Hello,

World leaders and business figures are meeting at the World Economic Forum in Davos as Donald Trump prepares his first appearance there in six years, amid disputes over Greenland, tariff threats against Europe, US action in Venezuela, and efforts to end the war in Ukraine.

Elsewhere, European leaders are weighing trade countermeasures in response to Trump-linked tariff threats, Taiwan has detained a journalist and military officers over alleged China-linked bribery, and US officials defended new tariffs as a preventive measure tied to Greenland.

Read more below ⤵️

Top 5 Stories

1️⃣🇨🇭🌍 World leaders gather in Davos amid Trump-driven tensions: World leaders and business figures are meeting at the World Economic Forum in Davos as Donald Trump prepares his first appearance there in six years, amid disputes over Greenland, tariff threats against Europe, US action in Venezuela, and efforts to end the war in Ukraine. European officials arrive under pressure over transatlantic relations, security guarantees and economic uncertainty, while several proposed meetings and initiatives remain unconfirmed.

2️⃣ 🇮🇷🇺🇸 Iran warns attack on supreme leader would mean war: Iran’s president Masoud Pezeshkian said any attack on Ayatollah Ali Khamenei would amount to a declaration of war, responding to speculation that Donald Trump is considering removing or assassinating the Iranian leader. The warning came amid ongoing protests, reports of thousands of deaths and arrests, and disputed responsibility for the violence.

3️⃣ 🇸🇾 Syria agrees ceasefire with Kurdish-led forces: Syria announced an immediate nationwide ceasefire with the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces after nearly two weeks of clashes, under a 14-point agreement integrating the SDF into state and military institutions. The deal transfers control of civilian bodies, borders, and oil and gas fields to Damascus and includes commitments on Kurdish rights, though implementation details remain unclear.

4️⃣ 🇺🇸 1,500 US soldiers on standby amid Minneapolis protests: About 1,500 US soldiers based in Alaska are on standby for possible deployment to Minneapolis if President Donald Trump authorises the use of active-duty forces, as protests against Immigration and Customs Enforcement continue. Officials said no decision has been made, while state leaders criticised the federal response and a judge restricted ICE crowd-control tactics against peaceful protesters.

5️⃣ 🇫🇷🇪🇺 Macron urges EU trade response to Trump tariff threat: French President Emmanuel Macron said he will ask EU partners to activate the bloc’s Anti-Coercion Instrument in response to Donald Trump’s tariff threats linked to Greenland. EU ambassadors are set to meet urgently as European leaders warned the move undermines transatlantic relations and raises questions over last summer’s EU-US trade deal.

Major Story

🇬🇱🇺🇸 NATO allies warn of Greenland escalation

Eight European countries said they are standing in solidarity with Denmark and Greenland after US President Donald Trump threatened tariffs unless the United States takes control of the island. In a joint statement, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden and Britain said tariff threats undermine transatlantic relations and risk a “dangerous downward spiral,” while reaffirming a shared commitment to Arctic security. 

European leaders criticised the threats as blackmail, warned against a trade war, and signalled possible EU countermeasures, including suspending progress on a recent EU–US trade deal. NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte said he discussed Arctic security with Mr Trump, while a senior US Republican warned the dispute could benefit adversaries by dividing the alliance.

Other News

1️⃣ 🇹🇼 Taiwan detains journalist over alleged China-linked bribery: Taiwanese prosecutors said a court ordered the detention of a television reporter and five current and retired military officers over allegations of bribery to obtain military information for people from mainland China. Authorities said raids were carried out under national security and corruption laws, while CTi TV confirmed one of its reporters was detained and called for a fair judicial process.

2️⃣ 🇺🇸💼 Bessent defends Trump tariffs as preventive measure: US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said the “national emergency” used to justify new tariffs on eight European countries was the need to prevent a future emergency. He described the tariffs, linked to US efforts to gain control of Greenland, as a strategic decision and said legal challenges to the policy were unlikely to succeed.

Weekly Updates?

Want weekly updates as well as daily?

Subscribe to our sister publication Geopolitics Weekly here ⤵️

Our Shop

Ukraine Phone Wallpaper Pack