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A man was fatally shot by federal officers during an immigration operation in Minneapolis on Saturday.

Federal authorities identified the man as Alex Pretti, a 37-year-old U.S. citizen and ICU nurse. 

What happened? 
Videos show Pretti filming ICE agents with his phone, before appearing to try and intervene after an ICE agent pushes a woman to the ground. An officer appears to pepper-spray Pretti in the face before dragging him to the ground. Several agents surround Pretti, and moments later, multiple gunshots are heard.

The videos have fueled sharply different accounts of whether the officer’s actions were justified.

What are the dueling accounts?
DHS Secretary Noem said that Pretti “approached US border patrol officers with a 9mm semi-automatic handgun.” She suggested he intended to “kill law enforcement,” and that the officer “fired defensive shots” after Pretti “violently resisted” being disarmed.

Minnesota Governor Walz (D) called the DHS’s account “nonsense,” and demanded President Trump recall the “3,000 untrained agents out of Minnesota before they kill another American in the street.” Pretti’s parents say that, while their son had a permit to carry the firearm, he was “clearly not holding a gun when attacked” by ICE agents, but had “his phone in his right hand and his empty left hand is raised above his head.”

What now?
Separate—non-collaborative—state and federal investigations.

Meanwhile, Governor Walz deployed the National Guard to aid local law enforcement as anti-ICE protestors rallied near Minneapolis city hall, despite dangerously cold weather this weekend. And Senate Democrats say they will block a spending bill that includes $10B in funding for ICE, which must be approved by Friday to avoid a partial government shutdown.

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PRAY WITH US
Good Shepherd, we come to You in a dark valley; lead us beside quiet waters and still our burdened souls. With your goodness and mercy, relentlessly pursue those who are mourning. Lead law enforcement in paths of righteousness, that they will be fearless when confronting wolves but discerning and gentle when they meet lambs. 

Still the anxiety, anger, and fear in Minneapolis and across the country. Give investigators insight and give courts discernment, and grow Your people’s faith that You will soon right every wrong. May we be beacons of light and hope while we wait on You. Amen.
(Scriptural basis: Psalm 23)

Winter Storm Fern left at least two dead and over a million Americans powerless from New Mexico to New England this weekend.

Thick layers of ice and heavy snow blanketed 34 states—at least 24 of which have declared emergencies—with the highest threat of destructive ice stretching from Texas to Virginia. Flight cancellations are piling up, and a growing list of schools across the country have called off classes for Monday as roads become impassable.

Lawmakers are urging people to stay home, while forecasters warn of crippling accumulations, record subzero temperatures, and the storm’s unusually long duration.

Temps aren’t expected to get above freezing until later this week, and sunny days followed by frigid nights could instigate a melt-and-refreeze cycle, prolonging Fern’s effects even after she winds down late tonight. 

See live updates for your area here.   

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ETERNAL PERSPECTIVE
Massive weather events and natural disasters remind us that all of the world has been broken by sin. But Christians can look forward to an eternity where there’s redemption not just for people, but for creation itself. 

“For the creation was subjected to futility—not willingly, but because of him who subjected it—in the hope that the creation itself will also be set free from the bondage to decay into the glorious freedom of God’s children.” 
Romans 8:20-21 (CSB) (read full passage)

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A former Canadian Olympic snowboarder was arrested Thursday. The ex-athlete turned FBI’s Most Wanted was indicted in 2024 for allegedly running a transnational cocaine-smuggling enterprise and orchestrating multiple murders. Officials believe the “modern-day El Chapo” was part of Mexico’s Sinaloa Cartel. He turned himself in to the U.S. embassy in Mexico after a decade in hiding, ending a yearlong multinational investigation.

TikTok’s entering its American era (cue Star-Spangled Banner). The clock app signed agreements with investors Thursday to form an American entity, easing fears the app would be banned stateside. The Entity™ will handle U.S. data and content moderation and will oversee algorithm security, promising to retrain TikTok’s secret sauce while insisting American users will maintain a “global TikTok experience.”

President Trump threatened Canada with a 100% tariff Saturday if it “makes a deal with China.” The announcement comes as America’s northern neighbor agreed to cut tariffs on Chinese EVs, agricultural products, and fish; Canada’s PM Carney said the agreement will “rectify some issues,” but that Canada has “no intention” of making a free trade agreement with China.

The first tri-lateral peace talks between Ukraine, Russia, and the U.S. were “constructive,” but fighting rages on. Over the weekend, Russian air strikes pummeled Kyiv’s already damaged energy grid, killing one and leaving ~1M Ukrainians without heat or water during an icy winter. A second round of peace talks resumes Sunday, which the U.S. called a “good sign.”

The numbers are in: murder is down. A study released Thursday found a 21% drop in homicide across 35 American cities in 2025, the largest one-year dip on record. Crime in general is also down—except drug offenses (+7%)—and violent crime rates are at or below 2019 levels. The study said “robust research” is needed to determine the dip’s cause.

The evolution of F1 pit stops...

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