Greenland’s party leaders have rejected President Donald Trump’s repeated calls for the US to take control of the island, saying that Greenland’s future must be decided by its people. | Trump said again on Friday that he would like to make a deal to acquire Greenland, a semiautonomous region that’s part of the Kingdom of Denmark, “the easy way.” He said that if the US doesn’t own it, then Russia or China will take it over, and the US does not want them as neighbours.

[...] A poll in 2025 by Greenlandic and Danish media found 85% of respondents would rather remain part of Denmark than join the US, with just 6% saying they supported the idea.

Greenlanders march in Nuuk opposing Trump’s plan to control the Arctic island and impose tariffs on Europe. | Thousands of Greenlanders marched against United States President Donald Trump. They carried protest signs, waved their national flag, and chanted “Greenland is not for sale” in defence of their self-governance amid growing fears of a US takeover. ● As they completed their march on Saturday from the small city centre of Greenland’s capital, Nuuk, to the US consulate, news broke that Trump, speaking from his home in Florida, had announced a 10 percent import tax from February on goods from eight European countries, in retaliation for their opposition to US control of the Arctic island. ● Trump has long argued that the US should own the strategically located, mineral-rich island, which is a self-governing territory of Denmark. He stepped up his calls a day after a US military operation ousted and abducted Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro earlier this month. ● In Nuuk, Greenlanders of all ages listened to traditional songs as they walked to the consulate.

■ Trump’s not shy about wanting Greenland (RT) (Telegram)

The US president has threatened eight European NATO members with tariffs for opposing his plan to acquire Greenland | French President Emmanuel Macron vowed a “united and coordinated” response after his US counterpart Donald Trump threatened eight European NATO nations with tariffs for opposing his campaign to acquire Greenland. ● The tariffs, announced by Trump on Saturday, target Denmark, Norway, Sweden, France, Germany, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, and Finland. They are set to take effect on February 1 at 10% and rise to 25% in June, remaining in place until a “complete and total purchase” of the Danish autonomous territory is achieved. [...] The NATO states targeted by tariffs recently joined Denmark in sending small military contingents to Greenland, a move interpreted as a symbolic reinforcement of the island’s current sovereignty. Both the Danish government and Greenland’s autonomous authorities have repeatedly stated that the territory is not for sale, and that its future rests with its people.

■ Denmark and allies issued a joint statement regarding Trump's aggression towards Greenland (Lord of War)
■ Swedish PM rejects US ‘blackmail’ (RT)
■ British PM warns Trump that move against NATO is ‘wrong’ (RT)
■ EU may influence Trump on Greenland by threatening to remove US bases — The Economist (TASS)
■ Trump slaps tariffs on NATO countries over Greenland (RT)
✅ Ist die Freundschaft zwischen Europa und den USA am Ende? (Harald Neuber)

The US has deployed at least one aircraft carrier to the Middle East, Fox News has reported, citing anonymous military sources. It comes on the heels of thinly-veiled threats against Iran in recent days by President Donald Trump. | (01/17/26) On Thursday, Fox News reported that the warship reportedly on route to the region might be the USS Abraham Lincoln or one of two carriers that departed Norfolk and San Diego earlier this week. The outlet added that at present, Washington already has three destroyers and three Littoral Combat Ships in the region. ● Washington will also likely reinforce its military presence around Iran with air and ground strike capabilities, as well as missile defense systems in the coming days and weeks, unnamed sources told the outlet. Anonymous officials described this as “setting the force,” which would enable “offensive” military action should Trump opt for it. ● Also, NBC, citing multiple sources familiar with the matter, reported that Trump was considering delivering a swift and decisive blow to the Iranian government, as opposed to getting entangled in a prolonged conflict.

■ Massive Military Deployments in-Progress for Iran Strike (Hal Turner)

CIA Director John Ratcliffe was in Caracas, Venezuela yesterday, meeting Acting President Delcy Rodriguez and other top Venezuelan officials.

Photos from Central Intelligence Agency pic.twitter.com/OlWV8g0Uhi

— Benjamin Hall (@BenjaminHallFNC) January 16, 2026

Russian Ambassador to Denmark Vladimir Barbin emphasized that international law guarantees unimpeded passage of ships through the Baltic straits | The West cannot legally block the Baltic Sea for tankers carrying Russian oil, but it has them "in the crosshairs," Russian Ambassador to Denmark Vladimir Barbin said in an interview with TASS when asked how Russian ships are currently passing through the Baltic (Danish) straits, and how Denmark currently feels about the idea of blocking the Baltic Sea for Russian ships.

■ The American military has captured a fifth tanker (RT)
■ UK believes it can seize any tanker under Russia sanctions (RT)
■ US operation in Venezuela a ‘flagrant violation’ of international law – Lavrov (RT)

■ 'We consider US Prez GUILTY' (RT News) (VIDEO)
■ America’s goal is to SWALLOW Iran — Supreme Leader Khamenei (RT News) (VIDEO)
■ ‘I convinced myself’ not to bomb Iran – Trump (RT)
✅ Iran – Trump Chickened Out (Moon of Alabama)

Many of the figures now being elevated as key figures in Washington’s proposed postwar administration for Gaza were architects of the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), a US-Israeli aid operation under which Palestinian civilians were repeatedly killed while attempting to access food. | Humanitarian commitments under the ceasefire have also gone unmet. Of the 57,000 aid trucks stipulated in the agreement, fewer than 25,000 have been allowed into Gaza, according to the Government Media Office. ● Promised increases to 4,200 trucks per week have not materialized, while Israel has announced plans to bar dozens of international NGOs from operating in the strip. The blockade remains in place, exacerbating food insecurity, medical shortages, and displacement. ● Former UN envoy and Bulgarian defense minister Nickolay Mladenov is set to be named “high representative” for Gaza, overseeing a 14-member Palestinian technocratic committee responsible for day-to-day governance. ● The broader “Board of Peace,” expected to include Trump and 15 international leaders, has been delayed, reportedly due to regional tensions and Trump’s threats of military action against Iran. ● The US team driving Gaza policy answers directly to Jared Kushner, with much of the planning conducted outside formal diplomatic and military coordination channels. ● Meanwhile, Israeli media have reported that the army has drawn up plans for a renewed assault on Gaza aimed at seizing additional territory, even as Washington announces the start of the ceasefire’s second phase.

■ ‘All lies’: Palestinians slam US ceasefire plans amid deadly Gaza attacks (Al Jazeera)

■ ‘Last nail on coffin of terrorism’: Police chief hails calm across Iran (Press TV)
■ Iranian nation's tremendous participation in rallies condemning the recent riots (khamenei.ir)
✅ Revealed: The CIA-Backed Think Tanks Fueling The Iran Protests (Alan MacLeod)

America missed the window of opportunity. It’s too late’ — Scott Ritter

Former US Marine Corps intelligence officer Scott Ritter says Israel’s regime-change gamble in Iran is falling apart — and that’s why Tel Aviv is “panicking.”

“Israel just lost the lion’s share of its… pic.twitter.com/w9d2dM2Rbe

— Sprinter Press (@SprinterPress) January 16, 2026

Former US Marine Corps intelligence officer Scott Ritter says Israel’s regime-change gamble in Iran is falling apart — and that’s why Tel Aviv is “panicking.” “Israel just lost the lion’s share of its assets,” Ritter said, arguing that Israel had been banking on a US strike to turn unrest into a decisive “big move.” If Trump doesn’t attack, "Israel won’t be able to do this again” — because the moment they were waiting for has passed, he emphasized. ■ 3,000 members of terrorist groups arrested over riots (Press TV)

“Create chaos. Push people into the streets. Provoke BL00DSHED. Call it ‘protecting democracy.’”

Professor Jeffrey Sachs says this is the CIA/Mossad regime-change playbook and we’re watching it happen in real time [in Iran]. pic.twitter.com/Uw1N0wYQOE

— The Resonance (@Partisan_12) January 13, 2026

“Create chaos. Push people into the streets. Provoke BL00DSHED. Call it ‘protecting democracy.’” Professor Jeffrey Sachs says this is the CIA/Mossad regime-change playbook and we’re watching it happen in real time [in Iran].
✅ The ‘Ragtag Network Of Activists’ Run By The State Department (Moon of Alabama)

The US has escalated crackdown on protests against Immigration and Customs Enforcement, firing tear gas and spraying chemical irritants into crowds as demonstrations against the Trump administration’s immigration policies intensified across the United States. | In Minneapolis on Tuesday, federal agents repeatedly deployed tear gas and eye irritants against protesters, filling city streets with choking clouds of chemicals near the site where a demonstrator was recently killed. ● Witnesses described chaotic scenes in which officers sprayed an orange chemical agent from a moving Jeep before driving away, leaving one man screaming and rubbing snow into his eyes in desperation. ● The protests erupted following the fatal shooting of 37-year-old Minneapolis resident Renee Good by an ICE officer last week, an incident that has become a flashpoint for outrage over what critics describe as militarized immigration enforcement.

The Chief Commander of Iran's Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) has warned the United States, Israel, and their Daesh-style mercenaries that any miscalculation will be met with a decisive and crushing response. | In a statement, Major General Mohammad Pakpour said the IRGC remains at the highest level of readiness to dismantle “delusional plots” devised by the White House and Tel Aviv. General Pakpour described those behind recent unrest as “Daesh-style mercenaries” operating under the direction of foreign powers.

■ Iran closes airspace to commercial aircraft for hours amid tensions with US (Politico)

Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen warns that a U.S. attempt to take over Greenland would spell the end of NATO.

"If the United States chooses to attack another NATO country militarily, then everything stops," Frederiksen told the Danish state broadcaster TV 2.

Her… pic.twitter.com/728xbFrBT0

— Democracy Now! (@democracynow) January 6, 2026

■ Trump live: Danish FM says Denmark, US still ‘differ’ over Greenland (Al Jazeera)
■ Her er, hvad vi ved efter mødet mellem Grønland, Danmark og USA (Danmarks Radio)
■ Løkke på pressemøde nr. 2: »Vi vil aldrig acceptere, at USA overtager Grønland« (Politiken)
■ Trump threatens Greenland’s leader with ‘big problem’ (RT)
■ US ‘vassals’ will fall into line on Greenland grab – American journalist (RT)

International airlines have begun cancelling flights to Tehran amid security fears of an imminent attack by the US | International airlines are beginning to suspend flights to Iran as rhetoric from Washington raises fears of a possible direct attack by the US on the country. ● Among some of the key regional players, Turkish Airlines has suspended all its flights to Tehran until Sunday. Qatar Airways, likewise, has cancelled its routes from Doha to the Iranian capital until Saturday, as well as Mashhad and Shiraz until further notice. ● Passenger planes travelling with Emirates from Dubai will also face disruption on Friday and Saturday, although some services remain operational for the time being. ● Meanwhile, Iraqi authorities have denied reports of flights suspended to and from Baghdad Airport, which often flies daily between the two capitals. ● European international carries including Austrian Airlines, have also cancelled their flights until Sunday, with normal services expected to resume on Tuesday.

■ US military intervention in Iran more likely by the hour (MercoPress)
■ Personnel advised to leave Al Udeid Base in Qatar in 'posture change' (Al Mayadeen)
■ Iran’s military on highest alert as US ratchets up strike threats (Al Jazeera)
■ Israel on alert amid expectations of imminent US strike on Iran (Anadolu)
■ US opens new air defence unit at Qatar base amid Iran tensions (The New Arab)

Washington's threats of strikes against Iran are absolutely unacceptable, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said on Tuesday. | Russia strongly condemns any subversive external interference in Iran's internal political processes:

■ IRAN RIOTS 2026 (Press TV)
■ Unusual Air-Refueling Tanker SURGE over Pacific After Iran Says "Expect the end of Israel, tonight" (Hal Turner)

✅ Regime Change Riots In Iran Fail Faster Than Expected (Moon of Alabama) | The Iranian government did not bother to track down single terminals but used the new Russian and Chinese equipment to shut down all Starlink traffic in Iran. Packet loss rates of 90% have made the connections unusable. The total blocking of Internet traffic and international phone communication in Iran was the decisive step taken to end the riots. Without Internet access the CIA/Mossad agents directing the rioters were unable to command and control their on-the-ground forces. The lack of ‘horror’ propaganda videos from Iran, submitted via the Internet and used by the media to rake up support for western intervention, is also important. Color-revolutions à la CIA require these tools.

Britain is developing new tactical ballistic missiles with a range of more than 500 km, the Defense Ministry in London has announced | The ministry announced the launch of Project Nightfall on Sunday, an initiative aimed at boosting Ukraine’s strike capabilities. The planned tactical ballistic missiles would carry a warhead weighing around 200 kg and have a range of more than 500 km, according to the statement. ● The project envisions awarding contracts to three industrial teams to produce test missiles within a year. The ministry said production could eventually reach up to ten systems per month, with each missile expected to cost up to $1 million. Proposals are due in early February, with contracts expected to be signed by March 2026.

🚩 Russia’s response to any attack to be 'devastating', worth repeating it (12/29/25)

US President Donald Trump has sought to acquire the island and has not ruled out the use of force | Russia and China pose no threat to Greenland, a senior Danish lawmaker overseeing security has said, as US President Donald Trump seeks control over the Arctic island. ● Trump has long called for the US to acquire Greenland – an autonomous territory under Danish sovereignty – to deter Russia and China. He has not ruled out the use of force. The US president’s statements have triggered a rift between the US and European NATO members, who have rallied behind Denmark, arguing that “Greenland belongs to its people.”

■ US Lawmaker Introduces Bill to Let Trump Take Steps Needed to Annex or Acquire Greenland (Sputnik)
■ US ambition to claim Greenland driven by competition from Russia, China — White House (TASS)

Will Porter | Washington has insisted the far-flung Danish territory is vital to US security and refused to rule out a military option to acquire it | Denmark’s premier has warned that US military action against Greenland would unravel the NATO alliance and the entire international order, after President Donald Trump reiterated hopes to take over the country. ● Speaking to Danish broadcasters on Monday, Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen condemned “unacceptable pressure” by the Trump administration to acquire Greenland – an autonomous territory of Denmark – warning of catastrophic consequences should Washington opt to take the country by force.

Judge Alvin Hellerstein ruled that Fein's request to join the case had no legal basis and upheld the claim of lead counsel Barry Pollack. | On Monday, US Judge Alvin Hellerstein ordered lawyer Bruce Fein to be removed from Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro's defense team in the case he is facing in New York, noting that he was not hired by the Chavista leader.

Fein, a veteran lawyer specializing in constitutional law, requested to join the case under the legal concept of ‘pro hac vice’, which allows a lawyer to represent a client on an occasional and temporary basis, subject to court approval, without being licensed in the jurisdiction, which is necessary to practice law. ● On Thursday, Pollack told the judge that he had spoken with Maduro, who said he had not hired him and therefore authorized him to request that he be removed from the case. ● The judge indicated today that Fein “admits that he was not hired by Maduro, nor by the lawyer hired by Maduro, nor was he appointed by the court” and considers that his request to join the case “has no legal basis.”

He also denied a motion “to bring Maduro to court to ask him ‘in camera’ (in private, according to legal language) if he would like to add Fein to his defense team,” which was filed on Friday. ● Pollack represented Maduro on January 5 in his first appearance in a New York federal court, where he was charged with drug trafficking and corruption offenses, following his capture and transfer to the South American country in the early hours of Saturday, January 3. ● Maduro's wife, Cilia Flores, accused of collaborating in the crimes with which he is charged, has a different lawyer, Mark Donnelly. (Original article in Spanish) (Translation: DeepL + Copyread: Grammarly)

■ [President] Maduro’s Legal Team Is Still Up in the Air a Week After Arrest (Bloomberg)

Israel is ready and on high alert for any U.S. intervention in Iran, as authorities are facing the largest anti-government protests in years, Reuters reported, citing three informed Israeli sources. | Reuters added that sources, who attended the Israeli security consultations over the weekend, did not clarify what Israel's raising of its alert level to its highest point practically meant. ●  In a phone call on Saturday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio discussed the possibility of U.S. intervention in Iran. ● The Iranian government also warned U.S. President Donald Trump that if Washington attacks Tehran, then it will target Israel and American military bases in the Middle East. ● On the other hand, Trump has repeatedly threatened to intervene in Iran in recent days, if the government kill protesters. On Saturday, Trump said Washington was "ready to help."

■ US warns Americans to ‘leave Iran now’ (RT)
■ Trump Orders 25% Tariff on Any Country Doing Business with Iran (Sputnik)
■ Regime Change All Over Again (Hal Turner)
■ EU Parliament bans Iranian diplomats from premise (RT)

Argentina’s President Javier Milei has reportedly frozen at the last minute the relocation of the country’s embassy from Tel Aviv to the occupied al-Quds. [Jerusalem] | Israel’s Channel 12 reported that Milei, a devoted supporter of the occupying regime, took the decision after learning of the Israeli plan for oil drilling near the disputed Malvinas Islands in the South Atlantic Ocean, which are also known as the Falklands to the British. ● Valued at $1.8 billion, the project is expected to begin in the coming weeks with the Israeli company Navitas aiming to produce 32,000 barrels of oil per day. ● Argentine officials warned that the drilling project could damage relations between Tel Aviv and Buenos Aires, which have improved under Milei’s presidency. ● Milei has openly praised Israel’s acts of aggression, including the genocidal war against Palestinians in the Gaza Strip. ● He had earlier pledged to move Argentina’s embassy from Tel Aviv to the occupied al-Quds by 2026.

Iran says it has dismantled a Mossad-linked espionage network and carried out counterterrorism operations nationwide. | Iran’s security authorities announced the dismantling of a foreign espionage network after an IRGC Intelligence Organization arrested a foreign national accused of operating on behalf of the Israeli intelligence service, Mossad. ● According to an official statement issued on Saturday, the suspect entered Iran under a covert identity and was tasked with collecting sensitive intelligence and assessing conditions linked to the activities of Mossad-affiliated operatives. The arrest was carried out while the individual was actively conducting these missions, Iranian authorities said. ● Subsequent searches of the suspect’s residence and personal belongings uncovered documents that the IRGC described as “definitive proof” of espionage, establishing direct links to the Israeli intelligence apparatus.

✅ The Israeli Influence Operation in Iran Pushing to Reinstate the Shah Monarchy (Megiddo & Benjakob) (Ha'aretz)

■ Iran has evidence of US, Israeli involvement in riots — top diplomat (TASS)
✅ The Israeli Influence Operation in Iran Pushing to Reinstate the Shah Monarchy (Megiddo & Benjakob) (Ha'aretz)
✅ Iran Shrugs Off Another Round Of U.S./Israel Sponsored Regime Change Riots (Moon of Alabama)

The US president has urged Havana to strike a deal with Washington “before it is too late” | US President Donald Trump has said Cuba will no longer receive Venezuelan oil and money, warning the island to do a deal with Washington “before it’s too late.” ● Cuba, a close ally of Venezuela and a major beneficiary of its subsidized oil, has seen supplies from the OPEC nation dry up since early January. Shipping data show no crude cargoes have left Venezuelan ports for the island since President Nicolas Maduro was abducted by American forces, as a strict US-led oil blockade brought deliveries to a halt.

■ Rubio could lead Cuba – Trump (RT)

Four babies have died from the cold since November, as power cuts disable incubators and families in flooded tents struggle to keep their children alive. | In the bitter cold of a Gaza winter, two-month-old Mohammed Abu Harbid has become the latest victim of Israel’s genocidal war that has stripped Palestinians of shelter, warmth and survival. ● Zaher al-Wahidi, director of health information at the Ministry of Health, told Al Jazeera the infant died from severe hypothermia at al-Rantisi Children’s Hospital. ● His death brings the number of children who have frozen to death in the enclave since November 2025 to four, and 12 since the start of the genocidal war in October 2023. ● As severe depression brings torrential rain and freezing winds to the coastal enclave, thousands of displaced families are facing a catastrophic humanitarian emergency, with the most vulnerable paying the highest price.