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'Flames of Chaos,' Basketball Rigging Scheme & Snow in Florida? - Friday, January 16, 2026
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Today is Friday, January 16th. We're talking about more violence and unrest in Minnesota and the potential of the US Military getting involved. Also, more US Forces are headed to the Middle east. And Venezuela's opposition leader has made an extraordinary gesture toward President Trump. Plus, why American universities are losing their edge in global research, who is now facing charges in a widespread basketball gambling scandal. And how a professional pickleball player is helping to push the sport forward, even off the court. Who's those stories? And even more news to know coming up. Welcome to the Newsworthy. All the day's news in less than 15 minutes. I'm Erica. Mandy. Thanks so much for being here. Let's do this. Chaos and violence in Minnesota seems close to boiling over. And now President Trump is threatening to send in the US Military. He wants to calm protests against the thousands of federal officers sent to enforce his immigration crackdown. But critics say that crackdown is actually the problem and that deploying troops will only make it worse. Specifically, Trump threatened to invoke the Insurrection act, which is a rarely used federal law that lets presidents deploy the military for domestic law enforcement. The last time it was used was in 1992 to end unrest in Los Angeles, but that time, local authorities asked for the assistance. This time, local authorities are begging the president not to take this step. Minnesota's attorney general even promised to challenge any such action in court. And Governor Tim Walz specifically asked President Trump to turn the temperature down, that, quote, this is not who we are. And he's called on protesters not to, as he put it, fan the flames of chaos. Some protests yesterday were more restrained, but others have gotten out of control. And many confrontations between ICE agents and the people of Minneapolis have become increasingly tense. The federal officers continue to arrest both immigrants and protesters and at times literally pulling and dragging people from their cars, homes, or workplaces. They've also repeatedly stopped American citizens who are black and Latino and demanded identification. And they've used tear gas and flashbangs to break up protests. In one recent incident, a family said officers threw tear gas in their van with six kids inside. ICE officers say they've also been attacked and threatened. And FBI Director Kash Patel posted yesterday about two agents vehicles being vandalized. Videos posted online show some protesters gathering documents and other possessions from those vehicles. So now the FBI is offering a $100,000 reward for information. For now, there is no end date for the immigration crackdown in Minneapolis, but authorities say they don't plan to scale it back anytime soon. The US Military is moving more resources to the Middle east as it closely watches Iran's unrest. And that means both equipment and U.S. forces. Reports say they're going to be in place in case President Trump decides to take military action in Iran. It's also a way to make sure the Pentagon is prepared if Iran lashes out at the US Or American allies in the region. President Trump has repeatedly threatened to intervene in support of protesters in Iran, where thousands of people have been reported killed. Already yesterday, the protests seemed to have calmed down after days of escalating violence, though it's difficult to know for sure because of severe communications restrictions in the country. Either way, the US Told the UN Security Council all options are still on the table. The UN Secretary general urged maximum restraint and called for dialogue over a potential military strike. But US Ambassador to the UN Mike Waltz told the council, quote, president Trump is a man of action, not endless talk like we see at the United Nations. To be continued. Venezuela opposition leader Maria Carina Machado showed up to the White House with a gift President Trump has long coveted. We're talking about her Nobel Peace Prize. She presented Trump with her medal during their meeting yesterday and Trump says he's keeping it. Machado also came out of the meeting saying, quote, we can count on President Trump. Machado's trip to Norway to receive the prize was the first time she had been seen in public after 11 months of hiding in Venezuela. Now that Nicolas Maduro has been ousted, Machado has said she wants to return to her home country. Though even after yesterday's meeting, the White House said President Trump still believes Machado would not be able to actually lead Venezuela. Trump has said she doesn't have the support or respect within the country, even though it's widely believed her party won last year's elections. As we've told you, the interim president, Delsey Rodriguez, is in charge of day to day government operations inside Venezuela now, along with others who worked with Maduro, President Trump says she's been cooperative. In Rodriguez's first State of the Union speech yesterday, she spoke about resuming diplomatic ties with the US and she advocated for opening Venezuela's state run oil industry to more foreign investment. Of course, that's after President Trump already promised to seize control of Venezuelan crude sales. Just yesterday, US Forces in the Caribbean Sea seized a six oil tanker with ties to Venezuela. It's considered part of a shadow fleet that moves cargoes of oil in violations of U.S. sanctions. More seizures are expected. The Pentagon says it's now overhauling an independent military newspaper in a move that's being called either a necessary refresh or a First Amendment violation, depending on who you ask. The Defense Department's top spokesperson says the paper, Stars and Stripes, will now only concentrate on reporting for our warfighters and not what he calls woke distractions. He didn't give many more details, but the Washington Post reports that applicants for jobs at Stars and Stripes are already being asked what they would do to support President Trump's policies. The newspaper has been around since the Civil War and has reported news about the military either in its newspaper or online steadily since World War II. Roughly half of its budget comes from the Defense Department, but the news outlet's mission statement emphasizes how it's independent from government and military leadership. This week, the editor in chief told staff the paper will continue to offer balanced coverage even if it calls for holding military officials to account. And some lawmakers have already promised to push back on the Pentagon's plans. Winter weather has made its way to the southern U.S. and this weekend rare snow could fall even in places like New Orleans, Atlanta and Pensacola, Florida. In those cities, it's most likely going to be just flurries, if anything, but there could actually be legitimate plowable snow all the way to Biloxi, Mississippi. Already, cold air has arrived in much of the Deep South. In fact, this morning many Southerners are waking up to temperatures below freezing cold. Stunned iguanas have even started falling out of the trees in Florida. In most cases, they're okay and will bounce back once the weather warms up. Then another cold front is on its way, set to arrive Saturday night. Meanwhile, the weekend could bring very cold temperatures and a considerable amount of snowfall to the Upper Midwest and Great Lakes. Of course, in that part of the country, it's much more typical for this time of year. Still, meteorologists are asking people to stay alert and stay safe. All right, we have more news for you still coming up. But first, a break for our sponsor in 2026. I've been thinking about what works well in my home and where I can make simpler, more intentional choices. And one thing I've learned that's still stuck with me is how often single use plastics and microplastics sneak into our lives. That's why I've made the switch to blueland across all the cleaning products in my home, especially going into the new year when I'm rethinking routines and trying to build more sustainable habits at home. Certified by Cradle to Cradle, Blueland products meet the highest standard of clean. They're effective yet gentle on people and on the planet. From cleaning sprays and toilet bowl cleaner to dishwasher and laundry detergent tablets. Blueland's 100% microplastic free EPA Safer Choice certified formulas are safe to use. Around my entire family, including my son and my pet, I love not having to choose between the safe option and what actually gets my house clean. In fact, my son has wanted to help me clean when he sees me using all these beautiful, colorful cleaning products and it's fantastic. I can let him help without having to worry. Blueland has a special offer for listeners right now. Get 15% off your first order by going to blueland.comnewsworthy. you won't want to miss this blog. Blueland.comnewsworthy for 15% off. That's blueland.comnewsworthy to get 15% off. Now back to the news. We are now heading into a holiday weekend as the US Gets ready to honor the legacy of an American icon. It's Martin Luther King Jr. Day on Monday. Of course, King was one of the most prominent civil rights leaders known for his non violent fight for equal rights for black Americans. And every January we find ways to celebrate him. There are marches and parades planned in several cities. Civil rights museums are also expecting lots of visitors. And like usual, Americans are encouraged to give back. In the 1990s, Congress designated MLK Day a day of service. So even though you may have the day off work or school, it's still meant to be a day on. People are encouraged to donate to a good cause and or volunteer. And there are thousands of service projects planned around the US And a quick reminder, since MLK Day is a federal holiday, government offices, including the post office and libraries, will be closed, along with most banks and the stock market. Here's a shift that could have big implications for America's future. American universities are no longer considered to be the most productive at research. A global ranking of academic output now includes Harvard as the only American university on its list. It slipped from the top to to number three. And now the schools racing ahead are in China. The rankings track academic papers and citations. And Besides the top two, there are also five other Chinese universities in the top 10. Experts say this isn't about American schools getting worse, it's about intensifying global competition. So, for example, Harvard is still producing more research than ever, but China's output has grown much faster. And the timing matters. While this decline had already been happening, the Trump administration has been cutting federal research funding to tightening immigration rules and rolling back science grants, all pressures that university leaders warn, could accelerate the trend. At the same time, China is doing the opposite, pouring billions of dollars into its universities and actively recruiting global talent. Why does this matter? Because research universities drive breakthroughs in medicine, technology, energy and national security. And experts say if the US Falls behind in scientific output, it's not just an academic issue. It's it could be a question of long term global influence. It's being called one of the most sprawling gambling cases in the history of American sports. Federal prosecutors detailed it all yesterday, describing a national and international conspiracy to allegedly rig dozens of games that reached from US College basketball to the top professional league in China. Here in the U.S. they say at least 39 players on 17 different Division 1 college teams manipulated about 29 games in the last couple of years. 26 people have now been charged, including four players who appeared in games just this week. Also named in the latest indictment are two professional gamblers, the same ones facing charges for allegedly plotting with pro players to manipulate NBA games. Prosecutors say they first found former NBA player Antonio Blakeney, who became a star in Chinese basketball. He was allegedly willing to throw games and recruit his teammates to help the gamblers win Betsy. Then prosecutors say the two gamblers and Blakeney brought their operation into the ncaa. They allegedly met, called and messaged players on social media, allegedly offering bribes that typically ranged from $10,000 to $30,000. Charges include bribery, wire fraud and more. So far, no comment from the players, the betters or their lawyers. But if found guilty, they could spend several years in prison. More than half a billion people have already requested tickets for this year's World Cup. Soccer's worldwide governing body, FIFA, put out the figure this week, describing it as a new milestone in world sporting history. It says the application window brought in interest from Fans in all 211 FIFA member countries and territories. The tournament is being co hosted by the U.S. mexico and Canada. But at this point, the game that's the most sought after is a group stage match between Colombia and Portugal that's happening in Miami. FIFA says when there's more interest than there are tickets available, it's it will go to a random selection process. Fans will start finding out about the results of their application next month. Then they'll have another chance to buy tickets closer to the tournament on a first come, first served basis. The 2026 World cup runs from June 11 to July 19. The world's largest sports brand is now partnering up with a new kind of athlete. Nike just inked a deal with 18 year old Annalee Waters, who's widely considered to be the greatest women's pickleball player of all time and she's the first pickleball player to join Nike's roster. Nike is better known for partnering with all time great athletes like Michael Jordan and Serena Williams. But now Waters will also be wearing Nike apparel and footwear at all of her professional appearances. The terms of the deal weren't released, but it will add to a long list of other brand deals Waters has signed onto, like those with Franklin Sports, Delta Air Lines, ulta Beauty and DoorDash. Now, Waters says she hopes this level of exposure helps raise the profile of other pickleball stars too, and and the sport as a whole. That's it for the Maine News today. So now it's time for Feel Good Friday when we bring you one extra feel Good or positive news story before the weekend. And today we're talking about high school students in Virginia who are learning how to repair and restore cars while also helping single moms. They're part of an auto program that's been doing this for the past eight years. Each car takes months to repair and refurbish, and when it's done, a single mother gets it for free. The kids automotive teacher says it's a great learning experience since the students handle tasks like brake and tire repairs, heating and cooling systems, oil and fluid changes, battery testing and more. When each car is finished, it's towed to a shop to go through a safety inspection. Once it passes, the students present it to the new owner. One single mother of three children says she got emotional when she got the keys to her updated 2007 Prius. As she explains it, it wasn't about the car, but but the idea that kids she'd never met cared enough about her family to put in the hard work. Now she says she thinks about it often and how there are some people who really do want to help. We'll be back tomorrow with our special edition Saturday episode all about First Amendment rights when protesting is protected by the Constitution and when it starts to break the law. Find that in your podcast feed tomorrow morning. Then no episode on Monday since it's Martin Luther King Jr. Day. But we will be back on Tuesday with a roundup of all the news you need to start the work week. For now, thank you so much for listening and have a great weekend.