International News Briefs for Thursday, January 29, 2026
HAVANA TIMES – We bring you some of the top international news stories compiled by Democracy Now on Thursday, January 29, 2026.
DHS Places Two Agents Who Killed Alex Pretti on Administrative Leave
Jan 29, 2026
The Department of Homeland Security said Wednesday the two agents who killed Minneapolis resident Alex Pretti have been placed on administrative leave since Saturday, when they fired a combined 10 rounds at Pretti in under five seconds as he lay prone on the ground. The preliminary internal review by Customs and Border Protection made no mention of Pretti attacking officers or brandishing a gun — directly contradicting Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem’s initial claims about Pretti’s killing.
It comes as three new videos have been discovered showing a previous confrontation between Alex Pretti and federal agents 11 days before he was fatally shot by federal agents. The footage shows Pretti yelling at agents in an unmarked vehicle and kicking the tail light of the car as they drive away. An armed agent is then seen exiting the car and tackling Pretti to the ground. Soon after, the officers leave the scene.
Meanwhile, ICE and Border Patrol agents have continued carrying out raids across the Twin Cities region. On Tuesday, diplomatic staff inside Ecuador’s Consulate in Minneapolis filmed as an ICE agent tried to enter the building, which is considered the sovereign territory of Ecuador under the Vienna Convention. In response, Ecuador’s Foreign Ministry filed a formal protest with the U.S. Embassy in Quito condemning ICE’s actions — this despite the fact that the Ecuadorian President Daniel Noboa is an ally of President Trump.
On Wednesday, President Trump lashed out at Minneapolis’s mayor on social media, writing, “Surprisingly, Mayor Jacob Frey just stated that, ’Minneapolis does not, and will not, enforce Federal Immigration Laws. Could somebody in his inner sanctum please explain that this statement is a very serious violation of the Law, and that he is PLAYING WITH FIRE!” Frey responded, “The job of our police is to keep people safe, not enforce [federal] immigration laws. I want them preventing homicides, not hunting down a working dad who contributes to [Minneapolis] and is from Ecuador.”
Meanwhile, a third round of “No Kings” protests is being planned for March 28. Organizers expect it will be the largest protest in U.S. history.
Earlier today, Democratic Senator Amy Klobuchar launched her bid to run for governor of Minnesota. It comes after Minnesota Governor Tim Walz announced earlier this month that he will not seek a third term.
Trump Claims Congressmember Omar Staged Attack Against Herself
Jan 29, 2026
President Trump claimed that Democratic Congressmember Ilhan Omar staged the attack against herself, when a man rushed toward her and sprayed her with a foul-smelling liquid at a town hall in Minneapolis Tuesday. Speaking to ABC News’s Rachel Scott, Trump said he hadn’t seen the video of the assault, saying, “I don’t think about her. I think she’s a fraud. She probably had herself sprayed, knowing her.” This is Congressmember Ilhan Omar speaking to reporters Wednesday.
Rep. Ilhan Omar: “Well, I think my presence here should tell you that the fear and intimidation doesn’t work on me. And, you know, you and I have talked about this many a times. The president’s rhetoric, the attacks from him since I’ve gotten into public office, from the right wing, has always been really to stop me from being in public service, to intimidate me, to make me want to quit. And my only message is it hasn’t worked thus far, and it’s not going to work in the future.”
Congressmember Castro Meets with 5-Year-Old Liam Ramos and His Father at Dilley Detention Center
Jan 29, 2026
Democratic Congressmember Joaquin Castro met with 5-year-old Liam Conejo Ramos and his father at the Dilley detention center in Texas on Wednesday. Liam was detained with his father in Minnesota after the boy came home from preschool last week. Images of Liam went viral after he was picked up by federal agents while still wearing his Spider-Man backpack and a blue hat with bunny ears. Congressmember Castro spoke after the meeting.
Rep. Joaquin Castro: “His dad said that he hasn’t been himself, that he’s been sleeping a lot, because he’s been depressed and sad, you know. And so, Liam actually was not awake during our visit. He was sleeping. … A lot of parents there who talked about their kids experiencing deep depression and anxiety.”
Eighty members of Congress, led by Democratic Representative Greg Casar and Democratic Senator Elizabeth Warren, are demanding that Any Lucía López Belloza be allowed to return to the U.S., after the Trump administration admitted that she was mistakenly deported to Honduras. López Belloza, a student at Babson College, was detained and deported while traveling home to Austin to visit her family for Thanksgiving.
Meanwhile, a federal judge ruled Monday that DHS can continue to insist that lawmakers provide a week’s notice before visiting immigration detention facilities. Last week, Democratic Senator Cory Booker introduced a bill to end the use of private, for-profit detention facilities to jail immigrants. We’ll speak with New Jersey Congressmember LaMonica McIver later in the broadcast.
Autopsy Finds Cuban Immigrant in ICE Custody Died of Homicide
Jan 29, 2026
In Texas, several prisoners at an ICE jail on the Fort Bliss military base have testified they heard Cuban immigrant Geraldo Lunas Campos pleading for medication shortly before guards tackled him to the ground. One of the witnesses said in a sworn court declaration he heard a guard tell Lunas Campos, “Shut up or we’re going to make you faint.” He added, “The last thing I heard was Geraldo speak in a voice that sounded like he couldn’t breathe. He said, ‘Let go of me. You’re asphyxiating me.’” ICE claimed the 55-year-old father of four died while staff were attempting to save him after he attempted suicide, but an autopsy found Campos died from asphyxiation due to neck and torso compression. And the Associated Press reports a witness saw Lunas Campos handcuffed as at least five guards held him down while one put an arm around his neck and squeezed until he was unconscious.
DHS Urges FEMA Staff to Avoid Phrases Like “Watch Out for ICE” to Prevent Memes
Jan 29, 2026
Homeland Security officials have urged FEMA staff to avoid using phrases like “watch out for ice” in public messaging about the recent winter storm that hit the United States. A source told CNN, “If FEMA says, ‘Keep off the roads if you see ice,’ it would be easy for the public to meme it.” The DHS directive reportedly instructed FEMA staffers to use terms like “freezing rain,” instead of “ice,” in their communications.
Senate Democrats Threaten to Block Funding for DHS
Jan 29, 2026
Senate Democrats are threatening to block funding for the Department of Homeland Security if the current government spending bill does not include reforms aimed at ICE agents. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer is calling for the DHS funding bill to be rewritten and voted on separately. But Republicans have signaled they won’t call for a separate vote on DHS funding. If the Senate fails to pass a federal spending bill, the government will partially shut down Saturday.
FBI Raids Election Office in Georgia’s Fulton County
Jan 29, 2026
The FBI raided the election office in Georgia’s Fulton County Wednesday, seeking computers and ballots related to the 2020 election. Reuters confirmed that Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard visited the site of the search. President Trump continues to falsely claim that his 2020 election defeat was the result of widespread voting fraud, and has repeatedly targeted Fulton County officials. The FBI raid comes a week after Trump vowed on social media that “people will soon be prosecuted for what they did,” in reference to the 2020 election. In response to the FBI raid, Democratic Senator Jon Ossoff said, “After losing Georgia in 2020, Donald Trump demanded state officials ‘find’ votes to change the outcome, tried to use DOJ to overturn it, and spread conspiracy theories that led to the Jan. 6 sacking of the U.S. Capitol. I suspect today’s raid is a continuation of this sore loser’s crusade, despite repeated audits and independent reviews confirming that Donald Trump was indeed defeated.”
Federal Reserve Leaves Interest Rates Unchanged, Resisting Trump’s Pressure to Lower Them
Jan 29, 2026
In economic news, the U.S. Federal Reserve left interest rates unchanged Wednesday, resisting pressure from President Trump to lower them. This comes as the Fed and its chairman, Jerome Powell, are facing a criminal investigation launched by Trump’s ally, Jeanine Pirro, the former Fox News host who is currently the U.S. attorney for the District of Columbia. On Tuesday, Powell confirmed that he attended the Supreme Court’s oral arguments over Trump’s effort to fire Fed Governor Lisa Cook.
Christopher Rugaber: “I wanted to ask — you know, you attended the Supreme Court hearing last week on the Lisa Cook case, and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent criticized that as political. Can you say why you attended and what you would say in response to the secretary’s criticism?”
Jerome Powell: “So, let me start with, I — I don’t respond to comments by other officials, whoever they may be. It’s just not appropriate to do that. I will tell you why I attended. I would say that that case is perhaps the most important legal case in the Fed’s 113-year history.”
Secretary of State Rubio Refuses to Rule Out Further U.S. Attacks on Venezuela
Jan 29, 2026
Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Wednesday refused to rule out further U.S. attacks on Venezuela. Rubio’s threat came during testimony before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, where he told lawmakers that Venezuela’s interim government has agreed to submit a monthly budget to the Trump administration, which will release money from an account funded by oil sales and initially managed by Qatar. Rubio’s testimony was interrupted by Venezuelan American activist Leonardo Flores with the antiwar group CodePink.
Leonardo Flores: “The sanctions on Venezuela are collective punishment of civilians. That’s a war crime. He’s committed at least four war crimes since this operation started in August. Perfidy — they disguised a plane, a military plane, as a civilian craft. They double-tapped a boat of fishermen. They also blockaded Venezuela. That’s an act of war.”
Trump Threatens Another U.S. Military Strike on Iran
Jan 29, 2026
President Trump has threatened another U.S. military strike on Iran unless officials in Tehran agree to a new nuclear deal. On Wednesday, Trump wrote on social media that a “massive Armada” was heading to Iran and was prepared to move “with speed and violence, if necessary.” Trump added, “Time is running out, it is truly of the essence!” Iran’s foreign minister promised to respond “immediately and powerfully” to any possible U.S. attack. Following Trump’s threats, European Union foreign ministers imposed new sanctions on Iran, citing the government’s violent crackdown on recent protests.
Bulletin of Atomic Scientists Sets Doomsday Clock to 85 Seconds to Midnight
Jan 29, 2026
The Bulletin of Atomic Scientists has set the Doomsday Clock to 85 seconds to midnight. It is the closest the clock has ever been to midnight in its history. The Bulletin of Atomic Scientists said that urgent action was needed to address nuclear weapons threats, disruptive technologies like artificial intelligence, multiple biological security concerns, and the continuing climate crisis.
Russia Launches Wave of Attacks Across Ukraine
Jan 29, 2026
Russia launched a wave of drone and missile attacks across Ukraine Wednesday, killing a couple in Kyiv. It follows a Russian strike on a passenger train, which killed five people on Tuesday. The attacks come ahead of peace talks that are scheduled for this weekend. A new report by the Center for Strategic and International Studies finds that nearly 2 million Russian and Ukrainian troops have been killed, wounded or missing during nearly four years of war.
Spain Announces Amnesty for Nearly 500,000 Undocumented Immigrants
Jan 29, 2026
Spain has announced that it is offering legal amnesty to nearly 500,000 undocumented immigrants and asylum seekers in the country. Immigrants will be granted up to one year of legal residency, as well as permission to work. Foreign nationals who arrived in Spain before December 31, 2025, must prove they have been living in the country for at least five months to be eligible, and prove that they have no criminal record.
Dozens Confirmed Dead Due to Extreme Cold Weather Conditions Across the U.S.
Jan 29, 2026
Dozens of people have died nationwide due to extreme cold weather conditions. CBS News has confirmed at least 60 deaths due to the winter storm that swept large parts of the country. Here in New York City, at least 10 people were found dead outside during dangerously cold temperatures. According to New York City police, eight men and two women were found in front of homes, near busy intersections, outside a hospital and next to a supermarket.
Bruce Springsteen Releases New Song “Streets of Minneapolis”
Jan 29, 2026
Bruce Springsteen has released a new song called “Streets of Minneapolis” directly criticizing President Trump’s immigration crackdown in Minneapolis. The lyrics cast ICE agents as “King Trump’s private army.” This is part of “Streets of Minneapolis”
Bruce Springsteen: “Trump’s federal thugs beat up on
His face and his chest
Then we heard the gunshots
And Alex Pretti lay in the snow dead
Their claim was self-defense, sir
Just don’t believe your eyes
It’s our blood and bones
And these whistles and phones
Against Miller and Noem’s dirty lies.”