International Politics Summary

## TIER 2 STORIES (Brief RSS Summaries - mention if relevant):

- WATCH: Educator goes big with lessons involving a 43-foot whale ABC News' Danny New explains why Jessica Woodend is travelling around her home state of Maine with a giant inflatable whale....

- Apple, Google tell workers on visas to avoid leaving the U.S. amid Trump immigration crackdown With months-long consulate and embassy delays being reported, the two tech companies say staying put in the U.S. right now could prevent workers from getting stranded in their home countries....

- University of Alabama suspends student magazines amid DEI crackdown Kendal Wright, editor in chief of the University of Alabama's Nineteen Fifty-Six magazine, reacts to the suspension of two student publications amid a federal crackdown on campus DEI policies....

- Pope Leo summons cardinals for a key assembly to help him govern Catholic Church Pope Leo XIV has summoned the world's cardinals for two days of meetings to help him govern the church, in the clearest sign yet that the new year will signal the unofficial start of his pontificate....

- Winning numbers announced for estimated $1.5 billion Powerball jackpot Saturday's jackpot has an estimated cash value of $686.5 million, Powerball said. It's the game's seventh-largest among U.S. lottery jackpots....

- DOJ releases trove of Epstein files including photos, grand jury testimonies The Justice Department has released records from the Epstein files, the first documents to come to light under a new law signed by President Trump....

- Tracker Dakota Black A detective hunts for answers when a woman goes missing. For Tracker Black it's personal. "48 Hours" correspondent Peter Van Sant reports....

- Joe Hunter's Mission A "Survivor" contestant believes his sister was murdered and is determined to be her voice. "48 Hours" contributor Natalie Morales reports....

- Blue Origin safely launches wheelchair user to space and back German engineer Michaela Benthaus is the first person with a significant physical handicap to reach space....

- Russia strikes Ukrainian port, killing 8 and wounding dozens Some of the wounded were on a bus at the epicenter of the strike, Ukraine's Emergency Service said....

- U.S. seizes a second vessel off the coast of Venezuela It's the second time in recent weeks that the United States has interdicted a tanker, and it comes amid a large U.S. military build-up in Latin America....

- German engineer becomes first wheelchair user launched into space A German aerospace engineer made history Saturday, becoming the first wheelchair user to go into space when she took a 10-minute trip aboard a Blue Origin rocket....

- Russia, Ukraine exchange strikes amid frustration over peace talks Nearly four years after Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, hope for diplomacy is running out on the Ukrainian frontlines. Ukraine says it is desperately needs funding for the fight after Preside...

- Parts of western U.S. contend with heavy rain, snow Thirteen million people are under flood watches or warnings in the western U.S., while across the country thousands of flights have been delayed or canceled. CBS News meteorologist Andrew Kozak tracks...

- Oregon outlasts JMU in first round of College Football Playoff Oregon beat James Madison 51-34 in the first round of the College Football Playoffs, advancing the Ducks to the Orange Bowl behind Dante Moore's strong showing....

- Large Burmese python on video getting pulled from Florida neighborhood tree: 'It was pretty dangerous Professional snake removal experts captured a 30-pound, 612-foot Burmese python from a Miami-Dade residential area, preventing potential danger to pets and children....

- Two riders trapped more than 100 feet in air after Texas roller coaster malfunctions The Circuit Breaker roller coaster malfunction left two men dangling vertically for hours at Circuit of the Americas near Austin Wednesday....

- FBI Director Kash Patel says bureau ramping up AI to counter domestic, global threats FBI Director Kash Patel announces artificial intelligence expansion to combat evolving threats and keep America ahead of "bad actors" in the digital age....

- Ole Miss rolls past Tulane in College Football Playoff debut after Lane Kiffins departure Ole Miss rolled past Tulane in its College Football Playoff debut despite Lane Kiffins departure, advancing to the quarterfinals with a dominant first-round win....

- Vikings' team plane forced to turn around with mechanical issue during travel to Giants game The Minnesota Vikings' travel was disrupted when a team plane experienced mechanical issues, forcing a return to Minneapolis during Saturday's flight to face the Giants....