Friday News: Judge Blocks Trump’s “single most unconstitutional action”; “Trump’s rapid changes…stun federal workers”; “Violent masculinity is shaping the Trump administration”; “The Sick Message…Trump Is Sending to MAGA America”;VA Gov Race a “Tossup?”:

by Lowell

Here are a few international, national and Virginia news headlines, political and otherwise, for Friday, January 24.

• Extreme weather failing to encourage political climate action, says activist Luisa Neubauer (“Fridays for Future organiser warns conspiracy theories are increasingly taking hold despite effects of global heating”)
• Russia suffering ‘environmental catastrophe’ after oil spill in Kerch Strait
• Russia says it repelled massive Ukrainian drone attack on 13 regions including Moscow
• Trump Would ‘Rather Not’ Put Tariffs on China, Maintains Threat
• Trump tells the world to show him the money
• Trump uses Davos address to accuse oil producers of prolonging Ukraine war (“President also threatens tariffs on imports to US and repeats call for Nato countries to increase defence spending to 5%”)
• Trump shows he plans to dismantle the US-led global order (“The president’s speech in Davos may show his rawest vision yet for America’s new role in the world”)
• Trump Revokes Security Detail for Pompeo and Others Despite Threats From Iran
• Why Netanyahu’s political future is as fragile as the ceasefire (“His hard-line coalition partners have threatened to topple the government if he does not resume Israel’s war in Gaza when a six-week ceasefire with Hamas expires.”)
• Major storm lashes Ireland and Scotland as hurricane-force winds down power lines and ground flights
• The AP establishes style guidance on the Gulf of Mexico and Mount McKinley (“We will use Gulf of Mexico, while acknowledging the name Gulf of America in our copy. We will also use Mount McKinley rather than Denali.”)
• Trump’s anti-immigrant vendetta starts with those here legally
• MAYOR RAS J. BARAKA’S STATEMENT ON ICE RAID ON NEWARK BUSINESS ESTABLISHMENT
• ICE agents arrest hundreds of migrants in sanctuary cities, including New York City
• Newark mayor condemns warrantless immigration raid that ‘terrorized’ people
• The real reason Trump wants to end birthright citizenship (“President Donald Trump’s order to end birthright citizenship is all about race.”)
• A federal judge temporarily blocks Trump’s executive order redefining birthright citizenship
• Big Blow to Trump as First Defeat in Court Hints at More Losing Ahead (“After Trump’s effort to nix birthright citizenship earns a judicial smackdown, California AG Rob Bonta outlines how his state and others can thwart Trump’s worst designs going forward.”)
• What to know about the ruling blocking Trump’s order on birthright citizenship
• A federal judge already blocked Trump’s single most unconstitutional action (“The president cannot unilaterally repeal parts of the 14th Amendment.”)
• The Big-Money Right-Wing Push to Upend the Constitution—and Kill Birthright Citizenship (“We’re in totally uncharted territory.”)
• Trump Officials Move to Quickly Expel Migrants Biden Allowed In Temporarily
• Republicans shoot down Democratic request to ditch party-line immigration push and write a bipartisan bill instead
• “Excluding Indians”: Trump admin questions Native Americans’ birthright citizenship in court
• Trump Issues Executive Order to Support the Growth of Cryptocurrencies (“The order signaled that the president intends to promote an industry that faced scrutiny during the Biden administration — and that he has a personal stake in.” Corrupt.)
• Trump Is Perfectly Poised to Cash in on His Presidency, Constitution Be Damned (“At the speed our courts operate, it’s not clear he can be stopped.”)
• Trump 2.0: Bans, Purges and Retribution
• Rubio instructs staff to freeze passport applications with ‘X’ sex markers (What the F*** is the point of this crap??? Cruelty?)
• Trump is desperate for more energy, as long as it’s not from the wind (Insanity.)
• What ‘energy emergency’? (“The United States is not facing an energy crisis today, but Trump could create one.”)
• Well, Well, Well: Trump Can’t Lower Egg Prices After All
• Donald Trump is not waiting for RFK Jr. — he has already started his war on public health (“RFK’s hearing hasn’t even started yet and the White House has already attacked vaccines, birth control and the WHO”)
• Donald Trump’s War On Government Science May Be Underway (“His team at HHS has paused critical communications and meetings, right as public health officials are worried about bird flu.”)
• Health researchers alarmed as administration pauses travel, communications (“The halt has frozen research grants, meetings and key health updates. ‘Everything is basically in chaos,’ said one cancer researcher.”)
• Trump’s rapid changes in U.S. government stun federal workers
• Swaths of Government Grind to a Halt After Trump Shock Therapy (“Rescinded job offers, delayed health updates and confusion over cutting government checks have upended business as usual across Washington.”)
• Big oil spent $445m in last election cycle to influence Trump and Congress, report says (The Supreme Court, with its outrageous “Citizens United” decision, played a huge role in destroying our democracy.)
• Freed Jan. 6 Convicts Are Back on the Street and Ready to Help Trump (“Some in law enforcement fear a surge in violence by far-right groups; Proud Boys leader jokes he could serve in the cabinet as ‘Secretary of Retaliation.’”)
• Many Jan. 6 Rioters Pardoned by Trump Attacked Police, Videos Show
• The Sick Message That Trump Is Sending to MAGA America (“It’s OK for cops to murder innocent people, for husbands to abuse their wives, and for everyone to target trans people.”)
• Daddy’s Home (“Violent masculinity is shaping the Trump administration”)
• GOP leaders in debt limit quandary between Trump, fiscal hawks
• There are ample reasons, not about his personal life, for rejecting Hegseth (“There is no evidence that Pete Hegseth would be capable of managing the Pentagon behemoth.” – George Will)
• Trump Pentagon nominee endorses extremist Christian doctrine (“Pete Hegseth expresses admiration in podcast series for authoritarian beliefs promoted by far-right Idaho pastor”)
• Hegseth told senator he paid $50,000 to woman who accused him of 2017 sex assault
• Pete Hegseth’s nomination to lead the Pentagon clears a key hurdle in the Senate (This guy as Secretary of Defense is *extremely* dangerous. Watch out.)
• Senate advances Pete Hegseth as Trump’s defense secretary, despite allegations
• Internet Spams Trump’s ‘DEI Truth’ Tip Line With Porn, ‘Simpsons’ Jokes
• Trump Pardons Anti-Abortion Activists Who Blockaded Clinic
• Sensing Political Support, Abortion Opponents Raise Ambitions (“The March for Life on Friday will bring together a movement invigorated by some early moves of the second Trump administration.”)
• Instagram and Facebook Blocked and Hid Abortion Pill Providers’ Posts
• 
  ‘Contempt is a dangerous way to lead a country’: here is the sermon that enraged Donald Trump (“This week, the bishop of Washington delivered a sermon in front of President Trump urging him to show mercy towards LGBTQ+ and migrant communities. The president condemned it as ‘nasty’. We reproduce it in full”)
• Well, It Looks Like Some “Resistance” Is Going to Be Required Again, Actually
• Johnson aide discouraged Hutchinson subpoena over concerns about lawmakers’ ‘sexual texts’
• Justice Dept. revokes job offers to young lawyers in elite honors program (That’s awful.)
• Trump’s FCC chair gets to work on punishing TV news stations accused of bias (“Federal Communications Commission Chairman Brendan Carr has revived three complaints against broadcast stations accused of bias against President Donald Trump.”)
• AOC: Private Prisons and Politicians Will Profit From Laken Riley Act
• Senate confirms John Ratcliffe to be Trump’s CIA director
• Trump signs executive order to release more JFK, RFK, MLK assassination files
• Trump staff ‘furious’ after Musk trashes AI project
• Musk Melts Down Over Criticism of His Provocative Salute (“Did Nazi This Coming”)
• ‘The Holocaust is not a joke’: Elon Musk finally goes too far for Anti-Defamation League
• Kamala Harris provides a big signal about her next move (“The new organization will be a vehicle to help her decide her next steps.”)
• Trump’s White House Press Secretary Reveals Her Failed Campaign Spent $200K in Illicit Contributions
• Tennessee Republican proposes amendment to allow Trump to serve third term (Fascist.)
• ‘Chaos agent’ Trump revives California water wars as experts warn of turmoil (“President claims to be ‘putting people over fish’ but critics say order could derail years of carefully crafted water policy”)
• New fires erupt in southern California ahead of Trump visit
• Newsom Faces Trump Showdown Over Aid, Immigration and Insults
• DeSantis warns Florida lawmakers not to defy him on immigration: ‘It would be very, very hazardous’
• Costco’s board rejects anti-DEI motion, defends ‘respect and inclusion’
• Video: Sen. Tim Kaine Pleads with GOP Colleagues Not to “Rush” Defense Secretary Nomination, Given “the gravity of behavioral challenges that have been demonstrated” by Hegseth (“The FBI did not even go out and interview the wives. Why not? …Was it an investigation or was it just … a box checking exercise?”)
• Video: Sen. Mark Warner Rips Trump’s Pardon of People Who Assaulted Cops; Attempts to “Traumatize” Federal Workers; Potential Immigration Raids on Schools; etc.
• Video: Rep. Don Beyer (D-VA08) Says “the January 6th pardons and commutations are some of the worst things Donald Trump has ever done” (“With these pardons, Trump embraced lawlessness and violence.”)
• Video: Rep. Jennifer McClellan (D-VA04) Says Trump “and his people told us exactly what they were going to do in Project 2025 – and they’re doing it.” (Also: “I mean, feel what you feel, acknowledge that you’re tired, but do not give up, because if you give up, we are lost.”)
• Cook Political Report calls Virginia governor’s race a toss-up
• Pope & Schapiro: Change in Washington, revenge in Richmond
• Americans for Contraception Calls Out Virginia Republicans for Voting Against Protecting the Right to Contraception (“Nearly every House Republican voted against the legislation,” which passed on a 54-44 vote.)
• Virginia legislature on track to peel off DMV requirement
• Some state lawmakers are again trying to remove a tax break for Confederate groups
• Bill defining, affirming tribal sovereignty advances
• Gov. Youngkin takes stand against Virginia bill calling for oversight of religious exemptions from school
• Free school breakfasts move closer to reality in Virginia
• Three interesting bills: prison temperatures, GPS trespassing and teen barbers and cosmetologists
• Republican efforts to amend the VCEA fail in House subcommittee
• Editorial: Virginia needs a centralized authority to regulate gambling
• Va. health officials: Richmond water crisis ‘completely avoidable’
• VDH says Richmond is not capable of reliably providing citizens with water
• Portsmouth teacher charged with child sex crimes, police say
• Eden Center now has a Saigon Blvd. Vietnamese-American advocates call it “a gift to our elders.” (“Close to 50 years after the fall of Saigon, advocates successfully got a section of Wilson Boulevard near the Eden Center renamed ‘Saigon Boulevard.’”)
• CWG Live updates: Gradual thaw getting underway, will gain momentum next week (“Still below average for temperatures today and tomorrow. Then 40s — maybe 50 — next week.”)