A senior US defense official tells Fox News' Jennifer Griffin, "the orders given to the Alaska active duty troops were specifically for Minnesota, NOT Greenland." Incredible that they have to say this..

#Greenland Meanwhile, the Pentagon has ordered 1,500 troops from the Army's 11th Airborne Division to prepare for possible deployment to Minnesota... this unit specialises in arctic warfare why would they send arctic warfare troops to Minnesota?

"Greener gas plants". That tells you everything you need to know about it...

I just found out that Johannes Fabian has died. His work was so important for my thinking when I started out in anthropology. It has made an impact on all my work since. I feel sad.

Britain needs to distance itself from the US. The future lies with Europe not a declining, imperial bully. www.politico.eu/article/dona...

My Daikin heat pump costs less to run than gas central heating. I don't have solar or batteries (above my pay grade), I'm on a fixed Tariff with Fuse & I like my house to be minimum 22° all day.

This is a quote from a US Congressman after a visit to post war Europe on a Marshall Plan assessment.

"We saw the Communist leaders in Italy, France & England. They are tough, hard, fanatical, well-financed & clever. They have the whole misery of the people to trade on. The European Governments are mostly made up of men who are old & tired & haven't the drive and determination of the Communists."

#Iran The contrast between the FT's on the ground reporting and the Guardian's arms length offering is striking. The FT:

That's his go-to AK47 policy - old but effective if not handled right.

Interesting article on rainwater harvesting in China. The Moors also had water harvesting & distribution systems in Spain, some of which still operate. In the south I've seen new builds integrating grey water systems - it's easy at build stage. www.theguardian.com/environment/...

NEW: DANISH FORCES ARE MANDATED TO FIRE BACK IF U.S. ATTACKS GREENLAND Trump says Greenland is defended by dog sleds (true). But under royal decree, Denmark’s small military presence must put up a fight if attacked. theintercept.com/2026/01/14/t...

He chose his PhD topic based on what would provide him the knowledge necessary to sabotage Apartheid South Africa’s nuclear programme - which members of Umkhonto we Sizwe indeed did, based on the information he provided. 🫡

#Ukraine Two million Ukrainian men are on the wanted list for draft dodging - 200K men have deserted - Defence budget deficit is 300bn hryvna (approximately 6bn euro) Via Strana & @leonidragozin.bsky.social

The Right are working overtime to use wind/BESS/solar installations to fuel divisions. There must be more obvious public benefits to locals - give them a % of free electricity not just a quick bung to some random 'community fund'.

The Tooze Industrial Complex. I like the guy but he's becoming a vampire squid.

No, not everyone! In 2024, the left ran a successful campaign, beating both the far right and the Macronists. Macron chose not to appoint a prime minister from the left-wing coalition. Who is to blame then?

#Iran Israeli media is openly, publicly boasting about how Israel armed 'provocateurs' amongst the protestors these last weeks - they're not 'waiting' they're participants.

I spent my teens in the Gulf which is far more integrated than western news would have you believe. Iran is an amazing country with a superb cultural scene - great film industry, art, music & literature.

#Iran This is like watching a slow car crash. More war, more heart break, more impact on climate, shipping, infrastructure and we'll all pay for it one way or another.

To the militaries of Germany, Sweden, Denmark and Greenland: I’m sorry you have to defend against our government. Thank you for stepping up to protect all our interests; namely, an intact NATO, a free Greenland, and an America that’s deterred from wasting blood and treasure on an illegal adventure.

This is a great read from @equatormag.bsky.social www.equator.org/articles/hom...

#PalestineAction Heba Muraisi, Kamran Ahmed, & Lewie C have ended their hunger strikes after Elbit contract blocked.

#Greenland Trump threatening Europe needs a European fight back. Removing US troops from European land would be a good place to start.

New T&Cs on X indicate that from Jan 16th everything on X INCLUDING your links, become fodder for Musk's Grok.

That's great. Now do the Israeli government

#Uganda This Museveni election shutdown number has been a regular issue for so long that everyone I know (including security services) has indeed become experts at seeing in the dark.

2025 was the hottest year on record for ocean heat content. Unfortunately, we now say this every year. 🥹 "In addition to setting a new record in 2025, the global ocean continues to show sustained and intensified warming." + #OpenAccess Study: doi.org/10.1007/s003... + Data: www.ocean.iap.ac.cn

#Greenland Merz is a total disaster: www.politico.eu/article/gree...

#Ukraine If Boris Johnson, in his role as America's flunky, had not pushed to undermine the Istanbul peace agreement, (which Ukraine was about to sign), Europe wouldn't be in this mess & Ukr would've avoided so much death & horror. www.politico.eu/article/germ...

Who'da thunk it? www.bloomberg.com/news/article...

#Greenland This is frighteningly plausible, particularly in the light of Europe's mostly weak leaders. archive.is/2lX1d

Robo Cop The Autonomous Edition:

#NATO Whatever you think about defence spending, never forget that Rutte would not have his job without the US signing it off.

The 'unhinged' theory of US foreign policy. Terrifying...

Adam Tooze: "Unfortunately it might just be the case that they're completely unhinged".

#Venezuela Literally just as I posted....

#Venezuela So the oil majors are not actually jumping for joy about 'Venezuelan oil'. This certainly sounds like a post-hoc 'justification' or what?

#Greenland Meanwhile, the Mandelson/Epstein rehabilitation scheme is carving its 1st notches in the bedpost: BBC: Laura Kuenssberg ✔️ FT quotes ✔️ ITV ✔️ Spectator ✔️

#Greenland "Downing Street said the prime minister took growing Russian aggression in the High North “extremely seriously" Do what? There is no 'Russian aggression' in this mythical High North. This inflated nonsense is how wars start...

#Greenland The US military already has free access to Greenland to do whatever they want security-wise.

#Greenland This is fairyland. There's no serious 'threat' - it's a line being spun by Trump & his avaricious thugs. The US btw doesn't even have functioning ice-breakers.

#Kenya Regulatory authorities have approved the long-acting HIV drug Lenacapavir. This is a great break through that will foster African independence from Trump's arm twisting and coercion. www.the-star.co.ke/news/2026-01...

#Ukraine De Telegraaf is a major Dutch newspaper so it's extraordinary to see it writing about about the far-right in the Ukrainian military. [Usually you have to read Ukrainian media to see this or English language media pre-2015]. t.co/qHUQU4x9JE

The North Pacific Ocean surface warmed over twice as much over the past 15 years than it did over the preceding 156 years. [h/t Leon Simons]

I can't describe how bad Minneapolis feels right now. My neighbors are pulling kids out of school. The public schools are offering remote learning until 2/12. We are having conversations in our alleys about how to protect ourselves. It feels like a military occupation with a blockade.

#Ukraine The numbers absconding from the frontlines, the thousands of draft dodgers & the repeated polling figures tell one story. Most Ukrainians don't want to fight any more. It's tragic.

#Ukraine This interview with Ingar Solty from Rosa Luxemburg Foundation, Berlin, is a good insight into the problems Europe faces with its refusal to face reality with the Ukraine war. mediaview.aljazeera.com/video/7I5peF...

Y'all need to read Greg Grandin's fabulous (and timely) book: America América

Albert! Please stick to the script. It's "mineral rich" - "conflict ridden" - "war torn". You've followed me for years, you know the drill. 😂