đ° Senate Republicans and Democrats Team Up to Derail Funding Package, Shutdown Risk Rises
Seven Senate Republicans crossed party lines to join Democrats in blocking a procedural vote on a six-bill government funding package that included major allocations for the Pentagon and other agencies alongside Department of Homeland Security spending, with the failure coming on a 45-55 tally and heightening the odds of a partial shutdown as funding expires soon; Democrats demanded the DHS portion be stripped out to allow negotiations over reforms to Immigration and Customs Enforcement following recent fatal incidents involving federal agents, while the defecting RepublicansâSens. Ted Budd, Ron Johnson, Mike Lee, Ashley Moody, Rand Paul, Rick Scott, and Tommy Tubervilleâadded to the opposition without specified individual reasons detailed, leaving leaders scrambling for alternatives like separating the bills or a short-term extension amid House resistance to changes.
đłď¸ FBI Agents Raid Fulton County Election Hub Over 2020 Records
FBI agents executed a court-authorized search warrant on January 28, 2026, at the Fulton County Election Hub and Operation Center in Union City, Georgiaâa facility opened in 2023 for election processing that has long drawn scrutiny over 2020 voting irregularities. The warrant sought physical 2020 ballots, ballot images, tabulator tapes, voter rolls, and related records, amid an ongoing investigation tied to that election, though the FBI provided no further details on potential violations or targets. The action follows recent DOJ efforts to access similar materials and revives focus on past fraud allegations in the county, which certified Bidenâs narrow win after audits and recounts despite persistent conservative skepticism.
đŽđźââď¸Trump Nominates Colin McDonald to Head New DOJ Fraud Enforcement Division
President Trump has nominated longtime federal prosecutor Colin McDonald to serve as the first Assistant Attorney General for National Fraud Enforcement, leading a freshly created Department of Justice division aimed at cracking down on widespread fraudsters who have bilked American taxpayers out of hundreds of billions in federal programsâthink pandemic handouts gone wrong in places like Minnesota and California. Trump touted McDonald as a smart, tough, America First type whoâs handled some of the nastiest high-stakes cases around, promising that together theyâll shut down the scams and bring some long-overdue integrity back to government spending; the move builds on an initiative rolled out earlier this month by Vice President JD Vance to centralize fraud-busting efforts across DOJ components, though the nominee still needs Senate confirmation to take the reins.
Sources: The Washington Examiner, The New York Post
đ Democrats Push ICE Reforms as DHS Funding Deadline Looms
Senate Democrats, led by Chuck Schumer, have put forward a unified set of demands for changes to Department of Homeland Security operationsâspecifically targeting Immigration and Customs Enforcementâbefore theyâll support funding legislation, with a partial government shutdown looking more likely as the January 30 deadline approaches; the proposals include tighter warrant requirements and coordination with local law enforcement to curb roving patrols, a uniform code of conduct with independent investigations for accountability, and mandates for agents to wear body cameras, carry visible identification, and ditch masks, all sparked by recent fatal incidents involving federal agents in Minneapolis that have Democrats insisting ICE needs reining in rather than unchecked funding in the current appropriations package.
Sources: The Epoch Times, The Wall Street Journal
đľ Medicaid Tech Firms Commit $600 Million in Savings for Work Requirement Rollout
Ten major health technology companies have voluntarily pledged more than $600 million in no-cost or steeply discounted products and services to assist states with implementing new Medicaid community engagement rulesâbetter known as work requirementsâstemming from recent legislation, while also upgrading eligibility and enrollment systems to cut administrative hassles and taxpayer costs. The commitments, announced by CMS on January 29, 2026, involve firms like Accenture, Deloitte, Optum, and others that already handle state Medicaid contracts; they focus on tools for automated data verification, beneficiary outreach, referral coordination to jobs or training, and secure data sharing, all to help states meet the January 1, 2027, deadline for requiring able-bodied adults to participate in employment, education, volunteering, or similar activities. CMS Administrator Dr. Mehmet Oz hailed the move as a win for modernizing outdated systems, boosting workforce participation, and delivering a smoother experience for beneficiaries, with added support from an open-source CMS tool called EMMY and streamlined procurement through the GSA.
Sources: Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Service, The Epoch Times
đ˘ Alex Pretti Spat on Federal Agent, Kicked Out Taillight in Prior Clash Before Fatal Shooting
Newly surfaced video footage from January 13, 2026, captures Minneapolis ICU nurse Alex Pretti in a heated confrontation with federal immigration agents during protests in the city, where he appears to spit toward an agent, yell profanities, and deliver kicks that shatter the taillight of their unmarked SUV, prompting agents to tackle and briefly subdue him before he breaks free; this incident occurred just 11 days before a separate encounter on January 24 in which different Customs and Border Protection agents fatally shot Pretti amid another protest-related scuffle, an event that has fueled ongoing national debate over federal enforcement tactics and use of force.
Sources: The Post Millennial, NBC News
𤥠Senator Durbin Displays Fake AI Image of Alex Pretti Shooting on Senate Floor
In a Senate floor speech on January 28, 2026, Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) held up and described a large printed photo he claimed showed the final moments before federal immigration agents fatally shot Alex Pretti, a 37-year-old ICU nurse and U.S. citizen, during a confrontation in Minneapolis amid protests over immigration enforcement. Durbin used the image to condemn the incident and call for accountability from the Trump administration, warning viewers it was graphic but necessary to grasp the âhorror.â However, the photo was quickly identified as an AI-generated or manipulated fake, with obvious flaws like a headless agent, stemming from viral social media attempts to âenhanceâ blurry real video stills of the event. No admission or correction from Durbinâs office has been noted in coverage, highlighting yet another case of rushed, drama-fueled misinformation in this heated controversy where facts seem optional for both sides.
Sources: Legal Insurrection, The Daily Caller
đ Federal Authorities Round Up 16 Anti-ICE Rioters, Including Viral Somali Activist
The Department of Justice, under Attorney General Pam Bondi, has arrested 16 individuals in Minnesota for allegedly rioting and assaulting federal ICE agents amid escalating clashes over immigration enforcement operations targeting criminal illegal aliens in the state; among those nabbed is 23-year-old Somali American Nasra Ahmed, who gained online attention for her rambling press conference remarks dismissing stereotypes about Somali cuisine as merely âbananas and rice,â while claiming ICE agents racially abused and assaulted her during an earlier detention she deemed unjust, though federal officials describe the group as rioters who impeded law enforcement duties.
Sources: Breitbart, FOX9 Minneapolis
đď¸ Minnesota Officials Signal Cooperation with ICE, Enabling Potential Drawdown of Federal Agents
White House border czar Tom Homan announced significant progress after meetings with Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, Attorney General Keith Ellison, Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey, and law enforcement leaders, where state and local officials agreed to honor ICE detainers in prisons and notify federal authorities before releasing criminal illegal immigrants, allowing ICE to take custody more efficiently from jails rather than streets; this common-sense shift toward targeted enforcement on public safety threats, while acknowledging ICE as a legitimate agency, paves the way for a planned reduction in federal agent presence through a drawdown strategy, though Homan emphasized it remains fully dependent on sustained cooperation and insisted he will stay until the mission is complete, framing it as smarter operations without surrendering any immigration enforcement goals amid recent tensions.
Sources: The New York Post, The Epoch Times
â§ď¸ Dissident Democrats Challenge Illinois Law Requiring Party Approval to Use âDemocratâ in Nonprofit Name
A group of Democrats who break with their party on gender ideology issues has filed a federal lawsuit against Illinois Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias, arguing that a longstanding state statute unconstitutionally blocks their nonprofit from registering and fundraising because it uses âDemocratsâ in its name without getting permission from party officials. Democrats for an Informed Approach to Gender (DIAG), represented by the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression, claims the 1986 law violates First Amendment rights by forcing them to seek approval from a private political entity that opposes their positionsâsuch as protecting minors from gender-affirming medical interventions and preserving female sportsâeffectively outsourcing censorship and hindering their ability to operate and solicit donations in the state, where theyâve been rejected despite registering successfully elsewhere.
Sources: Legal Insurrection, FIRE.org
đ Palestinian Authority Continues Pay-to-Slay Rewards Despite Claimed End
The Palestinian Authority, under President Mahmoud Abbas, publicly declared an end to its notorious âpay-to-slayâ program in February 2025 as part of diplomatic understandings, shifting to a needs-based welfare approach instead of rewarding terrorists based on prison time or attack severity. Yet the U.S. State Department determined in a recent nonpublic notice to Congress that the PA persisted with these incentives, channeling more than $200 million to terrorists and their families in 2025âoften through a rebranded entity like the Palestinian National Foundation for Economic Empowerment under the guise of social welfareâwhile Israeli intelligence pegged commitments at least $214 million for the year following $144 million in 2024. Abbas himself contradicted the reform by vowing to prioritize âprisoners and martyrsâ even if only one cent remained, and mechanisms like post office distributions and encrypted alerts kept the cash flowing, violating the spirit of the Taylor Force Act that bars U.S. aid until such payments cease; this sleight-of-hand highlights the PAâs stubborn commitment to subsidizing violence over genuine reform.
Sources: The Washington Free Beacon, The World Israel News
đĽ Russian Drone Strike Kills Five on Ukrainian Passenger Train
A Russian drone attack targeted a civilian passenger train in Ukraineâs northeastern Kharkiv region, killing five people and injuring others when one carriage was hit and two additional drones exploded nearby; the train, carrying over 290 passengers including those heading toward the front lines, burst into flames prompting evacuations, with President Zelensky denouncing the strike as pure terrorism lacking any military justification and warning it undermines fragile diplomatic efforts amid ongoing peace talks.
Sources: The UK Telegraph, The Guardian
â ď¸ EU Designates Iranâs Revolutionary Guard Corps as Terrorist Organization
In a move long pushed by allies like the US but resisted until now, the European Union has formally added Iranâs Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) to its list of terrorist organizations following a unanimous decision by foreign ministers on January 29, 2026. This step, announced by EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas with the blunt remark that any regime killing thousands of its own people is heading for its own demise, comes in direct response to the IRGCâs role in the brutal crackdown on recent anti-regime protests that left thousands dead. The designation aligns the EU more closely with the US, Canada, and Australia, which already blacklist the powerful paramilitary force reporting directly to the Ayatollah, and imposes asset freezes and travel bans on its membersâthough some were already sanctioned under other measures. While symbolic and tied to human rights abuses rather than explicit endorsement of potential US military action, the timing amid renewed Trump-era threats against Iran gives Washington a bit more diplomatic breathing room if things heat up further.
âď¸ Sweden Eyes Nuclear Deterrent Talks With France and UK
Swedenâs Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson has confirmed that his country is engaged in preliminary, early-stage discussions with France and the United Kingdom regarding possible nuclear weapons cooperation or extending their nuclear umbrellas over Sweden, a notable shift for the recently NATO-joined nation amid uncertainties about long-term U.S. defense commitments to Europe and broader European rearmament concerns; no concrete proposals, timelines, or agreements have emerged yet, with Kristersson stressing the talksâ exploratory nature and Franceâs openness to such European dialogues while keeping its arsenal sovereign.
Sources: The Gateway Pundit, Defense24
â˝ Venezuela Opens Oil Sector to Greater Foreign Investment in Bid to Revive Production
Venezuelaâs interim government under President Delcy Rodriguez is advancing reforms to the Organic Hydrocarbons Law, marking a pragmatic shift from long-standing state dominance in the oil industry. The proposed changes, approved in initial votes by the National Assembly and nearing final passage, allow private and foreign companies expanded operational control, direct marketing of their production shares, flexible royalty rates capped at 30% but adjustable downward project-by-project, a new integrated hydrocarbons tax up to 15%, and mechanisms like international arbitration for disputes. These steps aim to attract much-needed capital to modernize dilapidated infrastructure and boost output after years of decline under prior rigid models, though executives note deeper adjustments may be required for the massive investments touted by U.S. officials, and success still hinges on sanctions relief and stable conditions.