Global Events Marked by Minneapolis Shooting, Trade Tensions, and Technological Advancements

A tumultuous week saw escalating tensions between the U.S. and Canada, a deadly shooting in Minneapolis that sparked widespread protests, and continued advancements in artificial intelligence, all while the world mourned the death of renowned BBC journalist Sir Mark Tully.

The Trump administration faced intense backlash after a federal agent fatally shot Alex Pretti, an ICU nurse, in Minneapolis on January 24, 2026. The incident ignited protests and community unrest, with many questioning the tactics of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Videos and eyewitness accounts contradicted initial federal claims about the shooting, fueling public outrage. "Facing public backlash and circulating videos, the Trump administration has shifted its narrative on the Minneapolis shooting, moving away from defending federal agents to blaming Democrats," BBC Breaking reported. Chris Madel, a Republican running for governor of Minnesota, withdrew from the race, calling the federal immigration crackdown an "unmitigated disaster," Fortune reported. Madel stated he could not support the national Republican stance of retribution on the citizens of Minnesota. Minnesota officials resisted demands from the Justice Department for data and policy changes following the shooting, raising concerns about federal overreach, NPR News reported. A federal judge declined to immediately curb the federal operation but ordered the government to explain whether it was using armed raids to pressure Minnesota, Wired reported.

Adding to the global unease, President Trump threatened to raise tariffs on goods from South Korea to 25%, citing the country's failure to codify a trade deal, Bloomberg reported. Tensions also escalated between the U.S. and Canada due to trade disputes and Canada's relationship with China, Al Jazeera reported.

In Europe, the European Commission launched an investigation into Elon Musk's X over concerns its AI tool Grok was used to create sexualized images of real people, BBC Technology reported. The investigation followed a similar announcement from the UK watchdog Ofcom. If X is found to have breached the EU's Digital Services Act, the company could face a fine of up to 6% of its global annual turnover.

Meanwhile, a severe winter storm swept across the U.S., causing widespread power outages, travel disruptions, and at least 18 deaths, NPR News reported. The storm crippled infrastructure from Texas to Maine, highlighting vulnerabilities in energy systems. Toronto was digging itself out from the largest snowfall in the city's history, with some parts buried under nearly 60cm of snow, The Guardian reported.

The world of technology also saw TikTok apologize after thousands of US users reported issues affecting the video-sharing app, BBC Technology reported. Platform outage monitor Downdetector said it had seen more than 600,000 reports of glitches from US TikTok users over the weekend.

In other news, Israel said it had recovered the body of the last hostage in Gaza, paving the way for the next phase of President Trump's peace plan, BBC World reported. The Israeli military had been searching for Master Sgt Ran Gvili since the ceasefire with Hamas began in October.

The death of Sir Mark Tully, the renowned BBC journalist known for his extensive reporting on India, was mourned globally, BBC World reported. Tully, who covered major events like the Bhopal gas tragedy and the demolition of the Babri mosque, was widely admired as one of the most respected foreign correspondents of his generation.

France's National Assembly took a first step towards banning social media access for under-15s, a proposal backed by President Emmanuel Macron, BBC World reported. The bill still needs to be approved by the upper house, the Senate.

The week's events underscored the complex challenges facing the world, from political tensions and social unrest to technological advancements and environmental concerns.