Cold Snap Grips Eastern U.S., EU Designates Iran's Guard as Terrorist Group, and More News

Extreme Cold and Winter Storms

• 🥶 Dangerously cold temperatures are forecast across much of the Eastern U.S. this weekend, with advisories in effect from Texas to Maine.
• ⚡ Emergency crews in Mississippi are working to repair icy power lines, with one instance requiring a helicopter for access.
• 🌨️ The National Guard has been dispatched in Mississippi to help clear roads following a massive storm, while Nashville saw over 100 people seeking food assistance.
• ⚠️ The death toll attributed to the frigid weather has tragically risen to at least 85 people.

International Affairs and Diplomacy

• 🇺🇸 President Trump reportedly asked Vladimir Putin to delay strikes on Ukraine's capital for a week due to the cold weather, a request Putin allegedly agreed to, though the Kremlin has not confirmed.
• ✈️ President Trump announced the reopening of Venezuela's airspace to commercial traffic, with American Airlines planning to restart service.
• 🇻🇪 Venezuelan lawmakers approved the privatization of the nation's oil sector, reversing a key socialist principle.
• 🇪🇺 The European Union has officially designated Iran's Revolutionary Guard as a terrorist organization, aligning with the U.S. and Canada.
• 🚨 The EU also sanctioned 21 Iranian officials and organizations, with the foreign policy chief stating that repression has a price.
• 💥 Activists report that Iran's crackdown on protests has resulted in over 6,400 deaths, and Iran plans live-fire drills in the Strait of Hormuz.

Domestic News and Legal Proceedings

• ⚖️ A former Illinois sheriff's deputy, Sean Grayson, was sentenced to 20 years in prison for fatally shooting Sonya Massey, a Black woman who had called 911 for help.
• 🏅 Gymnast Jordan Chiles is one step closer to potentially reclaiming a disputed bronze medal from the 2024 Paris Olympics, as Switzerland's highest court sent the case back to the Court of Arbitration for Sport for review of new evidence.
• 📈 The U.S. trade deficit widened significantly in November, marking the largest increase in over three decades, according to data delayed by the government shutdown.
• 📊 Wall Street stocks ended mixed after a volatile trading day, with the Dow Jones industrial average seeing a slight gain while the Nasdaq and S&P 500 experienced losses.

Cultural Preservation and Tributes

• 🎬 Twenty-five classic movies, including the iconic '90s comedy "Clueless", have been added to the National Film Registry at the Library of Congress for their cultural, historic, or aesthetic importance.
• 🎞️ The selections range from Wes Anderson's "Grand Budapest Hotel" (2014) to the silent film "The Tramp and the Dog" (1896), with four documentaries also included.
• 💔 Social media star and nonprofit founder Shirley Raines, known as Ms. Shirley on TikTok, has died at the age of 58. She was recognized for her work feeding and caring for homeless people on Skid Row.