New York, Jan 21: US President Donald Trump’s plane, Air Force One, on the way to Switzerland for the World Economic Forum had to return to Joint Base Andrews near Washington DC after a “minor electrical issue” was detected onboard.

After takeoff, the crew of Air Force One identified “a minor electrical issue” and, out of an abundance of caution, the plane was turned around, landing at Joint Base Andrews, according to information provided by reporters onboard the aircraft.

Trump and his entourage will board a new aircraft, according to White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt.

Trump is set to address the annual meeting of the World Economic Forum in Davos on Wednesday.

He will also participate in a greeting with the forum’s leadership, meet foreign leaders and attend a reception with business leaders.

On Thursday, on the margins of the World Economic Forum, Trump will participate in the “Board of Peace Charter announcement”, where nations would be invited to sign the charter, joining the body aimed for Gaza’s redevelopment under his comprehensive plan to end the conflict.

Davos is hosting global leaders and business heavyweights as the annual meeting of the World Economic Forum began January 19 and will run till January 23.

Trump’s presence at Davos comes amidst tensions between the US and European nations over his push to acquire Greenland and impose tariffs on countries until “a deal” is reached to purchase Greenland.

Dubai, Jan 21: Iran on Tuesday warned Donald Trump not to take any action against the country’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, days after the US president called for an end to Khamenei’s nearly 40-year reign.

“Trump knows that if any hand of aggression is extended toward our leader, we not only cut that hand but also we will set fire to their world,” Gen. Abolfazl Shekarchi, a spokesman for Iran’s armed forces, said.

The comments came after Trump described Khamenei in an interview with Politico on Saturday as “a sick man who should run his country properly and stop killing people,” adding that “it’s time to look for new leadership in Iran.”

Tension between the US and Iran has been high since a violent crackdown by authorities on protests that began over Iran’s ailing economy on Dec. 28. Trump has drawn two red lines for the Islamic Republic — the killing of peaceful protesters and Tehran conducting mass executions in the wake of the demonstrations.

The USS Abraham Lincoln, which had been in the South China Sea in recent days, had passed through the Strait of Malacca, a key waterway connecting the South China Sea and Indian Ocean, by Tuesday, ship-tracking data showed.

A US Navy official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the aircraft carrier and three accompanying destroyers were heading west.

While naval and other defense officials stopped short of saying the carrier strike group was headed to the Middle East, its current heading and location in the Indian Ocean means its only days away from moving into the region.

It would not be first time in recent years that a carrier strike group deployed to the Pacific was moved to the Middle East to address instability in the region. The Abraham Lincoln was rerouted to the Middle East in 2024. Last June, the USS Nimitz strike group was ordered to the region.

The death toll from the protests has reached at least 4,519 people, the US-based Human Rights Activists News Agency said Tuesday. The agency has been accurate throughout the years of demonstrations and unrest in Iran, relying on a network of activists inside the country that confirms all reported fatalities. The Associated Press has been unable to independently confirm the figure.

The death toll exceeds that of any other round of protest or unrest in Iran in decades, and recalls the chaos surrounding the 1979 revolution that brought the Islamic Republic into being. Although there have been no protests for days, there are fears the number could increase significantly as information gradually emerges from a country still under a government-imposed shutdown of the internet since Jan. 8.

Khamenei said on Saturday that the protests had left “several thousand” people dead and blamed the United States. It was the first indication from an Iranian leader of the extent of the casualties.

More than 26,300 people have been arrested, according to the Human Rights Activists News Agency. Comments from officials have led to fears of some of those detained being put to death in Iran, one of the world’s top executioners.

National police chief Gen. Ahmad Reza Radan has said those turning themselves in would receive more lenient treatment than those who don’t.

“Those who were deceived by foreign intelligence services, and became their soldiers in practice, have a chance to turn themselves in,” Radan said in an interview carried by Iran’s state television on Monday. “In case of surrender, definitely there will be a reduction in punishment. They have three days to turn themselves in.”

He did not elaborate on what would happen after the three days.

Washington, Jan 21: Sharpening his rhetoric on Greenland, US President Donald Trump raised questions about NATO’s reliability, signalling that security commitments to Europe could increasingly be tied to economic and strategic leverage.

At a White House news conference marking one year since his return to office, Trump declined to say how far Washington might go to secure US interests related to Greenland. Asked directly, he replied: “You’ll find out.”

Pressed on whether force was an option, Trump avoided specifics. He pointed instead to economic tools. He said tariffs, licensing and “other alternatives” were available and described them as “the best, the strongest, the fastest.”

Trump said he had meetings planned on Greenland during his trip to Davos. “We have a lot of meetings scheduled on Greenland,” he said. He added that he believed “things are going to work out pretty well.”

The president paired those comments with renewed criticism of NATO. He repeated claims that he strengthened the alliance by pushing members to raise defence spending. He said allies agreed to lift spending to 5 per cent of GDP from the long-standing 2 per cent target. “Getting them to go up to five per cent of GDP was something that nobody thought was possible,” he said.

At the same time, Trump questioned whether the alliance would stand with the United States in a crisis. “NATO is only as good as we are,” he said. Without the US, he added, the alliance would not be very strong. He said he had concerns about whether allies would come to Washington’s aid.

Trump said he had improved NATO’s position but remained sceptical of its structure. He argued that the US bears a disproportionate share of the burden. He said his approach forced allies to pay more and buy more from the United States.

He dismissed the idea of attending a proposed G-7 emergency meeting in Paris. Asked if he would go at the invitation of French President Emmanuel Macron, Trump said: “No, I wouldn’t do that.” He questioned Macron’s political longevity and said he preferred meetings with leaders “that are directly involved.”

Trump said he got along personally with Macron and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer. He added that both countries faced serious problems. He pointed to immigration and energy as Europe’s main challenges. He urged leaders to rethink wind power and use domestic energy resources.

The remarks fit Trump’s broader approach to foreign policy. He often links security guarantees to economic pressure. He argues that tariffs and trade leverage force allies and rivals to negotiate.

Trump said the strategy made the United States richer and more secure. “We’re the richest we ever were,” he said, crediting pressure tactics for the gains.

Greenland and NATO have taken on added importance as competition grows in the Arctic and Europe. Trump’s comments suggest US policy will continue to tie alliances, territory and trade more closely together.