Monday, January 19, 2026

Our Impossibly Small-Souled President

 https://www.nationalreview.com/corner/our-impossibly-small-souled-president/

This week the president of the United States finally achieved a lifelong dream, and was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. No, not from the Nobel Committee — they will never give anything to Donald Trump. Instead, Trump did what he is naturally best at: He extorted it from its rightful owner, and then posed with it as a trophy.

Once again, there is nothing to be done about it except lament the unspeakably small-souled trashiness of our president, a man who needs to be bribed and publicly flattered to maybe do the right thing. Spare me your defense of “She gave it to him! She even said he earned it!” Nobody is fooled by the pretense. Donald Trump took office in 2025; Machado has devoted her entire adult life to opposition to Chávez and Maduro, and her party won an overwhelming election long before he retook power. Trump earned this prize in the same way that he earned the addition of his name to the Kennedy Center: by being vain enough to demand it beyond all reason.

Israel's cabinet members blame Jared Kushner for Turkish, Qatari presence on Gaza board

 https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/defense-news/article-883730?dicbo=v2-6BjTYbi

Several ministers in Israel’s small security cabinet blamed Jared Kushner, US President Donald Trump’s son-in-law, for the composition of the Executive Board for the Board of Peace, which includes Turkish and Qatari representation that Israel firmly opposes.

According to remarks made during a closed discussion on Sunday, participants alleged that Kushner was “taking revenge” on Israel for its refusal to reopen the Rafah Crossing, and that his ties in the region were shaping the plan’s structure.

Ministers said Kushner “derailed” Israel’s 2020 sovereignty declaration and continues to pose obstacles because of close political and economic links with Arab leaders.

Israeli officials stressed they work routinely and effectively with the American administration. In a past cabinet session, one participant claimed Kushner has “fantasies about world peace” that do not always align with Israeli interests.

Some 55 toddlers treated for exposure to hazardous chemicals in Jerusalem, two critical

 https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/article-883825

Two toddlers are in critical condition, and some 55 sustained injuries in an incident possibly involving carbon monoxide at a kindergarten in Jerusalem’s Romema neighborhood on Monday, Magen David Adom confirmed.

The number of children treated was not immediately released, and the cause of the incident remains under investigation.

The Education Ministry told Maariv that an initial assessment indicates the scene is a private daycare for toddlers operating inside a private apartment in the haredi Romema neighborhood.

Greenland Live: Russia Says Trump Will ‘Go Down in History’

 The Kremlin said U.S. President Donald Trump will "go down in history" if he acquires Greenland from Denmark in a dispute that has rocked the NATO alliance. Meanwhile, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer called Trump's threat to impose tariffs on European allies who oppose his moves on Greenland “completely wrong”.

The rift among NATO allies over Greenland is a strategic win for Russia, which is openly celebrating the clash. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Monday, originally in Russian, that it is "hard to disagree" with "international experts who believe that by resolving the issue of Greenland’s accession, Trump would undoubtedly go down in history."

ICE Shot a 21-Year-Old in the Face and Blinded Him

Cop Slams Teenage Girl, Then Her Dad Shows Up

Video Analysis of ICE Shooting Sheds Light on Contested Moments

 https://www.nytimes.com/video/us/100000010648638/ice-shooting-renee-good-minneapolis-videos-analysis.html

 Now let’s go back and analyze some of the key contested moments of the agent’s cellphone video, alongside other footage, to break down what happens during these critical six seconds. Here, the agent’s cellphone footage shows he’s moving directly in front of the S.U.V. as it’s reversing and rotating towards him, initiating a three-point turn, apparently to leave. Law enforcement officers are trained to avoid doing this because it puts them in danger, and often leads to the use of force against drivers. His cellphone is focused squarely on Ms. Good. She looks down, shifts into drive, and begins turning to the right, away from the agent. Cut to this high angle and zoom in. We can make out the agent’s body and his arm filming. We can also see, at the same time, he’s beginning to lift his other arm. On these cameras, we can see what’s happening around agent Ross. The other agent is yelling orders and reaching into Ms. Good’s S.U.V. Her front tire spins as she continues turning right. Agent Ross is at least a few feet away from Ms. Good’s S.U.V. He does not appear to move out of the way. As the S.U.V. rolls forward, the agent unholsters his firearm. We see in his cellphone video, at this moment, the camera drifting off to the left. The agent is no longer focused on filming. It’s at this point in the cellphone video where it first looks and sounds like the agent’s getting knocked violently. “Whoa!” [thud] On the other camera, we can see what’s happening. Here is agent Ross aiming his gun at Ms. Good. And here is his outstretched arm, leaning toward her vehicle, which is barely visible behind the Tahoe. His phone, which is gripped in his left hand, flips over when the agent’s hand lands on the front of the vehicle. There’s an audible thud when it hits. “Whoa!” [thud] The camera rotates up towards the sky. Again, while it appears the agent’s getting knocked over, we can see that’s not the case from the other angle, which shows he’s standing with his hand near the headlight, his torso and legs away from the vehicle. In the cellphone footage, the agent’s face flashes on screen, then it goes black. The other angle shows us why. We can see the agent’s foot sliding, his hand bracing against the S.U.V. and his arm getting pressed into his chest. It is impossible to determine if this is happening because of the S.U.V.’s movement or the icy asphalt or, more likely, both. And what’s very unclear, because of the limited quality and availability of footage, is whether the agent’s upper body gets swiped by the vehicle as his left foot slides back. This moment is when agent Ross fires. We see the other agent pulled back from the S.U.V. Both of them stumble, apparently slipping on the ice. This is also the moment many have said looks like agent Ross getting run over. And it does when watched at full speed. But looking more closely, we can see in multiple angles that there is a visible gap between the vehicle and his legs, indicating his feet are positioned outside the S.U.V.’s path. The agent’s left hand is still against the vehicle and gripping his phone. We see, as he fires, it’s recording the clouds and the trees overhead. It’s not because the agent is knocked to the ground. The other angle shows he’s still standing, continuing to maintain his grip on his phone and his gun, and we see a clear and growing gap between his body and the S.U.V. as he fires a second shot and a third. None of the bullets have the effect of stopping the S.U.V., but they kill Renee Good. 

SHOCK New Details in Good Killing Could CHANGE THE CASE

Trump administration's lies about ICE are laid bare by cameras and witnesses

How Minneapolis Woman Exercised Her Rights in ICE Encounter

ICE's America: Obey or Else.

Noem Denies Use of Chemical Agents in Minnesota, Then Backtracks

 https://www.nytimes.com/2026/01/18/us/politics/noem-chemical-agents-minnesota.html

Kristi Noem, the homeland security secretary, denied in a televised interview on Sunday that her department had used pepper spray and similar tactics curtailed by a judicial order issued last week, then backtracked and blamed protesters after being confronted with a video of federal agents deploying such measures against crowds in Minnesota.

But after being pressed on a video that backed up the accounts provided to the court, she changed course. Protesters were to blame for the use of force, she said, adding that federal officers “only use those chemical agents when there’s violence happening and perpetuating.”

Republican Says ‘I Will Win,’ Despite Trump Endorsing Rival

 https://www.newsweek.com/republican-message-trump-bill-cassidy-julia-letlow-louisiana-11378498

President Donald Trump has endorsed a Republican representative in Louisiana to challenge GOP Senator Bill Cassidy, who has vowed to fight for his place in the Senate.

Cassidy, who is pursuing his third Senate term, has been at odds with the president several times. He was among seven Republicans who voted to convict Trump during his 2021 impeachment trial following the January 6 insurrection at the U.S. Capitol. Cassidy, who is also a gastroenterologist, has clashed with the administration in recent months over Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s leadership. He previously called for Trump to drop out of the 2024 election.

New video analysis sheds light on Minneapolis ICE shooting