🚧Minneapolis Activists Once Again Establish Autonomous Zone After ICE Shooting
Activists established an autonomous zone in south Minneapolis near Portland Avenue and East 34th Street following the fatal shooting of Renee Good by ICE on January 7, 2026. Protesters erected barricades using trash bins, Christmas trees, and debris across several blocks. Signs prohibited federal agents from entering the area. Guards were posted at entrances. The Autonomous Yurts Union delivered a yurt shelter on January 8. Minneapolis police removed the barricades early on January 9 due to safety concerns and resident complaints. The zone lasted approximately one to two days. This incident follows historical patterns from 2020, including the prolonged occupation near George Floyd Square and Seattle’s Capitol Hill Occupied Protest.
Sources: The Gateway Pundit, The BizPac Review
🏛️Supreme Court Rules Federal Prisoners Not Subject to Same Successive Habeas Claim Dismissal as State Prisoners
The U.S. Supreme Court decided 5-4 on January 9, 2026, in Bowe v. United States that the Antiterrorism and Effective Death Penalty Act provision requiring dismissal of claims presented in second or successive habeas corpus applications under section 2254 applies only to state prisoners. Federal prisoners filing motions under section 2255 face no such automatic dismissal for previously presented claims. The ruling reverses the Eleventh Circuit’s application of the restriction to petitioner Michael Bowe, who sought post-conviction relief after intervening Supreme Court decisions altered the basis for his firearm sentence enhancement. The Court also held that it retains jurisdiction to review denials of authorization for successive motions by federal prisoners. The case returns to the Eleventh Circuit for further proceedings.
Sources: US Supreme Court, The Epoch Times
⚖️Justice Department Issues Grand Jury Subpoenas to Federal Reserve
Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell stated that the Justice Department served the central bank with grand jury subpoenas on January 9, 2026. These subpoenas threaten a criminal indictment related to his testimony before the Senate Banking Committee in June 2025 concerning a multiyear renovation project for historic Federal Reserve office buildings. The project, originally budgeted at $1.9 billion in 2017, has seen costs rise to $2.5 billion due to factors including inflation, asbestos removal, and soil contamination. Powell described the action as unprecedented and asserted that the true motivation involves pressure over the Federal Reserve’s independent decisions on interest rates rather than the renovations or testimony. He affirmed his commitment to the rule of law while emphasizing the Federal Reserve’s duty to set policy based on evidence serving the public interest.
Sources: CBS News, The Epoch Times
🦏Republican Senators Thom Tillis and Lisa Murkowski Vow to Block Trump Federal Reserve Nominees
Sen. Thom Tillis (R-N.C.), a member of the Senate Banking Committee, announced he will oppose confirmation of any Federal Reserve nominees proposed by President Donald Trump, including the upcoming chair vacancy, until the Department of Justice’s criminal investigation into Fed Chairman Jerome Powell is fully resolved. Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) subsequently supported this position after speaking with Powell, describing the probe as an attempt at coercion related to testimony on the Fed’s headquarters renovation project cost overruns and stating that Tillis is correct in blocking nominees until the matter is addressed. No other Republican senators have been reported as joining this vow to block the nominees.
Sources: The Epoch Times, FOX Business
💰Minnesota Lawmakers Testify Whistleblowers Faced Retaliation Threats Over Social Services Fraud
Republican Minnesota state lawmakers testified before the House Committee on Oversight & Government Reform that officials in Governor Tim Walz’s administration suppressed fraud reports, retaliated against whistleblowers, and threatened state employees with job loss without unemployment eligibility, blacklisting across agencies, and monitoring of their children. State Rep. Marion Rarick described how whistleblowers live in constant fear of retaliation, with threats including firing for cause, career damage through transfers, and veiled references to military intelligence use. The fraud involves an estimated $9 billion in taxpayer-funded social services programs, much of it linked to schemes in the Somali community, and contributed to Walz withdrawing his bid for reelection in 2026. A group of over 1,000 current and former employees across agencies has formed to report these issues.
Sources: US House Oversight Committee, ZeroHedge
🎭Democrats Abruptly & Opportunistically Condemn Antisemitism After Years of Free Palestine Support
Top Democrat figures, including Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, have disingenuously and opportunistically condemned protests featuring explicit support for Hamas in Jewish neighborhoods as disgusting and antisemitic. This marks a noticeable shift from prior alignments where “Free Palestine” messaging dominated among progressives and their supporters. The coordinated change in tone from multiple leaders appears tied to concerns over escalating antisemitism risks and political calculations ahead of future elections.
👮🏼♂️Minneapolis Police Chief Chased by Anti-ICE Protesters During Friday Night Unrest
On January 10, 2026, Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara and several officers were chased and harassed by anti-ICE protesters while escorting a squad car away from a protest area. Demonstrators shouted threats, including “You better fucking run,” called officers derogatory names, shoved one officer in the back, and pelted the group with snowballs. Officers retreated without making arrests amid the confrontation, which stemmed from ongoing protests following a fatal ICE shooting earlier that week.
Sources: The Daily Wire, FOX News
💊FDA Admits Past Agency Guidance Misled Public on Dietary Fat to Appease BigPharma
FDA Commissioner Dr. Marty Makary stated that for decades federal dietary guidance wrongly focused on demonizing natural saturated fats such as those in eggs and steak while overlooking refined carbohydrates and added sugars. He explained that this approach, in place since the 1980s, prompted higher sugar consumption and contributed to increased heart attack rates among those following low-fat diets according to cited studies. Makary described the prior emphasis as medical dogma that ignored evidence and paralleled rises in chronic disease, insulin resistance, and inflammation. The new 2025–2030 Dietary Guidelines shift priorities toward whole foods, higher protein, healthy fats, and avoidance of ultra-processed items.
Sources: US Food & Drug Administration, The Gateway Pundit
🚨Minneapolis Woman Fatally Shot by ICE Agent After Blocking Road, Dance During Enforcement Operation
On January 7, 2026, 37-year-old Renee Nicole Good was fatally shot by ICE agent Jonathan Ross in Minneapolis after she positioned her maroon Honda SUV diagonally across a residential street, obstructing traffic for over three minutes during a federal immigration enforcement operation. Newly surfaced video footage shows Good’s vehicle blocking the road with the horn blaring continuously while she rocked side to side in the driver’s seat in a manner described by multiple observers as dancing to the sound. Agents approached, ordered her to exit, and attempted to open the door before the SUV accelerated forward toward an agent, prompting Ross to fire three shots in what federal authorities describe as self-defense against an attempt to use the vehicle as a weapon. Good then drove away briefly before crashing, and the incident has led to ongoing protests amid conflicting accounts from federal and local officials.
Sources: The New York Post, The US Sun
⛔Minnesota Democrats Denied Access to ICE Facility Despite Prior Activist Court Ruling
On January 10, 2026, Representatives Ilhan Omar, Angie Craig, and Kelly Morrison attempted an oversight visit to the ICE facility at the Bishop Henry Whipple Federal Building in Minneapolis. Federal officials initially permitted entry but revoked access after approximately 30 minutes. The denial stemmed from a new Department of Homeland Security policy requiring seven days’ advance notice for congressional visits, justified by officials citing safety concerns and funding through the One Big Beautiful Bill Act. This occurred amid heightened tensions following the fatal shooting of Renee Good by an ICE officer days earlier, which sparked protests in the Twin Cities. A December 2025 federal court ruling had previously affirmed congressional authority for unannounced visits to such facilities.
Sources: The New York Post, The Daily Caller
🔥Millions of Iranians Demand Khamenei Removal Amid Regime Threats to US Bases
Widespread protests have erupted across Iran since late December 2025, with demonstrators in multiple cities, including Tehran, chanting “Death to Khamenei” and calling for the removal of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. These demonstrations, fueled by economic hardship and demands for regime change, have spread nationwide despite an internet blackout and security force crackdowns that have resulted in hundreds of deaths according to rights groups. In response to US statements supporting the protesters and warning against violent suppression, Iranian officials, including parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf, have declared that US military bases, ships, and forces in the region would become legitimate targets in the event of any American attack on Iran.
Sources: The Epoch Times, The National News
🕊️Hamas Announces Readiness to Dissolve Gaza Administration Under U.S.-Brokered Ceasefire Plan
Hamas announced on January 11, 2026, that it will dissolve its existing government in Gaza once a Palestinian technocratic leadership committee assumes control of the territory. This step aligns with requirements of the U.S.-brokered peace plan and ongoing ceasefire that took effect on October 10, 2025. The group has directed its agencies to prepare for the transfer of power with no specific timeline provided. The technocratic committee remains unannounced, and oversight will fall to the international Board of Peace led by President Trump, which is also tasked with supervising Hamas disarmament and other ceasefire elements. The ceasefire currently remains in its first phase amid mutual accusations of violations, including recent incidents of Israeli gunfire resulting in Palestinian deaths.
Sources: The Washington Examiner, The Globe & Mail
🌵Mexican President Sheinbaum Reports Good Conversation With Trump on Security and Drug Trafficking
Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum stated on January 12, 2026, that she held a good conversation with President Donald Trump focused on security and efforts to reduce drug trafficking. She emphasized that the discussion respected Mexico’s sovereignty. Sheinbaum ruled out any U.S. military intervention against drug cartels in Mexico after Trump raised the possibility during the call. The leaders also addressed trade and investment topics. Sheinbaum noted that fentanyl trafficking from Mexico to the United States has decreased by about 50% over the past year. She added that cooperation continues within a framework of mutual respect without subordination.
🌐French National Assembly Vice President Submits Resolution for Planned NATO Withdrawal
Clémence Guetté, vice president of the French National Assembly and member of the La France Insoumise party, submitted a draft resolution on January 9, 2026, calling for France to initiate a planned withdrawal from NATO. The proposal begins with an exit from the alliance’s integrated military command structure. Guetté stated that NATO serves United States interests rather than European sovereignty. The resolution remains under consideration in the National Assembly with no passage or implementation reported.
Sources: EA Daily, The Gateway Pundit
🏛️Sudan Government Returns to Khartoum Capital
Sudan’s Prime Minister Kamil Idris announced the army-aligned government’s return to Khartoum on January 11, 2026. The government had operated from the wartime capital of Port Sudan for nearly three years. This followed the outbreak of war between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces in April 2023, when the government fled after the capital was overrun. The army recaptured Khartoum in March 2025, enabling a gradual return. Idris stated that the Government of Hope now returns to the national capital and promised improvements in electricity, water, healthcare, education, and sanitation services amid the city’s war-ravaged condition.
Sources: Standard Media, The Arab News