by Lowell
Here are a few international, national and Virginia news headlines, political and otherwise, for Tuesday, January 20.
- Antarctic penguins have radically shifted their breeding season – seemingly in response to climate change (“Changing temperatures may be behind change in behaviour, which experts fear threatens three species’ survival”)
- Russia batters Ukraine’s power grid again as officials seek momentum in US-led peace talks
- Top Catholic Clerics Denounce U.S. Foreign Policy (“Citing recent events in Venezuela, Ukraine and Greenland, three cardinals said their statement was inspired by Pope Leo.”)
- ‘Europe is at a total loss’: Russia gloats over Greenland tensions
- Read the Texts Between Trump and Norway’s Prime Minister About Greenland (“In the exchange on Sunday, Norway’s leader sought to “de-escalate” the growing conflict over Greenland and Mr. Trump’s latest tariff threat.”)
- Trump won’t say whether he would use force to seize Greenland
- Europe Contends With a Big New Threat: The U.S.
- Trump, 79, Leaks Leaders’ Texts in Deranged Posting Frenzy
- I’m the Secretary General of the Council of Europe. This Is Something I Thought I’d Never Have to Write.
- Trump cites UK’s ‘stupidity’ over Chagos Islands as reason to take over Greenland (“US president says on social media that Britain’s decision to cede islands to Mauritius is ‘act of total weakness’”)
- Trump shares private messages from leaders as Greenland tensions loom over Davos (“The president criticizes ‘great stupidity’ of UK and shares text from Macron ahead of Davos meetings”)
- Trump jabs Europeans over Greenland as Davos becomes emergency summit
- The Military Is Being Forced to Plan for an Unthinkable Betrayal (“Attacking an ally would be a perversion of everything the armed forces have been trained to do.” They should refuse.)
- Trump’s Letter to Norway Should Be the Last Straw (“Will Republicans in Congress ever step in?”)
- With Threats to Greenland, Trump Sets America on the Road to Conquest (“After a century of defending other countries against foreign aggression, the U.S. is now positioned as an imperial power trying to seize another nation’s land.”)
- Donald Trump Lobs Grenade at Europe on The Eve of Davos (“‘The world sees this as the Mad King pontificating,’ one incensed former US government official told Vanity Fair.”)
- This Trade War Would Be Unlike Any Other (“President Trump’s use of tariffs to annex territory is the logical endpoint of his belief in exploiting American economic leverage.”)
- Now Is the Time to Admit It, America: Trump Is a Dangerous, Lunatic Moron
- It’s Sundowning in America (“A presidential mind is a dangerous thing to lose” “How did a great, sophisticated nation, one of the world’s longest-standing republics, end up so fragile that it can be undone by one man’s dementia? That’s an important question, the answer to which I believe lies in the straight line from Bush vs Gore and the Roberts Supreme Court, to January 6th, to the execution of Renee Good. However, what’s more important is that we realize where we are right now, that we don’t try to sugarcoat and sanewash what’s happening: A petulant, violent and deranged individual is running America.”)
- Even some Trump advisers are wary of a military pursuit of Greenland. Is an off-ramp possible?
- Broglio: US personnel could disobey ‘immoral’ orders against Greenland (“Catholic personnel in the US military could in good conscience consider disobeying orders to attack Greenland, according to the bishop responsible for their pastoral care.”)
- As Trump menaces Greenland, this much is clear: the free world needs a new plan – and inspired leadership
- Trump Demands Bonkers ‘Ceremony’ in Front of Global Elite (“The last-minute push comes just hours after admitting he’s ready to blow up the world order because he wasn’t awarded the Nobel Peace Prize.”)
- Trump is going to Davos — here are the big names who aren’t
- Trump Is About to Find Out What Every Bully in History Has Found Out (“Last year, Trump had a lot of people scared. But there are good—and encouraging—reasons to think that this year will be different.”)
- Trump threatens 200% tariff on French wines as Macron reportedly snubs ‘Board of Peace’ seat
- France rejects Trump Gaza peace board invite over fears it wants to supplant UN
- Volunteers in Minnesota Deliver Groceries So Immigrants Can Hide at Home
- Third immigrant detainee at facility in El Paso has died, ICE says
- The Congresswoman Criminalized for Visiting ICE Detainees
- ICE has stopped paying for detainee medical treatment (“ICE halted payments in October, and the situation will persist for at least several more months”)
- Inside Minnesota Hospitals, ICE Agents Unnerve Staff
- ‘My hands were really shaky’: high-school journalist documents ICE raids
- Army veteran says ICE agents detained him for hours without access to phone or his attorney (“A combat-wounded veteran’s eight-hour detention by federal agents in Minneapolis raises concerns about due process in ICE facilities.”)
- U.S. citizen shares fear he felt when ICE took him from Minnesota home while nearly naked (“The Hmong man, a naturalized citizen, said he was returned without explanation or apology. DHS said it was investigating sex offenders at the address.” ICE Is out of control.)
- Behind the disturbing image of ICE snatching a half-naked, elderly Hmong American from his home
- DOJ civil rights chief blasts Don Lemon as she vows charges against anti-ICE protesters who interrupted church service
- Top DOJ Official: Don Lemon ‘On Notice’ After Filming Minnesota Church Protest
- Economic blackout day planned in Minnesota to protest ICE surge (“Unions, faith groups and local leaders urge residents not to work, shop or go to school after killing of Renee Good”)
- AP Source: Fed Chair Powell to attend Supreme Court argument on Cook case
- Powell Will Attend Supreme Court Arguments on Trump’s Effort to Fire Fed Official
- One Year After Texas Measles Outbreak Began, Experts Consider Another Grim Milestone (“It’s unclear whether the United States can keep its designation as a country that officially eliminated the disease.”)
- Trump made 10 key pledges a year ago – here’s what happened since then
- Trump’s First Year Could Have Lasting Economic Consequences (“President Trump’s policies have so far done little to change the state of the American economy, but economists warn they will ultimately weaken the U.S.”)
- This Is How Much Trump Has Made From His Second Term — and Counting
- An Unhappy Anniversary: Trump’s Year in Office (“The toll of a destructive twelve months—and what can be done to repair the damage.”)
- The Attorney General Who Won’t Say No (“Does Pam Bondi have any red lines?” Sure doesn’t seem like it.)
- Justice Department weighs rollback of gun regulations
- “We will be ungovernable”: Resistance 2.0 pivots to disruption
- Walz was also asked about foreign ties during Harris vetting, sources tell CNN (“Josh Shapiro wasn’t the only finalist to be Kamala Harris’ running mate who was asked if he had ever been an agent of a foreign government, four sources familiar with the matter told CNN on Monday.”)
- Indiana Judge and His Wife Are Shot at Their Suburban Home (“The police in Lafayette, Ind., said they were investigating the nonfatal shootings of a Tippecanoe County Superior Court judge and his wife on Sunday”)
- Virginia wilderness under threat, Kaine and McClellan warn
- Video: Rep. James Walkinshaw (D-VA11) Says He Won’t Vote to Fund DHS Without “strong language to end these abuses and rein in these immigration agencies” (Also calls for Congress to remove “incompetent”/corrupt Kristi Noem, and “those agents who are causing the violence to withdraw” from Minnesota)
- Video, Highlights: Gov. Abigail Spanberger Delivers Address to Joint Session of VA General Assembly (at 4 pm Monday)
- In General Assembly speech, Spanberger calls for legislative unity to tackle affordability (The thing is, Spanberger doesn’t actually need any Republican support at all to get her agenda through, given that she has a majority, albeit small, in the State Senate and a huge majority in the House of Delegates.)
- Spanberger draws sharp lines for working with Trump — and for pushing back
- Gov. Abigail Spanberger makes policy promises in first General Assembly address
- 8 things to know about Spanberger’s first address to the General Assembly
- Editorial: Immigration campaign puts Virginia schools in a financial bind (“Federal policies have spurred the flight of international students from Virginia universities, creating a huge financial loss for state schools.”)
- VA State Sen. Aaron Rouse Introduces Senate Bill 49 to Protect Virginia’s Public Universities and Restore Checks and Balances (“No Governor, Democrat or Republican, should be able to bypass the General Assembly and place unconfirmed appointees into powerful role”)
- Rouse files legislation to change gubernatorial confirmation process
- Spanberger Reshapes Virginia Boards on Day One (“The new Virginia governor quickly named 27 board picks, and multiple board members at the University of Virginia and George Mason University resigned under scrutiny.”)
- House Republicans lay out their own ‘affordability’ agenda (LOL, what a joke – in fact, Republcians have ZERO ideas or inclination to make things better for working people, the middle class, etc.)
- Gov. Spanberger, lawmakers can approve new funding tool for aging school buildings (“It never made sense that the Assembly granted nine localities the option to raise money for school construction and repairs but denied it elsewhere, writes columnist Roger Chesley.”)
- Lobby Day draws larger pro-gun crowd as Virginia Democrats revive gun-safety agenda (“Supporters cite echoes of 2020 as lawmakers file new firearm legislation under Democratic trifecta.”)
- Four Candidates for the Democratic “Firehouse Primary” THIS Tuesday for HD5, the Seat Being Vacated by Del. Elizabeth Bennett-Parker, Who Will Be Moving to the State Senate
- Two gay candidates running in ‘firehouse’ Va. House of Delegates primary in Alexandria
- Four candidates will appear on Tuesday’s primary ballot after Fairfax County teacher joins race
- Special Election District 17: voter guide (“Here’s everything Virginia voters need to know ahead of Election Day on Jan. 20.”)
- Work resumes on Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind project after court order ends federal pause (“The project is already near completion with the first power expected to come online at the end of the first quarter of this year. That timeline is still on track despite the nearly three week delay in constructing the turbines.”)
- Hampton Roads lost more than 6,000 federal civilian jobs in 2025, report finds
- Why Fairfax County’s school system is taking on its first boundary review in decades
- CWG Live: Frigid today and trending warmer midweek. Winter storm this weekend?








![Sen. Tim Kaine: Tommy Tuberville “brands [Ghazala Hashmi] an ‘enemy.’ Because she’s an immigrant? A Muslim? A woman? A poet?”](https://bluevirginia.us/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/tubervillekaine-100x75.jpg)

