“The restart of a reactor at the world’s largest nuclear power plant has been suspended in Japan, a day after the process began, its operator, which also manages the wrecked Fukushima plant, said. But the reactor remains ‘stable.’ The No 6 reactor at the Kashiwazaki-Kariwa plant in north-central Japan – closed since the 2011 Fukushima disaster – reactivated on Wednesday as plant workers started removing neutron-absorbing control rods from the core to start stable nuclear fission. But the process had to be suspended hours later due to a malfunction related to control rods, which are essential to safely starting up and shutting down reactors, the Tokyo Electric Power Company Holdings (TEPCO) said.” (01/22/26)
“Federal prosecutors sought to charge former CNN journalist Don Lemon in connection with an anti-immigration-enforcement protest that disrupted services at a Minnesota church Sunday, but a magistrate judge declined to approve the charge, two people familiar with the development said. Lemon’s name appeared among eight defendants in a federal court docket reviewed by POLITICO Thursday afternoon. However, a short time later the case disappeared altogether from the public docket.” (01/22/26)
“President Donald Trump is suing JPMorgan Chase, the nation’s largest bank, and its CEO Jamie Dimon, alleging it improperly dropped him as a client in 2021 for political reasons. The suit in state court in Florida seeks $5 billion in damages. The suit says that the bank notified Trump and his various businesses it was closing their banking accounts at the bank in February 2021, giving them 60 days notice before the closures went into effect. The suit also charges that Trump, his family and various businesses were placed on a “blacklist” by JPMorgan ‘for any wealth management accounts that they have title to.’ The suit alleges that placement on the blacklist was authorized by Dimon and that being placed on the blacklist led other banks not to deal with Trump and the other plaintiffs in the suit.” (01/22/26)
“Federal authorities have arrested two anti-ICE agitators after a mob stormed a church service in St. Paul, Minnesota, Attorney General Pam Bondi announced Thursday. Bondi named Nekima Levy Armstrong and Chauntyll Louisa Allen as the suspects. FBI Director Kash Patel said Armstrong’s arrest was in connection with a violation of the FACE Act, which prohibits interfering with the exercise of religion at a place of worship. Armstrong is expected to appear Thursday before U.S. Judge Douglas Micko. Allen is charged with conspiracy to deprive rights, the Department of Homeland Security said.” (01/22/25)
“A man facing federal charges in what authorities have called the largest jewelry heist in U.S. history was deported to Ecuador late last month, bringing the case against him to a crashing halt, according to recent court filings. Jeson Nelon Presilla Flores was one of seven men charged last year with breaking into a Brinks big rig and stealing around $100 million worth of gold, diamonds, rubies, emeralds, and luxury watches in 2022. … Flores faces up to 15 years in prison if convicted on charges of conspiracy to commit theft from interstate and foreign shipment and theft from interstate and foreign shipment. He has pleaded not guilty. But, in a complicated sequence of events, Immigration and Customs Enforcement deported Flores on or about Dec. 29, according to his attorney, John D. Robertson. In a Jan. 9 motion to dismiss the case against Flores, Robertson said he had ‘just learned’ his client had been deported.” (01/22/26)
“A former Georgia House member has pleaded guilty to lying to collect federal unemployment benefits during the COVID-19 pandemic. Karen Bennett’s guilty plea to one count of making false statements to collect $13,940 had been expected after she waived her indictment on Jan. 5. Bennett, 70, had resigned from the House in the days before she was charged. … Prosecutors said Bennett, a physical therapist, lied in 2020 when she stated she was being prevented by quarantine from working for Metro Therapy Providers, a company Bennett owned. Prosecutors said that in reality, Bennett’s role with the company was administrative and she worked from a home office, instead of providing therapy to clients. They also allege that Metro Therapy continued operating and generating income after a brief disruption. In addition, prosecutors say Bennett failed to disclose that she was also receiving $905 in week pay from a church.” (01/21/26)
“Donald Trump’s youngest son contacted UK police saying he witnessed a friend in London being ‘beat up’ during a video call, a court has heard. Barron Trump, 19, told police he had friends call 999 from the US so that he could report the alleged attack in January 2025. Matvei Rumiantsev, 22, is on trial at Snaresbrook Crown Court accused of assault and two counts of rape, among other charges, against the alleged victim. He denies assault, actual bodily harm, two counts of rape, intentional strangulation and perverting the course of justice by pressuring the woman to withdraw her complaints. Trump called the alleged victim, who cannot be named for legal reasons, on 18 January last year, the court heard. Shortly after placing the call, the US president’s fifth child contacted the police and said she was being assaulted.” (01/22/25)
“About 100 community supporters and union food workers with El Super Markets in Southern California rallied Wednesday, Jan. 21 at the Mexican supermarket chain’s headquarters in Commerce, seeking improved wages and protection from immigration raids. … Last fall, the union rejected a company offer of wage increases ranging from one penny to 22 cents hourly. The union also is seeking health and safety protections to prevent injuries, sufficient staffing and guaranteed work hours. The union also is upset that the chain won’t adopt protections during workplace immigration raids by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Border Patrol and Immigration and Customs Enforcement, or permit some workers who need to take time off to deal with immigration issues.” (01/21/26)
“Spain is urging the EU to move towards creating a joint army for the bloc as a deterrence measure, Spain’s Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Albares said in comments to Reuters on Wednesday ahead of a day of meetings in Davos. The region should focus first on bringing together its tangible assets to properly integrate its defence industry, and then mobilising a coalition of the willing, the foreign minister said. … The comments come ahead of an emergency meeting between EU leaders later on Thursday in Brussels to coordinate a joint response to U.S. President Trump’s threats to buy or annex Greenland. ” (01/21/26)
“The Trump administration is expanding its ban on U.S. foreign aid for groups supporting abortion services to include assistance going to international and domestic organizations and agencies that promote gender identity as well as diversity, equity and inclusion programs. An administration official said Thursday that the State Department would release final rules that expand the scope of the ‘Mexico City’ policy that has already severely reduced assistance to international organizations that provide abortion-related care. The policy was first established under President Ronald Reagan but rescinded by subsequent Democratic administrations. The new rules, first reported by Fox News, would halt foreign assistance from going toward not only groups that provide abortion as a method of family planning but also those that advocate ‘gender ideology’ and DEI, according to the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity ahead of the rules’ publication in the Federal Register on Friday.” (01/22/25)
