California – Page 8

California lawmakers ignore most state audit warnings, costing billions

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For more than a decade, the California State Auditor has issued warnings to lawmakers about government waste, fraud, cost overruns, and broken oversight systems across state government. Again and again, audits called for changes in state law meant to fix those problems.

In many cases, those fixes did not happen.

CBS News California Investigates recently exposed how lawmakers ignored years of warnings from the California State Auditor about hidden traffic violation fees.

That raised a broader question: What other audit warnings have lawmakers been ignoring, and at what cost?

An exclusive CBS News California analysis of state audit recommendations dating back to 2015 found lawmakers failed to enact three out of every four recommendations that required legislative action.

The unresolved warnings span some of California’s most expensive and urgent problems, including unemployment fraud, homelessness spending oversight, public safety funding accountability, wildfire risk, and drinking water safety, just to name a few.

These are audits the Legislature asked for. Audits Californians paid for. Audits with recommendations that remain unresolved, while California continues to lose money to potential waste and fraud.

California’s Unfinished Business

CBS News California analyzed state audit recommendations dating back to 2015 and found the following.

California lawmakers failed to act on three out of every four state audit recommendations
There are more than 300 outstanding recommendations to the legislature
The outstanding recommendations impacted more than 100 different issues and agencies
Two out of three state audits include recommendations on which the auditor notes that lawmakers have taken “no action”
at all.

CBS News California Investigates is now building a publicly searchable “Audit Accountability Tracker” to help viewers and voters track what lawmakers have not done and what that inaction costs Californians.

The database is not yet public, but the early findings reveal a series of patterns the Auditor has documented for years: the same problems, the same risks, the same inaction.

Billions lost to fraud and broken oversight

The analysis reveals that some of California’s most costly cases of fraud or untracked spending were the subjects of numerous prior audits. According to the auditor, state losses may have been mitigated if lawmakers had acted on earlier recommendations.

“There would still be issues, but not as serious as we are now,” former California State Auditor Elaine Howle told CBS News California in 2021 while discussing two audits related to pandemic unemployment fraud.

Prior audits warned lawmakers that the state’s Employment Development Department (EDD) left Californians vulnerable to fraud, but by the time lawmakers acted, it was too late.

It’s estimated that California lost more than $20 billion to pandemic unemployment fraud when EDD issued billions in fraudulent payments to criminals while out-of-work Californians struggled to get an EDD rep on the phone, let alone get paid.

Years later, new audits reveal that EDD fraud continues, along with outstanding recommendations to lawmakers.

Homelessness spending offers another example of state audit warnings that lawmakers ignored. The Auditor repeatedly warned lawmakers that California lacks a statewide plan, outcome tracking and accountability for homelessness program spending.

The state spent more than $20 billion without uniform standards to measure effectiveness. Meanwhile, audit after audit repeated the same core warnings while the recommendations to the legislature appear to have stalled.

In many cases, recommended legislation died behind closed doors without a public vote revealing who killed it or why.

It is not just about money

Outstanding audit recommendations also involve risks to public safety and public health that may have been mitigated if lawmakers acted sooner.

For instance, the auditor found that water districts were failing to tell people that their drinking water was unsafe. It’s an issue CBS News California has been covering for years.

The auditor pushed for more disclosure, and lawmakers failed to act.

As wildfires continue to destroy communities, lawmakers take “no action” on auditor-recommended oversight laws and ignore other recommendations related to law enforcement, courts, healthcare for pregnant women, hate crimes, untested rape kits, affordable housing solutions and more.

Lawmakers even failed to act on polices that, according to the auditor, put child abuse victims at risk.

In all, CBS News California identified more than 300 outstanding audit recommendations.

New lawmakers, old warnings

CBS News California Investigates shared some of our findings with Assemblymember John Harabedian, the new chair of the Joint Legislative Audit Committee (JLAC). The JLAC committee decides which issues the auditor investigates.

“When I hear that there are many audits and recommendations that haven’t been addressed, I think that’s a wake-up call, Harabedian said.”

Harabedian is part of a large new class of lawmakers, many of whom were not in office when the recommendations were written.

“I think that being new to the Legislature and now being the chair of the Joint Legislative Audit Committee, I am keenly focused on oversight,” he said. “I do think investigative journalism, what you’re doing, is important. It keeps everyone accountable and highlights issues that might not be on my radar or (my colleagues’) radar.”

What comes next

CBS News California Investigates is building an Audit Accountability Tracker, a public database designed to show in one place:

What the State Auditor told lawmakers to fix
Which recommendations required changes in state law
Which ones remain unresolved
Why they matter to Californians

We are also waiting for additional financial records from the California State Auditor’s office to quantify the potential cost of inaction and potential future savings if lawmakers act.

The tracker will serve voters and viewers as well as the more than 30 new lawmakers who were not in office when many of these audits were issued.

The warnings are written, solutions identified.

The question is, will the new class of lawmakers finish what their predecessors started?

In:

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January 26, 2026

How do animals know it’s safe to eat mushrooms in Sunnyvale yard?

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DEAR JOAN: Recently I noticed mushrooms growing at the base of one of the juniper trees in the backyard. It was interesting, so I took a picture.

A couple of days ago, I noticed that the mushrooms were gone, and there were scratch marks in the damp earth at the base where the mushrooms had been.

I am curious as to what animal could have eaten the mushrooms, and if that animal is in any danger from poisoning. I see raccoons, possums, squirrels, and birds on my backyard camera.

Who is the most likely culprit, or victim?

— Nancy McKiernan, Sunnyvale

DEAR NANCY: The winter rains can turn our Bay Area yards into fairylands with mushrooms popping up all over. While it is never a good idea to eat one without knowing exactly what type it is, animals don’t have the benefit of being able to call on a mycologist to determine the identity.

Instead, they rely on taste, outcome and experience. If a wild animal eats a mushroom that later makes it ill, it will avoid those mushrooms in the future, provided they survive. They’ll likely also stay away from anything that has a same or similar taste. That provides them with some protection against eating the poisonous ones.

In the Bay Area, there are two mushrooms that are unsafe for any creature, and those are the death cap (Amanita phalloides) and the western destroying angel (Amanita ocreata). Both are commonly found near and around oak trees.

As for what animal would eat the golden hued mushrooms you observed, the list is long. Mushrooms are a treat for wildlife as they have a high water content, are a good source of protein, and a good source of vitamins and phosphorus.

Rats, squirrels, deer, box turtles, wild turkeys, and wild boars, just to name a few that might be visiting your yard, all love mushrooms. The scratches you observed lead me to think of turkeys, but there’s no way to know for certain.

DEAR JOAN: I’m already thinking about spring and what I’ll be planting in my vegetable garden. Last year, much of the garden was eaten by rats, birds and squirrels. I’m wondering if one of those plastic owls would scare them away?

— Alice B., Clayton

DEAR ALICE: Decoys do work, however briefly, against the birds but it’s unlikely the rats and squirrels will even raise an eyebrow.

Stationary owl statues and other decoys might keep the birds away for a day or two, but then the birds figure out there’s no threat, and before you know it, they’re perching on the fake owl’s head and having a good laugh.

You want something that will move unpredictably. Objects that are pushed and pulled by the wind, and which add unexpected flashes of light have a better and longer track record of success. You can hang reflective ribbons or old CDs throughout the garden.

For the rats and squirrels, the only thing stopping them are physical barriers. Surrounding your garden with a hardware cloth fence and a shock wire on top will do wonders.

The Animal Life column runs on Mondays. Contact Joan Morris at AskJoanMorris@gmail.com.

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Joan Morris, Correspondent

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January 26, 2026

Car pursued by CHP plunges off 105 Freeway near LAX

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A car being pursued by California Highway Patrol officers early Sunday, Jan. 25 flew off the 105 Freeway and crashed to the ground below near Los Angeles International Airport, the CHP said.

The driver’s face was bloody, and he appeared dazed after El Segundo firefighters cut him out of a Chevrolet Camaro, as seen in a video by freelance news organization OnScene.TV. The man was arrested and hospitalized.

California Highway Patrol officers arrest a man who they say led them on a pursuit early Jan. 25, 2026, before crashing off the 105 Freeway near Los Angeles International Airport. (Photo by OnScene.TV)

The pursuit began when officers attempted to pull over the car for speeding on the westbound 10 Freeway at Vincent Avenue, CHP spokeswoman Megan Curtiss said. The driver failed to stop, and the crash happened around 2:07 a.m. near N. Nash Street and Imperial Highway, she said.

A California Highway Patrol officer looks down on a crash scene after a car being pursued flew off the 105 Freeway near Los Angeles International Airport early on Jan. 25, 2026. (Photo by OnScene.TV)

The OnScene.TV footage showed a red sedan that was apparently involved in a collision at the end of the pursuit. The video also showed a gun that the CHP had seized, as well as a saw and a computer device. No details about those items were available on Sunday.

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Brian Rokos

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January 25, 2026

Warriors’ Steve Kerr voices support for Minneapolis amid ICE occupation, protests

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MINNEAPOLIS — As thousands of people marched shoulder to shoulder through the streets of downtown Minneapolis Sunday afternoon, demanding that the federal immigration crackdown in their city end, Steve Kerr did not want to discuss basketball before the Warriors’ 111-85 victory over the Timberwolves.

A little over 24 hours after a federal immigration agent shot and killed Alex Pretti amid protests a few miles away from Target Center, causing the postponement of Saturday’s game between the visiting Warriors and the Wolves, the longtime Golden State coach gave his first public statements on the situation.

“I love the city of Minneapolis, and people here are wonderful. And it’s very sad, what’s happening, and I feel for the city,” Kerr said. “There’s a pall that has been cast over the city. You can feel it, and a lot of people are suffering. Obviously, loss of life is the No. 1 concern. Those families will never get their family members back. And you know, when all the unrest settles down, whenever that is, those family members won’t be returning home, and that’s devastating.”

Kerr said Warriors general manager Mike Dunleavy alerted him Saturday morning that the league was considering postponing the game.

He also received calls from both Wolves coach Chris Finch and veteran forward Joe Ingles, who let Kerr know that the Wolves players were “feeling really uneasy” about the situation.

“I told Chris and Joe, ‘We trust you guys. We trust the league, whatever makes the most sense,’” Kerr said. “So ultimately, obviously, the game was postponed. I totally agree with the decision. Everything should be about safety and concern for not only the players and the fans, but everybody here in Minneapolis with what’s going on.”

BCA officers stand near the scene of a fatal shooting that took place yesterday, in Minneapolis, Sunday, Jan. 25, 2026. (AP Photo/Adam Gray)

Ultimately, the NBA postponed the game just under three hours before tipoff. Kerr’s teams have previously gone through sudden postponements.

The Warriors coach was just a rookie on the Phoenix Suns when his team had its game cancelled in Miami during the riots of 1989. Over three decades later, the Warriors’ games against the Jazz and Mavericks were postponed after the sudden death of Golden State assistant coach Dejan Milojević.

The Warriors arrived in Minneapolis on Friday afternoon and watched as tens of thousands of people marched down the streets to protest the protracted presence of federal immigration officers in the city.

Though protests did not break out near the arena on Saturday, they were in full force a few hours before tipoff on Sunday afternoon. Hundreds held signs expressing displeasure at Immigration and Customs Enforcement being in the city, and chants rang through the crowded streets.

Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara told reporters on Saturday that a 37-year-old man was killed on Saturday morning but did not identify him, citing limited information about what led up to the shooting. The man was identified by his parents as Alex Pretti, an intensive care unit nurse.

Minnesota Timberwolves guard Mike Conley (10) and Minnesota Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards (5) celebrate after Conley scores during the first half of Game 5 of an NBA basketball second-round playoff series against the Golden State Warriors, Wednesday, May 14, 2025, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)

The protests continued inside the arena.

During a moment of silence held in honor of Pretti, several fans could be heard yelling “(expletive) ICE,” although no physical signs or written messages in opposition to immigration personnel were seen in the lower bowl.

During a break in the action with about five minutes left in the first half, chants of “ICE out” were heard while De’Anthony Melton was shooting free throws. In the third quarter, several members of the Target Center’s dunk crew entertainment team were seen wearing “ICE OUT” shirts.

When the game was being played, neither team was very sharp. The Timberwolves, understandably, appeared to lack focus during the first half, turning the ball over 16 times in the first 24 minutes.

The Warriors led 47-46 at halftime as both sides seemed to just go through the motions, and Golden State pulled away in the third quarter after outscoring the home team 38-17. The Warriors (26-21) snapped a two-game skid, which was the same number of games the team had played without Jimmy Butler, who was lost for the season on Monday with a torn ACL.

Steph Curry scored 26 points, passing John Havlicek and tying with another Celtic great, Paul Pierce (26,397), for 19th on the all-time scoring list.

Teammate Moses Moody scored 19, while Brandin Podziemski put in 12 points. Anthony Edwards poured in 30 points for the Timberwolves, while former Warrior Donte DiVincenzo scored 22.

The teams will play again here on Monday at 6:30 PT.

Thousands had taken to the Minneapolis streets on Friday to protest the continued heavy presence of federal agents in the state capital. On Jan. 7, Renee Nicole Good was shot and killed by a federal officer while inside her car during a protest.

Kerr decried the death of Good when it occurred several weeks ago, blasting the federal government during an impassioned monologue.

But on Sunday, Kerr struck a message of unity, asking his fellow Americans to respect one another.

“It’s hard to decipher what’s real and what’s not, what’s true and what’s not true,” Kerr said. “People arguing over the exact same video and saying, ‘This happened. No, that happened.’ It is a confusing time to be alive and to be an American, and so what I would appeal to everyone is to remember what our constitution stands for, what our values are, and what that means to how we treat each other and our fellow citizens.”

Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.

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Joseph Dycus

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January 25, 2026

Commentary: There’s one state in America with no voter registration. How does that work?

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When he’s not busy slathering the White House in gold or recklessly sundering foreign alliances, President Trump loves to talk about voter fraud.

Although the incidence is rare — like, spotting-a-pangolin-in-the-wild rare — Trump persistently emits a gaseous cloud of false claims. About rigged voting machines, dead people casting ballots, mail-in votes being manipulated and other fevered figments of his overripe imagination.

Voting is the most elemental of democratic exercises, a virtuous act residing right up there alongside motherhood and apple pie. But Trump has treated it as a cudgel, something dark and sinister, fueling a partisan divide that has increasingly undermined faith in the accuracy and integrity of our elections.

One result is a batch of new laws making it harder to vote.

Since the 2020 presidential election — the most secure in American history, per the Trump administration’s own watchdogs — at least 30 states have enacted more than 100 restrictive laws, according to New York University’s Brennan Center and the Democracy Policy Lab at UC Berkeley, which keep a running tally.

Texas passed legislation allowing fewer polling places. Mississippi made it harder for people with disabilities to vote by mail. North Carolina shortened the window to return mail ballots.

In California, state Sen. Carl DeMaio and allies are working to qualify a November ballot measure that would require a government-issued ID to vote, a solution in desperate search of a problem.

“We have the lowest level of public trust and confidence in our elections that we have ever seen,” the San Diego Republican said in launching the effort, sounding the way someone would by lamenting the damage a fire has done while ignoring the arsonist spreading paint thinner all around.

Amid all the manufactured hysteria, there is a place that is unique in America, with no voter registration requirement whatsoever.

If you’re a U.S. citizen, 18 years or older and have lived in North Dakota for 30 days prior to election day, you’re eligible to vote. It’s been that way for more than 70 years, ever since voter registration was abolished in the state in 1951.

How’s it working?

Pretty darn well, according to those who’ve observed the system up close.

“It works excellent,” said Sandy McMerty, North Dakota’s deputy secretary of state.

“In general, I think most people are happy with this,” political scientist Mark Jendrysik agreed, “because it lowers the record-keeping burdens and saves money.”

Jendrysik, who teaches at the University of North Dakota in Grand Forks, said voter registration was abandoned at a time when the state — now redder than the side of a barn — had vigorous two-party competition and, with it, a bipartisan spirit of prairie populism.

“There was an idea we should make it easier to vote,” Jendrysik said. “We should open up things.”

What a concept.

Walk-up voting hasn’t made North Dakota a standout when it comes to casting ballots. In the last three elections, voter turnout has run close to the national average, which puts it in the middle of the pack among states.

But there also hasn’t been a high incidence of fraud. In 2022, a study by the state auditor’s office found it “exceptionally” unlikely an election in North Dakota could be fraudulently influenced. (Again, like the country as a whole.)

In fact, Jendrysik said he can’t recall a single case of election fraud being prosecuted in the 26 years he’s lived in North Dakota and followed its politics.

It’s not as though just anyone can show up and cast a ballot.

Voting in North Dakota requires a valid form of identification, such as a state-issued driver’s license, a tribal ID or a long-term care certificate. It must be presented each and every election.

By contrast, a California voter is not required to show identification at a polling place before casting their ballot — though they may be asked to do so if they are voting for the first time after registering to vote by mail and their application failed to include certain information. That includes a driver’s license number or the last four digits of their Social Security number.

Could North Dakota’s non-registration system be replicated elsewhere?

Jendrysik is dubious, especially in today’s political environment.

North Dakota is a sparsely populated state with hundreds of small communities where, seemingly, everyone knows everyone else. There are about 600,000 eligible voters, which is a lot more manageable number than, say, California’s 30 million adult-age residents. (California has more than a dozen counties with north of half a million registered voters.)

“It’s unique to this state,” Jendrysik said, “and I think if they hadn’t done it decades ago, it would have never happened.”

(Fun fact: North Dakota also has no parking meters on its public streets, owing to a state law passed in 1948, according to Jendrysik, who has published two academic papers on the subject.)

McMerty, of the secretary of state’s office, believes others could emulate North Dakota’s example.

It would require, she suggested, rigorous data-sharing and close coordination among various state agencies. “We’re updating our voter rolls daily — who’s obtained a driver’s license, births, deaths. That kind of thing,” McMerty said.

Again, that’s a much easier task in a state with the population the size of North Dakota’s. (About 800,000 at last count.)

And there’s no particular impetus for others to end their systems of voter registration — unless it could be proved to significantly boost turnout.

We should be doing all we can to get people to vote and invest in our beleaguered political system. Rather than wasting time chasing shadows and phantoms or indulging the delusions of a sore-loser president.

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Mark Z. Barabak

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January 25, 2026

More than 11,400 flights canceled Sunday across the U.S.

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NASHVILLE — A massive winter storm made for a brutal travel day Sunday, with widespread cancellations and delays at some of the nation’s busiest airports.

What You Need To Know

Widespread snow, sleet and freezing rain threatened nearly 180 million people — more than half the U.S. population — in a path stretching from the southern Rocky Mountains to New England, the National Weather Service said Saturday night

After sweeping through the South, the storm moved into the Northeast Sunday, and was expected to dump about 1 to 2 feet of snow from Washington through New York and Boston

Aviation analytics firm Cirium said that as of Sunday morning, the storm is the highest experienced cancellation event since the pandemic

New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport had 466 flights canceled, about 80% of flights, according to FlightAware

Widespread snow, sleet and freezing rain threatened nearly 180 million people — more than half the U.S. population — in a path stretching from the southern Rocky Mountains to New England, the National Weather Service said Saturday night. After sweeping through the South, the storm moved into the Northeast Sunday, and was expected to dump about 1 to 2 feet of snow from Washington through New York and Boston.

More than 11,400 flights were canceled on Sunday, according to flight-tracking site FlightAware. Aviation analytics firm Cirium said that as of Sunday morning, the storm is the highest experienced cancellation event since the pandemic.

By Sunday afternoon, the majority of flights were canceled at busy airports in the Northeast and elsewhere. LaGuardia Airport in New York closed Sunday afternoon, according to the Federal Aviation Administration. The agency said on its website the busy Queens airport grounded flights until 8 p.m.

In Philadelphia, 94% of flights, 326 flights, were canceled. Ninety-one percent of flights, 436 flights, were canceled at LaGuardia Airport in New York. New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport had 466 flights canceled, about 80% of flights, according to FlightAware.

Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport said on its website that all airlines had canceled departing flights for the day, about 421 flights.

Significant disruptions also hit major airport hubs in Dallas-Fort Worth, Charlotte, Philadelphia and Atlanta, home to the nation’s busiest airport.

Allan Lengel of Detroit planned to return Monday from Fort Lauderdale, Florida, where the temperature has been in the 80s. But he’s staying until Wednesday after Delta suggested he change his reservation because of the weather impact on flights.

“Can’t say I’m disappointed. Frankly, I had been thinking of returning later because of frigid weather,” Lengel, 71, said, referring to conditions in Michigan.

American Airlines had canceled over 1,790 flights for Sunday, about 55% of its scheduled flights for Sunday, according to FlightAware. Delta Air Lines reported over 1,470 cancellations and Southwest Airlines reported over 1,340 cancellations for the day, while United Airlines had about 1,016. JetBlue had more than 590 canceled flights, accounting for roughly 72% of its schedule for the day.

Vikrant Vaze, a Dartmouth professor specializing in commercial aviation logistics, said recovery from the storm cancellations and delays will take days if not longer. And even for travelers who aren’t in areas that were directly affected by weather, cascading delays could still affect their travel plans.

“Because there are so many different airlines involved, I think it’s going to come down heavily to the individual airline’s network structure, the extent of hit that each of them has had, and just the intrinsic capacity of the airlines to handle these massive disruptions,” he said.

My flight was canceled, now what?

If you’re already at the airport, get in line to speak to a customer service representative. If you’re still at home or at your hotel, call or go online to connect to your airline’s reservations staff. Either way, it helps to also research alternate flights while you wait to talk to an agent.

Most airlines will rebook you on a later flight for no additional charge, but it depends on the availability of open seats.

Can I get booked on another airline?

You can, but airlines aren’t required to put you on another carrier’s flight. Some airlines, including most of the biggest carriers, say they can put you on a partner airline, but even then, it can be a hit or miss.

Am I owed a refund?

If your flight was canceled and you no longer want to take the trip, or you’ve found another way to get to your destination, the airline is legally required to refund your money — even if you bought a non-refundable ticket. It doesn’t matter why the flight was canceled.

The airline might offer you a travel credit, but you are entitled to a full refund. You are also entitled to a refund of any bag fees, seat upgrades or other extras that you didn’t get to use.

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Associated Press

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January 25, 2026

Review: Eagles triumph even without ailing Joe Walsh in concert

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They considered canceling the show.

But, in the end, the Eagles decided to carry on even without ailing guitarist-vocalist Joe Walsh and play their sold-out show at the Sphere in Las Vegas on Saturday night (Jan. 24).

The result was unlike any other show the massively popular Los Angeles band has performed during its lengthy Sphere residence, except, really, in one way:

It was still an absolute delight to behold.

Vince Gill, the country star who joined the band after original member Glenn Frey died in 2016, shouldered most of the load caused by Walsh’s absence. He sang the tunes that usually go to Walsh and played many of his regular guitar leads — with the other portion of those hot licks being handled, quite admirably, by ace touring member Chris Holt.

Walsh was out of the fold on this night, band leader Don Henley explained to the crowd, due to his coming down with the flu. Walsh had still managed to soldier through the previous night’s Sphere gig, but his doctor reportedly advised him not to take the stage on Saturday.

He was missed — especially vocally — since Gill’s angelic voice does not, in any way shape or form, resemble Walsh’s charmingly out-of-pitch squawk-talk style. And there were times during the guitar parts that it felt like Walsh might have pushed things a little further — or, at least, a little different — than his studio-session-ready counterparts.

Eagles perform at the Sphere in Las Vegas on Jan. 24, 2026 (Jim Harrington, Bay Area News Group).

But Walsh will hopefully be feeling better soon and be back in the mix during this blockbuster Eagles residency, which continues at the Sphere through March 28. (For exact dates and other ticket information, visit eagles.com.)

The continued success of this residency — which is the longest in Sphere history — is further proof of the undying love for the Eagles, which got their start as the backing band for Linda Ronstadt in 1971.

Want even more proof? Well, consider that the Eagles’ “Their Greatest Hits 1971–1975” recently garnered quadruple platinum certification in the U.S. Never heard of the term “quadruple platinum certification” before? Well, that’s because it had never ever happened before — the Eagles are the first act to hit that mark, which translates to 40x platinum (aka, 40 millions album units sold).

The group would underscore so many of the reasons for its vast popularity during Saturday’s approximately 2-hour show. The classic rock outfit performed all 10 of the songs featured on that quadruple diamond offering — which ranks as the best-selling album of all time in the U.S. — as well as others tunes from elsewhere in the band catalog as well as a few solo Henley and Walsh cuts.

Eagles perform at the Sphere in Las Vegas on Jan. 24, 2026 (Jim Harrington, Bay Area News Group).

It’s amazing how good the group — consisting of Henley, Gill, bassist Timothy B. Schmit and vocalist-guitarist Deacon Frey (son of Glenn Frey) as well as touring members Holt, Scott F. Crago on drums and Will Hollis and Michael Thompson on various keys — sounded without such an important piece of the musical puzzle.

Yet, Henley explained that the band had called an emergency two-hour practice earlier in the day, once it was clear that Walsh wasn’t going to make it to the show, and it definitely did the trick. The whole thing went really smoothly and, if you didn’t know any better, it would have been hard to even tell that the group was missing anyone at all.

Of course, the whole shebang was greatly enhanced by the venue itself, which delivered its mind-blowing mix of colorful, moving visuals across and around its unbelievable vivid and clear 16K resolution wraparound LED screen that dominates the interior of this 366-foot-fall building.

The video segments and special effects always played to the lyrics, strengthening storylines with images that moved between fantastical and rooted in reality. As far as the latter goes, the group continually took us to its hometown of L.A. — as well as the broader Southern California region — which makes sense given the pronounced role that the City of Angels has played in the group’s music.

Highlights included those famed band harmonies on “Seven Bridges Road,” delivered ever so sweetly as huge video images of the players floated well above the stage; Deacon Frey’s solid vocal work on “Peaceful Easy Feeling,” which came to a close with a big shot of papa Glenn Frey on the screen; Gill’s blistering lead work on the Walsh solo cut “In the City”; and Henley warmly dedicating “The Boys of Summer” to the dearly departed Bobby Weir.

It was a great show from start to finish. And the shows will likely get even better once Walsh returns to the stage. Fans who haven’t attended this residency yet — or those who simply want another helping of the fun — should definitely consider making a date with the Eagles at the Sphere soon.

Eagles perform at the Sphere in Las Vegas on Jan. 24, 2026 (Jim Harrington, Bay Area News Group).

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Jim Harrington

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January 25, 2026

‘Mercy’ unseats ‘Avatar: Fire & Ash’ atop the box office

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NEW YORK — With a winter storm blanketing a large swath of the country, Hollywood had its quietest weekend of the year at the box office. The Amazon MGM sci-fi thriller “Mercy” dethroned “Avatar: Fire and Ash” from the No. 1 spot with $11.2 million in North America, according to studio estimates Sunday.

What You Need To Know

Some 250 theaters were forced to close, from Texas to Maine, according to data firm Comsore. More than 140 million Americans were under winter storm warnings, depressing moviegoing

“Mercy,” a $60 million thriller starring Chris Pratt as a man in a near-future standing trial before an AI judge, was the top new release

“Fire and Ash” has now cleared $1 billion internationally, but its domestic haul ($378.5 million) is well off the pace of the other two films

The lead movies in Thursday’s nominations — “Sinners” and “One Battle After Another” — long ago completed their theatrical runs, but a handful of nominees saw strong business

Some 250 theaters were forced to close, from Texas to Maine, according to data firm Comsore. More than 140 million Americans were under winter storm warnings, depressing moviegoing.

But the weekend was never going to be a blockbuster one, anyway. “Mercy,” a $60 million thriller starring Chris Pratt as a man in a near-future standing trial before an AI judge, was the top new release. It arrived with withering reviews (20% fresh on Rotten Tomatoes) and an equally poor reception (a “B-” CinemaScore) from audiences.

That was still enough to finally dislodge James Cameron’s third Pandora epic from its monthlong perch atop the box office. “Avatar: Fire and Ash” slid to second place with $7 million. While The Walt Disney Co. release is starting to peter out domestically, it remains a top draw overseas. It took in $28.1 million internationally in its sixth weekend.

“Avatar: Fire and Ash” isn’t going to come close to the box-office heights of the previous two “Avatar” movies. The 2009 original grossed $2.9 billion and the 2022 sequel, “The Way of Water,” tapped out at $2.3 billion. “Fire and Ash” has now cleared $1 billion internationally, but its domestic haul ($378.5 million) is well off the pace of the other two films.

The “Oscar bump” that films once saw following nomination is largely a thing of the past. The lead movies in Thursday’s nominations — “Sinners” and “One Battle After Another” — long ago completed their theatrical runs. But a handful of nominees saw strong business.

Chloé Zhao’s “Hamnet,” nominated for eight Oscars including best picture, collected $2 million in its first weekend of wide release. The Shakespeare drama, starring Jessie Buckley and Paul Mescal, has been in theaters for two months, steadily increasing its theatrical footprint. It’s up to $17.6 million domestically and $42.1 million worldwide.

Josh Safdie’s “Marty Supreme,” nominated for nine Oscars, earned $3.5 million in its sixth weekend of release. The A24 title, starring Timothée Chalamet, this week cross $100 million globally. It’s made $86.2 million domestically thus far.

But newer releases struggled. “Return to Silent Hill,” the third installment in a horror series kick-started with 2006’s “Silent Hill,” opened with $3.2 million. Though Sony released the 2006 film and Open Road distributed the 2012 follow up, the low-budget “Return to Silent Hill” was put out by Iconic Events.

In its second week of release, “28 Years Later: The Bone Temple” dropped swiftly. The Sony release, directed by Nia DaCosta, opened last week to a disappointing $13.3 million in sales despite good reviews. But its second weekend was even worse, dropping 71% with $3.6 million.

Other new releases flopped. Roadside Attractions’ “H Is For Hawk,” starring Claire Foy, took in just $150,000 from 472 theaters. Sony’s “Clika,” about a migrant worker with music aspirations, managed only $1.2 million in 522 locations.

Top 10 movies by domestic box office

With final domestic figures being released Monday, this list factors in the estimated ticket sales for Friday through Sunday at U.S. and Canadian theaters, according to Comscore:

1. “Mercy,” $11.2 million.

2. “Avatar: Fire and Ash,” $7 million.

3. “Zootopia 2,” $5.7 million.

4. “The Housemaid,” $4.2 million.

5. “28 Years Later: The Bone Temple,” $3.6 million.

6. “Marty Supreme,” $3.5 million.

7. “Return to Silent Hill,” $2.7 million.

8. “Hamnet,” $2 million.

9. “Lord of the Rings,” $2 million.

10. “Primate,” $1.7 million.

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January 24, 2026

Watch: Memorial service honors Rep. Doug LaMalfa in Chico; House speaker, Gov. Newsom are attending

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A public memorial service to honor the late Congressman Doug LaMalfa is being held at the Silver Dollar Fairgrounds in Chico on Saturday.Watch the video leading this story for a livestream of the service beginning at noon.House Speaker Mike Johnson and a delegation of members of Congress are among the attendees honoring their Republican colleague. The gathering is also bipartisan with Gov. Gavin Newsom and U.S. Sen. Adam Schiff in attendance.LaMalfa died on Jan. 5 while in surgery at Enloe Hospital following a medical emergency at his home.Memorial Service Updates The memorial began with a color presentation by the Unified Northstate Honor Guard and the singing of the National Anthem by Alexandria Jones.Mark Lavy, a second cousin of LaMalfa, was the first speaker at the service. He recalled LaMalfa’s life story, including how he met his wife Jill, the moment he knew he would be a Republican and key moments in his political career.Other speakers at the memorial include: Speaker Johnson; Ray Sehorn, LaMalfa’s sixth grade teacher; former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy; LaMalfa’s congressional chief of staff Mark Spannagel; Paradise Mayor Mark Spannagel; David Reade, LaMalfa’s former chief of staff in the Assembly; and Assemblymember James Gallagher.LaMalfa’s wife and his children were also set to deliver a family tribute.LaMalfa represented California’s District 1 in Washington for more than a decade and was the chairman of the Congressional Western Caucus. The district includes a large portion of California’s northernmost area, including Oroville, Yuba City, Chico, Redding and the California-Oregon state boundary.As a fourth-generation rice farmer, LaMalfa heavily advocated for his agricultural constituents. The congressman also worked to provide wildfire victims and survivors in his district with relief and recovery efforts and to bolster the state’s water resources.Before being elected to the U.S. House in 2012, LaMalfa served in the California State Assembly and State Senate. Earlier this month, a bill previously championed by LaMalfa advanced in the California Assembly. AB 1091 would allow Californians to purchase eight-character license plates.LaMalfa is survived by Jill, his four children, one grandchild, two sisters and a host of cousins.See more coverage of top California stories here | Download our app | Subscribe to our morning newsletter | Find us on YouTube here and subscribe to our channel

CHICO, Calif. —

A public memorial service to honor the late Congressman Doug LaMalfa is being held at the Silver Dollar Fairgrounds in Chico on Saturday.

Watch the video leading this story for a livestream of the service beginning at noon.

House Speaker Mike Johnson and a delegation of members of Congress are among the attendees honoring their Republican colleague. The gathering is also bipartisan with Gov. Gavin Newsom and U.S. Sen. Adam Schiff in attendance.

This content is imported from Twitter.
You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site.

Rep. Doug LaMalfa’s memorial service is a rare, bipartisan moment in the state.

Gov. Gavin Newsom, U.S. Senator Adam Schiff are among the first lawmakers to walk in.

They’re followed by several Republican state lawmakers and members of Congress. pic.twitter.com/jCdSf8gGJV

— Ashley Zavala (@ZavalaA) January 24, 2026

LaMalfa died on Jan. 5 while in surgery at Enloe Hospital following a medical emergency at his home.

Memorial Service Updates

The memorial began with a color presentation by the Unified Northstate Honor Guard and the singing of the National Anthem by Alexandria Jones.

Mark Lavy, a second cousin of LaMalfa, was the first speaker at the service. He recalled LaMalfa’s life story, including how he met his wife Jill, the moment he knew he would be a Republican and key moments in his political career.

Other speakers at the memorial include: Speaker Johnson; Ray Sehorn, LaMalfa’s sixth grade teacher; former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy; LaMalfa’s congressional chief of staff Mark Spannagel; Paradise Mayor Mark Spannagel; David Reade, LaMalfa’s former chief of staff in the Assembly; and Assemblymember James Gallagher.

LaMalfa’s wife and his children were also set to deliver a family tribute.

LaMalfa represented California’s District 1 in Washington for more than a decade and was the chairman of the Congressional Western Caucus. The district includes a large portion of California’s northernmost area, including Oroville, Yuba City, Chico, Redding and the California-Oregon state boundary.

As a fourth-generation rice farmer, LaMalfa heavily advocated for his agricultural constituents. The congressman also worked to provide wildfire victims and survivors in his district with relief and recovery efforts and to bolster the state’s water resources.

Before being elected to the U.S. House in 2012, LaMalfa served in the California State Assembly and State Senate.

Earlier this month, a bill previously championed by LaMalfa advanced in the California Assembly. AB 1091 would allow Californians to purchase eight-character license plates.

LaMalfa is survived by Jill, his four children, one grandchild, two sisters and a host of cousins.

See more coverage of top California stories here | Download our app | Subscribe to our morning newsletter | Find us on YouTube here and subscribe to our channel

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January 24, 2026

House candidate predicts historic rise of ‘new generation’ in Congress as parties target key demographic

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After making historic inroads with Hispanic voters in the last several election cycles, the Republican Party is going all in on winning the Latino vote this midterm election. The party, which currently holds a razor-thin majority in the House of Representatives, is confident that Hispanic voters will help it retain and shape the future of its majority both this November and in the years to come.

Longtime South Texas Democratic Judge Tano Tijerina told Fox News Digital during an interview that he and Hispanics are ready to buck the Democrats and embrace a “new generation” of political leadership.

Alongside former assistant U.S. attorney Eric Flores and former California mayor Kevin Lincoln, Tijerina is one of three Hispanic Republicans running to unseat Democrats in Congress who have been endorsed by President Donald Trump. There are eight other Hispanic Republicans running in competitive, heavily Latino districts in border states, Texas, New Mexico and California.

If elected, these candidates will join an already influential group of Hispanics in Congress, including Reps. Maria Salazar, R-Fla., Monica De La Cruz, R-Texas, Nicole Malliotakis, R-N.Y., Juan Ciscomani, R-Ariz., and Gabe Evans, R-Colo.

HEALTHCARE, ECONOMY AND THE ‘ONE BIG BEAUTIFUL BILL’: WELCOME TO THE MIDTERMS

From left to right: Judge Tano Tijerina, Eric Flores and Kevin Lincoln. (Courtesy of National Republican Congressional Committee)

Tijerina is running to unseat longtime Democratic Rep. Henry Cuellar in a district along the Texas-Mexico border. He said that despite long being a Democratic stronghold, the Biden administration’s mismanagement of the border and prioritization of DEI “really opened up a lot of eyes of the Hispanics down here in South Texas.”

“Being a Democrat after so many years, I’m just sick and tired of seeing all the social issues that the Democrats are [promoting]. And I’m not the only one. That’s why Webb County, that’s why South Texas, voted for Trump plus 10 numbers.”

“We have always been conservative, everybody knows it,” he went on, adding, “Down here in South Texas, the only thing that we care about is good-paying jobs [and] making sure that we’re getting protected.”

Cuellar also counts himself as one of the last “blue dog” conservative Democrats in the House of Representatives. He was highly critical of the Biden administration’s handling of the border and immigration issues. Cuellar has said that it was this stance that led to him being indicted by the Biden Department of Justice on foreign bribery charges. He was later given an unconditional pardon by Trump, who also posited that the charges were politically motivated.

Though there was much speculation that Cuellar would switch parties after his pardon, he rebuffed those rumors, saying he would remain a blue dog Democrat. Tijerina said that it is just as well because the people of South Texas “deserve somebody that’s actually going to go fight for them and not fight for themselves.”

“[Cuellar] comes around and says, ‘I’m your money guy, I’m the one that brings the money.’ When in all reality, I, as a county judge, know that we’ve gone through commissioner’s court, we’re the ones with the ideas, we’re are the ones that ask for the federal funding, we’re the ones who do the cash match,” said Tijerina.

“Henry’s been for Henry all these years, and it’s very obvious,” he went on. “It’s time for a new generation.”

CALL TO DUTY: IN BATTLE FOR HOUSE, REPUBLICANS AND DEMOCRATS LOOKING TO VETERANS

Rep. Henry Cuellar, D-Texas, was accused of taking more than half a million dollars in bribes from an Azerbaijan-owned energy company and a Mexican bank. He was pardoned by President Donald Trump on the grounds that he was being targeted for political reasons. (Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images)

In response, Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee Spokesperson Madison Andrus told Fox News Digital that “during his time in office, Congressman Cuellar has brought billions of dollars back home to South Texas through his powerful position on the House Appropriations Committee.”

Andrus knocked Tijerina for “fighting for a controversial $10 million spending project in Webb County” to purchase property for a new tax office.

“Tano should focus on his own backyard and do his homework on how members bring money back to their districts,” she said.

A national Democratic strategist told Fox News Digital that Tijerina’s assertion that Cuellar has failed to bring money back to the district stems from a “misunderstanding” of how the House appropriations process works.

“Just based on how the House works, Tano will not be able to bring as much money to the district as Cuellar is,” said the strategist, adding, “It is exceedingly rare that a freshman member of Congress gets a seat on the Appropriations Committee. So, Tano would not be able to sit on it, that just wouldn’t happen. And so, that would necessarily lead to a significant decrease in the federal funding that Texas 28 would get.”

SENATE MAJORITY LEADER JOHN THUNE PREVIEWS REPUBLICAN MIDTERM MESSAGE HEADING INTO 2026

Webb County Judge Tano Tijerina poses for a portrait in his office on February 20, 2025, in Laredo, Texas. (Matt McClain/The Washington Post via Getty Images)

Tijerina, however, is not the only candidate forecasting that the Democrats’ hold on the Hispanic vote is nearing its end.

“For too long, Democrats took South Texas for granted, assuming our votes were virtually guaranteed, while they turned their backs on our values,” said Flores, an Army veteran running as a Republican in the Texas Rio Grande Valley.

Flores asserted that Democrats have “traded the needs of hardworking families for a radical agenda that has left our borders open and our economy in shambles.”

Lest one think this phenomenon is isolated to the Texas border, this sentiment was further echoed by Lincoln, a Marine veteran who is also running in California.

Lincoln told Fox News Digital that Hispanic families in the California Central Valley are “feeling the crushing pressures of the affordability crisis driven by Democrats from Sacramento to Washington who put political ideology ahead of kitchen table issues.”

“Generations of families like mine came to America in pursuit of the American Dream, and the Republican Party is earning their trust by working to restore the affordability and opportunity that allows working families to get ahead again,” said Lincoln.

GOP SEIZES ON DEM CIVIL WAR AS PROGRESSIVES JUMP INTO KEY 2026 SENATE RACES: ‘THEY’RE IN SHAMBLES’

A woman holds a sign expressing Latino support for Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump at his campaign rally at the Orange County Fair and Event Center, April 28, 2016, in Costa Mesa, California. (DAVID MCNEW/AFP via Getty Images)

Despite this, the Democratic Party is also leaning into the affordability message and remains confident that Hispanic voters will stand by them.

“While Republicans are pushing policies that make everyday life unaffordable, Democrats are focused on lowering costs, creating good-paying jobs, and protecting health care for every American,” DCCC spokesperson Bridget Gonzalez told Fox News Digital.

“Latino voters see through the GOP’s empty, hypocritical rhetoric because they’re living with the consequences of Republican extremism every day,” said Gonzalez, adding, “Republicans can trot out all the talking points they want, but Latino families know who’s actually fighting for them — it’s the Democrats.”

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

Meanwhile, National Republican Congressional Committee spokesman Christian Martinez told Fox News Digital that “outstanding” candidates like Flores, Lincoln and Tijerina “reflect their communities, understand the challenges working families face, and are stepping up to help grow a House majority focused on opportunity, security, and the American Dream.”

“Republicans aren’t just talking about earning Hispanic voters’ trust, we’re continuing to work and build it,” said Martinez.

Peter Pinedo is a politics writer for Fox News Digital.

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January 24, 2026

Man shot and killed during Minneapolis immigration crackdown

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A man fatally shot by a federal officer in Minnesota worked as an ICU nurse, his parents say

By The Associated Press undefined

A federal officer fatally shot a 37-year-old man in Minneapolis amid the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown, according to a hospital record obtained by The Associated Press. Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, a Democrat, said in a social media post that he had been in contact with the White House after the shooting. He called on President Donald Trump to end the crackdown in his state. The Minnesota National Guard, which had been activated earlier by Walz, was assisting local police amid growing protests.

A federal immigration officer fatally shot a man in Minneapolis on Saturday, drawing hundreds of protesters onto the frigidly cold streets in a city already shaken by another fatal shooting weeks earlier.

Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara said a 37-year-old man was killed but declined to identify him. He added that information about what led up to the shooting was limited. The man was identified by his parents as Alex Jeffrey Pretti, an intensive care unit nurse. The officer who shot Pretti is an eight-year Border Patrol veteran, federal officials said.

The Minnesota National Guard has been activated by Gov. Tim Walz and is assisting local police amid growing protests. Guard troops are going to both to the shooting site and to a federal building where officials have squared off with protesters daily.

There have been daily protests in the Twin Cities since the Jan. 7 shooting of 37-year-old Renee Good by an Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer who fired into her vehicle. Pretti was killed just over a mile away from where Good was shot.

The Latest:

Family: ‘heartbroken but also very angry’

Pretti’s family released a statement Saturday evening saying they are “heartbroken but also very angry” and calling him a kindhearted soul who wanted to make a difference in the world through his work as a nurse.

“The sickening lies told about our son by the administration are reprehensible and disgusting. Alex is clearly not holding a gun when attacked by Trump’s murdering and cowardly ICE thugs. He has his phone in his right hand and his empty left hand is raised above his head while trying to protect the woman ICE just pushed down all while being pepper sprayed,” the statement said.

“Please get the truth out about our son. He was a good man. Thank you.”

Gun rights group ‘deeply concerned’ about shooting

While noting that “many critical facts remain unknown,” the Minnesota Gun Owners Caucus said in a statement that “there has been no evidence produced indicating an intent to harm the officers” and called for an investigation by both state and federal authorities.

“Every peaceable Minnesotan has the right to keep and bear arms — including while attending protests, acting as observers, or exercising their First Amendment rights,” the group said. “These rights do not disappear when someone is lawfully armed.”

Federal officials have said Pretti was armed and officers fired defensively after he approached them during an operation and resisted attempts to disarm him. However bystander videos do not appear to show Pretti holding a weapon.

The Minneapolis police chief said Pretti had a permit to carry a gun.

Another evening rally at a park near the scene of Saturday’s shooting

People chanted “say his name” in memory of Alex Pretti, who was fatally shot earlier in the day by a federal agent.

One speaker called for sit-ins at congressional offices to urge a halt to funding for Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Another participant said he believes the tide of public opinion is turning in the protesters’ favor.

Some carried lit candles, and all were bundled up against the frigid nighttime cold.

After about an hour they went to the scene of the shooting. There were chants of “Resisting ICE is not a crime” and “Observing ICE is not a crime.”

There were also chants honoring Renee Good, another person who was fatally shot by a federal agent in Minneapolis this month.

Republican chair of House Homeland Security Committee requests ICE, CBP, USCIS appear before Congress

Rep. Andrew Garbarino, a New York Republican who chairs the committee that oversees the Department of Homeland Security, sent a letter to the department requesting three top officials appear for questioning before the committee.

“As chairman of the House Committee on Homeland Security, my top priority remains keeping Americans safe and ensuring the Department of Homeland Security can accomplish its core mission,” Garbarino said in a statement. “Congress has an important responsibility to ensure the safety of law enforcement and the people they serve and protect.”

Garbarino requested that Immigration and Customs Enforcement senior official Todd Lyons, Customs and Border Protection Commissioner Rodney Scott and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services Director Joseph Edlow appear.

The public hearing would take place sometime in the next two months. Garbarino previously requested that senior DHS officials appear before the committee in a Jan. 15 letter.

Schumer: Democrats will block spending bill if it includes Homeland Security funding

Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer said Senate Democrats will not vote for a spending package that includes money for the Department of Homeland Security.

Schumer’s statement increases the possibility that the government could partially shut down Jan. 30 when funding runs out. Several Democrats said Saturday that they will not vote for the bipartisan package of bills, which will need some Democratic votes to pass.

Democrats say the legislation, which includes money for a broad swath of government agencies, does not include enough restrictions on ICE.

Schumer said what is happening in Minnesota is “appalling.”

“Democrats sought common sense reforms in the Department of Homeland Security spending bill, but because of Republicans’ refusal to stand up to President Trump, the DHS bill is woefully inadequate to rein in the abuses of ICE,” Schumer said. “I will vote no.”

Justice Department official says Minnesota leaders ‘created this escalation’

Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche called the shooting an “avoidable tragedy” that is the “result of the total failure of Minnesota’s city and state officials who have resisted federal law enforcement and created this escalation.”

Blanche said in a statement that the Justice Department will “continue to hold those breaking federal law accountable, including those who harass and violently attack law enforcement in the name of protest.”

The Department of Homeland Security is leading the investigation into the shooting with assistance from the FBI. The DOJ has not yet indicated whether it would open a civil rights investigation but declined to do so after the earlier shooting, of Renee Good.

That was a sharp departure from past administrations, which have moved quickly to probe shootings of civilians by law enforcement officials for potential civil rights offenses.

Dozens of people pay their respects to protester killed by federal agent

They lit candles, placed flowers and stood in silence at the vigil Saturday evening. As dark fell, hundreds of people gathered somberly and quietly by the growing memorial at the shooting scene.

Caleb Spike came from a nearby suburb to show his support and his frustration. “It feels like every day something crazier happens,” he said. “What’s happening in our community is wrong, it’s sickening, it’s disgusting.”

A nearby doughnut shop and clothing store stayed open to offer a place for people to warm up, as well as water, coffee and snacks.

Democratic senators come out against funding DHS, raising risk of another shutdown

Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto said Saturday that she too would not vote for legislation in the Senate that would fund the Department of Homeland Security.

In doing so, Cortez Masto joined fellow Nevada Democratic Sen. Jacky Rosen. The two moderates broke with their party last year on a vote over the last government shutdown.

Others like Democratic Sen. Brian Schatz of Hawaii have said in the wake of the shooting that they would oppose a DHS funding bill that is part of a spending package in the Senate that aims to avoid a partial government shutdown at the end of the month.

Minnesota-born Defense Secretary Hegseth says ICE is greater than Minnesota

Pete Hegseth posted on the social platform X to thank God for the “patriots” who work for ICE and said, “we have your back 100%.”

The Pentagon chief added: “Shame on the leadership of Minnesota — and the lunatics in the street. ICE MN.”

Hegseth was born and raised in Minnesota.

Nevada Sen. Rosen says she will vote against any government funding package that funds ICE

Sen. Jacky Rosen, a moderate Democrat from a political swing state, made the announcement Saturday after the fatal shooting in Minneapolis. Rosen was one of eight Democratic senators last year to break ranks with her party and vote with Republicans to move to reopen the government.

“The abuses of power we are seeing from ICE in Minneapolis and across the country are un-American and cannot be normalized,” Rosen said via the social platform X.

“Enough is enough. We need to rein in ICE’s out of control conduct,” Rosen said.

A bill that funds the Department of Homeland Security is part of a package of spending bills that is moving through the Senate to avoid a partial government shutdown at the end of the month.

Top Democrat on House Homeland Security Committee calls for Noem impeachment

Congressman Bennie Thompson, the top Democrat on the U.S. House Homeland Security Committee, called for Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem to be impeached and denounced statements from the administration about the man DHS agents killed.

“Apparently, the Trump administration and its secret police only support the First and Second Amendments when it’s convenient to them,” Thompson said in a statement.

Thompson called on Democrats in the U.S. Senate to vote against a funding bill for DHS that passed the lower chamber last week. “This is un-American and has to stop,” Thompson said. “The House must immediately take steps to impeach Kristi Noem.”

Walz excoriates immigration operations in Minnesota

Walz issued a statement Saturday calling immigration enforcement “organized brutality.”

“The federal occupation of Minnesota long ago stopped being a matter of immigration enforcement. It is a campaign of organized brutality against the people of our state. And today, that campaign claimed yet another life,” Walz said.

He said the state, and not the federal government, will lead the investigation into the death of 37-year-old Alex Pretti.

Pretti was shot and killed by federal officers amid an immigration operation.

“Minnesotans and our local law enforcement have done everything we can to deescalate. The federal government must deescalate. I once again call on the President to remove the 3,000 agents from Minnesota who are sowing chaos and violence.”

Congressional Democrats sharply criticize DHS chief Kristi Noem

Congressional Democrats responded with immediate outrage to the killing of another person by federal agents in Minneapolis.

Congressman Robert Garcia, the top Democrat on the House Oversight Committee, called for ICE to be “abolished” and for Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem to be impeached.

“Trump has created a militarized police force accountable only to him and ready to murder people in our streets. These agents need to leave our cities NOW,” the California Democrat wrote on social media.

Congressman Brad Schneider, chair of the moderate New Democratic Coalition in the U.S. House, called for an investigation into the shooting and for federal agents to leave Minnesota.

“Every agent involved in this shooting must be suspended pending a full and independent investigation and ultimately held to account for their actions today,” Schneider said in a statement. “And, Kristi Noem has got to go. She needs to resign or be fired. If not, Congress must act,” the Illinois Democrat continued.

Man identified who was shot and killed amid Minneapolis immigration operation

The man who was shot and killed by a federal officer during an immigration operation has been identified as 37-year-old Alex Pretti. His parents told The Associated Press that Pretti was an intensive care unit nurse.

Vance criticizes local authorities for refusing to cooperate with ICE agents

Vice President JD Vance responded to the shooting in a post on X and said that when he visited Minneapolis this week, “what the ICE agents wanted more than anything was to work with local law enforcement so that situations on the ground didn’t get out of hand.”

He accused local officials in Minnesota of ignoring requests from ICE agents to work with them.

Notably, federal officials refused to cooperate with local officials on an investigation into the shooting death of Renee Good on Jan. 7.

Store owner opens to help protesters amid freezing temperatures

Allison Bross opened her fashion store, b. Resale, next to the shooting scene for the protesters to grab food, water, use the restroom, receive medical attention and get a warm break from the frigid temperatures outside.

“We’re a community-based business, we don’t exist without the community,” she said. “So if we hear someone in our neighborhood is getting hurt, I’m going to be here immediately.”

Meanwhile, a makeshift memorial at a bus stop next to the site of the shooting was taking shape. People left flowers and lit candles.

Hennepin County Sheriff’s Office asks for National Guard help

Sheriff Dawanna Witt has requested assistance from the Minnesota National Guard to support deputies at the Whipple Federal Building so that deputies can be assigned to other areas.

The Minnesota National Guard’s role is to work in support of local law enforcement and emergency responders, providing additional resources, the sheriff’s office said.

Their presence is meant to help create a secure environment where all Minnesotans can exercise their rights safely, including the right to peacefully protest.

“We know this moment is challenging for our community. Remember that our local teams are also part of this community. We respect and protect everyone’s rights to voice concerns and stand up for what they believe in, but we urge all actions to remain peaceful and lawful. Our collective priority remains protecting our neighborhoods and keeping people safe,” a statement said.

Trump weighs in on the shooting in Minneapolis

Trump posted to his Truth Social account after a man was killed by federal officers during an immigration enforcement action in Minneapolis. Trump’s statement said:

“This is the gunman’s gun, loaded (with two additional full magazines!), and ready to go — What is that all about? Where are the local Police? Why weren’t they allowed to protect ICE Officers? The Mayor and the Governor called them off? It is stated that many of these Police were not allowed to do their job, that ICE had to protect themselves — Not an easy thing to do! Why does Ilhan Omar have $34 Million Dollars in her account? And where are the Tens of Billions of Dollars that have been stolen from the once Great State of Minnesota? We are there because of massive Monetary Fraud, with Billions of Dollars missing, and Illegal Criminals that were allowed to infiltrate the State through the Democrats’ Open Border Policy. We want the money back, and we want it back, NOW. Those Fraudsters who stole the money are going to jail, where they belong! This is no different than a really big Bank Robbery. Much of what you’re witnessing is a COVER UP for this Theft and Fraud.

“The Mayor and the Governor are inciting Insurrection, with their pompous, dangerous, and arrogant rhetoric! Instead, these sanctimonious political fools should be looking for the Billions of Dollars that has been stolen from the people of Minnesota, and the United States of America. LET OUR ICE PATRIOTS DO THEIR JOB! 12,000 Illegal Alien Criminals, many of them violent, have been arrested and taken out of Minnesota. If they were still there, you would see something far worse than you are witnessing today!”

DHS says officers fired ‘defensive shots’

Department of Homeland Security spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin said in a statement that federal officers were conducting an operation as part of the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown.

She said officers fired “defensive shots” after a man with a handgun approached them and “violently resisted” when officers tried to disarm him. O’Hara said police believe the man was a “lawful gun owner with a permit to carry.”

Police chief says man shot and killed was a ‘lawful gun owner’

O’Hara said the man’s only previous interaction with law enforcement as far as he knew was for traffic tickets.

“And we believe he is a lawful gun owner with a permit to carry,” he said.

Police chief asks public, law enforcement to remain calm

Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara appealed for calm, both from the public and from federal law enforcement, following the shooting of a man.

“Our demand today is for those federal agencies that are operating in our city to do so with the same discipline, humanity and integrity that effective law enforcement in this country demands,” the chief said.

“We urge everyone to remain peaceful. We recognize that there is a lot of anger and a lot of questions around what has happened, but we need people to remain peaceful in the area.”

Police also clarified that the age of the man shot is 37.

Angry crowd gathers after shooting of man in Minneapolis

An angry crowd gathered after the shooting and screamed profanities at federal officers, calling them “cowards” and telling them to go home.

One officer responded mockingly as he walked away, telling them: “Boo hoo.” Agents elsewhere shoved a yelling protester into a car.

The intersection where the shooting has been blocked off, and Border Patrol agents are on the scene wielding batons.

The shooting happened a day after thousands of demonstrators protesting the crackdown on immigrants crowded the city’s streets in frigid weather, calling for federal law enforcement to leave.

Minnesota Sen. Amy Klobuchar expresses outrage at shooting

Minnesota Sen. Amy Klobuchar has expressed outrage at the shooting of a man during an immigration operation.

“Donald Trump and all your lieutenants who ordered this ICE surge: watch the horrific video of the killing today. The world is watching. Thousands of citizens stopped and harassed. Local police no longer able to do their work. Kids hiding. Schools closed. Get ICE out of Minnesota,” Klobuchar said in a message posted on X.

Minnesota Democrats react to the shooting

Minnesota Sen. Tina Smith issued a statement after the shooting of a man during an ICE operation. She said, “We are gathering more information, but ICE must leave now so MPD can secure the scene and do their jobs.”

Rep. Angie Craig said in a statement that she has seen “my own eyes the video of another horrific killing by ICE agents this morning in Minneapolis. This is sickening.

“The agency is beyond out of control. How much more evidence do my Republican colleagues in Minnesota need to speak out?”

Minneapolis police chief calls for calm

Police Chief Brian O’Hara called for protesters who amassed at the scene of a shooting to stay calm and leave the area. “Please do not destroy our own city,” he said at a news conference.

Rep. Omar releases statement after Minnesota shooting

Rep. Ilhan Omar issued a statement after the shooting of a man by federal officers in Minnesota.

“I am absolutely heartbroken, horrified, and appalled that federal agents murdered another member of our community. It is beyond shameful these federal agents are targeting our residents instead of protecting them,” she said in a statement.

“This isn’t isolated or accidental. The Trump administration is trying to beat us into submission rather than protect us. … This administration cannot continue violating constitutional rights under the guise of immigration enforcement.”

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Associated Press

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January 24, 2026

LA Charter Reform Commission votes to disclose private talks

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The Los Angeles Charter Reform Commission this week adopted new transparency rules requiring commissioners to publicly disclose private communications with elected officials and their staff—a move supporters say is aimed at shoring up public trust as the panel moves toward an early April deadline to reshape the city’s governing charter.

The policy, approved unanimously at the commission’s Wednesday meeting, requires commissioners to disclose ex parte communications, or off-record discussions with elected officials or their staff about matters pending before the commission. The disclosure requirement took effect immediately on Jan. 21.

Under the new rules, commissioners must disclose any such communications at the next commission meeting following the interaction, including the date and time, form, duration, participants and a summary of the charter reform topics discussed. Any off-the-record conversations that occur during a public meeting must be disclosed before adjournment. Commission staff are also directed to maintain a public log of disclosures on the commission’s website.

The vote marks the commission’s first formal step to address growing concerns that behind-the-scenes conversations could influence charter reform recommendations outside public view. But while commissioners agreed on the need to disclose their own communications, they stopped short of extending the same requirement to commission staff, postponing a separate proposal that would have broadened the rule’s reach.

Commissioner Carla Fuentes, who introduced the motions, said the disclosure framework was necessary to protect the integrity of the commission’s work and ensure transparency at a moment when public confidence is critical.

“If the public is going to trust the outcomes of our charter reform process, it has to be transparent and credible,” Fuentes said during the meeting. “To me, this is about creating guard rails that match the magnitude of what we’re doing here by strengthening accountability and ensuring that the public record reflects the conversations that may influence our deliberations.”

She noted that the commission’s action would take effect sooner than a similar ordinance approved by the City Council earlier in the week, which still requires additional procedural steps before implementation.

The City Council ordinance, introduced by Councilmembers Monica Rodriguez and Imelda Padilla and approved on Jan. 20, similarly requires Charter Reform Commission members to disclose ex parte communications with elected officials and their staff. However, it is not expected to take effect for at least several weeks, following a second reading and other required procedural steps. The ordinance also does not extend disclosure requirements to commission staff.

In a follow-up email to this publication Friday, Fuentes said the commission could not afford to wait for the City Council’s ordinance to take effect, citing the panel’s limited lifespan and the April 2 deadline to submit their recommendations to the City Council.

“With each meeting, we’re closer to that deadline and transparency needs to be in place now for the public to have any confidence in the remainder of our work,” she wrote.

While commissioners ultimately approved disclosure rules for themselves, divisions emerged over whether the requirement should also apply to commission staff.

Commission Chair Raymond Meza said he supported commissioner disclosure but raised concerns that extending the rule to staff could sweep in routine or procedural communications.

“It is not uncommon for an elected official’s staff person to call one of our staff and say, ‘Hey, I heard a discussion that’s been taking place in the commission — did this commissioner really mean that,’” Meza said, adding that such exchanges could trigger disclosure even when no policy advocacy was involved.

With only seven of the commission’s 12 members present Wednesday, any dissenting vote would have been enough to block the motion. Meza said he would vote against the staff disclosure provision under those circumstances, prompting Fuentes to agree to separate the two proposals and bring the staff issue back at a future meeting when more commissioners are present.

Transparency advocates welcomed the commission’s action but said gaps remain—particularly around the decision to delay staff disclosure.

Chris Carson, chair of the League of Women Voters of Greater Los Angeles’ Government Reform Committee, speaking in a personal capacity and not on behalf of the League, said Friday that the new rules still leave significant gray areas.

She pointed to the difficulty of distinguishing between “procedural” and substantive conversations, noting that routine check-ins or requests for clarification can easily slide into discussions that influence decision-making.

“It just raises a lot of questions about what you are defining as procedural,” she said. “And when does an inquiry about what is going to happen morph into something else.”

While the new rule requires commissioners to publicly disclose off-the-record communications, enforcement relies largely on self-reporting and internal commission oversight. The policy does not include an independent enforcement mechanism, and violations would not invalidate votes or recommendations already made by the commission. However, commissioners who fail to comply could face censure or a recommendation for removal by their appointing authority.

Still, Carson said disclosure requirements can meaningfully change behavior, even when they rely on voluntary reporting, by making secrecy riskier than transparency.

Drawing on her experience helping draft California’s independent redistricting reforms, she said the state’s citizens redistricting commission adopted a strict ex parte ban — prohibiting private communications altogether — and publicly disclosing any attempted contacts.

“The cleanest and most transparent way to go is to just have a ban on ex parte communication from everybody,” Carson said. “That way, the commissioners know maybe they’re not being gamed. The public knows that the commissioners are not being gamed. And it works.”

Created in 2024 following a series of City Hall scandals, the Charter Reform Commission is tasked with reviewing Los Angeles’ charter, often described as the city’s constitution, and recommending changes to the City Council. If approved by the Council, some proposals could go before voters as early as November.

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Teresa Liu

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January 23, 2026

California becomes first state to join a World Health Organization network, Newsom’s office says

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California becomes first state to join GOARN, a World Health Organization network, Newsom’s office says

The news comes after the Trump administration withdrew the United States from the World Health Organization

Thank you all for for joining us um and I actually want to start you, uh. You or your, you tweeted last or posted last night that this was that this was the tweets, the, the conversation, and yes, thank you for joining us, Governor and thank you so much to the WF for hosting this. This is the conversation that Donald Trump tried to cancel. Don’t miss it 11:30 Pacific. Thank you to our Pacific Time viewers. Um, in fact, this is *** different conversation in the WeF’s defense. It was the privately run USA House which is endorsed by the State Department, funded by. Big American companies which did pull *** pull an event with you with Fortune yesterday and I guess I wondered to begin with, what does that tell you about the way the US private sector, which is really very heavily represented here, so you’re gonna get me in trouble right off the bat moment. uh, I, I looked at the, I admit looking at the list McKinsey and Microsoft and *** few California companies. Uh, so you have you, what the hell are they even talking about, uh, but it’s indicative, I think, of America, uh, for those of you are not American. It gives you *** sense of what we’re up against, um, and what’s happening across my country, uh, and what happened here, um, in, in Davos. I was gonna speak last night. It was well established event at the USA House, *** simple conversation discussion after Trump’s speech. They made sure that I didn’t, uh, they made sure it was canceled, um. And that’s what’s happening in the United States of America. Freedom of expression, freedom of assembly, freedom of speech. Um, it’s America in reverse. Uh, they’re censoring historical facts. They’re rewriting history. Uh, they’re censoring books, 4340 books, libraries, and in schools banned in the United States of America. Uh, you’re watching institutions. Any institution of independent thinking is under assault and attack by the Trump administration. You’re seeing what’s playing out in the streets of American cities, what played out in California, the second largest city in the United States of America. 4000 National Guard were federalized. 700 active duty Marines were not sent overseas. They were sent to my largest city in the state of California, masked men. Guy Greg Bovino dressed up it’s as if he literally went on eBay and purchased SS garb. Greg Bovino, secret police, private army, masked men, people disappearing, quite literally no due process, windows being smashed. Seat belts on being, you know, literally just sort of cut off people dragged in the streets, kids separated from family, knocking on doors, racially profiling American citizens. So is it surprising the Trump administration didn’t like my commentary. And wanted to make sure that I was not allowed to speak. No, it’s consistent with this administration and their authoritarian tendencies. Forgive me, these are objective facts, but I would say this was not just to be clear, this was *** private enterprise endorsed by the State Department, but. These are, these are *** lot of decisions are being made by private companies right now. This is, you know, this is *** capital, this is the probably the central global gathering of CEOs, and I guess I wonder if you can give me *** review of how you see these folks, and you, you know, you know your way around this world, how you see those people behaving. Society becomes how we behave. We are our behaviors, uh, we’re not bystanders in this world. The world we’re experiencing happened on our watch. So in the relationship to your question, yeah, they’re complicit in some respects to this moment, you know, forgive me, you brought up *** tweet, but part of my approach has been *** little more aggressive than perhaps *** lot of American politicians. Uh, I created *** Patriot site. Uh, in, on the site, uh, you can go, there are knee pads that are available to purchase, um. The the last round of knee pads sold out just as our law firms are selling out. Many American universities are selling out, and yes, many corporate leaders are selling out to this administration, selling out our values, selling out our future. Selling out what makes America great. And it breaks my heart and uh and people need to stand up. Uh, people need to uh you know, courage of their damn convictions. Uh we’re the 250th anniversary of the United States of America this year. It’s the 250th anniversary. The best of the Roman Republic, Greek democracy, co-equal branches of government, the rule of law, popular sovereignty. Tell me that that reflects the America you read about today. There’s no rule of law. It’s the rule of Don. I hope it’s. Hope for Europeans, it’s dawning on you. It’s not the rule of law. You don’t have co-equal branches of government. You have *** supine Congress. You don’t have *** Speaker of the House. It doesn’t exist. Popular sovereignty and being challenged every single day by voter suppression, trying to rig elections. I mean, heck, Donald Trump tried to steal the election, the last election, tried to light democracy on fire, and then pardoned everyone that participated in that. Is anyone paying attention to what the hell is going on in the United States of America? So my state of mind is *** little different perhaps than many others. I won’t be complicit at this moment. I won’t. I can’t. I can’t look my kids in the eyes. And so I’m I’m just blessed that I get to represent *** state that’s larger than the size of 21 US states combined. Uh, where 27% of us are foreign born, we practice pluralism. That’s *** word you haven’t heard in America in *** year, uh, where we dominate in every critical category in terms of energy and daring and entrepreneurialism and innovation, uh, and, and, and look, give me *** category. In California outperforms the 4th largest economy in the world, and so we can punch above our weight. We can come here with formal authority and *** little moral authority, and I tell you, we need *** little moral authority. Our body politic in the United States of America today. Governor, you, how do you balance morning everybody. Sorry, I, I figured we would. Yeah, um. You’re ***, you’re, you’re *** tough interview, Governor. The uh the uh. and, and when I think you have chosen *** sort of if you can’t beat them join them strategy to the way you’re talking about this stuff you talk, you know, you, you know, you’re, you’re running around distributing knee pads to CEOs and, and, and, and I think it does them out and it, it does I do have *** few if you’d like, and I don’t know, and honestly it sounds, and you, by the way, I’m not kidding, they’re the new Trump signature series knee pads, um, yeah, and they are available online. I told you the last one sold out, uh, and, uh. And I, I just wanna sort of it’s *** serious moment. It actually, but we laugh, uh, anyway, these are available, uh, and in bulk too, but I wanna, I wanna read you *** couple of things the US government has said about you in, in the last 24 hours or so. The Treasury, the US government, the Treasury Secretary, when you put it, the Treasury Secretary described you as Patrick Bateman meets Sparkle Beach Ken. The White House communications director, hold on, was this, that was the US Secretary of Treasury. I have *** couple more and then, and then you can respond. Um, the White House communications director called you Gavin Newscombe, and *** and an official White House account, uh, um, you know, *** federal government account described you with ***, that’s *** very online sexual slur that people here probably don’t want to hear at 8:30 in the morning. Um, and you’re in some sense responding in kind and waving the knee pads around fire with fire. Do you think, do you should you, I mean, is that, is that kind of discourse from you, from them good for America? Oh, it’s deeply unbecoming. Come on, of course it is. It’s not what we should be doing, but you’ve got to point out the absurdity. You gotta put *** mirror up to this. This is madness. President, you, you see what he’s saying about European leaders, you talking down to people, talking past people. I mean, look at the, the comments he made yesterday we’re not even discussing because you’re discussing all the other comments about windmills or whatever else that was happening. Well, he talked about Somalia’s community. This is not normal. It’s *** deviation of normalcy. We’ve gotta call it out. So I put *** mirror up to Trump and Trumpism in all caps, and it was ironic because Pravda, Fox News in America, uh, others, you know, they got offended by it. They said, Well, where’s his mother to wash his mouth out with soap. I said, Where the hell have you been? You’ve never said *** word about Trump dressing up as the Pope, uh, tweeting out and cosplaying on the world stage, and so look, the Treasury Secretary talked about *** Barbie doll. It was as if he was reading *** diary and had just broken up with someone. I mean that was the Secretary of the Treasury using valuable time yesterday on the world stage. Some sexual, thank you for not sharing that on the official White House account. We’re deeply in their head. I think the affordability agenda appears to be, I’m living rent-free in the Trump’s head, Trump administration’s head. Um, the, um, the, the most talked about speech here in Davos actually isn’t what wasn’t Donald Trump’s address yesterday, it was, it was the Canadian Prime Minister speech. Um, it was Canadian Prime Minister, uh, Mark Carney the day before who talked about, I don’t know, in, in large terms *** bit the middle powers, everybody except for, for, for China and the US, we had to adapt permanently to *** world without. leadership, I, I guess I wonder, I mean, that’s in some sense *** pretty anti-American point of view. That’s, that’s *** view that America is gone from the world stage, that whether the next president is JD Vance, Gavin Newsom, somebody else, this isn’t *** deviation, as you said, this is permanent. Do you buy that? Do you, do you buy Carney’s point of view? I was, you know, I, I felt there were moments, and forgive me, I should be cautious making this statement. I don’t want it to be over analyzed, but when I was listening to the, uh, EU president speak, I, I, I, there were moments where I said that used to be us. I used to, I, I remember that. So am I surprised by what Carney did? Quite the contrary, I thought it was, I, I had more leaders from the United States quietly, I mean, not publicly, I’m not standing up publicly. The transcript of that speech saying wow. They were, I mean, got in Trump said yesterday he had brought it, he brought it up. You know everything about Trump because it’s what’s not in the teleprompter that tells you everything you need to know about where Trump’s head is on things. Um, it was incredibly effective. The markets were more effective markets. It’s not Mother Nature. I thought the most powerful force on Earth with Mother Nature, but it’s the markets, particularly the Trump administration. Combine that with the comments of Macron, combine that with the EU commissioner, but the clarity that came from Prime Minister of Canada. But the fact that he went to China, came back with *** deal, started introducing low cost, high quality electric vehicles not made in Michigan, Detroit. But overseas into Canada, it says everything you know about the recklessness. Of America’s foreign policy. Everything you need to know, you know it intimately, but it’s *** remarkable thing to break down 80+ years of alliances. It takes decades and decades to build trust in organizations, the architecture that it takes weeks, tweets, hours, minutes sometimes to destroy it. Destruction is not strength. The Trump administration is weakness masquerading as strength, and people need to understand that that’s reflected in the tweets, that’s reflected in canceling people, that’s reflected in sending masked men into the American cities. It’s reflected at this moment, so I respect what Carney did because he had courage of convictions. He stood up. And I think we need to stand up in America and call this out with clarity. We can lose our republic as we know it. Our country become unrecognizable in *** matter of months, just not years. It is code red blinking red. In the United States of America, so forgive me, I, I feel this with passion, some indignity that someone frankly has taken it for granted all of these years, and it’s why I came here to Davos to call it out, and I wish there were more of us doing the same because there are more of us. And on that, I just forgive me, I want you to know Donald Trump is an historic president. That’s absolutely correct. He’s historically unpopular. In the United States of America in every category, he’s underwater. He will be remembered in years, not decades. He’s not going to run again. Time of life denies that, not *** state of mind, but time of my life. But we need to manifest that, and we need to do the hard work and that hard work includes the difficult work of coming to Davos and calling that out. This is not where I wanna be spending. I love you all my time. Uh, and, and so, um, anyway, it’s an extension of the conviction I feel about this moment talking about people who, among other things, aren’t American, maybe be concerned for America, but are making decisions about their own politics, their own countries, and what Carney Carney’s core point was this is *** rupture, this isn’t an anomaly, and, and there’s no going back. And do you think that, I mean, do you think there’s *** different an American leader can bring, I think, I, I think these relationships are in dormancy, they’re not dead. I don’t use those binary terms. Don’t, don’t, don’t fall prey to that. That’s *** bit hyperbolic, and I’m prone to *** little of that at times. Uh, dormancy. We can look, he’s an invasive species, Donald Trump. He’s not. He is. Uh, he took over the Republican Party. They’re, they’re just, uh, I mean, uh, he’s got, you know, *** few of them, uh, Lindsey Graham, I mean, my, uh, speaking of the knee pads, uh. I’m sorry, this is tough stuff. It’s tough stuff. I don’t recognize these people any longer. I used to respect Lindsay. I mean, Lindsay, you think what I’m saying about Trump’s tough. How about what Lindsey Graham said about Trump? How about the Secretary of State Marco Rubio? Do you, do you I mean this is, these are the same people. And this is why we, for things to change, we need to change, and that’s why I’m changing my approach. And again I’m grateful you all took that. I mean, I suppose. Do you think post-Trump there’s *** path back because you see this everywhere to kind of unsolve politics that you’re doing here, which you, I see you said you don’t really enjoy it. You kind of seem to. I’m just putting *** mirror up. Just, you gotta. I was doing my 10 point plans before, and I don’t think any of you would have been here this morning had I done that. Oh, they would have been here. No, I, because it just, it wasn’t working. Everyone’s trying to figure this guy out. How do Mark Carney crowd? Yeah, no, but it’s, how do you, how do you, how do you communicate? How do you respond? To This moment. And it’s for me it’s about iteration. It’s an entrepreneurial spirit. It’s *** very California mindset. You gotta keep increasing the number of tries, and I was trying everything, wasn’t working, wasn’t breaking through. Democratic Party writ large, wasn’t breaking through, and we decided the only way to address Trump is quite literally to fight fire with fire. I did an initiative, Prop 50 in California was to reflect the fact that Donald Trump called an American politician and said in the middle of the decade to the governor of the state of Texas, I am entitled. Greg Abbott to 5 seats, and I need you to redraw district lines, mid-year redistricting to rig the 2026 election before 1 vote is cast. What the Trump administration expected we were going to do, as no good Democrats do, we might write an op ed. And we may, you know, all go out and just say this is just so wrong, and all of us would be applauding and say, yes, yes. You know, as he’s consolidating power, instead we went out and we redraw our maps. And we also drew *** line in the sand, and I think that’s what’s required at this moment, and uh he he susses out weakness like no one else. That’s his great strength, that’s his gift. But you punch back. You fight fire with fire, you display conviction and strength, it’s *** different relationship. And so my relationship to this moment is reflected in that. I’m not naive, these guys are gonna try to take me down, not just my state. I’m not naive about what I’ve said this morning and how that will be reflected in the official White House account. I’m not naive about the fact that he threatened to prosecute. The Fed chief in the United States of America that has subpoena against another sitting governor, Tim Waltz. Who’s literally going after his enemies with the FBI and the DOJ and these power ministries. I’m not naive about any of this. I’m not naive about the corruption and the graft at *** scale we’ve never seen in American history. I’m not naive about folks writing billion dollar checks to Witkoff, to Jared Kushner for this new peace deal they’re announcing today. I’m not naive about the fact that the President of the United States made $1.5 billion in the last 12 months personally. How the hell are we putting up with this? We have to call this out unprecedented in American history, happening in real time on our watch. We have to be held to *** higher level, all of us, myself notably, to *** higher level of accountability at this moment. And um You know 11 of what I think one of the main reasons that you know that that he has been successful is, is because the Democratic Party is so discredited in the in the eyes of so many voters. Um, I have *** couple of questions about that. One is big picture about California people, you know, you’re in the midst of ***, you know, enormous economic boom right now, and yet the state is on one hand running deficits and on the other. Not always delivering services that it’s, you know, from education to health care that your citizens are delighted with and and I guess I wonder how can you know how are voters looking at California looking at New York looking at Chicago. You know, supposed to say, yeah, this is the model we want. Well, I’m proud of my state. We have more Fortune 500 companies than any other state in America, more scientists, engineers, more more Nobel laureates in my state than any state in America, the finest system of higher public education in the world. Uh, we have 18% of the world’s R&D, China, 22%, Germany 21%, California, 18% of the world’s R&D. We’re the center of the universe as it relates to AI. 32 of 50, but, but what about the governance? Well, the governance, we’re one of the lowestinsured rates in America. You mentioned healthcare. Uh, we just did our state of education report which showed in every category, every classroom, uh, making progress with our test scores. Our investments are paying off. Just did *** big state of the state. The idea that these blue states have trouble are are spending more for less results, I don’t know, higher life expectancy, lower infant mortality, lower gun death rates, more productivity, higher wages, higher quality of life. $83.1 billion that was the net contribution that we provided to the federal government versus red state like Texas that was *** taker state of $73.1 billion so we’re producing more and people are I think creating more. Opportunities. So look, are there problems? You, for instance, you’re supporting the mayor of LA for re-election after these, these, these terrible fires that *** lot of, you know, *** lot of your citizens do feel was part in part because of government mismanagement. Do you just reject that narrative that the government has anything to do with I absolutely accept that. We all should be held to *** higher level of accountability in terms of our governance, and I think there are many areas of reforms that are necessary, so many areas of reforms that are underway. We can get into the specifics of any one of these issues, but the general notion that in the middle of winter with 100 mile an hour winds or attached to *** fire, that somehow, by the way, There were 16 major fires in Southern California over *** two week period that somehow that had to do with fire hydrants is rather preposterous and it was shape shift because of the complete *** that came from Donald Trump and Elon Musk, saying somehow the sprinklers didn’t work and the fire hydrants didn’t work because we didn’t turn on *** valve in Northern California. These are literal. Words from the Trump administration, uh, so I do reject that. Uh, do I reject this notion of being self-critical about governance and management across the spectrum? No, that’s fair game. And the probably the, the biggest governance issue policy issue fueling right wing parties in the United States around the country is immigration and, and, you know, I think liberal parties again in, in the US and around the world. Had *** posture of welcoming immigrants that it just turned out *** lot of Americans, *** lot of Californians, but more Americans are unhappy with legal illegal immigration, the out of control border, but also. It’s, it’s the last issue on which Trump, though his numbers have been sliding, remained somewhat popular, and I guess I wonder, do you think, do you think that your party went too far or that you went too far? And I think, for instance, you know, in extending, um, medical to the, the California health care program to undocumented immigrants. Like, do you, two different, I guess on the big picture and the small picture, do you feel like you went too far? Two different questions. Uh, do I believe. In universal healthcare, yes, regardless of pre-existing conditions, ability to pay, and your status, I campaigned on that. We delivered on that, and I’m proud of that. We’re one of 16 states to provide care to people regardless of their immigration status. By the way, we have universal care in emergency rooms, and you pay the price on the back end, at least Americans, uh, for that regardless of your immigration status. But the issue of immigration, uh, Donald Trump is very unpopular on immigration. He’s successful on the board. Separate issue connected and yes, the Democratic Party failed in the last few years on the border and yes, I was critical of that and yes, I put our own National Guard on the border the day I got elected into office in 2019, sent 394 National Guard down to the border, and we were very, very pointed with the Biden administration that we were failing to deliver border security for *** number of years on the larger immigration issue. I happen to share the same old office of Ronald Reagan, governor of California, who decided in his last day in office at the White House and he gave *** love letter to immigrants from around the world. It was *** love letter to America, what distinguishes America from the rest of the globe. He talked about lady Torch, Lady Liberty’s torch, and he talked about uh the vibrancy of newcomers, people coming all over the globe for riches and new beginnings, becoming Americans, and what defines our great nation. And that’s the spirit that defines my mindset. Getting first round draft choices around the rest of the world is what makes California so vibrant. It’s because of that diversity and it’s because of people’s willingness to dare and to match up with ideas and perspectives and backgrounds to come in to make *** go of it that has made California the 4th largest GDP in the world, but we have failed on the border. And Donald Trump is failing on immigration. His economic policy is not complicated. It’s tariffs, which is *** regressive tax. It’s mass deportations. Which is having *** major impact on supply chains, and you’ve seen the American jobless rate. You’re seeing it growing, the unemployment rate in America. Besson didn’t talk about this. They had the worst jobs numbers in the first year of the Trump administration outside *** recession since 2003. 49,000 jobs *** month. The Biden administration last year was averaging 168,000 jobs *** month. Inflation is not lowering, it’s still at 2.7%. Ask folks what *** pound of beef costs in the United States of America or *** brand new car. Everything you heard yesterday was BS. And it’s impacted by these policies of tariffs that are impacting ranchers and farmers and small business folks, *** major tax that they celebrate, *** tax that they celebrate collecting, which is ironic from the Republican Party. And the third leg of the stool is *** massive tax cut away from the wealthy and the privileged. Taxing now the burden on small businesses and working folks, that’s the policy easily described of America’s economic strategy, and it’s *** failed strategy, and the impacts of that strategy are being felt all throughout the United States of America, including my state that has been disproportionately impacted, uh, by, uh, these policies. So I’m, I’m very critical of those. I’m critical of our assault on institutions of higher learning research. Institutions, uh, that have literally been, I mean they’re part of that formula for success. The rest of the world gets that, uh, and he’s putting sand in the gears across that spectrum, uh, and, uh, in California again, uh, is, is fighting and pushing back and well, some of those, uh, those first round draft picks got, you know, incredible contracts and are now in, um, made quite *** lot of money and are now. Very freaked out threatening to leave California over *** proposal that just to uh be clear, you oppose to tax to for *** sort of one-time tax on, on, on the wealth of the very, very, very wealthy Californians, and I guess I wanna ask you two questions. One is I was talking to somebody progressive here who said, you know, this guy’s basically *** fake populist. He talks *** good game about the billionaires. Here is an actual proposal that they’re unhappy about, and you’re on the other side. You’re standing with, you know, Elon Musk and David Sachs on this. Why is that, uh. Or one time wealth tax at *** state level that almost exclusively goes to solve one problem, healthcare. And not solving for larger issues like education, supporting. Police officers and firefighters and starves the rest of the general fund. That has had already the impact of people moving out of our state. And impacting then the annual income tax collection is not something I support, um, and by the way, vast majority of labor does not support as well, uh, and, and that’s reflected in my opposition. What’s not reflected in my opposition, quite the contrary, is my advocacy for progressive taxes. That does tax the wealthy disproportionately. Do you have *** theory? I’ve been *** strong advocate for that. Do you have *** theory on how to tax this particular group who often kind of live in this, and I’m sure you know there are people in this room who do this, but who live on debt, you know, who have no income and live on these sort of giant revolving loans. Yeah, I mean that when you, you could have that conversation, I think the wealth tax is sort of an attempt to get at that, yeah, but at *** national level we’re competing with 50 states. Capital flows and move, that’s real. It’s not imagined. It’s very, very real. So we have *** progressive tax structure, the most progressive in the country, by the way, states like Texas and Florida, the most regressive tax structures. They tax their lowest wage earners more than we tax our highest wage earners. They are the high tax states. We have the highest tax rate for the 1%. But for working folks and middle class it’s *** very different tax structure. That’s the approach we promote. That’s the approach that we advance in our state. But again, our state of mind as it relates to the issue of *** state by state wealth tax, the impact of that has to be considered in the context of how freely capital can move and how that’s already occurred. It’s not just an assertion, it’s in evidence already in the state of California as it relates to *** proposal that hasn’t gone on the ballot. *** proposal that has never gotten through the legislature and *** proposal that likely if it did get on the ballot will lose. Would you campaign against it? I’m opposed to it. It’s already had, I think, *** very negative impact on the state and it’s *** badly drafted. Initiative again that literally takes teachers and takes our educational system out of any consideration of support and impacts other parts of our general fund. It is *** flawed initiative and then I think conversely these, these folks who control it *** ton of capital and as you said, some are actually already leaving, have been leaving. How do you, you know, over this, but I think also over *** sense that California, the Democratic leadership broadly. You know, complains about billionaires *** lot. Doesn’t, is, is, is not, does not give them the, uh, you know, love and respect that they feel that they’re entitled to. You know, how do you, what you, I mean, you actually, you, you, you talk to these folks. Some, some of them support you, some don’t. But what, what, what are you saying as you call people up and say, hey, please don’t leave California. What’s your, well, California’s population 3 years in *** row continues to grow, uh, and so does our footprint as it relates to more Fortune 500 companies than we’ve had in over, uh, 2 decades, uh, and. Our innovation ecosystem and startup ecosystem is second to none. We have half of the country’s unicorns in our state, the largest market cap private sector company, uh, OpenAI, just headquartered in San Francisco. They could have chosen any other state in the country. Look, I don’t begrudge other people’s success. I’ve never been that kind of Democrat. But I also recognize in *** world, uh, businesses can’t thrive in *** world that’s failing. 10% of the wealth is concentrated, or rather 2/3 of the wealth in the United States is concentrated in the hands of just 10%, 10% of our consumer spending. Uh, this imbalance, I mean, it was Plutarch who said it to the Athenians 2000 years ago. The imbalance between the rich and the poor is the oldest and most fatal ailment of all republics. Fast forward today, so this concentration, it’s *** very real issue, and we’re gonna have to address that. And, but we have to address it, I think, very thoughtfully and systemically, and I think we have to have it through the lens of *** national, uh, reform. What we’ve done is the exact opposite with HR 1, which is gonna explode deficits. In the United States of America and debt and again it’s transferred the tax burden to small businesses, farmers, and ranchers. Uh, it is an abomination and it’s *** policy unfortunately the Trump administration is very proud of. Do you think *** national reform is enough? I mean, *** lot of this capital is really global. It’s, I mean, this is *** challenge for all of us across the globe and so the challenge is. Do you have *** redistribution mindset or *** predistribution mindset? Do you have *** progressive tax structure that can balance these things? And this is the iteration in the state of California, and this is our approximation, and I think California’s figured it out in many respects. I mean, our economic, our, our entire entrepreneurial system is thriving. In our state where I think found that balance, we had the highest contribution of venture capital last year in our history, $106 billion 68% of it went back into the state of California, despite our progressive tax structure. Well, you know, from the tweets to Plutarch, thank you, thank you so much, Governor. Thank you guys. Thank you everybody for being here. Thank you. Thank you for the tweets.

California becomes first state to join GOARN, a World Health Organization network, Newsom’s office says

The news comes after the Trump administration withdrew the United States from the World Health Organization

Updated: 4:42 PM PST Jan 23, 2026

Editorial Standards ⓘ

California has become the first — and so far only — state to join the World Health Organization’s Global Outbreak Alert and Response Network (GOARN), Gov. Newsom’s office announced on Friday. The news comes a day after the United States finalized its withdrawal from the WHO. (Video Above: Gov. Newsom’s full talk at the 2026 World Economic Forum)Newsom’s office said GOARN is a WHO-coordinated network that brings together hundreds of public health institutions, national governments, labs, academic centers and response organizations across the globe. “The Trump administration’s withdrawal from the WHO is a reckless decision that will hurt all Californians and Americans. California will not bear witness to the chaos this decision will bring,” Newsom said in a news release. “We will continue to foster partnerships across the globe and remain at the forefront of public health preparedness, including through our membership as the only state in WHO’s Global Outbreak Alert & Response Network.”Although the California Department of Public Health is the only state-led institution included in GOARN, there are several other U.S.-based entities, including academic institutions and crisis response organizations. The One Health Institute from UC Davis is also listed as a GOARN partner. Newsom’s office said the governor met with WHO Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus during his recent trip to Switzerland to discuss the collaboration. See more coverage of top California stories here | Download our app | Subscribe to our morning newsletter | Find us on YouTube here and subscribe to our channel

SACRAMENTO, Calif. —

California has become the first — and so far only — state to join the World Health Organization’s Global Outbreak Alert and Response Network (GOARN), Gov. Newsom’s office announced on Friday.

The news comes a day after the United States finalized its withdrawal from the WHO.

(Video Above: Gov. Newsom’s full talk at the 2026 World Economic Forum)

Newsom’s office said GOARN is a WHO-coordinated network that brings together hundreds of public health institutions, national governments, labs, academic centers and response organizations across the globe.

“The Trump administration’s withdrawal from the WHO is a reckless decision that will hurt all Californians and Americans. California will not bear witness to the chaos this decision will bring,” Newsom said in a news release. “We will continue to foster partnerships across the globe and remain at the forefront of public health preparedness, including through our membership as the only state in WHO’s Global Outbreak Alert & Response Network.”

Although the California Department of Public Health is the only state-led institution included in GOARN, there are several other U.S.-based entities, including academic institutions and crisis response organizations. The One Health Institute from UC Davis is also listed as a GOARN partner.

Newsom’s office said the governor met with WHO Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus during his recent trip to Switzerland to discuss the collaboration.

See more coverage of top California stories here | Download our app | Subscribe to our morning newsletter | Find us on YouTube here and subscribe to our channel

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January 23, 2026

Judge says Trump administration must keep funding child care subsidies in 5 states for now

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A federal judge ruled Friday that President Trump’s administration must keep federal funds flowing to child care subsidies and other social service programs in five Democratic states — at least for now.

The ruling Friday from U.S. District Judge Vernon Broderick extends by two weeks a temporary one issued earlier this month that blocked the federal government from holding back the money from California, Colorado, Illinois, Minnesota and New York. That expires Friday.

The judge said he’d decide later whether the money is to remain in place while a challenge to cutting it off works its way through the courts.

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services said earlier this month that it was pausing the funding because it had “reason to believe” the states were granting benefits to people in the country illegally, though it did not provide evidence or explain why it was targeting those states and not others.

The states say the move was instead intended to damage Mr. Trump’s political adversaries.

A judge previously gave the states a reprieve to the administration’s plan to halt funding for the states unless they provide information on the beneficiaries of some programs, including names and Social Security numbers. The temporary restraining order was set to expire Friday.

Around the same time as the actions aimed at the five states, the administration put up hurdles to Minnesota for even more federal dollars. It also began requesting all states to explain how they’re using money in the child care program.

The programs are the Child Care and Development Fund, which subsidizes child care for 1.3 million children from low-income families nationwide; the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families program, which provides cash assistance and job training; and the Social Services Block Grant, a smaller fund that provides money for a variety of programs. The states say that they receive a total of more more than $10 billion a year from those programs — and that the programs are essential for low-income and vulnerable families.

HHS sent letters to the states on Jan. 5 and 6 telling them they would be placed on “restricted drawdown” of program money until the states provided more information.

For TANF and the Social Service Block Grant, the request required the states to submit the data, including personal information of recipients beginning in 2022, with a deadline of Jan. 20.

In court papers last week, the states said what they describe as a funding freeze does not follow the law.

They said Congress created laws about how the administration can identify noncompliance or fraud by recipients of the money — and that the federal government hasn’t used that process.

They also said it’s improper to freeze funding broadly because of potential fraud and that producing the data the government called for is an “impossible demand on an impossible timeline.”

In a court filing this week, the administration objected to the states describing the action as a “funding freeze,” even though the headline on the HHS announcement was: “HHS Freezes Child Care and Family Assistance Grants in Five States for Fraud Concerns.”

Federal government lawyers said the states could get the money going forward if they provide the requested information and the federal government finds them to be in compliance with anti-fraud measures.

The administration also notes that it has continued to provide funding to the states, not pointing out that a court ordered it to do so.

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January 23, 2026

California splits with Trump administration over World Health Organization

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California is once again breaking ranks with the Trump administration, this time over the World Health Organization.

Gov. Gavin Newsom’s office announced Friday that the Golden State is the first and, so far, only state to join the WHO’s Global Outbreak Alert and Response Network (GOARN). The move comes one day after the Trump administration announced the U.S. had officially withdrawn from the WHO.

California joined GOARN back in September. Only sovereign nations can be official dues-paying members of the WHO. There are no dues for being part of GOARN.

Newsom called the U.S. exiting the WHO “reckless” and warned it could be harmful to public health.

With GOARN, California doctors will have global access to early warning systems and data sharing to prepare for potential virus outbreaks.

NBC Bay Area’s Emma Goss has more in the video report above.

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Emma Goss

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January 23, 2026

Tag: California

One-time tax won’t provide long-term fix

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ADVOCATING FOR CHANGE: JOANNA’S LEGACY

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