South Africa has sent a team to help with rescue efforts after a local politician was swept away by floodwaters while visiting neighbouring Mozambique.
Andile Mngwevu, a councillor in the Ekurhuleni municipality, east of Johannesburg, and four others were in Mozambique’s Gaza province when their car was caught in a flood, officials say.
Only one of the passengers has been accounted for – the “status and whereabouts of the other occupants remain unconfirmed”, the municipality said in a statement.
Flooding has devastated parts of both countries and resulted in Mozambican President Daniel Chapo cancelling his trip to the World Economic Forum in Davos.
His South African counterpart, Cyril Ramaphosa, confirmed that two helicopters had been deployed to help Mozambique “for a number of days until their situation subsides”.
Weeks of flooding in Mozambique have damaged infrastructure and killed more than 100 people. According to a United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs report, 400,000 people have been affected.
In South Africa, more than 30 people have died in just two provinces since November, according to the government.
Mozambique has declared a red alert in the wake of the devastating floods while South Africa has announced a national disaster.
The rainy season has begun in central and northern Mozambique, with further heavy rain forecast across large parts of the country, which is entering its annual cyclone season.
Listen to Donald Trump and you would think Moscow and Beijing were lying in wait off the coast of Greenland, ready to pounce to boost their power in the Arctic.
“There are Russian destroyers, there are Chinese destroyers and, bigger, there are Russian submarines all over the place,” President Trump said recently.
That is why, according to America’s president, US control of Greenland is essential.
So how do you think Moscow has reacted to its alleged plot being uncovered and potentially thwarted by a US takeover of Greenland?
The Russians can’t be pleased. Right?
Wrong.
In an astonishing article, the Russian government paper is full of praise for Trump and critical of European leaders who oppose a US annexation of Greenland.
“Standing in the way of the US president’s historic breakthrough is the stubbornness of Copenhagen and the mock solidarity of intransigent European countries, including so-called friends of America, Britain and France,” writes Rossiyskaya Gazeta.
“Europe does not need the American greatness that Trump is promoting. Brussels is counting on ‘drowning’ the US president in the midterm congressional elections, on preventing him from concluding the greatest deal of his life.”
“Greatest deal”? The reporter explains what he means. I have to keep reminding myself I am reading the Russian government newspaper, not a pro-Trump publication in America.
“If Trump annexes Greenland by July 4 2026, when America celebrates the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, he will go down in history as a figure who asserted the greatness of the United States,” writes Rossiyskaya Gazeta.
“With Greenland, the US becomes the second largest country in the world after Russia, surpassing Canada in area. For Americans, that’s on par with such planetary events as the abolition of slavery by Abraham Lincoln in 1862 or the territorial conquests of the Napoleonic Wars.
“If, thanks to Trump, Greenland becomes part of America…for sure the American people will not forget such an achievement.”
And the Russian reporter has this message for America’s president: don’t U-turn.
“It is dangerous for the American president to back down over Greenland. This would weaken the position of the Republican Party in the midterm elections and likely result in a Democrat majority on Capitol Hill with the ensuing consequences for Trump. Whereas a rapid annexation of Greenland before the elections can change this political trend.”
In other words, it’s in Trump’s interest to push ahead with his plans to take over Greenland: according to the Russian government paper.
Let that sink in.
But why the praise from Moscow? Why the apparent encouragement?
It’s because Russia has much to gain from the current situation.
Trump’s fixation with Greenland, his determination to take over the island and impose tariffs on European countries that oppose his plan have put a huge strain on the transatlantic alliance: both on America’s relations with Europe, and within Nato.
Anything that weakens – or threatens to split – the Western alliance is viewed by Moscow as a huge positive for Russia.
“Europe is at a total loss and, to be honest, it’s a pleasure to watch this,” gloated the Russian tabloid Moskovsky Komsomolets in one of its articles about Greenland.
What’s more, American threats to annex Greenland are being used by pro-Kremlin commentators to try to justify Russia’s war on Ukraine.
Victory in Ukraine remains the Kremlin’s priority.
Moscow believes that maintaining a positive relationship with the Trump administration will help achieve this.
Hence Russia’s criticism of Europe. But not of Donald Trump.
Follow the twists and turns of Trump’s second term with North America correspondent Anthony Zurcher’s weekly US Politics Unspun newsletter. Readers in the UK can sign up here. Those outside the UK can sign up here.
Italian fashion designer Valentino Garavani, known as Valentino, has died at the age of 93.
In a statement posted on Instagram the Valentino Garavani and Giancarlo Giammetti Foundation said: “He passed away peacefully in his Roman home, surrounded by the love of his family.”
The foundation said Valentino will be lying in state at Piazza Mignanelli between 21 and 22 January.
Valentino’s funeral service will be held the following day at the Basilica of Saint Mary of the Angels and Martyrs, the foundation said.
