Latest News Digest – January 25, 2026
- Elisa Ballard
- 2 days ago
- 7 min read
National News
President Trump Launches the Board of Peace and Makes Long-Term Deal for use of Greenland - During the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, in January 2026, President Donald Trump capped a high-profile visit with a major diplomatic achievement on January 22, ratifying the founding charter of the Board of Peace. This is a new international organization he initiated. The signing ceremony took place alongside representatives from over 30 nations, including key Middle Eastern allies. The Board of Peace will oversee Gaza's reconstruction under a recent ceasefire while expanding to broader global conflict resolution.
Also on January 22, 2026, at Davos, President Trump revealed a "framework of a future deal" with NATO allies that grants the United States expanded, long-term access to Greenland without a full purchase or transfer of sovereignty. The agreement, negotiated amid tensions including prior U.S. threats of tariffs and military action, builds on the existing 1951 defense pact to provide perpetual U.S. military presence, potential sovereign bases, mineral rights access, and enhanced defense responsibilities in the Arctic to counter Russian and Chinese influence. President Trump suspended planned European tariffs in exchange for progress toward ratification.
In contrast, California Governor Gavin Newsom, who attended the forum, sparked intense backlash and accusations of treason from conservative figures like Assemblyman Carl DeMaio after publicly urging global leaders to "fight" U.S. policies under Trump, criticizing European counterparts as "complicit" and "pathetic" in their handling of the President, and making a viral quip about bringing "knee pads" for those he accused of excessive deference—remarks that led to his scheduled speech at the USA House being canceled and drew fiery rebukes from Trump administration officials like Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent. – cbsnews.com; whitehouse.gov; foxnews.com
Murder Rate Plunges to Historic 125-Year Low – The WhiteHouse.gov website announced that a new report shows the murder rate across the nation’s biggest cities fell last year to its lowest level since 1900. Steep declines were also seen in rapes, robberies, aggravated assaults, overdose deaths and traffic fatalities. According to the Department of Homeland Security, hundreds of thousands of criminal illegal aliens have been arrested and taken off the streets since President Trump took office on January 20, 2025, with 70% of all ICE arrests involving individuals who have been charged or convicted of crimes in the U.S.
Powerful Winter Storm Causes Disruptions Across the Country - A powerful winter storm system slammed into much of the United States starting around January 18, delivering heavy snow, crippling ice accumulations, and record-low temperatures that plunged large swaths of the country into dangerous cold. The storm caused widespread power outages affecting over 1million customers, forced the cancellation or delay of thousands of flights, triggered deadly traffic accidents, and even impacted NFL divisional playoff games with treacherous travel and playing conditions for teams and fans. Emergency responses were mobilized in multiple states, with shelters opened for those without heat, and forecasters warned of lingering bitter cold through the week. Conditions are especially dangerous in Tennessee, Mississippi, and Louisiana where the most outages are occurring. – X Posts by Fox News
Second Fatal Shooting in Minneapolis - Federal immigration enforcement operations continued under the Trump administration, culminating in the fatal shooting of Alex Jeffrey Pretti, a 37-year old ICU nurse during an arrest attempt. Pretti can be seen in videos of the incident standing in the middle of the street just moments before moving to the side where he got involved with ICE agents who pushed a woman who had been interfering with their operations. During the chaos involving several agents, it appears an ICE agent sprayed Pretti with a chemical agent. Pretti had a loaded handgun of a type (Sig P320 9mm pistol) that has a history of unintentionally firing. It is not clear why Pretti was shot when he was on the ground and his gun had been retrieved by another ICE agent. Investigators continue to gather evidence about the shooting. President Trump stated that his administration is “reviewing everything” about the recent fatal shooting. – abcnews.com, nypost.com, msn.com
Signal Chat Group Tracking ICE Movements in Minnesota - A conservative journalist successfully infiltrated a private Signal chat group called "MN ICE Watch," uncovering detailed coordinated plans by leftist activists. A former Tim Walz staffer appears to be involved as a leader of the group which aims to monitor, interfere with, and dox federal ICE agents during operations in Minneapolis. The leaked communications revealed a shadow network functioning like a "quasi-police force" to track ICE movements in real time, share agent information, and organize resistance. – TheGatewayPundit.com
James O’Keefe Reports a Minneapolis Mob Assaulted Him – Ice bottles were thrown at James O’Keefe and his team on January 24th, as they were on the scene in Minneapolis to report on the turmoil. A mob surrounded them and ripped off his bulletproof vest. He has received death threats on his cell phone via text messages that specifically mention that they know what vehicle his is driving and his license plate number. He has reported this to the FBI and has asked his followers to pray for everyone’s safety. – X Post of James O’Keefe
St. Paul, MN, Church Protesters Arrested - In recent days, federal authorities have moved forward with arrests and investigations related to anti-ICE protesters who disrupted a church service in Minnesota, storming Cities Church in St. Paul during a Sunday worship session to protest immigration enforcement actions. The incident involved radical activists, including figures like William Kelly, who was arrested on federal charges potentially including conspiracy and violations of the FACE Act after taunting the DOJ online, while others such as Nekima Armstrong and Chauntyll Allen were ordered released by a Biden-appointed judge who deemed them low flight risks. A Minnesota judge rejected charged against Journalist, Don Lemon. - nypost.com; apnews.com
AAP Sues HHS Over Vaccine Schedule Changes; Children’s Health Defense Files RICO Suit Against AAP - The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), along with other major medical organizations, is suing the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) over significant changes to the childhood vaccine schedule announced in early January 2026, including downgrades to recommendations for shots against flu, meningitis, and other diseases. A federal judge recently denied HHS's motion to dismiss the lawsuit, affirming the groups' standing to challenge the alterations as unlawful and unilateral, building on prior litigation against policy shifts that critics argue undermine established public health protocols without proper process. Meanwhile, The Children’s Health Defense (CHD) and five other plaintiffs have filed a RICO suit against AAP for a racketeering scheme to defraud American Families about the safety of the childhood vaccine schedule. CHD is a nonprofit organization whose mission is ending childhood health epidemics by eliminating toxic exposure. – childrenshealthdefense.org; apnews.com
House Speaker Johnson and Vice President JD Vance at March for Life Rally - House Speaker Mike Johnson delivered emotional remarks at the 2026 March for Life rally in Washington, D.C. on January 23, sharing for the first time in a major public setting that he was the product of an unplanned teenage pregnancy, born in January 1972—one year before the Roe v. Wade decision—and that "a lot of people" tried to convince his very young parents to abort him. Johnson told the crowd, "I am the product of an unplanned teen pregnancy... I'm eternally grateful my parents chose life," underscoring his personal stake in the pro-life movement and calling for continued support for young mothers and families facing crisis pregnancies. The revelation resonated widely, with video of the speech circulating on social media and coverage highlighting Johnson's gratitude for his parents' decision amid ongoing national debates on abortion policy. Vice President JD Vance also addressed the crowd and announced that he and his wife Usha are expecting their fourth child, a boy. – nypost.com
National Blood Shortage Prompts Calls for Donations - The American Red Cross declared a severe national blood shortage on January 20, 2026, after the U.S. blood supply dropped approximately 35% over the previous month, exacerbated by widespread flu outbreaks sidelining potential donors, extreme winter weather canceling hundreds of blood drives (including over 100 in recent storms, resulting in more than 3,500 uncollected donations), and lingering effects from lower holiday-season donations. The shortage is particularly acute for platelets and blood types O, A negative, and B negative, prompting urgent appeals for donations to prevent delays in patient care, including surgeries and treatments; as of January 25, 2026, the crisis remains ongoing, with the Red Cross offering incentives like entry into drawings for donors giving through today and encouraging appointments via RedCrossBlood.org.
Today's NFL Conference Championship Results (January 25, 2026) - NFL divisional playoff games proceeded amid the harsh winter conditions, with teams battling not only opponents but also freezing temperatures and wind, leading to memorable performances and travel headaches for fans. Coverage focused on how the weather added dramatic elements to the road to the Super Bowl.
AFC Championship: New England Patriots 10 – Denver Broncos 7 The Patriots advanced to their record 12th Super Bowl with a gritty, low-scoring win in snowy conditions in Denver, relying on strong defense and key plays from QB Drake Maye.
NFC Championship: Seattle Seahawks 31 – Los Angeles Rams 27 The Seahawks held off a late Rams rally in a high-scoring thriller, led by strong performances from Sam Darnold and receivers like Jaxon Smith-Njigba, punching their ticket to the Super Bowl.
Super Bowl 60 matchup: New England Patriots vs. Seattle Seahawks (February 8, 2026, at Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara, CA).
California News
Congressman Doug LaMalfa Honored at Memorial Service - A public memorial service for U.S. Congressman Doug LaMalfa (R-CA), who passed away unexpectedly on January 6, 2026, at age 65 following a medical emergency, was held on January 24, 2026, at the Silver Dollar Fairgrounds in Chico, California, drawing more than 3,000 attendees in a heartfelt, bipartisan gathering. The event featured tributes from prominent figures including House Speaker Mike Johnson, LaMalfa's chief of staff Mark Spannagel, and other public officials, celebrating the fourth-generation rice farmer's decades of service to Northern California's rural communities, his advocacy for agriculture, water rights, and limited government. Local media outlets like KCRA and Action News Now provided extensive coverage, including full livestreams and photo galleries capturing the emotional outpouring from family, constituents, and colleagues who remembered LaMalfa as a devoted public servant and family man.
California Disrupts International Wildlife Poaching Network - California authorities, in coordination with federal and international partners, announced the successful disruption of several major wildlife trafficking rings, seizing thousands of protected animals and animal parts destined for illegal markets. Governor Gavin Newsom touted the operations as a major environmental win, with state wildlife officials detailing the rescues of endangered species. The story received positive local coverage for California's leadership in conservation. – gov.ca.gov
AG Bonta Files Lawsuit Over Offshore Oil Pipelines - California Attorney General Rob Bonta filed a federal lawsuit against the Trump administration challenging the approval of restarting several idle offshore oil pipelines, arguing that the decision posed unacceptable environmental and safety risks to the state's coastline. The legal action highlighted ongoing tensions between state and federal energy policies, with environmental groups praising the suit. – yahoo.com
