2025-04-30

Published

8 months ago

2025/04/30

Sahan Weerasooriya

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Latest News

Greenland allies vow action if Trump moves to seize world’s largest island

Published

7 hours ago

2026/01/8

Priyan

Danish troops during a military drill with German and French soldiers in Kangerlussuaq, Greenland, in September 2025 [Aljazeera]

European leaders, including in France and Germany, have announced they are working on a plan in the event the United States follows through on its threat to take over Greenland as tensions soar.

French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot told France Inter radio on Wednesday that while nations want to act if the US moves to seize Greenland from an ally, Denmark, they want to do so “together with our European partners”.

“I myself was on the phone with the US Secretary of State Marco Rubio yesterday. He discarded the idea that what just happened in Venezuela could happen in Greenland,” Barrot said.

On Saturday, the United States – using fighter jets, attack helicopters, and special forces – abducted Venezuela’s President Nicolas Maduro, bringing him to New York City to be tried for alleged drug trafficking.

US President Donald Trump’s decision to greenlight the abduction of Maduro led to widespread condemnation and fear that Greenland, which the president has previously said should be part of Washington’s security apparatus, could be forcibly taken.

But since then, European allies have rallied behind Greenland’s sovereignty, saying the country belongs to its people.

Johannes Koskinen, chair of the Foreign Affairs Committee of Finland’s parliament, called for the issue to be raised within NATO.

“[Allies should] address whether something needs to be done and whether the United States should be brought into line in the sense that it cannot disregard jointly agreed plans in order to pursue its own power ambitions,” he said.

Denmark’s Foreign Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen and his Greenlandic counterpart, Vivian Motzfeldt, requested an urgent meeting with Rubio to discuss the situation.

“We would like to add some nuance to the conversation,” Rasmussen wrote in a social media post. “The shouting match must be replaced by a more sensible dialogue. Now.”

Denmark has warned that any move to take Greenland by force would mean “everything would stop”, including NATO and 80 years of close security links.

Greenland’s government will join a meeting between Rubio and Danish officials next week following renewed US claims on the Arctic island, its foreign minister said on Wednesday.

‌The European Union will support Greenland and ‍Denmark when ‍needed and will not accept violations of international law no matter where they occur, European Council President Antonio Costa said.

“On Greenland, allow me to be clear: Greenland belongs to its people. Nothing ‍can be decided about Denmark and about Greenland without Denmark or without Greenland,” Costa said in a speech.

“The European Union cannot accept ‌violations of international law – whether in Cyprus, Latin America, Greenland, Ukraine, or Gaza. Europe will remain ‍a firm and unwavering champion of international law and multilateralism.”

Greenland – the world’s largest island, with a population of 57,000 people – is located between Europe and North America. Since 2019, during Trump’s first term, the president has raised the idea of controlling Greenland, saying it would benifit US security.

So far, Trump has not ruled out using force to take the island.

Rubio told reporters on Wednesday that Trump’s intention is to buy Greenland. “That’s always been the president’s intent from the very beginning.”

House US House Speaker Mike Johnson said he hasn’t heard talk of sending the military into Greenland and the US is “looking at diplomatic channels”.

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said Trump and his national security team have “actively discussed” the option of buying Greenland.

“He views it in the best interest of the United States to deter Russian and Chinese aggression in the Arctic region. And so that’s why his team is currently talking about what a potential purchase would look like,” Leavitt told reporters.

Neither Leavitt nor Rubio ruled out the use of force. But Leavitt said, “The president’s first option, always, has been diplomacy.”

INTERACTIVE-Where is Greenland-1741684530

[Aljazeera]

Latest News

Landslide early warnings issued to the Districts of Badulla, Kandy, Matale and Nuwara Eliya

Published

8 hours ago

2026/01/8

Priyan

The Landslide Early Warning Center of the National Building Research Organisation [NBRO] has issued landslide early warnings to the districts of Badulla, Kandy, Matale and Nuwara Eliya for the next 24 hours commencing at 1200hrs today [08]

Accordingly
LEVEL II AMBER landslide early warnings have been issued to the Divisional Secretaries Divisions and surrounding areas of Ududumbara in the Kandy District, Wilgamuwa in the Matale District, and Nildandahinna and Walapane in the Nuwara Eliya District.

LEVEL I YELLOW landslide early warnings have been issued to the Divisional Secretaries Divisions and surrounding areas of Meegahakiwula, Welimada, Kandaketiya, Lunugala, Badulla, Passara, Uva Paranagama and Hali_Ela in the Badulla District, Ambanganga Korale in the Matale District, and Mathurata and Hanguranketha in the Nuwara Eliya District.

Sports

Coe commits World Athletics support to Jamaica

Published

8 hours ago

2026/01/8

Priyan

President Sebastian Coe has confirmed at the culmination of his official visit to Jamaica that World Athletics will provide financial and technical support and resources to be distributed through the National Federation in the aftermath of Hurricane Melissa.

“During my time here, we have looked at how World Athletics and the International Athletics Foundation can best support redevelopment efforts both financially and through programmes delivered in conjunction with the Jamaica Athletics Administrative Association (JAAA), and with the support of NACAC Athletics, to help athletes continue to train and compete,” said Coe.

“The International Athletics Foundation will provide financial support of US$100,000, with the distribution of funding through an agreed process as per previous solidarity funds via the JAAA, and programme support focused on ensuring athletes from the impacted western side of the island can continue to train and compete in regional and global championships, including the CARIFTA Games in Grenada in April and the World Athletics U20 Championships in Oregon, USA, in August.

“Our funding will be allocated to areas such as transport and accommodation to ensure impacted athletes have access to facilities for training and competition, and replacement of equipment, rather than infrastructure, considering that this is a local and national government responsibility.”

Coe also confirmed that World Athletics will support a new 5km road race to be launched in Jamaica with the President himself as Patron – with the objective of raising funds in the aftermath of Hurricane Melissa and encouraging the local population to benefit from becoming more active.

“We should not underestimate the power of sport, and especially athletics as the mother of all sports and Jamaica’s national pastime, to help the people overcome the challenges Hurricane Melissa has presented, and its role in helping to rebuild the nation, to help return to a semblance of normality, to re-energise the population, and to improve mental health and promote resilience in the face of such adversity,” added Coe.

On his official visit from 4-7 January, Coe made courtesy call visits to Jamaica’s Prime Minister Andrew Holness, Minister of Culture, Entertainment, Gender & Sport Olivia ‘Babsy’ Grange, Leader of the Opposition Mark Golding and Mayor of Kingston Andrew Swaby, and visited the British High Commission, accompanied in each meeting by JAAA President Garth Gayle and other members of the JAAA Executive. Coe also met Jamaica Olympic Association President Christopher Samuda and visited several schools and colleges to witness training and meet athletes and coaches.

“Jamaica is a nation synonymous with athletics and one of the powerhouses of our sport,” said Coe. “It is impossible to think of athletics without names like Usain Bolt, Shelly-Ann Fraser Pryce, Yohan Blake or Elaine Thompson-Herah.

“From Jamaica to the world, this small island nation punches far above its weight on the international scene thanks not only to the natural talent of its athletes, but also the steady leadership provided by JAAA, which, along with the support of government and other stakeholders, has ensured the infrastructure is in place for generations of athletes to enter the pipeline to elite international level.

“Athletics is deeply embedded in Jamaican culture, driving high participation, public engagement and national unity. Their athletes serve as powerful global ambassadors, strengthening Jamaica’s international brand and soft power.

“Evident from my visits to local schools over the past days, I have seen for myself the rich talent pool that points towards a continued bright future for the sport in Jamaica as it looks to not only win more global titles but also build a broader participation base and host future World Athletics events.”

Coe also thanked Jamaica’s Usain Bolt for working with World Athletics on the promotion of the inaugural Ultimate Championship.

“For a number of years our sport was dominated by Usain – a colossal figure to whom we owe an enormous debt of gratitude,” he said. “Jamaica’s own son did so much to elevate our sport on a global scale, and we are delighted that Usain has agreed to support the promotion of our new global championship. We look forward to welcoming him and many Jamaican athletes to Budapest in September 2026.”

[World Athletics]