A life-threatening freeze is gripping large swaths of the United States after a monster storm caused at least 38 deaths from the Deep South to the Northeast, knocked out power to hundreds of thousands and sent air travel into chaos.Another Arctic blast expected this weekend could deliver fresh misery for more than 100 million Americans, with record low temperatures and another major storm threatening — even as municipalities are digging out from deep piles of snow and ice.Here’s what to know.- Dozens dead -The storm was linked to more than three dozen deaths, according to a compilation of state government and local media reports, with causes including hypothermia as well as accidents related to traffic, sledding, all-terrain vehicles and snowplows.Three Texas siblings age six to nine died Monday after falling through ice on a pond north of Dallas, authorities said.The storm toll is expected to climb after New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani said Tuesday at least 10 New Yorkers who died had been found outdoors in extreme cold, though whether all the deaths were from hypothermia has yet to be determined.In Bangor, Maine, seven people were killed when a small plane crashed while attempting to take off during a snowstorm, the Federal Aviation Administration said.Tennessee, Texas, Mississippi and Louisiana were badly impacted by power outages, with nearly half a million homes and businesses still without electricity as of Tuesday night, according to tracking site Poweroutage.com.Air travel was also severely disrupted. More than 24,500 US flights, a staggering number, were canceled between Saturday and Tuesday as the storm paralyzed transportation across the country, according to website FlightAware.- Heavy snowfall – The heaviest snowfall of 31 inches (79 centimeters) occurred in Bonito Falls, New Mexico on the western edge of the colossal storm — followed by East Napanoch in upstate New York, where 30 inches fell, according to the National Weather Service (NWS). In Boston, residents were digging out Tuesday after the Massachusetts metropolis got walloped by more than 23 inches of snow.Many of the hardest-hit areas were in the South, where authorities are less accustomed — and often less equipped — to deal with severe winter weather.In the Gulf Coast state of Mississippi, for example, several towns were covered in thick and treacherous ice which downed power lines and trees, and made roads impassable.- More to come -The NWS warns that much of the northern half of the country will remain continuously below freezing through February 1, with another blast of Arctic air expected to bring “the coldest temperature seen in several years for some places and the longest duration of cold in decades.”It said regions as far south as Florida should prepare for “hard freezes.”At the same time, a potentially significant winter storm could spill out of Canada along the East Coast, spreading widespread precipitation as a low-pressure system collides with frigid air. Forecasters say it is still too early to determine the storm’s exact track, or whether it will fall as rain or snow.- Climate change -It may sound counterintuitive, but a growing body of research suggests climate change could be playing a role in disruptions to the polar vortex — a vast region of cold, low-pressure air that normally circulates high above the Arctic.Scientists advancing this theory argue that uneven Arctic warming across Europe and Asia can amplify large atmospheric waves, making it more likely for the polar vortex to wobble and spill south over North America.The science, however, remains contested, and researchers caution that natural climate variability also plays a role.

A branch of the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) will help with security for the Winter Olympics in Italy, it confirmed Tuesday, sparking anger and warnings they were not welcome.Reports had been circulating for days that the agency embroiled in an often brutal immigration crackdown in the United States could be involved in US security measures for the February 6-22 Games in northern Italy.In a statement to AFP, ICE said: “At the Olympics, ICE’s Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) is supporting the US Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service and host nation to vet and mitigate risks from transnational criminal organisations.”All security operations remain under Italian authority.”The State Department said that the HSI has in the past taken part in other Olympics events.”As in previous Olympic events, multiple federal agencies are supporting the Diplomatic Security Service, including Homeland Security Investigations, ICE’s investigative component,” a State Department spokesperson said.  “For the Olympics, the United States is preparing an operations room at its consulate in Milan where representatives from U.S. agencies potentially interested in the event will be present,” Italian Interior Minister Matteo Piantedosi said in a statement after a meeting with the US ambassador in Rome. “Experts from the Department of Homeland Security will also be in this same room,” he added.According to Piantedosi, these experts are present “in more than 50 countries and have been in Italy for years as well,” emphasising that “security operations within the country are the sole responsibility of the Italian authorities”. Piantedosi specified that approximately 6,000 law enforcement personnel would be deployed, along with the use of drones and other aerial surveillance equipment, to ensure security at the Games.According to the ICE website, the HSI investigates global threats, including the illegal movement of people, goods, money, contraband, weapons and sensitive technology into, out of, and through the United States. ICE made clear its operations in Italy were separate from the domestic immigration crackdown, which is being carried out by the Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) department.”Obviously, ICE does not conduct immigration enforcement operations in foreign countries,” it said.- Vance and Rubio in Milan -The protection of US citizens during Olympic Games overseas is led by the State Department’s Diplomatic Security Service (DSS).Yet the outrage over ICE immigration operations in the United States is shared among many in Italy, following the deaths of two civilians during an immigration crackdown in Minneapolis.The leftist mayor of Milan, which is hosting several Olympic events, said ICE was “not welcome”.”This is a militia that kills. It’s clear that they are not welcome in Milan, there’s no doubt about it, Giuseppe Sala told RTL 102.5 radio.”Can’t we just say no to (US President Donald) Trump for once?”Alessandro Zan, a member of the European Parliament for the centre-left Democratic Party, condemned it as “unacceptable”.”In Italy, we don’t want those who trample on human rights and act outside of any democratic control,” he wrote on X.Italian authorities initially denied the presence of ICE and then sought to downplay any role, suggesting they would help only in security for the US delegation.US Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio are attending the opening ceremony in Milan on February 6.Giovanni Malago, president of the Milan-Cortina organising committee, said he believed ICE agents would be present “for the high-ranking US government officials” and have “nothing to do with the Games’ security aspects”.”It’s not about the Olympics, but about individuals,” he said.The International Olympic Committee, when contacted by AFP, replied that “security at the Olympic Games is the responsibility of the authorities of the host country, who work closely with the participating delegations”.”We kindly refer you to the USOPC (the United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee)”, it said. 

Celebrities from movie stars to pop singers are speaking up with calls to action against US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raids after two Americans were shot and killed by federal agents in Minneapolis.From red-carpet premieres to social media, the usually politics-averse celebrity crowd have been swept up in the fray after the shooting death of Alex Pretti, a 37-year-old ICU nurse, on Saturday. Below are some of the appeals for action by celebrities expressing their discontent with President Donald Trump’s immigration crackdown:- Pedro Pascal -The Chilean-American actor shared a series of posts on his Instagram, calling for a national strike to protest the killings and demanding more transparency from the federal government on the actions of ICE agents. “Truth is a line of demarcation between a democratic government and authoritarian regime,” Pascal wrote, as he paid tribute to Pretti and another US citizen killed in Minneapolis this month, 37-year-old Renee Good. “The American people deserve to know what happened,” he added.- Jamie Lee Curtis -Oscar-winning actress Jamie Lee Curtis also joined the call for national protests against ICE raids. “THESE WERE AMERICANS! SHOT BY OUR GOVERNMENT!” she wrote in a post on Sunday accompanied by drawings of Pretti’s and Good’s faces. On Tuesday, she shared a photo of Minneapolis and captioned it: “I BELIEVE IN US!”- Martha Stewart – The businesswoman behind a domestic goods empire took to her Instagram to speak out after she was encouraged by her 14-year-old granddaughter, she said. “I am disheartened and sad each and every day… that we are told immigrants, which most of us are or descended from are unwelcome,” wrote the 84-year-old Stewart. She also expressed discontent that “we cannot show our frustration in peaceful demonstrations and that we can be attacked and even killed by Federal troops.”- Katy Perry -The “Firework” singer posted on her Instagram story to urge her American followers to call their elected representatives in the US Senate, urging them to pressure ICE through budget oversight. “Turn anger into action,” the 41-year-old singer wrote.- Kerry Washington -The “Scandal” actress posted a video to her 7.6 million Instagram followers explaining step-by-step how to call their elected representatives and demand funding be blocked for ICE. “You are not powerless over what’s happening in Minnesota,” she said. There is something you can do about it right now.” Washington then demonstrated calling her representative’s office in California on camera.- Billie Eilish -The 24-year-old singer-songwriter called out other celebrities to speak on Pretti’s death. “Hey my fellow celebrities u gonna speak up?” the nine-time Grammy winner wrote in an Instagram story post.Eilish has since shared posts denouncing tactics used by ICE during their immigration raids. 

The US Federal Reserve is broadly expected to pause its series of interest rate cuts Wednesday, resisting mounting attacks from President Donald Trump, while policymakers await more data on the world’s biggest economy.The US central bank lowered rates in each of its last three policy meetings — bringing them to a range between 3.50 percent and 3.75 percent — as officials fretted about the cooling jobs market.But solid GDP growth, relatively low unemployment and stubborn inflation have given them reason to shift into wait-and-see mode.The lack of urgency, however, could put the central bank again at odds with Trump, who has repeatedly called for large rate reductions.Trump has sharply escalated pressure on the Fed since returning to the White House a year ago, seeking to oust Fed Governor Lisa Cook over mortgage fraud allegations while his administration launched an investigation into chairman Jerome Powell.In a rare rebuke this month, Powell slammed the threat of criminal charges against him — over the Fed’s headquarters renovation — as a threat to central bank independence.Yet, “while the Fed has been politically pressured to cut rates, it is not pressed by the data,” said EY-Parthenon chief economist Gregory Daco.Officials appear to have converged on a near-term halt in rate reductions, with their debate now centering around what conditions justify further rate cuts — and how quickly these should take place.”The hurdle for additional near-term cuts has risen,” Daco said.Officials will be looking for “clearer, more durable evidence of disinflation” or renewed deterioration in the labor market before lowering rates again, he added.- ‘Less dissent’ -While the Fed has seen deepening divides over interest rates, Dan North of Allianz Trade North America told AFP that he expects “less dissent” in Wednesday’s decision.Fed Governor Stephen Miran, appointed by Trump last year to fill a term lasting until late January, is likely to again push for lower rates, North said.But it is unclear if others on the board of governors like Michelle Bowman and Christopher Waller would join him.Financial markets generally expect the Fed to continue keeping rates unchanged until its June meeting, according to CME FedWatch.Looking ahead, all eyes are on how Trump’s nominee to succeed Powell — whose chairmanship of the bank ends in May — shapes Fed policy.”We think inflation peaks and starts to turn lower (this year) but also importantly, we think a new Fed chair would be more open to helping to navigate lower interest rates,” said Nationwide chief economist Kathy Bostjancic.- Credibility issues -One issue is whether the new chairman can corral the rest of the rate-setting Federal Open Market Committee into more rate cuts, ING analysts said in a note.Outside the Fed, it could be harder for the next chairman to convince investors that the bank will continue pursuing its mandate of low and stable inflation and maximum employment, independent of political influence, said Michael Strain of the conservative American Enterprise Institute.”I think the stakes are higher,” he said.Given the way the Trump administration has targeted Powell, Strain added that “establishing credibility will be much more challenging” for Powell’s successor than it has been for previous Fed chiefs over the last few decades.Strain, who is AEI’s director of economic policy studies, also cautioned that the Fed may have gone too far in lowering rates last year.He warned that the labor market might be stronger than officials think, while there remains a risk that inflation accelerates again.”Certainly, the Fed should not continue to cut,” he said. “I’m worried the Fed’s going to have to hike in 2026.”

Donald Trump warned Tuesday of “very bad things” if Republicans lose the US midterm elections, as the US president kicked off a travel blitz under the shadow of unrest in Minneapolis and voter worries about the economy.At a rally in Iowa — one of the first stops for primary campaigns in US presidential elections — Trump said his party must win both the Senate and the House in November despite his own poor approval ratings.”I’m here because I love Iowa, but I’m here because we’re starting the campaign to win the midterms. Got to win the midterms,” second-term president Trump said in his speech.”If we lose the midterms, you’ll lose so many of the things that we’re talking about, so many of the assets that we’re talking about, so many of the tax cuts that we’re talking about — and it would lead to very bad things.”But Trump’s economy-focused speech was largely overshadowed by events in the neighboring state of Minnesota, where two people have died this month in a deadly immigration crackdown.Trump told Fox News earlier he would “de-escalate a little bit” after federal agents shot 37-year-old nurse Alex Pretti in Minneapolis at the weekend, but he largely avoided talking about it in his speech.The White House says Trump will be making weekly trips across the country ahead of the midterms, in which voters have historically punished US presidents.Trump’s team has increasingly focused on the economy after polls showed mounting voter anger over the issue of affordability one year since the billionaire’s return to power.In his Iowa speech, the 79-year-old president repeated his claims about a “Golden Age” in the United States and insisted prices were falling for most goods.But he admitted that it may be hard to convince voters in November’s midterms, saying that in past elections “if something happens, the screw turns with the voters” no matter how good the president.- ‘Sickos’ -Trump has raged at what he calls unfair opinion polls, but numerous surveys have showed him with low approval ratings. A New York Times/Siena poll last week put the figure at 40 percent.With supporters cheering him along in Iowa, Trump, however, returned to a familiar theme of talking about running for a constitutionally barred third term as president. “Should we do it a fourth time?” he said, referring to his false claim to have won the 2020 election that he lost to Democrat Joe Biden, along with winning in 2016 and 2024.Protesters disrupted Trump’s speech on at least two occasions, with the Republican dismissing them as “sickos” and “paid insurrectionists.”Trump, who was accompanied by US Treasury chief Scott Bessent, earlier visited a local diner and talked to patrons.Also accompanying Trump to Iowa was deputy chief of staff Stephen Miller, the architect of his immigration policy, who described Pretti without evidence as a “would-be assassin.” The political row over immigration sees Trump in an unusually tight spot of one of his core campaign issues.While polls show most voters approve of his policy of mass deportations, many recent surveys show they are uncomfortable with the harsh tactics of Trump’s immigration agents.During his Iowa speech Trump veered off as he often does into talking about immigration, including renewed attacks on Ilhan Omar, a Democrat who is the first Somali-American elected to Congress.Meanwhile Trump faced a fresh blow on the economy too Tuesday as data showed US consumer confidence plunged in January to its lowest level since 2014.