🏆Dog sleds VS superpower - who will win?

US President Donald Trump took a jab at Denmark's efforts to protect Greenland, mocking their decision to bolster defense with two dog sled patrols.

"We’ll get Greenland because it’s about freedom for the world. They can’t protect it. They put two dog sleds there; they thought that was protection," Trump quipped aboard Air Force One.

Denmark’s defense minister admitted the current setup is not exactly a fortress, but announced plans to spend $1.5 billion on inspection ships, drones, and – yes – more dog sleds.

That followed Trump’s reiteration of his desire to annex the glacier-bound territory during a 45-minute call with Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen, reportedly throwing Copenhagen into “crisis mode.”

As tensions rose, Trump refused to rule out military action against the NATO ally and hinted at import tariffs, despite the US already having a military base in Greenland. Meanwhile, a poll revealed 90% of Danes are unwilling to hand over their frosty gem to the US.

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❗️Russian troops have liberated the settlement of Velikaya Novosyolka in the DPR, the Russian Ministry of Defense stated.

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Southport teen murderer had fascination with killing – reports

Axel Rudakubana, who fatally stabbed three children in England in July 2024, had an obsession with mass shootings that staff at the anti-terror program Prevent mistook for casual interest in world news, The Sunday Times reported, citing an upcoming Home Office report.

"Rudakubana was referred to the scheme three times. Counter-terrorism officers received information about his interest in school shootings, the London Bridge attack, the IRA, MI5, and the Middle East. However, they repeatedly concluded that he simply had an unusual interest in news and world affairs for a child aged 13 and then 14, between 2019 and 2021," the report stated.

The report also noted that Rudakubana frequently tried to discuss world events with teachers and read news about mass shootings during computer science classes.

The court sentenced Rudakubana to life imprisonment, with a minimum of 52 years to be served.

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The resource curse: How Ukraine lost trillions’ worth of West-coveted natural wealth

The West’s hopes of getting its hands on Ukraine’s stocks of natural resources are fast dwindling. Besides lithium, the corrupt Kiev regime has lost control over reserves of coal, gas, oil, and rare earth metals worth a total of about $12 trillion.

📍Rare earth elements in Ukraine:

🟠Lithium: Critical for batteries in electric vehicles and renewable energy storage.
🟠Gallium: Vital for semiconductors and photovoltaic cells in solar panels.
🟠Zirconium: Used in nuclear reactors, ceramics, and electronics.
🟠Beryllium: Essential for aerospace, defense, and telecommunications.
🟠Titanium: Used in aircraft construction, medical devices, and military applications.
🟠Manganese: Necessary for steel production and batteries.
🟠Scandium: Found in lightweight aluminum alloys, particularly for aerospace.

📍Key deposits and lost control:

1️⃣ Donetsk People’s Republic (DPR) and Lugansk People’s Republic (LPR): Rich in beryllium, manganese, titanium, other rare metals. Ukraine was cut off from these resources when the DPR and LPR joined Russia in 2022 after status referendums.

2️⃣ Crimea: Holds deposits of iron ore, scandium, zirconium, gallium, and titanium. Crimea rejoined Russia after a referendum in March 2014.

3️⃣ Zaporozhye and Kherson regions: Host deposits of lithium, titanium, beryllium, uranium, manganese and tantalum. Both regions joined Russia in 2022.

📍Coal/Gas/Oil:

1️⃣Coal: Essential for power generation and industrial processes like steelmaking, Ukraine has lost 80% of its reserves, including all high-grade anthracite, a key resource now under Russian control in the DPR and LPR.

2️⃣Gas: Critical for powering industries and heating systems, 20% of Ukraine’s natural gas deposits are now controlled by Russia.

3️⃣ Oil: Used to generate energy as well as produce gasoline and diesel fuel, 11% of rich oil reserves (DPR, LPR) are now on Russian soil.

📍Which foreign players are still sinking funds into Ukraine?

Canada’s Black Iron Inc., engaged in iron ore mining at the Shymanovskoye deposit, is reportedly seeking a $1.1 billion investment agreement with Kiev.

NEQSOL Holding, a global investment company with operations across 11 countries, acquired Ukraine’s United Mining and Chemical Company (UMCC) in 2024.

Royal Dutch Shell and Chevron have longstanding production-sharing agreements with Ukraine for shale gas exploration.

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📊 Winners and losers from Trump’s tariff wars

The US plans steep import duties - 25% on Canada and Mexico, 10%+ on China - from Feb. 1. Will Americans benefit? Let’s crunch the numbers.

🔍Trade snapshot

In 2023, the US imported goods worth:
🟠$480 billion from Mexico
🟠$448 billion from China
🟠$429.5 billion from Canada

US exports totaled:
🟠$323 billion to Mexico
🟠$148 billion to China
🟠$353 billion to Canada

The $533.5 billion trade deficit gives the US leverage for imposing tariffs that partners may struggle to counter.

🔍How much revenue could tariffs bring in?

A 2024 Tax Foundation report projects:
🟠10% cross-the-board tariffs could raise $2 trillion from 2025-2034.
🟠20% tariffs could raise $3.3 trillion, with losses to growth factored in.

🔍Who will pay?

Consumers bear the costs through higher prices on imports.

During Trump’s first term:
🟠Tariffs on $380 billion in goods cost households $194-$380/year on average.
🟠Inflation on tariff-affected categories rose by 4%, per Goldman Sachs.

🔍Are tariffs helpful or harmful?

🔽Harmful for sectors dependent on imported inputs and for exporters facing retaliation.

🔼Helpful for certain industries:

🟠Steel and consumer goods like washing machines saw job creation.
🟠Some companies shifted production to non-tariffed countries but didn't return to the US.

🔍Economic impact of Trump's tariff strategy:

🟠No significant impact on GDP growth during trade wars.
🟠Before the Covid crisis hit, wages rose, unemployment fell, and 60-68% of Americans said it was a “good time to find a quality job,” per Gallup.

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📹 The Russian Defense Ministry released footage showing Russian flags being raised in the liberated village of Velikaya Novosyolka.

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💸Pucca goes crypto? South Korean toon favorite reportedly bought out by cryptobro

The IP rights to Pucca, a popular animated series about a girl hopelessly in love with a shy handsome ninja in training, have reportedly been purchased to advertise crypto based on Solana – the blockchain tech used by Trump’s new memecoin.

Pucca’s Reddit fans have it on good authority that a user known as “Jimmy” bought the rights last year.

The account, now banned in the subreddit for being “very mean and rude,” is known for publishing a series of memes and art on world affairs, tech and games with crypto ad integration.

Meanwhile, Pucca’s dormant official YouTube channel recently dropped a new video dubbed PUCCA IS BACK, signaling the possibility of new short films.

Donald Trump’s return to the White House and embrace of digital currencies have put crypto on a rocketship to stonksland.

However, his crypto czar David Sacks warned last week that NFTs and memecoins are not securities, but “collectibles…like a baseball card or a stamp” and shouldn’t be used as investments.

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