Evening Brief: Congress Unveils $839B Defense Bill, Mexico Transfers 37 Cartel Figures to US, Islamic State Detainees Escape in Northeast Syria

Lawmakers said the bill reflects two months of negotiations following the recent government shutdown, with the House set to vote first this week and the Senate to follow after its recess.   Major Ice Storm Threatens Southern US as Arctic Air Pushes South Forecasters warned Tuesday that a powerful winter storm could bring widespread and potentially catastrophic ice from Texas to the Carolinas late this week and through the weekend, threatening power lines, trees, and travel across the southern United States. The storm is expected to form as arctic air from Canada collides with rain and moisture from the Gulf of Mexico, creating freezing rain, sleet, and heavy snow. The National Weather Service said ice accumulations could linger due to prolonged cold temperatures, increasing the risk of power outages and hazardous roads. This has the potential to be one of the most serious, memorable and disruptive winter storms in years for Texas, the Deep South and Southeast. We can’t remember the last time we used the word “crippling” in a forecast. While specifics have yet to be ironed out, it’s likely that… pic.twitter.com/bpiB1gWPIx — MyRadar Weather (@MyRadarWX) January 20, 2026 Southern states, which have limited snow and ice removal resources, could see major disruptions to highway and air travel, including at major hubs such as Dallas and Atlanta, as uncertainty remains over the storm’s exact track and severity.   US, Canada to Fly Defense Aircraft to Greenland as Tensions Rise Over Trump Proposal The United States and Canada will deploy military aircraft to Greenland for routine, long-planned defense drills, the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) said this week, as political tensions grow over US President Donald Trump’s push to take control of the territory. NORAD said the aircraft will arrive at Pituffik Space Base on an unspecified date and that the exercises were coordinated with Denmark and the government of Greenland. 🟥 North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) announced that US military will deploy aircraft to Greenland’s Pituffik Space Base as tensions escalate over US President Donald Trump’s push to acquire self-governing Danish territory ‘North American Aerospace Defense Command… pic.twitter.com/K1czuoxYxy — Anadolu English (@anadoluagency) January 20, 2026 The drills support NORAD’s mission to defend North American airspace and occur as Trump threatens tariffs on European countries if they resist US acquisition of Greenland, a semiautonomous territory of NATO ally Denmark.   US to Close Afghan Evacuee Camp in Qatar, Relocate Remaining Residents The United States will shut down its Afghan resettlement operation at Camp As Sayliyah in Qatar and relocate about 1,100 evacuees by March 31, the State Department said Tuesday. The camp has housed Afghans since the 2021 US withdrawal, including former US allies and more than 150 immediate family members of American service members, as they awaited resettlement. US officials said the base will fully close by September and that evacuees will not be returned to Afghanistan, though they did not disclose where they will be sent. The decision comes as US President Donald Trump has halted refugee admissions and paused special immigrant visa processing, drawing criticism from advocates and Democratic lawmakers who warn the move risks abandoning Afghan partners. The State Department notified the committee of its intent to close Camp As Sayliyah (CAS) in Qatar, which has served as a critical transit site supporting the safe relocation of vetted Afghan allies fleeing Taliban persecution. Statement from Ranking Member @RepGregoryMeeks: pic.twitter.com/JkCRECgMqO — House Foreign Affairs Committee Dems (@HouseForeign) January 15, 2026 The closure also follows renewed scrutiny from Republicans over vetting procedures, as the administration weighs security concerns against commitments to those who supported US forces.   Mexico Transfers 37 Cartel Figures to US as Trump Intensifies Pressure Mexico transferred 37 imprisoned drug cartel members to the United States on Tuesday, marking the third such handover in less than a year as the Trump administration presses Mexico to step up action against cross-border drug trafficking. Mexico’s Security Minister Omar García Harfuch said the detainees were high-impact criminals from multiple cartels, including Sinaloa, Jalisco New Generation, and Beltrán-Leyva, all facing pending US cases. The transfers took place amid escalating rhetoric from US President Donald Trump, who has threatened military action against cartels and demanded tougher enforcement. Esta mañana el @GabSeguridadMX trasladó a Estados Unidos a 37 operadores de organizaciones criminales que representaban una amenaza real para la seguridad del país. La acción se ejecutó conforme a la Ley de Seguridad Nacional y bajo mecanismos de cooperación bilateral, con pleno… pic.twitter.com/rBqfVvIIDZ — Omar H Garcia Harfuch (@OHarfuch) January 20, 2026 Mexican officials framed the move as a public safety measure and a sign of cooperation, while analysts said the extraditions aim to ease US pressure and deliver visible results for Washington as bilateral security tensions rise.   Trump’s Greenland Tariff Threats Alarm Europe and Strain NATO Ties US President Donald Trump has threatened sweeping tariffs on European countries to pressure Denmark into ceding control of Greenland, triggering sharp warnings from US allies that the dispute could fracture NATO. European Union leaders on Tuesday rejected the proposed tariffs, calling them a mistake, and said the bloc could retaliate with powerful trade measures if Washington follows through. European Commission President Ursula @vonderleyen: “The proposed additional tariffs are a mistake, especially between long-standing allies. The European Union and the United States have agreed to a trade deal last July. In politics, as in business, a deal is a deal.” pic.twitter.com/xwfIPstI2t — CSPAN (@cspan) January 20, 2026 Trump argues the United States needs Greenland for security reasons to counter China and Russia, while European leaders, Denmark, and Greenland’s government insist on respect for international law and territorial integrity. The standoff comes ahead of Trump’s appearance at the World Economic Forum in Davos, where leaders are expected to confront the issue as tensions escalate over trade, alliance unity, and the future of trans-Atlantic relations.   Lavrov Warns Trump’s Greenland Push Risks NATO Crisis Russia’s Foreign Minister on Tuesday said US President Donald Trump’s bid to take control of Greenland threatens NATO’s unity and signals a deep crisis for the Western alliance. Speaking in Moscow, Sergey Lavrov said Trump’s actions raise the possibility of conflict between NATO members and undermine the Western-backed rule-based global order. Lavrov rejected claims that Russia or China pose a threat to Greenland and said Moscow is closely watching developments involving Denmark and the United States. He made the remarks while outlining Russia’s foreign policy priorities, praising Trump’s efforts to negotiate an end to the war in Ukraine while criticizing European allies for altering US-backed proposals. ‘NATO is being put to the test — what is it really worth?’ Russian FM Lavrov says Greenland is a legacy of colonialism, stressing Russia has ‘no interest in interfering’ He reminds Greenland was NEVER a natural part of Norway or Denmark https://t.co/PkjDOdUtKj pic.twitter.com/iedVsCfrON — RT (@RT_com) January 20, 2026 Lavrov also condemned recent US military actions in Venezuela and warned that Russia would not accept changes to peace terms it sees as ignoring Russian interests, as tensions persist across Europe, the Arctic, and beyond.   Russia Unleashes Massive Air Assault on Ukraine’s Power Grid as Winter Deepens Russia launched more than 300 drones and ballistic and cruise missiles in a nighttime attack on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Tuesday, knocking out heat to thousands of apartment buildings in Kyiv during one of the coldest winters in years. The strikes, which Ukrainian officials said hit civilian infrastructure, disrupted heating for more than 5,600 buildings and followed a major January 9 barrage that caused widespread blackouts. Ukrainian air defenses shot down or jammed most of the incoming weapons, but several missiles and drones struck multiple sites, including electrical substations critical to nuclear safety. There are already initial reports on the situation in the regions after the Russian strike. Kyiv and the region, Vinnytsia, Dnipro, Odesa, Zaporizhzhia, Poltava, Sumy, and other regions of ours. Repair crews, the State Emergency Service of Ukraine, and all necessary forces are… pic.twitter.com/ByKsmNMFY0 — Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) January 20, 2026 As the war nears its fourth year since Russia’s full-scale invasion began in February 2022, Kyiv is pressing the United States and allies for urgent military aid, sanctions on Moscow, and progress in US-led peace talks, with Ukrainian and Russian representatives both expected to hold meetings this week at the World Economic Forum in Davos.   Israeli Forces Target UN Refugee Agency Sites in East Jerusalem and West Bank Israeli forces on Tuesday moved against United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) facilities in east Jerusalem and the West Bank, bulldozing offices in the Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood and firing tear gas near a vocational school in Qalandia, according to UNRWA officials and Palestinian authorities. The actions followed Israel’s enforcement of a new law banning UNRWA operations in areas it defines as Israeli territory, including east Jerusalem. UNRWA said police and demolition crews arrived early Tuesday, confiscated equipment, and removed security guards, while tear gas later affected students at a refugee vocational center, injuring at least one teenager. Israel’s Foreign Ministry said the demolition was legal and accused the agency of bias and militant ties, claims the United Nations denies. UN Secretary-General “condemns in the strongest terms” the Israeli authorities’ actions to demolish the @UNRWA Sheikh Jarrah compound.https://t.co/6FK77tvTjW pic.twitter.com/4TMJRRP8R1 — UN News (@UN_News_Centre) January 20, 2026 The move escalates a long-running dispute during the ongoing Israel-Hamas war and threatens humanitarian and education services for millions of Palestinian refugees, as international officials warn of broader consequences for aid operations in the region.   ISIS Detainees Escape in Northeast Syria as Syrian Democratic Forces Withdraws Guards Syrian authorities and Kurdish-led forces reported Tuesday that detainees linked to the Islamic State (IS) escaped from camps and prisons in northeast Syria after guards withdrew amid renewed fighting. The Syrian military said Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) guards abandoned the al-Hol camp, which houses thousands of women and children connected to ISIS, while Syria’s interior ministry reported that 120 ISIS members fled a prison in Shaddadeh during clashes, with 81 later recaptured. The SDF confirmed it pulled back forces, citing international inaction on ISIS detainees and rising threats from Syrian government troops, as a fragile ceasefire unraveled. Anadolu films prison in Shaddadi, Hasakah province, northern Syria, after YPG/SDF releases Daesh members ◾️ Syrian government deploys security forces after taking control of the facility ◾️ Discarded orange detainee uniforms and abandoned camouflage remain, as authorities say… pic.twitter.com/1nLgtiunC0 — Anadolu English (@anadoluagency) January 20, 2026 The incidents come as Damascus and the US-backed SDF trade blame over security failures and struggle to implement a deal to transfer control of ISIS prisons, underscoring growing instability in the region as Syria’s new leadership seeks to consolidate power.   US Warships Transit Taiwan Strait, Prompting Chinese Military Response A US Navy guided-missile destroyer and a survey vessel transited through the Taiwan Strait over the weekend, marking the first confirmed US transit of the year, the US 7th Fleet confirmed to Stars and Stripes on Tuesday. The USS John Finn (DDG-113) and USNS Mary Sears (T-AGS 65) conducted what the Navy described as a routine passage on January 16–17 through international waters separating Taiwan from mainland China to reinforce freedom of navigation. China’s military said it monitored and tracked the ships, vowing to protect national sovereignty. The transit came as tensions remained high over Taiwan, which China claims as its territory. Uploading #warfighting readiness 💪 Sailors upload a torpedo aboard USS John Finn, Jan. 10. Forward deployed, John Finn is assigned to Destroyer Squadron 15, the @USNavy‘s largest DESRON and #US7thFleet’s principal surface force. 📍: Yokosuka, Japan 📸: MC2 Alexandria Esteban pic.twitter.com/0V75Qg2Z6I — U.S. Pacific Fleet (@USPacificFleet) January 16, 2026 Separately, Taiwan reported that a Chinese surveillance drone briefly entered its airspace near Pratas Island on Saturday before leaving after a warning, an incident both sides described differently as regional friction continues to rise.   ASEAN Rejects Myanmar Military’s Election as Lacking Credibility The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) will not recognize or endorse elections held under Myanmar’s military government, Malaysia’s foreign minister said Tuesday, citing the absence of free, fair, and inclusive participation. The vote followed the military’s 2021 overthrow of Aung San Suu Kyi’s elected government and comes amid an ongoing civil war. Malaysian Foreign Minister Mohamad Hasan said ASEAN leaders agreed last year not to send election observers because conditions did not meet regional standards, effectively denying certification of the results. The 11-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations will not send observers to army-ruled Myanmar’s ongoing three-stage election and will therefore not endorse the poll, Malaysia’s foreign minister said on Tuesday. https://t.co/9Jy8gmjf5N — Reuters China (@ReutersChina) January 20, 2026 Human rights groups and opposition figures say the military-backed polls aim to legitimize army rule, while ASEAN continues to press Myanmar’s generals to halt violence, allow humanitarian access, and engage in inclusive dialogue as final election results are expected later this month.   Sources: News Agencies