Conditions were growing more dire in parts of the South still reeling from subfreezing temperatures and widespread power outages as vehicles got stranded for hours on major highways. Officials warned Wednesday that people stuck at home were running out of food, medicine and other essentials. Mississippi dispatched 135 snowplows and National Guard troops equipped with wreckers to sections of Interstates 55 and 22 gridlocked by vehicles abandoned in the state’s ice-stricken northern region. Tens of thousands of homes and businesses remained without power as cold daytime temperatures sunk below freezing overnight in a region unaccustomed and ill-equipped for such weather.

A dog traveling from a South Carolina shelter to a planned new home in Maine escaped during a bathroom break along the New Jersey Turnpike. Abbie, a 9-year-old golden retriever mix, wandered for about 25 miles before her tracking tag and drone technology enabled rescuers to find her the next day. Abbie was among several dogs being transported. Volunteers eventually pinpointed her location in a wooded area using thermal imaging from a drone. Woodbridge police rescued her early Sunday. Abbie suffered a hip injury that will require surgery but was otherwise fine, and now she's back with her foster family in South Carolina.

Greenland's strategic location above the Arctic Circle makes it a focal point in global security and trade debates. The island is rich in rare earth minerals, crucial for technology, attracting U.S. interest to counter China's market dominance. Greenland is a self-governing territory of Denmark, which has rejected U.S. President Donald Trump’s interest in controlling the island. The U.S. operates the Pituffik Space Base there, supporting defense operations. Denmark is boosting its military presence with new naval vessels and drones. Meanwhile, China and Russia are increasing their influence in the Arctic, raising security concerns.

Russian officials say that a Ukrainian attack killed 24 people in a Russian-occupied village in Ukraine’s Kherson region, as tensions between the two nations continue to spike despite diplomats hailing productive peace talks. Ukrainian officials did not immediately comment on the strike, which could not be independently verified by The Associated Press. The statement follows claims from Moscow that Ukraine launched a long-range drone attack against one of Russian President Vladimir Putin’s official residences in northwestern Russia on Tuesday. Kyiv has denounced the claims as a “lie.”