Wednesday News: “Putin as chess master: Strong opening but weak endgame in Ukraine”; “Sea level to rise one foot along U.S. coastlines by 2050, government report finds”; “The truth won’t speak for itself”; Youngkin Gaslights at Ft. Monroe

by Lowell

Here are a few national and Virginia news headlines, political and otherwise, for Wednesday, February 16.

• Risk of a Ukraine war spreading in Europe rests on unknowns
• NATO sees no sign Russia is pulling back troops near Ukraine
• Russia says more troops leaving but West awaits proof
• Russia aims to ward off NATO in the event of a Ukraine invasion
• Russia aims to ward off NATO in the event of a Ukraine invasion
• Biden Says Threat to Ukraine Remains, Awaits Russia Pullback
• Why the Threat of More Economic Sanctions May Not Deter Vladimir Putin (“The sanctions under consideration by the U.S. and Europe don’t appear to include two measures that could cause real financial pain for the Russian leader and his associates.”)
• Biden has Putin trapped in a corner. Now comes the hard part.
• Putin as chess master: Strong opening but weak endgame in Ukraine
• While World Watches Russia’s Troop Buildup, Ukraine President Targets Oligarchs
• Biden seeks to shore up his domestic flank in his showdown with Putin
• Oil could vault as high as $150 a barrel, veteran analyst warns, as undersupply meets surging demand
• Canada eyeing ‘no-go’ zones in Ottawa to quell ‘Freedom Convoy’ protests, official says
• Justin Trudeau’s move to end the trucker protest was risky but correct
• Hot tubs, hapless police and a bridge too far for Canada’s Trudeau (“Frustration with the failure of Canadian police to lift blockades at the border and in the capital, along with scenes of protesters lounging in hot tubs near Parliament, ultimately drove Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to seek emergency powers, three sources said on Tuesday.”)
• Iran calls for US ‘political statement’ on commitment to nuclear deal
• Israeli Leader Meets Bahraini Rulers, Signaling Regional Shift
• Israel sends envoy to Vienna as nuclear talks reach crunch time
• E.U. top court ruling could withhold billions from Hungary and Poland for violating rule of law
• What Prince Andrew’s settlement says about wealth and accountability
• Sea level to rise one foot along U.S. coastlines by 2050, government report finds
• New Federal Report Warns of Accelerating Impacts From Sea Level Rise (“The global average sea level is rising 2 inches per decade and speeding up, but in some regions, the rate is more than twice that fast.”)
• California Returns as Climate Leader, With Help From the White House
• The American West Is Not Going Back to How It Was
• Corn-Based Ethanol May Be Worse For the Climate Than Gasoline, a New Study Finds (“Long touted as a renewable fuel emitting 20 percent fewer greenhouse gasses than gasoline, ethanols’ emissions may be 24 percent higher. If verified, one expert said the finding shows ethanol failed spectacularly.” Corn-based ethanol is a disaster in every way. Ditch it.)
• Senate Republicans Block Vote on Biden’s Fed Nominees (Totally irresponsible as usual by Republicans.)
• Brutal new polling on Biden should scare Democrats. But there’s a way out. (“Democrats have put themselves in a political straitjacket. There’s another approach.”)
• Democrats propose foolish policy with little political benefit (“A gas tax holiday would do just about nothing to solve inflation”)
• Critical race theory laws have teachers scared
• What sort of ‘comeuppance’ is in store for Trump? (“Let’s face it. The attorney general will have to pick his fights.”)
• Broadcast news coverage of Trump document scandal should be just the tip of the iceberg (“The former president’s reported mishandling of official government records is a scandal deserving of the months of coverage dedicated to Hillary Clinton’s emails”)
• Court Fight Looms As Questions Swirl Over Trump’s Finances (“New York’s attorney general is seeking to enforce a subpoena that would make Donald Trump answer questions under oath.”)
• Eric Trump Is in the Shitting-Himself Stage of the Trump Org Fraud Investigation (“That’s followed by the “crying on TV” phase, which the former first son appears to be perilously close to.”)
• GOP scrambles to figure out what Trump legal drama means for future
• GOP eyes ambitious agenda if House flips (Very disturbing.)
• States of Denial: A Guide to Some of the GOP’s Most Brazen Attacks on Voting Rights and Elections
• Democracy Is On The Ballot In These 11 Secretary Of State And Attorney General Elections
• GOP culture war attacks ‘alarmingly potent,’ DCCC warns (They worked in Virginia.)
• Republicans Are Still Trying to Buy Trump’s Love
• Capitol attack investigators target Trump circle over fake elector ploy
• Jan. 6 committee subpoenas Trump campaign staffers, GOP operatives who challenged 2020 results in key states
• John Durham and the Right’s Media Paranoia
• The Republican propaganda machine kicks into high gear (“A case study in how a mundane legal filing gets spun up to be ‘worse than Watergate’ through lies and fantasies.”)
• Put John Durham’s Probe on the Shelf Next to Whitewater and Benghazi
• The new ‘spying’ story is clearly not what Trump thinks it is
• Is John Durham Deliberately Stoking Right-Wing Conspiracy Theories? (“His latest filing is fueling Trumpian disinformation.”)
• Eight Republican senators say they oppose ‘no-fly’ list for disruptive passengers because it would equate mask opponents to ‘terrorists’ (WTF??? These people are completely bonkers.)
• The truth won’t speak for itself (“The Democrats can’t trust the press and pundit corps to explain to the American people that democracy as they know it is under assault.”)
• Inside a Massive Human Smuggling Ring Led by US Marines
• Doctor praised by GOP senator tells Alex Jones the pandemic could be ended via bombings and assassinations
• Josh Hawley: ‘It Is Not A Pro-Riot Mug’ (Hawley shouldn’t be in the Senate.)
• Jeff Zucker’s Downfall at CNN: Ethical Lapses and Falling Ratings (And the NY Times leaves out the fact that Zucker helped to elect Trump!)
• Sarah Palin’s Libel Claim Against The Times Is Rejected by a Jury
• S.F. school board recall: Alison Collins, Gabriela López and Faauuga Moliga ousted (“This is what happens when you try to rename the schools in the middle of a pandemic!”)
• Liberal school board gets a lesson in pandemic politics (“The so-called ‘parents’ rights’ movement that’s lifting Republicans’ hopes has some sway even in liberal San Francisco”)
• Video: Sen. Mark Warner Speaks Out Against Russian Aggression Against Ukraine (“What Mr. Putin really fears is that if Ukraine succeeds in building a nation…[with] genuine freedoms…Russians may start to wonder why they have to live in a country where Putin has practically made himself a ‘President for Life'”)
• Sea levels, rainfall and temperatures will keep rising in Virginia, NOAA says in new climate projections
• Governor’s racial miscue could’ve been ignored but for his campaign rhetoric (Youngkin “helped nurture a climate of division in the way he ran for governor last year, ginning up White voters by demonizing what’s being taught in K-12 classrooms.” And now, he’s pushing those policies.)
• From Bad To Worse Here’s Governor Youngkin’s First Month of Failures (“Hang on Virginia…we’re in for a bumpy ride”)
• Commentary: Youngkin sheds moderate image in first month (The main reason why he had a “moderate image” is massive failure by the media, particularly the Washington Post’s reporters, plus Youngkin’s dishonest TV ads.)
• [UPDATED with Video] Late Last Night, the VA House GOP “reject[ed] every HB787 amendment that would ensure accurate history—the good & the bad—can be taught” (“Gotta make sure that base knows how racist, sexist and homophobic y’all are”)
• Editorial: ‘Divisive concepts’ debate sends clear message to Virginia teachers, and it’s all for show (“Teachers are watching as lawmakers seek to declare as ‘unlawful’ instruction of certain concepts. And that will have unintended and unpredictable consequences.” Weird editorial; why do the Virginian-Pilot and Daily Press think this is just “for show” and that the consequences are “unintended?” Weird and seemingly naive.)
• ICYMI: House GOP Votes Against the Teaching of Nearly a Dozen Historical Events & Figures (The “Lost Cause of the Confederacy,” the The “Three-Fifths Compromise,” the U.S. Supreme Court decision Obergefell v. Hodges, etc.)
• Halftime: Where Do Virginia Senate Democrats Stand? (“Youngkin has sought to divide, but Senate Democrats remain steadfast in challenging the status quo and helping those who need it the most.”)
• Virginia Senate approves March 1 mask deadline
• Va. Gov. Youngkin seeks to make masks in schools optional by March 1, pending legislative approval
• GOP-Controlled House Passes Bill to Repeal Historic Collective Bargaining Legislation for Public Service Workers
• After nominee standoff, Youngkin is poised to appoint a majority on the Virginia Board of Education (“The move could provide the governor with a way to shape education policy without the General Assembly”)
• Commentary: Miyares has been anything but an umpire, and instead has acted as a hitter with a corked bat
• Virginia General Assembly session hits midpoint with House, Senate on markedly different paths
• They can only pass what the other chamber allows
• Effort to move up commercial marijuana sales moves forward in Senate, but future is hazy in the House
• House passes two bills that would put some restrictions on abortions
• Activists and health experts call for greater oversight of plants emitting cancer-causing pollutants in Virginia
• Virginia Republicans risk overreach in rolling back criminal justice reforms
• First-term House delegates talk about first month in Richmond (Wren Williams and Marie March are insurrectionists/extremists.)
• 10-Day New COVID-19 Cases Down 79% Compared to 1/19; Hospitalizations Continue Declining; Deaths Remain High
• Virginia community solar program a first for state’s municipal utility customers (“Harrisonburg Electric Commission is partnering with its power supplier, Dominion Energy, on a solar subscription program. Customers will be able to lock in an electricity price a few cents higher than the standard rate.”)
• Board Sends Loudoun Redistricting Map to Final Review
• Alexandria city manager proposes budget focused on reversing cuts, boosting pay for city employees
• D.C.-area forecast: Warming up today and tomorrow; gusty showers possible tomorrow night