Global Events Unfold as US Faces Deadly Freeze, UK Grapples with Deep Poverty, and Border Blockades Disrupt Trade

A severe winter storm sweeping across the United States has claimed at least 30 lives, while a study revealed a record number of people in the United Kingdom are living in "very deep poverty," and Western Balkan lorry drivers blockaded EU borders, causing significant economic disruption on January 27th, 2026.

The United States is reeling from a historic winter storm that has brought freezing temperatures, widespread traffic disruption, mass flight cancellations, and power outages nationwide, according to Euronews. Approximately two-thirds of the country is experiencing a cold wave, with the Midwest, South, and Northeast regions being the most severely impacted. A new surge of Arctic air is expected to prolong the freezing conditions in areas already covered in snow and ice.

Meanwhile, in the UK, a report by the Joseph Rowntree Foundation (JRF) indicated a worsening poverty crisis. About 6.8 million people, almost half of all those in poverty, are living in "very deep poverty," marking the highest level in more than 30 years, Euronews reported. "Very deep poverty" is defined as earning less than 40% of the UK median household income after rent. For a couple with two children, this equates to £16,400 (€18,900) per year or less. The JRF research also found that approximately a fifth of the UK's population, or 14.2 million people, are living in poverty.

Adding to the global challenges, lorry drivers from four Western Balkan countries initiated coordinated protests on Monday, blockading more than 20 border crossings with the European Union. The drivers are protesting strict enforcement of Schengen travel limits, which they claim threaten their livelihoods, Euronews stated. The blockade has brought freight terminals in Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, and North Macedonia to a standstill and is estimated to be causing €100 million in daily export losses.

In other news, over 1,000 people were evacuated from the Sicilian town of Niscemi after a four-kilometer section of cliff crumbled following heavy rain brought by Storm Harry, Euronews reported. The landslide occurred on Sunday, and while no deaths or injuries were reported, land was continuing to give way due to the persistent rain. Footage showed a narrow vertical section of cliff falling away, causing a building that had already been damaged to further collapse. Schools were closed as a precaution.