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by Lowell
Here are a few international, national and Virginia news headlines, political and otherwise, for Thursday, New Year’s Day 2026. What kind of year will 2026 be politically? To a large extent, it’s up to all of us in the actions (or inactions) we take, specifically against Trump’s fascistic regime. And no, there’s really no great excuse in times like these for remaining aloof, unengaged, uninformed etc; so stay engaged, informed, etc. in 2026!
- The Amazon Is Entering A “Hypertropical” Climate For The First Time In 10 Million Years (“And it’s up to us to reverse the trend.”)
- How a Climate Doomsayer Became an Unexpected Optimist (“On this week’s ‘More To The Story,’ environmentalist Bill McKibben examines how the remarkable rise of solar power could (finally) begin to slow climate change.”)
- Greenwashing, illegality and false claims: 13 climate litigation wins in 2025 (“Legal action has brought important decisions, from the scrapping of fossil fuel plants to revised climate plans”)
- EU’s new ‘green tariff’ rules on high-carbon goods come into force (“The ‘border adjustment mechanism’ aims to create a level playing field while also encouraging decarbonisation”)
- Russia’s Strikes on Odesa Aim to Cut Ukraine’s Economic Lifeline
- How Russia’s War Machine Brutalizes and Exploits Its Own Soldiers (“Confidential complaints filed by troops and their families reveal patterns of wrongdoing in the ranks that are hidden from the Russian public.”)
- Another New Year at War: Ukraine’s Troops Doubt It Will Be the Last (“After a year of Russian advances, the goal for 2026 is simply to survive, said one officer in eastern Ukraine: ‘It’s hard to make any plans.'”)
- Ukraine war briefing: 10% away from peace, Zelenskyy tells Ukrainians (That’s highly doubtful, because Putin DOES NOT WANT PEACE.)
- Zelensky says peace deal is 90% ready in New Year address (Should say, “In New Year address, Zelensky says…”)
- U.S. Finds Ukraine Didn’t Target Putin in Drone Strike
- Trump briefed on intelligence regarding Ukraine’s alleged plot on Putin’s residence (“President Trump was briefed by CIA Director John Ratcliffe at the White House on Wednesday, where he was informed that there is that there is no evidence Ukraine launched an attack on Putin’s residence”)
- In plan for Ukraine, Trump faces fundamental differences with Russia
- Netanyahu raised possible “round 2” strikes on Iran with Trump
- Most of Iran Shuts Down as Government Grapples With Protests and Economy
- Volunteer in Iran’s Revolutionary Guard reportedly killed during widening protests (“The protests, taking root in economic issues, have heard demonstrators chant against Iran’s theocracy as well.”)
- US Sanctions Chinese Companies, Tankers With Venezuela Links
- China Signals It Won’t Give an Inch to the U.S. in Latin America
- Venezuela Detains Americans Amid Growing U.S. Pressure
- US military strikes three more alleged drug boats, killing 3 and possibly leaving survivors
- Dozens presumed dead and about 100 injured in fire at Swiss Alps bar during New Year’s celebration (“It’s too early to determine the cause of the fire in the Alpine ski resort of Crans-Montana, authorities say, ruling out an attack.”)
- Around 40 killed, 100 injured in explosion in Swiss ski resort bar, police say
- Trump Delays New Tariff Hike on Furniture, Kitchen Cabinets
- Chief Justice Says Constitution Remains ‘Firm And Unshaken’ With Major Supreme Court Rulings Ahead (LOL – yeah, right!)
- HHS freezing child care payments to all states after Minnesota fraud allegations: Official (Uhhh…Congress authorized that this money be spent; it’s the Executive Branch’s job to spend that money, no?)
- Trump administration reportedly freezes all childcare payments to all states (“Trump official says funds will be released ‘only when states prove they are being spent legitimately’”)
- Trump ends National Guard deployment in 3 cities after Supreme Court loss
- Trump says he’s dropping push for National Guard in Chicago, LA and Portland, Oregon, for now
- Where vaccination rates declined the most, by county
- Exclusive: Drugmakers raise US prices on 350 medicines despite pressure from Trump
- Inside MAHA’s 2026 food agenda (“MAHA” is a disaster.)
- Dust to data centers: The year AI tech giants, and billions in debt, began remaking the American landscape
- Capitol riot ‘does not happen’ without Trump, Jack Smith told Congress (It was a LOT more than a “riot”; f*** you AP “News”)
- 7 takeaways from Jack Smith’s congressional testimony
- House Republicans release transcript and video of Jack Smith’s closed-door testimony before Judiciary Committee
- Jack Smith told House committee he had ‘proof beyond reasonable doubt’ in cases against Trump
- DOJ seeks to enlist 400 attorneys to review more than 5M pages of Epstein records: Sources
- Here’s everything Elon Musk promised in 2025 – and failed to deliver (“By now, everyone knows that Elon Musk is very much an optimist when it comes to making predictions. — That’s the nice way to put it. To be blunt, Musk is a “bullshit artist.” He makes promises he can’t keep.”)
- “All of you carrying grief into the New Year, whatever your politics, I wish the same for you – Get busy living; we’re all on borrowed time.”
- My Resolution to Be Optimistic About Politics in 2026 Ended Before it Began (“The president spent the last few days of 2025 ripping the Kennedy family on Truth Social, which says a lot about the spirit of his second term.”)
- Trump’s Tangled Web of Deal-Making, Policy and Riches
- Pentagon Pete’s Total Diva Move at Ukraine Meet Revealed (Total loser.)
- Ranking the top 2028 Democratic contenders
- These bipartisan bills were noncontroversial — until Trump vetoed them
- Longtime MAGA ally Boebert lashes out at Trump over veto
- Lauren Boebert claims Trump’s veto of safe drinking water bill is retaliation (“Colorado lawmaker, who pushed for Epstein files release, points to bill’s unanimous passage through US House and Senate”)
- We went to the day cares Nick Shirley did. Here’s what we found. (“Some of the 10 day cares the YouTube content creator blasted for having ‘no children’ invited reporters in to see for themselves.”)
- Nick Shirley Explains Why Critics Won’t Be Able to Take Him Down: ‘I’m a Virgin, I Don’t Have Sex’
- Zohran Mamdani sworn in as New York City mayor at historic subway station
- Zohran Mamdani Is Sworn In as Mayor of New York City
- Future of D.C. golf courses uncertain as Trump administration terminates lease
- White House lays out nine-week timeline to win approval for ballroom
- Trump says construction of the ‘Triumphal Arch’ to begin in ‘2 months’ (Fascist aesthetics.)
- Spanberger talks economic priorities in exclusive Q&A (“Having a federal government that continues to attack, in many ways, Virginia’s economy is detrimental to Virginia. Chaotic policies, such as the trade and retaliatory tariffs that have been impacting so much of Virginia’s economy, [are] difficult.”)
- Here’s what Virginia laws take effect Jan. 1
- Virginia New Social Media Limits for Minors (and other laws coming into effect January 1, 2026).
- Virginia child protective system leaves out many
- Dozens of Hampton Roads trees are national champions — thanks to the ‘Tree Amigos’
- CWG Live: After morning snow showers, new round of cold air to kick off new year (“After a much colder than average December, we start January off in similar fashion.”)
