News Wrap: Trump Envoy to Greenland, New Warships, and Russian General Killed

International Relations and Greenland

• 🇩🇰 Greenland and Denmark are pushing back against President Trump's appointment of Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry as his special envoy to Greenland.
• 💬 Governor Landry expressed honor in serving a volunteer position to make Greenland part of the U.S., while Greenland's prime minister and Denmark's foreign minister stated "Greenland belongs to the greenlanders" and summoned the U.S. Ambassador.
• ⚠️ Trump has previously expressed interest in controlling the mineral-rich Arctic island and did not rule out using military force.

Military and Defense Announcements

• 🚢 President Trump announced plans to construct two new 'Trump class' warships, described as the fastest, biggest, and most powerful ever built.
• ❓ Few details were provided on the ships, though Trump has been critical of current Navy vessels.
• 🇻🇪 This announcement comes amid increased U.S. military pressure on Venezuela, with U.S. forces seizing oil tankers.

Geopolitical Events and Conflicts

• 🇷🇺 Russian investigators suggest a car bomb that killed a senior Russian general in Moscow may have been orchestrated by Ukraine.
• ⚔️ The deceased general was in charge of training Russian troops for the war in Ukraine, marking another death of a senior military official within Russia.
• 🕊️ U.S. Envoy Steve Witkoff described recent talks with Russian officials as productive, though no clear breakthrough on ending the war was reported.

Business and Industry News

• 🥃 Jim Beam is pausing production at its main Kentucky distillery for all of 2026 to invest in site enhancements, citing tariff uncertainty and declining alcohol consumption.
• 🛒 Instacart is ending its AI-based pricing after reports of consumers being charged significantly different prices for the same items.
• 📈 Stocks on Wall Street posted gains at the start of the shortened holiday week, with the Dow, NASDAQ, and S&P 500 all seeing increases.

Notable Deaths

• 🏞️ Betty Reid Soskin, the nation's oldest national park ranger, has died at the age of 104.
• 🌟 She joined the service in her 80s and helped create a California park dedicated to women's contributions during WWII, retiring at 100.
• 🗣️ Soskin was known for sharing untold stories of women of color during the era and expressed a desire to be remembered as "Betty."