16/01/2026

FRIDAY | JAN 16, 2026

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Trump presses forward with plan for Greenland

Visa processing for 75 countries paused WASHINGTON: President Donald Trump’s administration is suspending processing for immigrant visas for applicants from 75 countries, a State Department spokesperson said on Wednesday, as part of Washington’s intensifying immigration crackdown. The spokesperson said the pause, which will begin on Jan 21, would impact applicants from Latin American countries including Brazil, Colombia and Uruguay; Balkan countries such as Bosnia and Albania; South Asian countries Pakistan and Bangladesh, and those from many nations in Africa, the Middle East and the Caribbean. A State Department cable outlining the move said the department was undergoing a “full review”of all policies, regulations and guidance to ensure “the highest level of screening and vetting” for all US visa applicants. The cable, sent to US missions, said there were indications that nationals from the countries had sought public benefits in the US. The move, which was first reported by Fox News, does not impact US visitor visas, which have been in the spotlight given the country is hosting the 2026 World Cup and 2028 Olympics. The decision follows a November directive to US diplomats asking them to ensure that visa applicants are financially self-sufficient and do not risk becoming dependent on government subsidies during their stay, according to a State Department cable seen by Reuters at the time. “The State Department will use its authority to deem ineligible potential immigrants who would become a public charge on the United States and exploit the generosity of the American people,” said State Department Principal Deputy Spokesperson Tommy Pigott. “Immigrant visa processing from the 75 countries will be paused while the State Department reassesses immigration processing procedures to prevent the entry of foreign nationals who would take welfare and public benefits.” Trump has pursued an immigration crackdown since returning to office, sending federal agents to US cities and sparking violent confrontations with migrants and citizens. – Reuters X announces steps to curtail Grok AI SAN FRANCISCO: Elon Musk’s platform X on Wednesday announced measures to prevent its AI chatbot Grok from undressing images of real people, following global backlash over its generation of sexualised photos of women and children. The announcement comes after California’s attorney-general launched an investigation into Musk’s xAI, the developer of Grok, over the sexually explicit material and multiple countries either blocked access to the chatbot or launched their own probes. X said it would “geoblock the ability” of all Grok and X users to create images of people in “bikinis, underwear and similar attire” in jurisdictions where such actions are illegal. “We have implemented technological measures to prevent the Grok account from allowing the editing of images of real people in revealing clothing. “This restriction applies to all users, including paid subscribers.” X added that in an “extra layer of protection”, image creation and the ability to edit photos via X’s Grok account is now only available to paid subscribers. The European Commission, which acts as the EU’s digital watchdog, earlier said it had taken note of “additional measures X is taking to ban Grok from generating sexualised images of women and children”. “We will carefully assess the changes to make sure they effectively protect citizens in the EU.” – AFP

o Washington refuses to change stance after high-stakes meeting

Denmark said they had begun to increase their military presence in and around Greenland in close cooperation with Nato allies, as part of their promise to beef up Arctic defence. The Danish Defence Ministry said the increased military presence would include a range of activities throughout 2026. During the press conference, Rasmussen and Motzfeldt called the meeting respectful and emphasised that Denmark shared US concerns about Arctic security. However, they firmly rejected the idea of the island becoming American. While Trump has at times portrayed the island as besieged by Russian and Chinese ships, Rasmussen rejected that characterisation on Wednesday, saying “it is not a true narrative that we have Chinese warships all around the place”. Analysts said the meeting presented an opportunity for Copenhagen and Nuuk to de-escalate the crisis and find a diplomatic path to satisfy US demands for more control. Former political adviser to ex-Danish premier Helle Thorning-Schmidt Noa Redington said concerns were high in Denmark and Greenland that Motzfeldt and Rasmussen could be treated in the same way as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, when he suffered a public humiliation in a meeting with Trump – and Vance – at the White House in February 2025. – Reuters arguing that it is vital for US security. After meeting US officials, including vice president JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Wednesday, Danish Foreign Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen said it was “clear that the president has this wish of conquering Greenland”, which he argued was “absolutely not necessary”. Sweden has also said it would take part in the European military mission. – AFP

Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen and his Greenlandic counterpart Vivian Motzfeldt said the US and Denmark would form a working group to discuss a broad array of concerns regarding the island that could meet in the coming weeks. However, they also made clear that Washington had not budged on its position that it must acquire Greenland, an outcome Rasmussen and Motzfeldt described as an unacceptable breach of sovereignty. “We didn’t manage to change the American position. It’s clear that the president has this wish of conquering Greenland,” Rasmussen told reporters outside the Danish embassy in Washington after the meeting concluded. Before the meeting, which lasted about two hours, Trump argued on social media that Nato would become more formidable and effective with Greenland in the hands of the US. Recently, he has repeated longstanding claims that acquiring Greenland is a national security imperative and Denmark is not capable of warding off Russian and Chinese influence in the Arctic region. Greenland and Denmark say the island is not for sale, adding that threats of force are reckless and security concerns should be resolved among allies. Prominent EU countries have backed Denmark, which is a member of the Nato alliance. Ahead of the meeting, Greenland and

WASHINGTON: United States President Donald Trump on Wednesday reiterated that the US needs Greenland and Denmark cannot be relied upon to protect the island, adding that “something will work out” with respect to the future governance of the Danish overseas territory. The remarks, which came after a high-stakes meeting between US, Danish and Greenlandic officials, indicate that there are still fundamental, if not intractable differences between how Washington, Copenhagen and Nuuk see the political future of the island. “Greenland is very important for the national security, including of Denmark,” Trump told reporters in the Oval Office. “And the problem is there’s not a thing that Denmark can do about it if Russia or China wants to occupy Greenland, but there’s everything we can do. You found that out last week with Venezuela.” Earlier in the day, the foreign ministers of Denmark and Greenland met with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Vice President JD Vance at the White House. Following that meeting, Danish Foreign

Germany, France to mobilise troops BERLIN: Germany and France on Wednesday said they would send troops to Greenland along with other European countries, as US President Donald Trump ramped up threats to conquer the Arctic island. According to Berlin, the mission aims to “explore the framework conditions for possible military contributions to support Denmark in ensuring security in the region”.

France, the European Union’s only nuclear power, also confirmed that it would send troops to Greenland, after a meeting between US, Danish and Greenlandic officials. Trump has repeatedly vowed to take control of the autonomous Danish territory,

The German Defence Ministry said the deployment of a 13-strong Bundeswehr reconnaissance team to the Greenlandic capital Nuuk yesterday was at Denmark’s invitation.

STANDING IN SUPPORT ... Demonstrators in Amsterdam hold flags and placards during a march in solidarity with protesters in Iran. – AFPPIC