đď¸Supreme Court Justices Press for Clear Definition of Sex in Oral Arguments on Transgender Girlsâ Sports Bans
The Supreme Court heard over three hours of oral arguments on January 13, 2026, in consolidated cases Little v. Hecox and West Virginia v. B.P.J., which challenge Idaho and West Virginia laws prohibiting transgender students assigned male at birth from participating in girlsâ school sports teams based on biological sex. Conservative justices, including Samuel Alito and Chief Justice John Roberts, repeatedly questioned attorneys about the meaning of âsexâ under Title IX and the Equal Protection Clause, with Alito asking how courts can identify sex discrimination without defining terms like boy, girl, man, or woman, and Roberts inquiring whether Title IX requires an operating definition of sex. States defended the bans as preserving fairness and safety for biological females consistent with Title IXâs purpose, while challengers argued the laws discriminate based on sex by categorically excluding transgender girls.
Sources: ZeroHedge, US Supreme Court
đ°Trump Directs Suspension of Federal Funds to Sanctuary Jurisdictions Effective February 1
On January 13, 2026, President Donald Trump told the Detroit Economic Club that the federal government will suspend payments to sanctuary cities and states beginning February 1. He explained that these jurisdictions actively shield criminal illegal aliens from deportation, prioritize protecting lawbreakers over public safety, and deliberately obstruct federal immigration enforcement. Trump emphasized that such policies enable fraud, increase crime rates, and place American citizens at greater risk, while stating the administration will no longer provide taxpayer dollars to areas that refuse to cooperate with Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
Sources: The New York Post, FOX News
đď¸Supreme Court Rules Federal Candidates Have Standing to Challenge State Mail-In Ballot Counting Laws
The Supreme Court ruled 7-2 that Congressman Michael Bost, a Republican from Illinois, has Article III standing to sue the Illinois State Board of Elections over the stateâs policy allowing mail-in ballots postmarked by Election Day to be counted if received up to 14 days later. Lower courts had dismissed the lawsuit for lack of standing, finding no sufficient personal injury, but the high court reversed that determination and remanded the case. Justices Ketanji Brown Jackson and Sonia Sotomayor dissented from the majority opinion written by Chief Justice Roberts. The decision enables federal candidates to pursue challenges to state ballot-counting rules without proving direct electoral harm.
Sources: US Supreme Court, FOX News
đ¸Newsom Panics Over Billionaire Exodus; Vows Defeat of Proposed One-Time 5% Billionaire Wealth Tax
Governor Gavin Newsom stated he has worked relentlessly behind the scenes to defeat a ballot initiative proposing a one-time 5% tax on net worth exceeding $1 billion for California residents as of January 1, 2026. He declared the measure will be defeated with certainty and described it as damaging to innovation and the stateâs economy. The proposal, advanced by SEIU-United Healthcare Workers West, aims to raise funds for health care, food assistance, and education amid anticipated federal cuts. Several prominent billionaires, including figures from technology sectors, have announced or signaled plans to relocate or move assets out of California in response to the idea. The nonpartisan Legislative Analystâs Office projected potential tens of billions in temporary revenue but warned of long-term losses from resident departures.
Sources: ZeroHedge, FOX Business
âď¸HUD Audit: Nearly $500K in Federal Rental Assistance Payments to 509 Deceased Tenants in Minnesota
The Department of Housing & Urban Development identified up to $496,000 in improper federal rental assistance payments made to 509 deceased tenants in Minnesota during fiscal year 2024 under the prior administration. This amount formed part of a larger estimate of $84.6 million in potentially ineligible housing assistance disbursed to the state across 61 housing authorities. The findings emerged from a HUD internal financial review and data matching against Treasury records, which flagged these payments as questionable alongside broader national issues involving tens of thousands of deceased recipients.
Sources: The Post Millennial, The New York Post
đ¨Michigan Sec. of State Jocelyn Benson Faces Racial Discrimination Lawsuit Amid Gubernatorial Campaign
Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson and several department officials face a civil lawsuit filed by four Black employees in Wayne County Circuit Court on January 12, 2026. The plaintiffs allege the creation of a racially hostile work environment through discriminatory practices, retaliation against those reporting bias, unequal application of policies, denied promotions, and unfounded investigations. A prior 2024 settlement paid $775,000 to another former employee over similar claims without admission of wrongdoing. Benson, who announced her candidacy for Michigan governor in January 2025 and has received endorsements, including from the Michigan Democratic Party Black Caucus, has denied the allegations through her office, stating that discrimination and retaliation are not tolerated and that clear policies exist.
Sources: The Gateway Pundit, The Detroit News
âď¸ICE Agent Suffers Internal Torso Bleeding After Being Struck by Vehicle Driven by Rene Renee Nicole Good
An Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent sustained internal bleeding to his torso when struck by the vehicle driven by 37-year-old Renee Nicole Good during a federal immigration operation in Minneapolis on January 7, 2026. The agent, a 10-year veteran and prior victim of a vehicle assault in June 2025, opened fire in response, resulting in Goodâs death. Department of Homeland Security officials confirmed the agentâs injuries and described the incident as involving an attempt to use the vehicle against officers.
Sources: CBS News, The New York Post
đŤMinnesota Schools Incorporate Resistance Into Social Studies Curriculum
Minnesota public schools will implement revised K-12 social studies standards beginning in fall 2026 that embed ethnic studies concepts, including a dedicated âResistanceâ strand requiring students to describe how individuals and communities have fought for freedom and liberation against systemic exercises of power, identify strategies that resulted in lasting change, and organize with others to further human rights and dignity. These standards, upheld by an administrative law judge, apply across grade levels and align with legislative definitions promoting critical frameworks for interpreting ethnic identity and history.
Sources: The American Experiment, The Epoch Times
âNYU Removes Course Page for Mayor Zohran Mamdani Housing Czar After Past Marxist Statements Surface
New York University removed the online listing for a fall 2025 one-credit course titled âCommunity Organizing + Advocacy Skillsâ taught by Cea Weaver at the Gallatin School of Individualized Study after her prior social media statements resurfaced. Weaver, appointed by Mayor Zohran Mamdani as director of the Mayorâs Office to Protect Tenants on January 1, 2026, faced reported harassment over her past comments describing homeownership as a âweapon of white supremacyâ and calling for the seizure of private property. An NYU professor serving on Mamdaniâs transition team confirmed that the university took down the course information specifically to protect Weaverâs privacy amid the backlash. Weaver had been listed as a part-time faculty instructor at Gallatin and was a member of Mamdaniâs transition Committee on Housing.
Sources: The Gateway Pundit, The Washington Free Beacon
đ§§Former U.S. Navy Sailor Jinchao Wei Receives 200-Month Prison Sentence for Spying for China
A federal judge in San Diego sentenced former U.S. Navy sailor Jinchao Wei, also known as Patrick Wei, to 200 months in prison on January 12, 2026. Wei was convicted by a jury in August 2025 of conspiracy to commit espionage, espionage, and violations of the Arms Export Control Act. He sold national defense information, including at least 60 technical and operating manuals detailing operations of systems aboard the USS Essex such as power, steering, weapons control, and damage control, to an intelligence officer of the Peopleâs Republic of China. Wei received more than $12,000 in payments over 18 months for this information while serving as a machinistâs mate with security clearance on the amphibious assault ship. He was arrested in August 2023 upon reporting for duty at Naval Base San Diego.
Sources: US Dept of Justice, The Epoch Times
â ď¸Iran Regime Enforces Deadly Crackdown on Nationwide Protests with Over 12,000 Reported Deaths
Iranian security forces have killed over 12,000 people during more than two weeks of nationwide protests that began in late December 2025 over economic collapse and currency devaluation before expanding into anti-government demonstrations. Authorities imposed a prolonged internet blackout exceeding 115 hours with ongoing restrictions. Chilling SOS messages from trapped civilians described the situation as a full-scale war. A 26-year-old protester named Erfan Soltani faces execution by hanging after a rapid trial on charges of waging war against God. The U.S. Virtual Embassy issued an urgent alert on January 12, 2026, directing American citizens in Iran to leave immediately via land borders to Armenia or Turkey if safe, citing risks of violence, arrests, and arbitrary detention amid escalating unrest.
Sources: The UK Sun, FOX News
đ¨State Department Suspends Visa Processing for Applicants from 75 Countries
The United States Department of State has suspended visa processing for applicants from 75 specified countries. This action enforces the public charge rule under existing immigration law. Officers must deny visas to those likely to rely on public assistance. Factors include English proficiency, health, finances, and age. The suspension takes effect on January 21, 2026. It continues indefinitely pending reassessment of procedures. The affected countries span Africa, Asia, Latin America, the Middle East, and other regions, including Afghanistan, Brazil, Iran, Nigeria, Russia, Somalia, and Thailand.
Sources: The Epoch Times, Reuters
â ď¸US Military Personnel Begin Departing Key Middle East Bases as Precaution Amid Iran Tensions
Some U.S. military personnel received orders to leave bases in the Middle East on January 14, 2026. A U.S. official confirmed the withdrawal serves as a precaution due to heightened regional tensions. Qatar verified that certain personnel departed Al Udeid Air Base, the largest U.S. military installation in the region. Officials described the action as a posture adjustment rather than a full evacuation. The measure follows Iranian threats to target American bases if the United States launches strikes. These developments occur during ongoing protests in Iran and statements from U.S. leadership regarding potential responses.
âď¸Marine Le Pen Begins Appeal in Paris Graft Conviction Case That Threatens 2027 Presidential Bid
Marine Le Penâs appeal trial opened in Paris on January 13, 2026, challenging her November 2024 conviction for misuse of European Parliament funds. The Paris court sentenced her to a four-year prison term with two years suspended, a âŹ100,000 fine, and a five-year ban from public office that would prevent her from running in the 2027 French presidential election. The case centers on allegations that she and other National Rally members improperly used European Parliament money to pay party staff between 2004 and 2016. Prosecutors maintain the assistants performed little or no parliamentary work while receiving salaries funded by the European Union. Le Pen denies wrongdoing and argues the prosecution is politically motivated.
Source: Semafor, The Washington Examiner
đ°China Records Largest Trade Surplus in History at Nearly $1.2 Trillion for 2025
China concluded 2025 with a record trade surplus of nearly $1.2 trillion according to data from the General Administration of Customs. Exports reached $3.77 trillion with a 5.5 percent annual increase while imports remained flat at $2.58 trillion. The surplus expanded by approximately 20 percent from the $992 billion recorded in 2024. Chinese exporters redirected shipments to non-U.S. markets such as Southeast Asia, Europe, Africa, and Latin America to offset declines in trade with the United States.