SHAWNEE COUNTY—Law enforcement are investigating a suspect on multiple allegations after a chase and arrest with a stolen vehicle.

Just before&nbsp;&nbsp;1:30 a.m. Jan. 22, a sheriff's deputy attempted to conduct a traffic stop on a gray 2025 Ford SUV, that was recently reported stolen through the City of Topeka, near Interstate 70&nbsp; and SE Adams Street, according to Deputy Abigail Christian.

 The driver refused to stop and initiated a pursuit. The vehicle pursuit ended in the 1900 block of South Kansas Avenue and the driver fled the scene on foot. A K-9 Unit located the suspect exiting a nearby creek and wooded area. He was taken into custody without further incident.

Joshua S. Bessette, 45, of Topeka, was arrested and booked into the Shawnee County Jail on requested charges of Flee or attempt to elude; operate a stolen vehicle, Possession of stolen property; value $25,000 to $100,000 and Interference with LEO; knowingly flee by means other than motor vehicle for felony case.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/1/1768950010459.png" alt="Bessette-photo Shawnee County" />
 <figcaption>Bessette-photo Shawnee County</figcaption>
 </figure>SHAWNEE COUNTY—Law enforcement are investigating a suspect on multiple allegations after a chase and arrest with a stolen vehicle.Just before&nbsp;&nbsp;1:30 a.m. Jan. 22, a sheriff's deputy attempted to conduct a traffic stop on a gray 2025 Ford SUV, that was recently reported stolen through the City of Topeka, near Interstate 70&nbsp; and SE Adams Street, according to Deputy Abigail Christian. The driver refused to stop and initiated a pursuit. The vehicle pursuit ended in the 1900 block of South Kansas Avenue and the driver fled the scene on foot. A K-9 Unit located the suspect exiting a nearby creek and wooded area. He was taken into custody without further incident.Joshua S. Bessette, 45, of Topeka, was arrested and booked into the Shawnee County Jail on requested charges of Flee or attempt to elude; operate a stolen vehicle, Possession of stolen property; value $25,000 to $100,000 and Interference with LEO; knowingly flee by means other than motor vehicle for felony case.

Sheriff's K9 helps track down Kansas stolen car suspect 

TAIPEI, Taiwan (AP) — American rock climber Alex Honnold ascended the Taipei 101 skyscraper on Sunday without any ropes or protective equipment.

Cheers erupted from a street-level crowd as he reached the top of the spire of the 508-meter (1,667-foot) tower about 90 minutes after he started. Wearing a red short-sleeve shirt, Honnold waved his arms back and forth over his head.

“It was like what a view, it’s incredible, what a beautiful day,” he said afterward. “It was very windy, so I was like, don’t fall off the spire. I was trying to balance nicely. But it was, what an incredible position, what a beautiful way to see Taipei.”

Honnold, known for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/movies-travel-ff106c6b8ad54702bdcaab40988b0ad7">his ropeless ascent</a>&nbsp;up Yosemite National Park’s El Capitan, climbed up one corner of Taipei 101 using small L-shaped outcroppings as footholds. Periodically, he had to maneuver around and clamber up the sides of large ornamental structures that jut out from the tower, pulling himself up with his bare hands.

The building has 101 floors, with the hardest part being the 64 floors of the middle section — the “bamboo boxes” that give the building its signature look. Divided into eight, each segment has eight floors of steep, overhanging climbing followed by balconies, where he took short rests as he made his way upward.

Honnold's&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/alex-honnold-taipei-101-climb-netflix-0709f4d062923a09ff6da3786131fdd0">free solo climb of the iconic building</a>&nbsp;in Taiwan's capital city was broadcast live on Netflix with a 10-second delay. The ascent, originally scheduled for Saturday, was delayed for 24 hours due to rain.

Having a cheering crowd was unusual and a bit unnerving at first for Honnold, whose climbs are usually in remote areas.

“When I was leaving the ground, you're like oh it’s kind of intense, there’s so many people watching,” he said. “But then honestly, they’re all wishing me well. I mean basically it just makes the whole experience feel almost more festive, all these nice people are out supporting me and having a good time.”

The climb drew both excitement and concern over the ethical implications of attempting such a high-risk endeavor on live broadcast.

Honnold isn't the first climber to ascend Taipei 101, but he is the first to do so without a rope. French rock climber Alain Robert scaled the building on Christmas Day in 2004 as part of the grand opening of what was then the world’s tallest building.

Associated Press video journalist Taijing Wu and writer Ken Moritsugu in Beijing contributed.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/1/1769376200893.jpeg" alt="Rock climber Alex Honnold, of the U.S., performs a free solo climb of the Taipei 101 skyscraper in Taipei, Taiwan, Sunday, Jan. 25. 2026. (AP Photo/Chiang Ying-ying)" />
 <figcaption>Rock climber Alex Honnold, of the U.S., performs a free solo climb of the Taipei 101 skyscraper in Taipei, Taiwan, Sunday, Jan. 25. 2026. (AP Photo/Chiang Ying-ying)</figcaption>
 </figure>TAIPEI, Taiwan (AP) — American rock climber Alex Honnold ascended the Taipei 101 skyscraper on Sunday without any ropes or protective equipment.Cheers erupted from a street-level crowd as he reached the top of the spire of the 508-meter (1,667-foot) tower about 90 minutes after he started. Wearing a red short-sleeve shirt, Honnold waved his arms back and forth over his head.“It was like what a view, it’s incredible, what a beautiful day,” he said afterward. “It was very windy, so I was like, don’t fall off the spire. I was trying to balance nicely. But it was, what an incredible position, what a beautiful way to see Taipei.”Honnold, known for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/movies-travel-ff106c6b8ad54702bdcaab40988b0ad7">his ropeless ascent</a>&nbsp;up Yosemite National Park’s El Capitan, climbed up one corner of Taipei 101 using small L-shaped outcroppings as footholds. Periodically, he had to maneuver around and clamber up the sides of large ornamental structures that jut out from the tower, pulling himself up with his bare hands.The building has 101 floors, with the hardest part being the 64 floors of the middle section — the “bamboo boxes” that give the building its signature look. Divided into eight, each segment has eight floors of steep, overhanging climbing followed by balconies, where he took short rests as he made his way upward.Honnold's&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/alex-honnold-taipei-101-climb-netflix-0709f4d062923a09ff6da3786131fdd0">free solo climb of the iconic building</a>&nbsp;in Taiwan's capital city was broadcast live on Netflix with a 10-second delay. The ascent, originally scheduled for Saturday, was delayed for 24 hours due to rain.Having a cheering crowd was unusual and a bit unnerving at first for Honnold, whose climbs are usually in remote areas.“When I was leaving the ground, you're like oh it’s kind of intense, there’s so many people watching,” he said. “But then honestly, they’re all wishing me well. I mean basically it just makes the whole experience feel almost more festive, all these nice people are out supporting me and having a good time.”The climb drew both excitement and concern over the ethical implications of attempting such a high-risk endeavor on live broadcast.Honnold isn't the first climber to ascend Taipei 101, but he is the first to do so without a rope. French rock climber Alain Robert scaled the building on Christmas Day in 2004 as part of the grand opening of what was then the world’s tallest building.___Associated Press video journalist Taijing Wu and writer Ken Moritsugu in Beijing contributed.

American rock climber reaches top of Taipei 101 skyscraper without ropes

It’s been a year since a measles outbreak began in West Texas, and international health authorities say they will meet in April to determine if the U.S. has lost its measles-free designation.

Experts fear the vaccine-preventable virus has regained a foothold and that the U.S.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/canada-loses-measles-elimination-status-1ac3a4bdc7546fac5d8e111bf5196e1e">may soon follow Canada</a>&nbsp;in losing the achievement of having eliminated it.

The reevaluation is largely symbolic and hinges on whether a single measles chain has spread uninterrupted within the U.S. for at least 12 months.

Public health scientists around the country are investigating whether the now-ended Texas outbreak is linked to active ones in Utah, Arizona and South Carolina. But doctors and scientists say the U.S. — and North America overall — has a measles problem, regardless of the decision.

“It is really a question of semantics,” said Dr. Jonathan Temte, a Wisconsin family physician who helped certify the U.S. was measles-free in 2000. “The bottom line is the conditions are sufficient to allow this many cases to occur. And that gets back to de-emphasizing a safe and effective vaccine.”

Last year, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention confirmed 2,144 measles cases across 44 states —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/measles-outbreak-us-texas-mmr-vaccine-rfk-144ed193e13de675a750e52a505423e9">the most since 1991</a>&nbsp;— and nearly 50 separate outbreaks.

The problem has been years in the making, as&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/vaccination-rates-cdc-kindergarten-0d261546a130dc256735d7b1ff8c6a5f">fewer kids</a>&nbsp;get routine vaccines due to parental waivers, health care access issues and rampant disinformation. More recently, Trump administration health officials have&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/vaccine-safety-mmr-autism-rfk-hepatitis-20d3122d7a9a339cd8447a347bd49928">questioned</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/cdc-autism-vaccines-7b1890f626dd5921fafd00fdd1e6425a">sown doubt</a>&nbsp;about the established safety of vaccines at an unprecedented level while also&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/measles-texas-vaccines-funding-cuts-5785985d6b74024b0502f6a2fc1576e2">defunding local efforts</a>&nbsp;to improve vaccination rates.

“The most important thing that we can do is to make sure the people who aren’t vaccinated get vaccinated,” said Jennifer Nuzzo, director of Brown University’s Pandemic Center. “We have not issued a clear enough message about that.”

A Department of Health and Human Services spokesperson said Thursday that Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has consistently emphasized vaccines as the best way to prevent measles, adding that the CDC is responding to outbreaks and working to increase vaccination rates.

As of Thursday, the department said it doesn't have evidence that a single chain of measles has spread for a year.

There is little room for error in trying to stop measles. The virus is one of the most contagious, infecting 9 out of every 10 unvaccinated people exposed. Community-level protection takes a 95% vaccination rate. The current rate nationally is 92.5%, according to CDC data, but many communities fall far below that.

The patient in Texas’ first known case developed the telltale rash on Jan. 20, 2025, according to state health department data.

From there, the outbreak exploded. Officially, 762 people fell ill, most of them in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/measles-outbreak-texas-rfk-vaccines-8cf4641b04731c713edb524ca943490c">rural Gaines County</a>, and two children died. Many more got sick and were never diagnosed: 182 potential measles cases among children in Gaines County went unconfirmed in March 2025 alone, state health officials said, a possible undercount of 44% in that county.

Such data gaps are common, though, making it especially hard to track outbreaks. Many people living in communities where the virus is spreading face health care barriers and distrust the government.

Contact tracing so many cases is also expensive, said behavioral scientist Noel Brewer, who chairs the U.S. committee that will finalize the data for international health officials. Research shows&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/measles-texas-vaccines-health-departments-723baa2b92828b04092475f4763585a6">a single measles case</a>&nbsp;can cost public health departments&nbsp;<a href="https://publichealth.jhu.edu/ivac/2025/estimating-the-financial-costs-of-measles-outbreaks">tens of thousands of dollars</a>.

CDC data on measles is still among the best worldwide, Brewer said, but “the U.S. has changed its investment in public health, so we’re less able to do the case tracking that we used to do.”

But that's not always enough to say the outbreaks are connected. Genetically, the measles virus doesn't change as often as, say, flu.

“Within an outbreak, everybody is going to look the same,” said Justin Lessler, a University of North Carolina disease researcher.

The key question may then be how PAHO experts will navigate final data gaps, said Dr. Andrew Pavia, a Utah physician and longtime CDC consultant.

“My best guess is we will lose elimination status,” Pavia said. “The case for this not being continuous transmission is tenuous, and I think they are likely to err on the side of declaring it a loss of elimination status.”

Scientists have confirmed the same measles strain in Texas, New Mexico, Utah, Arizona, South Carolina, Canada, Mexico and several other North American countries, said Sebastian Oliel, a spokesperson for the Pan American Health Organization, which will make the final decision on U.S. measles elimination at an April 13 meeting.

Oliel said when there is a case of unknown origin in a country with ongoing local spread, “the most conservative approach is to consider the case part of the existing national transmission.”

PAHO will review Mexico's measles-free status alongside the U.S., Oliel said. That country's largest outbreak has roots in Texas. It started when an 8-year-old boy from Chihuahua state got sick after visiting family in Seminole, Texas. Since last February, 6,000 people have gotten sick in Mexico, and 21 have died in Chihuahua state.

But under PAHO's definition of elimination, borders matter. If, for example, the chain of measles that started in the U.S. spread to Mexico and then returned to the U.S. anew, it would be considered a new chain, experts said. Still, many experts call that standard outdated.

What's clear is that measles found ample fertile ground in the U.S. in 2025, infiltrating&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/measles-outbreak-school-attendance-absences-0384199ace95b4088f60864ce9ec8315">schools</a>&nbsp;and day cares, churches, hospital waiting rooms and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/measles-new-mexico-detention-facility-migrants-outbreak-c7f5897ebba85a59548d279c500adaea">a detention center</a>. New Mexico logged 100 cases and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/measles-death-new-mexico-texas-outbreak-b9aef6fdd51fbb4ebd1ce9ce28e33299">one adult died</a>. Kansas officials spent seven months trying to control an outbreak that sickened nearly 90 people across 10 counties. Ohio confirmed 40 cases. Montana, North Dakota and Wisconsin each had 36.

Now, more than 800 people have gotten sick across Utah, Arizona and South Carolina since late summer,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/measles-south-carolina-utah-arizona-845643cd1342f1ce2ea01d11b74ee77b">with no end in sight</a>.

“2025 was the year of measles,” Brewer said. “Will 2026 be the year of rising or falling measles cases? Does it get worse or does it get better? No one knows the answer.”

The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Science and Educational Media Group and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The AP is solely responsible for all content.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/3/1741908251964.png" alt=" " />
 <figcaption> </figcaption>
 </figure>By DEVI SHASTRI AP Health WriterIt’s been a year since a measles outbreak began in West Texas, and international health authorities say they will meet in April to determine if the U.S. has lost its measles-free designation.Experts fear the vaccine-preventable virus has regained a foothold and that the U.S.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/canada-loses-measles-elimination-status-1ac3a4bdc7546fac5d8e111bf5196e1e">may soon follow Canada</a>&nbsp;in losing the achievement of having eliminated it.The reevaluation is largely symbolic and hinges on whether a single measles chain has spread uninterrupted within the U.S. for at least 12 months.Public health scientists around the country are investigating whether the now-ended Texas outbreak is linked to active ones in Utah, Arizona and South Carolina. But doctors and scientists say the U.S. — and North America overall — has a measles problem, regardless of the decision.“It is really a question of semantics,” said Dr. Jonathan Temte, a Wisconsin family physician who helped certify the U.S. was measles-free in 2000. “The bottom line is the conditions are sufficient to allow this many cases to occur. And that gets back to de-emphasizing a safe and effective vaccine.”Last year, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention confirmed 2,144 measles cases across 44 states —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/measles-outbreak-us-texas-mmr-vaccine-rfk-144ed193e13de675a750e52a505423e9">the most since 1991</a>&nbsp;— and nearly 50 separate outbreaks.The problem has been years in the making, as&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/vaccination-rates-cdc-kindergarten-0d261546a130dc256735d7b1ff8c6a5f">fewer kids</a>&nbsp;get routine vaccines due to parental waivers, health care access issues and rampant disinformation. More recently, Trump administration health officials have&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/vaccine-safety-mmr-autism-rfk-hepatitis-20d3122d7a9a339cd8447a347bd49928">questioned</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/cdc-autism-vaccines-7b1890f626dd5921fafd00fdd1e6425a">sown doubt</a>&nbsp;about the established safety of vaccines at an unprecedented level while also&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/measles-texas-vaccines-funding-cuts-5785985d6b74024b0502f6a2fc1576e2">defunding local efforts</a>&nbsp;to improve vaccination rates.“The most important thing that we can do is to make sure the people who aren’t vaccinated get vaccinated,” said Jennifer Nuzzo, director of Brown University’s Pandemic Center. “We have not issued a clear enough message about that.”A Department of Health and Human Services spokesperson said Thursday that Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has consistently emphasized vaccines as the best way to prevent measles, adding that the CDC is responding to outbreaks and working to increase vaccination rates.As of Thursday, the department said it doesn't have evidence that a single chain of measles has spread for a year.<h2>Measles finds the unvaccinated</h2>There is little room for error in trying to stop measles. The virus is one of the most contagious, infecting 9 out of every 10 unvaccinated people exposed. Community-level protection takes a 95% vaccination rate. The current rate nationally is 92.5%, according to CDC data, but many communities fall far below that.The patient in Texas’ first known case developed the telltale rash on Jan. 20, 2025, according to state health department data.From there, the outbreak exploded. Officially, 762 people fell ill, most of them in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/measles-outbreak-texas-rfk-vaccines-8cf4641b04731c713edb524ca943490c">rural Gaines County</a>, and two children died. Many more got sick and were never diagnosed: 182 potential measles cases among children in Gaines County went unconfirmed in March 2025 alone, state health officials said, a possible undercount of 44% in that county.Such data gaps are common, though, making it especially hard to track outbreaks. Many people living in communities where the virus is spreading face health care barriers and distrust the government.Contact tracing so many cases is also expensive, said behavioral scientist Noel Brewer, who chairs the U.S. committee that will finalize the data for international health officials. Research shows&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/measles-texas-vaccines-health-departments-723baa2b92828b04092475f4763585a6">a single measles case</a>&nbsp;can cost public health departments&nbsp;<a href="https://publichealth.jhu.edu/ivac/2025/estimating-the-financial-costs-of-measles-outbreaks">tens of thousands of dollars</a>.CDC data on measles is still among the best worldwide, Brewer said, but “the U.S. has changed its investment in public health, so we’re less able to do the case tracking that we used to do.”Genetic sequencing can fill some gaps.But that's not always enough to say the outbreaks are connected. Genetically, the measles virus doesn't change as often as, say, flu.“Within an outbreak, everybody is going to look the same,” said Justin Lessler, a University of North Carolina disease researcher.The key question may then be how PAHO experts will navigate final data gaps, said Dr. Andrew Pavia, a Utah physician and longtime CDC consultant.“My best guess is we will lose elimination status,” Pavia said. “The case for this not being continuous transmission is tenuous, and I think they are likely to err on the side of declaring it a loss of elimination status.”Scientists have confirmed the same measles strain in Texas, New Mexico, Utah, Arizona, South Carolina, Canada, Mexico and several other North American countries, said Sebastian Oliel, a spokesperson for the Pan American Health Organization, which will make the final decision on U.S. measles elimination at an April 13 meeting.Oliel said when there is a case of unknown origin in a country with ongoing local spread, “the most conservative approach is to consider the case part of the existing national transmission.”<h2>Mexico also up for review</h2>PAHO will review Mexico's measles-free status alongside the U.S., Oliel said. That country's largest outbreak has roots in Texas. It started when an 8-year-old boy from Chihuahua state got sick after visiting family in Seminole, Texas. Since last February, 6,000 people have gotten sick in Mexico, and 21 have died in Chihuahua state.But under PAHO's definition of elimination, borders matter. If, for example, the chain of measles that started in the U.S. spread to Mexico and then returned to the U.S. anew, it would be considered a new chain, experts said. Still, many experts call that standard outdated.What's clear is that measles found ample fertile ground in the U.S. in 2025, infiltrating&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/measles-outbreak-school-attendance-absences-0384199ace95b4088f60864ce9ec8315">schools</a>&nbsp;and day cares, churches, hospital waiting rooms and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/measles-new-mexico-detention-facility-migrants-outbreak-c7f5897ebba85a59548d279c500adaea">a detention center</a>. New Mexico logged 100 cases and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/measles-death-new-mexico-texas-outbreak-b9aef6fdd51fbb4ebd1ce9ce28e33299">one adult died</a>. Kansas officials spent seven months trying to control an outbreak that sickened nearly 90 people across 10 counties. Ohio confirmed 40 cases. Montana, North Dakota and Wisconsin each had 36.Now, more than 800 people have gotten sick across Utah, Arizona and South Carolina since late summer,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/measles-south-carolina-utah-arizona-845643cd1342f1ce2ea01d11b74ee77b">with no end in sight</a>.“2025 was the year of measles,” Brewer said. “Will 2026 be the year of rising or falling measles cases? Does it get worse or does it get better? No one knows the answer.”___The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Science and Educational Media Group and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The AP is solely responsible for all content.

US is on the verge of losing its measles elimination status

JERUSALEM (AP) — Several countries have said they will join U.S. President Donald Trump’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/hamas-israel-ceasefire-netanyahu-trump-6a29026f0308ba3757c975810e2f90c4">Board of Peace</a>, while a few European&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mideast-wars-gaza-board-of-peace-trump-1-21-2026-2f0e063d03babbd3276f31289ba5f2a2">nations have declined their invitations</a>. Many have not yet responded to Trump’s invites.

Chaired by Trump, the board was originally envisioned as a small group of world leaders overseeing the Gaza ceasefire plan. But the Trump administration’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-board-of-peace-gaza-un-b27d17190177041865c6827acd042e56">ambitions have since expanded</a>, with Trump extending&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-palestinians-gaza-trump-board-79586f87db667d61dbbd6a4e59dcb5cb">invitations to dozens of nations</a>&nbsp;and hinting at the board’s future role as conflict mediator.

A White House official has said about 30 countries were expected to join the board, without providing details, while about 50 had been invited.

Here is a tally by The Associated Press on what countries are joining, which are not and which are undecided.

Countries that have accepted invitations to join the board

Countries that will not join the board, at least for now

Countries that have been invited but remain noncommittal:

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/1/1769080687434.png" alt=" " />
 <figcaption> </figcaption>
 </figure>JERUSALEM (AP) — Several countries have said they will join U.S. President Donald Trump’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/hamas-israel-ceasefire-netanyahu-trump-6a29026f0308ba3757c975810e2f90c4">Board of Peace</a>, while a few European&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mideast-wars-gaza-board-of-peace-trump-1-21-2026-2f0e063d03babbd3276f31289ba5f2a2">nations have declined their invitations</a>. Many have not yet responded to Trump’s invites.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">WATCH: <a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@POTUS</a> takes the stage in Davos, Switzerland, alongside the founding members of the Board of Peace, for a signing ceremony <a href="https://t.co/0L7N6fmWw1">pic.twitter.com/0L7N6fmWw1</a>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/2014280976143134781?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 22, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Chaired by Trump, the board was originally envisioned as a small group of world leaders overseeing the Gaza ceasefire plan. But the Trump administration’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-board-of-peace-gaza-un-b27d17190177041865c6827acd042e56">ambitions have since expanded</a>, with Trump extending&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-palestinians-gaza-trump-board-79586f87db667d61dbbd6a4e59dcb5cb">invitations to dozens of nations</a>&nbsp;and hinting at the board’s future role as conflict mediator.A White House official has said about 30 countries were expected to join the board, without providing details, while about 50 had been invited.Here is a tally by The Associated Press on what countries are joining, which are not and which are undecided.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/1/1769080530297.png" alt="Image from White House video" />
 <figcaption>Image from White House video</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>Countries that have accepted invitations to join the board</h2>— Argentina— Armenia— Azerbaijan— Bahrain— Belarus— Bulgaria— Egypt— Hungary— Indonesia— Jordan— Kazakhstan— Kosovo— Morocco— Mongolia— Pakistan— Qatar— Saudi Arabia— Turkey— United Arab Emirates— Uzbekistan— Vietnam<h2>Countries that will not join the board, at least for now</h2><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/1/1769174987956.png" alt=" " />
 <figcaption> </figcaption>
 </figure>— France— Norway— Slovenia— Sweden— The United Kingdom<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">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>&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">Board of Peace signing ceremony! 🕊️ <a href="https://t.co/w92RRIGYnM">pic.twitter.com/w92RRIGYnM</a>&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><h2>Countries that have been invited but remain noncommittal:</h2>— Cambodia— China— Croatia— Germany— India— Italy— The European Union’s executive arm— Paraguay— Russia— Singapore— Thailand— Ukraine

List of countries on Trump's Board of Peace and those that said no

KANSAS&nbsp; CITY– A Missouri woman was sentenced in federal court last week for her role in a wire fraud conspiracy and wire fraud scheme that targeted the Missouri Lottery Commission and an area gas station, according to the United State's Attorney.

Amy Young, 42, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Douglas Harpool to 23 months imprisonment with the Bureau of Prisons based upon her prior guilty plea to conspiracy to commit wire fraud and wire fraud.

Young conspired with others to employ a scheme to purchase Missouri lottery tickets using stolen and fraudulent credit cards and credit card numbers at a Joplin, Mo., gas station.&nbsp; Young and her co-conspirators made $62,082.50 in fraudulent transactions at the gas station in July and August of 2022. These transactions included the purchase of Missouri Lottery tickets. The perpetrators would send other individuals to collect any cash prizes associated with the tickets. The group fraudulently claimed $54,248 in cash prizes from the Missouri Lottery Commission. The fraudulent cash prizes and credit card transactions totaled $116,330.50.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/12/1733412954550.png" alt=" " />
 <figcaption> </figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS&nbsp; CITY– A Missouri woman was sentenced in federal court last week for her role in a wire fraud conspiracy and wire fraud scheme that targeted the Missouri Lottery Commission and an area gas station, according to the United State's Attorney.Amy Young, 42, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Douglas Harpool to 23 months imprisonment with the Bureau of Prisons based upon her prior guilty plea to conspiracy to commit wire fraud and wire fraud.Young conspired with others to employ a scheme to purchase Missouri lottery tickets using stolen and fraudulent credit cards and credit card numbers at a Joplin, Mo., gas station.&nbsp; Young and her co-conspirators made $62,082.50 in fraudulent transactions at the gas station in July and August of 2022. These transactions included the purchase of Missouri Lottery tickets. The perpetrators would send other individuals to collect any cash prizes associated with the tickets. The group fraudulently claimed $54,248 in cash prizes from the Missouri Lottery Commission. The fraudulent cash prizes and credit card transactions totaled $116,330.50.

Prison: Woman purchased lottery tickets with stolen credit cards

By&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/author/alex-veiga">ALEX VEIGA</a>

The average long-term U.S. mortgage rate ticked higher last week, but remains near its lowest level in more than three years.

The benchmark 30-year fixed rate mortgage rate rose to 6.09% from 6.06% last week, mortgage buyer Freddie Mac said Thursday. One year ago, the rate averaged 6.96%.

Borrowing costs on 15-year fixed-rate mortgages, popular with homeowners refinancing their home loans, also rose this week. That average rate inched up to 5.44%, up from 5.38% last week. A year ago, it was at 6.16%, Freddie Mac said.

Mortgage rates are influenced by several factors, from the Federal Reserve’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/federal-reserve-economy-inflation-jobs-442de589de9b99bb811f76e402b00948">interest rate policy decisions</a>&nbsp;to bond market investors’ expectations for the economy and inflation. They generally follow the trajectory of the 10-year Treasury yield, which lenders use as a guide to pricing home loans.

The 10-year yield was at 4.27% at midday Thursday, up from 4.17% a week ago.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/housing-home-sales-real-estate-home-prices-d14d4f80bb90d6031292d1f0c377d708">The U.S. housing market has been in a sales slump dating back to 2022,</a>&nbsp;when mortgage rates began to climb from pandemic-era lows. The combination of higher mortgage rates, years of skyrocketing home prices and a chronic shortage of homes nationally following more than a decade of below-average home construction have left many aspiring homeowners priced out of the market. Sales of previously occupied U.S. homes remained stuck last year at 30-year lows.

Uncertainty over the economy and job market are also keeping many would-be buyers on the sidelines.

Still, a pullback in mortgage rates that began late last summer helped give sales of existing U.S. homes a boost toward the end of last year. In December, sales jumped 5.1% from the previous month.

As mortgage rates have eased, more homeowners have sought to refinance their existing home loan to a lower rate.

Applications for mortgage refinancing loans jumped 20% last week from the previous week and accounted for nearly 62% of all home loan applications, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association. Applications for loans to buy a home rose 5%.

Economists generally expect mortgage rates to ease further this year, though most recent forecasts show the average rate on a 30-year mortgage remaining above 6%, about twice what it was six years ago.

Still, rates would have to drop considerably for homeowners, who bought or refinanced when mortgage rates hit rock bottom earlier this decade, to take on a new loan at a far higher rate.

Nearly 69% of U.S. homes with an outstanding mortgage have a fixed-rate of 5% or lower, and slightly more than half have a rate at or below 4%, according to Realtor.com.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/7/1659001075252.jpeg" alt="Photo AP" />
 <figcaption>Photo AP</figcaption>
 </figure>By&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/author/alex-veiga">ALEX VEIGA</a>The average long-term U.S. mortgage rate ticked higher last week, but remains near its lowest level in more than three years.The benchmark 30-year fixed rate mortgage rate rose to 6.09% from 6.06% last week, mortgage buyer Freddie Mac said Thursday. One year ago, the rate averaged 6.96%.Borrowing costs on 15-year fixed-rate mortgages, popular with homeowners refinancing their home loans, also rose this week. That average rate inched up to 5.44%, up from 5.38% last week. A year ago, it was at 6.16%, Freddie Mac said.Mortgage rates are influenced by several factors, from the Federal Reserve’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/federal-reserve-economy-inflation-jobs-442de589de9b99bb811f76e402b00948">interest rate policy decisions</a>&nbsp;to bond market investors’ expectations for the economy and inflation. They generally follow the trajectory of the 10-year Treasury yield, which lenders use as a guide to pricing home loans.The 10-year yield was at 4.27% at midday Thursday, up from 4.17% a week ago.<a href="https://apnews.com/article/housing-home-sales-real-estate-home-prices-d14d4f80bb90d6031292d1f0c377d708">The U.S. housing market has been in a sales slump dating back to 2022,</a>&nbsp;when mortgage rates began to climb from pandemic-era lows. The combination of higher mortgage rates, years of skyrocketing home prices and a chronic shortage of homes nationally following more than a decade of below-average home construction have left many aspiring homeowners priced out of the market. Sales of previously occupied U.S. homes remained stuck last year at 30-year lows.Uncertainty over the economy and job market are also keeping many would-be buyers on the sidelines.Still, a pullback in mortgage rates that began late last summer helped give sales of existing U.S. homes a boost toward the end of last year. In December, sales jumped 5.1% from the previous month.As mortgage rates have eased, more homeowners have sought to refinance their existing home loan to a lower rate.Applications for mortgage refinancing loans jumped 20% last week from the previous week and accounted for nearly 62% of all home loan applications, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association. Applications for loans to buy a home rose 5%.Economists generally expect mortgage rates to ease further this year, though most recent forecasts show the average rate on a 30-year mortgage remaining above 6%, about twice what it was six years ago.Still, rates would have to drop considerably for homeowners, who bought or refinanced when mortgage rates hit rock bottom earlier this decade, to take on a new loan at a far higher rate.Nearly 69% of U.S. homes with an outstanding mortgage have a fixed-rate of 5% or lower, and slightly more than half have a rate at or below 4%, according to Realtor.com.

Average US long-term mortgage rate edges higher

By&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/author/hannah-fingerhut">HANNAH FINGERHUT</a> Associated Press

Videos quickly emerged showing the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/immigration-enforcement-minnesota-4d1499fc5962ab880f3816259e04bdbf">fatal shooting of a Minneapolis protester</a>&nbsp;by a Border Patrol agent that has been widely denounced as a case of excessive force carried out by untrained federal officers. The administration says it was a case of an armed man provoking violence.

The Associated Press reviewed multiple bystander videos that show a Border Patrol agent shooting and killing 37-year-old&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/immigration-enforcement-minnesota-protester-alex-pretti-15ade7de6e19cb0291734e85dac763dc">Alex Pretti</a>&nbsp;after a roughly 30-second scuffle around 9 a.m. Saturday. The videos appear to contradict statements by the Trump administration, which said the shots were fired “defensively” against Pretti as he “approached” them with a gun.

In the videos, Pretti is seen with only a phone in his hand. None of the footage appears to show him with a weapon. During the scuffle, agents discovered that he was carrying a 9 mm semiautomatic handgun, and they opened fire with several shots. Pretti was licensed to carry a concealed weapon.

Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey, who said he watched one of the videos, said he saw “more than six masked agents pummeling one of our constituents, shooting him to death." Frey has said Minneapolis and St. Paul are being “invaded” by the administration's&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/minnesota-immigration-crackdown-51a05ca22098e07fa0499e59e49e6b22">largest immigration crackdown</a>, dubbed Operation Metro Surge.

Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said Pretti attacked officers, and Customs and Border Patrol Commander Gregory Bovino said Pretti wanted to do “maximum damage and massacre law enforcement.” In posts on X, President Donald Trump’s deputy chief of staff, Stephen Miller, called Pretti "a would-be assassin.”

It was the second fatal shooting in Minneapolis by federal immigration authorities this month. The first, on Jan. 7, involved&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/minnesota-immigration-enforcement-shooting-crackdown-surge-173e00fa7388054e98c3b5b9417c1e5a">Renee Good</a>. It also was captured on videos and produced a similar schism among political leaders.

The shooting occurred when officers were pursuing a man in the country illegally wanted for domestic assault, Bovino said. Protesters routinely try to disrupt such operations, and they sounded high-pitched whistles, honked horns and yelled at officers.

Among them was Pretti. At one point, in a video obtained by AP, Pretti is standing in the street and holding up his phone. He is face-to-face with an officer in a tactical vest, who places his hand on Pretti and pushes him toward the sidewalk.

Pretti is talking to the officer, though it is not clear what he is saying.

The video shows protesters wandering in and out of the street as officers persist in trying to keep them at bay. One protester is put in handcuffs. Some officers are carrying pepper spray canisters.

Pretti comes in again when the video shows an officer wearing tactical gear shoving a protester. The protester, who is wearing a skirt over black tights and holding a water bottle, reaches out for Pretti.

The same officer shoves Pretti in his chest, leading Pretti and the other protester to stumble backward.

A different video then shows Pretti moving toward another protester, who falls over after being shoved by the same officer. Pretti moves between the protester and the officer, reaching his arms out toward the officer.

The officer deploys pepper spray, and Pretti raises his hand and turns his face. The officer grabs Pretti's hand to bring it behind his back, deploys the pepper spray canister again and then pushes Pretti away.

Seconds later, at least a half-dozen federal officers surround Pretti, who is wrestled to the ground and hit several times. Several agents try to bring Pretti’s arms behind his back, and he struggles.

Videos show an officer, who is hovering over the scuffle with his right hand on Pretti’s back, backs away from the group with what appears to be a gun in his right hand just before the first shot.

Someone shouts “gun, gun.” It is not clear if that’s a reference to the weapon authorities say Pretti had.

Videos do not clearly show who fired the first shot. In one video, seconds before the first shot, one officer reaches for his belt and appears to draw his gun. That same officer is seen with a gun to Pretti’s back as three more shots ring out. Pretti slumps to the ground. Videos show the officers backing away, some with guns drawn. More shots are fired.

The Department of Homeland Security said Pretti was shot after he “approached” Border Patrol officers with a gun. Officials did not say if Pretti brandished the weapon or kept it hidden.

An agency statement said officers fired “defensive shots” after Pretti “violently resisted” officers tried to disarm him.

Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz expressed dismay at the characterization.

“I’ve seen the videos, from several angles, and it’s sickening,” he said.

Trump weighed in on social media by lashing out Walz and Frey. Trump shared images of the gun that immigration officials said was recovered from Pretti and said “What is that all about? Where are the local Police? Why weren’t they allowed to protect ICE Officers?”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/1/1769291501849.png" alt="Image of the shooting from a bystander video obtained by the APAssociated Press" />
 <figcaption>Image of the shooting from a bystander video obtained by the APAssociated Press</figcaption>
 </figure>By&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/author/hannah-fingerhut">HANNAH FINGERHUT</a> Associated PressVideos quickly emerged showing the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/immigration-enforcement-minnesota-4d1499fc5962ab880f3816259e04bdbf">fatal shooting of a Minneapolis protester</a>&nbsp;by a Border Patrol agent that has been widely denounced as a case of excessive force carried out by untrained federal officers. The administration says it was a case of an armed man provoking violence.The Associated Press reviewed multiple bystander videos that show a Border Patrol agent shooting and killing 37-year-old&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/immigration-enforcement-minnesota-protester-alex-pretti-15ade7de6e19cb0291734e85dac763dc">Alex Pretti</a>&nbsp;after a roughly 30-second scuffle around 9 a.m. Saturday. The videos appear to contradict statements by the Trump administration, which said the shots were fired “defensively” against Pretti as he “approached” them with a gun.In the videos, Pretti is seen with only a phone in his hand. None of the footage appears to show him with a weapon. During the scuffle, agents discovered that he was carrying a 9 mm semiautomatic handgun, and they opened fire with several shots. Pretti was licensed to carry a concealed weapon.Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey, who said he watched one of the videos, said he saw “more than six masked agents pummeling one of our constituents, shooting him to death." Frey has said Minneapolis and St. Paul are being “invaded” by the administration's&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/minnesota-immigration-crackdown-51a05ca22098e07fa0499e59e49e6b22">largest immigration crackdown</a>, dubbed Operation Metro Surge.Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said Pretti attacked officers, and Customs and Border Patrol Commander Gregory Bovino said Pretti wanted to do “maximum damage and massacre law enforcement.” In posts on X, President Donald Trump’s deputy chief of staff, Stephen Miller, called Pretti "a would-be assassin.”<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Q: &quot;Did he brandish a gun? At what point did law enforcement retrieve the gun and also the magazines...? Secretary Noem: &quot;This individual showed up to impede a law enforcement operation and assaulted our officers. They responded according to their training...&quot; <a href="https://t.co/vPRUsBIBru">pic.twitter.com/vPRUsBIBru</a>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/2015193659595977150?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 24, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">DHS Secretary Kristi Noem (<a href="https://twitter.com/Sec_Noem?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Sec_Noem</a>) on Minneapolis shooting: &quot;This looks like a situation where an individual arrived at the scene to inflict maximum damage on individuals and to kill law enforcement.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/feQF14gZWh">pic.twitter.com/feQF14gZWh</a>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/2015191779675423218?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 24, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>It was the second fatal shooting in Minneapolis by federal immigration authorities this month. The first, on Jan. 7, involved&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/minnesota-immigration-enforcement-shooting-crackdown-surge-173e00fa7388054e98c3b5b9417c1e5a">Renee Good</a>. It also was captured on videos and produced a similar schism among political leaders.The shooting occurred when officers were pursuing a man in the country illegally wanted for domestic assault, Bovino said. Protesters routinely try to disrupt such operations, and they sounded high-pitched whistles, honked horns and yelled at officers.Among them was Pretti. At one point, in a video obtained by AP, Pretti is standing in the street and holding up his phone. He is face-to-face with an officer in a tactical vest, who places his hand on Pretti and pushes him toward the sidewalk.Pretti is talking to the officer, though it is not clear what he is saying.The video shows protesters wandering in and out of the street as officers persist in trying to keep them at bay. One protester is put in handcuffs. Some officers are carrying pepper spray canisters.Pretti comes in again when the video shows an officer wearing tactical gear shoving a protester. The protester, who is wearing a skirt over black tights and holding a water bottle, reaches out for Pretti.The same officer shoves Pretti in his chest, leading Pretti and the other protester to stumble backward.A different video then shows Pretti moving toward another protester, who falls over after being shoved by the same officer. Pretti moves between the protester and the officer, reaching his arms out toward the officer.The officer deploys pepper spray, and Pretti raises his hand and turns his face. The officer grabs Pretti's hand to bring it behind his back, deploys the pepper spray canister again and then pushes Pretti away.Seconds later, at least a half-dozen federal officers surround Pretti, who is wrestled to the ground and hit several times. Several agents try to bring Pretti’s arms behind his back, and he struggles.Videos show an officer, who is hovering over the scuffle with his right hand on Pretti’s back, backs away from the group with what appears to be a gun in his right hand just before the first shot.Someone shouts “gun, gun.” It is not clear if that’s a reference to the weapon authorities say Pretti had.And then the first shot is heard.Videos do not clearly show who fired the first shot. In one video, seconds before the first shot, one officer reaches for his belt and appears to draw his gun. That same officer is seen with a gun to Pretti’s back as three more shots ring out. Pretti slumps to the ground. Videos show the officers backing away, some with guns drawn. More shots are fired.The Department of Homeland Security said Pretti was shot after he “approached” Border Patrol officers with a gun. Officials did not say if Pretti brandished the weapon or kept it hidden.An agency statement said officers fired “defensive shots” after Pretti “violently resisted” officers tried to disarm him.Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz expressed dismay at the characterization.“I’ve seen the videos, from several angles, and it’s sickening,” he said.Trump weighed in on social media by lashing out Walz and Frey. Trump shared images of the gun that immigration officials said was recovered from Pretti and said “What is that all about? Where are the local Police? Why weren’t they allowed to protect ICE Officers?”

Videos show deadly Minneapolis shooting and political leaders reach different conclusions

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

 Kansas GOP governor candidate blasts Legislature for not changing congressional map

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Iran’s paramilitary&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/iran-revolutionary-guard-what-to-know-australia-c6e5aa5744e6f56b04c8f251cff31733">Revolutionary Guard</a>, a force which was key in putting down recent nationwide protests in a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/iran-protests-nationwide-scale-us-trump-0eecd9962240600150530261dfab03f2">crackdown that left thousands dead</a>, is “more ready than ever, finger on the trigger,” its commander said Saturday, as U.S. warships headed toward the Middle East.

Nournews, a news outlet close to Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, reported on its Telegram channel that the commander, Gen. Mohammad Pakpour, warned the United States and Israel “to avoid any miscalculation.”

“The Islamic Revolutionary Guards and dear Iran stand more ready than ever, finger on the trigger, to execute the orders and directives of the Commander-in-Chief,” Nournews quoted Pakpour as saying.

Tension remains high between Iran and the U.S. in the wake of a bloody crackdown on protests that began on Dec. 28, triggered by the collapse of Iran’s currency, the rial, and swept the country for about two weeks.

U.S. President Donald Trump has repeatedly warned Tehran, setting two red lines for the use of military force: the killing of peaceful demonstrators and the mass execution of people arrested in the protests.

Trump has repeatedly said Iran halted the execution of 800 people detained in the protests. He has not elaborated on the source of the claim — which Iran’s top prosecutor, Mohammad Movahedi, strongly denied Friday in comments carried by the judiciary’s Mizan news agency.

On Thursday, Trump said aboard Air Force One that the U.S. was moving warships toward Iran “just in case” he wants to take action.

“We have a massive fleet heading in that direction and maybe we won’t have to use it,” Trump said.

A U.S. Navy official, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss military movements, said Thursday that the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln and other warships traveling with it were in the Indian Ocean.

Trump also mentioned the multiple rounds of talks American officials had with Iran over its nuclear program before Israel launched&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-attack-iran-strike-nuclear-us-news-5adea3ffa51264e0c7c803d8acfde338">a 12-day war against the Islamic Republic</a>&nbsp;in June, which also saw U.S. warplanes bomb Iranian nuclear sites. He threatened Iran with military action that would make earlier U.S. strikes against Iranian uranium enrichment sites “look like peanuts.”

“They should have made a deal before we hit them,” Trump said.

The tension has led at least two European airlines to suspend some flights to the wider region.

Air France cancelled two return flights from Paris to Dubai over the weekend. The airline said it was "closely following developments in the Middle East in real time and continuously monitors the geopolitical situation in the territories served and overflown by its aircraft in order to ensure the highest level of flight safety and security.” It said it would resume its service to Dubai later Saturday.

Luxair said it had postponed its Saturday flight from Luxembourg to Dubai by 24 hours “in light of ongoing tensions and insecurity affecting the region’s airspace, and in line with measures taken by several other airlines.”

It told the AP it was closely monitoring the situation “and a decision on whether the flight will operate tomorrow will be taken based on the ongoing assessment.”

Arrivals information at Dubai’s international airport also showed the cancellation of Saturday flights from Amsterdam by Dutch carriers KLM and Transavia. The airlines did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

Some KLM flights to Tel Aviv in Israel were also canceled on Friday and Saturday, according to online flight trackers.

Although there have been no further demonstrations in Iran for days, the death toll reported by activists has continued to rise as information trickles out despite the most comprehensive internet blackout in Iran’s history, which has now lasted more than two weeks.

The U.S.-based&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/iran-protests-death-toll-ec00ffa50f818d4a66aec5942aec629b">Human Rights Activists News Agency</a>&nbsp;on Saturday put the death toll at 5,137, with the number expected to increase. More than 27,700 people have been arrested, it said.

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.

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

Associated Press writers Jon Gambrell in Dubai, Samuel Petrequin in Paris, Melanie Lidman in Tel Aviv, Israel, and Konstantin Toropin and Aamer Madhani in Washington contributed to this report.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/1/1769269152543.png" alt="A U.S. Air Force F-15E Strike Eagle assigned to the 494th Expeditionary Fighter Squadron lands at a base in the Middle East, Jan. 18.-photo U.S. Central Command&nbsp;" />
 <figcaption>A U.S. Air Force F-15E Strike Eagle assigned to the 494th Expeditionary Fighter Squadron lands at a base in the Middle East, Jan. 18.-photo U.S. Central Command&nbsp;</figcaption>
 </figure>DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Iran’s paramilitary&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/iran-revolutionary-guard-what-to-know-australia-c6e5aa5744e6f56b04c8f251cff31733">Revolutionary Guard</a>, a force which was key in putting down recent nationwide protests in a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/iran-protests-nationwide-scale-us-trump-0eecd9962240600150530261dfab03f2">crackdown that left thousands dead</a>, is “more ready than ever, finger on the trigger,” its commander said Saturday, as U.S. warships headed toward the Middle East.Nournews, a news outlet close to Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, reported on its Telegram channel that the commander, Gen. Mohammad Pakpour, warned the United States and Israel “to avoid any miscalculation.”“The Islamic Revolutionary Guards and dear Iran stand more ready than ever, finger on the trigger, to execute the orders and directives of the Commander-in-Chief,” Nournews quoted Pakpour as saying.Tension remains high between Iran and the U.S. in the wake of a bloody crackdown on protests that began on Dec. 28, triggered by the collapse of Iran’s currency, the rial, and swept the country for about two weeks.<h2>Trump's warnings</h2>U.S. President Donald Trump has repeatedly warned Tehran, setting two red lines for the use of military force: the killing of peaceful demonstrators and the mass execution of people arrested in the protests.Trump has repeatedly said Iran halted the execution of 800 people detained in the protests. He has not elaborated on the source of the claim — which Iran’s top prosecutor, Mohammad Movahedi, strongly denied Friday in comments carried by the judiciary’s Mizan news agency.On Thursday, Trump said aboard Air Force One that the U.S. was moving warships toward Iran “just in case” he wants to take action.“We have a massive fleet heading in that direction and maybe we won’t have to use it,” Trump said.A U.S. Navy official, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss military movements, said Thursday that the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln and other warships traveling with it were in the Indian Ocean.Trump also mentioned the multiple rounds of talks American officials had with Iran over its nuclear program before Israel launched&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-attack-iran-strike-nuclear-us-news-5adea3ffa51264e0c7c803d8acfde338">a 12-day war against the Islamic Republic</a>&nbsp;in June, which also saw U.S. warplanes bomb Iranian nuclear sites. He threatened Iran with military action that would make earlier U.S. strikes against Iranian uranium enrichment sites “look like peanuts.”“They should have made a deal before we hit them,” Trump said.<h2>Airline jitters</h2>The tension has led at least two European airlines to suspend some flights to the wider region.Air France cancelled two return flights from Paris to Dubai over the weekend. The airline said it was "closely following developments in the Middle East in real time and continuously monitors the geopolitical situation in the territories served and overflown by its aircraft in order to ensure the highest level of flight safety and security.” It said it would resume its service to Dubai later Saturday.Luxair said it had postponed its Saturday flight from Luxembourg to Dubai by 24 hours “in light of ongoing tensions and insecurity affecting the region’s airspace, and in line with measures taken by several other airlines.”It told the AP it was closely monitoring the situation “and a decision on whether the flight will operate tomorrow will be taken based on the ongoing assessment.”Arrivals information at Dubai’s international airport also showed the cancellation of Saturday flights from Amsterdam by Dutch carriers KLM and Transavia. The airlines did not immediately respond to requests for comment.Some KLM flights to Tel Aviv in Israel were also canceled on Friday and Saturday, according to online flight trackers.<h2>Rising death toll</h2>Although there have been no further demonstrations in Iran for days, the death toll reported by activists has continued to rise as information trickles out despite the most comprehensive internet blackout in Iran’s history, which has now lasted more than two weeks.The U.S.-based&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/iran-protests-death-toll-ec00ffa50f818d4a66aec5942aec629b">Human Rights Activists News Agency</a>&nbsp;on Saturday put the death toll at 5,137, with the number expected to increase. More than 27,700 people have been arrested, it said.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.<a href="https://apnews.com/article/iran-protests-araghchi-trump-threat-crackdown-299375ebfd004dd6098c77a6bb8079a5">Iran’s government</a>&nbsp;offered its first death toll on Wednesday, saying 3,117 people were killed. It said 2,427 were civilians and security forces, and labeled the rest as “terrorists.” In the past, Iran’s theocracy has undercounted or not reported fatalities from unrest.___Associated Press writers Jon Gambrell in Dubai, Samuel Petrequin in Paris, Melanie Lidman in Tel Aviv, Israel, and Konstantin Toropin and Aamer Madhani in Washington contributed to this report.

Iran's Revolutionary Guard commander issues warning to the US

HARVEY COUNTY —Emergency crews responded to a child stuck in a hole at Sand Creek Station on Saturday, according to a social media report from Newton Fire and EMS.

On arrival, just the fingertips of a 15-year-old boy were visible at ground level. The child was rescued from the hole and transported to the local hospital in stable condition for evaluation. 

He had been sledding with a friend, who notified a neighbor to call 911. Thanks to his quick thinking, this event had a positive outcome.

Newton emergency crews reported they did not measure the hole, but it was about 12 inches. The 15-year-old was released from the hospital, is home and was doing well.

New Fire and EMS reminded, "it is important to always have someone with you while sledding to call for help in the event of an emergency."

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/1/1769311422530.png" alt="Photo Newton Fire and EMS" />
 <figcaption>Photo Newton Fire and EMS</figcaption>
 </figure>HARVEY COUNTY —Emergency crews responded to a child stuck in a hole at Sand Creek Station on Saturday, according to a social media report from Newton Fire and EMS.On arrival, just the fingertips of a 15-year-old boy were visible at ground level. The child was rescued from the hole and transported to the local hospital in stable condition for evaluation. He had been sledding with a friend, who notified a neighbor to call 911. Thanks to his quick thinking, this event had a positive outcome.Newton emergency crews reported they did not measure the hole, but it was about 12 inches. The 15-year-old was released from the hospital, is home and was doing well.New Fire and EMS reminded, "it is important to always have someone with you while sledding to call for help in the event of an emergency."

Kan. boy rescued from hole after sledding accident

BROWN COUNTY, Kan. —Law enforcement are investigating a suspect on multiple allegations after a traffic stop.

Just after 6:30p.m. on Jan. 19, Brown County dispatch received several reckless driving 911 calls on a white Cadillac Escalade on US 75 Highway, according to Sheriff John Merchant.

&nbsp; A Brown County deputy was near the location and was able to observe the vehicle cross the center line at least twice.&nbsp;&nbsp; The deputy then initiated a traffic stop on the SUV and spoke with the driver identified as 32-year-old Cassondra Smith of Falls City, Nebraska.

The deputy immediately detected the odor of burnt marijuana coming from inside the vehicle.&nbsp; At the conclusion of the traffic stop,&nbsp; Smith was arrested on charges of DUI and Child Endangerment.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/1/1769117609372.png" alt="Smith photo Brown Co." />
 <figcaption>Smith photo Brown Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>BROWN COUNTY, Kan. —Law enforcement are investigating a suspect on multiple allegations after a traffic stop.Just after 6:30p.m. on Jan. 19, Brown County dispatch received several reckless driving 911 calls on a white Cadillac Escalade on US 75 Highway, according to Sheriff John Merchant.&nbsp; A Brown County deputy was near the location and was able to observe the vehicle cross the center line at least twice.&nbsp;&nbsp; The deputy then initiated a traffic stop on the SUV and spoke with the driver identified as 32-year-old Cassondra Smith of Falls City, Nebraska.The deputy immediately detected the odor of burnt marijuana coming from inside the vehicle.&nbsp; At the conclusion of the traffic stop,&nbsp; Smith was arrested on charges of DUI and Child Endangerment.

Sheriff: Driver was smoking pot with child in the SUV

NEW YORK (AP) — Toyota announced Friday it would recall about 162,000 pickup trucks in the United States after it was discovered that the vehicles' multimedia displays could compromise driver safety.

The recall affects the company's model year 2024-2025 Tundra and Tundra Hybrid line of trucks. Affected customers are currently being notified, according to a&nbsp;<a href="https://pressroom.toyota.com/toyota-recalls-certain-toyota-tundra-and-tundra-hybrid-vehicles/">statement</a>&nbsp;from Toyota.

The Japanese automaker warns that the screens may “become stuck on a camera view” or go completely dark under certain circumstances, creating situations where drivers aren't able to see their backup camera feed when reversing. Toyota says this malfunction potentially violates federal safety standards.

NEW YORK (AP) — Toyota announced Friday it would recall about 162,000 pickup trucks in the United States after it was discovered that the vehicles' multimedia displays could compromise driver safety.The recall affects the company's model year 2024-2025 Tundra and Tundra Hybrid line of trucks. Affected customers are currently being notified, according to a&nbsp;<a href="https://pressroom.toyota.com/toyota-recalls-certain-toyota-tundra-and-tundra-hybrid-vehicles/">statement</a>&nbsp;from Toyota.The Japanese automaker warns that the screens may “become stuck on a camera view” or go completely dark under certain circumstances, creating situations where drivers aren't able to see their backup camera feed when reversing. Toyota says this malfunction potentially violates federal safety standards.

Toyota recalls trucks over faulty multimedia screens

KANSAS CITY—Law enforcement investigating the death of two people at a Kansas City home have identified the victims as&nbsp;as 41-year-old Anna Davis and 41-year-old Darren Davis, according to KCPD Captain Jake Becchina.

The case is now being investigated as an apparent double suicide., according to Becchina.

Just after 8:30p.m. Wednesday, police&nbsp;were dispatched to the 1200 block of NE 83rd Terrace, according to KCPD Sergeant Phil DiMartino. As officers arrived they were directed inside a residence where hey located Darren Davis and Anna Davis both suffering from gunshot wounds.&nbsp; Officers also located a juvenile boy with an unknown injury. 

The child was transported to a local hospital for evaluation. Both the Darren and Anna Davis were pronounced deceased at the scene.&nbsp; Detectives are working to determine what led up to the incident.&nbsp; Police have not provided an update on the condition of the boy.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/1/1768509792019.png" alt="Photo courtesy KCTV" />
 <figcaption>Photo courtesy KCTV</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY—Law enforcement investigating the death of two people at a Kansas City home have identified the victims as&nbsp;as 41-year-old Anna Davis and 41-year-old Darren Davis, according to KCPD Captain Jake Becchina.The case is now being investigated as an apparent double suicide., according to Becchina.Just after 8:30p.m. Wednesday, police&nbsp;were dispatched to the 1200 block of NE 83rd Terrace, according to KCPD Sergeant Phil DiMartino. As officers arrived they were directed inside a residence where hey located Darren Davis and Anna Davis both suffering from gunshot wounds.&nbsp; Officers also located a juvenile boy with an unknown injury. The child was transported to a local hospital for evaluation. Both the Darren and Anna Davis were pronounced deceased at the scene.&nbsp; Detectives are working to determine what led up to the incident.&nbsp; Police have not provided an update on the condition of the boy.

Police ID couple found dead, infant injured at KC home

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) —A federal immigration officer&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/immigration-enforcement-minnesota-4d1499fc5962ab880f3816259e04bdbf">shot and killed a man in Minneapolis</a>&nbsp;on Saturday, drawing hundreds of protesters onto the frigidly cold streets in a city already shaken by&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ice-shooting-minneapolis-minnesota-9aa822670b705c89906f2c699f1d16c5">another fatal shooting&nbsp;</a>weeks earlier.

Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara said a 37-year-old man was killed but declined to identify him. He added that information about what led up to the shooting was limited. The man was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/immigration-enforcement-minnesota-protester-alex-pretti-15ade7de6e19cb0291734e85dac763dc" target="_blank">identified by his parents as Alex Jeffrey Pretti</a>, an intensive care unit nurse. The officer who shot Pretti is an eight-year Border Patrol veteran, federal officials said.

The Minnesota National Guard has been activated by Gov. Tim Walz and is assisting local police amid growing protests. Guard troops are going to both to the shooting site and to a federal building where officials have squared off with protesters daily.

The shooting happened amid widespread daily protests in the Twin Cities since the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/minnesota-immigration-enforcement-shooting-crackdown-surge-173e00fa7388054e98c3b5b9417c1e5a">Jan. 7 shooting of 37-year-old Renee Good</a>, who was killed when an Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer fired into her vehicle. Pretti was killed just over a mile away from where Good was shot.

Bystander video obtained by AP shows details of confrontation

By&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/author/hannah-fingerhut">HANNAH FINGERHUT</a>

In a bystander video obtained by the AP, protesters can be heard blowing whistles and shouting profanities at agents on Nicollet Avenue.

The video shows an officer shoving a person who is wearing a brown jacket, green skirt and black tights and carrying a water bottle. That person reaches out for a man and the two link up, embracing.

The man, wearing a brown jacket and black hat, seems to be holding his phone up toward the officer.

The same officer shoves the man in his chest and the two, still embracing, fall back.

The video then shifts to a different part of the street and then comes back to the two individuals unlinking from each other. The video shifts focus again and then shows three officers surrounding the man.

Soon at least seven officers surround the man. One is on the man’s back and another who appears to have a cannister in his hand strikes a blow to the man’s chest. Several officers try to bring the man’s arms behind his back as he appears to resist. As they pull his arms, his face is briefly visible on camera. The officer with the cannister strikes the man near his head several times.

A shot rings out, but with officers surrounding the man, it’s not clear from where the shot came. Multiple officers back off of the man after the shot. More shots are heard. Officers back away and the man lies motionless on the street.

Defense Secretary says ICE is greater than Minnesota

By<a href="https://apnews.com/author/michelle-l-price">MICHELLE L. PRICE</a>

Pete Hegseth posted on the social platform X to thank God for the “patriots” who work for ICE and said, “we have your back 100%.”

The Pentagon chief added: “Shame on the leadership of Minnesota — and the lunatics in the street. ICE &gt; MN.”

Hegseth was born and raised in Minnesota.

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) —The man who was shot and killed by a federal officer during an immigration operation has been identified as 37-year-old Alex Pretti. His parents told The Associated Press that Pretti was an intensive care unit nurse.

Trump weighs in on the shooting in Minneapolis

Trump posted to his Truth Social account after a man was killed by federal officers during an immigration enforcement action in Minneapolis. Trump's statement said:

“This is the gunman’s gun, loaded (with two additional full magazines!), and ready to go – What is that all about? Where are the local Police? Why weren’t they allowed to protect ICE Officers? The Mayor and the Governor called them off? It is stated that many of these Police were not allowed to do their job, that ICE had to protect themselves — Not an easy thing to do! Why does Ilhan Omar have $34 Million Dollars in her account? And where are the Tens of Billions of Dollars that have been stolen from the once Great State of Minnesota? 

We are there because of massive Monetary Fraud, with Billions of Dollars missing, and Illegal Criminals that were allowed to infiltrate the State through the Democrats’ Open Border Policy. We want the money back, and we want it back, NOW. Those Fraudsters who stole the money are going to jail, where they belong! This is no different than a really big Bank Robbery. Much of what you’re witnessing is a COVER UP for this Theft and Fraud.

"The Mayor and the Governor are inciting Insurrection, with their pompous, dangerous, and arrogant rhetoric! Instead, these sanctimonious political fools should be looking for the Billions of Dollars that has been stolen from the people of Minnesota, and the United States of America. LET OUR ICE PATRIOTS DO THEIR JOB! 12,000 Illegal Alien Criminals, many of them violent, have been arrested and taken out of Minnesota. If they were still there, you would see something far worse than you are witnessing today!””

DHS says officers fired “defensive shots”

Department of Homeland Security spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin said in a statement that federal officers were conducting an operation as part of the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/minneapolis-renee-good-immigration-sweeps-6ae64be5a0d6a718b658a938fb56e567">Trump administration’s immigration crackdown</a>.

She said officers fired “defensive shots” after a man with a handgun approached them and “violently resisted” when officers tried to disarm him. O’Hara said police believe the man was a “lawful gun owner with a permit to carry.”

Police chief says man shot and killed was a ‘lawful gun owner’

O’Hara said the man’s only previous interaction with law enforcement as far as he knew was for traffic tickets.

"And we believe he is a lawful gun owner with a permit to carry,” he said.

Police chief asks public, law enforcement to remain calm

Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara appealed for calm, both from the public and from federal law enforcement, following the shooting of a man.

“Our demand today is for those federal agencies that are operating in our city to do so with the same discipline, humanity and integrity that effective law enforcement in this country demands,” the chief said.