This quick-hit roundup covers major developments: the U.S. military has recorded 35 strikes on civilian vessels, including five strikes over two days that killed eight people; Brian Cole Jr. will remain jailed pending trial; and President Trump announced withdrawals of National Guard troops after courts limited deployments. The administration paused punitive pasta duties and delayed certain tariff hikes for a year, while the CIA says Ukraine did not target President Putin. A federal judge preserved Temporary Protected Status for thousands, and the U.S. reported 2,012 measles cases as of Dec. 23 amid falling kindergarten vaccination rates.
Friday Mini-Report — Jan. 2, 2026: 35 U.S. Strikes, Court Rulings, Tariff Delays and a Measles Surge
Today’s quick-hit roundup of the top domestic and international developments.
New Toll: 35 Confirmed U.S. Strikes on Civilian Vessels
U.S. authorities say the military has now carried out 35 recorded strikes on civilian boats operating in international waters. Officials reported that, over two days, the military struck five vessels suspected of drug smuggling; eight people were killed and others reportedly jumped overboard and may have survived.
Brian Cole Jr. To Remain In Custody
A federal judge ordered Friday that Brian Cole Jr., the suspect accused of planting pipe bombs at both Democratic and Republican National Committee headquarters the night before the U.S. Capitol riot, will remain behind bars while he awaits trial.
Presidential Troop Withdrawals Follow Court Restrictions
President Donald Trump announced the temporary withdrawal of National Guard troops from Chicago, Los Angeles and Portland. The move comes after district and appeals courts raised legal questions about the deployments, and the U.S. Supreme Court declined last week to block a lower-court order barring the use of the National Guard in Chicago.
Trade: Pasta Duties Shelved, Some Tariff Hikes Delayed
The administration stepped back from imposing heavy duties that would have hit Italian pasta makers, making it likely Italian-made pasta will remain on U.S. shelves. In a related action, the president signed a proclamation delaying planned tariff increases on imported upholstered furniture, kitchen cabinets and vanities for one year.
US marines and national guards stand in line protecting the entrance of the Metropolitan Detention Center as demonstrators gather in front of it following federal immigration operations, in Los Angeles, California on July 4, 2025. (Photo by Etienne LAURENT / AFP) (Photo by ETIENNE LAURENT/AFP via Getty Images)(Etienne Laurent / AFP via Getty Images)
CIA Assessment Contradicts Putin’s Claim
U.S. intelligence officials say the CIA has concluded that Ukraine did not target President Vladimir V. Putin or any of his residences in this week’s incident, contradicting an assertion Mr. Putin reportedly made during a phone call with President Trump.
Temporary Protected Status Preserved by Federal Judge
A federal judge in San Francisco ruled that the Trump administration unlawfully moved to end Temporary Protected Status for tens of thousands of migrants from Honduras, Nepal and Nicaragua. The decision blocks the administration’s effort to terminate protections that shield eligible migrants from deportation to countries facing crises.
Measles Cases Reach 30-Year High
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported 2,012 measles cases in the United States as of Dec. 23, the highest annual total in more than 30 years; the last time the U.S. exceeded 2,000 cases was in 1992. Separately, a Washington Post investigation found kindergarten vaccination rates have declined broadly since before the pandemic, raising concerns about increased infectious-disease risks in many school districts.
Have a safe weekend.
Originally published on MS NOW.
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