few days, moscow has again shown its willingness to move borders if it thinks it's in its interests. the administration yesterday did lay out specific items that they say they are willing to negotiate on like possibly limiting troop exercises in nato countries along russia's border if russia agrees to limits too. that's the key. now, of course, president biden has said that the u.s. will be ready to respond in a big way should russian troops move further into ukraine, and overnight, "the new york times" and the associated press reporting some details about what that could look like, cutting off russia's largest financial institutions and imposing an embargo on american made technology if needed. now, white house officials overnight notably did not deny any of those reports and told us that nothing was off the table. whit. >> maryalice, thanks. we do want to turn now to the crisis in kazakhstan. so far more than 150 people died in a week of anti-government protests in that country. russia is sending in more paratroopers to the country, and

the russian defense ministry sharing video of military aircraft, vehicles and personnel arriving at the airport. abc's lama hasan is in london with the latest. lama, good morning. >> reporter: yeah, good morning to you, whit. well, this morning, restoring order on the streets of kazakhstan's largest city, almaty, authorities backed by russian-led forces appear to be back in control. a violent crackdown left dozens dead. a curfew is now in effect, but you can see the evidence of that crackdown with burned out cars and wreckage lining the streets. now, the country's president did call the russian president vladimir putin to update him on the situation on the ground saying it is stabilizing but what he called, quote, hot spots of terrorism remain. he says this fight against what he says is terrorism will continue with the utmost determination. now, in other developments, there appears to be a potential power struggle. the country's former intelligence chief was arrested on suspicion of treason.

now, with the streets relatively calm, for the first time in days residents were able to line up for food, but most are still unable to access the internet, which has been mostly shut down since the protest began. now, these were, of course, the dramatic scenes that we saw last week, demonstrators out in force protesting against a hike in gas prices. those quickly exploded into anti-government demonstrations. now, the president is declaring tomorrow a national day of mourning as troops reassert control over the rest of the city. whit. >> still so much concern about the days ahead. lama, thank you. we do want to switch now to politics here at home and the battle over voting rights heating up following the one-year anniversary of the january 6th capitol riot, president biden and vice president harris are traveling to georgia on tuesday to speak about the need to pass stronger voting laws, but some activist groups say the president should skip the trip unless he comes with a concrete plan to pass legislation immediately. for more now let's bring in our abc news political director rick klein.

rick, good morning to you. it's always great to have you on a sunday. so let's start right there with the president, vice president heading to georgia on tuesday for that big push on voting rights, but with congress still in gridlock and biden under increasing pressure to act right away, what's at stake with this trip? >> whit, this is the central question facing the biden presidency right now. we heard on january 6th the way that president biden called out his predecessor and the big lie around the last election that he said fueled those riots at the capitol a year ago. now the question of what you do about it is a central one and we heard him allude to it at least briefly this past week but now traveling to georgia to lay out the case for voting rights reform at the federal level, so many states have passed new restrictions in the wake of january 6th, many of them were inspired by former president trump and his lies about the last election. the question of what you do about it, though, is a live one. we have seen no action in congress, and those civil rights groups that you referenced, those are biden/harris allies, they are groups that want them to succeed and they are saying, don't come unless you have a plan. >> yeah, the president getting

pressure from all sides. i do want to switch to the pandemic, though, and the problem of testing. americans growing increasingly frustrated, many waiting in line for hours. president biden promised and is getting closer to sending out those 500 million at-home rapid tests, but people need the help right now. what is the administration doing to address this urgent issue, and what has this done to biden politically? >> realistically we're still several weeks away. just in the last few days we've seen the administration begin to sign the contracts to procure these tests. that's nothing to say about distribution. they'll have to set up a website and set up rules about how often people can get them. of course, they're going to rely on the postal service which has had its own issues in addition to supply chain problems. there are so many obstacles, and this is a central promise of president biden. he came into office bemoaning the lack of testing, he called that a failure of the trump administration. right now tests so important to get people back to school, back to work, back to normal lives, and this is a major test of him being able to deliver on the promise of the federal

government being a helpful hand in covid. a major challenge that's facing this administration right now. >> we even heard from a doctor earlier having trouble getting a test. rick, thank you so much. we do appreciate it. be sure to watch "this week" later on this morning. george stephanopoulos goes one-on-one with secretary of state antony blinken as the u.s. prepares for talks with russia over tensions in ukraine and kazakhstan. plus, one year after the capitol riot, democrat jamie raskin of the january 6th committee and republican senator mike rounds discuss all of the fallout. that's still ahead. eva. well, some of america's most powerful leaders, two presidents among them, gathered in nevada to pay tribute to former senate majority leader harry reid. reid rose from childhood poverty to become one of the nation's most powerful elected officials in the 21st century serving in the senate for three decades. >> his story was unmistakably american. his remarkable journey has been told so many -- by so many because it has been traveled by so few.

>> few people have done more for this state and this country than this driven, brilliant, sometimes irascible, deeply good man from searchlight, nevada. >> he took great care of the senate as an institution. >> harry reid died on december 28th from complications of pancreatic cancer. he was 82. now to the skiers on a chair lift helpless to get out of the way. these are extraordinary pictures. a pipe burst unleashing a geyser of frozen water. >> trying to call 911. >> reporter: you're watching the horrifying moment a pipe burst at the beech mountain resort in avery county, north carolina, blasting skiers with freezing cold water in 7-degree weather. petrified onlookers looking from

the ground as the spraying water shoots high into the sky. >> we told everybody to go tell the operators to stop operating the lift. people are getting hurt. it's dangerous. >> reporter: she was one of the first people to witness the exploded water pipe getting there right as it ruptured, and she captured the terrifying scene in this video. >> they literally fell down. the water was so high, it just sprayed them so fast and they literally fell on top of each other and they had bruises on their faces. >> reporter: emma lopinto and her friend were injured after they jumped. emma emotionally recalling the incident with abc charlotte affiliate wsoc. >> i'm in quite a lot of pain, mainly on my left side of my body. i have bruises from head to toe. some big, some small just like all over my body. i don't want to put blame on anyone. i just want people to know it

was a more serious event than i feel like it's being said. >> reporter: beech mountain resort telling wsoc, the resort staff did not give the instruction to jump adding that as soon as we became aware the problem, we took action as quickly as possible to shut off the water and assist the remaining skiers in disembarking at the top of the lift. now the resort says they believe everyone is okay outside of this unfortunate situation and operations are back on schedule but, boy, that looked scary. >> very scary. >> incredible video. yeah, james, thanks for that. we do want to turn now and get a check of the weather. rob marciano is in norwalk, connecticut, with more this morning. rob, i understand you're watching some severe weather across the country. >> reporter: severe weather, slightly milder weather and winter weather, and, boy, i've never seen a ski lift mishap like that. i'm glad that everybody -- nobody got seriously hurt, but that is frightening stuff, and our heart goes out to the people that were affected and had to endure that. a little bit warmer today across the northeast where i stand.

about ten degrees warmer than it was yesterday, but we had some severe weather across parts of the south including texas around the houston area. two reported tornadoes, want to show you video of one of them. and there was some damage in and around the houston area. this on top of seven to ten inches of rainfall coming down in liberty and harris counties. there you see some of the damage to a hotel there. the severe weather is pushing off towards louisiana today. it could stretch all the way up towards places like south of washington, d.c. everywhere else a winter weather advisory in effect. some of that rain is going to be freezing to the surface at least to start this morning through the early afternoon before things begin to warm up. that's a check on what's happening nationally. here's a look at your local forecast. good sunday morning. i'm lisa argen waking up tong. clear sky here, but there is some fog in our inland valleys. it's cold. partly cloudy skies later on this afternoon and getting set for a drier and milder pattern as we get towards the middle of the week. but as for today upper 50s on the peninsula 59 palo alto look for 58 over in oakland 60 in

fremont 62 san jose increasing clouds tonight and our dry week ahead. all right, pretty good snowball weather. baby ella, did you get out there and maybe build a snowman yet? >> no, no. >> eva, have you done that? >> that's too much work for me to get her bundled up to take her outside. >> she's like a couple months old, rob. >> that would be child abuse. >> hey, rob -- >> never too early. >> i discovered something really interesting. did you know that you and james longman use the same hair paste? >> do we? >> i am very happy about that. >> i mean, look at that head of hair. >> all right. >> i'm honored. all right. i'm doing something right. >> that's amazing. >> little tidbits of information. >> news you can use. >> yes. well, now to the unfolding drama in space. 600,000 miles from earth nasa's new space telescope completing the final phase. of its unfurling process. abc's ike ejiochi has the latest.

>> reporter: this morning, james webb telescope has finally finished unfolding to its actual size, which is about half the size of a 737 airplane. nasa scientists are calling this mission so far a success. this morning, a colossal victory. >> we have a fully deployed jw observatory. >> nasa engineers celebrating what they're calling a fully deployed james webb telescope. just 12 days after its christmas day launch. now, a great sigh of relief after what engineers felt was the most difficult point of the telescope's deployment, unfolding this massive golden mirror, and after 25 years and $10 billion, it's almost ready to show us some never before seen sights. >> looking in the infrared, which has scientific value that allows you to look at the birthplace of planets and stars and allows you to look at the very early universe.

>> reporter: altogether the new telescope is about the size of a tennis court and three times stronger than the hubble telescope. it'll also be used to study black holes and even our own solar system. >> we will rewrite textbooks in the future. just like hubble did in its day once we get a better understanding of the universe. we're going to find things we never even imagined to think about. >> reporter: in time experts say the mission will potentially provide some life-changing information to us back here on earth. >> are we alone? maybe, maybe not. future missions following james webb will be identifying unique characteristics that make life as we understand it possible. >> reporter: now, this mission, it's not complete yet. the scientists say that the telescope still has to travel about another 1 million miles to its final destination, and they said that the observations will begin this summer. eva. >> there's something about space that's just so cool. >> yeah, a million miles. we'll get there eventually. >> thanks, ike. coming up, tennis champion novak djokovic just hours away

from learning whether he'll be allowed to play in the australian open. also, dramatic images of that deadly cliff collapse in brazil. what we know this morning about the toll. and we look ahead to tomorrow's college football national championship match-up between alabama's crimson tide and georgia's bulldogs. we'll be right back. >> "good morning america" sponsored by prudential. invest, insure, retire, plan with prudential. prudential. ♪ we all need a rock we can rely on. to be strong. to overcome anything. ♪ to be...unstoppable. that's why millions rely on the strength and financial guidance of prudential to achieve their dreams. who's your rock?

♪ we hit the bike trails every weekend who's your rock? shinges doesn't care. i grow all my own vegetables shingles doesn't care. we've still got the best moves you've ever seen good for you, but shingles doesn't care. because 1 in 3 people will get shingles, you need protection. but, no matter how healthy you feel, your immune system declines as you age increasing your risk for getting shingles. so, what can protect you? shingrix protects. you can protect yourself from shingles with a vaccine proven to be over 90% effective. shingrix is a vaccine used to prevent shingles in adults 50 years and older. shingrix does not protect everyone and is not for those with severe allergic reactions to its ingredients or to a previous dose. an increased risk of guillain-barré syndrome was observed after getting shingrix. fainting can also happen. the most common side effects are pain, redness, and swelling at the injection site, muscle pain, tiredness, headache, shivering, fever, and upset stomach. ask your pharmacist or doctor about shingrix. shingles doesn't care. but you should.

got our favorites, chicken mcnuggets... let me guess, a big mac? what's that? where's my mcnugget, dad? what mcnugget? i can literally see it! enjoy any two classics for 6 dollars like a big mac or ten piece chicken mcnuggets for a limited time at mcdonald's. it's my 4:05 the-show-must-go-on migraine medicine. it's ubrelvy. for anytime, anywhere migraine strikes, without worrying if it's too late, or where i am. one dose can quickly stop my migraine in its tracks within two hours. unlike older medicines, ubrelvy is a pill that directly blocks cgrp protein, believed to be a cause of migraine. do not take with strong cyp3a4 inhibitors. most common side effects were nausea and tiredness. ask about ubrelvy. the anytime, anywhere migraine medicine. [growling] [sfx: toaster ding] meet the 4-year-old who refused to wear pants this morning. why, andi? i'm a dinosaur. won't wear pants, will eat eggo waffles. get your wins where you can

when you l'eggo with eggo. why do dermatologists worldwide recommend la roche-posay? effective skincare like la roche-posay double repair face moisturizer get your wins where you can delivers double-action to help repair skin's barrier and provide 48-hour hydration for healthy-looking skin. laroche posay looking to get back in your type 2 diabetes zone? once-weekly ozempic® can help. ♪ oh, oh, oh, ozempic®! ♪ ♪ oh, oh, oh ♪ ozempic® is proven to lower a1c. most people who took ozempic® reached an a1c under 7 and maintained it. and you may lose weight. adults lost on average up to 12 pounds. in adults also with known heart disease, ozempic® lowers the risk of major cardiovascular events such as heart attack, stroke, or death. ozempic® helped me get back in my type 2 diabetes zone. ozempic® isn't for people with type 1 diabetes. don't share needles or pens, or reuse needles. don't take ozempic® if you or your family ever had medullary thyroid cancer, or have multiple endocrine neoplasia syndrome type 2, or if allergic to it.

stop ozempic® and get medical help right away if you get a lump or swelling in your neck, severe stomach pain, or an allergic reaction. serious side effects may include pancreatitis. tell your provider about vision problems or changes. taking ozempic® with a sulfonylurea or insulin may increase low blood sugar risk. side effects like nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea may lead to dehydration, which may worsen kidney problems. looking to get back in your type 2 diabetes zone? ask your health care provider today about once-weekly ozempic®. ♪ oh, oh, oh, ozempic®! ♪ you may pay as little as $25 for a 3-month prescription.

>> building a better bay area, moving forward, finding solutions. this is abc 7 news. >> good morning, everybody. unified schools will remain open for in person and distance learning this week. district officials had proposed a quarantine but in a letter sent to parents yesterday, officials said they couldn't offer the district wide

quarantine. only county health officials can declare a quarantine. according to the letter for families without wifi students can come to campus. let's get a check of the weather with meteorologist lisa argen. >> 43 degrees in santa cruz. gorgeous view. 69 in san jose. 40 in morgan hill. in san francisco you can see the fog has expanded in spots from the east bay to the north bay and it is cold. so sunny later with upper 50's to near 606789 liz: lisa, thank you. the news continues right now

- hi mommy! - hi honey! oh i missed you! you just want to video call the kids. ok. ♪ hush little baby...♪ ♪...don't say a word...♪ but if slow upload speeds turn your goodnight call into an accidental horror movie... can you hear me? shut it down. just remember. you're not a bad mom. you just need better internet. at&t fiber delivers faster upload speeds for more reliable video calls. get at&t fiber, plans starting at $35 a month for a year. limited availability in select areas. call 877.only.att.

welcome back to "gma" on this sunday morning. take a look at chiefs rookie linebacker nick bolton making it to the end zone with an 86-yard scoop and score, the longest in the nfl this season. the big saturday doubleheader on this final week of the season, saw the kansas city chiefs win over the denver broncos to take the afc's top spot, and the dallas cowboys roll past the philadelphia eagles with a 51-26 blow-out win. >> we knew we would get your football analysis. >> i'm happy i gave it. i'm such an expert. >> there's something about your voice saying it -- >> that makes it right. >> if you had a dollar for every time you said scoop and score, you'd have a dollar. >> okay. sounds a bit rude, though, doesn't it? we have some serious things to get to this morning. let's take a look at some of the other big headlines making news

this morning. happening right now, the search for survivors after a deadly cliff collapse in brazil. at least seven people were killed when a huge slab of rock fell off the cliff, and it actually landed on the boat filled with tourists. this morning, four victims remain in the hospital, and three others are still missing. officials saying heavy rains were a factor in that cliff collapse. also right now, alec baldwin taking to instagram to respond to allegations that he's not cooperating with the investigation into last fall's deadly shooting on the set of his movie "rust." baldwin telling his followers, any suggestion he's not helping is, quote, a lie and that he hasn't handed his cell phone to authorities because there is a procedure to follow. and the party is over for the golden globes this year. what has long been known as hollywood's party of the year will be a private affair tonight. the winners will be announced online and on social media. no live stream. no red carpet. the organization behind the awards has come under fire with allegations of corruption and a lack of diversity.

and we start this half hour with tennis champ novak djokovic and his vaccination status waiting for answers that could come just hours from now on whether the australian government will allow him to stay and defend his title in the australian open. abc's britt clennett joins us from hong kong with the latest. britt, good morning. >> reporter: good morning, whit. that's right. djokovic will soon learn whether he can stay in australia, but there are now questions over the time line of his covid infection. this morning, as tennis superstar novak djokovic is hours away from fighting his visa cancellation, anti-vaccine protesters and djokovic supporters gathering outside the australian prime minister's home in sydney cheering for the athlete's release. others throughout the country fel differently. >> i think if it's our rule, it's our rule. that's it. no jab no play. you have to tell the kids, there aren't different rules.

that's it. >> reporter: attorneys for djokovic will argue his visa be reinstated after the australian government denied him entry days after receiving a covid medical exemption to compete in the australian open. >> i will attempt to argue their case, and in this fraught political environment the government of the day has got to stand up and be accountable. the opposition will try to attack them, so it doesn't play well for mr. djokovic outside of the court, but in the court, it's likely that justice will prevail in the court. >> reporter: the grand slam champion confined to an immigration detention hotel normally reserved for asylum seekers until his court hearing later today. this as court documents indicate djokovic's covid-19 test results came back positive the same day he appeared in public maskless as evidenced by these tweeted photos. it is unclear whether the tennis player knew of his covid status

at the time. serbia's prime minister voicing full support of djokovic and says they managed to get him gluten-free meals and equipment. [ speaking foreign language ] if he wins the appeal, djokovic will be able to play in the grand slam tournament facing alongside other tennis greats, many of whom have spoken out against the serbian player. >> if i think if it was me that wasn't vaccinated, i wouldn't be getting an exemption. >> reporter: djokovic could miss more australian opens if he loses this fight to stay. he could be banned from entering the country for the next three years, james. >> thanks, britt. yeah, this is such an extraordinary story. let's get into it now with tennis analyst patrick mcenroe from espn. welcome, patrick. >> thank you. good morning. >> the ruling on whether novak djokovic can be allowed into australia is expected sometime today before evening here. how do you think that's going to go? >> well, actually i haven't gone through the documents myself and what his lawyers have put together.

i think he's actually got an excellent chance to win the appeal because he did exactly what was asked of him as far as getting the visa, applying for the exemption. he followed all the rules that were put in front of him. now, it seems that the rules changed somewhat as he was on his way aia. of course, this produced a political firestorm from the public in australia, and then the federal government got involved, and they do have the ability, the federal government, once you get to the border in australia and they analyze your visa, they can overturn it, but it sounds to me like maybe they went a bridge too far because djokovic certainly followed all the rules that he was supposed to have followed, and it does state pretty clearly that you can get into the country unvaccinated. that, of course, is the big question. are you allowed in if you're vaccinated or not into australia, but it seems pretty clear to me in reading his legal arguments that he certainly believed that he would be led into the country unvaccinated

because he had tested positive for covid in the last month. >> now, i understand you've spoken to some of the tennis players who are there getting ready for the australian open. where do their sympathies lie, do you think? >> well, as you heard from one of them right there and others, when this initial news broke, i think most players were rolling their eyes a little bit with, okay, he's novak djokovic. he's number one in the world. he's trying to break the record. he's trying to win his tenth australian open. of course, he's going to get a little special treatment. that's not unusual in the tennis world for the top stars, but i think as this has unfolded and as djokovic has become clear the way he was treated, not treated that well at the border by the border agents apparently, his phone was taken away, he wasn't allowed to contact his lawyers or tennis australia, which runs the event and acts as a go between between the players and local government, i think it's the tide is starting to turn. i think you're seeing players feel, you know, novak is

standing up for his rights. he's standing up for us. look, many players don't agree with his decision to not get vaccinated. this is going to continue, i believe, for novak down the road as other countries start to put these more strict protocols in place just to be allowed to enter the country. >> well, thanks so much for joining us, patrick. eva. all right, let's get a check of our weather and go back out to our favorite weatherman, meteorologist rob marciano. it's cold out there. >> that's the spirit. it is. you know, this time of year after christmas, i think about the australian open and it kind of warms you up in the southern hemisphere. the pga tour is in hawaii. turn on those events if you want to warm up or just embrace the cold. they're embracing it in virginia. boy, they got hit hard this week with not one but two snowstorms. here's drone video out of virginia which got between 5 and 6 inches of it. pretty sure but driving around is not fun. all right, the bitter cold

across parts of the midwest has the kankakee river frozen up there. a bit of an ice jam in wilmington, illinois, and that's not going to melt quickly. we're going to see a bit of a warm-up briefly. but that arctic air, the next batch will be coming down the pipe. wind chills, minus 22 in minneapolis, it feels like minus 8 in des moines and a chunk of that is going to be drifting towards the northeast after we get rid of this mild get rid of this mild air. tallahassee, mid-70s. want to warm up? head down there and keep the winter coat handy across the northeast. that's a check of what's happening nationally. time now for a look good sunday. san francisco looking at mainly. clear conditions, but we do have some inland fog temperatures are cold into the 30s and 40s to start out later on today partly cloudy upper 50s to near 60. this wea this weather report is sponsored by weathertech. sun coming up here in coastal new england. i like that white steeple church back there on a sunday morning for you kids. enjoy.

>> love that. >> it's hard to see with all the white snow in the background as well. >> and new england, it helps james feel at home just a little bit. >> right, and i have lobsters on my tie from new england. >> new england vibes. if you can't be in england, the new england vibes make you feel at home here. all right, rob, thank you so much. coming up here on "good morning america," what the star players are saying heading into the college football playoff national championship. and the new portraits revealed for kate middleton's big birthday. that's ahead in "pop news." that's in "pop news."

♪ ♪ when you shop at target, you leave with what you value most. like healthy foods and brands that lift our communities. at target, the things that matter are always within reach. what we value most, shouldn't cost more. [ music ends ] (swords clashing) -had enough? -no... arthritis. here. aspercreme arthritis. full prescription-strength? reduces inflammation? thank the gods. don't thank them too soon. kick pain in the aspercreme. wet dishes? residue? spots? it's not your dishwasher's fault. simply add finish jetdry 3in1 to rinse, dry and shine your dishes. solve 3 problems at once with finish jetdry 3in1.

why hide your skin if dupixent has your moderate to severe eczema or atopic dermatitis under control? hide my skin? not me. by hitting eczema where it counts, dupixent helps heal your skin from within keeping you one step ahead of eczema. hide my skin? not me. and that means long-lasting clearer skin... and fast itch relief for adults. with dupixent, you can show more skin with less eczema. hide my skin? not me. don't use if you're allergic to dupixent. serious allergic reactions can occur, including anaphylaxis, which is severe. tell your doctor about new or worsening eye problems, such as eye pain or vision changes, or a parasitic infection. if you take asthma medicines, don't change or stop them without talking to your doctor. when you help heal your skin from within you can change how your skin looks and feels. and that's the kind of change you notice. talk to your eczema specialist about dupixent, a breakthrough eczema treatment.

(swords clashing) talk to y-had enough?pecialist -no... arthritis. here. aspercreme arthritis. full prescription-strength? reduces inflammation? thank the gods. don't thank them too soon. kick pain in the aspercreme.

i'm 53, but in my mind i'm still 35. that's why i take oste bi-flex to keep me moving the way i was made to, it nourishes and strengthens my joints for the long term. osteo bi-flex, plus vitamin d for immune support. back now on "gma" and th back now on "gma" and the epic rivalry between the alabama crimson tide and the georgia bulldogs. the two teams going head-to-head in the college football playoff national championship. abc's zachary kiesch looks at the buildup for the big game. >> young is going to take off running. bryce young, touchdown, alabama. >> reporter: there are two programs with a rich tradition of winning, but only one can be crowned the champ. this morning, alabama and georgia are making last-minute preps for the college football national championship game. the teams are no strangers. while alabama has dominated the match-up against georgia over the years, bulldogs head coach kirby smart was a major contributor to some of those crimson tide championships as defensive coordinator on nick

saban's staff. on his own, smart, the student, has come up short against his old teacher. a year ago alabama crushed the bulldogs. >> battle is in for the tide. >> can't really run away from the truth. that's what it is. that's our record. but, you know, trying to make it an emotional thing, we're going out and play with emotions, we want to be calm and collected. >> reporter: this year alabama's bryce young is fresh off a heisman victory. >> it's going to be a new game, and we have to earn, you know, the outcome we want. >> reporter: georgia's quarterback stetson bennett has a story of his own. once a walk-on, he's led the dogs to one of their best seasons ever, the one blemish on his record was a loss to alabama just weeks ago. >> to have the opportunity to be the starting quarterback here, first of all, i'm lucky and you come here to georgia because we want these type games. >> reporter: to get here, both teams dominated the competition, and now the stage is set for a rematch.

>> we're playing against the best in the country this week, so, you know, it's exciting and i think we're all ready for it. >> reporter: the one knock against georgia has been their lack of close games this season, but their goals have been clearly defined from the beginning. head coach kirby smart declining that traditional gatorade bath after their semifinal win against michigan in the orange bowl saying, it means nothing if we don't get the job done. eva. >> it's going to be a fun ball game to watch whichever way it goes. thanks, zachary. and you can catch the georgia versus alabama game tomorrow at 8:00 p.m. on espn. and we'll be right back with "pop news." ♪ and we'll be right back with "pop news." . now, there's skyrizi. 3 out of 4 people achieved 90% clearer skin at 4 months, after just 2 doses. skyrizi may increase your risk of infections and lower your ability to fight them. before treatment, your doctor should check you for infections and tuberculosis. tell your doctor if you have an infection or symptoms such as fever, sweats, chills, muscle aches, or coughs or if you plan to or recently received a vaccine.

♪nothing is everything♪ talk to your dermatologist about skyrizi. learn how abbvie could help you save. my two favorites. talk to your dermatologist about skyrizi. looks like you already chose your favorite. knife. two favorites. i'm gonna take this now. enjoy any two classics for 6 dollars like the quarter pounder with cheese and 10 piece mcnuggets for a limited time at mcdonald's. nicorette knows, quitting smoking is freaking hard. you get advice like: try hypnosis... or... quit cold turkey. kidding me?! instead, start small. with nicorette. which can lead to something big. start stopping with nicorette all the serums out there. this is the #1 in the world. revitalift hyaluronic acid serum from l'oréal. it seriously hydrates to visibly

replump skin and reduces wrinkles revitalift hyaluronic acid serum from l'oréal paris. downtherecare with cottonelle. downthere- cause you're all over your overall wellness. so treat the skin you don't see, like the skin you do with cottonelle flushable wipes: that break down like toilet paper and leave you feeling... ahhhhhhhh mazing care downtherecare with cottonelle. (swords clashing) care -had enough? -no... arthritis. here. aspercreme arthritis. full prescription-strength? reduces inflammation? thank the gods. don't thank them too soon. kick pain in the aspercreme.

your doctor gives you a prescription. “let's get you on some antibiotics right away.” we could bring it right to your door. with 1 to 2 day delivery from your local cvs. or same day if you need it sooner. but aren't you glad you can also just swing by to pick it up, and get your questions answered? because peace of mind is something you just can't get in a cardboard box. that's how healthier happens together with cvs. ♪ all right, on sundays it's

the moment we've all been waiting for, right, janai "shotgun" norman is here with "pop news." >> oh. >> he never told you that. >> her nickname. >> oh, whitney, darn it, all right, it's time for "pop news," no shotguns or anything. we start by saying happy birthday to kate middleton. this one is for you, james. the duchess of cambridge turning the big 4-0, and kensington palace just released some gorgeous new portraits of her royal highness. they were taken in november and will enter the permanent collection at the uk's national portrait gallery. kate said to be celebrating the day quietly with family. we last saw her when she appeared in a clip with musician tom walker at a christmas event where she impressed many people with her piano skills, and, james, i remember you telling us about it. you said everybody was going crazy about it. we are very impressed with her. now, more music. the weeknd's long-awaited album is here. the canadian superstar releasing "dawn fm" along with a video to the song "sacrifice."

check it out. ♪ sacrifice for your love ♪ >> the weeknd also hosted a livestream event ahead of the release, amazon music that showed him looking decades older than usual. just like on his album cover. the album features jim carrey as a deejay and also includes contributions from the legendary quincy jones and tyler the creator. and sticking with music, finally adele is ready to release a new music video, but she's being kind of coy about it, giving us a brief look and surprise teaser for "oh my god." look at this. ♪ oh, oh ♪ i said brief, right? very brief. that is dropping on wednesday, january 12th, at 12:00 p.m. adele also posting this message, rested and reset feeling ready for 2022. there's so much coming. i'm excited for you all to see it. the "easy on me" singer's album "30" was the biggest selling

album of last year. she's always a hitmaker so we are looking forward to anything she gives us. >> yeah, and she's currently looking quite fierce. >> yes. >> i love adele. she's just amazing. i love how many brits you have, adele. >> all for you. >> trying to make you feel at home. >> tailored for our guest today. >> we should have brought the tea and crumpets. is that your thing? >> i love the idea of like her celebrating quietly. i imagine she's not like chugging beer, right? we'll be right back. we'll be right back. >> or shotgunning for that matter. who's on it with jardiance? we're 25 million prescriptions strong. we're managing type 2 diabetes... ...and heart risk. we're working up a sweat before coffee. and saying, “no thanks...” ...to a boston cream. jardiance is a once-daily pill that can reduce the risk of cardiovascular death for adults who also have known heart disease. so, it could help save your life from a heart attack or stroke. and jardiance lowers a1c. jardiance can cause serious side effects including... ...dehydration, genital yeast or urinary tract infections,

and sudden kidney problems. ketoacidosis is a serious side effect that may be fatal. a rare, but life-threatening bacterial infection in the skin of the perineum could occur. stop taking jardiance and call your doctor right away... ...if you have symptoms of this bacterial infection, ...ketoacidosis, or an allergic reaction, ...and don't take it if you're on dialysis. taking jardiance with a sulfonylurea or insulin may cause low blood sugar. lower a1c and lower risk of a fatal heart attack? we're on it. we're on it. with jardiance. ask your doctor about jardiance. for people who could use a lift new neutrogena® rapid firming. a triple-lift serum with pure collagen. 92% saw visibly firmer skin in just 4 weeks. neutrogena® for people with skin. morningstar farms. neutrogena® ♪ [lively music] ♪ made from plants. ♪ [angelic chorus] ♪ ♪ [lively music] ♪ tastes like chicken. bet you didn't see that one coming! morningstar farms.

america's favorites, made from plants. nurse mariyam sabo knows a moment this pure... ...demands a lotion this pure. new gold bond pure moisture lotion. 24-hour hydration. no parabens, dyes, or fragrances. gold bond. champion your skin. it's time for our lowest prices of the season on the sleep number 360® smart bed. what if i sleep hot? or cold? no problem, the sleep number 360® smart bed is temperature balancing so you both sleep just right. and it senses your movements and automatically adjusts to keep you both effortlessly comfortable. so, you can really promise better sleep? yes! you'll know exactly how well you slept, night after night. we take care of the science. all you have to do is sleep. and now, save $200 on the sleep number 360® c2 smart bed, queen now only $899. plus, 0% interest for 36 months and free premium delivery when you add a base. ends monday.

"good morning america" is sponsored by sleep number. proven quality sleep is life-changing sleep. before we say good-bye, just want to say thanks to james longman for traveling all the way across the pond and giving us a little crumpet english muffin explainer this morning. >> yeah, i don't think i succeeded. you still don't understand the difference. >> stay tuned for "this week." d difference. >> stay tuned for "this week." .

welcome back to "gma."

new year, new start. and now comcast business is making it easy to get going with the ready. set. save. sale. get started with fast and reliable internet and voice for $64.99 a month with a 2-year price guarantee. it's easy... with flexible installation and backing from an expert team, 24/7. and for even more value, ask how to get up to a $500 prepaid card. get a great deal for your business with the ready. set. save. sale today. comcast business. powering possibilities.

>> announcer: "this week" with george stephanopoulos starts right now. covid conundrum. is it time to embrace a new pandemic strategy? >> we're not getting rid of the virus. we are going to have to live with it. >> dr. ashish jha joins us live this morning. deadly clashes. russian troops moves in as putin turns up the pressure on ukraine. >> once russians are in your house it is sometimes very difficult to get them to leave. >> how will the biden administration respond. secretary of state antony blinken joins us. fighting back. >> those who srm