Cohen Slams US-Born as "Worst"; Trump Pick Faces Scrutiny

Barbados Prime Minister Mia Mottley secured a third election victory, while a House Democrat criticized Attorney General Pam Bondi, and Mexican ships delivered humanitarian aid to Cuba amid a U.S. blockade. These events, along with sluggish economic growth in the UK and scrutiny of a Trump nominee, dominated headlines.

Mia Mottley's Barbados Labour Party (BLP) swept all 30 seats in the House of Assembly, ousting the opposition leader, according to state TV reports. This victory marks Mottley's third consecutive election win, solidifying her position as a prominent global leader.

In Washington, D.C., Rep. Steve Cohen, D-Tenn., told Attorney General Pam Bondi that "the worst of the worst" targeted by the Trump administration were actually native-born Americans, not illegal immigrant criminals, during a congressional hearing. Cohen made the remarks during a hearing over the Justice Department's handling of files related to Jeffrey Epstein, according to Fox News.

Meanwhile, two Mexican ships arrived in Havana, Cuba, carrying humanitarian aid. The ships, including the Papaloapan, unloaded supplies as the United States continued its efforts to restrict fuel supplies to the island, Al Jazeera reported.

The UK economy experienced sluggish growth at the end of 2025. The Office for National Statistics (ONS) reported that the economy grew by 0.1% in the last three months of the year, which was slower than economists had expected. Chancellor Rachel Reeves acknowledged that "more to do" was needed, although the full-year growth of 1.3% topped analysts' forecasts, according to BBC Business.

Finally, Donald Trump's pick for a top diplomatic role faced scrutiny. Jeremy Carl, the assistant secretary of state nominee, has been accused of espousing white supremacist, racist, antisemitic, and homophobic views, a former US state department official warned, according to The Guardian. Carl is set to go before the Senate foreign relations committee.