January 20, 2026 5:14 am
ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) — Federal immigration agents have detained a U.S. citizen in Minnesota at gunpoint without a warrant. That’s according to ChongLy “Scott” Thao, who says agents forced open his door, entered with guns drawn and led him outside in his underwear in freezing conditions. The detention is part of a larger surge of federal agents in the Twin Cities, leading to backlash over warrantless arrests and aggressive tactics. The Department of Homeland Security says the operation targeted two sex offenders. Thao disputes this, saying he lives with his family, none of whom are listed as offenders. Thao plans to file a civil rights lawsuit.
January 20, 2026 4:38 pm
(AP) – International health officials will meet in a few months to reevaluate the United States’ measles-free status. Experts fear the vaccine-preventable virus has regained a foothold and that the U.S. may soon follow Canada in losing the achievement of having eliminated it. The evaluation comes a year after the West Texas measles outbreak began. Scientists are investigating whether multiple U.S. outbreaks are linked. But regardless of the U.S. elimination status, doctors and scientists say the country has a measles problem. At the April meeting, international health officials also will review Mexico’s measles-free status. Its measles outbreak is connected to last year’s Texas outbreak.
January 19, 2026 5:18 am
MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — Australia’s Parliament has begun debating new anti-hate speech and gun laws after two shooters killed 15 people at a Jewish festival in Sydney last month. The proposed laws would restrict gun ownership and introduce a government-funded buyback scheme. Anti-hate speech laws would also target groups like Hizb ut-Tahrir. Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke said the alleged gunmen, Sajid Akram and his son Naveed, would not have had guns under the new laws. Parliament is expected to pass the legislation by Wednesday. The states of Tasmania and Queensland and the Northern Territory are resisting the federal push for a new gun buyback.
January 19, 2026 5:42 pm
HUDSONVILLE, Mich. (AP) — More than 100 vehicles smashed into each other or slid off the interstate in Michigan as snow fueled by the Great Lakes blanketed the state. The massive pileup Monday prompted the Michigan State Police to close both directions of Interstate 196 just southwest of Grand Rapids. The State Police say there were numerous injuries but no deaths reported. The crash is just the latest impact of the major winter storm moving across the country. The National Weather Service issued warnings about either extremely cold temperatures or the potential for winter storms across several states.
January 19, 2026 10:33 am
(AP) – U.S. Donald Trump has linked his aggressive stance on Greenland to last year’s decision not to award him the Nobel Peace Prize, telling Norway’s prime minister that he no longer feels “an obligation to think purely of Peace.” That’s according to two European officials who were not authorized to comment publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity. Trump’s message to Jonas Gahr Støre appears to ratchet up a standoff between Washington and its closest allies over his threats to take over Greenland. But British Prime Minister Keir Starmer sought to de-escalate tensions on Monday.
January 19, 2026 4:59 am
Dangerously cold wind chills will start on Tuesday, so grab the extra layers and try to limit time outdoors. A Cold Weather Advisory has been issued with wind chills as low as -10 to -15 expected early Tuesday morning and continued cold through Tuesday afternoon. Temperatures will climb a bit Wednesday as the next system moves in, bringing more snow showers and another drop in temperatures later this week. The wintry weather pattern sticks around through the weekend as well with more snow showers expected.
January 19, 2026 4:54 am
A major rescue operation resulted after a police chase ended in Monessen. Offcials say the police pursuit began after a vehicle was reported stolen out of Charleroi around 4:30 p.m.Sunday. A foot pursuit later began, with one person being detained, and two others fleeing on foot over an embankment in Monessen, the supervisor says. Police detained the suspects, and a rescue operation ensued to bring them up the hillside in the area of Dennis Avenue near Route 906. urrysville Medic One shared photos of the operation, saying its rope rescue team extracted three police officers and two suspects from the 600-foot hillside. In total, 12 people needed to be brought up the hillside, including the two suspects, police officers and firefighters. Everyone had been brought up by 9 p.m. At least one of the suspects was taken by ambulance to a local hospital. One police officer reportedly self-transported to the hospital for an eye injury.
January 19, 2026 5:08 am
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey says sending active duty soldiers to Minnesota for an immigration crackdown is ridiculous and unconstitutional. He is urging protesters to remain peaceful. Protests have been ongoing since the Department of Homeland Security increased immigration enforcement in the Twin Cities. President Donald Trump had threatened to invoke the Insurrection Act but has since backed off. A federal judge ruled that immigration officers can’t detain or tear gas peaceful protesters and nearly all of the demonstrations have not seen violence. Postal workers marched against ICE on Sunday and some hotels protesters say housed ICE agents were not accepting reservations.
January 18, 2026 5:09 am
At least eight more countries say the United States has invited them to join President Donald Trump’s new Board of Peace overseeing next steps for Gaza. A U.S. official confirms that a $1 billion contribution secures permanent membership, while a three-year appointment requires no contribution. India, Jordan, Australia, Greece, Cyprus and Pakistan say they have received invitations, and Hungary and Vietnam say they have accepted theirs. The official member list is expected in the coming days. The board of world leaders could rival the U.N. Security Council, which U.S. vetoes have blocked from taking action to end the war.
January 19, 2026 5:05 am
WASHINGTON (AP) — America’s top trading partners are responding to President Donald Trump’s trade policies by trying to take their business elsewhere. Canada broke with the United States Friday, slashing its 100% import tax on Chinese electric vehicles in return for lower tariffs on Canadian farm products. Canada is not alone in looking for alternatives to America’s massive market. The European Union is expected to formally sign trade pact Saturday with the South American alliance known as Mercosur, which includes the region’s two biggest economies, Brazil and Argentina. China, pounded by U.S. tariffs since Trump’s first term, has diversified its exports away the world’s biggest economy to markets such as Europe and Southeast Asia.
