Hello,

President Donald Trump announced new tariff measures targeting countries trading with Iran and separately threatened tariffs on several European states over Greenland, prompting criticism from European leaders and protests in Greenland and Denmark.

Elsewhere, Israel raised objections to a proposed US-backed Gaza governance board, US forces carried out a strike in Syria linked to a deadly ambush, and the EU and Mercosur finalised a long-delayed trade agreement.

More below ⤵️

Top 5 Stories

1️⃣ 🇺🇸🇮🇷 Trump announces 25% tariff on countries trading with Iran: President Donald Trump said any country doing business with Iran will face a 25% tariff on all trade with the United States, effective immediately, announcing the move in a social media post without providing implementation details. The announcement follows US pressure over Iran’s crackdown on protests, while Iranian officials declined direct comment on the tariffs and said the situation was under control but that Tehran remained open to diplomacy.

2️⃣ 🇺🇸 US suspends immigrant visa processing for 75 countries: The US State Department announced it will pause immigrant visa processing for applicants from 75 countries from 21 January, citing the need to prevent abuse of the immigration system and the entry of migrants deemed likely to rely on public benefits. The suspension does not affect short-term visas, and officials said the freeze will remain until the US can ensure new immigrants will not “extract wealth from the American people.”

3️⃣ 🇮🇷🇺🇸 Khamenei brands Trump a “criminal” over protests: Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei accused President Trump of supporting unrest and blamed protesters for “several thousand” deaths, marking the first official indication of casualties at that scale. Trump responded by calling for new leadership in Iran.

4️⃣ 🇮🇱🇵🇸🇺🇸 Israel objects to US Gaza ‘board of peace’: Israel said some White House appointments to a proposed Gaza governance board were made without coordination and conflicted with its policy, and it instructed officials to raise concerns with Washington. The US-backed body is intended to temporarily administer and rebuild Gaza, though its final membership and security arrangements remain unclear.

5️⃣ 🇺🇸🇸🇾 US kills militant linked to deadly Syria ambush: The US carried out a third retaliatory strike in northwest Syria, killing Bilal Hasan al-Jasim, whom US Central Command said was tied to a December ambush that killed two US soldiers and an American civilian. The strike is part of a wider US-led operation targeting Islamic State elements, based on US military assessments.

Major Story

🇬🇱🇺🇸 Trump tariff threat over Greenland draws European backlash

President Donald Trump announced a 10% tariff on goods from Denmark, Norway, Sweden, France, Germany, the UK, the Netherlands, and Finland, set to take effect on 1 February and potentially rise to 25% unless a deal is reached on the “complete and total purchase” of Greenland. European leaders condemned the move, with UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer calling it “completely wrong” and French President Emmanuel Macron describing tariff threats as “unacceptable,” while Sweden said it would not accept being blackmailed.

Trump said Greenland is critical to US security and has not ruled out the use of force, while European countries argued Arctic security should remain a collective Nato responsibility and have deployed small reconnaissance forces to the territory. Protests against a US takeover were held in Greenland and Denmark, with opinion polls reportedly indicating that 85% of Greenlanders oppose joining the United States.

Other News

1️⃣ 🇪🇺🇧🇷🇦🇷 EU and Mercosur sign landmark trade deal: The European Union and Mercosur bloc finalised a free trade agreement after 25 years of negotiations, eliminating tariffs on over 90% of bilateral trade pending ratification. Leaders said the pact supports open trade amid global tariff pressures, while opposition from farmers and environmental groups continues.

2️⃣ 🇨🇳🇨🇦 China and Canada announce tariff relief: Beijing agreed to cut tariffs on Canadian canola oil from 85% to 15% while Canada set a 6.1% tariff on a capped number of Chinese electric vehicles following talks between Xi Jinping and Mark Carney. Officials said the deal signals a reset after years of trade tensions, though differences remain on political and security issues.

3️⃣ 🇸🇾🇸🇩 Syrian army advances after Kurdish withdrawal: Syrian government forces moved into areas east of Aleppo after the Syrian Democratic Forces announced a withdrawal east of the Euphrates following talks with US officials. Both sides accused each other of violating the agreement, and a prior deal to integrate Kurdish forces into state institutions remains unimplemented.

4️⃣ 🇷🇺🇨🇭 Chechen leader’s son reportedly injured in crash: Adam Kadyrov, son of Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov, was reportedly hospitalised in Moscow after a high-speed motorcade accident in Grozny. The reports could not be independently verified, and details about his condition remain unclear.

5️⃣ 🇺🇬 Museveni wins seventh term in Uganda election: Uganda’s electoral commission declared President Yoweri Museveni the winner with 71.65% of the vote, defeating opposition candidate Bobi Wine who received 24.72%. The vote followed an internet blackout, opposition allegations of ballot stuffing, and observer reports of repression, though officials said no evidence of vote manipulation was found.

6️⃣ 🇺🇸🇨🇳 Former US Navy sailor sentenced for selling ship data to China: A federal judge sentenced former sailor Jinchao Wei to 200 months in prison after a jury convicted him of espionage and related charges for selling technical and operating manuals for US Navy ships to a Chinese intelligence officer. Prosecutors said Wei was paid more than $12,000 and shared photos, videos, and information about the USS Essex over roughly 18 months.

Daily Updates?

Want daily updates on the world of geopolitics as well as weekly?

Subscribe to our sister publication Geopolitics Daily here ⤵️