Key Takeaways
- A major winter storm is forecast to impact the East Coast with heavy snowfall, threatening power outages and travel disruptions.
- The US is seeking to revise its defense agreement with Denmark to remove limits on its military presence in Greenland.
- The Kremlin reports territorial issues remain unresolved after late-night talks on ending Russia's war on Ukraine.
- Former Special Counsel Jack Smith testified against former President Trump, alleging criminal conduct to overturn the 2020 election.
- Detailed forecasts predict specific snowfall accumulations of up to 1.5 feet across major East Coast cities.
Deep Dive
- A major winter storm is forecast to impact the East Coast, including Washington, Philadelphia, New York City, and Boston, starting late Saturday.
- New York City could receive over a foot of snow, with Central Park potentially seeing up to 16 inches, the heaviest since 2021.
- The storm poses a test for new Mayor Zohran Mamdani and threatens power outages, airline delays, and transit disruptions.
- The United States is seeking to revise its 1951 defense agreement with Denmark to eliminate limits on its military presence in Greenland.
- American negotiators aim for unrestricted access, a move linked to President Trump’s past demand for control over the territory.
- The original agreement required consultation and information sharing with Denmark and Greenland for significant changes.
- The Kremlin stated that “territorial issue” remains unresolved after nearly four hours of late-night talks between Russian President Vladimir Putin and US envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner.
- Putin’s foreign policy aide, Yuri Ushakov, indicated no long-term settlement is possible until Russia's territorial demands in Ukraine are accepted.
- Negotiations are set to continue between US, Russian, and Ukrainian representatives in the United Arab Emirates.
- Former Special Counsel Jack Smith testified before the House Judiciary Committee, asserting his investigations into former President Trump were based on evidence of criminal conduct.
- Smith stated that Trump engaged in a criminal scheme to overturn the 2020 election results.
- Witnesses are expected to testify to this alleged scheme, not political motivation behind the investigations.
- A significant winter storm is forecast to bring heavy snow, ice, and cold temperatures across the eastern seaboard and parts of the South this weekend.
- Meteorologist Rob Carolyn detailed expected snowfall: Baltimore (8-12 inches), New York City (8-14 inches), and Boston (10-16 inches).
- Some areas could see up to a foot and a half of snow, with cold air expected to linger into early February.