Good morning and welcome to Kid News.
I'm Kim.
Today is Wednesday, January 21st, 2026.
And we begin with President Trump getting an earful over his grab-and-go plans for Greenland.
He flew overnight to Switzerland where today he'll be meeting with world leaders unhappy with his push to make the icy outpost part of the US.
The planet's largest island sits northeast of Canada, is 80 percent covered by ice and belongs to the Kingdom of Denmark.
But President Trump recently set his sights on the territory, saying the US needs to buy it for national security purposes.
The Danes maintain that Greenland is not for sale, and they have the support of most of Europe.
The issue is expected to take center stage today at the World Economic Summit, where 65 heads of state, including President Trump, will be in attendance.
The tundra tug of war is taking a toll on Wall Street.
The Dow plunged nearly 900 points yesterday, while the Nasdaq was down almost 600.
It's not often you can call a storm beautiful, but when they start on the sun, all bets are off.
On Monday, a super powerful solar flare near the sun's equator erupted into space, sending charged particles on a collision course with Earth's magnetic field.
On the severity scale, it ranked a 4 out of 5, high enough to mess with satellites and GPS, as well as increase the radiation risk for space station astronauts and air passengers flying near the poles.
For those of us on the ground however, there's not only no danger, but there's also the possibility of spectacular northern light shows like the ones spotted yesterday across much of Europe and in the US, as far south as Alabama.
Forecasters say, depending on how long the storm lasts, we could be in for another day or two of dazzling displays.
Indiana's Cinderella story is now complete.
The team that began the season with more losses than any other team in college football history, according to NBC News, took down Miami Monday night to win their first ever national championship.
As billionaire businessman and Indiana alum Mark Cuban put it, the Hoosiers went from outhouse to penthouse and they did it on the back of their quarterback, Fernando Mendoza, who won the game in his hometown of Miami against Miami after not being recruited by Miami.
That no doubt made the victory sweeter.
But Fernando's real inspiration is his family, especially his mom, who's been battling multiple sclerosis for 15 years.
He sought her out first before celebrating with his team.
Fernando is expected to go number one to the Raiders in the NFL draft.
Cows don't get much credit for their smarts, but a new study suggests we might be underestimating them.
The video evidence comes from Veronica, an Austrian pet cow that uses a broom to scratch herself.
Sometimes the bristles, sometimes the handle.
It just depends whether the itch is on her back or her undercarriage.
Researchers from Vienna say theirs is the first ever documentation of a cow using a tool and using it in different ways depending on her needs.
Recognizing how remarkable the finding is, they wrote Perhaps the real absurdity lies not in imagining a tool using cow, but in assuming such a thing could never exist.
Their research can be found in the journal Current Biology.
Most 12-year-olds don't know how to drive.
Zach Howells sure doesn't, but that didn't stop him from taking the wheel and averting disaster.
Zach was in the passenger seat when his mom, driving 60 miles an hour on a freeway in England, suffered a medical emergency and fainted.
To make matters worse, her foot was stuck on the pedal and the car was accelerating.
Zach managed to slow the vehicle before intentionally crashing it into a roadside barrier and calling for help.
Mom is now fine and Zach's been recognized as a hero.
As the local constable told reporters, for a 12-year-old to react in such a calm and mature manner is magnificent.
His display of bravery certainly extinguished any danger to them both, but also that of other members of the public who were on the road that day.
Still to come, the spicy secret weapon used by the Rams in their win over the Bears.
But first, we want to shout out Abner Gottlieb of Los Angeles, California, on his ninth birthday.
He recently moved across the country from Washington DC and loves all sports, but especially football.
Abner, your mom dad, Molly and, of course, Louie tell us they are constantly in awe of your kindness, curiosity and huge heart and, of course, your spiral.
They love you and are certain that nine is going to be the best year yet.
Happy birthday from our team, Abner.
Now, today's Kid News quiz.
How much of Greenland is covered by ice?
80%.
Who won the national championship in college football?
Indiana for the first time ever.
What animal shocked researchers by using a tool?
Veronica, a cow in Austria.
How strong was this week's solar storm?
It was a four out of five on the severity scale.
In today's Kid News Kicker, no one likes cold feet, not even hardcore football players.
If you saw the Bears-Rams game on Sunday, you know how brutal the weather was in the teens, with wind chills a whole lot lower.
The Rams, who typically play in sunny Southern California, weren't about to let their feet fail them, so they took a chance on Cayenne Pepper.
But they didn't eat their spicy secret weapon.
They dumped it in their socks after hearing that it generates heat by improving blood flow.
The proof of use?
All the orange-stained laundry shown off by players after the game.
Both teams also had a hot chocolate dispenser stocked with marshmallows and chicken broth to help battle the elements.
The Rams won, though potentially making their cayenne pepper-in-the-socks trick.
The difference maker.
Thanks again to the Gottlieb family of Los Angeles, California for sponsoring today's quiz.
Abner, happy ninth birthday and we hope you enjoy exploring and eating your way through your new hometown.
Now, shout outs for our Kid News classrooms.
Mrs. Martinez and her rangers and rangerettes at Mora Independent in Mora, New Mexico.
Mrs. Griggs and Mrs. Mooney and their Alden Bulldogs at Alden Intermediate in Alden, New York.
Mrs. Davis and her Peak Learners at Ridgeview in Liberty, Missouri.
And Mrs. Zimmerman and her Panthers at Dennis in Springboro, Ohio.
Thanks for listening.
For parents wanting to shout out a special someone.
Please visit our website at kidnewsorg and look for the sponsorship page.
Have a great day and we'll see you back here for more Kid News tomorrow morning.
