With Trump dreaming a "large real estate deal" in “one way or the other” and Denmark reviving the "shoot first" orders, Wednesday's talks will loom like a Hail Mary conundrum in Washington. Nor will the Bill be a silver bullet. If Trump pulls a Venezuela in North Atlantic, what will happen to Europe?.

WASHINGTON, Jan 14 (INS): With a view to frustrating President Donald Trump's persistent move to annexe Greenland, a bipartisan NATO Unity Protection Act Bill was introduced in the US Senate on Tuesday seeking to bar the Department of Defence and the Department of State from using funds to “blockade, occupy, annex or otherwise assert control” over the territory of any other NATO member-State.

The Senate initiative follows another similar Bill called the No Funds for NATO Invasion Act introduced by Rep Don Bacon (R-Neb.) and House Democrats to preemptively block the Trump administration from acquiring the world's largest island lying close to Canada in the North Atlantic. The Congress is a divided House.

The Senate Bill wss authored by Democrat Jeanne Shaheen and Republican Lisa Murkowski. “This bipartisan legislation makes clear that US taxpayer dollars cannot be used for actions that would fracture NATO and violate our own commitments to NATO,” Shaheen, who represents the State of New Hampshire, said in a statement.

“This Bill sends a clear message that recent rhetoric around Greenland deeply undermines America’s own national security interests and faces bipartisan opposition in Congress,” the Senator said.

Murkowski (Alaska) said the 32-member NATO security alliance is the “strongest line of defence” against efforts to undermine global peace and stability. The NATO is built on the principle that an armed attack against any one member is an attack against all others.

Constitutional scholars argue the Bill may not be the "silver bullet" needed to stop a determined President as legalities come only after he uses his "emergency powers." Without a veto-proof majority (67 votes, which is not possible) , the Act will possibly remain a "statement of intent" rather than a binding law

Denmark reaffirms sovereignty

Trump’s claim that Denmark’s title is "doubtful" contradicts the existing treaty law called 1951 Defence Agreement as the US recognizes the sovereignty of the Kingdom of Denmark over Greenland in the very first article. However, it allows the US to establish and expand bases there. Denmark says therefore security is not the issue for Trump. He wands to grab the land.

Following a week of escalating rhetoric from Trump, the Kingdom of Denmark has signaled it is prepared to defend its territory by force. But in a characteristic jab, Trump mocked Greenland’s current defence capabilities, describing them as "two dog sleds," referring to the elite Sirius Dog Sled Patrol.

In Copenhagen, the response has been blunt. The Danish Defence Ministry confirmed this week that its troops operate under a standing "shoot first" order regarding any foreign invasion. This 1952 directive mandates that Danish forces "immediately take up the fight" without waiting for political clearance if their territory is breached.

Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen described the situation as a "fateful moment," asserting that "borders cannot be changed by force." Meanwhile, Greenland’s Prime Minister, Jens-Frederik Nielsen, stood firm alongside his Danish counterpart, stating unequivocally, "We choose Denmark."

“One way or the other...”

The crisis reached a fever pitch this week when President Trump, speaking from Air Force One, reiterated his intent to annex Greenland. "I’d love to make a deal with them. It’s easier," Trump stated, referring to a potential purchase. "But one way or the other, we’re going to have Greenland."

The President justified his as a national security imperative, claiming that Russian and Chinese submarines are "all over the place" in Arctic waters.

The Hail Mary conundrum in Washington

The diplomatic focus now shifts to the White House on Wednesday, where high-stakes talks are scheduled. Danish Foreign Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen and Greenlandic Foreign Minister Vivian Motzfeldt are set to meet with Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Vice President JD Vance. While Rubio has previously suggested the administration's focus is on a peaceful "deal," Vance who is hosting the meeting at the White House underscores the President’s intent.

White House adviser Stephen Miller asserted in a CNN interview that Greenland rightfully belongs to the United States.

With European leaders warning that a forced takeover would mean "the end of NATO," the world watches to see if Wednesday’s meeting can de-escalate the rhetoric. For now, the "large real estate deal" Trump envisions remains a geopolitical powder keg, with Denmark's "shoot first" orders serving as a chilling reminder that the Arctic's ice is thinner than ever.

Most of Greenland’s 57,000 residents have expressed opposition to US takeover. A survey shows 85 percent of the residents do not wish to join the US.

ANALYSIS: There have been cases of Britons going to Switzerland to get rid of a miserable life. Now once the House of Lords also passes the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill, terminally ill Britons can call it quits with the help of a medical practitioner here itself. But the measure when comes into practice, will have very serious social consequences, it is feared. There won't be comparisons, even as tropes in Latin American folklores. The worst case scenario is of those who are not terminally ill also trying to misuse the provision to leave this world early when life with dignity is not available. But that is, in fact, a political question and not a moral imbroglio!

The CCTV footage and the video circulating on social media do not indicate any serious abnormalities in takeoff or descent, it has been confirmed. The disaster is becoming curiouser and curiouser. The flight path was not curvy. And the aircraft maintained a steady, gliding descent with its nose straight and the wings perfectly level. The pilot's distress call does not specify what prevented lift and climb-out. Here are some expert opinions. The sole purpose is to raise travellers' awareness about air travel.

Many of the victims were charred beyond recognition, making identification difficult. Three hundred nineteen body parts have been sent for DNA matching with relatives to determine the identities.

• The Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla line provides Kashmir with all-weather connectivity and integrates the Valley with the rest of India.
• The saying 'Kashmir to Kanyakumari' is now a dream come true.
• The Chenab bridge on the line, an engineering marvel, is the world's highest railway bridge, taller than the Eiffel Tower. (Video: File)

A comment on social media on Kanimozhi's answer on the question of national language read: "Daughter of Kalaignar M. Karunanidhi. Delivered the Birthday Present to her Father!!" (Karunanidhi was born on June 3, 1924) (Today's headlines )

Trump said, "Elon is not really leaving" and will be "back and forth" to the White House because DOGE is his "baby." "I think he’s going to be doing a lot of things.”

Musk wrote: "My scheduled time as a Special Government Employee comes to an end... The @DOGE mission will only strengthen over time as it becomes a way of life throughout the government." Now on it will be on auto-pilot.

PROGNOSIS: DOGE was prematurely born to protect the country by aborting an impending socio-economic disaster which very few people could see coming.

Although its immediate job was to save American taxpayers billions by slashing waste, eliminating fraud, cutting Government bloat and ensuring utmost efficiency in administration for the good of the people. (Today's headlines )

"Coming from a system like in England, empowering," she says she never had an idea of this sort of experience... being asked to “socialise with middle-aged men” who financed the event...humiliating...

Originally from Junagadh, Gujarat, Pataudi was relocated to Etawah Lion Safari in September 2019 before being transferred to Gorakhpur Zoo in 2021. Recently it was receiving treatment for pancreatic and liver infections. After tigress Shakti died in the zoo on May 7 due to bird flu, Pataudi was shifted to Kanpur. Some birds are also reported to have died mysteriously around Gorakhpur. All zoos in UP are closed for fear of a bird flu outbreak.

Three other animals too had died - a tiger, a leopardess and a female wolf. Wolf Bhairavi died last Saturday, leopardess Mona died the Thursday before that and tiger Kesari died on March 30. Some of them had Shakti's symptoms but the cause of death has not been confirmed yet.

As tourist inflow is an indicator of normalcy returning to an erstwhile terrorist infested Valley, the Government has been trying hard to make everything travel-friendly, launching lot many projects and bringing Kashmir on the national rail map that physically completes the process of Kashmir's integration with the rest of India. And that defeats the designs of Pakistan eyeing Kashmir and simply explains a recrudescence of terrorism in J&K.

The committee headed by justice Kurian Joseph will study Centre-State relations and make proposals to ensure foolproof separation of powers.

"It's a big victory not just for Tamil Nadu but for all Indian States. DMK will continue to struggle for and win State autonomy and Federal polity," Chief Minister MK Stalin said.

Of 2.08 km in length, it features 99 spans and a 72.5-metre vertical lift span that rises up to a height of 17 metres, facilitating smooth movement of ships while ensuring seamless train services to the holy town of Rameswaram on Pamban island.

ANALYSIS: There is a lot of hue and cry around the world over Trump's tariffs. But tariff, simply put, is a tax. But unlike tax, it affects the exporting country too. Domestic prices will go up for some time. Nothing more will happen, good or bad!

What motivated Trump's newfound policy, apart from being a stunt to justify his existence in the White House, is a false realisation that increased tariff will make foreign goods prohibitive, thereby boosting local production, and create more jobs, and more prosperity will ring in! If that is true, India would have been shining by now: Producing own Rolls-Royce La Rose Noire Droptail and Scotch Whiskies! And what about coconut and palm oil by America! (Today's headlines )

PROGNOSIS: It looks a Real New Trump is emerging - courageous, balanced, powerful and disinterested. Determined to save his country from the cliff, he has done quite a few draconian things that will reduce the burden of debts of the Federal entity, like the golden handshake, stopping senseless funding, pulling out of a worthless WHO. Shutting the Education Department is another. On the other hand, running it is also not the Centre's job either (We will convincingly elaborate it in the next chapter).

In India the scene is just the opposite. Centralisation is the core agenda and identity of the ruling dispensation without which it has no existence, or in other words, it exists for that set of schemes only. A realisation of this never dawned upon any Opposition party in 2014 or any time thereafter, what to talk of being able to see it coming 70 years ago! The consequence of all this violation of basic natural law of the universe we cannot predict.

THE AMERICAN CONUNDRUM: Political venom has migrated to top echelons in the US. It was reported last year NASA has become politicised, vitiated. But NASA refuted the charge. How Boeing developed a glitch but its unmanned return was smooth. When Suni-Wilmore were stranded last June, why the return was set for February? Because that comes only after January 20! SpaceX called the shots, for itself and for Trump. Then the mission was manipulated for March for a better bargain! In between, what made Elon Musk 'predict' during campaign if Kamala Harris wins he would be in jail. In politics, it is said, "the only rule is there are no rules." Difficult times for Americans too.

The terminations are part of a large-scale exercise going on all across Fed departments and organisations to reduce wasteful Government expenditure as decided by a Trump in a mess gone berserk, and improve administrative efficiency following the whims of billionaire and his associate Elon MusK and his DOGE. It has not been shared how terminations are going to raise the efficiency bar! It looks like Trump has stolen some of the prescriptions meant for India. But the American problems are quite different.

Suddenly these colonial clerks feel this effortless, little rule will tremendously enhance security and convenience for the railway passengers manifold. More stations will be covered in the next 77 years! (Also See: New Delhi station stampede... What went wrong?)

ANALYSIS: "The standard operating procedure for deportations by aircraft used by ICE that is effective from 2012 provides for the use of restraints," says the Government. That means, it is taken for granted the US will set the standard for deportations. For another, the Government is more interested in comparing with what happened in 2012 under a different Government to justify its own compliance! No surprise, others are trampling upon us. (How we conduct ourselves inside decides, inherently, how we are treated outside) Thirdly, the Government blamed the gangs doing the business of human trafficking for the illegal migration. For all the crimes taking place in the country, let us blame the criminals! Funny! We will never move an inch forward! The mindset defines what we are.

Meanwhile, a UN-returned Congress leader Shashi Tharoor sounded like a layman when he said, "If they are citizens of India we have an obligation to take them back." Who said 'No'?. He should know that is not the issue now. Who will identify an undocumented person, and how?