US winter storm: at least 18 people dead and nearly 200m under cold alerts

A severe winter storm sweeping across the US has caused at least 29 deaths from Texas to New England. Over 200 million people are under cold alerts as of Monday, with forecasters predicting continued frigid temperatures and dangerous wind chills into early February. The National Weather Service warns of widespread sub-zero lows and record cold across the eastern two-thirds of the country. As of Monday evening, over 670,000 power outages were reported, primarily in the South due to freezing rain damaging trees and power lines. The University of Mississippi has cancelled classes until Sunday due to hazardous conditions and ongoing recovery efforts.