English-language Prague and Czech political, civic and cultural news.
Chronological file / page 18
A massive winter storm sweeping from the southern Rockies to New England has triggered widespread flight cancellations, hazardous road conditions and major disruptions for travelers. Airlines, airports and emergency officials are urging the public to delay trips, monitor airline alerts and prepare for prolonged cold and ice impacts.
↗Verizon says a hourslong outage that disrupted calling and mobile data has been resolved, after customers across the U.S. reported devices stuck in ‘SOS’ mode. The company apologized and said affected customers will receive account credits.
↗Indiana’s national championship victory over Miami delivered the most-watched college football game in more than a decade, reflecting strong interest in the expanded playoff era. ESPN and the CFP also posted strong season-long averages as the 12-team format continues to reshape the sport’s biggest stage.
↗With widespread flight cancellations during a major winter storm, consumer protections on refunds have come into focus. Travelers are generally entitled to a refund when a flight is canceled and they choose not to travel, even if they bought a nonrefundable ticket, though rules differ for additional compensation like hotels and meals.
↗President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump hosted a private White House screening of an Amazon MGM Studios documentary about the first lady, even as Washington and state officials confronted political blowback from a fatal shooting by a Border Patrol agent in Minneapolis. Democrats questioned the administration’s priorities and signaled a harder line on upcoming funding decisions tied to the Department of Homeland Security.
↗Milwaukee Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo said he re-injured his calf and expects to miss roughly four to six weeks after playing through discomfort in a loss to Denver. The timing could disrupt Milwaukee’s push to improve its roster ahead of the Feb. 5 trade deadline and may also affect award eligibility tied to games played.
↗A new research paper argues that meeting fast-moving AI rules will require automated, lifecycle compliance systems rather than manual processes. The authors propose design goals and benchmarking ideas intended to help regulators, auditors and developers measure whether AI systems can meet legal obligations at scale.
↗After a sharp single-day downturn on Jan. 20, 2026, U.S. investors continued to weigh the economic fallout from tariff threats against NATO-aligned European countries. The episode hit major indexes and big technology stocks, and it amplified worries about how geopolitical shocks can spill into prices, trade and corporate earnings.
↗A sprawling winter storm continued to batter the U.S. on Sunday, Jan. 25, 2026, bringing snow, sleet and freezing rain from the South to New England. Hundreds of thousands of customers were without power in multiple states, tens of thousands of flights were canceled or delayed, and forecasters warned that dangerous ice and bitter cold would keep disrupting daily life into Monday.
↗The 56th World Economic Forum in Davos (Jan. 19–23, 2026) wrapped up against a tense global backdrop, with leaders weighing security, trade, and economic resilience. Speeches and side meetings highlighted friction between the U.S. and some NATO partners, while participants pushed competing plans for investment, innovation and stability.
↗The CDC announced it is updating how the U.S. childhood immunization schedule is organized following a White House directive to review international practices. The agency said vaccines remain covered without cost sharing, and it outlined three categories for recommendations, including routine shots for all children and others based on risk or shared decision-making.
↗The New England Patriots and Denver Broncos meet in the AFC Championship Game on January 25, 2026, with a trip to Super Bowl LX at stake. With kickoff in Denver, fans are watching for matchup edges, coaching decisions, and whether either team can control tempo under playoff pressure.
↗