Friday News: “In Asia, John Kerry urges bold action on climate to avoid global ‘suicide pact’”; “Biden’s infrastructure plan seems to be selling itself”; “So much GOP racism hiding in plain sight”; “Gaetz Paid Accused Sex Trafficker, Who Then Venmo’d Teen”

by Lowell

Here are a few national and Virginia news headlines, political and otherwise, for Friday, April 9.

• Rise of Variants in Europe Shows How Dangerous the Virus Can Be
• Myanmar junta says protests against its rule are dwindling
• The World’s Wealthiest Countries Are Getting Vaccinated 25 Times Faster
• Global Corporate Taxes Face ‘Revolution’ After U.S. Turnaround
• How Biden Can Help Make Global Climate Action More Equitable
• Biden’s China policy is tougher on financial firms than Trump’s was, report says
• China’s bitcoin mining is threatening its climate change targets, study says (“Some 75% of the world’s bitcoin mining is done in China, where there is cheap electricity and relatively easy access to manufacturers who make specialized hardware, according to the study.”)
• Joe Biden’s climate gamble (“Two cheers for the president’s ambitious plan”)
• In Asia, John Kerry urges bold action on climate to avoid global ‘suicide pact’
• US envoy Kerry discusses climate challenges in Bangladesh
• Analysis | Iran’s Retaliation to Israel at Sea Has Been Largely Symbolic. That Could Change
• Kim Jong-un warns of North Korea crisis similar to deadly 90s famine
• Putin’s Message For Biden (“The President’s Administration can’t escape the Russia problem.”)
• Holocaust survivors launch new campaign to show how ‘it started with words’
• Putin again threatens war with Ukraine. The West must be ready to respond.
• Greta Thunberg says she will not attend Cop26 climate summit (“Swedish activist says uneven Covid vaccine rollout means countries would not participate on even terms”)
• The virus is somersaulting toward younger people
• 5 reasons experts think kids will be in school full time this fall (“Vaccinations and research are pointing in the right direction.”)
• CDC Director Declares Racism A ‘Serious Public Health Threat’
• Finally, a president takes on America’s epidemic of gun violence
• Biden’s executive actions tackle a small part of America’s enormous gun problem
• ‘It Has To Stop’: Biden Takes Initial Action On Guns, Calls On Congress To Do More
• Biden Announces Action on Guns, Saying ‘This Is Just a Start’
• Joe Biden Seems Determined to Make Sure Doing Nothing Isn’t an Option, Even on Guns
• What’s In Biden’s $400 Billion Plan To Support Families’ Long-Term Health Needs
• First White House budget proposal to preview Biden’s goals
• Biden’s infrastructure plan seems to be selling itself (“Republicans are struggling to justify their obstructionism.”)
• White nationalist “groyper” movement links up with anti-vaxxers, threatens use of weapons
• Exclusive: How Donald Trump upended Nancy Pelosi’s plans, then she unraveled his
• Biden Proposes $715 Billion for Pentagon in First Budget Outline
• Chuck Schumer Gets the Weight of the Hammer on His Side
• So Far Biden Is Taking Right-Wing Extremism Seriously. But Actually Fixing the Problem Will Be a Lot Harder. (“Experts say he’s taken the right initial steps to begin identifying the problems.”)
• So much GOP racism hiding in plain sight (“Enough with the excuses.”)
• Republicans’ list of enemies keeps growing (“The party is at war with everyone.”)
• Why filibuster reformers aren’t (quite) ready to give up on Joe Manchin
• Joe Manchin: Any Voting Rights Legislation Has To Make Trump Supporters Happy (Bizarre.)
• Manchin says ‘January 6 changed me’ as he calls for bipartisan cooperation (Right, but…Republicans have zero intention of cooperating. Then what, Senator?!?)
• Biden moves ahead on civil rights without Congress. But his legacy depends on them. (Why does the media frame important stuff as Biden’s “legacy,” as opposed to focusing on what’s important about the issue in and of itself? Basically, it’s treating politics as a big game, which is what Politico and a lot of the political press loves to do. And it’s lame.)
• Biden sidesteps the culture wars, and that’s good for America
• US anti-abortion groups shift focus to voting restrictions (Appalling.)
• The tedious media debate over the meaning of “infrastructure” (It truly is tedious. Yet again, the media does us a disservice.)
• Three months after the Capitol attack: Forgetting won’t save you (“The Capitol invasion was a national trauma — with no catharsis. Collective amnesia won’t make fascism go away”)
• Scathing watchdog report reveals Capitol Police had expired ammo and ineffective shields during riot
• Federal prosecutors get the green light to start offering plea deals to Capitol riot defendants, attorneys say
• Man who carried Confederate flag to Capitol during Jan. 6 riot indicted
• Partial tally in Amazon union drive favors ‘No’ votes. (“With about half the ballots counted late Thursday, votes against unionization had a more than 2-to-1 advantage over those in favor, according to a live broadcast of the counting that was tallied by The New York Times.”)
• Alabama warehouse workers on track to reject forming Amazon’s first US union (“Results have not yet been finalized, but workers so far have voted 1,100-463 against forming a union at the Bessemer facility”)
• Five things to watch for at the GOP’s donor retreat
• In New Book, Boehner Says He Regrets Clinton Impeachment (Too little, too late.)
• In new book, John Boehner says today’s GOP is unrecognizable to traditional conservatives
• Trump faces test of power with early endorsements
• Manhattan district attorney seizes evidence from Trump executive’s former daughter-in-law
• Video shows Texas GOP official seeking ‘army’ of volunteers to monitor polls in mostly Black and Hispanic Houston precincts
• Tucker Carlson gives passionate defense of “white replacement theory” (The fact that this virulent racist and all-around extremist is a popular figure among many Republiacns tells you a LOT…and nothing good!)
• Fox News hires former Trump official and far-right 2024 presidential contender Mike Pompeo (Also VERY telling…and again, not in a good way.)
• The Trailer: The war on wokeness is reshaping GOP campaigns (The GOP *used to* be a party of conservative ideas. Not anymore; now it’s just cringe-inducing right-wing trolls “owning the libs.”)
• Expert: Lack of oxygen killed George Floyd, not drugs
• Something unusual is happening in Derek Chauvin’s trial (“It’s highly unusual to see a parade of police officers testify against one of their own”)
• Gaetz Paid Accused Sex Trafficker, Who Then Venmo’d Teen
• Indicted Matt Gaetz Associate Is Expected to Plead Guilty, Lawyers Say
• First GOP member of Congress calls on Matt Gaetz to resign
• Gaetz associate likely to strike plea deal with prosecutors in sex-trafficking case
• AP source: NFL player Phillip Adams killed 5, then himself
• Jerry Falwell Jr. Urges Virginians to Get COVID Shot to Stop Lockdowns From ‘Nutcase’ Gov. Ralph Northam (LOL, wuuuuut?)
• Sen. Tim Kaine visits with town leaders, small business owners in SWVA
• Rep. Elaine Luria says defense budget needs to increase during visit at BAE Systems in Norfolk
• Five Questions Jen Kiggans (R) Must Answer As She Launches House Bid Against Rep. Elaine Luria (D) In VA02
• Wexton tours western Loudoun agribusinesses
• Virginia to Create Retirement Savings Program for Many Workers Who Lack One (“Bill could give more than half of the 1.2 million Virginia residents an option to contribute to an IRA through payroll deductions”)
• As Dominion’s rate review gears up, a broader fight about regulatory balance resurges
• Virginia explained: What’s a triennial review and why should you care?
• Christopher K. Peace and Rosalyn R. Dance column: COPN program helps Virginia meet community needs in a crisis
• Virginia doctors worry that pandemic burnout could push providers out of the field
• Local police in Virginia will be banned from using facial recognition technology
• In the Virginia Governor’s Race, Can Anyone Take On Terry McAuliffe? (“There’s been scant polling in this race, but McAuliffe is regarded as a clear front-runner, partly because of his formidable connections and résumé, and partly because his challengers have similarities — albeit some superficial — that could split their support. Aside from Lee Carter, a 33-year-old Marine veteran and member of the House of Delegates, the three other candidates — Jennifer McClellan, Jennifer Carroll Foy and Justin Fairfax — are Black, younger than McAuliffe and generally to his left.”)
• Civil rights leader Ben Jealous endorses Jennifer Carroll Foy in Virginia governor race
• Video: Sen. Jennifer McClellan Responds to Gov. Ralph Northam’s Endorsement of Terry McAuliffe For Governor (McClellan says she’s got the experience, has done the work and built the “brick wall”; adds that “all of our governors have men…we have the opportunity to change that.”)
• Northam endorses McAuliffe in race for Democratic nomination for Virginia governor
• Governor Ralph Northam Endorses Terry McAuliffe for Governor
• Northam Endorses McAuliffe in Democratic Gubernatorial Primary
• Northam Endorses McAuliffe For Second Term
• Lauren Underwood endorses Jennifer Carroll Foy in Virginia governors race
• No, Amanda, We Don’t Want a Victim as our Next Governor
• VIDEO: Why Are Virginia Republicans Hiding From a Debate?
• Audio: CNU Professor Quentin Kidd, “Transition Virginia” Analyze the VA Dem Gubernatorial Debate
• Youngkin follows through with commitment to invest in down-ballot races
• Virginia’s next governor must be a climate champion (Agreed.)
• Governor Northam Announces $46.6 Million in Federal Funding for Virginia Private Schools
• Governor Northam Announces $46.6 Million in Federal Funding for Virginia Private Schools
• AG Mark Herring Praises Biden-Harris Administration For Taking Proactive Gun Violence Prevention Actions
• Video: Virginia Young Dems’ Attorney General Forum
• Thursday (4/8) Virginia Data on COVID-19 Finds +1,928 Confirmed/Probable Cases (to 631,083), +101 Hospitalizations (to 27,012), +21 Deaths (to 10,436)
• Virginia vaccine supply will take substantial hit next week due to Johnson & Johnson shortage
• Andria McClellan Releases Plan To Expand Access To High-Speed Internet
• Micky Ogburn steps down as Henrico School Board chairwoman following offensive Dr. Seuss post
• Race for Richmond commonwealth’s attorney pits incumbent against political newcomer
• “We are all seeing a rise in violent activity.” Hampton Roads mayors join forces to discuss crime prevention, youth
• Editorial: Why Northam should veto the coal tax credit bill (Maybe, maybe not, but it’s almost impossible at this point to take the Roanoke Times editorial board seriously on anything.)
• D.C.-area forecast: Cooler today, with some drizzle and showers. Turning warmer through the weekend.