by Lowell
Here are a few international, national and Virginia news headlines, political and otherwise, for Monday, June 12.
- Number of nuclear weapons held by major powers rising, says thinktank (“There are now an estimated 12,512 warheads across the globe, with most of the new ones in military stockpiles said to be China’s”)
- Ukraine claims recapture of 4th village in eastern Donetsk as counteroffensive operations roll on
- Putin wanted Kherson. Now, residents say Russia is trying to destroy it. (PUre evil.)
- Ukraine loses 16 US-made armored vehicles, group says, but Kyiv’s forces still gain territory
- US citizen detained on drug charges in Moscow identified as rock band manager Travis Leake
- Ukraine war: Russia moves to take direct control of Wagner Group
- Dmitry Mishov, Russian airman who defected, gives BBC interview
- Saudi Arabia is seeking collaboration not competition with China, energy minister says
- Saudi Arabia bought golf with its Ukraine war profits
- Israeli opposition leader says Netanyahu tried to get him to back tax breaks for Hollywood mogul
- Nicola Sturgeon calls arrest a ‘shock and deeply distressing’ after release without charge
- Silvio Berlusconi’s death leaves ‘huge void’, allies say (“Throughout his political career, he faced a string of legal troubles, including charges of bribery, tax fraud, and sex with an underage prostitute. He was convicted on several occasions, but managed to avoid jail time due to his age and the expiration of the statute of limitations.”)
- Silvio Berlusconi, Italy’s Most Enduring, Shameless and Permatanned Man, Dead at 86 (“He partied with Putin and Gaddafi when it was almost cool, and left a sordid trail of women problems, tax probes, and a whole lot of photos of naked pols at his Sardinian lair.”)
- U.S. Moves to Rejoin Unesco to Counter China’s Growing Sway
- U.S. tells UNESCO it has decided to rejoin agency Trump quit
- How the Canadian wildfire smoke could shift Americans’ views on climate (“The ‘power of direct experience’ can change attitudes on climate change, researchers say. But whether it spurs people to action is less clear.”)
- Why the U.S. Electric Grid Isn’t Ready for the Energy Transition (“To start with, there is no single U.S. electric grid.”)
- America Has a Chance to Make Farming More Climate Friendly
- The Great Grift: How billions in COVID-19 relief aid was stolen or wasted (That money needs to be recovered and people committing fraud need to be arrested.)
- If the Supreme Court Won’t Fix Its Ethics Mess, Congress Should
- Trump Indictment Shows Critical Evidence Came From One of His Own Lawyers
- Fears that Republicans’ rhetoric after Trump indictment could spark violence (“‘An eye for an eye’, said Arizona congressman, while another representative from Louisiana gave militaristic instructions”)
- Trump, allies escalate attacks on criminal case as history-making court appearance approaches (Republicans are agains the rule of law.)
- The Three Biggest Obstacles to Convicting Trump
- Barr: GOP spouting ‘big lies’ comparing Trump handling of classified documents to previous presidents
- Trump’s AG: “If Even Half of it Is True, He’s Toast” (“Yet Barr maintains that he’d vote for Trump in a Trump-Biden rematch.” Insanity.)
- Republicans should listen to Bill Barr
- Notes by M. Evan Corcoran, a Trump Lawyer, Gave Prosecutors a Road Map
- Trump’s Miami court date brings fears of violence, rally plans
- Trump to host first major fundraiser the day of his arraignment
- How the Florida judge overseeing Trump’s trial could hobble the Justice Department’s case (She needs to recuse, immediately.)
- Trump and Special Counsel Signal Early Strategies (“The government wants a speedy, focused trial, while Trump’s team will seek to delay and undercut the criminal case outside the courtroom”)
- Will the Judge in Trump’s Case Recuse Herself—or Be Forced To? (“Federal law requires a judge to step away from a case in which her impartiality ‘might reasonably be questioned.'”)
- Trump’s Miami court date brings fears of violence, rally plans
- How to Force Judge Aileen Cannon Off the Trump Case
- Judge Cannon beat the odds to draw new Trump case; She also got free trip to posh Yellowstone resort from right-wing law school (EXTREMELY suspicious and slimy.)
- CBS News Poll: After Trump indictment, most see security risk, but Republicans see politics
- In testy exchange, Lindsey Graham argues Trump is ‘stronger’ after 2nd indictment (Lindsey Graham is seriously f’ed up.)
- ‘Saddest case’ Lindsey Graham buried by authoritarian expert for clinging to Trump
- Lindsey Graham’s ABC News Interview About Donald Trump Goes South In Just Seconds
- Republicans, take note: Walt Nauta’s tragic tale shows how loyalty to Trump ends in sorrow (“Trump’s valet is now learning the lesson of countless others before him: To serve Trump is to court personal ruin”)
- Jordan defends Trump: A president can control access to classified material ‘however he wants’ (First of all, Trump isn’t president anymore. Second, “Gym” Jordan is scum.)
- The Ultimate Deal — Trump’s hoarding of official secrets is both breathtakingly careless and utterly calculated.
- Conservative revolt in House alarms Senate GOP
- McCarthy, Scalise tensions bubble into public over GOP rebellion
- The dysfunction among House Republicans is getting worse
- McCarthy faces power test in conservative revolt
- Trump’s federal indictment will loom large as Congress returns to session
- Moms for Liberty rises as power player in GOP politics after attacking schools over gender, race (“The Southern Poverty Law Center, which tracks hate and extremism around the country, designated Moms for Liberty as an ‘anti-government extremist’ group in its annual report released last week, along with 11 other groups it said use parents’ rights as a vehicle to attack public education and make schools less welcoming for minority and LGBTQ+ students.”)
- Right-Wing Culture Warriors Are Oblivious to the Coming Backlash (“Republicans are merrily immersed in a storm of anti-LGBTQ, anti-drag lawmaking and book-banning. As their extremism grows uglier, the public may rebel—via the ballot box.”)
- Harris gets her cavalry: Top group plans to spend $10 million-plus to boost her
- The surprising corner of the Senate that’s sinking Biden nominees (“Three presidential picks so far this year withdrew because they lacked enough support in the Commerce Committee, where there’s four Democrats up for reelection in swing states next fall.”)
- George Soros Hands Control to His 37-Year-Old Son: ‘I’m More Political’ (“In his first interview as successor, Alex Soros says the family’s $25 billion philanthropic enterprise will boost its support for voting and abortion rights”)
- How Trans Organizers Are Fighting Back Against Ron DeSantis(“Ron DeSantis accidentally created the most powerful resistance that he could ever imagine because we’re angry and we’re connecting and we’re caring for each other.”)
- Ron DeSantis Finds a New Set of Laws to Ignore
- Traffic Expected to ‘Back up Significantly’ on I-95 Detours as Clean-Up from Philadelphia Bridge Collapse Continues
- The Crop That’s Sucking the Colorado River Dry (“Hay swallows triple the water used by everyone in the region to shower, water lawns, and do laundry.”)
- California Legislation Would Force Corporate Polluters to Come Clean
- ‘Unabomber’ Ted Kaczynski died by suicide in Prison Medical Center, AP sources say
- After FBI document shows preference for HQ relocation in Virginia, Md. officials blast off
- As smoke from Canada enters Virginia, research links climate change with more frequent wildfires
- Now in the Final Week of Early, In-Person Voting for 6/20 VA Primaries, Here Are the Latest Numbers (The top two State Senate races in terms of early voting are SD11 (Sen. Creigh Deeds vs. Del. Sally Hudson) and SD13 (Sen. Joe Morrissey vs. former Del. Lashrecse Aird).)
- Youngkin gets it right in stripping degree preferences from most state job postings (That’s assuming Youngkin’s acting in good faith, doesn’t have any ulterior motives, etc.)
- Post Roe, Va. doctor-state senator stakes out nuanced abortion stance (Another whitewash of a Virginia right winger by the WaPo? In fact, Dunnavant has been anti-choice, with a miserable 17% rating by Repro Rising Virginia in 2022, and needs to be replaced in the VA Senate this November.)
- Trash, traffic and constant noise: Residents describe living in the shadows of Newport News Shipbuilding
- Early voting trends show Charlottesville and Carroll County will wield outsized clout in key primary races
- Albemarle schools float reforms to close achievement gap between races
- D.C.-area forecast: Storms probable today, then seasonal mid-June warmth
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