2026, day 261 Good morning from Australia - and it’s yet another day of major geopolitical headlines from Greenland to Russia to AI to east Asia. GEOPOLITICS: 🌍🔥 ‘Trump claims deal with Denmark for ‘permanent’ US security control over Greenland’ (AFP) - “From now on, no US adversary can EVER have a base in Greenland, have a military presence in Greenland, or make sensitive investments in Greenland, without our express written approval…We will immediately begin the process of developing a large Military presence in the appropriate part of Greenland, of which there are many.”; ‘Putin preparing to escalate war’ (Telegraph) - “European leaders fear president will mobilise more troops and increase hybrid attacks on Nato after latest sham election ‘European leaders prepare public for ‘intensified threat’ from Putin’ (Politico) - “However, NATO sees no risk of “imminent attack””; ‘Macron orders protection of France’s infrastructure against ‘Russian hybrid attacks’’ (AFP); ‘Macron to call emergency G7 meeting as energy prices spike and Russian hybrid attacks mount’ (Politico); ‘Trump signs Russia sanctions bill that opens China, India to tariffs’ (Nikkei Asia) - “Law gives US leader authority to impose 100% levies on Moscow's top energy buyers”; ‘The world must force Russia to end mass starvation in occupied Oleshky’ (Kyiv Independent); ‘Drone hit Russian nuclear plant cooling tower, no fire: IAEA’ (AFP); ‘Trump touts plan for new U.S. base in Poland as NATO ally's leader warns of "real risk" from Russia’ (CBS); ‘Ukraine, Russia are done with Steve Witkoff. Trump sees no problem’ (Kyiv Independent); ‘More U.S. troops have died amid Iran war than Pentagon has disclosed publicly’ (WaPo); ‘US military had close call after using AI for false intelligence report, sources say’ (CNN) - “the intelligence report….A Chinese ship in the Middle East was transporting components of a nuclear weapons program…. was “entirely false.” But it also “almost started a war,””; ‘OpenAI's Sam Altman to brief UN Security Council next week’ (Reuters); ‘Australia must train AI at home to protect national security: ASD boss’ (AFR); ‘South Korea’s FM stresses to Rubio its intent to contribute to restoring free passage in Hormuz’ (Reuters); ‘Italy to escort its own ships through the Red Sea over Aspides delays’ (Euractiv); ‘Collision near Sabina Shoal sparks fresh escalation between China and the Philippines’ (SCMP); ‘CGA plans a historic 2027 visit to Philippines’ (Taipei Times) - “Coast Guard Administration (CGA) ships are scheduled to sail to the Philippines bearing the words “Taiwan Coast Guard” in a high-profile visit in October next year”; ‘Takaichi seeks Trump meeting early next week ahead of US-China summit’ (Nikkei Asia); GEOECONOMICS: 🌍 ✈️ ⛴️ 🚛 ‘Xi’s edge over Trump on AI’ (FT) - “The US president’s anti-regulatory stance fails to take into account that China is catching up”; ‘Irish Finance Minister says Hormuz closure, not Ukraine, causing energy crisis’ (Euronews); ‘Record US diesel prices squeeze farmers; food prices may rise’ (Reuters); ‘Shipping’s New Normal: Slower Trade, Higher Costs, Bigger Profits’ (gCaptain); ‘US, China Weigh Reducing or Eliminating China’s LNG Tariff’ (Reuters); ‘Trump Extends $100,000 H-1B Visa Fee as Legal Fight Plays Out’ (BBG); POLITICS: 🗳️ ‘Germany’s Merz girds for a post-election fight for political survival’ (Politico) - “One conservative official predicts “all hell breaks loose” if the ruling CDU fails to win any seats in the regional election in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania”; ‘Trump Says He Is Banning CNN, MS NOW and Politico From the White House’ (WSJ); ‘From vodka to vanished names: Russia’s parliamentary election gets off to a strange start’ (Ynet); MARKETS: 📈 ‘OpenAI expects to burn $280bn by 2030’ (FT); ‘The BOJ’s Balancing Act With Bessent Is Only Going to Get Harder’ (BBG); ‘White House attacks Fed official after review of Silicon Valley Bank collapse’ (FT)