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President Nayib Bukele met with U.S. Senator Bernie Moreno during an official visit to El Salvador, where Moreno hailed Bukele’s security reforms and urged U.S. lawmakers to study his approach. Moreno praised Bukele for removing criminal leaders from the streets, criticized IMF statements on Salvadoran finances, and called the president a model ally for the West. Supporters point to Bukele’s 2022–25 state-of-emergency crackdown that resulted in tens of thousands of arrests and a fall in homicides, while critics warn his removal of judges and concentration of power undermines judicial independence. The meeting underscores growing U.S.–El Salvador ties amid controversy today. (elsalvadorinenglish.com)

British prime minister Keir Starmer demanded that former US president Donald Trump apologise after Trump claimed NATO allies — including British troops — largely avoided frontline combat in Afghanistan. Speaking from Downing Street, Starmer called the remarks “insulting and frankly appalling,” paid tribute to the 457 British service personnel who died, and said he would apologise if he had spoken similarly. Families of wounded soldiers, veterans and figures including Prince Harry also condemned Trump’s comments, which were made during interviews at Davos and on US television, prompting cross‑party outrage in the UK and renewed questions about Trump’s stance on NATO and allies. (apnews.com)

On Jan. 23, 2026, a federal judge ordered the release of Nekima Levy Armstrong and Chauntyll Louisa Allen, two activists arrested by federal agents after a Jan. 18 protest that disrupted a service at Cities Church in St. Paul. Authorities had charged the protesters under statutes including the FACE Act and conspiracy-to-deprive-rights counts. The judge found prosecutors failed to show detention was warranted or that the defendants posed a flight risk. Video and legal filings, and statements from supporters and federal officials, have intensified political debate over protests targeting an ICE-linked pastor and the Justice Department’s response to religious-site disruptions. (theguardian.com)

President Trump said he will not cave to Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer’s demands—what he described as roughly $1 trillion to fund gender‑affirming surgeries for minors and expanded health care for undocumented immigrants—even if that stance risks a government shutdown. (apnews.com) Trump has canceled meetings with Democratic leaders amid stalled talks over a stopgap funding bill; Democrats say they seek to restore Affordable Care Act subsidies and reverse recent Medicaid cuts, not to extend coverage to undocumented people. (washingtonpost.com) Fact‑checkers say claims tying the total cost solely to immigrants are misleading. (factcheck.org) Negotiations remain fraught as the funding deadline approaches.

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Kilmar Abrego Garcia, a Salvadoran-born Maryland resident, was the subject of recently released 2022 Tennessee body‑camera footage showing a traffic stop in which troopers suggested he might be transporting people for money. (apnews.com) He was mistakenly deported to El Salvador in March 2025 and held at the notorious CECOT prison before being returned to the United States in June to face federal human‑smuggling charges, which he denies. (washingtonpost.com) His attorneys say ICE repeatedly sought to remove him to third countries — including Uganda, Eswatini, Ghana and Liberia — and federal judges have issued orders blocking immediate deportation while legal challenges continue today. (axios.com)

FBI Director Kash Patel has ousted multiple senior FBI officials accused of weaponizing the bureau against President Donald Trump, removing leaders tied to high‑profile probes. (washingtonpost.com) Impacted field offices include New York, Atlanta, New Orleans, and Miami. (thedailybeast.com) Patel disbanded the Washington Field Office’s CR‑15 public‑corruption team and cited the “Arctic Frost” inquiry into alleged 2020 election interference. (en.wikipedia.org) Several ousted agents and supervisors have filed a federal lawsuit alleging the firings were politically motivated and retaliatory. (pbs.org) The moves follow broader dismissals tied to January‑6 and Mar‑a‑Lago matters, drawing criticism that the purges politicize the FBI even as Patel frames them as accountability. (cnbc.com)

On January 23, 2026, Spain officially declined U.S. President Donald Trump’s invitation to join the newly announced “Board of Peace.” (al-monitor.com) Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez said, “We appreciate the invitation, but we decline,” citing Spain’s commitment to multilateralism, international law and the United Nations and objecting that the body excludes Palestinian representation and sits outside UN frameworks. (aa.com.tr) The U.S.-led board, unveiled at the World Economic Forum in Davos, is proposed to broker ceasefires, manage security arrangements and coordinate reconstruction—initially focused on Gaza. (theguardian.com) Many traditional allies, including Canada and most EU states, did not sign up. (al-monitor.com)