Wednesday News: “IEA warns spending on clean energy must triple to curb climate change”; “Pelosi enters pivotal stretch on Biden agenda”; “Maybe Supreme Court Judges Really Are Driven by Politics”; “The right’s cynical ‘critical race theory’ obsession breaks through in the VA gov race”

by Lowell

Here are a few national and Virginia news headlines, political and otherwise, for Wednesday, October 13.

• Countries call for urgent action on biodiversity with ‘Kunming Declaration’ (“More than 100 countries pledged on Wednesday to put the protection of habitats at the heart of their government decision-making but they stopped short of committing to specific targets to curb mass extinctions.” Why stop short?)
• IEA warns spending on clean energy must triple to curb climate change
• Governments’ Climate Pledges Not Enough to Meet Paris Agreement Targets, IEA Says (“Lawmakers aren’t moving fast enough despite ambitious goals, according to OECD watchdog”)
• China’s Power Problems Expose a Strategic Weakness (“The country’s energy inefficiency and dependence on climate-damaging coal threaten to damage its image as a reliable manufacturing base.”)
• ‘Key to China’s power future’: cost of solar to match coal power by 2023, scientists say (“Solar power, when paired with adequate storage capacity, could meet more than 40 per cent of the country’s electricity demands by 2060, say researchers”)
• China’s New Renewable Project Rivals All Wind and Solar in India
• Rich Countries Must Bear the Cost if We Can Ever Hope to Achieve a Net-Zero World
• NSW unveils $80 billion green hydrogen strategy, with incentives to plug into grid
• ‘Adapt or die’: resilience to climate change needed, says Environment Agency (“Report warns England faces more floods and droughts, rising sea levels and greater demand on water supplies”)
• China’s plan to build more coal-fired plants deals blow to UK’s Cop26 ambitions (“Renewed commitment to coal could scupper Britain’s aim to secure global phase-out pact at climate summit”)
• China’s Exports Surge to Record as Demand Outweighs Power Crisis
• Housing Bubble Risks Are Accelerating Across Europe, Hong Kong
• Festering Evergrande contagion worries push China spreads to record
• The U.S. will open the Canada and Mexico borders for fully vaccinated travelers.
• Analysis: Japan’s ruling party makes unprecedented defence spending pledge
• Iraqis never got the democracy we were promised. We are paying the price.
• The global supply chain nightmare is about to get worse
• Havana syndrome reported at US embassy in Colombia
• Afghan interpreter who helped rescue Biden in 2008 is evacuated from Afghanistan
• What the Future May Hold for the Coronavirus and Us
• Past Pandemics Remind Us Covid Will Be an Era, Not a Crisis That Fades
• Unruly customers threaten economic recovery
• Anti-vax GOP lawmakers are now encouraging people not to work
• Inflation Expected to Stay Above 5% Amid Supply-Chain Woes
• The White House announces steps to try to ease backlogs at U.S. ports (“President Biden will speak to ongoing supply chain problems, as major retailers warn of shortages and price hikes during the upcoming holiday season.”)
• House approves debt limit increase that will last through part of December, sends bill to Biden (Actually, that was House *Democrats*; almost all Republicans voted to default on our debt, which would be disastrous.)
• Democrats Divided Over How Best to Slice Biden’s Economic Agenda
• Biden’s approval rating has fallen. Pollsters say there’s one way to bounce back. (“Voters are looking for a return on what they were promised”)
• As Democrats dither, Biden bleeds out
• Pelosi enters pivotal stretch on Biden agenda
• If the Dems Won’t Act on Climate, We’re Cooked, Environmentalists Say (“Biden’s budget is a ‘once in a generation’ opportunity.”)
• Get the message right, Democrats: The reconciliation bill is about supporting families
• A record number of Americans are quitting their jobs
• 25 years of Fox ‘News’ is nothing to celebrate. No company has done more to inflame partisanship and the pandemic.
• PJM reviews offshore wind transmission offers from PSEG, Anbaric, LS Power, others
• Our National Political Factions Now Fight Brushfire Wars in Local Politics
• The GOP’s ideology doesn’t match economic reality. Just ask one of this year’s Nobel Prize winners.
• Kamala Harris: European colonizers ‘ushered in wave of devastation for tribal nations’ (“Vice-president says ‘epidemic’ of murders of Native women must end in Indigenous People’s Day address”)
• A step-by-step guide to heading off the next coup attempt
• Pressure on January 6 panel ratchets up amid new explosion of Trump election lies
• Evidence of Armed Trump Extremists Continues to Emerge in January 6 Cases (“An Oath Keeper faces gun charges, a defendant reportedly said a Proud Boys leader carried a gun at the Capitol, and more.”)
• Biden administration orders halt to ICE raids at worksites
• Why Abortion May Now Motivate Democrats More Than Republicans
• Republicans would “rather end democracy” than turn away from Trump, says Harvard professor (“Co-author of ‘How Democracies Die’ says the GOP is ready to seize power. But they might not be able to keep it”)
• McConnell gets GOP wake-up call (“The backlash Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (Ky.) received from fellow Republican senators last week is a wake-up call to the GOP leader that he doesn’t have any more political capital to spend on helping Democrats raise the debt limit again, say GOP aides and strategists.”)
• GOP leader’s remarks on Fox underscore Trump’s power (Appalling.)
• The Mississippi Abortion Case Threatens the Right to Use Birth Control, Marry, and Even Make Choices About Sex
• Supreme Court Focuses on Procedure in Kentucky Abortion Case
• Maybe Supreme Court Judges Really Are Driven by Politics
• By Attacking Me, Justice Alito Proved My Point (“If he wants the public to see the Court as apolitical, he should try meeting that standard himself.”)
• The abortion case at the Supreme Court that no one is talking about (“A Kentucky case that presents a major challenge to abortion access has largely flown under the radar.”)
• The corporate state came for human rights lawyer Steven Donziger — and we’re next (“Lawyer who stood up to Chevron gets a crushing lesson in corporate power — and who our judges really serve”)
• Pro-Trump PAC fined over foreign money offer
• Mark Meadows and Laura Ingraham unmask the GOP’s corrupt core (“How the fate of democracy has itself become a partisan issue.”)
• The ‘New York Times of the right’ is … the New York Times
• Southwest, American Airlines Rebuff Texas Gov, Will Comply With Biden Vaccine Mandates (“The airlines said federal law ‘supersedes’ any state action, a blow to Republican Gov. Greg Abbott.”)
• More women are tuning out politics — a danger sign for Democrats in Virginia and beyond
• Democrats scrutinize Pennsylvania congressman’s efforts to help Trump overturn 2020 election
• William Shatner to blast off on Bezos rocket to become oldest person in space (“Famed Star Trek actor, 90, set for real-life leap into the stars”)
• Marine who criticized U.S. handling of Afghanistan withdrawal will plead guilty, seek favorable discharge
• Rep. Jim Jordan’s Anti-Vax Tweet Gets Turned Into A Scathing Reminder Of His Past (“Rep. Eric Swalwell fired off an especially brutal reply to his congressional colleague.”)
• Gabby Petito was strangled to death, Wyoming officials say after autopsy
• Kyrie Irving and his vaccine stance clarified: Why the Nets star has made a decision that will sideline him
• Jon Gruden Is the Fall Guy. But What Else Is the NFL Hiding?
• NFL won’t release more from Washington Football Team investigation despite anger over offensive emails
• Northam, Spanberger say Democrats should stop stalling infrastructure vote
• Buses replace trains on 3 Blue Line stations as Metro investigates derailment
• Listen: Hispanic Residents Report Higher Vaccination Rates In D.C., Virginia
• Democratic voters have another chance to deal a big blow to Trumpism. Will they?
• Terry for Virginia Releases New TV Ad, “Our Rights,” on Glenn Youngkin’s Far Right Agenda to Ban Abortion in Virginia
• Video: New Lincoln Project Ad Rips Glenn Youngkin For Failing to Condemn Anti-Semitic Attacks by VA GOP Candidates, Declares, “Glenn Will Not Replace Us” (“Glenn Youngkin has told us who he is. The question for Virginians is, is this who we are?”)
• Video: On “Morning Joe,” Terry McAuliffe Laid Out The Stakes of This Election, While Glenn Youngkin Continues to Hide
• The AP Interview: McAuliffe wants Democrats to ‘get it done’
• In Addition to Stacey Abrams and First Lady Jill Biden, Former President Obama Coming to Campaign For Terry McAuliffe! (Meanwhile, who’s going to campaign for Glenn Trumpkin? His BFF Ted Cruz? Donald Trump? Ron DeSantis? Marjorie Taylor Greene? Some other extremist scumbag? LOL)
• McAuliffe launches new TV ad and announces Obama visit
• CBS Poll of Virginia: McAuliffe Up 50%-47% Among “Likely Voters”; McAuliffe Up 53%-45% In “Higher Turnout” Scenario (The big challenge: “Youngkin supporters express slightly more enthusiasm about voting than McAuliffe supporters do.”)
• CBS News poll: Vaccine and economy fights driving tight Virginia governor’s race
• NEW: PolitiFact Blasts Glenn Youngkin with “Pants on Fire” for Unhinged Right Wing Conspiracy Theories (“Youngkin’s claim that McAuliffe asked the FBI to go after Virginia parents is deliberately false”)
• PolitiFact VA: Youngkin’s claim that McAuliffe asked the FBI to go after Virginia parents is deliberately false
• The right’s cynical “critical race theory” obsession breaks through in the VA gov race
• The Unlikely Issue Shaping the Virginia Governor’s Race: Schools (“In a tight race, Republicans have been staging ‘Parents Matter’ rallies and tapping into conservative anger over mandates and curriculums.”)
• NEW TV Ad: Terry for Virginia and Everytown Release New Ad Featuring Newport News Sheriff Gabe Morgan
• Federal judge presses AG to weigh in on election calendar. ‘I want him to do his job.’
• Tuesday (10/12) Virginia Data on COVID-19: With Delta Now Dominant, Hospitalizations (1,585) Near Highest Level Since Mid February, 10-Day New Cases (+26,292) Near Highest Since Mid February
• Dominion asks for state approval of plans to extend life of nuclear plants beyond 2050
• Redistricting stalemate may have been inevitable. It doesn’t mean the effort was useless.
• Del. Mark Levine, Who Strongly Opposed the VA Redistricting Amendment: “Sadly, it appears everything I predicted is coming to pass” (“Everyone who advocated for Amendment 1 is at fault here…I was up against millions of dollars in out-of-state Republican spending and some very naive Democrats who didn’t believe me.”)
• Audio: Del Lamont Bagby discusses redistricting and the November elections
• Pamela Northam lends a hand in placing mussels back in the South River
• House of Delegates Candidate’s First Amendment Rights Trampled on at Chesapeake School Board Meeting
• Apex wins appeal to continue planning wind farm in Botetourt County
• Chesapeake School Board Chair pays back excess unemployment benefits; prosecutor says she was ‘dishonest’ or ‘careless’ (“Chesapeake police and a prosecutor in Southampton investigated Chesapeake School Board Chair Victoria Proffitt’s application for unemployment benefits. Proffitt maintained she did nothing wrong and that the overpayment was an error out of her control.”)
• Candidate for state delegate arrested during Chesapeake school board meeting (“Chesapeake police confirmed that Melanie Cornelisse, a Democrat running for Virginia’s 78th House District seat, was charged with trespassing and released on a summons.”)
• Abusing Nancy Reagan’s Image, Dr. Steve Pleickhardt Calls Opponent “Anti-American”
• Hanover parents weigh in on proposed policies for transgender and nonbinary students
• Chesterfield man charged with growing 50-plus pot plants will pay a fine, serve 10 days in jail; case illustrates inconsistencies, confusion in new cannabis law
• Charlotteville Loses Another City Manager (“At the end of a council meeting last week, Mayor Nikuya Walker played part of a telephone call she had secretly recorded with Boyles. Snook says Walker had used that tactic before.” “A number of the counselors made a personal decision many months ago that they weren’t going to talk to the mayor on the phone anymore. I personally did not. I talked to the mayor from time to time, but I also frankly assumed that I was being recorded. Whatever trust anyone may have had in her has vanished.”)
• Democrat says he’s dropped out of 8th District state House race (“Dustin Wimbish was challenging Republican Del. Joe McNamara of Roanoke County.”)
• D.C.-area forecast: Slow to shake the clouds today, but some sunshine late and nice tomorrow