THE TOP NEWS STORIES THIS WEEK
1-11-26 TO 1-17-26
U.S. News
Minneapolis Tensions: Protests escalated in Minneapolis following a federal immigration operation; President Trump threatened a "day of retribution" against local leadership.
Immigration Crackdown: ICE deployed approximately 2,000 federal agents to the Minneapolis area for what was described as the "largest immigration operation ever."
DOJ Investigations: The Justice Department launched an investigation into Minnesota Governor Tim Walz and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey for allegedly impeding federal enforcement.
Maduro Arraignment: Former Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro was arraigned in a Brooklyn federal court following his capture by U.S. forces.
Greenland Takeover Renewed: The White House renewed calls for a U.S. takeover of Greenland, leading to a diplomatic rift with Denmark and threats of NATO's dissolution.
L.A. Ramming Attack: A vehicle-ramming incident occurred during an anti-Iranian government protest in Los Angeles; two people were injured.
Florida Renaming: A ceremony was held in Florida to rename Southern Boulevard in honor of President Trump.
Vázquez Pardon: The White House announced a pardon for former Puerto Rico Governor Wanda Vázquez regarding a campaign finance case.
Georgia Prison Riot: A fight at Washington State Prison in Davisboro left three inmates dead and 14 others injured.
Supreme Court Roundup Case: The Supreme Court agreed to hear a major appeal from the maker of Roundup weedkiller to block thousands of pending lawsuits.
Politics
Trump-Machado Meeting: Maria Corina Machado met with U.S. leaders and gifted her Nobel Peace Prize medal to President Trump, urging support for a new Venezuelan government.
Tariff Threats: The administration considered imposing tariffs on countries that do not support the U.S. acquisition of Greenland.
Stars and Stripes Directive: The Defense Department ordered the military newspaper Stars and Stripes to eliminate what it termed "woke distractions."
Student Loan Policy Reversal: In a surprise move, the administration announced it would stop garnishing wages for student loan borrowers in default.
Insurrection Act Discussion: The White House addressed the potential use of the Insurrection Act amid domestic protests.
State Department Visa Suspension: Immigrant visas were suspended for 75 countries, citing concerns over "public assistance" usage.
Iran Sanctions: New tariffs were announced for any countries conducting business with Iran during its internal uprising.
Rural Health Roundtable: President Trump blamed Democratic policies for the struggles of rural healthcare systems during a high-profile event.
Vance vs. Trump on Iran: Reports surfaced of internal debate between VP J.D. Vance, who favored negotiations, and the President, who signaled a preference for military force.
Title IX Reform: The administration moved forward with a new "Accountability Framework" to overhaul Title IX and higher education rules.
World Affairs
Iran Uprising: Protests in Iran entered their third week with an estimated 2,000 people killed in a brutal government crackdown.
Venezuela Transition: Delcy Rodriguez was sworn in as acting president of Venezuela as the U.S. signaled an "oil quarantine" to exert leverage.
Danish NATO Warning: Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen warned that a U.S. takeover of Greenland would signify the "end of NATO."
Sudan Government Return: Sudanese PM Kamil Idris announced the government's return to the capital, Khartoum, after years of operating from Port Sudan.
Syrian Conflict: Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) withdrew from Aleppo following negotiations with the new Syrian transitional government.
Australian Bushfires: A state of emergency was declared in Victoria as wildfires destroyed over 300 properties and claimed at least one life.
Ukraine Drone Strikes: Cross-border drone attacks continued between Russia and Ukraine, with casualties reported in Voronezh and across multiple Ukrainian regions.
Myanmar Elections: Citizens voted in the second phase of a multi-stage general election to determine the nation's legislature.
Benin Elections: Beninese citizens cast ballots for the National Assembly just weeks after a thwarted coup attempt.
China-Egypt Energy Deal: Egypt signed $1.8 billion in renewable energy agreements with China and Norway.
Economy
Dow 49,000: The Dow Jones Industrial Average crossed the 49,000 mark for the first time, fueled by AI-driven momentum.
Sluggish Jobs Report: December data showed only 50,000 jobs gained, missing expectations and marking the lowest monthly pace in over two decades.
Inflation Update: Headline inflation fell to 2.7%, though markets remained cautious due to data quality issues following previous government shutdowns.
Federal Job Cuts: Reports confirmed 277,000 government positions were eliminated in 2025, a primary driver of the sluggish labor market.
Defense Budget Proposal: Defense stocks rallied after the President called for a $1.5 trillion annual defense budget for 2027.
AI "Memory Explosion": Analysts highlighted a massive surge in demand for high-bandwidth memory (DRAM), shifting investment focus to semiconductor equipment.
Interest Rate Stalemate: The Federal Reserve remained split on whether to cut rates, with no change expected until at least June.
Small Business Sentiment: The NFIB Small Business Optimism Index showed a slight uptick despite concerns over "sticky" inflation.
Retail Sales Data: November retail sales figures (released late) showed a cooling consumer market compared to previous years.
Crypto Market Volatility: Major cryptocurrencies saw significant swings as Coinbase and other platforms updated their 2026 outlooks.
Technology
ISS Medical Evacuation: Crew-11 undocked from the ISS and splashed down off the coast of California a month early due to a stable but "unspecified medical concern" for an astronaut.
Starlink in Iran: The Iranian government reportedly succeeded in shutting down Starlink internet services for the first time within its borders.
Grok AI Deepfakes: Elon Musk’s Grok AI faced intense scrutiny after users generated high-profile sexual deepfake images.
Semiconductor Bottlenecks: Critical shortages in NAND storage and DRAM were identified as the primary bottlenecks for AI infrastructure in 2026.
NASA Funding Bill: The U.S. Senate moved closer to passing the FY2026 NASA funding bill amid the ISS evacuation news.
AI Reasoning Models: New "reasoning" AI models with larger context windows began driving a shift in how companies invest in data centers.
Nuclear Energy for Tech: Major tech firms expanded partnerships with nuclear energy providers to power massive AI training clusters.
Apple AR Updates: Rumors of a second-generation "Vision" device began circulating as Apple adjusted its 2026 hardware roadmap.
Automated Drone Logistics: New federal guidelines were proposed to streamline commercial drone delivery in major U.S. cities.
Quantum Computing Milestone: A leading tech firm claimed a breakthrough in "logical qubits," bringing practical quantum computing closer to reality.
Education
Secretary McMahon’s Tour: Education Secretary Linda McMahon launched the "History Rocks! Trail to Independence" tour to promote civic learning.
Returning Education to States: A new federal initiative began the process of shifting more educational oversight from the federal level back to state governments.
Title IX Investigations: The Department of Education's Special Investigations Team launched a probe into the California Community College Athletic Association over its transgender participation policy.
Student Loan Garnishment Pause: The Department of Education delayed involuntary collections on federal loans to implement reform packages.
Civil Rights Probes: The Office for Civil Rights initiated 18 new Title IX investigations across 10 states.
Postsecondary Partnership: A new joint effort between the Departments of Education and Labor was announced to integrate college programs with workforce development.
School Safety Grants: HHS and the Department of Education announced $150 million for community-based health providers, including some school-linked services.
National Debate Topic: The NFHS announced "Health Insurance" as the official 2026-27 National High School Policy Debate topic.
Civic Learning Focus: Secretary McMahon emphasized a return to "traditional history" during a speech at Jack Britt High School in North Carolina.
Consensus on Higher Ed Reform: A third regulatory package was finalized to implement changes from the Working Families Tax Cuts Act.
Health
Immunization Schedule Changes: The CDC issued a revised immunization schedule for children and adolescents, notably reducing the number of recommended vaccines.
Medicaid for Inmates: As of January 1, new rules took effect prohibiting states from terminating Medicaid eligibility for individuals while they are incarcerated.
Roundup Health Litigation: The Supreme Court's decision to hear the Roundup case put a spotlight on the long-term health effects of glyphosate.
OTC Drug Fees: The FDA announced new user fee rates for over-the-counter monograph drugs for the 2026 fiscal year.
COVID-19 Funding: HHS provided $150 million to community health providers to assist with ongoing respiratory virus responses.
Astronaut Health Mystery: NASA's "prudent medical evacuation" of an ISS crew member raised questions about the health risks of long-term space flight.
National Health Insurance Debate: The selection of "National Health Insurance" as a major debate topic highlighted shifting public sentiment on healthcare access.
Winter Nutrition & Recovery: Health experts released new guidelines focused on athletic recovery and nutrition during the winter sports season.
Opioid Scandal Indictment: A New Jersey doctor was charged in a 58-count indictment for distributing opioids in exchange for sexual favors and defrauding Medicaid.
Rural Health Funding: The administration proposed a new funding model to prevent the closure of rural hospitals across the Midwest.
Sports
NFL Divisional Playoffs: The Seattle Seahawks prepared to face the San Francisco 49ers on Jan 17; Sam Darnold (Seahawks) and Ricky Pearsall (49ers) both faced injury concerns.
NFL Wildcard Recap: Football analysts broke down a high-scoring Wildcard Weekend that saw several major upsets.
College Football Championship: Build-up began for a major matchup between Indiana and Miami for the national title.
United Cup Tennis: Poland secured its first-ever United Cup title by defeating Switzerland 2–1 in Sydney.
Horizon League "Nothing But Net": A week-long event (Jan 11–17) partnered with the Special Olympics to raise awareness and funds for athletes with disabilities.
World Cup 2026 Preparations: FIFA officials held meetings to finalize infrastructure projects in host cities across the U.S., Mexico, and Canada.
Transgender Participation Policy: The investigation into California’s community college athletic policies sparked heated debate within collegiate sports.
Golden Globe Winners: Hamnet and One Battle After Another won top film honors, while sports-themed media saw several nominations in the television categories.
Officials Appreciation Week: Winter Sports Officials Appreciation Week (Jan 11–17) was celebrated nationally to address the shortage of referees.
Early Sport Specialization: A new report from the NFHS warned against the "double-edged sword" of early specialization in youth sports.
- Fatal shooting of American citizen Renée (or Renee Nicole/Renee Macklin) Good by an ICE officer in Minneapolis, sparking widespread protests and clashes.
- President Trump threatens to invoke the Insurrection Act in Minnesota to quell protests in Minneapolis over the ICE shooting.
- Deployment of hundreds more federal agents to Minneapolis amid escalating demonstrations and local Democratic leaders' demands for withdrawal.
- Successful splashdown of NASA's SpaceX Crew-11 mission off San Diego, concluding five months on the International Space Station.
- Abigail Spanberger's inauguration as Virginia governor, breaking traditions (e.g., attire norms).
- Ongoing fallout from earlier events like the Salt Lake City church shooting (though dated earlier, referenced in weekly recaps).
- Protests growing nationwide against Trump's hardline deportation policies.
- Vice President J.D. Vance defends the ICE officer involved in the Minneapolis shooting, citing "absolute immunity."
- Arson attack on Mississippi's oldest synagogue, with suspect in custody.
- Various local/national incidents, including discussions around federal aid suspensions (e.g., to Somalia, in broader policy context).
- Trump's consideration of invoking the Insurrection Act amid Minneapolis protests over ICE actions.
- Administration's hardline deportation policies fueling nationwide protests and political backlash.
- Trump's threats and options weighed against Iran amid its crackdown on protesters.
- Ongoing pressure on the Federal Reserve, including a DOJ subpoena to Chair Jerome Powell.
- Discussions around potential impeachment talk if Democrats regain the House in midterms.
- Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem barring lawmakers from ICE facilities without notice.
- Trump's distance from certain international commitments (e.g., withdrawals from organizations like the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change).
- Political reactions to the Minneapolis shooting and ICE enforcement.
- Virginia gubernatorial transition to Abigail Spanberger.
- Broader 2026 midterm positioning and criticisms of administration policies.
- Intensifying protests in Iran, with death toll topping 500 (per rights groups), internet blackout, and government crackdown.
- Iran's warnings of retaliation if the U.S. intervenes to support protesters.
- U.S. weighing military, sanctions, or cyber options against Iran.
- Aftermath of U.S. raid capturing Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro (early January event with ongoing diplomatic ripples, including sanctions relief discussions).
- U.S. withdrawal from 66 international organizations, including climate-related ones.
- Protests and unrest in Iran entering third week, with accusations of U.S./Israel fueling riots.
- Humanitarian concerns in Gaza/Syria (e.g., aid restrictions, displaced populations referenced).
- China's crackdown on underground churches (e.g., Early Rain pastor detained).
- Portugal hosting Ukrainian children/mothers amid ongoing war.
- Broader Middle East/Sudan/WFP struggles with aid in conflict zones.
- Ongoing discussions around policy impacts (e.g., indirect from federal shifts or protests).
- No dominant nationwide education-specific headlines emerged prominently (e.g., no major strikes, policy announcements, or campus incidents topping feeds). 3–10: Mostly routine or localized (e.g., potential tie-ins to broader political unrest affecting campuses, but nothing rose to top-tier).
- IMF/World Bank projections: Global growth slowing to ~3.1% in 2026, with U.S. resilience noted.
- World Bank Global Economic Prospects: Steady but sluggish growth (2.6% in 2026), upward revisions due to U.S. strength.
- Federal Reserve pausing rate cuts amid data issues from government shutdown, rising inflation from trade/immigration shifts.
- Potential lifting of some U.S. sanctions on Venezuela to facilitate oil sales and IMF re-engagement.
- Trends like tokenized cross-border payments advancing in G20 nations.
- AI/data center power bottlenecks (e.g., natural gas turbines sold out).
- Uneven global growth: Advanced economies slow, some emerging markets stronger via reforms.
- U.S. Treasury discussions on Venezuela's frozen assets for rebuilding.
- Broader tariff/trade policy risks influencing inflation and unemployment.
- Optimism in some regions (e.g., Japan wage growth/inflation targets met).
- CES 2026 announcements: Major reveals in TVs, laptops (e.g., LG Gram Pro with Aerominum tech), XR glasses, gadgets.
- Lego Smart Brick winning "Best in Show" at CES.
- New lensless imaging technology breaking optics rules (University of Connecticut research).
- Applied Digital addressing AI data center power issues with innovative solutions.
- Integration of Elon Musk's Grok AI into Pentagon networks (announced by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth).
- Motorola's new Moto Watch and other wearables.
- Xreal's immersive XR glasses and portable charger/display adapters.
- GameSir/Game Boy-style phone cradles/controllers.
- Broader AI/tokenization trends in finance/payments.
- Various CES weird gadgets and announcements (e.g., portable chargers, mini-controllers).
- Investigation into quality testing for generic drugs (PBS coverage).
- CDC rewriting childhood vaccine schedule (reducing recommended shots, per some reports).
- No other dominant national/global health crises or breakthroughs topped the news cycle (e.g., routine or tied to broader policy).
- Aryna Sabalenka winning her second consecutive Brisbane International title (defeating Marta Kostyuk).
- Broader tennis season kickoff.
- No major U.S. pro events (e.g., NFL/NBA ongoing but no standout headlines this exact week). 4–10: Mostly routine (e.g., preparations for upcoming events like World Cup 2026 planning, but nothing massive broke).
THIS WEEK'S DAILY TOP NEWS
SATURDAY, JANUARY 17, 2026
SUNDAY, JANUARY 11, 2026
Big Education Ape: MORNING NEWS UPDATE: JANUARY 11, 2026 https://bigeducationape.blogspot.com/2026/01/morning-news-update-january-11-2026.html
MONDAY, JANUARY 12, 2026
Big Education Ape: MORNING NEWS UPDATE: JANUARY 12, 2026 https://bigeducationape.blogspot.com/2026/01/morning-news-update-january-12-2026.html
TUESDAY, JANUARY 13, 2026
Big Education Ape: MORNING NEWS UPDATE: JANUARY 13, 2026 https://bigeducationape.blogspot.com/2026/01/morning-news-update-january-13-2026.html
WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 14, 2026
Big Education Ape: MORNING NEWS UPDATE: JANUARY 14, 2026 https://bigeducationape.blogspot.com/2026/01/morning-news-update-january-14-2026.html
THURSDAY, JANUARY 15, 2026
Big Education Ape: MORNING NEWS UPDATE: JANUARY 15, 2026 https://bigeducationape.blogspot.com/2026/01/morning-news-update-january-15-2026.html
FRIDAY, JANUARY 16, 2026
Big Education Ape: MORNING NEWS UPDATE: JANUARY 16, 2026 https://bigeducationape.blogspot.com/2026/01/morning-news-update-january-16-2026.html
SATURDAY, JANUARY 17, 2026
HISTORY
