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What is Torren de Aragua? DHS charges gang in connection with Portland shooting.

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What is Torren de Aragua? DHS charges gang in connection with Portland shooting.

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Two people who the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) says are connected to Venezuelan gangs were shot and killed by Border Patrol agents during a vehicle stop in Portland, Oregon, on January 8.

This gang, Torren de Aragua, was designated as a Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO) by the US State Department in 2025.

“Tren de Aragua is a terrorist cartel that uses the border to bring murder, drugs, and chaos into American society,” Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche said in December following the announcement of a nationwide crackdown on the gang.

Luis David Nico Moncada and Yorlenis Bezabeth Zambrano-Contreras, two Portland residents who DHS said may have gang ties, were shot and killed after a driver used their car as a “murder weapon” and tried to run over the employee, the agency said in a Jan. 8 X post.

According to a DHS social media post, the driver of the vehicle attempted to hit the officers, and one of the officers “fired defensively.” The two occupants of the car were injured and will remain at the hospital and in FBI custody, federal officials said.

DHS also alleged that Zambrano Contreras, a passenger in the car, was involved in a recent shooting in Portland. The Jan. 8 shooting occurred one day after the ICE shooting that killed 37-year-old Renee Nicole Good in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

As Portland authorities call for a transparent investigation and also demand that federal agents be removed from the city, here’s what you need to know about Venezuelan gangs DHS and the Justice Department say they pose a serious threat to U.S. public safety.

What is the Aragua train?

President Donald Trump has claimed that Torren de Aragua has a widespread presence in the United States and is using the gang as justification for deportation.

In March 2025, President Trump invoked the Alien Enemy Act. This law, which dates back to 1798, is a rarely used law that allows presidents to deport noncitizens during wartime. This is the first time in more than 80 years that the law has been enacted, the last time being for the internment of Japanese and Germans during World War II.

Torren de Aragua, also known as TdA, made headlines during the 2024 presidential campaign when President Trump claimed in a debate with former Vice President Kamala Harris that the gang was “taking over” Aurora, Colorado. However, some law enforcement officials and documents suggest it is a relatively small and unsophisticated organization.

The Trump administration also cited gang ties as a reason to deport Venezuelan immigrants to El Salvadoran prisons in 2025. Advocates and families of some deportees say they were wrongly accused due to lack of evidence.

The gang originated in a Venezuelan prison and later evolved into a “transnational criminal organization” led by Hector Rustenford Guerrero Flores, also known as “Niño Guerrero,” according to the U.S. Department of State and Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

The State Department said Guerrero-Flores used his time in prison to expand his gang’s influence. As a result, Torren de Aragua has successfully taken control of Venezuela’s gold mines and drug corridors on the Caribbean coast, according to a notice released by the ministries.

Federal authorities allege the gang also operates in Chile, Peru and the United States. In December, Guerrero-Flores was indicted in federal court in Manhattan on charges of extortion, terrorism, drug importation, and firearms crimes.

“As suspected, Hector Rustenford Guerrero Flores is the mastermind behind the evolution of Torren de Aragua from a Venezuelan prison gang into a transnational terrorist organization that has committed countless acts of violence, extortion, and drug trafficking throughout North America, South America, and Europe,” Jay Clayton, the U.S. attorney for the Southern District of New York, said in a statement.

What does the Trump administration say about gangs?

On January 20, 2025, his first day in office, President Trump signed an executive action designating Torren de Aragua as a foreign terrorist organization.

“Cartels have engaged in campaigns of violence and terror throughout the Western Hemisphere, not only destabilizing countries important to our national interests, but also flooding the United States with deadly drugs, violent criminals, and violent gangs,” the presidential action states.

Since then, President Trump has maintained that the gang has a significant presence in the United States, even claiming in a recent press conference that now-captive Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro “has sent brutal and murderous gangs, including the bloodthirsty prison gang Torren de Aragua, to terrorize American communities across the country,” PBS News and Colorado Public Radio reported.

President Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, were arrested when the U.S. military attacked Venezuela as part of a large-scale operation and are facing charges of narco-terrorism and drug trafficking. Both men later pleaded not guilty to the charges.

What happened in Portland?

Portland police responded to a report of a shooting on January 8 at approximately 2:18 p.m., according to Portland Police Chief Bob Day. Officers confirmed that federal agents were involved in the shooting.

Police said one of the victims called for help about six minutes after the shooting occurred. Officers responded and found a man and woman with gunshot wounds approximately three miles from the scene of the shooting. The people were then taken to a nearby hospital.

The Department of Homeland Security identified those shot as the car’s driver, Luis David Nico Moncada, and the sole passenger, Yorlenis Bezabeth Zambrano-Contreras. The agency alleged that both men entered the United States illegally.

Zambrano-Contreras was targeted because of his “active role in the Torren de Aragua prostitution ring and previous involvement in a shooting incident in Portland,” the agency said.

Ward 1 City Councilor Jamie Dunphy said during the City Council meeting that the individuals are a married couple.

Oregon Attorney General Dan Layfield said the state Department of Justice is investigating the shooting.

Day said at an evening press conference that local authorities were not aware of the facts of the incident.

“This is a federal investigation. The FBI is leading the investigation. We are in contact with the FBI,” he said. “This is their responsibility…At this point, we don’t know if this is an immigration-related event.”

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Michelle Del Rey is a trending news reporter for USA TODAY. Please contact mdelrey@usatoday.com.

The ICE officer responsible for the shooting, Jonathan Ross, was an Iraq veteran and former Border Patrol agent.

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The ICE officer responsible for the shooting, Jonathan Ross, was an Iraq veteran and former Border Patrol agent.

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The federal immigration officer who shot and killed a woman in Minneapolis this week is a U.S. Army veteran with deployments to Iraq and years of experience, newly released records show.

Jonathan Ross, a Minnesota-based Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent, spoke about his background in court during the criminal trial of the man who dragged Ross with his car in December and severely severed her arm and hand.

Roberto Carlos Muñoz, 40, of Guatemala, tried to flee in June 2025 when Ross approached him to execute an administrative warrant on ICE’s behalf.

ICE Shooting Live Updates: DHS identifies two people shot in Portland

Ross told the court he served in the Indiana National Guard and was deployed to Iraq from 2004 to 2005 as a gun truck machine gunner, serving on a combat logistics patrol team and delivering supplies to dangerous areas.

An Indiana National Guard spokesperson confirmed that Ross served in the Army National Guard from 2002 to 2008 and was deployed to Iraq with the 138th Signal Battalion from November 2004 to November 2005.

During his deployment, he earned the Army Commendation Medal, Army Good Conduct Medal, Global War on Terrorism Medal and Iraq Operations Medal, a spokesperson said.

He then joined U.S. Customs and Border Protection and was assigned to a job near El Paso, Texas. He said he patrolled the border, tracked border crossers and acted as a field intelligence officer. He worked at the border from 2007 to 2015 and learned Spanish.

In 2015, he joined ICE and joined deportation operations as a deportation officer. He said he is a current member of the FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force, based in St. Paul, Minn.

“I’m a firearms instructor and an active marksmanship instructor,” Ross told the court during the Dec. 8 hearing. “I’m also a field intelligence officer and a member of the SWAT team, the St. Paul Special Response Team.”

Mr. Ross explained the Muñoz Guatemala incident. He said he drove an unmarked gold Chevrolet Tahoe during the June operation. Video of the shooting that circulated this week shows Ross arriving in such a vehicle. Ross left the scene in Minneapolis shortly after the shooting.

Lawyers questioned Ross about an incident in June in which he was dragged and had a Taser fired during a match against Muñoz Guatemala.

“At this point, I felt like my life was in danger, and the only tool I had left that I could use was a Taser, so I immediately pulled it out,” Ross said during the December trial.

According to court documents, Ross suffered a cut on his right arm that required 20 stitches and a cut on his left hand that required 13 stitches.

A federal jury in Minnesota convicted Muñoz Guatemala in December of assaulting a federal officer with a dangerous or deadly weapon and causing bodily harm.

Muñoz Guatemala was indicted in 2022 for repeatedly sexually abusing underage victims. He was ultimately convicted of fourth-degree criminal sexual conduct, a felony, according to the Department of Justice.

Authorities declined to name Ross specifically in the Jan. 7 shooting, but said he had at least 10 years of experience as an ICE agent and was part of the agency’s special response team.

“We are not releasing this officer’s name. He acted in accordance with his training,” Department of Homeland Security spokeswoman Tricia McLaughlin said in a statement to USA TODAY.

From the cloud to the factory – humanoid robots are coming to the workplace

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From the cloud to the factory – humanoid robots are coming to the workplace

The partnership between Microsoft and Hexagon Robotics announced this week marks a turning point in the commercialization of humanoid, AI-powered robots for industrial environments. The companies will combine Microsoft’s cloud and AI infrastructure with Hexagon’s robotics, sensors, and spatial intelligence expertise to accelerate the deployment of physical AI systems in real-world environments.

At the heart of the collaboration is Hexagon’s industrial humanoid robot, AEON, a device designed to operate autonomously in environments such as factories, logistics hubs, engineering shops and inspection sites.

The partnership will focus on multimodal AI training, imitation learning, real-time data management, and integration with existing industrial systems. The companies said initial target sectors include automotive, aerospace, manufacturing and logistics. Labor shortages and operational complexity are already constraining financial growth in these industries.

This announcement signals the maturation of an ecosystem that is converging cloud platforms, physical AI, and robotics engineering to make humanoid automation commercially viable.

Humanoid robot coming out of the laboratory

Humanoid robots have been the subject of research in research institutions and proudly demonstrated at technology events, but the past five years have seen their practical deployment in real-world work environments. The key changes are a combination of improvements in recognition, advances in reinforcement learning and imitation learning, and the availability of scalable cloud infrastructure.

One of the most visible examples is Agility Robotics’ Digit, a bipedal humanoid robot designed for logistics and warehouse work. Digit is being piloted in real-world environments by companies like Amazon, where it performs material handling tasks such as package movement and last-meter logistics. Such deployments tend to focus on augmenting human workers rather than replacing them, with Digit handling more physically demanding tasks.

Similarly, Tesla’s Optimus program has moved beyond the concept video stage and is now undergoing factory testing. Optimus robots are being tested within Tesla’s car manufacturing facilities for structured tasks such as handling parts and transporting equipment. Although still limited in scope, these pilots demonstrate a pattern of humanoid-like machines chosen over less anthropomorphic form factors to allow them to operate in human-designed and populated spaces.

Inspection, maintenance, hazardous environment

Industrial inspection is emerging as one of the earliest commercially viable use cases for humanoid and quasi-humanoid robots. Although Boston Dynamics’ Atlas is not yet a general-purpose commercial product, it is used in real-world industrial testing in inspection and disaster response environments. Able to navigate uneven terrain, climb stairs, and operate tools in areas considered unsafe for humans.

Toyota Research Institute has deployed a humanoid robot platform for remote inspection and manipulation tasks in a similar environment. Toyota’s system relies on multimodal perception and human-involved control, the latter reinforcing industry trends. Reliability and traceability are priorities in early deployments, so human oversight is required.

The hexagon ion closely matches this trend. The focus on sensor fusion and spatial intelligence is relevant to inspection and quality assurance tasks, where an accurate understanding of the physical environment is more important than conversational ability, which is most relevant for everyday use of AI.

Cloud platform at the heart of your robotics strategy

Microsoft and Hexagon’s partnership is characterized by the use of cloud infrastructure to scale humanoid robots. Training, updating, and monitoring physical AI systems generates large amounts of data, including video, force feedback from on-device sensors, spatial mapping (such as that derived from LIDAR), and operational telemetry. Managing this data locally has traditionally been a bottleneck due to storage and processing constraints.

By using platforms like Azure and Azure IoT Operations, as well as real-time intelligence services on the cloud, you can train humanoid robots across fleets rather than isolated units. This opens up multiple possibilities for shared learning, iterative improvement, and increasing consistency. For board-level buyers, these changes in IT architecture mean that humanoid robots become viable entities that can be treated more like enterprise software than machines from an IT requirements perspective.

Labor shortage drives adoption

Demographic trends in manufacturing, logistics, and asset-intensive industries are increasingly unfavorable. An aging workforce, declining interest in manual labor, and persistent skills shortages are creating a skills gap that traditional automation cannot fully address. At least not without rebuilding the entire facility to better accommodate a robotic workforce. Fixed robotic systems are great for repetitive and predictable tasks, but have difficulty in dynamic human environments.

Humanoid robots are somewhere in between. Although it is not designed to replace workflows, it can stabilize operations even when staff availability is uncertain. Case studies have shown early value in night shifts, during peak demand periods, and in tasks that would be too dangerous for humans.

What boards should evaluate before investing

For decision makers considering investing in the next generation of workplace robots, existing real-world deployments have revealed several issues to be aware of.

Task specificity is more important than general intelligence, and successful pilots focus on clearly defined activities. Data governance and security must remain a top priority when deploying robots, especially when robots need to be connected to cloud platforms.

On a human level, workforce integration can be more difficult than sourcing, installing, and running the technology itself. However, at this stage of AI maturity, human oversight remains essential for safety and regulatory approval.

Careful but irreversible change

Although humanoid robots will not replace the human workforce, a growing body of evidence from field deployments and prototyping shows that such devices are entering the workplace. At present, humanoid robots equipped with AI can perform economically valuable tasks and are highly capable of integration with existing industrial systems. For boards with an appetite for investment, the question may be when competitors will responsibly adopt technology at scale.

(Image source: Source: Hexagon Robotics)

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New invention could replace traditional windshield HUDs in cars

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New invention could replace traditional windshield HUDs in cars

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  • Rynard Ford has filed a patent for a new head-up display that is implemented through a car’s sun visor.
  • The new design aims to solve problems with traditional displays, such as being difficult to read in strong glare.
  • Potential features include motion detectors, Bluetooth connectivity, UV detectors, and more.

The inventor, whose last name is Ford, wants to literally put a head-up display on the driver’s face.

Inventor Lynard Ford filed for patent no. 20260001397 was filed with the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) on January 1 for a new version of heads-up displays that are implemented through a car’s sun visor. This means the driver can deploy the head-up display by lowering the visor and putting it in direct line of sight.

In most modern cars, a heads-up display is projected onto a screen near the windshield and shows the driver all relevant information such as vehicle speed, vehicle status, and in some cases map settings. The idea is to put information right in front of the driver so he can keep his eyes on the road in front of him.

However, Rynard Ford said in the patent that traditional head-up displays have several drawbacks, including “they are cumbersome and complex to assemble and use, are difficult to transport, and cannot be moved from vehicle to vehicle. HUD systems that project onto the windshield can be difficult to read when the windshield is dirty or in strong glare.”

Automotive technology: Ford announces level 3 autonomous driving for EVs in 2028

According to the patent application, the visor head-up display eliminates the need to project images onto the windshield or install a projector on the vehicle’s dashboard. In some cases, this head-up display visor is portable and “clips onto the driver’s traditional sun visor, allowing the driver to move the device from one vehicle to another.”

Visor head-up displays can be used for a variety of purposes, providing drivers with motion detectors that sense movement outside of the driver’s peripheral vision, Bluetooth connectivity, microphones, digital cameras, blood pressure readers, and UV detectors that dim the visor when it detects increased ultraviolet light.

Jamie L. Lareau is senior auto writer for USA Today and covers Ford Motor Company for the Detroit Free Press. Contact Jamie at jlareau@freepress.com. Follow her on Twitter @Jalalean. To sign up for our automotive newsletter. become a subscriber.

Luxury car buyers continue to spend as mid-market sales slump

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Luxury car buyers continue to spend as mid-market sales slump

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  • Record-high vehicle prices have left low- and middle-income buyers priced out of the new car market.
  • The average new car price in the United States exceeded $50,000 for the first time in September.
  • Demand for luxury cars remains strong, with luxury dealers reporting record sales years.
  • Some buyers are turning to long-term financing, such as 84-month contracts, to purchase more expensive vehicles.

Economists say low- and middle-income buyers are being squeezed out of the new car market. However, top-end demand remains strong. Luxury car dealers like Nelson Andrews in Brentwood, Tenn., say their customers are still spending, a sign of widening disparities in who can afford record-high vehicle prices.

Andrews, the mayor of Brentwood and owner of Andrews Transportation Group, which owns four dealerships in Middle Tennessee, said his business is on track for the milestone year.

“This year is going to be the best year ever,” he said.

His dealership sells luxury brand cars such as Cadillac, Jaguar and Range Rover, and these cars are getting more expensive as new car prices reach historic highs.

“We don’t call out songs, we just do dances,” Andrews said.

According to Kelley Blue Book, the average new car sales price in the U.S. in September was $50,080. This is the first time the average price has exceeded $50,000. Erin Keating, executive analyst at Cox Automotive, said prices remain high and show “no signs of softening” as buyers aggressively opt for higher-end cars.

Purchase a car: You can still buy a top-rated car in the U.S. for under $40,000

This strength at the top stands in sharp contrast to broader consumer behavior earlier this year. A year-end report from the University of Tennessee’s Boyd Center for Business and Economic Research found that households were significantly holding back on purchases of durable goods, especially cars, as high financing costs and economic uncertainty made buyers more cautious.

“Consumers were already reluctant to re-enter the auto market after the pandemic-era surge in vehicle prices and loan rates,” the report said. “At the beginning of 2025, there was more hesitation.”

But spending is starting to recover. Gross domestic product (GDP) rose 4.3% in the third quarter, according to the Commerce Department. Consumer sentiment is also recovering, with prices rising 3.7% in December, but still well below last year’s levels.

That pressure is reflected in Andrews’ business. Luxury sales are strong, but middle-market demand is slowing, he said.

“The middle part of the market is probably slowing down a little bit more than the higher end,” he said.

He added that the most expensive cars often sell first because many of his customers are “enthusiastic” buyers. “Cars are expensive because people want to buy them,” he says.

Mr Andrews has also noticed an increase in long-term lending.

“There seems to be a bit of a move by banks to extend the tenure of their employees, so we’ll see 84-month contracts, but I wouldn’t really recommend that,” he said.

“If you have someone with 94 months of dedication and 48 months of focus, they’re going to flip.”

He added that in his market segment, it’s rare for buyers to keep a car for 10 years. Most are bought out after three to four years.

“People like the latest and greatest,” Andrews said.

RFK Jr.’s dietary guidelines cause confusion due to changes in alcohol policy

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RFK Jr.’s dietary guidelines cause confusion due to changes in alcohol policy

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Federal health officials are no longer advising Americans on how much alcohol is safe to drink, instead advising people to “reduce their alcohol intake” or avoid it altogether if they have certain health conditions.

The new recommendations from the Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Department of Health and Human Services overturn long-standing government guidelines that define moderate drinking as two drinks a day for men and one drink a day for women.

Scientists, nutritionists and advocates say the new guidance is too vague for people to apply in their daily lives and have criticized the Trump administration for missing an opportunity to warn about alcohol’s links to cancer and other health problems.

“There’s some risk with every level of drinking, and the risk increases as you drink more,” said Christopher Kahler, director of the Center for Alcohol Abuse Research at Brown University. “The current guidelines do not discuss risks, only that drinking less alcohol is better for your health.”

For the first time, the committee that compiled most of the dietary guidance did not mention alcohol, said Deirdre Kay Tobias, a Harvard nutrition professor who served on the committee. Instead, the Trump administration relied on advice from two outside commissions to study how alcohol affects health.

One study specifically found that the risk of breast cancer increases with every drink you drink each day. Another draft report said the risk of death from alcohol use “starts at very low levels of average use” and linked alcohol use to seven types of cancer.

But the administration wrote in the document that it chose “not to consider the findings” of those two committees.

Dr. Mehmet Oz, who runs the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, said at a news conference on Jan. 7 that alcohol’s value comes from being a social lubricant that brings friends together and has a good time, but said the “best case scenario” would be no drinking at all.

“These dietary guidelines include alcohol, but that means you shouldn’t have alcohol with breakfast, right?” Oz said. “This should be done in small doses and we hope it can be done at some type of event where alcohol may be involved.”

RFK Jr. has declared a “war on added sugar.” Will Americans stop eating ultra-processed foods?

Oz said there was “no really good data to support” one drink a day for women and two drinks a day for men. “That data was probably primarily mixed up with broader data about social connections,” he says.

Teresa Huang, a registered dietitian and professor at Simmons College in Boston, said people who come to her are looking for specific guidance with a clear message, rather than general recommendations to eat or drink more or less of something.

“Current recommendations to drink less are vague,” Huang said. “What do you mean? I used to drink 6 packs a day, now I drink 5 packs? It’s less, but is it enough? If you drink once a month, do you need to reduce the amount you drink?”

Kahler, of Brown University, said the one- to two-drink standard would give people a clear baseline to consider their drinking habits, help doctors provide medical advice, and help academics like him study excessive drinking.

“Was the previous guideline to allow drinking?” he asked. “I think there was some concern that they were showing that drinking at that level is safe. I think the research has proven that there are known risks at even lower drinking levels.”

In case you missed it: RFK Jr. overhauls dietary guidelines, calls for less sugar and more meat

Mike Marshall, CEO of the American Alcohol Policy Alliance, said his group advocates reducing moderate drinking for men to one drink a day. He said he had made multiple attempts to meet with President Kennedy and his staff without success.

USA TODAY has asked the Department of Health and Human Services to respond.

Marshall cited a draft study showing that men who drink seven drinks a week have a 1 in 1,000 chance of dying from an alcohol-related problem, compared to a 1 in 25 chance for men who drink 14 drinks a week.

“It’s disappointing, it’s frustrating, and ultimately it’s going to be very harmful to American families,” he said.

If you or someone you know needs help reducing their alcohol intake, visit re Thinkingdriding.niaaa.nih.gov.

US seizes Venezuelan tanker Olina in Caribbean, officials say

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US seizes Venezuelan tanker Olina in Caribbean, officials say

WASHINGTON/SINGAPORE, Jan 9 (Reuters) – The United States has seized the Olina tanker in the Caribbean, the fifth tanker targeted in recent weeks as the United States steps up efforts to curb Venezuelan oil exports, U.S. officials said on Friday.

The Olina was falsely flying the East Timorese flag and had previously sailed from Venezuela and returned to the region, according to Equasis, a public shipping database, said an industry source with direct knowledge of the matter.

Marines and sailors from Joint Task Force Southern Spear, launched from the aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford, captured the Olina “without incident” in the Caribbean Sea in a pre-dawn action, U.S. Southern Command said in a news release.

“Once again, our interagency force sent a clear message this morning: There is no safe haven for criminals.”

The Olina left Venezuela last week full of oil as part of a convoy shortly after the U.S. detained Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro on Jan. 3, and the ship returned fully loaded following the U.S. blockade on Venezuelan oil exports, industry sources said.

British maritime risk management firm Vanguard said separately: “The ship’s AIS tracking device was last active 52 days ago, within the Venezuelan EEZ, northeast of Curaçao.”

“The seizure follows a long-term pursuit of tankers linked to sanctioned Venezuelan oil shipments in the region.”

The U.S. government imposed sanctions on the Olina, named Minerva M, in January last year, saying it was part of a so-called shadow fleet that sailed with little regulation or known insurance.

The M Sofia was another tanker that was part of a convoy of more than a dozen ships that left Venezuela earlier this month and was seized by the U.S. military earlier this week.

The Skylin, Ming Hung and Merope ships, all fully loaded and part of the same convoy that left last week, returned to Venezuelan waters on Thursday, industry sources said.

Seven additional tankers in the convoy are also fully loaded and scheduled to return to Venezuelan waters on Friday and Saturday.

All of the oil on board these 10 tankers is owned by Venezuela’s state-run producer PDVSA, the official added. PDVSA did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

It is unclear whether the U.S. will take action against other tankers en route to Venezuela.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said Wednesday that the U.S. blockade on sanctioned Venezuelan oil remains in full effect “everywhere in the world.”

(Reporting by Idrees Ali, Phil Stewart, Chen Aizhu, Jonathan Saul; Writing by Jonathan Saul; Editing by Mark Potter, Hugh Lawson)

Amazon Prime customers can still claim settlement refunds

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Amazon Prime customers can still claim settlement refunds

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  • In September, the FTC announced a $2.5 billion settlement with Amazon over millions of consumers who felt tricked into signing up for Prime memberships and struggled to stop the fees.
  • Amazon is currently sending out claim notices as part of a major settlement with the Federal Trade Commission.
  • The Federal Trade Commission has warned that scammers are trying to get in on the act. Be careful how you react.

If you haven’t yet received your Amazon refund as part of its settlement with federal regulators, you may have a little work to do in the new year.

Here are the important points. Amazon is currently sending out claim notices, but the Federal Trade Commission warns that scammers are trying to interfere with this action. Be careful how you react.

In September, the FTC announced a $2.5 billion settlement with Amazon for allegedly deceiving tens of millions of consumers into signing up for its popular Prime membership and making it “extremely difficult” for them to stop being billed for the subscription service.

Under the settlement, eligible Prime members will receive a refund of up to $51 for their Amazon Prime subscription. Refunds will take into account the amount of Amazon Prime membership fees paid during the consumer’s subscription period.

What exactly was the Amazon Prime incident?

The FTC explained that Amazon created an online checkout process that gave consumers several opportunities to subscribe to Amazon Prime for $14.99 per month.

According to a 2023 FTC statement, “the primary purpose of Prime’s cancellation process was to shut down subscribers, not allow them to cancel.”

“Evidence shows that Amazon uses sophisticated subscription traps designed to manipulate consumers into signing up for Prime and makes it extremely difficult for them to terminate their subscriptions,” FTC Chairman Andrew Ferguson said in a September statement.

According to the FTC, in many cases it was more difficult to find options to complete purchases without subscribing to Prime.

According to the FTC, “In some cases, the button consumers were presented with to complete the transaction did not clearly state that by selecting that option, they were also agreeing to participate in the Prime subscription.”

In case you missed it: Eligible Amazon customers can now claim $2.5 billion FTC settlement

When did some customers start receiving refunds?

After the settlement was reached, Amazon issued automatic refunds to affected Prime members in November and December of last year. Amazon was to automatically distribute payments to all eligible consumers within 90 days.

Essentially, eligible U.S. consumers would automatically receive a refund if they used Amazon Prime benefits three or fewer times in the 12-month period between June 23, 2019 and June 23, 2025. (According to the court order, the benefits referred to here do not include “free expedited shipping if the transaction in question would have received free shipping speeds without an Amazon Prime subscription membership.”)

Who can file a claim now?

The second phase of the claims process is currently underway. If you receive an automatic payment, you cannot make a claim.

If you are eligible, you must submit an application to receive the money. Consumers need to check whether they unintentionally signed up for Amazon Prime during the six-year period. You can also explain if you tried to cancel but were unsuccessful.

According to a court order filed on September 25, 2025, these consumers who wish to make a claim must submit their claim form to Amazon via email, first class prepaid mail, or payment website within up to 180 days after receiving the claim form.

In January 2026, Amazon began sending bill notifications to eligible Prime members who did not receive automatic refunds. The claim notice you receive will provide instructions on how to file your claim.

U.S. consumers are eligible for claims processing if:

  • Sign up for Amazon Prime between June 23, 2019 and June 23, 2025.
  • redeemed 3 or more but less than 10 Prime benefits in the 12-month period from June 23, 2019 to June 23, 2025, and
  • Either you were unintentionally registered through the so-called “Registration by Dispute flow” or you tried to cancel through the online cancellation flow but were unable to cancel.

Determine how you will receive your cash on the claim form. Check, PayPal, or Venmo.

FTC warns to beware of Amazon scammers

The FTC warns at the top of its website that the independent federal agency will not call or otherwise contact consumers to offer cash refunds in Amazon settlement cases.

“If you receive a call from someone claiming to be from the FTC, it is a scam,” according to the alert. The FTC recommends reporting such scams at ReportFraud.ftc.gov.

“And no one at Amazon will ever ask for money for a refund,” the FTC said. “Only scammers say they can offer special access or a money-back guarantee.”

Amazon has not yet announced a mailing date for when people who filed claims will receive their money. However, Amazon is not expected to make these payments until late 2026.

If you took advantage of Amazon Prime’s long list of benefits once you signed up, you are not eligible to claim this refund, whether or not you felt cheated.

The FTC says consumers who need assistance with payment or claim forms should contact Amazon via email at admin@SubscriptionMembershipSettlement.com.

What is the so-called challenge registration flow? Great question. The FTC says it’s okay to not know exactly whether you’ve fallen into such a trap.

The FTC says Amazon will complete its analysis.

According to the court order, consumers may have signed up for unwanted subscriptions through various locations on Amazon’s website, including the “universal Prime decision page, delivery option selection page, Prime Video registration flow, or single-page checkout.”

As part of the settlement, Amazon will pay $1.5 billion in refunds to eligible customers and an additional $1 billion in civil penalties. Amazon did not admit or deny the allegations as part of the settlement. Amazon agreed to make some changes to the website.

Amazon said in a statement posted online in September 2025 that the company and its executives “always follow the law.”

“This settlement allows us to move forward and focus on innovation for our customers. We are working very hard to make it clear and easy for our customers to both sign up for and cancel their Prime membership,” the company said.

Consumers can obtain more information about Amazon Payments at www.SubscriptionMembershipSettlement.com. For the latest information, see ftc.gov/Amazon.

Contact personal finance columnist Susan Tompol: stompor@freepress.com. follow himr X @tompor.

Common food preservatives often found in deli meats are linked to cancer

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Common food preservatives often found in deli meats are linked to cancer

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Eating preservatives commonly found in industrially processed foods and drinks, such as deli meats and breakfast cereals, is associated with an increased risk of cancer, a new study has found.

The study, published in the BMJ on January 7, found that people who consumed higher amounts of several preservatives, often used to extend the shelf life of products, were associated with a higher risk of cancer than those who consumed lower amounts or did not eat them at all.

Researchers analyzed the effects of 17 preservatives using detailed dietary and health data from more than 105,000 participants from 2009 to 2023.

Some of these preservatives are not associated with cancer incidence, and others include potassium sorbate, potassium metabisulfite, sodium nitrite, potassium nitrate, and acetic acid.

For example, sorbates (chemicals used to prevent the growth of mold and bacteria) were associated with a 14% increased risk of overall cancer and a 26% increased risk of breast cancer. Sulfites (used in fermented products such as wine and beer) were associated with a 12% increase in overall cancer risk.

Sodium nitrite, used to preserve bacon, ham, and other products, was associated with a 32% increased risk of prostate cancer. A related preservative called potassium nitrate was associated with a 13% increased risk of overall cancer and a 22% increased risk of breast cancer.

These compounds were found in a variety of products.

Approximately 85% of sulfite intake was from alcoholic beverages. 54% of nitrite and 80% of nitrate came from processed meat. According to the study, 44% of propionate was derived from refined grains and cereals.

Although this is an observational study, meaning it does not confirm cause and effect, the authors said the results were consistent with what existing data suggests.

“This study provides new insights for future reassessment of the safety of these food additives by health authorities, considering the balance of benefits and risks for food preservation and cancer,” the authors wrote, adding that further research is needed to better understand the potential risks.

According to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, food additives that have been linked to cancer in studies are now considered GRAS, or “generally recognized as safe.” In the past, FDA has reevaluated items on the GRAS list in response to research advances.

At this time, the authors recommend that manufacturers limit the use of unnecessary preservatives and that consumers choose minimally processed foods.

Promoting minimally processed, whole foods is part of U.S. dietary guidelines recently released by Secretary of Health Robert F. Kennedy Jr. But some experts worry that the guidelines’ emphasis on protein and lean meat will lead Americans to turn to processed meat, which, along with other processed foods and drinks, has been linked to health risks.

The World Health Organization has long considered red and processed meat to be carcinogens directly linked to colon cancer.

“AI Doctor, am I healthy?” 59% of Brits rely on AI for self-diagnosis

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“AI Doctor, am I healthy?” 59% of Brits rely on AI for self-diagnosis

Advances in AI are changing the way we view health and deal with health-related issues. Three in five Brits are now using AI to self-diagnose their health, according to a new national survey by Confused.com Life Insurance. Across various searches such as side effects of a medical condition, treatment options, and checking symptoms, 11% of respondents claim that AI helped improve their medical condition. More than a third (35%) are likely to use AI in this context in the future, moving away from traditional GP appointments and becoming increasingly difficult to recruit at short notice.

The average waiting time for a GP appointment in the UK is currently 10 days, which is far too long for many people. Therefore, since January 2025, health-related searches such as “What is my illness?” and “What are my symptoms?” have increased significantly, by 85%. (33%), “side effects” (22%).

Most common health-related queries using AI

According to Confused.com, the most searched health-related query is checking symptoms, with 63% seeking advice from AI. Side effects come next at 50%, followed by lifestyle and health techniques at 38%. Additionally, 20% treat ChatGPT as a virtual therapist and seek mental health support through therapy and recommended coping strategies.

35% of respondents aged 65 and older use AI for self-diagnosis, and 54% use the technology to check for symptoms. Although this pales in comparison to 18-24 year olds, 85% use AI to regularly search for health issues.

Tom Vaughn, life insurance expert at Confused.com, commented on these latest findings: “Advances in AI technology are creating new ways for people to approach healthcare and self-diagnosis. More people are taking steps to support their own and their families’ well-being, staying ahead of health concerns and addressing situations as quickly as possible.”

Potential benefits of AI self-diagnosis

With current GP wait times sometimes up to a month, it’s no surprise that 42% claim AI is faster than waiting to see a doctor. 50% of 25-34 year olds and 51% of 35-44 year olds said they were reluctant to take risks due to timing considerations and believed self-diagnosis would be faster than waiting to see a GP.

Family well-being is also important, with 20% using AI to determine how best to support the health of their loved ones. Not having to physically talk to a doctor is another reason why many people are turning to AI. 24% said they would feel more comfortable using AI than discussing their health face-to-face with a medical professional, rising to 39% among 18-24 year olds.

17% are looking for alternative medical solutions and AI support, rising to 27% for 25-34 year olds. Money is another important factor, with 20% feeling that self-diagnosis with AI could significantly save them on private healthcare costs.

AI is also having a positive impact on non-binary individuals and people with alternative identities. 75% said diagnostic technology was “very” helpful, compared to just 13% of men and 9% of women.

Overall, AI appears to have a positive impact on users’ health outcomes. For example, 11% said AI helped their health “a lot” and 41% claimed it helped “somewhat”. Although this self-diagnosis does not guarantee accuracy, it is hoped that it will encourage people to visit their GP for a formal diagnosis.

Only a minority of respondents (9%) felt that AI had no benefit to their health, indicating that traditional medical methods are more reliable.

Tom Vaughan emphasized the importance of seeing a general practitioner. “Although AI can be helpful in early research and understanding symptoms, it is clear that for ultimate reassurance you should consult your GP or pharmacist. GPs and other health professionals are the only people who can accurately diagnose symptoms, some of which can worsen or become long-term illnesses if not properly treated.”

OpenAI launches ChatGPT Health

Confused.com’s insights into the use of AI for health concerns coincide with the launch of OpenAI’s new ChatGPT Health feature, which is part of the ChatGPT platform. This was set up in response to the significant number of health-related queries made on the site each day. Statistics show that over 230 million health-related inquiries are made every week.

ChatGPT Health allows users to connect their personal medical records with wellness apps like Apple Health, allowing AI to provide customized responses rather than general knowledge about specific health conditions.

Although set up to help users find answers to their health questions, OpenAI stressed that the new feature is not a diagnostic tool or a replacement for professional medical care. It is designed to support, not replace, medical care, such as understanding test results and tracking your health status, and provides formal medical diagnoses and treatment plans.

ChatGPT Health was developed with input from hundreds of doctors around the world to ensure clarity and safety for our users. While it is not meant to replace a medical professional or traditional GP appointment, the number of people using AI to understand health information and medical issues is expected to continue to grow, raising important questions and potential implications for patient care and clinical trust.

(Image source: “The Sick Classroom by Nge Lay” by Jnzl’s Photos is licensed under CC BY 2.0.)

Want to learn more about AI and big data from industry leaders? Check out the AI ​​& Big Data Expo in Amsterdam, California, and London. This comprehensive event is part of TechEx and co-located with other major technology events. Click here for more information.

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The economy added 50,000 jobs in December and the unemployment rate fell slightly

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The economy added 50,000 jobs in December and the unemployment rate fell slightly

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U.S. employers added 50,000 jobs in December, roughly in line with some analysts’ expectations and capping a mixed year for the U.S. job market.

Last year saw relatively strong and stable employment growth in the first few months of 2025, followed by a noticeable cooling from May, with multiple months of net employment declines after the revision.

The unemployment rate in December was 4.4%, down from 4.6% in November. Interest rates in November were the highest since September 2021.

The salary increase for October was revised downward by 68,000 jobs, from -105,000 to -173,000. Salary increases for November were also revised downward by 8,000 jobs, indicating that the labor market at the end of 2025 will be weaker than originally expected.

Most consumers aren’t confident they can find a job

Americans are less optimistic about their ability to get a job heading into 2026, according to the New York Fed’s December 2025 Consumer Expectations Survey.

The probability that respondents believed they would find work if they lost their job fell to 43.1% in December, the lowest level since the survey began in 2013. This was the second lowest recorded in the past six months. In the August survey, respondents had a 44.9% chance of finding work if they lost their current job.

What about the overall job market?

Nongovernmental reports tell a slightly more optimistic story. Private sector employers added 41,000 jobs in December, according to the ADP National Employment Report.

“While we believe the labor market remains in low-employment, low-layoff mode, our data suggests the worst of the economic slowdown may be behind us,” David Michael Tinsley, senior economist at Bank of America Research Institute, told reporters on a conference call on January 7.

According to a Challenger, Gray & Christmas report that month, U.S.-based employers announced 35,553 layoffs, the lowest in 17 months and down 50% from the 71,321 announced in November. In total, employers announced about 1.2 million job cuts in 2025, an increase of 58% from 2024 and the highest annual total since 2020.

“This year ended with the fewest announced layoff plans of any year,” said Andy Challenger, workplace expert and chief revenue officer at Challenger, Gray & Christmas, in a statement. “December has typically been a slow month, but combined with the increase in hiring plans, this is a positive sign after a year of significant layoff plans.”

A new way to track the labor market

The day before the BLS released its December jobs report, the New York Fed released new quarterly and monthly indexes that are supposed to guide monetary policy.

The Heise-Pierce-Weber (HPW) Labor Market Tightness Index summarizes current wage pressures and predicts short-term wage inflation based on turnover and number of job openings per job applicant.

“Unlike other similar indicators, the HPW index incorporates the following behaviors: both “This is important because most new employees, both unemployed and employed, come not from unemployment but from other jobs,” the New York Fed said in a statement.

A labor market is considered “tight” when there are many jobs available but not enough workers to fill them. A market is considered “loose” when jobs are harder to find and workers are easier to find.

In a tight labor market, where wages are rising and consumer spending tends to follow suit, workers have more power. At the same time, businesses are facing rising labor costs, and passing those costs on to consumers can lead to inflation.

As of Jan. 8, the latest index reading for November 2025 shows that U.S. wage growth has improved recently, but growth and turnover remain slightly below long-term averages, said Mike Scordeles, head of U.S. economics at Trust. He added that re-entering the workforce may be hiding workers who lost their work permits due to immigration status changes in early 2025, meaning he expects the index to decline.

Will the Fed cut rates in January?

The Fed’s benchmark interest rate has been cut for the third time in a row, but most forecasters don’t expect the December jobs report to prompt another rate cut at the Federal Open Market Committee meeting in late January.

Analysts largely expect the commission to postpone further cuts to give the economy time to reflect the effects of previous cuts.

On the morning of January 9, the CME Fed Watch tool, which tracks the likelihood of interest rate changes at each Fed meeting, showed an 88.4% chance that the Fed would keep interest rates unchanged between 3.5% and 3.75%.

This story is developing and will be updated to add new information.

Contact Rachel Barber at rbarber@usatoday.com and follow her at X @rachelbarber_

Pope Leo condemns use of military force in annual diplomatic address

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Pope Leo condemns use of military force in annual diplomatic address

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VATICAN CITY, Jan 9 (Reuters) – Pope Leo on Friday condemned the use of military force as a means to achieve diplomatic goals in an unusually sharp annual foreign policy address, in which he also called for the protection of human rights in Venezuela.

Leo, the first US pope, said the weakening of international institutions in the face of global conflict was “a particular cause for concern.”

“Diplomacy that promotes dialogue and seeks agreement from all parties is being replaced by diplomacy based on force,” Leo told the approximately 184 ambassadors appointed by the Vatican.

more: Pope Leo XIV says he is watching the situation in Venezuela with “deep concern”

“War is back in fashion and enthusiasm for war is widespread,” said Leo, who was elected pope in May.

Referring to US President Donald Trump’s overthrow of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro over the weekend, the Pope called on governments to “respect the will” of the Venezuelan people from now on.

He said the state must “protect the human and civil rights” of Venezuelans.

(Reporting by Joshua McElwee; Editing by Frances Kelly)

Protests intensify after two separate shootings

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Protests intensify after two separate shootings

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Tensions remained high Friday as two shootings involving immigration workers in Minneapolis and Portland, Oregon, drew protesters to the streets and deepened the rift between federal and state authorities.

On January 8, U.S. Border Patrol agents shot and killed two people and wounded two people in Portland. The Department of Homeland Security called the driver a suspected Venezuelan gang member who “turned the vehicle into a weapon.” Local officials called for a transparent investigation and demanded that federal agents leave the city.

The shooting occurred a day after U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents shot and killed Renee Nicole Good, a 37-year-old mother of three, in her car in Minneapolis. The incident was captured on video and sparked a fierce backlash, with protesters as well as local and state officials disputing the Trump administration’s account of the shooting.

The Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Investigation has announced that it has been forced to withdraw from its investigation into a fatal shooting after federal authorities withheld case materials and evidence. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said the state has no jurisdiction.

Protests intensified overnight, with large demonstrations in Portland, Minneapolis, New York City, Washington, D.C., and Phoenix, Arizona. The Portland Police Bureau announced on January 9 that six people were arrested during protests near ICE facilities. Further demonstrations are expected over the weekend.

Several criminal justice experts have viewed footage of the Minneapolis shooting, arguing that the Trump administration acted in self-defense and that state authorities committed a reckless abuse of power.

Diane Goldstein, a former police lieutenant and executive director of the nonprofit Law Enforcement Action Partnership, called the tactics used by investigators in Minneapolis “horrifying” and “aggressive.”

“Law enforcement policy should always emphasize the use of minimal force and the protection of human life,” Goldstein told USA TODAY. She added that the footage suggested “a lack of training and understanding of what other tactics are available to de-escalate this type of situation.”

Jeffrey Alpert, a criminology professor at the University of South Carolina, said a thorough investigation is needed but that the video appears to contradict the Trump administration’s version of events. “Apparently she drove away,” Alpert said. “She swerved and appeared to be trying to flee.”

more: Was ICE agents’ use of force reckless? Experts analyze the Minneapolis shooting.

Demonstrators took to the streets on Thursday, January 8, to protest federal intervention following two shootings by immigration agents.

The demonstration took place at an ICE facility in the South Portland area, which has been the site of frequent protests since last summer. The Portland Police Bureau announced that officers arrested six people on charges including disorderly conduct.

Thousands of people gathered in Minneapolis for a second night of protests. The demonstrations were largely peaceful, but tensions at times escalated and federal agents used pepper spray and tear gas.

Minnesota Governor Tim Walz declared January 9th a “Day of Unity” to honor Goode. The governor called on Minnesotans and people across the country to observe a moment of silence at 10 a.m. in Good’s memory.

“Now is the time to mourn together in a spirit of peace, unity and service. People across Minnesota will peacefully stand up for our shared American values,” Walz said in a statement.

The declaration encouraged neighbors, families and community members to “look out for each other in times of grief.” He also urged churches and faith groups to open their doors, community members to support local businesses and Minnesotans to participate in community service efforts.

“Now is the time to use our collective voice in defense of decency and democracy,” Walz said.

Oregon Senate Majority Leader Kayce Jama (D-Portland) also reiterated his opposition to Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

“We don’t need you,” Jama said at a press conference Thursday night. “You are not welcome here. Please leave our community.”

Jama’s message came after Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey made fiery comments at a press conference following the shooting of Good by an immigration officer. State and local officials are demanding that federal authorities conduct a full and transparent investigation into the shooting.

Portland Mayor Keith Wilson called on ICE to suspend all operations in the city until the investigation is complete.

“We know what the federal government alleges happened here,” Wilson said at a news conference. “There was a time when you could just take them at their word. Those days are long gone.”

The shooting in Portland is the latest incident involving federal agents carrying out President Trump’s immigration crackdown across the country.

On January 7, Good was shot and killed by an immigration officer in Minneapolis. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said Good “weaponized” the SUV to run over agents in an act of “domestic terrorism.” Local authorities, citing video of the incident, strongly disputed Noem’s account and called for the arrest of the officers involved.

Two people were injured in Maryland on December 24 when a driver tried to run over a federal agent during an immigration raid, federal authorities said. Investigators at the scene fired shots at the driver, who crashed the vehicle. A passenger was injured in the accident.

On September 12, 38-year-old Mexican immigrant Sillio Villegas Gonzalez was shot and killed by federal agents in a Chicago suburb. Homeland Security officials say the man resisted arrest and dragged the officer with his car. Video evidence from the scene shows an agent describing his injuries as “nothing serious.” Villegas Gonzalez’s lawyers called for a thorough investigation into the shooting.

— Michael Loria

The immigration officer involved in this week’s fatal shooting in Minneapolis is the same one injured in another vehicle accident in June 2025. He is identified in court documents as Jonathan Ross of Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

Officials declined to identify Ross by name, but said he had at least 10 years of experience as an ICE agent and was part of the agency’s special response team. Vice President J.D. Vance said at the White House that this week’s shooting was a repeat of an earlier incident that left the agent hospitalized.

“That ICE officer was dragged by a car six months ago and got 30 stitches in his leg and almost lost his life, so he’s a little more sensitive to being hit by a car,” Vance said at the White House on January 8. The vice president did not mention Ross by name at the press conference. Click here for details.

— Nick Penzenstadler

Oregon, Minnesota, ICE shootings, Venezuela, oil, ACA, Olympics, college football: Daily Briefing

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Oregon, Minnesota, ICE shootings, Venezuela, oil, ACA, Olympics, college football: Daily Briefing

We’ve had a busy week. Welcome to the daily briefing. This morning’s breaking news is:

nicole farato here! This weekend I’m watching “People I Meet on Vacation.” Friday’s headlines are about two separate shootings involving federal agents, an oil conference and the “God of the Quad” coming to the Olympics.

Week of mass shootings by federal agents

Two people were injured in a shooting involving federal agents in Portland, Oregon, on Thursday, with local leaders and police pleading for calm after tensions escalated this week after Renee Nicole Good, 37, was shot in the head by a federal immigration agent in a residential area south of downtown Minneapolis, authorities said. Vice President J.D. Vance also said that the ongoing tightening of immigration enforcement is just the beginning.

Here’s the latest from USA TODAY:

  • We know the FBI agent who shot Good. In court documents, the enforcement operations officer is identified as Jonathan Ross of Immigration and Customs Enforcement. USA TODAY asked experts whether Ross’ use of force was justified.
  • Minnesota authorities are not aware of the incident. Minnesota authorities announced Thursday that the FBI has notified them that they will no longer have access to “case materials, scene evidence, and interrogation.”
  • “Minneapolis is angry”: Local schools were closed. Thousands of dollars poured into Good’s family. Anti-ICE protests continue. But neighbors who monitor ICE say they are not deterred (recording ICE? Know your rights).

More news you need to know right now

Let’s take a look

“Four Gods”

Ilya Marinin put on her usual breathtaking and incredible performance in Thursday night’s short program, dominating the competition at the 2026 U.S. Figure Skating Championships. Hear Marin talk on USA TODAY’s new Olympic podcast, Milan Magic. The first episode will be released on Saturday.

I want to talk to you about something.

Miami beats Ole Miss with last-minute touchdown

The University of Miami hasn’t played in the national championship since 2003, but is one win away from first place in college football. Their 31-27 victory over Ole Miss included a final twist for a 24-yard touchdown (but did (Miami committed pass interference on Thursday?!) Miami will play the winner of Indiana vs. Oregon in the Peach Bowl in Atlanta on Friday. And QB Carson Beck has a chance to rewrite his story.

before you go

Have feedback about the daily briefing? Email Nicole at NFallert@usatoday.com.

Border Patrol agent opens fire, injuring two people

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Border Patrol agent opens fire, injuring two people

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Two people were injured in a shooting by federal agents in Portland, Oregon, authorities said on January 8, and local leaders and law enforcement appealed for calm as tensions rose across the country over the fatal shooting of a Minnesota woman by an immigration officer the day before.

Portland Police Chief Bob Day said in an evening press conference that Portland police responded to reports of a shooting at around 2:18 p.m. local time. Officers confirmed that federal agents were involved in the shooting.

About six minutes later, police said they received information that a man had been shot and called for help in an area about three miles from the scene of the shooting. Officers found a man and woman with what appeared to be gunshot wounds.

The victim was taken to a local hospital, Day said. The condition of the injured person was not immediately known and authorities did not release their names.

The Department of Homeland Security said in a statement on social media on Jan. 8 that Border Patrol agents were conducting vehicle stops in Portland. The statement said the driver, believed to be a member of the Venezuelan gang Torren de Aragua, tried to “use a weapon” on the car to run over the operatives.

A Department of Homeland Security official told

Homeland Security officials added that the occupants of the vehicle were also gang members and were involved in the recent Portland shooting. The FBI and Homeland Security officials did not immediately respond to USA TODAY’s requests for information.

The shooting occurred just a day after federal agents with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement shot and killed Renee Nicole Good, a 37-year-old mother of three, in her car in Minneapolis. The shooting sparked two days of protests in Minneapolis.

Oregon Attorney General Dan Layfield said the Oregon Department of Justice is investigating a shooting in Portland that involved federal agents and injured two people.

“We have made clear our concerns about the excessive use of force by federal officers in Portland and across the country, and we have also made clear our intent to investigate situations involving federal officers to ensure they are held accountable for acting within the scope of their official duties,” Layfield said in a news release. “Today’s incident only reinforces the need for transparency and accountability.”

The investigation will examine “whether federal officers acted in excess of their legal authority,” the statement said. If evidence of criminal activity is found, the case may be referred to the Multnomah County District Attorney.

— Jonathan Williams, Statesman Journal, part of USA TODAY Network

Day said at a news conference that local police “do not know the facts of this incident” related to the shooting, but are providing assistance to federal authorities who are investigating.

“This is a federal investigation. The FBI is leading the investigation. We are in contact with the FBI,” Day said. “This is their responsibility…At this point, we don’t know if this is an immigration-related event.”

Day noted that Portland police were not involved in the shooting and are not involved in immigration operations in the city.

Portland Mayor Keith Wilson has called on U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement to suspend all operations in Portland until a full and independent investigation is completed.

“We know what the federal government alleges happened here,” Wilson said at a news conference. “There was a time when you could just take them at their word. Those days are long gone.”

Oregon Gov. Tina Kotek echoed the mayor’s sentiments, saying federal officials in the region are “destroying trust.”

“The Attorney General and other leaders have made clear our concern about the excessive use of force by federal officers in Portland, and today’s incident only reinforces the need for transparency and accountability,” she said. “Oregonians need clear answers.”

Earlier Thursday, Multnomah County Chairwoman Jessica Vega Pederson said the county commission voted unanimously to extend the state of emergency in response to the “continued harm of ICE activity” in the area.

“Multnomah County will not sit idly by as the federal government attacks our neighbors,” Pederson said. He also called on the FBI, which is leading the investigation, to allow local law enforcement to participate and to be transparent with local authorities.

A Dec. 12 email obtained by The New York Times revealed that federal immigration officials advised officials to remain vigilant against protesters and “be prepared to take appropriate and decisive action in the face of an imminent threat.”

The email mentioned increased protests and threats against federal employees, the newspaper said. The email urged staff to “remain highly aware of their surroundings” and to call 911 in case of an emergency.

President Donald Trump’s second term has sent immigrants and other federal agents to several Democratic-led cities that the president says are rife with violent crime and illegal immigration. Cities targeted include Los Angeles, Washington DC, Portland, Oregon, and Chicago.

The operation sparked widespread protests, arrests, and at times clashes between demonstrators and police. In some cases, local governments have accused the Trump administration of exaggerating the characterization of urban crime, and some have recently called for ICE to be removed from cities.

Oregon Senate Majority Leader Kayce Jama (D-Portland) also reiterated his opposition to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

“We don’t need you,” Jama told a news conference. “You are not welcome here. Please leave our community.”

Jama’s message came after Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey made fiery comments during a press conference following the Jan. 7 shooting death of a woman by an immigration officer.

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Portland City Council adjourns after federal officer shooting

Two people were injured in a shooting by federal agents in Portland on January 8, according to Portland City Council President Elana Pirtle-Guiney.

After the City Council meeting, 1st Ward Councilman Jamie Dunphy said two of his neighbors were injured in the shooting and are “sitting in a hospital bed, hoping they can get home safely.”

“I’m furious,” Dunphy explained, adding that the two injured were a husband and wife.

City Council President Elana Pirtle-Guiney said during the meeting that the victim “is still alive and we are looking forward to more positive information.”

The shooting in Portland is the latest incident involving federal agents carrying out President Trump’s immigration crackdown across the country.

On January 7, Good was shot and killed by an immigration officer in Minneapolis. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said Good “weaponized” the SUV to run over agents in an act of “domestic terrorism.” Local authorities, citing video of the incident, strongly disputed Noem’s account and called for the arrest of the officers involved.

In Maryland, two people were injured on December 24 when a driver tried to run over a federal agent during an immigration enforcement operation. Investigators at the scene fired shots at the driver, who crashed the vehicle. A passenger was injured in the accident.

On September 12, 38-year-old Mexican immigrant Sillio Villegas Gonzalez was shot and killed by federal agents in a Chicago suburb. Homeland Security officials say the man resisted arrest and dragged the officer with his car. Video evidence from the scene shows an agent describing his injuries as “nothing serious.” Villegas Gonzalez’s lawyers called for a thorough investigation into the shooting.

Another person was shot in the Chicago area on October 4th. Marimar Martinez, a 31-year-old U.S. citizen, was shot and wounded by federal agents on the city’s South Side. Prosecutors charged Martinez with assaulting a federal agent with his car, but dropped the charges after Border Patrol Agent Charles Exum testified that Martinez did not ram him.

Japhet de Oliveira, a spokesperson for Adventist Health, told The Oregonian that police responded to a shooting at Adventist Health’s Portland campus.

Tina Henderson, who works in a medical office at the scene of the shooting, said someone ran into her suite to warn her about the shooting.

“Everyone, please be careful,” Henderson said, according to the newspaper. “There was just a shooting in the parking lot.”

Police responded to reports of a shooting at around 2:18 p.m. local time, officials said. The shooting was reported in the 10200 block of Southeast Main Street, police said.

The two injured people called emergency services for help in the area of ​​Northeast 146th Street and East Burnside around 2:24 p.m. A second police officer responded to the scene and found the couple injured.

Police applied emergency medical aid and the two were taken to hospital. Police said they were not involved in the shooting.

“We are in the early stages of this case,” Day said. “We understand that many people are feeling emotional and tense in the wake of the shooting in Minneapolis, but we ask members of the community to remain calm as we seek further information.”

Police say both locations are closed to the public and the investigation is ongoing.

Who is Renee Nicole Good? What we know about women killed by ICE

Wilson said the two people were shot and wounded in the Hazelwood neighborhood in northeast and southeast Portland.

Wilson blamed Homeland Security officials for the shooting, which came a day after a woman was shot and killed by an immigration officer in Minneapolis.

“Just one day after the horrific violence in Minnesota at the hands of federal agents, our community here in Portland is now facing another deeply disturbing incident,” Wilson said in a statement.

The mayor called on ICE to suspend all operations in the city until a full investigation into the shooting is completed. He urged residents to remain calm and “come together to protect Portland.”

“Portland is not a ‘training ground’ for militarized operatives, and the administration’s threat of ‘all out’ has deadly consequences,” Wilson added. “Federal militarization undermines effective community-based public safety and goes against the values ​​that define our region.”

Nathan Vasquez, district attorney for Multnomah County, Oregon, spoke briefly with reporters and confirmed to reporters outside the hospital that the FBI was on the scene.

Footage from a local television station showed Portland police assisting the FBI at the scene. Some FBI agents were also seen in the hospital parking lot and going door to door at nearby homes.

“I’m very concerned about what happened here today,” Vazquez said. “We are here from the District Attorney’s Office to monitor, assist and make sure a thorough and complete investigation is conducted.”

East Portland City Council members are awaiting further information about the shooting, but noted that the incident is part of a “pattern of violence that we have seen time and time again across our country.”

Oregon’s U.S. senators all responded to the shooting in a statement.

In a post on X, Sen. Jeff Merkley said he was “deeply concerned about the reported shootings of two people by federal agents outside Portland Adventist Hospital,” adding, “President Trump wants to cause a riot, so please keep President Trump’s protests against ICE/CBP peaceful. Don’t take the bait.”

Sen. Ron Wyden also said on X that he was “monitoring the initial damning reports” and that President Trump’s “deployment of federal agents to my hometown is clearly inciting violence and must end.”

USA TODAY has reached out to both senators for further comment.

Contributors: Jeanine Santucci and Christopher Cann, USA TODAY. Reuters

A 20-year-old young man won the lottery. Her next move drew criticism on social media.

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A 20-year-old young man won the lottery. Her next move drew criticism on social media.

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A 20-year-old Canadian woman recently set social media on fire after winning the lottery and (gasp!) choosing to receive her winnings in an annuity rather than a lump sum.

Instead of receiving a tax-free lump sum of $1 million (Canadian lottery winners are not taxed like U.S. jackpots), Quebec’s Brenda Aubin-Vega opted to receive $1,000 weekly for life. Her decision contrasted with what the majority of lottery winners choose and drew criticism. Everyone seemed to have an opinion, including Binance founder Changpeng Zhao.

The heated debate once again highlights the long-standing question of whether lottery winners should receive a lump sum or an annuity, and how that decision is made.

“The reason most people take a lump sum is because they think if they take their pension and get hit by a bus, it’s over,” said Dan White, founder and CEO of Daniel A. White & Associates in Glen Mills, Pennsylvania.

What is a lump sum and what is an annuity?

Before deciding how to claim their prize, winners should understand what their two options are.

  • lump sum A one-time cash payment, usually the cash value of the jackpot. The cash value is the amount required in the jackpot prize pool on the date of the drawing to fund the estimated jackpot annuity prize.
  • pension Payments made at regular intervals over a set number of years or a lifetime. The two major U.S. lotteries, Mega Millions and Powerball, pay annuities that increase by 5% each year for 30 years.

Indeed, if the winner was hit by a bus, the winner might only have enjoyed a portion of the prize money. However, the winner can leave any unpaid pension to his or her heirs.

If the winner or heirs wish to receive a lump sum instead of an annuity, they can sell the remaining annuity payments at any time.

What do most lottery winners choose?

A 2011 study examining the Powerball lottery from 2003 to 2009 showed that more than 93% of jackpot winners received a lump sum payment.

Is a lump sum payment the best option?

Many people on social media believe that a lump sum is always better because you can invest and grow your money faster than an annuity. After all, the average annual return for all S&P 500 stocks, including dividends, is about 10%.

“She better receive $1 million today,” Binance’s Chao wrote in a social media post. But instead of stocks, he suggested, you should invest that money in Bitcoin and eventually end up with “$1,000 every week for the rest of your life and millions of dollars left over.”

But that strategy could be riskier than automatically increasing lottery pension payments each year, some advisers say. The stock market can post losses for multiple years at once.

Don’t forget about the curse of the lottery. “How many lottery winners have gone bankrupt over a five-year period because of bad investments, gambling, drug purchases, car purchases, etc.?” White said.

The American Bankruptcy Institute (ABI), a nonprofit research group, said winners are more likely than the average person to declare bankruptcy within three to five years after their big win. It is generally estimated that the percentage of lottery winners who end up declaring bankruptcy is as high as 70%, with a more conservative estimate of about 33%.

“In either case, a significant number of lottery winners will end up in bankruptcy court,” ABI said.

Is a pension the best choice?

Researchers in a 2011 report argued that the main reason for the double taxation posed by lump sum payments in the United States is that choosing an annuity is usually more financially advantageous.

“Significant taxes are paid upfront on the entire lump sum, and subsequent investment returns are taxed in the same way as pensions,” it said. Additionally, annuitants “receive higher present value payments over the life of the annuity than those receiving a lump sum.”

Assuming a life expectancy of 85 years, 20-year-old Aubin Vega would receive a lump sum payment of $1 million, totaling more than $3.3 million. Figures are not adjusted.

Experts say choosing an annuity can also deter scammers.

Winners “should choose to pay in installments rather than in a lump sum and… should remain out of the public eye to avoid potential fraudsters, thieves, users and opportunists,” ABI said. He also said they should continue working. “This maintains a sense of normalcy, makes it less obvious, and gives winners less free time to spend their money.”

So what’s right and what’s wrong?

Ultimately, the choice is personal, the advisers said.

Consider the following when making your decision:

  • health and age“If you’re 65 years old and making $52,000 a year, it will take you about 20 years to reach $1 million,” White says. “Maybe you should take the lump sum.”

Winners would then be able to spend and distribute their money as they see fit while they are still alive, rather than waiting until after they die for distributions to be made.

  • Risk tolerance and goals: How comfortable are you with investing and potentially losing money and receiving a guaranteed income?
  • what type of person are you: Are you a spendthrift or financially disciplined?

“Winning the jackpot is exhilarating, but smart financial planning can make all the difference between fleeting thrills and long-term security,” said Lauren Wyver, senior wealth executive at Vanguard.

“Before you make any big decisions, think through your short- and long-term goals and hire a trusted advisor to help you develop a plan to maximize your winnings.”

Medora Lee is USA TODAY’s money, markets and personal finance reporter. Please contact us at mjlee@usatoday.com. Subscribe to our free Daily Money newsletter for personal finance tips and business news every Monday through Friday morning.

Iranian street protests grow amid internet blackouts and President Trump’s threats

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Iranian street protests grow amid internet blackouts and President Trump’s threats

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Anti-government protests in Iran appeared to accelerate on January 9, sparked by anger over the country’s collapsing currency and widespread despair and disillusionment with Iran’s clerics.

The heightened unrest comes after President Donald Trump warned Iranian authorities not to kill peaceful protesters and said the United States was “coming to their aid.”

Internet watchdog NetBlocks said data showed Iranian authorities imposed a nationwide internet shutdown and other forms of strict digital censorship during the unrest. This makes it difficult to draw final conclusions about the scale and intensity of the protests and the government’s response.

However, some videos and images were leaked and published on social media by opposition groups and human rights watchdogs. In some parts, protesters can be heard calling for the overthrow of Iran’s supreme leader Ayatollah Khamenei and the return of the exiled son of Iran’s last king, Mohammed Reza Shah Pahlavi. The last Shah of Iran, as he is known, was overthrown by Iran’s Islamic Revolution in 1979. His son and successor, Reza Pahlavi, also lives in Virginia.

Iran’s religious rulers have long struggled to bridge the gap between their theocratic priorities and the expectations of a young society seeking more social, economic and political freedoms.

“Women, Life, Freedom”: Iranians talk about why they risk beatings and death for change

Some videos and images showed protesters encountering tear gas during violent street clashes. The US-based Human Rights Defenders News Agency reported that at least 34 protesters and four security personnel have been killed and 2,200 people arrested in the past 12 days. The Norway-based monitoring group Iran Human Rights said at least 45 protesters, including eight children, had been killed by Iranian security forces.

But the demonstrations, which began in Tehran last month and spread to all 31 Iranian provinces, have not yet reached the scale of the unrest sparked by Mahsa Amini’s death, starting in 2022 and extending into 2023, according to monitoring groups. The 22-year-old man was detained on suspicion of violating Islamic dress codes and died in police custody. Members of Iran’s Guidance Patrol, the so-called morality police, claimed that Amini was wearing the hijab incorrectly when she was arrested.

Within Iran: Countries that still feel resentment toward the United States

Iran does not maintain diplomatic relations with the United States. A representative from Iran’s mission to the United Nations in New York did not respond to a request for comment on the ongoing protests that began in Tehran with shopkeepers in the city’s Grand Bazaar angered by the plummeting value of the currency, the rial. Since then, they have evolved to include primarily young men rather than the women and girls who played a key role in Amini’s protests.

In a post on X, Pahlavi said “millions of Iranians” are demanding “freedom.” He also expressed gratitude to President Trump, who recently warned Iranian leaders that the United States would intervene if peaceful protesters were killed. Iranian state media downplayed the scale of the protests and published videos of deserted streets. The Pentagon bombed Iranian nuclear facilities in August 2025 as part of the Israel-Iran war that lasted 12 days.

Russia claims to have launched hypersonic missile Oreshnik towards Ukraine

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Russia claims to have launched hypersonic missile Oreshnik towards Ukraine

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The Russian military announced on Friday, January 9, that it had launched hypersonic Oleshnik missiles at targets in Ukraine as part of a large-scale overnight attack on energy facilities and drone manufacturing sites in the country.

The Defense Ministry said in a statement that the attack was in response to an attempted drone attack by Ukraine on one of Russian President Vladimir Putin’s residences in late December. Kiev has insisted that Russia’s claims that it tried to attack residential buildings in Russia’s Novgorod region are “lies.”

The governor of Ukraine’s western Lviv region had earlier said the Russian attack had hit an infrastructure target, but unconfirmed reports on social media said it was a large underground gas storage facility. Reuters could not confirm that.

Ukrainian media cited the Ukrainian Air Force as saying that a ballistic missile was used in the attack, which was traveling at a speed of about 8,000 miles per hour.

In November 2024, the Russian government first launched an oreshnik (meaning hazel tree in Russian) at a suspected military factory in Ukraine. At the time, Ukrainian intelligence sources said the missile was loaded with a dummy warhead, not an explosive, and the damage was limited.

Putin said the medium-range Oleshnik missile is impossible to intercept because it reportedly travels more than 10 times the speed of sound, and its destructive power is comparable to nuclear weapons even when equipped with a conventional warhead.

Some Western officials have expressed skepticism about Oleshnik’s abilities. A U.S. official said in December 2024 that the weapon is not considered game-changing on the battlefield.

(Reporting by Andrew Osborne; Editing by Mark Trevelyan)

President Trump says Venezuela’s Maria Colina Machado will visit US ‘next week’

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President Trump says Venezuela’s Maria Colina Machado will visit US ‘next week’

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President Donald Trump said in a sit-down interview on Fox News’ “Hannity” on January 8 that Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Colina Machado will visit the United States “sometime next week.”

Show host Sean Hannity asked President Trump whether he would meet with Machado and accept the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize if Machado offered it to him.

“I hear she’s going to be somewhere next week and I’m looking forward to saying hello. I hear she would like to do that. It would be a great honor,” Trump said.

It will be the first meeting between President Trump and Machado, who said earlier this week that he had not spoken to a U.S. leader since winning the Nobel Peace Prize in October. USA TODAY has reached out to the White House for information about the meeting.

President Trump praised Maduro’s capture. Experts say it’s illegal

The conservative news network touted the interview as “the first sit-down interview since Nicolás Maduro’s arrest” in a promotional release sent to USA TODAY.

The interview aired on the same day the Senate advanced a bipartisan measure to halt further U.S. military action in Venezuela without Congressional approval.

President Trump said he would meet with oil company executives at the White House on January 9th. According to the president, these oil companies will play an important role in rebuilding Venezuela’s oil industry.

“They’re going to rebuild the entire oil infrastructure. They’re going to spend at least $100 billion. What they have is incredible oil, incredible quality and quantity of oil,” he said.

The South American country’s future governance remains in doubt. President Trump had previously dismissed the idea of ​​working with Machado, saying “she has no support or respect in this country.”

President Trump said in an interview that it will take time for Venezuela, currently led by acting interim President Delcy Rodriguez, to reach a state where it can hold elections.

“We have to rebuild our country. We couldn’t hold elections,” he said. “They won’t even know how to vote now.”

Contributed by: Reuters

Why you should save for retirement just as Social Security runs out

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Why you should save for retirement just as Social Security runs out

Keeping these benefits in mind can help you financially thrive in retirement.

morley backman
|The Motley Fool

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Social Security was in the news a lot last year.

In October, there was a lot of talk about the program’s upcoming cost-of-living adjustment (COLA). Then, when the COLA was announced, there was speculation that Medicare cost increases would significantly eat into that increase (spoiler alert: they will).

But earlier this year, the Social Security Board released an updated report on the program’s financial status. And the news wasn’t great.

At this point, you may be wondering if Social Security is on the verge of collapse. And you’ve probably heard stories along these lines, albeit from unreliable sources.

The fact of the matter is social security can’t do it Bankruptcy occurs because there is a continuing source of income in the form of payroll taxes. When people work, money is raised for programs. Therefore, you don’t have to worry about your Social Security benefits running out.

But even if that’s not the case, you may want to tell yourself that Social Security won’t pay for your retirement.

What is actually happening in social security finance?

Social Security will face funding shortfalls in the coming years. As baby boomers leave the workforce and begin claiming benefits, Social Security won’t be able to generate enough income to maintain its payment obligations.

The program’s Old Age and Survivors Insurance (OASI) Trust Fund, which pays for retirement benefits, is scheduled to meet its financial obligations until 2033, after which benefits could be cut by 23%.

If lawmakers allow Social Security to combine the OASI trust fund and disability insurance fund, benefits would be paid in full until 2034. Beyond that, benefits could be cut by 19%.

These projections are likely to change in the coming years as the Social Security Administration Board continues to evaluate the program’s projected returns. But it’s important to note that there is no risk that Social Security will be completely abolished. But maybe telling yourself that isn’t such a bad thing.

Why we want to pretend that Social Security is disappearing

It’s easy to tell yourself that Social Security won’t pay your retirement benefits. If you don’t have income from Social Security, you’ll probably be more motivated to work on building your own retirement nest egg.

One reason some people are stingy with their retirement savings is because they think they can rely on Social Security for income. Of course this is not the case only Why people don’t save enough. Sometimes life gets in the way. But if you tell yourself you can’t rely on Social Security for your retirement income, you may need to increase your contributions to your IRA or 401(k).

If this doesn’t convince you, there’s something else you should know. Even without benefit cuts, Social Security only replaces about 40% of your pre-retirement wages. Most retirees need about twice that amount to live comfortably.

So even if nothing bad happens to Social Security at all and the program is able to pay out 100% of your benefits, it still makes sense to do your best to build up your retirement savings. Here are some ways to get a boost:

  • Get a full workplace match every year with your 401(k) plan
  • Every January (or whenever a raise comes along), put it in the bank.
  • Get into the habit of budgeting and prioritize your IRA or 401(k)

You don’t have to worry about running out of Social Security. You don’t even have to pretend that it is. Be aware of how much these benefits pay you, and do your best to save well so they aren’t your only source of income in retirement.

The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

The Motley Fool is a USA TODAY content partner providing financial news, analysis and commentary designed to help people take control of their financial lives. Its content is produced independently of USA TODAY.

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