United News of Bangladesh

FIFA has overhauled the 2026 World Cup draw format to ensure the four highest-ranked teams  like Spain, Argentina, France and England avoid each other until the semifinals, provided they top their groups. The draw, set for December 5 at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C., will use a tennis-style bracket system for the first time. FIFA confirmed Tuesday that the new format rewards top-ranked sides by placing them in separate pathways for the 48-team tournament hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico from June 11 to July 19. The change means defending champions Argentina, led by Lionel Messi, and European champions Spain, inspired by Lamine Yamal, can only meet in the final at MetLife Stadium near New York, if both win their respective groups. “To ensure competitive balance, two separate pathways to the semifinals have been established,” FIFA said in a statement, aiming to reward teams whose consistent good results have raised their world ranking. Unlike previous World Cups where knockout paths were tied to group allocation, the new approach fixes the bracket in advance. This year’s draw will place 48 teams into four pots before assigning them to 12 groups of four. A full, updated match schedule, with stadiums and kickoff times, will be released on December 6. The ceremony will last about 90 minutes, with the draw itself taking an estimated 45 minutes. As hosts, Canada, Mexico and the United States enter Pot 1, joined by the nine highest-ranked teams: Spain, Argentina, France, England, Brazil, Portugal, the Netherlands, Belgium and Germany. Forty-two teams have already qualified, including Iran and Haiti, which FIFA expects to play as drawn despite political sensitivities with the U.S. The tournament will span 16 venues across the three host nations, including 11 NFL stadiums in the U.S. The remaining six entrants will be decided in March through European and intercontinental playoffs. Those teams will enter Pot 4, the lowest-ranked tier, meaning four-time champions Italy could prove a dangerous wildcard next week when the final placing draw is made. Host nations will be marked with different colored balls: Mexico as A1 (green ball), Canada as B1 (red ball), and USA as D1 (blue ball). The other nine Pot 1 teams will automatically be assigned to position 1 in their respective groups. Pot 2 features the next 12 teams: Croatia, Morocco, Colombia, Uruguay, Switzerland, Japan, Senegal, IR Iran, Korea Republic, Ecuador, Austria and Australia. Pot 3 includes Norway, Panama, Egypt, Algeria, Scotland, Paraguay, Tunisia, Côte d'Ivoire, Uzbekistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and South Africa. Pot 4 contains Jordan, Cape Verde, Ghana, Curaçao, Haiti, New Zealand and the six playoff winners. Teams from the same confederation cannot be drawn together, except for Europe, which will have 16 representatives, forcing four groups to include two UEFA nations. To maintain bracket balance, Spain (rank 1) and Argentina (rank 2) will be placed in opposite pathways. The same applies to France (rank 3) and England (rank 4), ensuring the top sides stay separated until late. For the host schedules, the USA, placed in Group D, will open on June 12 in Inglewood against a Pot 3 team, then face a Pot 2 opponent in Seattle on June 19, and finish against a Pot 4 side back in Inglewood. Mexico, in Group A, will kick off the tournament on June 11 at the Estadio Azteca against a Pot 3 team, then play a Pot 2 team on June 18 in Guadalajara, before returning to Mexico City for their final group match against a Pot 4 opponent. Canada starts on June 12 in Toronto against a Pot 4 team, then moves to Vancouver for matches against Pot 3 and Pot 2 sides. World Cup draw pots: Pot 1: Canada, Mexico, USA, Spain, Argentina, France, England, Brazil, Portugal, Netherlands, Belgium, Germany Pot 2: Croatia, Morocco, Colombia, Uruguay, Switzerland, Japan, Senegal, IR Iran, Korea Republic, Ecuador, Austria, Australia Pot 3: Norway, Panama, Egypt, Algeria, Scotland, Paraguay, Tunisia, Côte d'Ivoire, Uzbekistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, South Africa Pot 4: Jordan, Cabo Verde, Ghana, Curaçao, Haiti, New Zealand, European Playoff A, B, C, D, FIFA Playoff Tournament 1 and 2 Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.    

The U.K., Australia and Canada formally recognized a Palestinian state on Sunday, prompting an angry response from Israel, which ruled out the prospect. The coordinated initiative from the three Commonwealth nations and long-time allies reflects growing outrage at Israel’s conduct of the war in Gaza and the steps taken by the Israeli government to thwart efforts to create a Palestinian state, including by the continued expansion of settlements in the West Bank. British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, who has faced pressure to take a harder line on Israel within his own governing Labour Party over the deteriorating situation in Gaza, said the U.K.’s move is intended “to revive the hope of peace for the Palestinians and Israelis.” He insisted it wasn’t a reward for Hamas, which was behind the attack on Oct. 7, 2023, in which the militants killed some 1,200 people and abducted 251 others. “Today, to revive the hope of peace and a two-state solution, I state clearly as prime minister of this great country that the United Kingdom formally recognizes the state of Palestine,” Starmer said in a video message. “We recognized the state of Israel more than 75 years ago as a homeland for the Jewish people. Today we join over 150 countries who recognize a Palestinian state also.” The moves by the three countries prompted Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to say that the establishment of a Palestinian state “will not happen.” The U.K. announcement was widely anticipated after Starmer said in July that the U.K. would recognize a Palestinian state unless Israel agreed to a ceasefire in Gaza, allowed the United Nations to bring in aid and took other steps toward long-term peace. More countries are expected to join the list recognizing a Palestinian state at the U.N. General Assembly this week, including France, which like the U.K., is one of the five permanent members of the Security Council. Palestinian and Israeli reactions Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu blasted the three countries for proferring a “prize” to Hamas. “It will not happen,” he said. “A Palestinian state will not be established west of the Jordan River.” Netanyahu is set to give a speech to the General Assembly on Friday before heading to see U.S. President Donald Trump at the White House Monday week. Ahead of Sunday’s announcement, Trump said he disapproved of the U.K.’s anticipated move. Hamas hailed the decision, calling it a “rightful outcome of our people’s struggle, steadfastness, and sacrifices on the path to liberation and return.” The Islamic militant group, which is sworn to Israel’s destruction, called on the world to isolate Israel. Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas stressed that Sunday’s moves constitute an important and necessary step toward achieving a just peace in accordance with international law. As well as arguing that recognition is immoral, critics argue that it’s an empty gesture given that the Palestinian people are divided into two territories — the West Bank and the Gaza strip— and no recognized international capital. Historical overlay The U.K. and France have a historic role in the politics of the Middle East over the past 100 years, having carved up the region following the defeat of the Ottoman Empire in World War I. As part of that carve-up, the U.K. became the governing power of what was then Palestine. It was also author of the 1917 Balfour Declaration, which backed the establishment of a “national home for the Jewish people.” However, the second part of the declaration has been largely neglected over the decades. It noted “that nothing shall be done, nothing which may prejudice the civil and religious rights” of the Palestinian people. “It’s significant for France and the U.K. to recognize Palestine because of the legacy of these two countries’ involvement in the Middle East,” said Burcu Ozcelik, senior research fellow for Middle East Security at London-based Royal United Services Institute. “But without the United States coming on board with the idea of a Palestine, I think very little will change on the ground.” Husam Zomlot, the Palestinian head of mission in the U.K., told the BBC that recognition would right a colonial-era wrong. “The issue today is ending the denial of our existence that started 108 years ago, in 1917,” he said. “And I think today, the British people should celebrate a day when history is being corrected, when wrongs are being righted, when recognition of the wrongs of the past are beginning to be corrected.” Diplomatic shift The U.K. has for decades supported an independent Palestinian state alongside Israel, but insisted recognition must come as part of a peace plan to achieve a two-state solution. However, the government has become increasingly worried that such a solution is becoming all but impossible – and not only because of the razing of Gaza and displacement of most of its population during nearly two years of conflict, which has seen more than 65,000 people killed in Gaza, displaced around 90% of the population and caused a catastrophic humanitarian crisis. Last week, independent experts commissioned by the U.N.’s Human Rights Council concluded that Israel is committing genocide in Gaza, a charge that Israel rejected as “distorted and false.” Also vexing the U.K. is Israel’s government has been aggressively expanding settlements in the West Bank, land Palestinians want for their future state. Much of the world regards Israel’s occupation of the West Bank, which is ostensibly run by the Palestinian Authority, as illegal. “This move has symbolic and historic weight, makes clear the U.K.’s concerns about the survival of a two-state solution, and is intended to keep that goal relevant and alive,” said Olivia O’Sullivan, Director of the U.K. in the World Programme at the London-based think tank, Chatham House.

After lashing out at Canada on social media, US President Donald Trump struck a friendlier tone in person as he welcomed Canada’s new Prime Minister Mark Carney to the White House on Tuesday, praising his election victory and performance in recent debates. “I just want to congratulate you," Trump told Carney on his election win as they met in front of reporters. "Ran a really great race. I watched the debate. I thought you were excellent.” As the two countries struggle over a trade war sparked by Trump's tariff hikes, the US president gave a full display of his unique mix of graciousness and aggression, AP reports. However, shortly before the new Canadian prime minister’s arrival, Trump posted on Truth Social, “I very much want to work with him, but cannot understand one simple TRUTH — Why is America subsidising Canada by $200 Billion Dollars a year, in addition to giving them FREE Military Protection, and many other things?” He added, “We don’t need their Cars, we don’t need their Energy, we don’t need their Lumber, we don’t need ANYTHING they have, other than their friendship, which hopefully we will always maintain.” Trump said that questioning the need for any Canadian goods “will be, most likely, my only question of consequence.” Trump proposes $1,000 for undocumented migrants to self-deport Carney, a former central bank governor in both Canada and the UK, became prime minister after pledging to push back against Trump’s hostile rhetoric. Despite his calm, economist’s manner, Carney has taken a firm stance in response to Trump’s increasing antagonism. Tensions have escalated after Trump suggested turning Canada into the 51st US state, imposed steep tariffs on Canadian exports, and questioned the legitimacy of the border. His remarks sparked backlash in Canada, contributing to a surprise electoral victory for Carney’s Liberal Party last month. In a recent interview on NBC’s ‘Meet the Press’, Trump dismissed the US-Canada border as an “artificial line” separating two territories that could form a “beautiful country.”

Canada’s Indo-Pacific Trade Representative Paul Thoppil will begin his four-day visit on Sunday to underscore Canada’s commitment to Bangladesh at a pivotal moment in the country’s history as it pursues democratic reforms towards a free and fair election. Though the visit will begin on Sunday, Thoppil is scheduled arrive in Bangladesh on Saturday evening with a business delegation. During his visit, he will also highlight Canada’s engagement in the region, notably through its Indo-Pacific Strategy, and identify ways to expand trade and investment between Canada and Bangladesh. Thoppil will conduct field visits to key private sector zones that are illustrative of the longstanding bilateral trade relationship and people-to-people ties. Bangladesh Film Archive delegation attends FIAF Congress 2025 in Canada In Bangladesh, Thoppil will meet with key members of interim government, other stakeholders, and leaders from the private sector. Bangladesh and Canada share a growing trade and investment relationship, with Bangladesh being a large and growing market that is one of Canada’s key trading partners. Canada is a major exporter of wheat, pulses, cereals, and machinery to Bangladesh, and is a significant buyer of Bangladesh-made textiles and garments. Both countries continue to explore opportunities for deeper economic collaboration, particularly in sectors such as information technology, aerospace, agriculture and clean energy. On September 5, 2023, the Prime Minister of Canada announced Paul Thoppil as Canada’s first Canadian Indo-Pacific Trade Representative.  This position, an outcome of Canada’s Indo-Pacific Strategy, is focused on enhancement of trade, investment and supply chain resiliency between Canada and countries in the Indo-Pacific region.  Previous to this appointment, Thoppil was the Assistant Deputy Minister, Asia-Pacific, at Global Affairs Canada, who led the development of the Indo-Pacific Strategy launched in November 2022.  In November 2022, Canada’s Indo-Pacific Strategy was announced - a whole of-society effort that guides Canada’s actions and ensures that Canadians and people in the region benefit from our engagement. It calls for a generational shift in Canada’s foreign policy—one that harnesses the significant partnership opportunities that the region represents and responds to the inherent challenges. The Indo-Pacific, Canada says, will play a critical role in shaping Canada’s future over the next half-century. Encompassing 40 economies, more than 4 billion people and $47.19 trillion annually in economic activity, it is the world’s fastest-growing region and home to 6 of Canada’s top 12 trading partners.

Chief Adviser Prof Muhammad Yunus on Tuesday sought Canada's support to recover money siphoned off from Bangladesh to the North American country, specifically invested in "Begum Para". "They stole money from our people and bought assets in Begum Para. We need your help to recover the assets. It is the money of our people," Dr Yunus told Canadian High Commissioner to Bangladesh Ajit Singh during a meeting at the State Guest Jamuna. The Chief Adviser said hundreds of billions of dollars were stolen from Bangladesh by oligarchs, cronies and politicians connected with the Sheikh Hasina dictatorship, and part of it was laundered to Canada, including in buying assets in Toronto's infamous "Begum Para" neighbourhood. He sought help to identify, freeze and recover the assets during his meeting with the Canadian High Commissioner. The Canadian High Commissioner appreciated the efforts of the Prof Yunus-led interim government to bring the stolen money back. Govt seeks UK support to bring laundered money back He assured Canada's support in response to the Chief Adviser's asset recovery efforts, noting that Canada has a "mechanism" to freeze siphoned off money for recovery from persons identified by the interim government to the government of Canada. The Canadian High Commissioner also offered the country's support to the interim government's reform initiatives in its transition to democracy. "We support the great thing you are doing. We appreciate the progress that has been made. We are keen to know what we can do," Ajit Singh said. He said Canada was keen to expand trade with Bangladesh and invest more in the country. A Canadian minister would visit Bangladesh soon to discuss issues of mutual interest, he added. Prof Yunus recalled his meeting with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau at the United Nations General Assembly in New York and said Dhaka needs more Canadian investment. "Bangladesh is ready for business. We want to expand trade with your country and we want Canadian companies to relocate their factories to Bangladesh," he said. BB Governor reveals laundered money figures, reaffirms efforts to recover  The Chief Adviser said many Bangladeshi people now live and study in Canada, and Ottawa should make a move to set up its visa office in Dhaka. Lamiya Morshed, senior secretary and the principal coordinator of SDGs affairs, also attended the meeting.

Foreign Affairs Adviser Md. Touhid Hossain on Monday urged Canadian authorities to expedite visa processing for Bangladeshi nationals, with a particular focus on student visas. The Foreign Adviser mentioned the daunting challenges faced by Bangladesh in hosting around 1.3 million Rohingyas in Bangladesh and sought international cooperation, including Canada’s strong support for their sustainable return to their homeland. No discussion regarding CA’s China visit, says Foreign Adviser after his bilateral tour The issues were discussed when newly-appointed High Commissioner of Canada to Bangladesh Ajit Singh paid a courtesy call on Hossain at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Officers from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and diplomats of the High Commission of Canada in Dhaka were also present at the meeting. The Foreign Adviser welcomed and congratulated Ajit Singh on his appointment as the High Commissioner of Canada to Bangladesh.   They had elaborate discussions on key issues, including agricultural cooperation, trade and investment, the financial sector and the Rohingya crisis. South Korea backs Bangladesh's interim govt, reforms The High Commissioner noted these concerns and assured maximum support in addressing those. The two dignitaries reaffirmed to further strengthen the existing excellent bilateral relationship between the two countries, especially in the fields of trade, investment, agriculture, capacity building, skill development, technical assistance and people-to-people contact. The Foreign Adviser assured the High Commissioner of full support from the government of Bangladesh during his tenure to strengthen the Bangladesh-Canada partnership.

Canada will limit the number of international students entering the country in 2025 for the second straight year, aiming to alleviate pressure on housing, healthcare, and other essential services. The immigration ministry announced on Friday that the country would issue 437,000 study permits in 2025—a 10% decrease from the previous year. This follows the introduction of a cap on international student permits in 2024, as rapid population growth was linked to worsening housing shortages. Trudeau to remain as Canadian PM till March 9 Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, who plans to step down in March, recently committed to lowering immigration levels amid declining public support for newcomers. In 2023, Canada issued over 650,000 study permits, pushing the number of international students in the country to a record high of over one million—three times the figure from a decade earlier. The surge in population, driven by immigration, has strained public services such as healthcare and education while contributing to rising housing costs. Canadian PM dismisses Trump's idea to merge Canada into U.S.   Source: Agencies

High Commissioner of Bangladesh to Canada Nahida Sobhan has underscored the vital role of young people in nation-building. During a panel discussion at the Youth Festival in Toronto, she commended the commitment and unity exhibited by Bangladeshi-origin youth in Canada during the 2024 movement. The envoy highlighted the critical role of young voices in driving sustainable nation-building efforts. “The High Commission remains fully committed to engaging with Bangladeshi-origin youth in Canada, empowering them to be catalysts for progress and representing Bangladesh’s dynamic potential,” said the high commissioner, according to a message here. The High Commission of Bangladesh in Ottawa, in collaboration with Progressive Action for Community Empowerment (PACE), hosted an event at the Albert Campbell Public Library in Toronto on January 18 as part of the ongoing Youth Festival 2025, an initiative by the government of Bangladesh. The event, themed “Let’s Change the Country, Let’s Change the World,” served as a platform for Bangladeshi-origin youth in Canada to explore their role in shaping a progressive and inclusive Bangladesh. A diverse group of students and young professionals who actively supported and organized protest events in Toronto during the historic July–August 2024 movement in Bangladesh attended the gathering. A Davos-style panel discussion was the key highlight of the event, where participants shared innovative ideas and solutions to address critical challenges facing Bangladesh’s future. Srijoni Rahman, one of the young panelists, emphasised the transformative potential of the Bangladeshi diaspora in driving positive change. While thanking the High Commission of Bangladesh in Canada, she said Bangladeshi foreign missions should encourage youth engagement and foster a positive mindset so that the youth of the Bangladeshi diaspora can meaningfully contribute to Bangladesh’s transformation. She also said Bangladesh has always been a model and an inspiration for youth-led movements, and youths have always been catalysts for bringing about change. Read: Environment Minister urges youths to adopt Sheikh Kamal's ideals for nation-building "We should draw lessons from our values – the values derived from our War of Independence in 1971 and the July-August movement – to ensure social justice and equity.” Another panelist Urbi Khan, a youth representative from the Bangladeshi community and a journalist at the Toronto Star, reminded the audience that the youth have always been the vanguard of change in Bangladesh’s storied history, including during the recent July-August movement. She maintained that Bangladesh itself is the cherished fruit of revolutionary struggles, nurtured by the sacrifices and indomitable spirit of its people.

Canada's energy minister came to Washington this week to warn U.S. lawmakers about President-elect Donald Trump's tariffs threat on Canada: They'd inflict economic pain on Americans, with higher prices and job losses. Jonathan Wilkinson, Canada's minister of energy and natural resources, said he feels obligated to sound the alarm about the inflationary risks being created by a president who was elected in large part on the promise of bringing down prices. "It will mean higher gas prices, it will mean higher food prices, it will mean higher natural gas prices for heating people's homes,” he told The Associated Press on Wednesday. “It will mean higher electricity prices. That's not something Donald Trump campaigned on. He campaigned on actually reducing the price of energy.” Trump has threatened to impose sweeping 25% tariffs on Canada as well as on Mexico. He's also threatened tariffs on China and Europe, creating a sense of uncertainty about whether this is simply a negotiating ploy or a massive restructuring of U.S. foreign relations. Trump and his team in recent days have doubled down on his promise to impose tariffs on other nations and downplayed the risk of higher inflation. “In his first term, President Trump instituted tariffs that created jobs, spurred investment, and resulted in no inflation," said Karoline Leavitt, a transition spokesperson who is also the incoming White House press secretary. "President Trump will work quickly to fix and restore an economy that puts American workers first by re-shoring American jobs, lowering inflation, raising real wages, lowering taxes, cutting regulations, and unshackling American energy.” Canada is looking at putting retaliatory tariffs on American orange juice, toilets and some steel products if Trump follows through with his threat. When Trump imposed higher tariffs during his first term in office, Canada announced billions of dollars in new duties in 2018 against the U.S. in a tit-for-tat response to new taxes on Canadian steel and aluminum. The dispute never triggered broader inflation across the economy, even if it exacted higher costs for some. But by targeting America's second largest trading partner after Mexico, Trump risks upending the markets for autos, lumber and oil — all of which could carry over quickly to consumers. “I do think that people just need to understand that we're going down a path right now that will elevate the cost of living for people in the United States for no benefit," Wilkinson said. "Zero benefit.” Read: UK inflation unexpectedly eased in December Wilkinson is considering a run to lead the Liberal Party in Canada after Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced his resignation this month. He expects to make a decision at the end of the week. While Trump has said he would announce tariffs immediately after taking the oath of office Monday, it's still not publicly clear what that would actually entail. It's possible he could simply announce intentions to put in tariffs, phase them in on a schedule or simply declare an economic emergency to justify higher taxes on imports. Trudeau said Wednesday that "nothing is off the table” when it comes to responding to proposed tariffs, but no single region of the country should bear the full brunt from that response. He held a five-hour meeting in Ottawa with the country’s premiers to discuss Trump’s threats. Even though Trump has signaled a willingness to act on his own, Democrats are looking to place legislative guardrails on his ambitions — a sign that they take the kinds of scenarios being outlined by Canada, Mexico and others seriously. Reps. Suzan DelBene, D-Wash., and Don Beyer, D-Va., introduced legislation Wednesday that would roll back the International Emergency Economic Powers Act, which gives the president authority to impose sanctions on hostile foreign nations that pose an emergency threat to the U.S. DelBene said on a call with reporters to preview the legislation that Trump's tariffs constitute a “nationwide sales tax on foreign goods that saddles families with higher prices." “This is the textbook definition of a trade war," she said. Despite Trump's claim that the U.S doesn't need Canada, a quarter of the oil America consumes per day is from there. Wilkinson said that, in addition to consumer prices increasing, the U.S. could face job cuts in areas that process Canadian energy products, including the Midwest and Gulf states. "If you don't have access to Canadian gas, you can't do that. The same is true with potash.” The threat from Canada comes as concerns over the impact of Trump’s tariff proposals on the U.S. economy and inflation mount in business boardrooms, on Wall Street trading floors and among Federal Reserve officials. The Fed has already indicated it is worried tariffs could slightly lift U.S. inflation. Read more: Germany's economy shrinks again Neel Kashkari, president of the Fed’s Minneapolis branch, said Wednesday that a one-time tariff imposed by the U.S. likely wouldn’t worsen inflation much in the long run. But once other countries retaliate, Kashkari said, the impact could worsen. “If there’s tit-for-tat, that becomes much more complicated to try to forecast, what is the imprint of that on actual inflation going forward,” he said. Wilkinson said, “My focus is actually to try and get us away from the conversation on tariffs, which I would say is lose-lose."

US President-elect Donald Trump has made expansionist comments about extending American influence into Canada, Greenland (a Danish territory), and even the Panama Canal. His statements about potentially redrawing international borders, possibly through force, have sparked alarm in Europe, especially as they contradict the position that European leaders and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy are trying to convey to Russian President Vladimir Putin, reports AP. Panama Canal administrator pushes back against Trump's assertions of Chinese meddling Despite the controversial nature of Trump's words, many European leaders have responded cautiously, knowing that his actions don't always align with his rhetoric. Some have taken a more relaxed stance rather than offering a strong defence of Denmark, an EU member state. Analysts, however, suggest that even words alone can have a damaging effect on U.S.-European relations as Trump enters his second presidency. In Europe, where countries rely on U.S. cooperation for trade, energy, defence, and security, many officials have expressed confidence that Trump has no intention of using force to annex territories. Italian Premier Giorgia Meloni said that the U.S. would not attempt to annex territories in the near future, while German Chancellor Olaf Scholz stated that borders should not be altered by force, though he did not mention Trump directly. Ukrainian President Zelenskyy, urging continued support from the incoming administration, emphasized the need for countries to feel secure in their sovereignty, particularly as Russia's invasion of Ukraine threatens this principle. European foreign ministers from Britain and France also dismissed the notion of a U.S. invasion of Greenland, but French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot noted that Trump's comments served as a warning about the potential return of a "law of the strongest." Judge sentences Trump in hush money case but declines to impose punishment Greenland's prime minister, Múte B. Egede, stated that the island's citizens do not want to be part of the U.S., though they are open to increased cooperation. Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen reiterated the strong alliance between Denmark and the U.S., emphasizing unity. Security experts, though confident that the U.S. would not attack Denmark, have voiced concerns about the long-term impact of Trump's rhetoric on trans-Atlantic relations, NATO, and international norms. Some analysts are particularly concerned about Trump's suggestion that Canada should join the U.S. as a state, which has caused friction between the two countries. Flemming Splidsboel Hansen, an expert on foreign policy and Russia, expressed worry about the weakening of NATO and the broader trans-Atlantic alliance, questioning what it might look like by the end of Trump's second term. Some diplomats and analysts suggest that Trump's focus on Canada, Greenland, and the Panama Canal is linked to securing valuable resources and waterways for the U.S., particularly in the face of competition with China, which dominates the global supply of rare earth minerals critical for technology. EU not to tolerate attacks within borders, France says amid Trump’s Greenland claim However, analysts caution that Trump's proposed methods are dangerous and could set a concerning precedent. Security expert Alexander Khara likened Trump's stance on Greenland to Putin's justification for Russia's annexation of Crimea in 2014, warning that the idea of flexible borders could lead to more conflict and instability in the future.