Davos opens under shadow of Trump’s Greenland push and tariff threats

As world leaders convene in Davos, President Donald Trump is reaffirming his focus on acquiring Greenland.

Plus, new evidence suggests the high-speed train crash may have been waiting to happen long before impact, as the search for victims and answers continues in Spain.

And a church service shut down by protesters is now a federal case. The attorney general is stepping in, warning that if Minnesota won’t act, Washington will.

These stories and more highlight your Unbiased Updates for Tuesday, January 20, 2026.

World leaders gather in Davos as Trump tariff threat fuels Greenland standoff

The World Economic Forum opens Tuesday in Davos amid a major geopolitical standoff. President Donald Trump’s push for a U.S. takeover of Greenland and his threat of new tariffs are dominating the agenda.

This is the first time many European leaders are coming face-to-face with the president since he warned he could impose tariffs of 10-25% on several countries, unless they agree to talks over the sale of Greenland.

And overnight, Trump showed no sign of backing off.

“We have to have it. They have to have this done. They can’t protect it. Denmark, they’re wonderful people. And I know the leaders are very good people, but they, they don’t even go there,” Trump said. “And, you know, because a boat went there 500 years ago and then left, that doesn’t give you title to property.”

At Davos, the administration is urging allies not to panic.

Meanwhile, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent told trading partners to let the tariff fight “play out.” He pointed to last year’s global tariffs and argued the fallout never materialized.

“Calm down the hysteria. Take a deep breath. This is where we were last year. I’m sure you would have asked me the same question if we were here on April 2nd. And you know what? It all worked out. The economies are fine. We have a very good trade agreement, and the, I think our relations have never been closer. Europe is an ally, the U.S.-Nato membership is unquestioned. We are partners in trying to stop this tragic war between Russia and Ukraine, but that does not mean that we cannot have disagreements on the future of Greenland.”

— Scott Bessent, Treasury secretary

But in Europe, the response is turning sharper.

Finance ministers will meet in Brussels on Tuesday to coordinate a unified response to the tariff threat.

Ahead of the meeting, Sweden’s finance minister accused Trump of using coercion to force a land deal.

“I think it’s sad and totally absurd that we have an American president who’s blackmailing the rest of us, trying to get a piece of land or buy it through threats. It’s a new low, so to speak,” said Swedish finance minister Elisabeth Svantesson. “My message today will be that let’s stand together, let’s put pressure back on the U.S.”

European leaders, many of whom are already in Davos, are now planning an emergency meeting on Thursday to address the tariff threat and the growing standoff over Greenland.

Fed Gov. Lisa Cook’s hearing overshadows Supreme Court decisions

The Supreme Court will release new opinions on Tuesday, and there are some big ones. From voting rights and presidential power, to the biggest of all: tariffs.

Those rulings could land soon and reshape trade, elections and the balance of power in Washington. However, a new report by The Associated Press said that Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell will personally go to the high court for oral arguments in a case that could redefine who controls the central bank.

That almost never happens.

Powell will be in the courtroom as the justices hear a case about whether Trump can fire Federal Reserve governor Lisa Cook.

Trump tried to remove her last summer, accusing her of mortgage fraud. She denied it, and no charges were filed. The court has already blocked her firing, for now.

So why does this matter? If Trump wins, he could shift the balance of power at the Fed and gain real influence over interest rates.

Powell’s in-person appearance is a signal, especially after the Fed chairman revealed this month that he’s now under criminal investigation. He says the investigation is retaliation for refusing to slash rates on Trump’s timeline.

40 dead in Spain train crash, broken rail joint may have caused derailment

At least 40 people have now been confirmed dead as investigators work to determine the cause of Spain’s deadliest high-speed rail crash in history. In an exclusive report, Reuters said investigators have found a broken joint in the tracks, a key failure point that may have triggered the disaster.

According to a source briefed on the investigation, technicians examining the rails found long-standing wear at the joint between sections of the track. The damage had been present for some time.

The report indicated that the gap between the rail sections widened as trains kept crossing, ultimately causing the track to fail. Investigators reported that three rear cars of a high-speed train, with around 300 passengers onboard, derailed on Sunday night and crossed onto the opposite track.

They collided head-on with an oncoming train carrying nearly 200 people, and both trains flipped.

Search and rescue efforts continue. Authorities have set up tents to collect DNA samples from families and are working to identify victims and notify relatives.

Spain’s prime minister has ordered three days of national mourning, beginning Tuesday.

DOJ probes protest at church associated with ICE official

The Justice Department has launched an investigation into protesters who disrupted a church service in Minnesota, an incident that has drawn national attention and prompted a firm warning from Attorney General Pam Bondi.

“Attacks against law enforcement and the intimidation of Christians are being met with the full force of federal law,” Bondi wrote on social media, announcing the investigation.

Bondi also appeared to blame state leaders for allowing the protest to unfold, writing that if Minnesota officials refuse to act, the Justice Department will step in to prosecute federal crimes.

The disruption occurred Sunday at Cities Church in St. Paul.

A group of protesters disrupted the service, chanting “ICE out” and calling out the name Renee Good. Protesters claimed that one of the church pastors is the acting field director of the local ICE office, although he was not there at the time.

Two weeks ago, an ICE officer shot and killed Renee Good during a confrontation in a Minneapolis neighborhood.

Justice Department officials are currently investigating whether the protesters violated the federal FACE Act, which criminalizes intimidation or interference with individuals practicing their religious freedom in places of worship.

Assistant Attorney General Harmeet Dhillon called the disruption unlawful and a violation of a core constitutional right.

“There is no more sacred right in our constitution than the right to assemble and pray to god and there are federal laws that protect that right. And what happened here was a shameful exercise of virtue signaling,” Dhillon said.

Dhillon also singled out journalist Don Lemon, who was covering the protest and entered the church while recording, cautioning that journalism does not serve as a “shield” against “criminal conspiracy.”

Lemon responded in a statement saying:

“If this much time and energy is going to be spent manufacturing outrage, it would be far better used investigating the tragic death of Renee Nicole Good — the very issue that brought people into the streets in the first place.

I stand by my reporting.”

The investigation is now underway.

Just a few hours ago, Trump stated on Truth Social that he watched the video. He referred to the demonstrators as agitators and troublemakers who behave like lunatics and should be imprisoned. 

Lawsuit targets CDC vaccine policy shift

A significant legal battle concerning childhood vaccines and a direct challenge to Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has emerged, with several public health groups now suing the federal government to reverse a new CDC policy that narrows the recommended vaccine list for children.

Under the new policy, the CDC no longer recommends that every child be immunized against flu, rotavirus, meningococcal disease and hepatitis A. Instead, these shots are now restricted to smaller groups of high-risk children or administered at a doctor’s discretion.

The plaintiffs claim the change was driven by Kennedy himself. They accuse him of stacking a key vaccine advisory committee with unqualified experts who hold anti-vaccine views and of pushing the policy through without consulting the committee at all.

According to The Washington Post, they write this: “Defendants have engaged in a pattern and practice of changing U.S. vaccine policy without consideration of the relevant factors or providing any reasoned explanation.” 

The suit asks a federal judge to block the advisory panel from meeting and to halt the policy altogether. A hearing is now set for Feb. 13. 

Kennedy, a longtime vaccine skeptic, has defended his new policy, saying it brings the U.S. closer to international standards.

The CDC and the health department have not responded.

Indiana Hoosiers win national title, finishing perfect 16-0 season

The college football world has a new champion: the Indiana Hoosiers. 

The undefeated Hoosiers went down to Miami and took care of business Monday night, beating the Hurricanes on their home field 27-to-21 to win the national championship.

A perfect 16-and-0 season for a program long known as a basketball school until football coach Kurt Cignetti arrived and turned Indiana into a force in college football.

The run started in the Big Ten, knocking off Oregon and Ohio State along the way. Then came the College Football Playoff: three wins, three statements and a title.

Quarterback Francisco Mendoza scored a key touchdown last night in the championship game.

He also won the Heisman trophy and is now expected to be the number one pick in the NFL draft this April.

A perfect season. A championship season. And in bloomington a celebration that’s just getting started.

---

More from Straight Arrow News:

Abortions increased post Roe. A clash over mail-order pills helps explain why

After the Supreme Court’s 2022 decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization ended the constitutional right to abortion, national abortion numbers were expected to plunge. Instead, they rose.

At the center of this counterintuitive trend are abortion pills and telemedicine. Opponents of abortion have targeted both on multiple fronts. In a new escalation, states with abortion bans are reaching across state lines to investigate, sue and even prosecute out-of-state providers.

That escalation came into sharper focus this month when California Gov. Gavin Newsom blocked an effort by Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry to extradite a California-based doctor accused of mailing abortion pills into Louisiana, where abortion is mostly banned.

The standoff illustrates why the end of Roe did not reshape abortion access as dramatically as some expected — and how the ongoing legal battles could raise the stakes yet again. Read the full story now>

The post Davos opens under shadow of Trump’s Greenland push and tariff threats appeared first on Straight Arrow News.

Ella Rae Greene, Editor In Chief