Reuters World News: Tariffs, Troops, and Traditional Crafts

EU-US Trade Tensions Over Greenland

• 🇪🇺 EU ambassadors convened an emergency meeting following President Trump's threat of new tariffs on eight European allies.
• 🎯 The tariffs are contingent on the US being allowed to purchase Greenland, with a 10% tax planned for February 1st, rising to 25% in June.
• 🗣️ European leaders rejected the demand, warning of potential NATO fracturing and derailed trade deals, with Poland emphasizing the EU's status as a customs union.
• 🇩🇰 Protests against the potential sale of Greenland occurred in Copenhagen and Nuuk, while Spain's Prime Minister warned that a US invasion of Greenland would destabilize NATO and benefit Russia.

US Troop Deployment and Immigration Policy

• 🇺🇸 Approximately 1,500 active duty soldiers are on standby for potential deployment to Minnesota, according to US media reports.
• ❄️ The troops, from Alaska's 11th Airborne Division, specialize in cold weather operations and are being prepped in case protests over immigration enforcement intensify.

Gaza Peace Board and International Relations

• 🕊️ President Trump's proposed "Board of Peace" to oversee Gaza's temporary governance has been met with White House claims of misleading reports regarding a "membership fee."
• 🤝 Early members include figures like Marco Rubio, Steve Witoff, Tony Blair, and Jared Kushner, though Israel stated that some parts of the plan were not coordinated and contradicted its policy.

Global Events and Cultural Features

• 🏁 The 2026 Dakar rally concluded in Saudi Arabia with Nasser Al-Attiyah winning the car race and Luciano Benavides taking the motorcycle title.
• 🏗️ Construction continues on the Sagrada Familia in Barcelona, with the horizontal arms of the Tower of Christ's cross now complete, aiming for completion later this year.
• 🌍 Benin is launching a "My Afro Origins" program, with Spike Lee as an ambassador, to offer citizenship to diaspora members, especially descendants of enslaved Africans, aiming to reconnect them with their roots.

Moroccan Tannery Traditions

• 🇲🇦 In Fez, Morocco, artisans at the Chouara Tannery continue the centuries-old craft of hand-dyeing leather using traditional methods in open stone vessels.
• 💼 This vital industry supports livelihoods in the old city and supplies leather for local markets and export chains, connecting ancient craftsmanship with present-day demand.