by Lowell
Here are a few international, national and Virginia news headlines, political and otherwise, for Monday, December 12.
- World Unlikely to Avert Climate Catastrophe, New Zealand Minister Says (“Paris Agreement warming goals ‘not achievable’ on current path”)
- U.S. to report fusion breakthrough in quest to create zero-carbon power (“The Energy Department is expected to announce Tuesday that scientists have been able to produce a fusion reaction that creates a net energy gain. However, the technology is still at least a decade away from commercial use.” It’s always “at least a decade away.” Meanwhile, we need to continue going all-out on energy efficiency, solar and wind, all of which are excellent power sources.)
- “Thinner than human hair:” MIT develops solar cell to turn any surface into power source
- The world just got serious about dealing with climate damage
- Dirty, unreliable and yet more blackout threats: Australia’s charming fossil fuel industry
- No compensation to fossil fuel companies under energy cap plan, Anthony Albanese says
- Ukraine launches missile attack on Russian-occupied Melitopol, explosions reported in Donetsk and Crimea
- Fighting rages in east Ukraine, West eyes more sanctions on Russia
- Russia Is Using Old Ukrainian Missiles Against Ukraine, General Says (“A cache of weapons handed over to Russia by Ukraine in the 1990s as part of an international agreement is showing up in rubble, Gen. Vadym Skibitsky said.”)
- Putin is trying to silence those who tell of the war’s horrors
- Ukraine war: Exiled governor reports strike on ‘Wagner HQ’
- Ukraine war: The Russians locked up for refusing to fight
- Heavy losses reported among Russian mercenaries in Luhansk; global leaders to discuss more sanctions
- Trump says he turned down deal to release Paul Whelan
- Kirby: U.S. is still “negotiating” for Paul Whelan’s release
- US Raid Kills ISIS Officials in Syria
- Biden Is Bringing Africa’s Leaders to Washington, Hoping to Impress (“China, Russia, Turkey and the United Arab Emirates are all vying for influence in Africa. What will President Biden offer at a summit that starts Tuesday?”)
- Lockerbie Bombing Suspect Is in U.S. Custody
- Accused Libyan bombmaker in Pan Am downing now in US custody
- UK to downgrade commitment to human rights for close diplomatic ties
- UK economy rebounds from royal funeral hit, outlook remains bleak
- Japan moves to shed pacifist ways with major defense buildup (“Japan is looking to buy hundreds of U.S.-built Tomahawk cruise missiles as part of an unprecedented defense buildup.”)
- China to drop some travel tracking as it relaxes COVID rules
- China’s Rapid Covid Reversal Sparks Whiplash as Cases Surge
- Revealed: Brazil goldminers carve illegal ‘Road to Chaos’ out of Amazon reserve (100% unacceptable.)
- Peru’s new president proposes early elections amid deadly protests
- Qatar scandal: What just happened at the European Parliament?
- Iran execution: Man hung from crane in public amid protests
- What to Expect in the Last Consumer Price Inflation Report of the Year, and What’s Ahead
- Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen on recession fears, inflation and the war in Ukraine
- NASA’s Orion capsule blazes home from test flight to moon
- There is a path to save the Supreme Court from itself
- What the Jan. 6 select committee’s final report will look like (“A large executive summary describes former President Donald Trump’s culpability for his extensive and baseless effort to subvert the 2020 election, according to people briefed on its contents.”)
- Special Counsel Smith speeds ahead on criminal probes surrounding Trump
- Former US attorney believes DOJ “on a path to charge” Trump
- Congressional Republicans divided on attacking Trump investigations
- Trump, Biden fortunes shift dramatically post-midterms
- Wanted by McCarthy critics: 1 qualified alternative speaker
- Behind-the-scenes hunt builds for McCarthy Speaker alternative
- Thousands of Teens Are Being Pushed Into Military’s Junior R.O.T.C.
- A question to conservative Christians on gay marriage: Why draw the line here? (“But unless I am missing something, we do not see court cases from website designers or florists or bakers about refusing to do business with people in their second or third marriages. We do not see the same ferocious response to adultery as we do to same-sex relationships. Heck, conservative Christians in large numbers were happy to put aside their moral qualms and vote twice for a serial adulterer. Why the selective forgiveness? Why the call to boycott only this one perceived sin?”)
- 2022 was a bad year for MAGA Republicans: Here are the GOP’s 5 biggest faceplants (“Donald Trump’s brand of stupid fascism led to a whole bunch of losing for Republicans in Biden’s second year”)
- Don’t relax too much: Our abusive relationship with Donald Trump is not over (“When an abuse victim decides to break away, the abuser often turns to violence. That’s where we are right now”)
- White Nationalists, Other Republicans Brace for ‘Total War’ (“A collection of radical right figures including white nationalists and ultranationalist European leaders gathered in Manhattan for the New York Young Republicans Club’s (NYYRC) annual gala Saturday night, where that group’s president declared ‘total war’ on perceived enemies.”)
- Marjorie Taylor Greene Says ‘We Would’ve Won’ If She Organized The Jan. 6 Attack (The 14th amendment, section 3 is VERY clear on this: “No person shall be a Senator or Representative in Congress, or elector of President and Vice-President, or hold any office, civil or military, under the United States, or under any State, who, having previously taken an oath, as a member of Congress, or as an officer of the United States, or as a member of any State legislature, or as an executive or judicial officer of any State, to support the Constitution of the United States, shall have engaged in insurrection or rebellion against the same, or given aid or comfort to the enemies thereof.”)
- Young voters’ enthusiasm for Democrats waned during midterms
- NASA chief: SpaceX leader says Elon Musk’s Twitter drama is ‘nothing to worry about’ (Definitely wrong.)
- Elon Musk Calls For Fauci’s Prosecution, Attacks Twitter’s Ex-Safety Head
- Elon Musk Is a Far-Right Activist (“If there’s one tweet that will tell you everything you need to know about Elon Musk, it’s this one from early this morning: … In five words, Musk manages to mock transgender and nonbinary people, signal his disdain for public-health officials”)
- Why liberal Washington can’t quit Twitter (“’I want to be diplomatic. I think Musk is an entitled jerk, and so participating in a platform of his just helps him out, and I generally don’t like helping out entitled jerks,’ said Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va., Hillary Clinton’s typically mild-mannered 2016 vice presidential running mate.
Still, Kaine said he’s ‘in dialogue with my staff’ about leaving, showing that quitting is easier said than done.”) - Republicans struggle in the Southwest as Latino voters stick with Democrats
- Kamala Harris Swears In Karen Bass as LA’s Mayor
- Karen Bass sworn in as Los Angeles mayor, the first woman to hold the office
- Arizona governor builds border wall of shipping crates in final days of office
- Del. Lamont Bagby Says He Will Announce at 1 pm Monday How He “plan[s] to help build on the McEachin legacy for the next generation” in VA04
- No secret: Bagby, McClellan ready to jump into 4th District race (“Two other Democrats — former Del. Lashrecse Aird, D-Petersburg, and retiring Petersburg City Councilwoman Treska Wilson-Smith — have been mentioned as possible contenders for the seat in a heavily Democratic congressional district, but haven’t declared their candidacies.”)
- ‘They tried to cover it up:’ Gov. Youngkin reacts to Loudoun Co. Schools sexual assaults (Note: this story is by Sinclair-owned, right-wing WJLA TV7 and a “journalist” who worked for the TRUMP ADMINISTRATION…)
- Youngkin should move to the center on climate issue (He should, but there’s zero chance he will do anything positive…and a HIGH likelihood he’ll continue to do bad things.)
- Aaron Rouse: “We’re going to win this special election, and it’s because we’ve got an army of supporters behind us!” (“‘23 will be a big year for @vademocrats! Let’s roll!” – Former Del. Jay Jones)
- Reports: Dangerous driving behaviors are on the rise in Virginia
- Norfolk City Council bailed Mayor Kenny Alexander’s alleged son — a prominent local rapper — out of a land deal gone bad
- D.C.-area forecast: Chilly week ahead with some iciness possible Thursday
