US Midwest gripped by bitter cold but relief ahead
Brutally cold temperatures gripped the US Midwest, freezing water mains, causing power outages, cancelling flights and straining natural gas supplies.
Tens of millions of Americans shivered for a second day as the mercury dipped to record lows in several states.
More than a dozen deaths have been attributed to the sub-zero weather and a weekend snowstorm that blanketed the same region. Many of the cold-related fatalities were in Michigan, where the governor said the death toll was still being confirmed.
Schools and businesses remained closed in several midwestern states, people were encouraged to stay home, and travellers were stranded by grounded flights and halted trains.
South Koreans mourn death of former WWII sex slave
Mourners hold yellow butterfly cutouts dedicated to Kim Bok-dong, a former South Korean sex slave, during her funeral ceremony in front of the Japanese Embassy in Seoul, South Korea, Friday, Feb. 1, 2019. Hundreds of mourners gathered Friday near the embassy for the funeral of Kim forced as a girl into a brothel and sexually enslaved by the Japanese military in WWII. | Photo Credit: AP
Hundreds are gathering near the Japanese Embassy in Seoul for the funeral of a South Korean woman forced as a girl into a brothel and sexually enslaved by the Japanese military in WWII.
The mourners on Friday were surrounded by media as a hearse carrying Kim Bok-dong stopped in front of a bronze statue of a girl representing the thousands of Asian women experts say were forced into front-line brothels by the Japanese.
Piyush Goyal heads to the Parliament
Union Minister Piyush Goyal leaves the ministry to meet the President and head to Parliament to present the Interim Budget 2019 | Photo Credit: V.V. Krishnan
Finance Minister Piyush Goyal is all set to present his maiden Budget in Lok Sabha on Friday. The vote on account is going to be an “Interim” one, according to the government. Nevertheless, expectations are high since this will be the last Budget ahead of the General Elections.