Jan. 31 (UPI) — A northeasterly storm has created blizzard conditions in the Carolinas and triggered state of emergency declarations in North and South Carolina and Georgia on Saturday.
The intensifying storm system is centered over the Atlantic Ocean and near the Carolinas and Georgia coastline after its central pressure dropped by up to 40 millibars over the past 24 hours.
Hurricane-force wind gusts of between 60 mph and 80 mph are contributing to blizzard conditions along the Outer Banks coastal plains areas, and more than 10,000 flights have been canceled through the weekend.
The Hampton Roads area of Virginia also is getting pummeled with wintry weather from the storm system, and the National Weather Service has issued a winter storm warning through 7 p.m. EST on Sunday for the commonwealth’s coastal areas and parts of North Carolina.
The winter storm is delivering the most snow in two decades to areas that rarely see significant amounts of snowfall.
Icy road conditions caused hundreds of collisions as of Saturday afternoon, and wave action from the storm’s strong winds and a high tide is threatening to damage or destroy homes along the coast.
The National Weather Service is forecasting between 5 and 9 inches of snowfall and sustained winds of between 33 and 41 mph, with gusts up to 50 mph, along the coastal areas of the Carolinas and into neighboring areas in Virginia and northern Georgia.
The snowfall likely will end during the overnight hours, but northwest winds will remain strong, with sustained wind speeds of between 28 and 33 mph and gusts of up to 50 mph into Sunday afternoon.
Although windy, the clouds are predicted to clear during the afternoon hours.
A TOP DJ has scrapped his upcoming tour after doctors warned him he’d need emergency surgery.
The Algerian-French music star, 39, told fans a health issue he’d been battling “finally caught up with me” and that he can’t “push or delay” further treatment.
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A top DJ has been forced to scrap his upcoming gigs after being told he needs emergency surgeryCredit: GettyDJ Snake released a statement on social media where he told how a health issue had ‘finally caught up with me’Credit: GettyHis surgery means shows in India and Canada will be cancelledCredit: Getty
DJ Snake, whose real name is William Sami Étienne Grigahcine, then revealed he’d “need a month to fully rest and recover”.
While the In The Dark hitmaker did not reveal the exact nature of his illness, it has prompted him to postpone tour dates in Canada and India.
The record producer, who produced Lady Gaga‘s hit Applause alongside the tracks of many other well-known stars, posted a statement on social media to reveal the worrying news.
He wrote in a post with black text on a white background: “Hey guys.
“I’ve been battling a health issue for a while and it’s finally caught up with me.
“After talking with my doctors I need to have surgery in early February.
“It’s something I can’t push or delay anymore, and I’ll need a month to fully rest and recover after that.
“This means cancelling all my shows, including the India tour and that decision has been incredibly hard.
“But I need to get back to 100 per cent and this is the only way.”
DJ Snake, whose debut track Turn Down For What with Lil Jon was released to huge acclaim in 2013, added: “Thank you for your love and understanding.
“I will be back soon, stronger than before. William.”
He finished his upload with a white love heart Emoji icon.
Fans on X were quick to react and one wrote: “Wish you all the best. Get well soon”.
A second posted: “Hope it goes smoothly,” as a third uploaded: “Get well soon’.
One then added: “Get well soon DJ. Waiting for your great comeback”.
This isn’t the first time DJ Snake has cancelled a show.
In 2015, he was sadly injured in a car crash alongside electronic producer Tchami, and the pair were forced to miss Toronto’s Monster Mash Festival.
SNAKE SUCCESS
Previously, DJ Snake told how his stage name came about following a nickname in his youth.
It was sparked after he was known for graffiti and avoiding the police in his youth.
He said of his moniker: “When I started DJing, everyone called me Snake in my city first, I was like DJ Snake, OK let’s go for it.
“The name sucks, but it’s too late now.”
He also revealed to Rolling Stone Magazine the real reason for his sunglasses-clad look.
He told the publication: “In the clubs, people were dancing, but now they were just looking at me, like I was gonna do some magic tricks or some s**t, so I was panicking for real.
“I was petrified of making a mistake, and one of my friends told me to wear some sunglasses so that I couldn’t see the whole crowd.
“Now it helps me stay in the zone, stay focussed.”
He is a Grammy Award nominee, having scooped the nod in 2012 for Lady Gaga’s Born This Way album.
In 2016, he was also named on Forbes’ 30 Under 30 list.
He was unimpressed after the Ligue 1 heavyweights dropped their traditional Phil Collins entrance track – even though they replaced it with one of the DJ’s own hits.
PSG have taken the field to the sound of Collins’ 1985 hit ‘Who Said I Would’ for almost 30 years.
But in 2021, the Paris club dropped the song in favour of DJ Snake’s ‘Intro Mixed’.
The DJ then claimed the bespoke track was initially only intended for the one-off video to announce the arrival of superstar Lionel Messi that year.
The In The Dark DJ told how he’d ‘need a month to fully rest and recover’Credit: InstagramHe has worked on Lady Gaga track Applause, to name a fewCredit: Splash NewsDJ Snake, whose real name is William Sami Étienne Grigahcine, recently told of the reason behind his sunglasses-clad lookCredit: Getty
The head office of Home Plus in Seoul. The troubled discount chain has asked for
emergency operating funds from its shareholder and creditor. Photo courtesy of Home Plus
SEOUL, Jan. 26 (UPI) — South Korea’s cash-strapped discount chain Home Plus said Monday that it was waiting for an infusion of $210 million emergency operating funds from its stakeholders and state-run Korea Development Bank.
The retailer requested its shareholder, MBK Partners, creditor Meritz Financial Group, and KDB each to provide $70 million to help the company stay afloat while it searches for a new owner.
MBK Partners has pledged to offer its share of the funding, but Meritz and KDB have yet to disclose their positions, according to Home Plus.
Speaking at a National Assembly meeting last Wednesday, Home Plus CEO Joh Joo-yun said that the company is in a grave situation.
“Deliveries to Home Plus stores have plunged to about half their previous levels,” she said. “If emergency funding is not secured within January, we may be unable to pay employee wages or even settle payments for merchandise.”
Under such circumstances, Joh worried that it might be impossible to achieve a turnaround.
Meanwhile, the Seoul Central District Court earlier this month rejected prosecutors’ requests for arrest warrants for MBK Partners Chairman Michael Byungjoo Kim and other executives from the private equity fund and its portfolio company Home Plus.
Prosecutors sought to detain them in connection with asset-backed bonds issued by Home Plus in February, shortly before the firm filed for court receivership in early March.
They argued that such conduct may have exposed investors to potential losses, constituting fraud and violations of the relevant laws.
However, the court stressed the need to ensure that the suspects have sufficient opportunity to defend themselves without being held in custody.
In 2015, MBK took over Home Plus from Tesco in a deal valued at roughly $5 billion. In recent years, the retailer has faced mounting difficulties due to the fallout from the COVID-19 pandemic and intensifying competition from e-commerce rivals.
Against this backdrop, Home Plus has sought to find a new buyer, but such efforts have so far made little progress.
