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Economic blackout day planned in Minnesota to protest ICE surge

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Economic blackout day planned in Minnesota to protest ICE surge


Labor unions, community leaders and faith groups are calling for an economic blackout in Minnesota on Friday to protest the surge of federal immigration agents in the state and mourn Renee Good.

Organizers are urging Minnesotans not to work, shop or go to school. The Trump administration has dispatched some 3,000 federal agents to the state, in what it claims amounts to its largest enforcement operation thus far, amid a broader crackdown on immigration.

More than 2,400 people in Minnesota have been arrested in recent weeks. An Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officer fatally shot Good, 37, in Minneapolis earlier this month.

“There is an unprecedented and outrageous attack being waged against the people of Minnesota. I have never seen anything like it in my life,” said Kieran Knutson, the president of Communications Workers of America (CWA) Local 7250 in Minneapolis. “This is just an outrageous acceleration and escalation of violence toward working-class people.”

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The CWA, which represents workers in the state at companies including AT&T, Activision and DirecTV, is one of several local unions organizing and supporting the planned economic blackout.

Others include Unite Here Local 17, Saint Paul Federation of Educators and Minneapolis Federation of Educators Local 59.

Chelsie Glaubitz Gabiou, the president of the Minneapolis Regional Labor Federation, AFL-CIO, said: “Working people, our schools and our communities are under attack. Union members are being detained commuting to and from work, tearing apart families. Parents are being forced to stay home, students held out of school, fearing for their lives, all while the employer class remains silent.”

“I think what generated the idea for this action comes out of the need to figure out what we can meaningfully do to stop it,” said Knutson. “The government in the state of Minnesota has not offered any path towards stopping these attacks, this violence.”

Knutson expressed hope that “the CEOs of all these corporations that are based in Minnesota take notice”.

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Large US corporations headquartered in Minnesota include Target, Best Buy, United Healthcare and General Mills. None immediately returned requests for comment.

As the administration continues to send ICE agents to the Minnesota region, Minneapolis mayor Jacob Frey has complained in recent days that the city’s police are outmanned and outgunned.

“Can our cops arrest them? From a legal perspective, yes,” he said during an interview on the Bulwark podcast. “From a practical perspective, to state the reality, it does get kind of hard when they drastically outnumber us, and they have bigger guns than we do. We don’t want to create warfare in the street.”

A blackout by workers can send a message, Knutson said. “Those of us in the trade union movement understand the leverage and power that our labor has, and we are going to try and use that, because really there’s nothing else left,” he told the Guardian. “The idea is that we use our collective power to show those that rule this country and those that profit off of our labor that there’s a cost to attacking our communities this way.”

Organizers held a press conference last Tuesday, outside of the Hennepin county government center in Minneapolis, to announce that the event, which will also include a march and rally in the city’s downtown at 2pm local time.

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“On Friday, January 23, we are calling for a day of truth and freedom,” said JaNaé Bates Imari, a minister and co-executive director of the multi-faith non-profit Isaiah. “It is a day where every single Minnesotan who loves this state and this notion of truth and freedom will refuse to work, to shop, and to go to school. What we have experienced and are experiencing in the state of Minnesota is not normal.”

The White House did not respond to multiple requests for comment on the planned economic blackout.

A Department of Homeland Security spokesperson said: “The fact that those groups want to shut down Minnesota’s economy, which provides law-abiding American citizens an honest living, to fight for illegal alien murderers, rapists, gang members, pedophiles, drug dealers, and terrorists says everything you need to know.”

The spokesperson reiterated the administration’s claim that Good “weaponized” her car before the shooting. This account of the incident has been disputed by local and state leaders in Minnesota, as well as by eyewitnesses. Video footage of the shooting appears to show Good’s vehicle turning away from the officer as he opened fire.

The DHS spokesperson added that “if these community and faith leaders wanted to take a stand for the vulnerable”, they would stand with federal law enforcement officers, whom the spokesperson claimed have faced a sharp increase in assaults and vehicle attacks. They did not provide evidence for this allegation.

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“These men and women are moms and dads who risk their lives on a daily basis to protect innocent, law-abiding Americans from the dangerous criminal illegal aliens in their communities,” the spokesperson added.

Under the Trump administration, thousands of people targeted by ICE have no criminal record, and numerous US citizens have also been detained.



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Minnesota weather: Single digit highs Wednesday through Friday, milder next week

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Minnesota weather: Single digit highs Wednesday through Friday, milder next week


It’s a cold and sunny Wednesday in Minnesota with single digit highs and subzero wind chills. 

Wednesday’s forecast in Minnesota 

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The forecast:

Wednesday will be cold and sunny with northwest winds between 5–15 mph, making it feel below zero throughout the day.

Temperatures remain below average, with central Minnesota seeing highs in the single digits, far northern Minnesota experiencing subzero highs, and double-digit highs in the southwest. The Twin Cities metro will top out at around 8 degrees. 

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Wednesday night remains mostly clear but cold as temperatures drop below zero with wind chills in the negative teens. 

Extended Minnesota weather forecast

What’s next:

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Thursday stays cold with a mix of sun and clouds. Highs remain in the single digits, accompanied by subzero wind chills. 

Frigid conditions continue into Friday before temperatures gradually warm over the weekend. Saturday brings highs in the teens, followed by warming into the mid-20s by Sunday. A weak system may bring a few snowflakes Sunday afternoon.

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Here’s a look at the seven-day forecast:

The Source: This forecast uses information from FOX 9 meteorologists.

Weather ForecastMinnesota
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Minnesota Representative Ilhan Omar attacked during town hall meeting

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Minnesota Representative Ilhan Omar attacked during town hall meeting


BREAKING,

Omar was sprayed with an unknown substance during the attack by a man, who was then tackled to the ground.

Minnesota Representative Ilhan Omar has been attacked by a man while hosting a town hall meeting in Minneapolis.

Omar was sprayed with an unknown substance by the man before he was tackled to the ground on Tuesday.

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The Reuters news agency said that Omar was not injured in the attack, and authorities have not said what substance was sprayed or whether charges have been filed against the assailant.

The audience cheered as the man was pinned down and his arms were tied behind his back. In a video clip of the incident, someone in the crowd can be heard saying, “Oh my god, he sprayed something on her”, the Associated Press news agency reported.

Omar continued the town hall after the man was ushered out of the room.

Just before the attack, she had called for the abolishment of the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agency and for Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem to resign.

“ICE cannot be reformed,” Omar said.

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A man shouts at U.S. Representative Ilhan Omar (D-MN) after spraying her, during a town hall meeting days after a man identified as Alex Pretti was fatally shot by federal immigration agents trying to detain him, in Minneapolis, Minnesota, U.S., January 27, 2026 in a still image from video. REUTERS/Maria Alejandra Cardona
A man shouts at US Representative Ilhan Omar after spraying her with a substance during a town hall meeting in Minneapolis on Tuesday, just days after Alex Pretti was shot dead by federal immigration agents in the city, in Minnesota [Screengrab: Maria Alejandra Cardona/Reuters]

Minneapolis police did not immediately respond to requests for comment on the incident and whether anyone was arrested.

The White House did not immediately respond to a message from the AP seeking comment.

This is a breaking news story. More to follow soon…



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Trump makes changes on the ground in Minnesota and doctors break with the CDC: Morning Rundown

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Trump makes changes on the ground in Minnesota and doctors break with the CDC: Morning Rundown


In today’s newsletter: Some Trump administration advisers and allies say the optics of the immigration operation in Minneapolis have led Trump to make some changes. An influential group of doctors has split with the CDC over shot recommendations for children. And the downfall of China’s top general could have implications for Taiwan.

Here’s what to know today.

Trump reshuffles his Minnesota operation after backlash from second fatal shooting

President Donald Trump has made significant changes of leadership in the Minnesota immigration operations after the fatal shooting of Alex Pretti, according to administration officials and allies.

“The visuals were not playing well. He understands TV. … He saw it for himself,” said a Republican lawmaker who was granted anonymity to speak candidly.

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Saturday’s shooting has prompted a leadership shakeup, a reduction of agents in the city, a reset with key Democratic officials in the state, and an attempt to distance the president from some of the more extreme comments from some of his top advisers.

More than 3,000 federal agents have been sent to Minneapolis, and they currently outnumber the local police force nearly five-to-one. One adviser said that while immigration enforcement will not end, the shooting is forcing the administration to rethink what operations will look like going forward.

Trump said he and Gov. Tim Walz spoke by phone Monday, calling it a “very good call” in a social media post.

Walz said Trump agreed to talk to the Department of Homeland Security about allowing state officials to conduct their own independent shooting investigations and decreasing the number of federal agents in his state.

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Read the full story here.

More news out of Minneapolis:

  • Democrats are pushing to drastically slash funding for ICE and Border Protection, or totally gut the agencies after the shooting death of Pretti.
  • Investigators are reviewing body-camera videos that captured Pretti’s fatal shooting. Analysis shows witness video contradicts the Trump administration’s description of the event.
  • A growing number of Senate Republicans are calling for an investigation into the shooting.
  • FBI Director Kash Patel says the agency is investigating Minnesota Signal chats that are tracking ICE.
  • A Minnesota Republican dropped out of the governor’s race, citing his party’s handling of immigration enforcement in the state.

Doctors break with CDC on vaccine guidance for children

A child is seen from behind while being vaccinated by a nurse on his left arm.
A child is vaccinated during an immunization event in the Panorama City neighborhood of Los Angeles on October 24, 2025.Patrick T. Fallon / AFP via Getty Images file

The nation’s leading group of pediatricians released its annual children’s vaccine recommendations — and for the first time in 30 years it significantly broke from the government’s proposed vaccine schedule.

The American Academy of Pediatrics’ guidance largely reflects what has previously been recommended, no longer completely aligning with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which recently reduced the number of diseases on the vaccine schedule. The AAP additionally recommends shots against Covid, RSV, the flu, rotavirus, hepatitis A and B, and meningitis.

“These recent changes to the CDC schedule are a strong departure from the medical evidence and no longer offer the optimal way to prevent illness in children,” said Dr. Sean O’Leary, chair of the AAP’s committee on infectious diseases.

Read the full story here.

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The downfall of China’s top general

China Military
Chinese President Xi Jinping poses with Zhang Youxia in Beijing on Dec. 22, 2025.Li Gang / AP

The investigation into China’s top general, once a close ally of President Xi Jinping, has thrown the leadership of the country’s military into turmoil and raised questions about Taiwan’s future.

The Chinese Defense Ministry said in a statement that Gen. Zhang Youxia, vice chairman of the Central Military Commission, which controls the armed forces, was under investigation and accused of serious “violations of discipline and law.”

An editorial in the Liberation Army Daily newspaper, the mouthpiece of the country’s armed forces, suggested that Zhang, 75, was accused of corruption and possibly disloyalty to Xi.

Zhang was previously considered “untouchable,” according to Alessandro Arduino, an expert in Chinese security at the Royal United Services Institute, a London-based think tank. “This is a reminder coming directly from President Xi Jinping that political loyalty stands well before combat readiness,” he said. “Political disloyalty is a cardinal sin inside the party. I think the message is extremely clear: No one is safe.”

Of the six generals the president appointed to the commission in 2022, only one is left, allowing Xi to consolidate power but also heightening the risk of a military miscalculation when it comes to Taiwan, according to Steve Tsang, the director of the SOAS China Institute at the University of London. “Removing generals like Zhang means that there will not be any general who would dare to advise Xi against a military adventure when the time comes, and this increases the risk of a miscalculation,” he said.

Read All About It

  • TikTok says widespread disruptions were caused by a power outage, after users voiced concerns that they were being politically censored under the app’s new U.S. ownership.
  • India and the European Union have finalized a landmark trade deal that will represent a quarter of the world’s economy, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi said.
  • It’s officially tax season, and there are several new deductions going into effect this year that could change how Americans file their returns.
  • People are opting for the cheapest available Affordable Care Act plans, but that could lead to higher out-of-pocket costs later.
  • The remains of the last hostage held in Gaza were identified by the Israeli military, paving the way for the next phase of the ceasefire.
  • Alex Vindman, an Army veteran who was a key witness during Trump’s first impeachment, will run for the Florida Senate as a Democrat.
  • Ye, formerly known as Kanye West, apologized for his history of “reckless” antisemitic comments in a full-page ad in The Wall Street Journal.

Staff Pick: Some prediction market traders find a lucrative niche: Betting against Elon Musk.

Elon Musk
On websites such as Kalshi and Polymarket, users can place bets on what Elon Musk might do next.Leila Register / NBC News; Getty Images

As a tech reporter, I’ve seen Elon Musk fall short on a lot of promises. The Tesla CEO has failed, for example, to deploy fully self-driving cars. And since entering the political world, he has made one pledge after another that haven’t come true, such as his 2024 vow to find $2 trillion in federal budget waste.

Musk is also a master at evading scrutiny. Tesla’s sky-high share price is evidence of that, and he is still the world’s wealthiest person. But now, prediction markets are providing at least a small measure of accountability. These markets are rising in popularity, as people turn to sites such as Kalshi and Polymarket to wager on current events. Recently, I spoke with some users who bet against Musk’s predictions coming true — a strategy that has worked out pretty well for them.

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David Ingram, tech reporter

NBC Select: Online Shopping, Simplified

Staying hydrated should never fall to the bottom of your to-do list. One easy way to drink more water is to invest in a water pitcher with expert-approved filtration systems. You can also carry around a reusable water bottle to help hit your hydration goals—one of our editor favorites, the Yeti Rambler, is on sale right now for a limited time only.

Sign up to The Selection newsletter for hands-on product reviews, expert shopping tips and a look at the best deals and sales each week.

Thanks for reading today’s Morning Rundown. Today’s newsletter was curated for you by Kaylah Jackson, Marissa Martinez and David Hickey. If you’re a fan, please send a link to your family and friends. They can sign-up here.



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