News for January 23, 2026

The U.S. carried out a 35th strike on an alleged drug boat in the eastern Pacific, killing two people and leaving one survivor, as pressure grows over President Trump’s Venezuela campaign.

Maryland Democrats are pushing a new plan to redraw the state’s House map before the 2026 election, with Governor Wes Moore backing the move and lawmakers aiming for one more Democratic seat.

A federal judge temporarily ordered the Trump administration to keep child care and other social service funds flowing to five states while a legal fight over the cuts continues.

Minnesota saw widespread protests and business closures as people pushed back against an ICE crackdown ordered by President Donald Trump.

The Trump administration imposed new sanctions on Iran by targeting a “shadow fleet” of ships that helps move Iranian oil and fund the regime’s crackdown.

The Supreme Court appears ready to keep Federal Reserve governor Lisa Cook in her job, while leaving open a bigger question about why the Fed is treated differently from other agencies when presidents try to fire officials.

Trump celebrated a finalized TikTok deal that keeps the app running in the U.S. through a new American entity tied to ByteDance and Oracle.

Russia and Ukraine held rare joint peace talks with the United States in Abu Dhabi as President Donald Trump pushed for a deal, but the main obstacle remains Russia’s demand for Ukrainian territory in the Donbas.

The United States has officially left the World Health Organization after President Donald Trump’s withdrawal order and the health agency’s criticism of its response to the pandemic.

A federal judge seemed skeptical of the Trump administration’s case for building a White House ballroom and may pause the project while the lawsuit continues.