đŤ Three Venezuelan Illegals Charged with Attempted Murder After Ambushing ICE Officer in Minneapolis
On January 14, 2026, in Minneapolis, Minnesota, three Venezuelan nationals who entered the United States illegallyâJulio Cesar Sosa-Celis, Alfredo Alejandro Ajorna, and Gabriel Alejandro Hernandez-Ledezmaâwere arrested and charged with attempted murder after allegedly attacking a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer during a targeted traffic stop. Sosa-Celis, previously released into the country despite prior convictions and an ICE detainer, fled the stop, crashed his vehicle, and resisted arrest, leading to a physical struggle; Ajorna and Hernandez-Ledezma then reportedly emerged from a nearby apartment and assaulted the officer with a snow shovel and broom handle. The officer, fearing for his life, fired a defensive shot that struck Sosa-Celis in the leg, after which all three suspects barricaded themselves in an apartment before being taken into ICE custody. DHS Secretary Kristi Noem described the incident as an attempted murder of federal law enforcement and criticized local Minnesota officials for policies that she said contribute to such risks.
Sources: The New York Post, The Daily Mail
đ¸Senate Sends $174 Billion Spending Package to Presidentâs Desk Amid Ongoing DHS Funding Dispute
The Senate has passed and sent a $174 billion minibus spending package to President Donald Trumpâs desk, funding the departments of Commerce, Justice, Science, Energy and Water Development, Interior, and Environment and related agencies, after Democrats dropped initial resistance tactics that included criticism of Trump administration actions related to an ICE-involved incident in Minnesota. This bipartisan measure advances Congressâs efforts to avert a partial government shutdown before the January 30 funding deadline, though it covers only part of the necessary appropriations, with DHS funding remaining a major point of contention as Democrats push for restrictions on immigration enforcement while Republicans seek to maintain operational flexibility; lawmakers from both parties acknowledge that a short-term continuing resolution may be required to bridge remaining gaps and prevent disruptions.
Sources: FOX News, The Washington Examiner
đď¸President Trump Threatens Insurrection Act Over Minnesota Clashes Involving ICE Officers
President Trump stated on Truth Social on January 15, 2026, that he would invoke the Insurrection Act if corrupt politicians in Minnesota fail to halt professional agitators and insurrectionists from attacking ICE officers, whom he described as patriots attempting to perform their duties, amid ongoing unrest in Minneapolis triggered by two recent incidents: the fatal shooting of a U.S. citizen during an immigration enforcement operation last week and a separate event on January 14 where an ICE agent shot an alleged illegal immigrant in the leg in self-defense after an assault and resistance during an arrest attempt, leading to protests involving clashes, tear gas deployment by federal agents, and accusations from the White House that Minnesota Democrats have incited violence against law enforcement while defending criminal illegal aliens.
đInvestigative Videos ExposeMore Fraud in Minnesota: Somali-Owned Non-Emergency Transportation Companies
Independent journalist Nick Shirley released a new video in January 2026 documenting on-site visits to addresses of Somali-owned non-emergency medical transportation businesses in Minnesota, which are reimbursed by taxpayer funds to provide rides for welfare recipients to medical appointments and other services; the investigation, conducted with collaborator David Hoch, reveals many companies appear inactive, with examples including fleets of branded vans sitting idle and covered in snow for months without tire tracks or signs of use, registered addresses at liquor stores or convenience locations with no operational offices, and businesses that residents or neighbors describe as nonexistent or rarely active, leading to claims of roughly $16 million in fraudulent billings for services that did not occur amid a system with over 1,000 such providers, more than 90% reportedly Somali-owned, building on Shirleyâs prior exposĂŠs of welfare program abuse in the state that prompted federal scrutiny and funding pauses.
Sources: The Daily Caller, PJ Media
đUS Initial Jobless Claims Fall Below Expectations to 198,000
Initial jobless claims in the United States declined more than anticipated for the week ending January 10, 2026, dropping to a seasonally adjusted 198,000 from a revised 207,000 the previous week, surpassing economistsâ consensus forecast of 215,000. Continuing claims also decreased to 1.884 million for the week ending January 3. This low level of new claims, below the key 200,000 threshold, points to ongoing stability in the labor market with restrained layoffs, even as broader hiring has moderated in recent months.
Sources: The Wall Street Journal, Barronâs
đď¸DNC Announces Major Voter Registration Push Ahead of 2026 Midterms Following Republican Gains
The Democratic National Committee has launched âWhen We Count,â described as its largest-ever investment in partisan voter registration, with a seven-figure commitment starting in the battleground states of Arizona and Nevada to train over 100 young fellows in paid, part-time roles aimed at registering tens of thousands of new voters, particularly among non-college-educated youth, voters of color, and fast-growing demographic groups where Democrats lost ground in recent cycles. This initiative, announced on January 13, 2026, by DNC Chair Ken Martin, responds to significant Republican advantages in voter registration trendsâsuch as Democrats losing a net 2.1 million registered voters from 2020 to 2024 while Republicans gained 2.4 millionâand marks a return to direct party-led registration efforts after years of reliance on nonpartisan nonprofits due to past campaign finance restrictions. The program includes four national weeks of action in 2026, toolkits, training, and plans to scale nationally to register hundreds of thousands, with the goal of closing registration gaps in key districts to improve Democratic prospects in the upcoming midterm elections.
đŠşPresident Trump Calls on Congress to Enact âThe Great Healthcare Planâ to Lower Costs
On January 15, 2026, President Donald Trump released the outlines of his administrationâs âGreat Healthcare Plan,â urging Congress to pass legislation that would codify measures to reduce prescription drug prices through most-favored-nation policies, enhance price transparency from providers and insurers, fund cost-sharing reductions to lower certain Obamacare plan premiums by over 10%, and redirect taxpayer-funded subsidies away from insurance companies toward direct payments or health savings accounts for eligible Americans to purchase coverage of their choice. The framework builds on executive actions already taken or pursued by the administration, aiming to increase competition, cut costs for consumers, and provide greater longevity to these reforms by embedding them in federal law amid ongoing concerns about health care affordability following the expiration of enhanced ACA subsidies.
Sources: The White House, The Epoch Times
đď¸NYC Mayor Mamdaniâs Tenant Protection Director Calls White Middle-Class Homeowners a Major Obstacle
Cea Weaver, appointed by New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani as director of the revitalized Mayorâs Office to Protect Tenants, stated during a 2021 appearance on the Bad Faith podcast that âwhite, middle-class homeowners are a huge problem for a renter justice movementâ and argued that organizers face significant challenges unless they can âundermine the institution of homeownershipâ while seeking alternative forms of stability, as part of broader advocacy for measures like universal rent control, anti-eviction policies, taxing the wealthy to fund renter assistance, and shifting away from traditional homeownership as a primary means of security.
Sources: Legal Insurrection, The Washington Free Beacon
âď¸Appeals Court Sides with Trump Administration in Deportation Case of Pro-Palestinian Activist
A federal appeals court has delivered a procedural victory to the Trump administration by overturning a lower courtâs order that released pro-Palestinian activist and former Columbia University graduate Mahmoud Khalil from immigration detention, ruling that the district court lacked jurisdiction to intervene in his case. In a 2-1 decision issued on January 15, 2026, by a panel of the 3rd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, the judges determined that challenges to Khalilâs detention and potential deportation must proceed through the established immigration court system and a subsequent petition for review of any final removal order, rather than through a separate habeas petition in federal district court. This ruling, which dismisses Khalilâs lawsuit and leaves open the possibility of his rearrest by immigration authorities, stems from his initial detention in March 2025 amid the administrationâs efforts to deport foreign nationals involved in campus protests related to the Israel-Gaza conflict, using provisions of immigration law tied to foreign policy concerns.
Sources: Breitbart, The Free Press - Tampa
đBill Introduced to Block Chinese Military-Linked Firms from U.S. Capital Markets
On January 14, 2026, Rep. Scott Perry (R-Pa.) introduced the Divesting from Communist Chinaâs Military Act, legislation designed to prevent Chinese military companies listed on the Pentagonâs blacklist from accessing U.S. capital markets through an existing loophole. The measure addresses the discrepancy between the Department of Defenseâs list, which bars contracts with these entities, and the Treasury Departmentâs separate list, which restricts securities transactions with sanctioned companiesâallowing blacklisted firms to potentially benefit from American investments and procurement processes despite their ties to the Chinese military. Perry emphasized that the nationâs primary adversary should not gain advantages from U.S. financial systems or military supply chains, with the bill seeking to align the relevant departmental lists and impose sanctions to prohibit such investments.
Sources: The Epoch Times, NTD.com
đĽVenezuelan Opposition Leader Presents Nobel Medal to President Trump During White House Visit
On January 15, 2026, Venezuelan opposition leader MarĂa Corina Machado met with President Donald Trump at the White House, where she presented him with her 2025 Nobel Peace Prize medal in recognition of his commitment to supporting Venezuelaâs freedom following the U.S.-led removal of NicolĂĄs Maduro from power earlier that month; Machado, awarded the prize for her efforts to promote democracy and oppose the authoritarian regime, described the gesture as a symbolic act of gratitude and historical reciprocity, while noting the meeting as positive, though the Norwegian Nobel Committee has stated the award cannot be transferred or shared.
Sources: The New York Post, CBS News
â˝ď¸U.S. Completes Initial $500 Million Sale of Venezuelan Oil
The Trump administration has successfully completed the first sale of Venezuelan crude oil, valued at approximately $500 million, according to administration officials, marking the start of efforts to market previously sanctioned and stranded Venezuelan oil following the U.S.-led operation that resulted in the arrest of NicolĂĄs Maduro. This transaction is part of a broader arrangement involving up to 50 million barrels of oil, with proceeds held in U.S.-controlled bank accountsâincluding one in Qatar as a neutral locationâto ensure secure fund movement, and future distributions intended to benefit the American and Venezuelan people, support infrastructure restoration through investments by U.S. oil companies, and advance regional stability. Additional sales are anticipated in the coming days and weeks as the administration continues to facilitate these energy transactions.
Sources: CBS News, The Washington Examiner
đłď¸French Government Survives No-Confidence Votes Tied to EU-Mercosur Trade Deal
On January 14, 2026, French Prime Minister SĂŠbastien Lecornu successfully withstood two no-confidence motions in the National Assembly, one initiated by the hard-left La France Insoumise (LFI) and the other by the far-right National Rally (RN), both protesting the governmentâs perceived failure to prevent the European Unionâs recent approval of a trade agreement with the Mercosur bloc despite Franceâs longstanding opposition. The LFI motion garnered 256 votes in favor, falling 32 short of the 288 required to pass, while the RN motion received only 142 votes; mainstream parties including the Socialists and the conservative Republicans declined to support either effort. With the immediate threat resolved, attention now shifts to the challenging task of passing the 2026 national budget amid ongoing political divisions in a hung parliament, where the government may resort to invoking Article 49.3 of the Constitution to advance the finance bill without a full vote, though such a step carries the risk of additional no-confidence challenges.
Sources: The Straits Times, Global Banking & Finance
đRussia Awaits U.S. Response to Proposal on Extending New START Limits
Russia continues to await a formal reply from the United States regarding President Vladimir Putinâs September 2025 proposal to informally maintain the central numerical limits on deployed strategic nuclear warheads and delivery systems for one year following the expiration of the New START treaty on February 5, 2026, as Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov emphasized on January 15, 2026, describing the matter as a very important issue; the treaty remains the last major bilateral arms control agreement between the two nations, and President Trump has indicated that the pact could simply expire while expressing preference for negotiating a more comprehensive future arrangement potentially involving additional parties.
Sources: Reuters, TASS News Agency
đUS Accuses South Africa of Undermining Maritime Security by Hosting Iran in Naval Exercises
The United States has accused South Africa of undermining regional maritime security and stability by permitting Iranian military participation in multinational naval exercises held in South African waters off Cape Town, as part of a China-led drill involving BRICS nations that concluded recently. This criticism, voiced by the US Embassy, highlighted the timing as particularly problematic given Iranâs ongoing violent suppression of nationwide protests, which has drawn international condemnation for actions including shootings, jailing, and torture of demonstrators engaging in peaceful political activityâcontrasting sharply with South Africaâs own historical struggle for such freedoms. The US statement described Iranâs involvement as going beyond non-alignment and amounting to aligning with a regime that acts as a state sponsor of terror, while South Africaâs defense ministry responded by launching an inquiry into allegations that its forces may have disregarded government directives to exclude Iran.
Sources: The Epoch Times, Bloomberg