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Denmark and Greenland seek talks with Rubio after the White House says again it wants the island

By STEFANIE DAZIO

Updated 6:36 AM EST, January 7, 2026

Leer en español

Denmark and Greenland are seeking a meeting with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio after the Trump administration doubled down on its intention to take over the strategic Arctic island, a Danish territory.

Tensions escalated after the White House said Tuesday that the “U.S. military is always an option,” even as a series of European leaders rejected President Donald Trump’s renewed calls for the U.S. to take over Greenland, citing strategic reasons.

Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen warned earlier this week that a U.S. takeover would amount to the end of the NATO military alliance.

“The Nordics do not lightly make statements like this,” Maria Martisiute, a defense analyst at the European Policy Centre think tank, told The Associated Press on Wednesday. “But it is Trump, whose very bombastic language bordering on direct threats and intimidation, is threatening the fact to another ally by saying ‘I will control or annex the territory.’”

The leaders of France, Germany, Italy, Poland, Spain and the United Kingdom joined Frederiksen in a statement Tuesday reaffirming that the mineral-rich island “belongs to its people.”

Their statement defended the sovereignty of Greenland, which is a self-governing territory of Denmark and thus part of NATO.

Trump has floated since his first term the idea of acquiring Greenland, arguing that the U.S. needs to control the world’s largest island to ensure its own security in the face of rising threats from China and Russia in the Arctic.

This weekend’s U.S. military action in Venezuela has heightened fears across Europe, and Trump and his advisers in recent days have reiterated the U.S. leader’s desire to take over the island, which guards the Arctic and North Atlantic approaches to North America.

“It’s so strategic right now,” Trump told reporters Sunday.

Danish Foreign Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen and his Greenlandic counterpart, Vivian Motzfeldt, have requested the meeting with Rubio in the near future, according to a statement posted Tuesday to Greenland’s government website. Previous requests for a sit-down were not successful, the statement said.

https://apnews.com/article/trump-european-union-greenland-denmark-rubio-frederiksen-4d18970667b130d293ccaf4c0d55c300

>>24085519

Judge in Netanyahu's corruption case is killed 'after vehicle driving off road joined highway and ploughed into his motorbike'

A senior Israeli judge involved in Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s corruption case has been killed after a vehicle driving off-road joined a major highway and ploughed into his motorcycle.

Benny Sagi, the president of the Beersheba District Court, died at the scene following the collision on Route 6 in southern Israel.

Emergency responders described the incident as 'shocking', with medics saying the judge suffered fatal injuries and showed no signs of life when they arrived.

According to initial police findings, a vehicle that had been travelling off-road suddenly mounted the highway and collided with Sagi's motorcycle.

The unusual circumstances surrounding how the car entered the roadway have prompted a full investigation.

The crash happened near Kibbutz Kfar Menachem, east of Ashdod, leading to temporary road closures as officers examined the scene.

Traffic accident investigators from the Kiryat Malachi police station are working to determine whether negligence, mechanical failure or other factors were involved.

Judge Sagi had been appointed acting president of the Beersheba District Court in June 2024 before assuming the role permanently in April last year.

He was considered a prominent figure within Israel's judicial system and was widely respected for his legal expertise and leadership.

News of his sudden death sent shockwaves through Israel's legal and political establishment.

President Isaac Herzog said he was 'shocked and pained' by the loss, praising Sagi as a brilliant jurist known for integrity and professionalism.

Supreme Court President Isaac Amit said the judiciary was 'dismayed' by the tragedy, describing Sagi as a man with a huge heart who was deeply respected by colleagues.

Justice Minister Yariv Levin also paid tribute, calling him a widely admired and exceptional judge.

In a statement, the Judicial Authority said it was deeply saddened by the circumstances of Sagi's death, describing him as a talented leader who was well-liked by lawyers, court staff and litigants alike.

Judge Sagi is survived by his wife, a daughter and two sons.

Police said the investigation into the crash is ongoing.

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-15440547/Judge-Netanyahus-corruption-case-killed-vehicle-driving-road-joined-highway-ploughed-motorbike.html