Tuesday morning news: January 27, 2026

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Winter storm aftermath » A powerful winter storm has left much of the country locked in snow, ice, and extreme cold, with roughly 30 deaths now linked to the weather.

Heavy snow stretched from the South into New England, shutting down roads, grounding flights, and closing schools.

In Pennsylvania, Gov. Josh Shapiro thanked the public for heading warnings and largely staying off the roads. But he added:

SHAPIRO:  I'd also note that one of the things we worry about in storms like this, particularly where there's some icing...We worry a lot about power outages because the weight of the snow can bring down those power lines.

Across numerous states, ice brought down trees and power lines, leaving hundreds of thousands without electricity in freezing temperatures.

In New York City, Mayor Zorhan Mamdani said officials are working to protect the most vulnerable.

MAMDANI:  Just because the storm has passed does not mean that the danger to homeless New Yorkers has passed. Outreach teams are only intensifying their efforts today to connect vulnerable New Yorkers to shelter.

Officials say some deaths were tied to exposure, others to accidents and dangerous travel conditions.

Forecasters warned last night that the cold air mass was sticking around, with sub-zero wind chills in parts of the Midwest and Northeast. And another winter system could move into eastern states later this week.

Ukraine security guarantee » Talks aimed at ending Russia’s invasion of Ukraine have shown progress, but major hurdles remain.

That’s the word from the Kremlin after another round of trilateral talks in Abu Dhabi, between U.S., Ukrainian, and Russian officials.

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt:

LEAVITT: The President remains deeply involved and of course he's being apprised by his advisors, namely Jared Kushner and Special Envoy Witkoff on these talks. So, the President is not giving up on the peace process.

Moscow says the meetings were constructive and that another round is planned for later this week. Still, they caution there has been no breakthrough.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy also described the talks as productive:

ZELENSKYY: [Speaking Ukrainian]

He added that —his words … “Real diplomatic results are needed to avoid the impression that the Russians are using the negotiation process for very cynical, harsh purposes.”

And he urged allies to keep pressure on Moscow.

Minnesota latest » Karoline Leavitt on Monday also addressed a fatal shooting in Minnesota … when federal immigration officers shot and killed a protester during an incident over the weekend.

LEAVITT:  Saturday's shooting remains under active investigation by Homeland Security Investigations and the FBI. The Customs and Border Protection is also conducting their own internal review.

Tensions remain high in Minneapolis after the death of ICU nurse Alex Pretti. Federal agents wrestled Pretti to the ground during a confrontation, disarmed him, and then fired multiple shots as he was restrained.

Meanwhile, President Trump says he had a "very good call" with Minnesota Governor Tim Walz on Monday, adding that the Democratic governor wants to "work together" to turn down the temperature in his state.

This comes as the president also announced that he is sending his border czar, Tom Homan, to oversee operations there and some federal agents are expected to leave.

Israeli hostage » In the Middle East:

SOUND: [Honor guard]

A ceremony honoring the last Israeli hostage taken on October 7th … as his body was returned home. Police escorted the remains of Ran Gvili from the Gaza border yesterday.

SOUND: [Israeli national anthem]

Members of the Israeli military saluted his casket and sang the national anthem.

One demonstrator in Tel Aviv's Hostages Square says she's happy Israel can finally turn the page:

GAL: It's a great joy. It took too long, unfortunately, and he came back as a deceased hostage. But even though he's not alive, we're very happy that he's back at home and that we finally close this mission that we had.

Gvili was a 24-year-old police officer recovering from a motorcycle injury when Hamas terrorists launched the October 7th attacks. He was killed while battling the attackers.

Business jet crash » After a private jet crashed in Maine over the weekend killing all six people on board, investigators are looking closely at de-icing procedures. 

WORLD’s Benjamin Eicher has more:

BENJAMIN EICHER: The jet flipped over and caught fire during takeoff at Bangor International Airport Sunday as a snowstorm moved in and visibility dropped.

An aviation safety expert says even a thin layer of ice on the wings can cause serious problems. And that particular jet model, the Bombardier Challenger 600, has a history of icing issues.

Audio recordings show another pilot aborted takeoff shortly before the crash due to failed deicing fluid and poor visibility.

For WORLD, I’m Benjamin Eicher.

And I'm Kent Covington.

Still ahead: The family of a former Israeli hostage reflects on the horrors of captivity. Plus, a debate over the United States’ exit from the World Health Organization.

This is The World and Everything in It.

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