by Lowell
Here are a few international, national and Virginia news headlines, political and otherwise, for Saturday, January 3.
- The 14 Global Trends That Will Shape the Climate in 2026
- ‘Just an unbelievable amount of pollution’: how big a threat is AI to the climate?
- Winter blooming of hundreds of plants in UK ‘visible signal’ of climate breakdown (“New year plant hunt shows rising temperatures are shifting natural cycles of wildflowers such as daisies”)
- Tesla sales hit lowest point since 2022 after Musk backlash and end of tax credit
- Tesla Loses EV Crown to BYD After Second Annual Sales Drop
- Ukraine’s fate in 2026 will define the international order (“A flimsy peace would legitimize conquest. A durable one could still salvage deterrence.”)
- New year, new deal? Why peace still feels elusive for Ukraine
- Ukraine war briefing: Russia makes biggest battleground gains since first year of war, analysis shows (“Russian army captured more Ukrainian territory in 2025 than previous two years combined; Zelenskyy names new top aide. What we know on day 1,410”)
- Venezuelan president Maduro captured and flown out of country following ‘large scale’ US attack, Trump says
- Trump flexes a new level of unrestrained global power in capture of Maduro
- Trump launches ‘large scale’ attack on Venezuela, captures Nicolas Maduro and wife
- Maduro Captured and Flown Out of Venezuela, Trump Says
- Column of smoke seen, loud noises heard in Venezuelan capital
- US strikes Venezuela and says its leader, Maduro, has been captured and flown out of the country
- Trump says Maduro “captured” by U.S. in stunning move
- Venezuela attack: what we know so far as Trump claims Maduro captured
- Strikes prohibited under international law, says expert
- Trump says Maduro captured in ‘large scale strike’ against Venezuela
- US launches ‘large-scale strike’ on Venezuela and captures President Maduro, Trump says
- Military-backed party in Myanmar takes lead in contentious first election since coup (Total farce.)
- Israeli Government Accuses Mamdani of Antisemitism Over Canceled Orders
- Tents supplied to displaced Palestinians ‘inadequate for Gaza winter’
- Saudi invites Yemen’s southern factions to ‘dialogue’ in Riyadh after surprise independence bid
- ‘No future for us’: disaffected Iranians say it’s now or never to topple regime (“Ailing economy sparks biggest uprising in years, with protesters saying it’s time to hit regime when it’s at its weakest”)
- Iran’s Refusal to Dial Back Nuclear Program Lit Fuse on Currency Crisis
- Iran supreme leader says will not yield as protests simmer and US threatens
- Trump’s ‘Operation Iranian Freedom’ (“How many foreign wars does the “America First” president intend to start?”)
- Trump threatens military force if Iran kills protesters
- Sparklers held near ceiling started Swiss ski resort fire, investigators believe (“Footage and witness statements show blaze that killed about 40 was ‘very rapid’, prosecutor says”)
- Scrutiny turns to safety set-up of Swiss bar after deadly blaze
- Banks Notch Higher Fees From Green Bonds Than Fossil Fuel Debt
- Offshore Wind Projects Challenge Trump Administration’s Order to Stop Work
- Why Haven’t Trump’s Tariffs Had a Bigger Economic Impact?
- A month out, no one looking to repeat October’s historic shutdown (“Government funding runs out on Jan. 30.”)
- This Is the Nastiest Opinion by a Supreme Court Justice in 2025
- Trump Super PAC Raised More Than $100 Million in Recent Months
- Elon Musk’s Pornography Machine (“On X, sexual harassment and perhaps even child abuse are the latest memes.”)
- Elon Musk created a monster that’s tearing the right apart (“X put the right on top in the culture war. Now it’s turning them against each other.”)
- How Grok’s sexual abuse hit a tipping point
- Grok says safeguard lapses led to images of ‘minors in minimal clothing’ on X
- Musk’s xAI faces backlash after Grok generates sexualized images of children on X
- Grok Can’t Apologize. Grok Isn’t Sentient. So Why Do Headlines Keep Saying It Did?
- Private jets, armed security and ‘Bari pitches’ including jet-skiing with DJ Khaled: Inside Weiss’ chaotic ‘CBS Evening News’ reboot
- Minnesota child care centers accused of wrongdoing were operating as expected, report says
- The blame for alleged fraud in Minnesota belongs to conservatives
- Stephen Schwartz Criticizes Kennedy Center, Saying He Won’t Host Gala
- Mamdani defends eliminating executive orders on antisemitism, boycotting Israel
- California ban on openly carrying guns is unconstitutional, court rules
- Fmr. Rep. Denver Riggleman (R-VA05) on the Idiocy of CBS “News”: “Define ‘Average American’. What type? Those who believe in…Haitians eating pets?…QAnon?” (Riggleman: “News should be facts-based regardless of who it ‘upsets’.”)
- Video: Rep. James Walkinshaw (D-VA11) Says “Republicans in Washington don’t want to acknowledge Donald Trump’s culpability with respect to January 6,” But “This will hang over him for the rest of his life and long beyond the end of his life”
- Perriello returns to politics, hoping to win the seat he once held in Congress
- Advocates criticize Virginia deal with DOJ over tuition for undocumented students (“The Justice Department said a in-state tuition benefit for undocumented students in Virginia illegally favors them over citizens from other states who wouldn’t qualify for the lower rates.”)
- Miyares sides with DOJ on tuition lawsuit, while opponents race to block it
- 26 questions for 2026 (“Here are 26 things to look for in the coming year. How they turn out will determine what kind of year this will be in Virginia.”)
- Several Upcoming Virginia Special Elections in January – for SD15, HD77, HD11, HD23, HD17; Also a Dem “Firehouse Primary” for Fairfax County School Board (Braddock District) (All of these are in safe-blue districts, but still, let’s never take anything for granted!)
- ‘2026 difference maker’: How a drone is helping Fairfax Co. police respond to emergencies faster
- CWG Live: Continued cold until January thaw arrives midweek (“A snow shower is possible tonight. The warmup begins Tuesday.”)
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