Monday News: On Afghanistan, “Biden tells some hard truths few want to hear”; “How climate change helped make Hurricane Ida one of Louisiana’s worst”; “Why Facebook Won’t Stop Pushing Propaganda”; “Two Virginia legislators irresponsibly undercut a measure on masking that they helped pass”

by Lowell

Here are a few national and Virginia news headlines, political and otherwise, for Monday, August 30.

• Sinopec plans to spend $4.6 bln on hydrogen energy by 2025
• Sun Cable: World’s biggest solar and battery project is about to get a lot bigger
• EU Set to Recommend Halting Nonessential Travel From the U.S.
• North Korea Appears to Have Restarted Yongbyon Nuclear Reactor
• Israel doubles down on booster shots as daily Covid cases set new record
• Chinese foreign minister tells top U.S. diplomat world must ‘positively guide’ Taliban
• US carries out Kabul airstrike targeting suspected ISIS-K bomber posing ‘imminent’ threat to airport
• U.S. Conducts Drone Strike in Kabul and Winds Down Airlift as Deadline Nears
• American University of Kabul students and alumni trying to flee were sent home.
• As the Taliban Tighten Their Grip, Fears of Retribution Grow
• Trapped in Afghanistan, Rescued by Volunteers: How a Handful of Americans Freed 5,000 Afghans
• U.S. Will Keep Striking Afghan ISIS Targets, Biden Aide Says
• Biden meets remains of 13 troops killed in Kabul as US promises more strikes
• Kabul airport comes under rocket fire as US Afghanistan evacuation enters final 48 hours
• Taliban assure world leaders they will let eligible people leave Afghanistan
• Biden tells some hard truths few want to hear (“The war in Afghanistan has been one tragedy after another. Good riddance.”)
• There’s chaos and risk in Afghanistan exit, but Biden critics are getting it mostly wrong (“We have no ongoing security interest in Afghanistan, and we don’t send troops everywhere to protect women and human rights. We do that in other ways.”)
• Yes, Let’s Mandate Vaccines for Eligible School Children, Fauci Says (“Requiring shots for deadly diseases is ‘nothing new’ —and it will save lives.” Yep, may other vaccines are mandated, so why not COVID-19?)
• Covid Live Updates: U.S. Records a Daily Average of 100,000 Covid Hospitalizations
• We’re Hitting the Limits of Hurricane Preparedness (“Cities simply don’t have enough time to run from a storm like Ida.”)
• How climate change helped make Hurricane Ida one of Louisiana’s worst
• Hurricane, Afghanistan exit and pandemic exacerbate Biden’s presidency of crises
• When Will Biden Join the Fight for Voting Rights?
• House panel tees up Trump executive privilege fight in Jan. 6 probe
• Business groups aim to divide Democrats on $3.5T spending bill
• Advancing democracy abroad requires defending it at home
• Laurence Tribe: If Garland doesn’t prosecute Trump, the rule of law is “out the window”
• About Jim Jordan’s other Jan. 6 call with Trump
• Biden commission on Supreme Court isn’t moving fast enough — or thinking big enough (Agreed; the Supreme Court is completely broken.)
• Inside Politico’s Billion-Dollar Drama
• Why Facebook Won’t Stop Pushing Propaganda (“Vaccine disinformation. The Big Lie. The hate poisoning your community. It all goes back to Mark Zuckerberg’s business model.”)
• Juan Williams: Why California’s recall election matters
• How Did Deep Blue California Get Played by Recall-Happy Republicans? (Bottom line: this recall shouldn’t be happening at all.)
• On Afghanistan Withdrawal, NYT’s Peter Baker Turns to Raytheon Board Member for Independent ‘Analysis’ (Among the reporters we should never trust again after the past few weeks, Peter Baker is high on the list.)
• Right-Wing Radio’s ‘Mr. Anti-Vax’ Marc Bernier Dies Of Coronavirus (“His final tweet compared the vaccination effort to Nazism.” How does someone get like that?)
• Biden Pledges ‘Full Might’ of U.S. for Gulf Hurricane Recovery
• All of New Orleans without power after Hurricane Ida leaves ‘catastrophic transmission damage’
• Florida’s DeSantis has eye on presidency rather than COVID
• Ed Asner, Emmy-Winning Star of ‘Lou Grant’ and ‘Up,’ Dies at 91 (Excellent actor. Sadly, also a 9/11 “truther.”)
• Two Virginia legislators irresponsibly undercut a measure on masking that they helped pass (Those two are Siobhan S. Dunnavant and Chap Petersen.)
• As Redistricting Process Proceeds, Maps Show Virginia Districts (US House, State Senate, House of Delegates) That Are Above, Below Ideal Populations
• Opinion: Virginia can do better than keeping innocent people in prison
• Virginia ER Nurse Kellen Squire on COVID Pandemic: “We WILL make it through to the other side of this. I just don’t know how many of us will be there – emotionally, spiritually, and physically – at the end.”
• More Virginians mask up as aggressive coronavirus strain drives up cases
• Opinion: Honoring officers for heroism on Jan. 6 shouldn’t be partisan (by State Sen. Dave Marsden)
• Most Virginia colleges say they mandated COVID vaccines, but not all are enforcing their policy
• Virginia project shows benefits, costs of ditching fossil fuels in low-income homes (“A partnership between two Charlottesville groups helped eight low-income homeowners switch to electric heating and appliances, cutting emissions and saving money at the same time.”)
• VCU Poll: Majority Of Virginians Willing To Pay More
• DEQ taking public comments on Mountain Valley Pipeline stream crossings
• In Richmond and Henrico, the most vaccinated neighborhoods are also the wealthiest
• Among those not surprised by ex-Norfolk Sheriff Bob McCabe’s conviction? His only sibling and oldest son
• D.C.-area forecast: Hotter today with a few storms; Ida leftovers move through Tuesday night to Wednesday with a flood risk