Category World News

As he intensifies his campaign to acquire the semi-autonomous territory of Denmark, President Donald Trump has stated that a number of European allies will be affected by an increasing number of tariffs for opposing US control of the island nation.

Trump stated in a post on Truth Social on Saturday that Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Norway, Sweden, the Netherlands, and the United Kingdom would be subject to 10% tariffs starting on February 1.

He added that until an agreement is reached, the US would start levying tariffs at 25% on June 1 and continue to do so until June 1.

The European nations did not immediately react.

Trump’s announcement came as thousands of Danish citizens gathered in Danish cities to protest the Republican’s repeated threats to annex Greenland.

Protesters chanted slogans like “Kalaallit Nunaat,” the name of the Arctic island, in Greenlandic, while waving the flags of Denmark and Copenhagen in the capital.

A bipartisan US congressional delegation in Copenhagen intervened to reassure Denmark and Greenland of their support shortly after the protests.

Senator Chris Coons expressed hope that Danish citizens continue to trust the American people, adding that the US values both NATO and Denmark for what they have done together.

Trump has argued for months that the US should control Greenland since regaining control of the White House in January. He declared earlier this week that anything less than US control of the Arctic island would be “unacceptable.”

Only 6 percent of Greenlanders were in favor of the territory joining the US, according to the most recent poll conducted in January of last year.

Although efforts to change the US administration’s position have largely failed, Greenland and Denmark have since rejected the notion that the island is “owned” by the US.

The foreign ministers of Denmark and Greenland met with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio this week in Washington, DC, and said they “didn’t manage to change the American position.”

Senegal coach Pape Thiaw says he hoped the Africa Cup of Nations final against Morocco would not be Sadio Mane’s last game at the tournament, insisting the former Liverpool forward could reconsider walking away from the team.

“His decision is no longer up to him. There is a whole people behind him, too, and they would like to see him continue,” Thiaw told reporters in Rabat on the eve of the final against the host nation.

Mane, 33, said after Wednesday’s semifinal against Egypt, in which he scored the winner, that he would not play at another AFCON.

His comments indicated that he may retire from international football altogether following the World Cup in North America in June and July, by which time he will be 34.

The next Cup of Nations is due to take place in 2027 in Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda, while the 2029 edition is being brought forward to 2028.

“I think he made his decision in the heat of the moment and the country does not agree, and I, as coach of the national team, do not agree at all,” said Thiaw.

“We would like to keep him for as long as possible.”

Mane helped Senegal win the Cup of Nations for the first time in their history in 2022, scoring the winning penalty in the shootout in the final against Egypt.

The two-time winner of the African player of the year prize also played in the side that lost the 2019 final to Algeria – Sunday’s match will be Senegal’s third final in four editions of AFCON.

“Sadio is an exceptional player who would have deserved to win a Ballon d’Or. Above all, he is just an incredible man,” said defender Moussa Niakhate.

“He doesn’t have a big ego. He just works hard and loves his country – the fact this is his sixth AFCON shows his longevity and consistency.”

Thiaw reiterates Senegal’s AFCON complaint against Morocco

Meanwhile, the Senegal coach expressed anger at the welcome his team received on arriving in the Moroccan capital on Friday.

The Lions of Teranga travelled to Rabat, having been based in the northern port city of Tangiers since the start of the competition.

The Senegalese Football Federation released a statement early on Saturday complaining about “serious concerns” including a “lack of adequate security” for the team’s arrival “which put the players and staff at risk”.

It also complained about the hotel offered to the delegation, about the number of tickets given to their supporters for the final, and said they were not happy at being offered a training pitch at the Moroccan team’s base.

“What happened yesterday was not normal,” insisted Thiaw.

“Given the number there, anything could have happened. My players could have been in danger.

“That type of thing should not happen between two brother countries.”

Morocco ready for ‘hardest’ step against Senegal

The final brings together the top two teams in Africa according to the FIFA rankings, with Morocco hoping to make the most of home advantage to take the AFCON title for the first time in 50 years.

There is, however, enormous pressure on the 2022 World Cup semifinalists to take the trophy.

“We dreamt of being here and now we are, but the last step will be the hardest one,” said Morocco coach Walid Regragui.

“Senegal are a great side and this is their third final out of four, but it is great for African football to have a final between the two best teams.”

He added: “How we handle the emotion of the occasion will be important. We can’t put too much pressure on ourselves.

US President Donald Trump has invited the leaders of Egypt and Turkiye to join his “Board of Peace” to oversee the post-war transition in Gaza, according to authorities in Ankara and Cairo.

The so-called Board of Peace revealed by the White House on Friday will oversee the temporary governance of Gaza under the US president’s plan to end Israel’s genocical war against Palestinians in the besieged territory.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan received the proposal in a letter sent Friday by Trump inviting him to “become a founding member” of the board, Turkish presidential communications director Burhanettin Duran posted on social media on Saturday.

Meanwhile, Egypt’s foreign minister, Badr Abdelatty, said at a news conference on Saturday that the country was reviewing a separate invitation from Trump to Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi to join the board.

The White House announced on Friday several members of the board, including US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, President Donald Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff, former British Prime Minister Tony Blair, and Trump’s son-in-law, Jared Kushner. Trump is to chair the board.

The establishment of the board was part of Trump’s plan to end Israel’s war on Gaza that was unveiled in October. The plan says a Palestinian technocratic body will be overseen by the international board, which will supervise Gaza’s governance for a transitional period.

Many rights experts and advocates have said that Trump overseeing a board to supervise a foreign territory’s governance resembled a colonial structure, while the prospect of Blair’s involvement was criticised last year due to his role in the Iraq war and the history of British imperialism in the Middle East.

The White House did not detail the responsibilities of each member of the “founding Executive board.”

The names do not include any Palestinians. The White House said more members will be announced over the coming weeks.

The board will also include private equity executive and billionaire Marc Rowan, World Bank President Ajay Banga and Robert Gabriel, a Trump adviser, the White House said, adding that Nickolay Mladenov, a former UN Middle East envoy, will be the high representative for Gaza.

Army Major General Jasper Jeffers, a US special operations commander, was appointed commander of the International Stabilisation Force, the White House said.

Gaza force authorised

A UN Security Council resolution, adopted in mid-November, authorised the board and countries working with it to establish that force in Gaza.

The White House also named an 11-member “Gaza Executive Board” that will include Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, the UN special coordinator for the Middle East peace process, Sigrid Kaag, the United Arab Emirates minister for international cooperation, Reem al-Hashimy, and Israeli-Cypriot billionaire Yakir Gabay, along with some members of the executive board.

This additional board will support Mladenov’s office and the Palestinian technocratic body, whose details were announced this week, the White House said.

A tenuous ceasefire has been in effect in Gaza since October, but Israel has repeatedly breached the truce, killing more than 450 Palestinians, including more than 100 children. Three Israeli soldiers have been killed in attacks by Palestinian armed groups.

At least 71,548 people have been killed and 171,353 wounded by Israeli forces across Gaza since October 2023.

A total of 1,139 people were killed in Israel during the October 7, 2023, attacks, and about 200 were taken captive.