“Multiple documents released by Argentine President Javier Milei last year reveal how Argentina’s search for Nazi war criminals, who found refuge in the country during and after the Second World War, were able to avoid arrest and, for the most part, live ordinary lives. While Argentina’s Peronist government sympathized and often knew of Nazi criminals hiding in their territory – often under their auspices – once the populist regime fell, the South American nation half-heartedly tried to keep tabs on the war criminals hiding there. Though many high-profile cases went nowhere, the case of Hitler’s henchman Martin Bormann is exemplary in showing how inefficient Argentina was in its investigations.” (01/18/26)
“A Redlands man was arrested late Thursday after police say he broke into a home, pointed a shotgun at the resident and was then shot by the homeowner. The Redlands Police Department responded to a report of shots fired shortly before midnight on Jan. 15. The homeowner arrived home and found the intruder inside. He armed himself with a handgun before confronting the intruder, who pointed a shotgun at the homeowner, according to police. That’s when the homeowner shot the intruder and immediately exited the home to call police, officials said. When officers arrived, they cleared the home and followed a blood trail that led to the back yard where they found the intruder suffering from a gunshot wound.” (01/17/26)
“President Trump on Thursday threatened to deploy U.S. military forces under the Insurrection Act to Minneapolis if state officials don’t stop protests against the sprawling immigration enforcement operation. Every modern use of the Insurrection Act has come either at a governor’s request or to expand civil rights protections over state objections. Trump would flip that script, sending troops against a governor’s wishes to crush protests of the federal government’s own actions. The situation has grown increasingly amid a surge in ICE activity and last week’s [murder] of Renee Good by an ICE agent. … Trump’s threat, posted to Truth Social, came hours after the second ICE shooting in the Twin Cities in a week, when an agent shot a Venezuelan man in the leg during what the Department of Homeland Security described as an ‘ambush.'” (01/15/26)
“South Korea’s impeached president Yoon Suk Yeol will be jailed for five years over abuse of power, obstructing justice and falsifying documents in relation to his failed martial law bid in 2024. This is the first of the verdicts in four trials linked to his shock martial law decree. Although short-lived, the move triggered nationwide turmoil, sparking protests as MPs rushed to the national assembly to overturn Yoon’s decision. Yoon’s actions ‘plunged the country into political crisis,’ a judge said on Friday, noting that Yoon had ‘consistently shown no remorse.’ Friday’s ruling offers clues as to how the rest of Yoon’s trials could go. His string of charges range from abuse of power to campaign law violations.” (01/16/26)
“A federal judge in Boston lambasted Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem on Thursday for what he called an ‘unconstitutional conspiracy’ to target pro-Palestine students for their speech. ‘These cabinet secretaries have failed in their sworn duty to uphold the Constitution,’ U.S. District Judge William Young exclaimed, later invoking the Fugitive Slave Act to describe the modern-day conundrum of federal immigration enforcement. The impassioned statements came as Young mulled a remedy in a case involving the Trump administration’s attempts to deport college students and academics for protesting against Israel’s bombardment of the Gaza Strip.” (01/15/26) https://www.courthousenews.com/judge-slams-government-for-conspiring-to-chill-free-speech-of-pro-palestine-students/
“The United States has finalised a sale of Venezuelan oil – the first since Washington took control of the sector following the toppling of Nicolas Maduro, a US official told Agence France-Presse on Thursday. According to the official, who did not identify the buyer, the deal is worth US$500 million, and additional sales could take place in the coming days or weeks. ‘President Trump brokered a historic energy deal with Venezuela, immediately following the arrest of narcoterrorist Nicolas Maduro, that will benefit the American and Venezuelan people,’ said White House spokesman Taylor Rogers. Last week, Trump announced on his Truth Social platform ‘the Interim Authorities in Venezuela will be turning over between 30 and 50 MILLION Barrels of High Quality, Sanctioned Oil, to the United States of America.’ He added: ‘This Oil will be sold at its Market Price, and that money will be controlled by me, as President of the United States of America.'” (01/15/26)
“Israel killed at least eight Palestinians across Gaza, just as the United States announced that the two sides had progressed to the second phase of a 20-point ceasefire deal with Hamas to end the conflict. The Wafa news agency reported that the Israeli military bombed two houses belonging to the al-Hawli and the al-Jarou families in the central town of Deir el-Balah on Thursday evening, with health officials confirming a 16-year-old minor was among those killed. The Israeli military announced that one of the victims, Muhammad al-Hawli, was a commander in the Qassam Brigades, the armed wing of Hamas.” (01/15/26)
“A federal judge on Thursday rejected the Justice Department’s attempt to obtain California’s voter rolls, delivering a setback to President Donald Trump’s administration as it seeks to gather private information on millions of voters. The Justice Department last year took the unusual step of asking states to provide copies of their lists of voters, which include names, addresses, partial Social Security numbers, driver’s license numbers and other information. Most states resisted, and the administration filed separate lawsuits against 23 states and Washington, D.C. The judge in the California case, David O. Carter, is the first to issue a ruling, and his decision could influence courts in other states. He found the administration had no authority to use federal civil rights and voting laws to gain the voter lists.” (01/15/26)
“Russian authorities have ordered a British diplomat in Moscow to leave the country within two weeks, accusing the person of espionage. ‘Moscow will not tolerate the activities of undeclared British intelligence officers on Russian territory,’ Russia’s Foreign Ministry said in a statement published Thursday morning. Britain’s charge d’affaires in Russia, Danae Dholakia, was summoned to the Foreign Ministry where she was issued with a warning. ‘It was stated that Russia will continue to implement a line of zero-compromise on this issue in accordance with our country’s national interests,’ Moscow said. The statement also cautioned London against any ‘escalation of the situation,’ threatening a ‘decisive ‘mirror’ response.'” (01/15/26)
“An appeals court reversed the lower court decision that freed pro-Palestinian activist Mahmoud Khalil from immigration detention, in a major win for the Trump administration. Khalil was picked up at his Columbia University housing complex and jailed as part of the Trump administration’s crackdown on pro-Palestinian protests. He spent about three months in a Louisiana detention center and missed the birth of his son. The administration alleges he was one of the main organizers of the Columbia University encampment. The Third Circuit, sitting in Philadelphia, ruled 2-1 that the federal district court in New Jersey had no jurisdiction to order the release of the Columbia graduate student because immigration challenges are handled differently under the law.” (01/15/26)
