Category: News
House Committee Calls On IRS To Crack Down On NGOs Funding Terrorists
House Committee Calls On IRS To Crack Down On NGOs Funding Terrorists
Authored by Naveen Athrappully via The Epoch Times (emphasis ours),
The IRS must overhaul its oversight of the nonprofit sector amid the fraud scandal in Minnesota that has led to taxpayer funds being funneled for terror activities, Republicans on the House Ways and Means Committee said in a Jan. 20 statement.
The lawmakers sent a letter to IRS Acting Commissioner Scott Bessent and CEO Frank Bisignano on Tuesday, raising concerns about “significant fraud, waste, and abuse” of taxpayer dollars.
“As you are aware, investigative journalists recently uncovered a network of fraud involving Minnesota’s Medicaid Housing Stabilization Services program and non-profit organizations in the state during the COVID-19 pandemic—a scheme that not only seemingly funneled millions, if not billions, of taxpayer dollars to the Al-Shabaab terrorist group, but has also resulted in the prosecutions of nearly 80 individuals by the Department of Justice (‘DOJ’) to date,” they wrote.
“This is unacceptable.”
Al-Shabaab is a militant wing of the Somali Council of Islamic Courts and is responsible for the assassination of several peace activists, journalists, international aid workers, and civil society personalities, according to the National Counterterrorism Center. It was designated a foreign terrorist organization in 2008 by the State Department.
During a press conference in Minneapolis on Jan. 9, Bessent said the U.S. Treasury had launched an enforcement campaign targeting Somali-linked fraud networks in Minnesota. According to Bessent, billions of dollars intended for disabled seniors, hungry children, and families with special-needs children were diverted, with some of the funds likely diverted to extremist groups such as Al-Shabaab.
“We have traced where the money went, and we are examining it,” he said, adding that the findings of the probe were “highly concerning.”
The GOP letter highlighted the issue of a Minnesota nonprofit, Feeding Our Future, that was launched to serve food to children from low-income groups. However, its promoters used more than $250 million to buy jewelry, real estate, and luxury goods.
Since 2022, dozens of people linked to Feeding Our Future have been convicted. During a Jan. 7 hearing, Minnesota state Rep. Kristin Robbins said the total fraud in this case had hit about $310 million. In addition, investigators are probing 14 Minnesota Medicaid programs, suspecting $9 billion or more in fraudulent payments.
This potential terror-financing scheme by a tax-exempt organization “calls into question the current safeguards in place to protect taxpayer dollars,” the letter said. “The concern over tax-exempt organizations funneling taxpayer dollars to designated terrorist organizations and other illicit purposes cannot be understated.”
Lawmakers called on the IRS to hold tax-exempt organizations accountable and ensure the funds do not end up in the hands of terror outfits.
Crackdown in Minnesota
Meanwhile, Minnesota is seeing stringent federal immigration enforcement activities. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem recently said that more than 10,000 illegal immigrants have been arrested in the state. The DOJ has started issuing subpoenas to top officials in Minnesota.
Responding to reports of the DOJ investigation, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz’s office said on Jan. 17 that they have not received any notice of a probe.
“Weaponizing the justice system and threatening political opponents is a dangerous, authoritarian tactic,” Walz said.
Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey also responded to reports of him being subpoenaed in a federal probe.
“When the federal gov weaponizes its power to intimidate local leaders for doing their jobs, every American should be concerned,” Frey said in a Jan. 21 post on X.
“We shouldn’t live in a country where federal law enforcement is used to play politics or crack down on local voices they disagree with.”
Amid reports of fraud perpetrated by Somalis in Minnesota, including convictions of naturalized citizens, Sen. Eric Schmitt (R-Mo.) has introduced the Stop Citizenship Abuse and Misrepresentation Act, his office said in a Jan. 19 statement.
The bill seeks to expand the denaturalization process for individuals who have committed fraud or serious felonies or joined up with terror outfits, it said.
“The rampant fraud uncovered in Minnesota must be a wakeup call,” Schmitt said.
“People who commit felony fraud, serious felonies, or join terrorist organizations like drug cartels shortly after taking their citizenship oaths fail to uphold the basic standards of citizenship. They must be denaturalized because they have proven they never met the requirements for the great honor of American citizenship in the first place.”
Tyler Durden
Sat, 01/24/2026 – 10:30
https://www.zerohedge.com/political/house-committee-calls-irs-crack-down-ngos-funding-terrorists
Empieza a salir a la luz la magnitud de la represión a las protestas en Irán
Por JON GAMBRELL
DUBÁI, Emiratos Árabes Unidos (AP) — La represión más sangrienta en Irán desde la Revolución Islámica de 1979 está lentamente saliendo a la luz, a pesar de que las autoridades han aislado al país de la internet y gran parte del mundo exterior.
Las ciudades y pueblos huelen a humo mientras las mezquitas y oficinas gubernamentales dañadas por el fuego bordean las calles. Se han incendiado bancos y destrozado sus cajeros automáticos. Los daños, estiman autoridades, ascienden al menos a 125 millones de dólares, según un recuento de Associated Press basado en informes de la agencia de noticias estatal IRNA de más de 20 ciudades.
El número de manifestantes muertos reportados por activistas sigue aumentando. Los activistas advierten que esto muestra que Irán está utilizando las mismas tácticas que ha empleado durante décadas, pero a una escala sin precedentes: disparando desde tejados a manifestantes, disparando perdigones a multitudes y enviando a voluntarios paramilitares de la Guardia Revolucionaria en motocicletas para golpear y detener a aquellos que no pueden escapar.
“La gran mayoría de los manifestantes eran pacíficos. Los videos muestran multitudes de personas, incluidos niños y familias, cantando, bailando alrededor de hogueras, marchando por sus calles”, declaró Raha Bahreini, de Amnistía Internacional. “Las autoridades han abierto fuego de manera ilegal”.
El asesinato de manifestantes pacíficos, así como la amenaza de ejecuciones masivas, han sido una línea roja para la acción militar del presidente estadounidense Donald Trump. Un portaaviones estadounidense y buques de guerra se están acercando a Oriente Medio, posiblemente permitiendo a Trump lanzar otro ataque contra Irán después de bombardear sus sitios de enriquecimiento nuclear el año pasado. Eso corre el riesgo de encender una nueva guerra en Oriente Medio.
La misión de Irán ante las Naciones Unidas no respondió a preguntas detalladas de AP sobre la represión de las manifestaciones.
Protestas por la espiral del rial
Las manifestaciones comenzaron el 28 de diciembre en el histórico Gran Bazar de Teherán, inicialmente por el colapso de la moneda de Irán, el rial, y luego se extendieron por todo el país.
Las tensiones explotaron el 8 de enero, con manifestaciones convocadas por el príncipe exiliado Reza Pahlavi. Testigos en Teherán dijeron a AP antes de que las autoridades cortaran la comunicación por internet y teléfono que vieron a decenas de miles de manifestantes en las calles.
A medida que las comunicaciones fallaban, los disparos resonaban en Teherán.
“Muchos testigos dijeron que nunca habían visto un número tan grande de manifestantes en las calles”, indicó Bahar Saba de Human Rights Watch. “Las autoridades iraníes han demostrado repetidamente que no tienen respuestas más que balas y represión brutal para las personas que salen a las calles”.
Ali Akbar Pourjamshidian, un viceministro del interior que habló en la televisión estatal el miércoles, reconoció que la violencia comenzó en serio el 8 de enero.
“Más de 400 ciudades estuvieron involucradas”, dijo.
Para el 9 de enero, el general de la Guardia Revolucionaria Hossein Yekta, previamente identificado como líder de las unidades de civil del cuerpo, apareció en la televisión estatal iraní y advirtió a “madres y padres” que mantuvieran a sus hijos en casa.
“Esta noche todos deben estar vigilantes. Esta noche es la noche para proteger a las mezquitas y mantener en todas partes a los ‘Hezbolahi’ (seguidores de Dios)”, señaló Yekta.
Ya debilitadas por la guerra de 12 días que Israel lanzó contra Irán en junio, las autoridades decidieron emplear plenamente la violencia para poner fin a las manifestaciones, estiman expertos.
“Creo que el régimen lo vio como un momento de amenaza existencial. Se dieron cuenta de que podían permitir que se desarrollara, permitir que las protestas crecieran y que las potencias extranjeras aumenten su retórica y aumenten sus demandas”, apuntó Afshon Ostovar, experto en la Guardia Revolucionaria y profesor en la Escuela de Posgrado Naval en Monterrey, California.
“O podrían apagar las luces, matar a tantas personas como fuera necesario… y esperar salirse con la suya. Y creo que eso es lo que finalmente hicieron”.
Basij clave en la interrupción de las protestas
En Irán, una de las principales formas en que su teocracia puede aplastar las manifestaciones es a través del Basij, el brazo voluntario de la Guardia.
Las mezquitas en Irán incluyen instalaciones para el Basij. El general de la Guardia Heydar Baba Ahmadi, según la agencia de noticias semioficial Mehr en 2024, estimó que “el 79% de las bases de resistencia del Basij están ubicadas en mezquitas y el 5% en otros lugares sagrados”.
Los medios estatales iraníes han transmitido repetidamente imágenes de mezquitas dañadas en las protestas, sin mencionar sus vínculos con el Basij.
“La mayoría de las bases del Basij en los vecindarios están ubicadas junto a las mezquitas y la mayoría de los líderes del Basij en los vecindarios están asociados con el liderazgo de la mezquita”, aseguró Ostovar, agregando que los manifestantes “que querían atacar a instituciones del régimen” los habrían considerado “una parte legítima de ello”.
Los videos muestran al Basij portando armas largas, palos y pistolas de perdigones. Se puede ver a la policía antidisturbios usando cascos y armaduras, portando rifles de asalto y subfusiles.
Los videos muestran a la policía disparando escopetas a las multitudes, algo que las autoridades niegan a pesar de que los cadáveres muestran heridas consistentes con perdigones de metal. Según informes, decenas de personas se quedaron ciegas por perdigones, algo visto en las protestas alrededor de la muerte de Mahsa Amini en 2022.
La agencia de noticias semioficial ILNA de Irán informó que el Hospital Ocular Farabi de Teherán, la clínica principal para lesiones oculares, llamó a “todos los médicos actuales y retirados” para ayudar a los heridos.
“Recibimos informes de que las fuerzas de seguridad simplemente disparaban sin cesar a los manifestantes”, sostuvo Bahreini de Amnistía Internacional.
“No solo están apuntando a una o dos personas para crear un clima de terror para que la gente se disperse… sino que simplemente disparan sin cesar a miles de manifestantes y los persiguen, incluso mientras huían, de modo que más personas simplemente colapsaban en el suelo con heridas de bala graves”.
Las bajas aumentan a medida que se intensifica la represión
Durante dos semanas, Irán no ofreció cifras generales de bajas. Luego, el miércoles, el gobierno dijo que 3.117 personas murieron, incluidos 2.427 civiles y fuerzas de seguridad. Eso dejó a otros 690 muertos que Pourjamshidian identificó como “terroristas”.
Eso no encaja con las cifras de la Agencia de Noticias de Activistas de Derechos Humanos, una agrupación basada en Estados Unidos que situó el número de muertos en 5.137, basándose en activistas dentro de Irán que verificaron las muertes contra registros públicos y declaraciones de testigos. Dijo que 4.834 eran manifestantes, 208 eran personal afiliado al gobierno, 54 eran niños y 41 eran civiles que no participaban en las protestas.
Los números de muertos en Irán han sido inflados o disminuidos durante mucho tiempo por razones políticas. Pero el hecho de que la teocracia de Irán ofreciera cualquier cifra de muertos, y diera un número más allá de cualquier otro disturbio político que haya golpeado al país en la era moderna, subraya la magnitud de lo que sucedió.
También proporciona una justificación para la campaña de arrestos masivos en curso y el cierre de internet. Los medios estatales informan de docenas a cientos de personas detenidas diariamente.
Pourjamshidian también dio una lista extensa de vandalismo de las protestas y la represión, incluyendo 750 bancos, 414 edificios gubernamentales, 600 cajeros automáticos y cientos de vehículos que sufrieron daños.
Mientras tanto, la incertidumbre se cierne sobre la teocracia de Irán sobre lo que Trump puede o no hacer.
Tradicionalmente, los iraníes celebran servicios conmemorativos para sus seres queridos fallecidos 40 días después de sus muertes, lo que significa que el país podría ver nuevas manifestaciones alrededor del 17 de febrero. Videos en línea desde Behesht-e Zahra, el enorme cementerio en las afueras de Teherán, muestran a dolientes cantando: “¡Muerte a Jamenei!”
Fotos satelitales de Planet Labs PBC analizadas por AP muestran un gran número de autos diariamente en las zonas del sur de Behesht-e Zahra, donde están siendo enterrados los muertos en las manifestaciones.
Elaheh Mohammadi, periodista del periódico pro-reforma Ham Mihan de Teherán, señaló recientemente que había sido cerrado por las autoridades. Dijo que los periodistas estaban trabajando en historias sobre Behesht-e Zahra que no pudieron publicar.
“Enviamos un mensaje para que la gente sepa que seguimos vivos”, escribió Mohammadi en línea. “La ciudad huele a muerte”.
“Han pasado días difíciles y todos están atónitos; un país entero está de luto, un país entero está conteniendo las lágrimas, un país entero tiene un nudo en la garganta”.
___________________________________
Esta historia fue traducida del inglés por un editor de AP con ayuda de una herramienta de inteligencia artificial generativa.
EPA announces more than $200 million to cleanup Grand Calumet River
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, on Thursday, announced that it has agreed to commit more than $200 million to clean up two sites in the Grand Calumet River area of concern.
The EPA will be joined by Atlantic Richfield Company, BP Products North America and the East Chicago Waterway Management District, according to a news release. The organizations will clean up contaminated sediments at Lake George Canal and Junction Reaches project areas in Northwest Indiana.
A goldfinch sits along the water inside Seidner Dune and Swale, a major restoration site along the Grand Calumet River in Hammond, Indiana on July 31, 2025. (Brian Cassella/Chicago Tribune)
“By working side-by-side with our partners, and leveraging the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative, we’re accelerating the cleanup of contaminated sediments and restoring critical habitat along the Grand Calumet River,” EPA Region 5 Administrator Anne Vogel said in a news release. “This agreement demonstrates the power of partnership to deliver results that matter for people and nature. The impact will be clear: cleaner water, healthier neighborhoods, better fishing and recreation, and renewed economic momentum for East Chicago, Hammond, and communities across Northwest Indiana.”
The organizations will remove more than 240,000 cubic yards of contaminated canal and river bottom sediment across 100 acres, according to the release.
The 13-mile-long river was one of the world’s most contaminated waterways as a mix of industrial sites dumped heavy metals, untreated sewage, and toxic chemicals into it before the passage of the 1972 Clean Water Act. But over the past 15 years, it has been the site of various dredging and ecosystem restoration projects at Roxana Marsh, Seidner Dune and Swale Nature Preserve, and other places. Along 4.5 miles of the Grand Calumet River alone, the Great Lakes Legacy Act has cleaned up some 2 million cubic yards of contaminated sediment, enough to fill up more than 600 Olympic-size swimming pools.
A project for the second half of the east branch is in the design phase and will include closing the Gary Sanitary District’s Ralston Street Lagoon after a cleanup and containment plan that began 14 years ago.
The U.S. EPA estimates all necessary actions will be completed between 2027 and 2030, and that the waterway will be delisted as an area of concern possibly by 2031.
The Junction Reaches project will remediate sediments and ecosystem restoration in the Grand Calumet River and Indiana Harbor and Ship Canal in East Chicago. The Lake George Canal project will remediate sediment within a one-mile stretch of the Indiana Harbor and Ship Canal in East Chicago and Hammond.
Construction for both projects is expected to begin in late 2026, according to the news release.
“The District’s board appreciates the continued support and participation of Mayor (Anthony) Copeland, (Gov. Mike) Braun, Congressman (Frank) Mrvan, EPA and our local partners Atlantic Richfield and BP in advancing the restoration and revitalization of East Chicago’s waterways,” Fernando Treviño, executive director of the East Chicago Waterway Management District. “This project marks a significant milestone and sets the stage for future economic growth and expanded recreational opportunities along our waterways.”
Gov. Mike Braun commented on the investment in the news release, saying it’s more than a cleanup effort.
“It’s a long-term commitment to the continued restoration of one of Northwest Indiana’s most important natural resources,” Braun said. “Each phase of work on the Grand Calumet River brings us closer to restoring a waterway to the benefit of Hoosiers and steadily reclaiming its ecological health.”
The Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement of 1987 designated the river as an area of concern, due to legacy pollutants, including polychlorinated biphenyls, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, heavy metals, oil and grease. Legacy pollutants were found in sediments at the bottom of the Grand Calumet River, Indiana Harbor and Ship Canal, according to the EPA.
The EPA and its partners have identified 12 sediment remediation and five habitat restoration projects. Remediation will address sediments contaminated with legacy pollutants, according to the agency, and can be addressed by dredging and capping to prevent further release of contaminants.
More than 1,000 acres of habitat in the Grand Calumet River will be restored.
“I thank the Administration, the (EPA), the State of Indiana, the East Chicago Waterway Management District, the City of East Chicago, and our local industry partners for their collaboration in addressing the long-standing environmental legacy costs of the Grand Calumet River,” Mrvan, D-Highland, said in a news release. “This more than $200 million restoration effort will further protect public health, restore one of the nation’s most polluted waterways and unlock opportunities for economic growth and new jobs in Northwest Indiana.”
The Chicago Tribune contributed.
Last Look At Snowfall Models As ‘Snow Apocalypse’ Begins
Last Look At Snowfall Models As ‘Snow Apocalypse’ Begins
How Will This Weekend’s Mega-Storm Compare to the Winter Blasts of 2016 and 1996?
Meteorologist Ben Noll says this weekend’s snowstorm could be similar to the Blizzard of 1996. For our more seasoned readers, 1996 was an unforgettable winter. Many younger readers, however, have grown up in snow droughts and years of corporate media narratives centered on Al Gore’s global warming alarmism.
Yet here we are on Saturday morning, looking over the latest weather models that show more than half the country under a winter storm warning. Noll wrote on X earlier that “55 percent of all people living in the United States — some 190 million — were under an alert related to the storm.”
The latest snowfall predictions stretch from Texas to the Northeast.
“This is legitimately one of the biggest storms I can recall tracking. Snow spans from Arizona to DC this evening,” private weather forecaster BAWMX wrote on X.
This is legitimately one of the biggest storms I can recall tracking. Snow spans from Arizona to DC this evening… pic.twitter.com/GaxnLzjF9U
— BAM Weather (@bam_weather) January 24, 2026
Winter appears locked in across the Lower 48 for the next several weeks.
Winter is LOCKED in for the next 3-4 weeks.
Several cold blasts
Several storm threats
Its 2014 version 2.0
Period. https://t.co/jvirtQ6o4e pic.twitter.com/17YGcYyarZ
— BAM Weather (@bam_weather) January 24, 2026
Next, let’s refine the snowfall outlook for the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast. Courtesy of private weather forecaster NY NJ PA Weather weighs in below.
Thanks to early-week client notes from energy research firm Criterion Research, we were well ahead of the curve in explaining how the Arctic cold blast, combined with a major winter storm, could create power-grid risks. The storm threatens to crimp natural gas supply through production freeze-offs and reduced pipeline flows, increasing pressure on already stressed-out regional power grids. Our focus will be on the PJM grid this weekend.
Here’s the reporting:
NatGas Futs Erupt As Arctic Air Invasion Penetrates Deep Into US South
US NatGas Spikes Most Since Ukraine Invasion On Arctic Blast, Major Winter Storm Threat
US NatGas Poised For Biggest Weekly Spike On Record As “Blizzard Of ’96” Fears Resurface
Appalachian NatGas Output Faces “Intense Losses” As Arctic Blast Drives Power Grid Risk Higher
NatGas Jumps 75% As Extreme Cold, Blizzard Risks Threaten Appalachian Gas Supply
NatGas “Tightening Shock” Sparks Historic Weekly Rally As Major Winter Storm Imminent
Winter Storm Threatens Appalachian NatGas With ‘Freeze Offs’ As Data Center Demand Tightens PJM Grid
Crickets from Greta and the climate crisis cult this week. Oh, wait, that’s because the climate money ran out and the focus shifted entirely to Palestine. For those grounded in reality, prepare for what could be a historic winter storm this weekend. We’ve told readers in the PJM region and the Northeast to consider buying a whole-house generator, citing a Goldman note (read here). Become ungovernable with a wood fireplace and/or a coal-burning stove.
As for the travel space, it’s a nightmare. For anyone traveling over the next 24 to 48 hours, expect delays and cancellations.
So far, roughly 9,000 flights have reportedly been canceled.
Tyler Durden
Sat, 01/24/2026 – 09:55
https://www.zerohedge.com/weather/last-look-snowfall-models-snow-apocalypse
Trump amenaza a Canadá con aranceles del 100 % por su nuevo acuerdo comercial con China
Por MICHELLE L. PRICE
WASHINGTON (AP) — El presidente Donald Trump amenazó el sábado con imponer un arancel del 100% a los bienes importados desde Canadá si el vecino del norte seguía adelante con su acuerdo comercial con China.
Trump afirmó en una publicación en redes sociales que si el primer ministro canadiense Mark Carney “piensa que va a convertir a Canadá en un ‘Puerto de Descarga’ para que China envíe bienes y productos a Estados Unidos, está muy equivocado”.
Mientras Trump ha librado una guerra comercial durante el último año, Canadá negoció este mes un acuerdo para reducir los aranceles sobre vehículos eléctricos chinos a cambio de menores impuestos de importación sobre productos agrícolas canadienses.
Inicialmente, Trump había dicho que ese acuerdo era lo que Carney “debería estar haciendo y es algo bueno que firme un acuerdo comercial”.
La oficina de Carney no respondió a una solicitud de comentarios.
La amenaza de Trump se produjo en medio de una escalada de palabras con Carney mientras el impulso de Trump para adquirir Groenlandia tensó la alianza de la OTAN. Trump comentó mientras estaba en Davos, Suiza, esta semana que “Canadá vive gracias a Estados Unidos”. Carney respondió que su nación puede ser un ejemplo de que el mundo no tiene que inclinarse hacia tendencias autocráticas.
Más tarde, Trump revocó su invitación a Carney para unirse a la “Junta de Paz” que el mandatario estadounidense está formando para intentar resolver conflictos globales.
Trump también ha insistido en que Canadá debe ceder su soberanía y convertirse en el estado 51 de Estados Unidos.
Esta semana, Trump reanudó esa postura, publicando una imagen alterada en redes sociales que mostraba un mapa de Estados Unidos que incluía a Canadá, Venezuela, Groenlandia y Cuba como parte de su territorio.
En su mensaje del sábado, Trump continuó sus provocaciones llamando al líder de Canadá “Gobernador Carney”. Trump había usado el mismo apodo para el predecesor de Carney, Justin Trudeau, y su uso hacia Carney fue la última señal de su deteriorada relación.
Carney aún no ha llegado a un acuerdo con Trump para reducir algunos de los aranceles que ha impuesto en sectores clave de la economía canadiense . Pero Canadá ha estado protegido del mayor impacto de los aranceles de Trump por el Acuerdo Canadá-Estados Unidos-México. Ese acuerdo comercial debe ser revisado este año.
___
El corresponsal de Associated Press Rob Gillies en Toronto contribuyó con esta nota.
—
Esta historia fue traducida del inglés por un editor de AP con la ayuda de una herramienta de inteligencia artificial generativa.
Man, 30, fatally wounded inside car parked in Humboldt Park neighborhood
A 30-year-old man was fatally wounded Friday night inside of his car parked in the Humboldt Park neighborhood, Chicago police said.
Shortly before 9 p.m., officers responded to a call of a person shot in the 3500 block of West Wabansia Avenue. Police said the victim was inside of his parked car when he was approached by an unknown male who pulled out a gun and opened fire, striking him to the head before fleeing the scene.
The victim was taken to Mount Sinai Hospital where he later was pronounced dead.
No one was in custody for the fatal shooting and detectives were investigating.
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2026/01/24/gun-violence-humboldt/
Trump amenaza a Canadá con aranceles de 100% por acuerdo comercial con China, aunque antes lo calificó de “algo bueno”
WASHINGTON (AP) — Trump amenaza a Canadá con aranceles de 100% por acuerdo comercial con China, aunque antes lo calificó de “algo bueno.”
More than 9,000 flights canceled as major winter storm bears down across much of the US
DALLAS — More than 9,000 flights across the U.S. set to take off over the weekend have been canceled as a major storm expected to wreak havoc across much of the country threatens to knock out power for days and snarl major roadways.
Roughly 140 million people were under a winter storm warning from New Mexico to New England. The National Weather Service forecast warns of widespread heavy snow and a band of catastrophic ice stretching from east Texas to North Carolina.
Forecasters say damage, especially in areas pounded by ice, could rival that of a hurricane.
Ice and sleet that hit northern Texas overnight were moving toward the central part of the state on Saturday, the National Weather Service in Fort Worth said.
“Dangerously cold temperatures and wind chills are spreading into the area and will remain in place into Monday,” the agency said on X. Low temperatures will be mostly in the single digits for the next few nights, with wind chills as low as minus 12 degrees Fahreinheit.
A collapsing polar vortex brings Arctic blast to Chicago area. How long will it last?
About 68,000 power outages were reported across the country at 8 a.m. ET, about 27,600 of them in Texas. Snow and sleet continued to fall in Oklahoma.
After sweeping through the South, the storm was expected to move into the Northeast, dumping about a foot of snow from Washington through New York and Boston, the weather service predicted. Temperatures reached minus 29 F just before dawn in rural Lewis County and other parts of upstate New York after days of heavy snow.
Governors in more than a dozen states sounded the alarm about the turbulent weather ahead, declaring emergencies or urging people to stay home.
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott told residents on the social media platform X that the state Department of Transportation was pretreating the roads and told residents, “Stay home if possible.”
More than 3,300 flights were delayed or canceled Saturday, according to the flight tracking website FlightAware. Nearly 6,000 were called off for Sunday.
Angela Exstrom was supposed to fly back to Omaha, Nebraska, from a trip in Mexico, but she learned her Saturday flight out of Houston had been canceled. So instead, she is going back via Los Angeles.
“If you live in the Midwest and travel in the winter, stuff can happen,” she said.
Frigid temperatures and ice
Utility companies braced for power outages because ice-coated trees and power lines can keep falling long after a storm has passed.
The Midwest saw wind chills as low as minus 40 degrees Fahrenheit, meaning that frostbite could set in within 10 minutes.
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In Bismarck, North Dakota, where the wind chill was minus 41, Colin Cross was bundled up Friday in long johns, two long-sleeve shirts, a jacket, hat, hood, gloves and boots as he cleaned out an empty unit for the apartment complex where he works.
“I’ve been here awhile and my brain stopped working,” Cross said.
The storm has been a popular topic of discussion for days at Saint Paul Mini Market in Baltimore.
“Every single person that walks in talks about the storm,” said owner Ayaz Ahmed.
“Somehow, this time around, they did a good job letting people know that here’s a storm coming their way, and everybody knows about the storm, but how to deal with that is another thing,” Ahmed said.
Government prepares to respond
The federal government put nearly 30 search and rescue teams on standby. Officials had more than 7 million meals, 600,000 blankets and 300 generators placed throughout the area the storm was expected to cross, according to the Federal Emergency Management Agency.
President Donald Trump said via social media on Friday that his administration was coordinating with state and local officials and “FEMA is fully prepared to respond.”
After the storm passes, it will take a while to thaw out. Ice can add hundreds of pounds to power lines and branches and make them more susceptible to snapping, especially if it’s windy.
In at least 11 Southern states from Texas to Virginia, a majority of homes are heated by electricity, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.
A severe cold snap five years ago took down much of the power grid in Texas, leaving millions without power for days and resulting in hundreds of deaths. Abbott vowed that will not happen again, and utility companies were bringing in thousands of employees to help keep the lights on.
Church, Carnival and classes canceled
Churches moved Sunday services online, and the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville, Tennessee, decided to hold its Saturday night radio performance without fans. Carnival parades in Louisiana were canceled or rescheduled.
Philadelphia announced schools would be closed Monday. Superintendent Tony B. Watlington Sr. told students, “It’s also appropriate to have one or two very safe snowball fights.”
Some universities in the South canceled classes for Monday, including the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and the University of Mississippi’s main campus in Oxford.
At the University of Georgia, in Athens, sophomore Eden England stayed on campus to ride things out with friends, even as the school encouraged students to leave dorms and go home because of concerns about losing power.
“I’d rather be with my friends,” England said, “kind of struggling together if anything happens.”
Megnien and Amy reported from Atlanta. Associated Press writers around the country contributed.
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2026/01/24/winter-storm-flights-canceled/
DOE Orders Diesel Generators To Be Ready As Electric Sector Prepares For Historic Winter Storm
DOE Orders Diesel Generators To Be Ready As Electric Sector Prepares For Historic Winter Storm
By Robert Walton of UtilityDive
Stakeholders across the U.S. electric sector are preparing for Winter Storm Fern, which is expected to impact an area stretching from Texas to New York, as far north as the upper Midwest and into parts of the Southeast. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration anticipates the storm to begin today and run through Sunday.
Anticipating widespread power outages, local distribution utilities have been activating recovery plans and warning customers to be prepared. The North American Electric Reliability Corp. says it is “encouraged that industry has taken actions to prepare for what appears to be a very challenging winter storm system.”
U.S. Secretary of Energy Chris Wright has asked grid operators to be prepared to utilize up to 35 GW of backup generation.
In a Thursday letter to reliability coordinators and balancing authorities, Wright called for the Department of Energy to “prepare to issue orders” under section 202(c) of the Federal Power Act to “ensure that the tens of gigawatts of available backup generation, which would otherwise stand idle, is available during emergency conditions.”
When notified, “even merely by phone call … I will review the facts and, if appropriate, authorize the Reliability Coordinators and Balancing Authorities to direct backup generation facilities to run as a last resort before declaring an Energy Emergency Alert (EEA) 3, thereby avoiding potential blackouts,” Wright said.
The letter offered few details about the 35 GW of backup generation, and DOE did not immediately respond to questions.
According to Tyson Slocum, director of Public Citizen’s Energy Program, the units are diesel generators located at data centers and commercial properties.
“As the order recognizes, most of these units are not grid connected, and so have no utility or coordination abilities to address a system emergency,” Slocum said in a statement. “Unmentioned in the order is the massive harm to public health stemming from long-duration operations of these polluting units.”
The Winter Storm Fern has been compared to Winter Storm Uri, which caused power outages across the country in 2021 and was particularly harsh in Texas, where almost 250 people died. The catastrophe led to reforms across the Texas utility sector, and in other areas.
The Electric Reliability Council of Texas issued a weather watch Wednesday noting the possibility for higher electrical demand and the lower reserves during Winter Storm Fern. However, grid conditions “are expected to be normal,” it said.
The Lone Star State grid operator also said it is “coordinating preparation efforts with the Texas Energy Reliability Council, the Public Utility Commission of Texas, the Texas Division of Emergency Management, and other state agencies, as well as with Market Participants.”
CenterPoint Energy, which serves the Houston area, said it has approximately 3,300 employees and contract workers ready to support “storm preparation and potential restoration” across its territory. The utility serves approximately 2.7 million customers across the Houston area and surrounding communities.
Utilities around the country have signaled to customers they are prepared for the storm and recovery. In New Jersey, PSE&G said it is ready for “significant snowfall and extended frigid temperatures,” and warned customers that “snow and ice can bring hazards that disrupt power.” The utility serves about 2.4 million electric customers and 1.9 million gas customers.
“Our crews are ready 24-7 to restore power outages and handle increased requests to repair heating systems for our customers,” John Latka, PSE&G senior vice president of electric transmission and distribution, said in a statement.
In South Carolina, Dominion Energy said customers “should take steps now to prepare and keep themselves and their families safe.” The utility serves electricity to 3.6 million homes and businesses in Virginia, North Carolina and South Carolina, and regulated gas service to 500,000 customers in South Carolina.
“We’re closely monitoring the forecast calling for a mix of wintry precipitation, and that kind of weather can create significant challenges for our crews,” Keller Kissam, president of Dominion Energy South Carolina, said in a statement. The utility has activated an emergency operations center from which to respond, Kissam added.
The New York grid operator has adequate generation in place under forecast conditions, but said it would be keeping a close eye on fuel supplies.
We’ve “seen generators in recent winters challenged with accessing adequate fuel capacity during very cold conditions,” Aaron Markham, vice president of operations for the New York Independent System Operator, said in a statement. “We continue to work closely with power producers, utility companies, and neighboring grid operators to assess the status of generating and transmission capacity in advance of the cold snap.”
While most of the storm preparation focus is on grid reliability and its impacts on residential consumers, financial analysts have also keyed in on potential business impacts.
“More data center, more renewables, & less coal creates a vulnerable situation,” Jefferies equity analyst Julien Dumoulin-Smith wrote in a Thursday note.
“We view reliability and resource adequacy shortfall events as key negative tail risks for independent power producers,” Dumoulin-Smith said. “High profile power outages in data center markets like [Texas] would lead to further stakeholder push-back on data center demand outpacing supply additions.”
Tyler Durden
Sat, 01/24/2026 – 09:20
Toyota retira 162.000 camionetas por pantallas defectuosas
NUEVA YORK (AP) — Toyota anunció que retirará del mercado alrededor de 162.000 camionetas en Estados Unidos tras descubrirse que las pantallas multimedia podrían comprometer la seguridad del conductor.
El retiro afecta a los modelos Tundra y Tundra Hybrid de los años 2024-2025 de la compañía. Según un comunicado de Toyota, los clientes afectados están siendo notificados.
El fabricante de automóviles japonés advierte que las pantallas pueden “quedarse atascadas en una vista de cámara” o volverse completamente oscuras bajo ciertas circunstancias, creando situaciones en las que los conductores no pueden ver la imagen de la cámara de reversa al retroceder. Toyota afirma que este mal funcionamiento podría violar las normas federales de seguridad.
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Esta historia fue traducida del inglés por un editor de AP con ayuda de una herramienta de inteligencia artificial generativa.
