International News Briefs for Wednesday, January 21, 2026
HAVANA TIMES – We bring you some of the top international news stories compiled by Democracy Now on Wednesday, January 21, 2026.
Federal Prosecutors Issue Subpoenas to Five Democratic Officials in Minnesota
Jan 21, 2026
Federal prosecutors issued subpoenas to five Democratic officials in Minnesota: Governor Tim Walz, Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey, St. Paul Mayor Kaohly Her, state Attorney General Keith Ellison and Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty. The Justice Department is investigating whether the Democratic officials blocked ICE from rounding up undocumented immigrants. Mayor Frey said in a statement, “When the federal government weaponizes its power to try to intimidate local leaders for doing their jobs, every American should be concerned. We shouldn’t have to live in a country where people fear that federal law enforcement will be used to play politics or crack down on local voices they disagree with.” Meanwhile, the police chief in Brooklyn Park said that off-duty police officers in the Twin Cities have been targeted by federal agents looking for proof of U.S. citizenship.
Mark Bruley: “One particular officer that shared her story with me was stopped as she passed ICE going down the roadway. When they boxed her in, they demanded her paperwork, of which she’s a U.S. citizen and clearly would not have any paperwork. When she became concerned about the rhetoric and the way she was being treated, she pulled out her phone. In an attempt to record the incident, the phone was knocked out of her hands.”
Meanwhile, the FBI opened, then quickly closed, an investigation into Jonathan Ross, the ICE agent who killed Renee Good, and ICE refuses to say whether he’s been suspended.
“You’ll Find Out”: Trump Teases Takeover of Greenland
Jan 21, 2026
Ahead of his speech at Davos later today, President Trump teased how far he would be willing to go to acquire Greenland, telling reporters Tuesday, “You’ll find out.” Amid tensions with the U.S., Denmark has sent additional troops and military equipment to Greenland. Meanwhile, in the U.S., lawmakers from both parties promised to bring legislation to block President Trump’s tariffs against eight European countries, including Denmark, the U.K., Germany and France. Republican Senator Thom Tillis of North Carolina said, “This response to our own allies for sending a small number of troops to Greenland for training is bad for America, bad for American businesses, and bad for America’s allies.” It comes as President Trump posted an AI-generated image on Truth Social Tuesday depicting him seated in the Oval Office surrounded by European leaders, all gazing at a map that showed the territories of Greenland, Venezuela and Canada as part of the United States. Meanwhile, Canada announced a trade deal with China, agreeing to cut its 100% tariff on Chinese electric cars. On Tuesday, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney received a standing ovation at Davos after a speech in which he declared that the U.S.-led international order was breaking down.
Prime Minister Mark Carney: “Let me be direct. We are in the midst of a rupture, not a transition. Over the past two decades, a series of crises in finance, health, energy and geopolitics have laid bare the risks of extreme global integration. But more recently, great powers have begun using economic integration as weapons.”
U.S. Seizes Another Venezuelan Oil Tanker in the Caribbean
Jan 21, 2026
U.S. forces have seized another Venezuelan oil tanker in the Caribbean Sea. This is the seventh vessel to be captured by the Trump administration as part of a months-long military campaign to control Venezuela’s oil reserves. This comes as President Trump has signaled he’s open to involving right-wing Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado in some political capacity in Venezuela following the U.S. military strike that led to the abduction of President Nicolás Maduro and his wife. Machado and Trump met at the White House last week, where Machado said she gave her Nobel Peace Prize to Trump.
Venezuela’s interim leader, Delcy Rodríguez, said Tuesday that the country has received hundreds of millions of dollars from the U.S. as part of a deal to supply 50 million barrels of oil to the Trump administration. Rodríguez spoke from Caracas.
Interim President Delcy Rodríguez: “Today, we must report that funds from oil sales have been received. The first $500 million has been received. The $300 million has been received. These funds will be used to cover and finance our workers’ incomes, to protect the purchasing power of Venezuelan workers, to protect them from inflation and the negative impact of exchange rate fluctuations.”
Russian Attack on Kyiv Leaves Ukrainian Parliament Without Power
Jan 21, 2026
A large Russian attack on Kyiv left the Ukrainian parliament without power Tuesday and half of the capital’s residential buildings without heating or power. Russian attacks also targeted the cities of Dnipro and Odesa, killing four people and injuring 33 across Ukraine. Residents of Kyiv were forced to warm up in emergency tents.
Iryna: “It is the hardest right now. We’ve never had such a situation, when at the same time there was no heating, no electricity and no water. Today, when we came after the shelling, there was no heating, no water, no electricity. And you’re like that in your cell apartment. What could you do there?”
UAE and Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu Commit to Joining Trump’s “Board of Peace” in Gaza
Jan 21, 2026
The United Arab Emirates and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu have committed to joining Trump’s so-called Board of Peace in Gaza. Netanyahu is wanted for war crimes committed during Israel’s war on Gaza. The board has been tasked to oversee Gaza’s transition following a U.S.-brokered truce between Israeli forces and Hamas, which Israel has repeatedly violated. The board’s executive committee includes Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and former U.K. Prime Minister Tony Blair. French President Emmanuel Macron refused to join the board, warning it could undermine the United Nations. Trump will serve as the board’s chair and have veto power over the board’s decisions.
Meanwhile, Reuters reports some European nations are weighing whether to stop sending military personnel to assist U.S. forces in the region, citing the Trump administration’s refusal to pressure Israel to allow more humanitarian aid into Gaza. The U.S.-led Civil-Military Coordination Center has been operating in southern Israel since October in order to monitor the enforcement of the Gaza ceasefire, as well as to facilitate supposedly the flow of humanitarian aid into the besieged territory.
NYC Mayor Mamdani and Vermont Senator Sanders Join Striking Nurses
Jan 21, 2026
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani and Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders joined striking nurses in freezing temperatures Tuesday as the action entered a second week. Nearly 15,000 nurses launched the largest nursing strike in New York City’s history, demanding higher wages, fully funded benefits, an increase in staff to manage patients, and better workplace protections for hospital workers who’ve faced violence on the job. Nurses have accused six private New York hospitals, including Mount Sinai, of refusing to negotiate a fair contract. Democracy Now! was there. This is New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani speaking from the picket lines.
Mayor Zohran Mamdani: “When we see a strike, people forget that that is not where workers want to be. A strike is an act of last resort. What workers want is to be back at work. So, what this will mean is making that possible. So we call on every side to come back to that negotiating table, have a swift and urgent resolution, and to know that no matter what day it is, we will be here, we will be standing with you, and we will be saying the exact same thing. Thank you so much.”
Trump Admin. Acknowledges DOGE Employees Accessed and Shared Social Security Data
Jan 21, 2026
The Trump administration has acknowledged employees with the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) accessed and shared sensitive Social Security data, in violation of DOGE’s own guidelines. The revelation came in a Justice Department court filing, making it the first time Trump officials have admitted to the mishandling of sensitive data by Elon Musk’s DOGE. The DOJ court filing also states that the Social Security Administration unveiled a secret deal between a DOGE employee and an unidentified political advocacy group, which aimed to overturn election results in certain states.
Public Health Groups Sue CDC and RFK Jr. Over Vaccine Recommendations
Jan 21, 2026
Several public health groups are suing the Trump administration in an effort to reverse a policy by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to reduce the number of vaccines it recommends for children. The lawsuit accuses Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. of manipulating a key vaccine advisory committee by installing unqualified members who promote vaccine mis- and disinformation, while failing to consider the harms the new policies may cause to families. The plaintiffs include the American Academy of Pediatrics, the American College of Physicians and the American Public Health Association.
Trump Pardons California Woman After Commuting Her Sentence During His First Term
Jan 21, 2026
President Trump has for the second time pardoned a California woman convicted of fraud. Trump had granted Adriana Camberos clemency during his first presidency, commuting her sentence in 2021 following her conviction as part of a conspiracy plot to sell millions of counterfeit 5-Hour Energy drinks. Then, in 2024, Camberos was again convicted in a separate multimillion-dollar scheme with her brother. The siblings were among 13 pardons and eight commutations Trump issued last week, which also included former Governor of Puerto Rico Wanda Vázquez, who pleaded guilty to campaign finance violations.
Trump Asks Federal Judge to Block DOJ from Releasing Fmr. Special Counsel Jack Smith’s Report
Jan 21, 2026
President Trump is asking a federal judge to block the Justice Department from releasing a second volume of a report prepared by former special counsel Jack Smith. Smith is set to testify Thursday before the House Judiciary Committee about his investigations into President Trump and his attempts to overthrow the 2020 election. Speaking to reporters Tuesday, President Trump taunted special counsel Jack Smith.
President Donald Trump: “And removed his handpicked radical-left Marxist prosecutors from the Department of Justice, like deranged Jack ‘Sick’ Smith. He’s a sick son of a bitch.”
Fed Chairman Powell Set to Attend SCOTUS Oral Arguments on Trump’s Attempts to Fire Fed Governor Cook
Jan 21, 2026
The chair of the Federal Reserve, Jerome Powell, is expected to attend the Supreme Court’s oral arguments today when it hears a case about President Trump’s attempts to fire Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook. The Trump administration is accusing Cook of mortgage fraud, an allegation she denies. Cook sued to keep her job, and the Supreme Court issued a brief order last year allowing her to stay on the board. It comes as Chairman Powell confirmed earlier this month that the Trump administration had sent subpoenas to the Fed and threatened him with a criminal indictment in an attempt to pressure him to lower interest rates.
NYT Editorial Board: Trump Used Office to Make At Least $1.4 Billion
Jan 21, 2026
The New York Times editorial board is reporting that President Trump used the office of the presidency to make at least $1.4 billion. The editorial board estimates that major tech and media companies have paid President Trump $90.5 million in settlements, while noting that Qatar gifted President Trump a $400 million jet. The Trump family also made at least $867 million through various cryptocurrencies. The Times editorial board said, “All told, Mr. Trump has profited from his return to the presidency by an amount of money equal to 16,822 times the median U.S. household income.”
Bruce Springsteen Dedicates Performance of Song “Promised Land” to Renee Good
Jan 21, 2026
Musician Bruce Springsteen denounced the deployment of ICE officers nationwide and dedicated his song “The Promised Land” to Renee Good, who was killed by an ICE agent in Minneapolis two weeks ago. Here’s Springsteen at a surprise performance in New Jersey on Saturday.
Bruce Springsteen: “Right now we are living through incredibly critical times. The United States, the ideals and the values for which it stood for the past 250 years, is being tested as it has never been in modern times.”