Good morning. Here’s the top line on a fast‑moving news cycle.

• Greenland gambit hardens ahead of Davos: UK front pages report President Trump linking his renewed threat to seize control of Greenland to being snubbed for the Nobel Peace Prize, telling Norway’s prime minister he “no longer” thinks purely of peace, per press round‑ups. The Times and Financial Times splash that he has not ruled out military action and could face tense encounters with NATO leaders at the World Economic Forum this week [1]. European pushback is intensifying, with allies denouncing fresh tariff threats and EU diplomats convening on the issue [2].

  
  
  
  

• Iran’s toll climbs: A human rights group says more than 3,900 people have been killed amid Iran’s crackdown, as protests persist under periodic internet blackouts [2]. What to watch: whether new casualty figures spur additional sanctions or UN action.

• Spain train catastrophe: Officials say the death toll has risen to at least 40 after a high‑speed collision, one of Europe’s deadliest rail disasters in years [3]. Investigators are combing data recorders as emergency crews continue recovery operations.

• Minneapolis security posture stiffens: With tensions high after a series of confrontations involving immigration enforcement, two US Army battalions were placed on alert for possible deployment to Minneapolis, and 1,500 soldiers in Alaska are on standby, according to broadcast reports [2] [3]. The Justice Department is probing a disruption at a Minnesota church related to the unrest, and legal experts are parsing ICE’s authorities on the ground [2].

• Deep freeze snarls travel: A powerful winter storm is hammering the I‑95 corridor and the Midwest, knocking out power and making travel treacherous from the Carolinas to New England [2]. Expect additional flight cancellations and highway closures through the day.

• Demography watch: China’s population has fallen for the fourth straight year, underscoring long‑term growth and labor headwinds for the world’s No. 2 economy [2]. Policy tweaks on pensions, childcare and hukou are in focus.

• Royals vs. tabloids: Prince Harry returned to London’s Royal Courts of Justice as his privacy case against the Daily Mail proceeds, a tableau splashed across UK front pages [1] and tracked by US networks [2].

• Health alert: More than half of patients from the 2022 mpox outbreak report ongoing symptoms, new reporting finds—evidence of a long‑tail burden that public‑health officials say warrants continued vaccination and surveillance [3].

The day ahead: Watch Davos for hallway diplomacy on Greenland, the EU’s next move, and whether Washington or Copenhagen signals any off‑ramp. Stateside, keep an eye on storm totals, Guard readiness in Minnesota, and whether rail safety advisories emerge across Europe following Spain’s tragedy.

References

1. Newspaper headlines: ‘Brooklyn goes nuclear’ and ‘British teenagers face social media ban’ – BBC
2. More than 3,900 killed in Iran, human rights group says – ABC News
3. Over half of mpox patients from 2022 outbreak reported ongoing symptoms – ABC News