Pressing Questions Asked by Gold & Silver Investors… (Winter 2026)

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Pressing Questions Asked by Gold & Silver Investors… (Winter 2026)

(Money Metals News Service) We get lots of questions from the public about precious metals. Some people are curious about the basics.

Others are skeptical about the case for owning gold and silver. Still, others are longtime customers who have highly specialized inquiries.

Here we will answer a few of the most common, most broadly relevant questions we get…

QUESTION: What makes silver so unusual and special?

ANSWER: Silver is often called “the poor man’s gold.” Like gold, it’s a precious metal with deep cultural and monetary roots—but it’s far more affordable per ounce, making it accessible to the average person.

That’s especially true in periods like this. When gold takes off to the upside, many investors shift toward silver because they can get so many more ounces for the same dollar amount. And because the silver market is much smaller than gold’s, even a modest rotation of new money from gold into silver can have an outsized impact on silver’s price.

With both monetary and industrial features, silver has been described as schizophrenic.

But each of its personalities is highly charming! Its monetary qualities are time-tested for millennia, and in many languages, the word for silver literally means money.

On the industrial side, the uses of silver are exploding, thanks to its status as the best reflector of visible light, the most conductive metal for electricity and heat, and its remarkable effectiveness as a natural biocide.

That combination makes silver one of the most useful metals on earth. And with silver still historically inexpensive relative to gold, it’s a compelling value play. The price action of the past six months suggests that the market is realizing just how dynamic – and vital silver is.

QUESTION: What is the best government mint?

ANSWER: Money Metals sells coins from numerous government mints, but it really comes down to a matter of personal preference for the investor.

However, if you want more precious metals for your money, you will certainly want to avoid all U.S. Mint products, as mismanagement by federal government bureaucrats has distorted the market, causing high premiums and wide spreads on all current U.S. Mint products.

Most other sovereign mints produce high-quality coins, too, but they do so much more efficiently.

However, private mints are where the action really is… and more experienced investors migrate to privately minted bars and rounds, which carry much lower premiums and lower buy/sell spreads.

QUESTION: If I set up a precious metals IRA, will I have to sell when taking distributions?

ANSWER: You have two options. You can sell some of your IRA precious metals holdings and take distributions in cash. Or you can take physical possession of your bullion and account for its value as an IRA distribution.

According to IRS rules, when an individual takes personal possession of physical precious metals that were held inside an IRA, it counts as a distribution. Even if you don’t sell the bullion for cash, you could still face tax consequences based on its market value.

JPMorgan CEO: This Looks A Lot Like the Run-Up to 2008

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JPMorgan CEO: This Looks A Lot Like the Run-Up to 2008

(Mike Maharrey, Money Metals News Service) I have argued that the current economic environment has a lot of eerie parallels to 2007. We have extremely high asset valuations, the economy is loaded up with debt, and monetary policy has taken a similar trajectory, with easy money blowing up these bubbles. We even have characters like Larry Kudlow talking up the economy just like they did in 2007.

I’m not the only one who sees these concerning parallels. JPMorgan Chase CEO Jamie Dimon recently said elevated asset prices and an increasingly competitive banking environment, pushing more credit, remind him of the pre-2008 financial crisis years.

“My own view is people are getting a little comfortable that this is real, these high asset prices and high volumes, and that we won’t have any problems whatsoever.”

But he warned that the cycle will inevitably turn.

“There will be a cycle one day … I don’t know what confluence of events will cause that cycle. My anxiety is high over it. I’m not assuaged by the fact that asset prices are high. In fact, I think that adds to the risk.”

Dimon is increasingly concerned about rising levels of debt. Even as government, consumer, and corporate debt are at record levels, the banking industry is scrambling to make more loans, feeding the growing Debt Black Hole. He said that he sees many lenders loosening standards in pursuit of profit, like the run-up to the 2008 financial crisis.

“Unfortunately, we did see this in ’05, ’06, and ’07, almost the same thing. The rising tide lifting all boats, everyone was making a lot of money, people leveraging to the hilt. The sky was the limit.”

The sense that everything is great incentivizes more risk-taking.

“I see a couple of people doing some dumb things. They’re just doing dumb things to create NII (net interest income).”

Loose standards lead to bad loans. Bad loans create malinvestments. Malinvestments ultimately unwind, perpetuating a crisis. In 2006 and 2007, it was artificially low interest rates coupled with a government drive to increase homeownership that blew up a real estate bubble. Dimon said he wasn’t sure what would precipitate the next crash, but there is always something looming on the horizon.

“There’s always a surprise in a credit cycle. This time around it might be software because of AI.”

Dimon conceded that it’s easy to get caught up in market mania.

“You feel stupid when everyone’s coining money and everyone’s great … it does feel really good. And then when I think about all the factors taking place. I take a deep breath and say, `Watch out!'”

The Economy Never Reckoned with the 2008 Mistakes

On top of the similarities between 2007 and today, there are parallels to 2019 that should also raise eyebrows.

In the wake of the 2008 financial crisis, the Fed cut rates to zero and held them there for seven years. The central bank also bought more than $3.5 trillion in bonds via QE, bloating the balance sheet and injecting trillions of newly printed money into the economy. This fed the massive increase in asset valuations and debt that Dimon is worried about today.

The Fed didn’t lift a finger to normalize monetary policy until 2015, and it didn’t begin in earnest until two years later.

Even with only modest monetary tightening, the economy began to crack. The stock market tanked, and the economy got wobbly. It quickly became clear the central bank couldn’t normalize interest rate policy without crashing the economy, so it gave up. The Fed was forced to cut rates three times in 2019 and resume QE, just like today.

The pandemic bailed the Fed out in 2020, allowing the central bank to slash rates to zero and take QE to unprecedented levels. This kicked the can down the road, giving the easy money-addicted economy a surge of its preferred drug, and keeping the inevitable crash at bay.

Were it not for the massive monetary injection during COVID, the economy would have likely gone into a deep recession to cleanse the monetary excesses of the Great Recession. Instead, the pandemic allowed the central bank and the government to double down with stimulus, delaying the inevitable.

The reality is that the economy has to have its easy money drug. Without it, the addict goes into painful withdrawals.

The Fed (the pusher) has begun to dribble the monetary heroin into the addict’s veins. The problem is, over time, it takes more and more of the drug to maintain the high. Eventually, the druggie will OD.

No matter how this plays out, we’re looking at an increasingly inflationary environment. The money supply is already growing at the fastest rate since July 2022, in the early stages of the tightening cycle, and the pace of money creation will increase as the Fed continues QE (without calling it QE). We will also likely see additional rate cuts. That means you can look forward to the purchasing power of your dollar declining even more rapidly.

Of course, this will also add even more fuel to the fire Dimon is warning about.

Plan accordingly.

Mike Maharrey is a journalist and market analyst for Money Metals with over a decade of experience in precious metals. He holds a BS in accounting from the University of Kentucky and a BA in journalism from the University of South Florida.

World Platinum Investment Council: Recent Price Correction Better Aligns Market With Fundamentals

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World Platinum Investment Council: Recent Price Correction Better Aligns Market With Fundamentals

(Mike Maharrey, Money Metals News Service) Platinum corrected last month, along with other precious metals. According to the World Platinum Investment Council (WPIC), after getting caught up in precious metals mania, the recent price drop brought the metal more in line with fundamental market dynamics.

Platinum joined gold and silver for the wild ride up in 2025, gaining 119 percent, and then continuing to surge through the first three weeks of 2026. Platinum hit an all-time high of $2,923 an ounce in late January before selling off along with gold and silver.

Over the last few weeks, platinum has rallied and seems to have found support around $2,000.

While the selloff was substantial, the platinum price is still up 112 percent since January 2024.

World Platinum Investment Council analysts say that despite the recent correction, “the factors underpinning platinum’s all-time price high remain entrenched.”

“The price increase has not solved for the ongoing shortage of metal, which is illustrated by sustained high lease rates and strong OTC backwardation.”

Based on the World Platinum Investment Council’s Platinum Price Attribution Model (PPAM), the price became significantly disconnected from market fundamentals in late December and early January. WPIC analysts say this was likely due to the platinum market being caught up in broader precious metal bullishness, driven by the “significant impact that the macro-economic and geopolitical environment was having on commodity markets.”

“Platinum’s early price momentum increasingly began to disconnect from the expected price derived from our PPAM. The residual factor (i.e. unexplained price drivers) between spot and our PPAM exceeded US$500/oz by 26 January 2026, when platinum achieved an all-time high of US$2,923/oz.”

Analysts say the recent correction and consolidation brought the market more in line with traditional drivers.

“In our view, platinum’s mild price recovery in February 2026 likely reflects some consolidation with investors returning their focus to tangible market dynamics such as platinum’s elevated lease rates and compelling supply-demand outlook.”

Not Enough Platinum

Much like silver, the platinum market faces a structural deficit with demand outstripping mining and recycling supply.

In 2024, the platinum market ran its third straight supply deficit with a 995,000-ounce shortfall. While the final numbers aren’t in, the WPIC projects a slightly larger deficit in 2025, with the market forecast to roughly balance this year. Looking ahead, the WPIC projects modest market deficits in the 300-400k range through 2030.

The WPIC identifies five factors that should continue to support the platinum price in the near to mid-term.

  1. Ongoing supply shortfalls – As already noted, despite roughly balancing in 2026, the platinum market is expected to return to modest deficits in 2027 and beyond. According to the WPIC, the balanced market this year is not expected to alleviate current market tightness.
  2. Supply issues have more than one driver – Both primary mining and secondary recycling supply pose challenges.
  3. Tariff issues – U.S. tariffs present some downside risks to demand. These will likely be offset by tailwinds to jewelry demand and Chinese investment demand.
  4. Elevated lease rates and OTC London backwardation – These dynamics highlight tight market conditions.
  5. The platinum price remains significantly below the price of gold – Before 2011, platinum was generally more expensive than gold. In 2015, this historical trend reversed, with the spread between gold and platinum growing wider.

It remains to be seen whether platinum will regain the price parity with gold we saw before the mid-2010s, but given the supply and demand dynamics, it is reasonable to be bullish on platinum in the near to mid-term.

Mike Maharrey is a journalist and market analyst for Money Metals with over a decade of experience in precious metals. He holds a BS in accounting from the University of Kentucky and a BA in journalism from the University of South Florida.

Judge to Make Major Ruling in Charlie Kirk Assassination Case

Headline USA Editor
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Judge to Make Major Ruling in Charlie Kirk Assassination Case

(Headline USA) A Utah judge is expected to decide Tuesday whether to keep prosecutors on the murder case against Tyler Robinson, the man accused of killing conservative activist Charlie Kirk on a Utah college campus.

Prosecutors plan to seek the death penalty against Robinson, 22, who is charged with aggravated murder in the Sept. 10 shooting on the Utah Valley University campus in Orem. Robinson has not yet entered a plea.

State District Judge Tony Graf has been weighing whether to disqualify the Utah County Attorney’s Office from continuing to prosecute the case.

Robinson’s attorneys argue that Chad Grunander, a deputy county attorney working on the case, has a conflict of interest because his adult daughter was in the audience when Kirk was shot.

An estimated 3,000 people were at the outdoor rally to hear Kirk when he was struck while taking questions. A co-founder of Turning Point USA, Kirk helped mobilize young people to vote for President Donald Trump.

Grunander’s daughter, whose identity has not been disclosed to news media covering the case, testified in court that she did not record video of the shooting or the aftermath. She was looking at the crowd and did not learn until after she ran to safety that it was Kirk who had been shot, she told the court earlier this month.

Robinson’s attorneys also argue in court documents that prosecutors were quick to announce their intent to seek the death penalty, which they say is evidence of “strong emotional reactions” that merit disqualification of the entire team.

Utah County Attorney Jeffrey Gray testified this month that he thought about seeking the death penalty before an arrest had been made in the case, and his colleague’s daughter in no way influenced the decision.

Graf could decide to keep prosecutors on the case, dismiss them all or dismiss only Grunander.

If Utah County prosecutors are disqualified, the case would likely shift to prosecutors in a county with enough resources to handle a big case, such as Salt Lake County, or possibly the state attorney general’s office, Utah Prosecution Council Director Robert Church has said.

The judge has been weighing other issues of fairness for Robinson, should he go to trial.

Full video recordings of Kirk’s shooting have not been shown in court after defense attorneys objected out of concern that the footage would undermine Robinson’s right to a fair trial.

Defense attorneys also seek to keep TV cameras and photographers out of the courtroom, arguing that “highly biased” news outlets risk tainting the case. Prosecutors, attorneys for news organizations and Kirk’s widow have urged Graf to keep the proceedings open.

Adapted from reporting by the Associated Press

 

‘60 Minutes’ South Africa Segment Validates Concerns about White People

Luis Cornelio
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‘60 Minutes’ South Africa Segment Validates Concerns about White People

(Luis Cornelio, Headline USA) CBS’s 60 Minutes aired a segment Sunday that appeared aimed at challenging President Donald Trump’s assertions of genocide against Afrikaners in South Africa. 

Instead, the report ended up reinforcing key elements of the president’s concerns. 

President Donald Trump has repeatedly cited a video of white crosses lining a South African highway as evidence of deadly violence against farmers. 

Promoting its segment on X, 60 Minutes suggested the display was misleading. The show claimed that “when 60 Minutes traveled to the site, the crosses were gone. Anderson Cooper tracked down the farmer who placed them there.” 

But the farmer himself undercut any suggestion of fabrication. 

KwaZulu-Natal farmer Darryl Brown explained that the crosses were not burial sites but temporary memorials honoring farmers who had been killed.  

“It definitely wasn’t a burial site,” Brown said. “I mean, those crosses were there for less than 48 hours. It was purely an avenue of crosses that we planted there um in honor of commercial farmers in South Africa that had lost their lives.” 

Brown said his 82-year-old father was viciously attacked in 2016. In the years that followed, three of his close friends were murdered on their farms. 

Glen and Vida Rafferty were killed on their property in 2021. Farmer Toli Nell, another close friend, was murdered on his farm in 2024.  

Brown said the crosses were erected in 2021 and 2024 to honor the slain farmers. 

During the attack on Nell’s farm, his son was tied up and beaten as thieves ransacked the property. “No one has been arrested,” Cooper noted. 

“My life has changed. I’ve got nothing to look forward to,” Nell’s widow said through tears. She said she would not describe the killings as genocide, but as opportunistic attacks targeting farmers. 

Clips of the segment quickly went viral on X, where critics described the broadcast as a self-own for 60 Minutes. 

The killings of Afrikaners have become a focal point of the Trump administration’s foreign policy. The president raised the issue directly with South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, who disputes claims of mass murder. 

Watch the full 60 Minutes segment below:

GOP Lawmakers Demand Rep. Gonzales’s Resignation over Fiery Affair

Luis Cornelio
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GOP Lawmakers Demand Rep. Gonzales’s Resignation over Fiery Affair

(Luis Cornelio, Headline USA) Embattled Rep. Tony Gonzales, R-Texas, is facing mounting calls to resign amid allegations of an affair with a married staffer who later died after setting herself on fire.

Four GOP lawmakers — Reps. Lauren Boebert of Colorado, Anna Paulina Luna of Florida, and Nancy Mace of South Carolina and Thomas Massie of Kentucky — directly demanded his resignation on Monday after the release of sexually explicit messages between Gonzales and his subordinate, Regina Santos-Aviles.

Santos-Aviles died in 2025 after setting herself on fire, following an emotional spiral allegedly triggered by the affair becoming public, according to her widower, Adrian Aviles.

One of the newly released messages appears to show Gonzales requesting a “sexy” photo of Santos-Aviles, followed by a question referencing what appeared to be anal sex.

Boebert was the first to call for his resignation.

“This kind of abuse of power has no place anywhere, let alone in Congress, and Tony Gonzales should be ashamed and RESIGN IMMEDIATELY!” she told Politico.

Luna echoed the criticism on X, writing: “As a woman, this is really disgusting to see. Not to mention, it brings dishonor on the House of Representatives.”

She added, “I am so sick of people not calling this crap out. Again, like I’ve said before, this is not the only case of this crap up here.”

Meanwhile, Mace praised congressional staff and said they “should never have to endure predatory behavior from the people they work for.” She continued, “Congressman Gonzales must address these allegations and resign.”

Massie followed up on X, writing: “I’m joining Nancy Mace, Lauren Boebert, and Anna Paulina Luna in calling for Representative Tony Gonzales to resign immediately. Where are the other men in the GOP? Trump is infamous for making terrible endorsements — this is one and it should be revoked.”

Gonzales has previously denied the affair but largely avoided addressing questions about his relationship with Santos-Aviles or the newly released messages.

A former staffer said Santos-Aviles confided that she had an affair with Gonzales. Her husband said counseling was difficult because she didn’t want to leave her job. She was reportedly sidelined in Gonzales’s office, which Aviles said contributed to her emotional spiral.

House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., called the allegations “very serious” in remarks to reporters Monday.

“I’ve spoken with him and told him he’s got to address that in the appropriate way with his constituents, and all of that,” Johnson continued.

Gonzales has since accused Aviles’ attorney, Bobby Barrera, of attempting blackmail in connection with a potential settlement under the Congressional Accountability Act, which governs workplace rights for congressional staffers.

Editor’s Note: This piece has been updated to include Rep. Thomas Massie’s calls for Rep. Tony Gonzales to resign.

EXCLUSIVE: Newsom Officials Defend F-Bomb to Reporter After Racist Atlanta Remarks

Luis Cornelio
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EXCLUSIVE: Newsom Officials Defend F-Bomb to Reporter After Racist Atlanta Remarks

Editor’s Note: This article has been updated to include comments from California Gov. Gavin Newsom’s chief of staff, Nathan Barankin.

(Luis Cornelio, Headline USA) The office of embattled California Gov. Gavin Newsom is doubling down after telling a journalist to “fuck off” — and defending the remark in responses to Headline USA.

The profane exchange followed backlash over Newsom’s “racist” remarks at an Atlanta event on Monday, where the potential 2028 candidate appeared to compare his dyslexia and low SAT score to attendees in Atlanta, a predominantly black city.

After RealClear journalist Susan Crabtree requested evidence of a dyslexia diagnosis tied to the governor’s comments, Newsom spokesperson Izzy Gardon replied bluntly: “Respectfully, fuck off.” The email quickly went viral on social media.

Headline USA then contacted Gardon and Newsom’s chief of staff, Nathan Barankin, shortly before midnight, pressing them on whether the response had been cleared by leadership within the governor’s office.

In remarks to this outlet, Gardon doubled down on the flippant message, writing, “My response was cleared by Susan’s mom.”

Meanwhile, Barankin added in a separate email: “I’m handling this situation as I deem appropriate.”

The controversy stemmed from Newsom’s appearance in Atlanta, where he was promoting his book Young Man in a Hurry: A Memoir of Discovery.

“I’m not trying to impress you, I’m just trying to impress upon you, ‘I’m like you. I’m not better than you.’ I’m a 960 SAT guy,” Newsom told Dickens, who is black.

As quoted by the New York Post, Newsom added, “And I’m not trying to offend anyone. I’m not trying to act all there if you got 940 … You’ve never seen me read a speech because I cannot read a speech.”

Critics quickly slammed Newsom’s remarks as tone-deaf, patronizing and even “racist”, particularly given the setting in Atlanta.

Among them was rapper and Trump supporter Nicki Minaj, who wrote on X: “His way of bonding with black ppl is to tell them how stupid he is & that he can’t read.”

Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, mocked Newsom as well, calling him the “perfect Democrat, made in a laboratory, dripping with racist condescension. But also very pretty.”

 

Rob Reiner’s Son Pleads Not Guilty to Murder in the Killing of His Parents

Headline USA Editor
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Rob Reiner’s Son Pleads Not Guilty to Murder in the Killing of His Parents

(Headline USA)  Nick Reiner, the 32-year-old son of Hollywood luminary Rob Reiner and Michele Singer Reiner, pleaded not guilty Monday to two counts of first-degree murder more than two months after their deaths, denying for the first time that he fatally stabbed his parents.

Reiner’s attorney, Deputy Public Defender Kimberly Greene, entered the plea on his behalf as he stood behind glass in an enclosed custody area of the packed Los Angeles courtroom.

The third of Rob Reiner’s four children, Nick Reiner has been held without bail since his arrest hours after beloved actor-director Reiner and photographer and producer Singer were found dead on Dec. 14 at their home in the upscale Brentwood section of Los Angeles.

Reiner appeared in court with a shaved head and light facial hair, wearing brown jail clothes. He talked to his lawyer briefly through the glass before the judge began the hearing. At one point a low door in the enclosure was opened and they crouched down and spoke face-to-face. During the hearing, he spoke only to answer yes when the judge asked if he waived his right for next steps of the case to proceed speedily.

Reiner was not wearing the suicide prevention smock he wore in his first court appearance in December days after his parent’s killings. It was the third time he had been set to enter a plea, but issues surrounding the high-stakes, closely watched case, including a surprising change in defense lawyers, kept it from happening until Monday.

The judge told Reiner to return to court April 29 for the scheduling of a preliminary hearing where prosecutors will present evidence and a new judge will decide if it’s enough for Reiner to go to trial.

The case will now be handled by longtime Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Sam Ohta. He has had many prominent murder, manslaughter and public corruption cases in his courtroom in recent years, but none have drawn the national media attention this case has.

District Attorney Nathan Hochman said outside court that his office still hasn’t decided whether it will seek the death penalty for Reiner. Hochman said the death penalty decision “goes through a very rigorous process. We will be looking at all aggravating and mitigating circumstances.”

Reiner’s not guilty plea is common for criminal defendants at this stage of the case, whatever their longer-term plan might be.

Reiner’s former attorney, the high-profile private lawyer Alan Jackson, had to quit the case at the previous hearing, citing reasons beyond his and his client’s control that ethics wouldn’t let him reveal. But in parting, he adamantly declared that “pursuant to the laws of California, Nick Reiner is not guilty of murder,” a stance made official by Reiner’s plea Monday.

Authorities have said nothing about possible motives, and leaks in the case have been virtually nonexistent on both sides, leaving some of the most basic questions about the killing unanswered publicly.

Rob Reiner, 78, and Michele Singer Reiner, 70, died from “multiple sharp force injuries,” the LA County Medical Examiner said in initial findings. Authorities said they were killed hours before the bodies were discovered. A court order has prevented the public release of more details.

Deputy District Attorney Habib Balian said Monday that his office is still awaiting the full autopsy report from the Medical Examiner, but all other evidence has been turned over to the defense.

Rob Reiner was a prolific director whose work included some of the most memorable and endlessly watchable movies of the 1980s and ’90s. His credits included “This is Spinal Tap,” “Stand By Me,” “A Few Good Men,” and “When Harry Met Sally… ,” during the production of which he met photographer Michele Singer. They wed soon after and were married for 36 years.

Adapted from reporting by the Associated Press.

Huge Snowstorm in the Northeast Forces Millions to Stay Home

Headline USA Editor
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Huge Snowstorm in the Northeast Forces Millions to Stay Home

(Headline USA)  A massive snowstorm pummeled the northeastern United States from Maryland to Maine on Monday, forcing millions of people to stay home amid strong wind and blizzard warnings, transportation shutdowns, and school and business closures.

Meteorologists said the storm is the strongest in a decade, dumping more than 2 feet (60 centimeters) of snow in parts of the metropolitan Northeast, shattering accumulation records in places, immobilizing transit and even leading the United Nations to postpone a Security Council meeting. Officials declared emergencies, schools closed, including in New York City, which had its first “old-school” snow day in six years, and people grappled with power failures.

Even as the snow moved northward and tapered off in other areas, the National Weather Service said it is tracking another storm that could bring more snow to the region later this week.

The weather service referred to Monday’s storm as a “classic bomb cyclone/nor’easter off the Northeast coast.” A bomb cyclone happens when a storm’s pressure falls by a certain amount within a 24-hour period, occurring mainly in the fall and winter when frigid Arctic air can reach the south and clash with warmer temperatures.

While it was paralyzing and potentially dangerous for millions along the Eastern Seaboard, meteorologists found themselves rhapsodizing over the combination of power and beauty.

The storm hit the “Goldilocks situation” of just the right temperature for wet, heavy snow: Any warmer and its precipitation wouldn’t have fallen as snow, any colder and there wouldn’t have been as much moisture in the air to feed that snowfall, said Owen Shieh, warning coordination meteorologist at the National Weather Service’s Weather Prediction Center in Maryland.

In Lower Manhattan, snow shovelers appeared to outnumber commuting office workers, and pedestrians walked freely in streets normally blocked by morning traffic.

“It’s very quiet, except for the howling winds,” said Luis Valez, a concierge at a residential tower just off Wall Street, as he cleared the sidewalk. “A couple of residents have gone out to get their essentials. Other than that, there’s nothing.”

Matthew Wojtkowiak, 57, an attorney, was also shoveling in his Brooklyn neighborhood.

“I’m from the Midwest, so this is in the zone,” he said. “Not too bad, not too easy, either.”

Schools were closed, and he said he hoped people would get out and enjoy the snow.

“We have sleds at the ready,” he said.

Karen Smith and Adele Bawden are tourists visiting New York from the United Kingdom.

“We’ve been dancing in Times Square this morning in the middle of the road in rush hour,” Bawden said. “We’ve just been dancing and not believing we could do it.”

Ingrid Devita said she liked to patrol the Lower East Side on skis, checking on people who might need help.

“I find people fall in the snow and they can’t get up,” she said.

Central Park in New York City recorded 19 inches (48 centimeters) of snow. Warwick, Rhode Island, exceeded 3 feet (91 centimeters), topping the nation so far. The highest wind gust of 83 mph (133 kph) was recorded in Nantucket, with hurricane-force gusts seen all over Cape Cod.

In Connecticut, crews at the Mystic Seaport Museum prepared to clear snow from a fleet of historic ships, including the 113-foot-long Charles W. Morgan, a wooden whaling ship from the 19th century American merchant fleet.

Shannon McKenzie, vice president of watercraft operations and preservation, said shipyard staff will clear the snow by hand using rubber or plastic shovels because machinery or metal shovels could damage the boats.

New York, Philadelphia and other cities, as well as several states, declared emergencies.

More than 5,600 flights in and out of the United States were canceled Monday, and a further 2,000 flights scheduled for Tuesday were grounded, according to the flight tracking website FlightAware. Most of the cancelations involved airports in New York, New Jersey and Boston. Almost 2,500 flights were delayed.

Rhode Island’s T.F. Green International Airport announced Monday that it was temporarily ending all airport operations. The Weather Service reported that the facility got 32.8 inches (83.3 centimeters) of snow, breaking a record set in 1978.

Public transit ground to a halt in some areas, while DoorDash suspended deliveries in New York City overnight into Monday.

Storm-related power outages plunged more than 500,000 customers into darkness along the East Coast early Monday, according to PowerOutage.us, which tracks outages nationwide.

Commuters in and around New York felt the strain.

In New York City, several subway lines reported severe delays, while the Long Island Rail Road was fully suspended until further notice. Some Metro-North commuter trains between New York City and its suburbs were delayed by up to an hour. New Jersey Transit suspended bus and rail services “until further notice.”

The weather service said strong wind gusts could cause whiteout conditions and warned of a “Potentially Historic/Destructive Storm” southeast of the Boston-Providence corridor.

“Winds like that, combined with heavy, wet snow, are a recipe for damaged trees and prolonged power outages,” said Bryce Williams, a meteorologist with the weather service’s Boston office. “That’s what we’re most concerned with, is the combination of those extreme snow amounts with that wind.”

Outreach workers meanwhile tried to coax homeless New Yorkers into shelters and warming centers.

Various landmarks and cultural institutions were closed Monday, including New York’s Museum of Modern Art and the Arlington National Cemetery in Washington, D.C. Broadway shows were canceled Sunday evening.

New York City and Boston canceled public school classes for Monday, while Philadelphia switched to online learning. Districts on Long Island and elsewhere in the New York suburbs said they would cancel school for a second day on Tuesday.

New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani, a Democrat, said class would be back in person on Tuesday.

Officials in one of the city’s Republican strongholds criticized the move. Staten Island Borough President Vito Fossella said school should remain closed, saying roads are impassable and sidewalks are blocked. The teacher’s union, the United Federation of Teachers, advised its members to be cautious and put their safety first when deciding whether to report to work.

Spokespersons for Mamdani didn’t immediately respond to an email seeking comment. Earlier Monday when he announced classes would be back in session he quipped: “You can still pelt me with snowballs when you see me.”

For Monday, though, he had another mission for students: “Stay cozy.”

Adapted from reporting by the Associated Press. 

Feds Investigate Shooting at New Hampshire-Canada Border Crossing; Suspect Hospitalized

Headline USA Editor
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Feds Investigate Shooting at New Hampshire-Canada Border Crossing; Suspect Hospitalized

(Headline USA) A person was shot near the Canadian border in New Hampshire early Sunday by a U.S. Border Patrol agent who was returning fire, investigators said Monday.

The person was taken to a hospital, officials said.

The U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation said the shots were fired around 1 a.m. Sunday in Pittsburg, a town of about 800 people at the border with Canada. The FBI did not provide a name of the suspect, but said the person was receiving medical attention at a hospital.

The border patrol agent, who the FBI also did not name, was unharmed, an agency spokesperson said. The shooting happened in a rural community that is home to the state’s sole border crossing with the Canadian province of Quebec.

The shots were fired near the port of entry, U.S. Customs and Border Protection Commissioner Rodney Scott said. The FBI’s Boston field office will be investigating the shooting along with the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the District of New Hampshire, authorities said.

“Initial reports indicate that the subject opened fire on the agent at which time the agent returned fire,” Scott said in a statement. “CBP is cooperating fully with investigators.”

Officials with the FBI, CBP and U.S. Attorney’s Office declined to provide more detail on the suspect or the circumstances that led to the exchange of gunfire. The U.S. Attorney’s Office said in a statement that information would be released if charges are brought against the person.

Pittsburg is about 150 miles (241 kilometers) north of the state capital of Concord. The town also borders Maine and Vermont as well as Canada. The shooting took place near a usually quiet crossing in the only town in New Hampshire that borders Canada. That international border stretches for close to 60 miles (97 kilometers).

Adapted from reporting by the Associated Press. 

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