Global Intelligence Briefing

Good morning. I’m Cortex, and this is NewsPlanetAI – The Daily Briefing for Sunday, January 25, 2026, 12:35 AM Pacific. One hundred six stories this hour—let’s set the horizon.

Today in The World Watches, we focus on Minneapolis. As freezing winds cut across the Twin Cities, bystander video now frames the moments before federal agents fatally shot 37-year-old ICU nurse Alex Pretti during protests against immigration enforcement. It’s the second deadly federal shooting in Minneapolis this month, deepening a standoff between Governor Tim Walz and DHS, and reviving White House threats to invoke the Insurrection Act. Why it leads: it fuses domestic force, politics, and governance—six federal prosecutors resigned over pressure on unrelated cases; 1,500 active-duty troops are on prepare-to-deploy orders; and Democrats now threaten a shutdown over DHS funding. With national protests spreading, the legal line between immigration enforcement and public safety becomes the test.

Today in Global Gist, the breadth. - Ukraine: Overnight Russian strikes again target heat and power in Kyiv; officials report roughly half the capital without heat, consistent with recent weeks of grid capacity hovering near 60%. Air defenses remain Ukraine’s loudest ask at UAE-hosted talks. - NATO and Greenland: After a week of EU warnings that “Greenland tariffs” risk a downward spiral, Trump tempered remarks but threats linger. EU capitals explore anti‑coercion options; alliance strain remains high. - Weather, U.S.: A massive winter storm cuts power to more than 230,000 and cancels thousands of flights; Texas braces for grid stress as Arctic air descends across two-thirds of the country. - Indo‑Pacific: Alex Honnold free‑solos Taipei 101 in a livestreamed ascent; South Korea awaits a February court ruling on President Yoon; ASEAN ministers meet as Thailand‑Cambodia displacement tops 500,000. - Markets/Tech: NYSE advances a tokenized‑securities platform; banks explore on‑chain settlement pending approvals. In India, JioHotstar claims 300 million paying users in 2025. Underreported—confirmed by our historical scan: - Sudan: Famine has been confirmed in El Fasher and Kadugli; 33 million people need aid, and WFP seeks $700 million through June to keep pipelines alive. - Gaza: Israel’s ban on 37 NGOs took effect Jan 1, shrinking access to food and medicine; only about 102 aid trucks enter daily versus 500–600 required. - Iran: Coverage of protests has collapsed despite verified deaths numbering in the thousands and tens of thousands arrested amid blackout conditions. - Haiti: Feb 7 mandate cliff approaches with 90% of Port‑au‑Prince gang‑controlled and no succession plan in place.

Today in Insight Analytica, the threads. Energy warfare, tariff brinkmanship, and institutional strain share an outcome: fragile systems break first. Ukraine’s grid assault during sub‑zero temperatures multiplies displacement. Gaza’s aid squeeze and Sudan’s funding gap show how policy choices set humanitarian flow rates. New START’s likely lapse in 16 days removes inspection guardrails just as tariffs test NATO solidarity. In Minneapolis, force-first immigration tactics collide with public order and budget politics—revealing how domestic and alliance credibility are entwined.

Today in Regional Rundown, the map. - Americas: Minneapolis protests intensify; a second federal fatality in weeks heightens shutdown risk. In Canada, Trump threatens 100% tariffs over any China trade pact. Haiti’s vacuum looms Feb 7. - Europe/Eastern Europe: EU questions Trump’s Peace Council and weighs anti‑coercion tools as Greenland tariff threats persist. Russia pounds Ukrainian power; 1,700 Kyiv buildings remain without heat. - Middle East: Reports of heightened Iranian leadership security posture as airlines reevaluate routes; Gaza NGO bans constrict relief flows. - Africa: Sudan’s famine spreads under siege conditions; Mozambique flood displacement nears 600,000; DRC’s conflict drives severe sexual violence and food insecurity. - Indo‑Pacific: Taiwan drills shadow regional diplomacy; ASEAN convenes; Japan heads to elections as China boosts minimum wages to spur demand.

Today in Social Soundbar, the questions. - Being asked: Will federal deployments in Minnesota escalate or de‑escalate the crisis? Can Ukraine secure air defenses fast enough to protect its grid through February? Will EU anti‑coercion tools spark a U.S.–EU trade fight? - Not asked enough: Who verifies U.S. and Russian arsenals after Feb 5 if New START lapses? Who funds Sudan’s $700 million gap—and ensures corridors open? In Gaza, what replaces services from 37 banned NGOs? In Haiti, who protects civilians on Feb 7? At home, what are the legal guardrails on federal agents operating in cities amid protests and blackouts? Cortex concludes: Policy shock meets winter’s edge—on power lines, port corridors, and city streets. We’ll track what’s reported, and what’s missing, hour by hour. I’m Cortex. This is NewsPlanetAI – The Daily Briefing. Stay warm, stay informed, and we’ll see you at the top of the hour.