Winter Storm Threatens Millions in US; Global Crises Unfold

A major winter storm poised to impact over 200 million people across the United States dominated headlines Sunday, as the country braced for heavy snow, ice, and dangerously low temperatures. Simultaneously, a series of global events unfolded, including deadly landslides in Indonesia and New Zealand, escalating tensions between the U.S. and Canada, and ongoing peace talks overshadowed by renewed conflict in Ukraine.

The National Weather Service issued warnings from Texas to New England, forecasting potentially catastrophic damage rivaling that of a hurricane, particularly in areas pounded by ice, according to Fortune. Over 8,000 flights were canceled, disrupting travel plans for approximately 140 million people, Al Jazeera reported. Airlines proactively canceled hundreds of flights across the Southern and Midwestern United States in anticipation of the storm, highlighting the importance of predictive AI in logistics for minimizing passenger impact, according to the NYT Business. States of emergency were declared in multiple states, as officials urged residents to prioritize safety and preparedness.

Internationally, rescue efforts were suspended in New Zealand following a devastating landslide at a Mount Maunganui campsite, with authorities now focused on recovering the bodies of six missing individuals, including two teenagers, BBC World reported. A landslide in West Bandung, Indonesia, triggered by heavy rains and unstable terrain, resulted in multiple fatalities and a large number of missing persons, according to Al Jazeera.

Amidst these natural disasters, geopolitical tensions remained high. Peace talks between Russia, Ukraine, and the US in Abu Dhabi ended without a breakthrough, as fighting raged, the BBC reported. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy warned Europe that there must be no delays in supplying air defense, following Russian strikes that knocked out heat in freezing Kyiv, according to NPR.

The Trump administration faced scrutiny on multiple fronts. A leaked video revealed the Venezuelan regime's frantic attempts to control the message after a US attack, with acting president Delcy Rodríguez claiming blackmail and threats from Washington, according to The Guardian. In Minnesota, thousands protested President Trump's immigration policies despite sub-zero temperatures, with organizers claiming widespread business closures in support, Al Jazeera reported. The "ICE OUT!" event highlighted growing resistance to federal immigration enforcement. According to Vox, a Border Patrol agent in Minneapolis shot and killed Alex Jeffrey Pretti at close range after Pretti had been pepper-sprayed, beaten, and forced onto his knees by other agents.

Adding to the global uncertainty, President Trump threatened Canada with a 100% tariff over a possible trade deal with China, The Guardian reported. The US president also claimed US refineries would process seized Venezuelan oil, saying "we take the oil."

In other news, astronomers discovered a quasar powered by a supermassive black hole growing at an unprecedented rate in the early universe, defying current theoretical limits on black hole feeding, Science Daily reported. This unusual object simultaneously emits intense X-rays and launches a powerful radio jet, challenging existing models and potentially revealing a brief, unstable phase in black hole evolution.

As the winter storm continued its eastward trek across the United States, and global crises unfolded, the world watched and waited, bracing for the potential impacts and uncertain outcomes.