đ¨ Suspect in Minneapolis Federal Shooting Confronted Officers While Armed
Reports detailing the January 24, 2026, fatal shooting in Minneapolis describe the deceased as a 37-year-old U.S. citizen and local resident who approached federal immigration agents during an active enforcement operation while carrying a handgun and two magazines; authorities indicate the individual provoked a confrontation by resisting disarmament attempts and became physically confrontational with the officers, which prompted the defensive action as agents fired in response to an immediate threat posed by the armed suspect who intervened against them in a volatile encounter near sites of recent demonstrations over federal immigration activities.
Sources: The Epoch Times, FOX News
đ FBI Director Kash Patel Removes Agents Tied to Trump Investigations, Citing Corruption
Summary: In a move thatâs turning heads across Washington, FBI Director Kash Patel has purged multiple agents and leaders tied to past investigations of former President Donald Trump, according to a January 23 report. Patel, a Trump loyalist installed in 2025, reportedly removed as many as eight agents, including field office chiefs in Atlanta and New York and other operatives linked to probes such as the Mar-a-Lago classified documents inquiry dubbed Operation Arctic Frost. Patel publicly showcased what he said was a âself-awardedâ trophy made by agents involved in that probe, framing it as evidence of deep corruption in the bureau during the previous administration and justifying his sweeping personnel changes. Critics outside conservative outlets say the firings reflect a broader effort to reshape the FBI along political lines and retaliate against investigators who looked into Trump or his allies â but Patel and supporters argue the shake-up is necessary to restore trust and root out bias.
Sources: NewsMax, Inquisitr News
đď¸ RNC Moves To Allow Historic âAmerica Firstâ Midterm Convention To Bolster GOP Momentum
The Republican National Committee (RNC) has advanced a proposed rule change that would permit the party to hold a special âAmerica Firstâ midterm convention for the first time, aligning with President Donald Trumpâs plan to energize the GOP ahead of crucial 2026 congressional elections. The change, adopted by the RNCâs Rules Committee during its winter meeting in Santa Barbara, would empower Chairman Joe Gruters to convene a ceremonial gathering outside the normal presidential election cycle. Such a midterm convention would focus on celebrating the partyâs accomplishments under Trump and rallying support to protect the GOPâs narrow House and Senate majorities. Though the full committee vote remains pending, the proposal is expected to pass by the spring meeting. The eventâs date and location will be announced later, likely coinciding with the partyâs summer session in August.
Sources: FOX News, The Washington Times
đ¨ FBI Data Show Record Surge In Arrests During Trumpâs First Year Back In Office
In 2025, the FBI saw a 100 percent spike in federal arrests alongside major drops in violent crimeâa shift being hailed as a âfull-scale resetâ of the agency, according to FBI Director Kash Patel. The so-called reset involved sweeping structural, cultural, and fiscal overhauls, aimed at reorienting the bureau toward what Patel described as âlaw enforcement over politics.â The agency, under renewed executive direction, reportedly redirected resources to tackle federal crime more aggressively while shedding bureaucratic fat that had accumulated over prior administrations. Critics call this a power consolidation; supporters counter that this is the first time in decades the FBI has acted like a law enforcement body rather than a political one. Either way, the numbers show the hammer dropped hard in year one.
Sources: The Washington Examiner, FOX News
đď¸ House Effort To Limit Trumpâs Venezuela War Powers Fails
A House measure aimed at restricting President Donald Trumpâs authority to use military force in Venezuela has failed to pass, reflecting divisions among lawmakers over how to handle U.S. policy toward the embattled South American nation. Critics of the administrationâs approach argued that unchecked executive power risked drawing the U.S. deeper into foreign conflict without congressional approval, while supporters maintained that flexibility is needed to address security threats and protect American interests in the region. The outcome preserves the presidentâs broad war powers, continuing a long-standing trend in which Congress hesitates to assert control over military engagements abroad, particularly when tied to complex geopolitical crises involving authoritarian regimes like that of NicolĂĄs Maduro.
Sources: The Straits Times, Reuters
𤥠Newsom Admits Democratsâ Border Policies Failed During Davos Appearance
California Governor Gavin Newsom surprised the Davos crowd by admitting what most border-state residents have known for years: Democratic leadership has bungled U.S. border policy. Speaking at the World Economic Forum on January 22, 2026, Newsom bluntly said, âYes, the Democratic Party failed in the last few years on the border.â His remarks marked a rare moment of candor from a top Democrat in front of global elites, a crowd more accustomed to vague platitudes than mea culpas. Coming from a governor whose own state is strained by illegal immigration, the statement exposes fractures within the partyâs narrative on border management just as voters are growing restless over immigration chaos.
Sources: The Epoch Times, The Washington Examiner
đ° Convicted MN Nonprofit Head Claims Gov. Walz, AG Ellison Knew About $250 Million Pandemic Relief Fraud
Aimee Bock, the convicted founder of Feeding Our Future, told reporters from jail that Minnesota Governor Tim Walz and Attorney General Keith Ellison âhad to have knownâ about her organizationâs massive $250 million COVID-relief fraud scheme â the largest of its kind in U.S. history. The operation, which prosecutors say fabricated 125 million nonexistent meals for underprivileged children, funneled taxpayer money through hundreds of fraudulent sites, primarily operated by Somali intermediaries who then kicked back funds. Of the nearly 100 people charged, over 60 have already been convicted or pleaded guilty. Bock, who faces up to 33 years in prison, insists she tried to flag fraud and says state officials turned a blind eye while expanding approvals during the pandemic. Ellisonâs office fired back, labeling Bock a âmanipulator of the highest order.â Meanwhile, House Oversight Chair James Comer says federal investigators now believe as much as $9 billion could have been stolen across similar Minnesota schemes â a figure he called âjust the tip of the iceberg.â
âď¸ Lurie Childrenâs Hospital Halts Pediatric Gender Drug Treatments After HHS Warning
Ann & Robert H. Lurie Childrenâs Hospital of Chicago has reportedly suspended its pediatric gender-transition drug program after being warned by the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) that continued prescription of puberty blockers and cross-sex hormones to minors could lead to loss of federal funding. The freeze comes amid the Trump administrationâs renewed focus on investigating medical interventions for gender dysphoria in children, with HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. directing a tighter review of practices deemed experimental. Lurie, one of the largest pediatric hospitals in the Midwest, is the first major U.S. institution to publicly pull back since the new federal enforcement campaign beganâsignaling that the era of unquestioned âgender-affirming careâ for minors is being replaced by one of heightened accountability and medical caution.
Sources: Legal Insurrection, The New York Post
âď¸ Magistrate Judge Again Orders Release Of Minnesota Church Protesters After Arrests In Anti-ICE Demonstration
A federal magistrate judge in Minnesota has ordered the release of the three individuals arrested in connection with an anti-immigration enforcement protest that disrupted a service at Cities Church in St. Paul, rejecting the governmentâs push to detain them ahead of trial, according to multiple mainstream reports. The arrests â of civil rights attorney Nekima Levy Armstrong, St. Paul school board member Chauntyll Allen, and activist William Kelly â came after the group entered the church on Jan. 18 to protest because a pastor also serves as a local U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement official and to condemn recent ICE actions in the Twin Cities amid a broader enforcement surge. Federal officials, including the U.S. attorney general, had publicly framed the detentions as enforcement of federal statutes protecting worship and criticizing obstruction, but judges determined the defendants were not serious flight risks and granted their release pending further proceedings. Separately, a federal magistrate also rebuffed prosecutorsâ attempt to charge journalist Don Lemon for his presence during the demonstration, recognizing journalistic activity, and broader tensions persist as protests against ICEâs enforcement actions continue across Minnesota.
Sources: The Gateway Pundit, The Minneapolis Star-Tribune
âď¸ Florida Tourist Trip Murder Suspectâs Prior Insanity Release Draws Scrutiny
In a case thatâs got folks shaking their heads, 29-year-old Ahmad Jihad Bojeh is now charged with three counts of first-degree murder for allegedly shooting three middle-aged men visiting Osceola County, Florida, after their rental vehicle broke down near Kissimmee; authorities say it was a random and unprovoked attack outside a rental home where the victimsâtwo brothers from Michigan and Ohio and their friend from Ohioâwere staying for a car show. Law enforcement quickly arrested Bojeh, who lived next door, and is holding him without bond after the sheriff described the killings as âcold-bloodedâ and without apparent motive. The situation has triggered debate because Bojeh had previously faced similar violence in 2021âcharged in an attempted murder and other offensesâbut was found not guilty by reason of insanity and released under conditional supervision that required outpatient treatment and a firearms ban; state legal authorities have been defending that decision, noting mental health evaluators determined he was no longer dangerous and that prosecutors and judges couldnât legally keep him confined, while critics, including Floridaâs attorney general, argue the insanity defense and the mental health-release system needs tightening to avoid putting public safety at risk.
Sources: FOX35 Orlando, The Post Millennial
đ˘ China Expands Arctic Shipping Route to Europe Amid Rising Trade Tensions
Beijing has kicked off a new Arctic shipping route to Europe, signaling the latest phase of its âPolar Silk Roadâ ambitions. The Chinese state-run shipping line Sea Legend launched its first vessel, Istanbul Bridge, from Ningbo Zhoushan Port to the UKâs Port of Felixstowe via the North Sea Route â a shortcut that slashes travel time compared to traditional Suez Canal routes. While China frames this as a triumph of trade efficiency and climate adaptation, skeptics see it as a strategic move to assert influence in the Arctic, where melting ice has opened new lanes for commerce and potential military positioning. The timing â coinciding with tensions over European border closures â suggests Beijing is playing a long game to hedge against Western trade chokepoints.
Sources: The Epoch Times, The Telegraph
đ U.S., Russian, and Ukrainian Officials Reportedly Hold First Direct Meeting Since Warâs Outbreak
Washington and Moscowâs envoys have quietly met face-to-face with Ukrainian representatives for the first time since major hostilities began, according to The Gateway Pundit. The talks, described as the first direct diplomatic engagement since the eruption of the war, reportedly involved a small delegation focused on assessing ceasefire terms and prisoner exchange frameworks. While no formal agreement has been disclosed, the mere acknowledgment of dialogue signals a potential shift away from years of rigid proxy positioning and performative diplomacy. Skeptics argue this could be a trial balloon to test public reaction before any formal concessions are floated. Still, given the geopolitical fatigue across all involved nations, even an awkward sit-down might mark the start of a new diplomatic phaseâif cooler heads actually prevail.
Sources: The Gateway Pundit, The Guardian
âď¸ Russia Maintains Demand for Ukraineâs Donbas Region as Abu Dhabi Trilateral Talks Begin
Summary: In unusually candid diplomatic theater, negotiators from Russia, Ukraine, and the United States convened in Abu Dhabi on Jan. 23, 2026, for high-stakes talks aimed at ending nearly four years of war, but one thing was crystal clear: Moscow isnât dropping its insistence that Kyiv pull its forces out of the eastern Donbas region. Russian officials, echoing President Vladimir Putinâs stance, reiterated that ceding control of Donbas â territory Kyiv still holds about 20 % of â is a non-negotiable condition for peace, a position Ukraine flatly rejects and calls unacceptable. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky stressed that territory will be central to the agenda, while U.S. envoys are pushing diplomatic engagement amid deteriorating conditions on the ground, including winter energy crises caused by intensified Russian strikes. Against this backdrop, the talks â the first direct tripartite negotiations since the invasion â are seen as an important but potentially rough step forward, with no breakthrough yet in bridging the deep divide over control of Donbas and how any future settlement might look.
Sources: The Straits Times, The Gulf News
đ Trump Confronts European Globalism at World Economic Forum 2026
At the 2026 World Economic Forum in Davos, the U.S. delegation led by President Donald Trump and Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick took aim at what they described as decades of âglobalismâ and economic policies tied to Europeâs economic model, portraying them as failing Western economies and disadvantaging American and allied workers. In a notably pointed address, Trump argued that parts of Europe are ânot heading in the right direction,â critiquing open borders, migration, and government spending while advocating an âAmerica Firstâ approach; Lutnick echoed by calling globalization a failed policy for the West and warning against overdependence on foreign supply chains. The speeches came amid broader tensions over Trumpâs push to negotiate control of Greenland and threats of tariffs tied to European responses, prompting wary reactions from European leaders who emphasized sovereignty and strategic autonomy. Coverage from mainstream outlets highlighted that while Trumpâs rhetoric stirred diplomatic friction, many global economic leaders at the Forum still stressed the resilience of international trade ties and the need for cooperation amid geopolitical shifts.
Sources: EuroNews, The Gateway Pundit
âď¸ Iran Puts âFinger On Triggerâ As U.S. Signals Talks Possible Amid Naval Deployment
Summary: Iranâs Revolutionary Guards commander issued a blunt warning that Tehranâs military has its âfinger on the trigger,â ready to act against perceived threats from the United States and Israel, even as U.S. leadership publicly suggests Tehran might still be open to diplomatic talks, all against the backdrop of a new U.S. naval deployment toward the Gulf. The Iranian message came late this week after weeks of nationwide protests and a harsh crackdown that rights groups say has killed thousands, with Tehran presenting much lower figures; the Guards chief emphasized readiness to carry out orders from Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei and warned that any U.S. attack would make American military and strategic interests legitimate targets. On the U.S. side, the president described a âmassive fleetâ moving toward the region and said he preferred diplomacy to conflict but insisted Washington was watching Iran closely. Independent outlets report that Tehranâs leadership has recently mixed combative rhetoric with occasional overtures to talk, leaving both diplomacy and confrontation on the table as tensions simmer. This standoff reflects deep mistrust: Iran officials are warning of retaliation against U.S. bases or interests if attacked, while the U.S. pushes for negotiations even as it strengthens its military posture in the Middle East.
Sources: The Straits Times, France24