SEDGWICK COUNTY —A registered Kansas sex offender is going back to prison for sex crimes committed in 2020 and two other crimes.

Judge Kathleen Watson sentenced 39-year-old Darrius Johnson to&nbsp;serve 308 months in the custody to the Kansas Department of Corrections.

according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office. He pleaded guilty to charge of&nbsp;rape and kidnapping in connection with a September attack on a woman in Wichita, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office.&nbsp;&nbsp;He received a 55‑month sentence for the case involving an abduction and rape in September. He pleaded guilty in that case.

On September 22, 2020, police were dispatched to a sexual assault case in the 800 block of South Sylvan in Wichita, according to officer Paul Cruz.

Upon arrival, a 48-year-old female victim, told police she was walking in the area of Lincoln and Oliver when a suspect later identified Johnson approached and grabbed her, forcing her into his Toyota Camry.

Johnson drove the victim to a separate location and sexually assaulted her. Johnson then drove the victim back to Lincoln and Oliver where she was released. Through the investigation and examination of evidence, Johnson was determined to have been involved in the attack.

Police arrested Johnson October 1, 2020 in the 2100 block of South White Oak in Wichita without incident.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Johnson has a previous felony conviction in 2010 for attempted aggravated sexual battery where victim is overcome by force or fear, according to the KBI offender registry.

At the time of his arrest, Johnson was out on bond for a separate alleged sex crime, according to Cruz.

In addition to the 55 months for the crime in 2020, Johnson was sentenced to 253 months for two counts of rape, attempted rape, and attempted aggravated criminal sodomy for crimes that occurred in December 2018.

Johnson was also sentenced to 18 months for violating the Offender Registration Act for the crime that occurred in 2018, according to the district attorney's office.

SEDGWICK COUNTY —A registered Kansas sex offender is scheduled to learn his fate in connection with sex crimes committed in 2020.

Darrius Johnson, 39, is scheduled to make an appearance in Judge Kathleen Watson's courtroom for sentencing, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office. He pleaded guilty to charge of&nbsp;rape and kidnapping in connection with a September attack on a woman in Wichita, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office.

In December, Johnson asked to withdraw his guilty plea and face a jury trial. The judge rejected the request.

<figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/10/1601904705441.png" alt="Johnson photo&nbsp; Kansas Sex offender registry" />
                        <figcaption>Johnson photo&nbsp; Kansas Sex offender registry</figcaption>
                    </figure><p>SEDGWICK COUNTY —A registered Kansas sex offender is going back to prison for sex crimes committed in 2020 and two other crimes.</p><p>Judge Kathleen Watson sentenced 39-year-old Darrius Johnson to&nbsp;serve 308 months in the custody to the Kansas Department of Corrections.</p><p>according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office. He pleaded guilty to charge of&nbsp;rape and kidnapping in connection with a September attack on a woman in Wichita, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office.&nbsp;&nbsp;He received a 55‑month sentence for the case involving an abduction and rape in September. He pleaded guilty in that case.</p><p>On September 22, 2020, police were dispatched to a sexual assault case in the 800 block of South Sylvan in Wichita, according to officer Paul Cruz.</p><p>Upon arrival, a 48-year-old female victim, told police she was walking in the area of Lincoln and Oliver when a suspect later identified Johnson approached and grabbed her, forcing her into his Toyota Camry.</p><p>Johnson drove the victim to a separate location and sexually assaulted her. Johnson then drove the victim back to Lincoln and Oliver where she was released. Through the investigation and examination of evidence, Johnson was determined to have been involved in the attack.</p><p>Police arrested Johnson October 1, 2020 in the 2100 block of South White Oak in Wichita without incident.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p><p>Johnson has a previous felony conviction in 2010 for attempted aggravated sexual battery where victim is overcome by force or fear, according to the KBI offender registry.</p><p>At the time of his arrest, Johnson was out on bond for a separate alleged sex crime, according to Cruz.</p><p>In addition to the 55 months for the crime in 2020, Johnson was sentenced to 253 months for two counts of rape, attempted rape, and attempted aggravated criminal sodomy for crimes that occurred in December 2018.</p><p>Johnson was also sentenced to 18 months for violating the Offender Registration Act for the crime that occurred in 2018, according to the district attorney's office.</p><p>---------------</p><p>SEDGWICK COUNTY —A registered Kansas sex offender is scheduled to learn his fate in connection with sex crimes committed in 2020.</p><p>Darrius Johnson, 39, is scheduled to make an appearance in Judge Kathleen Watson's courtroom for sentencing, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office. He pleaded guilty to charge of&nbsp;rape and kidnapping in connection with a September attack on a woman in Wichita, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office.</p><p>In December, Johnson asked to withdraw his guilty plea and face a jury trial. The judge rejected the request.</p><p>On September 22, 2020, police were dispatched to a sexual assault case in the 800 block of South Sylvan in Wichita, according to officer Paul Cruz.</p><p>Upon arrival, a 48-year-old female victim, told police she was walking in the area of Lincoln and Oliver when a suspect later identified Johnson approached and grabbed her, forcing her into his Toyota Camry.</p><p>Johnson drove the victim to a separate location and sexually assaulted her. Johnson then drove the victim back to Lincoln and Oliver where she was released. Through the investigation and examination of evidence, Johnson was determined to have been involved in the attack.</p><p>Police arrested Johnson October 1, 2020 in the 2100 block of South White Oak in Wichita without incident.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p><p>Johnson has a previous felony conviction in 2010 for attempted aggravated sexual battery where victim is overcome by force or fear, according to the KBI offender registry.</p><p>At the time of his arrest, Johnson was out on bond for a separate alleged sex crime, according to Cruz.</p>

Kansas sex offender going back to prison for rape, kidnapping

Lloyd 'Elvin' Edgett, 80, of Norton, Kansas
passed away peacefully on Saturday, January 24, 2026, at Trego County Lemke
Memorial Hospital Long Term Care, WaKeeney, Kansas, after a courageous battle
with cancer.

Elvin was born in Norton on October 4,1945 to
Ivan and Fern (Livingood) Edgett.&nbsp; Upon her divorce, Elvin and Fern lived
in Norton with his Grandmother Maude (Bartels) Livingood and Uncle Wayne
Livingood. Fern later married Harold Yearka where Elvin lived until graduation
in 1965 from Huntley High School, Huntley, NE. Elvin’s home was always in
Norton, spending time with his Grandmother and Uncle, and he spent every chance
he had there. These times were where he learned his love for pets, vehicles and
motorcycles. Elvin was proud of the fact he could say he still had his first
car and motorcycle!! Elvin had
a knack for tinkering and mastered the art of scrapping and recycling and more
than likely where he earned his CB radio call of 'Tin Collector.'

Elvin enlisted in the United States Army. He
attended the United States Army Engineer School in Fort Leonard Wood, MO
earning certificates in Gas Turbine and Generator Repair and Continental I
Precise Power Generation Courses. These certifications allowed him to continue
his military service in Germany instead of Vietnam. Upon his return, he worked
at the Hilltop Texaco Service Station for Gilbert (Gil) Courtain.

In 1970, a young lady caught his eye each day
on her way to or from work as she passed the Hilltop Texaco Gas Station. One
day she stopped to get gas, and asked him to go on a date.&nbsp; After the
third date he asked, 'so when are we going to get married'&nbsp; Pam wanted a
long engagement so Elvin must have decided that good things come to those who
wait and after eighteen long months, he married the love of his life on
September 12, 1971, in Norton, KS.&nbsp; Pam passed away on September 14, 2018,
after 47 blessed years of marriage. 

Elvin was hired by Norton County Road and
Bridge in June 1972 as a mechanic.&nbsp; He took his job very seriously while
working on all kinds of equipment.&nbsp; Because of his attention to detail, he
eventually became Shop Foreman, retiring in September 2010.&nbsp; 

On September 6, 1972, Pam and Elvin welcomed
Stacie Lynn into this world.&nbsp; Stacie was wrapped around his finger the
minute she was born. Elvin’s love language wasn’t flashy. It was subtle and
probably to many unnoticed.&nbsp; He was the person in the corner supporting,
challenging, showing, teasing and watching. As an only child, Stacie always had
friends over. Elvin learned quickly it was best to go 'hide and tinker' outside
because sometimes there could be an entire grade of girls for slumber parties,
even entire classes or the entire junior high when dances were held across the street in the
County Shop parking lot on warm summer nights. Regardless, he was watching and
knew every friend that was there making sure they were always safe. Elvin
teased Stacie’s friends and many of them were as special to him as they were to
Stacie. Gayleen (Babcock) Chickering, was one of those 'special' friends that
became a true sister that Elvin welcomed as
his own daughter.&nbsp; 

Pam and Elvin created a marriage many wished
and dreamed of and were each other’s biggest advocates in the good times and
bad, especially in those final years when Pam’s health declined.&nbsp; They
enjoyed traveling all across the United States in Elvin’s 1954 Kaiser
Manhattan, sightseeing and attending Kaiser Frazer car meets with Gil &amp; Ila
Courtain, Stacie, Carter, Cooper and the nieces and nephews.&nbsp; 

Elvin’s hobbies centered around the
automotive industry. Ford and Kaiser were his trade and other makes were dirty
words in his mind. He enjoyed rebuilding engines; tinkering with engines and
vehicles; and collecting engines, transmissions, alternators, starters, tires,
rims, hubcaps; and about any other part you can imagine. He had earned and
achieved the gold star in collecting!&nbsp; Elvin was one of the first people
thought of, if they needed a Ford part or help with an older Fords. His catch
was he wouldn’t take any money. He wanted to trade for something and boy did he
do that well. Plus, mowing and trimming were something Elvin enjoyed. He had a knack at bringing lawn
mowers and trimmers back to life. 

Elvin became a grandpa when his grandsons,
Carter (2002) and Cooper (2005) were born. Elvin loved those two grandsons with
all that was in him. Again, showing his love by teasing them. He wasn’t always
the best at telling them he loved them but he would get that grin, when they
shared about their mowing business or when they told him they’d bought their
first vehicles (even though they didn’t pick Fords to start with). After Pam
passed away, he was the one supporting the boys in all they did. Two granddaughters
were also brought into Elvin’s family when Gayleen and Clay Chickering welcomed
Addison and Morgan. Elvin had the best with two grandsons and two
granddaughters.

He was a member of the Kaiser Frazer Owners
Club International, Sunflower Pioneer Power Association and the Butterfield
Trail Antique Auto Club.

Survivors include his daughter, Stacie
Edgett-Minson (Eric Kinderknecht), WaKeeney, KS; grandsons, Carter (Bailey)
Minson, Mechanicsburg, PA &amp; Cooper Minson, WaKeeney, KS; sister, Linda
(Cal) Fritz, Hildreth, NE; cousin, Jennifer (Adrian) Wiltshire, Lyndhurst,
England; brother-in-law, John Lindenman, Morland, KS; nieces, Tammy (Roger)
VanLoenen and family, Hill City, KS, Amaryah (Skyler) Jenkins and family, Grand
Island, NE, Carina Fritz, Hildreth, NE; and nephews, Shawn (Melissa) Lindenman
and family, Morland, KS, Cory (Beth) Lindenman and family, Winfield, KS, Brent
Lindenman family, and Gayleen (Clay) Chickering, Addison and Morgan, Glenwood,
IA; step-siblings, Karen Edgett and Kelvin Edgett.&nbsp; 

Elvin is preceded in death by&nbsp;his wife,
Pamela (Corns) Edgett; parents, Ivan Edgett and Fern (Harold) Yearka; brother,
Lynn Yearka; father-in-law and mother-in-law, Kenneth &amp; Geraldine Corns;
brother-in-law, David Corns; sister-in-law, Deborah (Corns) Lindenman; uncles,
Wayne Livingood and Neil Livingood; grandparents, Perry &amp; Maude Livingood;
William and Cleo Edgett; friends and other
relatives. 

Funeral Services will be held at 11:00 am
Friday, January 30, 2026, at the Plumer-Gobber Funeral Home in Norton, KS.
Burial with military honors will follow in the Norton Cemetery. Visitation will
be from 5-7:00 pm Thursday, January 29 also at the funeral home. In lieu of
flowers, the family requests that memorial contributions may be made to the
Elvin Edgett Memorial fund and sent in care of Plumer-Gobber Funeral Home, 215
W. Main St., Norton, KS 67654. Condolences may be left at <a href="http://www.plumergobber.com/?fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTAAYnJpZBExa211NXAwN2JIblhXeUw3N3NydGMGYXBwX2lkEDIyMjAzOTE3ODgyMDA4OTIAAR5tY6SWr9Xkn1E6cMS8keL1z-YLgt8Mu9UUdOiOB1W_l9qZpH19NTTvsATlTw_aem_u0eDYVkwmX05xsf4rG8Gtg"><b>www.plumergobber.com</b></a> 

<figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/1/1769546035421.jpeg" alt="Lloyd 'Elvin' Edgett" />
                        <figcaption>Lloyd 'Elvin' Edgett</figcaption>
                    </figure><p>Lloyd 'Elvin' Edgett, 80, of Norton, Kansas
passed away peacefully on Saturday, January 24, 2026, at Trego County Lemke
Memorial Hospital Long Term Care, WaKeeney, Kansas, after a courageous battle
with cancer.</p><p>Elvin was born in Norton on October 4,1945 to
Ivan and Fern (Livingood) Edgett.&nbsp; Upon her divorce, Elvin and Fern lived
in Norton with his Grandmother Maude (Bartels) Livingood and Uncle Wayne
Livingood. Fern later married Harold Yearka where Elvin lived until graduation
in 1965 from Huntley High School, Huntley, NE. Elvin’s home was always in
Norton, spending time with his Grandmother and Uncle, and he spent every chance
he had there. These times were where he learned his love for pets, vehicles and
motorcycles. Elvin was proud of the fact he could say he still had his first
car and motorcycle!! Elvin had
a knack for tinkering and mastered the art of scrapping and recycling and more
than likely where he earned his CB radio call of 'Tin Collector.'</p><p>Elvin enlisted in the United States Army. He
attended the United States Army Engineer School in Fort Leonard Wood, MO
earning certificates in Gas Turbine and Generator Repair and Continental I
Precise Power Generation Courses. These certifications allowed him to continue
his military service in Germany instead of Vietnam. Upon his return, he worked
at the Hilltop Texaco Service Station for Gilbert (Gil) Courtain.</p><p>In 1970, a young lady caught his eye each day
on her way to or from work as she passed the Hilltop Texaco Gas Station. One
day she stopped to get gas, and asked him to go on a date.&nbsp; After the
third date he asked, 'so when are we going to get married'&nbsp; Pam wanted a
long engagement so Elvin must have decided that good things come to those who
wait and after eighteen long months, he married the love of his life on
September 12, 1971, in Norton, KS.&nbsp; Pam passed away on September 14, 2018,
after 47 blessed years of marriage. </p><p>Elvin was hired by Norton County Road and
Bridge in June 1972 as a mechanic.&nbsp; He took his job very seriously while
working on all kinds of equipment.&nbsp; Because of his attention to detail, he
eventually became Shop Foreman, retiring in September 2010.&nbsp; </p><p>On September 6, 1972, Pam and Elvin welcomed
Stacie Lynn into this world.&nbsp; Stacie was wrapped around his finger the
minute she was born. Elvin’s love language wasn’t flashy. It was subtle and
probably to many unnoticed.&nbsp; He was the person in the corner supporting,
challenging, showing, teasing and watching. As an only child, Stacie always had
friends over. Elvin learned quickly it was best to go 'hide and tinker' outside
because sometimes there could be an entire grade of girls for slumber parties,
even entire classes or the entire junior high when dances were held across the street in the
County Shop parking lot on warm summer nights. Regardless, he was watching and
knew every friend that was there making sure they were always safe. Elvin
teased Stacie’s friends and many of them were as special to him as they were to
Stacie. Gayleen (Babcock) Chickering, was one of those 'special' friends that
became a true sister that Elvin welcomed as
his own daughter.&nbsp; </p><p>Pam and Elvin created a marriage many wished
and dreamed of and were each other’s biggest advocates in the good times and
bad, especially in those final years when Pam’s health declined.&nbsp; They
enjoyed traveling all across the United States in Elvin’s 1954 Kaiser
Manhattan, sightseeing and attending Kaiser Frazer car meets with Gil &amp; Ila
Courtain, Stacie, Carter, Cooper and the nieces and nephews.&nbsp; </p><p>Elvin’s hobbies centered around the
automotive industry. Ford and Kaiser were his trade and other makes were dirty
words in his mind. He enjoyed rebuilding engines; tinkering with engines and
vehicles; and collecting engines, transmissions, alternators, starters, tires,
rims, hubcaps; and about any other part you can imagine. He had earned and
achieved the gold star in collecting!&nbsp; Elvin was one of the first people
thought of, if they needed a Ford part or help with an older Fords. His catch
was he wouldn’t take any money. He wanted to trade for something and boy did he
do that well. Plus, mowing and trimming were something Elvin enjoyed. He had a knack at bringing lawn
mowers and trimmers back to life. </p><p>Elvin became a grandpa when his grandsons,
Carter (2002) and Cooper (2005) were born. Elvin loved those two grandsons with
all that was in him. Again, showing his love by teasing them. He wasn’t always
the best at telling them he loved them but he would get that grin, when they
shared about their mowing business or when they told him they’d bought their
first vehicles (even though they didn’t pick Fords to start with). After Pam
passed away, he was the one supporting the boys in all they did. Two granddaughters
were also brought into Elvin’s family when Gayleen and Clay Chickering welcomed
Addison and Morgan. Elvin had the best with two grandsons and two
granddaughters.</p><p>He was a member of the Kaiser Frazer Owners
Club International, Sunflower Pioneer Power Association and the Butterfield
Trail Antique Auto Club.</p><p>Survivors include his daughter, Stacie
Edgett-Minson (Eric Kinderknecht), WaKeeney, KS; grandsons, Carter (Bailey)
Minson, Mechanicsburg, PA &amp; Cooper Minson, WaKeeney, KS; sister, Linda
(Cal) Fritz, Hildreth, NE; cousin, Jennifer (Adrian) Wiltshire, Lyndhurst,
England; brother-in-law, John Lindenman, Morland, KS; nieces, Tammy (Roger)
VanLoenen and family, Hill City, KS, Amaryah (Skyler) Jenkins and family, Grand
Island, NE, Carina Fritz, Hildreth, NE; and nephews, Shawn (Melissa) Lindenman
and family, Morland, KS, Cory (Beth) Lindenman and family, Winfield, KS, Brent
Lindenman family, and Gayleen (Clay) Chickering, Addison and Morgan, Glenwood,
IA; step-siblings, Karen Edgett and Kelvin Edgett.&nbsp; </p><p>Elvin is preceded in death by&nbsp;his wife,
Pamela (Corns) Edgett; parents, Ivan Edgett and Fern (Harold) Yearka; brother,
Lynn Yearka; father-in-law and mother-in-law, Kenneth &amp; Geraldine Corns;
brother-in-law, David Corns; sister-in-law, Deborah (Corns) Lindenman; uncles,
Wayne Livingood and Neil Livingood; grandparents, Perry &amp; Maude Livingood;
William and Cleo Edgett; friends and other
relatives. </p><p>Funeral Services will be held at 11:00 am
Friday, January 30, 2026, at the Plumer-Gobber Funeral Home in Norton, KS.
Burial with military honors will follow in the Norton Cemetery. Visitation will
be from 5-7:00 pm Thursday, January 29 also at the funeral home. In lieu of
flowers, the family requests that memorial contributions may be made to the
Elvin Edgett Memorial fund and sent in care of Plumer-Gobber Funeral Home, 215
W. Main St., Norton, KS 67654. Condolences may be left at <a href="http://www.plumergobber.com/?fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTAAYnJpZBExa211NXAwN2JIblhXeUw3N3NydGMGYXBwX2lkEDIyMjAzOTE3ODgyMDA4OTIAAR5tY6SWr9Xkn1E6cMS8keL1z-YLgt8Mu9UUdOiOB1W_l9qZpH19NTTvsATlTw_aem_u0eDYVkwmX05xsf4rG8Gtg"><b>www.plumergobber.com</b></a> </p>

Lloyd 'Elvin' Edgett

By&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/author/konstantin-toropin">KONSTANTIN TOROPIN</a>

WASHINGTON (AP) — The aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln and three accompanying&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-military-middle-east-iran-protests-b7a56659d708f2f11f66a18135f44c40">warships have arrived in the Middle East</a>, bringing a renewed potential that President Donald Trump could opt to order airstrikes on Iran over its&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/iran-protests-us-aircraft-carrier-crackdown-yemen-e0a6b3c72775348c553ad185af5bfb20">crackdown on protesters</a>.

The carrier, along with three destroyers, “is currently deployed to the Middle East to promote regional security and stability,” U.S. Central Command said Monday on social media.

The strike group was in the Indian Ocean, Central Command said, and not in the Arabian Sea, which borders Iran. It will bring thousands of additional service members to the region, which has not had a U.S. aircraft carrier since&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/aircraft-carriers-trump-venezuela-middle-east-a458b9c4f1a5690e19d7c532dd6b7fd7">the USS Gerald R. Ford</a>&nbsp;was ordered in October to sail to the Caribbean as part of a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-maduro-venezuela-drug-cartels-military-timeline-91e242e5c56eec39b6b7d72bf55dbd2d">pressure campaign on then-Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro</a>.

Trump told reporters last week that the ships were sent to the region “just in case.” “We have a massive fleet heading in that direction, and maybe we won’t have to use it,” he said.

Trump earlier had threatened military action if Iran carried out mass executions of prisoners or killed peaceful demonstrators during a crackdown on protests that began in late December. At least 5,973 people have been killed and more than 41,800 detained, according to activists. The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/iran-protests-araghchi-trump-threat-crackdown-299375ebfd004dd6098c77a6bb8079a5">official Iranian death toll</a>&nbsp;is far lower, at 3,117 dead.

More recently, Trump&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-iran-hangings-protests-dae7dca429c9823f4f5690b368ebfe15">appeared to have backed away</a>&nbsp;from possible action, claiming Iran halted the hangings of 800 detained protesters. He has not elaborated on the source of the claim, which&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/iran-protests-crackdown-death-toll-acb1968a973f19be217ea28b4a7adb0b">Iran’s top prosecutor called “completely false.”</a>

However, Trump appears to be keeping his options open. On Thursday aboard Air Force One, he said his&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-iran-middle-east-allies-strikes-diplomat-24f75a6b2ab3716be47163fcb0817bc7">threatened military action</a>&nbsp;would make last year’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/iran-fordo-us-strike-trump-israel-nuclear-sites-320a85327f94ed7496f09564261f3148">U.S. strikes on Iranian nuclear sites</a>&nbsp;“look like peanuts” if the government proceeded with planned executions of some protesters.

The aircraft carrier hosts multiple squadrons of aircraft, including F-35 Lightning II fighter jets and F/A-18 Super Hornet fighter jets. Meanwhile, the destroyers bring with them hundreds of missiles, which could include dozens of Tomahawk land attack cruise missiles.

In addition to the aircraft carrier and its hardware, the U.S. military said the Air Force F-15E Strike Eagle fighter jet now has a presence in the region.

Analysts who follow flight-tracking data have noticed dozens of U.S. military cargo planes also heading to the region.

The activity is similar to last year when the U.S. moved in air defense hardware, including a Patriot missile system, in anticipation of an Iranian counterattack following the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-iran-war-nuclear-talks-geneva-news-06-21-2025-a7b0cdaba28b5817467ccf712d214579">bombing of three key nuclear sites</a>. Iran launched over a dozen missiles at Al Udeid Air Base days after the strikes.

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Two Iranian-backed militias in the Mideast are signaling their willingness to launch new attacks, likely trying to back&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/iran">Iran</a>&nbsp;on Monday as it worried about an approaching U.S. aircraft carrier after President Donald Trump threatened military action over its crackdown on nationwide protests.

Yemen's Iranian-backed Houthi rebels signaled a willingness to resume attacks on shipping in the Red Sea. That came just after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/yemen-navy-warship-missiles-intercepted-2f5fc9c8a3737f762b29d5c53ec08a5b">Iraq's Kataib Hezbollah paramilitary group</a>, long supported by Iran's paramilitary Revolutionary Guard, issued a direct threat late Sunday toward any attack targeting Iran, warning a “total war” in the region would be a result.

However, both the Houthis and Kataib Hezbollah sat out from Israel's 12-day war on Iran in June that saw the United States bomb Iranian nuclear sites. The hesitancy to get involved shows the disarray still affecting Iran's self-described “Axis of Resistance” after facing attacks from Israel during its war on Hamas in the Gaza Strip.

A short video by the Houthis included images of a ship on fire, with the caption: “Soon.” It later aired footage Monday from its January 2024 attack in the Gulf of Aden on the Marshall Islands-flagged tanker Marlin Luanda, one of the over 100 ships attacked as part of a campaign the Houthis said pressured Israel over its war against Hamas in the Gaza Strip.

The Houthis halted their fire after a ceasefire in the conflict, though they've repeatedly warned they could resume fire if needed.

Meanwhile, Ahmad “Abu Hussein” al-Hamidawi of Kataib Hezbollah issued his own threat in a statement.

“We affirm to the enemies that the war on the (Islamic) Republic will not be a picnic; rather, you will taste the bitterest forms of death, and nothing will remain of you in our region,” he said.

The threats came as the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln and other guided missile destroyers with it&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-military-middle-east-iran-protests-b7a56659d708f2f11f66a18135f44c40">move toward the region</a>. Trump has said the ships are being moved “just in case” he decides to take action against Iran. Trump already has laid out two red lines for attack — the killing of peaceful protesters and Tehran conducting mass executions of those it has arrested in a massive crackdown over the demonstrations.

The “Axis of Resistance” alliances had allowed Iran to project its power across the Mideast but also was seen as a defensive buffer, intended to keep conflict away from Iranian borders.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/iran-israel-war-future-protests-unrest-nuclear-46b86a14319d5ae44ae090c9d58b0637">But it has collapsed</a>&nbsp;after Israel targeted Hamas, Hezbollah in Lebanon and others during the Gaza war. Meanwhile, rebels in 2024 overthrew Syria's Bashar Assad after a yearslong, bloody war in which Iran backed his rule.

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, speaking to Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani, also warned Iraq late Sunday about Iran's influence.

“A government controlled by Iran cannot successfully put Iraq’s own interests first, keep Iraq out of regional conflicts or advance the mutually beneficial partnership between the United States and Iraq,” a statement on Rubio's behalf read.

The United Arab Emirates announced on Monday that it would not allow its airspace, territory, or territorial waters to be used for military action against Iran. The UAE said it would stress dialogue and diplomatic resolutions.

Iran renews threats and limits smaller flights

Iranian Defense Ministry spokesperson Gen. Reza Talaei-Nik renewed warnings Monday to both Israel and the U.S. over any possible attack, saying it would “be met with a response that is more painful and more decisive than in the past.” Iranian state television quoted Talaei-Nik as adding that threats from the two countries required Iran “to maintain full and comprehensive preparedness.”

Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmail Baghaei separately told journalists: “Regional countries fully know that any security breach in the region will not affect Iran only. The lack of security is contagious.”

Iran over the weekend unveiled&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/iran-trump-mural-protests-military-4b2ceb8aff9dc448036341e86023b6c8">a new banner in Tehran's Enghelab Square</a>&nbsp;threatening the Lincoln, showing an aircraft carrier strewn with bodies and streaked with blood with the warning: “If you sow the wind, you will reap the whirlwind.” However, Iran is still reeling from the 12-day war launched in June that saw its air defense systems broadly destroyed and top military leaders killed, as well as its nuclear enrichment sites bombed by the U.S.

As a sign of concern over its airspace, Iran issued a notice to pilots Sunday that banned small private aircraft from flying in the country, with carveouts for the oil industry and emergency medical flights.

Many Western airlines have started to avoid Iranian airspace entirely due to the tensions, though Gulf Arab carriers flying to Moscow still rely on the route. Iranian air defense troops in 2020&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/general-news-21f4a92a2dfbc38581719664bdf6f38e">shot down a Ukrainian commercial airliner</a>, killing 176 people on board.

The protests in Iran began on Dec. 28, sparked by the fall of the Iranian currency, the rial, and quickly spread across the country. They were met by a violent crackdown by Iran’s theocracy, the scale of which is only starting to become clear as the country has faced more than two-week&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/iran-protests-crackdown-internet-business-costs-a0bd2df1d13355dcc28f46e5b5b3c893">internet blackout</a>&nbsp;— the most comprehensive in the nation's history.

The U.S.-based&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/iran-protests-death-toll-ec00ffa50f818d4a66aec5942aec629b">Human Rights Activists News Agency</a>&nbsp;on Monday put the death toll at 5,973, with the number expected to increase. It says more than 41,800 people have been arrested.

The group’s figures have been accurate in previous unrest and rely on a network of activists in Iran to verify deaths. That death toll exceeds that of any other round of protest or unrest there in decades, and recalls the chaos surrounding Iran’s 1979 Islamic Revolution. The Associated Press has not been able to independently verify the toll.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/iran-protests-araghchi-trump-threat-crackdown-299375ebfd004dd6098c77a6bb8079a5">Iran’s government</a>&nbsp;has put the death toll at a far lower 3,117, saying 2,427 were civilians and security forces, and labeled the rest “terrorists.” In the past, Iran’s theocracy has undercounted or not reported fatalities from unrest.

<figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/1/1769443255145.png" alt="Pilots conduct flight operations from Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72) over the weekend-photo courtesy U.S. Navy 7th Fleet" />
                        <figcaption>Pilots conduct flight operations from Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72) over the weekend-photo courtesy U.S. Navy 7th Fleet</figcaption>
                    </figure><p>By&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/author/konstantin-toropin">KONSTANTIN TOROPIN</a></p><p>WASHINGTON (AP) — The aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln and three accompanying&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-military-middle-east-iran-protests-b7a56659d708f2f11f66a18135f44c40">warships have arrived in the Middle East</a>, bringing a renewed potential that President Donald Trump could opt to order airstrikes on Iran over its&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/iran-protests-us-aircraft-carrier-crackdown-yemen-e0a6b3c72775348c553ad185af5bfb20">crackdown on protesters</a>.</p><p>The carrier, along with three destroyers, “is currently deployed to the Middle East to promote regional security and stability,” U.S. Central Command said Monday on social media.</p><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Sailors aboard USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72) perform routine maintenance as the aircraft carrier sails in the Indian Ocean, Jan. 26. The Abraham Lincoln Carrier Strike Group is currently deployed to the Middle East to promote regional security and stability. <a href="https://t.co/dkuN946hce">pic.twitter.com/dkuN946hce</a></p>&mdash; U.S. Central Command (@CENTCOM) <a href="https://twitter.com/CENTCOM/status/2015815632302801143?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 26, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><p>The strike group was in the Indian Ocean, Central Command said, and not in the Arabian Sea, which borders Iran. It will bring thousands of additional service members to the region, which has not had a U.S. aircraft carrier since&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/aircraft-carriers-trump-venezuela-middle-east-a458b9c4f1a5690e19d7c532dd6b7fd7">the USS Gerald R. Ford</a>&nbsp;was ordered in October to sail to the Caribbean as part of a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-maduro-venezuela-drug-cartels-military-timeline-91e242e5c56eec39b6b7d72bf55dbd2d">pressure campaign on then-Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro</a>.</p><p>Trump told reporters last week that the ships were sent to the region “just in case.” “We have a massive fleet heading in that direction, and maybe we won’t have to use it,” he said.</p><p>Trump earlier had threatened military action if Iran carried out mass executions of prisoners or killed peaceful demonstrators during a crackdown on protests that began in late December. At least 5,973 people have been killed and more than 41,800 detained, according to activists. The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/iran-protests-araghchi-trump-threat-crackdown-299375ebfd004dd6098c77a6bb8079a5">official Iranian death toll</a>&nbsp;is far lower, at 3,117 dead.</p><p>More recently, Trump&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-iran-hangings-protests-dae7dca429c9823f4f5690b368ebfe15">appeared to have backed away</a>&nbsp;from possible action, claiming Iran halted the hangings of 800 detained protesters. He has not elaborated on the source of the claim, which&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/iran-protests-crackdown-death-toll-acb1968a973f19be217ea28b4a7adb0b">Iran’s top prosecutor called “completely false.”</a></p><p>However, Trump appears to be keeping his options open. On Thursday aboard Air Force One, he said his&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-iran-middle-east-allies-strikes-diplomat-24f75a6b2ab3716be47163fcb0817bc7">threatened military action</a>&nbsp;would make last year’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/iran-fordo-us-strike-trump-israel-nuclear-sites-320a85327f94ed7496f09564261f3148">U.S. strikes on Iranian nuclear sites</a>&nbsp;“look like peanuts” if the government proceeded with planned executions of some protesters.</p><p>The aircraft carrier hosts multiple squadrons of aircraft, including F-35 Lightning II fighter jets and F/A-18 Super Hornet fighter jets. Meanwhile, the destroyers bring with them hundreds of missiles, which could include dozens of Tomahawk land attack cruise missiles.</p><p>In addition to the aircraft carrier and its hardware, the U.S. military said the Air Force F-15E Strike Eagle fighter jet now has a presence in the region.</p><p>Analysts who follow flight-tracking data have noticed dozens of U.S. military cargo planes also heading to the region.</p><p>The activity is similar to last year when the U.S. moved in air defense hardware, including a Patriot missile system, in anticipation of an Iranian counterattack following the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-iran-war-nuclear-talks-geneva-news-06-21-2025-a7b0cdaba28b5817467ccf712d214579">bombing of three key nuclear sites</a>. Iran launched over a dozen missiles at Al Udeid Air Base days after the strikes.</p><p>------------------------</p><p>DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Two Iranian-backed militias in the Mideast are signaling their willingness to launch new attacks, likely trying to back&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/iran">Iran</a>&nbsp;on Monday as it worried about an approaching U.S. aircraft carrier after President Donald Trump threatened military action over its crackdown on nationwide protests.</p><p>Yemen's Iranian-backed Houthi rebels signaled a willingness to resume attacks on shipping in the Red Sea. That came just after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/yemen-navy-warship-missiles-intercepted-2f5fc9c8a3737f762b29d5c53ec08a5b">Iraq's Kataib Hezbollah paramilitary group</a>, long supported by Iran's paramilitary Revolutionary Guard, issued a direct threat late Sunday toward any attack targeting Iran, warning a “total war” in the region would be a result.</p><p>However, both the Houthis and Kataib Hezbollah sat out from Israel's 12-day war on Iran in June that saw the United States bomb Iranian nuclear sites. The hesitancy to get involved shows the disarray still affecting Iran's self-described “Axis of Resistance” after facing attacks from Israel during its war on Hamas in the Gaza Strip.</p><h2>Threats from Iraq, Yemen</h2><p>A short video by the Houthis included images of a ship on fire, with the caption: “Soon.” It later aired footage Monday from its January 2024 attack in the Gulf of Aden on the Marshall Islands-flagged tanker Marlin Luanda, one of the over 100 ships attacked as part of a campaign the Houthis said pressured Israel over its war against Hamas in the Gaza Strip.</p><p>The Houthis halted their fire after a ceasefire in the conflict, though they've repeatedly warned they could resume fire if needed.</p><p>Meanwhile, Ahmad “Abu Hussein” al-Hamidawi of Kataib Hezbollah issued his own threat in a statement.</p><p>“We affirm to the enemies that the war on the (Islamic) Republic will not be a picnic; rather, you will taste the bitterest forms of death, and nothing will remain of you in our region,” he said.</p><p>The threats came as the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln and other guided missile destroyers with it&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-military-middle-east-iran-protests-b7a56659d708f2f11f66a18135f44c40">move toward the region</a>. Trump has said the ships are being moved “just in case” he decides to take action against Iran. Trump already has laid out two red lines for attack — the killing of peaceful protesters and Tehran conducting mass executions of those it has arrested in a massive crackdown over the demonstrations.</p><p>The “Axis of Resistance” alliances had allowed Iran to project its power across the Mideast but also was seen as a defensive buffer, intended to keep conflict away from Iranian borders.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/iran-israel-war-future-protests-unrest-nuclear-46b86a14319d5ae44ae090c9d58b0637">But it has collapsed</a>&nbsp;after Israel targeted Hamas, Hezbollah in Lebanon and others during the Gaza war. Meanwhile, rebels in 2024 overthrew Syria's Bashar Assad after a yearslong, bloody war in which Iran backed his rule.</p><p>U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, speaking to Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani, also warned Iraq late Sunday about Iran's influence.</p><p>“A government controlled by Iran cannot successfully put Iraq’s own interests first, keep Iraq out of regional conflicts or advance the mutually beneficial partnership between the United States and Iraq,” a statement on Rubio's behalf read.</p><p>The United Arab Emirates announced on Monday that it would not allow its airspace, territory, or territorial waters to be used for military action against Iran. The UAE said it would stress dialogue and diplomatic resolutions.</p><h2>Iran renews threats and limits smaller flights</h2><p>Iranian Defense Ministry spokesperson Gen. Reza Talaei-Nik renewed warnings Monday to both Israel and the U.S. over any possible attack, saying it would “be met with a response that is more painful and more decisive than in the past.” Iranian state television quoted Talaei-Nik as adding that threats from the two countries required Iran “to maintain full and comprehensive preparedness.”</p><p>Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmail Baghaei separately told journalists: “Regional countries fully know that any security breach in the region will not affect Iran only. The lack of security is contagious.”</p><p>Iran over the weekend unveiled&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/iran-trump-mural-protests-military-4b2ceb8aff9dc448036341e86023b6c8">a new banner in Tehran's Enghelab Square</a>&nbsp;threatening the Lincoln, showing an aircraft carrier strewn with bodies and streaked with blood with the warning: “If you sow the wind, you will reap the whirlwind.” However, Iran is still reeling from the 12-day war launched in June that saw its air defense systems broadly destroyed and top military leaders killed, as well as its nuclear enrichment sites bombed by the U.S.</p><p>As a sign of concern over its airspace, Iran issued a notice to pilots Sunday that banned small private aircraft from flying in the country, with carveouts for the oil industry and emergency medical flights.</p><p>Many Western airlines have started to avoid Iranian airspace entirely due to the tensions, though Gulf Arab carriers flying to Moscow still rely on the route. Iranian air defense troops in 2020&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/general-news-21f4a92a2dfbc38581719664bdf6f38e">shot down a Ukrainian commercial airliner</a>, killing 176 people on board.</p><h2>Death toll rises from protest crackdown</h2><p>The protests in Iran began on Dec. 28, sparked by the fall of the Iranian currency, the rial, and quickly spread across the country. They were met by a violent crackdown by Iran’s theocracy, the scale of which is only starting to become clear as the country has faced more than two-week&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/iran-protests-crackdown-internet-business-costs-a0bd2df1d13355dcc28f46e5b5b3c893">internet blackout</a>&nbsp;— the most comprehensive in the nation's history.</p><p>The U.S.-based&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/iran-protests-death-toll-ec00ffa50f818d4a66aec5942aec629b">Human Rights Activists News Agency</a>&nbsp;on Monday put the death toll at 5,973, with the number expected to increase. It says more than 41,800 people have been arrested.</p><p>The group’s figures have been accurate in previous unrest and rely on a network of activists in Iran to verify deaths. That death toll exceeds that of any other round of protest or unrest there in decades, and recalls the chaos surrounding Iran’s 1979 Islamic Revolution. The Associated Press has not been able to independently verify the toll.</p><p><a href="https://apnews.com/article/iran-protests-araghchi-trump-threat-crackdown-299375ebfd004dd6098c77a6bb8079a5">Iran’s government</a>&nbsp;has put the death toll at a far lower 3,117, saying 2,427 were civilians and security forces, and labeled the rest “terrorists.” In the past, Iran’s theocracy has undercounted or not reported fatalities from unrest.</p>

US aircraft carrier arrives in the Middle East as tensions with Iran remain high

By:&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/tim-carpenter/">Tim Carpenter</a><br><a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2025/02/24/gov-laura-kelly-skeptical-kansas-houses-anti-tenure-legislation-will-reach-her-desk/"><i>Kansas Reflector</i></a>

TOPEKA — Kansas governor candidate Philip Sarnecki took to social media to chastise fellow Republicans for lack of action by the Kansas Legislature to redraw boundaries of the four U.S. House districts to disadvantage the state’s lone Democratic incumbent in Congress.

Sarnecki, a candidate for the Republican Party’s nomination, accused the GOP supermajority in the House and Senate of deciding to “forfeit” its part in a national congressional redistricting fight between states controlled by Republicans and those dominated by Democrats.

“Kansas Republicans have a supermajority and can pick up a Republican House seat if they redraw the map,” said Sarnecki, founder of RPS Financial Group. “They are choosing not to. While Democrats redraw congressional maps to gain power across the country, Topeka is standing down.”

Senate President Ty Masterson, an Andover Republican also running for governor, and House Speaker Dan Hawkins, R-Wichita, worked during October to secure support from two-thirds of members in both chambers to allow a special legislative session to redraw congressional boundaries. Enough Republican senators signed a petition to trigger a special session, but not enough GOP House members agreed with a plan to bring lawmakers together in November 2025.

The objective would have been a map that made it difficult for U.S. Rep. Sharice Davids, D-Kansas, to win reelection to her seat in November 2026. The tentative scheme was to split Johnson County between two or three congressional districts, which would disperse that county’s voters into GOP-majority districts.

Traditionally, Kansas congressional maps were redrawn every decade to reflect population shifts documented by the U.S. Census. The current map was passed in 2022 after the Kansas GOP pledged to keep Johnson County in a single district.

Masterson and Hawkins said they were interested in working on maps during the 2026 regular session of the Legislature. Masterson said it would be a “top priority,” while Hawkins said it was the “right thing to do.”

In two weeks of the current legislative session, there has been no substantive action in House or Senate committees to indicate progress on redistricting.

President Donald Trump and his allies, in a bid to cling to Republican control of the U.S. House, urged states to gerrymander enough Democrats out of Congress to prevail in the upcoming election cycle.

Sarnecki, who loaned his gubernatorial campaign $2 million in 2025, said he was convinced “weak GOP leaders in Kansas just chose to stand down and forfeit the fight for a Republican congressional map.”

“That’s not leadership and that is exactly why I’m running for governor. It’s time for a change,” Sarnecki said.

Gov. Laura Kelly, a Democrat, said she was skeptical a new congressional map would be adopted by the House and Senate in the 2026 session. If a new map was passed, the governor could veto it. The House and Senate could override a veto with two-thirds majority votes in both chambers. If an override was successful, lawsuits challenging the new map would be likely.

<figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/1/1769269310695.png" alt=" Johnson County businessman Philip Sarnecki, a candidate for the Republican Party's nomination for governor, criticizes Senate President Ty Masterson, right, who is also seeking the GOP nomination for governor, and House Speaker Dan Hawkins for failing to draw new congressional maps that would make it difficult for Democratic U.S. Rep. Sharice Davids to hang onto her seat. Hawkins and Masterson are pictured during a Jan. 8, 2026, legislative hearing. (Photo by Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)" />
                        <figcaption> Johnson County businessman Philip Sarnecki, a candidate for the Republican Party's nomination for governor, criticizes Senate President Ty Masterson, right, who is also seeking the GOP nomination for governor, and House Speaker Dan Hawkins for failing to draw new congressional maps that would make it difficult for Democratic U.S. Rep. Sharice Davids to hang onto her seat. Hawkins and Masterson are pictured during a Jan. 8, 2026, legislative hearing. (Photo by Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
                    </figure><p>By:&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/tim-carpenter/">Tim Carpenter</a><br><a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2025/02/24/gov-laura-kelly-skeptical-kansas-houses-anti-tenure-legislation-will-reach-her-desk/"><i>Kansas Reflector</i></a></p><p>TOPEKA — Kansas governor candidate Philip Sarnecki took to social media to chastise fellow Republicans for lack of action by the Kansas Legislature to redraw boundaries of the four U.S. House districts to disadvantage the state’s lone Democratic incumbent in Congress.</p><p>Sarnecki, a candidate for the Republican Party’s nomination, accused the GOP supermajority in the House and Senate of deciding to “forfeit” its part in a national congressional redistricting fight between states controlled by Republicans and those dominated by Democrats.</p><p>“Kansas Republicans have a supermajority and can pick up a Republican House seat if they redraw the map,” said Sarnecki, founder of RPS Financial Group. “They are choosing not to. While Democrats redraw congressional maps to gain power across the country, Topeka is standing down.”</p><p>Senate President Ty Masterson, an Andover Republican also running for governor, and House Speaker Dan Hawkins, R-Wichita, worked during October to secure support from two-thirds of members in both chambers to allow a special legislative session to redraw congressional boundaries. Enough Republican senators signed a petition to trigger a special session, but not enough GOP House members agreed with a plan to bring lawmakers together in November 2025.</p><p>The objective would have been a map that made it difficult for U.S. Rep. Sharice Davids, D-Kansas, to win reelection to her seat in November 2026. The tentative scheme was to split Johnson County between two or three congressional districts, which would disperse that county’s voters into GOP-majority districts.</p><p>Traditionally, Kansas congressional maps were redrawn every decade to reflect population shifts documented by the U.S. Census. The current map was passed in 2022 after the Kansas GOP pledged to keep Johnson County in a single district.</p><p>Masterson and Hawkins said they were interested in working on maps during the 2026 regular session of the Legislature. Masterson said it would be a “top priority,” while Hawkins said it was the “right thing to do.”</p><p>In two weeks of the current legislative session, there has been no substantive action in House or Senate committees to indicate progress on redistricting.</p><p>President Donald Trump and his allies, in a bid to cling to Republican control of the U.S. House, urged states to gerrymander enough Democrats out of Congress to prevail in the upcoming election cycle.</p><p>Sarnecki, who loaned his gubernatorial campaign $2 million in 2025, said he was convinced “weak GOP leaders in Kansas just chose to stand down and forfeit the fight for a Republican congressional map.”</p><p>“That’s not leadership and that is exactly why I’m running for governor. It’s time for a change,” Sarnecki said.</p><p>Gov. Laura Kelly, a Democrat, said she was skeptical a new congressional map would be adopted by the House and Senate in the 2026 session. If a new map was passed, the governor could veto it. The House and Senate could override a veto with two-thirds majority votes in both chambers. If an override was successful, lawsuits challenging the new map would be likely.</p>

 Kansas GOP governor candidate blasts Legislature for not changing congressional map

The Wichita Regional Chamber of Commerce announced Thursday that its President &amp; CEO, John Rolfe, has resigned from his role to pursue new opportunities, according to a media release from the organization. John led the Chamber in this leadership role since October 2021.

“The Board thanks John for his leadership and service to the organization over the past four years, and we wish him well in his future endeavors,” said Gabe Schlickau, 2026 Chair of the Chamber’s Board of Directors. “While transition is never easy, the work of the Chamber continues as our Board and staff remain focused on delivering results aligned with strategic priorities for our business community.”

“We want to thank John for his leadership at the Chamber and wish him the best in his next endeavor.” said Victor Ojeleye, Immediate Past Chair of the Chamber’s Board of Directors. “John’s leadership at the Chamber led to the achievement of several strategic accomplishments. These include completing the three-year strategic plan, leading successful advocacy programs, and executing talent and strong business initiatives.”

Under Rolfe’s leadership, the inaugural Military Affairs Council was established to strengthen the partnership between McConnell Air Force Base and the business community. During Rolfe’s tenure with the Chamber, he also played a key role working to improve advocacy with the Kansas congressional delegation, state and local leaders.

The Chamber’s Board has implemented an interim leadership structure to ensure continuity of operations and commitment to its mission during the transition. The interim plan taps the experience and leadership of Walter Berry, who is a well-respected Wichita businessman and former Chamber Board Chair. Berry will serve as Executive in Residence for the Chamber, providing strategic oversight and consultation to ensure organizational effectiveness, while maintaining continuity of vision.

“We have a legacy of impactful work at the Chamber, and the importance of our mission to our membership and the broader business community remains as strong as ever,” said Berry. “I’m excited to work with the Board and Chamber staff to ensure this impact continues.”

While Berry will serve in a consultative leadership role, Chief Strategy and Operations Officer Brecken Morel will serve as the Chamber’s interim president and CEO managing day-to-day operations until such time as the Board appoints a permanent leader. Morel joined the Chamber in 2025, bringing extensive process and management experience to the Chamber. The Board is actively evaluating long-term leadership needs aligned with the Chamber’s mission and strategic priorities.

“As the region’s leading business advocacy organization, the Chamber remains focused on championing the policies, programs and partnerships that strengthen the Wichita regional economy and support the growth of the businesses it serves,” said Schlickau.

<figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/1/1769173882535.png" alt="John Rolfe-courtesy photo" />
                        <figcaption>John Rolfe-courtesy photo</figcaption>
                    </figure><p>The Wichita Regional Chamber of Commerce announced Thursday that its President &amp; CEO, John Rolfe, has resigned from his role to pursue new opportunities, according to a media release from the organization. John led the Chamber in this leadership role since October 2021.</p><p>“The Board thanks John for his leadership and service to the organization over the past four years, and we wish him well in his future endeavors,” said Gabe Schlickau, 2026 Chair of the Chamber’s Board of Directors. “While transition is never easy, the work of the Chamber continues as our Board and staff remain focused on delivering results aligned with strategic priorities for our business community.”</p><p>“We want to thank John for his leadership at the Chamber and wish him the best in his next endeavor.” said Victor Ojeleye, Immediate Past Chair of the Chamber’s Board of Directors. “John’s leadership at the Chamber led to the achievement of several strategic accomplishments. These include completing the three-year strategic plan, leading successful advocacy programs, and executing talent and strong business initiatives.”</p><p>Under Rolfe’s leadership, the inaugural Military Affairs Council was established to strengthen the partnership between McConnell Air Force Base and the business community. During Rolfe’s tenure with the Chamber, he also played a key role working to improve advocacy with the Kansas congressional delegation, state and local leaders.</p><p>The Chamber’s Board has implemented an interim leadership structure to ensure continuity of operations and commitment to its mission during the transition. The interim plan taps the experience and leadership of Walter Berry, who is a well-respected Wichita businessman and former Chamber Board Chair. Berry will serve as Executive in Residence for the Chamber, providing strategic oversight and consultation to ensure organizational effectiveness, while maintaining continuity of vision.</p><p>“We have a legacy of impactful work at the Chamber, and the importance of our mission to our membership and the broader business community remains as strong as ever,” said Berry. “I’m excited to work with the Board and Chamber staff to ensure this impact continues.”</p><p>While Berry will serve in a consultative leadership role, Chief Strategy and Operations Officer Brecken Morel will serve as the Chamber’s interim president and CEO managing day-to-day operations until such time as the Board appoints a permanent leader. Morel joined the Chamber in 2025, bringing extensive process and management experience to the Chamber. The Board is actively evaluating long-term leadership needs aligned with the Chamber’s mission and strategic priorities.</p><p>“As the region’s leading business advocacy organization, the Chamber remains focused on championing the policies, programs and partnerships that strengthen the Wichita regional economy and support the growth of the businesses it serves,” said Schlickau.</p>

Wichita Regional Chamber of Commerce CEO steps down

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — The former superintendent of Iowa’s largest school district&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/iowa-des-moines-superintendent-ian-roberts-ice-b02b600b1bb8ba51d2d6a4f60d543f0e">pleaded guilty</a>&nbsp;Thursday, and admitted to falsely claiming to be a U.S. citizen on a federal form and illegally possessing firearms.

Ian Roberts, a native of Guyana in South America, had initially pleaded not guilty to both counts, which together carry a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison, and a trial was scheduled to begin in early March. Roberts is aware he could face deportation after he serves his sentence, according to the plea agreement he signed Wednesday.

Roberts ascended as an exuberant and inspiring leader over a two-decade career in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/d11c6bc49815e2655b758fb8497bb23e">urban education</a>. For two years, he was superintendent of the Des Moines public school district, which serves 30,000 students.

Just weeks into a new school year, Roberts was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/iowa-des-moines-superintendent-ian-roberts-b52a9ea28d002d27832c67513403368e">detained by federal immigration officers</a>. The Sept. 26 arrest stunned community members and drew national attention to his&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ian-roberts-ice-superintendent-lawsuit-iowa-b93f7c426b90a2e805d71f914707ce2d">history of criminal charges</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ian-roberts-superintendent-ice-doctorate-d719dac9a6cffd5b8dc93725441fdebc">falsified credentials</a>.

As part of Roberts’ plea agreement, prosecutors in the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Iowa agreed to not pursue additional charges against Roberts or others related to these counts, according to the filing. Prosecutors also agreed to recommend some leniency, but Roberts’ sentence is ultimately up to the judge.

In a targeted U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement operation, Roberts was pulled over in his school-issued Jeep Cherokee and allegedly fled from federal agents. They later found the car abandoned near a wooded area and located Roberts with the help of state troopers. Authorities said a loaded handgun was wrapped in a towel under the seat and there was $3,000 in cash in the car.

A federal grand jury in October returned a two-count indictment. According to the plea agreement, Roberts admits he knowingly and intentionally made a “false attestation” that he was a U.S. citizen on the Employment Eligibility Verification form, known as an I-9, that he submitted in Des Moines. That carries a punishment of up to five years in prison and a fine.

Roberts also faces a federal weapons charge, punishable by up to 15 years in prison and a fine. In addition to the one in his vehicle when he was arrested, a second pistol, a rifle and a shotgun were found during a search of Roberts’ home, authorities said.

Roberts will forfeit the weapons, according to the agreement.

Phil Roeder, a spokesperson for Des Moines Public Schools, declined to comment on Roberts’ legal proceedings. The district’s focus “remains on serving the educational needs of students,” he said in a statement.

Roberts completed the I-9 form when he was hired in 2023 and submitted a Social Security card and driver’s license as verifying documents, according to the district. He also stated he was a U.S. citizen in his application to the state board of educational examiners, which issued Roberts a professional administrator license in 2023.

Roberts was subject to a notice to appear before an immigration judge in October 2020, just months before his work authorization was set to expire, and a final removal order in 2024, authorities said. District officials said they were not aware of the immigration issues.

<figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/9/1758925503158.png" alt="This photo provided by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement shows Ian Roberts in February 2020." />
                        <figcaption>This photo provided by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement shows Ian Roberts in February 2020.</figcaption>
                    </figure><p>DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — The former superintendent of Iowa’s largest school district&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/iowa-des-moines-superintendent-ian-roberts-ice-b02b600b1bb8ba51d2d6a4f60d543f0e">pleaded guilty</a>&nbsp;Thursday, and admitted to falsely claiming to be a U.S. citizen on a federal form and illegally possessing firearms.</p><p>Ian Roberts, a native of Guyana in South America, had initially pleaded not guilty to both counts, which together carry a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison, and a trial was scheduled to begin in early March. Roberts is aware he could face deportation after he serves his sentence, according to the plea agreement he signed Wednesday.</p><figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/9/1758925645393.png" alt="Roberts Photo from September 26, 2025- image ICE" />
                        <figcaption>Roberts Photo from September 26, 2025- image ICE</figcaption>
                    </figure><p>Roberts ascended as an exuberant and inspiring leader over a two-decade career in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/d11c6bc49815e2655b758fb8497bb23e">urban education</a>. For two years, he was superintendent of the Des Moines public school district, which serves 30,000 students.</p><p>Just weeks into a new school year, Roberts was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/iowa-des-moines-superintendent-ian-roberts-b52a9ea28d002d27832c67513403368e">detained by federal immigration officers</a>. The Sept. 26 arrest stunned community members and drew national attention to his&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ian-roberts-ice-superintendent-lawsuit-iowa-b93f7c426b90a2e805d71f914707ce2d">history of criminal charges</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ian-roberts-superintendent-ice-doctorate-d719dac9a6cffd5b8dc93725441fdebc">falsified credentials</a>.</p><p>As part of Roberts’ plea agreement, prosecutors in the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Iowa agreed to not pursue additional charges against Roberts or others related to these counts, according to the filing. Prosecutors also agreed to recommend some leniency, but Roberts’ sentence is ultimately up to the judge.</p><p>In a targeted U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement operation, Roberts was pulled over in his school-issued Jeep Cherokee and allegedly fled from federal agents. They later found the car abandoned near a wooded area and located Roberts with the help of state troopers. Authorities said a loaded handgun was wrapped in a towel under the seat and there was $3,000 in cash in the car.</p><p>A federal grand jury in October returned a two-count indictment. According to the plea agreement, Roberts admits he knowingly and intentionally made a “false attestation” that he was a U.S. citizen on the Employment Eligibility Verification form, known as an I-9, that he submitted in Des Moines. That carries a punishment of up to five years in prison and a fine.</p><p>Roberts also faces a federal weapons charge, punishable by up to 15 years in prison and a fine. In addition to the one in his vehicle when he was arrested, a second pistol, a rifle and a shotgun were found during a search of Roberts’ home, authorities said.</p><p>Roberts will forfeit the weapons, according to the agreement.</p><p>Phil Roeder, a spokesperson for Des Moines Public Schools, declined to comment on Roberts’ legal proceedings. The district’s focus “remains on serving the educational needs of students,” he said in a statement.</p><p>Roberts completed the I-9 form when he was hired in 2023 and submitted a Social Security card and driver’s license as verifying documents, according to the district. He also stated he was a U.S. citizen in his application to the state board of educational examiners, which issued Roberts a professional administrator license in 2023.</p><p>Roberts was subject to a notice to appear before an immigration judge in October 2020, just months before his work authorization was set to expire, and a final removal order in 2024, authorities said. District officials said they were not aware of the immigration issues.</p>

Leader of Iowa’s largest public school district admits falsely claiming US citizenship

DAVOS, Switzerland (AP) — President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;on Thursday inaugurated his&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mideast-wars-gaza-board-of-peace-trump-1-21-2026-2f0e063d03babbd3276f31289ba5f2a2">Board of Peace</a>&nbsp;to lead efforts at maintaining a ceasefire in Israel's war with Hamas, insisting that “everyone wants to be a part” of the body that could eventually rival the United Nations — despite many U.S. allies opting not to participate.

In a speech at&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/live/world-economic-forum-davos-updates-1-20-2026">the World Economic Forum</a>, Trump sought to create momentum for a project to map out a future of the war-torn Gaza Strip that has been overshadowed this week, first by his threats to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/greenland">seize Greenland</a>, then by&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-davos-housing-greenland-gaza-a2f3f4c18ba321c8025a3e208fc0ddf6">a dramatic retreat</a>&nbsp;from that push.

“This isn’t the United States, this is for the world,” he said, adding, “I think we can spread it out to other things as we succeed in Gaza.”

The event featured&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mideast-wars-israel-hamas-gaza-ceasefire-dce5a67ee31c5310149121baa52ea14a">Ali Shaath</a>, the head of a new, future technocratic government in Gaza, announcing that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-gaza-palestinians-hamas-rafah-1e1f8a208a58c0bb671b52304e2d6afa">the Rafah border crossing will open</a>&nbsp;in both directions next week. That's after Israel said in early December it would open the crossing, which runs between Gaza and Egypt, but has yet to do so.

Shaath, an engineer and former Palestinian Authority official from Gaza, is overseeing&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-hamas-war-palestinians-gaza-a7f07c3c9680b34c563124964885efa8">the Palestinian committee</a>&nbsp;set to govern the territory under&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mideast-wars-israel-hamas-gaza-trump-witkoff-bb39015d25aeb627a5b9ce73dd4e1155">U.S. supervision</a>.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-netanyahu-gaza-board-of-peace-a4a296f736474e8c6a4edacd7109b8e5">The new peace board</a>&nbsp;was initially envisioned as a small group of world leaders overseeing the ceasefire, but it has morphed into something far more ambitious — and skepticism about its membership and mandate has led some countries usually closest to Washington to take a pass.

Trump tried not to let those not participating ruin his unveiling party, saying 59 countries had signed onto the board — even though heads of state, top diplomats and other officials from only 19 countries plus the U.S. actually attended. He told the group, ranging from Azerbaijan to Paraguay to Hungary, “You’re the most powerful people in the world."

Trump has spoken about the board replacing some U.N. functions and perhaps even making that entire body obsolete one day. But he was more conciliatory in his remarks on the sidelines of the forum in the Swiss alps.

“We’ll do it in conjunction with the United Nations,” Trump said, even as he denigrated the U.N. for doing what he said wasn't enough to calm some conflicts around the globe.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio said that some countries’ leaders have indicated they plan to join but still require approval from their parliaments, and the Trump administration says it has also gotten queries about membership from countries that hadn’t been invited to participate yet.

Big questions remain, however, about what the eventual board will look like.

Russian President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/vladimir-putin">Vladimir Putin</a>&nbsp;said his country is still consulting with Moscow’s “strategic partners” before deciding to commit. The Russian president on Thursday is due to host Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas for talks in Moscow.

Others are asking why Putin and other authoritarian leaders had even been invited to join. Britain’s foreign secretary, Yvette Cooper, said her country wasn't signing on “because this is about a legal treaty that raises much broader issues.”

“And we do also have concerns about President Putin being part of something which is talking about peace, when we have still not seen any signs from Putin that there will be a commitment to peace in Ukraine,” she told the BBC.

Norway and Sweden have indicated they won’t participate, after France also said no. French officials stressed that while they support the Gaza peace plan, they were concerned the board could seek to replace the U.N. as the main venue for resolving conflicts.

Canada, Ukraine, China and the executive arm of the European Union also haven't committed. Trump calling off the steep tariffs he threatened over Greenland could ease some allies' reluctance, but the issue is still far from settled.

The Kremlin said Thursday that Putin plans to discuss his proposal to send $1 billion to the Board of Peace and use it for humanitarian purposes during his talks with Abbas. But it noted that the use of those assets will require the U.S. action to unblock them.

The idea for the Board of Peace was first laid out in Trump's&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-netanyahu-israel-hamas-war-gaza-708a08671b8842d7a7a5e250ec51351c">20-point Gaza ceasefire plan</a>&nbsp;and even was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/united-nations-gaza-ceasefire-us-resolution-russia-107e44e276fe04a5365ff6d914545718">endorsed by the U.N. Security Council</a>.

Israeli Prime Minister&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/benjamin-netanyahu">Benjamin Netanyahu</a>&nbsp;announced he’s agreed to join, after his office has earlier criticized the makeup of the board’s committee tasked with overseeing Gaza.

Months into the ceasefire, Gaza’s more than 2 million Palestinians continue to suffer the humanitarian crisis unleashed by more than two years of war. And violence in Gaza, while not at the same level as before the October ceasefire and hostage deal was agreed on, continues.

Key to the truce continuing to hold is the disarming of Hamas, something that the militant group that has controlled the Palestinian territory since 2007 has refused to do and that Israel sees as non-negotiable. Trump on Thursday repeated his frequently mentioned warnings that the group will have to do so or face dire consequences.

He also said the war in Gaza “is really coming to an end” while conceding, “We have little fires that we'll put out. But they're little,” and they had been “giant, giant, massive fires.”

Trump's push for peace also comes after he threatened military action this month against Iran as it carried out a violent crackdown against&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/iran-protests-araghchi-trump-threat-crackdown-299375ebfd004dd6098c77a6bb8079a5">some of the largest street protests in years</a>, killing thousands of people.

Trump, for the time being, has signaled he won't carry out any new strikes on Iran after he said he&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-iran-hangings-protests-dae7dca429c9823f4f5690b368ebfe15">received assurances</a>&nbsp;that the Islamic government would not carry out the planned hangings of more than 800 protesters.

But Trump also made the case that his tough approach to Tehran — including&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/iran-fordo-us-strike-trump-israel-nuclear-sites-320a85327f94ed7496f09564261f3148">strikes on Iran's nuclear facilities</a>&nbsp;in June last year — was critical to the Israel-Hamas ceasefire deal coalescing. Iran was Hamas' most important patron, providing the group hundreds of millions of dollars in military aid, weapons, training and financial support over the years.

<figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/1/1769089086118.png" alt="Image courtesy White House" />
                        <figcaption>Image courtesy White House</figcaption>
                    </figure><p>DAVOS, Switzerland (AP) — President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;on Thursday inaugurated his&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mideast-wars-gaza-board-of-peace-trump-1-21-2026-2f0e063d03babbd3276f31289ba5f2a2">Board of Peace</a>&nbsp;to lead efforts at maintaining a ceasefire in Israel's war with Hamas, insisting that “everyone wants to be a part” of the body that could eventually rival the United Nations — despite many U.S. allies opting not to participate.</p><p>In a speech at&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/live/world-economic-forum-davos-updates-1-20-2026">the World Economic Forum</a>, Trump sought to create momentum for a project to map out a future of the war-torn Gaza Strip that has been overshadowed this week, first by his threats to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/greenland">seize Greenland</a>, then by&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-davos-housing-greenland-gaza-a2f3f4c18ba321c8025a3e208fc0ddf6">a dramatic retreat</a>&nbsp;from that push.</p><p>“This isn’t the United States, this is for the world,” he said, adding, “I think we can spread it out to other things as we succeed in Gaza.”</p><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">President Trump Participates in the Board of Peace Charter Announcement <a href="https://t.co/CJz0CmePJq">https://t.co/CJz0CmePJq</a></p>&mdash; The White House (@WhiteHouse) <a href="https://twitter.com/WhiteHouse/status/2014279910278225942?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 22, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">President <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@realDonaldTrump</a> arrives for the signing ceremony of the Board of Peace! 🇺🇸 <a href="https://t.co/X5mXCxT9NT">pic.twitter.com/X5mXCxT9NT</a></p>&mdash; Margo Martin (@MargoMartin47) <a href="https://twitter.com/MargoMartin47/status/2014283215075246426?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 22, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Board of Peace signing ceremony! 🕊️ <a href="https://t.co/w92RRIGYnM">pic.twitter.com/w92RRIGYnM</a></p>&mdash; Margo Martin (@MargoMartin47) <a href="https://twitter.com/MargoMartin47/status/2014287123759747504?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 22, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">President Trump thanks each Board of Peace member 🕊️ <a href="https://t.co/2ePy4XkCR7">pic.twitter.com/2ePy4XkCR7</a></p>&mdash; Margo Martin (@MargoMartin47) <a href="https://twitter.com/MargoMartin47/status/2014304577105866883?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 22, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">“We are here today because of President Trump’s vision” <a href="https://twitter.com/SecRubio?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SecRubio</a> 🇺🇸 <a href="https://t.co/qXnkbuN2Fn">pic.twitter.com/qXnkbuN2Fn</a></p>&mdash; Margo Martin (@MargoMartin47) <a href="https://twitter.com/MargoMartin47/status/2014305225574580385?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 22, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">.<a href="https://twitter.com/jaredkushner?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@jaredkushner</a> thanks President Trump for his leadership 🇺🇸 <a href="https://t.co/ncYhJ2SbtP">pic.twitter.com/ncYhJ2SbtP</a></p>&mdash; Margo Martin (@MargoMartin47) <a href="https://twitter.com/MargoMartin47/status/2014308526416396558?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 22, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">&quot;This board has the chance to be one of the most consequential bodies ever created.&quot; - Board of Peace Chairman, President Donald J. Trump 🇺🇸 <a href="https://t.co/xo7AwSDdeV">pic.twitter.com/xo7AwSDdeV</a></p>&mdash; The White House (@WhiteHouse) <a href="https://twitter.com/WhiteHouse/status/2014299643723543021?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 22, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><p>The event featured&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mideast-wars-israel-hamas-gaza-ceasefire-dce5a67ee31c5310149121baa52ea14a">Ali Shaath</a>, the head of a new, future technocratic government in Gaza, announcing that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-gaza-palestinians-hamas-rafah-1e1f8a208a58c0bb671b52304e2d6afa">the Rafah border crossing will open</a>&nbsp;in both directions next week. That's after Israel said in early December it would open the crossing, which runs between Gaza and Egypt, but has yet to do so.</p><p>Shaath, an engineer and former Palestinian Authority official from Gaza, is overseeing&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-hamas-war-palestinians-gaza-a7f07c3c9680b34c563124964885efa8">the Palestinian committee</a>&nbsp;set to govern the territory under&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mideast-wars-israel-hamas-gaza-trump-witkoff-bb39015d25aeb627a5b9ce73dd4e1155">U.S. supervision</a>.</p><figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/1/1769080530297.png" alt="Photo White House" />
                        <figcaption>Photo White House</figcaption>
                    </figure><p><a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-netanyahu-gaza-board-of-peace-a4a296f736474e8c6a4edacd7109b8e5">The new peace board</a>&nbsp;was initially envisioned as a small group of world leaders overseeing the ceasefire, but it has morphed into something far more ambitious — and skepticism about its membership and mandate has led some countries usually closest to Washington to take a pass.</p><p>Trump tried not to let those not participating ruin his unveiling party, saying 59 countries had signed onto the board — even though heads of state, top diplomats and other officials from only 19 countries plus the U.S. actually attended. He told the group, ranging from Azerbaijan to Paraguay to Hungary, “You’re the most powerful people in the world."</p><p>Trump has spoken about the board replacing some U.N. functions and perhaps even making that entire body obsolete one day. But he was more conciliatory in his remarks on the sidelines of the forum in the Swiss alps.</p><p>“We’ll do it in conjunction with the United Nations,” Trump said, even as he denigrated the U.N. for doing what he said wasn't enough to calm some conflicts around the globe.</p><p>Secretary of State Marco Rubio said that some countries’ leaders have indicated they plan to join but still require approval from their parliaments, and the Trump administration says it has also gotten queries about membership from countries that hadn’t been invited to participate yet.</p><h2>Why some countries aren't participating</h2><p>Big questions remain, however, about what the eventual board will look like.</p><p>Russian President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/vladimir-putin">Vladimir Putin</a>&nbsp;said his country is still consulting with Moscow’s “strategic partners” before deciding to commit. The Russian president on Thursday is due to host Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas for talks in Moscow.</p><p>Others are asking why Putin and other authoritarian leaders had even been invited to join. Britain’s foreign secretary, Yvette Cooper, said her country wasn't signing on “because this is about a legal treaty that raises much broader issues.”</p><p>“And we do also have concerns about President Putin being part of something which is talking about peace, when we have still not seen any signs from Putin that there will be a commitment to peace in Ukraine,” she told the BBC.</p><p>Norway and Sweden have indicated they won’t participate, after France also said no. French officials stressed that while they support the Gaza peace plan, they were concerned the board could seek to replace the U.N. as the main venue for resolving conflicts.</p><p>Canada, Ukraine, China and the executive arm of the European Union also haven't committed. Trump calling off the steep tariffs he threatened over Greenland could ease some allies' reluctance, but the issue is still far from settled.</p><p>The Kremlin said Thursday that Putin plans to discuss his proposal to send $1 billion to the Board of Peace and use it for humanitarian purposes during his talks with Abbas. But it noted that the use of those assets will require the U.S. action to unblock them.</p><h2>Board grew out of ceasefire proposal</h2><p>The idea for the Board of Peace was first laid out in Trump's&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-netanyahu-israel-hamas-war-gaza-708a08671b8842d7a7a5e250ec51351c">20-point Gaza ceasefire plan</a>&nbsp;and even was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/united-nations-gaza-ceasefire-us-resolution-russia-107e44e276fe04a5365ff6d914545718">endorsed by the U.N. Security Council</a>.</p><p>Israeli Prime Minister&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/benjamin-netanyahu">Benjamin Netanyahu</a>&nbsp;announced he’s agreed to join, after his office has earlier criticized the makeup of the board’s committee tasked with overseeing Gaza.</p><p>Months into the ceasefire, Gaza’s more than 2 million Palestinians continue to suffer the humanitarian crisis unleashed by more than two years of war. And violence in Gaza, while not at the same level as before the October ceasefire and hostage deal was agreed on, continues.</p><p>Key to the truce continuing to hold is the disarming of Hamas, something that the militant group that has controlled the Palestinian territory since 2007 has refused to do and that Israel sees as non-negotiable. Trump on Thursday repeated his frequently mentioned warnings that the group will have to do so or face dire consequences.</p><p>He also said the war in Gaza “is really coming to an end” while conceding, “We have little fires that we'll put out. But they're little,” and they had been “giant, giant, massive fires.”</p><h2>Iran protests loom in the background</h2><p>Trump's push for peace also comes after he threatened military action this month against Iran as it carried out a violent crackdown against&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/iran-protests-araghchi-trump-threat-crackdown-299375ebfd004dd6098c77a6bb8079a5">some of the largest street protests in years</a>, killing thousands of people.</p><p>Trump, for the time being, has signaled he won't carry out any new strikes on Iran after he said he&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-iran-hangings-protests-dae7dca429c9823f4f5690b368ebfe15">received assurances</a>&nbsp;that the Islamic government would not carry out the planned hangings of more than 800 protesters.</p><p>But Trump also made the case that his tough approach to Tehran — including&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/iran-fordo-us-strike-trump-israel-nuclear-sites-320a85327f94ed7496f09564261f3148">strikes on Iran's nuclear facilities</a>&nbsp;in June last year — was critical to the Israel-Hamas ceasefire deal coalescing. Iran was Hamas' most important patron, providing the group hundreds of millions of dollars in military aid, weapons, training and financial support over the years.</p>

🎥President Trump signs his Gaza 'Board of Peace' into being

By&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/author/josh-boak">JOSH BOAK</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/author/will-weissert">WILL WEISSERT</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/author/aamer-madhani">AAMER MADHANI</a>

DAVOS, Switzerland (AP) — President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;announced Wednesday that he was canceling his planned tariff on U.S. allies in Europe over US control of Greenland after he and the leader of NATO agreed to a ‘framework of a future deal’ on Arctic security.

The abrupt about-face emerged hours after Trump had insisted that he wants to “get Greenland, including right, title and ownership,” but said he would not use force to do so while deriding European allies and vowing that NATO should not try to block U.S. expansionism.

In an extraordinary speech at&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/world-economic-forum">the World Economic Forum</a>, the president said he was asking for territory that was “cold and poorly located.” He said the U.S. had effectively saved Europe during World War II and even declared of NATO: “It’s a very small ask compared to what we have given them for many, many decades.”

“We probably won’t get anything unless I decide to use excessive strength and force, where we would be frankly unstoppable. But I won’t do that, OK?” Trump said, later adding, “I don’t have to” and “I don’t want to use force.”

Trump often tries to increase pressure on the other side when he believes it can lead to a favorable deal, and he seemed happy to do so ahead of the forum in Davos.

The implications of his remarks were enormous, potentially rupturing an alliance that has held firm since the dawn of the Cold War and seemed among the globe’s most unshakable pacts.

NATO was founded by leading European nations, the U.S. and Canada to form a bloc to counter the Soviet Union. Its other members have been steadfast in saying Greenland is not for sale and cannot be wrested from Denmark, meaning Trump’s comments could yet mark the beginning of a larger geopolitical standoff.

The president has long said the U.S. will get control of Greenland no matter what it takes, arguing that Washington needs the world’s largest island to counter threats in the surrounding Arctic Ocean from Russia and China. That’s despite America already having a large military base there.

A Danish government official told The Associated Press after Trump’s speech that Copenhagen is ready to discuss U.S. security concerns. But the official, who was not authorized to comment publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity, underscored the government’s position that “red lines”— namely Denmark’s sovereignty — must be respected.

Greenland’s government responded by telling its citizens to be prepared. It has published a handbook in English and Greenlandic on what to do in a crisis that urges residents to ensure they have sufficient food, water, fuel and supplies at home to survive for five days.

“We just went to the grocery store and bought the supplies,” said Tony Jakobsen in Greenland’s capital Nuuk said, showing off the contents of bags that included candles, snacks and toilet paper.

Jakobsen said he thought Trump’s rhetoric towards Greenland was “just threats... but it’s better to be ready than not ready.”

Trump, meanwhile, urged Denmark and the rest of NATO to stand aside, adding an ominous warning.

“We want a piece of ice for world protection, and they won’t give it,” Trump said. “You can say yes, and we will be very appreciative. Or you can say no, and we will remember.”

He also called for opening “immediate negotiations” for the U.S. to acquire Greenland. In subsequent comments to reporters, he declined to name a price that might be paid, saying only, “There’s a bigger price, and that’s the price of safety and security and national security and international security.”

Trump suggests Europe is fizzling while U.S. booms

Danish Foreign Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen said he was encouraged by Trump’s comment about not using U.S. military force but called other parts of the speech “a way of thinking about territorial integrity that does not match the institutions we have.”

“Greenland is part of NATO. Denmark is part of NATO, and we can exercise our sovereignty in Greenland,” Løkke Rasmussen said.

In his remarks, Trump also argued that the U.S. is booming and its economy is strong, in sharp contrast to Europe.

“I want to see Europe go good, but it’s not heading in the right direction,” said Trump, who also noted, “We want strong allies, not seriously weakened ones.” He said of European economies, “You all follow us down, and you follow us up.”

His arrival was delayed after a minor&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-air-force-one-electrical-issue-c3044b52b792a8c12f6211718d94f8fe">electrical problem on Air Force One</a>&nbsp;forced a return to Washington to switch aircraft. As Trump’s motorcade headed down a narrow road to the speech site, onlookers — including some skiers — lined the route. Some made obscene gestures, and one held up a paper cursing the president.

Billionaires and top executives packed inside the forum’s Congress Hall, which held around 1,000, for Trump’s keynote address. The space was filled to standing room only. Attendees used headsets to listen in six languages besides English, and the reaction was mostly polite applause.

Afterward, Trump met with the leaders of Poland, Belgium and Egypt and again repeated that the U.S. would not be invading Greenland.

“Military is not on the table,” Trump said, suggesting that the parties involved would use better judgment.

Potentially deepening the crisis are Trump’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/denmark-greenland-us-trump-4ad99ea3975a8b62d37bd04961feda55">threats to impose steep U.S. import taxes on Denmark and seven other allies</a>&nbsp;unless they negotiate a transfer of the semi-autonomous territory — some&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/greenland-denmark-us-trump-eu-tariffs-4e63efa690604004c69fc89a7c14e7c2">European say they won’t do</a>.

Trump said the tariffs would start at 10% next month and climb to 25% in June.

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer vowed during his weekly questioning in the House of Commons, “Britain will not yield on our principles and values about the future of Greenland under threats of tariffs, and that is my clear position.”

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen warned that should Trump move forward with the tariffs, the bloc’s response “will be unflinching, united and proportional.”

Experts and economists are warning that Trump’s Greenland tariff threat could disrupt the U.S. economy if it blows up the trade truce reached last summer between the U.S. and the EU. But the U.S. stock market largely recovered on Wednesday from its&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/stock-markets-trump-greenland-inflation-58a6fed13a1e04afd57f0a22a2c9cfb0">worst day since October</a>&nbsp;after Trump’s talk of Greenland-related tariffs spooked investors.

Trump’s was supposed to focus on how to lower U.S. housing prices — part of a larger effort to bring down the cost of living, which could prove a liability for the president’s party of November’s midterm elections.

Greenland instead carried the day, with Trump lashing out at Denmark for being “ungrateful” for the U.S. protection of the Arctic island during the Second World War. He also mistakenly referred to Iceland, mixing up that country with Greenland four times during his speech and for the fifth time since Tuesday.

“This enormous unsecured island is actually part of North America,” Trump said. “That’s our territory.”

When he finally did mention housing in his speech, Trump suggested he did not support a measure to encourage affordability. He said bringing down rising home prices hurts property values and makes homeowners who once felt wealthy because of the equity in their houses feel poorer.

‘You have to be prepared for almost anything’

In Nuuk, resident Johnny Hedemann said it was “insulting” that Trump “talks about the Greenlandic people and the Greenlandic nation as just an ice cube.” He spoke while heading out to buy a camping stove and instant mashed potatoes.

“Living in this nature, you have to be prepared for almost anything. And now there’s another threat — and that’s Trump,” Hedemann said.

He added: “With this lunatic, you don’t know what’s going to happen tomorrow. He can make things very bad for everyone.”

Weissert and Madhani reported from Washington. Associated Press writers Emma Burrows in Nuuk, Greenland, Jamey Keaten in Davos and Michelle L. Price in Washington contributed to this report.

<figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/1/1769004214648.png" alt="President Trump speaking Wednesday at Davos-Photo by Margo Martin, Special Assistant to the President" />
                        <figcaption>President Trump speaking Wednesday at Davos-Photo by Margo Martin, Special Assistant to the President</figcaption>
                    </figure><p>By&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/author/josh-boak">JOSH BOAK</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/author/will-weissert">WILL WEISSERT</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/author/aamer-madhani">AAMER MADHANI</a></p><p>DAVOS, Switzerland (AP) — President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;announced Wednesday that he was canceling his planned tariff on U.S. allies in Europe over US control of Greenland after he and the leader of NATO agreed to a ‘framework of a future deal’ on Arctic security.</p><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">.<a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@POTUS</a> on Greenland: &quot;The deal is going to be put out pretty soon... it gets us everything we needed to get.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/S3X95XCm1S">pic.twitter.com/S3X95XCm1S</a></p>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/2014069502615466111?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 21, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="qme" dir="ltr">🚨 <a href="https://t.co/3FM8el4RAe">pic.twitter.com/3FM8el4RAe</a></p>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/2014057541215408154?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 21, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">.<a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@POTUS</a> on Greenland: &quot;Well, we have a concept of a deal. I think it’s going to be a very good deal for the United States, also for them, and we&#39;re going to work together on something having to do with the arctic as a whole... it has to do with the security — great security.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/hpCQNmcAjV">pic.twitter.com/hpCQNmcAjV</a></p>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/2014071312797278380?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 21, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><p>The abrupt about-face emerged hours after Trump had insisted that he wants to “get Greenland, including right, title and ownership,” but said he would not use force to do so while deriding European allies and vowing that NATO should not try to block U.S. expansionism.</p><p>In an extraordinary speech at&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/world-economic-forum">the World Economic Forum</a>, the president said he was asking for territory that was “cold and poorly located.” He said the U.S. had effectively saved Europe during World War II and even declared of NATO: “It’s a very small ask compared to what we have given them for many, many decades.”</p><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Red carpet arrival for President <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@realDonaldTrump</a> in Davos! 🇺🇸 <a href="https://t.co/YB2iph2C6m">pic.twitter.com/YB2iph2C6m</a></p>&mdash; Margo Martin (@MargoMartin47) <a href="https://twitter.com/MargoMartin47/status/2013962623658713373?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 21, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Governor Gavin Newsom reacts to President Trump&#39;s remarks on California at World Economic Forum. <a href="https://t.co/DiVtb5qH8r">pic.twitter.com/DiVtb5qH8r</a></p>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/2013988263174836698?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 21, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><p>“We probably won’t get anything unless I decide to use excessive strength and force, where we would be frankly unstoppable. But I won’t do that, OK?” Trump said, later adding, “I don’t have to” and “I don’t want to use force.”</p><p>Trump often tries to increase pressure on the other side when he believes it can lead to a favorable deal, and he seemed happy to do so ahead of the forum in Davos.</p><p>The implications of his remarks were enormous, potentially rupturing an alliance that has held firm since the dawn of the Cold War and seemed among the globe’s most unshakable pacts.</p><p>NATO was founded by leading European nations, the U.S. and Canada to form a bloc to counter the Soviet Union. Its other members have been steadfast in saying Greenland is not for sale and cannot be wrested from Denmark, meaning Trump’s comments could yet mark the beginning of a larger geopolitical standoff.</p><p>The president has long said the U.S. will get control of Greenland no matter what it takes, arguing that Washington needs the world’s largest island to counter threats in the surrounding Arctic Ocean from Russia and China. That’s despite America already having a large military base there.</p><p>A Danish government official told The Associated Press after Trump’s speech that Copenhagen is ready to discuss U.S. security concerns. But the official, who was not authorized to comment publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity, underscored the government’s position that “red lines”— namely Denmark’s sovereignty — must be respected.</p><p>Greenland’s government responded by telling its citizens to be prepared. It has published a handbook in English and Greenlandic on what to do in a crisis that urges residents to ensure they have sufficient food, water, fuel and supplies at home to survive for five days.</p><p>“We just went to the grocery store and bought the supplies,” said Tony Jakobsen in Greenland’s capital Nuuk said, showing off the contents of bags that included candles, snacks and toilet paper.</p><p>Jakobsen said he thought Trump’s rhetoric towards Greenland was “just threats... but it’s better to be ready than not ready.”</p><p>Trump, meanwhile, urged Denmark and the rest of NATO to stand aside, adding an ominous warning.</p><p>“We want a piece of ice for world protection, and they won’t give it,” Trump said. “You can say yes, and we will be very appreciative. Or you can say no, and we will remember.”</p><p>He also called for opening “immediate negotiations” for the U.S. to acquire Greenland. In subsequent comments to reporters, he declined to name a price that might be paid, saying only, “There’s a bigger price, and that’s the price of safety and security and national security and international security.”</p><h2>Trump suggests Europe is fizzling while U.S. booms</h2><p>Danish Foreign Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen said he was encouraged by Trump’s comment about not using U.S. military force but called other parts of the speech “a way of thinking about territorial integrity that does not match the institutions we have.”</p><p>“Greenland is part of NATO. Denmark is part of NATO, and we can exercise our sovereignty in Greenland,” Løkke Rasmussen said.</p><p>In his remarks, Trump also argued that the U.S. is booming and its economy is strong, in sharp contrast to Europe.</p><p>“I want to see Europe go good, but it’s not heading in the right direction,” said Trump, who also noted, “We want strong allies, not seriously weakened ones.” He said of European economies, “You all follow us down, and you follow us up.”</p><p>His arrival was delayed after a minor&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-air-force-one-electrical-issue-c3044b52b792a8c12f6211718d94f8fe">electrical problem on Air Force One</a>&nbsp;forced a return to Washington to switch aircraft. As Trump’s motorcade headed down a narrow road to the speech site, onlookers — including some skiers — lined the route. Some made obscene gestures, and one held up a paper cursing the president.</p><p>Billionaires and top executives packed inside the forum’s Congress Hall, which held around 1,000, for Trump’s keynote address. The space was filled to standing room only. Attendees used headsets to listen in six languages besides English, and the reaction was mostly polite applause.</p><p>Afterward, Trump met with the leaders of Poland, Belgium and Egypt and again repeated that the U.S. would not be invading Greenland.</p><p>“Military is not on the table,” Trump said, suggesting that the parties involved would use better judgment.</p><h2>Tariff threat looms large</h2><p>Potentially deepening the crisis are Trump’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/denmark-greenland-us-trump-4ad99ea3975a8b62d37bd04961feda55">threats to impose steep U.S. import taxes on Denmark and seven other allies</a>&nbsp;unless they negotiate a transfer of the semi-autonomous territory — some&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/greenland-denmark-us-trump-eu-tariffs-4e63efa690604004c69fc89a7c14e7c2">European say they won’t do</a>.</p><p>Trump said the tariffs would start at 10% next month and climb to 25% in June.</p><p>British Prime Minister Keir Starmer vowed during his weekly questioning in the House of Commons, “Britain will not yield on our principles and values about the future of Greenland under threats of tariffs, and that is my clear position.”</p><p>European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen warned that should Trump move forward with the tariffs, the bloc’s response “will be unflinching, united and proportional.”</p><p>Experts and economists are warning that Trump’s Greenland tariff threat could disrupt the U.S. economy if it blows up the trade truce reached last summer between the U.S. and the EU. But the U.S. stock market largely recovered on Wednesday from its&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/stock-markets-trump-greenland-inflation-58a6fed13a1e04afd57f0a22a2c9cfb0">worst day since October</a>&nbsp;after Trump’s talk of Greenland-related tariffs spooked investors.</p><h2>Trump’s housing plan overshadowed</h2><p>Trump’s was supposed to focus on how to lower U.S. housing prices — part of a larger effort to bring down the cost of living, which could prove a liability for the president’s party of November’s midterm elections.</p><p>Greenland instead carried the day, with Trump lashing out at Denmark for being “ungrateful” for the U.S. protection of the Arctic island during the Second World War. He also mistakenly referred to Iceland, mixing up that country with Greenland four times during his speech and for the fifth time since Tuesday.</p><p>“This enormous unsecured island is actually part of North America,” Trump said. “That’s our territory.”</p><p>When he finally did mention housing in his speech, Trump suggested he did not support a measure to encourage affordability. He said bringing down rising home prices hurts property values and makes homeowners who once felt wealthy because of the equity in their houses feel poorer.</p><h2>‘You have to be prepared for almost anything’</h2><p>In Nuuk, resident Johnny Hedemann said it was “insulting” that Trump “talks about the Greenlandic people and the Greenlandic nation as just an ice cube.” He spoke while heading out to buy a camping stove and instant mashed potatoes.</p><p>“Living in this nature, you have to be prepared for almost anything. And now there’s another threat — and that’s Trump,” Hedemann said.</p><p>He added: “With this lunatic, you don’t know what’s going to happen tomorrow. He can make things very bad for everyone.”</p><p>___</p><p>Weissert and Madhani reported from Washington. Associated Press writers Emma Burrows in Nuuk, Greenland, Jamey Keaten in Davos and Michelle L. Price in Washington contributed to this report.</p>

🎥Trump agrees to 'framework' deal on Greenland, drops tariff threat

By&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/author/fatima-hussein">FATIMA HUSSEIN</a>

WASHINGTON (AP) — Days before the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/treasury-irs-tax-season-5e939f5e271086d4ba51f24dc5200651">2026 tax filing season</a>&nbsp;begins, the head of the IRS announced a shake-up Tuesday, saying the personnel and operational changes are intended to improve taxpayer service and modernize the agency.

The timing of the announcement coincides with a critical moment for the agency, as the IRS prepares to process millions of tax returns while simultaneously implementing major tax law changes under the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/one-big-beautiful-bill-provisions" target="_blank">tax and spending package</a>&nbsp;President Donald Trump signed into law last summer. There are new tax relief provisions for tips and overtime, and new deductions for qualifying older Americans.

In a letter addressed to the agency’s 74,000 employees and viewed by The Associated Press, Chief Executive Officer Frank Bisignano announced new priorities and a reorganization of IRS executive leadership.

Notably, Gary Shapley, the whistleblower who testified publicly about investigations into Hunter Biden’s taxes and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-irs-tax-policy-biden-shapley-b60455836992c078f1177f6802755b91">served just two days as IRS Commissioner</a>&nbsp;last year, was named deputy chief of the Criminal Investigation division.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/irs-tax-immigration-criminal-investigations-2f0ab7111f121bbcb7d653528a954017">Guy Ficco</a>, the head of Criminal Investigation, is set to retire and will be replaced by Jarod Koopman, who will also serve as chief tax compliance officer alongside Bisignano.

Joseph Ziegler, another Hunter Biden whistleblower, was named chief of internal consulting, the letter said.

Bisignano said in the letter that he is “confident that with this new team in place, the IRS is well-prepared to deliver a successful tax filing season for the American public.”

The June&nbsp;<a href="https://www.taxpayeradvocate.irs.gov/" target="_blank">National Taxpayer Advocate</a>&nbsp;report to Congress warned that the 2026 season could be rocky after a series of mass layoffs last year brought on by the Department of Government Efficiency.

“With the IRS workforce reduced by 26% and significant tax law changes on the horizon, there are risks to next year’s filing season,” said Erin M. Collins, who leads the organization assigned to protect taxpayers’ rights.

Bisignano, who was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/social-security-irs-bessent-bisignano-e58cfaf2c88299e728d9783c8f5476fa">named to his job in October</a>, also serves as the commissioner of the Social Security Administration.

His main priorities for the IRS in 2026 include enhancing customer service, improving tax collections and safeguarding taxpayer privacy.

The IRS expects to receive roughly 164 million individual income tax returns this year, which is on par with what it received last year.

The average refund amount last year was $3,167, according to IRS data. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has said on several occasions that the effects of Republican tax law will result in bigger refunds in 2026.

<figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/7/1690229574211.png" alt="Photo AP" />
                        <figcaption>Photo AP</figcaption>
                    </figure><p>By&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/author/fatima-hussein">FATIMA HUSSEIN</a></p><p>WASHINGTON (AP) — Days before the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/treasury-irs-tax-season-5e939f5e271086d4ba51f24dc5200651">2026 tax filing season</a>&nbsp;begins, the head of the IRS announced a shake-up Tuesday, saying the personnel and operational changes are intended to improve taxpayer service and modernize the agency.</p><p>The timing of the announcement coincides with a critical moment for the agency, as the IRS prepares to process millions of tax returns while simultaneously implementing major tax law changes under the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/one-big-beautiful-bill-provisions" target="_blank">tax and spending package</a>&nbsp;President Donald Trump signed into law last summer. There are new tax relief provisions for tips and overtime, and new deductions for qualifying older Americans.</p><p>In a letter addressed to the agency’s 74,000 employees and viewed by The Associated Press, Chief Executive Officer Frank Bisignano announced new priorities and a reorganization of IRS executive leadership.</p><p>Notably, Gary Shapley, the whistleblower who testified publicly about investigations into Hunter Biden’s taxes and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-irs-tax-policy-biden-shapley-b60455836992c078f1177f6802755b91">served just two days as IRS Commissioner</a>&nbsp;last year, was named deputy chief of the Criminal Investigation division.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/irs-tax-immigration-criminal-investigations-2f0ab7111f121bbcb7d653528a954017">Guy Ficco</a>, the head of Criminal Investigation, is set to retire and will be replaced by Jarod Koopman, who will also serve as chief tax compliance officer alongside Bisignano.</p><p>Joseph Ziegler, another Hunter Biden whistleblower, was named chief of internal consulting, the letter said.</p><p>Bisignano said in the letter that he is “confident that with this new team in place, the IRS is well-prepared to deliver a successful tax filing season for the American public.”</p><p>The June&nbsp;<a href="https://www.taxpayeradvocate.irs.gov/" target="_blank">National Taxpayer Advocate</a>&nbsp;report to Congress warned that the 2026 season could be rocky after a series of mass layoffs last year brought on by the Department of Government Efficiency.</p><p>“With the IRS workforce reduced by 26% and significant tax law changes on the horizon, there are risks to next year’s filing season,” said Erin M. Collins, who leads the organization assigned to protect taxpayers’ rights.</p><p>Bisignano, who was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/social-security-irs-bessent-bisignano-e58cfaf2c88299e728d9783c8f5476fa">named to his job in October</a>, also serves as the commissioner of the Social Security Administration.</p><p>His main priorities for the IRS in 2026 include enhancing customer service, improving tax collections and safeguarding taxpayer privacy.</p><p>The IRS expects to receive roughly 164 million individual income tax returns this year, which is on par with what it received last year.</p><p>The average refund amount last year was $3,167, according to IRS data. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has said on several occasions that the effects of Republican tax law will result in bigger refunds in 2026.</p>

IRS head announces a shake-up on the eve of the 2026 tax season

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump’s plane, Air Force One, returned to Joint Base Andrews about an hour after departing for Switzerland on Tuesday evening.

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said the decision to return was made after takeoff when the crew aboard Air Force One identified “a minor electrical issue” and, out of an abundance of caution, decided to turn around.

A reporter on board said the lights in the press cabin of the aircraft went out briefly after takeoff, but no explanation was immediately offered. About half an hour into the flight reporters were told the plane would be turning around.

Trump boarded another aircraft, an Air Force C-32, a modified Boeing 757 normally used by the president for domestic trips to smaller airports, and continued on with his trip to the World Economic Forum in Davos shortly after midnight.&nbsp;Air Force One touched down in Zurich a little after 12:30 p.m. local time, nearly two hours after he was originally scheduled to arrive.

Rubio says he slept at a table on Air Force One

The U.S. secretary of state joked with reporters as he picked up a coffee toward the end of the flight and said he tried to get some rest at a conference table aboard the aircraft.

Marco Rubio joked that the accommodations were still nicer than the plane he travels on for State Department business.

The two planes currently used as Air Force One have been flying for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-qatar-air-force-one-2ef13d87b71185bde547abe6840b098c">nearly four decades</a>. Boeing has been working on replacements, but the program has faced a series of delays. The planes are heavily modified with survivability capabilities for the president for a range of contingencies, including radiation shielding and antimissile technology. They also include a variety of communications systems to allow the president to remain in contact with the military and issue orders from anywhere in the world.

Last year, the ruling family of Qatar gifted Trump a luxury Boeing 747-8 jumbo jet to be added into the Air Force One fleet, a move that faced great scrutiny. That plane is currently being retrofitted to meet security requirements.

Leavitt joked to reporters on Air Force One Tuesday night that a Qatari jet was sounding “much better” right now.

Last February, an Air Force plane carrying Secretary of State&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/rubio-plane-mechanical-issue-munich-conference-031928b920ff8e8d495d1590d508e1e5">Marco Rubio to Germany</a>&nbsp;had to return to Washington because of a mechanical issue. In October, a military plane carrying Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth had to make an emergency landing in United Kingdom due to a crack in the windshield.

<p>WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump’s plane, Air Force One, returned to Joint Base Andrews about an hour after departing for Switzerland on Tuesday evening.</p><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">.<a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@POTUS</a> is on the ground — a few hours late due to the plane change — in Zurich, Switzerland 🇺🇸🇨🇭<br><br>He&#39;ll take Marine One for the flight to Davos. <a href="https://t.co/2xqpvxlGCk">pic.twitter.com/2xqpvxlGCk</a></p>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/2013948850587816378?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 21, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">After takeoff, the AF1 crew identified a minor electrical issue. Out of an abundance of caution, AF1 is returning to Joint Base Andrews. The President and team will board a different aircraft and continue on to Switzerland. <a href="https://t.co/pJ3Jc9NNbS">https://t.co/pJ3Jc9NNbS</a></p>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/2013820148776399351?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 21, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><p>White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said the decision to return was made after takeoff when the crew aboard Air Force One identified “a minor electrical issue” and, out of an abundance of caution, decided to turn around.</p><p>A reporter on board said the lights in the press cabin of the aircraft went out briefly after takeoff, but no explanation was immediately offered. About half an hour into the flight reporters were told the plane would be turning around.</p><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">President <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@realDonaldTrump</a> is wheels down in Switzerland and walks to board Marine One 🇺🇸 <a href="https://t.co/XL0LDAhCSS">pic.twitter.com/XL0LDAhCSS</a></p>&mdash; Margo Martin (@MargoMartin47) <a href="https://twitter.com/MargoMartin47/status/2013949312481579384?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 21, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><p>Trump boarded another aircraft, an Air Force C-32, a modified Boeing 757 normally used by the president for domestic trips to smaller airports, and continued on with his trip to the World Economic Forum in Davos shortly after midnight.&nbsp;Air Force One touched down in Zurich a little after 12:30 p.m. local time, nearly two hours after he was originally scheduled to arrive.</p><h2>Rubio says he slept at a table on Air Force One</h2><p>The U.S. secretary of state joked with reporters as he picked up a coffee toward the end of the flight and said he tried to get some rest at a conference table aboard the aircraft.</p><p>Marco Rubio joked that the accommodations were still nicer than the plane he travels on for State Department business.</p><p>-----------------</p><p>The two planes currently used as Air Force One have been flying for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-qatar-air-force-one-2ef13d87b71185bde547abe6840b098c">nearly four decades</a>. Boeing has been working on replacements, but the program has faced a series of delays. The planes are heavily modified with survivability capabilities for the president for a range of contingencies, including radiation shielding and antimissile technology. They also include a variety of communications systems to allow the president to remain in contact with the military and issue orders from anywhere in the world.</p><p>Last year, the ruling family of Qatar gifted Trump a luxury Boeing 747-8 jumbo jet to be added into the Air Force One fleet, a move that faced great scrutiny. That plane is currently being retrofitted to meet security requirements.</p><p>Leavitt joked to reporters on Air Force One Tuesday night that a Qatari jet was sounding “much better” right now.</p><p>Last February, an Air Force plane carrying Secretary of State&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/rubio-plane-mechanical-issue-munich-conference-031928b920ff8e8d495d1590d508e1e5">Marco Rubio to Germany</a>&nbsp;had to return to Washington because of a mechanical issue. In October, a military plane carrying Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth had to make an emergency landing in United Kingdom due to a crack in the windshield.</p>