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by Lowell
Here are a few international, national and Virginia news headlines, political and otherwise, for Sunday, January 18.
- The fate of the planet’s coastlines depends on how fast Antarctica’s ice sheets melt. We don’t know what’s coming (“Some regions of the continent have enough ice to push up sea levels by 15 metres if they all melt, but researchers don’t yet fully understand the consequences”)
- Ukraine war briefing: Russia readying strikes on nuclear power system, Zelenskyy warns (“Kyrylo Budanov arrives in US heading delegation for further talks on peace proposals. What we know on day 1,425”)
- After Trump Reignites a Trade War Over Greenland, Europe Weighs Going All-Out (“Europe’s dependence on the United States for NATO security limits its options. Its strongest response could be retaliating with its own trade ‘bazooka.'”)
- ‘Unacceptable’: European leaders hit back at Trump’s Greenland tariffs threat
- Trump says 8 European nations face tariffs rising to 25% if Greenland isn’t sold to the U.S.
- Europeans reeling as Trump imposes tariffs on 8 countries over Greenland dispute
- Trump Announces New European Tariffs in Greenland Standoff; Allies Outraged
- The Stupidest Trump Move So Far (“Just kill me now. Or tariff me. Whatever.”)
- EU Set to Halt US Trade Deal Over Trump’s New Tariff Threat
- Trump says he’ll hit Denmark and 7 other countries with new tariffs until there’s a deal to buy Greenland
- Hundreds march in Greenland to support Arctic island in the face of Trump’s threats to take it over
- Europe vows ‘firm’ response to new Trump tariffs over Greenland
- Trump’s Greenland threats to allies are without parallel
- European Union and Mercosur bloc of South American nations sign landmark free trade agreement
- Voters Narrowly Support Maduro’s Removal But Don’t Want the U.S. to ‘Run’ Venezuela
- Venezuela: Maduro’s enforcer Cabello still central to power (Yep, the regime is still firmly in power in Venezuela.)
- Portugal votes in tight presidential race with far right poised to reach runoff
- Trump Squeezes Key Allies In Brazen $1 Billion ‘Peace’ Grift (“A new proposal would reportedly let Trump run a global peace body where money buys permanence and power.”)
- Trump’s Billion-Dollar Board of Peace
- Trump Wants Nations to Pay $1 Billion to Stay on Peace Board
- Netanyahu fumes at Gaza oversight panel makeup as Trump invites Erdogan to peace board
- “Gaza is our show”: U.S. pushes its plan over Netanyahu’s objections
- Trump names Kushner, Rubio, Blair to Gaza board; Israel objects to lineup
- World Leaders Consider Joining Trump’s ‘Board of Peace’ for Gaza
- ‘He hoped Trump’s help would arrive’: why protesters in Iran feel betrayed (“Many believed a US president would – for the first time – rescue them but now people can only despair after mass arrests and brutality”)
- Why Iran’s regime, facing internal and external threats, has no clear leader in waiting (“Whether by overthrow or old age, Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, 86, will soon need a replacement. But the Islamic Republic does not have any clear heir apparent.”)
- In Iran crisis, Trump confronted limits of U.S. military power
- Trump to POLITICO: ‘It’s time to look for new leadership in Iran’
- Syrian army surges into Kurdish-held towns in ‘betrayal’ shattering prospects of accord
- How Many People Has the Trump Administration Deported So Far?
- This Is the Only Card Trump Can Play (“Acting under the pretext of immigration enforcement, the Trump administration has sent both Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Customs and Border Protection to terrorize the people of Minneapolis.”)
- Pentagon readies 1,500 soldiers to possibly deploy to Minnesota, officials say (That is beyond unacceptable!)
- Federal officials investigating Renee Good’s widow in shooting probe, sources say
- Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz mobilizes state National Guard amid ongoing protests
- DHS seeking to deport two men who said fellow ICE detainee was killed
- Pardoned Jan. 6 rioter driven from Minneapolis rally by large counterprotest
- What Can Actually Be Done to Rein in ICE? (“Democrats are scrambling under growing pressure to restrain Trump’s deportation force ” Dems are in the minority, so…not much right now?)
- After Renee Good Killing, Derisive Term for White Women Spreads on the Far Right (“Vocal Trump supporters are demonizing Renee Good, her partner and their allies, with some even using an acronym: AWFUL, or Affluent White Female Urban Liberal.”)
- Democrats’ Best Hope To Rein In ICE Is Right Now (“Even if it’s not by very much.”)
- ‘Maybe DHS Was a Bad Idea’ (“Two decades after its founding, the department has become what its critics feared.” I hated the name from Day #1.)
- Counter protesters chase off conservative influencer during Minneapolis immigration crackdown
- D.H.S.’s Role Questioned as Immigration Officers Flood U.S. Cities
- Minnesota US Attorney’s Office Is Bracing for a New Wave of Resignations (“Prosecutors are alarmed by the administration’s response to Renée Good’s killing.”)
- How Trump’s Withdrawal From Climate Treaties May Ultimately Play Out (“In addition to international stakes, states and cities face additionally challenges to acting autonomously this time around. “)
- One Year of Trump. The Time to Act Is Now, While We Still Can. (“The United States is broken, but not in every way”)
- How Trump’s promise to slash energy bills in half has failed across the US (Anyone who believed that promise is a stone-cold imbecile.)
- No, Trump can’t cancel the midterms. He’s doing this instead (“While Trump might fantasize about canceling the election, the reality is that the election system is already changing in key ways”)
- How Trump intends to hijack the midterms (“The president is building a system where the outcome is decided before ballots are even counted”)
- Democrat targeted by Trump attacks ‘authoritarian’ effort to intimidate critics (“Elissa Slotkin, under investigation over Pentagon video, says president using ‘well-worn playbook’ to silence debate”)
- Trump announces he will sue JPMorgan ‘over the next two weeks’ for allegedly ‘DEBANKING’ him (“The president also ruled out the bank’s CEO, Jamie Dimon, as a possible pick for Fed chair.”)
- Conservatives Cheered When Elon Took Over X. Now It’s Tearing Them Apart. (“MAGA has a major social media problem.”)
- Democrats Should Run a Governor for President in 2028 (“A governor who’s actually run something would provide a good contrast to J.D. Vance”)
- JD Vance: ‘despicable toady for Trump’ – and 2028 candidate in all but name
- ‘We’ll Sue’: White House’s Warning to CBS Is Sign of a New Media Status Quo
- Trump urges lawmaker to challenge GOP senator who voted to convict him
- Trump encourages Rep. Julia Letlow to primary Sen. Bill Cassidy
- Colorado’s wolves in the political crosshairs as Trump targets the state (Trump is evil to humans, obviously, also to the environment and to animals.)
- Video, Highlights: Inauguration of Abigail Spanberger as Governor, Ghazala Hashmi as Lt. Governor, Jay Jones as Attorney General
- Abigail Spanberger sworn in as Virginia’s first female governor
- Spanberger becomes 75th Governor of Virginia
- Spanberger becomes first woman sworn in as Virginia governor, criticizes Trump policies (“Gov. Abigail Spanberger laid the blame for the affordability crisis at the feet of the current presidential administration and issued her own administration’s resolve to work to make life more affordable for Virginians.”)
- Spanberger didn’t have to criticize Trump in her inaugural address. She did anyway. (“Virginia’s new governor didn’t mention the president, but she made it clear they are on different pages when it comes to policy. How is this going to play out?”)
- Spanberger embraces her place in Virginia history as 1st female governor
- Video: Governor Abigail Spanberger Signs Ten “Day One Executive Orders,” Including on Affordability, Academic Excellence, DOGE Federal Funding Cuts, “political interference that we’ve seen at our world-class public universities,” Rescinding Youngkin’s Immigration Enforcement Executive Order, etc.
- Spanberger sworn in as Virginia’s first woman governor, moves swiftly to set agenda
- Spanberger, on Day 1, targets ICE, college BOVs, return of DEI (“ICE, ICE’d, baby; DEI is back; De-MAGA-fication of BOVs”)
- Spanberger EO “gives new Governor the option” to end relationship between ICE and Virginia State Police
- Spanberger signs 10 executive orders after being sworn in as Virginia’s 1st woman governor (“Gov. Abigail Spanberger took her oath of office in front of a crowd of about 5,000 people in Richmond Saturday. She quickly got to work, signing 10 executive orders into effect.”)
- Spanberger takes historic role as Virginia’s first female governor
- Abigail Spanberger sworn in as Virginia’s 75th governor
- WATCH: Inaugural interviews with Abigail Spanberger, Ghazala Hashmi and Jay Jones
- Virginia Attorney General Jay Jones Announces Day One Actions to Keep Virginians Safe, Lower Costs, and Protect Fundamental Rights (“Will join and advance litigation against the Trump Administration; Launching 30-day review of all existing litigation”)
- Attorney General Jones, Governor Spanberger flex powers on Day 1
- Governor Abigail Spanberger Announces Board Appointments to UVA, VMI, GMU Boards of Visitors (Former Gov. Ralph Northam named to VMI Board of Visitors)
- Virginia’s New Governor Moves Swiftly to Overhaul State University Boards
- The MAGA exodus from UVA Board of Visitors has already begun (“The MAGAs on the UVA Board of Visitors who engineered the coup that sacked UVA President Jim Ryan wish it to be known that they have just been sacked…These are the wages of the sins of the Glenn Youngkin era, which was marked by a persistent effort to undo diversity efforts championed by Ryan and the previous Democrat-majority BOV, and apparent collaboration between the Board and the Trump regime to pressure Ryan into resigning, using DEI as the wedge.”)
- Update: Spanberger nominates 27 to fill seats on college boards, including Northam at VMI
- Will 2026 be the year lawmakers stops reckless data center development?
- Virginia NICU nurse accused of abusing infants takes plea deal (“Erin Strotman pleaded no contest to nine counts of felony child abuse — one for each baby she is accused of injuring.” Pure evil.)
- CWG Live: Snow and rain this morning; extreme cold arrives Monday night
