Wednesday News: “Pentagon looks to vastly expand weapons for Ukraine”; “Biden calls Russia’s war in Ukraine a ‘genocide’”; Andy Parker Fails to Make Ballot in VA05; Insurrectionist Ginni Thomas Endorses Yesli Vega for VA07; “It’s tit for tat and (the governor) wants to continue that war with us”

by Lowell

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

• World Doesn’t Need More Energy to End Poverty, Study Says (Using energy efficiently is crucial.)
• Study finds high energy use provides little benefit for health and well-being in richer nations
• The race to roll out ‘super-sized’ wind turbines is on
• Ocean Warming Doubles Odds for Extreme Atlantic Hurricane Seasons
• Covid-19 may be hastening democracy’s demise (“Trust is at an all-time low. Covid made it worse.”)
• These Dreadful Days (“If it feels like the vibe shifted to existential despair, you’re not alone. But it won’t always be this way.”)
• Human rights and democracy eroding worldwide, U.S. finds
• Analysis: China’s widening COVID curbs threaten global supply chain paralysis
• Ukraine says potent Russian hack against power grid thwarted
• Biden calls Russia’s war in Ukraine a ‘genocide’
• Pentagon looks to vastly expand weapons for Ukraine (“The Biden administration is poised to dramatically expand the scope of weapons it’s providing Ukraine, U.S. officials said Tuesday, with the Pentagon looking to send Mi-17 helicopters that can be equipped to attack Russian vehicles, armored Humvees and a range of other arms.”)
• U.S. Prepares Massive New Surge of Military Aid to Ukraine
• Land mines create a deadly legacy for Ukraine and possibly beyond
• This Is the War’s Decisive Moment (“The United States and its allies can tip the balance between a costly success and a calamity.”)
• Photos Indicate Russian Looting of Radioactive Materials from Ukraine’s Chernobyl
• US, allies aim to force Russia to shift money away from war
• Vladimir Kara-Murza’s arrest is spurious. The dictatorship is real
• Polish, Baltic presidents head to Ukraine in show of support
• Washington Post columnist arrested in Moscow after criticizing Putin
• Residents of a devastated Chernihiv ponder their future after a Russian siege ends
• When Russian troops arrived, their relatives disappeared (“How Russia is using abductions to control occupied parts of Ukraine.” Putin’s Russia should never be allowed back into the community of nations.)
• Ukraine’s Zelenskiy mocks Putin for saying war is going to plan
• Russia keeps losing wars because of its dysfunctional military culture
• Putin Vows To Continue Bloody Offensive In Ukraine Until Russia’s Goals Are Met
• More than 1,000 Ukraine marines surrender in key port of Mariupol, says Russia
• Russia has yet to slow a Western arms express into Ukraine
• Ukrainian fighter pilots in old jets take on better-equipped Russians (“Pilots say they are ‘just targets’ in Soviet-era MiG-29s and want allies to send newer planes.”)
• Russia’s Oil Industry, Linchpin of Economy, Feels Sting of Ukraine War Disruptions
• Why Russia Wants Control Over Ukraine (“Russia is persevering in its war in Ukraine despite setbacks, sanctions and condemnation from many countries. WSJ’s Ann Simmons explains why deep cultural and political ties, its strategic location and potential resources have made the former Soviet Republic a target for Moscow.”)
• Last fighters defend Mariupol as Russia says troops surrender
• Russia Faces Hard-to-Verify Claims of Chemical Weapons Use in Mariupol
• Ukraine announces arrest of Putin ally in ‘lightning-fast’ operation (“Viktor Medvedchuk had escaped house arrest on treason charges days after the Russian invasion of Ukraine”)
• Macron and Biden Have Same Problem: Getting the Left to Vote
• Partygate fines: Are Boris Johnson and Rishi Sunak finished?
• Boris Johnson Pays Up for Partygate (“The U.K. prime minister faced personal repercussions along with his spouse and the chancellor of the exchequer related to lockdown parties earlier in the pandemic.”)
• Four lessons from France on how to defend democracy (“Finally, pro-democracy parties cannot defeat authoritarian-minded, right-wing nationalists unless they put aside relatively small differences to form broad coalitions.”)
• U.S. Reached Its Highest Death Total Ever In 2021 ― And COVID Is To Blame
• Why Biden’s pandering trip to the ‘heartland’ is worthwhile (“Come bow down to the great corn god.” Ugh.)
• From DeSantis to Manafort to Eastman, GOP audacity is a marvel (“To the question ‘Can we get away with this?’ their answer is always ‘Why not?'”)
• Surprise: Trump and His Cronies Are Still Actively Trying to Overturn the 2020 Election
• Trump ‘authorized’ assault on Capitol, Jan. 6 defendant argues at trial
• In Conference Call Before Riot, a Plea to ‘Descend on the Capitol’ (“Days before Jan. 6, a onetime aide to Roger J. Stone Jr. told Trump backers to make lawmakers meeting to finalize the 2020 election results feel that ‘people are breathing down their necks.'”)
• Top Trump White House lawyers scheduled for Jan. 6 interview
• Rudy Giuliani unlocks phones for prosecutors in Ukraine-related lobbying probe
• Another Trump hate rally: The threats get worse, and polite America turns away
• Trump bashes Pennsylvania GOP governor candidate for not working to steal 2020 election
• Democrats still want to get Joe Manchin to ‘yes.’ Don’t count on it. (“He was given what he wanted before. Now will he take it?”)
• How to explain Tim Scott? (“Tim Scott, who profits from gains in his right-wing world; and, Tim Scott, lost soul running his God-given race.”)
• McConnell: ‘Actually possible’ for GOP to screw up midterms with ‘unacceptable’ candidates
• Dr. Oz Isn’t the Cure for Trump’s Endorsement Woes (“Trump’s support for the TV doctor in Pennsylvania’s senate race has sparked a backlash in MAGA-land — adding to concerns about his 2022 endorsements.”)
• House G.O.P., Banding Together, Kills Bid to Honor Pioneering Black Judge
• Dems return to law-and-order politics
• Why So Many Conservatives Are Talking About ‘Grooming’ All Of A Sudden (“Casting LGBTQ people as child predators and their very existence as something inherently sexual was a tactic used by anti-LGBTQ activists since the 1970s in their efforts to stifle or roll back LGBTQ legal protections…what’s being normalized here isn’t grooming; it’s the use of homophobic rhetoric and conspiracy theory language. And it’s intended not to protect children but to advance political causes and slander political enemies.”)
• Lt. Gov. Benjamin Resigns Following Campaign Finance Indictment
• A Morning of Horror in New York City’s Subway (“During rush hour in Sunset Park, at least ten people were shot, five of whom were critically injured, and six others were treated for smoke inhalation, shrapnel, and shock.”)
• Gunman Fires 33 Times in Brooklyn Subway Attack, Shooting 10 Riders, Police Say; Person of Interest Identified
• Frank James, the man being sought by police, left a trail of troubling videos online.
• The New York Times Stopped Looking for Conservatives in Diners and Just Built Their Own (They really, really need new leadership at that paper, starting with a replacement for their horrible executive editor.)
• Kemp signs bill allowing people to carry handguns without a license in Georgia into law (What could possibly go wrong, huh?)
• Elon Musk sued by investor over delayed Twitter filing
• CNN+ struggles to lure viewers in its early days, drawing fewer than 10,000 daily users
• Commanders kept ‘two sets of books,’ letter alleges
• If the NFL Lets Washington’s Owner Get Away With This, He’ll Be There Forever
• Pence draws cheers, few protests at U-Va. after debate over speech (“The former vice president’s speech was billed as, ‘How to Save America from the Woke Left'” Pence is smarmy, a liar, vapid, bigoted, extreme…just a horrible person.)
• Pence rejects trans swimmer Lia Thomas’ NCAA victory, says Emma Weyant won
• Metro is sliding toward a budgetary cliff
• Throneburg claims Democratic nomination in 5th congressional district (“Parker disqualified after failing to submit enough petitions, weighs legal options.” That’s Campaign 101 stuff right there; you HAVE TO get way more than enough signatures to make sure you’ll be on the ballot!)
• Ginni Thomas endorses Yesli Vega in crowded Virginia GOP primary
• Democrats ‘stunned’ as Youngkin vetoes 25 bipartisan bills — including 3 from Hampton Roads lawmakers (“It’s tit for tat and (the governor) wants to continue that war with us,” Sen. Creigh Deeds said. “He doesn’t want to talk and have conversations and figure out how to govern or move forward.”)
• Here Are Youngkin’s (Pathetic/Absurd) Rationales for Why He Vetoed a Bunch of Non-Controversial, Overwhelmingly Bipartisan Bills
• Virginia Democrats Rip Gov. Glenn Youngkin For Bringing the Far-Right, Anti-Public-Schools, Betsy DeVos Agenda to Virginia (“[McKenzie] Snow’s time in the Trump administration was spent abetting racial and gender identity discrimination in America’s schools”)
• With slew of vetoes, Youngkin plays ‘hardball’ with Democrats
• Seven ways Youngkin is trying to make his mark on General Assembly bills
• Surovell: Va. budget process should not be guided by reckless promises
• Hemp, marijuana advocates push back against Youngkin crackdown
• Youngkin vetoes bipartisan bills while stoking political rancor
• The debate over police use of facial recognition technology isn’t over
• Loudoun County Leaders “Strongly Object to Governor Youngkin’s Amendment” to Force School Board Elections a Year Early, Call it “attempt to…subvert our democracy”
• Virginia 10-Day New COVID-19 Cases Down 95% Compared to 1/19; Hospitalizations Down to 155 From ~4,000 in January
• A new avenue for worker success in Virginia’s Southwest (“Four community colleges in Southwest Virginia have signed agreement to train workers for wind energy supply chain.”)
• After The Deluge: Court Cases Go from Bad to Worse for Mountain Valley Pipeline (“These are not biblical times. There is no Noah. And there will be no ark to save us if the climate emergency is not halted in its tracks.”)
• Mountain Valley Pipeline Wins Key Federal Approval (“The project still faces other regulatory hurdles. Earlier this year, a federal appeals court threw out other federal permits the pipeline needs to move forward.”)
• Adam’s Law, requiring hazing prevention training in college, is signed into law
• Henrico County Board of Supervisors approve budgets, lower real estate tax rate
• Editorial: Emphasize cooperation (“The departure of police chiefs in Norfolk and Chesapeake will mean an abrupt change for the region, given how close law enforcement agencies must work together.”)
• D.C.-area forecast: Soaring into the 80s today; a few storms possible tomorrow