Musk To Make Last-Minute Appearance At WEF, Putting Globalists On Edge

Tyler Durden
Thu, 01/22/2026 – 09:45

https://www.zerohedge.com/political/musk-make-last-minute-appearance-wef-putting-globalists-edge 

Por The Associated Press

Lista de nominados a la 98a edición anual de los Premios de la Academia, según se anunció el jueves en Beverly Hills, California. Los Oscar se entregarán el 15 de marzo en Los Ángeles.

Mejor película

-“Bugonia”; “F1”; “Frankenstein”; “Hamnet”; “Marty Supreme”; “One Battle After Another”; “O Agente Secreto” (“El agente secreto”); “Sentimental Value”; “Sinners”; “Train Dreams”

Dirección

-Chloé Zhao, “Hamnet”; Josh Safdie, “Marty Supreme”; Paul Thomas Anderson, “One Battle after Another”; Joachim Trier, “Sentimental Value”; Ryan Coogler, “Sinners”

Actriz

-Jessie Buckley, “Hamnet”; Rose Byrne, “If I Had Legs I’d Kick You”; Renate Reinsve, “Sentimental Value”; Emma Stone, “Bugonia”; Kate Hudson, “Song Sung Blue”

Actor

-Timothée Chalamet, “Marty Supreme”; Leonardo DiCaprio, “One Battle After Another”; Ethan Hawke, “Blue Moon”; Michael B. Jordan, “Sinners”; Wagner Moura, “O Agente Secreto”

Actor de reparto

-Jacob Elordi, “Frankenstein”; Sean Penn, “One Battle After Another”; Stellan Skarsgård, “Sentimental Value”; Benicio del Toro, “One Battle After Another” Delroy Lindo, “Sinners”

Actriz de reparto

-Elle Fanning, “Sentimental Value”; Inga Ibsdotter LilIeaas, “Sentimental Value”; Amy Madigan, “Weapons”; Wunmi Mosaku, “Sinners”; Teyana Taylor, “One Battle After Another”

Guion original

– “Blue Moon”; “It Was Just an Accident”; “Marty Supreme”; “Sentimental Value”; “Sinners”

Guion adaptado

– “Bugonia”; “Frankenstein”; “Hamnet”; “One Battle after Another”; “Train Dreams”

Cinematografía

– “Frankenstein”; “Marty Supreme”; “One Battle after Another”; “Sinners”; “Train Dreams”

Edición

– “F1”; “Marty Supreme”; “One Battle after Another”; “Sentimental Value”; “Sinners”;

Música original

– “Bugonia”; “Frankenstein”; “Hamnet”; “One Battle after Another”; “Sinners”

Canción original

-“Golden” de “Kpop Demon Hunters”; “Train Dreams” de “Train Dreams”; “Dear Me” de “Diane Warren: Relentless”; “I Lied To You” de “Sinners”; “Sweet Dreams Of Joy” de “Viva Verdi!”

Sonido

– “F1”; “Frankenstein”; “One Battle after Another”; “Sinners”; “Sirāt”

Efectos visuales

– “Avatar: Fire and Ash”; “F1”; “Jurassic World Rebirth”; “The Lost Bus”; “Sinners”

Maquillaje y peinado

– “Frankenstein”; “Kokuho”; “Sinners”; “The Smashing Machine”; “The Ugly Stepsister”

Diseño de vestuario

-“Avatar: Fire and Ash”; “Frankenstein”; “Hamnet”; “Marty Supreme”; “Sinners”

Diseño de producción

-“Frankenstein”; “Hamnet”; “Marty Supreme”; “One Battle after Another”; “Sinners”

Casting

-“Hamnet”; “Marty Supreme”; “One Battle after Another”; “O Agente Secreto”; “Sinners”

Cortometraje

– “Butcher’s Stain”; “A Friend of Dorothy”; “Jane Austen’s Period Drama”; “The Singers”; “Two People Exchanging Saliva”

Cortometraje animado

-“Butterfly”; “Forevergreen”; “The Girl Who Cried Pearls”; “Retirement Plan”; “The Three Sisters”

Cortometraje documental

-“All the Empty Rooms”; “Armed Only with a Camera: The Life and Death of Brent Renaud”; “Children No More: ‘Were and Are Gone’”; ”The Devil Is Busy”; “Perfectly a Strangeness”

Largometraje documental

– “The Alabama Solution”; “Come See Me in the Good Light”; “Cutting through Rocks”; “Mr. Nobody against Putin”; “The Perfect Neighbor”

Largometraje internacional

-“O Agente Secreto” (“El agente secreto”) de Brasil, “Yek tasadef sadeh” (“Un simple accidente”) de Francia; “Sentimental Value” (“Valor Sentimental”) de Noruega; “Sirât” de España; “Sawt Hind Rajab” (“La voz de Hind Rajab”) de Túnez

Largometraje animado

– “Arco”; “Elio”; “KPop Demon Hunters”; “Little Amélie or the Character of Rain”; “Zootopia 2”

https://www.chicagotribune.com/2026/01/22/lista-de-nominados-a-los-premios-oscar-3/ 

POr QASSIM ABDUL-ZAHRA y ABBY SEWELL

BAGDAD (AP) — La decisión de trasladar a los prisioneros del grupo Estado Islámico (EI) del noreste de Siria a centros de detención en Irak se tomó tras la solicitud de funcionarios en Bagdad, la cual fue bien recibida por la coalición liderada por Estados Unidos y el gobierno sirio, afirmaron autoridades el jueves.

Funcionarios estadounidenses e iraquíes informaron a The Associated Press sobre la solicitud iraquí, un día después de que el ejército estadounidense anunciara que había comenzado a transferir a algunos de los 9.000 detenidos del EI recluidos en más de una docena de centros de detención en el noreste de Siria controlados por las Fuerzas Democráticas Sirias (FDS), lideradas por los kurdos en el noreste del país.

Las medidas para comenzar a transferir a los detenidos se produjeron después de que las fuerzas del gobierno sirio tomaran el control del extenso campamento de al-Hol, que alberga a miles de personas, en su mayoría mujeres y niños, de manos de las FDS, que se retiraron como parte de un alto el fuego. Las tropas tomaron el lunes una prisión en la ciudad nororiental de Shaddadeh, donde algunos detenidos del EI escaparon y muchos fueron recapturados, informó la prensa estatal.

Las FDS dijeron el jueves que las fuerzas del gobierno bombardearon con armas pesadas la prisión de al-Aqtan, cerca de la ciudad norteña de Raqqa, mientras que, simultáneamente, imponían un cerco alrededor de la prisión mediante el uso de tanques y el despliegue de combatientes.

La prisión de al-Aqtan, donde se encuentran algunos prisioneros del EI, fue rodeada por fuerzas del gobierno a principios de esta semana, y había negociaciones en curso sobre el futuro del centro de detención.

Con el avance de las fuerzas del gobierno en el noreste de Siria a lo largo de la frontera con Irak, ha habido preocupaciones en Bagdad de que algunos de los detenidos podrían convertirse en un peligro para la seguridad de Irak si logran escapar de los centros de detención en medio del caos.

Un funcionario de seguridad iraquí dijo que la decisión de transferir a los prisioneros de Siria a Irak la tomó este último país, y que fue bien recibida por la coalición liderada por Estados Unidos y el gobierno sirio. El funcionario agregó que detenerlos en prisiones iraquíes en lugar de dejarlos en Siria favorecía la seguridad de Irak.

También el jueves, un alto funcionario militar estadounidense confirmó a la AP que Irak “ofreció proactivamente” tomar a los prisioneros del EI en lugar de que Estados Unidos se lo solicitara.

Los funcionarios iraquíes y estadounidenses hablaron bajo condición de anonimato porque no estaban autorizados a declarar públicamente.

En los últimos años, las FDS han entregado a las autoridades iraquíes a combatientes extranjeros, entre ellos, ciudadanos franceses, que fueron juzgados y sentenciados.

Las FDS aún controlan más de una docena de centros de detención que albergan a alrededor de 9.000 miembros del EI, pero está previsto que entreguen las prisiones al control del gobierno en virtud de un proceso de paz que, presuntamente, también fusionará a las FDS con las fuerzas del gobierno.

El Comando Central de Estados Unidos dijo que, en la primera transferencia, realizada el miércoles, se enviaron a 150 miembros del EI, que fueron trasladados desde la provincia nororiental de Hassakeh en Siria a “ubicaciones seguras” en Irak. En el comunicado se indica que hasta 7.000 detenidos podrían ser transferidos a instalaciones controladas por Irak.

El grupo Estado Islámico declaró un califato en 2014 en amplias partes de Siria e Irak, atrayendo a un gran número de combatientes de todo el mundo. Fue derrotado en Irak en 2017, y en Siria dos años después, pero sus células durmientes aún llevan a cabo ataques letales en ambos países. Las FDS tuvieron un papel importante en la derrota del EI.

___

Abby Sewell informó desde Beirut.

___

Esta historia fue traducida del inglés por un editor de AP con la ayuda de una herramienta de inteligencia artificial generativa.

https://www.chicagotribune.com/2026/01/22/bagdad-solicit-el-traslado-de-prisioneros-del-ei-de-siria-a-irak-dicen-funcionarios/ 

The upward trend of Northwestern senior center Grace Sullivan’s basketball career continues unabated, and that’s particularly significant at this point.

For the 6-foot-4 Sullivan, a Carmel graduate who seems to improve every season, the WNBA could be the next step.

“If you would’ve said that the WNBA was possible to me even two years ago, I would’ve laughed,” Sullivan said. “I’ve gotten a lot better, so now that’s the end goal that I’m trying to reach and am working hard for every single day.

“It’s crazy to think the WNBA is a possibility now, but it’s something I want to do. I’ve always been told my ceiling is very high.”

Sullivan, who helped Carmel win the Class 3A state title in 2022, recorded 10 double-figure scoring games during her sophomore season at Bucknell. Then she transferred to Northwestern, where she came off the bench most of last season and averaged 10.1 points and 3.8 rebounds.

This season, she is one of the top scorers in NCAA Division I.

Northwestern’s Grace Sullivan (22) shoots a jumper against Wisconsin during a Big Ten game at Welsh-Ryan Arena in Evanston on Thursday, Jan. 15, 2026. (Eileen T. Meslar / Chicago Tribune)

Sullivan is averaging 22.1 points, which ranks eighth nationally, along with 6.9 rebounds, 1.4 assists and 1.4 steals. She scored a career-high 37 points and also had eight rebounds and three steals during the Wildcats’ loss to then-No. 23 Ohio State on Dec. 7.

“After my first couple of games this season, I was like, ‘Wow,’” she said.

Even now, Northwestern women’s basketball coach Joe McKeown says Sullivan hasn’t reached her full potential. McKeown noted that her perimeter game is evolving; she has attempted just one 3-pointer this season.

“Grace can fit in any team’s style,” McKeown said. “She can grind it in the half-court, get her shot off, run and play in transition, or be a shot blocker. There’s a lot of (professional) interest in her.”

How much interest remains to be seen.

“At the end of the season, we will sit down and let her know what people are thinking about and what the interest will be,” McKeown said. “I think she has a chance to be a solid pro.”

Northwestern men’s basketball coach Chris Collins said Sullivan reminds him of NBA legend Tim Duncan, according to McKeown.

“She’s really good with her shot selection and takes her time,” McKeown said. “She’s got that fadeaway and is now almost unguardable.”

Northwestern’s Grace Sullivan (22) celebrates with teammate Casey Harter after a Big Ten win over Wisconsin at Welsh-Ryan Arena in Evanston on Thursday, Jan. 15, 2026. (Eileen T. Meslar / Chicago Tribune)

Sullivan said her time at Northwestern has been a transformative experience that has allowed her to see her family in Antioch and play against top-notch competition.

“I didn’t have many expectations last season, whether I would be starting or how many minutes I would be playing,” she said. “Last year was about putting in the work at a Power Five school and the transition.

“I would be lying if I said I was not nervous at all. I had to prove myself. I was nervous. You have to live up to some sort of expectations. But I had a pure belief in myself.”

Carmel coach Ben Berg can’t wait to see Sullivan’s next act.

“I’m looking forward to watching the rest of her college career and seeing what she will do beyond,” Berg said. “Whether she plays in the WNBA or not, she has put herself in an opportunity to play at the next level.”

Bobby Narang is a freelance reporter.

https://www.chicagotribune.com/2026/01/22/northwestern-basketball-grace-sullivan/ 

A $5.9 million transformation of the library on the Des Plaines campus of Oakton College into a learning commons opened to students Tuesday, providing more inviting study spaces, collaboration rooms and a one-stop hub for academic support services.

The Des Plaines Campus Learning Commons, at 1600 Golf Road in Des Plaines, brings together library services, tutoring, student services, technology support and access to Oakton’s extensive historical archives into a single shared space.

Seating upgrades were part of the multi-million dollar renovation of the library on the Des Plaines campus of Oakton College in Des Plaines. The newly renovated library commons opened Jan. 20, 2026. (James C. Svehla/for Pioneer Press)
Addition of collaborative and study spaces were part of the multi-million dollar renovation of the library on the Des Plaines campus of Oakton College in Des Plaines. The newly renovated library commons opened Jan. 20, 2026. (James C. Svehla/for Pioneer Press)

“The learning doesn’t just happen in the classroom,” Jacob Jeremiah, dean of the library, told Pioneer Press. “This is a space built on a new, dynamic learning environment that’s built on collaboration.”

Oakton opened a similar space — the Ray Hartstein Campus Learning Commons in Skokie – in August 2024.

Oakton College enrolls some 18,500 students who live in 17 surrounding north and northwest suburbs, including Niles, Morton Grove, Lincolnwood and Park Ridge.

The learning commons on the Des Plaines campus has been nine years in the making, Jeremiah said. He had suggested to library leaders that walls separating the library from crucial service partners be broken down as part of the renovation of a space that had not been updated in 30 years.

“When it came time to think about the space being renovated, it made more sense to combine all of those services in one location,” Jeremiah said.

Construction on the new learning commons began last March and officially opened to students Tuesday.

“When a student enters our front door, they’ll see the library circulation desk, our IT help desk if they need help with a device or login, another desk for the learning center to sign up for tutoring and TRIO is right there,” he said.

TRIO student services support first-generation college students, students with financial need and students with a documented physical or learning disability, according to information provided by college spokesperson Ewa Lyczewska.

The first floor also includes the Oakton Reading Room, several focus rooms, a huddle room for collaboration and tables featuring models of skeletons and more for the college’s extensive health curriculum, as well as staff offices and college archives.

“Now, we have a visible and open archive that I am most proud of,” Jeremiah said. “It’s the history of the college, history of the district, history of community colleges and athletic programs — amazing materials.”

The college was founded in 1969, and Jeremiah worked closely with architects to design the presentation of the archive materials, including board books in red bindings, like he said he has seen at the LBJ [Lyndon Baines Johnson] Presidential Library in Austin, Texas.

“It’s not just a library,” Jeremiah said of the new campus space, “it’s a lot of things, and we have things students have been asking for.”

The previous space had no dedicated study rooms, the dean said, while the new one has a large number and variety of study areas – which can be reserved for use – that include small focus rooms, single-person study pods that look like phone booths and larger collaboration rooms for groups of up to 14 students.

On the second floor, there is an open reading room space in front of a large bank of windows that overlooks the nearby forest preserve, as well as a fireplace surrounded by seating for studying and, Jeremiah says jokingly, “fireside talks.”

A large mural painting previously painted by an artist in the space was saved and reinstalled, he said, mounted higher with complementary lighting.

Functional, modern couches and chairs, along with study carrels and tables are throughout the renovated space.

“It’s a classy, calm and relaxing looking space with open seating,” Jeremiah said, describing the renovation as a 21st Century update. “If I was a student here, I would find a lot of areas to be comfortable.”

The second floor also features the library’s reference desk, the Adele Legere Math Lab, a library classroom along with additional focus and huddle rooms, pop-in pods, as well as staff offices and designated prayer/meditation and sensory rooms, according to Lyczewska.

The lower level is used by library staff for technical services and the college’s book collections that support the college’s curriculum – from literature to science to health careers – in addition to audio and e-books, DVDs and a variety of online databases.

“The library has a lot of resources and the library is a place that is still necessary,” Jeremiah said. “My dream now is when students come back, they’re not so [much] hanging out in the cafeteria but instead using our focus rooms.”

Jeremiah’s staff includes five full-time faculty librarians who are the primary reference librarians, 13 part-time faculty librarians who work at the reference desk and six full-time staffers in circulation and cataloging. He said he has prepared the team to service students, as well as offer library services to community members living in community college District 535.

The dean said he is also hopeful that students will take advantage of the staff resources now available to them in the new Des Plaines Learning Commons.

“Collaboration and working together are key concepts,” Jeremiah said. “The hope is students will see all of the different options and be able to work amongst themselves and work with the staff in the space. I’m also encouraging other faculty and administrators to think about how they can also use the learning commons. I’m quite proud of it.”

Elizabeth Owens-Schiele is a freelancer.

https://www.chicagotribune.com/2026/01/22/oakton-college-renovates-integrates-des-plaines-campus-library/ 

Lindsey Vonn’s stirring return to ski racing in her 40s will hit its crescendo at the Milan Cortina Olympics, while the comeback quest of another U.S. gold medalist, snowboarder Jamie Anderson, came up short.

Anderson, a two-time champion in slopestyle who returned to the sport after having two kids, failed to reach a podium this season and will not join the U.S. Ski & Snowboard team in the mountains of Italy.

Mikaela Shiffrin made her fourth Olympic team, while snowboarder Chloe Kim is trying to make it three gold medals at three Olympics — though her health is in question after hurting her shoulder in training earlier this month.

They’re the headliners as U.S. Ski and Snowboard named its 97-person roster on Thursday. It contained few surprises, since virtually all the spots were determined based on results over the last two years.

The 41-year-old Vonn, Kim and Shiffrin, who have five Olympic gold medals between them, lead a roster that is short in experience. There are 48 first-time Olympians.

In all, there are 50 women and 47 men, ranging in ages from 15 (halfpipe freestyle skier Abby Winterberger) to 44 (snowboardcross rider Nick Baumgartner, at his fifth Olympics, and defending champion in the mixed event). The team is slated to be officially announced on Monday.

The skiers and snowboarders brought home 15 of the United States’ 25 medals at the Beijing Games four years ago. They’ll make up almost half of the entire contingent the U.S. brings to Milan Cortina.

“I am confident about the impact they will make in Italy,” U.S. Ski & Snowboard president and CEO Sophie Goldschmidt said. “More than the results, our athletes are also bringing some of the most captivating story lines to Milano Cortina.”

Vonn returned last season after a partial knee replacement and quickly began to show the form that made her a four-time overall World Cup champion. She’s won two World Cup downhill races this season — to bring her career total to 84 — and will be a favorite in both speed events in Cortina. She may even pair with Shiffrin as the team combined event makes its Olympic debut.

Shiffrin is trying to bounce back after going 0 for 6 in her bid to win a medal four years ago. She captured gold in the slalom at the 2014 Sochi Games and gold in giant slalom four years later in South Korea. She’s locked in this season in the slalom, winning six races.

This will be the fourth and final Olympics for cross-country skier Jessie Diggins, a three-time Olympic medalist, including gold in the team sprint in 2018, who plans to retire at the end of the season.

“Throughout this season, we’ve seen quite remarkable results from our athletes across all 10 of our sports,” said Anouk Patty, the chief of sport for U.S. Ski & Snowboard. “I know this is one of the strongest teams we have sent to the Games.”

Alpine skiing

It’s been a bumpy road back to the Olympics for Breezy Johnson, who tore her right knee a month before the 2022 Beijing Games. The 30-year-old Johnson competed at 2018 Pyeongchang Games.

Vonn and Paula Moltzan both were once taught at Buck Hill in Minnesota under the tutelage of late coach Erich Sailer.

Ryan Cochran-Siegle was a silver medalist in the super-G at the Beijing Games.

Snowboarding

Eight years ago, Red Gerard lit up the Olympics by winning gold in slopestyle at 17. He’s back for his third Olympics and now, there’s another 17-year-old on the squad. It’s Ollie Martin, who is the first to land a pair of 2160-degree spins in opposite directions and could be a threat in both slopestyle and big air.

The post-Shaun White era on the halfpipe starts with a roster full of underdogs. Chase Josey returns for his third Olympics and Jake Pates is back after missing in 2022. Neither has finished higher than sixth.

Freeskiing

Nick Goepper, who has two silver medals and a gold in slopestyle, moves over to the halfpipe for his fourth Olympics. He’ll be joined there by Alex Ferreira, who has silver and bronze on the halfpipe.

David Wise, who has two gold medals and a silver, didn’t make the team after failing to reach the podium over the qualifying period. Also missing is big air silver medalist Colby Stevenson.

In slopestyle, Alex Hall returns to defend his slopestyle title.

Moguls & aerials

Jaelin Kauf is the reigning Olympic silver medalist in moguls, while Chris Lillis will try to add to the gold medal he won with Ashley Caldwell and Justin Schoenefeld in mixed team aerials in China four years ago. Winter Vinecki has a fitting first name as she competes in her second Olympics.

https://www.chicagotribune.com/2026/01/22/lindsey-vonn-chloe-kim-mikaela-shiffrin-olympics/ 

ATLANTA — Bags of ice-thwarting salt aren’t usually a hot item at Bates Ace Hardware in Atlanta, but store manager Lewis Pane sold all 275 he had in stock in one morning as residents braced for a major storm to deliver heavy snow, sleet and freezing rain on a broad section of the U.S. in coming days.

Payne said he had 30 online orders for “ice melt” before 8 a.m. People sprinkle the salts on the ground before a storm to disrupt the formation of ice.

“It’s impossible to get right now,” Payne said. “We have had to make special trips to our warehouse to pick up extra items because people need them.”

A collapsing polar vortex brings Arctic blast to Chicago area. How long will it last?

The storm was expected to hit starting Friday, stretching from New Mexico to New England and across the Deep South. The damage could rival that of a major hurricane.

Meteorologists say ice may linger on roads and sidewalks because temperatures will be slow to warm in many areas. Ice could also weigh down trees and power lines, triggering widespread outages.

The city of Carmel, Indiana, canceled its Winter Games out of fear residents could get frostbite and hypothermia competing in ice trike relay and “human curling” in which people slide down a skating rink on inner tubes.

College sports teams moved up or postponed games, and the Texas Rangers canceled their annual Fan Fest event.

The coldest windchills may fall below minus 50 Fahrenheit across the Northern Plains with subzero wind chills reaching as far southeast as the Mid-Atlantic states and Southern Plains, the National Weather Service said.

At the Atlanta hardware store, Wendy Chambers stopped by to pick up batteries and flashlights in case there is a power outage.

“We’re gonna be prepared, aren’t we? We’re going to be able to read, do things, play games,” she said before heading to church choir with her granddaughter.

Oklahoma truck driver Charles Daniel planned to load up as much freight as possible before the storm arrives in his area on Friday.

“You’ve got to be very weather aware, and real smart about what you’re doing,” said Daniel, who delivers goods across western Oklahoma in an 18-wheel tractor-trailer.

“You can’t back down into decline docks, you can’t go into neighborhoods or parking lots,” Daniel said. “I’m 40,000 pounds unloaded. One mistake can literally kill somebody, so you have to use your head.”

He said truck drivers need to have a change of clothes, plenty of water and a couple of jackets on hand in case they get stuck because it would be a while before a tow truck could help them.

In Arkansas, the Department of Transportation started treating some roads with brine on Tuesday. The salt helps prevent ice from forming. Over 10 inches (25 centimeters) of snow were expected in parts of the state.

Rain was complicating efforts to pretreat roads with salt in Alabama on Wednesday because precipitation washes away the brine. The Alabama Department of Transportation encouraged people to stay off the roads if ice forms.

“Any amount of ice is pretty dangerous, and certainly a quarter-inch could be very hazardous,” said Seth Burkett, a department spokesperson.

Snow and icy conditions were forecast for Maryland beginning Saturday afternoon or evening, with peak effects Saturday night and into Sunday morning. The governor declared a state of preparedness to help authorities respond quickly.

Governors in North Carolina and South Carolina declared states of emergency, making it easier for state and local agencies to coordinate and get help from groups like the National Guard.

https://www.chicagotribune.com/2026/01/22/crews-spread-salt-on-roads-and-people-stock-up-on-batteries-as-a-winter-storm-threatens-the-us/ 

WASHINGTON — Barely a month into his presidency, Joe Biden had a message for Europe.

“America is back,” Biden told the Munich Security Conference in 2021. “The transatlantic alliance is back.”

It was a promise Biden delivered often as he sought to cast the disruptions of his predecessor, Donald Trump, as an anomaly. But nearly five years later, Biden’s assurances have proven short-lived.

In his second term, Trump has cast aside alliances forged over seven decades with Europe that helped lead to the reunification of Germany and the collapse of the Soviet Union. He has hectored leaders, making demands and leveling accusations more commonly associated with enemies. In the process, he has rocked the stability that has sustained the relationships and left countries to chart a course without U.S. leadership.

The most stark example of this shift has been Trump’s threat to take over Greenland, dismissing the nation as a large “piece of ice” as he demanded that Denmark cede control to the U.S., a move that could have caused NATO to rupture.

He called Denmark, which had the highest per capita death toll among coalition forces in Afghanistan, “ungrateful” for U.S. protection during World War II. He posted private text messages that showed European leaders trying to court him. Trump shared images of him planting the U.S. flag in Greenland and, in an extraordinary speech at the World Economic Forum in Davos, said Europe was “not heading in the right direction.” At one point, he said that “sometimes you need a dictator.”

Then, hours later, he announced a “framework of a future deal” on Arctic security. Following a long pattern, however, he offered scant details.

An uncertain standing for the US in the world

Though Trump has for now backed away from his most potent threats to obtain Greenland, the episode has left America’s standing in the world uncertain.

NATO leaders already were responding to Trump’s threats by signaling strategies that don’t include the U.S. That could make it much harder for the next president — whether they are a Democrat or Republican — to attempt the same type of reputational repair that Biden sought.

“To an extent, things can be improved,” said Jon Finer, who was Biden’s deputy national security adviser and is now a distinguished senior fellow at the Center for American Progress. “But they will never be the same in large part because I think any country that is behaving rationally in terms of its relationship with the United States will realize that we can only be counted on in four year increments, if at all.”

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, who parried Trump’s gambit to make Canada the 51st state, has already set out on a more independent path. In Davos, Carney was candid that the notion of the longstanding rules-based order was an “illusion.”

“Let me be direct: We are in the midst of a rupture, not a transition,” Carney said as he called on so-called middle powers to “act together.”

Unable to reach a deal with Trump to cut tariffs, Carney was in Beijing last week meeting with President Xi Jinping and brokering a deal that cut levies on Chinese electric cars in return for lower tariffs on certain agricultural and food products including Canadian canola, lobsters and crab. While there, he said ties between Ottawa and Washington were “much more multifaceted” than with Beijing, but added “the way our relationship has progressed in recent months with China, it is more predictable.”

Over the weekend, the European Union and the Mercosur bloc of South American countries formally signed a long-sought free trade agreement, which European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen portrayed as a bulwark against the Trump administration. EU lawmakers narrowly voted on Wednesday to hold up the deal for now.

European leaders were unsparing

Ahead of Trump’s appearance in Davos, European leaders were unsparing, using language that until recently would have been unthinkable in relation to a dispute with the U.S. French President Emmanuel Macron cautioned against colonial adventures, warning of “a shift towards a world without rules.”

Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever said “so many red lines have been crossed,” adding, “being a happy vassal is one thing. Being a miserable slave is something else. If you back down now, you’re going to lose your dignity.”

This moment was also notable for the criticism of Trump from longtime allies on the right. In the UK, Nigel Farage said in an interview with U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson that he understood the security issues Trump was raising in the Arctic. But he added that Trump’s approach amounted to the “biggest fracture” in the transatlantic relationship in decades.

“To have a U.S. president threatening tariffs unless we agree that he can take over Greenland, by some means, without it seems even getting the consent of the people of Greenland, I mean, this is a very hostile act,” Farage told Johnson.

Jordan Bardella, president of Marine Le Pen’s far-right National Rally party in France and a European Parliament lawmaker, posted that the EU should suspend last year’s tariff deal with the U.S., describing Trump’s threats as “commercial blackmail.”

Trump mostly has support from GOP in Congress

Congressional Republicans so far have largely supported Trump — or stayed silent.

House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Brian Mast likened the dispute to “a hard conversation” and questioned the long-term consequences. Trump used his 2025 State of the Union address to express a desire to reclaim the Panama Canal.

“If you went back exactly one year, you might say, ‘man the tensions with Panama were the worst they’d ever been,’” said Mast, a Florida Republican. “Panama came in last week, things were the best that they’d ever been because we had some really tough conversations with each other that we needed to have.”

The most pointed concerns from inside the GOP have largely come from those who aren’t running for reelection this year, including Rep. Don Bacon of Nebraska, who said on Wednesday that “all of this has been totally unnecessary.”

“Threatening Greenland with force was absurd,” he said.

For their part, Democrats have encouraged a more robust response — both from Europe and in the U.S.

California Gov. Gavin Newsom, a potential Democratic presidential candidate in 2028, was in Davos this week and blasted Europeans for focusing on diplomatic efforts ahead of Trump’s appearance.

“Diplomacy with Donald Trump?” he said. “He’s a T-Rex. You mate with him or he devours you.”

In an interview, Rep. Gregory Meeks, the top Democrat on the House Foreign Affairs Committee, said it “may take some time” for a future president to rebuild trust with allies. But he argued a full recovery in global relationships may require a more lasting shift in U.S. politics.

Allies will “continue to hold their breath until you have two consecutive elections when we know we have a president that is going to stick by our institutions,” he said. “Everybody’s just looking at us now as a nation and trying to see where we will be.”

https://www.chicagotribune.com/2026/01/22/trumps-european-threats-could-make-it-harder-for-future-us-leaders-to-repair-ties/ 

NatGas Jumps 75% As Extreme Cold, Blizzard Risks Threaten Appalachian Gas Supply

Tyler Durden
Thu, 01/22/2026 – 09:00

https://www.zerohedge.com/commodities/natgas-jumps-75-extreme-cold-blizzard-risks-threaten-appalachian-gas-supply 

DAVOS, Switzerland — President Donald Trump on Thursday inaugurated his Board of Peace 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 the World Economic Forum, 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 seize Greenland, then by a dramatic retreat 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 Ali Shaath, the head of a new, future technocratic government in Gaza, announcing that the Rafah border crossing will open 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 the Palestinian committee set to govern the territory under U.S. supervision.

The new peace board 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.

Why some countries aren’t participating

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

Russian President Vladimir Putin 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.

Board grew out of ceasefire proposal

The idea for the Board of Peace was first laid out in Trump’s 20-point Gaza ceasefire plan and even was endorsed by the U.N. Security Council.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu 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.”

Iran protests loom in the background

Trump’s push for peace also comes after he threatened military action this month against Iran as it carried out a violent crackdown against some of the largest street protests in years, 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 received assurances 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 strikes on Iran’s nuclear facilities 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.

Zelenskyy meeting

Trump also spoke behind closed doors for about an hour with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who arrived Thursday in Davos. Trump called the discussion “very good” but announced no major breakthroughs and said the pair didn’t discuss many European nations shunning the Board of Peace.

Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff and his son-in-law Jared Kushner are expected in Moscow for talks. Still, the Republican president has for months struggled to get Zelenskyy and Putin to agree to terms to end their nearly 4-year-old war, and he continues to express frustration about it.

“We hope it’s going to end,” Trump told reporters after his meeting with Zelenskyy.

https://www.chicagotribune.com/2026/01/22/trump-davos/