Thursday News: “War in Ukraine Likely to Speed Shift to Clean Energy, I.E.A. Says,” But We Need to Move Even Faster; “US economy likely returned to growth last quarter”; “The Federal Courts Are Out of Control Right Now”; “Elaine Luria put democracy over politics. Will voters reward her?”

by Lowell

Here are a few international, national and Virginia news headlines, political and otherwise, for Thursday, October 27.

• IEA says clean energy investment may exceed $2 trillion a year by 2030 — but it’s not enough (“Despite this increase, the IEA repeated its assertion that clean energy investment would still need to hit over $4 trillion by 2030 in its Net Zero Emissions by 2050 Scenario.”)
• Carbon emissions from energy to peak in 2025 in ‘historic turning point’, says IEA (That’s a few decades later than they should have peaked.)
• Report: Global crises can speed up move to clean energy
• War in Ukraine Likely to Speed Shift to Clean Energy, I.E.A. Says
• Wind and solar smash production records, but old fossils keep energy prices high
• The world is failing its emissions test (“Greenhouse gas emissions need to halve by 2030. They’re on track to rise.”)
• Russian tactics in east Ukraine ‘crazy’ – Zelensky
• UN: 207 Ukraine cultural sites damaged during Russian invasion
• Putin Repeats Unsupported ‘Dirty Bomb’ Claim, Fueling Fears of Escalation
• Abandoned Russian base holds secrets of retreat in Ukraine
• Griner faces difficult conditions at Russian penal colony, former prisoners and advocates say (Putin is evil.)
• Bolsonaro’s campaign relies on ‘secret budget’ payoffs to win Brazil’s election
• Britain’s New Leader Faces a Tough Winter
• Can Rishi Sunak Save the Tories from Total Collapse?
• Videos show Iranian teen protester’s final hours
• Iran protests rage as thousands defy security forces
• As protests rock Iran, its most feared security force is lying in wait
• EXPLAINER: Israeli election could yield familiar outcome
• Italy’s fascist past under scrutiny a century after putsch
• Exclusive: China denounces “despicable” bill to sanction Xi in angry email
• Analysis: Xi’s new generals offer cohesion over possible Taiwan plans
• Jared Kushner Had a Friendly Little Reunion With His Saudi Pals (the Ones Who Gave Him a $2 Billion Check)
• US economy likely returned to growth last quarter
• Whether gas prices are up or down, don’t blame or thank the president (And yet people do…)
• The Federal Courts Are Out of Control Right Now (“A flurry of radical decisions by Republican-appointed judges shows who really rules this country.”)
• The Supreme Court Is Headed for a Self-Imposed Voting Caseload Disaster (“On December 7, the Supreme Court will hear oral argument in Moore v. Harper, a radical case on the fate of the so-called ‘independent state legislature’ theory”)
• Garland Formally Bars Justice Dept. From Seizing Reporters’ Records
• Open letter to top publisher condemns $2m Amy Coney Barrett book deal (“More than 250 literary figures rail against acquisition by Penguin Random House of book by conservative US supreme court justice”)
• The Impeachment of Joe Biden (“And possibly Kamala Harris, and Merrick Garland, and Alejandro Mayorkas, and Antony Blinken” All this, and much much more bad stuff, if voters are crazy enough to put Republicans in charge of the House and/or Senate.)
• Election Day is Nov. 8, but legal challenges already begin
• These are the mega-donors pumping millions into the 2022 midterms (Our democracy, such as it is, appears to be badly broken.)
• Democrats turn to Obama for midterm miracle, or at least to stem the bleeding
• Right-wingers’ shamelessness is nothing to envy (“The MAGA right enables antisemitism and rampant conflicts of interest.”)
• Surprises rock the Senate races that will decide America’s future
• Trump lets the truth slip about the MAGA base — and today’s GOP
• Judge to consider unsealing Trump grand jury filings
• Prosecutors Seek Testimony on Trump’s Claims to Have Declassified Documents
• Another member of Trump’s inner circle reportedly takes the Fifth
• EXCLUSIVE Tesla faces U.S. criminal probe over self-driving claims-sources
• CNN chief Chris Licht has big ideas, but employees are nervous, and more job cuts are coming
• Kanye West Shows Up Uninvited to Skechers Headquarters in Wake of Adidas Fallout
• Musk Tells Twitter Employees He Doesn’t Plan to Cut 75% Of Jobs (“The $44 billion deal is on track to close Friday.”)
• Musk lugs sink into Twitter HQ as $44B deal deadline looms
• Meta plans to lose even more money building the metaverse while its ads business shrinks
• It’s Official: Meta Is a Disaster (“Dismal quarterly results make it clear the company formerly known as Facebook is lost”)
• Ye escorted out of Skechers office in Los Angeles after he showed up unannounced (Completely unhinged.)
• Amazon puts January 6 in the rearview mirror: “It’s been more than 21 months” (Totally f’ed up.)
• Texas Goes Permitless on Guns, and Police Face an Armed Public
• A second woman says Herschel Walker was involved in her abortion
• Second woman says Ga. Republican Senate candidate Herschel Walker paid for abortion
• Trump to hold rally in Florida with Rubio — but not DeSantis
• DeSantis is unimpressive outside the right-wing media bubble
• ‘Going to be ugly’: All signs point to Republican landslide in Florida
• Trump’s ‘Big Lie’ Allies Like to Talk about It Everywhere but on the Stand in Georgia
• Florida Judge Orders Ron DeSantis To Turn Over Records On Migrant Flights
• Biden, Harris to make rare campaign appearance as duo to help Fetterman
• Mainstream outlets let the right set the terms of the Pennsylvania debate
• ER Nurse Kellen Squire Gives “a big “go **** yourself” to all of the performative concern about John Fetterman from people who lauded Herschel Walker as having a brilliant debate performance” (In fact, “to be doing as good as John Fetterman was doing last night is a huge win for any ER, ICU, or Neuro nurse watching.”)
• Actually, John Fetterman’s Debate Performance Was Fine
• Fetterman’s struggles may still strike a chord with voters
• Fetterman’s debate performance has Democrats on edge in crucial Pennsylvania Senate race
• 2022 Arizona Election Poll: Lake leads governor’s race, Senate race tightens
• Arizona’s Bulwark Against Trumpism Was Just a Mirage
• Fox News fawns over election denier and Arizona gubernatorial candidate Kari Lake
• Why a MAGA Worshipper Has Arizona Sen. Mark Kelly on the Run
• Oregon could see first Republican governor in 40 years as polls tilt away from Democrats (This would be a massive mistake.)
• University of Nevada, Reno election poll shows Sisolak and Lombardo in a close race for governor, Cortez Masto leading Laxalt for U.S. Senate
• Break-in at Arizona governor candidate Katie Hobbs’ campaign office in Phoenix; several items taken
• How Kari Lake Went From Local Anchor to New Face of the MAGA Right
• GOP canvasser didn’t say brutal beating was political until after Rubio tweet, cops say (This guy was at the neo-Nazi march in Charlottesville in 2017.)
• Marjorie Taylor Greene Flees Interview After Callers Grill Her—’She’s Gone’
• As train shortage eases, Metro and bus systems prepare for Silver Line
• Elaine Luria put democracy over politics. Will voters reward her?
• Video: “11 times, we asked Senator Kiggans why she voted against … the Virginia Fairness In Lending Act. 11 times, she refused to answer” (Kiggans sides with the predatory payday lending industry, against the people of coastal Virginia.)
• Youngkin, in Wisconsin, stumps for GOP’s Michels in race for governor (Michels is an extremist in just about every way.)
• GOP governor candidates call in Youngkin for help in tough campaigns (“Youngkin will soon campaign in South Dakota, Oklahoma and New York on behalf of Republicans there.”)
• Kari Lake, Glenn Youngkin and a Post-Trump Era (I read this but really can’t figure out what its point is.)
• 5th District candidates Good and Throneburg spar in Farmville (“GOP congressman paints picture of doom and gloom while Democratic challenger delivers a more hopeful message.” And, the headline COULD – but doesn’t – note that Good demonstrably lied, a LOT, during the debate, as well as spewed out far-right blather.)
• Youngkin wants every high school student to graduate with a credential or associate degree
• Good, Throneburg, meet at Hampden-Sydney in only joint appearance (The fact that they met isn’t the rigt headline at all. The political media in this country is so lame.)
• Opinion/Editorial: Sparks flew in 5th District but no one won (The editorial is good, as it points out how horrible Bob Good is, but this headline by the Daily Progress is completely absurd.)
• State inspector general launches investigation of tourism ad featuring Youngkin (“The ad was shot and produced by Poolhouse, an agency that produced more than $1.5M worth of campaign ads for Youngkin last year.”)
• Inspector general probes $268K state contract with Youngkin’s ad-maker (“The Richmond-based Republican media firm was the only vendor to bid on the contract with the Virginia Tourism Corporation, a taxpayer-funded public authority.”)
• BREAKING: State Inspector General Opens Investigation into Governor Youngkin and His Administration For Awarding Taxpayer Dollars to His Political Advertising Firm (DPVA: “For the sake of all Virginians, let’s hope that the Inspector General leaves no stone unturned in investigating the unprecedented and potentially criminal actions of the Youngkin Administration”)
• Printer takes responsibility for incorrect voter postcards sent to thousands of Virginians
• Sportfishing group presents petition to move Omega Protein out of Chesapeake Bay
• Program provides safe water and septic to Virginians, but now its out of funding
• Editorial: Increase in maternal mortality a cause for concern (“A sharp and sudden increase in maternal mortality in Virginia warrants the close scrutiny state officials plan to address the issue.”)
• Virginians are slow to get boosted
• Rouse builds momentum for 2023 with the possibility of a special election looming
• “Loudoun is ground zero for zealots attacking public schools and political institutions, intending to end separation of church and state.” (Michael Farris “has quietly prepared for a right-wing extremist assault on our schools and politics, currently featuring Hung Cao and Del. Dave LaRock, both supporters of Trump’s anti-democratic, failed insurrection.)
• Richmond’s Confederate monument to A.P. Hill set to come down
• Enrollment up in Fairfax Co. schools, but not back to pre-pandemic levels
• Partisan Election Criticized In Letter From 20 Fairfax City Leaders (It’s definitely partisan, particularly when there’s a right-wing Republican who’s heavily backed by Glenn Youngkin running for mayor!)
• Industrial hemp and CBD facility coming to High Street in Portsmouth. City officials call it the ‘first of its kind.’
• Data from Fairfax Co. prosecutor shows detention recommended for accused felons but judges didn’t agree
• Citizens use security video and social media to search for hit-and-run driver
• D.C.-area forecast: Sunny skies today, with more clouds Friday into the weekend