by Lowell
Here are a few national and Virginia news headlines, political and otherwise, for Thursday, January 13.
- I directed Don’t Look Up. When it comes to the climate crisis, the ending is up to us
- Syrian colonel from Assad regime handed life sentence for crimes against humanity
- In a landmark case, a German court convicts an ex-Syrian officer of torture (“The world’s first criminal trial on torture in Syria’s prisons ended Thursday in Koblenz, Germany — the first time a high-ranking ex-Syrian official faced Syrians in open court in a war crimes case.”)
- China faces omicron test weeks ahead of Beijing Olympics
- Heartfelt enough? UK PM Johnson’s future uncertain after party apology
- U.K. ministers are closing ranks around Boris Johnson amid calls for his resignation
- Boris Johnson: Senior Tories urge PM to quit after party apology
- Boris Johnson Has Kicked Off a Tory Battle of Succession
- Portraits of fear and loss: Taliban rule seen through the eyes of four women
- Russia-led bloc starts pulling troops out of Kazakhstan
- Europe at greatest risk of war in 30 years, Poland warns
- Energy Dependence Ties Europe’s Hands in U.S.-Russia Crisis (“Europe gets almost one-third of its natural gas from Russia, limiting its ability to penalize Moscow”)
- In U.S.-Russia Talks Over Ukraine, Kyiv Gets a Voice (“All the parties met at a meeting of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe in Vienna on Thursday, where the organization proposed informal talks that would address ways to reduce military tensions between Russia and the West.”)
- U.S. diplomacy is in full swing. But Ukraine is not out of the woods yet.
- COVID deaths are climbing as cases skyrocket
- Early Signs Suggest Omicron Has Begun to Peak in Parts of the U.S.
- U.S. COVID deaths rising but likely due to Delta, not Omicron, says CDC chief
- Omicron waves appear to slow in New York City, other major metropolitan areas
- Omicron wave prompts media to rethink which data to report
- Calling Omicron ‘Mild’ Is Wishful Thinking (“We are far past the point of hoping this variant will spare us.”)
- Omicron disrupts transit, emergency services as workers call out sick: ‘Most people are going to get Covid’
- 4 states have fewer than 10% of ICU beds left as health care staffing shortages complicate care
- Dr. Fauci and Sen. Rand Paul’s recent tense exchange over Covid sends a message (“The public health expert, forced by the Kentucky senator and the right’s disinformation campaign, chose integrity over the the façade of nonpartisanship.”)
- US consumer prices rise at fastest rate in nearly 40 years
- Highest US inflation in 40 years signals end of ultra-cheap money (“Analysis: the Fed and other central banks have to raise interest rates, but they’d be advised to do it slowly”)
- What neither party will admit about inflation (“There are no painless solutions, and waiting for problems to sort themselves out doesn’t look decisive.”)
- Record number of Americans alarmed about climate crisis, report finds
- Biden administration announces its first offshore wind auction, with more to come
- The Answer Is Blowing In The Wind (“The lease sale in the New York Bight would be the first step in a years-long process to erect offshore wind turbines in the area.”)
- Can insurrectionist enablers be disqualified from office? It’s complicated. (“Answering the question would be a legal battle. But it’s one worth fighting.”)
- Former White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany met with January 6 committee, sources say
- Kevin McCarthy Refuses Interview Request From Jan. 6 Committee (Refer it to the DOJ)
- The top House Republican won’t comply with Jan. 6 panel request to voluntarily testify
- McCarthy’s plot to build the House of Trump
- Trump loyalists form alliance in bid to take over election process in key states (Very dangerous; what is everyone else doing to stop this?!?)
- Former President Barack Obama: We need to follow John Lewis’ example and fight for our democracy
- Schumer finds loophole to advance elections reform package
- Schumer sets up Senate confrontation on voting rights and filibuster
- Durbin says Biden may have gone ‘a little too far’ in Georgia speech (Uh, no.)
- Democrats Plan to Fast-Track Voting Rights Bill, Speeding a Showdown
- History will judge Senate Democrats on voting rights, not Senate rules
- Joe Manchin’s arguments for the filibuster keep getting more ludicrous
- Biden to huddle with Senate Dems as voting bill on brink of defeat
- Republicans lose it after Biden calls to protect voting rights
- McConnell blasts Biden’s voting rights speech as ‘rage and false hysteria’ (McConnell is completely, 100% full of shit.)
- The Supreme Court’s Right Turn Goes Way Beyond Guns and Abortion
- This Kind of Case Is Why Mitch McConnell Was So Ruthless in Seizing Control of the Supreme Court (“Obstruct the legislature and govern through the courts by dismantling the executive’s capacity to make regulatory policy.”)
- A Supreme Court Selected By Big Money Will Rule on Whether Big Money Is Corruptive
- Republicans Sticking With Debunked Capitol Riot Conspiracy Theory (“Ted Cruz and Marjorie Taylor Greene still suggest that feds helped start the riot.” First of all, it wasn’t a “riot,” it was an insurrection/attempted coup. Second, Greene is insane and Cruz is completely cynical.)
- Even after Ted Cruz’s public embarrassment, right-wing media won’t let the facts stop them from spreading debunked January 6 claim
- Abortion grows as priority issue for Democrats: AP-NORC poll
- Eric Trump Can’t Stop, Won’t Stop Gunning for “Dumbest Trump Alive” Title
- Redistricting: Ohio Supreme Court strikes down state House and Senate maps
- Matt Gaetz’s ex-girlfriend testifies to grand jury in sex trafficking probe
- Report: It Sure Sounds Like Matt Gaetz’s Ex-Girlfriend May Be the One to Take Him Down! (“The Florida congressman’s ex has testified before a grand jury re: his alleged sex crimes.”)
- Tucker Carlson sinks lower than Infowars (“Carlson deceptively edited a Twitter clip to make false claims about racial preferences in COVID-19 treatment”)
- Video, Transcript: Governor Northam Delivers Final State of the Commonwealth Address
- In final State of Commonwealth address, Northam looks back on tumultuous tenure
- A divided Virginia General Assembly meets, with outgoing governor cautioning against ‘hyper-partisanship’
- Video: Virginia Senate Democrats Say They Support Targeted Refundable Tax Credit (NOT an Across-the-Board Increase in the Standard Deduction); Will Oppose Any Efforts Aimed at Undermining Public Schools
- Virginia’s incoming governor talks priorities, pandemic response ahead of inauguration
- Video: VA Republican State Senators Are Really Mad at COVID Protection “Cages”; Dem Leader Calls Out Republicans For Not Wearing Masks
- House Republicans hold a press conference ahead of the General Assembly session
- As AG Mark Herring Ends Tremendous 8-Year Run, He Reflects on His Legacy: “I brought a whole new vision for the job, and the results are truly historic” (“I have not been a person to try to exploit people’s fears. Instead, when it comes to criminal justice and meeting our public safety goals, I think they go hand in hand.”)
- Virginia Legislative Black Caucus Announces Its 2022 Agenda
- Virginia’s legislative session has started. Democrats and Republicans will share the power.
- Party leaders talk ‘kitchen table’ priorities as divided government returns to General Assembly
- Weed, taxes and schools: How the 2022 General Assembly could affect you
- General Assembly Republicans go maskless as omicron surges (“The divide sparked more debate over COVID-19 protocols for the 2022 session”)
- Virginia’s first Black woman lieutenant governor says we need to move on from slavery (What on earth does that even mean?)
- Virginia COVID-19 Cases Up a Massive 196,738(!) the Past 10 Days; Cumulative Hospitalizations at 45,375, Deaths at 15,750
- Chap Petersen and Babur Lateef column: It’s time to figure out the endgame for schools
- The cost of conflict in Charlottesville’s city government
- Delegate Mark Levine Files Mandamus Action in Virginia Supreme Court to Force Disclosure of Alleged Misconduct Records of Fairfax District Court Judges
- AG: Virginia Beach police forged DNA evidence presented in court
- Virginia Beach taxpayers on hook for legal costs as city appeals voting rights lawsuit. Councilman wants it to stop.
- $267 million recycling facility coming to Chesapeake, bringing 210 new jobs
- Henrico County declares COVID state of emergency, Colonial Heights Schools goes virtual
- D.C.-area forecast: Tranquil today but turning cold Saturday ahead of Sunday’s winter storm
