Friday News: “Orban at CPAC brings the ‘far-right international’ into focus”; “Democrats score a major victory with Sinema”; “The GOP is sick. It didn’t start with Trump — and won’t end with him.”; “Yesli Vega questions whether liberal states’ abortion laws are ‘acceptable’”

by Lowell

Here are a few international, national and Virginia news headlines, political and otherwise, for Friday, August 5.

• Revealed: how climate breakdown is supercharging toll of extreme weather
• IMF tells Europe to let consumers bear the brunt of higher bills to encourage energy saving
• “Momentous:” Labor begins process to declare Australia’s first offshore wind zone
• 3 more ships with grain depart Ukraine ports under UN deal
• Ukraine wants shipping safe passage deal extended beyond grain
• Russia is ready to discuss prisoner swap with US after Griner conviction
• Conservative media figures continue to attack WNBA star Brittney Griner following her nine-year sentence in Russia
• China Sends Warships Near Taiwan, Cuts Off Defense Talks With US (Dangerous and completely unnecessary.)
• China Announces Sanctions on Nancy Pelosi Over Taiwan Trip
• China halts climate, military ties over Pelosi Taiwan visit (Wild overreaction.)
• Furious China fires missiles near Taiwan in drills after Pelosi visit
• U.S. orders aircraft carrier to remain in the region amid China-Taiwan tensions
• U.S. Delays Minuteman III Missile Test Amid Tensions Over Taiwan
• Response to Pelosi’s Taiwan Visit Mocked on China’s Social Media
• South Korean president snubs Nancy Pelosi as China tensions rise
• Pelosi says China “will not isolate Taiwan” as drills ramp up near island
• Blinken: China military drills are ‘significant escalation’
• China’s military drills around Taiwan show how it is closing the gap with the U.S.
• Orbán urges Christian nationalists in Europe and US to ‘unite forces’ at CPAC
• Orban at CPAC brings the ‘far-right international’ into focus
• Viktor Orbán’s racism not a deal breaker for the right in the U.S.
• Amid ‘mixed race’ speech blowback, Orban echoes Trump in Dallas
• Why are conservatives welcoming Hungary’s divisive Viktor Orban at CPAC? (Because they are fascists, obviously!)
• Guatemalan authorities fear truth. So they arrested José Rubén Zamora.
• As monkeypox strikes gay men, officials debate warnings to limit partners
• The US Climate Bill Could Make Now the Best Time to Go Solar
• Summers warns of `economic distress’ as Fed’s Powell holds out hope
• Cooling U.S. Labor Market Weighed by Fed Hike, Inflation
• How Republicans Are ‘Weaponizing’ Public Office Against Climate Action (It should be an automatic disqualifier for even considering any Republican candidate who is a climate denier or minimizer.)
• The GOP is sick. It didn’t start with Trump — and won’t end with him.
• Climate bill could slash US emissions by 40% – if Democrats can pass it (“Inflation Reduction Act could put US within striking distance of Biden’s goal of halving emissions by 2030, analysis suggests”)
• First on CNN: Top economists say Democrats’ health care and climate package will put ‘downward pressure on inflation’
• Democrats score a major victory with Sinema (“Sen. Kyrsten Sinema offered critical support for Biden’s domestic agenda after party leaders agreed to change new tax proposals at her request”)
• Sinema Agrees to Climate and Tax Deal, Clearing the Way for Votes
• Democrats, Sinema reach deal on Inflation Reduction Act, after key changes to tax policies
• The Climate Deal is Money in the (Snow) Bank as West Dries Out (“Maybe politicians are starting to realize there’s no future in a constituency of sand and scorpions.”)
• Senate sets up first vote Saturday on Schumer-Manchin deal
• Democrats in Congress Have Started to Win Back Voters’ Trust
• Why criticism of Democrats for boosting radical Trumpists is wrong (“Don’t weep for Peter Meijer. Republicans are getting the candidates they want, and the voters are seeing the real stakes.”)
• 4,500 Tips About Kavanaugh Sexual Assault Were Punted to Trump White House, FBI Director Admits
• FBI Director: White House Guided Probe into Brett Kavanaugh’s Background
• Republicans Flail and Fail on Taxes
• Former Vice President Dick Cheney rips ‘coward’ Trump in election ad for daughter Liz
• Exclusive: Trump lawyers in talks with Justice Department about January 6 criminal probe
• Cheney says DOJ not prosecuting Trump if there’s evidence could call into question the US as ‘nation of laws’
• What The Pro-Abortion Rights Win In Kansas Means For Other Elections
• Republicans Begin Adjusting to a Fierce Abortion Backlash
• Red states, don’t expect your forced-birth laws to go unchallenged (“Be prepared to defend your laws in court — and in November.”)
• A stunning GOP losing streak since Dobbs could remake the midterm landscape (“There is no place for Republicans, who have made abortion extremism their signature issue, to hide.”)
• Democrats Are Starting to See a Path to Victory in November (“Strategists are hoping to craft a winning midterms message and build momentum off recent political victories and Republican overreach on issues like abortion.”)
• “This Is Probably Bad for Former President Trump”: The DOJ Does Not Appear to Be F–king Around
• Trump likely to be criminally charged in DOJ election probe along with other former White House officials, Obama AG Holder says
• A Copy of Alex Jones’ Cellphone Will Be Turned Over to the January 6 Committee ‘Immediately’
• Alex Jones trial verdict: Jury awards $4.1 million in first phase of Sandy Hook case (“In the next phase of the trial to begin Friday morning, jurors will be asked to issue punitive damages that are intended as punishment after hearing testimony from the parents’ economic expert on the net worth of Jones and his company, Free Speech Systems.”)
• Alex Jones is shocked that lies have consequences
• Kari Lake, Trump-backed election denier, wins GOP primary in Arizona governor’s race
• The Trumpists are winning. Here are 3 hidden reasons to fear them. (“No more mealy-mouthed euphemisms about what this movement really represents.”)
• The Memo: Trump’s TV stars pose problems for the GOP
• Fox News mentions of Donald Trump this year far outpace those of Mike Pence or Ron DeSantis (“Overall, Trump has been mentioned 5 times more than Pence and DeSantis combined”)
• The ludicrous idea that Trump is losing his grip on the GOP (“Somehow, people are still underestimating Donald Trump.”)
• Here’s What School Covid Policies Should Look Like This Year
• DOJ charges current, former police officers in connection with raid that killed Breonna Taylor
• Twitter says Musk is ‘conjuring’ excuse to escape takeover deal (“Twitter rebuts billionaire’s lawsuit and his arguments for abandoning the takeover as legal standoff heats up”)
• Analysis: Banks are Twitter-deal escape hatch that Musk would struggle with
• Ron DeSantis Shows His True Colors: Tin-Pot Tyrant
• DeSantis removes Hillsborough County State Attorney Andrew Warren (That’s Glenn Youngkin’s role model governor.)
• POLL: Tim Ryan Leads J.D. Vance 49% to 38% Among Likely Voters in Ohio’s U.S. Senate Race (Let’s hope this poll is accurate but assume it’s too optimistic.)
• After a temporary banishment, Rep. Matt Gaetz is once again a Fox News star despite his situation only getting worse
• Video: Sen. Tim Kaine Says He’s “very glad to vote for the [Inflation Reduction Act]”; Is “very confident we’re going to get to a good place hopefully by the end of the weekend”
• Yesli Vega questions whether liberal states’ abortion laws are ‘acceptable’ (What’s not “acceptable” is…yep, Yesli Vega!)
• Video: Rep. Elaine Luria (D-VA02) Campaign Releases Third TV Ad, Highlights Jen Kiggans’ Abortion Extremism (Kiggans “applauded the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade”; “claimed that ending access to abortion was her motivation to run for office”)
• Conservative group threatens lawsuit after being told it can’t publish Virginia’s voter rolls
• Pope & Schapiro: Kansas abortion vote, Youngkin listening tour and classroom cameras
• Appalachian Voices sues state over release of carbon market document
• Audio: In Nearly 6-Minute Rant, Right-Wing Virginia Radio Host Rips Glenn Youngkin, Says There’s a “pattern…developing with Gov. Youngkin that he doesn’t back up his own people” (Criticism comes after resignation of Youngkin appointees Ann McLean, Casey Flores; (mild) rebuke of public health director who said ”If you say racism, you’re blaming White people”)
• Data limitations are making it harder to detect when COVID-19 is surging in Virginia
• Day After Swastika-Shaped-Logo Controversy, Hanover School Board to Consider Policy Requiring Extensive Background Check for a Transgender Student to Use the Bathroom (The proposal would also give the right-wing School Board “final authority to approve or deny” requests.)
• Monkeypox declared public health emergency by federal health officials, while Virginia’s response remains unclear
• Two weeks after Buchanan County flood, ‘the hardest part is getting ready to happen’
• Segregation patterns dating back to 1930s remain in Norfolk public housing, report says. Here are the proposed solutions.
• Family decries police shooting of man in Va., as footage is released (“The parents of Jasper Aaron Lynch said his fatal shooting by a Fairfax County officer ‘cannot be justified.’”)
• D.C.-area forecast: Late-day storms possible through the weekend as humidity stays high