When President Donald Trump announced the audacious capture of Nicolás Maduro to face drug trafficking charges in the U.S., he portrayed the strongman's vice president and longtime aide as America's preferred partner to stabilize Venezuela amid a scourge of drugs, corruption and economic mayhem.
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Letter writing enjoys a revival as fans seek connection and a break from screen time
At a time when productivity means optimizing every second and screens blur the line between work and home, some people are slowing down and disconnecting by looking to communication devices from the past.
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Trump's Twin Cities immigration crackdown has made chaos and tension the new normal
Work starts around sunrise for many of the federal officers carrying out the immigration crackdown in and around the Twin Cities, with hundreds of people in tactical gear emerging from a bland office building near the main airport.
January 17, 2026
Climate activist predicts high electricity prices and Trump's attacks on green energy will hurt GOP
At a time when the Trump administration rolled back numerous environmental regulations while global temperatures and U.S. carbon pollution spiked, longtime climate activist Bill McKibben finds hope in something that didn't seem that strong on a recent single-digit-temperature day: the sun.
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As Trump's deadline for a cap on credit card rates looms, banks have only questions and no answers
President Donald Trump a week ago told the credit card industry it had until Jan. 20 to comply with his demand for a 10% cap on interest rates. With just days to go, consumer groups, politicians, and bankers alike remain unclear on what the White House has planned and whether Trump even remains serious about the idea.
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How abortion coverage threatens to prevent a congressional deal on health care subsidies
There is broad bipartisan support in the House and Senate for reviving federal health care subsidies that expired at the beginning of the year. But long-standing disagreements over abortion coverage are threatening to block any compromise and leave millions of Americans with higher premiums.
January 17, 2026
Here's where Trump's most jaw-dropping promises stand a year into his second term
From toppling Venezuela's leader to ordering mass deportations, from turning once independent government entities into rubber stamps to demolishing the East Wing for a White House ballroom, President Donald Trump spent his first year back in office trampling political norms and testing institutional checks and balances.
January 17, 2026
ICE says Cuban immigrant died while attempting suicide. A witness says guards pinned and choked him
A Cuban immigrant died in a Texas immigration detention facility earlier this month during an altercation with guards, and the local medical examiner has indicated that his death will likely be classified as a homicide.
January 17, 2026
Judge rules feds in Minneapolis immigration operation can't detain or tear gas peaceful protesters
Federal officers in the Minneapolis area participating in its largest recent U.S. immigration enforcement operation can't detain or tear gas peaceful protesters who aren't obstructing authorities, including when these people are observing the agents, a judge in Minnesota ruled Friday.
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Today in History: January 17, US alcohol prohibition begins
Today is Saturday, Jan. 17, the 17th day of 2026. There are 348 days left in the year.
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Things to know about the High Seas Treaty as it takes effect
The world's first legally binding agreement to protect marine life in international waters took effect Saturday, marking a historic moment for ocean conservation after nearly two decades of negotiations.
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Why US cities are reverting 1-way streets back to their original 2-way design
Excessive speeding was so common on parallel one-way streets passing a massive electronics plant that Indianapolis residents used to refer to the pair as a ''racetrack'' akin to the city's famous Motor Speedway a few miles west.
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Actor Timothy Busfield's attorneys say an investigation undermines state's child sex abuse charges
Emmy Award-winning actor Timothy Busfield's attorneys told a court Friday he should be released while he awaits the outcome of child sex abuse charges against him because an independent investigation undermined the state's allegations, the parents of his accusers have a history of fraud and dishonesty, and he passed a polygraph test.
January 17, 2026