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Straits Times
3 days ago
- Politics
- Straits Times
Denmark won't bend to Trump's pressure over Greenland, prime minister says
Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen attends a press conference with President of the European Parliament Roberta Metsola (not pictured) at the Prime Minister's Office, ahead of Denmark's takeover of the European Union presidency, at Christiansborg, Copenhagen, Denmark, on June 3, 2025. Ritzau Scanpix/Mads Claus Rasmussen via REUTERS/ File Photo FILE PHOTO: Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen receives Greenland's Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen ahead of a meeting at Marienborg in Kongens Lyngby, Denmark, April 27, 2025. Ritzau Scanpix/Mads Claus Rasmussen via REUTERS/File Photo OSLO - Denmark will not yield to "unacceptable" pressure from the United States for control of semi-autonomous Greenland, Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said on Thursday, warning Greenlanders' right to self-determination was at stake. President Donald Trump has said he wants the United States to take over the minerals-rich and strategically-located Arctic island for reasons of national and international security, and has not ruled out the use of force to do so. "The world order we've built through generations is being challenged like never before," Frederiksen said in a speech for National Day. "In recent months Greenland and Denmark have been subjected to unacceptable pressure from our closest ally," she added, referring to the United States. U.S. Vice President JD Vance on a visit to the island in March accused fellow NATO member Denmark of not doing a good job keeping Greenland safe and suggested the United States would better protect the territory. Vance's visit followed an election victory by Greenland's Demokraatit party, which favours a slow approach to independence rather than the quicker departure proposed by some others. Leaders of Denmark and Greenland have said only Greenlanders can decide the territory's future, and the Danish constitution gives the island the right to seek independence. Fundamental principles in the transatlantic relationship such as national sovereignty, the respect for borders and people's right to self-determination are now at stake, Frederiksen said. "But we don't bend. We Danes are not like that," she added. Denmark's King Frederik, who is popular in Greenland, visited the island in late April in a show of unity amid the diplomatic stand-off with Trump. A 1951 agreement between the United States and Denmark gives the U.S. the right to construct military bases in Greenland as long as Denmark and Greenland are notified. The island, whose capital Nuuk is closer to New York than Copenhagen, boasts mineral, oil and natural gas wealth, but development has been slow and the mining sector has seen very limited U.S. investment. REUTERS Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
Straits Times
15-05-2025
- Business
- Straits Times
EU's Kallas proposes further loosening of Syria sanctions
High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Kaja Kallas looks on as she meets the press after a meeting in Copenhagen, Denmark, May 13, 2025. Ritzau Scanpix/Mads Claus Rasmussen/via REUTERS/File Photo BRUSSELS - EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas has proposed a further loosening of European sanctions on Syria to allow funding for Syrian ministries in areas including reconstruction and migration, according to a document seen by Reuters. The move comes after U.S. President Donald Trump said on Tuesday he would order the lifting of sanctions on Syria. European Union foreign ministers are expected to discuss the relationship with Damascus at a meeting in Brussels next week. The EU has already eased sanctions related to energy, transport and reconstruction, as well as associated financial transactions, but some member states have pushed for further relief to help smooth Syria's transition. French President Emmanuel Macron said this month after hosting Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa that Paris would push for the EU to end its sanctions when they come up for renewal. The bulk of sanctions imposed since 2013 are renewed annually on June 1. With the World Bank estimating Syria's reconstruction costs at more than $250 billion, Syria's new authorities have been lobbying European countries for relief from the tough Western sanctions imposed on the former government of Bashar al-Assad. Under the new proposal, dated May 14, the EU would allow member states to provide funding to Syria's ministries of defence and interior for cooperation "in the areas of reconstruction, capacity-building, counter-terrorism and migration", the document said. A special provision would allow EU member states more room for manoeuvre in dealing with Syrian state-owned entities when it comes to the destruction of chemical weapons. The new proposal would lift sanctions on the Commercial Bank of Syria, while retaining measures targeting individuals linked to Assad's former administration. Officials are also discussing whether to lift sanctions on Syria's central bank, three diplomats said. Germany, Italy, the Netherlands and Austria have circulated a joint document, seen by Reuters, calling for lifting sanctions on Syria's central bank and financial institutions. "The objective is to provide additional space for socio-economic recovery," the four countries wrote. REUTERS Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
Toronto Sun
13-05-2025
- Politics
- Toronto Sun
NATO's former head says allies must counter Russia's Arctic rise: 'We have to take this seriously'
'Russia has started re-arming in the Arctic region,' said Anders Fogh Rasmussen Published May 13, 2025 • Last updated 10 minutes ago • 3 minute read Anders Fogh Rasmussen addresses guests at the two-day Copenhagen Democracy Summit at the Royal Danish Playhouse in Copenhagen on May 13, 2025. Photo by Mads Claus Rasmussen / Ritzau Scanpix/AFP via Getty NATO must take a stronger role in the Arctic to deter increasing Russian activity, according to the alliance's former secretary general. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account. Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments. Enjoy additional articles per month. Get email updates from your favourite authors. THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK. Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments Enjoy additional articles per month Get email updates from your favourite authors Don't have an account? Create Account 'Russia has started re-arming in the Arctic region,' said Anders Fogh Rasmussen, who led the North Atlantic Treaty Organization for five years until 2014 and previously served as Denmark's prime minister. That includes Russia opening air bases and other military installations and making 'significant' investments in Arctic capabilities, he said. 'We have to take this seriously,' Fogh Rasmussen said in an interview Monday ahead of the annual Copenhagen Democracy Summit. 'They clearly have territorial ambitions in the region. In response, NATO should develop an Arctic strategy and take on a stronger role.' That means it needs to set concrete capability targets for the region to spur military investment, he said. Your noon-hour look at what's happening in Toronto and beyond. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. Please try again This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. His comments come as NATO members are preparing new targets for the alliance, which are set to be finalized at a June summit in The Hague. Secretary General Mark Rutte has proposed raising defense spending to 3.5% of GDP and spend a further 1.5% on other defense-related items, Reuters has reported. The alliance will also determine each member's specific contribution toward shared defense objectives. Allies must focus on enhancing surveillance capabilities to detect Russian submarines in Arctic waters, Fogh Rasmussen said. He declined to detail what Arctic capability targets could entail, adding that 'part of the deterrence is a kind of ambiguity. You have to keep your enemy or your adversary uncertain about your capacity.' This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Long considered a low-tension zone, the Arctic is gaining security importance as melting ice reshapes global geography. With Sweden and Finland now members of the Western military alliance, seven of eight Arctic states fall under the Article 5 collective security guarantee. Formally adopting Arctic capability goals would mark a clear shift in NATO's strategic focus, recognizing the region as a core security concern and paving the way for forces specifically trained and equipped for Arctic conditions. Security in the Arctic is a growing concern among key members of NATO. President Donald Trump has cited US and international security as the reason he wants to acquire Greenland from Denmark, criticizing the Nordic country for underinvesting in defense on the island. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Denmark has recently committed to boosting military investment in Greenland, though lawmakers are awaiting NATO's capability goals before finalizing plans, which may include naval vessels tailored for Arctic operations. Danish officials have previously called for formal Arctic targets, arguing such measures would allow their Greenland expenditure to count toward NATO's collective defense commitments. Fogh Rasmussen said it's 'high time' Denmark invests more in defense in Greenland but firmly rejected the idea that Trump needs to acquire the island for security purposes. He noted the US has retrenched on the territory and pointed to a decades-old treaty that already allows the US to establish more military bases in Greenland. Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen has signaled readiness to allow such an expansion. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Trump's Greenland ambitions have strained relations between Washington and Copenhagen in recent months. Last week, Denmark summoned the US acting ambassador over a report that the Trump administration had ordered intelligence agencies to spy on Greenland as part of its takeover efforts. Fogh Rasmussen said such actions are only 'counterproductive' to Trump's aims, citing also Vice President JD Vance's visit to Greenland in March. 'All those actions work against Trump's desire to take over Greenland,' he said. 'A new unity government has been formed in Greenland, they've stopped talking about independence and want to strengthen cooperation with Denmark. They've said clear no to an American takeover.' Toronto Maple Leafs Editorials Sunshine Girls Sunshine Girls Relationships
Business Mayor
28-04-2025
- Business
- Business Mayor
Novo Nordisk scores major legal win that bars many compounded versions of Wegovy, Ozempic
Flags with the logos of Danish drugmaker Novo Nordisk, maker of the blockbuster diabetes and weight-loss treatments Ozempic and Wegovy are pictures while the company presents the annual report at Novo Nordisk in Bagsvaerd, Denmark, on February 5, 2025. Mads Claus Rasmussen | Afp | Getty Images Novo Nordisk scored a huge legal victory that largely restricts compounding pharmacies from marketing or selling cheaper, unapproved versions of the drugmaker's blockbuster weight loss drug Wegovy and diabetes treatment Ozempic. A federal judge in Texas late Thursday rejected a bid by compounding pharmacies to keep making copies of Ozempic and Wegovy while a legal challenge over the shortage of those drugs unfolds. That came in response to a February lawsuit from a compounding trade group against the Food and Drug Administration's determination that the active ingredient in those drugs, semaglutide, is no longer in shortage in the U.S. Patients flocked to the cheaper copycats when Ozempic and Wegovy were in short supply over the last two years due to skyrocketing demand, or if they didn't have insurance coverage for the costly treatments. During FDA-declared shortages, pharmacists can legally make compounded versions of brand-name medications. Many telehealth companies, such as Hims & Hers , also offered those copycats. But drugmakers and some health experts have pushed back against the practice because the FDA does not approve compounded drugs, which are essentially custom-made copies prescribed by a doctor to meet a specific patient's needs. 'We are pleased the court has rejected the compounders' attempts to undermine FDA's data-based decision that the shortage' of semaglutide is resolved, said Steve Benz, Novo Nordisk's corporate vice president, legal and U.S. general counsel, in a statement. 'Patient safety remains a top priority for Novo Nordisk and the extensive nationwide legal actions we have taken to protect Americans from the health risks posed by illegitimate 'semaglutide' drugs are working,' he said, referring to the company's more than 100 lawsuits against compounding pharmacies and other entities across 32 states. On Thursday, U.S. District Judge Mark Pittman specifically denied the Outsourcing Facilities Association's bid for a preliminary injunction that would have prevented the FDA from taking action against its members for making copies of semaglutide. That decision upholds the FDA's previous determination that the semaglutide shortage in the U.S. is over and means the FDA can now immediately go after so-called 503A pharmacies that are making compounded versions of semaglutide according to individual prescriptions for a specific patient. Those pharmacies are largely regulated by states rather than the FDA. The decision also means the FDA can start targeting federally regulated 503B pharmacies, which manufacture compounded drugs in bulk with or without prescriptions, after May 22. The agency's actions can include product seizures and warning letters to pharmacies.
Straits Times
22-04-2025
- Business
- Straits Times
Wary of Russia, Denmark to spend $800m on surveillance vessels
FILE PHOTO: Denmark's Defense Minister Troels Lund Poulsen during a press conference in the Mirror Hall at the Prime Minister's Office in Copenhagen on Wednesday, February 19, 2025. Ritzau Scanpix/Mads Claus Rasmussen/via REUTERS/File Photo COPENHAGEN - Denmark will spend about 4 billion crowns (S$800 million) on building and procuring 26 navy vessels for patrolling, oil spill response and surveillance of undersea cables, Defence Minister Troels Lund Poulsen said on Tuesday. Countries bordering the Baltic Sea are on high alert after a number of outages of power cables, telecom links and gas pipelines since Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022, including sabotage of the Nord Stream gas pipelines. Russia has denied it was behind the outages. The Nato military alliance has boosted its presence with frigates, aircraft and naval drones. One concern has been the so-called shadow fleet - vessels used by Russia to move oil, arms and grains around in violation of sanctions. "The threats we face at sea today are different and far more serious than just a few years ago. In particular, we need to respond to a threatening Russia, while technological development is moving at lightning speed," Poulsen said in a statement. "With the agreement on the naval plan, we are initiating several urgent procurements that are the first step in enabling Danish maritime defence to counter a wider range of threats." After more than a decade of drastic cuts in defence spending, Denmark last year allocated 190 billion Danish crowns for its military over a 10-year period. The Nordic country is primarily aiming to protect submarine cables and pipelines for energy production and transmission, and to boost protection against potential threats to the marine environment in Danish waters from the Russian shadow fleet. In addition to the 26 vessels, Denmark will acquire drones and sonar systems, which can monitor and identify unwanted underwater activity, the ministry said. The government said it was aiming for many of the vessels to be built in Denmark, including in cooperation with its Nato allies, but provided no further details. REUTERS Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
