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Sprint Freestyler Thomas Bradac Chooses TCU for Fall 2026

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Sprint Freestyler Thomas Bradac Chooses TCU for Fall 2026

Fitter and Faster Swim Camps is the proud sponsor of SwimSwam’s College Recruiting Channel and all commitment news. For many, swimming in college is a lifelong dream that is pursued with dedication and determination. Fitter and Faster is proud to honor these athletes and those who supported them on their journey.

Thomas Bradac has announced his verbal commitment to compete for Texas Christian University beginning in the fall of 2026. He publicized the news on SwimCloud, writing:

I am extremely excited and beyond blessed to announce my commitment to further my academic and athletic career at Texas Christian University! I would like to thank God and everyone who has supported me throughout this process especially Coach Shawn at TOPS and all my other coaches over the years, my family, friends, and teammates. Also a huge thank you to Coach Winchester and Coach Heckman for this opportunity! Go Frogs!!

The Colorado native is a senior at JK Mullen High School in Denver, where he has been a member of the team’s varsity swimming and diving team since his freshmen year. Bradac also trains year-round with the University of Denver Hilltoppers; a sprint threat, he excels at freestyle and butterfly.

Bradac has been on a promising improvement trajectory throughout his high school career, but he really made a leap forward in 2025 that put him in the power-five recruiting conversation. He dropped over four seconds in the 200 free (1:44.07 to 1:39.56), three seconds in the 100 free (47.67 to 44.63), nearly two-and-a-half seconds in the 100 fly (52.81 to 50.37), and shaved over a second in the 50 free (21.54 to 20.18).

Bradac most recently competed at December’s Winter Junior Championships – West, his first time qualifying for the meet, where he clocked his current PBs in the 50 free, 200 free, and 100 fly. He finished 20th in the 50 free, advancing to the ‘C’ final, and touched 42nd in the 100 free with a season-best 44.99, 53rd in the 200 free, and time trialed in the 100 fly. Bradac swam his 100 free lifetimebest at a local club meet during last summer’s long course season at the CO TOPS SCY Spectacular.

On the high school scene, Bradac helped JK Mullen win the 2025 state title in the 200 free relay and finish runner-up in the 200 medley relay. Individually, he grabbed a pair of fourth-place finishes in the sprint freestyle events. He’s been a consistent presence at the meet: as a sophomore he came seventh in the 50 and ninth in the 100; as a freshman he touched 20th in the 200 free and 26th in the 100 fly.

Top SCY Times:

  • 50 Freestyle: 20.18
  • 100 Freestyle: 44.63
  • 200 Freestyle: 1:39.56
  • 100 Butterfly: 50.37

TCU finished fourth at the 2025 Men’s Big 12 Championships, a slight drop from their second-place showing in the previous year. The shift came as new teams, including Arizona State, joined the conference. Arizona State dominated the meet, finishing more than 600 points ahead of second-place Arizona. The standings shakeup followed Texas’s departure for the Southeastern Conference after the 2024 season.

Based on the results from the conference meet, Bradac sits close to scoring range in the 50 free, where his 20.18 is only a tenth off the 20.08 ‘C’ final cutline. In his other primary events, he has more room to grow. The 100 free ‘C’ final required a time of 44.06, while the 100 fly and 200 free needed a 48.30 and 1:36.97. With continued improvement, Bradac could work his way into being a multi-event scorer during his time with the Horned Frogs.

On the team’s 2024-25 depth charts, Bradac would have ranked sixth in the 50 free, ninth in the 100 free, eighth in the 100 fly, and 10th in the 200 free. He will overlap one season with Nigel Forbes, the team’s best 50 freestyler at 19.79 and 100 flyer at 46.52, and two seasons with Viktor Hristov, the team’s best 100 freestyler at 43.77, giving him strong training partners as he transitions to collegiate swimming. If Bradac can challenge the 20-second and 44-second thresholds, he could find himself contributing to the team’s sprint free relays as a freshman.

Bradac joins Lincoln Hoffmann as the only publicized commitments in the Horned Frogs’ class of 2030. Hoffmann brings similar sprint free times of 21.09/45.15/1:39.49, along with 47.79/1:48.69 in fly and 1:51.30 in the 200 IM.

If you have a commitment to report, please send an email with a photo (landscape, or horizontal, looks best) and a quote to [email protected].

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An Exciting and Robust Electric Toy Truck

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An Exciting and Robust Electric Toy Truck

Imagine you’re eight years old and it’s your birthday. You open a big box. Inside is a huge, off-road, remote-controlled truck. You’re ecstatic and can’t wait to head out and eat up some Duracells as you ply your new toy around the yard. Now, as a grownup, you realize why the Hummer EV exists.

At a glance

  • Tested both the SUV and truck formats on and off the road for a week each
  • GMC went all in on the unsubtle nature of the Hummer EV
  • Huge mass means using physics to destroy obstacles

I drove the Hummer EV in both its SUV and its Pickup formats on and off the road for a week each. They did daily errands and child shuttling as well as excursions into the Wyoming wilderness. Here’s the shorter version of my overall assessment: The Hummer EV is like a mobile playhouse for adults who love extremes.

Nothing about the GMC Hummer is subtle. The Hummer EV is, first and foremost, enormous. In pickup or SUV form, it occupies space with the confidence of something designed to almost defy Newtonian law. GMC leans into that presence rather than apologizing for it, and oddly enough, that commitment is what makes the Hummer EV so frikking awesome.

The somewhat graceful electronics in the Hummer EV are overshadowed by its blunt force trauma approach to interiors

Aaron Turpen / New Atlas

The numbers are absurd, and GMC knows it. Depending on configuration, output reaches up to 1,000 horsepower (735.5 kW) with torque figures that sound more like industrial equipment than a consumer vehicle. The result is a truck that can launch itself to highway speed far faster than something weighing north of 9,000 lb (4,082 kg) has any right to. Yes, if you haven’t heard, the Hummer EV isn’t just huge in size. Its mass is almost road-cracking.

Straight-line acceleration is shocking the first time and amusing every time after. This is less about practicality and more about proving a point: electric motors make big power easy, and the Hummer EV flexes that fact shamelessly. If you can imagine throwing a brick at the same speed a pro baseball pitcher launches a fastball, that’s basically what acceleration in the Hummer feels like.

Despite its bulk, the Hummer EV isn’t just a pavement-bruiser. Four-wheel steering, including the much-publicized CrabWalk mode, allows it to maneuver in tight spaces with a kind of awkward grace. On trails, adaptive air suspension and massive ground clearance help it crawl over obstacles. This isn’t a rock-climber or serious trail machine, though. Nothing about the Hummer EV is nimble. It’s more a brute force attack on terrain versus being adaptable to get around it. The Hummer EV makes technical off-roading feel more like a Klingon physics experiment.

Off-road credibility is big in the Hummer EV, though not in a nimble kind of way
Off-road credibility is big in the Hummer EV, though not in a nimble kind of way

Aaron Turpen / New Atlas

Inside, the Hummer EV balances rugged design with high-end tech. Materials are durable rather than plush, but they feel intentional. Large displays dominate the dashboard, delivering clear graphics and responsive controls that fit the vehicle’s futuristic-ish mission. But there’s a sense of theater to everything, from the removable roof panels to the animations that play when engaging drive modes. It’s all a bit much, really, and that’s probably the point. Kind of like the overbuilt guns of a GI Joe set, the Hummer EV feels larger than life.

Let’s be clear: the Hummer EV is not an efficiency champion. Range is respectable (about 320 miles / 515 km real-world) given the vehicle’s mass, but this is an electric vehicle that consumes electrons with the same enthusiasm that a W12 engine sucks gasoline. This is not an EV meant to convince skeptics that electric vehicles are sensible. It’s meant to convince those skeptics that electric vehicles can be fun, ridiculous, and unapologetically excessive toys.

Yes, it's a truck. No, I won't help you move
Yes, it’s a truck. No, I won’t help you move

Aaron Turpen / New Atlas

Rather than shrinking the Hummer legacy to fit an electric future, GMC amplified it. The result isn’t for everyone, obviously. But I think more people can understand it than the naysayers might think. The Hummer EV exists because it can, and in doing so, it proves that electrification doesn’t have to mean ending up in a world full of Prius lookalikes. And not every vehicle has to have a practical, logical excuse for itself. Sometimes, we just want toys.

Product page: GMC Hummer EV

Ex-Olympian Taken into Custody for Drug Trafficking and Murder Allegations

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Ex-Olympian Taken into Custody for Drug Trafficking and Murder Allegations

new video loaded: Former Olympian Arrested on Drug Trafficking and Murder Charges

transcript

transcript

Former Olympian Arrested on Drug Trafficking and Murder Charges

F.B.I. agents arrested Ryan Wedding, a former Olympic snowboarder, in Mexico on Thursday. Mr. Wedding is accused of smuggling cocaine into the United States and hiring a hitman to kill an F.B.I informant. The ex-snowboarder is expected to appear in court on Monday.

He went from an Olympic snowboarder to the largest narcotrafficker in modern times. Military and law enforcement officers in Mexico worked hand in glove with our teams on the ground there to apprehend, last night in Mexico City, Ryan Wedding. This individual and his organization and the Sinaloa cartel poured narcotics into the streets of North America, and killed too many of our youth and corrupted too many of our citizens. And that ends today.

F.B.I. agents arrested Ryan Wedding, a former Olympic snowboarder, in Mexico on Thursday. Mr. Wedding is accused of smuggling cocaine into the United States and hiring a hitman to kill an F.B.I informant. The ex-snowboarder is expected to appear in court on Monday.

By Jorge Mitssunaga

January 23, 2026

Lexi Todd elevated to the role of Deputy Chief Operating Officer at Primary Wave

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Lexi Todd elevated to the role of Deputy Chief Operating Officer at Primary Wave

Primary Wave Music has promoted Alexandria “Lexi” Todd to Deputy Chief Operating Officer.

The news comes as Todd celebrates 10 years at Primary Wave, initially joining the company as a legal intern in 2016.

According to Primary Wave Music, over the course of her time at the company, Todd has become an integral part of the business affairs team, most recently serving as VP, Business & Legal Affairs.

She will continue to be based out of Primary Wave’s New York office.

As VP, Todd’s role expanded beyond legal and business affairs to include business development and operations.

In this newly created position of Deputy COO, Primary Wave said that she will “delve even further” into the daily operations of the company, providing direct support to Primary Wave’s Chief Operating Officer, Ramon Villa.

While Todd will continue to “run point on certain complex music acquisitions”, her new role will see her assist Villa in the overall day-to-day acquisitions for Primary Wave’s pipeline of catalogs.

She’ll also take on a management role on “several operational matters” in an effort, according to the company, “to improve efficiency while driving initiatives across Primary Wave”.

Primary Wave noted that in recent years, Todd was responsible for overseeing valuation, due diligence, negotiations, and closings on certain “high-profile acquisitions”, including for the catalogs of the Notorious B.I.G., Itzhak Perlman, and the Village People.

In the last year alone, she was responsible for closing over $230 million worth of acquisitions, Primary said.

“As someone who started out as a creator, Primary Wave’s mission to protect and elevate musical legacies has always resonated deeply with me.”

Lexi Todd

Commenting on her new role, Todd said: “As someone who started out as a creator, Primary Wave’s mission to protect and elevate musical legacies has always resonated deeply with me.

“I’m honored to step into the role of Deputy Chief Operating Officer and excited to continue championing the artists, songwriters, and stories that shape our culture alongside the passionate people at Primary Wave who bring those legacies to life every day.”

“Her mix of dedication, smarts, initiative, creative instinct, and empathy is uncomparable and I am so very happy to have her alongside as we continue our path.”

Ramon Villa

Ramon Villa added: “Primary Wave continues to grow its family of iconic artists and music and the breath of initiatives we execute to continue to build new fans to keep legacies thriving.

“Building our team of talented and dedicated professionals has always been paramount to our goals. I have had the pleasure of working with Lexi continuously from the first days of her starting as an intern.

“Her mix of dedication, smarts, initiative, creative instinct, and empathy is uncomparable and I am so very happy to have her alongside as we continue our path.”

Todd has been recognized on Billboard’s Women in Music and 40 Under 40 lists. Variety Magazine featured her on its Hollywood’s New Leaders list in 2022 and in 2025 she was included on its Music Legal Elite list.Music Business Worldwide

Villarreal vs Real Madrid: Everything you need to know about the La Liga match – teams, start time, kickoff time, and lineups | Football News

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Villarreal vs Real Madrid: Everything you need to know about the La Liga match – teams, start time, kickoff time, and lineups | Football News

Who: Villarreal vs Real Madrid
What: Spanish La Liga
Where: Estadio de la Ceramica in Villarreal, Spain
When: Saturday, January 23, at 9pm (20:00 GMT).
How to follow: We’ll have all the build-up on Al Jazeera Sport from 17:00 GMT in advance of our text commentary stream.

Real Madrid will claim top spot in La Liga with a win on Saturday, but standing in their way are a plucky Villarreal that have their own ambitions for a title charge.

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Los Blancos parted company with head coach Xabi Alonso on January 12, and suffered the immediate shock of a Copa del Rey exit at the hands of lowly Albacete in their very next game.

Moving above Barcelona, who do not play until they host Real Oviedo on Sunday, would be a serious statement for the Spanish giants, whose season appeared ready to lurch into freefall in recent months.

Al Jazeera Sport takes a look at Saturday’s match, where Villarreal will hope to add their own twist as they continue their plight as the season’s surprise package.

How have Real Madrid reversed the form book?

Real Madrid roared back to life this week, led by a superb Vinicius Junior, and will now seek to crush the threat of another title contender at the same time as they head to Spain’s east coast.

An emphatic 6-1 victory over Monaco on Tuesday in the Champions League helped brighten the gloom in the Spanish capital and earn new coach Alvaro Arbeloa a modicum of credit. Automatic qualification for the last 16 will be secured with a win in their final league phase match at Benfica on Wednesday.

The midweek match was the first glimpse of what his team might look like, after the Copa del Rey last 16 defeat against Albacete in his first match at the helm was the performance of a club deep in the doldrums.

Arbeloa’s second match, a win over Levante in La Liga last weekend, was marked by a monumental show of dissent from home fans, the shadow of which the team struggled to emerge from.

However, with the fans behind them again against Monaco, Madrid put in their best performance of the season, with Brazilian winger Vinicius offering a sensational display, in particular.

Why has Vinicius been struggling and why was he booed by Real Madrid fans?

After going 16 games in a row without finding the net, Vinicius has now scored two in his last four matches.

Beyond a delightful solo goal against Monaco, he was a persistent threat and played key parts in three more of his team’s strikes.

The performance silenced the boo boys in the stands and reminded everyone of the talent that was key to Real’s Champions League and La Liga double in 2024.

“I think he’s a player who thrives when he gets love,” said teammate Jude Bellingham. “He goes up leaps and bounds in his game and becomes so much more joyful to watch and to play with.

“I think that’s the pressure that the kind of whistles put on a player. But now it seems like he’s free from those shackles a little bit, and hopefully he can continue.”

What is Vinicius’s take on his form?

Vinicius himself admitted he needed the Bernabeu faithful by his side rather than on his back.

“We have to keep going and have the support of our fans so that everything returns to normal,” said the winger.

“We want to win, the fans want it, too, and if we stick together, we’re going to achieve great things this season.”

The winger ran over to hug his coach, Arbeloa, after scoring, after the Spaniard had defended him publicly over the last week.

“I saw the fans completely devoted to Vinicius, chanting his name … I said it the other day, he needs to feel loved by his people, he’s very emotional and he needs that affection,” said the coach.

Will Vinicius renew his Real Madrid contract?

Vinicius, who finished as runner-up in the Ballon d’Or rankings in 2024, has struggled for consistency ever since.

The 25-year-old’s contract at Madrid runs out in the summer of 2027, and for months, he has been in an apparent standoff with the club over renewing it.

In the days after his sizzling performance against Monaco, that situation seems to be slowly easing, too.

“Renewal talks are gathering pace. Despite a bruising week, the Brazilian knows that Real Madrid as an institution are firmly behind him,” wrote Spanish newspaper AS.

“Vinicius needed the backing of his own to rise from the ashes – and the embrace, first from his teammates and then from Alvaro Arbeloa, made that clear.”

Arbeloa has indicated from the beginning of his reign that a happy Vinicius will lead to a happy Madrid.

How have Villarreal fared in La Liga this season?

Marcelino Garcia Toral’s third-placed Villarreal are seven points behind Madrid and eight off champions Barca; a defeat would therefore virtually write off any chance of a first La Liga title.

Whatever the result on Saturday, though, it has been a remarkable run until now.

The east coast club lost only one of their first seven La Liga fixtures this season, winning five. A similar run would see them win six in a row from late October through early December – a ride that was ended by defeat at Barcelona.

Toral’s side bounced back to win their following two matches but they did suffer defeat in their last domestic outing, going down 2-0 at Real Betis last Saturday.

Estadio de la Ceramica has proven to be a fortress this season with eight wins, a draw and one defeat recorded at home, that in comparison with five wins, a draw and three defeats on the road.

How have Villarreal fared in the Champions League?

The exploits in Europe have not been as rewarding for Villarreal, with six defeats and a draw recorded in their seven games.

They finish the league phase of the Champions League at Bayer Leverkusen on Wednesday, but any hopes of reaching the next round have long since faded.

What happened the last time Villarreal played Real Madrid?

Real won the first meeting in La Liga this season 3-1 at Bernabeu on October 4.

Vinicius Junior netted two minutes in the second half to open the scoring, then doubled Real’s tally from the penalty spot with 20 minutes remaining.

Georges Mikautadze pulled one back for the away team but after Santiago Mourino saw red in the 77th minute, Kylian Mbappe soon after netted Real’s third to ensure the win.

Head-to-head

This will be the 55th meeting between the sides, with Real Madrid winning 31 of the encounters. Villarreal have emerged victorious on only six occasions.

Villareal team news

Willy Kambwala (hamstring), Logan Costa (knee), Pau Cabanes (knee), Santi Comesana (suspended) and Santiago Mourino (suspended) are all unavailable for the visit of Real.

Having played a much-changed lineup in the Champions League in midweek, head coach Marcelino is set to ring the changes and bring back a number of the star names, including Tajon Buchanan, Georges Mikautadze, Dani Parejo, Pau Navarro and Alfonso Pedraza.

Villarreal predicted starting lineup (4-4-2)

Junior; Navarro, Veiga, Foyth, Pedraza; Buchanan, Parejo, Gueye, Moleiro; Perez, Mikautadze

Real Madrid team news

Aurelien Tchouameni is suspended following his fifth booking of the season, which was picked up in last weekend’s 2-0 win against Levante.

Rodrygo has returned from injury and is set to start, while Brahim Diaz has returned from Morocco duty at the Africa Cup of Nations.

Trent Alexander-Arnold (thigh), Eder Militao (hamstring), Ferland Mendy (hamstring) and Antonio Rudiger (knee) all remain absent.

Real Madrid predicted starting lineup (4-3-3)

Courtois; Valverde, Huijsen, Asencio, Carreras; Guler, Camavinga, Bellingham; Rodrygo, Mbappe, Vinicius

Villareal and Real Madrid’s last five matches

Villarreal: W-L-L-W-W (most recent result last, all competitions)

Real Madrid: W-L-W-W-L (most recent result last, all competitions)

Challenging the Client

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Challenging the Client



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Ryan Wedding, a former Olympian and alleged drug kingpin, apprehended

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Ryan Wedding, a former Olympian and alleged drug kingpin, apprehended

Former Canadian Olympic snowboarder and alleged drug kingpin Ryan Wedding has been arrested in Mexico and will be extradited to the US after years on the run, FBI Director Kash Patel has said.

Wedding, who had been on the FBI’s Ten Most Wanted Fugitives list, is accused of running a transnational drug trafficking operation that moved tonnes of cocaine across international borders.

Wedding, 44, was also wanted on murder charges. US officials had said they believed Wedding was living in Mexico under the Sinaloa drug cartel’s protection.

The head of Canada’s federal police force, which assisted in the investigation, spoke alongside Patel on Friday to praise the law enforcement operation.

“No single agency or nation can combat transnational organised crime alone,” said Mike Duheme, Commissioner of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP).

“We can finally say that our communities, our countries, are much safer with the arrest of Ryan Wedding,” he added.

Wedding is expected to make his first court appearance on Monday.

Wedding is accused of running a vast drug trafficking operation responsible for importing some 60 metric tonnes of cocaine a year.

The organisation operated across North America, as well as several countries in Latin America and the Caribbean, and was also the largest supplier of cocaine to Canada, bringing in an estimated $1bn a year.

Before he was arrested, Wedding was accused of killing a federal witness in a case against him. Officials say he has also ordered the murders of several others.

Wedding is now facing a slew of felony charges, including witness tampering and intimidation, murder, money laundering and drug trafficking.

The FBI had previously placed a $15m (£11m) reward for information leading to his arrest. Patel declined to comment on whether anyone would be claiming the reward money.

US officials have not released any information regarding how Wedding was captured, except to say that his arrest took place on Thursday night in Mexico City.

The Associated Press, citing an unnamed Mexican Security Cabinet member, reported that Wedding turned himself in at the US embassy.

In his remarks at a news conference, Patel described Wedding as a “modern-day Pablo Escobar”, referring to the Colombian cartel leader. US officials have also compared him to Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzmán in Mexico.

“When you go after a guy like Ryan Wedding, it takes a united front,” Patel said, thanking Canadian and Mexican authorities for their help in the investigation.

Wedding’s aliases include “El Jefe,” “Giant,” “Public Enemy,” “James Conrad King,” and “Jesse King”, the FBI said. He has reportedly had plastic surgery to change his appearance while on the run.

Officials allege that he launched his criminal enterprise following his release from a US federal prison in 2011, where he was serving a sentence for cocaine distribution.

Authorities allege he has ordered dozens of murders across the globe, including in the US, Canada and Latin America.

Officials say he had been living in luxury in Mexico. In December, Mexican authorities announced that they had seized $40m in racing motorcycles owned by Wedding. They also seized other valuable items, including luxury paintings, artworks, drugs and two Olympic gold medals.

It is unclear to whom the medals belong. Wedding competed for Canada in the 2002 Olympic Games in Salt Lake City, but did not win any medals. He came in 24th place in the men’s giant parallel slalom ski event.

In November, the FBI seized his rare 2002 Mercedes CLK-GTR, which had been valued at $13m.

Patel also spoke about the recent arrest of another man in Mexico who had been on the FBI’s most wanted list.

American man Alejandro Castillo was wanted for the murder of his ex-girlfriend. According to the FBI, he has been in hiding in Mexico for nearly 10 years, and will now be extradited back to North Carolina for trial.

EquipmentShare Surges 16% Above IPO Price During Nasdaq Debut

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EquipmentShare rises 16% above IPO price in Nasdaq debut

European Leaders Feel Relieved as Greenland Crisis De-Escalates

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European Leaders Feel Relieved as Greenland Crisis De-Escalates

new video loaded: Sense of Relief Spreads Among European Leaders Over De-Escalation of Greenland Crisis

transcript

transcript

Sense of Relief Spreads Among European Leaders Over De-Escalation of Greenland Crisis

Some European leaders on Thursday welcomed President Trump’s announcement calling off tariffs on Europe over Greenland, and expressed optimism that it would eventually result in a victory for Arctic security and NATO unity.

“We’ve been closely coordinating with allies and others over the course of the last few days. What’s now happened is good in the sense that the threat of tariffs has gone, and now we can get on with the job of rolling up our sleeves and answering the question: How do we improve security in the Arctic? — which everybody agrees with.” “This has from the beginning been a security issue, not a sovereignty issue. And that’s why we’re trying to create an off-ramp whereby we can strengthen Arctic security with strong American presence because their worries about Arctic security, I think, are correct.” “I welcome the developments of yesterday and the — first of all, the announcement by President Trump that force would not be used in respect of Greenland. And secondly, that the threat of tariffs on certain E.U. member states were to be lifted.” “We have said from the very beginning that a discussion about our status as a sovereign state, it cannot be discussed, it cannot be changed. We are willing to work together with the U.S., of course, as we have always done about security. But our red lines that are — our also, our Democratic rules cannot be discussed.”

Some European leaders on Thursday welcomed President Trump’s announcement calling off tariffs on Europe over Greenland, and expressed optimism that it would eventually result in a victory for Arctic security and NATO unity.

By McKinnon de Kuyper

January 22, 2026

Jared Kushner’s Vision for a Prosperous Gaza City Collides with the Harsh Reality of 60 Million Tons of Rubble

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Jared Kushner’s Vision for a Prosperous Gaza City Collides with the Harsh Reality of 60 Million Tons of Rubble

Modern cities with sleek high-rises, a pristine coastline that attracts tourists, and a state-of-the-art port that juts into the Mediterranean. This is what Jared Kushner, U.S. President Donald Trump’s son-in-law and Middle East adviser, says Gaza could become, according to a presentation he gave at an economic forum in Davos, Switzerland.

In his 10-minute speech on Thursday, Kushner claimed it would be possible — if there’s security — to quickly rebuild Gaza’s cities, which are now in ruins after more than two years of war between Israel and Hamas.

“In the Middle East, they build cities like this … in three years,” said Kushner, who helped broker the ceasefire in place since October. “And so stuff like this is very doable, if we make it happen.”

That timeline is at odds with what the United Nations and Palestinians expect will be a very long process to rehabilitate Gaza. Across the territory of roughly 2 million people, former apartment blocks are hills of rubble, unexploded ordnance lurks beneath the wreckage, disease spreads because of sewage-tainted water and city streets look like dirt canyons.

The United Nations Office for Project Services says Gaza has more than 60 million tons of rubble, enough to fill nearly 3,000 container ships. That will take over seven years to clear, they say, and then additional time is needed for demining.

Kushner spoke as Trump and an assortment of world leaders gathered to ratify the charter of the Board of Peace, the body that will oversee the ceasefire and reconstruction process.

Here are key takeaways from the presentation, and some questions raised by it:

Reconstruction hinges on security

Kushner said his reconstruction plan would only work if Gaza has “security” — a big “if.”

It remains uncertain whether Hamas will disarm, and Israeli troops fire upon Palestinians in Gaza on a near-daily basis.

Officials from the militant group say they have the right to resist Israeli occupation. But they have said they would consider “freezing” their weapons as part of a process to achieve Palestinian statehood.

Since the latest ceasefire took effect Oct. 10, Israeli troops have killed at least 470 Palestinians in Gaza, including young children and women, according to the territory’s Health Ministry. Israel says it has opened fire in response to violations of the ceasefire, but dozens of civilians have been among the dead.

In the face of these challenges, the Board of Peace has been working with Israel on “de-escalation,” Kushner said, and is turning its attention to the demilitarization of Hamas — a process that would be managed by the U.S.-backed Palestinian committee overseeing Gaza.

It’s far from certain that Hamas will yield to the committee, which goes by the acronym NCAG and is envisioned eventually handing over control of Gaza to a reformed Palestinian Authority. Hamas says it will dissolve the government to make way, but has been vague about what will happen to its forces or weapons. Hamas seized control of Gaza in 2007 from the Palestinian Authority.

Another factor that could complicate disarmament: the existence of competing armed groups in Gaza, which Kushner’s presentation said would either be dismantled or “integrated into NCAG.” During the war, Israel has supported armed groups and gangs of Palestinians in Gaza in what it says is a move to counter Hamas.

Without security, Kushner said, there would be no way to draw investors to Gaza and or stimulate job growth. The latest joint estimate from the U.N., the European Union and the World Bank is that rebuilding Gaza will cost $70 billion.

Reconstruction would not begin in areas that are not fully disarmed, one of Kushner’s slides said.

Kushner’s plan avoids mention of what Palestinians do in the meantime

When unveiling his plan for Gaza’s reconstruction, Kushner did not say how demining would be handled or where Gaza’s residents would live as their areas are being rebuilt. At the moment, most families are sheltering in a stretch of land that includes parts of Gaza City and most of Gaza’s coastline.

In Kushner’s vision of a future Gaza, there would be new roads and a new airport — the old one was destroyed by Israel more than 20 years ago — plus a new port, and an area along the coastline designated for “tourism” that is currently where most Palestinians live. The plan calls for eight “residential areas” interspersed with parks, agricultural land and sports facilities.

Also highlighted by Kushner were areas for “advanced manufacturing,” “data centers,” and an “industrial complex,” though it is not clear what industries they would support.

Kushner said construction would first focus on building “workforce housing” in Rafah, a southern city that was decimated during the war and is currently controlled by Israeli troops. He said rubble-clearing and demolition were already underway there.

Kushner did not address whether demining would occur. The United Nations says unexploded shells and missiles are everywhere in Gaza, posing a threat to people searching through rubble to find their relatives, belongings, and kindling.

Rights groups say rubble clearance and demining activities have not begun in earnest in the zone where most Palestinians live because Israel has prevented the entry of heavy machinery.

After Rafah will come the reconstruction of Gaza City, Kushner said, or “New Gaza,” as his slide calls it. The new city could be a place where people will “have great employment,” he said.

Will Israel ever agree to this?

Nomi Bar-Yaacov, an international lawyer and expert in conflict resolution, described the board’s initial concept for redeveloping Gaza as “totally unrealistic” and an indication Trump views it from a real estate developer’s perspective, not a peacemaker’s.

A project with so many high-rise buildings would never be acceptable to Israel because each would provide a clear view of its military bases near the border, said Bar-Yaacov, who is an associate fellow at the Geneva Centre for Security Policy.

What’s more, Kushner’s presentation said the NCAG would eventually hand off oversight of Gaza to the Palestinian Authority after it makes reforms. But Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has adamantly opposed any proposal for postwar Gaza that involves the Palestinian Authority. And even in the West Bank, where it governs, the Palestinian Authority is widely unpopular because of corruption and perceived collaboration with Israel.

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Danica Kirka contributed from London.

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