Judge Orders ICE Chief to Appear in Court Over Potential Contempt - The New York Times (Thanks to Haadi for this one)
In a brief ruling, the Minnesota judge wrote that the unusual order was necessary because “the extent of ICE’s violation of court orders is likewise extraordinary.”
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| Acting ICE chief Todd Lyons. |
Theresa Hak Kyung Cha, a Cult Figure Silenced Too Soon - The New York Times (Thanks to Mel for this one)
Theresa Hak Kyung Cha’s poetry, performance and films inspired generations of artists. Never forgotten after her murder, a new exhibition sheds light on her legacy.
Cuban Detainee in El Paso ICE Facility Died by Homicide, Autopsy Shows - The New York Times (Thanks to Mel for this one)
An autopsy from the county medical examiner said the detainee, Geraldo Lunas Campos, was asphyxiated and restrained by law enforcement. Federal officials described his death as a suicide.
Cubans in Florida Are Being Deported in Record Numbers - The New York Times
Cubans had long benefited from legal privileges unavailable to immigrants from other countries. President Trump has changed that.
Xi’s Purge of China’s Military Brings Its Top General Down - The New York Times
The ouster of Gen. Zhang Youxia, who was second only to Xi Jinping in the military hierarchy, marks “the total annihilation of the high command,” one analyst said.
As Minneapolis Rages, Legislators Move to Restrict ICE in Their States - The New York Times (Thanks to Matte for these)
Internal review contradicts White House narrative of Pretti’s death : NPR
D.H.S. Review Does Not Say Pretti Brandished Gun, As Noem Claimed - The New York Times
Minnesota Live Updates: Authorities Investigate Attack on Ilhan Omar in Minneapolis - The New York Times
Rep. Ilhan Omar rushed by man on stage and sprayed with liquid at town hall event : NPR
Bystander videos of Minneapolis killings reveal larger trend : NPR
False Posts and Altered Images Distort Views of Minnesota Shooting - The New York Times
ICE Agents Will Join Olympics Delegation in Italy. Many Italians are Angry. - The New York Times
Why Is the Trump Administration Demanding Minnesota’s Voter Rolls? - The New York Times
Jamie Dimon is learning what happens when a CEO dares to defy Trump
Trump sues JPMorgan, CEO Dimon over alleged 'debanking' : NPR
Conversation with Jamie Dimon, Chairman and CEO of JPMorgan Chase | WEF Annual Meeting 2026
Mendoza Becomes 18th Heisman Winner To Capture National Championship - Heisman (Thanks to Joe for this one)
The newest member of the Heisman Fraternity, Fernando Mendoza, joined an even more exclusive club Monday night (Jan. 19), becoming just the 18th person to win the award and a national title in the same season after leading Indiana to a 27-21 win over Miami in the College Football Playoff.
Mendoza, the CFP National Championship Offensive Player of the Game, passed for 186 yards without an interception , but it was his fourth-down, 12-yard touchdown run with 9:18 to go in the fourth quarter that turned out to be the decisive score, giving the Hoosiers a 24-14 lead.
Hubble observations add evidence of elusive companion orbiting supergiant star Betelgeuse | CNN (Thanks to Finn for this one)
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| Betelgeuse and its companion star, Siwarha |
US states declare emergencies as historic winter storm threatens snow, ice and brutal cold temperatures | New York Post (Thanks to Bernadette for this one)
Snowpocalypse 2026: Severe Winter Weather Expected To Blanket The South
Murder Rate Drops to Lowest Level Since at Least 1900, New Report Says - The New York Times
A decline in homicides across the country was a stunning reversal after crime rose during the pandemic.
Adrian Gonzales had faced 29 charges for his actions in the 2022 shooting, in which 19 children were killed by a gunman at Robb Elementary School in Texas.
Jack Smith to Testify Before Congress on Trump Investigations - The New York Times
The appearance provides Mr. Smith with what is likely to be his best opportunity to challenge President Trump’s assertion that he was persecuted for his politics, not for his misdeeds.
Gaza’s Board of Peace: What to Know - The New York Times (Thanks to Graydon for this one)
Numerous countries say they have been invited to join President Trump’s newly minted organization, which critics say could undermine the United Nations.
Trump Touts Greenland Framework as NATO Mulls U.S. Sovereignty Over Bases - The New York Times (Thanks to Graydon for this one)
Trump Says ‘You’ll Find Out’ How Far He’ll Go to Get Greenland - The New York Times (Thanks to Matte for this)
Prime Minister Mark Carney got a standing ovation in Davos for starkly describing the end of Pax Americana. He is looking for new allies to help his country survive it.
TRANSCRIPT: Prime Minister Mark Carney of Canada Rebukes U.S. Primacy at Davos - The New York Times
Did the U.S. Ever Own Greenland? Fact-Checking Trump’s Davos Speech.
The president gave misleading accounts of the U.S. role in Greenland’s history and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, among other claims.
China Wins as Trump Cedes Leadership of the Global Economy
The president used a keynote speech at the World Economic Forum in Switzerland to renounce the last vestiges of the liberal democratic order.
Middle Tennessee State University Dean Laura Sosh-Lightsy Fired For Charlie Kirk Comments - The New York Times (Thanks to Haadi for this one)
Laura Sosh-Lightsy’s punishment reflects the new power dynamics in the free-speech debate, especially in red states.
She has since struggled to find a job. Grocery stores, public school systems and other workplaces have rejected her. She is living primarily off the payout from her unused time off, and is looking to sell her car in the coming weeks. She can no longer send money home to help her mother with her bills, and is worried about slipping back into the poverty she grew up in.
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| Laura Slosh-Lightsy |
Sea Shepherd Global: The High Seas Treaty
The High Seas Treaty Is Here: Can It Deliver the Marine Parks of the Future?
2026 fun: All the Things Named for Trump, and How Long Other Presidents Had to Wait - The New York Times
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| The newest national parks passes are featuring an additional president. |
European Officials Lean Toward Negotiating, Not Retaliating, Over Trump Threat (Thanks to Matte for this one)
European Union ambassadors held an emergency meeting on Sunday.
Trump's Greenland Threats Hang Over Davos Summit: Live Updates - The New York Times
Trump and EU Leaders Trade Text Messages About Greenland
With Threats to Greenland, Trump Sets America on the Road to Conquest - The New York Times
The Trump Drama Hits Davos - The New York Times
Related: Why does Denmark own Greenland? (YT video)
Exclusive | Disturbing reason Iran appears to have stopped killing protesters | New York Post (Thanks to Bernadette for this one)
After weeks of anti-regime protests across Iran left thousands dead, the mass mobilization of security forces has suppressed the demonstrations, with many too afraid to set foot outside now.
Cyberattack in Venezuela Demonstrated Precision of U.S. Capabilities - The New York Times (Thanks to Haadi for this one)
Senators are expected to ask Lt. Gen. Joshua M. Rudd, President Trump’s nominee to lead the U.S. Cyber Command, about the mission in Caracas.
European troops arrive in Greenland as Denmark talks with US | AP News (Thanks to Sara for this one)
Related: After Danish and U.S. Officials Meet on Greenland, Trump Remains Unmoved - The New York Times
If U.S. Were to Invade Greenland, ‘NATO Would Be Stuck’ - The New York Times
| Nuuk, Greenland |
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| Picture posted on X by the White House showing two purported paths for Greenland. |
High School Poet of the Year Entry (Due date is March 13)
High School Short Fiction Contest | Bucks County Community College (Deadline is March 11)
Harvard Slips on a Global Ranking List, as Chinese Schools Surge Ahead - The New York Times
China's expanding role in global higher education rankings - Chinadaily.com.cn
Related:
DeepSeek's success an opportunity for global AI cooperation - Chinadaily.com.cn
Foreign tech giants sanguine on China ops - Chinadaily.com.cn
Food Prices Keep Climbing, Rattling Consumers and Trump - The New York Times
Weather, supply, tariffs, labor and changing consumer habits continue to drive up the cost of groceries. President Trump falsely claims prices are falling.
The price of beef has risen 16.4 percent over the last year. The price of coffee is up a whopping 19.8 percent. The price of lettuce is up 7.3 percent and frozen fish 8.6 percent. Not everything is going up; some foods have declined in price. Eggs are 20.9 percent cheaper than a year ago, and the cost of most dairy products has declined modestly. But overall, prices are up in five of the six major food-at-home categories tracked by the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
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| The cost of groceries surged last month, according to data released on Tuesday. But President Trump continues to falsely claim that they’ve fallen. |
A.I. Has Arrived in Gmail. Here’s What to Know. - The New York Times
Apple will pay billions for Gemini after OpenAI declined
Apple to fine-tune Gemini independently, no Google branding on Siri, more - 9to5Mac
Apple launches 'Creator Studio' bundle of apps for $12.99 per month | TechCrunch
Apple rolls out Creator Studio to boost services push, adds AI features | Reuters
C. Thi Nguyen Explains Our Gamified World in His New Book, ‘The Score’ - The New York Times
In a new book, C. Thi Nguyen looks to his personal passions — from video games to yo-yoing — to illuminate the downside of our increasingly gamified world.
Federal Judges Uphold California’s New Congressional Maps - The New York Times
A panel in Los Angeles sided with Gov. Gavin Newsom in a decision that will help Democrats counter Republican gerrymandering in Texas. Republicans are expected to appeal.
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| Gov. Gavin Newsom of California persuaded voters to approve new congressional maps that benefited Democrats. It was a response, he said, to a political gerrymander that helped Republicans in Texas. Photo by Gabriela Bhaskar/NYT |
Republicans Block Effort to Check Trump’s Power in Venezuela - The New York Times
G.O.P. leaders succeeded in pressuring fellow senators who initially supported the measure that would have limited President Trump’s military authority in Venezuela.
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| Senator Josh Hawley, Republican of Missouri, reversed himself on the war powers resolution, saying that Secretary of State Marco Rubio and President Trump convinced him that it was not needed. Photo by Kenny Holston/The New York Times |
U.S. Races to Sell Venezuelan Oil, Transforming Ties With Former Foe - The New York Times
U.S. officials brokered the sale of hundreds of millions of dollars' worth of Venezuelan oil to stabilize the country’s economy after capturing its president.
The U.S. Department of Energy is orchestrating the effort to sell a total of about 50 million barrels of Venezuelan oil that has been stranded since President Trump imposed the partial blockade last month, according to the people, who were not authorized to speak publicly.
“The first sale has already occurred, and the sales will continue indefinitely,” a spokesman for the Department of Energy said in a statement in response to questions.
The two oil trading firms have already paid the Venezuelan government for a significant share of the allocated oil, and by Wednesday had shipped more than four million barrels, according to the people.
