A bill seeking to make Greenland the 51st US state has been introduced in the House of Representatives, escalating a controversial push by President Donald Trump to bring the Danish territory under American control.

Trump claimed last week that the US must annex Greenland – an autonomous former Danish colony under Copenhagen’s sovereignty – to contain Russia and China, suggesting that the two countries would “take over”the island unless Washington did it first.

The “Greenland Annexation and Statehood Act,” introduced by Representative Randy Fine (R-FL) on Monday, would authorize the President to take “whatever steps necessary to annex or acquire Greenland,” and mandates a report to Congress outlining the steps required for its eventual admission as a US state.

https://www.rt.com/news/630874-greenland-annexation-statehood-act/

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The EU needs to create a 100,000-strong standing army to make military decisions independently of the US and NATO, Defense Commissioner Andrius Kubilius has said.

The bloc must pivot away from fragmented national armies to an integrated force, he told a security conference in Sweden on Sunday. The suggestion, however, goes against existing EU rules.

“We need to go for a ‘big bang’ in defense,” the commissioner said. Citing French President Emmanuel Macron and former German Chancellor Angela Merkel, Kubilius noted: “[They] were speaking very similar words ten years ago… that Europe must be more independent and autonomous… and even that we need to have a European Army… a powerful, standing European military force of 100,000 troops.”

Kubilius also proposed a 10-12 member European Security Council to make EU-wide defense decisions, with the UK participating despite its non-bloc status.

https://www.rt.com/news/630832-kubilius-united-european-army/

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The British government believes it has found a legal way for its military to seize any vessels in UK waters that it suspects of being part of a so-called ‘shadow fleet’, the state broadcaster BBC has reported.

The move is expected to target Russia, Iran, and Venezuela, all of which the UK claims use third-party vessels to circumvent Western sanctions, according to the report.

Britain’s 2018 Sanctions and Money Laundering Act initially allowed London to impose sanctions in line with UN Security Council resolutions but was later expanded to allow entities London has accused of human rights violations to be targeted.

The law states that the government can detain “specified ships” in its territorial waters or prevent them from entering. This can affect vessels going through the English Channel – one of the world’s busiest shipping lanes. It also says that any ships can be targeted, except for those of the navies of foreign nations. The legislation does not explicitly mention the use of military force, however.

https://www.rt.com/news/630865-uk-seize-tanker-russia-sanctions/

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US President Donald Trump has declared he will impose a blanket 25% tariff on any nation conducting business with Iran, escalating his pressure campaign to isolate the Islamic Republic amid ongoing unrest.

The new tariff threat comes after Trump promised “very strong options” and suggested Washington could intervene militarily to support the Iranian people’s quest for “freedom.” Iranian officials have accused the United States and Israel of orchestrating a deadly “terrorist war” within its borders.

“Effective immediately, any Country doing business with the Islamic Republic of Iran will pay a Tariff of 25% on any and all business being done with the United States of America. This Order is final and conclusive,” Trump stated in a post on Truth Social on Monday.

https://www.rt.com/news/630875-trump-iran-business-tariffs/

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Iran has extensive evidence showing the US and Israel had a “big hand” in recent unrest in the country, Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi told a meeting of foreign diplomats in Tehran on Monday.

The statement comes after violent clashes between protesters and the authorities erupted late last month, which have led to dozens of deaths among the Iranian security forces and civilian bystanders.

Multiple mosques, medical centers, and other buildings have been torched across the country.

According to Araghchi, nationwide protests “turned violent and bloody to give an excuse” for US President Donald Trump to intervene militarily in the country.

“We have many documents and pieces of evidence of US and Israeli involvement in the terrorist actions of recent days in Iran,” Araghchi stated.

https://www.rt.com/news/630838-iran-us-israel-interference/

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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.

“THERE WILL BE NO MORE OIL OR MONEY GOING TO CUBA – ZERO!” Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform on Sunday, adding that “Cuba lived, for many years, on large amounts of OIL and MONEY from Venezuela.”

“I strongly suggest they make a deal, BEFORE IT IS TOO LATE,” he added.

Dozens of Venezuelan and Cuban security personnel were killed in the US raid earlier this month, after which Trump said Cuba was “ready to fall,” citing the island’s deep economic crisis and warning that Havana would struggle to endure without subsidized Venezuelan oil.

https://www.rt.com/news/630837-trump-cuba-ultimatum/

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MOSCOW (Sputnik) Hollywood has been promoting a negative image of Russia among the Americans, former aide to ex-US President Joe Biden Tara Reade told Sputnik.

Washington enjoys a tremendous influence over Hollywood and uses it to manipulate public opinion in the United States against Russia, Tara Reade, a former assistant to ex-US President Joe Biden, told Sputnik.

"Hollywood is very infiltrated by the government... and they really target the American audience to get them to dislike Russia. They kind of put the stereotypes as if it's still the Soviet Union, still communist, still kind of the time of the 90s where it was here, where it was, you know, different. And they portray Russians as very aggressive and negative stereotypes," she said.

This, however, could not be farther from the truth as Russia today is a capitalist country, Reade noted, adding that she personally found Russians to be "very warm."

"Obviously, Russia is a capitalistic country right now. There's lots of innovation, exploration, creativity, very creative people. And in the arts, in athletics, there's such achievement in all different fields, space, technology as well. And I think that your average American isn't really paying attention. But other Americans that are paying attention, they kind of see through the propaganda and the movies," she added.

On September 22, Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a decree granting Russian citizenship to Reade. She received a Russian passport in late December.

https://sputnikglobe.com/20260110/us-govt-uses-hollywood-to-demonize-russians---former-biden-aide-1123447403.html

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The internationally recognised government of Yemen says its forces have taken full control of the south from the separatist Southern Transitional Council (STC), which was aligned with the Saudi-backed government until recently.

“As the president of the country and the high commander of the armed forces, I want to assure you of the recapture of Hadramout and al-Mahra,” Rashad al-Alimi, the head of the Presidential Leadership Council (PLC), said on Saturday.

Last month, Saudi Arabia intervened militarily in support of the PLC after the STC captured the two border provinces, which Riyadh said was a threat to its national security. The STC along with the PLC fought against the Houthis, who control northwest of Yemen, including the capital Sanaa.

On Friday, the STC was dissolved, and its leader, Aidarous al-Zubaidi, fled the country after forces loyal to the PLC took control of most of the south and eastern Yemen.

The future of the STC, which is backed by the United Arab Emirates, remains uncertain amid internal divisions and the exile of its leader.

https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2026/1/12/yemens-saudi-backed-government-retakes-southern-areas-from-stc-what-next

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The administration of United States President Donald Trump has continued to threaten Iran with military attacks, saying that air strikes are one of “many options” being explored as widespread protests put the Iranian government under growing pressure.

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said on Monday that diplomacy is “always the first option” but that military attacks are “on the table”.

https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2026/1/12/trump-administration-says-still-considering-military-strikes-on-iran

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The UK Defense Ministry has announced plans to develop new long-range missiles for Ukraine that would be capable of striking targets deep inside Russian territory.

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.

“A secure Europe needs a strong Ukraine. These new long-range British missiles will keep Ukraine in the fight and give [Russian President Vladimir] Putin another thing to worry about,” UK Defense Procurement Minister Luke Pollard stated, as quoted by the ministry.

Commenting on the announcement, Russian Ambassador to the UK Andrey Kelin told RIA Novosti that London is engaging in wishful thinking by promising to supply Kiev with missiles that have not yet been developed.

The UK has been one of Ukraine’s staunchest backers since the escalation of the conflict in February 2022. It has supplied Kiev with long-range cruise missiles, including Storm Shadows, and has lifted restrictions on their use against targets inside Russia. Moscow denounced the step as a dangerous escalation.

Ukraine has repeatedly used Storm Shadow missiles developed by the UK and France for strikes in Crimea and Donbass, while carrying out daily drone attacks on other Russian regions, including Moscow. Russia has accused Kiev of deliberately targeting civilian infrastructure.

Moscow has warned that Western weapons supplies to Ukraine undermine the prospects for a peaceful settlement and draw NATO countries directly into the conflict. Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has said any shipments of weapons to Ukraine would be considered legitimate military targets.

https://www.rt.com/news/630870-uk-missiles-striking-inside-russia/

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Israel’s leadership views its 12-day war with Iran last month as a success – several Iranian military leaders were killed, Iran’s defensive military capabilities were weakened, and the United States was convinced to take part in a raid on the Iranian nuclear site at Fordow.

But while Israeli leaders were quick to claim victory, they emphasised that they were ready to attack again if necessary, with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu saying he had “no intention of easing off the gas pedal”.

https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/7/24/could-israel-be-planning-a-second-war-on-iran

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YOURDEMOCRACY.NET RECORDS HISTORY AS IT SHOULD BE — NOT AS THE WESTERN MEDIA WRONGLY REPORTS IT — SINCE 2005.

         Gus Leonisky

         POLITICAL CARTOONIST SINCE 1951.