by Lowell
Here are a few international, national and Virginia news headlines, political and otherwise, for Wednesday, May 24.
- As Ocean Oxygen Levels Dip, Fish Face an Uncertain Future (We need to stop emitting greenhouse gases on an emergency basis. That means a crash program to move from fossil fuels to a clean energy economy – NOW. Meanwhile, the media’s mostly in denial and not covering this story with the urgency they should.)
- Asia water, energy supplies at risk as climate woes mount – research
- A Powerful Climate Solution Just Below the Ocean’s Surface (“Restoring seagrass meadows is one tool that coastal communities can use to address climate change, both by capturing emissions and mitigating their effects.”)
- ‘Worthless’: Chevron’s carbon offsets are mostly junk and some may harm, research says
- Russia controls Bakhmut, for now, but holding it will be difficult (“Russia’s victory celebration may be brief, analysts said, with Bakhmut potentially following Kherson and other cities occupied by Russia only to be retaken by Ukraine.”)
- Wagner Chief’s Feud With Russian Military Cracks Putin’s Image of Control (“Prigozhin’s public criticism of Moscow’s generals and defense minister reveals strains in the mighty leadership structure the Russian president built.”)
- Putin says Russia is going through ‘difficult times’; Kremlin sees no path to peace in Ukraine yet
- Ex-Moscow Officials Reveal Why They’re Laughing at Putin Now (“Outlandish rhetoric from Russian officials has turned the Kremlin into a laughing stock—with potentially serious consequences for Vladimir Putin, according to some former insiders.”)
- Europe wants Latin America on its side against Vladimir Putin. Good luck with that.
- GOP extortion has backed Biden into a corner. He still has a way out. (“At the very least, Biden should not make it harder for himself to follow the Constitution in defense of the country if and when it’s the only option left.”)
- Here are President Biden’s debt ceiling options, ranked
- Court sets legal showdown on debt limit 14th Amendment argument
- White House believes up to 100 Dem votes may be needed on debt ceiling deal
- Newspaper reporting of looming debt ceiling crisis fell horribly short (“Reporting from 5 of the nation’s leading newspapers left out crucial context informing readers about the dire stakes of Republican brinkmanship”)
- House Republicans Pretty Much Admit They Are Taking Debt Limit ‘Hostage’
- McCarthy, Bracing for Defections, Eyes a Fraught Path to a Debt Limit Deal
- Debt-Limit Talks Stall as Time Runs Short to Avert US Default
- Band of Democrats Readies McCarthy Lifeline for a Moderate Debt Compromise
- House leaders look to temper debt ceiling deal expectations of right flank, progressives
- House Republicans are dealmaking newbies — and that’s a problem
- The Good News on Unemployment for Black Americans
- Poll: Most Americans say curbing gun violence is more important than gun rights (Republicans don’t care.)
- A year after Uvalde, officers who botched response face few consequences (None of them should still be police officers.)
- Donald Trump’s Legal Team Is in Utter Turmoil
- Trump Criminal Trial Scheduled for March 2024
- Fearing indictment is imminent in classified docs probe, Trump team requests meeting with DOJ
- Special Counsel Is Wrapping Up Trump Mar-a-Lago Probe
- Trump Is Going to Be on Trial in the Heat of the GOP Primary (“His trial for allegedly falsifying business records starts on March 25 — a busy time for an ex-president hoping to return to the White House.”)
- Harlan Crow’s Lawyers Say Congress Doesn’t Have Authority to Investigate Supreme Court (In fact, Congress can and must investigate the Supreme Court and probably should defund them too while they’re at it.)
- Too Many Reporters Cover SCOTUS With Kid Gloves. It’s Long Past Time to Take Them Off. (Too many reporters are into “access” more than into digging relentlessly and fearlessly for the truth.)
- Roberts says Supreme Court will address ethics issues (Yeah, sure it will…)
- GOP voters flocking to Trump aren’t hungering for good vibes
- The Hill Rankings — The top 10 GOP candidates for 2024 (Youngkin clocks in at #5, behind Tim Scott and just ahead of Mike Pence)
- DeSantis set to make much-anticipated presidential campaign announcement, formalizing Trump rivalry
- Ron DeSantis Is Launching His Campaign on Twitter With Elon Musk. Does That Make Him a Genius or an Idiot?
- DeSantis Allies’ $200 Million Plan for Beating Donald Trump
- The Tilt: Poll numbers for Gov. Ron DeSantis have plummeted, but it’s far too soon to say his campaign is done.
- Report: Of Course Ron DeSantis Hired Woman Who Stormed the Capitol on January 6 (“Wouldn‘t want to upset the Trump supports who think the insurrection was justified!”)
- Report: Ron DeSantis Will Formally Announce His 2024 Bid With Elon Musk, Because Apparently David Duke Wasn’t Available (“Launching with the Twitter owner is certainly a choice.”)
- The DeSantis Delusion
- Ron DeSantis to launch presidential campaign on Twitter with Elon Musk
- Elon Musk’s right-wing media venture scores another big win
- Twitter Is a Far-Right Social Network
- Ron DeSantis will launch his presidential bid with Elon Musk
- DeSantis-Sacks ’24 (“David Sacks, the PayPal Mafia scion, has ascended from mere rabble-rouser into a genuine G.O.P. cultural and political force, starting super PACs and dark-money groups, appearing on Tucker, and in his latest media venture, launching DeSantis himself.”)
- Largest U.S. gay rights group issues Florida travel advisory
- Republicans Are Trying to Seize Control Over Voting in Texas’ Largest Democratic County
- Texas AG Ken Paxton calls on House Speaker Dade Phelan to resign, accusing him of being drunk in the Capitol
- Target removes some LGBTQ merchandise from stores ahead of June Pride month after threats to workers
- MAGA Media Runs Wild With BS Claim of ‘Tuck-Friendly’ Target Kidswear
- Do Americans really want “unbiased” news? (“CNN and the Messenger both say they’re chasing the middle. Uh-oh.”)
- CNN needs a new chief. Here’s the ideal candidate.
- Driver who crashed near White House told officials he was prepared to kill Biden and ‘seize power’ (” Sai Varshith Kandula, of suburban St. Louis, allegedly told authorities he admires Nazis and had planned the attack for six months.”)
- Amanda Gorman says her inaugural poem has been banned by Miami-Dade school (Absolute insanity.)
- SC Senate votes to send 6-week abortion ban bill to governor. Court challenge coming
- South Carolina Senate passes 6-week abortion ban, sends bill to governor
- Planned Parenthood Advocates of Virginia Statement on Passage of South Carolina Abortion Ban (“Abortion bans decimate access across the South; abortion remains legal but at risk in Virginia”)
- The battle for menhaden: corporate greed threatens the Chesapeake Bay
- VA Dems Announce Congressman Bennie Thompson As a “Blue Commonwealth Gala” Featured Speaker (“Along with former Congresswoman Luria, Congressman Thompson embodies the meaning of putting one’s country ahead of politics”)
- Youngkin as Hamlet — the plot twists again
- Parole reform wins rare bi-partisan support in Virginia
- Lawyer who co-led Virginia’s ‘election integrity unit’ resigns from AG’s office (“Lief has also been a regular legal advisor for the Virginia State Board of Elections and was often present in the board’s closed meetings to discuss election-related litigation threats.”)
- To curb crashes, Virginia installs more pedestrian beacons (“Traffic crashes involving pedestrians continue to increase”)
- Appeals court upholds admissions policy at elite Virginia high school
- Virginia school board wins appeal over diversity policy
- Elite Virginia high school’s admission policy doesn’t discriminate, court rules
- With no incumbents, Norfolk candidates compete in wide open primaries for Districts 92 and 94
- Superb Photos by Alex Sakes of Friday Night’s NOVA Labor’s “Tribute to Labor 2023 Awards Dinner
- A Republican lawmaker delivered doughnuts to teachers. Then came a political food fight
- Scoop: Morrissey divorce begins
- Free and fair elections are at risk in Buckingham County (“One registrar quit. Another was fired. Then the county Republican chair nominated that fired registrar, his wife and a local militia leader for the Electoral Board.”)
- Editorial: Another child brought a gun to school. The legislature must act. (Tell it to Republicans, as they’re the ones preventing the legislature from acting!)
- Orange County valedictorian calls on school board members to resign at graduation (Nice job!)
- Roanoke County board passes budget with employee raises and more school funding
- D.C.-area forecast: Nice day streak continues as we trend warmer today, cooler tomorrow
********************************************************
Sign up for the Blue Virginia weekly newsletter
