Foreign

Bitter Cold Grips Millions As US Digs Out Of Sweeping Snowstorm

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2 weeks ago

January 27, 2026

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Millions of Americans were facing dangerously cold temperatures Monday in the wake of a massive winter storm that whipped snow and ice across the country, knocking out power and paralysing transportation.

A frigid, potentially life-threatening Arctic air mass threatened to delay clean-up as municipalities from New Mexico to Maine tried to dig out following the storm, which dropped a vicious cocktail of heavy snow and wind along with freezing rain and sleet.

Over 780,000 customers remained without electricity, the Poweroutage.com tracking site showed.

Tennessee, Texas, Mississippi and Louisiana — southern states unaccustomed to intense winter weather and the bone-chilling cold that’s forecast to continue for much of the next week — were especially impacted.

Approximately 190 million people in the United States were under some form of extreme cold alert, the National Weather Service (NWS) told AFP.

Areas across 20 states received at least a foot of snow (30.5 cm), and in many cases far more. The NWS said New Mexico’s Bonito Lake accumulated the highest US total over the weekend with 31 inches (78.7 cm).

New York’s Central Park received 11.4 inches (29 cm) — breaking a same-day snowfall record from 1905.

A compilation of local media reports tallied at least 21 storm-related deaths.

NWS meteorologist Allison Santorelli told AFP the agency was seeing widespread reports of significant ice accumulation, including in places unaccustomed to severe winter weather.

She said this storm recovery was particularly challenging because so many states were impacted — meaning northern states with more resources were unable to share their equipment and resources with less-prepared southern areas.

“A lot of those locations don’t have the means or the resources to clean up after these events,” she said. “We’re particularly concerned about the folks in those areas that are without power right now.”

Dave Radell, an NWS meteorologist based in New York, told AFP that the character of this storm’s snow was “very dry” and “fluffy”, meaning the wind could lash it around with ease, impeding roadway-clearing efforts and visibility.

“That makes it even more challenging,” he said.

Excruciating Cold

The snowfall and biting icy pellets that pummelling cities saw impassable roads and cancelled buses and trains, along with grounded flights — thousands of departures and arrivals were scrapped over the weekend — as concern turned to the hazardous temperatures set to linger for the better part of a week.

The brutal storm system was the result of a stretched polar vortex, an Arctic region of cold, low-pressure air that normally forms a relatively compact, circular system but sometimes morphs into a more oval shape, sending cold air pouring across North America.

Scientists say the increasing frequency of such disruptions may be linked to climate change, though the debate is not settled and natural variability plays a role.

People in the Great Lakes region woke up to extreme temperatures that could cause frostbite on exposed skin within minutes — in parts of Minnesota and Wisconsin, the NWS reported early morning temperatures as low as an excruciating -23°F (-30.6°C).

Forecasted windchills in those areas that make the apparent temperature even more frigid could hit as low as -50F (-45.6C), the weather authority said.

As far south as the Gulf Coast was expected to see freezing temperatures each night into the end of the week.

At least 20 states and the US capital, Washington, were under states of emergency in order to deploy emergency personnel and resources.

Many cities had opened warming centres for those without shelter or without power to take refuge, and authorities across the country were continuing to encourage residents who could to stay home.

AFP

Foreign

Pope Leo XIV Condemns Attacks In Nigeria, Urges Authorities To Protect Citizens

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2 days ago

February 9, 2026

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Pope Leo XIV has condemned the recent wave of violent attacks across Nigeria, expressing sorrow over the loss of lives and calling on authorities to act decisively to protect citizens.

“It is with sorrow and concern that I learned of the recent attacks against various communities in Nigeria, leading to a heavy loss of life. I express my prayerful closeness to all the victims of violence and terrorism,” the pontiff wrote in a post on his X handle, adding that he received news of the attacks with strong concern.

“I likewise hope that the competent Authorities will continue to work with determination to ensure the safety and protection of the life of every citizen. #PrayTogether.”

The Pope’s statement comes amid a series of deadly attacks in several parts of the country, with Kwara State recording the most devastating incident.

Between February 3 and 4, 2026, armed assailants attacked the villages of Woro and Nuku in Kaiama Local Government Area of Kwara State in what has been described by residents as a massacre.

While reports indicate 162 people were killed, local officials and survivors believe the death toll has exceeded 200 as bodies continue to be recovered from surrounding bushland. The police and Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq, however, confirmed that 75 people were dead from the attack.

In response, President Bola Tinubu ordered the deployment of additional troops to the area and declared a nationwide security emergency. An army battalion has since been sent to Kaiama under a new military operation aimed at restoring order. Vice President Kashim Shettima also visited Ilorin on February 7 to commiserate with the state government and affected communities.

The killings drew international condemnation. The United Nations, the United States, and Türkiye denounced the violence and called for accountability.

In separate statements, they described it as heinous, with Türkiye pledging military support to Nigeria’s efforts to combat insecurity.

Amnesty International has, however, criticised the Nigerian government over what it described as serious security lapses, noting that residents had reportedly raised concerns about impending attacks weeks before the massacre.

Meanwhile, other deadly incidents were recorded across the country within the same period. In Katsina State, armed groups killed between 21 and 35 people in Doma village, Tafoki ward, during coordinated house-to-house attacks that reportedly shattered a five-month peace pact between the community and local armed gangs.

In Benue State, suspected armed herdsmen attacked the Abande settlement in Kwande Local Government Area on February 3, killing at least 16 people, including a Mobile Police officer, and looting a local market.

Similarly, in Niger State, gunmen launched an attack on communities in Agwara and Mashegu local government areas on February 1, setting a police station ablaze and abducting several residents.

The latest attacks have renewed concerns over the country’s security challenges, with growing calls for stronger protection of vulnerable communities and more decisive action against armed groups.

Foreign

South Africa to Withdraw Troops from UN Peacekeeping Mission in Congo

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2 days ago

February 9, 2026

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South Africa has announced that it will withdraw its troops from the United Nations peacekeeping mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), a decision that reflects a strategic reassessment of the country’s military commitments abroad.

Officials confirmed that the withdrawal will be carried out as part of a broader review of Pretoria’s role in international peace operations, with an emphasis on ensuring that the country’s foreign deployments align with national priorities and regional security needs.

South African forces have been part of the UN mission in the DRC, which aims to stabilize the region, protect civilians, and support the Congolese government in maintaining peace. The decision to pull out highlights the evolving security dynamics in central Africa and the challenges faced by contributing nations in balancing international obligations with domestic considerations.

While details regarding the exact timeline and scale of the troop withdrawal have not been fully disclosed, authorities have emphasized that South Africa remains committed to supporting regional peace and stability through diplomatic channels and other collaborative initiatives.

Analysts note that the withdrawal may have implications for the operational capacity of the UN mission in the DRC, though it is expected that remaining international contingents will continue to work towards sustaining peace efforts in the conflict-affected areas.

The announcement has sparked discussions across African political and security circles about the future of peacekeeping in the DRC and the role of member states in ensuring the success of multinational missions aimed at reducing conflict and promoting stability in the region.

Foreign

Elon Musk summoned as France probes X, Grok AI

Published

1 week ago

February 4, 2026

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Prosecutors have filed requests for voluntary interviews of Elon Musk and former X CEO Linda Yaccarino as the authorities in France scrutinize X, formerly Twitter, and its Grok AI.

A team of French police officers, alongside Europol operatives, searched the social media platform’s office in Paris, the French capital, on Tuesday.

Musk and Yaccarino are expected to appear on April 20 for questions about the use of the company’s AI chatbot to create sexualized images of women and children, among others.

Paris public prosecutor Laure Beccuau explained that the aim was to ensure that X “complies with French law, as it operates on the national territory.”

A list of allegations released by the government includes: defamation of a person’s image (deepfakes of sexual nature); denial of crimes against humanity (Holocaust), and operating an illegal online platform by an organized group.

Others are: complicity in the possession of images of minors (pornographic); complicity in the distribution of or offering minors’ images (pornographic); and fraudulent extraction of data from an ⁠automated data processing system.

Musk, the CEO of Tesla, has not directly responded to the raid and investigation, but the world’s richest man has reposted comments critical of the French operation.

Musk often accuses Europe of information censorship and election interference, yet more countries on the continent, including Spain and the United Kingdom, have indicated a probe of X and Grok.