From the desk of Rich Stephens
News for the week ending 1-10-26
Below find the expanded text from tonight’s broadcast. For corrections or additions, contact Rich directly.
Current Events
Minneapolis ICE Shooting
In Minneapolis where on Wednesday, a protester was fatally shot by an Ice Agent. This story became large enough to warrant its own video.
The Cold Take Minneapolis ICE Shooting (Video)
The Cold Take Minneapolis ICE Shooting (Article)
Nicolas Maduro Capture Updates
New information Following the January 3 capture of Nicolas Maduro from his home in Caracas Venezuela. We learned that 32 members of the Cuban military and 24 Venezuelan soldiers were killed in the raid. Maduro appeared in court for arraignment on charges of Narco-Terrorism Conspiracy, Cocaine Importation Conspiracy, and Possession of Machine Guns and Destructive Devices. Eye witnesses say he stood and declared his innocence and insisted that he is still the president of Venezuela.
Venezuelan Government Statement
Please note, we generally won’t use another news outlet’s version of events. But we cannot be inside the court room and federal court doesn’t allow cameras.
Venezuelan Oil Tanker Seizures
Wednesday January 7, DHS Secretary Kristi Noem announced the seizure of two more Venezuelan oil tankers. These ships were operating under sanctions. One was captured in the Caribbean but the other was operating in the North Atlantic. That ship, the Bella I had changed its flag and painted on a new name in an attempt to evade the US Coast Guard. Pete Hegseth stated that a naval blockade of all Venezuelan oil is in effect and will be enforced anywhere in the world.
Friday, the US Coast Guard announced that it had also seized Russian Motor Tanker Olina in international waters east of the Caribbean. They reiterated that sanctioned oil and tankers will continue to be seized.
Corporation For Public Broadcasting
Monday, January 5, the Corporation for Public Broadcasting voted to dissolve the organization after 58 years of operations. In May of 2025, President Trump issued an executive order, directing the CPB board to cease all direct and indirect funding of NPR and PBS. The order stated that neither outlet presents a fair, accurate and unbiased portrayal of current events. In June of 2025, Congress passed HR. 4, the Rescissions Act of 2025. This rescinded $9.4B in funding, including funding to USAID and the CPB. Both PBS and NPR released statements confirming their commitment to continuing their broadcasts.
H.R.4 – Rescissions Act of 2025
Updated Vaccine Guidance from CDC
Monday, January 5, the CDC announced that it is modifying the immunization schedule for children. After reviewing data from 20 other developed, peer nations, it was determined that some vaccines will become optional for infants. Things like MMR and TDAP will remain routine while flu, Covid, and Hep A and B will become optional outside of high risk populations.
Politics
Tim Walz Declines Reelection Campaign
Monday, January 5, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz announced that he will not seek reelection. His 4 page statement criticized the president and republicans, accusing them of playing politics with the ongoing fraud investigation in his state. He indicated his confidence that he could win another term, but is choosing to focus on the job instead of a campaign.
Mark Kelly Censure
Monday, January 5, Secretary of War Pete Hegseth posted to X. He announced that he has issued a formal letter of censure against Mark Kelly. Kelly is a retired Naval Captain who participated in a video encouraging active duty military members to refuse unlawful orders. Of the 6 lawmakers who participated in the video, Kelly is the only one who formally retired and therefore the only one who is still under the jurisdiction of the uniform code of military justice. Hegseth is seeking to lower his rank and retirement pay as part of this action. Kelly insists that he did nothing wrong and is being targeted for speaking out against president Trump.
NYC Expanded Childcare
Thursday, December 8, New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani and Governor Kathy Hochul held a joint press conference. They announced that the state will add $1.7B in state spending to provide free child care to 2 year olds in New York City. Mamdani said “we will deliver care by working in partnership with child care providers, especially home based providers who have been doing this work without thanks or recognition for far too long.” This will expand the state’s childcare and pre K budget to $4.5B
Mamdani Hochul Joint Press Conference
Florida Operation Tidal Wave
Monday, January 5, Florida Governor Ron Desantis spoke about the ongoing immigration enforcement dubbed “Operation Tidal Wave”. The joint effort between local, state and federal law enforcement has arrested over 10,000 individuals and turned them over to the Department of Homeland Security. He said that 63% had criminal arrests or convictions and that all were in the country illegally.
Desantis Press Conference on X
Anniversary of January 6th Events
This week marks 5 years since the January 6th events that sparked national debate and kicked off years of investigations and arrests. The House Select Committee concluded that Donald Trump knowingly attempted to overturn the 2020 election, incited an attack on the Capital and should face criminal prosecution. The White house released a new report this week, published at www.whitehouse.gov/j6. It speaks about the pardons of 1600 Americans who were prosecuted for their actions that day. It also lays the blame squarely on Nancy Pelosi for what occurred. You can read what’s there and judge for yourself.
White House Press Conference on X
Russian Hoax Memo and Timeline Revisited
Finance
Switching over to finance, Markets strengthened this week, largely erasing last week’s losses and then some. The Dow gained 1122 points, a 2.3% increase and closed at 49504.
The NASDAQ added 436 points, a nearly 1.9% gain, closing at 23,671.
The S&P 500 gained almost 1.6%, adding 108 points to finish the week at 6966.
Gold did not erase last week’s losses, but climbed 171 dollars and sits right at 4500 dollars per ounce.
Sports
NFL
In Sports, The New York Jets set a new NFL record Sunday after ending the season 3 and 14. No one will ever catch fewer interceptions than the 2025 Jets, who failed to record a single INT, even in an expanded 17 game season.
In Baltimore, the 8-9 Ravens fired head coach John Harbaugh. In 18 seasons, Harbaugh finished 180 and 113, with 11 trips to the playoffs. His team went 13 and 11 in post season play with a Superbowl win coming in 2012.
The Dolphins, Cardinals, Browns and Falcons all fired their head coaches and Pete Carroll was let go from the Raiders after a 3 and 14 season.
Yesterday featured two NFL Wildcard playoff games. The Rams beat the Panthers 34-31 and the Packers gave up 25 4th quarter points to lose to the Bears for the first time in the playoffs since 1941. The final of that game was 31-27.
College Football
And finally College Football. Thursday January 8th, The Miami Hurricanes squared off against the Ole Miss Rebels in Tempe, Arizona at the Fiesta Bowl. This was the first of two semi-final playoff games for the college season. The game featured 6 lead changes, four in the 4th quarter alone. Miami controlled the ball for more than 41 minutes, but Ole Miss used explosive plays and field goals from 42, 54 and 58 yards to keep the Canes under pressure. A touchdown with 18 seconds remaining put Miami up 31-27. Ole Miss moved back down the field with time and managed a Hail Mary attempt that fell incomplete as time expired.
Friday night Oregon and Indiana met in Atlanta for the Peach Bowl. Indiana caught a pick 6 on the first play from scrimmage. Oregon tied the game at 7, and then Indiana put on a clinic, scoring 4 unanswered touchdowns and taking a 35-7 lead into the locker room. The final of that game was 56-22.
Indiana will see Miami in the 2026 NCAA Football National Championship in Miami Gardens on January 19. Indiana is a 7.5 point favorite.
Rich Stephens
The Cold Take