Good morning everyone. I hope you all had a strong start to the new year. This morning I am tracking several major news developments. Most notably, overnight Donald Trump threatened U.S. military intervention in Iran if Iranian authorities kill protesters, signaling a sharply different posture toward protest abroad than he has taken toward protest at home. He is also expressing anger over American media coverage of his health, claiming, without evidence, that he passed a third cognitive exam.
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Here’s what you missed:
- Donald Trump threatened to strike Iran overnight if it killed protestors:
- In response, Iran warned that any US intervention would cross a “red line” after Donald Trump threatened action if protesters are killed, as nationwide protests driven by economic collapse intensify and authorities signal a possible crackdown amid sharply escalating US-Iran tensions:
- Donald Trump spent the evening discussing his health as new questions swirl about his fitness to remain in office:
- CNN has confirmed that the Trump administration has begun abruptly cutting FEMA’s frontline disaster response workforce by letting dozens of CORE staff contracts expire, a move critics warn will weaken federal disaster response as DHS pushes to shrink the agency and shift more responsibility to states, despite existing staffing shortages and growing disaster risks.
- The Department of Homeland Security drew backlash for posting an image proclaiming “America After 100 Million Deportations,” a number critics say implies deporting millions of U.S. citizens given that estimates from Pew Research Center put the total foreign-born population far below that figure, while the artwork’s creator, Hiroshi Nagai, appeared to have no connection to or approval of the message.
- A number of laws have taken effect in states across America: California rideshare unionization: Rideshare drivers for companies like Uber and Lyft can now unionize, giving roughly 800,000 drivers collective bargaining rights in exchange for reduced insurance costs for companies.Colorado expanded NICU paid leave: Parents with babies in neonatal intensive care can take up to 12 additional weeks of paid leave on top of existing family leave, recognizing the extra burden of caring for critically ill newborns.Virginia social media limits for minors: A new (legally challenged) law limits social media use for children under 16 to one hour per day unless parents consent, targeting platforms like TikTok over child safety concerns.SNAP food restrictions in 18 states: With federal waivers, 18 states will bar the use of SNAP benefits for candy, soda, and other sugary drinks, aiming to steer food assistance toward nutrition rather than junk food.Minnesota paid family and medical leave: Most workers can now access up to 20 weeks of combined paid family and medical leave per year, with job protection and partial wage replacement funded by a shared payroll tax.Illinois AI employment rules: Illinois now bans employers from using AI systems that factor in demographic data like race or ZIP code when hiring, promoting, or disciplining workers, expanding protections under the state’s Human Rights Act.
- California rideshare unionization: Rideshare drivers for companies like Uber and Lyft can now unionize, giving roughly 800,000 drivers collective bargaining rights in exchange for reduced insurance costs for companies.
- Colorado expanded NICU paid leave: Parents with babies in neonatal intensive care can take up to 12 additional weeks of paid leave on top of existing family leave, recognizing the extra burden of caring for critically ill newborns.
- Virginia social media limits for minors: A new (legally challenged) law limits social media use for children under 16 to one hour per day unless parents consent, targeting platforms like TikTok over child safety concerns.
- SNAP food restrictions in 18 states: With federal waivers, 18 states will bar the use of SNAP benefits for candy, soda, and other sugary drinks, aiming to steer food assistance toward nutrition rather than junk food.
- Minnesota paid family and medical leave: Most workers can now access up to 20 weeks of combined paid family and medical leave per year, with job protection and partial wage replacement funded by a shared payroll tax.
- Illinois AI employment rules: Illinois now bans employers from using AI systems that factor in demographic data like race or ZIP code when hiring, promoting, or disciplining workers, expanding protections under the state’s Human Rights Act.
- Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said a peace deal to end Russia’s war is “90 percent ready” but warned the remaining issues will decide Ukraine’s sovereignty and Europe’s security, insisting he will only sign a strong agreement as Russia continues drone attacks and Kyiv presses allies — including the U.S. — to deliver promised air defenses.
- Russian officials say a Ukrainian drone strike hit a café and hotel in the Russian-occupied village of Khorly during New Year’s celebrations, killing 27 people including two children, while Ukraine denied targeting civilians and accused Moscow of disinformation as peace talks intensify; separately, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy appointed intelligence chief Kyrylo Budanov as his top aide to sharpen Ukraine’s focus on security, defense and diplomacy.
- Venezuela’s President Nicolás Maduro said he is open to talks with the US on combating drug trafficking and allowing US oil investment, but accused Washington of pursuing regime change and access to Venezuela’s oil, while declining to confirm reports of a CIA-led drone strike on Venezuelan territory amid an escalating US pressure campaign that has included naval deployments, boat strikes and a de facto blockade.
- The U.N. said a 7-year-old Palestinian boy drowned in floodwaters that engulfed his family’s tent camp in Gaza as winter storms worsen dire conditions for displaced civilians, highlighting a deepening humanitarian crisis even after a fragile ceasefire, while Israeli forces carried out mass arrests in the West Bank.
- Elon Musk sparked backlash after posting “then it is war” in response to a TikTok video in which an unidentified user appeared to threaten him, an incident that has fueled online outrage and renewed political tensions amid heightened scrutiny of alleged fraud cases involving Somali Americans, though the individual’s identity and intent remain unverified.
- According to NBC, Saudi warplanes struck positions held by the UAE-backed Southern Transitional Council in southern Yemen after separatist forces seized camps and oil-rich areas in Hadramout and Mahra, escalating tensions within the Saudi-led coalition as Riyadh demands the STC withdraw and hand over weapons amid competing claims of casualties and fears of renewed internal conflict.
- Two unoccupied commercial jets clipped wings at Raleigh-Durham International Airport when an Avelo Airlines aircraft being repositioned struck a parked Southwest Airlines plane, prompting inspections and flight delays but causing no injuries, as airport officials review safety procedures.
Good news:
- Norwegian startup Vilje Bionics has created the world’s first full-arm exoskeleton, Vilpower, which detects and amplifies tiny residual movements in the shoulder, elbow and hand to help stroke survivors with partial paralysis regain everyday independence; tested by about 40 patients so far, the 3D-printed device is expected to begin commercial rollout in Norway in early 2026, focusing on long-term functional support rather than short-term rehabilitation.
- Fiona—once dubbed “Britain’s Loneliest Sheep” after surviving alone on a remote Scottish cliffside— is now pregnant with twins two years after a high-profile rescue, having recovered at Dalscone Farm through careful diet, treatment and re-socialization, turning her into a thriving and unexpectedly famous symbol of animal rescue success.
- In Hungary’s drought-stricken Great Plain, volunteers are redirecting warm wastewater from famous thermal baths to flood low-lying fields near Hortobágy National Park, raising groundwater levels, restoring wetlands and biodiversity, and slowing desertification in areas now bordering on semi-arid conditions, with early results showing improved soil moisture and wildlife recovery.
See you this afternoon.
— Aaron
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