US winter storm: Life on the road as deep-freeze conditions hit New York State

Published

3 years ago

December 25, 2022

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Careering, squealing and with arms windmilling, a little girl in Minnie Mouse pyjamas flew past the lobby elevator on bright white roller skates with pink glittery wheels.

“Merry Christmas,” her mum called out, smiling through slightly gritted teeth.

This is Watertown, New York. The town Christmas (almost) forgot.

We found ourselves here after a seven-hour drive from Washington DC to friends in Canada ended at the very final hurdle, just tantalising minutes from the border.

Storm Elliott caught us up.

We’d checked the radar and our route had been clear but as we now well know – as Brits living here for the past seven years – US weather rarely behaves.

We limped past abandoned trucks, downed power lines and even pulled-over police cars in near-zero visibility, to the nearest town, where we found one of those ubiquitous US interstate-side chain hotels. There was room at the inn. ‘Room’… One.

We took it. It was us, the children and the dogs.

In the lobby were dozens of power line workers – some had driven from Texas (a 30-hour trip) – who had been called to help restore electricity to the thousands without any.

One told me he’d been up a pole and because it was so brittle due to the -34C temperatures, it had simply snapped under his weight. A drift caught his fall, but he had been ordered to rest inside for the remainder of the day.

The hotel had some food, and servers brought it out to us with the good grace to wear Santa hats.

They even attempted a ‘holiday cocktail’ with what was left in the bar, with a cherry on a cocktail stick and “plenty of ice”.

The blizzard outside battered the windows. Our dogs tentatively walked out to pee but had to be carried back in, just seconds later, their feet burned by the ice.

As we sat around the fire by the reception desk, people shared their stories of where they’d come from and where they were going. A young man heading to his girlfriend’s home showed me a small square box in his backpack.

It would be a New Year’s Eve proposal instead, he said.

The hotel chef had been on duty for four days and nights straight. They hadn’t wanted him to leave in case they couldn’t get anyone else in to replace him. The upside? There wasn’t a lot of food left, so not much to cook, he said.

We hunkered down overnight and, unlike many others in this once-in-a-generation storm, we were safe and warm.

Christmas morning has now arrived. My teens are still asleep and I’m thankful they are not the age of the wee one with her roller skates because although they are sad, they are resigned and understand.

“Did Santa bring you those fabulous skates?” I asked the little girl as she rolled by laughing.

“Yes!,” she said. “He knew he had to deliver them here instead of Auntie Pat’s”.

Her mum and I exchanged a look that only mums of children at Christmas would understand.

US

End to longest US government shutdown one step closer – as Democrats face backlash

Published

16 hours ago

November 11, 2025

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End to longest US government shutdown one step closer - as Democrats face backlash

An end to the longest US government shutdown in history is one step closer after Senate Democrats broke with their party to strike a deal with the Republicans.

Senators backed by 60 votes to 40 legislation to end the impasse, though it still needs approval from the House of Representatives – and sign-off by President Donald Trump.

He has indicated he is happy with the agreement, though, which would restore funding for federal agencies that have gone without since 1 October.

It would also prevent any further layoffs until 30 January, but does not satisfy Democrat demands regarding health care insurance for millions of Americans.

Health care was at the heart of the dispute that led to the shutdown.

The Democrats had refused to support a Republican budget plan unless tax credits that made medical insurance cheaper for millions of people were renewed.

The willingness of eight moderate Democrats to break the Senate deadlock without that guarantee has provoked fury among many in the party.

Some are now calling on Senate Minority Chuck Schumer to be replaced because he is “no longer effective”.

California Governor Gavin Newsom – regarded as a contender for the 2028 Democratic presidential nomination – said: “Pathetic. This isn’t a deal. It’s surrender.”

On Monday morning, Republican Senate Majority Leader John Thune had urged politicians to work together to break a stalemate that had lasted for more than 40 days.

He said: “The American people have suffered for long enough. Let’s not pointlessly drag this bill out.”

The shutdown began on 1 October – with 670,000 federal government employees furloughed or left with no choice but to work without pay.

SNAP, a food aid programme used by 42 million Americans, has been frozen – with thousands of flights cancelled at dozens of major airports.

Mr Trump has told air traffic controllers to get back to work, threatening anyone who doesn’t with “docked” pay.

The funding package now heading to the House of Representatives only lasts through to 30 January, making it a relatively short-term solution that will require further negotiation.

US

Trump threatens to sue BBC for $1bn over speech edit

Published

19 hours ago

November 11, 2025

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Trump threatens to sue BBC for bn over speech edit

Donald Trump has threatened to sue the BBC for $1bn over edits the organisation made last year to one of his speeches.

The organisation has been engulfed in a crisis, forced to apologise on Monday after two of its most senior figures, including the director-general, resigned on Sunday night.

The defamation claim centres around a BBC Panorama documentary, which aired October 2024 and showed an edited speech made by Mr Trump before the attack on the US Capitol on 6 January 2021, in which he appeared to tell his supporters he was going to walk with them to the US Capitol and “fight like hell”.

In a letter dated 9 November, Florida-based lawyer Alejandro Brito set the BBC a deadline of 10pm UK time on Friday to respond, outlining three demands:

• Issue a “full and fair retraction” of the documentary
• Apologise immediately
• “Appropriately compensate” the US president

He told the BBC it needed to “comply” or face being sued for $1bn.

A BBC spokesperson said: “We will review the letter and respond directly in due course.”

‘Error of judgement’

On Monday, BBC chairman Samir Shah, one of the most senior figures still standing, apologised for the “error of judgement” in editing the video.

In a letter to the Culture, Media and Sport Committee of MPs, Mr Shah said Mr Trump’s speech was edited in a way that gave “the impression of a direct call for violent action”.

“The BBC would like to apologise for that error of judgement,” he added.

Director-general and head of BBC News resign

Concerns about the edited speech first came to light in a leaked memo from Michael Prescott, a former journalist and independent adviser to the BBC’s Editorial Guidelines and Standards Board.

As a result, BBC director-general Tim Davie and BBC News chief Deborah Turness announced their resignations on Sunday evening, saying in emails to staff that mistakes had been made.

Mr Davie will address an all-staff meeting on Tuesday. While on her way into the Broadcasting House on Monday morning, Ms Turness defended the corporation, rejecting accusations of institutional bias.

Downing St stands by BBC – but chancellor says ‘lessons to be learned’

A spokesperson for the prime minister told reporters on Monday that the BBC wasn’t corrupt or institutionally biased.

Instead, they said it had a “vital role” to play in the modern age, but needed to ensure it acted “to maintain trust and correct mistakes quickly when they occur”.

Chancellor Rachel Reeves also stood by the corporation, but said that “lessons do need to be learned”.

‘Nothing but an apology’

Veteran broadcaster and former BBC presenter Jonathan Dimbleby told Sky News, however, that the organisation owed the US president nothing more than an apology.

But former legal correspondent for the BBC Joshua Rozenberg also told Sky News that he believed the corporation would “very likely” consider settling with Trump.

Mr Trump’s attack on the BBC is the latest in a long string of multibillion-dollar battles he’s engaged with various media institutions.

US

Trump hosts Syrian president al Sharaa at historic Oval Office meeting

Published

19 hours ago

November 11, 2025

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Trump hosts Syrian president al Sharaa at historic Oval Office meeting

Former al Qaeda commander and now Syrian leader Ahmed al Sharaa has been welcomed by Donald Trump to the White House.

It was the first visit to the Oval Office by a Syrian head of state since the country gained independence in 1946.

Mr Sharaa, 43, who once had a $10m US bounty on his head, led rebel forces that overthrew dictator Bashar al-Assad last December, and was named interim leader in January.

The US president called Mr al Sharaa a “very strong leader” after their meeting and suggested the US would work to help the country succeed.

“He comes from a very tough place,” Mr Trump said, adding Mr al Sharaa is a “tough guy” and “I like him”.

Mr Sharra has “had a rough past”, but added, “we’ve all had a rough past”, he added.

Mr Trump has become one of the Syrian president’s more enthusiastic backers, considering the nation of strategic importance.

He didn’t provide any policy details about the meeting, but said “we’ll do everything we can to make Syria successful because that’s part of the Middle East”.

Read more: Why this meeting is a big deal

‘What the hell are we doing?’

Mr al Sharaa was greeted by a cheering crowd of supporters, some waving Syrian flags, upon his arrival on Monday.

But not everyone was overjoyed at the historic meeting.

Far-right activist Laura Loomer, a self-proclaimed “Islamophobe” who wields influence in Mr Trump’s MAGA movement, posted on X that Mr al Sharaa was “the ISIS ‘President’ of Syria”.

“What the hell are we doing?” she wrote of his White House visit.

Days before the meeting, Mr Trump told reporters “a lot of progress has been made” on Syria and Mr al Sharaa was “doing a very good job”.

Last week, the US voted to lift a series of sanctions on the Syrian president and members of his government.

Mr al Sharaa is hoping for a permanent repeal of sanctions placed on Syria for allegations of human rights abuses by Assad’s government and security forces – but congressional action would be needed for a permanent repeal.

Mr Trump and Mr al Sharaa first met in May in Saudi Arabia. At the time, the US president described Mr al Sharaa as a “young, attractive guy. Tough guy. Strong past, very strong past. Fighter”.

Monday’s meeting came after Syria launched raids against Islamic State cells.

It was the first official encounter between the US and Syria since 2000, when then president Bill Clinton met Hafez Assad.