by Lowell
Here are a few national and Virginia news headlines, political and otherwise, for Friday, July 23.
- What to Expect from the Next Major Global Climate Report
- Scale and speed to confront runaway climate change
- ‘Once in a thousand years’ rains devastated central China, but there is little talk of climate change
- Hey, world, are you noticing? Floods! Fires! Could it be time to do something about climate change?
- We are fiddling while the world burns, floods and chokes (“Scientists are starting to ask whether we’ve already reached a tipping point on climate change. The rest of us need to take the possibility seriously.”)
- Summer of floods: The climate connection behind deadly downpours around the world (“Experts predict that the frequency of floods like those seen this summer in China, Germany and parts of the United States are likely to increase in severity and frequency as the planet warms.”)
- European Business Groups Voice Support for New ‘Fit for 55’ Climate Agenda While Lobbying to Water It Down (“A new report finds that powerful lobbying associations in Europe almost uniformly support 2050 net-zero targets but are seeking to weaken the policies needed to get there.”)
- Climate Crisis Turns World’s Subways Into Flood Zones (“Swift, deadly flooding in China this week inundated a network that wasn’t even a decade old, highlighting the risks faced by cities globally.”)
- Once its strength, water now threatens Germany
- Wind and solar set new production records as they reshape Australia’s grid
- Water Shortages Threaten Iran With Political and Economic Apocalypse
- EXCLUSIVE China’s CCPC takes centre stage in Iran, Venezuela oil trade-sources
- Ottawa, provinces and territories not on track to meet new climate targets: report (“‘All hands on deck’ approach needed to fight climate change, report says”)
- As Haitian President’s Funeral Nears, Anger Burns in the Streets
- Pfizer Shot Halts Severe Illness, Allows Infection in Israel (“Pfizer Inc.’s Covid-19 vaccine provided a strong shield against hospitalization and more severe disease in cases caused by the contagious delta variant in Israel in recent weeks, even though it was just 39% effective in preventing infections, according to the country’s health ministry.”)
- Tokyo Olympics: A Games in a pandemic, new sports, British medal hopes and global stars to watch
- The Ambivalence Olympics (“Can you still love the Games with so many reasons to loathe them?”)
- For Every $1 We Spend on Food, We Rack Up $2 in Public-Health and Environmental Damage (Our food system is a disaster in so many ways, particularly heavy subsidies for meat production and the growing of corn, etc. for animals in the meat industry. Also crazy shit like corn ethanol subsidies, sugar subsidies, massive use of pollinator-killing pesticides, etc.)
- A Key Nomination for Biden’s Climate Agenda Advances to the Full Senate (“Tracy Stone-Manning is described by Democrats as a bridge-builder and by Republicans as a supporter of ecoterrorists in a bitterly partisan committee vote.”)
- Delta variant is one of the most infectious respiratory diseases known, CDC director says
- Suddenly, (Some) Republicans Are All In on the Vaccine
- GOP Lawmaker Tries To Shame Democrats On Vaccinations. Except They’re All Vaccinated. (Brilliant, eh?)
- The Delta Variant Will Drive A Steep Rise In U.S. COVID Deaths, A New Model Shows
- 4 Reasons I’m Wearing a Mask Again (“Our vaccines are extraordinary, but right now they need all the help they can get.” Yep, it’s definitely time to mask up when indoors.)
- Why Everyone Has the Worst Summer Cold Ever (“As pandemic restrictions begin to relax, common viruses that cause drippy noses, stuffy heads and other cold symptoms have roared back to taunt your immune system.”)
- Why Vaccinated People Are Getting ‘Breakthrough’ Infections
- Sleepaway camp in New York says 31 campers under age 12 tested positive for Covid-19
- Then the Birds Began to Die (“I carried on for more than a year of the coronavirus pandemic, but I didn’t see the next plague coming.”)
- The nurses fighting Covid denial in and outside the hospital
- Republicans Hastily Add “Maybe You Should Get Vaccinated” to Their Mix of Mixed Messages
- US in ‘another pivotal moment’ as Delta variant drives surge in Covid cases
- McConnell pushes vaccines, but GOP muddles his message
- GOP Governor Says It’s Time To ‘Blame The Unvaccinated’ For Pandemic Surge (“Gov. Kay Ivey also called out right-wing media disinformation about the vaccine.”)
- The NFL Is Getting Tough on Unvaccinated Players
- Frustration builds as infrastructure talks drag
- Schumer’s failed cloture vote obscured a pair of GOP outrages (“We may still get infrastructure week — next week.”)
- Democrats’ Divide on Voting Rights Widens as Biden Faces Pressure
- Imagine a 9/11 Panel If the Hijackers Had Allies in Congress (“The whole premise of an investigation was that both parties opposed the insurrection.”)
- The GOP’s dangerous compact with extremism just became clearer
- Pelosi calls Republican Party’s bluff on Capitol riot committee
- Democrats plow ahead with Jan. 6 probe, eyeing new GOP reinforcements
- How Kevin McCarthy tried to sabotage the House January 6 investigation (“Of course McCarthy never wanted a real investigation into the insurrection he encouraged.”)
- The FBI’s Brett Kavanaugh Probe Always Smelled Like a Sham
- FBI Admits It Got 4,500 Tips on Brett Kavanaugh—Then Punted Them to Trump Team
- After New Details on Kavanaugh Investigation Surface, Senators Call on FBI for Answers on Handling of ‘Tip Line’
- Details on F.B.I. Inquiry Into Kavanaugh Draw Fire From Democrats
- The FBI’s ‘investigation’ of Kavanaugh was laughable (Kavanaugh should not be on the Supreme Court – period. Nor should Gorsuch, of course, since that seat was stolen. And Barrett is highly questionable, given the timing of that confirmation.)
- The Supreme Court Needs to Be Cut Down to Size (“Using their broad power under the Constitution to shape and structure the judiciary, federal lawmakers can strip jurisdiction from the court, require a supermajority for decisions that would invalidate an act of Congress…”)
- Surprise: Brett Kavanaugh Wasn’t Actually Vetted Before Being Given a Lifetime SCOTUS Appointment
- Electric-Vehicle Sales Growth Outpaces Broader Auto Industry (“New plug-in models from Tesla, Ford, VW and others helped to boost demand, while hurdles still remain for the technology”)
- Biden has reestablished the separation between the White House and Justice Department. Good.
- Joe Biden’s Filibuster Defense Doesn’t Make Much Sense
- Democrats aren’t falling for bogus GOP attacks on Biden nominees (“You can’t stop them from coming up with ludicrous claims to smear qualified nominees, but you don’t have to indulge them.”)
- U.S. senators aim to stop vaccine misinformation by going after tech’s legal immunity (Good. Do the same thing for election disinformation and hate speech as well.)
- Bill to Strip Social Media of Protections for Health Misinformation (“Sen. Amy Klobuchar’s legislation would create exception to law known as Section 230”)
- A new bill would hold Facebook responsible for Covid-19 vaccine misinformation (“Sen. Amy Klobuchar has proposed changing the internet law Section 230 in order to combat health misinformation.”)
- Trump’s PAC has not put its millions into push for ballot reviews he touts
- A surprise win for Medicaid in Missouri shows the folly of GOP legislatures (Exactly – do NOT put Republicans in charge of your state!)
- What’s Behind Fox’s Vaccine-Coverage Shift? (“Some corners of the network have spoken positively about vaccines before, and others remain staunchly conspiracy-minded. But the recent shift in overall tone is noteworthy and begs the question: Why now?”)
- Sean Hannity assures audience he’s “not urging people to get the COVID-19 vaccine” (Scumbag.)
- Mississippi asks the Supreme Court to overturn Roe v. Wade
- Advocates say energy efficiency — not gas — offers Appalachia best economic prospects (Yep, not even close.)
- America’s history wars get serious: Texas GOP wants to dump MLK, whitewash KKK (“Republican attacks on history are part of a larger strategic plan: Control the past, and you control the future”)
- We Are All Our Own Militia Now (“The new Texas abortion law, paired with rising vigilantism and the ideas that fuel ‘stand your ground,’ points to a frightening future.”)
- US Sen. Ron Johnson: ‘I may not be the best candidate’ for 2022
- Psaki Calls DeSantis’ Rejection of Masks in Schools ‘Greatly Concerning’
- Florida AG Moody tests positive for COVID days after being with DeSantis in Texas
- Pressure mounts for DeSantis in Florida
- Thousands of bullets have been fired in this D.C. neighborhood. Fear is part of everyday life.
- Biden hits trail for McAuliffe in test of his political brand (“‘An off-year election is still going to be viewed as a referendum on their administration,’ said Virginia based Democratic strategist Jared Leopold. ‘He’s smart, I think, to lay a clear marker down here and say that he’s with McAuliffe.’”)
- Sen. Mark Warner Declares “Let’s Get This Damn Infrastructure Bill Done!” and “Put Some Points on the Board”; Says Votes Aren’t There to End Filibuster; Adds That Voting Rights and Climate Are “Existential Issues” (Warner says it would be a “HUGE mistake” not to pass the bipartisan infrastructure bill,)
- U.S. House Votes 407-16 To Protect Protect Afghan Allies Who Risked Their Lives For Us. Rep. Bob Good (R-VA05) Is One of the 16 (Along with Lauren Boebert, Marjorie Taylor Greene, etc.) Who Prefers to Betray Them. (Attention, VA05 voters: PLEASE replace this @#$@#!)
- Video: Terry for Virginia Releases First Television Ad of General Election; Reminds Voters That Glenn Youngkin is No Reasonable Republican
- Turns out the Virginia GOP governor nominee does have an issues page. Sort of.
- McAuliffe releases his first general-election TV ad in Virginia
- With Biden coming to campaign, Virginia’s race for governor takes on national overtones. But where’s Trump?
- Biden will launch into campaigning to back McAuliffe in Virginia (Very annoying article – both sidesism, everything that could possibly go wrong, Republican talking points, etc. Blech.)
- Culture war on education rages in Virginia governor’s race
- DNC Announces Historic Investment to Expand on Virginia Democrats’ Success (“Initial investment includes over $5 million ahead of the 2021 election for staff, tools, and programs that will engage directly with Virginians”)
- NRA skips Youngkin endorsement, backs other GOP statewide candidates (Youngkin’s super pro-gun but probably didn’t want that endorsement.)
- FWIW Virginia: How Voters Are Engaging With the #VAGov Race Online (The “data mirrors the 2020 election and the general bent of Facebook’s algorithm, where incendiary conservative content drives anger + engagement.” This is the fatal flaw of social media.)
- Virginia school districts react to new recommendations on masks in classrooms
- Thursday (7/22) Virginia Data on COVID-19: With Delta Now Dominant, Hospitalizations Picking Up, Highest 10-Day New COVID Cases (+4,694) Since 5/21
- Lawsuit Challenges Lack of Medication Treatment for Substance Use Disorders in Va. Prisons
- Virginia’s mental health hospitals are burdened by patient dumping
- How to bring the ‘missing middle’ to Virginia housing development
- Virginia Universities Asked to Prevent Pollution in Chesapeake Bay
- Environmental groups urge Virginia to use federal funds to clean Chesapeake Bay
- Governor Avoids Mandates Despite Rising New Cases
- Albemarle delays vote on proposed firearms ordinance (“County staff will revise the proposed ordinance based on feedback and bring it back to the board at a later date — Aug. 18 at the earliest.”)
- As infrastructure debate lingers, $34 million and a new sidewalk are bringing life to a small Virginia town (“In the heart of Virginia’s wine country, Hillsboro was transformed into a walkable town during the pandemic.”)
- No COVID-19 vaccination, no dining in at one Fairfax restaurant
- D.C.-area forecast: One more day with comfortable air before summer surges back
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