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by Lowell
Here are a few international, national and Virginia news headlines, political and otherwise, for Sunday, January 26.
- ‘The risk of extinction is accelerating’: world’s botanic gardens raise alarm with space to protect endangered plants running out
- China’s Surging Power Demand Creates a Climate Conundrum
- CIA says lab leak most likely source of Covid outbreak (“But the US intelligence agency cautions it has ‘low confidence’ in this new determination.”)
- Trump says he may consider rejoining World Health Organization
- With Davos dominated by Trump’s second coming, global collaboration is out
- Putin lauds the strength of Russia’s war economy. Others see a mirage
- Ukraine war briefing: US has not stopped military aid to Ukraine, says Zelenskyy
- Belarus strongman set to win a 7th term in an election the opposition calls a farce (Why can’t AP just say the election is a farce? Why do they have to hide behind “the opposition calls a farce?” This is a fundamental flaw with journalism.)
- Donald Trump will huff and he’ll puff, but if Europe’s leaders rise to its defence, their house will stand
- Gazans’ return north on hold as Israel accuses Hamas of breaching truce deal
- Trump calls to “clean out” Gaza and move Palestinians to Egypt and Jordan
- Scoop: Trump lifts Biden’s hold on 2,000-pound bombs to Israel
- Trump suggests his plan for Gaza Strip is to ‘clean out the whole thing’ (Hello, protestors? Or do they only protest Democrats?)
- Trump Says He Wants Jordan and Egypt to Take in Palestinians From Gaza
- Trump wants Jordan and Egypt to accept more refugees and floats plan to ‘just clean out’ Gaza
- Trump says he believes US will ‘get Greenland’ (Insanity.)
- Panic and defiance in Panama after Trump threatens to ‘take back’ canal
- South Korean president indicted on insurrection charges after martial law attempt (This is what should have happened in the US within weeks/months of 1/6/21.)
- Holocaust survivors fear Europe is forgetting the lessons of Auschwitz (“Eighty years after the liberation of the concentration camp, some politicians have been quick to target outsiders.”)
- Elon Musk appears on video at German far right campaign event
- Musk tells Germans to get over ‘past guilt’ in speech to far-right AfD rally (This guy’s clearly a fascist.)
- Jewish non-profit chief says Musk will spur violence with his ‘Nazi salute’ (“Amy Spitalnick of Jewish Council for Public Affairs warns far right will take action as ‘license for violent extremism’”)
- Elon Musk doesn’t deserve the benefit of the doubt (“Elon Musk’s Nazi trolling exposes the collapse of America’s guardrails against some of history’s foulest ideas.”)
- Expect record-high egg prices for most of the year
- US Economy on Solid Footing Set to Back Fed’s Interest-Rate Hold
- The Tech Arsenal That Could Power Trump’s Immigration Crackdown
- Florida Republican urges Trump to spare some migrants under deportation plan
- Loyalty tests and MAGA checks: Inside the Trump White House’s intense screening of job-seekers
- ‘I am terrified’: Workers describe the dark mood inside federal agencies
- Trump’s canceling of 50 security clearances is unprecedented and partisan, experts say
- Trump Ends Security Details for People Who Get Death Threats Because of Him
- Through the blizzard of edicts, see Trump for what he is: an autocrat reaching for limitless power
- Trump’s Friday night massacre is blatantly illegal (“The firing of at least 15 inspectors general foreshadows a Donald Trump unbound and heedless of the rule of law.”)
- Trump administration swiftly enacts retribution against political enemies (Whatever this is, it is NOT democracy, rule of law, or how this country’s supposed to operate.)
- ‘We’re watching mass delusion happen’: Trump’s return to White House brings cascade of lies (“In first week in office, president has made false claims on topics from immigration and economy to Panama canal”)
- Trump’s Attempt to Redefine America (“The effect of the President’s executive orders was to convey an open season, in which virtually nothing—including who gets to be an American citizen—is guaranteed.”)
- ‘People Will Be Shocked’: Trump Tests the Boundaries of the Presidency (“Even more than in his first term, President Trump has mounted a fundamental challenge to the norms and expectations of what a president can and should do.”)
- Trump’s first-week strategy: ‘Flood the zone.’ Repeat.
- Trump’s Early Actions Mirror Project 2025, the Blueprint He Once Dismissed
- 5 ways Project 2025 appeared in Trump’s presidential directives
- Trump Doesn’t Get to Decide What the Constitution Means
- Trump leans into his pledge to eliminate taxes on tips at a Las Vegas rally
- US House Republicans divided over how to pay for Trump’s tax cuts
- America Is Now Counting on You, Pete Hegseth (We’re so screwed.)
- Hegseth’s Views May Clash With Reality at the Pentagon
- Kristi Noem confirmed by Senate as secretary of Dept. of Homeland Security
- Here are the 7 Democrats that voted for Noem as Homeland Security secretary (Three from states Trump won, four from states – NJ, VA, NH – Trump didn’t win.)
- McConnell sends a message
- Why McKinley makes an alarming Trump presidential role model (“William McKinley was at best a mediocre president, but he had attributes that appeal to Trump.”)
- After his executive order on sex, is Trump legally the first female president?
- Meta’s Free-Speech Shift Made It Clear to Advertisers: ‘Brand Safety’ Is Out of Vogue
- Exclusive: White House in talks to have Oracle and U.S. investors take over TikTok
- Democrats at a crossroads over how best to do battle with Trump, Republicans
- In the wilderness: Democrats struggle to navigate the politics of new Trump era (“Once united in opposition to Trump during his first term, Democrats now flounder with his return to the White House”)
- The 12 Democrats who make the most sense for 2028
- Sen. Tim Kaine on Hegseth Confirmation: “Trump wanted to see if any [GOP Senators] a gag reflex. He has his answer.” (Also, Rep. Gerry Connolly (D-VA11) weighs in on “Trump’s Friday night coup”)
- Mark Warner votes for Laken Riley Act: Must be gearing up for Senate re-election run (“Advice here to Warner: talking out of both sides of your mouth doesn’t fool anybody. In other words, Republican voters are still going to assume you’re a George Soros-funded communist and vote for whoever – literally whoever, convicted felon or otherwise – the MAGAs put up against you. And on something like this, the Democrats who have been sending you back to Washington every few years are going to be less enthused to do so again. But anyway, the radical centrist is gonna radical centrist.”)
- Ranking Member Connolly’s Statement on President Trump’s Purge of Federal Inspectors General in the Dead of Night
- Jeff Schapiro: Trump’s a big, beautiful headache for the Virginia GOP (“…reminders to Virginians of disputed Trump policies and that their elective leaders may put loyalty to him ahead of them can only mean trouble for Republicans, particularly in the state’s vote-rich eastern crescent, where the key to victories such as Youngkin’s is — short of winning — being competitive.”)
- Virginia Senate Democrats block nine Youngkin board appointments (These 9 appointments are mostly extremists, like Meg Bryce, or totally unqualified for the position, like Yesli Vega.)
- Collective Bargaining Legislation Advances From Key Senate Committee Following Press Conference with Virginia’s Public Service Workers (The committee vote was, unsurprisingly, along party lines, with all 9 Dems voting “yea” and all 6 Rs voting “nay”)
- Virginia prisons ‘dangerously understaffed,’ state report finds
- Editorial: Hampton Roads’ clean energy hopes imperiled by new administration
- Virginia Beach wind farm spared from Trump order, but future projects could be slowed, experts say (By the way, anyone who calls these modern wind turbines “windmills” – as in milling grain, like in the olden days – is really ignorant.)
- Albemarle County schools comfort immigrant community after raids nationwide instill fear
- CWG Live updates: Steadily warmer and mostly dry through midweek
