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In the news today: Democratic senators vow to oppose a funding bill for the Department of Homeland Security following the shooting death of a 37-year-old Minnesota man; Israel says its military is conducting a "large-scale operation" to locate the last hostage in Gaza; and Zelenskyy says a U.S. security guarantees document for Ukraine is "100% ready" after two days of talks with the U.S. and Russia. Also, how an Italian expert's manufactured snow will play a big role at the Milan Cortina Games. |
Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer, D-N.Y., left, sits at left as Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., center, talks with Sen. Jacky Rosen, D-Nev., during a round table discussion on the high cost of housing, on Capitol Hill, Jan. 7, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Rod Lamkey, Jr.) |
Democrats vow to oppose homeland security funds after Minnesota shooting as shutdown risk grows
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Democratic senators are vowing to oppose a funding bill for the Department of Homeland Security following the shooting death of a 37-year-old Minnesota man, a stand that increases the prospect of a partial government shutdown by the end of the week. Read more. |
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- Six of the 12 annual spending bills for the current budget year have been signed into law by President Donald Trump. Six more are awaiting action in the Senate, despite a revolt from House Democrats and mounting calls for Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem's impeachment.
- If senators fail to act by midnight Friday, funding for Homeland Security and the other agencies covered under the six bills will lapse.
- Republicans will need some Democratic support to pass the remaining spending bills in time to avoid a partial shutdown. That support was already in question after Renee Good, a mother of three, was fatally shot and killed earlier this month by an Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent in Minneapolis. But the fatal shooting Saturday of Alex Pretti, an intensive care unit nurse, quickly prompted Democrats to take a more forceful stand.
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Israel launches 'large-scale operation' to locate last hostage in Gaza
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Israel said Sunday its military was conducting a "large-scale operation" to locate the last hostage in Gaza, as Washington and other mediators pressure Israel and Hamas to move into the next phase of their ceasefire. Read more. |
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- The statement came as Israel's Cabinet met to discuss the possibility of opening Gaza's key Rafah border crossing with Egypt, and a day after top U.S. envoys met with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu about next steps. The return of the remaining hostage, Ran Gvili, has been widely seen as removing the remaining obstacle to moving ahead with opening the Rafah crossing and proceeding with the U.S.-brokered ceasefire's second phase.
- Late Sunday, Netanyahu's office in a statement said: "Upon completion of this operation, and in accordance with what has been agreed upon with the United States, Israel will open the Rafah crossing." It gave no details on how long that would be, but Israeli military officials were quoted in local media as saying the operation could take days to complete.
- The return of all remaining hostages, alive or dead, has been a central part of the first phase of the ceasefire that took effect on Oct. 10. Before Sunday, the previous hostage was recovered in early December.
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US security agreement for Ukraine is '100% ready' to be signed, Zelenskyy says
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President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Sunday that a U.S. security guarantees document for Ukraine is "100% ready" after two days of talks involving representatives from Ukraine, the U.S. and Russia. Read more. |
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- Speaking to journalists in Vilnius during a visit to Lithuania, Zelenskyy said Ukraine is waiting for its partners to set a signing date, after which the document would go to the U.S. Congress and Ukrainian parliament for ratification. Zelenskyy also emphasized Ukraine's push for European Union membership by 2027, calling it an "economic security guarantee."
- The Ukrainian leader described the talks in Abu Dhabi as likely the first trilateral format in "quite a long while" that included not only diplomats but military representatives from all three sides. The talks, which began on Friday and continued Saturday, were the latest aiming to end Russia's nearly four-year full-scale invasion.
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Olympic rings are displayed in the snow at the Stelvio Ski Center, venue for the alpine ski and ski mountaineering disciplines at the 2026 Milan Cortina Winter Olympics in Bormio, Italy, Jan. 16, 2025. (AP Photo/Luca Bruno, File) |
Italian expert's manufactured snow will play big role at the Milan Cortina Games
Davide Cerato will play a major role in skiing and snowboarding events at the upcoming Olympics, but he won't be competing. The Italian snowmaking expert is responsible for perfecting several of the courses that will feature in the 2026 Milan Cortina Winter Games, and he takes his job seriously. |
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