Friday News: “Russian troops use rape as ‘an instrument of war'”; Biden Issues Earth Day Executive Order; McCarthy, McConnell and “the rot at the heart of Trump’s Republican Party”; “Obama points finger at tech companies for disinformation”

by Lowell

Here are a few international, national and Virginia news headlines, political and otherwise, for Friday, April 22.

• Opinion: If we want to solve climate change, businesses need to invest in our planet 
• Yes, you can actually do something about climate change (“The latest UN report looks at bigger solutions than choosing solar energy and a plant-based diet.”)
• Australia will miss its weak 2030 emissions reduction targets, new data shows (This crap is what you get with right-wing mis-governance.)
• Taiwan’s ‘biggest offshore wind farm’ generates its first power
• Analysis: As Europe Approves New Tech Laws, the U.S. Falls Further Behind
• E.U. Takes Aim at Social Media’s Harms With Landmark New Law (“Tech companies would be compelled to set up new policies and procedures to remove flagged hate speech, terrorist propaganda and other material defined as illegal by countries within the European Union. The law aims to end an era of self-regulation in which tech companies set their own policies about what content could stay up or be taken down.”)
• Shanghai’s Covid Lockdown Leads to Logistics Disarray, With Quarantined Truckers, Piled-Up Containers
• Russia plans to hold sham independence vote in southern Ukraine, Zelenskiy says
• Ukraine disputes Russian claim to control Mariupol (“The situation at the steel plant in the port city is ‘close to a catastrophe,’ as Ukraine says no evacuation corridors have been agreed to for today”)
• Ukraine Latest: General Says Kremlin Seeks Full Control of South
• Mariupol: ‘We have wounded and dead inside the bunkers’
• Russian gains in east only temporary – Zelensky
• New mass grave points to war crimes in Mariupol, Ukrainian officials say
• Is the Russian Military a Paper Tiger? (“At a critical juncture in the war in Ukraine, logistical miscalculations and poor planning have revealed key weaknesses in Putin’s armed forces.”)
• Potential mass grave near Mariupol shown in satellite images
• Why the Battle for Donbas Could Be Another Debacle for Russia (“Tired troops. Muddy terrain. Well-armed Ukrainians. The war’s new stage may be a challenge for Putin’s forces.”)
• For Civilians Trapped in Mariupol, Fleeing Can Be as Risky as Staying
• Russian forces accused of secret burials of Mariupol civilians in mass graves
• Russian troops use rape as ‘an instrument of war’ in Ukraine, rights groups allege
• Are Biden and Putin agreeing on limits to the war? Just read their statements.
• White House brings on retired three-star general to help coordinate Ukraine assistance (“Two administration officials say Terry Wolff recently joined the National Security Council to help coordinate the security assistance the US and partners are providing to Ukraine. Wolff is a retired three-star general and Army armor officer, with experience at the Pentagon, Joint Staff, State Department and the NSC.”)
• Seven die in fire at Russia defence institute – reports (“Fire at a weapons research facility in Tver was followed hours later by reports of a blaze at key chemical plant in Kineshma”)
• Why Marine Le Pen Is So Close to Power (“The French mainstream has failed to counter the far right’s pessimism about the state of the country. Americans are making the same mistake.”)
• The French Far Right Comes on Little Cat Feet (“After years of seeing Marine Le Pen as a dangerous extreme, many voters now see her as a politician like any other.”)
• Marine Le Pen is showcasing the weakness of the far right
• Plunge in China’s Markets Intensifies as Yuan Hits One-Year Low
• Biden to issue Earth Day order to safeguard old-growth forests
• Climate Rallies Planned for White House and Across U.S.
• Biden Earth Day action targets protecting old-growth forests from wildfires, climate change
• Legislative setbacks plague Biden’s climate goals
• 10 recent climate policies that could make a difference (“Stories from the past six months that show what local and national policy change can look like.”)
• Powell says taming inflation ‘absolutely essential,’ and a 50 basis point hike possible for May
• Biden To Blame GOP For Nation’s Woes As Midterms Loom
• Democrats Urge Final Push on Stalled Agenda to Limit Possible Midterm Losses
• The Supreme Court rules that cruel laws must still be enforced (“The Court’s decision is a tremendous, if not unexpected, blow to poor Puerto Ricans.”)
• Nearly a quarter of U.S. covid deaths probably could have been prevented
• Democrats, You Can’t Ignore the Culture Wars Any Longer
• Not all Republicans are enemies of democracy. But some are. (The top-rated comment on this article is as follows: “Unfortunately, the title of this article is all wrong. Any Republican who remains in the party under these circumstances is, by their support of the party, an enemy of democracy. Full stop.”)
• Obama points finger at tech companies for disinformation in major speech
• Scoop: DHS chief concerned about lifting Title 42
• Audio contradicts McCarthy’s denial that he considered asking Trump to resign after Capitol riot
• Audio contradicts House minority leader’s claim that he did not push for Trump to resign
• Audio: McCarthy said he would urge Trump to resign
• “Take Care of the Son of a Bitch”: McConnell and McCarthy Talked a Big Game About Dumping Trump After January 6, Then Did Nothing Like the Cowards They Are (“Republican leaders went from privately demanding Trump’s removal to publicly rolling over and letting Trump control the party.”)
• McCarthy said he would urge Trump to resign after Jan. 6, new audio reveals
• McConnell and McCarthy Can’t Quit Trump
• Kevin McCarthy, Mitch McConnell and the rot at the heart of Trump’s Republican Party
• The McChickens—McConnell and McCarthy—Folded
• Kevin McCarthy’s Trump Denial Falls Apart In Hours With Release Of New Audio
• Harris selects new chief of staff as top aide departs White House
• Hostilities between two far-right leaders emerge as a line of inquiry for Jan. 6 committee
• FBI says Proud Boy tried to derail Jan. 6 investigating by menacing agent
• Jan. 6 committee’s bombshells hiding in plain sight
• Donald Trump Jr. expected to meet with Jan. 6 committee: Sources
• Musk Wants Free Speech on Twitter After Spending Years Silencing Critics
• Elon Musk Enters His Rupert Murdoch Phase (“Twitter is more powerful than any rocket or car he’ll build. Now wonder he wants it so bad.”)
• What is “social emotional learning” — and how did it become the right’s new CRT panic? (“Right-wing culture warriors’ new obsession: Widespread ‘life skills’ approach is actually sinister ‘Trojan horse'”)
• What the parade of GOP sexual misconduct allegations really tells us (“The party accusing everyone of being ‘groomers’ shows where its principles are, and aren’t.”)
• Two of Bannon’s co-defendants plead guilty to ‘We Build the Wall’ fraud
• Stunned lawmakers want investigation after air stunt prompts Capitol evacuation
• N.Y. House Districts Illegally Favor Democrats, Appeals Court Rules
• Florida Democrats shut down state House over DeSantis-drawn congressional map
• Ron DeSantis’s war on Disney points to an ominous GOP future (“If you think the GOP culture-warring is bad now, just wait.”)
• DeSantis vs. Disney: Homophobia and hate are beneath the surface of high-minded, right-wing talking points
• A Look Inside the Textbooks That Florida Rejected
• Florida taxpayers could face a $1 billion Disney debt bomb if its special district status is revoked
• Florida legislature approves end of Disney’s special status
• CNN to shutter $100 million streaming service, CNN Plus, after a month
• Inside the chaotic collapse of CNN+
• CNN+ Is Shutting Down One Month After Launch
• In March, “Libs of TikTok” was the top Twitter user amplifying anti-LGBTQ hate. Now, these attacks are exploding online.
• Tucker Carlson is more extreme than ever a year into his expanded role at Fox Nation (“Carlson has cemented his role at the heart of Fox News by ratcheting up his bigotry”)
• Mike Lee is hiding. For good reason. (“If Lee acted in accordance with his oath, he should have no problem taking questions from reporters.”)
• Sen. Barrett fundraising ask claims ‘your child’ is scheduled for gender reassignment surgery (The Republican Party has gone completely off the deep end.)
• Kentucky abortion law blocked in win for clinics
• How One Florida Woman With Twitter Problems Plunged Us Into a Nightmarish National Conversation About “Grooming”
• Sen. Kaine stops by Virginia Tech to see proposal for “Build Back Better Regional Challenge”
• The ONE Math Textbook Company Deemed Acceptable in Ron DeSantis’ Florida, “Accelerate Learning,” Was Acquired by Youngkin’s Carlyle Group in 2018 (Tallahassee Democrat: “The first thing Youngkin did as governor of Virginia was sign an executive order to ‘end the use of inherently divisive concepts, including critical race theory, and restoring excellence in K-12 public education in the commonwealth,’ a measure that’s comparable to DeSantis’ ‘Stop WOKE Act.'”)
• Glenn Youngkin’s Push To Ban Accurate History is About Making Money for The Carlyle Group (“Youngkin owns 6.7 million shares of stock in The Carlyle Group. While he may not work there anymore, when The Carlyle Group profits, Glenn Youngkin does too.”)
• Youngkin eyeing national politics, while Va. business remains delayed
• Why Glenn Youngkin’s rough start in Virginia matters
• ‘They can’t resist’: Youngkin extending political reach nationally
• Va. Supreme Court shields records on suspension of judge at center of Parole Board controversy
• Why Virginia officials ruled the Parole Board leaks don’t count as whistleblowing
• Del. Irene Shin “Furious” That Youngkin’s Amendment of Her Bill Protecting Outward Expressions of Religious Faith Would “create legal protections for discriminatory and bigoted policies, acts and beliefs under the guise of religion”
• Opinion: Rising tide of offshore wind could lift all boats
• Pope & Schapiro: Virginia’s reconvene session and what to expect
• Sponsor says governor’s amendment is the exact opposite of religious expression bill’s intent
• Despite pandemic’s hit on supply chains, business is booming at the Port of Virginia
• Port of Virginia in midst of major upgrades
• Virginia 10-Day New COVID-19 Cases Down 94% Compared to 1/19; Hospitalizations Down to 165 From ~4,000 in January
• Gooditis commends voter registrars following difficult elections
• Hanover students continue Virginia’s history of student protests (“LGBTQ students in Hanover County feel discriminated against and are organizing walkouts and protests to make their concerns public.”)
• Ex-Norfolk Treasurer Anthony Burfoot, free from federal prison, continues to fight 2016 corruption conviction
• The erosion of excellence at Thomas Jefferson High School (Written by one of the Republican candidates in VA10. This is a guy who believes that “government needs to stay out of our businesses, out of our homes, out of our churches, away from our children and away from our guns”)
• D.C.-area forecast: Sunny 70s today and Saturday, then very warm Sunday