Wednesday News: “Trump’s Greenland threats put transatlantic alliance on death watch”; “Trump’s Retro Coup in Venezuela”; “The January 6 Insurrectionists Take a Victory Lap”; Musk’s “‘Grok’ is undressing women and showing them in swastika bikinis”

by Lowell

Here are a few international, national and Virginia news headlines, political and otherwise, for Wednesday, January 7.

• China connects world’s largest vanadium flow battery project (China is kicking our collective ass when it comes to cleantech.)
• Revealed: how aviation emissions could be halved without cutting journeys (“Exclusive: Getting rid of premium seats, ensuring flights are near full and using efficient aircraft could slash CO2, analysis suggests”)
• UK and France ‘ready to deploy troops’ to Ukraine after ceasefire (“Britain and France have declared they are ready to deploy troops to Ukraine in the aftermath of a peace deal, a major new commitment that has been under discussion for months, although one which Russia is likely to block forcefully.”)
• Robust Security Guarantees for a Solid and Lasting Peace in Ukraine – Statement of the Coalition of the Willing (Define “robust”…)
• US backs security guarantees for Ukraine at summit of Kyiv’s allies in Paris
• Russia sends navy to guard oil tanker being pursued by US forces
• European allies working on plan should US move on Greenland
• Why Trump wants to take Greenland (“The president’s zero-sum thought process might just boil down to taking Greenland because he can”)
• Trump’s Greenland threats put transatlantic alliance on death watch
• Greenland war powers vote could be heading to Senate floor
• Trump, advisers discussing options for acquiring Greenland and US military is always an option, White House says (No, U.S. military action against a NATO ally should NOT – repeat, NOT!!! – ever be an option. WTF??? Who voted for this complete and utter insanity???)
• Rubio Tells Lawmakers Trump Aims to Buy Greenland, Downplays Military Action (Can’t believe a word Rubio says on anything, though.)
• Miller says no one would stop U.S. from seizing Greenland (Stephen Miller is probably the most dangerous, deranged individual in the Trump administration – and that’s saying something, as there are MANY dangerous, deranged individuals in the Trump administration. Also, if you voted for Trump KNOWING that people like Stephen Miller would play major roles in a second Trump administration, seriously YOU SUCK!)
• Stephen Miller Offers a Strongman’s View of the World
• Trump’s credibility problem on Venezuela (And on everything else!)
• Trump to meet with oil execs about Venezuela on Friday
• The Emperor’s New Oil Wealth (“The truth behind Trump’s black, sticky fantasy”)
• Oil Executives Don’t Even Want to Touch Trump’s Mess in Venezuela (“And they’re the greediest bastards into whom God breathed life.”)
• Trump officials told lawmakers that Maduro and his wife hit their heads as they attempted to flee US forces
• Justice Dept. Memo Approved Military Incursion Into Venezuela as Lawful (It’s Trump’s private DoJ, though.)
• Trump sidelines Nobel winner Machado and Venezuela’s opposition, leaving Maduro’s party in power (That’s right, Trump has entrenched Maduro’s “Marxist” party in power – brilliant, huh?)
• Rubio Has Long Dreamed of Changing Latin America. Embracing MAGA Opened the Door.
• Machado Stole the World’s Attention. Now She Is Frozen Out.
• The Brutal Maduro Enforcer Standing in Trump’s Way in Venezuela
• The 3 Keys to Understanding Trump’s Retro Coup in Venezuela (“This weekend’s invasion was both a throwback to the last century and a new, uniquely Trumpian nightmare—one that’s just beginning.”)
• Trump: Venezuela to turn over 30-50 million barrels of oil to U.S. (WTF does THAT mean? Also, how is that legal?)
• Trump Says Venezuela to Send Oil Worth Up to $2.8 Billion to US (We need to not normalize any of this lunacy.)
• Trump’s plan to take Venezuelan oil angers China, pushes prices down
• Can Cuba’s bond with Venezuela survive Trump’s ousting of Maduro?
• DHS wants Venezuelans to return home, but fears remain as long as Maduro regime is in power
• Tests of Fed’s Independence Intensify as Trump Seeks to Reshape Institution
• The Trump Regime Is Overflowing With Dangerous Monsters, Idiots, And Madmen
• ‘Astounding’ vaccine change puts US behind peer countries, experts warn (RFK Jr. definitely qualifies as a dangerous monster, idiot and madman!)
• CDC staff blindsided as child vaccine schedule unilaterally overhauled (“The Trump administration took unprecedented steps to recommend fewer vaccines for children without extensive consultations with career scientists.”)
• Thune outlines 3 pieces of possible health care deal (“That includes instituting minimum premium payments and other new restrictions, providing ‘a bridge to HSAs’ including an expansion of the health savings accounts and dealing with the ‘Hyde issue’ — language that limits federal funding for abortions. All three of the ideas are Republican priorities.”)
• Trump administration tells 5 states their child care funds have been frozen
• Lawmakers seek to limit DHS power to shuffle cash in funding bill
• ‘Dictator’ Trump Floats Idea of Canceling Midterm Elections (“The president said he risked being accused of being an autocrat if he suggested the Dems weren’t worth running against.”)
• Five Ways To Remember January 6th (“Too many people saw January 6th as the final aggrieved death throes of Trumpism. We can now understand it was the start of something much darker.”)
• Five Years Ago, Insurrectionists Tried to Take over the Government. In 2026, It’s Clear They Won.
• The Moment We Lost The Plot (“January 6 was, for me, the moment we lost the plot. It was a milestone in the erosion of our core values. It left Trump’s violent authoritarian movement emboldened and able to continue onward. The gates were forced open.”)
• Five years later, as Trump’s lies continue, the danger of the January 6 insurrection remains
• The January 6 Insurrectionists Take a Victory Lap (“The Proud Boys and other J6ers marched on Tuesday to the scene of their crime—the U.S. Capitol—where they basked in redemption, vowed to keep fighting, and even mused about running for office.”)
• The Erasure of January 6 (“Five years later, MAGA World is still engaging in its Orwellian rewriting of history.”)
• Republicans silent and Democrats incensed on fifth anniversary of US Capitol attack
• Five years later, Donald Trump still trying to sell Jan. 6 as ‘peaceful’ (Seriously sick/warped shit.)
• White House publishes website that rewrites history of Jan. 6 attack (This is Orwellian. Also sick.)
• White House re-litigates Jan. 6 with webpage claiming “insurrection” was a Democratic fabrication (Horrible headline/framing by Axios, whose U.S. political coverage is egregiously bad.)
• GOP-led Jan. 6 committee sets first hearing for next week
• DOJ admits it has still not released 99% of Epstein files, violating law (“The DOJ said it is still reviewing millions of Epstein files, after previously claiming it completed the review in July”)
• House GOP faces internal divisions, challenges on agenda and questions from Trump
• Grok Is Pushing AI ‘Undressing’ Mainstream (“Paid tools that ‘strip’ clothes from photos have been available on the darker corners of the internet for years. Elon Musk’s X is now removing barriers to entry—and making the results public.”)
• Grok Is Generating About ‘One Nonconsensual Sexualized Image Per Minute’ (“Regulators around the world are looking into Elon Musk’s xAI after its chatbot began ‘undressing’ celebrities and underage children at the request of users” Shut it down immediately.)
• Elon Musk’s “Grok” is undressing women and showing them in swastika bikinis (“One woman targeted is a Jewish Holocaust survivor”)
• Section 230 Doesn’t Cover Elon Musk’s Ass When It Comes to Deepfake Abuse, Senator Says (“‘States must step in to hold X and Musk accountable, if Trump’s DOJ won’t,’ Wyden said.”)
• Abortion stays legal in Wyoming as its top court strikes down laws, including first US pill ban
• MAGA-Coded CBS Anchor Mocked for Bizarre Crying Segment
• The Disastrous CBS Evening News Debut Was at Least an Apt Metaphor for America Right Now
• Béla Fleck Withdraws From Kennedy Center Concerts
• Trump Goon Melts Down After Latest Kennedy Center Boycott (“More than 10 artists have now refused to perform at the rebranded venue.”)
• Brown University gunman recorded videos saying attack was planned for months
• Judge orders Lindsey Halligan to explain why she’s using U.S. attorney title (“A federal judge ordered Trump ally Lindsey Halligan to explain why she’s identifying herself as the U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia despite a court ruling that she was unlawfully appointed to the role.”)
• Video: Sen. Tim Kaine “commemorate[s] the fifth anniversary of the January 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol that led to the tragic death of five law enforcement officers from Virginia” (Sen. Kaine concluded with his hope that the 250th anniversary of America will not be “a requiem, not a wake, not a saying goodbye, but a revitalization.”)
• On Five-Year Anniversary of Attack, Fmr. Rep. Elaine Luria (D-VA02) to Participate in House January 6 Hearing (“The targeted attack on the Capitol on January 6, 2021, at the direction of President Trump, remains one of the darkest days in our country’s history.”)
• VA06 Democratic Candidate and “Dopesick” Author Beth Macy Reports Over $600k Raised in 4Q25, Which “nears incumbent Ben Cline’s total amount raised for 2024” (This is “an unprecedented level of investment for a Democrat in the Sixth District in recent history”)
• Fmr. Rep. Tom Perriello (D-VA05) Calls Out MAGA Extremist Rep. John McGuire (R-VA05) for Attendance at Jan. 6 Insurrection (“Crisis reveals character. Five years ago, John McGuire stood with insurrectionists on the day they followed a Q-Anon Shaman to attack our nation’s Capitol”)
• Governor-Elect Spanberger Announces Secretary of Education Appointment – Dr. Jeffrey O. Smith (After four years of Youngkin’s hostility to public education, his horrible education-related appointees, etc., we should all wish Dr. Smith the best of luck in cleaning up the mess and starting to move Virginia education forward again.)
• Spanberger says she’s still digesting significance of becoming 1st woman elected Virginia governor
• Interview with Abigail Spanberger ahead of her inauguration as Virginia’s first woman governor
• [UPDATED 1/6/26 – Big wins for Mike Jones, Charlie Schmidt] 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)
• Jones, Schmidt win special election races
• Democrats retain two Richmond-area seats in back-to-back special elections (“Former Del. Mike Jones captures Senate District 15, while Charlie Schmidt wins Jones’ vacated House seat in District 77.”)
• As federal shifts bump up Va. social service workloads, a bill proposing tech upgrades could help (“1990’s-era IT adds to growing strains as federal mandates hand social service workers more work.”)
• Venezuela strike sharpens war powers debate among Virginia lawmakers (“Del. Dan Helmer moves to curb Virginia National Guard deployments as Democrats warn of overreach and Republicans defend action.” Both sides!)
• Editorial: Free breakfast program instrumental in reducing absenteeism (“Chronic absenteeism has fallen significantly since the ALL in VA plan included funding to encourage school districts to offer free breakfast.”)
• Virginia developmental disability community fears funding cuts in 2026
• Local media hypes jewelry store heist, ignores officer-involved shooting (“Basically, the death of a guy with a lengthy rap sheet is being presented to us publicly as, meh, he probably deserved it.”)
• Virginia 250 Passport offers discounts, sweepstakes for visitors of historic sites (“Seventy historic sites across the commonwealth are participating in the free program to mark the nation’s 250th birthday.”)
• Youngkin appointee denied seat on UVa Board of Visitors lands on UVa Health Board
• Danville’s new zoning code will set guidelines for the city’s growth and future, addressing needs like transitional housing
• The Virginia Beach Oceanfront is shrinking, complicating summer plans
• Montgomery County School Board elects Laura Purcell as chair in narrow vote
• CWG Live: Warming up into the weekend; showers possible Friday and Saturday (“Daytime highs are in the 50s and 60s through Saturday before trending colder again.”)