Donald Trump’s biggest ‘win’ this week has been the Nobel Peace Prize. Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado visited the White House and gifted him the award she won. In our weekly wrap, we talk about the Nobel, Trump’s Greenland ambitions, the Iran unrest and more
Venezuela, Greenland and Iran… Donald Trump wants to have a say everywhere. After Nicolas Maduro’s capture, the US has made the first sale of Venezuelan oil at $500 million. If the White House is to be believed, this will “benefit the American and Venezuelan people”.
He has also finally got his hands on the long-desired Nobel Peace Prize. Venezuelan opposition leader, Maria Corina Machado, gave her medal to the president. In return, she is hoping for the US to back her to lead her country, plunged into uncertainty post-Maduro.
The US president’s next stop could be Greenland. He has reiterated his ambition for Greenland. A high-stakes meeting between the Trump administration and Greenland and Danish leaders in the White House ended in an impasse. Amid this, European nations have been deploying troops to the Arctic island, but it is unlikely to make any impact on the US.
Meanwhile, after discussing security options on striking Iran for its brutal crackdown on protesters, Trump appears to have taken a step back… for now. On Wednesday (January 14), he told Iranians that “help is on its way”, raising fears of a US attack. However, a day later, the president declared that “very important sources on the other side” had informed him the killing of Iranian protesters had stopped, suggesting there was now no imminent threat of military action.
In the US, tensions in Minnesota continue to rise. Trump warned that he might invoke the centuries-old
Insurrection Act to deploy troops as state and federal agents clash over the tactics used by immigration agents. After the killing of a woman, a Venezuelan man was shot in Minneapolis, leading to
more protests.
The US administration’s crackdown on illegal immigrants has only intensified. It has indefinitely suspended immigrant visa processing from 75 countries, including Pakistan, Bangladesh, Iran and Russia.
We talk about all this and more.
1. Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado walked into the White House with a gift that Donald Trump has long had his eyes on: the Nobel Peace Prize. A fierce critic of the Venezuelan strongman Nicolas Maduro, she won the award last year for her campaign for greater democracy. Machado has now given her medal to the US president “as a recognition for his unique commitment with our freedom”.
But can the Nobel Prize be transferred?
2. Another of Trump’s long-standing desires is Greenland. The White House reiterated that the President wants to “acquire” the Arctic island. This comes after the talks between Greenland, Danish and US officials ended in an impasse earlier in the week. Now, soldiers from France, Germany and other European countries have begun arriving in Greenland to help boost the security.
But can they save the strategically important territory?
3. Until a few days ago, a US strike on Iran seemed inevitable. Donald Trump was issuing a threat after a bigger threat until he said that he was assured Iran had stopped killing protesters and was not going ahead with executions. But what made the US president change his mind? Reports point to his
Gulf allies and Israel’s Benjamin Netanyahu.
4. The Trump administration’s crackdown on immigrants continues. It will pause issuing immigrant visas to citizens of 75 countries. Among those nations on the list are India’s neighbours, Pakistan and Bangladesh.
What’s the reason behind this move?
5. While questions about Nato’s survival continue to be raised, a few Muslim nations are coming together to form an alliance. It’s informally called the Islamic Nato. Saudi Arabia and Pakistan have forged a defence agreement, and now Turkey is reportedly in talks to join. This alignment brings together Pakistan’s nuclear and missile capabilities, Turkey’s military-industrial capacity and battlefield experience, and Saudi Arabia’s financial clout.
Would this pose a challenge to India?
6. Pakistan grooming gangs continue to haunt the UK. In a shocking case, a 15-year-old Sikh girl was abducted, held captive and gang-raped by a group of six Pakistani-origin men. She was reportedly confined to a flat owned by a 34-year-old man and was sexually abused. According to investigators, up to six individuals were involved in the crime, said to be part of a grooming gang, using deception and coercion to exploit the victim. While the girl was rescued following community intervention, the incident sparked protests in Hounslow, West London.
Here is what we know.
7. “Can men get pregnant?” It was a question Republican Senator Josh Hawley asked Dr Nisha Verma, an Indian-origin OG-GYN (obstetrics-gynaecology) during a hearing titled “Protecting Women: Exposing the Dangers of Chemical Abortion Drugs,” at the Dirksen Senate Office Building in Washington DC.
Verma, a senior adviser to Physicians for Reproductive Health, was called on by the Senate committee for the hearing, where she spoke out against restrictions on abortion medication. The exchange between the lawmaker and the doctor has now gone viral.
But who is Dr Sharma? We tell you.
That’s all from us this week. If you want to know more about world news and geopolitics, you will find more such
explainers here. Have a good Sunday.
PS: Who does not love a dog story? This one is about
Aloka, the Indian “peace dog”, who is travelling across the US along with Buddhist monks. We leave you with this adorable picture.
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