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The Navy’s top admiral said a recent walk through a Virginia class submarine Command and Control Systems Module (CCSM) under construction offered a vivid glimpse into how the Navy can speed building out the future FF(X) frigate. Having companies, both domestic and potentially foreign, construct modules that can later be plugged into hulls by major shipyards can dramatically increase efficiency, Adm. Daryl Caudle, the Chief of Naval Operations (CNO) said. His observations come as the U.S. is struggling to get anywhere nearing catching up to China in the number of naval vessels it is pumping out per year.

The process is called distributed shipbuilding. While not a new concept, it is used on more complex vessels, like SSNs, SSBNs, DDGs and LPDs. Now the Navy is looking to use this concept for its rebooted FF(X) frigate program, Caudle said. He pointed to the construction of Virginia class fast-attack submarines as a prime example of how that works.

“I was just down on the Gulf Coast to see how they build three modules there for Virginia class and they’re going to start building for Columbia as well,”  Caudle told a small group of reporters, including from The War Zone, of his recent visit to the Austal USA shipyard in Mobile, Alabama. The company is building and outfitting CCSMs for three future Virginia class boats and Electronic Deck Modules (EDM) for the Virginia– and Columbia-class nuclear ballistic missile submarine programs.

“One of the main modules they build is the entire Command and Control suite for Virginia class,” he explained during a media panel at the Surface Navy Association (SNA) annual symposium on Wednesday. “And when you see that module… they had one that was almost ready to be shipped up to Quonset Point. It’s like walking into a Virginia class submarine control room. The thing is completely done, built, and the only thing that’s missing is really the computers that we put in for the sonar and fire control system.”

Austal construction of the modules “offloaded hundreds of thousands of man-hours off Electric Boat and utilized additional capacity of that yard to do that,” Caudle said. “So without those types of changes and how we actually optimize all the yards to go do this, it will be challenging.” 

While distributed shipbuilding is being eyed for the FF(X) program, the first ship in the class won’t be built that way. The U.S. has a lot of work to do to make that happen for the rest of the class, Caudle posited.

“…there’s going to have to be some paradigm shifts with things like modularity,” the CNO said. “We are, I think, at just the tip of the iceberg on how we’re starting to utilize modularity more effectively.” 

In December, the Navy announced it would acquire the frigates, to be built on a design based on the U.S. Coast Guard’s Legend class National Security Cutter. The new warships, the first of which is set to be launched in 2028, are intended to fill the gap left by the cancellation of the abortive Constellation class frigate program.

The FF(X) was launched to provide a quick way to replace the Constellation class, however, the design is controversial because it lacks a vertical launch system for missiles, drastically reducing its firepower, as well as other features. You can read more about that in our story here.

The first FF(X) was awarded to HII/Ingalls on a sole-source basis and scheduled to be launched by 2028. After that, the procurement process will be opened up to competitors.

Caudle says that the distributed shipbuilding approach could spread out the workload from major yards to smaller ones, which are more plentiful. That will help the Navy speed up construction of additional ships in this class, he proffered. This will also help to keep these yards working and decrease the political vulnerability of the program by spreading out the work across different Congressional districts.

“So let’s say that one of the yards down on the Gulf Coast starts building the frigate and they’re the main contract that the Navy goes with for that,” the CNO said. “Nothing prevents other Gulf Coast shipyards—which there are many, I want to say there’s probably 20 plus—from being in the business of building some part or whole of a module for that frigate. And when you bring in the ability of the yard to utilize some of its additional capacity to be part of the modularity design of that, then what you end up with the lead yard is more in an assembly process than having to build it all from scratch.”

Foreign shipbuilders are further along in the process, the CNO noted.

“A lot of the foreign partners that we work with and discuss how they do shipbuilding are really all-in on modularity, and we traditionally have not built ships that way until recently,” he added. “And so I think the actual methodology of the workflow within a shipyard is not completely tuned for a modular approach yet in all of our yards. Until you get there, then the fungibility of the yard to support each other won’t be there. So I’m not completely optimized.”

Foreign shipyards could potentially build modules for the frigate and other ships as well, Caudle postulated. That would be in line with President Donald Trump’s interest in buying ships made abroad to help to make up a yawning gap with China, which has been assessed to have a whopping 200-times larger shipbuilding capacity than the United States. 

As we have explained in past reporting, both South Korea and Japan are building vessels now that are related to the Arleigh Burke class, which currently serves as the backbone of the U.S. Navy. This puts both countries in a unique position to build U.S.-spec Burke destroyers, or at least substantial parts of them. They also have other models that are unlike those currently in the fleet, including smaller warships. Logistics ships and sea bases are also well within their capabilities.

“Certainly I do think there’s a role for foreign yards to play in our shipbuilding initiatives to add capacity,” Caudle explained. “I think the capacity that foreign builders could bring to bear is extremely important to think about.”

“That might look like some auxiliary ships that we could get approval to do in totality,” Caudle stated. “And it could be combat ships that can be done in part.”

While foreign shipyards could help the U.S. speed up construction, there are challenges to making that happen.

“When you work with a foreign partner, they either had to have exquisite access to our supply system, and that’s the IT system and the infrastructure to order parts and tap our supply system, or they’re going to use their own indigenous system,” the CNO noted. 

A foreign shipbuilder using their own systems, especially those from non-English-speaking countries, adds another layer of complexity, Caudle said.

“So all that needs to be worked out. But I do think that there is it needs to be explored, and I view it as a bridging strategy till we get our industrial base where it needs to be to do it organically.”

Contact the author: howard@thewarzone.com

United States President Donald Trump announced a healthcare plan that would replace government subsidies for insurance with direct payments into health savings accounts for consumers, an idea that some experts have said would hurt lower-income Americans.

The Trump administration on Thursday called on Congress to pass legislation to codify Trump’s most-favoured-nation drug price deals and to make more medicines available for over-the-counter purchase.

“This will lower healthcare costs and increase consumer choice by strengthening price transparency, increasing competition, and reducing the need for costly and time-consuming doctor’s visits,” the White House said in a release outlining the order.

Trump’s framework, dubbed “The Great Healthcare Plan” and outlined in a White House fact sheet, includes an insurance cost-sharing reduction programme that could reduce the most common Obamacare plan premiums by more than 10 percent and replaces government subsidies for insurance with direct payments to Americans.

The White House did not provide details on how much money it planned to send to consumers to buy insurance, or whether the funds would be available to all “Obamacare” enrollees or only those with lower-tier bronze and catastrophic plans.

The idea mirrors one floated among Republican senators last year. Democrats largely rejected it, saying the accounts would not be enough to cover costs for most consumers. Currently, such accounts are used disproportionately by the wealthiest Americans, who have more income to fund them and a bigger incentive to lower their tax rate.

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt was asked at her briefing on Thursday whether the president could guarantee that, under his plan, people would be able to cover their healthcare costs.

“If this plan is put in place, every single American who has healthcare in the United States will see lower costs as a result,” she said without elaborating.

“These are common-sense actions that make up President Trump’s great healthcare plan, and they represent the most comprehensive and bold agenda to lower healthcare costs to have ever been considered by the federal government,” Leavitt also said.

The White House said that the plan would not affect people with pre-existing conditions.

The plan also targets pharmacy benefit managers and requires insurance companies to disclose the profits they take from premiums and the frequency of denials.

Companies would publish their rate and coverage comparisons on their websites in “plain English” as well as the percentage of revenues paid out to claims compared with overhead costs and profits. They would also be required to publish the percentage of claims they reject and the average wait times for routine care.

“Instead of just papering over the problems, we have gotten into this great healthcare plan, a framework that we believe will help Congress create legislation that will address the challenges that the American people have been craving,” US Centres for Medicare & Medicaid Services Administrator Mehmet Oz told reporters on a White House briefing call.

The White House also did not provide a timeline for implementation, and a deeply divided Congress is unlikely to pass major healthcare legislation quickly.

Providers and insurers who accept Medicare or Medicaid money would also have to post their pricing and fees.

Obamacare looms

The announcement comes as millions of Americans face higher healthcare costs this year, with open enrolment for most federally subsidised Obamacare plans closing on Thursday.

On average, premium costs will increase to $1,904 in 2026 from $888 in 2025, according to health policy firm KFF, a far greater jump than the savings promised in the Trump plan.

Congress remains divided on whether and how to reinstate generous COVID-era tax credits that expired at the end of last year.

Retroactive expanded federal subsidies are still possible, and there is a group of bipartisan lawmakers negotiating a potential extension, but Republicans remain divided on whether they should do so.

The Trump administration wants funding to go directly to consumers using health savings accounts, Oz said, rather than to insurers, a position also adopted by Congressional Republicans who oppose extending the Obamacare subsidies.

Trump has said he may veto any legislation to extend the subsidies, and the plan makes no mention of them.

“This does not specifically address those bipartisan congressional negotiations that are going on. It does say that we have a preference that money goes to people, as opposed to insurance companies,” the White House official said.

Trump has long been dogged by his lack of a comprehensive healthcare plan as he and Republicans have sought to unwind former President Barack Obama’s signature legislation, the Affordable Care Act. Trump was thwarted during his first term in trying to repeal and replace the law.

When he ran for president in 2024, Trump said he had only “concepts of a plan” to address healthcare. His new proposal, short on many specifics, appeared to be the concept of a plan.

On Wall Street, healthcare insurance provider stocks surged on the news of the looming plan. UnitedHealthcare is up 0.8 percent in midday trading. Humana is up higher at 3.5 percent than the market open, and Oscar Health is up 6.4 percent.

Pharmaceutical stocks, on the other hand, are trending lower. Eli Lilly is down by about 3.7 percent, AbbVie tumbling 1.9 percent below the market open, and Bristol Myers -Squibb is down by 0.9 percent. Johnson and Johnson, on the other hand, does remain in positive territory at about 0.3 percent higher than the market open.

Jan. 15 (UPI) — A U.S. bankruptcy judge denied Amazon.com Inc.’s effort to block a proposed financing deal to help Saks Global Enterprises stay in business amid Chapter 11 bankruptcy.

Judge Alfredo Perez on Wednesday night approved an initial $400 million financing lifeline to Saks after a 7.5-hour courtroom battle between Saks and several of its creditors, including Amazon.

Saks officials seek $1.75 billion to stay in business, but they will have to return to the U.S. District & Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of Texas for further approvals.

Amazon officials and other creditors objected to the proposed bankruptcy financing plan submitted by Saks Global amid the luxury retailer’s financial woes.

Amazon in 2024 invested $475 million in preferred equity to help Saks buy luxury brand Neiman Marcus for $2.65 billion, but Amazon said that investment now is worthless.

Amazon officials also said Saks did not abide by the terms of the investment, which included creating a “Saks on Amazon” account to sell goods on the Amazon retail platform.

The online storefront was to market luxury beauty and fashion goods and pay a fee for Saks-branded items, which was calculated to produce about $900 million in revenues for Amazon over eight years.

“Saks continuously failed to meet its budgets, burned through hundreds of millions of dollars in less than a year, and ran up additional hundreds of millions of dollars in unpaid invoices owed to its retail partners,” Amazon said in a court filing.

The new restructuring plan proposed by Saks and partly approved by Perez further endangers Amazon’s investment and those of other creditors by saddling Saks with more debt, Amazon’s attorneys argued.

Attorneys for Saks on Wednesday argued the luxury retailer would go out of business and be liquidated if it could not access at least some of the proposed $1.75 billion rescue loan.

Human Rights Watch, a non-state global organisation defending human dignity, has accused members of armed groups in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), particularly the M23/AFC rebels, as well as the Congolese national army, of committing sexual violence against women.

The independent watch organisation, in collaboration with SOFEPADI, a Congolese women’s rights think tank, resolved that conflict-related sexual violence in eastern DRC has escalated while support to survivors has drastically dropped.

The escalation of violent conflict in North Kivu and South Kivu, and the shrinking charity funds, have resulted in restricted access to healthcare, significantly hindering women and girls experiencing sexual violence from receiving comprehensive support. A number of clinics that once provided essential healthcare and assistance have had to shut down.

“The armed groups and the military forces utilise sexual violence as a war weapon in the eastern DR Congo,” said Ida Sawyer, the Director of the Crises, Conflict and Arms Division of Human Rights Watch. She underlined the fact that “survivors of these atrocious crimes are confronted by a climate of impunity which protects those responsible for the crimes and a health system deprived of accompanying measures”.

Formed in 2012 from a mutiny within the Congolese army, the M23 rebel group has long destabilised eastern DRC, after accusing the country of failing to honour a 2009 peace agreement. The group quickly gained control of territory in North Kivu, including Goma, in 2012. M23 is widely reported to be backed by Rwanda, a claim reinforced by UN reports of Rwandan military involvement. Its pro‑Tutsi identity and alleged foreign support have made it a flashpoint in the Great Lakes region, where ethnic divisions and mineral wealth fuel conflict. 

In January 2025, M23 fighters launched a major offensive and captured Goma after days of heavy battles with the Congolese army. The takeover left hundreds of civilians dead and hospitals overwhelmed. Congolese authorities accused Rwanda of deploying thousands of troops to support M23. On February 4, 2025, M23 declared a unilateral ceasefire citing humanitarian reasons, but analysts warn the conflict remains unresolved and tied to control of Congo’s mineral‑rich territories.

In November 2025, Human Rights Watch, in collaboration with the Office of Feminine Solidarity for Peace and Development, a local NGO in Beni and Bunia, interviewed 23 survivors of sexual violence in the northeastern region of the DRC. The researchers interacted with four Congolese survivors in Uganda who had fled from violence in Congo. They recounted scenes of extreme physical violence and their abandonment by local administrative and health authorities who were expected to come to their aid.

Human Rights Watch reported meeting with local health and judicial authorities in Congo, as well as representatives from national and international organisations that assist survivors. The organisation said it has reached out to the US State Department, the spokesperson for the Congolese government, and the leaders of the M23 rebellion to share their findings. However, they reportedly have not yet received a response from any of these entities.

Jan. 15 (UPI) — U.S. philanthropist Gilbert Butler has emerged as a major private donor shaping conservation policy in Latin America by financing the purchase and then donating six islands in Uruguay and Argentina to create the first binational park on the Uruguay River.

Butler donated the islands of Chala, Inga and Pinguino to the Uruguayan state. The islands lie on the river in Rio Negro department, an administrative division similar to a county.

Together, the three islands cover 1,270 acres and were incorporated into Uruguay’s National System of Protected Areas, known by its Spanish acronym SNAP, according to statements from the Presidency of Uruguay and the Ministry of Environment.

Uruguayan authorities described the donation as unprecedented, marking the first time the country has added land to SNAP through a direct donation of property purchased by a private person for conservation purposes.

“Nothing like this has been seen for decades,” President Yamandu Orsi said Thursday during the ceremony accepting the islands.

According to Uruguayan officials, at least two of the islands include basic public-use infrastructure, such as docks, shelters and restrooms designed for low-impact ecotourism and environmental education.

The project aims to promote restorative economies and strengthen local communities under a model based on conservation and ecological connectivity.

The Uruguay initiative is linked to a project already underway in Argentina. On the Argentine side of the river, Butler previously acquired the islands of Dolores, San Genaro and Campichuelo in Entre Rios province. Together they span about 6,425 acres and are slated to be donated to creates a provincial nature park.

Provincial authorities plan to add about 3,459 acres of public land to that core area, bringing the total protected surface to about 9,884 acres. All six islands are part of the same cross-border conservation scheme.

In a speech, Butler said his goal is to create a binational park, contending that using the land solely for eucalyptus and soybean plantations “is an ecological disaster.”

The six islands make up the project known as Green Islands and Channels of the Uruguay River, which seeks to establish a continuous transboundary ecological corridor along one of the Southern Cone’s most important freshwater basins.

The initiative focuses on protecting wetlands, riverine biodiversity and ecological connectivity, while supporting sustainable tourism.

The donation has reopened public debate in Uruguay over the ownership of river islands.

Under current regulations and legal analyses reported locally, river islands are registered parcels that may be publicly or privately owned regardless of the owner’s nationality and may be incorporated into the protected areas system even if they were previously private.

Records and local media reports show the donated islands had been privately owned since the 1990s after being transferred as part of the settlement of a commercial debt.

Previous attempts at productive use failed because of recurring floods linked to the river’s hydrological cycle.

Local authorities in Rio Negro and Entre Rios said the binational project presents coordination challenges, but agreed it could position the Uruguay River region as a regional example for shared environmental conservation.

Poll workers are counting ballots cast in Uganda’s contentious general election. President Yoweri Museveni is widely expected to extend his four-decade rule, amid opposition claims of vote rigging. Al Jazeera’s Catherine Soi visited a polling station in Kampala.

Jan. 15 (UPI) — Argentina’s government designated branches of the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt, Lebanon and Jordan as terrorist organizations, the office of President Javier Milei said.

The designation is based on official reports documenting transnational illicit activities, including acts of terrorism, public calls for violent extremism, links to other terrorist organizations and their potential impact on Argentina, according to the statement.

The decision Wednesday came one day after U.S. President Donald Trump‘s administration took the same step.

According to Washington, while the movement claims to have abandoned violence, its affiliates in Egypt, Jordan and Lebanon continue to promote and support terrorist activities, including backing groups such as Hamas.

U.S. officials said those structures have inspired, financed and facilitated actions by organizations considered a direct threat to the security of the United States and its allies, and that the designations aim to curb their operational and financial capacity.

Argentina’s official statement said the decision was adopted through coordination among the ministries of Foreign Affairs and National Security and Justice, as well as the Intelligence Secretariat, within the framework of Argentina’s international commitments to combat terrorism and its financing.

“With this measure, mechanisms for the prevention, early detection and punishment of terrorism and those who finance it are strengthened, so that members of the Muslim Brotherhood and their allies cannot operate freely,” the government said.

Milei’s administration added these Islamist groups to the Public Registry of Persons and Entities Linked to Acts of Terrorism and Its Financing, known by its Spanish acronym RePET.

RePET is an official registry that allows authorities to identify and apply legal and financial restrictions on individuals and entities linked to terrorist activities, including asset freezes and limits on operating within the financial system.

In its statement, Argentina’s presidency underscored Milei’s “unwavering commitment” to “recognizing terrorists for what they are,” and recalled that his government had already designated Hamas and Cartel de los Soles as terrorist organizations.

The Muslim Brotherhood has also been designated a terrorist organization by countries such as Egypt and Saudi Arabia, while Jordan banned the group in April last year.

Antonio Guterres appears to take aim at the US, which recently slashed its contribution, telling the UN to ‘adapt or die’.

United Nations chief Antonio Guterres has lashed out at world leaders he accused of turning their backs on international cooperation amid “self-defeating geopolitical divides” and “brazen violations of international law”.

Addressing the UN General Assembly on Thursday, the UN secretary-general slammed “wholesale cuts in development and humanitarian aid”, warning that they were “shaking the foundations of global cooperation and testing the resilience of multilateralism itself”.

“At a time when we need international cooperation the most, we seem to be the least inclined to use it and invest in it. Some seek to put international cooperation on deathwatch,” he said.

Last annual speech

The secretary-general, who will step down at the end of 2026, held off naming offending countries, but appeared to refer to deep cuts to the budgets of UN agencies made by the United States under the “America First” policies of US President Donald Trump.

While other countries have also cut funding, the US announced at the end of last year that it would be allocating only $2bn to United Nations humanitarian assistance, representing a small fraction of the leading funder’s previous contributions of up to $17bn.

Trump’s administration has effectively dismantled its primary platform for foreign aid, the US Agency for International Development (USAID), calling on UN agencies to “adapt, shrink or die”.

Setting out his last annual list of priorities as secretary-general for the year ahead, Guterres said the UN was “totally committed in the cause of peace in Gaza, Ukraine, Sudan and far beyond and tireless in delivering life-saving aid to those so desperate for support”.

The UN chief insisted humanitarian aid be allowed to “flow unimpeded” into Gaza, said no effort should be spared to stop the Russia-Ukraine war, and urged a resumption of talks to bring about a lasting ceasefire in Sudan.

Those three deadly, protracted conflicts have come to define Guterres’s time at the helm of the UN, with critics arguing the organisation has proved ineffective at conflict prevention.

The organisation’s top decision-making body, the Security Council, is paralysed because of tensions between the US, Russia and China, all three of which are permanent, veto-wielding members.

Jan. 15 (UPI) — Chile’s stock market delivered its strongest performance in 32 years in 2025, emerging as the best-performing exchange in Latin America and ranking fourth globally, with returns totaling 56% in Chilean pesos.

Only Ghana’s stock market outperformed Chile, posting a gain of 79%, followed by South Korea and Zambia.

Santiago’s main benchmark, the Selective Stock Price Index, or IPSA, surpassed historic levels and closed the year at 10,481.47 points, marking its best annual performance since 1993.

Trading volumes also rose sharply, with the value of shares traded climbing 67.9% to a total of $50.87 billion.

Of the 30 companies listed on the index, 28 recorded positive returns in local currency, while all companies posted gains when measured in U.S. dollars.

The most valuable company and the one with the highest return was Sociedad Química y Minera de Chile, the world’s leading nonmetallic mining company in lithium and iodine production. The firm posted a return of 74.32%.

Economic analyst Jorge Berríos, academic director of the Finance Diploma Program at the Faculty of Economics and Business of the University of Chile, told UPI that the Chilean index posted an outstanding result consistent with the country’s macroeconomic normalization, which is projecting growth above 2%.

“Inflation has been trending downward and there have been cuts to the monetary policy rate, which ultimately makes investment portfolios more attractive,” Berríos said. “The banking sector is a key driver of the IPSA. The normalization of credit risks has made it particularly appealing. Banking continues to be a sector with a high rate of return compared to other markets.”

He also highlighted momentum in commodities, driven by elevated copper prices.

“There are expectations tied to advancing the energy transition. There is structural demand for electricity, which boosts mining activity and supports high commodity prices,” Berríos said.

Another factor cited by analysts was a reduction in political uncertainty.

Alex Fleiderman, head of Equity Sales at BTG Pactual, said the main driver of the market’s performance was strategic asset allocation ahead of the presidential election in November 2025.

“Polls consistently pointed to the arrival of a pro-market, pro-investment government,” Fleiderman said. “This scenario was confirmed in the December runoff with the election of right-wing candidate José Antonio Kast, whose economic policy expectations for the 2026-to-2030 period underpin market optimism.”

Fleiderman added that Chile’s economy proved resilient, exceeding initial GDP growth forecasts of 2.0% to reach between 2.3% and 2.4%.

“This upward revision was driven mainly by a recovery in investment during the second half of the fiscal year,” he said.

He also pointed to the approval of a tax reform aimed at increasing savings in the private pension system and a rise in business confidence.

“These factors combined strengthened corporate profitability,” Fleiderman said. “They shape a constructive outlook for 2026 and support a positive view of the market over the next four years under the Kast administration.”

Berríos agreed, noting that positive expectations are emerging in capital markets.

“There is a decline in country risk, greater stability and no visible changes that would affect the foundations of the country’s financial system,” he said. “That environment is encouraging stronger capital flows and increased investment.”

Together, he added, these conditions have helped produce “an exceptionally strong IPSA.”

The Trump administration has announced its ceasefire plan for Gaza is now in ‘Phase Two’, following 27 months of death, displacement and destruction in Israel’s genocide.

Jan. 15 (UPI) — President Donald Trump threatened to invoke the Insurrection Act to stop protests in Minnesota on Thursday after an ICE agent shot another civilian.

Trump made the threat on social media hours after an Immigrations and Customs Enforcement officer shot a man in Minneapolis, increasing tension between agents and demonstrators.

“If the corrupt politicians of Minnesota don’t obey the law and stop the professional agitators and insurrectionists from attacking the patriots of I.C.E., who are only trying to do their job, I will institute the Insurrection Act, which many presidents have done before me, and quickly put an end to the travesty that is taking place in that once great state,” Trump wrote.

A statement from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security said the victim of Wednesday’s shooting was a Venezuelan immigrant who was in the United States illegally.

A U.S. president has not invoked the Insurrection Act in more than 30 years. It allows the president to send military troops to areas of civil unrest. George H. Bush used it in 1992 in response to the Los Angeles riots after four officers who were caught on camera beating Rodney King, a Black man, during a traffic stop, were acquitted.

The Insurrection Act gives military troops the authority to take actions they are normally prohibited from taking on U.S. soil, such as making arrests and performing searches

Protestors continued to film and shout down ICE agents after Wednesday’s shooting, calling for them to leave the city. Last week, ICE agent Jonathan Ross fatally shot 37-year-old Renee Good while she was driving away in her vehicle in Minneapolis.

State and local officials have joined the calls from protesters to remove ICE from Minneapolis. Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration on Monday, seeking to have the influx of federal agents removed.

Gov. Tim Walz addressed the ongoing unrest on Wednesday, saying “news reports simply don’t do justice to the level of chaos and disruption and trauma the federal government is raining down on our communities.”

Walz said 2,000 to 3,000 federal agents have been dispatched to Minnesota and are pulling people over indiscriminately.

After threatening to attack Iran for days in support of protesters challenging the government in Tehran, United States President Donald Trump appeared to dial back the rhetoric on Wednesday evening.

The killings in Iran, Trump said, had stopped, adding that Tehran had told his administration that arrested protesters would not be executed.

Trump did not rule out an attack on Iran, but in effect, negated the rationale for such an attack.

Still, as Trump closes in on the completion of the first year of his second term in office, his track record suggests the possibility of US military strikes against Iran in the coming days remains a real threat.

We take a look:

Maduro abducted – amid diplomacy and limited strikes

Since August, the US had positioned its largest military deployment in the Caribbean Sea in decades.

The US military bombed more than 30 boats that it claimed – without providing evidence – were carrying drugs to the United States, killing more than 100 people in these strikes. For months, Trump and his team accused Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro of leading mass-scale narcotics smuggling operations, again without evidence. Amid the boat bombings, Trump even said that the US might strike Venezuelan land next.

But in late November, Trump revealed to reporters that he had spoken to the Venezuelan leader. A few days later, the call was confirmed by Maduro himself, who described it as “cordial”.

The US then hit what Trump described as a docking facility for alleged drug boats in Venezuela. After that, on January 1, Maduro offered Trump an olive branch, saying he was open to talks with Washington on drug trafficking and even on enabling US access to oil. Trump appeared to be getting what he ostensibly wanted – access to Venezuelan oil and blocks on drugs from the country.

Yet only hours later, US forces targeted the capital, abducting Maduro and his wife on charges of narcotics trafficking and transporting them to the United States.

Iran bombed – when ‘two weeks’ of diplomacy appeared imminent

Venezuela was not the first time Trump launched a dramatic attack at a time when diplomacy appeared to be taking hold.

In June, Iran learned the hard way that Trump’s words and actions do not match.

Amid rising tensions over US accusations that Iran was racing towards enriching uranium for nuclear weapons, Washington and Tehran engaged in weeks of hectic negotiations. Trump frequently warned Iran that time was running out for it to strike a deal, but then returned to talks.

On June 13, he wrote on Truth Social that his team “remain committed to a Diplomatic Resolution to the Iran Nuclear Issue.”

His “entire” administration, he said, had been “directed to negotiate with Iran”.

But barely hours later, US ally Israel struck Iran. Most experts believe Israel would not have attacked Iran without Trump’s approval.

As Israel and Iran traded fire in the subsequent days, Trump faced questions over whether the US would bomb Iran.

On June 20, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt quoted Trump as saying that he would “make my decision whether or not to go within the next two weeks”.

Far from utilising the full two weeks he gave himself, Trump made his decision in two days.

In the early hours of June 22, US B-2 Spirit bombers dropped fourteen bunker-busting bombs on Iran’s Fordow nuclear facility, buried deep inside a mountain near Qom. The US also bombed nuclear facilities in Natanz and Isfahan using the most powerful conventional bombs in the US arsenal.

The attack shocked many observers, in part because of what appeared to have been an elaborate diplomatic ruse preceding it.

Iran protest calculus: What’s Trump’s plan?

Now, all eyes are on Iran again, where demonstrations against the government have been under way for the past two weeks, before calming down earlier this week.

As the unrest turned deadlier last week, Trump urged Iranians to continue demonstrating.

“Iranian Patriots, KEEP PROTESTING – TAKE OVER YOUR INSTITUTIONS!!!… HELP IS ON ITS WAY,” Trump said in a post on Truth Social on January 13, without elaborating on what form that help might take.

But within 24 hours, during a meeting with reporters in Washington, DC, Trump said he had been assured that the killing of protesters in Iran had stopped.

“They’ve said the killing has stopped and the executions won’t take place – there were supposed to be a lot of executions today, and that the executions won’t take place – and we’re going to find out,” Trump said on Wednesday.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, in an interview with Fox TV, also denied that Tehran planned to execute antigovernment protesters. “Hanging is ‌out of the ‌question,” he said.

Which other countries is Trump threatening?

Beyond Iran and Venezuela, longstanding US rivals, Trump’s aggression has increasingly extended towards Washington’s own allies, including Canada and Greenland.

The most striking example is Trump’s eagerness to take over Greenland, a Danish territory, which has evolved from a campaign talking point into a focal element of his administration’s Western Hemisphere strategy.

On January 5, the State Department posted a black-and-white image of Trump on social media, declaring: “This is OUR Hemisphere, and President Trump will not allow our security to be threatened.”

The president has refused to rule out the use of military force, with administration officials openly discussing US interest in Greenland’s strategic location and mineral resources.

Denmark has categorically rejected any sale, while Greenland’s leadership insists the territory is not for sale.

But experts such as Jeremy Shapiro, research director at the European Council on Foreign Relations, argue that Trump uses threats to intimidate adversaries and typically employs force only against weaker targets.

In a paper published last May titled, The bully’s pulpit: Finding patterns in Trump’s use of military force, Shapiro suggested that Trump frequently invokes military threats but often fails to follow through.

According to Shapiro, Trump is more likely to act when threats carry “low escalation risk”, while threats against nuclear-armed or militarily strong states largely serve rhetorical purposes. The most extreme or theatrical warnings, he argues, tend to function as tools of “political signalling rather than precursors to real military action”.

“Trump often deploys grandiose threats but only accepts limited, low-risk military operations. He uses foreign policy as political theatre, aiming threats as much at his domestic base and media cycle as at foreign adversaries,” Shapiro writes.

Calculated unpredictability?

Some analysts believe Trump’s approach offers tactical advantages.

“The intent is to keep opponents off balance, heightening psychological pressure and extracting maximum strategic leverage,” a Pakistani government official told Al Jazeera, speaking on condition of anonymity because he was not authorised to speak to the media. “Even his European allies are not always certain what to expect.”

Others remain sceptical. Qandil Abbas, a specialist on Middle East affairs at Quaid-e-Azam University in Islamabad, described Trump’s behaviour as erratic, citing his repeated threats against multiple countries.

“Look at his threats against Cuba, or Iran, or Venezuela, and yet this is the same president who also wants to win a Nobel prize and is desperate for it,” Abbas told Al Jazeera.

So is Trump actually pulling back from the prospect of attacking Iran – or is he bluffing?

According to Abbas, Trump’s apparent change in tone might be the result of feedback from US allies in the region “that attacking Iran is not smart”.

Still, Abbas said that “with Israel’s support, I feel he will find a way to strike the country.”

Reza Pahlavi, the son of Iran’s deposed Shah, set out key policies he would put in place if he ever returned to rule the country. Pahlavi said he would recognise Israel and end Iran’s nuclear programme. Pahlavi, who lives in the US, has backed calls to overthrow Iran’s leaders.

Getty Images

Council protests

France sends 15 soldiers, Germany 13. Norway, Sweden also participating to bolster security on Arctic island.

Soldiers from France, Germany and other European countries have begun arriving in Greenland to help boost the Arctic island’s security after talks involving Denmark, Greenland and the United States highlighted “fundamental disagreement” between President Donald Trump’s administration and its European allies.

France has already sent 15 soldiers and Germany 13. Norway and Sweden are also participating.

The mission has been described as a recognition-of-the-territory exercise with troops to plant the European Union’s flag on Greenland as a symbolic act.

“The first French military elements are already en route” and “others will follow”, French President Emmanuel Macron said on Wednesday as French authorities said soldiers from the country’s mountain infantry unit were already in Nuuk, Greenland’s capital.

France said the two-day mission is a way to show that EU troops can be quickly deployed if needed.

Meanwhile, Germany’s Ministry of Defence said it was deploying a reconnaissance team of 13 personnel to Greenland on Thursday.

Denmark announced its plans to increase its own military presence in Greenland on Wednesday as the Danish and Greenlandic foreign ministers met with White House representatives in Washington, DC, to discuss Trump’s intentions to take over the semiautonomous Danish territory to tap its mineral resources amid rising Russian and Chinese interest.

But the two foreign ministers emerged from the meeting with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Vice President JD Vance having made little progress in dissuading Washington from seeking to take over Greenland.

“We didn’t manage to change the American position,” Danish Foreign Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen told reporters. “It’s clear that the president has this wish of conquering over Greenland.”

His Greenlandic counterpart, Vivian Motzfeldt, called for cooperation with the US but said that does not mean the country wants to be “owned by the United States”.

The pair announced their intent to establish a working group to continue to address concerns about control over Greenland and security in the Arctic.

“We really need it [Greenland],” Trump told reporters in the Oval Office after Wednesday’s meeting. “If we don’t go in, Russia is going to go in, and China is going to go in. And there’s not a thing Denmark can do about it, but we can do everything about it.”

Trump said he had not yet been briefed about the contents of the White House meeting when he made his remarks.

On Thursday, Moscow criticised “references to certain activity of Russia and China around Greenland as a reason for the current escalation”.

“First they came up with ‍the idea ⁠that there were some aggressors, and then that they were ready to protect someone from these aggressors,” Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said of ​the West’s actions ‌on Greenland.

The current situation, she said, “demonstrates with particular acuteness the inconsistency of the so-called ‘rules-based ‌world order’ being built by the ‌West,” she said.

“We stand ⁠in solidarity with China’s position on the unacceptability of references to certain activity of ‌Russia and China around Greenland as a reason for the current ‍escalation,” Zakharova said.

Fear in Inuit communities

The prospect of the US descending on Greenland to tap its minerals has struck fear into Inuit communities around the town of Ilulissat, perched beside an ice fjord on the western side of the island.

Before Wednesday’s meeting, Inuit Greenlander Karl Sandgreen, head of the Ilulissat Icefjord visitor centre, told Al Jazeera: “My hope is that Rubio is going to have some humanity in that talk.”

His fears are for the Inuit way of life.

“We are totally different. We are Inuit, and we’ve been living here for thousands of years.” he said. “This is my daughter’s and my son’s future, not a future for people who are thinking about resources.”

There are new indications that the U.S. may be edging closer to a new round of attacks or other actions against Iran. In a social media message addressed to Iranian protesters, U.S. President Donald Trump on Tuesday announced that he has cut off any further negotiations with government officials there, urged the massive nationwide demonstrations to continue, and implied future U.S. intervention. The comments made by Trump, who has previously vowed to take action against Iran if the crackdown on protesters grew too bloody, came as reports have emerged that as many as 20,000 people have been killed by the regime.

You can catch up with our previous coverage of the unfolding events here.

“Iranian Patriots, KEEP PROTESTING – TAKE OVER YOUR INSTITUTIONS!!!,” Trump proclaimed on his Truth Social platform in response to the increasingly bloody crackdown. “Save the names of the killers and abusers. They will pay a big price. I have cancelled all meetings with Iranian Officials until the senseless killing of protesters STOPS. HELP IS ON ITS WAY.”

Trump ended his posting with “MIGA!!!,” or Make Iran Great Again, a play on his famous campaign slogan. He provided no further details. The White House referred us to Truth Social when we asked for more information. U.S. Central Command, which oversees military operations in the Middle East, declined to comment on whether there has been any new tasking or change in force posture ordered by the White House.

The president’s latest statement on the anti-government protests raging since Dec. 28 came as his national security principals met to discuss the situation, according to White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt. Trump did not attend, she added.

In an Air Force One gaggle a few moments ago, Press Sec Karoline Leavitt said that POTUS did *not* attend the national security briefing meeting, though Rubio and other principals were there

Described it as a routine/regularly scheduled meeting in comments to reporters

— Gram Slattery (@G_Slattery) January 13, 2026

The U.S. leader’s options for a response “include ordering military strikes on regime sites or launching cyberattacks, approving new sanctions and boosting anti-regime accounts online,” The Wall Street Journal suggested. Trump took the first step, ordering that any nation doing business with Iran would be hit with a 25% tariff.

“Effective immediately, any Country doing business with the Islamic Republic of Iran will pay a Tariff of 25% on any and all business being done with the United States of America. This Order is final and conclusive….” – PRESIDENT DONALD J. TRUMP pic.twitter.com/UQ1ylPezs9

— The White House (@WhiteHouse) January 12, 2026

The social media posting also comes a day after the White House said that while Trump preferred a diplomatic solution to the crisis, he is “unafraid to use the lethal force and might of the United States military. Iranian officials, Trump noted on Sunday, had called him seeking negotiations over Iran’s nuclear programs.

Press Sec Leavitt on Iran: “The greatest leverage the regime had just several months ago was their nuclear program, which President Trump and the United States military totally obliterated… What President Trump will do next only he knows.” pic.twitter.com/SaqGhnQFyL

— Open Source Intel (@Osint613) January 12, 2026

As we discussed yesterday, and it still holds true today, we have seen no indications of major U.S. military movements that would typically be seen prior to a major offensive or defensive military operation in the region.

Behind the scenes, Trump’s Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff met with exiled Iranian Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi to discuss the situation, Axios reported. Pahlavi, whose fatally ill father, Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, fled Iran ahead of the 1979 Islamic Revolution, has helped spark the uprising from afar.

🚨🇺🇸🇮🇷Scoop: White House envoy Steve Witkoff met secretly over the weekend with the exiled former crown prince of Iran, Reza Pahlavi, to discuss the protests raging in Iran, according to a senior U.S. official. My story on @axioshttps://t.co/ZSCzEVwjgf

— Barak Ravid (@BarakRavid) January 13, 2026

For its part, Israel is getting close to deciding whether it should attack Iran, a senior IDF official told us. He spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss operational details. Israel, which fought a 12-day war against Iran in June, remains concerned about the large supply of short-range ballistic and cruise missiles that Tehran did not use during that conflict.

“There is persistent concern regarding potential Iranian retaliation, alongside indications of Israeli preventive activity related to Iran,” the official told us. “All of this is taking place under an exceptionally high level of secrecy, making the full picture difficult to assess. What can be said with confidence is that IDF aircraft and all relevant operational elements are at the highest level of readiness, awaiting a political decision. In my assessment, the moment of decision is closer than ever.”

Any action Israel may decide to take “would be carried out exclusively in full coordination with the Trump administration and CENTCOM,” the official added. “The military coordination mechanisms between Israel and the United States are exceptionally strong and continuous, particularly given the presence of senior CENTCOM leadership and coordination elements in Israel. This ensures close operational alignment and real-time information sharing.”

Officially, the IDF is downplaying its potential role in the ongoing unrest.

“In recent days, many rumors have spread against the backdrop of the situation in Iran,” IDF Spokesperson Brig. Gen. Effie Defrin posted on X Monday. “As was clarified previously, the IDF is prepared for defense and on alert for surprise scenarios if required. The protests in Iran are an internal matter. We continue to conduct ongoing situation assessments and will update on any changes if and when they occur. I emphasize – do not lend a hand to rumors.”

ביממות האחרונות נפוצו שמועות רבות על רקע המצב באיראן.
כפי שהובהר בעבר, צה״ל ערוך בהגנה ונמצא בכוננות לתרחישי הפתעה במידה ויידרש.
המחאות באיראן הן עניין פנימי.

אנחנו ממשיכים לקיים הערכות מצב שוטפות ונדע לעדכן בכל שינוי אם ויהיה.
אני מדגיש – אל תתנו יד לשמועות

— דובר צה״ל אפי דפרין – Effie Defrin (@IDFSpokesperson) January 12, 2026

As Washington and Jerusalem mull over whether to strike, more horrific videos and images of the bloody response to the demonstrations are pouring in.

One video purports to show demonstrators coming under fire in Mashhad.

Other videos show huge throngs of people on the streets in Tehran.

The Independent Persian says they’ve been sent this footage reported to show protests in Tehran tonight.

Text on the footage says: “Massive crowd of protesters in Tehran on the sixteenth day (today) of the National Revolution.”

No match on reverse video search pic.twitter.com/LzSd5HwIYO

— Faytuks News (@Faytuks) January 12, 2026

Hilarious video from Nishapur during the blackout. The people topple a public telephone, then pick it up to make a “call”:

“Bros in Tehran, join, we fucked their (IRGC) mothers. I’m making this phone call from Nishapur.”

Iranians are fighting fiercely and bravely, at times… pic.twitter.com/eXCbRDarEf

— 𝐍𝐢𝐨𝐡 𝐁𝐞𝐫𝐠 ✡︎ 🇮🇷 (@NiohBerg) January 12, 2026

The number of those killed so far varies from about 2,000, according to Iranian government figures, to at least more than 12,000, according to CBS News.

“With phone lines opening back up for calls from inside the Islamic Republic, two sources, including one inside Iran, told CBS News on Tuesday that at least 12,000, and possibly as many as 20,000 people have been killed,” the network stated.

The War Zone cannot independently verify these figures.

A source inside Iran who was able to call out told CBS News on Tuesday that activist groups working to compile a full death toll from the protests, based on reports from medical officials across the country, believed the toll was at least 12,000, and possibly as high as 20,000.…

— Mehdi Parpanchi (@Parpanchi) January 13, 2026

Iran International, an opposition media outlet, claims that the killings have been carried out in an organized manner by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and the Basij paramilitary forces it commands.

“Based on information received, those killed were mainly shot by forces of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and the Basij. This killing was fully organized, not the result of “sporadic” and “unplanned” clashes.” https://t.co/6oDbllwPp2

— Alberto Miguel Fernandez (@AlbertoMiguelF5) January 13, 2026

During his speech at the Detroit Economic Club, Trump repeated comments he made earlier to reporters that while he is getting a wide range of figures on the number of people killed, “one is a lot.”

Reporter: How many protesters have been killed in Iran?

Trump: Nobody has been able to give me an accurate number. Everything is a lot. One is a lot. We will probably find out in the next 24 hours. I think it is a lot. pic.twitter.com/fvVVVbZWrK

— Clash Report (@clashreport) January 13, 2026

Information about events inside Iran is flowing even though officials there have cut off internet and phone service, including trying to jam Starlink receivers, as we noted yesterday.

⚠️ Update: #Iran has now been offline for 120 hours.

Despite some phone calls now connecting, there is no secure way to communicate and the general public remain cut off from the outside world.

What footage makes it through shows extensive use of force against civilians 📵 pic.twitter.com/GLPtVx6yrX

— NetBlocks (@netblocks) January 13, 2026

On Tuesday, the regime posted a video claiming to show dozens of Starlink receivers it has confiscated. Iran has also been hunting down Starlink operators, according to The Wall Street Journal. Possession of these systems is illegal in Iran. We reached out to Elon Musk’s SpaceX company, which operates Starlink, for more details.

⚡️BREAKING

Iran has just announced the seizure of a huge shipment of Starlink

Since June 2025, possession of Starlink in Iran has been subject to espionage laws pic.twitter.com/zDgHz8Kxgv

— Iran Observer (@IranObserver0) January 13, 2026

The crackdown on protests is garnering growing international condemnation.

European Union Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said the organization will propose new sanctions against Iran.

“The rising number of casualties in Iran is horrifying,” she exclaimed on X. “I unequivocally condemn the excessive use of force and continued restriction of freedom. The European Union has already listed the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps in its entirety under its human rights sanctions regime. …further sanctions on those responsible for the repression will be swiftly proposed. We stand with the people of Iran who are bravely marching for their liberty.”

The rising number of casualties in Iran is horrifying. I unequivocally condemn the excessive use of force and continued restriction of freedom.

The European Union has already listed the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps in its entirety under its human rights sanctions regime.…

— Ursula von der Leyen (@vonderleyen) January 13, 2026

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz on Tuesday said the regime of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei appears to be finished as mass protests continue across the country.

“If a regime can only keep itself in power by force, then it’s effectively at the end. I believe we are now seeing the final days and weeks of this regime,” Merz said during a visit to India.

Germany’s Merz Says Iran’s Leadership Is In Its ‘Last Days & Weeks’ | N18G | CNBC TV18

Now 16 days into protests sparked by anger over rising prices, devalued currency that saw the rial crater now to basically nothing, a devastating drought, and brutal government crackdowns, there appears to be no end in sight, despite the Iranian government’s claims to the contrary.

Contact the author: howard@thewarzone.com

AI-powered toys that can talk back to you are on display at Asia’s biggest toy show, raising smiles but also concerns about children’s safety too. Laura Westbrook went to see some of them.

The U.S. Navy’s top officer wants directed energy weapons to become the go-to choice for the crews of American warships when faced with close-in threats. He also said that more powerful megawatt-class lasers should not be seen as “beyond” the capabilities that could be found on the future Trump class warships. The Navy has been a leader within the U.S. military in fielding laser weapons and is actively pursuing systems that employ high-power microwaves, but there continue to be significant hurdles to these efforts.

Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Daryl Caudle talked with TWZ and other outlets about his service’s directed energy weapon plans at a roundtable at the Surface Navy Association’s (SNA) annual symposium earlier today. Caudle has long been an outspoken proponent of directed energy capabilities.

“My thesis research at [the] Naval Post Graduate School was on directed energy and nuclear weapons,” Caudle said. “This is my goal, if it’s in line of sight of a ship, that the first solution that we’re using is directed energy.”

In particular, “point defense needs to shift to directed energy,” the admiral added. “It has an infinite magazine.”

When it comes to point defense for its ships, the Navy currently relies heavily on Mk 15 Phalanx Close-In Weapon Systems armed with six-barrel 20mm M61 Vulcan rotary cannons and launchers for RIM-116 Rolling Airframe Missiles (RAM). Each Phalanx has enough ammunition to fire for a total of around 30 seconds, at most at the lower of two rate-of-fire settings, before needing to be reloaded. RAM launchers available today can hold either 11 or 21 missiles at a time, and the latest versions of those missiles cost around $1 million each. Many ships across the Navy also have 5-inch or 57mm main guns, and/or 30mm automatic cannons, which can also be used against close-in threats.

Phalanx CIWS Close-in Weapon System In Action – US Navy’s Deadly Autocannon

USS Porter Conducts SeaRAM Test Fire

Recent Navy experience during operations in and around the Red Sea has underscored the value of magazine depth and concerns about expenditure rates of traditional munitions.

“What that does for me is it improves my loadout optimization, so that my loadout, my payload volume is optimized for offensive weapons,” Caudle said of adding new directed energy weapons, and lasers in particular. Furthermore, “as you increase power, the actual ability to actually engage and keep power on target, and the effectiveness of a laser just goes up.”

To date, the plurality of the Navy’s available shipboard directed energy weapon capabilities are split between two systems: the Optical Dazzling Interdictor (ODIN) and the High-Energy Laser with Integrated Optical Dazzler and Surveillance (HELIOS). ODIN and HELIOS systems are currently installed on a number of Arleigh Burke class destroyers.

HELIOS is a 60-kilowatt class design, which is powerful enough to destroy or at least damage certain targets, such as drones or small boats. Its beam can also be used as a ‘dazzler’ to blind optical sensors and seekers. Those same optics could be damaged or destroyed in the process, as well. Manufacturer Lockheed Martin has talked in the past about the possibility of scaling HELIOS’ power up to 150 kilowatts.

The exact power-rating for ODIN is unclear, but it is understood to be lower than that of HELIOS. ODIN can only be employed as a ‘dazzler,’ though the system also has a secondary surveillance capability.

The Navy has tested more experimental laser directed energy weapons on other warships in the past. The most recent known example of this was the integration of a 150-kilowatt design called the Laser Weapon System Demonstrator (LWSD) Mk 2 Mod 0 onto the San Antonio class amphibious warfare ship USS Portland in 2019. The LWSD Mk 2 Mod 0 has since been removed from that ship. The Navy just released a picture yesterday showing it at the Naval Surface Warfare Center, Port Hueneme Division’s (NSWC PHD) Directed Energy Systems Integration Laboratory (DESIL) at Naval Base Ventura County at Point Mugu in California.

USS Portland (LPD 27) tests LWSD laser system

Higher-powered laser directed energy weapons in the 300 to 600 kilowatt classes are also in the Navy’s publicly stated plans, with a focus on improving shipboard defense against incoming cruise missiles. The service has said that each one of the future Trump class large surface combatants could be armed with two 300-kilowatt lasers, as well as a pair of 600-kilowatt types, along with four ODINs. It’s also worth noting here that the Navy has not ruled out using nuclear propulsion on these ships, which could help meet power generation requirements. You can read more about what is known about the design of those ships here.

“You know, we have continuous electron beam, free electron lasers today that can scale to megawatt-plus, gigawatt-plus” power-ratings, Caudle noted today. “I’m telling you that I don’t think a one-megawatt laser is beyond what should be on that battery [on the Trump class].”

A megawatt is 1,000 kilowatts, meaning a weapon in that category would be exponentially more powerful than HELIOS. A gigawatt is 1,000 megawatts. Megawatt-class laser weapon developments have historically focused in large part on the ballistic missile defense mission set.

“We were heavy into this with the Strategic Defense Initiative,” Caudle said, referring to the abortive Cold War-era missile defense program, also nicknamed “Star Wars,” which began under President Ronald Reagan. “We were really into high powered lasers, and we just basically – there was no business case for people to be out there working [on it] … so I don’t think we devoted the actual industrial might and the brain power across academia and think tanks and other places that generate this type of outcome toward directed energy in an effective way, so that we have taken it seriously. So now’s the time.”

“We’ve got to have different lasers, I think, going forward on the battleship to make them effective,” the Navy’s top officer added. “Laser power is not the issue. It’s the form factor. It’s the engineering of the power to get the density of that in a shipboard design. That’s the challenge.”

Caudle did highlight other ongoing hurdles facing laser directed energy weapon developments at the roundtable today.

“The targeting is always a challenge when you’re in a high-moisture environment, because the optics are critical to lasers,” he noted. Lasers are sensitive to various environmental factors that can break up a beam and reduce its effectiveness.

The beam’s power also drops as it gets further away from the source, just as a result of propagating through the atmosphere. More power is then required to generate effects at greater distances. Just ensuring the reliability of laser directed energy weapons with their sensitive optics is a challenge that is further magnified in a shipboard context by saltwater exposure and rough sea states. All of this, combined with the thermal cooling and power demands, have challenged the U.S. military’s ability to field directed energy weapons at greater scale at sea, as well as on land and in the air.

As Caudle highlighted today, the capabilities that laser weapon systems promise to offer are in high demand for ships amid ever-growing drone and missile threats. Advanced warships, particularly large ones like the Trump class, may be heavily protected, but are also high-value targets. As such, having added layers of defense with largely unconstrained magazine depth – as long as there is sufficient power and cooling in the case of direct energy weapons – would be advantageous.

“These things are based on renewable energy, so I can recharge the system … I don’t have to worry about payload [or] volume with directed energy,” Caudle, then commander of U.S. Fleet Forces Command, said at last year’s SNA conference. “All those things are appealing to a navy, [but] we just haven’t really matriculated that into a place … that’s ready for prime time.”

He added then that the Navy should have been “embarrassed” about the progress it had made by that point, or the lack thereof, in fielding directed energy capabilities.

As mentioned, the development of high-powered microwave directed energy weapons is another area where the Navy has been making major investments. The main focus of those projects is again on expanding shipboard defense against incoming cruise missiles, as well as drones. In line with Caudle’s comments today, the Navy has previously said its pursuit of microwave-based systems is directly tied to loadout optimization, though in terms of defensive rather than offensive capabilities. The service sees these directed energy weapons as critical to helping warships keep higher-end surface-to-air missiles in reserve for use against threats they might be better optimized for, especially anti-ship ballistic missiles. Of course, directed energy weapons, whether they are laser or microwave-based, could also allow for further remixing of missile loadouts and other changes that would give current and future ships more offensive magazine depth.

Other armed forces globally, including China’s People’s Liberation Army (PLA), are coming to similar conclusions, and are also actively pursuing directed energy weapon capabilities for shipboard use, as well as for land-based and aerial applications.

“I’ll take what I can get, and then, like anything else, we can evolve that,” the Chief of Naval Operations said today of ongoing work on directed energy weapons.

Whether a megawatt-class laser weapon is added to the arsenal of the future Trump class remains to be seen. The Navy’s top officer has issued a new and clear call to action to put directed energy capabilities front and center when it comes to defending ships against close-in threats like missiles and drones. At the same time, Navy officials have made similar pushes in the past, and there have been persistent challenges in turning that vision into a reality.

Contact the author: joe@twz.com

From Ben Bolch: In the final minutes, Trent Perry absorbed a hard foul that sent him tumbling to the court. When he rose, a wide smile split his face as he walked toward the free throw line.

It was impossible not to feel good about everything unfolding around him.

After a steady uptick, Perry increasing his production given the chance to take an injured teammate’s spot in the starting lineup, the UCLA sophomore guard reached new heights here on a rainy, chilly night.

Playing with an elevated confidence that showed in every move he made, Perry scored 22 of his career-high 30 points in the second half Wednesday night at the Bryce Jordan Center, shaking his team out of an early malaise as the Bruins pulled away for a 71-60 victory over Penn State.

Each of Perry’s four three-pointers in the second half seemed to come at a pivotal moment, including one from the corner off an inbounds pass from Donovan Dent that increased the Bruins’ lead to five points. He later added a three-pointer at the end of the shot clock to push his team’s advantage into double digits.

“All the coaches have been just telling me, ‘Let it fly, be aggressive,’ ” said Perry, who made seven of 13 shots, four of eight three-pointers and all 12 free throws. “I mean, with Skyy [Clark] out, they’ve just been telling me, ‘You’re playing with Donny, he’s going to find you, be aggressive,’ and that’s what’s going on.”

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UCLA box score

Big Ten standings

Kiki Rice leads UCLA women

Kiki Rice had 25 points on eight-for-nine shooting and Lauren Betts posted her third straight double-double, leading No. 3 UCLA past Minnesota 76-58 on Wednesday night.

Betts staved off early foul trouble to finish with 17 points and 10 rebounds as the Bruins (16-1, 6-0) stayed unbeaten in Big Ten play and pushed their winning streak to 10 straight games. Their only loss was to No. 4 Texas in Las Vegas on Nov. 26.

Rice hit all three of her three-point attempts to make the Gophers pay for packing the paint, as the Bruins shot 60% from the field (27 for 45) against the top defensive team in the nation. UCLA had by far the highest final score in a regulation game this season against Minnesota, which was giving up an average of 51.8 points per game entering the night.

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UCLA box score

Big Ten standings

Matthew Stafford will embrace the cold

From Gary Klein: He played 12 seasons in the NFC North before he was traded to the Rams, so quarterback Matthew Stafford is no stranger to cold-weather games.

On Sunday night, when the Rams play the Chicago Bears in an NFC divisional-round at Soldier Field, game-time temperatures could include a wind-chill below zero degrees.

Stafford, citing historic NFL games that were played in tough weather, said on Wednesday that he would embrace the elements.

“There’s something to it, right, that feels right when football’s outdoors, you’re playing late in the year, it’s cold, it means a lot,” Stafford said, adding, “I know it’s going to be a great crowd there, and it’ll be a lot of fun.”

Stafford, 37, suffered a sprained right index finger Saturday against the Carolina Panthers but still passed for 304 yards and three touchdowns, with an interception, in the 34-31 wild-card victory.

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NFL playoffs schedule

All times Pacific
Divisional round
NFC
Saturday
No. 6 San Francisco at No. 1 Seattle, 5 p.m., (FOX, FOX One, FOX Deportes)

Sunday
No. 5 Rams at No. 2 Chicago, 3:30 p.m. (NBC, Peacock, Telemundo, Universo)

AFC
Saturday
No. 6 Buffalo at No. 1 Denver, 1:30 p.m., (CBS, Paramount+)

Sunday
No. 5 Houston at No. 2 New England, noon (ESPN/ABC, ESPN+, ESPN Deportes)

Conference championships
Sunday, Jan. 25
AFC
Noon, (CBS, Paramount+)

NFC
3:30 p.m. (FOX, FOX One, FOX Deportes)

Super Bowl
Sunday, Feb. 8, NBC, Time TBA

Redick defends LeBron

From Thuc Nhi Nguyen: LeBron James, playing on back-to-back nights for the first time this season, had 31 points, 10 assists and nine rebounds in the Lakers’ win over Atlanta on Tuesday.

“It’s remarkable,” coach JJ Redick said of James. “His competitive stamina is off the charts.”

Redick said he didn’t expect James to play Tuesday. Then James dominated with his third 30-point game of the month and his 61st 30-point double-double as a Laker, passing Kobe Bryant for seventh most in franchise history.

“I don’t take for granted the LeBron stuff,” Redick said. “It’s unfortunate actually — not to go on a little tangent here — but it’s actually unfortunate how much this guy puts into it and how much he cares and the way certain people talk about him. It’s crazy. Come be around him every day and see how much this guy cares. It’s off the charts.”

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Clippers win again

Kawhi Leonard scored 33 points and James Harden added 22 points as the Clippers extended their winning streak to four games with a 119-105 victory over the Washington Wizards on Wednesday night.

The victory moved the Clippers (17-23), who were once 6-21, only a half-game behind Memphis for a play-in spot this postseason.

Yanic Konan Niederhauser scored 16 points and Jordan Miller added 11 points with 10 rebounds as the Clippers improved to 11-2 since Dec. 20.

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Clippers box score

NBA standings

Get your 2028 Olympics tickets

From Thuc Nhi Nguyen: With ticket registration for the 2028 Olympics opening at 7 a.m. PST on Wednesday, LA28 has outlined the next steps fans can take to secure their spot at the L.A. Games.

Registration began Wednesday and runs until March 18. Fans who sign up at la28.org can begin purchasing tickets as soon as April 2. The first purchasing window from April 2 to April 6 is reserved for locals living near venue cities in Southern California and Oklahoma City. The first general public drop is from April 9 to 19.

Fans in Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, Ventura, San Bernardino, Oklahoma, Canadian and Cleveland counties will input their ZIP Codes during registration to be entered into the locals presale. When purchasing tickets, they must use the local ZIP Codes on their billing address.

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Kings lose to Vegas

Mark Stone scored 25 seconds into overtime, Jack Eichel had three assists and the Vegas Golden Knights beat the Kings 3-2 on Wednesday night.

Eichel found Stone in front for a shot into an open goal.

The Golden Knights recovered to win their season-best fifth straight after Brandt Clarke tied it at 2 for the Kings with 1:27 remaining in regulation.

Kevin Fiala had a goal and an assist, and Darcy Kuemper made 24 saves for the Kings, who have lost four of five.

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Kings summary

NHL standings

THIS DAY IN SPORTS HISTORY

1965 — In one of the most notable trades in NBA history, the San Francisco Warriors deal Wilt Chamberlain to the Philadelphia 76ers for Connie Dierking, Lee Shaffer, Paul Neumann and cash.

1967 — The NFL’s Green Bay Packers win the first Super Bowl series by defeating the Kansas City Chiefs of the AFL, 35-10.

1978 — The Dallas Cowboys take advantage of eight Denver turnovers en route to a 27-10 victory over the Broncos in the Super Bowl. Butch Johnson’s diving catch in the end zone completes a 45-yard touchdown pass from Roger Staubach and puts the Cowboys ahead 20-3 in the third quarter.

1994 — Ricky Watters of San Francisco scores an NFL postseason-record five touchdowns as the 49ers beat the New York Giants 44-3.

1994 — Lawrence Taylor announces his retirement from the NFL.

1995 — San Diego linebacker Dennis Gibson twice knocks down passes in the end zone — the last one on fourth down — to preserve the Chargers’ biggest NFL victory, a 17-13 win over the Pittsburgh Steelers in the AFC championship.

1997 — Patrick Lalime becomes the first goalie since NHL expansion in 1967 to open his career with a 15-game unbeaten streak as Pittsburgh beats Hartford 3-0.

2000 — The Jacksonville Jaguars steamroll their way into the history books and the AFC championship game. In the second-most overpowering playoff performance ever, the Jaguars rout the Miami Dolphins 62-7. The 55-point margin is the second-largest in playoff history.

2001 — Peace College beats Bennett College 98-3 in women’s college basketball as Bennett sets an NCAA Division III women’s record for fewest points scored.

2004 — Michelle Wie shoots a respectable round of two-over 72, leaving her nine strokes behind the leader after one round at the PGA Sony Open in Honolulu. Wie, 14, is believed to be the youngest player ever on the PGA Tour.

2005 — Michelle Kwan wins her ninth title at the U.S. Figure Skating Championships, tying Maribel Vinson for the all-time record.

2011 — Kyle Kuric’s layup with four seconds remaining caps a furious rally by No. 18 Louisville and the Cardinals stun Marquette 71-70. Louisville trails by 18 with 5:44 to go but close the game on a 24-5 run fueled by guard Preston Knowles.

2011 — Sixth-seeded Green Bay routs the Falcons 48-21 in Atlanta as Aaron Rodgers throws for three touchdowns and runs for one. The 48 points are the most for the Packers in a postseason game.

2012 — New York’s Eli Manning throws three touchdown passes and the Giants shock the Green Bay Packers 37-20 in an NFC divisional playoff game. The Packers, 15-1 in the regular season, become the seventh consecutive Super Bowl champ not to advance to the Super Bowl the next year.

2017 — Justin Thomas wins the Sony Open with the lowest 72-hole score in PGA Tour history. Thomas caps off his wonderful week at Waialae that began with a 59 with his second straight victory. He two-putts a birdie from 60 feet on the par-five 18th and closes with a five-under 65 to set the record at 253. Tommy Armour III shot 254 at the 2003 Texas Open.

2017 — Aaron Rodgers throws a 36-yard pass to a toe-dragging Jared Cook on the sideline, and Mason Crosby kicks a 51-yard field goal on the next play as time expires, sending Green Bay to the NFC championship game with its eighth straight win while thwarting a Dallas rally in a 34-31 victory in the divisional round of the playoffs.

2023 — Lakers LeBron James surpasses 38,000 NBA career points, joining only Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, in 113-112 loss to Philadelphia 76ers at Crypto.com Arena.

Compiled by the Associated Press

Until next time…

That concludes today’s newsletter. If you have any feedback, ideas for improvement or things you’d like to see, email me at houston.mitchell@latimes.com. To get this newsletter in your inbox, click here.

The Trump administration has launched the second phase of the US-brokered deal to end Israel’s war on Gaza. The transition moves from a ceasefire to demilitarisation and reconstruction. Here’s a compilation of what Trump envisions for the future of the Gaza Strip, in his own words.

A federal officer in the United States has shot a Venezuelan man in the leg in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Officials say officers had tried to stop a car to arrest the man and opened fire after two people attacked one of them with a “snow shovel and broom handle”.

Protests broke out in the city after the incident.

Wednesday’s shooting comes exactly a week after a US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officer shot and killed local resident Renee Nicole Good in her car in Minneapolis during an immigration raid.

What happened?

In an X post on Wednesday, the US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) wrote that at 6:50pm (00:50 GMT on Thursday), federal law enforcement officers were stopping “an illegal alien from Venezuela who was released into the country by [former President] Joe Biden in 2022”.

The DHS added that the man had tried to evade the officers, crashing his car into another parked car and then fleeing on foot. It said one of the officers caught up with the immigrant on foot “when the subject began to resist and violently assault the officer”.

The department’s post said that while the immigrant and the officer were struggling on the ground, two people came out of a nearby apartment and began to strike the officer with a snow shovel and a broomstick. It further said, “The original subject got loose and began striking the officer with a shovel or broom stick.”

“Fearing for his life and safety as he was being ambushed by three individuals, the officer fired a defensive shot to defend his life. The initial subject was hit in the leg,” the DHS wrote.

It added that the immigrant and the two people who had come out of the apartment ran back inside the apartment and barricaded themselves in.

The immigrant and officer who was attacked were taken to hospital, and the other two people who attacked the officer are in custody, DHS wrote.

Who was Renee Nicole Good and what happened to her last week?

On the morning of January 7, Jonathan Ross, an ICE officer, fatally shot Good while she was in her car in Minneapolis.

Local officials said Good, 37, was acting as a legal observer during protests against US President Donald Trump’s immigration crackdown.

Legal observers are usually volunteers who attend protests to watch police-demonstrator interactions and record any confrontations or possible legal violations.

Good’s killing sparked outrage and protests in Minnesota and nationwide.

In a joint statement released after she was shot dead, Minneapolis City Council President Elliot Payne and council members wrote: “Renee was a resident of our city who was out caring for her neighbors this morning and her life was taken today at the hands of the federal government. Anyone who kills someone in our city deserves to be arrested, investigated, and prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.”

After Good was shot, the Republican Trump administration clashed with local authorities, including Democratic Governor Tim Walz and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey.

Trump and administration officials claimed that Good had deliberately hit the ICE officer with her SUV and he had shot her in self-defence.

US Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem described Good’s actions as “domestic terrorism”.

She said Good had refused to obey orders to get out of her car, “weaponise[d] her vehicle” and “attempted to run” over the officer. Minnesota officials disputed Noem’s account, citing videos showing Good trying to drive away.

Footage from the incident shows Good’s car slowly reversing and then trying to move forwards. As the car moves forwards, an agent is seen walking around in front of it. He opens fire while standing in front of the driver’s side of the SUV.

Speaking about the shooting on Wednesday, Trump told the Reuters news agency: “I don’t get into right or wrong. I know that it was a tough situation to be in. There was very little respect shown to the police, in this case, the ICE officers.”

What have local authorities said about the latest shooting?

Walz wrote in an X post on Wednesday that state investigators have been to the scene of the shooting.

“I know you’re angry. I’m angry. What Donald Trump wants is violence in the streets,” Walz wrote.

“But Minnesota will remain an island of decency, of justice, of community, and of peace. Don’t give him what he wants.”

In a series of posts on X on Wednesday, Frey wrote: “No matter what led up to this incident, the situation we are seeing in our city is not sustainable.”

He added that there are 600 local police officers working in Minneapolis, and the Trump administration has sent in 3,000 federal officers.

“I have seen conduct from ICE that is intolerable. And for anyone taking the bait tonight, stop. It is not helpful. We cannot respond to Donald Trump’s chaos with our own chaos.”

What is ICE doing in Minnesota?

The DHS launched Operation Metro Surge, which includes Minneapolis, in December. The Trump administration said the operation aims to root out and arrest criminals and undocumented immigrants.

The Trump administration escalated its immigration operation in Minneapolis on January 6. In an X post, ICE announced it planned to deploy 2,000 additional agents to the northern Midwestern city.

“A 100% chance of ICE in the Twin Cities – our largest operation to date,” the post said, referring to Minneapolis and the adjacent city of St Paul.

Todd Lyons, the acting director of ICE, told local news media that ICE is “surging to Minneapolis to root out fraud, arrest perpetrators and remove criminal illegal aliens”.

On Monday, the state of Minnesota filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration, arguing that the operation is an unconstitutional “federal invasion”.

The population of Minnesota is more than 5 million people, and according to numbers from the Migration Policy Institute from 2023, the number of undocumented immigrants in the state is 100,000.

Republicans have made disparaging remarks particularly targeting the state’s Somali population.

Noem said on Tuesday that Trump intends to end temporary deportation protections and work permits for some Somali nationals in the US.

“Country conditions in Somalia have improved to the point that it no longer meets the law’s requirement for Temporary Protected Status,” Noem said in a statement. “Further, allowing Somali nationals to remain temporarily in the United States is contrary to our national interests. We are putting Americans first.”

In December, ICE launched a raid in Columbus, Ohio, which also has a large Somali population. In late November, ICE agents were deployed in New Orleans, Louisiana. Similar raids were launched in Charlotte, North Carolina, the same month.

How many Venezuelan immigrants are in the US?

As of 2023, there were about 770,000 Venezuelan immigrants in the United States, making up just under 2 percent of the country’s 47.8 million foreign-born population, according to the Migration Policy Institute.

The institute estimated that in 2023, 486,000 Venezuelan immigrants were not authorised to be in the US, accounting for 4 percent of a total of 13.7 million unauthorised immigrants.

Since 2014, about 7.7 million Venezuelans, comprising 20 percent of the population, have left the country, mostly to seek better opportunities abroad as the economy has faltered and the government has cracked down on the political opposition. While the vast majority have moved to neighbouring countries, some have gone to the US.

On January 3, US forces abducted Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, whom the Trump administration describes as a “narcoterrorist”. He currently faces charges related to weapons and drug trafficking in New York.

During a national address on January 3, Trump stated: “Maduro sent savage and murderous gangs, including the bloodthirsty prison gang, Tren de Aragua, to terrorise American communities nationwide.”

However, several US intelligence agencies have rejected the claim that Trump has repeatedly made that Maduro controls Tren de Aragua. In an April memo, the agencies said Maduro’s government “probably does not” cooperate with the gang or direct it to carry out operations in the US.