• The Neutral
  • Posts
  • Greenland Standoff, College Football Championship, & Moon Hotel

Greenland Standoff, College Football Championship, & Moon Hotel

News without the noise

Good Morning! Today’s edition is 893 words, a 4-minute read.

What’s on tap: 

  • World Economic Forum

  • Snow in Florida

  • ‘PTO-maxxing’

First-time reader? Sign up here!

Big Stories

Greenland Standoff

  • European Union leaders will hold an emergency summit this week in response to President Donald Trump’s renewed push to acquire Greenland and his threat of new tariffs on allied nations.

  • Trump announced a 10% tariff on goods from eight NATO countries — including Denmark, France, and Germany — after those nations sent troops to Greenland for military exercises, warning the tariffs could rise to 25% unless the US gains control of the island.

  • European Council President António Costa reaffirmed EU support for Denmark and Greenland, NATO-led Arctic security, and international law. EU officials warned the tariffs could trigger a transatlantic trade conflict and said the bloc is prepared to activate its anti-coercion measures if needed.

  • Greenland, a self-governing Danish territory, has repeatedly rejected US takeover proposals.

World Economic Forum Begins

  • Nearly 3,000 leaders from business, government, and international institutions are gathering this week in Davos, Switzerland, for the World Economic Forum’s annual meeting. Founded in 1971, the forum has grown from a small business summit into a sprawling event covering global economics, geopolitics, climate change, and technology.

  • This year’s meeting includes a record number of political leaders, with more than 60 heads of state or government expected. US President Donald Trump is set to headline, alongside senior Cabinet officials and global figures including France’s Emmanuel Macron, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, China’s Vice Premier He Lifeng, and Ukraine’s Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

  • Discussions will focus heavily on geopolitical instability driven by US policy shifts, as well as the rapid rise of artificial intelligence, balancing its economic promise against risks to jobs, regulation, and global competition.

Hoosiers Win First Natty

  • Indiana captured its first college football national championship Monday night, defeating Miami 27–21 in the College Football Playoff title game to complete a 16–0 season.

  • Heisman Trophy winner Fernando Mendoza delivered the decisive play, scoring on a fourth-down quarterback run in the fourth quarter after coach Curt Cignetti passed on a late field goal. The touchdown gave Indiana a ten-point cushion with under 10 minutes remaining.

  • Miami responded with a 91-yard drive capped by a touchdown from freshman Malachi Toney, trimming the deficit to three. After an Indiana fieldgoal, the Hurricanes briefly had a chance to rally again late, but Indiana’s defense sealed the victory when Jamari Sharpe intercepted Carson Beck.

  • The Hoosiers are the first team to finish 16–0 at the top level of college football in more than a century.

Quick Stories

US News

  • Democrat Abigail Spanberger was sworn into office as Virginia's first female governor on Saturday. (More)

  • The Justice Department is investigating protesters who disrupted church services in Minnesota, targeting an ICE official serving as pastor. (More)

  • Snow fell in parts of the western Florida Panhandle, making parts of the Sunshine State a snowy state for the second year in a row. (More)

World

  • Prince Harry returned to the UK to begin his third and final legal battle against British tabloids for illegal snooping. (More)

  • China’s population fell for the fourth straight year as births dropped to the lowest rate since 1949. Its total population is now 1.404 billion. (More)

  • A high-speed train's tail end jumped off the tracks and slammed into another train in Spain, killing at least 39. (More)

Business & Economy

  • US stock markets closed lower on Friday (S&P -0.06%, Nasdaq -0.06%, Dow -0.17%). All three major averages posted a losing week. (More)

  • European carmaker stocks fell sharply on Monday after Trump threatened tariffs on European countries over Greenland — Volkswagen, BMW, Mercedes-Benz, and Porsche dropped 2.5% to 3.2%. (More)

  • British hedge fund TCI made a record $18.9 billion for investors in 2025 with a 27% return, outpacing the S&P 500's 16.4%. (More)

Sports & Entertainment

  • The NFL Conference Championships are set with Denver taking on New England and Los Angeles facing off with Seattle next Sunday, Jan. 25. (More) | Buffalo fired head coach Sean McDermott after Denver eliminated them from the playoffs in overtime. (More)

  • Venus Williams became the oldest woman to compete in an Australian Open Singles main draw at 45. (More) | Novak Djokovic won his 100th match at the Australian Open as he seeks his 25th Major win. (More)

  • Fashion legend Valentino Garavani died Monday at 93 at his Rome home. (More)

Science, Health, & Tech

  • A comprehensive review published in The Lancet found no link between acetaminophen use during pregnancy and autism, ADHD, or intellectual disability. (More)

  • Scientists found two hidden tectonic plates beneath Northern California where the San Andreas and Cascadia faults meet, solving the mystery of a 1992 magnitude 7.2 earthquake that struck at unexpectedly shallow depth. (More)

  • Viruses sent to space evolved to kill drug-resistant bacteria on Earth that they couldn't kill before, including UTI strains, suggesting microgravity could help scientists develop new antibiotic alternatives. (More)

Extra Credit

A company is planning a moon hotel.

Make the most of your time off in 2026 with ‘PTO-maxxing.’

Why do we feel butterflies in our stomachs?

Mapping the safest states in America.

What did you think about today's edition?

Your feedback helps us provide the best newsletter possible.

Login or Subscribe to participate in polls.