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By Sallee Ann Harrison

January 29, 2026

By Sallee Ann Harrison

January 29, 2026

 
 

Good afternoon and welcome to your afternoon news update from AP. Today, President Donald Trump’s border czar says immigration enforcement could reduce the number of officers in Minnesota; Democrats block a government funding package in the Senate; and legal setbacks against a dam in the Amazon raise questions about Brazil’s reliance on hydropower.

 

UP FIRST

White House border czar Tom Homan holds a news conference in Minneapolis on Thursday. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)

White House border czar Tom Homan holds a news conference in Minneapolis on Thursday. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)

Trump's border czar suggests a possible reduction of officers in Minnesota, but only after ‘cooperation’

The Trump administration could reduce the number of immigration enforcement officers in Minnesota, but only if state and local officials cooperate, the president’s border czar Tom Homan said Thursday, noting he has “zero tolerance” for protesters who assault federal officers or impede the ongoing operation in the Twin Cities. Read more.

RELATED COVERAGE ➤

  • Democratic Sen. Klobuchar says she’s running for Minnesota governor after Gov. Walz dropped out
  • Sen. Susan Collins announces end to ICE large-scale operations in Maine after talks with Noem
  • WATCH: New video shows Alex Pretti in scuffle with federal officers in Minneapolis 11 days before his death
  • Mayors warn that Trump’s hardline immigration tactics could dent trust in law enforcement
 

TOP STORIES

Democrats block government funding package in Senate as negotiations continue to avert a shutdown

Democrats voted to block legislation to fund the Department of Homeland Security and several other agencies Thursday as they continued to negotiate with Republicans and the White House on new restrictions for President Donald Trump’s surge of immigration enforcement. Read more.

RELATED COVERAGE ➤

  • House Republicans propose stricter voting requirements as Trump administration eyes the midterms
  • Trump says he’s instructed US officials to reopen Venezuelan airspace for commercial travel
  • Justice Department charges man who squirted vinegar on Rep. Ilhan Omar
  • Trump's wide ambitions for Board of Peace sparks new support for the United Nations
  • Escape from Washington? Senators look to start new chapters as governors
  • Kennedy Center's head of artistic programming steps down 2 weeks after taking the job

Legal setbacks against a dam in the Amazon raise questions about Brazil’s reliance on hydropower

The Belo Monte hydropower plant in the Brazilian Amazon, one of the world’s largest, was designed to channel water from the Xingu River in a way that would avoid the need for large reservoirs, which could flood surrounding areas. After years of legal battles, authorities approved the project on one condition: it would not threaten ecosystems and communities of Indigenous people. A decade after operations began, Brazilian courts have found that Belo Monte failed to meet that requirement and that its environmental and social impacts were far greater than forecast. Read more.

RELATED COVERAGE ➤

  • Climate change worsened rains and floods which killed dozens in southern Africa, study shows
  • Alaska Native villages have few options and little US help as climate change devours their land
 

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IN OTHER NEWS

Metropolitan Police Department diver Robert Varga poses for a portrait in Washington on Jan. 22. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)

Metropolitan Police Department diver Robert Varga poses for a portrait in Washington on Jan. 22. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)

DC plane crash anniversary: Responders recall a mission of recovery and grief a year after the midair collision near DC

Maximum possible sentence: A former Illinois deputy is sentenced to 20 years in prison for killing Sonya Massey

Road safety: Africa has very few vehicles but the worst road safety record in the world

One Tech Tip: Fed up with AI slop? A few platforms will let you dial it down

‘Ms. Shirley’: TikTok star Shirley Raines, known for bringing meals and respect to people on Skid Row, dies at 58

Kendrick Lamar to K-pop: AP predicts who will win at the 2026 Grammys

WATCH: Margot Robbie and Jacob Elordi’s unspoken language

 

TRENDING

This image released by the Library of Congress shows Alicia Silverstone in a scene from the 1995 film

This image released by the Library of Congress shows Alicia Silverstone in a scene from the 1995 film "Clueless.” (Paramount Pictures/Library of Congress via AP)

As if! ‘Clueless,’ ‘The Karate Kid,’ ‘Inception’ among 25 movies entering National Film Registry