Ryan Wedding, a former Canadian Olympic snowboarder who allegedly became the head of a billion-dollar drug trafficking organization, pleaded not guilty to multiple charges against him Monday and was ordered detained as his case proceeds.
Wedding, who authorities say was in hiding for more than a decade and on the FBI’s “Ten Most Wanted Fugitives” list, was arrested last week. He faces 17 felonies in two separate indictments.
During the court hearing at the Ronald Reagan Federal Building and Courthouse in Santa Ana, Wedding, who wore a beige jail uniform and black Crocs, scanned the gallery and occasionally smirked. Hulking and tattooed, the 6’3” Wedding towered over his attorney and the deputy marshals standing guard in the courtroom.
U.S. Magistrate Judge John D. Early ordered Wedding jailed without bond and set the next hearing for February 11.
The judge set a tentative trial date in March, although Wedding’s attorney, Anthony Colombo, said it would likely take more time for the case to unfold.
Colombo did not argue for his client’s release on Monday afternoon, later citing “the whirlwind” Wedding had experienced since his apprehension.
“It takes time to put the sureties in place, to have the information for the court to establish that there’s a condition or combination of conditions that could secure his release,” Colombo told reporters. “We were not in the position today to do that and we anticipate addressing that at a later date.”
Colombo said he first met with his client several days ago, after his arrival in the U.S., and described him as being “in good spirits.” Colombo disputed claims from federal authorities that Wedding had been in hiding out in Mexico.
“Hiding out and living somewhere are two different things,” Colombo said. “I would characterize him as living, the government can characterize it their way.”
Colombo added that his client was arrested and “he did not surrender.”
Wedding, who was known by many aliases, including “El Jefe” and “Public Enemy,” is accused of becoming a major trafficker of cocaine into Canada and the United States and a ruthless leader who ordered killings, including one of a witness in a 2024 federal narcotics case against him. The alleged order resulted in the victim being shot to death in a restaurant in Medellín, Colombia, in January 2025, prosecutors said.
The former Olympic snowboarder was charged in a 2024 indictment with running a continuing criminal enterprise, assorted drug trafficking charges and directing the murders of two members of a family in Canada in retaliation for a stolen drug shipment.
“Just to tell you how bad of a guy Ryan Wedding is, he went from an Olympic snowboarder to the largest narco trafficker in modern times,” Patel said in a news conference Friday announcing the arrest. “He is a modern-day El Chapo, he is a modern-day Pablo Escobar. And he thought he could evade justice.”
When questioned about authorities likening his client to El Chapo and Pablo Escobar, Colombo said “I think it’s overstated, that’s their spin.”
Los Angeles Police Chief Jim McDonnell said last week that Wedding’s alleged global drug trafficking organization “used Los Angeles as its primary point of distribution.”
Akil Davis, assistant director in charge of the Los Angeles FBI field office, said after Wedding’s capture that his alleged organization shipped approximately 60 metric tons of cocaine through Southern California on its way to Canada.
Authorities have arrested 36 people in connection with their role in the transnational organization and the U.S. Treasury Department has sanctioned 19 people, including Wedding, according to Davis.
Atty. Gen. Pam Bondi previously said Wedding’s operation was responsible for generating more than $1 billion a year in illegal drug proceeds.
Wedding competed for his home country, Canada, in the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City.
An experienced attorney, Colombo previously represented Rubén Oseguera González, also known as “El Menchito,” the son of Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes, “El Mencho,” the leader of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel.
Oseguera González was sentenced last year to a term of life in prison plus 30 years to run consecutively for his role in a major drug trafficking conspiracy.
Jan. 26 (UPI) — Critical minerals startup USA Rare Earth announced Monday that the Department of Commerce will give the company a $1.3 billion loan and $277 million in federal funding.
USA Rare Earth will issue Commerce 16.1 million shares of common stock and 17.6 million in warrants. The federal government will have an 8% to 16% stake in the company, depending on whether it uses the warrants, a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission said.
USA Rare Earth shares rose more than 20% Monday after the announcement, CNBC reported.
The injection of funds will help the company build a magnet manufacturing plant in Stillwater, Okla., and a mine at the Round Top mineral deposit in Sierra Blanca, Texas.
CEO Barbara Humpton said the government deal will turn USA Rare Earth into an industry leader.
“This is a watershed moment in our work to secure and grow a resilient and independent rare earth value chain based in this country,” CNBC reported that Humpton told analysts Monday.
“We have long said that meeting the urgent call to reassure the rare earth and critical minerals industry will require a multiplayer solution, and this establishes our company as one of the leaders,” she said.
Commerce will allocate the funding from 2026 through 2028 based on milestones in USA Rare Earth’s business plan, Chief Financial Officer Rob Steele told analysts.
The company needs about $4.1 billion for its plan, he said. It still needs to raise about $600 million more capital.
“We believe we can raise the remaining capital from attractive sources, and you should assume that’s equity capital but that can come from strategic investments as well as institutional investors,” Steele said.
China dominates the global supply chain of rare earth materials. During trade disputes with President Donald Trump, Beijing tried to cut off rare earth exports.
“USA Rare Earth’s heavy critical minerals project is essential to restoring U.S. critical mineral independence,” Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick said in a statement. “This investment ensures our supply chains are resilient and no longer reliant on foreign nations.”
“The Department of Energy is ending America’s reliance on foreign nations for the critical materials essential to our economy and national security,” said U.S. Energy Secretary Chris Wright in a statement. “The DOE is partnering with USAR to rebuild the critical minerals supply chain. By expanding domestic mining, processing and manufacturing capabilities, we are creating good-paying American jobs and safeguarding our national security.”
“Accelerating the onshoring of rare earth minerals, metals, and magnets is paramount to national and economic security,” U.S. Investment Accelerator Executive Director Michael Grimes said in a statement. “With the Department of Commerce’s funding for USA Rare Earth’s vertically integrated mine-to-magnet operations, we will significantly increase the domestic supply of crucial components for semiconductors, defense and numerous other industries strategic to the United States.”
A 2024 simulation found US civil war could be triggered by clashes between state and federal law enforcement.
US federal immigration raids continue in Minnesota, and the operation has set the stage for a standoff between state officials and the federal government. Governor Tim Walz has readied Minnesota’s national guard, while the Pentagon has ordered troops to be on standby. A 2024 University of Pennsylvania simulation warned that similar state-federal standoffs could escalate into broader armed conflict.
In this episode:
Claire Finkelstein (@COFinkelstein), Center for Ethics and Rule of Law, University of Pennsylvania
Episode credits:
This episode was produced by Chloe K. Li and Melanie Marich, with Phillip Lanos, Spencer Cline, Tamara Khandaker, Sonia Bhagat and our guest host, Manuel Rapalo. It was edited by Kylene Kiang.
The Take production team is Marcos Bartolomé, Sonia Bhagat, Spencer Cline, Sarí el-Khalili, Tamara Khandaker, Kylene Kiang, Phillip Lanos, Chloe K. Li, Melanie Marich, and Noor Wazwaz. Our host is Malika Bilal.
Our engagement producers are Adam Abou-Gad and Vienna Maglio. Andrew Greiner is lead of audience engagement.
Our sound designer is Alex Roldan. Our video editors are Hisham Abu Salah and Mohannad al-Melhem. Alexandra Locke is The Take’s executive producer. Ney Alvarez is Al Jazeera’s head of audio.
Dani Dyer, Gabby Allen and Emily Seebohm all passed the gruelling course in North Africa
22:00, 26 Jan 2026Updated 22:02, 26 Jan 2026
Stars celebrate unforgettable all-female win on Celebrity SAS: Who Dares Wins(Image: Channel 4)
Celebrity SAS: Who Dares Wins ended with a bang, as it celebrated an all-female line up of winners for the second time in the show’s history. Dani Dyer, Gabby Allen and Emily Seebohm all passed the “horrendous” course, while finalists Ben Cohen and Mack Horton stood down.
Airing on 26 January, the final of eight episodes of Celebrity SAS saw the five finalists face one last test. Over the previous episodes, Chief Instructor Billy Billingham and his Directing Staff, Jason Fox, Rudy Reyes and Chris Oliver, put fourteen recruits from the UK and Australia through a condensed selection course designed that stripped them of sleep and tested their strength.
Some chose to withdraw and others were culled from the process, but Dani, Gabby, Emily, Ben and Mack all made it to the final test – interrogation. During the test, both Ben and Mack chose to quit, making the women the winners.
Chief Instructor Billy delivered the final verdict: “Eight days ago you came from both sides of the world. Fourteen arrived. Three stand before us. Just because you stand on the finish line doesn’t mean you’ve passed this course.” Not leaving the three in suspense, he then added: “It’s a rare moment to say — congratulations to all three of you. You’ve passed this course.”
Looking back on the achievement, Dani said it was “horrendous”. She said: “Every single moment was horrendous. But to hear that I’d passed — it’s the best feeling in the world. If I can do this, I can do anything.”
She added: “I definitely am a lot stronger than what I think I am…I can’t believe I’ve actually been able to do it. I’m really proud of myself.” When she realised all the winning recruits were women Dani continued: “I love it because we are strong women. We go through so much as women, mentally and physically.
“That final day with the interrogations and the noises, the animals in our ears, the pig noises, the scratching, it was awful. I thought I’d messed up. I thought I grassed everyone up. That was in my head. But we are strong women. We really are.”
Olympic swimmer Emily said she wasn’t surprised that three women won. ““I wasn’t surprised it was the three women, but I was surprised the two guys (Ben and Mack) didn’t make it because they were so strong. I was always trying to keep up with them during tasks, so to not see them at the end was shocking.”
Gabby said she thought they three of them were “boss b***hes” for getting through the ordeal. ““I can’t believe that out of fourteen people, it’s us. Well, I can — because we’re boss b***hes. Standing there with two women at the end meant everything to me. My whole brand is about empowering women from every walk of life. Men are strong, but women show time and time again that we can do just as much. We were lifting the same weights, trying just as hard. I wouldn’t have wanted to be there at the end with anyone else. We built a bond you could never replicate.”
Gabby and Dani both rose to fame on dating show Love Island, with Dani winning series four, and Gabby taking the crown in All Stars two. “The whole cast surprised me in different ways but Dani surprised me,” Gabby said.
“I felt protective of her, but she held her own and never gave up. Standing next to her at the end was incredible. Two girls from Love Island showing everyone what we can do.”
Celebrity SAS: Who Dares Wins is available to stream on Channel 4.
WASHINGTON — Eleanor Holmes Norton, the 18-term delegate for the District of Columbia in Congress and a veteran of the Civil Rights Movement, has filed paperwork to end her campaign for reelection, likely closing out a decades-long career in public service.
Norton, 88, has been the sole representative of the residents of the nation’s capital in Congress since 1991, but she faced increasing questions about her effectiveness after the Trump administration began its sweeping intervention into the city last year.
Mayor Muriel Bowser congratulated Norton on her retirement.
“For 35 years, Congresswoman Norton has been our Warrior on the Hill,” Bowser wrote on social media. “Her work embodies the unwavering resolve of a city that refuses to yield in its fight for equal representation.”
Norton’s campaign filed a termination report with the Federal Election Commission on Sunday. Her office has not released an official statement about the delegate’s intentions.
The filing was first reported by NOTUS.
Her retirement opens up a likely competitive primary to succeed her in an overwhelmingly Democratic city. Several local lawmakers had already announced their intentions to run in the Democratic primary.
An institution in Washington politics for decades, Norton is the oldest member in the House. She was a personal friend to civil rights icons such as Medgar Evers and a contemporary of other activists turned congressional stalwarts, including Rep. Jim Clyburn (D-S.C.) and the late Reps. John Conyers (D-Mich.) and John Lewis (D-Ga.).
But Norton has faced calls to step aside in recent months as residents and local lawmakers questioned her ability to effectively advocate for the city in Congress amid the Republican administration’s aggressive moves toward the city.
The White House federalized Washington’s police force, deployed National Guard troops from six states and the federal district across the capital’s streets and surged federal agents from the Department of Homeland Security into neighborhoods. The moves prompted outcry and protests from residents and a lawsuit from the district’s attorney general.
Norton’s retirement comes as a historically high number of lawmakers announce they will either seek another public office or retire from official duties altogether. More than 1 in 10 members of the House are not seeking reelection this year.
Norton’s staunch advocacy for her city
As the district’s delegate, Norton does not have a formal vote in the House. But she has found other ways to advocate for the city’s interests. Called the “Warrior on the Hill” by her supporters, Norton was a staunch advocate for D.C. statehood and for the labor rights of the federal workers who called Washington and its surrounding region home.
She also secured bipartisan wins for district residents. Norton was the driving force behind the passage of a law that provides up to $10,000 per year for students who attend public colleges outside the district. It also provides up to $2,500 per year for students who attend select private historically Black colleges and universities across the country and nonprofit colleges in the D.C. metropolitan area.
In the 1990s, Norton played a key role in ending the city’s financial crisis by brokering a deal to transfer billions of dollars in unfunded pension liabilities to the federal government in exchange for changes to the district’s budget. She twice played a leading role in House passage of a D.C. statehood bill.
Steeped in the civil rights movement
Norton was born and raised in Washington, and her life spans the arc of the district’s trials and triumphs. She was educated at Dunbar High School as part of the school’s last segregated class.
“Growing up black in Washington gave a special advantage. This whole community of blacks was very race conscious, very civil rights conscious,” she said in her 2003 biography, “Fire in My Soul.”
She attended Antioch College in Ohio and in 1963 split her time between Yale Law School and Mississippi, where she worked as an organizer during the Freedom Summer of the Civil Rights Movement.
One day that summer, Evers picked her up at the airport. He was assassinated that night.
Norton also helped organize and attended the 1963 March on Washington.
In an interview with the Associated Press in 2023, Norton said the march was still “the single most extraordinary experience of my lifetime.”
She went on to become the first woman to lead the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, which helps enforce anti-discrimination laws in the workplace. She ran for office when her predecessor retired to run for Washington mayor.
Nottingham Forest make a £35m bid for Crystal Palace‘s Jean-Philippe Mateta, Juventus are considering a move for Everton‘s Beto, and Manchester United‘s Bruno Fernandes will decide on his future at the end of the season.
France striker Randal Kolo Muani, 27, is on a season-long at Tottenham from Paris St-Germain and is another option Juventus have asked about. (Fabrizio Romano), external
Manchester United midfielder Bruno Fernandes is set to wait until the end of the season before deciding on his future, with the 31-year-old’s current deal running until 2027 and having the option of a further year. (Mirror), external
Atletico Madrid are set to hold talks with Atalanta about signing 26-year-old Brazil midfielder Ederson from the Italian side. (AS – in Spanish), external
Wolveshave rejected a £6.9m bid from Roma for 23-year-old Norway left-back David Moller Wolfe. (Sky Sports), external
Former Southampton and Rangers manager Russell Martin is among the candidates to take over as Leicester City manager following the sacking of Marti Cifuentes. (Football Insider), external
Former Leicester City player Gary Rowett and Hearts manager Derek McInnes are also being considered by the Foxes. (Mail), external
Carney has been under pressure from the opposition to lower prices of food and other essentials for lower-income people.
Published On 26 Jan 202626 Jan 2026
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Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney has announced a multibillion-dollar package as part of a series of measures aimed at lowering the costs of food and other essentials for low-income families.
On Monday, Carney announced a five-year 25 percent boost to the Goods and Services Tax (GST) credit that starts this year.
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The GST credit, which is being renamed the Canada Groceries and Essentials Benefit, will provide additional, significant support for more than 12 million Canadians, Carney said in a statement.
The government will also provide a one-time top-up equivalent to a 50 percent increase this year to eligible residents.
“We’re bringing in new measures to lower costs and make sure Canadians have the support they need now,” Carney said.
The measures would cost the government 3.1 billion Canadian dollars ($2.26bn) in the first year and between 1.3 billion Canadian dollars ($950m) and 1.8 billion Canadian dollars ($1.3bn) in each of the following four years, he told reporters at a news conference, according to the Reuters news agency.
While overall consumer price inflation in Canada has eased and came in at 2.4 percent for December, “food price inflation remains high due to global and domestic factors, including supply chain disruptions, higher US tariffs from the trade war and climate change/extreme weather”, Tony Stillo, director of Canada Economics at Oxford Economics, told Al Jazeera.
The government is also setting aside 500 million Canadian dollars ($365m) from the Strategic Response Fund to help businesses address the costs of supply chain disruptions without passing those costs on to Canadians, and will create a 150 million Canadian dollar ($110m) Food Security Fund under the existing Regional Tariff Response Initiative for small and medium enterprises and the organisations that support them.
Changing landscape
“The global landscape is rapidly changing, leaving economies, businesses, and workers under a cloud of uncertainty. In response, Canada’s new government is focused on what we can control: building a stronger economy to make life more affordable for Canadians,” Carney said.
The new measures were unveiled on the day Parliament resumes after its winter break.
Opposition parties have urged Carney to reduce prices of daily goods, especially as sections of the economy have come under pressure from United States President Donald Trump, who has slapped 35 percent tariffs on the country as well as separate tariffs on steel, aluminium and lumber, leading to job losses in those sectors.
Over the weekend, Trump escalated his threats and said he would impose a 100 percent tariff on Canada if it makes a trade deal with China. Carney has been working on diversifying Canada’s exports away from the US, its biggest trading partner and to which nearly 80 percent of its exports went last year, including by increasing business with other markets like China.
Verified videos emerging from Iran show bodies piled up in a hospital, snipers stationed on buildings and CCTV cameras being destroyed, following the unprecedented crackdown on protests earlier this month.
BBC Verify has been tracking the spread of protests across Iran since they first erupted in late December, but the near total internet blackout imposed by the authorities has made it extremely difficult to document the scale of the state’s deadly crackdown on protesters.
The US-based Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA) says it has confirmed the killing of nearly 6,000 people, including 5,633 protesters, since the unrest began at the end of December. It says it is also currently investigating another 17,000 reported deaths received despite an internet shutdown after nearly three weeks.
Another group, the Norway-based Iran Human Rights (IHR), has warned that the final toll could exceed 25,000.
Iranian authorities said last week that more than 3,100 people were killed, but that the majority were security personnel or bystanders attacked by “rioters”.
The latest videos to emerge from the country are understood to have been filmed on 8 and 9 January, when thousands of people took to the streets following a call for nationwide protests from Reza Pahlavi, the exiled son of the late Shah.
They are thought to be the deadliest nights for protesters so far and these newly verified videos show how Iran’s security forces have been violently cracking down on protesters.
Multiple clips analysed by BBC Verify and BBC Persian show bodies piled up inside a mortuary at Tehranpars hospital in east Tehran. We verified the location of the hospital by matching its interior to other publicly available images and videos of the building, and counted at least 31 bodies in just one video. Another clip shows seven body bags laid on the ground outside the hospital’s entrance.
Hundreds of people are seen protesting on a highway in west Tehran in another video before multiple rounds of gunfire can be heard and people begin to scream.
Protesters have also been seen trying to evade Iran’s heavy surveillance infrastructure by disabling CCTV cameras. Footage we verified shows one person in the capital climbing up a post and hitting a surveillance camera several times in an attempt to disable it. A huge crowd of protesters can be seen on the ground and heard cheering as the camera is damaged.
We have tracked the spread of the anti-government protests across 71 towns and cities in Iran, though the true number of areas where demonstrations have taken place is likely far higher.
In the south-eastern city of Kerman a video taken from high up in a building shows several armed men in military uniform walking down a road firing their weapons continuously, though it is not clear who they are shooting at. A small fire burns in the middle of the road while the sound of protesters chanting can be heard in the background.
Snipers have also been recorded on the roofs of buildings. In the north-eastern city of Mashhad verified video shows two men dressed in black on a rooftop of a building in daylight. One man is standing next to a large rifle that is lent against a wall and speaking on the phone. The other man crouches on the floor while smoking.
For most people there has been an almost-total internet blackout since 8 January, but some have managed to briefly access the internet using methods such as SpaceX’s Starlink satellite internet and virtual private networks (VPNs).
More videos are likely to emerge in the coming days as the country’s economy has struggled during the blackout.
The Testaments is a new TV series and a sequel to The Handmaid’s Tale, and it will be released in the UK soon
The Testaments stands as one of 2026’s most anticipated new series, serving as a follow-up to the award-winning dystopian thriller The Handmaid’s Tale featuring Elisabeth Moss.
Drawing from Margaret Atwood’s literary works, this long-awaited continuation takes inspiration from the 2019 novel bearing the same title, which emerged 34 years following the original masterpiece.
With Ann Dowd returning as Aunt Lydia, the programme boasts a fresh all-star ensemble including Chase Infiniti, the breakout talent from One Battle After Another, portraying Agnes Mackenzie, June Osborne’s (played by Moss) missing daughter.
Taking place five years beyond The Handmaid’s Tale’s concluding episode in a grim portrayal of America’s future, this coming-of-age narrative chronicles young women as they traverse their harsh new existence.
However, when might British audiences get to view the series? Here’s what we’ve gathered so far.
Disney+ revealed this week that the series will debut in the UK on Wednesday, 8th April exclusively via the streaming service.
Initially, three episodes will drop, with subsequent instalments arriving weekly.
The opening season comprises 10 episodes, positioning the concluding episode to broadcast on Wednesday, 27th May. Alongside lead performers Dowd and Infiniti, the cast will feature Lucy Halliday, Mabel Li, Amy Seimetz, Brad Alexander, Rowan Blanchard, Mattea Conforti, Zarrin Darnell-Martin, Eva Foote, Isolde Ardies, Shechinah Mpumlwana, Birva Pandya and Kira Guloien.
Showrunner and executive producer Bruce Miller is making his comeback, alongside The Handmaid’s Tale actress Moss, though her reprisal of June remains unconfirmed.
The official synopsis states: “The series follows young teens Agnes, dutiful and pious, and Daisy, a new arrival and convert from beyond Gilead’s borders.
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“As they navigate the gilded halls of Aunt Lydia’s elite preparatory school for future wives, a place where obedience is instilled brutally and always with divine justification, their bond becomes the catalyst that will upend their past, their present, and their future.”
Whether The Testaments will secure a second series remains unclear.
The Testaments launches Wednesday, 8th April on Disney+.
HONOLULU — Seven Japanese American soldiers will be promoted to officer ranks in a solemn ceremony Monday, eight decades after they died fighting for the U.S. during World War II despite having been branded “enemy aliens.”
The seven were students at the University of Hawaii and cadets in the Reserve Officer Training Corps, on track to become Army officers, when Japan bombed Pearl Harbor on Dec. 7, 1941. They initially served in the Hawaii Territorial Guard, but soon after the attack the U.S. barred most Japanese Americans from service and deemed them enemy aliens.
The seven cadets instead worked with a civilian labor battalion known as “Varsity Victory Volunteers,” which performed tasks such as digging ditches and breaking rocks, until American leaders in early 1943 announced the formation of a segregated Japanese American regiment. The seven were among those who joined the unit, known as the 442nd Regimental Combat Team.
The combat team, along with the 100th battalion composed of mostly Japanese Americans from Hawaii, went on to become one of the most decorated units in U.S. history. Some of its soldiers fought for the Allies even as their relatives were detained in Japanese American internment camps because they were considered a public danger.
“It is important for us to really kind of give back and recognize our forefathers and these veterans that we stand on the shoulders of,” said 1st Sgt. Nakoa Hoe of the 100th Battalion, 442nd Regiment, what the unit is now known as in the Army Reserve. He noted the once-segregated unit now includes a “multitude of cultures.”
The seven “sacrificed so much at a challenging time when their loyalty to their country was questioned and they even had family members imprisoned,” he added.
The seven men — Daniel Betsui, Jenhatsu Chinen, Robert Murata, Grover Nagaji, Akio Nishikawa, Hiroichi Tomita and Howard Urabe — died fighting in Europe in 1944. All but Murata were killed during the campaign to liberate Italy from Nazi Germany. Murata was killed by an artillery shell in eastern France.
They will be promoted Monday to 2nd lieutenant, the rank they would have had if they completed the ROTC program. Relatives of at least some of the men are expected to attend the ceremony, scheduled to be held in a Honolulu park.
Even though Hawaii was not yet a state, the cadets were American citizens because they were born in Hawaii after its annexation in 1898.
“Fighting an injustice at home, these seven men later gave their lives fighting on the battlefields of Europe,” said a news release from U.S. Army Pacific. “They were unable to return to school and finish their commissioning efforts.”
Monday’s ceremony capping efforts to honor the men comes amid growing concern and criticism that President Donald Trump’s administration is whitewashing American history ahead of the nation celebrating 250 years of its independence, including last week’s removal of an exhibit on slavery at Philadelphia’s Independence National Historical Park.
Last year, the Pentagon said internet pages honoring a Black medal of honor winner and Japanese American service members were mistakenly taken down — but it staunchly defended its overall campaign to strip out content singling out the contributions by women and minority groups, which the Trump administration considers “DEI.”
Honoring the seven isn’t about DEI — diversity, equity and inclusion — but recognizing them for their merit and that “they served in the ultimate capacity of giving their lives for the country,” said Lt. Col. Jerrod Melander, who previously led the University of Hawaii’s ROTC program as professor of military science.
Melander said he launched the commissioning effort in 2023 during former President Joe Biden’s administration and that the promotions were approved last year during the Trump administration.
The university awarded the men posthumous degrees in 2012. Laura Lyons, interim vice provost for academic excellence at the University of Hawaii at Manoa, called their promotions especially important.
“Everyone’s contribution to and sacrifice for the ideals of freedom and the security of this country should matter and should be acknowledged, regardless of who they are,” Lyons said.
But it was anything but business as usual for everyone involved.
“For the second time in less than three weeks, we’ve lost another beloved member of our community in the most unimaginable way,” Timberwolves coach Chris Finch told reporters before the game.
“As an organization, we are heartbroken for what we are having to witness and endure and watch, and we just want to extend our thoughts, prayers and concern for Mr. Pretti, his family, all the loved ones and everyone involved in such an unconscionable situation in a community that we really love, full of people who are by nature, peaceful and prideful.”
Earlier this month, the Department of Homeland Security launched a massive immigration crackdown in Minnesota. That action has led to mass protests and conflicts between federal agents and local residents.
Minneapolis resident Renee Good, a 37-year-old mother of three, was shot and killed behind the wheel of her car Jan. 7 by a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer. Pretti, an intensive care nurse, died Saturday after being shot by a Border Patrol officer during an immigration enforcement operation. Both Good and Petri were U.S. citizens.
Finch said Sunday that the previous day’s game was postponed because “playing basketball just didn’t feel like the right thing to do.” The Timberwolves are scheduled to host Golden State again Monday night at Target Center.
“This is my home, and I love living here,” said Finch, who was hired by the Timberwolves in February 2021. “I love being a part of this community, been embraced from Day One, people have been amazing. And it’s just sad to watch what is happening, you know, on the human level, certainly, as somebody who takes great pride being here.”
Before Sunday’s game at Target Center, a moment of silence was held “honoring the life and memory of Alex Pretti.” The actual silence lasted about five seconds before members of the crowd started shouting expletives directed toward ICE.
The video board at Target Center shows a photo of Alex Pretti during a moment of silence before the Golden State Warriors-Minnesota Timberwolves game on Jan. 25.
(David Berding / Getty Images)
Some fans held signs reading “ICE Out Now,” while some members of a trampoline dunk team providing in-game entertainment wore shirts that echoed the sentiment.
The game itself ended up being a blowout loss for the Timberwolves.
“Honestly, what I felt was that their group was suffering,” Warriors coach Steve Kerr said after his team’s 111-85 victory. “I thought the vibe in the stands, it was one of the most bizarre, sad games I’ve ever been a part of. You could feel in the somber atmosphere, their team, we could tell they were struggling with everything that’s been going on and what the city has been through. It was very sad. It was a sad night.
“Obviously we got the win and we’re happy about that, but very difficult to see so many people struggling and sad. They came to the game to try to forget about stuff, I guess, but I don’t think anything went away for the city and for their team. I think they were suffering from the effects of everything.”
Warriors star Stephen Curry said he could sense “a lot of heavy hearts” in and around the arena.
“There’s a lot of change that needs to happen,” Curry told reporters after the game. “And when you’re here and you feel it — I was glued to the TV yesterday when we weren’t playing, just watching the coverage and understanding what was going on, and trying to really, you know, get knowledgeable about it. Hopefully, again, the community kind of comes together and the right decisions are made so that there’s more of a peaceful environment here.”
Timberwolves star Anthony Edwards said after the game: “I just love Minnesota, all the love and support that they show me. So I’m behind whatever they’re with. Me and my family are definitely praying for everybody.”
Teammate Julius Randle added: “Been nothing but a joy living here, so things like this happening in the community, it’s tough.”
The NBA Players Assn. released a statement Sunday saying that “NBA players can no longer remain silent.”
“Now more than ever, we must defend the right to freedom of speech and stand in solidarity with the people in Minnesota protesting and risking their lives to demand justice,” the union wrote. “The fraternity of NBA players, like the United States itself, is a community enriched by its global citizens, and we refuse to let the flames of division threaten the civil liberties that are meant to protect us all.”
Indiana Pacers star Tyrese Haliburton spoke out Saturday with a four-word post on X: “Alex Pretti was murdered.”
Five-time All-Star Karl-Anthony Towns, who played his first nine seasons with the Timberwolves before being traded to the Knicks in 2024, also expressed himself on X.
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Crowds of onlookers gather after federal agents allegedly shot a protester amid a scuffle to arrest him on Saturday in Minneapolis. The Trump administration has sent a reported 3,000 federal agents into the area, with more on the way, as they make a push to arrest undocumented immigrants in the region. (Stephen Maturen / Getty Images)
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Residents sit near a makeshift blockade at the scene of a shooting by a federal law enforcement agent in Minneapolis, Minnesota, on Saturday, Jan. 24, 2026. (Jaida Grey Eagle / Bloomberg via Getty Images)
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Federal agents point weapons amid tear gas fired at protesters on Saturday in Minneapolis. (Stephen Maturen / Getty Images)
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A protester wears a gas mask as demonstrators gather near the site of where state and local authorities say a man was shot by federal agents earlier Saturday morning in Minneapolis (Roberto Schmidt / AFP via Getty Images)
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Federal immigration officers deploy pepper spray at observers after a shooting Saturday in Minneapolis. (Abbie Parr / Associated Press)
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A person is tackled by federal agents amid protests following a shooting on Saturday in Minneapolis. Federal agents allegedly shot and killed a protester amid a scuffle to arrest him. The Trump administration has sent a reported 3,000 federal agents into the area, with more on the way, as they make a push to arrest undocumented immigrants in the region. (Brandon Bell / Getty Images)
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A federal agent points a weapon at a protester after agents allegedly shot a protester amid a scuffle to arrest him on Saturday in Minneapolis. (Brandon Bell/Getty Images)
“What is happening in the Twin Cities and the Great North Star State is heartbreaking to witness,” Towns wrote. “These events have cost lives and shaken families — and we must call for accountability, transparency, and protections for all people. This moment demands that we reflect honestly on what our values truly are. My thoughts, prayers, and deepest condolences are with the families of Renée Good and Alex Pretti. I stand with the people of Minnesota.”
NBA legend Charles Barkley offered his take Saturday on ESPN.
“It’s scary. It’s sad,” Barkley said. “It’s gonna end bad — it’s already ended badly twice. Somebody’s got to step up and be adults because, man, two people have died for no reason and it’s just sad.”
On Sunday, WNBA superstar Breanna Stewart held a sign that read “Abolish ICE” during player introductions at an Unrivaled league game in Florida.
“We’re so fueled by hate right now instead of love, so I wanted to kind of have a simple message of abolish ICE, which means having policies to uplift families and communities instead of fueling fear and violence,” Stewart said after the game.
“I think that when human lives are at stake, it’s bigger than anything else. So to have that simple message before the game was important to me. And knowing that everyone here is feeling that way, one way or another, it was just a perfect time.”
The CEOs of several Minnesota professional sports teams — including the Timberwolves, the WNBA’s Lynx, the NFL’s Vikings, the NHL’s Wild and the MLS’s United — were among the leaders of numerous local companies who signed a statement released Sunday by the Minnesota Chamber of Commerce.
“With yesterday’s tragic news, we are calling for an immediate deescalation of tensions and for state, local and federal officials to work together to find real solutions,” the statement read.
Some players from those teams have offered their own opinions. Vikings cornerback Dwight McGlothern wrote Saturday on X: “It’s not right what’s happening in Minnesota.”
Lynx guard Natisha Hiedeman wrote on her Instagram Story: “I’m heartbroken to see ICE has flipped the city upside down and resorted to violence. There is no place for this. As hard as it may be I HOPE we continue to stand together and fight for what is right.”
Teammate Napheesa Collier reposted a statement from Barack Obama, who called Pretti’s killing a “heartbreaking tragedy” that “should also be a wake-up call to every American, regardless of party, that many of our core values as a nation are increasingly under assault.”
Visitors watch giant panda Xiao Xiao at Ueno Zoological Gardens in Tokyo in November. Xiao Xiao and his twin sister Lei Lei will return to China on Tuesday, leaving Japan with no pandas. File Photo by Franck Robichon/EPA
Jan. 26 (UPI) — People flocked to the Ueno Zoo in Tokyo to say goodbye to the last two giant pandas in Japan.
Twin pandas Xiao Xiao and Lei Lei will leave for China Tuesday, marking the first time Japan has had no pandas since 1972, which is when the two countries began diplomatic relations.
The relationship between the two neighboring countries has deteriorated lately after Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi said Japan would get involved if China attacked Taiwan.
China uses the giant panda as a tool of outreach and goodwill in what is called “panda diplomacy.” Host countries pay about $1 million per year to China.
Zoo visitors needed a reservation to see the pandas on Sunday, with 4,400 slots available, and 108,000 applying for them online, the Tokyo metropolitan government said. Some waited for up to 3 ½ hours to see the pair.
“I have been bringing my son here since he was a baby, so I hope it becomes a good memory for him. I’m glad we could come today to remember them,” Ai Shirakawa told the BBC.
The two were born in Japan in 2021 to their mother Shin Shin and father Ri Ri, who were on loan to Japan for breeding research. Ri Ri and Shin Shin went back to China in September 2024. The siblings’ older sister Xiang Xiang left in February 2023.
Xiao Xiao and Lei Lei became the last pandas in Japan after four others at the Adventure World amusement park in Shirahama, Wakayama Prefecture, left for China in June.
Seven of the 11 teams were running on Monday – Red Bull, Mercedes, Racing Bulls, Haas, Alpine and the new Audi and Cadillac teams.
McLaren said last week that they would not take their car on to the track until after day one as a result of trying to maximise design time. Ferrari, after an initial test at their factory last week, had also announced they would not run on Monday.
Aston Martin have said their new car will not be ready until Thursday, and Williams are missing the test entirely after delays to their design and production programme.
No times were issued, and all teams ran into at least some technical issues as they learned about their new cars.
Rival teams were impressed by the amount of mileage the two Red Bull teams managed considering it was the first full day of running with their new in-house engine, which has been developed in conjunction with new partner Ford.
Before the test started, McLaren and Red Bull revealed images of their 2026 cars for the first time.
McLaren, who won the drivers’ and constructors’ championship double last year for the first time since 1998, showed the car in the one-off testing livery it will run in this week.
Red Bull showed studio shots of their car, carefully chosen to disguise key design features.
Russell added: “We are pleased with our day, but I’ve also been impressed by several other teams.
“The Red Bull power unit has completed a lot of laps which, given that it’s their first engine they’ve built, means they’ve clearly done a good job.
“Haas also managed a similar amount of running to ourselves, so the Ferrari power unit has also put together plenty of mileage. It’s not quite how it was in 2014! The sport has evolved so much since then and the level, in every single aspect, is so high now.”
Audi have taken over the Sauber team for the German car company’s first entry into F1. They suffered a reliability issue that prevented Bortoleto driving in the afternoon.
Team principal Jonathan Wheatley said: “We had a technical issue, spotted it and decided to switch the car off. Plenty of testing this year and wanted to really understand the problems, see what the weather conditions are and decide whether we run tomorrow.”
Rain is forecast for Tuesday’s second day of the test, during which teams are permitted to run on a maximum of three of the available days.
Bortoleto said: “The cars are very different. I feel these are going to be slower but it’s very cool to have the power unit being 50% electric – you go out of the corner and you have so much speed being deployed and you can see how strong the engine is.
“You need to adapt but it’s still a racing car.”
Racing Bulls’ Lawson said: “[The car is] very different to drive and I haven’t got my head around it fully yet. We will keep learning. It feels like there is a lot more we can do as drivers to make a difference, potentially, but right now it’s very early days, very hard to know where we are for now just trying to optimise the car.
“[The power unit] feels good. But it’s very hard to tell – the main thing is reliability at the moment.
“We have done a good amount of laps today and the only issues we had today were safety precautions, not actual issues. But hard to know where we’re at compared to everyone else.”
Ever since my first gondola ride — a short jaunt around The Venetian hotel in Las Vegas — I’ve wanted to experience the real thing, in Venice.
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I visited the Italian city that’s better in winter with wine bar tours and Miami-like hotelsCredit: GettySteve, pictured in the middle wearing a cap, riding a gondolaCredit: Supplied
Now I am with a group of fellow journalists, so it’s not as romantic as it could be, but two Italians in stripy shirts and wide-brimmed hats are rowing me across the Floating City. Bucket list: tick.
Venice is a place you need to see at least once in your life.
From the breathtaking Piazza San Marco to the mesmerising mosaics of St Mark’s Basilica, astounding architecture of the Doge’s Palace and view from the 323ft high Campanile di San Marco bell tower, your phone’s battery will pay the price as you snap the spectacular sights.
From this Saturday to February 17 the historic Venice Carnival will burst on to the streets — this year’s theme is Olympus, The Origins Of The Game, in honour of the Winter Olympics being hosted in Milan and Cortina.
Expect masks and dressing up everywhere as locals and visitors embrace the festival, plus parades, performances and themed shows.
Festival aside, winter and spring are brilliant times to explore the city without the crowds.
A tour of the bacari, or wine bars, is a great way to delve into the alleys between the canals and waterways. Over three hours we stop at four wine bars for cicchetti — Italian tapas — washed down with local wines or spritz cocktails.
The latter feature Aperol, Campari or, in Venetian style, Select — a spirit made using juniper berries.
A Bellini in Harry’s bar, though almost £20, is a must — this was Ernest Hemingway’s favourite bar, where the cocktail was invented.
Hawaiian rituals
Then a 25-minute water-taxi ride across the lagoon and a 20-minute cab journey take us to our 5H resort, Falkensteiner Hotel & Spa on the Lido di Jesolo — a purpose-built seaside resort on Italy’s Adriatic coast, with nine-mile sandy beach and vibrant promenade.
I’m staying in one of 50 huge suites, which have one, two and three-bedroom options, with separate bathrooms, living and kitchen areas, TVs and sea-view balconies.
The smell from the ground-floor restaurant is oh, so Italian — pizza, pasta and risotto. With buffet breakfasts and Michelin-starred dinners at the poolside restaurant, luckily I can run along the promenade to work it off.
Or there’s a gym at the hotel, and yoga and fitness classes. But I’m on holiday to relax, so it’s off to the Acqua Pura spa, which has a panoramic sauna with privacy glass, meaning I can take in the sea view.
The astounding architecture of the Doge’s PalaceCredit: GettyFrom this Saturday to February 17 the historic Venice Carnival will burst on to the streets… so expect masksCredit: GettyItalian tapas washed down with local wines or spritz cocktails is a great way to delve into the alleysCredit: Getty
An hour-long massage inspired by Hawaiian rituals, which starts with meditation, is, and I don’t say this lightly, the best I’ve ever had.
There is a babysitting service, plus a play room, kids’ pool area and playground on the beach.
Bicycles are available at the hotel, and cycle lanes throughout the town lead us to Europe’s longest shopping street, the Via Bafile — all eight miles of it.
This is a wonderfully relaxing beachside break in a traditional Italian town — as well as a bucket-list trip to the city of romance.
What’s not to love?
GO: VENICE
GETTING / STAYING THERE: Four nights’ B&B in a superior room at the 5H Falkensteiner Resort & Spa in Jesolo is from £608pp, including flights to Venice in March and 23kg luggage. See britishairways.com.
Don’t stop me if you’ve heard this one before, since I’m admittedly something of a broken record on the subject, but I very much prefer Marvel’s television series, which tend to be fleet, original and unpredictable, to its movies, which tend not to be. “Loki,”“Ms. Marvel,”“Moon Knight,”“Echo,”“WandaVision” and its spinoff “Agatha All Along” — all (among others) are worth watching, even the ones that are dumped after a season.
Developing longer stories with less money, the TV shows makers need to be inventive, creative with their resources, so they invest in characters and ideas rather than special effects and action. They focus on secondary or ensemble figures who would never be given a theatrical feature of their own to carry, are particular about culture and family and place, and are often less contingent on the Marvel Cinematic Universe, with its phases and stages, its crossovers and cross-promotions and long-range marketing plans. At once higher concept and more grounded than the movies, they’re interesting on their own, to the point where, when they finally hitch on to the Marvel multi-mega-serial train, I find them disappointing.
“Wonder Man,” whose eight episodes premiere all at once Tuesday on Disney+, is perhaps the most grounded of these series. Created by Destin Daniel Cretton (“Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings”) and Andrew Guest (who has written for “Community” and “Brooklyn Nine-Nine”), the series is a (generally) sweet, disarming tale of actors in Hollywood, tricked up with picture-business details that you don’t need to be au fait with the MCU to appreciate. There are things it might be helpful to know, but you can work out everything that matters through context. (Locals will enjoy playing Spot the Locations.)
Yahya Abdul-Mateen II plays Simon Williams, who as a child became a fan of a B-movie superhero called Wonder Man — not a “real” superhero, in this reality, merely a fiction. Now in his 30s, he’s a struggling actor in Hollywood, good enough to land a small part in an “American Horror Story” episode, but not clever enough to keep from slowing down the production with questions and suggestions when all he needs to do is deliver a couple of lines before a monster bites his head off. He loses the part and a girlfriend directly afterward.
Taking in a revival house matinee of “Midnight Cowboy,” he meets Trevor Slattery (Ben Kingsley), who is back from having played the Mandarin — that is, he acted the part of a terrorist called the Mandarin, believing it was just a job — in “Iron Man 3” and providing appealing comedy relief in “Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings.” The character here is more fleshed out, something of a mess (but 13 years sober, he likes to point out), serious but not a joke. Before it all went wrong, Trevor played King Lear (in Croydon), appeared in “Coronation Street” and in a movie with Glenda Jackson, was off-off-off Broadway in “The Skin Our Teeth” and briefly had the lead in a hospital show with Joe Pantoliano, who’s very funny playing himself.
Trevor Slattery (Ben Kingsley), left, and Simon Williams (Yahya Adbul-Mateen II) team up in “Wonder Man.”
(Suzanne Tenner / Marvel Television)
Slattery tells Simon that European art director Von Kovak (Zlatko Burić) is rebooting Wonder Man, a role Simon feels born to play. He makes an end run around his unconvinced agent, Janelle (X Mayo), and wheedles an audition — where he again meets Trevor, auditioning for Barnaby, Wonder Man’s pal, or sidekick or something. There are wheels behind wheels in this setup, some of which could use a little grease, but for most of the series they do their squeaking off to the side. It’s a love story, above all — “Midnight Cowboy,” not an accidental choice, is more of a touchstone than any Marvel movie.
Simon does have powers — things shake, break or explode around him when he’s upset, and his strength can become super in a tight spot — which puts him in the sights of the Department of Damage Control, embodied by Arian Moayed as P. Cleary, who would like to contain him. But he struggles to keep them secret, especially in light of something called the Doorman Clause — its history established in a sidebar episode, a cautionary Hollywood fable with Josh Gad as himself — which prohibits anyone with super powers from working in film or television, all Simon lives for.
There is little in the way of action, and you won’t miss it. The fate of the world is never in question, but a callback for a second audition means everything. The only costumed characters are actors playing costumed characters; the only villains, apart from the bureaucracy that seeks to bring him in, are Simon’s own self-doubt and temper. As things progress, Trevor will become a mentor to Simon. As is common in stories of love and friendship, a betrayal will be revealed, but if you have seen even a few such stories, you know how that’s going to go, and will be glad it does.
Whether discussing acting techniques or the traffic they’re stuck in on Hollywood Boulevard (Trevor: “Probably the Hollywood Bowl.” Simon: “It’s too late for the Bowl.” Trevor: “It’s usually the Bowl. I remember seeing Cher there once — breathtaking. Chaka Khan, now there’s a woman”), Abdul-Mateen and Kingsley work well together; their energies are complementary, laid back and loose versus worked up and tight and, of course, each will have something to teach one another about who they are and who they could be. I was genuinely anxious for them, as friends, more so than just wondering how such and such a superhero (or team) might defeat such and such a supervillain (or team).
“Our ideas about heroes and gods, they only get in the way,” says Von Kovak, putting a room of hopeful actors through their paces, and essentially speaking for the series he’s in. “Too difficult to comprehend them. Let’s find the human underneath.”
WASHINGTON — The killing of a second U.S. citizen by federal agents in Minneapolis is sharply complicating efforts to avert another government shutdown in Washington as Democrats — and some Republicans — view the episode as a tipping point in the debate over the Trump administration’s immigration enforcement policies.
Senate Democrats have pledged to block funding for the Department of Homeland Security unless changes are made to rein in the federal agency’s operations following the killing of Alex Pretti, a 37-year-old intensive care unit nurse.
The Democratic defections now threaten to derail passage of a broad spending package that also includes funding for the State Department and the Pentagon, as well as education, health, labor and transportation agencies.
The standoff has also revealed fractures among GOP lawmakers, who have called for a federal and state investigation into the shooting and congressional hearings for federal officials to explain their tactics — demands that have put unusual pressure on the Trump administration.
Senate Republicans must secure 60 votes to advance the spending measure in the chamber — a threshold they cannot reach on their own with their 53 seats. The job is further complicated by a time crunch: Lawmakers have until midnight Friday to reach a compromise or face a partial government shutdown.
Senate Democrats had already expressed reservations about supporting the Department of Homeland Security funding after Renee Good, a mother of three, was shot and killed this month by federal agents in Minneapolis. But Pretti’s killing has led Democrats to be more forceful in their opposition.
Sen. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) said Sunday he would oppose funding for the agencies involved in the Minneapolis operations.
“I’m not giving ICE or Border Patrol another dime given how these agencies are operating. Democrats are not going to fund that,” he said in an interview with NBC’s “Meet the Press.” “I think anyone who votes to give them more money to do this will share in the responsibility and see more Americans die in our cities as a result.”
Sen. Alex Padilla (D-Calif.) said in a statement last week that he would not “give more money to [Customs and Border Protection] and ICE to continue terrorizing our communities and breaking the law.” He reiterated his stance hours after Pretti’s killing.
“I will vote against any additional funding for Trump’s ICE and CBP while they act with such reckless disregard for life, safety and the Constitution,” Padilla wrote in a post on X.
While Senate Republicans largely intend to support the funding measure, some are publicly raising concerns about the Trump administration’s training requirements for Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents and calling for congressional oversight hearings.
“A comprehensive, independent investigation of the shooting must be conducted in order to rebuild trust and Congressional committees need to hold hearings and do their oversight work,” Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) wrote in a post on X. “ICE agents do not have carte blanche in carrying out their duties.”
Similar demands are being made by House Republicans.
Rep. Andrew Garbarino (R-N.Y.), the chairman of the House Homeland Security Committee, has formally sought testimony from leaders at ICE, Customs and Border Protection and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, saying his “top priority remains keeping Americans safe.”
Homeland Security has not yet provided a public confirmation that it will attend the hearing, though Garbarino told reporters Saturday that he has been “in touch with the department” and anticipates a full investigation.
Many Republican lawmakers expressed concern over federal officials’ saying Pretti’s killing was in part due to him having a loaded firearm on his person at the time of the encounter. Pretti had a permit to carry, according to the Minneapolis police chief, and videos show him holding a cellphone, not brandishing a gun before officers pushed him down to the ground.
“Carrying a firearm is not a death sentence, it’s a constitutionally protected God-given right, and if you don’t understand this you have no business in law enforcement of government,” Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) wrote on X.
Following the pushback from the GOP, President Trump appears to be seeking ways to tone down the tensions. The president said Monday he had a “very good call” with Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, a Democrat he has clashed with in recent weeks, and that they “seemed to be on a similar wavelength” on next steps.
If Democrats are successful in striking down the Homeland Security spending package, some hinted at comprehensive immigration reforms to follow.
California Rep. Ro Khanna (D-Fremont) detailed the plan in a social media post over the weekend, calling on Congress to repeal the $75 billion in supplemental funding flagged for ICE in the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act” last year. The allocation roughly tripled the budget for immigration enforcement.
The shooting came as a slate of progressives renewed demands to “abolish ICE” and replace it with an agency that has congressional oversight.
“[Congress must] tear down and replace ICE with an agency that has oversight,” Khanna said. “We owe that to nurse Pretti and the hundreds of thousands on the streets risking their lives to stand up for our freedoms.
Democrats are also focusing on removing Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem. Earlier this month, Rep. Robin Kelly (D-Ill.) introduced a measure to impeach Noem, saying she has brought about a “reign of terror to Minneapolis.” At least 120 House Democrats have supported the measure, according to Kelly’s office.
Democrats also urged a stop to controversial “Kavanaugh stops,” which allow agents to detain people based on perceived race, and have set their sites on the reversal of qualified immunity protections, which shield agents from misconduct lawsuits.
Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.) backed the agenda and called for ICE and Border Patrol agents to “leave Minnesota immediately.”
“Voting NO on the DHS funding bill is the bare minimum. Backing Kristi Noem’s impeachment is the bare minimum. Holding law-breaking ICE agents legally accountable is the bare minimum. ICE is beyond reform. Abolish it,” she wrote in a Sunday post on X.
Fired by the Dolphins on Jan. 8 after a 7-10 season, McDaniel went 35-33 over four seasons in South Beach. His hiring comes less than two weeks after Herbert fell to 0-3 in the playoffs following a 16-3 AFC wild-card loss to the New England Patriots, resulting in offensive coordinator Greg Roman’s firing.
With defensive coordinator Jesse Minter leaving to become coach of the Baltimore Ravens, Chargers coach Jim Harbaugh will have two new coordinators in 2026.
Considered one of the NFL’s leading offensive innovators when he was hired by the Dolphins after a one-year stint as offensive coordinator in San Francisco, McDaniel guided Miami to back-to-back playoff berths in 2022 and ’23. In McDaniel’s first season, quarterback Tua Tagovailoa passed for 3,548 yards and 25 touchdowns in 13 games. He then passed for a league-leading 4,624 yards with 29 touchdowns in 2023 at the front of the league’s top offense (401 net yards per game).
The Dolphins, however, were winless in the playoffs under McDaniel. And Tagovailoa’s injury-limited 2024 season, coupled with his deteriorating performances this season, factored into McDaniel’s firing.
Still, McDaniel’s reputation as an offensive guru made him a prime candidate not just for coordinator positions, but for head coaching vacancies too. He reportedly interviewed for head coaching jobs with the Atlanta Falcons, Baltimore Ravens, Las Vegas Raiders and Tennessee Titans before deciding to join Harbaugh’s staff. He also reportedly withdrew from consideration for the Cleveland Browns’ head coaching job and canceled an interview for the Buffalo Bills head coaching vacancy before formalizing his deal with the Chargers.
Harbaugh said last week he wanted “a head coach of the offense,” someone who “teaches, installs and puts the players in the best position to be successful.”
Much of that wish list will center on McDaniel establishing a run game to complement Herbert — something that never fully materialized under Roman and Harbaugh.
The Chargers clearly prioritized the rush last offseason when they signed Najee Harris and drafted Omarion Hampton in the first round. But season-ending injuries to Rashawn Slater, Joe Alt and Harris, coupled with Hampton being undermined by ankle injuries, thwarted meaningful year-over-year gains (122 yards per game in 2025; 111 in 2024).
With the offensive line set to return to full strength and general manager Joe Hortiz saying he’s willing to spend some of the team’s estimated $103 million in salary-cap space, the Chargers are well-positioned for another postseason run in 2026.
Whether McDaniel can help Herbert end his playoff winless streak remains to be seen.
A huge winter storm brought frigid temperatures, snow, and sleet to more than a dozen US states, cancelling at least 19,000 flights and paralysing travel in and out of the country.
Weekly insights and analysis on the latest developments in military technology, strategy, and foreign policy.
The U.S. military buildup for a possible attack on or from Iran took another step forward Monday as the USS Abraham Lincoln Carrier Strike Group (CSG) entered the U.S. Central Command region, a U.S. official confirmed to The War Zone Monday morning. Meanwhile, Iran on Monday said it was “prepared to defend itself against any new aggression” while its proxies in Yemen and Iraq have vowed to enter the fight on Tehran’s behalf. The Houthis on Monday released a video suggesting an attack on the Lincoln. More on that later in this story.
Elements of the Lincoln CSG were dispatched to the region from the South China Sea by U.S. President Donald Trump, who has repeatedly threatened to strike Iran over its brutal crackdown on anti-regime protests, resulting in thousands killed. The carrier, along with three Arleigh Burke guided missile destroyers escorting it (and usually a fast attack nuclear submarine), is currently located in the Indian Ocean, a U.S. Navy official confirmed to The War Zone.
The aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln is now in the U.S. Centcom region amid rising tensions with Iran. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Christian Kibler) Petty Officer 2nd Class Christian Kibler
The arrival of the Lincoln CSG to the region follows a U.S. Air Force Central (AFCENT) announcement on Sunday that it will be conducting Agile Spartan, “a multi-day readiness exercise to demonstrate the ability to deploy, disperse, and sustain combat airpower across the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility.” AFCENT told us that Agile Spartan is “part of its regular exercise schedule and not in response to current tensions.” However, the optics of the timing are hard to avoid.
All these moves come amid a large surge of offensive and defensive assets to the Middle East. As we have previously reported, at least a dozen additional F-15E Strike Eagle fighters have been deployed to Muwaffaq Salti Air Base in Jordan, along with cargo jets and aerial refueling tankers across the region. In addition, online flight tracking indicates the movement of new air and missile defense systems to the Middle East as well. As we projected, the U.S. is sending additional Patriot and Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) systems to the Middle East for increased protection from any Iranian attack, The Wall Street Journal reported.
#USAF United States Air Force – Middle East Activity 26 January 2026 – 1045z
Traffic is primarily focused on bases housing air defence systems like THAAD from Fort Hood. As the weather conditions don’t appear to have improved, the level of traffic is still fairly low. I’ve… https://t.co/INuCDdgv5spic.twitter.com/PQ9fchMiMf
Despite the buildup, it remains unclear what orders Trump will issue. Aside from threatening to strike Iran, Trump on Jan. 13 also promised those taking to the streets that help was on its way.
Regardless of his intent, the influx of additional assets to the region will give Trump a greater range of potential action and allow for the ability to defend against an Iranian attack, whether in response to U.S. military actions or not.
The Lincoln CSG would boost U.S. striking power in the region. Its embarked CVW-9 Carrier Air Wing consists of eight squadrons flying F-35C Lightning II, F/A-18E/F Super Hornets, EA-18G Growlers, E-2D Hawkeyes, CMV-22B Ospreys and MH-60R/S Sea Hawks. Its escorts, the Arleigh Burke class guided-missile destroyers USS Frank E Petersen Jr., USS Michael Murphy, and the USS Spruance of Destroyer Squadron (DESRON) 21 bring a large number of missile tubes that could be used to strike Iran. These vessels could also be used in the defense of U.S. and allied targets during a reprisal.
The Arleigh Burke class guided missile destroyer USS Michael Murphy is part of the Lincoln Carrier Strike Group.. (U.S. Navy photo by Ensign Joshua A. Flanagan/Released) Joshua A Flanagan
The presence of Strike Eagles in the region, especially those coming from RAF Lakenheath, is in itself not new. These jets have maintained a steady presence at Muwaffaq Salti Air Base in Jordan for nearly a decade, and their recent arrival in the Middle East was largely expected due to the current instability and saber-rattling. F-15Es played a key role in defending against multiple Iranian drone and cruise missile barrages on Israel and they are now more capable of that mission than ever. Beyond its offensive capabilities, if Iran were to launch a major attack on Israel and/or U.S. assets in the region, preemptive or in retaliation, the F-15Es would play a key part in defending against those attacks.
In addition to U.S. assets, the Royal Air Force’s “joint Typhoon squadron with Qatar, 12 Squadron, has deployed to the Gulf for defensive purposes, noting regional tensions as part of the UK-Qatar Defense Assurance Agreement, demonstrating the strong and enduring defense relationship between the U.K. and Qatar,” the U.K. Defense Ministry (MoD) announced on Thursday.
RAF Typhoon jets have deployed to Qatar in a defensive capacity.
The UK and Qatar have been close defence partners for decades. This deployment builds on that relationship, supporting regional stability and keeping us secure at home and strong abroad. pic.twitter.com/83FkaBPJng
While these are significant additions to the standing force posture in the region, more fighter aircraft would be expected for a major operation against Iran. We have not seen evidence of those kinds of movements just yet, although some movements are not identified via open sources.
Beyond tactical combat aircraft in the region, the U.S. can fly bombers there from the continental United States, as was the case when B-2 Spirits attacked Iran’s nuclear facilities during Operation Midnight Hammer last June. However, satellite imagery observed by The War Zone shows that no aircraft have arrived for a sustained operation in the Middle East.
As U.S. assets pour into the region, the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad highlighted a warning Trump delivered to Iran last week.
“We have a big flotilla going in that direction, and we’ll see what happens,” Trump told reporters Thursday afternoon aboard Air Force One. “We have a big force going toward Iran. I’d rather not see anything happen, but we’re watching them very closely.”
Israel, for its part, is preparing for both offensive and defensive actions toward Iran, its longtime archenemy.
IDF Northern Command chief Maj. Gen. Rafi Milo said Sunday that the military is preparing for the possibility that a US strike on Iran could trigger Iranian retaliation against Israel, according to Israeli media.
“We don’t know where this is heading,” Milo said in remarks broadcast by Channel 12 News, as tensions continue to mount,” the Times of Israel noted. “We see the force buildup the Americans are carrying out, both in the Persian Gulf and throughout the Middle East.”
Milo said the military is on heightened alert for any escalation, should the US decide to attack Iran.
“We are prepared and ready so that if the U.S. decides to strike Iran, we understand it could affect Israel, with part of the Iranian response possibly reaching here,” he said.
Israeli forces remain on high alert for an attack on or from Iran. (IAF) IAF
“The IDF is preparing for a possible American strike this coming weekend,” a high-ranking IDF official told us on Monday. “But again, there is no certainty.”
“Everything depends on the mind of one man,” he added, referring to Trump.
In another sign of a potential new conflict, Israel’s civil authority has told foreign airlines that Jan. 31 and Feb. 1 could be a period of security sensitivity, a likely reference to a U.S. military strike on Iran. If Israeli airspace is closed, foreign airlines will be given priority of exit.
Israel civil air authority tells foreign airlines that 31 January & 1 February might be the start of a period of security sensitivity (hinting at possible US military strikes on Iran). If Israeli airspace is closed, foreign airlines given priority of exit. https://t.co/HStZIOjwtN
CENTCOM commander Adm. Brad Cooper was recently in Jerusalem to talk about regional security issues. Israel’s Channel 14 news, a right-wing outlet closely aligned with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, claimed that Cooper and IDF officials have yet to come up with an attack date, that the U.S. “will need time to build up a significant force,” but will strike immediately if needed.
The U.S., according to the news outlet, wants “a clean, swift, and inexpensive operation” to “focus on those who harmed civilians and protesters. America is “ready to replace the regime in Iran,” Channel 14 added.
The War Zone could not independently verify these claims. Neither CENTCOM nor the IDF put out official statements on these conversations.
Summary of the meeting between CENTCOM commander Brad Cooper and senior IDF officials:
— No date for an attack on Iran
— The Americans will need time to build up significant force
Iranian officials maintain that they are prepared to fight both the U.S. and Israel.
Iran’s Defense Ministry spokesperson Gen. Reza Talaei-Nik warned Israel and the U.S. over any potential attack, saying it would “be met with a response that is more painful and more decisive than in the past.” Talaei-Nik was likely referring to the limited response Iran took in June 2025, attacking Al Udeid Air Base in retaliation for the Midnight Hammer strike.
“Iran is fully prepared to defend itself in the event of any renewed aggression,” said First Vice President Mohammad-Reza Aref. He stressed that “comprehensive forecasts have been made and a structured economic plan has been designed to confront a potential future war.”
Spokesperson of the Iranian Foreign Ministry:
“We face daily threats from the U.S. and Israel, as they aim to undermine regional security.”
“If we are subjected to any aggression, Iran’s response will be comprehensive.”
Any U.S. or Israeli military action would come without the tacit support of the United Arab Emirates.
“The UAE affirms its commitment to not allowing the use of its airspace, territory, or waters in any military operations against Iran,” the UAE Foreign Affairs Ministry announced on X. “The Ministry of Foreign Affairs affirmed that the UAE is committed to not allowing the use of its airspace, territory, or waters in any hostile military operations against Iran, and not providing any logistical support in this regard. It renewed its affirmation of the UAE’s belief that enhancing dialogue, reducing escalation, adhering to international laws, and respecting state sovereignty represent the optimal foundations for addressing current crises, emphasizing the UAE’s approach based on the necessity of resolving disputes through diplomatic means.”
الإمارات تؤكد التزامها بعدم السماح باستخدام أجوائها أو أراضيها أو مياهها في أي أعمال عسكرية ضد إيران
أكدت وزارة الخارجية أن دولة الإمارات تلتزم بعدم السماح باستخدام أجوائها أو أراضيها أو مياهها في أي أعمال عسكرية عدائية ضد إيران، وعدم تقديم أي دعم لوجستي في هذا الشأن.
Iran is not the only threat facing the U.S. and Israel. Iranian proxies like the Lebanese Hezbollah, the Houthis of Yemen and Iraq’s Kataib Hezbollah paramilitary group have all vowed to respond to any strike on Iran.
The Houthis, who waged a campaign against U.S. and allied military and commercial shipping from Nov. 2023 to May 2025, released a new video on Monday suggesting a missile and drone strike on the Lincoln.
The Israeli Air Force is stepping up attacks on Hezbollah targets in Lebanon, partly to blunt the group’s ability to join any Iranian retaliation. Hezbollah is already a shadow of prior self after Israel executed a protracted campaign to decimate the group.
IDF says it killed Hezbollah artillery chief Muhammad al-Husseini in southern Lebanon
Separately eliminated Jawad Basma, a Hezbollah operative linked to weapons manufacturing pic.twitter.com/hs307ZbY6T
The death toll from the unrest that began in Iran on Dec. 28 over rising prices, devalued currency that saw the rial crater now to basically nothing, a devastating drought, and brutal government crackdowns may be in the tens of thousands.
“As many as 30,000 people could have been killed in the streets of Iran on Jan. 8 and 9 alone,” TIME reported, citing two senior officials of the country’s Ministry of Health. “So many people were slaughtered by Iranian security services on that Thursday and Friday, it overwhelmed the state’s capacity to dispose of the dead. Stocks of body bags were exhausted, the officials said, and eighteen-wheel semi-trailers replaced ambulances.”
As U.S. military assets continue to flow into the region, this remains an increasingly tense situation that could erupt without notice. We will continue to monitor it and provide updates.
Netflix has announced a new drama series that’s shaping up to be a must-watch for fans of Killing Eve and Big Little Lies
Netflix’s ‘sexy’ psychological thriller could be the next Big Little Lies(Image: )
Netflix has unveiled a gripping new drama series that promises to captivate fans of Killing Eve and Big Little Lies.
Focusing on two former best friends, the eight-episode drama from creator Lauren Iungerich (On My Block, Awkward) delves into toxic female friendships in unprecedented depth.
Billed as a “sexy, emotional thriller”, Poser will feature Geek Girl’s Daisy Jelley and Schitt’s Creek star Annie Murphy.
They’ll be joined by Sadie Stanley, recognised from Karate Kids: Legends, who was confirmed as part of the cast last week.
The storyline reveals that one friend will finally experience the life she’s always yearned for, before becoming embroiled in a psychological game beyond her wildest nightmares, reports the Express.
A synopsis for the series states: “Poser centres around two estranged former best friends.
“When one of them is given a chance to live the life she’s long coveted, and maybe get answers as to why they fell out years ago, she finds herself in a psychological game of revenge, betrayal, and heartbreak- ultimately altering their lives, and those around them, forever.”
The series comes after creator Iungerich secured a multi-year agreement with Netflix back in 2020.
She will take on roles as showrunner, writer, and executive producer, with Jamie Dooner also signed on as executive producer for Crazy Cat Lady Entertainment.
Get Netflix free with Sky for Bridgerton Season 4
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‘Dearest gentle reader’, as the fourth season of Bridgerton follows second son Benedict love story, there’s a way to watch this fairytale-like season for less.
Sky is giving away a free Netflix subscription with its new Sky Stream TV bundles, including the £15 Essential TV plan. This lets customers watch live and on-demand TV content without a satellite dish or aerial and includes the new season of Bridgerton.
Details about Poser remain scarce beyond the initial premise at this stage, including its anticipated Netflix release date. However, it’s been confirmed that the series will comprise eight hour-long episodes, perfect for a weekend binge-watch.
Taking a closer look at the cast, newcomer Stanley is an actress and singer who first graced our screens in the title role of Disney Channel’s Kim Possible film in 2019.
She has also featured in the popular sitcom The Goldbergs, as well as films such as The Sleepover and Let Us In.
**For the latest showbiz, TV, movie and streaming news, go to the new **Everything Gossip** website**
Meanwhile, her co-star Jelley is recognised for her main cast role as Poppy Hepple-Cartwright in Geek Girl and also shared the screen with Netflix’s Seven Dials star Mia McKenna-Bruce in the independent coming-of-age film How to Have Sex.
Lastly, Murphy is globally known for her starring role as Alexis Rose in the hit sitcom Schitt’s Creek.
She has also garnered praise for her performances in Black Mirror, Russian Doll and Kevin Can F*** Himself.
BRUSSELS — NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte insisted on Monday that Europe is incapable of defending itself without U.S. military support and would have to more than double current military spending targets to be able to do so.
“If anyone thinks here … that the European Union or Europe as a whole can defend itself without the U.S., keep on dreaming. You can’t,” Rutte told EU lawmakers in Brussels. Europe and the United States “need each other,” he said.
Tensions are festering within NATO over President Trump’s renewed threats in recent weeks to annex Greenland, which is a semiautonomous territory of NATO ally Denmark.
Trump also said that he was slapping new tariffs on Greenland’s European backers, but later dropped his threats after a “framework” for a deal over the mineral-rich island was reached, with Rutte’s help. Few details of the agreement have emerged.
The 32-nation military organization is bound together by a mutual defense clause, Article 5 of NATO’s founding Washington treaty, which commits every country to come to the defense of an ally whose territory is under threat.
At NATO’s summit in The Hague in July, European allies — with the exception of Spain — plus Canada agreed to Trump’s demand that they invest the same percentage of their economic output on defense as the United States within a decade.
They pledged to spend 3.5% of gross domestic product on core defense, and a further 1.5% on security-related infrastructure – a total of 5% of GDP – by 2035.
“If you really want to go it alone,” Rutte said, “forget that you can ever get there with 5%. It will be 10%. You have to build up your own nuclear capability. That costs billions and billions of euros.”
France has led calls for Europe to build its “strategic autonomy,” and support for its stance has grown since the Trump administration warned last year that its security priorities lie elsewhere and that the Europeans would have to fend for themselves.
Rutte told the lawmakers that without the United States, Europe “would lose the ultimate guarantor of our freedom, which is the U.S. nuclear umbrella. So, hey, good luck!”
The Rams won’t be the only no-shows at the Super Bowl. President Trump will be conspicuous in his absence from the biggest annual, single-day sporting event in the United States.
“It’s just too far away,” Trump told the New York Post. “I would go if, you know, it was a little bit shorter.”
Or perhaps not so far to his left?
Super Bowl LX will be played Feb. 8 at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, part of the San Francisco Bay Area that Trump has so often reviled.
The teams — the New England Patriots and the Seattle Seahawks — hail from deeply entrenched blue states. Massachusetts and Washington have voted for the Democratic presidential candidate in every election since 1988.
Trump also has expressed disgust over the musical performers at this year’s game: Bad Bunny and Green Day, both unabashed critics of the current administration. Bad Bunny will play the halftime show while Green Day will perform ahead of the kickoff.
“I’m anti-them,” Trump said. “I think it’s a terrible choice. All it does is sow hatred. Terrible.”
Ahead of a tour last fall to promote his most recent album, Bad Bunny (whose real name is Benito Antonio Martinez Ocasio) announced he would skip the United States because he was afraid of ICE raids at his concerts. The Puerto Rican superstar — who has nearly 84 million monthly listeners on Spotify — explained why he made an exception for the Super Bowl.
“What I’m feeling goes beyond myself,” he said in a statement. “It’s for those who came before me and ran countless yards so I could come in and score a touchdown. This is for my people, my culture and our history.”
Green Day, an American pop-punk band of almost 40 years, has since Trump’s first term swapped a line in the lyrics of the 2004 hit “American Idiot” from “I’m not part of a redneck agenda” to “I’m not part of the MAGA agenda.”
Turning Point USA, the conservative non-profit founded by the late Charlie Kirk, announced in October that it would stage its own counterprogramming to the Super Bowl and stream it on conservative outlets. The “All American Halftime Show” is billed as “Celebrating Faith, Family, & Freedom.” As of Monday, musical artists had not been announced.
Trump became the first sitting president to attend a Super Bowl a year ago when he received a muted, mixed reaction of cheers and boos in New Orleans. But this year, the 5½-hour flight from Washington D.C. to the Bay Area apparently is too long for the president, who in January alone has flown to Switzerland, Detroit and Palm Beach.
The NFL has resisted pressure to replace Bad Bunny with a performer more politically palatable to Trump.
“There’s a lot of people right now who don’t like Bad Bunny being in the Super Bowl halftime show,” NFL chief marketing officer Tim Ellis said at a conference in October. “Well, not everyone has to like everything we do. Bad Bunny is f—ing awesome.”
Not everyone has to like the teams that earned Super Bowl berths and the states they call home, either. And not everyone has to approve of the venue. That includes the President, who made it clear that if he decides to watch, he’ll do so from a distance.
