Good morning, and welcome back. In today’s edition:

• 🚨 Minnesota ICE shooting flashpoint
• 🇮🇷 Iran protest crackdown
• 🎰 Spin the birth lottery

…and much more.

Ready, Set, Go: Today’s news should be a ~3.89-minute read (1,034 words).

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“It is useless to meet revenge with revenge; it will heal nothing.”

–J.R.R. Tolkien (1892-1973)

Over the weekend, protests flared in cities across the country in response to recent ICE-related shootings in US cities, especially the fatal shooting of a 37-year-old woman in Minneapolis.

Quick background: Renee Nicole Good, 37, a Minneapolis resident and US citizen, was shot and killed by an ICE agent during a federal immigration enforcement operation last Tuesday.

Federal officials say the ICE agent fired after Good’s vehicle moved toward officers, and that he acted in self-defense. Local officials and eyewitnesses dispute key aspects of that account, while multiple video clips circulating online show different interpretations of Good’s movements immediately before the shooting.

• The Minneapolis shooting happened on the second day of the Trump admin’s immigration crackdown in Minneapolis.
• The Department Homeland Security described it as the DHS’ biggest immigration enforcement operation ever, with 2,000+ officers making 1,500+ arrests thus far.

One event, two different conclusions

Public reactions have split sharply along political lines. Senior GOP figures, including President Trump, VP JD Vance, and Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, have defended the ICE agent’s actions as justified in self-defense, claiming Good “viciously ran over the ICE officer” with her car and categorizing her as a “domestic terrorist.” They also claim Good was part of a “leftwing network” of paid agitators trying to “incite violence” against federal agents.

• By contrast, prominent Democratic leaders and local Minnesota officials have condemned the shooting as excessive force, suggested the officer involved should face charges, and called for greater scrutiny of ICE use-of-force policies.
• Democratic lawmakers also point to video evidence and witness statements they say show that Good’s car didn’t actually strike the ICE officer, and that she was attempting to flee the area rather than run officers over.

Some legal experts say the shooting appeared to be an excessive use of force, while others say it’s too soon to make any call. But they widely agree it would be challenging to prosecute any case against the ICE officer, given the legal immunities that protect law enforcement, and how rare it is for federal agents to face charges.

Looking ahead…Federal and state investigations in Minneapolis are underway. Democrats have also signaled that congressional scrutiny of ICE ‘s actions will continue in the coming weeks.

Additionally, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem yesterday announced plans for “hundreds more” federal officers to deploy to Minneapolis in the wake of the shooting.

📊 Flash poll: In your opinion, was the fatal shooting of Renee Good by ICE officers a justified use of force?

• Yes
• No
• Unsure/other

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BUSINESS & MARKETS

• 💼 US economy added 50,000 jobs in December, down slightly from the previous month, while unemployment fell to 4.4%, per Labor Department data published Friday; 2025 saw the fourth-lowest pace of average job growth since 2003, at +48,000/month.
• 🤖 Google unveiled new AI tools for retailers to help them deploy AI agents, which can help shoppers find their desired items, provide customer support, and let people order food at restaurants, among other things; the standard was developed with companies like Shopify, Etsy, Wayfair, Target, and Walmart.
• 💰 Andreessen Horowitz raised $15 billion across five funds for tech startup investments; it’s the firm’s largest fundraising ever, and represents 18% of all venture capital dollars allocated in the US last year.

SPORTS, MEDIA & ENTERTAINMENT

• 🏆 2026 Golden Globes took place last night; Timothée Chalamet (Marty Supreme) took home his first award, while Good Hang With Amy Poehler won the first-ever best podcast category.
• 🙏 Bob Weir, guitarist and founding member of the legendary rock band Grateful Dead, passed away at 78.
• 🏈 NFL Wild Card Weekend: The Rams, Bears, Bills, 49ers, and Patriots all advanced to the Divisional Round, with one final Wild Card game scheduled for tonight (Steelers v. Texans, 7:15 pm CT). | 🏈 CFP Semifinals: #1 Indiana and #10 Miami advanced to the National Championship Game in Miami, FL, which kicks off a week from tonight. See a full championship preview and predictions. | ⚾ Chicago Cubs signed free-agent 3B Alex Bregman to a 5-yr, $175 million deal; it represents the third-largest contract in franchise history.

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SCIENCE, SPACE & EMERGING TECH

• 🤖 Grok, the AI chatbot from Elon Musk’s xAI, limited image generation and editing to paying subscribers on Friday; the move comes amid reports that Grok can generate and edit sexualized images of women and children without consent.
• ⚡☢️ Meta signs nuclear energy deals with TerraPower, Oklo, and Vistra to power its Prometheus AI data center, securing enough electricity to power ~5 million homes.
• 👦 Teenagers typically increase their risk-taking behavior upon reaching puberty because they have less supervision, rather than a natural inclination for risky behavior, according to new chimp study.

US, WORLD & POLITICS

• 🇮🇷 Iran ramps up violent crackdown on anti-gov’t protests, shutting down internet and the ability to call abroad across the country; US-based human rights group reported yesterday that at least 490 protesters and 48 security personnel have been killed and 10,600+ people arrested, up sharply from 72 deaths as of Friday; President Trump will reportedly be briefed tomorrow on specific options to respond to protests in Iran.
• 🦠 A measles outbreak in South Carolina that began in October has recently intensified, with 99 new cases reported since last Tuesday (now 310 total)
• 🌎 President Trump declared a national emergency to shield Venezuelan oil revenue held by the US government from seizure by private creditors; Trump framed the move as critical to US national security and regional stability. | Trump also said no more Venezuelan oil or money will go to Cuba, and additionally suggested the Cuban gov’t should “make a deal” with the US (without elaborating on details).

☝️ MIT engineers have designed a pill that can report when it’s been swallowed, utilizing a biodegradable radio frequency antenna with components that break down in the stomach, and a 400 by 400 micrometer-chip that must be excreted. Researchers say their invention will allow doctors to monitor patients who could be harmed if they stop taking medication, like transplant patients needing immunosuppressive drugs.

🤔 Did you know? The US government’s Witness Protection Program claims no participant
“following program guidelines” has ever been harmed or killed while under active protection of US Marshals, with 19,250+ witnesses and their family members safely relocated and protected since the program began in 1971.

📰 Worth a read: What time should you wake up? Probably not 5 am.

🖱️ What we’re clicking:

• How a power outage set the official US clock back 4.8 microseconds
• Spin the birth lottery and see a comparison to your current life
• Texas leads U-Haul’s list of states people moved to in 2025

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On Friday, we covered new federal dietary guidelines announced by the Trump admin that recommend Americans eat more protein and dairy, and formally advise against highly

❓ Our question to you: In general, do you agree with the Trump admin’s changes to the federal dietary guidelines?

• Yes: 43%
• No: 37%
• Unsure/other: 20%

Click here to read some of the most thoughtful longform responses.

+Note on sample size: We received 905 votes and 103 longform responses.

Monday: National Clean Off Your Desk Day

Tuesday: Labor Dept.’s Consumer Price Index for December

Wednesday: Producer Price Index for November

Thursday: Weekly US jobless claims; Blackrock, Goldman Sachs, Morgan Stanley, TSMC report earnings

Friday: 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple hits theaters; The Rip starring Matt Damon and Ben Affleck debuts on Netflix; A$AP Rocky to release Don’t Be Dumb, his first studio LP since 2018

Guess the definitions of the following Greek/Latin root words:

1. Calli
2. Dem
3. Hibern
4. Lith
5. Orb

🫂 25 years ago, David Sylvester set out on a journey to honor his late friend Kevin through the simple act of human connection. Now, almost 1 million hugs later, David is known as the "embracer of the world." 

1. Calli = Beautiful (e.g., calligraphy)
2. Dem = People (democracy)
3. Hibern = Wintry (hibernation)
4. Lith = Stone (monolith)
5. Orb = Circle (orbit)

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