Top 5 US news stories
January 22 2026
Trump Cancels European Tariffs After Framework Agreement on Greenland Emerges
Rare Winter Storm Threatens Half of U.S. Population with Snow, Ice, and Record Cold
Special Counsel Jack Smith Testifies Before House Judiciary Amid Political Confrontation
Trump Authorizes AI Voice Cloning for Fannie Mae Advertisement Promoting Housing Reform
Western Allies Pursue Strategic Partnerships with China Following Trump Tariff Threats
BREAKING ... HOUSE COMMITTEE VOTES TO CHARGE CLINTONS WITH CONTEMPT...BILL AND HILLARY CLINTON REFUSED TO TESTIFY ... JEFFREY EPSTEIN INVESTIGATION...BIPARTISAN SUPPORT ... 9 DEMOCRATS JOINED REPUBLICANS ON BILL ... 3 DEMOCRATS ON HILLARY...NEXT STEP ... FULL HOUSE FLOOR VOTE IN COMING WEEKS...IF HOUSE APPROVES ... CASE GOES TO JUSTICE DEPARTMENT FOR CRIMINAL PROSECUTION...POTENTIAL PENALTIES ... FINES UP TO $100,000 ... JAIL TIME UP TO 1 YEAR
Trump Cancels European Tariffs After Framework Agreement on Greenland Emerges
President Trump halted threatened tariffs on European nations Wednesday following discussions in Davos, Switzerland, where he announced a preliminary framework agreement with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte regarding Greenland. The framework centers on potential arrangements for U.S. military forces at Greenland bases, enhanced European Arctic security efforts, and American priority rights on mineral investments in the Danish territory to counter Russian and Chinese interests. Trump described the framework as "really fantastic" and "forever" but provided limited specifics about the agreement's final terms, which remain under negotiation between U.S. and European officials.
WSJ
Rare Winter Storm Threatens Half of U.S. Population with Snow, Ice, and Record Cold
An expansive winter storm system will deliver accumulating snow, ice, and sleet to approximately half the U.S. population across the eastern two-thirds of the country this weekend, followed by potentially record-breaking cold temperatures extending into next week. Meteorologists classify the storm as unusually impactful, with forecasts predicting up to a foot of snow in parts of the Northeast and dangerous ice accumulations across the South. The Weather Prediction Center notes such widespread winter events occur infrequently, as computer models continue updating predictions for the storm's ultimate path and severity.
NYT
Special Counsel Jack Smith Testifies Before House Judiciary Amid Political Confrontation
Special Counsel Jack Smith will appear Thursday before the House Judiciary Committee in a highly anticipated hearing that pits Trump defenders against the prosecutor who twice indicted the former president on federal charges. The testimony presents both risks and opportunities for Smith, who has expressed concerns that Trump and his appointees may pursue investigations against him based on his testimony while also providing a platform to counter claims that his prosecutions were politically motivated rather than based on evidence of wrongdoing.
NYT
Trump Authorizes AI Voice Cloning for Fannie Mae Advertisement Promoting Housing Reform
President Trump approved the use of artificial intelligence to clone his voice for a Fannie Mae advertisement that aired Sunday, marking a novel application of AI technology by a sitting president. The one-minute commercial features an AI-generated version of Trump's voice promoting housing reform and describing Fannie Mae as the "protector of the American Dream," with a disclaimer noting the voice was created with Trump administration permission. The identity of the company that cloned the president's voice remains undisclosed.
MPAMAG
Western Allies Pursue Strategic Partnerships with China Following Trump Tariff Threats
Canada, the United Kingdom, and Germany are accelerating diplomatic and economic engagement with China as Trump administration tariffs and territorial threats drive a strategic reorientation among traditional U.S. allies. Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney visited Beijing last week in the first such trip by a Canadian leader since 2017, establishing a new strategic partnership with President Xi Jinping focused on energy, clean technology, and climate collaboration amid Trump's threats to annex Canada as the 51st U.S. state. British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz will travel to China in coming weeks despite viewing Beijing as an economic and security threat, with Germany losing 10,000 manufacturing jobs monthly due largely to Chinese competition. The UK approved construction of a massive Chinese embassy in central London over security objections, reflecting the complex calculations Western leaders face in balancing economic opportunities against geopolitical risks.
PM.GC.CA, SUBSTACK, BBC
January 22 1918: Ukraine declares its independence
Soon after the Bolsheviks seized control in immense, troubled Russia in November 1917 and moved toward negotiating peace with the Central Powers, the former Russian state of Ukraine declares its total independence.
Independence was short-lived. In 1922, Ukraine became one of the original constituent republics of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (U.S.S.R.); it would not regain its independence until the U.S.S.R.’s collapse in 1991.
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