Denmark is increasing defense spending in Greenland, said a Danish official Tuesday who called the announcement's timing with President-elect Trump's suggestion that the U.S. should own the territory an "irony of fate."
The big picture: Danish Defense Minister Troels Lund Poulsen told the outlet Jyllands-Posten on Tuesday of plans to spend a "double-digit billion amount" in krone, equivalent to at least $1.5 billion, on the self-ruled territory that's part of its kingdom to ensure a "stronger presence" in the Arctic.
Authorities in Australia have issued bushfire warnings and total fire bans in multiple states as extreme heat intensifies across the country over the holiday period.
The big picture: Total fire bans have been issued for parts of South Australia, Western Australia and the entire state of Victoria, where residents evacuated from a growing bushfire in the Grampians region this week. Victorian officials warn they're facing the biggest threat since the deadly Black Summer bushfire season of 2019-20.
Hawai'i's Kīlauea volcano erupted again on Tuesday, prompting National Park Service officials to warn visitors of potential air quality threats.
The latest: The Big Island volcano, one of the most active in the world, reactivated at several vents along the crater floor after an overnight pause, per a Tuesday statement from the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) that noted volcanic activity was confined to this area and the downdropped block within the caldera.
If you're dreaming of a white Christmas, be jealous of those in the Mountain West, upper Midwest and northern New England.
Those are the regions that most often had at least an inch of snow on the ground or actively falling on Christmas Day between 2003 and 2022, per historic satellite data.
President-elect Trump indicated he wants Greenland under U.S. control as he named PayPal co-founder Ken Howery as his pick for United States ambassador to Denmark on Sunday.
The latest: Greenland Prime Minister Múte Egede made clear on Monday that the autonomous territory that's part of its kingdom of Denmark was not for sale.
