The tone on federal immigration enforcement shifted this week amid backlash after two fatal shootings by immigration agents. President Donald Trump鈥檚 border czar Tom Homan outlined a 鈥渄rawdown鈥� plan for agents in Minnesota, while Sen. Susan Collins announced an end to ICE鈥檚 expanded operations in Maine. California, New York, and other Democrat-led states are pursuing bills to allow stronger legal action against federal agents, following a similar law passed in Illinois. Meanwhile, some GOP lawmakers are joining calls to replace the Homeland Security secretary.
Venezuela passed a law to open its oil sector to foreign companies, less than a month after the U.S. government captured deposed president Nicol谩s Maduro. Washington began easing sanctions on Venezuelan oil at the same time. In a hearing yesterday, Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the United States will retain oversight of how income from oil sales is used within Venezuela.
Sen. Amy Klobuchar announced she is running for governor of Minnesota, after Gov. Tim Walz ended his campaign. Minnesota has been the subject of national attention as an epicenter of the Trump administration鈥檚 immigration crackdown. The Democratic senator said she is ready to heal political divisions and 鈥渇ind common ground.鈥� Three other senators, from Colorado, Tennessee, and Alabama, are also running for governor in their home states.
Yale University is offering free tuition for students whose families earn less than $200,000 annually, and full rides 鈥� including fees, room, and board 鈥� for families making less than $100,000. The change follows similar moves at schools such as Harvard, Penn, and MIT. Administrators see it as a way to attract more diverse candidates, especially as courts have limited their ability to recruit on the basis of race.
Zimbabwe鈥檚 annual inflation听蹿别濒濒聽to single digits in January for the first time in nearly three decades. The country has long struggled with hyperinflation, which hit 89.7 sextillion percent in 2008. In the latest attempt to replace the U.S. dollar, the government introduced a gold-backed currency in 2024, which has helped stabilize prices. Ethiopia and Ghana have also recently wrangled inflation down to under 10%.
The charismatic founder of Jazz at Lincoln Center is bringing his 40-year directorship to a close. Wynton Marsalis started the iconic organization in 1987 to help spread what he calls an 鈥渙ften-overlooked aspect of American culture.鈥� Over time, he became an ambassador for jazz around the world. The chairman of the organization鈥檚 board said Mr. Marsalis has 鈥渨orked tirelessly鈥� to make his dream of jazz as a 鈥渨idely experienced and celebrated art form鈥� a reality.
A man in France donated an empty field to his childhood town, on the condition it be 鈥渟hared among all鈥� as a fruit orchard and community garden. Residents have planted around 50 fruit trees so far, with another 50 planned for this year. While the first harvest is several years away, the project is already bringing neighbors in the small village of Clussais-la-Pommeraie together.
鈥� From Monitor writers around the globe
