Morning Brief: US Army Places Active-Duty Troops on Standby, Denmark Rejects Sovereignty Talks, Hong Kong Tiananmen Vigil Organizers Face Trial

Jury Acquits Former Uvalde School Officer in First Trial Over Police Response A jury on Wednesday acquitted former Uvalde schools police officer Adrian Gonzales of criminal charges tied to the law enforcement response to the 2022 Robb Elementary School shooting in Texas, where a gunman killed 19 children and two teachers. Jurors in Corpus Christi found Gonzales not guilty after more than seven hours of deliberations, concluding the first criminal trial over officers’ actions during the attack. Prosecutors argued Gonzales failed to confront the shooter in the critical early minutes, while defense attorneys said he arrived to chaos, never encountered the gunman, and lacked the opportunity to stop the attack. A jury acquits former Uvalde school police officer Adrian Gonzales of child endangerment or abandonment. He was the first officer to respond to the 2022 mass shooting at Robb Elementary School. CNN’s Shimon Prokupez and CNN legal analyst Joey Jackson have more on the verdict. pic.twitter.com/HKXx20SRAo — Anderson Cooper 360° (@AC360) January 22, 2026 The verdict frustrated some victims’ families and raised questions about whether the state will proceed with charges against former police chief Pete Arredondo, as scrutiny of the 77-minute delay by hundreds of responding officers continues.   Trump Pushes ‘Board of Peace’ at Davos as Allies Weigh Participation US President Donald Trump on Thursday moved to promote his proposed “Board of Peace” at the World Economic Forum in Davos, seeking to rally international support for a new body aimed at managing global conflicts. The initiative, which began as a mechanism to oversee the Gaza ceasefire, has expanded into a broader forum that Trump has suggested could rival or replace some United Nations functions. About 35 countries have agreed to join, with others still considering or declining participation, as concerns grow over the board’s mandate and membership. .@POTUS on his Board of Peace: “These are people that have tremendous influence… I think the Board of Peace will be the most prestigious board ever, and it’s going to get a lot of work done that the United Nations should’ve done.” pic.twitter.com/WwtJHFMvkk — Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) January 21, 2026 Trump pitched the plan amid ongoing wars in Gaza and Ukraine, mounting tensions with Iran, and lingering unease among US allies following his recent threats over Greenland.   US Warns Haiti’s Transitional Leaders Against Power Moves as Election Pressure Grows The United States on Wednesday warned Haiti’s transitional presidential council not to alter the country’s political leadership, saying such actions would destabilize the nation and benefit criminal gangs. The warning came as tensions emerged between the unelected council and Haitian Prime Minister Alix Didier Fils-Aimé, while Haiti faces escalating gang violence and a looming deadline for the council to step aside. The council, formed in April 2024 after the assassination of President Jovenel Moïse and the collapse of the previous government, was tasked with guiding the country toward elections that have not yet been held due to insecurity. Objektif Etazini pou Ayiti rete etabli yon nivo minimòm sekirite ak estabilite. Nenpòt tantativ Konsèy Prezidansyèl Tranzisyonèl (KPT) a ki pa eli a ta fè pou chanje konpozisyon gouvènman an nan etap manda li ki trè avanse konsa, Etazini ta konsidere li kòm yon manèv pou febli… — U.S. Embassy Haiti (@USEmbassyHaiti) January 22, 2026 As gangs control most of Port-au-Prince and violence continues to surge, US and UN officials urged Haiti’s leaders to focus on restoring stability and advancing a democratic transition rather than extending their hold on power.   Danish Veterans Say Trump’s Greenland Threats Betray NATO Ally Danish war veterans who fought alongside US forces in Afghanistan and Iraq say US President Donald Trump’s threats to seize Greenland have shaken trust in the US-Danish alliance and raised fears for NATO’s future. Speaking in Copenhagen, former platoon commander Martin Tamm Andersen and veterans’ leader Søren Knudsen recalled risking their lives with American troops during the wars after 9/11 and said Trump’s rhetoric undermines decades of shared sacrifice. More than 15 years ago, Danish platoon commander Martin Tamm Andersen was leading his countrymen and U.S. Marines through the heat and sand of southern Afghanistan after a Taliban attack. https://t.co/KXacaqgPfa — The Washington Times (@WashTimes) January 21, 2026 Trump argues the United States needs control of Greenland for security reasons, but Denmark and Greenland reject the claim and cite existing defense agreements that already allow a US military presence. The dispute, unfolding as tensions rise in Europe amid Russian aggression, has left Danish veterans questioning the reliability of Washington as an ally and warning that any US move against Greenland could fracture NATO.   Denmark Rejects Sovereignty Talks After Trump Claims Greenland Security Framework Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said Thursday that Denmark will not negotiate its sovereignty after President Donald Trump claimed he had agreed to a framework on Arctic security with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte. Frederiksen said she was informed no such deal exists and stressed that only Denmark and Greenland can decide matters affecting the semiautonomous territory. Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen: On both sides of the Atlantic, a trade war will cost jobs. On both sides of the Atlantic, it will damage the economy. And as much as we must therefore warn against it, just as much must we now also stand firm on what we are made of in… pic.twitter.com/LfE0RZJ3OI — Clash Report (@clashreport) January 20, 2026 The statement followed Trump’s decision to drop threatened tariffs on European countries and his remarks about further discussions tied to the US Golden Dome missile defense program. Frederiksen said Denmark supports dialogue within NATO on Arctic security but made clear that cooperation cannot come at the expense of Danish or Greenlandic territorial integrity.   Russia Reacts Warily as Trump’s Greenland Push Rattles Europe and NATO Russian officials and state-backed commentators this week responded with mixed approval and concern to US President Donald Trump’s push to acquire Greenland, as tensions rose between the United States and Europe. Moscow publicly downplayed the issue, with Russian President Vladimir Putin saying it does not concern Russia, while officials and media portrayed the move as weakening NATO and distracting the West from Russia’s war in Ukraine. Putin does math: Regarding Greenland… well, this doesn’t concern us at all—what happens with Greenland. But we do have experience in resolving similar issues with the United States in the 19th century, I believe in 1867. As we know, Russia sold Alaska, and the United States… pic.twitter.com/BF8sHjYmwg — Clash Report (@clashreport) January 21, 2026 At the same time, analysts warned that a US takeover of the Arctic island could threaten Russia’s military and economic interests in the region, where Moscow has expanded its presence.   Israeli Strikes Kill 11 in Gaza as Ceasefire Strains and Regional Tensions Rise Israeli forces killed at least 11 Palestinians across Gaza on Wednesday, including two 13-year-old boys, three journalists, and a woman, according to hospital officials, marking one of the deadliest days since an October ceasefire with Hamas took effect. The deaths occurred in multiple locations, including refugee camps and areas outside Israeli-controlled zones, as Israel said it targeted suspects posing threats to its troops. Gaza health officials reported that Israeli fire has killed more than 470 Palestinians since the ceasefire began, while the United States continues efforts to advance a second phase of the truce. An Israeli airstrike killed 11 people in Gaza on Wednesday, including three journalists, the territory’s civil defense agency said. One of those killed, Abed Shaat, had worked for years as a photographer for CBS News and other outlets. https://t.co/8wPvo9RSf7 pic.twitter.com/USxQRscATg — CBS Evening News with Tony Dokoupil (@CBSEveningNews) January 22, 2026 Separately, Israel carried out air and drone strikes in southern Lebanon, wounding civilians and journalists and killing two people, as Israeli forces targeted what they described as Hezbollah weapons sites amid ongoing regional hostilities.   Hong Kong Tiananmen Vigil Organizers Face Security Law Trial Two veteran organizers of Hong Kong’s annual Tiananmen Square vigil pleaded not guilty Thursday to national security charges, while a third entered a guilty plea, as authorities pressed a case that critics say targets free expression. Chow Hang-tung and Lee Cheuk-yan denied charges of inciting subversion under China’s national security law, while Albert Ho pleaded guilty and awaits sentencing. Prosecutors argue the trio used the now-disbanded Hong Kong Alliance to promote calls to end one-party rule in China, which they say violates the constitution. A heavy police presence was seen outside the West Kowloon Law Courts Building on Thursday morning ahead of the high-profile trial of three activists from a now-defunct Tiananmen vigil organising group. Lee Cheuk-yan, Chow Hang-tung, Albert Ho – and their group, the now-defunct… pic.twitter.com/TZLuT2SLVu — Hong Kong Free Press HKFP (@hkfp) January 22, 2026 The trial, which could result in sentences of up to 10 years, comes as Beijing-backed authorities continue to dismantle dissent and civil society in Hong Kong, where public commemorations of the 1989 Tiananmen crackdown have been effectively erased.   South Korea to Repatriate 73 Scam Suspects from Cambodia in Major Crackdown South Korea will repatriate 73 citizens detained in Cambodia this week to face investigation for allegedly running online scam operations that defrauded victims of nearly $33 million, officials said Thursday. The suspects, detained during a Cambodian crackdown on scam centers, will return on a chartered flight Friday and be handed over to South Korean authorities. The move follows growing outrage in South Korea over cybercrime rings in Southeast Asia, particularly after a Korean student died last year while reportedly forced to work at a Cambodian scam compound. Exodus from Cambodia’s ‘scam city’ after accused boss taken down. Hundreds of people dragged away suitcases, computer monitors, pets and furniture as they fled a suspected Cambodian cyberfraud centre, after the country’s most wanted alleged scam kingpin was arrested and deported… pic.twitter.com/Qxa4BYW4k0 — AFP News Agency (@AFP) January 16, 2026 The repatriation marks the largest such transfer of South Korean suspects and underscores Seoul’s effort to curb overseas fraud networks that target its citizens.   Sources: News Agencies