Polar vortex stalks Midwest, 'El Chapo' trial, Roger Goodell talks state of NFL: 5 things to know Wednesday

Polar vortex expected to paralyze parts of U.S. with extreme cold, Roger Goodell talks state of the NFL and more things to start your Wednesday.

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Polar vortex to bring AccuWeather RealFeel temperatures of minus 50 F or below

As brutally cold air invades the Midwest and Northeast this week, some areas could see AccuWeather RealFeel temperatures dip below minus 50 F.

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US government scientists correct Trump over climate change statements: 'Winter storms don't prove global warming isn't happening'

Donald Trump has again appeared to fundamentally misunderstand climate change by suggesting extreme cold weather in the US is evidence global warming does not exist. “In the beautiful Midwest, wind chill temperatures are reaching minus 60 degrees, the coldest ever recorded,” Mr Trump tweeted late on Monday evening. It follows a number of recent tweets by the president expressing gleeful disregard for the scientific consensus that holds human carbon emissions responsible for recent global temperature increases.

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'El Chapo' must not 'escape' again, U.S. prosecutor tells jury

Accused Mexican drug boss Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman's repeated escapes from the law prove that he "knows he's guilty," a U.S. prosecutor told jurors in closing arguments at his trial on Wednesday, urging them not to let him escape again. Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrea Goldbarg's description of Guzman's history of dramatic prison escapes capped off a day-long summation in federal court in Brooklyn in which she also attacked the defense argument that Guzman was a scapegoat.

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Colder than Antarctica: Here's how bad it is

From the polar vortex to Ted Bundy, here’s the news you’ll want to talk about today.

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Venezuela targets Guaido with probe, travel ban, asset freeze

The court also said prosecutors could investigate Guaido, in apparent retaliation for sweeping U.S. sanctions on oil firm PDVSA, announced on Monday. The sanctions mean the state-run company may not be able to fulfill contracts with North American buyers, the government of President Nicolas Maduro said. Aimed at driving Maduro from power, the sanctions were the strongest measures yet against the 56-year-old former union leader, who has overseen economic collapse and an exodus of millions of Venezuelans in recent years.

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US retailers prepare to ring in the Year of the Pig

Retailers across the US are raising their game to celebrate the Year of the Pig.

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Palestinian president Abbas accepts government resignation

Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas accepted the resignation of his government Tuesday, in a reshuffle seen as a bid by the ageing leader to strengthen his position as a decade-old political split deepens. Analysts view replacing prime minister Rami Hamdallah after five years as part of Abbas's efforts to further isolate his political rivals Hamas, who run the Gaza Strip. Hamdallah's government will remain in place while a new administration is formed.

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Trump boosts bills to teach his favorite book — the Bible — in public schools

Steven Fitschen, president of the National Legal Foundation, reacts to the president's tweet praising his effort to teach teach the Bible in public schools.

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'Empire' star Jussie Smollett assaulted in possible racist, homophobic attack

Police are investigating after receiving a report of a "possible racially-charged assault and battery" on "Empire" star Jussie Smollett.

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It’s So Cold Throughout Much of the Country, the Postal Service Will Not Deliver Mail in Many States

A "record arctic air mass" is bringing dangerously low temperatures

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What we know about husband and wife killed in Houston officer-involved shooting

The man and woman were killed after firing at Houston police, who were attempting to serve a warrant.

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'Don't deal in Venezuelan gold,' White House says, in anti-Maduro push

National security adviser John Bolton tweeted that traders should not deal in gold, oil or other commodities "being stolen" from the Venezuelan people, as opponents of Maduro's government worried that a Russian-operated plane had shipped gold out of Caracas on Wednesday afternoon. The White House said U.S. President Donald Trump spoke to Venezuela's self-proclaimed interim president, Juan Guaido, by phone on Wednesday, reiterating support for his "fight to regain democracy." On one side of the tussle for control of Venezuela, an OPEC member that has the world's largest oil reserves but is in dire financial straits, Guaido and Western backers led by the United States are insisting on an immediate transition and fresh elections.

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No mail will be delivered to parts of seven states as polar vortex chills postal delivery

So much for "Neither snow nor rain nor heat nor gloom of night." The U.S. mail won't be delivered tomorrow in four states due to the crippling cold of the polar vortex.

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Brexit deal 'best possible' and 'not renegotiable': Macron

French President Emmanuel Macron said Tuesday the Brexit deal is the "best agreement possible and is not renegotiable", as Britain's premier pushed to reopen talks with Brussels. Macron's comments during a summit in Cyprus came as Prime Minister Theresa May appealed to British lawmakers to give her a mandate to renegotiate, after parliament rejected an accord reached with the European Union. Macron urged the British government to "promptly" lay out to EU chief negotiator Michel Barnier "the next steps that will prevent an exit without an agreement, which nobody wants but for which we must all prepare ourselves".

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How major cities are helping homeless populations during the polar vortex intrusion

New York, Washington, D.C., Boston and Chicago are taking extra measures to protect homeless populations amid extreme cold, and experts recommend tips for how you can help if you see someone in need.

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Here's why you should have faith in Robert Mueller and the Russia investigation

Is the Mueller probe fair? Is it being conducted ethically? Who should we believe when the president tells us we can’t trust law enforcement?

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Huawei exec's extradition hearing pushed to March

The extradition hearing for a top Huawei executive at the center of a diplomatic row between Ottawa and Beijing was pushed back to March on Tuesday, after the US unveiled sweeping charges against her and the Chinese tech giant. Meng Wanzhou, Huawei's chief financial officer and the daughter of its founder, was indicted along with Huawei and two affiliates in a US case related to alleged Iran sanctions violations that has inflamed tensions with China. In Meng's first court appearance since being released, the judge moved the start of her extradition hearing to March 6, a month later than previously scheduled, in order to allow the defense time to review the evidence in the case.

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Spy chief contradicts Trump's claims of progress with North Korea

The director of national intelligence's downbeat assessment, in testimony before a Senate committee, came just weeks ahead of a planned second summit between Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. The annual Worldwide Threat Assessment from the Directorate of National Intelligence (DNI), released by Coats, noted that North Korea had not conducted any nuclear or missile tests in over a year and had declared its support for the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula. Pyongyang had also "reversibly dismantled" parts of its infrastructure for weapons of mass destruction, the report said.

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The Latest: Extreme cold stops mail delivery in some states

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — The Latest on a major snowstorm and frigid weather in the Midwest (all times local):

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Top airline is selling flights for $44

Winter weather and the general lull of the post-holiday season can leave just

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Harley-Davidson recalls nearly 44,000 Street motorcycles for faulty brakes, temporarily stops shipment of Streets

Harley-Davidson has recalled 43,908 of its Street motorcycles for a brake issue that could cause a crash.

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Five engineers arrested in Brazil over deadly dam collapse

Five engineers, including two working for a German company, were arrested in Brazil Tuesday as part of a probe into a deadly dam collapse last week at a mine in the country's southeast, officials said. Three of the engineers work for Vale, the owner of the mine, and were directly involved in the process of the facility's operating licenses, the prosecutors' office in the state of Minas Gerais said. The other two worked for TUEV SUED, a German company that in September carried out the last safety inspection on the collapsed mine.

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Howard Schultz Responds to Dem Backlash Against His Presidential Run: ‘I Must be Doing Something Right’

Former Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz conceded Wednesday that he is surprised by the extreme Democratic backlash against his recently-floated independent presidential run, but suggested the outsized attention may ultimately help get his message out. “I must be doing something right to create so much interest and backlash from the Democratic Party. "I must be doing something right to create so much interest and backlash from the Democratic Party.

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Canada’s Decision on Huawei and 5G ‘Some Ways Off,’ Goodale Says

“I’m not going to speculate about time but it’s certainly beyond weeks,” Goodale told reporters Tuesday after a cabinet meeting. Goodale said Canada will take the view of allies such as the U.S. into account when studying potential risks to national security, and will make its own decision in the end. China’s ambassador to Canada and Huawei officials have denied the company’s gear is used for spying.

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Goldman Sachs ups 'no-deal' likelihood after UK parliament amendment vote

Goldman Sachs nudged up its estimated probability of a "no-deal" Brexit on Wednesday after British lawmakers instructed Prime Minister Theresa May to reopen a Brexit treaty with the European Union to replace a controversial Irish border arrangement. Britain's parliament rejected a proposal to give parliament a path to prevent a potentially chaotic "no-deal" exit, but accepted two amendments - one seeking to replace the Irish backstop with alternative arrangements, and another rejecting the notion of a "no-deal" Brexit. Goldman Sachs analysts upped their "no-deal" Brexit probability to 15 percent from 10 percent, and cut their probability of Brexit not happening at all to 35 percent from 40 percent.

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Venezuela: US sanctions threaten heavy crude supplies

US sanctions against Venezuela's national oil company risk raising crude prices owing to a drop in exports of so-called heavy crude on which the world depends. Washington's move against PDVSA on Monday is aimed at crippling embattled President Nicolas Maduro's power base. Although crude output by OPEC member Venezuela has slumped in recent years, its heavy oil is sought after by US refineries who mix it with lighter crudes to make petrol.

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Chicago Police Investigating Possible Hate Crime Attack Against Empire Actor

Jussie Smollett told police that the attackers wrapped a rope around his neck

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Roger Stone's not guilty plea shows collapse of Russian collusion narrative

It wasn't a crime for the Trump campaign to be interested in what WikiLeaks had on Hillary, other Democrats. The collusion narrative is falling apart.

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Trump Says No Spending Deal Without Wall or ‘Physical Barrier’

“If the committee of Republicans and Democrats now meeting on Border Security is not discussing or contemplating a Wall or Physical Barrier, they are Wasting their time!” Trump said Wednesday on Twitter. House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy lent credence to the possibility that Republicans could endorse that route when he told Fox News on Wednesday morning that distinctions between a wall and fencing were just semantics.

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Senate judiciary chair requests FBI briefing on arrest of Trump ally

The Republican chairman of the U.S. Senate judiciary panel on Wednesday requested a briefing from the FBI on the arrest of Roger Stone, a longtime associate of President Donald Trump, in an inquiry into Russian interference in the 2016 U.S. election. Senator Lindsey Graham said he was concerned about the number of agents involved, tactics employed and the timing of Stone's arrest on Friday in Florida. Special Counsel Robert Mueller is investigating U.S. allegations that Russia meddled in the election and whether members of the campaign of then-Republican candidate Trump coordinated with Moscow officials.

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Good-bye polar vortex, hello spring? Weekend will be 75 degrees warmer

The bitter cold that froze parts of the central and eastern U.S. this week will be a distant memory by the weekend.

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PG&E files for bankruptcy amid California wildfire lawsuits, citing billions in claims

The utility filed bankruptcy documents despite investigators determining last week that its equipment was not to blame for a 2017 fire that killed 22.

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'El Chapo' defense rests after calling one witness

After that, U.S. District Judge Brian Cogan, who is presiding over the trial in Brooklyn federal court, will instruct the jury so it can begin deliberating Guzman's fate. The brief defense case was in sharp contrast to the 10-week presentation put on by prosecutors, who called over 50 witnesses to testify. Guzman said on Monday that he would not testify in his own defense.

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Phone Giant Plays a Cunning Game Over Huawei Ban

(Bloomberg Opinion) -- If Deutsche Telekom AG is to be believed, a ban on equipment from Huawei Technologies Co. would slow down its rollout of 5G  networks by two years. Even though such an embargo would be a huge burden for the German phone giant, there are factors that might lessen the pain. A delay to its 5G plans might even be welcome.

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Russia claims no knowledge of plane sent to Venezuela 'to extract 20 tonnes of gold' from national bank

Russian authorities have moved to quash suspicions that 20 tonnes of gold are about to be moved from the Venezuela’s national bank to Moscow. Allegations that a Russian jet which landed in Caracas was due to load an $840 million portion of the country's gold reserves surfaced early on Wednesday. Venezuela’s opposition-controlled parliament, sidelined by the Maduro regime, said in a tweet that they received information from the Bank of Venezuela that a plane from Moscow arrived to Caracas to “extract at least 20 tons of gold” - 20 per cent of the bank’s holdings. “We are demanding the Bank [to reveal] details of what is happening. That gold does not belong to Calixto Ortega, [head of the Bank]. It belongs to the Venezuelan people,” the tweet read.  Dmitry Peskov, Kremlin spokesman, said on Wednesday that he is not aware of any plans to bring gold to Moscow.  Hyperinflation in Venezuela “Russia is prepared to help resolve the political situation [in Venezuela] in any way possible, without interfering into the country’s internal affairs,” Mr Peskov was quoted as saying by the RBC news outlet.  On Monday, Russian newspaper Novaya Gazeta reported that an empty passenger plane departed from Moscow to Caracas.  The Boeing 777, with space for some 400 passengers and belonging to Russia's Nordwind Airlines, was parked by a private corner of the airport after flying direct from Moscow, according to flight tracking data and Reuters photos. It was the first time it had made the route, the data showed. Novaya Gazeta said that the plane carried two crew teams and suggested there was no obvious reason for it to fly there: Russian tourists are officially recommended not to visit Venezuela, sales of package tours to the country have stopped long ago, and Russia’s Foreign Ministry hasn’t announced plans to evacuate Russian citizens from the country.  Venezuelan social media was alive with theories, including that the place had brought mercenaries, or was there to escort Maduro into exile. Venezuela's Finance Minister Simon Zerpa claimed there were no Russian planes in the Caracas airport, despite the pictures. Responding to questions about the gold, Peskov urged journalists "to be careful with different hoaxes."  Maduro claims he is facing a Washington-backed coup attempt led by opposition leader Juan Guaido, who last week proclaimed himself president and was recognized by the United States as the legitimate head-of-state. Russia has accused US President Donald Trump's administration of trying to usurp power in Venezuela and warned against any military intervention. The Kremlin on Tuesday condemned new U.S. sanctions against Venezuela's vital oil sector as illegal interference in the OPEC member's affairs. Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on Tuesday that Russian government “will do anything” to support Maduro.  Guaido is currently petitioning the Bank of England to prevent Mr Maduro getting his hands on $1.3 billion (£1 billion) in gold held in London vaults. Venezuela, which is struggling to provide basic services, has some $8 billion in foreign reserves around the world. On Monday the US placed sanctions on Venezuela’s state oil company – a move designed to cripple Maduro’s regime financially, and sway the military to defect.

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Trump orders ‘several thousand’ more troops to US-Mexico border, costing taxpayers over $600m

Donald Trump’s White House administration has ordered “several thousand” more troops to the US-Mexico border, Pentagon officials said Tuesday. Acting Defense Department Secretary Patrick Shanahan said the latest dispatch of troops to the southern border would occur “soon” following a new request from the Department of Homeland Security. Meanwhile, reports indicate the president’s demands for an increased US military presence along the border are expected to cost American taxpayers over $600m (£458m).

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Mnuchin says Huawei case 'separate' from U.S.-China trade talks

U.S. Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin said on Tuesday he expected to see significant progress in trade talks with Chinese officials this week and that U.S. charges against telecommunications giant Huawei Technologies Co Ltd were a separate issue. "Those are separate issues, and that's a separate dialogue," Mnuchin said in an interview with Fox Business Network. "So those are not part of trade discussions.

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Venezuela crisis: Opposition leader Juan Guaido hit with travel ban and asset freeze by supreme court

Venezuela’s self-declared interim president, Juan Guaido, has been hit with a travel ban after the country’s chief prosecutor announced he would launch a criminal investigation into the congressional leader. The supreme court – stacked with members loyal to president Nicolas Maduro – blocked Mr Guaido from leaving the counrty and froze his bank accounts, but did not strip him of his legislative immunity. It came as Mr Guaido called on Venezuelans to stage a two-hour walkout from their homes and workplaces in protest at Mr Maduro’s stewardship of the country.

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U.S. intel chief Dan Coats: North Korea 'unlikely to completely give up' its nukes

"Our assessment is bolstered by our observations of some activity that is inconsistent with full denuclearization," Coats added.

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Boeing bullish on 2019 despite US-China tensions

Boeing reported a strong fourth quarter on Wednesday and offered a bullish 2019 outlook as executives expressed measured confidence in the prospects for a US-China trade agreement. Shares rallied on the report and 2019 forecast, which anticipates much higher than expected 2019 profits as the company ramps up commercial aircraft deliveries. "Across the enterprise, our team delivered strong core operating performance and customer focus, driving record revenues, earnings and cash flow and further extending our global aerospace industry leadership in 2018," said Boeing Chief Executive Dennis Muilenburg.

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Venezuela crisis: Maduro accuses Trump of hiring Colombian mafia to assassinate him

Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro accused President Donald Trump of hiring the local mafia to assassinate him in an interview with a Russia state-run news agency. “Donald Trump has without doubt given an order to kill me and has told the government of Colombia and the Colombian mafia to kill me,” Mr Maduro told RIA news agency on Wednesday, Reuters reported. Critics argue that the 56-year-old’s claim is a red-herring tactic to rally up support in Venezuela amid mass protests against his socialist government, and the debilitating inflation and food and medicine shortages in the Latin American country.

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Goldman Sachs ups 'no-deal' likelihood after UK parliament amendment vote

Goldman Sachs nudged up its estimated probability of a "no-deal" Brexit on Wednesday after British lawmakers instructed Prime Minister Theresa May to reopen a Brexit treaty with the European Union to replace a controversial Irish border arrangement. Britain's parliament rejected a proposal to give parliament a path to prevent a potentially chaotic "no-deal" exit, but accepted two amendments - one seeking to replace the Irish backstop with alternative arrangements, and another rejecting the notion of a "no-deal" Brexit. Goldman Sachs analysts upped their "no-deal" Brexit probability to 15 percent from 10 percent, and cut their probability of Brexit not happening at all to 35 percent from 40 percent.

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US Midwest braces for dangerous arctic chill

Millions of Americans braced Tuesday for a dangerous polar vortex which began to settle over a broad swath of the United States, threatening to set new records for cold as schools and businesses closed and authorities warned of frostbite. Temperatures in almost a dozen states stretching over 1,200 miles from the Dakotas to Ohio were forecast to be the coldest in a generation, if not on record. The National Weather Service (NWS) forecast temperatures between -10 to -40 degrees Fahrenheit (-23 to -40 Celsius) by Wednesday, with wind chill making it seem as cold as -65 degrees Fahrenheit in one area of Minnesota.

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Trump slams U.S. intelligence chiefs as 'passive and naive' on Iran

Leaders of the U.S. intelligence community told a Senate committee on Tuesday that the nuclear threat from North Korea persisted and Iran was not taking steps toward making a nuclear bomb, conclusions that contrasted starkly with Trump's assessments of those countries. "The Intelligence people seem to be extremely passive and naive when it comes to the dangers of Iran.

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Kids (not just infants!) can now fly for free on Frontier Airlines, but there's a catch

Frontier Airlines is letting kids fly for free as part of their Discount Den program, which costs about $60 a year. Here's what you need to know.

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Dangerous arctic chill sweeps over US Midwest

Tens of millions of people in the United States are bracing for a potentially life-threatening deep arctic chill forecast to hit swaths of the country on Wednesday. The US Postal Service -- known for its commitment to bringing the mail whatever the weather -- has even reportedly suspended deliveries in Iowa due to the severe cold. Temperatures in almost a dozen states stretching more than 1,200 miles (1,930 kilometers) from the Dakotas to Ohio were forecast to be the coldest in a generation, if not on record.

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'Naive': President Trump disputes his own intelligence chiefs on Iran, North Korea

President Trump takes to Twitter to defend his foreign policy on Iran, North Korea, and other issues.

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No mail will be delivered to parts of seven states as polar vortex chills postal delivery

So much for "Neither snow nor rain nor heat nor gloom of night." The U.S. mail won't be delivered tomorrow in four states due to the crippling cold of the polar vortex.

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World stocks mixed amid fears for trade talks, Brexit hopes

SINGAPORE (AP) — World markets were mixed Tuesday amid concerns that U.S. criminal charges against China's Huawei could complicate trade talks, though European indexes were up on optimism over Brexit.

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